Parenting
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What I Packed In My Hospital Bag
This was my second time packing a hospital bag & this time I was way more decisive on what I actually needed to pack. Mackenzie’s birth was unlike anything I thought it would be & the entire 5 days we were there I barely touched anything I had packed for myself. I am having a c-section this time around & I’m hopeful this recovery will be the complete opposite than it was with Mackenzie. I’ve attached a PDF for you to download if you want to use this checklist while you pack your hospital bag. I’ve included things I packed, my husband packed, what I packed for baby, & some…
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How We’re Prepping Our Daughter for Baby Brother’s Arrival
We are preparing to welcome a new addition to our family & since Mackenzie is currently an only child we are doing our best to get her ready for her baby brother’s arrival. This is definitely not my area of expertise, but I’m hoping some of the things we are doing now will help when he’s actually here (I’ll do another post once he’s here about what’s working & what didn’t work so great!) Books- we have a few books that we are reading with Mackenzie that will help her understand that a new baby is coming! The Baby is Here! (Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood) You’re a Big Sister (here’s the…
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Everything We Have At Home To Potty Train Our Toddler
Even though we’ve hit the pause button on potty training for right now, I wanted to share all the things we have at home to help expose her & eventually use when the time comes. Potty seat (either one for the big toilet or a small potty that sits on the floor)- depending on how many toilets you have in your house, you many want to get more than one so when you’re in the thick of potty training you always have one somewhat near by. We have a few different ones: Pull-Ups- Some people have different opinions on using pull-ups while potty training, but I think before potty training…
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How to Increase Independent Play in Toddlers
Mackenzie is 2.5 years old & she’s just starting to play independently. I wanted to share some of my tips that’s I’ve been using over the past few months. She also started school back in September & I also think this has helped dramatically. These are just a few ideas to help your little one play more independently!
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Back To School Tips for First Time Students
Here are just a few things I’m doing to prepare Mackenzie for her first school experience. + getting her used to some of the things she’ll be using/seeing when she’s at school like her lunch box, backpack, shoes & things like that + taking tour of her new school before it begins + asking the director of her school for a picture of her teacher so she can get familiar with her face before school begins + reading books that are age appropriate like Daniel Tiger Goes to School & A Kissing Hand for Chester Raccoon + preparing myself for the separation. I’ve only ever been on the other side…
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How I Tame My Toddler’s Curly Hair
Do you have a toddler with curly, frizzy, hard to tame hair? It’s taken a few months, but I’ve finally figured out how to somewhat manage her curls. Below is everything I’ve been using on her hair for the last few months: SoCozy Kids Curl Leave in Conditioner– this stuff is great! Doesn’t leave her hair hard or crunchy & has a nice (not overwhelming) scent. Spray bottle for water– I filled this with water to use when her hair is dry Comb– This comes with a brush & comb. When her hair was straighter I would use the brush, but now I ONLY use the comb. This comb is…
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How to Prepare for Your Child’s First Dentist Visit
Kenzie had her very first dentist visit last week & it went so much better than I expected! Here are a few tips to help you prepare for your little ones first dentist appointment: 🦷 Set realistic expectations: I went into this appointment expecting it to go pretty horribly & yes she cried a couple of times, but overall it went really well. Mackenzie sat on my lap the whole time & allowed the dentist to get a look inside her mouth (I call that a win)! 🪥 Start brushing your little ones teeth when they start coming in! Here is the toothbrush & toothpaste (has fluoride) we use & she loves…
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Being a Mom Who Suffers From Migraines
A Little Background On My History With Migraines Every day is a struggle for me as someone who suffers from chronic migraines. I’ve been suffering from them ever since I was 15 years old and they only seem to be getting worse as I get older. Honestly, even sitting down to write this post was a struggle for me and I had to take my medicine just to great rid of a headache so I could get this done. I’ve seen so many neurologists since I started getting my headaches and I’ve tried almost all of the medications on the market that are used to treat migraines. What’s crazy to…
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Making the Difficult Decision to Postpone our Vacation
We did not spend this past week anything like we had planned. We were excited to finally go on vacation somewhere warm and get a break from all this dreary weather at home on the East Coast. Unfortunately, thanks to Covid (more specifically the Omnicron variant) we decided to postpone our trip to Costa Rica. Unfortunately these are the times we are currently living in and we had to make some last minute changes to our plans because the Omnicron variant is so contagious and I was worried about traveling with an unvaccinated toddler (she’s only 18 months old). Had it not been for this latest spike and super contagious…
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Caring for a Sick Toddler During a Pandemic
Having your child get sick can be some of the scariest days you’ll experience as a parent. You feel helpless not knowing exactly what your child needs from you. Seeing them in pain makes your heart hurt. Being in a pandemic adds a whole other layer to worrying about your child when they’re sick. Right now the Omnicron varient of COVID is super contagious & spiking like crazy and testing is nearly impossible, so not knowing if it’s COVID or not can be so worrisome. Mackenzie has gotten sick only a couple of times in her 18 months of life. Each time it’s been either a little runny nose or…