Boy Mom: Rolling in Dirt

The History I started this blog with the intention of providing my experience and knowledge of pregnancy, infant care, and parenting to anyone who would listen. That is still 100% my goal with this blog and will continue to be my intention moving forward. The Big News Shortly after my last post, I found out that we were expecting our 3rd child. Yay! We were so excited! I told my immediate family on Thanksgiving and then announced to our friends and extended family a few days before Christmas after an earlier-than-planned ultrasound (more about that later). I dressed up the boys in matching shirts and had the oldest stand next to a large marker board that read "Big Brother Training" (with backwards letters and child like writing) while the youngest (middle?)  Then I started bleeding. I was about 7 and a half weeks and had never had first trimester bleeding in a previous pregnancy. I was scared of course, but it was light and I kept in touch with my OB about it. No, I didn'

10 Things to Pack Specifically for a Scheduled C-Section   Whether you're having a scheduled C-section for multiples, a breach baby, previous C-section, or anything else, it can still be a scary situation. Hang in there mom, you've got this! A lot of mom's go through it and you can too. I've been through 2 C-sections, one emergency and one urgent (I'll explain that in another post sometime), but the second was supposed to be a scheduled so I've been through this. Getting ready for a scheduled C-section isn't much different than preparing for a vaginal birth (planned or not), but there are some key differences. I discuss those differences in hospital bag packing below with some additional discussion about why these things should be included. Let's get into that. 1. The Necessary Bra Breastfeeding or not, you'll need some bra help after baby is born. If you're breastfeeding, bring nursing bras or tanks and nursing pads. If you're not breastfeed

Instill a Love of Books in Your Kids Early Do you want to set your child up for a lifetime of successful education? Do you wish you could raise one of those kids that thinks staying up late reading is being rebellious? Then you need to start them off early, I mean really early. Sitting with your baby, looking through a book, letting baby look at the colors and shapes, and reading to them develops a love of books because your child will start associating the lovely bonding they have with their caregiver to be with books as well. Disclaimer: While this is not a sponsored post, I do use affiliate links on here meaning that if you purchase anything through my affiliate links, I receive commission at no additional cost to you! This is just a tool I use to bring you awesome products! My views and opinions are never swayed because of this! I only recommend products and services I love! Your Child's Eye Development For Babies Reading with babies is extremely helpful in developing babies ey

October If you haven't heard, October isn't just about Halloween and Trick-or-Treating. October is also Breast Cancer Awareness Month and has been since 1985. It was founded by the American Cancer Society and (what is now) AstraZeneca, who produces several anti-breast cancer medications. It was started as an effort to promote the effectiveness of mammograms as the most effective method of detecting breast cancer. Pink Ribbon The first use of the pink ribbon for breast cancer awareness was in the fall of 1991 when the Susan G. Komen foundation passed them out in New York City to participants in a race for breast cancer survivors. The pink ribbon was installed as the now iconic image of breast cancer awareness in 1993 at the foundation of the Breast Cancer Research Foundation by the Senior Corporate VP of Estée Lauder Did you know... Did you know, that 1 in 8 women in the United States will be diagnosed with breast cancer in her lifetime? Or that 2 million new cases of breast can

This is a great recipe that's also sneakily healthy and a quick and easy addition to holiday breakfasts! It's so easy, just remember 2-1-1: 2 cups of pancake mix, 1 cup of water, and 1 4 oz jar of baby food. You can add a little bit of food color to brighten up the color too (this recipe make for a pastel pancake). These are great for holidays too! Here's a few ideas for holiday pancakes that I came up with.  Color combinations (and Baby Food Suggestions): Valentine's Day: Red (beet) and/or Pink (strawberry or raspberry) St. Patrick's Day: Green (green beans or peas) Easter: Light Pink (strawberry or raspberry), Pale Yellow (plain), Light Blue (blue carrots), Pale Green (green beans or peas), and/or Pale Orange (carrots) 4th of July: Red (beet), White (plain), and Blue (blue carrots) Halloween: Orange (carrots) and Black (food coloring) Thanksgiving: Red (beet), Orange (carrot), and Yellow (plain) Hanukah: Blue (blue carrots) and Silver (plain) Christmas: Red (beet)

  Fall Inspiration: Wonderful kid-friendly ways to enjoy the season Just because summer is over doesn't mean the fun has to end! Fall has loads of great activities for the whole fam 1. Go apple picking Get out and get some fresh air! Not only can apple picking be loads of fun, you get to walk away with lots of apples to bake delicious seasonal treats with, or just eat as they are. 2. Visit a pumpkin patch Get lost in a sea of orange, find the perfect pumpkin, get carving inspiration from the shape of the pumpkin (I'm not the only one that does this, right?)  3. Traverse a corn maze There's no better way to get into the fall spirit than to surround yourself with corn! 4. Go for a hayride A nice, relaxing hay ride is sure to put you in the fall mood! 5. Go for a hike Not only is it an excuse to go check out the changing leaves, it's also fun exercise and a great dose of fresh air! 6. Visit an haunted house Get yourself nice and scared at a local haunted house. Halloween i

This is a great, easy recipe that's also sneakily healthy! It's so easy, just remember 2-1-1: 2 cups of pancake mix, 1 cup of water, and 1 4 oz jar of baby food. It's very easy to change up the color too, just trade out the purple baby food for a different color. You can add a little bit of food coloring to brighten up the color too (this recipe make for a pastel pancake). Ingredients: 2 cups of pancake mix 1 cup of water 1 4 oz jar of baby food Additional food coloring (optional) Directions: Combine all ingredients and mix thoroughly. Do not over mix. Cook as normal. My oldest loves colored pancakes. If I ask him what he wants for breakfast, he'll tell me "red pancakes" or "blue pancakes" instead of "french toast" or "cereal". These are great for holidays too! You could mix in carrot baby food, divide the batter in 2, add black food coloring to half, and make black and orange Halloween pancakes. You could mix up a double batch of