Co-sleeping vs Sleep Training

Taken from http://dirtydiaperlaundry.com/

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Worst thing about co-sleeping...

Some nights end like this! Not very comfortable!

Worst thing about sleep training...

I don't feel like this at all...I miss being squished!

Making new friends!

Being a SAHM can be very lonely. Especially when you want to have an adult conversation or see a "grown up" movie. But making friends and keeping them requires time, my precious, precious time.

They want to "hang out"!??

NO we can't! The baby has to NAP!!! HE HAS TO NAP!!!

Time was not something I felt I had (heck I didn't even think I had time for a shower). But duh, those friends would have LOVED to come over and snuggle my babies while I took a shower! I had four of them I could have shared. ;)

So the few friends I had made at school and work went on the back burner. A back burner I didn't even keep warm.
I am blessed with an amazing extended family. But that was my only circle, and when faced with difficult times I realized how different we all were. So the years of neglecting old friends and not making new ones caught up to me. I felt very alone during a time I needed support and love. Family will always put family first, but that doesn't exactly mean we're BFFs.
Since I started my journey of reconnecting with old friends and making myself more available to new ones, I've been lifted up and have lifted up others. What an amazing feeling, it feels good to be there for others! We all have our trials and joys that we want to share with our FRIENDS.

Wordless Wednesday - Easter Prank

Night before Easter and all through the house....

Christian remembered this tradition from when he was Sams age!

Trail of bunny poop (jelly beans)

(yes there are only 3 baskets.. Maddy didn't want her's photoed)

Life isn't always "Pink Fluffy Unicorns Dancing on Rainbows"

My blog consists of happy moments I want to remember. But my life isn't all....

 I WANT to remember and blog about some of life's trials. The trials that make us stronger and bring us closer as a family.
All 6 of us are who we are based on our DNA and our experiences. It's my job as a mom, and Danes' as head of this family, to model good for our kids. We both came into this relationship with good reasons for our hangups. But when it comes to our family we have to put those reasons aside. Fake it till you make it!

It tells me a lot when the hardest things to model are the very things that trouble my kids. Knowing this makes me try all the more.

Change

Dane and I have always resisted change. Now we're modeling to our children that when you HAVE to make a change, to look for the positive. I'm turning the dial around on my pessimist attitude. Anxiety has always plagued my kids. They're turning out to be worry worsts just like me! :(

Anxiety: a feeling of worry, nervousness, or unease, typically about an imminent event or something with an uncertain outcome.

Calm

This one I own all myself. I tend to get upset when things didn't go smoothly. But now I realize that when I stay relaxed about things, that sense carries over to the rest of the family. It amazed me to realize that my mood effects the whole family. So unless I want my bad mood times 5, I'd  better keep it to myself. This change is evolving rather easy for me. The happier my kids are the happier I am!!!

Perfectionism

Dane, Dane, Dane.. or so I thought. Until I spent time reflecting on myself and my parenting.

Sam helping me clean the bathroom one day -

"How's it look mom, I got the mirror all clean." He had a huge smile on his face, he was proud. Cringing, I saw lots of streaks across the mirror. "It looks great, but we've got to get those streaks out." I re-sprayed the entire mirror and cleaned it again, making sure to get the streaks out.
A week later I asked if he wanted to clean the mirror. "I can't get the streaks out like you." :(

So Dane is working on purposely showing the kids that sometimes it's "ok," to do things just "ok" . And I am learning to let the little things go, streaks and all!

There are many things that we as parents model for our kids. But these 3, need much, much, more attention! It'll make this family much happier and healthier. I will calmly wait for this change to come, and be content to love my kids for who they are... hangup and all!