My "Wayment" Moment...

Today I was trying to do Savannah's hair while she having a picnic with a headless Princess Tiana and Peppa Pig. She kept moving and squirming and serving sandwiches and I became frustrated. Doesn't she know she has dance tonight? I have to get her hair done before we run errands and start dinner. She needs to sit still I kept thinking (and repeating over and over again).

While I was cooking dinner I decided to start researching some half day programs. My baby girl will be four this year. As I was seasoning ribs, talking on the phone to the preschool lady and listening to the baby cry Savannah kept asking me to blow up some balloons for her. "Can't you see I'm on the phone?", I thought.

After I got off the phone I started blowing up balloons. She was so happy. Twirling and playing as if she was seeing a balloon for the first time. That's when it hit me…

Wayment…[Pronounced: way•mint] 1. the act of saying, "wait a minute…" in a hurried fashion.

She will be starting school next school year. This is my last year having her home with me all day. This is it. She's going to be at school. With a teacher. In class. All day. My baby will be gone… at least from eight to twelve anyway, LOL!

So.

I am sharing this because it made me realize that maybe we take our kids for granted sometimes. It occurred to me to day that I am guilty of this. I have been letting her 3s work all my nerves lately. All of them. It has caused me not to truly enjoy the little moments. I should have been enjoying that picnic with her but I was too busy letting my frustrations get the best of me.

Can anyone else relate to this? Have you had a 'wayment' or aha moment lately?

30th Birthday Countdown: What I'm Wearing in Vegas

I have finally narrowed down my options for my trip to Vegas. I didn't want to spend a lot of money shopping before our trip. Mama wants to make sure she has money to spend in Vegas you know what I mean?

Just when I thought I was going to have buy one of the dresses I showed you before Jesus smiled down on me with a 50% off sale at Express. While checking out the sale I saw that they had restocked my initial birthday outfit that was previously sold out. So happy that I'll get to wear sequins on my birthday and it cost less than dinner for two at a Vegas buffet. Win.

Party Looks by thechicsahm featuring a blue dress

Now y'all know I love black. I have said that many many many times here on the blog. So it's no wonder that almost all of my night looks are black. I can't help it. To switch things up a bit I am taking this blue dress with me. It's cute, comfortable and it has an exposed back zipper which I love. I'll be pairing the leather skirt with a sheer black top. So cute and sexy. 

I have this whole strategy for packing and doing a carry-on bag. It can be done. (i hope) What do you think about these looks?

REPOST: The Smother Mother

Originally posted March 5, 2012

A term I resent. What is a smother mother? She can only be defined as a woman who is most often times surrounded by her children. She keeps a close eye on them. Some would say that she is over protective. The smother mother has the ability to hover in a way that makes others wonder about her technique. Other mothers would probably say that the smother mother needs a little break. I disagree.

As a self diagnosed smother mother I would first like to make it known that a smother mother can not help it. Mainly because she doesn't see her behavior as anything but loving. I can only speak for myself but I truly do not see what the issue is. Honestly, it hardly ever crosses my mind to do anything without my daughter. It's almost as if my mind can't even compute the thought. Apparently the part of my brain that tells you to hire a babysitter just doesn't work.

I have had several people offer to babysit so that my husband and I could enjoy some time alone. I do not mind leaving her for the occasional dinner, it's the idea that something is wrong with me because I won't leave her more often that disturbs me. For the record, I am not afraid that anything is going to happen to her. I trust that my friends and family are more than capable to watch her. The truth is, I just like having her around. I enjoy her company. Go figure. As tiny as she is, she is the life of the party. My family is more complete with her and I feel like something is missing when she's away. Would I have an amazing time on a solo date with my husband? Absolutely. Do I feel like our experience is different when we're out as a group? Not at all.

I have enjoyed every second of my daughter's existence. I have not missed a moment. I remember her first tear, her first laugh and the first time she got the hiccups. I even have two out of those three on tape! Whenever I do decide to spend a weekend away I want to make sure I can do it with no regrets. Right now, I can't say that I could do that. I also know that if I am going to spend any long period of time away it needs to be worth it. I'm not dropping her off somewhere, just to return home. What kind of "break" is that? My break will involve sand between my toes and the sun on my skin.

So, in conclusion, do not fear the smother mother. Her heart is in the right place, she just wants peace of mind. We should all focus our attention on the "other mother". The woman who's children are always with a nanny or a family member. Her weekends are always free, and unlike the smother mother she appears to not have a care in the world. That mother will wake up one day and wonder where the time went. I won't. If you check my laptop I can show you where the time went. I have the pictures and videos to prove it.

Who am I kidding? I have to admit, there is something to be admired about the other mother. Who knows, maybe when my daughter is a little older I'll become a nice hybrid mix of the other and the smother. I'm getting there, but until then I'm smothering and hovering my life away.

REPOST: Balancing Act

Originally posted on May 17, 2012...

In my former life I worked in the sales industry. It was competitve. It was aggressive. It was what I did. In that field you have to be turned on at all times. For every minute that you spend checking your personal email or having a chat at the water cooler you miss out on money. That's what sales is about. A commission. You must be consistently productive to achieve any type of success.

Since becoming a mother and staying at home I have had a hard time adjusting to the lack of pressure. Motherhood isn't a competition and there certainly isn't a commission to be earned at the end of the month. Just hugs, kisses and milestones. So what keeps you going? What keeps us from becoming frumpy old housewives? Well, for me I think it has to be my type A personality. No matter how hard I try I just can't seem to turn it off.

I actually feel guilty if I don't take my daughter on an outing everyday. It feels strange to stay home for the entire day. I also I have not been able to do that whole "sleep while the baby is sleeping" thing, or even take a break when she naps. I feel that those are my opportunities to cook dinner or clean. I can get it done much faster when she's not clinging to my leg or asking to be held. However, after a few weeks of the constant going I do hit a wall. Today, I ran into one full speed. So, I did something I rarely ever do. When she went down for her nap I turned on the tv, peeped inside the DVR and caught myself up on one of my favorite shows.

I just sat there with a glass of tea. I must admit that midway thru the show instead of fast forwarding thru the commercials I got dinner started. What I realized was that it is completely okay to have one day a week where we don't have a plan. We don't have to go anywhere. I discovered today that she is completely happy playing with her toys right here in the comfort of our own home. I do not have to be turned on all the time. Every second doesn't have to be filled with flash cards or story time. She is happy playing and dancing and pretending. It's okay for me to have an hour of downtime. After all, I'm a Mom not a Ring Master. No one is buying tickets to this show. It's not a competition. I'm not going to get an award for doing the most housework or having dinner done by five. So, I can relax. It's ok.



Kid Free Anxiety

We are now a little under two months until my Flirty30 celebration. Time is flying a little too fast for me. I didn't think I would have so much anxiety about leaving the kids for a couple days but the closer we get to my birthday the more nervous I become. I have never been away from them for more than an hour or two so this is a big step for me.

I know that they'll be in good hands but I'm still having a hard time with thinking about being gone for a few days. Maybe it's because I'm still a relatively  new mom and still somewhat of a Smother Mother. I would like to think that it's hard for any woman to leave her kids for the first time. Today while talking to a friend I admitted that I'm not even that excited about the trip because I feel bad for leaving the kids.

I know I need to have some time away. I know I need to relax and have some fun kid free but knowing that doesn't make it any easier. My goal is to slowly begin to get excited. I can plan fun things for us to do, think about my outfits and know that the kids will enjoy being spoiled by their Grandmother.

After all, a Flirty30 isn't going to be all that fabulous if I'm a nervous wreck the whole time. How did you handle being away from your children overnight for the first time?

A Chic Thanksgiving: The Menu

I have been anxiously waiting for this week to come so that I could start my series on Thanksgiving. Thanksgiving is by far my favorite holiday. I do love what Christmas is about but because that is often lost with the "fuss" of Christmas, Thanksgiving has hands down become my favorite holiday.

I love the time of togetherness with my family. I love the way Thanksgiving smells and the way the air feels outside. Y'all already know I'm an Autumn girl and Thanksgiving is one of the main reasons why.  It's a great time for reflection and recognition of all of our blessings. It's also a time to enjoy some amazing food guilt free.

During this series I will be sharing four different posts. The first is about a traditional southern Thanksgiving menu. Right after I got married my Mother made me a Thanksgiving cookbook full of all of our family's recipes. It has everything from appetizers to desserts. She even wrote me a beautiful letter about life, love and marriage. I hope to pass the book down to Savannah with a letter for her when she gets married. 

As a young woman it was so helpful to have this menu. At the time, I wasn't the cook I am today. As an Army Wife, not living near family, I needed this book as a guide. It taught me how to pull off a very successful Thanksgiving dinner with no help. I actually get excited about Thanksgiving. It's like the Super Bowl for women who like to cook, it's a big deal. I find that part of my success comes with keeping it simple and traditional. 

So. If you're someone that doesn't live close to family but you still want to have a bomb Thanksgiving... OR you're someone that just needs a plan for how to do Thanksgiving dinner without getting all stressed, this series is for you.

Here is what we're making for Thanksgiving this year. It's very simple but it's PACKED with comforting flavors. You will love this easy to do meal. 

Coming Up in this series:

A Chic Thanksgiving: The Shopping List & The Grocery Store

A Chic Thanksgiving: Getting It All Done

A Chic Thanksgiving: Decorating and Hostess Tips

Teaching Your Toddler How to Treat You...

I mentioned recently in this post that I was giving myself a break when it came to my behavior expectations for Savannah. Her personality has blossomed quite a bit over this past month and I can not say that it is agreeing with me. Actually. Her sassiness is just not going to work for me. On any level.

Now. While I am still holding true to the statements made in that first post I am back with another "revelation". It came to my attention one day last week as I was repeating myself for the fourth (or fifth or sixth) time that just as Savannah begins to assert her independence this is a great time to teach her how to treat me. After all, she is in a learning stage. She is figuring out what she can and can not get away with, and I am here to let her know that certain things just aren't going to work for Mommy.

Somewhere between repeating myself and being told "No, Mommy." it hit me. "I am going to have to teach this girl how to treat me." Don't we do that with everyone else in our lives? We teach them what we will and won't accept. As a (somewhat) new Mom I had been focusing all my discipline efforts on teaching her what to do and not to do but not necessarily teaching her how to appropriately address me (and other adults). I grew up in a house where we said "ma'am" and "sir". Now that Little Miss Vocabulary has started getting a little bit too sassy for my taste it's time to start nipping this in the bud. I remember when my youngest brother went through this stage it drove my parents nuts. Now I understand why...

So while I still don't expect her to behave like a five year old I DO expect her to act like a very well behaved three year old. We never experienced the "terrible twos" so this has been a crazy past couple of weeks. She's real slick too. She doesn't yell and scream like you see the kids on TV doing. Her tone is very grown up which I think is more insulting, ha ha! Anyway. Moral to the story is if you spare the rod you'll spoil your child. If you allow them to be a sassy three year old they'll be cursing you out by the time they're in second grade. It's not happening.

Welcome to the Sassy Threes where little girls get their first attitude adjustment.

Fall Family Photos 2013

As promised here are some of the images from our Fall family photo shoot. I am in love with these pictures. If you are in the San Antonio area and need a good family photographer I highly recommend Crystal Claire Photography. She is great with kids and I really feel like we got a lot for our money.

I love that Baby M was yawning and checking out the sites! As Kevin Hart would say, "We look good as a unit!" LOL! 

And one with my love...

And one of the littles...

There were so many great shots from our session. Pretty sure that file has been open on our computer since we got our pictures back. I had the hardest time trying to find something for all of us to wear. I'm really happy with the outcome. How often does your family have pictures made? 

How Nature Celebrates...

Summer is finally coming to a close. (Oh. Wait. I live in Texas and it's still going to be hot here.) Finally. My favorite season is Fall. I love it. I love the smell of Autumn, the changing leaves and the cooler temps. As I have mentioned before on the blog I am planning to have quite the style transformation this season. I plan to celebrate the end of summer the way nature does during Fall and change up my look. 

I find it so extremely cool that the beautiful green trees that line the streets of our neighborhood will go from being vibrantly green to a multitude of colors. I figure if the trees can have a seasonal makeover so can I. Ever since I decided to really try to get back in touch with who I am since becoming a Mom the one thing that seemed natural to me is the color black. As I've said before black outfits are like second nature to me.

Mommy's Morning Out Part One by thechicsahm featuring dog boots

Some may find this collection boring but I feel inspired. I see myself toting these babies to play dates, lifting them in and out of the car in style. Looking and feeling my best. Don't get me wrong I love prints and color (and you'll see that in parts two and three) but my love for black is close to my heart. It's simple and easy. Just like my parenting style. I see lots of comfy tops, black blouses and red lipstick in my future and I'm excited about it. Celebrating the beginning of a new season and a new me.

Every Friday, Deer Park® Nature's Blends™ Fruit Flavored Beverages is sharing beautiful ways that nature celebrates with a reminder to treat yourself to a celebration, too. Head over to the Deer Park® Facebook page every Friday for inspiration to celebrate naturally and share your own story on their page.

 Thank you for supporting the brands that allow me to be a Chic Stay at Home Mom.

This is a sponsored post. All opinions express are my own.

PreSchool at Home: Finger Paint Flashcards

We have officially started adding more hands on activities to our routine. We have always played learning games and read books but I wanted to start introducing Savannah to Pre-K skills. I want to make sure she can hold a pencil, use scissors properly and listen to instructions for activities.

Today I thought it would be fun for her to make some number "cards". I have been collecting paper bags from the grocery store so we used that to make our cards. I cut down the center of one side to make to strips of paper.

I then cut the bottom of the bag off to make a paint holder. Save the rest of your bag for another activity later.

I then cut the two strips into six squares or "cards".

As we went through the numbers I wrote the number out. I then showed her how to write the numerical version of the number. Then it was her turn to write the number. For the tougher numbers I made dots and had her connect them.

On the other side of the card I wrote the number out again and had her paint the appropriate number of dots on the card.

She used the left over paint to make a picture. She enjoyed herself. Today we made cards for numbers one through six. We'll work with these cards by placing them around the house. When she sees a card I'll have her do one of the following things: -Count up to that number. -Count as high as she can starting from that number. -Tell me what comes before and after the number.
From what I've read it is important to have children prepared to work with numbers one through twenty before they start kindergarten. What do you think of this activity? 

Thought Bubbles...

I haven't done one of these in a while so here goes....

My husband is starting school next week. He's getting his Master's. I'm happy about what that mean for our family but nervous about all the changes we'll have to make. He'll need homework and study time which means I'll have less "me" time. Everything has a season, right?...

I ordered a bikini for our trip to the beach next month. Still not sure how I feel about wearing a bikini this soon after baby but my husband asked me to get one so....

I have started having headaches. Pretty sure it's related to my blood pressure. Made an appointment this morning to get that straightened out...

While watching the Real Housewives of Orange County I realized that Gretchen needs to leave the show. That group of women will never let her be great. They are all hypocrites that need to back off of the botox and self/spray tanner...

I do love Andy Cohen though. Did you see Watch What Happens Live with Oprah?...

Our new weekly routine has been really good for Savannah. Now if I could just get the baby to sleep a little earlier at night I'll be set...

My baby brother leaves for college this weekend. That makes me feel old and proud all at the same time...

I have been making some really good dinners lately thanks to Pinterest and the awesome ladies that I follow there...

I'm contemplating buying a nice flat iron. I doubt I would use it much though...

I am also contemplating dying my hair. It will probably never happen...

I'm seriously considering having an all black Fall...

I just stepped in water that Savannah spilled on the floor. Now my sock it wet...

Under the Dome has surprised me by being one of my favorite shows this summer...

I am probably more excited about turning 30 than I ever was about turning 16, 18 or 21...

That's all for now. I'll be spending the rest of the day doing laundry. Hopefully I can sneak in a workout. What is everyone up to today?

31 Days 31 Photos 31 Stories of My Favorite Things

Favorite past time....

I always enjoyed being shape and working out. I am hoping to make the tips in this picture more of a "present" time instead of a past time. My goal is to be a hot Mama by my Flirty30 in February. The lady in the pic is Jeanette Jenkins. I have talked about her workout videos on the blog many times. Her workout DVDs are an incredible beat you down till you can't do no more kind of work out. 

Favorite word or saying...

I am so glad the advice I was given was able to connect with so many of you on Instagram. My Mom said this to me years ago and I never forgot it. I repeat it to myself often. When I feel like I'm going through one of those "Why not me?"situations. It is important to remember that our life journey is not a race or competition but in God's time we will receive all of His many blessings for our life. Complaining gets us no where. Being content doesn't mean you are settling it just means that you are choosing not to compare, compete or complain. If you need a powerful pick me up read this post again.

Favorite view...

The beach. I love the ocean. Savannah asked for a trip to the beach for her birthday and I am beyond excited. (By the way, what kid turning 3 asks for a trip for their birthday.) We'll be visiting this beach next month. Yes. 

Favorite fruit...

I love tomatoes. I eat at least two of them everyday. Sliced on a sandwich or diced in a salad they are my favorite fruit. 
Favorite Jewelry...

This ring was a Christmas gift from my husband a few years ago. I don't wear it often but I think it's beautiful.

Video Diary 8132013

A BIG HUGE Thank you to all the Chic Moms that submitted their funny stories for Part II of What Not to Say to Moms. I enjoyed reading all your stories. Have a happy Tuesday!

Chic Gadget: The Fitbit One

Whew. First let's talk about smack down beat down tired I am. As you know I've been trying to workout and get in shape by my Flirty 30 (that's how I'll be referring to my birthday from here on out). Between the lack of sleep at night and living my life during the day this Mama is beat down. 

Anyway. You might recall that I had the opportunity to review the Fitbit One. (I spoke briefly about it in this YouTube vlog) The Fitbit tracks your steps, distance, stairs climbed and calories burned. It also tracks your sleep. You can sync to your computer or smartphone using BlueTooth. What I loved most about the Fitbit is that you can use the free app to track your meals, goals, weigh loss and water intake. You can even connect with friends. 

I absolutely loved it for tracking my activity and calories burned. It was also pretty cool to see how many calories I had consumed and how much water I was REALLY drinking in a day.

Now.

I didn't use the Fitbit to track my sleep. I'm pretty sure that feature is incredible but with a newborn in the house I knew the Fitbit would tell me that I suck at getting rest. No need to kick me when I'm down so I opted not to use it to track my sleep. Other than that I have nothing but love for this device. It's a great motivator. It's small enough to snap on to a bra or tank top strap. It also comes with an arm band if that's your thing. Has anyone tried the Fitbit?

*I received a sample product for this review. All opinions are my own.

Pre-School at Home

In an attempt to try not to sound like I'm whining I want to talk about Pre-School and how my child isn't old enough. At first I was very upset that she wouldn't be able to start school. She's ready. After looking up all the schools in our area I learned that the birthday cut off is September 1. Since her birthday falls two weeks after that she wouldn't be eligible for any of the programs this year.

I even looked at putting her in some of the highly recommended private programs. They had programs with curriculums for three year olds, but your child has to be three by September 1. Bummer. I then considered putting her in one of the Mother's Morning Out programs. I figured it would be good for her and she would still be able to learn in a group setting. Once I learned that the MMO program didn't follow a curriculum I decided to take a step back. I was told that the MMO program offers learning through play and that the three year old school is the first time curriculum is offered for students. So, with all that information... I decided that it would be best to continue teaching Savannah at home.

She already participates in activities. We go on play dates and I plan to start taking her to a weekly playgroup once the older kids here go back to school. There is also a program here called Ready Set Learn that's pretty awesome. It's a pre-school type class that meets once a week. We'll be starting that too. My goal is to have her doing something learning related every day. Between the resources that I have available to me thru play groups and Ready Set Learn, her dance class and the activities we'll be doing at home I feel pretty confident in my decision to not put her in a MMO program. Why would I pay for her to go somewhere twice a week when I can get that same learning environment for free? 

I have already started collecting our supplies for our at home learning days. Of course I've been on Pinterest looking up different activities too. I also found a book on Amazon I plan to use as a guide along with a book that I've had since I was a child. I think this will be a good start for us. Here are some of the supplies we have so far. I've been getting paper bags for my groceries for arts and crafts. I love the Leap Frog Learning Skills books for handwriting and worksheet style activities. There are still some things I need to get but I think this is good for now. We already had crayons, paint, playdough, chalk and lots of other art supplies so I didn't have to get much of that. I do however need to stock up on more crafty items like beads, pipe cleaners, colored tissue paper and all those types of materials.

How did you go about getting your little one ready for Pre-K and Kindergarten? 

31 Days 31 Photos 31 Stories of My Favorite Things

Happy Friday! I'm participating in the My Favorite Things photo challenge. This photo challenge was created by the writer of the blog Inspired By Beatrice Clay. She writes a beautiful blog about truth and pretty things. I also follow her on all social media and her Pinterest is to DIE FOR! You will swoon and drool and gasp over her findings. Please join me in this photo challenge. Leave your Instagram name in the comments if you decide to play. Visit her blog for all the details on the challenge. She's giving away goodies to some of the lucky players.

Day One: Self Portrait

Here I am in all of my fresh faced splendor. I don't normally wear make up to play dates. Mainly because it's over 100 degrees here in San Antonio every day. It's too hot to have your face beat to the heavens. So. This is the real me with a splash of an Instagram filter. 

Day Two: Color (Black)

I can not express how much I love the color black. I gravitate towards it whenever I'm shopping. I have to make a conscious effort to choose colors and prints. Even though I love color I just can't escape my love for black. Black with gold accessories. I could wear it everyday. I have even considered having an all black Fall/Winter. Just because I love it so much. We'll see. The jury is still out on that. I don't want my husband to think I'm going through a dark phase. I might just do it.

Video Diary 7312013

I wanted to share my plan for getting back into shape after the baby. I am going to attempt to use the same plan that I used after having Savannah. My goal is to be in great shape by the time I turn thirty in February. I don't have a goal weight or size. I just want to feel good and be as toned as possible without looking like a body builder. 

Ab Workouts

This app makes you watch a twenty minute video before you're able to do any of the work outs. That was kind of irritating but it might be helpful to you. 

Nike Training Club

I LOVE LOVE LOVE this app! There are several workouts to choose from within the different categories. Each workout is broken down into minutes. I like that feature because I can break down the work outs if I'm short on time. You can also try the workouts in the Get Focused category if you need a shorter workout. Those workout target a specific area for about 15 minutes. This app works. Trust me. I  used it after I had Sav and I had some really great results. 

What are some of your favorite ways to workout?

The Thing About Parenting That Surprised Me The Most...

*I have received product or compensation for this post. All opinions expressed are my own.

Today I wanted to take some time to reflect on what surprises me the most about being a Mom. All your life you hear these stories about parenting. You might hear a parent with a new baby talk about the sleepless nights. You might hear a Mom or Dad talk about having to drive around the block all night to get their little one to sleep. Since I grew up with a baby in my home I was pretty familiar with babies. 

What I wanted to talk about today were the little things that have surprised me. The stuff I didn't grow up hearing about. The stories that don't necessarily get told all that often. For starters, I am very surprised at how selfless you become once you become a parent. I've heard this before but no one ever made the degree of selflessness that clear to me. I remember when there was a day when I'd shop and shop and shop. Ever since I became a parent I don't have the desire to buy things the way I did before. Of course I still love trend watching and treating myself to something every now and then but I have to make a conscious effort to shop for myself. I want to do things for myself and take time out for myself but the truth is whenever I do have free time I use it to do something fun with my kids. Being selfless goes far beyond these two examples but you get where I'm going...

I'm also way more cautious than I've ever been in my whole life. I've never been so aware of how to prevent something from happening. Before I had kids I don't remember using sunscreen unless I was at the beach. Now I'm rubbing everyone down before we leave the house and then spraying everyone every two hours while we're out. Since babies have sensitive skin I've already started thinking about rubbing a little diaper rash ointment on Baby M's bottom at night to prevent diaper rash. I would hate for him to have any discomfort. I plan to use Dr. Smith's diaper rash ointment for long car rides and overnight sleeping. We'll be going to the beach in September and I've already started gathering things for water safety and researching baby tents for the beach. These are some of the little things that surprise me about parenting. There are so many little things you'll do just to prevent something else from happening. From choosing the right car seat to finding the perfect beach tent I'm so much more cautious then I ever thought I would be.

Another thing that surprises me about parenting is how much it has made me appreciate my own parents. Before I became a Mom I don't think I ever really thought about how hard it must have been for my parents to raise my brothers and I. I had a great childhood but I'm sure it came with some sacrifice. I think about my parents in a completely different way now. I am so much more understanding. Now I know for sure that everything they did for me (whether I liked it or not) was done out of love and in consideration of my well being. I am so much more appreciative of every time they told me no or changed my curfew. For every Christmas and family vacation. I can definitely get where they were coming from. 

What has surprised you the most about parenting?

Dr. Smith's diaper rash ointment is now available nationwide at Walgreens. Visit the  Dr. Smith's website to find a Walgreens in your area. For a chance to win a $50 Walgreens gift card and a supply of Dr. Smith's diaper rash ointment enter using the widget below.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

How to get through the next day after a Sleepless Night...

I can barely keep my eyes open to type this post. That's how sleepy I am. You know how it is with a newborn. They sleep all day and you get minimum sleep at night. This is the part you forget about when you see that positive pregnancy test.

So far this week I think I have gotten maybe a combined total of ten hours of sleep. Yep. You read that right. I think I've slept for about three hours a night this week. Not complaining, just stating the facts. Baby M wakes up every few hours to be fed and changed. That's to be expected. What I didn't expect is for Savannah to start waking up during the night. You remember all the hard work I did to get her to sleep all night after we moved to Texas? Well. This week has been a recurring nightmare of those days.

I think she's a light sleeper like me so she wakes up if she hears the baby crying too loudly. Not only does she wake up but she gets out of bed and comes to check on him. Sweet, right? It wouldn't be if you were me. Last night they were both up for a while and I had this feeling of defeat. They were beating me at my own game. No worries though. I have a game plan that will put an end to all of this night waking. More on that later...

I have been amazed at how easy it's been to still get through the days while I'm past tired. Here are some tips that I've found very useful. Thank you for everyone that made a suggestion via our Facebook page....

~ Stay Busy

As crazy as it sounds staying busy when you're exhausted helps the time fly by. You won't feel as sleepy if your occupied by another task. This is my go-to method for getting through the tired days after a sleepless night. I clean, cook or take the kids out. It helps keep that sluggish feeling at bay until you can actually sleep.

~ Drink lots of water

This may not be true for everyone but drinking ice cold water throughout the day keeps me alert. I have been doing pretty well staying off of caffeine. Caffeine tends to make me feel less energized, or maybe it's the crash from the sugar in a soda. At any rate drinking water has done wonders for my energy level.

~ Sleep while the baby is sleeping

Everyone has heard this. Unfortunately, I've never been a good napper. Napping actually has the opposite effect on me. If you are a person that does well with naps try sleeping when your baby does. Since Sav doesn't take naps anymore I can't sleep during the day, but if you're able to do it GO FOR IT!

~ Don't feel pressured by your checklist

If you're like me you feel the need to get things done during the day. When you're super tired throw that list in the garbage. Take your time getting things done. Ease into your day. Don't rush it. If you can get a load of laundry done, great! If you can't, don't sweat it. Try to keep your day as calm and carefree as possible. Staying in a relaxed state will keep you from exerting more energy. I take the pressure of cooking dinner off of my plate when I'm really tired and it helps me.

~Rest when you can

Try doing some stationary activities with your kids. Read books, color, paint or work on some fine motor skills if they're old enough. If you have a child that will watch a movie throw one on. Even if you can't sleep just sitting and resting does wonders.

I use all of these during the day to help me stay mentally sane after a sleepless night. It's not easy but you can do it. As soon as both kids are asleep at night I go to bed too. A couple hours of sleep is better than no sleep at all.

What are some of your tips for getting through the day after a sleepless night?

Video Diary 7232013

This video is a little bit (or maybe a lot) of a rant. Hopefully it helps someone or maybe it will give you a good laugh. Enjoy! 

What are some of the things you get from strangers while out? Share them in the comments!