I will cut you!

I've been batting a thousand lately when it comes to parenting out in public. I took Ben to the Goodwill store (They have amazing wrapping paper, for .25 a roll. I like to stock up for Christmas!) and while we were there he ate a crayon...30 seconds later he threw up said crayon. My super fast mommy like reflexes helped me catch it all in my hands (I know..I know..gross). So there I was, standing in Goodwill, holding throw-up considering wiping it all on my shirt, Ben was HOLLERIN' "Momma!!!" at the top of his lungs. I mean, it really doesn't get any classier than that...Well maybe if I had, had sponge rollers in my hair. The girl at the check-out clerk sauntered over with a roll of paper towels and handed them to me with a glare. I smiled politely at her and cleaned up all the throw up. I finally made my way to the check-out, and while paying, thanked the lady for the paper towels. "So sorry! He's just 110% boy, and he thinks everything either belongs in his mouth or should be covered in mud." I said to her with my best southern drawl I could muster. She glared at me and informed me all FOUR of her children at that age weren't little monsters. So I punched her lights out....... Hahahaha!! Just kidding. I'd have lost that fight. She was (as my momma says) a BIG girl, and although I'm scrappy, I was worried while I was throwin' down with Miss. Judgmental Ben was going to somehow find another crayon to swallow. So I smiled again, took my receipt, and my "little monster" and walked out. And on the way home Ben and I worked on our best impressions of Bon Qui Qui. "I will cut you!!!!"

Teething Pains

Back when we lived in MS and Ben had just started his rampage of teething, I can remember a Mom at our church who smiled at me and said "Oh, well I NEVER even knew so-and-so was teething. She is such an angel! I just looked in her mouth one day and there was a tooth". I remember sitting there with a screaming 5 month old thinking "I want to slap you...But we are in church..So... never mind" To say that teething has been insane for both our sweet boys, is an understatement. They both have struggled in different ways, but it's all been nuts, and lead to my current three pots of coffee a day addiction. So recently a much kinder Mom at our church here in Florida recommended I try clove oil for Christopher Robin's gums. And that has truly helped with sweet baby! Coincidentally while I was researching online, I also found out it's great for any kind of mouth pain. So give it a try the next time you have a toothache! I'd recommend organic clove essential oil. I got mine from amazon. If you're using it for a baby, I'd dilute it with an edible oil. Coconut oil is what I used. I mixed one drop of clove oil with about 1/2 teaspoon of coconut oil and rubbed it all over Baby's gums. His face was hilarious! But it works! And seems to last for about 2 hours. So go get you some clove oil if you're little guy or little girl is making you want to slap people in church :)

Home made bath salts

Ever since I became a Momma, my brain has been going ninety miles a minute. Okay, so full disclosure, my brain has ALWAYS gone that fast, but it's harder to turn off when your a mom, and contrary to what non-moms think-there is SO much responsibility involved in raising this little stinkers, and so many to-do list. You spend so many sleep-less nights with your little babies, that your body becomes used to waking up multiple times during the night, even when your kids are finally sleeping through the night! Talk about a real downer. I have been known to hear a phantom cry, run at full speed out of bed (This little Mommy doesn't waste time!) straight into the bedroom door frame...Not even kidding. Which then leaves my husband unsure as to whether he should laugh hysterically, because his wife has brain damage now, even tho there was no baby crying to begin with, or to go get me ice for my noggin and tell me to come back to sleep. It's basically a lose-lose situation guys. So, I've tried many solutions to help me sleep through the night. Sleepy time tea, melatonin, ambien, a bottle of red wine (which was fun!), etc. Nothing seems to help all that much. Except a hot bath in home-made bath salts! I owe this original recipe to my sweet friend Debra Morgan, the original DIY Momma. No kidding. She's truly a super Mom, and someone very dear to my heart! Here is what you will need: a container with a lid 1 cup Epson salt 1 cup Baking Soda 10-15 drops organic lavender essential oil 2 drops peppermint organic essential oil (Just two! Or you'll feel like you slathered your whole body with icy-hot. Which is just plain awkward) 2 drops tea tree oil Mix all together, put in container, and give it a good shake before use. Add 1/2 cup to a hot bath, and tell your husband to come check on you in 5 minutes, because there's a good chance you will fall asleep in the tub. Lavender is soothing, peppermint helps with your circulation, sore muscles, and tea tree will help draw out the toxins from your body. It's truly amazing! Give it a try.

I get it. I really do Mom!

When you're a girl, you're most likely always going to be close to your Momma. Sure you might have some icky times during high-school/college (Oh come on, we've all got these stories that begin with "But that's when Mom and So-and-so weren't talking remember??".) but for the most part, every little girl loves her Mom dearly. Now once you become a Mom, the bond you feel only gets better. I can't tell how many times I want to pick up the phone and say to my Mom "Thank you SO much for loving me even when I was teething...No really. How did you not kill me? I'm losing my mind over here! Give me some tips!!!!" Maybe I'm just getting more wise in my old age (ahahahaha. I'm only 25 you crazy peple!) but ever since I had Christopher Robin I've felt even more of a connection to Momma Mimsey. I think it's because Christopher Robin is the second born, like me. Second born babies come with a tiny bit more guilt than the first one. If you've been to our house in the past 8 months, you understand what I mean. Poor baby gets the brunt of all of his big brother's, big brother issues. He's been bitten, pinched, had toys thrown at him, and that was just today.... I found myself sitting in the laundry room crying yesterday- thinking two things- First, that I wish I could give Christopher Robin more one on one time, in between chasing Ben down the street, and Second, I was really glad we were renting this house, because the laundry room was very spacious and a really great place to have my Mommy break downs. But aside from crying in the laundry room a lot, I'm starting to understand my mother SO much more. I understand her never ending compassion towards me, her concern for my life choices, and her loyalty. Now I'm not saying that I was my mother's favorite child (That prize goes to my little brother's dog Troy...just kidding :) but what I am saying, is that the more babies I have, the more I understand, and appreciate my mother. To sum it up, I get it Momma. I really do.