Life Archives – Page 5 of 10 – The Pinterested Parent

Toddler Cold Remedies

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It has been a vicious 4 weeks in our home. The change of season has brought a lot of beauty, fall treats & fun things to do, but it has also brought with it a collection of colds, stomach bugs & other viruses. Let the passing around of illnesses begin. Until I can find a giant bubble on Amazon or matching hazmat suits, it is inevitable that we will continue to get sick as the cooler weather approaches.

This week our daughter was sick for the 3rd time within the past few weeks. She has had a rough run of it & so have mommy and daddy. The difference is we can take medicine to alleviate our symptoms. There are not many options over the counter for a toddler, but there are things that you can do to remedy your young one’s symptoms.

Fluids: Keeping them hydrated is essential. Fever, vomiting or diarrhea can cause dehydration. Give them water or 100% fruit or vegetable juices.

Rest: Our poor little toddler’s bodies are working so hard when they are sick that they need the extra sleep to get better. Of course as we all know, if a toddler does not want to sleep they won’t. Books, videos and cuddle time are a great way to get them to relax.If you are lucky they will doze off somewhere in between.

Garlic: When I was sick as a child, my father used to make me hold a clove of garlic between my teeth. He said that it had healing properties. Turns out he was right. I am not so sure if holding it between the teeth will work, but eating it certainly will. If your child has an appetite, add a little fresh minced garlic to their meal.

Vapor Rub: Vapor rub is wonderful for clearing a stuffy nose. Do not apply too close to the face. When our daughter caught her first cold I read that you should apply the rub to the feet instead of the chest. I did it & then tried it on myself the next time I was sick. It worked great. Our daughter loves Vicks. She asks for it even when she is not sick, of course mommy has to say no.

Humidifier: Every home should have one of these. A cool mist humidifier can help ease many cold symptoms. Running one while they sleep can help the little one breath better and control coughs.

Honey: Raw honey has a number of health benefits. It can be used on skin ailments & it can be used to help cold symptoms. It is a great alternative to cough syrup. If your child is resistant to take a spoonful like mine is, sneak it into their juice or try a peanut butter & honey sandwich.

Ball Syringe: Have your child blow their nose as much as possible to clear out all of the mucus. Too much mucus can lead to post nasal drip which will irritate their throat more. Teach them not to suck it back in. If they let you, use a ball syringe to clear out the mucus.

Chicken Soup: Every mama’s favorite cold cure is hot chicken soup. Studies have proven that this is not just an old wives tale.

Popsicles: The frozen treats are fun to eat & will help sooth their little sore throats. Try to stick to bars that are 100% fruit juice.

Elevation: There is a reason that your child’s cough & sniffles always seem worse at night. Staying propped up will keep the nasal passages clear.

Don’t forget to give plenty of hugs, kisses & cuddles while your precious little ones heal.

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Fri
10 ^th

Do As I Say, Not As I Do.

Posted by Pinparent — 39 Comments

“Do as I say, not as I do” This is the hypocrite’s mantra, an expression abused by parents for years to justify the fact that they are modeling bad behavior. I think about some of the things that I say to my daughter and then think about my own actions. I realized something. I am not always leading by the best example. How can I ask something of my daughter that I don’t always follow myself?

“Pick up your mess.” – I am not sure how I could ever get that statement out with a straight face. As I speak the words out loud, my mind wanders to my unmade bed, the pile of laundry sitting in my hamper & the tumbleweeds of dog hair that just rolled over my feet. I am just waiting for her to say “I’ll pick up my toys when you run a Swiffer over this floor.”

“Don’t say no to Mommy” – No! I said don’t say no. No, don’t shake your head no. No, I said no. Why are you still saying “no” to mommy? Maybe I should try only saying yes.

“No sweets before dinner. It will ruin your appetite.” – These words have been muttered as I ducked behind the kitchen island to pop a handful of Hershey kisses in my mouth.
“Mama, what you eatin?”
“It’s a piece of broccoli, honey. Broccoli is good for dinner.”
I think she bought it. Is there any chocolate on my teeth?

“Don’t yell at the dog” – Perhaps, I raise my voice occasionally at our furry baby.
“DuUuUuUkE!, GET IN THE HOUSE!” “SToOoOOoooP BaRkInG!” “DON’T SNIFF THE BABY’S BUTT!!”
OK, I am definitely to blame for her yelling at our pup. I have however, never put a towel on his back & tried to ride him like a horse. She came up with that one all on her own.

“We have to put your jacket on. It is cold outside.” – I have been known to walk out of my house in the dead of winter with flip flops on. A few years ago I got poison ivy on my chest because I brought in the firewood from outside wearing nothing but a pair of underwear & sneakers. Don’t judge me.

“It’s late, it is time to go to bed” – I think my daughter has a checklist under her pillow of excuses for why she shouldn’t go to sleep.
“Mama, I need juice for my throat.” Check!
“My tummy hurts, I need a rub.” Check!
“I want a cheese sandwich.” Check!
I think she forgot “Mama, I got a poop in my butt.”
I have a similar list.
The Big Bang Theory marathon is on tonight. Maybe I should do some housework. (I can’t even say that without laughing). I need to write in my blog. So here I am typing away at midnight thinking “Wow, it’s late. I should probably go to bed, but of course I won’t, because I need juice (wine) for my throat too.

If Mai asks I went to sleep at 8 o’clock.

Thank you as always for stopping by. If you like us here, please follow us on Facebook.

Thu
09 ^th

Why Are You So Good For Everybody Else?

Posted by Pinparent — 13 Comments

There are many things in motherhood that are a complete mystery to me.

Why does our daughter ask for something and then cry when I give it to her?

How can she be so utterly sweet & adorable one minute and then such a monster the next?

The thing that confuses me the most is why do tantrums & meltdowns seem to be reserved only for me? Why does she eat with no arguments at daycare and take naps for Nana & most importantly why is she so sweet for her father & yet gives me such a hard time.

I share my exasperations with my husband. I tell him about my traumatic morning battles with our daughter. I explain how trying it is to wake her up & get her dressed and off to daycare. He looks at me and responds “Really, when I have her, she wakes right up and says she is ready to go to Miss Laura’s. We get dressed without any problems” Of course you do. Of course. Once again, not only do I feel as if I am an inadequate mother, but I feel as if it my stories of these difficult mornings seem like nothing more than an over-exaggeration or a figment of my imagination. Am I perhaps crazy? Is she really not as difficult as I think?

On the mornings that my husband is home to bring our daughter to daycare, I am relieved. There are no fights, no struggles. I just get to hug and kiss everyone goodbye knowing that my husband will flawlessly carry out the morning routine.

This morning was one of his mornings. I heard our daughter stirring early & I immediately thought to myself “Here we go, another easy morning for hubby.” Then something strange happened. As I quickly moved around the house to get ready for work, I overheard something so familiar. “No Dada, I don’t want to change the diaper. No! Leave the dirty diaper on. I don’t like to go to Miss Laura’s. I want my owl shirt, not the polka dots.” For a half hour, I listened as they went back & forth. I intervened to offer a hand a couple of times, but had to leave for work.

En route to work, my husband called me.

“Is that what you go through when you take her to daycare in the morning?”

“Yes, every time.”

“Oh my god! Don’t ever leave us. That was horrible”

The edges of my lips slowly raised into a satisfied smile. Silly daddy, I would never leave either of you. I love my family, meltdowns & all.

Wed
01 ^st

15 Reasons That My Husband Is Like Our Toddler

Posted by Pinparent — 39 Comments

Once upon a time not so long ago I had a sweet little mama’s girl. One day she woke up and decided that mommy was old news & that daddy was the new headliner. It stung a little, alright it stung a lot, but it made perfect sense. I am not nearly as much fun as daddy is. They do have a lot in common after all & I am not just talking about the blond hair, blue eyes and dimples.

1. They both have a keen sense of fashion.

2. They think farts are funny.

3. They both have a hard time getting their pee into the toilet.

4. Neither one listens to me when I speak.

5. They would both prefer to run around the house naked.

6. They think Doritos & jelly beans are an acceptable lunch.

7. Neither has an issue wearing stained clothing.

8. They both laugh at there own jokes.

9. Both get cranky when they haven’t had a nap.

10. Neither one will eat their vegetables.

11. They both like Elsa from Frozen.

12. They leave crumbs everywhere.

13. I have to remind them both to brush their teeth.

14. They both will eat food that fell on the ground.

15. Most importantly, they both love me.

Check out Living In Momarchy’s list of 12 things her toddler & dogs have in common.

Fri
26 ^th

Parenting- The Good, The Bad & The Nasty

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This weekend, I had a rare opportunity to get away for a night with the girls. The conversation as it often does shifted to our husbands and our children. One of the ladies in our company did not have any kids. She listened as we told horror stories about botched birth plans, sleepless nights & a variety of other less than pleasant experiences. After sitting silently for a while, she finally chimed in, “The more I listen to people with kids, the more I realize that I don’t want them.”

I realized at this moment, that this is probably the case for any non-parent sitting back & looking in. How many of us only talk about the negative things, whether it be about our work, our husbands or our kids? The good stuff is never nearly as much fun to talk about. I find my friends and I arguing over whose child was the worst infant & who now has the most tantrums & meltdowns. I think mine normally wins. There are many different facets to parenthood, some are good, some are bad & some are just plain nasty.

All of these things began as early as pregnancy. Some people I know loved being pregnant, I however did not. I had every possible pregnancy symptom that there was. If only 5% of pregnant women had it, I fell in that 5%. I had morning sickness, let me correct that, I had all day sickness for 8 out of the 9 months. My toothbrush terrified me to the core because of it.
I had nose bleeds, carpal tunnel, round ligament pain, hemorrhoids, constipation & heartburn so bad that I did not eat in my 3rd trimester. When my ninth month hit, I could hardly wait for my pregnancy to be over. I was eating fresh pineapple & eggplant, massaging the webs between my fingers & tweaking my nipples while simultaneously bouncing on a yoga ball. That baby needed to come out.

When the time finally came, nothing went as planned. During my 24 hour labor I had 4 botched epidurals, endless Pitocin induced contractions & an emergency C-section that was a thing of nightmares.

In the hospital, I struggled as my daughter & I tried to learn together how to nurse & feed. Breastfeeding is not as simple as it seems. I cried for days as tried unsuccessfully to nourish my baby as an unsupportive nurse hollered at me for doing it incorrectly.

Once home, those tears continued as my nipples chafed, the lack of sleep set in, and I flipped through books & websites trying to find ways to get my daughter to stop crying.

Parenthood is a difficult thing. You surrender your independence & your freedom to this little creature. You don’t realize how much you took for granted before. Things like running to the store for milk or going to the bank are no longer a simple process. Sleeping in is a thing of the past, unless you consider 7 am sleeping in. Your immaculately decorated home now looks like Romper Room threw up all over it. Trips to the grocery store alone feel like a day at the spa. You need to schedule time to take a shower. Privacy in the bathroom is non-existent.
You get pissed on, puked on & pooped on. You may even get lucky & have all three done at the same time. Freshly picked boogers will be handed to you on a regular basis. Your lunch menu consists of half-eaten, soggy cheese sandwiches & left over juice with backwash. Breastfeeding, diapers, potty training, tantrums & tears, these are all a part of being a mother or a father. I have been exhausted for the past 2 years, 8 months and 16 days.

Before we made the decision to start a family, these were the things that scared me off from wanting children. My friends never shared the good things with me. If you think that you can handle all of the above, remember that there must be some reason that even after all of this, women are still willing to try for baby #2. Being a parent is tough, but trust me when I say that it is worth it.

Here are some of the things that make it all worthwhile…

The first time you hold your new baby in your arms
The anticipation & excitement of every milestone
Watching & hearing them laugh
Every kiss, even the snotty nosed ones
Hugs
The first time you hear mama or dada
Seeing them grow & transform
The sweet sound of all the I love yous.
Seeing parts of yourself mirrored through your child
The awe & excitement in their face when they experience something new.
All of the funny things that they say that make you smile or laugh
Cuddles
The pride you feel as you watch them learn new things
Being the one that teaches them those new things
Unconditional love & forgiveness
Hearing them screaming “Mommy!” when you come home from work
Hearing them sing
Baby feet

What are your favorite things about being a mother? Let’s share all the great things too.

Thu
18 ^th

A Serious Case Of Mommy Brain

Posted by Pinparent — 7 Comments

I want to thank my friend Deb over at All About Parents for giving me the opportunity to guest post about ‘My Serious Case Of Mommy Brain’ on her fabulous blog. This post was originally posted on her site.

A very interesting thing happened when I was pregnant with my daughter. My mind turned to mush. I became very forgetful. I could barely hold on to a full thought. I would begin a sentence & then forget what I was talking about halfway through. I couldn’t remember the simplest of things.
“Honey, can you pass me that long silver thing with the buttons that changes the TV channels?”
“You mean the remote control?”
“Yes! Thank you! That is what that thing is called.”
My friends warned me about pregnancy brain & that it would get worse as my pregnancy progressed. The thing that they all failed to mention was that after my daughter was born that pregnancy brain would turn into mommy brain.
To read the rest of the post click through below…

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Wed
17 ^th

Can You Scold An Other Mother’s Child?

Posted by Pinparent — 21 Comments

Being a first time mom at 38, I was the last in my line of my friends to have a child. I had a difficult time relating with all of these friends when I was childless. There were many things I just did not understand.

One day while shopping at the mall with two of my friends and their children, one of the kids fell behind in the group. At the time she was only a toddler. I watched as she walked over to the escalator. As she slowly stepped on, I screamed her name & told her to be careful. Her mother quickly scooped her up & we continued on our way. A little later, my other friend pulled me aside and reprimanded me. “You don’t do that.” she told me. “I didn’t want her to get hurt.” I replied. “You don’t ever yell at another person’s kid.” she told me. I learned that many mothers felt this way and took this to be some sort of unwritten mom code. I learned to hold my tongue when it came to other people’s children.

Fast forward a few years, I am at a birthday party & playing with my neighbors two sons. The mother stood at the entrance & watched as I entertained her sons with my goofy antics. One second the boys were jumping & laughing and then without warning they started to wrestle each other. I stopped, frozen with the curse of the mom code. My neighbor hollered at me, “Stop them! Break it up!” I quickly pulled them off of each other in a daze of confusion. What is the correct thing to do when dealing with other people’s children? As someone that did not have any kids of her own, I truly did not know.

After the birth of my daughter, my eyes were opened to all of the struggles and joys all of my friends had already experienced. It brought a new clarity and understanding. As my daughter reached a certain age, we began to be more social. I took her to the park, kid’s gyms, the library and anywhere where she could be around other children. Often the mothers would socialize and talk among themselves while their children played unsupervised. I found myself facing that same old dilemma. If I saw a child that was about to do something that could put themselves or others in harm’s way, I am I supposed to sit back and mind my own business or do I risk the mother’s wrath and speak up?

I will take the wrath. I cannot keep quiet if I see a child dangerously close to the end of a jungle gym. I won’t bite my tongue if I see one kid hurling toys at another one’s head. I won’t because what if the day I stay quiet, someone gets hurt and what if one day it is my daughter throwing toys or standing to close to the edge, I would hope someone e would speak up for me.

Recently while at an amusement park, I saw a young child struggling to get off her ride. She looked as if she might fall, so I gave her my hand to climb down. The mother very defensively grabbed her hand and pulled her away. What a strange reaction I thought.

As mothers, we all have the same goal, we all face the same challenges and we all need help once in a while. Nobody wants their child to get hurt and I am sure nobody wants their children to hurt anyone else, whether it is physically or emotionally, so why is it so taboo to address another mother’s child. If it done in a respectful manner, shouldn’t we all welcome the extra set of eyes when our backs are turned.

Fri
05 ^th

A Football Widow’s Rant

Posted by Pinparent — 10 Comments

My favorite time of year is rapidly approaching. When autumn comes it brings with it a colorful palette of falling leaves, fresh crisp air, all things pumpkin flavored & Halloween. I love everything about the fall except one thing…

It’s Football season! For the next 17 weeks (possibly more if we make it to playoffs, gasp…), I will be in mourning. I will officially be a football widow.

Here is the thing. I am not that cool wife. You will not find me on the couch in a sexy Pats tank chugging beers with the guys, screaming obscenities at the TV, listing 101 reasons why Peyton Manning sucks, all while I wait for my Buffalo wings to finish cooking. I am not that girl. Lord knows I have tried. My husband tries to get me involved. He will talk to me about the game, explain what is happening & will even go as far as ask me crazy questions about players and their stats as if I have these answers stored in my ass and have just been waiting to pull them out at the right time. I have gone to the games, read up on the rules, listened to my husband talk about it over & over & over again. Guess what? I still think football sucks. I just don’t give a crap about it. 1st down, 2nd down, holding, what the ?$*k! does it all mean?

As soon as football season starts, my husband gets a wandering eye. It wanders to the television & stays there. I could dance naked in front of the TV with bacon draped over me & he would just say, “Babe, you’re blocking the game.” The fact is I just can’t compete with Tom Brady. I will never win 3 Super Bowls or be able to throw a 50 yard pass. Unless, I get surgery I will never have his cleft chin. I am quite certain if Tom Brady grew a set of breasts my husband might consider leaving me for him. He might even do it without the breasts… Let’s face it, the man is handsome.

So what is a wife to do?

Here is the great thing about being a football widow. You are not alone. There are other women out there that hate football just as much as you do. Find them! You can bond over your mutual hatred for this sport. Set up much needed girl dates or play dates with the kids.

Find your own hobby or interests during the season. It’s fall crafting time. Mai & I will have plenty of projects to keep us busy on Sundays & Monday nights.

Suck it up. Sometimes you just want to spend time with your hubby. Cuddle up on the couch & watch with him. Maybe you have been wrong the first 40 years of your life & you actually do like football. P.S. Beer makes it more bearable.

Luckily, our daughter loves watching sports with her daddy, so she will not wind up a football orphan.

Wed
27 ^th

Sometimes Mommies Cry

Posted by Pinparent — 18 Comments

Motherhood is riddled with a wide range of emotions. From the day that your child is born, you are overcome with feelings like you have never felt before. You have never loved so much, laughed so much, feared so much or felt so happy. As much joy as your children bring into your life there are days that can bring you to tears.

When our daughter was first born, I cried a lot. I cried from exhaustion, confusion & from the endlessly overwhelming feelings of uncertainty that I felt. I didn’t think that I was doing anything right. I could not get my daughter to sleep or stop crying. I was certain that I was going to be a failure at motherhood. Time went on and those tears dried up. Things got easier. As our daughter grew so did my love. Not that I didn’t love her before mind you, but watching her develop into a person with her own personality and mind was magnificent. It was nice getting to meet my daughter.

This week I found those tears again. This time is was not from the exhaustion or uncertainty is was from a wounded heart. It first began over the weekend. Mai reached for her toy guitar in one of her toy bins. She was having a difficult time pulling it out as it was stuck on the lip of the shelf. I walked over to her and asked…

“Do you need Mama’s help?”

“NO! Daddy do it!”

“Mai, Daddy is resting. Mama can get it for you.”

“NO! No Mama! It’s Daddy’s turn.”

When I pulled out the guitar to hand it to her, she threw herself on the ground sobbing and kept asking for Daddy.

This was just one of many incidents similar to this that occurred over the past few days. With every diaper change or bath or bedtime story, my daughter cried and said that she wanted Daddy to do it. I felt as if I was just picked last in gym class, dumped at the prom & lied to by best friend all in the same day. I felt a sad little pit planting itself into my stomach. I tried to tell myself that she was just going through a Daddy phase this week. Lord knows that she has done the same thing to my husband, but this did not bring me any comfort. Tonight after Daddy gave her a bath & got her ready for bed, he had to leave for work. I tucked her in to read her a bedtime story. She pleaded and sobbed & asked for Daddy. I opened the book and started reading through her protests. As I read, she cried. I could feel my own eyes filling up with tears. After a few sentences she finally calmed down, snuggled in and listened. She looked up at me and smiled and said “Mama, one more book.” Of course, my baby. After she fell asleep, I drowned my hurt feelings in a bowl of frozen yogurt. Looks like mama might have to grow some thicker skin before the teenage years hit. I better buy some more yogurt.

Sun
24 ^th

Yes, My Daughter Wears Hand-Me-Downs

Posted by Pinparent — 12 Comments

Do you remember when you first found out you were pregnant? The anticipation to welcome your new little family member was overwhelming. There were so many things to do & buy before you brought home your new little bundle. If you were like me, you started brainstorming for themes for the nursery right away. You chose the perfect pattern & needed to compliment it with just the right furniture & paint. It would all be added to your baby registry of course. You saw a million adorable outfits & you wanted to buy every one. After your baby shower you came home with enough loot to last you what looked like a lifetime. It did not last a lifetime. It was more like 1 one year & 4 months. After your baby out grew all those beautiful outfits that you received (half of which never even got worn) & you packed up all those infant toys, it was time to hit the mall for new clothes, shoes, toys, books, etc, etc, etc… Cha ching!! Holy Crap, having a kid is expensive.

Right now my daughter is wearing high waters because she has outgrown most of her pants almost overnight. Thank goodness it is summer & we can pass them off as capris. With their little bodies growing out of clothes every few months & their interests changing almost as quickly as they learn, it could bankrupt a mommy & daddy. Luckily, there are ways to cut costs..

1. Hand-me-downs: If you are lucky enough to have a friend that is willing to give you their children’s old clothes, TAKE THEM. Hand me downs are one of the greatest things you can give to a mommy. We have clothes, toys, books & videos that have been handed down from assorted friends & family members. I have taken many hand-me downs & given many as well. As long as it is new to them, kids don’t care whether it was bought new.

2. Tag Sales: If you don’t go to tag sales you should. Tag saling is just fun. There is something about finding a great deal that makes you feel like you just uncovered a buried treasure. This is a great place to find kid’s stuff. You can find clothes with tags still on them & great toys & books for just cents. Our town just had a town-wide tag sale. We went this weekend. My daughter was in paradise. We left with a few treasure for her & even something for mommy,

3. The library: Our whole house is over-run with books. Our daughter loves to read & so do my husband and I. We would go broke buying new books all the time. That is why I love the library. Many libraries even have a kid section with a seating area & toys. Our local library has a Lego table that will entertain my daughter for hours. I pick out books for the whole family while my daughter happily plays away. Here is the best part, it is all free. How can you beat that?

4. Cut coupons & look for sales: I am not going to lie, I am terrible at cutting coupons. I am good at looking for great deals though. I have found amazing things on clearance. Buy out of season clothing for the following year, this is especially great for items such a winter coats which tend to be pricier.

5. Second hand stores: Do not scoff at thrift shops & second hand stores, if you are willing to take the time to poke, you can find great deals. There are even some stores that only deal in children’s items, such as Once Upon A Child. They sell everything. You can find gently used toys, furniture & other must haves such as strollers & pack n plays for dirt cheap.

6. Group Exchange: If you are Facebook or any other type of social media, I am sure that you have seen some sort of a children’s group exchange. People post photos of their old kid’s items & sell them at a reasonable rate.

7. Pick free activities: We love going on fun family outings with our daughter, but it can get expensive. If you are a family on a budget, pick activities that do not require any money. Take a trip the park, go to a local pond or lake, as I said before the library offers a lot of fun options.

8. DIY: If you or your husband are crafty or are able to sew, knit, quilt or build, Do It Yourself is always a great way to go. We are lucky enough that our mother in law both sews & quilts. She has made us sheets, clothes, washing mitts & one beautiful ABC quilt that I keep trying to get her to reproduce & sell on Etsy.

9. Recycling Toys & Books: There is no need to keep buying new toys & books. Pack away toys & books and rotate them. After they have been out of sight for a while they become new and exciting again.

Tonight I am enjoying a fun family night playing the Ants in the Pants game that I bought for 50 cents at a tag sale & then following it up by reading good night stories from the library .

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