Lauren Tate

Let’s talk about an unplanned c-section. The birth of your child is extremely personal and unique- and yet, somehow, very much the same. The CDC says that in 2013, Cesarean sections accounted for 32.7% of all births in the United States. That’s a lot- approximately 1.2 million, give or take. Talk to any mom, seasoned …

Please refer to your pediatrician or nutritionist before taking the advice expressed in this article about feeding a picky toddler. At my son L’s 15 month well visit, I casually mentioned to the pediatrician that I’ve been having a bit of trouble getting a well-balanced meal into my picky toddler. He suggested that I make …

It’s time for Tomato Tortellini Soup. I’d describe myself as an eager rookie in the kitchen. I’ve been cooking for years, but often times I am repeating my favorite recipes over and over again. I’m embarrassed to admit there are some meals that I am afraid of. I have a confession: I have never roasted a …

I am ashamed to admit that I’m relatively new to the concept of a “one skillet meal” (or “one pot wonder”).  They’re all over blogs and Pinterest lately, it seems. But then I realized- my absolute, most favorite meal of all times is something my mom made ALL THE TIME growing up. My mom was …

I shared a few weeks ago that my son and I participated in a busy bag swap with our local mommy and me group. To recap- our busy bag swap was where each mom made the same busy bag activity, enough for each participant, and then we swapped with one another.  We walked away with …

Do you do date night dinners at home? This may be controversial, I don’t know, but I find Valentine’s Day just a touch overrated.  My husband and I have been together for almost ten years, and some years we celebrated in typical (read: overpriced) restaurant dinners. We’ve spent the past four or five years at …

Few meals are more satisfying to me during the cold winter months than chili. Even better leftover, it’s a staple in our house from October to March. I prefer to cook my chili in a slow cooker.  You can’t beat the convenience! I also typically use lean ground turkey to keep the recipe on the healthier …

It’s wintertime here in the States, which can only mean one thing- illness. Not what you thought I would say? Well, here in the North East, it seems as though everyone I know is sick. It has taken over my world lately. In fact, we basically had to cancel our Christmas because my husband and …

As a new mom, I was on the hunt to meet other moms with babies around my son’s age.  I joined a play group over this past summer that has been awesome so far. The babies range from 6-18 months, but my son seems to be on the younger end of the group. We recently did a …

It’s time to read to your kids! I studied Literature in college, so naturally I could not wait to introduce my son to my favorite books. Unfortunately, he’s a little too young for Tolkien, James Joyce, Jack Kerouac, or John Updike. That’s okay, we’ll get there! Until then, I put together a list of children’s …

I’m always looking for easy ways to help my toddler develop his fine motors skills.  I wanted to share a mini-project that I recently assembled that does an excellent job at addressing just that. Hold onto your hats… this one’s a doozy.  First, you’ll need a package of pom poms.  They can be purchased at any craft …

I have been a dad for 15 months. I won’t sugar coat anything – it’s a marathon. Sometimes you hit a stride and it’s smooth sailing, but at other times (3am, running on no sleep, the night before a big meeting at work) you hit the wall! Sleep deprivation, lack of patience, and a yearning …