Happenings

Balloon Festival May 21-23 NSB Aiport

Seaside Fiesta, Dog Friendly Event, Flagler Ave. 5pm June 17

Ormond Beach Seafood Festival, June 19-20 The Casements, Children activities 

Storytime at Port Orange Library Tues. 10am-Toddler Time Ages 2 to 3  Thurs. at 945am Mother Goose ages 3 mo.-18 mo.  and Thurs. at 1030am Tiny Tots (activities & stories) for 18 mo.-24 mo.

May 29-30 Fishstock, NSB Riverside Park

 

 

“Parenthood” and the funny things kids do

So last night after we managed to get both girls down by 830pm my husband and I finished watching Parenthood, the movie w/Uma Thurman!  SOOO good go netflix it or BB it today.  It really sheds the life of mothers in a very reality based light.  We juggle so many tasks it often leads to forgetting about what we want and need from life to keep us happy & alive aside from loving on our wonderful kids.  Before Madalynn went to bed I was nursing Cassidy and a nursing pad was sitting on the coffee table, Madalynn walked over to it picked it up and said "Hat, hat" and proceeded to place it on her head.  We laughed so hard, now those are the moments we need to not worry about when we will sleep again etc.:)

New baby makes 4

Well I had our daughter Cassidy on Sunday and we are all adjusting well.  Although feedings are frequent during the day she sleeps for 2-3 hours at night which is already different than our first.  There truely is nothing like the smell of your newborn or the way they gaze up at you with those first sightings after wandering what you looked like all those months.  There have been a few minor bumps along the way with getting used to our new routine and asking for the right help from my husband…not sure about the rest of you but it is true honey there is "selective hearing" when it comes to husbands:)  However I'm not perfect and sleep deprivation definitely makes me a little more reactive than usual but for 1 week home things are flowing so well.  We truely are the lucky one's to be able to bring the beauty of childhood into the world and teach these little amazing people everything they know…well almost…I gotta give grandparents and other mom friends some credit too because we all do learn from eachother's experiences.  Gotta go check on baby girl…please post something if your out there:)

9 months and counting

Well my official due date with baby #2 is tomorrow, I have reached the true nesting period where yesterday I pulled weeds, did every dirty dish, picked up every toy and put everything in it's place I thought for sure she was coming.  But no such luck, the doctors really are just "guesstamating" in my opionion especially this time because I was nursing and we don't have an exact end of cycle date to go by…soooo we wait.  Madalynn knows something is going on she's been sooo sweet giving me lots of hugs and kisses the last few days.  I swear motherhood truely is the most amazing experience today was the best day we went to Walmart, yeah I know sooo exciting but my idea of an outing since becoming a SAHM has changed and now I just appreciate getting out.  She napped, mommy napped which is sooo needed in the 40th week I have been extra tired, not sleeping well at night, then we filled up baby pool and played outside in the beautiful FL sunshine and then to top it off a walk at the park with dad and our dog, Harlee and ice cream sundaes at home!  The simplest and purest things bring me the most joy now and I try to be sure I tell my husband and daughter how much I love them daily because really you've got to share those important words with the one's you love especially to remind you when their being less than perfect how wonderful things can be if you pay attention to how truely blessed we all are.  Wish me luck!

Unpredictability=definition of Toddler

Well just when we get the sleeping thing down at 14 months-thank the lord!  Our sweet little Madalynn has started teething again this time with her 1st set of molars.  Ugh it's interesting how some parents I know say their kid was barely phased by any teeth and some had alot of issue's.  We are part of the later group she started teething at 4 months and many teething tabs, teething rings, tylenol doses and frozen popsicles later it has started again!  I do notice it seems as though girls are more sensitive to teething than boys, I wonder why that is.  She has been pretty fussy which is not like her, she's really a happy, laid back kid unless she's tired or in pain.  I've reached the point of aggravation with giving her 4 or 5 different food choices on a plate and her picking 1 which is usually the fruit or non-substance of the meal, so I've tried not putting the fruit on the plate to get something other than milk in her but after much debate/reading and talking with other moms know if your kid wants more milk than their body is telling them that's what they need.  So 1 day she eats all the lunchmeat, cheese and fruit then the next she won't even touch the same food…she turns her nose up like it's an intruder on her plate and screams "bah bah bah bah" which for her means milk so I give in but not before trying to bribe her with yogurt instead:) 

She has the accompanying runny nose and loose stools that I know some kids get too.  I have included a link from babycenter which is a great site if you haven't been to it I'd recommend bookmarking it with some info on teething.

  http://www.babycenter.com/0_teething_11403.bc

I have also included the link for the latest Tylenol recall for you to bookmark so we can all be sure we are giving our kids the safest and most effective medicines in the least amount possible.

http://www.tylenol.com/page2.jhtml?id=tylenol/news/subp_tylenol_recall_1.inc 

 

Sleep Deprivation

As I rolled over bleary eyed and looked at the clock, this had become my usual routine for the last several months, I was happy to see it say 5am!  Wow I got my first 7 hours of sleep in weeks!  As the mother of a toddler who has been teething since she was 5 months old and nursed until she was 8 months old I have learned the days of 8 consecutive hours of sleep are gone.  We have tried everything with this child to get her to sleep thru and she has her days where she’ll sleep from 8-7 but they are few and far between.  My Madalynn is such a sweet, good natured, active child I have come to the realization that everyone is happier if we just give her a bottle upon her 1 awakening and she’ll go right back down.  I know this goes against every book out there but as a mother you learn to do what is best for your child and your family.  I have learned many things that until it’s your child waking up it’s hard to give advice but many still offer it.  I politely let them but none of the suggestions have worked for my child.  I am not built in a way that would ever allow me to hear my child cry for longer than 15 min. without consoling them.  On the other side I know of some who have chosen the family bed as the child’s sleep place, we preferred her in crib due to her having her own place and knowing the many benefits of a child learning to sleep without the parents right by their side.  Although I know there are many books/articles supporting both each individual must make a decision that works for them and their child.  Raising the Happiest Child on The Block by Harvey Karp is one I read for sleep advice also for sanity savers- Becoming a Calm Mom by Deborah Roth Ledley

Madalynn was very active in her sleep and loved her crib at 6 wks., lucky us!  You really do need to have adult time because before there was 3 there were just the two of you, intimacy is so important.

It’s always nice to hear a parent who can relate that says my Abigail just started sleeping thru at 14 months or Lucas will only sleep thru if I am in his room on an air mattress next to him or my kid never slept thru without a bottle until age 2.  Then I remember each kid is different and individually has different needs so I try never to compare Madalynn to others.  I also stopped getting annoyed when people say she’s not sleeping thru yet?  As if there is something we are doing wrong…quite the opposite we’re guilty of being too attentive if anything and wanting her to not ever feel as though we aren’t there for her.  That may stem some from my childhood memories that sometimes unfortunately when you’re the 5th of 5 kids your parents sometimes aren’t there, they can’t always be and they did the best they could.

Fireworks Displays in all of Volusia County

The City of Port Orange
4th of July 2010 Spectacular
Showtime 5:30, fireworks start at 9:00 p.m.
There will be vendors, a classic car show, clowns, a kidz zone, music, and more!
Event will be held at the City Center Amphitheater
Call 386-566-6991 for more information

Fourth of July at the Boardwalk
Daytona Beachside, fireworks will begin at dusk

Red, White & Boom
At the Daytona Beach Bandshell
Fourth of July
events start at 6:00 p.m., followed by fireworks

Ormond Beach- Independence Day Celebration
Ormond Beach, in Rockefeller Gardens Park
Fourth of July
events start at 6:00 p.m., followed by fireworks

Deltona – Fourth Annual Fireworks
July 4th, at the Dewey O. Boster Sports Complex in Deltona
events start at 6:00 p.m., followed by fireworks 

City of Edgewater – 4th of July Celebration
Held at the George R. Kennedy Memorial Park at Menard Park Fireworks will begin at dusk

Lake Helen Celebration
July 4th
Held at Royal Park Fireworks begin at 9 p.m.

Orange City Fireworks and Fun
Orange City, Valentine Park
Fourth of July
Event is from 3-9 p.m.

Flagler County's Fabulous 4th
Held at Veteran's Park on July 3rd
Event, which will include entertainment, fun and festivities, begins at noon and ends at 11 p.m.