This past weekend was the first time that I had a weekend in Charlotte with Finn in longer than I can remember. We kept it super low-key and it was perfect.
I picked Finn up from preschool around 12:45p on Friday thinking that he would take a long nap. NOPE. He was overtired and overstimulated from his first day and it took me almost an hour to get him down. Once I did get him down he only slept for about 45 minutes.
We did the water table outside for a while but that was a mess because Zoey was all about bringing her dirty ball to the table and dropping it in. Finn thought it was hysterical. 🙂
Let’s just say it was a loooonnnnngggg afternoon in momming. As soon as the 5p witching hour struck (we don’t have those very often anymore, thank god), I loaded everyone up and we went for a long walk around the neighborhood while I chatted with my grandmother/therapist for the day. (Thank god for grandmothers who have BEEN there and can truly hold space for where you are.)
There is nothing like getting some fresh air to calm all the creatures in the house (self included).
Saturday morning brought a trip to the Charlotte Regional Farmers Market where I was delighted to find the BEST market of the year so far!
I used to go to the regional market every weekend but now I only get there every few months. It is so worth the drive.
Finn and I spent over an hour taking it all in. I find the market to be so visually stimulating and it inspires me so much in creativity around food, eating and cooking.
I got so much good stuff!
- Potatoes
- Sweet red peppers
- Eggplant
- The sweetest, most delicious mountain apples
- Okra
- Three kinds of gnocchi for the freezer
- White acre peas
- Two kinds of salad greens
- Cucumbers
- A variety of slicing tomatoes
- Sun gold cherry tomatoes
- Ginger
- Essential oil insect repellent balm
After the market, Finn took a two and a half hour nap!!! Totally made up for his less than stellar Friday nap. I spent his nap getting my house in order and organized. It felt amazing. I even washed my mattress pad and comforter…it was that kind of clean/organized.
Once he was up, the cleaning/organizing extended to my car. We took a long overdue trip to the carwash. Finn kind of loved it.
Sunday was a fun day. We met a friend at the park for a playdate. She has an almost five year old and a two week old. Finn had so much fun running around with her daughter. I mean…that red face, sweaty hair and scraped knee. ALL BOY!
He gave me another crazy long nap on Sunday…three hours! I got some work done and kept working on stuff around the house.
Once Finn was up and had a snack, we made a trip to Trader Joe’s. While we were in the checkout line, Finn pulled a bag of cheese sticks out of the cart. I told him it was cheese and he got this huge grin. Cheese was actually his first real word and he loves it. He proceeded to protest loudly until I gave him a cheese stick while we waited to check out. Haha.
I had to send snack for his class today for preschool so I sent cheese sticks and fig bars from TJs. I was kind of stupid stressed about what to send. Thoughts that ran through my mind…
- I should send fruit…but Finn doesn’t eat fruit.
- Should I make something homemade? Or is that weird?
- Can I send something with sugar in it? (Like the fig bars)
- Do they need to be individually wrapped or will the teachers portion it out?
- Will people judge me for sending processed snacks?
Y’all…I know this is crazy. Stressing about toddler snacks. Hope I made someone feel more normal by writing this. I would love toddler snack/lunchbox ideas if you guys would be willing to share. <3
Finally, speaking of preschool today…despite sleeping a solid 11 hours last night, Finn was tired, grumpy, clingy and fussy this morning. He woke up around 6:30a and by 8a, he seemed ready for a nap so I went with it. He slept until I woke him up around 9:30a and took him into school an hour late. Definitely think this schedule change is going to take some getting used to, and Finn is still getting over whatever virus he had last week. I’m glad I let him take a snooze this morning.
Hope you enjoyed this dose of real life!
Do you shop at a local farmers market?
How was your weekend?
Best toddler snack/lunchbox ideas for things you can pack?
Gallon of goldfish with apple slices.
Unsweetened applesauce with cheese dices.
Whole grain pretzels with cheese dices.
Plain yogurt sweetened with honey or strawberry jam and homemade muffins of some sort.
Hummus and pretzel sticks.
Banana slices and nutter butter packs.
Generally we try to do a protein and fruit or carb and protein. Doesn’t always work out like that. Sometimes we send nilla wafers and nada. ??♀️
Thank you so very much. This is very helpful!
Also, yumbox lunch boxes labeled with protein, veg, fruit, etc portions have been a lifesaver for us! Well worth the price!! Here’s the one we love:
https://www.amazon.com/YUMBOX-Neptune-Leakproof-Bento-Container/dp/B06XKLKMGN/ref=mp_s_a_1_3?keywords=yumbox+lunch+box&qid=1568086504&s=gateway&sprefix=yum&sr=8-3
I’m laughing b/c cheese sticks and TJ’s fig bars is the magic combo that works for everyone in our house. It’s a frequent snack for my stepsons and my favorite quick breakfast. I think it’s the perfect snack to send to preschool!
Haha, this makes me feel so much better!!! 🙂
It was fun seeing you and your cutie at the Farmers Market. That was my first time there and I love it!
For snacks I will send it yogurt tubes, cheese sticks and goldfish.
Have a great week!
it was so wonderful to see you too Lyndsey! 🙂 I am happy to hear that you enjoyed the market.
In addition to not liking fruit, our son doesn’t like cheese either! So strange! Cheese is the only dairy item he doesn’t love, though. He loves milk, yogurt and cottage cheese. But give him cheese and he’s like NOPE. But apparently he eats cheese at school. I wish he ate as well at home as he does at school but at least he eats well somewhere. *shrugs shoulders*
Those are some epically long naps! Way to go, Finn! Our little guy sleeps super great at night but his naps are not great. They are usually an hour on the weekend. But he will nap for 2 hours on his cot in the toddler room! So odd as I’d think a dark room with his crib would be more conducive to napping… but I guess the toddler room wears him out!
Snacks are so tough. I would have stressed about bringing something, too. Especially with how prevalent allergies are these days. Although if there were allergies in his room I’m thinking you would have been told? Our son’s favorite snack is club crackers… not very healthy but we do get the whole grain ones. He is a cracker monster!! Cracker was actually his first word!
I love to hit up our local Farmers Market! It’s smaller in the summer (Florida – HOT!) but larger from Oct – April and we find the best produce, specialty goods, and food trucks!
My 2-year-old is provided snacks at daycare, but they do a lot of what others mentioned here! Apple slices and nut butter, cheese sticks, goldfish, etc. etc. My son is also obsessed with all TJs fruit bars. We always have at least one in our bag.
Your haul looks amazing and that pic of Finn and Zoey is too cute!
We have a farmers market on Saturdays, but several produce stands that sell local stuff as well. It’s not the same but it’s definitely more convenient to stop by one of those versus driving 30 minutes to a less than desirable area of town. Your tomatoes look particularly good!
Day care eats are always hard and I’m always looking for ideas! I feel like I send the same things everyday. Pouches are easy in a pinch. In our current rotation are any sort of cheese (I do diced mozzarella from the logs a lot since it’s lowest in sodium), plain whole milk Greek yogurt with applesauce drizzled on top, cottage cheese (love Good Culture blueberry and strawberry), lots of cut up fruit (which I know your guy won’t eat), hard boiled eggs, peas, sun butter sandwiches, Dr. Praeggers spinach or kale littles cut up, Bamba if your daycare will allow them, ravioli or tortellini. Can’t wait to read other people’s ideas!
With your baking skills I would definitely bake muffins/mini muffins for Finn. But if you are sharing with the whole class, I think any combo you think of will be great. There will always be those who judge snacks (One way or the other) so you do you, boo. <3 <3 <3
YOU are equipped to be Finn's mother. 🙂 <3 You've got this. Snacks and everything in the future.
Love the photo of Finn fascinated with the car wash! ??
I wayyy over think preschool snacks too! My son is about the same age as Finn. Last snack I sent was watermelon, hummus and pita bread
waffle sandwiches
pepper strips & hummus
cheese sticks & whole grain crackers
cuties & cheese sticks
turkey & crackers
plain greek yogurt w/honey and hemp
smoothie popsicles
pb + banana sandwiches
mini fritattas
thank you so much Jodie!