Happy Halloween!

Stress levels

I don't know about you, but it's definitely a sign of overload in my world when the blogs I have to read via google reader total nearly 200...

oh how I miss down time...

Argghhh

In general, we don't allow our 17 month old, Ruth, to watch TV. But Ruth loves watching kids YouTube videos.  There are a couple we use regularly, and she seems to fixate on one for awhile and then after a month or so will want a new favorite. 

Her current favorite is this one.  Apparently she is so adept at pushing buttons on the phone that she managed to start a blog post to share it.  So, I figured I could help her out and finish the post.  Enjoy!

Disclaimer: it's fun the first time or two...by time 209, not as much...

Co-sleeping

Kaitlyn, someone who has started reading this blog, recently shared this article with me and I found it to be really helpful in engaging in the conversation around co-sleeping with your infant.  I appreciate that she distinguished between co-sleeping (sleeping near your infant) and bed-sharing (sleeping with your infant).  Both practices are incredibly common and recently with the fan-fare of the TIME article on attachment parenting, co-sleeping discussions are back in the news.  

As a parent, I assumed co-sleeping meant sleeping WITH your child.  In general, I was not a fan of the idea.  We did have Ruth with us on occasion, and then later, when nursing was easier, I would have her with me in the early morning.  But otherwise, if she was with us, I wasn't really sleeping.  So, we opted for the bassinet and later for the crib.  I also believe both of those practices to be the safest for our baby.  

I was actually intrigued to learn that co-sleeping isn't necessarily bed-sharing.  I'm not sure how wide-spread that notion is, but I find it helpful.  

I also think it's interesting that others have labeled me a mother who ascribes to "attachment parenting" when I hadn't even heard of it until Ruth was a year old.  I am a mother who does what I think is best for my child, though I don't think I prescribe to a particular model or technique.  (Although, truth be told, I am a HUGE proponent of Happiest Baby on the Block).  

I believe parents should do what is best for their child, and I believe that will be different for each child. I also believe parents should seek out information about how to care for their children, how to parent (in a variety of ways), child psychology, child development, and seek out wise and good examples for parenting.  Parenting is hard work and it can be easy to do what is easy or what your parents did without thinking about what habits or behaviors you might be forming or fostering for your child without even realizing.  What we do matters.  All of it.  And that shouldn't drive us to paranoia or insanity about each and every decision, but it should drive us to care about what we do and how we do it. 

Gratitude take 3

It's been a month and a half since I last posted a gratitude list. I think it's time to add a few more.
(I'm not sure what number I was on. I'll start with 50 and catch up if I need to)
50) a husband who has no problem cleaning the house
51) a really good dinner ready when I got home
52) self control
53) teaching the Bible
54) an intelligent, capable, and curious daughter
55) trusted friends
56) a little self indulgence
57) jacuzzi time
58) parents who pray with and for me/us
59) a loving church family

Posting ease

I regularly lament not having more time to blog. I simply don't have (make?) the time to do it. But now they make it accessible on your phone, and I finally downloaded the app. So maybe I have a chance to be a bit more regular in my writing. Here's to hope in all things being possible!