{Immediately} Improve Communication with your Toddler

The challenges and privileges involved in raising a child through the toddler years can seem endless.  On top of power struggles and picky eating, the most obvious challenge is communicating in a way that your toddler will listen.  

In the book, "The Happiest Toddler on the Block," Dr. Harvey Karp shares practical advice and tips to transform day-to-day life from a constant battle of wills, to an opportunity for learning and practicing better communication.  .  If you've never heard of him, I'd like to kindly nudge you to take a moment and glance at his bio.

 Today, on Green Eggs & Moms I am sharing two fantastic tips from the book, that will help you (immediately) improve communication with your toddler.

Moments of Solitude

Solitude.

Why is does it seem so elusive for us mothers?

Perhaps, we make it more complicated than it has to be.

What exactly does solitude require of us?

Find out, over at MameMusings where I'm inviting you to take a little time out for solitude today.

Have you met Gunner yet?

Carly over at Texas Love Birds welcomed her sweet little boy Gunner into the world, just a couple weeks ago.  Stop by and meet him (he is absolutely adorable!) 
Plus, I'm taking a little trip down memory lane over on her blog today!

O.M.Y. {oh.my.yum} Featuring Jo from Holding Onto The Little Things

Hey friends, Jo from Holding onto the Little Things is here today sharing a delicious pumpkin recipe.  I know it isn't fall anymore, but this recipe is too good to keep to myself!  Enjoy and make sure to pop on over to visit her blog and say hey!

I am so excited to have finally found time to post my most favorite fall pumpkin recipe.  Maybe one of my favorite breakfast/dessert items..  We use fresh pumpkin and I believe that is what makes this recipe so delicious.. Well that, and maybe all the brown sugar.  I accidentally added too much cinnamon to my streusel, so in the final picture, the tops are darker than they should be.
The following makes a little more than 2 dozen..
















ingredients:
1 cup of softened butter (2 sticks)
2 2/3 cups of packed brown sugar
2 eggs
2 cups of pumpkin (a little extra is better)
1/2 cup of evaporated milk
3 tsp. of baking soda
1 tsp. of salt
4 tsp. of cinnamon (a little extra is better)
1 tsp. of powdered ginger
1/2 tsp. of ground cloves
3 1/3 cup of flour
streusel topping:
10 TB. of flour
12 1/2 TB sugar
10 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 cup of butter

You can adjust the spices to your liking.  I use extra cinnamon, because it is my favorite.  Adding a few drops of vanilla is also yummy as well!

You will need to preheat the oven to 375 degrees. You cream the butter and brown sugar.. add egg.. add pumpkin and evaporated milk.. add baking soda and spices.. then slowly add the flour.. Mix after each addition.  Do not over stir.

Pour into regular sized greased muffin pan. Fill the cups leaving a little less than 1 cm empty.  Cover with as much topping as you like.  I add at least a tablespoon to the top of each muffin before throwing in the oven. Cook a dozen at 20 minutes.  Makes 28; 30 if you don't eat the batter.. wink wink.

The Life of A Mommy Blogger {Featuring Kirby Amour}

I recently read a NY Times Article on a study conducted about mommy blogging and how they've proven it "makes new mothers happier". This got me thinking a ton about the role blogging plays in my life, my friends lives, and my families day to day. It's big for me, it's big for my family, we put ourselves out there almost daily for the world to see including the small handful of people who we don't want to know anything about us. 

I don't know if I'm alone in seeing this but there seems to be a stigma about bloggers. I've noticed most tumblrs keep their blogs away from 90% of their "real life" fiends and families. It's almost like it's OK to be 100% yourself with the community you have grown of complete strangers yet we hide from those who are closest. I've been wondering about this for sometime and the reasoning. I guess sometimes it just depends on why you blog and how personal you get.

Blogging for me has been about many things. The community aspect is HUGE. The record keeping, the opportunity to experience and work on my craft of writing almost everyday. Tumblr has brought so many amazing things into my life: online friends have become real life friends, I've connected with other Brooklyn moms which has given G some pretty cool kids to grow up with, it has brought support when I've needed it most, and so much positive energy around who I am helping my personal growth. This isn't to say bad things haven't come out of the internet for us, it isn't always all good and sometimes the pressure to keep things up to date when I have writers block sucks. Yet, it's all worth it. 

I guess the biggest reason I blog is because it feels good and makes my life more fulfilling at the end of the day. And I particularly Baby Blog because my daughter is the coolest thing in my life.

You can find Kirby at Baby G, Parents for Occupy Wall Street & Kirby Amour!  Kirby also runs Awesome Baby Blogs a fantastic non-competitive directory of parenting/baby blogs.  

Yes. Yes. Yes. {Featuring Melissa from MaMe Musings}

“Did you know you were having twins?” “Were you surprised to find out you were having twins?” “Do twins run in your family?”
Yes. Yes. Yes.

People ask me all the time if we knew we were having twins. Yes, we actually knew we were having twins almost from the day we found out we were pregnant. After two solid blood tests, I wasn’t scheduled to go in for an initial ultrasound until I was 6 weeks. Even then, it would be extremely early. Until then, I just had to have faith that there really was something going on inside my body. It would have been a little easier to believe if I had some symptoms to prove it. As it was, I felt nothing. I felt great. Maybe a little tired, but nonetheless, great. Just when I thought I was having a symptom, it would fade away. 

In a twisted way, I wished I would feel bad just so I would know I was pregnant. I emailed my doctor and asked if he could run another blood test just to make sure things were still progressing since I had no symptoms to put my mind at ease. Surprisingly, he suggested we do a quick ultrasound instead. If all was well, at 5 weeks and 2 days, we should at least see a gestational sac. I was already in tears before the first circle appeared. Through the tears of joy and amazement, I saw a blurry circle—my baby! The doctor continued moving across, stopping briefly, before saying nonchalantly, “There’s one, and there’s another one.” I saw the second blurry circle—also my baby! He pointed out the specks inside each circles. We were seeing the gestational sacs and the yolk sacs. Both were right on track for 5 weeks and 2 days. Were we surprised? Yes. In that moment, I was speechless. We knew there was a possibility of twins. We knew our beta numbers were on the high side, but for it to actually happen to us? Amazing. My husband claims he saw the doctor scan by both sacs before he even pointed out the first one. What was odd is that neither of us mentioned the word twins until we left the office. Honestly, to this day, I find myself saying, “Twins. Really??” 

People want to know if twins run in my family. Yes. They do now. Actually, both of us have twins in our families, and there may be some genetic connection. But, I have come to be more open about the fact that we also used fertility medicine. I think many people who ask if twins run in our family are really wanting to ask that question anyway. 

 Some want to know if the twins are “natural.” I would argue that all babies are natural. Asking if my babies are natural sort of implies that they might be unnatural, supernatural, or preternatural. Touch them. Hold them. Feed them. Play with them. They are 100% natural babies. They are a gift from God regardless of whether I took meds to juice up my ovaries or not. I have also learned that by being open about my struggles I have allowed others to be open about their struggles. Infertility can be such a lonely road, and if one woman can find understanding through me then why would I hide my story? What’s the fourth most asked question? I’ll let you guess, but the answer to that question is also—yes.

You can connect with Melissa over at MaMe Musings, where she shares life with her beautiful twins and her husband!  


Twins run in my husband's family and my family, so I secretly hope that I'll have a set of my own!  Thank you Melissa, for sharing what it was like to discover you were expecting two babies…and for your daily sharing of how to live life fully with those two adorable tots.

Who of You by Worrying…{Featuring Carly from TexasLoveBirds}!

Hello, Baxtron{Life} readers! I'm Carly and  I blog regularly over here at a little place called Texas Lovebirds. My blog started as a series of "Dear Peanut" letters to our unborn son, but it quickly became a way for me to document this beautiful life and everything that comes along with it.  

With our son's due date just a few days away, our life is about to change in a big way and I hope you all will join us as we take our first steps into parenthood. 

Today I'll be sharing a post that I wrote several months ago; at the time I was about 26 weeks pregnant. Even though this experience seems like ages ago, I constantly go back to it and the lesson that I learned.  I hope you enjoy my thoughts and can learn something from it as well. Because let's be honest, momma or not, we all find ourselves caught in the trap of worry at one time or another.

 

Growing up I remember hearing adults (specifically my parents) talk about the worry that comes with being a parent. You know, followed by that very typical line.."you'll understand when you have kids someday." Okay Mom & Dad, you were right.  Last night while I was outside with the dogs, I took a little spill. My sweet Molly girl (you know, all 170 lbs. of her) got a little rowdy when I had her on her leash and pulled me a little too hard; thus, I fell. I caught myself on my hands and knees and got up unharmed. No belly hitting, or even remotely touching, the ground. Molly was distraught and quickly came to my aide, crouched beside me till I was on my feet. Once I was on my feet, my hand was covered in big, slobbery, Great Dane kisses.  I felt fine, I didn't ache, and I had no pains. 

But, of course, a little bit of me started to worry.

I promptly came inside, drank a big glass of juice, sat down, prayed, and waited for Gunner to move. I called Cody at work, and he assured me that I was fine as long as I wasn't hurting (in times like these, his medical knowledge really helps calm me). Shortly after getting some sugary juice in my tummy, Gunner began to kick up a storm. Each little movement, even the kicks to the ribs, made me smile. My boy was just fine.

"Thank you, Lord," I said. 

Followed by a thank you to Gunner as well.

Anxiety and worry are things I've always struggled with, and I'll probably write more about that later, but so many events have taught me that God is always in control. I think this will be a hard pill to swallow as Gunner comes into this world, but I know in my heart that it is true.

Gunner will always be most precious to me, but it comforts me to know that he is even more precious to God. He was knit in my womb for a reason, for a purpose. I don't even know what he will look like, but God knows the entire life that is ahead of him. God is so cool like that.

And do you know what's even cooler? 

That God allows little worriers like me to raise his children.

And when we worry, He grants us a flurry of movement and kicks.

Update!  Today Carly will meet her baby boy Gunner! :)  She is scheduled for a c-section based on his position.  Stop by her blog and give her a word of encouragement!! :)

Featured Sponsor {Mallory of Mallory's Musings}

Hi!  I'm Mallory.  I am stay at home mom in my late twenties living on the Gulf Coast of Florida with my handsome husband and a very spirited almost 2 year old daughter named Aubrey .  My blog is basically about the ins and outs of me as a mom, which has proven to be quite the adventure.  I love to cook, craft and take photos and I share all of those things with you.  Please stop on by and say hi.

Define "Love" in your own words?

This one is a toughy because love can mean so many different things.  The definition can change drastically depending on what or who you are talking about.  I do think there are a few words that universally describe love and those are: respect, desire and admiration.

Your favorite Love story and why?  

I love the classic love stories and the ones that start out as young love and last a life time.  Maybe because that's how my love story goes(the young love ones, that is).  Some favorites that come to mind are Queen Victoria and Prince Albert,  Elizabeth Bennett and Mr. Darcy from Pride and Prejudice, and of course Allie and Noah from The Notebook.

Tell us about the Best Valentine's Day you've ever had? 

 We aren't big about Valentine's Day around our house.  There have been plenty of romantic things that we have done for each other but they don't necessarily fall on Valentine's Day.    Instead of telling you about my best Valentine's Day, I will tell you about the one that I remember most, which is our first one as a couple.  Joe and I were seniors in high school and we had just started dating the month before.  I wanted to do something cute but not over the top for him so I asked his twin brother if there were any video games or movies that Joe wanted.  He told me that he wanted some basketball game for Playstation.  I went out and bought the game plus a bag of mini snickers bars because I knew they were his favorite.  I put the game in a gift bag surrounded by the snickers.  I was so excited to give it to him Valentine's morning at school and he loved it.  The bummer was that he nothing for me.  He said it was because he didn't want to bring it to school and he was going to come visit me at work that night.  I worked at a resort and that night I was working at the ice skating rink there.  Joe did show up that night with a few gifts for me.  He brought flowers, chocolate covered strawberries and a perfume gift set.  Which was totally sweet except for he must have forgot that he told me he had bought that perfume for his ex-girlfriend for Christmas but they broke up before he had the chance to give it to her- whomp whomp.  From that moment on I knew if I wanted a real romancer Joe was probably not my guy.  Thankfully ten happy years later, he has more than made up for his for first Valentines Day mishap.

Connect with Mallory: Blog ~ Facebook ~ Twitter

An Attitude of Gratitude {Featuring Ronni from Anywhere Is}

Hey friends!  My friend Ronni from Anywhere-Is has a powerful message on gratitude to share with you while I'm away {hopefully surviving three toddlers!} in Texas.  Enjoy!

When I was a little girl, I was pretty happy. You know how they say ignorance is bliss? Yeah. It was like that. My parents spoiled my sister and me (seriously, every Christmas was insane!), and I loved school. If I lacked anything, I didn't know it (well, except for the Merry-Go-Round stroller and the Sit-N-Spin, but never mind those!), and I had everything I needed. We had a house in the city, and this house had a huge yard. Strawberry patches, plum trees, and a grape vine was something to take for granted. Giant pine trees with benches to cool off under. Gardens. Grass to play in forever. I didn't know that stuff was special, or a luxury. We lived upstairs from my grandfather, who I called Puddin'. Life was good, but in the typical unaware fashion of children (as it should be), I didn't know just how great it was.

It was after Puddin' passed away that things began to change. Suddenly, my family was struggling. A lot. Sometimes the lights or water would get cut off. Trips to Sears for large new school wardrobes no longer happened. When I was 16, I got a job working in an affluent suburb and began noticing just how different my life was from these kids who didn't work because they had to, but worked because they had nothing better to do on any given day. These kids lived in big houses, rode horses, and drove their own cars. They went to really nice schools with all the bells and whistles I'd only read about in novels or saw on TV. I was in an inner city school (which I hated) with a bunch of cynical and bitter classmates who, except for a few, just didn't get me. I was a nerd and a misfit.

I hated me. I hated life. I hated everything. And I escaped into fantasy worlds all the time.

One thing I've noticed is that a lot of people I know from Cleveland tend to have this downer type of attitude. There is always something to complain about. Always something to be depressed about. And I can't blame them, really. Cleveland's just now starting to get back on its feet after many years of decline. But it's challenging to rebuild what's been allowed to crumble. That attitude is deeply ingrained in my being, and I really have to work hard at being thankful for everything I have. When there is an abundance of love, friends, food, money, fortune, and blessings, it's so easy to find things to be thankful for. But when things are not going so well? Ah, that's where the challenge begins. And even when I am happy? It's still too easy for me to find something to mutter about!

It was when I began taking yoga that I started to learn about the Attitude of Gratitude. You see, a lot of people think yoga is just stretching and relaxing. I am here to assure you it is not. Depending on the type you practice, you will sweat! But that's beside the point. The point is that yoga is more than just a physical thing. It's also a challenge to look inside yourself, to find that inner light, polish it, and let it shine. But if you're not thankful, then you're only shining up gunk. I've learned that when I face my day with a list of things to be thankful for, more blessings rain down on me. It's a silly thing really. I am not a hard core believer in the Law of Attraction, but it just seems that happiness begets more happiness. Being genuinely glad at the abundance that I have just gives me more things to be glad about.

Still, it's all too easy for me to fall into complaining. I really have to be intentional with being grateful for all the blessings I have. I need to go out of my way to focus on all the good things and stop whining about stupid things, especially things I have no control over (like traffic lights and sales tax). I mean, I definitely have no problem with venting and clearing the air, but there has to be a point where I move past that so I can experience grace. It's a much nicer feeling than negativity. I think I need to be even more intentional with feeling thankful. I know someone who tries to post five positive things about each day on her blog. She's been doing it for many years. I could keep a gratitude journal. I could write a list. Many possibilities. It can't be anything but good for me.

"When we practice an attitude of gratitude, we are practicing feeling loved." 

{source}

Thank you so much Ronni, for sharing your personal journey and insight on gratitude.  I love that you keep a journal of things you are grateful for…what a powerful way to constantly be reminded of all that you have!

To visit Ronni & connect with her more, visit Anywhere-Is.

A Birth Story {Featuring Erika from t.e. and baby}

Hey Baxtron{Life} fans! My name is Erika, and I blog over on t.e. and baby. Basically, it's just a little ol' blog about t (my husband), e (that's me!) and the best girl ever, our baby El. You should stop by and say hi!

Anyway, today I wanted to share my birth story with you guys since Courtney is out of town for a baby's birth--isn't it fitting? Sorry it's kind of wordy! If you're not too big on reading birth stories, you could always head over to my blog and see some pictures from the big day (nothing gory, I promise!). 

Okay! Here we go.


7:30ish a.m. on Memorial Day- There I was, having maybe the best dream ever. All I remember was I was eating oreos in my brand new mansion. There were trains that brought people to my house because it was so exclusive that I didn't allow cars in the parking lot. So anyway, my butler or whoever was like "WOW! Two trains" and I was all "yup. Double trains." So the wacko starts singing "double trains all across the street. Look at those traaaains."….You know, like the double rainbow song? Um…Yeah. I remember I was laughing pretty hard at him…Then all the sudden I woke up.

And…I was uh… Peeing my pants. Or, so I thought anyway. It was really embarrassing even though no one was watching me. I was running to the bathroom while peeing and I couldn't make it stop. It was awful. So, I get to the bathroom and sit on the toilet all while still peeing. I was thinking to myself "what the heck?" over and over. Because, I'll be honest with you. The past few months, every time I had to pee SO BAD, all I could get out was a measly "drip…drip…drip…" then nothing. So this huge pee was really surprising to me. Then it registered in my brain that, hey! This liquid isn't yellow. and hey! It's actually kind of pink (I also may have smelled my underwear, okay? I heard amniotic fluid smelled sweet (it's true)). So, I decided to wake up Tyler even though he was so excited to have Memorial Day off (his old job made him work every Holiday)

So I was like:

"Tyler"

…… 

……

"Ty?" (I never call him that)

……

TYLER??

……

……

……

T SENN?!

Phew. Finally he heard me and responded to tsenn. So, I told him the whole story. You know, starting with my funny butler and ending with my nose to my panties--All the while, I was still "peeing". I didn't dare to actually say my water broke…Because I didn't want to be THAT girl who went into labor and delivery, only to find out that I just happened to have a never ending pee stream.

He jumped out of bed pretty quickly, while saying he was disappointed he wouldn't be able to sleep in (he was totally joking, FYI)…All while trying to hide that ridiculous smile. Then, he proclaimed "I'm going to be a dad today"…I just laughed at him because, remember? It wasn't REALLY my water. I was just peeing still.

So anyway, we decided to get into the shower and get ready. If I was still "peeing" by the time we were done getting ready, we'd go into the hospital and have me checked. 

Sure enough, we got out of the shower and I was still goin'. You'd think at this point I would come right out and be like "yeah, my water broke", but I couldn't. So, I painted my toe nails instead.

9:35 a.m.- We arrived at the hospital. It was pretty weird walking in there all normal and everything. I always pictured myself walking in there with awful contractions. And, there I was with none at all. It was seriously weird.

The front desk lady was really sweet. She seemed so excited for us and was chatting up a storm. 

When she found out my middle name was Norma, her face lit up (side story: I changed my middle name to Norma when I was around 10ish. My Grandma was always complaining about how no grand kids were named after her because her name was so ugly. So, I decided to change my middle name to hers because I just loved her so much…I could go on and on about how much I love her…But, we'll save it for another post)…She told me that her mother's name was Norma and that it made her so happy to see that name that she was going to give us the best room in the house. Suite 116.

9:45 a.m.- I was taken back to a "holding room"…Apparently none of the nurses thought I was really in labor because I was so chatty and I wasn't holding a towel between my legs…They didn't want to take me to my room and get my hopes up until they did the test to see if it really was amniotic fluid I was leaking (and not pee)…I held my breath waiting for the paper to change colors. Thankfully, it did and we were officially admitted and on our way to our birthing suite.  The room was huge! It felt like I was in some sort of crazy hotel. I loved it.

10:00 a.m.- I met my nurse, Debbi. She was really nice and helped keep everything fun…Despite the fact that she had to insert my I.V. and begin Pitocin. We went over a bunch of hospital info and just sat and chatted. She told me I was her only patient that day and that she was really glad,  because we were nice and she wasn't used to that from patients. It made us feel good.

10:30 a.m.- Dr. J. came in and talked to me. We joked about my last appointment and how he told me I only had 1% chance of having a baby before my due date. He told me that I just got lucky and that if my water hadn't broken, I would never be there right then (at this point I was only dilated about a one)… He also inserted the contraction monitor into me, since the one on my stomach wasn't picking any up. While he was down there, he also inserted a heart monitor (which he screw into Eloise's head…so so sad) so that he could keep better track of the baby. He didn't want her to get stressed out since the Pitocin can take a lot out of a gal. He also made sure to tell me to let him know if I heard a hissing noise…He said sometimes when he screws those monitors into baby girl heads, they deflate. Har har har.

So then, I apologized for making him come in on a Holiday. He told me that it was alright because girls aren't smart enough not to come on a Holiday.

His sarcasm really brightened up the mood and it was good to see him. It made everything seem more real. Not completely real, though. Because I still couldn't believe I was there right then. He estimated that baby girl would be here by 7:30 or 8. Of course, I didn't believe that either.

1:00 p.m.-  I remember going to the bathroom with Tyler's help, and just crying on the toilet that I wanted to go home and that I couldn't handle the contractions anymore. He told me I was strong and that he knew I could do it. I was so frustrated because even with all the contractions, I was only dilated to a 3 still. I felt like things were going pretty slowly and I wanted out. Apparently, when you're in labor they don't just let you go home, though. Dang it. So, I got an epidural. 

I was terrified. I think that of all things birth related…The thought of getting an epidural scared me the most. But, after all those painful Pitocin contractions I just couldn't give birth without one. I couldn't. 

The anesthesiologist came in and was a really big jerk. No time for small talk, apparently (and Tyler and I are the BEST at small talk)…He just wanted to get in and get out and be on his way. 

The epidural wasn't too bad. I thought it would be a lot more painful than it was…. It just really freaked me out having a tube in my back. Thankfully, the medicine started working quickly and I was pain free for the rest of the labor and delivery.

3:30 p.m.- Still at a 3. I was so frustrated. Debbi made sure to tell me that the first 4 centimeters take "FOUR-ever" and not to worry. 

4:25 p.m.- Dr. J called and announced he was going to a movie since I was going so slow. Debbi told us that she hoped he jinxed himself and that I proved him wrong and had the baby while he was in the movie.

…It didn't happen.

5:30 p.m.- I was finally making some progress. I was 5 1/2 cm dilated. Phew.

6:00 p.m.- Time for a shift change. I wanted to cry saying bye to Debbi. She was so wonderful. My new nurse, Suzie sort of sucked. Thankfully, she had a student nurse with her (Zandy) who handled all my care from then on. I LOVED Zandy. 

Before Debbi left, she asked me if she could bring anything for me tomorrow (she said she called dibs on having us the next day)…I told her I really wanted a Bologna sandwich. She thought it was weird, but said okay. Then, her and Suzie sang the Oscar Meyer Wiener song. All I could think was "umm…Is this real life?"

They also had me lay on my side because Eloise was getting a little stressed out and her heart rate was dipping a lot with each contraction. I tried not to cry, but I was so worried about my girl.

7:00 p.m.- I asked to be checked because I just wanted to hear I was at a 7. I think, in my head, I thought that a 7 meant a baby would really be coming. So, they came in and checked me. Things went silent. Then, the nurse said "call doctor Judd. Now. She is completely dilated"

I looked at Tyler and he looked completely excited. Me, on the other hand? Not so much. I was overcome with emotion. I was terrified. I was exhausted. I felt every emotion in the book. So, I finally let myself cry. It felt good to get everything out. Finally, this whole labor and delivery thing felt real. I was going to have a baby. 

7:30 p.m.- They told me that Dr. J wanted me to just lay there for a bit and "rest and descend" to help Eloise get into a better position. They told me this would take about two hours. In the mean time, I was put on Oxygen to help Eloise stay calm in there. 

I don't remember much about what went on after this. Everything was just kind of a blur. I remember a nurse coming in and setting up the room for delivery. It was so weird to see how much prep needed to go on in order for me to start pushing. I also remember that The Bachelorette was on in the background and everyone (even nurses) were watching it. I was bugged because I couldn't see the TV (I was still on my side) and had no idea what was going on. 

7:55 p.m.- I was checked again and told that pushing needed to begin now. I wasn't expecting that. They hurried and broke away my bed (it was the weirdest thing) and turned it into a delivery bed. All I remember saying was "I'm too tired for this"…But, apparently being tired doesn't let you out of pushing.

8:00 p.m.- Dr. J came in the room and checked me again…Just to make sure. He gasped and said "Look at this hair!" So, everyone rushed to look at my lady parts. Apparently, her head was right at the opening and all you could see was a lock of hair in a curl sticking out. Dr. J got all giggly and said it was the cutest thing he had ever seen. 

8:05 p.m.- I began pushing. It was weird. I knew I was pushing but I couldn't feel anything. I watched Tyler's face in anticipation. He looked so amazed and so happy. 

8:12 p.m.- I continued pushing and suddenly heard a little faint cry from Eloise (I also heard a HUGE cry from my mom)… Tyler's face lit up and it was the cutest thing I had ever seen. He looked so proud. I looked between my legs, and saw her hand pop up like she was waving "hey mom!"…That's when I cried. She was here. She was really here and I couldn't believe it. Plus, I didn't even poop on the table, so that was an added bonus.

I don't remember much else besides my mom saying "she has 10 toes!" and Dr. J saying "…And 11 fingers!"... I was just too busy staring at her to concentrate on much else. 

When they put her on my chest, I was so overwhelmed with love. She was so beautiful and such a perfect mix of Tyler and me. And that hair! I really just couldn't believe she was mine. 

May 30th was the best day.  Thanks for having me today, Courtney! You are the greatest. I look forward to "meeting" some of your great readers!

I love this story!  Today is my sister Valerie's due date, so what better to share than a birth story?!  :)  Erika thank you so much for sharing your story with us.  :)

6 Parenting Resources {Featuring Anne from Green Eggs & Moms}

Has this happened to you?

You’re watching TV in your room when all of sudden everything goes dark. It’s a black out. Even if you’ve walked in this familiar space a thousand times, you fumble through the dark looking for a flashlight. This is how parenting feels at times. You can prepare by reading a mountain of books and articles, and think you’re familiar with all there is to know. Then boom. You encounter situations that leave you scratching your head. Fortunately, the Internet is a treasure trove of useful parenting resources that can help you find solutions to parenting mysteries. What are these?

6 Parenting Resources To Pull You Out of the Dark

1. Parenting Science  If you’re the type who would rather believe in scientific research rather than guess-work or amusing old wives’ tales, this is perfect for you.  The author, a biological anthropologist, writes informative articles based on studies from different perspectives in psychology, neuroscience, anthropology and evolution.

What you get: Researched-backed information on how to improve your child’s development in the following areas: intellect, emotion and behavior.


   
2. Cute Food For Kids  If you want to elicit a few laughs from your child during meal time, this is one of the first places you should go to. It shows you how to make creative food ideas the easy way. Ridiculously easy.
What you get: Simple instructions for fun and interesting food ideas for kids - and sometimes adults too.


3. Ask Dr. Sears Who doesn’t love Dr. Sears? It’s sort of like seeing your pediatrician without the hassle of driving to the clinic and lining-up. You can find answers to common parenting questions such as why toddlers are picky eaters. The articles are written in a simple way that makes for easy reading.
What you get: Health related information from doctors. (Of course, it’s still best to consult with your pediatrician for serious questions you have. So yes, you may still have to drive to the clinic and line-up.)


4. Independent.ie This is a European-based news site that has a great parenting section. It’s a good way to keep up with what’s happening in their side of the world.
What you get: Latest parenting news in Europe, specifically in Ireland.


  
5. My Shae Noel If you want fun educational activities for your kiddo, this is where you should go to. The woman behind the blog used to teach children which is why she is able to provide engaging learning materials.
What you get: Fun educational materials and various DIY crafts for kids.


6. Voice Boks This is an online community of mothers. Need I say more? You can read countless books and articles on parenting but you can get the best ideas or solutions from moms who have learned through trial and error - which is what makes their insights valuable.


Parenting can be tough, confusing and can make you feel like you’re fumbling in the dark. Hopefully, these resources that cover: development, food and creativity, health, news, educational activities, and parenting tips and stories can help light your way through parenting. Does this parenting resources list lack your favorite site? Please tell us about it so other moms can benefit too.
Anne Mercado

Photos: Flashlight - Creative Commons form pulverizer_13 Others - hover over image for credits

Thank you Anne for this great list of resources!  I can definitely say Voice Boks has been a huge resource to me, and I am grateful to have had the opportunity to connect with you there! :)  Friends, make sure to visit Anne's blog: Green Eggs & Moms for more great tips and resources!

O.M.Y. {oh.my.yum} Featuring Joanna from Brock Paper Scissors!

Hey party people! I'm Joanna from over at Brock Paper Scissors. Today I'm filling in for Court, while she's down visiting fam in (my home state of) Texas. Cool, right? And, while she's out, she asked me to write about one of my very favorite topics: FOOD.

On my blog, I have a regular feature called "What's Cookin'?", where I pass on yummy recipes that I've recently made. Lots of em' tend to be Crock-Pot recipes because, well, they're easy, and I'm all about the easy. For my visit, Courtney's asked me to share one of these slow-cooker recipe with her peeps (you)! But, instead of just re-posting something I've already done, I took this opportunity to try out a new chili I've been dying to make: Crock-pot Cream Cheese Chicken Chili (say that three times fast!).

Looks yummy, right? Trust me when I say, you'll be going back for seconds...and perhaps even thirds. It's that good.

Here's what you'll need/need to do...

Ingredients:

• 2 chicken breasts (mine were frozen)
• 1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 can corn, undrained 
• 1 can diced tomatoes
• 1 package ranch dressing mix 
• 1 tsp cumin 
• 1 tbsp chili powder 
• 1 tsp onion powder 
• 1 8 oz package 1/3 less fat cream cheese

Directions:

1. Place chicken at bottom of crock-pot.
2. Top with diced tomatoes, black beans and corn (undrained). 
3. Add seasonings + ranch mix, then place cream cheese on top. 
4. Cover with lid and cook on low for 6 hours.
5. Once timer goes off, stir cream cheese into chili.
6. Shred the chicken using a fork, mix everything together and serve.

We ate it as is, but, it would also be good over rice or maybe with tortilla chips.

*Original recipe found here.

Enjoy! And feel free to pop on over to my neck of the woods to say hello! Later dudes!

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If you are like me and love using your slow cooker…you have to get over and check out the mouthwatering recipes Joanna has on her blog…mouthwatering good.  :)  Thanks Joanna for another delicious recipe to add to my collection!