Jack is 9 Months Old!

Jack turned 9 months old on May 8th! Here's what's going on with him lately:

Jack still has no teeth.  He's able to eat soft foods well since babies have very strong gums.  He loves salmon and had salmon, diced strawberries, and mac and cheese for dinner the other night.  He's able to eat everything well and is a good eater.  On Mother's Day I made rosemary chicken, crispy oven potatoes, and roasted carrots for dinner.  

My tiny boy absolutely went nuts for the chicken and the potatoes and just kept shoveling everything in.  I think he ate solidly for about 45 minutes! I was shocked at how long he was eating! He's a fan of mom's cooking, I think! He does a mix of puree's and table food still.  As long as you give him something soft and easy to eat, he'll eat it.  I haven't seen him refuse any food so far.  Jack also loves Ritz crackers for a snack and his eyes get big if you show him the crackers, which is funny to watch.

I'm sad to admit that Jack's favorite person is not me.  He is wild for my husband Jay and if he sees him, his whole face lights up.  I wish I was his favorite person! Even Lynnie loves Jay more than me.  What is it about Jay that is so amazing!? Ha ha.  Jack always gives him a big smile and loves for his dad to hold him.

Since the weather has been warmer, we've been outside a lot more.  Jack loves to be pushed in his swing and will happily be pushed for up to half an hour before saying that's enough.  He enjoys sitting in his bumbo on the grass watching Scarlett play as he takes the world in. Jack is also a fan of his Step 2 blue car which I push him around the neighborhood in.  He's very quiet and rides silently, just loving life.

Jack is still not crawling yet.  Scarlett crawled at 7 months, and he's already 9 months.  I know all babies do things on their own terms, but I do want to bring this up to the pediatrician next week when we go for his appt.  He gets into the crawling position and then one of his legs seems to always get stuck underneath him and he gets frustrated.  I will say that he's a champ at sitting up himself when he's laying down.

I'm actively trying to read to him more, play nursery rhyme songs, and just generally speak to him to build his vocabulary.  Since he's the second child, he's not going to have that one-on-one for learning like Scarlett did.  I'm trying my best to have him know everything he should know!

He loves to babble to himself and has a lot of groans and grunts which I call "dinosaur noises", because he truly sounds like a dinosaur when he does it.  I think it's funny, although Scarlett is not interested! Ha ha!

He is a pretty good sleeper.  He usually wakes up around 6:30 for the day and takes a morning nap by 8:15-8:30.  He wakes up around 10:30 and then has an afternoon nap around 12:30-1.  Then there's a final mini nap around 4, right before dinner.  Jack goes to sleep for the night at 7 pm.  He has a bottle that he wakes up for around 11, and then sleeps through the night after that.  I do wish that we could cut out the 11 pm bottle, but it's still so much better than when he used to wake up at 4.  If we didn't have the quarantine going on, I would have never been able to put him on a schedule.  So I'm looking on the bright side of things and am thankful for that.  

Jack is curious and will roll himself towards an object to touch it.  We have to be careful not to have small toys or pieces around that could be choking hazards.  Scarlett plays with her Polly Pockets which are tiny when he's napping, so he's not awake to try to grab them and put them in his mouth. He is also interested in wires too.  Oh boy.

His helmet is coming off later today which is exciting! Those 10.5 weeks went by fast.

I do wish I was able to socialize Jack more, but I can't because of the virus.  Right before the virus hit we were going to baby playdates and library story-times every week.  Unfortunately, we can't continue that right now.  It would be nice if he was around other babies though.

Jack is still wearing 6-9 month clothes and I'm not sure what he weighs at the moment.  He was 17 lbs at his 6 month appt so I'm sure he's over 20 lbs at this point.

His first birthday is in August and we're hoping to have his fire truck themed party, but only time will tell if we'll be able to.

Can't wait to see what the coming months bring! 

Teaching Children About Cooking is Essential

As I was putting Jack to bed tonight, I heard Scarlett asking the Echo Show how to make homemade ice cream.  Although we weren't going to make ice cream, it made me smile because I knew that seeing the video recipe would pique her interest.  

I started having Scarlett help me in the kitchen at around 3 1/2 years old.  She would mix or stir something I was cooking and it was a great way for her to feel involved.  We graduated to kid-safe knives later on that Scarlett enjoyed using to help me cut potatoes or raw peppers with.  

As my prep chef helped me, I explained to her along the way what exactly we were making and what ingredients were needed for the dish.  For example, if we were making roasted potatoes I would show and tell her how exactly to cut the potatoes, what seasoning was needed, and how long to cook them in the oven for.  Even though some of my teaching would go over her head, I knew teaching her to cook at a young age would be beneficial. Cooking is a life-skill that everyone needs to know.  I definitely want Scarlett to have the basic knowledge of how to boil water for pasta, as well as how to make easy dishes for herself, like scrambled eggs.  

Scarlett's favorite thing is helping me bake sweet treats though.  It makes my heart happy to know that she knows the basic ingredients of baking are flour, sugar, and eggs.  She also knows that you grease baking pans so the baked goods don't stick.  I have a passion for cooking and baking, so of course I'm thrilled to pass my love for it on to her.  Scarlett helps me measure, pour, and stir and the measuring helps to teach her math.  What can be better than making something tasty while gaining valuable math skills at the same time? 

Lately, I have been supervising her as she cooks ground beef or chicken with the stove burners on.  Scarlett knows that once the meat is no longer red or pink, it's done. She's excited to cook and it gives her a feeling of accomplishment which is mandatory for self-confidence.

As she gets older, I will teach her more and more and answer any questions she has.  I hope we can cook together for many years in the kitchen and her love for cooking deepens over time.  Maybe eventually she'll teach me some recipes I've never made. 

Kindergarten

One thing that I've been thinking about lately is Kindergarten.  For whatever reason, it's been on my mind a lot more than it usually is.  It may have to do with Scarlett being in her final year of preschool.  

As I've mentioned previously, Scarlett started preschool at 21 months old back in 2016.  It's honestly scary that she's in her fourth and final year of preschool.  How did four years pass so quickly? I remember she was barely speaking when she began school, now she has endless thoughts and opinions.  Usually, I'm all for new chapters of my children's lives whichever they may be, but this one I feel unusually nervous about.  

Scarlett is very fond of her school, her classmates, the curriculum, and of course the teachers.  She's very close to them and has known them for the past four years.  It's weird that in just less than six months all of it will be over.  It really will feel like the end of an era.  I've done the drive there multiple times every week now since 2016. We even live in a new town but continue to commute to the school because Scarlett loves it so much.  She knows that when school ends in June, she'll be going to Kindergarten.  We talk about it regularly and have pointed out her elementary school to her, which we live near.  

The thought of Kindergarten scares me slightly.  For the first time in Scarlett's life, her day won't be centered around learning through play.  She'll be expected to sit at a desk and learn valuable subjects and information beyond a preschool level.  Scarlett will have to write in sentences, retain essential information, and her performance and behavior will be graded.  What if she doesn't like Kindergarten? What if she's behind and not remembering what she should be? What if she isn't listening to the teacher? What if she can't adapt to being in "real" school since it will be harder? I have a laundry list of thoughts and concerns that are floating in my head.  All I can do is hope for the best.  The school day is long too.  I know she'll come home either hungry or tired.

I'll have one child five days a week now since Scarlett will be in Kindergarten on a full-time basis.  I know Jack will enjoy the one-on-one without fighting for attention when his sister's around.  I'm sure I'll take him to plenty of activities and library story time.  

While I know that Kindergarten is a huge milestone, it would be nice if Scarlett could just stay little forever and never leave me. Why do they have to grow up? All I can do is wish Scarlett the best transition to elementary school possible, and I'll be waiting if she needs anything at all. 

Doing Things For the Last Time

When I woke up this morning, I was thinking about how much Scarlett can do on her own these days.  It's scary when you realize that time is fleeting and five years has gone by in the blink of an eye.

We're at a stage in life where Scarlett is teetering between being able to do so much for herself, yet still needing help in some areas.  I think about how far she's come from when she was a tiny baby and couldn't do anything on her own to now being able to do so many things without help and it's sad.  Obviously, I am very proud of all of her accomplishments but I know it's just more to add to the list of things I'll help her with for the last time.

Scarlett helps me make dinner, helps pack her lunch for school, gets dressed by herself, and helps me with Jack among many other big girl things.  It's hard to stop and find the exact moment when it happens that you do something for your child for the last time, but it happens.  I can't remember exactly when I got Scarlett dressed for the last time or when she walked into her classroom with my help because now she doesn't, but she's doing both of those things.  Obviously if you know you're doing these things for the last time they become even more special.  

Each day Scarlett surprises me with new things she can do that sometimes I don't even realize she can do! I'm trying to step back and give her the freedom and independence that she is showing me she needs.  While it is sad to know that each week she may need me less in some areas than others, it's also a testament to how much she's growing and changing as a person which is fantastic! 

I'm trying to enjoy this stage of life with her as much as possible because who knows what the future holds for her.  I just wish time would slow down a little!

Jack's 4 Month Update!

Now that Jack is 4 months old, there's a lot to share! I don't think I've done an update on him in many weeks now.

Jack is 18 weeks old today and doing excellently.  He went to his 4 month check-up last week and the doctor said he's healthy and perfect at almost 14 lbs.  He received his shots and is all up to date on vaccines.  She did have some slight concerns with some flatness on the back of his head.  We're keeping an eye on it and if it's worse at his 6 month appointment, then we know he'll need a helmet to correct it.  Scarlett had a helmet when she was a similar age, so I have previous experience with it.

Hugs and cuddles are still Jack's favorite thing and he would be the happiest baby ever if he was held all day long.  He really enjoys kisses as well.  Any volunteers to give him cuddles? He's very cuddly.  He also loves being spoken to and focuses really well on whoever's face is speaking to him.  I have to admit he's very alert and attentive! Just like his big sister, he loves anything silly and recently started laughing.  If you bounce him on your knee or tickle his feet, he'll laugh.  Scarlett loves to hear him laugh and it always makes her smile.

Jack is big on eating.  He has a 5 oz bottle during the day and a 6 oz one at night.  During the day sometimes he doesn't even go the full 3 hours in-between feeds before wanting to eat again.  Scarlett loved her bottles too.  I guess my children like to eat! He'll be starting solids next week at 19 weeks old.  It's easy to see that he's a very hungry baby and maybe the fruit and veggies will help him be less hungry during the day and sleep longer at night too.

As for sleeping, he's still doing very well with that.  I have not found a consistent daytime routine yet, and he's still napping at random times.  It bothers me that I haven't been able to put him on a dependable schedule yet, but I hope to be able to do that soon.  Since Scarlett goes to school from 9-1, I'm hoping that he can nap from 9:45 to 11 for a morning nap.  For the afternoon nap, I'm not really sure yet.  Scarlett used to nap 12-3, but that won't really work because he'll have to be woken up to go pick her up from preschool.  Maybe I can have him do 1:30-3 or something along those lines.  It's hard when he's not the only child! I wonder if I can change the nap time when Scarlett goes to Kindergarten next September? That way he won't have to be woken up early to go get her.  I'll have to figure it out.

He goes to sleep for the night at 7:15 and eats once before midnight and then only once more after midnight.  I have to say it's not too terrible.  If you feed him at 11 PM, he'll be up at 4.  So we're only waking up once to feed him, which is really good.  He always goes right back to sleep after too.

Jack is going on his first plane ride to Florida on Tuesday.  I'm hoping that goes ok.  I'm sure he'll enjoy the warm Florida weather and not having to wear a hat and jacket everytime we go outside.  

He's not too into toys yet.  There are a few musical toys that change colors that he likes.  They grab his attention.  When he's ready he has a small container of baby toys that I know he'll like playing with.  

Jack is a very social and smiley baby.  He is not scared of strangers or people he doesn't know well.  Everyone gets a smile! He is especially smiley when I take pictures of him.  He loves the camera and the clicking shutter noise makes him laugh.  Hey, I'm not complaining at all! It takes no effort to get great pictures of him.

Here's to month 5!

Scarlett's 5 Year Old Update!

Scarlett turned 5 on Monday! Here's what's going on with her these days:

She LOVES to talk on the phone and will spend all day talking if you let her.  We enabled Alexa to be able to make phone calls, so she's thrilled that she can just ask Alexa to call her two Grandma's all day long with no phone number needed.  We've had to talk to her about not calling them 27 times in a row if they don't answer.  She's a big fan of FaceTime too.

Unicorns and rainbows are her main interests right now.  Her new room is unicorn themed and she's loving it.  Scarlett enjoys watching My Little Pony on Netflix as well.

She's doing great in her final year of preschool and we're very happy about that.  Scarlett recently learned to write her name and can write a few other names if you ask her.  For Thanksgiving, her teacher gave me a card that Scarlett wrote that said "To Mom, Dad, and Jack, Love Scarlett.  I was shocked and couldn't believe how legible the writing was.  Just a few short months ago she could barely write anything past SCA in her name.  Her teacher said she worked really hard to write it and was very proud of her! I was just as proud. :) I can't believe how quick Kindergarten will be here! 

Scarlett still has some jealousy issues with Jack which we're working on.  Some days she's great with him and other days she says mean things to him and is just generally annoyed by his presence.  It's a hard balance having two kids especially a baby who needs me a lot.  i'm trying my best with spending equal time with both kids, especially one-on-one time with Scarlett.  She also has some behavioral issues that stem from not being an only child.  Let's just say she doesn't always make things easy! A reward chart is helping. 

Since we moved, Scarlett is enjoying the new house and likes all the new space we have.  Once it gets warmer out she'll be able to play in the front and backyard as much as she wants.  We just have to get some outdoor toys.

Scarlett truly understands so much and is able to have long conversations with me about anything and everything! This is a fun age for sure and she surprises me with how much she knows.  I love spending time with her! 

I have to say that her love of fruit and veggies has never faded.  She continues to love grape tomatoes and strawberries and could eat a whole box in one sitting.  I bought a box of grape tomatoes today and she ate the entire box in about 10 minutes while I was giving Jack a bath.  Just nuts! She also has a huge sweet tooth just like me and it's hard to have any kind of sweets around or she'll just constantly ask me for it.

Scarlett loves having playdates and seeing her friends.  I try to have them for her as much as possible.  Some of her other interests include Berenstain Bear books, cooking, dinosaurs, Polly Pocket, Barbies, and anything Frozen.

I love how big her imagination is! Scarlett is always making up creative stories and has so much creativity in how she plays with her toys too. She certainly doesn't get that from me.  Scarlett is still extremely silly and will do anything to make someone laugh. 

Can't wait to see what's in store for her in the coming months! 

Scarlett's Last Year of Preschool!

Scarlett started her final year of preschool about a month ago now.  It's scary to me how quickly time has flown by.  It feels like just yesterday she was a tiny baby learning to crawl up the stairs!

Technically, Scarlett should be in Kindergarten at this point but we held her back a year and she repeated the 3's class twice.  Combined with having a late birthday and being a late talker, the school and I both felt like that would be the best move for her.  So she'll be going to Kindergarten in September 2020 which isn't that far away!

Scarlett started camp at her school when she was 18 months old and started the 2's program at 21 months old, so she really has been a student there for a good chunk of her life.  Since she's been going there so long, she's become attached to the teachers and is close with them.  Scarlett's school is fantastic and they are always learning and doing so many fun things.  They come home with extremely creative artwork and the learning themes change each week.  Scarlett is very enthusiastic about her class turtle that the kids are observing and learning about.  It will be so strange and bittersweet when she has her preschool graduation in June.  I'm so used to going to the school every week and having her attend there! I'm not ready for her to go to Kindergarten and wish she could stay at home with me forever!

I'm so excited to see what this year brings for Scarlett.  I know she's going to learn and grow so much in her final year and I can't wait to hear all about it.  

All About Jack!

Now that Jack is 5 weeks old as of tomorrow, I thought it would be a great time to give an update on him as well as some information about him!

Jack was born on August 8th and weighed 6 lbs 9 oz.  I was honestly shocked he was that small because I assumed he'd be around Scarlett's birth weight which was 8 lbs 4 oz.  I'm not sure why he was so small honestly.  I gained 26 lbs when I was pregnant with Scarlett and only 14 with him, but sometimes people still have large babies with minimal weight gain.  Either way, he was a tiny peanut! He's still wearing newborn diapers and newborn clothes and was only 7 lbs 14 oz at his doctor's appointment last week.  0-3m clothes swim on him.  I don't have a ton of newborn clothes for him because it's a tiny size and I know he'll outgrow it sooner or later.  For now, I'll just roll up the 0-3m clothes that are big for him.  Scarlett always asks me why his clothes are so big, I say because he's so small!

When Jack was born, he slept around the clock.  I remember asking the nurses is it normal for him to sleep all day? Even when he would have a bottle he would be sleeping during the feed.  He would wake up for a few minutes and then fall asleep again while eating.  It was a little crazy to me to have such a sleepy baby. I didn't remember Scarlett being like this.  They said just wait, he'll wake up and have more alert periods in a matter of weeks.  Well they were definitely right, those sleepy periods have ended! While he does sleep throughout the day, he's up a lot more now.  

One big change that we're dealing with now is how much he cries.  Jack has crying spells throughout the day that make it frustrating to just get through the day.  I can't cook, clean, be with Scarlett or do anything when he's like this.  Sometimes I can get him to settle down and other times he's just very upset. The crying spells come and go and some parts of the day he's absolutely fine.  He loves to be held and would prefer if you held him all day long, but obviously that's not possible.  We've already changed his formula once, but we may need to do it again if this keeps up.  I know he suffers from gas pain and we are using a lot of gas drops! Poor Jack. 

Scarlett is very good with him and likes to gently rub his head and give him a kiss.  I have to remind her to be gentle with him.  Yesterday, I caught her trying to pick him up which made me nervous.  She means well but she's a lot older and stronger than him and I wouldn't want him to get hurt.  Scarlett has her normal jealous moments with her brother, but overall she's doing very well with him considering she was an only child for over 4 and a half years! 

Since Jack still has his days and nights mixed up, the nights are a little rough.  I'm trying to establish a night-time routine with him where he has a bath and then goes into a swaddle around 7:30-8.  He LOVES the bath.  This is around when Scarlett goes to sleep too.  I make the lights dim and I don't talk to him at night so he can try to recognize day vs. night.  We were so lucky with Scarlett that from an early age she would go right back to sleep after each feed.  Her night-time feeding schedule was so predictable and we always knew we'd get some sleep in-between waking up again.  The issue with Jack is that he could sleep from 8-11 PM and then want to eat at 11 and then he's up til 12:30 or 1 and then we have to feed him again not long after that.  

Each night is different, but he also makes a LOT of noise which sometimes keeps us up.  We were hoping to sell our house before he was born, but that didn't happen so his crib is in our room.  Our house only has two bedrooms and unfortunately right now he doesn't have his own room.  We took the house off the market in May and it went back on last week, so we're hoping to have a buyer soon so we can move and feel less cramped! 

One thing that I'm quickly realizing about having a second child is that they are dragged everywhere.  Jack is dragged to everything Scarlett has to go to whether it's a doctor's appointment, a playdate, or even school drop off/pick-up.  Since Scarlett was my first child, I was able to solely dedicate myself to her and she was on a strict schedule.  When I eventually get him on a nap/feed schedule, I'm not sure how the naps will work since Scarlett's in school 9-1.  He can nap in the morning when we get home, but she used to nap from 12-3, so that obviously won't work for us.  It seems like I'll have to slightly adjust the schedule she used to use.  Hopefully I can find something that works for him and I when the time comes! 

Jack is very sweet and we're enjoying the newest family member.  I can't wait to see how he grows and changes as the months go by.  Lots of memories to be made!

Adjusting to Life With Two Kids

Jack is exactly one week old today.  That means seven days of being a parent to two children.  When I stop to think about it, it seems like time has stood slow but gone by so fast at the same time.  

When Jack was born, I had the comfort of being in the hospital with nurses at my disposal to ask anything to.  I was healing from a c-section while my mom and husband cared for Scarlett at home. It was just me and the baby in the hospital room and he slept the majority of the day.  While I cared for him during the day, I sent him to the nursery at night so I could get some rest.

Once it was time to go home, everything seemed a little more overwhelming.  Scarlett was used to being the only child for almost 5 years now, and we were so past the newborn and baby stage.  I was concerned at how I was going to manage taking care of a new baby around the clock while making time for my older child.  Not to mention maintaining the life that I was used to with time to myself since she is self-sufficient to an extent. 

I'm not going to lie, the first night was extremely rough.  Scarlett has been sleeping through the night since she's 6 months old.  It's very rare that Jay and I have a bad night's sleep and we are very blessed with feeling well-rested.  We were up for hours that Monday night and had no idea what to expect in terms of how Jack would do.  There were stretches where he slept, but he made a lot of noises and you're on high alert from that.  The day was hard for me and I questioned if I could do this for weeks on end, or however long it takes him to sleep through the night.  

The following days were much better and things continue to improve as we learn what works and doesn't work, and how to follow Jack's cues.  He's a very very sweet baby and loves to be held and have his head rubbed.  I think he's also a big fan of kisses and hugs too! We are lucky that he eats every 3.5-4 hours and is content to just sleep in the swing during the day.  I'm trying to establish a night-time routine for him even though he's young.  He has a bath every night and I try to not swaddle him as much during the day so he learns the difference between night and day.

Scarlett is very good with him and is concerned when he cries and making sure he's okay.  She understands he's very little and she has to be gentle with him.  She's having a blast being at summer camp this week and it's given us some one-on-one time with him which helps. 

I definitely notice the transition period with her accepting and adjusting a new baby.  There are times where she's been whiny or said things that weren't the nicest, but it's a work in progress.  We're trying to be patient with her and understand that accepting a new brother takes time.  Although we're not letting her get away with bad behavior!

My main focus is making sure that Scarlett has one-on-one time with Jay or myself.  Whether I play Mr. Potato Head with her while the baby sleeps, or just drawing with her at the kitchen table in-between bottle feeds.  It's mandatory that she knows that she is still important and loved just as much as the baby is.  She responds well to this special time and I know it means a lot to her.  I have to let some things go like obsessing that my house isn't clean enough or maybe I won't be able to fold the laundry as soon as it's done.  

Everyday I'm learning more and more and I know in time I'll feel more confident.  These early days are all about learning and growing and making sure I'm doing my best.  I can't wait to see what the future holds for my family. :)

Pregnancy Update-Week 29

I haven't updated everyone on my pregnancy since February and a lot has changed!

Currently, I am 29 weeks and have a scheduled c-section on August 8th.  I had to have a c-section with Scarlett and it was not something that I'd want to go through again, but it's the safest route for the baby and myself.  Everyone has told me that a scheduled c-section is far easier than an emergency one and you're a lot more prepared.  I understand that but I am still nervous and anxious about it.  I'll be in the hospital for about 4 days and I've never been away from Scarlett for more than two nights her entire life.  She may do great without me, but I am concerned about it.  I'll miss her a lot but can't wait for her to come visit! I have family coming to help and she'll be in camp which makes things a bit easier.

My pregnancy with Scarlett went smoothly for the most part and I had no real concerns or worries.  This pregnancy is very different and has brought some major scares.  In the beginning, my NIPT test showed I tested positive for the baby having a major disease and I had to have an amniocentesis to rule it out completely.  Luckily, the amnio came back clear! The reason for the false positive was that we found out through a blood test that my husband is a carrier of having an extra piece of gene copy that doesn't affect his life, but triggered a false reading.  

The baby will also have this extra gene material but will be born perfectly healthy.  It's all pretty insane! Who would think you could have that inside you and be totally healthy? We had to go see a Maternal Fetal Medicine doctor who told us that we've had good luck so far with both of our children, but if we decided to have a third there could be some real issues.  Luckily, that won't be happening! 

I had to have a three hour glucose test yesterday since I failed my one hour.  Please cross your fingers that the test comes back negative for gestational diabetes! It would be very unfortunate to have to deal with that for the last 9 weeks of my pregnancy. 

Generally I feel well, but I have my days where I have less energy and my back really hurts.  I am still sleeping well and use a pregnancy pillow at night.  I only wake up to go to the bathroom once or twice which I consider not much.  My weight gain for this pregnancy is surprisingly low, but I am sure it's due to chasing after Scarlett all day! The doctor is not concerned so I am happy.  

My husband and I took Scarlett to a siblings tour at the hospital about two weeks ago.  She really enjoyed it and it was a great way to get her prepared for her new brother! The tour was provided by two labor and delivery nurses who answered the children's questions, showed them the nursery (Scarlett loved seeing the babies!), and the rooms were the parents would be staying.  One part that Scarlett really liked was getting to swaddle baby dolls in preparation for a real baby! This was certainly a fun way for her to get involved since her brother will be coming soon.

Unfortunately, we listed our house for sale again and it still didn't sell.  After many price reductions and open houses and showings, we were getting really frustrated.  We took it off the market and decided to stay temporarily.  Our plan is to have Scarlett finish preschool and then move to a town that's further north and offers lower house prices so we can buy a house that we truly love.  This means that the baby will be in our room which is not ideal, but there's nothing we can do.  He'll be sharing closet space with Scarlett and a drawer in her dresser.  The house already feels tight with 3 people and a dog living in it, I can't imagine what it'll feel like with a new baby and all the gear!

One thing I am concerned about is how Scarlett will do when the baby is here.  She seems excited and is interested, but you don't truly know how she'll do until the big day comes.  I feel sad that she won't be an only child anymore since she's had us to herself for the last 4.5 years.  The days of just picking up and going with one child will come to an end, and that will be a big adjustment.  I'll have to take two children everywhere and get used to a new normal for my family.  I've been done with bottles, diapers, and round-the-clock feedings for some time now, so it'll be interesting to be starting over again especially with the lack of sleep! Obviously, I am excited for Scarlett to have a sibling and someone to grow up with, I just feel a lot of guilt.  

I've explained to her that the baby will need me a lot more than she does right now.  She's a big girl and can do a lot for herself, but the baby can't.  I've mentioned that I'd love her help in feeding and changing the baby, and also playing with him.  I will try to involve her every way I can so she feels included and helpful.  What I've been told by others is that she could regress in various ways to show that she's not happy with all the attention being off her.  My husband and I are prepared if this does happen and we will work with her to make sure she doesn't feel that way.  I think it would be a great idea to spend one on one time with her whether it's when the baby is napping, or even if I take her out to the playground myself while my husband watches the baby.  I know that one-on-one time is vitally important!

We have all the major stuff ready for the baby including car seat and stroller, swing, all the clothes hung up in the closet, and even diapers and wipes ready.  The last thing to do is get the crib and changing table ordered and assembled and then we'll be good to go! I can't believe he'll be here in just about 9 weeks.  Time really does fly, huh?

My next update will be when the baby is here!

Adding a 2nd Child to The Mix

It's been close to 8 weeks now since I found out that Scarlett will be getting a sibling.  Initially we thought that we'd be a one child family after some issues, but it seems like this second child was meant to be! 

After I went to the doctor for the first time and the baby looked good on the ultrasound, we decided to tell Scarlett the big news.  At first she wasn't too thrilled, but eventually warmed up to the idea.  I try to talk to her everyday about the baby so she doesn't forget, and we ask her thoughts and opinions on many things regarding the baby.  It's important to me to have her included so she feels special and knows what she has to say is considered.  We've gone shopping to buy a few things for the baby so far and she picked out a muselin blanket and rattle set and a stuffed polar bear.  She said the baby will love it!

Since I've been a stay-at-home-mom to Scarlett for over four years now, I'm used to it just being me and her.  It's so easy to just have her put her jacket on and get into the car and go to the trampoline park or head to Chick-Fil-A for lunch.  Our time together is undivided and interrupted since it's just us.  I know it'll be strange to have her split her time between me and her new sibling when the time comes.  We're also very close since we spend so much time together.  I hope she will have minimal or no issues adjusting to the new little person in her life.  If she does, my husband and I are here to help her.

It's been four years since I've had a newborn.  When I stop to think about it, I feel like I don't remember how to take care of a newborn like I did when I was in the prime newborn stage.  I've been told that everything comes back to me, and not to worry.  Also, any questions I have I can ask my pediatrician or the nurses when I'm in the hospital.  Obviously, I like to be prepared ahead of time though. I'll surely have to get used to a new normal when the baby eats every 2-3 hours around the clock.  I hope Scarlett will be able to help me and bring me things for the baby when needed.  The 4.5 year age gap will hopefully be easy in terms of taking care of her and a newborn.

I'm lucky that I've had an easy pregnancy so far.  I am not sick at all, but had slight nausea in the beginning.  I have energy and only get tired occasionally.  Since Scarlett is so active, it would be difficult if I wasn't able to keep up with her everyday.  I've shown her ultrasound pictures to keep her informed every step of the way.  It's hard for her to understand time, and she will sometimes ask "is the baby coming today?" I say no, not for many months! She knows the baby is coming in the summer, when it's hot outside.  I'm sure it seems like light years away for her! 

One thing that I can't wait to see is how Scarlett is with her sibling.  I hope they will be close and will be excited to be a big sister.  Since I am an only child, I truly always wanted my child to have a sibling so they could grow up with someone else.  I'm sure Scarlett will want to show the baby her toys, her stuffed animals, and teach them many things along the way.

I am very looking forward to when the baby is born and having a new little love in my life.  All of the firsts and what's to come is very exciting! Only 6 months to go. :) 

Teaching Children About Strangers

Over the course of the past few months, I've been talking to Scarlett about strangers.  I tell her we don't open the door for anyone we don't know, and we always check who is at the door.  I've mentioned that there are people in this world who do bad things and safety is always my #1 priority with her.

Of course I've spoken with Scarlett about not talking to strangers in public either.  One thing that I do struggle with with that topic is what strangers are okay to talk to and which ones are not.  I feel that it's confusing for Scarlett in some aspects and here's why.  If I tell her don't talk to any strangers and then a grocery store cashier says hi to her and I encourage her to say hi back to be polite.  I feel uncomfortable not encouraging her to say hello back even though I've previously said don't talk to strangers.  I'll have to see if I can work on this to make things easier with her.  Maybe I'll say the cashiers at certain stores are okay to say hi to, but nobody else is.

I don't know anyone's intention and I always err on the side of caution.  If someone comes up to us in a public place and wants to talk to Scarlett, I will keep on walking.  I always fear the worst and I don't like a man or a woman coming up randomly and talking to her.  It just makes me nervous.  I've heard too many stories about human trafficking lately where someone comes to talk to the parent and distracts them and someone else grabs the child when they turn around.  It's so scary.

One thing that I have trouble with is Scarlett walking away when we're in public places.  She doesn't want to ride in a cart in Walmart or Target and wants to walk beside me.  She doesn't always stay right beside me and I always tell her I can't see you if wander off or aren't near me.  Scarlett may want to go see the toys in the next aisle and for a brief second she's in that next aisle before me.  I always feel slightly panicked and I can't tell her enough about how she needs to say where I can see her.  We're still working on that on a daily basis and it's stressful.  

I'd say more people in this world are good than bad, but you really can't trust anyone you don't know. It's imperative that you teach your children about strangers and staying where you can see them from an early age.  There are many child-centered videos about strangers online as well as books about the subject.  The Berenstain Bears books series has a wonderful book called Stranger Danger that is a great teaching tool for parents everywhere.  We can't predict the future in terms of what will happen with children, but safety is paramount to me as a parent.  

Letting Go of Control As a Parent

I've taught many things in my 3.5 years as a parent.  Scarlett has mastered knowing crucial toddler subjects like colors and shapes, as well as learning how to use utensils while eating.  My tiny tot has learned how to use the bathroom among many other toddler milestones.  

While I applaud every skill and milestone Scarlett reaches, I find myself sometimes wanting her to do things how I want them done.  I was thinking about this earlier today while talking to my husband. I've had this thought before and I know it's something I have to work on.  Scarlett is learning and growing everyday and while she is wildly independent in some areas, others I feel like I still want to step in for guidance.  

For example, getting dressed.  She struggles slightly with putting her shirt on while getting dressed in the morning.  In my defense, I feel that it's easier for me to just do it for her instead of sitting there watching her try to put it on backwards or put both arms in the same hole.  I am well aware that if I continue to do it for her she won't learn.  It's not that I don't want her to master this skill, it's more that I just want her shirt on without time being wasted.  She doesn't request my help, yet I step in. 

Just the other day Scarlett wanted to pour soup into a pot to heat up on the stove.  I said okay knowing that we may have a mess.  Of course some of the soup spilled onto the stove that was just freshly wiped down.  In my head I thought to myself well if I poured it in, there'd be no mess.  But then you have to look at in the sense of a child wanting to help to gain confidence and independence of doing things for themselves.  That is more important than taking 30 seconds to clean up a spill.

One thing that I struggle with as a parent is letting go of the control that I so desperately desire. There are many areas of my parenting that I feel confident with and know that I'm excelling in.  Everyone has areas of weaknesses in life, but the most important thing is that you recognize them.  I want to lessen my level of control to help my child be the best they can be.

First Pumpkin Patch Visit of The Season!

Scarlett and her friend went to our local pumpkin patch today for their first visit of the fall season. The pumpkin patch has animals you can feed, a small playground, the pumpkin patch itself, and many other elements that the kiddies love.  I, of course, brought my camera along to document some pumpkin pictures.  I never miss the opportunity to take some pictures! Has your family been to a patch yet this Fall?

Stay-At-Home-Mom Guilt Is Real

I've now been a stay-at-home-mom to Scarlett for over 3.5 years.  When I left my job in 2014 to become a full-time mom, I didn't have an idea of what the future held.  In those precious years since I stopped working, I've seen many firsts.  Some of those firsts I never want to see or hear again!

I have to be honest with you, the mom guilt is real.  When Scarlett was younger, it was my job and responsibility to teach her everything she needed to know.  I had flashcards and tools for learning shapes, animals, numbers, letters, and colors.  As she grew, we realized that she was speech delayed and spent a year working with a speech therapist.  Of course when issues arise with children we blame ourselves and ask ourselves what could we have done differently? Even if the challenge is not our fault, a mom still struggles with it.

Scarlett is in school three days a week for three hours a day.  When I have that free time, I try to take advantage of it and cook, clean, and take care of the house.  Some days I may have errands to run and won't get as much done sans child as I'd like.  

Once I pick Scarlett up and she comes home, I may have to vacuum, throw a load of laundry in, or even just make a phone call.  Scarlett always asks me to play with her and sometimes I can't.  I feel bad that I can't always be her built-in playmate, but I do have legitimate work to do.  I explain to her that I have to finish what I'm doing and then I can play with her.

Sometimes she understands and others she doesn't.  I try to tell her it's important that she play alone independently while I complete my tasks.  She's used to me playing with her, and doesn't always want to be by herself.  When she does agree, it makes life a lot easier.  I know this is also due to being an only child too.  If she had a sibling close in age, she wouldn't be looking for me to be her playmate so much at home.  

Some days I feel like it's hard to balance everything.  I have to make sure my child's needs are met while also ensuring my work at home gets completed too.  At night, I may lie awake and say did I spend too much time cleaning or organizing today when I could have spent more time with Scarlett? Is she on track with learning in comparison to her peers? Should I be teaching her even more than I already am?

These are just some of the questions that roll around in my head.  I try to shut my brain off, but it's really hard.  If you're a stay-at-home-mom, I can guarantee you've felt these same things.  I also have guilt about not working and contributing financially like I'd like to.  Everyone says being at home with a child is the most important thing for them, and I have to keep telling myself that. 

The mom guilt never goes away completely but some days I may feel it more than others.  I hope as Scarlett gets older my feelings of guilt lessen as she becomes more independent.  I know I'm not alone with these thoughts and feelings and it's something I have to grapple with.  For now, I will enjoy her as much as I can until she goes to kindergarten! By that point, I'll be going back to work too.

While being a stay-at-home-mom has its challenges, I feel very lucky and blessed I am able to do it everyday.

Tips For Making School Mornings Easier

As I scroll through my Facebook feed, I'm seeing more and more children going back to school on a daily basis.  Whether your child is starting kindergarten or their senior year of high school, every parent can agree that getting ready in the morning can be hectic.

Scarlett is starting her third year of preschool in a little less than 3 weeks.  Her preschool starts at 9 AM, which may seem like there's endless time in the morning, but there's not as much as you think! I have to get her ready and also get myself showered and ready for the day, and leave by 8:45 AM.  

This list will allow you to have ample time in the morning to ensure you can get ready as well as your child.  There's nothing like rushing around knowing your child has to get on the bus at a certain time, and you have to get to work.

1.  Pack lunches the night before.  This is truly a necessity.  When you have the time to focus, you can make sure you're packing what you want your child to have.  There's no scrambling in the morning quickly spreading peanut butter and jelly on some bread your son hates.   I always pack Scarlett's lunches for school the night before and get her thoughts on what she'd like to eat.

2. Lay clothes out the night before.  If you have a child like my daughter, then you can relate to them not always wanting to wear certain things.  For those who do have young children and you try to pick out their clothes for them, they may or may not like what you choose.  It's easier to have them lay out the clothes they pick before bed, so they can wake up in the morning and not waste time trying to choose an outfit.  Let's just hope they don't change their minds in the morning! You can even put their shoes by the door so they can slip them on before they walk out the door.  

3. Sign and review all paperwork at night.  I'm not at the stage of schooling where my daughter comes home with a lot of paperwork and announcements for me yet.  That will happen in time.  I do remember bringing home papers for my mom to sign and send back.  Make sure you remind your child to show you anything that is urgent and needs attention.  The last thing you want to do is not give back a permission slip for a field trip and the deadline has passed! 

4.  Make breakfast in advance.  Weekend mornings are more leisurely and I have ample time to prepare beautiful breakfasts.  Once Scarlett goes to bed for the night, I may make from-scratch pancakes in advance for her to heat up in the morning to have with milk and fruit.  Usually I'm creative and add things like sliced strawberries and coconut.  Occasionally, I'll toss peanut butter and chocolate chips into the batter if I want her to have a more fun breakfast.  Frozen waffles and cereal get old after a while and it's nice to have a yummy breakfast to start the day with.  You can easily make egg cups in muffin tins filled with cheese, veggies, bacon, and anything else you'd like to put in.  They reheat well and can be tailored to any child's tastes.  I like to make those as well. 

5. Get the backpack ready before bed.  There's nothing like looking for a specific book or folder when you're running late for school.  Before your child goes to bed, make sure their backpack is ready for the following day.  Ensure all homework is completed and put back into the folders/binders they belong in.  Sharpen pencils and put all pens/highlighters back into the pencil pouch.  It's easier to put papers and books away as soon as you're done with them, rather than leaving them out.  Once your backpack is ready, place it by the door so you can grab it in the morning.  

I hope these tips help your child to have a happy and successful school year! 

Scarlett's 4th Birthday

Scarlett is turning 4 in December.  This is the first year that I actually have no idea what we're going to do for her birthday.  I don't know if we're having a party for her, or will just take her to do something fun.  You might say well it's only August, you have time! If you know me, you know that I like to plan in advance.  I usually have the party theme planned out and I start to buy decorations in about a month or so.  I'm completely out of ideas this year!

For Scarlett's birthday last year we had a pizza themed party at California Pizza Kitchen.  Part of my problem is that my house is not very large, so I can't have too many families over at once.  A party at a venue like a trampoline place is about $350-400 for 10 kids and doesn't include decorations, food, or cake.  As you can see, it's pricey.  

For Scarlett's 2nd birthday, we had a party in my house but it was really tight.  I am not sure if I want to just have a few of Scarlett's friend's over, or if we want to just take her to do something special in New York City since we don't live far.

Hopefully I can figure out a plan soon.  December is not as far away as you think! What did you do for your child's 4th birthday? 

Making Decisions That Affect a Child's Future

From the time a child is born, you're faced with making important decisions for the future.  You have to choose whether to bottle or breast feed, and what solid foods to start with to have your little one have a healthy start in life.  There's so many choices to make from an early age of a child's life and you always hope you make the right one!

I had to recently make an important decision regarding Scarlett's schooling that will surely affect her schooling career.  The director of her preschool recommended that Scarlett repeat the 3's program and not move onto the 4's.  She didn't feel that she was quite ready, given the fact that she has a late birthday and was a late talker.  Scarlett could probably benefit from repeating the year to gain the confidence that she needs.  

I know she's not ready to go to the 4's because the 4's teacher is preparing them for kindergarten.  The curriculum is on a more challenging and strict level, and it would be too much for her.  Since Scarlett won't be going to kindergarten until September 2020, it wouldn't make sense for her to go.  

Of course I have some doubts about her repeating the year, like any parent would.  Even though the lesson plans change slightly, it's going to be similar to what Scarlett has already learned.  I hope she will not be bored and still be challenged and learn.  Scarlett will have the same teacher that she had so she will have no issues adjusting to a new one.  What will be different is the children in her class.  She's been with the same children for two years, so I hope she will like the kids and make friends easily.

The benefits of her repeating the year and starting kindergarten later is that she will be one of the oldest children, since she has a December birthday.  She'll hopefully gain the self confidence that she needs and be the best student possible.

Here's to wishing her a great 2018-2019 school year!

Accepting a Child is Growing Up

Just a few months ago, we got Scarlett a Frozen bike with training wheels.  It's her first real bike and I definitely consider it a childhood milestone.  She was thrilled to receive it and we immediately went outside and I began trying to teach her how to ride it.  Scarlett doesn't need as much help with it anymore and is doing better every day.  As I was outside with her earlier when she was on her bike, it dawned on me how independent she is these days. Time is flying by and it's honestly scary.

At the end of the year Scarlett will be turning four.  FOUR! FOUR! I can't believe it.  For whatever reason, this number makes me sad.  The baby years are fleeting and the true "big girl" years are here.  As each month passes, she needs me less and less.  She'll always need me in different ways, but she does a lot for herself now.  While I love how independent she is and how she has her own voice and opinions, it's sometimes hard to accept.  I don't think I am having another child, so I won't get to experience all those firsts that I did with her with another child.

Scarlett goes to summer camp by herself, she rides rides by herself, she's fearless at the playground, and the list could go on and on.  Sometimes I find myself trying to help her out of habit by putting her shoes on.  She tells me "no mom, I can do it myself." You're snapped back to reality and then suddenly remember that you're living with Miss Independent.

I am happy that she is thriving and growing and where she should be developmentally.  It would be nice if time would slow down just a little though!

Scarlett's 3.5 Year Old Update

I haven't done an update since Scarlett turned 3, so I felt like now would be a perfect time to do an another one.  It's hard to believe she'll be four at the end of the year!

Here's what's new with my silly girl:

Scarlett is potty trained! I'm so happy to announce she's out of pull-ups and has been completely day and night trained for the past two months.  She virtually had no accidents in the beginning and was excited to be in big girl underwear.  I was thrilled to not have to buy pull-ups anymore which are very expensive.  Scarlett is great at telling you when she has to go to the bathroom which I am grateful for.  Most kids are day trained long before they are night trained too so I am lucky it worked in my favor.  Our days are starting earlier since she wakes up early to go to the bathroom.  I'm not ready to be up at 6 AM, but I have no choice.  She used to sleep until 7:30-8, so the days are extra long lately!

I continue to be impressed with how much Scarlett knows.  She listens and remembers everything and you really have to watch what you say around her.  It's safe to say she's my little parrot! She knows more and more on a daily basis and sometimes I'm shocked with how much she has picked up. Her personality is fun and silly but mixed with a caring side.  She feels bad if someone gets hurt and is crying.  It's fun to hear her speak in full sentences and she's come a long way with her speech, especially since she was a late talker.

Scarlett is very big into music and TV these days.  Some of her favorite shows are Doc McStuffins, Mickey Mouse Club House, The Wiggles, PJ Masks, Peppa Pig, Masha and The Bear and more.  Music is also something that she loves and she has a big opinion on what she listens to.  She'll tell me to change a song if she doesn't like it, but will tell me when she loves one too.  It's pretty funny.  Her favorite songs are Train's Play That Song, Ed Sheeran's Perfect, Charlie Puth's One Call Away, and Imagine Dragons Thunder.  She loves to sing along to those songs and it always brings a smile to my face.

Preschool is over in mid June and the year flew by.  She goes 3 days a week now and is never thrilled when I have to pick her up.  I think she'd love to live there if given the opportunity! There's an end of the year show and dinner for the preschool families in the coming weeks and I can't wait to hear her sing in her class's show.  I'm sure it'll be adorable! I've asked her what songs she is singing, but she won't tell me.  I guess I'll be surprised.

Play-Doh and arts and crafts are what she enjoys most.  You'll always find her making something with Play-Doh or drawing in a coloring book with her crayons.  She also loves puzzles, magnatiles, and her doll house.

Food continues to be a love affair for my tiny tot.  Scarlett loves fruit and veggies as much as I love chocolate.  Of course she loves her fair share of junk food too, but she really is the healthiest eater I know.  She eats tomatoes and peppers and fruit all day long. I asked her if she wanted a piece of cake the other day and she said no, I want a red pepper! I hope she continues to love fruits and veggies for years to come.

Scarlett enjoys helping me cook and bake on a frequent basis.  She's always game for helping me mix some pancake batter or pouring rice into a measuring cup.  On Thursday morning I made her eggs for breakfast and she enjoyed cracking the eggs.  I then greased the pan and she said "so it doesn't stick!" That warmed my heart because that's the first step to cooking eggs.  It really shows me that she's paying attention and cares.  Who knows, maybe she'll have a career in cooking?

We have a bunch of things planned for the summer including going to Florida, going to see The Wiggles, and going away for a combined anniversary/birthday trip for me, among many other things. I know Scarlett will have a ton of fun at each place.  We'll be staying overnight on a scenic farm for the birthday/anniversary trip which Scarlett will love.  I had to make it kid friendly to keep her happy and entertained! No family was able to watch her so we could go alone, but that's ok!

My tiny girl is usually an easy-going child, but has her moments as of late.  She is really testing boundaries lately and pushing limits and some days are really challenging.  I am doing the best I can but sometimes she doesn't listen to anyone.  This is not an easy age! I have to count my blessings though because she is a good sleeper, good eater, and usually very patient.  You can't have everything, right?

I can't see where the next 6 months takes us.  This year is just flying by!