The Ugly Truth About Potty Training When You’ve Had Enough
So it’s been a month since Jayden has been diaper free and accident free at night. We have officially transitioned into underwear, no training pants, no pull ups for a month, and since last week no more baby potty. Jayden has full transitioned using the full size toilet at home and using public restrooms . We are so proud of our little man, especially since he has started swim lessons, no swim diapers either! But let me tell you. It has been quite a journey, probably one of the most stressful things I had to deal with since breast-feeding. We read the books, read tons of blog post on how to potty train, and let me tell you by saying yes they have great tips but they all tell you the same thing. Wait till he is ready, don’t force it. Really??? Yes that is all great if you have all the patience in the world, but if you are a mom like me, who hates changing poopie diapers, who is over trying to hold my active toddler down just to change his diaper, tired of spending so much money on diapers, carrying a diaper bag, and who is just plain over it, then this is for you. This is my story, and my ugly truth about potty training when you’ve had enough.
This past weekend we celebrate our little guy’s first birthday. It took a month of planning a preparing but we pulled it off. Even with the rain it was a great party, and our little guy had so much fun with all of his family and friends there to help him celebrate. Here are some money saving DYI from his Little Man’s First Birthday bash. You can follow me on Pinterest for more of my DIY party inspirations. Below are some links to where I found instructions to all my DIY crafts I did for his birthday. Continue reading “Little Man First Birthday Bash – DIY”
Postpartum Depression From a new Mom’s Perspective
Recently, I’ve noticed actresses like Hayden Patinierre and Drew Barrymore opening up about their expriences with Postpartum depression. It’s something that is not really talked about because of the negative stigma behind it. When I first learned about postpartum depression it was a big controversy surrounding the Andrea Yates Case when she drowned her 5 children. I never really comprehended the issue, and still couldn’t believe how that was a thing, until I became a mom. And though Andrea Yates case may be a severe case and on the far end of the spectrum, I can finally understand from a mother’s perspective. Having a child completely changes you, and the reality is there is no preparation or advice that can really get your prepared for what happens when you have a kid. So for all my future mommas, and readers out there here is my personal story of postpartum depression. Continue reading “Postpartum Depression From a new Mom’s Perspective”
Like most mom’s I want the best for my child, especially when it comes to what I am feeding him. I’m a big advocate in making baby food, not only because of the health benefits with less preservatives, but also because you save tons of money by doing so. An individual container of baby food cost at least $1.50. If you feed your baby 3 times a day for a whole month it would cost you roughly $126. But making your own baby food would save you at least $100 a month. Below I will show you how I make baby food in bulk for the week, using the products below. Consult your pediatrician to make sure your child is ready for whole foods. We started when Jayden was 4 months after getting the ok from our doctor.
Ingredients:
I am a big fan of frozen veggies and fruits. They have a great selection of ready to steam veggies from peas, to broccoli, to mix blends that make great baby food. I like to blend veggies and fruit together for taste. Apples and bananas are easy fruits to blend and works well with veggies. It’s honestly personal preference and what your baby likes. Usually for every bag of veggies I mix two apples.
Directions:
1. Set out bag of veggies and let it thaw out.
2. Once thawed out blend veggies and fruit separately (I use a Nutribullet for all my blending needs)
3. Combine in large tupperware
The smaller tupperware is how I measure out how much to prepare for each meal. I fill 75mml of blended baby food and warm up in microwave or bottle warmer. I mix the food with a scoop of formula and two spoonful of rice cereal for a thicker consistency. The rice cereal is optional, but I like it because it is filling . One bag of veggies usually last him a week.
So for all you Mom’s who want to save money, save time, and give your baby the best, try it out, and let me know what you think! And if you love this simple and easy tip share it with a friend!
I know some of you are wondering how I lost the baby weight so fast, and honestly I can credit a majority of it to my “Mom Diet.” So what is the “Mom Diet”? I know I’ve mentioned it a couple times in my previous post so I wanted to explain it you. I never knew about it until I became a mom. It’s an exclusive diet only mothers would know about, and only mothers can relate to.
I remember the first week I was home with my baby I was exclusively breast feeding. It was one of the hardest and yet most rewarding thing I had ever done. But it was also one of the factors that contributed to my “mom diet”. They say when you breast feed you will loose your post baby weight faster. I did’t realize why until now. I remember every 3 hours breast feeding my baby with no breaks in between. I felt like a cow at a certain point because it was literally all I did for days. I rarely got any sleep, and nor did I have time to eat. I was too tired and too stressed to even think about eating. All I could think about was my baby eating and being happy. My nutrition was no longer a priority in my life.
I decided being a stay at home mom was not giving me the life balance I wanted. I needed to make myself a priority as well so I decided to go back to work part time where I could continue to pursue my passions yet be able to be there for Jayden. I was really thankful to work for a company that allowed me to make my schedule and prioritize my family first.
After I started supplementing with formula and started to work part time my diet improved. I ate better at work, where I had a designated break time to enjoy my meals with no interruption. It was one of the perks of going to work. But at home the only consistent thing I was eating was my protein shake and protein peanut butter cups, still not enough nutrients or calories to keep and build my muscle. I had lost all 35lbs of my baby weight in less than 4 months. With the “Mom diet” I was loosing weight the unhealthy way. It wasn’t fat I was loosing but muscles.
Currently right now, I am no longer breast feeding. I still have days where I am so exhausted from staying up all night with the baby that I forget to eat all day. I never thought I would ever have a problem with eating, but it has become more of an after thought than a daily routine some days. My mindset has changed when it comes to eating. I have to remind myself daily my nutrition is important. It is hard for me when all I can think about is my baby, but I know in the long run I have to prioritize my health for me to be the best mom I can be. My friend recommended me to check out a website talking about in a healthy way. After having a read, I realized just how important it was for me to get my diet and nutrition back on track before I end up making myself ill!
The “Mom Diet” is not as glamorous as it may seem, and I would not condone it for any mother. Ask for help, take time for yourself, and know you are enough. Don’t feel guilty for wanting to make your health a priority. Don’t feel guilty if you take ten minutes to eat while your baby entertains himself. Yes he might cry for a bit because he just wants to be held, but he will understand eventually. Don’t feel bad if you can’t juggle it all by yourself. It takes a village to raise a child. Being a mom is a selfless job, and we would give more than an arm and a leg just to make our children happy. But if we don’t put or health first, we will end up just giving bones. We are more than just a mom, we are someone’s daughter, wife, sister, friend, coworker, ect. If we want to be the best mother we can be then we have to make ourselves a priority. Our health matters for our children’s sake. I know this is a common sentiment as well, I have a friend who regularly goes to the gym and she says it really helps her keep fit enough to keep up with her children.
<3 Dawn
P.S. Capturing my little man and his little attitude. He did not want mommy to put him down at all this day.
Woot! Woot! What a milestone! Our little man is one month and we survived as parents. I can’t believe how much he has grown! Packed on almost 3 lbs since his birthday. This boy loves to eat, fart, and make funny faces. He is advanced in his motor skills, kicking, grabbing, and holding his head up. It was a crazy whirlwind of a month with many challenges, but in the end we couldn’t be more thankful for our healthy growing boy.
One of the challenges I had as a breast feeding mother was keeping up with his appetite during his growth spurts. By his second week we were supplementing with formula in addition to my breast milk. The restless nights, 24/7 eating periods were both physically and emotionally exhausting for me. I don’t think I could have kept it together without all the help from our family, both of our mothers, and my wonderful husband. He saw me at my worse, barely surviving on two hours of sleep, no shower in days, walking around in stained spit up and breast milk leaked clothes, but always managed to make my days better when he came home. Just watching him be such a good father to our son made me fall in love with him over and over again.
Here are some pictures we took of him for his first month. I used my new photo editing software Adobe Photoshop my husband got me, and for the first time using it I was pretty impressed at how user friendly it was. I definitely have much to learn as a beginner photographer, but I am pleased with the results. Can’t wait to watch this little man grow!
