A Touched Out Momma

Being an introverted mom is hard. But I definitely don't think this is a problem just for introverts. All moms must experience some level of it. Feeling 'touched out' is very strange. Today I felt it because I cared for the children alone the previous day while my husband was just right outside our window, building a shed in the backyard. Then I was dog sitting today. Dog sitting in itself is a pretty easy task, but as someone with two tiny people to care for and personally really very much being a cat person, it was the straw that broke the camel's back for me. That dog apparently likes me. He followed me all day. Sat at my feet while I edited videos, stared at me while I ate, and stood right underneath me as I cooked for my family. 

I immediately took a shower after dinner instead of waiting for the boys to go down, just so I could have a moment to myself. Maybe I even cried in the shower. 

When I returned from my shower, my toddler was making growling sounds as he played before bed. And no matter how many times I asked or told him to stop growling, he didn't and I couldn't handle it anymore so I ran upstairs with the baby to finish his bedtime nursing session. Those little noises were driving me nuts. Then, no joke, my cat was sitting on my desk chair next to the bed, licking herself. I had to stop nursing the baby, get up, and throw her out of the room because the sound of her tongue was making me lose my mind. And I'm actually typing this post right now from my phone while Eren's falling asleep on the boob. I am so ready for bedtime. 

I feel so extremely touched out today. And honestly, I don't think I get that feeling all too often, I can think of maybe two other times I've noticed it in these 2.5 years of motherhood. But today it came on strong. It's different from the usual end of the day exhausted feeling of everyday motherhood. It's exactly what it sounds like, feeling touched out. I just want my space, I want everyone out of my personal bubble, I don't want anyone clingy to me anymore.

And, just like so many other parts of motherhood, it's a strange feeling. I feel so bad afterward for avoiding my children's affection. I know they just want to be loved and held and I know all too well this isn't going to last much longer. Calvin already hardly ever sits by me and cuddles anymore as it is. I need to be basking in this cuddly love, but today just wasn't one of those days. I guess we'll try again tomorrow.

Love,
Alaina

5 Tips for Pumping at Work

1. Don't pump too little! Every 3 hours is a great guideline to follow. Pump until you don't keep feeling letdowns or your milk stream slows. Personally I pump 3x a day for 15 min each. If I'm in the middle of a letdown or still getting a decent amount of milk when my 15 min is up, I'll pump for 2-3 more.

2. Look at pictures, or even better, watch videos of your baby! Believe me, it helps your letdown come faster.

3. Wear nursing appropriate clothes with easy access.

4. Don't stress. Don't worry about how much milk you need. Don't worry about someone walking in on you. Just relax. (I know, easier said than done!) Anxiety will not help you get adequate milk.

5. Start a little freezer stash before you return to work. If you have a few days of wiggle room, you won't feel so stressed out about needing to pump exactly how much breast milk your baby is going to be using the following day.

I hope these were helpful!

Love,
Alaina

5 Ways We Get Our Toddler to Eat Healthier

These are 5 things we do to get our toddler to eat a little healthier.

Calvin is two and he has gone through many picky phases. This is what works for us and I hope you can take a tip here or there that might work for your family.

1. Sneaking healthy stuff into his normal food.
Seeds are so healthy and pretty easy to sneak into things. Hemp seeds in grilled cheese and chia seeds in PBJs are my two go-tos.

2. Give in to his healthy cravings.
When he gets on a less picky kick, we make sure to feed his healthy food desires. A month or two ago, he was really into apples so I made sure to always have them on hand at home. He went through the same phase with bananas and grapes. Anytime he's asking for something other than cookies and candy, it's a win and it needs to be rewarded, if you ask me.

3. Incentive.
We use the iPad. If he takes a bite, he can play on it. If he doesn't keep eating, we take it away. We usually whip it out on days we're trying something new and we're unsure he's going to be willing to take that first bite. Sometimes we use dessert as incentive to eat dinner too.

4. Using baby brother.
We threaten to feed his food to Eren (7 months old). We also show him what we're giving Eren to see if he also wants to try it too. It's pretty cool how much better he's gotten about trying different things since Eren started eating with us at dinnertime. Seeing brother so eager to eat everything has been rubbing off on Cal.

5. Switching things up.
Sometimes Cal gets his own meal, sometimes he eats what we're eating. I think finding a balance between these two kinds of meals has really helped us as a family. I get much less frustrated and I think that helps him not feel so much pressure too.

Bonus: Tasty vitamins.
I'm pretty sure he just thinks they're extra special candy. It makes me feel better knowing that even if he isn't eating his best, he's still getting some nutrition in his vitamins.

I hope you found some help in these. Let me know your favorite tips in the comments below!
Love,
Alaina

Healthy Spicy Cheesy Hummus Spread for Quesadillas

This is my go-to for quesadillas and grilled cheese. It's cheesy and spicy. It would be an awesome dip on its own too!

Based on THIS recipe, with the heat turned down.

Ingredients:
1 cup (measured dry) chickpeas, soaked, cooked
1/4 cup nutritional yeast
2 cloves of garlic, minced
1 small jalapeno without seeds
1/2 Tbsp chili powder
1 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp salt
1 medium/large whole tomato chopped

Directions:
Put everything in the food processor and mix until you get a nice, smooth consistency. Store leftovers in the fridge for up to a week.

Usually I don't need to add water because the tomato is so juicy. But if you aren't getting a nice spreadable consistency, just add a couple tablespoons of water.

Enjoy!
Love,
Alaina

Easy Vegan Dinner : Baked Pasta

This is such an easy and delicious dinner. We used to make it with meat and real cheese before I went vegan, but let me tell you, it's just as delicious veganized. I promise!

Ingredients:
2 cups of macaroni noodles (measured dry)
1/2 jar of tomato basil pasta sauce
1 cup of cooked lentils
vegan Parmesan and mozzarella cheese to taste

Directions:
Mix the noodles, sauce, and lentils together.
Pour it into a lasagna pan, then pat it down.
Top with veg parm & mozz.
Throw it in the oven at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 30 minutes.
Serve with garlic bread.

Enjoy!
Love,
Alaina