Easier to not Care

Sometimes I wish I could be one of those parents that had no care in the world what my kids were up to or learning or exposed to. I think it must be so easy. To just roll along and really be clueless.
Maybe it is because our values are different from a lot of society that I have to question everything.
It is such a fine line between letting your kids develop and explore and learn on their own and "helicoptering" over top of their every move.
I do not want to be the helicopter parent but find that in some cases it is absolutely neccesary. As they get older I suppose I'll need to start my descent and let them find their wings. In the meantime though I will continue to question and observe and sometimes make choices for my kids that go against the grain.
As a parent I have a job to do and I must take that seriously.

ADHD

If anyone in this house really has ADHD it is me. I mean I cannot focus on any one thing or task for any real length of time. I am impulsive and have new ideas however as soon as a little bit of work is involved I am also the first to move on and find something else to intrigue or excite me.
I think it is interesting that both of my kids have been "diagnosed" with ADHD and yet I seem to have made it fine through life.
I've never taken a drug or any type of meds to help me focus or be less impulsive. I also never had extra helpers in any of my classes to keep me in control. Maybe though, people and teachers weren't looking for the typical adhd symptoms and therefore I wasn't a target.
Anyway, all this to say that I am pretty sure that I likely do have adhd however life goes on and somehow I manage it without even really knowing or paying attention.
Would drugs or meds have helped me? Maybe but I'm sure as heck not going to find out at this point in my life.
So, do my kids need meds or will they just learn to grow into it and adapt to life the way I'm sure thousands of people have?
I worry for them with the targets and labels and the idea that they have to settle for second best.
I have already heard that Corey will make a really good trades person and not be a professional. My opinion of course is that if he wants to be a trades person I am perfectly fine with that but I want it to be his choice and not be led into believing that is all he can achieve.
I want my kids to succeed in life just like everyone else but I don't want them limited by labels.

Ummm can we skip the next two months????

My calendar is seriously overflowing. I am totally overwhelmed and am wondering what the heck I singed up for and how we are going to manage.
Corey is in little league baseball but it would appear that he is going to be the next Babe Ruth by the amount of practices and games that are scheduled. Matthew is in mini soccer and that is also two nights a week.
Thank goodness Boys and Girls clubs had their wind-ups tonight or I'm not sure how we would do it.
So right now this is the family schedule
Monday-soccer
Tuesday-baseball game
Wednesday-soccer and baseball practice we are also supposed to have small group
Thursday-baseball game
Friday-so far so good :)
Saturday-baseball practice and of course any sessions or weddings I have booked
Sunday-family day hopefully. I really want to try and keep Sundays open for just us

Okay so as I write this down it doesn't seem to look as bad, but it sure feels like it. I guess the thing is this is only two kids in two sports. I cannot imagine how some parent's have their kids in everything and all sorts of activities. Where do they find the time?

I do think it is very important for kids to be involved and active in sports and other activities they enjoy so I suppose we make the sacrifice for two months and hope that in the end they have a good time and good memories :)

Sling Safety

I cannot even begin to describe how frustrated I am by the recent media activity regarding sling and babywearing safety. So much of what is being reported is simply not accurate and only accurate when referring to specific baby carriers that really should have never been available in the first place.
I'm sure a lot of parents have been seeing these articles articles and have been scared and turned off of babywearing.
I am here to tell you that there are TONS of perfectly safe baby carriers that are widely available and affordable.
We as parents have a responsibility whenever we are using anything related to our children's health and safety. We need to understand that just because items are sold in stores does not mean they are safe and fool proof. We need to take responsibility as adults and parents to make sure our babies are safe. When using any baby product we have to make sure we are using them correctly. It seems most recalls on baby items are due to people misusing them. i.e. the bumbo seat specifically says to not use it on a raised surface. However people plop their babies on top of the counter in the bumbo and sure enough Bumbo falls! Like seriously what do people expect?!?!? Bathtub ring. DO NOT LEAVE BABY UNATTENDED IN BATHTUB RING. You guessed it, baby drowned and now those are outlawed.
Granted some of the carriers on the market should never have been as they are quite obviously unsafe. Any amount of common sense should prevail in most situations. If a newborns face is squished so that they cannot breathe that is unsafe and baby should be positioned so that the airways are accessible.
Babywearing is a learned skill and babies expect to be carried. Babywearing has been around far longer than most of us and North America is really just way behind in this "trend".
So for all the fear mongering that has been surrounding babywearing please don't paint all babywearing with the same brush. Get reputable, safe carriers and learn how to use them. Also recognize that lots of carriers can be used for the life of your baby however, different carries apply to different ages and stages. i.e. you are not going to cradle carry a one year old nor are you going to back carry your 3 month old. I have three different styles and have used them all at different stages and for different situations.
Here are some great links for safe babywearing and retailers.
the babywearer
babywearing international
parenting by nature

Excited, Nervous, Scared, so many emotions

All over a trip to Mexico for my brothers wedding. They have chosen to have a destination wedding at a very swanky resort and we can't all go as it is just WAY too much money. I am lucky though that I am going. At first I was going to bring Jordyn because way back when this was first discussed she was still quite young and pretty hard to deal with as a baby. Plus babies under two travel free ;) I figured that way hubby would only have to deal with 3 kids instead of four.
As the date gets closer though (next month) Jordyn will be such a drag to have with me. I mean I'll be relegated to my hotel room for naps and early bed times while everyone else is out having a good time. She is also a much better baby now so she can stay home with dad.
I think it's funny though that most women would die for chance to get away for a week to some exotic and hot place without kids and I'm terrified. I've teared up a couple times this week already thinking about leaving them.
I have so many crazy thoughts that I know are unfounded and really quite ridiculous but I can't seem to help it. I know a big part of my issues are control. For instance I really don't think the week at home is going to run anywhere like it does when I'm home. I'm worried homework won't get done, meds won't be taken, Corey will have an asthma attack, Jordyn will be in her crib crying all night because no one will hear her, the kids won't have baths and will eat KD for a week, morning, noon and night. Then of course there is the chance my plane will crash and that this fate of KD and no baths will be their life for the rest of their childhood!!!
Now of course I am totally looking forward to getting away. It will be so nice to sleep in and enjoy the hot weather.
I guess it's true though that you NEVER stop being a mother. Even when I will be thousands of miles away I know that most of my thoughts will be on my family and my children. I know that KD for a week and no baths will not be the death of me or them and I know my hubby is quite capable so I just need to relax.
They say absence makes the heart grow fonder. I haven't even left yet and I'm already appreciating what I have more than before.
I thought I should throw a pic on this post as my last couple haven't had any. Check out the amazing frost we had the other day.

Fear vs. Fact

It seems the whole world is in an uproar over H1N1 and what to do about it. Everywhere you turn there is some sort of "news". Vaccinate against the deadly virus, don't take this poison, It is too new, There is a pandemic, and the list goes on and on and on.
What are we to believe though? What is the best thing for us and our families? I believe that everyone chooses what they think is the best for themselves and their families and we just need to run with that.
We will not be vaccinating and just practicing very good hand washing etc... I am not comfortable yet with the vaccine although I have seriously considered it for Corey who is asthmatic.
Some of the safe guards we are taking here at home are:
-washing our hands as soon as we come in from any public place
-taking our vitamins
-trying to eat a well balanced diet with lots of fruit and veggies.

All I can do is hope I have made the right choice for myself and my family. If God forbid one of us gets seriously ill I will then of course question my choice and wish that we had taken the vaccine. However, if we get the vaccine and suffer some serious side effects or death due it I will be kicking myself for that choice as well. Is it a lose/lose situation? I don't think so. If we all live today like it is our last day then we should have a fulfilling and happy life :-)

Hypocrite?

As most of you know I am a wanna be hippie ;) I cloth diaper my kids, I wear cloth pads myself (TMI I know...) I use reusable everything I can and only natural products for cleaning as well as on my skin and my children's skin.
I've been thinking a lot lately though about the fact that I don't follow this lifestyle for my diet. If anything I consume more "poison" in my eating habits then anywhere else in my life. With all the chemicals in our foods and additives it is no wonder the human race is full of disease and behaviour problems.
So, I wonder why am I so concerned about our environment and the world we live in but not my own body? The answer I would give is that our world needs to last for generations to come and so my children have a healthy environment to grow and live in. I wonder though wby I don't think my children deserve a healthy mom to grow and play and live with?
I have read quite a bit on "clean eating" and this is something that totally appeals to me. I realize it is quite a task to take on but I would really like to try this one meal at a time.
If anyone has any great tips or books or websites please leave a comment.

Back to School

Today was the day that most parent's have circled on their calendar. It is bittersweet as today is the day that the kids "get out of my hair" and back into routine. It also means it is that much closer to the end of summer though which is a horrible thought :(
I just realized I forgot to send their kleenex boxes to school with them so I suppose I will send them tomorrow.
Kianne was nonchalant about the first day of school and shot me down when I asked her if she wanted me to walk with her. I guess that is what happens when you go into grade 5 ;)


Corey was excited to ride his bike and see all his friends. The only reason he wanted me to walk with him was so I could help him carry his stuff. I guess in grade 3 it is still acceptable. When I realized that he just wanted to use me as a donkey though I sent him on his way ;)

I am really looking forward to this school year and have high hopes for a great year. Corey has a really good teacher that I know he likes and Kianne's so far seems nice. Unfortunately she will always be the guinea pig with teachers as she is the oldest.
So with the first day being done and only 9 more months to go... here's to a Happy Back to School Day for students, parents and teachers :)

Lessons on Cloth Diapering

I have been cloth diapering (cding) now for just over a year and would never go back. Along the way I have learned the benefits associated with all the different types and brands that are available. It is certainly overwhelming at first and that is why I wanted to write this post. People often ask what kind to get? With so many different options available I am a strong advocate of not having just one kind. I find that we use all our different types for different needs and times.
Having two in cloth at the same time has for sure saved us money. It is at first a daunting thought to have to spend so much money upfront. That would be my first words of advice. Don't think you have to shell out all at once for your whole stash. Start off small with only a couple at a time and work your way up to full time cding. That alone kept me from cloth diapering my first two. We seriously considered it however the salesperson scared me away with the $800 price tag.
Another way to save some money is to not hesitate to buy used. Most parents who choose to CD take great pride in their diapers and look after them very well. You may at first think that this is just totally disgusting but really what are the chances that you have hand me downs that another baby has pooped on? Probably quite high.

Let us move on to the different types of cloth diapers available.


Prefolds - Great for newborn as there are no sizes to have to worry about. This is a diaper that you fold the way you want. There are different options available. In the "old days" prefolds required pins however nowadays there are things called snappies that are wonderful or if you prefer you can just cover with a great wrap cover. Prefolds do require covers.

Fitteds - These are diapers that are more like a disposable in their fit and usually fasten with snaps or velcro. They still require a cover and a good fitted with a great cover could solve all your diapering needs.

Pockets - These are a favorite among many cders. The reasons are simple. They fit like a disposable and are usually not overly bulky. They dry super quick and you decide the absorbency by "stuffing" them with different types of absortbent fabrics. Microfibre is popular and so are prefolds. These diapers do not require covers.

All in Ones (aio) - The easiest choice of cloth diapering is an aio. It is just as it sounds and so it has the absorbency it needs as well as a cover built into it. These tend to take longer to dry however a lot of Dads really like these as they are the one step cloth diaper that is easy to put on and off.

Now of course there is the world of covers. As we have already learned covers are only needed for prefolds and fitteds. The variety of covers available is about as vast as the diapering choices themselves.
I have a little of everything for covers and again find them all useful for different times and needs.
The most popular diaper covers are a fabric called PUL (polyurethane laminated fabric) it provides a waterproof barrier that contains all wetness and messes a dipaer can create. These covers come in snaps and velcro. Some have gussets and others don't. Again the possibilities are endless.
Fleece covers are a great option and come in all sorts of adorable prints and patterns. Fleece is great for nighttime diapering and provides coverage that may seem damp but will wick moisture away from your baby's bottom.

Finally there is wool. Wool is wonderful and natural. It is completely breathable but does require a bit more care. This is another fibre that may not be completely waterproof but it does hold a lot of moisture.

Washing and Care

So now that we have a basic idea of what is available how do you wash and look after all of them?
I have had a no fail system with a cold rinse, hot wash and cold rinse method. I use minimal laundry soap and prefer to hang my diapers in the sun although of course in the winter have no choice but to use the dryer.
Wool covers I handwash and lanolize monthly and lay flat to dry.


Snaps vs Velcro debate

When I first started cding I had no idea why you would choose one over the other and then I firmly chose snaps with a toddler that could undo velcro and run around diaperless all the time. HOWEVER, now that I'm dealing with the squirmy baby stage of how quick can you get the diaper on before I'm off and running I'm really enjoying the velcro.
So with that being said I go back again to the idea that there are all sorts of benefits to all the different varieties available.

I hope that this post has answered some questions that some people have about cding and if you have any other questions that I may have not covered please leave a comment. Tips are also welcome because I'm certainly no pro and always love hearing back from readers.

A Busy but Great Weekend

We had a super busy and activity filled weekend but it couldn't have been better.

School of thought

We had tri-conference last week for Kianne and Corey and thankfully they are doing okay in school. I wish though that some of the school policies weren't there. For instance the "no fail" policy. NOT that I want my children held back but I think in the big scheme of things if one is not succeeding then a second chance may be a good idea. I believe our schools are maxed out on staff and budget and therefore can only do so much but I believe it is affecting our children and their educations.
I am sorry to say that we yet again did not get accepted into a great little private school around here. If we could afford any of the others we would certainly consider it however they are way beyond our budget.
I presented Kianne with a multiplication table like we used to use in "the olden days" she had never seen this and when I asked the teacher about this she informed me they don't use these anymore and are trying different strategies. Well to be honest when she explained it to me my head was spinning. Anyone who knows me knows that math is definitely not my strong point however that old multiplication table did the trick so I guess you have to ask "why fix what ain't broke"?
Anyway, all this rant just to say that over the last couple of months I have gathered enough info and evidence that Matthew and Jordyn will be home schooled from K-3 so that I can ensure they have a solid start in their school career.
I am all about kids being kids and not getting stressed about academics at such a young age but I do want them to feel confident and strong and I feel that Kianne in particular is not getting this.
I'm not sure what to do at this point about it and hate to think that is to late. I am going to be visiting a KUMON center though to see what they have to offer.

Times like these....

Jordyn had rough night last night. Because we do not "cry it out" in our house Jay and I were up multiple times with her. After about the 5th or 6th time I brought her into bed with us. As we lied there the three of us I realized how precious this time is and how before long she won't be cuddling with us in bed.
It was one of those moments where I just lay there and stared at my babies little features and wanted to store them up in my memory.
Her wee little hands holding on to my finger. Her beautiful soft hair with the little curls in the back. Her big blue eyes that were trying so hard not to close. Her little lips that held in her soother that is far to small because it is for 0-6 month old babies, and her little feet that were kicking me ;)
Eventually slumber won and we had a peaceful night.
It is times like these though that I want to treasure forever.

These boots are made for walking

Jordyn got her first real pair of walking shoes on her birthday. We have had them on and off a couple of times as she tries to balance and wobble in the stiffness of new shoes. Her walk has basically turned into more of a marching action as she feels the weight of "real" shoes.
Is is sad to think that with real shoes comes the loss of my baby? I mean I realize she is over one now but she is still the baby.
I guess I just need to accept that these little steps are just the beginning of a life long road ahead that she will march (aka walk) proudly down.

Cherish Every Moment...

This blog was passed on to me and I have been reading it with tears flowing ever since. Too pray for this family and little angel will be a blessing to this family.www.georgialucaswpg.blogspot.com

A Whole Year Gone by

My baby girl is the big ONE!!!! I cannot believe that a whole year has passed since this little angel entered our lives.
Granted she is by far the hardest and most challenging baby I've ever had, she has brought such a joy to my life and I'm so thankful for her.
A year ago today a little girl weighing 8lbs 9oz entered our world. Helpless and fragile and a little blue and now today she is walking, feeding herself, opening and closing door and cupboards.
I think this is why the first year goes so fast. They go from being completely incapable of everything to reaching huge milestones in just 12 short months.
Well Jordyn Grace, here's to you and I wish you very many more good years full of milestones and joy!
I love you.

Is it me???

Well I just had a meeting at the school this time about Kianne. My perfect girl who is so smart and bright is likely ADD and dyslexic!!!!
Seriously how did this happen?!?!? I've seen a couple of things at home in regards to organization and being a scatter brain etc... but I just kind of thought that was her.
Then there is the struggle to medicate or find other solutions. I don't know how much more of this I can take and I feel like such a failure to my kids.
How did this happen to both of them? How are they going to make it in life? Are these even real diagnosis'?
I guess we'll get her assessed and go from there.
It is just so heartbreaking :(

Polka Dots Continued

Well the preparations continue strong. I am slowly but surely getting this stuff together and am quite proud of myself. I've almost completed the "happy birthday" banner and the cupcake decorations. I've even got Jordyn practicing how to crawl in her tutu!!!!

Ewwww

I'm not sure what is worse. Changing a toddlers poopy diaper or picking it up off the floor from a potty training accident!!!!
It seems the only way Matthew recognizes the need to go is if he is running around nekkid :) I'm sure it is cold on the bum so here he is in a long shirt and socks with the heat cranked up in the house.
Because we only have one bathroom in the house there is only one potty. I'm debating getting a second potty for downstairs so I'm not left picking up poop all the way up the stairs because he didn't make it.
As I said, sometimes I wonder if it is easier to just keep it all contained in a diaper?
Ahh the joys of potty training

Friends

I hope that my kids grow up to be the best of friends. I think that because they are pretty close in age that should help. They are already starting and watching Jordyn and Matthew interact in hilarious.
I remember when Kianne started kindergarten, Corey thought he lost his best friend.
As much as they fight and scream and yell at eachother I know they are friends.
I hope this lasts their whole lives and continues to grow.