Category Archives: Baby Musings

“Falling” in Love with My Baby

By
Quinn Having Fun in the Leaves

Quinn Having Fun in the Leaves

When I was younger, I loved jumping in the leaves, taking in the beautiful reds, yellows and oranges, listening to the loud crunches as I stumped my feet. Though my fun has now shifted to work as I rake up piles of leaves that surround my home, I have managed to fall in love with autumn all over again through my little girl. Initially, she was seated in her trike, but overtime, she made it very clear that she wanted to get out and enjoy nature. As soon I got her out of her trike, she headed for the leaves and could not resist jumping in them and throwing the leaves everywhere. She was absolutely tickled as she tossed the leaves all around her, as was I.  In that moment, I was not thinking about how she was slowing down my progress with getting all of the leaves to their designated area for the leaf collection or the dirt and other germs that might have been in those leaves. I just smiled and thought about how carefree she is and how grateful I am to have her in my life. Quinn continues to leave me in awe, and I am looking forward to more simple yet memorable moments in the near future. Here’s a brief video below that really captures the fun Quinn was having. If only we all could have this much fun playing in the leaves.

All the best,

Tanya

Not Too Little for Chores Baby!

By
Quinn ready to do some sweeping

Quinn ready to do some sweeping

Clothing yanked from drawers and tossed any and everywhere by a giddy little toddler. Food mashed and tossed onto the floor when she decides she’s full or just doesn’t like the menu. She takes pleasure in balling up, ripping or drawing on any and all papers she comes across. Sometimes I think Quinn believes it is her job to add to the list of chores her daddy and I have to do to keep our home orderly and clean. When we straighten up, my little girl laughs hysterically as she pulls the pillows off of the sofa that we just neatly placed. Though it can be a challenge at times, her laughter still puts a smile on my face.

Interestingly, a few months ago while I was sweeping, Quinn showed an interest and kept wanting to grab the broom or dust pan. She actually wanted to sweep! At that moment, I wondered, “Is she too young to have a basic chore or two?” For fun, I did purchase my little 17 month old her very own broom and dust pan (actually when she was 15 months). Though she still prefers to use mine, she will eagerly grab her broom to “help” me sweep the floor. Presently, putting away her toys or helping me put away her clothes after she has decided to toss them out of the drawers with wild laughter or closing the door after I have loaded the laundry are some of her chores. I want to not only teach Quinn how to be responsible, but I want her to not dread chores but look at them as a way to bring us closer together as a family. What chores do you have your little toddler doing? Is 17 months too young?

All the best,

Tanya

It’s My Hair, and I’ll Cry If I Want Too Baby!

By
An Anomaly: Quinn smiling as she gets her hair done

An Anomaly: Quinn smiling as she gets her hair done

It’s wonderful dressing up little girls! There’s so many cute outfits, pretty little shoes, not to mention the adorable hair accessories. Unfortunately, as cute as the finished product may be, it is no fun for my 13 month old Quinn. She loathes getting her hair washed. As soon as she sees the shampoo she begins to whimper and cry hysterically. Combing her hair, and styling it tends to be a battle as well, but I’ve been doing a little trial and error to make the experience better for the both of us. Maybe you also struggle with doing your little girl’s hair, so this is what occasionally works for me.

1.Singing:  I either sing a children’s song I know she loves, or I have the song playing and sing along. It may not consistently calm her down, but it works about 80 percent of the time.

2. Snack: Even though I don’t want Quinn to associate food with getting her hair done or as a reward for sitting still and not fussing, she is more patient as I’m doing her hair while she is having her snack. If you look at the photo, you’ll see a box in the background containing her snacks.

3. Teamwork: I try to make her a part of the process by letting her hold a brush or comb or to look in her hair accessory box with me to get the items ready for her hairstyle.

4. Eagerness: Though she may not completely understand yet, I talk to her to get her eager and excited about getting her hair done. It works sometimes.

5. Distractions: Anything that can keep Quinn’s attention and distract her while I’m doing her hair is used. It may be “Super Why” or “Thomas and Friends,” a book or small toy she loves.

6. Intervals: Doing her hair in small intervals allowing her to have a break works too. For example, if she has four pony tails, I may do two then give her a fifteen minute break or a little longer, depending on how fussy she is about getting her hair done, then do the other two.

7. Right Products: I make sure to use hair styling products that are gentle on her hair but make it soft and manageable so that detangling her hair does not cause her too much distress.

Do you have a little one who prefers that you leave her hair alone? What works for you when you’re trying to give her an adorable style or to simply wash her hair? Please feel free to share.

All the best,

Tanya

 

My Baby Loves Food Fights: It’s all organic!

By
Quinn eating her organic waffles and strawberries

Quinn eating her organic waffles and strawberries

 

Peas and carrots go flying! Tomato sauce smeared on the table. Smashed blueberries scattered on the floor. Green beans mushed, chewed up and spit out. No, this isn’t a food fight at an elementary school; it’s my baby girl Quinn expressing her emotions towards eating solid food.  Sometimes she loves them, and other times she loathes them. From her eating habits alone, I can see that my little one year old is formulating her own thoughts and figuring out that she can choose what she likes and dislikes and if she wants more or has had enough.

Prior to Quinn being born, my husband and I decided to go the organic and non-GMO (Genetically Modified Organisms) route as much as possible and have been conscientious in selecting and preparing her baby food. Now that she’s eating more solid foods, putting together a variety of toddler friendly meals has become an arduous yet exciting task. Though I enjoy shopping at Whole Foods, coming out with just one bag of groceries worth $50 or more to prepare one week worth of meals for my daughter is not something I’m looking to do on a regular basis. So I’ve been compiling places and brands that have been helpful on my quest to keeping Quinn’s food organic as well as non-GMO when possible.

Trader Joe'sTrader Joe’s has been one of my favorite “go to” places. I can get organic fruit, vegetables, cereal, etc. at a reasonable price for the entire family. One of my favorite deals is the bag three pound bag of organic sweet potatoes for a little over $3.00

 

Simply BalancedTarget actually has a nice selection of reasonably priced organic foods in their grocery section. Not all but some of their Simply Balanced line is organic and may even be non-GMO. I’ve been able to use some of the frozen organic fruits and vegetables to prepare meals for Quinn instead of going the “prepackaged route.”

 

Annie's HomegrownAnnie’s Homegrown is actually a line I stumbled across at Target. Many of their foods are non-GMO and organic. They’re great when I need to prepare a quick meal. My daughter, like most children, loves their macaroni and cheese, and the pasta noodles are small enough for her to chew without choking being an issue.

Earths BestEarth’s Best has far more than breakfast, but their organic waffles with no growth hormones  are the perfect size for my daughter, and this is the first solid food breakfast item that Quinn happily eats up with little to no assistance from me.

 

Ella's Kitchen

Ella’s Kitchen has been wonderful in helping Quinn transition to eating solid foods that require more chewing. She loves the perfectly pleasing tomato-y pasta with plenty of vegetables. I love this meal because it has many nutrients unlike the few organic options Gerber has for toddlers. Though I’ve been successful at replicating the meal by purchasing my own organic ingredients, it is great to have it readily available when Quinn wants dinner “now.”

 

 

Tots Teensy Fruits Plum Organics is our “go to” not just for quick dinner meals but for healthy snack options as well. Though many of Quinn’s snacks are fruits such as bananas, strawberries, blueberries and kiwis, occasionally she gets a packaged snack. When comparing the organic snacks Gerber offers with the ones Plum Organics offers, the latter has more nutrients an less empty calories. (I want to instill the importance of eating healthy with Quinn from the very start)

I’ve located two toddler meal recipe books for preparing healthy, organic meals:

first meals

First Meals by Annabel Karmel

Start Fresh by Tyler Florence

Start Fresh by Tyler Florence

Perhaps my list above will help out some mommy’s and daddy’s going the organic route and looking for more reasonably priced alternatives. If you have any suggestions for me, please feel free to share.

All the best,

Tanya

My First “Mommyversary”

By

Tanya H. Franklin & Baby QuinnA little over a year ago, I celebrated my first Mother’s Day; my baby was merely one week old. I was awestruck and simply overwhelmed with all that motherhood had in store for me. A year later, I’m still awestruck and perhaps even more overwhelmed. I love being a mom and am glad it has been added to the many labels I have accumulated over the years. Though family and friends have let me know that I am doing a good job, several questions and concerns are constantly on my mind. I am sure this is only natural, but I really wish there was a way to just get a glimpse into the future to make sure my actions are to the benefit, not the detriment, of my little girl. In the meantime, I will continue to try to be the best mom  I can for my daughter and hope that she knows how much I love her and how much I love being her mother.
All the best,
Tanya

My Baby Love

By

20140214-190209.jpgThough most people associate Valentine’s Day with romance, I cannot help but think about the love I have for my baby girl Quinn. I love being able to work from home three days a week so that I can look into those big brown eyes and listen to that cute giggle all day.  It truly is amazing how much love I can have for a person I’ve only known for a little over nine months. Observing her and seeing what she loves as she explores the world around her allows me to have a greater appreciation and love for my surroundings and what I am capable of doing. Thanks so much Quinn for for giving me the opportunity to see the world from your perspective. Though it is a lot to process for the both of us, I am loving every minute of it!

All the best,

Tanya

Baby Your Scratch Left Me Itching for Answers

By

Baby Quinn and Tanya H FranklinImagine purchasing a brand new car: a beautiful, shiny, sweet ride.  How upset would you be if you saw a scratch on your prized possession shortly after purchasing it?  Now imagine that this was not a car but your beautiful, brand new baby with her first major scratch on that sweet face of hers. This is what I endured last week with my eight month old.  She’s had tiny scratches before as a result of her fingernails growing so quickly and has even given her father and me some good scratches. But this was the first time she had a scratch about an inch and a half long, on her face no less, and I can’t figure out where it came from.

I noticed a faint mark above her eyebrow that did not quite look like a fingernail scratch when she woke up from her nap, and it worsened as the day progressed.  As it worsened, so did my guilt. I felt like a negligent mom and then thought about how daycare workers must feel when a scratch or mark seems to have “appeared from out of the blue” on a child, especially a child who is unable to explain what happened. Was I not keeping a close enough eye on Quinn?  My husband tried to reassure me that I am doing a good job, but my anxiety got so bad that I was ashamed and nervous to visit my mother fearing that she would be upset and admonish me for not knowing what happened to Quinn. When my mom saw Quinn, my heart began to race; what was she going to say?  “Oh, I see Quinn got a little scratch. It’ll heal before you know it. This is the first of many more little bumps and bruises. Just keep an eye out for her. She’s a real mover!” That’s all she said. She didn’t pick Quinn up and hold her tightly saying, “What did you let happen to my grand baby?” She didn’t question my abilities as a parent.  Though I certainly will be even more attentive with Quinn now that she’s crawling and pulling up to a standing position every chance she gets, my mom’s words made me feel much better about not solving the mystery of Quinn’s scratch. Now, less than one week later, it is barely noticeable.

I’m sure I am not the only parent who has experienced this and will not be the last, but I felt the need to share my experience with others and say, “Please don’t be too hard on yourself if…no when your little one gets that first major scratch.”

All the best,

Tanya

This Day is a Happy Birth Baby!

By
Baby Quinn and Tanya H. Franklin

Baby Quinn and Mommy Tanya

Hooray, it’s my baby’s “eight month” birthday.  It’s also the birth of my second blog! (Welcome, and please stop by again) For the past four years, I’ve been on a journey filled with epiphanies, musings and even a little creative writing here and there on my blog Journey of Anonomz. But I noticed ever since my daughter was born many of my posts have been about her or what I’ve been learning as a first-time mother.  So I thought why not start a second blog dedicated to getting this motherhood thing just right.

At my blog, you will not only find my daily baby and mommy musings, but I will occasionally provide posts on DIY projects I am working on. I’ll have candid discussions on things that have been working or not working for me as a new mommy. There will also be reviews on various baby items and products that I’ve found to be quite beneficial or not so much.

My hope is to not only help new parents by sharing my experience but to receive insight from well-seasoned parents as I leave the crawling stage and continue to embark on this journey of motherhood taking baby steps. I hope you’ll join me and that we can have some fun along the way.

All the best,

Tanya