Toddler Independence

To have a baby that is dependent on you for everything is something you have to get used to as a new mom. You eventually settle in to your new routine after months and months of them crying and you come to relieve them of distress. So now a mom begins to hold on to the notion that, "My baby needs me". Because let's face it, it's true. 

But what happens when they are around let's say 1 year 9 months 2 weeks and 6 days and they start acting a little funny? Funny, like "I DON'T NEED YOU ANYMORE"! Say what? Excuse me? I'm not understanding this. 

My daughter has seemed to now develop her own mind at such a young age. She actually has her own preferences, her likes and dislikes. She now wants to feed herself. She's not nasty about it. She just looks up at me with a blank stare after I put on her bid and takes her spoon and begins eating. I interpret her glares to ask the question, "What do you think you are doing mommy? I can take it from here. I can feed myself." I mean this toddler independence thing is really getting out of hand. I have discovered her opening the refrigerator by herself and actually choosing what she wants and taking it out of the fridge. WHAT THE ...??? One day when we were out and I was busy doing some paper work. She wanted a tangerine and asked for it, "Mom, Orange!"(She calls tangerines oranges). I told her to hold on, give me one second. I looked down at her and she took the tangerine from out of my bag. But, that's not all. She pushed her little thumb through the skin and began peeling her own tangerine. I can't take it. What am I here for? She occasionally calls me "mommy" and sometimes she calls me "mom"... MOM? Teenagers and adults call their mothers mom. When we are at a family or friends home or other places where she is familiar with she walks around like she owns the place. She goes off and explores like she's Dora, leaving me behind. So I follow her to where ever her inquisitive mind tells her to go. 

Is it her? She's changing so fast. Is it me? Am I feeling the baby blues? I guess this is just the cycle of life.

Each month, my hubby watches our daughter for the weekend so I can get a break and do some of the things I want to do. And when I came home last night from hanging out with my home girls, my daughter ran down the hallway and jumped into my arms and said "MOMMYYYyyy!!!". And although it was way pass her bedtime (She woke up because she heard the unlocking of the door) it was just great to have that feeling and that moment with her. She just wanted to be wrapped in my arms.

I embrace the fact that she is growing and learning different things. I am so proud of her. And I know she will always need me because I am her mom. She will just need me in different ways. I guess I just have to get used to these new changes. 

Have you ever been shocked by your tot's independence?

Prego Problems

Being pregnant can be fun...

You get to eat what you want and when you want

Your family and friends visit and call you just to check up on you

Strangers (hopefully) give up their seats for you on the bus and the train

Negativity is kept away from you because no one wants to stress you out

People are willing to give you whatever you want and desire

All of this happens simply because you have a bump in front of you

However...

I must warn you, there are also some problems that will come your way while you are pregnant

Read this article below to find out the pitfalls of being prego:

Prego Problems

The Great Escape, A Toddler Story...

So I have been reading many books and have spoken to many different parents on how to make your baby sleep in their bed through the night. My daughter has done very well for her toddler self. She pretty much sleeps through the night, but something seems to happen every morning around 5am. She would wake up, like clock work, and stand up in her crib, hand firmly placed on top of the crib-rail, and with a confident voice she very clearly demanded, "UP!". This meant that she wanted to be taken out of her crib and placed in the bed with her parents. Awww, how cute right? Wrong! Once I began noticing this pattern day after day and week after week I knew I had to put a stop to this. She could not get in our bed anymore, enough is enough. Our bed was made for 2 people, not 2 1/2. And she has the nerve to be a wild sleeper when she tries to get comfortable in our bed. Hasn't she heard the saying, "Two is company, Three's a crowd"?The nerve!

I have heard that you should: 
-Play soothing music and rub your toddler's back until they drift asleep. 
-Put a blanket that carries your scent in the crib with them so they can believe you are there. 
-Let them cry until they fall asleep and they will learn to self-soothe.
-Include their favorite toy in the crib so they can feel like they have a partner in the crib with them.

I have tried everything but allowing her to self-soothe and since I wanted to make sure she became accustomed to staying in her bed until it was time to wake up, I meant business.

Here it is:

The Great Escape, A Toddler Story

I put my daughter down for a nap and she began to cry. I laid her down and told her it was time for her nap and gave her a kiss. She cried, cried, and cried. I walked out of the room and closed the door slightly, where I was able to peek through an opening and still see her in the crib. I was trying to let her self-sooth. My plan was to come in the room every 15 minutes to check on her, rub her back and tell her its nap time. This never occurred, because she didn't even make it past 10 minutes. Well, she kept crying. Then she stopped crying and out of desperation she began shouting out all the words that she knew. Out of the blue, I began hearing her yell: "Mom", "Up", and then she started singing her abc song, "apple, apple, ah, ah, ah".

After a few seconds she realized nothing was happening, her mom was not going to come get her from her crib, simply because she wanted her to. All of a sudden there was complete silence. I now hear a jiggling noise coming from the bedroom. As I race to the door to see what the noise was, I witness my daughter on her tippy toes with her little hand gripped on the doorknob opening the bedroom door. With the residue of dried tears that streamed down her face, she looked up at me and ran towards me and wrapped her arms around my knees, and began climbing up my body until she reached the top, as though I was a tree. When she reached the top, she laid her head firmly against my chest, let out a huge sigh, and while I'm in a state of disbelief that my tot just climbed out of her crib all by herself, within 3 minutes I looked at her little face and she was fast asleep.

How did you find out your toddler could climb out of their crib?

What methods did you use to keep your toddler from climbing out their crib?   

Pregnant Teachers or Soon-To-Be Pregnant Teachers

If you're a Teacher who is pregnant or plan to become pregnant?

Know Your Rights.


Fellow Teacher Mommies:

You have a right to take a leave of absence from work at any time during your pregnancy or after your little baby is born, only if its during the 1st. year.

Its so important to know your rights and what you are entitled to as an employee. Your employer cannot discriminate against you. As long as you come back to work within the allotted time frame, you will have a job so don't fret.

The hardest part will be getting you away from your little bundle of joy, so you can begin work again.


To read more about your rights as a NYC Teacher with a baby bump, check out the links below:

Maternity and Child Care Leave

Maternity Leave

2 Guys Go Into Labor

Click Here:

2 Guys Go Into Labor

These men, probably speak for most men who believe that women "Exaggerate Everything". Well these two guys think childbirth couldn't possibly be as challenging as women say it is. So, they decided to try it out for themselves with this little experiment. 

It's interesting to get a male's perspective. Now imagine going through this pain for hours. Hmmm. New-found appreciation for women, huh fellas?

What do you think:
Should all men try this, so they know what their pregnant girl friend or wife is going through?

Mompreneur, Camille Richard Soap Business

Camille Richard proves that a mom can do it all. She's a Mom, Wife, Student, and a Entrepreneur all wrapped up in one!

"Amadora" is this mom's ravishing handmade soap business, where she adds a personal touch to every bar.

Great to give to family, friends, or simply to pamper yourself after the kiddies are down for the night.

"Amadora soaps make great gifts today and all year long. Made with goats milk and contain no harsh detergents, they are super moisturizing and soothing to even the most sensitive skin. Each bar is intricately designed with sparkling abstract colors and swirls, and no two bars are exactly identical. Our soaps are also "Kosher/Halal friendly" as they are vegetable based and contain no beef/pork by-products."

Beautiful bars. Lavish Lather. Delightfully Aromatic! 

Pick up a bar and show your skin some love. 

Live, Laugh, Love & Lather!

Support this fellow Mompreneur at:

Amadora Soaps Facebook Page

Purchase Amadora Soaps at Etsy

Baby DJ School

Here's something New and Exciting that you can do with your little ones...

Something outside of the box...

Cute & Fun way to create Memories...

Turn your Baby or Tot into a song mixing, disc scratching DJ...

The kiddies are guaranteed to love it and you will all have tons of fun.

Baby DJ School

For ages 3 months to 36 month

Locations:

Fort Greene

Upper West Side

Upper East Side

Crown Heights- Park Slope

Your Home

They even hold Kid Dance Parties

Check 'Em Out!!!

Baby DJ School

Salons, Not Just for Adults

Does your daughter see mommy getting beautified?

Does your son see daddy's new haircut?

And do they want to be pampered just like you?

Well, if you are looking for a new experience for the kiddies at the salon or simply to get them a haircut, try this super cute children salon, Edamama.

Its not only a hair salon,  it's a bookstore,  play space,  party area, they hold classes,  and there's a place for parents to rest and grab a cup of coffee.

Being a parent is more than just raising a child.  It's about giving them some amazing experiences. 

Check it out!
Located in Williamsburg, Brooklyn.

Click below:

Edamama, Kid's Salon

Babies Swaddled In The Same Receiving Blanket After Birth

Have you ever looked at baby pictures and wondered why every newly arrived baby is swaddled in the oh so famous white, pink, and blue swaddle blanket? Well here's why...

"In the early 1950s, receiving blankets were usually made from dull beige cloth. Mills, ever the innovator, wanted to do for blankets what he had done for scrubs. “He asked the women in the office what they would do differently to spice it up a little bit,” says Abrams. They went through a number of iterations and finally settled on the blue- and pink-striped version because, as you might have suspected, it’s good for both girls and boys."

And there's actually a name for those swaddle blankets our babies get at the hospital...

And we're not suppose to take the blankets home??? 

Click below for full article: Interesting...

Swaddled in the same blanket

Giving Birth Wasn’t So Bad

Growing up I heard horror stories about women giving birth… yeah not exactly something I was looking forward to. Getting a surrogate sounded pretty good and even adoption was appealing, anything to escape the pain of childbirth. Watching all these birth tv shows you would see the mother in such agony, hearing the mom screaming her lungs out and of course combined with the visual of blood and goo, it didn’t exactly leave a pretty image burned into my brain. Not to mention, the fact that you could die. Oh, the horror. After seeing images and hearing sounds like these who would want to experience childbirth firsthand? Don’t all jump up at once. Childbirth seems like something that is not really talked about. I don’t know if it’s because women forget about the pain or if it’s because society claims it to be taboo but whatever the reason I think more dialogue should happen when it comes to pregnancy, childbirth, and raising a child. I mean if we can become educated in high school about Sex Ed, then there should be time spent for Parental Education as well.

I am very surprised to be able to say that, giving birth wasn’t so bad. Now I’m not saying it was a walk in the park. Nor am I saying that the next one will be a piece of cake. And remember each woman is different. Which is something I heard throughout my pregnancy. I remember going for a checkup and the Nurse Practitioner was checking the baby’s heartbeat and she said, “OMG, did you feel that? Are you ok?” I honestly didn’t feel a thing. I told her I was okay and asked her why. She told me that I was having contractions. Braxton Hicks Contractions. Which is something I had no idea about preprego. It’s basically “false” labor. It’s your beautiful body’s way of preparing itself for “true” or real labor. It’s kinda crazy because you are feeling pain and you’re basically like, “Oh, this is it!”, while you’re picking up your hospital bag you so neatly prepared and set by the door in anticipation for this exact moment and getting ready to head to the hospital. But nope. The baby isn’t ready yet!!! Tease!!! The Nurse Practitioner I had to see that day told me that not all women have the same threshold for pain. With some women any little pain they feel- they can’t bare it, while other women are like keep it coming. It doesn’t mean one is weak and one is strong. It’s just what it is. And while I’m on the subject. Please, especially if you are having your first baby- get a midwife not a doctor/nurse. I started with a Nurse Practitioner and quickly changed to a Midwife. They are more loving, caring, and will take their time with you, while the Nurse was more procedural, on the clock, by the book, and was out the door saying, “Next!!!” before you can ask a question.

Go to your Lamaze classes. All of them. The information really helps, especially if you are on baby number one. I remember after the first class, thinking how boring it was and how my expectations for the class were too high (I thought it was going to be exactly like how it is on tv). I already knew the information this lady was going over in class since I was an avid reader of the Pregnancy Bible, What To Expect, When You’re Expecting. However, I stuck with it. And I’m glad I did because I learned so much and my teacher really prepared me for birth.

My Lamaze teacher talked about how giving birth started first in the mind. I remember her saying, “Some women are screaming and carrying on because they did not prepare- Did not prepare themselves mentally. It’s like okay I’m having a baby, so this is what I’m suppose to do “AAAHHHHHH””. She told us about how women have been having babies for centuries and they didn’t need any pain reliever. Really think over this. My Lamaze teacher was from the Caribbean Island and I remember her saying, “…the Western Woman is so weak, any little pain she can’t handle it and needs something to relieve the pain”. She talked about the women who would have their babies in the fields, clean themselves up, and go back to work. These are things I have never thought about and I found them to be remarkable. She was great. She taught us about the power of power-walking. Power-walking everyday helps with childbirth- I didn’t know that. Real deep breathing helps with childbirth- it’s more than “Who-who-heee-hee” like on tv. You really have to learn how to breathe. If you were or are athletic or workout this will indeed help with childbirth- I never took this into account. I guess being on the track team and hitting the gym was good for something. Staying calm and relaxed really does help with childbirth. Hubby and I made the birthing room my own. We played classical music and that really helped in keeping me calm. My room had to be quiet, doctor or not because I was somewhere else. You have to release control to some degree. Let your body do her thing. Tag you're it! Now you do your thing. PUSH!!!

The doctors and nurses could not believe I was having my first child. They kept asking me over and over, “Do you want an epidural?” “Are you sure?” “But this is your first baby.” “It’s gonna hurt.” No epidurals for me. It’s your choice but read into it before you go into labor. This should be on your to-do-list. Most of us know that getting an epidural, you will not feel the pain. However, I have spoken to moms and professionals “off the clock” about taking an epidural and they said that you don’t feel the pain because it is like your whole body is numb or paralysed. And the moms I’ve spoken to felt the contractions later after the baby was delivered. I rather have the pain while I’m giving birth then later on after the baby is born. Everyone is different and you have to find what works for you, but, so sorry, no epi for me! By the way squatting is the best position to have a baby. You will feel less pain/pressure and you will have a quicker delivery opposed to laying down or reclined in a hospital bed. Laying down in a hospital bed is actually said to be one of the worst positions when giving birth.

Leading up to the birth I did not read anything about it or watch any videos. I did not want to freak myself out. The grace of God, got me through. That Lamaze class (knowing what to expect) and having an Excellent Coach for a husband really got me through. That deep breathing and staying centered/focused really got me through. I remember a lady screaming for dare life in the room next to mine. “Would someone close my door, she’s messing me up.” I remember yelling. She was taking me off focus. So stay focused!!! Childbirth for me was nothing like how I thought it was going to be. I didn’t scream not once, hubby is my witness. I didn’t scream, I breathed. Yes there was pain but it wasn’t like the crazy things I had concocted in my mind over the years.

Things to remember:

-Learn Proper Deep Breathing

-Prenatal Exercises

-Power Walk

-Make The Birthing Room Your Own

-Find Your Focus… Concentrate

-Research about pain relievers during childbirth & the after effects.

-Watch Ricki Lake's, The Business of Being Born 

Mommies… What are some techniques that helped you while you were in labor or during childbirth?

Expectant Mommies… Feel free to leave questions in the comment box below. Experienced moms will be more than happy to answer any questions you may have!

Support Mom's Baby Food Company & New Prego Boutique

Hey mommies…

Check out these organic baby foods made with the urban mom in mind. 

"Sista Girl Urban Mama – No Drama Organic Baby Food

Busy, Urban Mamas often don’t have time to prepare baby food from scratch.  That doesn’t mean that we are not looking for a healthy and trendy option for our babies. SistaGirl’s Urban Mama – No Drama baby foods offer the perfect solution for busy mamas – healthy choices for baby, and a trendy product for mama.

Try one of our first three flavors: Organic Apples & Mangos, Organic Carrots and/or Organic Squash. All jars are 4 ounces.

COMING SOON…

Pears and Applesauce…"

Check it out:

Sista Girl Urban Mama, No Drama Organic Baby Food

A fellow mom, who started "Urban Mama – No Drama Organic Baby Food" company also opened up her own store called: 

The Pregnancy Birth and Baby Boutique

2200 Hilltop Mall Road, Richmond, CA 94806

(Located inside the Hilltop Mall near Macy's on the second floor)

Mon - Sat 10am-9pm and Sun 11am-7pm. 

If you are in the Richmond, California area stop by and take a look around. 

She has everything such as: 

Chewbeads

Cloth Diapers

Preggers COMPRESSION hose, socks and knee-highs

Flip Diapering System

Belly bandit

Nursing pads

Pregnancy pillow

And lots more...

Click here:

The Pregnancy, Birth, and Baby Boutique

SUPPORT OUR FELLOW MOMS!!!!

TEAM MOMS!!!!!

Stolen Moments

Remember the days when you would go over someone’s house and flip through their photo album to see pictures of their prom, graduation, first day of college, their big wedding day, and their baby’s arrival? Remember removing the picture from the album to look on the back of the actual photo, to discover the exact month and year the photo was developed? Stories were shared in homes, a place where you would go sit, eat, and chat and get to know each other. Stories would be swapped, telling the other what’s the story behind this picture and that picture. Stories were sacred and remained with the parties that were present to hear them. Well that’s a thing of the past.

With social media, I think I have practically seen it all. I have seen the day a baby was born, baby fully exposed. I have seen wedding pictures and honeymoon pictures before the newlyweds came back from their honeymoon and haven’t gotten around to developing pictures. I have seen sonograms. I have seen the details of bachelor/bachelorette/bridal parties. There is no need for me to ask, “How did he propose?” because chances are… I have already seen the video on Facebook.

These “stories”, these parts of “our lives” that make life interesting are no longer a story, but a post. I'm talking about those precious moments in our lives that were once shared with your closest “friends” are now shared with 300 of your closet “friends” on social media. Human contact seems to be a thing of the past because we are too busy looking down typing and texting?

Many people are posting everything and anything that comes to mind. There are no limitations. No standards on social media. I’m free to do what I will. Am I? Are we? Have we gone too far? Should some things remain special, reserved for the ears to hear and not for the eyes to see? Have we gone too far with social media?  Or is privacy old fashion and out of date?

Michael Jackson's "Thriller" Mommy Remake

Michael Jackson's Classic "Thriller" Video has been turned into a Mommy Sensation... 

When the little kiddies are down for their nap, check out this cute and funny video remake poking fun at mommymood...

Enjoy!!!

"TODDLER"

Toddler Video!!! Click Me!!!

What do you think???

Make EXTRA Cash

Hey Mommies,

Looking for a bargain on clothes for your baby or clothes for you?

Want to look fierce and fab on a budget?

Looking to make some extra cash? 

Have you checked your closet lately?

At Thredup you can SELL YOUR CLOTHES and MAKE A QUICK BUCK.


Check Out:

ThredUP
http://www.thredup.com/

"ThredUP is your favorite online thrift shop to buy quality used clothing at great prices and sell your clothes for cash. Come shop our amazing selection of used women's clothing and score your next pair of designer shoes! Check out our collection of trendy styles like maxi dresses, high-waisted jeans and jeggings in our online consignment store.

Whether you're looking for cute dresses from J. Crew and Free People, fashionable plus size clothing from Torrid and Lane Bryant, cute maternity clothes by A Pea in the Pod and Motherhood, or kids clothing from Gymboree and GAP Kids, ThredUP is the destination to shop a variety of great quality used clothing at unbeatable prices."

Stay At Home Mom... Guilt Trip

Hey mommies... Here's a great article I came across... If you are feeling blue about staying at home while the daddy has to go out to work, read this...

Being a Stay-at-Home Parent Is a Luxury … for Your Spouse

by Chaunie Brusie

The other day, I read an article in the Washington Post about a stay-at-home mother who was having a rather hard time adjusting to answering the ever-popular question, “What do you do all day?” now that the kids were at school.

It’s a topic that has been on my mind lately as I watch in bewilderment as my children seem to insist on growing up at rates that surely I did not approve of when I signed my parental contract. I look at my youngest — my seven-week-old baby girl — and I swear my mind is already flashing to the day (tomorrow, probably) that I will be kissing her good-bye on her first morning of kindergarten.

But back to the task at hand. As I read the article, I scrolled through the comments, anticipating that there would be some doozies in a post about a stay-at-home mom basically proclaiming that she doesn’t feel guilty for doing absolutely nothing all day when I came across this truly remarkable comment:

“I work full time, and my husband is a stay at home dad. We have two kids in school full day (8 to 3). Don’t you realize how much easier it is to hold a full time job when you have someone home with the kids? I can work late and travel when I need to and not worry about the kids. Our weekends are spent relaxing, instead of racing around to get errands and chores done. I can go back to work on Mondays having actually recharged over the weekend. It feels like such a luxury to ME to have a stay at home spouse.”

I was flabbergasted.

Dumbfounded.

Perplexed that in all of my years as a stay-at-home/write-at-home mom, I’ve always been fighting the thoughts that I’m not doing enough or being enough. I’ve always felt I honestly owed the world some sort of explanation for being at home. That I’ve had to throw around the fact that since I stay at home we make sacrifices as a family — like not having cable! I’ve felt I had to bake pies so that the world would know I’m not a worthless member of society. And in the midst of all that mental clutter and guilt it had never, ever crossed my mind that staying at home wasn’t “just” a luxury to me …

But also a luxury for my husband.

And suddenly, when I read those words, it all made sense. Well, of course, it would be a luxury to the spouse who works out of the home to have a partner who stays at home with the children. Someone who is always there to take care of the inevitable days of sickness, arrange the doctor’s appointments, make sure the cupboards are stocked, and heck, to ensure that no one steals the FedEx package off of the porch. And then — goodness! — to have someone to save you the worry of sending your kids into the world, someone to always be there to kiss a scraped knee and take care of the potty training and maybe even have a hot meal waiting for you when you come home?

Imagine that.

I realized, in a rush of amazement, that I had spent all of our marriage feeling just a tad bit guilty for being the one who “gets” to stay home. I’ve pushed away the shame of staying snuggled up in my warm covers in the morning while my husband trudged off to work in the snow and I’ve felt the absurd need to pack a million and ten activities into my day so I could list them off to my husband when he came home in an attempt to convince (who really? Mostly myself …) that I was “productive.”

I realized, for the first time ever, that I didn’t have anything to prove. That I had been working so hard to work from home and always have it spotless and do all my educational activities with the kids because it was my job and I’d better darn do a good job of it if my husband had to work, that I never stopped to consider that my being home with our children could actually be a gift to my husband.

I’m actually writing this very article on a rare morning “off,” courtesy of my husband having the day off of his work. I’m sitting in a café, writing for the two hours between my daughter’s feedings. And, in fact, I just now called my husband, who had volunteered to be me for the day so I could work, to ask him what his thoughts were on the topic and to ask if he would give me a quote to include for the piece.

In the background, I heard my daughter crying, the two-year-old whining at his leg, and the four-year-old singing happily at the top of her lungs, having just returned home from preschool pick-up. I pictured the scene I had left this morning — four loads of laundry left undone from the weekend, the house a complete disaster, eggs still caked on the pan from breakfast. Sweetly, I asked him for a quote — did he ever consider me staying home a gift to him?“What?!” he asked frantically, desperation creeping into his voice. “I don’t know, do I have to give you a quote right now? I mean, she’s crying and I’m trying to make mac and cheese and if I could just pick her up maybe she’d stop crying and …” he trailed off, seemingly too overwhelmed to finish his train of thought.

I smiled — a bit too smugly, I’ll admit. Because I think I had my answer. Being me for the day isn’t so easy. And having him there so that I could be elsewhere working … well, it really was a luxury. And a gift.

Why Is My Baby Crying?

Why is your baby/toddler crying?

Well, it could be for many reasons…

Your baby/toddler is hungry

Your baby/toddler is sleepy

Your baby/toddler is cold

Your baby/toddler is hot

Your baby/toddler simply wants your attention

Your baby/toddler is playing with you

Your baby/toddler is cranky

Your baby/toddler has a wet diaper

Your baby/toddler has a dirty diaper

You’re taking too long

You’re not doing what they want

They are embarrassed

They are frustrated that you can’t understand them

Something is wrong

It's what they do...

My Tot, The Picky Eater

As a parent you will learn that you no longer have anything that is solely yours anymore. Now I see why parents hide their favorite snacks around the house or indulge in their favorite chocolate bar while their child is away at school. This reminds me of the time when I was younger and my mom had some kind of snack and my sisters and I asked her for some she said, “Its nasty, you’re not going to like it.” Not realizing my mom’s desperate attempt to hold on to something she can claim for herself, we believed her. Throughout the weeks that passed we kept discovering this snack in the house yet again and again and again. Then we asked her to share and she told us the same thing, “It’s nasty, you’re not going to like it.” Well as wise as children are, the wheels in our brains began to turn and one of my sisters responded, “If it’s so nasty, then why do you keep buying it and eating it?” Triumph!!! Score!!! The children have won again. As we took pieces of her snack, which became “our” snack, we said, “No, this tastes good!” I didn’t understand why my mom would say such a thing, until I became a mother and I can honestly say, “Mom, I get it.”

Ever since she was born, she loved to eat. She would not skip a meal and would even add more meal times within the day.  After she began eating solid foods, it didn’t matter what mommy or daddy had, she claimed it as hers. With her mouth wide open and eyes that pierced through your soul, she would stare at you until you were cast under her spell. Feeding her food that was intended for yourself became a common routine. Whether my food got cold from feeding her first or I was still hungry because she ate half of my dinner, it didn’t matter because my main thought was that at least she was eating. And once she learned how to say, “more” forget about it.

Now that my little one is older her desire for food has changed. She still eats but she no longer has the same appetite that she once did. I really want her to eat like she use to because I am constantly wondering if she is getting enough food in her little belly? Thoughts such as this race through my mind and I try to do my best to make sure she has a variety of food throughout the day. Either she has taken on one of my traits and has become a picky eater or she is just being a toddler I don’t know but either way, especially as a new mom I am constantly concerned with her eating habits. I have a picky eater problem myself. If the food doesn’t look good, smell good, taste good, or the presentation of the food is not presentable then I cannot indulge. Even if the atmosphere where the food was prepare is not sanitary/clean looking, sorry I can’t eat the food.

My daughter eats all day, throughout the day, but I never think it is enough because I guess I am comparing how she use to eat previously, when she was younger. Now she rips off her baby bib and desperately wants to feed herself, which takes forever. But, I have to just suck it up and no matter how long she takes at least she is eating. A great deal of patience is in order, especially when you have a toddler who loves to play with her food. She now enjoys putting strawberries in her hand and squeezing all the juice out of it. "Uh, you were suppose to eat that!" She also likes to pour her juice on the floor so she can get the paper towel to clean up after herself. So basically, she makes a mess so she can clean it up. Which really means, so I can clean it up, but it's all good. The messes don't really bother me as much, all I care about is her eating and being a healthy tot. I have to also try to keep in mind that a toddler stomach is not the same size as an adult. So my little one may be too full to finish her whole plate of food. I am trying to keep her away from too much sweets because she will try to consume all the sweets and as a result is too full to eat healthy meals.

I must think of creative ways for mealtimes that will interest a toddler. I can’t believe that I even have to go through all of this. Why do I have to work so hard to get someone to eat? But, it’s worth it to make sure I have an interested tot. One thing I have read and heard from my doctor is that children will not go hungry. No matter what they will make sure they eat if they are hungry. So no matter what, your child will not allow themselves to starve. When you prepare food for your toddler they may not be in the mood to eat or they may not want the particular food that you are feeding them. Yes, you will learn that they have preferences. I don’t force my baby to eat because that will leave her with bad experiences that she will begin to associate with food. I saw an article about making sandwiches for lunch and using a cookie cutter to make star designs out of the sandwiches. I saw someone cutting fruit to resemble a cartoon character which also peaked my interest- something I will try. I just have to be consistent, take it one day at a time, and do my best to try to make mealtimes fun.

How do you make mealtimes fun for your picky eater?

Celebrity Moms and Their Babies

CELEBRITY MOMS AND THEIR LITTLE MUNCHKINS!!!

What are some of your best mommy/baby moments???

I Had to Grow with My Baby

My daughter is now 19 months and I have learned the hard way that I cannot stick to the same schedule I set for us when she was 1 years old. She has transformed tremendously in just a few months, I can’t even believe this is the same child. She is more independent than ever. She wants to do everything by herself. She won’t eat as much anymore unless she has the opportunity to use her fork or spoon by herself. Sometimes she doesn’t even want to use her fork or spoon, she wants to use the metal or “big people” fork and spoon. She loves to drink from her sippy cup because she doesn’t need any assistance. And annoyed, she will tell anyone, “DOP!!!” (her version of “STOP”) because she doesn’t feel like she needs your help.

For the most part, I had been staying on course with a old schedule I set in motion for her in her earlier months. However, now that she is older she is more fidgety and now that she not only knows how to walk, but now knows how to run, she will take off from you if you do not hold her interest. She has no problem telling you “bye bye” and waving with a huge grin on her face because she wants to do her own thing.

I had to reevaluate some things and grow with her. She loves to dance, so we have dance parties in the house where I crank up the radio or Pandora and we dance the time away. She loves to read, so I try to read to her every day, at least 5 books. I know her favorite book by heart and there is no need to read from it anymore, I tell her the lines word for word by memory. She loves her books so much that I once quoted a line from her book and she walked to her bookshelf, retrieved the book I was quoting from and handed it to me. I kid you not. She loves repeating the numbers and sight words that are on her flashcards. We take trips to the library and we visit family and friends. With the winter fast approaching and I will no longer be able to take her to the park, I don’t know what I’m going to do. I recently got a book from the library called, The Toddler’s Busy Book: 365 Creative Games and Activities to Keep Your 1 ½ - to 3- Year- Old Busy by, Trish Kuffner. I can’t wait to dive into this book for some new and fun ideas for me and my little one. It’s going to be so much fun!

I am getting myself more organized and disciplined when it comes to dealing with my baby, take care of the home, having time for me and my hubby, time for my family and friends, and personal time because each aspect of my life is necessary and important. Being organized really helps and I have seen the benefits of having a meal plan and having everything on my “to do” list written out. It really helps to clear my mind and I don’t have to remember to remember something, which can be tedious. I don’t feel overwhelmed and I feel more in control when I have a plan and I set goals for me and my little one. I Got This!!!

Being a Wife & Mother... Jada Pinkett -Smith explains...

Mrs. Smith keeps it real and makes it plain...

How hard is it being a wife and a mother? 

What do you think???

Check out the article:

http://www.wifedup.com/jada-pinkett-smith-talks-mother-daughter-willow-wife-mother-plus-much/

HELP FIGHT HUNGER...

1 IN EVERY 5 CHILDREN FACES HUNGER...

"Feeding America is the nation's leading domestic hunger-relief charity. Our mission is to feed America's hungry through a nationwide network of member food banks and engage our country in the fight to end hunger."

You can volunteer your time and/or donate food and/or money. There is even a virtual food drive you can partake in. 

Let's all find a cause we are passionate about and do our part and volunteer/participate in some way. If each one of us lends a helping hand, we will make the future much brighter for our children.

Let's End Hunger... Let's Feed America
http://feedingamierica.org/

Mommies Turning into Ghosts and Zombies

Boo!!! Did I scare you??? I am the ghost of the future here to give you a heads up on what you can most likely expect in your life as a mommy dear. 

All mommies turn into ghosts and zombies. You will hear often that everyone’s situation and experience is different, but THIS is universal. Of course, you are not really going to begin floating and swaying from side to side. And you will not morph into a zombie while chanting, “I want your brain!”. However, all mommies especially in the beginning fall into the ghost and zombie category.

Pregnant? Girl, it’s all about you. Gave birth? It’s all about the baby. So enjoy the attention while you’re pregnant because 9 month later, you’re going to be yesterday’s news. Once your precious bundle of joy enters the world, you really don’t even exist anymore. You no longer have a name. You become ________’s mom. It’s not like no one cares. Many people care, it’s just that they care about the baby more. Who wouldn’t want to be engrossed with your little cutie pie? Their smile, smell, the way they stare at you with their cute black pearl eyes. Your little baby will put anyone into a trance and draw all the attention toward them. You will discover how swift people will run pass you to greet your baby and later realize that you are standing there. Twenty minutes later, “Oh… hi to you too”. It’s not personal, it’s just something that happens, so embrace it and have fun with it. And remember while people are marveling over your little precious, you can use that time to sneak away and catch up on some much needed Zzzz’s.

A Zombie Mommy is something that is inevitable. For the first few months you will find yourself going through the same routine day after day. You will have loss of energy, be sleep deprived, and don’t know if you’re coming or going. While your baby is just a few months old, he/she will go through approximately 10 diapers a day. That’s normal. And guess who has to change them? Hmmm, I give you one guess. 

Most of your life will be filled with changing diapers, feeding baby, cleaning baby, and putting baby to sleep over and over again, many times within one day. Your baby will sleep every 2 hours, unless you are one of the lucky few. Which basically means 2 hours sleep, 2 hours up, another 2 hours sleep, and 2 hours up most likely crying. Which means that you and/or  your partner will be up every 2 hours catering to your little prince/princess. When my daughter was just a few months old and she would wake up many times in the early morning me and hubby decided to take shifts. First time I dealt with her, then him, we kept going like that until he had to get ready for work. When she would cry in the morning because she was hungry, one thing that helped me was just to feed her in the bed and all 3 of us went to sleep and we were all happy. Yes they do cry for other reasons- like crying because they are tired. I still don’t understand that one, but whatever- it is what it is.

Going through the same routine every day, all day long can make you feel like a zombie because you have to complete your responsibilities while you are beyond exhausted. I have never felt exhaustion until I experienced those first few months of being a mom. I remember changing diaper number 9 and literally 10 minutes later pulling out the wipes and diapers and thinking to myself, ‘Did I change her already? I don’t know!’ At a certain point you just go through the motions.

But don’t fret, there is light at the end of the tunnel. There are many things you can do to survive:

1-Keep a sound mind:

   Talk yourself through it all. Remember many women have gone through this before you and they have succeeded, so give yourself some credit. The only way to get good at something is through practice.

2-Tag-Team It:

Don’t take on all the responsibilities. It took 2 to make your baby and it will take 2 to raise your baby. Share the tasks. It’s very helpful for you and the father to discuss what each other is going to contribute in regards to your baby and share the responsibilities. For example, if I cooked my husband did the dishes. If my husband was rocking our baby to sleep, I was cleaning the house. You two have to agree on it and be consistent. It will make all your lives better.

3-Have a solid support system:

Families and close friends are really good for this. Sometimes you may need someone to watch your baby because you simply need a break. That is okay. Actually getting some rest and some personal time is beneficial because it allows you to re-energize yourself to tackle your responsibilities for another day.

4-Play music:

Put on Pandora, hit play on your playlist, or make up your own songs. Your baby won’t mind that you’re out of tune. They actually love to hear their mommy’s and daddy’s voice. So belt it out, singing your favorite tunes and dance with your little baby. This keeps everyone calm and is great for bonding.

What are some ways you got through the first few months?