Kaila Mugford

This week has been...a challenge. Toddlerhood. It's hard. It's also amazingly rewarding. But hard. This isn't new to anyone though who's parented a toddler. This also isn't new to anyone who hasn't parented a toddler (because we parents sure talk about it enough, don't we?) So I'll just give you a small (and hopefully humorous) peak into my life with a 14 month old. Morning: I hear the baby monitor. I honestly can't really complain here, since usually I don't hear a peep until sometime after 9. I should just skip this morning part but ever since Mira has turned 1, she has very little interest in smiling until she's had her 'baba'.  I bring her downstairs into the kitchen and set her on the floor while I make her bottle. Mira cries big fat giant tears that make me feel like the worst mama ever while I will the microwave to countdown faster. Finally I get that bottle popped into her mouth, but only after her face has turned splotchy...

I've started about 5 different sentences to begin this blog post. None are sufficient. I'm tired. Mad. Frustrated. I could really (and have wanted to) punch some people right in the face. Would I ever? Have I ever? No. Would it feel good? Probably not. But you don't know until you try. I'm so serious. Mostly I'm tired. But serious. I've had one too many negative interactions with people in a very short period of time. Do you know what they all revolve around? Sam. I hate that. I hate that there is still so much hurt to be had, there is so much anger to be felt. Who WANTS the memory of their firstborn son surrounded by so much negative? I talked to a woman today who I don't know. I didn't ask her any questions, but she decided she needed to ask some of me. She tried to diagnose me with a gluten allergy. Thank you ma'am, but I don't have one. Then further into the conversation asked me about my birth experience. I was being as vague as poss...

I've finally figured it out. I blogged back in February about the choices we make for Mira as parents, and the 'mommy wars' that happen over those choices. Although someone did recently unfriend me over a photo I posted of Mira eating her first happy meal, I now realize where the majority of these wars are being fought. In my head. I ask myself a hundred questions a day: is she eating okay? Is what she's eating nutritious? I think other moms feed their kids better stuff, don't they? Is it okay she plays alone often? Is it okay she has favorite tv shows and movies at such a young age? Good moms don't let their kids watch so much tv do they? Should we be outside more? Should I be teaching her more? Should we have more face to face time? Do I look at my phone too often? Will she grow up thinking I don't care about her? Will she grow up unhealthy? Will she not be smart because of the choices I've made for her? Am I setting a bad example? Should I lose we...

I might have watched Frozen one too many times... Why hello there! After 2 months on hiatus, if you're still with me, then thank you for sticking around! I know you're just dying to hear what's been on my mind lately. Crickets . That's okay, I'll tell you anyway. So my last blog post? About not ever forgetting my first Mother's Day with Mira? I was right. I'll never forget it. I got the stomach flu...seriously. I have YET to spend a Mother's Day truly enjoying myself. There's always next year! Moving on... Speaking of moving, we did! We've made Rossford our permanent home. Bought our house at the end of May, and we are absolutely loving being home owners (again)! We like to make things really fun: closed on a Thursday afternoon (it was a foreclosure and needed cleaned up so I spent all that evening scrubbing while Jamey spent 7 HOURS mowing the yard because it hadn't been mowed yet. We had a pasture...I wouldn't kid you.) My pa...