Getting to Know You

Small Dose #15 – Family Time is PRICELESS!! Happy Thanksgiving!!

/ Katie P. Tolley, RN, MSN, CPNP-PC / Leave a comment

Time spent together is one of the most valuable lessons you can teach your children!

Children want nothing more than to be with their family and to be accepted!

Family time increases self esteem, and makes for happy kids! No Doubt about it!!

Here’s hoping that this Thanksgiving is a good one for you and those closest to you!!

Happy Thanksgiving!!!

“Be thankful for being together!”-Marci (the philosophically intelligent friend of Charlie Brown & Peppermint Patty)

Please, remember to be grateful & Enjoy the Journey, friends!!! 😉

One way to make ’em smile… Pets!

/ Katie P. Tolley, RN, MSN, CPNP-PC / Leave a comment

I have to tell you about the latest additions to our family! We brought home 2 little kittens today!! Drew and Josh are so excited! They chased the babies around the house for the first hour; until they realized that it would work better to sit and let the babies come to them. Initially, we planned on getting Drew a kitten for her birthday a few weeks ago. As we waited the couple weeks the kittens needed to get bigger before leaving the shelter, we decided we needed 2! Getting a pet for each kid in the house sounded like a better idea. Yes, dogs are nice, but, we don’t have the time at home that a dog requires right now, and in the past we have contemplated gerbils or hamsters. We have even had a few fish and hermit crabs, but that didn’t end well. Kittens are what we decided would fit best into our family.

Every kid needs a pet! It teaches a little bit of responsibility. Yes, I know I will be the one doing all the work, but a Mom can dream can’t she. 😉 Pets also give unconditional love, what more could we ask for!?! When children are stressed or down, a pet can be great therapy. Having a companion that is always there with unconditional love is very heartwarming. Having a loving pet to cuddle with can help improve self esteem and self confidence, that’s a win-win situation. And, having a kitten to snuggle and cuddle with really does make the kids smile! Drew has been giggling for hours now. Tonight, Josh and Drew are both in their respective beds, with kittens laying next to them, it’s just priceless!!

Josh has decided to name his kitten “Kwai”. This is a slant from Kawai, which means “cute” in Japanese. Josh is my out of the box thinker, so researching a name took days for him. I must emphasize the word research, because that is exactly what he did. He spent time on the computer looking up different words and their meanings. Josh has taken to Japanese ever since his fascination with Bey Blades, I’m sure most mothers of boys can relate to this phase. Josh has decided he wants to learn Japanese, and I guess this is the beginning…

Drew named her kitten “Jules”. This came from one of her favorite movies, Rio. There is a bird named “Jewel” in the Rio movie. She has asked for a blue macaw, but, that just wasn’t going to happen. We told her the bird would be living here longer than she would. So, when she first started talking about names she came up with Julie. This was very interesting because we live on property that my great-grandfather first purchased and developed in the late 1930’s, and his wife’s name was Julia. Coincidence?? hummm?? I think not… makes you wonder, now doesn’t it. Well, it makes me wonder who is still wondering around this place! It warms my heart and makes me smile. My cousin, Julie, who lives 3,000 miles away in Cali thinks it’s just a great name. You can guess where her name came from, now can’t ya?

Well, all I can say is, adding a pet to the family is a great idea. I’ve been wanting to do it for a while, but the timing hadn’t been right until recently. Me getting my masters, kids too young, but now that the kids are 6 and 10, it works perfectly. And, as I said, one way to make ’em smile is to get a pet! Kids love animals, and animals (usually) love kids. They just go great together, kind of like peanut butter and jelly. So, as you travel along this exciting journey called parenthood, Get A Pet!! Get whatever pet works for your family, it really doesn’t matter what it is to the kids. You will be glad you did, and your kids will be glad you did too! Just ask anyone that has a pet, and they will agree, no doubt about it!

So, if you want to make ’em smile….Get a Pet for the family to enjoy!!

As always, I’m hoping you Enjoy the Journey!! 😉

Parenting = Biggest Rewards + Most Frustrating Job You Will EVER Have!!

/ Katie P. Tolley, RN, MSN, CPNP-PC / 2 Comments

Have you ever had one of those days that you just don’t know what to do as a parent? I’m living it right now! I thought I would share, because writing about difficult times is therapeutic, and I thought you all would like to know none of us have all the answers! 

I thought nursing school was hard – okay, kinda…. I thought getting in shape after having a baby was hard – yes, but not so bad… I thought getting my master’s was hard – very time consuming, but not as bad as I thought.

But, let me tell you – J.O.S.H.U.A. IS THE BIGGEST CHALLENGE GOD HAS EVER PRESENTED ME WITH…EVER!

Joshua is the sweetest, most intelligent, creative, cute, silly, talkative, impulsive, disruptive, unmotivated, lackadaisical kid I’ve ever encountered!!! He is doing so well intellectually and academically; but just can’t seem to keep his mouth shut, stay in his seat, or stop himself from disrupting class.

His science teacher commented on how great he did when they dissected cow eyeballs last week. He loves science! His reading level is 12th grade, rather impressive for a 4th grader. He read the entire Harry Potter series in less than 5 months when he was 8 years old. His guitar teacher talks about how creative he is. Mike said he has students that have been taking guitar lessons for over 5 years that couldn’t create and improvise music the way Josh can; he could be the next great song writer and guitarist for Phish. He gets awesome grades on his tests and projects, even earning bonus points sometimes. This is the kid that amazed the psychologist with his IQ test scores. And, lately, he’s been watching all these science shows that talk about concepts that baffle even me, such as the sixth sense, the worm holes in outer space, and galaxies far beyond our own. Yes, I’m a Proud Mom, most of the time!

Then, the dreaded email comes, as it did today… Josh was disruptive, talkative and silly in class. AAAGGGGGHHHHHH!!!!!!! There were more details, but I won’t bore you with how he got sent to the Headmaster and had to write his teacher an apology note. :-/ This kid is so smart, he thinks he can get away with acting silly, but as long as he get good grades it’s no big deal. I just don’t know what to do with him!!! (Any suggestions are welcome.) He’s already lost all toys, electronics, and only has his musical instruments and books to occupy his time as he spends the evenings for the rest of this week in his room (his dinner will go up on a tray). I am so frustrated with him!!!

I am great at helping other people with their parenting dilemmas. I have an answer for most situations, but under my own roof I’m currently stumped!  Even his teacher (who’s been teaching for well over 20 years) says she has never met a kid like him. When he is focused, he’s exceptional, creative, and does amazing work. When he doesn’t want to do something, it’s like he’s a totally different kid. Thankfully, every teacher he’s had has been just as impressed with his intelligence, just as challenged with his behavior, but has convinced me that this kid is headed for greatness… All this parenting effort and heartache will pay off! Right???

Tomorrow he will be sorry for his behavior, will act like an angel for days, and make me sorry I’ve been mad at him. This will last just long enough for me to forget what he did, and then…. well, I don’t have to tell you, do I?? He’s a boy, and boys will be boys… and boys with ADHD are even more challenging to parent!! You can check out my ADHD blog at Hyperactive or just busy…could your child have ADHD?

Parenting is one of the toughest, most rewarding, most frustrating jobs any of us will ever have. It’s hard work, but the pay offs are big!  The time you put into it pays off, and the effort you put into your parenting will make your children better people as they grow up. Go with me on this one, it’s the only hope I have at the moment. 😉

I’m convinced that God has a plan for Joshua! I’m hopeful that he will change the world someday. My current objective is to change his behavior just enough to get him there…that’s if I don’t kill him first! My answer for now is to call in all the reinforcements I can. I’ll consult with his pediatrician, psychologist, and teachers at school. Fortunately, they are all intrigued with Joshua, and will give me all the advice and support they have to offer.

I often say “God makes them cute for a reason, it’s so we don’t kill ’em!” 😉

As the title of this post states, Parenting brings the biggest rewards and the biggest challenges most of us will ever face. Through the smiles and the tears, we still have to enjoy the journey friends!! Thanks for listening. 😉

Josh and his Fender

Creating….

Leave the schedule behind & Enjoy Family Time!

/ Katie P. Tolley, RN, MSN, CPNP-PC / 2 Comments

Over the Easter holiday, my family spent a long weekend with cousins in Charleston, SC. We had such a great time, and the kids just love spending time with their cousins.

Today’s families have so much on their schedules; work, school (parents and kids), homework, sports, music lessons, church, choir practice, birthday parties, appointments, etc., etc….

Sometimes we need to schedule unscheduled time! 

It is so obvious when we watch how our children react to unscheduled time that it is necessary, and a valuable must for all of us! Being able to enjoy the great outdoors, a family meal, or holiday memories is more special than many of us realize.  The over-commitment and over-scheduling of today’s society can create stress and anxiety. Having time to just relax and enjoy each other without the rest of life’s demands keeps us healthy in ways that we don’t even think about. These demanding schedules can raise stress hormones, such as cortisol. Increased cortisol levels can cause difficulty concentrating, obesity, depression, sleep problems, high blood pressure, thyroid problems and many other health issues. Many of today’s kids are over-scheduled, it is important to make sure that children have time to unwind and relax. Given time to relax, cortisol levels will decline.

Unscheduled time allows for creativity. I’ve mentioned it before, creating and accomplishing things builds self esteem. Kids learn to make up games, build forts, and just explore their surroundings. One thing that time playing outdoors can do is help regulate neurotransmitters such as dopamine and norepinephrine. These neurotransmitters are important for normal brain function, concentration, organization, retention of information and paying attention. There is no doubt that kids need all the help they can get with focus and attention, especially those ADHD kids I talked about in my previous post.

Josh and AK battling it out!

During our time away, our children didn’t have a schedule, they ran around outside playing, jumping, climbing, bouncing, swimming, building, and just doing things that kids do. One thing I noticed during this time is that their was no complaining, no crying, no battling over attention, and the kids worked together to help one another! What a bonus for everyone!! 🙂

G reading Drew a book on our way to dinner.

Another cool thing I notice about hanging with our cousins is how kids bond, and you just can’t predict these things.  Most of us, as I did, would would assume that the girls would play girl things, and the boys would play boy things, but that isn’t necessarily the case. What happened is that the oldest cousin, Garrett (13) and the youngest, Drew Elizabeth (5) spent time together, and Joshua (10) and Anna Kat (11) spent time together most frequently.  It has been this way ever since they were very young. It is so cool to watch Garrett try to teach and explain things to Drew, and help her learn new things. I even caught him reading to her on our way to dinner. This changed just a little on this trip because Cousin Garrett has a girlfriend. When G’s girlfriend was around, Drew had to share , but she didn’t seem to mind. Even adding another kid to the mix didn’t cause any problems, everyone got along great. Drew climbed right up in the paddle boat with G’s girlfriend, and he had to take care of both girls, it was pretty cute! He bucked up and met the challenge, I think it really got him some brownie points with the GF! 😉

Overall, I think the unscheduled time is good for everyone, kids and adults alike! Taking time out to relax and smell the roses is one of the best coping mechanisms we can teach our children! It never hurts, and always helps to let those cortisol levels go down every now and then! The hard part is leaving to go back to the schedule of day to day life. Both of our children were very unhappy when it came time to leave, Morgan and I were too. 😦 Joshua hid in my cousins Suburban so he didn’t have to leave, it took a few minutes to find him too, crazy kid. Drew Elizabeth was carried on the verge of tears, kicking and pouting to the car. You don’t have to be very old to know that unscheduled time is the best for everyone. 😉

I hope that you figure out how to balance your children’s time.  There are so many things we want our children to experience and enjoy as they grow up.  Don’t forget some of the best things in life are things that happen by chance, not by a schedule.

My wish for you and yours is that you find lots of opportunities for unscheduled time along your journey! 😉

Small Dose #8 – April Fool’s from Our “Out of the Box” Thinker!

/ Katie P. Tolley, RN, MSN, CPNP-PC / Leave a comment

(There was a picture here with about 15 toilet paper rolls inside my husbands pillowcase that said, “You just got pranked…”, I guess it was “inappropriate” because it has disappeared from my post) 😦

After tonight’s post about ADHD and how creative these “out of the box” thinker’s can be, I knew I needed to share this!!

Tonight, when my husband went to bed, this is what he found….

His pillowcase was stuffed full of toilet paper rolls with a note from Joshua…

“You just got PRANKED… April Fool’s!”

Hahahahahaha, I told you this kid keeps us on our toes!!!

Gotta love the creativity!!

Happy April Fool’s Day to you and your family!

I hope your journey is just as exciting as ours! 😛

Paranoid Mom…. It happens to the best of us!

/ Katie P. Tolley, RN, MSN, CPNP-PC / 7 Comments

Hi all! After the morning I had, I just had to share this one…. It’s alright to be a “Paranoid Mom” because the well being of your children is a HUGE responsibility! I thought you all would enjoy knowing that I can be that Paranoid Mom too! 😉

Drew Elizabeth told me last night that her chest hurt. Ok, no big deal, I was convinced that she just needed to burp, toot, poop, or all of the above. Very frequently children will have chest pain that is referred gas pains. She has complained of her chest hurting 2 or 3 times in the last month or so, but she also hasn’t been eating her veggies as well as she used to. She has decided after eating her veggies for the past 5 years that she just doesn’t like them anymore. She doesn’t get away with it, and I make her eat a little. Not getting enough fiber can certainly decrease the frequency of bowel movements and the consistency of said movements. She is displaying her independence, and this is something she can control. No biggie.

When she didn’t even want the ice cream I had taken her to get, I was a little more concerned, but still thought she probably needed to go sit on the potty for a few minutes. I decided I would grab my stethoscope and take a listen to make her feel better. She will tell me she needs me to take care of her like I take care of the sick kids at work, so I didn’t want to deny her. Well, I took a listen……

I think I have mentioned before that we shouldn’t go looking for problems, because we may not be prepared to deal with what we find. Much to my surprise, I found that my daughter’s heart sounded like it was skipping a beat. Naaa, I must be hearing things, or it is just fluctuating because of her breathing, or something….. It is not unusual for heart rate to slow or increase on inhalation and exhalation. I listened a little longer…..Yep, there was definitely a skipped beat every 3rd or 4th or even 8th beat!! WTH?!? Interestingly enough, I have a cardiac history, and both of my children have had an EKG (electrocardiogram) because of it, and they were perfectly fine! Drew has even had an echocardiogram because she had a benign (innocent) murmur when she was 1 year old. So, here I am listening to my 5 year old, and her heart is skipping a beat! Yes, I looked quite calm on the outside, but the inside kept thinking, “What the He!! is going on???” I am fortunate enough to be able to call my colleagues that are close by. The PA I used to work with lives one mile down the road, and our Pediatrician (that I used to work with) lives a mile away in the other direction. I knew I could take her to either of them for a second opinion. No, I am not my kids Pediatric provider, I am their Mom! As soon as something is abnormal with either of them, I second guess my assessment skills and diagnostic skills. It is unusual for a child to have chest pain that is cardiac related, actually only 4% of pediatric chest pain is cardiac.

I broke down and called our Ped, Dr. Denise. She is awesome!! I can call her anytime for anything! She is a wealth of information, like an encyclopedia of pediatrics. Denise gave me some advice, we didn’t think the pain was cardiac related, as I first assumed, but we concluded that Drew needed an EKG first thing in the morning, but she was probably alright. BTW- she pooped and tooted and the pains went away, but the skipped beat was still there. So, my plan was to take her to the office in the am, get her evaluated, and they would say, “Oh, Katie, you were over reacting, we don’t hear anything.” Well, that was my plan, I was ready to be the crazy paranoid mom! No problem, it was my lack of skill, not her heart! I was good with that!

Well, I went to the office, told them I needed an EKG and we got started.  I love my kids pediatric office, they are the best! I worked there for almost 8 years before I was a PNP. My friend, T.,RN did her vital signs and asked what was going on. I said to just listen to her heart and tell me what you think. I watched her listen and start counting Drew’s heart rate, she nodded as she counted, 1, 2, 3…1, 2, 3… T looked at me with big eyes and a strange face… I said, “So, you hear it too?” She did! Oh, $#!+! I didn’t want her to hear it, I would rather be crazy! So, we finished vital sign, height, weight, and I waited for Karen, my friend the PA. Karen is a great PA! I adore her and we take our kids back and forth the mile between each others houses when we need a second opinion after diagnosing our own children. Drew really likes Karen, and did whatever Karen asked. So, Karen listens….. She looks at me, and nods her head! Dammit!! I wanted her to tell me she didn’t her it! But, of course she did.

My girl with all of her EKG wires attached! She ROCKS!

Well, this started the procedure for the 1st of 2 EKGs and 60 second rhythm strip (which recorded and showed her heart beat for a full minute). The first EKG was at the office, and then Karen sent us to the Diagnostic Center for a repeat EKG and the rhythm strip. Drew was so good during all of this! My sweet girl, this was going to have to be OK, I couldn’t deal with anything being seriously wrong with my girl’s heart! I’m sure you all know exactly how I felt! During the 2nd EKG and strip, the tech looked at me and said, “I know exactly what you are looking at, it’s right here and here and here…” OK, now my heart rate was up a little, too many people are confirming that I am not crazy, I REALLY PREFERRED CRAZY at this point!! I looked at the results, normal QRS, that’s reassuring, each individual beat had the proper electrophysiology, the conduction controlling her heart beat was doing it’s job, there was nothing abnormal about how the heart was beating, but there were obvious pauses between some of the beats.

So, as soon as I left, I called Denise (she was home because she had been on call all weekend). She said this is probably ok, we talked about the details, and she told me what she thought we should do. I called Karen back at the office, and Karen put a call in to “The BEST” Pediatric Cardiologist in the the Mid-Atlantic region. I am so grateful to have friends that take care of my kids, and know how to get answers, and get answers from the Experts! Dr. Ruckman of Children’s National Medical Center is one of the BEST in the nation! Karen spoke to him 2 times before lunch and called me.  Dr. Ruckman confirmed without a shadow of a doubt that this was a “normal abnormality” in children Drew’s age.

 HALLELUJAH,  HALLELUJAH…..HALLELUJAH, HALLELUJAH, HHHHAAAAALLELUUUU-JAHHHH!!!!

I could hear the angels singing in the background with me! THANK YOU, GOD! 🙂

I know this is a pretty personal post, and rather specific situation that I hope NONE of you ever face. What are the odds of listening to your daughter’s heart, just to make her feel better, because you are convinced she just needs to poop, burp, or toot, and there is an abnormal heart rate…. Hopefully, never! Drew was a trooper and got 3-4 lollipops during the whole ordeal, and even a chocolate donut on the way to school. As for me, I went on to work, and had a normal busy afternoon. I was happy with normal, busy! 🙂 

I can do without another day like this morning for the rest of my life! I know it won’t be that easy, something else will come up that makes me worry about my kids, and I pray that it will turn out just fine.  I thought it would be nice to share so that you know even the professionals get a little worried every now and then! Today was one of the days on this journey that I could have lived without! I am thrilled that at the end of the day everyone is happy, healthy, and Drew has no idea of the stress that was going on inside her mother for a few hours as I waited to be sure she was ok.

So, today, I enjoyed the journey a little less than some days; but all in all, “It is a wonderful life!” 😉

Happy Birthday Baby Boy…A whole new world!!

/ Katie P. Tolley, RN, MSN, CPNP-PC / 5 Comments
image baby

Babies make the world a happier place

At 5:46am, I will have been riding this train called Parenthood for 10 years! Oh My, What a ride it has been so far… 😉 If anyone thinks it’s easy, I beg to differ!!  I remember 10 years ago I started having contractions at the beginning of NYPD Blue. For those of you that remember, NYPD Blue was on Tuesday nights at 10, well, I contracted about every 8 -15 minutes throughout the show.  I called my best friend, who was so excited. She was going to forget about her fear of blood (I’m talking pass out kind of fear 😉 ) to be there when this new little bundle was going to enter this world. My husband didn’t quite get this was the real deal, and thought he was going to take a Benadryl and go off to sleep. I had to explain that I thought it was going to be a long night, and Benadryl was not a good idea! Well, it wasn’t too long, I was having contractions every 2 minutes as we were on our way to the hospital at midnight.  And, wouldn’t you know it, we pulled right up on a cop half way there. Morgan was so excited, he wanted to throw on the flashers, and speed past him.  I dared him to pass.  That was the last thing I wanted to deal with… This baby wasn’t coming quite that fast.

I wasn’t at the hospital for more than 4 hours, before my Joshua made his entrance, Thank GOD it was quick!! There are a few things that needed consideration during this birthing process….DRUGS!?!? I needed to decided if I wanted an epidural, or no epidural, this $#!+ hurt!!!  I’m not going to bore you with all the details of my birth story, we each have our own….and, each is definitely a Rite of Passage!

Speaking of Epidurals… a topic for any of you still in the baby making phase of parenthood.  I think women should decide if they want an epidural with no persuasion from husbands, mothers, in-laws, etc.  This is a personal decision!! There is nothing wrong with having an epidural, each person tolerates pain differently, and has different philosophies about pain. If labor is long and difficult, an epidural can be quite beneficial for mom and baby.  If mom is too stressed during labor, baby can be stressed during labor.  One thing to remember is that it takes time for the epidural to wear off after the baby is born. If a woman is induced, she should consider that the contractions induced by Pitocen (the hormone used to stimulate uterine contractions) can cause some really powerful and painful contractions.  Now, don’t get me wrong, contractions are a 15 on a pain scale of 1-10 with or without Pitocen, but with your body being forced into something it isn’t quite ready to do naturally, it just seems to make the contractions more forceful.  I’ve had friends that have had babies and needed Pitocen, and had no epidural. My hats off… it is an amazing feat, just plain amazing! I had no Pit, and my contractions hurt like He!!, No ifs, ands, or buts about it…Any woman that gives birth and doesn’t have an epidural can tell you, CHILDBIRTH HURTS!

When to go without an epidural?? I went without an epidural because I was blessed with quick labors.  Joshua was born 4 hours after I got to the hospital. This baby wasn’t waiting for the sun to come up or an epidural, he was in a hurry to get out and see what this world was all about.  Believe me, I thought about it, I have some back problems that made things a little iffy, and helped make my decision. If labor is quick, then, my personal opinion is suck it up, and get it over with.  The movie Fast and Furious was in theaters, that was what Joshua’s birth reminded me of…  He was 3.5 weeks early, 6#4oz, and 21.75″long, born in less than 8 hours from my first contraction. 1.5 hours of that was pushing…ughhh!!  All I could say, that was the hardest thing I have ever had to do in my life! At least that’s what I thought at the time, but the actual parenting thing is much harder!  All that pushing causes the baby to spend longer in the birth canal, causing a nice little cone head… it usually returns to normal within 24-48 hrs.  The little hats they have in the hospital are necessary to keep their body heat in because babies are learning to regulate their body temp, but the hats are perfect to cover up that little cone head until it is a little cuter. One of the best things in the world is the downy softness of a babies head! Enjoy it when you can, it only lasts a few months.

Aunt Shell made it and thought it was an amazing experience; and there actually wasn’t all that  much blood…We love Aunt Shell, she’s tops! 🙂 Aunt Kathy also made it in time, and was the first to say It’s a Boy!! (yes, we impatiently waited to find out). She was also the first to notice that Joshua looked just like his Daddy! Well, I do love the daddy, so that’s ok, I guess!

Another question that comes with babies – Breastfeeding or Bottlefeeding. This too is a personal decision for parents, but I am going to have to say the decision does have to weigh Mom’s feelings the most.  Breastfeeding takes dedication! It can be one of the most rewarding things you ever do (it was for me!), but for some women, it can be very difficult.  Breastfeeding can provide so many benefits to a baby, such as: increased immunities through breastmilk, help with allergies, management of cholesterol later in life, help with lifelong management of a healthy weight, help decrease ear infections, more easily digested by immature GI system, and the bonding experience is priceless, and there are so many more….  Yes, I am  an advocate for breastfeeding, I am also a lactation consultant.  As a practitioner, I support whatever decision Mom makes, no questions asked! I have helped so many moms and babies through their breastfeeding difficulties.  For the mom that is dedicated, breastfeeding can work out.  There are some women that are not capable of producing an adequate milk supply for their child.  This happens when women have insufficient glandular tissue for adequate lactation. This is real, I have friends that have had this grueling experience.  I enjoy a blog by a female pediatrician that expresses the distress from a mother that was unable to produce an adequate supply for her child.  Check out her struggles, at Confession of a Dr. Mom.  The information I have read so far on her blog has been awesome!

My Joshua, in Gryffindor tie with wand in hand! LOVE HIM!!

My Boy has changed my world, he has taught me that there are rules to parenting that don’t always fit every kid. Just when you think you know what you’re doing, the kids forget to read the book and respond appropriately….ugh! So, Fast and Furious has been going on for about 10 years….and hopefully will continue for many, many, many more!

All I really wanted to say was Happy Birthday to my Joshua! The catalyst that started this unbelievable journey called parenthood!

I LOVE YOU JOSHIE!! 🙂 

Parenting is NOT EASY!!

/ Katie P. Tolley, RN, MSN, CPNP-PC / 5 Comments

PARENTING IS NOT EASY.  Being a good parent takes time, hard work and endless energy.   When it seems just a little too tough, take some time to read Mom’s Daily Dose.   My goal is to provide you with advice to make parenting easier and educate you a little on why kids do what they do.  Along the way, I will probably share some funny moments from my personal parenting experience and the world of pediatrics.  Hopefully, my professional knowledge and parenting experience will help you enjoy the journey that is parenthood.

We love to explore the museums in DC, especially the "Dinosaur Museum!" Drew Elizabeth fell in love with dinosaurs at the Museum of Natural History when she was 3 years old....the rest is history!