bwestphal20ahs-blog

[bwestphal20ahs-blog]

Preschool Years (ages 3-4)

Shi-Thead just continues to grow into such a wonderful little boy! He is very cooperative and loves to help around the house with things like sweeping or putting toys away (which is a big help!) :). A couple of other great milestones are that Shi-Thead is able to decipher right from wrong, has developed a bit of self control when it comes to food or play time and things, and can even recall some of his dreams which is always interesting to listen to. However he has started to lie a bit, nothing terrible just uses lots of exaggerations. I have tried to work with him on how thats not ok and I think he is beginning to understand. I was definitely trying to discipline him on this as I want to make sure he does not continue to lie as often as he does, especially not at school or around a teacher. I've attached a link to where I found a lot of great info on that! I would identify my parenting style as both authoritative as well as permissive, because while I d lay down the law, I always want to make sure he is on the same page and feels ok about decisions we make as a family. 

https://www.verywellfamily.com/steps-help-child-stop-lying-tell-the-truth-1094945

[bwestphal20ahs-blog]

Shi-Thead with some friends!

[bwestphal20ahs-blog]

Me with Shi-Thead at my water polo practice! 

[bwestphal20ahs-blog]

Toddler Years (ages 1-2)

Shi-Thead is 1 1/2! He is just the best baby! He is so sweet and loving. One thing is that he loves to feed himself, although he is very messy. He has also almost tripled his weight that he was at birth (7 pounds).

My favorite milestone from this journey is that the can walk now! I am such a proud mama. He also can follow along during conversations that are easy to understand and even respond sometimes!

 One major milestone that I had to overcome was the issue of not baby proofing the house, but I quickly fixed that! I have also decided not to expose Shi-Thead to technology because research has showed that it does not benefit a child whatsoever before around 5 years old.  I’ve attached an article about exposing children to technology that I found super interesting! I think I made the right decision in choosing to avoid screen time for my child because it says a lot of kids in the US use screens for at least 2 hours, which I do not agree with. 

https://www.parents.com/fun/entertainment/gadgets/is-technology-good-for-little-kids/

[bwestphal20ahs-blog]

Infancy (age 0-1)

Shi-Thead has been SUCH a wonderful baby! He is just a joy. He smiles constantly and doesn’t cry as much as I know some of friends babies do! 

Although, he sleeps so much! But never for more than an hour at a time, which is common for young babies. I think my favorite milestone was when he hit 7 months, Shi-Thead began to crawl! It is normal for babies to crawl between 6-9 months so Shi-Thead was right on time:). He has had some other great milestones as well, such as he and I sharing such a close bond due to the attachment that he began to form around 9 months! In addition, around 8 months he developed object permanence which has been fun for me to see him experience as I know he is such a curious boy. Unfortunately he does have some severe stranger anxiety though, which was a struggle to deal with when he developed it around 8 months because even with relatives, he sometimes gets extremely shy and worked up. I guess its perfect that his nickname is Shi Shi:). 

I have had a little trouble though with Shi bumping into things when crawling these last few months and so I took it upon myself to do some research on how to best baby proof the house. Baby proofing is important so that I can keep the house “safe and secure”(https://thebabyproof.com/why-is-baby-proofing-important/) and how that it will also bring parents peace of mind (https://www.todaysparent.com/baby/baby-development/babyproofing-should-you-do-it/) 

Another challenge I had to address this year was once I almost left Shi swaddled too tightly in his crib. This could have been dangerous because I did not know that you are supposed to stop swaddling past age 2 (https://healthychildren.org/English/ages-stages/baby/diapers-clothing/Pages/Swaddling-Is-it-Safe.aspx), but I have since learned. 

Thank you for staying updated! 

[bwestphal20ahs-blog]

Pregnancy and Prenatal Development

Shi-Thead is almost here! Wow! What a joy this journey has been. Of course, like most pregnancies, it came with its ups and downs. I was terrified of miscarrying and so you can only imagine how ecstatic I am to soon be giving birth to what will be a beautiful baby boy! I would not have made it through without the support from my family and friends. From the moment I found out I was pregnant in the bathroom stall at Walmart, I just knew I was about to be embarking on a very special journey, and I am so grateful to share it with so many.

 Although I will be raising Shi-Thead as a single mother, I am confident that we will get through this together. I actually have no idea who the baby daddy is and I have been racking my brain to think of who it could be! Hopefully I will find him soon:). I did read a really interesting article once though about how raising children in single parent households affects children so I will paste the link below for anyone in a similar position that needs more information! It is filled with great info like how there is a higher death rate for infants in single parent households, kids are more likely to be associated with criminal activity, and that most single mothers live in poverty...but it does mention how women are generally more nurturing and are more likely to have a stronger support system! So obviously there are pros and cons. 

I just know Shi-Thead is ready to experience the world! He has been kicking like crazy and I feel as if I am ready to burst. Ever since the second trimester when he could recognize my voice and react to certain things, I could tell he was going to be a very bright boy! After all, he does have a lot to live up to considering I named him after his Great (x9) Uncle twice removed. 

I just can’t wait to see what my baby boy will grow up to be like! I am excited to update all of my trusty followers on my progress as I document Shi-Theads first few years! :) Thanks for reading! 

https://nydivorcefirm.com/single-parent-households-does-affect-children/