The Mommy Super Hero

Let's start out with introductions... I'm Jeska Bailey, also known as Jeska Sheppard which is my maiden/photography name. I'm a 28 year old ( as you saw already ) photographer here in the lovely city of San Angelo, Texas.

I'm very excited to be a part of this blog although I must admit, I'm not sure what I have to say that's very interesting -
and poor Ami will be spending countless hours editing my creative spelling and grammar =) ..... I just corrected my mispelling of grammar for you Ami... I spelled it with an e, that's how awesome I am =)

ANYWAY! Like many of you I am around a small person the majority of the day, everyday of every week. While this is a wonderful miracle and blessing that we have the good fortune of having such a privilege it can also turn your view of the world on it's end.

For example, while in public on my own, without my charming daughter by my side, I happened to drop something on the floor at Target and a kind gentleman rushed over to help me retrieve it. While he was on his way over to help I said, "UGH OH!" and I have this capped because I kind of medium yelled it like a 2 year old.... he and I made eye contact and I realized I have lost the ability to interact with grown people!

I also have the hardest time resisting the need to parent other people's children... especially if I see them doing something bad. Is this normal? I have told kids to go find their parents while at the grocery store and given them the "warning" look that parents give letting their children know they are doing something wrong. Makes me feel like a crazy person! But there is just so much wrong in the world and I feel the personal vendetta to fix it! And now I sound like a super hero.

Here is an extreme example of me parenting when it's not my job... I was at Sunset Mall several months ago with Bella and we were in Icing looking at jewelry. There was this poor little girl in the ear piercing chair and her mother was literally screaming at her! I tried minding my own beeswax but when Bella started to get frightened I mentioned to the mother that if she wanted to step out front I would be more than happy to help the piercing lady... Come to find out the mother had successfully gotten one of the ears pierced and now her daughter of emphatically declaring that she WAS NOT getting her other ear pierced and she didn't care if she looked silly with only one done. Her mother stepped outside and I literally spent 30 minutes getting this kid calmed down and talked into even having the gun near her ear and then mom came in to check on her.... to make a possibly long boring story short I ended up with the little girl on my lap holding her still while her mom yelled at her so we could get her other ear done. Lol it was crazy! But my super hero spidey senses couldn't resist helping.....

 I also can't seem to resist volunteering myself to help with everything in the universe =) Which I'm honestly happy to do except I always seem to overbook myself (speaking of which don't forget to check out my Santa sessions coming up!) I'm always painting something for someone or fixing something... I just can't help helping people.... And I happen to have the "I'm the only one in the universe that can do this correctly" bone, which means it's usually just me working on these projects.

Life would be so much simpler if I could accept help from helpers as willing to busy themselves such as I.... but here I am forgetting what sleep is and dropping my kid off at daycare looking like I don't own a mirror. At the end of the day I am a very blessed lady... with a gorgeous loving family and amazing friends and a fantastic business that allows me to keep my own hours and use my creativity; so really what is there to complain about?

Life is what you make it really.... and your're the one you have to be ok with at the end of it. So I guess if you can't resist helping the terrified little girl afraid of the gun that already shot one of her ears or you have once again volunteered to make a billion cookies for the church bake sale that's what makes me who I am. I hope you've all enjoyed this and it doesn't stink too bad.... Looking forward to constructive comments and to better planned out posts. BTW... I still wonder why the piercing lady didn't get her buddy over and just do both ears at once.... peace.

FYI Flu Season is Here!

Hello everyone!  I’m Shelley.  I’m an RN.  I’ve worked in Pediatrics for the past 15 years.  The past 4 years, I’ve been a Pediatric Telephone Triage RN.  This means I get to work from home, which is great for me as a single Mom.  I thought I would share some of the things that I get calls about frequently.  My first blog here is about Flu aka Influenza.  Of course, I’m no expert, but I’m happy to share what I know, as I do with all the parents I talk to on a daily basis.  It might save you a phone call to the triage nurse.  J

Let’s talk about the flu, Moms!  It’s that time of year. 

As if we don’t have enough to worry about as Moms, seeing our kids sick can cause real distress and add more to our plate than we can easily handle.  Panic ensues!  NOT TO FEAR, Mommy!  It will be okay.  Let me talk you down off the ledge.  

Here’s what you need to know about the flu aka influenza: 

It’s a virus = a viral infection of the upper respiratory system = the nose, throat, and lungs.  This means the symptoms you will/might see would include:  runny or stuffy nose, sore throat, cough, headache, chills, body aches, and fever.  Occasionally, as if this weren’t enough, vomiting and diarrhea might also be present. 

The flu virus is spread through tiny, unseen droplets from coughs and sneezes that either get breathed into your child’s nose and mouth or that are on surfaces they touch and then touch their nose or mouth.  My Mom always said, “An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.”  Turns out, she was right!  So try to keep your child away from other people who are sick and wipe down things like shared toys and shopping carts, etc.  Make it a habit to wash your hands frequently and your child’s hands too, especially after coughs and sneezes.  The most important way to prevent flu is to get your child vaccinated.  Everyone over 6 months of age should get the flu vaccine.  Talk to your child’s doctor about it.  The first time your baby/child gets the vaccine, they will need two doses, one month apart to get the full immunity. 

How do I know if my child has the flu?  There is no real way to know without getting your kiddo tested.  So, if your child has the symptoms, it’s super important to seek medical treatment early.  Sometimes it’s hard to know if this is a bad cold or the flu.  Don’t try to guess.  I know, “Moms know everything,” but this is probably one exception. 

What if it is the flu?  Sometimes your doctor will prescribe an anti-viral medication like Tamiflu for kids over 1 year of age.  These medications are not a CURE for the flu.  They will only lessen the severity and shorten the duration of your baby’s illness.  These medications work best if they are started within 1 to 2 days of the appearance of symptoms, so get your kiddo to the doctor right away, if you suspect he might have the flu.  It’s especially important to seek treatment right away if your child has other serious medical conditions, like asthma, lung or heart disease, blood disorders, diabetes, or a weakened immune system or neurodevelopmental conditions, etc.

 In addition to anti-virals, the best medicine is always Mom’s TLC.  Of course, supportive treatment directed at individual symptoms is always a great idea and gives us Moms something to do, so we don’t feel so helpless.  Be sure to offer your kiddo lots of fluids and encourage lots of rest.  This could be a great opportunity for some snuggling!  Also, give anti-fever medication as needed and use things like nasal saline washes and suction a baby’s nose to clear out the mucus, so he can breathe easier.  It’s always a good idea to keep a humidifier running as well.  A warm shower or exposure to some steam, by sitting in a steamy/foggy bathroom, can also help clear out the nose and help your child cough up some of that nasty mucus.  The steam thins that mucus out so it’s easier to get rid of it.  (Watch out for burns though and never leave your child unattended – sit in the steamy/foggy bathroom with your child for about 20 minutes).  Yes, I know, many younger kiddos/babies don’t like these things, but that’s when it’s time to put your big girl/Mommy panties on and do it anyway, because your child will love you when he can breathe easier, and you have made it “all better.” Over the counter medications, like cough and cold medicines, antihistamines, and decongestants aren’t generally recommended, because they don’t help very much, and for younger children, can have serious side effects.  You should talk to the doctor about this. 

Obviously, if your child is younger than 1 year of age, you’re stuck with just the supportive treatments described above without anti-virals.  No matter what age, keep a close eye on your child for any worsening of symptoms.  Call for emergency care or take your child in to get medical treatment immediately if he has any of the following warning signs:

-          Breathing fast or having trouble breathing (not just the stuffy nose)

-          Bluish or gray skin color

-          Not drinking or urinating as normal

-          Severe vomiting

-          Not waking up or interacting

-          Extreme irritability or inconsolable

-          Fever or other flu symptoms that go away and then return or worsen – (I’m not talking about a fever than goes away when you give Tylenol or Motrin and then returns when the medication wears off.  I’m talking about a fever than went away for 24 hours and then returns.  You can expect fever for a few days, but if it goes on longer than 3 days, a follow-up phone call or visit to the doctor might be warranted.)

Keep your sick child at home and away from other children and close contacts as much as possible until he has been without fever for at least 24 hours, in order to keep from spreading the flu.  Cover all sneezes and coughs with a tissue and throw the tissue away.  Above all, frequent hand washing is probably the most beneficial way to keep from spreading the disease.  Use soap and water and scrub your hands for as long as it takes to sing the “Happy Birthday” song twice.  If you don’t have soap and water handy, at least use an alcohol based hand sanitizer.  Keep surfaces like bedside tables, toys, counter tops clean by wiping them down with a household disinfectant like Lysol. 

How long will this last?  In general the fever can last 2-3-ish days, the runny nose can last 7-14-ish days, and the worst news?  The cough can last 2-3 weeks.  I personally wouldn’t let a cough go that long without checking back in with the doctor, just to make sure it hasn’t turned into some kind of secondary bacterial infection, like bronchitis or pneumonia.  (I say “-ish,” because this is not a guarantee, and all kids are different.  All Moms know kids rarely follow the text-books and frequently make us look like liars or idiots – this is no different!)

Okay, so are you down off that ledge yet, Mom?  You are armed with the information you need to help you know what to expect, and some things you can do to help you feel less helpless. 

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"This post intended for informational purposes only. It is not a substitute for a doctor's diagnosis or treatment. Never ignore professional medical advice in seeking treatment because of something you have read on SanAngeloMoms. If you think you may have a medical emergency, immediately call your doctor or dial 911."

Thankful Turkey

When a child thinks of November turkeys often come to mind. As parents we want to teach our children to be thankful for what they have. My 3 year old was asked this past weekend to recite something she was thankful for. She paused for a long time while looking at the line of kids that has just gone before her. She fixed her ones on a girl and said, “I’m thankful for family”. As a Mother of course I am proud, but she chose that answer because the other girl had already said the same thing. So, I realized I need to teach her what it really means to be thankful. Since she already associates Thanksgiving with turkey, we made Thankful Turkeys. I began with explaining to her what it means to be thankful. I pointed out all of the “material” things she has that she enjoys and asked her if she is happy she has them. I then moved on to family members and named some of her friends. After getting her excited about all of this, I was able to point out to her that since they make her all happy, then she is thankful she has them. After she was able to decide what she was thankful for the most, we were able to put it on a turkey. Enjoy this Thanksgiving craft with your child.

Thankful Turkey

Materials:

Toilet paper roll

Construction paper

Wiggly eyes

Marker

Trace your child’s hands. You can do just one set of hands or you can do multiple sets to layer. Cut out the hands. On one hand write something your child is thankful for on each finger. Glue the hands behind the toilet paper roll to resemble feathers. If you choose to do more than one set of hands, just layer a new set on top of each other and make sure the hand with thanks is on top. Cut out a triangle shape for the beak and a red oval for the wattle. Just add wiggly eyes and you have a turkey!

Happy Thanksgiving!

Life of an Army Wife

Hello San Angelo! My family just recently moved here thanks to the Army. We have been a military family for seven years now and our story just keeps getting better. This is our third move and boy was it a doozie, but it's just part of the adventure right?

This is my first post with San Angelo Moms and I'm super excited to be a part of this team. I look forward to learning more about San Angelo and the surrounding areas. We love to travel around the areas we are stationed at. We also love learning about history and San Angelo is so full of history- we are loving that. We are very excited about the upcoming holidays, the Christmas at Fort Concho is one of the highlights for us. 

A bit about our family- we have two boys ages 1 and 6. We are originally from Texas and have lived in North Carolina and Florida, thanks to the Army. My husband and I have been married for 12 years. We enjoy traveling as a family, having fun and eating at new places- we are totally those people that check Food Network before we go anywhere. We'd hate to miss eating anywhere Guy Fieri has eaten- so we hit those spots too.  

I enjoy being active with the other spouses in my husbands unit and thankfully I have made connections.  This weekend I'll be helping out with the ladies of A company at the Community Appreciation Day and Santa's Market on base. A company has a bratwurst food stand so if you come out to the base come say hello and buy some lunch. 

My future posts will be about being a military spouse, about raising military children or "military brats" as some call them, and sweepstakes. That odd little bit is my other gig and hobby.  I started entering sweepstakes over a year ago- seriously. And by seriously I mean entering daily and winning. My wins have varied from electronics to airline tickets and a lot of other awesome stuff in between. It's a lot fun and even more fun when you win! Stay tuned and leave me some questions if you'd like more info on sites I use etc. 

New and excited-

Surviving Christmas

   Christmas is just around the corner. Before you know it, you'll be sipping a peppermint latte in front of a warm fire watching as your kids play with this years' hottest toys. You sigh of relief, Christmas was a success, and best of all you made it without one single meltdown. You wonder, "Wasn't Christmas more than this when I was younger? After all, Christmas is about giving and everyone knows I did a lot of that, so what's with the sigh of relief? Why am I feeling empty inside?"
   With all the shopping, the events, the looming list of recipents with your tight budget, charities, everything can seem overwhelming. Everyone wants an iphone, or the ipad, a new laptop, and there's nothing wrong with that but frankly, those things aren't cheap. So in starts the panic over gifts to buy (and not enough money to buy them) you feel obligated to go out and buy the best, making sure to get a gift receipt-just in case. You feel inadequete when you don't go all out. You're tired before Christmas starts & you want everything to be perfect for Christmas dinner. Everyone is tense, and you're smile becomes tight. So when the time comes, you don't notice. Then its over and you breathe the sigh of relief.
   Christmas doesn't have to be like that. Here are some tips to get you through this year:

1. Christmas is to celebrate Jesus coming into this world. God gave him as the greatest gift to us. This is about him & God's love for us, his children.
2. Christmas is about giving-I'm not saying go all out. This isn't required or expected. Slow down. Give yourself. Nobody wants you to be uptight or depressed. Give yourself. Make time for the things that are important to you & your family. Make christmas cookies, watch your favorite Christmas movie, spend time with the ones you love. Make memories.
3. Enlist your kids and husband (if applicable) to help you make gifts. This can be a family activity and the 
repicient will be glad to get something so meaningful. For ideas of what to make, try pinterest.
4. Pick a charity or two and help out. If you can't afford much more than sticking your spare chance in the salvation army buckets, don't feel bad, it adds up.-and stick to it.
5. Remember extended family members & friends can make do with a card. Or even just a Christmas wish. They understand.
6. You don't have to go all out on your family Christmas cards. You can have a family member or friend take your family picture and you can create them from there. 7. Teach your kids the meaning of Christmas. Read them a story, cuddle with them & remember all the things you were thankful for around Thanksgiving.

So when the time comes, you can enjoy Christmas, and drink your peppermint latte with a smile because you are so blessed.

Single Plus One

Hi San Angelo Moms! I am Lea and I am going to be blogging about issues and parenting from the single mom’s point of view. My son is 7 months old, so I am quite new to the parenting arena and I have so enjoyed reading tips and hints from other moms. I think that is one of the best things about the group is, we are all here to encourage and support one another on this parenting endeavor.

I am going to use my first blog to encourage all the single moms out there. A dear friend of mine, who is also a single mom, gave me a prayer entitled “The Single Parents Prayer”

Single Parents’ Prayer

Lord ~ grant me time enough

to do all the chores

join in the games

help with the lessons

say the night prayers

and still have a few moments left for me.

Lord ~ grant me energy enough

to be the bread-baker and breadwinner

knee-patcher and peacemaker

ball player and bill juggler.

Lord ~ grant me hands enough

to wipe away the tears

to reach out when I’m needed

to hug ~ to tickle ~ to touch.

Lord grant me heart enough

to share ~ to care ~ to listen

to understand

and to make a loving home for my family.

I am unaware of the author of the prayer, but I know that we single moms can definitely relate to saying a prayer like this on a regular basis. With only one set of eyes, ears, hands and feet it seems like there is never enough time to see, hear and do all the things we wish to do with our children.  Our feet are running in every which direction and we are constantly juggling time demands which can lead to exhaustion and burn out. So the one thing that single moms need to remember is to ask their friends, family or support system for help. Asking for help does not imply that we are weak or ineffective parents, in fact quite the contrary, it shows great strength. For those single moms who do not have a good support network, reach out to groups like SanAngeloMoms and network with others who are in similar situations. It is very comforting to know that many people are in the same boat you are. Whether a woman is a single mom by choice, widowed, divorce or other circumstances, listening to other mom’s experiences can be a great resource. There are all kinds of self-help books, which can be great, but lets face it, if you are a single mom, you probably don’t have much time for leisurely reading. I have received countless pieces of advice from the other moms that I know and it has saved me a lot of worry and anxiety.  So, to all the single moms out there, pat yourself on the back for playing the role of both mom and dad , take a deep breath and remember that there are many resources out there to help you get through struggles you may face.

Budget Bites

I know we are into the first weeks of November already and that it is technically “fall”, but in Texas that means we can fit in just a few more of our favorite summer time meals before we surrender to actual cold weather. Warm temperature meals in my house consist of being fast, easy and not heating up my kitchen… this meal fits the bill. This is one of my families’ most loved dishes and it can’t get any better than creating a filling meal in 10 minutes flat! Don’t let the idea of mangos mixed with meat scare you; the flavor combo is crisp and very refreshing, you won't regret trying it .

Budget Bites: Ham & Mango Wraps, Baby Carrots &Ranch

Serves: 4-5, 2 wraps each Cost: $7.00

What you need:

1 Package 12 ct Flour Tortillas (I use ones from the HEB bakery) $2.00

2 Cups/1 1 lb Package Fully Cooked Cubed Ham $3.00

2 Mangos, Cubed $1.00

¼ C Mayo (I use Lite)

¼ C Sour Cream (I use Lite, you could also substitute Greek yogurt)

What you do:

Combine mayo and sour cream in a large mixing bowl. Add mango and ham to mayo, and stir to combine. Place ¼ c of mixture down center of tortilla and roll into a wrap.

*At just around $6.00 you have enough left over to have baby carrots and ranch ($1.00) as a side dish and this for desert (pop it in the oven 30 minutes before you start the mango wraps and it will be ready to eat when your eager for dessert):

Budget Bites: Pineapple Dump Cake

Serves: 10-12 Cost: $4.50

If you have never heard of, or worst yet tasted, a dump cake are you in for a real surprise! This has to be one of the easiest “cakes” (really it turns out much more like a cobbler) you will ever make, basically you just “dump” in all the ingredients in the order listed and sit back and do nothing while the magic happens. You don’t even have to measure anything… no eggs, no mixing, no hard work. If you ask me, what more could you want?

What you need:

1 (20 ounces) can crushed pineapple, undrained ($1.50)

1 (21 ounces) can cherry pie filling ($1.50)

1 (18.25 ounces) box yellow cake mix ($1.50)

2 sticks margarine, each cut into 12 slices ($.50)

What you do:

Preheat oven to 350. Grease a 9 by 13-inch baking pan. Dump undrained pineapple into baking dish, spread out evenly. Using a spoon, add and smooth out cherry pie filling evenly over top of pineapple. Sprinkle the cake mix evenly over the cherry and pineapple layers. Place butter slices evenly over cake mix. *DO NOT STIR ANYTHING, no matter how bad you want to, put it in the oven and step away from the pan, trust me!

Bake for one hour, let sit 5 min. Serve warm.

Easy Kid-Friendly Recipes

As a mom whose husband is normally working through dinnertime, I know how mundane it seems to cook a decent meal for your family. The truth is that you need to still eat foods besides Easy Mac and sandwiches. These are fine in moderation, but will not satisfy you all of the time. Here are some fun recipes that will satisfy your child, and you:
1.Bagel Pizzas
Ingredients: 4 sliced bagels, 8 tbsp pizza/spaghetti sauce, 1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese, your favorite pizza toppings
   Instructions: Place each bagel half on a baking sheet. Spread 1 tbsp of sauce on each bagel half. Sprinkle cheese and toppings and broil bagels for 5-7 minutes or until cheese is melted.
2. Nutritious Nachos
Ingredients: 1/2 lb ground beef, 1 teaspoon chili powder, 1 tsp cumin, 1/2 cup onion (chopped), 10 oz bag tortilla chips, 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese, 1/2 cup tomato (chopped), 1/4 cup black olives
Garnishes: salsa, sour cream, and guacamole
Instructions:
  Brown ground beef in skillet. Add seasonings and chopped onion. Stir. Layer tortilla chips, seasoned beef & cheese in an ungreased casserole dish. Add tomato & olives. Repeat until all ingredients have been used. Bake at 375 degrees for 10-20 min, or until cheese is melted. Serve warm with salsa, sour cream, & guacamole.
3. Easy Peesy Quesadillas
Ingredients: 1 cup cooked chicken (shredded), 1/4 cup diced green chilis (canned; drained), 1/4 cup salsa or taco sauce, 4 flour tortillas, 1 cup shredded monterey jack cheese
Garnishes: salsa, sour cream, gaucamole
Instructions:
Combine chicken (cooked), onion, chilis, & salsa in deep skillet. Heat chicken mixture over medium heat for 5 min or until onions are soft. Stirring occasionally. Place 2 tortillas side by side on an ungreased baking sheet. Spoon half the chicken mixture onto each tortilla. Sprinkle cheese over chickenn mixture and top with remaining tortillas. Bake at 350 degrees for about 15 min, or until cheese melts. Serve with garnishes.
4. Potato Pockets
Ingredients: 3 whole russet potatoes (cleaned and dried), olive oil, 5 bacon slices, 1 1/4 cup grated cheese, 1/4 cup milk/soy milk, 1 tbsp butter, 1/4 teaspoon pepper, salt to taste,
Instructions:
Preheat oven to 425 degrees, rub potatos with olive oil and prick each potato with a fork ( about 3 times), Place them on a baking sheet and bake for 1 hour or until tender.
Cook bacon, and chop it up and blend with cheese in a bowl
When potatoes are cooked, remove then from the oven. Allow to cool, then cut them in half lengthwise.
Using a spoon, scoop out most of the potato from the skin. Leaving about 1/4 inch of potato intact. Mix the just scooped out potato with milk, butter, salt, and pepper in a bowl, then spoon mixture back into potato skins. Bake at 425 degrees, and sprinkle the cheese and bacon at the top of each potato and cook until cheese meltd. Serve with garnishes.
5. Spaghetti
Ingredients: 1 lb pasta, 1 lb ground beef, spaghetti sauce
Instructions: brown ground beef in skillet; drain. Add sauce. In the meantime, boil water, add spaghetti noodles. Cook until tender. Drain. Poor meat sauce over spaghetti, and enjoy

Finally in her own bed!

Okay, so I know a lot of moms will think I'm CRAZY, but my two-year-old has been sleeping with us- either in our room (in her crib) or in our bed- her whole life. What's makes it even crazier, is that she's our 4th one- not our first.

I know, I know, we should know better by now. But, in our defense, she was a long-time coming. After my third one was born- the 3rd of three pregnancies- I had two miscarriages and a still-birth (at 39 weeks) before we had Allyson.

So, to say the least, we were scared in the beginning. Then, her sleeping with us just became habit. Then, we were too lazy to get her toddler bed set up (She was not having anything to do with her crib).

Now that she's two, she LOVES Mickey Mouse and the Disney Princesses. While shopping at Target a couple of weeks ago, I found a Princess toddler bed! Then, I found Minnie Mouse bedding on clearance! Doesn't get any better than that, does it?

Actually, it does.

When we got her bed put together, she couldn't wait to sleep in it. Remember, though, I've done this three times before. So, I knew to expect a little bit (a lot) of a fit at bedtime.

To my surprise, it wasn't bad. At all. There was a little wimpering, but she was so excited about sleeping in her new bed, she fell asleep, in her new bed, without much of a problem. While we still have the typical "I'm not tired" and "I don't want to go to sleep" at bedtime, for the most part, she has been the easiest transition of the four.

I had to laugh tonight- With the time change, she was soooo tired at bedtime. She was snuggling next to me on the couch, and out of the blue, said, "I go night-night my princess bed."

Before she had a second to change her mind, I brought her into her room, kissed her goodnight, and watched as she pulled the blanket around her, curled up, and went to sleep.

While the whole co-sleeping thing is somewhat controversial, I think there might be something to it... While yes, sleeping with a toddler is not always easy, for us, it worked. And really, I think that's the goal of parenting- to find what works best for you and your child(ren), regardless of what others think.