Parenting: Before & After the Internet

How did we survive before the internet? Certainly our parenting was far more driven by our own intuition than by that of our good friend Mr. Google. I suppose there were those things called parenting books that people could read.

“You are so lucky to have the internet,” my mom will often tell me. This is after I express to her that I’m refusing to give my kid juice before middle school because I’ve read somewhere on the internet that it’s a no-no. Or that my toddler won’t be wearing a winter jacket in her car seat because I’ve now seen the 12th video on how it could one day save her life.

How did this information get communicated so quickly before? Beats me.

A Lesson in Judging Other Moms | Real Life Guilt

This post was featured on Netmums.com

It has been a month since my last post. Life has gotten pretty busy – as they do.

Then this happened the other day. And I felt the urge to write about it.

I went to the park by our house for the 1000th time. It was one of those particularly repetitive days of motherhood. You know the ones.

Baby, Toddler, and I walked up to the park and headed for the swings. Consistently, the first stop on every trip to the park.

I catch the eye of the only other mom there, with her two toddlers and a baby strapped to her chest.

We Used to Cuddle Before Smart Phones

What is the last thing you do before going to bed? Give your significant other a kiss? Quick cuddle? Chat until you feel like falling asleep, then separate to your respective sides of the bed and fall asleep?

That’s how we used to do it. Before our smart phones became our cuddle buddies.

I was quite late in the game to join the smart phone party. I got my first one only this year after my trusty Blackberry of 5 years crashed on me. It had sketchy internet at best. No Facebook. No apps. Just texting and sometimes Google Maps if you really wanted to take your time and work at it.

Surviving the In-Laws (Love it or Hate it?)

That title sounds rather formidable. Maybe it should read more like “how do I survive hosting guests for multiple nights while keeping my children, myself, and my household alive”.

My husband’s parents arrived the middle of last week to stay for five days. On the one hand, I was ecstatic that they could come see Baby M while she’s so young and hear Little N tell stories over and over again about random things like how the power went out at her daycare four months ago. Skype just doesn’t quite cut it after a while.

On the other hand, I hate playing host. Some people are amazing at hosting. I will be the first to admit, that is just not me.

Here is what I don’t like about hosting:

Baby’s First Food! (Week 1)

Baby has officially tasted something other than boob milk. And other than her sister’s fingers, or the lint on the floor, or that thing she ate that shall not be mentioned.

I painstakingly make all her food myself. No, it’s really not that bad. Most of the time I make a bunch of food and freeze it so it’s almost the same convenience as having store bought. Kind of.

Picking Up Mums At Starbucks (Are Anti-Vaxxers Horrible?)

I usually pick up mums at the local Starbucks here. It’s the best place to meet them. You know you have a mutual love for coffee and spend a ridiculous amount on it, probably daily. And you also immediately have other little humans that can entertain your little humans.

I think this mum actually picked me up this time. We were standing in line and she asked how old my daughter was. Then the universal mum talk came out as we immediately had a million things in common to chat about.

We barely got through our orders as we tried to dish out things about our kids and discuss how mum life both sucks (I’m so tired) and is awesome (look at that adorable smile).

First Date Night After Baby

Six months after baby #2, we were having our first date night away from the kids. Our overnight bag was packed and I was on my way to pick up hubby from work.

I drove away from my household with grandma carrying Baby M on her hip and grandpa reading Toddler a book whilst she makes a fort out of the dozen burpers and blankets I had just nicely folded and will surely stay unfolded until I am cursing the world looking for them at some later date.

For the next 20 minutes I had to convince myself half a dozen times that I hadn’t forgotten the baby somewhere. And that it was okay to turn the volume up on the radio because I didn’t have those delicate little eardrums in the backseat.

Toddler Diaries | The “Bummie” Chair

Little N (aka Toddler) narrates her week:

1. I have named my baby sister’s chevron chair (well, it’s mine actually…every toy is mine): “the bummie chair”. This is why:

Yes, My 5 Month Old is in 12 Month Clothing

My toddler has taken over the ‘mum’ role for Baby M. She shushes her, pats her belly when she’s crying, hugs her, gives her kisses, occasionally licks her head. That kind of stuff. The eye poking has generally stopped though which is good for baby. It’s definitely the kind of stuff I’m trying to catch on video for future laughs!

Little baby M is also not so little anymore. She still seems little to me but she’s over 18lbs of pure butter ball baby. That’s over 100th percentile for weight on the growth chart. That growth chart means nothing to me though. I say that because my babies were both too big to even be marked on the curve. And both were 100% breast fed. I’m not sure why we seem so abnormal in the chart-world!

How the Story Really Goes Introducing Your Child to Your New Baby

I dreamed of the moment when my daughter would meet her baby sister. It would be magical. I had visions of the hospital room when big sister would timidly peer in at the new baby. Being shy at first, but curious. Maybe reaching out to touch baby or just staring at her in amazement. Then sitting with me to hold her and cuddle in and cherish the start of our four-person family.

Yah, it didn’t quite happen like that.

Here is how it really went down:

Mom, You Are My Hero

Dear Mom,

How did you survive three kids under two years old?

I know Father’s Day just happened, but I kind of missed thanking you on Mother’s Day. Sorry about that. I was too caught up with my own lil’ munchkins that I forgot to thank you for being my rock!

Thank you for carrying me and my brother in your tummy. I’m sorry for the stretch marks and the extra weight you put on carrying us twins.

Do I Tell My Toddler ‘No’ Too Often?

Sometimes I wonder if ‘no’ is said too often in our household. (This is motherhood, second guessing is our nature).

Everyday I see myself reach my limit. Do I get mad at her too often? She is only two and a half, after all.

Is it really that big of a deal if she spilled flour all over the floor when we made cookies, or how she gave me a hug while rubbing her hands all over my pants directly after eating spaghetti, or how she had a meltdown because there weren’t enough bubbles in the bubble bath, or how she screamed when I tickled her and she woke the baby.

Should I really be so quick to sush her or tell her no?