11 Things I Said I Would Never do as a Parent...but then Did Do:
1. Sugar/Candy Before 1 Year - I pretty much kept that promise with Kenley but then Eleanor came along and that went out the window! She had a ton of allergies and there was only so much she even could eat so...sure E, have a lollipop at 10 months!
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| K at Suck It! Super sad it closed. |
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| E with the most giant lollipop ever from Wizarding World. |
2. Co-Sleep/Bed share - Kenley has almost never slept in our bed. Eleanor on the other hand, well... we purchased a new king sized bed specifically so that she would fit comfortably. *gasp* I know!
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| Cool crib E! Wouldn't it be amazing if you actually slept in it? |
3. CIO ("Cry it Out" Sleep method) - It was the only method that worked with Kenley. And although a bit painful, having her out of our room at 5 months was pretty magical. With Eleanor though, only my boobs will get her to sleep.
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| Happy K in the morning who actually DID sleep in a crib. |
4. TV/Screen Time Before 1 Year - The first thing Kenley "watched" on TV was the Macy's Thanksgiving day parade at 10 months old. I feel pretty good about allowing that though. I mean, parade! Eleanor on the other hand...I don't even remember. She probably saw Frozen or Charlie Brown. Fortunately, she has little interest in TV. Note: It is suggested no screen time before 2 years old so I guess I REALLY failed.
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| Early morning with Cookie Monster. |
5. Barney & Sesame Street - When I was a teenager I decided I wouldn't let my kids watch Barney. I mean, how annoying were those songs?! Apparently teens have no idea how valuable Barney's "Clean Up" song is. Also, I've always been super creeped out by monster puppets on Sesame Street. As a lover of Muppets though, John won this battle. It was the Cookie Monster Les Mis rendition that won me over. View HERE.
6. Be SO Gross with Boogies - Ever heard of the Nose Frida? It's a contraption used to suck out boogies through a tube with your mouth. It's my favorite. Also, several weeks ago I noticed something on my shirt, "How did I get boogies all over my shirt?!" John - "Um, did you not just see yourself wipe Eleanor's nose with your hand and then wipe it on yourself?" I'm now the grossest.
7. Crocs - I'm sorry but I think Crocs are the silliest looking shoes. Apparently, they are the most comfy ever though and my kid loves them. To make matters worse, I let Kenley wear Cros with SOCKS! I know. I know! I feel it's only a matter of time before I'm in Crocs.
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| There's just a lot of yellow happening here Also, notice K's Crocs with socks. |
8. Character Shirts - For the most part, I never put my kids in something I wouldn't potentially wear myself. That includes shirts with TV/Movie/Game characters. Somehow though, my kids' love for characters persuaded me (MYSELF) to buy Kenley an Elsa shirt, Peanuts Shirt, 2 Minnie shirts, an Ariel shirt, and probably 10 other characters.
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| At Disneyland. Also, one of my most favorite shots of K, despite the character shirt. |
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| I more than likely allowed her to go out like this. |
9. Go In Public with Hairy Legs and Armpits - Yep, that's happened...on more than one occasion. I barely have time to shower, let alone shave my legs. And if I do shave, it's usually in the sink, super fast, and I need about 17 princess bandaids to cover all of the nicks.
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| Pretty sure I shaved JUST my ankles for this outing. |
10. Pacifiers - In the Fall of 2011, pregnant and sitting at my aunt's dining room table, I told her I would never give my kid a pacifier. In March of 2012, I realized how foolish that statement was and that my boobs needed a break! I will say, however, she was only allowed to have a pacifier to sleep. Eleanor has never taken a pacifier. And boy do I want her to so desperately. My boobs!
11. Drive a minivan - I used to think only 90's soccer mom's with 12 kids drove them. Then I had 2 (just two) kids and realized they have SO MUCH STUFF. I technically don't currently drive a minivan, but we have looked at them!
I know I've broken way more than 11 promises I made to myself. And I also know there are many more I am doomed to break. But of all the promises broken, there is one promise I did not break, the most important one...loving my kids. And boy does this future minivan driving, hairy legged, boogie covered, Crocs with socks wearing mom love them!
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| Love these rascals. |
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| Love them here too! |
