This post is long overdue, but it’s still hard to believe that my baby boy is one! It always seems like that first year just flies by. His birthday came right after our move from Fairbanks, Alaska down to the Emerald Coast in Florida. We had just closed on our first home and his daddy returned after finishing up work duties in Alaska. It was a chaotic time to say the least. Because of that, I didn’t want a huge party and our budget wouldn’t allow for it. So a cute and simple dinosaur birthday party was the perfect fit for Rory, our Ror-a-saur. Read on for some pretty awesome dinosaur birthday party ideas!
Edwin the Duck: The Smart Toy that Helped My Daughter Sleep Through the Night
My daughter has always been a terrible sleeper. Of course, we expected this when she was a newborn. However, as she got older, that time we were promised where she would sleep through the night never came. We waited…and waited. While she did begin sleeping longer stretches eventually, other issues began to surface. First it became a struggle to get her in bed, then to help her fall asleep. Even once she did finally go down, she would be up throughout the night, and then awake for the day before the crack of dawn. We tried everything from different parenting sleep training methods to security items, co-sleeping, you name it. Nothing worked. Finally, our savior arrived in the unlikeliest of forms: Edwin the Duck, a bright yellow smart toy who has saved the day (or night).
DIY Coping Skills Box
A vital but often overlooked tool in helping children learn to effectively manage their emotions is teaching healthy coping skills. Parents can help their children learn these skills through role-modeling, encouragement, positive reinforcement, and verbal praise. It is never too early to start. This DIY coping skills box is a fun and simple way to help children learn and implement coping skills into their routine. This can help reduce temper tantrums, lessen anxiety and sadness, and boost self-esteem. It can also pave the way for self-care techniques they can take with them into adulthood.
Unicorn Birthday Party
When my daughter first told me that she wanted a unicorn birthday party to celebrate her 4th birthday, images of rainbows and glitter unicorns immediately danced in my head. Even pushing thirty, I think I was more excited than she was. Then I came back to reality. We are moving to another state in a few short weeks and I had neither the time nor the funds to plan the extravaganza I had envisioned. However, I was determined to give my daughter a magical unicorn party, but with a firm budget and simple decor in mind. Not only did I stay under budget and keep my sanity, but everything turned out beautifully. Most importantly, my daughter had a blast celebrating her special day.
Breastfeeding Tips for the Working Mom
Let me start off by saying that I am so excited to be able to write this post! When I was a first-time mom with my daughter, I wanted more than anything to breastfeed. I knew that it could be difficult so I read the books, researched online, and asked for advice. By the time my daughter was born, I was confident we would be able to share that bond.