It isn't about me anymore...

A friend of mine was talking about all of the things she wishes she could have done before having her son. Traveling... partying... college... etc... And I have read countless stories about young mothers having the same feelings. Even going as far as dumping their kids on relatives and babysitters, so they can go out every weekend. I understand wanting to have a social life. Believe me, I do, but it isn't about me anymore. It hasn't been about me since I first found out I was pregnant.

Pregnancy. There are tons of books and research done on the topic, but you never get the full story. For some women, pregnancy is a dream. No pain, no morning sickness, just the joy of feeling your baby grow and move. For others, like myself, it isn't such a walk in the park. Frankly, being pregnant sucked. Morning sickness is a terrible little devil that doesn't always go away and strikes any time of day or night, not only in the morning, as the name suggests. Heartburn is a beast and no amount of tums can take it away. Joint pains, waddling, backaches, headaches, feet swelling, not to mention being the size of a whale, are just a few of the other things expecting mothers can look forward to. However, it really is all worth it.

As a mother, no matter the age, we get to experience the purest form of love and adoration. despite the stretch marks, weight gain, lack of sleep, our children see us as the most beautiful, amazing person they have ever met. We are Moms. We have the least and highest paid job out there, but it is definitely the most important. We get to experience life first hand. Hearing it, seeing it, feeling it. We know that love at first sight, or even before actually meeting, is truly possible and so very strong. I won't lie, I cried like a baby when I first saw and held my little guy. It was literally the happiest, most surreal moment of my life. In the hospital, I kept looking over my shoulder thinking that the nurses were going to come in and say, "Just kidding, we'll take him back now." Obviously, I knew that wouldn't happen, but it did cross my mind.

Watching my little guy grow and learn is the most amazing thing I have ever seen. He astounds me every single day with new information that he's picked up. One thing I will say is that they really do pick up everything. It isn't always a good thing. Its been 3 wonderful years since Monster man graced us with his presence and despite not getting as much sleep as I would like, I wouldn't change a thing. Being a working mother, going to grad school online, and trying to manage a household make it very difficult to do everything I would like to do with my life and my family. However, my son has everything he needs and is learning the value of an education. I think its worth it. He is worth it. I will be forever grateful for having my son when I did because he has truly show me how amazing life can be.

Finally figuring myself out.

Hello all!!

I have been pretty on the go lately, but I am finding my time management skills are improving, giving me time to update this lovely little thing.

Have you ever found yourself wondering if you were making the most of your life and yourself? I have been asking myself this question for years and it is kind of sad, really. I thought I had my niche in high school, and it very well could have been for that stage of my life, but it did not work for me when I went out on my own. I'm slowly finding out who I am and who I want to be and it is amazing. I'm not a religious or spiritual person, but I am very blessed. I have some of the most amazing friends, despite our distance and time between visits, and the most loving, incredible family. I could not ask for better people to surround myself with. Today, I had my very first session with a client, ever, and it really clicked. I can do this. I can make mistakes, or have bad days, and still be the upbeat, friendly person I have been trying to find again. The last few years have been really rough on me and I feared that I was losing myself in all of life's tragedies and stresses. It turns out, I was just afraid of failure so much, that I never really let myself let go.

Moving out of my home state was terrifying and exciting and terrifying and beautiful. (Not grammatically correct, I'm totally okay with that!) It was a huge step and risk because I didn't know if it would work out. I honestly haven't been this happy or laughed as much as I have since we got here. I have always been a very sharing person. I would give you my last bite or my last dollar if it could help you out, but I'm finding that I am sharing a lot more of myself lately. I still don't like talking about myself, but I'm giving where I need to in order to create and maintain healthy relationships. I'm going through a sort of self-discovery phase, in a sense, and I have found that I really enjoy who I am. I definitely have some things I need to work on and I will never be perfect, but I will be okay with my flaws and start seeing them as ways to better myself rather than shortcomings.

I know this blog is called Mommy and Monster, but I think all moms need a way to release stress and to let other moms know that its okay to want time to yourself. Its okay to not always be Supermom or for your child to throw a tantrum in the grocery store because you won't give him a candy bar. If people judge you, so be it. We are judged so harshly by society and it is impossible to live up to those standards. Someone, somewhere is going to have something to say. So let them say it. Just don't let it get to you. As long as you love your kid(s), are doing your best, and have fun with them, you're good! Sometimes just being present and listening to them talk to you is enough. I am definitely not one to give parenting advice, but I have found that my little monster has more positive interaction with me now that I am not so stressed out. They really do sense your frustrations and insecurities and it weighs on their beautiful little hearts. Try not to let them see it. Its impossible to never be stressed out, but do your best to be as happy and positive around them as possible.

Before we moved, my monster would freak out, cry, throw tantrums, etc when I left. He was never left with someone I didn't know or trust. Yesterday was his first day at a daycare with a woman he had only met once before and he jumped right in. No crying, no leg clinging, just a "Bye Mommy. Have a good day. I love you." He did the same thing when I dropped him off today. He knows that we are both going to be okay.

Sorry I have kind of jumped around quite a bit, but I'm using writing as a stress reliever. Thanks for keeping up with me and being there for/with me through some of the toughest times in my life. I love you all.

Finding Myself, My Family, My Passion

Hey guys!

I am super sorry I have been M.I.A. the last few months. I have been dealing with a lot of personal issues and decisions and I just could not find the time to update. So, here is a little update for you all now.

I started working for a housecleaning company that really took advantage of its workers. You were paid $10/hr for regular clients, minimum wage for new clients, and you weren't paid for driving time. I got paid for about 15 hours a week, but I was gone for about 40 with driving time. I had to sit back and reevaluate my life and where it was headed. I have a Bachelor's degree in Family and Human Development and I am currently attending Grad School for Professional Counseling. Arizona was not working out for my family and I, so we make the big leap (one state over) to Northern California. We had a lot of setbacks getting here, but we finally made it.

We could not be happier. I have had to figure out the new coupon policies and go out of my comfort zone, once again, to make friends. However, I was just hired as a Behavioral Skills Therapist making really good money and the husband was just hired at Dish. We still have a ways to go to really get where we want to be, but at least we are moving forward. I feel lighter than I have in years and my family seems to be a lot less stressed out.

Now I just have to find a good daycare, find another hobby, make new friends, and so on. Life just doesn't seem to be as daunting as it was just a couple of months ago.

The Hubby's Birthday Breakfast

Every year, I ask the husband what he wants for his birthday and he always replies with, "I don't know, I don't really need anything." So, every year I make him a special, new breakfast, lunch, and/or dinner.

Last year, I made Denny's Moons Over My Hammy, his favorite fruit salad for lunch, and chicken cordon bleu for dinner. This year, I was at a loss. We just moved, I hadn't stocked up on many groceries and I was freaking out. I couldn't even make him a cake because I lost my baking pans and mixing bowls in the move.

I decided to try something new with potatoes and eggs because that's really all I had that I hadn't done before and he loved it!

Wash the potatoes really well and cut them into very small chunks. I only used one potato. Leave the skin on. Spray your skillet with cooking oil and toss in the potatoes. Generously season the potatoes with creole seasoning and season salt. Once the potatoes are fully cooked (after about 15-20 minutes on low-med heat), crack about 6 eggs on top, add some cheese, and scramble. That's all there is to it! I added extra cheese when it was finished, but you don't have to.

What do you do for your significant other on their birthday? I'm always looking for suggestions!

The Big Bad Potty Training Monster

Hey guys! First off, I want to apologize for being MIA for the last month or so. My computer was stolen and I have been in he process of moving, among other lovely life things. I am pretty much moved, so I am hoping to be able to update a lot more. Let's get to it!

I'm sure you all have heard potty training horror stories and that its this long drawn out ordeal. In my personal experience, that's only half true. I am happy to say that I am the proud Mama of a 2 1/2 year old little boy and you get to hear (read) about our lovely transition from diapers to normal toilets.

I attempted to start potty training at about 18 months which is a little too early, in my opinion. However, I wanted to be that mom with the incredibly mature, well-behaved, advanced child. Who doesn't? I bought a little training toilet and bunch of cute little cheap toys and candy from the Walmart party section for prizes when my son went potty on his little toilet. I found this cool blog post on Pinterest that walks you through a 3 day potty training adventure Growing a Jeweled Rose. So, we gave it a try....3 different times... over a span of 3 months or so. Let's just say it never worked out.

So, I put it off for a little while because he clearly wasn't ready. then, I decided to just keep taking him to the bathroom when my husband or I went to see if showed any interest. Eventually, he started sitting on the toilet, bu still didn't go. He actually didn't go potty in his toilet until he was going in the bath and I quickly moved him over. I praised him so much that he started trying to go more often, bu still not enough to attempt real underwear. So, I kind of laid off a little again.

Then, out of nowhere, he decided he wanted to go on the potty all the time by himself and he did. It took about 3-4 weeks of solid potty training and him actually doing it really well before he went out of the house without a diaper on. I was so nervous he would pee his pants the first time I took him out without a diaper, but he did so well and told me when he had to go.

I know I have been rambling a bit, but I just wanted you to know that it won't always happen the first...or second... or even fifth time. Don't give up! Your child will let you know when they're ready, but don't be afraid to expose them to the toilet early. Also, be patient. Getting upset with them for having an accident or not going at all will make them associate the potty with negative feelings. Praise as much as possible! Positive reinforcement is your greatest ally. Use it! And last but not least, listen to your child. They are a lot smarter than we give them credit for!

What are some of your tips and tricks for potty training? Any horror stories? Also, don't forget to follow me on Facebook, Pinterest, and Twitter!!

Happy Thanksgiving!

I hope this blog post finds you all well and I hope you all had such an amazing Thanksgiving. I know I did. This post is going to be quite a bit more personal, so you can really get to know me better.

Growing up, it was pretty much just my mom, my brother, my grandpa, and me. My dad wasn't really around too much and all of our other family lived too far to travel. We had a small tight-knit family and holidays were a big deal and we still went all out on the food, despite our small numbers. My husband, however, has a very large tight-knit family who pretty much goes where the rest of the family goes. Family means everything to them which is why I am so incredibly thankful to have them in my life.

My mom passed away 3 1/2 years ago and I could not have made it through that time without these a amazing people. Regardless of where life takes my husband and I, I know they will still be there for me. They are my family and a damn good one, at that.

I am also eternally grateful that my son gets to grow up with just about everyone around for every birthday and holiday. He will get to grow up with so much love from so many people. It baffles me, sometimes.

I could go on all day about my family because I am so incredibly proud and happy to have them. They are the most amazing (and slightly crazy) group of people you will ever meet. So, thank you, family. Without you, I would be nothing.