Disney With A Toddler

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ImageEven as a complete Disney nut, I was a little concerned about how things would go with our 1 1/2 year old rambunctious little boy.  Would he be afraid of his hero, Mickey Mouse?  Would he think any of the attractions were fun?

Here is what we learned:

1. Don’t set your expectations too high.  Know that you will not see everything, and take the pressure off of yourself to make everything perfect.

2. Your toddler still needs a nap.  Just because you are at the most magical place on earth does not mean that you will magically convert that nap time into fun time.  However, with the help of a stroller and a nice shade tree, if you are stuck in the park, nap time can be accomplished with relative ease.  However, I recommend getting away from the parks in the heat of the day.  It is a perfect time to catch that nap, or if your little ones are too wired, you can spend some time at the hotel pool.

3. Nighttime Diapers.  We took a case of nighttime diapers to use for every diaper change.  They are more absorbent and kept him dryer than regular diapers.  These were also a great help during our drive to Florida from South Carolina.

4. Playgrounds.  Each park has at least one playground.  This was wonderful for letting our little guy get rid of some extra energy that built up from riding around all day in the stroller.

5. Take a change of clothes.  In several locations throughout the Walt Disney Resort, you can find water fountain play areas.  Water will shoot up from the ground or from overhead.  It is helpful to have a change of clothes so that you can let your little ones play until their little hearts are content, without worrying about how long it will take to dry.  (Note: Downtown Disney has a large water fountain play area.)

6.  Most important, keep it light.  Don’t let the crowds or the heat ruin your vacation.  Remember that it is all about your family enjoying time together.

One last thought… Remember to take lots of pictures.  Your toddler will love seeing them when you return home.

A Different Kind of Love

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I had the privilege of listening to a lady talk about her grandchildren while waiting at the salon, and she described something that I believe every mother knows.  She spoke of how much she loved her niece (born before her first child).  She said that she was so scared that she would not be able to love her child as much as she loved her.

“It was amazing,” she said.  ”The nurse brought my son to me, and as soon as I held him in my arms, I had such an incredible love for him.  I never knew it was possible.”  I listened as she explained that her love for her niece had not become less.  It was as if another place in her heart had opened up.  ”Then the grandchildren came, and it seemed there was another kind of love just for them, equally as great.  Just different.”

As she described this, I could imagine God smiling.  He has made us with the capacity to love in so many ways.  When our children are born, it is as if He turns the light on in a room that we never knew existed.  I know that I had the exact same feelings, and so did my mother.  Now my mom describes her love for her children and grandchildren the same way as the sweet lady in the salon described the love for her children and grandchildren.

Could it be that we really have no idea how great our capacity is for love?  I think so.

Safety 1st Perfect Fit Gate

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The Safety 1st Perfect Fit Gate has been exactly as it’s name describes, a perfect fit.

We were looking for a gate to fit in a large doorway, and we wanted something that would be light and easy to operate with one hand.

This pressure (or hardware mounted) gate will remain the perfect size for the opening by simply setting the size and locking it into place.

The gate operates easily with one hand by pressing down on the lock release and lifting up.  We have not had any problems with it damaging our wall or slipping, and I love that the gate itself is flat with no places to help with climbing.

Overall this is a wonderful gate, and I wish that I had purchased this gate for the top of our stairs as well.  The hardware mount makes it a great choice.

Another Baby?

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As I write this, I am 38 years old.  Our son is now 14 months old, and the resounding question is: should we try to have another child?  I share this because I am sure there are many more trying to come to a conclusion on this very issue.

Will I be healthy enough through another pregnancy?  During our last pregnancy, I developed gestational diabetes.  Since the pregnancy, I was diagnosed with type 2 diabetes.  Just this one thing can cause complications for both myself and the baby, not to mention my age.

Will the baby be okay?  Like I said, I’m 38 years old now.  I am definitely not getting any younger, and the thoughts of birth defects weighs heavily on this decision.

Will I be healthy enough after a second baby to be a fun mommy?  This is huge on my list.  I want to be able to chase my grandchildren.  I know that a big part of this lies in my own hands by eating well and exercising, but I also know that it took me a while to get back into the swing of things after Joshua was born.  A year later and my memory and focus are still working their way back.

Can we afford another child?  This is another big one.  We want to be responsible in bringing another child into the world.  We want to be able to provide the basics and some of their wants without living a stressful life.

So there it is… I have no answer on this yet for us, but I can say that if you are trying to make this tough decision, you are not alone.  We are praying for clear direction from God.  It is only through His peace that we will be able to comfortably settle on an answer.

My only word of wisdom on this topic is pray.  If necessary, fast and pray.  Take the time to make a decision based on time spent with God Almighty.  He will give a peace that passes all understanding.

Snuggle Bug

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Sometimes the list can wait.

I suppose it is because I became a mother at midlife that I instinctively treasure these times.  Those days that the little one just wants to sit on mommy’s lap, and nothing else will do.  It is a choice.  You can get irritated and angry because you can’t get things done, or you can let your little one crawl up in your arms and love on them for a while.

The dishes in the sink, floors, bathrooms and laundry can all wait.  They will be there when he decides that he’s had enough mommy time, and that will come all too soon.

Remember to take time for your snuggle bugs.  It seems that you blink, and another milestone has past.

The Slingback

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If you have spent any amount of time with a wonderful bundle of joy, you have experienced the slingback.  That moment when your adorable baby turns himself (or herself) into a stiff-as-a-board projectile.  Sometimes it is like an animated action hero, going from cute giggles to “da da daaaa” the temper tantrum leap.  There is the arch in the back, the head slings back, and as if on cue to launch into space, the entire body stiffens to leap into the great unknown.  Then comes the protest, the crying.

So what is a parent to do?  I don’t know.  Hahaha  So far, our little action figure is too young to understand the importance of not jumping out of our arms onto the hardwood floors, so we just keep him as safe as possible, while keeping him away from the blinds or whatever it is that he wanted in the first place.  I know that the time is coming when he will understand what “no” really means, and at that point we will need to address the tantrum.  For now, I warn everyone that will hold him for more than a few minutes that keeping a good grip on him is crucial, even if it means launching into space with him.

So here is a question:  What do you do during a temper tantrum, and how has it changed as your child has grown?  Leave your comments below.

What Is A C-Section Like?

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Everyone has an idea of what they would like the birth of their child to be like.  I had hoped our son would arrive naturally, but I was not opposed to an epidural.  I just wanted to try it without.  I do admit that in the back of my mind, I had an idea that a c-section was a possibility because I had developed gestational diabetes.  I was not afraid of having one.  Both my husband and I had been delivered through a c-section, but I hoped it would not be the case for our son.

A cesarean section is major surgery, and there are risks involved, just as there would be with any major surgery.  In our case, from prep to finish was about an hour.  The longest part of the surgery was after the birth.  During this time they are cleaning and sewing (or in my case, gluing) the incisions back together.

The most uncomfortable part of the surgery was when the nurse pushed down on my chest and stomach area to push him out.  It was amazing, the amount of pressure that it required, but it did not last long.  I was conscious, but I did not feel anything other than pressure.

My husband was able to stay close, and seeing the joy on his face kept me calm.  Sometimes husbands don’t realize how much we need them calmly by our side.  He saw the birth and was able to cut the cord, and he was allowed to take pictures during most of the process.

Our son was weighed and measured in the operating room.  Then the nurse brought him over to my side so I could meet him, and after a few photos he was back to the warmer.

Once the incision was closed, I was moved back to my bed, and we were rolling back down the hall to our room.  Within minutes our son was in the room, and I was holding him.  The rest of the night and part of the next day, I was still a little dazed from the medications, but I was thankful to have them.

If you need to have a c-section, remember to have someone around to help after it is over.  The recovery for a c-section is longer than natural birth.  I decided not to try to go up and down the stairs in our home for two weeks.  I don’t remember if that was suggested by the doctor or if I just didn’t want to hurt.  There is a fine line between doing too much and not doing enough.  If you sit still and never move around, it’s going to hurt like crazy when you start moving around again, but if you do too much you could open the incision and have a entirely different kind of problem.  All in all, the average of 6 weeks to recover is just about right.  I still had some pain after 6 weeks, but the majority of the bad pain was over.

Oddly enough laughter can make you cry.  About 4 days after the surgery, my mother and husband said something that hit me as funny, and within seconds of beginning to laugh, I was crying from the pain.  Hopefully people will understand when you say, “please don’t make me laugh!”

You will find that every thought or fear that you had of surgery or pain goes away so quickly when you have your baby in your arms.  Nothing else matters.