A Few More of my Favorite (Mommy) Things
I know I am going over board with this but as I was nursing my son last night and he was cuddling with his doggie, I thought of a few more...
Prepping Lunches (for Preschool) - I am so not a morning person but I find that I have to make Marie's lunch in the morning b/c I just don't think a peanut butter and jelly sandwich should sit for hours in the fridge overnight and apples allowed to get all brown from oxidation... anyway, that being said, it is so helpful if the night before school I just Jot Down what I am going to put in her lunch the next morning. Having already mentally thought it through means one less thing to think about in the hectic morning rush.
Identical Lovey - Once your child has clearly established a lovey, get a second one exactly the same. It makes switching them out for washing so much easier and if your child is sick and throws up all over Lovey #1, you can "pretend" to quickly clean it and swap it out with the ready-and-waiting clean Lovey #2. We actually have 3 of my son's doggie - one is permanently in the car, one in his room and the last stays hidden in a closet for "back up".
Cold Soothie Paci for Teething - We used this type of paci only for a very short time when my kids were newborns, then we switched to a Avent kind that is less likely to fall out... anyway, I kept this kind and figured out these are great when kids are teething. Put them in the freezer and they get nice and cold but not too hard like ice. Since the whole thing is that rubber material they can chew on the whole thing. It stays cold for about 5-10 mins and that is typically long enough to give them plenty of relief. JJ was enjoying it today in fact...
Prepping Lunches (for Preschool) - I am so not a morning person but I find that I have to make Marie's lunch in the morning b/c I just don't think a peanut butter and jelly sandwich should sit for hours in the fridge overnight and apples allowed to get all brown from oxidation... anyway, that being said, it is so helpful if the night before school I just Jot Down what I am going to put in her lunch the next morning. Having already mentally thought it through means one less thing to think about in the hectic morning rush. Cheap Mommy Caribeaner Clip - They sell these at Babies R Us for like $7.99 but Home Depot has basically the same thing for $3.99. They are huge - like 7 inches long. I use them in two ways - 1. I clip all my reusable grocery bags to the end of my cart (so they no longer get lost from under the basket or fall out where I can trip on them). And 2. On the stroller, yes it will loads of shopping bags but I use it as a "handle" for my 3 year old to hold onto. When we are in the parking lot or a busy food court, I insist she holds onto her "special handle."
And most important when you are expecting another child -
Set Expectations for Great Sibling Friendships - My sister gave me this advice when I was expecting my second. She said, just set the expectation that Marie will be a great big sister and love her little brother very much. Say it to her, "Marie, you are such a wonderful big sister" and she will internalize it and believe it herself. The month before my son was born I would also pray with her saying "Lord, I pray that Marie and JJ would love each other very much. And that they would have a special relationship and be great friends." We certainly had a period of adjustment but yes, she does love her little brother very much and he adores her.
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