Every once in a while a new study will pop up about over scheduling your kids. Is it good for them? Is it bad for the family? Etc., etc.

As your child grows and learns, it’s always amazing to see the new words they begin to say and new concepts they pick up on. But sometimes you wish they'd stop being so smart. This is definitely true when it comes to Cole realizing the reason he doesn't see Mama in the morning is because I've already left for work. 

I learned from a friend of mine that her mother was staying with her for close to a month after her first baby was born. I was amazed at that fact. I had my mom with me for about a week and a half and my mother-in-law for one week, and by then Curt and I were ready to have some time on our own. I’m sure we could have used more help, but not sure I could have taken either grandmother for a full month at that point.

I’ve struggled with the idea of writing these blogs for awhile now - trying to figure out the best way to handle it. But I’ve decided it’s time - it’s time to express my feelings about grandparents. I’m doing this because I feel they’re a common topic when you become a parent - dealing with YOUR parents. I plan to write two blogs on two different subjects I struggle with. Then, hopefully I won’t have to bring it up again.

Those of you who know me or are fans of Lowcountry Child's Facebook page most likely have heard me mention Cole’s fascination with sleeping on the floor. 

In December, we transitioned him from his crib to a toddler bed and things were going OK. I had to keep assuring him he was safe in his new surroundings but that only took a few days and he loved it so much, he would just hang out in the bed until we came to get him in the morning. Curt and I felt so lucky.

All you need is love. I’m sure we’ve all heard that and probably thought it at some point during our relationships. I’m here to tell you that that is a bunch of bull, in my opinion.

My husband Curt and I loved each other very much before we had Cole (and after of course). We were together for eight years before having our first child and felt we knew one another and understood each other well. During the years we entertained the idea of starting a family and the two years it took us to get pregnant, we had several discussions about how we wanted to raise our children. You know what I mean: how we plan to discipline, who will be responsible for diaper changes, etc. We felt quite prepared to take on the roles of Mommy and Daddy and still be husband and wife.

Dear Cole,

Right now, most of Mommy's communication with you sounds like this, "Sit in your chair" or "Keep that out of your mouth" and of course, "Don't hit Mommy." I hope that on day you will learn that Mommy is best able to share her feelings by writing them down. As I began writing the thank you letters to family for all of the birthday gifts they gave you, I decided to write a letter thanking you for all the gifts you've given me.

I was having lunch with a friend of mine who was sewn from the same cloth as me. We’re lucky enough to have sons close in age and every lunch conversation gravitates toward them.

We’re chatting about the latest challenges we’re facing with our growing toddlers and she brought up something I wrote in my first blog. My first reaction was, “wow, someone actually reads these things.” But once I stopped patting myself on the back, I really started to listen to what she was saying and realized she was describing exactly how I felt the first few months of mommyhood.

When I was researching an article on postpartum depression, I spoke to a mom who had suffered from the disease. One of the things she mentioned that made life so paralyzing for her was her daughter’s severe acid reflux. All the things that go along with that made it even harder for her to take care of her daughter and even leave the house. I totally empathize with her.

The only thing worse than having such trouble trying to breastfeed your son is having no one around who understands what you were going through. Of course I had friends who breastfed their little ones and there was the support group at Hilton Head Hospital – which was great (and whether you‘re breastfeeding or not, I highly recommend it). But the ones around me 24/7 such as my husband, mother and mother-in-law had no idea of the emotions that went along with this struggle.