I have a confession to make. Since discovering the absolute genius that is audiobooks (see here for a primer on how to get started if you've never read with your ears before), I'm rapidly reverting back to the bookworm I was a child. It's glorious. I've even had a mini book club with my mom friends about the book Little Girls Can Be Mean. Having started exploring the topic of parenting girls, I now want delve into the subject of sons (appropriate since I have two of them). So, of … [Read more...]
Parenting Styles: Navigating The Eye Roll, Seven Years Early
With all the different parenting styles, it can be no joke figuring out how to discipline a toddler. Jessica is here today with our parenting section, newly re-named Parenting Styles, with some great insight on what to do when your toddler starts acting like a teenager. I read this great article the other day that was wildly reassuring to my future self, the one who's a mom of a teenage girl. It covered the many purposes that the ol’ eye roll serves in the life of an adolescent. And they … [Read more...]
Parenting: The Late Walker
What do you do when your fifteen month old refuses to walk? Like, refuses to even try and gets all pouty and indignant when we clap our hands and call to her, before scooting away on her little diapered bottom? I checked with Dr. Google, and while lots of babies take those first wobbly steps around their first birthday, she’s still in the “perfectly normal” range, so phew. But what is the hold up here? Not one of our kids walked early – none of this before-the-first-birthday stuff at our … [Read more...]
How Long Did You Wait to Take a Date Night Away From Baby?
Image Credit: © Christopher Michel | Date Night | cropped | CC by 2.0 Jessica is back today for another humorous glimpse into her life as a mom of four. This time she's tackling date-night with her signature wit (read to the end and you'll smile - I promise). I'm curious - how long did it take all of you to finally take a night away from baby? I think it was somewhere around 9 months with M, once he no longer breastfed right before bed maybe? It depends less on the parents and more on … [Read more...]
{Parenting} I Lied to the Pediatrician
Image Credit: © Eden, Janine and Jim| Doctor Aunt | CC by 2.0 We've all been there - cruising along, well into yet another well-check appointment for your child when your ped asks about "it". That child-rearing topic (sleep, discipline, vitamins, etc.) that you know you've either been slacking on a little or you just don't completely see eye-to-eye with doc on. So what do you do? Proudly come clean with a "you wanna tussle?" glint in your eye , fudge the truth a bit knowing you've got … [Read more...]
Parenting: Talking to Kids About Death
Image Credit: © Dylan Parker |Very Serious - DSC_2926 (Text added) | CC by 2.0 Happy Monday guys, hope your weekend was a good one. We spent ours trying out a new gymnastics class for the 4 year old (soon to be back-to-back with T-ball games for the 6 year old), new Sunday School classes for all three kids, and our first ever family bike ride with all five of us (including the newly 1-year-old in a trailer behind Dad). These new activities mark more than just a change in season for our … [Read more...]
The Forever Home Project: A New MPMK Series
So I've talked a bit here and there about our move this summer, but I haven't really told you guys the whole story. This move was a big deal for us, as most moves are for most people, in terms of logistics and timing and just overall stress. But it was also a big deal for us because it represented a major milestone that we've been working towards for the past 5 years. For all intents and purposes, we intend for this new house to be our forever home. The place where our kids ride their bikes … [Read more...]