Family Musings

Recently I have been very winny. I have won a few blog giveaways recently and want to tell you about one of them. From Dates to Diapers sponsored a giveaway in April for a Sandisk 4 GB flash drive. It arrived in the mail a week or so ago and I love it! This is something I would not have ever bought for myself, but am so glad I have. It holds way more than I need it to and I don't have to worry about having enough room. Isn't it funny how technology changes so quickly? When I bought my first digital camera, a 52b mb card was about $80. Now, we can get 4 GB worth of memory for only $35!

We interrupt this blog to bring you the following public service announcement: Many families around the world have allowed their children to sleep in the same bed as the parents. My family is no different. Currently, there is a movement by some government organizations (and some private ones) to label co-sleeping as a habit of neglect and abuse towards children. I think this is outrageous and that the exact opposite is true. What they call co-sleeping is actually exhausted parents falling asleep with a baby on the couch. This is not the same thing as what my family does. Co-sleeping has allowed my family to maintain its sanity. Had I not been able to sleep in the same bed as Charlotte I would have far fewer hours of sleep and most likely would have given up breastfeeding in favor of a bottle in hopes of putting Charlotte into a formula coma each night. If you did or are co-sleeping with your children, please take a minute (quite literally) to click over and take this survey. ...

I couldn't pick a favorite picture... so here are several showing Charlotte enjoying her blueberries.   Make a Smilebox slideshow

Thanks for your patience with me as I all but abandon my blog for the last 2 weeks. I wanted to give you a quick update and let you know I only have 1 task to complete for my professional teacher certification. I will start writing it up tomorrow and hopefully will have it finished and ready to submit by the end of the school day. I'll try to come back and post some pictures and stories over the weekend as time permits. Love ya! Thanks for hanging in there with me...

Sorry I haven't been very verbose lately... school lets out in less than 2 weeks and I have a mountain of paperwork and documentation to complete. I'll be back soon... I promise!

I think I talked on my cell phone several times a day when I was pregnant last year... should I worry ? A giant study, which surveyed more than 13,000 children, found that using the handsets just two or three times a day was enough to raise the risk of their babies developing hyperactivity and difficulties with conduct, emotions and relationships by the time they reached school age.

Self-portrait taken at Cypress Gardens yesterday.

Okay... those who I've talked about this with know I am comfortable with the IDEA of extended breastfeeding (breastfeeding past 12 months of age). However, I think this woman takes the extended part a bit too far. I don't believe she is nursing for her daughter's sake, but rather for her own. There is no nutritional value for the children, and no claims of that are made in this video. But when will she stop the nursing? And WHY, Lord, WHY, encourage them to draw pictures of their mother's breasts??? I just don't understand. There is a thread on one message board I lurk at that shed a little bit of light into how a hyper-extended nursing mother might feel about this. Lori is the mother of a 7 year old boy who was still nursing as of January 2008(he turned 7 in March). When he had gone about 7 weeks without nursing, Lori posted this: He hasn't asking[sic] and truth be told I am tempted to offer. I am not sure why. Maybe because I am not ready to let go of t...

I’ve been tagged by Rebecca at The Space Between My Peers .  Here’s what I’m supposed to do: * Link the person who tagged you - check. * Mention the rules in your blog - check. * Tell about six unspectacular quirks of your’s - see below. * Tag a new set of six following bloggers by linking them: Edi at Exotic Eating Experiment Rebecca at Proverbs Mom Erica at Webel Family Rachel at The Adventures of Mama and Little Eggrolls Kailani of The Island Life Michelle at Scribbit (maybe I'll find out how she chose her blog name!) * Leave a comment on each of the tagged blogger’s blogs letting them know they’ve been tagged - check (well, I e-mailed them instead) Six unspectacular quirks o’ mine: I only use white hangers for my clothes. If there are no more white hangers available, I'll find one in Bruce's closet and switch out his clothes for a non-white hanger. I touch my nose when I think. My students call it my brain button. I can type faster than anyone else I know in...

No-No-No from Jennifer S on Vimeo .

I only know of one grandma who reads my blog and I hope she likes what I am going to share... but it was so moving to me personally, I think she will. Girl Talk, a blog featured in my sidebar, recently posted a series on grandmothers. Women wrote short essays about the Christian heritage they received from their own grandmothers and I had the privilege of crying through most of them. I want to encourage all of you to head over and read these essays. Though they are in reverse order, you can read all of them here . Click here to read my favorite one. More than anything, reading these stories inspires me to be a better mother, so that one day, Charlotte's children will write essays like this about me. One thing I want to add about Mother's Day... since this was my first one, I really didn't know what to expect. What surprised me more than anything (yes, even more than the Nintendo DS Lite I got as a gift), was that I spent a lot of time just thinking about what kind of m...

I am not sure how many blogs there are in the world. One source said that there are as many as 70,000,000. Whether or not those are active, who knows? But I do know that someone has started an interesting wiki to try and collect links to at least 1,000,000 of those blogs. I did my part to help by adding both of my blogs to the list . This blog, Family Musings, is number 1511 . My other blog, EatingItUp, is number 1512 . If you keep a blog, join the social experiment and head over to add it yourself. Scroll all the way down to the bottom and click, "Add your blog to the list."

I know lots of wonderful momma's IRL (in real life) and wanted to take a moment to shout out to all of them! "She sets about her work vigorously; her arms are strong for her tasks." (Proverbs 31.17) Angela is probably the momma on this list I talk to the most. It doesn't hurt that we teach at the same school (she helped me get my job) and that her daughter, Stephanie, loves Charlotte. Angela is someone I can have fun with and that understands what life is like outside of Frostproof. Since Charlotte was born we don't spend as much time together, but it isn't something that I feel like we have to apologize for. She understands that things are different with a baby and I know that as Charlotte gets older, she'll still be there. Angela is also the woman who explained baby brain to me and for that I will be eternally grateful I think Angela is beautiful on the inside and out. "She sees that her trading is profitable, and her lamp does not go out at...

"Picture pages, time to get your crayons and your pencils." Does anyone else remember that song from Bill Cosby's* show in the 80's? I used to LOVE it. And for some reason when I was trying to think of a title of this page full of pictures I have for you, it came to mind. You can keep your crayons and pencils in the drawer though. I don't recommend trying to color these pictures (you might ruin your monitor). Our poor Charlotte has her first crawling injury. Apparently, she crawled so much at daycare that she gave herself a blister on her big toe. On the bright side, she no longer crawls knee-toe. Instead it is knee-foot. Tonight it looked kind of yucky so we put some neosporin-type stuff on it and covered it with a Ban d-Aid before bed. I am sure it will heal up just fine. She loves bath time! Normally bath time is done with Momma, but Daddy came in the other night and had a little fun with her hair... so of course, we had to take a picture for you!   T...

As promised, here are some new Bumbo pictures. I took these Friday morning before we left for school. Charlotte was fussing at me, so I knew if I brought out the camera she would get happy and smiley! You can compare them to this post to see how much she has grown!

It is hard to believe that I have been working on our sleep issues for a solid month. Apart from the fact that I really miss sleeping in my bedroom, we are actually making progress. Now that Charlotte has finally cut her top 2 teeth, she is much less fussy and needy at night. We have also stopped our nightly doses of baby Tylenol. Our typical night now has Charlotte nursing to sleep around 8 pm and then staying asleep until 11 pm. From there, she is pretty consistent with her 2 am and 4 am wakings. One of the hardest parts for me is that when she falls back asleep after her 4 am waking, I have to wake her up by 6 am in order to get her dressed and nursed before we go to school. I know her sleep would be better overall if I didn't have to interrupt it so much. There is something I am getting better at though. I am not getting her at her first cries because she really does cry and fuss in her sleep. And if she persists and doesn't seem to be going back to sleep, I try to comfort ...

Hosted by Kailani at An Island Life , I am again going to ask an Aloha Friday question. Per Kailani, "In Hawaii, Aloha Friday is the day that we take it easy and look forward to the weekend. So I thought that on Fridays I would take it easy on posting, too. Therefore, I’ll ask a simple question for you to answer. Nothing heavy or too thought-provoking." If you have your own blog, how does it make you feel when people leave comments? If you don't, what motivates you to leave a comment? Leave your answer in my comments and then head on over to Kailani's blog to answer her question, and others.

Charlotte is now 9-months old! I can't believe how fast time has flown past us. Just today I was looking at a 3-month old at daycare and trying to remember Charlotte at that age. Here's a photo to remind you: Her head looks so funny in this one doesn't it? And I just went looking for a recent picture of her in the Bumbo, but can't find any. I'll take one tomorrow if I think about it. We also had her 9-month well baby visit today. There are no shots for her to get now which is good because I have decided to put her on a modified vaccination schedule and still need to figure out my plan for that. My biggest fear for these appointments is that the doctor will complain about how small Charlotte is. But he never does. Today Charlotte weighed in at 15 lb 6 oz. Her length is 25 inches and her head circumference is 43 cm. (Don't ask why they use 2 different units of measure, I don't know!) Since the doctor didn't even mention her height or weight I was curious ...

Umm, this week's Thursday Thirteen theme is 'gross.' Since I don't feel like doing a post about gross baby stuff (you know, poop and vomit), I will share with you 13 gift-of-the-month items. (Because, you know, there are 12 months... yeah, the connection to 'gross' is lame, but it's the best I can do with the theme) Fruit of the Month - Probably the most common club. It might give someone you love a chance to try a new or exotic fruit they would not have otherwise purchased. Cheese of the Month - Since cheese goes good with everything this club would be great. Just don't send it to your Aunt Goosey who is lactose-intolerant. Chocolate of the Month - Show me someone who wouldn't like this and I'll show you a crazy person! Coffee of the Month - Great idea for someone who likes to mix it up and is a real coffee connoisseur. (Not me, but maybe my dad) Flower of the Month - Brighten some one's home year-round with a fresh bouquet of flowers. Perfu...

I know that Charlotte is less than 1 year old, but Bruce and I have always planned to homeschool our children. I won't get into the why of it here, but I've accumulated a long list of blog posts that I want to save as a reference and I thought that some of my readers might find them interesting, so I am posting them below. Some of them are a little old because they've been sitting in my starred items for Google Reader until I found time to compile them all in once place. Sites for Toddlers - Linky-love post from Baby Cheapskate of websites that babies and toddlers might enjoy with the help of a parent. 36 YouTube Videos - Linky-love post from The Mom Crowd of kid-friendly YouTube videos. I haven't watched these yet, so make sure you view before sharing with your little ones. Unboxing Munchkin Education - Janel, a Frugal Hack , provides secrets to finding free or nearly-free homeschooling resources. Special Needs Homeschooling - I may never need to know this for my ow...

Haha! My daughter made it onto the Disney homepage! Below is a screen shot showing off a picture of her with her Grandpa Sabin taken in March during her first trip to Disney! He works for Disney's Animal Kingdom Lodge (DAK) and is the one who submitted the photo. You can relive her trip by visiting Part 1 , Part 2 , & Part 3 !

Ever since I posted about Charlotte's new Glamorous Girls clips, I've been having an Etsy of a time! That place is addictive. While looking at one item, I get sidetracked and find another I just have to go and visit. It is like being at a super-cool craft fair without having to deal with the crowds! First, I found Saucy Frocks . If I had these aprons, I would want to wear them every where - Publix, the mall, taking out the trash, Gala events. I don't think a day would go by without me wearing an apron. However, my baby apron collection needs something like this to show off her more mature side. I really need to learn how to sew! After drooling over aprons, I found Renie Britenbucher's shop, featuring her whimsical and lighthearted paintings. Doesn't this beach scene make you want to jump right in? And the vibrant colors of this floral painting? AH..... I love color! From there, I was led to Designs by WendyT . Her funky jewelry really captured my attention. Imagi...

"Can you imagine wanting to share a story, a thought or a belief with forty people and preparing what you had to say, choosing the right words and nervously approaching them and then saying what you had to say, you say it just as you planned and you wait for the response and the person you are talking to listens to you, looks at you and just walks away. Without a smile, a frown - no reaction. They just walk away." When I read this I Should Be Folding Laundry , I knew it was something I wanted to share with my readers. It describes how I feel some days when I pour my ideas into a post and then find nothing coming back to me. It is hard to have a conversation if I am the only one talking. There are some of you who comment regularly (thanks Mom!) and others who I know visit, but never say a word. I don't want anyone to be guilting into commenting (unless that works, then by all means, feel guilty:) ), but I do appreciate feedback on my various musings. Heck, if you know me i...

I read a lot of wonderful blogs. I even keep a list on the right side of this blog in case anyone ever gets bored and wants to know more about what I like to read. Really, you should check some of them out some day. It will be a worthwhile endeavor. Sometimes, the blogs I read have giveaways. I love these. I don't necessarily enter all of them, but when it comes to cute, girly things for Charlotte, I do what I can to get an entry. Ellinghouse's giveaway for a set of Glamour Girl clips from this Etsy shop was no exception. In fact, I was so enamored by these adorable clips, that I bought some before the giveaway was even over! Including this one on the right with the precious emerald green jewel in the middle and the butterfly on the left. The wire detail and the stitching in the wings are so delicate and precious. Then... I found out that I won! Woo hoo! I don't win things very often, so this was exciting. Charlotte's new clips arrived in the mail yesterday and I'll...

I know it is wrong to laugh at one's daughter when she falls flat on her face. But c'mon. Tell me this isn't hilarious! Disclaimer: Bruce was filming this and the reason the video ends so abruptly is because he put down the camera to take care of her.

Today I had the luxurious privilege of taking an almost 2 hour nap in our large queen sized bed without having to share a pillow or blanket with anyone. It was glorious! After a while though, it was time to wake up and get some things done, like nurse Charlotte. Bruce brought her to me and we laid in bed staring into each other's eyes as she did her thing. Since Charlotte is now incredibly mobile with her knee-toe crawl, nursing has become more interesting, especially when we are laying down and she is awake. Today was no exception. While she was still latched on, she managed to roll from her side to her belly. From there, she pulled her knees up under her so she could sit up. She got about half-way up when I think she realized that sitting up meant letting go of Momma. Eventually, she decided to go ahead sit up. Then ensued her dive bombing attempts to latch back on - while remaining on her bottom. I couldn't help but let out a belly laugh each time to latch. She would succeed...

Even though my photo wasn't selected as a finalist, I don't feel bad at all. After viewing those who were chosen, I know it had to be a miserable task to narrow down the field from 408 submissions to only 20 finalists. Once I started to look through the list, there was one photo that made me stop, bringing tears to my eyes. It perfectly captures the thrill of motherhood. I remember that first moment and wish I could relive it just to experience the euphoria of meeting my baby girl for the first time. In that moment it is not possible to articulate how wonderful, thrilled, and yes, exhausted you are. But this picture comes pretty darn close. Please, go look at this picture, then click over to 5 Minutes for Mom to vote for Bill, Miss and Brood. She has a chance to win $1000!

Excuse me dear Charlotte. I did not realize that. "But here, I'll let you borrow it if you put stuff for me in it."

Charlotte and I attended our first tea together today. It was hosted by the Women's Ministry at First Baptist Church of Frostproof (our church). It was a good chance for her to wear her beautiful blue Easter dress again and for the nice ladies to get a chance to coo over and hold her. This tea is almost a yearly tradition at our church. It was a lovely affair and very well done. Each table was decorated by a different woman using china and flat ware that she brought from home. Our table was decorated by Cheryl in beautiful blue transfer ware with a touch of yellow. My friend Carolyn was able to join us, along with her grandmother Anita. Anita was one of the 4 lucky ladies who won one of the door prizes. It was a sweet teapot with matching cup and saucer. I didn't get a picture of it, but it had tiny pink rosebuds all over it and was trimmed with gold on the edges. I am glad one of my guests as able to take something extra special home. Lori Beckler was the guest speaker. S...

Hosted by Kailani at An Island Life , I am again going to ask an Aloha Friday question. Per Kailani, "In Hawaii, Aloha Friday is the day that we take it easy and look forward to the weekend. So I thought that on Fridays I would take it easy on posting, too. Therefore, I’ll ask a simple question for you to answer. Nothing heavy or too thought-provoking." What are your plans for Mother's Day? Leave your answer in my comments and then head on over to Kailani's blog to answer her question, and others.

I found this fun relationship meme at It Is Naptime . She didn't tag me or anything, but I thought I'd share the answers with the world. Because I KNOW the world cares. :) If you feel up to it, post your answers on your blog and leave a comment letting me know you did it too. How long have you been together? We started dating in June 1997, so that means almost 11 years. How long did you date? Date? What is that? Is there where the boy goes to the girl’s house and hangs out on the couch and eats the dinner that the girl’s mom cooks? We didn’t date. We courted. How old is he? 30 Who said "I love you first"? I did. I was impatient to tell him. To his credit, he told me he already knew he loved me but just hadn’t found the chance to say it yet. Who's taller? He is. Who is smarter? We are both smarter in different areas. I’m smarter about people and he is smarter about book stuff. Who does the laundry? We both do. He does the stuff with the machines and I fold it. Who...

Submitted to 5 Minutes for Mom's Photo Contest . This is the day we brought Charlotte home from the hospital. Even though it was less than 9 months ago, I can't believe how much she has changed in that amount of time. I never knew how much motherhood would change me.

I was all set to give my readers a different kind of recipe... one that provided all the ingredients and how-to for utilizing RSS feeds to their best advantage. Then, I woke up today and read Abraham Piper's easy-peasy explanation in my Google Reader account. I really can't say it any better than he does. Go check it out then come back and subscribe to my feed in your new Reader account! Originally posted at Eating It Up .

Last night Bruce showed me an article on CNN with this headline: More than 3 out of 4 New Moms Breastfeed . This is so exciting! The article didn't mention how long these women nursed their babies for, but even if these moms are just breastfeeding for a short time, it is likely their babies are getting their momma's first milk - the colustrum. This provides them with a great start in life. "The latest CDC report found rates of breast-feeding were also lowest among women who are unmarried, poor, rural, younger than 20, and have a high school education or less." I was not surprised by this. These women have the least amount of support in raising a baby and any breastfeeding momma knows that support is necessary to have a successful nursing relationship. What can we do to help these women make the decision to breastfeed?