If I had to sum up being a mom in only one word it would be amazement.

I’m sure you are thinking of all the words why pick amazement, but that is simple-children are amazing.  As adults we look back at our childhoods and fondly remember birthdays, holidays and special people who played roles in our lives. As we get older and finish school and begin our adult lives we tend to lose sight of what we loved most as kids.  Then the day comes when we have a child of our own, in my case a 4 year old daughter. Having her in my life has opened my eyes to so many things that over time I tended to overlook. As our lives get more complicated and busy often the simplest and sometimes special moments do not get the notice they should.

From something as small and simple as watching her play in puddles to mastering the basic milestones such as walking or dressing herself to the moment you realize your child is becoming independent and does not need your help with every task. For me the moment came last summer on our family vacation.  Watching her experience everything from the zoo, water park and amusement park to the ocean, each day held something new and exciting for her and it brought back so many childhood memories for both my husband and myself that honestly I think we had more fun than she did.  Experiencing these activities through her eyes made us feel like kids again.

A year later she is still talking about and remembering our time away and looking forward to this year’s vacation.  In a few weeks we will go on this year’s trip and I can tell her excitement and anticipation levels are gradually escalating.

Kids grow up fast, almost too fast in this day and age but I think that our job as parents is to give them all the tools necessary to become a success in life.  We also need to teach them to take pause and remember that no matter how old they are that the simplest of things are worth taking time to cherish.

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Margie is a wife and mother to a little daughter. As she is not only an avid coupon user and loves sharing the best deals with her readers on her blog My Springfield Mommy, Margie also enjoys sharing product reviews and giveaways.

It’s that time of year again! Mother’s Day is right around the corner and it’s time to get into the spirit of the holiday. Celebrating moms is fun for the whole family, so why not make it extra special this year? Whether this is your first time celebrating Mother’s Day, you’re pregnant and anticipating the celebration, or if you’re a Mother’s Day veteran, check out these suggestions for a fun-filled day all for moms.

• Breakfast in Bed

Take the morning off and enjoy breakfast in bed. If this is something you enjoy, don’t be afraid to hint to your spouse and little ones that this would be a fun tradition to start in your family. Any time mom feels special is good for the soul of the family too!

• A Picture Frame

Moms can never have too many pictures of their pregnant belly or cute face of their little ones, right? Getting professional photos taken or just framing an adorable candid shot is something to treasure forever. Don’t forget to share it in our ‘Happiness Is’ photo gallery!

• Pampering

Whether it’s a massage from a spouse or a coupon book for free hugs, moms love to feel pampered! Take this day to think about what a special task mothering is, all the good that you do, and how much you deserve to relax – so why not treat yourself?

• Scrapbooking

Do you scrapbook? Even if you don’t do it regularly, making the effort to take several pictures and decorate a page can be a great way to solidify the memories made with your family. Did someone bring you flowers? Did your little one sing you a song? Record these moments so you’ll have them forever!

These are just a few ideas to get you in the Mother’s Day spirit! Tell us what fun activities you have planned in the comments below. We can’t wait to read them and hope you have a happy Mother’s Day!

Middle names can often have a unique or special meaning. How did you come up with your little one’s middle name? Was it inspired by a grandparent, a friend, or a favorite character? We recently asked fans what their little ones’ middle names are in honor of Middle Name Pride Day, and got nearly 700 responses! Check out some of the sweet responses and add yours in the comments below!
While some of the most common girls’ middle names are Grace, Rose, and Elizabeth, other parents came up with special and sentimental names unique to their own family:

• Baron shared, “Debra after her gramma/my mom ….RIP”
• Micah exclaimed, “My daughters middle name is Meradee. It means happy song. Her first name is Lyric. ”
• Danielle said, “Renee – It was my middle name until I got married & changed it to my Maiden name ”
• Keri added, “Ann, like her mama:)”
• Christine noted, “Jeannette after her grandma ♥”
• @cjralson tweeted, “@babyeinstein Jolee (a combination of mommy and daddy’s middle names!)
• La Costa showed her creativity with “Rynn, my father’s 1st initial + my mother’s middle name (Rod + Lynn)”

Some of the most common boys’ middle names are James, Wayne, and Alexander! Was that one of your chosen names?

• Michelle said her son’s middle name is “Kenneth! After his grandfather and uncle ; )”
• Angela shared, “Kevin’s is Anthony and Nathan’s is Christopher =)”
• Carmen posted, “Dashiell LAWRENCE. Named after BOTH Gran-Diddy’s.”

Some of our fans gave their children multiple middle names!

• Kate added, “I have three children, Twin 8 year olds whose middle names are Anne (Anne of Green Gables) and Elizabeth. My son’s middle names are Robert (after my Grandpa) and Scott (my husband’s middle name).”
• Jamie shared, “My almost 2year-old is Hadassah Machiavelli Jemlich-Acosta… Her abuela STILL can’t pronounce it!”
• Sheri wrote, “ My 14 yr olds is Ann and my 19 month old has two…. Rose Irene”
• In addition, Keisha said, “My daughter’s is Symphony Hayden Rochelle. And my son’s will be Alessandro Cyril”

So tell us, did your little one’s middle name make our list of the most common? Or did you come up with your own unique name?

When I knew that we were going to be giving our at-that-time 18-month-old daughter a baby sister around the time of her second birthday, I was nervous. As a stay-at-home mama, AppleBlossom was what my world revolved around. How in the world was I going to be everything I needed to be to keep her happy and provide for the new baby? I need not have worried. They are natural sisters and obviously each other’s joy.

The first sign was when we were in the hospital only a few hours after OrangeBlossom’s arrival and she went on an adventure to the nursery for a bath.  AppleBlossom was alert and looking around and demanding that she be told where her baby sister was. OrangeBlossom was hers from the beginning and she is in charge, I just happen to be here.

With a toddler, they are curious and into everything, excited to learn about the world and now a teething and bouncy baby, life is interesting. Yet in the overall concept it is all happy. This year is one we are trying to capture on film, because although the girls are too young to be able to remember it they are definitely happy in each other’s company.

I’ll hear the telling sign of OrangeBlossom’s wet giggles and ask AppleBlossom what is going on, her response… “I’m making her grin!” It’s her goal in life. Life is full of twists and turns, and many a day I’ll feel like responsibilities are getting away from me. But the cure… sit on the floor with both girls and within mere minutes we’ll all be giggling and full of pure delight and happiness.

Now, I cannot imagine AppleBlossom without her OrangeBlossom near behind. Timing is just perfect.

Margaret is married to the Enginerd and a stay-at-home mama to both 32 month old and 8 month old daughters and the little bit of creative and a lot of madness at Creative Madness Mama. She loves to quilt, cross stitch, read and share the latest and greatest in Christian Historical Fiction and children’s books and more.

Spring is here! The weather is warming up, the flowers and trees are beginning to bloom, and the days are longer. So what better way to bring in the season with your little one than with some fun springtime activities? Check out a few fun ways to celebrate the new season below!

Make hand flowers

Capture this special moment in your baby’s life by tracing his/her little hands on colorful paper. Once you’ve traced their hands a few times, cut each one out and tie, glue or staple them onto a plastic straw for a fun springtime bouquet. You’ll be sure to treasure their tiny “handmade” flowers for years to come!

Petting Zoo

Excite your little one by taking baby to a local petting zoo. You’ll love watching their reactions as they get to meet, pet and interact with different types of animals. Be sure to bring your camera!

Go to the Park

Take baby for a stroll in the park to show them all the flowers, birds, and squirrels. If your local park has a pond, bring some bread to help your little one feed the ducks! Quack, quack!!

Playground

Now that you and your little one can enjoy the warmer weather, take advantage! Bring baby to the playground for fun on the swings, the slide and the sandbox. You’ll love playing with your little one and watching them explore!

Splish, Splash!

Get your baby ready for summer by enrolling them in swim lessons! Splash around with your little one to get them comfortable in the water and add in fun water toys to keep them excited and entertained. Continue the fun during bath time to help baby acclimate.

What are some springtime activities you and your little one plan to enjoy together this season? Share your ideas in the comments below!

Baby Einstein is all about making babies happy and helping them explore and discover new colors, sounds, and experiences. All the fun characters within the Baby Einstein universe help little ones find all these new adventures. We recently asked our Facebook fans which character lives up to this the most for their little ones. Take a look at all the cute responses below!

An overwhelming number of our fans say their little ones love Bard, the dragon!

• Charisse says, “My Jesse has his favorite on each video but the all-time winner is the “blah” dragon. Always makes him smile, even when Mommy & Daddy imitate!”

Many of our fans say their little ones love all the characters and can’t pick favorite:

• Norma shared, “She likes the giraffe from Baby Beethoven, the cat from numbers nursery, the zebra from baby monet, the reindeer from santas music box, basically all the puppets from all the dvds. She loves them all..!”

• Izrael exclaimed, “There are so many!!!!!”

• Marcie shared “The monkey and the horse! The horse always seems to be getting into trouble…maybe that is why my son likes him!! ”

• Amanda posted, “My son loves Bard… But since he’s only in small parts of the movies he actually loves Baby Galileo the most!”

• Karrie posted, “The LION for sure. When he is doing some woodwork he laughs so hard. Anytime the LION comes on its a laugh. And of course Bard and his Blaaaahhh!”

• Jordan posted, “The Bumble Bee! My 9 month old cracks up whenever the bee comes on. He also likes Bard because of the BLAHH!”

Here are some more little ones’ favorite characters:

• Beverly said, “My son LOVES the funny face dog with its tongue hanging out. That’s what he calls the movies “Funny Face Dog Movie” lol”

• Buzy noted, “All of the characters mesmerize my son, but he likes the ducks the best! Especially in the shapes movie where the two ducks are trying to pull a circle into an oval shape!”

• Amy posted, “The duck drinking from the curly straw in Baby Neptune… He smiles every time he sees it!”

• Jaci added, “My daughter loves the Bee! She asks for “Bee” when referring to the Baby Einstein movies. lol.”

We’re so glad that babies love Baby Einstein characters and stories so much! Bard the Dragon seems to be the fan favorite so far, but what about your little one? Tell us your family favorites in the comments below!

Make St. Patrick’s Day fun for the whole family! Celebrate the luck of the Irish with games, crafts and delicious treats. Check out some of our celebratory ideas for you and your little one below and be sure to share your own traditions and ideas in the comments!

Get your little one excited with a treasure hunt. Hide gold coins (chocolate filled or not) around your house or yard. Lead your little one to the little pots of gold with clues and hints. If your kids are old enough, write out the clues otherwise play the guessing game to steer them in the right direction.

If you’re feeling crafty, make a hand print rainbow with your little one. This craft is fun for everyone and helps commemorate the holiday for years to come. This rainbow can be done a few ways; the first is by placing your child’s hand in paint, making each layer of the rainbow from a bunch of hand prints or even by helping them draw each layer of the rainbow.

Another fun way is to trace your little one’s hand on colored paper, cut out the hand and repeat. This version is great if you have multiple children because the different hand sizes add a unique flair to the rainbow. In addition, you can label each hand with the child’s name. Be sure to use all of the colors of the rainbow for this one!

For a sweet treat, put a spin on traditional sugar cookies by transforming them into Shamrock cookies! After using a shamrock cookie cutter and baking these lucky shamrocks, you and your little one can decorate the cookies with green icing and sprinkles. Enjoy!
Another fun way to celebrate the holiday with your little one is with these St Patty’s Day printables from our friends at Kaboose! Enjoy games, puzzles and coloring pages for hours of St. Patrick’s Day fun.

How are you celebrating with your little one? Share your traditions, crafts and celebration plans in the comments below!

When you see your little one smile or hear their giggle, you can’t help but to smile and laugh along.  Happiness is contagious and in honor of our Year of the Happy Baby, here are some great tips to keep you and your little one smiling from ear to ear!

Sleep

Make sure your little one gets enough sleep. It increases baby’s immune system, enabling them to fight off colds and bugs. In addition, a good night’s sleep allows your little one to enjoy the day more and helps fight off mid-day crankiness. Did you know babies need up to 18 hours of sleep a day?

Food

Healthy food equals healthy babies, and healthy babies are happy babies! Feed your little one nutritious formula or breast milk to help nurture their growth. Before feeding your little one, be sure to test the food’s temperature so you know it’s not too hot. Make mealtime fun by playing the airplane game to keep baby actively engaged in the process. Once he’s all full, don’t forget to burp to avoid gassiness! Keeping little ones well fed keeps them happier throughout the day and as a parent, your child’s happiness is what’s most important.

Playtime

Utilize toys with music and visual stimuli so babies stay playful, entertained and engaged.  Playing and reading together will also boost baby’s engagement. Try fun games like Peekaboo or build a tower and have baby knock it down. See what makes them giggle and go with it! Even just talking to your little one, saying what you’re going to do will help them to understand the sound with the action. Take time to play together and baby will surely be smiling!

Calm Tones

Speak in calm tones around your baby. Soothing sounds keep little ones more mellow and happy. Also, just being there for your little one is really what they crave. Simple actions such as laying your little one on your shoulder to have them hear and feel your soothing breath keeps them in tune with you as a calm parent, which makes for a calm and happy baby.

What do you do to keep your little one as happy and content as possible? Share with us below and be sure to keep checking the Baby Einstein Facebook and Twitter pages for updates on Baby, Be Happy news!

Yesterday my daughter, now two years old, put her arm around me and said, “You know me.” Some of the surprises that come from her mouth are quite hilarious. “Yes, I do know you,” I said back to her. This is the biggest joy that I get from parenthood, the fact that you can never be prepared for what is going to happen next.

When I first found out that we were going to have a baby I was prepared. I read the books, had done my research and made sure we had all the items that we needed to have a happy baby. The one thing that I didn’t realize at that time was that you only need one thing to make a baby happy – and that one thing is you.

One aspect of parenthood that I find amazing is that my daughter loved the sound of my voice. Sure, my husband and family all joke that I am a horrible singer, but she never seemed to mind at all! Even when I forgot every nursery rhyme I had ever heard and was forced to sing her jingles from the commercials on television, she still looked at me and smiled.

Babies are curious. When my daughter reached the age that she could move around more and start to explore, it really gave me perspective as an adult on how much I take for granted. It was amazing to see the pure joy in her eyes when she started completing milestones, such as rolling over and crawling for the first time. We have two small dogs and you could tell that she was so excited to find out what these balls of fur that walk around the house feel like. It truly is the little things that matter the most.

About the time that I stopped wondering if I was doing everything the right way, I figured out that there really was no “right way.” In fact, the first year of parenthood is a huge experiment trying to figure out what advice that you have been given works, or doesn’t work for you and your family. The best piece of advice that I was given was to get down on the floor and play with your child. By engaging with my daughter on her level, I was able to bond with her and show her that I was interested in what she was learning. As I became more interested, she became more confident to try new things and she continues to amaze me daily at all of the things that she learns!

Amanda is a working mom to a two-year-old daughter and owner of the blog, Midwestern Moms. She loves blogging about life in the Midwest, while enjoying spending time with her family.

February is the month of love, and what’s better than sharing that love with your little ones? You can dress your baby up, take cute pictures, and create lasting memories you’ll both cherish forever. Every holiday you spend with your baby is special, so try to take each one as they come. Check out these fun ideas to keep this Valentine’s Day in your family’s memory for years to come.

Create one-of-a-kind Valentine’s onesie! You can buy plain onesies and decorate them with baby’s handprints or footprints to make an indelible memento to share with your little one. To help commemorate Valentine’s Day, try placing baby’s footprints in the shape of a “V” to make a heart!

Take a picture of your little one curled up on your chest, close to your heart. The symbolism of your hearts and love will be something you’ll cherish forever. Frame the photo in a heart shaped or red frame for added holiday fun.

If baby is a little older, sharing the love of chocolate with some cocoa flavored milk can be a great way to get little ones in the Valentine spirit. Encourage them to enjoy and share the love! It’s something sweet they will associate with this holiday for years to come.

Even if baby is too young to understand, get some valentines! Send your little one a cute homemade valentine telling them how much you love and appreciate them. When they are old enough to read, it will be so special for them to understand just how much they are valued and loved within the family.

Tell us- Will you be doing anything special to celebrate Valentine’s Day? What are your plans to make the holiday one to remember forever?