Today has been one of those days. It’s been rough. I’ve wanted to cry. Brody and Tyler have cried. Through the hectic and hard day there was still so much good. Extra snuggles, lots of time spent together playing, and some very very sweet moments.
It all started around midnight. Brody work up screaming and crying. I went in and settled him and he went back to sleep in about 15 minutes. I get back in bed and just drift off as he starts screaming and crying again… at this point its only 12:30am. I go back in there and can smell some funk… he had pooped. Easy fix I change his diaper and make a bottle and he is back asleep around 1:15am. I go back to bed.
It is now around 3:15-3:30am and this time both Bryan and I wake up to Tyler screaming and crying. We check the monitor, and he is standing up…that’s a bad sign sometimes he will do this, but he is still laying down and after a few minutes he falls back asleep on his own. We know if he is standing, he will not stop crying until one of us goes in there… trust us we have tried that whole “cry it out method” and Tyler would cry for hours if we let him. Bryan goes in there and starts to rock him and I go back to sleep. I wake up again to Tyler screaming and crying (I thought Bryan had come back to bed, but he was still in Tyler’s room with him). Its now around 5am. Bryan gave Tyler some milk, that usually helps and puts him back to sleep, but Tyler was still wide awake. I take over around 5:45am so Bryan and try and get another hour or two of sleep. I’m rocking Tyler and he is just talking away singing different parts of songs. Its now 6am and Tyler hasn’t gone back to sleep yet. I decide I will put him back in his crib and turn on Disney Jr (he loves TOTS and Puppy Dog Pals). Usually this works and he will lay in his crib and fall back asleep. Well, it didn’t today. After about 30 minutes he was screaming and crying and trying to climb out of his crib. So, I guess that means its time to get our morning started. I make breakfast, get Brody up, and even put on some makeup and fixed my hair all before 8:30am. The boys don’t usually wakeup until 8:30am so that’s impressive for us. Haha We all eat breakfast and were having fun- Tyler is being silly!
We go play in the living room for a little bit and Tyler is being so sweet to Brody giving him lots of hugs and playing with him. We are all playing, and I am reading to them and life is good. We go up stairs so I can take Brody’s 9-month-old pictures since I didn’t yesterday. Tyler wants to be right in the middle of all the pictures. I get Tyler a toy to distract him and I get Brody’s pictures taken! Brody was being very serious today and would not give me a smile. LOL We are all still hanging out in Brody’s room and I am changing Brody’s diaper when Tyler starts to play on the rocking/recliner chair. I just know he is going to fall and hurt himself, so I keep telling Tyler to sit and get down… he is not listening. A few seconds later he flips over the side of the chair and hits his head. It immediately started to bruise and swell up. I text Bryan to come up so he can hold Tyler as I give him a good look to make sure he didn’t hurt himself anywhere else.
Tyler now has a huge gooses egg and bruise on his head (it looks like it hurts) so we put an ice pack on it and give him some medicine. Finally, its lunch time and that means its almost nap time! We finish lunch and I get Brody down for his nap. Since it has only been about an hour and a half, I have Tyler lay in bed with me and we snuggle so I can monitor him. Bryan and I are familiar with the concussion signs and what to look for. Tyler and I snuggle and nap. When Tyler wakes up Kitty Catfish is sleeping on the bed too! Tyler goes over and starts cuddling with Kitty Catfish. Kitty Catfish is such a good boy and lets Tyler climb all over him… Tyler really was being so sweet. We all play and then we got ready for dinner. After dinner we took a bath… the boys love bath time! After their bath we all play in Brody’s room and read some!
It was the perfect ending to a crazy and chaotic day. I had plans to run errands and pick up some around the house. Obviously, none of that happened and the boys and I stayed in our pjs all day. Even though I didn’t get anything done that I had planned on doing today was still a good day. Yes, it was a rough day, but I got lots of extra snuggles and spent quality time with the boys. The boys were so sweet and loving to each other today and played so well together. These are the days we must take a step back and remember to find all the good that did happen. Don’t let a not so perfect day ruin your entire day, week, or month. Push through and remember that tomorrow is a new day and a fresh start! Today was hard but the hard days help remind us not to take the good days for granted. If you are having a hard day, take a deep breath, and remember everything you are thankful for. Don’t focus on the bad instead focus on the good.
“Everyone you meet is fighting a battle you know nothing about. Be Kind. Always.”
Hey ya’ll!! It’s been a while! Since it’s been like 8 months since I last posted I just wanted to give a quick life update! Life has been good; I’m still staying home with the boys while working very part time!
Tyler is getting so big! I can’t believe he is TWO! He turned 2 on March 1st and he had an Old MacDonald themed birthday party! He is obsessed with Old MacDonald or as he calls it “E I E I O” so we threw him a party at a barn with a petting zoo and pony rides! Maybe I’m biased since he is my son, but he is also so freaking smart! He knows all about dinosaurs and can even name a handful of them, he knows his colors, he can count to 10, and is currently learning his ABCs! I love watching him grow and learn… it’s amazing! Tyler has also been the best Big Brother and is so sweet to Brody!
Brody will be 9 months next week- where has the time gone! Brody is a little chunkster and weighs the same as Tyler! They could probably share clothes but for now Brody is a size smaller than Tyler. Brody had a DocBand from December until March to help round out his head some… apparently it was a little flat in the back! We decorated it to look like a Cowboys helmet and he looked so stinking cute while wearing it! He loves all the food and gets mad if you don’t feed his fast enough. He has been rocking on his knees for a month or so now but hasn’t actually crawled yet. He has been an awesome sleeper since he was born but these last few weeks have been a struggle with his two top teeth coming in. Brody loves watching his brother and I can tell they are going to have so much fun playing together!
As if life wasn’t crazy enough with two crazy and sweet little boys, we (okay I) decided we should get a puppy. We now have a Golden Retriever puppy who was born January 5th! His name is Cooper or Coop for short. I will say I forgot what it was like having a puppy… he might be more work than the boys. Ha-ha He is so cute, and we are working with him to be well trained (fingers crossed), and he will be great with the boys and I’m glad they have a furbaby to grow up with.
My sweet Fluffy girl passed away in December. I took her to the vet in early November because she just wasn’t acting like herself. After a month of not a lot of answers and lots of tests later we could out that she had cancer. She had multiple tumors and one was causing a blockage in her stomach. She would need emergency surgery to try and remove the blockage… even if the vet was able to remove the tumor the cancer had already taken over her body and the vet said surgery would only prolong her life a few weeks at most if she made it through surgery. I was heartbroken. I still miss my sweet Fluffy girl everyday but at least she is no longer in pain.
Well, that about sums up the past 8 months! I hope you all have been doing great! I plan on posting a new Blog post every Thursday!
“Everyone you meet is fighting a battle you know nothing about. Be Kind. Always.”
Happy World Breastfeeding Week and National Breastfeeding Month! In honor of World Breastfeeding Week and National Breastfeeding Month this will cover my person struggles, victories, tips, and tricks that have helped me on my breastfeeding journey.
To start off, how do you feel about breastfeeding in public? It’s a touchy subject for most. While breastfeeding in public is legal in all 50 states, there is still a stigma when it comes to breastfeeding in public. Ever since I was little I was taught to cover my breasts- I mean it is part of “my privates”. But now I’m supposed to whip this boob out in public to feed my starving child- I mean that is why women have boobs-is to feed our babies. I feel since breasts are “sexual” it makes others along with myself uncomfortable when breastfeeding in public. Others are staring because they don’t know what else to do- maybe they are in shock, or admiring, or disgusted- I’ve heard all of these as reasons why someone has stared. I’m uncomfortable because of all the stares; even when trying to be as discreet as possible it seems the blanket always slips, or baby won’t latch. Now I’m sweating and I feel like the whole world is watching and one slight mishap and everyone will get “a free show”. So please if you see someone breastfeeding in public, don’t stare! If you are a Mama nervous about breastfeeding in public- do it with confidence! Lets all help Normalize Breastfeeding!
Now let’s move into my breastfeeding journey-
Part 1-Tyler
I’m not going to lie, I really struggled with breastfeeding Tyler. The first three-weeks were horrible, and I was about ready to give up. In the hospital I had the nurses and lactation specialist help and give me tips and tricks. That just wasn’t enough as my milk wasn’t coming in fast enough and poor baby was starving! I am so thankful my OBGYN suggested supplementing with formula. He said to ask the nurse and they will bring us some. So, I would breastfeed Tyler and when finished we would offer him formula to make sure he had enough to eat. This was a game changer for us and made all our lives so much easier and everyone was happier. I was so stressed because he was starving, and my body wasn’t producing enough. My nipples were also cracked, bleeding, and hurt so bad that it made feedings that much worse so being able to supplement with formula gave me the break I needed. Once we passed the three-week mark feedings became so much easier- Tyler would latch better and I was producing more. I never overly produced so I always did 50-75% breastmilk and 25-50% formula with Tyler. Since I wasn’t producing much, I couldn’t build much of a stash. The only way I was able to build a stash is I would pump when Tyler would have formula bottle and I would save that milk. I was able to breastfeed Tyler for 6 months. That was a victory for me especially since I was ready to give up after three-weeks.
Part 2-Brody
With Brody breastfeeding came so much easier- thank goodness! He latched well from the beginning and my milk came in faster! I still met with the lactation specialist while we were at the hospital and she gave me some tips about body position that helped both of us. In the 23 days Brody has been with us, I have breastfed him for 53 hours and 27 minutes and have pumped 37 ounces of milk. Since he is still eating so often, I haven’t really started pumping yet-if I did my day would be nothing but pumping and feeding. I do pump every morning after he eats. He sleeps for 4-5 hour stretches at night so even after his morning feeding, I still feel engorged. This has helped me start a little stash too! We also give Brody one formula bottle at bedtime, so I pump while he eats that bottle, and this helps with my stash too! So far breastfeeding has been less painful, stressful, and so much easier this time around!
Breastfeeding Tools:
These are items that helped me with breastfeeding! If you are a new or expecting Mama check these out!
Nursing Bra
Nipple Cream
Nursing Pillow
PJs with Buttons
Hot/Cold Packs
Nursing Pads
Breast Pump
Breast Pump Bra
Milk Storage Bags
Glow Baby App
In my New Mom Must Haves/New Mom Items Highlight on Instagram I talk more about all of these items!
I will show the items that I used and that were my favorite! They will be on my Instagram and saved under the story “New Mom Must Haves/ New Mom Items”. I will also link everything on LiketoKnow.it
If 2020 hasn’t been crazy enough why not throw in an election too. And not just an election maybe one of the biggest elections in our lifetime. In my 31 years I have only lived through 8 elections and this was my 4th election to vote in. I don’t remember past elections seeming as crazy as this one. I mean social media doesn’t help when everyone is trying to shove their opinion and beliefs down your throat. It’s crazy how if you don’t agree with someone else’s views then you are a horrible person, and it can even end a friendship. We vote so everyone can have a way to voice their opinion and so we the people can elect who we want to run our country.
As this election comes to a close and results start to roll in. Please remember that no matter what happens we are all humans and we are all in this together. If the person you voted for loses, rioting and destroying buildings and cities will not help. These actions will only set us back further. We are all humans so lets be kind to each other and work together. Parties fighting against one another only sets us back. Let’s embrace everyone’s opinions and work together to accomplish greatness.
I did a poll on my Instagram earlier today asking if you were scared of the outcome and if so why. As of 6:30pm CST 63% said yes and 37% said no. Most of the reasons were that they were worried about looting and rioting and how the losing side will react. This is my biggest fear as well. I don’t want to see more cities being destroyed. So how do we prevent this from happening? I don’t have the answer to that. But what I can say is that we are so divided as a country and we need to find a way to unite again.
Remember divided we fall and united we stand. We can accomplish so much more when we learn to work together. Please find a way to work with someone whose views might be different than yours instead of battling one another. Please do not go out and destroy cities if your candidate does not win. And above all else please just be a kind human.
“Everyone you meet is fighting a battle you know nothing about. Be Kind. Always.”
Two years ago, on June 25th my life changed! I didn’t know what to expect; I was a mess of emotions. I always wanted a family and to be a mom and on June 25, 2018 I found out that I was pregnant! You always see these cute stories of significant others surprising each other with the joyous news or them counting down the seconds to look at the test to see if it is positive. As much as I wanted to do that that’s not quite how it happened for us.
June 25th was a Monday and I had to be at work early for the World Cup. I was so nauseous and just didn’t feel well. I had been at a bachelorette party Thursday-Sunday and felt nauseous every morning, but I just brushed it off and assumed it was from drinking. When Monday rolled around, I was nauseous and throwing up. I can’t explain the feeling, but it just felt different kind of sick- I didn’t feel like I was sick sick or like this was caused from one too many drinks. I knew my time of the month wasn’t for another 5 days, so I hadn’t missed my period and pregnancy wasn’t on my mind at first. I usually don’t get sick from drinking either, so I figured why not take a test before calling and making a doctor’s appointment for being sick. Since I worked open-close on Mondays I asked Bryan to bring me a test since his office was nearby. I’m impatient so I took the test at work. At 9:42 AM on June 25 in a bathroom stall at work I found out Bryan and I were expecting a baby! I took a photo of the test and sent it to Bryan and said “Well I guess we’re having a baby!”. We wanted to start a family, but it was terrifying knowing it was actually happening. I had so many emotions- and since I was at work I had to hold them all in- no tears of joy, no hugs and kisses, just a text to Bryan.
The next few months I was super busy I was opening a new Hooters location in Bryan, TX and would be there for 25 days July-August, we were going to Puerto Vallarta in August for our friend’s wedding, I was opening a new location in Mason, OH in September, and I would be in Clearwater, FL the end of September into October for the 2019 Hooters Calendar release and 35th Anniversary Party! With all the travel we were also planning to buy a house and now we were throwing a baby into the mix.
Most doctors don’t see you until you are around 8 weeks pregnant. Since I was going to be out of town for 25 days, they had me come in early and I was seen at 5 weeks 5 days. They did a sonogram (you couldn’t really see anything) and blood work. Looking back, I am so grateful I was busy and was seen early. I had very low progesterone levels and had to start taking progesterone pills. Low progesterone levels could indicate a potential miscarriage. I took progesterone until I was 16 weeks pregnant. Other than low progesterone levels I had a healthy and pretty easy pregnancy!
On March 1, 2019 at 7:05 AM weighing in at 6 pounds and 15 ounces and 20 inches long the most perfect baby boy was born! Tyler has brought so much joy to my life and I love being his Mama! He is so sweet and happy, and I love watching him grow and learn! Tyler Patrick I can not wait to see what you accomplish in life my little lovebug!
“Everyone you meet is fighting a battle you know nothing about. Be Kind. Always.”
Tonight, as I was putting Tyler to bed, I held him and rocked him long after he fell asleep and held onto him a little tighter than usual. I held him longer because I am scared for our Nation. I held him longer than usual for all the mothers who will never be able to hold their child again because their child was senselessly and wrongfully murdered.
One week ago, George Floyd was murdered by a force that is supposed to protect. George Floyd was murdered without a fair trial or being able to defend himself. Human Rights is innocent until proven guilty yet so many are treated guilty until proven innocent. So many never get the chance to defend themselves because they are senselessly and wrongfully killed. So many should not have to defend themselves because they were not doing anything wrong in the first place when they were killed.
Why is it so hard for humans to love one another? Why is it so hard for humans to help those in need especially when its happening right in front of them? Why is it so easy for humans to turn a blind eye? When will humans stop judging someone by their social class or the color of their skin? When will all humans finally be treated equally?
“No one is born hating another person because of the color of his skin, or his background, or his religion. People must learn to hate, and if they can learn to hate, they can be taught to love, for love comes more naturally to the human heart than its opposite.” -Nelson Mandela
As a parent I know it is my job to raise my children to love and respect everyone. I can promise that I will raise my children to treat everyone with respect. I will teach my children to treat everyone equally. I will teach my children to stand-up for what is right even when its hard. I will teach my children to help those in need. I will teach my children to fight with and for your children. I will teach my children that racism is unacceptable.
How do we stop these senseless and wrongful killings? I am truly asking because I don’t have the answer. This past week protests have been taking place around the World. How do we stop the “opportunists” that are causing destruction in our cities? These “opportunist” that are looting and destroying property. The message of the peaceful protesters is being lost because of the “opportunists” behavior. Please do not let these looters and rioters let you lose sight of what we are fight for. How do we end police brutality? (I do not know what it takes to become a police officer and I do not know how often/if ever they are evaluated.) Are there more/different screenings/evaluations that can be done? Do they have quarterly or yearly screenings/evaluations? How is someone still a police officer with 18 complaints on his official record? How do we make sure we have police officers that will protect and defend and not kill/murder based on the color of skin? {Thank you to all the police officers who do your job with dignity and honor.}
How do we end racism? How do we fix our broken Nation that is being torn apart at the seams and being divided more and more every day? The Civil Rights movement was from 1954-1968 and we still do not have equality. When will we ever fully be “one Nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all”? Until that happens, I want you to know that I will stand with you and I will fight for what is right. I have seen many of my friends post about different times that they have been a victim of racism and I am sorry. I will never fully understand what you have gone through and continue to go through; but I am here, I will stand with you, and I will fight for you.
“Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that.” – Martin Luther King, Jr.
“Everyone you meet is fighting a battle you know nothing about. Be Kind. Always.”
With so many products on the shelves its hard to know what is “safe” and what isn’t. I am a huge animal lover so over the past year I have been making sure that we are using as many cruelty-free products possible. I have also become more aware of what ingredients are in products that we use. In Europe over 1,300 chemicals are banned for use in cosmetics due to questions over safety while the U.S. has only banned 11. Parabens, Phthalates, and Formaldehyde are the ingredients I have been working on avoiding. When I started this journey, I had a lot to learn; I didn’t even know what these chemicals were or why they could be considered unsafe. I also learned a lot about cruelty-free brands and while one brand might be cruelty-free their parent company is not cruelty- free. So, let’s start with the basics.
Cruelty-Free
This refers to a product that is not tested on animals. I wish it was that simple and I could just stop there but when shopping for cruelty-free brands you need to know the difference. A brand can have a cruelty-free symbol and all that means is the finished product was not tested on animals but in earlier stages ingredients used to make the finished product were tested on animals. “Designation as “cruelty-free” or “not tested on animals,” or even the image of a bunny on a label may only refer to the finished product, when in fact, most animal testing occurs at the ingredient level. Furthermore, while a company may claim, “We do not test on animals,” it could still contract other companies to do the testing. The only way to be 100% certain a company is cruelty-free is to buy products from companies that have been certified by the Leaping Bunny Program, which requires that no new animal testing be used in any phase of product development by the company, its laboratories,
or ingredient suppliers.” (https://www.leapingbunny.org/content/myths-facts) The sites I have found to be most helpful are leapingbunny.org based on my research they have the strictest guidelines. You can read more about their standards for a company to use the Leaping Bunny Logo here: https://www.leapingbunny.org/about/the-standard Another site I like is Cruelty Free Kitty. “All the brands found on this list were vetted to be cruelty-free, meaning: They don’t test finished products on animals at any point during production. Their suppliers don’t test raw materials, ingredients, or products on animals. No third-party tests on animals on their behalf. They don’t test on animals where the law requires it, i.e. mainland China.” (https://www.crueltyfreekitty.com/list-of-cruelty-free-brands/). PETA is another site you can use too.
Parabens
“Parabens are a family of related chemicals that are commonly used as preservatives in cosmetic products. Preservatives may be used in cosmetics to prevent the growth of harmful bacteria and mold, in order to protect both the products and consumers. The parabens used most commonly in cosmetics are methylparaben, propylparaben, butylparaben, and ethylparaben. Product ingredient labels typically list more than one paraben in a product, and parabens are often used in combination with other types of preservatives to better protect against a broad range of microorganisms.” (https://www.fda.gov/cosmetics/cosmetic-ingredients/parabens-cosmetics) Parabens have been used in many products and with new studies and information on how they could affect me is why I choose to use products that are paraben free. “A British study found traces of five parabens in the breast tissue of 19 out of 20 women studied. The study didn’t prove that parabens can cause cancer but identified that the parabens were able to penetrate the skin and remain within tissue. Parabens are believed to disrupt hormone function by mimicking oestrogen. Too much oestrogen can trigger an increase in breast cell division and growth of tumours, which is why paraben use has been linked to breast cancer and reproductive issues.” (https://www.elle.com/uk/beauty/skin/articles/a36356/what-are-parabens/)
Phthalates
“Phthalates are a group of chemicals used to make plastics more flexible and harder to break. They are often called plasticizers. Some phthalates are used as solvents (dissolving agents) for other materials. They are used in hundreds of products, such as vinyl flooring, adhesives, detergents, lubricating oils, automotive plastics, plastic clothes (raincoats), and personal-care products (soaps, shampoos, hair sprays, and nail polishes). Phthalates are used widely in polyvinyl chloride plastics, which are used to make products such as plastic packaging film and sheets, garden hoses, inflatable toys, blood-storage containers, medical tubing, and some children’s toys. Human health effects from exposure to low levels of phthalates are unknown. Some types of phthalates have affected the reproductive system of laboratory animals. More research is needed to assess the human health effects of exposure to phthalates.” (https://www.cdc.gov/biomonitoring/Phthalates_FactSheet.html) “Phthalates aren’t a single chemical. They’re an entire family of them. And like most families, they don’t behave the same way. Three of them, BBP, DBP, and DEHP, are permanently banned from toys and products intended to help children under 3 sleep, eat, teethe, or suck. DBP and DEHP damage the reproductive systems of lab rats, especially males. Tests on people show DBP can irritate skin. We’re not sure if BBP causes cancer in people, but research shows it may have caused cancer in lab rats. DEHP is confirmed to cause cancer in animals, and expected, but not confirmed, in people. It also causes developmental problems in animals, but it hasn’t been shown to affect people the same way. Three more, DiDP, DINP, and DnOP, are under an interim ban from toys that can go into a child’s mouth. DiDP can make your eyes and skin red or cause nausea, dizziness, and vomiting. DINP causes tumors and developmental problems in lab rats. In 2014, California added it to its list of chemicals known to cause cancer. But it hasn’t been proven to cause cancer in people. DnOP was linked to endometriosis in women and caused problems in reproductive development in rats. It can irritate the skin in both people and animals.” (https://www.webmd.com/a-to-z-guides/features/what-are-phthalates#2)
Formaldehyde
“Formaldehyde is a colorless, strong-smelling gas used in making building materials and many household products. It is used in pressed-wood products, such as particleboard, plywood, and fiberboard; glues and adhesives; permanent-press fabrics; paper product coatings; and certain insulation materials. It is also used to make other chemicals. Formaldehyde is quickly broken down in the air – generally within hours. It dissolves easily in water, but does not last long there, either. When dissolved in water it is called formalin, which is commonly used as an industrial disinfectant, and as a preservative in funeral homes and medical labs. It can also be used as a preservative in some foods and in products, such as antiseptics, medicines, and cosmetics. Sometimes, although formaldehyde is not used, substances that release formaldehyde are. These have been found in cosmetics, soaps, shampoos, lotions and sunscreens, and cleaning products. Formaldehyde can be added as a preservative to food, but it can also be produced as the result of cooking and smoking. Formaldehyde also occurs naturally in the environment. Humans and most other living organisms make small amounts as part of normal metabolic processes.” “Formaldehyde and other chemicals that release formaldehyde are sometimes used in low concentrations in cosmetics and other personal care products like lotions, shampoo, conditioner, shower gel, and some fingernail polishes. These may raise the concentration of formaldehyde in the air inside the room for a short time, but the levels reached are far below what is considered to be hazardous. Professional keratin hair smoothing treatments can contain formaldehyde or formaldehyde releasing chemicals. Using these can raise indoor air concentrations of formaldehyde to levels that could be a potential hazard.” “Exposure to formaldehyde has been shown to cause cancer in laboratory test animals. Exposure to relatively high amounts of formaldehyde in medical and occupational settings has been linked to some types of cancer in humans, but the effect of exposure to small amounts is less clear. In rats, inhaled formaldehyde was linked to cancers of the nasal cavity and leukemia. In one study of rats given drinking water containing formaldehyde there was an increase in stomach tumors, while another showed no increase in any kind of tumor or cancer. In mice, applying a 10% solution of formaldehyde to the skin was linked to quicker development of cancers caused by another chemical.” (https://www.cancer.org/cancer/cancer-causes/formaldehyde.html)
Now that we have had a brief lesson, we can start talking about making the switch. While more research needs to be done on most of these chemicals to know how they will affect us long term just reading about them and what they do/could do was enough for me to decide that I wanted to use products without these chemicals. When I’m looking for a product to use, I first make sure its Cruelty-Free and then I read the ingredients to see if it is also paraben, phthalate, and formaldehyde free. I do most of my shopping at Target and Ulta and have found great products at both places! Switching products can be expensive too. I did not just go out and spend hundreds of dollars on new products. When I notice I’m running low on a product that I want to switch I start researching new products online and reading reviews and then purchase the new product. Making the switch does not mean you have to change everything even just changing some daily items that have harmful ingredients can help make a difference!
I am no scientist nor am I an expert on these subjects and I encourage you to do your own research as well. My family and I live a pretty healthy lifestyle and while we are aware of what we put in our bodies we were not as aware of what we were putting on our bodies. I am now more aware of what ingredients are used in products that we use often and try to use products that are paraben, phthalate, formaldehyde free and are also Cruelty-Free.
Some of the products I currently use are The Honest Co- I use these for Tyler, and they are great for his sensitive skin. I have been using Native body wash and deodorant and love the way they smell. Pacifica has a lot of great products too. LaBoom By Crystal has some awesome self-tanning products. I will be posting and updating products that I have found and love under the “Products” section of this site.
“Everyone you meet is fighting a battle you know nothing about. Be Kind. Always.”
How have you been holding up during COVID-19? Were you one of thousands that lost their job, were you furloughed, are you an essential worker who continued going into work daily, or were you one of the “lucky ones” working from home? No matter where you fall, all of our lives have been forever changed and who knows if life will ever go back to the way it once was.
I was one of the thousands who lost my job. I wasn’t surprised as my job was Marketing/Promotions/Sales in the restaurant industry and I couldn’t really do my job with restaurants being limited to ToGo only. At first I felt some relief; Tyler had been out of daycare for two and a half weeks when I was let go and it had been a huge struggle working from home while taking care of an almost 13 month old. I was also sad- I loved my job, I loved the people I worked with, and I loved the company I worked for (I had been working for this company since August 2008). Parts of me were upset and angry because had I not taken my promotion/ new position, I’m pretty certain I would still have a job and I wasn’t ready to leave a company that has been such a huge part of my life. I always thought when, if ever, it was time, I would be the one saying goodbye, not the other way around. It felt like a piece of me was taken away, but I knew I had to look at the positive in the situation. One, I’m pregnant so it was for the best that I was not out in the general public daily and that I was able to stay safe at home. Two, I have Tyler who I needed to keep safe at home and who I could dedicate my attention too. Three, I am blessed that we have a savings and that Bryan has a great job that me losing my job would not put us in a bind financially.
I’ve seen a lot of posts on social media about people being sad, angry, and depressed due to COVID-19. Its okay to have those feelings. Your baby shower, wedding, job, vacation, or whatever it was you were looking forward to was just taken away from you and it sucks. It sucks that you can’t just go meet up with your family or friends or go eat your favorite comfort food. While I could go on and on about all the negative, all that does is cause negative feelings. There is no point in harping on the negative because what is done is done and we can not go back and change the past. We can look forward to the future and life going back to “normal”.
I have also seen a lot of posts about all the positives COVID-19 has caused. I love seeing families spending more time together. Seeing neighbors and strangers helping each other. New hobbies, spending time outside, cleaning, organizing, cooking, and fitness just to name a few. It has also been time to reflect and realize what is most important to me. Since I have been staying home with Tyler I have been able to see him grow and learn everyday. Its an amazing feeling when Tyler does something or says a word that I’ve been teaching him! I have been able to create so many memories with Tyler that I would not have if it wasn’t for COVID-19.
Whether you are struggling or thriving during this time just remember that you are not alone. If you are struggling talk to someone and find a routine that helps you feel positive throughout the day. If you are thriving, share what you are doing to stay positive during all of this-it might just help someone who is struggling! This is all new to everyone and we are all doing the best we can. Please be nice, smile (even if you have a mask on), and text or call a friend or family member just to say Hi and check in on them!
“Everyone you meet is fighting a battle you know nothing about. Be Kind. Always.”
Heather's Crazy Beautiful Life 