Put a Little Boogie in It

My soon to be 18 month old Yus is blowing his nose all by himself. I can't take credit for this success at all. It started about 2 months ago. We were driving to Momo & Papa's house and he proceeded to blow snot in his hands. DISGUSTING, yes I know. I wasn't going to do "the pull over on the side of the highway" because it wasn't going to help. Amidst my yelling STOP Yus continued to blow and laugh.

Long story short, his nose was running the beginning of this week (teething is sooo much fun) and I handed him a tissue expecting him to do his normal wipe of the nose but instead he blew and blew and blew then wiped. I did the mommy cheer, you know it,

Hand clap, slight squeal "Way to go Yus, good job baby" 

 

and he's been a nose blowing toddler ever since Monday.

Man times flies... 

 

When did your LO start blowing their nose? 

nkoyo

We Are Pacifier FREE!!!!

Yes you read that correctly, today makes 1 week of NO bow-bow.


pics on Sodahead
I decided, I had waited long enough and there was no time like the present. Since October he's not been allowed to have his pacifier at school. So, Yus would walk in the door, hand his pacifier to his teacher and keep on moving. He took a nap without it, played without it, everything. Like I've said before, Yus is smart and knew that he could only use his bow bow at home. Now if I was a genius, I would have nipped it in the butt then, but I wasn't ready. Clearly I needed the bow-bow more than he did.

With my new job, our new schedule and the New Year, I decided it was time. I started slowly, no bow-bow in the car, and 2 days into, only bow-bow at night, a light bulb went off. "It's so rude of me to tease Yus with the bow-bow at night." He goes all day without it, let's just go cold turkey. And last Thursday night was rough but after milk and what felt like 10 minutes of crying he was sleep. Sweet Success and Victory all in one. Friday night was a little better, he only cried for 5 minutes and to sleep he went. Saturday night he was plan exhausted after a fun filled day of playing with his cousins. A little toss and turn and he was out. Sunday night was a breeze and we haven't looked backed since.

Next, we will conquer toilet-training... 

NOTE: Yus is teething AGAIN (when will this end) so what I call success my husband is still wishing for the bow-bow. HAHAHAHA! But I know all he needs is a little orajel and he's fine...

How did you break your child from the pacifier? 

nkoyo

2012: Holstee Manifesto

The manifesto below was on a co-workers desk. I started reading it and realized that after the birth of my son I kind of let my self go. I think all moms at some point do this. You think family first and by the time you get to yourself on the list there is no "time".

Cheers! To moms in the New Year and putting time on the calendar for just YOU.

Photo Credit

nkoyo

Update: Put Down the Pacifier

This is just too cute! Click here to get tips and more videos of Elmo helping kids to be a big kid.

nkoyo

Weekend Grove Music: Put Down The Pacifier

Oh! Sesame Street how I love thee. Starting today, Elmo is helping kids to put down their pacifier's. It's a week long initiative ending Nov. 4th that will provide daily tips and trips for leaving the pacifier behind and becoming a big kid. Check out the video clip below and I'll be posting more on Put Down The Pacifier this week. 

This is right on time for us. Yus is currently only using his bow-bow for bedtime and extended car rides, which is a huge milestone for us. A few weeks ago his teacher informed me that he hadn't been using his bow-bow during the day or at nap time so there was no need for it anymore at school. So, we decided to do the same thing on the weekends and its been working so far so good. Hopefully this week of tips and tricks will set us over the top. I'd liked to have him off the bow-bow by the New Year.

Wishful thinking?

nkoyo

2 Years Ago Today: My Therapy

On October 19, 2009 I became the 1 in every 3 women that doctors speak of. I had a miscarriage. I didn't know who to reach out too, why it happened to me, or even what it meant for our family's future. 

I remember the pain. Calling my husband, letting him know something just happened and I was leaving work and headed to the doctors office. I called my mom and explained through tears that I had lost the baby in the bathroom and was on the way to the hospital. My doctor (my cousin-in-law) called in an immediate blood test and while waiting for the results she checked me. The first sign of God's presence, my doctor was in the office and had an opening. A family member could deliver the news of the loss and embrace me while I cried. She began explaining the reasons and statics.

• That something was wrong with the baby and my body decided that rejection was best and not to hold on to the baby.
• That 1 in 3 women have or will have a miscarriage.
• That having a miscarriage didn't mean I couldn't get pregnant again or have a healthy pregnancy in the future.

On the way home, I spoke with my mom. She informed me that my paternal great-grandmother had experienced a miscarriage. My first thought was, why didn't I know this? Why had it been kept such a secret? In that moment, I vowed that I would tell my story, whatever the outcome. My mom always taught me, that we as women need to be a support system for one another. But how could we be supportive if we keep painful secrets from one another. How can we support each other through the difficult times if we don't share those moment?

I must be honest, if  it wasn't for my Aunt Glo and my SiL reminding me of faith and that God doesn't put more on us than we can bear. I might not have made it through my own selfish darkness. I say selfish, because as the week went on I had forgotten that such a loss could impact my husband. That he could be feeling pain and uncertainty as well. And that the same questions running through my mind could be racing through his. We had been fighting and blaming one another instead of leaning on and supporting each other.

Once again God showed up, in another talk I had with my Aunt. She reminded me of all the things the doctor had said and told me that my body was built to carry a baby and that it was at it's most fertile. Instead of fight we starting loving and I found myself a year later on October 19, 2010 holding and praying over our son Yusuf. God is so good!

As I reflect back, I know that on this day our marriage became stronger. There is something about experiencing a loss together and growing from it together that makes you closer. I pray my story leaves you with hope and reminds you that the dark cloud doesn't last always.

nkoyo

Changes on the Horizon

My little man, will soon be ONE and I can't help but think of two major adjustments that need to be made. First things first his bow-bow usage. I think this is going to be harder on me than it is on him, I just can't take the crying. He makes the hardest looking faces and then his lip quivers and before the sound comes, one loan tear slides out his eye and on to his cheek. DRAMA!!! And he can scream. It's a blessing the neighbors don't come knocking. I figure if he does start crying, gets irritable, or needs security I can do the following:

1. address the issue and give some TLC
2. divert his attention ~ to something new 
3. when in doubt sing a song & have a dance party

The second adjustment is the 4 - 6 hour sleep cycle. Some nights I can give him his bow-bow and he's good for the rest of the night but other nights he won't go back to sleep until I bring him in our bed. We all know the problem with that. Shoot! I don't have enough space as it is with the two of us and now there's a third body. GREAT! To combat this issue I may have to institute the cry-out method once we fully rid ourselves of the bow-bow. Am I wishful thinking - to think that 6 months from now we will be bow-bow and co-sleep FREE!! I'm praying for it! I found some good advice here.

Do you have any ideas, please let me know? 

nkoyo