Mommy Mondays: 16 Months

 

 

(Leftover from 15 months)

Weight: 24lbs 8oz (+ 17 lbs, 1 oz)

Height: 32" (+ 12")
Head: 18.75" (+ 5.45")

Sleep:  Sleep remains pretty much the same.  When he's not sick or teething he'll sleep through, but we've had a lot of sick and teething nights.  The nice thing is that even when he has been waking, it's only been one time.  He's been taking some really long naps at daycare lately (2.5-3 hours), but on the weekends we're still trying to stretch those napes to 2 hours.  Have I mentioned that daycare is magical?

Eating: Thatbaby has mastered the spoon!  We have yogurt for breakfast and every morning he happily sits and feeds himself his yogurt.  He also is finally over his "no meat" phase.  He's back to eating just about everything again (except green leafy vegetables.  He picks anything non-lettuce like out of his salads and leaves the leaves)

Best Moment: Thatbaby going sledding!  He really is turning into such a boy - he spends his weekend mornings "surfing" on our bed, he loves Thatboy's skateboard, and he loves going down hills in the sled or his little cars.  Hearing his little giggle and giant smile while cruising down the hills is totally amazing.

 

Monthly Wisdom: This month I want to remind you about development.  And that each child develops at their own speed, concentrating on different areas first.  I love the fact that Thatbaby's daycare class is predominately babies born in October - so I get to see the wide range of development first hand. It's easy to see that with teeth - something we all accept happens at different times.  So try to think of everything like teething.  Some children will get teeth (crawl, walk, talk, read) very early, and others will start teething (crawling, walking, talking, reading) late.  But they all do it eventually!  There are very few children in high school without teeth!

Goals for the Upcoming Month:
- Still the babysitter.  Seriously, when am I going to get my stuff together!  At this point, it's kind of a joke, right?

Things Thatbaby is doing:
- We've got some more new words: Bottle, help, hat, and hot, and star.
- Another new tooth, bringing our total up to 10!
- Thatbaby's newest sign is "help" which he does as he says the word, proving that sign language doesn't necessarily impede language.

- Yoga.  Thatboy and I had joked that Thatbaby had been doing what looked like downward dog for a while.  And then I read his daycare report one day that said he enjoyed yoga that day, so I spoke with his teacher.  She confirmed that she had been working on Thatbaby's class at practicing yoga and Thatbaby was loving every minute of it.  He can do downward dog, tree, frog, cobra, and happy baby!  Thatboy loves it, because Thatbaby has become a much better "bed surfer" since Thatboy can tell him to go from "cobra" to "tree" and stand up on the board on his own.
- Slides - Thatbaby goes down the daycare slide all on his own!  He still likes a hand to hold on non-daycare slides, but it's a start!

-  Stairs - Thatbaby has been pretty good at crawling up stairs for a while, but he's now starting to walk down stairs on his own, by holding on to a banister.  We still help out or carry for tall/long flights of stairs, but on short ones, like on climbing structures, we let him at it all by himself.  He gets such a look of pride doing it on his own.

Clips and Cuts: Veggie Enchiladas

I'm not one of those people who is blind to the fact that their child may not always be so attractive.  Luckily Thatbaby has grown out of his little old man stage, but currently he is full force in the scruffy, scruggly, living in a garbage can stage.  Due primarily to his hair.

I've been trying to convince Thatboy that our baby needs a haircut for a while now, but Thatboy has been resistant.  He wants Thatbaby to have long flowing locks.  I'm not against long flowing locks, but I'd prefer our child not have perma-bedhead.

This weekend I finally convinced him, so off we went for Thatbaby's first haircut!  The entire process made Thatbaby very nervous.  He was fine until he realized that he wasn't allowed out of the special car and then he started getting upset. He must have signed "all done" about 50-60 times.  And he spent half of the time pressing his face against mine.

But the end result was completely worth it.  A nice, clean cut boy who doesn't look like a relative of Albert Einstein.

In keeping with our idea not to use food as a reward, we took Thatbaby out for a different kind of treat after his haircut - a trip to the playground!

It was a little cold and wet after the previous day's rain, but that didn't stop Thatbaby from taking advantage of all the playground elements.

Eventually we dusted off his wet and sandy pants and headed home so Thatboy could head out for a lunch date.

Thatbaby and I had our own lunch date.  We munched on leftover enchiladas and discussed current events, recent movies, and sounds animals make.  These enchiladas were much more appealing as a lunch than dinner.  At dinner, Thatbaby opened them up and just ate the inner filling (the kid loves corn and beans).  At lunch he devoured 2 enchiladas - every bite of them!

 Veggie Enchiladas

2 Tbsp olive oil
3 tsps cumin
1/4 cup Flour
1/4 cup tomato paste
1 1/2 cups vegetable broth
3/4 cup water
3 cups grated Monterey Jack cheese
One can black beans, rinsed and drained
8 oz frozen spinach
1 cup frozen corn

12-16 corn tortillas

1. Preheat oven to 400. Spray a baking dish with cooking spray. Heat oil in a large saucepan.  Add 2 tsp cumin, flour, and tomato paste and cook for 1 minute.
2. Add the broth and water and bring to a boil.  Reduce to a simmer and cook 5 minutes.  Remove from heat.
3. Combine 1/2 the cheese, black beans, spinach, corn, and remaining cumin in a bowl.
4.  Pour just enough of the sauce to coat the bottom of the baking dish.
5. Heat tortillas and place about 1/3 cup of filling in the middle of a tortilla.  Roll up and place seam side down in  the baking dish.  Repeat with all the tortillas and filling.
6. Pour the remaining sauce on top and put remaining cheese over it. Bake for 20 minutes.

Rain Rain Go Away: Baked Pulled Chicken Taquitos

It started raining last Thursday.  I checked my phone before my run and it looked like it was going to be okay during the day on Thursday, but would continue through the weekend.

So we weren't surprised when we woke up to showers on Saturday morning.  In discussing our options for the day, I suggested an indoor play area to let Thatbaby run off some of his crazies.   Thatboy liked the sound of Java Mama, so that he could get some coffee while Thatbaby played.  As we left he realized he'd left his book at home he wanted to bring and read.  I looked at him and laughed.

There is no sitting and reading at playspaces.  There is only keeping an eye on your child to make sure he doesn't dive off the upper balcony, or grab toys out of another children's hand, or try to consume a clearly nonconsumable plastic apple.

Thatbaby loves Java Mama and as predicted, fell asleep within minutes of getting back in the car. 

Of course he woke up once we got home and had to be put back to bed, but there was enough left of his nap for Thatboy and I to cuddle up and begin watching The Bourne Ultimatum. 

It was nice to have the cuddling time, since I didn't have to worry about preparing dinner.  I got really lucky last week.  I already had pulled chicken on the menu when this recipe popped up on Apple A Day. Kelsey used the recipe as a way to use up leftover pulled pork, but it works equally well with pulled chicken.  These taquitos were fabulous!  I was excited there were leftovers because it meant I got to enjoy them for lunch on Sunday too.

Baked Pulled Chicken Taquitos (from Pink Parsleyas seen on Apple A Day)

3 oz cream cheese

1/3 cup barbeque sauce

1/2 tsp paprika

1/2 tsp chile powder

1/2 tsp ground mustard

1/2 tsp liquid smoke

pinch red pepper flakes

salt and pepper, to taste

1/4 cup diced onion

3 green onions, thinly sliced

1-2 garlic clove, minced

2 Tbsp cilantro, minced cilantro

2 cups pulled chicken

1 cup shredded cheddar

10-12 corn tortillas

cooking spray

1. Preheat oven to 425.  Line a cookie sheet with foil or a silicone mat.  Combine the cream cheese, barbeque sauce, paprika, chile powder, ground mustard, liquid smoke, red pepper, onions, garlic, and cilantro in a large bowl.
2. Stir in the pork and cheese.  Season with salt and pepper as needed.
3. Warm tortillas using your favorite method (y'all know I like to use my gas stovetop for this.)
4. Spoon the filling in the center of a tortilla and roll tightly.  Place on the baking sheet, seam side down.  Repeat with remaining tortillas.
5. Spray taquitos with the cooking spray and sprinkle with salt.  Bake for 15-2 minutes until the insides are heated through and the outsides are crispy and golden.

How to be really popular: Almond Cupcakes

One of the benefits of working outside of the home is that when I feel like baking, I don't have to have the end product sitting around the house tempting me!

And the other day?  I felt like baking.

I was inspired.

Because something bright and shiny came in the mail.

I won some new baking equipment from Culinary Flavors!

With a new spatula, and adorable new silicone liners, there was only one thing to make - cupcakes!

I'm a fan of frosting, but it's much easier to transport them to work without frosting.  AND I've found my coworkers are more likely to eat cake in the morning if it's frosting free.

And my coworkers were very happy to eat these cakes.  One of my coworkers confided she was grabbing one each time she passed the basket.

 Almond Cupcakes

1/4 lb butter

3/4 cup sugar

2 eggs, beaten

1 1/3 cup cake flour

2 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp salt

1/3 cup milk

1 cup blanched almonds, chopped

1. Preheat oven to 375.  Line a muffin pan with silicone liners.  Cream the butter until fluffy.
2. Add the sugar and and cream until light and fluffy.
3. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating between each addition.
4. Combine the flour, baking powder, and salt in a separate bowl.  Add the the wet ingredients.
5. Add the milk and mix well.
6. Stir in the almonds.  Spoon the batter into the muffin pan and bake for 15-20 minutes.

Playtime: Date Cake

On our last morning in Idyllwild Thatboy didn't want to hit the road too early.  We had heard about the new playground that was built, so we decided to check it out.

We picked up some coffee and pastries from the nearby European bakery.  Thatdog offered to guard them while we played with Thatbaby.

Thatbaby is getting so brave with the slide lately.  At school, he'll go down them all by himself.  But here, with these new slides and new environment, he was more comfortable sliding down with Thatboy.

 I knew our little drummer would be pleased as punch with this set of tongue drums.  I was right.

And by the end of our time there, he had warmed up enough to head down one of the more familiar looking slides all by himself.

While at the playground we snacked on an eclair with our coffees.  But this date cake is much easier to make.  It's a nice addition to breakfast, and like our pastry, pairs well with coffee.  It's not too sweet, more like a quick bread than a cake.  I love the addition of dates to baked goods.  I much prefer them to raisins, although they provide the same kind of moist sweetness.

Date Cake

5 Tbsp butter

1 cup brown sugar

2 eggs

1/2 cup milk

1 3/4 cup flour

2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp cinnamon

1/2 tsp nutmeg

8 oz dates, chopped

1. Preheat oven to 350.  Spray an 8x8 pan with baking spray.  Combine all the ingredients in an electric mixer and beat for 3 minutes.
2. Pour into the pan and bake for 40 minutes, or until cooked through.

Mommy Mondays: The Name Game

I'm not going to lie - probably my favorite part of having a baby is getting to name it.  This is an equally enjoyable part of getting a new doll, or a new pet.

BUT, I think there's a big difference in naming your child, versus a doll or a pet.  For instance, one of my all time favorite movie scenes is from Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade: 

Sallah: Please, what does always mean, this-this "Junior"?

Henry Jones: That's his name: "Henry Jones, Junior."

Indiana Jones: I like "Indiana."

Henry Jones: We named the dog Indiana.

Because even fictional movie parents know that "Indiana" is a name better suited to a pet than a child.   Which is why I found it more than a little odd when I heard someone had named their daughter after Indiana Jones.  "You named your daughter Henry?"  Nope - Indiana.  The name of a male dog, being used on a poor, sweet, little girl.

And let's use that as a jumping off point. When I imagine my future unborn potential daughter, I picture a tiny little blonde girl with a pony-tail, looking much like Thatmom as a child.  Obviously as she grows up, she'll be the most popular girl in school, liked by everyone and absolutely beautiful.  Life in high school will be ridiculously easy for her.  And then I start thinking about reality.  Life in high school is easy for no-one.  And given her lineage, there's a great chance she won't be the most popular girl in school.  There's a pretty good chance that at some point she's going to have an awful haircut, braces, glasses, and an unfortunate looking outfit or two - come on, we've all been there.  And how much harder is life going to be if I give her a dog's name?  Or a really masculine name (since Eliot has somehow turned into a name for a little girl)?  Think about the biggest female outcast in your school.  Now picture her name had been Fred.  Cruel, right? 

Names - they're important!  So we put a lot of thought into baby names.  It was a fun pasttime for Thatboy and I.  Heck, it still is!  We love names that are traditional, but not common.  Names that can have a nickname, but don't have to.  Names that are good for both children and adults.

That last one is something that particularly resonates with me.  I work in a very male dominated field.  A field where opposing counsel has referred to me as "Sweetie" on more than one occasion.  A field where most male partners refer to me by a nickname I haven't gone by since before I was in elementary school.

But I'm not the only one who delights in naming and has an opinion on baby names.  Practically one of the first questions you get asked as an expectant parents is "So - have you decided on a name yet?"  Everyone wants to know, because everyone wants to tell you what they think about it, or provide their own suggestion.  For this reason, we kept Thatbaby's name a secret from the start.  Because we didn't want to hear what people thought about it, and we didn't want their suggestions about what name they'd prefer for our child.  It was one of our better parenting decisions.  Because it was clear that when we announced the name, not everyone loved it.  It was easy to separate them out, because those that loved the name gushed.  Those that didn't responded with "Oh, how did you decide on that name?"  But no one told us it was awful, and no one tried to change our mind.  And months later, everyone agreed it was the perfect name for him.

And by the way - if you're looking for a dog name, my favorites are Mowgli, Asta, and - you guessed it, Indiana.

Taking the Tike for a Hike: Roast Indian Chicken and Veggies

The nice thing about the weather being warm on our weekend away was that we could take advantage of lots of outdoor time.  So we picked up some soup and sandwiches from the deli and headed for a picnic.

And after lunch, we strapped Thatbaby on and headed for a little hike to check out more woods.

And we got to see some beautiful views.

And spend some time together as a family in the great outdoors.

We climbed rocks and hills, found some more snow and slush, and wore out Thatbaby.  When he started to fall asleep on Thatboy's back, we headed back to the car and civilization.

 And today's cabin meal is one of those really easy ones I promised you.  Take a bunch of chicken and vegetables, toss them with spices, and throw in the oven.  The warming spices, the warm chicken and vegetables.  It's perfect with some couscous, rice, or even on it's own in a bowl.  Thatbaby loves it, I think because it's flavorful without being too spicy.

 Roast Indian Chicken and Veggies

1 sweet potato, peeled and cubed

2 sprigs of thyme 

1/2 tsp smoked paprika

1 tsp chili powder

1 tsp garlic powder

1/4 tsp coriander

1/2 tsp curry powder

salt and pepper

3 Tbsp olive oil 

1 zucchini, chopped

1 red bell pepper, chopped

1 onion, chopped 

1 chicken breast, cut into bite sized pieces

1. Preheat oven to 450. Toss sweet potatoes with a tsp of the olive oil and roast for 15 minutes.
2. While sweet potatoes are cooking, whisk together the thyme, paprika, chili powder, garlic powder, coriander, curry powder and remaining olive oil in a large bowl.
3. Stir in the chicken and the remaining veggies.
4. And the chicken and veggies to the sweet potatoes and roast for another 20 minutes.

Searching for Snow: Baked Lemon Spaghetti With Chicken

The goal of our trip was to bring Thatbaby to the snow, and so we had to find snow.  As I stated, there was snow there, but in patches.  Which meant we couldn't really play in the snow, but we could certainly use it to sled!

 

Thatbaby loved sledding.  We had a feeling he would given that he loves going fast and already enjoys riding Thatboy's skateboard and practice surfing on the bed.

It was hard to get him to stop sledding in fact.  He wanted "more."  He carried his little sled from snowy patch to snowy patching asking for "more please."  Guess he's a fan of the snow.

Thatboy was in charge of taking Thatdog for walks, and he found a great snowy hill behind our cabin. 

Thatbaby had to bundle up a little more, but he didn't seem to mind.

With this hill, he even got to get his hands in the fluffy stuff a little bit. 

So our first trip to the snow wasn't a total disappointment.  And we know Thatbaby will be even more excited next year!

I don't know about you, but pasta is a definite winter cabin staple for me.  Which is why we ended up with Bolognese.  But if you want to bring something with you, baked pasta is easy to make ahead, travels well, and warms up very easily.  And you don't have to go with your basic baked ziti or rigatoni.  Lately I've been baking all sorts of pastas, like fettuccine and spaghetti.

This one is loaded with chicken and vegetables, but balanced with a lemon sauce, a nod to the ever popular lemon spaghetti.

Baked Lemon Spaghetti with Chicken

1 Tbsp butter

1 Tbsp flour

1 cup milk

1 cup mozzarella, shredded

1/2 cup parmesean, grated

1 sprig thyme

zest and juice of 1 lemon

salt and pepper

8oz spaghetti

1 Tbsp olive oil

2 cloves garlic, minced
2 cups broccoli, chopped
1 carrot, peeled and chopped
1 bell pepper, chopped
1 chicken breast, cooked and shredded
1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved

1. Preheat the oven to 400. Spray a baking pan with cooking spray.  Melt butter in a medium skillet over medium heat.
2. Whisk in the flour and stir until lightly browned.
3.  Slowly whisk in the milk. Keep whisking until the milk is warmed and has thickened slightly.
4.  Whisk in half the mozzarella, half the parmesean, thyme, lemon zest/juice and salt and pepper.
5.  Cook spaghetti according to package directions.
6.  While spaghetti is cooking, heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat.  Add the garlic and cook just until fragrant.
7.  Add the vegetables and cook until tender crisp. 
8. Toss the veggies with the spaghetti, chicken, and sauce.  Transfer to the baking pan.  Cover and bake for 30 minutes.
9. Uncover and sprinkle the rest of the cheese on top.  Return to oven and bake for for 10 more minutes.

Little Cabin In The Woods: Garlicky Chickpea Ravioli with Roasted Red Pepper Sauce

Our little cabin may have been lacking in snow, but it sure was full of charm!  Just check out our view!

 During Thatbaby's naps, Thatboy and I took turns hanging out in the cabin in case of a wakeup, and hanging out on the swing, enjoying the scenery.  We were beside a creek, with the views of Suicide Rock, surrounded by giant evergreen.

 And when he was awake, Thatbaby was more than happy to join us.  The cabin had running water and electricity, but not much else.  No television/cable/radio.  So after Thatbaby went to bed, Thatboy and I entertained ourselves the old fashioned way - Game Nights!

Mille Bourne gets mean, but Pass the Pigs is nonstop entertainment.  To go with our rustic cabin, here is an equally rustic meal! Homemade ravioli is never as perfectly shaped or formed as the storebought version, but that's part of it's charm.  And this one, filled with a chickpea paste, is different than your typical ravioli.  The same is true of the roasted red pepper sauce.  Sweet and smokey, this ravioli is perfect for any form of cabin fever.

 Garlicky Chickpea Ravioli with Roasted Red Pepper Sauce (From Branny Boils Over)

1 cup chick peas
2 tsp olive oil
2 tsp lemon juice
1/2 tsp cumin
3/4 tsp salt
2 Tbsp chopped parsley
3 garlic cloves

1 Tbsp water
1 egg
3/4 cup flour

1 small onion, diced
1 roasted red pepper, chopped
4 oz vegetable stock
1/3 cup sweet corn kernels
1/8 tsp chili powder

1. Puree chickpeas, olive oil, lemon juice, cumin, 1/4 tsp salt, parsley, and 1 garlic clove in a food processor.
2. Make a pile out of the flour on a clean work surface.  Make a well in the center and place the egg and water in this well.
3. Stir the flour into the egg/water well with a fork until the dough comes together.
4. Use a pasta roller to roll the dough into sheets.
5. Place 1 teaspoon of the chickpea paste on the dough sheets, about an inch apart.
6. Dip your finger in water and run along all the edges of the pasta sheet.
7. Lay another pasta strip on top and press down to create a seal.
8. Use a fork to crimp the edges and cut into individual raviolis.
9. Bring a pot of water to a boil and boil 4-5 minutes.
10. While waiting for water to boil, saute the remaining garlic in olive oil.
11. Add onion and red pepper and cook until onions are translucent.
12. Puree in a food processor with the vegetable stock.  
13. Return to pan and add chili powder and 1/4 tsp salt.  Heat thoroughly and toss with ravioli.

To Snow We Go: Chicken Enchiladas

On our way home from Palm Desert I mentioned to Thatboy that I thought it would be really great if we could take Thatbaby to see the snow this year.  Last winter, he was such a little guy, barely able to focus on us, let alone a white wintery world around us.  This year I know he would get a kick out of the wet, cold, fluffy snow.

Thatboy made it his mission from then on out to get us to the snow at the first opportunity.  This long weekend was that opportunity!  We grabbed a cabin last minute and headed up into the mountains.  Only to find....no snow!  Well, very little snow. We had a warm spell on Thursday which melted very much of the white stuff.

We just got back in tonight (I hate when we do this to ourselves, get home from a long weekend just in time to hurry and get ready for the week ahead).  Don't worry, I'll share pictures and stories throughout the week, once I have time to unload my camera.

And this week, I'll share with you some of my favorite winter cabin foods.  None of which we ate while we were at the cabin, for the record we had bacon cheeseburgers and bison bolognese.  But I didn't take any food pictures.  So instead, I'll share other things I've made on other trips past.  Things that are easy to make ahead of time and bring with you, or things that are easy to make when you're there.  What they all have in common is that they are warm and filling after a long day of outdoorsy-ness.

Chicken Enchiladas

1 chicken breast, cooked and shredded
1 can tomato sauce

1 can died green chiles
1 chipotle in adobo sauce

1/2 cup chicken stock
1/2 onion, diced
2 cloves garlic
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp oregano
6-10 soft flour tortillas

4 cups finely shredded cheddar cheese

1. Preheat oven to 350.  Spray a large baking dish with cooking spray.  Combine tomato sauce, green chilies, chipotles, chicken stock, onion, garlic, cumin, and oregano in a blender and blend until smooth.   
2. Place this sauce in a medium saucepan and bring to a boil.  Reduce heat and let simmer for 10 minutes.
3. Remove 3/4 of the enchilada sauce from the saucepan and set aside.   
4. Add chicken to remaining sauce in saucepan and heat through and stir to coat.   
5. Take a tortilla and fill with cheese and chicken, roll and place in the baking dish seam side down. 
6. Top enchiladas with remaining sauce and cheese.  Bake uncovered for 20 minutes.

Mommy Mondays: Hugs and Cuddles

I'll be the first to admit I don't hold a lot of stock in "baby books."  Don't get me wrong, The Happiest Baby on the Block got us through those first few months, and I've got The Happiest Toddler on the Block  on order.  But I think the reason it worked for me, was because it confirmed my basic instincts.

For hundreds of years, prior to the advent of the printing press, parents were able to raise their children.  And although the infant mortality rate was higher back then, I'm pretty sure that was due to illness, not from infanticide when parents didn't know what to do with their screaming child.

I'm not a huge Jungian "collective unconscious" believer, but I have to believe that all that childrearing knowledge, passed down through community efforts, generation after generation, must have rubbed off somehow.  I really wanted to go into parenting trusting my instincts.

So where have my instincts led me? Are they that different from other parents? And how's it working out?

Set Realistic Expectations:
   This is one of my pet peeves.  And I'll admit I was guilty of not setting realistic expectations before Thatbaby arrived.  I remember talking to my friend L about my plan to have Thatboy feed the baby at night sometimes, trading off so we each got sleep.  Which is when L kindly informed me that my plan wasn't going to fly.  Because I'd have to get up and pump at that time anyway.  And then wash the bottles.
     I remember when Thatbaby was born, looking at him and thinking how perfect he was.  I know I'm not the only parent with that feeling.  And yet, for many, it only takes about 2 weeks before they start asking when their "perfect" baby is going to fix him/herself and sleep better at night.  Which isn't a realistic expectation at 2 weeks.  One of the things that everyone around me noted was how much more relaxed and less anxious I was after having Thatbaby.  My usual, anxiety filled self just wasn't worked up about anything, figuring that whatever was happening was probably normal.  Right now, I'm dealing with a mother at daycare who seem completely taken aback that her child gets sick from school.  Realistic expectations people.

 

Feeding:  I don't think it's a secret by now I'm an advocate of breastfeeding.  But even my own instincts in this realm have surprised me.  I was fairly certain that I was going to quit at 1 year.  And then 12 months came and went, and my instincts told me not to just deny him because of a number.  The same way I refused to quit night nursing just because he hit a certain weight and age.  Right now, we're still breastfeeding, but he's dropped down to two sessions a day.  And in those two sessions I feel good knowing I'm providing him extra immunity against flu season and extra nutrition during those toddler food strikes.  

     It's also been very important for me that he develop a healthy relationship with food.  He doesn't get rewarded with food treats for good behavior or bad days.  We don't force him to eat what he doesn't want to eat (again, why I'm thankful for nursing).  Thatbaby will have days where he's not very hungry and other days where he has 3 servings of a meal.  It all balances out in the end.

Holding: I actually got into an argument last week because someone tried to say there's no benefit to touch, physical contact, holding. And I don't mean physical benefit.  She basically said there's no emotional benefit to touch.  But we all know there is.  So this was one of my instinct ones.  Thatbaby needed to be held, a lot, when he was younger.  I think this kind of combines with the previous tenant.  In order to address his emotional needs, we held him.  A lot. It used to be said you spoiled a child by holding them.  And that has long been disproven.  Still, it is sometimes hard to balance your needs with your child's needs.  Which is why I am such a big proponent of baby wearing.  Because his needs get met, and so do mine.  And you know what?  Eventually Thatbaby didn't need to be held so much, as he naturally and developmentally became more independent.

Sleep: This is a touchy subject for most parents.  Because we all want to sleep, and we all want our children to sleep well.  I'm not an advocate of sleep training, even though all my friends have done it in some respect.  But no one in my family did it, and we're all great sleepers (except when I'm pregnant).  I just can't believe that sleep, something everyone does and needs isn't an innate quality.  There's no "breathing training" or "blinking training."  And Thatbaby has really proven me true.  My friends who have sleep trained were able to brag about their children sleeping through the night much earlier than mine, but mine got there too.  By 11 months he was putting himself to sleep for naps, bed around the same time.  I've also found he sleeps great throughout the night - as long as he's healthy and comfortable, which means when he does wake up, I address his needs because I know something's up.  

 So how do you do it?  Do you go by instinct or by the book?  Are there things you do that are different than your peers?  Aspects of motherhood that you handle differently than you thought you would?