Independence Day

As parents, we really want our children to grow up to be amazing adults....that's the main goal, right?  One of the important attributes to be successful in adulthood is confidence.  The easiest way as parents to help instill confidence is to give your children a sense of independence.  So on this week of the 4th, when we Americans are celebrating our Independence Day, I'd like to talk to you about why independence in children is so important.

Giving your child a good sense of independence is very important because it gives them so much more than just confidence; a sense of pride in a job well done, joy in their pride, and a 'can do' attitude.  Independence doesn't start on that first day of Kindergarten or that first time they use the potty alone.  Independence starts in infancy on that first night they sleep through the night without you and the first time they don't get upset when you leave the room.  There are so many ways that you, as a parent, can give your child a little gift of independence.  It will be one of the most difficult things to do as a parent....allowing your child to experience something without you.

Croup

I tell you what....croup sucks.  Anytime your kids are sick is just no fun for anyone, but croup sounds so scary!  Of course, now that we've experienced it, it's not quite as scary anymore.  We have had miscellaneous viruses floating around our family for the last few months.  With 4 adults, 3 kids (one of them school aged), 3 cats and 2 dogs living in one house, it's bound to happen.  Especially since my parents travel for work so often.  Well, one of those viruses happened to hit Little Man.  Started with a cough and a stuffy nose.  He was breathing fine, but his voice was hoarse.  It was just like the last virus he had a month before.  Then it turned into full blown gasping for breath at 11 pm, whooping sound.  I swooped him up and took him straight to the ER.  I was terrified that he caught whooping cough or RSV or some horrific thing.  It turned out to be croup.

Lil' Diner Review

Well, it's been a wild and crazy ride this last month.  Through it all there has been a big lifesaver!  It's the Lil' Diner!  These are products that I urge every parent to have.  It will save your sanity!

I was searching for a way to keep Little Man from spilling his meals everywhere.  He is getting more and more independent and loves to be a 'big boy' with his own bowl and spoon on his highchair tray.  The only problem is that he is so curious and he always wants to look at the bottom of his bowl.  He also loves to make sure that Layla has enough food too.  Cheerios are his favorite thing to share with her and he loves to watch her eat what he drops on the floor.  We tried the bowls with the lids and the suction cup base that could be moved from one bowl to another.  They didn't last two minutes and they were on the floor.  I love to use them for snacks in the diaper bag because of the lids, but the suction cups sit at the back of the cupboard.  I was a little upset that they were SO expensive and didn't do what they were supposed to do.  I also wanted to find plates, but haven't found them yet.  That's when I stumbled upon the Lil' Diner Baby Diner.  I contacted the company to get more information and they generously sent me one to try out!

 

 

I was so surprised when it arrived at my house the next day!  The customer service from Lil' Diner is unbelievable.  They are an amazing bunch with an even more amazing product.  I put together the pieces and immediately put it to work.  Little Man had so much fun checking out the big boy plate with bananas on it.  He ate all the bananas and then tried to lift the bowl.  He could turn it, but it wouldn't budge when he tried to lift it.  He worked on it for more than 5 minutes and the plate stayed on his tray where I put it!  I was amazed; so I tried to lift it.  I couldn't do it either!  Luckily, there's a little slot on one side so you can release the suction cups underneath and then lift it off to release the bowl or plate that is on it.

I have used it on his highchair, on our kitchen table, at a restaurant, on a lap table and when we visit family.  It has worked everywhere!  They also have one that you can use on rough surfaces.  It has a clamp instead of the underneath suction cups.  It is called The Plate Saver.

I am so amazed at how well it works and how reasonably priced everything is!  I think that the 'Mealtime Survival Kit' would make a great present for parents because it has both diner helpers.

Overwhelmed

I do not normally complain about the goings on in my life.  I figure that there are other people out there that have it worse than I do, so why complain about my trivial things.  But, I am feeling a little overwhelmed right now and would really love to share it with all of you.  We have had an intense six months!

Raconteur Daddy lost his job on Thanksgiving....yep that's right, nice boss huh?  So, it has been a very stressful time for us.  We have been doing OK by utilizing all the resources we could from assistance to unemployment, help from family and using what little savings we had.  Plus my mad budgeting skills came into play.  During this time, we also found out that we were unexpectedly expecting our third child!  It seems no matter how hard we try to be careful, we never get to decide when our children will come.  I guess God likes to keep me on my toes!  We are so very excited to be able to have another baby though.  Through this time, RacDad and I have really relied on each other.  We have turned to our faith to help us through, especially when it seems like too much.  I just keep remembering that God will never give us more than we can handle.  This time has been precious too.  It's been a blessing to have RacDad home to watch Little Man grow and change as he becomes a toddler.  He's also been able to appreciate our Sweet Pea and the wonderful young lady she's becoming.  We've had the time to be more active in our community and our church.  Even though our pocket book has been tight, we've been able to help and contribute with our time and work to help others.  We've been able to sit back and view our path and really take a deep appreciation for each other and our wonderful kids.  I don't know if I've ever been more in love with him!

Now, we are leaving our house to head back home to South Dakota.  This is bittersweet for everyone because we finally feel like we belong here, but we are excited to be closer to family too.  We will miss our closest neighbor and her family, and our friends from church and school.  We will miss our house, church, school, doctors and dentist.  On the other hand, we are looking forward to reconnecting with our friends and family in South Dakota.  We are looking forward to the new job that RacDad has and the exciting opportunities there.  We are overwhelmed by the thought of finding a new house, but we know that it's just another hurdle to jump to get back to being settled in.  I look forward to day trips to the zoo, hanging out at the Falls, going hiking in the Palisades, and allowing my kids to experience a childhood like I did.  Being around family and close friends is what is priceless in this transition.

So, Sweet Pea is on her way to Nashville to visit my brother and his family.  This is her birthday present this year from her Grandparents.  I still can't believe that she's going to be a Tween!!  Nine years old is quite the milestone....her last year as a single digit.  RacDad is starting his job.  Little Man and I are putting finishing touches on the house and it will be listed on the market within the week.  Well, I'm trying to get finished and Little Man is getting into the boxes.

We are blessed to have a family that supports us through this transition.  They have been wonderful to remind us that everything is going to be OK.  The most important thing is the emotional support that they give, not what they can provide.  That hope and optimism is what gets us through the day.

Thank you so much for also helping me through this too.  Being able to write and have something to focus on has been a great outlet for me and I appreciate each and every one of you that follow my journey.  I have made some wonderful connections and learned a lot of new things.  I'm looking forward to the exciting things that are going to happen this summer and in the future on OTTW.

Unnaturally Natural

Things that come so naturally can be extremely difficult to master.  But with the dedication and hard work comes great pleasure and pride.....even if mastery isn't achieved.

This is something that I was contemplation the other night when talking to some old friends that I used to sing with.  They have gone on to be professionals; some teaching others to be great and others striving for stardom.  We were discussing technique and focusing images used as teaching tools.  It made me very sad to reminisce about the technique, form and ability that I worked so hard on for years.  Yearning for the life I was once planning; seeing my counterparts almost reaching those goals.  As I typed these profound words above, it made me think of the things that they just couldn't understand yet.....those things that I gave up my stepping stones for and never regretting it for a moment as I followed a new path.....those parenting experiences.

The first thing that came to mind was breastfeeding.  What a wonderful, natural, blessed thing that we are made to provide for our children!  But, for all of us out there who have experienced it....we all know that it is a very difficult and sometimes agonizing thing to learn.  For those who haven't experienced it, it is a natural thing, but it takes time and patience (and sometimes a ton of help) to be successful.  That is why it is so important to support those who choose to do it.  The first few weeks (or months) can be very difficult.  If you persevere....the results are astonishing.  It is worth every tear, every wince, every pain to reach that moment where it all falls into place....that moment of complete awe and comfort.  Knowing that you are giving your child a way to be comforted in a way no one else can, to nourish in the best way possible, and to bond with you in such a special way.  It can be breathtaking.

As I think about this, I start to realize that it applies to so many other parts of parenting too.  It's amazing.  This journey that we travel as parents.  The things that come so naturally that can surprise us, like we had no idea that it was even a part of us to be able to do some of these things.  The others that we thought should be natural, but we come to find that they are not and that we have to learn how to be better.  I am awestruck sometimes at the ups and downs, the happy and the sad, the amazing little people that make up our families and this road that we travel as parents.  We will one day get to see the fruits of our labors.

Bravo to all the wonderful parents out there!  Keep up the hard work!