How to get through Toddler sick days

This past week Kayden got sick for the first time since he was one month old. As a mother, this was the first time he was sick, so I was worried. He didn't sleep much and didn't have much appetite. The medicine Curtis got, wasn't Kayden's cup of tea. They were nose drops that did help, but Kayden refused to take them again, so that didn't help. The next day he got a bit of a cough so I got some children's Tylenol in banana berry flavor, and I saw an improvement, thank you Tylenol!!

I decided to compile a list of things to get through a toddlers sickness, because it's not easy.

1. Be prepared to be tired

I am utterly exhausted as I write this. Kayden didn't sleep at all last night, and his naps have been all over the place. I napped when I could last night (4 hours of sleep) and today Starbucks was needed. Being a toddler he needed extra attention and cuddles.

2. Medicine

Have the basic medication in your cabinet, this will be a time saver. Since kayden turned 2 a few days ago, infant Tylenol wasn't going to cut it. I ran over to the pharmacy an picked up children's tylenol. We usually have tylenol stocked in our cabinet, which has come in handy a few times when he was teething. When kayden came down with a cold, he literally woke up from a nap and and had a runny nose. If you have certain things in your cabinet it'll be easier to tackle it from the begining. Try to also get a medicine that has a flavor that your child does enjoy, it'll make it so much easier for your child to take that medicine. Tylenol for infants it was white grape flavor and Kayden couldn't stand it but unfortunately it was all that we could buy so it made it difficult for him to take it. This time I got banana berry and Kayden is obsessed with bananas if you put banana and anything he will gobble it up and I didn't have to fight him at all he took the medicine so easily.

3. Prepare for anything

When kayden gets sick (it's only happened twice) he doesn't have much appetite and all he wants to do is sleep. The only time he is fussy is when he is exhausted and needs a nap. Sometimes you get a whole new personality when your child is sick, so be prepared for anything, diarrhea, vomiting, only wanting certain foods etc. Today I was lucky that kayden ate a cookie, that's about all he ate. He was very quiet, but despite everything, he wanted to be outside constantly.

4. Tv/Movies

As a child I remember the best thing about being sick was being able to lay in front of the TV and just watch endless amounts. That is the exact same thing I have done with Kayden because honestly it has calmed him down and he is just relaxed. Cadence favorite show is curious George, so we always have those on the PBR and we have a few curious George movies. We have put them on the coach with his favorite stuffed animal, which is a monkey no surprise, and he's also late up in our bed. We have a blanket for him And he just loves being close to either his dad for me, his dad was working last night so it was just me and him cuddling in the bed. I had Curious George on and I mustve played the movie at least three times in the past 24 hours and the day is not even done, but he just sits there and he laughed and he has a good time and he totally forgot that he is sick. So one of the greatest things is for him to sit down and just enjoy himself and he will stand been like dancing play a little bit as well when he seems to have the energy.

I will tell you from experience, regardless of any tips that anyone gives you it will always be difficult when your child is sick. To see your child in pain to see you child crying and you not being able to ease the pain as easily as if they had fallen is very difficult. It's also hard for the child themselves because sometimes they don't even understand this concept of being sick. Kayden hates getting his nose wiped right now because he's been getting it done since last night and he is just absolutely over it all he wants to do is be outside playing but he doesn't understand why is energy level is so low. To see you child's personality change can sometimes also be hard to come on located is extremely lazy doing certain point of the day he breaks down and cries a lot when he is extremely tired and he's also fighting trying to sleep thinking that he can stay up. You need to just fight through this as and if you are able to switch over to your partner and let them take over or call the family member or friend and allow yourself just to recuperate. When your child is sick You need to work harder and there so much more that you were doing and trying to balance. A lot of times Parents thing because you talk to sick your child to stop being lazy and sleeping in that's not the case I dog is so much more effort that goes into it when you tell this feeling under the weather.

Estee Lauder Double Wear Stay in Place Foundation

Hey Guys!

So my birthday is coming up at the end of September, and for the first time in awhile, I have the opportunity to spoil myself a little. I have heard a lot about Estee Lauder's double wear foundation, and have been curious to try it. I will admit, the price point made me think twice, to be honest I spent 45 minutes debating whether or not to put the order in. Part of why I wanted to purchase this foundation is because I wanted a foundation that was a better coverage then my clinique foundation for those special occasions.

Claims
stays on for 15 hours
flawless & natural looking
lasts in the heat, humidity and activity
doesn't change color once it is on your face
doesn't come off on clothes
lightweight & comfortable
Lasts all day without touch ups

Price- $45

My Review
I absolutely love this foundation, to the point where I have said good bye to my clinique foundation. I purchased the shade 'wheat' and it matches me perfectly. I purchased this product through the Sephora website, and I matched my shade through an online foundation finder. The second I put this on my skin, it blended flawlessly, and a little bit truly goes a long way. Every single time I put an amount on the back of my hand, I put about 50% back ( and I don't pour to much out). I have applied this with a primer, and I set it with a setting spray. It does stay on for 15 hours, but I do notice that my nose and forehead does get a little oily, (8 hours after application) so I would need to do a minor touchup in those areas during the day. For the most part, it did stay flawless on my face. The one thing I do love, it doesn't oxidize, it is true, the color you get on your face, is the color that will stay. I had a few people tell me, that my face looked amazing with this foundation, and I have gotten a consistent look with this product. It blends seamlessly with your skin, and you can't even feel it on your face. The price point is high, but after using it, I can see what it is so pricey, and didn't think twice about it. Also, this foundation is going to last me forever, which is a pro seeing how high the price is. This is has now become my day to day foundation and I have now said goodbye to clinique.

Kayden's daytime 2 year old schedule

Hey Guys!

A few days ago, Kayden turned 2! I can't believe I am saying that. I knew once he turned two a few things were going to change, so im excited to bring you all along for the journey. One of the first things is his daily schedule. If he was in daycare, he would now enter preschool. In order to prepare him for JK, I want to ensure that he has all the necessary skills, so I wanted to structure his day, as though he was in preschool. I researched the key skills that Kayden should know by the time he reaches 3 years old. We also have tons of activities to do. Keep in mind he doesn't sit down for the full time. It is a lot of getting up getting distracted but I get in what I can.

7am- kayden wakes up, has breakfast and doe independent play. Kayden usually pulls out all his toys while I do some dishes and do a little bit of tidying up. His dad leaves for work at 7:30 so Kayden often follows him around trying to get some extra time with him.

8:30- Snack time

9am- Language skills

9:30am- Math

10am-Go Outside

10:30am- art activity

11:15 am- wash hands, eat lunch and get a diaper change

Noon- nap time

2:30- snack time

3pm-Music

3:30 PM - free time

Kayden's structured day is done around the time that school would be done, which works great. We also work on gross and fine motor skills throughout the day. 

How to survive when your partner works long hours

Hey Guys!

It's been awhile since my boyfriend has been working nights, and also a day job. As tough as its been, I feel as though I am able to pass my wisdom on, about surviving with a spouse working long hours. I found these tips helped me stay sane, and also kept my days busy.

1. Do things for yourself

I am such a big believer in taking time for yourself. My "me time" is when Kayden is sleeping. Whether he is taking a nap or is down for the night, it is all about me. If you read my post from long time ago, I talked about how every mom needs something that will keep them sane. For me it is taking a peaceful shower and working out. During his morning nap I shower and when he goes down for the night I work out. Those moments where I focus on me, and do something for myself I feel Refreshed.

2. Go out!!

I am lucky enough to have a dog. Which forces me to get out of the house.For those that don't have a dog find something you can do which allows you to get out of the house . For me I sometimes will run errands with just Kayden. we have also gone to the park for some mommy and sometimes we were just going down to the local dollar store. it is so great for Kayden to get out of the house and it breaks up the day as well because we do have a schedule which does help me and Kayden as well but it is also fun just to break out of that day to day schedule and do something different. Now that Kayden can walk so much better, he doesn't last in the stroller for to long. A few times on our walks, I let him out, and he discovers nature! There is so much you can do in your backyard or just around the corner. Our regular 20 minute walk turned in 40, but it was well worth it.

3. Spend time with family/friends

Because Curtis works such long and crazy hours it has been a lot easier for me to spend time with my family and thankfully they are free on weekdays and mostly busy on the weekends which works great for my schedule because usually on the weekend or on the weekend Curtis will work on Sunday, so on Saturday will run errands and then spend Sunday just lazing around having really good family time. it is great when we can all go over by all I mean Kayden and Buddy (which is our dog) and I can go over to my parents house for the day, which means a lot of spoiling and time outside playing. I can put my feet up for a little bit and just relax. Another great thing is going and spending time with friends even when Curtis wasn't working his two jobs or I would have friends come over or I would go out with friends and he would take care of Kayden and it was such a great bonding time for those two and it gave me a break allowing me to have girl time.

4. Let your partner take over

I had to have a Little talk with Curtis in order for this to happen because of course he's a man and he doesn't always realize that if he takes Kayden for 20 to 30 minutes when he's running a quick errand, it gives me a break. It is always the smallest things that make the biggest difference. There have been times when we have split up when doing groceries, so I don't have to tend to a toddler and I can just do it in piece, or Curtis will just take care of Kayden while I shop. I always emphasized to Curtis that he is the biggest male influence in Kayden's life., disciplining him, or even correcting his behaviour plays a major role. Often times Kayden wants attention and will do extreme things to try to achieve it. Often times I find myself repeating a lot, and when curtis takes over, it helps keep me calm. It's nic when curtis steps up after working long hours, and the great thing, I know he enjoys it. He spends so much time apart from Kayden, just playing with him, being around during meal time or just a movie is amazing.

I am not going to denie it, it is exhausting, being a parent in general is exhausting. Throw in a partner not always being around puts you on double duty. The older your kid(s) are the more on your toes one needs to be. I hope these tips add some sanity to your life!

Wisdom Wednesday

Hey Guys!

The past month or so has been tough. My family has been going through a tough time, and my boyfriend has been working 2 jobs, which means he is home less. Often times when he is home, he is sleeping (which I don't blame him for). I remember back to when we learned he was going to work nights, I knew it was going to be a challenge, but I was hopeful of our new beginning. Then I learned he would be working days as well, and that worried me a bit. It would be less time with the family, he would be stressed, overworked and tired. I wondered as well, would I be able to handle this? Kayden is about to reach two, and we just hit a sleep regression, he is in his terrible two's stage, and well potty training and transitioning him to a toddler bed is next on the list. Phew, I am exhausted just thinking of all of this. I took a step back and tried to look at this from an outside perspective.That is the moment everything hanged for me, I started thinking of all the things that could go right.Our lifestyle would be more comfortable, we would be able to celebrate holidays and milestones, and finally redecorate the house. I knew it would be tough for me to handle Kayden by myself everyday without help, but I knew this was just another 'mom challenge' I had to face. I knew this was a new beginning for all of us. It is so easy to get sidetracked by all the what if's in life. I even thought about working from home, to try and bring some extra cash in the house, and it would be something I would do for myself as well. But I got worried that it would take away from the little time I would get with Curtis. With every negative thought you have, there is always two positive thoughts that should come with it. I use to be so scared to talk to people, or put myself out there,because I was so concerned about being judged or if people would like me, and I will admit I am still not carefree about it, but I have gotten a lot better. whats the worst that could happen? So what if I don't click with them, on the flip side I could make a great friend and expand my circle. Life is so unpredictable, we should take these leaps, and opportunities instead of pondering on the negative. 

Cornbread Recipe

Hey Guys!

So growing up there are a few recipes that my boyfriend loves. If you read my recipe post last week, I posted a recipe for beans, and I mentioned that freshly baked cornbread is always on hand with this dish. I usually bake cornbread in large batches and freeze some for later, because it is so handy to have, and it goes with so many dishes. I found this recipe while looking up 1 year old friendly meals for Kayden. My boyfriend was skeptical I could bake cornbread from scratch, but I was determined to prove him wrong. He even bought a prepackaged cornbread mix from Bulk Barn, which went horribly wrong. I told him to keep an open mind, I baked this, and he loved it!

Ingredients
Cornmeal 1 Cup
Flour 1 Cup
Sugar 1/2 Cup
Buttermilk 1 Cup
Eggs 2
Baking Soda 1/2 tsp
Salt 1/2 tsp
Melted Butter 1/2 cup

Steps
Preheat Oven to 375 Degrees
Mix butter and sugar in a bowl, then add eggs and buttermilk(  Heres a tip! There have been times when my local grocery store is out of buttermilk, use regular milk, and add some lemon to it. Let it sit for 5 minutes and you will see is transform into buttermilk.)
In another bowl add flour, cornmeal, baking soda and salt
Combine ingredients

Pour in pan or muffin tin. It takes about 30 minutes to bake, but I always check at the 20 minute mark, and make sure that the top is golden brown.

I got this recipe from pinterest which got it from The Cupcake Diaries. She had added cut up hot dogs in the middle to make it a child friendly meal. My son loves cornbread, it is always the first thing he eats on his plate, and always wants more! I had never had cornbread before baking this recipe, and I will admit it, I fall in love with it every time I bake it.

Ways to save money with baby/toddler

Hey Guys!

When Kayden was born, my boyfriend wasn't working at the time. He had recently left his job, and we didn't have an income coming in. Having a newborn, and bills coming in, I panicked, as any new mom would. For almost 2 years I have found ways to save money which has allowed us to get through the tough times that life throws at you.

1. Diapers

Before Kayden was born I stocked up. I got one box of newborn, 1 box of size one and 1 box of size 2. If you read my post about signing up for things when you are pregnant you will know I got a small pack of newborn diapers as well. This allowed us to be prepared. You never know how much your little one is going to weigh, or how fast they will go through diapers. So i bought a small box of newborn diapers, and only got one box of each size, so I wasn't wasting money.  I'm so thankful I got those sizes, because by the time he had gone back to work, I had some wiggle room till he got his first paycheck. This allows you to find sales and buy them at a great price. With Kayden, we haven't had luck with non brand name diapers. To be honest, he leaks all the time, and im constantly changing him because it doesn't hold up. We end up paying more money and going through them much faster. As a result, we look for sales when we know Kayden is running low, that is one way we prevent spending a lot of money on brand name diapers. We don't have a Target in Canada, so Walmart is the cheapest place we have found to buy diapers. Another thing we have done, is use points for diapers, and other baby products. If you have a points card at a store you regularly visit, that's another way to cut back on the costs.

2. Clothes

We bought some basics on our own and of course got presents from friends and family, which we were so grateful for. We also went to an outlet store and we were able to get a lot of things for less. This was a lifesaver, the Walmart near us doesn't have a lot of boy clothes, you get 2 aisles for boys and 5 for girls. So there wasn't a lot to choose from. I also went shopping with a friend towards the end of summer, a lot of stores were having end of seasons sales, so I got clothes for when he was older. Going to Old Navy, The Children's Store, Baby Gap etc. didn't break our budget because they had amazing sales. With newborns, they clothes don't need to be overly decorative, because you are constantly changing them. We did splurge on a few pieces, for when he was going out/we had guests over. For 6 months and up, we were able to get some pants, and shirts etc. and keep them in the closet. Once Kayden reached that age, if we needed more sweaters or onesies, we go to the store and pick those items up. But to be honest, we didn't have to, because what we picked up, and the presents we received held us over. The great thing about baby clothes, is they don't go out of style, so you can buy something right now (end of summer) and it will still be in style the next summer.

3. Snacks

As Kayden got older, solids came into the picture. When he started solids the Gerber snacks were great. They were a decent price and it took about a week for him to get through a container. But before long, in a sitting or two he would Polish them off, which isn't budget friendly. Now I spend less in Bear paws, fruit cups etc. And they last for over a week. I buy his snacks when they are in sale, which is often in my area (Thank Goodness). I find that he enjoys them more and they are often quite healthy as companies are realizing this is important for parents.

4. Books

Kayden loves books, it his favorite time of the day when we cuddle up and read a story together. I quickly noticed he was getting bored of the same ones. At a bookstore, books can easily run for 8-10 dollars. Not very practical when you are trying to build his collection. A family friend told me, how his mother found a $40 book at a bookstore for $5 at the dollar store (probably even less, I cant remember the exact price). I was shocked when I heard this, and the next time I visited I decided to check it out. I found Scooby-Doo books, and even children's classics for $1.50 and retail price is close to $10. This was such a deal. I visit the dollar store monthly and everytime I'm sure to pick up a book for him, and I must say his collection has grown. The only time I went to a bookstore was for his 2nd birthday gift, for Curious George books. His father and I spent months looking for them an couldn't find them anywhere so we had to shell out the money. I even noticed at Walmart, they  have deals 2 for $5 and 2 for $10 which Kayden really enjoyed when he was younger.

5. Footwear

Kids grow out of shoes fast. As a result we have a rule, we pay money for one good pair of shoes. These shoes are a neutral color, so he will get a lot of wear out of them. The other pair of shoes, we don't pay as much. For instance Kayden has a pair of Lacoste shoes, we got them.on sale but they were still a bit pricey. Kayden wears these all the time, and we have gotten our.moneys worth. His two pairs of sandals are about $10 combined. Lacoste shoes, have held up a lot better then his other runners which we paid less for. Once again, splurging on items that are worthwhile. We went to Walmart for his sandals, because that is a seasonal item, and he has worn them everyday in the summer ( 3 months) and they have held up. He does have a little bit of trouble sometimes wearing them, as he trips over his own feet.

I know raising a baby/toddler, can get pricey which is why when I discovered I was so relieved. Coupons in Canada have gone down in quality, I remember 4 years ago, I saved so much on my grocery bill, now it doesn't impact it at all which is why I stopped. I had to find other solutions, because I realized after having Kayden, every penny counts. I hope these tips are able to help some of you mama's out!