Welcome March!

This is probably a post I'll never read again, but where else am I to release these built up and stir crazed thoughts? Its March! And there's still 3 feet of snow everywhere. I heard on the radio a couple days ago that we've had 7 extreme cold warning days this year and 5 of those were in February. What. The. Heck.

I need sunshine -- and not the teasing kind that looks beautiful and inviting and feels warm on the skin (through the window), but as soon as you step outside your nose hairs are freezing stiff and your eyes are watering.

I want to go outside with no coat, just a sweater and watch my kiddies play in puddles and kick the ball around on the grass with them and not have to bundle them up to go ANYWHERE!

I'm sick of winter.

The other day as I was buckling James into his car seat I thought, why do we even stay living here? IF we dislike the cold so much why don't we move? Winter lasts SO long here. But actually, I could never move too far. Never leave Canada. It's great here... except the insanely ludicrous new Sex-Ed curriculum that is trying to be introduced. But that's a whole other issue.

Anyways, welcome March! Winter...you can go away now! That's all.

Hashtag Most boring post ever. Hashtag Your welcome.

A Dairy Sensitivity

I think James was probably only 2-3 months old when I figured he had some eczema on his back. Like Leah, he too got a bad bout of "newborn acne". Those annoying little red bumps covering their beautifully sweet and new baby faces. It bugged us, not them. And it really felt like, for both children, that it seemed to last a lot longer than what the "estimated time" was.

He's now almost 17 months old and although "newborn acne" is 14-15 months in his past, we've still been battling extremely dry skin, mainly on his back and shoulders and backs of the arms, and occasionally lower legs too. I thought maybe it was worse because of the dry winter weather. I used so many different types of creams. And none worked. I mentioned it to my doctor and she didn't prescribe anything other than just to "moisturize more". Well, I was.

Anyways, my very good friend who also happens to be Holistic Nutritionist told me that the most common cause for eczema was dairy.

James can drink 3 sippy cups of milk a day. We go through almost 4L of milk in a week. Plus he had a yogurt or two each day along with cheese as well. Basically, my 16 month old was a walking little dairy product. I would say 85% of his diet was dairy.

She recommended goat's milk as a substitution. At first I bought 2%, and he took to it immediately, not even noticing a difference. Then my husband bought the 3.25% for the fat content. Obviously James didn't argue. The kid loves milk. Actually, I like it too! I find it tastes cleaner somehow, and creamier. Leah drank it too without hesitation. Until her father asked if she liked the goat's milk mommy bought. Ha!

So, yeah, apparently goat's milk is actually the closest thing to human milk out there! It's almost 3X the price that I was paying for 4L of regular cow's milk, but it's worth it. Because his eczema? It's still there, still "dry feeling" but its improved incredibly! It's like magic!!

Today I went to pick up another 4L (haha!) and while I was there I also picked up a container of goat's milk plain yogurt. I am not fan of that. It's sour tasting and I think probably an acquired taste. But I defrosted some strawberries and added a small amount of sugar and mixed it all together and it was a hit with James!

I'm actually excited to see how well his skin is doing within the next couple of months!

To know when your family is complete

How do you know? Do you just... know?

Do you just wait? Wait and see what God hands you? Wait until you're children are grown into teenagers and are finishing high school?

How do you know?

I've got 2 children. A boy and a girl...and a dog. The "Million Dollar Family" is mine. Life seems to just work. A child for each of us to be "in charge of". Two car seats in the back and breathing space. We don't need a minivan. We have just enough seats around the dining room table. When we go to a restaurant, most tables are made for four. We have a three bedroom house, perfect.

But are we done? I don't know. Maybe. Maybe not.

My husband has recently asked me if he should go get "fixed". We've talked about it before James was born and he agreed that when it came time he would go. But I told him no. We are young, our children are young. What if?

Do we ever really know? I think some people, somehow, know. I don't know how, but after one child they seem to be done. At least for a few people I know this has been the case. And they were so sure that they already went to extreme measures to ensure that they were done.

Babies are beautiful little beings. Amazing and sweet and so very soft and then they are not babies anymore. They come with so many responsibilities and before they are even born your agenda is full. Your life is full and busy. But it goes by so quickly. They are on their own and independent far longer than they are in your arms or in your home.

It's the sad reality of raising human beings. You don't get to keep them.

I think it's easy enough to just say, for now, our family is complete. Our family is just right.

And really, I think that's all you can say, unless you take precautionary surgical measures to ensure there will be no more children.

It's a tough question. People ask me and I reply, "Probably. Maybe. I think so. ....I don't know." I am happy. So very happy and busy and euphoric with the two little beings I have. They are the only little people that are half of me at this point and unless another baby "happens". We are complete.

How do/did you know when your family is complete?

The Baltic Amber Teething Necklace

That all powerful, best ever, cure-all awesome teething necklace. Hmmm.

 

James has had one since he was 3 months old. Leah was an early teether, and actually quite an amazing teether without an amber necklace may i add. But there was huge hype over this magical necklace that could take away or ease babies pain while those mean teeth came through. And to be honest with you? They looked pretty darn cute too.

 

I was so set on getting one for James. I told my skeptic husband about them and he thought it was a waste of money. But because he gets me pretty much whatever i ask... he let me buy one. And he immediately thought it was the cutest thing and weather it was hocus pocus or not he liked it. Ha!

 

 

Now let me just be clear here. I bought this necklace from a well known, well liked, reputable little store in the big city. I researched and read reviews. All were positive and pleasantly pleased. Even now, i research on "the baltic amber teething necklace" and no one has anything negative to say. Which is why I'm sure some people won't like what I'm about to say, since 95% of people swear by them. Actually, i bet most people won't like it. However, I'm saying it anyways, because i would of appreciated a review such as this.

 

Here it is: some babies are better teethers than others. Period. Is that so hard to believe? Some babies can grow those mean teeth like little champions. Other babies? Not so much. They aren't as tough. Or they're more vocal and emotional about their discomforts. Thats understandable isnt is? No?

 

Okay, okay, get this. My sister is a teenager. She's one of the biggest and i mean biggest whiney-pants EVER. I whine too. But definitely nowhere near as much as that girl can. You see? People are different. So are babies. Bam.

 

I honestly think these necklaces are another money-making fad. And they are cute as heck, so that's a bonus. I have talked to other mom's at play groups or at the library or school or whatever and you know what? There are other people out there who think the same as me. I'm not alone!
So, in the end, not a total waste of money, 'cause it's cute. That's all. Nothing magical, or really helpful at all.

My Top 10 Books of 2014

So, in 2014 I completed 30 books! Whoop whoop. Some were hard to get into and others caused me to ignore my kids and my house a little too often. I'm a little regretful. My poor kids. Their bellies were stuffed with junk food and their brains buzzed on Backyardigans. I'm a terrible mother. Terrible.

Here's my list of favorites, in no particular order. Well, besides the first two. Those top them all. And the last three, so those are my top 5 haha!  

 

 

The Husband's Secret and The Light Between Oceans were my most favorite reads. Probably ever. Both were breathtaking.

 

The last book of Veronica Roth's Divergent series and another of Liane Moriarty's masterpieces!

 

  

The muched talked about, The Fault in Our Stars was definitely well worth all the hype. And the last in the Witches of East End series by Melissa de la Cruz. I really enjoyed this series. A lot of romance and magic and mystery, oh my!

Okay, School Spirits. The first of it's series. I read Rachel Hawkin's Hex Hall series within 3 days. It was amazing. In a teenager, Harry Potter type way. And this one is just as good.

Okay. Go, now and inhale these beauties. Tahereh Mafi is, like, my new writing-role-model. Oh to be in her mind.

 

I don't think 2015 will allow me to read this many books if I accomplish all I plan to this year but we'll see. Maybe I'll find another series I can read in three days. What are you reading right now? Any suggestions?  

I Went and Got Snarky. Oops.



I've got this lady on Facebook who uploads close to 40 photos a day of her two children. Half of them are the same, just different expressions. The other half show all kinds of new things they get daily. Toys, hair clips/headbands, a scooter, a helmet, running shoes, a dress, clothes etc. It's extremely excessive.

I'm sure you know the kind of people I'm talking about.

This morning I went on Facebook to find yet another forty-something photos added to her "Halloween 2014" album. I couldn't help but comment:

"WOW!! Halloween?? ....Christmas must of come early at your place! This girl gets new stuff every day! She has tons of frozen stuff! Lol and i thought Leah was spoiled. She's one extremely lucky girl."

 

Snarky? A little.
Rude? Maybe.
Necessary? No, not really.

Her photos and the obscene amount of things she gets given is just annoying. It's compulsive. It's extreme. And frankly, there's no need of it. I don't usually like to stir things up and cause drama but this is just plain irritating. I mean, I like to get Leah new things. A new toy here and there or a trip to the corner store to pick out some goodies, but I don't go full out nuts. 

Yeah, sometimes it's exciting, getting to re-live some childhood fun, buying new toys, but when is it enough?

Christmas for example, Leah usually gets spoiled. My family sends a package for her with presents, my mom usually has a mini Christmas over at her place for her, then "Santa" comes, and Boxing Day we are usually with Matt's family who gives her a little something too. Her birthday is just a week later so maybe its just the incredible amount of "stuff" that December brings. 

 

Anyways, I'm going to admit, half of what she gets given she barely plays with. It sits in her room or in the basement not getting played with. Maybe some kids play with everything that they've been given but my daughter doesn't. She's not a home-body though either...she spends a lot of time outside.

But how in the world can the kids even find time to play with all that stuff? I find its just a waste. A waste of money and space.

This whole situation reminded me of this scripture:

"Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys, and where thieves do not break in or steal; for where your treasure is, there your heart will be also." Matthew 6:19-21 

 

Why not use that money to put into a savings account or just put aside for their schooling? Or use it to buy something for a child whose family can't afford it.

This year we are filling a shoebox with some things like hygiene items, school supplies, toys, and candy. It gets sent to hurting children around the world. You can find out more about here. I'm looking forward to spreading the love of God and teaching Leah all about the joy in giving. I would rather her be more glad to give than to get.

That's a hard characteristic to come across.

 

Why WE do Halloween

 

I can understand why some don't "celebrate" Halloween. And I think its really a personal choice. We all know its a historically evil day that has become tradition, even if it's somewhat strayed from its original celebratory acts. There is still evil done on this day. Even today witchcraft practitioners declare October 31 as the most favorable time to practice their arts. So, with that being said I can completely see why people wouldn't want anything to do with it.

But WE - we do. Not to practise witchcraft or celebrate the devil or do evil deeds. We don't do monsters or demonic beings.
I remember dressing up as child every year, I never understood the evil background and that's not even close to the reason why I went out every year. It was fun to dress up. To have a cool costume. A princess or a power ranger. It gave my parents a reason to buy me new dress-up apparel. And I got to stay up a bit later and get candy. Hello.

Small children, like Leah, have no idea what its really "about". She just enjoys dressing up -this year (the same as last year) a pirate - and the idea of trick-or-treating, getting candy, for free. James is being Batman, in case you were curious. Really, the whole history of Halloween is one that I'm not going to sit down and explain to my 4 year old. One day, she'll know about it, when she can understand it. But for now, its not about anything else but dressing up and candy to her. And we enjoy that.

Personally, I have nothing wrong with the whole Halloween thing. Its fun. We don't do scary here but hey, if that's your cup of tea then that's you're choice. There are alternatives to handing out candy as well. You could hand out a pencil (yay) with a verse on it, or hand out scriptural messages with the candy.

We love God and this day doesn't change how we feel and what we know in our hearts to be true. Its just a day. God is bigger than one day.