“Sleeping Together”

It’s two something in the morning and my husband and I turn over at the same time.  We notice the little ones are still in their beds. Could this be? Do we really have a chance to “be alone”?! As we roll over to meet each other in the middle there it is, “Mommy can I get in your bed?”  REALLY?!?! So as we roll to each other’s sides, making room for one more we plan for our next “parental encounter.”

With my first son I stuck by the rules, per say. He slept in his crib, and from his crib he slept in his own bed, he has always been that way. However, with my youngest two I followed another set of rules. They were both breast fed and there were several nights they fed and we all ended the night in mommy and dada’s bed. So needless to say we went to the family bed. We did have some nights that we had co-sleeping (which is when they sleep in the same room) But everybody knows bassinets are just one of the gifts you get and hardly use.  But for the most part we did the family bed.

Pros to the Family Bed                                                  

•    The obvious, easy feeding for breast feeders
•   Extra cuddle time, especially if you work
•   Makes affectionate kids

Cons to Family Bed

•   The kids get used to sleeping with you and not their own bed 
•   You start to feel like you wasted money on that really cute but also expensive crib you bought
•   Causes  problems for mommy and dada time later (as mentioned above)

There are a lot of people that totally disagree with bed sharing or the family bed.  And some are even legit reasons. But if I had a chance to do it again, I would do the family bed again. Maybe start weaning them before potty training days come along. But most definitely do it again.  Plus there are other times and places mommy and dada can have “parental encounters.”

Do you or did you have a family bed?

My Favorite Things To Do Once My Kids Have Gone to Bed

Watch TV – For the past couple of years I have gotten addicted to Adult Swim.  It comes on the Cartoon Network Channel at 10pm. They show King of the Hill, Family Guy, Robot Chicken and several other shows but I normally can’t stay awake that long. I normally start watching when Family Guy comes on and that show although is a little "raw" has to be the funniest show ever!  Robot Chicken is a 15 minute show of mini clips and parody’s, it is a short show but another really funny show.  I love a good laugh before going to bed and those shows will give you that.

Treat myself with a treat – With a diabetic toddler and two other kids that have a horrible sweet tooth, I normally have to hide my chocolate and candy stash.  My husband and I will go to Walgreens and stock up on candy bars and other chocolates. So when they have gone to bed I like to treat myself to a piece of candy. 

Have some me time – I know the more popular name for it is “mommy time”  But I like to remember the things I did before my kids; I could take that long shower or bath, paint my nails, prance around in just my hubby’s T shirt, and just relax without a care. 

These are the things I enjoy doing once my kids have gone to bed. Although it’s only last for a few hours until it’s time for me to go to bed myself, I have to say that I enjoy every minute!

Adiós Mexican Restaurants: Bacteria in Salsa

You ever hear something mentioned on the news but you fall asleep before it came on? I am famous for that.  The other day my local news was talking about bacteria in salsa. I tried to watch it but I missed it and really hadn’t thought that much of it again.  But I get to work today and there’s an email going around about that broadcast.  The reporters go to five local Mexican restaurants and get samples of their salsa to test it for bacteria. Keep in mind I frequent 3 out of the 5 they went to. So they send the samples off to the lab to get tested and they are saying that the levels in the salsa were more than what they should be. They then tell you  about the restaurant with the least count of bacteria and of course it’s one of the restaurants I don’t go to. And the one with the most count, eww, it’s the one right across the street from my job that I go to the most!  Yuck! The crap that I can’t even type without getting sick, that they said was in there has the “potential to cause infection.” The article explained that we should expect some bacteria in the salsa, but bacillus species, leifsonia aquatic, pantoea agglomerans, streptococcus intermedius, and Streptococcus species are very scary and gross. 

I love Mexican food.  Matter of fact when I was dieting after my youngest, chips and salsa was my favorite low fat snack.  Ok maybe I wasn’t getting fat, but what else was I getting?

Sharing Some Scrapbooking Work

I was going through my scrapbooking stuff and I posted some of my work on my page (scroll down on the right). I hope you enjoy it and I also hope to meet other scrapbookers on here. I just started blogging four days ago and have met so many people and got so much inspiration.  I hope this brings out the scrapbookers out there. Do you have any work to share with me?

A Mommy in Training: A Geeks Wife

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Who's Hot and Who's Not on Kid Shows

With my last two boys we decided to only have them watch PBS, Sprout, and Nick Jr. Yes, my Spanish and Chinese is pretty decent thanks to Dora and Kai Lan. I am also very "hip" thanks to Yo Gabba Gabba and The Fresh Beat Band. I also suddenly have the urge to travel the world, thank you very much Toot and Poodle. Oh and Steve from Blues Clues (he was around with my oldest, but thank God the repeats still come on) I had the biggest crush on him, but not so much the cousin Joe, he just seems young, lol. Then I also have the guest stars on Sesame Street, they are always fun. Oh and I love the Sunny Side Up Show, it's almost like a Good Morning America for kids.  The Pajaminals are so cute and their night night songs. I am a little iffy of Nina, only because my husband thinks she's so hot but if the kids want to watch her and dada is not around we’ll watch her and Star. And Caillou he is pretty cool, he does a lot of whining but I can tolerate him too.

But there is always that one show your kid loves and just the sight and sound of them drive you crazy! I hate to say it but the Wiggles are mine.  I have no idea what it is about them I just really don’t enjoy watching them.  When I know the Wiggles are coming on I try to change the channel before they do or convince them that Nick Jr is showing something better. 

So what shows are hot and not hot with you?

Potty Training a Diabetic Toddler

I have successfully made it through two of my sons with potty training, but my youngest is giving me a run for my money.  To catch you up on my potty training experience and to add a little humor to this situation, my oldest was “hide and go seek” pooper. You would never know he had to use the potty until you smelt it later.  But then after that you had to go find it. Yes, it was pretty bad.  But he was potty trained by two.  My middle son went straight to the potty.  Matter of fact he just turned 4 and he already does the stand up and scratch your butt, potty.  He is such a little man.  The only issue I had with him is he would hold it.  He would go for hours without using the potty. I used to be afraid he would hurt his little bladder, but our pediatrician said he was and would be fine.  

So to be totally fair, I might as well confess this one situation before I explain the dilemma with my youngest.  Last Halloween we had a costume party and we decorated the downstairs bathroom to scare some of our older guest. But because my youngest was getting familiar with the bathroom and my middle son was using the potty I was on bathroom patrol to make sure the little ones went upstairs to use the potty.  I think I walked away for maybe 5 minutes and of course one of them walks in there, which attracts the other in the bathroom. And just like that nobody was using the potty!  

Some time passes and the boys would go in the bathroom only if escorted, the sun was out and the light was on.  More time has passed and my youngest would occasionally visit the upstairs bathroom maybe sitting on the potty, sometimes the big potty, and getting comfortable with the flusher.  But still no pee pee in the potty.  We tried different approaches like this Spanish speaking Elmo potty (which is very annoying), just a plain potty, cool underwear, stickers, applause, and praise but still no pee pee. 

Then one day we get a tinkle! YAY! And another tinkle and a few more tinkles! And we are on our way to being full blown potty trained! Until he gets what we thought was a virus. After a week of upset stomach we go to the ER and find out my son has Type 1 diabetes.  There was a lot of crying, a lot of babying, and a lot of no using the potty days. Now we are back at trying to use the potty.  It has been the most challenging thing ever. Especially these past couple of days, we have had high sugar days, which means we have been frequently peeing. It has been hard on me to get up with him every few minutes so I can only image how it has been on him to have that feeling every few minutes and then sometimes not even making it.  I want to back off him and not push the potty but I am scared that if I do we will be in diapers forever.

Do any of my readers have any advice for a mother potty training a diabetic toddler?