Terrible Two Tuesday

       Every one who has had a child knows what the terrible twos are. And they dread them. My daughter just turned one and I am already looking at every site and every blog that could help with the impending doom that will be my daughters attitude. While looking at several different blogs and sites I came across many that helped. I also came across one that had very good stories and helpful tips but lacked the use of multiple media to gain attention of an audience. The blog was titled How to deal with terrible twos.
       Her first post started off strong. She had a very engaging picture that made me want to keep reading. Even her next post had a captivating picture of a very dirty two year old. But after that the only thing that was added was links to other sites. The blog was slightly hard to navigate and had no labels or archives added to the blog for easier navigation.
       From her blog I came across some other very useful blogs. When dealing with two year olds, there are many kinds of practices that can be implemented to help behaviorally tame an unruly child. A blog I really enjoyed that had an easy 5 step process was a blog by We Mothers. Obviously kids will be kids. And a little mess and unsightly behavior, especially in public, is completely normal. And mothers, you are not alone. There are a ton of information on the web and on other blogs that are here to help! Don't be afraid to use them. There is no shame in admitting that the terrible twos are hard and that you need help. I'm not even at that stage yet, but if my daughter's diva ways are any indication of what is to come, I'll need all of the help I can get!

Thrifty Thursday

Ok mothers, babies are expensive. Believe me, you are not alone when you are thinking that. There are so many ways to help with the cost. Lets start with diapers. I love Pampers. They are the diapers that I trust on my baby's butt. But unfortunately, they are one of the most expensive. I tried Luvs for awhile but I found myself changing her diaper more often because they just didn't keep her dry. Babies R Us has weekly ads that will tell you when they are having a sale. And usually it's pretty good when you are buying the big boxes. another thing you can do is go to the website of the diaper company you prefer and sign up for their coupons or the email list! I went to Pampers website and signed up for Pampers rewards. It helps!

Next, let us talk about formula. Man oh man is formula expensive. First let me start by saying breast feeding is the most natural, healthy, and cheapest way to go. However, sometimes it is not an option. And if not, there are ways to help cut the cost of formula too. A lot of the times your doctor will be able to give you samples of formula so you can find the right formula for your little one. Once you have, do the same thing you did for the diapers. Go to their website and sign up for coupons! I used Enfamil when my daughter was on formula and they sent me coupons through email and through regular mail. It was awesome!

If there is anything else you want to know, just ask! I have found out a lot of things that can help over this first year with my daughter and I will definitely be more prepared for my second! Also, if you would like I have added the option to follow my by email!

Picture of the Day

 

       What do you see here? Clutter? A messy room? Those are very valid things to see when presented with a picture like this. But do you want to know what I see, I see memories. I see that a child here had so much fun. I mean don't get me wrong, I also see very painful moments of accidentally stepping on a toy in the middle of the night and the countless hours it would take to clean up after a toddler. But it's beautiful. It's chaotic and messy and time consuming all in the same.
       My daughter turned one this weekend and we had a huge birthday party for her. And she got a lot of toys. Man oh man the first thing my husband said was where are we going to put all of these. Who cares. I have already accepted that the next few years of my life will be messy.
       I am ok with a messy house and a messy kid and being messy myself. In those messes, what you don't see as an outsider is how much fun it was to create them in the first place. Imagine a child laughter as they dump their entire toy box on the floor. Imagine how proud they are when they can create something with their toys. If you can do that, then you would see his picture as beautiful as well. Because that's what it is, it's beautiful.
       If you are not one who likes messes all that much, there are so many awesome organizational ideas for childrens playrooms. check out HGTV's website for ideas!

To Vaccinate Tuesday

To vaccinate or not to? That is an extremely talked about subject in babies. Well, let me start by saying I am PRO vaccinating. It may seem like I am yelling that but that is how strongly I feel about this. Until you have children and know how it feels to put your children at risk by simply exposing them to other children who haven't been vaccinated, you won't quite understand how strongly I feel about this.  I never really thought about this before I had children. I didn't look in to any research and kind of thought the mothers that advocated for it were kind of crazy. I was the kin for person who was like, ya know just let people decide what they want to do with their own children. Man was I wrong. Because other kids not being vaccinated affect my children greatly. Kidshealth.org does a great job in outlining the proper schedule for all vaccines.

It is extremely hard to argue with the numbers. I understand there have been arguments against vaccinating at such a young age and that they argue the vaccinations do more harm than good. And it really is up to the parent to decide. I just ask for you first time parents out there to really look at both sides. The CDC Website would be a great website to check out if you had any further questions!

About this blog

Being a first time mom is the craziest thing I have ever done. It is beyond stressful and sometimes you need to talk about it or read about someone in the same shoes as you. Well guess what, I am there right in the middle of it. I have an almost One year old and everyday is a new challenge.

From diapers to formula to potty training, I will give my advice or tricks I have found that may help someone going through the same trials and tribulations I am going through. I do not have all of the answers and frequently go to babycenters.com to answer the one million questions that I have daily. And ya know what? That is completely normal! I hope my blog helps or inspires other first time mothers out there while giving reassurance that you are not alone on this beautiful journey.