Hi all,
Anyone else have Olympic fever this week? In honour of the Olympics I wrote a post for Her View from Home about what would happen if moms had their own Olympic events. Though I realized later that I forgot to add “Baby gate hurdles”, I think the other events are pretty solid.
Here’s a short excerpt: Continue reading
Anyone else completely hooked on American Ninja Warrior? For those who haven’t seen it, it is an obstacle course challenge where people compete to test their fitness and possibly win a million dollars. I have been watching for a few seasons now and I have to say that it is one of my favourite summer shows. As I watched last night, a thought struck me for the first time. Being a parent is just like American Ninja Warrior.
Okay, there are no commentators, no prize money and no muscled athletes (at least at our house). But there are many similarities between American Ninja Warrior and being a parent.
I am living in a dictatorship. Well, sort of. I actually live in a democratic country. It’s just my house that is a dictatorship. The great and merciful leader? Our baby.
Sure, he looks cute, but don’t be fooled. He rules our house with an iron fist. He has graciously permitted me to have 30 minutes of media time, so I have decided to use it to tell the outside world what is really going on in our house.
Babies are cute. I think we can all agree on that. They have sweet, gummy smiles and sweet, chubby cheeks. Yes, babies are super cute, but this doesn’t mean that they are easy to live with. On the contrary – babies are like the worst roommates ever.
Being a new parent is hard. HARD. But everyone you meet will want to tell you how great it is and why you should appreciate it. They are blinded by your baby’s cuteness and oblivious to their challenges. But from one new parent to anther – this is way harder than anyone can tell you. You deserve a medal.
I. Thou shalt bring all the baby’s toys in hopes of distracting them, but all the baby shall want to do is play with napkins.
II. Thou shalt attempt to pack a sense of humour and some patience. Thou will not be able to fit those things in thine suitcases because of all the toys.
Today my baby and I got invited to go swimming. It is quite a hot day here, so I readily accepted. I got my baby to take a later nap to make the invitation time work. We were packed, sunscreened and ready to go. We got into the car and stopped by a bakery to buy some scones. Then it happened. It began with the eye rubbing. Just a little at first, but it soon developed into a few huge yawns.
No, I thought, we just had a nap. But there he was, yawning away. My heart sunk, as I realized that I would have to give up our afternoon plans. I turned the car around and headed back to the house. The baby cried all the way home until I put him to bed. He was asleep in minutes.
And just like that: Bam! I got nap sabotaged.
I’m sure this has happened to you, or someone you know. Maybe you didn’t know it existed. Either way, I have prepared an FAQ about the phenomenon known as the nap sabotage. You’re welcome. Continue reading
There is a lot written about the things you can’t do as a parent. (Mostly because those adorable children cramp our style. Yep, they are real buzzkills.) However, no one ever talks about the stuff that you can only do because you have kids.
Let me tell you about some unexpected perks of being a parent. No, not unconditional love and all that crap. You probably know about that anyway.
As Father’s day approaches, you may be wondering what pearls of wisdom to dish out to your children this year. They have probably heard all of your old standbys a million times. And those things your parents said, that you SWORE you would never say? Ha! You’ve said those a million times too.
Well, have no fear, my amazing readers! I grew up in a house full of strange sayings, and I think these are too good not to share with the Dad in your life. Now, courtesy of Newbie Grandpa (my Dad), here are some of the gems I grew up with, along with translations for those who are not related to me. Enjoy! Continue reading
Before my son was born, I enjoyed going to yoga classes. It was a place for me to unwind, relax and stretch. When my son was born, I looked forward to attending baby yoga classes as a way to relax. Ha! Well, I still love yoga, but when you bring baby along – relaxing it ain’t!
Sure, it starts out well. The baby is momentarily dazzled by all the natural light and wood beams. They stare in open fascination at the yoga poses. If it is your first class, they may even drift off into a short nap. “This is amazing”, you think. “So relaxing. We will have to come back.” But don’t be fooled. This will not last.
Oh no, this sense of peace cannot last because you are not at yoga – you are at baby yoga. I know what you are thinking: “Newbie Mom, how can I tell the difference?” Well, aside from the babies all over the floor, there are several key differences between yoga and baby yoga: Continue reading
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