Category: Family & Friends

Update & Party!

My blogging was pretty sparse this week- here are some of the reasons why-

Joe was out of town for work all week
Ryan was very sick yet again, with an ear infection, bronchitis, high fever, and the beginning of pneumonia
Didn’t sleep well at all- Ryan was up every 15 minutes at night, because of his fever
Had some stressful personal situations arise
Went to work- important project I had to work on
Trying to clean up the house for my sister’s visit on Friday

Fortunately, most of the issues have resolved- Joe will be back on Friday afternoon, Ryan started feeling better on Thursday night, I finished up my project at work (it went well, despite me trying to work on it with only two hours of sleep the night before), the personal situation is looking a lot better, and I wrapped up the cleaning tonight, so the house is half way presentable for company.

I am not sure what we are going to do on Friday with my sister- a lot of it depends on how Ryan is feeling. I hope he is over the worst of it by Saturday so he can go to my baby niece’s FIRST birthday party. I’m excited for it, and I can’t believe that little baby girl is now a year old. My sister is having a party for a few hours in a park near her home “in the big city.” It should be lots of fun, and the weather is supposed to be nice too.

After the party my dad is having a get-together at his house , but I don’t think Ryan will be up to a full afternoon of playing in the park at the party, and then a late night. But we’ll see how it goes.

On a happy note, Cole was just an absolute doll and angel this week. It is like he just blossomed overnight. He was so independent, entertaining himself, and playing by himself while I attended to Ryan all week. He is getting to be such a big boy. I am amazed that my niece is turning one, but Cole’s birthday is right around the corner, and I am just as amazed that he is going to be two. I think my baby boy is disappearing more and more every day, and becoming this happy, independent, energetic little boy.

Hopefully I’ll get some pictures of the boys at the party, and maybe a nice shot of the birthday girl herself.

Attachment Parenting Family & Friends Pregnancy & Birth

Almost Famous

A few months ago my good friend, Amy (from Crunchy Domestic Goddess), informed me that Attachment Parenting International (API) was in the process of re-designing its website.

Amy is also photographer, and asked me for permission to submit some maternity photos she took of our family when I was pregnant with Cole for API to consider using for their new website. Of course I told her yes, not really expecting any of them to be used.

Tonight Amy informed me that API’s new website is finished, and our family is on the homepage! I was pleasantly surprised when I went to the site and saw not one, but two photos from our session on the homepage, and a banner link.

Obviously I am very happy and surprised that our photos were chosen, but I am very proud that the images captured by Amy for our family will be used for Attachment Parenting International to help promote parenting practices that create strong, healthy emotional bonds between children and their parents.

Attachment Parenting is a philosophy based in the practice of nurturing parenting methods that create strong emotional bonds, also known as secure attachment, between the infant and parent(s). This style of parenting encourages responsiveness to the infant or child’s emotional needs, and develops trust that their emotional needs will be met. As a result, this strong attachment helps the child develop secure, empathic, peaceful, and enduring relationships.

API is a non-profit organization, and I volunteer as the treasurer for my local group. API now has several exciting changes they would like to announce, including:

A newly redesigned web site and new logo at Attachment Parenting.org;
Attachment parenting worldwide support forums;
Parent Education Program – a comprehensive series of classes for every stage and age of child development from infancy through adulthood;
A new book based on API’s Eight Principles of Attachment Parenting by API co-founders Lysa Parker and Barbara Nicholson which is expected to be available this summer;
A series of podcasts, webinars, chats, and forums with API Advisory Board members and other supporters of AP. Future events are scheduled with Dr. Bob Sears, Dr. James McKenna, and Kathleen Kendall Tacket. Check out the events page for more information.

These are just a few of many exciting things going on at API. I hope you’ll stop by and check it out for yourself.

The pictures of our family are the first two pictures in the block of three, from left to right, and the first banner link on the right side bar which says, “API News.”

**Edited on April 3rd- After I wrote this post, API changed the pictures on the website and used a different photo in the second spot.**

Tags AP, API, API new website, Attachment Parenting, Attachment Parenting International, Dr. Sears, parenting philosophy

Family & Friends Mothering Pregnancy & Birth

Happy March Birthing Days

I wanted to say congratulations to three of my friends, who all had babies in March. Ironically, they were all due within a week or so of each other, and the last baby was born today- Yea! Two of the mama’s live out of state (in the same state, but they don’t know each other), and the other mama lives in my state.

My first friend to deliver, E., was due on March 20th. She had a scheduled c-section on Wednesday March 12th, because her baby was breech. E., knew she was having a boy, and Wyatt was born at 9:01am. He was 7lbs. 15oz. He has light, wispy hair just like his mama, and is absolutely adorable. He has the cutest, chubbiest, cheeks. E., and Wyatt are home, and despite Wyatt having a bit of jaundice, they are doing well.

Our second friend to deliver, T., was not due until March 25th. At her recent check-up they discovered T. was developing preeclampsia so the decision was made to induce that day. After being administered the drugs to control the preeclampsia and being in labor for over 14 hours, T., delivered her daughter, Molly via c-section. T., did not know what the gender of her baby was until she said she heard the doctor say, “It’s a girl.” Molly was born on March 18th at 6:14pm. She was 7lbs. 10oz. She has a lot of dark hair, and is beautiful. I think Molly looks like her dad, and Joe thinks she looks just like T. After recovering for a few days in the hospital, T., and Molly are at home now resting, and healing.

Finally, my friend N., welcomed her third son, Kieran, this morning, March 25th, at 9:25am. N. was due on the 20th, so she was very ready for Kieran to be born. Kieran weighed 7 lbs. 7oz. I haven’t seen any pictures yet, but N., says he has light colored hair and blue eyes. N., delivered Kieran at home, with a relatively short labor. Kieran was born after the third push. Since N., lives in my state, I can’t wait to see Kieran in person.

I am so thrilled, happy, and excited for all three of my friends! For E., and T., they are first time mama’s, and there is nothing like having your first baby. N., is an awesome mother already with her two boys, and now there is a new brother, and I know she will excel as a mother of three. They all did amazing jobs bringing their babies into the world, under different circumstances- they are all powerful birthing goddesses!

Congratulations to E., T., N., and their families. I know they are all enjoying their sweet new babies. We love you all! 🙂

Activities Cole Family & Friends Holidays Mothering Ryan

Our Easter

We had a wonderful Easter. It snowed the night before, and even though the sun came out on Sunday, it stayed pretty chilly.

Ryan and Cole’s cousins and aunt are in town visiting with Grandma and Grandpa. Ryan and Cole just adore them. They are older- 11, 10, and 6. Ryan tries his hardest to keep up with them. We all went to an early church service. Then we went over to Grandma’s house for brunch and an indoor Easter egg hunt, courtesy of the cousins. They hid plastic eggs all around the house and Ryan and Cole were thrilled to find them. Every time Ryan spotted an egg, he had to come running in, get Joe, and lead him to the egg.

Ryan also told me the night before since it was snowing, that the Easter Bunny and Santa are friends, and the Easter Bunny needed something to ride on. He reasoned that Santa was loaning the Easter Bunny his sleigh. In the morning he said he had heard a bell ringing, and he just knew it was the Easter Bunny’s sleigh. 🙂

After brunch, we all hung around and the kids played. Then we took Ryan and Cole home for naps, since they were fading fast. I actually forgot to make them their Easter baskets the night before (we were working on income taxes- fun I know.) So I was able to bide a little time by reading a note the Easter Bunny had left for Ryan and Cole. The poor Easter Bunny’s sleigh had broken down, and it had to be fixed. So the Easter Bunny promised he would have their Easter baskets here after their naps. Ryan tried to stay up because he wanted to pet the Easter Bunny, but sleep finally won out.

The Easter Bunny delivered, and when Ryan and Cole woke up, they were happy to see they had their baskets, and an extra present- some play construction cones. We went back over to Grandma’s house, where the boys put on their coats and had a real Easter Egg hunt outside (again, thanks to the cousins, who had hid mroe eggs outside). Then we had Easter dinner, which of course was delicious.

I love taking pictures of the boys finding their eggs, and ended up with way more of Cole this year than of Ryan. But they all had so much fun. We’ll see if the Easter Bunny returns Santa’s sleigh to him in time for Santa to use it. Here are a few pictures:

Tags easter egg hunt with kids, Easter Sunday

Family & Friends Health Household

Still Sick

Despite my best efforts of resting and taking it easy, I am still sick with a cold I just cannot shake. I started feeling better on Wednesday, but then on Thursday came down with this terrible cold. I have had a sinus headache since then, with a cough, runny nose, and today a sore throat.

My wonderful husband and his parents watched the boys yesterday, and I literally stayed in bed and slept for the entire day. I thought if I could just get some extra rest, I would feel better. No luck. Today I rested again, and missed a party I wanted to go to. Instead, Joe and I made a Costco run, and that just completely wiped me out. Joe finally told me about something a co-worker gave him last week, when he had the same cold. It is called Mucinex, and it breaks up mucus in your chest. Joe said he did feel a lot better after taking one that day at work.

I am usually not a big “pill” person, but I have tried every natural remedy I can think of, and it hasn’t helped. My wonderful husband, went to Target and got me some, and I have to say it seems like it is working. I still have a slight sinus headache, but it is much better, and my nose isn’t constantly running now. I hope this means the worst is over, and I will finally stop coming down with new symptoms with this horrible cold.

We got a change in the weather, and it is really snowing hard. I think it is supposed to keep snowing through tomorrow, so needless to say, the boys and I are staying home tomorrow. My wonderful husband (can you tell how much I appreciated him this weekend?) helped with a ton of housework this weekend, so with the exception of one bathroom, the house is clean, the laundry is done, and there is food in the fridge. I plan on taking it easy again tomorrow. Any healing vibes you can send my way, will be greatly appreciated.