Tuesday, August 7, 2012

"Bringing Up Bebe" Applications

     I am reading this book on my handy dandy Kindle and really enjoying it (Bringing Up Bebe, in case you missed the title). Funny thing about parenting books - they all kind of diss the other parenting books, because of course, this particular book has the real answers and is here to dispel the fog of all the other conflicting theories out there.  I know that because I've read several, even though growing up we always made fun of my mom for reading them, mainly because she had eight kids of her own and could have written volumes on parenting.
      Anyways, this particular book has been helpful with both our kids. I have used the sleep training techniques on our newborn and am starting to see results. Turns out babies have like a two-hour sleep cycle and tend to wake up in between but will go back to sleep if you don't jump in immediately and wake them up fully (unless they are hungry or messy or need comforting, and then they will come fully awake themselves, but you have to learn the difference). Who knew?
Sweet baby Joseph, bravely sleeping on the couch where Riley can sometimes give him loving pats.
      As for Riley, I have been inspired by the accounts of french toddlers who are able to help assemble cakes and so have enlisted Riley's help with chores here and there. I expect to see results...eventually. Our first attempts were not effective, but Riley had fun and I'll continue to involve her so she can learn to do things properly and I will never have to do laundry again ;). Here are some pictures of our first attempts at chores.
Unloading the dishwasher - Riley decided the utensil drawer needed unloading too. Same with unloading the dryer/clean laundry basket. And folding apparently means twirling the clothes around your head like a helicopter and launching them at the toilet. I curtailed that chore pretty quick.
Thanks, Bringing Up Bebe, for some most entertaining moments.







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