I’ll admit that I’m not a skinny person. I was never a skinny person, although I know a skinny person lives inside me. I was slender, and dare I say it - HOT, back in the day.
At the moment, I’m what I’d like to call “fat,” which is a shorter way of saying “I have thirty pounds of baby fat still to lose following my 12lb 8.5oz* child born a year ago.”
At least according to friends who also have a life, it’s normal to take years before all the weight comes off. I also have skinny friends, but they just lucked into the weight loss - plus they are better at eating small portions. But I think that’s because they are smaller people - they have smaller stomachs, too.
*(I find stating his weight makes people forget that I’m overweight - it’s proportional)
But now that Brian is about a year old and Jake is three (although not potty trained thanks to six months of moving hell), it might be time to tackle this fat once and for all - or at least get started on the three year process.
My Plan?
The skinny person diet.
I don’t have time for counting anything and have no desire to leave my kids to go to meetings. Can’t go in the evenings anyway - I’m working.
So I shall simply pretend I’m skinny and eat like the skinny people do. And I don’t mean the people like my husband (who isn’t skinny, just slender) who have mega-fast metabolisms. I mean the skinny people who DO have the time to count things. I figure if I watch them and eat the way they do, I’ll be benefiting from their hard work.
I’ll let you know how it goes.
You may have noticed I also have time for a renewed interest in my blog. Here’s to my future non-fat self and my renewed blogging!
June 29th, 2008
Posted by
Rebecca |
Baby Fat Diet, Baby Fat, All Parenting Articles |
no comments
There are lots of times that I’m glad I’m a girl – okay all the time - but recently I realized that girls have it better in almost everything, even payment for bodily donations.
If the fliers on my car back in college are to be believed, sperm donation can earn you a few hundred bucks if you are degreed, attractive, tall, etc. The more desirable you are, the more you can earn from your donation. Of course if you’re short, dumb and ugly you can only make $50 or so, but that’s still quite a bit for something most boys do daily anyway.
Girls, though, can net thousands for egg donation. Of course, boys can donate sperm every day if you wanted to, and the same isn’t true for being an egg donor, but apparently you can make $6000 by donating eggs to a family looking for help with a baby. Not bad for a month’s work.
April 2nd, 2008
Posted by
Rebecca |
Pregnancy, All Parenting Articles |
no comments
It’s not pretty, but sometimes it’s a fun daydream when you’re steamed. Divorce is a very common occurrence and while I might poke fun lightly at my husband from time to time, I’m of the sticking variety. We’ve had our ups and downs, but despite the occasional glaring silence and vague threat when we don’t get our way, we’ve got a good deal going.
Others can’t say the same.
So far, I’ve had two friends get divorced. One was only about 34 and on his second divorce. (His wife was cheating on him big time – I would have left her, too.) The other friend was the kind of divorce that really stings. She got married to a guy she loved. She was perfectly happy until one day he told her that he’d realized he didn’t really love her and wasn’t really very interested in staying married to her. Ouch.
Fortunately she’s since remarried a guy who DOES really love her and she’s expecting her first child. All this and she’s only 27.
I’m not going to say that divorce is wrong, but I do think it’s considered a bit too lightly by many parties. After all, everyone is doing it – it must be okay, right?
That being said, I’ll admit freely I’ve considered it on rare occasions. Usually those occasions are when my adorable husband makes sweeping generalizations such as, “Why can’t you just keep the house cleaner? Women throughout time have managed to raise kids and clean at the same time – why can’t you?”
*teeth gnashing and stony silence*
February 18th, 2008
Posted by
Rebecca |
Notes from a Real Mom, All Parenting Articles |
3 comments
You might notice this blog hasn’t been updated regularly. That’s because I’m a work at home mom. I work at home. I have two kids under three. My life is insane. I love it, but sometimes it’s just too full so things get pushed to the back burner. This blog, unfortunately is one of them.
But here’s the problem with being a work at home mom:
- I wake up with the boys around 7am. I actively parent (and I mean actively) all day long.
- The boys have overlapping naps for maybe thirty minutes - just enough time to respond to a few emails.
- Both boys are asleep in bed by 8pm, and I sit down to work…until 11pm or midnight.
Sounds great right? Being home with the boys all day is great. Being a freelance writer who can work literally anywhere, anytime is great, too. But trying to do everything all at once is really challenging.
Because I work at night after the boys are in bed, there are a few things that simply don’t get done around here. During the day a toddler and infant and working nights prevents me from taking care of:
- laundry
- picking up the toys
- baking
- uploading pictures
- watching television
- painting my toenails
- putting away clothes
- cleaning up the kitchen
- returning phone calls
- updating baby books
- reading books for fun
- etc…
Since I must work frantically all evening, all “normal” evening activities must be done while my boys are awake. So that means I’m trying to do two or more things at once any given day, and my house is constantly filthy and cluttered.
And, of course, I’m not spending as much dedicated time with them as I’d like, which was my whole reason to quit teaching for a year to work at home. So is it worth it? At this exact moment, I’m not exactly sure…
December 13th, 2007
Posted by
Rebecca |
Notes from a Real Mom, All Parenting Articles |
4 comments
Rest (verb)
To rest is to take a moment any where, any way you can to not actively parent, work, or otherwise engage in the 752 tasks that call for your attention at any given moment. Rest can be hard to come by, especially for working mothers, so it must often be carefully sought out and taken advantage of when found.
See also: break, temporary insanity, sleep, almost asleep, REM sleep, stopping at a red light, waiting at the doctor’s office
November 24th, 2007
Posted by
Rebecca |
Real Mom Lexicon, Notes from a Real Mom, All Parenting Articles |
no comments
The average one-year-old baby boy is 29 inches tall and 23 pounds. My 4-month-old baby boy is 29 inches long and 21 pounds. If I had time or energy to think about betting, I’d bet that he’ll top 30 pounds by his first birthday and be, oh - I don’t know - 33 inches long. That would be the size of a hefty 2-year-old. That’s my boy!
November 20th, 2007
Posted by
Rebecca |
Infant Issues, All Parenting Articles |
4 comments
Working Mommy Guilt is very real. Sure it seems like an excuse to spoil your child or be lax on discipline, but if you think that – you’ve probably never actually worked away from home for more than fifteen hours a week.
My friend Shanna went back to work after three years at home. She’s never worked more than a few hours a week since having her oldest who happens to be Jake’s age. Now she is working full-time as a high school librarian. She is suffering from Working Mommy Guilt in a big way. She got a membership to the Y with childcare. She was going every day for months. She went back to work and hasn’t been since – she just can’t stand the thought of leaving her girls in the childcare for one more hour. I don’t blame her.
I don’t go to church because I don’t like the idea of childcare for one hour to attend a church service by myself. (Mike won’t go.) I’d rather spend that hour with my boys. This feeling was even more powerful when I was working full-time.
November 18th, 2007
Posted by
Rebecca |
Notes from a Real Mom, All Parenting Articles |
no comments
1.Your toddler asks for a banana. You peel the banana. Your infant fusses a bit, so you walk over and try to hand him the banana. Your toddler and husband look on like you’re insane – which you are after four months of sleep deprivation.
2.Your toddler has a dirty diaper. You interrupt his play to clean it up. You bundle the diaper, kiss the toddler and head off in search of a plastic bag for proper disposal. On the way back from the garage you see your toddler contentedly playing again – with a bare bottom. It seems you completely forgot to put a new diaper on.
Yes, both of these happened to me today. And yes, I’m exhausted.
On that note, I’m going to bed for another six or (hopefully) seven hours of much interrupted sleep.
Night! *yawn*
November 13th, 2007
Posted by
Rebecca |
Infant Sleep, Notes from a Real Mom, All Parenting Articles |
no comments
At long last, my PreschoolRock.com section website, Potty Training, is live!
I am the new Potty Training writer, and looking over my new site I am struck by a single resounding thought:
I need to get a new picture of myself…
November 3rd, 2007
Posted by
Rebecca |
Toddler Potty Training, All Parenting Articles |
no comments
Some parents are absolute idiots. Naturally we all make mistakes, and sleep deprivation and inexperience can help us make some pretty big mistakes, but doing something as stupid as leaving your baby alone in any kind of seat on a counter or table is just, well, stupid.
Bumbo seats are wonderful creations. I didn’t have one for Jake, but I got one for Brian – and he loves it.
If you don’t already know, a Bumbo seat is a foam chair that is specially molded to a baby’s body so that a baby can sit up before they are able to do so on their own. There are no latches or straps, and there is a label on the back reminding parents to be responsible and supervise their baby while he is sitting in the chair. It also reminds parents not to do something as idiotic as putting the seat on an elevated surface.
October 30th, 2007
Posted by
Rebecca |
Infant Play, Infant Issues, All Parenting Articles |
no comments
When I had my oldest son, Jake, I was part of a very nifty HMO. I know HMO’s get a bad rep for lots of people, but as someone who never went to the doctor except to get my annual prescription of birth control pills and then to get routine maternity care (with ol’ Doc Hwang, who I love dearly), I LOVED it.
I paid a whopping total of $250 for the entire 9-10 months of pregnancy. That includes the five day hospital stay, scheduled delivery, anesthesia, etc…
I did it again, 26 months later with Brian. But this time, my maternity insurance was not as terrific. You see, my school district had switched to a PPO which meant I paid $3,000 for the same exact treatment and delivery. I was (and still am) NOT impressed. Obviously others pay much more, but coming off $250 with literally everything (except the baby) the same, it was most insulting.
October 28th, 2007
Posted by
Rebecca |
Pregnancy, All Parenting Articles |
no comments
No-No (noun)
A forbidden or highly discouraged activity usually followed by a form of disciplinary action - the degree of which is determined by the severity of the no-no and the state of the mother’s exhaustion. “Jake, drawing on your brother with markers is a no-no!”
See also: mistake, rebellion, tantrum, toddler antic
October 25th, 2007
Posted by
Rebecca |
Real Mom Lexicon, Notes from a Real Mom, All Parenting Articles |
no comments
I am a potty training expert. And if you give me another week and another five rounds of revisions, I’ll have the website to prove it!
Recently PreschoolRock.com has taken a chance on me and I’ve begun building their potty training section. My work has been revised, updated, tweaked and finessed and now is undergoing its final review. If I pass inspection, it will go live and my expert status will be announced to the world.
That being said, Jake has yet to poop in the potty. But maybe that’s why I’m an expert. I KNOW potty training like every other mom expert out there. (Not that we’re potty training…)
October 23rd, 2007
Posted by
Rebecca |
Toddler Potty Training, Toddler Drama, All Parenting Articles |
no comments
Congrats, Shorty! My sister is pregnant, and I’m thrilled - even if it’s hard to tell through my frazzled state of sleep deprivation.
It’s going to be awesome watching her grow her own little family, and maybe she’ll have a girl so I can shower her with all the pink things we never got to use at my house. Or, even better, maybe she’ll have a boy so I can offload my cases of boy clothing, toys, and gigantic, brightly colored items we collectively call “baby gear.”
Also, at long last I can offer her my full spectrum of unsolicted parenting advice!
October 20th, 2007
Posted by
Rebecca |
All Parenting Articles |
4 comments
Until you have two children, it’s almost impossible to understand how hard it is to balance the two kids, your husband, your job(s), and your household. Of course you’re in the mix somewhere, but everyone is always able to tell the mother of small children - maybe it’s the split ends and sweats.
Finding Balance
I’ve been working for years at too many things. I was finishing a Masters, I was teaching, I was writing at night and on weekends,and I was pregnant and trying to raise my son. Oh, and I was married, too. My husband will tell you just how often I forget that…
October 18th, 2007
Posted by
Rebecca |
Baby Fat Exercise, Baby Fat Diet, Baby Fat, All Parenting Articles |
no comments
Snuggles (noun)
To squeeze tightly for an extended period of time. Often accompanied by Kisses. “Come give Mommy snuggles and kisses!”
See also: hugs, squeezes, kisses
October 13th, 2007
Posted by
Rebecca |
Real Mom Lexicon |
no comments
I can prove to you that you must exercise to lose weight effectively, especially Baby Fat. Maybe breastfeeding helps. I wouldn’t’ know because it didn’t work for either of my boys despite my best efforts. So I don’t get those free calories burned off.
I’ve been wavering between the last fifteen and twenty pounds of baby fat for about two months now and this stuff is sticky. It won’t budge without some serious cardio. At least I hope so, because that’s the one thing I haven’t been doing, so it’s my last hope.
October 11th, 2007
Posted by
Rebecca |
Baby Fat Exercise, Baby Fat, All Parenting Articles |
no comments
A few weeks ago we had a stomach bug, and I learned a lot about dealing with diarrhea. If your little one is struck down with diarrhea, here’s what worked for us:
Infants:
-Wait a day to see if it will just run its course.
-Make sure your formula isn’t diluted; full strength formula can be constipating which is good in this case.
-If infant diarrhea lasts longer than 24-48 hours, call your doctor. You might even want to call sooner.
-They will most likely tell you to take your baby off formula (I’m not sure about breast milk) and give him Pedialyte instead for 24 hours.
-Then you’ll do half formula and half Pedialyte for a day or two
-And finally you’ll be back on full formula, and hopefully the diarrhea will be cleared up.
*A note – be sure to stock up on diaper rash ointment and use it liberally. There is nothing worse than a baby who’s tummy and butt hurts.
Toddlers:
I sincerely feel that toddler diarrhea was worse than infant diarrhea. Infants don’t walk with theirs….
October 9th, 2007
Posted by
Rebecca |
Infant Feedings, Toddler Potty Training, Notes from a Real Mom, Toddler Drama, Infant Issues, All Parenting Articles |
no comments
Unless you have an amazingly helpful husband and a bathroom large enough for your whole family, most likely you’re in charge of bath time – or maybe your husband is. In my house, going from one toddler to one toddler plus one newborn at bath time was tricky.
So I just threw them both in the bath. Of course I waited until Brian’s little belly button was healed, but now both boys go into the tub at the same time.
Jake goes on the end next to the faucet and Brian lays on his little mesh bath chair at the other end. I kneel in the middle. Jake, the oldest, goes first. We wash his hair and then soap him up. We rinse and he happily plays with his toys and “helps” wash Brian after that.
October 5th, 2007
Posted by
Rebecca |
Toddler Drama, Infant Issues, All Parenting Articles |
no comments
Here’s my method for Cry It Out. There are many different ones and mine is a combination of many “expert” opinions. After all, I’m the real expert on my kiddos.
1. Wait until your baby is at least four months old. Ideally you’ve been letting them fall asleep on their own since birth (after rocking, of course), which will make it easier. But if not, never fear – the end result is the same.
2. Establish a solid bedtime routine. This will clue your baby in that it’s sleep time every night. Be sure you’re starting bedtime around the same time every night when your child looks sleepy (Not after she’s fussing.)
3. The first night, go through your routine. Bathe, rock, snuggle, nurse or feed, and then sing or rock some more. Instead of waiting for your baby to fall sound asleep, as soon as you see her eyes drifting shut, gently place her in the crib.
4. Her eyes will most likely pop open and she’ll wonder why in the world she’s not still in your arms.
October 3rd, 2007
Posted by
Rebecca |
Toddler Sleep, Infant Sleep, Notes from a Real Mom, Infant Issues, All Parenting Articles |
3 comments
My oldest had a sleep problem. By four months he was waking up every two hours at night and had been sleeping four or five when he came home from the hospital. After examining the problem and researching it, I discovered that we were the problem.
Apparently, rocking my baby to sleep all the time and putting him down only when he was knocked out didn’t teach him to fall asleep on his own. In fact, he liked the rocking and Mommy so much, he wanted to do it again every time he came out of a deep sleep at night – every two hours.
October 1st, 2007
Posted by
Rebecca |
Toddler Sleep, Infant Sleep, Notes from a Real Mom, Infant Issues, All Parenting Articles |
one comment
I love Jenny McCarthy. She’s hilarious and speaks (and writes) the way I think. Of course I can’t speak that way since I teach and parent, but I love reading her books. I laughed at the first one. I laughed harder at the second. And then I cried reading her latest.
Louder than Words
, her new book, take readers through her life when she realized her son has autism and the horrible way she found out. We are not affected by autism at my house (Thank, God), but I have a new and deeper understanding for those that are. Jenny threw herself into helping her son and bringing him back.
September 28th, 2007
Posted by
Rebecca |
Toddler Drama, Infant Issues, All Parenting Articles |
2 comments
(This is the continuation of the Newborn and Baby sleep posts)
Just when you think you’ve got your nights figured out, you get a toddler. Infant issues often seem mild by comparison. Your infant can’t talk back. Your infant most likely won’t follow you out of the room, and your infant often doesn’t realize that the rest of the world isn’t going to bed at 7pm. (Although you may wish you were.)
Foundations
Ideally you’ve set the foundations for sleep as your little one was growing. Hopefully somewhere along the line, she’s learned to fall asleep on her own or at least is only waking up once to eat by the time she’s a year old. In theory babies shouldn’t be waking up past 9 months to eat, but as the mother of huge babies, I say, if they’re hungry – feed them. After all, my kids at least will be twice the size of most by the fifth grade.
September 26th, 2007
Posted by
Rebecca |
Toddler Drama, All Parenting Articles |
no comments
I’m rather wasteful when it comes to a lot of things. I don’t usually eat leftovers despite my good intentions. I get bored with lotions and shower gels long before they are used up. And baby gear was so much fun to buy, I went a bit overboard. Now, if you’re being frugal and wise, perhaps you can learn from my mistakes. Here are some of the most expensive baby gear items I wasted:
High Tech Diaper Pail
I didn’t have a Diaper Genie, but I had something similar. It would hold over 400 diapers or something ridiculous. To a new mommy this sounded great – until I got my first whiff of 400 diapers.
September 25th, 2007
Posted by
Rebecca |
Infant Issues, All Parenting Articles |
no comments
I’ll sleep with anything that needs to be warm in the middle of the night. At the moment I’m sleeping with two bottles of water. Every night I make two bottles, throw the lids on and put them in bed next to me. (Sorry, dear – spot’s taken.)
I measure out the scoops of formula and put them in the handy formula dispenser next to the bed, and then I’m ready for action late at night.
When Brian wakes up, I’m a bottle slinger.
September 23rd, 2007
Posted by
Rebecca |
Infant Issues, All Parenting Articles |
no comments
I learned something last week. Latex nipples have an expiration date.
I know that most moms use silicone, but I liked the latex ones with Jake because they were easier to suck. Like the thrifty mom I am, I simply scrubbed them within an inch of their life and put them away until Brian showed up.
I’ve been using them for two months, and recently went to buy a new pack to have on hand when I skimmed the back.
1. Latex nipples should only be boiled on time and hand washed after that. Check – already knew that.
2. Latex nipples should be replaced every 2-3 months. Oops.
September 20th, 2007
Posted by
Rebecca |
Notes from a Real Mom, All Parenting Articles |
no comments
I’ve mentioned before that bedtimes are early in my house. This is for two reasons.
1. It keeps me sane and gives me time to work.
2. It makes my kids happy and healthier.
Bedtimes for kids should follow their natural rhythms. The body has circadian rhythms that give us cues for sleeping and being awake. If you don’t sleep when your body thinks it should, you’ll wake up tired. If you sleep too long, the same thing happens. But if you sleep during the “ideal” times, you wake up feeling rested and ready to go.
So when are these ideal times? They vary by person and child, but for the average baby and toddler, bedtime should be 6-8pm, and morning should start at 6-8am. Yes, it’s early. But it’s far better to have a rested and happy child. Besides, in a few years you won’t be able to get them out of bed in the mornings and you can sleep in then. And I’m counting on it.
September 18th, 2007
Posted by
Rebecca |
Toddler Drama, Infant Issues, All Parenting Articles |
no comments
It never fails. I had just posted about the early bedtime, when we were struck down. Hard. A stomach bug is a bad thing when you’re single. It’s far worse when you have it, your toddler has it, and you’re trying to protect your infant. There are a few things to be learned from a stomach bug, however.
1. Pull-ups are not very good for toddlers with diarrhea.
2. Toddler vomit in the middle of night is far worse than toddler vomit during the day.
3. Toddlers don’t like Pedialyte. At least mine doesn’t.
September 15th, 2007
Posted by
Rebecca |
Toddler Drama, All Parenting Articles |
3 comments
Brian is now going to bed at 7pm. I’ve been waiting somewhat patiently for the routine early bedtime, and now I have it. Jake goes to read stories with Mom around 7:30 most nights, and is out around an hour later. Now, he’s in a little preschool which wears him out, so he’ll be asleep by 7 most nights, too.
I am so excited!
September 14th, 2007
Posted by
Rebecca |
Infant Issues, All Parenting Articles |
one comment
There are so many baby items I got with my first, I couldn’t imagine needing more- until I was pregnant with my second. Then there were a few things I realized I didn’t get the first time, so I was sure to get the second. None were necessary, but they were fun to find. This round of infant required a Boppy pillow
, even though I didn’t end up nursing, a Jumperoo
since my babies are too big for the doorway jumpers I discovered after purchase, and a Fisher-Price Baby Papasan 
, which I love.
Now, there is only one baby item left to buy that I honestly thought I wouldn’t need. But now having tried to walk to the park with a thirty-four pound toddler in a hiking backpack pushing his almost seventeen pound brother in the stroller, I’ve decided I want a double stroller.
September 12th, 2007
Posted by
Rebecca |
Toddler Drama, Infant Issues, All Parenting Articles |
no comments
I told you I’d keep everyone posted on my weight loss, so here is an update.
I haven’t lost a ton of weight just yet, but I am getting there sloooooowly.
September 10th, 2007
Posted by
Rebecca |
Baby Fat, All Parenting Articles |
2 comments
I’m not sure if it is the calcium in his milk or the size of his little fingers, but Brian’s fingernails grow at an astonishing rate. It doesn’t help that his little hands are always up by his face. I live in fear of him scratching himself on his eye. (I shudder just thinking about it.)
I prefer to cut his fingernails with clippers, but there are other ways. Cutting baby nails is tricky since the little one is unlikely to hold still just because you asked him to. I actually have the same problem with toddler nails, but that is easily solved with basic bribery.
To cut a baby’s nails, I…
1. Wait until he is sleeping and then cut at my leisure.
September 8th, 2007
Posted by
Rebecca |
Infant Issues, All Parenting Articles |
no comments
Sleep is a big deal for parents. As I mentioned in my post about newborn and baby sleep, there are plenty of ways to help your baby get a good night’s sleep.
Here are some of my favorites:
Healthy Sleep Habits, Happy Child
by Weissbluth
The Happiest Baby on the Block: The New Way to Calm Crying and Help Your Baby Sleep Longer
by Karp
The No-Cry Sleep Solution: Gentle Ways to Help Your Baby Sleep Through the Night
by Pantley
I’ve also read these, but they didn’t suit my lifestyle.
September 5th, 2007
Posted by
Rebecca |
Infant Issues, All Parenting Articles |
no comments
I shared with you my experiences and research on newborn sleep a while ago. Now, with Brian getting a bit older, and me getting a bit more desperate for an early bedtime, let’s discuss the middle stage of little ones and sleep. I’ll share more on toddler sleep another time.
As Brian approaches four months of age, his sleep patterns will hopefully begin to settle. First his bedtime will move earlier hopefully much earlier. Then he will develop a morning nap at about the same time, and finally an afternoon nap will settle in. Since he’ll be going to be so early, he’ll probably still wake up one or two times a night until close to nine months.
Older babies will have a few quirks, and this is the marvelous age where many parents begin to fully understand the terms “Cry It Out” and “Sleep Training.”
September 3rd, 2007
Posted by
Rebecca |
Infant Issues, All Parenting Articles |
no comments
It’s an odd thing, but if I can muster up the energy to climb on the treadmill at the end of the day, I’ll have extra energy the next day – even if I have to stay up later to do it. Like I said, it’s odd.
Exercise gives me (and presumably you) an endorphin kick and it also helps energize me the following day. Thirty or forty-five minutes on the treadmill should be burning off some calories, which I serious need, but it also is building up muscles and repairing the damage lack of exercise has done.
I’ll admit it, I didn’t exercise properly for the last two years. Coincidently my son is now two.
Exercising with a Baby
It should have been easy. There are tons of ways to exercise with a baby, and for a long time, we were doing just fine.
August 31st, 2007
Posted by
Rebecca |
Toddler Drama, Infant Issues, Baby Fat, All Parenting Articles |
2 comments
I can’t complain. My two-month-old is going up to seven hours at a stretch now at night. My only trouble is that he starts his stretch at eight PM and then sees no problen hanging out for an hour when he does wake up. This is a new annoying habit. (The habit is annoying, not the baby – he’s adorable!)
I know my company is simply to die for, but I’m doing everything I can to remind him that he is supposed to go right back to sleep after a quick meal. So far he’s having a memory lapse.
To help him remember faster, I’m:
Rice cereal is usually the first food given to a baby. According to experts babies should not be given solids, including rice cereal, until six months. When Jake was a baby, it was four months, but now apparently the “new” rule is six months.
I like to live on the edge, so I’ve already cheated. Brian has had cereal. And it didn’t work.
August 27th, 2007
Posted by
Rebecca |
Notes from a Real Mom, Infant Issues, All Parenting Articles |
no comments
Type II diabetes runs in my family, and its very likely I’ll land the disease by around age forty-five. Occasionally I’ll quit eating sugar and sweets just to make sure I still can and to help shed a few pounds. The last time I did it with any real vindication, I was in college. I dropped two sizes in about thirty days and felt great. I haven’t been serious about taking on a diabetic diet again since then – until now.
My childbearing is over, at least for a few years. My teaching career is on hold for a year. I’ve finally got a bit of time to exercise and focus on myself, so its time that I do.
I’m going cold turkey. I’m quitting sugar.
August 25th, 2007
Posted by
Rebecca |
Baby Fat, All Parenting Articles |
2 comments
Sleep for little ones is such a huge topic, I’m breaking it up into three sections: Newborns, Infants and Toddlers. Each has certain things that make their sleep patterns different and they have different quirks and solutions.
Newborn Sleep
When a baby is born and for the first eight to twelve weeks, his sleep is random, yet plentiful. Or at least is should be. The first few days, or weeks if your baby was early, are easy. Plop the baby down and he sleeps. He falls asleep easily and sleeps for decent amounts of time.
As he grows, he becomes more aware of the world and all there is to see and do. Who wants to sleep through that?
August 24th, 2007
Posted by
Rebecca |
Infant Issues, All Parenting Articles |
6 comments
A constipated baby on a liquid diet is no small feat. The iron in formula can cause the usual liquid poop to become more clay-like and hard for a baby to pass. In my vast formula feeding experience, which is rather extensive, there are two ways to deal with constipation in infants:
1. Dilute the formula. The iron in formula gives poop the lovely green color and can thicken it up. If you add a bit of extra water to each bottle, say a quarter of an ounce, it may be all that’s needed to keep things running smoothly.
2. Slip them some juice. Apple juice and prune juice are both great for loosing up the bowels, but apple tastes better (a personal preference.) Adding a half an ounce or so of juice to a single bottle should help soften things up.
If neither method is working after a couple of days, contact your doctor. Also, it’s normal for a formula fed baby to go a day or two without pooping and a breastfed baby can go three or four before there is cause for concern. If you’re worried, talk to your doctor. I’m not an expert; I’m just an experienced mom.
August 22nd, 2007
Posted by
Rebecca |
Notes from a Real Mom, Infant Issues, All Parenting Articles |
no comments
My boys are going to be like peas in a pod. This is clear by the fact that they have already synchronized their bowel movements.
Jake, being a toddler, will make a dirty diaper and continue to play without alerting me to its presence. Meanwhile Brian, the seven-week-old infant, will be leisurely sucking at his bottle, halfway through a feeding and pause to make one of his own.
We put down the bottle to change Brian’s diaper and sibling rivalry rears its head.
August 21st, 2007
Posted by
Rebecca |
Toddler Drama, Infant Issues, All Parenting Articles |
no comments
My infant, Brian, wears onesies at night and his pajamas during the day. Odd, I know.
At night he is double swaddled and sleeps up to six hours at a stretch because of it. I don’t want him to overheat, so I dress him lightly in a onesie and socks. (His feet have a tendency to pop out the bottom.)
When he wakes up, I could leave him in the onesie and sometimes do. Guilt, however over the drawer full of cute pajamas overcomes me. They are too hot to wear at night with the swaddles, so I put them on him during the day.
Backwards, I guess. But it works and that is all that really matters with a seven week old baby.
August 20th, 2007
Posted by
Rebecca |
Infant Issues, All Parenting Articles |
no comments
One of the worst things is to snuggle up to your baby and get a whiff of sour milk. This seems to be worst in the mornings, at least at my house. My baby goes to bed with skin fresh from his bath, but wakes up a bit sour. I think it has to do with the two night feedings in the dark. It’s hard to get the milk wiped up well if you can’t see it.
That being said, here’s how I handle sour milk. 
1. Block it. I know Brian is an fickle eater. He’ll suck it down and then stop. When he stops, it dribbles down his chin into the folds of his neck. If I remember, I’ll stick a burp cloth right under his chin
August 19th, 2007
Posted by
Rebecca |
Infant Issues, All Parenting Articles |
5 comments
Going to the grocery store with a toddler and an infant is rather complicated it seems. My toddler and infant are slightly more complicated than most because my youngest son has outgrown the infant carrier at six weeks of age. Yet another joy of parenting big babies.
We’ve been out and about almost every day since I was “allowed” to after Brian’s birth. Going out with an infant and toddler doesn’t have to be terrifying.
1. Go Early. Presumably your household is up early with two little ones, so head out as soon as you can. The store will be less crowded which saves more than a few Mommy headaches.
August 18th, 2007
Posted by
Rebecca |
Toddler Drama, Infant Issues, All Parenting Articles |
5 comments
I’m a huge fan of swaddling. I didn’t realize how important it was until after Jake was two months old and beyond sleep deprived. Brian LOVES the swaddle. He wants to be swaddled in the car, in the swing, and anytime he’s on his back for more than a few minutes. 
A few notes on swaddling:
Make it tight. The tighter you swaddle, the more comfortable a baby is. It’s backwards, I know. Try though and see – just don’t do it too tight. Besides, a loose blanket in the crib can be a very bad thing
August 17th, 2007
Posted by
Rebecca |
Notes from a Real Mom, Infant Issues, All Parenting Articles |
3 comments
I’ve been obsessed with my older son’s sleep habits for awhile now. He woke up to eat at night for over two years, with a few ‘sleep through the night” breaks in between. He’s moved to the Big Boy Bed and does just fine. He’s now sleeping through the night, thankfully, but I’ve got a new issue – he takes over an hour to fall asleep at night.
I have serious help on my side. Weissbluth’s Healthy Sleep Habits, Happy Child is my guidebook to sleep. We are slaves to naps and for almost two years had no problems with early bedtimes. Jake is still taking a three hour afternoon nap, but his nights have gotten a bit rougher.
Toddler Bedtimes
I have the toddler bedtime facts according to my expert:
August 16th, 2007
Posted by
Rebecca |
Toddler Drama, All Parenting Articles |
no comments
I work at home. Most of the time, I’m working full-time as a teacher, too. But I’ve elected to stay home for a year with my boys and hope and pray the budget can handle it.
Of course all moms work harder than anyone who is NOT a mom can ever realize, but in addition to that mommy work, I’m also working as a freelance writer.
I started writing a while ago to build up the business in anticipation of one day doing exactly what I am doing. I’m working at home with a toddler and an infant. So far, we’re doing okay.
Working at Home with a Toddler
Obviously, working at home with kids is not easy. I’ve learned a lot in my WAHM experience.
August 15th, 2007
Posted by
Rebecca |
Toddler Drama, Infant Issues, All Parenting Articles |
no comments
I’m officially six weeks postpartum, and should be given permission to exercise at my appointment today. It’s a good darn thing – I’ve been hauling huge toddlers and infants around at the same time for weeks now.
I’ll admit it – I haven’t been waiting for permission.
I’ve griped before about how I’m going to figure out this weight loss thing, but with a full fifty (yes, 50) pounds already lost, I’m inspired. Plus I got new running shoes today which are always inspiring. This is the best they will ever smell.
August 14th, 2007
Posted by
Rebecca |
Baby Fat, All Parenting Articles |
one comment
My thoughts on today:
Tomorrow might not be a better day, but it will at least be different. (I sincerely hope.)
That’s all I have to say about that.
August 13th, 2007
Posted by
Rebecca |
Toddler Drama, Infant Issues, All Parenting Articles |
no comments
As far as I’ve been able to discover, there is no temperature cut off for taking baby outside. That being said, I think every mom has strong feelings about the weather and her children. I live in coastal Texas and the sweltering heat starts up around March and doesn’t let up until after Halloween. As far as I’m concerned, most days are just too hot to take the baby outside.
Older children, like my toddler, can take the heat and keep on trucking. In fact, heat doesn’t seem to bother Jake at all unless the concrete burns his feet – yes, its been known to happen. Heat used to not bother me, but I swell so badly during pregnancy that the sticky Houston weather was too much for me and I haven’t built my immunity back up yet. Now, Baby Brian is only six weeks old and overheats in air conditioning wearing cotton pajamas
August 12th, 2007
Posted by
Rebecca |
Toddler Drama, Infant Issues, All Parenting Articles |
no comments
Similac tastes better than Enfamil.
Believe it or not, I actually researched this when my older son stopped drinking his bottle around four months. You have to understand that my child LOVED to eat for a long time, but then decided to pay me back for my childhood (and adult) pickiness by refusing to take a bottle (and later being spoonfed.)
After researching the matter, I actually found people that reviewed various formulas including a taste test for their own child. I’m not brave enough to do it myself, but according to their report, Enfamil is rather grainy and Similac is smooth. While neither one is very tasty, they were able to get Similac down the hatch – Enfamil never made it past their noses
August 11th, 2007
Posted by
Rebecca |
Notes from a Real Mom, All Parenting Articles |
no comments
I enjoyed my last batch of tips so much I thought I’d do it again. Here are my 10 parenting tips for toddler tantrums.
1. Identify the cause. Is it fatigue or illness? Is he screaming about not getting a cookie? Did you take his cookie? (Understandable, but shame on you!)
August 9th, 2007
Posted by
Rebecca |
Toddler Drama, All Parenting Articles |
2 comments
Jake is two years old. Potty training toddler boys is notoriously difficult, so I’ve decided I’m not going to. I figure Jake will one day walk up to me and tell me that the other guys on the football team are making fun of his Pull-Ups and he’s ready to try making pee-pees in the potty. Hey, I’m a laid back mommy – kind of.
Not Potty Training
So, we may not actually be potty training at my house, but we are “laying a foundation.” That means that I’ve been working on the vocabulary for about a year now and we’re starting to do fun things like wear Big Boy Underpants and dump poo-poos out of the diaper into the potty so Jake can flush them down.
August 8th, 2007
Posted by
Rebecca |
Toddler Drama, All Parenting Articles |
5 comments
Why is it that milk always seems to get stuck in the adorable creases of a baby’s neck? There is nothing worse that going to snuggle my little one and suddenly getting a nose full of sour milk smell. 
Those little creases are almost impossible to keep clean, even in the bath.
That being said, baby neck creases may be stinky sometimes, but they are part of what makes my baby so darn cute!
August 7th, 2007
Posted by
Rebecca |
Infant Issues, All Parenting Articles |
no comments
So the last few days have been rough around my house. We’re approaching the magical Six Weeks where fussiness peaks in newborns, and I’m pretty sure Brian is trying to live up to expectations.
That being said, I’ve got a bit of experience dealing with fussy babies. My first had a mild to moderate dose of colic, and he was a real handful. If you’re trying to deal with a fussy baby, consider some of my hard earned tips:
1. Reinvent the Womb – I didn’t discover Harvey Karp’s Happiest Baby on the Block until it was almost too late.
August 6th, 2007
Posted by
Rebecca |
Infant Issues, All Parenting Articles |
one comment
As much as it hurts sometimes, I’m a big fan of tough love. I’ve been using it for years in the classroom, and I’ve had to recently start it at home. God Bless Toddlers.
That being said, through the Fair Review Project, I recently “met” another working woman online who seems to specialize in tough love. Not only that, she “gets” toddlers. I love working online, especially in the webmaster community. There is so much to learn and so many interesting folks to meet.
Now, she’ll probably blow off my little post
August 4th, 2007
Posted by
Rebecca |
Toddler Drama, All Parenting Articles |
2 comments
We all have them. As hard as we try to follow all the parenting advice out there, we know we aren’t perfect Mommies. In fact, there is no such thing. There is always something we can do better.
Of course I don’t lie awake at night thinking of my shortcomings. In fact, I don’t lie awake at night at all unless I’m being paged by one boy or the other. But there are things I think about occasionally that I wish I had done or simply admire in those who do.
Pro-Environment Parenting
I am bad for the environment.
August 3rd, 2007
Posted by
Rebecca |
All Parenting Articles |
no comments
Nobody understands how stressful motherhood is until you’re actively engaged in it. Somehow having a two-year-old and a one-month-old is far more stressful on a day-to-day basis than any of my other jobs (including consulting with one of the Big Five or teaching delinquent eighth graders. – I love the eighth graders, hated the consulting.)
Having two kids has made me tense and leaves me very little time to do anything about it. Here it is, ten o’clock at night, and I’ve got my first break of the day.
August 1st, 2007
Posted by
Rebecca |
All Parenting Articles |
no comments
So, I’ve got some weight to lose, and I need a plan.
I’m working with some severe handicaps.
Ugh. It’s that time again!
I gained 60 pounds with my first and lost all but about 5 of it in four months. I gained 70 pounds this time, and it’s time to get serious about losing the baby fat – again.
Unfortunately I started about 25 pounds over what I like to weigh, so I’ll have that to lose, too. But first things first!
I delivered Brian four weeks ago and have lost 47 pounds so far.
July 30th, 2007
Posted by
Rebecca |
Baby Fat, All Parenting Articles |
2 comments
I have had the unique privilege to mother two big baby boys. When I say big, I mean BIG. My first was 10lb 9oz and I thought he was huge. Everyone agreed with me – even the doctor. Then my second put my first to shame – he was 12lb 8.5oz. And neither one was obese. They are just BIG.
Parenting these big babies has some special problems though. My boys have the same problem their parents do – the world is not built for tall people. I am a rather solid 5’9” (although hopefully less solid soon, but more on that later.) My husband is a lanky 6’5.” It stands to reason we would have tall kids and we do! Thus far in my motherhood experience, I’ve battled the following “Big Baby Battles.”
Outgrowing Clothes
I knew my first was large, so I skipped the whole Preemie and Newborn sizes. Who would have thought he would be out of his cute 0-3 month wardrobe in less than a month?
July 29th, 2007
Posted by
Rebecca |
Infant Issues, All Parenting Articles |
one comment