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Single Mommy Me

Okay, FML, I'm 32 years old, single, got two baby daddies and …. *sigh*

Yeah, I could have started this post off like, “I am the proud mother of two beautiful boys,”
but I know that most of us “social media” addicts are attracted to the so called “ratchetness” of situations... lol.

I have spent many nights wondering how in the world was this life as a super single mommy was going to work out for me. I haven't had time to even comb my hair today, let alone think about another man, another relationship, another somebody to cook for, entertain, and share space and time with every day. But the fact is, it's only human nature to think about these things.




Sometimes I have ask myself -

Will another man want a woman with my cargo? (I refuse to call my babies “baggage!”)


How will I deal with my sons’ fathers and the new man in my life meeting?


Can I balance being a mommy and dating someone new?


Will I find someone who will accept my sons equally?


Will any man ever be good enough for my sons?


Is marriage for me, at this point in my life?

Can I even trust another man to be in our lives?

Well, today I've decided to get over it! Though those questions will forever be in the back of my mind, I've found that dwelling on them only feeds the fear of change. I made the conscience decision to choose my happiness and the welfare of my sons over being foolishly in love with the idea of being in a relationship. 

I think I struggle so much with the notion of being “alone” because of my love and want for the “family life.” I have always had my parents plus some. The fact is that underneath all this "Ya Za-ism" is a nurturing and domestic homebody.


In the case of my sons’ fathers, I want to live out my days without the drama that comes with “forcing” a man to be a Man. That good ole baby mama/baby daddy drama is not in my blood.  I keep the stresses as low as possible by losing all expectations of them; so whatever, if ever, and whenever they do anything remotely close to what they should do, I will be amazed.

Not that either of them are bad guys, but some good people are just not meant to be together. I won't waste any energy (at least not in this post) putting them on “blast,” complaining or blaming. I look at them as half of the reason I am blessed with the gorgeous faces I get to look at daily.

So here’s to being single, strong, resilient, happy, open to change, and most of all the best mother that I can be… Here’s to Self-Love!

LOVE,

Of course, one of our favorite things to do together is shop. This is especially the case when we're on the hunt for accessories.


Accessory shopping is so different from apparel shopping. It's always fun and exciting. No need for a dressing room to haul items to and fro. There's no frustration and anxiety because everything fits. Plus, with the right accessories, any outfit can be transformed, enhanced, and revitalized.

Another important thing for us as working mothers on a budget is controlling cost on non-essential items. And no matter how essential and necessarily needed a pair of earrings or the set of rainbow bangles may seem, they are not a necessity.


So, imagine our excitement when I entered the doors of Charming Charlie. This store specializes in nothing but accessories at affordable prices. Can I say accessories galore!!! Bracelets, rings, necklaces, oh my... Scarves, handbags, shoes, I think I'm gonna die.

Everything is organized according to color.  Everything blue is here. Everything green is there.  There's red... there's pink... there's hot pink.  I found myself spinning in a circle, not knowing where to start.  Since I had not planned or budgeted for accessory purchases this month, I stopped and took a step back (Remember, responsibility and accountability).  I decided to only get one item each for myself, Mom, and Ya from the sales/clearance section. Just as a sample of what this place has to offer. Something that fit all of our different styles.  How much? Let's just saying I got change back from a $20!!!


Can't wait to go back with Mom and Ya!

Butterfly hoop earrings to add to my Butterfly Collection

Earrings and necklace set - colorful and classy for Mom

Fabric flower earrings to accentuate my sister's trendy style

Contributors' Pages

 

Lois

 

Latifah

           

@latifahiman

Ya Za

@ya_za

As an education professional, it is exciting for me to discover new ways to integrate technology into my children's learning and development.  The iPad is a wonderful device and platform to enhance teaching and learning in many ways.

Granted, there are some apps that don't live up to my standards in regards to content, interactiveness, learning outcomes, and graphic design.  However, there are several noteworthy apps that provide a fun and engaging play-to-learn experience for my toddler. 

These apps provide a wealth of entertainment and learning opportunities with each activity.  These activities support her language development and enhance her memory and problem solving skills. We enjoy taking time to discover new apps, playing new games, and learning new things.  

(Click on the app name to be taken to the App Store page for each app.)

Curious George at the Zoo for iPad

#1 Education App! (April 2012)

Interactive Alphabet - ABC Flash Cards

Voted Best iPad Kids App of the Year 2010 at iLounge

Monkey Preschool Lunchbox

The #1 Preschool Game in the App Store

PBS Kids Video

She can watch her favorite episodes of Caillou via this safe, child-friendly viewing experience.  No need to worry about stumbling on altered videos with questionable content on YouTube.

Mickey Mouse Clubhouse Road Rally App-isode

This is an interactive Mickey Mouse Clubhouse full-length episode.  Completely with interactive activities (counting, problem solving, shapes, and memory skills).  And the app is FREE!!!

Easy Bake Treats

All the fun of baking your favorite treats without the mess and clean up!!!

Each of these apps offer an array of activities from finger painting to puzzles to sing-along songs from the three movies.  

Highlights of each app include:

Toy Story

Sound effects and character voices 

Clips from the original motion picture throughout the read-along experience

 Toy Story 2

Visual page index allows her to jump to her favorite part of the story

Toy Story 3

Record my voice reading the story and hear it read back as narration.  Can record her voice too! 

View select pages in 3D with touch-to-play exploration (required 3D glasses are free and available at Disney stores in the U.S. and Canada)

With ease and confidence, she can maneuver from app to app without the need for constant over-the-shoulder supervision.  Allowing a small window of time for me to attend to household tasks, tend to her sister, or just do nothing...


But I'm afraid it won't be long before she will have to put the sharing lessons in action.  Her five-month old sister is already curiously engaged and reaching for the iPad and iPhone.

Next... favorite apps for infants!  Yes, they do exist.


Latifah