10 mama hacks.

1. put a basket by the bed with night time rituals.
i know i can't be the only mamma with a crazy detailed bedtime regime, right? lotion, teething treatments, essential oils for when he's not feeling well, nose frieda for when he's congested. cream for diaper rash, ointment for scratches, nail clippers, comb, etc. it's rare that i use all of these things every evening, but putting them all in a basket instead of having them strewn throughout the house makes the process smoother.

2. drain the tub while he's still in it.
teddy loves bath time more than anything, and when i pull him out of the tub before he's ready (he's never ready) he gets really sad. draining the water out while he's busy playing helps ease the emotional discomfort of leaving his beloved tubby, ha. (today when i asked him if he wanted to take a bath, he smiled, and started happily chirping as he trotted to the tub while trying to take his shirt off. it melted me in a milisecond.)

3. pots and pans are toys.
everyone told me this, and now i'm repeating it- more for me, than for you. a set of plastic bowls is just as entertaining (maybe more so) than the sixty dollar set of organic wooden woodland animals you've had your eye on for the past 3 months.

4. dance parties tire them out faster.
i'm shocked to see how fast dancing with him for 20 minutes will exhaust him. and i'm getting exercise so it's a win win, right? by the way, exercise never happens for me. and i thought i'd be one of those hot fit moms...

5. become best friends with the park.
when we first moved here, it was smokey and we hardly ever made it outside. my incision wasn't healing well, and getting down the stairs, getting teddy in the car seat and out into the world seemed like a battle not worth fighting.
i've learned something since last summer: the park is the best. it gives us fresh air, it entertains the shiz out of teddy, it puts us both in a better mood, and he's exhausted when we get home. of course, now that teddy's a little older, it's easier for me to get out; but next time, i'm going to try to be friends with the park sooner.

6. take deep breaths.
when the anxiety comes (and if you're like me, it will come) it helps for me to have some breathing techniques ready to go. i wrote in this post about taking 60 seconds to help recenter myself.

7. don't buy the outfit you feel meh about. (for you or for your baby.)
i'm still grasping this one, but i'm trying to only purchase things that i absolutely adore for myself and teddy, and ironically it's resulted in me feeling a lot more free when i'm buying things. if i have any doubts, i just leave it on the rack. i've saved a ton of money on semi cute onesies that i don't love, even thought they're only five bucks, and i've spent a little more on things that i love, and will use for all of my babies.



8. buy fresh flowers.
gid buys me flowers every few weeks, and i can't tell you how much more cheerful it makes our living space.

9. make lists to spark productivity.
make a list.
prioritize with numbers.
get to work.
check it off.

it'll feel so so good.

10. document.
i never regret taking an hour to take pictures of my little boy. the ones i've taken of him even a few months ago are already so special. things you document now will only gain value. it doesn't matter if you have a nice camera, or if you feel like you take great shots. you're setting a legacy for your family to look back on.

(bonus)
11. stick together.
don't be catty to the mom who parents different than you.
don't ignore when your sister or your mom calls.
don't be jealous of the girl who doesn't have kids, and gets to travel all over the world while you're wiping diapers.
don't be mean to the grandma who gives you advice with a raised eyebrow at church. (even if she drives you nuts.)
we need each other.
and we're on the same team.
xo

teddy's bloomers