Potty Party! Oh no!

Okay, I'm just not sure what else can go wrong! LOL. My "blogging computer" has crashed, so I resort to writing from my BlackBerry. Poo! So, instead of a great training pant review and giveaway (look for it tomorrow!) I will tell you a little about my potty training experience with EG. First, let me say that she is pretty well potty trained at 20 months, though I really think that's mostly of her own doing! She was ready I guess!

It all started when one of my husband's cousins gave EG a super cute Princess potty for Christmas (when she was 15 months)...she has been interested in using it ever since. We had been telling her for months when we changed her diaper that she had gone "pee pee" or whatever, and she knew that the toilet was the "potty". When we brought home her potty I guess she just understood what a potty was for based on what we had been telling her already. She actually used it that very first night, though I had no intention of actually training or anything for several months. I didn't want to discourage her though!! So that was how it started, and since then she has just used it more and more regularly. It started out very sporadic, but at about 17 months I could tell she was much more aware and we started taking her at regular intervals to go potty. It seemed like I would take her ALL THE TIME, but it paid off because she eventually started telling me when she needed to go. She pretty much tells me every time she needs to go now, though I am sure to remind her if it has been a while. She does great at daycare, and I always put her in waterproof cloth training pants (rather than pull ups). They have been a true lifesaver and contain those accidents that happen (about once a day now) throughout the day. I haven't really put much effort into night training and...confession time...she does wear a pull up at night. I figure she's still young and it's saving me some sanity not to worry about right now at the end of the school year. We'll tackle night training this summer!

So...as you can probably guess...no "potty training in a day" or magic miracles here. It's been a process of several months, but one that has worked well for us and has been fairly stress free. Pretty much the only stressful times are getting EG to sit on the potty and "go" when she doesn't want to, or when she is in the middle of playing. Other than that I've found it to be easier and less stressful than I thought!

Okay, my thumbs feel like they are going to fall off, so I'm going to stop for tonight! I'll share an awesome MOM Innovations Potty Patty/Potty Scotty training pant review and giveaway with you tomorrow, as well as some tips and tricks I've learned through the past few months. Stay tuned, and check out the other great giveaways going on right now!

Timesaver Tuesday: Know When to Say "No"

Today's tip is short and sweet and oh so hard to do. But, it is most definitely a timesaver when you can put it into effect!

I am of the personality type that wants to please others, even if it makes me unhappy sometimes. I dont' like to make anyone upset, disappointed, or unhappy. I'm a people pleaser. I feel like, for the most part, this is probably a good thing, but sometimes I need to focus on me, my family, and our needs. On the one hand, I can get along with most anyone, can work well in a group, and tend to be one that you can depend on to help you out in a bind. Great, right? But, on the other hand, I have a hard time saying "no" when asked to help someone out, take on a new responsiblitiy, go somewhere with someone, etc., so I sometimes over extend myself to the point that everyone else is pleased, and I am stressed and over tired. Thus, the exact reason everyone should know when to say "no".

As working moms, we already do a lot by going out each day and doing our part to help support our families. Then we come home and take care of a little one, either by ourselves or with a spouse's help. I can attest that these things, in and of themelves, involve a lot of time, effort, and sometimes stress. Because of this, we need to learn to say "no" if we need to. For some, this is no problem, but, if you're like me, it is a learned process. I have learned to take time to think about a request before saying "yes" or "no". This allows me the opportunity to decide whether or not I truly have the time to fulfill the request. Previously, I would have said "yes" then later wondered, "what was I thinking??". To agree to something that you don't truly hae time for will cause you and your family extra, undeserved stress, and no one needs that. You owe it to yourself and your loved ones to do what you need to do for you when you need to. It doesn't make you a worse person to say "no" once in a while; your family will appreciate it! You'll be a much better wife, mommy, friend, etc. if you know your limits!

Back to Work!

Well, Spring Break has ended and it's back to work tomorrow. I always get so irritable and antsy the day before I go back when I've had a little break! However, I am thankful that I am in a profession where we are allowed these nice breaks throughout the year. I truly think that it is for our sanity and the childrens' safety that teachers and students get the breaks we do throughout the year...LOL.

Anyway, throughout this break I have become more aware of some things I'm not sure I would have ever become aware of were I not a working mom. I have always found that since I am away from EG all day during the work week, I truly appreciate every second that I spend with her. Now, I'm certainly not saying that stay at home or work at home moms don't appreciate the time they spend with their kids, but I know that working keeps it at the forefront of my mind all the time. The highlight of my day, every day, is picking her up in the afternoons. I am just as happy to see her as she is to see me. I also find that I try very hard to make the most of the time I spend with her in the evenings, on the weekends, and during breaks. Sure there are things that have to be done like grocery shopping, house work, etc. But, I still try to include EG in those things by taking her with me to the grocery store rather than leaving her at home (even though that would be much faster and easier at times!!) or letting her "help" me with chores around the house. I just love spending time with her! I think that maybe if I stayed at home it might be easier for me to take for granted the time I have with her, but working makes me realize how precious it is. One day maybe I'll be able to stay home with her full time, and if that day comes I know that my experience as a working mom will have done nothing but help me to appreciate staying at home even more.

Even though we were not able to go on vacation this Spring Break, it has been one of my favorites so far. Also, since my husband is not currently working due to being laid off, we were able to spend time together as a family all week. It has actually been one of my favorite Spring Breaks so far! We have had more fun together this week than in the last few months combined. We've been to the park, on walks, digging for worms, planting flowers, to the zoo (so fun!), and just enjoyed sleeping in. Loving life right now!

Just some thoughts from a mom trying to feel better about going back to work tomorrow...

I think it may have worked :)

Timesaver Tuesday: Feed Me First!

I'm not sure that today's tip is as much as time saver as it is a sanity saver. Over the last nearly 18 months, I have learned that dinner time is much easier if I feed EG first. This is especially true now that she is more active and hates to sit still longer than a few minutes at a time. What we started doing a few months ago is going ahead and getting EG her plate of food before we sit down to eat. That way, the focus is all on her and she can take as little or much time as she needs without aggravating hubby and I by getting up and down. If we haven't sat down to eat yet or are not in the middle of eating, we don't mind getting her down and cleaning her up early. We don't get to do this every night, but it's definitely nice for her to already be finished with dinner so that we can sit down and enjoy ours. While we eat, EG can either sit in her highchair and finish eating (if she hasn't already), sit in her highchair and draw or play with something, or play in the kitchen. This is, obviously, hard to do at restaurants, but at home it works great! Also, it's not something that I want to continue forever because I feel like (and research shows!) family meals are VERY important (even though she does stay with us through dinner...). It may not be a solution for everyone, but it works for us. In the end, I'm sure it saves time as well because we don't have to interrupt our dinner to put her down, clean her up, etc. Try it and see if it works for you!

Timesaver Tuesday: Bag it up!

Today's timesaving tip is one that I try very hard to implement, and saves so much time when I actually do it!

A great way to save time in the morning, before going out, when packing lunches, etc. is to go ahead and divide up snacks, fruit, etc. into single servings so that you can just grab and go when you are headed out the door. I know I always carry a snack with me for EG to munch on in the car, while we are waiting in line, or shopping at the grocery store. It's so much easier when I can look in the cabinet, grab a snack, and run rather than finding a bag (which we are probably out of...lol), getting the Cheerios down, pouring some out (while trying to hold EG and not spill them!), and then heading out the door. So the next time you buy that container of Beech-Nut Yogurt Nibbles (EG's favorite!) or some other favorite snack, go ahead and make some "ready to go" snack bags. It will save you a little time and sanity when you need it!

Timesaver Tuesday: When to Work

If you need to finish working on something (that truly can't wait until tomorrow), go ahead and stay a little bit after work to finish it rather than taking it home.

Every minute I am late after work makes me feel a little more guilty. Because of this I try to leave school as quickly as possible in the afternoons. Usually, this isn't a problem as long as I utilize my planning period appropriately. Lately, though, I have had a lot of paperwork to complete, and I have more than I can finish during planning. Although I feel guilty for staying late after work, I have found that the same task that takes 30 minutes after work will take twice as long (if not longer) if I take it home. Thus, it actually takes more time away from my family when I take work home. At home, EG always ends up fighting with the computer for my attention (who can blame her?) and I end up in a bad mood because I can't get finished. Also, it isn't fair to her, when she hasn't seen me all day, to pick her up from daycare and then ignore her for an hour! It is better for all of us if I just stay a little longer at work and then enjoy the rest of the day with my family, not having to worry about work or find time to get something done.

Image source: http://hr.ucsb.edu/icons/work_life.jpg

Timesaver Tuesday

Starting today (forgive me for the late start for my first Tuesday...lol) I'm going to be writing a weekly Timesaver Tuesday tip. After all, this blog is focused on products, tips, and ideas to help you make the most of your time spent with your precious little ones. Thus, I thought a Timesaver Tuesday would be totally terrific! I hope that this is a post that you can look forward to each week, and I'd be delighted if you'd share your own timesaving tips with me! They may even be featured on a future Tuesday! Now for the first ever Timesaver Tuesday...

I'm going to keep it simple this first week...very simple! My best daily timesaver is getting all of EG's clothes and accessories set out the night before, even her diaper. I set everything out in a stack on her changing table in the order it gets put on (i.e. diaper on top...shoes on the bottom). Having everything ready to go in the morning saves us at least 15 minutes. And in the morning when hubby and I are rushing to get ourselves ready for work, 15 minutes is a lifetime! Now if I could just get MY clothes organized the night before, EVERY night...

Making the Most of 2009

If you are anything like me, you have never been able to keep a New Year's Resolution in your entire life. Every year I make one, and every year I end up breaking it before the end of February. This year I made a resolution to not make any resolutions (okay, technically I guess that's still a resolution but that's beside the point...). Instead, I am simply going to go into 2009 with no expectations, no timelines, no lofty goals other than to make the most of the year. Nothing specific, no set weight loss goals, no "read x amount of books before (date)", no work out 30 minutes each day, nada. All I want from 2009 is to make the very most of the time I have. Being a working mommy, I don't have near enough of it, so making the most of the time I do have is super important. Over the last 15 months since I've had my daughter I've collected a plethora of ideas, tips, tricks, products, etc. that help me to save time. So, to kick off 2009 I am making a list of some of my best advice on making the most of your time and a I'll also share a few "must have" products. I hope that you would leave me some comments with your great ideas and products too. Here goes (in no particular order):

My best working mommy advice:

1. Always leave work at work. There will always be something to stress or worry about, but stressing and worrying don't change anything. Don't waste family time worrying about work. This is a hard one for me!

2. There is no such thing as having 'too many pictures'. Snap away when you're with your kids! I keep a small digital camera with me at all times, and my BlackBerry also has a little camera (more on the BlackBerry in a minute).

3. Find the right caretaker for your child during the day. Keep searching until you are 100% confident, no matter if you choose a home, daycare center, nanny, etc.

4. Eat dinner together as a family as often as possible. It's proven that families who eat together, stay together.

5. Cut down on TV time to actually play and be present with your children.

6. Loosen up on schedules. The only time I have with EG during the week is in the evenings and we don't have a strict bed time. I don't try to keep her awake by any means, but I don't rush her off to bed at a specific time either. Sleep experts somewhere are probably cringing at that thought, but it has worked for us!

7. Here's a new one for me...don't put on shoes and socks until you reach your destination. At about 14 months, my daughter's favorite new thing in the car was to tear her shoes and socks off and throw them (where I can't find them of course). By the time we had reached our destination I would have to go on a treasure hunt and then put them back on her all over again. Now, I just let her ride in the car in her bare feet and put the shoes and socks on when we get where we are going. This way I don't have to put them on twice.

8. Read together every day. It doesn't take that much time to read a children's book, and the time it does take is worth it. Not only are you spending priceless snuggle time together, but you are fostering a lifelong love of books and reading.

9. Enroll in an evening or weekend class together. We've tried out a couple of classes and our favorite is Music Together. EG loves music so this was a good choice for us. Also, it is near our house and is only 45 minutes once a week. These classes create built in time focused simply on spending time together. Search for a class or group in your city that is in an area you already enjoy. Some you might want to check out are mommy and baby/child yoga classes, play/fitness classes (Gymboree, Little Gym, etc.), and music classes. Bigger cities also have parent fitness classes that include baby, like Stroller Strides.

Some of my favorite "must carry all the time" products:

1. Moleskin notebooks (or any brand really...I just prefer this one for ease of use, style, and durability) - Probably the single most thoughtful gift I ever received from my husband was a mini moleskin notebook and a set of cute mechanical pencils given to me last Christmas as a gift for when I started back to work. They were given to me with the instructions to keep them in my diaper bag and write down any special thoughts or moments I had with EG. This way I could transfer them at some point to the computer or baby book or wherever, but I always had something with me that I could jot down important things.

2. The Snack Trap - This little contraption speaks for itself. Flexible "trap" top lets little fingsers easily get a few snacks out while the rest stay in, even if dropped. Less mess for on-the-go snacks. Couldn't live without it!

3. Mini video camera - This is a new "must have" that I received for Christmas and boy am I so glad I have it. I don't always have time to get together and carry around our main video camera all the time, and, let's be honest, it's just not practical. And, more often than not, we are somewhere other than home more often than we are at home during the week. These little gadgets easily fit in a diaper bag or pocket and let me capture anything I want to on the go! I love it! There are several options on the market; I have the Kodak zi6 (which you can get in a cool bundle at Walmart for a great price) and think it's fabulous! Other popular styles are the Flip cameras: Mino, Mino HD, and Ultra.

4. BlackBerry Curve - I LOVE this phone so much and I don't think I'll ever switch (except maybe to the Storm if it ever comes to T-mobile)! This is definitely a time saver because I have my calendar, e-mail, contacts, TwitterBerry, Facebook, etc. all right there in my pocket. And, in a pinch, it also has a built in camera and video camera (granted they are not that great, but definitely better than nothing). I love the whole BlackBerry line but the Curve is my favorite because of the full keyboard which makes for easy texting and Twitter-ing.

5. "From the mom of..." Notes - I love these because I don't have time to write detailed notes in the mornings. I'm always running out the door at the last minute, rushing to get EG to daycare and make it to work on time. I'm not a morning person. So, I couldn't live without my "From the mom of..." notes that already have the information you write on every note already there. It already says your child's name, your name, contact numbers (so the daycare doesn't have to look them up if there's a problem), and e-mail address and all you have to add is your note. It's not like it saves 10 minutes, but every second counts during my mornings. I also make my own template in Photoshop Elements and print several out to keep in the car, rather than buying expensive customized notes. If you'd like my template, let me know! I'd be glad to customize it and share it with you!

Hope these lists give you some tips for making the most of 2009! Best wishes everyone!