Milk Consumption

Valerie is not lactose intolerant. We stopped using the Lactaid after a week because it didn't help much and switched her back to the organic milk. The reason her stomach stuck out was due to her daily milk intake. Recently, Valerie likes drinking milk from a regular plastic cup instead of her straw cup, and she is drinking less milk, around 16 to 20 ounces. She drank a lot and so much faster with the straw cup.

Children over 12 months of age need only 16 to 20 ounces of milk a day recommended by pediatricians. We're aware of that but she loves milk. She was drinking about 36 ounces per day. She became full from the milk and didn't eat much of her solid food. I hid all her straw cups, so she doesn't ask for them and now she likes using the plastic cup. After she lost all the fluids, she seems lighter to me and her pants seem a little loose. Now, her tummy is normal and she eats more solid food:)

Valerie is Almost Potty Trained

Valerie is almost completely potty trained. She did it! She would say " Mommy, go potty" every time she needs to pee-Voluntary request. Cecil initiated the process by hiding all the diapers. I got her to use the potty by depriving her the things she loves such as holding her or extra milk. I also put her on the potty 30 to 40 minutes after she had milk or water and I wouldn't hold her till she peed in the potty. Bribing doesn't work on her. It's true, your child wants your love more than anything. She wears underwear during the day but still uses diaper at night. And she always pooped after I changed her diaper before bedtime. Next step is to get her to poop in the potty.

A Day in my Life of Fatherhood

Being a dad has brought me great joy, but it isn’t without its challenges. There is no one correct way to raise a child. Instead, everyone has their own unique style and methods. In the following video, you’ll see Valerie struggling and crying from trying to take her shirt off. Any good parent will help their child in need or trouble, but in this case, what do I do if Val doesn’t want my help? I apologize in advance if the video appears cruel but Val is quite independent, and pretty stubborn.



Drawing from what I know and my own childhood experiences, I feel having balance is very important in a child’s life. Sometimes, it’s just not that simple as you’ll see in this next video where Val and I are at odds in finding a balance between spoiling her with everything and depriving her of everything.



Haha, you may have noticed from the videos that my daughter likes to be naked. I just hope it’s a phase and not a sign of anything bad in the future…

Why?

Recently, Valerie's been asking us WHY about everything. When she gets older, I know she will be asking me where do babies come from? I will not tell her something stupid like a girl can get pregnant from kissing a boy. When she's old enough, I'll get the body book out and tell her the facts. I think as parent, it's important to equip the child with knowledge, because I can't be there for her all the time and I hope she'll make the right decisions for herself.