Today is the day. A bittersweet one that I knew was coming, one that I have dreaded for a while. Actually I dreaded it since the day she was born!
Today my little Italy turned 5! She is officially no longer a toddler but a "little kid". Since Italy is my last baby, I have had so many different emotions! On one hand, I am perfectly fine with having a child that can do many, many things on her own. On the the other, knowing that there will never be another baby after her is kind of a hard pill to swallow.I'm sure by time she hits those awful pre-teen years I will be thanking my lucky stars I won't have to deal with it after her lol.

Within the past 12 hours, Italy has definitely shown that she is ready for this new chapter! From picking out her earrings she wanted to wear today to he "expert" posing techniques lol.

Italy is in a world all her own and you can always expect a great laugh (or headache) with her! She has changed so much within this year but her personality just keeps getting brighter!

Want to see how she has changed? Check out THIS IS 4, to see just how much she has changed!

So, as I do for all of the kiddos, here is a little about Italy :)

This is 5!


My little Italy is definitely one that likes to feel independent! She is smart, kind and always lets her light shine bright. She has so much love for everyone  and a mouth that that can't be stopped lol!

Italy, mommy and daddy love you so much! You were our surprise baby and you never let us forget it!

She said "these earrings are for when a girl turns 5!"

Hey y'all!

What's the one thing we would never, ever, EVER wish on someone's kid? That's right! We would never wish one's child ill for any reason. Period!

But what happens when your child does end up sick? Are you making it more stressful? Do they feel so uncomfortable they can't  settle down? Are they afraid? There are so many factors that come into play when your toddler is sick.

Really quick story time folks!

A few weeks ago, my family and I came home from the movies ( it was Miracle Season, which is AMAZING BTW) and Italy was complaining about a tummy ache. Naturally, I thought to myself " she is only saying this because it is bedtime". So, after a few hugs, kisses and tucking her in, she finally went to bed.. but not for long. Italy woke up around 4:30-5:00 am crying that her tummy hurt and she had to go potty. What seemed like a longer than normal time in the bathroom, she came out screaming and crying because she had diarrhea! I knew it was all down hill at that point. What started off as an upset stomach quickly turned into a low grade fever and vomiting.

As I was sitting there trying to console my toddler, I started going over and over everything that I was doing to help her in my head. So, I was inspired to write this post as a guide, reassurance or whatever you think you may need it for when caring for your sick toddler!

So, just how can you help your toddler and yourself through it? Well, here are a few tips!

1. Stay Calm- If you see that your toddler is sick or in pain, freaking out is the first and fastest way to stress them out more. Stay relaxed and calm to ease their worries and to keep you from feeling overwhelmed.

2. Get Organized- I know getting organized may not seem like top priority when you have a sick toddler but it is crucial to how everything will play out. Get your bucket, medicines, clear liquids and blankets ready and in place so you can grab them quickly.

Staying comfy with mama :)

3. Get Comfortable- A sick toddler needs a lot of rest and so will you after you tending to them. Getting comfy on the couch with your little one will ease any anxiety or stress they are feeling. My little Italy is so afraid of throwing up that the only way to calm her is to get her comfortably situated with me so I can rub her back and she can rub my ear.

4. Protect- What's one way us moms get stressed out? A BIG OL' MESS! Protect your couch/bed and floor by placing old sheets on the areas around your toddler and the floor. Sometimes my kids have projectile vomiting and it is always easier to keep the area around them covered. If they get any on the couch or floor, I can rinse it off and throw it in the washing machine. Trust me, you don't want to scrub vomit out of the run or furniture.
5. Nurture- Simply showing love and affection to your sick toddler will naturally make them feel better. Italy and I layed on the couch all day watching PBS Kids, cuddling and napping. Thankfully my middle two were able to handle their own needs for the day.


6. Reassure/Affirmation- Along with being nurturing, reassuring them is just as important. If your kiddo is afraid of throwing up like Italy is, reassuring them that it is natural and will help them feel better can really help them fight through it. Kids love to hear that they are doing a good job, so telling them that they are brave or doing an awesome job will definitely make them feel at ease.

Now I have to say this, I am not a Dr. nor do I claim to be a child rearing pro lol. I am a mom, and while these may seem like easy or common  sense rules to live by, we all need a little reminder or tip to be our best.

I hope you found these tips helpful and if you know a new mom (or dad) that could use them, feel free to pass it along!

What do you do that helps you and your toddler get through the dreaded "sick day"? Let me know in the comments below!

Hey y'all!
So this post is a little late.. several hours late lol. Today my little man, my boy turned 7! I know some of you are probably thinking " just wait until he hits his teen years!" Believe me.. I know!  I have been trying to hold on to his baby years as long as possible but they seemed to have vanished right before my eyes! The only baby I have left is Italy, but that's for another day :(.

If you are a new reader, welcome to the madness lol. Over the past year,  I have decided to keep an online scrapbook of my kiddos as a way to look back and see how they change from year to year. Each year I post a few photos and things about them celebrating their new year and who they are. To see Baltimore's post from last year click HERE!

 So, to celebrate this next milestone year, here is a little about the B-Boy himself...

This is 7!


1. My Favorite Food- Pizza with hamburger, pineapple and cheese
2. My FAvorite Color- Green
3. My Favorite Movie/Show- Sonic Boom
4. My favorite Activity- Playing the Wii
5. My Favorite Subject- Math
6 My Favorite Sport- Football
7 If I had One Wish- " ...To play the Wii everyday!"

My little man has grown into a respectable gentleman this past year. He constantly opens and holds doors for women and the elderly, he prays over his meals and he loves learning about God, Jesus and what it means to be a big brother, a young King and a Christian.  I am so proud of his thoughtfulness of others and how he is always wanting to be by my side!

Baltimore, mommy and daddy love you so much! We can't be more proud to have a son like you!




 What milestone will your kiddos (or yourself) hit this year? Mine was 30! Let me know in the comments below!

Hey y'all!

If there is one thing us moms want, it's to raise happy and healthy kids. One way to ensure that is by making sure that they are getting their daily dose of veggies. I know right?! A kid and veggies is like playing a gruesome game of tug -of- war!

I'll be the first to admit it.. growing up, I was not the poster child for health. I hated veggies and I would gag if I was within spittin' distance lol.  I hated everything about them! The smell, the color, the taste, did I mention the SMELL?! Veggies were pretty non existent in my diet outside of a basic salad, green beans or a pickle lol.

When I became a mom, I knew that those bad habits would be an issue with my kids if I didn't intervene at a young age. So that is what I did! From the time that they were all able to eat food, I made sure that vegetables were at the forefront of their diet. As a baby, it can be easier to get them to eat them; but as they get older, your kids start to understand the differences between foods they like and dislike.

 So, making sure they get their veggies can be a challenge.

But fear not! There are a few ways that I have been able to trick  incorporate veggies into their diet in yummy ways! So, get that paper out and start making your new grocery list!



1. Smoothies-
The number one and obvious choice is smoothies! I use smoothies as a way to incorporate vitamin rich spinach and broccoli into a delicious treat. One of our favorite combos are :