Road Trip for Mommy and Me!

So there comes a time in every child's life where they go on their first road trip. Depending on how far the trip, baby can become very agitated. To make the road trip comfortable for baby and all others surrounding baby, there should be a couple things packed.
Here is a pretty basic example list. Each child is different so in some cases, somethings can be added and in some cases somethings can be subtracted.

1)Plenty of clothes (just in case baby has an accident)
2)Toys
3)If you have a toddler he or she may enjoy watching a movie
4)Plenty of music (most children enjoy listening and dancing to music)
5)All of baby's medicine (incase of illness)
6)Snacks (children love to snack and it can become a headache trying to stop everytime he or she screams that they are hungry)

What are somethings that you always remember to pack for baby when going on a road trip.

The sick mother

It is so hard being a mom when you do not feel 100 percent. I have been
sick the last couple of days with a sinus infection and this has really
tested my abilities as a mother. My daughter is not at fault and has no
idea what is going on. I hate to in a way be punishing her by not taking
her outside to play or other things we normally do. I have had the worst
headache and congestion that I have ever felt and all I want to do is
lay around but is this fair to my little one? What do I do when I do not
feel good and my daughter wants to play? Does anyone have any advice?
What do you all do when you absolutely feel terrible and your
baby/toddler wants to play?
Simply Motherly
Sent from my T-Mobile Sidekick®

Nutrition for toddlers

As any other mother I have really been focusing on healthy foods for my
daughter. I do not allow her to eat chips, cookies, and other sugar
filled foods all day. I also have cut back on the sodas and juices that
contain to much sugar. So now it leaves me hunting for foods that are
healthy and delicious. My daughter is VERY picky and there isn't much
she will eat. So I need some advice and some wondeful examples of
delicious nutritious foods for my pooh bear. O, and another thing is I
have been trying to get her taking a vitamin and she refuses. Does
anyone have ideas or a great vitamin brand that she would love? Email me
@ shanitamatta@tmail.com or leave a
comment. Shanita
--
Simply Motherly Sent
from my T-Mobile Sidekick®

Two Year Olds

During the last couple of weeks my daughter has shown me over and over again that she has MAJOR attitude! She will tell anyone when they are getting on her nerves and will roll her eyes at the drop of a dime. Now don't get me wrong, she is the sweetest little girl at times. She loves and cares for other people but she has no tolerance for what she considers to be stupidity. How is it that a two year old knows how to catch attitude and when to catch it? My daughter is a trip. She can go from 0 to 60 in 2 seconds flat. I mean she can be sweet and turn that attitude up quickly. I am constantly having to tell her to stop doing something or to discipline her for doing something that I told her previously not to do. The one thing that I have found to be helping me to cope and understand with my toddler is reading. I have read books and articles online that have helped me to understand the reason my child is the way she is and how to deal with it.
For those of you who are dealing with the same type of attitude with your toddler, visit http://pediatrics.about.com/od/toddlers/a/05_terrble_twos.htm
Contact me if any of you have any good advice or ideas on how to deal with a toddler with attitude! Leave a comment or email me at shanitamatta@tmail.com

Simply yours,
Shanita Matta

Senseless Weight

Ok, so it has been two whole years since I have given birth to my daughter and I am still not at the weight that I would like to be. Directly after having my baby, I wanted to lose weight but was more focused on being the best mother I could be. After some time and after returning to regular routines I realized that I actually had lost weight (due to breastfeeding), and that I was a good size (size 3). Now two years later I am loving my size but not how it is proportioned. Example, I am a size 7 and weigh 130lbs. Now, I know many of you are thinking that I am such an idiot for hating my weight and or proportion but its not as it seems. Don't get me wrong, I love the fact that I am not a stick anymore but I hate the fact that the weight gain is all in my midsection. I always wanted abs and it seems like a distant dream since the birth of my daughter. I know I am not the only mother out there that suffers from weight gain after having a child. Please leave comments and give advice on how to get back into shape and tone up.

Love,

Shanita

Simply Motherly

This blog is designed to open up about the many roles a mother plays and the many hurdles that a mother must cross in order to raise baby. I became a mother at the age of 18 and had to learn very quickly what the whole role of mother actually was. I had the help and support of my mother, grandmother, and other numerous family members but that didnt make it as easy as I thought it would be. Help and support is not always the reality for some. There are not always baby's fathers and other family members there to help with raising children. This of course, does not take away from the blessing at hand. Becoming a mother is the most wonderful thing that I have accomplished within my 20 years of life. It is not a burden but something I wake up smiling to do each and every day. I would like to encourage all mothers to focus on life and the joys of motherhood instead of the what ifs of life and what could have been. Life is to short and children are true blessings so my advice to all mothers is to appreciate being able to be called MOM because some individuals will never experience such a joy!!

Feel free to leave comments or email me with any questions at shanitamatta@tmail.com!

Loving motherhood,

Shanita