MY Second Trimester Essentials

Absolutely nothing beats the ease of the Second Trimester, commonly referred to as the "honeymoon period", and for very good reason. Your awkward baby bloat has finally turned into a really cute baby bump, the morning sickness hopefully has made its exit, and if you're interested, you could even learn the sex of your baby! For all of its perks, the second trimester isn't without its drawbacks: think itchy skin from all the growing, difficulty finding comfortable positions, and the ever prominent "mommy brain." Growing a baby is taxing. Here's a few things that helped me get through weeks 13-27.

With the beautiful baby bump comes the worst dry skin itch ever! My skin was absolutely parched. So I have to confess, when I'm pregnant I am the biggest wimp. I complain like nobody's business....NO ONE and I mean no one cares lol. My family has decided that with each pregnancy they will ignore my incessant whining with utmost zeal.

Once I realized no one was listening, I decided to go ahead and heal myself. I remembered I'd purchased Shea Moisture's Raw Shea Butter Chamomile and Argan Oil Baby Eczema Therapy and Oyin Handmade's Whipped Pudding Moisture Cream when I was desperately seeking a solution to Rose's winter eczema. They didn't work for her, but I figured it wouldn't hurt me to try it out on myself. Amazing! The smells of each of these products is nice and subtle, so they didn't upset my stomach or give me a headache. And the richness was just what my skin needed in order to calm down the dryness.

Sugar Scrubs are also good at moisturizing the skin. You can either purchase one or make some at home. Either way your skin will thank you. 

I got rid of most of my maternity clothes after I had the Super Twins, but I found a hand-me-down Bella Band in one of my storage containers (Thanks Shelly!) If you're short on funds or you're just not willing to commit to purchasing an entire maternity wardrobe that you're probably only gonna use once, then the Bella Band is something you may want to consider. Its just a piece of fabric that I pull over my pants to keep them from falling down while allowing me to wear my pants unbuttoned. I was able to continue wearing my normal pants for a few extra months.

I enjoyed this trimester. I had so much energy this time (completely different from my twin pregnancy). Did you have any special essentials during your second trimester? Share with me in the comments I'd love to know.

The Terrible Two's

As I type this post the Super Twins are in the middle of their 10th tantrum today.

The terrible twos are that horrible period where the beautiful little people that you fell in love with over the 9 months of pregnancy and nurtured throughout the first year and a half of their lives become the gremlins that you can't stand to be around. Its that horrible phase where they have the capability to tell you that they want a certain doll and they want to watch a specific show and they want to only eat one dish for every meal, BUT they can't explain to you that they're tired or frustrated or angry or sad. So because they have no grasp over their emotional responses to environmental stimuli they just scream at the top of their lungs all day long. 

In the middle of a fit where Addi is asking me for what I assumed was water I oblige what is actually a very simple request, but here's the catch...its not the right cup. In fact, none of the cups I'm offering her are the right cup. Apparently I missed todays PSA where I was supposed to learn the "Cup of the Day." She's screaming, shes jumping, she's crying so hard. Screams for water then turn into screams for "Nannas." I don't have anymore bananas. Total chaos ensues. 

Every day I feel like I'm flailing. Time out doesn't work. Nap time is all shot to hell. And I can't always get them to eat. Nevermind that I've made what I thought was a fool-proof kid-friendly meal. In this moment, I am not enough. I wish I had a solution to the terrible two's. I wish the advice that well-meaning strangers give when my girls have completely lost their shit in the middle of the grocery store. It doesn't matter that I've fed them, gave them a nap, packed toys for the trip...NOTHING WORKS.

I wish I could say that in this moment I didn't blame myself. That I didn't question whether I'm a good mom. But that's not the case. I am not enough. I hate this phase. And its nowhere to being over.

Practice What You Preach

I absolutely HATE liver! I remember my mom making this a few times when I was a kid. I feel like at some point I actually used to enjoy this cut of beef, BUT she let me touch it while it was raw and I never touched it again lol. She won't let me live that down btw, but I digress. Here's how I did it. I cut the liver into teeny little pieces and mixed it up real good with the rice and gravy. Then I ate big spoonfuls until all the meat was gone! Here's WHY I did it. I often tell the kids they have to open their mouths and eat. They're at that age where picky eating is common. Their tastebuds are still developing...if I let them they would only eat pancakes for every meal of the day. They're also at the age where they want to do whatever I'm doing. If I tell them to do something and then I don't do the same, what am I really teaching them? I am their first teacher. I have to be the example and I take that responsibility very seriously. Liver womps! But I bought it, it's cooked, and I'm not gonna waste it. Here's to being a leader!