Mamatography 2014 - Week 21

Day 138 - Sunday - May 18

Our first official visitation with his daughter!
Thank you all for your support!
They're playing Ring Around the Rosy in a McD's parking lot.

Mamatography 2014 - Week 20

Day 131 - Sunday - May 11

My chosen way to celebrate.
Didn't get much of it and it was a crummy day that ended with a nasty sprained ankle.

Mamatography 2014 - Week 19

Day 124 - Sunday - May 4

Sibling Mirror Play
That boy is a blur, I tell ya!

Feeling Needed

Welcome to the May 2014 Carnival of Natural Parenting: Ages and Stages

This post was written for inclusion in the monthly Carnival of Natural Parenting hosted by Hobo Mama and Code Name: Mama. This month our participants have talked about their children’s most rewarding and most challenging developmental periods. Please read to the end to find a list of links to the other carnival participants.

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Years ago I came to terms with a label: Attention Whore. You know what? It totally fits me. I love to have brightly colored hair, wear crazy hairstyles (or shaved head), even to dress different from the trends! My favorite kid stage? Baby! As a baby, my children need me more than at any other time of their lives. And their needs are simple. I don't have to help them work through the emotional baggage of school bullies. I don't have to help them through helping a friend that self harms. A baby needs... to eliminate waste, refill the tank, rest and attention. Easy.

Day 1 with Dreadlocks

That said, I also love the study of Early Childhood Development. I find it fascinating. I love watching the world trough the eyes of a young child, who couldn't and wouldn't hide the wonder they feel. There are so many milestones in the first couple of years! My youngest (and last) is now nearly 2½ years old. I am so screwed. But I am working to find the joy in the everyday parenting of 15, 4 and 2 year old children. There is still some wonder left, even in the teenager.

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Visit Hobo Mama and Code Name: Mama to find out how you can participate in the next Carnival of Natural Parenting!

Please take time to read the submissions by the other carnival participants:

• When Three-Year-Olds Stand Up For Themselves — Parenting Expert Laurie Hollman, Ph.D. at her blog, Parental Intelligence, enjoys the stage when three-year-olds dramatically wow their parents with their strong sense of self.
• This too shall pass — In the beginning, everything seems so overwhelming. Amanda at My Life in a Nutshell looks at the stages of the first 1.5 years of her daughter's life and explains how nothing is ever static and everything changes - the good and the bad.
• Age 5 – Is It Really A Golden Period? — Jennifer at Hybrid Rasta Mama looks at the developmental norms for the five-year-old set and muses over if this age really is the 'golden period.'
• How much do you explain to your preschooler when crime touches close to home? — When tragedy strikes someone your preschooler knows, Nathalie at Kampuchea Crossings wonders how parents can best help young children cope.
• Thoughts on Toddlerwearing — That Mama Gretchen's babywearing days are over, we're living it up in the toddlerwearing days now!
• Parenting Challenges—Almost a man — Survivor at Surviving Mexico talks about leaving childhood behind as her son turns 12.
• How Child Development Works — Competence Builds Competences — Debbie at Equipped Family shares how each stage of childhood builds on the next. Focus on doing the current stage reasonably well and success will breed success!

• Making Space — Kellie at Our Mindful Life is adjusting her thinking and making room for her babies to stay near her.
• The Best Parenting Resources for Parents of Toddlers — Toddlers can be so challenging. Not only are they learning how to exert their independence, but they simply do not have the developmental ability to be calm and logical when they are frustrated. It's the nature of the beast. I mean … the toddler. Here are Dionna at Code Name: Mama's favorite books and articles about parenting a toddler.
• The Fab Five Stages so Far — Laura from Pug in the Kitchen couldn't choose just one stage for this carnival and is sharing her top five favorite stages in the young lives of her son and daughter at Natural Parents Network.
• The best parts of ages 0-6 — Lauren at Hobo Mama gives a breakdown of what to expect and what to cherish in each year.
• Lessons from Parenting a Three-Year-Old — Ana and Niko at Panda & Ananaso are quickly approaching the end of an era — toddlerhood. She shares some of her thoughts on the last two years and some tips on parenting through a time rife with change.
• Feeling Needed — Jorje of Momma Jorje ponders which developmental stage is her favorite and why. She bares it for us, seemingly without fear of judgment. You might be surprised by her answer!

Mamatography 2014 - Week 18

Day 117 - Sunday - April 27

We strapped both kids on for a while at the flea market.
At 4 years old, Sasha still loves to be worn!