More Than a Mommy

Raising Three Girls to Love One Another

Sibling rivalry…UGH!

It amazes me how much I was wrong. Wrong about how parenting really went, wrong about how simple I believed parenting to be, wrong that I thought our girls would just “get along” without my husband and I intervening….LOTS of wrongs to try to make RIGHT with trial and error. To this day, we are still learning and adapting to a new way of life with 3 girls. Our oldest two are so different…complete opposites. Honestly, I LOVE the fact that they are different from one another and have different interests. That being said, I was unaware of how difficult it would be to mesh the two personalities together and have them get along. For some reason I assumed that the two lovely ladies would magically understand each others differences, love one another and want to spend every waking moment together…BWAHAHAHAHA!!! Being naive as a parent can be one the most beautiful things or, in my case, one of the most detrimental things.

By Mary Bockert, ago

8 Signs Your Baby is Ready for Baby Food

My little bundle of joy is almost 6 months old and I just remembered the doctor telling me that I should be trying cereal or first baby foods between the ages of 4 and 6 months. Oops! So I frantically ran to the grocery store, bought some rice cereal, and mixed it with formula to “try” what I should have already started. What I quickly realized is little Miss Tawny is NOT ready for foods. This started to alarm me and I decided to do some research about baby food readiness. What I found to be the “norm” boils down to 5 characteristics your infant will display letting you know they are ready to move beyond formula and/or breast milk.

By Mary Bockert, ago

Fit Mommyhood…How to Give of Yourself and Still Fill Your Own Tank

Being a mommy can be tough, trying and HARD. Between cleaning the house, getting everyone ready and out the door for school, working, planning and making dinner; finding time for yourself seems far from reach. Been there and done that…and I have learned through trial and error how to carve out time for myself as a busy mom.

It isn’t about squeezing out a minute or two here and there, but more about intentionally making time for YOU. At first, it may seem or even feel selfish to take time just for you but if you neglect yourself for others too long, it starts to break your spirit. Keeping the person (YOU)  in tact before “Mommy” is key to successfully feeling like your tank is always full or better yet, overflowing.

By Mary Bockert, ago

Breastfeeding 101

Being a mommy of 3 beautiful little girls, you would think that I have this whole “breastfeeding thing” down pat but the truth of the matter is it has all recently just clicked with my last daughter who is now 5 months old. My advice to any new mother…take as many breastfeeding classes that you possibly can. What seems like should come instinctively as a woman/mommy, actually comes with great frustration and angst for some.

By Mary Bockert, ago

The Art of the ‘Stay’cation

Going on vacation during Spring Break can be what’s on everyone’s minds…but what if it just isn’t in the budget? Or what if you have a 4 month old at home and even thinking about traveling and staying in a hotel…dragging TONS of baby gear, working around naptimes, etc. just doesn’t sound enticing (Ahem…this couldn’t possibly be us right now-LOL)? What is a family to do?

In comes the art of the ‘Stay’cation!

By Mary Bockert, ago

Easter Crafts to get Your House Decorated for the Holiday

Our house looks like the Easter bunny may have gotten sick in here with all of the Easter crafts hanging around. For now, my nice Easter decor is in storage and the scissors, glue, glitter, crayons, paint, etc. come out. The more my house is gaudy around holidays with kids’ crafts, the more I LOVE IT! I am one of those mommy’s who LOVES plastering the walls with paintings and crafts. Lucky for you, I have come up with the different crafts we have either done or plan to do in our household (thanks to Pinterest) this Easter season. I always choose 5 crafts a season that I feel would be FUN and would decorate my house nicely…killing two birds with one stone. Here are the 5 we plan on doing.

By Mary Bockert, ago

Teaching Preschool to Your Littles With Materials Found in the Home

I remember feeling overwhelmed when I decided to teach my oldest preschool in our home. I was a former teacher but had sold or gotten rid of most of my teaching supplies so I felt like homeschooling would be tricky and EXPENSIVE! Over the course of several years, I have learned the art of “using what you have in the house” as a means of teaching preschool. Below are several examples of using what you have to accomplish the bigger goal. I spent not one penny on any of the activities below. I have found that making my own worksheets is actually easier than printing them off because I can tailor them to my own child’s needs and Pinterest has been KEY to academic success in household! Feel free to comment below with any questions you may have on any of the activities below. Happy (cheap) Schooling!

By Mary Bockert, ago

Ways to Teach Kids to Give Back

Our oldest daughter is all about her “stuff.” We have stuffed animals GALORE, toys and trinkets everywhere and things she hasn’t played with or even looked at in MONTHS! When asked to go through her things and get rid of the stuff she doesn’t want, her pile is just a couple of little things that don’t make an impact on the “stuff” she still has. My husband and I have explained to her that things we own aren’t important as the relationships we hold. Unfortunately, when you are six years old, that doesn’t resonate. In trying to rid the house of unwanted and “un-played” with toys, we have found the following to be the most helpful.

By Mary Bockert, ago

Making Each Moment Count…When Time Seems to be Flying

I blinked…yep…my baby is now 3 months old and I can’t even believe it. This is our last child so, as you can imagine, we are savoring each and every minute, every coo, every milestone…as it is our last to experience until our grand-babies are born. I know, a little too sentimental, right?!? Not when you know it is your last time to experience these things.

I can’t help but to grieve a bit when it comes to our last child. It can be hard as a parent to watch the days tick by quickly and feel out of control as they are growing more quickly than you are comfortable with. We have made it a point to make each moment count, not just with our last child but all three girls. The first two go-arounds we didn’t savor time, I got caught in the craziness of constant play dates and activities, and we certainly stayed BUSY! This go-around has been a different story. My calendar is more clear, I don’t mind staying home and just being mommy for a while, I watch my kids nap (I truly love just watching them sleep), and I am more focused on the relationship I am creating with my kids.
I know many people work and don’t have an opportunity to watch their kids nap or stay home and keep the schedule clear so I have created a list of things you can do as a family, as parents, etc. to make every moment count with your kids…because before you know it, they will be off making their own memories with their own kids and you will have wished time had slowed down.

By Mary Bockert, ago