I live in my husband’s hometown. I’ve made some great friends in this new land, many of them inherited from my husband’s childhood. I try to claim them as my own now, especially because I see some of them more often than him with his crazy work schedule.

Still, when Baby was born, everything changed. I’m one of the first to have a little one, and now when my closest girlfriends are leaving to go out on Saturday night, I’m heading into bed to catch some z’s before Baby’s early wake-up.

My parents and sister live about four hours away in St. Louis (Go Cards!). With FaceTime and texting, we’re able to stay close between visits. I’ve been lucky to see at least one of them in person every couple months or so. Moving away was my call, but it’s still been hard not having them nearby. There’s no place like home when it comes to the art of doing nothing together, getting a helping hand, or just knowing that everyone under the roof has known you since you were born (I like being the baby). Continue reading →

With winter (and flu season) thankfully behind us, Baby and I were more than ready to end our hibernation. We looked forward to weekends and the chance to catch up with friends and family who worked during the week. One good friend, Aunt M, had been incredible at keeping in touch since Baby’s birth and was always up for hanging out. She had a knack for getting me out of the house, too (bonus).

In a fun twist of fate, Aunt M had an adorable nephew just a couple months older than Baby. She started stealing him away for a few hours at a time on the weekends, giving his mama a break and me a regular play date. Hanging out with an awesome aunt revealed several unique perks. Continue reading →

Baby and I recently went on a playdate to the park with a couple other friends and kiddos. We were enjoying a beautiful day, soaking up the sun on a quilt in the grassy field. As a pulled out a new toy for Baby to stave off boredom, one of my friends says, “Of course he has a pink toy.”

Hold up. The toy is question was a small dog that jingles (like Tinkerbell! – not helping my case…) with a colorful polka-dotted tummy, chevron striped ears, and yes, pink fabric skin. When I purchased said toy, my favorite part was the wooden teething ring that dangles from the bottom. Now, however, my favorite part is the velcro loop coming out of its head so that I can attach it to a highchair, stroller, grocery cart seat, or other baby container so he can’t throw it or drop it five seconds after I give it to him. I really hadn’t noticed that the jingly dog was mostly pink until that moment. Continue reading →

This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase after following an affiliate link, Reflective Mama will earn a small commission, at no extra cost to you. Thank you for your support!

In the early months, I kept a checklist written on an index card by the door with everything I might need while out (diapers, wipes, swaddle, change of clothes, soothie pacifiers, pacifier wipes, nursing cover, toy). This came about after leaving the house on multiple occasions without one of the above items. Mostly because with a newborn, everything was constantly needing to be washed or replenished. I also blame mommy brain, but that’s another post.

By the time Baby was eight months old, the diaper bag pretty much just sat by the door, ready to go whenever we were. I learned that on most excursions, the only things that really made it out of the bag were my keys, wallet, and iPhone. This made replenishment a monthly activity instead of a daily one. Still, the bag was always stocked and ready for whatever we may need. I like having a safety net. Here is what’s inside: Continue reading →

Baby and I are tight. Hopefully, one might even say securely attached. However, I might be a little too attached to my little one. I have a hard time being away from him. He, however, seems to do just fine without me. For the most part.

Once a week or so, Baby spends some quality time with Dad or Grandma, providing me with some quality “me time.” Unfortunately, this so-called me time usually involves running errands. While there is a certain level of bliss that comes from running to three different places in the time that it would normally take to run just one errand with Baby, it’s not exactly a spa day. Continue reading →