Category Archives: Parenting

{Paleo Progress} Children with Food Allergies

Posted on January 21, 2013 | 1 Comment

Babies With Food Allergies

This week, while having a relaxing lunch with one of my favorite girlfriends, I came upon an amazing discovery.  I think I might have a gluten allergy.  My friend was telling me all about her symptoms and diagnosis (while we enjoyed a fabulous gluten-free, dairy-free pizza together at one of my favorite restaurants nearby – OMG, I am so thankful for living here!) when I realized I hadn’t experienced any of those (formerly regular) symptoms since going Paleo.

Testing for a Gluten Sensitivity

So I did a test.  A few days later I made a regular pizza crust for my family and had a couple of bites.  The following evening I had all of these crazy (and previously unexplainable and unrelated) symptoms: upset stomach (which prior to going dairy-free, I attributed to the cheese on pizza), dizziness (which I usually just attributed to the wine I used to drink with my pizza), tingling in the arms and hands while sleeping, itchy scalp and hands, irritability, shortness of breath (which was so weird given how healthy I’ve gotten these past few years), severe abdominal bloating (I can’t wait to show you before and after photos) and excessive anemia (something I already struggle with because I don’t eat red meat.)  All symptoms of a gluten allergy.

Then I noticed the symptoms in my baby son.  His constant loose stools, eczema, (unexplained) mouth sores, severe abdominal bloating and general abdominal pain.  All symptoms of a gluten allergy, or Celiac Disease, in children – often delayed by extended breastfeeding.  Thank God I felt compelled to nurse him until he was 14 months old!  I can’t imagine dealing with these symptoms in an infant.  I would have been scared out of my mind. Continue reading →

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Posted in Dairy-Free, Parenting

Tagged , food allergies, ,

{Guest Author} Holiday Perspective

Posted on January 16, 2013 | 2 Comments
Guest post by Meghan, aka FaithGirl

Vyv in the Christmas Tree
Now that the holidays are over let me just say that I think I need to avoid all social media from the week before Thanksgiving until January 2nd. Because did I REALLY need to see posts of beautifully dressed children in immaculate kitchens making extraordinary looking Christmas cookies? OR did I need to read on facebook that “Santa found us in Cancun…so very BLESSED.” My holidays were far from this portrayal of yuletide bliss.

Here is how my holiday season came and went in a nutshell:

  1. Baby #2 was born two weeks early at the beginning of November. I was totally unprepared. Unprepared as in no bag packed, no arrangements made for my 2 year old. Unprepared as in went for a routine ultrasound and ended up in labor and delivery immediately following. Thankfully, baby #2 is healthy and thriving.
  2. The help that was lined up to come when baby #2 was actually due arrived but then decided to leave a week early. Yikes!
  3. Thanksgiving came – my husband grilled steaks for dinner.
  4. Christmas season started – the outdoor lights went up.
  5. We got a Christmas tree but only put lights on it. No ornaments touched the tree.
  6. No stockings were hung by the chimney with care. Seriously. No stockings up.
  7. No advent wreath, advent calendar, or elf on a shelf was a part of our Christmas season.
  8. No one sat on Santa’s lap this year.
  9. No Christmas cards when out – not even to announce our new baby. Nope. Not one Christmas card was sent.
  10. No Christmas presents were wrapped – not one.
  11. No Christmas cookies were baked – we ate oreos instead.
  12. We did not attend one Christmas church service this year.
  13. Most of our Christmas presents were sent out after New Years.
  14. Our outdoor Christmas lights are still up – just unplugged.
  15. We are probably going to be on an episode of Hoarders soon.

There have been people who have shamed me about my Christmas season Continue reading →

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Posted in Faith, Guest Post, Parenting

Tagged Christmas, Depression, newborn

Chasing Perfection, Embracing Failure

Posted on January 9, 2013 | Leave a comment

This may come as a surprise to you all, but “I’m not Perfect.”  Gasp.

ChasingPerfection copy

I know.  Quite the revelation.  But here’s the thing.  I’m ok with that.  We all make mistakes.  We slip up, don’t meet the mark and sometimes go so far down the wrong path we wonder if we’ll ever make it back.

And as a parent, that can be really darn disappointing.

Especially when we see the effects it has on our littles.  When our mistakes – bursts of unwarranted anger, tardiness to those important “milestone” events or too busyness to praise a hard-labored “masterpiece” – affect our children, make their little faces squinch up and their eyes brim with tears, it tears us apart.

We all hate to fail. Continue reading →

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Posted in Parenting

{Motherhood Series} Finale: A Day in the Life of a SAHM

Posted on December 18, 2012 | 4 Comments

Over the past several months we have been featuring stories from mothers in different stages of life and with different motherhood stories. This is the final post in the Series: we all committed to blogging about our day – Today.  At the end check out links to “a day in the life” of the other mommy bloggers, too!

Monday, December 17th 2012

12:01am – I decide to go back to the kitchen and get the cough syrup because I can’t stop coughing.

1:15am – BulldozerBaby is fussing.  I think he must have wet his diaper.  He is saying something over and over but I don’t understand him.  The cough syrup obviously is working because I fall back asleep despite my concern.

1:45am – I kick nudge RockstarDad and grunt, indicating that he should go change BulldozerBaby’s diaper.  Ever since I stopped nursing BB in July he won’t let me do bedtime or night-changings; he still wants to nurse and will wail bloody murder if I put him to bed.  Ergo RockstarDad gets all middle-o-the-night baby activities.  I am very grateful and yet (slightly, secretly, ashamedly) happy that he gets to do it since I had to for the first 14 months when I got up every three hours to nurse…

3am – I think RockstarDad had to get up again.  I’m not sure.  I think there is codeine in the cough syrup.

5am – BB is wailing again.  RD gets up and changes him again.  I think he turns off his alarm.  He snuggles me.  Because he is awesome.

5:30am – I decide I better get up and take my shower before RD leaves.  Otherwise I might not get one.  (Experience is a cruel teacher.)  I remember to practice gratitude in the shower, praying for everyone and thing I am grateful for.  My mood improves considerably.  I start to do some yoga and get into it about five minutes when BB wakes up screaming.  I get him out of the crib and take him to the kitchen with me.

6:00am – I heat up some leftover dairy-free quiche (frozen in individual serving sizes) for breakfast.  I still have no appetite so I save the rest for RocketGirl.  RockstarDad decides he would rather have a biscuit, but BulldozerBaby devours his quiche.  BB takes his plate to the kitchen all by himself for the first time.  He is adorable.   Both the kids have chores: set and clear the table as soon as they are old enough to walk, help empty the dishwasher, clean up toys, etc. and RocketGirl makes her own bed. 

7:00am- RG rolls out of bed.  She has breakfast at the table and sees the drawings her daddy left for her.  (RD is a pretty good artist.)  RG’s in a great mood and I am so very grateful.  It’s been weeks since the kids have been healthy and happy.  They watch Sesame Street (without whining, hurting one another or bothering me – W00t!) while I work on the computer – checking emails, typing this, etc.

8:00am – I dress the kids and head out the door.  RG has preschool today.  I am grateful for her wonderful teachers.  She is so excited to be back after a week out sick. Continue reading →

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Posted in Our Life, Parenting

Tagged ,

{Motherhood Series} What to do when Hubby isn’t on board

Posted on December 17, 2012 | Leave a comment

Welcome back to the “Motherhood” series! This post was written by Brenda at Triple Braided. If you missed the last post in the series, please check back HERE.
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Guest post by Brenda at Triple Braided

So your happily-ever-after is finally coming true. Nesting is in full force. You’re now a wife. You have a baby. And you can settle down and do what your heart has yearned for since you were a little girl – you can be a full-time wife and mommy.

But wait! There’s only one problem!

You kinda forgot, didn’t really think, to talk about that dream conviction with your fiance-now-turned-husband, and he has slightly different plans. “Be a stay-at-home wife and mother? Are you kidding me?” He looks at you with a deer-in-the-headlights look.

Suddenly your dream is crushed. Your convictions seem null and void. You try to rationalize a different way in your mind, but you feel so strongly about the importance of being at home. Then you wonder if there’s something wrong with you. If you’re wrong. If you’re selfish.

Join me, Brenda at Triple Braided, as I unpack what I have learned this past year as a wife with a baby and a husband who wants her to work outside the home despite her desperate desire to be at home!

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Posted in Parenting

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{Motherhood Series} On Being SAHM When Your Husband is Gone a Lot (Part 2)

Posted on December 10, 2012 | Leave a comment

Welcome back to the “Motherhood” series!  This post was written by LeighAnn Dutton from Christian Mommy Blogger. If you missed the last post in the series, please check back HERE.

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Guest post by LeighAnn Dutton of Intentional By Grace

I’m not a military wife. However, I am a wife with a husband who travels a lot for business. On average, my husband travels once a week for at least a night or two. Sometimes my son and I go with him, but most of the time we’re back home eagerly awaiting his return.

It is exhausting, often times overwhelming, and always a plea for mercy and grace.

But you know what? The above is not my biggest challenge.

Join Leigh Ann at Intentional By Grace to learn more about her biggest challenge with having a traveling husband.

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Posted in Parenting

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{Motherhood Series} Being a SAHM when your husband is gone a lot (Part 1)

Posted on December 3, 2012 | Leave a comment

Welcome back to the “Motherhood” series!  This post was written by Nikki Hughes from Christian Mommy Blogger. If you missed the last post in the series, please check back HERE.

Guest post by Nikki of Intentional By Grace

 As a military wife I found myself by myself. A lot. I chose to leave the workforce to stay home with my children. When my husband was gone for 7-8 months at a time I felt it. To my core. It was lonely and a lot of work. I realize though, it isn’t only military wives who are in this situation. Does your husband travel? Are you left by yourself to be mommy, daddy, maid, chef, doctor, nurse and teacher? Maybe not for big chunks of time, but on any sort of regular basis?

It is overwhelming and scary. Perhaps you are the other extreme, you feel relieved and relish in the moments all by your lonesome?
Either way, the burden is heavy and you can’t do it alone. Well you aren’t alone. You aren’t the only one. There will be others that go through this too. But that doesn’t mean you can’t benefit from some tips and encouragement to help you along.

So join me, Nikki, today over at Intentional By Grace where I address “life” when your husband is gone…a lot.

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Posted in Parenting

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{Motherhood Series} Staying Home After All the Kids are in School

Posted on November 27, 2012 | Leave a comment

Welcome back to the “Motherhood” series!  This post was written by Jane Graham from Unofficial Homeschooler. If you missed the last post in the series, please check back HERE.

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Guest post by Jane Graham from Unofficial Homeschooler

People, for the most part, are okay with young moms choosing home over career, but what happens after the noses are wiped and kids go to school? Is staying home still a reasonable choice for women?

In today’s post, The Unofficial Homeschooler explains why it makes sense and why it’s the best choice for her family.  Check her out HERE.

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{Motherhood Series} In the trenches with a mom working from home

Posted on November 26, 2012 | Leave a comment

Welcome back to the “Motherhood” series!  This post was written by LeighAnn Dutton from Christian Mommy Blogger. If you missed the last post in the series, please check back HERE.

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Guest post by LeighAnn Dutton of Intentional By Grace

Being a work at home mom presents many challenges. It’s a blessing most definitely, being able to care for my toddler while earning a little income on the side from the comforts of my own home, but it takes a lot of intentionality and discipline to make it work.

When people find out that I stay home full time caring for an almost two year old, co-own an online Women’s ministry, run multiple websites, write eBooks, and still manage to have any sort of social life they inevitably ask me, “How do you do it all?”

Well, duh! I don’t, but what I do manage to get done I manage by the grace of God, no doubt! Let me share some nuggets of advice that I think will help you manage being a work at home mom.

Check out the rest of LeighAnn’s post HERE.

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Posted in Parenting

Tagged , work from home

{Motherhood Series} Returning to work after being a stay-at-home mom

Posted on November 19, 2012 | Leave a comment

Welcome back to the “Motherhood” series!  This post was written by Rachel Parrish of day2dayJoys.  If you missed the last post in the series, please check back HERE.

Written by Rachel of day2day joys
I recently wrote about my very busy day and how at this time in my life, whether I want to or not, I am called to be a help-meet to my husband, surrendering to God and sometimes do what in my heart I don’t want to for a season.

 

 But what if it’s not my dream? How do I not get resentful? How do I fully trust God? Why God?

All these questions flutter through my mind from time to time. No, I don’t know all of the answers, I just know I am on a journey.

You see, it’s not at simple as you are a mom, you should just stay home for some of us. Some of us make it work through hard financial circumstances, or even leave careers, but sometimes we have no choice. We have to work. It is where God has called us to be at this moment in time. We love the victory of living out dreams, but what about the process of learning, growing, failing, waiting, wrestling. In the process we are not wasting time; we are honing our skills.
 
I hope you’ll join me over at day2day joys where I’ll share a bit about my journey.

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Posted in Parenting

Tagged , return to work