The Little Things
I knew that having a baby would change my life. No late night romps with my husband. No more sleeping until 11 a.m. Still, I never anticipated losing out on the little things. Here are just a few of the unexpected ways my daughter has rocked my world.
I used to blast the radio in my car and sing at the top of my lungs. Now, I’m lucky if I get five minutes of my favorite station in before she screams, "Wiggles!"
Bumbo Baby Seat
The purpose of the Bumbo Baby Seat is to provide a safe place for an infant to be able to be in a sitting position without the use of safety straps, harnesses or other restraints.
What’s The Cost: $39.95
Pros: The Bumbo Baby Seat is constructed of a very light weight, low-density foam. The material is non-toxic and safe. It is suitable to use with babies as young as 3 months and useful up until a baby is about 14 months of age depending upon his or her physical development.
The unique design of the Bumbo Baby Seat allows a very young infant, who is not yet proficient at sitting alone, to be placed in an upright position so that they can get another view the world and easily look around.
Parents can choose a color that suits them. There are five color choices available.
Cons: There are no cons for the Bumbo Baby Seat. It is lightweight, easy to use and safe.
Guarantee: Most items can be returned within 30 days of purchase for a full refund provided they are in their original packaging and have not been used. Items that cannot be resold and are not returned in original packaging will be charged a 25% restocking fee. Any items that are damaged or unusable will be refunded at 100% of the cost and will include shipping charges.
The Value : The Bumbo Baby Seat is an excellent value for the price. It is well constructed and will last for as long as the child needs it - and beyond.
Where to buy:
Bumbo Baby Seat
Britax Decathlon Latch Car Seat in Tiffany
The purpose of the Britax Decathlon Latch Car Seat as with all infant and toddler car seats is to provide protection for the child while they are in a car.
Suffering From Insomnia? Ditch the Sleeping Pills and Begin Exercising
I have been suffering from severe insomnia for quite awhile now.In fact if my body happens to get more than three or four hours of sleep a night it doesn’t know what to do but it’s beginning to get used to more sleep now that I’ve started an exercise program! I joined one of my local gyms a few months ago and can’t believe the difference it has made. Although I’m still not getting the recommended eight to nine hours of sleep a night I’ve went from three or four hours a night to six, sometimes seven hours.
Airplane Travel with Infant Twins
The summer travel season is almost here, and many of you are probably pondering a trip to visit family, meet Mickey Mouse, or get away from the stress of daily life. Unfortunately, getting there can be just as stressful, especially if you’re traveling with infant twins. If you plan an airplane trip with your twins, planning ahead is key to ensuring that you have a smooth trip.
In my book, It’s Twins! Parent-to-Parent Advice from Infancy Through Adolescence, one mother describes the many mishaps she’s encountered when traveling with her twins to her native Australia. For instance, while changing one of her twin son’s diapers, he chose the opportunity to pee all over Hugh Grant on the movie screen! Needless to say, she got plenty of nasty looks from her fellow travelers on that trip. Of course, nobody can be completely prepared for that type of fiasco, but there are a few things you can do to make the trip as pleasant as possible.
Shopping Online Has Its Advantages
A lot of people really do not like shopping because of how stressful it is. Online shopping can take away all of that stress though. So, regardless of what you are shopping for, you should know that there are definite advantages to shopping online. These advantages include being able to find any product from any store; comparison shopping; finding great deals; and having your purchases shipped directly to your home within days.
Herb Garden - Create Your Own
If you are tired of buying your herbs from the supermarket, it may be time for you to create your very own herb garden. Here are some helpful tips on how to create your own herb garden.
Engage Your Endorphins
Going to the Club
In college I did my fair share of partying, clubbing and bar hopping. Now that I am a mom of twins, the club I go to is a health club. Even though my life is very different from when I was in college, I noticed some similarities. Here is a comparison of going to the clubs in college verses going to the club now.
Elimination Communication: Is It Possible to Potty-Train Infant Twins?
Perhaps you’ve heard of the potty-training method called “elimination communication” or infant potty training. This technique has been used in parts of Asia and rural Sub-Saharan Africa for a long time. The premise is that infants as young as six months old can be trained to use the toilet (or sink or other container), rather than the diaper. (Some experts recommend starting it even younger, right after babies are born, so they don’t get accustomed to using a diaper.) Proponents claim that parents can learn when a baby’s ready to “go,” through signs such as straining or grunting, and get him to the toilet before he’s soiled himself. Some parents are even able to prompt their child to eliminate by using a particular cue, such as a whispered “pssst.”
Make Mother’s Day Easy for You
Mother’s Day is a time for moms to sit back, relax, and enjoy a special day, courtesy of the kids. But some mothers have trouble doing that. They have their own moms to buy gifts for and pamper, and the kids can’t take care of themselves, and dinner won’t cook itself. Does this sound familiar? Here are some ways that you can make the most of Mother’s Day and enjoy it to the fullest….
Mom: Avoid Stress During Busy Family Holidays
Do you look forward to Christmas, Easter, and other family holidays? Or do you get so stressed that you have trouble enjoying these special occasions? Stress is a common problem for moms during holiday seasons, but there’s no reason that you shouldn’t enjoy these times just as much as everyone else. Here are some tips to help you have great holidays without all the hassle…
Sleeping Beauties
The solution was so simple yet I never saw it. At the time, the sleep depravation was definitely clouding my thought process. When I first brought home my boy/girl twins from the hospital, I experienced so many different feelings. I felt excited, tired, scared, happy, and most of the time confused.
Why are they crying?
Why won’t they sleep?
What am I doing wrong?
All my twins did was cry, spit up and projectile vomit. Part of the problem was a formula allergy. There was also another issue. It took me a while to figure it out.
During the day my twins napped together in the pack and play. At night they slept in separate bassinets in our room. During the day they slept like hibernating bears, peaceful and motionless. At night they slept like monkeys, noisy and restless. Nothing seemed to soothe them at night. We thought of everything but the obvious answer.
Other people suggested waking them up during the day so they would sleep more at night. This was unsuccessful. They suggested having white noise to recreate the noise of the day. This was unsuccessful. They suggested having a light on at night to replicate the light of the day. This was also unsuccessful.
When the twins were 3 months old their cribs finally arrived. We decided to transition them to their own room. They still woke up every 2 hours at night so we were hesitant to move them. On the other hand we knew it was time to give it a try. We put them in the same crib since it was so large. The first night in their new crib they slept 8 hours! Finally I realized why they slept so well during the day. They wanted to be together.
Homemaking Hijinks
My house is decidedly a ‘deconstruction zone’ where each child and pet tries to outdo the other in wrecking the place. “Mom, I slid on the floor and accidentally put my knee through the wall.”
My dinners are done when at least three smoke detectors go off and my sheets haven’t been washed in so long they don’t need to be ironed.
Strong Women= No Epidural (#4)
Strong women have babies the natural way– without an epidural.
As I lay on that cold, hard table with my legs spread uncomfortably apart and cold hands prodding me, my doctor asked that infamous question, “would you like to get an epidural during labor?” I quickly answered that I didn’t want an epidural, I was going to have my baby naturally. My doctor chuckled and said though he’d never personally been through childbirth, he’d heard that it was pretty excruciating. He said I should keep my options open and remain neutral about the epidural until I was actually in labor. Then I chuckled and told him I would think about it. But I secretly knew I wasn’t going to get it.
A Shopping Shangri-La
A Shopping Shangri-La
Early on a Saturday morning, I give my slumbering husband a kiss and a whispered lie about returning soon and head out the door, making a beeline for the big red bull’s eye. As I pull into the parking lot of my local Target store, I’m a-tingle with excitement.
Embracing Pleasure
When you die God and the angels will holdyou accountable for all the pleasures you were allowed in this life that you denied yourself. –Anonymous
This quote is taped to my refrigerator to remind me of my new goal: Embracing Pleasure. Like a lot of moms in today’s society I let pleasure escape my life. I developed guilt over taking opportunities for myself to feel fulfilled, especially if it cost money or time that could be devoted to family. Over the last year I began to realize that I could not and should not allow this deprivation to happen. Not only is it detrimental to my state of self, but it is not what God intended for me when He gave me this wonderful family.
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It’s Twins! Parent-to-Parent Advice from Infancy Through Adolescence
Raising any child is a challenge, but what happens when they come as a pair? As any parent of multiples will tell you, sometimes talking with another parent who’s been there can get you through the difficult times and help you to cherish the moments that make twins truly “double the love.” In this complete guide to raising multiples from infancy through the high-school years, Susan M. Heim, a mother of twins herself, offers the insight and advice that only a mother of multiples can give. “It’s Twins!” arms parents with the information they need, from decisions about breast-feeding versus formula and classroom placement, to dispelling myths about twins and ensuring equal treatment while fostering individuality and combating competitiveness. Best of all, “It’s Twins!” outdoes all those “dry” parenting manuals by offering chatty, bite-size bits of real-world wisdom and experiences from other moms and dads at various stages of twin-rearing, making this guide not just informative but entertaining as well.
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The Unfit Mother
No matter how competent a mother is, her child is sure to do something that makes her feel completely inept.
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My Life as a Celebrity Assistant***
I always wondered what it would be like to be a celebrity. I imagined it would be wonderful and glamorous. I never really thought about the downside. Now that I reside with two real-life celebrities, I’ve found that even going to a restaurant can be a major undertaking!
Selecting the Perfect Name
When I received my “writer approval email” from Mommies Magazine, I was so excited. I immediately had visions of myself sitting at my computer, typing away as the next Carrie Bradshaw of the suburbs. Once my daydream dissipated, my eyes refocused on the email. The first requested item on the list was a name for my new column. Sex and the City was the initial idea that came to mind, but for obvious reasons that was not going to work.
Moving and New Communities
You may be thrilled to be moving, or you could be scared to death! Moving can leave you sad, glad, or a mixture of all. Don’t worry - I have done this too many times not to be able to help out. Here are some ways to help make moving into a new community easier.
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Marriage Is For Today
Marriage Is God’s Plan
In today’s society living together is accepted-but this is not God’s plan. The plan God had for marriage was for it to be a committed relationship between a man and a woman. This is shown in: Malachi 2:15 “Has not the Lord made them one? In flesh and spirit they are his. And why one? Because, he was seeking godly offspring. So, guard yourself in your spirit and do not break faith with the wife of your youth.” Matthew 19:4-6 “Haven’t you read, he replied that at the beginning the creator made them male and female and said: For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife and the two will become one flesh. So, they are no longer two, but one. Therefore, what God has joined together, let man not separate.” This scripture clearly shows that God wants two people to be committed to each other for life.
The Perfectionist
After watching a television show, I bemoaned to my husband that the idea of leaving the city was to live a stress-free life. In the short time we have lived here, I have found this not to be the case. ‘That’s because you take on too much and refuse to ask for help’, he replied.
I was taken aback at this statement. I wondered to myself if I was really like that, and discovered that I was. Thinking further on the matter I also discovered why.
A normal day in the life goes something like this:
Husband: ‘What can I do to help?’
Me: ‘Nothing’.
I go off and do whatever needs to be done. I eventually begin cursing that I have three things to do at once, as per usual.
Husband: ‘I did ask if you wanted me to do anything’.
Me: ‘There are plenty of things that need to be done, and if I ask for your help, I usually have to wait for it to get done or you get cross because you have to drop whatever it is you’re doing, so I think it’s quicker if I just don’t bother asking and do it myself, so that I get annoyed and cranky that I have to do it and complain that I have to do about three things at once, and then you get cross with me because I don’t ask for help’
I find it difficult to just let go and relax. As my husband likes to say: ‘Don’t sweat the small stuff’, but I can’t help it. Do I thrive in stressful situations, revel in the attention it gives me or am I just headed for some chill pills?
I demand perfection from myself, so naturally I expect it of others. I like things a certain way, and if others don’t do it the way I want, then I get angry and take over. This does not help the children. They try to help, but I get frustrated whenever I see them do it wrong, or they are they slow in doing it.
Recently, with a bout of the flu going around our house, I told my husband that I just couldn’t afford to get sick. So naturally, I got the flu. With only one or two brain cells fully operable, I struggled to get anything done. I watched with impending dread as the ironing pile got higher and higher.
Society places too much emphasis on perfection. Children are expected to be little geniuses before they start school, and if they are not, then there must be something wrong with them. If something is wrong with your child, then you must be a bad parent.
Parenting is said to be the hardest job in the world and is only learnt through trial and error on a daily basis. From the very first moment, you hold your child in your arms, it’s as if the nurse is saying ‘Here, take this; you deal with it’. Nobody tells you how.
In future, during stressful situations, I need to learn to take a deep breath, relax and think that life could be a lot worse. I refuse to let myself be carted off to a padded cell. Well, not yet anyway. That would be worse.
For more information on the perils of perfection, read this article:-
The Perils of Competitive Parenting + Avoid the Competition Trap
http://www.christianitytoday.com/momsense/2007/001/6.18.html
© Debbie Johansson 2007
One Smart Family
Have my husband and I muddied the gene pool or are these moments of unexplainable lunacy the side effect of genius?
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Finding Your Strength
When you think of the word endurance what comes to your mind? Images of athletes trying to hold on to their strength for their teammates instantly come to mind for me. By definition, endurance means, “the act of bearing pain or distress, continuance; patience; stamina.”
Now think about all of the many things you as a special parent have learned to endure. Whether your child is a few months old or approaching adulthood, I’m sure you know a thing or two about endurance.We have been so very accustomed to being in a state of constant alert—we don’t dare relax and get comfortable, because when we do, some new crisis or setback may occur. So as we go through life, doing all the things we need to do for our child, the rest of our family, our work, and of course, our peace of mind; where does our strength come from? In order to endure we must first have strength and stamina.
Birthday Parties for Toddler and Preschooler Twins
Parents of twins and multiples often have a difficult journey to parenthood. They may have gone through several years of fertility treatments and/or experienced a difficult pregnancy, so their natural tendency is to want to throw a big bash when their twins reach critical milestone years. That’s understandable, but not always a wise choice when their twins are still toddlers or preschoolers. Keep in mind the following tips when planning a birthday party for young multiples:
- Keep It Simple. Most young children just get too overwhelmed at a huge party. They either become fussy from overstimulation, or fall asleep from exhaustion. Forget hiring expensive entertainment or overtaxing the budget. Wait until the kids are old enough to appreciate and enjoy it.
- Be Flexible. When my twins turned three, we decided to celebrate with just our immediate family: my husband and I, with our four children. Right in the middle of dinner, one of the twins came down with stomach flu and—you can get the results—his dinner was all over the place! Needless to say, he didn’t even touch his cake or presents. Anything can happen with young children, and the best-laid plans often need to be changed. My husband and I were glad that we didn’t spend a lot of money on a party that one of our sons would have been too sick to enjoy. We celebrated several days later when everyone was well, and it was just fine. The twins never knew, of course, that their party was a few days late.
- Make It Short. Experts advise that birthday parties for young children shouldn’t last longer than an hour and a half. Kids usually start to get cranky if the party drones on, and with twins the crankiness will be turned up to the MAX!
- Keep Nap Times in Mind. Try to schedule the party for late morning or late afternoon when your twins are well rested.
- Don’t Overdo the Guest List. More people mean more chaos. Your toddlers aren’t going to know or care if you didn’t invite every kid on the street. Keep the list small and invite only those who are nearest and dearest to you and the twins, usually your family and closest friends.
- Have Separate Cakes and Presents. Toddler and preschooler twins aren’t great at sharing. You don’t need a fight in the middle of the party. Of course, if they’re receiving something large, such as a swing set, then one is enough. But smaller gifts are usually best bought in pairs.
- Serve Kid-Friendly Food. Serve lots of finger foods and check with parents beforehand about any allergies. Don’t serve anything that little ones can choke on, such as hot dogs. And make sure you have food for the adults, too! Make it easy on yourself and order lots of pizza, or have other parents or family members help out with the cooking.
- Don’t Stress Out. With little kids, there are going to be accidents and meltdowns. The twins are going to get cake and ice cream all over their darling party outfits. Keep your cool and relax, and others will follow your lead.
- Ask Someone Else to Take Pictures. This will leave your hands free to take care of the kids, serve drinks, etc. If you want a picture of each guest, make sure you instruct your photographer about your wishes.
- Have Lots of Toys and Activities Planned for the Kids. Set up age-appropriate “stations” for different age groups (just like at preschool!). For instance, tape big pieces of paper to the floor and supply washable crayons for little ones to color with. Set up pin-the-tail-on-the-donkey or a piñata for kids who are a little older. Enlist other parents to help run each station.
- Make Sure Goody Bags Are Age-Appropriate. Don’t include toys with tiny parts that can detach and be swallowed. And go light on the sugary sweets.
- Baby-Proof Your Party Place. I remember attending a party once where the party room opened right up onto a lake. I was terrified all night that one of the children would tumble into the water and drown. Twins and young children can be very active! If your party isn’t at your house, you’ll most likely need to baby-proof the facilities before the party starts. Put plug covers on all the outlets. Make sure that grills and hot food stations are out of reach of little ones. Choose a safe setting.
Susan M. Heim is the author of It’s Twins! Parent-to-Parent Advice from Infancy Through Adolescence and Twice the Love: Stories of Inspiration for Families with Twins, Multiples and Singletons . Visit her Web site at www.susanheim.com .
Germ Warfare
They don’t call it a waiting room for nothing. When I walk into my pediatrician’s office — sick kids in tow — I shiver, knowing the endurance test that awaits.
A New Type of Twins Is Discovered: Semi-Identical Twins
The Journal of Human Genetics recently reported on a rare type of twins, who have been dubbed “semi-identical twins.” In this case, a single egg was fertilized by two sperm simultaneously, and then the egg split into twins. One of the twins was born as a “true hermaphrodite,” which means that the child had both ovarian and testicular tissue. (She’s being raised as a female.) The other child is a male. Both children are otherwise normal mentally and physically, and are now three years old.
This condition differs from “polar body twins,” which occurs when a single egg splits, and then each egg is fertilized by two different sperm. This is not the same as “semi-identical twinning” (described above), in which fertilization occurs before the egg splits.
