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You cry when you learn of them.
You cry when you feel that first kick.
You cry in anticipation. When
they arrive.
You cry when they first roll over. Crawl. Walk.
You cry when they first coo. Say mama and dada.
You cry when they’re sick. When they’re hurt. Scared.
You cry when they cry.
These are mother’s heartstrings.
>The “Daddy’s Girl” giveaway has been extended to Wednesday July 7th. Click the giveaway button to the right for details!
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Hadley has a bug. She has been fevery. Tearful. And has had very little to eat over the last two days. She is miserable.
We were so worried that we took her to urgent care, with our California insurance that doesn’t cover us in Minnesota, two days before our Minnesota coverage started.
An examination, throw up, throat culture, blood test, urine bag, a pissed off toddler and $245 later the doctor told us that she has a bad sore throat and fever. Keep using Tylenol and Motrin to help her with the pain.
Thanks.
And we took her home to enjoy a miserable night of sleep.
I wish my boobers would feel better. Nothing worse than a sick kiddo that you can’t make feel better.
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This whole “terrible twos” thing, combined with a new little one is forcing Jonathan and I to figure out our disciplining strategy together as a united front. We haven’t been a very routined household in that if we veer from the normal, it’s no big deal. But with Hadley being, well let’s face it, terrible, we are realizing that consistency is best for her.
Hadley is doing everything a normal two year old should be. She’s getting into everything. She’s testing us. She works up those crocodile tears and looks to see if she is getting a reaction. She pokes at her baby sister. And we get the occasional tantrum if she is removed from something she doesn’t want to be removed fun.
Don’t get me wrong, she is a great kid. Just at that lovely necessary developmental milestone.
As far as disciplining, we’ve been playing with the time out concept. Most of the time she just laughs when she is put on a time out and gets up and down, like it’s a game. Sometimes she gets it and cries, but that seems like when we are really mad.
Plus, Jonathan and I seem to approach the timeout differently. He wants to put her in her room for several minutes. I want her to sit in the corner for two minutes so she doesn’t view her room as a place she goes when she is bad (we, after all, need her to eventually sleep in there).
Clearly, we aren’t doing it correctly.
In an effort to get on the same page, we did some research and found this valuable info that you may find helpful, too.
By Stephanie Brown at About.com
Create the right time out setting. Set up an area away from outside stimulus. Other children and adults can cause a distraction when you are wanting your child to settle down and think about his actions. The time out space should not be overly comfortable and no toys should be available.
Once you have designed the appropriate setting, here are some great tips for a successful timeout.
1. Issue a warning. Keep it short and sweet, no lectures, and tell your child the next time they do the behavior they will be placed on a time out.
2. If your child ignores your warning, put him on a time out and explain why.
3. Set a timer. Stephanie Brown speaks of the Super Nanny’s approach to time outs. This theory implies an appropriate time out time is one minute for every year of age. If your child gets up, calmly put him back and restart the timer. Also, be calm and avoid any eye contact during this time.
4. When the time out is finished, explain to your child again why he was placed on a time out.
5. Ask your child for an apology for misbehaving and accept it if he apologizes. This step is optional, but one we will follow.
6. Forgive and forget. Move on to the next.
Of course, now that we have decided that this is how we will do a time out, we haven’t had to do one. Hopefully that will stay that way, but that is a ridiculous hope. So, at least we have a game plan for the future.
Any advise out there?
>To join in the letter writing fun, visit Raising Madison
Dear 7 year old Cambria,
Give your daddy lots of hugs. He is very sick. And while he will recover this time, later in life the disease will take his life. You will cry often as he will miss the two most important happenings of your life. While he will drive you mad at times, make sure you tell him you love him everyday.
Dear 14 year old Cambria,
This year you entered high school. You will still be taller than most of the kids and painfully shy. You will make some life long friends, but also befriend some that are careless with your heart. While I know these are lessons we learn as we grow up, and it’s not in your nature to be confrontational, be sure to stick up for yourself and not let those who are careless hurt you.
This year, also, your parents will separate and enter into some, not so pretty, divorce proceedings. It’s not your business. It’s not your fault. It’s just life. Your parents still love you dearly, even though they may not love each other the same way they once did.
Dear 18 year old Cambria,
Stay away from that guy. He’s more trouble than you realize.
Dear 21 year old Cambria,
This year you will finally go away to school in San Francisco. You’ve been dreaming of this day. And you will get home sick and want to go back, but stick to it. It will be the best experience of your life and you, in time, will leave and return to start the next phases of your life.
Oh, and whole it took near two years to ditch that bad guy, you will start dating someone else, who, while fun, is ultimately not worth the effort you will put forth. Be a strong woman and move forward in life. Love may be some years away, but it will come, I promise.
Dear 28 year old Cambria,
Time for a career change. But you also need to stop consuming your whole self into your jobs. You are young and there is so much more to life than your job. Take a deep breath and follow your passion.
Dear 32 year old Cambria,
Your whole world flips upside down this year. And all I can advise is to hang on tight. This year your father’s illness will return with a vengeance. You will meet the man of your dreams. You will become pregnant. You will be laid off from your job. You will watch your father exhale his last breath, losing his battle with cancer. And you will deliver your first beautiful baby girl. Life’s extremes in a period of 12 months. Be sure to let yourself grieve. Learn to lean on others for assistance. There are many that love you and want to be there for you.
Dear (almost) 35 year old Cambria,
This year you bought your first home. Delivered your second daughter. And moved across the country. Things are tough with two children under two and its hard to see the light at the end of the tunnel. But know that they aren’t little forever. Someday they will sleep through the night. And the terrible twos will pass. Remember to ask for help and take time for yourself without feeling guilty.
Looking back at my life as I write these letters, I am reminded that hind sight is 20/20. But also, the mishaps along the way are what have made me who I am today. Sure, I would give anything to have my dad back, if only for a minute. But it was a privilege to know him, love him and be with him as he passed. But he helped make me me.
— Post From My iPad
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Jonathan picked up this book for Hadley before she was born at a local book shop in San Francisco and it has come to be one of her go-to books for us to read to her. Daddy hasn’t been the only one asked to read it. I have read it to her. Grandma has read it to her. Auntie has read it to her. She doesn’t care. She just loves it!
Daddy’s Girl collection of four stories by A Prairie Home Companion’s Garrison Keillor. The stories are not only funny (they are, after all, written by Garrison Keillor), they are lyrical and all about a daddy’s love for his little girl. You really can’t go wrong with that combination.
Even better, Garrison Keillor is from a small town in Minnesota.
Commercial Break:
And I actually got to listen to a live broadcast of A Prairie Home Companion this weekend on the radio. Not the movie. Not a recording. A real live broadcast. And I so enjoyed it.
OK, back to my regularly scheduled program.
This week I am giving away a copy of Daddy’s Girl to one lucky winner. Entries will be taken until Wednesday July 7th, 11:59 pm CST and the winner will be chosen via Random.org and announced shortly there after. Be sure to provide your email address. You may enter up to four times, and the requirements are as follows:
1. Main Entry: Tell me about a favorite daddy moment. Whether it be with your own father, one you have observed with your children and their father, or someone else.
2. Additional Entry (optional): Tweet about my giveaway on Twitter, providing the web address. Post a separate comment on this post from the main entry or other entries and leave your Twitter username or link to the tweet.
3. Additional Entry (optional): Follow me on Twitter @minimalmom . Post a comment separate from the main entry or other entries.
4. Additional Entry (optional): Vote for me on TopBabyBlogs.com by clicking the button on the sidebar on the right. This is on the honor system, so please be honest. Post a comment separate from the main entry or other entries.
Be sure to provide an email address on every comment.
Good luck!
>- Does Mommy Love Is? is giving away a Patemm changing pad. Entries accepted until August 15th.
– Mommy PR is giving away Kid Cuteture hats. Entries accepted until July 1st.
– Sippy Cup Mom is giving away a “Mother is Love” necklace.
>Hayden, my love,
You are three months old today, and my how you’ve grown. You were once a peanut and are now a string bean. And I’m in awe. You’d think I’d get it by now, but it’s so easy to forget how little we humans start out.
You are smiling. Cooing. Ah-rooing. Ah-ing. At your sister. Dad. Your bug mobile. And me. It makes me happy to see you so content with the people (and bugs) in your life.
Your little body is not only getting long and chunking up, but you are getting so strong. You lift your head high during tummy time. You like looking around and standing up tall. I can tell you are close to flipping over… But, Hayden my love, don’t be in such a hurry. You can be a blob for a little longer.
Your sister has really taken to you. She wants to sleep in the same room as you (which we don’t allow because I suspect no one would sleep) and often lays on the floor next to you. She worries when you cry. She sings you songs. Reads to you. And tries to teach you about your body parts, albeit a little rough (she means well, I promise). She tells you often that she loves you and I tell her that you love her too.
Today not only marks your third month outside mommy’s tummy, but also our third week in our new home in Minnesota. The weather has been strange and we’ve dodged a few tornados. While I am frightened by these, I know we are together and safe. I promise to keep you and Hadley safe always.
I love you to pieces.
Mama
— Post From My iPad
>This morning I was nursing Hayden on our recliner and Hadley asked to come up. She said “The babies eating boob!” I nodded yes in response. Then she said “BIG boobs!” And her hand plunged down the other side of my shirt.
>- Harpers Happenings is giving away a Bird E Studios dog collar or zipper pouch (winners choice). Entries accepted until July 1st.
– Baby to Go misgiving away a Bazzle Baby Big Bib. Entries accepted until June 28th, 5 pm EST.
– O My Family is giving away a $50 Vintage Pearl jewelry gift. Entries are accepted until 10 pm CST tonight!
– Minnesota Must Have Mamas is giving away a Kokopax Bucket Sun Hat. Entries accepted until July 9th.
– Adventures of the Domesticated Mama is giving away a Bath Luve bath drape. Giveaway ends tonight at 11:59 pm.
– Does Mommy Love It? is giving away a Cantaloop bra or tank. Entries accepted until July 20th.
– Does Mommy Love It? is giving away the book “I Cherish Planet Earth.” Entries accepted until August 1st.
–Does Mommy Love It? is giving away Name Bubbles labels. Entries accepted until August 10th.
– The Shopping Momma is giving away an Urban Tots Rockin’ Baby ones. Entries accepted until July 9th.
– The Shopping Mama is giving away a Little Fish Big Pond Dress Kit. Entries accepted until July 9th.
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minimalmom 