Perfectly Imperfect Mom: 2017

June 15, 2017 No comments

June 12, 2017 No comments

Thank you Fallan for giving some fun weekly themes to keep our kids busy this Summer!

Summertime is upon us and if you’re like me, you must be wondering how to occupy the kiddos to curb summer boredom (trust me, it’s coming) and save your own sanity.

The plan? Weekly summer themes.

Hear me out.

I’m a planner. I work better with a schedule and so do my children. My children have never attended camp because I make summer both fun and educational (I can’t help it! I’m a teacher!).

Weekly summer themes can be incorporated anywhere, even with vacations. It works for children of all ages and with both free and expensive activities. All you need is a bit of planning and some research.
Let me break it down:

These are the weekly themes I came up with for this summer, with some help from my kids: Zachary, 8, and Oakley, 4:

https://www.pinterest.com/pin/269793833910449510/

You can be as specific or vague as you want with your themes. When my daughter was younger, I was broader with the themes to incorporate activities for both age groups. For example, last summer we had a week of transportation so my son could read up on submarines and space shuttles while my daughter learned about the different types of transportation we use in the air, on land, and to sail the seas.

Once you have your themes, now comes the research. With every theme, we go to the library once a week. It allows for quiet time, it’s free, it’s in the air conditioning, and it lets us chose books that help us learn about that week’s theme. We look for both fiction and non-fiction books.

Next, I think about local attractions and events that may accommodate our theme. Some of these are easy, like going to the science museum for science week or seeing the fireworks for the Fourth of July for the week focusing on America.

But it helps to think outside the box here. You don’t want to necessarily go to the same attractions your family would go to on a regular weekend. I like to find something we rarely do or even something we’ve never tried before.

For example, we plan to try the glass blowing demonstration in Hollywood, as it’s something they’ve never seen and we’ve wanted to try.

Summer is known for being kid-friendly so flipping through a local parenting magazine, such as South Florida Parenting, or searching online for a few keywords or even on Pinterest, can give you a multitude of ideas for your themes.

I like to look up free or cheap options to help keep costs down so we can often be found free museum days or at local parks with a magnifying glass. You could choose to just do a few weeks this summer.

Weekly summer themes can be as detailed as you want them to be. Have fun and happy summer!
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June 10, 2017 No comments

I am so excited for you all to read about my friend Kelly's family. Kelly played a huge role in my decision to adopt Ashlyn. She had recently just adopted her daughter and was back in town while waiting for her ICPC to clear. She reassured me and answered my questions. I am eternally grateful for that day...

I have this great memory of our lovely Perfectly Imperfect mama, Brenna- we were about eight years old, eating the old-school Funfetti icing straight out of the plastic can, and sitting on the floor watching Power Rangers. Basically we were elementary school spirit animals. (Can that icing come back? Did it? I just moved back from three years in Europe so I am behind on a few American things.) We have stayed in touch through the years and I still think she is so fabulous.

Our family is made up of myself, my husband and our three adorable, sweet girls. We have eight year old twins and a three year old. We are grateful to have grown our family through pregnancy and adoption- which often leads to some crazy questions and interesting comments. I usually share that we wanted to adopt first but most agencies don’t take a 22 year old seriously when they call. Also to note we are mere mortals and not Hollywood celebrities- so finances were a bit of a factor.

Polycystic ovarian syndrome made conception difficult: but thankfully not impossible. We celebrated when our IUI (or intra-uterine insemination) was successful and our sweet girls were born that following spring. When the twins were four, we decided the timing was right to pursue an adoption. Initially we wanted to try for an international adoption but our military life made that a little too difficult. I scoured blog posts, adoptive parent forums, and family magazines- basically praying my guts out the entire time that this would work before Uncle Sam moved our little crew again.

I stumbled upon an adoption consultant and had a gut feeling this is who we needed. We completed our home study and paperwork- and worked with her as she connected us to different birth mothers through various agencies and private adoption attorneys. My husband and I had such a strong connection to one woman in particular and she ended up choosing us to parent her baby girl. We spoke in July and our peanut was born in August. Yes, four weeks later! What an answer to years of prayers!

It was incredibly difficult to watch her make the decision not to parent our little Star: a selfless choice made wholly from love. We were able to be there when our youngest was born and I am so grateful to have been there to see her take her first breath. Every adoption begins with loss and that is not lost on our family. There is a woman who loves our little peanut so much and she misses her every day. We honor the choice that she made and are so grateful to her for this incredible gift.

Many have asked us about birth parent contact after an adoption. I think that is what scares people the most- what does that look like, what will be our relationship be, how much will he/she know about our family? Every adoption is unique. Our adoption is totally final- our names are on Star’s birth certificate; we are her parents. Her birth mom receives an update and pictures every year. We also like to send a Christmas update. These are the terms we agreed upon and we honor those. Some families have no contact, some Facetime or call. It just depends. Do not let this stop you from pursuing an adoption, if that is where your heart is leading you. It has shaped our lives so beautifully and can’t imagine being without this experience.

Our youngest is our mocha beauty- and I am super proud of my acquired hair skills. It is so beautiful to see our girls together- each unique in skin tone, hair, personality. We are a family knit together with this incredible love and I am grateful every day to be their mama.
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June 02, 2017 No comments

A couple years ago I did a similar post but now that my little ones are older I no longer have a diaper bag. I must say, not having to carry around diapers, ointments, wipes, bottles and formula for now one but two babies has made getting out of the house much easier.

This post contains affiliate links.

So what do I keep in my Mommy purse with three children 5 and under? Lets take a look…

1. Wallet. Yep, this will be forever a staple. I actually just got this wallet a couple weeks ago at WalMart, I don't usually go there often because we don't have one super close and when I did go I was shocked to see such a cute wallet. Can't be that it was under $10 as well, but will it last? Only time will tell. I also found this similar one that is really pretty.

2. Water. Depending on where we are going I usually will just throw a water bottle in my bag in case anyone gets thirsty. If we are going to the park or beach I will pack individual thermoses for each of them since I know for sure they will use them. These are my absolute favorite. They last forever and keep drinks cold. 3. Snacks. Another one that will probably always be a staple in my bag. It never fails that we will be out and someone gets hungry. A quick and healthy snack is a bonus. We recently were sent these snacks from Beech Nut and my kids love them. Their favorites are the fruit & veggie melties and blueberry cereal puffs and you probably will be stealing their quinoa crispies and fruity oat bars. If you have smaller ones these oatmeal pouches are a perfect way to feed your baby on the go.
4. Pens and notebooks. I try to remember to bring these because all of my children love to draw. It keeps them busy and preoccupied when I need them to calm down and chill out. It is also great for when you are at a restaurant and they are over coloring. 5. Bandaids because my children are always getting some kind of boo boo at the park or outside. I love being able to have character ones but my children think of them as stickers and end up crying wolf on boo boos so I had to switch to the skin colored ones. 6. Benadryl Itch Relief Spray. Ace and Ashlyn are both allergic to mosquitos so this is a huge life saver when they are freaking out over their monstrous mosquito bites and being crazy itchy. 7. Starbucks Gift Card. A sweet gift from one of my students. These kids know the way to my heart. I am seriously going to miss them when they graduate. 8. Random socks and toys. Because it would't be a Mommy purse without something random of your children's. There was also a random silver flashlight keychain my kids play with in there. 9. iPhone charger. I got this teeny charger awhile ago and it charges super quick. As you can see my Mommy purse has a lot less than my old diaper bag days. I definitely don't miss having to make sure my bag is stocked every night. What are some of your must haves for your purse or diaper bag? facebook ♥ instagram ♥ twitter ♥ pinterest ♥ bloglovin

May 31, 2017 No comments

Originally published May 6, 2016 This post may contain affiliate links In honor of Mother's Day this year I decided to talk about the different types of Moms I have come across. Now, this obviously is not all types of Moms but overall it is some of the most common ones I have come in contact with. Which Mom are you?

The First Time Mom All of us Moms have been there. You get pregnant, envision this perfect cherub faced child who will nurse every few hours, sleep in between and you will sleep when baby sleeps, piece of cake… Then reality hits and you are crying over your cheerios and breast pump. You haven't slept more than an hour at a time, your baby nurses for eternity, passes out at the boob, wakes up the second you put him down and you kind of want to strangle your husband because baby only wants you and he gets to sleep. You might hover over the baby while he sleeps or stress about which organic formula is the best. Is he eating, sleeping, and pooping enough? You are your own breed and we love you for it. Don't worry it gets better, I promise! Then you can your second baby and realize how fun it is to have a first time Mom as a friend. I mean it really is entertaining. The Fun Mom
This Mom is the one who is running around the playground with her kids, pretending to be Captain Hook while your kids are the lost boys. She isn't afraid to get dirty or look silly. You love her for her free spirit and energy. Your kids love going to her house for play dates because she has the best dress up clothes and games. It's never a dull moment with her. She is also awesome when it's a Mom's night out and can party with the best of them. You can always have a guaranteed fun time with her. The Perfect Mom
She is always dressed in a comfy cute outfit, her child is dressed to the nines and she is the nicest person. And let's not forget her house is perfection. Does a child live there? Who knows! You would hate her for all her perfection if she wasn't so sweet and threw a wicked awesome party. Lets be real though, she seems perfect but as we all know no Mom actually is but she comes pretty close. The Hot Mess Mom
She is the Mom who is running into play dates with her kids running in all directions, probably forgot to brush her teeth and needs a drink. She has a heart of gold and makes you feel better for not exactly having your shit together. She is the Mom who will help you when you need someone to watch your child and they will have the best time because even though she's kind of a hot mess, she is also the Mom who makes everyone's child feel like they are special. She also is the best Mom to go to when you are having a rough day, life is crazy or you just are miserable because she is empathetic and gets it. She somehow knows exactly what to say to make you feel better. The "Expert" Mom
This is the Mom who you turn to when you are busy crying over your cheerios and breast pump and your baby baby won't sleep. She reminds you how hard the first couple months are and promises it will get better. She offers any and all support to help you through. She seems to have some kind of powers over getting your baby to sleep and calming down. She has been there and you can count on her to help you through the toughest parts of Motherhood. She is probably your own Mother, Aunt, Cousin, Sister or Friend and you love her! The Overprotective Mom The Mom who knows how to baby proof a house in 2.5 seconds and can see a safety hazard a mile away. She might even be there the whole first day of kindergarten because let's face it that day is harder for Mom than child. Her child will never see a bruise from falling off their bike or skates because you better believe they are covered in knee, elbow, shin and any other kind of pads on the market and of course a helmet. These Moms are serious about safety and you can count on them to know what kind of scary sh*t is out there. Stuff you didn't even know you should worry about or things that seemed small are a bit more scary because this Mom knows what is up. She is the WebMD of your Mom group and you probably would have a broken child without all her knowledge. The Drama Mom There's always one, right? This is the Mom who you try to get to know or include but it just doesn't work. Nothing seems to make her happy or she finds issues with other Moms. You can't quite figure her out and what the problem is. She constantly has problems with someone in her life and it doesn't seem to matter who but it's a constant. You realize that maybe it's not everyone else but her, common denominator if you will. After your best efforts you learn to steer clear of her. Hey, at least you tried! The Best Friend Mom Does it get any better than the best friend Mom? The one who you either met when you became a Mom or your best friend who also has children. She is the person who you rely on for support in all aspects of life but having that bond over being mothers at the same time makes everything better. She gets what you are going through and knows that all you need is an ear to talk to or someone to say "I get it! I've been there." You've cried together, you've laughed together, you've been there for each others' child's milestones and it's the best thing ever! Your kids grow up as best friends or even like cousins. You are fiercely protective over their child as if they were your own and you would do anything to make Mommy hood easier for one another. If your lucky you have more than one of these like me! I wouldn't survive motherhood without these girls. They know who they are and this post (except for the drama Mom) was based on all of you. You are all a mix of these Moms and have made my life as a Mom amazing. Happy Mother's Day to all you amazing Moms out there! So…which Mom are you? Which Mom is your favorite to hang out with?

May 06, 2017 1 comments

Since Ashlyn is adopted we talk about adoption randomly and are very open with the children. Now that Ashlyn is getting older I try to talk about it a little more than before because I know she is going to start understanding things.

Ashlyn and YaYa in October 2016

Tonight we were reading a book from her first mommy called Wherever You Are: My Love Will Find You. I love this book so much. It is seriously such a great book for children who are adopted. The book is read by her YaYa so in the beginning she says this is a book for you Ashlyn from your Mama YaYa. It's a great way to remind her that she has two mommies and how lucky she is to also have two sisters. Tonight I told Ashlyn that she was in YaYa's tummy. When I asked her whose tummy she was she goes JoJo's. I was like no you were in YaYa's. She laughed and said no JoJo's, Gavin's Mommy. She thought it was so funny. This is the interesting thing about an adoption. We are learning how to talk to our children about it and when is the right time to tell them certain things because we aren't quite sure they will get it. This was a time when I realized I really needed to make Ashlyn a book about her adoption and family so it's less confusing. Another funny thing the girls do is when we talk about Ashlyn's sisters she will then ask who are Everly's sisters and I will tell her you are. She doesn't get yet that she has two extra sisters so then they both just say they have two more sisters. I know as time goes on things will make more sense to them but it is funny to see how they process things. Ace gets everything way more than the girls and seemed to understand it a lot earlier too. I think the girls have a harder time because they don't understand why one has something the other doesn't. They don't really know how to separate themselves from each other in that way yet.
I am curious how other families talk about adoption with their toddlers. I never want it to be a shock to Ashlyn so we have always talked about it, talked and met up with her first mom so hopefully it will just be her norm. facebook ♥ instagram ♥ twitter ♥ pinterest ♥ bloglovin

April 26, 2017 No comments

April 23, 2017 No comments

Hello Spring! I love this time of year. It hasn't hit that sweltering heat that Florida gets in the Summer so we really try to get outside as much as possible.

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Some of my favorite items for Spring (and Summer for those who haven't gotten a break from the cold yet) usually have to do with being outside. We spent majority of our time in the pool or running around the neighborhood till dinner time when I was a child. Since times have changed we really can't expect our kids to be outside alone for hours on end. Here are some fun must haves to make hanging with your kids outside a little easier and a whole lot of fun.

Water Balloons. Yep, I said it, water balloons are so much fun. I love getting into this with the kids. Last Summer my best friend introduced me to these easy to fill water balloons and we have been hooked ever since. Just make sure to clean up the balloon debri afterwards. We told the kids prior to playing that if they wanted to play they had to clean up the water balloon pieces and they were good with it. We made that into a game of who could clean up the fastest, whatever works, right? Follow it up with a popsicle and it makes for the perfect cool off activity.

Bubble Machine. Just turn it on and they will run around chasing bubbles till you are ready for them to stop. I bought this one because it had great reviews and I must say I am impressed with it. Even I was mesmerized by the amount of bubbles that come out at a time. We had this Gazillion Bubble Hurricane Machine one awhile back and it works great, similar style to the other one but the piece that holds the bubble liquid comes off to make it easier to refill, which is nice, but made is easily breakable. Both work great though. If you get the second one just make sure you have kids old enough to not take it off and accidentally break it. Slip N' Slide. One of my favorite activities from childhood. If you want a good old fashion one you can get it here but now they have so many fun ones you really can't go wrong with any option you pick. This one might looks super fun. Kids love being able to slide down these slippery slides that you might actually get a little time to sit back and relax.

Sidewalk Chalk. This is the one thing that is a staple in our house year round. The minute I am running low I go buy more. My kids are obsessed and I love that it is a creative outlet as well. The girls got these awesome Walkie Chalk "Stand Up" Sidewalk Chalk Holders for their birthdays and they love them. We also love these sidewalk holders to make them a bit less messy. Sidewalk Chalk Paint. So this one is a favorite but not something we take out often. I love this because the kids have so much fun with it but it is messy. This is a good one to take out when you are doing something with water right after. Have them play with this in their bathing suits as well. It's definitely a must have though because it is so fun. And I highly suggest becoming an Amazon Prime (try if for 30 days free!) Member. We have it and ordering all of these items is super easy and inexpensive. Free 2 day shipping isn't bad either! What are some of your Spring or Summer must haves for playing outdoors? We love getting new ideas. facebook ♥ instagram ♥ twitter ♥ pinterest ♥ bloglovin

April 12, 2017 No comments

Better late than never right? We did a joint party again for the girls this year. Originally I thought I wouldn't get around to doing one because things had been so crazy but Ashlyn kept talking about having a birthday party so I threw one together last minute. I called my best friend Kat and told her to come help me (because I don't do parties without her) and she was more than happy to help with the festivities. I planned it during her girls Spring Break and St. Patrick's Day. So perfect!

I wanted to do an early party because that is when my kids are at their best. This also made food easier and more difficult because it wasn't really breakfast or lunch time. We decided on donuts, muffins, cupcakes, confetti popcorn and fruit. Drinks we easy since we had water and juice.

Since we have a large front yard on a cul de sac we put everything out front for the kids. I wanted to have a bunch of activities for them to do so I knew for sure we would have our Little Tikes bounce house out (seriously best purchase we ever made when Ace was a toddler). I also bought a bunch of crayons from Amazon, this bubble machine, sidewalk chalk and a big unicorn coloring poster.

Kat and her oldest daughter made the cupcakes. I bought little unicorns from Target's dollar spot. They worked out perfect as little toppers. I also got the favors from there too. They had wood unicorn and robot painting kits. Seriously, I love Target's dollar spot. I also got unicorn stamps and sunglasses for the girls there.

I picked out these dresses in purple and aqua for the girls to wear for the party. Then she put on this dress and then Everly decided it wasn't happening so she wear some random pair of shorts and t-shirt. I finally got her to agree to put her dress on for cake pictures and she put a Mickey zip up on over it. Such a stinker. I also realized I didn't get any great pictures of the girls together but I did at school for Everly's actual birthday so you get what you get, right?

Everly's Dress

Cart

This picture cracks me up. They were waiting for us to sing to them and were like hurry up!

Bubble Machine / Ashlyn's Dress

Bounce House

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April 06, 2017 No comments

Bedtime is one of those times you want to make peaceful and sweet. You want your child to go off to dreamland feeling cozy and calm. One way to do that is creating a bedtime routine and finishing it off with a book or two (or three or four). My children look forward to that bedtime story every single night. Here are some of our all time favorites.

1. Goodnight Moon. This is probably not a shocker for most parents but I have to put it out there for any new or expecting Moms. This is a book I began reading when Ace was a baby and my kids still love it to this day. The rhyming, repetitive nature is reassuring and calming for them. I always end it with a whisper "Goodnight noises everywhere." to help keep the mood calm and peaceful. 2. Little Blue Truck. This has got to be one of the cutest books with a great message. We are huge fans of all the Little Blue Truck books (my favorite is Little Blue Truck in the city). This is a story about a truck who helps a rude dump truck and sets an example everyone begins to follow. 3. That's Not My Bunny. Short, cute and colorful. These books are always fun to read because my kids can easily remember the words, they are textured so they love feeling the animals and they are short. If you have a night where you need to get through a book quickly this is a must. 4. Wherever You Are, My Love Will Find You. This is probably my all time favorite book for my children to listen to before bedtime. This is actually a book we got from Ashlyn's biological mother and she recorded her voice reading it. It is a very sweet reminder that a Mother's love is always there no matter what. If you are an adoptive Mom and have an open relationship with your child's biological mother I highly recommend this book. It ends with I love and I think that is a great way to end a book. 5. Pajama Time. Fun and silly! This book is another one I have been reading to my kids since Ace was a baby. It's just such a fun read and it's silly too. I love books that send my children to bed with a smile. What are your favorite bedtime stories for your little ones?
Want to save these book titles for later? Pin this image to make it easier to find! facebook ♥ instagram ♥ twitter ♥ pinterest ♥ bloglovin

April 04, 2017 No comments

Happy Birthday my little Gertie Trudie! We love you so so much.

Outfit

You are our spunky, goofy, raspy voiced sweet pea. You are the girl who makes everyone laugh by making goofy faces and being super silly and cute. You have no shame. You finally love the water, thank God! You are obsessed with "baby shorts" which are just shorts but for some reason you like anything to do with babies. You are hardcore in love with babies and baby dolls and being a mommy. You often carry around two dolls or stuffed animals on your hips. It reminds me of the good old (crazy) days when I was carrying around you and your sister all the time.

You absolutely love school. Your teacher Miss Monique is probably one of your most favorite people. You also gravitate to guys, always have. I think because you are such a spunky, crazy girl you love the energy guys put out. You are very similar to Ace and you two are very wild together and will wrestle.

My favorite thing you say is "I love you so much!" it's not just I love you but you always add that last part. It's precious. You also say "I swear to God!" Which you really shouldn't but it's funny and you know it. Your goal in life is to make people laugh. You are also my helper and cleaner upper. You take after your Dad a lot in this way. You take after me with your tantrums and dramatics. Very similar to me as a little girl, whoops.

You are very quick and athletic still. You pick things up quickly and are very physical. You love running around, riding bikes and playing outside. You color inside the lines which I find so cool for a child under 3. You were never taught or told to do this by us you just did it.

You are also so generous. You don't mind sharing (unless it's one of your babies) and often will bend to Ashlyn because she is much more stubborn than you. Your best friend is your sister. I didn't realize how connected you two really were till I saw another child try to come play with you two and you two just had this way with one another that no one else really got till a set of twins came along and for some reason the 4 of you worked. It was super cool to see.

My sweet girl you have grown into such a magnificent person. Whenever I look at you I think of the song "Here Comes the Sun" because your smile is so bright and beautiful. Your eyes shine. You just have this way about you that can make anyone smile. I love you so much my little Gert Gert. Love, Mommy

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March 25, 2017 No comments

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