Photo Shoot with BB Blocks

I am a twin mommy and a triplet auntie. Once I week I watch my nephews and my girls come along. Five kids under three years old is definitely a challenge and can be pretty exhausting at times, but it is a day I truly look forward to. It is always a challenge to find activities to keep all the kids busy. This past week we did a photo shoot! The girls wanted absolutely nothing to do with it (I only got a single shot of Delilah), but the boys were great sports and had fun posing for the camera and picking out props to pose with!

Months and months ago Rachel from BB Blocks contacted me and asked if I would like to sample and review her product for the blog. We were in the middle of a move and had a lot going on in general, so it got put on the way back burner (sorry I know I am horrible to work with). But I finally got around to trying out this AMAZING product. It is seriously awesome and I know for a fact I will get a ton of use out of it as the kids grow. These blocks are made beautifully and are way better than numbered stickers!

If you are stuck trying to figure out a gift for a new parent in your life for the holidays or know someone expecting (this would be the greatest shower gift ever!) you need to order a set! BB Blocks has been gracious enough to give Millennial Mother readers a discount! Enter the code "millennial" at check-out for a 10% discount! Head on over to BBBlocks.com now!

Here are some of the shots I snapped from our photo shoot with BB Blocks:

Cover Girl

I was selected to be the cover girl of the December issue of Miss Millennia Magazine. I was surprised when I was asked to grace the cover of their family edition, but super excited. My world revolves around my family, so being chosen to represent that for the magazine is such a great honor. I also get to take over their blog for the whole month and share on family and holiday topics. This is such a great opportunity for me and has definitely inspired me to get back into blogging mode, full force.

Head on over to Miss Millennia Magazine to check out all of the great content! 

Making Time

I have 2 toddlers. They are crazy little creatures who seem to want to destroy everything. My days are spent trying to feed, clothe, bathe them with lots of protest, take care of my household chores, keep them happy and entertained, and some how find time to feed, clothe, bathe myself. In the midst of all this, blogging has fallen to the wayside, along with many other things I would love to do regularly, but just cannot seem to find the time. But I do not want to leave myself out just because 3 other people depend on me to keep them and our home in some sort of livable order on the day to day.

It's barely December so I am starting hella early, but my New Years resolution is to take care of myself a little bit better. I am constantly being pulled in different directions, but that shouldn't be an excuse not to show self-love and set time aside just for me. I do so much, I deserve it. I deserve to squeeze in time for a bubble bath after the kids go down for the night. I deserve to paint my nails and toes. I deserve to skip a load of laundry or dishes to catch up on my reading or snail mail. I deserve to blog about deserving all this stuff!

There are so many times I put myself and my needs behind everyone else's in my life. I want to start being a little bit more important to myself. If I am not as healthy, happy, and content as I can be how could I expect to run this ship? It is also becoming apparent that I need to show more self-love and self-care because my daughters need to see it in action. I can't tell them about these things, I need to show them. I want them to see a balanced role model, so I am going to try my best to be that for them.

                                                   It's-ok-to-be-all-about-me selfie

The NEW Millennial Mother

After a very long hiatus, we're back! Well, I'm back. When the whole idea of Millennial Mother started I wanted it to be my blog. My blog about all the crazy shit that happened in my day to day life as a new mom to twins. But I lacked the confidence to do it. That is why I came up with the concept for a collective- different moms with different perspectives. But looking back it was just to mask the fact that I thought no one would want to read about me, my family, and all of our crazy experiences. But after half a year of lacking content from other mamas (I had one writer who was dedicated, besides myself) and basically begging people to contribute, I just stopped. Partly because of a big move and a lot of unexpected personal issues, but mostly because I thought my idea had failed. 

I wanted to come back and post so many times, but again I was afraid for the focus to be on me. But now I am saying, "Fuck it!". This blog can be about me and my family. Most of the original MM posts were mine and they got a lot of great feedback and response from readers. I am now confident and proud and I am going through with my initial idea to have a blog- my blog. So, this will no longer be a lifestyle collective blog. I am the Millennial Mother and this is my awesome blog!

What I Know Now

When my son was starting Kindergarten my husband and I decided that we should try to have one more child. I was so naive, so happy, so wanting to have a baby girl. Thinking about this time in my life also got me thinking about the question what would I tell myself if I knew then what I know now? It's a tough question to think about.

· I would say that something is about to happen to you, to your family, something that you are not prepared for but it is going to be okay, it is going to be fine.

· A wonderful little girl is about to enter your life and she is going to make it a brighter place to be.

· I would tell myself I know you are scared. I know you blame yourself and it is okay to feel these things. Just know deep down that God chose you to be this little girl's mommy for a reason. He knows you are strong and loving and will be there for her no matter what.

· She needs you. She needs your love. She needs your help. She needs you to just love her. Love her for who she is, not for who she was supposed to be or may never become.

· I would say she is not what you expected, she is so much more. She is going to teach you things about life that you took for granted or never understood before. She is going to teach you how to appreciate life and how to love.

· I would tell myself that because of this little girl you are going to be a better person. You will be more giving, more caring, and more loving. You are going to be all that you can be, all because of her.

· She is going to be a joy to your family. She is going to make your family stronger.

· Don't be scared she is going to get through the heart surgery and amaze everyone.

· She is going to amaze you with how much she can do. She will do so much more than the experts tell you she will do.

· I would tell myself that I am stronger than I know and that she is stronger than I can ever imagine and we will all be alright.

· I would tell myself that you will love this baby girl more than you can possibly imagine. She will teach you to love better and hug harder.

· She is going to change your whole world as you know it and make it even better.

· You will appreciate how precious life is.

· The road ahead might be scary because there is so much more that is unknown. Don't worry about what you don't know, just love her and she will love you back.

· Enjoy life in this very moment, enjoy each one as they come and cherish them.

I have learned so much since that day, almost three years ago now. I will continue to learn and grow and to hopefully help others to understand what it is like being a special needs parent to a special    little girl who just happens to have Down syndrome.

Beth is  a wife, stay at home mom, crafter, blogger, ex-teacher, and homeschooler. She is also a special needs mom to a little girl who just happens to have an extra copy of her 21st chromosome. She loves her life and is thankful each and every day that she gets to stay at home with her two children.  The loves of her life are her husband and her two kids. She loves spending time with them and having fun together. She enjoys anything Disney. She loves sharing on her blog and her youtube channel.

Website- www.myhandsandheartarefull.com

Youtube channel- https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCHzceRi83-SIE2bnIjODdeg

Facebook- https://www.facebook.com/MyHandsAndHeartAreFull?ref=hl

Kitchen Tour

As I promised I am following through with my vow to do a series of home tour blog posts. Let me start this off by saying I am in no way shape or form an interior design expert. We don't live in some massive luxurious home, but we do live in a comfortable townhome that fits our family perfectly! Last post I gave y'all a glimpse into our master bedroom and today I'm exposing quite possibly the hardest room to keep clean...the kitchen.

 

 

 

 

Our apartment complex has been around for decades and has great architecture. We have vaulted ceilings and miraculously we have a large kitchen...score! I'm not used to having such a neutral wall color in a kitchen. Our last home had dark cherry cabinets and charcoal walls so this was a challenge for me honestly. I've had an obsession with shabby chic elements for a while but it is not my usual decor forte' so I always stayed away from it. I found the adorable canvas artwork above out sink at Kirklands and just couldn't resist. It's got 3D burlap flowers and so many fun colors in it which makes matching decor to it sooooo much easier. It also makes our Boon "lawn" drying rack not stick out like a sore thumb.

  

  

  

The stove is absolutely awful to me when it's bare. It's old and blah. Thank goodness I have a candle obsession because it takes the focus off of the age of this beast. I also opted to put a colorful dishtowel over the handle which helps conceal the plain-ness. I'm also an IKEA addict and love finding functional items that I will actually use. I found this paper towel rack that screws to the wall for $5! This bad boy has been in our home for years and it definitely gets put to use.

  

  

One of my all time favorite kitchen finds is from...you guessed it...IKEA. It is actually made for gardening I think but we use it to hold our teas and sugar dispenser. Sometimes we trade out the teas and put my infamous paper straws in this but usually it is filled with my beloved stress relieving tea bags.

  

  

My most recent addition is this wall mounted bottle opener. What really sold this for me is the fact that it has an attached mason jar to hold bottle caps. I may or may not need an intervention for my mason jar obsession. We actually don't even have actual drinking glasses anymore. We use blue glass mason jars for that purpose.

                                                   

  

 

                                              

  

 

I have a firm belief that candles can transform a space. One of my favorite brands is Park Hill. Their scents are intoxicating and the wicker design makes them oh so cute. Right now we are burning "Bee Skep" and let me just say you should go find this exact candle, burn it and fall in love. It's incredible!

  

  

Our kitchen is nothing worthy of Interior Digest but it has personality to it. When we walk in it always has such an inviting feel about it. We never thought we'd ever feel so comfortable in an apartment complex. This little townhouse of ours feels like home sweet home.

How To Clean Your Baby's Toys

If you have you a baby or toddler you know their toys go in their mouth, on the floor, then back in their mouth again. Here is an easy way to clean and sanitize all of your little ones plastic toys!

All you will need is a small squirt of your dishwashing liquid, a good pour of vinegar, and a bathtub full of water.

I fill my tub up with warm water and squirt a bit of the dishwashing liquid under the water to create some suds and bubbles. Then I do a nice pour of vinegar under the running water as well. I swirl the toys around a bit to make sure everything is incorporated, then leave to soak in the solution.

The dishwashing liquid will wash away all of the dirt and grime on the toys and the vinegar acts as a natural sanitizer. I use vinegar a lot around our home - in the toilet and in a homemade all purpose cleaner I made to clean countertops and other surfaces. The smell of vinegar can get a bit strong (I am a weirdo and love it!), but once it dries it will go away. 

After about 30 minutes, I let the water out and run cool water to rinse off the toys. I set them all out on a towel to air dry. Ta da! You now have clean toys! It is a lot easier than trying to wipe down each toy one by one with a sanitizing wipe! I do this about once a week to ensure everything stays nice and clean. I am happy and so are my little ones!

Master Bedroom = Sanctuary

Since the arrival of our son over 15 months ago our bedroom has always been overloaded with laundry to be put away, an unmade bed and full of colorful décor. It worked for us. That is until we moved to Corpus Christi, TX. The house we left behind in Oklahoma was over 2500 sq/ft and now we have a 1200 sq/ft townhouse. Needless to say we needed to downsize and still make it feel like home. To me a master bedroom is your retreat. It is a place to de-stress and to kick up your feet after a full day. We opted to go with a more muted color scheme in our new place. Our master bedroom is filled with black, grays, tans and bright white. At first I wasn’t so sure about this plan but after living with it for a few months I am head over heels in love with how it has turned out.

 

                                                                                                                                                             

The comforter is really what inspired this whole design. We were strolling through Target when we spotted this cotton comforter, holy comfort! Not only is it the most comfortable bedding we've ever purchased but it has such a luxe look to it without being too much. Those leather pillows on the bed have been with us since we first got married. We've got them all over the house. To be completely honest I don't know how they have survived two moves, a dog and a growing little boy but they still look just as nice as they did the day they were purchased. The tan pillows I found here in Corpus at At Home which is a home decor store owned by Garden Ridge. They are opening tons of new stores so keep your eyes open and you MUST go when you find one. I swear it has revolutionized shopping for home goods. My husband has a very modern style and I like the more frou frou girly things, hence the french inspired pillow and the fur throw. Mixing two people's taste is tough, but when you find that perfect mixture it sure feels like a sanctuary. 

Our master bedroom is pretty large considering we are located in an apartment complex, so I was pumped to be able to use my beloved greyscale "London" table. My husband had this custom made for me for our anniversary last year and it is killer. The only down side is the shape makes it hard to place. Initially we planned on putting our television in this space but decided against it. We figured it'd be better to opt out of that idea and actually talk before bed. I have to say this seems to have made an impact on our marriage (more on that in another posts though). The suitcase chair to the left was made by my crafty husband. He joined Pinterest back in February and was so inspired to try his hand in making something from the pins he pinned. It took me over 4 months before I actually attempted to recreate a pin, he's an overachiever! My hubs found a vintage suitcase, grabbed some pinstriped fabric, and some fluffy filling and utilized the massive stash of wood we already had. It took him one night to make this! ONE NIGHT!!!! It took me three days to figure out how to do a craft meant for toddlers. Well played Pinterest, well played.

All I contributed to this little beauty was the fur pillow which I found at Wal-Mart. This was totally a HIS and HERS effort....obviously, lol.

                     

Quite possibly my favorite element in our bedroom, minus my husband of course, is my black globe. This was my Mother's Day gift and I love love love it. Black is my favorite color so when I saw this bad boy I couldn't resist. I talked about it for weeks upon weeks. Now it has a home a-top my beloved table. For those of you who like black as much as I do and love this globe then scurry over to your local Home Goods and scoop one up if you see one. These sell out quick!

 

                                                                                                                                                         

We're a blanket hoarding kind of family and I loathe piles of blankets in the corner of a room. I found this adorable canvas tote at Home Goods and what made it even better was that I bought it on sale! I swear I get a high when I score a good deal. We rolled up our blankets and folded one on top so we didn't have a bunch of random a** colors messing with our monochromatic color scheme. Yep, I'm totally OCD like that!

I'm challenging myself to do a series of home tour blog posts. Mainly so I have a fire under my rear to finish decorating our new home, but also to show how living in a smaller space can still be luxurious and glamorous. I hope you enjoyed reading this as much as I did writing it. Now I'm off to light my sandalwood candle and snuggle up in our bed to read a book, haha that's not true. I'm the mom of a toddler so realistically I'm off to go scrape food off of my couch. Glamour at its finest!!!

 



 

Traveling Essentials When Traveling with Baby

I met a beautiful woman on my travels to Canada last month. I overpacked and although I brought my trusted Ergobaby, I also brought  babyB's stroller, as well as a huge carry on tote. I was in way over my head. Picture this: my 5'2 and 125lb stature wearing a 7 month old baby and pushing a stroller filled to the brim with my and baby's carry ons--all while pulling the world's heaviest suitcase and trying to maintain my fabulosity.  So back to the story: I land in Toronto and the uber helpful stewardess not only assists me with strapping babyB in his Ergobaby, but she also carried both my carry-ons off the plane (big shout out to Porter Airlines for their exceptional customer service). After disembarking, the cutest guy ever helped me assemble babyB's car seat and stroller. Then my journey began.

I found my way to baggage claim and managed to get another fella (not as cute as the 1st) to grab my heavier-than-a-dead-body, suitcase off the conveyor belt. Ready to explore Toronto, I followed signs to the nearest elevator. There I was, pushing a stroller with my left hand and pulling my suitcase with my right all while bouncing up and down to soothe babyB--in short I looked like a hot mess! Unable to find the exit I asked an employee and was then advised I had to take a ferry. On my way to the ferry, a lovely woman asked me if I needed help and I reluctantly said yes. I didn't realize how much pain my arms were in until she took over! I expected her to just help me onto to ferry, but she pushed the stroller all the way to the car! Being a mother herself, I picked her brain about motherhood (as I often do). She gave me tips on child rearing and the importance of savoring every moment as they run away from us very quickly. We exchanged cards and have been in contact ever since then. I was so grateful for our serendipitous encounter and learned that flying with baby was meant for 2 and not 1. But I am a single mother. This trip taught me the days of overpacking for 100 "just-in-case" events would need to end if I wanted to make traveling with baby an easier task. Not that I have it all figured out but here are five tips on making traveling with baby easy-er.

1. Wear your baby. From now on I will opt to leave the stroller at home. Using a carrier means that your baby can happily continue napping as you get on and off planes and rush to the next gate. A recent rule change allows you to wear your baby through security, so you don’t have to disturb him if he is sleeping. They just do a quick swab of your hands (to check for explosives, as if a mother has time to fiddle with making a bomb) once you get through.

2. Stock up. Take a well-stocked diaper bag, including diapers, wipes, bottles (unless you breast feed), snacks, a sippy cup, a book or two, and some quiet toys. If the child is old enough, a couple of Baby Einstein videos downloaded onto an iPad are great attention-holders for pretty good chunks of time. The iPad is also great for you- in the off chance that you get super lucky and end up with a sleeping baby on your lap for part of the flight. You can quietly catch up on some reading.

3. Feed the Baby on Takeoff and Landing: This is a tried and true tip for flying with babies. Make sure to breastfeed the baby or give them a bottle of milk or a sippy cup of water at takeoff and landing to help their small ears adjust to the plane pressure. And anytime you notice the pressure getting rough on your own ears, be sure to give the baby something as well--whether it be the bottle, boob, sippy cup or pacifier. Don't forget your nursing scarf so you don't offend any passengers.

4. Dress easy. That goes for you and your baby. Don’t put booties or shoes on your baby. At least not through security, unless you don’t mind taking them off, but it’s just an extra step they make you go through. Socks are ok. Also, don’t wear a belt you’ll have to take off at security, or shoes you’ll have to untie and tie again, or a big coat that will get in the way… You get the idea. If you’re flying alone with a baby these things that are normally simple to do are a HUGE PAIN!

5. Travel with adequate gear. There is enough stress in traveling and there's no need to add any more by traveling with scant gear. Invest in a timeless piece like this ergonomically designed spinner it's perfect for traveling moms--it's lightweight, durable and not to mention chic! 

And most importantly, relax. What are your favorite tips for traveling with kids? What has surprised you about traveling with kids?

See a crazed and sleep-less looking mama wearing this season's hottest trends? That would be me. I am Fashnboucou, a 29 year old single mom to a super energetic 8 month old baby boy, with superhero strength. When I'm not busy keeping cords, cellphones and remotes out of his mouth, I am trying to show the world my love for fashion through my personal style and my blog, Fashnboucou, a collection of style for mommies, soon to be mommies and of course your little one.

Head over to Fashnboucou to visit her blog and show her some love!

 

Best Baby Board Books

My girls are finally at a stage where they are "reading", a.k.a. turning the pages of the books and looking at the pictures. Well, sort of. They still occasionally bring the book to their mouths to gnaw. I say "Books are for reading not eating" and try to redirect their attention back to the illustrations. It's a work in progress. But they enjoy story time and will sit with me for the majority, if not all of the story.

I have compiled a list of some of the baby board books we have been enjoying lately. I have inserted links in the title of each book to their Amazon.com pages if you would like more info/reviews. All images are courtesy of Amazon.

You Are My Cupcake by Joyce Wan

The illustrations pop with a beautifully bright color palette and some of the elements of the images are raised for texture or have glitter, ex: the sprinkles of the cupcake. Great for sensory development. Super cute, kawaii-esque style.

Baby Sophie la girafe: First Words by DK Publishing

Before my girls were even born they each received a Sophie giraffe from my friend Kim as their very first gifts. Most moms know this little thing is made of magic and all babies are drawn to it instantly. Needless to say, my girls like this one a lot because they recognize the Sophie image.

Baby Loves To Rock by Wednesday Kirwan

This is my own personal favorite, not gonna lie! As a "rocker" family this is totally appropriate and was another awesome gift from our friend Rachel. I don't want to give it away, but the concept is totally unique and cute. Rock on, babies! \m/

You Are My Sunshine by Jimmie Davis and Caroline Jayne Church

Love singing this classic song to my littles and now we have it in amazing board book form. The one we have has a shiny, gold cover which the girls really like. And the illustrations are phenomenal! I can't read the words, I have to sing every time! :)

You're All My Favorites by Sam McBratney

This one is great if you have more than one child. It explains how parents can love each child equally and each one can be a favorite. It would be a great idea to have an older sibling read to the younger one(s). I love the concept so much. I gave my triplet nephews a copy. One of my new faves.



I plan on doing future posts as our library expands and grows with our daughters. What are some of your best baby board books? Share yours in the comments below!