This lil light of mine.......

I brought children into this dark world 

because it needed the light that only a child can bring.  

~Liz Armbruster

 

 

I don't know ow many times this saying has rolled around in my head, for some reason its just one that sticks with me. It rings very true to me despite the fact that its meaning has changed for me over and over. 

Years ago when I wasn't sure if I wanted children I used to have these deep conversations with myself about how awful it would be to bring a child into a world full of uncertainty, conflict, and hate. Then of course LOVE for my husband over ruled that, made me believe in the good in the world and all that jazz. When i found myself pregnant all the fear of raising a child on todays world turned into hope of all the wonderful possibilities in humanity. Love can sure turn things around huh?

After JoJo was born was when I first read the saying above and it justified any previous worry over raising a child, it almost gave me courage that procreating WAS the right thing to do. Then of course natural (or neurotic) worry came into play.....what if I lose my child to some horrific accident, what if he gets childhood terminal cancer, what if I outlive my child or he suffers some violent crime as a adult? Am I the only one who  has such awful things cross there mind? The bigger question is would the life I've lived with my son be enough to carry me through whatever horrific events awaits me? Oh dear, life has been so good up until now I must be due for some tragedy.........or maybe I need medication, LOL! I remind myself.....

 

I brought children into this dark world 

because it needed the light that only a child can bring.  

~Liz Armbruster

 

There is nothing I can about any of the above scary scenarios. What I can do is love my child each and every day so that every moment I have control over is one that he will know he is loved and was brought into this world only by love. 

 

However this past week I have learned something from my child. Maybe it is hormones, PMS, the changing of the seasons but I've been feeling blue this past week. Not depressed, just mopey and not sure why. My husband noticed and like the great man I married he  offered me a little more  love then usual and let me work through my emotions while letting me know he was there.

Anyhow JoJo........my light in this dark world showed me that he too won't let a day go by without showing me that I am loved. Like I do for him,  he ensures that I am reminded that I am loved by a family and mean something. Not only is HE my light in this dark world, our home and family is like a beacon in the dark night of our world, always showing me where I am loved. 

 

 

 

 

Everyday is a Fresh Start

Ever see a kid offering up “please “ and thank you” more willingly then your child and wonder how he got to be so polite?  How about the cool kid who struts onto the playground to have all the other kids gravitate towards him while your shy flower plays in the corner?
We all want our kids to be successful, loved and talented and it really makes me wonder how much is learned behavior and how much is inherent. I don’t have the answer to that but I do have some observations. Ever hear the phrase “kids do as you do, not as you say”, well its true. My niece and nephew are the most social, fun loving, talented and outgoing (not to mention gorgeous) kids I know and you don’t have to look far to see why. Their mother is a social butterfly who always has a friendly smile or helping hand and they have grown up watching her in action. Its no big surprise they are the same way. Now I guess we should also factor in attachment parenting, ie co-sleeping and baby wearing as infants which has been said to help prove confidence. But the point is that kids DO as you do, not as you say. So as your entering a grandma’s house, pushing your child ahead of you, urging her to go give grandma a big hug and kiss don’t be surprised if she runs and hides behind your back. I have never been the adventurous type, I am actually quite the scaredy cat but the last thing I want to do is instill that in my son as my mother did to me. You wont catch me riding a skateboard down a hill or going off the high dive (that’s another thing I can ask his auntie to handle, LOL) but I can try to show a willingness to overcome fears.
    So the good thing about children is that they are moldable and we can still change some bad habits if you havnt already. Ask yourself what kind of person you want them to be and YOU be that person. None of us are perfect parents or human beings and I think that is a very important lesson to teach our children also. I sincerely hope that I can show my children how to move on from mistakes in a humble manner and know when is my time to apologize. I think humility is just as important as confidence and its never to early or to late to learn either!

JoJo's New Favorite Books.

This past week as we were killing time at our local library, waiting for storytime to start JoJo fell in love with a series of books. They will surely be the start of a great book collection for him. They are a series of the most fantastic and amazing pop-up books I have ever seen. After looking up the author, Robert Sabuda. I found that his book are primarily treasured by adults but my strong desire to instill a love of books into my son is enough for me to start collecting them.
One of the things I liked best was that his books are traditional stories like Alice and Wonderland, Peter Pan, and The Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe but he brings them to life in a magical way.
Robert Sabuda's Website
The pictures do not do the books justice whatsoever.

I am so thankful that he likes books at such a early age and I hope to cultivate that interest into a foundation of learning and a way to bond with my son. I love to get lost in a good book and I hope to pass that on to him.
Whatever it is you like to do I hope that you share it with your child.

Wild Angel Quote of the Week

Making the decision to have a child is momentous.  It is to decide forever to have your heart go walking around outside your body.  ~Elizabeth Stone

Pardon me while I......

Go on vacation with my lovely family! Thats right, its our first real vacation since Joey has blessed us with his presence and where are we going you might ask?........Disneyland of course!

We were going to wait until he was a bit older but then I realized he will have his own agenda. so we are taking advantage of his youthful ignorance and are going to spend a couple days at the pool in between park attractions!
Be back In a week....or so.


I wouldnt think of leaving you without a wild Angel Quote to think on. Most of us DO have young children so lets do better to live in the moment.....


If I had my child to raise all over again,
I'd build self-esteem first, and the house later.
I'd finger-paint more, and point the finger less.
I would do less correcting and more connecting.
I'd take my eyes off my watch, and watch with my eyes.
I'd take more hikes and fly more kites.
I'd stop playing serious, and seriously play.
I would run through more fields and gaze at more stars.
I'd do more hugging and less tugging.
~Diane Loomans, from "If I Had My Child To Raise Over Again"

Happy Healthy Kids

On my recent stroll through the isles of our local Whole Foods store I was thinking how much more we as parents pay attention to labels and ingredients more then our parents probably did. I always remember having a ton of sweets, soda and junk on hand as a kid.
It got me thinking of my favorite products for Joey that help me sneak in extra vitamins and I thought I'd share them. Joey is a particularly finicky eater so I have to work hard to make sure he has enough protein, fiber, calcium, and vitamins.
I'd first like to start by sharing a link on a recent study that has proven how a fit and healthy child actually has a better capability of learning, retaining information and being all around mentally smarter.....
Physical Fitness Boosts memory & Brain Function

Probiotics: Not only do probiotics (found in yogurt, some milk and cheese) aid in a healthy digestive system but new studies have shown they help reduce the chances of ear infections, sinusitis, flu and diarrhea. My son just loves the Probugs Organic Kefir for kids............ DanActive is another known brand!

They come in this cool squeeze pouch and pack a whopping 9 grams of protein!

Sign Up to recieve a coupon to try them free!







Fruits and Veggies: Obviously there is no substitute for fresh fruits and veggies however I have found a product that is fun for Joey to drink and is a sneaky way for me to add some servings of fruits and veggies to his diet. Amazing Grass Kidz Superfood is a powder mix formula you add to water that is supposed to offer 3 servings of fruits and veggies in each glass. Only 1 gram of sugar, non dairy, gluten free and has other vitamins like beta carotene, calcium and more. Joey will only drink the fruit kind. They also make a chocolate one to add to milk but I havn't had good reviews on it. Stores that sell it typically have sample packets to try out first.

Visit Their Website for more info












More Fruits:
Also I'm sure you've all seen these cool apple sauce packets that are perfect for on the go and come in a variety of brands and flavors. Be sure to check the nutrition panel, I have found some to contain up to 22 grams of sugar!!! WOW!

Joey also hates fresh fruits ( I know, horrible huh)? so we have found that he will eat freeze dried fruit. Regular dried fruit is a fun way to get them to eat fruits also. Obviously if your kid will eat fresh fruit that is preferable but these are great for on the go also and last long also.

Daily Vitamins and Immunity Boost: You really can't beat the traditional chewy gummy vitamin but for a fun immunity boost our whole family loves Emergen-C. I was so excited to find they have a line for kids and I think its a easy way for kids to get vitamins and a way to boost their immunity. it fizzes like soda and come in great flavors!

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Lastly, its never too early to instill in our children how important it is to wash their hands!! They make some pretty fun and cool hand soaps now that change colors, foam, and have beads in them!