Red Stick Mom

The second I feel like I’ve got a category of motherhood down, I get thrown through a loop. Either our schedule changes or my daughter hits a new phase. Motherhood is an ever-changing journey. However, I do feel like I’ve consistently had the cleanup category just short of mastered. I realized early on that how my house looks has a huge impact on my mood and patience. I care about my home feeling like a refuge, not a place where I see a huge to-do list the second I walk in the door. On the same note, I want to spend more time being home, not cleaning my home. We've gotten pretty good with efficiency around here. Here’s how: Toy Rotation I...

Reading has always been one of my favorite hobbies. It’s my way to unwind, relax and escape from the hustle and bustle of daily life.  Since becoming a mom, this is one area that has unfortunately taken a backseat, but I still manage to read at least two books a month. Last year was one of the best in terms of the books I read. When I closed out the year and looked back at my Goodreads account, I noticed that ninety percent of my 2020 books fell into the fiction genre. That came as no surprise because I love getting lost in a good novel. As much as I love a good romance or mystery, I realized I needed to...

Before my personal experience as a NICU mom, I knew other moms who had been through a NICU stay. My sister and sister-in-law had both been there. I visited my nephew in the NICU. I saw what was on the surface: they left the hospital without their baby, the strict NICU rules, scrubbing in. Still, I had no clue what they were experiencing on a personal level, at least not until I had my son at 24 weeks, weighing 1 lb. 11 oz. and 12 inches long. From September 1, 2017, to June 25, 2018, Junior was in the NICU in critical condition. One of the toughest parts of his 10-month stay was the fact that not a single person knew...

Before I had a husband and children of my own, I was a very laid back, easy-going person. I’ve always been super routine and planner oriented, but I could still go with the flow. There are so many things that change after kids-your body, your hair, the bags under your eyes, wrinkles, etc. The biggest and most insane change for me has been the worry and anxiety that has come with having a family of my own. I recently had surgery under general anesthesia for the first time since having children. In the days leading up to that surgery, I fell into a rabbit hole of worry and anxiety. I thought things like, ”what if I never wake up from the...

Disclosure :: This post was sponsored by Ochsner Baton Rouge and written by Savanna Latimer, RD, LDN.  3 Cute Valentine’s Day Ideas Valentine’s Day is approaching, and that means every store will have aisles full of chocolate hearts and other sweet treats. It can feel overwhelming for those who are trying their best to eat healthy in the new year. However, a healthy and happy Valentine’s Day isn’t impossible. Here are three tips: Plan an activity Valentine’s Day falls on Sunday, which means you get to spend extra time with your partner or family. Plan a socially distanced picnic at the park, a day at the museum, a trip to the zoo or a new activity together. Just make sure to follow CDC...