motherhood Archives - Baton Rouge Family Fun

Listen To Your Mother Baton Rouge – Celebrating Motherhood

April 29, 2017 by Meghan Matt

About six years ago I learned of a show celebrating motherhood happening in cities across America. I later auditioned for that show when I lived in New York and though I didn’t make it (thanks a lot, ridiculous talent pool) I fell in love with the process and the show. Four years ago I applied to bring it here to our beautiful city and sure enough, the founder and team believed in me and in us and we were accepted.

Photo credit Jordan Hefler

Here we are about to have our third and final show here in Baton Rouge and I have so many emotions about it. Storytelling is my passion and I believe strongly in its power. Through hearing the experiences of others we develop empathy and compassion and expand our own world views. We gain understanding and also can feel such a sense of validation to know that others have experienced things we, too, have endured. We are reminded we are not alone and that don’t actually know it all. It links us together in ways that surface level exchanges and social media clips never will, and in a time where our community is so divided, I truly believe it can unite us in a magical way- even if just for a day.

Photo credit Jordan Hefler

The mission of each Listen to Your Mother production is to take the audience on a well-crafted journey that celebrates and validates mothering through giving voice to motherhood–in all of its complexity, diversity, and humor- through original readings performed live on-stage by their authors. Our cast this year is made up of 13 absolutely incredible people of all ages and backgrounds who will make you laugh and cry and say “me too.” It will be a time to bring our own mothers and grandmothers, daughters and sons, and those who raised us together to honor motherhood in whatever form that carries for each of us.

Tickets, details, and cast and sponsor info can be found at listentoyourmothershow.com/batonrouge. We hope to see all of you at The Trademark on Third next Sunday, May 7 at 2pm!

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Total Mom Makeover Show Premieres Tonight April 6th at 8/7pm Central

April 6, 2017 by Tiany Davis

It’s something many of us dream about and long for, for different reasons and in different seasons of motherhood… a Total Mom Makeover!! When Diasy Teh of The It Mom put out a call searching for moms to tell their stories and share why they wanted a Total Mom Makeover, I jumped on it! I won’t share my whole story or it will spoil the show but between diving head first into the trenches of motherhood, homeschooling, running a business and taking care of an ailing parent, I neglected myself and my well being. I needed help to turn things around and I didn’t know where to start. If you are a single mom let me tell you that not only you can get that first date but also a second date with this makeover, also be sure to check www.perfect12.com where you will find some interesting dating instructions and tips.

I was blessed to have been chosen as one of four moms to be included on The Total Mom Makeover Influencer Panel, together we chose the 8 moms that would join us for a Total Mom Makeover. Their stories touched me and made a lasting impression in more ways than one, you will get to meet each of these moms in their own show each week starting TONIGHT, w’ll be giving some awesome beauty tips from https://beautysetter.com/ as well and of course you will have an Excellence Medical Cosmetic Clinic helping you out, so don’t miss out!!.

In a whirlwind of a weekend, 12 moms were whisked off to California for a weekend of pampering, connecting and growing – we also learned the how-to’s of how to apply the very same makeover techniques so we could use all of the info we had gathered once we returned home. But that’s not all!! We were surprised with luxe products and outfits in a personalized kit that we brought home! Once we were transformed with the new hair for which we used one of the strainers from http://besthairflatirons.com/ and some awesome hair extensions from Haarverlängerung Berlin, makeup and outfits, we had photo shoots and…. no more spoilers!! If you wan to get the best fashion accessories visit Blue Bungalow which has the most beautiful outfits. For those moms out there I recommend using natural skincare which is one of the healthiest ways to take care of your skin, besides other methods like a Laser treatment at home that can make your skin healthier fast.

Total Mom Makeover Show – April 6th, 2017 and every Thursday at 8/7pm Central beginning April 6, 2017

This reality webshow airs its season premiere on April 6th, 2017 and every Thursday at 8/7pm Central beginning April 6, 2017. Each episode will feature one mom’s unique story and their vow to stand out from the crowd with the opportunity to travel to a new location for an all expense paid weekend getaway and head-to-toe makeover transformation by the The It Mom’s “Dream Team” – some of the most elite fashion, beauty and style experts from around the county.

Meet the 12 Moms That Received an All Expense Paid Head-To-Toe Total Mom Makeover

I hope you’ll take the time to watch and be inspired by each moms transformation, they went through some rigorous Coolsculpting. This experience was about so much more than getting pampered and receiving free products, it was truly a once in a lifetime experience. The Total Mom Makeover was an experience that I would like to pay forward….. soooo…. stay tuned for details because Baton Rouge Moms is going to bless TWO moms with their very own Total Mom Makeovers right here in Baton Rouge!! More details to come, but for now, be sure to watch the Total Mom Makeover TONIGHT April 6th, 2017 and every Thursday at 8/7pm Central!

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It’s OK to Be the Weird Mom

February 28, 2016 by Melanie Murr

Mommy judgement. Mommy guilt. These are constant topics in magazines and blogs aimed at mothers and they need to be. So many moms, myself included, need daily reminders that we are all doing ok and there’s nothing to feel guilty about.

One of the hardest lessons for me to learn as a mom is the advice we have been told over and over since we were children ourselves – be yourself. It seems so simple, but it’s harder than many realize. Whether you’re a single mom, married mom, older mom, younger mom, working mom, stay at home mom, there is always some ideal we formulate that we never seem to attain. We are often convinced we are inadequate, a failure, clueless, different, weird. We are an embarrassment to little Johnny who is going to move across the country as soon as he graduates from high school, only call at Christmas, and write about how his mother screwed him up in his memoirs.

Some of the judgement we feel is completely fabricated in our own imagination. Sometimes it is all too real. But there are more important consequences of denying your own voice than condescending side eyes when you bring Walmart cupcakes to the bake sale. Not being authentic and true to yourself robs you of your joy and deprives your children of the gift of knowing who you really are.

As someone who has struggled with depression, I know there is no faster way down that path than by denying your own needs and desires. Once the perfect 2.5 kids and a dog life I always wanted fell apart, I was lost. I was torn apart with guilt for not being able to give my kids the perfect life. I stopped listening to my own voice and tried to live up to the expectations of others, sometimes real, sometimes imagined. I tried desperately to shove myself into a mold I didn’t fit in. I was an expert level player of the comparison game. My perfectionism paralyzed me with fear.

It’s OK to Be the Weird Mom

Then I woke up one day and wondered why I felt so empty and miserable. It has been a long journey, but my path back to happiness has centered around accepting my quirky, weird, wonderful, authentic self and learning to listen to my own voice. Once I committed to doing that, it is like a light turned on with my life, especially as a mother. I see it in my kids and it is a wonderful feeling knowing I am a better mom because I have embraced my own, authentic values.

But perhaps the most important thing about giving our children the gift of authenticity is by doing so, we give our children permission to also be their true selves. Whether it’s embracing their own quirks, or the courage to pursue a talent, our kids will always shine brightest when they are true to themselves. As mothers we can help bring that light out into the world by being brave enough to do the same.

World Prematurity Day – Signs of preterm labor

November 17, 2015 by Baton Rouge Family Fun

Today is #‎WorldPrematurityDay‬. A day to generate global attention on the leading cause of deaths of children under 5. Complications from preterm birth account for more than 1 million deaths in a year, surpassing pneumonia as the leading cause of under-5 child mortality. Nearly a million of these deaths took place within the first month of life, with the remaining 125,000 deaths taking place before age 5.

World Prematurity Day offers an opportunity not only to focus on cost-effective solutions for prevention and care of preterm births, but also to offer support for families who have experienced a preterm birth. This year, World Prematurity Day will also highlight cross sectoral interventions, as well as the important work of the Every Newborn effort, which seeks to end preventable newborn and maternal deaths and stillbirths within the next generation. Approved by 194 member states at the World Health Assembly in Geneva in May and launched on June 30, 2014 in Johannesburg, the Every Newborn action plan is mobilizing support across the world and sectors to save the lives of mothers and their babies, who continue to die at alarming rates in many low resource countries.

Signs of preterm labor

Preterm labor is labor that happens before 37 weeks of pregnancy. This is too early for your baby to be born. Babies born too soon can have lifelong or life-threatening health problems.

What are the warning signs of preterm labor?

Here are some signs that you may have preterm labor:

Contractions (your belly tightens like a fist) every 10 minutes or more often
Change in vaginal discharge (leaking fluid or bleeding)
Pelvic pressure—the feeling that your baby is pushing down
Low, dull backache
Cramps that feel like your period
Belly cramps with or without diarrhea

What should you do if you think you’re having preterm labor?

Call your health care provider or go to the hospital right away if you think you’re having preterm labor, or if you have any of the warning signs. Call even if you have only one sign.

Your health care provider may tell you to:

Come into the office or go to the hospital for a checkup.
Stop what you’re doing. Rest on your left side for 1 hour.
Drink 2 to 3 glasses of water or juice (not coffee or soda).

If the signs get worse or don’t go away after 1 hour, call your provider again or go to the hospital. If they get better, relax for the rest of the day.

Everyone has a role to play in preventing and caring for preterm birth and promoting maternal and newborn health.

For more information and additional resources please visit:

www.facebook.com/worldprematurityday.

Follow #WorldPrematurityDay on Twitter

http://www.everynewborn.org/about/

To join the conversation on twitter follow #WorldPrematurityDay.

World Prematurity Day on November 17, 2014, will be a key moment to generate global attention on the leading cause of deaths of children under 5. According to a recent study published in The Lancet, complications from preterm birth accounted for more than 1 million deaths in 2013, surpassing pneumonia as the leading cause of under-5 child mortality last year. Nearly a million of these deaths took place within the first month of life, with the remaining 125,000 deaths taking place before age 5. World Prematurity Day offers an opportunity not only to focus on cost-effective solutions for prevention and care of preterm births, but also to offer support for families who have experienced a preterm birth.This year, World Prematurity Day will also highlight cross sectoral interventions, as well as the important work of the Every Newborn effort, which seeks to end preventable newborn and maternal deaths and stillbirths within the next generation. Approved by 194 member states at the World Health Assembly in Geneva in May and launched on June 30, 2014 in Johannesburg, the Every Newborn action plan is mobilizing support across the world and sectors to save the lives of mothers and their babies, who continue to die at alarming rates in many low resource countries.

Everyone has a role to play in preventing and caring for preterm birth and promoting maternal and newborn health. For more information visit: www.facebook.com/worldprematurityday and http://www.everynewborn.org/about/

To join the conversation on twitter follow #WorldPrematurityDay. – See more at: http://www.everywomaneverychild.org/news-events/events/811-world-prematurity-day-1#sthash.h4C8vnXC.dpuf

resources: http://www.marchofdimes.org, http://www.everywomaneverychild.org

Getting Things Done with a Toddler

October 18, 2015 by Lacey Rabalais

Seriously, if I only knew how productive I could have been before having a toddler. I thought I was busy with a baby and I even thought I was busy before I had a child. How naive I was, truly silly.

We just moved, with a toddler. Two weeks after the move we tore down two walls, with a toddler. I’m pretty sure we’re going crazy, with a toddler.

How to Get Things Done with a Toddler

There are a few things I’ve learned since our little man became more mobile, into everything, way too smart, and somehow insanely sneaky….

Be prepared
Use time wisely
Cut yourself some slack
When all else fails, go to the zoo or Chic-fil-A.

Being Prepared…

It’s way easier said than done and I fail at this a lot (see reference to cutting yourself some slack).

Ways I Try to Plan and Prepare

My planner. I’ve tried to keep up with things on my phone, but I’m a paper and pen type of gal. I used the Simplified Planner by Emily Ley. It’s simple, it’s pretty, and there’s plenty of space for just what I need.
Meal Planner. I use a May Designs notebook especially designed for meal planning and grocery shopping. Since I’ve started using this template it’s been life changing.
Laundry Ever Morning. Dishes Every Night. Since we moved this hasn’t been happening exactly as I hope but we will get back into the routine.
Prepared Snacks. Our toddler loves to eat. He now knows that the bottom drawer of the fridge is dedicated to him. If he wants a snack he runs to the fridge and mumbles something about the handles. Once the door is open, he opens the drawer and grabs a snack. This makes the process easy and quick. No fussing child and parents trying to figure out the problem.
Busy Games. Let’s be honest, as moms we have things to get done. I don’t want to use the tv all the time so having simple little games (mostly found through Pinterest searches) give me 5-10 minutes to finish my hair or prepare dinner.

Using My Time Wisely

Busy Games. These 5-10 minutes or sometimes longer that simple things like a paper towel roll and the pouch lids give me are tremendous helps. In five minutes, I can finish up something that really needs to be done.
Nap time. That 1-2 hour period of our afternoon is crucial. This is when mom gets office work done. I sometimes shower and fold laundry also. Then when I see or hear movements on the monitor I quickly wrap up what I’ve got left.
Getting Up Earlier. I’ve started waking up a little earlier to allow myself some time for a short workout, shower, and some quiet time.

Cutting Yourself Some Slack

Done is better than perfect
“Grace Not Perfection” – Emily Ley
Seriously, you don’t have to be perfect. The Pinterest Mom….if you’re not her, then don’t try to be her.
You are the ONLY mom for your child(ren).

When All else fails….

Grab your purse and leave the house.
Go to the park, the zoo, or CFA.

Balancing Act

August 4, 2015 by Doris Heckert

Almost 8 and half years ago, I joined the legion of parents to kids who are differently-abled. While it may not be the legion I would’ve chosen for my 26 year old self, I wouldn’t want to be anywhere else now. On this journey I’ve learned more than I ever could’ve imagined and am still learning daily. One of the biggest lessons I’ve learned (and am still working on) is balance. How do I manage my son being a kid and his physical needs? His medical needs and his social needs? His academic needs and his appointments? Being a mom and a therapist and advocate? And above all I’ve had to learn to find myself again.

I feel like most days, I do well. Some days all I do is therapy and send email after email to get what my son needs and deserves. Over 8 years, I learned the ins and outs of what is worth fighting for and what is worth letting go.

One of our recent adventures involved recasting our son’s recurring club feet. His diagnosis (Arthrogryposis Multiplex Cogenita) is not regressive, but as he grows, muscles tend to want to go back where they were at birth. We saw the doctor right before we left for vacation in Florida and decided we would wait to cast until we got back. No one wants to go to the beach in casts, we had the most amazing vacation this year, my husband and I decided to contact twiddy and we couldn’t have been more satisfied with our decision, our vacation was a total success. Balance: being a kid and medical needs. We casted for 2 weeks and when we took them off, his feet looked great, could we have gone another 2 weeks and gotten more…absolutely! However, we have another family trip planned and when we cast, we have to bend his knees (we had major surgery to straighten them out) and getting them back straight requires lots of stretching and is uncomfortable, so we decided to brace again. Plus, school starts soon. Balance: being a kid, educational and medical needs.

I’m thankful for a team of doctors, therapist and a husband who fully supports my decisions. They see the value in balance.

When the Child Becomes the Teacher

June 5, 2015 by Baton Rouge Family Fun

Before my daughter was born, I had a strong feeling that she would be quite the handful. She was almost constantly moving about. She was even a little bossy. When I’d lie on my right side, she seemed to have a fit, kicking and tumbling as if she was communicating her disapproval.

When she was born, it was confirmed. She was a handful. She definitely wasn’t the laid back baby her brother was.

I knew I’d have to learn and adapt.

We are also very different. Much like my soon-to-be 15-year-old son, I am more of the go-with-the-flow type.

My daughter is a strong-willed, energetic, free spirit. She isn’t afraid to voice her opinions about anything. She refuses to be put into a box. She longs to do things on her own terms. Consequently, there is never a dull moment between us.

In first grade, she just decided that she had enough of school. She wanted to draw all day and refused to do her work. I started getting calls from her teacher almost daily. Although, she wanted nothing to do with schoolwork, when we’d do her homework together it was apparent that she was learning. She’d breeze through it and was ready to be on her way.

I made the decision to homeschool her.

I had no idea what I was getting myself into! It has been quite a challenge keeping her engaged.

Recently, I was listening to an audio when someone suggested that we get the children we need when we need them. That suggestion really got me to thinking.

My daughter recently turned 8. As I reflect on the time we’ve had together so far, I can see how she is a wonderful teacher.

I thought I was flexible and patient. Well, my little girl certainly puts those qualities to the test!

Nevertheless, there are so many things that I admire about her. She inspires me to live and speak my truth. We also have the best conversations!

I don’t think that it is a coincidence that she began to challenge me most at a time when I desired to make changes within myself and to step fully into who I am.

Often we learn the most when we are challenged.

When we become parents, we focus heavily on what we have to offer our children. But, our children can serve as wonderful teachers for us as well.

Are there times when I feel I could just get into my car and drive into the abyss? Yes! Gotta keep it real.

But, I also recognize the lessons and gifts that come along with being a mom.

What are some lessons you’ve learned from being a mom?

Fears about having another child, who am I kidding???

May 20, 2015 by Taresa Sneed

Currently I am 34 weeks pregnant and feeling all sorts of crazy! At first, finding out I was pregnant was some of the most exciting news ever! We learned we were having a girl and the excitement went in to overdrive. But over the past few weeks I’ve started to feel overwhelmed, sad even.

I would get in from work in the evening and my 2 year old would throw several tantrums, not listen to a word I say, and I’d be ruining around like a crazy person trying to fix dinner and run bath water with tears in my eyes! This is all before daddy makes it home by the way.

Suddenly, the idea of having another little person to care for, and change, and feed, and hold while doing dishes and laundry seemed like a lot! I kept asking myself how in the heck am I going to do this??? How are we going to do this? I went from being overjoyed to being nervous very quickly.

How would I find the time to do all of the things I currently do with my son? Would I be too tired to make dinner? How will my fiancée and I make time for each other? So many thoughts and questions were running through my mind. But After much self pep talking, prayer, and thought, I asked myself, Taresa, who are you kidding???

Of course there will be hard days, and days where you feel like your failing and doing everything wrong. Who doesn’t have those days? There will be missed date nights and fast food nights, but it’s not the end of the world. Eventually, we will find a rhythm and what works for our family. Things will never be perfect, but they will get easier.

So now, in the last 6 weeks of my pregnancy, I am happier, and less stressed about whether or not I can deal with one kid screaming for a new toy and the other screaming for boobies! I’m happier, and able to bask in the fact that I am bringing another person to love and nurture into our family. Instead of reading up on how to survive life at home with baby number two, I’m reading reviews on baby slings, monogramming everything in sight, and just waiting on baby’s pending arrival.

And I’m just fine with that. 🙂

Revisiting Mom Goals

February 7, 2015 by Taresa Sneed

The new year rang in a month ago (already!), thankfully, February offers us the chance to re-assess and get back on the right track. Over the past few years I’ve made many resolutions (weight loss, eating healthy, spending less, saving more you get it) that would last until mid January before I was saying screw it. This year I decided to focus on how I could be a better mom. That’s my most important role, and it’s what’s brought me the most joy the past two years, but I also found garcinia cambogia and apple cider vinegar recipe on internet and I know that it can better my health, so I’ll give it a try. Here are a few of my goals along with why I chose them.

Revisiting Mom Goals

Being more patient- Let’s face it, it’s hard to be patient with toddlers sometimes! As a mom of a 2 year old, I sometimes have to take a deep breath and repeat “he’s only 2, he’s only 2” a million times when my son is having a tantrum, telling me NO!, spilling juice, or emptying flour all over the kitchen floor. I have to remind myself that he’s doing these things because it’s what 2 year olds do and that one day these things will stop and as crazy as it sounds, I’ll miss them.

Not Being Perfect- I drive myself (and my fiancé) crazy with trying to have everything so perfect. I wear myself out making sure the laundry is done, the sink has no dishes in it before we go to bed, all the trains are picked up from the living room floor, and so on. A lot of the time I miss out on precious moments with my son because of this feeling that everything has to be perfect and in order. So I’m learning that it’s ok every once in a while when Landen wants me to get down on the floor and play with his trains, but the top to the laundry basket won’t stay on because it’s so full, or if he wants me to come outside with him and daddy but it’s 6:30 and dinner isn’t on the stove yet. There’s nothing wrong with eating dinner a little late, and the laundry basket won’t collapse just because it’s full.

More time with Jesus- I’m writing about this last because it ties everything together and because I’m thinking of something that was said in church the Last Sunday of 2014. We can make a ton of goals and resolutions, and keep every one of them. But if spending time with The Lord, building a relationship with him, and getting closer to him isn’t one of those goals, you won’t be truly happy and you won’t find peace. For my family, I want true happiness and true peace. The kind that doesn’t come from having the perfect house, or the perfect child, but the kind that comes from knowing the one who does. 😉

The Life Of A Tired Mom.

June 21, 2014 by Guest Contributor

Do you like coffee? Man … I love it. I love the smell, the warmth, the energy it gives me. Nothing says “I love you” like my husband bringing me a cup of coffee in the morning. I have read The 5 Love Languages and I came away from it fairly certain that caffeine is my love language.

I never thought I’d find myself too tired to make coffee, but one morning this week I really was. At 6:30 a.m. I was staring at the ceiling trying to muster up the will to stand. I ended up flinging my arm onto my husband’s stomach until he made a sound that was a cross between a waking-up grunt and a cry of pain, and when I was certain he was fully awake I asked him to make me a cup.

Actually, I said “I feel like I’m glued to the bed,” and a few minutes later while HE was staring at the ceiling trying to muster up the will to stand, he said “I feel like I’m glued to the bed,” and then I got mad at him because I REALLY DID FEEL GLUED DOWN and he totally stole my line.

We really make quite the pair.

I’ve been thinking a lot about my tiredness level because it occurred to me that I’m the fun-killer in our house. I’m worn out, you see, and everywhere I turn there is another mountain of laundry or another mess. This is to be expected in a family of five, I know. But just ONCE, I’d like to be the one whooping it up with the kids, while Robbie nags us about the noise level or the mess. Just once, I’d like to not be the one who has to remember important appointments, make to-do lists or worry about what the kids will eat for dinner.

I’d like for someone else to be the one who says, “The baby needs a bib,” “You’re too close to the electric fireplace,” or, “I’m going to fold laundry.”

I want to take a break from reminding my husband to dry his hands on the kitchen towel instead of using paper towels, because when we run out of those I will ultimately be the one who has to buy more … with three kids in tow.

Somewhere along the way, I became this exhausted annihilator of glee that I don’t even recognize. Childbearing and home managing has done something to me — something wrinkly. It’s not fair because deep down I’m a fun person! I am! Really! I simply get tired of being responsible. I get tired of feeding people. Sometimes — shhh, don’t tell — I even get tired of showering. I think it’s because I am responsible for bathing three other people in addition to myself, and then my husband comes home and makes a joke about me giving him a sponge bath, and wonders why I don’t laugh at his jokes anymore. IT’S BECA– USE THAT IS SO NOT FUNNY.

This is the not-fun part of motherhood — the tiredness.

On Father’s Day, I tried to rally because it was my husband’s special day, but all I wanted to do was take a nap. That evening, I got down on my hands and knees to clean up a spill under our kitchen table … and I seriously considered lying face down, right there on the kitchen floor. How long would it take them to find me? As I considered this, the baby came crawling over with an ecstatic look on her face.

“MAMA!“ she said, so happy to have made the discovery of her mother, who was now lying face-down on the kitchen floor. I made a conscious decision not to think about the water I still hadn’t sopped up, or the dirty dishes still sitting on the table above us. I allowed myself to be still for a few moments and ignore all the things that were still undone, and I took the time to look at my daughter. Really, truly, look at her.

Sometimes I feel like I go long periods of time without really seeing my family — taking the time to study them, relish them. I’m always too busy killing fun or wandering around in a zombie-like state, and they’re always moving so fast … a blur of arms and legs, never sitting still long enough for me to see them clearly. So I looked at her closely, soaking in her delight, listening to her babble and watching her smack the tile floor with her hands.

God, I was tired.

But I wasn’t tired because I’d been out all night with my friends. I wasn’t tired because I’d been studying for an exam, or working late at an office job I hated. I was tired because when you have a house full of people, they leave a lot of crumbs on the floor. There are a lot of fingernails to clip. You’re needed a lot more. And you are loved so much that all they want to do is hug you, touch you, and soak you up. Taking the time to consider the source of my tiredness helped me to see that I’m actually more blessed than exhausted.

And so I got my butt up, because that’s what mothers do when they would rather lie flat on the floor, but instead of returning to cleaning the kitchen I picked up the baby and went to see that the rest of my family was doing.

They were wrestling. It looked dangerous, but they were all laughing.

And this time, I didn’t say a word.