raising little ones

Paci Post

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I realized I forgot to share this priceless picture with all of you during my weeks of “Spring Frenzy” cleaning! Both of my girls have been paci baby’s and I can never seem to find one at that moment when they are needed. As I moved the crib to dust …. low and behold there was a paci resting on an electrical plug.


So then was born the “Paci Post”!!!


This post is to pay tribute to all of those paci’s in our house that have been lost, stolen, covered in dust, or just gone before us! I especially love this one of my near 3 year old with a paci in her mouth and the newborn with none!!

In an attempt to rid Pumpkin of the paci my husband and I (mostly I) tried many MANY different tactics. Some of them I shocked myself at the shear desperateness to rid her of that darn thing by her 3rd Birthday (which I might add didn’t happen). I tried cutting part of the nipple off (aka:broken paci’s), we tried setting limits, bought newborn ones so they would be to small for her mouth, we bought different brands, we packaged them up on her 3rd Birthday to mail them to the paci fairy, we tried, tried, and tried some more.

As Pumpkin waits anxiously on her 3rd Birthday to wait for gum to fall out of the sky from the fairy……Mommy had tears in her eyes (bye-bye paci….)! O.k so I will tell you we did not tell her the fairy was going to drop it out of the sky …..thinking quickly as parents must do! Gum really did fall from the sky …..or maybe it was thrown over the house?? She was thrilled none the less!!

The day went wonderfully until…….BED!!! O’ Dear God please help us I prayed….what are we to do our little 3 year old is so deeply saddened….Yep, we caved..Paci Fairy forgot to take one!! This went on for another month until; BAM…..

Could it be? Pumpkin put her paci in the garbage (we had already tried this before…it didn’t work!) This time was different “she did it”!! As bedtime neared I panicked ….but Pumpkin held strong went to bed without a fuss and said “I didn’t like that fuzzy on my paci” she will still tell you today that is why she threw it away….

You got it…a piece of “DUST” AMEN!!!

As I write this I tell you this to not only share a funny little story about our many paci adventures in our home but to shed light on how precious our little ones are. Yes, even in those times of “battle of the wills”. Now looking back I laugh because my stress of “that things got to go” was not because it bothered her or I (it bothered others). So in light of that be yourself, hold strong, one should not press judgment on others, and let our kids be kids!!

I thank God for Pumpkins strong will and ability to know when is “right” for her!!

“Do not judge, or you too will be judged” (Matthew 7:1)

Lifes Many Hurdles

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So for all my friends and family that know me personally most of you know I was the number one worst computer student in high school and college for that matter. I could crash entire systems without even tying and make the biggest “oops” on almost any computer. To be honest, I have been so awful with them in my past I’m surprised I even use one to this day! So I’m happy to say I think most of you would agree I have made great strides with my “computer hurdle” and skills.

While I was thinking about what to write this morning I began to think of all the other “hurdles” we mothers face in our “journey of motherhood”. The little “hurdles” first diaper changes, lost pacifiers in the night, the best way to introduce foods to our little ones, surviving a crawling infant, a walking toddler, and first boo-boo’s the list is virtually endless. We conquer many “hurdles” without even realizing it. We simply chug along!

What I am finding to be true is as so many wise mothers with older children have told me “Little kids little problems; Big kids big problems”. Yes, my children are still very small but as their mother I do feel it is my God given duty to protect them, raise them to be good loving individuals, work hard, love themselves, love God, and grab a hold of all that life has to offer. Now those “hurdles” aren’t seeming so small!!

Raising a Leader

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Raisingaleader

I have always been one to make my own decisions, not follow the crowd, and be a leader! So, why since having children it is so easy to buckle at the knees and conform? This was the question I pondered at 5:00 AM as I showered (in peace I might add)! The answer I came up with was this; it is one thing to be a leader for ourselves and stand out but we don’t want our children to stand out or be different. Or then again do we?

School is well underway and my oldest daughter recently started 3 year old preschool. She is at a great school with wonderful teachers and a great curriculum. However, there appears to be a missing link. I always thought I would homeschool my children. I begged in Highschool for my Mom to homeschool me ( I didn’t even know what it was…but, I begged anyways!). This random request then led to a 10 year long research project. I have read books, made lesson plans, and stayed up for hours dreaming of what “a perfect school” would be like for my children. {A special note I thought of homeschooling long before there were kids in the picture!}

Jump forward; now there are kids in the picture and I sent them to school?! What??!! I buckled at the knees you could say. I did what everyone else was doing in fear that my child might lag behind? I sent my baby girl to school! Some would say “Great job, she has to get used to it at some point!” while others would say “Awe, why did you send her the best place for her is at home with you – she’s only 3!”.

My thoughts are this she is chugging along in school just fine (well, once she is in the door that is). The morning battles, crocodile tears, and the “I don’t want to go to school” is really what rips my heart out. Why do we force our children to conform at such a young age?

My Mom mission continues; I promise to my children I will not “buckle any longer” to the ways of the rest of the world.

What example would we be setting to our children to be independent thinkers if we became followers ourselves?