February 2012
3 posts
My Head @ 2 AM
I will teach my child to be more patient I will teach my child to be more empathetic I will be more patient and empathetic I will encourage my husband to be patient too I will stop being a backseat parent
I will make my child healthier meals I will make my child eat those healthier meals I will not use bargaining or rewards I will make mealtime more calm and enjoyable
I will spend more time with...
This Unconditional Kind of Love
Kids are a pain in the ass. Kids are the most amazing thing you can do in life. Sure, I haven’t saved a life or climbed Everest or given a year to humanitarian aid… But I still feel like at the end of all that I would come back feeling like having kids was the most meaningful thing I did in my life. For people without kids, I’m sure that sounds at best cliche and at worst...
January 2012
2 posts
A Toddler's Guide To LA
I meant to put this up the minute we got back from visiting Uncle “On” and Aunt “Rocky” in California, but I got distracted. Without further ado, here are our tips and tricks for what the toddler-approved activities are in the greater LA area.
GRIFFITH PARK With Lon and Roxy living right next door, we found ourselves at this LA iconic park multiple times. More...
WatchThe monster awakens. Little Charlie used to intently watch Simon play with toys… now he wants part of the action. He wants to feed himself, play with big brothers stuff and he gets very angry if you stand in his way. Watch out!!
December 2011
1 post
The Balance of Two
Lately I’ve been having an overwhelming feeling. I’ve been having it so much that it even has a name… it’s called “Charlie guilt”. I’ve slowly come to the realization that no matter how hard I try, Charlie will never have the undivided attention, the consistency, and the priority that Simon had his age.
Charlie is destined to be a different kid...
November 2011
1 post
Interview with Daddy: Two Growing Boys
Alright, so first things first… Last time Charlie was only one month and you called him a little alien without much of a personality. How would you describe Charlie now? He’s a snuggly smiley little munchkin. I love him. He’s so chill. And definitely a chubby ball of fun. Definitely chubbier than Simon was at this age.
What’s your favorite thing about Charlie at 4...
September 2011
2 posts
Missing My Sweet Charlie
I’m in love… I’m just smitten with a handsome little man named “Charlie”. I don’t even know how to describe it, other than it feeling like complete infatuation.
I’m trying not to feel guilty over the other “loves” in my life. Maybe it is because I returned to work this week and maybe it is because Simon has been a complete wreck (exhausted,...
The Secret Language of Simon
I decided to keep track of the things I heard Simon say through out the summer. Right before I had Charlie, I realized that the list of words that Simon used or I had once heard him say (two very different things) was getting a bit long to just keep in memory, plus he was picking up new words at a rapid pace.
(click to view full list)
By the end of the summer, I have assembled quite a lengthy...
August 2011
4 posts
A Toddler's Guide to Oakland County
The Players: Mommy vs Toddler The Challenge: Keep toddler occupied, while keeping mommy sane
With the support of playdates, a spouse, parents, friends and a local line-up of incredible toddler friendly venues… I am happy to say I not only survived my summer maternity leave with both a newborn and a toddler, but it was possibly the best summer of my life.
I feel like I know so much more...
The Charlie Nobody Sees
He is the one that smiles and chats with me during the day…
I love this Charlie, and I’m afraid that not many people are going to get to see him for a while. Daddy is only familiar with angry Charlie and sleeping Charlie (although not as much as we would like).
The Only Thing That’s True Is… Every Child Is Different It’s the overriding consensus we’ve been...
WatchToday I caught Charlie smiling on camera… and believe me, he does more than this, big minute long grins… it’s his little known secret.
Charlie speaks…
July 2011
2 posts
Interview with 'Daddy' (Charlie @ One Month)
So, one of the thing about having two kids, including a newborn, is that it doesn’t leave you much time (or energy or creativity) to blog. If you are on maternity leave, then maybe you can find a hour somewhere, but if you are working, then no way. I really wanted to get Tom’s thoughts on here, so I decided to interview him.
Charlie, the one month old, how would you describe him? ...
18 Months + 2 Weeks = Lots of Work
And so the summer begins, two kids and tons of trouble…
Charlie @ Two Weeks: How Quickly We Forgot Right now Charlie is a big ball of mystery. We aren’t sure who he looks like or who he will look like, seeing as though Simon didn’t look like “Simon” at two weeks old. We can’t even agree whether or not we have a red head or a blond, whether his eyes are...
June 2011
3 posts
Big Brother Meet Little Brother
In the wee hours of June 23rd, while Simon was sleeping, his little brother Charlie was prepping to be born. We left the house shortly after Simon woke up, only able to say hello in passing and Charlie was born at the hospital before Simon was even down for his morning nap. Over the course of breakfast, Simon went from only child to official “big brother”.
First Encounters Luckily...
Welcome To The World, Charlie...
He’s here!! Weighing in at a whopping 8 lbs 9 oz, Charles Martin Strickland arrived to the outside world on Thursday, June 23rd at 9:42 AM.
For those not interested in birth stories, skip this post and read the next one… it’s cuter, has pictures, and does not contain the word “vagina”.
The Birth Story of Baby Charlie I don’t get to begin this story...
17 Month Old Toddler vs Mr. Any Day Now
It’s hard being the parent of a toddler AND being this pregnant. I’m just going to come right out and say it. But, it certainly is going to be infinitely harder to be the parent of a toddler and the parent of a newborn, so I try and appreciate my situation… try and not be annoyed that Simon is getting faster and livelier as I am getting slower and sluggish.
This logic is...
May 2011
1 post
March 2011
1 post
Fourteen Months... Countdown to Big Brother Time
It’s been a couple months since I posted last. Running around chasing after a busy busy toddler can be pretty exhausting!! Simon is certainly not the baby that he was half a year ago. He is a definitely little boy.
Figuring Out How To Communicate
Simon seems to be adding new words to his vocabulary on a weekly basis. It’s still very basic at best, but in the past couple weeks he...
January 2011
1 post
Simon Giles Strickland: A One Year Retrospective
On January 8th, 2010… our lives changed forever, for the better, and a new part of our family entered this world. This post is not meant to be a mushy parent lovefest, but just a simple look back on what we’ve learned along the way and the little man that helped us learn how to be parents. But first…
SNAPSHOT OF A 1 YEAR OLD
JAN 8, 2010: 7 lbs 8 ounces, 20 inches, 0 teeth...
December 2010
1 post
Life Is Better Walking On Two Legs
At 11 months old, Simon has become quite a lot of fun for Marta and I. While he’s always been a pretty happy baby, he’s finally begun to actually “play games” with us. Silly, pointless games of course, but that’s what it’s all about when you are a baby. Marta discovered that Simon loves getting lightly bopped on the head by various objects. This activity can go...
November 2010
1 post
Big Steps & Big News At Ten Months
It feels like the months are going by faster, and we are quickly on our way to one year old. Simon grows more fun everyday. He has favorite games, like chasing mom and dad around the table while knocking down blocks. He is extremely giggly, and is becoming more and more strong willed and curious about the world around him.
On The Verge… Watch Out!! I really tried to capture it, but the...
October 2010
1 post
Nine Months and Nineteen Pounds of Trouble
Everyday we are closer to one year old, and everyday I am losing my little baby to the independent toddler who roams my house looking for cabinets to open and things to climb. Only cuddly when he wants to be, Simon has become a little man with a mission to find new and yet undiscovered things to slobber on or to hurt himself with.
At potentially the most squirmy and restless point in Simon’s...
September 2010
1 post
Becoming Our Little Toddler At Eight Months Old
Back when I first got my baby book, I was excited to enter in dates and stories all about Simon’s “firsts”. Little did I realize how unclear something as simple as his “first word” or the first time he ever crawled would be. Everything is a matter of opinion… childhood is not in spits and spurts, but a constant gradual (or sometimes not so gradual) process.
...
August 2010
1 post
Loving Life At Seven Months Old
Simon turned seven months old today. Hard to believe it’s gone by this fast, but with every new accomplishment, I find myself excited for the next. I love this little boy!!
Daytime and Nighttime Delight
Every new month is my favorite month. Everything Simon does is making him more and more fun… sure, his ability to move more and grab more (including Papa’s mustache) can...
July 2010
1 post
Sitting, Sleeping, Smiling at Six Months Old
Simon is getting very used to his media savvy folks… to the point where he stares at the camera more than our faces and saves his big milestone moments for the few days right before I write my monthly post. It kinda overshadows everything else that happened that month, but so it goes…
What did Simon do exactly in the past 3 days?
1. Sleep Through The Night For some parents it...
June 2010
1 post
Time Flies Fast, Five Months Old
Can it really be five months? Time is speeding by and the months are blending together. Some things are slow going, like Simon actual moving backwards on his sleeping habits this month. Other things are fast acting, like Simon becoming a grabber and a roller for better or worse, increasingly curious and active in the world around him.
So what else is up with our little guy this month…
...
May 2010
1 post
First Mother's Day, Four Months Old
So, can I finally just say it? I love being a mom. I’ve had a couple people mention recently that it “looks like you and Tom are having fun” or that motherhood suits me. I don’t know what it is, but yeah… I really am having fun. I mean, sure, I am exhausted perpetually, I can’t get out to see a new movie, and I don’t really remember the last time I had a...
April 2010
2 posts
So Many Firsts, So Little Time
Simon is getting unbelievably adorable. In the past two weeks he has gone from mildly smiley, to smiles and giggles and loads of fun… especially in the amazingly warm Michigan April weather.
We have passed the three month mark and he is a delight to come home to everyday. I was going to wait until the 4 month mark to do my next update, but over the weekend, we had a couple of awesome...
Parenthood Update: Almost Three Months
It’s hard to believe we are almost arriving at month #3 of our life with Simon. Everything people say is true. The first two months are rough, and then the real reward sets in. Much to my parents surprise, I am already ready to bring another life into this world again. I’m going to wait until the end of the year… but Tom and I already find ourselves excitedly talking about the...
March 2010
4 posts
Now Back To Our Regularly Scheduled Program...
And so it begins… the return to work and the start of the rest of our lives with our little Simon. I have felt in a state of limbo the past few months, knowing that my leave was only temporary, trying to enjoy it as much as I could but never being able to quite “settle down” into a daily routine.
And I Thought I Was Sleep Deprived Before!! Simon was actually better in his...
Parenthood Update: Two Months Old!!
Simon is two months old now, and steadily gaining weight, as many of our recent photos will show. He’s got “chub” on parts of his body that I would never expect. Wrist chub? Ankle chub? I keep reminding myself that baby fat is completely normal, I just hope he doesn’t get TOO fat! This past week has been huge for us, because Simon has finally started doing something...
Simon begins a talkative streak this week....
February 2010
8 posts
Parenthood Update: Week Seven
Sleep, Oh How I Miss You It seems like I didn’t realize just how much my body missed sleeping until I got a few longer stretches of it. After an evening where Simon was overstimulated (the kid is gonna have to get used to it!!) by adoring grandparents, uncles and an aunt… he was inconsolable and hyper-awake for two straight hours. After which he passed out for a six hours stretch, fed,...
Parenthood Update: Week Six
Here Comes Company This week we got to spend time with Lon and Roxy, who were visiting from California. We decided it would be a good idea to have them stay with us in our house, as it would be the easiest way for them to spend the most time with their new nephew Simon. Hopefully after the week is up, they still agree that was a good idea :)
With Tom also taking the week off, it was a pretty...
Parenthood Update: Week Five
Simon is now five weeks old! The past month has been amazing, and very exhausting. I took off the first 2 weeks after his birth to focus on this new little person that I helped bring into the world, and it went by in the blink of an eye. During this brief but unforgettable time, I changed a ton of diapers, washed many poop covered onesies, gave Simon his first bath, and even took him out for a...
Week Five Update Forthcoming...
We have passed the one month mark, and I’m going to let Daddy blog about Simon this week. But, I wanted to capture a few important milestones…
First trip to someone else’s house - Leslie’s for her superbowl party, wherein Simon mostly slept while Leslie’s cute little dog Charlie begged to regain our attention.
First almost “sleep through the night” - It...
Healthy Sleep Habits, Happy Child →
Recommended by my boss at Organic, I downloaded this book (thanks to the iPhone Kindle app) to read during my nightly breastfeedings. It totally appeals to my numbers, stats and science mindset… and also my love for recipes. Which may sound weird but I look at this book as a nice guide for making something like a good pasta bolognese only it’s a recipe for a healthy sleeping child. Mix 3 naps a...
Parenthood Update: Week Four
As we approach the one month line: erratic feedings, co-sleeping nightmares, the dreaded “C” word, and more things to freak out new parents…
Just when I was supposed to be watching for Simon’s feedings to get further apart, there they go getting closer together. I’m declaring it a “growth spurt”, because he sure feels heavier and longer and I...
January 2010
23 posts
Parenthood Update: Week Three
Seven to Eight Hours… The Impossible Dream Sleeping through the night must be a myth right? A myth invented by people who have long been part of the parenthood club to taunt those who are newly joined. Why else would it be the first question everyone asks new parents? “So… how is he sleeping? Has he slept through the night yet?”
When you mention that your child is not...
Parenthood Update: Week Two
As expected, Simon’s second week proves to be a little bit more draining and challenging… sleepless nights, frequent feedings, and confusing crying fits, all the joys of being a new parent.
Do Simons Dream of Electric Boobs? I struggle with how much to let Simon sleep during the days, but he seems so peaceful and adorable. The minute I put him on my chest and he listens to my...
For the Data-Junkie New Mommy
I can only assume that every new mom is curious about the ratio of waking to sleeping hours their little newborn gets… Or how about the amount their baby feeds versus the amount that passes into those 10-15 daily diapers!! That we all have a gut feeling something is amiss but no way to prove it.
Enter ‘Total Baby’, an iPhone app to help you keep running tabs on just about everything you’d ever...
Parenthood Update: Week One
Simon Giles Strickland came into the world on January 8th, 2010 at 5:46 AM. Since that moment, he has been changing the lives of his two parents in ways that they can barely comprehend, but it’s undeniably for the better.
Even if it is just for my journaling pleasure, I thought it would be a good idea to keep track of my feelings, Simon’s changes, and special moments, especially...
“He is so precious; his head is like a little warm peach.”
– Grandma Sandy Strickland
The Experience from a Father's Perspective
I just read Marta’s story and thought it would be appropriate to tell my own. We experienced the whole thing together, but obviously not in the same way. So here goes… It figures that the day we planned to go to the hospital was the same day that the weather decided to give us the biggest snow storm of the season so far. We had taken it easy throughout the day, just resting and...