Having a baby is a big change for the whole family. Older siblings will be affected by the change from only children or younger children to older siblings, and have feelings about it, understandably so. I have previously shared four ways I think you can help prepare your toddler in his or her transition to big sibling. 

Today, I am sharing ways to get them excited about the new baby’s arrival:

Big Brother Gift Set

Big Bro T-shirt | Big Sister T-shirt

As I mentioned before, we did things a little different with our firstborn. One of those things was professional photos. We opted for professional maternity photos and took our own newborn photos. The second time around, I took my own maternity photos and we decided to get professional newborn and family photos. This time, especially since Baby E might be our last baby, I wanted to go all out, so we got professional maternity photos and newborn family photos taken by Cait & Will Photography. I couldn’t be happier with our decision!

 This post is sponsored by Cottonelle® but all opinions are my own. 

Stocking up with these Cottonelle necessities from Walmart is easy with all the ways Walmart lets you shop – in-store, pickup/delivery, and ship-to-home. 

We all know that there are many great Cottonelle products so take this fun quiz to find out which products are best for you!

Finally, A Quiz To Tell You Which Toilet Paper You Are— https://www.buzzfeed.com/cottonelle/finally-a-quiz-to-tell-you-which-toilet-paper-you-are?bfseed=sodisco&distro_platform=facebook&origin=paidfb1&fbclid=IwAR0yw9cPwjHAk6om-MOKB6c1UmqZJVLXm4udTulwBqN9nKxG0X9PGRTqv3o

This post is sponsored by Poise® but all opinions are my own.

I recently got the call for my scheduled c-section date (feelings about that could go in a whole other post)! The bright side of it is that we know around what date the baby will be here. Despite feeling “ready”, to say I am nervous is an understatement. I have never had three kids so the adjustment will be a new experience, and I am scared to have a third c-section.

I am trying to view all the change positively, though. Thankfully, the baby is doing well and I am feeling pretty well. My weight gain is stagnant and my mood is happy. One of the more recent body changes I am experiencing has been increased bladder leaks. It’s nothing I haven’t experienced during pregnancy before, though… I am well aware that it’s just another part of the joyful messiness of motherhood!
 

For my bladder leaks, I have used Poise throughout my pregnancy and plan to continue during postpartum. They keep you 10X drier than the leading period pad, offering up to 12 hours of protection. Poise pads provide an incredible fit that helps prevent bunching and leaks, and though thin, they are thick enough to actually keep you dry. Poise’s trusted 3-in-1 protection provides dryness, comfort and odor control.

 
You can buy Poise pads and liners from your local Walmart in-store or via your online Walmart grocery order.

This post is sponsored by Inmar Intelligence but all ideas are my own.  #InmarIdeasThatMatter

As a Latina mom to multicultural kids and who works for the anti-violence nonprofit organization, CONNECT, I find importance in educating my kids about current events in age-appropriate ways. It’s why my boys have diverse dolls they play with (doll-playing in itself has been shown to increase empathy and nurturing in boys) and a collection in their little library dedicated to diversity.

When we watched Sesame Street’s town hall, Coming Together: Standing Up to Racism, on CNN last year, my 4-year-old asked me, “Why are people mean to Black people?” I explained to him that some people treat others differently based on skin color but that it is not the right thing to do. 

I went on to explain that everyone deserves to be treated equally and with kindness, no matter what they look like. I also remind him that he is multicultural, and that we have family members of different races and skin colors whom we all love the same.

Fast forward one year and he has begun identifying others by skin color. At first, it took me aback but I realize it is what he sees. Acknowledging the differences in skin color and emphasizing the significance of being kind and accepting of others no matter our differences is important and appropriate rather than simply ignoring his observations.

As parents, it is important to address race with our children because they begin observing and differentiating between races when they are babies. At just three months, they prefer faces from their own race. Between 2.5 and 5 years of age, social preferences based on race emerge, and by age 5 express preference for their own race. This is why discussing race, privilege, and bias early and often with kids is important.

Admittedly, these are not easy topics to navigate, though, and we parents are still learning, too. That’s why I think it’s important we give ourselves grace as we explore the topics and know we are trying our best to raise a more kind and compassionate future generation.