7.31.2012

A Rockin Giveaway

Before tiny arrived, laundry was a thing that piled up and got done once a week whenever I was out of clothes.
Actually...I thought that was pretty average, not too shabby.
Obviously I had no idea how much laundry a baby would create.
Especially if you are using cloth diapers as we were...more on that here.
Ok, I guess sometimes I still wait a little too long to do laundry.
 I'm certainly not complaining though. 
Really how could you complain about laundry,
when each itty bitty item is cuter than the last.
I suppose however if I had to complain about one thing it would be the lack of natural baby detergents, that actually smell good.
 I was on the verge of simply accepting the sad situation when I came across:
 the most amazing. detergent. ever.

Rockin Green has literally rocked our laundry into a smelly good, naturally soft oblivion.
I know your thinking who could possibly get this excited about laundry,
but I am here to tell you it is worth the spiked heart rate.
I longed for extra smelling goodness and Rockin Green definitely delivered.
Rockin Green kindly sent me some sample sizes to try and my nose is still thanking me!
Check these awesome scents out:
  • Mighty Mighty Marshmallow - it's sweet and nutty, and very mighty!
  • Smashing Watermelons- this juicy watermelon blend is like a kick to your senses.
  • Earth, Wind & Orchids- this scent is flowered with inviting hints of tartness, floral, woods, honeysuckles and sugar. 
  • Rage against the Raspberry- this raspberry and honey blend will have you running around the laundry room looking for the mosh pit! 
  • Mötley Cleän - there's clean and then there's Mötley Cleän. This fresh blend has hints of ocean, fresh linen, and sunshine.
  • Lavender Mint Revival- this medley of lavender and mint is like nothing you have heard or smelled before!
  • Bare Naked Babies-because we love the smell of babies, we offer an unscented variety too! 
*Thank you to the Rockin Green for these great descriptions*
Now that I'm done raving about how wonderfully wonderful this detergent is...
doesn't it make you want some? 
Welp, you are in luck friends because the team over at Rockin Green has offered to give one lucky Laughing Bellies reader a full bag of 45/90 detergent, your choice of scent and rock level (hard, classic, or soft).
  Here's how:
a Rafflecopter giveaway

7.30.2012

BAM


Becoming a mother. 
I never could have imagined how it would be. 
Sure I tried, and what my imagination drew up wasn't too far off. 
But my imagination could have never anticipated the pure emotions that come along with it.
I thought by now, 8 months into it that I would have those feelings under control.
But I think I'm starting to realize that this is just the beginning.
These raw emotions are sneaky and hit me in the most unlikely of situations.
That is why I have coined them the BAM moments....or "becoming a mother" moments.
Just when I think I've got it, I get hit. hard. with a BAM moment.
Take last night for instance.
 Tiny woke up and it seems that all she wanted was a snuggle or two, or three...
As I brought her into bed with us and tried to go back to sleep,
 I was suddenly hit hard by the thought that I was a mother.
 I had this little life that I was responsible for.
She depends on me. And while I thought I already knew this...
whenever it invades my thoughts it leaves me in awe! 
I feel like I've joined the millions upon millions of mothers who have experienced these feelings.
People say don't lose who you are when you become a mother, 
but the truth of the matter is I will never be the same.
I will never go out again and not think about someone other than me.
And if I do, I am sure a BAM moment will be waiting right around the corner to put me into place.
See, I think that's their purpose in life. 
BAM moments keep us Mamas from getting too complacent.
They keep things real, honest and pure.


7.27.2012

A Week Peek

As the days and weeks have a tendency of blending together, 
I thought it would be fun to recap the happenings of our little life.
Here's a peek into our week: 
  • Lucia turned 8 months.
  • she played her first guitar.
  • We were gifted the most adorable socks with an even more appropriate name (Lucia).
  •  She ate like a champ.
  •  And wasn't too sure about her first prune experience.

7.26.2012

Life Lessons From Lucia

Somewhere between my teen and college years I thought I knew it all.
Being told what to do or how to do it simply made me want to do the opposite. 
But then I had tiny.
Now I realize that everything I thought I knew was simply a tiny piece of the big pie.
Since having Lucia I have learned and loved more than I knew was possible.
Some days I am convinced that she chose me as her mom so that she could teach me all the things that I once thought I knew, but am now realizing I had no clue.
  • She has taught me the true meaning of love. Not the kind of love you have for your favorite pair of shoes, in which you conditionally love until your over it, but to really really love...forever.
  • She has taught me to be present. For so long I struggled with looking to the future, never TRULY enjoying where I was. But now I cherish each and every moment. Sleepless nights aren't so bad when I remind myself that one day she will sleep through the night...and I will miss our early morning snuggles dearly.
  • She has taught me how to laugh, all day long. I can no longer take myself seriously, because we are too busy laughing and dancing to the beat of our own drums.
  • She has taught me to judge less, and love more. 
  • She has taught me reminded me just how powerful the bond between a mother and child can be.
  • She has taught me to embrace change. As I cling to each stage, she embraces and delights in her new adventures.
  • She has taught me to see the joy in the small, simple every day things in life...Who knew a dog could be so funny, or an oatmeal container so entertaining.
  • And perhaps the most important of all, she has taught me how to become a mother, a lesson that she will continue to teach me throughout this amazing, wild, journey.
Thank you tiny for being the best teacher I've ever had.

7.25.2012

Wordless Wednesday

Happy Wordless Wednesday!

7.23.2012

You Get What You Pay For

This weekend we decided to head to the zoo for $5 zoo day. 
Becoming a stay at home mom has taught me a lesson in becoming thrifty,
and in theory it sounded perfect!
 You pay $5 rather than $25 per person and you get to spend the beautiful summer day looking at exotic animals. Who wouldn't want to do this really?
hahahahahahaha.....yes that's the universe laughing at my stupidity.
Let me explain:
We arrived early to avoid the expected crowds. We were so proud of ourselves.
Tiny had other plans.
 She decided that it was the perfect time to "unload" herself,
so we spent the first 20 minutes cleaning up a very stinky messy baby and car seat.
It was a mess, but we were done.
(although we used every wipe we had so we prayed there was no more coming out)
As we found ourselves among lines of people waiting to get in,
we laughed about the incident,
and gagged over the anticipated smell we would find later.
The hubs joked that the car might burst into flames.
It started out fun.
 We giggled at warthogs and tufted deer.
We ooed and ahhed over the African wildlife.
And hung upside down like the bats do (OK fine, we just turned the picture upside down).
In these moments it was fun.
However what you don't see are the MASS amounts of people, sweaty people everywhere.
What you don't see is tiny screaming because she's hot and hates her stroller.
Again, my jokester husband laughed that the zoo wasn't the animals but rather the people inside.
So in the end, we came, we saw and we got the heck out of there.
The saying "you get what you pay for" kept ringing in my ears.
$5 zoo day was an epic fail, but fortunately for tiny,
the only thing she'll remember are how rad her parents are for taking her.



7.20.2012

Ten Americans


If you are a follower on here, 
you know that normally Friday is filled with cute little baby clothes.
But when I came across this Ten Americans video
 I felt compelled to share it and I didn't think it could wait.
It had me angry, laughing and nearly crying all in 20 minutes 
and I do believe it will make you reevaluate your surroundings
 and the things that go in it.
If you don't have the 20 minutes to watch it, at least watch the first 5.
Your jaw will drop, and your heart will pound!


7.19.2012

A Simple Toy

Toys these days. What don't they do really. 
Aside from cleaning my house, they seem to do it all:
Sing, dance, vibrate, light up, spin...
yet somehow we I grow tired of them.
So we decided to take it back to the good ole days.
I originally got the idea from Productive Parenting and modified it a little.
Rather than using cornmeal as originally stated, we used oatmeal.
It's fairly simple, cost little to nothing and is wonderful for helping with fine motor skills.
Just fill a pan with oatmeal,
give baby some containers,
and watch their faces light up as the new sensation tickles their fingers and toes.
 It's an activity for the entire family.
And it will remind you that sometimes less is more when it comes to toys.



7.18.2012

Wordless Wednesday

When a baby is hungry...anywhere will do.
Happy Wordless Wednesday.

*Photo courtesy of Earth Mama Angel Baby*

7.17.2012

Reflections

I can honestly and finally say that I am comfortable in my own skin.
Sure there are things that I wish I could change. 
They are mostly things that changed as I became the home to my tiny for 10 months.
But here's the thing...I look at those changes with pride, 
like a battle wound or scar that I am boastful over. 
Before tiny I would have worried about it. I would have wondered what people thought.
But now I wear my body with pride.
So when I see tiny so enamored by her own self it makes my heart giddy.
To see her cheer for her own self is the best feeling in the world. 
Sure she's just a baby and it's possible that she doesn't even realize it's her,
but if she doesn't already, one day soon she will.
And I can only pray she will be just as happy then as she is now.
As she examines herself in delight, I pray that this will never change.
 Being a Woman can be difficult.
There are constantly messages from society telling us we need to change, 
that we aren't good enough just the way we are.
But my tiny doesn't fall for that.
She knows she's brilliant just the way she is...chubby thighs and all.
And I pray that she always sees herself this way. 
That she knows God created her to be exactly who she is and nobody else.
And if she ever should doubt or question herself,
I pray that she knows that she has her biggest supporter right behind her.

7.16.2012

A New Rule

                                                                                           Source: google.co.uk via Layla on Pinterest

I will be the first to admit that this family enjoys watching our TV shows
from the news to the bachelorette, they provide us with an escape.
For instance, last night Papa came home from work, we put Lucia to bed and within minutes we had already kicked our feet up on the couch, 
glass of wine in hand to watch TV.
(expect the poor hubs is on a juicing cleanse so he had to catch his drool as he watched me wine and dine).
I'm not complaining because we really enjoy it.
But as we sat there watching the silent film The Artist...
which I highly recommend, 
I started thinking about our priorities.
I remember reading an article about a family whose 2 year old had literally NEVER seen the TV and I started wondering if we could apply it, in a less extreme way to our own lives...because let's face it, my morning doesn't feel complete without the Today's Show on,
 and America's Got Talent couldn't survive without my at home critiques.
But if we would have turned that square entertainer to the off mode,
would we have actually talked? Like really talked to each other?
I envisioned us giggling over a board game and a glass of wine and although the movie was delightful, time spent with the husband sounded even better.
So I proposed a "no TV rule".
 One night a week the TV disappears and we spend quality time together.
To my surprise he seemed interested.
And so it begins. 
It's a little challenge if you will,
and I'm excited to see what we can actually accomplish without the TV.
So now I propose the same idea to you.
I've never been one to enjoy doing things alone so join me...
I think we just might be pleasantly surprised.
Who's comin' with me?



7.13.2012

Really Tiny?

I spend nearly every waking hour with tiny.
I change her diapers, I feed her during all hours of the day and night, 
and for goodness sake...
SHE CAME OUT OF ME. 
You would think that would be reason enough.
I am a proud mama and I am constantly in her face saying "mama, mama".
But of course those were not her first words....no no friends,
because yesterday we woke up to "papa,papa". 
And my ignorant American mentality 
thought for sure that all babies said mama and dada first,
so I wasn't prepared for it. 
Neither of us were really, but boy did it make her Papa proud.
He. Was. Beaming.
Of course at first I tried to discount the whole thing.
"she doesn't really know what she's saying" was the first thing that came out of my mouth...
and then I realized maybe she does.
Maybe she is 1000 times smarter than I could ever give her credit for,
and she knows exactly what she's doing.
She's just tightening up the already tight string that she has wrapped around his finger.
She is tightening the string around the finger,
that she will one day hold onto as she takes her first steps.
The finger that will one day take her to her first daddy-daughter dance,
and the finger that will one day send her off into this big bright world.
Way to go tiny...you are smarter than any of us could have imagined.
p.s. Tiny, when all else fails, your papa LOVES chocolate. 

 

 

7.12.2012

Checking Out...Mentally

Here in Florida, Summer is in FULL swing.
Our days are hot and I really can't tame my "let's get outta here and go on vacation" mentality.
Being a mama is awesome but it is constant work.
Am I complaning? Not right now, but I am daydreaming.
Until I can get the bags packed, find a dog sitter, load the car, and get to any destination 
(now I remember why it's so hard to go anywhere)
I will be on a mental vacation.
If I close my eyes tight enough,
 I can feel the salty air brushing over my skin as I swing back and forth...and then when I open them, I'm reminded that I'm simply nursing tiny in our rocking chair...
almost as good.
Oh to be here basking in the sun. I imagine the warmth of the sun penetrating my skin...
and then I remember we have an almost 8 month old. 
At least we can take turns.
And when the day is done, we will head off to one of our rooms 









         
Hey, it's a mental vacation...
we have lots of money and as many rooms as we want. 
 Just go with it.
So this is where I will be for the next few days.
Feel free to join me. 
It's relaxing, rejuvenating, and free.

7.11.2012

Wordless Wednesday

Sparks were flying both in the sky...and in my heart!
Happy Wordless Wednesday.

7.09.2012

The Beat Goes On

Last night we took our tiny to a long standing tradition.
A tradition that people have been dancing and beating their drums to for years all around the world.
A place where the community mentality goes from ME to WE.
 We gathered our drum and as soon as we hit the beach, 
the rhythm took over. 
Tiny loved it. 
She beat her drum right alongside everyone else.
In both conventional,
and unconventional ways.
And although there were storm clouds to the right, to the left we had a beautiful sunset!
It got me to thinking about how lucky I feel to not be in this alone. 
Becoming a parent is amazing, but can sometimes feel isolating.
Thank you to my family.
Thank you to my friends.
Thank you for helping to make this new journey feel like a WE experience.
You know who you are...and it truly is appreciated.


7.06.2012

Wise Words

It seems everywhere I look these days,
I'm seeing another witty, sarcastic ecard.
I don't know how they came to be,
and some are better than others.
Here are a few of my favorites!
Happy Friday Friends.

                                                                                     Source: postteenageliving.com via Alvera on Pinterest

                                                                                    Source: pinterestwomen.org via tawanna on Pinterest
                                                                                           Source: someecards.com via Craig on Pinterest

                                                                                    Source: theketchupwar.com via Ketchup on Pinterest
                                                                                        Source: dictoot.com via Nancy on Pinterest

7.05.2012

Don't Blink

Lately life has been moving at a rate that I didn't know was possible.
I look at my tiny everyday in disbelief. 
It seems impossible that she is where she is. 
Not because I think she's a genius baby (well I think she is)
 but because I can't place my finger on how we got here.
The evolution is a grand, awe inspiring process to watch.
She's moving, playing, smiling, interacting and showing us her personality each day.
Just when I think my heart can't love anymore,
it does. 
I continue to wish I had some sort of machine
 where I could bottle all of these feelings up,
pulling them out for days when I'll really need them...
her first night away, her first date, college, wedding.
NOBODY can prepare you for this!
You can register for every toy and gadget in the store
 (which I may or may not have done)
but you can't be prepared for a love like this...
and even if you could register for it,
it would be so expensive to buy you would never receive it.
Because THIS. IS. PRICELESS.
And it literally is happening in the blink of an eye.
I love this stage we are in.
To be honest I am petrified to blink because I know it will then be over.
But if the next stage is anything like the past,
then I am sure it will have my heart bursting at the seams.

7.04.2012

Wordless Wednesday


Happy Birthday America!
I hope you all enjoy the 4th of July very much.

7.02.2012

Sweet Weekends

Oh the joys of Monday.
A time to reflect over the past weekend.
We had an eventful one. 
Here is our weekend recap:

Saturday, I managed to survive the most dreaded moment of any new mothers life. As I realized I had accidentally locked tiny in the car, My heart raised to a heart rate that I didn't know was possible. THANK GOD I had my phone and that my husband was close by to come rescue me from an experience that I hope to be the first and last! It was beyond frightening.
However I am thoroughly impressed that I even made it to our favorite music class after the ordeal.
In an effort to restore my faith in myself as a mother, We visited our local children's museum, Great Explorations
Tiny had a great time, and I was finally able to relax.
Sunday was a new day. We got up early, went for a swim with our cousins and then dedicated the rest of the day to Spain. The hubs made paella, we dressed in red and watched Spain beat Italy in the Eurocup. To say Papa was proud is an understatement!

It was a good weekend. 
A weekend of learning.
 A weekend of celebrating. 
A weekend to remember.
I hope yours was just as great.