Proud Mommy's Guide to Toddler Bed Transition

Guys, this transition truly had me terrified.  My little guy turned two in December and I knew there were two big steps steadily approaching; big boy bed and...potty training.  To be perfectly honest, I got ambitious some time ago and purchased a potty for him, as well as pull ups, matching stickers and some fancy character undies.  Yeah, that task has since been tabled, as the interest Colin has in that is mostly none.  I'm fine with that, since he's still fairly young right now.  But I definitely felt like he was needing to move on from the crib.

I'll preface this decision with several facts about this guy.  One, he has slept well and through the night since he was around four months old.  I know, the kid is a unicorn and believe me, we are extremely grateful.  On top of that, he has always slept in his bed, much to his mommy's dismay.  I love cuddling this boy and he will, to a point.  But when it comes to sleeping, he wants his own space and uses it all!  I still try to nap with him and he'll lay there for a bit, but always insists on "Cah-in's bed."  Two, he has never slept well in a pack and play.  I'm not sure what the aversion is, given how well he sleeps in his crib, but he just will not do it.  

Needless to say, these issues have had me so nervous to make any type of change regarding his sleeping habits.  But, I also know he won't be two forever and the change needed to happen sooner, rather than later.  And so, I started researching easy transitions, top recommendations and steps that help make this transition easier.  As we all know, each child is different, but I wanted to share my experience and hope that maybe it will help some of you!

My sweet boy was fairly unimpressed when I started talking about changing his crib into a Big Boy Bed.  But at this age, I think they need to see or feel it to really appreciate something.  He, of course agreed that changing his bed would be cool and the interest was created, but not to any excited degree.  I knew I would need something more to get him invested.

And so, on a quiet Thursday morning at the office, I found myself on Amazon searching for incentive to play it up.  My boy is currently obsessed with Star Wars.  I know, you're wondering "who isn't?" with all of the attention that franchise is getting currently.  But this love grew from a cartoon on the Disney channel, Star Wars Rebels.  I'm talking light sabers, Jedi's in training and a droid that resembles a wheeled garbage can (NOT R2D2).  Anyway, I figured Ezra and Chopper might really get him into the idea and ordered him a blanket, sheets, a plush Chopper and matching jammies right then (Side Bar - why don't they make cute character sheets in crib mattress size??  Most cribs convert these days and even toddler beds have the smaller mattresses as well.  So WHY are they impossible to find?  Ok, rant complete.)  Then I went home and planted that seed in his brain.  "Buddy, you are gonna have a Chopper bed!  Won't that be SO fun?!"

The following weekend, I set out to convert his crib.  I brought all of the tools I thought I'd need and Col followed me up there.  When he saw that I was working on his bed, he insisted on helping and asked if I could bring up his tools (a children's set he received for his birthday).  As you can imagine, I was thrilled that he wanted to be a part of the process and he absolutely loved it.  He was so proud!  While you're in there, please make sure you child proof, so that when your child does get out of bed to play (because they will), they will be safe (furniture stabilizers, child-proof doorknobs, outlet covers, etc.)

Once the big boy bed was complete, I placed the blanket (the only piece of the set that we had received by then) on and decided to go all in and start during his nap that day.  I have read that it's better to start at nap time, as it doesn't disrupt your sleep as well as theirs.  And initially he seemed to think the idea was great too...

Now, I knew I should go into this being supportive of such a big change for my little guy.  So, we went through the normal routine before naps/bed with stories, rocking and snuggling.  And then I told him that he was going to sleep in his big boy bed.  Yeah...he sure did hop right back out of there, because he could.  My last few steps tend to intertwine here.  I have to admit, this was extremely frustrating.  I had to remind myself how new this was to him and how children tend to test limits in order to learn them.  That said, I think I must have put him back in his bed 47 times that afternoon.  I laid on the floor below his bed and then finally told him that I was going to leave.  Turns out I should have done that MUCH sooner.  Initially, he stayed in there and I legitimately thought he was asleep.  Don't fall for that one on day one.  (Please forgive the picture of my monitor and it's deceptive picture!)

Roughly two minutes later, he was up and out of view, but I decided that since his room is child-proofed, this would have to be ok until he laid back down.  I'm not entirely sure how long it lasted but he played quietly and ended up like this:

While this was roughly an almost two hour process, he did end up sleeping for another two.  So we did get there.  Like I said, consistent and patient.  And remind yourself of those, a lot!  I certainly needed to.

As for the night time routine, there was still lots of delaying, but it has significantly improved through the week.  I can say that he has successfully slept in there for naps and over night since with only a small hiccup (which happened to be my fault).  Against his will, he woke up the first few nights because he was half on the bed and feet on the floor.  You see, Mommy is not the sharpest knife in the drawer and set the safety bar on the wrong end of the bed, thus allowing him to roll his way on out accidentally.  Brilliant, Kate.

Once the rest of the set came in and mommy put two and two together and flipped the mattress and bedding, problem averted!  This is my proud toddler in his big boy bed that he helped "build."  Now fingers crossed that potty training will be equally smooth for all of us!

xoxo

                

Chalkboard-Inspired First Birthday Party

It's happening. Our youngest will be turning two next week and I am having a bit of a hard time accepting that. My baby boy...no longer a baby. Waaaahhhhh! So I thought I would take a trip down memory lane today, back to his first birthday nearly a year ago.

We kept it fairly small and simple, inviting just family and a couple close friends. I didn't want any kind of theme this time. Instead, I picked a color scheme and went with that. I found an adorable invitation from Tiny Prints which turned out to be the inspiration behind the chalkboard and blue. Once those were ordered, I started my lists and went out to pick up supplies!


One of the first things I started working on was the tassel garland. I love how these look and how they can be hung just about anywhere to add some fun color to the party. I used black, silver, light blue and royal blue tissue paper for this one. Once that was finished, I decided to use a 1.5" circle punch on my remaining tissue paper and make some confetti to sprinkle on the sideboard. It. Was. A. Pain. The tissue is too thin to punch easily, even when stacked, so I wouldn't necessarily recommend this. It took forever and kept getting stuck in the punch. But I really like how it added a little color so it was all worth it! 

 
I printed out a little chalkboard-inspired sign with fun details about our sweet one year old, put it in a  matted frame and hung it above the garland. They have a ton of these little signs on etsy that can be personalized for around $15 but as usual I didn't think of it in time! So I designed my own and printed it on dark grey cardstock. Not nearly as elaborate as the ones on etsy, but I thought it was really cute and a fun way to add something personal about our sweet boy.

As I mentioned, I found the chalkboard cupcake invitation on Tiny Prints' website. I thought it was simple but cute and it quickly inspired the theme of the party. I absolutely love Tiny Prints. I have been ordering from them for the past eight years. Birth announcements, baptism invitations, shower invitations, birthday invitations, Christmas cards, thank you notes, even Valentines! They have great personalized photo gifts too. The quality is always amazing and their printing and shipping time is super fast. They also have optional personalized RSVP sites when you order invitations! I just love them.

I usually set the paper products and beverages on the sideboard so they're easily accessible throughout the party. I found some chalkboard stickers and thought it would be cute to add them to plain white cups so guests could personalize them by writing their name on them with chalk. I also picked up some striped paper straws in black and blue. I made some pinwheels from double sided scrapbook paper in colors to match our theme and added them to the beverage station along with the tissue confetti. I painted a wooden craft letter "M" with chalkboard paint and centered it on the sideboard.

Since we had a good mix of adults and kids, I tried to have foods that would appeal to all ages. I set out some spinach dip with pita chips, cheese and crackers, fresh fruit and homemade cheese straws. For the sweets, I made cupcakes, rice krispy treats, sugar cookies (iced in a "chalkboard black" color) and a simple white cake with a small round chalkboard icing circle in the center with a "1" in white icing. I found mini chalkboards on clothespins which I used for the food labels.

I made a banner from scrapbook paper in dark grey and light blue and added the wooden letters to spell "one." I hung this across the front of the buffet table, added a few more paper pinwheels and several Project Life cards with sweet sayings. I also made a blue tissue paper pom pom, which I planned to hang...it just never made it up there. The kids had fun tossing it around though!

When it was time for cake, our birthday boy got down to business. I made a large cupcake instead of having an entire cake for his smash cake. He wasted no time digging into it and ended up with it EVERYWHERE. In his hair, his ears and between his eyelashes. It was cringe-worthy. But he loved it.

He had a great time running all over the place and playing with his cousins. It was a fun first birthday party!

Looking ahead a little to next week, I am going to have to start bracing myself now. My babiest baby will be two, which really is the end of the baby years. That is a bit heavy and a little bittersweet. We will be having a simple and small celebration, but I can assure you wine will most certainly be on that party menu for this mama!

If you need me, I'll be crying into my cup of coffee.

xoxo

Why Every Girl NEEDS a Weekend Away With Her Girls

Ladies, how many of you find yourself longing for the days when you could just drop everything and go out for a girls' night?  Ok, now how many of you immediately felt completely guilty for even thinking that??  I'm fairly certain that mommy guilt plagues most, if not all of us.  At this stage in our lives, we exist for everyone around us.  And, we're perfectly content with that, but perhaps we shouldn't always be.

Maybe sometimes, we get too wrapped up in who has what practice after school, what time, what we're cooking for dinner, who has had their bath, which teeth haven't been brushed, etc...  Of course, these things are necessary to maintain a functional daily life in most households.  But, are we forgetting one person in the household entirely?  While we focus all of our efforts on keeping everything running smoothly, are we neglecting the one person that we alone are responsible for?  I know I am.  When I became a mommy, it was the best thing that happened to me, hands down.  I live for my son and spend every extra moment I have doting on him and playing with him.  Now, one could argue that that is not really an issue, but one other person would very loudly disagree, my husband.

The other evening, we were spending our typical Friday with pizza and couch snuggling, but I was in a funk.  One that I'm afraid I've settled into all too comfortably lately.  Know how I know?  Because Jordan asked me "where is the Katy that I married?"  In his defense, he wasn't being malicious (as I immediately assumed), nor was he whining, merely stating fact.  I'm not that Katy.  Haven't been for some time.  I get grumpy easily, lose patience even faster and my house is definitely suffering as well.  That conversation was a huge eye-opener.  I have gotten so wrapped up in being "Mama" that I have completely let go of Katy.  And, as awful as it may feel to admit it, we need to hold on to who we are/were before baby and let ourselves be that person too!  You may feel like you're being a good mommy, but you're not being a very good YOU.

That, ladies, is where the idea for a girls' weekend bloomed in my head.  Not that it's a unique idea, but the last time I had one was well before I ever got pregnant and hasn't entered since.  The more I thought about it, the more intensely I knew that I had to make this happen.  What better way to recapture who I was pre-mommy days, than to spend it with the girls that filled them??

As I sat down to make a list of the ladies that I knew I'd love to spend this time with, I also wanted to take time to reflect on the reasons it was acceptable to suppress my mommy guilt for needing it.  The kicker is that no one else can do that for you.  It has to come from within, so I encourage you, dig deep and pay attention to the following:

1.

This is key for away time.  You need to give yourself "me" time to remember who you are outside of the amazing family you are growing. We tend to put ourselves last and thrive on doing for everyone around us.  It can be exhausting and we need to force ourselves to kick back, wear no make-up, pull on those yoga pants and enjoy some personal pampering.  Let yourself de-stress a bit so you can remember the unfrazzled version of you that your family loves (and misses).

2.

Now is the time to start unwinding in familiar company.  Stock your cupboards this trip with comfort foods, tasty beverages and spa supplies!  We have let ourselves get too comfortable in our daily lives and need to re-set our minds and add back what we all need to be us.  Take time giving yourself a long-overdue pedicure, sip your gin & tonic and watch those sappy romantic comedies.

3.

The final key to making the most of your girls' weekend is reconnecting.  Enjoy your time with your best girls!  They are scientifically proven to help cure what ails you.  In my case, the grump funk!  Be free to gossip, whine, and giggle until your heart's content.  As women, we think similarly, we empathize and can be fully honest with each other.  And, while that sounds like a scary combination,  it ends up giving you your best cheerleaders with the greatest compliments, and who doesn't need that?!  A Huffington Post article I read recently said that women talk three times more than men in a day.  That's a lot of reconnecting!  So get in there, open up, seek advice, and for the love of everything holy, LAUGH!  There is nothing better and no one you'll laugh harder with than your best girlfriends.

Ladies, if you're still feeling a bit guilty, I get it.  This is a huge undertaking for mommies.  But keep in mind, our husbands and/or caregivers are perfectly capable of caring for our children and will gain confidence if they do a weekend on their own.  Even our kids sometimes need a break from Mom (and vice versa) to break up the everyday.  They will appreciate you that much more when you come home!  And, if money is a concern, keep it simple...and cheap!  Don't go over the top.  You and your girls will have fun no matter where you are and you will all return with refreshed attitudes, minds and souls.  But the key will be that you will have YOU back and be able to share that with the ones you love most!

best girls + hilarity = new you

Enjoy, you deserve it!  xo

Favorite things for Christmas and Gift Wrapping

Ok, you knew it was coming...Brown paper packages, tied up with strings!  These are the last few of our favorite things!!  SO, we got carried away with our families celebrating and nursing illnesses and delayed getting this up here until after the actual DAY.  But, we figured as you pack up your Christmas decor and wrappings and all of this year's goodies are on sale, we would highlight those that you should definitely grab and pack up for next year!

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Kate Spade Reversible Gift Wrap $12 & Gold Dot Wine Tote $20

Folks, these are a no-brainer for us here at Golden Hand.  I mean, these are perfection for our whole theme and freaking adorable!  Pricier than I'd prefer, but definitely meant to make a statement to your recipients.  Besides, who doesn't love wine that's pretty and free??  No one, that's who.  These are versatile year-round, so no after the holiday discount, but if they're in your budget, we totally recommend!

Gold Polka Dot Gift Wrap, Coordinating Gift Tags & Gift Box - FREE

Now, if your wallet looks more like mine, these great little tutorials will be more your speed.  Equally adorable, but immensely easier on the budget.  And, even if you aren't Martha Stewart when it comes to crafting, these are pretty basic.  Stamp, print, cut and then store for use next year when you would rather spend your hard-earned money on great gifts than wrapping them!

Assorted Holiday Gift Wrap & Coordinating Tags by Rifle Paper Co. - $7.50-$8.50

I have a serious obsession with this company...I'm in love with everything Anna Rifle Bond makes.  Her style is gorgeous and her stationery quite sought after.  So, my gift wrap list would not be complete without something from her company.  These coordinating sets come with 3 large sheets of wrap and ten tags, which may be a great start for Christmas wrap, but the colors in the collection coordinate, so the possibilities are endless!  And, if you're over there perusing these wraps to stock up for next year, I highly recommend you check out the rest of her collections, you will not be sorry!









Sterilite Holiday Storage - $11-$18

These are the holiday storage boxes that I dream of.  As I packed up my Christmas decor last week, I really found myself longing for better storage and, had I thought ahead, would have purchased these LONG since.  Their durable plastic containers latch closed to keep out the creepies while they hibernate for next Christmas.  They also keep the decor safe from being squished or breaking, which is essential if you're a sentimental type like I am.  No more crushed ornaments that you hand-made in first grade, people!  And no more excessive wreath fluffing with these sturdy boxes to store them in.  Oh, how I love organization!

Household Essentials Holiday Storage - $13-$30

Thanks to my lovely parents' knowledge of my love of Christmas, I have acquired an enviable collection of holiday table ware.  My dining room is stunning this time of year, but seriously lacking in good protection.  Most of my goodies are carefully placed in a giant plastic bin together and wrapped, but when I saw this perfect collection, I knew they were next on my list for keeping my lovely dishes clean and safe.  They have an assortment for glasses, dishes, linens, chargers, etc.  What a great way to keep it all together safely!



Box Label Printables with Index & Ziploc Holiday Edition Storage Bags - $4

Guys, these are truly the key for a girl with OCD.  And, as someone who just packed up 15 boxes of Christmas jazz, I needed to find a little order to get myself set for next year.  So, as I was taking all of my decorations and ornaments down, I categorized them and started labelling my Ziplocs with my trusty Sharpie.  Much better than the typical throwing them in the box method of previous years!  I found these great labels on Pinterest (of course) and used GIMP to doctor them.  Not because they needed it because clearly they are just lovely, but because I needed them to be recognizable for Christmas at a glance.  (I did them in red, and while I was at it, printed some in orange for Fall and pink for Spring).  With everything categorized, I was able to pack up my boxes and label them clearly so that next year putting them out will be a breeze!  Now, if I could just keep this up in the rest of my house...Resolution, anyone? :)




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Pottery Barn Gilt Galvanized Advent Calendar - $159 $124.99

As the countdown to Christmas begins, your family will delight in reaching into each gilded cup of our contemporary Advent calendar to discover a small treasure hidden inside.

 

I absolutely love advent calendars. The countdown to Christmas is exciting on it's own, but when the kids have a little surprise waiting for them open each day it's even more fun! This one is not only beautiful and practical, but it can be completely customized! Traditional sweets or toys would be darling but how special would it be to add something like bible verse cards from the true story of Christmas to help remind kids (and maybe ourselves) why we're looking forward to this day? Now that Christmas is over, you can pick up this little lovely on sale!

Vintage Bottle Brush Trees

"The Addis Brush Company, an American toilet bowl brush manufacturer, began making artificial trees of green-dyed bristles and then supplied the British (who suffered a dearth of wild trees) with thousands of artificial trees in the post-War years." (source: Wikipedia)

So, if you know me at all you know I have a thing for antiques and all things vintage. Bottle brush trees of all sizes seem to be making a bit of a comeback recently. I personally love the look they add to my Christmas decor. They can be arranged in small groupings, alone, or even tucked into your Department 56 village! You can find real vintage bottle brush trees in antique shops or on auction websites. You can also purchase them new (Target was even selling them this year) or, if you're feeling crafty, make your own!


Shiny Brite Ornaments
"The Shiny Brite company produced the most popular Christmas Tree ornaments in the United States throughout the 1940s and '50s. The fact that Shiny Brite ornaments were an American-made product was stressed as a selling point during World War II." (source: Wikipedia)

Ohhh, Shiny Brite. I remember a few of these hanging from my Grandma's tree, alongside the red silk Poinsettia tree lights at her house on Long Island. But it was when we drove to the next town over to visit my Great Aunt Martha that I fell in love with them. She had hundreds of Shiny Brites in all shapes, sizes, colors and styles. My favorites, however, were the ones that had an indentation on one side with a tiny 3D set inside. I thought they looked so magical, sparkling in the lights on her tree. These days, I am obsessed with the nostalgic look of them and plan to start my collection asap. Eventually, when all of our kids have grown out of the age of taking ornaments off and tossing them everywhere, I will have my own aluminum tree overflowing with vintage Shiny Brite ornaments.


Bath and Body Works 3-Wick Candle, Sweater Weather - $22.50 $11.25
Cuddle up with an aromatic blend of eucalyptus, juniper berry and fresh sage that celebrates the arrival of sweater weather
 
You could say our family has a bit of a "thing" for candles, particularly the Bath and Body Works brand. And for good reason! During Christmas, they have dozens of amazing scents to get you in a festive mood. My favorites for the past few years have been their Winter scent, which they describe as "pine needles, icy mandarin & winter woods" followed closely by Fresh Balsam, a mix of "evergreen woods, eucalyptus & cedarwood." Both are incredible and invoke a feeling of walking through fresh snow to cut down the family Christmas tree. This year, my sweet sister Kate gave me Sweater Weather and, I have to say, this one trumps the other two. It is described as "an aromatic blend of eucalyptus, juniper berry and fresh sage" but neither the description or even a quick test smell of the lid at the store will do it justice. Once you burn this one, you will understand. The only way to describe it is cozy. It truly smells like being a kid again, cuddled near the fireplace with your family, listening to Bing and Frank while decorating the tree you cut down earlier that day. It just makes your heart happy. I highly recommend picking up a few of these,
especially since we're past Christmas now and they're on sale!


That wraps up our "favorite things" series here at Golden Hand. Thanks for sticking with us! Hopefully you found something new, innovative, helpful, inspirational, beautiful or just fun! We hope you're enjoying the start to 2016. We're looking forward to sharing so much more with you in the coming year.

xoxo,