Potty Training & Keeping Your Sanity

Potty Training....those dreaded words. I'll be honest with you, I was dreading it when that time came. I didn't push my daughter Sophia at all. I wasn't looking forwards to it at all. When she started to show interest we began sitting her on her little potty. A few times she would be pee, but I'm certain that was just coincidence. Shortly after that she decided she wasn't interested at all. 

I love seeing those articles about how to potty train your kid in 3 days. Yeah. 3 Days. I'm not saying its not possible but for most kids, its just NOT realistic. 

Tip #1

First thing- they HAVE to be ready. Ease into the process and don't push them. Let them go at their own pace. That would be my first piece of advice. And then if they go backwards? Its okay! Take a break. They aren't ready.

Tip #2

Training Potty Vs. the "big potty"

I'm pretty sure this is more parent preference lol! I've heard a few moms say "I am NOT cleaning that little potty!". We opted with the training potty. Here's why:

Scenario at my house EVERY day

Sophia: I gotta potty!

(Mom or dad takes child to bathroom- they do nothing)

Maybe 10 minutes later

Sophia: I gotta potty!

(Mom or dad takes child to bathroom- they do nothing)

Around 5 Minutes Later

Sophia: I gotta potty!

(Mom or Dad takes child to bathroom- they do nothing)

And this goes ON AND ON

Remedy? We brought her potty in our living room and sat it in front of the tv. We put either a pull up on her or training panties

These are great because they are thick and extra absorbent! By doing this, it allowed Sophia to be more independent and helped her to be able to go by herself and when she felt she needed to. 

Now your probably wondering...what about when we go out in public? Well I've heard some parents admit that they keep an extra training potty in their vehicle (you do what ya gotta do, right?). Thankfully right about the time she started telling us when we went out that she had to potty, she began getting interested in using the "big potty" and now thats all she'll use now!

Tip #3

Rewards

Kids need rewards. We all like praise when we do something good! Find what works for your kid! Sophia loves stickers and M&Ms. The Dollar Tree always has great sticker selections so we keep plenty on hand. Sometimes her reward will be a special activity. You could even create a small treasure chest will little items in there and let them choose a prize! Once they start doing good, take them to the store and let them pick out undies with their favorite character! 

Tip #4

Almost There

So we're finally at the point with Sophia where she's going to the "Big Potty" all day long. We even forgot one night and put her to bed in her panties. Thank the Lord she didn't pee! She got lots of praise and rewards that morning! We try to leave her in her panties all day and when we make small trips. Longer trips and overnight we'll put a pullup or diaper on her.

Every child is different with what works for them. I hope that you find some of these tips helpful during your potty training experience!

Gift Certificates with Ashley Parker Photography

Christmas is just around the corner guys! There are always difficult people to shop for on your list. They seem to have everything they need so why not gift them something special that will capture precious memories. Gift Certificates from Ashley Parker Photography are available! They can be made available for any amount! Ashley Parker Photography specializes in children offering our very popular Grow With Me Package that includes sessions from newborn to first birthday. Looking for something simple? Our most popular sessions are 1st Birthday/Cake Smashes! 

For all sessions, digital images are provided on an online gallery. You also have the option to purchase prints through there as well.

Your sessions may be hosted in our studio or at your favorite location!

Contact Ashley Parker Photography today to purchase your gift certificate.

Mention this ad and get $10 off your own session when you purchase a gift certificate!!

Ashley Parker

Located in Union Hall, Va

www.ashleyparkerphoto.com 

ashleyparkerphoto@hotmail.com

Halloween Fun

Halloween will be here in just a few short days. I love halloween and the fun it brings for the kids but its also a fun time for crafts and family time! Pinterest is one of my favorite places to find those great craft ideas! I thought it'd be fun to share a few of those ideas here so you could try them with your little ones! They make such fun activities as well as great keepsake items!

Candy Corn Foot Prints

Fingerpaint Art Pumpkins

Salt Dough Pumpkins

Fingerprint Fall Tree

Pumpkin Spice Playdough

What crafts have you done with your little one? We'd love to hear about them! 

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Popreal: Mommy & Me Outfits

One of my favorite things about having a little girl is that I get to dress her up! Its even better when we can match! I'm always on the hunt for cute outfits that are age appropriate and stylish. Outfits that are a good price are definitely a plus too since my 2 year old seams to grow out of everything so quickly! 

Popreal has so many cute things on their site! From shoes to children's accessories and mommy & me matching outfits, they've got it all! The best part is their great prices. I was surprised at how affordable the items were. 

Sophia and I recently had the opportunity to work with Popreal! They allowed us to choose 2 of their outfits to review on the blog. Can I just say how tough it was to pick favorites! There were SO many cute selections! The Mum Girl Stripes 2 Piece Set caught my eye right away!

 I love how classy and simple it was! Dress is up with pearls & heals or dress it down with some sandals! Sophia and I felt like true princesses in our outfits! The set includes the skirt which has a thin black pinstripe design and a tulle overlay. The top is made of a thin black cotton material and has a button clasp in the back. I love the lace detail around the neckline!

We also chose this fun summer Maxi Dress set!

These colors just scream summer time! 

My favorite part about this set was that it was the perfect length for me! I am 5'2  and it was a perfect floor length. I also loved how flowy the material was. It wasn't real clingy and it has a great thickness to it so that you couldn't see through the white part of it!

Love these outfits as much as we did?! 

Popreal has some great promotions going on this month!

The All Natural Momma

November of 2016 I decided to take my first step towards a healthier and natural lifestyle. I was introduced to Young Living Essential Oils and purchased my very first Premium Starter Kit.

Why did I do it? Honestly, I was SO desperate! I had some health issues and had tried almost everything to take care of it and nothing seemed to work. Little did I know that receiving that kit would be one of the greatest things ever!

Since joining Young Living and being surrounded by many other ladies I quickly began to step back and take a look at the products we were using. Little by little I've been able to replace those items with natural items created by Young Living or even products that I've made myself using essential oils! For example- this weekend I made my very own Bug Spray and I was able to kick my dryer sheets to the curb and replaced them with essential oil scented dryer balls! Its unbelievable how affordable it is and it gives you such a wonderful feeling!

I also LOVE that I'm able to safely use many essential oils with my daughter who's 2. 

She is getting used to them and loves for mommy to rub them on her feet. That's her nightly "foot massage"! My favorite is blending peppermint, lemon & R.C. with coconut oil and rubbing it on her chest. Its amazing for coughing! You guys....this stuff is like magic! Rub it on at bedtime and say goodbye to the pesky cough!

Why the Premium Starter Kit?

Well because its pretty amazing, its a great price AND it includes some of the best oils to get you started! Get everything pictured above plus MORE for $160. Y'all this kit is retail at over $300! You can't beat this AND best of all....the bottle of Tangerine is FREE with it this month! So you have 1 more day left to take advantage of it! 

When you become a wholesale member it also gives you our member discount! You'll get 24% off for life! No sales requirements at all..just place a $50 order per year!

There are also some great options to earn more oils for free!

What are you waiting for????!!!!

Get it here >> https://oily.life/ashleyparker/young-living-premium-starter-kit/ 

Agnes & Dora Clothing // Stylish Clothes for Moms on the Go

Who says you can't be comfy AND look super chic and gorgeous? 

Agnes & Dora provides a variety of fun and beautiful patterns in all different styles!

As a mom, I've quickly learned that comfort is definitely important while chasing a toddler around! 

Agnes & Dora designs and manufactures a variety of products to fit every age, shape & style. The majority of their products are made in the US and may be purchased through any independent sales representative across the US or Canada on their site. 

The amazing Katie with Agnes & Dora sent us a super fun pair of their leggings to review! 

These fun aztec patterned leggings included lots of fun colors and are perfect for spring! I chose to pair them with a button up denim high low top and added a turquoise chunky necklace and sandals. 

The leggings are made of 80% polyester, 12% cotton and 8% spandex and its recommended that they are washed inside out in cold water and dried flat! After wearing these throughout the afternoon and chasing my daughter around, I am definitely impressed. There was no riding up at all and the super stretchy material allowed me to play and run around with ease! 

The leggings are available in sizes xs through xl.

Agnes & Dora has so many more amazing pieces of clothing.
I absolutely LOVE their tops and the dresses are gorgeous! Everything is designed for comfort!

Katie is giving away a $10 shop credit to one of our lucky readers!
To enter, head on over to our Facebook Page for details!

Agnes & Dora by Katie Lee- Independent Rep
Join their Facebook Group Here

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Essential Oils & Terrible Two's

If you have kids then you probably know the "terrible 2's" all too well....

The meltdowns over pretty much nothing, yeah.

From the time we walk through the door in the evenings till bedtime, life is SO dramatic for our toddler. Absolutely EVERYTHING is a big deal!

She didn't want her pink sippy cup, she wanted her "big girl cup" that she got for christmas....the one that doesn't have a lid and she spills everywhere

She wanted the WHOLE bag of chips, not the little bowl of chips you gave her

She didn't want you to break her piece of candy in half (we knew she'd shove the whole thing in her mouth at once)

She didn't want you to tear her coloring sheet out of her coloring book

You touched her

You wouldn't let her walk around with no diaper

You put beans on her plate....she didn't want them on her plate, she wanted them on her tray to her highchair

......and the list could go on FOREVER!

Usually by the time 8:00 rolls around we're putting on her Pj's and trying to get her calmed down for bed time (which again is another battle). I've recently started getting into Essential Oils and I have stumbled across a few oils that are great for helping us through these wild days with our 2 year old!

If your like me, your desperate to try anything to calm down your kiddos....or help them sleep. 

Lavender

I absolutely love lavender for Sophia. Its a great oil for a couple of reasons. Its wonderful for skin support (dry skin, excema, burns, scarring, rashes, cuts), calming, sleep, allergies, stress

Gentle Baby

calms & relaxes babies, relieves colic, diaper rash, reduces stress during pregnancy, reduces stretch marks, soothing for chapped skin, rejuvenate skin, reduces scar tissue

(dilute with carrier oil and rub where needed; put a drop in moms hand and have baby inhale, diffuse 2 to 3 drops in room)

Peace & Calming

meditation, tantrums (yes please-dilute and apply to back of neck and feet of children to calm over activity and put a stop to tantrums!), overactive pets, teeth grinding, insomnia, relaxing bath, anxiety, massage

Sleepyize

Does exactly what it says! AND its part of Young Living's KidScents collection! 

They are specially formulated to just the right strength for children so you never have to dilute them!

Apply to children's feet as a part of a before nap or bedtime routine! 

To learn more about essential oils, check out my website below:

https://oily.life/ashleyparker/young-living-premium-starter-kit/

A Bubbleguppies Birthday Party ~ Sophia Turns 2

Its hard to believe that Sophia is 2! It seems like just yesterday when we were rushing to the hospital! I can remember all the details so vividly!  Choosing a party theme for a toddler can be tough! I started my party planning back in December. At the time Sophia wasn't really into anything so I had decided on a Mermaid Theme! Pinterest had given me plenty ideas on cheap DIY decorations as always and I couldn't wait to get started! As January rolled around she became a bit more interested in Nick Jr's Bubbleguppies! She loves the music and can't wait to watch it in the evenings when we get home! Luckily for mommy, it was easy enough to transition from a mermaid theme to Bubbleguppies! 

The Invitations

This mom always likes to do fun custom invitations. Its one of the things I spend a little extra money on just to make it special! As I browsed the web, I just couldn't find anything to match what I wanted.  Thankfully being a photographer, I'm familiar enough with Photoshop to be able to create my own designs! I was able to put together this adorable invitation for Sophia's 2nd birthday! 

I was also able to luck out and find the characters on google for download for FREE!

They are great to print out for decoration!

Decorations

Y'all, our decorations were super SIMPLE. 

I'm talking balloons and then lots of green crepe paper "sea weed"

I also had a super cute "happy birthday" banner that I found at Target's dollar section a while back. The colors matched perfectly!

I also created a fun chalkboard with her stats for everyone to see as they walked in!

The Cake

A special cake makes the party! We love to put a lot of thought into the cake! 

The amazing Sarah's Cuppycake Boutique made Sophia's cake. She even added a little something extra special by adding the fish bowl in the middle! It was a bit hit and Everyone absolutely LOVED it! The inside of the cake was a delicious cookies & cream on the bottom layer and a yummy strawberry flavor for the top layer! 

Throwing a Bubbleguppies party for your little one? We'd love to hear your ideas! 

The terrible two's - Choosing your battles wisely

Wow! Its hard to believe that in just a couple of months my baby will be 2! I remember like it was yesterday being in the hospital room holding her. Time flies by so fast its scary! 

My Sophia is currently 22 months old. She is sassy, smart and loves to laugh. She's super polite and will repeat everything you say. 

She absolutely LOVES eating. She's constantly wanting a "nack" and usually asks for a "tootie" (cookie) or "tattur" (cracker). She looks at you with those big puppy dog eyes and its hard to say no (after she's eaten half the bag) because you don't want her to get a tummy ache. 

When you say that horrible 2 letter word NO, oh my goodness. Its like her world crumbles.

She fall into the floor face down and cries. OR something she stomps her little feet and says "no no no no no!"....and then peeks at you to see if its working. 

Oh the terrible twos.....and she's not technically two yet!

One thing I've learned so far is that mommy tends to give in to more than daddy does.

To me its choosing your battle wisely. Is it really worth a meltdown to let her get her own cookie out of the bag instead of me handing it to her? 

She's very independent and loves to do everything herself. 

I love that about her but at times it can be a little frustrating when you know she needs help.

How did you handle your terrible twos? 

North Mountain Candle Company - Holiday Aroma Melts Giveaway

Our first giveaway of the holiday season is here! Today, North Mountain Candle Company has taken over The Mommy Room on Facebook! Shop small this holiday season and give everyone on your shopping list something special!

North Mountain Candle Co is giving away this super fun set of 8 Aroma Melts in assorted holiday scents! You can earn multiple entries below to increase your chances of winning!

Be sure to follow them on their Facebook to enter as well!

*Giveaway items shipping free within the US. Winners outside of the US must pay shipping*

Shop their Website

Follow them on Facebook

Follow them on Instagram

Pastry Base - Subscription Box Review

Now that my daughter is 19 months old, I love finding activities that we can do together. She loves being a helper whether we're cleaning up the house or baking in the kitchen! When I discovered PastryBase on Instagram I couldn't wait to give them a try! 

PastryBase Custom Bakery located in Virginia Beach is launching their brand new baking box subscription project! Their very first box launches November 11th and we were excited to be able to try it out early! When signing up for your subscription you can choose from a 3 month or 6 month subscription or a la carte boxes!

This months box included everything you needed to create Pumpkin Spice Cupcake Bouquet with Brown Sugar Cinnamon Buttercream. The handmade mixes, all natural decorations and tools to use/keep were included! We just supplied the eggs & butter/oil!

One of my favorite parts is that PastryBase uses all pure, premium ingredients.

+unbleached, unenriched and unbromated flours

+aluminum free baking powder

+imported belgian chocolate & real vanilla beans

+no preservatives, additives, synthetic dyes or chemicals

Each box comes with easy to read instructions with photos! A kids corner project is also included for your little one! 

Sophia loved being able to help her mommy! 

She was such a big help! She helped mommy stirring the cupcake batter!

We had to be careful because she thought that anything lying on the counter belonged in the mixing bowl! Our cute little leaf decorations may not taste so yummy in our cupcakes! 

After our cupcakes cooled, it was time to mix the buttercream and ice them! 

We enjoyed icing our cupcakes and eating the icing! The brown sugar cinnamon buttercream was absolutely delicious! I believe Sophia and I could have ate the whole bowl! She kept holding out her finger wanting more!

After we iced the cupcakes, Sophia helped add the sprinkles! Our box came with this super cute kids corner kit!

I think she may have ended up with more sprinkles on her fingers than on the cupcakes but she sure had fun!

We couldn't help but be a bit proud of our adorable cupcakes!

Interested in getting your November box? Limited boxes are available! 

Sign up toady at www.pastrybase.com 

Enter code FLOUR at checkout for $5 off any box!

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