4 hours ago
I think it's natural to moms of more than one child to worry about how their older child will handle the new addition. I am really blessed in the so far, my kids have ha a fairly easy transition!
However, I wouldn't be honest if I didn't admit that I'm still worried about how Clarice will handle this new baby. I've been worried each time, so this is nothing unusual, but I'm particularly concerned for my youngest darling this time because she seems to be currently thriving in her role as the youngest. She thinks my lap is her spot, and gets upset if even one of the older kids sits in my lap. She likes to be carried as often as she can get away with it. She is a ham and loves being the center of attention.
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These are my strategies for making the transition on Clarice as easy as it can be, but I'd love to hear more ideas if anyone has some!
1. Talk to her about the baby as much as possible.
This is always easier when my belly gets bigger, but I will point to my stomach and say "Baby in there!" It was surprising with my other kids how much this helped it sink in.
This is always easier when my belly gets bigger, but I will point to my stomach and say "Baby in there!" It was surprising with my other kids how much this helped it sink in.
2. Read books about new babies.
Tommy Nelson just came out with a book called God Bless Our Baby and as soon as I saw it, I snagged it! It's super-cute, and details all the fun and sweet things that come with a having a new baby - like making them laugh, helping with bathtime, and having a new friend. It also has pages that talk about things like mama's growing belly, feeling kicks, and staying quiet while baby sleeps to help little kids know what to expect. I also LOVE that they have one page that includes adopted families. I think this will be a fun book to get my younger kids excited about having a new baby around!
Tommy Nelson just came out with a book called God Bless Our Baby and as soon as I saw it, I snagged it! It's super-cute, and details all the fun and sweet things that come with a having a new baby - like making them laugh, helping with bathtime, and having a new friend. It also has pages that talk about things like mama's growing belly, feeling kicks, and staying quiet while baby sleeps to help little kids know what to expect. I also LOVE that they have one page that includes adopted families. I think this will be a fun book to get my younger kids excited about having a new baby around!
3. Work on being "gentle".
Lots of practice with baby dolls, stuffed animals, and people, and excessive praise when she succeeds.
Lots of practice with baby dolls, stuffed animals, and people, and excessive praise when she succeeds.
4. Put the baby down sometimes for lots of snuggles after baby arrives.
I always try to be aware that all my older kiddos need some extra attention and love after the new baby comes home, especially the child that was just ousted from the youngest position. I will get as much snuggles in with my new munchkin as I can, but I also want to make sure to intentionally put the baby down so I can hold or play with my other kids. They need to know they are still just as important to me, even though babies take more time in the beginning.
I always try to be aware that all my older kiddos need some extra attention and love after the new baby comes home, especially the child that was just ousted from the youngest position. I will get as much snuggles in with my new munchkin as I can, but I also want to make sure to intentionally put the baby down so I can hold or play with my other kids. They need to know they are still just as important to me, even though babies take more time in the beginning.
5. Ask the big kids for help.
My kids feel so useful and proud of themselves when they are able to help me - and a little praise goes a long way in making them feel loved and needed! For Clarice, I'll ask her to bring me a diaper or wipes so that she can feel a part of taking care of the new baby.
My kids feel so useful and proud of themselves when they are able to help me - and a little praise goes a long way in making them feel loved and needed! For Clarice, I'll ask her to bring me a diaper or wipes so that she can feel a part of taking care of the new baby.
What am I missing? Were any of you worried about one of your kiddos with a new baby on the way? How did it play out?
Note: I received a copy of "God Bless Our Baby" from the Tommy Mommy program in exchange for the review in this post. This is my honest opinion! Also don't miss my giveaway of this book on Instagram! Double entries if you enter on both my accounts! @CallieNicole7 and @ThroughCloudedGlass
Note: I received a copy of "God Bless Our Baby" from the Tommy Mommy program in exchange for the review in this post. This is my honest opinion! Also don't miss my giveaway of this book on Instagram! Double entries if you enter on both my accounts! @CallieNicole7 and @ThroughCloudedGlass
Don’t you sometimes wish as a mom that you could just keep your car clean? What is it about carting around kids that gets the car so messy? And if you are like me, it’s hard to find the time (or motivation) to do a full wash and wax, getting out the bucket and hose and big vacuum for a deep clean of the car.
However, ever since we got our new car in December, I’ve been determined to keep it looking spiffy.
Isn’t it pretty? This, my friends, is the newest vehicle I have ever owned.
Derek always teases me about my inability to keep a car clean with the kids, but I am happy to report that I have been doing a pretty good job with our new van! I’ve come up with a few tips for keeping a car clean, on the inside and out, even as a busy mom with four (soon to be five) kids to drive around.
Don’t leave unnecessary items in the car.
This should be obvious, but if you are a mom of young kids you probably know that they tend to sneak toys, sippy cups, and books into the car without your noticing. I like to do a quick sweep of the car every time we get home. It’s much easier to bring in a few things each time than it is to let it go and have to haul out a trash bag to empty out the car later!
Minimize food eaten in the car (or be picky about the kinds of foods).
Some people don’t let their kids eat in the car, which is probably the only surefire way to avoid crumbs. We are not those people. We live in a rural area, so we spend a lot of time in our car, and my kids are hungry all the time (I don’t think my children are the only ones). So instead of restricting all food consumption when in the vehicle, I just try to be aware of what kinds of foods I let them eat. Small crackers (like goldfish) cause less mess than big crackers that you have to bite into to eat (graham). Sandwiches and chicken nuggets are pretty clean-car-friendly. Above all we avoid sticky substances and condiments in the car, because those will get ground into the carpet and take a lot more effort to clean.
Buy a handheld vacuum.
I used to drag our big floor vacuum out to the car each time I wanted to clean it - no wonder it happened so rarely! My grandma gave us a handheld vacuum last year, and it has changed my car-cleaning life. As I mentioned above, I don’t restrict all eating in the car, so there are often a fair amount of crumbs on the floor. The handheld vacuum lets me do a quick cleaning job when the crumbs just get to be too much, and it works really well.
Keep a trash bag handy on the go.
Somehow we end up having a pile of trash in our car every time we go somewhere. I’ve learned to keep a trash bag tucked into the back of the seats, so when we produce trash from food wrappers, etc, I can just gather them all up right there and through them away in the nearest trash can. It’s less for me to do when I come home, and makes it nicer to ride around in the car all afternoon when there is no visible trash.
Find easy and convenient cleaning supplies for the outside of your car.
One thing I’ve realized is that the inside of a car can look great, but if the outside of the car looks like you’ve been four-wheeling it doesn’t really matter what the inside looks like. I’m married to a man who really appreciates a well-washed car, and his appreciation has rubbed off on me. However…we just don’t usually have that much time for a full bucket-and-sponge wash. I was thrilled when I found out that the car can still look clean on the outside without all that effort.
I had used Armor All wipes previously for the interior of my car, and loved how convenient they were. I was excited when I saw that Armor All had created wipes and tire sponges that bring that same convenience to cleaning the exterior of our cars.
The Armor All Ultra Shine Wash Wipes are pre-moistened and treated so all you need to remove grime is the wipes! Then the Ultra Shine Wax Wipes can be used to add a protective layer once you get all the dirt off. The Ultra Shine Tire And Trim Shine Sponges are especially convenient and are really the icing on the cake to make your car look freshly washed, without having to go through all the hassle of a bucket and hose!
The bonus is that these wipes are perfect for handing to your kids as well - then they can be involved in keeping the car cleaned too! And yes, I cleaned the car in my dress! This was by car the easiest, least messy way that I've ever cleaned the outside of the car.
These wipes are so easy to use and the 3-step system covers every area of the exterior of your car. I found all three products at Walmart in the automotive section, and I really recommend trying all three! I even have a coupon for you - $2 off an one of the Armor All Ultra Shine Wipes line, while supplies last!
I am so happy to have these on hand so I can quickly give the car some extra shine when it needs it. Derek won’t be able to tease me anymore about how dirty the car gets, because these wipes will let me keep it cleaner with so much less effort!
How do you keep your car clean, especially with young kids? I’d love to hear your ideas!
This post is part of a social shopper marketing insight campaign with Pollinate Media Group® and Armor All, but all my opinions are my own. #pmedia #LessTimeMoreShine http://my-disclosur.es/OBsstV
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I wasn't sure what to expect going into The Illusionist's Apprentice by Kristy Cambron. I don't know much about 1920's vaudeville, and I don't even know that much about Harry Houdini (besides that he was an amazing illusionist). This book sucked me right into that world though!
This book opens with a man named Stapleton supposedly raising a man from the dead - only to have him die moments later. Wren Lockhart, a famous illusionist, is very skeptical and dislikes when performers feed off of other's grief...so she agrees to help Elliot Matthews, an FBI agent who is investigating the supposedly-raised-to-life man's death. However, it quickly becomes clear that this mystery goes a lot deeper than a trick, involving Wren's past that she would rather keep buried.
While this book is subtly Christian, with passing references to Christ being the only man to truly conquer death, the story itself wasn't rooted in the Christian faith. Sometimes it bothers me having a book with hardly any trace of Christianity coming from a Christian publisher, but the way Cambron handled her story made it seem more natural. If she had forced in too many faith references it would have been awkward, so I understood it in this book, and it seemed to work. I'd say this book isn't overtly "Christian", but has some Christian influences since the author is a believer.
I thought this book was so well-written. The whole thing had a mysterious air about it, before we even got to the mystery part of the story, and I credit that to Cambron's ability to create atmosphere. The author weaves in so many elements to the story but really manages to make it all cohesive. I was rooting for Wren and Elliot right from the start, and their romance was full of old-style flair. The author also seemed to take a lot of care with her historical facts, and wove in so many pieces of history that I didn't recognize them all until I read her Afterword - still it gave a really authentic feel to this book. I also liked what the author did with some of the secondary characters, and everyone's personality was colorful and distinct. I'll definitely be keeping an eye out for more books by Cambron!
Note: I received a copy of this book in exchange for a review. This is my honest opinion.
1/5 stars.
The back cover of Treasured Grace by Tracie Peterson sounded interesting, which was why I picked it up. I had read a book by Peterson in the past, and though I didn't remember loving that one, I thought I'd give her another shot. I probably would have thought better of it if I had realized this book was about a massacre.
I don't have a problem with books that deal with tragedy, but I have little patience for historical fiction books that portray historical events by heaping one tragic event after another upon the characters, with no lighthearted moments to break it up. That's what this book did, and by the end I was just so tired of the book. It felt like every time something got slow she'd throw another death or other difficult situation in there to try to keep it interesting.
This book also just dragged on and on to me, and I think that is because I just don't personally like Peterson's writing style. I felt like a lot of the deaths and tragedies felt cold, because I never felt like we really got into the character's heads and emotions. The author was just telling us how the characters were feeling instead of letting us feel things with them, if that makes sense. The characters seemed one-dimensional, and any personal histories that were woven into the story seemed like an afterthought, instead of something that was incorporated from the beginning. There was nothing really driving the plot forward, it just felt like a bunch of historical events and personal tragedies were strung together, and that was it.
I also felt like Peterson tried to address too much in this book. This book tried to address loveless marriage, alternative medicine, hypocrisy, racism, death and grief, r.ape, abortion, adoption - all in one book, and it was too much. I couldn't pick out an overall theme or point to the story.
I also had little confidence in Peterson's portrayal of historical events. Some of the historical figures were portrayed in less than flattering ways, and she provided no historical research to back up her representation of their personalities. I'm thinking particularly of Dr. Whitman, the missionary involved in the massacre, who came off like a total jerk. When I read historical fiction, I like to know that the author tried her best to get it right, and I didn't see the effort here aside from a short note at the beginning of the book. There was no explanation of her research and why she included certain figures/events/conversations. It felt careless.
On top of that, I find the main character very unrelatable, and almost unlikeable. She acted like a know-it-all and got on my nerves. This is obviously just a personality conflict between me and the character (that does happen, and I don't blame the author for that).
Finally, and this was disturbing to me - there was also a comment on page 89-90 where a character made a very sympathetic statement about someone wanting to marry their dog...I think it might have been a joke, but the context didn't seem like that statement was a joke. No characters laughed after he said it. Some people might not take this seriously, but I do, because I know in many countries around the world people do actually marry animals. And it's animal abuse, and it's sick. That sentence came out of left field and made me very uncomfortable. We no longer live in a global culture where a sentence like that can automatically be counted as a joke, and I have no idea what she was getting at by including it.
Finally, and this was disturbing to me - there was also a comment on page 89-90 where a character made a very sympathetic statement about someone wanting to marry their dog...I think it might have been a joke, but the context didn't seem like that statement was a joke. No characters laughed after he said it. Some people might not take this seriously, but I do, because I know in many countries around the world people do actually marry animals. And it's animal abuse, and it's sick. That sentence came out of left field and made me very uncomfortable. We no longer live in a global culture where a sentence like that can automatically be counted as a joke, and I have no idea what she was getting at by including it.
The one thing I did think she did well was to incorporate the salvation message into her story. She did it very naturally I thought, and I like when Christian authors take that kind of effort. However, I can hardly give the author any points for that considering my other problems with the book, especially the seemingly sympathetic reference to be.asti.ality.
Overall, this book just really wasn't for me at all. Others with different tastes may like it more. I will not be reading Peterson again.
Note: I received a copy of this book for free in exchange for a review. This is my honest opinion.
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I was so excited that I got the chance to read Karen Kingsbury's new novel before it comes out in June! Many years ago I got sucked into the world of the Baxters through Kingsbury's books, and it's been exciting to see her writing more books about them again.
In Love Story, we finally learn the full story of John and Elizabeth Baxter, how they met and fell in love, and how Elizabeth was sent away to have their first baby out of wedlock, forced to give the baby up for adoption. That sounds terribly sad if you haven't already read the rest of the Baxter Family books and know how it all worked out, so I wouldn't recommend reading this book at all unless you've read the rest of the books in those series. A lot of the characters and stories in this book won't make sense or mean as much if you don't already have the backstory from the other books.
I also liked how Kingsbury gave us updates on Bailey's marriage and Cody's life through this book. Bailey and Cody were some of my favorite characters from her series, and it was fun to see how things are working out for them.
The only thing I haven't loved about Kingsbury's books in the past is how she will have God "speak" to her characters. At times she has even said that the characters heard God's voice audibly, and I have had concerns with whether she is giving the correct impression of how a Christian can expect to hear from God. I'd hate to have a Christian who was younger in their faith feel like they must be missing some way that God is speaking to them, instead of realizing that God speaks to us through His word, the Bible. There were a couple instances in this book, but I do appreciate how she almost always has God "speak" something that comes from a Bible verse at least. Thankfully I find that Kingsbury has been toning down that aspect of her stories in her more recent books, which has let me enjoy them even more.
Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed this book, and finished most of it in one sitting on a Sunday afternoon. Kingsbury's writing is done in a way that keeps you reading, and I'm a sucker for a happy ending. If you have read any of the Baxter books in the past, I definitely recommend catching up with the Baxters and Flannigans with this book!
Note: I received a digital copy of this book for free in exchange for a review. This is my honest opinion.
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I didn't really make New Year's resolutions this year, but I mentioned before that an unofficial "goal" for me is to read more about the Cold War. The Cold War was kind of a big deal, and it's pretty amazing when you think about that we fought an entire war without any official shots being fired back and forth. Like many millennials though, I didn't understand it that well, so this is the year I chose to remedy that.
Deep Undercover is the story of Jack Barsky, a former KGB spy turned proud American citizen and Christian. I loved this book! Barsky's story is written as narrative non-fiction, so it reads more like a novel, and it is fascinating. This book gave me a really good idea of what it was like in East Germany in the post-World-War-II era, and how many East Germans thought their communist government was anti-Nazi, and the answer to the world's problems. Even though Barsky doesn't realize until much later the atrocities that have been committed by communist regimes, it was fascinating to get a glimpse into how this ideology was explained to those who had to live under it, and how the American way of life was demonized and the truth hidden under government propaganda.
Barsky is eventually recruited by the KGB, and the stories of his "spy training" were so interesting. I think we have this glamorized view of spies in our culture, but this book made me see that a lot of these spies are just normal people, and their tasks are rather mundane. Dangerous, but not necessarily glamorous. It was so interesting. The way he ended up defecting from the KGB was really clever too! I didn't see it coming.
The best part of this book was reading about how Barsky's view of the US (and Christianity) started to change when he actually started living here, how he developed a love of freedom through experiencing it in America and realized how much of that freedom the people in East Germany did not have.
After many personal and family struggles, Barsky ends up hiring an assistant who is a Christian. He researches the Christian faith and eventually comes to know Jesus as His Savior. This was the coolest part of the story to me. Barsky never found out why exactly he was recruited to the KGB, but if he hadn't been recruited, he never would have formed a life in America, and perhaps never would have come to Christ. It was amazing to see God working through his life, even as a KGB spy.
I highly recommend this book. Even if you aren't particularly interested in the Cold War, this book was an absolutely fascinating read! I couldn't find a big enough chunk of time to finish it in one sitting, but I was sorry every time I had to put it down!
Note: I received a copy of this book free from the publisher in exchange for a review. This is my honest opinion.
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