I remember before having children how crazy my friends would get when their baby rolled over or ate cereal for the first time. I remember thinking just that; they were nuts. I mean it is all a part of growing up, right?! Well now I have my own two children and have gone crazy, I guess. I mean, my children are going to have such high self-esteem because of how crazy we get over the smallest things. After Ava rolled over for the first time, I clapped and cheered for her like a total idiot, and then I called everyone we knew and told them how amazing she was. I would have shouted it from the rooftop if I could have gotten on the roof. I was just overjoyed for her and so amazed at how she was growing and learning new things so quickly! It seemed like we were celebrating at least one or two milestones a week for a while. Babies turn into toddlers so fast. That first year seems to fly by and is full of growth and learning. It is so amazing to witness. From rolling over, to crawling, to taking those first steps and saying those precious first words, there are so many milestones to celebrate and so many different ways to celebrate. Honestly, our celebrations usually consist of a lot of clapping, cheering, hugging and high fives, but every once in a while we might throw in a special treat or outing. Here are just a few fun ideas for celebrating your baby’s milestones, to go along with all cheering and celebration.

• Rolling Over: When your baby starts rolling over go on a picnic. We live in the south, so most times of year we are able to picnic. Lay out a blanket, sit in the sun and enjoy watching your little one practice his or her new skill, while you spend some family time together.
• Half Birthdays: For a half birthday (yes, in our family this is a milestone every year) make cookies, chocolate chip ;)
• Walking: When your little one starts walking (sniff and cheer) head out to the park. Let your baby walk to their hearts content and enjoy every second of it.
• Potty Training: This is when Ava developed her love for all things M&M. Yes, we rewarded her for going potty on the big girl potty with M&M’s. We also had a big “pee-pee party” when she first started using the potty. Every time she would go we would celebrate with party hats, horns, balloons and even a potty song. It was fun for a day and she loved it.
• Any Milestone: Most milestones would be perfect with a sweet cupcake or ice cream outing. Head to your local bakery and get a sweet treat to share with your little one.Spending the night with Grama is a great milestone treat too. Ava loves her Grama so much. It is the perfect celebration for her to go spend time over at her Grama’s house, or even spend the night.

The most important thing to remember about your babies milestones is to take time to celebrate them. Bask in the moment. They really do grow up too fast. Cherish every single milestone and know that every little one develops at their own pace and develops in their own time.

By guest blogger from Real Moms Real Views

We all have them. They may not all be colorful, but they dwell in the corners of our homes. They make our husbands cringe at the thought of picking them up at the store solo. You guessed it –Tampons. We all know their intended purpose- but did you know, they can also help your child identify colors? A certain brand that shall remain nameless recently came out with BRIGHT, colorful tampon wrappers. And hey, before I weird you out too much, let me get you up to speed on my current living situation. Having moved from Texas to New York, we are now living in a hotel for 2 months, with 2 weeks to go. We came with only what fit in our van. I’m trying to get creative with toys here, people. The first time my 2-year-old came running out with the box of tampons and dumped them out on the couch, I started to say “No, no,” but then decided my energy level was too low to fight it. I’d just hide them better next time. That was until Harrison exclaimed “Geen!” (Green). Wow. How long had I been working on colors with him? Months? How many times had I asked, “What color is your shirt?” only to have him reply with an incorrect guess? And here he is, using the most random green thing in the whole hotel room as his triumphant moment of mastery over color identification. Well hello tampons, welcome to the toy room. They make their appearance from time to time, and whenever they do my son and I spend 15 minutes joyously naming off color after neon color. Wonderful! Now, I understand that some of you may be looking for a more traditional approach to teaching colors. I still love all those ways- crayons, books, clothes, street signs, while shopping... they are all great. Keep colors on your mind, and I promise your child will pick up on them before you know it.

Here are a few additional tips:

• Use their favorite things. For instance, my son is O.B.S.E.S.S. E. D. with matchbox cars. They have to come everywhere with us. He plays with them all day long. So, what better way to help him learn colors then with a few of his favorite things? When I go out shopping for new cars (because we all know they get lost ever so easily) I look for bright, colorful ones. Now Harrison makes sure to say “green car, red car, etc.”
• Pick colorful toys that serve multiple purposes. We have magnet letters on our fridge that are bright, primary colors, which I love because we can work on both at the same time. Bingo! Look for puzzles, books, flashcards, or toys that are going to kill two birds with one stone.
• Ask the question multiple ways. Instead of always saying “What color is this?” be sure to mix it up. “Which one is blue? Is this yellow or green? Can you bring me the red one? Can you find something orange?”
• Work on it. All the time. Before you know it, your child will be spouting them off everywhere you go.

At the end of the day, this is all just supposed to be fun. It is a way to bond with your child, as you get the satisfaction of teaching them something! Enjoy it, and your child will enjoy it too!

By Gust Blogger Joanna from The Bragging Mommy

Mommy.  Daddy.  Daddy.  Mommy.  Mommy.  Mommy.  Daddy.  Does this sound familiar?  I have 3 children aged 4, 2 and 1.  These sounds are pretty familiar in our household.  Alone time with my husband is hard to come by, but I have always had the philosophy after my husband and I married almost 8 years ago that we would always make time for ourselves.  After having so many young kids, we have to get creative sometimes.  It can take a lot of effort, but we think it's best to always stay connected and not be lost in our children.  So, how do we do it?

The obvious answer is to hire a babysitter.  Since we are fairly new to the area, we do not know many people, so this is not always possible.  It can also get pretty expensive! 

Since I am pretty cheap when it comes to this, I always try to enlist the help of my family and friends.  With us, this can also be a challenge since our friends are all having children and our families live 2 hours away in different directions.

Since our friends are all having children, trade babysitting.  One night watch your friends' children and then another night they can watch yours.  This works out great because no money is spent and everyone gets to enjoy their evenings!

Set aside a few hours after the kids go to bed and stick with it.  The time spent may even have to be on the weekend while the kids nap.  Snuggle while watching a movie, take a walk or just sit outside together.  Wake up early and have breakfast together without having to feed the baby, or scrambling around to get the kids ready for school.

No matter what, make sure you spend alone time together each week.  The time spent will open communication and you will be able to enjoy each other without wiping noses, talking over screaming or picking up toys.

By Guest Blogger from Mommies with Cents

Playing kick-the-ball outside with my children I find myself wondering how I got so lucky. They are hilarious, stubborn, and everything wonderful. I get so caught up in them – thinking about how Hollis needs a haircut and how Ava’s socks don’t match because that’s the way she likes them (such a silly girl)! I am thankful for this afternoon out in the sun and the laughter ringing through the air. I hear a car door shut and the kids running toward the gate shouting happily, “daddy, daddy!” Kisses and hugs, and tiny hands pull daddy to the backyard, wanting him to join in with us. We all kick the pink ball and chase each other for a while. I find myself looking at him, also wondering how I got so lucky. I think about how we started as two, and then three, and finally four.

How we started…
So much has changed. We used to talk on the phone for hours each night, telling each other our childhood stories, and other nonsense. We enjoyed haunted houses, staying up way too late and long lazy weekends out at the lake, laying in the sun and cruising in the boat. Now we revolve our world around two little beings that always seem to need so much from us. We give and give, work, hug and hold, cook, clean, and play. By the end of the day, we are both exhausted and zoning out on the TV, or internet surfing for some down time. I remember where we started – as two. This relationship, the original two, also needs nurturing and upkeep. We need special time, laughter and romance, as two.

It can be tricky as parents to navigate how to keep your relationship strong, healthy and, well, hot…even when you have spit up on your clothes! When you are raising children and one, or both of you, is working, special time with each other can occasionally be pushed to the back burner. So many other things seem more pressing and important, but in reality this relationship needs to continue to stay strong and happy for all the other relationships to remain that way.

We are very lucky. We have close family in our area who loves to watch our children. My mother-in-law watches them every other Monday for a few hours, which allows us time together. My mom also loves watching the kids. She can’t go a day without stopping by the house and visiting them. She misses them too much. Even with all this family and scheduled “child-free” hours, we still need to prioritize our time together. Those Mondays when the kids are away, I can easily get sucked into housework or errands. Bo, my husband, can spend hours out in the garage working on whatever project he has. Instead of using this time for each other, we get busy, and before we know it, the kids are back and we are in high gear with them. Recently, I have made it a priority to take this time and make sure we use every moment possible to work on our relationship. Some nights after we get the kids to bed I make us a separate dinner that we eat together -usually around 8 p.m. - and we can talk and have time alone with just each other (no interruptions). We can use this time to reconnect.

Many families do not have relatives nearby to help out with their children. In this case, I think it is great to have friendships in which you can swap a Friday night each month and take turns watching each other’s children.

I feel strongly that any time can be used to help keep your relationship strong. This time doesn’t have to be going out on an elaborate, romantic date. After the kids go to bed, spend some time talking with the TV off. Get up a little earlier to eat breakfast together before the kids wake up and the busy day begins. Go for walks in the evening together, while the kids are enjoying the ride in the stroller you can have some time to talk or even just hold hands. Even a simple phone call during the day, to let your spouse know you are thinking about them or miss them can work. Think about the opportunities you have with your spouse and make sure you are using each one as an opportunity to connect and reinforce how much you love each other.

By guest blogger from Real Mom Real Views

Holy cow, did I just see my future teenager flash before my eyes? What am I doing wrong? Why won't my toddler listen to me? I hope your toddler isn’t anything like the majority I've dealt with --the hitting, the biting, the no's, and the full blown tantrum that makes everyone else around you stop and stare.

We've been through it, so welcome to the club! There are a few ways you can effectively discipline your toddler.

1. Give choices: We know your little control freak wants to do everything themselves so give them a choice and limit the choices. Ask your toddler things like, "Which cup would you like?" or, "The dinosaur pajamas or the cars?" Letting your toddler have some say gives them a sense of accomplishment and allows you to work together so you avoid any tantrums from the start.

2. Pick your battle: Toddlers are going to do a lot of things, hitting the family pet may or may not be worth the time-out. Let's put it simply; don't sweat the small stuff.

3. Time-ins: I have found with babies under two, they simply cannot understand a time-out yet. So instead of trying the time-out try comforting your child. Hold them, be quiet and give them some love-ins.  Let them know what they did wrong though. This helps especially when out in public.

4. Distraction: Much like a dog with a bone, toddlers are easily distracted. It's not hard to come up with some distraction before they blow.

5. Don't set yourself up to fail: Take it from me, I've learned the hard way. Grocery shopping with a tired or hungry toddler is brutal. Plan around naptimes and lunch; don't set yourself up to fail.

6. Toddler Talk: Listen to your toddler and show them that she/he has a voice. If "Brooklin mad" or "Brooklin sad," I repeat it back so she knows she is heard. Toddlers want to be heard and seen.

7. Stop the No-No's: Your toddler learned that lovely word from you so just as much as you dislike hearing it, so does your toddler. You couldn't help but screech, “NO.” when your toddler dumped his juice on your new rug, or as he happily splashes in the toilet, but you can use other words. Try replacing “no” with "sure, after you..." or "I'd love to, but let’s do...." Getting your toddler involved and making her think it's her idea is one of the best ways to effectively work together.

8. Be consistent: We won't rat you out for your Lifetime movie marathon, but if your toddler wants to watch TV for hours and you say one show, you better be firm. Soon it'll be commonplace.

9. Keep it short and sweet: Oh look, there's a birdie! Your toddler doesn't have such of an attention span. They're not teenagers who need things explained to them all the time. Keep discipline short and sweet.

10. Let them see who's boss: If your toddler won't behave at a birthday party, or decides to chuck their snack in the store, he doesn’t get another one, or he leaves the party. You tell them once with a warning and if not heeded, follow through. Every time.

Always, always, always reward good behavior, and remember that toddlers are going to test you. The next time you're in the check out line and your toddler wants out of the cart knowing they're going to trash the place, just know.....you may never see these people again.

By Guest Blogger Kristin from Our Ordinary Life

I was raised a picky eater. When I was younger, I would hide peas and milk in my cheeks and visit the restroom only to spit it all out in the toilet. I never really liked many vegetables, so I am not surprised that my children are not huge vegetable eaters either. So, how do we, as parents, handle picky eaters? Here are some ways to tame that picky side:

Do not offer sugary foods (or foods he/she is prone to only eat). I know my son won't eat his sandwich, if I offer a side such as chips with the sandwich.

Keep distractions to a minimum. If there are other children running around or the television is on, for a few examples, children will not focus on eating.

Hide food/nutrients in other foods you make. One of my secrets is to hide veggies in their meatloaf. The children have no idea it is in there and gobble up the meatloaf.

Make it fun. Turn sandwiches into shapes by using cookie cutters, dip veggies in butter or a sauce your child likes, or put food coloring in certain foods like mashed potatoes.

Lead by example. Your child is going to eat what you eat. If you never eat healthy foods, such as veggies, your child won't either.

Do not be a short order cook. Offer your child one option and stick with it. Keep trying by offering these foods to your children and eventually he/she will come around.

Don't use bribery. Your child will learn that they need to reject these foods in order to gain something out of the experience.

If you are concerned with your child's health due to lack of eating certain foods, or eating too many bad foods, consult their physician. Taking small steps to change their habits is definitely taking the correct approach to tackling your picky eater.

By Guest Blogger from Mommies With Cents

Oh Television... Quite possibly the largest love/hate relationship I’ve ever had. It’s so difficult to resist the small black box that one simple push of a button can easily silence the whiniest of toddlers. What would we do without it? When I had my second baby my oldest was only one, and I used to say Baby Einstein was my only sanity. But, how much is too much? And, how do you make sure your children aren’t being overloaded by the tube?

The biggest “no-no” I try to avoid is just letting Nick Jr. run all morning. Except for illness, or one of those plain no-good-very-bad-days, our TV never just stays on a channel. I mean, is DVR not the worlds greatest invention? DVR gives you your child’s favorite TV shows at any given time, which allows you the 30 minutes of peace and quiet you were so desperate for. When that blue “delete or keep” screen pops up (followed by “Uh-oh, uh-oh Mommy”) you have two choices – turn the TV off, or choose Chuggington this time. Do I always turn the TV off the first go-around? No. But, you are forced to make a decision that gives you a level of consciousness on the total TV time you’ve had so far. How many episodes of Blue’s Clues have we watched? At least 1 too many... It’s easy to do this with DVD’s, or Netflix live stream as well. Give yourself a goal- Ok, today is a 2 show day. Or today I’m only going to let my kids watch 1 show, and stick to it. Even better, try having a no TV day. I’ve only actually accomplished this test a handful of times (when I do it, I make it a “No TV or computer day”), but each time I have, I finish the day feeling very accomplished and even better.  I feel closer to my children. It’s amazing all the quality play time you can have together when you can’t lean on something else to “babysit” your kids. It will help show you just how wonderful life can be “unplugged.”

Think about what time of day you seem to always have the TV on- is it in the morning because you can’t function until 2 cups of coffee have been consumed? Or is it during dinner prep, when your kids are at their whiniest? Try making a plan to avoid having the TV on. Keep some toys separated that you pull out only at those times. Prepare an art project to keep your kids entertained while you cook dinner. Being prepared and using “backwards planning,” as my husband calls it, can make a world of difference and can keep you from popping in a movie out of desperation. The best thing I can do to avoid my kids watching too much TV is to stay busy. I know when we’re always on the go, my boys are being properly stimulated, getting fresh air, and exploring their world. If we’re in the house all day, chances are they’ll end up spending too much time just sitting and staring. Plus, as a bonus, when we get home my boys are always so happy to play with their toys they’ve missed all day, they stay entertained and happy.

The television definitely has it’s time and place in our homes- don’t let the mommy guilt get you. TV helps me recharge my batteries when they are low, and my children definitely benefit from that. The trick is just to keep if from taking over your life. With a little moderation, life stays in a balance and everyone stays happy!

By Guest Blogger Joanna at The Bragging Mommy

I remember it like it was yesterday. Feeling like I was going to pass out as I was teaching a class full of five year olds. Wondering what in the world was going on with me and why I was feeling so “out of it”. Then finally putting two and two together, waiting five minutes to look at the stick, seeing the plus sign, CELEBRATION (and a little bit of fear along with it.) The next nine months were like a tornado full of doctors appointments, baby clothes, shopping, decorating and redecorating and baby showers. All the preparation, making sure we had EVERYTHING we would need the day we brought home our sweet baby, wrapped in a pink blanket. I was so ready for this new chapter of our lives, and just knew exactly how it was going to be!

Oh, how quickly I discovered that the picture in my head and everything I had thought it would be like to be a mommy and weave this little baby into our lives wasn’t wrong, but definitely was harder than I had anticipated. If there was any way I could somehow transport back to my pre-mama self and whisper a few things in her ear, I would definitely have some major insights!
 
whisper: "That wee little baby we are bringing home doesn't need all the "stuff" we collected for her over the 9 months we waited so impatiently for her arrival."

As soon as I found out we were expecting I started researching baby gear and furniture, everything had to be brand new and top of the line. My girl had to have the best of the best and she needed it all. I was so blessed with amazing baby showers and my newborn daughter had more newborn size dresses than Cinderella's closet (post glass slipper). Guess how many she wore. One. I just knew she would be wearing her special dresses every day. I was so wrong. Much to my mother's disappointment we were onesies and swaddle blankets all the way. She grew so quickly and before I knew it she was in 3 month clothes and most of those beautiful dresses ended up being donated or passed on to friends. Initially, newborns don't need very much, they want to be kept safe, full, warm, dry, and given lots of love. So much of the rest is just noise.

whisper: "You will never stop worrying."

I am by nature a worry wart; I worry about worrying. It's that bad. Throughout my pregnancy I worried about anything and everything. All I could think about was getting to that due date and holding my daughter in my arms, I thought that would be the big finish line. Then she would be here and everything would be perfect. Little did I know, that first night as my daughter dreamed sweetly on my chest, all I could do was worry about her. Worry about everything from is she getting enough to eat, my fear of SIDS, even worrying about when she goes to school and what if she is picked on, or what if she dates a boy that doesn't treat her the way she should be treated...the list just goes on and on. To this day I can not go to sleep without checking on both of my children (several times), squinting my eyes in the dark looking for that chest rising and falling. Worry, worry, worry...it will never go away.

whisper: “Time will slip away too quickly…enjoy every moment. Breathe them in because they are always changing and in the blink of an eye, off to preschool they go.”

I wish I could go back and freeze so many moments in time, especially those newborn moments. That stage is so unbelievably sweet and slips away all too quickly. Nights when I sat in the dark of the living room nursing my baby every two to three hours, in a sleepy haze. So many moments gone too quickly and not fully appreciated. Parenthood can be exhausting, but really, you will never get these moments back. Enjoy them. Love them. Remember them. Treasure them.

whisper: “Your child is their own person. As much as you want to make them what you want them to be, it is not going to happen.”

I have really had to come to this realization recently with my daughter, Ava. She is almost four and is just her own girl living in her own world. I have all these dreams and wishes for her, visions in my mind of things I hope she loves and accomplishes. Many of them things I loved and accomplished or wish I had accomplished. I find myself wishing her to be like me, and she is the polar opposite of everything I was when I was small. As she is growing up a bit, headed to pre-school this fall, I have had to face the reality that just because I want her to love something or do something or act a certain way doesn’t mean she will. I will love and support her because she is her own amazing little person, and she will grow and fall in love with her own dreams.

whisper: "Every day you are going to be faced with a new challenge."

Never in a million years did I ever think being a parent would be this challenging. I knew it wasn't always going to be easy, but every day I feel like my children are throwing something new at me. Just a few examples for you: When they were infants it was figuring out how to get them to sleep for more than an hour or two straight. What in the world could we wrap them in or lay them on or what music could we play to get them to stay asleep? As they hit the toddler stage it becomes all about safety. You childproof your cabinets and within days your one year old is prying them open. Toddlers are quick and into or climbing onto everything. Then you hit two and learn that there is just no way to reason with a two year old! How do you get them to eat their veggies when grama keeps bringing over m&m’s and that is all they want! How to get them in their own bed and how to get them to stay in their own bed. And as we are headed to four with our oldest we have already been presented with so many challenges.  Any time we figure out an answer or solution, we feel like super man and wonder woman! It feels so good to know that we have solved another puzzle or figured out some mystery and are making things work for our family and our children.

whisper: "You are going to find out what love really is when you hold this child in your arms."

By guest blogger from Real Moms Real Views

Are We There Yet? Are We There Yet? Are We There Yet? Traveling with kids can make even the sanest of parents feel like they are quickly going bananas. I even find myself leaning over to my husband and asking him, “Are we there yet?”

The trick to traveling with children is to be prepared. Know what your kids are interested in and make sure you bring activities that will keep their attention and are age appropriate. My children are both toddlers so I’m going to focus on what to do for toddlers.

My last trip I was actually over prepared for and I recommend you do the same. You never know when you’re going to get stuck somewhere unexpected overnight and that’s just what happened to us. Luckily, I had plenty of activities and snacks on us. Here are a few suggestions on how to be prepared.

• Let the kids pick out a backpack with wheels. Having wheels on it allows them to be able to pull it or wear it, depending on what they feel like. Pick out coloring books, lacing toys, crayons, markers, travel puzzles and put them in the back packs. Have lots of different short activities they can do in their laps. Let them pick out some toys as well and have them add them to the bags. Giving your children choices and letting them help in the packing process makes them feel important and valuable. I’ve found that giving them the choice also makes them a lot more persuadable. 
• Choose healthy snacks that make little to no mess, dried fruit, freeze dried fruit, drinkable applesauce, crisps and crackers to name a few. Keep an extra bag in your purse so you can collect the garbage. Grab some reusable drink containers and put them in their bags as well. We drink a lot of water and the kids like to be able to get it out of their own bags.
• I keep snacks, napkins, and baby wipes in my bag along with an extra set of clothes, diapers and pull ups. Even if you have a potty trained child, you might consider putting them in a pull up during a long flight. We did this with Zoe, turned out we made it without any accidents but I know if I had not been so prepared, we would have been wet.
• One last tip would be to bring something very familiar to them. We brought special pillow cases with us on our last trip. That way, no matter where we ended up sleeping it still felt a little like home to them. The pillow cases helped make a huge difference from one trip to another.

By Guest Blogger Louise from MomStart

I have always had a slight heart attack when my kids got anywhere close to the kitchen while I was cooking.  I was so worried that they would get cut, burnt, or flattened by pots and pans.  As my oldest starts to get more curious, I see my kitchen as less of a danger zone.
 
He just turned 3 a few months ago and is a picky eater.  He would eat peanut butter and jelly for every meal if I let him.  Unfortunately for him, I'm the type of mom that cooks one meal and if you don't eat it, then you don't eat at all.  I recently noticed that he gets excited to eat whatever I'm cooking as long as he's had a hand in making it.
 
I still make sure to keep him away from the stove, but he helps me get the ingredients ready.  No matter what I'm making, I can find some way for him to get excited about helping.  Usually it is simple things like stirring or pouring ingredients into bowls from the measuring cups, but he can't wait to tell everyone we know that he helped make the meal.
 
He never used to eat chicken and dumplings, but last week I had him help me roll the dough in flour and he thought that was the best job ever.  He even had to call my mom to tell her that he was helping.  I was more than excited when he ate every bite on his plate that night.
 
It might be more time consuming and messy, but having my "little helper" in the kitchen is worth it.  We're having fun bonding time and he's finally eating more than PB&J.  Seeing him beam with pride makes me want to bake all day.

By Guest Blogger Dee from Two of a Kind Working on a Full House