Mrs. Weber's Neighborhood

It's a beautiful day in the neighborhood!


New Mom Mistakes

Shared by 22 Comments

For this week’s VlogTalk, I decided to pick a prompt to discuss some parenting mistakes I’ve made. Thankfully, I’m only seven+ months into this parenting thing, so I haven’t made any HUGE mistakes [yet!]. In the video below, I discuss some of my rookie mom mistakes including troubles with bottle nipples, baby clothing no-no’s and how the “baby laundry detergent,” Dreft, is a scam. Watch and enjoy. And please don’t judge me on the look YouTube decided to freeze for me. I am not high on anything but life. And, I am wearing my glasses because my allergies are just that bad in my eyes right now!

I’d love to hear from you…what mistakes have you made as a new or seasoned parent?

Want to vlog?! Give it a shot and link up with the fab ladies at Mommy Is In Timeout, My Time as Mom and Mommy Monologues.

Photobucket

One Month Blogiversary

Shared by 16 Comments

I have been doing this blogging thing for a month and I have to say, I am having so much fun. Putting yourself out there isn’t always easy, but with every comment on here or in real life, I am inspired to keep going and keep learning about this unique space.

I have a lot of people to thank for helping me thus far:

Elena, (of Mommy Is In Timeout), bless her heart. I’ve dubbed her my Fairy Blogmother because she’s been such a help. We conversed a bit on Twitter, so when I started the blog, she was quick to email me to see if I wanted to get together to chat. She has shared best practices and offered her wisdom. She’s just an amazing person in general with a big heart and it shines through her blog. Plus, she’s hilarious!

Jessica, (of My Time as Mom) Elena’s “blogging twin” who always chimes in to offer her two cents. She’s like the cheerleader of the mom blog world and I love it! Plus, her, Elena and Kate from Mommy Monologues came up with a cool weekly meme – VlogTalk, which has gotten me out of my comfort zone a little bit.

Jackie, (of Free Is My Life) for letting me guest post on her blog.

Nikki (of Essential Elements), my dear friend who always has pushed me to start blogging again. Plus, I know I can go to her with any social media questions because she rocks the space.

Sarah, one of my besties, who always is asking what’s next for the blog. It means so much to me to know my favorite people care so much about what I blog about.

Lyndsey, another amazing friend, who despite having a wedding to plan for, took the time to design my header, for free, because she knows I’m on a tight budget right now.

My husband, who reads my posts and supports me so much…and hasn’t gotten annoyed when I want to take video, pictures or go places because it might be a good blogging opportunity.

Content is king when trying to blog successfully, but it’s not always easy to come up with unique post ideas. Thanks to the amazing people that put together weekly memes and writing prompts like Mama Kat’s Writing Workshop – blogging is much easier when you get a few ideas and can run with them. Plus, it’s been a fun way to connect with other bloggers.

I am still learning so much. Thank you my friends in real life and to my Internet friends that have said nice things and posted comments. You all inspire me to keep writing and sharing little pieces of my life.

My blog word cloud above was created at Wordle.net. Go make your own – so much fun!

Fab5: New Mom Fashion

Shared by 13 Comments

I am not a fashionista by any means, but since becoming a mom, I’ve had to become much more practical about the clothing and accessories I purchase. Gone are the days of buying anything that requires dry cleaning, ironing (mom or not, who has time for that?!) or can’t just be thrown in the wash after being spit-up on several times.

Fashion is not everything to me, but I do like to be somewhat trendy and fun. And I have sworn to myself I will never wear those bad “mom jeans.” So, for new moms wanting to be hip yet practical, try these on for size:

  1. Leggings. I didn’t want to embrace this trend for awhile, but it got the best of me when I was pregnant. Once you try them on, you won’t go back. So comfortable. Can be dressed up or down. And they are perfect for a post-partum body.
  2. A great pair of flats. For me, wearing heels isn’t an option when schlepping the carseat around. Those things are heavy. I don’t want to run the risk of tripping over my own feet (which happens about 5 times a day) and dropping the baby. Personally, I love these cute Crocs, but DSW also has a great selection for those nights on the town with baby in tow. (But when baby isn’t with me, I will rock heels!)
  3. Tops that zip or button. Pieces of clothing that you can layer are a wardrobe must for new moms. Handy for nursing, but also for puke situations. Baby spit-up on the first layer? No prob. Just peel off a layer and you’re good to go.
  4. Small earrings. I am the queen of big, funky earrings. Not so fun when you have a baby that’s enamored by them. Hands down the best present I’ve ever gotten from my hubby are small post earrings in my daughter’s birthstone (opal). They match with everything, and baby doesn’t want to grab them every chance she gets. If you can con your significant other into some diamond baguettes as a push present, that might be the best route!
  5. Cute cargo pants/capris. These are fabulous for the pocket space. Great for binky keeping or for a small camera/phone for those Kodak moments.

L to R credits: Crocs in Kadee – Crocs.com, $29.99 | Cardigan – Forever 21, $17.80 | Leggings (maternity) – Forever 21, $12.80 | Cargos – Old Navy, $29.50

What are your favorite versatile clothes and accessories?

Fave Person: Groovin’ Grandma

Shared by 20 Comments

I once wrote a sad post about my grandma. She suffers from dementia and it’s awful to witness.

But as sad as that is, I am blessed to have another living grandma, my mom’s mother, who is still alive. And well. Like, reallllly well.

I chose Mama Kat’s prompt to write 10 things about one of my favorite people and I chose Esther, my 93 (almost 94!) year old grandma. She just might be one of the most fun people I’ve ever encountered. Here’s some reasons why she’s so fab:

  1. She’s so grateful for everything. I remember sitting in McDonald’s with her once and she got teary-eyed. Why? Because she had a moment of thanks and felt so elated about being with family. We giggled about it over our cheeseburgers, but looking back, it kind of tears me up too! She makes you appreciate the little moments.
  2. She epitomizes the idea that money doesn’t buy happiness. She’s never had much money. She jokes she has champagne taste on a beer budget. Yet, she’s never wanted expensive things. She’s just happy to have her health and be surrounded by family and friends.
  3. I’m guessing I get my glass is half-full attitude from her and for that, I am grateful. It’s genetic, don’t you know?
  4. She understands that life is too short to not dance. She loves to line dance, square dance and get down at weddings. You hear a song playing, and Esther is up moving.
  5. She talks to EVERYONE. A trip to the grocery store takes her several hours because she talks to every person she encounters. And every person typically walks away with a smile.
  6. She never thinks it’s too early for a chocolate martini or a B-52 (yes, it’s a drink, and it’s great). Life’s to be celebrated at anytime of day, right?! (For the record, she doesn’t drink much, but it’s a riot when she does.)
  7. She wakes up every day with a smile on her face. This world would be a happier place if we all had that morning routine.
  8. She’s the kind of grandma that is involved. Even in her 90’s, she still gets in the pool and does things she probably shouldn’t really be doing.
  9. And on that note, she’s still driving. Maybe not a good idea for the safety of others on the road, but I can’t say I blame her for wanting to keep her license. It gives her freedom.
  10. She’s such a character. There’s just nobody quite like her on the planet, I’m convinced. I hope I’m still having that much fun when I’m 94!

Mama’s Losin’ It

“Mama” Music to My Ears

Shared by 16 Comments

I’m not entirely sure if it’s legal to link-up to Wordful Wednesday with a short video clip. However, my point & shoot camera is slowly dying and I haven’t shot too many pics on my new iPhone as of yet…so I’m compromising.

This near 30-second clip is one of my most proud “mom moments” to date. Little K has literally talked since coming out of the womb (I wonder where she gets that from?!). We couldn’t even co-sleep because she made so much darn noise. She has said “da-da” for months. But now she has a favorite new word in its place: “ma-ma.” Granted, she most likely doesn’t equate this to me yet, but regardless, I couldn’t be more proud. Feel free to witness this hilarity in action:

I’m curious to know what’s to come. We’re definitely cleaning up our vocab around here!

What were your children’s (or your) first words?

This post was linked up for Wordful Wednesday. To show your own Wednesday photo (or video in my case) love, visit the following fab ladies: Project Alicia, Stacy Uncorked, Live and Love…Out Loud, Seven Clown Circus and Parenting BY Dummies.

I’m also linking up for the Proud Mommy Moments meme via The Daily Dribbles!

VlogTalk: My Baby’s Name

Shared by 46 Comments

One of this week’s VlogTalk prompts was to tell the story behind your child’s name. For sake of Internet safety, I’ve been calling my daughter Little K. That will not change. But, for the sake of the prompt, I will share what her name is. Aren’t you lucky?! (And I am feeling much better than last week, but I’m still more nasally than normal, for the record.)

Another reason that sealed the deal on the name we chose…my husband’s name is Jason and I’m Lauren. There’s only one letter that separates us and that’s K.

Be sure to share the logic behind your name or your children’s names in the comments!

Want to vlog?! Give it a shot and link up with the fab ladies at Mommy Is In Timeout, My Time as Mom and Mommy Monologues.

Photobucket

Lessons From Lemonade

Shared by 5 Comments

My husband and I joke all the time about what we want our baby to be when she grows up.

Granted, she’s only seven months, but we both already think she should go into the medical field. It seems like there are always great opportunities and tons of flexibility for when it’s time to settle down and have a family, if that’s what she chooses to do.

We know we don’t have much of a say on the path she will choose. And that’s OK. Regardless, we still like to mentally plan on how we can make her as well-rounded as possible so when it comes time to choose her career, she’ll have a good idea of where her talents lie.

So when I learned about the Lemonade Day concept on Twitter (not to be confused with the Lemonade Detroit movie), I made a mental note: my daughter is going to participate in this when she’s older, whether she likes it or not! – bwahaha.

If you’re not familiar with Lemonade Day, essentially it’s a neat program to show kids the spirit of entrepreneurship.

I don’t know about y’all, but I set-up a few lemonade stands during my day as a youngster in a growing subdivision. Looking back, I can see where this provides the perfect springboard to teaching some great lessons – creating a business plan, money management and marketing.

Always on the lookout for cool local opportunities for kiddos, I’m excited to learn for the first time, my area will be participating in its own Lemonade Day Detroit program. For those in Oakland, Macomb and Wayne Counties, the free event will take place on June 12, 2011 and hopes to attract 15,000 mini entrepreneurs; all hitting the streets to sell the delicious summer treat.

Thanks to some rad local sponsors, each child will receive a backpack, chock full of information to explain everything from budgets and marketing to customer service and investors.

One of my favorite parts though? The kids will be allowed to keep the profits they earn, but are encouraged to give a little to charity, too. To me, that will be one of the most important lessons of the day.

Metro Detroit is just one of 28 cities participating in Lemonade Day. Find an event near you here and get out and support our kids!

Learn more about the Lemonade Day concept by watching this adorable video:

What kinds of things to you do with your kids to get them on the path to success? Did you ever set-up a lemonade stand?

Image from the Lemonade Detroit Facebook page

My Breastfeeding Journey + Fab5 Selfishness

Shared by 11 Comments

From the time I knew I wanted kids, I knew I wanted to breastfeed.

Maybe because I’m part hippie and love that it’s “natural” and all. But really, I just grew-up thinking that’s just what you do when you have a baby (my mom has always been a breastfeeding advocate, which has surely shaped this mentality).

Alas, when Little K was born, she had other plans. She arrived, they threw gently placed her on me and I pulled my hospital gown down, getting ready for the big moment: the latch.

Well, it didn’t happen. We chalked it up as she wasn’t hungry and I moved about my haze-filled day.

Then nighttime came. The nurse was adamant about making it work. I felt like screaming, “She’ll latch when she’s ready! Leave us alone!”

The 24-hour no food window was quickly approaching and something had to be done. I was not about to give up, so we started cup-feeding her. I’d pump a little and the hubby would literally feed the baby the milk (colostrum, the first “milk” to arrive) from his finger. She did well with it, but I freaked thinking this might be the way it goes forever.

Enter the lactation consultant. We tried the football hold. Then, the cradle hold. Nothing worked. She wasn’t interested and just wanted to sleep. Finally, I was told I had bad nipples for breastfeeding. They were too large for the baby (not something you want to hear when your hormones are dropping like mad). I no longer felt like a beautiful, glowing new mom. I was an ugly haggard with horrid nipples that couldn’t nourish my baby.

Frustrated, I tried using breast shells, as advised by the consultant. They were supposed to extract the nipple out more, making it easier for baby to latch. Didn’t work for me…and they made me look like a fembot from Austin Powers, embarrassing me to no end when visitors came to our hospital room.

It was the morning we were supposed to leave the hospital and she still was not latching. Finally, the lactation consultant gave me a nipple shield, which pretty much acts like a nipple prosthetic (for those of us with “faulty” nipples) and helps the baby to latch. Finally, something that worked….sort of.

We had to strip her down to her onesie so she wouldn’t fall asleep and I had to lay on my side, using the nipple shield, to get her to eat. But she finally ate!

I spent the next two days at home having to lie down to feed my baby. Yup, in the middle of the night, I’d spring out of bed, just to lie down on our living room floor again moments later.

Our breastfeeding journey hasn’t been easy – especially those first four very painful weeks. I definitely would’ve given up had it not been for the support of my pro-breastfeeding friends, mom and my #1 cheerleader, my husband.

I can honestly say now that I finally actually enjoy it (it took awhile). I don’t even have to lie down anymore. I’ve even mastered walking a few feet. But, we still use the nipple shield most times, which isn’t the greatest, but I don’t complain because I don’t have to hand wash bottles and my baby is happy, healthy and growing.

Breastfeeding is NOT for everyone and I am not here to talk crap about formula feeding your baby. It is a very personal issue and every woman has the right to choose. I am here to say if you do choose to breastfeed, please know it’s not easy and if you need any support, I’m here to offer encouragement after the whirlwind I went through.

To tie into my standard Fab5 Friday feature, I have five fabulous SELFISH reasons why I personally enjoy it now more than ever.

1.    It gives you time to relax. How often do you actually smell the roses? Although it’s not always convenient, BF’ing and/or pumping allows for several breaks in your day. To me, that’s time to collect my thoughts and think about me.

2.    You can catch up on reading or the news. Baby is occupied and you have your hands to use. Although you should just relish in the moment, many of us don’t have time for that. Get a two-fer – feed your baby and your brain.

3.    It burns calories. Just sit and let baby go to town. You burn calories and shrink your uterus, the baby’s happy being close to you and you don’t even have to break a sweat. #winning

4.    It’s easy on the pocketbook. Not spending money on formula means more bottles of wine for when baby’s finally sleeping through the night.

5.    Scientific research shows it decreases the risk of ovarian, uterine and breast cancer. If I can help in the slightest to not get the c-word, it’s worth it.

Does anyone else have any encouraging stories to share about breastfeeding?

A Love/Hate Relationship With My First Car

Shared by 32 Comments

Before my days at my first steady job, I babysat a lot of neighborhood munchkins. Each weekend babysitting job between the ages of 12 and 15, I’d spend a little of my hard earned money and save a little. I was saving up for one thing I dreamt about since turning 12: my first car.

I secretly hoped when I turned 16, my parents would surprise me with the ’94 yellow Ford Mustang (with black leather interior and a spoiler) I’d been eyeing for what seemed like my entire life.

Instead, on my 16th b-day, I got a toy model of a yellow Mustang. How cruel.

Regardless, I was determined to get my own set of wheels, so as soon as I got my license, I scoured the local classifieds until I spotted something I could afford. After a couple test-drives, I found what would soon become my most prized possession: a white 1991 Buick Regal. The year was 2000, so I thought I was getting a steal on a car that wasn’t quite 10 years old.

I’m sure it was the car of its day, complete with leather seats, a tape player, a digital speedometer and plenty of room for friends. I had worked hard to pay for it, but didn’t even think twice when I shelled out the $1,200 because it paid for something that was priceless at the time: FREEDOM from the parental units.

I quickly decorated the car to reflect my quirky 16-year-old style: I had cow-inspired seat covers, a smiley face dangling from my rearview mirror and countless vending machine stickers lining the inside of my car. I’m sure I thought I was the coolest chick on the road.

It wasn’t long after getting the car that things started going wrong. The heat stopped working. The air didn’t ever work. The door sometimes got stuck and one of the power windows didn’t go down. Out of frustration, I started calling the car Mussolini.

I drove Mussolini for nearly 2 years, until one day he sighed his last breath in a scary grand finale.

The engine frame attached to the bottom of the car snapped, which made me loose my power steering and sent me gliding across opposing traffic on the busiest road of my hometown (Grand River!!!! to those in the know). Thankfully, traffic was coming slow due to a light, but my near 18 years on the planet definitely flashed before my eyes.

I walked, crying my eyes out in defeat, to a nearby Arby’s to call my mom and the police from a pay phone (only the cool kids had cell phones at that time). A nice police officer drove me home as they towed Mussolini off for good. I let the cow seat covers go with him since it felt only right. It was the end of an era.

Although it really was just a piece of junk, I look back on that first car with many fond memories. It not only represents my first taste of freedom, but also brings to mind so many other firsts: kisses with boys, nights out with my girlfriends, driving to concerts and hanging out in the parking lot after school.

I’d love to hear from you – what was your first car?

This was written in conjunction with Mama Kat’s Writing Workshop. I chose prompt #3 about my first car.

Mama’s Losin’ It

Finding Peace in Nature

Shared by 14 Comments

The past week hasn’t been the best for me. Last Wednesday, I thought I had come down with a cold that kicked my butt. All I wanted to do was sleep…something that isn’t easy with a 7-month old. Finally, upon going to the doctor, it was determined I have sinusitis and allergies, which are flaring up in my eyes, ears and throat. Needless to say, I was feeling miserable.

Feeling sick surely is depressing as a mom. I felt like I was a bad mom since often times I had to put my baby on the floor so I could rest. I didn’t have a ton of energy to play as usual. I went to bed early, and therefore didn’t get a lot of time with the hubby. I was feeling pretty sorry for myself.

But then yesterday, the antibiotics started to kick in. Although I am not quite up to par, I’m definitely on the mend.

To celebrate, Little K and I got out of the house and went to one of my favorite beautiful places. A local trail, in the middle of the city, that makes you feel like you are in the country. So with that, I leave you with an image of Little K, checking out nature.

Sometimes it’s just helpful to stop and observe all the things we have to be thankful for.

Little K finding peace in nature

Little K finding peace in nature

This post was linked up for Wordful Wednesday. To show your own Wednesday photo love, visit the following ladies: Project Alicia, Stacy Uncorked, Live and Love…Out Loud, Seven Clown Circus and Parenting BY Dummies.

VlogTalk…Round #1

Shared by 30 Comments

PhotobucketIt’s a special day because I’m posting my first vlog. But don’t judge me…I have been under the weather for a few days, so I don’t look or sound my best, but I didn’t want to miss out on the opportunity to “meet” some fellow ladies in the blogosphere for the VlogTalk meme. I figured I’d just roll with it, after all, nobody like the way they look on camera, right?!

Thank you to Mommy Is In Timeout, My Time as Mom and Mommy Monologues for coming up with this fab idea! I look forward to learning from you all and getting better at using iMovie at the same time 🙂 P.S. I’m not really sure why my video looks off center…it looks fine on YouTube!

Guest Post at Free Is My Life

Shared by 2 Comments

Today I’m taking the day off to nurse a sinus infection, but feel free to visit my dear friend Jackie at her metro Detroit money saving blog, Free Is My Life to check out a guest post I wrote highlighting 10 easy ways I’ve learned to save money since staying home.

I’ll be back tomorrow…in person…for my first ever vlog!

Archives

MyFreeCopyright.com Registered & Protected

My Badge

mrswebersneighborhood.com
<a href="http://mrswebersneighborhood.com" target="_blank"><img src="http://mrswebersneighborhood.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/button.png" alt="mrswebersneighborhood.com" width="125" height="125" /></a>

Categories

Blog Design By: Creative Kristi Designs