Posts in motherhood
Easy Tips to Entertain a Toddler at-Home
Easy Tips to Entertain a Toddler at-Home

As a working mom that made that choice, I have never truly realized how challenging it can be to entertain your toddler until recently. I have a deeper respect for our educators and stay-at-home-moms more than ever for their patience and creativity! You all deserve a medal, seriously. I will be honest, I am not the most crafty, Pinterest-worthy mom in the world, but I try and that’s all that matters.

I do think my toddler is more focused and stays engaged when he only has one toy or activity to play with vs. it being a free-for-all! Don’t get me wrong, that sometimes is necessary to do. Also, you don’t have to frantically order all the random crafts and toys to come up with fun activities. Seriously, most of the time I look around our house to see what we already have that can keep our toddler entertained for the day. Here are a few ideas for you…

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motherhood, toddlerkat snellenComment
Weekly Habits for Better Days
Weekly Habits for Better Days

What I have learned through this time of quarantine is that it’s my daily (and weekly habits) that will help give me a sense of normalcy and make me feel better.

As a mom (and business owner) I have to be strong. I have to lead my team and take care of my son and everything in-between. So, while the hard days are hard and sometimes you have to let them happen - I need to find the things that make me feel good and help me keep going everyday.

I’ve been working on the following daily habits (trust me, this doesn’t always happen)

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life, motherhoodkat snellenComment
Why you should focus on Your Heart Health
Why you should focus on Your Heart Health

Finding time for myself has been a sturggle these past few months has been a challenge, but it’s something I am making a point to re-prioritze. Not only so that I can feel my best and be the best mom/wife/business owner/boss, but so that I can lead a long and healthy lifestyle for my family. With it being Heart Health Month, I wanted to share a few easy ways you can take care of your heart everyday.

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life, motherhoodkat snellenComment
18-month-old Updates & Must Haves
18-month-old Updates & Must Haves

It truly doesn’t seem possible! It feels like he was cozy in my belly yesterday. Thankfully, those really, really hard newborn days actually feel far away now. I swear there is some magic dust that is sprinkled on moms while they sleep that makes those tough moments disappear from your memory! If you’re still in the thick of it - hang tight, mama! It gets soooo much better.

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baby, motherhoodkat snellenComment
Self-Love Gifts to Give Yourself
Self-Love Gifts to Give Yourself

With Valentine’s Day around the corner, it’s a great reminder to treat yourself to a little self-love. I think when you become a mom it’s really challenging to find room to love yourself. You are pouring so much into your babies and what little is left into your partner or work - or anything else that is left in your world. But you have to remember to pour into your own cup. Here are a few ideas to help…

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motherhood, lifekat snellenComment
Co-Parenting, Solo-Parenting & making it work
Co-Parenting, Solo-Parenting & making it work

Those first few months of learning to ‘solo-parent’ was a messy, challenging blur. I learned so much about myself as a mom and what I would need to make it work. I made it through his first leaps, cluster feeds and doctors appointments on my own. I think it’s actually made me a stronger mother, but I also think having to take on all the responsibilities so soon also increased my postpartum anxiety. But not only did I freaking survive those challenging days (often alone), but my husband and I learned how to co-parent as a result.

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motherhood, babykat snellenComment
It's Okay to Ask for Help as a Mom
It's Okay to Ask for Help as a Mom

It’s funny that motherhood is the only job that anyone can do without experience. Somehow, we all just figure it out. I survived that phase (you will, too!), but it’s easy to feel overwhelmed in the process. Especially when you don’t have others to learn from and lean on. It doesn’t matter where you find help, as long as you have it. The point is you have to find your people that will be there for you. Read on for more tips...

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motherhood, babykat snellenComment
Easy Ways to Make the Season Magical
Easy Ways to Make the Season Magical

It’s easy to get caught up in the game of curating the perfect holiday instead of focusing on creating memories. You can easily watch others share their perfect holiday traditions, decor, outfits and gifts on social media...and ask yourself if you are doing enough. Let’s not forget how easy it is to click ‘Buy Now’ for instant gratification to fit in.But the number of gifts under the tree or activities you check off your to-do list is not what will create magic.

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holiday, kansas city, motherhoodkat snellenComment
Creating Holiday Traditions
Creating Holiday Traditions

To be honest, I can’t remember most of the gifts I received. Maybe it’s bad memory but it’s true that these little moments that became traditions are what feel the most special to me. While Ford is still too young for many of these traditions, I’m excited to carry these on as a family while also adding in a few of our own.

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holiday, motherhoodkat snellenComment
Finding "Balance" as a Working Mom
Finding "Balance" as a Working Mom

I am SO excited to be the new guest writer for Children’s Mercy Parent-Ish blog! This is a great resource of KC parents (and beyond) on all things parenting…“Sometimes you need answers to the little everyday things that parents encounter. And sometimes, you just need someone to encourage you through all of the craziness and challenges of parenthood. Welcome to Parent-ish.”

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kansas city, motherhoodkat snellenComment
Why I Am Not Ready for a Second Baby
Why I Am Not Ready for a Second Baby

Once Ford turned one-years-old, the questions started coming in. At first, they felt like a small nudge. Always along the lines of, “are you ready for another?” or “Ford is one now, time for number two!” I know that these comments come from a good place. I know that our son brings our family members, friends and our own family so much joy. But why… and when is it okay to start questioning a mom about growing her family? For me, one-year felt too soon.

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motherhoodkat snellen Comment
My Postpartum Body Struggles
My Postpartum Body Struggles

Now that I am done breastfeeding and navigating our new schedule with a toddler, I am focusing on my health and not the number on the scale. I am learning to accept that I may never weight what I did before becoming a mother. And it feels like I am starting all over in many ways. But instead of looking at the scale, I am looking at the other small victories. This is my postpartum body struggle and the journey I am on…

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motherhoodkat snellen Comment
Gifts to Give a New Mama
Gifts to Give a New Mama

Now that I am almost 1-year into my motherhood journey, I have such a different perspective on what I would give to a new mama. When I was prepping for Ford to arrive, I was focused on folding his cute baby onesies and curating the perfect nursery. I tried my best to research baby items we would need and actually use, but it’s really hard to know…until you know.

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baby, motherhoodkat snellenComment