Coffee Mugsand Sippy Cups

Visions of Stripes in My Head

2012-02-17T12:42:00.000-08:00

I have always had a keen liking for stripes, but this year has seen a leap in the stripe trend. It seems like it started this past spring and summer with clothing and has now moved onto home decor. A mixture of pure sailor stripes, to bold stripes, and even to zig zag stripes (chevron). Well, needless to say, I am quite obsessed. If you know me, you have probably seen me with one of my many striped shirts. I just love it. Two of my favorite stores, Jcrew and Gap have their fair share of gap pieces...even for the little ones. Here are some of my favorite stripe pieces. You can never have enough!

West Elm has some great pieces worth looking into. I could literally spend all of our money at that store!

Here's a mood board that I put together that was inspired by the striped rug.

Valentine's Day Cards and Crafts

2012-02-12T12:16:00.000-08:00

I'm Back! No other way to say it. A while back I stopped posting so that I could focus more on my online store, well...needless to say, that didn't work out so well. I had an amazing time starting the store up, finding clothes for the shop and setting it all up. In the end, though, I was losing more money then I was making. It was a great experience, and I continue to want to one day open up a children's boutique...but maybe this one an actual storefront.

Without further ado I'd like to say that I would love to start keeping up with this blog again. On top of writing about all things children, I would like to start writing and posting about home decor, fashion, good eats, and other things. I don't want to limit myself when I have so many exciting passions! I am toying with the idea of changing the blogs name...but I think it may just do. What do you all think??

Well, with my first post back I wanted to share a craft that I did with my children for Valentine's Day. Everyone in N's preschool class I feel like is doing something more than just picking up a pack of valentine's at Target, so I figured we would jump on the wagon. I didn't want to do anything too crazy so I just had him use a sponge cut into the shape of a heart and dab it in paint and then on craft paper. I think it is simple and cute.

Then while staring at my little guy, L, he looked so pitiful not having anything to do. So I painted his hand and had him make me a handprint! He didn't like it so much...but having his and N's handprints forever is just too priceless to pass up. Enjoy!

The Time Has Come

2011-10-23T17:39:00.000-07:00

I know at one time I had a lot of faithful followers. At one point after my second son was born, I couldn't keep up. We all know the fatigue of the early months. I tried hard to update the blog as much as possible and eventually life got in the way. A few months have past since my last post and more sanity has come to my side! My wonderful baby boy is approaching toddler hood and finally I feel like I am in control! I couldn't be happier with my two little men and the craziness of it all.

In the last few months I have started up a wonderful online baby boutique! I fell in love with the retail process, mainly because of my love for children's products and tiny babies of course! My store is dedicated to handcrafted items created by other moms just like us looking for ways to explore their passions and share it with the world. So, right now my time is dedicated to making the most of my store! Luckily, I get to start another blog dedicated to the store. But I wanted to share my new store with all of you and update you all on where I have been and where I am going. I hope you will all stop by the new store and share the word!

Polka Dot Elephant Boutique

Enjoy!

Halloween countdown officially underway

2011-09-15T12:50:00.000-07:00

I usually wait until last minute to go halloween costume shopping. This leads to a mess of empty bins at various stores because there is NOTHING left. Unfortunately, I, am not very good at sewing but I do have an awesome mother who will hopefully help me out this year. For those of you, me included, who are searching high and dry for some ideas, here are the picks that I think are super adorable! All of these can be found at Infashion Kids at very reasonable rates.

Stay tuned to see pictures of my two little men and what we decide! Also, check back shortly as I plan to catch up after a long, wonderful summer away! I hope you all had as much fun as we did and are ready for a wonderful school year!

Toddler Transitions, Part II: Potty Training

2011-05-18T06:56:00.000-07:00

It's May 18th and I have been MIA for over a month. Well, I unfortunately can't say I have been on vacation, that would just be a dream. I have been doing a lot though. My mother came for a few weeks to visit and on her first day she decided it would be best if we went ahead and started potty training again. Yes, my mother. Well, it worked. Since our failure the first time around my husband and I realized that we were just being lazy. We knew that our son was definitely ready to try again as he knew full well when and how to hold it when it wasn't the right time to go. He knew how to use the potty and also hated his diapers more than ever. The first try at potty training went very well until one day we had a face off with the potty. N still hadn't figured out how to go number two on the potty. We don't know if it was fear, stubborness, or just laziness on his part. He went a whole hour of screaming, crying, and panicking one day because he had to go and didn't want to go in the potty or in his diaper. We realized it was probably time to take a potty training break.

I think we made the right choice. When we started up again N went full steam ahead. We didn't use stickers this time for going pee pee, we just used encouragement and this worked perfectly. For number two we used matchbox cars. That's right, matchbox cars. One dollar per poop. Unbelievable! But you know what, this sucker likes his matchbox cars, and it's worked! We haven't had one poopy accident! He loves going in his potty! He screams with delight when he sees what he has done and declares, "I get a new carrrr!" I am not happy about this, but you know what, whatever works. I will eventually have to figure out how to end this because our salary cannot afford to continue this expensive reward, but for now it is working.

The other thing that has helped this time around is instead of using a potty seat insert we tried the baby bjorn individual potty. This kid loves it! He loves being able to go through the whole process by himself rather than us boosting him on the big seat everytime. I should have went with my original instincts and stuck with this seat the first time around. I had a lot of people telling me that it would be an added step to transition him from the little potty to the big one, but you know what...I don't care. I am going to do whatever my son does best with. I don't have to potty train overnight. I don't mind it being a long drawn out process, I just want it to be a natural transition with him. Just like all of the other transitions that toddlers go through, it wears on them...and us. We have to do our best to make it as easy for them as possible. He is so much less stressed about it this time around and doing better at it! The reason this is, I think, is because I am less stressed about the process.

Our next transition, taking that lovely pacifier away. This transition, I am the one that is not yet ready for. We shall see. But I have a feeling that this will be more difficult for me than it will be for him.

So, for now, my question is, how did you stop with the rewards for potty training? I'd love advice!

Toddler Transitions part I, continued...I Lied

2011-04-17T11:47:00.000-07:00

I utterly lied. This toddler transition thing can be even tougher than I had originally anticipated. It could be that or it could be the fact that I am the most indecisive person/mother on the planet. Not only did I think I made a decision, but I also told the whole world I had made a decision. Enter a few days later, this unmistakable feeling that I did not make the right one. I am sure you are all too familiar with this feeling. My very decisive husband thinks I have lost my mind and that this whole preschool debate is just an ongoing obsession of mine and clearly I will do whatever I want anyway so why continue to go on and on with the choices. Whew, sound familiar?

We all have our weaknesses, aleit, I may have more than the average person. I overanalyze every little thing in my life, why should the choice of sending my first son to preschool be any different? So, before I tell you that I have changed my mind and I have officially picked a more formal preschool setting than originally chosen, I will just tell you that is my newest development. I hope to send my payment in this coming week and secure a spot. Yes, N will only be 2 when he enters, turning 3 in December but the program that I am enrolling him in seems to be more play based and not so over the top into academics. Of course there will be the incidental learning through play but I thought long and hard about how much our child's brain grows and learns in the first few years of life, why not have him absorb as much as possible. I don't want an Einstein child, but I do want a child who has the chance to develop himself individually outside a 20 foot raidius of his mother. I have absolutely adored these 2 and a half years of having him by my side 24/7, but I am ready to allow him to feel confident with me not by his side. He still has some anxieties with being away from me, and this program is a co op, so I am hoping that this can foster his growth while still giving him the time and love to do it. Also, this will give L, my second son, some of the love and added attention that his older brother got for so long!

On a side note, we are finally getting over our bout of what I would like to call a failed flu shot. I am convinced what we have could have been nothing other than the flu. Who knows? See you this week to talk about the pacifier fairy, some cute finds I found at the J Crew outlets, and some other fun things.

Toddler Transitions Mini Series Part I: Preschool, Not for the Faint of Heart

2011-03-30T11:56:00.000-07:00

For the next few weeks I hope to do a little mini series on the transitions that our toddlers face and the way we as parents can make these transitions a little easier for our children and ourselves. The first transition I want to deal with is preschool. Preschool is not a mandatory transition as some of the others are. All children eventually have to learn how to use the potty, sleep in a bed that no longer offers the security of a side, and get rid of their beloved pacifiers. Most children will inevitably go into a school setting at some point, but not all will go to preschool. This is a decision in itself. We always knew that we would send Nick to preschool. Being that he has a December birthday and the cut off in Connecticut to go to kindergarten is December 31st, we already had a difficult decision to make. Will we send him when he is 4 turning 5 or wait an extra year? As of now we are pretty set that we will wait the extra year. Because of this, we now have to decide whether to send him to two or three years of preschool.

Nick is a pretty smart little man. Well, that's what we think...don't we all think that of our children? He knows many a song, knows how to count to 13 (why he stopped there we have no idea), knows a few colors etc. On the other hand he is also very tiny for his age, shy, and really really loves being around his mommy. If we started him in September he would be going to preschool with children who are almost over a whole year older than him. I was always dead set on sending him the day that they allowed me. That was of course before the decision was imminent and I thought of my little boy being devoured by a 4 year old who was double his size! Of course this is quite the exxageration but is definitely something to consider, aside from him actually being eaten by a four year old. My little guy barely knows how to defend himself against a nonsharer on the playground let alone a whole class of children who are most likely further along socially and academically because of their age and their advanced degree of pottyhood.

After months of going back and forth on this issue we have decided against sending him to a formal preschool in the fall. Two years seems like it is plenty enough. There are also numerous programs in the area that are similar to a preschool where we will send him. There is a local children's museum that offers a drop in preschool class a few hours a week and the local high school has a preschool class taught by the high school students every once in a while. This will give us the time we all need to adjust to the idea of preschool and take our time with potty training, separation anxiety, and of course, growing. Everytime I hear another mother talking about their child starting in the fall, though, I still wonder if we are making the right decision. Maybe he would excel and learn more at school than he would at home? Maybe he would learn how to better control his emotions and develop better socially? The truth is I have no way of knowing any of this. None of us do. As with all decisions that we have to make for our children, we just have to go with our gut and what we think is best for them and hope for the best.

What I have to keep reminding myself is that this decision will not make or break my son's future. He will be fine either way.

Next Wednesday we'll talk about the transition of potty training where you get to learn all about my son's regression and what we plan to do about it. Hopefully I have some idea by then!

No Wonder They Go Through the Terrible Twos!

2011-03-28T10:17:00.000-07:00

I found myself getting a little anxious yesterday thinking about all of the transitions my two year old will be going through this year. We recently tried potty training, although it worked for a while we are taking a little break. I will talk about this another day, but he just was getting too upset over it. Nick is almost 28 months old and still uses a pacifier at night and naps, is in a crib, wears diapers, and doesn't go to preschool. That means that within the upcoming months we have some major decisions to make on which to tackle first, when to tackle each, and the biggest decision we've made up to this date, whether or not to send Nick to preschool in the fall.

Looking at all of these adjustments that he will have to go through there is no shock that he has been having a rough time lately. He has just recently gone back into a stage of severe seperation anxiety. He is no longer interested in spending time at the daycare gym or having his daddy put him down at night. He just wants me around 24-7. Many have commented that it must be the arrival of his younger brother. I am hesitant to believe that this is the case. Luke is almost 5 months old and I think that he is fairly adjusted to this by now. I think our little people all just go through stages and this is one of his. I have been trying to give him the extra love and attention that he needs and hoping that this phase passes sooner rather than later. All of these decisions have been putting a lot of stress on the two of us as I am sure he can sense my anxiety.

With that said, I have no idea what order we will tackle these transitions in, all I know is that they are impending and we can both sense it. Nick has been warned about the pacifier fairy, has started using the potty, and even tried breaking out of his crib. I hope to be able to deal with each of these in stride, slowly, patiently, and in their own time. These next few weeks I plan on posting on each of these topics and assessing the best ways to get through them with the least stress on all of us. Hope you will join me!

Crucial Baby Products for those Early Months

2011-03-23T10:49:00.000-07:00

I find that after having my second son there are some items that were even more important to have around this time than the first. We were lucky enough to not have to buy much since our second was a boy as well. We had all the clothes covered, all the gender neutral gear in case we had a girl, tons of bottles which we didn't end up needing this time around (yay), but we did add a few things to the mix. Here's a list of some of the things that I found so very important this time around and also some of my favorites from our first.

BabyHawk Mei Tai Baby Carrier

Hands down this has been the most important thing in my collection since L arrived. N, my older son is still very much "I want my momma" kind of boy. When little L came along he didn't give up his thrown easily, or at all for that matter. This carrier saved me. I was able to rush around after N, cook him dinner, and still give L the attention and cuddling he needed. While out and about with N I had two hands to play with and make sure N wasn't running out into the middle of the street. It was so much easier than carrying L around with my hands or with a car seat! The best part is you can design your very own Mei Tai.

aden + anais 4-pk. Safari Friends Swaddles

No swaddle, no receiving blanket, no bib, no security toy, no nursing cover, no changing pad (you get the point) can compare to these swaddles. I honestly used these Aden + Anais swaddles for everything under the sun. They are super lightweight, breathable, HUGE, and on top of all that adorable. I get stopped everywhere I go from moms trying to find out where I got these adorable blankets. They are a tiny bit pricey but so worth it. I have had the same four since my first son was born and they are in amazing shape. We use them everyday, have washed them hundred of times and they are in even better shape now. They get softer each time you wash them.

Boppy Noggin Nest Head Support, Brown Wheels

For those of you who don't remember, my first was diagnosed with severe plagiocephaly when he was a few months old. He was fitted with a DOC Band after strenuous repositioning for a few weeks and ended up wearing the band for 11 weeks. Although I do firmly believe a lot of the problem was how he was positioned in utero, I think it could have been helped if he didn't sleep on his back. Although I am a strong believer in back to sleep, I think there are definitely things you can do to ease the amount of time babies are on their backs the rest of the day. For one, the carrier, and two this noggin nest. It has been amazing this time around and I think it has definitely helped for times that L just has to be on his back, which is a lot when you have two young ones.

Vulli Sophie the Giraffe Teether

Oh yes, I said it. I never thought I would give into the craze but when I had a teething 3 month old who wouldn't take a pacifier, I did. This is literally the only thing, besides our fingers that L could get into his mount that young. Best part is he could even hold it. My husband became a believer the second I brought Sophie home. N, our older son, also took a liking to Sophie so she does double duty. My favorite part about Sophie is her handcrafted, nontoxic paint. It makes me feel so much better when L is chomping away.

Fisher-Price Newborn Rock 'n Play Sleeper, Yellow

By far the most used new purchase we made was this Rock 'n Play. Neither of our children were very big into their bassinets. N slept in his crib from 3 weeks on, but L was a constant nurser and waker (and still is). Because of this I was eager to find any solution that would result in L sleeping longer at night, for naps, which didn't just result in me being a pacifier/swing 24 hours a day. I read the rave reviews and bought this. It was amazing and still is. Although L didn't start sleeping any longer it did allow us to just rock him without continuously picking him back up during all the awakenings at night. It helps with extending naps and makes the baby feel snuggled because of the sides. It is very mobile so when staying other places we are able to bring this along. I am actually using my foot to bounce L right now while he is trying to wake up early from his nap! Did I mention how much I love this thing?!

Bumbleride Indie Twin Stroller - Seagrass

Expensive, but so worth it! It is so easy to push around and the kids love it. My older son loves riding around in it and I love pushing it! The colors are great and I have used it on runs, walks around town, and even in the mall. It is a little heavy when loading in and out of the car and does take up quite a bit of room, but I couldn't be happier with this stroller. I have a feeling it will last a very long time!

I hope I have lent some input into some gadgets you might consider before you first or next baby! Happy shopping!

My Amazon Mom Savings

2011-03-22T10:32:00.000-07:00

Whew! After a much needed overnight away from my beloved kids I am finally back on my feet. You heard it right, I was more tired spending a night away from them then I am waking up three times a night with the little guy, but more on that tomorrow.

I promised you that I would tell you of the amazing deals that I was racking up at Amazon and I am here to do so. I heard from a few friends that Amazon Mom was worth looking into and you could save serious money shopping their for diapers, wipes, and other things for your child. I was hesitant since their was also mention of a prime membership. I am here to tell you there really is no scam. Here is how it works:

The key to understanding these deals is understanding the Subscribe and Save program. You can sign up for Subscribe and Save for anything from diapers and wipes to laundry detergent. Once you sign up, you will automatically begin receiving these items on a certain day every one, two, three, or six months (depending on what schedule you sign up for). Just for doing this you will automatically receive 15 percent off and free two day shipping. You can change your delivery schedule or cancel at anytime with no penalty. Right after you place your order, you can just cancel your next scheduled delivery at no charge. When you sign up for Amazon Mom, you get a free 90 day subscription to Amazon Prime, which gives you free two day shipping. You also will receive an additional month of Amazon Prime for every $25 you spend on “baby” products. The $25 is BEFORE any discounts, including the Amazon Mom and Subscribe & Save discounts. Amazon Prime will make you eligible for all the greatest sales and the free two day shipping. Having both Amazon Prime and joining Subscribe and Save will automatically give you whatever you order under this program for 30 percent off.

A Huggies Snugglers 144 count for as little as 27.84! Wait, it gets better...so much better. If you subscribe to Baby Talk magazine (free), Parenting, The Early Years, and occasionally American Baby (also free), you will find either a 20 percent off Amazon diapers coupon or a 10 dollar off your Amazon Mom purchase which can apply to most purchases for your child. Last week I bought a huge pack of pull ups for my son for 3 dollars! I also bought 2 packs of 216 count huggie wipes for 7 dollars. That is what I usually pay for 1 216 count at Target, with coupons!

Some tips on using this:

-You can use more than one 20% off diaper coupon if the codes are different: some codes start with a YT and some codes start with a YJ. You can also use an additional 10 dollar coupon with the two 20 percent off coupons. If you manage to pull this one off you are really getting your purchase for free!
-Look for Amazon coupons that you can clip for greater savings.
-Babies R Us, Baby Depot, and USA Baby usually carry American Baby and Baby Talk magazines.
-Sign up for Swag bucks where you can get gift cards to Amazon for even greater savings.

Happy Savings!!

It's Official Coffee Mugs and Sippy Cups has Joined Facebook

2011-03-18T06:10:00.000-07:00

I am definitely behind on catching up with Social Media. Hey, I am still getting the hang of using Twitter as Coffee Mugs and Sippy Cups. Well, I finally added us to Facebook. I hope that this will help others be able to stay more connected to my rants and raves. I am really excited about where this blog is going and would love for you all to join me by liking my facebook page. This will give you the opportunity to hear first hand when I have posted something new, added a new giveaway, etc. Add a link to your facebook page and I would love to follow you back!

This weekend for the first time I will be away for an overnight since my second son was born. I will be stressing like crazy but hopefully having an amazing, relaxing two days. Stay tuned next week to hear all about my trip and how both kids fared. Have a great weekend all!

Hottest Tot/Baby Summer Style

2011-03-17T11:15:00.000-07:00

If you know me you know how much I love shopping for my children. My love for clothing was put to the wayside for the love of my children. Although I would never pass up a shopping spree on my own behalf, I much prefer shopping for my two sons. Although I have already done my older son's summer clothes shopping I scoured the internet for the most stylish finds for your children this summer.

Everyone is having great sales right now so hurry on over and scoop up these great finds! I would love to see pictures of your little men and little ladies in their finest summer attire once the time comes! Without further ado...

The Gap: Hurry up, The Gap is having a Give and Get event where 5 percent of your order goes to a nonprofit of your choice and you get 30 percent off!
I love these adorable overalls. And they come in mini me sizes!!

Seriously?? Look at this Romper.

My little guy has the green shirt, he loves it!

Gymboree: This season their styles are just adorable.
They are also doing a 30 percent off fill your bag event. I am a big fan of the first few items and my son will be wearing them this summer!

Sibling Love: Getting your Two Year Old to Love your Newborn

2011-03-14T11:41:00.000-07:00

I thought the day would never come. For those of you that read my earlier posts since my second L was born, you know that it was not an easy start. But, hey, what is easy about two under two. Not only was I an emotional roller coaster, hanging on dearly to my two year old who I had become so in love with that not even my new little bundle of joy could compete with, but N wanted nothing to do with his younger brother.

It wasn't as bad as it could have been. N wasn't beating, kicking, or throwing anything at his brother, it was more of just a tasteful disdain; he just didn't care. No matter how many times the other toddlers we know would drool over this cute little baby and want to grab and kiss him, N had no desire. I think he thought if he just ignored him we would get rid of him.

The hardest parts were when I would hold L and N would politely say and point, "put L here," and point to his bouncy or swing. Not only didn't he want to get close to his brother, he didn't want me getting closer either.

Let me not scare all of you who are expecting a second. These early months flew by. It was tough at first but I can honestly now say that N is in love with his baby brother. It started slowly with N just whispering sweet nothings to his brother and now he will do it anywhere we go. He loves looking at his brother, singing to him, taking pictures with him, and showing him his latest toys. I can't explain the joy that this brings me. Everyone told me that this would be the best feeling, but it was just something that I had to experience for myself. All it took was some patience. I prayed for the day when it would finally happen, and it did.

Last week my husband was giving L a bath, (yes he finally realized it was easier than giving our 2 year old his, so this is now my duty) and L started splashing around and giggling non stop. Older brother walked in and couldn't contain himself. He started bursting out laughing and staring at his brother enjoying his splash in the tub. Hubby and I were just in awe. This was the first actual brotherly connection between the two. Where they were each sharing a giggle with each other and it was just so sweet. It makes all those earlier months worth it, and I can't wait for more

Coffee Mugs and Sippy Cups: Week at a Glance

2011-03-13T11:50:00.000-07:00

Here's what we all have to look forward to this week:

Amazon Mom: Have you heard through the grapevine the news of the awesome ways to save on baby items through Amazon.com? I started hearing about it a few months back and I have really started taking advantage of it. I'll give you some of my tips.

Brotherly Love: The months and months of praying my older son would take a liking to his baby brother have arrived. See how they made their first connection.

With Summer arriving quickly I would love to share some of the adorable baby and tot styles for the coming season. I've already done the shopping for mine, now it's your turn!

Hope to have a great week!

My Addiction to HGTV

2011-03-11T20:15:00.000-08:00

There aren't many hobbies that I haven't tried. I have done everything from dancing to snowboarding to trying to learn how to sew, to baking. I've done it all. My most recent obsession, which has actually been going on for a while now is my addiction to HGTV, more importantly, to interior design. I don't know what it is but there is just something about having all of these designing ideas in my head that just gives me a high. One of my biggest guilty pleasures lately is praying that my two sons are still napping at 3 o clock so that I can catch even a few minutes of Nate Berkus. I remember right before my second son was born in November Berkus was doing suprise makeovers to some lucky Connecticut families homes. I secretly believed that my wonderful husband had submitted my story to Nate and I would therefore wake up one morning, walk downstairs (9 months pregnant and all), and find a completely renovated living room. Well, I waited....but it never happened. Funny thing is though that a mere hours before I had my little boy, sure enough, Nate Berkus was on in the delivery room. One of our final name choices was Nathaniel. I honestly believe that my husband was just so disgusted with my obsession that he vetoed the name and chose Luke as the winner.

As part of my addiction I spent many hours scouring around for design ideas. I have gathered some pictures of some of my favorite finds. Being it a weekend and all I thought we could take some time from talking about our children and indulge in our own passions, or...just mine. Our living room is a mixture of beiges and blues. I am trying to make it very natural yet contemporary at the same time. I like using colors that are found in nature. Some of the rooms I chose have this general theme. I also have a slight obsession with baskets. I think they are a great tool for storing toys, books, blankets, mittens, gloves, you name it. We have quite a few in our living room. I love the dark wicker colored ones. Anyway, I hope I can inspire your creative side a little. Enjoy!

Maybe, if I'm brave enough, I will invite you into my home (through pictures of course) to help me solve my design dilemma.

Are you a Happy Mom?

2011-03-10T06:22:00.000-08:00

Finding happiness sometimes can be just finding the little things in your life that bring you joy. One of those things for me is waking up with my children, giving them something to do, grabbing my cup of coffee and popping on the Today Show. This is something so simple but for me it is the 20 minutes of my day that I can count on. Even today, my husband left early for a business trip and wasn't there to wake up and help with the kids. I woke up though and started my morning the same as any other and I think we all felt solice in this. My oldest son knows what to expect and it helped us all jump start our day. I get that 20 minutes to think and do something for myself and my son gets 20 minutes to explore his world.

This morning on the Today show Meg Meeker was on. I was very excited to see that they were going to be talking about Moms and being happy. Whenever I see a headline based on moms this always spikes my interest, today especially. I think as parents we are always striving to make others happy and we seldom take the time to develop our own happiness. It is not usually something that happens on it's own. Sure, we are all happy with our children, our beautiful family that we have made, but what do we have for ourselves.

Some of the things that Meg Meeker suggests are taking time to do something for yourself, pamper yourself. Also, you don't have to feel the need to sign your child up for every little activity. Sometimes, face time with your children is more important. They, "just want to live life next to us." I thought this was such a beautiful way to put it. This can be hard to do, just slow down and take life day by day. I think we all have something to learn on happiness and this was made more evident by the startling numbers that almost 50 percent of moms were not happy. We all know that our happiness can be noticed and soaked up by our children, so if not for ourselves, this is just another reason to strive for happiness. I plan on picking this book up and continuing on my journey to being a better mom by hopefully learning to enjoy my own things a little more each day.

The Battlefield that is Our Home

2011-02-24T12:01:00.000-08:00

I am a typical mom. I love my little boys to no end and I therefore let them get away with murder. My husband will often comment on this weakness of mine. It has been the supposed reasons for many of my son's flaws. Not taking naps for me, not eating for me, not using the potty for me....keyword, me. My little guy will do all of these things for my husband with the smallest of glances. For me, he will push every button you could imagine.

I have been telling my husband that I am building a far thicker skin these past few months, and believe me, I am. Is it really thick enough though? All I need is one simple cry from my little boy and my heart breaks. I have all sorts of things flowing through my mind. Should I just give in? One cookie before dinner isn't going to kill him....

Today was not one of those days. My darling little boy had gotten into our piggy bank. Yes, the one that we leave out so we can drop any of our change into it, hoping that one day we will get a much needed vacation. The one of many glass items that are on our living room shelves in disregard of our 2 year old and 3 month old, who I am sure will both make it their life's mission to destroy. Anyway, he got into it...again. This time, though, his game ended early and he did not put back the coins after spilling them all over the floor. He insisted that, "mommy dood it!" Meaning, I was supposed to pick up his mess. No way. I wasn't having it. So, there went our hour long battle. His grandmother was coming over to take a trip to the store with us. I tried effortlessly to convince him that he would be staying home if he did not pick up his mess. Well, sure enough, Grammy came and all the coins were still on the floor. I was holding my ground. I told her that we were not leaving until this crying little boy had picked up all the coins. The second he saw his Grammy, he knew I was for real and wouldn't you know it? He started picking up those coins!

Was it my standing my ground that led to this....doubtful. It was probably just the prospect of him not getting to venture out with his Grammy. I am sure I just looked like the cruel mother who doesn't want her son having any fun. At least I know that is what my son thought. I remember feeling the exact same thing when I was young. Whatever the case, it is one of the hardest things to stand your ground when you know you are upsetting your little boy, who wants nothing more than to just play and be happy in life. But, I guess that's motherhood sometimes.

3 Day Potty Training

2011-02-05T11:39:00.000-08:00

Going with the theme of potty training, the 3 Day Potty Training pamphlet that I spoke of has reached tens of thousands of parents. It has been seen in various parenting magazines, and I hope to bring you a glimpse of it through this post.

Before I got my hand on it I had heard about it from a bunch of my mom friends and also on various message boards that I frequent. I was able to track down a copy via email and quickly read it. After reading it I definitely agree with many of the principles that are discussed but I just don't see how it is that different from the other books that are out there on potty training.

The premise behind the 3 Day Potty Training is that you basically must commit yourself to not leaving your home for three days. When I read that, the first thing I thought was, you've got to be kidding me. Anyone that knows me personally knows that this is just not something that I could do. I gave birth to my son and went out to dinner two nights later. I get a little stir crazy by being inside too long. This aside, I figure there are still tons of families that have tried this technique and ventured outside their house in the process. It just so happens, though, that when we started potty training, we got stuck in our house by default. Another blizzard in the Northeast. So my little boy didn't actually have to be dragged that far with his mother.

The author of this book emphasizes that her process involves dedication, consistency, love, patience, positive reinforcement, and focus. I can't say that I disagree with this approach one bit. What better way to teach our children a new way of doing anything without our utmost respect and love. I honestly feel this is how we must do all things with our children. After all, this is how we should be teaching them to deal with others around them and themselves.

The part of the book that I wasn't so sure about was completely getting rid of all the diapers and pull ups in the house. I like a slower process and I believe that a lot of children deserve the time to adjust to this new way of living. Sure, it might take a little longer if you are going to be only potty training during the day and leaving diapers on at night, but I think that this is a huge change for your little one and something that might not come that easily. For now, we are just putting little guy in undies during the day and keeping him in diapers for nap and nighttime. When he gets increasingly better and has less frequent accidents then we will transition to naps and nighttime.

I also don't agree with loading your child up on liquids. This could lead to more accidents, and yes, this will help them realize how to use the potty, but it could also lead to a lower self esteem. With the increased liquids you are most likely increasing the incidents of accidents. I know with my son, he gets very stressed and down when he has an accident, so I don't exactly think this is for us.

Overall, I think it is a great read, and I will definitely use some of the principles, but I will use a hodgepodge of various methods to find what works best for us. I definitely recommend the e-book though, if you can get a hand on it!

Potty training

2011-02-04T11:30:00.000-08:00

I tried coming up with a clever title for this post, something gripping and exciting about the topic...but then I realized, it is what it is. There is nothing exciting and gripping about potty training; it's just something that every parent has to tackle at one point or another, just another step forward in our journey.

We started potty training this past weekend. My little man decided that he had enough with diapers and refused to put them on. Well, before his brother was born he had just about every possible sign of being ready to go diaperless. You know, telling you when he was going to go, going longer hours without wetting his diaper, being "private" when he was going...we had it all. That is, except an eager mother and father. We had our hands full, we still do. The prospect of running back and forth between a peeing toddler and a screaming newborn just didn't sound appealing. Well, it still doesn't, but we decided that there was probably going to be no better time. The only thing worse than the former scenario is a crawling baby who is bound to get into everything.

So, alas, we have begun. I don't know what I thought, but I definitely thought that my son would be the 2 year old trained with the "3 day potty training." Yeah, not so much. I read the book, being passed through email from one mom to another. Sure, he's got the point...you pee, you get a sticker. Getting there in time is the problem. We've had quite a few shrieks of, "Mommy, pottttttttty." The look on his face says it all, he's already gone. Let's just say things are a lot messier at our house this past week. And what is it with the fear of using toilets at other places?? This little boy refuses to pee at my mother in laws house, same potty seat and all. Patience is key with all things in parenting and I guess this will just be another notch in my belt. Someone, please pray for me.

For those of you thinking about partaking on this adventure with me, here are some signs of readiness:

Your child stays dry at least two hours at a time during the day or is dry after naps.
Bowel movements become regular and predictable.
Facial expressions, posture or words reveal that your child is about to urinate or have a bowel movement.
Your child can follow simple instructions.
Your child can walk to and from the bathroom and help undress herself.
Your child seems uncomfortable with soiled diapers and wants to be changed.
Your child asks to use the toilet or potty chair.
Your child asks to wear grown-up underwear.

I plan on picking up Elizabeth Pantley's "No Cry Potty Training" book tonight. I'll keep you all updated.

Baby/Toddler Style Wednesday

2011-01-19T11:06:00.000-08:00

I don't have a girl, but this makes me really really want one!!

Zulily/ Bunnies by the Bay

Up to 55 percent off

Up to 75 percent off Rene Rofe
How adorable is this romper?!

But I do love these styles for boys from Joah Love: up to 50% off

The Lies of Motherhood

2011-01-17T11:03:00.000-08:00

My husband will tell you that he thinks all mothers are crazy. Yes, when he says this it does hit a nerve, but look closer at what he is really saying and you might tend to believe him.

I was reading a story on BBC News today that made me think of this quote of my husbands. It was about how mothers admit to parenting lies. You know, the one where you child sleeps through the night at 2 weeks, or the one where you only allow your child 10 minutes of tv a day. We all do it in one way or another, but why?

The point behind the article is that we should all take a different approach to these parenting lies. The reason behind the lies is the feeling of inadequacy that we all suffer from. Being a parent is tough enough without the feeling that you aren't living up to the standards of other mothers around you. You don't want to be the one on the playground with the kid who had a cookie on the way over, when all the other mothers have a reusable bag with organic edamame in it, do you?

In a way it is like high school all over again. Who has the best bags, the best clothes...the best strollers, the most organic household. Don't get me wrong, there is definitely an upside to having these standards. There is nothing wrong with striving to be the best parent that you can be, but there is a price to pay when we set these standards to high for ourselves.

I have to admit, my standards have gone down a little since having my second son. I honestly just don't have the time or brain capacity of making sure that every meal I serve is organic, or that my first little one reads x number of books per day. Sure, I still try my best, but there is only so much mommy to go around. I just wish all mothers would take a step back and support each other more instead of making it into a competition of who raises their child best. The most important thing you can do for your family is be "the glass half full." Support from other mothers, friends, and family is one of the biggest steps. In order to get there...we need to be more honest with each other.

The link to the news article is: Mothering Lies

Two under Two...or worse??

2011-01-13T12:05:00.000-08:00

This post could mean a lot of things. When getting ready for little guy number 2, I did a lot of research on things. Double strollers, activities to keep the bigger dude busy while nursing, ways to keep my sanity, etc. Never did I realize though, that once Little Man 1 stepped over the hurdle into the actual two's, things would get a lot crazier. Granted I have only been a mom to two little ones for a little over two months, but I have to tell you...I think just having my one little two year old would have set me over the edge. I don't know if it is the fact that he has a cold, or is getting his last molar in...but he has reached a new level of manic.

These past two months have been a whirlwind. It started out with a bit of euphoria in the hospital. I couldn't wait to get home to the little man and have him interact with his little brother. Breastfeeding was going much better this time around and this baby seemed to be a lot more laid back. This lasted for all of a day of being home. Baby blues quickly kicked in. Wow, did this bring back memories. I thought for sure since my second pregnancy was so much more relaxed that I would skip these terrible blues. That wasn't the case. I was ready to leave my whole family behind and go away to the Bahamas. As everyone assured though, this phase ended within a couple of weeks. There was a good month there where I thought I could really get the hang of this thing. Well, I guess it was just another stage.

Maybe it is the holiday stress that has jump started my anxieties, or the constant feeling of being tugged in two directions...whatever it is though, I need it to go away now! At my 6 week checkup (which I didn't actually get to until last week) there was a concern about postpartum depression. I am being very vigilant with keeping an eye on myself. I have started trying to exercise again, taking all my vitamins, and just being more insightful into my moods. Sometimes I just feel like I can't get through another day and the quickest way out of here would be to return to work. Well, I guess that would not be too easy, now would it? lol. Anyway, I am hoping this is just another stage in my journey and that I can return to some normalcy soon! I am glad that I have an outlet though, all of you, to bounce my feelings off of and join on the journey with me. Hope you all had a wonderful holiday season!

Back in the Saddle again...

2010-12-23T10:39:00.000-08:00

Wow. July. Yes, that was my last post. I feel a little embarrassed/defeated/nostalgic, among many other words to describe how I feel about leaving my old blogging world behind. A lot has changed since then. In August we began the move to our new town. Not so very far away from our old one (about an hour). We are finally in a house...say goodbye to apartments! We moved much closer to my husbands work, which I have to say has improved our family life quite a bit. We have a whole two extra hours a day with daddy! On top of that we are right down the street from the beach, and oh, did I mention we had our second son?!

That's right. One sweltering hot summer of love later with my first little man and an ever expanding belly and on November 3rd Luke Michael was born into this world. Two boys, 23 months apart. My life has been a blur. It has been quite an adjustment, one that is still progressing slowly, or too quickly for that matter. After a few months of adjusting to our new surroundings, and then this new life with two little ones, I am finally ready to enter back into the world of "I need some me time."

I miss sharing my thoughts, day to day happenings, and all else that comes with being a mommy blogger. I hope you will stay with me while I work myself back into the world. I am sure I will not be able to post everyday like I used to. At least until little man number 2 is sleeping for longer than 3 hour stretches at night! I look forward to getting reacquainted with you all again and letting you into my little world!

These sales are for the moms

2010-07-02T05:38:00.000-07:00

I feel like everytime I post sales I post about children's gear. Which is definitely because of the topics on my blog, but today I wanted to introduce you to some great sales going on for us moms! Haute Look is having some major sales for the month of July with some insane savings! This site is a must check out. They have some great summer wear sales going on right now. Here are a few to check out:

This Printed Dress from Lucca Couture is only 11 dollars! At 71 percent off! This July blowout sale has tons of fabulous outfits similar to H & M style.

Judith Lieber Sunglasses are 82 percent off! If you are looking for some high quality sunglasses that you would otherwise not be able to afford, now is the time to do it!

If you are looking for some throws or pillows for your bed or couch Thro Home by Marlo Lorenz is giving 60 percent off on some great interior decor.

Hope you can get some shopping in this Fourth of July weekend! But most of all, enjoy your time with the family!

On Gilt Groupe you will find some more great sales, here are some of my favorites: Phillip Lim and Kokin

Scalloped Floppy hat 50% off

Room planning: combining a library and a nursery

2010-06-24T07:12:00.000-07:00

My family and I are approaching ANOTHER move. This time, with the expecting of another little boy, we will need a third bedroom. We are going to look at a place today that sounds very promising. This got us thinking of what we will do with the extra room. Of course, I had the idea of another nursery for the littl one while my husband expected a library/computer room.

With our first son we tried co sleeping and it just didn't work out. This kid snored so loud we couldn't fathom spending more than the first three weeks in the same room as him. We are hoping that this one is a little quieter and that we can have him sleep in our room for the first couple of months. I will be giving breastfeeding a good go and hope to make it a lot longer than I did with our son. I think co sleeping, or at least being in the same room with baby will help.

With this we could have our first son in his room, which will most likely end up having bunk beds in it for when the next one is ready to move on up to the big kids bed. The third room will most likely be a combination of a nursery and a library. We have so many great books that have been boxed up for the past year that we would like to put on display. We also need a place for the computer. I'd love to keep the crib in this room with the same sailboat theme that we had in our first son's room being that he will have the same bedding set. I think we can make this work. I'd like it to be a tranquil place with a great comfy chair, a huge bookshelf and the crib. Here are some ideas I have in mind.

bookshelfOur crib

For the computer