Blog Posts by Disney Baby

Avoid these 10 things when you're As mamas of young children, we all have our moments where we are so tired that nothing makes sense. Do you know what I mean? It's when the baby has been up eight times in the night, for so many nights you can't even keep track anymore, or when your toddler is teething (again) and needs to be carried everywhere, every single day, and you fall into your bed in a heap before you can brush your teeth at night. Chances are, if you're a mom, you've been there, and you'll probably be there again. I find that I can wade through the tired feeling and keep my kids safe and mostly happy even when I am utterly exhausted, but there are a lot of things that I just shouldn't do. Here are ten of my don'ts for those super tired days.

1. Trim your bangs
Maybe you've walked by the mirror and noticed that in your exhaustion, you'd forgotten how long it had been since your last trim. Stop right there. Do NOT get the scissors. This will only end in a painful bang-growing-out period.

2. Trim your child's

It's no secret that food can be one of the most problematic areas that parents face. Picky eaters and defiant toddlers can sometimes make it hard on moms and dads, especially when parents are trying their best to feed their children a nutritious diet. As a mom, I have certainly had my fair share of struggles with feeding my daughters, but after a couple of years I finally feel like I have a few good tricks up my sleeve. My kids eat a variety of foods - things that can certainly benefit their health, and things that I didn't even try until I was in my twenties. By Lacy Stroessner

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Baby asleep on our latest trip.Last night my family of six rolled back into town, surviving a 20 hour (one way) road trip to sunny Florida all the way from gloomy Indiana. It's a trip I've personally taken yearly since I was a small girl, and over the years it's become a tradition my husband and I have passed down to our family. The only "negative" is that because of our family size and the cost of airline flights, we must drive instead of fly.

And while it's a marathon of a drive, I don't really dread it. In fact, with a little prep and planning, it can be actually fun! We manage just fine, because I always come armed with an arsenal of tips and tricks up my sleeve.

A few tricks I use when road tripping with my small children:

1. Leave before the sun rises.
I've found it makes the trip feel shorter if we can get a few hours down the road before anyone is begging for snacks, needs entertainment, or has to go potty.

2. Pack lots of fresh fruit.
For us, avoiding the junk food keeps the sugar highs (and lows) at

Top baby essentials.I like to be prepared. When we found out that Elvie was going to be in our family, I started making lists of things I'd need. I'd nannied many babies, so I was familiar with what a baby would need in addition to having my own preferences for things to buy and things to skip. It felt like quite a rush to get Elvie home, and I did my best to get everything we'd need, but there were some surprises. While we had plenty of most things for the very beginning, once she started eating more and moving more, it didn't take long to realize that there were some things I need more of than I ever thought possible. Here are the five things I wish I would have known I'd need more of.

1. Burp Cloths
I knew I'd need a lot, and I thought I had plenty, but when I started needing to do laundry every day just for burp cloths, that's when I realized that my stash wasn't as big as I thought.

2. Bibs
At first, bibs are good for spit-up, and then they're good for drool. I had about five, and it was not even

It's no secret that I love a good throwback name. My own daughter's name is often referenced as a "little old lady name", so apparently I'm into them. A retro name can be a good way to give your little one a name that is unique, but not weird…there really is a fine line. The 1960's are a great place to start if you're looking for something that hasn't become trendy yet. Many of these names have been off the radar for some time now, but I think that's all the more reason that they're perfect - a good way to stay ahead of the baby naming trends! By Lauren Hartmann

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Last month I shared with you newborn photographer Beth of Barnella Gooseberry Photography. Specializing in beautiful props and backdrops, she shared with us how to safely and uniquely photography your newborn at home. Today I'd like to share the work of Miranda of M. Shanti Photo with you all. Based in Long Beach, California, Miranda is actually our family photographer and I love her calm and soothing aesthetic. Her photos breathe serenity to me, and her calming and carefree nature always helps to set us at ease, no matter how nervous I am or how wild the kids are. I wanted to pick her brain a bit to find out just how she's able to capture a sense of fun and ease in her photos, and how you can too. By Andrea Howe

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My purse essentials.If someone would have told me almost 8 years into this parenting gig, and 3 children later, that I'd still be learning things as I go, I would have said "no way." Certainly after 8 years on the job all that experience would have meant that I had the job down pat and could do it with my eyes closed, right? Having come from a professional background, I speak from experience that there's very rarely any job you can't learn to do well and with near perfection after 8 years. But parenting, and mothering, oh how you are so tricky! Always throwing new challenges our way as the children reach a new stage or milestone. Here's the latest set of lessons that I'm finally learning, a bit late. But better late than never right? Let me tell you a little story.

Last Saturday my husband and I had a date set for the kid's school auction. Not the most romantic of dates planned in the history of marriage, but we knew we would have a fun time with friends and were looking forward to just being out. We

As a parent, you spend a lot of your time trying to teach your child things, but if you stop to think about it, they are constantly teaching you as well. Recently I've realized just how many great life lessons I've learned from my own little one. Click through to see what I've learned and then I'd love to hear what life lessons your little has taught you below in the comments! By Lauren Hartmann

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