Spoiled

My Dax loves to sit in his Moby Wrap. Loves it.

He just loves to be close, cuddled, and upright to help with his tummy and reflux issues.

Wen and I take turns wearing him in the Moby while shopping.

Little Dax loves looking around and then falls right to sleep for the rest of the trip.

Ya'll, it is the sweetest thing ever to see my big strong man wearing this Moby Wrap with a tiny little mini-wen attached to him. (Really, he has come so far!) And he does it with a smile on his face. You should really see the stares and sweet smiles he gets!

So we were checking out one day when we got our first negative-ish comment about it.

The cashier mentioned my man with the baby attached to him. I replied that the Moby was baby's favorite place with a big smile.

She told me I should stop wearing it and put that child down because he will spoil.

I could have been rude. I could have explained his medical issues that make him cry in pain a lot. I could have walked away. I could have just stopped talking and not even mentioned his love for close contact.

I simply smiled. I told her he was safe and secure and most surely would not spoil. I knew that because I have 3 other children who were cuddled, cared for, wore in slings, had their needs met and they were so fine and independent. They just learn.

She continued to tell me that her children were spoiled because she cuddled them too much. Ouch.

Was she really sad she had cuddled her children? Or did someone in her life tell her to stop cuddling them? Did she really see her children as spoiled or was someone else whispering in her ear?

I knew better. Her words would never deter me from listening to my heart. However, I feel sad for the next person her words may affect. Words are powerful things, even coming from strangers. New moms are so vulnerable. So ready to do everything just right, just perfect. A unasked for advice can work its way into an unsure mom's ear and do damage.

So moms, listen to your heart. Do not take stranger's words to heart. They do not know your situation. This is not a race. This is not a contest. This is you taking care of your tiny loves who so desperately need you to just be their mommy.

Curly Mustache Fun

Showoff ;)

Dear Dax

You are 2 months old.

You weigh 13 pounds.

Everything you do is adorable.

I love the way you stretch your arms way up high, arch your back, push your butt out, and curl your legs up to stretch after being curled up in our Moby Wrap.

Your yawn takes up your whole body while you squish your tiny nose up and squeeze your eyes shut.

Those piggy noises you make while nursing make daddy and me smile.

Even your tiny cry with your itty bitty lip pouted out touches our hearts.

I love watching you spy around the room, taking everything in, and making facial expressions. That tongue usually finds its way out.


The way you startle yourself and wave your arms cracks me up.

You love snuggling your face right into my skin to sleep.

Your lips make such a beautiful smile and make your eyes look almost closed.

Cooing sounds you make are too adorable and your siblings love bringing them out of you.

You open one eye to spy on me to make sure I still have you in my arms.

You slept on daddy for a little bit last night.  You fall asleep so well on him after having a full belly.

You smile so big when you nurse and roll your eyes back as if to say, "Ah, this is so delicious!"

While shopping, you like to be able to look around and see everything and then fall asleep in the Moby or on daddy.

Brijet and Ainzley love to kiss on you and play with you so much. You are such a good sport and smile for them.

Chaz loves to walk around with you and cuddle you. You look for him when you hear his voice.

You love to poke your thumb in between your first finger and second finger and hold it like that.

You have just started putting your finger in the pointing position.

I love the way you rub your fingers on me as you nurse or cuddle as if to make sure I am still there.

I enjoy giving you a bath and watching you wiggle in the water.

You are calm and let most people hold you, even if it is just for a minute.

Walks outside (when it is not too cold) calm you down.

You sigh contentedly as you sleep on me with your arm curled under your head.

You spend about 90% of your day in someone's arms or in the sling/moby wrap.

You sleep snuggled next to me or daddy and nurse all throughout the night.

Dear Dax, you are Amazing. I am so happy to be your mommy and watch you grow. I hope to remember every bit of your babyhood as you grow.

Christmas morning

A more eloquent view

Yesterday I posted about doing what comes naturally to me as a mom.  I am not a very eloquent writer or speaker but I wanted my feelings out there.

However, I ran across this blog post today (http://www.ourmuddyboots.com/dear-mom-and-dad-a-love-letter-from-your-baby/) and it is so beautiful! I had to share!

I Am Not an Attachment, Permissive, or Authoritative Parent

I am just me.

I became a mom 12 years ago. I was young. I had ideas of how I wanted my children raised but had no one really guiding me.

I just let my heart lead. I took in what I saw, what I was raised with, and what I read. I took it all in. I let it soak. I talked to my pediatrician. I talked to my husband.

And I let my heart lead. I did not care about what others thought. I listened to my heart.

I did not bother with what the others were doing with their kids. I tried hard not to compare my parenting to any others.

And I let my heart lead.

Twelve years of raising children and my heart is still leading. Oh sure, I have made mistakes. I have kept learning and growing over these years. And still, I let my heart lead. It has changed over time, the way I parent. My skills have grown and my desires have changed.

I still let my heart lead the way. And I follow it.

My way of parenting cannot be branded in a book. It cannot be duplicated. It cannot be taught. It is just my heart telling me where to go, how to do it, what I want in the end.

I nurse my babies because my heart says that is right for us. I co-sleep because my heart says that is what works for us. I choose to wear my baby in a sling/moby wrap because my heart says keep him close. I don't let my babies cry because my heart says that is not for us.

I choose to discipline in all different ways to ensure my children are learning wrong from right. I want my children to be heard and I listen to their tiny voices. My heart tells me to.

I do not allow my children to get whatever they want and I have strict rules they must abide by. My heart tells me the boundaries need to be set.

My heart leads me to parent my children based on our needs, not what some book or public person or friend or relative say. And you know what, so should everyone else.

Because not everyone is the same. Not every child learns the same way. Not every parent has the same desires and amount of patience. And you know what? That is okay!

It is okay to let your heart lead.

My Sweet Nephew

 

This is Micah. Full of energy, life, squeal, excitement. And busy as can be!

 

 

I had my sis snap some pics of my belly and thought it would be cute to have the kids color on my belly (like we did with her belly when she was pregnant with Micah). Kids had a blast and it turned out so cute. Micah, however, thought it was crazy. He kept yelling at us and pointing at my tummy. We do not have a clue what he was so up in arms about but it was sure was funny to watch him. I would lift my shirt and show him my belly just to hear him yell at me again!

 

 

Micah adores Chaz. He follows him around. Calls for his big cousin. Then tries to copy him.

 

The girls just tell him what to do and Micah follows them. He loves to be read to and Brijet loves to read so it was a perfect fit! Ainzley was there helping him have a snack!

 

Dax is where it gets a little tricky. He was not really sure what Dax was or what he was doing his mama's lap. He did know that he wanted to touch Dax and kiss him and hug him with all his toddler might! He is all boy, rough and tumble with a ton of love in there!

Bigs with the Little

My older children adore their little brother. Even when he cries. Even when he takes up so much of mama's time. Even when he vomits on them. Even when he makes plans hard.

 

The sibling love is just so strong.

 

 

Ainzley hugs and kisses on Dax so much. All day long. It is just her, Dax, and me home all day while the bigger ones are in school. She cuddles Dax as much as possible.

 

Brijet is just itching to hold him all by herself. She wants to carry him around and be the one to make him happy. She loves snuggling him and kissing on him. She loves talking quietly and in a soothing voice to make him stop crying.

 

Chaz is so good with Dax. He carried Dax around the store on this cool day so I could shop and use the restroom without a baby stuck on me. He even managed to make a purchase all by himself while carrying this tiny bundle. He was so proud. I can see the love and adoration in his eyes.

The Dreaded Day

I have to start work today. I am dreading it. Eight weeks off was not nearly enough. I will miss the lazy days with little scheduled. I will miss the spontaneity of life. I will miss my full weekends free. I will miss lazing in bed with the baby late into the morning on the weekends.

I know I only work from home. I will still be with everyone. I will still have a little more flexibility than most jobs. For all that, I am truly grateful. I know it is time to start helping our family out financially. I know my job probably misses me.

Truthfully, I miss my job as well. I do something I truly enjoy. I am ready yet not. Wish me luck! I will be so busy at first trying to figure out how to make it work but it will all come back to me and I will succeed!

Nana

Nana. Oh Nana. How she loves her grandkids. All five of them make her heart smile. All five of them hold a special place in her heart and she tries to connect with each one.

 

 

Mom spent Thanksgiving with us and we snapped a few photos in the front yard. Getting everyone to semi match and at least look at the camera was not easy. Plus, getting baby Dax to cooperate was a task in itself! But, we pulled out all the tricks we could think of and got a few okay photos.

 

This is my mother with myself and my four children.

 

 I think this is the first pic of me with my mom and kids ever.

 

My twin sister was also there with her little man, Micah. Oh Micah. Micah deserves his own post!

 

My mom spends a ton of time at their house snuggling that little man. Getting him to cooperate was oh so interesting. Toddlers and babies plus cameras. Hard combo.

 

This is the best we got of Nana with all five of her grands. We need a much better pic but this one is great for now. They all adore her (well we assume Dax does!) and she can't get enough of them. She is pretty much the only grandparent any of our kids has. But she is enough!

Sign Language 't' or Nose?

Dax keeps making shape with his hands. It is too cute.

So does it look more like a sign language 't' or 'I've got your nose' game?

A Little Pity Party

Who doesn't need a little pity party every now and then?

My youngest one was born with tummy issues. It has taken a little time and tons of vomit, on everything, to figure out that he is sensitive to milk, eggs, nuts, and soy. We think. Really, isn't it just a guessing game when they are this young?

I am cutting those four ingredients out of my diet so I can continue to nurse him. I am having a really hard time doing this. These ingredients are hidden in everything! I am learning new things to eat and enjoy. I am trying to cook from scratch more, which I am horrible at.

One little hiccup got in the way. My oven gave out. Okay, I thought, we can just cook on the stove, microwave, and crockpot. Right? Only, my stovetop gave out the next day.

So we shopped around, talked about options, and looked at finances. Finally, Wen picked out our stove and ordered it all. It will arrive a little over 2 weeks after the stove first gave out.

Two weeks without a stove or oven right when I learn I cannot eat most the things I was used to and had to find new recipes. Two weeks of microwaved foods and my very limited ability to eat take-out. I did a ton of research on restaurants and recipes.

My mom let me come over to cook at her house while she loved on the kids. Okay, while she loved on the baby mostly. I realized I liked having someone to hand the baby off to while I cook up many meals at a time.

The day I have been dreading since he was born is upon me as well. I have to start work on Friday. I know I don't have to actually leave the baby to start work but my life is about to get a whole lot more stressful and chaotic.

So there. My little pity party. I know my life is blessed beyond words but sometimes I wish it were a little easy as well.

Snuggles

"I'm so lucky he lets me cuddle him!" ~ Chaz about Dax

 

 

Chaz adores his little brother. He holds Dax a lot and loves cuddling him.

 

Chaz calls Dax Snuggles or Mr. Snuggles.

 

I can see them fostering a great sibling relationship despite being 12-1/2 years apart.

 

And that makes my heart happy.

Same Shirt 12 years later

This is Dax at about 1 month old.

 

This middle pic is Chaz at 3 months old.

 

 

Do you see it? Their shirts are the same. I did not save the shirt. It found its way tome so I could see my boys wearing the same shirt. It is too cute. Chaz was so tiny at 3 months. Dax, on the other hand, is super chunky! Cracks me up!

Meaning of my Title

What does Piggles' Lucky Life mean?

My husband has a cute little pet name for me. It is Piggles. I know. It sounds weird and crazy.

I was born in the year of the pig on the Chinese zodiac. My husband has called me all sorts of names that vary from pig and finally landed on Piggles as his favorite. He calls me Piggles so much that when he actually uses my name, I ask if he is okay or mad at me. My kids even refer to me as Piggles sometimes.

One of my favorite children's books is My Lucky Day. It is the cutest little story about a pig who goes to a wolf's house. The wolf thinks it is his lucky day, he gets to eat a pig! The pig convinces the wolf to bathe him, massage him, and feed him so the pig thinks it is his lucky day.

I think I am pretty lucky. My life has ups and downs but it is my lucky life. I want to share it with friends and family as well as write it down for me to remember.