Since Dylan became a big brother a month before we had expected that he would, we did not have all of the details in place for who he would spend time with during my labor and delivery. Well, that is not exactly true. We did have details in place, but we only had a plan “A” and not a plan “B”. As of a week before baby Blake’s arrival, everything was looking good and it seemed as though my dream of giving birth at home was about to become a reality. My husband and I talked about what Dylan would … Continue reading →

This post is the first in a series about one of the biggest transitions that your toddler may encounter – becoming a big brother or big sister. Dylan became a big brother last Sunday, and while he has had his ups and downs he is doing well for someone so young who is going through such a major life change. My husband and I had been preparing him for the arrival of his little brother, but all of the preparation in the world can not fully insulate your toddler from the feeling of being Mom and Dad’s only child to … Continue reading →

If you are not a temperamentally intense person, it can be difficult to understand a temperamentally intense child. I am definitely not what you would call an intense person, I’m pretty easygoing and generally go with the flow. Dylan, on the other hand, is very intense. He reacts to things, both positive and negative, in a very strong way. It is never difficult to know what he thinks about something. Children with intense temperaments bring a depth of experience into our worlds that we have not previously known, if we are not intense ourselves. When they laugh, it comes from … Continue reading →

My first grade teacher is one of my favorite teachers. I don’t remember how old I was the first time I saw a teacher at the supermarket. It was odd to see her out of the context of the school. Miss Branfield and the mom of one of my oldest and dearest friends are best friends. I can’t remember how old Kim and I were when her mom and Miss Branfield became friends, but that is my first relationship with a teacher outside school. Miss Branfield was at my bridal shower and would have come to my wedding too. In … Continue reading →

Today was the first day of school. Everyone went to bed early last night in anticipation of the early start to the day today. Jessie and I chose her clothes last night. The outfit she wanted to wear to school and the one she wanted to put in her backpack are both laid out on her bed. When Jessie started school last January, I’d get up at 6:30, get Jessie up at 7:00, then leave for school around 7:45. School starts at 7:45 now and isn’t four miles down the road. We start our day a half-hour earlier. I got … Continue reading →

Jessie is only three years and eight months old. I haven’t taught her how to tell time yet. We’re working on some numbers, letters, and colors. For Jessie it’s more important to work on speech and pronunciation. I don’t think I can train her cognition to be better. Jessie might end up being like me and telling time by what is on TV. I can tell you roughly what time something happened by what the background noise was on. She has an uncanny ability to know when Doo Doo Dora is on without asking. She has started being really funny … Continue reading →

Our toddler has delays in speech and cognition. She is also delayed with potty training and sleeping. I tried to get Jessie into speech therapy through ECI early, but ECI would not provide it until she was two. Even then, the services they gave were woefully inadequate. When Jessie went for her three-year well-child visit, the pediatrician suggested that I take her to a developmental pediatrician for help with her delays. Jessie’s doctor gave me a list of developmental pediatricians in the area and I went to work on getting an appointment. My first choice was no longer practicing so … Continue reading →

Toddler bath time is not an easy time. Jessie wants to splash and make a huge mess. When it’s time to wash she fights. Trying to wash her hair is next to impossible because she will not hold still to get the shampoo rinsed. Things go very badly when she wants to stand and do other dangerous maneuvers in the bathtub. Bath should be an enjoyable time for everyone but usually ends in tears. I thought I had solved the bath issue by having the toddler shower with me at night. She would still get hysterical with washing and rinsing, … Continue reading →

Recently we got caught in the rain when we were leaving a store after an awesome play day. I hate rain with every fiber of my being. I’m a Southern California native with an end of July birthday. I love the sun and the heat. California and Texas are both draught states that need rain. I know we need rain desperately, but I still hate rain. I especially hate being caught in the rain with an infant and a toddler. I was not prepared for the downpour we found ourselves in after a successful shopping trip at Kohl’s. I got … Continue reading →

Yesterday we went to Going Bonkers, which is an indoor climbing and arcade play zone about an hour from our house. The fun began before we even reached the venue. We drove through so many storms just getting there. We’d drive through a calm rain-free area and directly into a downpour. Thankfully we arrived safely and got inside without getting wet. Jessie was excited to carry her own little ladybug umbrella. We had a great time playing and there was no rain when we left to go to the car. We went straight to McDonald’s to pick up a Happy … Continue reading →