Niki Sculpture at Laumeier

Laumeier Sculpture Park is a great little park filled with amazing art work located in the middle of St. Louis county.  The park is a 72 acre open-air museum.  Small paved and nature paths meander through the park allowing you to view the amazing sculptures on display.

We went to Laumeier for the first time a couple of weeks ago.  I had passed the sign on the highway many, many times and always thought to myself “we need to check that place out sometime”, but had never actually got around to it.  So, one Sunday when the weather wasn’t as hot as it has been lately we decided we would pack a snack and head out to see what Laumeier was all about.  We had a great time.  One of Maya’s new “big” words is statue, so she thought it was awesome, she just kept pointing at all the sculptures and saying “statue” all morning.

Some of the sculptures on display were truly amazing.  The giant cylinders above looked so enormous in real life and that eye sculpture looked so real it was a bit creepy.  My favorite thing about the park was that it was just the right size to let Maya walk around on her own.  We brought the stroller just in case as we weren’t sure what to expect, but didn’t end up needing it.  She walked the whole time.

Walking on to the next sculpture, telling me about the last!

Most of the sculptures are on the paved path, but a few of them can be found on the wooded, nature paths also nestled within the park.

We had a beautiful time at the park.  It took us about 1.5 to 2 hours to wander around, we probably could have stayed longer but it was getting close to lunch time (next time we’ll bring a picnic).  With the paved path the park is a wonderful way to include the whole family in a little outdoor fun.  The park also has an indoor museum, offers art classes for kids in the summer, and has many different, traveling exhibits throughout the year.

If you are looking for a nice quiet activity for the whole family that offers both outdoor fun and a little culture Laumeier is definitely worth a look.

They shiny, kitty sculpture was Maya's favorite.

I just wanted to wish every a very Happy 4th of July.  I hope you have a wonderful time with your friends and family.  Stay safe and have fun!!

Having a baby can be rough on your body, any woman who has been through labor and delivery (either vaginal or c-section) will agree with that.  Between the hormones, the tearing and inevitable stitches, hemorrhoids, and lack of sleep you will find it takes you a while to get back on your feet.  Taking the time to rest and recover is important.  However, being the mother to a helpless little newborn means spending a lot of time taking care of their needs and a lot of time forgetting about your own needs.  Even though there is something so much more important to think about remember to take the time to think about yourself, especially in those first few weeks postpartum.

Although, (thankfully) postpartum complications are rare they do occur.  Being on top of things and aware of what is going on with your body is important.  Knowing when things seem amiss and when you should be giving your doctor are a call will help make sure you don’t ignore a troublesome and potentially dangerous complication.  I experienced my own postpartum complication.  About a week after my daughter was born I hemorraged and at first I didn’t really think anything of the extra bleeding because I was too busy enjoying my daughter and taking care of her.  I eventually had to call my doctor in the wee hours of the morning when things got progressively worse.  I wish I had been paying closer attention and called earlier in the day, but luckily things worked out well anyway.

Here are some of the signs to look for.  You should give your doctor a call if:

• Your bleeding does not slow down and stays bright red after the first few days.
• Heavy bleeding begins again after slowing down.
• You begin passing blood clots bigger than a quarter.
• You develop a fever as it could be a sign that you have developed an infection.
• Your afterpains get worse instead of better.
• You have persistent pain anywhere in your abdomen or pelvis.
• You have worsen pain, swelling, redness or discharge at your c-section incision site.
• You have worsen pain, a foul-smelling odor, discharge, or swelling around your episiotomy.
• You have severe or persistent headaches.
• You have severe or persistent vomitting.
• You are feeling extreme sadness or depression or have thoughts of harming your baby.

Postpartum complications are rare but they do occur.  If you are at all worried about something you are experiencing call your doctor.  Before you leave the hospital your doctor will talk to you about your specific situation and what to watch out for (if they don’t, ask).

Last night I weaned Maya from her last nursing session.  She had been down to just nursing before bed for a couple of months now.  It had been part of her bedtime routine for so long (her whole life!) that I was a little scared to stop just in case my perfect little sleeper became a not so perfect sleeper as a result. Luckily I think it will all work out ok

Deciding to wean her was not a decision I was able to make easily.  A couple of weeks ago I started to feel like I was ready to be done breastfeeding.  Maya was only nursing for about 10 minutes max before bed but often spent the whole time fidgeting and playing.  It was a nice way for her to wind down for the night but I didn’t feel like she needed it anymore.  When I put her in her crib after nursing her she is wide awake and has been falling asleep on her own at bedtime and naptime for months now.  The hard part about taking the plunge was that I knew she still enjoyed that time at the end of the day, and so did I.  Breastfeeding has always been our quiet time together, our “just the two of us” time.  I’ll miss that.

So, yesterday I put on a regular bra (first time in almost 20 months!) when I got dress in the morning and said “Ok, today is the day.”  I took Maya to the book store and we picked out a new bedtime book.  When the time came I had her kiss the kitties and Daddy goodnight like usual and we went into her bedroom.  She asked to nurse by signing and I said “No, honey.  Mommy’s milk is all gone.  Instead you can have some of this milk (I gave her a small cup of milk) and we are going to read your new story.”  We sat down together in our regular chair and read the story.  She took a couple of sips of the milk but wasn’t all that interested (she isn’t a big milk drinker).  She loved the story.  When I was done reading she asked again to nurse and I explained again that “mommy’s milk” was all gone, she was ok with that.  I gave her an extra big hug and kiss and laid her down in her crib.  She didn’t cry at all, she just talked to her stuffed animals for a few minutes and then fell right to sleep.  However, I almost cried.  I’m sure if my husband hadn’t been sitting in the other room I might have.  I was definitely ready to be done, but at the same time it sort of felt like it officially made her no longer a baby.  Now, I know that we still might have a few rough nights ahead where she won’t be quite so understanding, but I’m thankful for an easy first night and so proud of her.

I am so proud of myself for making it 19 months (almost 20 actually).  When I was pregnant I knew I wanted to nurse at least 12 months and then wean slowly from there.  That is exactly what I did.  After a little bit of a rough start we both got the hang of it and it was a wonderful experience.  My breastfeeding experience wasn’t without it’s challenges, including a clogged milk duct I could have done without, but it was a wonderful experience.

My hope with sharing my own breastfeeding stories here is that I will inspire women who can breastfeed to give it a try.  I hope that by reading my story and learning from my experiences someone is able to get over a breastfeeding hurdle and stick with it.

Here’s to 19 months (+) of successful breastfeeding.

When it is nasty and rainy outside kids can get antsy, any parent who has tried to entertain a bored child on a rainy day can attest to that.  There’s something about not being able to get outside and burn off some energy that makes them go crazy.  It is hard to keep them entertained with all their usual toys, games, movies and books.  So what is a parent to do?  Rainy days are just a part of life, how can you make them fun for the kids and easy on your sanity?  Try a rainy day toy bag.

What is a rainy day toy bag you ask?  Well, it is basically a bag of toys that only come out on rainy days.  Since the kids don’t get to play with the toys all the time they feel like they are a special treat and will work wonders on curing their inevitable rainy day boredom.  My good friend, Heather, recently became a stay at home mom and babysitter to a couple of kids.  She told me about this rainy day toy bag idea and I thought it was a great idea.  I’ve even seen it at work at her house and it does a great job of keeping the boys entertained.  I’m going to put one together for Maya.

What you put in your rainy day toy bag will depend on your children; their ages, activity level, etc.  You want to make sure you are putting in items that will keep them entertained, be fun for everyone, and can be played with inside (of course).  Here are a few suggestions:

• Board Games. This is a great idea for older children and will occupy them for quite a while.
• Crafts.  Things like paints, cut & paste stuff, coloring books.  Really any craft that is age appropriate.
• New coloring books and crayons, markers and colored pencils.
• Books.
• A new movie they haven’t seen before or that you know they really love.
• Inexpensive toys.
• Cards that say “Let’s make cookies” or “Let’s bake a cake”.

I would recommend hitting your local dollar store to see what you can find.  The stuff in the rainy day toy box doesn’t have to be expensive.  The idea is that it is new stuff to the kids so they will have a great time picking out what to play with.  If you have multiple kids in your home consider letting them take turns picking out the rainy day toy that way everyone gets a turn to pick out something that will be fun to them and share it with everyone else.

Do you have a rainy day toy bag?  What sorts of things do you put in your toy bag?  What things have you found to be the most successful with your kids?

Diarrhea is one of those things that every parent will have to suffer through at least once with their baby or toddler.  Whether your little one has the flu, a stomach bug, or a case of the runnies with no determined cause every child seems to get diarrhea at some point.  Being the diaper changer of a little one with diarrhea isn’t much fun.  With poop in every corner and crevice, not to mention often on clothes and up their backs it can be a messy undertaking.  A baby with diarrhea often isn’t too happy themselves, and can you blame them.  Doing your best to treat their diarrhea and keep them dry and comfortable will go along way to dry their tears.

Diarrhea is defined as loose, watery stool that occurs more than 3 times in a 24 hour period.  With infants it can often be difficult to decipher the difference between a regular bowel movement and actual diarrhea since their regular bowelments are often loose and they go so often.  If in doubt give your child’s pediatrician a call.  If your child had other symptoms along with the diarrhea, like vomitting or a fever you should give your doctor a call as it may be the flu.  What you need to watch out for with diarrhea, no matter what the cause is, is dehydration.  If your child doesn’t get enough fluids he or she may become dehydrated.

So how do you treat diarrhea in an infant or toddler?

FOOD

• Keep them hydrated with lots of fluids.  Keep breastfeeding or bottlefeeding your baby.  Supplement with pedialyte (an electrolyte maintenance solution that helps prevent dehydration).
• Stick with a bland diet.  Most pediatricians recommend the BRAT diet for babies and toddlers with diarrhea.  Bananas, Rice, Apples and Toast.  Avoid anything that will upset or irritate their stomach.
• Many pediatricians also recommend yogurt (with active cultures) as cultures in the yogurt will help kill bacteria in the digestive tract.

• Change the diaper immediately when your child has a bowel movement to help avoid additional irritation.
• Use plenty of diaper rash ointment to help avoid diaper rash.
• Clean and dry the diaper area thoroughly before putting on a new diaper.
• Avoid using baby wipes as they can irritate the already irritated skin, instead use a warm, wet cloth.

Excercise is a very important part of a healthy pregnancy.  (Be sure to talk to your doctor before starting any exercise program during pregnancy to be sure you have the a-ok.)  Exercising during pregnancy can help with so many of the common complaints that women have during pregnancy, particularly those of late pregnancy.  Staying fit and in shape is also thought to help with labor and with postpartum recovery.

As important as exercising during pregnancy is it is also important to take a lot of extra care and caution during hot weather.  A run in the middle of the afternoon is probably not a good idea but there are many exercise programs and ideas that you can take full advantage of when the temperatures start rising.  Here are a few suggestions on fun, safe hot weather exercises for pregnant women (again, don’t forget to talk to your doctor first to make sure it is okay for you to exercise during your pregnancy):

• Hit the gym.  Not only is it air conditioned but there are a ton of different types of workouts available.  You can work on cardio and weight training all from the comfort of the air conditioned indoors.

• Swim.  Swimming is a great form of exercise during pregnancy.  Not only will it keep you cool but it helps take the extra weight off your joints for a little while.  You can simply swim laps or you can enroll in a water aerobics class.

• Enroll in an aerobics class.  This will allow you to exercise in the comfort of an air conditioned building.  There are usually pregnancy specific classes available so be sure to ask about them.

• Take up Yoga.  You can either enroll in a class or purchase a video that you can do at home.

• Walk outside.  Be careful if this is your prefered form of exercise.  Time your walks for the coolest parts of the day and bring water with you to stay hydrated.

• Purchase a few exercise videos that you can do at home.

No matter what form of exercise you choose to participate in during the warm summer months the most important thing to remember is to stay hydrated.  Staying hydrated will allow your body to cool itself more effectively and help you avoid getting overheated.  Also, make sure you don’t overdo it.  Know your limits and remember that you may not be able to do as much when you are pregnant.  Wear loose, comfortable clothing when you exercise.  If you are worried about exercising during your pregnancy or want to know what forms of exercise are best for you be sure to discuss it with your doctor.

Have fun and stay cool.

Happy Father’s Day!!

It can be hard sometimes, especially with older children, to make sure they always have sunscreen on, are wearing a hat, and have protective clothing on.  I think making sun protection a priority from the very beginning will help as your children get older.  They will eventually know that before they head out the door they must have sunscreen on.  It will be sort of like the seatbelt rule in the car.  No sunscreen, no outside play!

Here are a few tips on making sure your children stay protected while they have fun in the sun this summer.

• Avoid the strongest rays of the day.  The suns rays are strongest during the middle of the day.  On really hot, high sun index days try to avoid being outside in the direct sun.
• Cover up.  The best way to protect the skin is to cover it with clothing.  Use loose fitting, cool, comfortable clothing to cover your child’s skin.  You can even buy clothing with built in SPF protection.
• Provide a shaded area for play.  If you will be spending a lot of time in the sun, like at the beach or the park, make sure there is a shady area for them to spend some time and cool down.  Take a large umbrella or a tent along with you.  Encourage your kids to take a break from the sun by hanging out in the shade.
• Use sunscreen.  Apply sunscreen before you head out the door and then reapply every 2-3 hours, or after your child has been in the water, all day.  If your child will be in the water make sure to use a waterproof sunscreen.  Even on cloudy, cool days your child should still have sunscreen on.  The UV rays are still damaging to the skin even if the sun itself isn’t out.
• Use hats and sunglasses to protect your child’s face and eyes from the sun.  Hats are especially important for fair haired children or babies will little or no hair.  It may be a battle to get your child to keep the sunglasses on but try it anyway.

Playing out in the sun is what summer is all about.  Kids would spend all day outside if we let them.  You can help your child stay safe in the sun by being careful, keeping them protected and monitoring their sun exposure.

Have fun this summer and stay safe.

Babies require a lot of sleep.  On average a baby requires 12-18 hours of sleep in the first few months.  This often comes in short bursts of about 2-4 hours at a time.  For a parent who is sleep deprived it is easy to just let the baby sleep whenever and whereever.  However, habits can become established very early.  Babies can begin to confuse their days and nights.  They can begin to pick a prefered sleeping spot that is not the spot you ultimately want them to sleep in, like the baby swing or your arms.  Establishing good sleeping habits early can be a godsend later as the baby gets older and sleep is more structured.

Establishing good sleep habits begins with a few simple things.

• The first thing you need to do is to teach your baby the difference between day and night.  This can be done by keeping night time feedings very low key.  Don’t turn on a lot of lights, keep everything quiet and put the baby right back to bed.  During the day keep the baby awake for longer periods and try to establish that day time is the time for interaction and play.

• It is never to early to establish a bed time routine.  Very early on babies will pick up on the pattern of when things are done.  By keeping the same routine for bedtime every day your baby will begin to recognize that it is bedtime and as your baby gets older the transition from awake time to sleep time will be a lot easier.

• A baby that can put him or herself to sleep is more likely to sleep well and beable to fall back asleep on their own if they wake up at night (not for a feeding).  At about 6-8 weeks old your baby is ready to begin learning how to fall asleep on their own.  Instead of rocking the baby to sleep or nursing the baby to sleep try rocking or nursing until they are really relaxed and then laying them down awake.  It may take some time but eventually they will figure it out.

• If you want your baby to sleep in their crib or bassinet then you need to start that habit early.  It can be tempting to just let them sleep in the swing or laying on your chest because you don’t want to disturb them.  However, a baby will very quickly get used to sleeping like that and may (very loudly) protest sleeping anywhere else.  If you want them to sleep in their crib you have to start putting them there for sleep early.

• Keep your baby’s schedule fairly standard from day to day.  Put them down for naps around the same time, put them to bed at night around the same time.  As they get older and are sleeping few times but for longer periods each time the schedule will help you ensure they are getting enough sleep when they need it.

• If your baby starts a sleep habit that you don’t like or that you don’t think is good for them, such as catnapping, sleeping only in the baby swing, confusing days and nights, etc, work on correcting the habit early rather than later.  The longer you let it go the harder it will be to correct.

With babies sleep begets sleep.  A well rested baby is going to sleep better than an overtimed baby.  You will learn early on to recognize your baby’s sleepy signs.  Put your baby down for sleep as soon as your begin to recognize those sleepy signs, once they are too tired it will be harder to get them to fall asleep.  If you are concerned about your baby’s sleep patterns be sure to discuss them with your child’s pediatrician.

Just as baby’s need their sleep so do parents.  Being overstressed and overtired makes parenting difficult.  By establishing good sleeping habits early on you will be laying the ground work for better naps and better night sleep later on.  When your baby sleeps better so do you.