…not ready to drive a mini-van.  Even though it sucks to shimmy between your open SUV door and the car next to you when stuffing the kids in car seats.

…planning to wear a bikini this summer.  But let’s just say the Victoria Secret suits I tried on in Chicago won’t work for me.  There’s only so much material and I couldn’t stuff myself in.

…avoiding the “mom” jeans.  Yet the low-cut ones no longer work for me, either.  To get them big enough not to give you a muffin top means they’ll keep slipping off your hips.

…trying to slap on on some make-up and jewelry for weekend family outings.  I could only go so long wearing sweats and a baseball cap to Charlotte’s dance class.  It’s still my regular attire, though, weekdays before working out.

…growing as an individual.  I try to find a healthy balance between raising children and maintaining my own identity.  It would be easy to get lost in mommyhood and lose yourself in the process.

Posted under Baby Thomas: Month 20

I took some women’s studies courses in college.  More than anything I learned how a lot of females, since they have the freedom to do so in America, like to tell other women how to live.  Funny isn’t it?  We’ve supposedly come so far in terms of gender equity, but long before I knew for sure I wanted to do the whole get married and have kids thing detour signs were put up before me.  I knew better, though, even at 19.  My mom (with my dad’s help, of course) had raised two daughters and completed her doctorate degree to turn a teaching career into a longterm administrative one as an elementary school principal.  She went to Illinois State at a time when women had curfews, didn’t wear pants on campus and could pick between nurse or teacher as a profession.  From her example, I knew I had a lot more options to consider… but a husband and kids of my own were never something I looked at as guaranteed.  It would depend on meeting the right guy, I always believed.  So many years later I know a lot of the feminist books and articles we were assigned aren’t ones I much relate to.  Sure I’m aware more than ever as a news anchor how much the ever-present glass ceiling is balanced daily on my head.  But, like many of the men, I get to have it all.  A job, kids and a house with a big yard that my husband maintains.  I like being a wife and I like being able to diverge from June Cleaver.  That’s what college courses didn’t need to teach me.  Women in our country today are so fortunate to be able to carve out our own niche.  The key is to respect the path you don’t choose.

Posted under Baby Thomas: Month 20

Raising a boy is interesting.  As a woman, I can’t help but think a lot of clothes would be cute on Thomas that aren’t the most manly looks.  Suddenly Dave had an opinion after Thomas’ baby shower produced a sailor suit and bear headdress.  Fine to put on him AT HOME, was his attitude.  And I got that.  We, as moms, have so much say over so much in our little ones’ lives.  I am cool with letting Daddy dictate the attire for his only son.  In fact, Dave went out and did pretty much all the clothes shopping for Thomas’ fall/winter and upcoming spring/summer wardrobe.  No kidding.  I’m not much into zodiac signs, but someone told me Geminis are big shoppers.  That’s his sign.  Moms seem to be more inclined to take their babies and toddlers to interactive classes.  My husband is not too jazzed about shaking bells and playing peek-a-boo with scarves.  I watched a dad with his son taking part in these activities at the library this morning.  Good for him, I thought, but not something I could picture for Dave.  He is totally hands-on, but sticks to things like wrestling or climbing or throwing a ball.  He’s not the dad who’ll volunteer to dress up like a clown.  And, honestly, that’s one reason I fell in love with him.  I’m not a huge sports lover.  Would rather shop than go to a football game.  But I can’t picture myself with a man who isn’t into all things athletics.  Yet if Thomas picks the violin over a baseball, we’ve talked about being okay with that.  We’ll see!

Posted under Baby Thomas: Month 20

Shawn Johson and some tall chick

I was not surprised Olympic gymnast Shawn Johnson is as nice in person as she comes across on TV.  Her mom was with her in the alumni suite at the McLeod Center when we chatted before her appearance for the Girl Scouts last night.  Mom is, well, normal.  And that explains why her daughter could go from a West Des Moines gymnastics class to a gold medal and Dancing with the Stars championship still level-headed.  The crowd loved her.  I was more interested in watching her mom’s reactions as she looked on from the front row.  How do you raise a child to be an Olympic athlete and keep things together?  It helped that she was an only child and her parents could take turns traveling with her.  But it got me wondering about other moms and dads.  At the point you recognize one of your children has a gift, in Shawn’s case gymnastics began at age 3, how do you know when and how much to focus on making it a family priority?  I’m sure there are a lot of kids out there who do not have the supportive parents and teachers and coaches to help maximize God-given talent.  Shawn admitted she made it to the Olympics with fewer practice hours comparatively.  She stayed in school from 7am-1pm, then only trained 4 hours Monday-Saturday.  Can you imagine?  By the way, someone told me last night Shawn was so much prettier in person.  We do have something in common.

Posted under Baby Thomas: Month 20

When it comes to your kids AND your sanity, some things are well worth the money.  I’ve come up with a list of a few must-haves in my household and would like to know yours:

1) Car DVD player (Paid for itself the first quieter road trip later.)

2) Diaper receptacle (Diaper Genie II is the one we currently use.)

3) Nursing pillow (Could not have nursed as comfortably without a Boppy on every floor.)

4) Portable breast pump (Used it in parking lots and in the passenger seat on the highway with car plug-in.)

5) Car seat systems (Life was so much easier with a baby carrier that snapped into bases in both cars and a stroller.)

6) Overnight diapers (Once we switched to the bulkier ones at night, Thomas no longer regularly pees out.)

7) Detangler spray (Helps me get the knots out of Charlotte’s thick hair and smooth Thomas’ flyaways.)

 8) Sensitive skin wipes (Even the generic brands are so much softer and easier to pull out with one hand.)

9) Velcro shoes (Saves so much time when they kick off their shoes or you’re in a rush.)

10) Bath seat (Both kids loved to sit up-safely-in the tub.)

Posted under Baby Thomas: Month 20

So many changes and milestones and hurdles keep coming our way through the early years of parenting little ones, I am just going to hover in a holding pattern for a few weeks.  Thomas is still taking a bottle to fall asleep before we put him down at night AND to fall asleep when he’s at home with us for a nap AND occasionally when he’s whining and asks for one and I cave and give him some juice.  Charlotte is still wearing a pull-up overnight and almost always keeps it dry but pees in it after waking up from time-to-time.  But right now I am putting forth little to no effort to stop or change or stall these habits.  We are all comfortable with how things are going right now and I like the breather.  This summer I can let Thomas run around without a diaper in the backyard to commence potty training.  And Charlotte’s pull-ups can hopefully go bye-bye when Thomas switches to them.  Princess pull-ups replaced with car ones.  As for the bottle… well, you know.  Charlotte took one up until about age 3.  He’s still my baby.

Posted under Baby Thomas: Month 20

I overheard a father yesterday talking about where he takes his children for some free, indoor entertainment during so many inclimate weather days in eastern Iowa.  It got me thinking.  Maybe I don’t know about all the hot spots where my two can burn off some energy before nap time.  So I’ll list the FREE ones on my radar and you let me know your favorites:

Von Maur train table, College Square Mall, Cedar Falls

Burger King play area, Waterloo

McDonald’s Play Place, Evansdale

Barnes & Noble children’s section, various locations

Indoor play areas; Crossroads Mall in Waterloo, Coral Ridge Mall in Coralville, Jordan Creek in West Des Moines

Menard’s indoor playground, Waterloo

Children’s sections @ various public libraries

Posted under Baby Thomas: Month 20

I am back on the evening shift.  Switching schedules and doing different newscasts was actually a challenge I benefited from.  Eileen Loan and I became good friends, as before I barely saw her.  And I got to spend a lot of cold winter nights at home with Dave and the kids… without heading back out the door to do the 10pm news.  You’ve heard it said before that kids are resilient.  I have found that to be true with my two.  They seemed to enjoy Mommy picking them up from preschool and daycare, but were thrilled when Daddy appeared this afternoon.  This morning they asked where he was when I woke up with them again, but breakfast and baths and other morning errands went very smoothly.  In the 3 months since I last spent weekday mornings with them, they’ve matured.  Thomas is more active, yet no longer takes bottles at daycare or morning naps.  So no tiptoeing around with Sissy to let him sleep and less hassle for Mommy to pack up and head out.  Some times shaking things up a bit rearranges life in a way that makes things easier.  Of course I’m sitting in a calm and controlled newsroom contrasted with Daddy likely chasing Thomas and Charlotte in the backyard as I type.

Posted under Baby Thomas: Month 20

Never fails.  No matter your mood.  Your child says something that literally warms your heart.  Reminding you of why all the challenges of parenthood are so worth it because that little person, in seconds, can put you on the highest of mental highs.  Thomas walked up to me yesterday carrying the Bible for children Daddy recently bought Charlotte.  “Bibles,” he said excitedly holding it up toward me, in his typical fashion of adding an ‘s’ to the end of his words.  I had no idea he could even say that word let alone connect it with the actual book.  This past Friday we visited one of Charlotte’s former teachers who was recently widowed.  Before we closed the car door to leave, Charlotte shouted out to her, “I love you, Mrs. Fischer!”  I loved her for saying that.  Examples are endless.  Just when you think your children are regularly acting like spoiled brats, they pull something out of thin air that instantly restores your faith in humanity… and their ability to become productive members of society.  Yes, it’s that deep.

Covenant RIPT, Week 10:  Tonight is my last class!  I loved the program and will encourage others to sign up for the next 10-week session this fall.  The challenge now, will I be able to keep up the restricted diet and regular exercise?  I’ll keep you posted.

Posted under Baby Thomas: Month 20

As co-host of my sister Sara’s baby shower, I had it really easy.  Show up to my parents’ house with cookies I purchased, a centerpiece I actually made, some games printed off the Internet… and enjoy!  Almost everyone on the guest list attended, thrilled to be at a shower with the baby already here:

Aunt Bird and Liam James

Sisters and their sons

My baby bottle centerpiece

Daddy has not lost his touch!

Covenant RIPT, Week 10:  Great class last night that ended with intense leg and ab work using resistance bands and weights.  I see my reflection in the workout room mirrors and feel good there is less of me looking back!

*FAMILY EVENT SATURDAY* Hope to see you Saturday at the Child & Baby Expo of Iowa in Waterloo’s 5 Sullivan Bros. Convention Center from 9am-6pm.  I will be speaking at 1pm, then meeting and greeting at the KWWL booth from 2-3pm.  Admission $5, Kids 12 & under FREE

Posted under Baby Thomas: Month 20