Speaking the Taboo

I am a proponent of convenience.
Becoming a mother is overwhelming, especially when your expectations fail to match reality. I had hoped that my child would be one of those wonder kids who just grow up on their own and astonish their parents with their discipline and obedience. 

the fully automated perfect child

But I guess there are no children like that. Women only tell those tales to make you feel bad. 
And that's exactly what I felt in the first 3 months after my baby was born.
One thing that bothered me the most was the constant crying. Now I know that a baby cannot talk and cries only to communicate, but man, it gets annoying at some point.

It was one of these episodes of endless wails and ear piercing screams that I made the decision to introduce the pacifier to my insatiable soul.  

Judging from the reactions I later received, I believe I have encroached upon a taboo topic.

behold the evil

Pacifiers are (apparently) evil! I even found a list of reasons online why not to use a pacifier, as advised by a lactation consultant. 
I did what I later realised was the unspeakable.
In my defence, I am only human. 
Instead of turning into a monster and launch into a competition of tears with my baby I chose an easier way to deal with the problem.
But this blog post is not about gauging whether a pacifier is harmful or not. 
A year into adopting the pacifier as a vital necessary, this post is my admission of guilt; and at the same time trying to dispel a couple of myths that I was warned against. 

Myth #1: Pacifiers increase the risk of ear infections

err .. not exactly talking about ears transforming into giant flowers

Well, this actually is not a myth. According to research, pacifiers do increase the risk of ear and throat infections amongst infants who are at a higher risk. 
But a controlled use of pacifiers might just not contribute in causing the potential harm. A controlled use implies that the pacifier be given only to soothe the baby and when putting him to sleep.

Myth #2: Pacifiers cause deformed teeth

Well my personal counter argument is that the child is bound to lose his first set of teeth so what's the whole hoopla about.
But apparently allowing the child to use the pacifier beyond 3 years of age will affect the way his teeth grow. In addition it may contribute to dental decay and misaligned jawlines.

Myth #3: Pacifiers will make your baby an addict

Eh, I really doubt that a pacifier can lead to such a paramount habit. So says this article too!

and the best ...

Myth #4: A pacifier is the tool of a dummy mummy

I would rather prefer a yummy mummy

'[

Well, I may be a mummy, but I'll certainly not agree to the dummy part. In the one year since I have been parenting, I have been pretty vigilant is following through the milestones of my child. He can now roll over, stand with support, babble and at time even show signs of intelligence by counting on his fingers by repeating me. This pretty much negates my assumed reputation of being a moron.

So it seems that at times some of the advises bombarded upon you may just be stemming from reality. However, as a mother one should always be informed about the decision they're taking.
While I chose to allow my child to develop the habit, I have bee seeking an exit strategy alongside. In my opinion that is the best way to deal with your actions: as long as you have a solution, indulge in the habit!

DIY Day: M for Mother, M for Me

On mother's day it's not wrong to expect a little something sweet from those mini versions of yourself, or the partner who helped you in bringing them into this world. 
However, at times those presents just fail to meet the hgh expectations you've set for yourself and you end up in a vicious cycle of either blaming the ones who gave you the presents or yourself for being unable to raise them the way you had hoped to.

Instead of a spa voucher you get a spoons set, or in place of a nice breakfast in bed you land in a dirty kitchen.

So instead of letting your expectations blow up in your face, guide your loved ones to indulge n some self-love with you.

Here are a couple of ideas I snitched from the net to add a little glamour to your wardrobe and help us all regain our former sense of style.

Footwear Makeover

The Clutch Crush

Infinity Scarf for the Casual Look

Simple yet quite effectve DIY ideas that will not only help you spend time wth your loved ones but also add something special to your wardrobe.

Craft away!

Why I love myself as a Mother

I may come off as a narcissist, but it's true: I love myself. 
It's a feeling that I believe I owe to myself since I can't bother with who does and who does not. Everyone has their reasons to hold feelings of their choice and I respect that.

It is indeed all that matters in the end. 

I love myself as a human, as a woman and as a citizen of this planet. But most of all I love myself as a mother. Not just cause I have with me (perpetually) a tiny cuddle toy who gives me his complete attention, but also cause it's just so much fun!

I'll agree that being a mother brings with it baggage that includes stained cothes, constant wails and of course dirty diapers, but here are a few things that make me love myself as a mother:

Purchase of a toy (indirectly for yourself) is justified

Growing up implicitly implied that I give up playing with dolls. It was hard to part ways with the love of my (toddler) life, my Barbie.

'and I-I-I will always love you!'

*I will love you too. sniff*

For the longest while I thought it unfair of the societal rules to take away from me an avenue of joy that did no harm. Boys become men and still they can play video games. Now I'm no feminist, but I just missed my Barbie.
However, now when I have a kid I'm socially allowed to indulge in my secret love for toys. Well, a baby boy may not justify the purchase of a Barbie, but toys in general make do.
Manufacturers have become so smart at exploiting parents that they haven't left any stone unturned in making toys for every occasion. Every time I step into a toy store, it is a wonderland! I fall in love with every tiny piece of toy that's in there. And that is why, while it's been only 7 months since I had a baby, he already has a seperate storage closet exclusively for his toys. 

not 1, not 2 .. I want all of these cute buggers

Permission to start a new collection of baby gadgets

A child has granted my conscience the permission, and my husband the obligation to purchase gadgets that pose to contribute to the betterment of the baby.

While some may boast of the new iPhone, I now have a collection of useless baby gadgets to do the same. 

For some reason they seemed so relevant to raising a baby at the time; but now they just add chaos to my already cluttered room. 

since I needed to get back in shape, a jogging stroller was a must .. 

.. and since the baby just started solids, a gyro bowl was necessary ..

.. now I think these Toyota Creatures shall be a good way to baby -proof  my iPhone

Repeated attempts at becoming a Yummy Mummy

Beyonce had a child last year and within months she looked even gorgeous than before.

Beyonce: 'that's me 3 days before .. and then that's me 3 minutes later'

Since I have a child now and I want to look gorgeous, the activities I have been indulging in post-birth have led me to follow a lifestyle that is considerate of what I eat, what I do and what I wear.

What I eat

Because the baby demands high energy levels, I need to include carbohydrates in my diet. Striving to lose weight alongside, I am left in a conundrum. 

The solution for me then is to break down my meals into 5 times a day. I try to include carbs and proteins that seek to to provide me with the required calories. 

I also try to control my vicious habit of snacking. I won't say I'm there yet, but I'll consider myself a hero for doing so!

a hungry woman is like a dynamite on fire .. ready to blow up

What I do

Regular exercise.

That my friend is a must, since preganncy left my body with a lot of flab that needs to be tended to. I choose Monday as the beginning of a new dawn, with Sunday usually ending in a little guilty pleasure loaded with calories.

And if I workout I have every excuse to buy cool sports gear!

these are so gonna be the next pair of weights I buy!

What I wear

Think Victoria Beckham. 

She is yummy mummy personified. And that is why whenever I buy accessories now, I have a standard to maintain (which is just an excuse since I love shopping anyway).

red and oversized .. perfect to complement my still shrinking body

firm footing for the baby, but style for me

.. ridiculously large flairs for the pooch ..

.. a little dash of self-love ..

 .. parenting publication for my support group .. 

Playmate to dress-up

Since children are already attention-seeking agents, I make the most of the opportunity to experiment with mine by dressing him up; and he always likes it. Well even he doesnt, he wont remember a thing till he grows up (and other kids tell him how cool he looked when he was a toddler).

at times he's my rock-star .. 

.. and sometimes an aspiring mark ruffalo

It is a taxing job, I admit it. But it's so wonderful with a human being relying solely on you to feed him, bathe him and play with him. Children are innocent creatures who will lov their mother selflessly. And though the aforementioned reasons may be why I love myself as a mother, the best part of it all is the loe of my baby itself which right now is a culmination of ma-mas and da-das, and still so adorable.