Wordless Wednesday

Here are a few pics of my daughter (in her PJ's) from our portrait session at Picture Playhouse. This was the first time a photographer got her to smile for pictures. There were lots of great ones, but these are just a few of my favorites. I love that she is so genuine!

Tuesday Tips: Traveling with Kids

As I am flying to San Diego today, I thought today’s Tips should be about traveling. Although I’m not flying with my kids on this trip, I’ve read a lot about traveling with little ones. Moms who’ve done it always give the best advice. I’ve only taken my daughter on one flight, but in November, the whole family will be flying to see Great Grandma. So, here are some tips to help make your flight a little easier.
1. Ear Pressure
If your baby is bottle-fed or breastfeeding, give them the bottle or breast for take-off & landing. It's the best things for their ears and they will also be relaxed. If your child is older, carry cotton or earplugs. This helps the kids tremendously if they don't know how to pop their ears. You can also try chewing gum. *You are allowed to take water for mixing formula, RTF formula, or breast milk with you on the plane. They will just want to make sure it’s a reasonable amount for your travel time.
2. Change of clothes
Pack a change of clothes for your child in your carry-on bag. You might want to pack an extra shirt for yourself, especially if traveling with an infant. Don’t forget hand wipes for quick cleanups.
3. Entertainment
Pack books, coloring books, crayons, and small toys to keep your child entertained. Before your trip, visit a dollar store and pick up some small toys. Wrap them and keep them hidden until you give them to your child, one at a time. For an older child, you might want to take a portable DVD player, DS, or whatever item your child enjoys. If you’ve got an iphone or ipod, download a movie for your child. And don’t forget earplugs for the sake of passengers around you. Just remember, there will be a time after take-off and before landing when electronic items will not be allowed.
4. Stroller
Check-in your stroller at the gate. This way, you have it in the airport and don’t have to carry your tot from gate to gate, while trying to carry your carry-on bag too. Place it in a bag or keep together with bungee cord. I prefer to place it in a bag to protect it from wear & tear. You can ask for a plastic bag at the airport check-in if you forget. That’s what happened to me!


5. Preparation
Prepare your child for the trip. Explain what you will be doing and how the process works. Let them know that it is illegal to make jokes about bombs in the airport. Tell them ahead of time that they will need to remove their shoes and walk through the metal detector.
6. Diapers
Pack a diaper, wipes, changing pad, diaper cream, and disposable bag in a Ziploc bag or small bag so that you do not have to take your entire diaper bag or carry-on into the tiny bathroom with you. Squeeze this small bag into the seat pocket in front of you so that you have it when you need it. Place the dirty diaper in the disposable bag before throwing in the trash bin.
7. Relax
Be patient. Plan in advance that things will take longer with a child. Go with the flow.

Note: I chose not to discuss whether or not you should purchase a seat for your child under 2 because many people feel differently about this. Every parent has to make the decision that is best for them. If you do purchase a seat for your child or they are over 2 years old and require a seat, take your car seat or use an adjustable belt. If you don’t purchase a seat, consider using a travel vest, carrier, or sling during the flight. You will not be able to use these during take-off and landing.

Have a safe and happy trip!

Me on Monday: Mommy's Tough Decision

I decided that one way to motivate myself to blog more often is to create themes for each weekday. So, Mondays will be called “Me on Monday”. I’ll be writing about what’s going on for me as a mom, wife, and girl enjoying life.
Read my post from Friday to read about how my daughter has been getting bit at daycare. I wrote that post during the day. When I picked her up at 5pm, she had another accident report for another bite. So, that was the final straw. Yesterday, I emailed a letter to the daycare director and district manager to inform them that my daughter will no longer be attending as a result of all the biting incidents. When I sent the email, I had a knot in my stomach. It felt so final. The 18 months prior to these incidents were great. She has learned so much from her teachers and the daycare experience. I was so sad to think that she won’t be going there anymore. She won’t be playing on the playground with her friends anymore. She won’t be sitting at the table eating lunch or making art projects with her friends. I really wish this hadn’t happened. For now, my mother-in-law will be watching her. I know she will take great care of her and *L* loves spending time with her. But I really want her to have experiences with other children. So, I’ll be looking around for mom’s day out programs soon. On another subject, I leave for San Diego tomorrow and won’t be back until Saturday. I am going to miss my family so much!!
These pics are from April in the Infant class. I never got any pics from the toddler class.

Pics from the Aquarium

Just wanted to share some pics from our recent trip to the Texas State Aquarium. It was our first time to take the kids. *L* really enjoyed it and even *S* watched the fish!

Decision Time Regarding Childcare

We've decided to stop sending *L* to the daycare she currently attends. I have loved it for the last 18 months...until last month. She started getting bit by another child. The first couple of bites, I was understanding. But then she started getting bit too often. I complained to the director. I was told "we're doing our best." I told the director we were considering leaving. She told me to give her a little time because they were trying something new with the children whoare biting. Let me add, I don't believe that it's several different children biting her. Obviously, there are children (or one child) biting multiple times. In 2 weeks, she had 7 bites! Well, I gave it time and it did actually stop. However, this last Monday, she got bit again. I signed the accident report that stated she was bit on her arm. However, when changing her later that evening, I found 2 more bites! One was on her chest, near her shoulder. The other, was on her thigh, above her knee. When I brought it up to the director and teachers, they said, "She didn't cry other than the one time, so we didn't know." What happened to knowing what's going on because you're watching my child! So, we decided we no longer want her to attend this daycare. It's unfortunate because she has done very well there with the exception of the biting incidents. But I can't keep taking this risk with her safety. I understand that toddlers bite, but I just don't feel the situation is being handled effectively. So, now I have to tell the director and I just can't. Today when I took my daughter, I walked her outside and she waved to her friends. I felt horrible that I'm going to take her away from that. My mother-in-law has offered to watch her. However, I still want her to be around other children so I'm considering a mom's day out program a couple days a week. I feel like I'm doing the right thing by taking her out of this daycare, but then why do I feel so guilty- like I'm taking her away from a place where she has so much fun?

Needing Direction...for my blog world

It's been a month since I last posted because I'm trying to figure out the point to my blog. My subtitle pretty much explains the point right now...it's just about my journey through life. But that seems so pointless, except for the fact that I have friends that keep updated with me that way. So, I started thinking about the blogs I read and why I like them. I realized that my blog doesn't fit into any of those catergories. Most of the blogs I like teach me something... about parenting, going green or keeping my kids safe, tips for all kinds of stuff, etc. My friend Joy has a great "Wednesday Walkthrough" on her blog. I always learn something from her. I also read several blogs that have baby food or kid food recipes. Other blogs I read get me thinking about a certain issue, mostly parenting issues and working-mom type stuff. And still others I read inspire me to be more creative. Sara has a great blog where she displays photos she takes of babies, newborns, pregnant women, and her own kids. She's an amazing photographer. I always feel more creative after seeing her pics. I also look at scrapbook layouts on some great blogs. And there are a few I read that are more like mine...friends just sharing about their lives.
So I'm trying to figure out what I want to do with mine. For now, I'll just keep sharing about my life. But I think I'd like to do something more...and actually be a part of the many women who teach, inspire, and encourage each other. I just gotta figure out what my blogging purpose is. Hm, stuff to think about.