Parenting

The Potty Training Chronicles – Day 1

April 4, 2012 by Diana 22 Comments

Yesterday Bella went pee on the potty.

It was a really big deal here. We’ve been doing some casual (super casual) training for the past few weeks. Basically by training I mean I let her run around either with just pants or a dress on, no diaper, and then she pees. And I explain that pee-pee goes in the potty, she helps take off her clothes (or watches me clean up the small pee) and we go from there. She would want to sit on the toilet every so often, but nothing happened. I wondered what it would take for her to understand what the sensation of peeing in there, or just the act, would be.

Quite honestly? I had no idea what on earth I was doing. And everyone seems to have a different way of training, so it confused me even more. All I knew was we didn’t have the money to spend on cloth trainers and I wasn’t going to start disposables full time now.

So we just bare bottomed it. [Read more...]

Filed Under: Babies, Cloth Diapering, Parenting, Potty Training ·

I see pride. I see power.

March 28, 2012 by Diana 27 Comments

I loved Cool Runnings.

I’d say 75% of the time I am thinking of the what if’s and the unknowns to come. Still trying to wrap my head around having two babies here at one time. I can’t. There is a point where my thoughts simply can’t go any further – like if you imagine eternity and it blacks out and overloads your brain. That’s how twins is for me.

And with this, it’s hard to write about my actual feelings. There was SO much I wanted to change with how I handled another baby this time around. Another pregnancy. As excited and thankful and grateful as I am for my babies, there is a part of me that wrestles with the sadness of a new normal when I didn’t even manage to get the old one right most of the time. There is a constant nagging of all my expectations being changed and altered and in many people’s eyes – I will fail. It might not matter to some, you might think I should just get over it. But those are my feelings and it’s real to me.

It matters to me. I wanted my version of perfect.

[Read more...]

Filed Under: Confessions, Opinions, Parenting, Pregnancy, Twins · Tagged With: Control Freakishness, Motherhood

Family Spacing

March 2, 2012 by Diana 16 Comments

We waited till Bella turned two before trying for another. When we finally wrapped our head around another.

We wanted the kids to be enough apart that I wouldn’t have two in diapers. Two tiny ones screaming. One of the two would be able to be communicated with. I’d still have naps to blog – because after all, they’d both be in naps. Simultaneously. Since I only had two and all. 2 under or over 3 sounded lovely.

That was the plan.

BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA

::gasps for breath:: [Read more...]

Filed Under: Babies, Family, Parenting, Twins · Tagged With: Changes, It won't be like this for long, Motherhood, To Bella

Learning to Let Go

February 28, 2012 by Diana 22 Comments

The morning I flew out to Nashville for Blissdom I woke up at 2am. Having had only 4 hours of sleep, and not needing to get up till 5, I was hoping I’d pass back out. Only, that didn’t happen. Instead, I laid in bed till 4:30 thinking about the twins.

And all the huge, life changing events that are coming with them. Before them. After them.

While I tried to tell myself over and over that I have 5-6 months (maybe) and things always tend to work out (even if it’s not in the way I pictured) – I just couldn’t shut my brain off. I saw myself so tired from lack of sleep, dealing with 3 screaming children, Bella being left out – having to give up everything I wanted to do to achieve the “Motherhood” standard that is set so very high, and I simply broke. [Read more...]

Filed Under: Anxiety, Babies, Confessions, Family, Parenting, Pregnancy, Stress, Twins ·

Done

February 12, 2012 by Diana 29 Comments

The words pour over me as I huddle on the couch and wait for the sickness to pass. Again.

“I can’t do this another time.”

I turn to Sam and he knows. No more. I can’t live like this. It isn’t fair. To him, to Bella, to me. To the life we want, the plans and hopes we have.

This is it. This baby inside of me – this is the last one.

I am done. [Read more...]

Filed Under: Babies, Confessions, Family, Parenting, Pregnancy, Stress ·

10 Tips for Babywearing in the Winter

January 4, 2012 by Diana 18 Comments

Winter is a perfect time to babywear, keeping your child close to you while you both stay cozy and share the same view of the world. Nothing is sweeter than being able to plant a kiss on a little head, or hand a snack over your shoulder, while walking around.

There can be a few things to remember; from staying comfortably warm, to those annoying zippers, and wearing just enough while still being able to buckle or loop your carrier. The winter tips below will help you and your child babywear comfortably through the next few cold months.

1. Wear layers. It’s easy to get overheated while babywearing – for both of you. Dress in layers, especially if you plan on being indoors with fluctuating temps and outdoors with wind, clouds, and sun. [Read more...]