Baby & Kid

Back to School with Tom’s of Maine

August 7, 2018

Get ready to go Back to School with Tom’s of Maine®. Start your day off in the right direction by using clean products for your teeth, mouth, & whole body. Plus, by choosing Tom’s of Maine, you’re helping children in need get essential school supplies.

Thanks to Tom’s of Maine for letting me be a part of their Back to School campaign.

Autumn is going to Voluntary Pre-School (VPK) this year. We have VPK orientation on Saturday morning. Then she starts on Friday, the 10th. Gah!!!!

I don’t know if I am super excited about it or sad because I am such a mix of emotions about it all: excited she gets to see her friends and that I get some quiet from the non-stop talking. And sad that she is already old enough for VPK. Makes me feel old-ish. ha!

Well, I do know that Tom’s of Maine® is part of our daily routine!

Our whole family uses Tom’s of Maine products.

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Summertime Picnicking in the Park

July 27, 2018

Picnicking in the Park is one of the best activities to do with your kids in the summer. It’s lots of fun when you listen to music and cloud gaze. We wouldn’t go on a picnic without our Baby K’Tan Swaddle Blankets are the best blanket for the kids to sit on. Cute, color coordinated, and perfectly sided for each kid.

Seriously, I feel like Florida is out to get me some days.

All this past week, I’ve been telling Autumn that we would be having a picnic for lunch.

Every day it has rained!!!!!!

I’m not talking cloudy all day Seattle kind of rain, I’m like “hey, it’s sunny in our front yard, but raining in our backyard.” That is how things work here, in Tampa Bay, no joke.

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Raising Our Little Global Citizens

July 10, 2018

Little Global Citizens is a new subscription kit that is geared to kids 3-7 that teaches them about a new country every month. There are crafts, toys, and books to help teach them about the culture in the country that is featured that month.

Raising kids who are creative, compassionate, cultured, and inquisitive is a really important thing for my husband and me. Our kids are the future.

We have always made learning a priority so we are always looking at fun ways to do that. Like, going to the aquarium or the zoo from a young age, and regularly, has been a fun way at incorporation learning into a fun family activity. We have had different memberships to different places, like New England Aquarium, when we lived in Boston, to now having a membership to Glazer Children’s Museum, here in Tampa. They provide different, fun ways for the kids to learn and be active. Exposing them to different exhibits gives them a chance to learn and create fun memories while playing.

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Dear Hunter @ 12 months

June 7, 2018

June, 2018

Dear Hunter,

Happy Birthday!!!

I really can’t believe that you are 1 year old now.

There are moments in life that I know I will never forget, and the moment when they told us you were a boy and when I saw you, is one of them. “It’s a boy!” We really couldn’t wait for them to show you to us from behind the curtain, so we asked. It was just so exciting in the moment. Then I got to see you, and it all fell into place. You were meant to be, and meant to be in our family.

You have really been a easy, happy, joyful little boy. There have been few difficulties or moments when you were really fussy or unhappy. Of course, when you you were in daycare you were often sick but you never seemed to unhappy. Ah, my poor sick coughing boy!

Staying home with you and your sister has meant that our pockets are pretty lean, but I wouldn’t trade that in for anything right now. The every day with you really routine, but really is quite magical. I love seeing your personality develop and get to play with you and your sister. You find it hilarious to throw things

I am really proud of the fact that we have reached a year on our breastfeeding journey. After having so many struggles with your sister, I was really happy to have such an easy experience with you. The beginning was quite painful at times, but once that period passed it was quite a breeze. You still are nursing during the day, before bed, and 1x during the middle of the night, so I’ll take it upon you to let me know when you are ready to wean.

Overall, it really feels like this year has flown by way too fast. From swaddling you to get you to sleep, to just holding you on my left side and patting your back with my right hand to get you mellow out enough to rest your head on my shoulder. Or propping you up on the sofa for your monthly picture to reminding you to not try to climb over the back of it!

Throwing something is your favorite thing to do, even if it means you wack me in the face with a book. You don’t mean it to hurt, but throwing everything around is just the funnest thing ever. Dropping things from our second floor on the stairs below is also hilarious.

You still just have 2 teeth, but you make great work of all of the food you eat with them. Blueberries, banana, guac, and steak, but you’ll happily eat anything. Doing baby led weaning with you, and your sister, was the best for you guys. We love that you are so eager to eat, especially blueberries- you grunt and reach out when for them like they are the best things on earth.

One of my favorite things you do is say “hi” while you hold my phone to your ear. It’s the cutest thing! I love the voice you do while you say it- so soft and sweet.

We keep wondering when you will walk since you prefer to crawl and stand. Actually, it’s more like a football bear crawl since we got the carpet taken out of the first floor. You are so strong and fast as you crawl around and then pop up to stand and then trow something from there.

I love that the little things bring you such joy, and I am there to be able to see it.

It’s obvious to say that, I am really looking forward to seeing how you grow and develop in the weeks, months, and years ahead.

I love you.

Love, Mommy

The Ultimate Weekend Away Packing List for Babies and Toddlers

May 23, 2018

Traveling with babies doesn’t have to be tricky when you plan and pack well. This “Ultimate Weekend Away Packing List for Babies and Toddlers” printable packing list will help you prepare and have a great time on your weekend away.

We love traveling with our kids.

It can be just visiting family or on a trip – near or far.

We have done it so often that I have mastered the art of packing for our kids. (And our dogs, but that’s another story)

I can pack for an other night or for a week. Now, I can do it efficiently, with nailing the right amount of stuff needed for that time, not forgetting anything, or over packing.

I hate over packing! It just takes up really valuable space. I would rather need to re-wear something than come home from a trip with clean clothes. It’s just a pet peeve of mine. So I have studied how well I have packed from a trip and have worked on getting better at it every time.

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