Daring Young Mom

Motherhood and Censorship

Posted on May 6, 2009 by The Daring One

I’ve written a post over at Parenting today and I’d love your input. We recently let Laylee pick out a book at the school book fair and as we’re getting into it, I’m realizing that it’s not appropriate for her, especially not at the age of 6. It’s has the feel of a Bratz book aimed at young kids. I’m trying to deal with it in a mommish way but would love your suggestions and input.

You can click here to weigh in.

Posted in get serious, parenting | 3 Comments

My Baby is Like a Squeaky Car Sound

Posted on May 5, 2009 by The Daring One

When I was a teenager driving my parents’ cars around, I would periodically hear a strange noise. After listening to it for a few days, I would get around to describing the noise to my skeptical dad. He would then take a ride in the car and of course the sound would be nowhere to be heard.

The same thing is happening now with the baby’s movements and my baby-daddy. I’m past the 20 week point and feeling the baby move a lot. He seems to especially love when I work on my laptop. It’s possible also that he hates it but when I’m typing, he’s on the MOVE. I chose to believe he’s having a geeked-out party in there, excited for the day when he will sit on the couch with the rest of the family, all be-lap-topped himself.

One night Dan came to bed after I was already asleep and he says he thinks he felt the baby move when he put his hand on my belly. Since then, I’ve been excited to share these moments with him. Whenever I feel “Big Cheese/Lightbulb” move or hiccup, I grab Dan and pull him over. “He’s moving. Feel the baby!”

He quickly puts his hand on my baby and the baby plays dead. Complete limpness occurs. I am suddenly a liar. All I can feel is my own heart beating. Dan humors me and moves his hand around a bit before smiling and continuing on with what he was doing before my false alarm.

Texting While Pregnant

I have to tell you how much better the pregnancy is now that I can feel the baby moving around inside. The barfing all seems just a bit less annoying now that I can feel a person moving around keeping me company. It really is like carrying around a little friend for a few months, a secret friend, a friend who hides out when anyone else comes near. He’s kind of like an imaginary friend who makes me nauseous.

Posted in preg-nancy | 24 Comments

Tip Tuesday — Mother’s Day Gift Ideas — And Teleflora Giveaway

Posted on May 5, 2009 by The Daring One

And the winner is… commenter number 20, Liz from Our Little Man.

This Tip Tuesday is kind of fun because I’m asking for your tips in exchange for the chance to win a beautiful bouquet of flowers from Teleflora for your mother or yourself. Come on. I know not every one of you gets remembered the way you’d like on Mother’s Day so no one will judge if decide to send them to someone VERY close to you.

I love flowers because they’re a classic elegant gift that you can give every year without coming across as lame. Teleflora has a great selection of flowers you can order and have delivered just about anywhere quickly because they contract with local florists all over the place. What you’re entering to win is this Mom’s Butterfly Bouquet.

I’m not being compensated by Teleflora in any way for this little plug. One of you will be. You can compensate me by giving me other great ideas for Mother’s Day gifts. Leave a comment with a gift idea and I’ll enter you to win the bouquet to be shipped anywhere in the continental US in time for Mother’s Day. I’ll choose a winner Wednesday night at 10pm PST.

Click to Read My Product Review Policy

Posted in contests, holidays, tip tuesday | 68 Comments

Sisters

Posted on May 4, 2009 by The Daring One

My sisters were in town all last week along with my cute niece, feeding me, cleaning the house, taking care of the kids, playing games, initiating crafts, giving hugs and in all other ways reminding Laylee and Magoo what it’s like to have a fully functional mom and reminding me what it’s like to have family close by. Then they got in their car and drove 14 hours back home. Darn those ship-abandoning do-gooders.

They even kept the kids overnight so Dan and I could get away to the Salish Lodge for some posh relaxation time. I loved having them, the giggling, the love and care, the female energy in the house right at a time when Dan is working crazy hours and my pregnancy sickness is having a regrettable resurgence.

I really needed them. I miss them so much already. I want my girls back!

Posted in Friendship, get serious | 5 Comments

Stop Second Guessing Yourself

Posted on April 30, 2009 by The Daring One

Jen Singer of MommaSaid.net recently sent me a copy of her new book Stop Second Guessing Yourself – The Toddler Years and I’m really enjoying it’s no-nonsense crash course in raising a child through the crazy times. I’m pretty sure Magoo is officially no longer a toddler although he’s still crazy and I’m getting a bit nervous about heading back into toddler-land a couple of years from now. I’m afraid I will have forgotten everything. Luckily Jen covers just about every topic imaginable in her book. Hopefully it will be like riding a bike and I’ll have no problem slipping back into the power struggles, the messes and the non-stop thrill seeking.

To help with my transition, she wrote me this letter:

Dear Daring Young Mom,

You sure do take your title seriously, because only a daring mom would go for the trifecta — a third baby — especially after you’d successfully navigated the toddler years and were pulling away from all its tantrums and teething and poop. But now? Here you go again.

It’s been a few years since you had a toddler around (which might explain why you’re so cheerfully willing to do this all over again), and it’ll be here soon enough. I just published a book about toddlers, so I’m well versed on all things 1- through 3-year-olds, from the potty training (you’ll be singing about pee again) to the milestones you won’t tell Grandma about (i.e. gets naked to answer the door).

Right now, you’re just waddling behind your older kids, but in about a year or so, you’ll be running after a little one shouting, “Get back here!” and “Stop that toddler!”

Right now, you’re looking forward to that baby smell and all that cuddling, but it won’t be long before you’re putting back all the Tic Tac boxes that your toddler had reshelved under the People magazines at the supermarket.

Right now, you’re thinking about cute “wittle” baby socks, but soon enough you’ll be turning the car back around to go retrieve a Barney light-up sneaker tossed into the intersection.

It’s coming, and you’ll remember it all again as it happens all again. All of it, from the first words to the first big kid underpants, you’ll remember it. And you’ll embrace toddlerhood in all its glory and love your kid, just like you love her/his older siblings. But this time, you’ll think twice about starting all over again, won’t you?

Best of luck,
Jen Singer
Author, Stop Second Guessing Yourself — The Toddler Years
Creator, MommaSaid.net

Motherhood and Censorship

My Baby is Like a Squeaky Car Sound

Tip Tuesday — Mother’s Day Gift Ideas — And Teleflora Giveaway

Sisters

Stop Second Guessing Yourself

Laylee Updated

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