Life of a Mom

Please hold my hand…

August 27, 2014 by Jennifer 1 Comment

On our recent vacation, tears started streaming down my face. After a few minutes, I felt like I was a sobbing mess. Why were tears flowing on our vacation? It should be a happy time.

I was standing there on the beach with the sand between my toes thinking about my girls first beach trip. I had to hold their hand and not let go. My hands had to protect the girls from the huge waves crashing right at their thighs. Fast forward a few years later and my hands no longer have the job of protecting the girls. They are able to swim freely and jump the waves as they crashed at their feet. This yearning feeling would not go away. The words please hold my hand kept wanting to leap from my mouth.

As a mom, we spend the early years meeting every need and demand of our children, but as the years fly by, our children eventually no longer need us to meet their every need and demand. The “will you get me a bowl of cereal?” turns into, I am going to go pour me a bowl of cereal. The dependency fades into independency.

I know M and L are spreading their wings. Their wings are beginning to flap but are not quite ready to take off from the ground. I still want them to need me. I want them to ask for my hand. Thankfully, M still loves to sit beside me on the couch and we will hold each other tight. L still loves to walk into a store with her arms wrapped around me. In fact, once we get out of the car, she is wrapping my arm around her arm. She may not ask for my hand, but she will reach for my arm.

My heart yet is still heavy because I know they don’t need me to do every little thing for them. I want to do every little thing for them. My heart aches for them to be more dependent on me.

onemomsworldgirls

As they look into the future and hold their sister conversations, I will continue to cherish each and every moment. They will both always be my babies. My hands and arms will always be available to pick them up when they fall. My prayer is they will continuously ask God for guidance and direction for their future. Even though I cannot walk and hold their hand to protect them, I do feel a sense of peace knowing our almighty God can.

M and L, please hold me hand…

Trying to transition from extended co-sleeping

January 31, 2013 by Jennifer Leave a Comment

The minute I became a mom, I was a full-fledged attachment mom. At the time, I did not realize my parenting style had a name. It did not become clearer until I was doing research online when my first-born M was an infant.

Family members and friends have sent subtle messages about my co-sleeping parenting style, but I always chose to ignore them. You and your husband define your parenting style. I never try to push my parenting style on to others, and I always appreciate the same in return.

With all of that being said, I know it is time to transition from extended co-sleeping. My girls are 8 and 10. M sleeps in her own bed with no problems. She does love to have L with her and we are trying to transition L. Every single time, I am ready to do the transition, L gets sick. Is the universe trying to tell me something? For the last week, cough and asthma issues have bothered L. As all asthma parents can tell you, it is so hard to see your child launch into a coughing fit and not be able to breathe. For a few months, I thought we may be growing out of asthma issues and only dealing with her allergy issues but I guess I can eat my words now. M pleaded with L to sleep with her last night and L quickly replied back

No, because mommy is my pal. I need to sleep with her.

She learned at an early age how to charm her way to my heart. As she drifted off to sleep last night, I was up on the laptop working. She kept on rattling when she was breathing. My mind starts to worry and I just sit there listening at her breathe. After a little bit, she seemed to do better so I wrapped my arms closely around her and drifted of to sleep. I felt like I was waking up every hour on hour checking on her. At one time, I didn’t hear her making a noise breathing. It was very quiet. I put my finger under her nose and put my hand on her back to ensure she was still breathing. I still wasn’t satisfied so I lifted her arm to see if she would move. She did and was none to happy with me. At 3am in the morning, the decision was made that it was just not the right time to transition from co-sleeping. We will wait till this asthma setback passes.

I really want to transition her so Hubby and I can have the bed by ourselves but this mother’s heart is just not ready. They are only little once right?

From Egg Farms to Airports to Mountains

September 27, 2010 by Jennifer 4 Comments

We are finally home. Last week consisted of traveling from Raleigh, to Atlanta, to Tampa, to Atlanta, to Raleigh, to Asheville (Type A Mom Conference) and then HOME! What a busy week it was but it was so very interesting indeed. There will be more to come this week but I have a questions?

At the egg farm in Tampa this past week, I was shown two different egg farms. Don’t I just look so cute in my new attire?

Which does your family use before I go into details in a later Blog Post?

Caged Egg Farm

Cage Free Egg Farm

It is very eye opening the differences in which like I said will go in further details this week.

Using a Scarf as a Belt

September 8, 2010 by Jennifer 6 Comments

One of my goals this year was to be more fashionable with my clothes. My wonderful hubby was a bit over my lounge wear that I would always wear around the house. I actually was a bit over the old frumpy clothes as well. Now, I love to get all dressed up even if I have no place to go.

During BlogHer this year, I was turned on to a very cute and stylish technique but yet it is so easy to do. Now, everyone knows that scarves are such a hot item all year around these days and now here is just one more way that you can incorporate the scarf into your daily wardrobe.

Big thank you to Carolina Mama for turning me onto this cute style. I am loving it. As you can see here in this picture, Carolina Mama was getting interviewed by Yahoo! and it clicked to me on how she was wearing her scarf as a belt. Is this not just the coolest idea?

So now, I am hooked. It is so easy to tie it too. All you have to do is take the scarf and wrap it around your waist. I then take the scarf and tie it in a knot on the side of my waist. On the opposite side of my waist, I will widen the scarf to fit properly over my waist. Here I am on two separate occasions over the last two weeks. Just look how it can turn a dull outfit into such a fashionable style!

What do you think? The new style of the season! I will definitely be using my scarves more as a belt this upcoming fall season.

Olive Oil Kills Lice

September 8, 2010 by Jennifer 6 Comments

That is right my friends, Olive Oil does indeed get ride of lice. I wish I could say that I did not have to experience this firsthand, but a few weeks ago, we indeed did have lice invade the girls and my hair. Oh my, my head is already itching again just thinking about it. I totally was freaked out about this and the first thing I did was email my partner in crime over at BabyCenter Dina. She brought me back down to my senses and told me not to be embarrassed, it just happens.

I immediately went out to the grocery store and bought RID. I did not one, not two, but three treatments on our hair and I was STILL finding nits in our hair. I was really over lice at this moment. A good friend back in my hometown Boone, NC had called me to check on the girls and I to see how we were liking our new home and I spilled the beans to her. She said Jen, RID does not work. You have to try Olive Oil. That is what worked for us. You are kidding me right? I just went and spent almost $100.00 on a product that does not work!

I immediately went to the store at 9:30 that night and bought bottles of olive oil (only needed 1 but you know) and 3 shower caps. I drenched the girls and my hair all over with olive oil and made sure our scalps were really saturated in the olive oil. Then I adored our pretty heads with the pink shower caps and we went to bed. Woke up the next morning and washed all our hair out with dish detergent and then regular shampoo. We not only had soft smooth hair but also there were no nits or lice to be found. Ever since that night, we have not been bothered either. I cannot believe I put all those awful chemicals on our head and still had remnants of lice and then one night of olive oil soaking in our heads all night and all the remnants are GONE!

So there you have it… do not use RID or any of those other awful chemicals on your head. Just get some olive oil and a shower cap and you can say goodbye forever to the lice that are so not welcomed in your home or your personal bubble of your head.

Life of a Mom

Footer