Why is this so hard?!?

This is going to be a short post, but one that I think I will revisit often. Why is parenting so hard now!! Parenting is just not the job of making sure you raise a bright, respectful human anymore. (Don't get me wrong, I want Will to be bright and respectful and human!!) It's just that every time you turn around there is something to be worried or literally frightened about that I may or may not have control over. So the "normal" mom might worry about their child eating sweets, getting kidnapped, getting a disease, or getting hit by a car. I worry about all that plus what pesticides are used on the fruits and vegetables, what is in the meat we eat, what is in the diapers, cleaning supplies, shampoos and soaps, the air we breathe, the water we drink, the list goes on and on. There are certain changes that Paul and I have made since we have had Will. We cloth diaper as much as we can. I make all of our cleaning supplies. I try to buy organic or local as much as possible. (I am so excited to start ordering from South Mountain Creamery next week:) But it never seems like enough to keep Will safe.

Parent (strike that) Living in this day and age is getting harder and harder. I am on information overload. Don't even get me started on advertising and commercialization... :)

Fresh Fun - Baltimore Farmer's Market

Baltimore Farmer's Market is the one place it has taken Paul and I seven years to visit. We have lived in Baltimore since 2003 (except for a short jaunt to the county to have a baby and house hunt!) We talk about going probably once a month on average, but today was the day and IT. WAS. AWESOME!!!!

We spent a little over $40 for:

Parking

2 pit beef sandwiches (YUM!)

2 water (will bring our own next time)

2 pints of blueberries

1/2 dozen corn

1 gallon organic milk in reusable containers (Thanks South

Mountain Creamery and I hear that they deliver, I will be

looking into that since they had some delish looking cheeses

as well)

1 loaf of homemade bread

2 lbs of peaches

All and all a good haul for about an hour of shopping and checking out all the fun booths and local growers. I really enjoyed going and it really helped to take a break from the potty!! We will definitely be making this a routine stop. I am pretty sure that everything we bought at the market will be gone by next Sunday. Woo-hoo for local, sustainable farmers!!

Grown up...

Will is doing great, me not so much....
We have been potty training for about a week now. Will seems to have grasped the concept of going "poos" in the potty. (Poos means pee or poop.) He is now onto the stage of wearing the big boy pants during the day (diapers still at nap and night.) He really likes them and is making big efforts to keep them dry. We only had two accidents yesterday and even then he put part of it in the potty.

Me on the other hand....
I'm having a tough time with my little boy growing up. Seeing him in his big boy pants just smacked me in the face that he is not a baby anymore. As excited as I am about the Baby U, I just wish the time would slow down a little for Will and me. I feel like I just don't remember enough of the last two years (even though I have 10.000 pictures.) I am all for independence and Paul and I have him take as much responsibility for things as we can, but where did my baby go......

A Penis Here...A Penis There...Here a Penis, There a Penis, Everywhere a Penis, Penis

Ahhh.....Day 4 of potty training and I'm pretty sure I have seen more penis in the these last four days then my whole life but together! But, I have to say I have been very happy with the whole process so far. Will turned 2 years and 2 months this week, so we are starting Attempt 1 at the potty. I am hoping that we will not have to make too many tries but who knows. I am being positive so far. Here is the plan:

Two weeks before - Full time Cloth diapering and talking up the potty and pees and poops! So fun! I love that I am cheering for a potty, ie "putting your pees in the potty is awesome," "watch mom put pees in the potty, she is a big girl," "dad uses his penis to push out the pee into the potty," "ughhhh, see I pushed the pee out," (so embarrassing!)

Monday: Diaper on and sit on the potty every hour to earn an M&M. Try to associate the potty with a positive consequence (Yeah...Pavlov)

Tuesday-Friday: Pantsless Party. Still sitting on the hours but trying to "catch" him going and then get him to the potty so he will understand that the pee goes in the potty. I'm not even touching POOP! (SO SCARY)

Nada on Monday, I was thinking that it was going to really be a hard and uphill battle.
Tuesday - I think I got more pee on me than in the potty, but we did have one success and luckily Paul got to see it!
Wednesday - I had enough of the heat and went to the pool. No success in the morning but we did have some in the afternoon after a 3 1/2 hour nap (SCORE!!!)

Then we were getting ready for bed. Will sat on the potty (no action) and then ran into his bedroom still pantsless. At this point, Paul and I were chatting and not paying too much attention. Then, we hear a big bang( uh-oh!!) and a scream. Will had peed on the hardwood floors and then tried to run through it. He ended up slipping and falling all in his pee! He was soaking wet, hurt, and yelling at the pee! Owww poos, owww poos!! Thankfully, Paul came in and got Will all cleaned up while I cleaned up his room. We called it a day, but a diaper on and his PJs. Enjoyed some Thomas and then off to bed! Today is a new day!!!!!

M&Ms=Sanity

So....I started potty training Will today. This is a child that when we first got the potty would sit for a second and then start to cry like we were torturing him. So, I am resorting to bribery and I will say that today was a success. Will sat on the potty every 1-2 hours. M&Ms are my SAVIOR!! We had no "action." Action meaning peeps or poops. But there was also no tears! Tomorrow, we go pantsless!!

Are You Happy To See Me Or....

is that a shoebox under my shirt. Seriously..SERIOUSLY...I do not have that cute little beach ball pregnancy belly. Instead I have this ridiculous boxy belly. I'm okay with that for the most part until yesterday morning. My husband informs me that just because it is a holiday that I should really bathe. I agree (I guess...) to take a quick shower because I really shouldn't put the guests at the BBQ later through pregnancy stench. So, I do my normal routine of shampoo, conditioner, soap up the bod and then finish with a face wash. I rinse and then grab my towel and step out of the shower. I walk over the the sink and proceed to attempt to towel off until I notice....that I have suds all in my nether regions. Now, I realize that I can't see that area from a standing position any more, but in my defense I thought that the water would still get there during the rinse cycle of my shower. Obviously, my shoebox shaped belly just creates a kind of waterfall action that exempts my area from water impact. Ahhh...the joys of pregnancy!!

Peeing...

Can be the funniest thing. On Friday, we were walking our little family through the Patterson Park. This is a daily event that I love to share with Paul, the dogs and Will. This is a time that Paul and I usually catch up on our days, exercise the dogs and let Will run around and interact with dogs and people alike. We also let the dogs off leash (I know it is illegal, but these girls need to run!) We did so on Friday. The girls were running and Will has chasing. Another man walked up to the unofficial off leash area and let his collie off. The dogs interacted as Will watched. Well, this dog was obviously male and decided to relieve himself. Will was very interested. So interested in fact that he ran right up to the dog midstream. As quick as all three adults were my son still got peed on! Paul and I laughed, the guy was basically mortified (even though he did not apologize.) So keep a look out for this guy...

In upcoming posts...I am starting potty boot camp. The peeing should get funnier! Wish us luck!

Flexibility

Flexibility

Everyone thinks that they are flexible. I am in that boat! I really do think that I am patient, understanding, and giving.

Part 1 - Then, I had a conversation with my husband last night about how I would like this second delivery to go. I am attempting a VBAC (vaginal birth after Cesarean.) I have changed doctors and hospitals to truly try to make a run at this the right way. I went from an OB at GBMC (they have a 42% c-section rate!! I didn't know!!) to a midwife at Mercy (they have 24% c-section rate. Not great but better.) I have told Paul that he has to read a book about the Bradley Method of natural child birth. And I am now preaching to anyone around me that will listen to me about drug free birth and women's right to knowledge about childbirth and delivery. I know that I am getting on everyone's nerves, but I feel like my "flexibility" and willingness to compromise led me to the induction and c-section.

Part 2 - My inability to be flexible has also led me to realize that I am NOT working out AGAIN this pregnancy!! REALLY...REALLY...why can't I just do something little. I have the Wii Fit, I could do the yoga or the weird step aerobics on there. I live a block from Patterson Park. I could go for a walk more often. So really, I am going to try now that I am off for the summer (teacher's one bonus..well that and snow days) that I will try my hardest to work out and increase my flexibility! I'll update later about my new workout strategy.

Second Chance - Good Pregnant, Bad Pregnant

Here is the thing, no one really talks about being pregnant for the second time. The first pregnancy is so overwhelming, that it is all you can think about, talk about, and dream about until you deliver. Your job becomes secondary, your social life decreases, your time online increases, you might consider your mate's role in this, if he is lucky. But then, there is the second time around.....

Good Pregnant-

1. You just aren't as worried about EVERY LITTLE THING! You aren't constantly thinking about miscarriage (not that it doesn't pass through your mind), every morsel of food you put in your mouth (even though, you swear you will not gain as much this time), and you aren't reading 101 books about pregnancy (that scare the living poop out of you!)

2. You already have pregnancy clothes. You are already ready for how ugly and unflattering they are.

3. You've MOSTLY dealt with the fact that you are not cute pregnant. But you will at some point return back to almost normal looking in the next two years or so.

4. You don't have time to eat as much food and focus on your weight gain because you are chasing a toddler around all day. And yet somehow I am gaining the same amount as the first time around (so far.)

5. I have most of what I need on hand or at least the knowledge to deal with most of the pregnancy downfalls. Unisom and B6 for nasty morning sickness, Tums for heartburn (even though, my sister swears by honey..WHATEVER! Just made it worse last night,) BellaBand for 1st trimester and so forth.

Bad Pregnancy

1. No one really gives a rat's ass that you are pregnant the second time. I feel like they will be excited once the baby gets here, but not really about this 10 month phase I am going through. The one exception is newly pregnant women, they are fascinated by all your knowledge, wisdom, and insight related to all things pregnant!

2. Your husband just isn't that excited or as accommodating the time. He cares, but the foot rubs are OUT THE DOOR!

3. You can't put your career on hold like you did the first time around, they cut you slack the first time. That's where the gravy train ends.

4. No shower to look forward to, but if you are lucky (and I am) you will have fantastic friends and family that will through you a sip and see when they baby arrives. Further details on that later.

5. You get fatter faster.

6. The baby will most likely be larger not smaller!

I'm sure there are tons more goods and bads, but I hear Will waking up from his nap (I know I have a two year old that naps -YEAH for me!)