Tag Archives: motherhood

Play Dates are Happy and Healthy 

Posted on by under Mommy corner

Most moms are busy!

Which explains why I haven’t posted in weeks, I’m still finding my balance!

I mean life mainly revolves around your child and you fit everything else around them,right? However, I have not met a working mom or for that matter a stay a home mom that isn’t busy and doesn’t have to put in that extra effort to meet up with other moms for play dates.

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If you’ve read any other post of mine you may already know that I work full time. So for that reason, time in the evenings and weekends with my growing baby are especially  precious. This is true for me and my hubby. During the dreaded time that I returned to work I secretly promised myself that I would take time off whenever possible and at least once per month  for play dates and meet-ups with other moms and kiddos even if it meant during my work week. So in addition to our weekends, I intentionally take off during the workweek for playtime of some sort with my little. I like my career but I love my family, so for that, play dates  are a happy place for me as much as they are for my baby.

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If you work how do you make time for play dates? If you are a SAHM, your life is still busy, what ways do you manage to schedule this socialization time for you and your little one?

How to handle “mini-fits” in the early stages

Posted on by under Mommy corner

^ I have no clue

Seriously!! You could not have told me that a 11 month old can have a mini-tantrum and I believe you. We started noticing her personality flourishing for some time now but the side of MJ that she doesn’t always show is when she doesn’t like something. I don’t know what the road ahead of me will be like and the challenge I have is knowing what discipline looks like at this age. So I choose to redirect and repeat.

What seems to work right now is redirecting her attention, and repeating that as often as necessary. I talk to her in between and use a tone that’s serious but not “mean”. I am so torn…my little baby is growing up and I think this is all too soon. My fear is that if I don’t pick up a style of how to parent her during her times of mini-fits that I will wake up 1 day to a full blown tantrum. Is this inevitable?

Help me out mama’s, what do you recall doing to help teach right and wrong and combat the fall outs? I wish I could catch her on video but she will even break her back as if she is going to fall out of your hands or if she is on the floor she turns around in circles, while fussing because she is upset that you took something out of her hand. Lord help me. I wasn’t ready!!

 

XOXO- Risa

Strawberry Oatmeal Smoothie (Lactation recipe)

Posted on by under Mommy corner

Express yourself!!

For you mama’s and soon to be mama’s you know it gets real when producing breast milk for your baby! It’s a process and not always easy.

I ate lactation cookies, made smoothies, ordered feenugreek bars, and more importantly relaxed, nursed her as often as possible and pumped like a crazy lady. I made it to 7 months before I started supplementing. I’m still nursing her but she no longer exclusively receives breast milk. That shit is hard!!

So I nurse her in the mornings (which is why I’m late to work sometimes),  in the evenings,  and she drinks formula and breast-milk during the day for the days that I don’t pump enough milk.

Here is a recipe that is not only delicious but gives a boost to your milk.

Ingredients:

  • about 1 cup of frozen strawberries(or more if you desire)
  • 1 cup Almond Milk – or soy
  • 1/2 cup Old Fashioned Oats
  • 2 tablespoons-Brewers yeast- this is the magic. It’s rich in B- vitamins and it works!
  • 1/2 teaspoon -Vanilla extract
  • Honey-optional as an additional sweetner

Brewers yeast can taste bitter (like beer) if you put a lot so masking it with other flavors works for me.

Directions: In a blender, combine all ingredients and blend until smooth. The oats can leave a texture so be prepared. Pour and serve.

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5 tips to breastfeeding

  1. Work with a lactation consultant or a nurse during the early days in the hospital to help with your technique. It may take some work or it may come natural.
  2. Be open minded. I set myself a 1 month goal, saw the price of formula and then set a 3 month goal, 6 months etc. lol. Just kidding but I was open to formula feeding if necessary.
  3. Be healthy:mind, body, and soul. Take prenatal vitamins,be mindful of what you eat, and remain positive. Do what works for you.
  4. Feed your baby when your baby is hungry even if you are in public. Period. You don’t want to cover, you feel more comfortable with a cover whatever your preference do you. No explanation necessary.
  5. Practice pumping at least 2 weeks before returning to work. You can build a stash and you’ll also see that it’s different from nursing.

9 months in – 9 months out

Posted on by under Mommy corner

OMG where did time go?

These last 9 months have been exhilarating and packed with passion, excitement, love, peace, and growth. I am a different woman after MJ was born. She is my world. God trusted in me and my husband to produce this beautiful child and raise her.  I take my responsibility seriously, and I am loving every minute of it.

The first two months were like boot camp and it went at a speed that I didn’t know existed. By 5 months we made it to the “too cute stage” and it just gets better. At 9 months, it is so fun because we are trying new recipes, she is exploring, and I feel back to normal.

9 Things I love about Motherhood

  1. I wake up to the happiest baby alive. Seriously this little baby wakes up smiling, laughing and saying “Hi”. She has always been content, even since birth. In the delivery room she barely cried. She is a content baby, but beyond content she is full of joy.  Having her happy makes me happy.
  2. I get to create my own traditions for our family. Before her it was just R and I. We’ve been together so long that yes we had some common themes about the way we do things but having a child has even changed that a bit so it seems like a fresh start.
  3. I love with such passion, it is genuine and that love is reciprocated from such a tiny, innocent soul. There is no gray area.
  4. Motherhood gave me purpose. I have read purpose driven life at least 3 times, and never once did it occur to me that being a mother, a role model, a caregiver would be one of my purposes. But it comes so natural. My life has been given purpose and it puts pieces of the puzzle in other areas of my life together. I am whole.
  5. I’ve been challenged to think about my health and make better decisions. What I prepare for my baby is given a great amount of  thought. It started with pregnancy and being aware of what I dined on. Now that I prepare her meals and even when I buy a snack from the stores I read labels, research ingredients, prepare and prefer fresh, and beyond just her meals I think and modify what I feed myself and my husband. But I still love junk..All in moderation is what they say!!… Whataburger #1 no unions please!!
  6.  I’m okay with saying no to others and putting my family first. We can’t be all things to all people and until having MJ I felt guilt about missing social outings, not visiting family every week… Now I’m at peace. A working mom’s time is limited, she must spend it wisely and make family decisions.
  7. Appreciating the small luxuries of life (breath, freedom, love, etc.) If my baby can wake up with a smile in the morning, and after every nap, well damn it so can we! I tease her and say “God is good.” all the time, God is good.”  Because if she could talk I promise she looks like she would say that every time she gets up, its contagious and hilarious. Appreciate life and the small things.
  8. Being a conqueror. Motherhood has built strength and character. Honestly from the start of my 36 hours of labor,  while I was birthing a baby, God was birthing a strong woman out of me. Seriously, every week is a new learning curve for me, a new challenge, and with me as the Victor! Being a mother stretches you to new lengths. Life is limitless.
  9. Having a front row seat in my family memories everyday is something I would not trade for anything. I understand the people who post first day of school pictures, who talk endlessly about their children…I get it. Children are a gift from God and we are proud of them, as we should be.

Psalm 127:3 Children are a gift from the Lord;they are a reward from him. (NLT)

Honestly my list is longer and I am sure it will evolve as my journey through motherhood evolves but in the spirit of celebrating 9 months I will pause here.

What do you love about motherhood?