Tag Archives: parenting

How to “Walk the Walk” As A Baby

12/23/2014 R.C. Liley 2 Comments

Hmmm, daddy’s shoe is pretty cool, I wonder if I want to take it….

Oh, hello there, baby peers. Have you started walking yet?

That’s cool if you haven’t, but you’re really missing out. I just started and I’m already working on my dance moves.

Remember when I talked about surviving the first 5 months of your life? Or when I shared my thoughts as a crawling baby? Well, that was cool and all, but I’m obviously past all of that “child’s play”.

And it’s freakin’ awesome…..Haaayyyyyy!

Okay, just had to get that out of the way. I’m done.

Just kidding, one more time!! Heeyyy…..Oooohhhh!!

Seriously, I’m done now.

Now that we’ve established I can walk *cough* and dance *cough*, I’ve noticed an increase in my ability to get what I want and figured I share a few of them with you other, less advanced, babies. I’ve even been taking notes in my cool book to remember all of my new findings.

First off, as a walker, you can reach things you never could when you were floor-bound. Speaking of, I’m a little hungry, let me just grab something from the fridge. Oooo, I see a nice jar of NuttZo calling my name!

It’s okay, daddy bought it, but it’s mine because I said so. I even had him make me some tasty Pumpkin NuttZo Oatmeal Bread like this.

Since I’m high-maintenance, I care for sugar laden food in my diet, so I make sure he only sweetens with high quality stevia like Pyure Sweet. Another tasty dish daddy made is this chocolate black bean puree with NuttZo and Pyure Sweet mixed in.

Before I eat, I need to take my shirt off so I don’t get it messed up.

It’s my choice, I swear, I like to keep my clothes clean! C’mon, dad, I’m trying to give advice here, hurry with food!

Ahhh, seriously?! Can’t you just get one good spoonful in my mouth? This is annoying and embarrassing when I’m trying to talk here! We’re done, put it up, dad, I’m leaving.

See, when you’re walking, you can be more upfront and demanding. Plus, if you don’t like how something is being done, now you have more options in expressing your disdain. For example, since daddy sucked at getting the food in my mouth, I’m going to move this stool in front of the fridge.

Yep, that’ll show him. And I still have my shirt off even though I’m a girl. Like I said, whatever I want, I do! Grrrrr!

I am also learning to take matters into my own hands. If I am trying to play and find that something around me stinks, I make a point to find the source.

Obviously, if you’re smart like me, you go to the trash first.

But nope, can’t find anything there. Maybe under the rug?

Negative. I hate to admit it, but I’m a little stumped.

This is a good time to bring up another pointer; when you begin to question whether you have what it takes to rule the house, go find something and pick it up.

The bigger the better, and try walking it with it if you can.

If you’re as good at ruling as I am, go for a one-hander and make sure mommy and daddy sees you in all of your glory!

Uhhh, crap, I think that just helped me find the source of the stench from earlier. It’s in my diaper. Which bring me to another thing I’ve picked up on………I can take my diaper off whenever I want!

If I’m in the kitchen and feel like pulling it off, well, I’m gonna do just that! Mommy and daddy reallllly don’t like this, so I do it more. For some reason, when my diaper is smelly and I take it off, that means I have to take a bath. I don’t understand exactly, but I like baths anyway.

Even if I’m enjoying the bath, I keep my parents in check by showing them what happens if they make me mad.

What? You think I’m kidding?

I NEVER kid!

One time, daddy was being annoying with the camera….

I told him to stop or I’d eat the turtle’s (his favorite animal) head.

When I heard the camera shutter after I warned him, I showed him I was serious!

Then I slowly started walking (because I can do that now) closer to him to show the now headless turtle. But….

Surprise, I never bit the head off!

You might think I chickened out, but in reality, my reasoning is two-fold. Smiling and pretending to be cute makes your parents forget all bad that you have done, and I enjoy the tasty food they hand me.

Because, without the food, I resort to my sleeve, and that just doesn’t taste as good.

In sum, as a walking baby, you have to make freedom for yourself. Otherwise, you’ll find yourself stuck in your crib with a stuffed bear all day.

So heed my advice, babies, or suffer the consequences. You have been warned!

Life, Parenting

#TBT: Fighting Sleep at G-Ma’s House

12/18/2014 R.C. Liley 2 Comments

Since she was born, we have only made a handful of trips to spend the night at G-Ma’s (my mom) with Avery. But, G-Ma has come to stay at our house numerous times and we are forever grateful for all of her help. We really appreciate her watching Avery when Going Mom and I have a couple’s night.

With each visit we’ve made to G-Ma’s house, my wife and I always have the same question to ponder; will she sleep? Granted, that’s a daily concern for any parent anywhere, even at home. But, the difficulty level seems to increase ~~three~~ infinity fold (it’s a thing) when we go to G-Ma’s to spend the night.

Last weekend we spent the night there and, as expected, Avery did not go down easily or quietly. I get it, sleeping in a different place with different surroundings is tough for anyone. Plus, having to sleep in a small play yard instead of her crib with solid wood rails that she can kick like a kangaroo only exacerbates the issue. I mean, before I go to sleep, I have to kick something in bed really hard for a while first. My poor wife, huh?

Just as we thought, Avery fought sleep as my awesome, breastfeeding wife stood the front lines and ran the course of nursing her to sleep like she does every night. Lately, Avery will be out cold in her arms, but the moment she goes to lay her down, you’d think she set her on a tack.

Who needs a baby monitor when you can hear the shrill screams reverberate throughout the house and probably next door too? The crying gives Going Mom anxiety, but it doesn’t affect me too much. Must be a motherly bond thing; anyone else experience this?

After going back in to offer the comfort of boob, Kelley nursed Avery to sleep once more. And, upon lying her in the play yard, Avery shot right back up and started crying again. Maybe there is a tack in there? #fail

This time we let Avery run her course of a screaming fit for 30 grueling minutes until she finally succumbed to sleep. G-Ma somehow fell asleep during the long spell, but Kelley and I were wide awake, listening to our daughter’s excellent, ear-piercing vocals.

Despite the sleeping (or lack thereof), we had a great time with G-Ma and Avery even got a “new” smartphone from G-Ma. It was her old, non-working iPhone, but she was adamant about keeping it with her the whole time. Avery spent plenty of time walking around the house to point out things that needed baby-proofing and show off her new walking skills.

Got my iPhone and I can walk....I Rule!! — Got my iPhone and I can walk….I Rule!!

We were all impressed and scared at the same time since you can’t hear babies as well when they are on their feet vs crawling on their hands and knees. How do they get around so quickly and quietly?!

What? Did you not hear me walk over here and sit right behind your feet?

It’s hard to believe that Avery was just a frumpy baby hardly rolling around when we spent the night at G-Ma’s last March and put old Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle puzzles together. Avery fought sleep that time too, even after I had a long conversation with her before we left home and she promised to be good.

She's grown since.... — She’s grown since….

As you can see, we had an action packed night!

Drinking and cartoon puzzles is where it's at! — Drinking and cartoon puzzles is where it’s at!

The next month, April, we visited G-Ma again and were excited for Avery’s increase in activity from only a month ago. She was more attentive to her surroundings and could sit up much better. At this point, it was exciting because we could lay her on a blanket and watch her roll around. Sleep, as my might’ve guessed, was still an issue.

Ahhh, the times of having control of where our baby could go! Now, on our last trip, she had us moving from room to room and picking up debris along the way. What a destructive little girl!

Good thing G-Ma is very, VERY patient (she raised 2 boys after all) and didn’t mind Avery’s rearranging of the house. That, or this is just a forced smile…..nahhhh

We aren’t sure when the next time we’ll be spending the night at G-Ma’s is, but one thing’s certain, we’ll still fear nighttime!

Do you have trouble staying the night at your relatives’ house with your kid?

Any advice on how to make it easier; for the kids and parents?

Life, New Life, Parenting

Avoid Awkward Silence as an At-Home Parent: Six Ways to Develop Early Vocabulary Skills

11/22/2014 R.C. Liley 4 Comments

Me: Hey Avery, are you hungry?

Avery: ……..

Me: Okaaayyyy, how about we try walking?

Avery: …….

Me: What’s wrong, did you poop?

Avery: ………

And so on and so forth. Thus is the typical conversation most parents have with their babies.

When you start life as an at-home parent your infant, silence is inevitable and expected. Sure, there’s crying and cooing, but unless you’re caring for other kids at the talking age, you have no one to actually converse with when at home.

We only have one kid, so it’s just Avery and me spending every day together, learning and growing along the way. I love it. It’s fulfilling, rewarding, better than sitting in an office (to me), way better than daycare (financially and physically), and it sometimes drives me INSANE!

Oops, did I say that? It’s not when she’s extremely fussy and screaming out loud, or when she’s pulling out my leg hair as I’m trying to cook meals for day; it’s the silence. Crying, I can take, but sometimes it gets quiet, a little too quiet.

Don't mind me, I'll just sit here and stare. — Don’t mind me, I’ll just sit here and stare.

As I first mentioned, it’s expected from an infant, but at a year old and close to making actual words with her babbling, it’s just awkward when she turns silent. I’ll be working in the kitchen as she’s happily pushing her boxes across the floor (yes, we’re classy) or we’ll be playing in the front room, but all too often, she turns silent and stares into space.

I know you’re thinking, “Must be poop!”, and I used to think the same, but that’s usually accompanied by grunting and a strawberry-red face. I’ll check anyway because you never know (right?), but 8.3 times out of 10, there’s no poop in sight……or smell.

Luckily, there are solutions to most problems in the world, and I’ve found six that help combat the awkward silence as an at-home parent. As she grows, many of these will act as a wonderful base to build upon and hopefully expand her vocab skills and mind.

1. Explain what you are doing. When I’m in the kitchen (it’s a lot!), I’ll catch Avery staring at me as I work. Instead of just carrying on in silence, I’ll explain to her exactly what I’m doing as if she’s a student anxious to jot down all of my notes. I do this for everything from the exercises I do when working out and even during diaper changes. This gives me the pseudo-conversation I sometimes miss and helps keep her engaged in daily activities.

2. Explain what they are doing. Since it would be narcissistic to only talk about yourself, describe the actions your kid is making too. This goes along with number 1 above, and will help them begin to understand their capabilities.

Yes dear, you are accurately portraying Chucky, the killer doll.

3. Make eye contact when speaking to your child. In doing so, your child may be more inclined to communicate. Of course, watch what you’re doing too; like changing dirty diapers!! I’ve tried looking into her eyes while explaining how I’m cleaning her bottom and next thing I knew, well, you know. #ParentingFail

4. Read to them often. Even when they can’t stand still and try to tear the pages from your hands as they scream, keep reading! Avery does this to Going Mom and I daily, but trust me, you’ll help build vocabulary skills and maybe even have them reading before others their age. Make sure to choose books with big, bright colors and fun pictures. Moby Dick is not the best book to start with. 🙂

5. Acknowledge their sounds and actions. When Avery started blowing raspberries, we made sure to return the action and let her know what she was doing. Now that’s she’s babbling a lot, we repeat (as good as we can) the string of “words” she spouts out and encourage words like “momma” and “da da”. Lately, Avery has become an expert at sticking out her tongue on queue and it makes my wife and I so proud!

6. Play music. You don’t have to have “The Wheels on the Bus” on repeat, play actual music, whatever you like, and it’ll be fine. This is a big one for keeping sane and having some kind of background noise at all times. Almost every day, I turn on Pandora with a mix of my favorite channels and frequently sing out loud with Avery staring at me in bewilderment. Despite the strange looks you might receive, have no doubt that your kid will pick up on words that help expand their vocabulary. For this reason, I tend to stay away from the Eminem station….

Although you can never fully escape the awkward silence when you’re an at-home parent with only one kid who’s not yet talking, these six solutions will help get you through this time and help build your child’s speech and learning skills as well.

Have you made use of any of these before?

Do you have other tips/advice to share?