Mommy Mondays: The Fun List

I see you...let me out!

I am always looking for ways to make the most of our quality time together. In my effort to make every minute together count to make up for the weekdays at daycare, I am probably not giving him enough alone play time. I am trying to get better at letting him play on his own in a pack and play. He screams for the first minute but usually starts to entertain himself.  I try to limit his alone time to 15 minutes while I get some stuff done and then more play time together. A few weeks ago, I attempted a handprint/footprint project. The footprint turned out great. He giggled as I painted the bottom of his tiny foot blue. With him in his high chair, the foot was easy. The hand was a completely different picture. After five attempts, I finally decided the smeared handprint was the best I was going to get. Smeared and crumpled, it was a true reflection of this time period. He didn't understand press and lift. Or maybe I didn't understand press and CRUMPLE paper! I realized the laughter and precious memory was far more important than a perfect handprint. Now, they are hanging in his nursery with their stories. 

We had so much fun making these prints together. The same toys and same activities every day can get redundant. Not just for me but for him too. The fifteen minutes it took to create these prints was such a refreshing change and new learning experience for us both. The activity gave me the idea to once a week come up with a new toy, game, activity or experience. It will be great fun and a wonderful way to learn as well! Some ideas that I want to try include:

1. Create a hand/foot print in plaster...he may not be able to crumple that one.
2. Do a finger painting project with the canvas and paint in a Ziploc bag. No mess but a masterpiece will still be created!
3. Take him to the baby swings in the park. We have been in a heat wave but we will go as soon as the heat breaks.
4. Take our strolls to new places. He loves to stroll so we need to check out the sights beyond our neighborhood!
5. Play with a ball. He hated the beach ball at the beginning of the summer. In fact, he was scared of it. We put it up for a few months but now I am anxious to get it out and see how he reacts again.

I will post as I come up with more ideas!

Mommy Mondays: Beauty Rush

Sunday morning: Buckner went to sleep for his morning nap. I ran to the shower with the monitor on the bathroom sink. I quickly washed my hair and even took the time to shave my legs. Once I got out of the shower, I checked the monitor. Still sleeping. I had time to put on some make up! I just applied foundation, blush, and mascara so I looked somewhat alive. My baby was still sleeping. Normally, I would have taken the remaining time to run and do a household chore but I was tired of looking at the chipped polish on my toes and having to wear closed toe shoes in the middle of summer. Dare I gamble that his nap is a long one and paint my nails? I dared and I did it!  I felt like I had accomplished a year long goal by actually showering, putting on make up and painting my nails during one long naptime.

Sunday afternoon: My mom helped me cover up my roots while Buckner took his afternoon nap. We rushed and kept our fingers crossed he would sleep while we finished. We made it and even had a moment for a small mimosa.


Daily: I definitely love some girly pampering time and on a daily basis, I wear a full face of make up. I am skimping on my hair these days and usually have it in a bun or ponytail. The best advice I read right after Buckner was born was to divide up your beauty routine so you can still take care of yourself. Gone are the days of endless hours of primping but I can and should still take care of myself.

Birthday Party Prep

"Have you started planning your baby's first birthday?" Another new mommy asked me that question last weekend...five weeks away from Buckner's first birthday. I hadn't only started planning, I had been thinking about his first birthday party since probably January. I had been forcing myself not to really start planning it until the beginning of summer because I did not want to rush the year away. But once May hit, the party planning "officially" started. I started a Pinterest board then made a private one for his birthday party so guests will be surprised. Yes, I have gone a little crazy with the first birthday excitement but I go crazy with all things Buckner because being a mom is just plain fun and I am enjoying every moment of it.

Realistically speaking, working a full time job plus evenings filled with quickly doing household chores to maximize my baby and family time means very little time for party planning. A year into this mommy lifestyle I realize that everything takes five times longer than what it use to take so I knew starting off way in advance, I could enjoy the process and not feel rushed.

The party planning process starting by stalking other friend's Facebook pages to see what they had done for their one year old as well as gathering ideas on Pinterest. I asked other mother's for tips and then created my theme and plan. The theme is Music because Buckner loves music and loves to dance and the party will be decorated in primary colors.

While I love the idea of being crafty, I am not one to do so. However, I am determined to have a personal touch to my son's party so I am actually attempting to make a few items. Below is a sneak peek of the beginning of his high chair decoration. I am saving a lot of money going the DIY route and having so much fun. For the high chair decoration, I am using ribbon purchased at the Dollar Tree and cardstock and twine purchased at Wal-Mart. The cardstock will also be used in his birthday banner. .

Mommy Mondays: Responding

"If you respond to his every cry, he will be spoiled." I am sure many of us have heard the outdated advice several times throughout mommy-hood. Whether it is well meaning or patronizing, I disagree with it. I think sometimes as humans we just repeat things simply because we have heard them a lot throughout our life. I hate clichés for that very reason. It gives a person the opportunity to not think about what they are saying.

In my opinion, thinking you can spoil a baby by giving them love, affection and reassurance is crazy. Spoiling is not the result of too much love. Spoiling happens later in childhood by being too permissive in your parenting but never by responding to their cries or need for affection. In fact, research (and yes I do love some good research) shows that just the opposite happens. By responding to them, you are creating a strong bond and trust. This trust can then later in life make parenting more effective and actually aid a parent in raising a empathetic, well adjusted and secure little individual. So "spoiling" with love? Yes, I believe I will "spoil" my little one.

Love meeting my happy little man's needs!

Mommy Mondays: Leftovers Will Be Your Best Friend!

Today starts the new series, "Mommy Mondays." Each Monday, I will post a new tip, antidote, recipe, etc. I would love to hear your feedback and your tips as well!

I have learned that while I love a home cook meal, I do not like to cook that meal on a Monday after a busy day at work. I want to come home and be able to see my family, play with Buckner and not feel rushed. I have learned that days when I have made enough food the Sunday before for our dinner to have leftovers for Monday makes me the happiest. I have also learned that any time I cook during the week to try to cook enough for left overs the next day so that every night is not a cooking night. Quality time with the little man after a long day at daycare is so important so cooking with a more efficient mindset makes most evenings less rushed and more peaceful!

Beach Tips

While Buckner's first beach trip was over New Year's Eve, he did not have a chance to do beach activities because it was, of course, winter.  So this summer was our first chance to experience the true beach experience with a baby....a very mobile crawling baby...who LOVED sand!  Before heading to the beach, I researched all types of baby beach tips and a lot of them worked. Here are my favorite from my experience in no particular order.

1. The mantra I kept repeating to myself is the beach with a baby is like life with a baby. It is different. The first day and a half, I found myself exhausted getting use to the pace of keeping Buckner happy. Gone were the days of sitting and relaxing and replaced by days full of changing activities every 1/2 hour to keep him entertained. Once we found our groove, however, I was able to really enjoy it. Just change your expectations. You don't sit at home all day anymore with a crawling baby and you won't be sitting in a lounge chair at the beach.  But it is still a ton of FUN! You just have to enjoy your new type of vacation.

2. Apply sunblock before getting on the beach. Sand makes it impossible to apply sunblock. A wiggly child ready to play makes it that much harder!

3. Carry a small blow up pool to put under an umbrella that you can toss at the end of your trip. Buckner loved his little splash pool and he really loved putting sand in it....when he wasn't eating the sand.

Enjoying his splash pool on the beach.

4. By the way, sand obviously won't harm your child. At least small amounts of it seem to be okay. Buckner savored a little sand over our four days and he is fine!

5. Stay in a place with a pool. Buckner loved that just as much or more than the beach.

6. Take the beach in increments. You can't stay out there all day with a baby even if you bring all the diaper changing items, toys, and snacks (do that too by the way). They will get tired or bored so you may find yourself hauling everything back to your room/condo a few times a day (great work out!).

7. Find a place with a balcony over looking the beach. I never felt like I was missing out on beach time when I was waiting for Buckner to nap in the condo because I sat on the balcony and enjoyed the beach from there. Some say their babies slept on a blanket under the umbrella. Our child was way too stimulated with what was going on to sleep on the beach!

Enjoying the beach while Buckner napped.

8. Break down and let your baby crawl on the sand (if your child likes it). I finally let Buckner make a break for it and he was thrilled!  He immediately made a crawling run toward the ocean!  He was having a blast.

Loved the sand!

9. Take lots of pictures (obvious).

10. Relish your new favorite moments. With a 9 going on 10 month old, early morning feedings are still routine for us. On the beach, however, that meant the 5:30 or 6:00 am feedings was spent on the balcony watching the sun rise and the beach come alive while my husband and I drank coffee.  We would follow the feeding by an early morning walk. Our morning ritual was the best part of our vacation and I think it was Buckner's favorite time too!

Love this view for a 5:30am feeding!

Early morning walk.

Early morning walk.