Baby Traditions

I've got babies on the brain right now.  Nine weeks from today, I will be holding my third baby in my arms.  I can't wait! 

I'm tired of pregnancy, so I'm ready to be done with it.  But I'm also ready to meet this baby boy and see what he looks like.  Will we finally have a really Cajun looking baby or will this one be bald and fair like his mama?  Or will he be somewhere in the middle, like his brother and sister? 

I'm sure that our baby preparations are all I'll be writing about in the next couple of months, and then I'll disappear into my cave for a while as I adjust to life with three little ones and recover from my c-section. 

We have just a few baby traditions that we've created in our family over the past few years.  My husband likes to get an "I'm having a baby" pedicure for me right before the baby is born.  Somewhere along the way, he heard that women love to have cute feet on the day of their baby's delivery, so he came up with this idea himself.  He prefers for me to go to one of the nice spas in town for my pedicure.  That's his tradition.

My spin on it is that I always get a color appropriate for the baby.  For Isabelle, I had my toes painted a nice Barbie pink.  For Andrew, I wanted blue.  But the only shade of blue in the salon was a vibrant electric blue green, so that's exactly what I got.  I received some funny looks and comments from the nurses and staff at the hospital, so I think I'll bring my own baby blue nail polish this time!

My parents' and grandparents' tradition was that the dad leaves the hospital to pick out a sweet coming home outfit.  After all, back then, they didn't know the gender of the baby until it came out.  But my husband and I didn't like this one.  What if the baby came on a Saturday afternoon and the little baby boutiques are all closed on Sundays?  How do we wash it beforehand?  And more importantly, what if mom, who labored to have the baby, is less than pleased with the outfit dad has selected?  Big bummer. 

So we pick out the baby's coming home outfit together, and we always go with a classic, traditional style.  Think Feltman Brothers, with pin tucks, Peter Pan collars, and hand embroidery. 

Isabelle Rose, ready to come home from the hospital.

Andrew Jay, napping while we waited for discharge to be complete.

We also bring home the baby in a bonnet.  It's a sweet little bonnet that can double as a handkerchief.  For our daughter, it will be her "something old" that she can carry with her bouqet on her wedding day.  Our sons can give the bonnet to their bride-to-be to carry on their wedding day.   My plan is to frame both the outfit and the bonnet as a keepsake for each child.

This picture makes us laugh every time we see it.  She's wearing her special dress, bonnet, and a bunting.  We also added a pink blanket that a friend, Ann, made for her.  Ann has crocheted a blanket for both of my babies, and we cherish them.

Each of our babies have followed the tradition of their uncles.  Like JJ & Rylan, my younger brothers, both of our kids have come home from the hospital wearing LSU booties.  In fact, these booties were a baby shower gift from my brothers. 

Since we've never been surprised about the arrival of our babies, we always try to have a last dinner out, with or without the kids, before the baby comes.  This also doubles as a pig out session for me, since I have to fast before the c-sections. 

Babies are always fun and each one is special, so even though we knew we'd have several kids, we've always wanted to have small celebrations as we enjoy and anticipate their arrival. 

I love hearing about how different families celebrate their baby's arrival.  What traditions do you have for your little ones?

Our Experience with Hand, Foot, and Mouth Disease

Hand, Foot, and Mouth Disease (HFMD) is one of those pesky childhood illnesses that go around all the time.  If your child is ever in contact with other children, he or she can easily pick it up.  We had a bout with it a couple of months ago, and while it wasn't fun, we muddled through it.  Here's what we learned:

What is HFMD?
HFMD is a virus that causes fever and a rash around the mouth, hands, and feet, among other places.  The child will also have sores within his mouth, which will make eating quite a challenge.  It typically affects kids under the age of 5, and while adults rarely get it, it can happen!

The virus transfers in all the usual ways, such as mucus, saliva, and the dreaded feces.  I've heard that it can hang out in the feces for months after the illness, so if you've ever needed a good reason to wash your hands after a diaper change, there it is.  I'm a big fan of keeping sanitizer at the changing table, so that I can clean my hands, get my child off the changing table, and then do a proper hand washing.  I also use burp cloths or cloth diapers on the changing table, and I swap it out for a clean cloth after every dirty diaper.

Here's the fun part:  HMFD often lasts anywhere from 1-3 weeks.  Yep, you read that right.  When my son was diagnosed with it, we cleared our calendar for over a week, knowing that his big sister would probably come down with it too.  Some friends have said that it's one of the most miserable things they've experienced with their children.  It definitely ranks right up there with a bad ear infection, because your kids will probably be super cranky and lethargic. 

What does HFMD look like? 
HMFD starts with a really nice fever, which was our biggest concern with our daughter, since she is prone to having febrile seizures.  Out of caution, we did take her to the ER one night when her temperature was over 104 with medication.  But it came down pretty quickly once we started rotating ibuprofen and acetaminophen. 

Within about a day of having fever, she broke out in a rash everywhere.  Hers was not localized to her hands and feet, but was all over her body as well as inside her mouth. 

Our son had a fever too and then broke out with small bumps around his mouth, hands, and feet.  Eventually, he had tiny spots everywhere.

How is HFMD treated?
Since it is a virus, there's not too much you can do about it, other than keep your child comfortable.  No medication will shorten the duration of it, but your doctor can prescribe something to help with the discomfort.  We found this very helpful. 

Your child will have sores all in their mouth, making eating incredibly difficult.  Before each meal, we squirted the medication, a mixture of Benadryl, Maalox, and lidocaine, into the child's mouth.  This numbed it, which was also uncomfortable, but at least our kids were able to eat a little bit.  Our one year old adapted easily and ate pretty well, despite the mouth sores.  Our three year old, on the otherhand, was miserable for quite a while.  After about 5 days of HFMD, I remember seeing her crying at the kitchen table.  She pointed to her mouth and said "Mommy, I can't get my sick out!"  She was pretty pathetic, but she survived.

The doctor can also prescribe a sucker that you can rub into your child's mouth to help with the mouth pain.  We really weren't big fans of this one.  As soon as the pharmacist explained the process, that I could only give the sucker for about 10 seconds, I decided we probably wouldn't use it.  Neither of my kids would be happy about getting a sucker for only 10 seconds.  That's just kind of mean.  Isabelle didn't even like the taste of it, so that was a bust. 

Should I go to the doctor?
That's totally up to you.  I had a friend diagnose it. Her son had it last summer, so she dropped by my house to check out little Andrew. As soon as she saw the telltale spots on the bottom of his feet, she said yep, it's HFMD.  I took him into the doctor "just in case," (he also had an ear infection and atalectasis at the same time, so I wanted to play it safe).  We were able to get a prescription for the Benadryl solution, and that alone made it worth the trip to the doctor. 

My biggest prayer was that my daughter would get it really soon after my son, so that we could be done with it in a hurry.  She did get it quickly, and both kids were over the disease in about 10 days.  During that time, we pretty much just camped out in the living room, relaxing and watching videos, since Izzy was especially lethargic. I babied my babies and got lots of snuggles.  For us, it was pretty miserable, but it's just one of those childhood illnesses that we had to go through, and might have to go through again!  But now we'll know how to deal with it. 

My Toddler is Toddling

Andrew, my 15 month old, has finally decided that walking is pretty fun.  He's been cruising and taking steps for a couple of months now, but he's not especially gutsy and he likes to hold something to keep his balance. 

But over the past few days, he's finally starting to make the transition to walking.  This mama is happy.  While I was never worried about his development or walking late, since his sister was the latest walker ever at 16 1/2 months, I have definitely gotten tired of toting my little guy around.  Sure he's sweet and super cuddly, but my pregnant back could use a break.  And in less than 13 weeks,  I'll have another little boy to tote around.

Check out his moves here:

What I'm Reading: Nehemiah 9, The Faithless and the Faithful

When I wake up in the morning, I have to hit the ground running.  I don't have the luxury of "ideal" situations.  With meal planning, house cleaning, and much of life, I have to take what I can get, and that includes my quiet time. 

My Ryrie study Bible, complete with my handwritten notes and Isabelle's notes as well.

Most mornings, I don't get to have time with the Lord.  I try to do it at some point in the day or at bedtime, but it's not nearly as refreshing as first thing in the morning. 

Friday morning, however, I was able to spend some time in the Word.  It was especially precious because of the way I was nourished. 

Chapter 9 of Nehemiah is a beautiful chapter.  In it, Ezra begins praying by giving summary of Israel's history, hitting all the high points, and especially focusing on the incredible things that God did for His people.  Ezra also tells of all the times where the people of Israel strayed, but God remained faithful and always preserved a portion of His people.  He always met their needs. 

Indeed, forty years You provided for them in the wilderness and they were not in want;
Their clothes did not wear out, nor did their feet swell.  Nehemiah 9:21

I can really relate to swollen feet right now, so it amazes me that theirs did not swell.

And 40 years without needing new clothes?!? 

God met every single one of their needs. 

What are you needing right now, mama?  Patience?  Rest?  Energy?  Strength?  Wisdom?  All of the above?

But if any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all generously and without reproach, and it will be given to him.  James 1:5

Ask.

Lately, I'm in need of energy.  Or rest.  Sometimes God gives me the energy to do what I need to do, and other times He doesn't.  Instead, I have to rest and let the house fall apart a little bit.  And that's OK, because clearly, God wants me to rest instead of forging on, full speed ahead.  But I know that my times of exhaustion, fatigue, and yes, vomiting from morning sickness will not last forever.  I'll have good days or weeks again, whether it comes during this pregnancy or after the baby arrives.  For about a week and a half, God gave me lots of energy.  The result is that my house is getting cleaner and more organized.  I'm loving it.  But now I'm spent, and God is saying rest.

But are you worthy enough for God to provide what you need?

The neat thing about the passage in Nehemiah is that it comes immediately after a description of Israel's great sin of idolatry. 

Even when they made for themselves a calf of molten metal and said 'This is your God who brought you up from Egypt' and committed great blasphemies, You, in Your great compassion, Did not forsake them in the wilderness; The pillar of cloud did not leave them by day, to guide them on their way, nor did the pillar of fire by night, to light for them the way in which they were to go.  You gave Your good Spirit to instruct them, Your manna You did not withhold from their mouth, and You gave them water for their thirst.  Nehemiah 9:18-20. 

No, we're not worthy.  Like His chosen people, Israel, a thousand times we've failed Him, and we'll fail Him again.  Still, God loves His people.  He hasn't changed since then.  The main difference between now and then is that God showed another portion of His perfect plan for the world when He gave His very worthy son to die on the cross for our sins.  Praise God.  I've got some sins that need covering.

That's the beauty of the cross.  The same grace that saved me is what enables me to grow in holiness, never becoming perfect, but still growing in Christlikeness more and more every day. 

Moms, lets bring our needs to the Lord, even if they seem insignificant, like the prayer I often pray "Father, just help me make it until naptime."   I often hear myself singing a hymn that I remember from childhood:  Trust and obey.  There is no other way to be happy in Jesus than to trust and obey.  And I just put one foot in front of the other, asking God to supply the strength, rest, and precious patience to obey Him, trusting in His provision of my daily needs.

The Leash Question

On Saturday, I asked for your opinion on my son's little green backpack, which also came with a tether or "leash" to clip onto the backpack for parents to keep tabs on their little toddler. 

I was a little surprised that I didn't receive any tsk tsks or censures for having the audacity to want to "leash" my child.  It's a pretty taboo thing to do in parenting circles, one that is sure to get comments from folks in the grocery store or disapproving frowns even from friends you know and love. 

Because, as I'm sure you know, everyone knows how to parent your kids better than you do.  Right?  Or at least that's how it seems sometimes, based on all the comments moms receive from well-intentioned strangers..

So what are your thoughts on putting your kid on a harness or "leash?"

Here are the main arguments against it:

• It's a kid, not a dog.
• A parent should teach them to obey you properly, without having to resort to a leash.
• It could hurt them.
• Many parents tend to get "lazy" when their kids are leashed, and they actually pay far less attention than they would otherwise.

I feel like all of these issues could be addressed with proper parenting.  My main concern is

What other people think.

It's true.  This is about all that I'm worried about.  Here's why:

First, I love my dogs.  And I love my kids even more (sorry, dog lovers, but there's just no comparison).  So while they're on a "leash," I will not be treating my child like a puppy.

I also don't think the physical harm idea is a big deal, especially if you use a harness or backpack sort of thing.  But particularly, I have no intention of jerking my little toddler around while he's attached to the tether.  I do, after all, love the little guy.

But here's my main argument in favor of a leash.  I have every intention of teaching my child to obey well.  I don't want to be a lazy parent, and I'm not using a leash to give myself permission to get lazy.

But when my daughter was 18 months old, she had a mom who could devote 100% of her attention solely to training her, holding her hand, and teaching her to stay nearby.

Discipline is still a struggle at times, of course.  If you've passed me in the hallway at church, I'm sure you've heard me saying "don't run at church, Isabelle...stay next to Mommy, Isabelle...watch where you're going, Isabelle."  But I've taught her to walk next to the basket at the grocery store, holding onto it for safety, and she will do the same when we go out somewhere, holding onto the stroller. 

When my son is 18 months, I'll have a 3 1/2 year old to watch as well as a newborn.  I'll still give him a good chunk of my attention, especially in parking lots, since he'll be so young.  But it's not his fault that his mommy can't give her undivided attention to him.  And the bottom line is safety. I just want my toddler to be safe.  That's all.

I have a great double stroller, so I'm sure I'll still use that most of the time.  I also have a feeling that I'll be getting even more use out of my sling and Moby wrap this time.  But it'll be nice to have another option when we go places, just to make sure my toddler is completely safe.

I debated this issue with myself when I was expecting my second child, but I decided against it.  After he was born, we actually had a couple of incidents where I really wished I had the leash!  Those situations were never caused by an inattentive parent or a disobedient toddler.  Instead, the problem always stemmed from someone else, a complete stranger, who might, say, run through a hallway in a municipal building, completely separating my toddler and I when we were holding hands.  Then the woman was kind enough to hold the door open while yelling at someone outside of the building, allowing my 2 year old to go right outside.  Seriously, this happened!  She continued to block my way to my child until I finally physically forced my way through her, outside, where I could grab my daughter and make sure she didn't run into the busy street.  I was fuming mad while the lady apologized, saying "I wouldn't have let her get into the street!"  Between that situation and a few others, I'm thinking a leash may be a good idea.

And I'm starting to reach a point in life and in parenting where what other people think matters less and less.  If someone wants to think I'm a bad mommy for keeping my toddler safe on a harness, then they can think that all they want.  Chances are that something else I do would've offended them anyway.

Our Garden, 2012

Raw Potential

Just in case you think I have a green thumb, don't be fooled.  I just cook the veggies and enjoy the benefits of having a garden.  My husband does all the hard work.  I snap the pictures and blog about it.

You see basil, I see pesto, served over hot pasta and topped with fish.  My kids love it!

Dinnerplate Dahlias.  This is my first time to grow these flowers, and I'm not impressed with the appearance of the plant as a whole.  I sure hope the flower makes up for it in beauty!

These sweet purple flowers are already starting to form into tiny green beans.  The kids will love them!

Just the tiniest of buds appear on our bell pepper plants.  That's our stone wall in the background.  Don't be jealous.  It's one perk of living in a 1940s era house.

Maters.  'Nuf said.

Glorious squash flowers, already forming into vegetables. 

My husband propagated these hydrangeas from our "mother" plant, which was given to us as a housewarming gift nearly 8 years ago.  It, too, was propagated from a friend's plant.

Another pretty flower in the garden.  This one thinks she's a princess!

Darcy thinks she's a princess too.

And so does Daisy.

Happy May Day!