The Difficult Emotions of Your Final Baby

My third and final baby is just about to celebrate his half birthday and on one hand I can't believe that he is already six months and on the other, time could not go fast enough.  You hear from everyone, "Slow down, savor every moment, you blink and they will be off to college..."  As a mother of three whose oldest is seven I know first hand how fast time flies but honestly there are so many days where it couldn't go slower.

When I was pregnant with our third we knew this was our final baby no matter a boy or a girl.  But because of a hard pregnancy I just wanted to get through it.  I wasn't enjoying it even though I knew it would be the last time I would feel baby kicks from the inside or the last time I would bond with a baby even before seeing them.  I wanted to savor it but if I'm being totally honest I just wasn't.  So instead, during the pregnancy I kept telling myself that when he arrived I was going to savor it all because he was going to be the last.  If I couldn't enjoy the final pregnancy then I would sure as heck enjoy all the moments of a new baby.  I wanted to soak in the multiple hours of nursing, savor the baby snuggles, and not rush the milestones.

How to Throw a Colorful St. Patrick's Day Breakfast

I was just chatting with a girlfriend about how these are the most precious years to celebrate all the holidays.  Our children are at the perfect age where they light up when the elf moves, the Easter bunny poops in the toilet or the Leprechaun leaves little footprints through the house.  I live for my girls excitement, giggles and smiles when they find a special surprise and as someone who has always loved all holidays I take advantage of any opportunity to capture these moments.  

For almost every major holiday I create a little special breakfast for my girls as a way to celebrate.  Sometimes the girls get a little gift but not always but either way they always are so elated.  I like to keep these breakfast parties simple but fun.  Kids do not care how much money you spent or how many hours you needed to prep; they just want the joy and the special attention.  I share these with you so that you can be inspired and tackle it yourself.  I promise it is easy peasy.

How I Lost Baby Weight with The Bar Method Fresno

I had my third baby in October and I took the new year to start working on self care.  I really wanted to lose the baby weight and tone up but I also wanted to have something for myself that was an outlet.  My motivation at the beginning was all about my outward appearance but what I learned was something far more important than how I looked.  I had no idea that I could enjoy working out; I never have in my entire life.  I've always been on a fitness roller coaster.  I give it my all for awhile and then I do nothing for months on end.  This is the first time that I wake up and look forward to working out and am doing my best to find a time each day for some exercise.

How to Spring Clean for Lent- Donating & Giving Back

A girlfriend of mine gave me this idea that I tweaked and just had to share with you.  The Lenten season began last week but didn't we just celebrate Christmas and New Year's?!?!  I'm not sure how time flies faster and faster every year.  In case you are not familiar with Lent it is the season between Ash Wednesday and Easter.  Lent is a time for prayer, fasting and almsgiving.  This idea focuses on almsgiving which is donating your time, talent or treasure.  You remove one item from your household every day of Lent to donate at Easter (donating your "treasure").  My plan is to donate from my closet, dresser and items around the house but also to involve my girls.  I will be asking them to select items from their toys or clothes at least once a week.  At the end of Lent you will have nearly 50 items to donate to your favorite charity of choice.  Keep your "treasure donation box" somewhere out of the way but in a place where everyone in your house can see it and so as to be reminded to add to it every day.

This kills a few birds with one stone; spring cleaning, almsgiving and teaching your children about the importance of giving back.  I'm going to use this to spark me to purge and organize all the closets in my house.  I suggest finding one item every day but then at Easter taking it to another level and doing a deep clean/purge.  By Easter you will have decluttered and organized your closets and drawers.  I don't know about you but purging our house gives me a refreshed and clean feeling.