Honest Thoughts About Going From Two Kids To Three

One kid. Two kid. Three kids, so many kids. More recently both Eric and I have gotten so many questions about how is it transitioning from two kids to three. There were a lot of people that told us that going from two kids to three was a really easy transition. Maybe they are super parents of some sort, and I love hearing positive things from others, but it hasn't been as easy as many make it out to be. 

Now I completely understand that our situation is a bit different since our youngest son was born with a bi-lateral cleft lip and palate, but he is just as much a normal baby in every way possible minus some big feeding challenges and some other common cleft hurdles. Regardless if your little one is born with special needs, a colic baby, or a baby that is as sweet as can be, you are now out numbered (for a typical two parent household, single parents you all are the real MVPs) and with that comes new adjustments.   

We are almost four months deep into this parenting three kids gig and I finally feel like we are finding our groove again. Can I get an amen for parents getting their groove back. HA! Hmm, maybe that should be a new movie idea. Hollywood, I'm open for auditions. 

Of course this is all opinion based and it really depends on the temperaments and personalities of your kids. I happen to have a very strong-willed older son, a threenager who used to be my sweet child, and now a new born. Yes, your prayers are always appreciated. I'm also not naive and know this list will probably look very different in a few years when they grow out of certain stages and new ones come about. But for now, this fresh season of navigating life as a parent of three leaves me with these thoughts...

Not Enough Hands: 

I happen to think that whether you have one kid, three kids, or five kids (God bless my mom) you never have enough hands. They say it takes a village and that can be so true. When I had my first son I had this supermom mentality like I could handle it all and asking for help made me feel like I didn't have it under control. Let's fast forward to three kids and I crack up at that Luv's commercial where the mom hands her child over to mechanic. It's so true and relatable. I think like most things in life you get more comfortable as time goes on, you allow others to lend a helping hand, and baby wearing becomes so important. That's my secret right now to getting anything done. Having both hands free but still having those sweet snuggles for your little one is a great compromise. I wear my classic moby wrap almost every day, if not multiple times, and it makes such a different. I've also heard great things about a ring sling carriers but I haven't personally tried them yet.

Age Differences: 

right now I have three kids five and under with my first two being 22 months apart. At first that seemed crazy to us but the more I think about it the more I love it. Sure they have their crazy moments and get into their little tiffs. The other day I had to break them up because they were playing cats. What's that you say? I asked myself the same thing. All I know is it ended up in them scratching each other. Oh yes, fun times. Ok, cats aside, seeing them grow together and have built-in best friends makes my mama heart so happy. I pray that their relationships over time will grow and strength even more.

You'll Pray A lot:

speaking of prayer, I am a firm believer in the power of prayer and it seems like with each child I find myself praying even more for them. Maybe it's adding in another person to pray for but I end up praying for each of them, collectively, and for Eric and myself as parents. I also pray that God will place positive influences in their lives as they grow and give them a strong sense of right and wrong. This world can be a scary place and covering them in prayer before those critical teen years where peer pressure and tough decisions come into place can be so important. 

You Might Cry, You Might Laugh, You Might Do Both At The Same Time:

it's ok to feel emotional on this wild ride of motherhood. There are days where you'll feel like you got this and other times you are counting down the hours until bed time. Somehow in between all the craziness we always seem to find the joy in it because our kids are our greatest gifts.

It's Ok To Give Responsibilities:

if you caught my instagram (@beautifully_candid) you might have seen that I shared about some emotions I was feeling and how I unintentionally was putting a lot of responsibilities on my second son (I don't like to label him as the middle child) and had to remind myself that he's still only three. On the other hand, I also saw him flourish when we gave him and his older brother appropriate responsibilities. As much as transitioning from two kids to three is an adjustment for parents, it's also a big adjustments to your kids. This responsibility chart really helps to manage all of that and give them goals to work towards. We've done things like once they accomplish certain areas we'll do a big boys day and go to the movies, chuck e cheese, jump zone, things along those lines. They're also both great at lending a helping hand with the baby which makes me happy to see.

Life With Three Is Busy: 

we knew one thing for sure that adventuring into this parenting of three zone would without a doubt make life even busier. I kind of feel like that goes without saying, but I also want to be transparent here. You think you have an idea of how busy it can be but I'm not really sure anything fully prepares you until you have to go through the trenches. A is starting T-ball this year and little nugget wants to play soccer again. I'm already trying to figure out how we're going to manage it all. Like anything else in life you always find a way to make it all work.  

You Somehow Become An Expert: 

I think I first noticed it when we were in the hospital and the nurses would come in to check on you and asked if this was our first. Once they found out it was our third they were all like, oh yeah well you know what you're doing then. Even now if I go out somewhere with just the baby while the other two are in school, as soon as someone finds out it's my third they back down from offering any unsolicited advice and shake their head like yeahhh, you got this. It's kind of funny and also empowering at the same time because we do have this, as best as we can.

If you're on the fence with transitioning from two to three kids it's always best to go with what you feel is best for your family. It won't be easy (in my opinion) the days will feel long at times, you'll need to evaluate your living situation, financial situation, career, and the list goes on. But, if there is a passion in your heart to expand your family and you are worrying about if you can manage it all, you eventually find a way. Motherhood has a funny way of making even the craziest of days fill your heart with so much joy.

Fun Activity-Oriented Gifts With Huffy

Thank you to Huffy for sponsoring this post. All opinions remain my own. 

It's hard to believe the holidays are upon us. I'm still sitting here wondering where in the world has the time gone?! As much as I don't enjoy the feeling of time flying by, this is one of my favorite times of year—especially with little ones. There's nothing like creating those special family memories, enjoying all the good food (oh yes those treats can be so dangerous) and the fun of gift giving.

It's such an exciting thing to see the joy and excitement on your little ones' faces as they open their gifts, and give their opinions about them too. Anyone else have little ones that have opened gifts and said, what, clothes again? While we are teaching them to be grateful for everything they receive, there are those really special gifts that are the icing on the cake for them. We love gifts that truly create great memories and add in so much fun for them. That's why we love Huffy's promise of We Make Fun. And that's exactly what they do.

I can still remember getting my first Huffy bike on Christmas morning and immediately wanting to go outside and ride it. I was still in my Care Bear nightgown and slippers, never mind those cold December temperatures, those pink handlebars had me all excited and I couldn't wait to give it a go. I love being able to share those special moments with my boys now and love Huffy's new, exciting, and innovative products that came out this fall at Walmart.

We are loving their new RC (Radio Control) Monster Truck. We are trying to promote more share toys between the boys and this one is perfect with it's 2-toys-in-1 concept. The truck quickly converts from a monster truck ride-on to a radio-control monster truck when you add or remove the steering wheel. They both have their favorite things to do with this toy so it's worked out really well. I also love the safety features the truck has and that the radio control power only works when the steering wheel is removed, and your child is not sitting on it. I also love that there was little hassle with this and it comes mostly assembled. Not needing to sit here and scratch my head over reading all the directions, umm, yes please!! All we really needed to do was attach the steering wheel.

I loved seeing how excited they were to receive this and it was so cute to see how happy they were when they found out one can use it as a radio control truck and the other can ride on it. I love that this was easy for them to use with the recommended ages being between 3-7 years old and it's great for them because it holds up to 65 pounds. Although, A was really into driving it around the yard and little nugget was all about hopping on and using the foot pedal accelerator to take it for a spin. It was so fun to see the different features that interested each of them.

The holidays are the perfect time to give that special gift that really makes for a fun time and creates great childhood memories. I can just imagine how special it would be to receive this RC Monster Truck under the tree and make the holidays even more special.  Come to think of it, I probably should have added a big red bow to this. Because doesn't a big red bow somehow make things even more special? Looks like I'll be using that idea for next time.

Diapers and Wipes Subscription With IncrediBundles

Thank you IncrediBundles for sponsoring this post. As always all opinions remain my own. Thank you for supporting the brands that support Beautifully Candid.

These last few months have felt like a whirlwind for us over here. The funny thing about expanding your family is, so many people assume you already have everything you need from your previous kids. While that is true in a sense, it seems like the everyday essentials are quickly forgotten about. Diapers would be one of them. And wipes. Boy do we still go through some wipes over here.

As a new mom, expecting mom, or maybe you're a seasoned pro—I think we can all agree that you can never have too many diapers. In fact, any parent could, dads included. We can't leave them out. Eric is a diaper changing warrior over here and I actually didn't have to change my first diaper with either of the boys until he went back to work.

IncrediBundles makes the diapers and wipe process so much easier for parents with their subscription bundle. I also think this makes the perfect baby gift. I love gifts that are practical and you get the most use out of. I love that they make the process so easy which is also a huge plus. As a parent our time is limited enough as it is.

Here's how IncrediBundles diaper bundle subscription works. You select the subscription length whether it's 3, 6, 9, or 12 months. Seriously though, how amazing would it be to have any of these months taken care of?

Next, IncrediBundles sends out an adorable package announcing your gift. Inside the package they feature a premium plush teddy bear that holds the certificates with a unique code announcing your gift. You also get to choose if you want the announcement to go directly to you (if you're planning on bringing it to a shower or as a gift) or directly to the recipient.

The boys could not get enough hugs from this teddy and it was one of the softest bears I have ever felt. Little nugget asked if he could sleep with him until his baby brother gets here. Of course I couldn't say no to that.

What I also love about this diaper subscription is, the recipient gets to choose the brand and size of diapers and wipes they would like each time they redeem an installment. The best part is, the diapers are delivered right to your door!

This is such a huge thing for me because I've already tried to figure out how I'm going to be able to make quick stops once I have all three of them together. I'm actually not really sure quick stops will be realistic. I know it won't be as easy as just taking the car seat out and snapping it in the stroller anymore. Kids are one of the greatest gifts, but juggle multiple, it can be tricky. Having a service like this where something so essential comes straight to my door, is so helpful in more ways than one. 

Now for the fun part! 

I'm so excited to let you all know that I'm hosting a GIVEAWAY for one lucky winner to receive a 3 month diaper subscription!! Free diapers, say what?! 

Here's how you can enter—or let someone know who could really use them. 

Head on over to my Instagram @beautifully_candid to follow both my account and @incredibundles_babygifts

Tag two or more parents in the giveaway image who could benefit from receiving diapers

As an extra entry, leave a blog comment here

The winner will be chosen at random and verified they have followed the rules. Open to US residents. Giveaway will run through 8/24.

Best of luck!

What I've Learned Since Becoming a Mother

Today I'm joining several other amazing bloggers to share more about our experiences as mothers in celebration of mother's day to come. I think it's a true understatement that being a mom is the hardest job in the world. 

Boy oh boy, was I clueless before I actually had my own kids. I'm the oldest of five and in a way always kind of felt like a second mom to my sister and brothers. I thought for sure that gave me some sort of advantage and I could handle having my own. I mean, I can handle them, but it's certainly different being on point twenty-four-seven. I shared before 7 goals that every mom should have for herself and that time momming caught up to me. We all have our moments, and if anything, this motherhood journey is a constant learning experience.

I feel like there are so many things I've learned since becoming a mom that it's almost hard to put into words. Of course the ever obvious ones are experiencing love, and joy, and all the happiness that I am so blessed and thankful to experience on a daily basis. But there's also a lot of sides to motherhood that not everyone discusses that I think being transparent sometimes can be a healthy thing for all of us. So here we go...

MOTHERHOOD IS SUCH A GIFT

I feel bad writing this because I know there are so many women out there who are struggling and trying their hardest to start a family or complete their family. I've experienced some struggles, loss, and with every hardship it makes me even more appreciative for the the two blessings I do have. My heart goes out to those that are wondering if it will ever happen for them or for those that no longer have their mother's around. Every time I hear something like that it makes me hug my boys a little harder. I try to be so appreciative even on those crazy-hard-tantrum-throwing-food-ending-up-on-the-floor kind of days.

MOTHERHOOD BRINGS SO MANY SMILES

I've always been a smiley kind of person. Not like a weirdo where I just stare and smile at you, but you know, like friendly. If I see someone in the hallway at work, I'm an I'll smile and say good morning kind of person. Anyway, being a mom brings a whole new meaning to smiling. You find yourself smiling at the most random things. Little nugget draws a picture that he's so excited about and tells you, look it's a dinosaur, mama! But when you look down at that paper it's nothing but a squiggly line, but the best squiggly line dinosaur you've ever seen in your entire life and you can't help but smile and think your kid is destine to be the next Picasso. 

MOTHERHOOD IS REWARDING

I don't think it's ever intentional but at some point we experience a sense of pride (as we should). Like when you hear that your child helped another kid in class or did something above and beyond, you can't help but feel proud and know that maybe you are doing something right. 

MOM PUTTING DAD FIRST ISN'T A BAD THING

I don't want to start anything here because everyone's marriages are different, but I recently heard a comment made that someone would leave her husband in a heartbeat because her kids come first. Now of course if it was an abusive or unhealthy relationship, then mama do what you need to do. For me, I love my kids more than anything, but it's a completely different love than what I have for my husband. If it wasn't for him, I wouldn't have my boys. Just because kids come into the picture I don't think dad should take a backseat. 

MOTHERHOOD SHOULDN'T BE NAIVE

I don't want anyone to take this the wrong way because believe me, I will defend and fight for my kids until the end, but I am also not naive and one of those parents that thinks my kids can do no wrong. I've seen parent's get upset at teachers and neighborhood kids who aren't nice, and the parents think it's everyone else but their child. If my kids do something wrong we use it as a teachable moment, explain it so they understand it, and allow them the opportunity to do the right thing the next time around. I'm not saying we're perfect or any type of experts, but we also don't sweep things under the rug

MOTHERHOOD IS CHALLENGING

Aside from all of the smiles, rewarding feelings, and experiencing a love that is indescribable, let's be real, motherhood can be HARD. It seems like just when you think you have it figured out or some sort of pattern down, all of the sudden things go south. I'm not going to lie, some days it feels easier to drop them off at daycare and then pick them up by 6pm. 

MOM GUILT IS REAL

I think no matter if you choose to be a stay at home mom, a working mom, a partial working mom, or whatever other title is out there, I think we've all at some point or another felt guilty about our decisions. But oddly enough, the beautiful thing in all of this is, that we aren't alone. We can all probably relate on some level and the best thing is to not be afraid to reach out to each other or let someone know when you need a break or that it's just one of those days. Acting like you always have it all together only hurts yourself.

MOM HAVING ME TIME IS OK

I think so many of us take on the role of motherhood and can become consumed with it. I'm not saying there is anything really wrong with that, but when it gets to a point that you feel guilty for even having a girls night, it might be time to question things. It's so important to have that time to feel like yourself and make meaningful connections with others or just sit in quiet and be. It's ok to be a little selfish from time to time. Just as I don't think the mom that takes off for a girls weekend without her kids is any less of a "good" mom than the one that couldn't even bear the thought of leaving her kids for a night. It's all about perspective and finding a balance that works for you. 

MOM KNOWS BEST

There is something about a mother's intuition that you can't even really describe. Even to this day my mom can take one look at me and ask me what's wrong, even if I'm smiling at her. It's the weirdest thing, but also an amazing thing. We figure our children out, and at some points, maybe even know them better than they know themselves.

MOTHERHOOD IS A CHOICE...

To wake up everyday and put someone else's happiness, priorities, and feelings before your own. To teach your child the best that you can even if you aren't always sure what the best is. To constantly give yourself grace and know that tomorrow is another day to try even harder. To show your children all of the love there is to offer, because I truly believe there is nothing quite like a mother's love. 

So what about you, what's something motherhood has taught you? Even if you aren't a mom, yet, or you're a dog mom, a step mom, or a one day maybe I'll have kids person, what are your thoughts on motherhood?

Don't forget to check out some of the other bloggers and see how they are sharing their experiences.

Justine @ Little Dove Blog // @littledove.justine 

Jenise @ A Toddler & A Topknot // @atoddlerandatopknot 

Sierra @ Beautifully Candid // @beautifully_candid

Bethany @ Waves & Lilacs // @wavesandlilacs 

Mary Leigh @ Live Well Play Together // @livewellplaytogether

Whitney @ Work It Mommy // @thefamilysmith5

Shani @ Sunshine & Munchkins // @sunshineandmunchkins

Katie @ Thrifty Wife Happy Life // @thriftywifehappylife

Tamara @ Tamara Bratton Blog // @tamaraleebratton

7 Ways To Get Your Kids Involved With Spring Cleaning

Happy first day of spring, everyone! This time of year always gets me so excited because I live for nice days and warmer weather. Although, spring is playing some nasty tricks on us this year because they're calling for another nor'easter around here. Like seriously, get it together. The weather has to get nicer at some point, right? 

It's no surprise over here that I am not the most tidy or organized person out there. I am making some great progress though and it's amazing how implementing some small changes can really make a big difference. 

When I think of spring cleaning, I don't always jump to the typical mindset of cleaning every nook and cranny. I've shared before about 5 ways to spring clean your blog and 5 ways to spring clean more than just your home. This year, I decided to break away from sharing five things and got ambitious with sharing seven (I'm such a rebel) ways to get your kids involved with spring cleaning more than just their toys. 

1. ORGANIZATION: decorative storage bins have been so helpful for us, especially in their play room. Even with all of our bins around, I still get asked at least once a day where one of their toys are. Somehow Moms are just supposed to magically know where everything is, right? After A had a meltdown because he couldn't find one of his beloved Paw Patrol toys, we deiced to have a designated bin for all of those specific toys so he can keep better track of them. We've also done this now with their stuffy friends and superheroes.

2. SETTING GOALS: setting goals has been a big thing in our house. We utilize an app or start charts that the boys can works towards earning things so it was the perfect time to put some goals in place for the spring.

3. MAKE CLEANING FUN: what I've learned with kids is if you make something fun or turn it into a game you are more likely to capture their attention and have them participate. They enjoy seeing who can match the most socks, using the garbage bin as a bucket and throwing things in there like a basket ball.

4. ADDING IN AN INCENTIVE: who doesn't love a little incentive for doing some extra help. My boys have really been into finding change lately so this has been a motivator for them to want pick things up. You know, in case they find some extra "monies". We may or may not leave a few coins laying around so they really think they are finding things.

5. OUTSIDE ORGANIZATION: our back door is right off of our kitchen and where majority of their outdoor toys are. Just like how they ask me where something is in the house, they'll ask about their things outside too. We use an old wash tub for them to put majority of their things in but being organized outside can also be as important as being organized inside.

6. BEING KIND: we also talked to the boys about ways they can be kind to others at school or when we are out at places. We asked them what they thought they could do and A said, he could play with someone new and share his toys, and little nugget wants me to pack extra smoothies and stickers for his best friends everyday. We're still working on him coming up with some other ideas.

7. GIVING COMPLIMENTS: The boys new thing has been coming to Eric and I and saying that one of them is lying about something or being mean to each other. Instead of allowing them to continue complaining about things (of course we also hear their thoughts and let them work it out) but we also follow up with having them give each other a compliment or say something nice about each other.

7 Goals Every Mom Should Have For Herself

The past few weeks it seems like my boys have been sick off and on which has really limited us to being able to do a lot. On a good note, the slower pace has been nice for a change. I guess in between dealing with cleanup duty, I've had some time to sit around and think while everyone's laid out on the couch watching paw patrol. I have all of these goals and self reflections that keep popping into my head.

I shared the above picture on my instagram last week because as much as we have so much fun and enjoy all of our adventures together, there are days where it is not easy. Having two under two was no walk in the park, but at the same time, I wouldn't trade it for the world.

I'm thankful early on as a mother I was able to accept that things aren't perfect, life with kids is messy, and even when you think you have something figured out, usually one of them throws a monkey wrench in there and you need to adapt all over again.

I'm sharing what's helped me as a mom, and when you think about it, we're all in this together and can learn a thing or two from each other.

1. Give Yourself Grace: 

this has been the biggest one for me and such a weight lifted off of my shoulders when I accepted that perfection doesn't exists. Let me rephrase that, I never really strived for perfection, but I think when you have an idea of motherhood in your head and it doesn't go as planned, you need to give yourself grace. Before I had kids, I thought I had this parenting concept in the bag. I would look at other kids and think, not-ah, that won't be my kid. I will not be a mom who takes my kid to McDonald's, my kids are going to have cute clothes, and they are going to use their manners always. Ha! Oh, silly me. Sometimes momming can catch up to you and you need to reminder yourself that we're all human and grace is a beautiful thing.

2. Build Your Confidence as a Mom:

there are some people that are really gifted and great with kids no matter what the situation is. I'm sure being a kid whisperer must be a thing, right? I have friends who are teachers and some that have psychology degrees, and I would think, if I just knew a little bit more about dealing with kids maybe I could master this whole mom thing. What I've come to learn is, regardless of your background, you know what's best for your child and are a master in your own way. If you are confident in your abilities as a parent, it will switch your whole outlook and allow you to handle situations differently and utilize what works best for you.

3. Trust Your Instincts: 

it's going to be a reoccurring thing over here with me saying you know your kid best, because I truly believe that. When it comes to them not feeling well, grasping certain things, or displaying odd behaviors, trust your gut.

4. Learn How To Ask For Help: 

this should seem like an easy one but you would be surprised at some people who are just not able to swallow their pride. I don't think it makes you any less of a person if you reach out to someone and say, I can't do it today or can you please help. In fact, I applaud you for that. It's ok to admit that on some days we might need an extra hand or a few minutes to just step away. In the end, it's usually beneficial for everyone involved.

5. Learn How To Say I'm Sorry: 

this has also been a big one for me. I don't intentionally do it but I've been guilty of automatically assuming that my older son has been the trouble maker in some of their toddler scuffles. I mean, knocking over someone's Lego castle that they worked hard on is not cool. I've been in the other room preparing dinner and heard cries coming from down the hall. Little nugget will run to me and without hearing the full story I've been quick to want to put A on a time-out. After I slowdown and hear the whole story I've had to apologize several times for my own actions and mistakes as a parent. I think it's so important for our children to hear when we are sorry and admit our mistakes.

6. Downtime Goals: 

it's important to also figure out a way to work in some downtime for yourself. This is something I have to remind myself of frequently because usually when I sit down I'm thinking about the three baskets of laundry in my room that I have yet to get to and still working on my superpowers to blink and magically make them go away. I always feel better after a cup of hot tea, lighting a scented candle, putting my phone away and catching up on one of my shows.

7. Learn How To Laugh: 

some days I don't know whether to laugh or cry, sometimes both, or maybe even at the same time. There's a reason why we're taught a cheerful heart is good like a medicine. I can't say we're like this all the time, and I don't want to come off like a mom who laughs at her kids when they are upset, that's not the case. But sometimes, they come out with the silliest excuse to things, like how they can't pick up their toys because their legs don't work. You can't help but laugh or you might drive yourself crazy. I also think a smile is contagious. If one of us starts smiling or laughing it creates a ripple effect and everyone ends up in a better mood.

Here's to laughing, crying, saying I'm sorry, being confident and giving ourselves grace. You got this, mama!