Toddler Punk Princess Birthday

It's come and gone. My daughter is now TWO!!! Wowee!! The days seem so long these days, but the years so short.

Our friends and family gathered a few weekends ago at an old school house to celebrate Cadence's birthday. The birthday girl wasn't sure what to think at first. She certainly lived up to the 'it's my party and I'll cry if I want to'! I'm sure it was all just hard for her to digest at first, but once she got in her zen and comfortable... she had a blast!

The birthday theme of the party was... not Dora... not Elmo... not Toy Story....  BUT rather... PUNK PRINCESS! Cadence was very resistant to character themes. We sat down a few months before her party and I showed her some ideas. When she kept declining, I felt at a loss... when it dawned on me... Cadence loves rocking out to Avril Lavigne. Why not explore the avenue of a toddler punk princess party? I took Cadence to the party store and showed her all the pink & black punk rocker decor! She loved it! I can't get over the personality she's developed; she's definitely becoming her own little person.

The invitation. We had a hard time with the invitation. Initial renditions included skulls, but after much discussion we thought skulls for a toddlers birthday invites was a little over the top. Here's what we settled on... (Thanks to Smalley Invites & Announcements!)

The decor. We picked up most of our decor from Buck or Two and Party Packagers.

The cake. Rather than having a local bakery make the cake. We took a more frugal route, and asked my lovely Mother-in-Law if she wouldn't mind helping us out with this. She happily did! The cake turned out awesome!

Crafts.  We didn't do any crafts at the party, but here are some great craft ideas for a punk themed toddler/preschooler birthday party.

Funky Tie-Dyed Shirts

Shoe Box Guitar Craft

Musical Shakers Craft

The birthday girl had so much fun at her party this year!! I had a lot more fun planning this years party, and can't wait for next!

I'm not going to lie... I was so much more emotional about my sweet little girl's 2nd birthday in comparison to her 1st! She's changed so much in just a years time. My little girl is growing up and FAST! 

Happy birthday sweetheart! 

Love Mommy xo

Finding the 'Me' in Motherhood

As a Mom it is so easy to put yourself on the back burner. Once your little baby enters the world, you've quickly turned your attention to the new little bundle and their needs.You suddenly fail to remember that your needs are just as important, and deserve just as much attention.

How do you find the balance in motherhood? Do you take time away from being a Mom to focus on you? It certainly isn't easy... I know that much for sure! But it's achievable.

With both my children, the method that I found worked for us was E.A.S.Y. - Eat, Activity, Sleep, You. It's a very common sense approach; that allows for a relaxed and flexible routine. This routine is probably what helped me set boundaries and got me through the day. It ensured that I took time for myself... Even if that time was taking 20 minutes to have a shower. It's that 'me time' that got me through. That 'me' time is so crucial and important.

Now that I have a infant and a toddler, 'me time' certainly has a whole new meaning. My body craves 'me time' daily. It took me a while to figure out a way to satisfy the craving without spending too much money. I would have loved to get my hair done more frequently or go to the spa... But let's face it, it just isn't in the budget. One day I was sitting around, having a bad day, feeling like a sloth when it dawned on me... I needed to get out and be more active. I wound up enrolling at a local gym. So now 3 to 4 days a week, I head over to the gym  when the hubby gets home from work... I have my me time all while focusing on getting my pre-pregnancy body back (what is that again?)... I'm tackling two goals at once, and feeling happier and better than I ever have!

What have you done lately to find the 'me' in motherhood?