Product Regrets: Nonessential Baby Items I Regretted Buying
So being a first time mom, I have made plenty of mistakes along the way. In general, I am definitely guilty of buying too much when it comes to Parker, but there have also been items we just have not used or did not work well. Looking back, I rounded up a few of the more costly purchases I made that ended up being a bit of a disappointment in the long run. I’m not saying that these products don’t work well for some people, but they did’t work well for us for various reasons. Hopefully this helps someone out there avoid making the same mistakes! I know this list…
Reflections on the Shooting in Las Vegas | Words from a Mama
This post is definitely outside of my norm, but it would feel inauthentic to not address the dark cloud over this week. First and foremost, to all those affected by the senseless tragedy that happened this week in Las Vegas, I am deeply sorry that this happened to you. I cannot imagine what you and your families are going through, and my heart goes out to you. When I woke up and heard this news on Monday morning, I was shocked and sick to my stomach…I didn’t understand how this can happen again and again. Quite frankly, the most terrifying thing is that we all live in the world where…
Parker: 15 Month Update – Words from a Mama
The last 3 months since Parker’s first birthday have absolutely flown by, and I have to say that I really have loved this age. She’s generally very happy and getting things done with her is easier than it was before since she is more tolerant of interruptions to her usual routine. It’s been amazing to see her develop, and I can tell a huge difference in how attentive she is to the world around her and how much she is soaking in. It’s crazy to me when she mimics behaviors that you have no idea she was observing. Like putting on our shoes and walking around, or copying the way…
Awkward and Awesome: September Roundup
I’ve seen a lot of other bloggers do ‘Awkward and Awesome’ Thursdays, but I figured I would give it a shot as a monthly round-up for my first pass at it. What I really love about these types of posts is that they force bloggers to not always put their best foot forward. You get a more realistic view of what life (or motherhood) is really like without being overly pessimistic or only focusing on the negative. So let’s give this a shot! I am generally incredibly talented at creating awkward moments, so that part should be really easy for me. Awkward: -Parker FaceTiming a work colleague. Whoops. She loves…
Our Favorite Places to Buy Kids Clothes – for all occasions
That time of year is drawing nearer and nearer….the Holidays. It brings with it a multitude of festivities that require new or special outfits, so I thought this was an appropriate time for this post. Since we only have one child (at least for now), and she is the first girl of our immediate family, we have done a lot of shopping for clothes since she was born. However, even if you are in a situation where you have a lot of hand-me-downs available to you (which I would highly recommend taking advantage of since kids’ clothing is grown out of so fast or destroyed by spilled food or other…
Another Year Passed
With another birthday looming at the end of this week, I can’t help but reflect on the many ways my life has changed over the last year. Looking back to a year ago when I had an 8 week old, even with everything that had already changed so dramatically, I had no idea of what else was to come. I was listening to a podcast recently about time, and the relative nature of it…how we think that at whatever point in time we are at the moment, we are the real person we are; we believe that we have mostly grown and changed as much as we can….but that is…
Packing Tips for Trips with a Toddler
Given that we are headed to the beach for a week with our 14 month old, it seemed like the perfect time to write this post. If you are pulling your hair out planning your next trip, here are a few things that might help you with your next trip! I’ll also include a packing list at the end of the post in case that’s helpful. Select Toddler Friendly Location (if possible): Now you may be forced to go somewhere that isn’t where you would pick, if so, you can still follow the remaining tips. However, if you do have a choice, chose thoughtfully. We find it easier to travel…
Finding Time for Fitness as a Mama
So full disclosure, fitting in fitness isn’t something I haven’t been really good about until recently. I would go through spurts off and on after having my daughter where I was really serious about losing weight and getting into shape, but this has been a struggle for my entire life, so I cannot blame it solely on having kids. However, with a full time job and a little one, I am shorter on time than I have ever been. Here are a few things that I have found worked for me. Where to workout My first and biggest recommendation would be to set yourself up to workout at home. I…
Top 10 Books for your one-year-old
“There are many little ways to enlarge your world. Love of books is the best of all.” – Jacqueline Kennedy Time and time again, we all hear that one of the best things you can do to help your child develop is to read to them. Research indicates that reading to your child helps them with developing their speech and later with their literacy skills. My mother was a librarian, and I grew up with my nose buried in books and can strongly attest to the benefits it provides; however, I find that it can get extremely tedious reading the same book over and over again to your child. I…
First Time Moms: Top 10 Newborn Must-Haves
Disclosure: Links below are affiliate links. This means at no additional cost to you, I earn a small commission if you decide to click through and make a purchase. Now obviously there are some basics that you absolutely need to have when bringing your newborn home, such as a crib and a car seat. I am going to focus on items beyond that which we found incredibly helpful to have and actually used and leave off the obvious ones. So here are my top 10: Comfortable, Easy to put on 0-3 month sized clothes Now this may not be true for everyone, but my daughter was out of her newborn…