Sunday, November 30, 2008

And the winner is...

Post number 45, as chosen by random.org.

Kari mentioned her favourite clippies as the being the black velvet clippies and the blue butterflies. Unless she has a new favourite, she will be receiving one of those items along with the dragonfly set and the Christmas tree clippie!
Thank you to everyone that entered! I am planning to hold another giveaway sometime around Easter, so keep your eyes open!

Saturday, November 22, 2008

Critical error

A few days ago, I made a critical error. I decided to make rice krispie squares together with Spud. So, I pulled a chair over to the counter for him to stand on and he helped me pour in 6 cups of rice krispies and then stir it.

He had a great time. It may have been a simple activity, but he loved it. And I think that cooking/baking is great for kids. It helps them to develop life skills, and eventually even reading and math. (And for a 20 month old, rice krispie squares are baking.)

The error I made wasn't in doing this activity for him. Parents of toddlers have probably already spotted what my mistake was. No, in addition to valuable life skills, Spud learned another lesson.

He learned that you can pull the chair over to the counter to climb up on...

That was the next day. And here is a picture of Sweetpea just because.

Tuesday, November 18, 2008

My rant for the day

To the child hater at the mall:

Yes, I would prefer my toddler had not darted in front of you as well. Fixing him with a glare of death will have no effect. Fixing me with a glare of death will only make me rant about you on my blog.


To the person that threw the baby swing over the bar at the park:

You made a child cry. I hope you feel good about yourself.


To Canada post:

I still hate you.

Monday, November 17, 2008

Clippie giveaway!

For Christmas, I will be giving away a Christmas dragonfly clippie set and a Christmas tree clippie. The lucky winner will also win one item from my etsy store of their choice (up to a $6 value).


To enter, go to my etsy store (link can be found on the left of this page). Look around, come back and tell me what your favourite item up to $6 is. Make sure I have a way to contact you, either by your blogger identity, or email. (I will not use this information for any other purpose.)


This contest will run until November 29 and the winner will be randomly chosen and announced November 30.

Saturday, November 15, 2008

Sleeping babies...

After some talk with my husband, we've come to a decision on an issue that has been causing us difficulty.

We are going to let our baby sleep on her stomach.

Now, I am an intelligent, educated woman. I am well aware of the "back to sleep" campaign. I think it is wonderful, in fact. Anything that can cut SIDS deaths in half the way it has is great. I think that everybody should try to put their baby on their back to sleep.

With Sweetpea though, there is a crucial flaw in the back to sleep campaign. It's the fact that it involves "back" but also "sleep".

Sweetpea does not sleep on her back.

If it were the "back to wake" campaign, it would work great for us. Because that is what Sweetpea does when we lay her on her back. In the three months since she has been born, she has probably logged only a couple hours (total) of sleep on her back. She sleeps with us, on her side, in bed. She sleeps in my wrap. Sometimes she will sleep in her carseat after crying herself to sleep. That's it.

Except that's not it. She will sleep on her stomach.

There have been a couple times when she has rolled from her side to her stomach and she has slept better then ever before. In fact, in the last week, she has had a couple naps where she has slept for as much as two hours, by herself, on her stomach. At first, I was terrified to leave her that way and checked on her constantly. Now, I am nervous, but slowly getting used the idea.

Having said that, I think it is amazing how much fear parents have about putting their babies on their stomachs to sleep. A generation ago, it was the reccomended way. It's one thing to teach that back sleeping can be safer, but to instill this fear? I don't know if that is good either.

There is one thing I know though. I need my baby to sleep. If back sleeping just made her more restless, I might still do it. If back sleeping prevents sleep from happening altogether, it just can't happen.

Don't tell the public health nurses! They'll come after me.

Thursday, November 13, 2008

In memory of Bugaboo

Today is the day that only I remember. Two years ago today is the day that my first baby might have been born.

Usually when I talk about my first baby, I am talking about Spud. Indeed, Spud is my first born baby.

Bugaboo is the baby that never got to be born. Bugaboo is the first baby for whom I had hopes and dreams. The baby that never got another name, but remains Bugaboo forever. The baby that lived inside of me for three short months and then moved on.

I am very blessed with the children I have, and I have no wish to change the way things happened, but today is a day that I remember Bugaboo.

As I look at my two living children, I am reminded of a poem that I read a long time ago.

A different child,
People notice there's a special glow around you.
You grow surrounded by love, never doubting you are wanted;
Only look at the pride and joy in your mother and father's eyes.
And if sometimes, Between the smiles, There's a trace of tears,
One day you'll understand.
You'll understand there was once another child, a different child
Who was in their hopes and dreams.
That child will never outgrow the baby clothes.
That child will never keep them up at night.
In fact, that child will never be any trouble at all.
Except sometimes, in a silent moment,
When mother and father miss so much that different child.
May hope and love wrap you warmly and may you learn the lesson forever
How infinitely precious, how infinitely fragile is this life on earth.
One day, as a young man or woman, you may see another mother's tears
Another father's silent grief
Then you, and you alone will understand and offer the greatest comfort.
When all hope seems lost, you will tell them with great compassion,
"I know how you feel.I'm only here Because my mother tried again."

Saturday, November 8, 2008

Trick or Treat!

Yes, I am a little behind in posting this. Things have been busy, but that is another post.

Just a quick post so that I can post a picture.

I took Spud and Sweetpea out trick or treating on Halloween. Spud was a monkey while Sweetpea was a kitty cat. Spud had a great time, running up to house after house and banging on the doors. It even helped tire him out and he went to bed at a halfway decent time. Sweetpea slept in my wrap for most of it.

Here is a picture of the kids with Daddy before heading out. Spud is not at all happy with the hood of his monkey costume and did not wear it after this.