A Day in the Life
It ain’t a party ’till someone poops in the tub… Lunch & Nap I might as well just start serving lunch straight from the floor, since yesterday at lunch, little man sat on his lunch, threw it on the floor, and then asked to get …
Recent Posts
My Favorite YouTube Videos for Kids
There are so many great quality programs for littles on YouTube — one thing we did yesterday that worked amazingly was setting a timer for 15 minutes of playtime and then doing a “brain break” YouTube video and repeating the cycle! Another thing that works …
Easy Christmas Cookies
I posted the story of how I ended up with this cookie recipe over on Instagram 🙂 Here is the Recipe, adapted from Betty Crocker’s Christmas Cookbook: 2 sticks softened butter 1/2 cup sugar 1 teaspoon vanilla 2 cups flour sprinkles Beat butter, sugar, and …
The Realities of Motherhood: Birth Stories
When I started the @thisisrealmom project, I set out to document everyday realities of motherhood. I was inspired by my own struggles, especially when it comes to expectations vs. reality. Here are some stories from myself as well as other mothers who can also relate …
Holiday Gift Guide!
This post contains affiliate links. See more information. My favorite holiday is just around the corner! Over in Naptime Deals I have organized lists of gift ideas by age and other members have added their ideas as well! It’s a great collection of holiday gift ideas! Clicking …
A Year of Seasonal Toddler Themes
We are sharing activity ideas every day in our Facebook groups Baby and Toddler Activity Time, and Preschool Activity Time! Here are some seasonal activity themes to use for activity inspiration! Fall September Apples School Leaves and Trees Seasons: Fall Shapes October Bats Spiders Pumpkins …
First Birthday Tradition: Birthday Book
This post contains affiliate links. See more information. First Birthday Tradition We started a tradition at my son’s first birthday where we had a book sitting out at his party for everyone to write messages to him in. It is really special to look back and …
On the Airplane: What Worked For Me
This post contains affiliate links. See more information. Little Airport Sticker Book (pictured above) On the Airplane Here are some photos and notes from our latest airplane trip. For more travel tips, check out Traveling with Littles: Tips and Tricks! These activities kept the littles entertained …
Teaching Kindness to Toddlers
This post contains affiliate links. See more information. Have You Filled a Bucket Today? I recently pulled Have You Filled a Bucket Today? off the shelf to help my toddler understand why it is important to be kind to others. I wasn’t quite sure if it was …
Favorite Toys for 1 Year Olds
This post contains affiliate links. See more information. Favorite Toys for One Year Olds I have written previously about great toys for babies and toddlers: see Favorite Baby Toys and Choosing the Best Toys for Toddlers for ideas for other ages… but what about the in-between stage, from approximately 12-18 …
How I Taught my Babies to Drink from a Straw Cup
This post contains affiliate links. See more information. Drinking from a Straw Cup I have been meaning to write this for a month, and it’s such a quick and easy trick that I don’t know why it took me so long! My son turned 11 …
Tumbleleaf Coloring Activity
This post contains affiliate links. See more information. Tumbleleaf Coloring Activity My son’s favorite shows right now are Tumbleleaf and “Mouse-Cookie.” His cousin was so sweet and sent him these finger puppets (pictured above) of the characters of Tumbleleaf and we have been having so much …
Traveling with a Two Year Old
This post contains affiliate links. See more information. Traveling at age 2 Traveling at age 2 (he was 2.5 when we traveled) was the easiest age yet! I already posted about our airport and airplane experiences here, but I thought I would do a little follow …
The Secret to Sleeping Through the Night
This post contains affiliate links. See more information. Need More Sleep? Here’s what you need to know: The Secret to Sleeping Through the Night I have found that the secret to sleeping through the night is that it is a learned skill that some babies just …
Toot Scoot Toddler Bike
This post contains affiliate links. See more information. Toot Scoot Toddler Balance Bike My two year old loves riding around on his Toot Scoot. It’s a great tool for learning to ride a bike, and he is so happy scooting around the neighborhood independently! He has …
Potty Training Essentials and Update
This post contains affiliate links. See more information. Update Potty training has gone well for us! Of course there have been accidents here and there, but overall, 3 months in, I am happy we did it when we did and am confident that he was ready …
When Sleeping through the Night Can Wait
I believe that sleep is a learned skill. That teaching your baby to sleep is a gift you are giving him — when he is well-rested, he is happier, more alert, better able to learn new skills, and fully present in the world around him. …
Traveling with Littles Tips and Tricks + Printable Packing List!
This post contains affiliate links. See more information. Pictured Above: Must-haves for flying with 2: Baby Carrier and Toddler Headphones Traveling with Littles Traveling with little ones is not easy. Anyone who says otherwise either isn’t telling the truth or hasn’t done it… However, for many …
For the Luck of the Irish: Blarney Stones
This post contains affiliate links. See more information. Blarney Stones Every year on St. Patrick’s day, my grandma makes Blarney Stones. I remember being at home one year when a package from her arrived in the mail: it was a box full of these unique treats! …
4 Unique Personalized Big Brother – Little Brother Gift Ideas
This post contains affiliate links. See more information. Matching Big Brother – Little Brother shirts (also comes in sister varieties!) – This is now my son’s favorite shirt! We have had it for almost 9 months and it has been through countless washes and still looks great! …
Spring Books and Fingerplays for Babies and Toddlers
This post contains affiliate links. See more information. Spring Books and Fingerplays Spring is just around the corner! Talking to babies and children about the changing seasons prepares them for the changes and gets them excited for what’s to come! A fun theme to explore in …
Daniel Tiger Episode List
This post contains affiliate links. See more information. Daniel Tiger Episode List Sometimes I want to watch a specific Daniel Tiger episode (doctor, birthday, new baby, feelings, school, etc.) with my son, and it is hard for me to find it. So, I made this list …
Baby-proofing Tips and Tricks
This post contains affiliate links. See more information. Baby-Proofing Time! When your baby starts crawling, cruising, and exploring, it’s time to start thinking about baby-proofing! These are some tips and tricks that worked for us, but by no means is this a comprehensive list or guide …
How to find Great Stroller Deals: Amazon Warehouse Deals
This post contains affiliate links. See more information. Amazon Warehouse Stroller Deals Above is a flash-back to our first stroller! Back then, I would have never guessed that we would over the course of 2.5 years own 5 different strollers. I thought it was a “you …
Building a Toddler Library
This post contains affiliate links. See more information. Reading to your child is one of the best things you can do for them. Through books, children learn valuable lessons about the world, themselves, and others. It can be a challenge to find high-quality literature that both …
2 under 2: Baby and Toddler Schedule
This post contains affiliate links. See more information. 2 under 2: Everyone seems to be doing it, but no one is talking about how HARD it is. Taking care of these two has me feeling like we are a circus parade. Nevertheless we keep on keepin’ …
Breastfeeding is Hard
Breastfeeding is hard. Momming is hard, too, but breastfeeding is a huge endeavor on its own. Breastfeeding could easily be considered a full-time job in itself, with all of the time and energy it consumes from us, but most breastfeeding mothers are also taking care …
Game Changer Resources For Moms
This post contains affiliate links. See more information. The back-splash pictured above is a sticker – that’s a game changer! Game Changer Resources for Moms The following resources have been “game changers” for me – at the exact time I needed them, they provided me with support …
Favorite Baby Books for Valentine’s Day
This post contains affiliate links. See more information. Valentine’s Day Books These books are all perfect to read to babies for Valentine’s Day. They aren’t too long, so perfect for the little ones, and explore themes of love or Valentine’s Day! Nancy Tillman Books All The …
The Baby Stuff List: What Do I Really Need?
This is the list of resources I send to my pregnant friends whenever I find out they are expecting! You can view all of the other sections through these links: Pregnancy Resources, The Baby Stuff List, What Do I Really Need?, Nursery Gear, For Baby, Big Purchases, For Mom, Save, Spend, …
12 Sensory Activities You Can Buy on Amazon
This post contains affiliate links. See more information. Something very similar to the above popped up on my Instagram feed this week. And while I will admit that most of the time I want to be a Pinterest mom, and sometimes I even try Pinterest activities, …
How to Find the Best Deals on Baby Food Pouches
This post contains affiliate links. See more information. How to Shop for Pouches Pouches are just so convenient and easy for on the go eating as well as at home when you are in a pinch! However, finding deals on them can be tricky, and I’ve …
Trader Joe’s Seafood Gnocchi
This post contains affiliate links. See more information. Seafood Gnocchi I got the inspiration for this recipe from a group on Facebook called Trader Joe’s Meal Ideas for Busy Moms. Someone there suggested a scallop, spinach, and tomato saute. I switched it up a bit and …
Chicken in a Bucket
This post contains affiliate links. See more information. Chicken in a Bucket This is one of the easiest recipes I know how to make. Aunt Mary made this for us approximately 8 years ago, and I have been making it ever since. When she told us …
Finding Stroller Love
This post contains affiliate links. See more information. Stroller Love I didn’t know there was such a thing as stroller love before I became a mom, but it is a thing that exists! It is when the push and functionality of your stroller bring you so …
Potty Training
This post contains affiliate links. See more information. Potty Training On an incredibly cold December day we decided to start potty training our 2.5 year old. I had told myself I would just wait until he was completely ready, but we were at a point where …
Toddler Activity Time
This post contains affiliate links. See more information. Toddler Activity Time We’ve tried a few Pinterest activities this week and some were really fun! For more great “real mom tested” ideas, please join and contribute to our Preschool Activity Time group on Facebook! We also have …
Building a Baby Library
This post contains affiliate links. See more information. Reading to your baby may seem silly but it is SO important! As a teacher, I know how important it is to set the stage for later literacy skills, and reading every day provides a great activity for …
5 Favorite Baby Toys
This post contains affiliate links. See more information. My little man just turned 7 months this weekend, so I thought I’d make a list of our current favorites! 1. Melissa and Doug Pullback Cars | These soft cars are lots of fun at different ages – right …
Grandma’s Rolls
This post contains affiliate links. See more information. Grandma’s Rolls We (and by we I mostly just mean my amazing sister and two year old) made these rolls for Christmas Eve/Christmas and they were/are delicious! This is my grandmother’s recipe, and she has been making them …