Motherhood Update || Toddler Transitions

I’ve never done a motherhood update and thought it would be fun to change gears and talk more about my experiences being a mom.  Quinn turned 2 in August and I feel like she has really transitioned into being a full blown toddler! She’s always had a strong personality, which I think will serve her well in the future, but it makes my job a bit challenging at the moment.

I should have known she would be a fire cracker seeing as she came a week early fast and furious.  I barely made it to the hospital in time to deliver her! When girlfriend is ready…she.is.ready!

General Thoughts: I wrote all about my thoughts and feelings about having another baby in this blog post.  Those insecurities and pressures haven’t gone away, but writing it all down and getting support from the little community we’ve built was so therapeutic.  Overall, I continue to feel really content where we are in life and just trying to stay in the present.

I had a big wake up call this week hearing about a college friend losing her husband unexpectedly.  It really puts it all into perspective.  It’s so easy for me to get caught up in the daily stressors this cute face sends my way, but I’m so grateful for her and the joy she brings into my life.

Biggest Challenges/Biggest Rewards:  I would say the biggest challenges we face right now are the tantrums/whining/fussiness (I will just lump all those together).   She has such a strong personality so if she does not want to do something it’s not easy to get her to do it!  I need like 4 extra hands to change her diapers and she loses it every.single.morning when we get dressed.  No matter what approach I take she throws a complete fit and gets herself all worked up.  The mornings can be stressful to say the least.

The biggest rewards right now is watching her grow into a little person.  I know every parent thinks their kids are so smart, but she amazes me every day with new things she is saying and doing and how independent she is becoming. She knows how to get a laugh out of me and it melts my heart when she’s playful and wants to be silly together.  Dance parties are our favorite!

Eating: This continues to be one of my biggest stressors with her that I’m trying to let go of.  We completely ditched the bottle a few weeks ago and she pretty much refuses to drink milk out of any sippy cup (we own them all!). She will drink a little milk out of a “big girl cup” with a bendy straw (clearly I’ll try anything to get her to drink some milk!)

For breakfast I usually make her some variation of eggs, pancakes (she loves Simple Mills), oatmeal or toast + Rx nut butter, yogurt and fruit.  For lunch I offer her some variation of PB&J, turkey and avocado sandwich, cucumber slices, carrot sticks, hummus, edamame, fruit, cheese, and crackers. Dinners are all over the place…I offer her some of what we are eating, but she is so picky I usually stick to pasta with turkey meat sauce or mac & cheese with veggies (she’s loving broccoli which makes me SO happy!).  She will sometimes also do quesadilla/grilled cheese or mini pizza bites. My goal is to offer more variety at dinner, but without her nighttime bottle I’m fearful of her not eating her dinner and going to bed hungry then waking up early because she’s hungry…any tips mamas?

I’m also trying to decrease her snacking between meals; especially between lunch and dinner because this improves her eating at meal times for sure.  She’s started telling me when she’s hungry and can sometimes communicate what she wants which is SO helpful!

She is eating most meals at our dining table now.  We used this high chair that we have now converted into a toddler chair and fits perfect at our table.  She’s usually happy to be sitting there.  We use this feeding mat that I love and it also sticks to the table.  Luckily I think we are out of the throwing food and plates phase, but you never know!

Sleeping:  Naps: the past few weeks she’s been on and off nap strikes.  I think she’s finally getting adjusted to her school schedule, but she was coming home so overtired and refusing her nap.  She sometimes goes down smoothly for a nap, but often fights it for a bit before passing out.  I know she still needs her nap because she is completely exhausted but has total FOMO! I give her books that she will flip through in her crib and eventually fall asleep. She typically goes down for her nap around 1/1:30pm and (fingers crossed) sleeps for at least 2 hours (sometimes just 60-90 mins)

Bed time:  she’s usually really good about going down and sleeping through the night.  But lately, I’ve never seen someone with more sh*t to do than Quinn when I say it’s time to go to bed lol!  She’s started procrastinating like crazy.  She wants to read like 10 books, play with all thd toys she typically could care less about, needs water, wants to brush her teeth again, and has now started bossing us around to sleep in the chair next to her.  It’s all pretty cute to watch, but I try and shut it down fast so it doesn’t become a thing. She typically goes go bed between 7-7:30pm and sleeps until 6:30-7am.  On days she’s refusing her nap she is in her crib with the lights out at 6:30pm on the dot! Byeeeee!

Potty Training:  We haven’t officially started potty training, but she is for sure getting close! We have her potty and she has gone a few times on it.  During a recent bath she told me she needed to get out and go on the potty and went #2 (I was SO excited) but when I put her back in the bath she finished her poop in there! #momlife Anyways, she is getting close and they are putting her on the potty sometimes at school.  She’s waking up some mornings with a completely dry diaper, so I think by 2.5 we will get serious about it. I will be referencing Heather’s post on potty training!

Socialization:  This is a big one for me in that I really try and socialize her a lot.  She’s doing great at school and whenever I ask what she did at school she says “played with friends”.  One day a week we go to her dance/music class that we’ve been going to since she was about 6 months old.  She has so much fun at this class and I’ve met some great mom friends through these classes as well.  I think it’s so good for her to learn (from someone other than us) about sharing, manners, and being kind to other kids so it’s a great social schedule she has now.

Clothing: I wish she liked getting dressed as much as I like shopping for her clothes!  It’s hard not to get excited about girls clothing so I’m sharing some cute fall and winter items I’m eyeing for her! I mostly shop for her at Nordstrom, Nordstrom Rack, Old Navy, Target, and Gap Kids. I know H&M has adorable kids clothing as well and need to look there more too.

Here is what is currently on “her” wishlist…I love these metallic rain boots, this layered jean jacket, these joggers, these camo leggings, this warm puffer jacket, and this peplum jacket in romantic rose is adorable! I just ordered this red buffalo plaid sherpa jacket and I recently got this pom pom beanie I’m obsessed with.

Thanks for following along!

xx,
Alix