I think that happiness is something that you can always have if you so choose. Yes bad things will happen, and sometimes life will be hard. Sometimes your child will color on something like the computer monitor, or you will have to get up in the middle of the night to bath a child and change the sheets on their bed. Sometimes you might lose someone you love, or get in a car accident. You may lose your job, etc. I could go on listing all kinds of negative things, some more so than others, but all of them can have the tendency to seem overwhelming when they occur.
But you can be happy through it all. It may be hard, but it is possible. Happiness is a choice.
I was thinking about this this morning as things weren't going the way I would choose to have them go. I decided that I wouldn't let life get me down. I would be happy. And you know what, I am. I might be overwhelmed and tired, but I am happy.
Life is wonderful, I am so blessed. I have a wonderful husband who loves me, I have two adorable children, who light up my life. I have my basic needs provided for; a place to live, food to eat, clothes to wear.
Decide today to be happy. Decide that you will enjoy your life. Take time and count your blessings. That is what I have done.
As a note on how the potty-training is going. I decided to let my daughter give me the cues and I will respond to them. Yesterday, she disappeared for a while and when I went to check on her I found her sitting on the potty. She didn't go, but she did it all on her own. It is progress.
Tuesday, July 31, 2007
Monday, July 23, 2007
N is for Naps
So have you ever noticed that once we reach adulthood we tend to appreciate sleep more? (OK maybe that isn't true about all adults and maybe some people appreciate sleep all of their lives). With my kids when they were really small, like under 2 months old, they tended to fall asleep pretty easily, there were maybe a few tricks that I needed to pull; feed them, rock them, hold them, but when they were tired they did a pretty good job of just falling asleep. My son more so than my daughter.
But he is getting out of that stage now. In fact at night time lately he has been so tired that he will just yell and cry until he finally falls asleep. And he is getting to be that way at nap time.
My daughter, has never been a great sleeper, but she is getting to be more so now. She has had a hard time taking naps since she was about a year old. But finally now on most days she will tell me after lunch that it is nap time, ask for her plug and at least stay in her room and look at books if not take a nap. And I am so grateful that she has gotten to this point.
I just wish my son would take a nap at the same time as his sister, but that has yet to be a regular occurrence.
But I guess I should just be grateful that he does take naps and so does she, and make the best of the situation.
By the way just a postscript, my children's doctor redeemed himself a little bit this last week, he actually took the time to look at the chart before he came in. Maybe it won't be so bad after all.
But he is getting out of that stage now. In fact at night time lately he has been so tired that he will just yell and cry until he finally falls asleep. And he is getting to be that way at nap time.
My daughter, has never been a great sleeper, but she is getting to be more so now. She has had a hard time taking naps since she was about a year old. But finally now on most days she will tell me after lunch that it is nap time, ask for her plug and at least stay in her room and look at books if not take a nap. And I am so grateful that she has gotten to this point.
I just wish my son would take a nap at the same time as his sister, but that has yet to be a regular occurrence.
But I guess I should just be grateful that he does take naps and so does she, and make the best of the situation.
By the way just a postscript, my children's doctor redeemed himself a little bit this last week, he actually took the time to look at the chart before he came in. Maybe it won't be so bad after all.
Thursday, July 12, 2007
C is for Change
So I've recently noticed how much my parenting styles, and I have changed from the time that my daughter was born until now.
Some of it I'm sure just comes with having a second child. For instance, someone asked me today how old my baby is. I replied that he will be 4 months old on the 20th. I have no idea how many weeks old he is. I could count it out if I took the time to look at a calendar, but just off the top of my head, I really don't know.
Also, my son is a wonderful sleeper. I am usually in bed no later than 11, and up no earlier than 5. Yes that is less sleep than I would choose, but he rarely wakes me up in between those times. Now, with my daughter I would have woken up several times in the night and felt the need to check on her to make sure she was still breathing, had she ever slept that long. Not now, I just enjoy the sleep, and even have a hard time getting myself out of bed when he does wake up.
I'm really laid back about development. He finally rolled over for the first time from back to stomach today. Which is great, but I haven't been sitting around waiting for him to do it, like I was with my daughter.
But in other ways I'm sure the differences are because of what I have learned and experienced in my years of being a mother. I am a lot more patient with my children now, than I ever was in my daughters first year. I am more positive, I do a better job of keeping my house clean. (Not that it isn't still messy, it just isn't as messy.)
So, are there ways that you have grown and become a better person in the time that has passed since you started your current stage of life what ever that may be? Do you think they are because of time and maturity? Or from learning the lessons from the trials put before you? Or maybe a little of both?
Some of it I'm sure just comes with having a second child. For instance, someone asked me today how old my baby is. I replied that he will be 4 months old on the 20th. I have no idea how many weeks old he is. I could count it out if I took the time to look at a calendar, but just off the top of my head, I really don't know.
Also, my son is a wonderful sleeper. I am usually in bed no later than 11, and up no earlier than 5. Yes that is less sleep than I would choose, but he rarely wakes me up in between those times. Now, with my daughter I would have woken up several times in the night and felt the need to check on her to make sure she was still breathing, had she ever slept that long. Not now, I just enjoy the sleep, and even have a hard time getting myself out of bed when he does wake up.
I'm really laid back about development. He finally rolled over for the first time from back to stomach today. Which is great, but I haven't been sitting around waiting for him to do it, like I was with my daughter.
But in other ways I'm sure the differences are because of what I have learned and experienced in my years of being a mother. I am a lot more patient with my children now, than I ever was in my daughters first year. I am more positive, I do a better job of keeping my house clean. (Not that it isn't still messy, it just isn't as messy.)
So, are there ways that you have grown and become a better person in the time that has passed since you started your current stage of life what ever that may be? Do you think they are because of time and maturity? Or from learning the lessons from the trials put before you? Or maybe a little of both?
Wednesday, July 11, 2007
S is for smiles
I have the tendency to be negative. I'm not a grouch, but I can be pessimistic. I also have a hard time reaching out side myself to interact with others, particularly those I don't know.
Somehow I got blessed with two wonderful, happy, social children.
This morning I took my kids to the park. My two year old was having a glorious time on the playground, when a large group of children from some organization showed up. Now most of these kids looked like they were probably between 8-11. My daughter would smile, at them, follow them around, say hi, and such. They completely ignored her. Now I know this is a common way for older kids to treat younger children they do not know. But all the same, my heart went out to my daughter. I knew just how much rejection I would be feeling if I were her.
Then I realized something. Yes they are ignoring her, but SHE isn't getting upset about it. SHE isn't letting it slow her down, or decide how she should act. She is willing to be happy and social still even though things aren't exactly how she would like them to be.
I decided then and there, that I need to learn from my children and not allow myself to allow others actions be what determines how I act. I need to decide to be happy and not let anything deter me from that goal.
Will you all join me? Take a day and say "today I am going to smile all day, I'm not going to let anything anyone else does make this a bad day for me. I am going to be happy."
Somehow I got blessed with two wonderful, happy, social children.
This morning I took my kids to the park. My two year old was having a glorious time on the playground, when a large group of children from some organization showed up. Now most of these kids looked like they were probably between 8-11. My daughter would smile, at them, follow them around, say hi, and such. They completely ignored her. Now I know this is a common way for older kids to treat younger children they do not know. But all the same, my heart went out to my daughter. I knew just how much rejection I would be feeling if I were her.
Then I realized something. Yes they are ignoring her, but SHE isn't getting upset about it. SHE isn't letting it slow her down, or decide how she should act. She is willing to be happy and social still even though things aren't exactly how she would like them to be.
I decided then and there, that I need to learn from my children and not allow myself to allow others actions be what determines how I act. I need to decide to be happy and not let anything deter me from that goal.
Will you all join me? Take a day and say "today I am going to smile all day, I'm not going to let anything anyone else does make this a bad day for me. I am going to be happy."
Sunday, July 8, 2007
I is for isolation
I just realized how isolated I am in my little world.
While checking my e-mail, and realized that I only get e-mail from someone who actually wants to talk to me, once in a while. Mostly I get silly forwards, junk mail, mailing list posts, and bills. Usually I handle it pretty well, except for when I let my self dwell on the fact that every Sunday my husband is pretty much guaranteed at least one conversational e-mail from one of his family members.
I have a cell phone, but pretty much the only time that I seem to get calls, is when my husband calls me, or occasionally I will get a call from a family member, but most of the time it is me that calls them.
I am a stay at home mom, and I get out maybe once a week to go to a play group with my kids, and then on Sundays I attend Church. Other than that I only get out to run errands. I need to push my self out and associate with people. I can blame no one but my self for my current isolation.
I was just wondering does anyone else feel so isolated with so much technology at their fingertips?
While checking my e-mail, and realized that I only get e-mail from someone who actually wants to talk to me, once in a while. Mostly I get silly forwards, junk mail, mailing list posts, and bills. Usually I handle it pretty well, except for when I let my self dwell on the fact that every Sunday my husband is pretty much guaranteed at least one conversational e-mail from one of his family members.
I have a cell phone, but pretty much the only time that I seem to get calls, is when my husband calls me, or occasionally I will get a call from a family member, but most of the time it is me that calls them.
I am a stay at home mom, and I get out maybe once a week to go to a play group with my kids, and then on Sundays I attend Church. Other than that I only get out to run errands. I need to push my self out and associate with people. I can blame no one but my self for my current isolation.
I was just wondering does anyone else feel so isolated with so much technology at their fingertips?
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