A very interesting perspective from another mom. I like how she gets her point across.
http://simple-gifts.blogspot.com/
Monday, October 30, 2006
Sunday, October 29, 2006
Oh Halloween, what is going on?
Our neighbors across the street made it into the Tulsa World last Wednesday for their "spirit" in decorating for Halloween. Below is the link to the story.
http://www.tulsaworld.com/NewsStory.asp?ID=061025_Co_zw4_Jenks70
It was a beautiful day today, around 80 degrees, Sunday afternoon, Jason was out cleaning the cars, I was on the front porch feeding Isaac, and I didn't want my daughter in our own front yard. They were building a casket today, not for outside, but inside their home. First of all, what parent in their right mind would let their child go into a complete stranger's home to see said casket, and secondly what must the inside of that home look like right now? That is their kid's haven, their safe place, their shelter. To see the outside of their home right now, you would know my concerns. Camille saw the disgusting gargoyle perched on top of their roof the other day as we were going to get the mail and said, "Momma, bunny?" "Yes, sweet pea, that's a bunny. Let's go back inside." What else am I supposed to say? Each year it gets worse, and each year I don't want my child outside her own home. What am I supposed to do when it is bedtime on Tuesday and they are going to be over there trying their hardest to make as many people scream as possible. Her window sits right there. I feel like they are stealing her innocence right out from under me. She doesn't like it when Jason makes me scream from tickling me. How do I protect my children from that? How do I keep them from the pure evil in the cemetery across the street? I never trick-or-treated growing up. When I say never, I mean never. I don't think I quite understood why until now.
Well, we found Camille a little angel costume and we have a pumpkin outfit for Isaac. We aren't going trick-or-treating. No, never, especially not in our neighborhood, not with that across the street. We are going to go to Jake and Keri's church in Broken Arrow for a very safe, very non-scary, biblical-based evening for the kids, complete with biblical characters and stories, the "All-Fun-No-Fear-Bible-Adventure: Heroes Unmasked."
Here is a link from wikipedia (what ever happened to the real encyclopedias from our childhoods?) that defines Halloween, it's history, and what is has become in our Western world.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Halloween
I put that here to ask, is what I'm doing okay? Insert a disgusted sigh, an "Are you kidding me?", a "Wow, how legalistic is she?", it's just kids having fun right? For how we will handle the evening, yes. It will just be a chance to dress up, play games with other kids and keep our precious children protected as long as possible in a safe environment. "You can't protect your kids from everything forever." Yeah, maybe not, but it is my responsibility as a parent to do it as long as possible. I haven't made it yet to the chapter in the book of parenting they give you when you leave the hospital that tells you when to stop.
I know most of our holidays that we have were actually pagan holidays that have been converted by religious leaders to accommodate the change in focus to God. This one still gets me. An interesting scenario found below for later on when the kids are older.
http://www.christianitytoday.com/holidays/halloween/
I'll also let you know, that family across the street barely even decorates for Christmas. One string of lights out front. Why does that bother me so much?
http://www.tulsaworld.com/NewsStory.asp?ID=061025_Co_zw4_Jenks70
It was a beautiful day today, around 80 degrees, Sunday afternoon, Jason was out cleaning the cars, I was on the front porch feeding Isaac, and I didn't want my daughter in our own front yard. They were building a casket today, not for outside, but inside their home. First of all, what parent in their right mind would let their child go into a complete stranger's home to see said casket, and secondly what must the inside of that home look like right now? That is their kid's haven, their safe place, their shelter. To see the outside of their home right now, you would know my concerns. Camille saw the disgusting gargoyle perched on top of their roof the other day as we were going to get the mail and said, "Momma, bunny?" "Yes, sweet pea, that's a bunny. Let's go back inside." What else am I supposed to say? Each year it gets worse, and each year I don't want my child outside her own home. What am I supposed to do when it is bedtime on Tuesday and they are going to be over there trying their hardest to make as many people scream as possible. Her window sits right there. I feel like they are stealing her innocence right out from under me. She doesn't like it when Jason makes me scream from tickling me. How do I protect my children from that? How do I keep them from the pure evil in the cemetery across the street? I never trick-or-treated growing up. When I say never, I mean never. I don't think I quite understood why until now.
Well, we found Camille a little angel costume and we have a pumpkin outfit for Isaac. We aren't going trick-or-treating. No, never, especially not in our neighborhood, not with that across the street. We are going to go to Jake and Keri's church in Broken Arrow for a very safe, very non-scary, biblical-based evening for the kids, complete with biblical characters and stories, the "All-Fun-No-Fear-Bible-Adventure: Heroes Unmasked."
Here is a link from wikipedia (what ever happened to the real encyclopedias from our childhoods?) that defines Halloween, it's history, and what is has become in our Western world.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Halloween
I put that here to ask, is what I'm doing okay? Insert a disgusted sigh, an "Are you kidding me?", a "Wow, how legalistic is she?", it's just kids having fun right? For how we will handle the evening, yes. It will just be a chance to dress up, play games with other kids and keep our precious children protected as long as possible in a safe environment. "You can't protect your kids from everything forever." Yeah, maybe not, but it is my responsibility as a parent to do it as long as possible. I haven't made it yet to the chapter in the book of parenting they give you when you leave the hospital that tells you when to stop.
I know most of our holidays that we have were actually pagan holidays that have been converted by religious leaders to accommodate the change in focus to God. This one still gets me. An interesting scenario found below for later on when the kids are older.
http://www.christianitytoday.com/holidays/halloween/
I'll also let you know, that family across the street barely even decorates for Christmas. One string of lights out front. Why does that bother me so much?
Thursday, October 19, 2006
10:30...TWELVE HOURS!
10:30! Yep! 10:30! He slept 12 hours, and I will guarantee, I kept walking in there to check on him...but, he was sleeping peacefully. Great day in the morning!
9:16 AM and still counting...
Okay, last night wasn't the easiest night of getting Isaac to sleep. There is something about writing down an accomplishment that inadvertently makes it come undone. Isaac was finally in bed at about 10:30, but honey, that boy is still sleeping at 9:17. Sweet glory road I slept a full night and didn't even realize it until Camille said over the monitor, "Where is Daddy?" Boy, oh boy does my back hurt, though. I guess my body is really not used to laying horizontal that long. I always had a break in the middle to get up and stretch.
Another joyful accomplishment...being off dairy is paying off. I am now 3 lbs. away from my pre-prego weight with little man. Granted I still have 18 to go before I am back to where I was before Camille. But, we'll get there.
Okay, it's 9:29...he is working on 11 hours of sleep. Yesss!!!
Another joyful accomplishment...being off dairy is paying off. I am now 3 lbs. away from my pre-prego weight with little man. Granted I still have 18 to go before I am back to where I was before Camille. But, we'll get there.
Okay, it's 9:29...he is working on 11 hours of sleep. Yesss!!!
Wednesday, October 18, 2006
7:15 A.M. Baby!
That's right, Isaac slept until 7:15 this morning after being put to bed at 9:23 last night. That is an amazing accomplishment and I would have had my first real, full, don't-wake-up-even-to-pee night of sleep since I got pregnant, but Camille got sick last night. Poor thing has been fighting the nasty cold/flu that I had and tried desperately not to share. It's a virus, though, so there is nothing they can do in spite of the 102.2 temp she had last night. All she asks for is Nemo. I guess there is something relaxing about that movie, and she would watch it over and over and over in one day if I would let her. I still fast forward through the 3 scary parts including the beginning, the sharks and the deep sea angler fish. By the way, if you go to google.com and search this fish on images, it is freaky weird how nasty-looking these creatures really are. God really pegged all bases of scary when He created this monster. Why don't kids dress up like a deep sea angler fish for Halloween? Yikes!
Camille now puts together 4 word sentences and we can hold pretty in depth conversations for a 19 month old and a 28 year old. Some good ones recently were, "I want Cha Cha outside.", "Where did it go?", "Where are you, Mommy?", and my favorite, "I love lou (you), Mommy."
Isaac is doing well. He has a little of the cough I had as well, but thankfully the nursing has prevented any major illness or fever in him. He is a great mountain of interaction now and it is a hoot to just sit and chat with this little Mr. Smiles. I am finally in a groove with him and I am enjoying our interactions immensely. He has put on 2 lbs. 1 oz. since birth and 3.5 inches! He is 10 lbs. 10 oz. and 23.5 inches long. Crazy! He is definitely a tall slender little guy.
So, I guess a ton has happened since I last posted. I am no longer on dairy because it seems that Isaac has a sensitivity to cow's milk protein. For anyone that knows me, this has been an enormous sacrifice! I am a milk drinker, cheese and yogurt eater, you name it, if it is dairy I love it. I desperately called Isaac's doctor after night after night of inconsolable screams and my absolute desperation. Poor little guy's tummy hurt and he had awful green poops. They are now a beautiful breastfed yellow. I also have good news in that Isaac puts himself to sleep on his own without crying. When he is in that blissful state of not awake and not asleep, I can put him in his bed with him waking up and going back to sleep all on his own. I was definitely not looking forward to crying it out with him as he is a HUGE cryer when things are not going his way. I guess from hurting so long with his tummy, he got used to crying loudly and for very long periods of time until he felt better or was comforted enough. So, God has blessed us immensely with already accomplishing a huge milestone.
My sister, Karen, recommended a book to me and I am enjoying the heck out of it. It is called Grace Based Parenting by Dr. Tim Kimmel. I have only gotten to page 63 in two weeks but every morsel I can get out of this book, I am ravenously eating up. I love how Kimmel takes the true basis of God's tenderness to us and relates it to us as parents with our kids while still implementing standards. I will definitely read this book more than once in my lifetime as a parent if only to keep these thoughts fresh in my mind. I immediately love how I have decided to change my mentality as a parent and the enhanced relationship I already have with both of my kids because of it. Definitely a high recommendation for anyone out there wanting a fresh perspective on parenting.
Since I haven't updated my blog in a while, I guess that I should admit that I am embarrassingly intrigued by Project Runway. The finale is tonight at 9 on Bravo and I cannot wait! I am so torn by who I want to have win. I did not get into the show when it began, but thankfully Bravo picks days where they will run every episode of Project Runway for anybody (me) that missed the previous shows. One day Isaac was being a marathon eater and I got sucked right in to this show being able to see everything that had happened. Thank goodness for DVR so that I could record the ones I missed earlier and get up to speed. For anyone that has followed this show, I would have to say that Michael and Uli are my favorites in their talents and their personalities. Either one of them would make a great winner.
So, that covers the major bases. I'll get back as soon as possible with pictures. Have a good day!
Camille now puts together 4 word sentences and we can hold pretty in depth conversations for a 19 month old and a 28 year old. Some good ones recently were, "I want Cha Cha outside.", "Where did it go?", "Where are you, Mommy?", and my favorite, "I love lou (you), Mommy."
Isaac is doing well. He has a little of the cough I had as well, but thankfully the nursing has prevented any major illness or fever in him. He is a great mountain of interaction now and it is a hoot to just sit and chat with this little Mr. Smiles. I am finally in a groove with him and I am enjoying our interactions immensely. He has put on 2 lbs. 1 oz. since birth and 3.5 inches! He is 10 lbs. 10 oz. and 23.5 inches long. Crazy! He is definitely a tall slender little guy.
So, I guess a ton has happened since I last posted. I am no longer on dairy because it seems that Isaac has a sensitivity to cow's milk protein. For anyone that knows me, this has been an enormous sacrifice! I am a milk drinker, cheese and yogurt eater, you name it, if it is dairy I love it. I desperately called Isaac's doctor after night after night of inconsolable screams and my absolute desperation. Poor little guy's tummy hurt and he had awful green poops. They are now a beautiful breastfed yellow. I also have good news in that Isaac puts himself to sleep on his own without crying. When he is in that blissful state of not awake and not asleep, I can put him in his bed with him waking up and going back to sleep all on his own. I was definitely not looking forward to crying it out with him as he is a HUGE cryer when things are not going his way. I guess from hurting so long with his tummy, he got used to crying loudly and for very long periods of time until he felt better or was comforted enough. So, God has blessed us immensely with already accomplishing a huge milestone.
My sister, Karen, recommended a book to me and I am enjoying the heck out of it. It is called Grace Based Parenting by Dr. Tim Kimmel. I have only gotten to page 63 in two weeks but every morsel I can get out of this book, I am ravenously eating up. I love how Kimmel takes the true basis of God's tenderness to us and relates it to us as parents with our kids while still implementing standards. I will definitely read this book more than once in my lifetime as a parent if only to keep these thoughts fresh in my mind. I immediately love how I have decided to change my mentality as a parent and the enhanced relationship I already have with both of my kids because of it. Definitely a high recommendation for anyone out there wanting a fresh perspective on parenting.
Since I haven't updated my blog in a while, I guess that I should admit that I am embarrassingly intrigued by Project Runway. The finale is tonight at 9 on Bravo and I cannot wait! I am so torn by who I want to have win. I did not get into the show when it began, but thankfully Bravo picks days where they will run every episode of Project Runway for anybody (me) that missed the previous shows. One day Isaac was being a marathon eater and I got sucked right in to this show being able to see everything that had happened. Thank goodness for DVR so that I could record the ones I missed earlier and get up to speed. For anyone that has followed this show, I would have to say that Michael and Uli are my favorites in their talents and their personalities. Either one of them would make a great winner.
So, that covers the major bases. I'll get back as soon as possible with pictures. Have a good day!
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