Lola's Teachings

Things We are working on with Lola and her teachings...

We are trying to get her to sleep through the night. Day one. Score. Day two. Fail. Day three. Success. So we will see what tonight brings. Details in another separate blog.

Vocabulary. We are working with her all day with simple words. Commands. Animal sounds, and so on. She understands most common commands we use with her. It is exciting when she vocalizes something new. We show her enormous praise when there is a new revelation.

Individual play. Lola has come a LONG way with individual play. She was and always has been very attached to me. I don't know if this has anything to do with my "baby wearing" or not. I could care less if it did. I just know she didn't do well if I left the room. Or even left the floor to sit on the couch. She now is gradually able to play and explore for about 5-15 minutes alone. (with me directly near by, duh)

Table manners. Lola and I sit for breakfast and lunch together and then dinner with daddy and sissy at our big family dinner table every day. This is the way a family should eat. We are trying to teach her good eating habits. We want her to be an exploitative eater. I feel we are doing a great job thus far. We eat from scratch most of the time. She loves things such as, mushrooms, tomatoes, broccoli, celery, onions, carrots, hummus, chips, but not avocado. Ha... I don't know why. We are trying to teach her not to throw her food or her drink on the floor. I think this is going well.

More to come. ......
What is on my extended list.. Social skills, more vocabulary skills , and learning while in the moment.

Yes, shut up. I am an OCD parent with a plan.

Ten reasons why I love Husband

There are many more reasons; this is just the ten of the moment.

1. He Supports me in ANYTHING I want to do.
Weather I want to learn to sew, play the piano, attempt to garden, grow my hair out, try this blogging thing, get thin, learn about wine or become a doctor, he will tell me “Go for it Baby”. All the while cheering me on and supporting me in any way he can. He says “anything that keeps you busy and happy, I’m all for it”. I love him for that.

2. He makes me a better woman/mom/wife.
When I meet him I didn’t recognize my self anymore. His meaning and morality surprised me. I didn’t think there were humans like him. Because of him, today I am proud of my choices, my mothering, and my ability to be a good wife. It is my daily goal to be a better woman/wife/mother. He thinks I’m doing a ‘hell of a job” and so do I. I recognize my self today. I love him for that.

3. He calls me HOT STUFF.
Husband likes to tell me when he thinks I look good. This encourages me to stay healthy, get up and put me self together for the day, & try to look good for him. I want him to find me attractive till we leave this place. The more he tells me he likes what he sees, the better I feel about my self. I love him for that.

4. He loves his mother.
We all know the saying. “How a man treats his mother is a good sign how he will treat you.” Husband loves and respects his Mama as well as each of his family members. I have fallen in love with his family bond. It would be lovely for all families to be like his. I love him for this.

5. He shares my love in nutrition & cooking. (Even if he does eat animals)
Some would say my idea of how we should cook for our families is “high maintenance”. (He might even say that, ha) Yet he thrives to cook a meal every night of the week like I do. He gets excited on the weekend thinking and researching the tasty meals we will cook. That is so sexy. To watch this man from start to finish attempt to keep the kitchen clean, (because that is the way I like it) to attempt to master time management in hopes to have each component be ready at just the right time, to see him cooking for me and for our family is simply lovely. I love him for this.

6. He keeps his hair long and keeps permanent facial hair because I love it.
The fact that Husband does things because “I like it” makes me smile. I love love love his long hair. It is just a HOT MESS. I love his face with scruff. And he hasn’t cut it since the day I told him this. Now that is love in this fucking Texas heat. I love him for this.

7. He looks hot doing a push-up.
Husband likes to stay in shape. This naturally attracts me to him. I like to watch him do push-ups. His arms & back are sexy. I love that he works out. I wish I could watch him body build all day…. Psh.. ok, that would be a little gay. But it is nice to watch him do push-ups. ☺ I love him because of this.

8. He opens the car door for me EVERY time.
This man is old school. (In the good way) He is not so traditional that it gets degrading; it is just the right amount. He loves that I make him coffee every morning, that I do the laundry, that I am home when he comes home and I love that he opens my door, takes out the trash and gets bugs out of the house. I love him for this.

9. He has NEVER been disrespectful to me.
Husband should write the damn manual on “How to be a Man & How to love your wife. He NEVER yells at me. He NEVER says anything nasty to me. He NEVER gives me an unkind eye. He NEVER looses his cool with me. He simply loves me. And it shows in every word, every kiss, and every action he takes. This is just amazing to me and it might just be why I married him. (Well, reason number one.)

10. His name is Jim.
Jim & Jenn. It sounds good together right. Ha. Yep. Duh.

I love Husband.

Ps. Lola Beaner Toot just took the biggest shit of her life so I need to go tend to that.

wouldn't you like to know

Good day. (in aussie accent)

Beaner Toot is evolving at such a rapid rate this past month.

Things that have changed:
She can pull up to a standing position if holding onto support.
She can now get in the "crawl" position. (has yet to make the first real move)
She isn't a laughy girl, but she will screech till your ear drum bursts.
She enjoys being read to.
She falls asleep now facing sideways in a seated position with her head rested on my chest. (so adorable, ugh)


Things that are not changing:
She still isnt a fan of her stroller for a long period of time.
She HATES me walking out of the room.
Has perma-smile.
Sports the biggest blue eyes on the face of this planet.
Can make any old person melt.
Still loves to eat phones.
She makes music by blowing bubbles that makes me giggle.

Well, we miss sweet priss in this house. She has been gone for five days with her aunt in Destin. She is driving home as I type. We are excited for her to return. She was surely home sick. Is there a term for me missing her that is similar to "home sick"? (other than i miss her)

I have been doing a few design projects. It feels good to get back in the game. Since Lo entered this world, I have been on hiatus. I have been spending a lot of time catching up on current new award wining sites and brainstorming. It feels good.

So much more to say, but beaner toot just woke up. Stay tuned...

Mean mommy

i was in the baby superstore today. i don't know if i am over emotional today or what..here is the story.
from the moment i walked in i heard babies crying. but there was one in particular. i was halfway through the store and this one, was still crying. and it was the bad cry. you know the one where it sounds like they might have been hurting. i could not help but walk toward the poor baby. when i got to the destination, i saw a mother, her stroller, and her twins. the mother was shopping while one was drinking a bottle that was propped up by a blanket quiet as could be. her twin sister was the one that i was worried about. the mother followed to yell at the baby. let me tell you this baby was no more than five months. she talked to this baby girl like she was a misbehaving 7 year old. she says... "no, sit back, no yelling, stop it. drink your bottle. stop crying." all the while pushing her back to the lay down position. i understand that some mothers have a different approach. but good god. what the hell does she think this baby is going to do when a human is treating it like that. does she not know that babies need love, a gentle touch, and to be held. right then, i began to cry. YES right there in the middle of the layette section of the store. with lola in the sling sleeping, i am sheading tears. all i could think about was how bad these babies life is. if this was all i saw, it must be like that all the time. i began to feel so much pain for these little helpless girls. it made me to sad to think they got a woman like that for a mother. the one who is supposed to nurture you, love you, sing to you, kiss you, gently cradle you. i didnt not say anything to that woman. i did however look into her eyes for an extended period of time. i hope she had a moment to think after that. thank goodness the baby fell asleep. im so sad now. i can not stop thinking about all the little babies out there with mommies with out patience and a gentle heart.