Congratulations! You just had your first baby. It’s a proud moment, isn’t it? There will now be a range of bonding and exploring adventures awaiting you with your newborn. One of the most fun – introducing your baby to the pool. Here are a few safety tips for that first experience with the water:
Prepare for the pool. The first thing to do is get ready with the practical details. There are a number of items to remember:
Try to go out to the pool after your baby has taken care of her “business,” to limit accident possibilities.
Wear approved infant pool diapers, because not all accidents can be predicted or avoided.
Limit time outdoors – usually under 30 minutes, so the baby doesn’t get overexposed to the sun.
Dress your baby in long sleeved clothes, and have her wear a hat, to minimize that sun exposure.
Avoid being out at the pool between 10 AM and 4 PM, when the ultraviolet rays are the strongest.
Consider the temperature. Babies can’t regulate their body temperature until they are between 6 and 12 months old. It’s important to make sure the water is just right. The proper temperature is between 85 to 87 degrees. Avoid places like heated pools or hot tubs with your baby. On the cool side, if the water feels chilly to Mom, it will be too cold for the baby. Here are some sites with more great information:read more
The painful and inflamed breast. The chills. The fever.
I have had full blow mastitis 3 times now! I had it both after the first few days after childbirth and now today…
What causes mastitis?
Mastitis is usually caused by a clogged milk duct that isn’t draining properly. Mastitis can come when you are not resting enough or drinking enough water – Hello, Holidays!
This time it developed from a milk bleb – a clog right on the nipple. I noticed a slightly painful white dot on my nipple about 2 weeks ago, but I thought it honestly went away… Until last night.read more
As we navigate the exciting world of parenthood, we’re always on the lookout for fun, engaging, and beneficial activities for our little ones. Today, we’re going to delve into the world of sensory play and sensory toys, plus uncover four compelling reasons why it’s a must-try. But that’s not all! We’ll also guide you through creating your very own DIY sensory bag, a simple and effective tool for sensory play. So, whether you’re a seasoned sensory play enthusiast or a curious newcomer, join us as we explore this fascinating aspect of early childhood development. Let’s dive in and discover the magic of sensory play together!read more
Everyone always is asking what to buy for their baby’s birthday or special occasions. Sometimes it is hard to know what are the best toys out there for different developmental ages. Right now Annaleigh is 8 months old and so much fun. At 6 months, she just starting to really have fun and play. It was a whole new world for her to explore! We have tested out these toys. I wanted to share her favorite ones.
Here are my top picks toys for 6 month olds:
1) Exersaucer
Annaleigh loves that she can sit up and play in her exersaucer. She enjoys being about to look around the room and watch Aidalyn run around. The exersaucer also gives her a chance to use her newly developed head control and work towards sitting up by strengthening her core muscles.
2) Easy to Grab Toys
Annaleigh is all about being about to hold toys in her hands. The perfect toys for this age are the ones with fun colors and lots of small things to catch her attention. The easier for them to hold onto, the less picking up you will have to do. Annaleigh loves toys that make gentle noises like rattles and crinkle sounds.
Here are some examples of grab-able toys:
3) Toys that Grow with your Child
It is no new idea that kids grow fast. Toys that can adapt to their growing body and abilities are the best because they will last as an engaging toy. Soon these babies will be sitting up then crawling and eventually running circles around you!
Here are some toys that grow that I personally love:
4) Toys to Chew
Teething is a common woe to 6 month olds. They want to chew on anything and everything they can get their teeth on! Even if it isn’t designed to be chewed on, babies will find a way to soothe their gums.
Sophie the Giraffe Teether (affiliate link) was a gift from a friend. I had seen Sophie before, but didn’t have one with Aidalyn. Annaleigh doesn’t take a paci, but she just seems to enjoy chewing on Sophie. I think she will be a great toy to have as we continue to teethe.
Here are some toys that are designed to be chewed on:
6 months is such a fun age. They start growing out of the itty bitty stage and are really to really develop in speech and motor.
I love watching Annaleigh learn and discover. She is so close to sitting up on her own. Even at 8 months, she will balance for a few seconds and then fall over. She wants to crawl so badly too. She is sort of scooting and rolling everywhere she wants to go.
Why My 3 Year old is Not Potty Trained, and Why I’m Okay with That
Potty training is a huge topic among moms of preschoolers. How did you potty train? How long did it take to potty train? Did you do it cold turkey? What did you do about nights?
We actually did start potty training Aidalyn around 26 months old. I was pregnant with our second and was motivated to not have two in diapers at the same time. Potty training while being pregnant was not fun. We did the 3 day potty training boot camp. She was excited about big girl panties. She was excited about getting stickers and chocolate.
Aidalyn did great during the day. She was showing really great progress for about 3 months. We still had accidents during the night (never once was dry in the morning and rarely was dry after a nap). We were never “completely” potty trained. We could leave the house and stay dry, though. We thought we were on the right track.
Then the rains came down (literately).
Our house flooded from an upstairs toilet over-flowing… I was 35 weeks pregnant. (You can read the story here) We had to move out of our house for about 3 months. During this time, I gave birth to my second daughter (read her home birth story here).
This whole series of events was too much for a 2.5 year old. We spent one month in a hotel room, one month in a rental house, and 3 weeks in Louisiana with my parents while our house was being worked on.
The Regression
Aidalyn started acting out in the hotel room. She was drawing on the walls and sheets with crayons ( she had never shown any sort of rebellion like this before). She also started crying about having to use the potty. She basically refused to use her potty or the hotel’s potty. She also had to start sleeping with the light on at night.
Using the potty got a little better once we moved into the rental house. We were back in big girl panties and using her little potty with lots of encouragement and rewards.
Then Annaleigh was born and that was another huge life change for a 2.5 year old.
Aidalyn’s personality is that of being a perfectionist, type A and in control. Her little world as she knew it was spinning out of control and the only thing she could control was #1 using the potty or not and #2 eating or not. We saw both of these issues expressed to the max.
We tried rewards, we tried charts… they worked for a short time. Then they stopped working.
Now she cries at the mention of using the potty. She will tell us at random times “I don’t want to use the potty.” She also says that the potty is scary.
I’m not saying that I don’t believe your 3 year old should be potty trained. I am saying I’m okay with my 3 year old not being potty trained.
Adam and I are both over achievers and like to put success on reaching goals.
When it comes to our children and their development…
It isn’t a race.
It isn’t something to brag about.
These are little people who need to be respected and given their own time to progress and grow.
Every child is different, despite the charts and graphs you always see.
Our job as parents is to help build the scaffolding to ease them into the next phase of growth.
I think that we would have been potty trained already if all the other crisis didn’t happen during the time of that developing skill. Who knows.
Right now, I’m focusing on changing Aidalyn’s inner voice. I keep reminding her that “The potty isn’t scary.” “Big girls use the potty.” “When you are ready, you let mommy know and we will use the potty together.”
I am going to be ready for her to show me that she is ready. I will help her as she gets over her fear of using the potty. Once that happens, I will be there to support and encourage her. But for now, I am waiting.
So to the mom who’s 3 year old isn’t potty trained, the mom who’s 6 month won’t sleep through the night, the five year old who isn’t reading novels:read more
Apple Night Night Magnesium Gummies – a delightful and effective way to introduce the calming benefits of magnesium into your child's bedtime routine. These tasty gummies not only make bedtime a treat but also support the natural relaxation process, helping your children drift into a restful sleep.
Hey there, creative moms looking to add a little extra fun to playtime! If you’re on the hunt for new ways to spark your child’s imagination and creativity, you’re in for a treat. Today, we’re diving into the wonderful world of pipettes—a simple yet versatile tool that can unlock endless possibilities for play and exploration. From art projects to sensory play and beyond, pipettes are a fantastic addition to your parenting toolkit. So grab your little ones and let’s discover 10 exciting ways to use pipettes for play that will ignite their curiosity and inspire hours of joyful experimentation! read more
and everyone is making lists for toys and gifts to get their kids. Here is a list of my pick of Craft Kits that I know would be so much fun for the little toddler in your family.
These Craft kits are also good for learning and creativity. So instead of a new toy, think about getting your toddler some art supplies or one of these all in one craft kits. I know Aidalyn loves working on crafts on a rainy day or when we are having a slow morning.
1). Sticky Mosaics:
You can purchase here:
These mosaic sticky crafts are great for matching shapes and colors, plus following simple directions. You end with a pretty colorful piece of art that you can hang on a wall. They are sturdy and really a great activity! Aidalyn loves these so much!
2) Do a Dot Markers
Purchase here:
I’m not sure a toddler’s art supplies can be complete without Do-A-Dot markers. They are so wonderful! Aidalyn loves the Do A Dot Art Markers and I love that she can play with them virtually mess free! We bought a coloring book to go with the markers:Tales of the Mermaid Do-a-Dot Creative Activity BookThe colors are so pretty and bold. They also are labeled really well for sight word recognition.
3) Paper Bag Puppets
Purchase here:
Creating Paper Bag animal puppets is a wonderful activity for language development and following directions. I can just see Aidalyn telling wild, imaginative stories using the paper bag puppets. So much fun to decorate and put them together, then you can play for hours after.
4) Tissue Art
Purchase here:
We bought this for Aidalyn and I think her favorite part is putting on the googly eyes. She loved the tissue art so much, I bought just a pack of tissue to play with and contact paper.
5) Giant Busy Box
Purchase here:
This set is much larger and has 16 activities in one box. Tons of learning opportunities. If you wanted an all in one set, this would be the way to go. It’s on sale right now (November) and seems like a great deal!
I hope the toddler in your life is ready to get creative and start exploring the little artist inside.
*** This post contains affiliate links. Your price stays the same, but I get a small commission for referring you that helps me keep this site running. These are all products that we love and play with all the time. I hope you enjoy them as well.
Hey moms, are you ready to take your kids’ sensory play to a whole new level? Get ready to dive into the wonderful world of cloud dough! This magical concoction is not only incredibly fun to play with but also super easy to make right in the comfort of your own home. In this blog post, we’ll guide you through the simple steps to create your very own batch of cloud dough, using just a few basic ingredients you probably already have on hand. So, roll up your sleeves, gather the kiddos, and let’s get ready to unleash our creativity with this delightful and sensory-rich activity! read more
(affiliate link) was a gift from a friend. I had seen Sophie before, but didn’t have one with Aidalyn. Annaleigh doesn’t take a paci, but she just seems to enjoy chewing on Sophie. I think she will be a great toy to have as we continue to teethe.
The colors are so pretty and bold. They also are labeled really well for sight word recognition. 
