The Heart of a Little Girl

She's a wild little horse.

A firecracker.

A masterpiece.

A plotter.

A mighty bug hunter.

Wendy is a wonderful, beautiful, confusing, confounding, strong, opinionated little girl, and she our daughter. That means it's our job - our blessing- to teach her and guide her in the way she should go. To train her spirit, prune her behaviors, and shape her attitude into what it should be. Some days, the task seems insurmountable; parenting is a tough job, especially when you have a spirited child.

I've been doing some reading lately, and two books have stood out as being remarkably helpful as we try to grow in wisdom and effectiveness as parents.

Shepherding a Child's Heart, by Tedd Tripp, is a remarkable book. Instead of focusing on turning a child's behavior from wrong to right, Dr. Tripp advocates addressing the real problem - the heart of the child. From the introduction:

"The central focus of parenting is the gospel. You need to direct not simply the behavior of your children, but the attitudes of their hearts. You need to show them not just the “what” of their sin and failure, but the “why.” Your children desperately need to understand not only the external “what” they did wrong, but also the internal “why” they did it. You must help them see that God works from the inside out. Therefore, your parenting goal cannot simply by well-behaved children. Your children must also understand why they sin and how to recognize internal change."

I strongly believe that all parents should read this book. Even parents with children who are always patient, always kind, never talk back, never throw tantrums, always think of others first, always do tasks immediately, always answer respectfully...wait, do you know any children like that? Me, neither. The point remains - all parents should read this book!

The second book is one for parents and little girls to read together and discuss. A Little Girl After God's Own Heart: Learning God's Ways In My Early Days, by Elizabeth George, is a delightful book for girls in the 4-8 age range. It focuses on the fruit of the spirit, giving specific examples of how those wonderful attributes come into play in everyday life. (I hadn't heard of this book until earlier this week when I read about it on someone's blog, but I can't remember who - if it was you, let me know & I'll give you credit!) We started reading this book today, and I was surprised with how well Wendy received it. And the lessons on patience? self-control? gentleness? EXACTLY what we need right now!

There is a book for boys, too: A Little Boy After God's Own Heart, by Jim & Elizabeth George. We'll be buying that one in the next year or so for our David.

I wish I could give copies of both books to everyone I know. I can't recommend them highly enough. They've really made a difference in how I think about parenting!

It's Aliiiiiive!!

Back in the fall, I made a mistake. If I had thought about the potential consequences, I would never have let this scenario develop.

Let me set the scene:

• toddler boy
• Mama's big 22-oz travel mug of coffee, half full, no lid
• Mama's iPod Classic
• Nice iPod dock stereo thing
  
• Mama occupied in another room
  

You can see where this is going, right? David, for reasons known only to him, decided to take my iPod out of the dock, dunk it in the coffee several times, and then put it back in the dock. Because he replaced it in the dock, I didn't even realize what he had done for several hours, when I suddenly noticed coffee drips leading to the dock, and sticky little fingerprints all over the iPod. I was not amused.

I dried the iPod out as much as I could, and I was shocked that it still worked. Shocked! That didn't last; over the course of time, things slowly started to go wrong with it, until it finally turned into a very expensive paperweight. Resigning myself to its fate, I splurged and bought myself a new iPod Nano and new earbuds, both of which I have really enjoyed.

James wasn't so resigned. He did some research and found a company called Mission Repair that specializes in repair of small electronics and computers. He packed up my coffee-soaked iPod and sent it off. Yesterday, two weeks after he sent it off, it came back, fully-functional! Really! The Mission Repair people reported that it had "severe water damage" (heh) but they replaced a something-or-other and cleaned it up and it works great! The kids and I are currently listening to our favorite audiobooks while we play.

We will continue to use the iPod Nano for on-the-go, in-the-car, out-and-about-type uses, but the Classic will stay firmly ensconced in the dock...out of reach of toddlers and coffee.

If you have an iPod or phone that is in the "expensive paperweight" category, I suggest checking out Mission Repair!

All of these opinions are my own. Mission Repair doesn't know me or my blog, and has not reimbursed or compensated me in any way for this post. I'm just really impressed with their service!

Bedtime Read-Alouds

At our house, nothing gets the kids' attention faster than for Mama to sit down with a book. They love to have me read to them, and would listen for an hour, if my voice would hold out that long. We read before nap, before bed, and other random times throughout the day. Reading aloud is a big part of our homeschooling plans, too; as energetic as Wendy is, she can listen to a story and really get involved in it.

Here are a few favorites, posted by child:

David, 2 years:
The Cat in the Hat, by Dr. Seuss
Anything with The Cat in the Hat's picture - basically any Dr. Seuss or "Bright and Early Books"
Blue Hat, Green Hat, by Sandra Boynton

Wendy, 4 1/2 years:
The Story about Ping, by Marjorie Flack
Mike Mulligan and His Steam Shovel, by Virginia Lee Burton
The Little House, by Virginia Lee Burton
A Bad Case of Stripes, by David Shannon

Wendy and I are usually also reading a chapter book. Our first one was Little House in the Big Woods, by Laura Ingalls Wilder, and right now we are reading My Father's Dragon, by Ruth Stiles Gannett. I'm not sure what book we'll tackle next; it might be the next Little House book or The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe.

I'm linking up to a 4 Moms post at Smockity Frocks - come see more suggestions for bedtime read-alouds!

Mr. Contrary

From the very beginning, a few hours after his birth, we have known that David is a pretty mellow guy. Aside from a few hiccups in his first few weeks, he's always been healthy, happy, and easy-going.

And then he turned two.

Duhn-duhn-DUHN...

The "Terrible Two's" have arrived at our house. Now, don't get me wrong, David is still pretty mellow, and is much easier than Wendy was at the same age. But it seems that as soon as he turned two, he started having opinions - strong opinions - about random things.

While we still see a lot of our goofy, affectionate, Mama-loving Boy, we also see this other side of him. The side that scowls, scrunches up his whole face and says, "NO!!" The side that insists on not-THAT-Blankie-but-THIS-identical-Blankie and feet-covered-but-not-tucked and need-the-Go-Go-HAT-book...that side kinda wears me out.

He has these big thoughts and ideas and plans, but can't figure out how to put them into words. He has a pretty big vocabulary, both signed and spoken, but just isn't at a point where he can communicate complex ideas. It's frustrating to me, but I know it has to be much more frustrating to him, trying to get me to understand what is so very important to him at the moment (even if it's just that he wants THOSE socks on and not THESE).

We manage as best we can, soothing when appropriate, setting firm boundaries when needed. But at the end of the day, you know what? At the end of the day, he still asks, "Wock, Mama?" and looks at me with gorgeous blue eyes, chubby arms clutching his precious Blankie.

Yes, I'll rock with you, little turkey. And I'll make sure you have THIS Blankie and not THAT Blankie, and I'll get your feet covered up just right.

Anger Management

To look at her, you might think she's my mini-me. She looks so much like Mommy, and even more like pictures of Mommy as a young girl.

However, in some respects, our personalities couldn't be more different. I can summarize it like this:

• Me: quiet, shy, a thinker rather than a talker, a planner rather than a doer
  
• Wendy: a singing, dancing, yelling, running, talking Talking TALKING dynamo

The contrast is most evident in how we deal with our emotions. I tend to come across as being calm (despite the inner chaos of my emotional state sometimes). I rarely blow up, and when I do, it fizzles out almost immediately.

But when this girl gets mad? This sweet, charming, loveable princess of a 4 year old?

Oh my word.

The girl can throw a FIT. Stomping, screeching, yelling, hitting, throwing things...if allowed to go unchecked she might just be Tennessee's first case of spontaneous combustion. We have struggled with how to help her deal with her emotions; it's obvious that she is a person that feels things deeply, acutely, strongly. That is a good trait, one that we want to preserve and train - the world needs more passionate people! But how to prune the bad so that the good can grow?

In my desperation the other day, a Scripture came to mind. I had to look up the reference; it's Ephesians 4:26a:

In your anger, do not sin.

That's it. It doesn't get much simpler than that. Anger is a normal emotion - we even see evidence of God's righteous anger in many different situations in the Bible. Anger is a natural response that we will have to deal with all of our lives, and that is okay. That is not the problem. How we act when we are angry is what is important. And even a passionate, headstrong 4 year old can learn that lesson.

I have taught Wendy this verse, and now, just as I can tell she is in danger of spiraling out of control, we say it together. I get her attention and say, "In your anger...?" She (grudgingly) sighs and says, "...don't sin." It defuses the situation and gives us a chance to talk about things without going into the full-blown fury. It lets us connect and bond and learn from each other, and we've made a lot of progress just in the last few days.

And guess what? Correcting with scripture isn't a new idea!

I Timothy 3:16 : All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness...

Today

Wendy taught me a song this morning, one that she learned in Bible class. I'm sure it's been around for awhile, but I had never heard it before.

"A fuzzy caterpillar wiggled down a tree.
He wiggled right, he wiggled left, he wiggled right at me.
I put him in a box. "Don't go away," I said.
But when I looked again I saw a butterfly instead.
Now I could never make one, even if I tried,
'Cause only God in Heaven can make a butterfly"

I did a little Googling and found a second verse:

"Wiggly little tadpole swimming in a lake.
He wiggles here, he wiggles there, he wiggles like a snake!
Put him in a jar, "Don't go away," I said.
But when I opened up the jar - a hopping frog instead!
I could never make one, even if I tried.
Hopping frogs are made by God just like the butterfly!"

God can completely transform a caterpillar into a butterfly, and a tadpole into a frog...I'm praying He transforms this selfish Mama into one who is more patient, gracious, and loving.

Conspiracy

This conversation must have taken place before bedtime last night.

Wendy: David, I know we've been trying to keep Mama from sleeping, but it's been tricky. Maybe if we work together we can do it!

David: That sounds good; what do you have in mind?

Wendy: Well, I'll take the first shift. I'll stay awake until 11 p.m., then I'll make Mama and Daddy think that I've settled and gone to bed. Then after awhile, once Mama is finally asleep, I'll make my move!

David: So far so good...tell me more!

Wendy: I'm thinking that I'll get up about every five minutes between 1 a.m. and 2:30 a.m. I'll weep and whine, with some wailing thrown in for good measure. I've got all sorts of things I can complain about: it's too dark. I'm all alone in here. I have to potty. No, I don't have to potty!! I'm thirsty. I had a bad dream. I'm scared of the dark when I'm all alone. I want to sleep wif you. I need a tissue! Mama, MAMA...

David: Wow, you're good at this! Okay, you'll be up until 2:30 a.m....how about we let Mama get back to sleep, and I'll take over at 3 a.m.? I'll do what I'm best at: cry/screech/scream unless Mama is holding me. I won't let her know what is wrong. I won't be placated by my Blankie or a book or rocking. I will SCREAM and SCREAM and SCREEEEAAAAAM.

Wendy: Good idea! Nobody screams like you, that's for sure!

David: Once I've calmed down, I'll let Mama think the worst has passed...until she puts me back in my bed! Then I'll scream and screech some more until she thinks she's going to spend the rest of the night sitting on the floor by my crib, patting my belly and shushing me.

Wendy: But won't that put you to sleep?

David: Well, yeah, it will. But keeping Mama up until 4 a.m. is pretty good, don't you think? And we can always wake up again at 6:30 a.m., ready for another day of wrestling/bickering/whining.

Wendy: Okay, it's a plan! What's gonna work? TEAMWORK!

David: *evil chuckle*

WFMW: Weaning from the Binky

I haven't joined the Works-For-Me Wednesday carnival in a long time, but I'm back! I have a great suggestion for weaning a baby/toddler from a pacifier!

I read this advice somewhere on the internet when Wendy was a toddler, and gave it a try. Within a week, she was completely Binky-free, with zero tears. Now that David is that age (our pediatrician recommends weaning from the pacifier by 18 months), I've done it again. And guess what?

It worked even better. He is Binky-free after only a few days.

How did I do it? It's easy!

When your baby/toddler isn't watching, cut about 1/4" off of the tip of the pacifier. That's it! That's all! Let your baby have the pacifier at all the usual times, without any restriction. In two days, if baby is still wanting the pacifier, cut another 1/4" off. Repeat as needed until baby decides that the pacifier isn't necessary.

My favorite thing about this method weaning from the Binky is that I am not the Mean Mommy. The decision to give up the pacifier came from the baby, and I didn't have to fight any battles over it.

Two additional points:
*Make sure that your cut is smooth. You don't want baby's mouth to get irritated if he decides to keep sucking on the pacifier.
*Make sure to keep the pacifier clean. Once the bulb is cut, it can trap all kinds of dirt and germs.

Good luck! For more tips and advice, visit Works-For-Me Wednesday at We Are THAT Family!

Top Ten Tuesday: Makes Me Smile!

I had a bit of writer's block when I was trying to think of a topic for today's Top Ten Tuesday post. I asked Twitter for suggestions, and Heather came to my rescue! Thanks, Heather!

Top Ten Things My Kids Have Done To Make Me Smile Lately:

1. Wendy was holding the front door for me as I was bringing in groceries last week. I walked through and she didn't shut the door. I said, "Close the door please, baby!" and she replied, "I'm holding it for God!" She always asks us if God is in the car with us, and of course we say yes...I guess it makes sense that He would come in the house when we do!

2. David has been really interested in Signing Time lately. He was watching a video the other day and I saw him grab one plump wrist with the other plump hand and sway back and forth - he was trying to copy the sign for "baby"!

3. Wendy was coloring very intently during our devotional on Sunday night. When she finished, she handed it to Miss Rachel, and said, "I made this for you!" (Miss Rachel is our church's resident grandmother. Everyone knows her and loves her.)

4. David knows that the first thing we do when we come home is take off our shoes, and usually his Daddy helps him with that. Now, whenever we come in, David plops down on the floor in front of Daddy, grabs the toes of his shoes, and asks, "shushuf?" which must be his form of "shoes off?"

5. We've definitely entered the phase of sibling squabbles, but today, all of her own accord, Wendy shared her snack with David! She saw that he was hungry, and said, "I'll share wif him!" She pinched off little pieces of her bread and popped it in his wide-open baby-birdie mouth. It was sweet!

6. David has entered a very hug-y phase, and we are loving it! He will be busy playing, and walk over to us, give us a hug, and continue on his merry way!

7. Wendy laughed in her sleep the other night. Like, a full-out, wide-awake sounding laugh. Even though it woke me up, I had to smile - she must have been having a good dream!

8. David has finally discovered that books are not just for chewing. He has a little touch-and-feel animal book that he will "read" for ten minutes at a time - he's fascinated by it!

9. Wendy makes everything into a song these days. It can get annoying, but it's also pretty funny. It turns simple requests for more milk into quite an entertaining show!

10. David's determination in exercising his new walking skills is really impressive. I have to smile when I see his focus as he holds his balance during a wobbly spell. He is such a busy boy!

Those are ten ways my kids have made me smile lately - and I must say, it was a good thing for me to focus on. These days of parenting an almost-4 year old and a 14 month old can be draining and exhausting. Revisiting all the ways they make me smile sure makes it seem worthwhile!

For more Top Ten Tuesday lists, visit OhAmanda.com!

TILT: Audible & Dr. Seuss

In Tuesday's post, I mentioned using audiobooks to help make family road trips more enjoyable. I had read other moms' testimonies about using audiobooks in the car, and I went looking for something that would entertain Wendy.

Lo and behold, I stumbled across Audible Kids, and found this wonderful collection of Dr. Seuss books. It includes some classics that I remember from childhood (The Cat in the Hat, Horton Hears a Who) and a few others that I hadn't heard before. The actors that do the reading are fantastic. Fantastic. Kelsey Grammer, Dustin Hoffman, John Cleese, Billy Crystal - they're all fabulous! Our favorite is Kelsey Grammer's reading of The Cat in the Hat.

If you're going on a road trip with kids anytime soon, I highly recommend checking out Audible Kids. They have a wide variety of titles available, and it's great for keeping the peace in the car!

See?
Who could ask for a better endorsement?!

For more Things I Love Thursday, visit Jill at The Diaper Diaries!

Today...

I made a second pot of coffee, because I need it. It's decaf, but I'm hoping I can fool my body into thinking it's regular.

I put my son in time-out at 6 a.m.

I put my daughter in time-out at 7 a.m.

I put my son in time-out again at 8 a.m.

I put my daughter in time-out again at 9 a.m.

I put my daughter in bed at 10 a.m.

I am having people over for dinner. My house is a mess. I have no idea what we're eating.

I want to go back to bed.

...but on the plus side, my son has really cute feet. Fat, round, yummy baby feet. And everything is going to be okay.

TILT: Boon Spoon!

Not long ago, I was browsing baby gadgets and gizmos on Target's website. I don't remember what I was searching for, but I came across this Boon Squirt spoon and decided to give it a try:

Wow. Just...wow. This thing is fantastic! You just fill it up with baby food, snap the cap on, and you're ready to go! I use it if we're going to be away from home at one of David's mealtimes. The plastic bulb can hold about 3/4 of a cup, or 1 1/2 tubs of 2nd Foods.

One of the best things about this spoon is that you can use it one-handed. Today at lunchtime, I was able to feed David his bananas while simultaneously eating pizza. (We'll discuss our lopsided nutrition habits another time!)

There are only two drawbacks I can think of with this spoon. First, you do still have to USE a spoon to transfer baby food from the jar to this thing - for me, that's not a big deal. And second, there will be a little bit of food left in the spoon that you just can't get out. Again, not a big deal. I might use the spoon more at home if it was easier to fill, but it's great for on-the-go.

For more recommendations, see Things I Love Thursday at The Diaper Diaries!

Open Ears

Some days, the demands of a 3-year-old seem constant and overwhelming. She wants this, she wants that, this is too hard, where are her cowboy boots, she needs a special book, but she doesn't want a banana...

I try to teach her to be patient, teach her to be kind, and teach her to be unselfish. I try to open her eyes to the needs and wants of others. I try to show her that serving others is much more rewarding and much more important than serving self. At times I feel defeated, because her grasp of concepts like these is fleeting at best.

But then I listen to what she's really saying.

"Mommy, will you play Cootie wif me?"

"Mommy, you color dis wif me."

"Mommy, I want to sit wif you!"

"Will you lay wif me, Mommy?"

"I need wots of hugs from my Mommy!"

What she needs most from me right now is time and love. Love and time. Loving time and timely love. Other lessons can and should be learned as we go.

But the greatest of these is love...

Top Ten Tuesday: Kids' Craft Supplies

My daughter, at 3 years old, is a very busy girl. She is on the move from the time she opens her eyes in the morning to the time she reluctantly closes them at nap time or night time. She is also great at keeping herself entertained...however, her methods for self-amusement generally involve messes, bruises, or a crying little brother.

When Wendy is given a little more guidance in her play, we all benefit. Her attitude is better, her behavior is better, and we get to share some special and funny moments. She really likes to make things, so I am in the process of stocking up on some craft supplies for her.

Here are my Top Ten craft supplies to keep on hand for a 3 year old:

1. Crayons and Washable Markers - these are an obvious necessity for an easy craft time. Wendy loves crayons, and she really loves markers - see?


That's why WASHABLE markers are essential. I've been really happy with the easy clean-up of Crayola's washable products.

2. Construction Paper - I just bought a giant stack of construction paper at Sam's Club yesterday, and I can't wait to use it! I think today we'll be making these turkeys and talking about Thanksgiving. (And if you don't subscribe to Impress Your Kids, you really should. That site is jam-packed with wonderful ideas!)

3. Stickers - Wendy is fascinated with stickers, and loves to put them on her potty chart & use them to embellish her original artwork. She can go through them pretty quickly, so we use the cheapest ones we can find, and she likes them just as well as the expensive ones.

4. Felt and Craft Foam - I really need to get a few different colors to keep on hand for projects. It's cheap and extremely versatile.

5. Googly Eyes - who doesn't love googly eyes? You can use them to turn any project into something fun.

6. Pipe Cleaners - bendy, colorful, and fun, and no mess involved! Pipe cleaners are great for shaping into animals, letters, numbers, or "jewelry."

7. Glue Sticks and Safety Scissors - glue and scissors are another obvious choice. Wendy knows how to use scissors, but hasn't quite developed the coordination and strength to make it work. We're going to practice as we do our crafts, because it is an important preschool skill.

8. Glitter Glue - kids LOVE sparkles! Glitter glue is fantastic, because it lets you have the fun of glitter without it getting absolutely everywhere.

9. Popsicle Sticks - great for making puppets, Christmas ornaments, buildings, bookmarks, and so many other things! They are cheap, and can be painted, colored, and glued. You can get big bags at most craft stores, or wash the ones your family uses!

10. Yarn, Feathers, Leaves, Acorns, Buttons, Sequins, Pinecones, etc. - being able to make her projects "fancy" makes Wendy happy! And I know she's not the only Fancy Nancy out there...

What have I forgotten? What craft supplies do your kids love to use?

For more Top Ten Tuesday lists, visit OhAmanda.com!

Same Recipe, Different Cookies

Exhibit A: Wendy, left, 3 months; David, right, 4 1/2 months

Exhibit B: Wendy, left, 5 months; David, right, 4 1/2 months

I've heard that saying before - "same recipe, different cookies" - referring to the differences between children in the same family. I figured it was true; after all, my brother and I look alike but we have quite different personalities. Now that I am a mother of two, I can personally testify to the truth of that saying!

Wendy and David look a lot alike, as seen in Exhibit A and Exhibit B above. I don't notice their physical similarities most of the time, because I am comparing a 3 year old with an infant. Looking at their baby pictures side-by-side does show their commonalities: big blue eyes, very fair skin, chubby cheeks, and silly smiles.

What pictures don't show is the personality behind both of those silly smiles. Wendy is a perpetual-motion machine. She is constantly moving, climbing, running, jumping, and goofing, and there's usually quite a bit of noise involved in whatever it is she's doing. She is very smart and very inquisitive, which means that nothing in the house is safe.

David, on the other hand, is very relaxed, laid-back, and happy. He is just a little bit behind on his physical development, because he just isn't motivated to do much but look around, chew on his fists, and smile. He has been able to turn over (front to back) since he was 12 weeks old, but he only does it a few times a week. Instead, he'd rather play for awhile on his tummy, pushing up & looking around & talking, and then put his head down & go to sleep. He loves to interact and he loves to smile and laugh - he's such a jolly, content baby that he makes me want to have another right away. (Not really. But he's a very good boy!)

Here's an example of a typical day:

Wendy was "cooking" in her play kitchen last week, busily making some bean-beans and cookies. (That's what she told me, anyway.) I was in the other room, folding laundry. I realized that I was hearing a metal-on-metal sound, and recognized it as the jingle of the big Pampered Chef pizza cutter that is stored in the knife drawer in our kitchen. I went to investigate, and found her standing on a chair in the kitchen, trying to use the pizza cutter blade as a screwdriver for the battery compartment of a V-Smile Pocket that we had been given a few days before. Why was she trying to take it apart? Why was she using a pizza cutter? How did she know where the pizza cutter was stored? How did she not hurt herself? I guess I should be glad she wasn't trying to use one of the steak knives.

And David? He was laying on the floor, contentedly gnawing his fist & watching the ceiling fan.

WFMW: Train Table

While running errands yesterday, I discovered a new FREE way to reward Wendy for good behavior. We were in the middle of a day of shopping, and one of our stops was at Books-A-Million. Wendy remembered that they have a train table in the Children's Section and she made a beeline for it.

She happily spent about 45 minutes quietly playing with the trains, which gave me a chance to sit down, feed David, and just relax. It was great! I think we may be making Books-A-Million our regular "rest stop" when we're in the area.

Free entertainment works for me! For more great ideas, visit Works-For-Me Wednesday at We Are THAT Family!

Priorities

Mother, O Mother, come shake out your cloth,
Empty the dustpan, poison the moth,
Hang out the washing, make up the bed,
Sew on a button and butter the bread.

Where is the mother whose house is so shocking?
She's up in the nursery, blissfully rocking.

Oh, I've grown as shiftless as Little Boy Blue,
Lullabye, rockabye, lullabye loo.
Dishes are waiting and bills are past due
Pat-a-cake, darling, and peek, peekaboo

The shopping's not done and there's nothing for stew
And out in the yard there's a hullabaloo
But I'm playing Kanga and this is my Roo
Look! Aren't his eyes the most wonderful hue?
Lullabye, rockaby lullabye loo.

The cleaning and scrubbing can wait till tomorrow
But children grow up as I've learned to my sorrow.
So quiet down cobwebs; Dust go to sleep!
I'm rocking my baby and babies don't keep.

- Ruth Hulbert Hamilton

Babywearing: A Beginner's Summary

I first heard about the concept of "babywearing" when I was pregnant with David. I had known all along that there were different styles of wearable carriers for infants; when Wendy was a baby, we had a (very uncomfortable) Evenflo Snugli that we used a time or two. Because the Snugli was uncomfortable for Wendy and for whoever was wearing her, we only used that carrier when the stroller wasn't practical.

When I heard about babywearing, it piqued my interest - I knew that having my hands free would help a lot in taking care of a newborn and a toddler at the same time. I researched different products and talked to friends who had different styles of carriers. From all of that information, I chose two products to try - the Moby Wrap and the Maya Wrap. I was also given a gently-used BabyBjorn from someone whose baby had outgrown it.

Here are my thoughts on the different carriers, after using them for about six weeks:

1. Moby Wrap

The Moby Wrap is an 18-ft long piece of slightly-stretchy cotton knit. It feels a lot like a comfy old T-shirt. It comes with an instructional booklet that is easy to understand, illustrating how to wrap it and different positions for carrying your baby. It takes a little practice, and it takes a few minutes to put on, but it is by far the most comfortable of my three carriers. When David rides in it, I don't feel any pressure points; his weight is evenly supported along the wrap. There are many different ways to carry a baby with the Moby Wrap. Right now we use the Newborn Hug Hold and the Cradle Hold; I look forward to trying the other holds as soon as David is developmentally ready!

• Advantages: very comfortable, very versatile, easily washable
  
• Disadvantages: need practice to wear baby confidently, can be hot due to all the fabric

2. Maya Wrap

The Maya Wrap is a lightweight woven ring sling. It comes in different sizes for different body types; mine is actually too big, but that just means the tail is too long - and we can work with that. There is a nice zipper pocket in the tail for storing the Binky or Mama's cell phone or whatever. It comes with an instructional DVD that clearly demonstrates how to wear the sling & how to position baby comfortably - it even shows you how to wear more than one sling if you have multiples. I haven't used the Maya Wrap as much as the other two, because I've had a hard time getting David comfortable in it. The material isn't stretchy at all, so it takes a little time to adjust it. The woven material is nice and breathable, and it's definitely the coolest of my three carriers. There are a few different positions for carrying baby; we've only tried the tummy-to-tummy and the cradle. I think with more practice, I'll prefer the ring sling for certain situations.

• Advantages: simple to put on, much cooler than the other carriers
• Disadvantages: no stretch - not quite as comfortable as the other carriers

3. BabyBjorn

The BabyBjorn is a structured carrier for wearing baby in a tummy-to-tummy hold. It is very easy to put on, and is easily adjusted for different wearers. The seat and back are padded for baby's comfort, but the padding does restrict airflow. The top edge can be folded down once baby has good head control, so that he or she can look around while being carried. My BabyBjorn lives in the car, because it is the easiest to put on and use when I'm on the go. It's also a good carrier for James to use, because it is so simple, there's just no learning curve to it. It's fairly comfortable but can get hot since it isn't breathable. It's also not quite as secure for babies without good head control; David's little noggin can get to bobbing around quite a bit if he's trying to look around.

• Advantages: Very easy to use, fairly comfortable
• Disadvantages: Not breathable, only one carrying position

Babywearing is often tied to attachment parenting. We aren't into attachment parenting per se, but wearing David definitely has benefits. He is more calm and content when he is in one of the carriers, especially during times when his tummy is upset or he is fussy. He generally settles right down & goes to sleep. David is a natural snuggler, and would happily spend all day being held & carried around. That makes it difficult to take care of Wendy & get other things done, so wearing him has definitely helped. (I don't wear David 24/7 - some days I don't wear him at all, it just depends on what we're doing.)

I've also noticed that wearing David helps him to stay asleep in situations where he might otherwise be disturbed & wake up. I've worn him in the grocery store many times, in the backyard playing with Wendy, and even during Bible class last Wednesday night. If babywearing helps him to sleep when he needs to sleep & helps us keep to a more normal schedule, I'm all for it!

I hope this has been helpful for anyone interested in babywearing. This information is all based on opinion and my limited experience, since I've only been trying it for about six weeks, and only with a newborn. As David gets bigger, I definitely want to try a mei tai carrier and an Ergo carrier, because I've heard such good things about both of them.

Do you have any experience with baby carriers? What's your favorite?

WFMW: Second Baby Advice

This week at We Are THAT Family, the Works-For-Me Wednesday tip carnival is a backwards edition - meaning I get to ASK for advice instead of volunteering it.

Obviously I've got babies on the brain right now, with David coming in less than 6 weeks. I'd love some advice from mothers of 2-or-more kids, especially if your first child was roughly 2 1/2 when your second was born.

How do I explain the changes to my daughter?

How do we help her to love her baby brother?

How can I make the transition easier for her?

How in the world am I going to take care of a 2 1/2 year old and a newborn while recovering from a C-section???

Thanks for your help. This is the stuff that keeps me awake at night.

Super Dad

This picture is from last summer's trip to Tallahassee, but it's one of my favorites.

Last night, there was a bit of a crisis at our house. Wendy had gone to bed a few hours earlier, and had been sleeping peacefully, when I heard her start shrieking & crying in a panicked & very upset voice. I was laying on the couch trying to sleep (thank you, heartburn) and went to check on her. She was all sweaty & hot, with tears pouring from her pretty blue eyes, and she said, "Worm boken! That touble!"

In Wendy-speak, she was telling me that her Glow-worm was broken. And that is definitely trouble, because her Glow-worm sings her back to sleep whenever she wakes in the night. I took it from her, pushed the button, and heard the mournful, discordant song of dying batteries. I asked her if she wanted me to fix it, and she started crying harder. "Worm boken! Worm too boken!" I asked if she wanted Daddy to fix it, and she said, "Yesh. Daddy fik it. Daddy fik worm."

James was working upstairs, even though it was nearly midnight. (The man puts in a LOT of hours. Hours at work, hours at home, very little sleep.) I asked if he'd come downstairs, and he did. He came to the rescue, rounding up 3 AA batteries from somewhere and a Phillip's screwdriver to open the battery compartment, and went to work on the "boken worm." He got it all reassembled, and when it was working, he went to deliver it to Wendy.

She immediately grabbed it & pushed the button to see if it worked. Then she looked up at her Daddy with relief & joy, and said, "Tanks!"

He really is a Super Dad.

James & Wendy when she was one day old, not much bigger than the Glow-worm!