Elijah Parenting

Ever since we started telling people that we were expecting I have been overwhelmed with advice and strategies for raising my child. It seems like there are always two extremes and you are expected to choose one side or the other and follow it completely. Friends, family, doctors, everyone is asking me questions like "Are you using attachment parenting or baby wise?". My answer from now on is I am using a new strategy, it is called "Elijah Parenting!"

Like most things in life I am always in the middle ground. I hear both sides, I respect both sides, I merge pieces of each together to fit me. Elijah eats 100% breast milk, but I'm okay with Caleb and grandparents feeding him a bottle every now and then, I pump and get a break, they get to help out and bond with him. I do not co-sleep, when I have tried to even nap with him both Momma and baby do not rest well, but we love baby wearing! We use cloth diapers probably 90% of the time and love them, but I will admit that when I am lazy and get the diapers in the wash a little later than planned we use disposable.

I am not writing this to say that everyone else is wrong and that I have figured out parenting in my short 10 weeks of experience, what I am saying is that no one strategy is perfect. During the past 10 weeks I have learned that I have to put everything that I had planned aside, look at my little miracle, and do what is right for him. I also realize that what works for him will not necessarily work for future children, or in all honesty it may not even work tomorrow; but what I do know is that I will be trying my best to raise a healthy, happy, wonderful little boy!

Stay at Home Mom

Well today I turned in my resignation at the preschool after 3 1/2 years of being a teacher there. For the weeks leading up to the birth of my baby I thought the decision to be a stay at home Mom would be easy, but after his birth the reality of not working for the first time since 6th grade began to sink in.

I love my son more than words can express, and I am so excited to have the opportunity to be with him, to watch him grow, and to teach him myself since my degree is in Early Childhood Education. However, turning in my resignation was also one of the scariest things I have ever done. I have loved my time at the preschool, and I am grateful for the opportunity to have worked with such great people and to have met so many amazing children; and although nervous beyond belief I am ready to step into the role of managing our home and family, and I hope to make some great friendships along the way.