The Most Important Lessons I've Learned In Parenting

Pre-kids, I was a parenting expert for everyone ELSE'S kids. Actually becoming a mom was a humbling experience!

Is it just me, or was there just a massive baby boom?! I mean, at least 20 bloggers I follow on Instagram had babies between December and January. If you didn't pop out a baby in the past few weeks, it seems like everyone has announced a pregnancy. My blogging BFF is pregnant, my sister is pregnant, freaking all the Duggars/their wives are pregnant, heck - even Joanna Gaines is pregnant! It's looking like another baby boom this summer and early fall. All these babies got me thinking about motherhood. Specifically, all the things I thought I knew, all the things I didn't know that I didn't know and all the surprises that humbled me along the way. This post is all about the most important lessons I've learned in parenting.

The hardest transition is having your first child.

I know the jury is still out on this one and every woman experiences it differently, but for me, going from 0-1 children was absolutely the hardest transition of my life. (More than half of my mom friends agree with me on this one and the rest say 1-2 was the hardest. After that, I'm told, life just becomes a total sh*t show!) For me, losing the ability to just leave the house on a whim was a challenge. Instead of simply leaving the house, I now had to pack for all the needs a baby might have for as long as I anticipated we'd be out. I became a pack mule. You have to time leaving the house to feeding and pumping schedules. 

Perhaps more than losing spontaneity, losing my down time was ROUGH. No more relaxing on the weekends, no more long morning showers, no more sick days, no more guaranteed rest or sleep when all you need is a good night's sleep, no more dinner after 5pm (gotta be home before bedtime!), shopping became a chore instead of a treat, and no more cranked up music in the car. Having that first baby makes you re-learn how to live your life. Everything that you used to do on your own time now has to be re-learned and done on baby time. THAT is why that first baby is the biggest challenge.

FYI, a lesson I learned after having a second is that having only one child with you becomes the easiest thing in the world! I look back on when it was just Henry and me and think, why did I find this so challenging, one kid is a vacation! Ahhh, hindsight.

Throw your strict rules out the window.

Think you'd rather drink poison than feed your baby formula? Think again, you might end up formula feeding! Even if you don't have supply issues, you might do it for your sanity so that your partner can take some of the night feeds. Or you just want your body to be yours again. Think you're definitely going to have an unmedicated birth? Think again sister. 16 hours into contractions with Otto, I waved my white flag and gave my husband a look of death to get me an epidural right now. If you don't know what a real contraction feels like, leave your options open! Also, you might end up with an emergency c section. What I've learned is babies come how THEY want to come, and you're just the vessel to get them here. There's no glamorous way to give birth and there are no prizes for any one method beyond getting to hold your baby. 

If you have really strong opinions on feeding, sleeping or ways to give birth, let them all go. Even if you're about to be a second time mom, that second baby is his own person and will be completely different than your first. Lighten up and go with the flow.

Everything is a phase.

When you first bring home your baby, and you're so tired and the baby doesn't seem to sleep at all at night? It's a phase. It might last longer than you want, but it's a phase. Sleep regressions that have you at your wit's ends? A phase. A constantly fussy baby with teething pain? Yup, that's just a phase too. If you approach the hard times with a "this too shall pass" attitude, they're a lot easier to get through. 

In the same vein, don't let those challenges tarnish the good moments. Take relief in the fact that those hard moments are just that - a moment in time, but also know that the good stuff is also just a moment in time and treasure it dearly!

You're really just wingin' it.
All of parenthood is a "best guess" at what the best method for any given thing is. Growing up, I felt like my mom had all the answers and knew how to do everything. Now as a mother myself, I realize she was just winging it, and that's exactly what every parent does, all day every day. You're basically giving it your best guess. And you know what? That's ok! There's no one right way to parent, and you don't even have to parent both of your kids the same. Otto requires a lot more snuggling than Henry does. Henry requires a lot more conversation than Otto does. Want to know how I learned that? Trial and error, and a lot of wingin' it!

Momin' aint easy guys. There are so many lessons I've learned in the almost four years I've been one, and I can't imagine how many more I'll learn in my lifetime. I've only just begun this motherhood journey! I think the most important lessons I've learned in parenting require flexibility on my part, an open mind, and a go with the flow attitude. If you've got that going for you, you'll enjoy parenting so much more.

Easter Brunch Ham, Leek & Potato Frittata

Ham is an Easter brunch staple, and this ham, leek and potato frittata is easy to make and will feed a crowd large or small

There are three things I really like about this recipe: 1) You can scale it to feed a large crowd or make it just for yourself - eggs are affordable and easy to change the number included to feed however many people needed; 2) You can use up leftover Christmas ham before it gets frostbitten in your freezer and 3) The longer this sits in the fridge, the better it tasted and it was so easy to cut a slice and have a hot breakfast mid-week with the leftovers. I also love that it works as a breakfast, lunch or dinner menu item. So much versatility in this dish, no?! This ham, leek and potato frittata is a simple yet great tasting dish to add to your Easter brunch menu.

I knew I wanted to do an Easter recipe this year, and the first thing I think of when I think Easter is ham. Is that a standard for anyone else? We always have a big honey baked ham at Christmas and then have so much leftover, it goes in the freezer. So Easter is the perfect time to pull it out and use it up before it gets covered in white frozen crystals and tastes like old ice, right? This year was no different, and when I went to go pull out some of our Christmas ham so that I could make and shoot this recipe, I was shocked to not find any. Then I remembered the year before, when I had so much ham I ended up tossing most of it because we simply couldn't eat all of it in time. This year, my mom took most of it home with her because she was headed up to Little Rock to visit my aunt/her sister and they could get it all eaten.

The one time I would likely have used it all, I had already given it away! Isn't that the way it always goes. To replace it, I used a deli black forest ham. But better believe it would have been 1000 times better with leftover Christmas ham!

Easter Brunch Ham, Leek & Potato Frittata
- 6 eggs
- 1 leek, sliced into thin slices
- 2 small red potatoes, sliced with the skins on
- 1/2 cup half and half
- 1 cup diced ham
- 1/2 cup milk (I used whole milk)
- shredded cheddar cheese (enough to cover the baking dish you're using. Swiss cheese would also be good but my kids won't eat Swiss cheese so I stuck with cheddar)
- salt and pepper to taste

PRO TIP: Leeks are grown in very sandy dirt. The sand tends to hide in the layers of the leek. To properly clean out the sand, and avoid a gritty frittata, fill a bowl with cold water and place the leek slices in it. Let it soak for a few minutes and agitate the water with your fingers. The leeks will float and all the sand will sink to the bottom. Strain out the leeks and dump the water and your leeks will be sand free. DON'T strain the water with the leeks still in it because you'll redistribute the sand into the leeks (I almost did this before I thought about it and changed my mind...)

Get the eggs cracked in a bowl and whisk in the half and half and milk. Add salt and pepper but remember, ham is pretty salty! So go light on the salt. Get the diced ham, sliced potatoes and leeks all set up in a station. Place a layer of potatoes, followed by half the leeks and half the ham. Then do another layer of the rest of the potatoes, leeks and ham. (Think of this like you would when you make lasagna - layering the ingredients in your dish.) No need to grease your dish, there's plenty of fat in the eggs and cream/milk.

After you have your layers of potato, leeks and ham, pour the egg mixture over it. Top with cheese. You can store the unbaked frittata in your fridge for up to 24 hours, which makes it a great dish to get ready the night before, and throw in the oven before your brunch (perfect after-church dish!) Bake at 375 degrees for about 40 minutes, or until the cheese is melted and the edges are golden brown.

I used a standard pie dish, which would have easily served 4 adults. After cooking, this keeps in the fridge for 4-5 days, and actually got BETTER on the second and third day! I popped it in the microwave for 60 seconds and had a hot breakfast all week.

If you have young children, and don't want to stuff their Easter baskets with tons of candy (or if your kids are like mine and don't like candy or chocolate!) then check out this post I wrote last year on what to put in your child's Easter basket.

Like it? Pin this Easter Brunch Ham, Leek & Potato Frittata to a recipe board on Pinterest!

Ways To Workout You'll Actually Enjoy

When it comes to working out, finding something you ENJOY is essential for actually showing up for your workouts time and again

I get it: Working out is not everyone's favorite. If it were, we wouldn't have nearly 70 percent of adults in America overweight or obese. The thing about the word "workout" is that it encompasses sooooo many different physical activities! You don't have to go to a gym and run on a treadmill or lift weights. There are nearly limitless ways to get physically active. And did you know you'll reap the benefits of physical exercise in as little as 30 minutes a day of it? Yup, fancy scientists say that for the heart benefits of exercise, it doesn't matter if you bust your butt on an elliptical for an hour or you go for a brisk walk in your neighborhood for a half hour after dinner. Let's talk about all the ways you can workout that you'll actually enjoy, so that you'll stick with a physical exercise program and meet (or exceed) your goals in 2018.

I used to be a big runner. I'd run at least two half marathons a year and didn't consider a run a "good one" unless I went at least six miles. In fact, I didn't consider anything a good workout unless I did it for an hour or more! What a nutjob I used to be. Now, I don't do anything unless I can do it barefoot. That means I stick to yoga, barre and Pilates... And that's about it in terms of my workouts. For me, these are the things I enjoy doing so it doesn't feel like work. It's something I GET to do instead of something I HAVE to do. See the difference?

If you mentally frame your workouts like this, you'll look forward to it as opposed to dread it. And looking forward to something is key to doing it over and over again. And doing it over and over again is key for results. That said, what are some physical activities you might not have considered that you'd enjoy spending your time doing? Here's a short list of the things I've done in my life:

- City league volleyball: You don't have to be a pro, and most cities have a community education program that has something like this. Big bonus - it's a social activity too! Also, it's really affordable. I think I spent $50 for the whole season. I love volleyball, but this could be kickball, softball or any other community type sport you enjoy or want to give a try.

- Barre: This is one of my favorite workouts! It burns so good and works every muscle in your body. The studio provides all the props you'll need so all you have to do is show up in some stretchy clothes. Bonus: Studios like Barre3 have childcare! They're nationwide so see if there's one near you. I do my barre classes at LifeTime, which is also nationwide and also has childcare. Whoop!

- Road races: If you like to run, or maybe you're not sure if you like to run but want to try it, sign up for a road race. Every city and town has them and most benefit a nonprofit cause. It gives you a goal to work towards, and I bet if you sign up for one and see how fun they are, you'll do another. Bonus: There's always food at the finish line, and most of the time, there's beer too.

- SoulCycle: Think of this as less of a spin class and more of a nightclub that happens to be held on a stationary bike. It's a massive calorie blaster, and you'll leave drenched in sweat! Plus it's so much fun, the hour goes by before you know it. Full disclosure: SoulCycle is NOT cheap. You're gonna need a good sized budget to do this regularly.

- Walking: As in, we leave the car in the garage and actually walk to the park that's about 6 blocks away from us. My neighborhood happens to be super hilly, and pushing a double stroller with two heavy toddlers in it adds to the physical challenge of the hills! I think walking is totally underrated for physical fitness. It's pleasant to get outside, reconnect with nature (as much nature as there is in a city...) and get moving. If you resolve to walk somewhere instead of drive even just a few times a week, you're already making improvements to your lifestyle!

- Yoga: I won't bore you with the details on how life changing yoga is... How it restores your body and your mind, make you more calm, more present, stronger, more flexible, builds long and lean muscles... Ok, got it? I could go on and on. Studios are EVERYWHERE and there's yoga classes within traditional gym atmospheres (think LA Fitness) too. There's intense, advanced yoga classes, classes for beginners and hatha classes for when you need a "rest" day. We Yogis in Dallas has childcare to boot (as do a number of studios).

Try a Pilates class

Traditional gym memberships and traditional gym workouts aren't for everyone, myself included! I hate tolling away on a cardio machine and following it with the same lifting routine. That's why I've broken up with the gym to only do "barefoot" exercise classes I actually enjoy doing, and physical activities with my kids. If you think outside of the box and find something you enjoy doing, odds are good your mindset will shift from "I have to do this" to "I get to do this!" and you'll end up getting into a solid physical activity routine you can sustain for better health.