Playdate

Last week, Lilly and I had a playdate. It was a blast, although it was very hot. Lilly and Marin are already buddies.

Life in Instagram

Here are some pictures from last week:

Snoozing

Waking up

Sunday snuggles with daddy

Full and Happy 

(check out her belly in this one and the next)

Play date with Marin

Snuggles with Mommy!

Love this little gal!

Attachment Parenting: My current thoughts

I am beginning to read a bit about Attachment parenting and have found that much of the criticism is due to those who are extremists. The whole idea of attachment parenting is to establish a bond with your child and not be reliant on others to give you advice. "No one knows your baby better than you do," and that is the truth right? It seems that as parents we enter into this competive race that requires us to show off how brilliant our child is due to our parenting skills I guess it actually starts when you get engaged and have to compare your diamond size to others, then its how wonderful your husband is. It kinda sucks. We are all individuals and yes there is great advice out there, but all can be taken with a grain of salt.

Attachment parenting does bring up the topic of extended breast feeding, where most of the controversy begins. I do find it fascinating that the United States is so eager to wean children off of the breast. I do understand that a child who is able to talk is a bit odd to see them breast feeing.  But for a culture so sexualized, I find it so interesting that public breast feeding is still taboo. I'm not taking a stance either way....yet, but it is a very interesting topic. I got quite a bit more to read and am anxious to also read Babywise, which is on the other end of parenting. Its focus is more on making sure the baby has a schedule (which is definitely important)

I will say that attachment parenting does support a healthy marriage and does NOT believe that the child should run the house. Discipline is necessary.

Summer List

I was very inspired by Delighfully Tacky's summer list and 2Floralfinches' that I decided to create my own, despite my resistance due to known failure. I'm doing it anyway

Here is what I have so far

1. Take a picture every day

2. Video Lilly at least once a week

3. Blog 5x a week

4. Read, Read, Read

5. Read my bible

6. Find a mommy group

7. Make play dates 1x a week

8. Call two friends each week

9. Make Steven a nice note/treat every day

10. Do something nice for someone 1x a month

11. Keep the house clean (I will be making a separate list for this one)

12. Simplify

13. Run/Workout 5x a week

14. Run 10 miles this summer

15. Find a church

16. Spend more time with my sister

17. Sew something for Lilly

18. Find a hobby that will make money

19. Learn to knit/crochet

20. Celebrate each day

21. Laugh and smile intentionally

22. Find a mentor

23. Mentor someone (if anyone wants me)

24. Go on a picnic

25. Go on a bike ride

26. Do something as a family 1x a month

27. Have a BBQ

28. Journal every day

29. Work on not holding grudges

30. Practice grace

I'm sure I will add more and I definitely need to print this out. I had to write how many times a week or month to keep me focus.

Enjoy this random picture:

More of our Lilly Mae

Here are a few more pictures of our sweet baby Lilly Mae:

Waking up with Daddy

Mom stop sticking the camera in my face and feed me!

Lilly's Hiccups!

Here is our first Friday video:

Lilly's Hiccups

Attachment Parenting

After last weeks Time magazine, I began really looking into attachment parenting. Don't worry I won't be one of those moms with a 4 year old attached to my 'ta.'

Attachment parenting was made popular by Dr. Sears. 

Here is  a brief synopsis:

'Attachment parenting focuses on the nurturing connection that parents can develop with their children. That nurturing connection is viewed as the ideal way to raise secure, independent, and empathetic children. Proponents of this parenting philosophy include the well-known pediatrician William Sears, MD. They make the case that a secure, trusting attachment to parents during childhood form the basis for secure relationships and independence as adults.' (webmd.com)

It essentially boils down to these components: (thanks webmd.com)

1. Prepare for pregnancy, birth, and parenting. Proponents of attachment parenting believe it is important to eliminate negative thoughts and feelings about pregnancy. Doing so, they say, readies a parent for the emotionally demanding work of being a parent.
2. Feed with love and respect. Breastfeeding, proponents say, is the ideal way to create a secure attachment. It also teaches infants that parents will listen to their cues and fulfill their needs.
3. Respond with sensitivity. With attachment parenting, parents consider all expressions of emotions, including repeated tantrums, as real efforts at communication. Those efforts are to be taken seriously and understood rather than punished or dismissed.
4. Use nurturing touch. Attachment parenting proponents advise maximum skin-to-skin touching. Ways to achieve that include joint baths and "baby-wearing" -- carrying babies during the day in a front-facing sling.
5. Engage in nighttime parenting. Attachment parenting experts advise making "co-sleeping" arrangements. With co-sleeping, an infant sleeps in the same room with parents so they can feed and emotionally soothe the child during the night. Some parents practice "bed-sharing" or sleeping in the same bed with babies. It's thought that this creates an even more secure attachment. Precautions are advised, though, to help prevent sudden infant death syndrome, or SIDS.
6. Provide constant, loving care. Proponents of attachment parenting advise the nearly constant presence of a parent. That includes during walks, parents' night out, and work. They advocate against childcare for more than 20 hours a week for babies younger than 30 months old.
7. Practice positive discipline. Parents are advised to distract, redirect, and guide even the youngest of babies, and to model positive behavior. Attachment parenting aims at understanding what a child's negative behavior is communicating. And parents are encouraged to work out a solution together with a child, rather than spanking or simply imposing their will on children.
8. Strive for balance in personal and family life. Parents are encouraged to create a support network, live a healthy lifestyle, and prevent parenting burn-out.

I definately agree with a lot of this. But just like any theory, there can be extremists. I'm gonna be going to the library and checking out books. Babywise is one that I would like to read, the complete opposite of attachment parenting. 

My first read though will be Simplicity Parenting.

http://www.webmd.com/parenting/what-is-attachment-parenting

Favorite items...so far

Here are a few of my favorite items that in the past two weeks I have come to love.

1. Lansinoh Lanolin HPA

2. Baby Rocker (this isn't the one I have, but I would have loved to purchase this one)

3. Lansinoh Cooling Pads

4. Organic Feeding Pads

5. Aden and Anais Swaddles (which I use for everything but swaddling)