Starving Baby

If Jacob could talk he would most likely tell you that his parents starve him. I swear the boy must have a hallow leg or something. Lately he has been waking up every 2-3 hours at night to down 4-6 ounces of food. This is serious business because he claims he hasn't been fed in ages and will die if not taken care of. Good thing we are there to oblige, but some sleep would be nice. I don't know if anyone has told him that even if he gets chubbier, he still needs to use his hand to fend off his siblings. Being bigger won't be of any help to anyone, except to fulfill the plot to tire out mom until she konks out and then kids ruling the home.

I mean, look at those thighs. Can you say squishy chubbiness?! I love them. Chubby babies are adorable, but at the way he's going I am going to have arms like those of Linda Hamilton's in "Terminator 2". Who needs to work-out when hefting around Jacob? So watch our for my "guns" because I don't think this boy will be slowing down anytime soon.

Who needs marriage?!

I just recently read a blog about Jamie Lynn Spears calling off her wedding to her boyfriend. (No, I didn't seek it out, it was a banner on a "your baby" email and I was intrigued.) She and her boyfriend still live together and are happily enjoying their 9 month old daughter, but decided to put off the "pressure" of marriage for now. What's the difference anyhow, it's just a piece of paper and a ring Spears claims.

Shudder, vomit, scream, run, hide, and whatever other reaction you can think of that shows my distaste. We all know how the world feels about marriage. It's no secret. The article didn't really surprise me and I couldn't care less about Ms. Spears. However, I found the comments to the blog more shocking that the actual news itself. I included a few just to give you a taste of how wonderfully whacky society's standards are now:

To answer your question Whit the point of living with someone if you are not married is to get to know the person before you marry. Don’t judge others for being realistic. I lived with my husband for 7 years before we married and marriage did not change anything. We’ve always been happy married or co-habitating. I don’t believe in doing anything blindly. Over 50% of marriages end in divorce. Let’s get real please and if you can save yourself till marriage great for you. But those are unrealistic standards for the majority of people.

So nothing changed after you got married? No stronger commitment or obligation to each other? That's sad. And so what if 50% of marriages end in divorce? Marriage just doesn't happen to you. It should be a conscious choice, one that you recommit to and work together on every day. It's easy to avoid divorce. Don't be a stupid idiot. And why is it so unrealistic to save one's self for marriage? Does no one know how to control themselves anymore? I know, we want instant gratification and if marriage is just a piece of paper, why wait?

I think that it would be better for her not to get married yet. She has a child and she is still a child her self. I think she needs to focus on the child first and then maybe a year or so down the road then start the planning of their wedding. You have a child that needs you focus on that and not add extra stress on top of a child

If she is a child herself, then why the heck is she having a child? No one seems to have a problem with that one! Yeah, because planning a wedding and being married is SO much more stressful than being a parent. Right? Maybe if you have nannies to care for your children. Argh!

I think shes doing the right thing, shes got a little baby girl already so why not wait to get married. getting married doesn't really mean nothing now a days!
im a mum of a 15 month old and have been with my bf for 4yrs and marriage is deff not on the cards just yet! xxx

Yep, getting married doesn't mean anything! Good for you not being married. That way it'll be a lot easier for your boyfriend to leave you when he wants to. And let's tell her she is doing the right thing so we don't feel guilty about our own mistakes. Plus, I want an unwed bratty teenage mom to be my child's hero, don't you?

I think at their young age it is better to wait for marriage. If they are happy in the situation they’re in & their daughter is well cared for, then it’s probably a smart move to give themselves time to figure out who they are as individuals & what they really want from life & a marriage. I don’t think any teenager really has all of that figured out. Better to put it off than to marry too soon & have it end in divorce, especially with a child involved. I think it actually shows a bit of maturity on their part.

I agree that they are young and need to figure out themselves. However, they should have thought about that before having sex, which resulted in said child. No matter what anyone says, they are no longer kids. They are parents and need to act as such. Whatever they want out of life better include that child they had together. But I know, I'm assuming they would actually be responsible people by saying the above. Oh yeah, and it would be far worse for their child for them to get a divorce than split up because then there wouldn't be that whole name change thing. Don't want mom and dad to make an commitment that really would be in the best interest of the child. And as for maturity, you're kidding, right? They are immature, which is shown by the fact that they are teenage parents. Um, yeah.

I grew up around divorce and switching between my mom and dad on the weekends. That was not fun. But it didn't turn me off to marriage. Instead of running away from and avoiding it, I realized marriage is a beautiful wonderful thing, if nourished properly. It really makes me angry to see people treat marriage so lightly. There is a huge difference between living together and being married. And having married parents makes a giant impact on any child. I didn't go "blindly" into my marriage. It took a lot of prayer. We married only after two months of being engaged and have been happily married for 8 1/2 years. What we are doing takes maturity and understanding, not the world's way of avoiding commitment. Thank goodness for the Gospel and a sound understanding that marriage and family are sacred and holy!

No Thanks Chuck E.

There is this Chuck E. Cheese commercial that I have seen lately that drives me bonkers. It's two moms talking over walkie talkies as they spy on their kids playing outside. They keep in contact with each other as they sneak around to make sure they always know where the kids are and let each other know when the kids go inside or move location. Then comes Chuck E. Cheese on the tv asking if you want a safe place for your kids to play then you should go to said food place where the kids can eat, play, and be safe. The end shows the very happy moms saying the Chuck E. Cheese slogan.

This commercial bothers me so much because it is a product of our insanely over-protective parent society. We can't just let kids play anymore. We have to monitor their every move. Something bad could happen if we don't keep an eye on them at all times. Imagine the horror if we let them play outback or at a friend's house! Why don't we just send them to the ghetto with hundred dollar bills stapled to their clothes and see how they fare?! What kind of negligent parent lets their kids play on their own?

Well, I guess I am one of those horrible parents. I let my kids play outside and even in the neighbors yard unattended. I know, I am evil. I am just asking for my kids to be hurt or seriously twisted for life. What has happened to our society when we can no longer feel comfortable sending our kids out to play in their own yard? Are we that worried about bad things happening to our children? Can we not allow them a little freedom, especially when it comes to play? I think, and I remind you that I am one of those horrid negligent parents, that children should be allowed to run free in their yard. They shouldn't have to be monitored all the time in their play. I also am highly against structured play groups that delegate activities for the kids. Childhood is a time to develop one's imagination. There is no end to a child's creativity. As I write this my children are busily making a King Boo family out of balloons and markers. My kids are always coming up with interesting and fun games. Their little spirits would be crushed if I was constantly towering over them and watching their every move. And as they got older, they would fight against me because I kept limiting their creativity and freedom.

Parents who spy on and stalk their children are only asking for problems in the future. Childhood is also a great time to let children learn trust. I trust my children to play outside and behave. When they are naughty and fight or make messes in the neighbor's yard, that privilege is revoked until they have proven them self worthy of it again. They are allowed to make choices and learn the consequences for their actions. Children who are not allowed to exercise such freedom have a tendency to grow up irresponsible and clueless about how their actions affect others.

So sorry Chuck E., but you didn't sell me on that commercial. Not that I would take my kids to a place like that often anyway. Along with believing that my children should be allowed to be children, I also believe in a bank account, which would be wiped out if I went to Chuck E. Cheese every time my kids wanted to play. We'll just stick to the backyard and take our chances.

Three Months!

Happy 3 months! Where did the time go? Jacob is a sweet little angel that loves to smile at us and talk. Here is a little video of him sharing his views on life.
Enjoy!