Links and what not

The past few weeks have been a little rough. My job just got increasingly more stressful over the past few weeks, giving me very little energy or time.  Between work and our sleep schedules being thrown off, my creativity feels drained.  Although I have plenty of stories to tell, I can't find time in my schedule or a quiet mood to sit down and really get into the things I'd like to share.  Since I haven't had much time to sit quietly, I have been using the few minutes when I am endlessly waiting for her to go potty (a new trick she's learned to drag out things when she doesn't want to do something) to read some pretty interesting articles.  There may be a future lag in blog entries until things quiet down on with work.  I don't like feeling pressured to just write something, so I'll be writing when life allows it.  Hopefully, I'll be able to keep up with some of less-thought driven entries through this stressful time.  For now, here are some great links I found this past week and keep checking back.

• Want a girl? You need to quit the salt and bananas (and go to bed together more often) - Found this amusing.  Thought some of my friends who are or may be trying soon would enjoy this one.  
• Oppositional Defiant Disorder in Preschoolers: Kids being kids or a serious disorder? - The nature vs. nurture and psychological drugs vs homeopathic remedies debate rages on in my head on a constant basis.  I am always drawn to the more scientific side of these discussions until it reaches the decision of drugging a child. Then I find myself weighing the alternative options.  I can't help but hope and believe there is some sort of better way than chemical induced peace. This one is about whether the kids are being misdiagnosed after being re-evaluated later. 
• Healthy Enabling and the Good Enough Relationship - An article about two types of parenting, one who enables and supports their child directly and the other who assesses then reacts.  I was surprised where I found myself in this spectrum of supportive parenting.    
• Emotional Acceptance: Why Feeling Bad is Good - (For Dave, a Huckabees quote: "What's so great about depression!?") I could not agree with this article more. I have often felt that my feelings were something to hide when they are less than chipper.  As an adult, I found myself learning to accept myself and my emotions.  When Lilli gets upset, I am sure to explain to her that it's alright to be sad/mad/disappointed.  It's important for her to understand and identify these emotions, but also to accept that they're a part of who she is as a human being.  
• What Should You Hand Down To Other Parents? - Lilli is the first child to be born into both of our families in over a decade.  We're also the second furthest away from the majority of the families.  When it comes to second hand baby/toddler things, I find myself always questioning what to send.  
• I Let My 4-year-old Swear: Why Kids' Cursing Isn't Always a Bad Thing - Another battle from within me.  The punk rock part of me thinks, "who cares, she's going to curse, we curse, why should I pretend to be someone I'm not for my kid?" The mom side of me thinks, "Oh my gawd, if she curses in front of those moms and kids over there, I will be mortified." I figured, it will be what it will be.  We've made a serious effort to cut down on cursing, if she picks up on some words, the only thing I can do is explain that they are grown up words.  And hope that it processes into toddler reasoning.  

There will definitely be more links this week, if you like that part of my blog, check back.  

"Song of the Entry" 

I am to you by A Lily