As a Mama of a child with SPD, whose biggest challenge is Oral Sensory. I definitely struggle with what kind of toys and activities I can provide for my youngest to play with, without the worry of her chewing and/or putting things in her mouth.
So today I decided to put a Pinterest inspired project together for my girls and create ‘Edible Sand.’
Things you will need:
• Froot Loops
• Blender
• Sensory Bins
SO. There are two ways you could go about making your ‘Edible Sand’. Just throw it all in the blender to create that sand visual effect and simply call it a day.
BAM. DONE!
– OR –
You can blend all the colors separately to create a fun rainbow visual! Which to be honest is much more tedious, but of course the cooler and prettier things require more effort. Lol Then throw a few fun accessories in your child’s bin to play with their “sand” and wallah!
But however you choose to make your ‘Edible Sand’ the kid/kiddos will have fun playing with it and the biggest PLUS of all. Your worry of something being consumed that shouldn’t is now out the window and you can rest assured that if you catch them munching on their “sand” they’re very much enjoying blended-up Froot Loops!
– You’re tired – Baby wakes up every couple hours, needs to be fed and changed. They might sleep during the day more than night, which switches your schedule around. They might cry for hours and you don’t know what to do to help them. Every baby is different which brings different challenges to each situation. It’s tiring.
– You’re emotional – You cry at everything and anything. Happy tears, sad tears, “I don’t know why the f*** I’m crying” tears. You can’t control simple emotions. It’s confusing.
– You’re physically hurting + healing – You just gave birth to a baby. Whether it was vaginally or cesarean. Your body, that created a human, gave birth to a freaking human. That hurts and everyone heals differently. Some quicker than others, some have horrible labors and pregnancy and other have easy. Some are able to heal quicker and get back to “normal” life and others it take time. We all physically have to heal. It’s hard.
– Your boobs hurt – Breastfeeding is a full time job. Between feeds and pumping its draining, not only physically, but mentally and emotionally. If you weren’t able to or didn’t choose to breastfeed, your boobs take adjusting and pain as well. It all takes its toll on our bodies.
– Your body is different than it was before – You put on weight that you necessarily didn’t have before. Your body feels different, your tummy is squishy and uncomfortable. You’re out of maternity clothes, but not back into your normal clothes. You’re in between of who you were and who you are now. It takes adjusting and understanding that it’s temporary and it’s weird.
– It’s not just you anymore – You are responsible to care for a mini person. Something you might have experience with and something you might be completely clueless at. You may be flying at the seat of your pants, but you figure it out. Whether you have help or you’re doing it alone, it’s all something you’re learning. It’s new.
– Talk about it – It’s not always sunshine and rainbows. It can be dark and cloudy. Talk about it. Find your person you can talk to about it. Be able to express your feelings, happy or sad, mad or indifferent. Feel your feels!
⭐️ I hope that every mama out there reading this understands that’s it okay to not be okay. It’s okay to love being a mom some days and not other days. It’s okay to be sad and it’s okay to not always know what you’re doing. I promise, you’ll figure it out and I hope you are able to have the love and support you need to feel better. Or just the comfort knowing you are doing a great job!
You’re strong and you are amazing mamas! Keep on keeping on!
Hugs and all the positive vibes to you from me, a new mom just trying to keep it together.
The beauty, love, happiness, and sadness these pictures make me feel all at once!
Watching you both grow before my eyes and becoming the beautiful girls you are. The overload of smiles your little sassy and sweet personalities bring. It simply melts my heart.
But do you both really have to grow? If only you girls could stay little forever! 🥺
At least little enough so I can still pick you both up and squeeze you.
Little enough, so I can kiss the mess out of those chunky cheeks.
Little enough, for your little hands to grab my finger to come pull me to play.
Little enough, to always want all the Mommy snuggies.
*big sigh* If only though.
Mommy can only wish, but do know…no matter how big you both may grow. You will always be my little girls. ❤️
Does your child deal with an Under, Over, or Low Processing Sensory Disorder? Have you heard of such a thing? Or maybe you have and quickly think…Autism! Well, while certain sensory processing difficulties can be seen in autistic children. It doesn’t quite mean they are on the autistic spectrum. “So why am I mentioning this?” Well, because I am a Mom of an Oral Sensory Under-Processing child…
…“Gah, it all makes SO MUCH sense now!!” These were my exact words after a long 6+ months of trying to understand my child.
The over-excessive licking, biting, and chewing on non-food things. The random blank stares. The introvert personality. The temper-tantrums. Burying herself underthings. So many foreign actions that seemed to progress more and more every day. That there were so many moments where it brought me back to her colic days and I found myself questioning once again. Why can’t I soothe my baby?! What is making her uncomfortable?! What am I doing wrong?!
For six months I’d been so lost and confused. Dealing with this by myself and feeling so overwhelmed, but little did I know. She was feeling just as overwhelmed! Dealing with a world that’s so over-sensory. Trying to manage and process everything that’s going on. Oh, My sweet baby girl! I am so sorry YOU had to deal with this for so long by yourself!
So what is Oral Sensory? Specifically Under Sensory Processing. It’s where a child continues to put things in their mouth after the age of two, commonly reported alongside sensory issues, autism, developmental delays, and learning disabilities. They might continue to chew or suck on non-food objects. They might suck or chew their sleeves or collar, or constantly have a toy or pencil in their mouth. In some cases, they may also eat non-food items. So children with developmental delays may continue to use their mouths to explore objects as an 18-month-old would. So, despite on paper being older, their brains are still processing information at a much younger age level. Where they are still working in the sensorimotor stage of development and this is why they still put things in their mouth.
When this all started, I used to brush certain things off. While also correcting Sofia. I mean, I knew little kids like to put things in their mouths so to me it was “typical 1 1/2 yr old behavior”, but then after a while, it started to become NOT NORMAL. A few months in and watching her munch, eat or chew on the most bizarre things as if she almost enjoyed it. It was SO WEIRD! And when she wasn’t chewing on something, she was licking something else or biting me. So I really started to question her actions. Questions then became frustration. Frustration then became tears. Deep down I knew something was off.
There were so many “questionable signs” that it just didn’t feel right and noticing how it affected her speech in minor ways, appetites, and the way she would react, because of overstimulation. I got more anxious to talk to her pediatrician and when that ‘talk’ happened, Mama finally had some answers. I never heard of Oral Sensory before though. So as I dug more into this ‘Sensory World’. I learned everything I could. I even listened to podcasts and connected with other Moms and as I paid more attention to Sofia, everything started to make sense! I finally understood my daughter! I was filled with mixed emotions of gratitude yet guilt. I felt horrible yet relieved, but now that I understand. I am now able to move forward and in just a few short days we’ll be meeting with a pediatric occupational therapist. Sofia will be seeing her twice a week, so we can help that extra stimulated mind/mouth of Hers!
So as this new normal takes place. I continue to learn and adapt. I begin to understand her triggers and what calms her. We have our good days and bad ones, but one thing I am grateful for. Is that I couldn’t have found this out at a better timing, because even though I’m dealing with the anxiety of Zoe being in K4. Her starting school allows me to focus on all things sensory one on one with Sofia. So it’s safe to say God knew what he was doing.
Now, does this make my daughter any different? Absolutely not! She is still as beautiful and smart as she can ever be. Lately, her vocabulary has gotten a little bigger and she finally tries to say “I love you.” 🥺 She is simply amazing and this is only a speed bump in her life that I am glad to nip in the butt at such an early age. As this is something she should hopefully grow out of with lots of prayers and the help of her OT.
So this is my mom life update to you.
From my Mama heart to yours 🤍
I’m sorry I’ve been a bit M.I.A with the blogs, but thank you for tuning in and I hope to talk to you all soon!
⁃ Mama K.
Calming Techniques that Sofia loves:
• Being wrapped in a weighted blanket snuggled in Mama’s arms
• Crawling under a big stuffed animal
• Mounting tons of pillows over her. Honestly, anything that gives her some sort of snug compression seems to calm her soul and of course, keep mommy sane.
Because it’s national breastfeeding week…I felt encouraged to make this post.
As beautiful it is seeing all the pictures of all the beautiful Mamas breastfeeding their littles. It can be a big trigger for those who can’t or couldn’t. So I want to remind the Mamas that weren’t able to, such as myself, that if you’re not breastfeeding…YOU ARE STILL A GOOD MOM!!
This is a picture of myself attempting to breastfeed my second. (I’ll get back to that in a sec) When I was pregnant with my first, my body didn’t produce the milk needed to feed, and as much as I tried and tried. Nothing was happening and my daughter was declining in weight. I remember while pregnant though, I always told myself to prepare for anything that may not go the way I’d like it to. So personally I was okay. I didn’t beat myself up nor thought I was a “bad mom”, but there are mothers out there that may have felt that way or currently do. So I just want to tell you to shake those thoughts off, because Mama boob or bottle, You are still AMAZING!
Honestly, though, it’s so sad how people look down or make mothers feel bad if they aren’t able to breastfeed or may even just choose not to. I encountered such disgust firsthand with my first and let me tell you, “I’m the sweetest person you’ll ever meet,” but this lady I wanted to sucker punch right in the face! The dehumanization she made me feel as a FIRST TIME MOTHER, I was baffled! If it wasn’t for the second lactation specialist we’d seen and my daughters pediatrician reassuring me that IT IS OKAY. I probably would have mentally backtracked.
But anyways, back to my second. Although, I knew I couldn’t breastfeed. I still wanted to try again. It was a different pregnancy and a total opposite one from my first at that. So I said, “Why not try and see” and although once again nothing was there. I knew that my baby would be okay because as long as she was feeding, boob or not. She was still going to be healthy no matter what and HEY bottle feeding is a bonding experience too!
So for all my past, current, and any future bottle-feeding Mamas. Don’t be ashamed. Don’t feel guilty. You’re still AMAZING and always remember fed is best!
Just 𝗞𝗜𝗖𝗞 𝗘𝗩𝗘𝗥𝗬𝗢𝗡𝗘 𝗢𝗨𝗧 𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗛𝗢𝗨𝗦𝗘! Lol but no literally. What is more satisfying than enjoying some peace and quiet without wondering what your little ones are up to?! Because let’s be realistic we all know when it’s 𝗧𝗢𝗢 quiet, there is some sort of mischief going on.
So let’s think about this all the way through. How amazing would it be to enjoy a nice shower or that bubble bath you’ve been wanting to take without any interruptions? Or how about that one movie or tv show you’ve been wanting to see or binge watch that is 𝗡𝗢𝗧 kid related! Or just being able to sit and lay down without having to get up or hear 𝗠𝗢𝗠! 𝗠𝗢𝗠! every five minutes. Lol
When’s the last time you enjoyed an actual meal? You know, the meal that isn’t sharing with your little ones or picking at their leftovers? Or enjoying the simple pleasures of all the junk goodies without having to eat them in secret. How about that hot cup of coffee you’ve been wanting to enjoy? 𝘜𝘩𝘶𝘩𝘩 (elbow nudging)…am I hitting any common #momlife familiarities? Lol
Well let me help you out. If you’re overdue for some peace and quiet. The kind where you would like to just enjoy your own house/space in silence. Simply 𝗞𝗜𝗖𝗞 𝗧𝗛𝗢𝗦𝗘 𝗟𝗜𝗧𝗧𝗟𝗘 𝗠𝗜𝗡𝗜𝗢𝗡𝗦 𝗢𝗨𝗧 right along with the 𝗛𝗨𝗦𝗕𝗔𝗡𝗗! (Lol love you babe) or if you’re a single mama, send the kiddos off for a few hours with a close and trusting family member or friend (don’t be afraid to ask), because trust me. I know it’s well deserved and probably long over due.
(P.s Dads. If roles are reversed and this is YOU. You are just as well deserving of this too!)
If you were to ask me what is one of my biggest struggles as a Mom of two. I would say right off the bat, “Balancing their quality time individually.”
For the moms and dads that have more than one kid, do you ever find this to be a struggle? Do you ever find yourself catering to one child more than the other? I do from time to time which then leads to that oh-so-fun thing, Mom guilt.
Zoe, my oldest, was my number one for two years and we did everything together. She was my adventure buddy, my shopping sidekick, all in all, my little personalized mini BFF. Then Sofia came along. As if adjusting to having two kids wasn’t enough. Let’s add her colic, which required SO much effort and attention that it really took away from Zoe.
Man, a colicky child and energetic 3 year old, then, that just wanted all of mommy’s attention and to be entertained all while being home bound through a pandemic. It was rough, but I always tried my best. So while stuck in the house my only way of individual quality time was during alternating nap times. Sound relatable?
Fast forward to now, a lot has changed. The girls are growing fast, they’re more energetic and require even more attention. Sofía, because of her colic is still so glued to Mommy and because she is my last, I do find myself wanting to embrace every clingy moment with her. More so, because it makes me realize how fast Zoe just grew. At the same time, I knew Zoe noticed the “extra given attention” because her slight change of behavior spoke loudly.
I know I’ve also had A LOT on my plate and because Zoe can be so independent. I tend to think she gots this. She’s okay, but is she? Then I think back on her love languages. As much as she is a girl of affirmations. She is also a little girl who requires just as much quality time and honestly every kid needs QT, but finding that balance between two or more can definitely be challenging. Especially too when there are so many other mom duties to tend to on top of everything. The balance struggle is real!
But meanwhile, even though now that I have two mini BFFs, I have started to learn just how important it is to make each of their quality time a priority. Especially Zoe’s. So whether that’s implementing set monthly Mommy/Zoe dates and/or doing more coloring/craft time while Sofia sleeps, because let’s be realistic too. My baby girl starts K4 in three months! The freedom we have now will soon be filled with new routines, changes, homework, and school activities. So I’d say the time to take advantage of all the QT time I can get…is NOW.
What are some ways you implement individual quality with your littles?
Man oh, man. I can’t even express all the emotions that consumed me when it hit that this is the year I would have to enroll my baby girl into K4 and 𝗪𝗛𝗘𝗡 enrollment began, aye yai yai, I was everywhere.
And to think the thought of ever putting my girls in daycare was scary. Knowing that they, well at least Zoe right now, will be going to school definitely tops that. Then all that comes with researching and decision making on which school…The stress and fear I felt!
All the thoughts about the teachers and kids she will be surrounded by or will she even be in school or virtual? I literally had to pause, pray, and ask God to calm my soul. I know it’ll get better. Maybe 𝗔𝗙𝗧𝗘𝗥 the first day of school or maybe never. Lol. I’ve been told one too many times I’ll be crying like a baby. Trust me, I already know and I am 𝗡𝗢𝗧 ready!
I can say though, I felt some peace and excitement when I got the email Zoe was eligible for an Art School I applied for. Which would be 𝗔𝗠𝗔𝗭𝗜𝗡𝗚! But Parents of school kids, I need to know I’m not alone. How did you feel about your first school enrollment? What were some thoughts/emotions you felt? How did you cope?
I am taking this Mom Monday to give a special shout-out to one beautiful soon to be Mama!
Who just so happens to be none other than my [forever little sister.] ♥️
Honestly I still can’t believe it! You’re becoming a Mom! One of the most rewarding roles and titles you can have. You have entered a world that will forever change you and I cannot wait to see you grow within Motherhood.
I know it’s been a crazy ride thus far. A bit overwhelming, scary, and challenging. Trust me when I say that roller coaster is never ending. Yet, knowing the tough cookie that you are. I know that you absolutely got this! And even though we’re miles apart, always remember that my love and support still stands strong. I will always be here to lean on when moments get tough, when that little niece or nephew of mine is driving you loca, and when you just need to know that you are not alone.
And Justin you already know the same goes for you! I love you both and if I haven’t told you guys already. You two are going to be one amazing Mommy and Daddy. ♥️
It’s officially “Love” month and we are kicking our first Mom Monday back with The Five Love Languages. I’m sure you heard of them, right? Physical Touch, Words of Affirmation, Quality Time, Gift Giving, and Acts of Services.
Well for those who know. If I were to ask you what is your love language? You might just have an idea of what it may be, but what if I asked you what is your child’s love language? Just like adults, every child has a primary love language, but how do you incorporate the 5 love languages in a way your child understands?
I’ve learned after closely watching my girls that my three-year old’s love languages are Words of Affirmation and Quality Time. For my one year old, currently, it’s Physical Touch and that could be because of her colicky stages as a baby, but she loves to give hugs, be held and snuggled. And not in that I’m spoiled kind of way, because as much as she is so independent. There is just this safety and comfort you can tell she feels when she is in Mommy’s arms.
As for Zoe, my three-year-old. She breathes on speaking life into herself and others. Many know I am big on affirmations and I know that plays big into that love language. So I make sure she gets all the good jobs, I love yous, you’re so silly, and you’re beautiful remarks, etc. when it’s needed. As for quality time. Sometimes it can get hard because I of course can’t spend every minute with her, but I’ve started to notice the specific signs of when she asks for “Mommy Snuggles” or “Play Time.” There is this tone of “Mommy I need you right now” and so I’ve learned that in those moments is when all the household chores can wait and my undivided attention is needed. ♥️
So today and next week are definitely going to be heart felt and vulnerable, but I am so ready to share my stories with you all and be one chapter closer to ending this year!
As many of you know I am a stay at home mom and my husband runs his own business. Living that kind of lifestyle though, we faced MANY challenges this year, as many of you have too. From a pandemic that continuously put our account in the red, being months behind rent, behind on bills, trying to figure out how we were going to get by, and while almost everyone was getting unemployment and stimulus checks, we were still sitting on nothing. It was a hard pill to swallow to think of what could possibly happen. It was also my darkest months dealing with postpartum.
I remember feeling like I was drowning. Not just in my own mental torment, but in the overwhelming thoughts of how were we going to survive?! I had maxed out all my credit cards, I even opened new ones, and Eli would take any side job he could while working on his flip. Hustling, was an understatement. It was seriously a long, brutal, and dark time for us. Yet we tried to remain as faithful as can be and continued praying for God to make a way. EVEN when things looked completely hopeless, but let me tell you! When you stay faithful in the little things, you will be faithful in the big ones, because God showed up when we least expected and smacked us with the reminder that there is no challenge to big for Him! That when you trust on the Lord, He will take care of you and he did just that! We didn’t just make it through the year 2020. We conquered this year and I couldn’t be more grateful and blessed!
So I just want to remind those who may still be struggling. God has your back! Just put your faith in Him and watch those blessings unfold! Even when there seems to be no way, God will make a way and if there wasn’t any better season to start believing in miracles, it would be now! I promise you, there is bigger and better instore! ♡︎
I’m sure many of you have been counting the days until 2021 and now that December is finally here. We are that much closer to putting the year 2020 behind us. This has definitely been one crazy year to say the least, a pandemic to forever remember that had affected so many of us in different ways. So today I wanted to talk about how did Covid affect your little ones?
Although my girls are three and one and I have had the blessing to say I didn’t have to worry about schools shutting down and virtual classes. Covid still took a big impact on my three year old. The isolation and distance that took place in not seeing her favorite loved ones and friends, took an emotional toll on her and it was hard.
She was used to having play dates and seeing family throughout the week/weekends. That she eventually caught on to the unusual routine. Yes we had FaceTime, but that wasn’t enough. Zoe needed that physical quality time. To hug, play with, and talk to. So hearing her ask her grandpa (Belo), grandma (Bela), and Aunt (Titi Maria) every time over the phone, “Are you going to come with me Zoe?” and seeing her sad little face, because she couldn’t. SUCKED!
Fast forward a few months in. The joy and sparkle in her eyes when she could finally see her Belo, Bela, and Titi. She was ecstatic! BIG hugs. Check. Play time. Check. Overall quality time was great and fun as always…until it was time to say goodbye. The meltdown this girl had was none that I have ever seen. Her cries were as if someone was literally ripping her away from the ones she loved and was never going to see them again. At first I got upset. I didn’t get it. She never acted that way before. This was something new and I felt confused and frustrated trying to calm her down.
Then it happened again. Then again. Then on her birthday she had two friends come over at separate times and at each goodbye she freaked out. At this point I was like okay she never gets like this with her friends and that’s when it clicked. Separation Anxiety and at this point the goodbye cries turned into hyperventilation where throwing up followed. It literally killed me inside to see her that way. To know that she really thought and felt like she will never see them again and her telling ‘so&so’ don’t leave me! Yelling “NOOOO!” as she watches from the window. It was Pure Heartbreak!
Things have finally calmed as we are now months into this pandemic and overtime with breathing technics, allowing her to voice her feelings, and using calm words to comfort her has really helped her a lot. I continuously pray that her soul remains calm and she remains strong, because even though things have gotten back to some form of normalcy in our home and family routines. The future is still unknown, but one thing I know if the world were to shut down again. We’ll be more mentally and emotionally prepared.
Happy Mom M♡nday! This week is giveaway week, so we are taking it back to our very first Mom Monday post! What is ‘Mom Life’ like when you don’t have the kids?
I was asked this question four months ago and it hit me hard that I didn’t have an answer, because truthfully in 3 years of being Mom, I didn’t know. And I don’t mean the “kid-less” days where you go run the bazillion errands you need to do. What does a day for YOU look like to do the things that you want or love to do? Do you take that MomMe time needed for yourself? Do you still maintain passions you had before becoming a mom? Or do you feel like you’ve completely lost yourself in motherhood?
We as Moms get so consumed with our daily routine of making sure our kid(s) are so well taken care of, we do the things they always want to do, making sure we are nurturing their little beings, but what about nurturing ourselves?
Well, since I’ve started Mom Mondays. I have dedicated EVERY Monday specifically for MomMe time to invest in myself mentally and physically. As well as connecting with other moms and in doing so, I have found such a new peace and purpose within myself that is so renewing, refreshing, and exciting! More on that soon. I just want to hear from all of you again!
What are some things you like to do on MomMe Time? Or what are some goals you’re working towards on making time for YOU?
We made it! 16 hours complete and exhausted is an overstatement!! Now I know some of you are probably thinking you drove 16hrs with two kids? You’re crazy! 𝗪𝗘𝗟𝗟…yes and yes! Lol I actually prefer road tripping over flying unless it’s necessary to do so.
So the real question is, “how do you keep two little ones content and entertained during the drive?” Well to sum it up. Snacks. Snacks. 𝗠𝗢𝗥𝗘 snacks and all the entertainment to keep them occupied!
So let’s first talk entertainment.
Well for starters, if you don’t have TVs in your vehicle. I definitely recommend getting an Amazon kids tablet! We had got Zoe one two years ago for our trip to Puerto Rico and it was such a 𝗟𝗜𝗙𝗘𝗦𝗔𝗩𝗘𝗥! You can install all your favorite streaming apps and download the kids favorite movies. That way they will have access to watch stuff on offline mode! We used Disney Plus and downloaded 12 different movies for the girls to choose from. Added bonus the tablet also has a few offline games to play too! For other entertainment goodies; We had coloring pads, crayons, stickers, books, a few favorite toys, and of course Disney Pandora to jam out too!
Next on the list for road trip survival. All the Snacks and Dranks! It’s a 𝗠𝗨𝗦𝗧 to make sure our littles stay well nurtured during the drive, because trust me. You don’t want hungry crabby babies sitting behind you feeling, as they say… 𝗛𝗔𝗡𝗚𝗥𝗬! So load up on all their favorite treats and don’t hold back! It’s better to be safe than sorry! Plus it’ll save money not having to buy happy meals and overpriced gas station food!
Lastly, make sure your littles are dressed comfy as possible! Its already restricting enough having to sit in a car seat for so long! So the less clothes…the less fussy. So take that coat or jacket off, kick off the shoes, and give the breathing room they need to stay sane and comfortable. Happy Babies = Happy Mommy! ♡︎
Happy Mom Monday! Let’s talk about this little babe right here. She’s adorable right? As are all of our littles UNTIL they start teething! So don’t let this little cute face fool you, because this past week she has been the crankiest little beaver ever!
If you don’t know, the teething stage of a child is not always the most lovable moment in motherhood. Especially when there are multiple teeth coming in at once. Which currently, Ms. Sofia has not just one or two, but all FOUR molars coming in! All at the same dang time. Sounds like a a sweet celebration right? For…no one. Lol
Its funny how motherhood works though. We adore all the milestones and little changes, like teeth coming in. We get so caught up in the ‘AWE’ moment, that we forget the consequences Mommy will have to pay for all that cuteness. Here’s just some of the fun things Mom has to deal with; Biting, Crankiness, Stage 4 Clinger, Sleepless Nights, and don’t forget those Sloppy Joe’s of a diaper! Yep! 💩
So between the irritable gnawing child and the zombie of a mother, sounds pretty fun right?! Haha All in all that’s just one of many stepping stones in motherhood and despite how exhausted mommy may be. She will always go above and beyond to make sure her little babe feels as comfortable as possible, because can you imagine the pain she’s in?!
So a few things that has helped; Young Living Oils, Lavender and Gentle Baby, frozen teethers, even her pacifiers, frozen yogurt, and her favorite baby flick, Cocomelon. Seriously that show is a LIFESAVER! 😆
So any other Mamas have fun teething stories to share?! I definitely would love to hear!
For all my Mom Peeps, Dad Peeps, and Non Parent Peeps, because this is for everybody.
It’s Mom M♡︎nday and I want to talk about how “It’s OK to not be OK.”
This hits hard, because I can’t tell you how many times I have found and still find myself time after time saying the words “I’m OK” even though I know I’m not. Can you relate?
Feeling hurt. “I’m OK.”
Feeling depressed. “I’m OK.”
Feeling let down. “I’m OK.”
Feeling anxiety. “I’m OK.”
Having a bad day. “I’m OK.”
We have normalized the idea that we can’t accept that not being OK, is OK. That we need to constantly be strong, that tears are weak, and that we’ll be judged for simply being human.
Well I’m here to tell you that it’s OK, to not be OK!
It’s OK to cry.
It’s OK to have an ‘off day’.
It’s OK to not feel yourself.
It’s OK to fail.
It’s OK to be HUMAN!
Life isn’t all rainbows and unicorns and for me, mommyhood especially. You will have your days where you feel completely inadequate. You will have days where your responsibilities push you over the limit and that is OK!
It DOESN’T make you a bad person. It DOESN’T make you incapable. It DEFINITELY doesn’t make you a bad Mom or Dad.
So if you ever have a bad day. Remember that is perfectly OK in its most imperfect way. Don’t feel like you need to be so quick to be strong. Allow yourself to go through the emotions, because your feelings are VALID. Don’t hold them in. Don’t disguise them, because allowing yourself to feel is the most healthiest and realist thing you can do for YOU.
So if you need to, go have yourself your “Ugly Cry Moment” or your “Warrior Prayer Moment.” Then get back up, shake it all off, and continue to press forward.
Can we talk about how much I love being a Girl Mom! From their fashionable clothing to their sassy personalities and everything in between.
Being a girl mom of two is everything to me!
I just love shopping for them! Babygirl/Toddler clothing is just the cutest and I swear their wardrobe is bigger than mine. Every time I go to the store, I can’t help to see what’s new in the girls clothing depo. &&&& CACHING. It never fails. Sorry babe. Lol
Oh and the BOWS! As if this picture doesn’t give that away. Haha I can definitely tell you the bow collection has grown tremendously since Zoe was first born. Literally bows for days!
Their sassy and feisty attitudes are also among the cutest and funniest characteristics I love about them. The amount of different looks they give are hilarious, but I swear they’re the most lovable little beings that can instantly melt your heart. I live for their kisses and snuggle bonds with mommy and daddy.
But how completely opposite they are though from each other is what gets me. It’s so amazing to see how different the two are. At how such a young age they have already developed such a uniqueness of who they are individually.
Zoe is the award winning actress of the family (ɴᴏᴛ ᴋɪᴅᴅɪɴɢ. ꜱʜᴇ ɪꜱ ꜱᴏ ᴅʀᴀᴍᴀᴛɪᴄ) who is always dancing, singing, and yelling loudly in the house. Sofia, for how colicky she was as a baby. She is the most chill little one year old ever. She can be so unbothered at life and will give you the stank eye all day long. It’s great. Lol
Together though they are unstoppable. I love watching their bond and love for each other grow. The way they interact with each other and how much Sofia looks up to her big sister. I cannot wait to see the amazing women they will grow into. (ᴡʜᴏ ᴀᴍ ɪ ᴋɪᴅᴅɪɴɢ? ɪ ᴄᴀɴ ᴅᴇꜰɪɴɪᴛᴇʟʏ ᴡᴀɪᴛ. ᴘʟᴇᴀꜱᴇ ꜱᴛᴀʏ ʟɪᴛᴛʟᴇ ꜰᴏʀᴇᴠᴇʀ. 😭) but seriously being a girl mom is great and so much fun. For daddy on the other hand. Let’s be realistic. Being a girl dad terrifies him. lol
So what are you’re favorite things about being a #girlmom or #girldad? 💗
And for all my boy mom and dads. I’d love to hear your favorite things about having a boy too! 💙
I am a big believer of this and not only for myself, but for my family. My three year old even recites her own set of affirmations.
But as moms, we tend to beat ourselves up a lot! Especially in those overwhelming #momlife moments where you may feel so hopeless. And for moms who have or are battling PPD/A I know those consuming thoughts and feelings can take you to a very dark place.
Which it’s why I stress for us Mamas to understand the importance of speaking life into ourselves, because our mind is a powerful tool. Affirmations truly give you the courage to believe in yourself, improve your overall well-being, and cultivate a deeper sense of self-love. So allowing yourself to speak life into YOU, is a step in the right direction of mental breakthrough.
Here are a few of my favorites.
• I am Worthy.
• I am Amazing.
• I am Capable.
• My Body is Healthy
• My Mind is Focused.
• My Soul is Calm.
• & I am a Great Mom!
Do you guys have any affirmations you tell yourself on the daily?
Yesterday morning I took the time to just admire my girls. I sat back just embracing the little individuals they’ve become, the personalities they’ve developed, and how smart they just are.
It was such a bittersweet moment, because you come to a realization while watching them, that they’re not babies anymore. They’re not the fresh brand new baby you just brought home from the hospital. They no longer coo and caa or struggle to hold they’re tiny head up.
They’re now little grown toddlers, who run around the house dancing and singing. Crying and Screaming. Laughing and trying to hold conversation. In a blink of an eye, they’ve brought so much life and entertainment into our home. You seriously sit there like how did this happen?! Someone please stop the clock! It’s honestly beyond me how fast time flies.
So with that said. One thing I can’t stress enough is to always make time for your babies. Allow yourself to soak up your Mommy and Daddy sponge and treasure those milestones. We can get so caught up with our busy work life, and even as a stay at home mom, you get so caught up in the daily chores and routines. That sometimes we forget the importance of making time for our children. And 𝗟𝗜𝗩𝗘 𝗜𝗡 𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗠𝗢𝗠𝗘𝗡𝗧. In today’s world we get so caught up with wanting to capture everything through pictures and video to post quickly to Social Media. That we forget the beauty of just being fully present.
I honestly had something completely different to post about today, but I feel that the topic of Gratitude is still strong on my mind!
And today I am 𝗦𝗢 grateful for the amazing people I have in my life. Today I was able to dedicate my time and connect with two beautiful individuals.
One who I honestly admire how strong driven and talented she is. Who is the definition of originality and positive juju, that you just want to constantly feed off of.
The other who is an amazing Mom herself. Who has been such a positive and supportive rock throughout my journey of opening up about my PPD, that it has continually shown me how beautiful of person she is inside and out.
And right now I am just so grateful for the beautiful friendships I have with these two. Grateful for those countless hours of conversation where you can just pour your heart out. Grateful that they are a part of my Support System who roots me on, because they 𝐖𝐀𝐍𝐓 to see me succeed. It’s truly a blessing!
Happy Mom M♡nday! Let’s talk about being grateful!
One of my favorite quotes is “Start Each Day With a Grateful Heart.”
We all know life can be hectic at times and 2020 has DEFINITELY been a year of craziness, but despite the lows there is still so much that we can be grateful for.
I actually love these gratitude key points for Moms from Chelsea Lee Smith. And reading these may even change your perspective on just the few things we deal with in #MomLife .
Early Wake ups = Children to love
House to Clean = Safe place to live
Laundry To Do = Clothes to wear
Dirty Dishes = Food to eat
Crumbs Under the Table = Family meals
Lots of Noise = Kids having fun
Endless Questions = A child who is learning
Getting to Bed Tired & Sore = I’m still alive
𝗦𝗼 𝘄𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗴𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗳𝘂𝗹 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝘁𝗼𝗱𝗮𝘆?!
Me? I’m grateful for my first Mom Monday out! I will be able to take some much needed MomMe time today, get my nails done (which hasn’t been done since New York in December.) 😩 and work on my next blog post. I’m also grateful for my new fitness program I started this morning that KICKED my ass and grateful for my sister for allowing me to take this day for myself. ✨
So last week a lot of Mamas opened up about how they can relate to Mom Identity Theft.
This brought out some curiosity in me that I feel may be challenging for some or maybe not! If you can ponder for 5 minutes on “Who is (insert your name)? How would you describe yourself outside of being a Mom?
I would love to hear what you would say! &There is no right or wrong way to answer that! Msg or Cmnt
I’ll start first.
Who is Krystle? I am a pretty outgoing and goofy person. I am a person who loves to travel. Taking road trips are my fave. I love fitness. That is definitely one passion that I am working towards reclaiming again. I am an artsy person. I own so much glitter, fabric, twine, and more, that honestly I need to get back into crafting. I am a heels driven put me on the runway or in front of the camera lover (missing Cinespace big time!) and I am also the dusty caulk filled leggings chick helping the Hubby at a job site. (Ya’ll know about Regis Contracting!) But overall I am a big hearted person that loves to help people and see others thrive in life. ♡
For all my mamas out there, What is mom life like when you don’t have the kids?
I was asked this a couple days ago and it sunk in so hard that I didn’t have an answer, because truthfully I don’t know.
& I don’t mean a day where you don’t have the kids and then you go run the bazillion errands you need to do. What is a day like for you to do things that YOU want or love to do?
Or maybe you don’t have that day? Or maybe you never even thought about it. We as Moms get so consumed with our daily routine of making sure our kid(s) are so well taken care of. To do the things that they always want to do. Making sure we are nurturing their little beings, but what about nurturing ourselves?
I remember making a post back in December, (on IG) about how much your kids become your identity when you’re a mom. Yesterday I pondered so hard on that, that it slapped me in the face like okay. I know my identity as a mom, but what about my personal Identity. Who is Krystle?
I’ll definitely get back to you on that one, but I would really love some feedback from other Mamas.
Do you take that time needed for yourself? Do you still maintain passions you had before becoming a mom? What are some things you like to do on MomMe Time? Or do you feel like you’ve completely lost yourself in Mommyhood?
Blissful Burgos 