The mommy blogger tag

So I was nominated for this awesome Mommy blogger tag created by Rachel from The coffee Mamma. Thanks girl, for this nomination.

Rules:

• Thank whoever tagged you and link back to their website.
• Share the rules in your post.
• Tag Rachel, The Coffee Mamma.
• Answer the questions.
• Tag at least 3-5 Mom Bloggers at the end of your post.

So, obviously you’re a mom, how many kids do you have? Genders? Ages?

I have one biological and she is 3 and a half. I have a 16 year old step son and a 6 year old step daughter

Are your children close in age or further apart in age?

My two youngest are closest in age ( 2 and a half years apart) and my 16 year old is obviously way further in age than his sisters.

Did you have a Vaginal Birth or C Section?

Vaginal birth all the way.

Pro-Life or Pro-Choice?

Pro-Life…. I have my reason that I choose not to discuss because I am not here to offend anyone and their views.

Have you shared your labor story on your blog yet?

I don’t believe I have, which is odd because there are some funny stories about it. Stay tuned for a birth story update….

What is the thing you find most challenging about being a mommy blogger?

I don’t have anything specifically challenging about being a mommy blogger in general but I do have writers block a lot when it comes to blogging in general.

What’s the most challenging thing about being a Mom for you?

I think the most challenging thing is with all my kids is realizing that they are all different. Their feelings, their likes and dislikes and what strategies work with punishment, rewarding and just talking to them. All three are so different. My 3 year old is so stubborn and hard headed so there is no talking to her unless she is ready. My 6 year old is very sensitive and gets her feelings hurt easily. My 16 year old will just shut everyone out when there is something wrong with him. I can usually get him to talk to me but he is like an onion, have to peal him back a layer at a time.

What were you doing when you went into Labor?

Laying in the hospital bed. I was induced. Lol

Baby Stats?

My three year old was 7lbs 4oz and 21 and a half inches long. I am not sure of my step kids. I know, horrible step mom.

Thoughts on circumcision?

I personally think it is a good thing, but I did not have a boy so I never looked into it.

What were your first thoughts when you found out you were pregnant?

“Oh, shit!” My pregnancy was a total surprise and I was terrified but ecstatic at the same time.

What’s your child’s favorite toy?

She has many favorites in her different phases, but right now it’s her go fishing game.

What is one thing you miss about before you became a Mom?

Most mom’s will say sleep, but I never really slept before I had my daughter. I don’t really miss anything. I didn’t feel like my life meant anything before I had her.

What do you love most about being a Mom?

Watching her grow and learn new things. Also watching her little personality develop more and more.

What do you dislike most about being a Mom? (really couldn’t bring myself to use the word hate)

The constant battle I have with my 4 year old going to bed. The teenage attitude with my teenager and the lying with my 6 year old.

What is the thing you love most about being a mommy blogger?

I love the raw honesty of being a mommy blogger because motherhood is raw and unfiltered. I don’t care how some moms act like their life is perfect with kids, because I know they are lying. I like to blog about the raw facts about motherhood to let other struggling moms know that they aren’t alone.

Whether blogging is your full-time job or not would you change your full-time job? What would you do, what’s your dream job?

Blogging is not my full-time job even though I wish it was. I am a tech support specialist for a security and I hate it. I don’t hate being tech support, but I hate the company I work for.

What are your fave diapers to use?

I have used many. When my daughter was little, I used Luvs. When she got a little older, I used Parent’s choice because they seemed to work best at that time and then when she started moving more, Huggies little movers were the ones I stuck with.

Was your partner a big help or were they just in the way the first few weeks after giving birth?

This is a hard question for me… He wasn’t really a big help for the first year and a half of her life. I was so sleep deprived and got no help.

What is the last thing your child cried about?

Literally because I would not give her a third cupcake. -_-

What’s the one thing that puts a smile on your child’s face?

Food. Literally food all day, everyday.

What surprised you most about being pregnant?

How many friends I lost when I became pregnant. Blessing in disguise really.

How did your partner hold up during labor?

He was asleep for most of it and then when it was time to push, my mom woke him up to hold my leg…

What was the first symptom that made you think you’re pregnant?

Odd story really. I was at a bar with my babies father, and I ordered a glass of wine and I did not have the taste for it…. Which was odd, because I LOVE wine. That’s when he suggested I take a pregnancy test and BAM, I was pregnant.

How did you tell your partner? How did they react?

My ex- partner was with me when I took the test.

What old wives tales were you told during your pregnancy?

I was told the whole heartburn and hair thing which is not true because I had terrible heartburn at the end of my pregnancy and she was born with little hair.

Who do your kids look like?

I think my daughter looks more like me and obviously his kids look more like him than me. His son looks exactly like him and his 6 year old looks like her mother. The funny thing is, all three kids look alike so much even though they all have different moms.

What unusual dreams did you have while pregnant? Did you have any after giving birth?

I would have dreams of having twins or that the baby had something wrong with them. Terrible dreams.

When did you first feel your baby kicking?

The first time I really felt her kick was when I was driving in my car, blasting Aerosmith- Don’t want to miss a thing. Every since then, she would go nuts when I played music.

Do you use medication?

She doesn’t take any medication, but I do and I won’t go into detail about that other than saying I use inhalers for asthma.

Any funny ultrasound stories?

She would hide her face at almost every ultrasound appointment. Funny thing was, she would hide her face with her feet.

Did you get their ears pierced? how young were they?

I still haven’t gotten her ears pierced. I thought about doing it when she was younger but she went through a phase where she would like to play with her ears.

What did you dislike about being pregnant?

I didn’t mind any of it really, except for the last month. My morning sickness only lasted like 2 months. I never really had any extensive pains. Just uncomfortable most the time. The last month was terrible. I was huge, couldn’t fit into anything, had severe heartburn, tailbone pain to the point that I would cry sitting down and standing up.

How many people did you know that we’re pregnant at the same time as you?

Two oddly enough. literally like 2 weeks away from my due date. Now, my daughter calls my friend, Gina’s son who is about 2 weeks older, her boyfriend.

Did you have a midwife or a doula?

No I didn’t, but I wish I did. It actually kinda makes me sad, because I do not want anymore children for personal reasons.

What is the cutest thing your child does?

Her weird “Shake and spank” dance. She will shake back and forth while spanking her butt with both hands. LOL

Breastfeed or Formula?

I I breastfed and supplemented for the first 5 months but she was just too hungry and my milk would just not come in enough no matter what I did. I also had a lot of stress during this time. I would not say Breast is best because FED is best. Yes, breast milk will always be more natural but formula is so advanced now that it has all the nutrients that a baby needs.

What’s your favorite thing to do with a babe?

Snuggle and tickle them.

Was your labor easy?

Hell yes. I did not feel a thing. Stay tuned for my birth story

How long did it take after giving birth until it sank in that you’re actually a Mom now?

From when I pushed her out to them laying her on my chest. I was waiting to be a mom.

How often do you have a Date night?

Define date night… I sometimes go get carne asada fries by myself… That count?

How often do you see your Mommy friends?

For the first year of her life, I didn’t really hang out with any mommy friends. I see my few mommy friends pretty often actually.

How old were you when you had your first child?

I had her at 25. I became a step mom at 22.

Do you vaccinate your kids?

I sure do.

Was babe a good feeder when they were first born?

She latched pretty good but I did not produce enough so she was always on the boob…

If you breastfed how long did it take for your milk to come in? Did you use any tricks?

It took about a week for my milk to fully come in but I never produced a lot. I tried every trick in the book to get my milk up but nothing worked for me.

How did your family react to you being pregnant?

Well…. Some said, “Shit, that sucks…” (because they didn’t like the baby daddy) and some were excited and were so happy for me because they knew how badly I wanted to be a mom.

Did you share the name before birth? Does their name have a story behind it?

Yes I shared her name before birth. So we named her Averie because I liked the sound of the name. Story behind her first name: I was working at walmart as a cashier years before I got pregnant. and I heard a customer call their adorable littler girl that name and it stuck with me ever since. Her middle name is a hyphened name. Particia-Lee; Patricia after her Dad’s late mother’s name and Lee for after my late Grandpa.

Did your baby take to the crib? Do you co-sleep? Did you sleep train?

SO for the first like 6 months, she slept either in bed with me, or in a swing and rock N play next to my bed. Then I sleep trained her for the crib because she’s too crazy to sleep with.

When do you do most of your blogging? Do you have a routine? Are you actually able to stick to it? If so how lol?

I do most of my blogging during my work from home job. LOL I will get ideas through out the day and I will jot them down on my phone and then put them all together from the hours of 4AM TO 12:30PM. Lol I did have a routine but then mom life gets in the way, work gets in the way and then I get writers block, but I try and make sure I at least get one post in a week. I try to write posts in advance and schedule them accordingly. What I have found helps keep you blogging consistently is having weekly topics. For example, I do Friday rants.

Do you involve your children in your blogging world? How? Do you hide them from it as to protect them?

None of my kids are really interested in my blogging life. I have a teenage BOY who ignores everyone. My girls are too little to care, really.

What’s you’re a favorite way to spend time treating yourself or indulging in self-care?

I love watching Ghost Adventures alone in my room in the dark. I like to use essentials for self care.

What was your most unusual craving during pregnancy?

Broccoli. I loved every kind of broccoli. My entire pregnancy.

What’s was the hardest part about being pregnant for you?

The tailbone pain at the end of my pregnancy was unbearably painful.

How do you make time for yourself?

I don’t. My daughter stays up later than I do. I will sometimes lock myself in the bathroom while I pee just to get kid free peace. lol

What’s the funniest thing your kid has done?

Right now, it’s her shake and spank.

Did you run into any Postpartum Health concerns?

Yes. I also had depression before I got pregnant and a lot of things happened during and after pregnancy so I was bound to have postpartum depression.

Do you consider your niche strictly mommy & baby or do you branch out?

I branch out. It’s more of a mommy/ lifestyle blog / everything blog. Lol I blog what I feel.

Do you have a Bad Habit?

Oh, I have many. Swearing is a big one and no I am not working on it. None of my kids swear in front of me or other adults so I don’t see a problem.

Did you nest?

I nested my WHOLE pregnancy. I am naturally a clean freak anyways. Getting pregnant just made it worse. Lol

Did you pack a labour bag? What was the most useful thing you packed?

Yes I did and I would have to say PJ’s and slippers were most useful. lol

Are you done having kids?

Yes yes yes yes yes. After this pregnancy and the situation I was in, I an not opened at all to having another one. NOPE.

Do you Meal Plan?

If by meal plan you mean planning dinner for that same day, then yes, I meal plan. lol

Did you Baby Proof?

Oh, I baby proofed EVERYTHING. I was a first time paranoid mom. It didn’t really help though, she got passed most the baby proofing. lol

What are you and your children into right now?

Swimming and watching movies together.

Does your family budget? What are the top 3 things you consider when budgeting?

I budget… I plan for everything from bills, to food to extras we might need and some fun.

What’s one thing you would have done differently if you had the chance?

Um, not got married.

What is the one thing you’d never change?

My past because it made me who I am today and it made me realize my strength.

Someone you trust 100% offers to watch your kids for the night what are you doing?

Go play bingo. lol

What chore do you hate the most?

Doing dishes. I despise dishes.

My Nominees:

Demi Mitchell from The Lupie Momma
Amy from The adventures of a mom with a wife
Toya from The Life with LaToya
Sarah from Momin’ in the real world