Encouragement

Y'all, I have dreaded potty training ever since I realized that potty training boot camp was a thing. I kept looking at weekends on the calendar that I could take an extra day off work or there was a built in Monday holiday HOPING for a long weekend that might coincide with a weekend that my toddler might be ready to potty train. A good weekend never became evident. Then my son's play school teacher mentioned that they have been sitting on the potty but that my son wasn't doing anything. A few weeks later, Miss Becca (names have been changed to protect the innocent) said that my squirt had pooped on the potty twice. She said to bring underwear...

My three-year-old is at the point where she is dropping her naps. I work from home, so nap times are the times when I get everything done! Lately, we have been spending more and more time at the indoor playgrounds near our area so the girls can play and I can get some work done. We were at one of our favorite local spots the other day, and I was sitting on the ground playing with our baby while my toddler was playing on the play set. Another mom looked to me and said, "That must be your little one. She looks just like you." Yes, she is mine. We both have curly red hair and hear that often.  She seemed somewhat...

"My kids are 15 months apart" - my answer to the question I get asked quite often by friends and strangers alike. They are essentially two under 2, with the oldest turning 3 years old this year. So many parents will tell you that having kids close in age can be both fun and challenging. I'm pretty sure other words used to describe it would be whirlwind, fog, circus...  Here are just a handful of truths about having babies close in age: Double the diapers, wipes ... and poop. Seriously. We haven't quite hit the potty-trained milestone so we're still elbow deep. But the good thing is you get into a groove, constantly beating your own diaper changing time and learning...

It's the Lenten season. If you are like me you begin thinking about what to give up some time after you’ve attended your fair share of Mardi Gras parades, but before the Ash Wednesday service. Traditionally, I usually give up a food – sodas, fried foods, or candy. One year I gave up cursing -- let’s just say that was a challenge. This year I thought I would look at Lent a little differently. What are some things I can give up that would benefit my children, my husband and my family? Here are a few things I plan on giving up this year for Lent (and maybe I will just keep a few): The overwhelming need to clean up...

I surround myself with some pretty cool chicks. We try to meet regularly, check in on each other, celebrate our victories (parenting and otherwise) and support each other when we have those days we fail spectacularly.  Because we do. We all do.  No one likes to fail, BUT when I fail, I don't want your encouragement (not right away). I want your participation. I want you to jump right in with me - and make me laugh at myself or cry with me because we both totally suck. I want to go down in a blaze of glory - when I set the kitchen on fire (accidentally), when bath time deteriorated into a battle of wet, frustrated wills, when bed time...