As new moms, we carefully sift through the mountains of books and countless pages on the Web, hoping to find answers to our latest parenting dilemmas. One resource that I think you’ll find both bookmarked and in print on the nightstand of most moms is What To Expect.

Author Heidi Murkoff and team of online experts have every topic covered, so you can imagine my excitement when I was approached to share my real life mom experience with the readers of What To Expect!

I hope you’ll take a second to read my thoughts on being a mom of two small children. If you have experience on the topic, I’d love for you to share your thoughts in the comments on my post and further this great community of moms online!

If you are new to my blog, start here. Then take a second to read some of my thoughts on parenting, see my favorite party, and get some baby sewing inspiration.

I hope you’ll click around both sites and enjoy!

Photo Courtesy of Holly Lauer Photography

Today I am pleased to share a guest post with a few quick reminders about Newborn Health.  There are so many great resources out there to help care for our precious babies, and Alex reminds us of some key topics to consider.

What to consider for your newborn’s health

When parents bring home their newborn for the first time, they are likely to have a rush of mixed emotions: happiness, stress, fear, excitement and dread may all come to mind.  In fact, the first few weeks at home with a new baby are some of the most hectic a parent will ever know.  Over time, parents will get the hang of it, but may have some general questions about their baby’s health.

Before baby comes home

Expectant families have much to consider before the baby even comes home, including issues such as finding a stem cell bank.  While umbilical cord blood donation is still not widely discussed, it is something all parents should consider.  Cord blood is rich in stem cells that have been proven to be effective in the treatment of a number of diseases and the list is growing all the time.  Parents may elect to bank their baby’s cord blood for their own personal use in the future, should the need arise or to donate it so that someone in need may benefit.

Cord blood collection is painless, non-invasive, and can end up saving a life.  At no time is any blood taken from the baby – only the umbilical cord after the baby has been delivered.  Neither mother nor baby will even be aware of the collection, which happens moments after birth.

General health considerations that may surprise new parents

New parents are often very nervous simply because they don’t know what to expect when they bring the baby home.  Newborns seem small and fragile, but they are actually much more resilient than many people think.  Babies grow quickly and learning how to bathe, burp, diaper, feed, and travel with them can be a real challenge.

One of the most surprising elements of a newborn’s health is that they are actually quite funny looking – but there is little cause for alarm.  Babies have just spent nine months in the womb, so they may have a covering of fine hair called lanugo, a puffy face, and swollen-shut eyes.  After a few days or weeks, they grow into the beautiful bouncing baby most people imagine.

Other than the way their baby looks, many parents are concerned about the soft spot and the umbilical cord.  While special care must be taken with each of these areas, newborns aren’t as fragile as they seem.  It is a good idea to give the baby a sponge bath just until the umbilical cord falls off, but after that, an infant tub is just fine.  Just remember to keep the cord as dry as possible – it will fall off faster that way.  The soft spot is also cause for concern, but parents shouldn’t worry too much.  It’s all right to touch the baby’s soft spot gently!

Vaccinations newborns typically need

Vaccinations can be scary for babies and parents alike, but they are a necessary evil to protect the child from life-threatening diseases.  While immunization shots will hurt and result in a cranky newborn, they are crucial for health.  Most doctors recommend a regular immunization schedule that includes shots for hepatitis B (HepB), rotavirus (RV), diphtheria and tetanus toxoids and acellular pertussis (DTaP), haemphilus influenza (Hib), pneumococcal conjugate (PCV13), polio (IPV), measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR).  Other vaccinations that parents may elect might include varicella (chickenpox), hepatitis A, meningitis, and the flu shot.  These shots all vary as to when the baby should get them, though most begin after 24 weeks and up to two years of age.

Alexandar Maxwell who is currently studying newborn health and anything baby related after becoming an auntie for the first time!

This is a sponsored post.

I’m continuing to welcome guest bloggers to Addington Mom today as I spend my time caring for our new family of four.  As I mention all of the time, there are so many wonderful places to visit in the blogging world, and it has been exciting to plan these posts and share different perspectives here.  Today’s guest is Amanda from The Pelsers – A Shelter for the Heart.

I asked Amanda to share her expertise on sharing the Bible with your children.  Although I haven’t done any faith based topics on Addington Mom, I felt that this might be interesting to other parents that are answering the endless precious questions that come from your child.  Our son is starting to make connections between what he learns at church and our lives at home, and so I wanted to know how to be more deliberate about teaching him about the Bible.  I hope you’ll enjoy this post, and maybe share your favorite resources in the comments section.

How to Get Started Teaching the Bible to Your Kids

God calls you as a parent to lead your kids to Him. You are their guide on this path.

“You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might. And these words that I command you today shall be on your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise. You shall bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes. You shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates.” Deuteronomy 6:5-8

Being responsible for your kids’ spiritual development can be in a word – overwhelming. If you didn’t grow up in the church, you might might think that being responsible for the discipleship of your kids is impossible. Even if you did grow up in the church, you might not feel adequate for the job.

Let me reassure you that God did not give you an impossible task. You are the perfect person for this job because you know your kids better than anyone else. You know their strengths and their weaknesses. You how they learn and how to reach them.

So, how do you get started teaching the Bible to your kids?

Keep it simple. Just start by reading to your kids. Depending on the age(s) of your kid(s), you might want to start with a story Bible instead of the full Biblical text. This is especially helpful for little ones. If you need some help, try these tips for choosing a children’s Bible.

When you’re ready for more, here are three more resources you might find helpful:

My boys enjoy listening to an audio Bible. They like to go to sleep listening to the Bible on an iPod in their room at night and at nap time. The Word of God is soothing to them and they’ve grown to love the stories. Now my older son even asks for certain stories, books, or chapters and follows along in his Bible. You can find audio Bibles for various versions of the Bible. We have this ESV version read by Max McLean. There are plenty of options out there, including dramatized options.

Another favorite resource of ours is the What’s in the Bible? DVD series. This DVD series has been put together by the creator of the Veggie Tales series. It’s meant to give a book by book, section by section, overview of the whole Bible. Various stories and theological concepts are introduced and made understandable for kids. As a parents, you’ll laugh and learn along with your kids.

Want to dig in a little further but keep it simple? Try Grapevine Studies. These are easy to use Bible studies that incorporate drawing stick figures and timelines to help your kids understand and retain facts from various stories in the Bible. You can choose from various characters or books or an overview of either testament.

Ready to get started? Jump in! Want more help? Take a look at my weekly Kids in the Word series for more resources and ideas for teaching the Bible to your kids.

Bio:

Amanda Pelser is a church communications director turned work-at-home(schooling)-mom. She spends her days running after and teaching her two young boys while running her virtual assistant and WordPress business. She opens her home as an encouraging and inspiring shelter for your heart through stories of faith, motherhood, and homeschooling at ThePelsers.com. Amanda has also shared her story and tips for dealing with depression in her ebook, Finding Joy in Depression.

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Years from now, a son and daughter reach up onto the shelf and pulls out one of the dusty large albums.  Wiping it clean, her curious hands pull back the cover, revealing slightly curled and faded photographs.  Brimming with excitement, she begins to read.

Lying within those pages is a story.  One told through fleeting snippets of time, a quick glance backwards to reveal what life might have been like.

The words are scrawled in that handwriting, the script that defines a person, a mother, a teacher, a wife.  They don’t start at the beginning.  No; those pages lie at grandmother’s house.  These stories began when this girl became a woman.  They tell of fun filled college days, a wedding, places she lived, a growing family.

They are told in just a way that remind the children of how much this woman enjoys living life and inspires them to create their own story.

Five Minute Friday encourages quick unscripted writing every Friday on a topic chosen by Lisa-Jo Baker of The Gypsy Mama.  You only have 5 short minutes to write the first words that come to mind and then bravely click “publish”.  Although challenging, I think this exercise is fun and very liberating, as there is no pressure to continually edit a post.  Be sure to head over to the Gypsy Mama to read her entry and many others.

As I read various blogs, I always feel like I’ve struck gold when I find an excellent resource.  I’m usually inspired by the blogs I read, but there are times when I do a fist pump in the middle of my craft room because I found something really useful.  This week, I decided to bring back a “roundup” of great sites that I used to do when I first started blogging here.  Hopefully, you’ll be as excited as me about these resources.

1. Sewing

Fairytale Frocks and Lollipops is an excellent source of all things sewing, but I particularly like their pattern selection.  They have so many great patterns for girls clothing, many of them downloadable!

2. Crafting

I was in heaven this week when I discovered this diva blogger, who has endless tutorials and crafty goodness!  With her help, you can learn to sew adorable things, and find inspiration from lots of other talented folks.  She is currently doing a Vintage May series featuring handmade dresses that are to die for.  Be sure to check out Craftiness Is Not Optional!

3. Inspiration

So, I have a craft room that is an amazing space, with just the right furniture, but I haven’t gotten around to really decorating it yet.  Instead, I busy myself with sewing and scrapbooking, leaving little time for fixing up the space itself.  Well, this space by brand-new blogger Raising Up Rubies made my jaw drop.  She came out of the blogging gates with some gusto, and I couldn’t be more inspired to make my space special.

4. Product

I am beginning to plan Mr. Cheek’s third birthday party and my first stop will again be Anders Ruff.  They are gurus of design and offer the most adorable printable EVERYTHING for your next event.  You can check out things they designed for the Firetruck themed second birthday party here.

I’d love for you to share your favorite finds from this week in the comments section below!

This past weekend was perfectly filled with family, colorful surprises, laughter, hugs, delicious food, and the wonder of a little boy to whom everything is a big deal.  Our Easter weekend began with a special visit to Mr. Cheek’s school, where excited smiles and little feet surrounded me.  Reading a story to the class, I was amazed at their focus and attention to the smallest details on every page.  As we finished the book with a unison, “The End!”, the children scattered as they heard it was time for their Easter Egg Hunt.

It was so fun watching their excitement as they discovered the Easter Bunny’s treats throughout their familiar playground!

Watching Connor interact with all of his friends at school during their class party was priceless.  These little people share a unique sense of humor all their own as they make each other giggle over the silliest things.

Next on the agenda was a special trip to the Grandparents house to turn those boring white eggs into something special.  We named the colors, counted the eggs, and watched in amazement as they transformed into something beautiful.

The busy weekend left us all sleeping well, despite the anticipation of Easter morning.  We enjoyed a breakfast of bunny shaped pancakes, and marveled at how the Easter Bunny knew just what to choose for Connor.  How could he know that Connor would like a new ball, a race car, and candy?

Thankfully, toddlers love to do everything “just like Daddy”, and so we were able to get dressed for church without a struggle!  I can’t believe how grown up my son is, and how quickly the time has passed since he was a tiny baby.  He’s so proud of his tie, and so am I.  I made it!

How lucky to have two such handsome boys!  I couldn’t get rid of my smile as I watched these two strut their stuff!

We celebrated with a beautiful Church service shared with new friends, family, and fellow musicians in the community.  There is something about the hymns on Easter Sunday that make my heart smile.

 And so our journey continues.  Easter is a great reminder of the Hope that still rings true in the world.  I  loved watching my sister and her fiance celebrate and love on Connor, and excitedly anticipated their upcoming Wedding Day.  I watched my parents continue to be such great examples for all of us.  I thought of all of our loving family that we didn’t share that particular day with, but that are so important to us.  I giggled as my son followed my husband’s lead and leapt out of his chair with applause as Bubba Watson won the Masters.  I felt incredibly blessed each time our little baby kicked inside me.  Across generations and across miles, our family is so special.

I was thrilled to recently help host a “Baby Book Brunch” for one of my great friends.  One of my crafty contributions was a garland that would hang above the head table.  Instead of a banner, I decided to make mini storybooks out of scrapbook paper and an old book.  I first selected pieces of scrapbook paper that would compliment one another:

I cut each paper to make the “cover” of each storybook:

I then took an old book (that came from a pile passed down to us).  It was in disrepair, so it made a perfect candidate.  I cut the pages slightly smaller than the cover:

With the pieces all cut, I paired each “cover” with a “story” and stitched each book with my sewing machine.

As I was getting ready to string the story books onto some twine, I thought the decoration needed something more.  I decided to add these butterfly chipboard accents in between the books:

The finished product looked so quaint dangling above the table.  The guests were very complimentary, and it was one of many details that made the shower so special.

I love the trend of garlands and banners.  They are everywhere, and I think they easily personalize any party.  Do you have a handmade garland to share?  Leave a link in the comments, so I can come check it out!

I have such great intentions.  I really do.  In addition to being the best mother, wife, and family member, I also try to be the best teacher I can be.  I know I’m not alone in this standard of perfectionism that is hardly attainable.  On top of that, I’m passionate about writing in this space.  When I get to come here and open up my mind and heart and write, I truly enjoy it.  I love sharing my photos, stories, and things that make life a little more fun and simple.

October came and went, and like the quickly changing colors on this leaf, it was hard to keep up!  I was so enjoying my Simple Solutions posts, but something had to give, and it surely wasn’t going to be my family.  The day job seems to find it’s way right to the top of the priorities list, whether I really want it to or not.

The cool thing about blogging, though, is you just jump right back in and pick up where you left off.  You brush off that keyboard, upload those photos, and start sharing again.  This is such an exciting time of year to share things!

When I look at this picture, I marvel at not only the magic of watching an individual grow, but growing with them.  Learning things you never knew; I couldn’t make the awesome tractor and racecar sounds I make now even a year ago!  And revisiting all of the simple things in the world that make it so magical.  When is the last time you shrieked at the sight of a school bus?

It may be challenging to wave goodbye to those little cheeks in the morning, or even to help the big kids learn during the day.  Most days, though, there’s no place I’d rather be than school.