Monday, November 13, 2017

Holiday Mealtime

I am at that really exciting place in mothering brothers when they both admire each other but constantly want to compete with each other.  Everything is a race.  No one can have something the other doesn't or it becomes a really intense game of tug of war.  Preston is still young so many disputes end in me reasoning with Leavitt and redirecting Preston.  Unless it is mealtime.  

Preston still sits at  a highchair but he likes to be pushed up to the island to eat near his brother.  They like a lot of the same foods but Preston is by far my better eater, for now.  Until he's done and starts frantically throwing food on the floor so I get the memo.  I love that they like to eat together but throwing his plates on the floor is a real pain.  Leavitt pawns his unwanted food off on Preston, and Preston is always trying to steal Leavitt's drink.  


I found some really awesome ways to transition Preston into the big kid he wants to be while making my life so much easier!  Nuby makes these amazing Sure Grip Feeding Mats that suction to the table keeping it on the table and off the floor.   Preston thinks the monkey face is fun, and I am so glad I don't need to keep replacing plastic plates he breaks on the floor and it makes clean up that much easier.  These make great useful gifts for parents and grandparents! I am going to snag a few for the grandmas in our lives to have for when we make the rounds this holiday season!  You can grab one on Amazon here.



Speaking of grandparents, last night I took the kids to my mom's house for dinner.  My kids love for each other is fierce but their love for their cousins is equally matched.  With so many toddlers tearing up the house it can be easy to missed a tipped cup, or abandoned snacks.  Preston really wants to be in the action with his cousins so I have been using the same cups for my two kids in different colors so they can tell them apart.  Preston feels like a big boy using these adorable 360 wonder cups from Nuby!  I can't tell you how sweet they are when they cheers them together its precious! 


I was lucky enough to get a sneak peak of the 360 Wonder cup, it features the 360 drinking action that allows baby to drink from any where on the rim! Now the range comes in new fun prints and is made of tritan from Eastman. Coming soon to Babies R’ Us stores.  Seriously snag these!  They are spill proof unlike any other, and come with a cover to keep them clean while on the go!  Kids love the the prints, Preston has claimed the airplanes, while Leavitt likes the red cup better.  I love that these work for my one year old and that my almost four year old likes it too.  It is encouraging Preston to use a big boy cup without stressing me out that there will be a mess if he knocks it over. 


This weekend has been a not so gentle reminder that the busiest season for moms is upon me.  While I love the hustle and bustle, and dinner invites galore, I really love the coziness of being home.  I would never say I like sick season BUT when Preston got sick last Friday, I put on the Christmas movies and really relaxed in the playroom with the kids.  I had my coffee, Preston had his new 360 Wonder cup with pedialyte , and Leavitt was using his new Snack N Sip cup.  


How clever is this little cup? It holds 9 oz of liquid in the bottom & 4.5oz of dry snacks in the top.  I was not a mom when we built our home so the playroom is a hike from the kitchen.  Which means it is a chore to get snacks and drinks to the playroom for movie time.  Leavitt loves having one thing to carry around with him and he thinks it is so cool to have them in one cup!  I can't wait to take it in the car too!  Perfect for holiday movies at home or road trips!  I can't wait until Preston can use one without spilling the snacks on top!  But I have a feeling Santa will be putting one in his stocking this year!  You can get one online here or in store at Walmart, & Babies R’ Us. 


Want to win a Sure Grip Feeding Mat? We are giving one away on Instagram!  You can enter here! Giveaway ends Thursday November 16th! Good luck!


Bringing up Leavitt is a Nuby parent blogger and was given products in exchange for reviews.  All opinions are and always will be my own.

Wednesday, November 8, 2017

Holiday Bucket list



It feels early to be talking Christmas, but I'd be lying if I said I wasn't already planning my kids Christmas pajamas and dreaming about all the ways I will decorate our house this year.  I also am at that point in motherhood where I am totally sick of all the toys.  My kids are not however sick of toys so there will be plenty of that kicking around here this year but I am going to shift my focus from shopping to creating memories in the season.  I have been scouring the Internet since September for announcements and event schedules of things to do in Maine with kids.  It wasn't long before I had something going on every weekend from Thanksgiving to Christmas and to be honest I might regret that come January but I really want us to enjoy the magic of Christmas while the boys are still so small.  So I have come up with my Holiday Bucket list for 2017!

The Polar Express We have never done the Polar Express but from November 24th through December 23rd you can board The Polar Express in Portland and head the "North Pole" complete with hot chocolate, cookies, a visit from Santa and a Christmas story.  I can't wait to take Leavitt I know he will get a kick out of it since he's had me watching the Polar Express over and over for a week now.

Gardens Aglow  This event was all I heard about last year.  Everyone raved about how amazing it was and I was super jealous by the time I knew I had to go they had sold out so definitely get your tickets early!  They light up the Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens with over 500,000 lights and you can walk the gardens.  They also have a S'mores pit, popcorn stand, and art exhibit.  This year it will run November 17th through December 31st.  I really think it would be magical to do with the kids, but then again it would make the perfect date night, or girls night out.  

Rockland Festival of Lights November 24th through November 26th Rockland has some really fun and uniquely Maine Christmas festivities.  On the 24th Santa arrives by Coast Guard Boat, you can enjoy coco, cookies, and free horse drawn carriage rides.  That evening they light the world famous lobster trap tree that was featured on the TLC Channel "extreme Christmas trees".  The 25th you can enjoy the carriage rides, gingerbread houses on Main St. and a parade at 5:00pm.  Sunday the 26th you can enjoy pancakes with Santa.  We have never been for the full festivities but I have taken Leavitt every year to see the tree during the week when the town is quiet.

Rudolph the Musical  Who doesn't love a Christmas Musical? I saw this show was going to be at the Wang Theater in Boston and was dying to go but logistics were stacked against me.  Getting a weekend free with the husband and leaving Preston behind because let's be honest a 15 month old doesn't want to see a musical.  So having a show in Maine may just be the way to make this happen for us!  I hope we get to attend the only drawback is its in the middle of the week at 7pm (who plans theses things?!)  We might be playing hooky from school the next day (#sorrynotsorry).

Magic of Christmas is a show put on by Portland Symphony Orchestra.  They will play at Merrill Auditorium for the 38th year!  I have never been but have a girls shopping trip and this show on the books for December.  I can't wait to dress up with my nearest and dearest gal pals and enjoy some traditional Christmas music in the gorgeous Merrill Auditorium.  If you are one of my gal pals and want in on this trip hit a sister up the more the Merrier!!

L.L. Bean Northern Lights Celebration is something we did last year and I am adamant we do it again.  They have the most charming Santa Claus in the cutest little barn that has some seriously magical reindeer in it.  There is a warming yurt this year with free hot chocolate and a letter writing station to send letters to the North Pole.  A model train village that will make all the little boys in your life go crazy.  There are also horse-drawn wagon rides, and the Discovery Forest with 600 trees lit up for a magical little stroll.  It truly is a great experience and the shopping isn't bad either!  It runs from November 18th - December 31st and the best part is it is all FREE!  Yes, you read that right, free.  Who doesn't love a perfectly magical free Christmas experience because lets be honest, the holidays are expensive enough!

Last year we went to a live nativity scene which ended up being a lot like an outdoor play.  It was at a local church and while I don't have any info on one in particular it would be worth it to check out your local churches in your area for Christmas plays, or live nativity scenes.  They really hit home what the season is truly all about.