Ahhhh, the joys of....walking??! Or should I say running?! Lil J has finally figured out how to put his two little legs in motion and, boy, is this kid ever excited!
Ever since Lil J has discovered his newfound freedom, he has been EVERYWHERE and into EVERYTHING! Every other person (and their mothers!) warned me and the hubby that we were in for some trouble because once babies start walking, they get into everything. At first, I brushed off all the comments saying, 'Lil J already gets into everything when crawling and it's not that bad'. Was I ever wrong!!
I didn't think that we really had a problem. What else could Lil J actually get into? My answer now: absolutely everything! I also didn't realize how 'tall' my munchkin was until he was permanently positioned upright (there's no going back now!) and refused to do such a thing as crawling. That was soooo two weeks ago!
Lil J can actually reach tabletops and grab at anything that is placed near the edge of a table. He is climbing over anything and everything and - just tonight - he discovered that he could pick huge objects up and run with them. And trip over them. And fall forward then backwards directly on his head against the hardwood floors. But fear not, Lil J is a warrior and he gets right back up, laughs it off and starts all over again.
For example, he lifted up his change pad with all his might and started beating it up. Then he proceeded to run with it blocking his direct view of anything in front of him and he crashes into the corner of the wall and bounces back onto his head, hitting the playmats and thankfully not the hardwood (this time!). All the while, the hubby and I are holding our breaths and Miss S. rushes towards her brother to make sure he's okay.
Yes, the newfound freedom. Walking. Who would have thought?
I'm just glad Lil J waited 13 1/2 months before he started. Wasn't rushing it at all. Now look at what we got ourselves into!
We're sooo proud of him and his accomplishments. Looking forward to the next milestone - if I survive this one!
- swank|mama
8.31.2010
new Pampers GTG code!!
8.28.2010
living in reality...
Girl meets guy. Both fall in love. Get married. Have kids. Live happily ever after. In a perfect world...right?!
We all wish we were living the fairytale but let's face it - we live in reality.
Which brings me to my dilemma. I am adamant on having a strict bedtime for my kids with the occasional exception of bending the rules. With our schedules and the fact that our family is always on the run, it just doesn't seem rational to always have the kids in bed at a certain time. I understand that.
However, when the hubby lets my 10 year-old step-daughter stay up at all hours of the night, it irks me. It's now 11:35pm and he's still allowing her to stay awake - usually to watch TV. Tonight is an exception: he's making her go through her stuff from her room and get rid of useless things that she doesn't need. But, as a responsible parent, I would have asked her to go to bed by 10:00pm so that she can get her beauty sleep and be energized for tomorrow. Not saying that the hubby is not a responsible parent but I do feel I have to set my standards.
When I bring this up to the hubby, he always goes on the defensive and tries to back up his reasoning for allowing her to stay awake until midnight or 1:00am in the morning. I say that there is no reasoning and that their should be strict bedtime rules. Otherwise, she may start overstepping her boundaries in the dreaded tween - teenage years. *shudders*
I also feel like that since I'm the 'step-mother' that I don't always have the authority to tell my step-daughter to go to bed. She always goes to her daddy anyways because she knows she can get away with staying up late. With other things, she does listen to me and people have told me that she does respect me. So I must be doing something right. But in reality, I'm actually helping the hubby raise his daughter and we are a family. We're in this together.
As I am writing this post, I can still hear them talking away. Like, seriously.
Then they come bursting into my room after I told them not to disturb me. I need my adult time. I don't feel like I'm being selfish at all. In fact, I'd rather be selfish than go crazy in the long run.
Anyways, the hubby also doesn't understand that this is really affecting our relationship. We don't get any time to ourselves and when we do, we're both to exhausted to scrape our butts off the couch or one of us is already fast asleep in lalaland. So how's that for a marriage? Is this really what we signed up for?
Am I overreacting? Should I take a step back and a deep breath? Am I stressing over nothing?
All I know is that Lil J will have a strict bedtime and he will (and already does) have a routine. And if anyone has a problem with that, it's just too bad.
- swank|mama
We all wish we were living the fairytale but let's face it - we live in reality.
Which brings me to my dilemma. I am adamant on having a strict bedtime for my kids with the occasional exception of bending the rules. With our schedules and the fact that our family is always on the run, it just doesn't seem rational to always have the kids in bed at a certain time. I understand that.
However, when the hubby lets my 10 year-old step-daughter stay up at all hours of the night, it irks me. It's now 11:35pm and he's still allowing her to stay awake - usually to watch TV. Tonight is an exception: he's making her go through her stuff from her room and get rid of useless things that she doesn't need. But, as a responsible parent, I would have asked her to go to bed by 10:00pm so that she can get her beauty sleep and be energized for tomorrow. Not saying that the hubby is not a responsible parent but I do feel I have to set my standards.
When I bring this up to the hubby, he always goes on the defensive and tries to back up his reasoning for allowing her to stay awake until midnight or 1:00am in the morning. I say that there is no reasoning and that their should be strict bedtime rules. Otherwise, she may start overstepping her boundaries in the dreaded tween - teenage years. *shudders*
I also feel like that since I'm the 'step-mother' that I don't always have the authority to tell my step-daughter to go to bed. She always goes to her daddy anyways because she knows she can get away with staying up late. With other things, she does listen to me and people have told me that she does respect me. So I must be doing something right. But in reality, I'm actually helping the hubby raise his daughter and we are a family. We're in this together.
As I am writing this post, I can still hear them talking away. Like, seriously.
Then they come bursting into my room after I told them not to disturb me. I need my adult time. I don't feel like I'm being selfish at all. In fact, I'd rather be selfish than go crazy in the long run.
Anyways, the hubby also doesn't understand that this is really affecting our relationship. We don't get any time to ourselves and when we do, we're both to exhausted to scrape our butts off the couch or one of us is already fast asleep in lalaland. So how's that for a marriage? Is this really what we signed up for?
Am I overreacting? Should I take a step back and a deep breath? Am I stressing over nothing?
All I know is that Lil J will have a strict bedtime and he will (and already does) have a routine. And if anyone has a problem with that, it's just too bad.
- swank|mama
8.27.2010
new pampers GTG code!
Just came across a new Pampers Gifts to Grow code! Enter CAREFORNEWBORNS for 10 points.
Enjoy mamas!
- swank|mama
Enjoy mamas!
- swank|mama
off to mommyland...
Sorry for the delay between posts but I got lost in mommyland for a moment. Okay, tweetland too - who am I kidding?! I must say I'm very very happy it's Friday! Counting down the minutes until I come face-to-face with my Lil J. Man, I miss that smile.
How many of you working mamas out there come home from work each day extremely exhausted only to be faced with the daunting tasks of preparing dinner, cleaning up the house and making lunches (*shrudders*)? That sounds like me every day during the week and, recently, I have been on the lazy side - parking my butt on the couch or just spending quality time with Lil J which now includes chasing him around the house, telling him, "NO!!! Don't open the toilet seat!! Don't put THAT in your mouth!!" and having him laugh at me while I collapse on the floor in despair. Only kidding! Lil J is not that much a terror as he is a sweetheart. This kid melts my heart each and every time I see him. And to think that I sit at work in front of a computer for eight hours a day, five days a week - missing everything that has made Lil J smile and laugh during the day - breaks my heart.
We do what we have to do to allow our kids to maintain the best quality of life we can give them right?! That's what I have to keep telling myself until I am brave enough to open my own business doing whatever it is my heart desires. Then I won't have to miss Lil J ever again!! The day will soon come....
Now drifting off to mommyland again...
- swank|mama
How many of you working mamas out there come home from work each day extremely exhausted only to be faced with the daunting tasks of preparing dinner, cleaning up the house and making lunches (*shrudders*)? That sounds like me every day during the week and, recently, I have been on the lazy side - parking my butt on the couch or just spending quality time with Lil J which now includes chasing him around the house, telling him, "NO!!! Don't open the toilet seat!! Don't put THAT in your mouth!!" and having him laugh at me while I collapse on the floor in despair. Only kidding! Lil J is not that much a terror as he is a sweetheart. This kid melts my heart each and every time I see him. And to think that I sit at work in front of a computer for eight hours a day, five days a week - missing everything that has made Lil J smile and laugh during the day - breaks my heart.
We do what we have to do to allow our kids to maintain the best quality of life we can give them right?! That's what I have to keep telling myself until I am brave enough to open my own business doing whatever it is my heart desires. Then I won't have to miss Lil J ever again!! The day will soon come....
Now drifting off to mommyland again...
- swank|mama
8.18.2010
work vs. blogging
So I'm sitting at my desk trying to entertain myself with the mounds of work piling up and I can't help but click through my twitter account (@swankmama) and catch up on my mom blogs and entertainment news. This leaves me thinking - should I follow my heart and do something I truly love? Quit my job and blog all day and eventually open up an online mommy/baby store catered to Canadians? That would be a dream come true for me because I would be able to spend more time at home with Lil J and watch him grow through his many future milestones.
Then, BOOM!!! Back to real life and I'm stuck looking at that teeny, tiny clock in the bottom right-hand corner of my computer screen. It reads 3:29pm. Which means I still have an hour until I can unchain myself from this desk. Countdown time is on....
Mamas - would you take the risk? Follow that saying that you only live once? I'm still young but can't help but wonder if what I'm doing now will really keep me happy in the long run.
- swankmama
Then, BOOM!!! Back to real life and I'm stuck looking at that teeny, tiny clock in the bottom right-hand corner of my computer screen. It reads 3:29pm. Which means I still have an hour until I can unchain myself from this desk. Countdown time is on....
Mamas - would you take the risk? Follow that saying that you only live once? I'm still young but can't help but wonder if what I'm doing now will really keep me happy in the long run.
- swankmama
8.13.2010
addiction much?!
Okay, by now you must be aware of my shopping habits but who can't resist a great deal?! That's where my two newest addictions come in: Mama Bargains and Living Social.
Not to be confused with mom & baby sites that offer daily deals at discounted prices, Mama Bargains offer multiple daily deals at 40 - 80% off retail until the product sells out. Basically, they offer one deal at a time and once that deal sells out, they will post another fabulous deal! This concept is genius (and dangerous for 'frugal' moms like me) and completely guilt free. I mean, you're getting a huge discount at clearance prices right?! Plus the shipping charges are minimal ($3.00 and change to Vancouver) and their customer service seems to be on par. I just completed my first order about a week and a half ago and am expecting it any day now. Can't wait!
Want to find a great deal in your neighbourhood? Living Social has taken the daily deal world by storm! They offer daily, time sensitive deals in multiple cities at up to 90% off retail prices. Each day has a different deal. Vancouver has already seen everything from spa treatments to car detailing packages. Follow this link to check if your city is participating in Living Social deals and join the daily deal world.
Are you addicted yet?!
- swankmama
Not to be confused with mom & baby sites that offer daily deals at discounted prices, Mama Bargains offer multiple daily deals at 40 - 80% off retail until the product sells out. Basically, they offer one deal at a time and once that deal sells out, they will post another fabulous deal! This concept is genius (and dangerous for 'frugal' moms like me) and completely guilt free. I mean, you're getting a huge discount at clearance prices right?! Plus the shipping charges are minimal ($3.00 and change to Vancouver) and their customer service seems to be on par. I just completed my first order about a week and a half ago and am expecting it any day now. Can't wait!
Want to find a great deal in your neighbourhood? Living Social has taken the daily deal world by storm! They offer daily, time sensitive deals in multiple cities at up to 90% off retail prices. Each day has a different deal. Vancouver has already seen everything from spa treatments to car detailing packages. Follow this link to check if your city is participating in Living Social deals and join the daily deal world.
Are you addicted yet?!
- swankmama
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)