Mom of boys

God knew what He was doing when He made me to be a mom of boys.  When I was little I always dreamed of having 3 boys and a little girl.  I couldn't wait.  During my first pregnancy I quickly learned that it was not likely I would be able to have 4 children and still have a family that loved me. 

 I kinda go a little crazy during pregnancy.  I basically become a big emotional ball of nervous anxiety.  I will be honest I am lucky I was able to make it through 3 pregnancies and still have my family take my phone calls.

During my first pregnancy when we learned we were having a boy we were so excited.  I couldn't wait to see him.  I thought about the sports he would play and how he would take after his daddy.

During my second pregnancy when we learned he was a boy I was a little sad but I still couldn't wait to meet him.  Again I thought all about what he would be like and they things he would accomplish.

During my final pregnancy we were for sure we were going to have a girl.  Everything felt so different, but in the back of my head I heard the nurse saying, "every pregnancy is different."  When we found out we were once again having a boy I cried.  I will be honest I was disappointed.  I was in shock and my last hope of having a little girl was gone.  I told everyone I was excited, that I was good not having a girl.  I talked about how I wouldn't have to worry about the girl drama, hormones, and periods, ect.  Inside though I was sad.

Of course when he was born everything changed.  I couldn't imagine my life without my little redheaded baby boy. I wouldn't trade him for ANYTHING.

There is still a little bit of disappointment though, a little wish that I could try again.  Every time I hear that someone is pregnant I have a little twinge of jealously.  Not to be pregnant but for the fact that they may have a girl. 

The older my sons get the happier I am that I have boys.  They love their mommy!  I love being able to build with them, play in the dirt with them, watch superheroes, capture bugs, make messes, and just have fun.

I was made to be a mom of boys.  That disappointment of not having a girl, it's slowly going away. 

So here is my advice to a mom who has multiple boys or knows someone who does:

DO stock up on band-aids.  I know my little boys are rough and tumble boys, half the time I don't know where they get all the bruises and scrapes.

DO have a room for yourself in your house.  This is where you can decorate as girly as you want.  You don't have to worry about what your husband or sons think this room is just for you.  Also it's a great place to go with the testosterone in the house gets too high. 


DO take some time to pamper yourself.  Take a bath, relax with a book, get your hair or nails done.  When you have nothing but boys at home it is easy to get caught up in their craziness, just taking a little bit of time to pamper yourself goes a long way.

DO NOT  under any circumstances talk about how important it is to you that you have a little girl and how special the bond between a mother and daughter is.  Before I knew any better I talked about it and when I was pregnant with my third a friend talked about it.


  A mom of boys won't have that so don't make upset her by talking about it!

DO NOT ask a mom with all boys if she is going to try again for a girl.  First of all if I were to try again for a baby I would be aiming at a healthy one not a specific sex.  Sure it would be nice to hear "its a girl," but as long as I hear, "everything is healthy," I don't care.  Second, three boys is enough for me and it is not really a comfortable situation explaining why I am not having any more babies.  Just don't ask.

Remember sons love their mom.  Raise them to be good men who follow their hearts and their beliefs.  Raise them to be kind and loving, they are the ones who will be providing you with daughters in law and you want to raise them right so they pick good women.  Cherish your time with them don't think about what you are missing but focus on what you have.  Most of all LOVE them with all you have.

 

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To Be A Better Mom

I had someone ask me where I have been for the last two weeks so I thought I would explain. 

I decided it was time to take steps to being a better mom. 

I am not saying I was not a good mom but I knew I could be better.  Recently I shared that I have been dealing with PPD or Postpartum Depression.  I would have times where I thought I was getting better and times that I didn't leave the couch all day.  With 3 kids at home that is not something I wanted to be doing.  I knew it was time to do something about it. 

Not long after Colin was born I did talk to my doctor about my PPD and I was prescribed a medication to help.  I was determined not to take it.  I figured I could fix it by myself.  I looked at medication as a band aid just covering up a wound and I wanted to heal it.

There were times that I felt so bad that I would pull out the prescription and just look at it.  I refused to take it though.  To me that was throwing in the towel, giving up and saying I couldn't fix myself.  If I could just eat right and exercise I would be OK, but it's not easy to do those things when you feel extremely discouraged and have NO motivation.

When I spent a full day in the state of fear and anxiety I decided enough was enough.  I was not living I was just making it through the day.  I was always looking for something that would fix me (or distract me).  The problem was that I couldn't hold on to any motivation.  I also started to see my son having some anxiety problems.  I wanted to stop the cycle.

For so long I used the excuse that I didn't want to use medication to get better because I was nursing.  I was using my children as my excuse not to do something but now I needed them to be the reason I did do something. 

I started taking steps to getting help by talking to a friend who went through the same thing.  She encouraged me to talk to the doctor again and get started on getting better.  Next I called my doctor, it had been it had been 9 months since I talked to her about my PPD.

It has been 2 1/2 weeks since I decided to make a change.  I was told that I would not really notice a difference and that it could take about a month to feel better.  Here is what I am noticing already.

I am not constantly afraid of EVERYTHING.  I feel like I used to be in a constant state of fear but now I feel quite relaxed.  It's pretty nice.

I have patience again.  I was at the point where I had no patience and everything made me irritable.

I am enjoying some of my favorite things again.  My poor family had been surviving on peanut butter and jelly sandwiches for a while.  It is nice to be cooking and quilting again!

I am having more fun with my kids.  They are the reason I decided to do this.  I was at the point where I felt like I was just a shadow in their lives.  Now we are playing and making projects.  I having a blast watching them and not dwelling on my anxieties.

The only downside I have found is that I am exhausted.  This is a side effect that will hopefully go away soon and it is way better than the way I was feeling before.  This is also one of the reasons I have be absent for the past few weeks.  I wanted to take some time to focus on myself and my family.

I did not take this decision lightly and thought about it for a very long time.  I am happy that I decided to make this change and I can't wait to see how things will continue to change and get better.
If you or someone you know is going through any form of depression take the steps to get better.  It does not make you weak.  I actually had someone tell me how strong I was for how long I tried to do it with out medication.  I now feel I am strong for choosing my family and their needs over my stubbornness.  I can be a better mom, a better wife, and a better me.

My journey is not over.  Now comes the time when I fix all the problems my PPD caused, like my lack of exercise and weight gain.  So stay tuned and follow my journey I see amazing things happening in my future.



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Naughty Turned Nice: Paleo Treats Review

Do you know what the hardest part of giving up desserts is?  It's giving up desserts!  When it comes to getting healthy and losing weight this is something we feel we have to do.  We have the mind set that desserts are bad, they make us gain weight.  What if I told you that you can have your desserts and eat them too.  I know what you are thinking.  You are picturing tasteless diet desserts that you can pick up at the grocery store.

NO!

What I am talking about is Naughty Turned Nice Paleo Sweets and Treats by Nancy Beechy.  Nancy has always be active and healthy.  Years ago she made a change for the better when she decided to change her eating habits to a Paleo lifestyle.  She has not looked back since.  When she made this change she went all in, that included the way she looked at sweets.

So many of the sweets we love are loaded with sugar, flour, and preservatives.  On the flip side are the diet desserts.  These desserts are still full of preservatives but instead of sugar they use artificial sweeteners.

All Naughty Turned Nice products are made with local, fresh, and organic ingredients.  The first time you taste her Paleo Party Mix you can definitely taste the care she puts into her ingredients.  She uses organic and local ingredients and you can taste the difference.

I tried five different products from her, these are the only ones that can ship at this time.  The first thing that I tried was her primal brownie.  It is made with zucchini, bittersweet chocolate, local honey, and chocolate liquor giving it the perfect combination of bittersweet with a hint of spice (I think either nutmeg or allspice.)  If you are looking for something to satisfy a sweet craving but don't want something too sweet this is a great place to start.

The next thing I tried was her Paleo party mix.  This is the one I hear about a lot and I kinda had high expectations.  Let me tell you, I was not let down.  As soon as I took a bite I knew I had to have Steve try it, even though I really didn't want to share.  He is very critical and he loved it.  I put it into the refrigerator as she recommended and I am sure it made a huge difference.  It is a combination of nuts, seeds, and honey.  The first bite I took seemed to melt into my mouth.  I can see how this is one of her biggest sellers and I know I will personally be coming back for more!

I also tried her Paleo Party Mix with raisins and another with cacao and spice.  Both these versions were just as delicious as the first.

The last thing I tried was her Primal Cereal.  You know those almonds that you often smell during the winter, the tasty ones that are roasted with cinnamon and sugar.  Well that is what I was reminded of when I tried this cereal.  The cinnamon was one of the first things that I noticed and it woke up my taste buds.  I indulged a bit more than I was planning with these special treats but I have to say that I like knowing that these items are as healthy for me as they are delicious.

While these were the only treats I was able to try today they are not the only ones she creates. I can't wait to try the doughnuts and cheesecake.  If you are in the Chicago land area I definitely recommend locating her at her local farmers market, when you are there make sure you try her Paleo Party Mix.  If you are not in the Chicagoland area make sure you check out her website and give the products a try.  You will be hooked and don't worry if you have a gluten intolerance or are just trying to avoid it, all the Naughty Turned Nice products are gluten free.

One more thing I noticed about Nancy's Naughty Turned Nice products was there packaging.  All the packaging is eco friendly and recyclable. With these treats there is nothing to feel guilty about!

Contact or Follow Nancy at:
 Facebook: Naughty Turned Nice Sweets and Treats
Website: http://www.naughtyturnednice.com/


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