Leah Stauffer | "How Does She Do It?"

We don't have a nanny, I wish we did sometimes!  We do have family that helps a ton though.  My mother in law watches Brody on days we both work and almost every other weekend my parents take Emily, or even both kiddos, for Friday and Saturday night!  It's such a huge help and gives Scott and I some time alone to relax or clean the house.  Unfortunately right now I am still working overnight every weekend so it's not like we can go out and get all crazy, haha.

Me time is something I gave up a long long time ago.  Scott used to tell me all the time that I needed to take some time for myself and I just never would.  I started to let myself go and put Emily, and now Brody, 100% ahead of myself.  It was bad!  I have literally just started to take time for me again within the past month.  I've started eating better, trying to be more active when I can, and trying to spend more time DOING rather than just BEING.

ONE week ago I stared the ketogenic diet!  I'm totally loving it and have already lost 8 pounds.  Once I'm on a shift that isn't overnight I'm going to try to get back into Zumba which is something I totally love and really enjoy doing.  Let's be honest, two little kiddos, especially Brody who is newly free and mobile, keep me on my toes all day long too!  I still look at some people and think to myself, "How is she SO fit?!"  Who has time for this stuff?  I think I'm finally realizing that my kiddos need to have a happy and healthy mama around in order for me to be able to do all the things I want to do with them, so that gives me motivation for sure!

Yes!  Before motherhood I was in my middle/late 20s and was in the best shape of my life so I was all about wearing the skinny jeans with any trendy top and I loved going shopping.  I loved the way I looked then!  After becoming a mama (and after two cesareans) I definitely had a different body and still do.  Recently I've been loving the idea of a capsule wardrobe for our entire family!  Emily's capsule wardrobe is complete (I even blogged about it!) and I'm working on getting Brody's capsule wardrobe blogged.  Consequently, I've been totally focusing on more of a simple look and no trendy pieces.  I love black leggings and wear them daily!  I do own some jeans and other pants that I will wear, if forced, just kidding.  My entire wardrobe consists of neutral colors and I love it now.

The Office.  I know I know, the show has been over for years, but I literally watch it non-stop and on repeat daily.  When the kiddos go down for the night I tend to stay up later than Scott since I work overnights and that show is always on.  I have it memorized and I'll never be ashamed to admit that!  HA!

I tried BFing with Emily for about three weeks until it just wasn't working.  We had a horrible night in the hospital after she was born and she wouldn't latch since that night so it was a constant challenge always having to use a syringe with milk to get her attached, her falling off, me not producing enough, me not having enough knowledge about BFing and possibly my unwillingness to go to BFing groups that all played together.  With Brody I didn't try from the beginning.  Both out babies are amazingly smart and healthy and I wouldn't have it any other way.  Of course every parent has to do what's best for your family and for YOU.  I had to make peace with that and it was hard and I used to get judged, even by family members about my choices, but I finally started speaking up that fed is best, and I will always stick by that statement.

Generally I get a good 5-6 hours but have the ability for 8 hours.  I just would rather have some time to myself than get more sleep.  Maybe that's a bad thing, I don't know!

I feel like we have super happy kiddos and that's because we're always trying to be active and interactive with them.  Even though it drives me crazy sometimes I don't actually get too caught up in making sure the house is totally clean all the time.  We go to bed with toys on the floor and they're still there when we wake up!  I also love getting out of the house and doing something as a family, however Scott is a total homebody, so most of the time I'll take one of the babes with me when I go somewhere for a little bit.

We're at a really odd stage I think where we either eat different things or at different times due to our schedules.  We have been trying to get into the whole "everyone eat at the table" thing but most nights that just doesn't happen.  Scott and I will eat our ketogenic meals while Emily is having her own dinner and Brody has recently started hating being in his high chair so most days he's just wandering around coming back to the table for bites when he's hungry.  Ha, this sounds so horrible but really it's not! 

Scott is a huge help!  I used to get so overwhelmed because I felt like I was responsible for everything; the house, the kids, the happiness.  He never acted like that or did anything to make me think that, it was just how I thought.  I recently stopped "asking" him to help me out, and just started making it known that we're a team and neither of us need to tell or ask the other to do certain things.  We simply just-get it done.  Just because I make the mess, he can clean it up if he's able, and the same goes for me.  It's no one's "turn" to pick up the toys or do the dishes, they just get done by whoever can do them.  Usually that means one of us is playing with the kiddos while someone else is cleaning.  Of course I get annoyed sometimes when our entire kitchen island is covered with random stuff, but I have to remember that I did some of that too!

For the longest time these two didn't mix well together.  We had to work hard to make things work and to figure each other out after becoming parents.  Generally now, we tend to take time for each other when we can, whether that be once the kiddos are asleep, during dinner, just in passing.  We try hard to remember that we're the adults and parents in the house and our kids don't control everything.  If they're sad about not getting their way-that's ok.  They need to learn that life isn't all about them.  I really enjoy our weekly date nights and try to keep those consistent.  I think another important thing, like I've mentioned above, is that we do make time for ourselves alone.  I enjoy going to Target or getting my hair done, Scott like to go golfing with his friends.  It's all about balance and what works for your family.

I do work a full-time out of the house job as a police dispatcher and have for about ten years.  Luckily, once I leave my job nothing comes home with me.  I leave all the stress there.  I've got so many more important things to think about once I'm away from work, I'm happy my career allows for that separation for sure. 

I had a group of friends before becoming a mama that I hung out with all the time.  We would have wine-nights, go out to dinner, just hang out.  Of course once a baby comes along they take over your social life and it's so so much easier and realistic to hang out with people in your same scenario!  We have a couple of Scott's college friends who live near us with girls the same age as Emily so they're who we mostly get together with.  I actually have met a lot of mamas from Instagram, too!  One mama who is also my hair stylist, I met her on Instagram and we've become great friends!  I even met one of my neighbors with a daughter a year older than Emily through Instagram!  We live 3 blocks away and never would've known!  

I hate doing dishes.  Hate it with a passion.  Generally Scott does the dishes, always, and I'm super thankful for that!

Oh my gosh I feel like this is me all the time; never all together, haha!  I don't know that that's even possible with two kiddos 3 and under, two parents working full-time out of the house, and crazy schedules that never line up.  I think you just have to learn to roll with things as a parent.  There will be times when the kiddos are literally running the show, the husband is, or you all are in it together.  I just try to remember to laugh...a lot.

...go Targeting solo with no time restraint!  Oh! Also, washing my hair.  It sounds silly but it takes awhile to dry and style it and I always feel like a million bucks after I've been able to properly shower!

For sure I think balance can exist!  Is it going to be perfect on a day to day basis? No, not for us at least.  I try to remember that what I think balance looks like for my family isn't going to be what another mama feels balance is for her family.  Comparing ourselves and our families to others is just silly in most cases.

I love blogging and I'd love to be able to stay at home and work as a full-time blogger one day!

I'd love to know if there are any other keto-mamas out there reading this!?  If so, what are some of your staple meals you cook for yourself or even for your whole family?  You know, the semi-quick/not too many ingredient recipes that all of us mamas need!  Also, regarding social media mamas and influencers you love to follow, what photos/posts do you love to see the most?