Best Parenting Advice Ever

I came across this e-mail a while ago, but just now got to read it (isn't that the way it is?!).  I found it very interesting!  It was sent from Parents Magazine and I just had to share!

It's called "The Best Parenting Advice Ever" and they intereviewd various people that are involved in the typical child's life (doctors, teachers, babysitters, etc) and asked them what advice they would love to give parents, but would never say to the parents' face. Very honest. Very insightful.

After reading the article, it made me think of some advice I myself would give - and I think anyone can relate!

My advice:  Be sensitive to the fact that other parents may do things differently than you do. Don't think what I am doing is wrong because it isn't the way you would do it.  Or even better, if you don't have kids, please - and this is putting it nicely - keep your mouth shut!! I know we've all heard the sentences that started like, "Are you going to let..."  "Don't you think you should...."  "Why don't you...".  Makes my blood boil.  I would like to finish those sentences for them.  "Are you going to let me... change the subject before I gouge your eyes out?" "Don't you think you should... have spent the last 3 years with my kids before you tell me what I should or should not be doing?" And finally, "Why don't you... wait until I ask you for advice before you so freely give it."

Every family is so unique - and every child within the same family is unique! We won't always chose the right method of discipline, sleep train the right way, nurse long enough (if at all), feed our kids organic foods, or sign them up for Gymboree classes.  If you truly love your kids, you will do what you feel is best for them - and who are we to judge?

Anyway, I'm off my soapbox now! Here is the link to that artcle - it's a pretty quick read.  Enjoy!

The Best Parenting Advice Ever - Parents Magazine

Home Photoshoot Realities

I had to laugh.

I was looking through old pictures on the computer and came across our "Christmas Card Photoshoot."  You know, the time when you get the kids in a cute Christmas outfit and are determined to get that one perfect picture.

What diluted sense of reality was I in to think I could get a picture of the two of them. Together. Both looking at the camera at the same time. Both smiling.  Ha!

Well, I sort of managed to but I can tell you it took an hour and a half and a lot of repositioning and distracting! Anyway, I wanted to share the entire spread of photos in the album - this of course does not include the pictures I deleted right after taking them (they were that bad).  I hope you at least get a chuckle out of these gems. I know I did!

and the winners were:

 One "cute" picture

One "silly" picture

And there you have it! Can any of you relate??

The "Not So Magical Moments" of Pregnancy...

I have been dying to share this post with you all! Now that pregnancy #3 is official, I can share all the wonderous things that have been happening - that I somehow blocked from my memory from the last two pregnancies.  Let's be honest... if we remembered every little thing about being pregnant, chances are we would never (willingly) do it again! hahaha Here are just a few of those...

The-Not-So-Magical-Moments of Pregnancy:

The majority of your laundry is pajamas (kids, too) because you've felt too crappy to even get dressed most days

Ugh! What is that smell?!

Somewhere between weeks 5 and 12 you were convinced there was a such thing as pre-partum depression, and you were going to self-diagnose yourself (thanks to exhaustion, morning sickness, etc).

The toilet paper runs out a lot faster, and it's not because of #2....

Speaking of #2, I can't help but think it is conditioning me for D-Day

Something I haven't seen in a while has suddenly come out of hiding... cleavage!

I knew it was time to call the doctor about my nausea when the smell of my own fart made me puke

You sneeze and pee a little.

You laugh and pee a little.

You cough.... you get the picture.

Seriously, what is that smell?!


When you think you feel the baby kick... then you fart a few seconds later

Or you actually did feel the baby kick, but it was a straight shot to your cervix/bladder/ribcage

The morning you wake up and your belly sticks out farther than your boobs (this is about the time your toes disappear, too)

That weight check that confirms you weigh as much as (or more than) your husband

When you've moved up two bra sizes.... again

When your hemmorhoids are so frequent you start to name them (Herman, Harley, Hank...)

When a food commercial comes on you either gag (food aversions) or automatically crave it (when is that next weight check again??)

When you look ready to pop.... at five months.

And finally, when your water breaks and you're so excited to have started labor on your own... then you remember somebody has to clean that up!

and this list can go on and on!

Please feel free to add on in the comment section! 

The Irony....

As I was looking through photos and videos on Thad's phone, I felt slapped in the face by a little thing called irony.  Let me explain...  there seems to be a phenomenon in our family where Thad (the cool, hip, rad dad) lets our children do things that, well, I never would.  I, on the other hand, am the play-it-safe kind of mommy.  Of course, we still have fun - I just don't want to factor in a trip to the emergency room as part of our fun.  Well as it turns out, the kids only seem to get hurt on my watch! When Thad watches them, they come away scott free of any bumps, bruises, or scratches.  How this is possible, I will never know.... observe as I share some of the anitcs Thad has managed to escape what would appear to be inevitable injury: *(You may have to be patient uploading the videos - in case you're pressed for time, there are captions underneath! I think they are worth the wait, though)*

"The Near Miss"

(Ben catches a basketball, drop kicks it, and it zooms passed Gigi - missing her by mere inches!)

"The Bed Flip"

(Ben is attempting front flips on his bed, but not always completing the rotation...)

"The 2 Year Old Skateboarder"

(Ben doing jumps & spinning on the top of the skateboard)

These gems were added by Thad after he read the original post:

"Wakeboarder in Training"

(Thad is lifting Ben up into the air, foot on foot, by holding on to a ski rope)

"Wakeboarder in Training Part II"

(Thad is pulling Ben around the living room as he practices handle passing & surface 360s)

And here are a couple of pictures for your entertainment... let your imaginations be your guide:

So here is the ironic part... just in the past two weeks, poor Benjamin has suffered a couple of shall we say 'mishaps.'  Thad was out of town on business, and I was home with the first aid kit getting plenty of good use:

Our "trip" to get the mail... poor guy tripped over his own feet and landed face first in the street.

This was complete with a bloody nose, mind you! At least he was smiling for the pic...

This grape tomato over his eye was from a sock-slip on the kitchen floor.  

Again, his face took the brunt of the fall

(notice his nose was still scaped up from last weekend's fall)

Here it is the next day... green, yellow, purple, blue, red, and even a bruised cheek!

So there you have it.  Do you see the irony?  Sigh.  Maybe it's because God knows mommies are better at treating boo-boos and ouchies than their daddy counterparts ;) haha I'll just keep telling myself that anyway.

In the meantime, stay safe and free of needing the first aid kit! ;)