Gratitude Project #5 - Opportunity to be the mirror of my child

I am sure all of you parents know that kids are fast learners and the best imitators. They have superior five senses and they really take in everything that you do, down to the smallest details. It's fascinating but it's scary at times. The other day, I caught my toddler putting a rubber band in her mouth, across her lower teeth, each little hand of hers holding one end of the rubber band, moving it left and right, left and right. It wasn't long before I realized she was trying to floss her teeth, just like her daddy did earlier, with the rubber band. Another time, I caught her pouring milk from her Sippy cup onto her hands and rubbing it all over her body. Yup, her mommy was putting lotion on herself just before that. Now God helps me if I accidentally forget to screw the lid of her butt paste all the way in.

My toddler is generally a happy kid, but she is also super-active and impatient, and she just can't seem to grasp the concept of waiting. Combined with her slightly delayed language development, she gets frustrated easily, and sometimes she would even hits me (which will be followed by a time-out) and she throws tantrums when she does not get what she wants. One time I felt so discouraged and frustrated, and I said to my husband "you know, I am just not a good mom after all. I really have no clues when it comes to parenting. How come my kid has such bad temper (and these other kids that I saw have such good manners all the time)?". Then a frightening realization dawned on me. Children are mirrors of their parents. I have been stressed out lately and haven't had the best temper really. I tried my best not to, but I got impatient and yelled at my toddler more than I would like to, especially towards the end of the day when I was exhausted and she was exhausted. So she must be picking this bad temper thing up from me also. Now whenever I get frustrated with her, I would remind myself to calm down, and even though I am boiling inside, sometimes (I still can't manage to not get mad and raise my voice sometimes) I would intentionally lower my voice and just tell her that her behavior is not good and gives her a brief time-out (a minute or two only because she just won't be still). For some reason, she would actually listen instead of throwing more tantrums sometimes (not all the time but that's an improvement), so I guess I am moving in the right direction.

So parents, examine yourself and examine your own action. Being a mom definitely forces me to face my own weakness, and prompts me to really act on it, for my own good and for the good of my toddler. For that, I am grateful. I am grateful for the opportunity to be the mirror of my child and I hope I will put it to good use. Now next time when I cannot control my own temper, I would have to dig up this post and read this aloud to myself LOL.

Originally published on Bubblews:
http://www.bubblews.com/news/798266-gratitude-project-14-opportunity-to-be-the-mirror-of-my-child

Baby food pouches for adults?

 

My toddler has always been a very picky eater. So when I saw those squeezable baby food pouches that they put apple sauce in them, I have to give it a try. They have so many different flavors like mango apple, strawberry apple, strawberry yogurt, sweet potatoes, butternut squash, strawberry yogurt. Basically if you can name it, they have it. Some parents go as far as making their own baby pouches at home using this Infantino Squeeze Station. Besides, I thought that it would be a great to-go option too if we want to go somewhere for couple hours and take a snack with us. Sounds like a great plan right?

 

Well, well, well. Turns out my toddler doesn't really care for these either. She is more interested in screwing the cap on and off these food pouches than actually eating from it. And worse, she loves to squeeze the apple sauce out of the pouch, ummm, when her mouth is not in contact with the opening and making a big mess. Sigh! Then I was really hungry one night and it just happened that I ran out of food in my fridge. I proceeded to look in my pantry and saw these GoGo Squeez Mango Applesauce and decided to try it myself and ooops .... I was hooked!!! Then I saw this article about how the sale of baby food in jar has gone down 15% while that of the baby food in pouches have doubled. It also mentioned that brands like Happy Family and GoGo squeeze have already launched similar products for adults and other companies are playing catch-up and looking to do the same later this year or next year. So I guess I am not only adult who likes these baby food pouches (I feel so much better now)!

Originally posted on Bubblews: http://www.bubblews.com/news/730357-baby-food-pouches-for-adults

(Image Credit: Amazon)

Oh Baby wipes, how I love thee?

I have a confession to make. I love baby wipes. Ever since I had a baby, baby wipes have become an essential part of my life. I would almost always carry a pack of baby wipes in my purse or my diaper bag when I go out. I know they are far from the most environmental friendly products but I feel much more secure to have a pack nearby, within my arm's reach. Otherwise, what do I do when my baby has an episode of BM mishaps when we are out at church? What do I do when my baby shakes her sippy cup so hard that she pops the cap open, squirting milk in every single direction when we are traveling in our car? Now I am not ridiculous like that one lady on My Strange Addiction show who uses 500 wipes a day and who uses wipes to clean herself instead of taking showers, I do sometimes use a bit more baby wipes that I would like myself to and I am working on minimizing that. But yeah, I do love my baby wipes and apparently my toddler does too, as I woke up one day to find her taking a big pile of wipes out from the package, and proceeded to wipe the door, the carpet, her toys, and everything with them. Now I need to remember to put the wipes away every night after I get her down to sleep =)

Originally published on Bubblews:
http://www.bubblews.com/news/666815-baby-wipes-how-i-love-thee

I look at my baby and I wish I could have her ...

@ Chalk It Up 2013 in Hendersonville NC

I look at my baby and I wish I could have her ...

• Energy: She is on the move all the time. I mean, seriously, all the time. Climbing up and down the couch/bookcase/table/chairs. Running back and forth, running in circles. Bouncing here and there. Singing her favorite nursery rhymes 50 times a day.


• Curiosity: She can manage to spot anything that's not supposed to be where they are at. She always manages to find toys, snacks, gadgets that I tried to hide from her.


• Confidence: Man she is so full of herself these days. She would do something and tell herself and me that she did a good job. She would also look in the mirror, admire herself and flash me that proud smile of hers.


• Audacity: Never afraid of challenging anyone's authority, including me and her daddy of course and saying no. Can't you tell that she is at her terrible-two stage? I wish I could have the courage to challenge myself and other people and actually say NO and set some boundaries sometimes.


• Innocence: One morning I woke up, opened the door of her room and there she was, giving me a big smile. She said "good morning" in her own alien language that I have managed to master a bit better these days, gave me a big hug and told me "I love you" (in a semi-alien language). She is just so innocently happy all the time! So worry-free!

Originally published on Bubblews:
http://www.bubblews.com/news/655936-i-look-at-my-baby-and-i-wish-i-could-have-her

Gratitude Project #1 - My Baby Girl

That's the hands of my baby when she was just a couple months old

Starting my own gratitude project. I need to, because I have so much negativity in my life lately. I will start with something easy =)

I am so grateful for having a beautiful baby girl (20-month toddler actually but she is still a baby to me). Yup, she is super active (a bit over-active) and she started the terrible two stage even before she turned 18 months. Yes, she drives me insane sometimes. She is such a picky eater that just the thought of feeding her gives me headaches. And yes she won't go down for a nap or go to sleep at night without putting up a fight. She is a master at creating chaos in our little apartment. BUT one giggle, one smile, one hug, one kiss from her takes me to the happiest place on earth. It's the most pure form of happiness I have ever experienced in my life. Sometimes when she sleeps, I stare at my little angel's face and fall in even deeper love with her every second that passes by. I hold her little hands in mine, counting out all ten fingers in the dark, feeling her soft baby skin against mine. And I think to myself, like countless times before, how amazing that she is so beautifully and fearfully made. She is so perfect in my eyes, and I pray that she will feel safe, even when she sleeps, even in her dreams, and even in the most trying times in her future. I grew up in the kind of culture where we are not used to saying "I love you" to our loved ones but with her I can say it however many times I want and more. I love her I love her I love her!

Originally published on Bubblews:

http://www.bubblews.com/news/641971-gratitude-project-1-my-baby-girl

Am I a bad mom?

I know I know. TV is not good for toddlers. Ipad is not good for toddlers. But my 20-month old is a very bad eater. Sometimes when I try to distract her so that she'll eat a little more for me, or when I am just plain tried, I would tell her that we'll watch some videos together. She would climb up onto my computer chair herself and we would enjoy about 8-10 nursery rhymes on Youtube. Youtube is definitely a very good babysitter in our case LOL. My favorite Youtube channels for nursery rhymes are Super Simple Songs, Hooplakidz, The Giggle Bellies. I am in no way associated with them, but thanks to them, I am able to keep myself sane these days.

Originally published on Bubblews:

http://www.bubblews.com/news/641010-am-i-a-bad-mom

(Photo credit: commons.wikimedia.org)

Baby/toddler products I love - Thermos Foogo Phase 2 Stainless Steel Sippy Cup

As parents, we buy and try so many baby products but a lot of them are just inefficient and some are simply JUNK. I plan to write about the baby products that I love. 

Thermos Foogo Phase 2 Stainless Steel Sippy Cup

• I have the pink and purple one. Perfect colors for my baby girl =) 
• Yes, it's a little pricey (around $12-13) but it's well worth it. I surely spent a lot of money trying different sippy cups/straw cups and some leak after one try and some my baby don't like and refuse to use. This one is quite leak-proof for me. It has definitely passed the shaking testing of my baby girl
• It does keeps the milk cold (up to 6-7 hours for me at least). I took it onto an airplane trip once and the milk is still cold after our 7-hour trip. To keep milk cold for even longer period of time, pour the milk into the sippy and store the sippy in the fridge for a couple hours before you hit the road

Originally published on Bubblews:
http://www.bubblews.com/news/639463-babytoddler-products-i-love-thermos-foogo-phase-2-stainless-steel-sippy-cup

(photo credit: image from google image search - labeled for commercial reuse)