I had to ground my step-son for the first time and it made me feel like a “real” parent
I love my little man. He’s seven, and while not mine by birth, he sure as hell is mine by love. The four of us parents, (mom, step dad, dad, and me — step mom) get along pretty well, and while we disagree on some things, we try to compromise and present a united front. Usually, this isn’t too hard — he’s a good kid, hardly ever misbehaves, and for the most part a good talk will prevent any major infractions of the rules. That is, it was easy until yesterday.
Is it even possible to decline my work’s baby shower?
I work in a small corporate office and we celebrate birthdays and things, including baby showers. I don’t want a baby shower thrown for me for the sake of being consistent by my co-workers who complained about me, and my family and friends are both planning two already; this would also be a bit superfluous.
I turned a coffee table into a chalkboard canvas for my toddler
I love to encourage my little girl to draw and be creative as much as possible. I’ve looked into a lot of options for her, but wasn’t very happy with what was available — besides, my daughter needs a BIG canvas. When my husband brought a pretty grody-looking coffee table home a few weeks ago, I ignored it until I realized what I could use it for — the coffee table could be transformed into a canvas for our kid.
A middle of the night home birth with dad playing midwife
The final day (June 25, 2012) of the 2011-12 school year passed without an event. The typical feelings relief and accomplishment were strong, but overshadowed by the impending arrival of our baby. On June 27, I prepared a smoothie and the second dose of castor oil for my wife, who had chosen to sleep on the couch due to its close proximity to the toilet, before heading to bed. At 12:15 AM, I heard her…
Darth Vader and son: a new book about that special father-son relationship
Cartoonist Jeffrey Brown has released a new book called Darth Vader and Son that’s going to melt the hearts of Star Wars fans everywhere…
Turn a baby gate into a laundry drying rack
Over on Home Talk, blogger Erica showed off her great idea for a DIY wall-mounted clothes drying rack…
Finding freedom in infertility
I got married at eighteen (as a lot of women from my culture do). A husband and two kids by twenty-one was the only path that women I know were ever expected to walk. I, however, shunned the cultural expectation for me to get pregnant. Fast forward three years later and you would find me on an operating table having my lady organs snipped and burned and moved about. For me, infertility means freedom. Beneath the hurt, the fear, the hope and the confusion about why THIS thing happened to me… there is freedom to choose.
How do we celebrate ALL holidays this season?
My family of three is still very young, but we’re trying to beat our own path as best we can. We’ve recently (gently) let go of our religious upbringings, and we’re trying to see things through a broader scope. With the holidays coming up, I’d like celebrate with a more open mind. How do other “offbeat” families out there incorporate other cultures into their holiday festivities to form their own traditions?