Parenthood A Love Hate Relationship

The baby surprise!

2013-02-06T05:13:00.001-05:00

Well I am finally getting a chance to post on this blog of mine. I know I probably mentioned a slight detail of being pregnant in my last post....well that little baby decided to crazy everything up even more!!!
She came 5 weeks early...who knows why....some said bare metric pressure I don't know it fits this journey of my life though....

If you think about it though its a fitting end to finding out your preggers and losing your job all in two months I am not surprised this baby through a ripple into the water for us.

It's fine though after realizing my water broke and casually driving to the hospital where then finding out I was over five centimeters dilated and getting me to the OR immediately everything worked out.

It's funny cause I am a planner and this baby refuses any planning from when we get pregnant to when she would come into this world!

So yes I was pregnant and overnight I now have a bouncing baby girl and when we went into the hospital and I grabbed a handful of clothes cause I had no bag packed, no diapers bought and barely had the room situated. We made it work though but man I am so ready for this wave of spontaneous life to end!

More later after I pump!

M

Baby on the way...hope I remember how to do this!

2013-01-16T22:45:00.001-05:00

Although we were trying to have a second child after many months when no luck I decided to focus on other things in my life. The one thing that I did was to take that energy and use it towards exercising.

So I began working out and it turned into five days a week before work. It was great! I felt great and wasn't worrying about getting pregnant.

After three months and realizing I had not had my period it had happened by itself! We were so excited!

This is it though. Two children about four years a part it works. It's so hard after not having a baby around for almost four years imagining a infant back in our lives will be strange.

We are excited and a bit nervous. Are first daughter was a challenge with colic and having one kidney things were not easy. I pray that this little one might be a tad easier!

So far this pregnancy has been amazing! Although getting laid off and being pregnant has been stressful the pregnancy has been a piece of cake.
It's just amazing how has it has flown by. Along with that i have not had a lot of symptoms such as bad heartburn,
Gestational diabetes. Until recently even sleeping was not an issue! I just pray this is just the beginning of a easy baby!!!

I can only hope! So the anticipation is lingering for the moment and reality will be here soon enough! I hope I remember this whole baby stage :p

M

Becoming a Stay At Home Mom overnight!

2013-01-16T09:58:00.001-05:00

I have always worked and had a design career. Its just how the stars worked for me and I never
thought I wouldn't want to work until I had my daughter. I actually had a thought that staying
at home and raising her would be great!

We would do all kinds of fun things all the time, I would have TONS of time for myself, and
oh get so much done!

WELL REALITY CHECK! It doesn't work that way EVER at least when your having to take
care of a child no matter how old they are.

So after the first couple weeks of my lay off feeling like I was on vacation reality kinda sunk in.
Of course everyone says enjoy this time with your daughter because eventually you will go back to work and not be able to spend ALL this time with her. They are right. I do enjoy spending every waking moment with her....ok most of the moments. When she isn't cranky or driving me bonkers.
Its also nice to have this extra time with her before the next bundle of joy comes into the picture.

Being a stay at home mom infinitely though probably is not going to happen for me. I need to work and create and be busy. And not the kind of busy I am now....picking up messes, being my daughters personal helper, food maker etc.

My munchkin and I playing in the snow!

I appreciate everything and all the time but I have realized over the last months that being a constant Stay At Home Mom is just way to hard. Harder then ANY job I have ever had and I commend all those moms out there that do this by choice for many years.

I am thankful that I was able to experience this journey in my life and realize that its not for me. If I never had experienced it then I probably would always think the grass is greener on that SAHM side. To each his own....my own is working!

I am hoping to have found a job by the summer for many reasons :)

M

I am back....and ready to fill your minds with craziness!

2013-01-15T19:48:00.000-05:00

Well its been a very very long time....

I took a sabbatical I guess you could call it. There has been so much going on in my life in the past months that I just didn't feel like writing....not sure why I just didn't until today!

I will update all of you that might care about whats been going on and the thoughts that have been
floating around in my head....hope you can handle it all....there is a lot floating around up there in my noggin :P

First of all, I am knocked up! Yes and at this point in my pregnancy about to burst. I am due in Feb and looking forward to having my body back and being able to bend over and not waddle so much. Don't get me wrong I am very excited. This whole knocked up thing was all planned. Have you ever heard the expression when it rains it pours......well thats what happened.

Soon after finding out we were pregnant like three weeks after I found out I was going to be laid off from my job after seven years of working there. So yes being pregnant is great...but with no money things just become a little more complicated. I have amazing friends and family that have helped out a lot...but at the moment I am in a state of limbo.

Talk about Limbo land!!
Until this baby comes I won't know its difficulties with food, diapers you know the typical stuff babies have issues with when there born. I also don't expect to get a job even if I did have a interview coming up cause I am about to burst and I will have some recoup time due to a second c-section and exhaustion that will follow the birth. Its a little frustrating but manageable I hope.

SO as you can see "When It rains it Pours" over here in my life.

I know most of my past post's have usually been about my lovely spirited daughter. Well she is still a lovely spirited little girl who keeps my on my toes constantly. My mom was impressed that I have gained a small amount of weight this time with my pregnancy.....well yea when I have my daughter all day running me around now how could I have ANY time to sit and eat my bon bon's and watch TV !!

So anyways there is more to come like my take on being a SAHM for the past months and trying to keep my daughter busy doing the days....to name a few.

So here I am ready to make you laugh a bit and possibly relate or at least get my take on things for the first time as a non working parent.

M

Cooking Hungarian style: Chicken Paprikash!

2012-06-20T22:25:00.001-04:00

Growing up we always enjoyed Chicken Paprikash as a family! My grandmother was Hungarian and this is there comfort food ! If you have never tried it you must! I usually serve it over rice! I hope you enjoy!

M

1 1/2 cups water
4 -5 lbs chicken pieces
1 cup canned tomato
1 green pepper, chopped
1 small onion, sliced
2 tablespoons paprika
1 garlic clove, minced
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/4 teaspoon oregano
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup sour cream

Directions:

Put the water, chicken, tomatoes, green pepper, onion, paprika, garlic, salt, pepper and oregano into the crock pot.

Stir to blend.

Cover the pot and cook on low for 9 to 10 hours until chicken is tender.

Remove chicken pieces from the crock pot and skim fat from the remaining sauce.

Remove 1/4 cup liquid from the crock pot and allow to cool a bit.

Blend flour with the 1/4 cup cooled juices and return the flour mixture to the liquid in the crock pot.

Mix well and stir until thickened.

Blend in sour cream.

Return chicken to the pot and allow to heat through, but do not boil.

Serve on cooked noodles or rice if desired.

Read more: http://www.food.com/recipe/crock-pot-chicken-paprikash-89785#ixzz1yNxEo46N

Some Like It Hot with MAGNUM Ice Cream - Entries

2012-06-20T08:14:00.001-04:00

View this collection on Polyvore

Some Like It Hot with MAGNUM Ice Cream - Entries on polyvore.com

Its Chicken Parmesan time!

2012-06-19T08:56:00.000-04:00

Amazing chicken parmesan thanks to serious eats and cooks illustrated! I had to try this recipe I found on a great website serious eats it's awesome!!! Let me know if you try this recipe!

http://www.seriouseats.com/recipes/2010/03/the-best-chicken-parmesan-recipe-cooks-illustrated.html

The great trick here is that instead of pounding the hell out of large chicken breast, Cooks Illustrated recommends slicing the chicken breast in half horizontally. This smaller portion allows you to get up from the table without hating yourself.

The recipe requires extreme multitasking. You'll boil, broil, sauté, and shallow fry, but it should all be over in 30 minutes or so. Just have everything prepared—all the pans, pots, and wire racks ready to go, and it's a relative breeze. It looks like a lot of instructions, but the process is simple and straightforward. And the result can't be denied.

Ingredients:
* 2 garlic cloves, minced
* 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
* 1 28-ounce can crushed tomatoes
* 1/2 teaspoon dried basil
* 1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
* 1/4 teaspoon granulated sugar
* 1 large egg
* 1/2 cup dry bread crumbs
* 2 large boneless, skinless, chicken breasts (about 8 ounces each), tenderloins removed
* 3/4 cup mozzarella cheese, grated
* 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese
* 8 ounces spaghetti or linguine
* Salt and black pepper

Procedures:
1. First, bring a large pot of water to a boil. Then start with the sauce. Pour 1/4 cup of the olive oil into a pot set over medium-high heat. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 15 seconds. Dump in the tomatoes, along with the dried basil, dried oregano, sugar, and a pinch of salt and pepper. Reduce heat to a simmer and cook for 10 to 12 minutes, or until it has thickened up nicely.
2. While the sauce is cooking, slice each chicken breast in half horizontally, so you end up with four roughly 4-ounce portions of chicken. Each one should be about 1/4-inch thick.
3. Crack the egg into a small pie pan or baking dish, add 1/4 teaspoon of salt, and beat until combined. In another small pie pan or baking dish, combine the bread crumbs, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and a few cracks of pepper.
4. Dip one of the chicken cutlet into the beaten, and then into the bread crumbs. Toss to coat. Place it on a wire rack set over a large pan, and repeat process with other cutlets.
5. Preheat the broiler. Pour the rest of the olive oil into a large skillet set over medium-high heat. When the oil just starts to shimmer, add the cutlets. They should all fit in a single layer. Cook for 5 to 6 minutes, flipping halfway through. Wash the rack while you cook the cutlets, and dry. Set the cooked cutlets on the cleaned wire rack.
6. Add the pasta along with 2 teaspoons of salt to the boiling water. Cook according to the directions on the box. Drain when done and set aside.
7. Top each cutlet with a quarter of the mozzarella and parmesan. Place wire rack set over the pan under the broiler, about 4 to 5 inches from the top, and broil for about 2 to 3 minutes, or until the cheese is nicely browned and bubbly.
8. Divide the spaghetti into four portions and plate. Top each with a cutlet and a generous helping of the sauce. Serve.

Controlling a BAD meltdown situation!

2012-06-19T08:55:00.003-04:00

A meltdown in the making. I knew that's what was about to happen yesterday when I went to
pick up my daughter from grandma's house. I am always thankful when we somehow avoid
these situations. I guess they are inevitable sometimes.
The symptoms were there.....no nap, tired, and cranky.
What do you do when your child kicks, screams and tries to bite and is totally out of control because
its time to go home? How do you deal with a child that won't let you pick them up, does not want to
cooperate on ANY level.

My lovely little one!

Well I would like to let you know how I am dealing with it. I was very proud of myself yesterday for keeping my cool and like in the past NOT having my own meltdown.
It began with my daughter not wanting to get her pants on. She knows that means we will be leaving soon and so she fought with me about it. She sat in a 3 min time out with me standing in front of her so that she would not jump up.
After her timeout was over I asked her again to put her pants on she refused. I asked her three more times and then she sat in another time out. This went on 4 times until she finally gave in to me and put her pants on.

THEN she did not want to leave the house. She began to freak out as I picked her up to carry her to the car. Now when I mean freak out it wasn't a little crying it was screaming, kicking. I managed to get her to the car and we both sat in the car until she calmed down.
As quickly as they begin to roll down that hill is as quick as they climb back up it. We sat and I continued to tell her to calm down and she finally just stopped crying and looked at me.
I told her to take some deep breathes which she finally did and then the seas were calm again!
I finally did it. I stayed calm, I did not scream, and I didn't have my own mommy meltdown. I controlled the situation as much as I could.

When we got home we talked about how she acted and how she cannot act like that. Because of her actions she was only able to watch 30 Min's of cartoons all night long and that was it. She asked me why she could not watch any more and I told her. She was not watching more cartoons because of her actions. She got it I think. Well at least for now she got it. I am sure we will have more tantrums in the future and I know I can handle it now!

The rest of the evening was calm and we followed our normal evening routine. I think talking to your child about there actions is a good thing. Even though they might not fully understand what your saying they understand a lot more then we might think.

Good luck everyone! I just have to say GO ME!

M

Sesame Chicken Stir-Fry In the crazy kitchen!

2012-06-13T19:36:00.001-04:00

I am always looking for an easy stir fry recipe and healthy enough! This one is delish! And if you thaw the meat ahead of time it will be even quicker!
Let me know if you throw this one together!

Here it is enjoy!

1 skinless, boneless chicken breast half - cut into thin strips
2 teaspoons vegetable oil
7 snow peas
1 cup fresh broccoli florets
1/3 cup julienned sweet red pepper
4 medium fresh mushrooms, sliced
3/4 cup chopped onion
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1 teaspoon sugar
1/2 cup cold water
3 tablespoons soy sauce
Hot cooked rice
1 teaspoon sesame seeds, toasted
Directions

In a skillet or wok, stir-fry chicken in oil for 6-8 minutes or until juices run clear. Remove chicken and set aside. In the same skillet, stir-fry peas, broccoli and red pepper for 2-3 minutes. Add mushrooms and onion; stir-fry for 3-4 minutes. Combine cornstarch and sugar; stir in water and soy sauce until smooth. Add to the pan. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 1-2 minutes or until thickened. Return chicken to the pan; cook until mixture is heated through and vegetables are tender. Serve over rice. Sprinkle with sesame seeds.

BBQ Chicken Pizza here we come!

2012-06-05T20:58:00.003-04:00

So I must admit this might have been the tastiest pizza recipe so far! Let me know when you try it!!!

CPK's BBQ Chicken Pizza
From California Pizza Kitchen
The introduction of this pizza at the opening of CPK's Beverly Hills restaurant in 1985 ignited the craze that is California-style pizza.

Ingredients

For BBQ chicken:

10 ounces boneless/skinless chicken breasts cut into 3/4-inch cubes

1 tablespoon olive oil

2 tablespoons favorite BBQ sauce (we use a spicy-sweet sauce)

For pizza:

2 balls CPK pizza dough or other premade pizza dough

Cornmeal, semolina, or flour for handling raw pizza dough

1/2 cup BBQ sauce

2 tablespoons shredded smoked Gouda cheese

2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese

1/4 small red onion, sliced in 1/8-inch pieces

2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro

Directions

Make the BBQ chicken: In a large frying pan, cook the chicken in olive oil over medium-high heat until just cooked, 5 to 6 minutes. Do not overcook. Set aside in the refrigerator until chilled through. Once chilled, coat the chicken with 2 tablespoons BBQ sauce; set aside in the refrigerator.
Preheat the oven: Place a pizza stone in the center of the oven and preheat to 500ºF for 1 hour before cooking pizzas.
Construct the pizzas: For each pizza, use a large spoon to spread 1/4 cup BBQ sauce evenly over the surface of the prepared dough within the rim. Sprinkle 1 tablespoon smoked Gouda cheese over the sauce. Cover with 3/4 cup shredded mozzarella.
Distribute half the chicken pieces evenly over the cheese (approximately 18 pieces). Place approximately 18 to 20 pieces of red onion over the surface. Sprinkle an additional 1/4 cup mozzarella over the top of the pizza.
Transfer pizza (or pizzas; the 2 pizzas may be prepared simultaneously if you are careful in placing the pizzas at opposite corners of your pizza stone) to the oven; bake until crust is crisp and golden and the cheese at the center is bubbly, 8 to 10 minutes. When pizza is cooked, carefully remove it from the oven; sprinkle 1 tablespoon cilantro over the hot surface. If necessary, repeat with remaining ingredients for a second pizza. Slice and serve.
Makes 2 BBQ chicken pizzas.

Thanks yumsugar.com for the recipe!

BBQ Chicken Pizza here we come!

2012-06-05T20:58:00.001-04:00

Mandys Crazy Kitchen makes Baked Spaghetti!

2012-06-04T22:40:00.001-04:00

After contemplating what I should make this evening....I decided to try a baked spaghetti. I put my in a pie tray although you could use whatever you would like. I also tweaked it just a little...adding ground turkey instead of the sausage. It was very good...and easy enough! I know when my daughter will eat what I make then it must be good for everyone! She can be a tad picky sometimes! I hope you all enjoy it!
Thank you to Paula Deen and her son Bobby for creating such a great dish!

Bobby’s Lighter Baked Spaghetti

6 ounces whole-wheat angel hair pasta
2 teaspoons olive oil*
1 onion, finely chopped*
1 green bell pepper, diced
1/4 cup water*
1 pound sweet Italian chicken sausage, casings removed
1 (28-ounce) can crushed tomatoes
1/2 teaspoon Paula Deen Seasoned Salt*
1/4 teaspoon Italian seasoning*
1 cup reduced-fat shredded cheddar cheese
Directions

Prepare pasta according to package directions; drain.
Heat the oil in a large nonstick skillet. Add the onion and bell pepper and cook until crisp-tender, 2 – 3 minutes. Add water and continue cooking, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are tender, about 8 minutes. Add the sausage and cook, breaking it up with a wooden spoon, until browned, 6 – 8 minutes. Stir in the tomatoes, seasoned salt, and Italian seasoning; bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer, covered, until the flavors are blended, about 15 minutes.
Preheat the oven to 375°F. Spray a 1 1/2-quart casserole with nonstick spray.
Add the cooked pasta to the skillet, tossing well to combine. Spoon half the pasta mixture into the casserole. Sprinkle with 1/2 cup cheese. Spoon the remaining pasta mixture over top. Sprinkle with the remaining 1/2 cup cheese. Cover loosely with a tent of foil sprayed with nonstick spray. (Do not let foil touch cheese). Bake until the filling is hot and bubbly and the cheese is melted, 20 – 25 minutes. Let stand 5 minutes before serving.
Original recipe courtesy Paula Deen: Baked Spaghetti

Amazing face painting!

2012-06-04T15:11:00.000-04:00

My beautiful butterfly!

Recently my family and I went to a block Party for Cinqo De Mayo in Annapolis.We came across a line of kids and a amazing face and body painter.

She was doing all kinds of designs on these children's faces.

Including spider man, fairies, and as my daughter got butterflies! She set up right outside a candy shop! Genius right! So we waited And waited. She was pretty darn Popular!

My daughter had never had her face Painted and the way she won't hold still for anyone! I couldn't believe when my daughter told me she wanted her face painted and she stood so still !

So for your next event you might want to consider having a face painter she was great!

M

The talented artists website is www.christinecots.com

Creamy Chicken, Bacon & Tomato Pasta

2012-05-30T19:36:00.001-04:00

Even my daughter will eat this dish! It's so easy and tasty!!

3 cups whole wheat farfalle (bow-tie pasta), uncooked

1lb. boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite-size pieces

3 slices Bacon, cooked, crumbled

1can (14-1/2 oz.) Italian-style diced tomatoes, undrained

4oz. (1/2 of 8-oz. pkg.) PHILADELPHIA Neufchatel Cheese, cubed

1/2cup water

1/4 tsp. pepper

3 Tbsp. Grated Parmesan Cheese

COOK pasta as directed on package, omitting salt.

MEANWHILE, cook chicken in large skillet on medium heat 5 to 6 min. or until done, stirring occasionally. Add next 5 ingredients; mix well. Cook 3 min. or until Neufchatel is completely melted and mixture is well blended, stirring frequently.

DRAIN pasta; place in large bowl. Add sauce; mix lightly. Sprinkle with Parmesan.

Enjoy!
M

Thanks to kraftrecipes.com

Moms Meltdown !!

2012-05-17T09:11:00.001-04:00

Yesterday was a day I never want to experience again as a mom! My daughter and myself had meltdowns! Crying, screaming, unhappy meltdowns!

My daughter has been having trouble for the past week and a half with taking naps. She just can't get to sleep during the day for a nap. She never has been a big napper but she desperately needs a little something during the day. If she does not get that extra sleep in then she is not someone you want to be around due to her mood. So I having been expressing to her how important it is for her to take a nap and of course I am trying my hardest to come up with solutions to the situation.

We have not had a meltdown like this one in a very long time. This was worse then all the others that I have experienced. I was not home so I could not put her in her room to calm down and I was almost wrestling with her to try to get her in the car. She was biting and fighting me back with all her strength. Everything I have ever read on tantrums went out the window at that moment. I know she was exhausted but I can't have her act that way ever. Its to much.

After working a 8 hour day I cannot handle such moodiness. Mentally and physically! So as the tantrum rolled out of control I took her out of her car seat and walked towards my parents house. Gave her to my mom and proceeded to get in my car and ball. I did not know what to do with her. I was out of ideas....totally empty. After finally calming down myself the last thing I wanted to do is get out of the car but I did. She cried the whole drive home and I said nothing.
I remembered reading somewhere about how trying to talk over a kid having a tantrum is pointless they do not even hear you. So I kept quiet until we pulled into the driveway. I took her out and up to her room. I know she is only three and sometimes I have to keep reminding myself of that. I had to say something about the way she acted and I did. I told her she is never allowed to act like that again and when she had calmed down she could come out of her room. I had to put my foot down. I can be to lenient sometimes and this was it! Because of her actions she was not allowed to watch ANY cartoons all evening. This was something she enjoyed doing while I cooked dinner and she now lost that privileges. She is a very smart little girl and I am hoping she understands why she was not able to enjoy this activity.

After she calmed down and moved forward she was fine. It is amazing how immediate the tantrum can come and go as if nothing happened at all. She was the sweet, helpful, loving little girl again. I guess this is a part of being a parent BUT if I can avoid it from happening EVER again I will!

Tantrums are no joke. I remember a friend telling me that three was harder then two and I am now seeing that fully! Wish me luck on nap time! Good luck to all who deal with children with tantrums! I know this will pass like everything.....

M

Dior Addict Ultra Gloss....Is Ultra Awesome!

2012-05-16T09:17:00.001-04:00

Dior Addict Ultra Gloss

My wonderful sister bought this lip gloss for me for mothers day.

I have never purchased a Dior lip product and let me tell you I won't make that mistake again!

This Ultra gloss is amazing. It goes on smooth and not sticky at all. And if your into packaging it is just awesome from a design aspect. It is glassy and metallic which is so nice. The shape is perfect. It is big enough so that you do not loose it in your purse but still small enough to stick in your pocket if you need to.

The color the I got is called Flash and its bright and glittery and the most amazing color of pink. When you go to put it on your lips you twist the top to reveal a lovely lip gloss brush that helps smoothly apply the lip gloss. It doesn't smell fruity or sweet which is nice.

I know this is not my usual all natural products which I defiantly love but I couldn't resist blogging this gloss. I was impressed! If you are looking for a high end lip gloss that will last you
a good amount of time I recommend this great product!

M

Desperate times call for desperate measures!!

2012-05-15T15:24:00.000-04:00

I read a article today by a blogger like myself telling her story of " The day she ruined her baby".
Interesting right!

So this mother like all of us was having a day like no other where desperation took over. I know I have been there lots of times. Things that you wouldn't normally let your child do or eat go out the window. You start pushing things there way to hopefully see them take one small bite or stop crying for one small bit of time.

I do not know if all moms feel remotely like myself, but there is this pressure to be the best or hold up to your own expectations of " how a mom" should be. Children need limits and rules. And its great to have beliefs of how you want to raise your child but man its hard sometimes to keep up with your own expectations and others! Believe me we have lots of rules in my house. You just cannot follow them all the time. It just does not work that way with kids.

I remember when I first had my daughter and I was so darn persistent on making sure I was only feeding her formula from glass bottles and only making her food that I made. It just got so exhausting. I think that changing things a little is OK to make your life a tad bit easier. Like my fellow blogger said "Everything in moderation"!

I did try to keep up with making my daughters food but glass bottles did not make it very far down the months. You just have to pick and choose whats worth the added work. Even now yes I do admit I am a horrible mom cause I let my child eat with me at the TV once in awhile. I feel so guilty as we sit there in front of the TV watching a children's show of all things. Once in awhile it just makes my life a whole lot easier! Sometimes you just need easy days!

In Amy Wruble's blog she posts about how her daughter was sick with a fever and she usually followed a very strict schedule. Things were done a certain way everyday and there was no moving from the straight path she had created....UNTIL it just was impossible to follow the path. And out of desperation to comfort and appease her daughter she gave her ice cream for her throat, they watched all kinds of children's shows, and took naps at odd hours. It happens kids get sick, or cranky, or whatever. As moms we have to realize it is OK! I think that is the hardest part for me realizing that the world is not going to end if my daughter does not get a bath every night or we don't get to brush her teeth. It will all be OK! She realized that you have to go with the flow and as long as its not constant its OK!

Thank you for easing the guilt and pressure I have sometimes when things just NEED to be easy for a day!

M

Here is her blog!
http://www.carriagebeforemarriage.com/
article link: http://www.circleofmoms.com/article/day-i-ruined-baby-03738?trk=fbfp#_

Stop the yelling!

2012-05-07T15:24:00.000-04:00

Frustration: to upset, agitate and tire. (Dictionary meaning)

We can become frustrated at many of the challenges our children present to us on a normal day. Making the right choice on how we handle the challenges is our choice. Being a parent comes with lots of learning experiences. It is interesting how even as an adult we are still learning almost as much as our beautiful children are.

Growing up I never thought anything about the yelling in our house. We were always a loud family and that's how things were communicated sometimes. I was not a bad kid but I remember having moments where my mom or dad would yell to get the point across. And I would listen!
Erin Kurt says, if children were yelled at as kids, even though they hated being yelled at it was
" normal". So as an adult they can fall into that same pattern in times of stress with there own children. She is on the money!

I have noticed since having my daughter a increase in yelling to get " my point across" when its maybe not always necessary. That's when I fell upon a article by Erin Kurt called Stop Yelling.
I am realizing now it might not be such a good idea and to try to avoid it if possible. She says in her book,“If it isn’t life threatening, if the house is not ablaze, if it is not an emergency, or if the child you are yelling to is not half a mile away, then yelling is the wrong choice in parenting.”
Erin says, yelling negatively and directly affects the way children see themselves and how they feel about their life and their place in this world. Also, when a parent yells they are not editing what they are saying.

Her article definitely made me more aware of what I am doing and how to try to correct myself. It seems like a easy fix but its very hard for me not to raise my voice when my daughter does something I don't want her to do.
In the article, the first step to stop yelling is to make yourself aware that you are yelling when it is not always necessary. I am aware of the issue. Next, is to realize what response is most likely to occur after I finish yelling. Erin writes, yelling makes a child feel badly about themselves....and they will often lash back. Instead of harsh yelling, using a matter of fact voice and watch your tone!

So if you are feeling your blood pressure rising just remember what Erin says, becoming aware, realize the outcome of yelling, and learn simple methods to be consistent!

That is what I am trying to do with my own situation! Its not a easy battle but I will accomplish it without yelling!

I have been trying very hard to constantly make myself very aware of things I need to work on as a parent.

To a yell free day!

M

Here is the full article if you would like to check it out! She also has a couple of books. Great information!
http://www.lifehack.org/articles/lifestyle/how-to-stop-yelling-at-your-kids.html

In search of potential mommy friends....Dont Judge me!

2012-04-20T08:42:00.001-04:00

Your college years you have many friends and then after college some people move away but you still have enough great friends to enjoy time with. Go to happy hours, plan fun trips, go on mini vacations with. Its great! Then you have children.....

Most friends head in the same directions as you at some point. I have noticed my friends dwindling a bit after having my daughter. Its understandable people move away for work, you become way to busy with your kids taking over. Things happen.

So once the craziness of children calms down and you have a little more time to yourself. How do you find girlfriends that are on the same page as you that you can relate with and enjoy time with! I have had trouble meeting (other moms) that I can hangout with casually from the neighborhood.

I feel as if I am on a search in the neighborhood sometimes. Anytime a mom walks by with a stroller its a potential friend. How do you get past " HI!" ?? I haven't gotten that far yet. Its kinda silly and crazy that I feel this way but its the truth. Don't judge me..

Finding friends is just not easy anymore. I don't have a park close that I can meet other moms near me and I really don't have much time for those meet up groups that all the SAHM's go to. I think I just would like to have some one close that I can call up and meet up with on a whim. So lately I feel like I am on the "hunt" for a mommy friend to hangout with. Seriously I am not crazy or desperate. I think I have just not figured out how to find these people. People tell me once my daughter is in school I will meet people...we shall see. Until then I guess I will keep on greeting all the mommies in my neighborhood with open arms until one bites!

In search of awesome mommy friends! There around I know it!!

M

Anyone can have a fitness buddy now a days!!

2012-04-19T14:19:00.001-04:00

I know we gave all struggled with our weight or even just exercising for health at some point! I know i have!!

Especially after having a baby there is always a reason why you can't eat healthy or get that workout in that you would like.

I have been mentally dealing with my weight and lack of exercise since my daughter was born. I was tired, busy, or just lazy! Didn't think twice about what I ate or how much movement I would have in one day. I just gave up pretty much!

Of course there is always a reason usually that someone starts becoming motivated and I finally had one of those reasons! A health issue became known to me. I decided i was NOT
Going to ignore it. So after whining about what I need to do I started my workout schedule. Being a working mom I don't have that extra time during the day or evenings so I resorted to the early morning!

Ugh very early....
And I found my new BFF My Fitness Pal!! It's a website and they have a APP. It's very simple you have a diary of your goal weight and for how and what kind of food you eat! It's great because I can type in virtually any food and it has the calories and all the other fun info! Also if you set a goal weight it can determine how long it will take you to achieve your goal!
So although it's only day 2 for me I am not planning on falling back down the hole! I know how hard it can be to crawl back out ! I hope you enjoy this Website and APP! It's worth it! Friend me if you join the site! I am on there!!

www.myfitnesspal.com

M

Natural Cosmetics for less! Is it possible? YES!

2012-04-18T08:13:00.004-04:00

I know we have all heard quite a bit about how dangerous and unhealthy most makeups are for your skin and your body. You just never know with most what they put in them and what they don't even tell you that they put in all the cosmetics out there. And if you have sensitive skin like myself, you know that you can't just put anything on your face.

After reading so much on the dangers of cosmetics I decided to do some research and fined and test some makeup that uses all natural products! I wanted something that I knew would be safe to use and also reasonably priced so that I can afford to buy it on a regular basis. For awhile I was purchasing Aveda products which are great but I couldn't keep up with them because of the cost. Its just to much!

The company I found is called HoneyBee Gardens! The products are created by a Herbalist Melissa Hertzler. She creates natural personal care products that once was based out of her kitchen! All the products are created entirely from natural materials. If you have ever used natural products before sometimes they can be weak on there color or longevity. So I decided to order some samples to try out!

The great thing about this company is that you can order samples of ALL there products for a small amount of money. I loved this idea! Its frustrating when you purchase a huge amount of makeup that you end up not really liking. This was perfect. They sent me small little packets with all the samples I wanted to try.

So I ordered, and tried there PowderColors Mineral Color ( eye shadows), and there Pressed Mineral Powder foundation and a Luscious lip gloss! I loved ALL the eye shadows that I tried...they are bright and beautiful colors that lasted me all day! The Mineral Powder was my favorite because it is extremely light, smooth, and matched my skin complexion perfectly! Lastly, the Luscious Lip Gloss goes on smooth is the perfect color that is long lasting! Its great because it doesn't have that sticky texture that most lip glosses can have on your lips!

Do you want to know the best part about this makeup besides it being ALL natural! Its so reasonably priced! The powder, Lip Gloss, and Mineral eye shadow cost about $25! If you know anything about makeup you know that for $25 dollars you can normally purchase a lipstick or maybe powder! I just think this makeup line is worth your health and your dollar!

Courtesy: Honeybee gardens

So if you have been considering changing up your makeup to a more all natural cosmetic. Something in which you can read and understand what every ingredient is then I would consider checking out HoneyBee Gardens! Try a sample or two ! I think you will never go back once you try it! I know I won't!

Check out http://www.honeybeegardens.com and

there FaceBook page

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Honeybee-Gardens-Inc/176899300237

M

Courtesy: Honeybee gardens

How Us Moms Do Name Necklaces!

2012-04-17T15:37:00.000-04:00

So after having my little girl I thought I would do something special for her and myself. Yea I could go the route of photo's on necklaces or charm necklaces with pictures stuck in them. And at the moment I am just to darn scared to get a tattoo with her name or image so this is what I did! I was watching a hilarious show " Up All Night" and the main character is a mom and she was wearing her

daughters name as a "Name Necklace"!

I thought thats PERFECT!!!

What a nice way to always have your child with you and when he/she gets older you can give it to them. Its special I think. My daughter loves mine and always asks me " when I get older can I have your necklace" and of course I say YES!

And if you don't have a child then you can do the "Carrie" from Sex And The City and get your name or your special someones name! Its just a fun way to wear a cute piece of jewelry and have some uniqueness to it!

I bought my sister a name necklace with her daughters name on it and my husband bought mine from a great company that was featured on NBC" Today show. They are called Eves Addiction. They have tons of high end costume jewelry as well as look a like jewelry to the stars! I highly recommend checking them out if you like jewelry!

So if you want to give a special gift or treat yourself to a name necklace!

So Check out this site and maybe create your own name necklace.

http://www.evesaddiction.com/detail_NL10480__576__Simple_Script_Custom_Name_Necklace.html

Photo taken from " Up All Night" show!

Courtesy: Eves Addiction

Mandys crazy kitchen goes spicy!!

2012-04-09T21:22:00.001-04:00

I also added some blue cheese and baked them instead of grilling them! They were so tasty!! We enjoyed them a lot!

Buffalo Chicken Ranch Sliders

INGREDIENTS:
1 lb ground chicken
1/4 cup chopped onion
1/4 cup chopped celery
1 teaspoon dried ranch dressing mix
2 tablespoons buffalo wing sauce
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon black pepper
small slider size rolls
additional buffalo wing sauce
ranch dressing
assorted greens or lettuce
vegetable oil for cooking burgers

DIRECTIONS:
Preheat grill or skillet to medium heat. Add ground chicken, chopped onion, chopped celery, ranch dressing mix, buffalo wing sauce, Worcestershire and black pepper to a large bowl. Mix well with hands and form meat mixture into 8 equal patties.

Drizzle skillet or brush grill with vegetable oil. Cook burgers over medium heat until done, or the internal temperature is 165°.

Serve burgers on rolls slathered with ranch dressing topped with additional wing sauce and fresh greens.

This is the Roller Coaster ride of my life!

2012-04-09T14:41:00.000-04:00

My Spirited Child and the roller coaster ride we lead!

Life is constantly throwing challenges our way as parents. And some like myself more then others I feel. Sometimes I wish I had a crystal ball so I could find out my daughters mood to know if I should just stay in bed!

What to do with this spirited child of mine! The roller coaster is causing me dizziness today!

(The Spirited (Wild) Child: About one in 10 toddlers is a strong-willed, challenging kid, experts say. "These roller-coaster kids have high highs and low lows," Karp says. "Parents usually know they have a spirited child because they're the 'more' kids." More active. More impatient. More impulsive. More defiant. More intense. More sensitive. More rigid. The No. 1 recommendation to parents with this toddler personality type: Keep them active. Get them outside to play -- a lot. These kids need to burn off their energy and work through their moods, experts say. They also need firm structure to keep them safe and stable -- and lots of patience )

My spirited one!

My daughter is a bundle of laughter, happiness, and love and at that exact same time if she gets upset or sad its extreme. My poor husband never knows which way she might be leaning. I feel bad for him since he gets home late in the evenings its always around the time she begins to wind down and relax...and if she is tired boy watch out! I worry sometimes because she hears things and repeats them and really doesn't understand what she says only that she has heard it. I am looking forward to her finally understanding more so I can explain to her why its not nice to say certain things to people. I try now but her attention and understanding is just not there yet.

So everyday seems to always have a loop or a dip in the coaster we ride. Normally, things go fine! We have major routine and keep up with our schedule. Its those days that the schedule is changed where she doesn't get that nap she needs or hasn't eaten enough...those are the times I do not enjoy. We had a great Friday and a great Saturday! Everyone was in a great mood, listening, playing. It was awesome! We got to go outside quite a bit which makes things a whole lot easier!

Then Sunday rolled around. When you are not feeling well yourself and your daughter wakes up at 8:10 and ONLY wants YOU to help her with everything right there and then its hard. When you can barely move or breath through your nose. When you have so much pressure in your head that it feels as if its going to explode...its a problem. All I hear is PLEASE, PLEASE,PLEASE!!! Lord help me.
So when she begins to explode...as a parent you have to make a quick decision is this tantrum worth it or should you just jump out of bed and help her out and go back to sleep after! So that's what I chose to do in the end.....I avoided the meltdown from occurring! I think it was pretty smart at that point! It was way to early in the morning for a meltdown!
After that the day began in its normal fashion. Milk, breakfast, dressed, leaving the house. For whatever reason my daughter and this whole " eating and drinking " thing is just a constant battle. I at least spend an hour a morning on the weekend coaxing, threatening, and pleading for her to take bites of her food and sips of her milk. I think her stomach is the size of a penny I swear!
Later in the day the ride begins! We get to my parents house...she was happy the whole drive there....THEN she began getting sleepy....which is a warning sign to me that the crankiness is on its way! She will even say to me sometimes that she is cranky! I swear she is way to smart for her own good!
So we make it to grandma's where I am trying with all my might to avoid a tantrum because she is tired and does not want to leave the car! Saying, "I am staying in the car and you can go ahead in without me bye bye mom!" Yea so I spent about 15 minutes trying to get her out of the car without dealing with a flip out session. We made it into the house and immediately I changed the mood into a silly one to avoid the tantrum. Sometimes that's what I do to tweak the mood. Although she might be upset about something she doesn't want to do/ see/ etc I just can't handle all the cranky/anger so I flip the mood by trying to lighten things up a little. Sometimes it works and sometimes it does not...and I crash and burn. Today it worked...so I told everyone to be quite my daughter is asleep....so everyone joked until she finally got over whatever her issue was.
Thankfully sometimes we can have one small tantrum and the rest of the day could go on smoothly with no other bumps in the road. Its great...well last night did not go so smoothly. We had boulders in the road and they were not going anywhere. A Spirited/ tired toddler who does not want to go to sleep is like a firecracker ready to go bang at any moment. My daughter went bang alright and my poor husband was holding the firecracker when it happened. It was a long and tedious night dealing with her and how upset she got over such a small thing. To her it was HUGE!

This morning she woke up as if nothing happened and she was fine! I guess that's the important thing. What might seem like the end of the world one day has evaporated by the next!

Until the next spirited adventure!

Good Luck to my other parents with spirited children! Hold on tight the roller coaster goes fast and flips a lot! :)

M

Thank you to parents.com for the article about personality!
http://www.parents.com/toddlers-preschoolers/development/social/understanding-child-personality/

The circus is in town !

2012-04-06T09:39:00.001-04:00

Have you ever had days where you feel as if your on this roller coaster ride that just won't let you off!!
The past couple days have felt like that for me. My daughter has been sick and of course now I am sick as well.

I think trying to function and take care of others while your not feeling well is the most challenging thing ever!
At least with my daughter when she does not feel well everyone is aware!

The crankiness is at a all time high rate!! One minute she's fine and the next.....oh lord....the head is spinning and she floating off the ground (ok not really)! It feels that way though.

My daughter can get a little mean too.
Thursday night was the " night of crankiness" in our house! I took her upstairs and she got upset with me for something....told me to go away....so I did! Well she flipped out...she doesn't understand what she says sometimes. So after hearing her scream I went back up to get her...that's when I told her "never" to tell me to go away again! Sometimes I have to be stern.

I know your all so envious of me right now OR your thinking I am so there with you! It's part of life and raising kids!! Well that's what "they" always tell me! Hehe....sorry had to laugh at myself.
I think sometimes people think I exaggerate when I tell people or blog about these crazy situations that happen. I so wish that was the case! I guess every house has there craziness...they just don't throw it on the table for everyone to see. I think others need to know that things are not always perfect when you have kids. I don't think it should be!
We all have our days where everyone is happy and listening fa la la la! But it's not all the time.
I tell people all the time that most days I feel like I joined the circus and I am in the ring running around like a chicken with my head cut off! No exaggeration!!

And then my daughter will stop spinning her head and proceed to tell me how much" she loves me " or "how beautiful my eyes are" and the clouds part and the birds are singing again and everyone is happy.

Parenthood is the only job that will allow you to juggle and run around in the ring with the lions!

M