Cyber Monday and Toddler Holiday Gift Guide

Not sure where the last 3+ months went, but wow, what a year! Working in ecommerce the past 8 years, Cyber Monday is far and away the biggest day for my team. I actually look forward to coming into the office every year and tracking how our brands and retailers perform from last year. It's also comforting to see consumer confidence and spend on the rise!

As my children are still so young, we are keeping Christmas gifts limited to 1-2 toys and stocking stuffers. My parents and in-laws tend to go all-out, so as the parents, we try to keep "Santa's" gifts more in-check.

Inspiration for Charlotte's gifts have come from her recent development and growth the past few months. She really adores books at this age but doesn't own a lot of fairy tale stories. She also loves to color and doodle. When we vacuum, she takes out a child's golf club and pretends she is also vacuuming which cracks me up. Finally, her hair is long enough for a headband! Experiencing her changes as she grows up is the most rewarding part of being a parent

As Harrison is barely a year old at Christmas, we are just giving him "boy" books and some New Balances. He will probably just chew on the boxes :)

Charlotte's stocking stuffers:

Charlotte's gift from Santa:

Harrison's stocking stuffers:

Harrison's gift from Santa:

Weekend recap

We celebrated Charlotte's 2nd birthday this weekend. It is amazing how quickly time has flown with her. I still remember holding her in my arms at the hospital, and everything that has happened since seems like a few weeks, not years!

With her birthday last year, we had a bunch of friends over at home, but I decided to keep it smaller this year with mainly family and close friends/neighbors at Pullen Park. It was a huge hit with kiddie boats, a train ride and their old-fashioned Carousel!

Birthday morning snuggles with Mommy!

Cheese pizza for our birthday lunch at Tazza

Charlotte's favorite moment of her birthday weekend - having Daddy buy her all the Mickey and Minnie's she could carry!

Ready in our party dress for our Pullen Park party!

Not sharing with brother.

Trying on our party sunnies with Cate!

Sloane, Ben and Cate and Charlotte holding down the boat!

Her hero and biggest cheerleader

Hanging with our favorite neighbor, Big Girl Sloane!

Train ride with Mommy, Daddy and both Grandmothers!

Fun ride with the whole Revels gang!

Please make sure I get a chocolate one, Mommy.

What is everyone staring at

Ready?

Happy Birthday, Charlotte!

Was not feeling the carousel this time.

Great end to a great party!

Out of the Darkness

It's been almost a year since I've written - we've had our second baby, Harrison John. I returned to work, and we've somehow survived the toughest first 6 months of having two children (who are both still under 2 years old).

Something I have been very private about and have finally decided to speak more openly on is the postpartum depression I experienced for a long time after having Harrison. Now that I am firmly on the other side and life feels so sweet, I can reflect back on that very dark chapter of my life.

What was very difficult when I had Harrison was the fact that I had experienced no postpartum with Charlotte, and I was so incredibly happy when she joined the family. But following delivery and in the weeks and months after I brought Harrison home, I couldn't shake the feeling. I was so anxious, tired, paranoid and unhappy.

Call it running after a toddler, adjusting to two humans always needing something, functioning on limited sleep, but I was thrown for a loop. Khaner, on paternity leave, still had to be on a work trip 2.5 weeks after we brought Harrison home, and I found myself laying on our bed, weeping, begging him not to leave me, even with my MIL here to help.

My friend Stacey brought us dinner one night as part of a meal train our friends had started, and I had never known she had faced the same challenges with her second baby. She promised me I was going to connect with him soon, and I would come to feel the same way about him as I did Charlotte. It was an awful feeling to not adore, love and dote on this thing you created, but it was my reality.

Fast forward 6 months later, and we really do have the sweetest little boy, who LOVES to go to sleep, take naps, cuddle and sing songs. I even got away last weekend for my HS best friends' bachelorette party in NY and stayed out wayyy past my bedtime. It goes to show that you can come full circle again.

There is a ton of books, support groups, and unsolicited advice parents love to give other parents, but what I will say is to give yourself some time, cut yourself some slack, and take stock in the good things you do as a parent. There will come a time where things will fall into place, and in the interim, give yourself some grace.

Look at this nugget!