every little thing is going to be alright

Sometimes I wonder what people did before there was the Internet and google to feed the evil "mother guilt" phenomenon.  I mean my mother didn't know if Princess Diana breast or bottle fed her baby or if Cheryl Tiegs thought that your babies should sleep in your bed until they reach puberty.  But now we are bombarded with celebrities taunting their new age/old school/sweet way they parent their children in their spare time (of which they have far more than you or I). 

These videos of Alicia Silverstone feeding her child like it is a baby bird (Clueless indeed) and Mayim Bailik PhD being the feature mommy blogger on the Today show web page (she's just like you and me-- except that she follows all of attachment parenting tenets to the letter, started potty-training her babies immediately and she's a scientist/actress/writer) are just today's installments of information I find overwhelming and extraneous. 

Although I try my best to do everything right for my child there has to be balance so 1 year into being a parent I have come to adopt the Burger King slogan way of motherhood-- "have it your way."  

I try to remind myself of this when I see less absurd examples and when I do truly begin to doubt myself because of a decision I made.  I began to wean Sloane from breastfeeding at 12months and she was finished breastfeeding at 14 months.  I did this partially because of pressure to "be normal" as well as that I needed sleep and not breastfeeding at night was making her interest wane.  Shortly after weaning she began cow's milk and developed terrible eczema.  I immediately wished I could turn back the clock and breastfeed her until 24 months (when I can try dairy again as her gut will be more mature) instead we have battled tons of colds and allergies (that she never had while breastfeeding) and are spending 3.44 for a HALF gallon of rice milk (which we are grateful that she loves the taste).  

Then I remind myself I can't change what I did yesterday I can only work to make today good.   I am not going to win any contests.  As long as I can roll with that I will be doing a better thing for my daughter than agonizing over everything that the Jones' are doing.  Be present.  Have it your way.

Especially since a lot of it is hogwash.     

She really is no worse for the wear

My mom hates sippy cups but they are simply easier for my lifestyle as a work-out of the home mommy

Have it your way! (baby Q knows how it's done)

title courtesy of Three Little Birds by Bob Marley

stay with you

Finished up with Taylor's baby shower and we just have the flooring left on the nursery.  Bebe will be here soon!  She is 32 weeks and on full bed rest for low blood pressure.  No name yet but I am rooting for "Dexter".  I think she is a little too worried about the cultural implications for that shaping him into a serial killer.   

guest "book" notes to the baby on a "balloon"- I must show the finished version it's so cute



Sign from Walmart, cake by my mama

my sis, (& my nephew) and the cute as a button cake

Unfortunately I didn't take pics of all the adorable onesies people made.  I need to do that we had patterns for turtles, elephants, ties, stars, hearts, an octopus and some people even free-styled theris.  Luckily my best friend B was there to save the day and do all the ironing on and cutting. 

What do you mean these gifts aren't for me?

title courtesy of John Legend: Stay with you

15...there's still time for you

Miss Sloane Jillian,


15 months on the 14th!

You know it's march madness-- anytime you see basketball on TV you shout "GO go Kay" (go go KU).  You then raise your fist and sing "Rahh" for Rock Chalk Jayhawk.  You strung together your first sentence of sign language by pointing to the radio in grandma's kitchen and signing "more Jayhawks please". 

You like to look at the animal books and know what sound they make.  You imitate a cow, dog and rabbit (hop hop hop).  You laugh like crazy about the horse sounds that we make for you. 

You can sign "again" and "yes" now and we are working on "love". 

You say "gonk goo" for thank you and something very similar for "love you". 

You love to pretend that Tay's pill bottles are lotion and rub lotion all over yourself and others. 



Dudley goes everywhere with us.


Mommy finally broke down and put you in the big girl car seat.  You love the car now and like to look out the window clap and sing (especially to the song B-I-N-G-O).

Your diet has been a little sporadic this month--somedays you are hungry as can be and other days you turn up your nose at everything but your milk.  We learned that cow's milk was giving you eczema, so you are totally on rice milk now.  We don't worry about the tiny bit of dairy you get from occasional cheese or baked goods- it doesn't seem to bother you.  Otherwise you still love your oatmeal and fruit in the morning (during Elmo's world) and you've discovered french fries (and how to dip food into sauces), you love chicken noodle soup and rice dishes. 


You nod yes and no when asked simple questions however we are not sure the answer is reliable. You certainly have a mind of your own. Grammy says you remind her of me. You are definitely "strong-willed". When you have a rough time I remind myself that this means you will be a fantastic and strong person.

However some days this is difficult to remember.






This is a typical tantrum


You are walking!  You love to walk holding your hands high in the air, as if celebrating yourself for such an achievement.  You got the first goose egg on your noggin yesterday, you didn't cry you just rubbed some imaginary lotion on it.

Your cousin Tiernan taught you how to make the kiss sound when you blow kisses and you like to do it quite a bit. 

We are excited to start the spring with you little girl! 

love, mama
 
ps--- I started to watermark my photos...not because I think they are awesome photos but because I read this blog entry that creeped me completely out and left me thinking of the creepy movie Catfish that Keenan and I watched last year about a similar story occurring on Facebook. 
 
title courtesy of 100 years by Five for Fighting

How was I to know there was a party goin' on?

We had a wonderful weekend in Kansas City. So nice to catch up with our friends and Sloane got to spend a little quality time with K's mom. I got to eat my favorite salsa. Time in Kansas City always goes quickly. Sloane was terrified of the water at first but soon took to it and loved our time at the waterpark for Maxx and Quinn's birthday parties.

Keenan and Sloane (& Dudley) watching the fountain at The Legends outdoor shopping

Suddenly she was having fun!



These two shared some fun water time, a few hugs and a few more kisses



silly

Having fun

mama & Sleepy Q 

Onward and upward...

title courtesy of Bobby Darin: Splish Splash

don't give up on me, I'm about to come alive

Lots of multitasking lately has lead to some mistakes.  I think I need to trim back the quantity of tasks I am doing at once.  This installment of wedding wednesday is brought to you by the letter B. 

Blonde.  I am on my way to blonde again.  I am so sick of having to dye my hair so often and seeing my blondish roots peeking through my brunette hair (and the grey invaders that I have gotten just add another thing on the list).  I figured it is time to get back to my roots.  I am not as blonde as I was as a kid, so I figured I would need to do an ashy light brown.  6 hours (most of it under the dryer) later I am a light brown and my real roots are exposed.  I couldn't get to this change in one appointment.  My hair was one level away from black (no thanks to home dyes and beauty-school drop outs students in Kansas City).  It took quite awhile and lots of hair trauma and then reintroducing protein and conditioner into my hair to get the dark dark brown to lift.  It's far more golden brown than I prefer right now but I am on my way to walk down the aisle as a blonde(ish). 

Brighten.  The other thing I hate about my appearance is that I need my teeth professionally whitenened and my dental implant on my front tooth replaced (thank you swinging on the stall doors at church when I was 10 years old for this one).  Back when they did the implant in 2005 the implant colors (cream-white) were different than the new implants now (they are apparently blue-white now).  So I am so happy to start the process of having my teeth bright and white and lovely.  Thank you cafeteria plan.  


Baby-no-more.  We officially have a walking toddler.  She couldn't be more proud of herself.  We agree with her.  It's pretty spectacular.  So we have lift off-- for the flower girl who we can now imagine walking down the aisle.   

always crosses those ankles...little lady

title coutesy of Train: I'm about to come alive