Disclosure: I only recommend products I would use myself and all opinions expressed here are my own. This post may contain affiliate links that at no additional cost to you, I may earn a small commission.
Happy Fall 2021! I hope your summer was filled with fun, peace, and good health. I’ll keep this one brief. It’s been challenging to find time to blog but the change in season has me motivated. As for some quick updates about what’s been going on with me and my tribe, I’ve been using the phrase “glowing and growing” to describe our summer. Everything from Avianna to my to-do list is growing. I’ve had some extremely tough days trying to balance everything but I’m learning ways to tackle those days better. My commitment to a healthy lifestyle has me feeling more radiant and snatched of course. I can’t complain about the summer and cannot wait to see what fall brings. I’m definitely excited for panoramic views, jackets, and my favorite hot beverages.
Let me know what you have been up to in the comment section. I also have a poll for you to let me know what topics you’d like to see over the next few months. I’m working on planning some exciting content. Make sure you’re following me on Instagram and Tik Tok @a_anyee for more frequent content.
Before I sign off, I want to share some of my favorite items I purchased from Amazon over the summer. Take a look!
How has Spring been treating you? How’s work? How’s parenthood? How’s your love life with yourself and others? Have you been establishing those healthy boundaries?
I have to admit that May has felt pretty pre-covid “normal”. We’ve been dining out here and there, spending time outdoors at parks and trails, and we even hosted a celebration for Avianna’s first birthday! Check out the birthday girl.
Avi on her 1st Birthday
I’ve been wanting to publish a blog for a few weeks now but the days get away from me. Sometimes I want more hours in a day but I know that would mean more things I would have to do. In my last blog, I mentioned how stressed I was with such a busy schedule and transitioning to toddler life. After discussing with other moms, I find the common theme of our conversations is centered around how in the hell we do it. Lately, I’ve been thinking about what keeps me going and mentally prepared for everyday chaos. If I had to pick, here are my top three things that keep me doing it.
I’ve gotten so much better about taking “me” time and prioritizing self-care. Each week, it’s a priority that I work out, spend time outside, do something fun and stop feeling guilty for it. When I prioritize these things, I notice that I handle life better and am not feeling like I’m ran into the ground. Self-care looks different for everyone so don’t feel like you need to exercise hardcore and call it self-care. You can also read an online magazine, drink coffee on the porch while making your to-do list, don’t do laundry for a couple of days, or make chocolate chip cookies late at night (one of my favorites).
This has been difficult with the pandemic but as the temperature gets warmer and restrictions lessen, there are more opportunities for family adventures. We visited our local circus recently and had a blast! If you aren’t ready to be in large crowds, try a new smoothie place and go for a walk at a park. If there are two things we all love, it’s sunshine and food so picnics will be our thing this summer. I get a lot of family ideas from subscribing to local parent magazines. My favorite at the moment is Indy’s Child Parenting Magazine: https://indyschild.com.
3. Don’t be so hard on yourself
When you’re finished reading this blog, the number one thing I want you to remember is to practice self-compassion. I used to create this wheel of stress and anxiety because I would wake up and set these ridiculous goals for the day and feel like crap when nothing went as planned. Instead, I started realizing that I was doing a pretty damn good job balancing everything and that I needed to stop being cruel to myself. If you struggle with the same, try to interrupt those negative thoughts you have throughout the day with encouraging, celebratory thoughts and see how dramatic your day changes. Here’s an example… cruel looks like being bummed out because you couldn’t complete 15 items off your work to-do list, took a nap instead of cooking dinner so you ordered takeout, and forgot to put the clothes in the dryer. Kindness to yourself looks like acknowledging you focused on emails and two items from work so that you have more time to complete other items the next day, rested and have a better mood vs cooking and being cranky, and knowing that the clothes will be fine as long as you put them on a rinse cycle. See how completely different those days are with a change of mindset?
As we move into June, I’ll be taking these three things into account and enjoying my birthday month :). You’ll hear from me in a couple of weeks. Don’t forget to leave a comment and alike.
Hello!!! I’ve missed you all. It’s been a little over a month since my last blog. Even though I’ve taken a break, you all are still liking and following my posts so I just want to start by saying thank you for continuing to support (virtual hugs).
During these last few weeks, I’ve been juggling parenting, working out, my full-time job, my side hustles, keeping the house in order, and trying to look good while doing it. By the way, guess who is an adjunct :). I love a new opportunity and could not turn down a chance to teach a fun public health course.
Overall, life has been nothing less than chaotic. I hit a point where I needed a change of scenery and my family and I hopped in the car to Michigan for a few days. I’m so glad we made the decision to do so because it was refreshing and so heartwarming to see Avianna walk the beach. Plus, the food was DELICIOUS.
As an update with parenting, we’ve been trying to develop some type of routine. I am home with her a lot so it’s easy to let her do whatever, whenever. In the past, I’ve talked about my sleep training fails. I talked to her pediatrician and she gave me some awesome advice to transition Avianna into sleeping in her own room. I realize everyone’s idea of sleep training is different so for us, our ideal situation would be for her to be heading to bed at a certain time and sleeping mostly through the night in her bed. For starters, we are trying to develop a nighttime routine and have her fall asleep on her own for naps. We’ve done great with those tactics but it’s only been a few days since we started so, after a couple more weeks, we’ll try easing her into her crib. Wish us luck 🙂
Outside of parenting (if that’s a thing), I’ve been spending time with friends as much as I can and prioritizing my mental health by learning how to say no, not check emails after 5p, and getting outside. I just watched a Youtube video on mental health, marriage, and motherhood. Check it out here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mX7ckqRW6vs. As harsh as it sounds, as a mom, you have to be selfish sometimes. It’s nothing negative against the child(ren), it’s advocating for your mental health. Diego does bath time with Avi and it’s so refreshing to have that break of constantly going all day. Another little method I’m trying includes meal prepping so I am cooking 2-3 times per week instead of every day. The time I get back from preparing dinner I use for myself 🙂 I love it! I enjoy figuring out how to better organize time for myself. This is your message that you should too! Try planning a couple of large meals to refrain from cooking or divide and delegate tasks around the home that you don’t have to do. You cannot take care of everyone and everything else if you aren’t taking care of yourself. Parent or not, prioritize all areas of your well-being.
Leave a comment to share what you are doing for YOU! Thanks for reading.
This week, I’m going to focus on a podcast I recently heard. Since finishing the podcast, my mind has been filled with doubting thoughts about the diet world. Here’s the podcast. Take a listen.
The conversation’s main topic is around weight watchers but dwindles into side convos about how diets mimic eating disorder behaviors and much more. In my postpartum journey, I am working hard to get rid of my pregnancy weight. I’ve been fasting and using weight watchers. Since January, I’ve lost 8 lbs but have 20lbs to go. I have hit a stage where my weight-loss has stalled. People have mentioned that reverse dieting can help with my weight loss plateau. I’ve turned it up a notch in the gym and hopefully, it helps! By the way, weight-loss is so damn hard!
This podcast has made me question my “diet plan” and diet plans in general. First, I’ll talk about weight watchers. The creator of WW, Jean Nidetch, mock the entire support system from an already existing weight loss plan and she never truly lost weight with WW. I’d also like to add that WW is partly owned by an investor who also makes the Keebler cookies. A snack company has their hands on a weight loss program?? The math isn’t mathing for me. This was disappointing to learn and I was also disapointed I didn’t do more research before joining.
Secondly, the podcast episode talks about these ridiculous behaviors we engage in to stay within our calories. I’ve noticed I’m one of those dieters that will do well for a few days and just binge out and start all over again. I remember before pregnancy, I ate whatever I wanted and never counted a calorie or tracked what I had in a day. I never gained weight but I did workout constantly because I enjoyed it. My eating habits now are so restrictive, I dread when it’s time to eat. Eating shouldn’t be thought of as a challenge or stressor.
Because, I have my fitness watch, my weight watchers account, and a couple other of apps, I am now constantly tracking my day and my mood heavily relies on if I got enough steps, burned enough calories, or ate within my “ WW points”. After having this realization, I hate that I’ve created this mindset that influences how I view myself and my self-esteem.
How do you feel about diets and what it takes for weight loss? If you’ve lost weight, what worked and how was your self-esteem impacted?
I’d love to re-focus my weight loss journey so it’s centered around being less restrictive and more around loving how I look and feel. If you’re interested in learning more about diets and science behind health fads, take a listen to Maintenance Phase.
I’ve been reading a lot of posts about motherhood and the energy it takes to keep going. I think we as moms can agree that this lifestyle is so rewarding yet mentally and physically tiring. Just yesterday, I was texting with a good friend of mine about trying to get my 2nd wind and that motherhood is like working 1st, 2nd, and 3rd shifts.
I also spent too much time on Twitter last night reading about the horrible situation going on in Texas and cruel ass comments about moms from people who don’t have kids or even worse, dads. People like to tell you what they wouldn’t do with their kids and first off, we don’t care and most importantly, no one asked you. I’m seeing that it’s challenging for people to understand the complexity of motherhood (some people will read this and think it’s ungrateful for moms to complain about being a mom). In most* situations that I’ve noticed, moms do way more than a day allows and put themselves aside to do it- for years. I admit that I’ve struggled to maintain the balance of being a mom and who I was before. You feel guilty if you take too much time for yourself and if you don’t take that time for yourself, you feel invisible. In order for things to stay sane for me, I have to find ways to do things for myself. Here are 5 ways, I managed to create time for myself.
Say No. The skill of prioritizing and recognizing when too much is on your plate is vital.
Find a hobby. For me, this is my blog or binge-watching TV 🙂
Lay in bed a little longer. I love those extra moments of relaxation.
Take time to exercise. Exercising helps my mental state and serves as a midday break.
Create a self-care routine. Splurge on some self care items. I love my CeraVe foaming facial cleanser, and collagen & retinol facial creme. I make it a priority to take care of myself so I feel good about the day. Buy a UV light gel kit and give yourself a manicure weekly, you deserve it.
Throughout the week, I make sure I take my time getting ready for the day, work out, talk with a couple of friends, watch a TV show, browse social media, and blog. It depends on the day when I weave in time for myself. Sometimes, I’m working out before 8, and other times, I’m writing a blog at 4a because I can’t go back to sleep.
If it isn’t clear by now, remember to set time for yourself. You deserve it and much more.
I hope you are hanging in there and ruling the parenting world. I have to admit I’m pretty tired this week and debated sharing content however, I want your input about something. Do you or did you feed your kid store bought baby food?
No judgement either way. I have fed Avianna baby food but she very quickly chose table food instead. In the past, I’ve heard that baby food producers had harsh chemicals but the bell didn’t ring in my head until I came across a fairly new report about baby foods being contaminated with lead, arsenic, mercury and other dangerous toxins. I’m beyond dissapointed in the FDA for allowing these companies to continue to make products. This isn’t the first report of these findings. I’m angry companies continue to make these products knowing the harmful chemicals in the ingredients. Here is the link if you’d like to read the full report.
Avianna hasn’t had baby food in a couple weeks and there’s no way I am feeding her store bought baby puree. Long-term exposure to the chemicals found in baby food can cause delays in development and a variety of health complications. This is such a bummer because I don’t have a puree machine or the time to make baby food. I’ve learned how to adjust the meals I make to include something she can have. For example, I stick to soft food such as chicken, whole-grain noodle, cut-up fruits, or steamed veggies. For breakfast, I love making her pancakes or eggs. This is a fun time with food because we are learning what her favorites and not so favorites are. It’s also such a scary time because of allergies and the possibility of choking.
I really just wanted to share the announcement about baby food and see what your thoughts are. Did you already know this? If so, do you puree your own baby food? If not, will this information change what you feed your child?
I’m always excited to write content for you all. Let’s get to it! This week I want to share my experience with one of my favorite postpartum products. It’s my 2 in 1 postpartum recovery belly band.
It’s a two part band. One goes on your lower half of your belly and the other covers the top half of your belly. It’s completely full coverage and it rarely slips or unfastens. Now I know I’m a ways away from when I gave birth but what makes this an amazing product is that I can now use it as a waist trainer. It helps produce some extra sweat when I workout.
Any who, after pregnancy, a belly band helps bind the stomach back together after growing a human and giving birth. After birth, you still look pregnant because of the size of your uterus. It takes about 6 weeks for your uterus to go back to its normal size and the belly band helps get it there. The biggest reason why I purchased and used my wrap was because it made me feel less like jello. It served as some stability. I had a little well big pooch for a while and the belly band snatched it together (at least for a moment). My advice would be for those who want to maximize results that are long lasting is to not eat like your still pregnant. 🙂 I took my band with me in my hospital birthing bag and left the hospital with it on. I got the okay to wear it immediately after I gave birth.
In addition to using this product post-partum, belly bands are used to during pregnancy to help relieve discomfort from the weight of your belly. Before you do this though, be sure to talk to your ob/gyn about how to wear it properly. You never want to wear the band too tight because it gets super uncomfortable and make it hard to breathe.
I have some other favorites I can’t wait to share. The next one is for my breast pumping mommas.
I have spoken to several parents and I’ve heard that half co-sleep or room share and the other half has their baby sleep in their room. Ironically, I did an IG story poll and the results showed 50/50.
I’m so curious about baby sleeping habits right now because I’m currently transitioning my little from my room to hers. I would’ve never thought that this would be the hardest parenting task to date.
From giving birth, I struggled with nursery sleeping. I always battled with my public health side because so much data tells us that co-sleeping is dangerous (below are some resources). My other side loves the advantages of co-sleeping (below are resources for that too). To help ease this battle, I would try to have her sleep in the pack-n-play next to me. Now that she’s grabbing at me and trying to bounce and jump in the middle of the night, it’s a great idea to have her sleep in the crib where she’s more secure.
We started the process of having her in her room a few weeks ago. I was so surprised because the first 3 days, she rocked it! We would just lay her down and she would be asleep in 10 minutes. It all got worse though. She would notice no one in the room and shriek. We would rock her to sleep or sit in the room but she then got used to us coming to get her and eventually stopped falling asleep unless we were in the room. After several nights of me sitting in a chair more than sleeping, I brought her back with me. Sleep-deprived Anye is scary. It’s been about a week, and I’m ready to give it another go. Today marks day 1 *again but I need help from you all. If you have had a similar situation, how did you get through it? How long did it take? I’ve found that some articles suggested that it could take up to 3 weeks. What techniques did you use to get your baby to fall asleep? Right now I set up the humidifier, a sound machine, and sleep oils (lavender, eucalyptus) What are your baby’s bedtime routine?
How’s parenting life going? We’ve been trying to work on an eating and sleeping schedule for Avianna and it’s been a struggle, to say the least. She did start daycare this week and the first day was rough on us. So needless to say, parenting for us lately has been an emotionally trying period.
What I haven’t been stressing about is making sure Avianna has her necessities like pampers, wipes, and other baby items. My go-to store is Amazon because shipping is so fast and there is plenty of variety to browse. I rarely search for a baby item on Amazon and see it out of stock whereas if I go inside the store, the store will be out of her size or the brand I’m looking for.
Here are my favorite items to snag off of Amazon.
Pampers! I’d like to review pampers at a later time as a video to compare and contrast brands. I love ordering diapers from Amazon. I get the monthly supply of Luvs: https://amzn.to/3sM6OnC and it’s at my door the next day. If you buy a monthly supply it is usually cheaper than buying in stores too.
For parents’ breastfeeding, I found it helpful to buy breast pump parts and milk storage bags from Amazon. Breastfeeding requires constant replacement of parts because it helps keep your milk supply. Again, super affordable and also shipped on time.
For parents’ bottle feeding, if you like to change nipple sizes, those can be found on Amazon as well. We’ve switched to formula feeding and I’ve yet to buy formula from Amazon but if anyone has, please drop the link below.
My friend purchased us a diaper pail that has literally saved our lives because I have such a strong sense of smell and by using a pail, I smell nothing, not a single dirty diaper. Amazon offers trash bags to refill the pail. The best part is that these bags are scented. Here is the link: https://amzn.to/3qH2kNb
I did most of my Christmas shopping for Avi on Amazon as well. In addition to the items above, I am able to get her clothes, shoes, baby wash, eating sets, bottle cleaning sets, and learning toys. Again, my reasoning for buying these items from Amazon is because most of the time the store doesn’t have these items in stock. By purchasing off of Amazon, I’m saving myself time. Are any of you Amazon baby shoppers? If so, what do you like to buy?
amazon shopping selfie
Disclosure: This post may include affiliate links and I may earn a small commission if you click on the link as no extra cost to you.
I have to check- in because our lives are purely chaotic and non-stop on a regular basis. During this PANDEMIC, let me just say that I am focusing on staying sane.
With everyone in the house all the time, I’m finding it difficult to get some time away for a mental break.
The pandemic isn’t going anywhere so it’s important that we parents learn ways to take care of our mental health. My biggest struggle right now is keeping my little one busy. She loves to explore and see what she can get into around the house. I’ve probably stopped about 20 times while writing this blog trying to tend to her. I’ve tried to make sure she has a variety of toys to catch her attention but, it doesn’t match up to the pantry or TV stand. On a positive note, I’ve created a morning/night routine that I cling to. In these routines, I’ve made sure to include something self-care related so that my happy hormones are released and my mood is a little better. Triggering your feel-good hormones during stressful times have helped me get through the days that seem impossible.
If you’re unfamiliar with the happy hormones here they are and how to naturally boost them.
You feel more stressed, tired throughout the day, or constantly craving unhealthy foods when these hormones are out of whack. I know that you’re thinking, how could we not be feeling stressed with everything going on. I’m telling you though that with workouts built into my day, a little Sarah Jakes Roberts or my go-to music playlist, I am feeling more optimistic about managing my plate. If nothing else, try to build in an hour in your day filled with ways to boost these hormones. Need help? DM me and we can think of some ideas. If you already have these built into your day, I’d love for you to share what you are doing to stay sane.
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