November 29, 2017

4 Ways You Can Help Eliminate & Reduce Holiday Anxiety




It's officially the holiday season. We call it "the happiest time of the year" and it is, for some... and for others, this time of year brings on anxiety and causes stress. As for me, I love spending time with family and friends, but I'll admit I'm one of many that still gets anxious when it comes time to get festive.

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While I used to let anxiety overcome me, over the years I've pretty much mastered how to deal with holiday related anxiety and today I want to share a few tips with you so that all is calm in your world.


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4 Ways You Can Help Eliminate & Reduce Holiday Anxiety

1. No Expectations - Instead of anticipating the perfect event, go ahead and take a deep breath and remind yourself it's okay for things to not go as planned - it's okay for things to just happen. Allow yourself the time to be present and stop stressing about the small stuff. It doesn't matter how you responded to your cousin's snarky remark or how your brother-in-law will react to the gift you've chosen for him... instead of thinking of what could happen, think about what you're doing now.

If you start feeling that stressful feeling again, take a second to absorb the beauty of the lights around you, listen for the live music playing from down the street, feel how soft these new Kleenex are, and stop stressing about the small stuff.

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2. Plan for Peace - Okay, while things may not always go as planned, that doesn't mean you can't make an itinerary and hope to follow it. A big part of my anxiety is triggered by the "unknown" so planning ahead provides some peace of mind. If you're like me, you can plan days ahead for fun events, from looking at lights at the park to browsing the aisles for toys for your niece, plan when you'll be going and doing these events and you'll find them a lot less anxiety-inducing.

Also plan your family time ahead, so you aren't spread too thin on time or torn between groups... and well, it's important you do this so you don't run out of paper items either.

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That's right, planning ahead to have enough paper towels and toilet paper is a MUST around the holiday season when you're expecting company.

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And you can't forget Kleenex hand towels either, especially if you have a big family.

With extra company coming in to town, the last thing you want to run out of is the necessities and lucky for you can use Ibotta to snag a rebate on the Scott, Viva, Kleenex, and Cottonelle goodies you bought at Walmart.

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I personally despise grocery shopping and I ordered all my goodies online at Walmart.com --with home delivery, free 2 day shipping and same day shipping options, who needs the hassle of going in-stores to shop? Not this girl! But, if you're the type that likes to shop in-stores, you're also in luck because all of these goodies are stocked on the shelves too!

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3. Respect Differences -  Have a family member that picks on you and just drives you bonkers? Accept that you can't change others, but you can change your own mindset and focus on those that make you happy. Do your best to respect that your differences are what makes your family beautiful and again, try to be present in the moment and enjoy the other good things about the holiday!

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4. Budget & Be Giving - Instead of spending too much on gifts people don't want or need, think about a unique gift idea instead.

Make a handmade baby book for your nephew or send your niece something you drew for her. You can surely come up with a creative way to spoil your family without the added price tag.

This year some of my family will receive blooms from my new small shop, Bloomology. I'll be making each creation specially for the individual receiving it so I hope they know how heart-felt these gifts are... no pun intended.


With that said, how do you reduce anxiety around the holidays? I'd love to hear all about it in the comments below! But don't forget to snag your rebates on your next Walmart run with Ibotta!

November 27, 2017

5 Ways to Tame Toddler Tantrums

Some days are easier than others parenting Delainey. The days when she's an angel and so easy to please are the best. But we also have the days when she is a terrible teething mess, when all she does is throw tantrums and toddle around whining. Don't get me wrong, I'm thankful for everyday with her but the latter is definitely more challenging.

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While we can't find a cure all for her temper tantrums, yet... we're working on it and today I want to share FIVE ways to tame toddler tantrums!

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1. Communicate - This first idea is maybe the most obvious but also likely the most complicated since most toddlers throwing tantrums are still learning to communicate.

When we hear our sweet girl winding up for a fit, we've started encouraging Lainey to "use [her] big girl words" and also teaching her sign language. Instead of letting her throw a fit when she wants a snack, I show her the sign for "eat", say the word "eat", and then provide her with something to eat.

While she can't tell me she wants to go to the park just yet, soon enough I have a feeling she'll be chatting away and asking to do all kinds of fun activities... but for now, I'm going to try and tame her tantrums by helping her learn to talk.

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2. Identify & Treat - It's also pretty important to try and identify why your toddler is throwing a fit.

If he's sleepy, it's time for a nap. If he's aching, maybe try some essential oils. If she's hungry, feed her a snack. And if she has diaper rash, the only way to prevent and treat it is Desitin Maxium Strength. I'm not going to lie, I would say like 50% of the time when we just can't figure out what's going on with D, she seems to have a bit of diaper rash randomly pop up. I blame it on teething, but who really knows? All I do know is that we put red to bed and help make things better with Desitin.

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3. Learning - Another way we try to solve tantrums in our house is letting her roam free... Whether that means walking down the street (and letting her choose which direction we wander) or just wandering around looking at ant hills in our backyard.

With that said, sometimes (when she has diaper rash), she gets to explore SUPER freely and by that I mean, in her birthday suit. Not only are we allowing her to feel, touch, explore, and learn in a different way, she's also getting fresh air on her bum - which is great for diaper rash too!

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4. Explain - While we've been working on her communication during a fit, I've been trying to get better at using my communication skills as well. Instead of just telling her "NO!" when she's doing something she's not supposed to, I'm doing my best to try and tell her why she can't do it.

For example, instead of just exclaiming when she goes for an outlet, I immediately respond "no", but then I pick her up and point at the outlet and explain "OW! That's electricity, baby girl. That can hurt you very badly, so no-no touch! Okay, Delainey?"... and while she may not understand it ALL right now, I think she seems to somewhat and she also tends to listen better after I explain why something is a "no-no".

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5. Understand - Speaking of understanding, try not to get too carried away trying to prevent and tame  tantrums... remember that your little one is just a kid. Learning something new each day, exploring and taking it all in and while that's amazing, it's also overwhelming for them and I know we all can understand what that feels like. So don't freak out if nothing helps to calm a fit sometime this week, it happens to the best of us and it'll likely happen again.

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So tell me, how do you tame tantrums in your home? I'd love to hear in the comments below!




A Letter to My Daughter: This is The End & The Beginning

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My sweet one -

As I sit here, writing this letter to you, my dear daughter, I can't help but laugh and cry simultaneously.

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This is such a joyous time in our lives, you're gaining independence, you are becoming a little tiny woman... and I'm so incredibly blessed to get to be a witness to the miracle that is your life. I'm so thankful to be the arms you run to, the one that you seek comfort in, and occasionally still, your source for nourishment.

With that said, we've been slowly cutting down on feedings, going from the moments when I thought it would never end, when all that would comfort you was cluster feeding, to each day slowly lessening the time you spent nursing, and now... well, now you only need me for a tiny bit of time each day, mainly suckling as a source of comfort as you drift off to sleep.

And as you lay here, I can't help but feel pure adoration watching you slowly go from your wild, curious self to a sleepy, sweet little bundle of love. I also can feel my heart getting a little heavier, my soul aching because these sweet moments with you will soon come to an end.

My sweet girl, it's so crazy to me how quickly you have grown. You are now almost fifteen months old, that's almost 456 days of pure love and devotion - each day dedicating several periods of time to special, sweet moments between just you and I.

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That's over 450 days we have spent together - learning, growing, struggling, and successfully mastering breastfeeding, 10, 950 hours since your first latch and so many minutes spent admiring your beautiful face while watching you receive the nourishment you have loved so much.

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Through every bit of pain as we had to adjust our position and finally learned to get an excellent latch I knew nursing you was the right choice. For each and every inch that you've grown and each time we've seen the scale go up a pound, we've celebrated our achievement. Each time you peek up at me, every time I see the way you embrace me, I know, deep within my soul every single second of our 15 month breastfeeding journey was worth it.

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Breastfeeding isn't just something we have experienced though, it's part of who we both are... and it has been since you took your first breath. So seeing this all come to an end is bittersweet and amazing in so many ways.

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Maybe it's knowing that you need me that makes ending this all so hard, maybe it's the fact that it's truly a connection unlike any other... I'm not sure. But as the tears stream down my face as I think of you, my little nursling, I know and will always know breastfeeding you was the best decision I could ever make and I wouldn't take a second of this journey back.

You are worth it.

And, although our breastfeeding journey is coming to an end soon, this is only the beginning of another more amazing journey together. Just remember, I'll always be here to comfort you, I'll always be the one that helps you to learn, who encourages you to grow, and who hopefully helps you achieve success through the struggles.



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Always & Forever,

Your mama



Are you a breastfeeding mom or mom to be? As you probably picked up on, nursing is so worth it all. With that said, not everyone has a breastfeeding journey as easy as ours was... some need nipple shields, others can't handle the pain, and some breastfed babies even need probiotics specially formulated for them... and that's where Evivo comes into the picture.

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With breastfeeding and D's health being of utmost importance, it comes as no shocker that we have her on a probiotic to make sure her gut is as healthy as it can be. Evivo not only helps her gut stay healthy now, but we're setting her up for a healthy future too. If good bacteria (like what Evivo offers) are thriving before a baby is fully weaned from breast milk they're more likely to develop a healthy metabolism and immune system later in life. Learn more about Evivo and how it can help your baby from the inside out here.

November 23, 2017

My 14 month old's Christmas List...

I can remember when I was little I would sit down with a catalog and circle all the toys that I wanted for Christmas each year... ranging from art sets to dolls, I was spoiled and always got what I wanted and then some.With that said, Delainey is only 14 months old so she won't be circling any items in a catalog or browsing online with me for toys, but I have a good idea of some of the items on her Christmas list this year and today I want to share them with you, whether that's to inspire you to grab something super cool for your little one or to start shopping for your grandbaby. So happy shopping...

Let's get started with the most epic little princess ride, possibly ever. This would be perfect for any little princess that loves to explore, especially one named Delainey Kate.



Next on her list, the most precious little princess tent. Completed with a cute little rug and some decorative lights and she'll have a sweet cozy place to hang out now.... that eventually can grow with her into a reading nook.



Another item that I think every little girl would love is a "play kitchen"... and since D is OBSESSED with being in our kitchen and watching us cook, this beautiful little play kitchenette is at the TOP of our list.



Okay, well, maybe this item is more on mama & daddy's list, but it's definitely FOR her - this little bench would make the perfect toy box/organizer for all of her wonderful toys and it would also match our house pretty well, so that's a win!


Another item every Florida girl has on her Christmas list this year is a water table and this one definitely won't disappoint!

One item that I know D would absolutely FLIP over is this little playset, she's obsessed with playgrounds so having one at her house would make her way too excited for words!



I'm not going to lie, this "roller coaster" looks like it would be a great toy for all ages of children and it's such a good deal!




Since D is in love with birdies lately and she's always been a foodie, a placemat like this one is perfect!




I'm certain we'll have more to add to her list and I'll even be sharing a handful of great gift ideas in our upcoming gift guide... but that's all we have in mind for now. So tell me, what do you think it something every toddler should have? Can you remember a Christmas gift from your childhood that took your breath away... what was it? I'd love to hear all about it in the comments below!