Toddler Friends?

I went out to dinner a few days ago with Baby Bean's two Great Grandmothers, who are both my in laws. It probably wasn't the greatest idea in the world since Baby Bean is getting molars, and hasn't been eating a whole lot. It was obvious that one of the Great Grandmothers was having a really hard time with the fact that Baby Bean just wasn't interested in eating all that much. I have never been one of those people who believes in forcing a kid to eat something that they really don't want. I think they should have to try it, but if the truly don't want it, fine. I was just truly thankful that Baby Bean was in a good mood and didn't have a melt down in the restaurant.

I casually mentioned during dinner that I was thinking about enrolling Baby Bean, who is almost two and half right now, into a preschool just for a few hours a week starting in the fall. Academically, she is ready. I think the socialization would be good for her. Talk about opening a can of worms with the Great Grandmothers. You would think that I was suggesting sending her off to boarding school or something. I got lectured for quite a while about how I "just need to make more friends with kids Baby Beans age." I was pretty annoyed by the time I left the restaurant. Apparently they think I would get more "work" done if I added a few more kids to our house for a few hours a week. How long has it been exactly since they had a bunch of two year old kidsrunning around their house? Do they seriously think that would give me more time? I also mentioned that the naughty things that Baby Bean does, occasionally hitting, saying "your not my friend" are things that she learned from our friends kids.

I can't win with the in-laws. No matter what I do or say, I leave most visits feeling like they think I am failing as a parent.

I am a very strong person. I will continue to do what I feel is best for my daughter despite them. Of course I will let Baby Bean's Daddy have a say, at least once in awhile. LOL

The Great Grandmothers invited Baby Bean and I to go out to eat again this week. Do I dare?

Molars

Okay, so it has been a long while since I have posted. Baby bean is getting all four of her molars at once. It has been pure hell around here. Many sleepless nights. This adorable child of mine can not sleep when she is sick or in teething pain. She also becomes a cranky little crabby creature when she isn't sleeping well. Apparently, I also become one of those cranky creatures when I am not sleeping, at least Baby Bean's Daddy seems to think so. Add a little PMS into the mix and I am wonderful to be around. I am lucky that my husband is very patient with me.

I have had countless people ask my if I am giving Baby Bean those homeopathic teething tablets. Yes, I have tried it all. I also occasionally give her a pain reliever such as acetaminophen, but only at night so she can sleep. I am not a big fan of just shoving medicine down my daughters throat, but I also do not want to see her suffer. As for those oral numbing gels, we don't use them. I have tried them, but they piss Baby Bean off in a big way. Like a scream until it wears off way. She has hated that stuff since she got her first tooth.

My only saving grace is that we have three more molars to finish cutting, and then we are officially done with the teething thing. I won't miss it at all. And maybe we will all be a little less cranky around here, until the next cold or flu comes along.

The Battle

Baby Bean's Daddy and I seem unable to agree on a baby-sitting issue. I am a control freak, and I won't leave our daughter with just anyone. I also don't go very many places that I can't take her along. However, our recent business trip, which was the cause of me leaving Baby Bean over night for the first time, sparked a new family feud about me not wanting to leave our baby girl with everyone in our family.



While we were away, my mother came and stayed with Baby Bean. All of my local in-laws stopped by to visit them at least once while we were gone. And it seems as though every one of them mentioned to my mom that "she won't leave Baby Bean with us," "maybe now that she has left her over night she will want to leave her more and we will get a chance to babysit." So when my mom tells me this over the phone, I get a little pissed off, and get into a huge argument with Baby Bean's Daddy.



Here is my side: Our local in-laws consist of a 78 year old grandmother, a 90 year old grandmother who had a recent hip replacement, a 16 year old been in trouble with the law sister in law, and a mother in law that is an ex-addict, who just lost her job because she failed a urine analysis at work. Tell me who you think I should leave her with. I have occasionally, for no more than an hour or so, left Baby Bean with the younger of the two great grandmothers. But she even mentions how she is worn out afterwards. I don't think that she can handle more than an hour or two.



According to Baby Bean's Daddy, I am just plain old hurting all of their feelings.



I am incredibly sick of having this fight with my dear husband. I just don't think I would be a responsible parent to leave our daughter with just anyone. I guess I am just going to keep fighting for what I believe in, no matter if it hurts their feelings, or annoys my husband.

My Seperation Anxiety

I am suffering from premature separation anxiety.

Baby Bean turned two in early November, and I have never left her for more than ten or eleven hours at a time. I have also put her to bed every night except for three or four nights, mostly when I was too sick to do it. I also haven't completely stopped nursing her. I have been nursing her once a day, right before bedtime since she was twenty months old. That will also stop when I leave on Saturday.

Today I am having a really hard time with the thought of leaving her. My eyes well up with tears when I think about actually going. One of the hardest parts for me is that I will be so far away. It isn't like I am going to be an hour or so away, I am going to be all the way across the country away. There will be no turning around and coming home because I changed my mind, or because Baby Bean is really unhappy. Once I get on that plane, it is a done deal, for four nights.

I am extremely lucky that my mom is coming to stay with her. I know she will be safe. I know she will be well cared for. I know my mom will be diligent, and not feed her anything she is allergic to. I know she will be okay. I just don't know if I will.

I also think that if I hear, "Oh, she will be fine, it will be good for both of you," one more time, I will become so irate that I will physically hurt who ever is lucky enough to be the next one to say it to me. I think that a little emotional support would be better, a little "I understand that it will be tearing your heart out." From somebody, or anybody for that matter. Instead, one of my friends suggested that I "just don't go." I politely informed her that this was a business trip for work, and if I don't go, we could lose our position with the company that we represent. I don't think she really got it.

So here's to sucking it up and doing something that many moms have to do everyday. Especially in this modern world where moms try to do it all. Baby Bean's Daddy has to do it all of the time. He travels quite a bit for business, and he doesn't want to leave her either. So, I will head out on this work related journey, with a good attitude and a lot more respect for mommies that head out to work everyday and have to leave their little ones, not by choice, but by necessity.

Identity Crisis

Maybe I just freaked out because I realized that I am going to be thirty-five in two months. Maybe it is because Baby Bean's Daddy told me that "Thirty-five is half way to seventy." Maybe it is because I am home all day with a toddler and I have lost a little of myself during this crazy parenthood journey. Maybe I am just bored, but I walked into the hair cuttin' store yesterday morning with a plan to get a little trim. And when I walked out, there was a huge pile of hair on the floor. Then it was off to the beauty supply store to buy some violet dye, which I later applied to part of my hair.

I have cried the day after a hair cut in the past. Not today. I like it. It is different, simple, and lo and behold it was super quick to dry and fix this morning. Baby Bean's Daddy seems to like it too. The only other person that noticed, what I thought was a huge change, was my sixteen year old sister in law. Nobody else. Well, except for Baby Bean. She told me "Momma, you hair look like Grandma T's." Grandma T is my mom (who's hair style is not the same as my new one, btw). Most women wouldn't want to be told that they look like their mom. But my mom is freakin' hot, so I will take it as a compliment.

Welcome

Welcome. This blog is my new project for the new year. I am a wanna-be writer, with nothing but one poem published many years ago, ( think I won a contest in high school or something). I currently am a work from home mommy of a little girl, Baby Bean, that turned two in November of '08. I have a lot of in laws: two grandmothers, a mom, a step mom, three sisters, two brothers and lots of aunts and uncles. All on my husband's side. I have a mom, step dad, dad, step mom on my side. So needless to say, I am usually bombarded with unsolicited advice and opinions.

I will warn you now, I am out-spoken, opinionated and stubborn. If I offend you at anytime, I apologize before hand. But you should try to get over it and read on!