Bedtime Shenanigans

We used to have a bedtime routine. Dinner, bath, tv, books, mama snuggles & milk, then some daddy snuggles and sleep.  Daddy would stay with Dom until he drifted off into lala land sometime around 7p.m.  Bedtimes around here have been calm and full of snuggles.  They are still calm but definitely not our regular 7p.m. As Dom is getting older and much smarter our evenings are going something like this…..

Dinner

Bath

TV

Books

“SNACK!” “MAMA SNACK!” “TOAST! DADDY TOAST!” “RAISIN TOAST” (our child has been eating those cranberry orange pita’s like crazy!! He easily eats 3 a day!)

Bedtime (or so we attempt!) Wide awake still 30 minutes later……..

“JUICE! I NEED JUICE!”

Adam- “no Dom you don’t need juice, its bed time.”

“WATER! WATER DADDY!”

Adam- “no Dom go to sleep.”

“K Daddy”

**insert quiet here**

Approx 5 minutes later…….

“Watch! Cars Daddy! Watch Now! I watch now…k?”

*out of the bedroom comes Dominic with Adam in two”

“SOSO (how Dom says Oso from Disney Jr) mama, watch!”

*this is where Adam informs me that once again our son is wide awake at 8p.m. and is nowhere near ready to go to sleep. However was more than ready an hour ago when we initially put him down.*

So we all snuggle and watch tv while our son demands snack after snack.  We think he is obviously going through a growth spurt. We have modified nap times to see if earlier naps, later naps, no naps, etc. will help with the bedtime routine.

For now we have decided that we will take the extra one on one time we have with our little man in the evenings and enjoy it before he decides he is too cool for his parents and snuggles!

Sometime around 9 (or 10, or……) we get this….

Finding Your Tribe

Having a new baby can bring a whole lot of ups and downs.  Whether it’s having your first child, second, third, or fourth (fifth?! sixth?)  the changes it brings to the family unit can be big….life changing big.  A new human being, a new child, a new sibling, a new love.  One thing I have found since becoming a mother with my first child is you need to find your tribe. Your support group(s), friends, meet-ups, playgroups and outings where you can be surrounded by others going through a similar experience.  Finding those special groups who totally get you and totally get, or at least show support towards, what you are striving for as a family.

I have found many tribes and even after 2 years of being a mom I am still finding new ones while continuing to grow familiar ones.  I have built tribes from online relationships discovered through twitter and Facebook. I have nourished tribes I had previously from the yoga community, nannying gigs and existing friendships. I have been a part of powerful tribes that have come together over breastfeeding, attachment parenting, fun playgroups and baby signing and much more.

With social media being mainstream in society I continue to enjoy my tribes who I have made initial contact with through Facebook groups and twitter conversations.  Creating conversations within a closed Facebook group with women who just “get you” and then taking those online relationships offline to coffee dates, park playdates and dinners is a wonderful experience.  I think of how blessed I have been in being a social media enthusiast, blogging and tweeting and the relationships with people who I probably would have never of met if it wasn’t for social media.  I have created relationships through these channels and with some of those people they are some of the people we enjoy spending a lot of time with.  Some of the people who know the most about me and my business I have met online and took those relationships offline and watched them grow.

When it all comes down to it and you haven’t even managed a shower in a day or two you know that your tribe will still be there for you, with open arms.  So I want to thank my tribes for always being there for me.  And to all the mama’s out there who are feeling alone. Reach out. Find a tribe, maybe you need to try out a few first, but once you find the one that is right for you you will be knowing it is the right fit!

And if you are on twitter then come on over and let’s connect! Tweet me at @amandadegrace

Who is your tribe and how did you connect with them? Through a local playgroup? Childhood friends? online?

Two Years Too Fast

What a whirlwind! A whirlwind that has been absolutely amazing and a journey I am so blessed to be a part of.  Two years ago today I was wondering if he was ever going to make his arrival and wondering what life was really going to be like once we became parents.  Little did I know I would only have to wait 48 more hours to finally meet him!

The last two years I have learned so much from Dominic. I have learned what its like to really play and enjoy the simple moments such as pausing to watch a plane fly by, crouching down to watch an ant carry food and watch the squirrels run up the trees.

The joy of his laughter can lighten my mood at any time, no matter what is happening around me.  His smile always makes me want to smile back and the joy of watching him learn more everyday continues to amaze me.

Who knew that two years could ever go by so fast. As I pause and try to enjoy each and every moment while they are arrive, being present, I can’t help but worry how fast the next 2 will go by as well.

2nd Birthday Fun!

All showered and has no idea that today is PARTY DAY!

 

Pretty in pink and ready to celebrate her brothers 2nd Birthday

 

Warming up for the day with some outdoor play

 

Kitchens is ready for pizza and cake! Complete with Thomas the Train.

 

Outside playing with airplanes. Daddy brings all the fun stuff 🙂

 

Of course we need an airport for the planes! Thanks to J for making this one!!

 

mmmm CAKE!

 

It’s past my nap time and today has already been a big day!

 

Cooling off after Party #1 and getting ready for family to come.

 

Mama hanging out with Bella

 

More Yummy Dessert

 

Sharing hugs with Poppy

 

And Then There Were TWO!

Four weeks have passed in a whirlwind. I have no idea where the time has gone. Really…no idea…not a freakin clue!  In a way it just seems like Bella has always been here and always been a part of our family.  In other ways we have made changes within our family unit to adapt to life with two babes. I will add that we are very excited and happy with any changes to our family unit we have made though!

We are in our daily routine and it is going smoothly. There are definitely times I wish I had twenty extra pairs of hands but I have to remember to just slow down. I have found myself asking our 23 month old to “listen more carefully” or asking him why he hasn’t done something I have asked him a few moments prior to do. I have to remember that he is still technically one and that for his age he is very active, mature (as mature as a 23 month old can be!), extremely kind to his sister, polite and helpful.

Four weeks in I am used to packing up the diaper bag with enough stuff for TWO, changing and washing all the diapers for TWO, the amount of clothes and blankets you go through with TWO children and DOUBLE the mess.  Even with now DOUBLE of everything I am extremely excited and grateful every single day for these two precious children in our lives.

 

I look at our sweet Bella and can’t believe she has already been here for a month and how much she has grown in that time.  Somedays I sit and brainstorm ways we could just freeze time. Or maybe we should just shut ourselves in the house for an indefinite amount of time so we can treasure every precious moment of our children’s lives. But really in reality how fun would it be not being able to watch our children learn, grow and discover the world?!

I am finding that time is hard to find these days with taking care of both cuties, running a business and the daily household tasks the time seems to slip away during the day.  In the little time I have while Dom has his nap in the afternoons I am quickly loading and unloading the dishwasher, throwing on a load of cloth diapers, making grocery lists and more….all while usually breastfeeding Bella.

To be the best mom I can be I have been trying to remember to take time out. Taking a few moments or an hour for me. Like taking the time out to write this blog post, enjoy a latte at the local coffee shop or a dinner out with friends. Of course Bella is normally in tow with me but enjoys sleeping all snuggled up in a wrap to leave me hands free.

One thing I can’t wait to be able to get back to? Working out and yoga!! But really everything else in the world can wait as long as I can treasure every minute with my two cuties!!

Unintentional Sabbatical!

EEK, so apparently I took a small and unintentional sabbatical from my blog.  However, it was needed. Needed to refresh my mind and more importantly take care of my mind, body and spirit as I nourish the little human being growing inside me and the little man who runs around the house everyday with a smile from ear to ear.   But…I’M BACK!

December was a busy month full of ups and downs. For various reasons we decided to take D out of his daycare. A decision we had been contemplating for quite some time and finally said enough is enough. If we were thinking of taking him out of daycare that meant that we weren’t truly happy with having him there and therefore needed to do something about it.  It was torn emotions as we loved the lady who worked directly with him everyday but the daycare management needed some extreme work and this mama was done with the uphill climb it had been over the past few months. He loved his friends at daycare and one little girl he still gets to see when we have playdates.  It was a few weeks of unknown after that. We visited a few other daycare centres but none really met my standards. Yes, to some I may be a little picky, but after working as a nanny for years I have full right to be. I saw children in a lot of different childcare situations and I believe I am a pretty good judge of character.

We decided to go the nanny route as it would be nice to have D at home for the most part and we would have our options of activities for him to go to throughout the week.  Another added benefit for us was having him at home and the assistance of a nanny when the new baby comes in March.  So the new nanny is hired and currently on day #2, my fingers are crossed that things work out for all of us!

Despite our intentions of having a quiet Christmas with lots of downtime it ended up being full of activities and events. They were fun for all but left us needing a vacation from our time off!

Baby Girl will be here before we know it and WOW does my body ever feel different this pregnancy. The second time around it seems much more difficult earlier on.  Already at 33 weeks I am getting mild contractions, pelvic pain and I am soooo tired! Not to mention the non stop nausea that still visits each and every day.  Thankfully it is getting a little better and I am really starting to eat more!  The poutine and beavertail at Winterlude was delicious Friday night 😉

So it seems we are finally back into a routine with childcare some what sorted out. My business is thriving as I begin to step back a little bit, let it grow and nurture it in other ways. My “day job” is continually busy but we have come up with a common ground for me to take some time off and work most of my hours from home.

I have come to realize that sometimes unintentional sabbaticals happen for a reason and we need to embrace them!

With the days flying by and the to do lists always there I always come back to this picture….my two favourite men in the whole world!

Another Day, Another Big Boy Accomplishment!

As baby #2 is on the way we knew we definitely were not going to be purchasing another crib. Baby boy didn’t even make an attempt to sleep in his until at least 6 months and was not in his crib “consistently” until well over a year. I say “consistently” lightly as what I mean is he would go to sleep in his crib around 7p.m. and by 10p.m. one of us was sleeping on his floor with him in his room until morning so we could snuggle and baby boy could be in comfort. We know that with this next baby we will not be using a crib for quite some time and I thought we would work on making the transition of baby boy from his crib to a bed later on.

Hubby was keen on trying it out and I finally agreed that we could put the queen size mattress on his floor and give it a try. We already knew that baby boy slept better on the larger mattress and would wake up less during the night. I was concerned over how he would go to sleep and how long it may take for him to go to sleep at night.

 

Well, it has just been over a week and we have already disassembled the crib because we have had great success with this transition! Baby boy goes down around 7p.m at night. Usually hubby lays with him for a while and leaves once they get their snuggles in.  Baby boy sometimes rolls around and plays a little in his bed and goes to sleep!!  Yes, he has ventured out of bed and played a bit in his room (we have secured all his dressers and bookshelves to the wall) and today when it was the start of nap we even heard a little knock on his door as he was kindly getting our attention 😉

He is still getting up usually once a night, the odd time we will get a sleep through until 5:30/6, and hubby goes in to give him cuddles and sometimes some warm milk.  Usually he is right back asleep and some mornings has even been sleeping until 6:30!!

I am so proud of my little boy!  Sniff, sniff…he is growing up though 😦

Have you made the transition to a bed with your children? How did it go?  Thinking of making the transition soon?

 

The bar is slowly lowering….

Yep you heard it here first. The bar is slowing lowering. My standards bar that is and I am sure you can hear my husbands sigh of relief miles away!  While I am mostly busy looking for the closet bag or can to get sick into these days (no, I haven’t been drinking…..I am pregnant!) I don’t have the time or the energy to worry about what my house looks like, whether the pile of clothes on the floor are dirty or if they are the clean ones my husband folded for me and I haven’t put away for over a week.  I have no idea whether the peanut butter on the floor is from yesterday’s breakfast or last month’s.

I am a totally different person when I am pregnant and suffer from hyperemesis.  Throw me a pillow, a comfy couch and a bucket and I am good to go.  That inch of dust on the tv stand? What dust? Seriously, when I am pregnant it’s like I turn into a male who doesn’t see any of it or have a care in the world.

Normally when I am ill and the house is a mess I would begin to feel stressed and it would bother me. Maybe it doesn’t bother me now because of the pregnancy hormones, I don’t know. But really I DON’T CARE….and it is great 🙂

We have decided to raise the bar just slightly from where it has landed on the floor over the past 16 weeks. We are outsourcing. I have a new love. My house cleaner. She moves my furniture to clean underneath, I could lick my bathtub when she is finished and no dust to be found anywhere! When she was finished there were things that were found that I can’t remember the last time they were seen.

I tell you that I am onto this whole outsourcing thing and I could really get the hang of it. Now just to find that money tree!

Anything you have learned to let go of over the years, during your pregnancy  or as the kids grow? Maybe you outsource some household tasks, childcare or business activities such as book keeping, virtual assistance or more? I would love to hear about it!

T-R-O-U-B-L-E

Yep, they say payback can be a bitch and we are holding on tight for this ride!  Babe is not only moving & grooving but he is learning all about exploring his curiosity and starting to get into mischief.

Like when he walks into the kitchen laughing and babbling and then you hear quiet. Real quiet.  You will usually end up with hearing 1 of the following 2 things….

1) He walked over to the cat water and proceeds to stick anything in the bowl and then splash it around. He then likes to take one piece of cat food at a time and place it in their water bowl. The other day he dunked his snack into the cat water and then I sat there leisurely while he ate it.  You might be thinking “eww” but I was thinking “oh it’s quiet and he is sitting still….sigh.”

or you hear….

2) Bang, Clunk! Yep he has opened the cupboard where he knows the dried mango and apricots are and is banging the glass mason jar around.  You know because if you smash it hard enough he knows he may get to have a piece of dried fruit.  Don’t worry I totally don’t let him get fruit that way. Well….except the other day he did break a jar but we threw out all the food within its immediate area!

When I approach him to see what he may be doing he usually responds with some sort of long babble and I have no idea what he is saying.  Well, I think I might have a small understanding. I think he is telling me to pretend I don’t see what he is doing.  Maybe in not so nice words though.

Watch in the video below how he “accidentally” pushes his car towards the cat food. Kind of like “oops how did my car get over here?” When I say his name to get his attention he immediately starts into telling me “I am not doing anything, you just turn around and leave me alone.  You are not supposed to know I am here.”  He even points his finger to tell me to go “over there.”

The fun has just begun at the ripe age of 13 months. Oh, and the tantrums?   That’s a whole other post on its own 😉  He is all about the I want it and I want it now so just give it to me.   Some days my response is “you get what you get & you don’t get upset” but to be honest other days I just give it to him because I want some peace and quiet for a few seconds.  Oh how the times are changing since I was a nanny….the nanny who ran a tight ship.

But Mr. I -know-how-to-get-into-trouble still has his soft sides. The snuggly side.  The little boy who pats your back when you pick him up just like you do to him on so many sleepless nights.  The kisses are wonderful and the smiles are priceless.

Moving & Grooving

Wow, how our little man has changed over the past year!  From a little babe who depended on you for warmth, food, comfort and to go to sleep and now a little toddler who can say words, make specific noises on purpose, walk, get into mischief and knows exactly how to make you smile or laugh!

Mornings are a blast with his smiles and playful self.  Watching him lick almond butter off of toast before chewing it with his 6 little teeth is a joy.  Then spreading the almond butter all over the table making art as he is creative.  Daycare drop off is easy peasy these days with all the friends he has made and the wonderful staff there.  He has learned so much already from being within the french environment!  To see his eyes light up when a squirrel runs by, a bird flies into the backyard or a big truck drives down the road is amazing!

His curiosity for what is out there in the world continues to grow each day.  The world is his to explore!