I bought some fabric from here recently: http://www.alewivesfabrics.com. It was not cheap but the selection was well worth it! They are accepting a discount code of ‘soulemama’ for 10% off.

fabric.com

Hancock fabrics has a great online store, too.

Prayers to St. Michael for you!

You are not crazy!  Spiritual attacks are real.

Prayers for you and the “attacker”. God bless.

Prayers heading your way….don’t forget the Holy Water…

...and blessed salt, too!

Thanks for this! It’s always a hunt for the advent candles each year. Drives me crazy, seems like it should be so easy!

thanks, I always have a hard time finding advent candles too!  They always only have a few color candles, in whatever color is trendy… Last year I found them cheap at the craft store A. C. Moore.

I have a six-week old, so I’m not attempting it this year, but I did last year for the first time and “won.” It was a great experience, and I’m looking forward to doing a final edit on my novel over the next weeks and getting it to a publisher!

Hi, Jen! Congrats on your new little one!!! I am no expert, but when my son was in toddler years and he whined, I would try to stop him and show him how to ask in a “happy voice” with a smile. Often times he’d stop himself after he saw how I would ask in that voice and then try to copy me. It may not decrease the frequency of requests, but it’ll be a lot softer on the ears.

Also - maybe you could get some very special toys for your toddler that you keep in a basket. And when you do something requiring more than a couple of minutes with the baby (bath, diaper change, nursing, etc.) you can break out the special toys for her and then pack them up when you’re done. You can make a really big deal about the “big girl” toys and how much you love her and want her to play with them for some special times.

This has been a huge transition for you and your little one…you’ll figure it out!! It’s only been a week - it’ll get better, I promise!! I’m sure you’ll get some other wonderful advice here, too. ~J

Congrats on baby #2!!!! I am two weeks away from number 4. So, I have been in your shoes! My girls have always shown some resentment at first -I was shocked!!! Some things that made it easier…. My little ones love books read to them. I could hold the baby and read! Also, my Mom comes to spend a few weeks with us, and they always love attention from Grandma. In the evenings when my husband comes home, then I have some one-on-one time!  Finally, when my little one started whinning, I showed them what a whiny voice sounds like and what a big girl voice sounds like. Every time they whine, I tell them Mommy can’t hear your whiny voice so please use your big girl voice. It worked for us. Hang in there!!!! And try to get some sleep ( much easier said than done I know)!!!!

Being a book person, I look for books.  Pat Hutchins’ “The Very Worst Monster” was a favorite around here.  Also “The Knee Baby” which is really for a little older child adjusting to a new baby, but one of mine really loved it at age 2-3/4.  Another favorite was Joan Walsh Anglund’s “Baby Brother.”  And the Berenstain Bear’s “New Baby” is good.  If you can’t find those, just ask your children’s librarian.  Do pre-screen, though.  I had one very bad experience using a book intended for older children with a toddler.  What was meant to be a realistic [removed]“I hate that new baby”) ended up being a new idea that took years to outgrow.  BTW the Pat Hutchins monsters are a very cute series generally, and her “You’ll Soon Grow into Them, Titch” is the only book I’ve ever seen expecting a fourth baby.  I did have a wonderful very old Little Golden Book with a fifth baby, but I’ve lost it and can’t remember the title.

One book we have is “I Wish I was the Baby” - until big brother dreams he is the baby and all the stuff he can’t do as a baby like he can as a toddler - then he’s glad he’s him.  It also helped me to build up the big brother/sister role and have them help where they can - help hold the bottle if you ever use one, get baby a diaper or wipes, that sort of thing.  It does sound like she’s feeling insecure, and I’m not sure what might make her feel more secure.  As for the whining, I agree with the other Mom, I tell mine they need to talk in a “nice” voice or I can’t understand.  I can’t say it’s worked like a charm, but it probably has more to do with my inconsistency than anything else.

For books, I loved, “On Mother’s Lap”.  I read it many times to my 2 year old son when we had his new little sister.  Basically, Mom starts out holding the toddler and then he wants blanket, toys, etc. etc.  Little baby cries, Mom picks up baby and they all rock together.  Last line, “There is always room on Mother’s lap”.  They are Native Alaskans in the book.  They have it at the library.

Completely in your same boat! I have a 2 year old and a 2 month old, and the toddler never whined or threw tantrums (I know, we were spoiled) until his brother arrived. So yeah, it’s a whole new beast to tackle. Some of my techniques that seem to be helping are: 1) good ol’ distraction - ignoring the whining and simply turning and returning the conversation to other things, toys in the room, songs, etc.; 2) making a big deal about how he’s a big boy who can talk and has words (and doesn’t need to whine!), but the baby can only cry; 3) trying to diffuse the situation before I completely lose my cool. I either make myself become totally goofy and make a bunch of funny faces at my toddler while I’m nursing the baby and can’t play with him, or I sing a song that will calm us all down. Something from church or this great mellow track, “Peace Like A River” from Elizabeth Mitchell that has become our new chill-on theme song to life with baby. My son now sings it to himself, so I consider that a small success! Best of luck to you - hang in there! As every wise mom here will assure you, the days do pass and the little ones are onto a new phase before we know it.

Holly, it doesn’t have to be either/or.  Either I wean her during the daytime or I put up with annoying behavior.  Instead, nurse her if she behaves, and put her down if she won’t.  She will get the message.  If she starts undressing you and going after the other breast, say “no or I’ll put you down.”  If she doesn’t stop, put her down.  If she begs to nurse again, tell her she needs to nurse and not play.  My 4 year old, who was weaned 2 years ago, still likes to stroke the underside of my chin and it drives me crazy.  If she goes from one side to another, tolerate one switch only (sometimes there is a different taste or some other reason a child wants to switch), but if she wants to switch again, put her down and say she must be finished if she keeps fidgeting.  Be consistent and she will behave better.

Well, that sounds familiar!    I tell mine “quiet hands” while gently keeping the roaming hand still.  My dd used to squirm so much that she’d end up with her feet up over my shoulder, nursing upside-down.  Apparently I wasn’t the only one with a kid like that; I’ve heard it referred to as “gym-nurse-tics.”  Like Michelle said, tell them to hold still and tell them they must be done if they’re that busy. 
My ds likes to have something to fiddle with; as long as it’s a button on my shirt or my religious medal or something, he’s content and it doesn’t bug me like fiddling with *me* would.  Maybe your dd would accept the substitute.  Good luck!

I never could get thattype of behavior to stop.  I weaned at 17 months—three or four months after my patience ran out, but I didn’t want to be abrupt.  What if you *start* weaning now, one feeding at a time… with a goal to being done after the flu season?  Then you can know your little one is getting antibodies, but you’re also progressing toward weaning, which might make squirmy nursing more bearable…

I agree with all the above tips, but want to add, give her something to hold in her free hand and she won’t “fondle” you - for example, a blanket.

All six of mine self-weaned so I can’t comment on that but I can tell you not to feel guilty about the antibodies if you decide to wean because she isn’t getting any.  You do pass on antibodies for about the first 3 months of breast-feeding but after that the kiddo is on her own.  Medically speaking (I’m a family medicine doc) the baby receives about 90% of the benefits of breast feeding in the first six months and after that it is still great for the baby but really, MEDICALLY ONLY (not emotionally etc) you don’t need to continue.  There may still be some benefit for otitis media (ear infection) because of the position of feeding compared to lying to drink a bottle but even that is less because baby is upright to eat most often.  SO . . . my point is after 6 months I always try and make sure people are not guilting themselves into breast feeding (especially for those moms who are having a really tough time with it.)

My sister made me a “nursing necklace” one time.  Basically just lots of interesting beads & shapes, tactile things, strung & worn during nursing to keep baby’s hands busy.

I have been reading all of your comments and advice and I am so grateful. Based on your responses, I will give her a taggie blanket (she already has it) or her sturdy, wood rosary that I will try to encourage her to hold while we’re nursing. I think I will also drop a nursing session, to ease into weaning (never even thought of that!). Lisa, I respect your statement, but I had gotten my info regarding immune support here: http://www.aafp.org/online/en/home/policy/policies/b/breastfeedingpositionpaper.html
That said, it did not really dive into the details of the immune support past infancy, so you could have newer info. My daughter goes to the daycare center at the gym and I’ve seen lots of sick kids in there.
Again, thank you friends!

i just wanted to chime in that your child gets antibodies from you for *the entire length of your breastfeeding relationship.*  the above comment of immunological benefits for the first three months only just isn’t true.

http://www.kellymom.com/bf/bfextended/ebf-benefits.html

That being said, the nursing relationship is a happy/successful one only as long as both mama and baby are happy!  so you need to do what works for both of you.  but as a toddler nurser myself (twice so far), i will 2nd most of the above suggestions, particularly giving her something else to hold to fiddle with. 

good luck!

Prayers for you!
I remember this frustration, too.
Eye/sleep mask, soft, squishy ear plugs, comfy wood rosary?
Chamomile tea?  Lavender balm?

Also, because wee-hour trips to the potty were triggering my insomnia, I cut off my liquid intake after dinner.  If I was thirsty at bedtime, I chewed gum. (Yes, I did fall asleep with it in my mouth sometimes!)

I remember one really hairy week in that third trimester when I thought I was going to lose my mind if I didn’t get sleep, and ended up taking Benadryl for a few nights to break the cycle.  This checks out okay on most druglists, plus my dh is an RN and reassured me that a few doses were kosher in the 3rd trimester. 

If all of that fails, at least a humorous read will reassure you that you are not the only one awake at all hours:
http://www.ncregister.com/blog/behold-my-suffering/

should have kept reading for all the awesome breastfeeding info before chiming in. thanks mamas!

I’ll include you and your son in my prayers.  There is a series of books called Surprised by Truth which contain short, personal accounts of a variety of people telling how they became Catholic (they were either another religion, a fallen-away Catholic or anti-religion).  I think they might help you understand what your son is thinking and give you some ideas as to how to combat it.  I also like the book, The Godless Delusion, which logically refutes atheism.  Our children are being raised in a world that treats religion as something for stupid, unintellectual people.  I really feel that the only way to counter that is to present our faith as The Truth (which it is) with no ifs, ands, or buts.  It’s hard to tell our children that other people are wrong, especially if it seems that we are condemning them to hell and especially if we have our own doubts.  I was raised by a Catholic mom and a Protestant father.  My mother could never say that Catholicism was right, because it would mean my father was wrong, which would mean he was going to hell (which isn’t true - you can have some of the truth and still go to heaven, but the Catholic Church has the fullness of Truth).  So, if my dad wasn’t going to hell, and he wasn’t Catholic, why be Catholic, I reasoned.  By the time I was a teenager, this turned into: if you don’t have to be Catholic to go to heaven, why have religion at all?  If you don’t need religion, is there even a heaven or hell?  If my parents can’t agree on spiritual realities, maybe there are no spiritual realities.  My mother’s faith was private and touchy-feely and I needed conviction and authority.  I didn’t confront my parents, but I didn’t practice Catholicism during my adulthood except by attending Mass regularly while I was engaged so that I could marry in the Catholic Church (because that’s what I was supposed to do).  Then I started attending somewhat regularly because I felt that a formal religion was good for children (and I had children), and I couldn’t think of what other religion I could possibly raise my children in.  Finally, I started reading about the Catholic faith so I could understand what it was I was supposed to be teaching my children, and that’s when I, personally, found the Truth, just as Mary and Joseph found the Child Jesus in the Temple when they thought He was lost.  To spare my own children 10-15 years of searching and agony, I have made apologetics a small hobby of mine and I talk about religion with the same certainty as if I was explaining how to solve an algebra problem.  Ultimately, faith is a gift given by God.  But you generally have to be looking for the gift or asking for the gift or close to God to begin with to receive it.  I wanted faith, I really did.  I did not want to raise my children in a faith in which I did not believe, and I did not want to raise them in a world without hope.  The best thing you can do for your son is to make him want your faith.  As a side note, my dad joined the Catholic Church about 5 years ago.  My sister and I, resolute in our belief that the Church was the Truth and the best path to God, convinced him to join.