On Their Schedule...

The quickest way for a parent to get a child's attention is to sit down and look comfortable.  ~Lane Olinghouse

I don’t know if it’s just my child, but he’s NEVER hungry if I’m cooking or up wondering around the kitchen. It’s the Minute after I’ve sat down and indulged myself into a new project or decided to take a nap with the baby that he decides he may die from hunger. I’ve spent all of the last 6 years on someone else’s schedule. If he’s sick – plans are cancelled, if he’s hungry – nap is cancelled, if he has school – I’m @ home waiting for him to get off. It’s crazy to think that I argued with my parents SO much about being me. Being independent! I wanted to have things done on MY time – when realistically they were probably on my own time my entire life. NOW I’m “grown-up” and STILL feeling the pull of being on someone else’s time.

My 11mo old is FINALLY sleeping thru the night. He still gets up one time about 3 hours after he goes to sleep. He sometimes will wake up again in the middle of the night and my husband is usually the first to hear him. I don’t know WHY I don’t hear him right away like I used to (maybe the last 11mo has worn me out enough that I sleep right thru it!). The hubby is such a good sport and wakes up! J Blessed I am! He falls back to sleep easier than I do anyways!

I have this THING - I like good advice. I love to know that what I am doing with my children is RIGHT! And I try to research things a lot. But there are things that I do (or have done) that I know sometimes may not be the BEST thing to do, but my child is happy. For instance... My son was born 9lbs 1oz. BIG boy. Especially for me! Well being BIG never went away. I breastfed for a month before it wasn't working for us anymore. I put him on Similac formula, which caused horrible reflux problems so we shifted to Similac Isomil Soy Based formula. *Dr.'s Orders* And my son has been FINE since. He's always been in the 90%+ and has a rather large head. When he was about 5-6mo and starting to sort of hold his bottle himself, We started letting him fall asleep with his bottle. It was the only way he'd sleep. Well here we are 11mos old and my son to this day WILL NOT go to sleep without a bottle. I know you mothers look @ me all crazy eyed. Tell me to let him "Cry It Out" ... but it doesnt work. Without a bottle he LITERALLY screams forever. We tried the "weening" him off ... didn't work. 

Is it REALLY all that WRONG to let him sleep with his bottle.  He's happy. He sleeps. His bottle is his BLANKEY. He can't sleep without it. I get that the sugar from the milk can cause teeth problems in the future. But right not my son wakes up with a smile and goes to sleep with one too! And although I will take the bottle away asap... I don't think I'm breaking any laws. I see kids sucking their thumbs @ 4-5yrs old. And pacifiers till they are 3. Diapers untill they are 3-4. Blankies they've had their entire lifes, still in tow reguardless of how torn or stained they are. I'm not saying two rights make a wrong, but how I raise my child is soley my husband and I's choice, right? 

So far - I've got two amazing kids that, even with my un-perfectness, have blown me away with how wonderfully behaved they are. I'm not perfect ... NO mother is perfect... but I'm a damn good mom! I'd give my last breath for my children and reguardless of what parenting books or websites say - that's the only REAL concern you should have.