Meagan, Author at From Under a Palm Tree

11 Must Have Potty Training Tools To Make the Process Easier

May 21, 2018 by Meagan 6 Comments

Potty training can be a dreadful time for toddlers and parents. I’ve heard horror stories from friends and family about the awful process. Some parents warned me it could take months or years to get my son out of pull-ups and into underwear full time.

So, before I started the potty training process with my son, I did a lot of research on what to expect and how to prepare myself (and him). After endless reading and stressing, I came to the conclusion that no matter how many blogs I read, my process and my experience would be different because no child or family situation is the same. I just had to dive in, expect the worst, and hope for the best. [Read more…]

5 Eco-Friendly Beauty Tips

May 18, 2018 by Meagan 8 Comments

If you’ve read any of my other posts, I’m sure you’ve gathered that I love DIYs, but only if they are
simple and easy. These 5 Eco-Friendly Beauty Tips are my favorite beauty DIYs because they are
just that– so simple to use and friendly on [Read more…]

DIY Coconut Larabars

May 14, 2018 by Meagan 9 Comments

As a mom of a toddler, I’m always running around the house, running out the door, or running around the yard. Gone are the days when I could sit around, relax, and binge watch my favorite Netflix original. Because I’m perpetually in hurry to get places, I sometimes forget to grab a snack. I like to eat things that I can pop in my mouth that aren’t salty and starchy—you know all the things a toddler loves. [Read more…]

How to Use a Prefold Diaper on Your Baby

May 7, 2018 by Meagan 6 Comments

Depending on how familiar you are with cloth diapering, you might be thinking, “What exactly is a prefold diaper?” Simply put, it’s a 3 panel, rectangular piece of fabric that contains multiple layers of either cotton, bamboo, hemp, or flannel— traditionally with an extra layer in the middle for extra absorbency. They’re folded and fastened to baby inside of a waterproof diaper cover.

Before I even got pregnant with my son I knew I wanted to use cloth diapers. My mom used them with me and my sisters, and because there are significant age gaps between us, I still remember diaper laundry, safety pins, and plastic pants all around the house. Let me assure you that this sometimes referred to as “old fashion” way of diapering has come along way in recent years. [Read more…]

Shape Recognition Activity

April 30, 2018 by Meagan 10 Comments

When I first started teaching my son how to recognize different shapes, I would draw them on a piece of paper, point, and tell him what each shape was. Before too long he would get bored and move on to a toy with wheels or sound and leave me in the dust. It didn’t take me long to realize I was going about my teaching style all wrong. He needed something to touch and feel in his hands to be more interested in learning his shapes. So I turned my original boring shape activity into a reusable, hands-on, and very easy-to-make Shape Recognition Activity with colorful felt shapes that can be stuck on and peeled off over and over. [Read more…]

DIY Colored Beans for Sensory Play

April 23, 2018 by Meagan 4 Comments

I first learned about sensory development when my son turned about 14 months old. This was right around the time when he started walking and getting into everything he wasn’t supposed to. His curiosity to touch, feel, and taste everything in sight prompted me to do a little research on this particular stage of his development. This is when I noticed the phrase “sensory play” became a common idea among mom bloggers, educators, and psychology blogs. It’s a phrase I think I’ve always heard but never really bothered to understand.

[Read more…]

Toddler Bath Caddy

April 16, 2018 by Meagan 5 Comments

My 2-and-half-year-old son has gone through stages of loving bath time and hating bath time and now loving it again. When he was an infant, bath time was new to him and he was still discovering the whole water and bubble situation. Now, he knows bathtime signifies the end of play time which ultimately leads to bedtime. So sometimes getting him to the bath is tough. Sometimes it takes bribing and trickery. Other times it takes throwing him over my shoulder and hauling him upstairs. Either way, I was tired of the begging and pleading so I got a little inventive in my trickery and got him to remember how much fun bath time can be. [Read more…]

Paper Plate Handprint Mother’s Day Card

April 9, 2018 by Meagan 6 Comments

I’m back at it again with hand and footprint cards this Mother’s Day. The last few cards I’ve made were with J’s footprint because I couldn’t quite get him to be still enough to use his handprint. He was always squirming around or fighting to get out of my arms and play with the paint. Somehow the feet were just quicker and easier to capture. [Read more…]

Tips for Child Proofing Your Home

April 2, 2018 by Meagan 6 Comments

As a fairly new parent, I worry incessantly about my 2-year-old getting hurt, sick, bullied, abducted, or drowning. Sometimes I forget about how dangerous my own house can be. Chemicals, hot stoves, pools, ponds, electrical outlets, and heavy furniture are just a few of the looming dangers lurking in plain sight. As my son gets older and becomes more curious, I fear less about bumps and bruises, and more about ingesting chemicals or wandering to the pond behind our home. This is why I baby proof everything! [Read more…]

Progresso Soup Stuffed Peppers

March 26, 2018 by Meagan 7 Comments

It’s almost Easter and bell peppers are in season in sunny Florida. That means I’ll be whipping up one of my go-to summer favorites on the regular—Stuffed Peppers. I don’t cook dinner often, thankfully my wonderful husband has a knack for it, but when I do, this Progresso Soup Stuffed Peppers recipe is always in my rotation. [Read more…]

10 Reasons to Choose Cloth Diapers

March 19, 2018 by Meagan 13 Comments

Babies and diapers go hand in hand, right? Dirty diapers are an inevitable part of raising children, right? Those slim, plastic lined disposable diapers are your only option, right?

WRONG!

I’ve been wanting to do a post for a while on cloth diapering but after working on My Breastfeeding Journey for nearly 6 months I needed a breather. I knew, much like that post, there was much to be told. So, I’ve decided to break it down into a series of posts that I will put out over a period of time—for my sanity and yours!

Since the invention of disposable diapers in the 40’s, parents have adopted a dependency on them. Their convenience and portability have made daycare, traveling, and life with children more obtainable and just plain easier. In some families, disposable diapers have allowed fathers to be more actively involved in the early stages of parenthood—dirty diaper duty isn’t all on moms now! And as early disposable diapers models evolved, usage skyrocketed. [Read more…]

Tips to Help Moms Stay Happy and Healthy

March 12, 2018 by Meagan 8 Comments

Nothing has turned my world upside down like having a child. In the best way, I feel like my life has done a complete 180. Suddenly everything revolves around eating and sleep schedules, dirty diapers, mounds of laundry, potty training, human training, cars and trucks, boo-boos, Mickey, and Blippi. Sometimes I feel like there’s no time for myself. My “me time” now consists of scheduled bubble baths and stolen moments of quiet on the swing-set. And that’s ok because as long as I fit them in, I’m making progress. Progress that’s necessary for me to stay happy and healthy as a mom. [Read more…]

Float or Sink Game for Toddlers

March 5, 2018 by Meagan 5 Comments

My 2 and-a-half-year-old son is at a very inquisitive age and thinks just about anything and everything is “so cool!” The “what’s that” stage started around 18 months and hasn’t let up. He’s not only into anything with wheels but also wants to know how things work. It’s amazing to see at such a young age the true wonder in his eyes. Looking for something to do and capture his attention, I was inspired by his favorite YouTuber, Blippi, to do a very basic science experiment. [Read more…]

11 Must Have Potty Training Tools To Make the Process Easier

5 Eco-Friendly Beauty Tips

DIY Coconut Larabars

How to Use a Prefold Diaper on Your Baby

Shape Recognition Activity

DIY Colored Beans for Sensory Play

Toddler Bath Caddy

Paper Plate Handprint Mother’s Day Card

Tips for Child Proofing Your Home

Progresso Soup Stuffed Peppers

10 Reasons to Choose Cloth Diapers

Tips to Help Moms Stay Happy and Healthy

Float or Sink Game for Toddlers

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