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Rethinking My Role as a SAHM

I am no longer on bedrest. I still need to take it easy (ie, no heavy lifting, getting as much rest as possible, etc) until my next OB appt in two weeks — when hopefully we will find out BebeDeux's gender! — but I am no longer confined to the bed. Thank you all for your thoughts and prayers. I actually quite enjoyed bedrest. Although I felt a bit bad for J, my SIL, and my mother who were all chipping in to help with Claire, it was a nice break for this pregnant and tired blogger. For all that, I am certain that I probably would have hated it if it lasted longer. I seriously don't know how other pregnant...

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Household Help

I have a confession to make. Before I became a mother, I used to look down on SAHMs with housekeepers and/or nannies. "You stay at home all day," I thought to myself. "Can't you clean when the baby's sleeping? And why would you need help raising a kid?" This, like many other pre-conceived notions of motherhood, was thrown out the window as soon as I became a mother myself. Because being a SAHM is the hardest job I've ever had. Because I really don't know how moms with 2+ young kids do it (single moms have my utmost respect). Because, when you think about it, the nuclear family living separately in a household by itself is a fairly new concept, and for most...

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A Chemistry Kit with No Chemicals

Last night, The Daily What featured a children's chemistry set called Chemistry 60 which boasts "60 fun activities with no chemicals." Sadly enough, I was not surprised. You already know my thoughts on this matter. It's actually a pretty clever marketing technique when you think about it. Because most children's chemistry kits available to consumers today are quite similar to Chemistry 60 in that they do not contain any inoffensive, potentially dangerous materials (aside from small parts which may be considered choking hazards). By outwardly admitting — and boasting — its lack of actual chemicals, the manufacturer has gained substantial publicity of viral proportions. You can be sure that J and I will be purchasing for our kids chemistry sets that contain actual chemicals.  :-)...

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Because She Loves Me Most

I once read that a baby will cry hardest to her mother (or the primary caretaker) because, just like adults, babies reserve their most passionate and deepest emotions for those they love most. Our household is a perfect example of this. When Claire is around me, she WILL make it known if she is displeased in the slightest bit. Whining, fussing, crying, tantrums, you name it. But when she is in the care of others she is more subdued and much less vocal. She will also only take short naps when I am watching her — which I can only guess stems from her desire to spend as much waking time as possible with me. My SIL has the pleasure of getting 2-hour...

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Pink is for Girls, Blue is for Boys?

Before having Claire I couldn't understand why some mothers — even the die-hard feminists who eschewed all traditional takes on gender roles — would dress their baby girls in pink, frilly clothes all the time. And as soon as Claire was born, I discovered why. It's because whenever she's not wearing pink she's often mistaken for being a boy. And I'm sure that this is the exact reason most parents dress their baby boys in predominantly blue wardrobes as well. I have personally never questioned these color associations with gender before. I always assumed that they are what society once deemed appropriate, and so I — along with billions of others — automatically grew up thinking this way. What's strange about this assumption is just...

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