Potty Training

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Potty Training Tips

I found this site via Pinterest and it has some really great tips for potty training. I introduced Ari to her potty months ago just get her familiar with it and how to sit on it. She has peed in it twice but we sat there for quite sometime before she peed. I know most people tell you to start training around age 2 and Ari is fast approaching the big 2. My concern is the fact that Ari is still not really talking. She communicates for sure, but there isn't any dialogue. I don't know how I am supposed to motivate/communicate this process.

My husband is Russian and was potty trained by like 1 and the method was basically just sitting him on a potty and waiting, then repeating over and over and over. I can't do that....ok I won't do that : ) I just can't see us spending all day in the bathroom, plus I think it would become more annoying for her and myself. Ari is not one to sit still for longer than 2 minutes and I don't want to turn training into a battle. I guess my hope is that she will want to get out of diapers and once she understands the alternative she will begin to initiate potty time. It's not looking good though now because she rarely informs me of poopy diapers let alone wet ones. UGH! I fear this process. I am going to review the tips on the above site again and see what I can apply in our special world : )

Any other moms in this boat or a similar boat?? Would looooove any advice!

Talk already!

Since I have not blogged in so long I am not going to try walking you through the last 6 months but I am just going to start with the present and fill in as needed. Ari is running and climbing now and I don't have enough hands or energy to keep up with her at times. She is also teething and has like 6 teeth coming in at the same time! I have been struggling with my mommy guilt lately for many reasons but mainly because Ari isn't really talking yet.  Actually she isn't talking at all! I feel like such a failure. What am I doing wrong? What am I not doing? I talk to her A LOT, we read, she points, I sing, she yells and babbles, I ask questions, she grunts and points...etc. I know that one mistake I was making was giving her what she needed/wanted without her asking only because I knew sometimes before she did what she wanted/needed. Now I offer options and repeat them a thousand times trying to get her to verbalize her choice. Well, that pretty much ends in a whining, face grabbing tantrum (by both of us) so I just cave and give her what I know she wants. Am I supposed to let her starve because she won't choose what she wants to eat or thirst because she won't choose water or milk!!??

Anywho, Ari is up from her nap so off I go!!

Long time no blog

I have been completely MIA from the blogging world this holiday week. I am back on track now and ready to catch up on all that I have missed. Ari experienced her first Thanksgiving this last week and all went well. I was nervous about all of the family being a bit too much for her and napping in a strange place with all of the cousins running around, but she handled herself like a sweet little angel. I was so proud of her when I put her down for her nap. Out of the thousand items that we brought to keep her happy and entertained we forgot her crib music thingie. This thing is her best friend in the crib. I was terrified that we would end our Thanksgiving festivities early with a cranky baby but she went down all on her own. I was a proud mama! We had a great day and I'm so glad that she was such a good girl. I feel silly now for stressing about her and what would happen on Thanksgiving. I am always nervous when taking her into a new situation. I think about all of the possible things that could go wrong, all of things that could upset her, all of the things that I could forget to bring...etc. In the end though it always works out and even when something goes "wrong" it's never THAT bad. I love my little girl and I just want her to be happy all the time and that's my real issue. Is that weird? Am I crazy? I don't verbalize these anxieties as I think I am a little nutty but maybe I can find others like me through my blog : ) Hope everyone had a great holiday week too!

IT'S ALMOST TIME!!!!

I'm not talking about the holidays; I'm talking about TEETH! Well, ONE tooth in particular that is sloooowly working its way to center stage. Ari has been extra fussy these last couple days and so yesterday I stuck my finger in her mouth, slid along the gum line and BAM!!! a little chip poked my finger. I was sooooo excited!! I mean a real tooth is on its way out. Front and center! MY child is going to have a tooth!! Its almost too much for me to handle. I will post pictures as soon as there is something that my camera can actually capture : )

YAY!!!!!

Baby Teething FAQ's - Questions regarding Orajel® for teething babies

Once again, those pesky milestones are consuming my every thought. Ari is 9 1/2 months old and doesn't have a single tooth!! According to this article I read, she has until 10 months to pop out a couple of teeth on the bottom; after that I guess she will be officially "behind". The doctors keep telling me we are close but they have been saying that since she was 6 months old! It is driving me nutso. I want to see some teeth! She has been chewing, gnawing and drooling for months!! For those of you lucky enough to have seen some pearly whites, this article shows the order in which the rest of the teeth will make their appearance.

Enjoy!! I'm jealous : (

Baby Teething FAQ's - Questions regarding Orajel® for teething babies

Baby Milestones Worries

So, I read the following article and LOVED it. It made me feel so normal : ) What is normal anyways?? When it comes to our children, normal becomes very important and is on your mind everyday. Everytime that Ari does or does not do something I wonder if she is "normal". Silly I know but it is amazing how the pressure to be ahead of the game starts as soon as your child is born. From the first time that your child's height, weight and head size are charted, the race begins. It is especially apparent if you have friends or family with kids the same age or close to the same age. Why do we do this to ourselves? For myself I feel like it is out of fear of not being a good parent. If my child is not meeting the chart's numbers or the books milestones, then its my fault and I suck as a mother. Deep down I know that I am doing my best, but it does have an effect.

My daughter is 9 months old and just started crawling a week or so ago. It was a big deal in this house. My husband and I were ecstatic. Now though we seem to be focusing on what's next. She hasn't said ma ma or da da, no teeth, no "hi" or "bye", no clapping, no "arms up!"....but I'm not concerned. Even though friends of mine have kids that are close in age and have been doing these for months now. That's ok. Ari is fine. I'm not worried at all. Yes, I sit in front of her while she is in the bathtub and say "ma ma, ma ma, ma ma, ma ma, ma ma, da da, da da, da da, da da" then "sigh, that's ok baby, high five!" and I get a hand in the air : ) That is her "trick" that we are OH SO proud of. When you say "high five" Ari puts her little hand in the air and touches your hand. PRECIOUS! Personally I think this one trick is the most difficult and most advanced. I make it a point to show EVERYONE. Their kids can't do it, but mine can. HA!!

Check out this article for more fun:

The Truth About Baby Milestones

http://www.parenting.com/article/Baby/Development/The-Truth-About-Baby-Milestones/1