(Outfit Details || Harper’s Jumpsuit | Jacket | Shoes (pair on sale) | My Romper | TJ’s Shorts | TJ’s Tee | TJ’s Shoes)

TGIF friends! It’s been a week over here… and it doesn’t look like it’s going to slow down this weekend…. we have the home inspection coming up, where we will also be bringing in a contractor… and at the same time we’ll be moving out of our condo. I officially have two boxes packed… so I’d say I’m making great progress….. #kidding. Yet, I realized I hadn’t done a motherhood update in a while so I thought I’d share a few updates with you today…..

General Thoughts + Feelings: I got together with one of my oldest girlfriends, and her two boys, this past week and I can’t tell you how important it is to have girlfriends who you can just be real with… about struggles, joys, someone to bounce ideas off of to make sure you’re really not crazy…. being a mom is filled with ups and downs and having a strong support system that you can be real with is crucial…..

I also think it’s so important to continually prioritize yourself as a mom. This doesn’t mean at the expense of your children, nor is it selfish…. to the contrary, it’s meant to aid in being a more present and healthy (mentally + physically) mom. I took that type of day on Wednesday with my sister… we had a day-cation at a local resort, and disconnected for a little while. When I returned, I felt so refreshed and much more present. Self-care doesn’t have to be that elaborate… it can be taking a quick nap to recharge yourself… or a 30 minute catch up session with your best friend over the phone. Whatever fills your bucket is important to invest in…..

Favorite Items: I thought I’d do things a little differently here and share some of Harper’s favorites from the Nordstrom sale…. this sale always has the best new items, and the kid’s selection never fails (oh, and it ends the 5th…). Last year we bought Harper’s convertible car seat, and she loves it! I also snagged these cute little pom containers for storage in her room (well, in the new house….). Clothing wise, I couldn’t resist this wide legged chambray jumpsuit… perfect for summer and fall with an embroidered leather jacket…. I also snagged this adorable little polka dot dress, comfy joggers (she’s obsessed with the pockets), + striped top for her as well. The jeggings I buy for her every year are included in the sale, and I also think this little jean, top, and moto jacket set is absolutely adorable… as is this dress + fuzzy vest combo. These little puma kicks and sandals are adorable as well!

Sleeping: We seem to have gone through a temporary sleep regression…. difficulty falling asleep + waking up way earlier than normal. I think it’s more or less due to a mental growth spurt, since she’s been saying so much more lately… and giving us full sentences. And, since I’ve come to realize that most everything is a phase, we will wait this one out…. hopefully it ends sooner rather than later though.

Potty Training: I know, I know, I swore I’d have this done by the next “update.” I haven’t yet… and with everything going on with our house, I just decided to wait until we’re at my parent’s house and I’ll have a little more space and help… since I’ll be using the 3 day method and will be home bound for 72 hours…..

Transitions: I think it can be so easy to move about our regular lives and assume that our little ones will easily adapt. Yet, it’s so much harder for them sometimes. Case in point, I spent most of yesterday packing away Harper’s belongings. I removed her flamingo above her crib, along with some simple wall hangings. When it came time for her to go to bed, she began to cry and told me her room was “too scary,” while she pointed above her crib. I ended up putting everything back in its place, and she was a happy little camper. All that to say, it was a gentle reminder that lots of forewarning and prep is necessary at this age. I bought a book on moving and will start reading it to her… I love bibliotherapy with children… they can usually relate to characters in a book and it’s an indirect way of addressing concerns. You can do this for the doctor, dentist, going on an airplane, etc…. and it’s something I used to do with clients all the time.

Teachable Moments: I try to view most of Harper’s less than desirable behaviors as teachable moments. Being only 2.5 years old, it’s our responsibility to teach her what is appropriate and inappropriate. That being said, I always try to tell her what is expected of her (“We don’t jump on the couch, we sit down on the couch….”), why it’s expected, and then what the consequence will be if she chooses the inappropriate behavior (that never happens with toddlers, right?……).

Emotions: They were all over the place this month! We had a few rough days here and there… as if little miss woke up on the wrong side of the bed… like adults do from time to time. You know, those mornings where everything is a challenge… and a few meltdowns. On one of those days, I remembered what I would chat with the parents of my clients about… that little children are allowed to have feelings like adults do…. and while adults can take a self directed time out… or retreat for a little while… so too can children. So on those kinds of days, I lower my expectations and demands, and let Harper lead the way. It looks different in every child, but just allowing those days makes such a huge difference…..

I also hear that the threenager phase is pretty rough… if you’ve gone through… tell me your thoughts!! Please!

Thank you to Nordstrom for sponsoring this post