update.

I'm going to be brief here because we have lots of packing and preparing going on, but I just wanted to let you all know that Nathaniel has been sleeping wonderfully recently! {I'm not sure what people may/may not have thought of me after I posted that letter to Nate, so I just wanted to clarify!} I'm so proud of my little man's progress! And, while I don't want to "jinx" myself, I will say that there has only been one FRUSTRATING occasion since I wrote that. (Combine sleep training with teething and an overtired/hormonal momma, and you've got a recipe for a grumpy afternoon!) But, our "sleep training" has been working beautifully for two days now (and I'm using the term "sleep training" in the very loosest tense...).

That being said, we are off to Baltimore for the weekend tomorrow! I've got my fingers crossed that the little man's very first vacation won't completely wreak havoc upon our new schedule! Stay tuned for details of our trip early next week, and have yourself a lovely weekend!

Wordless Wednesday.

sleep.

Dear Nathaniel,
I love you so much, my darling! And, I know that when you're a big boy, you won't remember today. But I might...and, that is why I'm writing this to you. You've been having lots of trouble falling asleep for your naps recently, and you've been waking up several times at night. You're getting overly sleepy and grumpy--and so am I. I've been frustrated that our usual nap techniques aren't working anymore, and I'm going crazy trying to figure how to get you to nap! I've been more irritated about a silly morning nap than anyone should be, and I want you to know that I'm sorry. I know that you're getting older, and I know that your sleeping habits are changing. I only want the best for you, my precious son, and I don't want to spend any of our time together being a grouch!
I know that you're curious and growing, but, Baby, sleep really is important! If you're not tired, it's okay to stay awake...but when you're sleepy, I want you to rest. Sleep will help you to grow so strong and big and smart! This may seem like a silly time to write this to you because you slept so well last night, and you're taking a super duper nap right now! But, while we're working on sleep transitioning and changes in schedules, I'm sure that we'll have more sleepless nights and afternoons. No matter how frustrating it might be, I will try harder not to let you see me get grumpy. I love you, Darling.
I know that you're new to this 7 month wakeful period...and so am I. I am doing what I can to learn everything there is to learn about babies and sleep patterns, but you're more important. I'm reading a book with lots of good ideas (some of which are already helping us--maybe me, more so than you!), and I will be paying close attention to your cues and needs. I will try to use what I can from the book, but it's really all about you and your needs, my precious baby.

I guess that what I'm trying to say is that I'm sorry for getting frustrated and harsher than I should have been with you recently. When you wake up, I'll tell you that I'm sorry--and you're going to get so many cuddles and kisses! You are the most wonderful thing that has ever happened to me, and I love you more than life itself. You are perfect. Even when I plopped you into your swing and told you to "Just go to sleep already!", you smiled up at me with that adorable grin. Oh, you can melt my heart even when I feel like it's frozen over! And then, you simply went to sleep on your own (something that you never do!), and stayed asleep for almost 2+ hours so far....I feel like you knew that I was mad and wanted to be a good boy. Oh, Baby, you are such a good boy--always, no matter if you're sleeping or not! I'm kicking myself for being such a grouch....and now, dare I admit, I'm getting antsy waiting for you to wake up! {I can't wait to cuddle you up and kiss those cheeks!} Sleep well, Darling....

I love you to the moon and the stars, Precious Boy!

XOXOXOXOXOX, Mommy

I'm THAT mom...

"Where does he sleep?" she asked me.
"Oh, he's still in our room..." I answered vaguely.
"Yes, but where in your room? Is he still in a bassinet?"
"He sleeps in our bed with us." There was a long pause, then I was thrown this little gem,
"Oh well.....that's okay; you'll make all of your mistakes with your first baby, and then you won't do the same with your second."
"Excuse me? I am not making a mistake by letting my baby sleep where we all sleep best! I am not accidently sleeping with him either. I know what we're doing, and this is what works best for our family. Please mind your own business, and do not ever tell me that I'm making a mistake in parenting my child again! I didn't tell you how to raise your babies, and I'd appreciate it if you don't judge me!" is what I THOUGHT a few hours later. At the time, I just stared and might have mumbled an okay while pretending to be perfectly happy to be insulted while she played with my son.
The more that I've thought about the above conversation, the more that I think that she was not trying to be mean or rude. Judgemental? Perhaps, but I actually think that it was a sincere, albeit not so polite, comment about parenting. She's had four babies, so I guess she knows what she's talking about. Right? Mommy judgement....we've all got it. Even more than a mother trait, I think it's a female trait.
Before Nathaniel was born, I thought I knew it all! I knew about babies and parenting and methodology. I knew soothing techniques, outdoor games, and fine motor activities. I knew what toys were fun, what diapers leaked, and what flavors of baby food smelled especially funky. I had a whole list of things that I would never do with my baby! (And, I judged those parents who did...)
I had worked with babies and children since I was a child myself, so what else was there to learn? I knew parents that I would strive to model my own parenting skills after, and I knew parents to which I could never relate a thing. I worked full-time at a daycare for two years. I spent two summers working as a daycamp counselor. I taught school for 9 months. I spent an entire summer as a nanny to two wild girls. I've volunteered in the church nursery, preschool classes, and school-age groups since I graduated into the youth group. I knew about kids, and I knew about parents. And, I judged those parents like it was my job!
I knew exactly how I wanted to raise my son; I figured that I had enough experience to be nearly perfect. I planned to breastfeed, cloth diaper, and make all of my own baby food. I planned to read him stories every day, and give him only educational toys. I planned to instill a deep set of values in him, and raise the most well-behaved child in town. As as stay at home mom, I would keep up on the laundry, keep my house spotless, and have a hot dinner on the table when my husband walked in the door each evening. I would never, ever co-sleep with my baby, I wouldn't freak out about germs, and I would teach my baby to sleep through the night (even if that meant using the CIO method). My baby would be smart and reach every milestone early. I planned to be the perfect mother.
And then, I had my baby. And, you know what? I am the perfect mother for him. I do solely breastfeed, I do cloth diaper, and I do make {almost} all of my own baby food. I read him stories every day. I give him only educational toys....but then he also got some noisy, blinky, battery operated ones from other people for Christmas. {I bit my tongue and never bought batteries.} As far as my house, well....before Nate was born, I was told by a fellow mom that I'd be lucky to get my teeth brushed and a shower on some days. At the time, I laughed...but she was right! I barely get my teeth brushed some mornings, let alone the laundry folded and the rugs vacuumed!
When it comes to sleeping habits, we co-sleep every single night. Nathaniel has yet to ever sleep in his crib. (Oh, I would have judged us 8 months ago...!) I still freak out about germs; I'm the mom using a cart cover in Target, wiping off the high chair with sani-wipes, and giving anyone who dares to reach a finger near my baby's face the side eye. My baby doesn't sleep straight through the night, and I wouldn't dream of letting him cry it out. I rock him to sleep for naps, I nurse him when he wakes at night, and I pick him up whenever he fusses. I have turned into that mom...you know, the one that I would have flamed away before I had my own son.
As a mother, I have learned a few things, one of the most important is to never say, "I would never do that with my child...." For the most part, I am parenting my baby in the manner that I planned...but not totally. I do things differently because that is what works for us. I have done lots of research and reading about parenting styles and theories. But, my most important resource is my son. I do what is right for us, what he likes/needs, and then I look to the books to back up my decisions. Every child is different; every parent is different. I have a feeling that the way that I'm raising Nathaniel will not be identical to the way that Baby #2 is raised. (No, this is not some long, drawn out pregnancy announcement; I'm talking about a theoretical, future baby #2...)
Just like I never dreamed the strength of the bond that I feel between myself and my son, I never knew the true feelings of a parent. I knew that I'd love him, and I knew that I'd get tired and frustrated sometimes. But, oh, the love that I pour into this little one is absolutely indescribable! And, so is the frustration of a sleep-deprived mother when her 1-month-old baby is screaming for seemingly no reason. Just like those frustrations fade away (to be replaced with new challenges), the love of a mother grows stronger each and every day.
No matter what other people think (or say!), I am a perfect mother for my little man. We are happy together, and he is thriving. All parents are different, and, although it's tough, I think that we all need to focus a little more on our own parenting, and a little less of everyone else's. Judging? Well, that's not my job, so I'll try to just ignore what I don't like. If it works for that parent, who am I to argue? You never know, that might be me next time around...
While discussing the vast differences between pediatricion recommendations for our babies, my grandma laughed and said, "Well, no matter what you do, they all seem to grow up!" And, she's right. I can parent my way, and you can parent your way...and we're both going to raise cool kids!
So if you're not a fan of my parenting style, that's fine. I will defend my choices when asked, but I won't attack yours. (If a child is in danger, that's another story...) And, if you don't have babies yet, well, my only advice is to enjoy knowing it all now, because when you're a mommy, you won't be quite so sure!

Onion Rings.

Eric and I both love onion rings! I prefer them breaded, and he'll take breaded or batter-dipped. Either way, they're delicious....and generally, terribly unhealthy. When you order onion rings from a restaurant, they're almost always deep-fried. When you buy a bag of frozen onion rings, they're still not very healthy--and the taste does not make up for the calories. So, I decided to try my hand at making homemade onion rings...and whad'ya know, they're delicious! Sure, they're a little more work than ordering from Applebee's, but they're way healthier (baked, not fried), and even more flavorful! If you're a fan of onion rings, be sure to try this recipe!

Ingredients
1 large onion
1.25 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon black pepper
1 egg
1 cup milk
1.5 cups crushed corn flakes
spices to season (I used oregano, garlic powder, rosemary, majoram, and a pinch of cayenne pepper)
parmesan cheese
olive oil

First, slice the onion into 1/4 to 1/2 inch rings, and pull each layer apart. Next, mix the flour, baking powder, salt and pepper in a bowl. In a separate bowl, beat the egg and milk together.

Coat each onion ring with the flour mixture, then dunk into the egg. Drain onions on a wire rack (make sure that you have something underneath to catch drips because this is messy!).

When all of the onions are coated, preheat the oven to 350. Mix the crushed corn flakes with the spices. Coat each onion ring generously (you may have to press to make it stick), then put on a greased cookie sheet.

When all of the onion rings are coated, drizzle then lightly with olive oil, then sprinkle with parmesan. Bake at 350 degrees for 20 to 30 minutes. Enjoy!

BFF.

Look at these two! I have a feeling that this is the beginning of a long, long friendship...!

So precious...

Wordless Wednesday.

Grover Carlton.

Howdy, Folks! Grover Carlton here, to meet all of your groverly needs! I see The Woman typing away in this here "bloggy" all the time, so I've decided to give it a whirl. (How'm I doin' so far?) I know that she's always tellin' ya'll about The Boy Child this and The Boy Child that....and I think it's only fair to include some about BOTH children. I am, indeed, the eldest son in this household, so let me tell you about myself.

The name's Grover Carlton. They call me Groovy. I also answer to The Beast...or just about any other name said with lots of enthusiasm.

I enjoy chasing cats. Around here, we have two. They hiss and swat at me, but I know they're joking. Cats can run FAST! And, the wood floors are SLIPPERY in this place--which all adds up to super duper fun!

Sometimes I slide and fall when I'm chasing, but it's okay because I love cats. The Man says that I'm "clumsy"...I think that means that he loves me a lot.

I also enjoy my rope toys. I have 5, plus two pieces of a leash that I chewed into toys (I am very resourceful). My favorite game is when The Woman or The Man throws the rope and I fetch it. It's a super game, and I could play for hours! The Humans aren't quite as energetic. When they stop playing, I have to play by myself--like this...

My most favoritest thing in the world is to go for WALKS! Every time that I see The Woman put on her tennis shoes, I run through the house barking so that she doesn't forget to take me with her. I don't stop until she gets my leash on me and we go outside. We walk ALL the way down to the end of the street, and then back again! It's great fun! Sometimes other dogs bark at me. I used to be scared of them, but now I know that they can't get me, so I jump around in circles when they bark. Sometimes I see NEIGHBORS! That's the best! I like to show off by hopping on my hind legs until they notice me....sometimes I have to hop really far, but I don't mind!

My arch enemy is the sweeper. I've won lots of battles by racing around and barking while the sweeper growls at me. I've scared him bad enough that he spends most of his time hiding in the closet, but every now and then, he come out and I have to scare him again!

One of my hobbies is collecting sticks; the bigger, the better! I find them in the woods and on our walks. They're good for throwing, chasing, eating--anything you can think of! I once chewed down a sapling that was growing on the hillside to add to my collection. (The Woman said I was part beaver....I donno what a beaver is, but I guess it means that I am very skilled.) I keep my sticks in the yard, but sometimes The Man throws them over the hill. Those are sad days, but I forgive him. Now that it's warm, I've been building my collection up again...hopefully The Man doesn't notice!

Another hobby of mine is collecting rocks and acorns. They're good for chewing. When The Humans aren't paying attention, I sneak them into the house for indoor chewing.

Speaking of indoor chewing, I feel that I must explain my eating habits. The Woman laughs whenever I eat my dog chow, and I think she's rude. I don't laugh when she eats; I sit quietly with my face as close to her plate as possible. (I'm polite.) When I eat, I like to go to my bowl, get a giant bite of chow, run into the living room, spit it all over the floor, then eat it piece by piece. I never eat straight from my bowl. Obviously, I do this to aid in my digestion.

My other favorite food is from The Boy Child. His hands are constantly covered in tasty and delicious flavors! I lick them thoroughly for him, and he laughs. For some reason, The Woman makes me stop licking before I'm through. I mean, doesn't she want her baby's hands to be clean?!

The best time of the whole day is when The Man comes home! Sometimes he gets up early and goes away for a long time. Sometimes he goes outside into the yard for 5 minutes. No matter what, I make it my duty to be sure that he feels VERY WELCOME when he walks through the front door! When I hear his car pull into the driveway, I race through the house and cry loudly. While he walks to the door, I yap and yap and yap! When the door opens, I leap into his arms and bark until he gives me a hug and a complete rub down. Oh, how I love The Man!

(I like The Woman and The Boy Child well enough, but The Man is my true love! ...and I know he feels the same way about me!)

During the daytime, I take lots of naps. I have to keep my strength up at all times, just in case The Man comes home or The Woman wants to go for a walk. Most of the time, I nap close to The Boy Child to protect him from the cats. At night, I sleep at the corner of The Human's bed. I tug on their blankets and steal things from the clothes hamper to use as pillows. They don't like it, but I don't know how else they expect me to be comfortable; they took my bed away when I kept peeing on it!

Now that you know about me, feel free to come visit!

I LOVE visitors! (Visitors tend to play with me longer than The Humans because visitors don't know how to ignore me. I am very persistant...)

If you can't visit, please send treats. I am a very well-behaved dog!

Hope you've enjoyed my post! See you soon!

In My Arms.

Your baby blues
So full of wonder
Your curly cues
Your contageous smile
And as I watch
You start to grow up
All I can do is hold you tight

Knowing clouds will rage
And storms will race in
But you will be safe in my arms
Rains will pour down
Waves will crash all around
But you will be safe in my arms

Story books full of fairy tales
Of kings and queens and the bluest skies
My heart is torn just in knowing
You'll someday see the truth from lies

Knowing clouds will rage
And storms will race in
But you will be safe in my arms
Rains will pour down
Waves will crash all around
But you will be safe in my arms

Castles they might crumble
Dreams may not come true
But you are never all alone
Because I will always
Always love you

Clouds will rage
And storms will race in
But you will be safe in my arms
Rains will pour down
Waves will crash all around
But you will be safe in my arms

-Plumb

7 months.

Nathaniel is 7 months old today! Time is flying like crazy around here! I feel like we're now past the "infant" stage, and into "baby" time (a time that I knew would come, but never really imagined because it was just so far off!). I couldn't believe that he turned 6 months old a month ago, and now I'm just in denial about 7! My baby looks like such a big boy in the above photo, doesn't he?!

Despite the way that I miss having a teeny little bundle of a baby, I'm loving this age! Nathaniel has such a personality, and he is so much fun! Although he's not mobile yet, he likes to get into what he can reach--his most recent find is that he can empty the cooking utensils while I get his food ready. He laughs all the time; one of his giggles is all I need to smile too! He is very social, smiling at anyone. He hasn't had much (if any) stranger anxiety yet, willingly going to any outstretched arms {unless he's tired; then he wants Mommy}. He still plays in the nursery at church every Sunday during the Sunday School hour, then sits quietly through the service in the sanctuary.

Nathaniel loves to play patty-cake and clap his hands. He loves to hang upside-down and "fly" high in the air. He is very ticklish all over! His favorite toys are his Sophie Giraffe, his ring stacker, his rattles, and his books. He loves to read stories and cuddle when he's sleepy.

Nathaniel can roll over {yes, he finally did it!}, push all the way up from his belly, and grab toys. He likes to stand up while holding onto someone's hands. He can sit up unsupported, though not well enough that I'll leave him alone. He doesn't really like to play on his back as much anymore because he can reach more if he's on his belly or sitting. He loves to sit and play or look at his soft books.

Nathaniel loves to look at himself in the mirror! He laughs and reaches for his reflection, often smooshing his face into the mirror to see the "other baby" closer. He absolutely loves Grover! He is constantly watching Grover play with his toys, and he loves to pet him! Grover likes to lick Nate's hands, and Nate thinks it is hilarious! (Mommy doesn't, but she puts up with it since Nate does! We wash hands a lot around here...)

Nate has 3 teeth, and he is working on popping a 4th one through. He chews on everything! We brush his teeth every morning and night, and he enjoys chewing on his training toothbrush and sucking down the fruity toothpaste.

Nathaniel still takes 3 or 4 naps during the day, and he sleeps about 12 hours at night. He's been waking up a few times to eat during the night recently, and we're working on that. {I just ordered a copy of "The No Cry Sleep Solution," which was highly recomended to me, so we'll see how it works.} I do think that he sleeps better when I make an effort to feed him more often {more calories!} in the evening hours. When he's tired, he rubs his eyes, then waves his arms around like crazy as he's drifting off (to wake himself back up!). He likes to be wrapped in his blanket at bedtime, but he sleeps with his arms spread as far apart as he can.

Nathaniel is still nursing, but he also {usually} loves to eat purees! He's had avocado, sweet potato, butternut squash, acorn squash, banana, peas, oatmeal, and yogurt. All of his foods (except the yogurt) have been homemade, and he has liked them all. His favorites are yogurt and banana with oatmeal. He eats two solid meals a day (breakfast and dinner), and nurses throughout the day/night every 3 or 4 hours. He still enjoys sips of water from a glass whenever Mommy or Daddy are drinking. He also likes to use his sippy cup for water on occasion.

St. Patty's Day.

Happy Saint Patrick's Day!

We spent our afternoon in green shopping for new clothes for Nathaniel! Wouldn't it be nice to get a whole new wardrobe every 3/4 months? I usually try to find his clothes at discount prices (consignment shops, thrift stores, yard sales, etc.), but that doesn't mean that we don't buy cute. I went hunting for summer clothes today, and what I found didn't disappoint! Nathaniel now has a whole collection of summer rompers (really, is there anything cuter than pudgy legs coming out of a gingham romper?!), a snappy red jacket, and even a pair of itty bitty swimming trunks!

After the shopping trip, Nate finished off his St. Patty's with a taste of a new GREEN food--sweet peas! And, he loved them!

To make the day even better, Eric brought me some daffodils and girl scout cookies! (Now do you see why he's the best husband ever?!) It's gorgeous and sunny outside, and we've had a super day! Hope your day was just as fun as ours!