What Is a Mother?

What Is Being A Mother?

 Is it marked by a certain age group that proves to be the most ready for parenting? Is it defined by a woman who has carried a baby in her belly? Is it decided based on whether your married or not? Is it shown in the way you choose to parent? or is it portrayed by how well you keep things together?

 I'm 19 years old. I wasn't planning on being a mother at this age.I got married young. I don't always have things together. Dinner sometimes comes out burnt. I don't always have perfect hair, flawless make up, or heels on. My home isn't always spotless. I struggle with confidence. I worry about money. Someday's I can't help but cry.. My husband comes home to a crying baby, a mommy who looks like a hot mess, and a dinner that was thrown together between nursing and diaper changes. I am not perfect. But I, I AM A MOTHER.

I may be a young mother. But I'm a dang good one. I may not have been in wedlock when my daughter was conceived, but that doesn't mean that I did not fall in love with my daughter the second I saw those two pink lines. I may have gotten married young, we may not have known each other completely but that doesn't mean that we don't work everyday to make our marriage better, or that we both don't love our daughter more than the all the stars in the sky. Burnt dinner doesn't taste so bad with extra ranch on the side. And my daughter smiles at me whether I'm dolled up or rocking the Mommy messy bun. Play mats on the floor and baby socks in cracks of the couch makes my home a home. Sometimes I look in the mirror and see everything that's wrong with me, but that doesn't mean I'm not thankful for every stretch mark on my belly that held my baby safely for 9 months. We may not have a million dollars but we have a million memories. There is days spent crying, but there are so many day's spent smiling. I am not perfect. But I, I am a Mother.

Being A Mother isn't marked by whether you had your child at the socially "acceptable" age, but its marked by if you choose to mature to be the best parent you could for your child. It isn't decided on whether you carried a baby in your belly, but if you decided to love and nurture your child from the second you saw their face. It is not based on whether you are a married wife or a single Mom, but is based on the Love you give your child, whether its pouring all your love into your child and husband, or giving your child enough love for both parents on your own. It's not shown in whether your the strictest or most easy going mother out there, but in whether your goal is to do only the best things for your child. Being a Mother is most definitely not in whether you have it all together, but its if you believe that when your together that you have it all.

Making Money In your PJ's

As I type, I'm sitting with Jammies and slippers on, Coffee in my hand, no make up on, hair in a messy bun, daughter in my lap and my best friend sitting next to me chatting. And I bet you wouldn't believe I'm also making money and having time to blog about it! Alright I guess you could say (1) that I'm a very good multitasker and (2) I'm very lucky to be able to not only spend my days with my daughter and friends but also make money while doing it! Yes, your right I am very lucky, but you want to know a secret?! You could be too. Now most people would probably stop reading my blog right about now, but DONT! i promise you, you wont regret reading on. Not only can I show you where to sign up to get started making money from home, but I can also help you along the entire way to getting started making money. Wow! this is to good to be true right?? WRONG, You and almost any one can do this, no experience needed. I can help you get started and trained in being the best advertising money making mommy out there! Advertising?? that's right I said advertising. I work for a company who's purpose is to drive traffic flow to top Companies such as Disney or Proactive (And lets be honest who wouldn't want to help out Disney who made you happy when you were a child and now makes your little munchkin smile just as big!). All you need is internet and a little bit of motive to working during your little lovebugs naptime! or even when they're awake if you have one like mine whos happy as long as she's in Mommies lap. Now before you write this off, at least send me an Email and get some info! I can show you how to make money while enjoying every milestone of your children's life's. I Write Back everyone individually, will answer any questions, and don't keep sending you emails if you decide its not for you! SO you have nothing to lose :) Send me an email kristina.vaughn@ymail.com I Promise you it's worth it!

Crockpot meal for two: Ranch Onion Chicken & Potatoes

Between the baby crying wanting to be fed, the dog barking wanting to go outside, the dryer keeps beeping telling you the clothes are ready. So lets be honest, you turn the dryer back on taking it off your to do list for at least 30 more minutes, and try to figure out how your going to fit making dinner into the crazy next two hours. Well why not let the Crockpot do the work for you!? Most people think a Crockpot is for making meals for multiple people but there's only two mouths to feed in my house (well at least two that prefer real food over Mommy milk lol). This recipe for ranch onion chicken and potatoes is easy and cheap, now if your looking for a super healthy meal this isn't the recipe for you but if you like easy and flavorful read on :)

What you'll need:
1.Pam Cooking Spray
2. 2 Chicken Breast
3. Garlic salt (optional)
4. Lawery's salt(optional)
5. Potatoes(depending on size, 3)
6. Ranch packet (not dressing)
7. Onion dip mix packet
8. 2 tablespoons of olive oil
9. 2/3rds cup of water

LETS GET STARTED!
So let me start by giving you a hint that's going to save you time (which we all know we need) when you do the dishes, every time you cook in your Crockpot do yourself a favor and spray some Pam Cooking Spray in there, this keeps all the gunk from sticking to the sides. And makes clean up a breeze.
Now I have a Crockpot thats fairly new and works pretty well especially on high which is perfect when I forget to start the Crockpot until 3 hours before dinner.
So I turn my Crockpot on high, then I place my two thawed chicken breasts in( i've done up to four) but any more than four you'll need to up the cooking time.
Next I sprinkle a little bit of garlic salt and Lawery's salt on the breast, these salts are optional but I use them religiously (Thank you Mom for starting me on that lol) but it would still taste good without them.
Then I pour one tablespoon of olive oil and 2/3rds cup of water in.
Next I take 3 potatoes, wash and scrub them, wrap them in a paper towel and throw them in the microwave for two minutes, i know thats kinda cheating but otherwise your potatoes wont cook in the Crockpot as fast as the chicken will.
Next part is a little hot so i do it with an oven mit on, I use my oven mit hand to hold the potatoes and cut them up into small squares and added those to the Crockpot.
I then sprinkle half of the ranch packet, and half of the onion packet on to of everything. (I save the other halves in a ziplock for the next time i make this meal) then I add the last tablespoon of olive oil over the top. Put the lid on, and let it cook for 2 and 1/2 hours on high. Its perfect cause in this time I can feed the baby, do some tummy time, take the dog for a walk, finish a load of laundry, and kiss my hubby when he gets home from work. I usually use a spatula with the holes in it to scoop it out cause theres still some water and oil in the bottom. Add a salad or vegetable and there you have it a meal for two thats cheap easy and flavorful!

The Beauty of A Mother

Your pants still don't fit. The bags under your eyes get heavier and heavier with each new sleepless night. The stretch marks line your sides, they seem to define you. Your exhausted, and it shows. The wear from pregnancy weighs on your shoulders bringing your confidence down with each look in the mirror. You long to feel beautiful again. You wish for a day where your confidence exudes from your smile like you did when your favorite jeans fit and when your hair wasn't always up. You still want that push up bra, which is much less comfortable than the nursing bra your wearing, and reminds you of the confidence you had when you felt less like a milking cow and more like a woman who dropped jaws. You don't want much, you just want to feel beautiful again. But you already are. Your glowing, the glow of a mother did not leave when you gave birth. Your heart overflows with love that turns heads. The way you smile and talk to your daughter in line at the store, reminds other Mothers of when their children were that small, you make their day. The way your body sways when you shush his child to sleep, drives your husband crazy. Your new wide hips are voluminous, your body made your baby her very own spot right by your side. Those stretch marks are the stripes of a tiger, you earned it Momma! You wear those proudly. For your beauty does not come from the size of your jeans, it does not come from your legs that haven't been shaven in two weeks, or your hair that has yet to be styled any differently than a messy bun. Your beauty comes from within, it radiates when your daughter smiles back at you. Your beauty is seen when mascara runs down your face from crying just from being in awe of your gift from God. Most of all your beauty shows the most,not when anyones looking, but when your alone with your baby, nose to nose watching her sleep. Now that, that's Beauty.

Helping Baby Reach Milestones

One of the biggest benefits of being able to be a stay at home Mom is getting to spend precious moments with my baby girl, lots of snuggle time, and to watch every little milestone. If your anything like me, your proud of everything your baby does, even proud of their first yellow seedy diaper lol. The milestones are something to encourage your baby to reach, whether it be holding their head up or rolling over. This is where you come in. Not only is it very important to engage in your baby but it is also important to teach them how to use their muscles. At 1 month old, I began working with my princess on learning her muscles and now at 10 weeks old she is past the milestones for her age group. I started teaching her how to use her muscles by making it fun, and giving mommy a little more resting time, in the mornings when she'd wake up for her 6am feeding(this is when she is most alert), I would feed her, burp her very well, then place her on her belly on my belly. This not only gives you a little more time to kick back in bed( after a sleepless night) but it also encourages the baby to use her neck muscles to hold her head up to look at you, help your baby to want to engage with you by talking, singing and smiling. (They learn their expressions from you, so if you want your heart to just melt in a couple weeks, just keep smiling!) After I do this with her for about 15 minutes, I sit up and lean her against my knees while they're upright, this way your face to face with baby and shes supported by your legs. Now i hold onto her fore arms and slowly bring her arms towards me, this makes her learn how to keep her arms tight to pull the rest of her body up while also teaching her how to hold her head up while moving. (I also do that for about 15 minutes). In the evening around 4 is the next time she's really alert and ready to learn. Which is perfect cause i pop dinner in the oven then lay down a blanket on the floor and we play some more. First I put a rolled up swaddle blanket under her arms and lay her on her tummy, this encourages her to push her legs (preparing their crawling muscles) and the swaddle will help them roll forward, since they don't yet have the strength to push up their upper body. She normally gets a little frustrated with this one cause she cant figure out how to move her upper body yet. I let her work at it a little past her comfort zone so she learns to keep trying. After this I sit her up legs in front of her, hiney on the ground, and I simply just keep her balanced, she will use her core muscles to hold her upper body up and hold her head straight by using her neck muscles.(this is her favorite one cause she likes to look around) plus by the end of her "little work out" she's tired enough to eat and go to sleep all before I pull dinner out of the oven. I strongly encourage working with your child each day to help them reach milestones, not only does it help your child advance but it also gives you Mommy baby time, and there's nothing much better than that!

My Calling

Have you ever had the feeling that you finally figured out your life's calling? I've been lucky enough to experience this and it was the first moment my husband placed my daughter into my arms. The world stopped, time stood still, my heart dropped into my stomach, it was just me and her the 20 other nurses and doctors were no longer present in my mind, the pain and tiredness escaped my body. She nuzzled into my chest, I always pictured that in that moment I would cry, but tears did not come, I was so overly in love my body had forgotten how to cry with joy. I sat there in awe, she was perfect, she was beyond what I had imagined, she was mine. The minutes felt like hours as we drifted into our own world. She didn't like her eyes to be open cause of the bright lights, but every few minutes she'd open her eyes to stare into mine. We fell in love. A love I had never known. A love that I could only have for this little girl who clung so closely to me. She needed me, she longed to be even closer though it wasn't possible for us to be any more close. She was so tired, she had a long birth, we both were exhausted, but she was my little fighter, she was just like her Mommy. We both fought to stay awake to feel each others presence. I lay awake staring at her, wondering why God chose me to have this blessing. Why should I be so lucky to have gotten to experience the strongest bond there ever was. That's when I realized this was my calling. This was what I was born to do. My world had changed forever. Her happiness became my life's ambition. She was my heartbeat. She was my daughter. She was my calling.

Where to begin

If it was up to me I'd jump right into fashion ideas, tips about babies, the do's and dont's I've learned, funny stories about motherhood, inspirational messages, married life obstacles and all the other things that lets be honest not all my Facebook friends want to read about in my statuses. However, starting a new blog I feel the need to have some sort of introduction in my first blog to give you an idea of who I am. I've always had a thing for writing, and I'm sure I would of pursued it as a career if God hadn't called me to be a Wife and Mother. Yes I said God, here's another thing about me, I will and always, emphasis on the always, will give all the glory and thanks to everything magnificent in my life straight up to God. Now don't get me wrong I struggle in my faith I often fail to let God have full control of my life, I sometimes make the mistake of thinking I can handle my life on my own but at the end of a hard day when I'm to weak to stand, on to my knees I go to give my cares to him. If I didn't I'd be even more sleep deprived than I already am thinking about all the things weighing on my heart. Speaking of sleep deprivation, I am the new and very proud Mother of a beautiful baby girl named Rhilynne Lark Homan. She was born September 18th at 7lbs 8oz and 18 inches of pure love. After 9 long months of waiting, 16 hours of labor and 2 and 1/2 hours of pushing, at 9:28am our lives changed forever. Now when I say lives I of coarse mean my Husbands and I's. I fell In love with my Husband almost exactly a year ago. My husband is a hero to my heart and a hero for this country. As the Wife of a United States Marine, life isn't always easy, but our love is what pushes us through and keeps that Marine and this California girl truckin' along. Yes I am a girl who spends more than ten minutes getting ready , I often wear shoes that I regret wearing by the end of the day but then will wear them again the next week, I live for snuggling with my daughter, dancing in the kitchen with my husband, and the daily phone calls with my Mother. Long socks, yoga pants, and peppermint white chocolate Mochas are a morning ritual. My biggest fear is not being able to protect my daughter from everything one day. Someday's i'm an emotional wreck, other days I radiate confidence, I guess you could say I'm simply. A Woman.