Listy Friday

Posted in Listy Friday by

I know, it’s been almost 3 weeks since I last posted anything. But, I did write this post on Tuesday, so at least it’s a start, right? Right!

Here’s what I’ve been up to lately:

– More freelance work! I had a nice little week-long break and then I was contacted do to some more business writing. I must say, the little income I’ve been making through all this freelance writing work is really helping me feel better about not going back into the work force. I can still stay at home with Isla, but I can work in my pajamas! Annnd, thanks to all this freelance work, Kyle and I are able to …

– Go to Vegas! Actually, we’ve been planning to go for a while, but with the amount of work I’ve been doing our plane tickets and hotel are basically paid for. Woo! We’re going mid-November for 4ish days (5 technically, but we leave super early on the last day) with friends and we’re all super stoked!

– Of course, with this trip to Vegas, it will also be our first kid-free trip ever. I’m a little stressed out over it, and I know it’s not going to be easy for both Isla and I, but I know she’ll be in good hands. My mom is watching her for the majority of the trip, and Kyle’s mom is taking her for the last night. I’m hoping she transitions really well and doesn’t even notice that we’re gone, so fingers crossed.

– I’m slowly weaning Isla off of her bedtime bottle and so far, so good. I’ve gradually worked down to 3oz of milk from 8oz, and tonight I’m going to take the big step and go bottle less. My plan is to give her a bath, read her a book or two, give her a few sips of water from her cup, and then put her right to bed. I know it’s going to be a bit of a battle since we’re both so dependant on the warm milk + rocking for sleep, but I’m determined to do it before we go on our trip.

– Last weekend Kyle and I headed to our hometown to visit my grandpa, and also to attend a birthday party for our friend’s 3-year-old. Isla had so much fun at the party! Our friend’s mom is the principal of the elementary school, so she was able to open up the gymnasium for them and the party was in there. So convenient! Isla ran around playing with all the ball and hula hoops – she didn’t seem to care what Kyle and I were doing. I think she played for about 4-hours straight, only taking a break for dinner and cake, and even with all that sugar in her system, she fell asleep instantly on the truck-ride home.

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– I know a lot of people have a major heart-on for fall. I wouldn’t say I’m one of them, but I am enjoying the cooler weather and the ability to bundle up with layers. I’ve busted out my scarf collection for the fall/winter and couldn’t be happier. With Halloween also just around the corner, my mom and I are taking Isla to the pumpkin patch tomorrow for some fun. I already have three pumpkins to carve, so whether I grab another one is up in the air. Pumpkin seeds are delicious, so we’ll see ;)

– I think that’s about it for now. I swear I’ll try and update more often. I’m planning a book review for sometime next week, so keep your eyes peeled for that!

<3

 

Your kid isn’t better than my kid

Posted in Parenting by

You’re not a better parent than I am.

BUT

My kid isn’t better than your kid and – wait for it – I’m not a better parent than you.

The parenting wars never fail to amaze me, and I’ll be the first to admit that I have on occasion been guilty of “1-upping” my kid. “Oh, your baby isn’t walking yet? Mine was walking at 6 months!” (She wasn’t, but you get what I mean?) If you haven’t read this article of a Conversation Between Two Smug Moms from Mamamia yet, you probably should, because you’ll get where I’m coming from much easier.

When you have friends, coworkers, acquaintances or random people you stalk on Facebook, it’s hard not to compare notes. It starts as early as trying to conceive with,”Oh, it only took you three months? My body is so fertile, it only took one week,” and just escalates from there.

Just like any other competition, you want your kid to be on top and do they best they can. Even if you try your hardest to not compare your kid to others, you end up doing it and when you catch yourself, you try to tell yourself that it doesn’t matter. They’re B-A-B-I-E-S. They get excited if you disappear behind a blanket and then magically reappear 2 seconds later. They’re not yet caught up in the world of “I’m better than you.” Innocent, sweet little babies. They have no idea that they’re in some kind of developmental battle of the fittest.

I’ll use Isla as an example. She didn’t cut her first tooth until she was at least 7 months old. Crawling took her a few tries, and she certainly wasn’t walking until she was about 14 months old. But did if bother me if my friends’ kids were crawling, walking, eating solids, solving logarithms months before her? Sure. Do I try to mind myself that these things are pretty much out of my control? Yep. Does it work? Not really. My husband is always telling me when I’m encouraging her to do something that I’m “just doing it because Friend A’s kid is doing it already.” I always disagree, but really … it’s a little because of that. Life becomes some kind of secret battle, maybe not to the same extremes as in the link above, but it does.

I think every mother out there needs to take a moment just to remember that parenting isn’t some kind of race or game you need to win. There is no “Best way” to parent your child, as long as you’re encouraging her/him and raising them to become outstanding citizens to the best that they can be. Every baby develops differently, and there’s no shame in that. Isla crawled when she was ready, walked when she was ready, and will talk when she is ready.

We need to remember that we’re all doing the best job we can as parents, all in our own way. We may not all co-sleep, feed our kids organic, do cloth diapers, breastfeed until the age of 2, or even 1 for that matter, but we do what’s right for us. I’m not trying to be the best mom on the planet, because I know I’m certainly no where close to that, I’m just trying to be the best mom I can with what I have. And that’s OK.

Yep, I’m alright with that.

Currently

Posted in Currently by
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Field of dreams

Time // 8:46 p.m., Monday

Place // Home

Eating // Salt & lime microwave popcorn, but I’m really craving butter chicken or won ton soup.

Drinking // Water! With all these sports I’ve been playing lately, I need to stay hydrated. Plus, with the cool weather coming in quickly, I’ve turned on the furnace and it has dried out the house. Yuck.

Watching // I’m still watching old episodes of Grey’s Anatomy on Netflix, but I’m super excited for the season premier on Thursday! I’m also looking forward to the premier of the Big Bang Theory, and in just a couple more weeks, The Walking Dead. Ah, fall programming, how I’ve missed you!

Reading // I’m almost finished World War Z. Let me just say that wow – the book is intense and so realistic! Kyle and I are going to watch the movie when I’ve finished reading the book, because I really don’t see how it could’ve been adapted at all.

Wanting // Layers, cozy, long-sleeved shirts, and boots. I love getting bundled up much more than wearing shorts and tanks in the summer.

Thinking // About how much I missed playing slo-pitch after taking nearly two years off. My body hates me for it (two pulled quads and a pulled groin) but I love it. Nothing is more satisfying than hearing that crack of the bat against the ball.

Anticipating // A shopping trip to Kelowna with my mom, getting better at my yoga poses, more slo-pitch next weekend, and so many more amazing moments with Isla.

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