Friday: Things I've Found in Week 2!

The 0-10 scale: So true! I always thought I was doing something wrong with Clara when she cried. Great advice for first time Moms!

Work from home!: Have you been wanting to work from home? Me too! I'm not looking forward to paying daycare costs. This Chica gives you (pretty) legit jobs. On her page she states that you should do your own research. But I know from experience that it's nice to have a jumping-off point.

Finland gives moms presents!: This is just ridiculous! That's it! I'm moving to Finland. All I got when Clara was born was a flimsy little tote from Enfamil with a sample of formula. And Finland keeps on giving every year!

What I'll do differently for my second pregnancy: I agree with most of this. I was so nervous something was going to go wrong. I swear I was getting a non-stress test every 3 weeks. I know the second time around (whenever that may be) I'll be much more prepared.

TSA agents took my Son: At first, while reading this story, I thought this lady was WAY over-reacting. Then I got to her description of her son being taken away. And two things happened- I put Clara in her son's place, and I remembered how stressed and frantic I am when I'm at the airport. I would have freaked out just like she did.

Did you find interesting stuff surfing the web this week? Share it with me!
Oh, and don't forget to vote for us on Top Baby Blogs by clicking the button below. Thanks!

Thankful Thursdays

A bit late, I know. Sorry.

Today, Clara had her 6 month check-up. Which we all know means vaccinations. I'm not the one getting the shots, but I was still dreading it. Clara is developing so well. And I really like the new NP at her doctor's office.
I'm realizing more and more how lucky I am that Clara has been sleeping through the night since she was a month old. Normally, she sleeps from around 9:30-10 at night until anywhere between 8 and 10:30 in the morning. Crazy, right? And she still takes naps during the day. We've been at a steady 2 naps- one about 2 hours after she wakes up (Is that weird to anyone else?) and one from about 5-7 at night. Both are usually two hours. RIDICULOUS.
Anyway, Clara is now 15 lbs 3 oz and 26 in. 35th percentile for weight, and 50th for height, I do believe. I'm so proud she's growing so strong. :) Also, she is rolling over much better than Monday. All in a week! It's been quite the week for Clara.
In total, she had 5 vaccines in 3 shots. I had to hold her arms down. :( She just cried and cried... harder with each shot. I declined the flu vaccine for her, though. In my experience, the years I've opted for the flu shot for myself, I get sick. No flu shot? I don't get sick. Maybe it's a conspiracy. Besides, she was already getting so much injected into her poor little chunky thighs. And those needles are HUGE. I can't believe they don't hit femur while in there. Eww...
Post traumatic experience, she got some pain reliever, and slept for most of the day. During her awake times, she was rather fussy and a bit feverish. Hopefully, tomorrow will be a better day. :) TGIF!

Wordless Wednesday

What a brilliant idea!

I read a post on someone's blog... and I wish I could remember where I saw it so I could link back...
How about I scratch your back and you scratch mine? I'll put your blog button under my sponsor list, and you'll put mine in yours! What a fantastic idea! Contact me if you're interested, grab my button on the left sidebar, and check out my "Blogs I Love" page.

Oh, and you should vote for us! Clara and I would appreciate it. :)



EDIT! I found :) I keep trying to embed the link, but it's not working. So here ya go!
http://ourfootprintsontheworld.blogspot.com/p/sponser-swap.html

Weekend Happenings

My baby girl is 6 months old today! My, how the time flies! 6 month pictures to come. Stay tuned!
This past weekend, Clara started standing! That's right! My kid can't roll over, or sit, or crawl, but she can stand almost all by herself! These are some pictures taken the morning she started standing.
On Saturday, Clara's Dad came to visit. We took Clara to the Kalamazoo Irish Fest! It was super fun. Some of my family was there, and my uncle Bill (Liam the xtra-large Leprechaun) was the MC for the event.



Hey Mom! Look what I can do!





Kalamazoo Irish Fest!




I wish he would smile for these!



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Happy, but creepy looking baby.

Guest Blogger: Kathleen Thomas

Start the Reading Process Early
Article provided by Kathleen Thomas on behalf of Primrose Schools

Reading is an essential skill that all children must learn, but for most parents it is not just about the process of learning because they want to instill a love for reading in their children. Instead of waiting for an educational institution such as a preschool or day care to educate their children, it is best for parents to work with their children from the very beginning. Studies have shown that early reading is a precursor to academic achievement in school and it does create beneficial changes in the brain as well.

Although many parents often question what is the appropriate age to start reading with their children, there is really not an appropriate age because it is all about reading with them as soon as possible on a daily basis. It is essential to make reading fun and interesting children, so be sure to carefully select books and stories appropriate for their age group. For young children, focus on books with lots of pictures, rhythmic words, and interesting stories. Make every effort to read with your children on a consistent basis each and every day because you want to instill it within them so it will be a lifelong habit.

The type of material you read is not that important as long as your children enjoy it, but the key is consistency. Avoid books that may be too advanced for them or if your children do not find the book interesting then find another book that they like. The best thing to do is find a few books that your children will love and get them to read the books repeatedly. Once your child has a few favorite books they will be enticed to read and even recite them more often and then they will be more interested in exploring new titles. Here are some more tips that you can use to foster a love of reading and books.

- Saturate the home with books

The home should have an abundance of books and they should see the adults and their siblings reading on a daily basis as well. Be sure to add a small bookshelf in your child's room so they will have easy access to books.

- Read each and every day

Again, reading consistently is the key to making your child a lifelong reader. Take time read at least 20-30 minutes before bed or whenever it is convenient and read along with them or allow them to read independently when they are older.

- Encourage reading during the downtime

Leave books in the car or anywhere else they spend time to encourage even more reading.

- Obtain a reading list from school

When your child attends school, request a supplementary reading list from their teacher so they will have some books to read that are relevant to their course of study. This is known to not only improve their reading skills because it also helps them improve their grades and stay ahead of the class.

- Encourage recitation

Encourage your children to read and recite their favorite stories and passages because it improves their comprehension skills.

Reading is a journey that you should take with your children very early in their lives so they will continue to do it for themselves in the future. Surround your child with books and schedule a daily reading time to develop their skills and ease them into reading. There is never right or wrong to time to read with your child, so the best advice is to start today.




Kathleen is a Communications Coordinator for the Atlanta day care facility, a member of the AdvancED® accredited family of Primrose Schools (located in 16 states throughout the U.S.) and part of the network of day care preschools delivering progressive, early childhood, Balanced Learning® curriculum.

Want a chance at a free giveaway?

Jordan over at "Holding onto the little things" blog is doing a giveaway for getting into the top 125 on TopBabyBlogs.com! It's also her first giveaway! So head on over and enter for your chance to win!

Weekly Re-cap in cell phone pics- Week 1

This was a busy week. Being week 1, and just starting this weekly post, I had to remind myself to take pictures. If I take pictures of Clara, It's with the Nikon. I rarely take pictures of our daily life, just of cute things she does. But I did my best. :)




Monday. Clara hung out in her pajamas in her bouncy seat and watched Baby Einstein first thing in the morning. I pureed bananas and froze cubes for Clara's breakfast. Every. Day. She loves them. I fed her FRESH bananas and cereal after finishing.

We headed to the hospital because my NEW nephew and Clara's cousin, Levi Jack arrived. Such a sweet little bundle of awesome! He weighed in at 7 lbs. 11 oz. Almost a full pound bigger than Clara when she was born. But he was so tiny! I don't believe Clara was ever that small. Crazy. We finally got home around 11 p.m. Clara had slept a bit, so she stayed up with me for awhile. Good day. :)




Tuesday. In the morning, we went to MOPS. Late. Because Clara decided to stay up and party all night. I was inspired by the organization talk, so I spent most of the day doing that and NOT taking pictures. Lame.
On the way home, we stopped at my Aunt Robin's office and had lunch with her and my cousin, Kristin. We took a walk and went to visit my Mom at work. Clara kept her hood pulled down, grasping either side. It was her first time in the stroller without the car seat. Clara had a bath, she loves her rubber duckies. Doesn't she just melt your heart? (Sorry that my cell phone takes such crappy pictures in low light... the flash will blind you, so I don't use it.)





Wednesday. We got up early to take my mom to her doctor's appointment, then we went shopping. Clara shopped till she dropped, and passed out in the stroller, with her new stuffed giraffe, Sophie. Clara is getting better at holding a bottle on her own. She loves her Taggies dolly.
Later, I made sun-dried tomato Alfredo with chicken, and took some mexican pasta to my mom at work. (Sorry for the blurry picture. It was the best one out of the bunch.) Then Clara played in her exersaucer with Sophie before bed.




Thursday. An adorable little chicken first thing in the morning (with sophie, of course).

Friday. A silly mama realizing (when it was almost Saturday) that she forgot to take cell phone pics for 2 days.

Sorry for the epic fail, guys. I promise to be a more diligent picture-taker next week.

Also, PLEASE PLEASE vote for us! Click the button! DO IT! PLEASE?! The more times you click the button, the more people find out about From Bean 2 Baby. PLUS, I'll upload some pictures of my little bean who CAN STAND ON HER OWN AT ALMOST 6 MONTHS OLD! (Holding on to something, of course.) DO IT. kthanksbye. :)

Friday: Things I've Found this Week

I stumble. It's my night-cap after Clara goes to bed and I need to unwind after a day of being a mommy. These are things I find interesting. I thought you might find them interesting as well. :) Happy reading.

-Not enough tummy time?
I'm worried about this with Clara. Everything I've read has made me fearful of putting Clara on her tummy. Even when supervised. I fear that right under my nose, she will bury her face in her blanket and suffocate. Morbid, I know.
Clara used to know how to roll over, front to back, that is. Now, she has no idea. We didn't do enough tummy time. We're working on that, and re-learning to roll over, both from front to back and also from back to front.
I know that every child develops differently. I'm just concerned that she's doing the same things as when she was 3 months old. Granted, it's with more control and accuracy. And she's stronger. But I'm concerned that she's not even trying to roll over. It's something that I will discuss with her doctor at her 6 month appointment He will tell me that I'm being silly and she's right on track. I just want to hear him say it.


-Parenting Pet Peeves
I agree! Especially with the first one. I can't tell you how many people have done this.
"Mommy, I'm so tired. Mommy didn't let me have a nap."
I most certainly did. You think I would give up her nap time? (AKA my FREE time?) Hell, no. She looks tired because she just woke up. Jackass.


-Beat childhood obesity!
Does anyone else think this is perfect? It's like weight watchers for kids. In fact, it's exactly weight watchers for kids.
fruits and veggies= 0 points
carbs= more points
desserts/sugar= WAY more points
Wonderful system. Although I can see kids cashing in on the sweets. Just make sure the points/dollars don't rollover to the next day.


-What I wish I got paid
Wouldn't it be nice to make money being a stay-at-home mom? Tell your husband.


-Teen Mom star Farrah leaves Sophia behind
Okay, I understand. You probably don't care. You think Teen Mom is stupid... etc. But I watch the show. I came across this article and it was just crazy to me. I know people have done way worse things than leave their child with their parents, but I could NEVER leave Clara while moving to another state. To each her own, I guess.



What do you think? Would you like this to become a weekly post? Give me some feedback! Also, if you come across something you find interesting, please share it!

Thankful Thursdays

What am I thankful for? My beautiful brand-new nephew. He was born Monday. Little Levi Jack. :)


Grandma and Levi


Uncle Jason and Clara



Landon and his tractors


Lilly and Aunt Anna


Proud Grandparents


Baby Levi and I (please excuse the bad hair day)


Aunt Anna and Clara


Proud parents... looking pretty good.


Great Grandma and Grandpa with their 5th great grandchild. (After 12 Grandchildren!)


Mommy, big sister Lilly, and NEW big brother, Landon.

Wordless(ish) Wednesday

Clara taking a nap with Sophie. :)

MOPS

Today, I had my first MOPS meeting. That is, Mothers of Preschoolers. It was held at my cousin's church. I have to say I'm in love. I don't post often about my religion, as it's a deeply personal matter to me, but it was so nice to be surrounded by christian women who are in similar stages of life. Obviously, the one thing we all have in common is that we're mothers.
I don't feel alone anymore. I feel like I have more people that I can talk to and share stories with.
The theme of today's meeting was organization. We talked about different strategies of keeping our lives and spaces organized. I found someone who does extreme couponing, and I can't wait to learn her ways! That's probably the most exciting. :) And we made dry erase boards from picture frames, and fabric. Pretty awesome, I think.
During the meetings, they have volunteers in the nursery stay with everyone's children. It was great to have "grown-up time", while not being too far away from Clara. And she was SO good.
After spending 6 months almost completely being cared for by yours truly, I expected her to have some sort of stranger anxiety. None. She was happy, as usual, and loved being around the other kids. I can't believe how lucky I am to have such a happily-natured lil chicken. :)

Do you participate in MOPS? Tell me about it!

Monday... what a wonderful day to Jazzercise!

We got pretty excited about Clara's legwarmers. I hadn't seen them in awhile, so I glad we found them. We went with an 80's theme today. I LOVE legwarmers on her because they don't restrict her movement. She can rollover, and hopefully CRAWL soon with the help of these things. Probably wishful thinking. Maybe I should make it a scientific study. Mmhmm. I'm thinking that's what I'll do.
Anyway, enough silliness. Let's see if you remember Clara wearing her legwarmers for the first time here. She was about 2 weeks old in this picture.



The legwarmers were sooo big on her. If you held her upright, they would just fall off.
Now, they're almost too tight around her chunky lil thighs. :)

Randoms on a Sunday

Clara and I are just being lazy, waiting for her Dad to come visit. I should be going for a run. But I still don't have a JOGGING STROLLER. Ugh, I want one so bad. So, cleaning out some pictures, I found these lovelies.


Hugs for Grandma!



She's got the drool thing down.


Lots of love! We go visit my Mom at work a couple of times a week.


My happy girl!

Thankful Thursdays

She had bananas for breakfast. She saved some for later. Then decided NOW was a better time. Strange baby. :) Love her.

Want me to do a giveaway?

I'm thinking that if I did a giveaway, that like two people would enter it. So, if you would like a chance at a giveaway, please complete the following steps:

1. "Follow" FromBean2Baby by clicking the "follow" button up top on the left.

2. Leave me a comment after this post telling me something you wish I would "giveaway", and letting me know that you started following the blog.

Pretty simple, right? Once I see the interest level, I'll do a giveaway.

Happy blogging. :)


VOTE! But only if you want to. :)