Winter Doldrums

It's the end of January, we've come down from our holiday excitement, the weather is cold, and there seems to be a long stretch of cold, wintry weather ahead of us before spring comes. We're in the mid-winter slump, and keeping the boys occupied, interested, and their parents sane is the latest challenge in our household!

The Importance of Free Play

We don't do very much structured play around here. The boys don't go to any music or art classes, no sports activities (at least yet), and we really don't play by any book or rules. There's something so magical about the art of free play, with seeing their imagination come to life and the wheels turning in their little heads. We've found that if we simply provide time and materials, the boys will continually amaze us with their versatility in play.

Thomas and the Froggy Potty

Yesterday, we took the plunge and Big B wore Thomas underpants all day long. He did really well at keeping 'Thomas' dry, but not so well at keeping him free of... well, you know. After the 4th time changing a #2-filled pair of underpants, I asked Big B, "Do you want to wear a diaper? You know we don't poo in our underwear." He looked at me and said "No, Mama. I want to wear Thomas, 'cause I'm a big boy."

2012 Parenting Resolutions

So it's a new year. As always, we start to think on December 31st about what we have accomplished in the past year and how we'd like to make the new year a better one. Most of the time, our resolutions are personal ones. I want to lose that baby weight. I resolve to take some time just for me. I will have a more positive outlook.


This year, in addition to my own 'personal' resolutions, I decided to make some parenting resolutions. Our family is entering a year of huge growth, both physically and emotionally. On the one hand, we have a 2 1/2 year-old toddler who is learning to have his own ideas and desires. More often than not, these can lead to tantrums and wailing when things don't turn out exactly as he desired. On the other hand, we have a 9-month old little boy who is meeting physical milestones every day. It's not enough to crawl now; he also wants to cruise furniture and climb stairs and stand all on his own! It's exhausting and exhilarating, all at the same time.

To better meet the needs of these two fantastic boys, I resolve the following:

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