Archive for Holidays and Celebrations
5 Fun Fall Activities
Posted by: | CommentsFall is such a great time of year! The weather is beautiful, the bugs have (mostly) gone away, and football season is in its prime! Fall is also a great time to plan lots of outdoor activities with your kids since you’ll likely be stuck indoors for most 
of the winter. Here are some of my favorite fall activities:
- Playing in piles of leaves – A classic fall activity! My son LOVES playing in the leaves. I literally think he would be happy jumping and stomping on leaves for an entire day, if I let him!
- Visiting a pumpkin patch – We have several great farms in our area that host annual pumpkin patch festivals. They are so much fun! Your kids can see and pet animals, ride on hayrides, make their way through corn mazes, and take some pumpkins home.
- Attending a local high school sports event – We are lucky to live within walking distance of our local high school, so Pudge and I often stroll over there and watch football and field hockey practices. When I first tried this, I didn’t know how interested Pudge would be, but he liked it so much, we now go over weekly at least. It’s fun—and free!
- Pumpkin hunt – Try putting a new spin on the standard springtime Easter egg hunt. I bought several small pumpkins at a local grocery store (they’re usually really cheap at this time of year), and I hid them around our yard. Let me tell you, Pudge had a ball finding them! (If you can’t tell, I have QUITE an outdoorsy child, so I’ve come up with some of these ideas—like this pumpkin hunt—to keep myself from getting bored outside. Pudge would be fine without any planned activities!).
- Make your own scarecrow – There are lots of great fall-inspired craft projects, but again, since my son begs to be outside every waking moment of the day, I have to plan crafts that can be done outside, too. I haven’t tried this yet, but I was thinking it would be fun to use hay and some of my husband’s old clothes to build a scarecrow in our front yard. Plus, it will make a great Halloween decoration!
Hope everyone is having a great fall so far!
Baby Shower for a Second Child: What’s the Etiquette?
Posted by: | CommentsA friend of mine has a son and is currently pregnant with her second child. She found out that she’s having a girl this time, and we were recently discussing the etiquette 
about having a baby shower to celebrate a second (or third or fourth…) child. While I think that showers for second children are generally frowned upon (after all, the parents already have almost everything they need for their new baby), I have heard about people hosting “sprinkles” for second-time moms. As the name suggests, a sprinkle is a mini-shower, so the party (and the corresponding gifts) would be much smaller in scale than a first-baby shower.
I think that sprinkles are mainly held for moms who are having a child of the opposite gender of their first child. Though I understand the concept (a mom of a boy would have the necessary clothes if she has another boy but would need a whole new baby wardrobe if she has a girl), I think that if sprinkles are appropriate for a mom have a different-gendered baby, then they should be equally appropriate for moms having a second boy or second girl. It’s only fair, right?
Still, I’ve only read about sprinkles or second showers—I’ve never actually known anyone to have one (at least, not yet). What do you think? Is a shower for a second child a nice way to celebrate the new baby, or does it just make the second-time parents seem greedy? Does it make a difference if the mother is having a child is having a child of the opposite gender? What should a mom do if she’s uncomfortable with the idea of a second shower but a friend or family member asks to host one anyway?
First Birthday Party was a Smashing Success!
Posted by: | CommentsWe had Pudge’s birthday party this weekend, and it was a smashing success! Well, not quite smashing—he had no interest in smashing the cake. In fact, he touched the icing and seemed to hate the feeling of having it on his fingers and became hesitant to touch the cake again (sounds remarkably like his daddy). Haha!
But despite a runny nose and the grocery store messing up our cake order, the day was a wonderful celebration! Pudge was surrounded by family and friends, and everyone had a great time! I can’t wait for next year’s party! I take that back—I can definitely wait. I don’t want to rush a single minute of this next year. 
Reflections on My First Year of Motherhood
Posted by: | CommentsHappy Birthday, Pudge! Today is my precious son’s first birthday. Here are some reflections on my first year of motherhood:
Ways in which my life has changed:
- My laundry has become much more colorful.
- I get to shower about half as often as I did pre-baby, and I’m surprisingly ok with that.
- My routine, my diet, my interests, my colleagues, my joys, and my frustrations have all changed. I suppose it would be much harder to come up with a list of things that haven’t changed!
Here is my son the day he was born. I can't believe this was a whole year ago!
Things I have forgotten:
- Just about everything! Mommy brain is no joke!
- What it was like to come home from work and have nothing to do at night
- What it was like to come home from work at all! My working days seem like a whole different lifetime now.
- How empty my house must have looked before it got covered in toys and baby gear
Things I have learned:
- Just because your child sleeps through the night for several months does not mean he will always do so. (In fact, I read a somewhat comforting statistic that 95% of children are considered “night wakers” for one or more sustained periods of time between ages 1 and 5. So, it seems my situation is totally normal…sigh.)
- Your body can adjust to sleep deprivation, and you can figure out how to function on far less sleep than you used to need.
- The most fun toys are the ones that were never intended to be toys.
- As a stay-at-home mom, the hours go more slowly but the days go so much more quickly than before.
- You don’t need to choose one method of parenting and stick to it rigidly. Parenting is a learning process, and wise parents make course corrections along the way—even if it means admitting that you were doing things “wrong” before.
- The things your child will find most fascinating are often the things you previously found least interesting (in our case, Pudge loves vents, exit signs, fire hydrants, and the molding that runs along the base of our stairs!).
- Even though 1-year-olds don’t say many words, they can understand far more than I ever imagined.
I love you, Pudge! You have turned my world upside down in the best way possible. I enjoy every minute watching you grow up. Love, Mommy
See You All Next Year!
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My husband and I are going to a wedding on New Year’s Eve (and leaving our son overnight for the first time). I’m half-excited to enjoy a baby-free night and half-sad to be leaving my little guy. But my biggest concern for New Year’s is not my son (he’ll be in good hands with my parents), it’s my eyelids. I’m not sure I can keep them open until midnight! My schedule as a mom is so drastically different than my pre-mom schedule that my body is no longer accustomed to staying up past 10pm.
I’m keeping my fingers crossed that I can stay awake through the “I dos” and the ball drop! Happy New Year to everyone!
My Boss is Teething will return will regular posts on Tuesday.
New Year’s Resolutions
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2010 has been such a life-changing year for me that it seems almost certain that 2011 will feel like a letdown in comparison. So, my New Year’s resolution is to enjoy all the small stuff in 2011. My son learning to walk, playing in the snow, reading books, sneezing in my face, making a game out of throwing food off his highchair, not sleeping through the night, making his “I’m pooping” face, etc. Babies grow up so quickly, so I resolve to make time go slowly by living in the moment in 2011. Easier said than done, but hey, New Year’s resolutions are meant to be goals, right?
Any good New Year’s resolutions out there? If not, you still have a day to figure one out!
Happy Holidays to All!
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Here is some of the wrapping paper aftermath!
Oh, Christmas, why must you only come once a year? In our family, we like to spread out the gift-giving joy, so we gave Pudge his gifts from Mommy and Daddy this past weekend (we only open gifts from Santa on Christmas Day). He was a little overwhelmed, but he loves his new toys! Though everyone told us that he would like the wrapping paper better than the actual presents, he surprised us and actually had very little interest in the wrapping paper. He was enthralled with the presents (and had a penchant for taking apart the bows!).
The Alphabet Train by VTech was a particularly big hit.
It was a wonderful first Christmas experience with just our little family of three, but it will be nice to share the excitement with our extended family over the next few days, too.
Cool Stores for Children’s Gifts
Posted by: | CommentsI blame my son for the fact that I am so behind on my holiday gift shopping this year (as it turns out, babies take lots of time and energy…who knew? ). Normally, I’m nearly finished buying all of my Christmas gifts by Thanksgiving, but this year, I’ve barely begun. So, time to shift into high gear!
While I often do shop at the big box stores because they are so darn convenient, I’m always on the lookout for stores and gifts that are more unique. Over the past few weeks, I’ve come across several stores that sell really cool—and unusual!—gifts for children and babies. I’ve included links to several stores on the right side of this page (scroll down to “Cool Stores”).
I received a catalog in the mail for Back to Basics Toys, and flipping through the pages felt like a walk down memory lane! They sell classic toys that never go out of style. They specifically focus on educational toys that are non-violent—things like Lincoln Logs, Lite Brites, snow cone makers, Raggedy Ann and Andy dolls, wooden slat sleds and many other famous toys. There are so many toys on this site that I completely forgot about but now can’t wait to buy for Pudge! If you’re looking for gift ideas for you child or others, look no further than Back to Basics Toys.
I love the I See Me store as well. They sell many items that you can personalize with your child’s name. I particularly love the personalized books—your child can read a whole story written just for him/her! They sell holiday books, ABC books, fairytale books, and many others. Very cool!
I also stumbled upon the Baby Earth store, and I immediately loved it! While there are lots of stores that sell “green” items, I really like Baby Earth’s selection. They have cloth diapers, organic toys, and books that teach children about the importance of saving the environment. They also carry some of my favorite toy brands, like Melissa & Doug, ALEX, and Haba.
If you’re looking for great gift ideas for your kids, other parents, or parent-to-be, definitely check out these stores! And let me know of other cool and unique baby stores out there.
No “Baby’s 1st Christmas” Clothes in 12-Month Size…Makes Sense, Actually
Posted by: | CommentsNow that Thanksgiving is over, I’m shifting into full-on Christmas mode (though, I have to admit that we’ve had our tree up for 3 weeks now!). In addition to buying Christmas gift
s, I want to get a few special things for Pudge, since this is his first Christmas. I bought him a “Baby’s First Christmas” ornament and bib, and I have a stocking picked out for him, too. I also want to get him special Christmas pajamas…but, I’ve realized one small problem with having a rather pudgy, soon-to-be 10-month-old at Christmas. He’s wearing clothing sized 12-18 months, and since babies who are actually 12-18 months old are experiencing their second Christmas, it’s nearly impossible to find any “Baby’s First Christmas” pajamas in a size that will fit him!
This is kind of ironic, actually, because a few years ago, I was perusing the children’s clothes racks at a baby store, and I came across a onesie that said “Baby’s First Easter”—in size 24 months! I remember thinking, “Well, it’s no wonder it’s on clearance!” And I proceeded to make fun of the store for trying to sell that onesie in the first place. So, I suppose it’s fitting that I find myself with a 12-to-18-month-size-wearing almost-10-month-old around Christmastime! Oh, karma, you got me again.
But, really, any suggestions? Does anyone know of a store that sells “Baby’s First Christmas” clothes in larger sizes? Anyone else with January, February, or March babies having the same problem?!
Halloween Wrap-Up
Posted by: | CommentsOh, Halloween, I wish you would come more than once a year! The trick-or-treaters (including my little monkey!) were so adorable, and the weather was perfect. Here are a few shots from Halloween in our area.
I hope all of you and your kids had a great time, too!
