Three Weeks-Something Different

This was a pregnancy I wanted to be different.
I prepared more emotionally than with any other pregnancy.
I did pregnancy art in a variety of ways.
I explored my past stories and envisioned something different this time- something easier, something less painful.

Looking back to our birth 3 weeks ago my emotions are positive, my recollections pleasant. No, it was not easy. BUT it was easier than any other birth I have had so far. No, it was not painless. BUT the most painful part of pushing which with my first two kids was 1 1/2 hours was only 3-5 minutes this time. So I am grateful, happy, pleased and no longer so afraid of birth.

I went away from my second birth thinking c-sections were far more understandable to me and maybe I would want one too.Why suffer? Why go through such incredible pain? Why, why, why?!

So if God sees fit to bless us with another child somewhere done the road in life- I no longer will live in fear of birth. I know things can be different, because they have been so for me.

Biggest Differences this birth:

• Was not at home this time. 
• I labored alone until I was 7-8 cm. dilated (when we arrived at the birthing center)
• Gave birth in water. 
• Pushing was 3-5 minutes, rather than an hour or more. 
• Never experienced the "urge" to push or the bearing down that comes when the baby is ready to be pushed out. Perhaps this was eased by being in the water. 
  

Our little man is an excellent eater and takes  nice long naps several times a day. He eats 2-3 times a night. Wakes up early with the hiccups and other gruntings. He is starting to have his eyes open more.

There is nothing quite so precious and dear as the feel of a baby's downy head. 

Nothing like the feeling of holding a tiny person in your arms and having him cling to your finger. Nothing so special as gazing in awe at the perfection of a tiny human created within ones being. Nothing so dear as the comfort a child finds with its mother.

In his cocoon with his "umbilical cord" hat

Vacuum Cleaner Phobia

A while back D (my three year old son) was very into helping vacuum.UNTIL he accidentally sucked his sock into the vacuum. he went into hysterics. He ran away and hid and screamed and was very, very difficult to calm.


Since then we found the sock- it only got stuck in the tube. I told him the vacuum didn't eat his sock- he told me it choked on it. I laughed, very true- the vacuum choked.


BUT since that fateful day we now have a major dilemma. Every time I want to vacuum he cries and gets stressed out. He won't let A (2 year old sister) near it (to protect her). He is literally terrified of the vacuum. I want to help him, and be understanding. But this gets a old REALLY fast. I am not sure how to handle this. I have to vacuum sometimes  (only one room in our house has carpet). And it is rare to never when he is out and I am home and could vacuum while he is gone.

What would you do? HELP!Have you ever faced this?

Toddlers ????

As a Mom with two very active toddlers, ages 3 1/2 and 22 months I am sometimes so short on patience. 

• How do you get them to eat, and not asked to be fed or just dream away and not eat? Our older boy is worse about this than the younger child. 

• How do you get them to be quiet at nap time? Especially the older so that the younger can sleep? I feel ready to pull my hair out some days on this and finally just put the older in a different room so that he can be noisy and she can sleep. Maybe he does not need naps anymore. But I need them now (at 33 weeks) pregnant. OH HELP! 
  

• How do we teach our children to pray? And to want to pray? We show them by example, but our older doesn't want to even try to pray aloud? Why? (Dad- Mom, were we like this?)

The wisdom and patience required of parents is beyond anything I could have imagined. I can only marvel at the great job my parents did in raising us. Thank you!

Naptime Woes

What do you do when your 21 month old goes from taking perfect naps without ANY fuss to refusing to nap and being an absolute grouch by bedtime?

I put her down for a nap anyhow. But she falls asleep very late if at all. . .

I am so sick of this.

Any wisdom out there?

Nap War. . . or. . . Wow, God!

Lately my 21 month old girlie has been giving me a taste of the terrible twos. The one who always went down for a nap without a fuss and fell asleep like a dream has now taken to standing up and being noisy and just plain NOT sleeping.

My 3 1/2 year old goes down for a nap/quiet time. He didn't sleep a single day this week. But I didn't expect him to.


I have been really worn out lately. It is usually when they nap that I can relax and paint or take a nap myself. These last two days I have wanted to nap- but no luck. How can I sleep when they aren't?

Yesterday I got so frustrated with them. I wonder if it is worth this struggle. I finally put D in a different room and A finally fell sleep at 16:00 rather than the usual 13:30 or two.

Today was looking to be a repeat of yesterday. It is in times likes these I am very aware how much I need God's wisdom and guidance and PATIENCE as a Mom. I separated them much earlier this time and had D go downstairs to sleep/rest. He NEVER sleeps down there, but at least then A can fall asleep. She cried and carried on. I went and gave her a hug and told her I would be right here and that it was nap time. (Aren't I always here?) Finally, she fell asleep! Whew!

I had set the timer for D because he wanted to play with toys in bed and I had said he needed to try and sleep for 30 minutes and then I would let him play quietly in bed. When the timer went off I went to check on him and I was astounded to see he had fallen asleep! Wow, God! Thank you!

So my stressful afternoon has now calmed. The Giver of all patience and wisdom has overcome.

What do you do about nap times?