Lessons from a Three Year Old
It’s been a while since I simply wrote about my family or my life in general. I have been swamped with past-due product reviews and my other writing duties at the Examiner, Moms of Hue, and Traveling Mom, have fallen by the wayside. I am a perfectionist. I set very high goals for myself and when I am unable to attain them, I go into a depression that makes me even more less productive.
With the constant swarm of negative events that have plagued my family in 2009, I am finding it very difficult to motivate myself to get things done. I still have not fully come to terms with my sister’s death, nor my father-in-laws either. I can’t believe that in her short time here, my daughter has experienced two devastating losses already. I have been sad so much and while, as mothers will do, I have been trying to stay strong. I only cry when she cannot see me and I try to keep us involved in fun activities, but the truth is, I am feeling a little overwhelmed.
But the funny thing is that just when I feel like I cannot go on any further, my daughter does or says something that makes me remember that things will be alright. For example, I was really missing my sister the other day (well every day, but this one day in particular it was a lot worse). I felt empty and disconnected from the events around me and I was feeling a little guilty because of things left unsaid and unsettled. My daughter, who has shown a real understanding for empathy even at 3, came over to me and grabbed my face with her hands. She looked me in the eyes and said, “Momma, you… Continue reading
New Design, New Apartment, Toddler Bed, New Energy and More
If you haven’t noticed, I got a new design as implemented by The Domestic Diva. I am very happy with it and highly recommend her if you are looking for a quick and inexpensive redesign. She takes a template that you like and turns it into a brand that you love. So head on over there; it’s worth it- trust me.
Earlier this week we moved to a new apartment. After almost two years of living in an apartment that was without heat when the temperature dipped below 30 degrees, we moved the the most beautiful apartment in which we have ever lived. To boot, we put SWHS in a toddler bed and that opened a can of worms. I am also having flashbacks to when we put her into the crib. I’m secretly wishing that she would pitch a fit so badly that we have to get her crib back.
Is it wrong that I have to lovk her in her room in order to get some sleep? I don’t really lock her in, but I did put a child-proofing contraption on her door because she kept opening it and running through the house. I sort of feel like I locked the Princess away in the dark tower. Please don’t call ACS.
Have you read about my Verizon struggles? If not, head over to Kristina Reviews and chime in. I really need to know if anyone else is having problems.
Did I mention that SWHS is TWO? It came and went so quickly and I think in total, I saw her for about 2 hours on her birthday. That’s right, we celebrated her entry into the Terrible Twos by dropping her off at Nanny and Poppy’s. We had a party planned with a beautiful… Continue reading
Schedules are Good, Trust Me
When I tell people that my daughter (22 months) is in bed every night by 5:45 PM and sleeps through the night, they look at me in awe. Apparently this is not common and most people think I am either lying, or that my daughter wakes up at like 3:00 AM. But, the fact of the matter is that my daughter goes to bed between 5:30 PM and 6:00 PM every night. She sleeps soundly until 6:00 AM when we all wake up to begin our day- we drop her off at the sitter at 7:00 PM. Yes, she gets 12 hours of sleep at night and maybe a 2 hour nap during the day. According to this site on average, 2 year olds need between 11.5-15.5 hours of sleep a day, so we are good.
But how do we make sure she goes to sleep? Part of it has to do with the fact that we were blessed with a very good sleeper. She has never really had a problem sleeping. The other part has to do with being VERY in synch with her emotional cues. I learned very early that she becomes a bit of a handful between 6:00 – 7:00 PM. She would get defiant and cranky because she was tired. So, rather than waiting for this to happen, I decided to bypass it all together by putting her to sleep BEFORE the witching hour begins.
Our bedtime routine is nothing too elaborate. I don’t bath her every night before bed. Sometimes I read her a story; but sometimes I don’t. But one thing remains consistent: we begin to wind down with music or just cuddling 20 minutes before bed. Then she gets a bottle, is changed and then put in the crib. We turn her stereo… Continue reading
10 Things I Can’t Wait to Do With My Daughter
1. Eat ice cream from the carton while we talk about our day.
2. Go to the planetarium and try to figure out where the stars go during the day.
3. Play dress up and pretend to be famous divas.
4. Make dirt circles with our feet and read poetry while sitting on one of our favorite swing sets in the park.
5. Go camping and toast marshmallows.
6. Reading Judy Blume.
7. Crochet hats and scarves
8. Bake oatmeal bars and birthday cake for Daddy
9. Get our hair and nails done.
10. Live.