#MomHacks

I'm sure all of you have heard by now of these neat things called "life hacks".  Life hacks are just tips and tidbits to help make your life easier.  I figured I would come up with my own life hacks specifically for moms.  Hence the name "mom hacks".  I'm so original.

I have been a mom for 19 months now and even though it is a short amount of time, living it every day feels like much longer.  I have two wonderful mothers that have guided me (sometimes holding my hand just because I needed it) and given me advice that I have taken.  It has been much to my advantage.  Knowledge isn't worth anything if it isn't shared, right?

This blog actually goes out to her royal highness, the Duchess of Cambridge herself, Kate Middleton.  She is about to have baby #2 and all I've seen on magazines in Target lately have been about how Kate is preparing for "2 under 2".  I figured I have 7 months of experience so I should be nice and share with her.  You're welcome, Duchess Kate.  Anytime.

So here are my #momhacks in no certain order:

1.  Keurig

Yes, coffee is #1 on my list.  Anyone who knows me knows I am a coffee fiend.  I love, I love, I love it.  If you could marry an appliance, the Keurig would be next in line after Brad.  Do you get my point?  Ok good.  We got ours as a wedding gift and it is by far my most favorite and most used gift.  I use it every day, more than once a day.  You just put the pod in, press go, and smell as the sweet wonderful aroma fills your kitchen.  I actually use a re-fillable pod because they are so ding dang expensive and bagged coffee is so much cheaper.  I have the first-edition "old" Keurig and I will use it til it dies (what a sad, sad day that will be).  You might try one of the new-fangled, has-lots-of-buttons, super duper multitasking Keurigs.  I like to keep it simple and keep it good.  Thank you, Keurig, for your service.  You are amazing.


2.  Crock Pot


This is a pretty obvious one IMO.  Everyone should have a crock pot.  They make life so easy.  All you have to do is find a good recipe, throw all the ingredients in, and presto! 4-8 hours later you have a wonderful meal hot and ready.  I actually have salsa and taco seasoning on chicken breasts cooking away in my crock pot right now.  I'm making Zannie's Black Eyed Pea Dip to go with it.  There are tons of good slow cooker recipes on the internet.  It is worth the time to prepare it while your kids are taking their morning nap.  That way you don't have little hungry ones under your feet begging for M&M's and crying while you cook.  Not that that's every happened to me...


3.  Sleep training


Sleep training.  Ahhh, sleep training.  Two of the most wonderful words ever uttered.  My in-law family recommended this to me and it is the best thing I have done as a mother.  Anyone who knows me also knows I love to sleep.  If I don't get sleep for a few days in a row, I get sick.  My body just doesn't handle it well.  Sleep training turns awake babies into sleeping babies (usually).  The process is simple:  lay your baby down to sleep.  Lay them down awake.  They learn how to go to sleep on their own. We started this late with Jeremiah because I sat around holding him while he slept.  I didn't have that luxury with Keegan, so we started him from birth.  Sleep training for me also involves letting their bodies figure out a sleep schedule.  I look for signs of sleepiness (red eyes, rubbing eyes, yawning, etc) and IMMEDIATELY snatch them up, give them some milk and lay them down.  Both of my boys have gotten on pretty regular sleep schedules this way.  My mother told me that she would rock me to sleep every night so then when she needed me to just go to sleep, I would scream and cry because I wanted to be rocked.  Yes, babies love to be cuddled and I do get a lot of snuggle time in with Keegan when he's awake.  Sleep training is good for both mommy and baby.  Baby learns how to sleep, therefore mommy gets sleep.  Mommies are better mommies when they are well-rested.  Attachment parenting says to sleep with your babies and that's fine if that's for you.  You enjoy getting kicked and poked all night.  I will enjoy my peaceful sleep.  :)

 Jeremiah @ 3 1/2 months old

Keegan @ 2 months old

4.  Afternoon crib time


To piggy-back the sleep training idea, another #momhack is the afternoon crib time.  This could also be morning crib time.  All this really means is laying your baby/toddler down for an afternoon (or morning) nap even after they have "dropped" to one nap a day.  I know most kids drop their morning naps but my Jeremiah has decided to keep his 10:30-1 nap and try to stay awake for the rest of the day.  This makes for a cranky, fussy little boy around 7pm.  Per the advice of my mother-in-law, he now goes down for an afternoon crib time around 3 or 3:30 whether he sleeps or not.  It's a beautiful thing.  I get a break, and he gets some time to get to know himself.  More times than not, he lays in there talking to himself or bouncing on the mattress.  That's fine by me.  It's an hour or so that I know he's safe and I don't have to deal with him.  It's especially useful when you have another (younger) baby to take care of.  There you go, Kate!


5.  Bounce-bounce

This is one of the best inventions ever.  Seriously.  They are called several different things but we call ours the bounce-bounce.  This one in particular has been wonderful because the bottom tray is suspended by little bungee cords.  Babies can bounce off it to build their little leg muscles.  There are several different toys on there for them to play with and they can turn in this one so with each positional shift, there is a new thing to crank/pull/chew on.  Both of my boys absolutely loved being in the bounce-bounce.  It makes life so easy when I need to cook, take a shower, run to the mailbox, use the bathroom, etc.  Trust me mommies, this is so worth getting.


6.  Diaper bookbag

I got this bag as a birthday gift last year (per my request).  I use it every time I go somewhere.  When Jeremiah was born, my lovely mother-in-law made me a diaper bag with the fabrics I picked out for his nursery.  It was great at first but as I need to put more and more stuff in there and the bag I had kept tipping over and everything would spill out.  I wanted something I could zip and put on my back for carrying while I carried my baby on my hip.  I just love being able to throw everything in there, zip, and go.  It makes for a quick exit should your baby have a public meltdown or a diaper explosion.  I've had it for 9 months and plan to use it til my boys are diaper-free.


7.  Swiffer Wet Jet

This is a more recent discovery.  I've only been using it for a couple of months and I'm wondering why I wasn't smart enough to have used it before now.  The Swiffer Wet Jet is a time-saver for sure.  You put the cleaning pad on the bottom, plug in a solution, and mop your little heart out.  There are several different types of solutions, including one for hard wood floors.  I don't have hard wood floors but a couple of the houses I clean do and I use it on them.  Sometimes when the kids are napping and I don't want to wake them with the vacuum, I just sweep the kitchen and "wet Swiffer-it".  The pads are disposable so no having to wring out a nasty mop and rinse out a bucket afterward.  It can be expensive if you pay full price, but my hubby gets a nice Target discount so I buy them there on sale. I believe in spending money on important things and things that make my life as a mom easier are important to me.  It's worth the money, trust me.

8.  Lysol All Purpose Cleaner

My mother-in-love introduced me to this and I've been using it ever since.  It's great for cleaning the kitchen and can be used on any surface.  I use it in the bathroom for a quick clean-up if someone is dropping by the house.  I love having a clean kitchen before bed.  My MIL calls it getting back down to ground zero.  After I wash dishes and my counters are clear, I spray everywhere with this stuff and give everything a good wipe-down.  It doesn't leave a filmy residue like a lot of cleaners do.  It smells awesome and gets things squeaky clean.  I like that.


9.  Thieve's oil

This is also a recently discovered #momhack.  For the past 6 months or so I've been getting sick on and off.  Nothing too major, just congestion, sinus stuff, and headache from all of it.  It's usually not enough to go to the doctor but enough to really get on my nerves and prevent me from enjoying life as I should.  It's easy to go get a Z-Pak from the doctor to kick it, but I don't like taking antibiotics because they throw off all of the good bacteria in your body.   My dear Abby suggested that I contact a family friend who is also a nurse about essential oils, especially Thieve's oil.  I've been using it for almost a week and I can't even describe the difference it has made.  You just spray it on your throat 2 or 3 times/day.  It is a blend of 5 essential oils that combined are anti-viral, anti-bacterial, and anti-infectious.  It's pretty much a whopping boost to your immune system.  As far as I'm concerned, I'm going to use it every day for the rest of my life.


10.  This man

I saved the best for last.  This is one that I will NOT share.  He is my favorite on this list.  Bradley makes mom-life pretty easy for me.  He has been a HUGE help with the kids from the day they were born.  He always does whatever I need him to do and provides hours of entertainment for the boys.  He helps out around the house and makes sure all of my needs are met.  He even changes poopy diapers!  The most important thing for a mom IMO is a support system.  I'm so blessed to have him as mine.  I love you Brad.  Thanks for being such a great dad!





I hope this list will help all you moms out.  Maybe in a couple of years I will come up with a new list to see what I've learned.

Until next time,

Hannah Elise

Happy 6-Month Keegan

My super squishy sweet newborn is suddenly 6 months old!  Keegan is rolling all over the floor and will be crawling soon, I just know it.  He is so much more active than Jeremiah was at this stage.  He never stops moving unless he is sleeping, and even then he still moves.  Maybe it was all the coffee I drank while I was pregnant with him...oops!

Life for Keegan these days is filled with chewing on his toes, laughing, and watching the world around him.  He loves to watch movies, animals, and his big brother playing with his toys.  He has the quickest little hands; if you're eating something, you better watch out because he will snatch it from you!  He is very interested in food.  He has tried several baby foods and a few of the more liquid things that we eat.  I need to step it up and start feeding him at every meal instead of reaching for the bottle.

K is such a sweet boy.  He was fussy for the first few months of his life but at some point, he switched and has been happy ever since.  He loves to lay on his tummy propped up on his little elbows and look around.  He makes his way around the living room via rolling and scooching.  He enjoys being in the bounce-bounce:

We just celebrated his first Christmas.  Like all other babies, he liked the wrapping tissue much better than any of his toys.  It was a joy to watch him take it all in even though he had no idea what was actually going on.

I can't wait to see what the next six months has in store for my boy!  Crawling, sleeping through the night, possibly walking...the possibilities are endless!  We love you sweet baby Keegan!

-Hannah Elise