Mothering Mommy

TODDLER TIME OUT WADDLE My little, sleepy, giggly, baby fresh bundle, is now , a 2 year old. She seriously has only one speed - GO!, she finds a ‘why’ in every scenario and yes she has the trademark, transition episodes. The transition phase brings on episodes, the inevitable ‘No’ now comes coupled with meaning and it can be hard to deal with, especially seeing that they always seem to happen in public (que the judgmental stares...lol). But seriously, your cute and playful little bundle, will suddenly begin to make their voices heard and wants known. Unfortunately, unlike us they can not adequately verbalize their wants, nor do they know how to adequately channel the frustration of not being totally understood, so they let us know the only way they know how, and that is quite normal and generally does not require anything more than patients, reassurance and mommy’s full attention to decipher what is bothering them. However, this is also the time when your kid will begin to be ass...

I can’t believe it’s August already, every year it seems that time flies faster and faster. The same can be said for my kids. I still remember holding my son in my arms and playing with his little feet now he is 14 years old, motivated and growing into a wonderful young man. My daughter seems to have been born yesterday and already she speaks in sentences, using the potty and giving the best hugs in the world. I seriously feel like I was just changing her diaper, and cuddling up to that all too familiar baby smell, as she slept on my chest. Sigh...it all went too quickly. Every opportunity I get, I delve into gushing about my kids. From the silly, to the hysterically naughty and definately the cute moments. That’s why I wanted to have a place in my blog to exchange stories freely, giving us moms, that much needed moment to laugh at our little ones silly antics and melt at their all too cute moments. This space also welcomes stories about the littlest to the biggest babies in our life...

MEDICATION AND YOUR LITTLE ONES: ALWAYS PAY ATTENTION The past couple weeks have been the most trying, tear filled and confusing weeks of my mommyhood. My daughter seemed to be a shell of herself and I was at wits end on what was going on with her. Lo and behold the root of the problem was right in front of my eyes. Back Story Like most kids, my now 2 year old had been having bouts of illness for some time. A cold here, runny nose there, an episode of croup (I wouldn’t wish this on anyone), the all too familiar random throw up and of course that sporadic fever. With all this going on, there was no way for me to not be worried out of my mind. We visited our pediatrician, who by the way is awesome. He never makes you feel like he is just indulging you and your idea of what could be wrong, he listens and gives a professional opinion, takes both into account and works with you to make a plan moving forward (can you tell just how awesome I think he is). Moving on, at our many visits he...

The month of June brought so many changes. We welcomed the summer heat and celebrated our graduates. As they said their goodbyes to old friends, they also look forward to beginning a new chapter. But most of all Summer Break was finally here. Summer brings BBQ's, Amusement Parks, long days, fun times with friends and lots of road trips. Traveling with two kids, I can't lie had me a little intimidated, who am I kidding, it had me a lot intimidated. But lo and behold, it went way smoother than I anticipated. Here is my take on how to make it through an 3:20 a.m, 8hr trip with 2 kids and Amtrak. I know 3:20 a.m departure seems nuts but, there was a method to my madness. So early in the morning means you have to wake your little one but chances are they will go right back to sleep after boarding, which makes for a relaxing couple first hours. Pack something for your kids to do. Older kids usually want anything digital and they can choose what they want to bring. Just remember to...

Ok, so let’s jump right in. I covered all things Nanny, which did reach and impact many of you. So to all those to whom I did give some insight, you are very welcome. It’s time to touch on Daycare. This is always a scary choice for any parent, myself included. After all, you are trusting your kids with a stranger (just as with a nanny), the only difference is that your little one will be cared for outside your home, they will now be one of five (instead of one on one as with a nanny) and the environment is notorious for exposure to any bugs that might be going around. Doesn’t sound too appealing right now but keep reading and you may be pleasantly surprised. The daycare environment is a transition for any child and parent, especially those children over the age of 1, so the nervousness you are feeling is completely normal. Just as with choosing a nanny, research is crucial along with open houses. All daycares allow you to tour their facilities during operating hours,...

THE CHILD CARE DEBATE OMG! It's positive you are going to have a baby. Your heart is racing, your face hurts from smiling so hard and you get those familiar butterflies of excitement in your stomach. Then your thought process begins, and sometime during this moment you think eventually I am going to need a nanny, no maybe daycare wait no I'm quitting my job. WAIT! I am a mom, who had been a nanny for years. I switched careers and became a stay at home mom/author, then as of a month ago I put my daughter into daycare. Yes I have experienced it from every angle, so let me give you a little insight. THINKING OF A NANNY The choice to get a nanny is a big one and one of the most personal relationships you could ever have. To be clear a nanny is not a babysitter. A babysitter ensures your little one is safe, and entertained in your absence, a nanny ensures not only your little one's safety and entertainment, but they also see after the entire wellbeing of your little one. ...

So this week’s post got sidelined after my experience this weekend. It would have not been in my nature to not share this experience with all of you. So my apologize for the late post but this is worth it. This weekend was full of blessings, with my daughter turning 2 and Mother’s Day all wrapped up in one, I couldn’t have asked for anything better. We celebrated by going to the zoo, and it was awesome!! We were lucky enough to see all the animals and witness feeding time. Honestly, my kids spent the entire day smiling. Now to this week’s entry. When you visit a public, family oriented place like the zoo, you witness first hand the differences and similarities in how we parent. Bringing together, strangers with a common interest, for brief random reassurances. While enjoying the attractions, I saw this family, with a reasonable gap in ages between their two kids, which caught my attention seeing that my kids are 12 years apart. The little one didn’t want to do what the bigger one ...