Raising a Princess in an Anti-Princess World

When we found out that we were having a girl, pictures of Disney princesses filled my head. I have to say, I love princesses. There is just something about them that makes me smile and turn into a five year old little girl again (but to be honest, most things can make me turn into a five year old again. What can I say I'm a child at heart.) I melt at the chance to meet Cinderella at Disney, and I will wait in line for hours to meet Ariel (my favorite princess of all time). One thing I remember about my great grandfather is that he always called me princess, and I always knew that my husband would be the man that called me his princess (and yes, the hubs did). So when we found out we were having a girl, I was so excited that we were going to have a little princess of our own!

Fast forward nesting being in full swing and to browsing through Pinterest at all the girly stuff you can imagine. Amidst all the typical girly stuff, I found many articles and blog posts about raising girls. Most of them shocked me. There are so many "anti-princess" campaigns out there. There are blogs out there specifically made to address this and promote this campaign. Some articles even go to lengths of saying that the allowing your little girl to be a princess will ruin her.

Why are so many people afraid of princesses? What is it about the concept of princess that makes people go running? Is it because they are afraid of girls being girls and being treated as such? In that case, what does being a girl mean, and why does the princess phenomenon make that such a bad thing? 

I can't help but look to the book Captivating by John and Staci Eldridge. One line in particular stands out: 

"every woman in her heart of hearts longs for three things: to be romanced, to play an irreplaceable role in a great adventure, and to unveil beauty."

Think about the princess tales. What does each princess long for? They long to be loved (Cinderella), they want great adventure (Ariel and Belle), and to unveil beauty (Snow White).

All Cinderella wants is to be loved. She is living in a house with her evil stepmother and evil stepsisters who do not love her and make sure she knows it. Without her father or mother there, she is searching for the one thing she does not have: love. She finds that in her prince charming. When they find each other, Cinderella glows. His love brings out the light in her.

Ariel feels trapped in her world under the sea. She wants something more. She knows there is something more out there for her. Out of fear of her father, she is forced to keep her desires hidden in a secret cave. When her father destroys her dreams of adventure, she turns to the evil sea witch. She is given the one thing she desires: to have legs. With those legs she's able to take part in a great adventure that no one she knows have ever gone on. Belle is the same way. She is trapped in a world surrounded by people that aren't like her. She "want[s] adventure in the great wide somewhere, [she] want[s] it more than [she] can tell" as she states in her song. Both Belle and Ariel long for adventure.

The whole reason Snow White is forced into hiding is the Queen wants her killed. Why does she want her killed? Because Snow White is "the fairest of them all." Snow White unveils beauty. Even Grumpy smiles when she is near. The Queen tries to squelch that, but in the end Beauty wins.

Young girls experience this at a young age. It is not because of the princess movement. It is much more deep seated than that. This desire is in our very being. We long to be romanced, we long to play a role in a great adventure, and we long to unveil beauty - our beauty. 

There's just something about being a princess that makes every girl feel loved, special, a part of something bigger, and beautiful. Putting on that simple dress and tiara can change a young girl's perspective in a heartbeat. It can easily give them something that they desire in their heart of hearts. 

Why is that a bad thing?

Being a princess does not mean that she is weak and must have a prince to come to her rescue. Being a princess allows her to feel loved, beautiful, adventurous, and ultimately valued! Isn't that a wonderful thing for little girls to feel? Isn't that how we want them to feel? 

And most importantly, my little girl deserves to be a princess because she is the daughter of the King. She is the cherry on top of His masterpiece. Made in His image. She is a princess and should be treated as such.

So I say, bring on all of the princess paraphernalia. Bring on all the tutus, tiaras, and the long, twirly skirts. I welcome it all with open arms. My girl deserves to be a princess. She deserves to be loved. She deserves to have adventures. She deserves to be beautiful. 

She deserves to be a princess.

source

Let's Make Habits: Week 3

Week 2 is done, here's what went down:

Week 2 (August 25-31):

Dining Room

* organze table

*clean up and organize "bar cart"

*dust

*mop

Thanks to the most amazing husband ever, I was able to get everything done! And we were able to mop and dust in the kitchen as well! Now, the trick is to keep it up and looking nice. I still need to move Bug's baby swing out of the room, but I'm trying to hold off. I might get too emotional putting it up. She's started crawling, which means she's one more step away from moving out and going to college! *cue elephant size tears* Okay, I know that might be a little bit of an exaggeration, but time is flying by!

Speaking of Bug's crawling, that has been the biggest motivation for me. She's starting to get into everything. And I mean everything. The first day we were home and she was crawling, she crawled right over to an ottoman and pulled off the book that was sitting there right on top of her. Luckily it didn't hurt her, but I've got to g=make sure all the table tops are clear so that she can't get her hands onto anything that could be dangerous.

So now we're on to the third week. Let's see if I can accomplish what I need to while chasing around a busy 7 (almost 8) month old!

Week 3 (September 1-7):

Living room/Entryway

*clean up toys

*organize tv cabinet

*clean out fireplace

*dust

*vacuum

Mommy Moments Blog Hop!

Hey mamas!
Welcome back for another great week of Mommy Moments Link Ups! Thank you for linking up and for spreading the word last week! We love all of the great posts!

 This week's most viewed link belongs to Dara from Not In Jersey!  Her post Why I Can't Hear Your Birth Story touched a lot of the mamas who read it as Dara put into words what a lot of moms feel/felt about their birth stories. 


Now it's time to link up your posts! All you have to do is...

1. Follow Host: The Life Of Faith 

 Co-Hosts: The Not Quite Military Wife, Beautiful Family Affairs and The Mrs. 

2. Link up your post!
Post can include anything related to mommy-hood, children, homemaking, pregnancy etc. If you aren't a mom yet, feel free to link up your preparation for motherhood, your journey as you try to conceive, or even a post that would be encouraging to the other moms in the party!

3. Add the Mommy Moments button to your post or blog so everyone knows where you are linking up!

4. Explore some of the other posts in the link-up and say hello to some new blog friends! 

5. Tweet or Share the link up on Facebook so we can all make even more friends!

Tweet

<div align="center"><a href="http://the-life-of-faith.blogspot.com//search/label/baby" title="The Life Of Faith"><img src="http://i1114.photobucket.com/albums/k537/faithkonrath/mommymomentsbutton.jpg" alt="The Life Of Faith" style="border:none;" /></a></div>

P.S. We will be having a new guest host every week! Want to be a guest host of the Mommy Moments Blog Hop? Send Faith a message at farmprincess14{at}gmail{dot}com. We would love to have you!

Feeding Baby

Let's talk baby food. Starting at around 5 months, most people asked when we would start feeding Bug solids. I was hesitant to start, because it was uncharted territory. We had nursing down, why should I ruin it with solids? At least that's what I thought.

Her 6 month birthday was fast approaching, and it was clear that I would have to start solids soon. That meant research on my end. I asked a few other mommy friends of mine who have babies a few months older than mine their advice. They each went about starting solids in different ways, but they all had the same advice: "Go with what your gut tells you." I loved that advice! It was such a stressful time for me and I was making things more complicated than they needed to be.

So enter the time to start feeding my daughter solids. I knew I wanted to make her baby food. It just seemed a waste of money (my personal opinion) to buy baby food when I could just make my own. One decision made. I felt a little more confident. Then I needed to figure out what I wanted to start feeding her. I could always start with the traditional cereals, but for some reason I held off on those. First on the list were: bananas, avocados, apples, and carrots. She loved 3 out of the 4. We added veggies soon after we started: peas and green beans, mainly. She loved those. And then we started adding eggs and meat to her diet. 

She seemed to love all the things we were giving her, but it seemed that it was a waste to cook two separate meals. One for us and one for Bug. That is when I made the decision that she should eat what we eat. That means whatever I fix for breakfast, lunch, or dinner, I just blend it together and give it to her as well. I don't cook anything differently (except I make sure her steak is well done, while we like ours rare). I use all the same seasonings, and I cook the same way I always did. The only difference between what we eat and what she eats: hers is all mashed together. 

Bug loves it. She's a big fan of eating. I don't think she has an "off" button for eating food. I have to cut her off when she's had enough, otherwise she would go on eating as long as we kept feeding her. 

Do you have any tips for feeding your babies solids for the first time? Were you just as nervous as I was? Do you make or buy baby food? Are there any foods you look forward to your little one trying? For me, it's spaghetti!

A Haunting Question

As a new mom, one question always haunts me when something seems amiss with my little Bug. I'm sure this question haunts many other new, and even not-so-new, moms.

There are so many parenting books and articles out there that are meant to help you with situations. There are recommendations for sleep schedules and how you get your babe to sleep through the night. There are feeding schedules, the kind that tell you when you should nurse your babe and when it's okay to start feeding them solid foods. Then there are books that say what solids you should feed them, how much you should feed, how many times you should feed them, and what time you should feed them. There are books telling you how to discipline and when to discipline. Let's just say that there is a whole array of books and articles out there that are designed to help new, and not-so-new, moms out.

But do they really help?

When I first found out I was pregnant, I went straight for the pregnancy bible: What to Expect When You're Expecting. It tells you everything you need to know about pregnancy, labor, and delivery, but nothing towards how to raise your child. It was great for what it was worth.

Now we have competing parenting styles. We have babywise, ferber, helicopter, hands-off, the list goes on and on. And one after the other, they contradict each other.

So what do I choose? How do I raise my little girl? With all the options and methods and advice out there, where should I turn to? Always, I turn to the One book that holds the ultimate Truth to help me be a good mom.

Deuteronomy 6:5-9 "Love God, your God, with your whole heart; love Him with all that's in you, love Him with all you've got! Write these commandments that I've given you today on your hearts. Get them inside of you and then get them inside your children. Talk about them wherever you are, sitting at home or walking in the street; talk about them from the time you get up in the morning to when you fall into bed at night. Tie them on your hands and foreheads as a reminder; inscribe them on the doorposts of your homes and on your city gates." The Message

* Love God and teach your children to love God. Spend your time being an example of what it means to love God, from sun-up to sun-down.

Psalm 127:3 "Don't you see that children are God's best gift? the fruit of the womb his generous legacy?" The Message

* When your children are tiring you out and you're ready to pull your hair out after a long night of teething, remember that children are a gift. I think so often we forget that our children are gifts and instead, we think of them as burdens. This is not the case! Children are gifts from the the Almighty and should be regarded as such!

Titus 2:1-6 "Your job is to speak out on the things that make for solid doctrine. Guide older men into lives of temperance, dignity, and wisdom, into healthy faith, love, and endurance. Guide older women into lives of reverence so they end up as neither gossips nor drunks, but models of goodness. By looking at them, the younger women will know how to love their husbands and children, be virtuous and pure, keep a good house, be good wives. We don't want anyone looking down on God's Message because of their behavior. Also, guide the young men to live disciplined lives." The Message

* Live by example. Teach your children to live purely and filled with wisdom, always seeking Truth, by living it out on a day-to-day basis.

But how do we know what example to live by? In this comes the staple Proverbs 31 woman:

Proverbs 31:10-31 "A good woman is hard to find,
    and worth far more than diamonds.
Her husband trusts her without reserve,
    and never has reason to regret it.
Never spiteful, she treats him generously
    all her life long.
She shops around for the best yarns and cottons,
    and enjoys knitting and sewing.
She’s like a trading ship that sails to faraway places
    and brings back exotic surprises.
She’s up before dawn, preparing breakfast
    for her family and organizing her day.
She looks over a field and buys it,
    then, with money she’s put aside, plants a garden.
First thing in the morning, she dresses for work,
    rolls up her sleeves, eager to get started.
She senses the worth of her work,
    is in no hurry to call it quits for the day.
She’s skilled in the crafts of home and hearth,
    diligent in homemaking.
She’s quick to assist anyone in need,
    reaches out to help the poor.
She doesn’t worry about her family when it snows;
    their winter clothes are all mended and ready to wear.
She makes her own clothing,
    and dresses in colorful linens and silks.
Her husband is greatly respected
    when he deliberates with the city fathers.
She designs gowns and sells them,
    brings the sweaters she knits to the dress shops.
Her clothes are well-made and elegant,
    and she always faces tomorrow with a smile.
When she speaks she has something worthwhile to say,
    and she always says it kindly.
She keeps an eye on everyone in her household,
    and keeps them all busy and productive.
Her children respect and bless her;
    her husband joins in with words of praise:
“Many women have done wonderful things,
    but you’ve outclassed them all!”
Charm can mislead and beauty soon fades.
    The woman to be admired and praised
    is the woman who lives in the Fear-of-God.
Give her everything she deserves!
    Festoon her life with praises!" The Message

It's not easy being a good mom, or a good wife, or a good person. The term "good" is relative anyway. The way I base "good" on is laid out before me in the Bible. 

So am I a bad mom? Maybe. But I know with God's help, I will continue to strive to not only be a good mom, but the best mom I can be.

Let's Make Habits: Week 2

Week 1 is down...Here is what I got done:

Week 1 (August 18-24):

Kitchen

* clean out fridge

* organize cabinets

*organize pantry

* baby proof cabinets with cleaning supplies and knives

*dust

*mop

To say that life got in the way seems like it's just an excuse, but it's really what happened. With a little one life is completely unpredictable. In order to really get things done, I have to wait on her nap time or when she goes to bed at night. But there are other things that have to get done. I have to cook meals for the hubs, Bug, and myself; attempt to keep up with laundry; work; keep up other rooms; etc. It's a lot. But I'm working. I'm not going to stop. It feels so good to have things beginning to get organized in the kitchen. I read somewhere that being organized leads to a happier life. I agree. We've been living in a sort of chaos for weeks and it's been stressing me out. I'm looking forward to being relieved of the chaos.

Week 2 (August 25-31):

Dining Room

* organze table

*clean up and organize "bar cart"

*dust

*mop

This week is all about the dining room and I can't wait to get my hands on it! Our dining room table has been a catch all for random junk, and right now it houses my sewing machine because there isn't another working place for it. I'm looking forward to using our table for what it's meant to be used for: eating and family time. With Bug now eating solids, we've made it a point to eat every meal at the table with her. I believe it's important to spend meal time together sitting at the table without any distractions. Here's hoping for a smoother week where I can get my list completed! And maybe if I get all of this done, I can treat myself to some pretty table decorations for fall.

source; "let's make habits" watermark added by me

Mommy Moments Blog Hop!

Hey mamas!
Welcome back for another great week of Mommy Moments Link Ups! Thank you for linking up and for spreading the word last week! We love all of the great posts!

 This week's most viewed link belongs to Amy from Not Your Average Amy!  I agree with her post [project fifty two] sleep, that there is nothing cuter than a sleeping baby!


Now it's time to link up your posts! All you have to do is...

1. Follow Host: The Life Of Faith 

 Co-Hosts: The Not Quite Military Wife, Beautiful Family Affairs and The Mrs. 

2. Link up your post!
Post can include anything related to mommy-hood, children, homemaking, pregnancy etc. If you aren't a mom yet, feel free to link up your preparation for motherhood, your journey as you try to conceive, or even a post that would be encouraging to the other moms in the party!

3. Add the Mommy Moments button to your post or blog so everyone knows where you are linking up!

4. Explore some of the other posts in the link-up and say hello to some new blog friends! 

5. Tweet or Share the link up on Facebook so we can all make even more friends!

Tweet

<div align="center"><a href="http://the-life-of-faith.blogspot.com//search/label/baby" title="The Life Of Faith"><img src="http://i1114.photobucket.com/albums/k537/faithkonrath/mommymomentsbutton.jpg" alt="The Life Of Faith" style="border:none;" /></a></div>

P.S. We will be having a new guest host every week! Want to be a guest host of the Mommy Moments Blog Hop? Send Faith a message at farmprincess14{at}gmail{dot}com. We would love to have you!