Parenting

Poo in the Toilet

Maisie walked over to me and grunted, like she was trying to go poo. “Poo,” she told me. I asked her my usual question of, “Do you want to go poopy in the big girl toilet like mommy, Avery, Aunt Amy…?”  Maisie responded with the typical “No, no, no, no!” “You can have a treat if you go poo poo in the big girl potty.” “Otay!” And then she continues to run to the toilet. I put her on the toilet and it takes less than five seconds and she is finished! WHAT IN THE HECK!?!? I had to hurry up and come up with some sort of treat. She ran to the kitchen for her treat, but I didn’t really want to reward her with food and teach her to eat when she feels she “deserves” it or whatever. So I let her open up one of Aunt Amy’s…

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Confessions of a Hippie Mom (judge if you like)

Sometimes I like to just come out with all the things that I am sometimes embarrassed of or think people will judge me on, just to get it off my chest. Now is one of those times. I think part of me does this to prove to myself that I am not so crazy, while another part of me just wants to be seen as normal, so by sharing what I do on my blog, I hope to make the things I do normal! Why do I even care to be “normal” and what is “normal” anyways!?!? The first thing that I have been ashamed to admit is that I am still breast-feeding. Some people are shocked to hear this as my little nugget will be two in December!!! I would have NEVER thought in a million years that I would nurse this long. NO WAY!!! Before Maisie was born,…

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Bible Tantrum

Maisie brings me a HUGE children’s Bible that is in the office for me to read to her. I begin reading, but realize how completely boring the book is. The pictures are boring and the way it is written is just ridiculous for a children’s Bible. So I tell her, “Maisie, go get a different book.” Maisie then begins crying hysterically as she puts the HUGE children’s Bible on the ground. Justin turns to Maisie quickly, thinking she has just dropped the ridiculously HUGE children’s Bible on her foot. “No,” I tell him. “She is crying because she wants me to read her the Bible, but it is just so boring!” Justin begins laughing at me and I realize just how ridiculous I am that my child wants me to read her the Bible, but I won’t because I think the book is boring. So of course we ended up…

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My Little Nugget

I just think she is so cute in so many ways. The other day we were walking somewhere in the Hague and Maisie was of course not riding in her stroller (which she hates to do), but was walking.  For no apparent reason, she walked over to a brick wall and just stood there, as if posing for a photo shoot.  It took me FOREVER to get my camera out, but I ended up getting a couple pictures of her by this brick wall before she took off running somewhere else! I am really having so much fun with her. Maisie’s always been a frowner. I’m not sure why as she seems content, but now that she is getting older, we can tell her not to frown and she relaxes her face and will smile. It’s pretty funny. She is totally into Elmo and watches the same movie over and…

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Maisie is a helper

Maisie has always loved helping me. When we lived in Portland, one of her favorite things to do was help with the laundry. She actually still loves it and now I find all sorts of things in the washing machine. A lot of the washing machines are front loading in Europe, so they are at just the right height for her! Lately though, laundry hasn’t been enough for little gooby.  She wants to help with MORE! So I have given her the chance to help in the kitchen! She LOVES it! Her “responsibility” has been helping with the salad. At first, I was a little peeved at the size of lettuce bits she was tearing off, but then I thought, “WHO CARES!?!?”  Isn’t it better for her to help and be a part of something then the lettuce bits to be just the right size? So now every time I…

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My Double Life as a Parent

Okay, so not really, but sort of. In the states I have certain rules that I follow because they are the rules. Like car seats. Anyone who is my friend in the states knows that I can be a little crazy when it comes to Maisie’s car seat being installed properly. No way would I ever have it any other way. Well, I get to Europe and right away (the first day in Amsterdam) she is riding in the middle seat with a seat belt, no car seat or or booster or anything! And for some reason I tell myself this is okay because the cab driver is allowing me to do it and I don’t know the rules/laws anyways for this sort of thing in Europe. We now have a car seat, but I still don’t have the piece to it that makes the seat belt really tight. :s…

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