Starting Over Is Not Easy ... Mother Baby Child Blog
I was over 35 when I gave birth to Baby Max. My middle son was 11 years old and my older son had just turned seventeen. It wasn't easy starting over again ... Mother Baby Child is a blog to share parenting experiences, as well as what marriage is like after being a single mom for so many years. Get info on having a baby, raising children, babies, tweens, teens, homeschooling, mom blogs, work at home mom. business marketing, Christian and celebrity moms blog posts.
I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me. ~ Philippians 4:13 (KJV)
My jaw just about hit the floor when I read that Hilary Hinton a.k.a. ZIG ZIGLAR died this morning. It is was not the shock of death itself as this man has been blessed to live a long 86 years. Although I never met Hilary, I have been reading, watching his videos and quoting Zig Ziglar for years. It felt like the loss of someone I knew. I'm sure other "students" can relate to the sentiment. Zig Ziglar was a legendary motivational sales trainer and Christian.
My heart goes out to his family and friends! May he rest in peace!
My favorite quote from Zig Ziglar:
"It was character that got us out of bed, commitment that moved us into action, and discipline that enabled us to follow through." Zig Ziglar
The Lord has done great things for us, and we are filled with joy. ~ Psalm 126:3 This is a short blog post to express my gratitude for all of my online and mom blogger friends, as well as my family that is dear to me. Each is a day of gratitude and growth with you in my life. I am so thankful to the Lord for all of the blessings, gifts and changes he has provided for us since last Thanksgiving Day. It certainly is a day to reflect on all while breaking bread with loved ones.
My heart is overwhelmed by all of the great things the Lord has done for us!
October is National Bullying Prevention Awareness Month.
It is also Breast Cancer Awareness Month, Canadian Autism Awareness Month, Pregnancy Loss and Infant Loss Awareness Month, National Cyber Security Awareness Month and so on. There are more than 40 observances this month, but Amanda Todd's suicide due to offline and cyber bullying has started a Canadian movement and trending on Twitter (#RIPAmandaTodd) to raise awareness of this age old form of victimization; especially since October is National Anti-Cyberbullying Awareness Month, too.
National Bullying Prevention Month History (2006 - 2012)
PACER's National Center for Bullying Prevention founded National Bullying Prevention Month in 2006. It was originally called the National Bullying and Awareness Week and scheduled for the 1st week in October. In 2010, the observance was extended to the month of October and renamed National Bullying Prevention Month. The goal is to raise awareness of the devastating effects of bullying in schools, homes, communities. Most importantly, it is a movement to stop bullying which damages self-esteem, depression, anxiety and can eventually lead to sexual promiscuity and diseases, drug and alcohol usage, cutting, eating disorders and suicide.
Amanda Todd Committed Suicide 10/10/2012 @ 15 Years Old
Amanda Todd posted this video a few weeks before hanging herself. It was taken down and then reposted on the YouTube channel where I found this video. Amanda had experienced years of bullying due to two mistakes she had made as a young teen. It is a tragic end to what some consider a situation where her parents should have taken better control (her mother is computer savvy and works in the school district), though most parents of a teen know that teenagers are the least controllable of all ages. Sometimes life's circumstances do not permit the to take such situations into ones own hands. In this case, an anonymous online stalker kept the "mistake" Amanda made going no matter what school she was in. Amanda Todd was just shy of 16 years old when she committed suicide; she was 12 years old when she flashed the boys during an online chat. Regardless, Amanda Todd's story is tragic and this video speaks volumes for many other teen girls that have experienced the same bullying from peers.
Carol Todd Speaks Out About Her Daughters Death - http://www.calgaryherald.com/news/Amanda+Todd+speaks+about+daughter+death/7386696/story.html
B.C. teen's suicide could lead to criminal charges
http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/story/2012/10/13/bc-amanda-todd-suicide-charges.html
Tyler - Age 16 - Suicide Story
This video is from Tyler. He is a 16 year old cutter than turned to friends for help after considering the impact his committing suicide would have on his parents and friends.
Brooke DaLion - My Bullying Story
Brooke was a 16 year old High School sophomore when she posted this video (April 2, 2012). It shares how years of bullying affected her life (5th grade until sophomore year) and how she started to overcome this bullying problem after joining the school choir. Ultimately, it was the support of those new friends.
BULLYING VIDEOS / SUICIDE VIDEOS
YouTube has years of videos like these. Some with kids telling their stories by note cards and others feeling confident enough to literally "speak up" about the bullying and the effects it had on their lives. Bullying is NOT a new problem, but the following organizations, including McGruff the crime dog, are doing to help raise awareness and implement programs to stop bullying among teens, tweens and school age children.
Use these links ... Share these link ... Discuss with your children and educators. I know from experience with my children that schools are not always on top of the bullying situations as they should be; even if they have implemented an official Bully Prevention program. It is our job as parents to make sure these bullying situations are handled correctly whether it is your child that is getting bullied or your child is a bully. Additionally, make sure to monitor your child's Internet and cell phone usage for such situations. Make your teens understand that they need to delete any naked or risky pictures they receive because it is considered pornography and they can get in trouble; that they need to tell on the sender - if not the actual person - because it may very well be a bullying situation.
I am sitting here in amazement that another year has gone by so quickly! WOW! It feels like it was just yesterday that I was sharing the memory of my friend in honor of National Breast Cancer Awareness Month and information on how to support her 2 cancer foundations this month. I am sharing this information again in this blog post, so that you can learn more about breast cancer - the 2nd leading cause of death among women - get checked and learn ow to support this beast cancer foundations.
What is breast cancer? How can I detect it?
The National Breast Cancer Foundation has a What Is Breast Cancer page that shares a video and incredible statistics to learn more about what breast cancer is, the risk factors, types of tumors, etc., as well as the rare diagnoses of men with breast cancer each year and how to detect breast cancer early.
How can I become involved in breast cancer awareness?
Both the National Breast Cancer Foundation and Susan G Komen for the Cure website have valuable breast cancer information and ways that you can help support their fight against breast cancer; including online and offline marketing materials by registering with Susan B Komen.
One of the most effective ways in addition to fundraising or monetary donations, is to add a pink ribbon or foundation banner on your blog (include links to these 2 websites). Another popular way to support these breast cancer foundations and get children involved is to shop from the Komen online store. There are very attractive T-Shirts, Jewelry, Accessories, Educational Materials and more.
On the other hand, a blog post leading new readers to these breast cancer foundation websites is also supportive of the cause this month. Please feel free to share your National Breast Cancer Awareness link and / or memories in the comment section below.
Again, I am mourning the loss of my friend, Sandee. I am overwhelmed with guilt this year because she was looking forward to our plans for me to visit her, and I did not make it in time. Working online is not the same without her; I miss our chats about how wonderful her husband was during her end months and how much she loved her dog.
Our 21 month old has been sick for 7 days total :(
The nurses said it was the flu, but it seemed like something else because he only vomited when he had a bottle of milk and it was just little bits. I was scared that it was West Nile Virus (we're in Florida) or Meningitis. Aside of running to the store and getting what he needed, we all stayed in bed with him for 72 hours.
His temperature was up and down the first 48 hours; his fevers ranged from 102 to 104.7 degrees in between doses of medicine.
As per the nurses advice, were switching between Advil and Tylenol every couple of hours; putting his overheated and weak body in a tepid bathtub each time his temperature increased and while waiting for the fever medicine to kick in. We did this for 48 hours until his temperature went down to "normal" fever levels and then for 2 more days.
I had to force our poor baby to drink. He would not drink out of a cup, but would take a bottle, so I would squirt a little in his mouth when he cried and that would prompt him to drink a bit each time.
Our baby had diarrhea for days. He did not have a solid bowel movement or meal until today; 7 days later. This may seems normal to you, but our baby went through 2 packs of diapers on the 3rd day. His bottom is still red and sore :(
We had just moved him to size 6 diapers and had to go back to size 5 because of the weight that he lost. His belly was completely flat; his little body swam in the size 6 diapers by the 3rd day.
Although he is my third child and I should understand that children get sick, this was his first real sickness in 21 months and nothing like my other 2 children experienced.
This was his first flu ... In fact, this was his first real sickness in general.
It was a frightening experience and we are so grateful that he is ok.
(Picture of Dougie at 12 weeks old when we adopted him)
We welcomed a new baby to the family :)
Our summer ended in a whirl that lead right into the 2012-2013 school year. We had so much going on towards the end of the summer that it is no wonder that it felt like that. The most exciting change is that we now have 2 babies in the house (yes, I did say two babies). We are all very excited about this :) In addition to the two babies stirring things up, my middle son has also started a new homeschool season and I am still working from home. With all of this going on, it just did not feel like summer ended at all. On the other hand, I have started to feel like I am getting too old for all of activity ... C'est la via!
Dougie when he was a baby pup.
Dougie is our 14 week old Goldendoodle puppy.
Anyways, back to the topic at hand ... Baby #2. We adopted the sweetest goldendoodle puppy a few weeks ago. He was just turning 12 weeks when we got him. We named the puppy Dougie and the boys gave him their love right from the start. My husband and I are are becoming rather attached to Dougie, too. Although it is a challenge to have a puppy instead of an older dog (he is our first pup), he really settling in well and is such a good puppy. Dougie rarely has accidents in the house (almost 100% potty trained). He has a very sweet temperment which makes him the perfect dog for both the boys. Dougie plays more actively with my teen and plays lightly with the baby. In fact, this puppy lets our toddler do whatever he wants to do to him and rarely challenges who is the pack leader between the two of them. We are very grateful that it is this way and pray that it remains this way. On the other hand, it has been quite an adjustment for us because we are the ones that are training and taking care of the dog right now.
What's It Like To Have A Puppy & Toddler Together?
Our toddler is more of a handful than our puppy. This really surprises us! Our toddler tries to eat the dog food and throws toys in the puppy's water. He is the one that plays roughly, so we have been trying to teach our toddler to pet nicely and not provoke rough play. On the other hand, our puppy tries to steal the baby's toys and chew on them. He is starting to get stubborn outside; he gets these little bursts of energy and them will not "come" as he should. He is really good about not going to the bathroom in the house, but there were a few occassions where he did not bark or go to the door. He just stood up, looked at us and took a pee on the floor. I am very happy that we have tile flours :) It is literally 2 babies for us right now. We did not think of that. Our mind was set on giving my teen a dog to love and finish growing up with because we had to get rid of our other dog a little after having the baby. He has been asking us to get a new one for quite a while. We also wanted our toddler to enjoy the dog experience. He hugs this dog all day. It warms our hearts.
What is a Goldendoodle?
Goldendoodle dogs are a mix between a poodle and a labrador retriever. They come in different sizes and colors depending on whether one of the parents are a minature or tall poodle, as well as what color the poodle. This also affects what type of hair the goldendoodle has: shabby, curly, course or soft. They are typically hypoallergenic dogs In our case, Dougie's parents are both AKC/CKC show dogs. Most people choose the same because they raise their goldendoodles to become show dogs. Our goldendoodle is hypoallergenic (no or little shed) which is amazing for the amount of hair they have on their bodies. We wondered if our goldendoodle would be more verbal like a poodle (they bark a lot), but we actually wish the Dougie would bark more. We want him to bark to let us know that he has to use the bathroom, but he really does bark. Goldendoodles are sweet and beautiful dogs! They also come as labradoodles which are a mixure of black labrador and poodles. The labradoodles are characteristically black haired dogs. Goldendoodles come as golden haired and black haired. Both have the same type of hair texture variations and sweet personalities. One last thing, goldendoodles are awesome with children; especially toddlers and are attentive to all members of the family opposed to just following behind one.
The funny thing is that our veterinarian teased us for wanting and owning a designer show mutt :) Meanwhile, we DID NOT even know they were until we saw a classified listing. We just wanted a dog that was great with toddlers. Dougie is that for sure.
I'm going to keep this post short and sweet because that is how I feel about it. My son will be a father by the time he is 19 years old. This is not what I worked hard for nor could have imagined for his life. Yet, he has always made it clear that this is his life and he will do what he wants to do. I feel sadness and joy about this situation.
I am going to be a Grandmother :)
My 20 month old Toddler will be an uncle at 2 years old.
My 13 year old son will be an uncle at almost 14 years old.
I will be a grandmother at 40 years old.
My son will be 37 by the time this child is 18 years old.
"Cast your cares on the LORD and he will sustain you;
he will never let the righteous fall." ~ Psalm 55:22
Throughout my life, I wondered how on earth something like this was possible. I did not understand until I was old enough to figure out that my Grandfather grew up with his uncles. They were just a few years apart. My aunt and I are less than a year apart. I am sure that there are similarities in other families ... I just never imagined that it would occur in my generation, especially with my son, as I worked so hard to try to make his life better than all of ours and to explain to him why he should learn from areas where I should have been more discerning in my life.
"Each new generation is supposed to surpass the old", my grandfather's words haunt me. We have all done a miserable job in comparison to him.
In fact, before I got married and pregnant with our baby, one of my good friends was pregnant with her 3rd child. She was over 35 when pregnant and had two mid-teen daughters that have since graduated high school and started college. The irony is that when my friend announced that she was a few months pregnant, so did her oldest daughter. She was going to be a grandmother and mother around the same due date. Her grandson is older than her son.
I was so happy to have boys and not have to worry about teen pregnancy. I did not think that it would feel the same when he got someone pregnant. UGG!!! Why don't they listen?
I thought that I had trained him to go to not consider marriage and having children until he was, at least, 30 years old, educated and with a career. He witnessed first hand what a struggle it was for me to have a baby and no education or career, and I had him at 21 years old.
Thank God they have both graduated High School.
Again, this is a situation that is out of my control. God has reminded me of this A LOT in my life.
I look to my right and see my toddlers smiling face and think ...
"How sweet! Another baby in this world is definitely another blessing."
(Our toddler baby in his life jacket. He can finally fit it now).
We had quite a scare this weekend. They said to prepare for a hurricane! It ended up being Tropical Storm Issac ...
At first, Bay News 9 said that we were to expect a hurricane over the next few days. They said that "Hurricane Issac" would go through Florida and might end up as strong as Hurricane Katrina; they just weren't sure how bad it would be.
My heart dropped to my feet in fear while my husband went into MEGA survival mode. He filled like 30 gallons of water from our water filter; he had my 13 year old son get into geer and they ran to the store to buy candles, diapers, batteries, canned food and junk foods that did not need cooked. He was worried that our water might become contaminated again (happened earlier this summer) and that we might end up without electricity (as always happened when we have bad storms).
I worked hard to hide my fears. We watched the Lorax while my husband stayed on the radar website.
Our greatest fears came from memories of Hurricane Katrina in New Orleans. Those thoughts alone had my husband glued to Klystron 9 reports while chatting live with them online. I tried to make sure everything was organized enough to handle a toddler that does not swim and a teen that is not as strong of a swimmer as I would like him to be. I was REALLY worried that a hurricane would be the first and last time our baby would wear his life jacket. I felt sad that this might be his first experience. I started to think that if the hurricane was not too bad, we could all camp out in the bathroom until "things" settled down. Yet, what would we all do in there with an energetic toddler? Read by candle light while the baby bathed for hours? How would be keep a toddler entertained during a hurricane? The kids and I ended up watching Dr Seuss's The Lorax to take our minds off of things. Cute movie!
Hurricane Issac became Tropical Storm Issac ...
Fortunately, the radar predictions shifted from Hurricane Issac to Tropical Storm Issac, and they were still not sure what we should expect. I felt a little relief as we had a tropical storm this summer and we managed just fine. Regardless, some of our local counties shut down schools for Monday and some post offices were closed (depending on which county). All of this going on while the Republican National Convention was taking place in Tampa, FL. I prayed to God, though was still scared. There is always the ULTIMATE wonder about "THAT" time being here. I went to bed resolved that "thy will be done" ... it felt Titanic like until I fell asleep.
I was relieved to wake up and find just a few cracked tomato branches in the yard. It was breezy and cooler outside, though nothing even close to what the last tropical storm was like for us. I watched the Klystron 9 weather radar soon after waking and saw that Tropical Storm Issac would go up the gulf coast to the west of Florida, though my heart felt burdened by the fact that the storm will end in New Orleans. I am equally sad for the people in Haiti and the Dominican Republic. There were more deaths as a result of this Tropical Storm Issac.
I am asking all of my friends to pray for the families in Haiti and Dominican Republic, and that God will protect those in New Orleans. Pray that Tropical Storm Issac will not be a category 2 hurricane once it hits New Orleans.
This was our baby's 1st run in the sprinkler and he loved it!
Water in his face, grass on his shoes and legs, toddler baby having a wonderful time playing in the water ...
Big brother making the water sprinkler experience even more special for our baby. I watch and appreciate the beautiful relationship between brothers that are so far apart in age! Their love and my love for them ... it overwhelms my heart and reminds me that this is the love our Father in heaven has for us.
Happy Wordless Wednesday
Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth. Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never ends. ~ 1 Corinthians 13:4-8
I am writing this a quick blog post to share some information, that is important to me and I am sure will be important to other mothers (moms to be), too. August 1 to 7, 2012 is World Breastfeeding Week (WBW); an occassion that is celebrated in 120 countries at different dates during the year with 2012 being its twentieth anniversary.
"Twenty years ago the World Alliance for Breastfeeding Action (WABA) launched the World Breastfeeding Week campaign to focus and facilitate actions to protect, promote & support breastfeeding. Since then, each year, WBW has put the spotlight on various breastfeeding issues. This year it focuses on the progress that has been made on the implementation of the Global Strategy for Infant and Young Child Feeding (GSIYCF) which was adopted by the World Health Organisation (WHO) and UNICEF ten years ago. Implementing the Global Strategy effectively is essential to increase breastfeeding rates: especially exclusive breastfeeding for the first six months, and to reach Millennium Development Goal (MDG) 4 (which aims to reduce under five mortality by two thirds)."
OBJECTIVES OF WORLD BREASTFEEDING WEEK 2011
1. To take stock of lessons learnt and achievements from the past 20 years on
infant and young child feeding (IYCF).
2. To assess the status of implementation of the Global Strategy for Infant and Young Child Feeding (GS) globally.
3. To celebrate successes and achievements nationally, regionally, and globally and showcase national work at the global level.
4. To call for action to bridge the remaining gaps in policy and programmes on breastfeeding and IYCF
5. To draw public attention to the state of policy and programmes on breastfeeding and IYCF
As a mother of children that are 5 1/2 years and 17 years apart, I know and have experienced the changes in acceptance and medical support for breastfeeding. In comparison to when I had my first 2 children, I was asked about whether I planned to breast feed handed tons of information, everyone was encouraging about breastfeeding and I was given a lot of support for my decision to breastfeed over and over again during my pregnancy and birth processes. The change in acceptance and the confirmation of the natural health and nurtering beenfits was breathtaking! So many young mothers, that I chatted with in the waiting rooms, were excited about their decisions to breastfeed and I was happy for them. Even my mother (who was always anti-breastfeeding) changed her tune about the health advantages and bonding importances of breastfeeding. THAT was when I knew that society was changing for sure. I have always supported this natural and much needed process of life, and nursed with all 3 children as long as they wanted.
DO YOU SUPPORT BREASTFEEDING
If you support breastfeeding (which I hope that you do) and the work that is being done to increase awarenes, acceptance and breastfeeding in general, please make sure to click the link below and claim your position on their global pledge map.
For every pledge that is received, the World Breast Feeding 2012 Logo will appear on the world map and listing the names of celebrant(s). You can participate by completing this pledge form and sending it to wbw@waba.org.my by email attachment.
I invite you to leave a comment with your experience with breastfeeding, nursing blog posts or why you support World Breastfeeding Week!
The past few months have been very busy for me. My family and I committed to an organic / natural lifestyle back in March 2012. This has taken a lot of research and major changes to how we shop, eat and live. The greatest challenge has been finding food that is really organic and really natural. We now shop between farms, stores and markets for the different foods we eat instead of the convenience of just going to one store for groceries. It has been a challenge, though worth it not to have to worry about the chemicals going into our children's bodies. Yet, organic foods or natural foods does not mean that someone will lose a bunch of weight. It is the same for those who become vegetarians. The food quality is one thing, but if you are frying, over eating or eating a bunch of fatty foods, then you will not lose weight just because the food is organic or natural. This is where my 90 day weight loss challenge comes into play, but I want to share a few more things before I give you that info.
IF YOU WANT TO SKIP TO THE 90 DAY WEIGHT LOSS CHALLENGE I WOULD BE DELIGHTED TO HAVE YOU JOIN ME, BUT I WOULD HOPE THAT THE REST OF THIS BLOG POST INTERESTING TO YOU, TOO :)
If you have been following me on Twitter or Instagram, you know that I have taken up organic gardening and am pretty "into it" by now. Our tomato plants are like trees, we have 4 types of pepper plants going, I have already harvested radishes, basil, onions, chives and one carrot. Summer is not even our best growing season in Florida, but we are doing well and learning a lot. The greatest challenge has been dealing with the leafminers which I have found helpful in learning how to prune tomato plants (LOL) regularly :) I just love watching these plants grow and caring for them. During this process, I have learned that there are a ton of people on Instagram that are VERY into sharing their gardening tips and pictures, too. You can see all of these pictures on my Twitter or by joining me on Instagram (viralmarketingmom).
I have also been very busy with client's websites since Google launched Google + and had the Panda and Penguin search engine changes. These business owners always have online marketing needs that keep me busy and it can be a bit much because the search engines are always changing.
As you can imagine, my stress level has been higher than usual. The organic gardening has been helpful with handling the stress because it is my time to think, plan and have some physical activity. It is sometimes when I do not think about everything and that is cool, too. Regardless, I decided that I needed more exercise because I am not losing the baby weight as I had planned to do. I wanted to take a diet pill (like I used to before Baby Max), but I could not risk increasing my blood pressure after having the baby ... PLUS, we went organic / natural in March and I do not want to have those chemicals in my body.
So, I started walking again and taking aerobics a few days a week.
This has all encouraged me to see if a certain supplement was natural or not. I had been watching friends promoting in on Facebook. They always post before and after weight loss pictures from their clients ... Most have lost a significant amount of weight, so I was interested in finding out more, but I was not quite motivated to buy until my husband received an email and asked me if I knew anything about it. That was all it took ... I am now in their 90 day weight loss challenge and feeling excited about it. We all win t-shirts if we stick with the weight loss program for the 90 days. 3 people will win $1000 for being the biggest losers in the group.
It's fun! It's motivating! It's challenging! People are losing weight!
Plus, I get to make money while losing weight, and help other moms do the same. This is not a requirement for doing the 90 day challenge, but they have the best compensation plan and home business structure that I have seen over the past 13 years in wahm business. I don't have a lot of extra time, so this fits with our schedule and healthy lifestyle changes we are making as a family. I am excited to finally start losing this baby weight again because I was at a stand still ...
I am blown away with frustration and fatigued these days. I just do not know what to do! Our toddler baby won't sleep alone anymore and he certainly does not like to nap at all. Well, let me rephrase that last statement. He does go to bed alone at 9:30 pm - 10:00 pm at night (after a little rocking by dad and a little crying once placed in bed), but he gets back up in the middle of the night and refuses to go back to sleep unless in the bed with us. If we put him in our bed until he goes back to sleep and then put him in his crib, our baby will get back up again and again and again until we finally give up and put him in bed with us. None of us get sleep if we do not put him in bed with us. Although I love having our little "bundle of joy" close to my heart, I do not like how he tears me up in my sleep (he moves all over the place in his sleep; he pulls my hair and "plays" with my face in the mornings) and uses his feet to push his father on the edge of the bed in the mornings. He needs to start sleeping in his own bed.
I blame this all on my husband ... Just kidding :)
It has taken my husband MONTHS to understand and admit that I was right. I tried to explain to him that it was OK to lay the baby in his crib before he fell asleep, but he insisted on rocking him to sleep each time. I also let him know that it was OK to let our baby cry (with some comforting in between), so that he would get used to going to bed alone, my hubby did not listen. I shared all of the advice and experts articles on getting baby to sleep ... I pleaded with my husband for months (since our baby was almost a year old) and he gave me such a hard time about just laying our baby down to bed; stating that our son was "just a little baby" and "he will grow out of this". I told my husband that he won't be saying that when he has a spoiled child to deal with and he just ignored me.
I am not sure what to do at this point ...
In our baby's first year of life, nursing was my bonding time with our son, therefore rocking became my husband's time with the baby. This was "all good" for the first 6 to 8 months; the whole family rocked and comforted our baby. I began asking my husband to stop rocking him all of the time as we approached our baby's 1st birthday. Our baby had weaned himself from breastfeeding, so it was a great time to teach him to sleep through the night because he no longer nursed. My husband refused to adjust. He was not ready to stop rocking the baby to sleep, and I understood completely because it was an odd adjustment to go from breastfeeding to not nursing at all, so I did not complain about his rocking the baby to sleep all of the time. Now, our baby wants my husband to rock him to sleep and then wants to snuggle with me when he sleeps. I do not know what to do at this point; we have comforted and loved our baby to our own detriment. Yet, he is a very happy boy :)
He became our toddler baby with lots of changes ... Napping is the 1st.
By 14 months, he had stopped taking 2 naps a day. It was an adjustment for us, though kind of exciting because we presumed that he would start sleeping though the night. Our toddler baby used to get up by 8:00 a.m. - napped by 1:00 p.m. - went to bed by 10:00 p.m. - and slept though the night sometimes. Once we thought that one nap schedule was established, it started taking longer and more rocking to get our baby to sleep for his nap and bedtime. He also started waking up at night and refusing to go to sleep unless in the bed with us. My husband starting to become frustrated because he had to rock our son for over an hour each time; sometimes our baby would not sleep at all and then become unbearably cranky and fall asleep at 3:30 or 4:00pm. Everything just became a mess. My husband started getting impatient and telling me to rock him; which I would not because he carried it on so long instead of just reading the articles I sent him and following the instructions. I finally started laying the baby down, letting him cry for a few minutes and then settling him. My husband got tired of the crying, so he changed the process to rocking our toddler baby and then laying him down. Now that our baby is 18 months old, he still gets up before or around 8:00 a.m. and goes to bed at the same time, but his nap is either later than 1:00 p.m. or he will not nap at all. It is rough either way because our baby starts getting cranky around around 12-12:30 p.m. as if he was ready to nap. The difference is that he does not settle to nap and remains cranky for quite some time.
Well, that backfired ...
Now our baby flips out if my husband rocks him and then lays him down. It is to the point that our baby won't sleep in the afternoon (he will not nap until almost evening even though he is getting up at the same time as usual). We have to go in and settle him for longer periods of time ... if we do not, he will not stop crying. He gets so upset that he cannot nap. Tonight, I finally took over and put our baby to bed directly after bath (we played for quite a while after the tub in hopes that it would tire him out). He fussed for like a minute, talked to himself for about 10 minutes and then fell asleep. Regardless, of how he fell asleep tonight, I know that he won't sleep though the night. The plus is that we no longer have to rock him to sleep at bedtime. I guess that's a step in the right direction ...
I am interested to know if you have suggestions as to how we can get him to take a nap at his old time (1:00 p.m.) and sleep though the night. Our toddler baby will not stop crying (really, he just gets angrier no matter how tired) long enough to go to sleep.
I cannot believe that I am saying this about our beautiful baby boy, though "it is what it is". Our 17 month old toddler baby bites, pinches and laughs like the Joker from Batman while he is doing it. These bad habits began a few months ago and are starting to slow down, though still exist. It hurts so badly that I cannot help saying "Ouch", "Ow" and "Stop" as he is digging his nails or teeth into my skin. Unfortunately, those responses make him laugh hysterically and get excited enough that our baby bites, pinches and twists my skin more.
He thinks that I am playing with him even though I am not smiling!
The bottom of my arms get so bruised and cut up that it looks like I take martial arts (no joke!!!). His little nails are like knife points that always seems to stab the same exact spots. Meanwhile, I cut those little nails down to the pinks and I can still feel them. I no longer brag about his full set of chompers because he sometimes bites when excited or angry. What really gets me is when he comes over and twists my forearm like he is ringing out a towel. He kind of hangs on them like a kitten, too, as if to avoid my breaking free of his hold, and bites me a few times. The kicker is that most time he says "OW" and laughs while he is doing it (as if he thinks that he is tickling or playing with me).
Here is what I understand about this situation ...
Our baby bites and pinches in play 95% of the time. He thinks that he is tickling and / or wants immediate attention when he starts the bad habits, therefore I stop what I am doing to try to control the painful situation. The other 5% of the time that our baby bites and pinches is because he is either irritated that I am stopping his "tickle" play or he is angry with me. I try not to say "Ouch" or "Ow" when our baby pinches and bites because it encourages him. I have been putting him in the pack n play for a time out when it gets out of hand. I hope this teaches our baby to stop biting and pinching, as well as the fact that the Pack N Play is for "time out" and "quiet time". I also say "No" and "No Ow" to try to teach him that I do not like that type of play, though he is not consistently responsive to my "No". Once I break free of his hold, I change the type of play to something more tactile like blocks or reading books. This works well as long as I am not grabbing something near to me. It takes the little walk across the room to choose a book / get the blocks to calm him down; else he will continue to bite and pinch.
What I don't understand is how to get him to stop biting and pinching for good!
On a positive note ... this "play" that is reserved for us :)
Our baby's cousin came to visit a few weeks ago. They have just a few weeks age difference and we love seeing them interact with one another ... it's so cute! Anyways, my husband and I were trying to keep them apart because I was afraid that he would hurt her. The mother said that "she can hold her own", so we got them together for the day and it ended up being a beautiful experience. He did not bite or pinch her at all. In fact, he shared his books with her and she shared her bubbles with Max.
Have you had the same experience with your baby biting and / or pinching? How did you get it to stop?
For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord. Romans 8:38-39 NIV
Over the years, Memorial Day is a holiday that has developed priority in my life. It is a reminder of those veterans who put their life on the line for us, as well as those who have survived the soldiers that did not make it. War became real to me during the 911 bombings and over the years under Bush's reign. Above all else, this holiday really makes me think about my sweet Grandfather ...
My Grandfather is a retired Lieutenant Colonel of the United States Army. I watched him raise the flag each day, on his porch, every time I visited his home. I could rest assured that it was there even when I was not with him and would see it waving as I passed by in my car. We always had picnics on Memorial Day and other patriotic holidays. My Grandfather volunteered at the Veterans Association (VA), was honored numerous times in the community and participated in local or coastal parades each Memorial Day, Veterans Day and spoke whenever invited until this year. I should have known better while growing up, but I did not realize how close to home Memorial Day hit until I grew older. Many say Happy Memorial Day, though I am not so sure how "happy" of an occasion it is for those missing loved ones and friends.
As my Grandfather approached his 70s, my awareness of his feelings about Memorial Day increased. In fact, he had lost most of his friends and loved ones by the time he turned 70 years old. Now that he is 89, he often mentions that he has survived all of his friends, 4 of his 5 siblings, and lost his oldest son in a car accident before I was born (my uncle drove off the road while attempting to return home to his family from the army). I still can not imagine missing my friends and family for so many years, none-the-less my child.
Sometimes I call him and we discuss his military career; sometimes we discuss my family and other times we discuss old friends and family that have passed on. One thing we do not talk about is whether he has killed or how many people he has seen die over the course of his military service. We do reminisce about when he went into the army, his being a buffalo soldier, the fact that he has been honored more times than he has wall space for plaques, that he made it further than many would expect a black man of his generation and retired from a career of service to our country. LOL, sometimes we talk about their most recent shop at the PX or, on a more serious note, what the VA had to say at his last check up.
The other day we discussed his disinterest in traveling to attend this years Memorial Day parade. He normally rides in the parade float as one of the oldest representatives on the east coast. His body just did not feel like making that ride and no one can blame him for not wanting to risk the discomfort at his age. Yet, all of the years of parades were on his mind. His conversation then shifted to the ages his parents lived to be (94 and 103 years old) and how much time he thinks that he still has on this earth. Yes, he is trying to determine how much longer he has on this earth before he will die. He is a Christian, therefore I hope that there is comfort in his heart about being with God ... he and I have not gotten to the point of discussing whether he is afraid to die or not.
Although this is a painful reality to me, I am certain that my feelings cannot compare to a lifetime of losses and remembering so much of everything; he is a prime example that growing old does not always mean that you lose your memories. I thank God for helping me understand such things through His word, as well as the wonderful Grandfather he blessed me with and the other people that he has placed in my life. As I grow older, I am starting to remember those that are no longer with me, too. I guess this is an unmentioned part of "the cycle of life" or am I a late bloomer?
Regardless, above all, my Grandfather is a reminder that there are so many other grandparents, parents, children, family members and friends that feel emotional on Memorial Day! I have "met" quite a few wives online that have recently lost their husbands and my heart goes out to them ... I pray that they will find comfort and that some one is keeping them close this Memorial Day!
I stopped saying "Happy Memorial Day" a long time ago ...
I find it more appropriate to say "thank you" to all of the brave men and women that have kept us safe and free over the years; as well as to the active soldiers that are handling what we do not understand and know about right now, too. I also feel it appropriate to keep those who survived wars in mind as they are the ones that have so many to remember, miss and honor on Memorial Day!
I have been taking a little break from blogging, so that I can reorganize the house for the baby's new stage. I could not help popping in today because I hold all of my online moms dear to my heart and hope that you are having a wonderful day doing whatever it is that you wanted to do. If not, I send you big hugs with the following little quote. I hope makes you smile and remember how wonderful it is to be a mother and wife :)
"Motherhood is a choice you make everyday to put someone else's happiness and well-being ahead of your own ❤ to teach the hardest lessons to do the right things even when you're not sure what the right thing is ... and to forgive yourself over and over again for doing everything wrong" ~ Donna Bell
One thing I know, No matter where I go, I keep my heart and soul in the boondocks ~ Little Big Town
When you've had the life that I've had, there is beauty and peacefulness ...
it feels like a rebirth; it feels secluded; it feels closer to God!
I want my children to feel closer to God, respect nature and have a sense of
pride that comes from non-materialism opposed to how things used to be ...
Yes, the heat and bugs can be a lot; the frogs and owls are loud at night ...
Yet, there is always something new to explore and appreciate!
We see an average of 5 to 10 different birds each day. I didn't know that
I would learn to appreciate birds so much; I was scared of them before :)
Flowers grow wild in the sandy ground ... A miracle that unfolds before
our eyes and without expectation; just there for all to enjoy
It is springtime in the boondocks ... I'm loving it!
Boondocks Lyrics by Little Big Town
I feel no shame
I'm proud of where I came from
I was born and raised in the boondocks
One thing I know
No matter where I go
I keep my heart and soul in the boondocks
And I can feel
That muddy water running through my veins
And I can hear that lullaby of the midnight train
And it sings to me and it sounds familiar
I feel no shame
I'm proud of where I came from
I was born and raised in the boondocks
One thing I know
No matter where I go
I keep my heart and soul in the boondocks
And I can taste that
honeysuckle and it's still so sweet
When it grows wild
On the banks down at old camp creek
Yeah, and it calls to me like a warm wind blowing
I feel no shame
I'm proud of where I came from
I was born and raised in the boondocks
One thing I know
No matter where I go
I keep my heart and soul in the boondocks
It's where I learned about living It's where I learned about love It's where I learned about working hard and having a little was just enough It's where I learned about Jesus And knowing where I stand You can take it or leave it This is me, this is who I am
Give me a tin roof
a front porch and a gravel road
and that's home to me
feels like home to me
I feel no shame
I'm proud of where I came from
I was born and raised in the boondocks
One thing I know, no matter where I go
I keep my heart and soul in the boondocks
I keep my heart and soul in the boondocks
You get a line, I get a pole
we'll go fishing in the crawfish hole
5 card poker on Saturday night
church on Sunday morning
You get a line, I get a pole
(You get a line, I get a pole)
We'll go fishing
(We'll go fishing in the craw fish hole)
Down in the boondocks
(5 card poker on Saturday night)
Church on Sunday morning
You get a line, I get a pole
(You get a line, I get a pole)
We'll go fishing
(We'll go fishing in the craw fish hole)
Down in the boondocks
(5 card poker on Saturday night)
(Say a little prayer for me)
Church on Sunday morning
You get a line, I get a pole
(You get a line, I get a pole)
We'll go fishing
(We'll go fishing in the craw fish hole)
Down in the boondocks
(5 card poker on Saturday night)
(Say a little prayer for me)
Church on Sunday morning
Going Through Age 13 ... Again! Please Pray For Peace!
My second son turned 13 years old a few weeks ago. He didn't want me to post any pictures of his "special day" nor does he want me taking any pictures of him anymore. These may be my last for a while. This part of 13 is really a drag ... I am sneaking in these pictures of him for Wordless Wednesday today and a few more blog posts about his last few weeks (as soon as I get them written) because this is also a huge part of my life. They are pictures of him at a skate park (parent supervised) and they so project exactly who he is right now. His individuality and being understood have been mastered; now he is fighting for "respect" that struggles to maintain to give. He started fighting with us a few weeks before his 13 birthday. We laughed it off as testosterone kicking in, but ... REALLY ... I think this is on point. Any time I ask him what is wrong with him (when he picks a fight and then apologizes for it), he says "I don't know".
Don't get me wrong! He is still a very sweet boy on most days :) He is just not the same cooperative person that he was at twelve and I can tell that his teen years are going to be hard.
I am going through age 13 again ... it is frightening to me.
The funny thing is we are also going through the "teens" with our 15 month old baby. He has gotten quite "terrible two" lately :)
Today's Monday Marketing Tip is very quick ... This is a Pinterest Link Up! Add the link to your profile, favorite board or pin, and we will connect and pin with you. Pinterest is currently the #3 network in the world, so there is plenty of opportunity and friendships waiting for you. Let us know if you need an invite - See you there!
Would you like to add this Pinterest Link Up to your website? Get The Code
I'm really looking forward to connecting with you at Pinterest and checking out your boards :) Make sure to comment below to let us know that you are an active participant and not just another link posted in this hop. Hugs & Blessings!
Luv hopping and meeting other bloggers? Visit this BLOG HOPS DAILY page to join more!
It's been a while since I wrote a toddler milestones post, so I am excited to share more than pictures with you. 15 months is truly an incredible age. Although our son is considered a "toddler", he is still such a "baby" to us. He just does not understand nor communicate as well as the Sprout watching toddler that he is becoming. He is still teething, eating baby cereal each morning and exploring all over the house like a little baby; though he surprising us each day with new word, big boy foods, actions and temper tantrums.
This video above shows him trying to explain what he wants. He repeats what I say and tells me that he does not want to go outside nor have a bottle; that he wants a cup. His exact words are "I like it" when I say "cup". At the end of the video, I mistakenly said that I would get his "bah bah", but I meant that I was getting his cup. He ran towards the kitchen anyways. This video is a perfect example of how we try to communicate with one another each day.
Here's what's been going on in our life ...
4 days ago, our 15 month old baby head butted both dad and me in the mouth ...
3 days ago, he went back and forth with his dad (in a "no" battle) and said "all done" hysterically when he had enough of being rebellious and wanted to hug ...
2 days ago, he had two lines of POO POO on his cheek when his brother kissed him (yuck) ...
Today, he broke the TV and very upset about it. He is also sticking his finger up his nose non-stop ...
I AM KIND OF WORRIED WHAT TOMORROW WILL BRING :(
15 months old baby milestones include:
At 15 months, our baby does display his own sense of humor and interests. He tries to hold conversations with us all day long, though he comes across quite frustrated a lot of the time. Sometimes he tries to speak without opening his mouth at all. Most times, he says one or two syllable words. He surprises us with a sentence here and there, too.
"Dee Dee" has become the universal language :) He says "Dee Dee" for his brother, things he wants that he does not know the name for and sometimes says "Dee Dee" in place of "ma ma" for me. I think that "Dee Dee" is how he says "baby" (that he is calling us baby), but it is hard to know for sure.
He also says "hi", "hello", "I wah ue" (I love you), "all done", "I like at" (I like that), "like it", "ma ma", "da dad", "brayer" (brother), "no", "I di it" (I did), "eat", "gamer" (grandma).
Our baby has started saying his ABCs and numbers. In fact, he gets really excited when TV shows with counting and letters come on (Super Why, Sesame Street). He also loves playing with the foam letters and numbers; alphabet school bus and Our toddler loves reading books.
He still likes to drink from a bottle, though also loves his cup. We spend most of the day trying to find them from our baby's strategic locations around his playroom (what used to be our living room). Yes, he is hiding his bottles and cups all over the place ... they look disgusting and stink when we finally get to the hard to find ones.
Our 15 month old has become a really picky eater. He is not crazy about meat or vegetables anymore. In fact, if it were his choice, he could live off of baby oatmeal, baby fruits, spaghetti and pizza, if I let him. He eats bread, chicken and green beans on occasion; he drinks a lot of water and milk. He is "sometimey" about drinking juice. We feed him all organic foods as much as possible.
Although he displays absolutely no interest in trying to potty train, he has been interested in what is in the diaper for quite some time. The past few months have required two person diaper changes. His poor brother got a mouth full of poop when trying to kiss our baby on the cheek the other day. He thought it was food on the baby's cheek, but it was poop. There was no indication that he had dug in his diaper because he reaches fingers through the sides when he is unable to reach from the top. As you can imagine, the majority of his wardrobe is back to overalls and Onesies / infant bodysuits w/ elastic waste pants at all times.
Our baby has jumped from a size 12 to a size 24 in like a month. He can wears some size 18 to 24 months clothes; his wardrobe is mostly size 24 months. He still wears size 5 shoes.
I am so glad that he did not put a flat screen TV in the living room / play room because our baby broke the TV today. He started by by turning the buttons on and off all of the time. We were proud on one hand, though it became quite disruptive to turn the TV back on when he could not figure it out on his own. We bought another one off Craigslist just in case this phases hasn't ended yet.
At 15 months old, our baby's fine motor skills are impressive. He can turn on his own toys and work the ones that entail more controlled actions. He feeds himself well and can scoop up the crumbs if he chooses to eat them. He climbs like a champ, does puzzles, picks at very small imperfections around the house, does somersaults and laps around the house.
One of my favorite things about our 15 month old baby is that he LOVES to read. My two older children loved to read at that age, but Max really loves his books. As active as he is, there is never a time that he will not sit to read and can sit for hours if you will read to him that long.
All in all, our 15 month old baby is an amazing bundle of energy, intelligence and love. He seeks our affection and approval in almost everything he does; words can't describe how it make us feel to have the privilege of waking up with and putting this sweet child to be every night. I hope that any mother to be - or - new mom finds this post helpful in getting the real 15 months old milestones for their baby.
Quick Slideshow Video | How To Recycle Wood Pallets | DIY
I found this wood pallets video on YouTube and though it would make for an interesting Wordless Wednesday topic. There as so many DIY projects to accomplish by using wood pallets. You can typically find them listed for free on Craigslist ... I was inspired to learn more after seeing a neat wood pallet planter and raised garden ideas on Pinterest.
Have you been using wood pallets for your DIY projects? Please share any ideas that are not shown in this video. Thanks :)
Did you know that Pinterest has become the 3rd popular network in the world? It has always been popular with moms, but now the masses have begun pinning at this therapeutic and entertaining social network, too. I thought that it would be fun to set up a Pinterest Link Up, so that we can connect with one another there. Scroll to the bottom of this post to add your profile link (ex: http://pinterest.com/motherbabychild/) to the Linky and follow the others on the list at Pinterest. *** If you are not yet a member of Pinterest and need an invitation, please feel free to contact me and I'll send you an invite.
Learn More About Pinterest & How To Use This Social Network
Would you like to add this Pinterest Link Up to your website? Get The Code
I'm really looking forward to connecting with you at Pinterest and checking out your boards :) Make sure to comment below to let us know that you are an active participant and not just another link posted in this hop. Hugs & Blessings!
In a perfect world, we would never need to use a breast pump, but life circumstances may require that you need to pump breast milk bottles for your baby. Whether you need to go back to work, give your breasts a rest or want to pump a bottle for a family member to feed the baby, you will want to have the best breast pump for you.
I have personally tried 3 types of breast pumps:
Manual Breast Pump I used a manual breast pump with my first son because this is what they gave me at the hospital. As with most 1st time moms, I took all of the classes that my hospital offered about having a baby and did pay attention during the breastfeeding video, but I didn't consider nursing until the nurses encouraged breastfeeding after childbirth. It was a little awkward for my 1st son and me. Regardless, the lactation consultant gave me a manual breast pump similar to or maybe it was the Medela Harmony Manual Breast Pump, so that I could pump milk until my baby and I were more comfortable with the nursing. It worked great (even help build up my breast milk), but it was time consuming and the manual hand pumping became annoying to me. Manual breast pumps are more affordable than electric breast pumps.
Hospital Grade Breast Pump I used a Medela Lactina Select Hospital Grade Breast Pump with my 2nd son. I was on WIC at the time and I guess that I lucked out because they loaned it to me even though I was not working full-time (I was a PT nanny for a boy my older son's age). It was fantastic!!! There was the option to pump one or both breasts at the same time. There were different power settings, too. I didn't use it as much in the beginning because he liked to nurse, but I did use it to increase milk and when I had to take him to work with me. By his 4th month, I started using the hospital grade breast pump at least once a day to pump and freeze breast milk. My second son started weaning himself around 6 months (when he started standing and walking around via furniture). He was very active and liked having his bottles. By his 7th month, my son drank more than he ate while teething / growth spurts, and did not like formula. I really appreciated the powerful suction, dual cups and speed of the Medela Lactina Select Hospital Grade Breast Pump. The disadvantage is that it is much larger than the other types of breast pumps, therefore I only used it at home.
Battery / Electric Breast Pump I used a Medela Swing Breast Pump with my 3rd son. It was a gift from a friend and I sure did appreciate it. Although it was not as powerful as the Medela Lactina Select, it served it's purpose of providing bottles for baby Max's father and brother to feed him when they felt the need or I had an appointment. The Medela Swing Breast Pump was comfortable and had several different suction settings. The disadvantage was that it was ot powerful enough to extract breast milk between let downs, so I would have to stop and pump more later, or let it pump until I let down again. Keep in mind that I overproduced milk, so it was not an issue of not having enough breast milk. It is just not as strong as the hospital grade breast pump; none of them were the same as when a baby nurses.
I have only used the Madela products and I don't plan on having any more children. If you have tried other products, I am sure that my blog readers would benefit by knowing which is the best breast pump for you.
Happy Resurrection Weekend - Good Friday & Easter Day 2012
For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. ~ John 3:16
Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die; and whoever lives by believing in me will never die. Do you believe this?” ~ John 11:25-26
Crucifixion of Jesus & Resurrection of Jesus Christ
As a child, these were the most influential scriptures in my life. Grab your child's Bible and read to him / her or here us a Crucifixion & Resurrection video for older children. Christmas and Easter are the times of the year when smaller children can relate best to the blessing of the birth of Jesus and sacrifice of his death; this will make Jesus more real than Santa Claus and the Easter Bunny. Not to take away their fun, but to make a lasting impression of the love of God and WHY we celebrate the life and death of Jesus Christ.
14 months 3 weeks old - He still fits in the baby carrier :)
We were headed for an organic farm tour and decided to pull out the old baby carrier. We were not sure if Max would still fit and like the baby carrier. He did let us ride him in the carrier for quite a while until he wanted to get down to play with the dogs at the farm :) It is so funny to look at this picture and see how big he has gotten; our baby is almost as long as his father's upper body ... WOW!
Doesn't it look like he's thinking, "Mom, REALLY? Are you really putting me in a baby carrier?". That angelic face always says so much :)
I thought this would be a cute Wordless Wednesday picture and short story to share. I do look forward to checking out your image(s), please feel free to share the link in the comments area! Hugs & Blessings!
It is not uncommon for companies and people to have duplicate Facebook pages and for various reasons. Maybe a business owner created a page and let it sit, though his marketing representative made a new page with the correct vanity URL and built the second facebook page following. Another example is when someone starts a page for one reason, learns more about marketing, and then creates a second page that works better towards his / her business branding. No matter what the reason, most do not know that Facebook has added a Merge Page option that is helpful for duplicate page / duplicate brand identity issues. It does not work for profiles that were created as pages; you will just have to change the profile name or the profile link name (if you haven't already) and transition those friends to a Facebook business page. The following are instructions on how to merge Facebook pages, so that you are managing just one brand. It really is better for you this way!
Instructions On How To Merge Facebook Pages
Go to the Facebook Page that you want to keep (usually the one with more likes and activity) and following these instructions to merge Facebook pages.
Click the Manage Page button at the top of the page.
Select Edit Page option.
Click the Resources link in menu on the left hand side of the page.
Click the Merge Duplicate Pages link (2nd link on the list).
If you have pages with a similar or duplicate names, a box will appear.
Click your mouse in the check box to select the Page(s) that you want to merge.
* That's it! Just keep in mind that Facebook page merges are final!
* This only works for Facebook pages; you cannot merge profiles.
Speaking of Facebook pages ... I invite you to connect with me on Facebook @ My Profile Page, as well as the Mother Baby Child page for moms that have been following this blog and the Viral Marketing Mom page for moms to advertise their blogs, products, services, business links.
I look forward to chatting and learning more about you @ those Facebook pages.
April 2nd - World Autism Awareness Day - Autism Awareness Month
Today is Autism Awareness Day which kicks off Authism Awareness Month 2012. I wrote about Autism Day last year, and a little about my experience with having a child within spectrum(s). I encourage you to learn more about AUTISM and comment with your resources, so that more people know what to watch for in children, family and friends. The current stats are staggering ... most recent study is 1 in 88 eight year olds are autistic. I know from experience and media of children doing extraordinary things despite of their autism / spectrum disorders, though families of children with autism know that this is not always the case. Visit http://www.worldautismawarenessday.org and http://www.AutismSpeaks.org to learn more and make year long / lifetime commitment for those with Autism / ASD.
Please make sure to Pinterest Pin this image if you have a child, grandchild or other family member with Autism!
Helping Moms In Business Does Mean More Than You Think!
My mother posted the little graphic above and it's BIG message really touched my heart. I have been waiting for Wordless Wednesday, so I could share it with you. Isn't this quote so true? This quote makes me feel like emailing everyone in the world; especially CEOs of companies. They have no clue how hard it is for some mothers to establish themselves as virtual assistants, mom business owners, work at home moms, etc. These moms really do have to possess more drive, organization and commitment - than the average person - in order to become successful mom business owners or telecommuting moms - while raising children and managing a household. I know this from experience ... CEOs do not just throw opportunities into mom's laps ... these mothers have to find work they can do at home! This is why so many moms turn to direct marketing companies and / or learning how to market online. Yes, there are some moms that dream of starting a business, but there are even more moms that just need to make money working from home and do whatever they can.
If CEOs REALLY understood this, there would be more onshore telecommute jobs and less struggling moms / mom business owners!
Regardless, I am grateful for how "things" are in comparison to what the Internet was like 13 years ago ... If you did not know computer programming or have a direct marketing business offline (Mary Kay, Avon, Tupperware, Pampered Chef, etc), then your work from home options were very limited. We did not have Google Ads and Facebook networks at that time; there were only a few mommy websites to browse for opportunities and these were very basic HTML sites without Craigslist, Elance and Freelancer feeds because those resources did not exist. Thinking of this reminds me that we are fortunate to have the Internet ... Yet, there are still not enough work at home "jobs" in comparison to work at home opportunities. This is why it is important for more people to support mom business owners opposed to Amazon, Ebay and larger corporations that sell the same types of products. Unfortunately, this is something that has not changed as much as the Internet. People still prefer to shop at Walmart for pink slime meat than support their local farms; they prefer to shop at Bath & Body at the mall opposed to supporting a friend selling Avon.
This really needs to change and this is why I like that little graphic so much. It's huge message made me think towards the sky ... not just "the sky is the limit" ... I looked out the window to the beautiful sky and I prayed. I thanked God for all of the challenges and opportunities; I also prayed for his mercy and change :)
O give thanks unto the Lord; for he is good: for his mercy endureth for ever.
O give thanks unto the God of gods: for his mercy endureth for ever.
O give thanks to the Lord of Lords: for his mercy endureth for ever.
To him who alone doeth great wonders: for his mercy endureth for ever.
To him that by wisdom made the heavens: for his mercy endureth for ever.
To him that stretched out the earth above the waters:
for his mercy endureth for ever.
To him that made great lights: for his mercy endureth for ever:
The sun to rule by day: for his mercy endureth for ever:
The moon and stars to rule by night: for his mercy endureth for ever.
~ Psalms 136.1-9
No matter what our economy or personal situations, we have the love, support and grace of our Lord and he provides the discernment, strength, humbleness, knowledge and motivation to do all that we need to do. We just need to remain faithful and grateful during our life processes. Be thankful for where you are at in your business / work at home experience; also, if possible, help other moms accomplish their goals by assisting them in their work, training them in what they do not know and buying from mom business owners.
Hugs & blessings to all mom business owners, mom bloggers, mom marketers and virtual assistants that are "doing your thing" to contribute to your household ... while raising children and handling all that is involved with having a family.
