We’re moving to Japan… Currently, we are traveling for a summer vacation before we complete our grueling move overseas. My son is exposed to new and unfamiliar situations and people on a daily basis, and it’s not always an easy situation for a pre-toddler, who is dealing with a lot of change. Confidence or believing in yourself is one [...]
Archives for July 2014
Breastfeeding on a Schedule or Routine: Tips for Minding your Milk Supply
I really enjoy the special relationship between my son and I while breastfeeding. I do, however, find it very challenging to use my body as a drinking fountain, a sleep prop, and a comfort item in every situation. Do I breastfeed for comfort sometimes? Of course. Do I breastfeed as a sleep prop sometimes? Of course. But I find it [...]
Setting Boundaries Early: Practical Ideas for Getting Started
Setting basic boundaries helps you align with what you are okay with and what you're not okay with. Our son is one year of age and we've been using gentle early boundaries for several months. Parents can typically start as soon as their child understands basic phrases, typically well before a year. The ideal time to start may be when [...]
Best Baby Sleep Tips for Better Naps
If you are looking for baby sleep tips to help with a baby who takes short naps, you are not alone. (Note: You can find Part 1 - Baby Sleep Tips for Longer Naps here.) It's an incredibly common problem and many parents don't know where to find practical solutions that really work. Baby sleep tips are a dime a dozen these days, but I'm a [...]
Teaching Kids Early: The Importance of Setting Boundaries
It’s only natural for every parent of a young child to have that moment where you realize your baby just turned into a little person. They have a mind of their own. They want to do things their own way. You take a step back and notice that things could quickly start to spiral out of control. The saying “Oh that’s just what babies do” is [...]
Best Baby Sleep Tips for Longer Naps
As I first time mom I remember looking down at my infant son, and thinking ‘I was told there would be more naps!’ He was a little guy just doing his own thing. Wide awake. Ready to go. Not a good napper in the slightest. In fact, I read all the newborn baby sleep tips in the world trying to figure his naps out. Naps can involve a lot of [...]
Can you Teach a Pre-toddler to Develop a Positive Attitude?
I am a firm believer in setting boundaries and teaching consequences from the get go. My son is one year old this week, and we’ve been working on teaching early obedience for several months already. So stick with me and let’s explore both why and how you can actively nurture a positive attitude in your pre-toddler using correction. 1. Is [...]
Dear Son, Happy First Birthday
Dear Sweet Son, Congratulations! You’ve survived an entire year with me as your mother. I’m not a big believer in miracles, but I think the fact that there’s been only one trip to urgent care, one allergic reaction and zero calls to child services means we are well on our way to a miracle. At any rate, you are alive and thriving! [...]
10 Things I Wish I Knew Before Becoming a Mom
We read all the books, accept all the advice, and prepare as best we can. The baby comes, and somehow, there are always so many things lingering that we all really wish we knew. We all have a story about the truths of our first months as a mother. If nothing else, at least it’s an honest story. 10 things I wish I knew before becoming a [...]
Journey Through Deployment — A Book Review
Deployments are emotional roller coasters, filled with twists and turns, ups and downs, catapulting you in crazy, unexpected directions. As a military wife, I am no stranger to deployments. During the beginnings of my relationship with my now husband, together we journeyed through three deployments in three years. It was an unconventional [...]