Motherhood Made Simple

22 | Baby #4 Q&A

We're getting ready to have four kids under four! Today I'm answering all things baby #4. Do we believe in birth control? Are we finding out the gender? What do we drive? How do I survive pregnancy with 3 toddlers? I'm answering these and more today. 
If you want to submit a question or respond to today's episode, I would LOVE to hear from you! Email me at hello@micaela.ca or leave a comment if the platform allows.
LINKS
📖MY DEVOTIONAL FOR TODDLER MOMS📖
https://amzn.to/42UhhBQ  
📝EPISODE TRANSCRIPT📝
micaela.ca/podcast/022
 
CHAPTERS
00:00 Intro
01:53 Was this pregnancy planned?
02:39 Do we believe in birth control?
03:44 Are we finding out the gender?
04:31 Why are our kids so close together?
05:02 What do we drive?
06:04 Birth plan?
07:05 How do we afford so many kids?
09:53 Pregnancy with toddlers?
12:26 What does my husband think?

21 | 10 baby items you DON'T need & my minimalist baby registry tips

As a first-time mom, I felt the pressure to buy everything for my baby. But now that I'm expecting baby #4, I'm here to tell you you really don’t need it all. Some items are just a waste of space and money! I'm sharing 10 baby items you can leave off your minimalist baby registry along with my top recommendations for baby sleep, baby feeding, baby gear, baby toys and more. If you're a mom on a budget googling "what do I ACTUALLY need on my baby registry?" you're going to love this encouraging episode.
 
LINKS
📝EPISODE NOTES & LINKS📝
micaela/ca/podcast/021
📖MY DEVOTIONAL FOR TODDLER MOMS📖
https://amzn.to/42UhhBQ   
💻EMAIL ME💻
hello@micaela.ca
 
CHAPTERS
00:00 Intro
00:52 Why you don't need it all
02:53 10 baby items not to buy
10:20 Items I DO recommend!
10:45 Baby sleep registry items
13:48 Baby feeding registry items
17:48 Starting solids
20:23 Baby toys
24:08 Baby gear
 

20 | Toddler quiet time tips

Quiet time is an essential part of our daily routine! We all need a rest during the day, whether my toddlers admit it or not. I'm sharing my best tips for implementing quiet time, how to respond when your toddler refuses to nap and tips to foster independent play even during the hours everyone is awake.
 
LINKS
VISUAL TIMER WE USE
https://amzn.to/4l57O1l 
📖MY DEVOTIONAL FOR TODDLER MOMS📖
https://amzn.to/42UhhBQ  
📝EPISODE TRANSCRIPT📝
micaela/ca/podcast/020
💻EMAIL ME💻
hello@micaela.ca
 
CHAPTERS
00:00 Intro
01:28 Why we have quiet time
02:48 How I talk about quiet time
03:29 Nap refusals
04:27 Independent play tips
11:57 How we started doing quiet time

19 | First trimester survival guide from a fourth time mom

Surprise! I'm pregnant with my fourth baby! I thought I would share the news along with my best pregnancy tips for surviving the first trimester. If you're pregnant too and being plagued by nausea, fatigue and food aversions, I hope these tips will bless you. I've had all my kids 15 months apart, and I can honestly say my third and fourth pregnancies have been the smoothest so far.
 
LINKS
📖MY DEVOTIONAL FOR TODDLER MOMS📖
https://amzn.to/42UhhBQ  
📝EPISODE TRANSCRIPT📝
micaela/ca/podcast/019
💻EMAIL ME💻 
hello@micaela.ca
GET A BIDET
https://amzn.to/4kYpdZo
 
CHAPTERS
00:00 Intro
00:49 Announcing my fourth pregnancy
01:34 First trimester survival guide
01:43 Set realistic expectations
03:39 Good nutrition
07:27 Communicating with my kids
09:01 A good sleep routine
10:42 Batch cooking
12:19 Having a midwife
14:35 My bidet
15:24 Leave your questions in the comments!

18 | Two under two pros and cons - our positive perspective on the 15 month age gap

About a year ago, my search history looked like this: “Pros and cons of the 15-month age gap?” “What is the best age gap?” “Two under two tips” "Should I have my kids close in age?" It feels surreal being on the other side of the transition and able to share my own experience as a two-under-two mom. Spoiler alert - we love our small age gap! If you're looking for a positive perspective on two under two and the 15 month age gap, this is it! I'm sharing both pros and cons, but in my opinion, the pros heavily outweigh the cons.
 
LINKS
📖MY DEVOTIONAL FOR TODDLER MOMS📖
https://amzn.to/42UhhBQ  
📝EPISODE TRANSCRIPT📝
micaela/ca/podcast/018
💻READ MY BLOG💻
https://www.micaela.ca/blog
 
CHAPTERS
00:00 Intro
03:03 Cons of a 15 month age gap
07:25 Pros of a 15 month age gap
09:35 Encouragement for the transition from 1 to 2 kids
14:39 You've got this!

17 | How to read more books as a mom of toddlers & why you need a Kindle

If you’ve been trying to figure out how to make time to read as a busy mom, look no further! As an avid reader averaging 8-10 books per month (even as a mom of three) I’m sharing my best tips and tricks to find time to read. I’m sharing what I read, my personal conviction about fiction books as a Christian mom and why I love reading on Kindle. I know, I know. It’s hard to take the plunge and switch to Kindle, but if you’ve been wondering, “should I get a kindle?” I’m here with a confident “YES!”
 
LINKS
📖MY DEVOTIONAL FOR TODDLER MOMS📖
https://amzn.to/42UhhBQ  
MY FAVOURITE KINDLE
https://amzn.to/41RP1O3 
📝EPISODE TRANSCRIPT📝
micaela/ca/podcast/017
💻READ MY BLOG💻
https://www.micaela.ca/blog
 
CHAPTERS
00:00 Intro
01:22 Why reading is a great hobby
03:43 Why you need a Kindle!
05:48 What I read
07:18 My favourite Christian fiction authors
08:11 How to make time to read
11:04 How to want to read

16 | My SAHM schedule & SAHM tips from a mom of three

Being a stay at home mom is a blessing. But it comes with its own set of unique challenges! Should you have a stay-at-home mom schedule? How should you spend your time as a stay-at-home mom? Do you need to take your kids out every day of the week to make sure you socialize them enough? In this episode I'm sharing a few of my favorite stay-at-home mom tips along with my personal schedule or rather routine in this season with three kids under three.
LINKS
📖MY DEVOTIONAL FOR TODDLER MOMS📖
https://amzn.to/42UhhBQ  
📝EPISODE TRANSCRIPT📝
micaela/ca/podcast/016
💻READ MY BLOG💻
https://www.micaela.ca/blog
BOOK - The Lazy Genius Way
https://amzn.to/4iBn7wO 
 
CHAPTERS
00:00 Intro
01:00 Why I like having structure
02:08 Your Mindset
03:55 How to introduce loose structure
04:25 My personal routine
07:14 Plan ahead
07:57 Leave space in your schedule
08:46 Minimize the decisions you make
10:43 Accept that your life may look different than your friends
 

15 | Why I don't wake up before my kids & 5 Habits for moms who sleep in

If you’re out there googling “how to wake up before my kids” I want to introduce you to another way. You don’t have to get up hours before dawn to be a good mom or to have peaceful mornings. It is possible to have peaceful mornings with your toddlers even if you hit the ground running. As a mom of three, I value every bit of sleep I can get, and that includes in the morning! I’m sharing how I plan accordingly and how I view my mornings to set us up for success.
 
LINKS
📖MY DEVOTIONAL FOR TODDLER MOMS📖
https://amzn.to/42UhhBQ  
📝EPISODE TRANSCRIPT📝
micaela/ca/podcast/015
💻READ MY BLOG💻
https://www.micaela.ca/blog
 
CHAPTERS
00:00 Intro
02:32 Why I sleep in
03:40 Choose what matters & stop feeling guilty
06:01 How I prepare to sleep in
06:25 Breakfast
06:55 My Kitchen
07:49 If we need to leave the house
08:14 I end the day feeling fulfilled & rested
08:50 Find a different time to read the Bible

14 | Should I have another baby? | A christian perspective on growing your family

"Should I have kids?" you're wondering. Or maybe "Am I ready to have a baby?" Or for all the toddler moms out there, you're asking, "should I have another baby?" It seems like everyone is trying to answer this question lately. But in all the videos I watch on family planning, they're missing an important piece: your faith. Following Jesus changes everything about having kids. It changes our perspective on purpose, money, capacity and so much more. Let's begin unpacking this huge decision in today's episode. 
 
LINKS
📖MY DEVOTIONAL FOR TODDLER MOMS📖 https://amzn.to/42UhhBQ  
📝EPISODE TRANSCRIPT📝
micaela/ca/podcast/014
💻READ MY BLOG💻
https://www.micaela.ca/blog
 
CHAPTERS
00:00 Intro
01:05 Why this is on my heart
02:19 How Christians think about happiness
05:25 How Christians think about money
07:07 How Christians think about capacity
08:31 What we gain when we lay down our life
11:30 A disclaimer about marriage
12:00 The fertility question I wrestle with
 
Can motherhood really be made simple? I'm not going to tell you it can be easy. Anything worth doing requires hard work! But you don't have to feel burdened and stressed out and overwhelmed anymore. You don't need to do this on your own strength. I'm Micaela, and I'm here to help Christian moms of toddlers work on a positive motherhood mindset and simplify the things we can as we learn to trust God with the rest. I've made it my mission to help you find lasting joy and peace as you raise your precious toddlers.

13 | How to Deal With Toddler Tantrums | Toddler tips for Christian moms

Mama, I see you struggling through those toddler tantrums! I'm here with practical tips and encouragement for the days you don't understand your one-year-old, two-year-old or three-year-old and their big emotions. If you feel like you've entered the "terrible twos," I want to help you reframe that perspective and help you handle toddler meltdowns with grace and compassion. 
 
LINKS
📖MY DEVOTIONAL FOR TODDLER MOMS📖
https://amzn.to/42UhhBQ  
📝EPISODE TRANSCRIPT📝
micaela/ca/podcast/013
💻READ MY BLOG💻
https://www.micaela.ca/blog
 
CHAPTERS
00:00 Intro
02:13 Your mindset around toddler tantrums
06:42 Your perception of yourself
08:21 Preventing toddler tantrums
14:53 Managing meltdowns
16:04 Apologize if you need to
 
Can motherhood really be made simple? I'm not going to tell you it can be easy. Anything worth doing requires hard work! But you don't have to feel burdened and stressed out and overwhelmed anymore. You don't need to do this on your own strength. I'm Micaela, and I'm here to help Christian moms of toddlers work on a positive motherhood mindset and simplify the things we can as we learn to trust God with the rest. I've made it my mission to help you find lasting joy and peace as you raise your precious toddlers.