Toddler Eating/Meals

One of the biggest things I was worried about when I was pregnant and once Jase was born was what he was going to eat as a toddler. I'm not sure what brought on this worry, but I assume it was all of the books I saw in stores about toddler food, the fancy plates for kids, ect. I know I was also worried about having a picky eater. Both my husband and I eat pretty much anything (aside from the I hate foods) and I was worried if I had a picky eater I would be super frustrated. I was also worried about making separate meals for Jase because, lets face it, I'm lazy and don't want to.... I don't want to make more food then I need to! Here I am today and I can say most days Jase is a great, well rounded, eater. I don't think this is because of anything my husband and I did, but mostly what we didn't do. Also I can only speak from having a 1.5 year old, he still has growing to do and his eating habits maybe be different next year.

We started Jase on pureed food and basically offered him all options, the only thing I stayed away from was stuff with meat because pureed meat just grossed me out. Once we saw that pureed food was no longer satisfying him we started adding in real food. From this time, Jase started to eat what food we had on the table, at this time is when he started to get an opinion on things he liked and things he didn't like. For example he loved pureed peas, hates regular peas. Just the other week I finally got him to eat guacamole, he's been turning down avocados and guacamole since day one of really food.

Today Jase eats all sorts of stuff and his pallet surprises us daily with some of his favorite foods being most all meat, kale, carrots and celery. Other favorite foods are anything sweet, like cookies, muffins and cake. Point being he's pretty well rounded and will choose healthy food over non nutritious food just like an adult does. They only thing my husband and I have been consistent with is offering Jase what we're eating. We also don't stop offering a food he at one point refused, he may change his mind in a week, month, day or never.

For dinner he eats what I make, sometimes he won't eat everything we offer, but he doesn't get another option. The only time he does get something different is when he's not feeling well. Now, I don't think we are strict about this so much out of wanting him to be a good eater, but out of wanting him not to be a bad one that we would have to cater to. Again, I'm lazy and not making two dinners. Lunch time is when we bend a bit about meals. For example I may make him a PB&J and myself a turkey sandwich. For consistency though, I still offer him adult food, he just gets smaller portions.

Jase may not eat everything offered at meal time, I try my best not to let that bother me. There are nights when I make a meal and all he eats is the meat, or only the fruit, ect. Jases' pediatrician told me at his one year appointment that I need to focus on his whole week of food intake instead of his day or meal intake at his age. Toddlers have days, just like us, that maybe they don't want chicken or the veggies you cooked, but maybe tomorrow they'll eat everything they missed out on the prior day. My child, just like every child, has days where all he eats are gold fish crackers and those days are hard, but I try to remember to look at the big picture. This has helped me relax a lot and also realize, overall, we are lucky to be blessed with a child that eats well without too much effort.

Because of everything I've just written, I'm afraid I don't have any clever toddler meals to tell you about. I'm very basic and just can't bring myself to cut my child's veggies and fruit into stars to get them to eat, I just don't have it in me. What I can say is that if a child is hungry, they will eat what you offer (of course this is allergies and other sevear things aside). Just in case for the future I am also holding onto all all the toddler meal books I have because hopefully we'll have more children and maybe that one won't be so easy. ;-).

What ways do you get your toddler to eat a well rounded diet. What did you do that worked, what didn't, what would you change?

<3Lindsey

Potty Training without Any Gimmicks

Potty training has been on my mind since Zoë turned one. As a mother who uses cloth diapers and has a child who HATES taking the time out of her day to have her diaper changed, I am eager to get her out of diapers and onto the potty. About a month ago, I was at the park with Zoë and one other mom was there. She had a 2 year old and asked if Zoë was potty trained yet. She told me about this 3-day Potty Training thing that she did with her son, so I checked it out.

It talked about feeding your child salty foods to encourage thirst and therefor the need to use the restroom, but that didn't sound all that healthy to me. The mom who had introduced me to the idea had also mentioned how she had to give her child "nutritional" beverages to increase liquid intake...another thing that didn't sound healthy to me. Zoë only prefers to drink water, and I'd like to keep it that way for as long as possible. 

I finally buckled down a few weeks ago, found a bunch of training pants in Zoë's size (which was harder than I thought it'd be since the common size for training pants is 2T and Zoë's already small for her age), and got to work. We have the Baby Bjorn potty in white. I wanted it to be the same color as a normal toilet. (I guess I was a little paranoid that if I got her a different kind of potty she might not ever want to use a normal one. I'm aware of my silliness.) The first few days, we managed 1-2 successful trips and as the days passed, our timing and her willingness got better. After about a week, we had one day with only 2 accidents (mostly because went about 30 minutes prior to her usual time) and I was so excited! 

Then the next day happened, and she did NOT want to sit on the potty at all. She'd cry and cry, but I knew she needed to go. Of course, as soon as I'd let her off, she'd say "pssssss" and sure enough she'd peed. It got to the point where she was starting to hold it for longer periods of time to avoid being on the potty. I was crushed. We had been doing so well, but I didn't want to traumatize her by forcing her to be on the potty. So, we're taking a break now. I'll bring it back at the start of the new year.

Do you have any tales, terrors, or tips about potty training?

Merry Christmas!

Hey mamas!

Because today is Christmas eve I'm sure you are all crazy busy and if you're like me, you still have a ton to do! Luckily I finished my shopping already but I still have to wrap almost all the gifts! We decided last minute(as in 10 minutes ago) that we're driving up to the mountains to play in the snow! What a fun way to spend Christmas Eve right? Let's hope we don't get all the way up there for our daughter to just turn her nose up at it haha I'm really looking forward to having a fun little getaway before the craziness of Christmas sets in tomorrow. Hope all of you have a nice calm Christmas and I will be back next week with lots of things to talk about!

Merry Christmas,

Randi 

Sleeping in Their Own Room

Happy Monday All. It's Christmas week!!!

Today is a question I had a mommy friend ask me to talk about. How do you get your baby to sleep in their own room? I'm afraid I don't have an answer to this because I know every child is different. I can, however, tell you what we did with Jase, What worked and what didn't for him and us.

Before Jase was born my husband and I knew we didn't really want to bed-share with him. I know this works great for some families but for us it was't going to work, so we wanted to make sure to avoid it the best we could. I want to insert here also that bed sharing and co-sleeping are two different things. Bed sharing is sharing the bed with baby and co-sleeping is sharing a room. We also knew we wanted Jase in his own room early on, ideally around 3 months, but we all know babies change plans when they're born!

Jase started out in our room in a bassinet type thingy attached to his pack-n-play. This worked great for a couple of days until we realized he had a reflux problem and needed a different soultion. I could go into a whole story about that, but I'll save it for a different day. A mommy friend recommended a Fisher Price Rock-n-play (RNP) so we bought that and Jase slept in it until he was around four months old. Around that age he started to get too big for the RNP so my husband and I needed to decide what to do with him. Because of his reflux, I was so afraid to put him flat on his back and in his own room so suddenly. I began searching the wonderful world wide web for answers on what to do with him. From my searching I found that parents had success transferring from the RNP to the crib by "mimicking" the RNP feel for the baby. See below for a way to mimic. We decided to try that trick, but still didn't want to move him directly to his room.

We opted to try Jase out on his back in the Pack-n-Play in our room to see how it went. This is where I will tell you when switching a babes sleep environment give it put to TWO weeks before you give up! The tradition took about a week in a half before Jase was back to his normal sleeping at night. Each night it got a little better. Around the two week mark we felt comfortable enough for Jase to be in his own room. He hand't had any spit up issues at night, so we worried a little less. When we moved him into his own room we did the same trick we used from the RNP to the Pack-n-Play for the crib. This again took about two weeks before his sleeping was back to normal. So the whole process was about a month of broken sleep (beyond the broken sleep you get anyways with a baby).

So, when Jase was around five in a half months old he was sleeping in his room and almost through the night. I actually think he started sleeping longer stretches when we moved I'm (after the initial two weeks). Possibly we were waking him up by checking on him for everything little moan and groan.

What we did was not always easy. There were so many times I wanted to just lay Jase next to me and fall asleep. Getting up out of bed to feed him and have to put him back to sleep some nights was REALLY hard, especially when we was in his own room, but I do think in the long run it helped him develop good sleeping habits. I also want to say that we followed his lead a little. We looked for cues of what worked for him and us once he was born. Obviously he wasn't out of our room at three months old like we originally wanted.

I want to note that every sleep decision made with Jase was a decision that both my husband and I made together. I really think it's crucial for dad to help as much as he can at night. (I know there are a million reasons why this is not always possible, but if it is, have him help) Having a back up will really help with sleep for everyone. There were times when whatever I was doing with Jase wasn't working, hubby would step in and Jase would be asleep in a minute. 

What worked for you when switching you child to their own room?

<3 Lindsey

Trick to mimic RNP: get a beach towel and lay out. Roll it up long ways. Stick the rolled towel under the sheet and make a "U" with it. When you place the baby to sleep place them inside the "U" with their butt sitting against the bottom of the "U". Place each side of the shape against their body. Each night move the sides a little further away. (turning the "U" into more of a "V"). Eventually you can remove the rolled towel all together. What this does is help the baby feel secure when they startle awake. Their little arms hit the towel and instead of flailing about and they also feel like they're sitting: like they sort of do in the RNP with their bum touching the towel. *I don't suggest this trick if your baby can roll over at night*

'Tis the Season

Last week, Lindsey and Randi brought up a great topic for this time of year: gifts for their little ones. Now, Wes and I both have small families, but Zoë is the only great grandchild, grandchild, niece, and our only daughter. I will admit that, from time to time, we've found ourselves "spoiling" her, but it's hard not to! I just want to give her everything that I can. That said, we still maintain modesty in our gift giving.

I really liked Lindsey's way of choosing gifts, and it was actually exactly what we did last year and for her first birthday as well. This Christmas, however, I'm choosing to do no toys. She already has a lot of toys (most of which are educational, but a toy is still a toy). I'm choosing, instead, to make our holiday, this year, homemade.

I haven't quite decided on everything I'll make her, but I've been noticing that she's really into drawing/coloring and when I was trying to make dough ornaments yesterday (fail, by the way), she was really into the dough. I had made her play dough months ago, but she was not a fan. So, perhaps I'll try that again and make her some paints or chalk.

I will say there are a couple of things we're buying. We have already bought her some clothes, and I plan on buying her a book as well. When I was growing up, my mom used to get us a book for birthdays and Christmas and she'd write a sentiment inside the cover. I plan on doing this for Zoë. I meant to start this last year, but, well, I didn't get around to it.

Anyway, that's our plan. Perhaps that will be our new family tradition. At least one homemade gift per year. What are your holiday traditions?

The Pros of Preschool

Before I had kids and before I had a job, I thought the idea of preschool was stupid. I thought it was pointless and I thought it was for lazy moms who just wanted a break from their kids. Boy was I wrong. My first(and only) job out of high school was at a Christian preschool about two miles from my house. Every thought I had about preschool was proven wrong. 

Preschool teaches kids so many different things. They learn to take turns, to share and to interact with kids their age. They learn to obey and listen to adults other then mommy and daddy. They learn to follow directions and to do things for themselves. Preschool also teaches kids how to use different manipulative a to do art projects. 

At our preschool we have a schedule that most classes follow to a 'T'. The kids have free play outside for about an hour while kids are being dropped off. Then they split up into five different classrooms and start their day. We do days of the week, months of the year, counting to find what day it is...we do the flag salute, we have a song helper to pick out a song to get the wiggles out and we have stories. Each week there's a different theme so the stories are based off of that as well as the art projects. Because we are a Christian based preschool we also read Bible stories and pray before each meal. 

After working at the preschool for 8(!) years I have learned so much and feel confident in raising my children and teaching them along the way. I am a huge advocate for preschool now and when my little princess is old enough I plan on bringing her to work with me! Luckily we offer several different programs so she could just go for a few hours in the morning, two days a week.  

I love that we have options like this to help our children in addition to what we do at home. The school standards have changed so much and they expect so much from kids right off the bat. It can be scary for them and for us. Many school districts have preschool programs and we have the transitional kindergarten as well but it's nice to have a smaller setting that incorporates those Christian values that I want my kids to grow up with. Are there any other pro-preschool mamas out there??

-Randi

Biggest Challenges as Mom and Wife

Happy Monday All!

I decided last night to ask a couple mommy friends what they liked to read about on blogs to get an idea of what to write about today. One of our readers and soon to be occasional writer, Jamie, gave me this great topic! I have a feeling she'll give us some good blog posts in the future!

After pondering a bit what I think my biggest challenges for both being a mom and a wife were, I realized that these two things together are my biggest struggle. When am I a mom, when a wife, how do I balance these two things and how do I know if I am doing enough for each? Daily, I feel like I'm being pulled a million different directions. Am I doing everything (moms know this word carries a lot of weight)  I need to for Jase, am I showing my husband that I love him as much as I should be (as much as I do), am I keeping the house together, ect.

If I break down my day with titles it looks like this: Mom, Wife/Mom and then Wife. Can you guess my day, usually? When I'm with Jase, he's my main focus, when Scott gets home from work I carry both titles and when Jase is in bed I am focusing on my wife duties. Of course we all know it's not always that simple, the lines blur together everyday. This is where it becomes hard to tell if I'm doing enough for each. There are days when I wish I could just be mommy and days I could just be a wife, but life just isn't that easy.

I really don't have an answer on how to balance the two, but here are the things that help me juggle both. On weekends, when my husband is home, I feel the most accomplished. I think having Jase and Scott around makes me focus on both of my titles as equally as I can. I also feel better when I separate time for each, willingly. For instance when I take Jase somewhere special just him or when Scott and I can get away together alone without Jase. The second is much harder to come by so sometimes we have to take advantage of Jase being in bed and us having quiet alone time.

What are our biggest challenges as a Mom and Wife?

<3 Lindsey

Baby #2

I have had serious baby fever for at least the last year! Who is with me?? My daughter is now 17 months and she does such a good job anytime we're around other babies. She loves having her cousins over to play and especially loves having a playmate. I'm not gonna lie, it's nice for me too ;) If I were to get pregnant now they'd be about 2 years apart which is perfect for me!

As some of you may know, I had a miscarriage over the summer so for a little while I was scared of getting pregnant again. But it's been 5 months and I'm ready. Part of my problem is we're planning a huge family vacation for summer 2016 so I feel like if I don't get pregnant now I'll end up pregnant on a boat in the middle of the ocean and I'm so not about that. So I've given myself until May to get pregnant. 

For you mama's with two babies, how do you like it? How far apart are your babies? Really, my only "fear" with having two babies is how am I going to work and have two kids? My plan is to cut back my hours and my days so I'm only working three days a week, 5 hours a day. Do you think that's doable? 

At this point, I don't even care! My daughter has been a horrible sleeper from day one so I figure we might as well add to the family while I'm already sleep deprived. Sleep is overrated anyways, right? 

How to deal with Growing Up

Maybe it's the Holidays or maybe it's that time of month, either way I'm super emotional about Jase growing up. I know I'm not the only one who feels this way from time to time. Moms who have been moms before me warned me a million time "it goes so fast, enjoy it" and other similar words. BUT seriously... IT GOES WAY TO FAST!

My husband and I took Jase to see Santa in our downtown today and I just kept thinking, here is my big kid, my toddler, where on earth did the last year go. I can remember it like it was yesterday taking Jase to see Santa for the first time. I remember his cute little outfit and the silly face he made for his picture. Like most kids his age he had the "why am I sitting on this mans lap face". Not crying, but not smiling. This year he pouted a little and basically gave us a similar look after that but a little more pissed looking. How in a year, though, does he look so much older?!

At the same time I'm missing my little baby, I'm also so grateful to be at the stage we are with him now. Seeing his eyes like up when he sees the Christmas lights, enjoying meals with him when he talks back to us and seeing him grow and learn everyday is nothing short of amazing.

What I find hard is how to enjoy the now without missing the back then. I think theres a place in our momma hearts for both, but where's the line? Is there one?

<3 Lindsey

Raising Humble Kids

With the holiday season comes lots and lots of gifts, especially when you have only one kid. From the minute we found out we were pregnant, my husband and I agreed that we'd raise kids who were grateful for what they had and didn't expect anything from anyone. It's kinda hard to do that when she's the only grandkid/niece on one side of the family. 

My family doesn't over spoil her, but because she's the only kid she definitely gets more than she should. My husband and I decided, like Lindsey, that we'd do one big gift and then some smaller gifts. We don't want to over spend on her just because she's our only baby but it's definitely hard not to go buy every cute toy I see!

 How do you make sure your kids don't just expect lots of gifts? I know she's only 17 months and doesn't really understand yet but I want to start her young! Do I have her say thank you for each gift? Should I start having her "pick out" toys to donate? What are some things that work for you? 

Christmas Time

Happy Monday and Happy December! Hope everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving! Fall and Winter time is always so busy with all the Holidays, it seems one is over and another is quickly following! I can't believe Christmas is about 3 weeks away.

Christmas time is so special with kid(s) around. I love the music, the food, my new favorite drink at Starbucks (Chestnut Praline Latte... you should try it, it's amazing) and more family time. Another thing Christmas time brings is gift giving and trying not to lose sight of the really meaning behind Christmas and why we celebrate.

My husband and I want to make sure that our children know why we celebrate Christmas. We want them to know it's about Jesus' birth and how he is our greatest gift. We also want our kids to celebrate the other part of Christmas which includes Santa, the North Pole and how it feels good to give. What we're still trying to figure out is how to do both.

The only way right now that I have figured out to tell Jase about the meaning of Christmas at his young age is to, well, tell him. I'm kind of taking the same approach with Santa as well. I figure some how our kids know who Santa is, right? It's got to be because we talk about Santa at Christmas and also show pictures of Santa.

Gifts are another area we are trying to figure out. Last year Santa got Jase one bigger gift and filled his stocking. My husband and I gave him something he wanted (we guessed, he was only 8 months old), something he needed, something to wear and something to read. We plan on doing the same thing this year as well to keep the out of control-ness in control. If I didn't limit myself, I'd go crazy and buy him everything I thought he needed and we'd be broke and Jase would be spoiled (even more then he is :-)).

I'd love to hear how you keep the meaning of Christmas alive in your family and how you go about gift giving with your kids! Like I said, we're still trying to figure it out!

<3 Lindsey

Thanksgiving!

With Thanksgiving fast approaching (as in this week) I thought it was appropriate to write about how Thanksgiving is different now with a baby.

Thanksgiving has always been my favorite holiday. Something about family getting together, lots of yummy food and basically enjoying everyones company is just great. Last year was our first Thanksgiving with Jase and it was definitely much different then past ones. Last year we were dealing with naps for Jase, when did he need to eat, who was keeping him happy, ect. Years prior my main worry was making sure I tried all the appetizers and had my fair share of wine. Overall, I'd say last year was a success. Jase was cranky when dinner time came but he ate a bit, let me eat a bit and then napped before we went home.

This year I am all sorts of excited! We are hosting this year (our first time hosting with a child) and I think Jase being older and eating all "big boy" food now it should make it really fun! He is down to one afternoon nap and if his schedule isn't too messed up with having family here he should be waking just in time for Thanksgiving dinner. This year I'm looking forward to Jase trying lots of new food and maybe enjoying a glass of wine as well.

What are your favorite things about Thanksgiving with a child? Does anyone have fun traditions or super yummy food dishes they always make?

Hope everyone has a great Thanksgiving!  

<3 Lindsey

Should I stay or should I go?

Sorry mama's I forgot to write my blog for yesterday! I've been sick, my daughter has been sick and my husband's been out of town so my whole week has been thrown off :( Anyway, back to the topic!

Lately, I've been having some trouble with my job. My boss doesn't treat all of her employees the same and I'm tired of seeing others moms with young children call in due to their illnesses and not being able to do the same when my daughter is sick. There have been times where I didn't have a babysitter and tried to take a vacation day and was told "no". I'm tired of being taken advantage of and because of this my husband and I have been seriously thinking about having me stay home.

 

While this has been something I've wanted to do since my daughter was born, I still have some serious doubts about it. How do you mamas feel about spending money if you're not contributing financially? Right now I'm bringing a paycheck home...if I want to run by Starbucks I will without feeling guilty. I know there will be times we'll have I say no to thinks and I'm ok with that, but until I find another job we will be a one income family....will we be ok??

For those of you mamas who stay home and only have your husbands income, how do you do it? I know there are things we can give up like cable, Wi-Fi, cell phone plans, but how else can you save money? A lot of our bills are things we can't get rid of like student loans, car payments, house payment...we have a small house so our PG&E is never that expensive which is a huge blessing. What are some tips and tricks that work for you? 

Please give me any and all advice you may have...my plans are to formally quit in January so I've got some time to get a plan together :)

Co-Sleeping

When Zoë was first born, I had absolutely no intention to co-sleep. For the first five months, she slept solely in her bassinet. I was working at the time, though, and as her sleep schedule changed I found myself more tired in the middle of the night, so when she awoke I would pick her up, bring her to our bed (half asleep) and fall back asleep as she nursed.

There were nights I tried my hardest to be conscious enough to put her back to bed, but then the next night I'd be too tired to realize again. Now, she almost solely sleeps in our bed. It's gotten to this point where I can't fall asleep unless she's next to me. I realize this basically guarantees that I'm going to have a hard time switching her to her own bed when she's older, but for now, it isn't hurting anyone. It's like being a little girl again, sleeping with my favorite doll.

Toddler Tantrums

Well, I've realized that my one in half year old is the kid who throws himself on the floor when he's upset... I fear for the time this happens in the middle of the grocery isle!

I have no idea how a child learns this behavior as Jase has no older siblings to mimic and he's at home with me mostly not a daycare to learn this behavior. If you follow me on Instagram you would know I posted this picture the other day:

Let me tell you about our morning to put a little perspective on the tantrum. Jase had been cranky for about an hour and I knew we needed to get out of the house. He had a cold, but I had errands to do so out we were going. While I was getting things together and totally keeping a close eye on him he got into his diaper bag and found a container of veggie sticks. Since his appetite had been so poor this week I just let him snack while I finished getting ready. Well once I was ready to leave I needed to take the snack away, cue toddler crying screaming. Nothing like the desperation cry of a toddler when you take away food to make you feel like mother of the year. But we don't always get what we want, and this is something we need to teach our kids, right. And for goodness sakes we weren't going far and he could have his snack once we got to our first errand. Try explaining that to a one year old...So came the tantrum.

Right now we basically ignore these tantrums when at home (where he usually throws them), but I can't really walk too far away from him when where in public and I do take into consideration where we are when he throws one for how I deal with it at that moment.

Tell me how you deal with tantrums. I know I'm in for it as he gets older so I need all the advice I can get!

<3 Lindsey

Stuffy Noses, Coughing, and Sleepless Nights

It's that time of year again...cold and flu season. Hate to be a buzz kill after Randi's post about the holidays, but it's true! Don't get me wrong, I'm super big on the holidays, but it's almost inevitable that our little ones will get sick this season. Zoë and I really don't even get out much, but we've both caught colds already. 

When we're out, I do my best to keep Zoë from touching communal things, especially during this time of year. As she's gotten more mobile and fast, however, it's a little bit harder. I also like to keep these Johnson's hand and face wipes on me. They seem to be the only baby wipe with any anti-germ assistance that are also alcohol-free. Keeping things out of her mouth is another difficult thing, but at this age, you just have to watch 'em like hawks.

Zoë got her first flu shot last flu season. The first one required two injections: the initial and then the booster. Now, however, she only requires one like we would as adults. I can't stress this enough... GET YOUR FLU SHOT! If you have a Costco card, their pharmacy only charges $14.99 and you don't even have to worry about insurance. You can also check your local health department, pharmacies (even those located in grocery stores), and of course your doctor's office. Keep in mind that for the first two weeks after you get your injection, you are still vulnerable to catching the flu. If our babies can get immunized, we can get ourselves immunized for their well-being and our own. 

Now that she is sick though, there are a couple of things I like to keep in my arsenal to help us through it. First, a nasal aspirator. My favorite is this one. If you've ever heard of the Nosefrida, it's similar to that, but more cost efficient and, in my opinion easier to use and clean. I've tried both, but after seeing how much it'd cost to continue buying filters for the Nosefrida, I decided to go with the BabyComfyNose. It is a little strange at first...essentially sucking the snots out of your child's nose, but you get over it. 

Another thing I use is saline spray. You have to be careful, though! Some of the saline sprays out there (including Little Remedies) have preservatives in their that can actually work against clearing the baby's nasal passages. I use Boogie Mist. 

I know I may seem like one of those moms who acts like a know-it-all, but believe me, the only thing I do know is that I do NOT know it all. I am fortunate, however, to have a pediatric nurse practitioner for a mom. You all have doctors of your own, though, and they know your child better than my mom or me, so if you have any questions, please direct them towards your health professional. Either way, best of luck to you all during this cold and flu season!

xxo. Christina

It's the Holiday Season

This is my absolute favorite time of year! The weather starts changing, Christmas is getting close, ahh makes me so happy! As a kid my family established several traditions that we still to this day follow...we always had to wait until everyone was awake on Christmas Day to open our stockings, we read the story of Christ's birth from the Bible, and then it was present time! Because this is my second time around celebrating Christmas with a child of my own, I'll be asking for lots of advice from all of you!

It can be a little difficult celebrating the holidays with all your family, and that is something I struggle with figuring out. How do I make time for my husband, daughter and myself but also celebrate with our families? We have the three of us, my side, my husband's side and then with my mom's family and dad's family! Everyone's got such different schedules, some prefer to celebrate on Christmas Day, on Christmas Eve, and others don't care at all! How do you figure out time to celebrate with everyone and not feel like anyone got ripped off? 

This will be the first year that I feel like my daughter will actually understand what's going on so I definitely want to be able to celebrate on our own! My plan is to wake up Christmas morning and celebrate with Russ and Emery before heading over to my parents and celebrating with them and my sisters. 

Now that I have my own little family, it's time to establish our own traditions. Of course I'd like to incorporate some from my childhood, but I'd like to start new ones too! What are some things you do with your families? Does anyone use Elf on the Shelf yet? Do you have gifts from "Santa"? Share some Christmas traditions you do! 🎅🎄🎁

Being a Stay at Home Mom

When Scott and I married and talked about having babies we also talked about if I would work or not.  We decided that if it was finically feasible for us, I'd stay home with the babies while they were little and once they were in school we would decide if I'd go back to work or not.

We are lucky enough that I am able to stay home with Jase and be his mommy and his teacher. Before  actually become a SAHM I didn't really understand what it involved. I honestly thought it would be easy, man was I wrong. There's so much to do when there's a little running around. Tasks that seemed so simple before kids now take so long. For example doing the dishes. With my child it's hard to do dishes when he's awake. He has yet to understand not to pick the plates up and drop them or not to touch the knives. Right now it's easiest to wait until he's napping to do some tasks. Or that vacuuming will take way longer with a toddler following you around, tripping on the cord and standing right in front of you basically wanting to get run over from the vacuum.

Among all the chores that us moms need to do theres the whole reason we're at home with the kids, to raise them. Wow, I didn't realize how much pressure I would put on myself for raising my child. I constantly wonder if I'm doing the right thing. Am I reading enough books to him, letting him play outside enough, is he talking enough, communicating right and on and on. I think the pressure comes mostly from the fact that is Jase ever falls behind the only one I have to blame is myself and I defiantly don't want to fail my child.

For the most part, I try to not be TOO hard on myself and realize that I am very lucky I get to be home with Jase. I try to remember that when Jase is learning new things I get to be home to witness them, no matter how soon or how long those new learned things take.

*This post is not to compare working moms to stay at home moms, both of these jobs are hard and come with compromise*

<3 Lindsey

Disneyland Tips for Infants and Toddlers

So, it turns out that Randi and I were at Disneyland at the same time, but had no idea! Like Randi and her family, we are big Disney fanatics and I have been my entire life. I'm that person who sings along at the parade, dances like she's a character, and looks like an adult who's forgotten she's an adult. Anyway, since Randi already touched base on what it's like doing Disneyland with a toddler (which, by the way, is just about the same as how our experiences have been), I decided to share some tips to make the trip a lot easier.

I thought about going into what to pack, but I think that list can vary a lot by your baby's age and other factors so I'm going to go ahead and skip that. The first thing I want to mention is the Baby Care Center. There is one in both parks at the Disneyland Resort. In Disneyland, it is located at the end of Main Street on the right if you are looking at the castle tucked away just before the first aid center. The California Adventure location is at the start of the Pacific Wharf, closer to Cars Land. If you need to pump, they have a space for you. If you need to breastfeed and prefer to have some privacy, they have a space for you. They also have toddler potties (super cute, b-t-dubs), high chairs, changing tables, and a small play area. For parents who may have forgotten something, they have bottles, wipes, diapers...I think even food, but I haven't forgotten those things so I'm not entirely sure on the full extent of their inventory. 

My next tip is to do your research! Go to the Disneyland website and see what rides and attractions are available to you. The website does a great job of explaining what every attraction has to offer. If you make a plan before you get to the park, you'll be able to get more done and enjoy your time. You'll also probably save your legs and feet from exhaustion by mapping everything out. Of course, keep in mind that infants and toddlers have their own agenda, so be flexible and don't stress! Disneyland is meant to be "The Happiest Place in Earth!"

Now, there are those rides that our little ones obviously cannot ride, but that doesn't mean you can't! Consider bringing the grandparents along. If they choose to pass, however, have no fear. There are plenty of rides that offer a "parent-swap" option so that both parents can ride without having to spend forever in a line...twice! There are also single rider options. I would suggest using that option first because the chances are pretty good that both of you will get on the ride faster than if you waited in line as a family and then did the parent-swap.

My last tip is about the characters. Depending on the age of your little one, they may or may not be comfortable with the characters. Also, they may be fine one trip and the next be completely not okay with it, so just keep that in mind. There are character sightings throughout the day throughout both parks. At opening of both parks, there are usually a good handful of characters in the Main Street and Buena Vista Street areas, for Disneyland and California Adventure, respectively. Keep in mind there will be lines. You can also meet Minnie and Mickey in their houses located in Mickey's Toon Town in Disneyland. Again, there will be a wait. If you have the luxury, I recommend a character breakfast. Goofy's Kitchen located in The Disneyland Hotel has the best selection of characters. There are several other locations in the resort that offer character dining also, though.

Anyway, I hope this information has helped you! If you have any other questions, please ask! I love talking Disney!

Picky Eaters

From the time Emery could start eating food, even baby food, she loved it all! She'd eat anything and everything you put in front of her. Now that she's gotten a little older that has changed completely! What happened to my good little eater?! She turns her nose up at things that used to be her favorite, her food preferences change daily...I have no clue how to keep up with this child and get her to eat.

I started panicking, thinking she's not eating enough, what if she starts losing weight, will her immune system crash and she get sick all the time....can you tell I'm a first time mom?? After a few hours of being in full panic mode I realized that if she's hungry, she will eat. I just needed to figure out how to make it appealing to her. 

So, I did a little reading and found out that maybe she's bored with how her food is presented to her. Instead of cutting everything up into little pieces, I started giving it to her how I would eat things. She gets her own silverware and plates/bowls to eat out of, something we started awhile ago but now she's able to handle better. I even started putting her food in little containers so she could choose from them on her own. Slowly my little eater started coming back. 

I was feeling so good about myself, woohoo I figured out how to get Emery to eat! Then BAM she started getting more teeth and her appetite was gone again. We have done this roller coaster eating thing for the last 8 months!! Every time she gets teeth, her appetite goes away and then comes back completely different. Please tell me I'm not the only mama dealing with this!! 

What do you do for your picky eaters? Do you just present the same food until they give in and eat? Do you change everything completely and try new foods until they eat? Please give me any tips or tricks that work for you! 

Disneyland with toddlers

 We are a Disney loving family! Ever since I was little, my mom has been obsessed with anything Disney and she's definitely passed that love on to me and my two sisters. My youngest sister is a Character Host at Disneyland and has been auditioning to be a princess there. We've had annual passes for the last 15 years and go at least 5 times a year. So you can see we're kinda crazy about it :)

Going to Disneyland is always fun, but going with a baby is a completely different experience! We first took my daughter when she was 3 months old. She had no clue what was going on but she was perfect!  We went again at 7 months, 10 months, 14 months and then this past weekend. Each time we've gone has become easier and yet much more difficult at the same time. As a little baby, she spit up a lot so we had to pack several back up outfits, bibs, burp cloths, etc plus I was breast feeding so frequent feedings had to be taken into consideration as well. Now she can wear the same outfit the whole day(thank you Jesus!) and can eat pretty much anything so that has been the easy part. The difficult thing is she does NOT want to nap or sit in her stroller while we're there. She is a child who needs a nap, and mommy needs her to sleep too. We've learned to just strap her in the stroller and push her around until she knocks out.

All of that being said, we see Disneyland through a whole different light when we take Emery. It's a magical place and the older she gets, the more fun she'll have. Rides need to be fast and spinny or she is not impressed, and she pretty much hates all of the characters and cries if any of the masked characters come at her which can be funny for the rest of us. She loves walking around like a big girl and she especially loves wearing her Rapunzel dress and twirling around in it. She's really been into holding her autograph book and pretending to write in it, and she does not want to give it up to the characters to be signed. I love sitting back and watching her take it all in and even though she won't really remember any of it, I'm glad I can pass my love for Disney on to her.

I've learned to not stress over all the little details. If she doesn't want to wear a bow that's ok; if she spills on her princess dress I'll wash it out; if she decides not to nap until 4pm well, we'll just deal. I just want to enjoy her while she's this little and this innocent. Pretty soon we'll be taking family trips to Disneyland and she won't want me to pick out her outfits or go on Dumbo or take pictures with characters. She'll want  to go off on her own, ride the big kid rides and laugh if I try to get a character to sign her autograph book. I love the age she's at right now and just want to soak it all up. <3

Documenting Life

When my husband and I got married I was looking for a way to document our years and we grew with each other and eventually grew our family. I really liked to scrapbook, but with a full-time job it was becoming more of a chore then fun to do. Shutterfly.com was just starting to get popular for photo gifts and other photo items and I noticed they offered Photo Books. After looking into them a bit I decided I liked their look and options and maybe it was a good idea to try out. 

I selected their 8x8 book for the year we got married. I wanted something compact enough but still large enough to actually see the pictures without squinting. And really, lets be honest, it was the cheapest option so it was more worth it in my mind as a "trial run". I ended up LOVING the book and how it documented our year with our favorite memories. I still make these books every year and call them our "year books". I like to include vacations, fun days, weddings, birthdays or anything that stands out in year with the good and the bad! I do always end up adding more pages to the standard book, but Shutterfly is great at having sales and coupons! 

Once Jase was born I also did a birth book just about him growing in my belly and his birth. I loved that one so much I ordered the same book for my mom and mother in law! Once he turned ONE I did a "year" book for just him. I guess it's basically his Baby Book. I will most likely do this for future kids as well. I con tuned with the same 8x8 size and love how they look on the shelf, all neat! 

I've noticed in the last year or so there have been many other companies doing these photo books but have been too chicken to try another "brand". Shutterfly has yet to disappoint with style, ease and quality for price (with the coupons) so I haven't had a really reason to switch. 

How do you mommas like document your days, years, months in print form? Any great, fun ideas?

<3 Lindsey

Love and Loss

As many of you know, my husband and I have one daughter, and our plans were to keep it that way for awhile. Last May, we had a little surprise when we found out we were pregnant again. Lots of different thoughts went through my head....are we ready for 2? Is Emery ready to be a big sister? How am I going to work and take care of two babies? I was excited, don't get me wrong, but nervous and stressed. I was still unhappy with my post baby body from Emery so that was another stress. 

We went in for a confirmation check up and they said that yes we were in fact pregnant. And then the morning sickness started. It was horrible when I had it being pregnant with Emery but now having to take care of her and deal with being sick, I didn't think I was going to make it. The day after Emery's first birthday we went in for my first ultrasound. We were so excited to see and hear our baby. We'd accepted the fact that our kids would be only 19 months apart and we were okay with it! 

Then it happened...the tech started the ultrasound and there was just an empty sack on the screen. No baby, no little heart beat beeping on the screen...nothing. My heart dropped, I didn't experience this at all with my first. She did a vaginal ultrasound and the same thing happened...she tried reassuring me saying maybe I wasn't as far as I thought but I knew I was. She couldn't really tell me anything though and I had to wait for my doctor to officially give me the news. 

As soon as she walked in I could tell it wouldn't be good. She said the baby hadn't grown and that there wasn't anything in the sac at all. She said I would miscarry and told me exactly how it would happen. I would have to go in for blood work twice a week to measure my hormone levels and make sure that they were going down, otherwise I would have to have surgery. 

Even though this baby was not planned, I was still completely devastated. What did I do wrong? Would I be able to have more children? I always wanted 3 but would 1 be all I could have? I had no clue what to do...we'd already told our families that we were expecting and now she had to go back and say never mind, there's no baby. It was horrible. 

After all the crying, sadness and feelings of inadequacy, came the waiting. When was 'it' going to happen? I hated the waiting...my husband had to go out of state for work the week of my birthday and I just KNEW it was going to happen then. Sure enough, on my birthday I started having some cramping. I went to the bathroom and didn't leave for over two hours...I won't go into details but it was horrible. 

     

My point in sharing this is not to get sympathy from you or to have you feeling sorry for me...it's to let women know that this is a much more common occurrence than people realize. It's not the end of the world either, you learn so much about yourself, your husband and your children. I appreciate my daughter so much more, I appreciate my husband so much more...when I become pregnant again I will appreciate that pregnancy so much more too. 

My miscarriage happened for a reason, I'm not sure what that reason was but I know God has a plan and that's how we've been able to get through this. I hope sharing my story helps someone else to get through any pregnancy hardships they may be going through. 

Thank you <3

Randi

Sick Day

We all have them and they usually, mostly, suck! Before having a child, I didn't necessarily mind sick days so much (besides the actual being sick part) because it meant a day of some rest on the couch by myself watching whatever I wanted and sleeping as much as I could. Today, with a toddler, a sick day looks a little different.

I'm not sure I should even call it a sick day because as a parent we don't really get those, do we? I woke up last Friday with a cold and literally dreaded my husband leaving in the morning for work leaving me with a child to take care of when all I wanted to do was go back to sleep. All I could think about was how "bad" of a parent I was about to be that day. I had no intentions of getting either of us dressed and planned on giving Jase whatever he wanted to eat, whatever toys he wanted to play with and letting him watch anything that would keep him still or in my view! I basically didn't care what Jase was doing as long as he wasn't going harm himself.. or me.

As I sat on the couch with my toddler watching Monster, Inc all I could think about was "no TV before three". Now, before I go any further let me tell you, we watch TV in this house. I leave it on all day when home as background noise. So far, Jase hasn't seemed to actually watch TV (unless it's FROZEN or a commercial) for long periods so I don't worry about him become a TV kid, at least not yet. That said, I don't really think it's the best thing in the world for a child to sit in front of the TV for a long period of time, especially at his age. BUT here I was putting on a movie hoping he would sit through it or at least not roam far and play with his toys in front of me. I basically didn't want to move if I didn't have to. Thankfully he must have realized mommy wasn't feeling well and he sat with me for a bit and then would play and come back and sit again. We did this basically all day until daddy came home. This mommy was SO thankful for that!

So, after the day was done and my husband was home I realized that one day of me being a "bad" parent didn't seem to affect Jase at all. He still wanted to play with dad when he got home, he still ate his dinner and wanted to go to his playroom upstairs to play and read books after dinner. I decided to give myself a little slack and realize though my sick days look a little different I can teach my son that it's ok sometimes to sit and relax. Hey, maybe I'm even teaching him to take care of his loved ones when their sick (you're welcome future wife of his :-)). The toddler cuddles may have made me feel better too! So, momma's and dad's too, lets give ourselves some slack and remember that our kids need us healthy so take that sick day!

<3 Lindsey

My nurse, Jase, playing peek-a-boo with Mommy's blanket.

To Sign or Not to Sign

Years ago, I was at Disneyland with Wes and I saw this baby who was signing "more" to his mom. I was impressed, but didn't think much of it passed that. When I had Zoë are started reading more about it. I definitely wanted to try it out, but I was a bit lost on where to start. Fortunately for me, a friend recommended Signing Time, a series of videos teaching signing through songs and repetition.

Zoë isn't much for TV and such, but she really enjoys Signing Time and has learned a lot from it. I also use a website called Baby Sign Language. If there's ever a word I'm looking for that we haven't come upon through Signing Time, I look it up there. They have a brief video that makes it easier for me to correctly sign versus trying to decipher a description of the sign. 

Now, her signs are far from perfect, but as long as you know what you're looking at, you can decipher what the signals are. I'm really glad we started to sign because it's given me the chance to communicate with Zoë more and I also feel like it helps along her comprehension skills. Another thing? It's helping us teach her basic manners like when to say please, thank you, and even sorry. 

I'm not sure how other mothers who have taught their children to sign have gone about doing so, but I am impressed with the success Signing Time has been for us. If you're ever looking to teach signing to your baby or even younger child, I certainly recommend it. I think it has even helped with actual speaking in ways. Check it out!

Diapers, Diapers, Diapers

I remember having a conversation with a friend of mine early in my pregnancy. We were talking about how expensive babies were and she brought up the idea of using cloth diapers. I laughed and said, "Heck no!" I wanted to start buying diapers early, but my dad laughed at me and said, "If you need diapers in the middle of the night, I'll get them." It wasn't until June that I really looked at the prices of diapers and did the math. "How many diapers does a baby use a day?" I asked my mom. When she said a minimum of 12, I remembered the conversation I had with my friend and immediately started researching cloth diapers.

After much research, it didn't seem as difficult as I thought it'd be. Next, I had to get Wes on board since he, too, would be diapering Zoë along with me. Surprisingly, he didn't oppose. So, I started researching which diapers to go with. There are A LOT. There's the main brands and then the individual makers and sellers. There's even people who sell them on Etsy! Not to mention, there are so many different types of cloth diapers out there: all-in-one, all-in-two, hybrid, pocket... Needless to say it wasn't an easy choice.

We bought a several different diapers to start: 2 newborn sized Bumgenius (all-in-ones), 2 Omni Softbums (hybrid), 2 Sprout Change (All-in-2), and 3 Blueberry (All-in-2). Then Wes' mom bought us 2 regular sized Bumgenius (all-in-ones) and we were sold. They were so easy to use, it was like using a regular diaper, just fatter. Then Zoë started having some major blow outs and my mom found Rumparooz (pocket). These, too, were like a regular diaper with the only difference being that you had to remove an insert to wash the diaper and then stuff it back in to use it again.

Between the Bumgenius and the Rumparooz, we were set...until about 3 months in when Zoë started leaking through the Bumgenius. This was a major bummer, but we couldn't help that Zoë was a heavy wetter. From there, we moved onto using Softbums Omni shells full time. These have been my favorite diapers to date.

My only complaint about the diapers is how long they take to wash. You have to wash them once, then send them through another cycle (or two) to make sure the soap is completely rinsed out. Also, you have to "strip" the diapers once a month or so which is an even longer process. It's not that big of a deal, but I do have to say that with the drought we're experiencing, I try to limit how often I wash a load. I'll be happy when we start to potty train.

xxo. Christina

Going Through Life Changes as a Family

Hi everyone!

Recently, I was accepted into San Francisco State University! When I applied, I didn't really expect to get in and wasn't really hoping for it, I just wanted to see if it was an option. But when that acceptance letter came in the mail, my heart JUMPED. I went racing to my parents' to tell them the news and Kenny and I seriously began to consider moving to San Francisco where I could continue my education.

Unfortunately, when it comes to life changing decisions, they are definitely more difficult to make when you have your own family to think of. I can't just up and leave to San Francisco and expect my husband and my daughter to happily go along with it. Kenny and I had to sit down and have a serious conversation about it. We dropped Dakota off at his mom's for the night and went to a little coffee shop (The Living Room), and talked. We weighed out all of our options, and it just felt great to be able to have a one on one conversation with my husband about our future as a family.

Ultimately, we decided that San Francisco is too expensive for us. Our life style would completely change. Dakota would be home with daddy all day, we would probably have to live in a much smaller space, and we would not be able to spend as much as we are used to each month. Yes, going to school there would be AMAZING, but I have my family to think of and they are the most important to me.

But, during our conversation, Kenny and I discussed other options. We know San Diego is not the place for us and we have been dreaming of living elsewhere just to get away and see what else the world has to offer. We want something that is more affordable, where we can explore and gain new experiences with our daughter. Kenny and I were born and raised here in San Diego, so we just don't want to feel that we are "stuck" here. Our whole family is here, which is nice and we love them so much, but I don't want regrets. I feel if we do not take the opportunity to get away now while Dakota is still so young, we won't ever do it. And since Dakota is still young, we can ALWAYS come back before she starts school and makes friends that she won't want to leave.

Anyway, we are still weighing out options and need to talk to our families before we make any set plans, but I'm excited that Kenny and I are on the same page. We are excited to really be on our own and to gain new experiences. Life should be about getting out of your comfort zone and I've NEVER done it. I want to FEEL what it is like to put myself out there, and not hold back because of fear of the unknown. This is my life and I want to really experience it as fully as I can.

What do you guys think? We're pretty set on our decision, but I would love some tips and advice on any areas that we should consider, or whether or not San Francisco still could be a possibility for us.

Thanks everyone!
Ramey

Losing Baby Weight When You're Me...

Some women are blessed with tiny bodies that stay tiny during pregnancy and after childbirth. I was and am NOT one of those women. I gained 50 lbs. while pregnant with Zoë. FIFTY! That's like a five year old! After I had Zoë, I was eager to lose weight, but without having to actually DO anything to do it. I've never been one to work out or diet. I mean, I've tried eating super healthy, but usually fall out of that within a week or two.

This time was no different for me. The thing is, I ate SUPER healthy throughout my pregnancy, so when I wasn't eating for two anymore, I indulged in all of the bad cravings I had. I've tried to reign it in, here and there, but haven't been successful in the matter. There was about a week or two where I was cooking healthy meals and trying to portion, but I really love eating. So even if I had healthy food, I over-ate.

Then there's the whole exercise element. I hate running. I really, really hate it. I hate it even more in the Fresno weather where there are only two temperatures: hot and cold. I do, however, really enjoy dancing. Hip hop is my favorite kind. I used to play Dance Central on our Xbox with Kinect, but since having Zoë we're a little tighter on space and it hasn't been as easy.

I've REALLY been wanting to find a baby wearing exercise class like ballet or Zumba, but no where in Fresno offers these as an option. Some people may ask, "Why don't you exercise when she's sleeping?" Well, as I mentioned the other day, Zoë cannot fall asleep without me which means she is still not sleeping through the night. So, during the day, I take a nap when she does to recuperate and if I'm not napping, I'm cleaning up. At night, I am doing all of the chores I couldn't tend to during the day and the cycle continues.

I don't want to make any more excuses, though, so I'm going to get the Zumba DVDs as well as the Hip Hop Ab videos. I know it seems like the same thing as playing Dance Central, but Dance central actually requires a specific area perimeter where as I can probably make do with the area I have with the videos. I'm really looking forward to starting that up! I do miss dancing. Aside from using it as an exercise, it's definitely one of my favorite activities!

How did you lose weight? Do you have any tips? What kind of diets worked for you?

Catch you next time!
Christina

Appreciating Who They Are

I have 4 children. 4 children creating messes, dishes, laundry, and chaos. Day in and day out, things are hectic (to put it lightly). Every once in a while, I need to step back and remember what makes each of my kids unique and beautiful. Here's what I've learned about my children:

Nick
Nick is a lover. He's compassionate towards his siblings. He yearns to be a helper. His imagination knows no bounds. He has a hero adventure at the ready at all times, good always prevails over evil. He knows every detail of every superhero he can get his hands on. He has an off-the-wall sense of humor that gets me rolling with laughter. He doesn't care what others are doing around him, he sticks to his interests and pursues his passions. He has made so much progress in his school work just this year alone. I'm proud of the man he is becoming.

Nathan
Nay is creative, inventive and a thinker. He is always coming up with connections between different areas of his school subjects. He sees the whole of life in ways even I miss. He aims to please, but in his own round about ways. Give him a box of Legos and he'll give you a spaceship like you've never seen. Tell him a joke and he'll have to explain to you why it's funny before he laughs. He thinks about everything. About how words are dissected; how the American Revolution affects us today; how science will advance in the future. He's a remarkable kid who will go far in life. I'm so privileged to watch him grow.

Natalie
My big girl is a spitfire. She won't hesitate to tell it like it is. She wears her favorite clothes, regardless if they match or not. She draws and paints. She can write her name. She quotes movies and shows like it's her job. She likes knowing the plan. Anytime you can give her a detailed schedule, she's more likely to go with the flow and avoid a meltdown. She's really coming into her place in the family. She's a delight.

Nicole
Nicoley is tender. She loves animals and babies as much as any mother. She's adventurous and fearless. She loves to snuggle and sometimes crawls in my lap just to kiss my face. She loves making you laugh. She gets shy when you catch her playing pat-a-cake with her dollies. She learns a new word everyday. She loves her siblings fiercely. She is the perfect completion to our family.

Motherhood is grueling. The days are long and monotonous. If I don't step back and look at what God has entrusted to me, I'm likely to miss it. I never want to take these heavenly treasures for granted.

Angela

The Joys of Being a Working Mom

     Before my daughter was born, I had no concept of what it was like to be a working mom. I worked 8 hours, came home, did my chores and then had plenty of time to do whatever the heck I wanted. My husband worked as an EMT at the time and we often worked opposite hours so I was truly on my own.

 When our daughter was born, everything changed. My life now revolves around her, and I couldn't be happier. I stayed home for the first three months before I had to go back to working eight hour days, five days a week. Now, I'm a preschool teacher, so you can imagine the guilt I felt raising other people's children while my own daughter was at home with her Gigi. 

*Side note: I love my mother and she's done an amazing job taking care of my daughter, but still I felt completely guilty leaving her in someone else's care*

     I was struggling with how to organize my day so I still had time to interact and play with my daughter, make dinner, and do all of the household duties. I was struggling with the guilt of leaving my daughter...how did these moms do it?! I only had one kid but I felt completely lost and defeated....there just wasn't enough time in the day to do everything I needed and I was so jealous of all my friends who were able to stay home with their babies. 

     All of that being said, I have a friend who chose to stay home after she had her son, an option I wish I had been able to choose. She still to this day has NO CLUE why I never have time to hang out with her and her son. I've explained several times that I work 6-7 hours a day and still have to pick up my daughter, come home, make dinner, have bath time and bedtime and try to squeeze in some one on one time with my daughter. Let's be real, I don't even have time to pee let alone plan a play date. How am I supposed to say to her that I'd rather spend time with my daughter than have a play date?! 

     Now that Emery is 15 months old, I've learned a few tricks. Most of my cleaning is done after she goes to bed, laundry is a family chore done on Sundays, and play dates consist of trips to Target or the park--kind of a two birds, one stone thing. I invite friends to go shopping with me whenever and wherever I go. If there's a craft I want to make then I have a craft day with friends and their kids. I've learned to just adapt to the situation and make it work. It's definitely not easy, but I'm still trying to figure this whole mom thing out and hopefully I'm doing a good job. ;)

-Randi

What Kind of Mom are YOU?

Hello Momma's and Happy Tuesday!

I belong to a moms group here in my hometown that meets during the school year, basically, every Thursday. This is my first full year I will will be attending as we just moved here last year and I'm SUPER excited about it. It's a great group of women, all ages, that meet at a local church to encourage each other while our kids play in the children's nursery (AKA Adult Time!). This group follows MOM to MOM Ministry's, which are booklets and videos basically about motherhood and how to navigate it with a forgiving heart. Why am I telling you this? Well, one of my Thursday meetings hit home hard and I feel the message is a great one for all of us moms just trying to keep our head above water sometimes.

This section talked about What Kind of Mother are You. It had so many good points about how every mom is going to parent differently, even maybe from how their own mother parented and thats OK. It also explained what kind of parent God calls us to be. I'm going to focus in on the points of the section that hit closest to home, for me.

1. Attempting to "do it all" will only "do you in"
• We all know that Pinterest Mom who has the perfect home and cute Bento Box lunches she sends off with her perfectly primed child to school right? Wait,  you don't know her? Me either! My point... Social Media only shows us what that person wants us to see, usually the good, not the bad. Which brings me to my next point.
2. Lose the "What would people think" perspective
• It doesn't matter what your neighbor/best friend/ mom/etc thinks of how you're raising your child. Are you breastfeeding, great. Formula feeding, great. Does your child sleep in bed with you, awesome. Oh, yours is sleeping through the night in their crib, way to go! The only thing that matters is what God thinks. Are we Providing, Protecting, Preparing and Passing it on. It DOES NOT matter how we get these goals accomplished, but that we take care of our children the best we can. 
3. You're not your mom, you're their mom
• This can apply to more than just that statement. I'm basically going to say that one thing I've learned since becoming a mother is that EVERY child is different. What may work for one may fail miserably for another. What your mom tells you worked wonders for her maybe be polar opposite with what works for your child. Shut those voices out if they're stressing you. You're mom and friends/family can come with great advice sometimes that might just save your life, but that doesn't mean ALL advice is good advice. Learn what's best for your child. 
4. Keep the Most Important Thing the Most Important Thing
• Love your children. This by far is the easiest thing to do and is not measured by the size of the bow on her head, contrary to what a picture of a beaming child might tell you with a hashtag that reads #thebiggerthebowthebetterthemommy. Be happy for that momma though, she's having a good day and we can all agree we want to shout from the roof top when we're having a good day! 

I am sure throughout my future posts you will learn about my struggles as a mother that will make you understand why these four points stood out to me. If I explained them now this post would be entirely too long and you would be bored if you even had the time to finish it during your child's nap!

I hope that you can look at these points, however, and be reminded that what ever you're doing, it's the right thing and you're doing great.

<3 Lindsey

Good night, Zoë

Like most babies, Zoë's got a daily bedtime routine that we go through, and while she's a fan of bath time and story time, that's about it. We start with bath time, which is usually a shower. She's not a fan of sitting down, so it seems like a waste of water to take a bath. Plus, she enjoys walking through the shower stream. Of course, it's crucial to have a non-slip mat in the shower for her. She's a quick little thing and it's no secret that it's easy to slip in the shower.

After her shower, she immediately points to her teeth and says "tooth." She enjoys brushing her own teeth, but the problem is, she doesn't really know how to brush them. That's when the crying begins. I lay her down with her head in my lap like my mom used to do with us and I brush her teeth, gums and tongue. Then it's time for her diaper. She is NEVER a fan of having her diaper put on, I'm really not sure why. Fortunately, I sing her a little song about specked frogs (I'll tell you more about that later) and she's content enough. 

While putting pajamas on would usually be the next step, we have to do one more before she gets dressed: lotion her up with Aquaphor first, then Mustela Stelatopia. She has eczema on her legs so the Aquaphor keeps the moisture in and the Mustela is a lotion meant for babies with eczema with special ingredients to "restore" the skin. It's not exactly a long process, but it's long enough when you've got a tired, squirming baby. After the lotion, we put on her pajamas and she's finally calmed down just in time for story time. 

It's cute, she sits down and then points to the bookshelf, signs book and says "buh." (It's strange, back in the day she actually said "book," but somewhere along the way it went to "buh." We're working on getting it back to "book.") No matter how tired she is, this nugget can read like ten books as long as you let her turn the pages. We usually limit it to two or three, though, depending on the length of the books we read.

Finally, and this is the part I should have worked on when she was younger, I nurse her to sleep. I read books while she was an infant about avoiding that habit, but she was quickly accustomed to it and I couldn't not do it without her crying furiously. I've been advised to let her "cry it out," but I just couldn't do it. So, here we are almost 15 months later and I'm still nursing her to sleep. Some people may judge me for it, but, hey, I'm doing the best I can. And that's why we've created this blog. None of us are perfect mothers, but we all do whatever we can to raise strong and healthy individuals.

Thanks for reading!
Christina