Weekend Events!

Just thought I would all the Calgary moms know that this weekend there is a used toy sale in Okotoks...I'm not sure what its like but I'm going to go check it out! http://okotoksmomsale.com/

Also...if you haven't heard Thomas the Train is coming to town in a week for a couple weekends. We booked our train ride on the 13th and I think there may be a few spots left but it was selling out!

http://heritagepark.ca/dowt2012/main.html

Mothers Guilt

No matter how much confidence you try and have there is always guilt associated with motherhood...as I am learning. Have I done enough of this? Should I have done that? Why can't I be everywhere and do everything???? Today Connor gets his 18 month shots and I'm not there. Chris, who is horrible with needles, is taking him. I feel sick. Shouldn't a mother be there to hold their child as they get their shots?!? Chris is his dad and he will be amazing with him, but it doesn't make me feel any better. I have to give credit to women who work and have more than one child. I don't know how this balancing act works! I can't seem to find that balance that I am comfortable with. I need to work, I need to be a good mom, I need to try and keep the house presentable, I need to find time for me...I need a lot more hours in the day! Motherhood is amazing but it is also a delicate balancing act and I feel like I'm falling off right now...

Go The F*&k to Sleep!

Have you read the book? Best book in the world! The book was written by Adam Mansbach. When his daughter was two, she would take up to two hours to fall asleep, which led to the book. Connor is only 19 months and lately bedtime takes approx 2 hours or longer so this is one of my favorite books. My big sis sent it to me for Christmas last year (Sleep issues have been ongoing since the beginning). Sleep is such a sensitive topic because the people who have the good sleepers always seem to make the conclusion that you have done something wrong..."Maybe you didn't put him down enough"..."Maybe you should have let him cry for longer"..."You shouldn't let him nurse to fall asleep"...come on! When you are sleep deprived and your baby refuses to sleep you'll do anything to get them to "Go the F*&k to Sleep"!!! I've read so many books on baby sleep habits it is ridiculous. When Connor was about 6 months Chris came into the room to check on me (I was supposed to be having a nap and he heard a loud noise). I had taken the baby whisperer book and chucked it against the wall and was in tears. It was taking me an hour and a half of rocking, putting him down, picking him up, rocking, patting, etc to get him to have a 20 minute nap!!! This was happening twice a day for about a month...I was losing my mind! At 7 months I had given up on the various books and had pulled him into my bed to sleep with me where he would nurse for 10 minutes and have a nice 2 hour nap during the day...everything with this was wrong according to the books but it was the only thing that worked for my little monster! Every book was telling me I was a bad mom for doing this...until I got the Dr. Sears book. I love that book because it describes Connor and worked for me (even though most people judge and the looks I get when I say he's in my bed are like I'm giving the kid a glass of rum to go to sleep or something!). For all those new moms...use whatever methods work for you! I like the idea of the baby whisperer but that wouldn't work for Connor...worked for some of my other friends and I will definitely try again with the next one but for Connor the only and best sleep method was to co-sleep...and not even that is fool proof...hence the long drawn out bed times! But I am lucky because he is super happy even when he is over tired. When I'm trying to cuddle him to get him to relax and he puts his little sweaty hand on my face and says "momma" I think that there is nothing better in the world than to have my happy non sleeping baby snuggling me in MY bed!

A New Word for Love??

A love for a child is something so indescribable that it should have its own word. I'm sure we've all talked to people that have said “you won't know what it’s like to love a child until you have had one”...I used to think they were crazy because I loved a lot of people in my life, why wouldn't I know what it is like to love just cause I didn't have a child? I still disagree as I think you know what to expect BUT I don’t think it is possible to realize the impact of how it affects you. I just spent a long weekend with Connor in Castlegar for my baby sisters graduation. After spending three full days with him I was in tears coming into work. I miss him so much today that it is ridiculous! My chest hurts. It is an all consuming love that I think it should have its own word. Any suggestions??

Blog

I thought I would start this blog to let other moms know that they aren't alone in the trials of motherhood. I have found through various mommy groups and children play places that our society pushes guilt and expectations on motherhood that are not reasonable. For example, my beautiful, amazing, talented little man didn't crawl until he was 11 months old...from places that I took him and conversations that I had with other moms you would think that either 1. there was something wrong with his development or 2. I was a failure as a mother for not placing objects out of his reach and letting him get upset enough to move to get them. Every child develops differently and has there slower developments and faster developments. I think it is so important that moms realize that they need to just enjoy each stage and not to have the guilt associated with expectations so I decided I would start this blog to discuss the concerns, scares and joys of motherhood as well as products and services that I have researched and tested.

I have never managed a blog so please be patient as I work out the kinks!!