Oct 13 | Thoughts on Life
I have to draw the line and call “uncle” on trying to keep up with Simply Frugal this week.
We’ve been battling the autumn colds which makes this mom even more tired than she already is with a baby who doesn’t sleep well on a “good” night. The oldest is having troubles with not being the only child anymore so needs more love these days. Now, we’ve had a family emergency within our extended family that is requiring more time.
You guys, I need to step back for a few days and tend to my family. They need me and right now that is what is most important.
Please feel free to read the archives, print coupons or find some current deals while you wait for the deals to resume on Monday. I will have Links Worth Sharing up on Saturday though because that’s how I like to relax, reading what other people write! I also have a fun post scheduled for later tomorrow.
Enjoy the rest of your week! “See” you on Monday!
Jun 29 | Thoughts on Life
I’d say it’s pretty inevitable that we all at some point suffer some grumpy days. However, you don’t have to waste your entire day being grumpy. Here are 10 things to do to turn your day around in a flash.
More often than I’d like to admit, I wake up feeling like quite the grump. (Maybe it’s the lack of sleep I’m getting these days?) Regardless, how I translate my grumpiness towards others, is in my hands. I am the only one that controls how I feel and react to situations. I find that if at the end of the day, I reflect on that day as being “bad” I can actually pin point one particular moment that was bad, yet I’ve let that one small moment dictate the whole day. What a waste of a day!
There are some days when I have to dig deep to find my happy place, but on a whole, there are 10 things that I can do that will turn my day around. Here they are:
Eat something delicious
You guys, in my opinion, there’s nothing that ice cream can’t fix. Or even a huge Greek salad with lots of feta cheese. Sitting down with some enjoyable food is a great way to turn my day around. The key is sitting down to enjoy it. đ
Exercise
These days, exercise for me simply means a walk to the park. Or dancing with my daughter. But it’s true what we hear about exercise releasing positive endorphin’s. So get that body moving!
Turn off electronic devices
This is a big one for me. Since the nature of my work is online, it’s imperative that I take time during my grumpy days to turn my computer off and really limit my phone usage. Quite often I can feel like I’m not doing enough with my work because I’m seeing what everyone else is doing online. That comparison is a thief of joy!
Family time
They’ll only be little once! A common saying, however, it’s true! When I take time to be present with my family, I find myself relaxed and smiling a lot more. Engaging with my kids can do wonders for my mood.
Call a friend
Sometimes, nothing beats calling up a good friend that is in a similar stage of life that you can hash out your day with. After hanging up, I’m often left feeling incredibly encouraged.
Have a shower
It’s simple really, but those 10 minutes that I get to myself can really turn my mood around! Especially if I’ve been trying and trying to fit a shower into my day with two demanding kids.
Hit the road
Getting out of the house some days is mandatory. Even without a destination in mind, driving can get me feeling better in no time. Sometimes we’ll stop at a park that we drive by or sometimes I’ll just tour a neighborhood because the baby fell asleep. Driving actually relaxes me.
Turn on some happy music
As I was saying, sometimes my only exercise is dancing with my daughter. This of course, requires some good, happy music. Also, singing along to music does wonders at lifting my spirits.
Think of one task that’s been bothering you and just get it done
I can be thinking of wanting to get a certain task done, but keep putting it off until it’s driving me bonkers. If I just hunker down and do that task, I’ll often realize that it was quicker to do than I expected. Plus, it’s finally off my to-do list!
Devote an hour or two to something you find enjoyable
Or if you’re in a similar stage of life as me, even 10 minutes should be enough to perk you up. Grab a book, a hot cup of coffee or even sit down with your baby and make her giggle.
Jun 24 | Thoughts on Life, Household Tips
Now that we’re three months into the new baby thing, I thought I’d write a post detailing the things I found really useful early on. After all, I know there may be many of you that are in the process of creating a baby registry or buying gifts for baby showers! Plus, since there are so many baby things out there, it can feel pretty overwhelming when it comes to choosing.
However, the crazy thing about babies is theyâre all different, so whatâs been a must-have for us might be something you want to skip. But hopefully this list will still help!
Nursing tank tops – I have been living in nursing tank tops! They’re great for layering, cover my stomach and make a great pajama top. I found four to be a good number to have on hand. I have two black ones, a white one and a navy one. The ones I have are from Target and Glamour Mom (bought used).
Lansinoh nursing pads – It’s disposable nursing pads for me at the beginning! Reusable ones just don’t work for me until I’ve been nursing for a while and things have regulated a bit. These Lansinoh ones are by far my favorite. They’re good all night long and (ummm) don’t get stuck like a band-aid…
Sleep sacks – Adelyn was never really into the swaddling thing, so this time around I’ve really been enjoying sleep sacks. (I also liked them a lot as my oldest daughter got older and grew out of swaddling.) Currently we’re using a fleece sack from Joe Fresh. As she gets older, I have a Halo sleep sack and some muslin sacks by Aden + Anais.
Muslin blankets – These have not only been great as blankets (of course), but I’ve been using them as a nursing cover! I simply grab two corners on the same side and tie them in a knot. Then I just slip the knot over my head to create a cover. I bought mine from Winners, but I’ve heard great things about the Aden + Anais ones as well. If you purchase muslin blankets, just make sure they’re the big ones! (44 inch by 44 inch, I believe.)
Burt’s Bees Diaper Cream – While I haven’t tried many diaper creams, The one by Burt’s Bees is one of my favourites! Thankfully both my girls haven’t had serious diaper rash and this stuff works well for our needs. đ
Sophie the Giraffe – Sophie is making her appearance again and I think this time my youngest actually enjoys her even more than my oldest! Â The squeaking is the “best thing ever” says Adelyn. Also, now that Adelyn is enjoying putting things in her mouth, Sophie is pretty cool to gnaw on!
Activity Mat – We’ve been making good use of our activity mat for about a month now and it’s fascinating to watch Adelyn develop her skills. She first started out as a lump basically, that smiled at the dangling toys. Now, at just over three months, she turns herself around in a full circle, grabs the toys and bats at them.
Beco Gemini – I’m not huge into baby wearing, but I wanted something that was pretty fuss free because quite frankly, I find all the options for baby wearing overwhelming. Turns out, the Beco Gemini was a lifesaver early on. Adelyn was a bit of a fussy thing so this carrier enabled me to get some housework done and even some blogging because she would actually fall asleep. I also like it because you don’t need to buy any extra inserts for newborns like the Ergo. I think it’s going to be useful as she grows older too.
Wet bags – Wet bags are so handy! While I think they’re meant for cloth diapering, I use them for everything! From wet swimsuits to soiled clothes, wet bags are a must-have in my books. I’ve enjoyed our Sweet Pea Wet bags, but there are many others out there that are probably just as good. I like that ours have a zipper, as opposed to a drawstring.
There you have it! Â Our must-haves for the early days (and onwards). What are some items that you found to be a necessity with your babies?
Did you know that Amazon offers a Baby registry? It’s free to sign up and you get to choose items from the earth’s biggest selection. They have over 270,000 baby items! Plus, they offer easy 45 day returns.
Jun 20 | Useful information, Thoughts on Life
Those early days of with a newborn often mean the baby schedule is out of whack and days and nights are confused. Depending on when your child was born, it can be tough to regulate their sleeping habits. Then mix in the idea of breastfeeding around the clock, siblings, your own need for sleep, work and potential pain post-delivery and you have a frustrating and overwhelming time when you arrive home. These ways to help create a baby schedule for better sleep are meant to encourage you and your child to rest better early on in their life.
7 Ways To Create A Baby Schedule For Better Sleep
Don’t wake your baby to change diapers. This is one thing that many new moms do because they are told to check the baby diaper regularly. A baby schedule works when you stick to it, but moving your soundly sleeping baby around to change a diaper is something that can only interrupt their sleep and make them struggle to settle back down later. If the diaper is truly dirty it will wake them. A slightly damp diaper won’t usually wake them and can be okay to leave on your baby long enough to continue their nap.
Don’t always wake your baby to feed them. There are some times when you should definitely wake your baby to make sure they eat, but in general it will not hurt your baby to go for a 4-6 hour stretch getting quality sleep. When they are newborns you can expect them to wake every 3-4 hours at least for food, but if they happen to sleep a solid 5-6 hours in the first month of life that is okay. Follow your doctors recommendations for a premature or underweight baby since those are times when this rule would not apply. Otherwise, if your baby sleeps 5-6 hours at a time don’t wake them to eat. If they are sleeping 8-10 hours right away however, you will want to talk to your pediatrician and make sure something else isn’t going on. Most babies will sleep in 3-4 hour stretches for at least the first 6-8 weeks of life. After that point, they may begin sleeping longer periods of time.
Co-sleep if breastfeeding. One of the best ways to create a baby schedule for better sleep is simply to co-sleep. While this doesn’t work for everyone, and some believe is a health risk, it can be beneficial especially when breastfeeding. I like having my babies beside me in a playpen or bassinet.
Utilize white noise at nap times. Your baby has been inside your womb for many months and the sounds of your heart are white noise for them. Sometimes the quiet in your home may make it difficult for them to sleep easily. Invest in a womb bear that plays womb sounds, or utilize a sound machine or fan for white noise.
Use blackout curtains. Sometimes even babies require darkness to rest better. Blackout curtains in the nursery or bedroom can keep sunlight out and help them to stay asleep easier and longer.
Feed more prior to nap times. Sometimes it may be hunger that wakes your baby earlier than you would like. Feeding extra prior to nap times may work well. You don’t want to over feed your baby, but you may want to adjust your schedule so their nap time comes right after your regular feedings so they are warm, full and content prior to naps or bedtime.
Be consistent with nap times. A schedule for your baby to nap and go to bed at night is really important. Consistency helps them to learn to not fight sleep. While some things can happen where naps don’t happen right when you want them to, overall you’ll see they sleep better when you are consistent. This means planning errands and events around the baby schedule instead of the baby around them.
These tips to create a baby schedule for better sleep will help your first months with your new child to be much easier to manage since you won’t be as sleep deprived.
Apr 30 | Thoughts on Life
I don’t know what it is, but the thoughts and ideas have been flowing through me like crazy lately. I find it weird, because I didn’t know I had time to think, let alone get anything substantial written out! While we’re getting somewhat of a routine with two kids, I’m still finding it tricky balancing everything! (I should loosen up a bit it’s only been 7 weeks since our new addition…)
Anywho, with Mother’s Day coming up, I thought this would be appropriate to share.
While I’ve only been a mom for just over four years, I feel like I’ve learned one of my biggest life lessons in that time.
I’m a doer and a dreamer. I like to cross to-do’s off a list to feel accomplished and good about myself. (:P) Anyone else??
Anyways, I really struggled with my new life after my first daughter was born. Everything was overwhelming. And if she wasn’t napping when she was “supposed” to be napping, I could feel my tension rise. After all, I had blog posts to write, deals to find and housework to do. I think I missed out on a lot of my daughter’s adorableness because I was too busy serving my needs. (or at least having my priorities all wrong)
After about two years into my journey, something switched in my brain. For one thing, my husband landed a great job, which took a lot of stress off of me thinking I had to make enough money for our family with the income that is generated from Simply Frugal.
But the biggest thing was, that I realized I just had to let my expectations and ideals go. That realization was a game changer for me. I understood that we could still be happy if the dishes piled up. I even knew that we’d be okay if we ate takeout…again. And so what if I didn’t use coupons regularly anymore? I learned to let things go and live in the “everything will be alright” mindset. Simply Frugal suffered a bit, but I’m okay with that too, because in the end I’m helping those of you that need my content the most just by trying my best.
That’s what matters most. Helping those that need help. Those of you that are feeling financially burdened need the tips and deals that I post. My family needs me to be present when I’m with them. Certain things suffer so that the right things can flourish.Â
Now that my second baby is here and still brand new, I realize that this time is short in the grand scheme of things. I need to savour life as it is. I can put myself on the back burner for the time being because I know that the years are short. I’ve become a much happier person now that I’m not fighting with myself and trying to accomplish all the wrong things. Just let. it. go.
I haven’t perfected this new mindset, I still struggle with wanting to put myself first, but it makes it easier knowing that life won’t always be lived with two young kids. They will grow up, fast. This has honestly been the best thing I have done for myself and others. Putting myself aside for the time being. (Though, I do believe there comes a time when I need to care for myself in order to be the best person I can be for others.)
What has been the biggest lesson for you in motherhood so far?
Apr 1 | Thoughts on Life
Oh my goodness you guys! Â I’m so glad to be “back”! I had intentions of letting you all know that our baby girl arrived and giving you a heads up that there won’t be any new deals, coupons and freebies posted while I take a bit of a “maternity leave”.
But…as many of have noticed, the website was down for almost three weeks! Literally, the day she was born, the site went down and then I didn’t have time to sort things out as I was learning life with a new baby.
But now, things seem to be working perfectly after I had the site transferred over to a new hosting service. Whew!
Anyways, I wanted to let you all know that we welcomed a new baby girl, Adelyn, on March 13! Â She’s a wee thing (born weighing 6lbs1oz) but perfect in every way. đ Her big sister Sienna, is completely smitten and so excited to see her grow up. She seems to be a bit fussier than her sister so I’ve been trying my best to learn ways to comfort her. (I really need to learn how to use a baby wrap or something!)
As for Simply Frugal, I mentioned that I would be taking a break from posting sales, coupons, and freebies for a bit. Just while I get my feet under me again. (Don’t worry they will resume!) Â However, I will be posting a few things to the Simply Frugal Facebook page and I do have some great articles scheduled to go up about three times a week that you should enjoy. The newsletter will also start going out again now that I have access to the website!
Thank you so much for sticking with me and I look forward to catching up with you all! đ
