“Mum Tag”

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I was excited to receive a “Mum Tag” from a fellow mom blogger this last week.

Thank you Christine from Normal Life Mom for the tag!

I love all of the recipes and super cool ideas that she shares on her blog.

She has wonderful insight from raising her children and is so realistic and down to earth about “Normal Life Motherhood”.

Make sure to hop over and check her blog out and see all the great things she has to offer on her social media accounts too!

YouTuber Emily Norris recently created a new 2019 “Mum Tag” with some great questions about pregnancy, mom hacks, labor, mom shaming and more.

It was so fun to read Christine’s answers to these questions and it helped me feel so much better that I am not the only mom that has hard days!

 

 

I had a lot of fun answering these questions!

Favorite Mom Hack?

My number one time and sanity-saving hack is Walmart Grocery Pick Up.

I discovered this free service about a year and a half ago and I honestly can barely remember what life was like before (but what I remember was scary toddler meltdowns and me racing the clock on their nap times).

Now I hop on my phone or desktop for a few minutes during nap time and create my grocery list with a few clicks.

I choose what day and time I want to pick it up.

Then I pull into the designated area, check in on my phone, and my groceries magically appear.

I never have to unbuckle children and drag them through aisles or stand in long checkout lines.

We chill in the car for a few minutes, help them load the groceries in, and we are already headed home with everything we need.

LIFE. CHANGING!!

Most Embarrassing Mom Moment?

I can’t think of one specific moment but it’s always so embarrassing when I am distracted or tired and call a child by the wrong name.

It was one of those things I was “never going to do as a mom” and now I am the worst at this!

Sometimes I have to throw out three or more names trying to say the right child :\

What Part of the Day Do You Love The Most?

I love Nap Time/Rest Time the most because everyone has the opportunity to rest and recover from the morning rush and prepare for the evening rush.

Our babies take a midday nap, our toddlers are required to lie down and read or watch cartoons, and I get to do whatever I need to do to regain my sanity for the day.

This is usually when I get the most blogging work done too.

What Part of the Day Do You Like The Least?

Bedtime is the hardest time for us.

There is a reason so many moms call it the “Witching Hour”.

Meltdowns are happening and everyone is tired from the day and moving slowly, which doesn’t help get everything done very fast to end the misery.

What Is The Worst Thing Someone Said To You While You Were Pregnant?

I think the worst thing someone said to me when I was pregnant was when I was in labor and the nurse who checked us in at the hospital callously told me I wasn’t far enough along and would probably be sent home.

I was panicked because my babies come really fast and I didn’t want to deal with such a painful labor any longer.

After the hour was up she came back to check on me and was surprised I was so far along.

They hustled me to a delivery room and our baby daughter was born about an hour later.

Baby Name You Didn’t Agree On?

We always thought we would only have two daughters at most because we absolutely could not agree on any other girl name after the first two.

When we found out we were expecting a third daughter, we asked everyone for ideas but didn’t like or agree on any of them.

It was our eldest daughter who thought hard and came up with a perfect name and nickname for our baby girl.

We are so glad she came up with it! ♥

Do You Co-Sleep?

We feel strongly about not co-sleeping for safety, sanity, and child sleep independence but we did have one child who absolutely could not sleep through the night until he was almost four.

We finally had him trained to come and sleep on the floor next to our bed if he woke up in the night.

I would put a pillow and blanket there every night in case he needed it.

He only needed to do that for awhile and now can finally sleep through the night in his own bed.

I think it helped him transition to sleeping independently and it allowed us to get much better sleep too.

Something You Bought But Never Used?

I hate finding brand new outfits with the tags still on that my children have already outgrown.

Usually it’s something really nice that I had planned to have them wear for portraits so I put it up to keep it new until I need it and then forget about it.

So frustrating!

Three Hospital Bag Must Haves?

1- The most important thing that I always packed first in my hospital bag was Thank You cards for the nurses.

I used to work in a hospital before I stayed home with my children and it meant so much when patients would take the time to write the staff thank you notes for the care they received while on our unit.

I always just picked up generic Thank You cards in packs from the dollar store and packed a few pens so that I was ready to go with each shift of nurses.

2- Shower Essentials

The hospital has very basic hygiene supplies but they are just that; very basic.

I learned to pack my favorite things (or have my husband bring them for the few deliveries that surprised us) so that I had my very own shower items.

3- Loose Fitting Clothes

With every delivery I had to pack looser and looser clothes to wear after delivery because the human mother belly loses elasticity after each pregnancy.

Overestimate what size clothes you will need for realistic comfort and you will thank yourself!

Are You A Routine Mom or A Go With The Flow Mom?

I am definitely a routine mom, for my own sake as well as my kids.

When you have a child on the autism spectrum and one with Attention Deficit Disorder, you have to have very routine schedules for their health and well-being.

We do try to be flexible if we finish a routine early.

For example, if they finish their Contributions quickly then they get to choose what fun activity we do.

As long as my house is sparkling clean and my children are not melting down, I can be the most Go With the Flow mom ever with fun free time!

What Does Bedtime Look Like?

We have spent years perfecting our bedtime routine to teach our kids responsibility and teamwork.

Our eldest daughter is in charge of changing her baby sister, putting her pajamas on, and brushing her teeth.

Our eldest son is in charge of getting his youngest brother in pajamas and brushing his teeth.

All of our older children are responsible to get themselves ready for bed.

Then we gather for brief family scripture study and prayers.

After that all of our children go to bed but are called out one at a time to have My Time with one or both parents.

They LOVE My Time and will do anything to help get everyone to bed on time so that we can have that time together.

Their favorite incentive for various goals that they choose themselves is extra My Time.

It always makes me feel so happy that my children are motivated to spend extra quality time together and ask for that instead of treats or quarters or anything else.

What Type of Labor Did You Have?

My first five labors began on their own, most within a few days of my due date.

Each one got shorter and shorter and each child delivered faster and faster.

My fifth child almost ended up on the floor because no one, including me, realized he was coming.

He shot across the bed and was caught by the elbow of the doctor who was turned away giving instructions to a nurse.

Thank heavens for professional elbows!

My baby had been having complications during the last part of my labor and they had almost rushed me in for an emergency C-section but were able to re-position me almost on my stomach and get his heart rate back to normal.

I had never had a natural labor and had to stay in a horrible position to keep my baby safe so I didn’t know he was coming during that last contraction.

My mom told me that my baby must have needed to come quickly right then for his own health and safety and I agree. ♥

What Pain Relief Did You Choose?

I chose to have an epidural for my first four babies and was thankful for the pain relief but always wished that I could have at least one natural birth.

After my fourth child was born, I had horrific spinal headaches for several days and had to have a blood patch put on my spinal column where the epidural had gone in.

It was a very traumatically painful ordeal and I decided that I never wanted to risk that again.

I was determined to have my next child naturally and I was blessed to have a long and slow labor over several days so that I could tolerate it and deliver without having an epidural.

My sixth child was delivered under very difficult circumstances and was induced and I finally had to request an epidural.

Every mother and every delivery is SO different; don’t ever let anyone else try to dissuade you from what you know you and your baby need!

Have You Ever Been Mom Shamed?

The only time I have been Mom Shamed was by two different physicians who both claimed opposite methods of treatment for my child and both told me that the outcome was my fault for not doing what they had suggested (two polar opposite views that caused irreparable damage to my son’s ears).

Needless to say we changed our entire physician and specialist team to those who all work together now to treat our son and his health needs.

It’s hard to be your child’s champion and create the support system he needs to thrive.

The Biggest Challenge You Have Faced As A Mom?

My biggest challenge that I have faced as a Mom is diagnosing and helping my son who is on the autism spectrum.

I told physicians and therapist for years and years that something was wrong; something is not right.

No. One. Listened.

Once he began attending public school I kept asking teachers and counselors for help or direction with his difficult behaviors, most of which occurred at home because he is high functioning.

The school psychologist at the time sat down with me for an hour and proceeded to definitively give me all the reasons why she couldn’t help him and why he didn’t qualify for any services.

She also hinted that I shouldn’t try because I would be taking resources away from those who actually need it. (Did you gasp in shock reading that because I did).

All of the people that should have been supporting, encouraging, and providing help for my child (that is literally what they get paid to do every day) were the ones telling me there was nothing that could be done.

Something in me just snapped.

My child was suffering and I was done watching it happen.

I was told I could be put on a year long waiting list for testing.

Instead I worked with my private insurance and paid a small fortune to have him privately tested.

That gave us a clear and glaring Autism Spectrum Disorder diagnosis.

Once we had the diagnosis in hand suddenly a world of resources and help opened up to us.

Now an entire team of people at his school are required by law to plan his services and help him meet specific goals.

The special education teacher at his school has been his greatest advocate and helped him more than anyone else has been able to.

It seems that everyone who can help has their hands tied until parents can hurdle the roadblocks to getting their child the help they desperately need.

Parents are their child’s GREATEST advocate!

The Best Bit of Advice You Have Ever Been Given As A Mom?

My mom always says “The child who is acting in the least lovable way is the one who needs love the most”.

This advice has NEVER been wrong. Ever.

It also applies to teens and adults.

Thanks Mom! ♥♥♥

The Biggest Piece of Advice You Would Give To A New Mom?

You are your child’s greatest advocate and you always will be.

You may have to blaze new trails and possibly offend people to get your child the help they need in life but that is exactly why you are their greatest earthly advocate.

To all of you Supermoms: Bless you in all of your efforts!!!

You are doing an amazing job! ♥♥♥♥♥