Monthly Mama Spotlight: Anna

Hi all I’m Anna!!! I’ve been married for five years and I am a Momma to a beautiful, energetic, lovely two year old boy named Holden Michael. As we ALL know, Motherhood is no walk in the park. No matter how much you read, practice or dream – it can never fully prepare you for a babe, especially a first babe.

I had an awesome pregnancy and an awesome labor and delivery. Exactly six hours from water breaking to holding him on my chest. All natural!! Postpartum Anxiety hit me from the jump and I had NO IDEA. I was fully prepared for PPD – watching my thoughts and feelings, but I was happy. I just couldn’t settle. I was so tired, but I couldn’t relax enough to sleep. Then anxiety eventually turned into depression. My body had changed so much. I was unmotivated to workout, eat right or even get out of my house. I have a summer babe, so it was too hot to take him outside. Then he was still too little to be out in the cold, in the winter. So I just stayed inside eating and THEN I didn’t even want to go out because I didn’t want anyone to see me! I withdrew from everyone and essentially became a recluse. A crazy, vicious cycle! (Carmen can attest – she practically hunted me down/also fun fact I’ve known Lauren and Carmen for more than 20 years!)

My husband is the bread winner and he was doing his job beautifully and I felt like as a SAHM…the baby/house is MY job. And you never want to complain to your spouse about the best job in the world…so I didn’t talk. I tried to keep everything perfect (outside of myself) until I started to crack. And that’s what kept me in my cloud for so long. I used to want 6 kids and to be a Wife and a Mother. I’d dreamed of that since I was a little girl. But when I became a Mom, and being raised by a Mom who was fulfilled being a SAHM…I had a very tough realization that I LOVE my Baby, fiercely. But I do not always love being a SAHM….and that is O-K-A-Y! And once I realized that, accepted it and talked about it out loud…that’s when my depression broke. And that was January of this year (my son was born July 2017!) That’s a long time, Girls! Too long!

So my encouragement to you is – if you are feeling these things – anything – TALK! Just talk! Open your mouth and talk to someone. Your spouse, find a Mom’s group in your area to join (this is what really helped me- Moms Time at my Church) or connect with someone in this community. We carry A LOT as Mommas and it is okay to want other things and it is okay to BE FULLY satisfied being home with your Babes and killing the SAHM Life! And it is okay not be perfect. None of us are – Welcome to the Club!!👏 Your crazy is welcome here and so are you!! Bc I know mine is 😁

Now, I have my own Communication Coaching business and I LOVE it! I get to stay home with my Baby, but also take Mommy-Mind Breaks and focus on something I really love encouraging others and it fills my cup back up! And by doing that – I enjoy my baby and motherhood SO much more! We are all different, but we are all in this together! You’re amazing, Momma!!!

Self Care

SELF CARE!!!!! I haven’t bought bras for myself in YEARS. I have finally been at the point where my sagging, stretched out bras were causing me back pain because they just weren’t holding the girls up anymore. So guess what? I took my three year old and I went and got new bras so I could take care of ME. Self care isn’t always about getting away or having a glass of wine. Self care can be just as simple as taking the time to make sure you have the right size bras to ease aches and pains. Make sure your self essentials are taken care of so you can take care of others.

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Sunday Recipe

Sunday means recipes!!!! There is no long caption needed….. This is Hoisin Sriracha Beef Meatball dish is
DELICIOUS!!!!! You should try it!!!

Hoisin Sriracha Beef Meatballs

Sunday Recipe

It’s SUNDAY!!!! For many families, gathering around the table for a meal on a Sunday is tradition (cue Fiddler on the Roof Music) and often times the mama is responsible for whipping up a delicious meal. If you’re drawing a blank with what to make try this yummy and EASY Sweet and Sour Pork recipe. We will be making it tonight with you!! Let us know how it turns out 💗💜
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Cook the rice separate but everything else together!! Enjoy!! ¾ cup
Jasmine Rice
2 clove
Garlic
12 ounce
Pork Chops
3 teaspoon
White Wine Vinegar
1 unit
Vegetable Stock Concentrate
2 unit
Bell Pepper
2 unit
Scallions
1 tablespoon
Cornstarch
1 tablespoon
Soy Sauce

Sweet and Sour Pork

Monthly Mama Spotlight: Kemi

Married mother of three Princesses (Mommy is Queen of this house)

So of course, I’m writing this post about 9:30pm the day I promised to have it completed.  My four year old keeps busting out of her room to tell me that her two year old little sister won’t stop laughing. Concentration is harder and harder to find these days with three kids, a husband and owning my own business… but it’s my norm.  I’ve finally came to the place where I accept my family dynamics and I own it 100%. What we perceive “motherhood” as from a society perspective is dang near impossible to achieve, you will drive yourself crazy trying to do it. Trust me I’ve tried and was on the brink of a mental breakdown every other week!

The ages of my three daughters are two, four and fourteen, yes I know, the age gap is huge!  My husband and I had our first daughter just shy of turning 21 so we needed time to mature before having more kids.  He and I are both 35 and have unique work schedules with him being a firefighter and myself as a salon owner and stylist.  My oldest daughter is a serious track runner that takes up much of our time and having 2 that are four and under explains itself.  As mother’s we aren’t taught what this journey will be like and not one mother is identical to the other. We literally must put on our big girl panties and figure it out as we go.  

Self-care, expectations, definition of success, parenting styles, routines… were all topics I considered writing about.  Motherhood is something that must be experienced to truly understand how intricate it truly is. So here it goes, my attempt at pinpointing what I feel are some of the more important things.

I’ve learned to love the eccentric rhythm of my life and dance to the beat each day offers.  One thing the age gap of my kids brought me was a new appreciation for my children. They each require something different from me and at the same time they each teach me something different.  When you pay close attention to your kids it’s like looking in a mirror as they are little reflections of us. There comes a day when they will be too big to hold, no one will be following your every step, they will leave your home for the first time and all you will have are the beautiful memories of those precious moments.  Each stage is beautiful but there won’t be those memories if we don’t make time for them. That is what bridges the gap of the next chapter between mother and child. With that being said, put off the laundry to have a pillow fight with your child, let them stay up a little past their bedtime to spend extra minutes cuddling… MAKE THE MEMORIES!

My children are my medicine at times.  Their kisses and hugs instantly reduce the stress and worries I may be facing that day even if just for a moment.  The passing of energy, the skin to skin contact with my kids is something I can’t explain in words. I once followed a woman on Instagram: @fightlikemiles, who documented the journey of her two year old dying from cancer.  She posted pictures of her holding her son for the last time and I tear up thinking about it as I type (I think about her often). Myself and thousands of others were in that fight with her until the end, we were all connected as mothers.  I promised myself I would always be grateful for my children and all the chaos that comes with them. I love my crazy, tiring, ever-changing life as a mom. It’s the best ride I’ve been on so far!

Monthly Mama Spotlight: Ashley

 

Being a mom . . . The most rewarding, yet hardest job anyone could ever have. Yes cliche but it’s the best way to describe it. I am a mother of 3 all under the age of 5. My oldest son 4, middle son 3 and my daughter 9 months. We are our own amazing circus; I love it. Oh let’s not forget the 3 dogs and 1 fish running around too! But I can say that looking at where I am at now, never would my younger self ever believe it. I was going to be the working mom, have a career that wouldn’t be put aside to raise my children. Who can or would want to be home all day with children?! Well . . . turns out, me.

My husband and I moved from Colorado to Arizona when our oldest son was 1 year old. We had decided that we wanted our son raised at home by his mother. My husband is a freight driver so his schedule is all over the place and he can be gone for a week at a time. It’s hard not going to lie the inconsistencies are difficult at times but we both know that we are working for a better future and we will get there . Soon our second son was born and I truly realized what a SAHM is . . . Chaos coordinator 🤣. A few years later, a move, 2 puppies and a daughter we are finally feeling like we are in a good rhythm.

All I can say is we are beyond blessed and thank God every day for all that we have be given. New mamas my biggest piece of advice. IT WILL GET BETTER. You will get to sleep again, you will feel like a human again and oddly enough you’ll likely put yourself through it all when you have more little. #wife #mom #boss 

Rose and Bee

I just wanted to give a quick shout out to this great mama owned company (you know we support our mamas) called Rose and Bee Organics.  I met them and bought a few of their products at the Pinterest Conference here in Arizona. These handcrafted products manifesto is Organic Crap Free Skincare by Two Moms Who Give A Crap. and I am so down for that! 

I recently bought the Peppermint body butter and it is divine.  Think of Land O Lakes whipped butter consistency with a hint of Peppermint. Just a little dollop of the body butter and it effortlessly glides and melts into your skin. This super moisturizing product is great for the winter or us desert living folk in dry climates. 

One of my favorite perks about this product is the subtle peppermint scent. Sometimes I don’t wear traditional perfume because the body butter does the trick and I get so many compliments from it. I also rub some on my shoulders, neck and decolletage area before bed because the mister says it’s my new signature scent and he loves that aroma as he goes to sleep. 

In addition to skin care items, Rose and Bee also make these beautiful wood and floral wall decor peices that adds a quaint charm to any space. All of their products would make for great gifts this holiday season. So go check these mamas out and show them what the Code Name: Mama community is all about!

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Shirts!

We are so excited to announce the arrival of our Code Name: Mama tee shirt line!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

This is the first available one and we L O V E it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Our cotton camo with gold lettering is a fun way to be cute and mommy minded at the same time.

We have so many more coming that we think you’ll totally enjoy as well.

PRE ORDER NOW by sending a message!! 

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Pretty Woman

I’m sure most of you have all seen this meme floating around social media by now. I had to grab this off of the good ol internet and talk about it. This meme is pretty self explanatory, you add up all the points next to each description to see how high maintenance you are.  When this was sent to me it was posed more as a meter for before you had children and after. My before score was 65. Somewhere between the “Really High Maintenance” and “You’re freaking Queen of Your Castle”. I’ll call it “Very Well Maintained”. However, my after children score is 12. That’s right……………… 1 2……. a full 53 point drop. Wait can I add only 5 points from the massages question? I mean I got 2 massages this year! Ehhh probably not, i’ll just stick with my 12.

So most of time we think that as moms we loose this sense of self because we are devoting our entire being to this amazing little cherubs so we have zero time to take care of ourselves. I mean how could we, we’ve got their sports schedules, the PTA, conference calls, budget meetings, play dates, bake sales, birthday parties and soooo much more. That may be the case for some but for me me it really boils down to one thing. M O N E Y. I would absolutely have a 100 point score if I could (actually only 86 because I don’t spray tan and I think permanent make up is weird) but my children don’t suck the life out of me, they suck the money. My daughter’s shoes that were bought in June are already too small, picture day just happened, I’ve got to get 3 Halloween costumes and I have to pay for my car registration. So a trip to Sephora is not in my future. And that’s how I feel like it goes more often than not. I just wanted those of us who desired to be higher on this list to be represented appropriately. I totally care about my presentation, but its an expensive one that I can’t afford right now. Old Navy is my life line at this point.

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Birkenstocks

In 1966 Birkenstocks were introduced to the United States and the comfortable shoe market has never been the same.

But seriously… who has a pair of these sandals?!?! They are amazing right??

I am aware that Birks are very popular right now. So I am glad my podiatrist suggested that I start wearing them to help my semi flat feet and back pain. These sandals are based on a design that started in 1774 using firm, orthopedically correct support. On Health.com, the shoe is listed as the number two best sandal for your feet according to podiatrists. The Washington Post also featured an article on why finding the right comfort shoe is so important, and listed Birkenstocks as a great shoe try without having to get custom orthopedics. Basically I’m just trying to tell you not to take my word on their greatness; but know that there is actual science behind them.

There are a couple of down sides to Birks. But not enough to keep me from recommending them. The first down side is that they can be quite uncomfortable when you first start wearing them. Odd, I know… But what this shoe does is actually mold to your foot. Thus, they have to be “broken in” if you will. Once they start for form to your feet you will be able to see a marked difference. I wore my first pair for about five days straight and I could feel them getting better every time I put them on.

Second is the price point. Birkenstocks can be pretty pricey, especially when you have back to school supplies and diapers to buy. Most of the traditional sandals start at around $100. That can definitely be quite an undertaking on the family budget so I would not suggest  getting a couple of pairs up front. Buy a pair and see how they work for you. For me they are an investment that I was inclined to make as I am on my feet all day at work, and then running around with kids and pets when I get home. Plus, I have some health issues that make the proper daily support vital.

Another huge selling point for me is the versatility of the sandal. I can switch from wearing jeans, a skirt, or a dress with Birks and they make the outfit cute and unique every time. You can’t always do that with sneakers or heels. This is also a reason I didn’t mind investing in the shoe because you can get a lot of wear out of them. So if you want a hip mom shoe… choose these.

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