Our First Family Vacation was a Success!



Our happy family.

If you're friends with me on Facebook then I'm sure you're aware by all of my picture uploading that we had a fantastic time in Gulf Shores. It was truly a great first family vacation.

If you remember from one of my earlier posts, I was really nervous about making this 9 hour drive with Sophie. But, I'm happy to report that she did fantastic! We did as planned and left around her bedtime on that Saturday night. We loaded up the car, then put her in last while she was already groggy and ready to sleep. And she slept almost the entire way! She woke up only once when we were about half way there, stayed up for about an hour, then went right back to sleep. And the whole hour she was awake she sat quietly in her car seat, which if you know my daughter, that never happens! And on the way back she did just as well, sleeping again almost the entire way.

However, part of this may be attributed to the fact that we had to give her some Benadryl. Sophie mysteriously came down with hives on the Friday afternoon before we were set to leave, and I was freaking out. I got her in the Dr. and he gave us an oral steroid to give to her and recommended we use Benadryl for the itching. So before we left on Saturday we gave her a dose, and then again at the half way point. However, on the way back her hives were cleared up and she actually fell asleep on her own while in the car. She woke up only once when we stopped to get gas, and went right back to sleep. So I think even without the Benadryl she would have slept the whole way there on her own.

Needless to say, I strongly recommend to other parents who are embarking on their first long car trip with a child to leave at night! Hopefully, you'll have as easy of an experience as we did.

Not only did Sophie do remarkably well on the drive down and back, but she was also very pleasant for the majority of the trip. The only issue we really ran into was she fought her naps while we were gone. However, in her defense, she had to sleep in her pack-n-play in a noisy house full of people, when she's used to her crib and complete silence. But, with a little fight, we were able to get her down for a nap each afternoon and she went down pretty smoothly at night.

Going into this trip I didn't know what to expect, so naturally I expected the worst, and I was pleasantly surprised by how smoothly most of it went. The only other little hiccup we had was Sophie was not a super big fan of the beach. She liked it the first two days we were there, then she was kind of over it. It was really windy the whole time we were there, which I think is what she didn't like. So we tried to do other things besides just go to the beach. We went to the little zoo they had there twice (it was a really neat zoo), and to a small amusement park that was just down the street from our house. She enjoyed both activities very much. At the amusement park I was shocked she actually rode some of the kiddie rides all by herself! I thought surely she wasn't big enough for that, and she'd want her momma or daddy with her, but we put her in it and she was happy as a clam! I'm not going to lie, this actually made me a little sad. My baby is growing up!

Also while we were gone, she picked up several new words! She is talking up a storm now, even more than before we left. I'd say this was due in part to the fact that she was stuck in a house full of loud talking people chatting constantly for a week. (My sisters and I like to talk.) But, I was so proud of her for learning so much in such a short time. While we were gone she learned to say: eat, 'side (her attempt to say outside), sleep, bed, night night, go, oh, nay (it's what horses say) and several other words.

Coming back from this trip, I realized that my baby is getting so big. Every day she learns something new and I swear the kid is getting taller all the time. I'm certain she'll be taller than momma one day. I stay in a constant state of amazement by this child of mine. I'm amazed that this beautiful, intelligent, charming little girl belongs to us. I'm so thankful for each day with her, and I feel that Chase and I truly lucked out when God gave her to us. She is tempered and a little stubborn, she loves to be the center of attention, and has the most contagious laugh. We're absolutely smitten. :-)

Of course I could never get a picture of her smiling.

Riding on a ride all by herself. My big girl. :)

On Putting Yourself First

As a mother, I am a firm believer in taking care of yourself first and foremost. If you are not well, be it physically or mentally, then you are no help to anyone else, let alone your husband or child(ren).

I was very sick over the weekend. I came down with a high fever on Saturday afternoon and felt awful. It didn't get better on Sunday, so I went to the clinic inside Walmart to see what was wrong. Come to find out, I had an ear infection. I was surprised; I couldn't tell you the last time I'd had an ear infection. I think I was probably around 2 or 3 years old. At the clinic they loaded me up with medication and sent me home with instructions to feel better. And that was what I intended to do.

So, I spent the remainder of Mother's Day resting and trying to get over this infection. However, come Monday, I was no better and had to miss work. My lovely mother came in the morning and got Sophie and took her to the sitter's so I could rest. And rest I did. I think I slept more that day than I was actually awake. But the combination of lots of rest and meds did the trick, and I was feeling better and able to return to work on Tuesday.

During those 2 1/2 days that I was sick, I did nothing but focus on myself and getting well. I didn't feed Sophie, play with her, or give her a bath like I normally do. I left Chase in charge of all those things, and knew he'd be more than capable of handling it. Because, luckily for me, I have an amazing husband who is an active and present parent. We co-parent Sophie; everything is 50/50. I can honestly say, neither one of us does more than the other. So I knew when I needed him, he would be willing and able to step up and take over my half, while I recovered.

However, the point of this post is not that I was sick and my husband helped out. The point is, I felt no guilt (or very little) for putting it all on him for those few days, so that I could focus on getting myself well. This brings me to the larger point I'm trying to get at: Mothers need to stop putting themselves, and especially their health, on the back burner. The most important thing a mother can do for her family is take care of herself. Trust me, your family loves you, and wants you to be healthy. So if you are one of those moms who is too busy to go to the doctor when you're sick, runs herself ragged, only focuses on her husband and child's wellbeing and not her own, then I ask you to stop right now, and put yourself first!

I read some inspiring words from another blogger today on this same subject. She is a cancer survivor and a soon to be mother of three. Here is some of her advice on motherhood and putting your health first, that I'd like to share. As a mother who faced a life threatening illness, and won, I find her beyond inspiring.

"As mothers, we owe it to our children to do whatever we can to be here for them as long as possible. Taking care of ourselves is the best gift we can give our families. You know how I feel about the importance of maintaining mom mental health (date nights, kid-free time with friends, wine) and the same goes for our physical wellbeing. We need to go to the doctor, to get regular checkups, to follow up on any weird hunches, to get rest, eat well, exercise and, if we can, take whatever measures possible to cut our cancer risks. Because I can tell you, being a mom and having cancer is not a good combination."- Erin Zammett Ruddy

She wrote this blog post in reaction to the recent news that Angelina Jolie underwent a preventative double mastectomy after finding out that she had an 87% chance of developing breast cancer at some point in her life. Angelina went public with this news by writing about it in an op ed piece for The New York Times. Regardless of your opinions on Angelina, it was a remarkable thing for her to do this surgery for her family's sake, and to share it so openly with the public, in an effort to spread awareness to other women across the world. If you have not read her article, I highly suggest you do. Here's a link to it: http://www.nytimes.com/2013/05/14/opinion/my-medical-choice.html?src=me&ref=general&_r=0

I hope this post gives you moms who aren't taking care of yourselves, the kick in the pants you need to start putting your health first. :-)

Who Knew Playtime Would be So Challenging?

I always assumed that, once Sophie reached a certain age, she'd start playing by herself. I envisioned her sitting quietly on her own, playing happily with one of her gazillion toys, while I got to do my own thing. However, this has not been the case for us (so far at least). And after 16 months of being her main source of entertainment 24/7, this momma is ready for a break!

Instead of playing contently on her own, Sophie demands constant interaction from both me and Chase. She might play by herself for a few minutes, but then she's right back to being stuck to our sides. I love that she wants to interact with us, but it makes it nearly impossible to accomplish anything, like say cook dinner, when she's constantly pulling on my leg for me to pick her up, or throwing a fit because I'm not stopping what I'm doing to entertain her.

Don't get me wrong, I love playing with Sophie, but sometimes there are other things that I need to do, or I just want a few minutes to sit and watch a little TV or read a book. Those are the moments I wish she could play independently, even just for a little while.

This gets worse on rainy days, which we've been having a lot of lately. On rainy days I can't take her outside and let her run around, or do chalk with her in the driveway, or take her for a walk. No, on rainy days we are stuck in the house and she is looking to me to fill the long, boring hours of the day. I don't know why we even bothered to buy her so many toys for her birthday and Christmas; the kid has a playroom full of toys she hardly plays with. There are maybe a handful that she likes to play with for say five minutes, then she's done, and looking at me or Chase to entertain her.

Now, just so you don't think we're terrible parents, we have done lots of fun things with Sophie. Recently, we've went to the park, taken her on her first trip to the zoo, and attended her first spring carnival. We love to get her out of the house as much as possible, and do fun things with her, which is much easier to do when the weather cooperates.

However, for the days we can't get out of the house and mommy and daddy need to get a few things done, or just want to relax, I wish she could, you know-- just play! Can anyone else relate to this? Do you have any ideas for how to get her to play by herself for a little while? I should mention, Sophie does not watch TV. Not because we don't allow it, but because she just doesn't want to, which I think is a good thing, but that puts us at a disadvantage because we can never turn to the TV like so many other parents do when they need a break for a few minutes.

I don't know, maybe I'm asking too much of a 16 month old? All I know is I would like to have 10-15 minutes to do laundry, cook dinner, talk to my husband without being interrupted, zone out, etc., without a toddler pulling on my shirt or throwing a fit because I'm not giving her my undivided attention.

I recently read a really good blog post on this very subject, but it was referring to this problem in older children. Here's the link to it if you'd like to check it out: http://www.parenting.com/blogs/true-mom-confessions/sasha-emmons/play-alone Sometimes I worry if I don't start teaching Sophie how to entertain herself now, she won't be able to do it when she's older either. I really want to break the habit now, before it becomes a real problem.

Favorite Children's Books

There are so many great children's books out there. I am slowly, but steadily adding to Sophie's collection, and I'd like to share some of our favorites so far.

Reading before bed has become a nightly routine for us, one that I very much enjoy. When I first started trying to read to Sophie she wasn't all that interested. But, now that she's a little older, and has a longer attention span, she loves it! Every night at 8:00 p.m. sharp the TV goes off and Sophie and I sit on the living room floor and gather up all of our favorite books to read. She plops down in my lap, usually holding her ever-present blankey, and I read to her. She sits quietly, listening to me, and occasionally she'll point out what she sees on the pages-- "Ducky!!" It's so sweet. :-) Here are our favorites.

1. Love You Forever, by Robert Munsch (A classic, and still my personal favorite.)
2. A Potty For Me, by Karen Katz (I bought this one for her so we could introduce the potty subject and start to prepare her for when potty training begins. And she surprisingly loves it.)
3. Good Night, My Love, by Sandra Magsamen
4. I Love You Through and Through, by Bernadette Rossetti Shustak
5. Where is Baby's Belly Button?, by Karen Katz (She makes really good lift-the-flap books.)
6. Are You My Mommy?, by Kait Eaton
7. Ten, Nine, Eight, by Molly Bang

Do you and your little one have a favorite book? Please share. Sophie and I are always open to suggestions. :-)

A Few of My Favorite Things...

Sometimes on rainy, dreary days like today I like to sit and think of a few of my favorite things to brighten up my day. Here's my list:

• A warm cup of coffee
• Comfy pajamas
• Laying on the couch snuggled under a soft throw blanket
• The sweet quiet that comes along with having the house to myself (This rarely happens these days, which makes me cherish it even more.)
• A good book
• Hearing a favorite song on the radio
• The smell of Sophie's hair after she's just had a bath...heavenly :-)
• Holding hands with my husband
• Comfort food (lately its been spaghetti and meatballs)
• Yoga (It relaxes and rejuvenates me. Wish I could do it more often.)

Sometimes it's the little things. Happy Friday everyone! What's on your list?

P.S.- Hope you all have a great Easter! We're determined to have Sophie's first Easter egg hunt on Sunday, rain or shine! :-)

Things You Should Do Before Having Kids

Don't get me wrong, having a child is absolutely wonderful, and I wouldn't change being a mom for anything in the world. However, with that being said, there are a few things I wish I had done, or done more of, before I had Sophie. Because let's be honest, some things just aren't the same once you have a kid. So, if you are contemplating having a baby in the near future I recommend doing these things first, before you get preggers.

1. Sleep in and take naps often.
I'm sure you've heard this one, but it's true, once the baby is here sleep will become scarce, especially in the beginning. If you're lucky you'll sleep when the baby sleeps, but it won't be like it was before, when you could sleep late and take a nap whenever you wanted to.
(Full disclosure: I can't complain too much about this one. Sophie usually sleeps in until 9:00 am on the weekends. She's also a pretty good napper, and I sometimes still nap when she does, so it could be worse for me. I really feel for the mamas whose babies wake up at 6 am every day!)

2. Pamper yourself as much as possible.
Take a long bubble bath, get a massage, go for a mani pedi, do whatever it is that relaxes you, and do it as often as possible. There will be little time/money for those luxuries once the baby is here.

3. Read/watch movies.
If you enjoy reading books or watching movies, do it now. Once the baby is here fitting in the time to read gets harder, and finding sitters to go to the movies can be a chore. Even watching movies at home gets more difficult, because you'll have to wait until your child's bedtime, that is if you want to actually be able to pay attention to the movie.
(Sidenote: If you have TV shows you want to be able to keep up with once baby is here, I highly recommend you get DVR. That way you can record your favorite shows, and watch them when baby's asleep.)

4. Do a sexy photo shoot.
This is something I never had the desire to do before I had Sophie. However, now that I have had a child and my body is not the same as it was, and never will be, I wish I had. It would be nice to be able to look back and say, "Man, I used to look like that!" Plus, I'm sure your hubby would appreciate it. ;)

5. Travel
Not saying you can never travel once baby is here, but it will be harder with a baby in tow. And trips will definitely be less frequent. Is there somewhere you've always wanted to go? Go there now!

Sure, having a child can make your life more challenging at times, but it also makes it so much more rewarding. So please don't take this post as a negative comment on life after kids. I just wanted to let wanna-be parents know what they should take advantage of, while they still have the chance. :-)

Reads and Recommends

This post is dedicated to some of the great finds I have come across on the World Wide Web recently. I'm sharing with you all on the off chance you may find them interesting as well. Here you go.

I loved this article http://livingingraceland.com/2013/03/18/my-message-to-my-younger-momma-self/. It's such a sweet, insightful, poignant piece about a mother of older children reflecting back on when they were younger. Having a small child myself, I found it very interesting to see what advice she gave to her younger mom self.

I found this http://youaremywild.wordpress.com/. It's a collection of photographs taken by 14 photographers of their own children as they see them. They're absolutely beautiful.

Here is a story about a fun young couple living in New York City with their two year old son. The dad decided to take him on an adventure in the city where they acted out the scenes in one of his favorite storybooks. Such a cool idea. http://www.joannagoddard.blogspot.com/2013/03/motherhood-monday-bringing-your-childs.html

I love this idea of turning your kid's artwork into a keepsake book. How cool is that?! http://www.plumprint.com Sophie hasn't really started producing any artwork yet (she just scribbles), but when she does I would love to do this.

This is a really funny, honest account of some of the down sides of being pregnant.  http://celebritybabies.people.com/2013/02/21/poppy-montgomery-blog-pregnancy-cravings-hormones/#more-180195 I could totally relate to her cravings for sushi and margaritas, crazy hormones, and feeling like a whale. For those of you who have been pregnant before, and know how it is, this is a fun read.

That's all I've got. Until next time. :-)

Mommy Mantra

A friend of mine wrote a blog post recently about how difficult it can sometimes be as a mom to balance everything in your life: kids, work, home, husband, etc. In her words, it can sometimes feel like you're barely treading water. (Shout out Jayme! :) I found this to be very relevant because I think this is something that every mom has struggled with at some point or another. (I know I have.) As moms, it is easy to get bogged down by our busy lives and feel overwhelmed, tired, and stressed.

I've been doing this whole mom thing for going on 15 months now, and during that time I have created what I call my Mom Mantra, to help me deal with moments like this. The mantra is, "I'll do my best". It's simple, but if I repeat it to myself it helps calm me when I get overwhelmed by everything going on in my life.

If I have a hectic work day or Sophie is being uncooperative, and I feel like I'm struggling to get through the day, I think to myself, I'll do my best to get through this day/hour/minute. And when I lay down at night and recap the day in my head, and say to myself, "I did my best", then that's all that matters. If I didn't get everything done on my to do list, or I lost my cool for a few minutes, it doesn't matter, because I tried my best, and that's really all we can do.

I also think this mantra helps me keep an even head, and not get wrapped up in comparing myself to other moms who seem to be effortlessly doing it all. Because we all know that isn't the case. There is no mom out there who is navigating everything perfectly; it just isn't possible. So give yourselves a break fellow mamas! And, know that if you're doing your best, you are doing enough. And more likely than not, you are doing a fantastic job. :)

On Having "Me Time" as a Working Mom

On Wednesday I took a vacation day. I knew going into this vacation day that it would not be a real vacation. Yes I was off work, but I took the day off because I had a dentist appointment and a million other things I needed to do. Thus, it was more of a Chore day than a Vacation day.

So I "slept in" until 8:00, showered and got ready, and dropped Sophie off at the sitter's by 9:15 so I could make it to my 9:30 dentist appointment. After my appointment was over, I let Sophie stay with the sitter so I could clean the house and run some much needed errands. As most parents know, it is nearly impossible to clean your house with a toddler underfoot, and it makes grocery shopping much more of a chore as well.

I really needed this day. I needed a day to get things done. But I have to say, I have trouble taking days like this for myself. It's hard as a working mom because you are away from your child so much during the week while you're at work. So most days I have off I try to spend with Sophie. I felt guilty because I could have technically had her with me that day, but it would have made things more difficult. Plus, I really wanted some "Me" time. Even though this wasn't what I would have used to have referred to as Me time. Back before I had a child if I had taken a day off from work I probably would have slept until 10:30, lounged around in my pajamas, watched a bunch of crap television, and maybe painted my toenails.

Instead I cleaned the house, did the dishes and two loads of laundry, dropped our comforter off at the cleaners, went to Sam's Club and Walmart, and went home and unloaded the groceries. I did all of this, and was done on time to pick Sophie up by 3:30. It's funny how my life has changed.

I am happy with this change though. I felt a sense of accomplishment getting all of that done. (Oh and I also had dinner cooked and ready to be eaten by the time Chase got off work.) As a busy working mom I have to weigh my priorities, and take advantage of what little free time I can get.

However, this doesn't mean I don't ever take any real Me time, or time to just relax. It just isn't as frequent. Last night Chase and I went to dinner sans baby, and it was really nice. And I also have a lovely massage gift certificate from Valentine's Day that my wonderful hubby got for me, which is burning a hole in my pocket. I plan to use it soon on a real Me day.

So tell me fellow working mommies, how do you spend your Me time? Do you relax and really enjoy it, or are you like me, and usually end up spending it doing chores?

Buying for Baby: My Tips on What to Buy and What to Skip

I just read a fellow blogger's post about what baby items she found most useful when she had her two kids, and what items she found to be a waste. This inspired me to write my own post on the subject. Of course keep in mind every mom and baby is different so these lists won't always be the same for everyone. But here's my two cents:

What I Couldn't Live Without:

• Playtex Ventaire Bottles (the ones without the liners) 

When I was pregnant I bought the Playtex Ventaire Starter Set, which came with both small and large size bottles and both slow flow and fast flow nipples. This was great because I was able to start Sophie off on the smaller bottles with the slow flow nipples at first, and move her to the larger bottles with the fast flow as she grew. She never had any problem with them, and they were really easy to clean. I highly recommend them! (We tried the famous Dr. Brown bottles and I was not impressed. Too many parts to take apart and clean and I didn't think they made a difference in the gas department.)

• Bassinet

We used the bassinet for Sophie until she was 3 months old. She slept really good in it, and I liked it because it was so small and fit easily next to our bed without taking up too much space. I never really got into the Pac-N-Play thing. They are just so big and take up so much room!

•   Velcro Swaddlers

Sophie wasn't actually that big on swaddling, but early on when we first brought her home we swaddled her for a little while just because we felt like we were supposed to. However, I never figured out how to actually swaddle her with a blanket. Luckily my sister bought me one of those Velcro Swaddle blankets and it was great. (I don't remember what the actual name is for these.) They are blankets that are already sewn into a pouch that have velcro flaps you just fold over and fasten to swaddle your baby. It made the swaddling process so much easier! However, once we figured out she didn't actually prefer to be swaddled we ditched it all together.

• Gas Drops/Similac Sensitive Formula for Fussiness and Gas 

Sophie was a fussy baby. She had stomach trouble for the first 3 months of her life. First she had acid reflux, then she just had an upset/gassy tummy a lot of the time. When we finally made the switch to the Similac Sensitive Formula for Fussiness and Gas it made a world of difference! And the gas drops helped too. Even for breastfed babies gas drops are a good thing to have on hand.

• Rocking/Vibrating Swing

Our swing was an absolute Godsend for us. Sophie actually slept in her swing for a really long time until she got used to sleeping flat, at which point we transitioned her to her bassinet. When all her tummy troubles were going on sleeping upright seemed to help her. And our swing would hook onto a larger part that made it rock back and forth, or you could take it off and it would still vibrate. This came in very handy for when I was home alone with Sophie and wanted to take a shower. I'd just take her little vibrating swing seat into the bathroom and she'd be happy as a clam while I did my thing.

• Dillard's Sheep Baby Mat

My sister bought one of these for Sophie and we got a ton of use out of it! They are pricey, but they are definitely worth it. They are super soft, are a good size, but not too large, come in several different cute animal choices, and can be found at Dillard's or online. During the day this was Sophie's favorite place to nap.

• Vulli Sophie the Giraffe Teether

Again this one is a little pricey, but totally worth it. I'll admit I originally bought this because of the name. (Come on Sophie had to have a Sophie the Giraffe teether!) But it actually became Sophie's favorite teether to use. I'm not sure what makes it so special. It's basically a dog toy made for babies. But I know several other moms who also swear by this teether.

• Gowns

Gowns are the absolute easiest thing to put a baby in. They make night time diaper changes much quicker and take a lot less work than those outfits with a million snaps on them. I suggest you stock up!

• Activity Walker

When Sophie got old enough to start trying to walk we got her one of these Activity Walkers. ( You can find one here http://www.walmart.com/ip/Fisher-Price-Musical-Activity-Walker/15908176) They are cheap and we really think it helped her learn to walk. She started walking at 9 1/2 months. She loved this walker and used it for a long time, until she got comfortable enough to walk freely. I also recommend this one over the walkers you sit babies in, because I've read that experts are actually not encouraging those types anymore. There have been injuries reported with them. So save yourself some money and go the Activity Walker route!

What I Would Skip:

• Pacifiers

This one is totally determined by the baby. We had gone out and bought several different types of pacifiers, paci clips, and holders when I was pregnant because we assumed Sophie would take one. However, Sophie never took a paci, not once. So that was a waste. I recommend only buying one or two pacifiers until your baby is born to see if they will actually take one or not.

• Wipe warmer

Seemed like an unnecessary step. Sophie was fine with her cold wipes.

• Car seat strap covers

We bought these to put on Sophie's car seat straps so they wouldn't rub against her, but we were told by a Physician's Assistant that they don't recommend using them. So we never used them and Sophie did fine. The straps never bothered her a bit.

• Baby shoes

I bought several little baby shoes for Sophie thinking how cute they'd be on her. In reality on most days I was lucky if I got Sophie in a real outfit and out of her pajamas, let alone put shoes on her. Until a child is old enough to start walking shoes really aren't necessary.

• Riding toys

We had several toys for Sophie that she could sit on and ride when she got old enough. We had a pink scooter, a giraffe toy she could ride, and a rocking unicorn. However, Sophie never got the hang of scooting herself so we'd have to push her. And by the time she was able to walk she was over these types of toys and preferred to just run around on her own.

• Glider

We put a glider in Sophie's room. However, from the time we brought her home we primarily fed her on the couch in the living room. Sophie never wanted to be rocked. And the glider had narrow arm rests that made it difficult for me to rest Sophie's head on during feedings. Next time around I will probably purchase a regular chair with wide stuffed arm rests that would better accommodate her head during feedings.

Undecided:

• Diaper Genie

We never purchased a diaper genie for Sophie because other mom friends had told me they were a waste. We just put a small trash can in her room. However, her diapers get stinky quickly so we are constantly taking out the trash can. I would probably try a diaper genie next time to see if it would help contain the smell.

• Nursing Pillow

I didn't breastfeed Sophie so this was never really needed. I did use it a few times to prop her up before she was sitting good on her own. But overall, it wasn't really necessary for us.

• Bumbo

We used this little seat when we first started feeding Sophie solids. It was smaller and more contained than putting her in the high chair. The only thing is we used it for a pretty short time frame, until we switched her to the high chair. Plus, there have been several warnings come out saying they're dangerous. Which this is only true if you sit your child in it at a high or uneven level, so really I didn't get too worked up over these warnings.

There is my long winded explanation for what I did and didn't find useful for my baby. I don't know if there are any expecting moms that read this blog, but if so I hope this helped! Again, a lot of these things are a personal preference.

And here's a link to the blog that inspired this one if you'd like to check it out. http://www.parenting.com/blogs/true-mom-confessions/erin-zammett-ruddy/baby-gear

**Also it has come to my attention that people have had trouble trying to leave comments on here. If you have a blog or Google account it should let you sign in with your account to leave a comment. Or you can leave one as Anonymous, and just tell me who you are if you want. I would love some feedback! :-)

The Morning Rush Plus Some Recipes

Like most working moms, my mornings are crazy. About a month ago Chase's work schedule changed and he now has to be at work by 6:15 every morning, and he doesn't get home until around 5:30-5:45. I work 8-5, hence I am now solely responsible for getting Sophie to and from the sitter's house every single day. The problem with that is I like my sleep, so I don't get up until the absolute last minute. Which means most mornings result in me getting ready in a rush, packing my gym bag and lunch on workout days, packing Sophie's diaper bag, loading the car, getting Sophie dressed and ready, and getting out the door as quickly as possible. (Yes, I realize some of this could be done the night before, but I'm not always that organized.)

Most days we make it out of the house alright. But some days I like to make it even harder on myself by adding in a crockpot dinner or a bit of laundry to my morning craziness. (I am a chronic multitasker.) On those days I am lucky if I get out of the house on time.

But I have to say, after recently jumping on the crockpot bandwagon, I am never going back! They are so convenient. I put the ingredients in the crockpot either the night before or in the morning and turn it on, and wallah when I walk in the door after work our dinner is done! And there are a plethora of crockpot recipes out there to choose from, so I have been able to mix it up. I get most of mine from Pinterest. All the ones I've tried so far have been good, but some were better than others. Here for your enjoyment are some of the best crockpot recipes from Pinterest I've tried thus far. You're welcome and happy cooking!

(Sorry in advance for the mismatch of fonts and font sizes. I just copied and pasted directly from the recipes.)

Cheesy Chicken and Rice

Ingredients:

·         4 boneless skinless chicken breasts

·         1 large onion, chopped (I use Vidalia)

·         1 -8 ounce box Zatarain's Yellow Rice Mix, cooked according to directions

·         1 cup cheddar cheese

·         1 - 10.5 ounce can cream of chicken soup (regular or fat free)

·         1 -15 ounce can whole kernel corn, drained

Instructions:

Place chicken in bottom of slow cooker. Scatter chopped onion over top. Spoon cream soup over top of that. Cover and cook on low 7-8 hours or on high 3-4 hours. A few minutes before serving, add in cooked rice, corn, and cheese. Stir to combine. Serve hot.

Crockpot Cube Steak and Gravy

Ingredients:

Cube steak   (I used a family size pack)
2 cans (10.75 ounce size) cream of mushroom soup
1 envelope onion soup mix
3/4  cup water

Salt and Pepper to taste

Directions:

Place all ingredients in crock pot. Cook on low all day. Serve over rice, noodles, mashed potatoes or with your favorite side dishes.

***I used white rice and it was delicious! I have also done this recipe with chicken.

Crockpot Tex Mex Chicken Nachos

Ingredients:

·         3 (about 1.7 lbs) boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into ¼ inch-wide strips

·         1 packet Taco Bell Taco Seasoning Mix

·         2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

·         1 red bell pepper, cut into ½-inch-wide strips

·         1 green bell pepper, cut into ½-inch-wide strips

·         1 can sweet corn

·         1 small jar of thick & chunky mild salsa

·         2 cups Mexican shredded cheese (4 cheese variety)

Toppings:

·         sour cream

·         sliced green onions

Instructions:

1.     Spray a 6 QT slow cooker with non-stick cooking spray.

2.     In the bottom, toss the sliced chicken with taco seasoning and flour until coated.

3.     Add peppers, corn and salsa. Mix.

4.     Cook on high for 4 hours or low for 6 – 8 hours.

5.     Serve over tortilla chips with shredded cheese and your favorite toppings.

The Tex Mex Chicken Nachos are cooking in my crockpot as we speak for our dinner tonight, so I haven't actually gotten to taste them yet. But I went home during my lunch today and let me tell you the smell alone let me know this recipe is going to be delicious!

Book Suggestions

As part of my New Year's Resolution I have been trying to read more lately. And I can happily say I have been successful at this so far. Here's a review of the two most recent novels I've read.

I read What Alice Forgot by Liane Moriarty, which was our February pick for my Book Club. I really enjoyed it. I would describe it as a semi-romantic comedy, but with a more serious plot than most romantic comedies. It had funny parts, but also very serious parts to it. It was an easy read that had an interesting storyline which kept my interest.

After finishing that book I read Blackberry Winter by Sarah Jio. It is a murder mystery that had a plot unlike any other I've ever read. I loved it! It was definitely a sad book, but the storyline was very intriguing and kept you guessing til the very end.

I would highly recommend both of these books to anyone looking for something new to read. Sarah Jio has three novels out and I have also read her first novel The Violets of March, which was also a mystery novel. I enjoyed it as well, but Blackberry Winter surpassed it by a long shot.

Also on my reading list I plan to read:

1.      Best Kept Secret, by Amy Hatvany

2.      Where We Belong, by Emily Giffin

3.      Sweet Tooth, by Ian McEwan

4.      The Middlesteins, by Jami Attenberg

5.      Open House, by Elizabeth Berg

6.   Where’d You Go Bernadette, by Maria Semple

7.   Gone Girl, by Gillian Flynn

These last two books, Where'd You Go Bernadette and Gone Girl, have gotten rave reviews and been highly recommended so I am anxious to dig into them. Have you read anything good lately? If you have any suggestions please let me know, I'm always looking for something new to read!

Traveling With a Toddler

Sophie enjoying the pool last summer.

We are taking our first family vacation with Sophie at the end of May for my sister Kati's wedding, and I can't wait! We're going to Gulf Shores and staying at a house on the beach. I'm really excited for this trip for a number of reasons: #1 my sister is getting married!, #2 I've never been to Gulf Shores, and #3 I haven't had a real vacation since my Honeymoon 2 1/2 years ago.

However, I'm also very nervous because this will be the longest trip we have ever taken with Sophie. The longest trip we've been on so far was 4 hours and she did pretty good. But that trip was several months ago when she was younger and she slept most of the way.

In preparation for this trip I've done some research on traveling with toddlers and asked some friends about their experiences, and I've gotten some good advice. We have decided it would be best to leave at night that way she'll (hopefully) sleep the whole 9 hours there. So the plan as of right now is to let her fall asleep in her crib, wait about an hour for her to be good and asleep, and then transfer her from her crib to the car while she's still knocked out, and fingers crossed she'll remain asleep until we reach our destination.

But, its the trip home that I'm really worried about. On the last day of the trip we have to check out of the house by noon, which means we have to leave in the middle of the day. So we're going to have to find a way to entertain Sophie the whole way home. I've found some good ideas on Pinterest for things like "busy" bags of toys she can play with to keep her preoccupied, and also advice like have a variety of treats on hand for her to eat. These ideas sound great, and hopefully they'll work. But, have I mentioned yet that Sophie HATES the car. She has hated it ever since she was a newborn. She cries even if we're only in it for 5 minutes. I think it's the fact that she's being restrained and can't get up and move around.

I thought this would be something she would outgrow, but she's 13 months old and she still HATES the car. The wedding is over 4 months away so maybe by then she'll get over her hatred of the car, but I'm doubtful. However, a plus side is my wonderful Mom is riding with us, so she'll be there to help us distract Sophie. And I'm sure I'll be very grateful for the help. We shall see how it goes.

Despite my anxiety over the car situation, I'm really looking forward to the trip. Kati is getting married at sunset on the beach- its going to be beautiful! And we'll get to see Sophie experience the beach for the first time! I'm sure she's going to love it, she loves pools already, as you can see from the photo above. Plus with this awful cold weather we've been having lately I cannot wait to escape to a warm beach and lay under the sun!

Anyone else going anywhere fun this summer? Anyone have any tips for traveling with toddlers, please share!

Thinking of the Future

Sophie's future has been on my mind a lot lately. As parents, we have to make certain decisions to plan for and protect our child(ren)'s future. Chase and I have done this by creating Wills for both of us, which establish who Sophie's guardian would be if we both happened to tragically pass away, and who would get our assets (Sophie obviously). We have also started a college fund for Sophie. We met with an Edward Jones financial advisor to discuss our options and decide on the best savings plan for our family. We decided to go with a 529 Plan for her.

These are things parents don't like to think or talk about, but they are important steps that need to be taken. We could have said we were going to "save" for Sophie's college for years, but without actually putting a plan into motion, that may have never happened. Now, I know we will follow through.

And all this thinking about college has made me wonder what advice I should give Sophie when she starts college. When I went to college I decided to major in Journalism and minor in English because I love to read and write. Those were my passions. However, even as I was in school studying Journalism I doubted I would actually go into the field. But I didn't want to pick some boring field I wasn't interested in just to be practical. And I remember my Mom encouraged that I study what I enjoyed and not worry about it.

However, I wonder if I will give that same advice to Sophie when its her turn to choose a major. In this tough economy I now know how hard it is to find a job, and how competitive it can be. I sometimes wonder if I should have chosen a Business or Office Administration degree, something that would have been more applicable to the type of career I actually planned to pursue.

I find myself leaning towards the practical side of advice for Sophie. I want her to enjoy college and not study something that she hates. But at the same time, if she decides she wants to major in something like Art History or Philosophy, I may have to steer her towards something more substantial. I want her to have the best future she can, and that may mean giving her a little tough advice about what the job market is really like, and that she may need to suffer through a Business or Accounting degree over those other more "fun" choices.

Of course all of this may be a little presumptuous. She may grow up loving math or science (which I did not) and want to major in something more practical on her own. Which would be great.

Also, I can't help but point out that we will be (hopefully) paying for that degree of hers, so I would like her to actually use it, unlike me. What do you all think? What advice would you/will you give your child when they're entering college? Will you tell them to be practical or go with their heart? Do we have more say as parents if we're paying for the degree, or should we just be happy they're going at all?

So much to think about. Luckily its 17 years away, so I have a little while to ponder it all. :)

What to Feed a Toddler?

Sophie's first time trying rice cereal

What do you feed a toddler? Now that Sophie is almost 13 months old she can eat pretty much anything. She has a very healthy appetite and isn't picky at all, which I know is a blessing. But now that she can eat real food I'm actually finding it more difficult to think of things to feed her.

It was so much easier, less messy, and quicker when she was just eating baby food. But now that I give her real food she wants to feed herself, which is awesome. However, she gets pretty messy, and man does she take her time eating. I normally do other things, like unload the dishwasher or cook dinner, while she's eating because I know she'll be a while. We've actually gotten in a routine this week where when we get home I put her in her highchair and give her a plate of food and she eats while I start dinner. It's been working out pretty well for us. Then by the time Chase gets home, about 20 minutes after me, I have dinner half way done.

I still give her some jarred baby food, but I'm trying to cut it out and give her just the real stuff now. I keep canned carrots, greenbeans, mixed vegetables, chopped peaches, and mandarin oranges on hand for her to eat now.

My child also loves her protein! I'm telling you she'd rather have meat over anthing else. We keep chicken sticks on hand at all times. They look nasty, but she loves them! We also give her vienna sausages, which are basically the same thing, chicken nuggets (the organic kind with no preservatives- my effort to be healthy!), and we buy her those little toddler trays that they sell at WalMart that have different meats like chicken and meatballs in them. Since I'm starting to cook more often I plan to start giving her some of what we eat too. It's just that normally she's hungry as soon as we get home so I go ahead and feed her instead of making her wait for dinner to get done.

For snacks we've given her cheerios, goldfish, and toddler veggie and cheddar sticks. But all of these things are processed, so I'm wanting to look into some new/healthier snacks I can give her. I saw a few things on Pinterest that you can make, like homemade Goldfish, but it seems like a lot of work! lol

My main concern is that I want to make sure she's eating a variety of foods and that she's getting all of her nutrients. Especially after we found out at her last check up that she's slightly anemic, which we are now giving her a vitamin for.

So tell me, if you have a toddler, what kind of foods do you feed him/her? And here's a recent video of Sophie cracking up at meal time. Enjoy!

I May Have a Slight Problem...

Ok confession time: I may have a slight shopping problem when it comes to buying clothes for Sophie. Its just that little girl clothes are soo cute and she looks so adorable in everything! Plus, she grows so fast I have to keep stocked up on larger sizes because you never know when she'll have a growth spurt and outgrow her current wardrobe, which is a problem we're facing right now.

Recently her 12 month clothes have gotten tight. Some shirts are too short and some of her pants won't button. So being the great momma I am I quickly went shopping and got her several 18 month outfits. Unfortunately, they are a little big. But, I want her to be comfortable and I'm sure its much more comfortable for her to wear something that's a little big than something that's a little tight. And I know it won't be a week or two and the new outfits will fit her perfectly.

Not helping my little shopping habit is the fact that I like to get a deal. And when I find things so cheap it's hard to say no! I shop for clothes during out of season times to get deals on things she'll need for upcoming months. I've been shopping a head of time for spring and summer clothes, and have done really well. I've gotten some great deals in stores and online. (I've found I love the convenience of online shopping, plus they run a lot of specials online.) I've scored some awesome stuff from Gymboree, Crazy 8, Old Navy and Zulily.

So far I've lucked out buying her stuff in advance. Everything has fit her that I've purchased early. However, I draw the line at buying her things a year in advance. I was tempted to buy her a coat for next winter because it was super cheap, but I feel like I really won't know for sure what size she'll be wearing a year from now, especially with her unpredictable growth spurts.

With all this being said I really don't let myself get too carried away. I try to keep to a budget, rarely ever buy anything full price, shop mainly sale racks, and always keep in mind what items does she really need/will actually wear when I'm shopping. Also my shopping for her has basically replaced shopping for myself. Momma rarely gets anything new these days, which is fine with me.

After all of my recent shopping all Sophie is going to need for spring and summer is a few pairs of shorts and some jammies, everything else is taken care of. So tell me, does anyone else have a little shopping habit too? I know I can't be the only one!

This is what I've bought so far, minus a few more items I ordered online that I'm still waiting on to arrive. But hey now she's set for spring and summer!
 

 

They Grow So Fast

Sophie a Few Months Old

I know everyone tells you this, but it really is true, they grow so fast! It seems like just yesterday I was at home on maternity leave holding my little baby in my arms on an endless cycle of feedings, diaper changes, and naps. And now here we are living with a toddler. She is so independent now. She plays happily by herself, eats real food, is no longer on formula, only takes one bottle of milk before bed (which we're cutting out next week), and sleeps a blissful 12 hours a night.

I would probably have to say so far this toddler stage is my favorite, partly because her independence makes her so much easier to handle now, but also because she is so much happier. Sophie was not a happy baby. She was fussy, didn't like to be held or rocked, and didn't sleep through the night until she was almost 8 months old. However, now that she is old enough to be more independent she is so much happier! I think she just didn't want to be a baby. She's always been in a hurry to grow up. She got her first tooth at 3 months and has a mouth full now, she only crawled for a few months before she started walking at 9 1/2 months, and it seems like every day she learns something new, showing us she is no longer a baby.

But as happy as I am that she's in this new, easier stage, I do miss her as a baby. I miss holding her, marveling at her tiny little hands and feet, sitting quietly and giving her a bottle. It all just goes by so quickly. I feel like we'll blink and she'll be two. It's bittersweet. But that's why I try to hold on to each little moment and cherish them. I take lots of pictures, I try to make an effort to be present when I'm home with her (both physically and mentally), and I find myself taking mental pictures of her in my head to hold on to. Just the other night I was putting her to bed and she was barely awake. I carried her to her crib, and as I reached her crib I held her for a few extra seconds before laying her down, just enjoying the feeling of her in my arms. She's so big now. I strain a little to pick her up and when I'm holding her her little legs hang past my hips. And I'm brought back to the time when I used to be able to pick her up with no effort and she fit perfectly in my arms. Everyday it is something new and I want to be sure to hold on to all of these memories. It's an amazing thing being a mother, just amazing.

Sophie Today

New Year Means New Resolutions

I've never been that big on New Year's resolutions, but this year I thought I'd give it a go! So here they are, in no particular order:

1. Lose 5 lbs (Typical New Year's Resolution, but I'd still like to accomplish it nonetheless.)
2. Eat better/exercise more (Goes hand-in-hand with #1, but I really do feel better when I do these things.)
3. Read more and watch less TV (This one I'm already actively working on with the creation of my Book Club, which I'm very excited about!)
4. Create new friendships (One can never have too many good friends.)
5. Do something out of my comfort zone (This blog is out of my comfort zone- so one resolution down!)
6. Create a realistic budget and stick to it
7. Save more
8. Be the best Mom I can be (This will be a resolution every year.)
9. Cook more
10. Be a genuinely nicer person

So there it is, my list of resolutions for 2013. What are some of your resolutions for this coming year? Please share!