Ladies and Gentleman we have a TODDLER....Yikes!

By Jessica Floyd

Being a mom is hard.   Really, it is.   I have the most adorable, sweet, energetic little boy who I love to shower with adoration.  He was seriously the PERFECT baby.  People would tell me that I was so lucky to have such a sweet easy-going baby.  I knew this was a blessing, and that they were right.  I could see that my son had his father's easy-going, go-with-the-flow personality, and I could not be more pumped!  Well, my easy-going baby has now turned into a stubborn, strong-willed toddler.  Traits that I recognize a little too closely from personal experience.   Don't get me wrong, I still adore him, and he is still a very sweet little boy....he is just a little boy who's favorite word is now, "NO."  How is it possible that a toddler telling me, "NOOOO," can sting so badly? Well, it does. 

I have had a lot of experience with babies, and that stage never scared me, in fact, I loved every minute.   This, on the other hand, feels like a brand new game.  How do I be firm but kind?  How do I parent a toddler when I feel like I am learning along with him?  These thoughts occupy my mind as I am laying in bed at night.  This is a first for me.  I am always prepared, thorough.  I have a Master's degree in special education with a focus in behavior.  I can come up with all kinds of positive reinforcement solutions for school-aged children, but my son is a little too young for those now.  

We do spend a lot of time in Time Out these days. Really, it happens all the time.  He wants to be in charge and decide what he can and can not do.  I tell him no or ask him to stop what he is doing and, all the sudden, that old western music that comes on right before the outlaw and the sheriff draw their guns plays in my head.  I know I am showing him love by disciplining him and practicing consistency, but I never realized it would be so hard on me, his mommy, the one who has adored every move he has made every day of his life.

It got me thinking that this is just the beginning.  My son will continue to challenge me, frustrate me with his choices, and act out in ways I do not understand.  So yes, being a mom is hard.  Harder than I imagined because, when it is your child, things are personal.  You wonder if you are doing everything wrong, if you are too strict, too nurturing, too quick or slow to respond to their actions.  I just never understood how hurtful it can feel for an 18-month-old to look you straight in the eyes with an ugly face, stomp his foot, and shout, "NOOOOOO, NOOOOOO!"  It makes my heart sink every time.  I know this is age-appropriate, I know that this happens.  I just did not realize how devastated it would make me feel. The good news is I am not in this alone.

I feel like I have been praying a lot lately, praying specifically for my husband and myself as parents.  Praying that God will help us through this stage and that we can help bring out the character in our son that God intends for him to have.  I feel that this experience has brought me closer to God.  Maybe before I had a child of my own, I did not grasp how much God loves all of us.  We are His children, he has adored us everyday of our lives.  Boy, I know I have disappointed him by telling him, "NO" over the years.  God is the most perfect Father, and yet, I have been disobedient.  I know that my husband and I cannot be perfect parents, but it gives me comfort that God is the Heavenly Father of my child and He is going to help us along the way.

I came across this blog that gave me some reassurance, I hope if you are having the same issues at your house it can be helpful to you also.

Sarah Jane Studios

By Karen Brown

I have long been a fan of Sarah Jane Studios. Her artwork is beautifully done with the slight vintage vibe I am drawn to, and gorgeous color!

She has recently added some children’s prints to her collection that would be perfect in a nursery. Don’t they just make you smile? What I may love most is that they come in both boy and girl designs, several skin colors and even different languages to choose from.

In addition to nursery artwork, Sarah Jane has some more grown-up, but equally inspiring prints you can download for free here and here.

I would love to have these hanging in my home...such good reminders! Check out what Ashley Ann did with hers. So very creative!

Too Busy?

By Karen Brown

I came across this article recently via here and found it quite interesting. It’s from the Wall Street Journal and it talks about how Americans are probably less busy as we think we are. I know that most days I tend to feel like there isn’t anywhere close to enough hours in the day to get everything done that I hope to. I tend to race from one thing to another and am constantly distracted by the next thing and trying to multi-task to make it all happen.

One thing that struck me when reading is when the author points out that “claiming to be busy relieves us of the burden of choice.” But if we change our language and try saying that we are choosing not to do something instead of saying we are too busy, we may find we have more time than we think. I can’t imagine ever saying to my family, “I’m sorry but I am choosing not to play with you right now. Mommy is updating her Pinterest boards,” but that may in fact be the case when we tell our little ones “just a minute...I’m busy” and then get back to them 20 minutes later. Or when I say that my relationship with God is a priority, but then I can’t seem to find the time for spiritual disciplines.

The article also talks about how we tend to over/under estimate how long a task actually takes. I know when I am focused on one thing at a time, I tend to get more done. I realize then that unloading the dishwasher actually takes six minutes, not 15.

For me, it comes down to trying to be more intentional. If I want to check email “quick,” then I need to give myself 10 minutes to do that and then move on. If not, 10 can quickly turn into 30. And if I say a picked-up and clean house is a priority, then I need to recognize that I can’t get that done in 15 minutes a day. It seems to be more about choice that the actual hours in a day. Time is a precious commodity and deciding what to spend it on, and then carving out a realistic amount of it during the day to make that thing happen may turn our “too busy” into enough.

How do you prioritize what to spend your time on? If you had an extra hour in your day, how would you spend it? 

lunch box love notes

By Karen Brown

When my two oldest were in kindergarten, their teacher asked that we send notes in their lunchboxes telling the kids what they were supposed to eat at snack and what was for lunch. Apparently, some kids would eat all their food at snack and have no lunch, while some would only eat the fun stuff and never healthier choices. Once the kids were a little bit older and had the snack/lunch routine down, I quit sending the notes, deeming them unnecessary.

But this week my eight-year-old surprised me by asking if I could add notes to her lunch again. I prodded a bit on why she wanted me to send along a note since she knows what to eat (and I didn’t want to embarrass her in front of her friends). She proceeded to tell me she likes to think about her family in the middle of the day. She likes to read that I love her and hope she has an awesome day. She likes the hearts and XOXO’s I usually add to the bottom of the page.

I was surprised that something I hadn’t thought about in two years had made an impression on my daughter. But the more I thought about it, who wouldn’t want to hear in the middle of the day someone loves them? The same way I might text my husband and let him know I miss him and am praying for him. The same way when I get a card in the mail from a friend and my day is suddenly turned around. The same way my kids draw me a picture and scribble “I love you mommy” on it.

There are so many ways to incorporate these small loves notes of encouragement into everyday family life besides just lunch box notes. Send a card by snail mail to your husband’s workplace for an unexpected pick-me-up; write notes on the bathroom mirror if you won’t be around or awake when your family gets up; add post-it love notes to unexpected places (the laptop screen, the sock drawer, inside the hub's favorite coffee mug). Here are some fun lunchbox notes to get you started.





Clockwise from top right:

Alphabet Note Cards

Hello Sunshine

Funny Mini Notes

Compliment Cards

I love when my kids inspire me to try something new!  

How do you love and encourage your family in little, unexpected ways?