Relax, just do it.

Guess what?!?  We just got another formspring question!  Gotta say...I love it when our readers give us questions.  Not only does it make finding a topic to write about easier, it makes me feel like we really are just all sittin' around gabbing with big steaming mugs of hot chocolate in front of us, like proper girlfriends should.  Anyway...enough with my Girls Night Out mini-fantasy, onto the question!

How do you handle nursing in front of your other children, are you secretive about it or relaxed?

As Frankie said on his way to Hollywood, "Relax, just do it." (Ok, so I know that's not the real lyric, but that's the version I've been singing in my head ever since I got this question), so, the short answer would be:

Oh so very, very, very relaxed.

Now here's the long answer:

If any of y'all have spent any number of minutes in my home, I'm sure you've witnessed the never-ending modesty battle as I insist that my hooligans "get some friggin' clothes on!"  It's become sort of a family...and neighborhood...and ward joke that the Lifferth chilluns just don't like clothing much.  The less, the better in their books.  Where, I've been asked time and again, do they get it from?  Well...let's just say the apple doesn't fall far from the tree.  No, I don't spend my days lounging about in the buff, but I've never been one to stress if my kids happen to catch a glimpse either.

So, I'm not much different when it comes to nursing.  I don't mind nursing in public as long as I can successfully hide the actual faucet.  Hence, I most certainly don't hesitate to nurse anytime, anywhere in my home.  I've always felt that nursing is a healthy, normal part of life and it can only help a kid to be exposed to it in day-to-day workings of the family.  It's my hope that if I act like nursing is nothing to be ashamed of then it won't weird-out my sons when their wives start spouting liquid nutrients and my daughters won't hesitate to give it a try as well.

Not to mention, who has time to go into a secluded alcove to nurse anyway when they have 3 other small children under-foot?  If I did that every time the baby was hungry I'd reemerge to find my house absolutely torn apart or...errr...more torn apart then it is already, anyway.

So, when you find yourself as a new mom of more-then-one, I encourage you to give open nursing a try.  You'll find out soon enough that your little one will treat it as what it really is...no big deal.

Potty Training...and all the loveliness that comes with it.

I've been dreading potty training ever since we decided it was time to have kids. However, my son is three years old and I finally decided it was time for the inevitable. So, I bought some Thomas underwear, a Lightning McQueen toilet seat, and told myself today was the day (or, ummm, last Tuesday was the day).

Two accidents later I thought twice about whether or not today was really the day. After some consideration I decided to hold off till the next day, it was a crazy-busy day for me and I was already stressed by the days activities.

Wednesday morning was a fresh new start. We talked about going pee-pee in the potty, how the Thomas underwear was special and for big boys, and how peeing on the floor made mommy sad. Three number one accidents and one number two accident later and I had reached my limit. And it was only 11am.

Back to diapers and a trip to the library. Obviously I needed to rethink my strategy, I mean my son was walking around calling his underwear his "Thomas diapers." I checked out books and videos, bought some "training pants" and introduced the vocabulary to my son.

Now, almost a week later he hasn't peed in the potty. I figure there are three things that have made it impossible:

1. It was my BIL's wedding reception this past weekend and we had everyone flying in for it, from brothers to 93 year-old grandfathers. With late nights, luncheons, and no naps, it was obviously not the best time to start potty training.
2. Language - I just assumed that my son would catch-on to the language just like that, obviously I need to introduce concepts like the difference between underwear and diapers before we proceed.
3. Me - I get frustrated quite easily and have found that while I can handle the screaming and crying and changing poopy diapers - I can NOT handle pee on the floor and changing nasty underwear. Oh - and I have NO clue what I am doing.

So, any suggestions? I am seriously at a complete loss and while I've tried reading books and doing such things as "naked-time" (which did not work, he just sat on the floor and cried for his pants), it's just not working. To all of you experienced potty-training Moms out there I send an S.O.S. What's the secret to successful potty training? Or better yet, how did you have the patience and sanity to get through it?

of things that matter most

Oh my heck, has it been my turn to post for nearly 2 weeks?! big oops!  The ridiculous thing is I've had this post in my head for at least that long, I've just had family in town and what-not and time passed me by.  Anyway...

My dad sent me this movie a while ago.  It was a great reminder during the everyday drudgery (and joy!) of raising hooligans.  It helped me remember just how wonderful the little souls I have in my care really are and made me want to try just a bit harder to see that in the day-to-day. It made me (all teary-eyed) remember where I've come from and whence I'm going.  As an added bonus, the cinematography is super-cool! Enjoy!

"We would do well to slow down a little, focus on the significant, lift up our eyes, and truly see the things that matter most."
~Dieter F. Uchtdorf