Tag Archives: Parenting

Being “normal” as a preemie

April 12, 2016 Zoe

I was not expecting to have a preemie. It was not part of my plan, but it was medically necessary. After I got home from the hospital, I started reading up on preemies, and it was pretty scary stuff – there were so many articles and books about the challenges that are common for premature babies, and I was feeling so sad for my little princess. It was hard enough to see her so very tiny, filled with tubes and sensors in the NICU, but the idea that her struggle would continue long after she was home… it just broke my heart.

When she was still in the hospital, I remember a physiotherapist came in the one day and started chatting to me. She explained that premature babies do eventually catch up, but that you need to adjust for their age – instead of sitting by six months it would be six months from the due date, etc. That wasn’t so bad, and that’s how I thought of Harley for a while – as her real age and her “adjusted age”. But I’m not sure I need to keep doing that. Continue Reading

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2 Comments Geek, Parenting

Why I love my Wonder Weeks App

April 6, 2016 Zoe

If there’s one thing I’ve learned from being a parent, it’s that you can’t truly be prepared for anything. Your baby might wake up one morning and cry non-stop for no reason. Or at least it seems that way until she lets rip an enormous fart. Or maybe she’s super clingy and you don’t know why – it’s moments like those that I simply couldn’t live without my baby sling. However, there is a way to get a bit more insight into what’s going on.

You may or may not have noticed the pretty gray button on the right side of the page. That’s to show you that I’m a columnist over on Tums 2 Tots. My column each month is about an app that makes pregnancy or parenting easier, and you can check it out over here (and you really should – the site has gone through a rebranding and looks beautiful!). This month, I wrote about The Wonder Weeks app, and it truly is my lifesaver sometimes. Continue Reading

1 Comment Geek, Parenting

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Activities for baby development – 3-6 months old

April 5, 2016 Zoe

Baby development is such a strange thing. On the one hand, babies seem like blobs – they can’t do much and it can be so daunting to do activities and have no idea if anything is sinking in. On the other hand, the period from 0-24 months is when babies develop at the fastest rate. Their brains are growing so much every day, and this is when they’re the most like sponges, absorbing all the information. They won’t remember it when they’re older, but that doesn’t mean that it doesn’t help or apply. I already shared some ideas for 0-3 months, but of course, it’s a continual process.

I love watching Harley develop. Dean and I have had a few instances where we’re sure she wakes up smarter. Her eyes will focus more, her attention span will lengthen or she’ll have some new skill. Now that she’s smiling, I am even more confident about which activities she enjoys and how to engage with her. But with her expanded skills, there’s also room for a bunch for development. Thankfully, I have a ton of activities in my arsenal. Continue Reading

3 Comments Child Development, Parenting

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When things got easier

April 4, 2016 Zoe

Harley is now four months old. She is smiling, she is learning to roll over, and she is looking more beautiful each day. She is looking particularly beautiful to me today because I got seven hours of sleep in a row. Yup, Harley slept through the night and is looking radiantly gorgeous today, although that could also be because I’m happy and rested.

Not so long ago, I was having a very hard time with her. I was tired, I didn’t know what she wanted, she seemed to cry all the time, Dean was irritated by her – life wasn’t too great. But now Dean and I are having fun with her, I’m falling more in love with her each day, and life seems to be getting better and better. When did that happen? Continue Reading

2 Comments Parenting

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Why I “spoil” my baby

March 29, 2016 Zoe

I have been quite lucky so far. Aside from one passing comment about not cuddling my little one “too much” (who knew there was even such a thing), no one has accused me of spoiling my baby. I don’t really believe that kids can be spoiled, although maybe it’s just a terminology issue – some babies become materialistic and entitled, but I think that has more to do with how you raise them than how much stuff they have. As for spoiling with love, well, I simply don’t think that’s possible.

I’ve written before about the kind of mother I want to be, and I still stand by those words. I don’t let Harley “cry it out”, choosing rather to cuddle and comfort her. I want her to know that she is heard when she asks for help, even when she’s too young to articulate what she needs (or even know it herself). I already linked to an article explaining that children who are cuddled and loved as babies are more adjusted and have fewer mental health issues, but apparently it goes beyond even that. Continue Reading

11 Comments Parenting

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