Wife, Then Mama

Yup, I was one of those. Now don't get me wrong I still think that "Breast is Best" and am well aware of the multitude of  benefits of breastfeeding . I just don't know the mother at the store's REASON for bottlefeeding. The youngest foster baby I have gotten so far was 6 months old.  Should definitely still be on the boob.  But since my boobs are empty that wasn't an option, so I was a bottlefeeding mom.  Maybe that mom needed to take medication that wasn't safe for the baby.  Maybe she just was feeling so stressed out and tired and depressed that putting the baby on formula was the only way for her to get through the day without a breakdown.  Perhaps her doctor was quick to tell her that she didn't produce enough milk, and should switch to formula even though the best way to make more milk is to nurse the baby more often. It doesn't matter.  Unless her reason for not breastfeeding is because she is doing drugs or something, she is trying ...

I am starting a new series.  I intend to write most of it today, so it might actually be more than just one post. Justices of Appeal. Supreme Court of Ontario Canada Date: 1923 Photographer: Micklethwaite, Photo, Toronto Reference code: 993037-01P Until I had multiple kids living in my house, I was a terribly judgmental person.  Well, I still kind of am, because I believe firmly in what is right and what is wrong, and if questioned will stand up for my Biblically-based beliefs, but that is a topic for another day (or never, since going viral would be kind of awesome, but getting called mean names and being bullied would not be very fun...) Anyways, I used to think there was only one way to parent, and while I am not the type to say anything if I disagree with they tactics you (again, not specific) used, I would certainly talk about it later! Since experiencing the joy (that is intended as both sarcastic and serious) of having multiple young children in my car...

From infancy children are given immense freedom, but without any responsibility (obviously one can't really expect a 6 month old to be responsible).  To keep from having to "stifle" their curiosity, we baby proof the whole house (we is a general term, and is not actually referring to everyone, and not even me most of the time), put up things they can't touch and allow them to roam the house.  Even though we did all this baby-proofing, they still can't be trusted to move freely around the house, because they are not capable of making ANY reasonable decision, or of obeying almost any commands.  So we follow them.  All day long we follow them around the house.  They are our whole day, and not in a fun way.  In a stressful, "oh look its 5 o'clock and the house is a mess and I have no idea what to do about dinner" sort of way.   We also let them pick and choose what and when they eat (breastfeeding on demand with small infants is healthy and necessar...

When one of the following conversations takes place, you know that it is time to change up your life a little bit: Mom of the House:  Okay, time to get dressed! Pre-schooler:  Where are we going? OR Mom of the House:  Sorry guys, I don't have time for that, I need to clean the house. Pre-schooler:  Who is coming over? Both of these happened today, I think I need to make a new schedule ASAP!!!!

Yesterday's post was pretty much a downer, but that is who I am right now, a downer.  But I think I have found a way to make my life easier to cope with.  No, I am not going to start drinking first thing in the morning LOL.  I am going to live my life with PRIORITIES! I have always had a mental list of priorities for my someday family, but somehow lost track of them in all the mess of going from zero to three kids in less than a year.  My priorities list probably won't sit well with some of my readers (actually I deleted my Facebook, so who knows if anyone will even read this...?) because it is decidedly NOT child-centered.  I have always wanted children, and I have always wanted to be a "fun mom", but have NEVER wanted to be my children's friends.  I have done A LOT of internet reading on old fashioned parenting and have decided that the best way to train "my" children correctly is to demonstrate to them how to be an adult, not cater to their every wh...

I have not blogged for a little while because I am sucking at life.  When I just had Miss Baby this parenting thing was a piece of cake.  My life didn't really change at all, except there was a sweet little girl added to it.  When Little Guy got to our home in October things got a lot harder.  He is a great baby (if you ignore the high pitched screech thing he does when he gets mad, or the biting he has been doing lately) and on his own isn't any trouble at all.  I don't know if it was "sibling" rivalry or just an age thing, but as soon as Little Guy joined our "family" Miss Baby started acting up a lot more.  At this point my life changed a little.  It was less pleasant than before, I yelled more than I would like to (Miss Baby is smart and would always decide to do things she isn't supposed to when I was in the middle of a bottle or diaper change with the baby), and I felt a little more stuck at home.  I had no problem having Miss Baby tag along...

You know what I love?  Magazines.  I actually have way to many subscriptions, but I honestly don't pay for any of them.  So I am going to share the wealth and give one of my readers a free subscription to one of the following magazines!  The winner can pick any one of the magazines on this list and I will send it your way :) Redbook Good Housekeeping AFAR magazine Elle Car and Driver Harper's Bazaar Marie Claire Road and Track Town and Country Woman's Day Martha Stewart Weddings Martha Stewart Weddings (digital subscription - NOT a paper magazine) EatingWell (digital subscription - NOT a paper magazine) Everyday With Rachael Ray (digital subscription - NOT a paper magazine) Parents Magazine (digital subscription - NOT a paper magazine) Seventeen (digital subscription - NOT a paper magazine) Family Fun (digital subscription - NOT a paper magazine) Entry -Form