Beach living

This is how we do it...

I love taking advantage of of big, sandy, wet, and beachy backyard!

YES, you can {Beach day fun}

Last week I took Leila to the bay for some water play.  It's been hot here in San Diego and a day at the beach was just what we both needed.

As I was relaxing on the towel, Leila was having fun playing by herself.  She was digging holes in the sand, picking up seashells, throwing wet sand in the water, splashing in the shallow water, and running around enjoying her surroundings.

About thirty minutes in, I noticed a young boy around Leila's age throwing shells and sand into the water.  His mother immediately called out his name from her towel, jumped up after him, and reprimanded him for throwing things in the bay. Seconds later she was yelling at him, "No splashing!"  She chased him around for a while telling him not to do just about everything he was doing.

Honestly, I didn't know how to feel.  For a second I felt embarrassed that I was allowing Leila to throw wet sand into the bay (that happens to be full of wet sand) and I wondered if I should ask her to stop splashing around in the water.

Then I chuckled to myself...

Here I was enjoying a relaxing day at the beach, allowing Leila to do what kids do at the beach- have fun!  And here was this other mom all frazzled chasing her son around telling him no.

Clearly Leila and I were having more fun!  Isn't that what beach days are all about?

Dear Leila, for the record, YES you can throw sand (or seashells) into the water.  YES you can splash in the bay.  YES you can be a toddler!

If you need more inspiration to say YES to your child check out my first YES, you can...post here.

Wait...what did you just say?

My daughter just got a little more adorable (or annoying...you make the call).

Summertime sweaty Leila

Out of no where she started adding -y to the end of random words.  I do not talk to her like this.  I am not a fan of what I call "baby talk".  But when Leila says it, on her own, it is too cute!

The other day she asked for some "milky" instead of milk and she called her toy cell phone a "phone-y".  The next day she was passing toys out and said, "One for Leila.  One-y for Mommy."  I about died!  Seriously, where does she come up with this stuff?

I guess can stop blaming "those Moms" for talking baby talk to their kids. Sorry I judged you.  Can you forgive me?

Has your toddler started making up words or saying things you just can't believe?

Vacation hangover

...STILL.

I just can't seem to shake this vacation feeling.  You know, the one that involves afternoon naps, no real responsibilities, and no routine.

The pile of mail sitting on my counter is about to bite me.  My suitcases, although unpacked, are still in our bedroom.  Pictures need edited and stories need to be told.

I know it's not going to get done on it's own.  

I know that it's not going to be done today.

It's the weekend and I'm going to enjoy it!  Monday will come soon enough.

The Last Bite {Guest post}

Hi there everyone! My name is Sarah and I blog over at It's a Vol! I write about my handsome hunky husband Chris and our beautiful daughter Evie. We are also parents to our six (!!!) furbabies; we have four dogs and two cats. Between the nine of us there is always something exciting happening! I am also a post-partum depression and anxiety survivor. Along with blogging about my family I use my blog as a voice for myself and other women who are suffering from or have survived this disease.

FIND US ON

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The Last Bite

{source}

A few weekends ago we took Evie out for ice cream. She has recently discovered that frozen sweet treats are delicious and so we've been spoiling her a bit more than we should with frozen yogurt, coconut ice pops and trips to Baskin Robbins.


Once we arrived we all settled on our flavors. I picked some baseball themed flavor that had raspberry swirls & cashews on a sugar cone, Chris got butter-pecan and Evie had orange sherbet. We settled down to eat out treats. Evie was happily eating her orange sherbet when I naively offered her a bite of my cone.


"Mmmm!" she exclaimed, her little eyes lighting up and her mouth opening up for another bite. So we sat there quite contentedly for a few mintues sharing bites of my ice cream cone and making faces at each other. Until, we reached down to the very bottom of the cone. The last bite. The bite that is the best, it is a mixture of soggy and crunchy with the perfect ratio of cone to ice cream.


Evie eyed that last little bite of cone excitedly. I requested a sticky sweet kiss and handed it over to her. She expressed her delight with a toothy grin and one last "Mmmm!". We went about our merry way and it wasn't until later that I realized I'd just experienced a hallmark of motherhood. Without even thinking we give so much to our kids.


Then, I thought, it's not enough to take our bikini bodies, give us chin hairs, deprive us of sleep and cause stretch marks; now they're stealing ice cream cones too? Sheesh. I'll take all the physical alterations, but NOBODY said anything about stealing ice cream cones.

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Thanks for letting me take over for the day Jen! And if you're kind of possessive of your ice cream too, stop on by It's a Vol and say hey! 
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Thanks Sarah!   Definitely a lot of ice cream eating happening on this vacation.  Leila can have my last bite any day, and I bet my mom would give me hers.       

Beach days

I plan on soaking up every last minute of our beach life before our trip to the Chicago-land area.

  

I love visiting my hometown.  My family, friends, the food!  But I did move away for one reason.  The beach.  Now, I can hardly imagine my life any other way.

Leila will grow up knowing this as her backyard.  I'd say she is one lucky girl!

Which sunscreen is best? {The winner is...}

In my opinion, nothing beats a protective clothing.  Leila happily wears a sun hat outside (unless I take it off for photos) and a swimsuit with decent coverage. Last summer we had a long sleeved swim shirt and I'm still looking for one I like this year. 


Although we have more sunny days than not, the temperature by the San Diego beaches rarely reaches 80 degrees.  This allows me to dress Leila in protective clothing, long sleeves and pants, even on some of the warmest days.

On the other hand, since it is mostly sunny in San Diego, we wear sunscreen all year round.  It's important to me to find the perfect sunscreen: safe, effective, and affordable*.

Here's the breakdown of the products I tried:

For information about WHY I chose these three products read part one of my search for the perfect sunscreen. 

1. Adorable Baby SPF 30+ Sunscreen Non-Nano Zinc Oxide UVA/UVB    

I love how easy this sunscreen is to apply and re-apply.  It goes on clear and rubs in with little effort.  It is greasier than chemical sunscreens, and I wouldn't use it on my face.  Cost: $22 for a 4.3 oz bottle ($5.12/oz).

2. Badger Chamomile Baby Sunscreen SPF 30+ 

This option is less greasy than the other two I tried.  A little goes a long way!  Be sure to knead the tube before using it.  When it is applied it goes on white and takes a while to rub in, which Leila doesn't like at all.  The smell is a too strong (and wrong) for my liking.  (Chamomile just doesn't remind me of the beach!)  I would consider trying it in an unscented formula because it is the cheapest of the three.  Cost: $16 for a 2.9 oz bottle  ($5.52/oz).   I found it on sale at Sprouts for $13 ($4.48/oz)   

3. Loving Naturals Clear Body SPF 30+ Sunscreen

I bought this one in a 2.5 ounce bottle.  I love the travel size for my diaper bag.  (I will refill it when it is empty).  For some reason this size bottle is the best to use...it just comes out easier.  It turns out that Adorable Baby (#1) and Loving Naturals Clear Body are made by the same company.  This sunscreen is also easy to apply and re-apply.  It goes on clear and rubs in with little effort.  Cost: $13 for a 2.5 oz bottle ($5.20/oz) 

*Yes, these sunscreens cost more than Coppertone, Neutrogena, and other common drugstore brands.  One bottle costs about the same as a pedicure, a hardcover book, or a bottle of wine.  Hopefully the sunscreen lasts longer than the wine!

The winner is... Loving Naturals Clear Body SPF 30+

What I love about it:
It is 100% natural and I can pronounce all the ingredients.  It goes on clear and makes my skin feel moisturized, not dehydrated by the sun.  Because it is easy to apply, I can re-apply it often, even on an ever-moving toddler!  Although it differs from Adorable Baby by only two ingredients, those two ingredients feel less greasy and tacky on my skin.  (I am still not sure I would use this sunscreen on my face.)


Next up...I'll be searching for the best face sunscreen.  Suggestions are welcome (and needed).  What do you recommend?

Oceanside on Dwellable

Is your sunscreen safe? {The perfect one}

I never thought about whether or not the sunscreen I bought was safe. Heck, I assumed I was being safe just by using my SPF 30+ sunscreen daily, a vast improvement from my tanning oil days.

But after reading a blog post written about a local mom's sunscreen stresses, I too got a little stressed out.

I read through the Environmental Working Group's Sunscreen guide, and apparently my stress was warranted. Their "Hall of Shame" list convinced me to ditch the sunscreen I was using on Leila, sunscreen full of hormone-disrupting chemicals.

That was only the first step. Next up was more reading and eventually choosing some sunscreen products to test out in this San Diego sun.







The Environmental Working Group posted this on their Facebook page:

EWG researchers assessed about 1,400 products with SPF, including beach and sports lotions, sprays and creams, moisturizers, make-up and lip balms. The 39 beach and sports products that earned EWG’s coveted “green” rating for safety and efficacy all contain the minerals zinc or titanium. We could find no non-mineral sunscreens that scored better than “yellow.”

So what does it come down to?

Pick your sunscreen "poison": nano-materials or potential hormone disrupters.

I chose three chemical-free sunscreen products to try, based on the EWG's 2012 rating, affordability, and availability:






1. Adorable Baby SPF 30+ Sunscreen Non-Nano Zinc Oxide UVA/UVB 

2. Badger Chamomile Baby Sunscreen SPF 30+ (purchased at Sprouts) 

3. Loving Naturals Clear Body SPF 30+ Sunscreen Non-Nano Zinc Oxide UVA/UVB

Each sunscreen I chose scored a rating of 1.

They all ranged in price from $13-$22 depending on the size.

All three sunscreen products are available on Amazon and one can be picked up at our local grocery store.

In search of the perfect sunscreen (if there is such a thing), I have been using these products on Leila and myself for the past two weeks.  


Click here for the results.  


Do you have any sunscreen you would personally recommend?     

My fun girl

Last week Leila and I spend a lot of time together, just the two of us.

Jeff was working late, her friend Charlie wasn't feeling well, and I didn't feel like leaving the beach.

On Thursday, we kept it simple and went for a bike ride along the ocean boardwalk.  On the way back home we discovered a new park on the bay side.

The location was beautiful, but the children were lacking. Leila had no one to play with (except me!) so there was lots and lots of swinging.

Leila is such a fun girl to hang out with!   

Celebrating summer

We kicked off summer in true SoCal style yesterday.

A bike ride along the boardwalk...



Followed by locally brewed beer and dining at the beach.



Does it get much better than this? I think not.

Happy summer!  Let the fun begin!

I'm here, I like it, and that's alright.

Last month I shared how I became a stay-at-home mom. I lost my job, and until recently I had a difficult time accepting my new role. Or at least that's what I thought.

Last week I got a message letting me know that I need to remove all my stuff from my classroom. They'll be needing the space this fall.  It's final...and it sure feels that way.

I'm a mess when it comes to my emotions. Anxiety is high, tears have been shed, feelings of anger and resentment resurface.  I miss my friends. I miss teaching. I miss the old Jen.

I'm surprised I feel this way because I do not want to work right now.  I really though I was over this!  I like being home with toddler Leila.  I know this is a once in a lifetime opportunity, literally.  I like my stay-at-home mom lifestyle.  I like the new Jen.

I am on a different path, headed in a different direction, than I pictured for myself, and that's alright.

It's okay to be glad that I'm not working.

It is perfectly fine to be a stay-at-home mom, and not love it or hate it.

It's okay to be happy.

{Our big plan} Skipping a toddler nap

Nap time is sacred around here. Leila's nap occurs at the same time everyday. This girl loves her bed and is well-known for her over 3 hour marathon nap. I need my time, she needs hers.

Unfortunately, it takes place right smack in the middle of the day. Who wants to go out to lunch at 10:30? How about a beach day starting at 9:00? Well that's how we do it around here. All of our daytime adventures must be wrapped up by noon for Leila's 12:30 nap.

Until today's installment of the toddler summer bucket list, Leila had missed only one nap on purpose. (Like I said, nap time is sacred around here.)



Today we headed to Coronado on the ferry. This was Leila's first experience on a boat. She mostly just wanted to explore, climb, and sit on every chair.



The girls had a great time. It is adorable how Leila will mimic the little things Charlie does and vice versa. I love hearing them call out their friend's name.







After an exhausting morning the girls started to get tired. Our big plan was to push them in their stroller for a short nap and then continue our day. Their plan was to stay awake and wonder if the other was sleeping.

Their plan was more solid than ours.



Luckily they both made it all the way home without a meltdown!





I decided to put Leila in bed for a nap at 2:30 when we got home. I woke her up at 4:30 because certainly didn't want to mess with a later bedtime.

As for nap skipping...it didn't happen this time. It is great to know I can be a bit more flexible with her rigid nap schedule, if it seems necessary. (I don't want to miss out on MY time!)

Do you ever skip nap time? Any tips for special occasion nap skipping?

A lesson on germs

Dear Leila,

It's been three months since your first head cold. Since then, it seems like you have been a snotty mess just about every other week.

Yesterday when you sneezed, your baby boogers shot out of your nose and dripped towards your chin. I laughed out loud when I turned around to look at the damage. You loved the attention so much that when you sneezed later that evening, you looked at me, smiled ear to ear, and waited for me to bust out laughing again. I did, and you felt proud.

This is the thing, I love you and your drippy boogers, but I'm your Mommy. That's what I do. You see, the other adults that we hang around do not view these boogers as anything but germs. Big, fat, nasty germs that you are passing on their child (or them).

You know, when you wipe your nose with your hand, then play with their toys...GERMS. When you reach your hand into the snack bowl, touching all the crackers, then just pull out the one you want...GERMS. How about when we are at Teacher Lee and you decide to "eat" pancakes with the play kitchen fork, yep, more GERMS.

My dear Leila, I know all the other kids are doing it. (How do you think you got this cold?) Please stop eating half-gnawed apple slices that belong to your friend. Please stop drinking from their sippy cups.

And finally, it's summertime, please stop getting these colds!




Love,
Mommy xoxo

Wanted! {Guest bloggers}

Even those of us that live in paradise need a vacation.



Leila and I will be leaving Jeff home all by himself for three weeks in July. We'll be heading back to our hometown, the good 'ol suburbs of Chicago, for our annual vacation.

This year I am even more excited to eat delicious pizza, hang with old friends, and have a live-in babysitter (thanks Mom and Dad!), because two of my cousins had babies that I haven't met yet.

Wanted! {Guest bloggers}

I'm looking for guest bloggers for Leilaland during the month of July.

Some topics you to consider: your summer vacation, toddler activities, toddler behavior, easy recipes or DIY ideas, family life, and motherhood. 

Humor, fun, and a photo (or your blog button) required.  

Interested? Send me an email or leave a comment including your email address.

myleilaland (at) gmail (dot) com 

Will I ever learn?

In 1991 I was a freshman in high school. Tight-rolling your jeans and curling your bangs were still cool, barely.

I can remember exactly where I was standing when I swore to my dad I would never not tight roll my jeans.

I can still hear him laughing at me. Probably because he actually is. I'll never live that one down.

Well, I certainly didn't learn anything from my fashion faux-pas or my extreme way of thinking.

This time I swore, before I was actually a momma, I would never let my child wear a bikini. I didn't want my baby to be...

...I don't know. I really did not think this one through before I got all judgy.

I never even tried to put a bathing suit on a baby, wet or dry. Ever.

I learned very quickly!

Alright, this bathing suit from last summer is more like a tankini.
Just wait until you see her new bikini!

Maybe this time I will learn, never say never.

Crap. I did it again.

Thank you Growing up Geeky and Letters to Mo for this post topic!

Hanging out

I imagine some day these two girls will be hanging out and I'll see the need to whip out these photos and remind them that they have known each other forever. Literally (for real).



They'll watch some TV, read a book (or perhaps a gossip magazine), and look at us like we are crazy lame moms.


I can just hear them now...

Leila: Let's go hang out in your room Kennady.
Kennady: Totally. Why won't they stop taking pictures?!?


Someday they will be all grown up.
And until then, I will keep snapping the pictures.

Kennady 4 months old

Leila 11 months old

Just another day