It's National Breastfeeding Month, and we are continuing our series with Board Certified Lactation Consultant (and Scottsdale mom/grandma!) Andrea Mansor. If you missed our first Q & A, you can find it here. This time around Andrea (aka "Dear Andi") is talking...
Ever wonder what your child's teacher REALLY thinks about you?
If you're like me, you strive to create a healthy partnership with your child's teacher. And I've found, it really is a dance. As parents, it takes understanding our steps...
Welcome to The Belly Diaries! We’re following pregnant mama Lindsey as she navigates pregnancy #2. If you’re just tuning in, be sure to catch Lindsey’s 32 week, 28 week, 24 week, 19 week, and 17 week updates – you’ll love her witty style and wise words....
I have been operating on half a tank of energy and steam since the pregnancy nausea of #3 set in 10 weeks ago. If you've seen me, perhaps I looked a little bit run down. I have been feeling...
As I wrote about on a previous post, the state of AZ has a new booster car seat law that happened to affect my {now} 7-year-old daughter. That left me with the task of finding a new booster for...
It's National Breastfeeding Month as well as World Breastfeeding Week, and we are honored to present a three-part series with Board Certified Lactation Consultant (and Scottsdale mom/grandma!) Andrea Mansor. Andrea is answering breastfeeding questions submitted by you, our readers,...
Yes, the title of this post is true: I ate my own placenta. Crazy and gross, you think? Well, I am here to tell you all about it - and why it's not.
My sweet baby boy Braylen was born...
I am fifteen weeks pregnant with our third baby.* This means that I have survived a grand total of three first trimesters, and each has been as unpleasant as the last. Nausea comes on sudden and strong around six...
Teaching a toddler about "work." Is this a good idea or not?
I don't know the answer to that, but I do know my two-and-a-half-year-old yearns to know more about why I leave for work, and what I do at...
I have a ferocious reader on my hands. She is always asking to be read to, "reading" to her stuffed animals or asking when we can get to the book store or library. That said, I'm always on the hunt for...
My friend and I were at a loss on how we were going to make it through the long summer with all of our kids (we have seven kids between the two of us). Neither of us had any...
1. STORYTIME! (AKA Children’s Programs)
From Toddlertime at the Phoenix Public Libraries to Shake, Rattle & Roll at the Scottsdale library Branches, to a number of interesting sounding programs for older children that my little guys are still to young...
If I had a nickel for every time I pulled a hamstring chasing after my 18-month-old through the bras at Victoria’s Secret (he’s clearly a boob man) while my 5-year-old threw a fit because I wouldn’t buy her a...
One of the most common concerns in adoption is the finances. Although it needs discussion, it should never deter a family from adopting. All children cost money to come home to their families, whether biologically or through adoption. It...
In my last post, I wrote and you lovely readers responded about some things you can expect if the unthinkable happens and your baby needs a visit to the NICU. Today I'd like to share some ways to support...
I've discovered something about myself recently: I love trying new things and/or new ways of doing things.
I'm not always a huge fan of change, but if a product or method seems that it will make my life easier, save...
As I revealed here a few weeks ago, I am super-preggers with number 3! This being the case, I’ve been reflecting a lot lately on how strangely and differently people seem to treat a woman with a baby growing...
I have been VERY leery of those Disney Princesses that I see Ev.Ery.Where. Don't get me wrong, I grew up enjoying their stories and admiring their dresses. (I was even The Little Mermaid for my 9th Birthday). But the...
Welcome to The Belly Diaries! We’re following pregnant mama Lindsey as she navigates pregnancy #2. If you’re just tuning in, be sure to catch Lindsey's 28 week, 24 week, 19 week, and 17 week updates - you'll love her witty style...
Over the last several years, you may have seen various online articles from adoptive parents on "what not to say to adoptive parents." Some come from wounded places in mommies' hearts that desperately want adoptive families to be treated...
I think that it's fairly safe to say that no mom at the start of their pregnancy says to themselves, "I just can't wait until my baby is in the NICU." I had three normal, healthy babies with...
I'm finding that the way I grew up is becoming a way of life that is nearly extinct in the US.
No, I didn't walk to school barefoot in the snow, uphill both ways. I grew up in the...
It’s Archives Week here at SMB, and this morning I’m featuring my favorite post of Joy's! You can read all her posts here.
I think Joy and I were cut from some of the same cloth. The other night we...
It's Archives Week here at SMB, and this morning I'm featuring my favorite post of Beth's! You can read all her posts here.
One of the reasons why I love our little SMB Contributor community is that I get to...
It’s Archives Week here at SMB, and this morning I’m featuring my favorite post of Cate's. You can read all her posts here.
I actually have a few favorite posts of Cate's. Although I'm not a homeschooler, one of my all-time favorites...
It's Archives Week here at SMB, and this morning I'm featuring my favorite post of Jenn's. You can read all her posts here.
Even though I consider myself a Stay-at-Home-Mom, in reading this post I realized that I "Work at...
As I shared in my last post, a huge part of my family and its story is about adoption. I have a wild passion for sharing about children in need of families and equipping families to meet those needs....
I usually consider myself pretty up to speed when it comes to the laws regarding the safety of my kids. I've regularly reviewed the National Highway Traffic Safety Administrations (NHTSA) website for recommendations when it comes to car seat...
Weddings are a $40 billion dollar a year industry. Americans spend about the same (40 billion) on recreation and entertainment each year. We spend hours and hours planning elaborate ceremonies and receptions, vacations and family outings. We stress...
There is no greater desire of any parent than to make sure that our children are given every opportunity to remain healthy. We have all been to the 24-hour pharmacy in the dead of night to pick up a...
Guide To Scottsdale
Your Survival Guide to Spring Sports
Spring is officially in Sunny Arizona, which means it's time for kids to dust off their cleats, grab their gloves, and hit the fields...
