Teaching Responsibility

One of our jobs as parents is to teach our children responsibility. I think the most effective way to teach responsibility, or any behavior, is through modeling that behavior yourself. However, sometimes it is nice to have a few fun tools on hand to help get the message across.

This is why I was so glad to take a look at Liberty Mutual's Responsibility Project. Complete with blog, resources, and videos, the Liberty Mutual Responsibility Project believes that "the more people think and talk about responsibility, the more the world becomes a better place."

The mini movies on the site are so cute and diverse, and short enough where the Mermaid has no problem sitting through one and enjoying it completely without getting distracted. She and I particularly loved the video entitled Lighthouse. I love the blog as well, and how it is filled with additional stories of responsibility. You can even submit your own story if you wish!

So, if you are looking for a great tool to show your children the many forms of responsibility, then head on over and check it out.

Teaching Responsibility

Government warns Simplicity bassinets are deadly

The Knight forwarded me this article on the dangers of Simplicity bassinets. According to the article:

The "close-sleeper/bedside sleeper" bassinets, made by Simplicity Inc. of
Reading, Pa., can allow infants to slip through the product and suffocate,
said the Consumer Product Safety Commission. Simplicity Inc.'s 3-in-1 and
4-in-1 convertible bassinets contain metal bars spaced farther apart than
federal standards allow.

There are two reported deaths already. And if this isn't bad enough, my favorite part of the article states (emphasis mine):

"SFCA Inc., the company which purchased all of Simplicity Inc.'s assets in
April, "has refused to cooperate with the government and recall the products,"
CPSC said in a release Wednesday. "SFCA maintains that it is not
responsible for products previously manufactured by Simplicity Inc."

*banging head against desk*

Well, they have just permanently lost one potential customer. Any others?

Government warns Simplicity bassinets are deadly

Wordless Wednesday: The Sticker Monster

Wordless Wednesday: The Sticker Monster

Tackle It Tuesday: I Say It's For Creativity, But Really I'm Just Lazy

This week for Tackle It Tuesday I'm going to tackle the walls.

So, here's the confession: I let my youngest color on the walls. I tell people it's for the sake of creativity, but I'm not fooling anyone. We all know I'm just lazy. Between running two businesses, homeschooling, certification and just having two young children in general, at the end of the day what it comes down to is this: if it isn't harmful and it is keeping her occupied, then I am all for it.

But, now that we are getting ready to move, I have to face the reality that we can't leave the crayon on the walls. And, it's not just on the walls. It's on the refrigerator and the furniture as well. Observe:

It's on the door ways

The Living Room walls.

The Hallways

More of the Hallway

The Armoire

The Changing Table

And the Guppy's furniture, as well. Don't my artists look so proud?

Rather than completely overwhelm myself by trying to tackle all the walls at once, I've decided to do a little at a time. Today, I'm going to tackled the fridge:

After lots of elbow grease and a little bit of help from Mr. Clean, viola:And from now on, paper only for my little artists. Next week I will tackle the rest of the furniture.

Tackle It Tuesday: I Say It's For Creativity, But Really I'm Just Lazy

Help Me Name My Team

The Knight and his family run their own fantasy football league. They take it very seriously, having opening ceremonies at the draft and an end-of-season banquet. The winner gets to take home the giant trophy and display it in their house for a year.

This year, someone dropped out at the last minute and now, I am in the League.

Did I mention that I know nothing about football? I usually watch the games with the Knight, but I'm always doing something else at the same time, like reading a book or knitting. So, I have no clue what I am doing.

Tomorrow is the draft and the Knight says that he will give me his cheat sheet. So I guess I am all set there. But, I still have to come up with a name for my team.

I have the list of my favorite names. Keep in mind that besides me, there are only two other women in the league, and they gave their teams "manly" names, like Gladiator and Army. Vote for your favorite and help me name my team!

What should I name my Fantasy Football Team?
	The Amazonians
	The Rabid Kittens
	The Panty Raiders
	The Pooh Bears
	The Sports Bras
	The Nut Crackers
	The Scoregasms
pollcode.com free polls

Help Me Name My Team

Catching Up and Just Breathing

Some bits and pieces of our life...

~ Had a client go into labor Monday night at 9 PM. Baby was born Tuesday at 10:51 AM. Mom was beautiful, baby was beautiful, beautiful family! All is well.

~ Yesterday was the home inspection on the new house. It pretty much passed with flying colors, just some small improvements need to be made. Next step is the P & S.

~ The Guppy has been cutting back a little on her daytime feedings. Since she was feeding 6-8 times a day, this is a relief to me. After we get settled in the new house and our life isn't as rushed, then I will gently night-wean her.

~ The girls' birthdays are coming up: the Mermaid on September 3rd and the Guppy on Sept 26th. Since the closing date on the house is September 30th and I have a client due September 30th, we are going to try to have a very low-key and small party for them the first weekend of September. Wait....first weekend....isn't that in two week?!? I better get cracking!

That's it for updates. Life is good.

Catching Up and Just Breathing

Wordless Wednesday: She Loves Her Na Nas

Wordless Wednesday: She Loves Her Na Nas

One Thousand Gifts: #2 and #3

On Friday, I walked the Knight to the door and kissed him goodbye as he left for work.

Five minutes later, he walked back in the house. Our only vehicle was not starting.

In the past, before we started Dave Ramsey's Total Money Makeover, a situation like this would not only be a car crisis, but a money crisis. We would frantically try to find the money to fix the car, and either end up borrowing from our parents or putting it on our credit card. Thanks to Dave Ramsey, no more financial crisis. Instead, we had the van towed to the mechanic, he fixed the starter, and we paid him.

We just paid him.

Such as small, simple act that most people view as extremely unpleasant, and we were overjoyed to have the ability to just pay the mechanic. Without scrambling for money. Without worrying about how we were going to pay this month's bill, because all the money went to fixing the van. Without having to go through the humiliating process of calling people up to ask to borrow money.

We just paid him.

So, #2 on my list of One Thousand Gifts: we just paid the mechanic; proof that our financial situation has drastically improved since two years ago, thanks to Dave Ramsey.

In fact, after the Knight picked up the van we were so relaxed and not worried about money that we took the girls to the beach.

#3 on my list of One Thousand Gifts: Happy Days at the Beach.

One Thousand Gifts: #2 and #3

Oooohhhh, The Pain!

This weekend is tax-free weekend in MA. So, like most of the people who live in the state, we decided that it would be a great idea to go shopping for big ticket items, like the dinning set, entertainment center, and coffee table that we are going to need for the new house.

After running around literally all day with the Knight and the girls, from one furniture store to the next, I realized that the Guppy had not nursed all day. In fact, I was getting really engorged on my left breast, and it was starting to hurt. We decided to head to the Knight's aunt and uncle's house, as they were having a birthday party for his cousin. I figured I would nurse there.

However, once we got there, the Guppy wanted nothing to do with nursing. She wanted to play. So, depsite my increasing discomfort and pain level, I figured that we would leave soon and head home for a nice long, quiet, nursing session.

The Knight asked me to toss around a football with him. After about ten throws, it happened: he threw a perfect spiral right at me, at the same moment that I was distracted by the sound of the girls fighting. The football slammed into me, right into my already painfully engorged breast.

I don't think I need to tell you how bad the pain was. I'm sure every nursing mom who is reading this is cringing right now. Needless to say, we left then and there, my breast swelled up to the size of a watermelon on our way home, and there is one ugly bruise covering that entire side of my chest.

And it hurts.

Having the Guppy nurse on it as much as possible feels terrible, but it helping to relieve the swelling. I just have to grit my teeth the entire time she is nursing. Ice is helping somewhat as well. At this point, I can't tell is the swelling is from the football or because I am still engorged. I'm just hoping this doesn't lead to mastitis or plugged ducts. Bleh.

Oooohhhh, The Pain!

Great Giveaway

Kaiya from Mama K NJ is having a great giveaway of a gift certificate from her store, Non-Toxic Tots. Head on over and check it out!

Great Giveaway

New domain name

I've switched my domain over to www.adventuresofabreastfeedingmother.com. Since I'm not sure how it works, I thought I would point it out in case people need to update their bookmarks and subscriptions.

New domain name

One Thousand Gifts

Thanks so much to Steph at Problem Sovlin' Mom for the heads up on this great idea.

First, go read this absolutely beautiful post by Ann over at Holy Experience. Go ahead, I'll wait.

I love this idea. I completely "get" it. Lately, what has been helping me a lot is that I take the time each night to write down five things I am grateful for, or five things that I accomplished that day, no matter how small. I'm now going to take it a step farther and start my list of 1,000 gifts on this blog. I'm going to add to this list a little at a time, as they come up, instead of sitting down and banging out a huge list in one sitting. If you decide to start your own list, let me know, I would love to read it as it comes to life!

To start.....

1. The gift of a healthy family.

One Thousand Gifts

Blog Design Giveaway

Ruby and Roja are the most talented designers I've seen. And they are giving away a free blog design. Head on over and check it out!

Blog Design Giveaway

Wordless Wednesday: When The Guppy Skips Her Nap

Wordless Wednesday: When The Guppy Skips Her Nap

Heading Back to School Is Now Easier

Heading back to school is now easier thanks to Five Minutes for Mom's Back to School Giveaway. They are giving away tons of great products, so head on over and check it out!

Heading Back to School Is Now Easier

How Much Space Does A Family Really Need?

When you were younger, did you share a room with a sibling? Do your children share rooms?

I'm over at Mommy Matter today, blogging and siblings sharing rooms. Come on over and check it out.

How Much Space Does A Family Really Need?

No Words For Crushed Hopes

No Words For Crushed Hopes

Dark Clouds, Rumbling in the Distance...

Remember this post?

I had been doing really well. I researched and picked up a great supplement that was really helping me a lot. I was exercising, and in general being an active and happy mommy.

So, now, when things are going well, when we are getting ready to move into our first house, when we have paid off so much debt, when my doula business is picking up and everything is looking up.....why now do I feel the presence of those dark clouds coming up on the horizon, why now do I hear the rumbling in the distance?

I've gained weight. I have trouble getting up in the morning. I don't show up for half the activities and playdates that I intend to go to. I watch more TV. My kids are watching more TV.

Why now?

People close to me, who see what is happening, they tell me that I have so much in my life to be happy for. That I am blessed. I know I am blessed, I know how lucky I am and I am so grateful. That's not the problem. I don't know what the problem is. I don't know why, when I have so much to be happy for, it's getting harder and harder for me to get out of bed...to smile...to care...

I guess I should rephrase. I do care. I do get out of bed. I do smile. I continue to love my work, I still look forward to working with my clients and I'm looking forward to their upcoming births. But it is getting harder and harder to do those little, every day things that I used to find such joy in.

So, what do I do now? I'm working with a coach, and she is helping me immensely with setting goals to keep me motivated and on track. I adore working with her and I can't get over how much I've achieved with her help. But, I'm beginning to think that I need to go see a counselor. And I hate thinking that. Does seeing a counselor make me crazy? A failure?

I have the name and number of a counselor that was recommended to me written down on a post-it note, stuck front of my desk. I've been staring at it for a few days now, trying to get up the courage to call. Trying to convince myself that this does not mean that I am crazy or that I am a failure, it just means that I need a little more help than I thought I did and there is nothing wrong with that.

Call those thoughts silly, call them dramatic, call them whatever you wish. They are there. And that is one obstacle that I am going to have to overcome by myself.

Dark Clouds, Rumbling in the Distance...

Winner of Precious Moments Giveaway!

Steph from Problem Solvin' Mom is the lucky winner of the Precious Moments Birthday Wishes With Hugs and Kisses figurine! Congrats to Steph and thanks to everyone who entered!

Winner of Precious Moments Giveaway!

Breech Babies Can Be Born Vaginally!

Photo and video editing at www.OneTrueMedia.com

Breech Babies Can Be Born Vaginally!

Prevent Cesarean Surgery

Prevent Cesarean Surgery

Wordless Wednesday: I Wish I Had Her Eye Lashes

Wordless Wednesday: I Wish I Had Her Eye Lashes

Good Thing I Love Blogging....

Guess what? I am now a contributor over at Mommy Matter!

Mommy Matter offers parents a place to find helpful information on parenthood as provided by the premier experts in parenting today- other parents. From helpful articles found in our featured blogs to the everyday questions and answers on issues ranging from teething relief to changing the tire on a car discussed in our ever-growing forum, Mommy Matter provides a friendly and addicting place to rest your virtual head.

I'm so excited to be a part of such a great resource for parents!

Good Thing I Love Blogging....

We've Moving On Up! *Pic Heavy*

The Knight and I found a great house for us. Friday we made an offer. On Saturday they accepted.

The home inspection is later this week and the closing date is September 30th. Can I tell you how incredibly excited we are! Our first home. Here are some pictures (the pictures make the rooms seem really small, when in fact they are much much larger than they look).

The nice, quiet dead-end street that the house is on

The front of the house (it's the one on the right).

You walk into the living room. Stairs are right there as well.

The living room from another viewpoint.

From the living room you walk into the kitchen. There's a sliding glass door leading out to a nice deck.

Kitchen from another viewpoint

There's a short hallway next to the kitchen and that is where you find the half bath and the door to the basement.

Upstairs: this would be the girls' bedroom. Huge walk-in closet.

Girls' bedroom from another viewpoint.

This is the master bedroom, which is much bigger than it looks here. Again, walk in closet.

Upstairs full bath.

The basement is half-finished. This will be my office.

Deck off of the kitchen. Isn't she purrty?

View of the yard from the deck.Closer view of garden at back of yard.
View of yard and house from garden.

We've already gotten some bunk beds for free from my wonderful aunt and uncle. My MIL and FIL have offered to buy us a new kitchen table and chairs. So when we move, the few things that we are going to buy right away are an entertainment center (we are going to buy a smaller one than the one we have now) and a new desk for my office (the one I have now is too small and it's falling apart).

So, what do you think? I welcome all your comments!

We've Moving On Up! *Pic Heavy*