I've been wanting to get back to blogging recently, and I noticed my last post was four years ago. A lot has happened in that span of time - and it's more than I would have ever imagined. I finished grad school, moved home, worked in marketing - then freelanced, landed my dream job in another state, moved to Houston, made a ton of friends (especially since I didn't know a soul when I moved there), maintained job security during the oil recession, fell in love, and am now planning a wedding.
It was a lot to take in. I went from security in friendships, living at home, and having roots in Louisiana to uprooting my life, starting fresh, and moving to Houston. Within two days of moving, I attended a church down the road from my apartment and met the girl who would be the matron of honor in my wedding. The next day, I started my job as a technical writer. I established myself as a single, independent woman who spent Saturdays driving through downtown, midtown, The Heights, and Montrose. I developed lifelong friendships and created memories I'll never forget. I started running (then stopped...then started again....then stopped), sprained my ankle, grew closer to my family members, and within 30 months, met the love of my life.
I'm a huge believer in getting out of your hometown and establishing a life of your own (even if it is temporary). Apply for the job across the country, move ten hours from home, take the risk. Knowing you did it and could make it is far more rewarding than wondering what if. I'll never forget the email I received about my current job. For a minute, I hesitated, but I knew this was a now or never thing. Always seize opportunities. You never know what lies ahead if you do.
Monday, May 28, 2018
Sunday, August 10, 2014
Top Five Things in Every House with a Baby or Toddler
I've babysat well over 10 years, and even though I'm in my mid-twenties and have a good job, it's still one of my favorite things to do. Why? Kids are full of surprises, people want someone responsible to watch their children, it's easy money, and parents can have a night out.
That being said, here are five things you will find in EVERY house with a baby (aside from a crib and changing table...those are a given):
1. A baby swing: They had these when I was a baby, duh, but they've made drastic improvements.
Some even have soothing vibrations on the bottom to help ease a fussy baby. Typically the Graco
brand, everyone has a baby swing that plays the same rounds of classical music (or some baby
song) that you'll eventually have memorized in which order it belongs.
2. A lovey: When I was a baby, they just had stuffed animals and blankets . Now the geniuses at the
baby toy companies created a stuffed animal with an attached blanket that makes babies look like
cuddling cutie pies. Soft to the touch, any sleepy baby you see these days is holding one of these
things close to the face.
3. High chairs: This is a duh, but here me out. Back when I first babysat, and even when I was a kid,
high chairs were plastic or wood. That's it. No cushions. Now? Let's keep baby comfortable while
eating. While the tops are easily wipeable, let's be real: food will get squished on the fabric, and
what was once a pink, vibrant high chair is now full of smashed sweet potatoes and spit up. So \
even though the it looks all cute now, just remember: it's not for long.
4. Bumbos: I thought this was some kind of torture device the first time I saw this while babysitting
(roughly three years ago). However, it's an absolute life saver when you want to plop down the
baby to rescue her three-year-old sister who got her head stuck in a helmet. In a bumbo, babies can
sit up without having the wiggles. AKA, this is a wonderful, overpriced piece of plastic.
5. Pack'n Play: The biggest lifesaver for little crawlers. I noticed this as a growing trend roughly five
years ago. They are wonderful. Plop baby in when you have to run to the loo and have your only
worry be a cry for loneliness. The one linked even has a top part that's really awesome for living
rooms and has a changing table included. Don't want to endure a stinky diaper smell trailing
through your house? No problem. Need to turn down the roast on the stove and grab a glass of
water? Set the kid in.
That being said, here are five things you will find in EVERY house with a baby (aside from a crib and changing table...those are a given):
1. A baby swing: They had these when I was a baby, duh, but they've made drastic improvements.
Some even have soothing vibrations on the bottom to help ease a fussy baby. Typically the Graco
brand, everyone has a baby swing that plays the same rounds of classical music (or some baby
song) that you'll eventually have memorized in which order it belongs.
2. A lovey: When I was a baby, they just had stuffed animals and blankets . Now the geniuses at the
baby toy companies created a stuffed animal with an attached blanket that makes babies look like
cuddling cutie pies. Soft to the touch, any sleepy baby you see these days is holding one of these
things close to the face.
3. High chairs: This is a duh, but here me out. Back when I first babysat, and even when I was a kid,
high chairs were plastic or wood. That's it. No cushions. Now? Let's keep baby comfortable while
eating. While the tops are easily wipeable, let's be real: food will get squished on the fabric, and
what was once a pink, vibrant high chair is now full of smashed sweet potatoes and spit up. So \
even though the it looks all cute now, just remember: it's not for long.
4. Bumbos: I thought this was some kind of torture device the first time I saw this while babysitting
(roughly three years ago). However, it's an absolute life saver when you want to plop down the
baby to rescue her three-year-old sister who got her head stuck in a helmet. In a bumbo, babies can
sit up without having the wiggles. AKA, this is a wonderful, overpriced piece of plastic.
5. Pack'n Play: The biggest lifesaver for little crawlers. I noticed this as a growing trend roughly five
years ago. They are wonderful. Plop baby in when you have to run to the loo and have your only
worry be a cry for loneliness. The one linked even has a top part that's really awesome for living
rooms and has a changing table included. Don't want to endure a stinky diaper smell trailing
through your house? No problem. Need to turn down the roast on the stove and grab a glass of
water? Set the kid in.
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