I Finally Did It. Because Mommy Needs To Grow Too.

When I started my first pregnancy/parenting blog five years ago, TiredOfBeingPregnant.com, it was so I could vent about my pregnancy woes and fears. For some reason, I wasn't always comfortable talking about hemorrhoids and stretch marks with my husband, but when I came to strangers, I was all about sharing.

When I delivered my son, a few of the readers from TOBP reached out and said please don't stop writing! That's how this blog, First Time Mom and Dad, was born. I honestly had no idea that mommy bloggers existed when I started the blog. So imagine my surprise when I realized there were nine million mom bloggers! Or, 9 million mom blogs had been registered by the time I registered mine. So pretty much, I was 9,000,001. Hence the name First Time Mom and Dad, I didn't know I was supposed to come up with a funny name. I just went with what were were, first timers!

Still I love blogging. I also love love love my community and the wonderful friends I've made. Even though I knew I was a very, very small fish in a very, very, very large pond, it didn't matter, I had an awesome community that encouraged me to keep writing.

Now that I've been a mommy blogger for nearly four years, I'm ready for change. I'm ready to be more me and less mommy.  You know, go from 90% mommy and 10% me to closer to a 80/20 split. (I like to start with small goals). I'm ready to grow, learn and push myself.  I'm ready switch gears from all-day-every-day mommy, to mommy, me and more!

Long story short, I want to write about lifestyle things, not just mommy things.

All I Want On Christmas Morning Is This. First.

**I've partnered with Door County Coffee To talk about the one thing I have to have on Christmas Morning, and remind you that you probably will want the same! All opinions are my own


Somewhere between sixteen and having a child, I lost my child-like love for Christmas. I hate to say it, by my late-twenties, Christmas became an expensive holiday, that left me broke and tired.

Terrible. I know.

However, now that I have a little three year old running around, I cannot wait for Christmas! I'm so excited about the holiday season.

The Top Ten Websites For Finding Holiday Steals and Deals

(This post is 100% all me! not sponsored. at all. I use every single one of these sites to save year round!)

Prior to having a child, FTD and I would put off holiday shopping until last minute. We'd find ourselves at Target on Christmas Eve trying to talk ourselves into giving everyone a pair of footie pajamas. Now, thanks to online shopping and next day delivery, we get to do that from the comfort of our couch. #Score

Since I keep insisting to FTD that I'm an online shopping queen, I thought I would prove my worth by sharing the best holiday shopping websites for scoring great deals! Not one of them knew they were on this list prior to being published. I really believe in this list and the HUNDREDS it WILL save you! I shop at these sites.

Without further ado, The 10 Best Websites For Holiday Steals And Deals

Damn You, Halloween, You've Turned My Kid Into A Crazy Person

This was his first taste of Halloween, his Pre-K Halloween party haul. 

 And a big thank you to the mom who threw in the Apple. You've got my heart.

I am so over Halloween candy, if I never see it again, it will be too soon. My kid is so freaking candy obsessed. I'm seriously considering getting his head checked. 

Mommy! Mommy!  Pleeeeeeeeeaaaase can I have the Pumpkin? Pleeeeeeeeeeeeeeeaaaaaaaaaaaassssse!

Rinse. Repeat. NON-FREAKING-STOP!

We keep the Halloween candy on top of the refrigerator in a big plastic Pumpkin. Like the one kid's use to trick-or-treat. 

All damn day long, my kid stands at the foot of the refrigerator begging and pleaded for his precious. He cycles through empty promises of being good, begging, bargaining, crying, full-on tantrums and guilt trips. His dedication and creativity are commendable. 

This 3-in-1 Baby Chair Should Be On Every New Parent Wish List

** I wrote this review/blog post while participating in the Ingenuity Blogger Campaign and received monetary compensation and/or free products to facilitate my review.  Views and opinions are my own.

Like everything FTD and I review on the blog that requires assembly, FTD was tasked with assembling the SmartClean Trio 3-in-1 High Chair. Once together, it’s his job to test the product’s structure and strength, for the review process. (Yes, he totally tried to sit in it!)

But things didn’t go as they usually do. Not even close…

Want A Happy Baby? Give Him Happy Feet!

**I've partnered With Happy Feet Happy Baby to talk about the importance of great shoes and socks for little feet.  

My maternal Grandmother was one of my best friends. She was a sassy lady who knew what she wanted. She loved good food, fashion and times, and never missed a chance to take me off to indulge in one or all of her favorite things.

When my mother moved my siblings and I out of Miami, I still went back to visit my grandmother every summer for a few weeks. Upon my arrival we always did the same thing; we went straight to the mall for a new pair of shoes. Gammy always said, "Honey, a great pair of shoes are essential for your growing feet." We only looked for shoes that fit her two main criteria, "looked as fabulous as they were made."

To this day, everytime I buy a pair of shoes, I think of my grandmother. I employ her same reasoning about the importance of shoes being well made when shopping for my son.

I Want To Be Like That Mom. Fearless.

I say it all the time, being a parent is hard. Very Hard. It doesn't matter if you are a first-timer or been-there-done-that parent of multiples, being a parent is hard, demanding and requires a great deal of selflessness.

However, there does seem to be one thing that separates the first-time parents from the parents of multiples, constant fear.

Sometimes, I think I am the most neurotic, over-protective, paranoid parent on the planet. Then, FTD swoops in Helicopter-parent style and proves me wrong.

Being a parent means being responsible for another life. That's freaking scary enough! Then add in a love that is so intense, amazing and truly unexplainable, and you've got the recipe for staggering amounts of fear.

I worry non-stop about my kid. Even though I try not to be a helicopter-parent, I watch him like a hawk. Especially, when we are out at a social event, party, park, or really anywhere where I can make up a horrifying scenario of how he can break something, get hurt or lost.

The worst part is that the fear and paranoia constantly stand in the way of me fully relaxing and enjoying myself when out with the kid.

It sucks.

It's in these moments I see how the fear separates me, the first-timer, from the been-there-done-that parent.

First-Time Dad's Guide To Helping Around The House (FTD Humor Post)

Okay....

I get it! I haven't posted anything for a while. I'm sorry but I've been busy with the bambino. We've been trying to help mummy have some quiet time by doing our chores.

New Parents, Use THIS For Your Holiday List

**I've partnered with My Registry to share an awesome idea for Holiday Gift Lists.

Being that my little guy was born the first week of February, my entire Holiday wish list was things for him. So when anyone would ask, I would point them to my baby registry for gift ideas. It wasn't until I partnered with My Registry, did it occur to me that I should still have a holiday and birthday registry for my son.

Parenting Game-Changer And $250 Giveaway!

10 Lessons Learned (The Hard Way!) About Having A Kid In Pre-K.

Now that my little guy has been attending pre-K for nine solid weeks, I think it's time for an update about Pre-K life.

I'm pleased to say, after about three weeks, Ollie fell into the routine of school really well. He LOVES his teachers, and they love him.

When it comes to him adjusting to school life, he's been a champ. As for me... not so much.