What Momma has time for a True Hobby?

As Christmas (and my birthday) rolls around my husband pointed out to me that it was hard for him to pick out gifts for me as i don't seem to have any hobby's.
I'm a stay at home mom with only my husbands income, which pays the bills and allows some eating out but if i were to indulge in the hobbies that spark my interest we would be shelling out another $100 a month, and currently i just cant swing that.
As i play on Facebook - which i should mention is currently my at home hobby. I realize there are few things i'm even interested in. Id like to learn Spanish, i love being with my kids, pottery would be fun, and as an optician i am always drawn to eye wear.
I love working out and I like taking classes and being with other people with like minded interests. it motivates me to do better and be more.
im also totally into fashion, although i dont get caught up in it and to focus my intentions and time into fashion would frusterate me as i know looks mean nothing in the long run and always fade away...
i used to love baking and cooking, but now i just find it more of a hassle.
so thats my rant for now...

Super simple brag board

We made this for two reasons, 1. To encourage Lena to be more artistic and 2. To have a place to display her art so she can feel proud and show daddy when he gets home.

How to make your own:

1. Measure an area low enough for your child to put up her own artwork.

2. Measure yarn to fit area (leave a bit extra to tie off on the tacs).

3. Tie one end to a tac and place TAC in wall.

4. Tie other end to second tac.

5. Pull tight and stick tac in wall.

6. Put clothespins on yarn.

My gluten free, wheat free, dairy free, egg free life

In truth it is much easier for me to give up these foods for Lincoln than it would be for me to be doing it for myself, but even with that this diet is tough!
There are a lot of companies that cater to people who are wheat/gluten free and a lot of companies that cater to people who are dairy free but egg free is a tough one!
I bought coconut and almond flour in an attempt to carry on my joy of baking with my daughter and its been tough so far. I thought I found a great coconut flour pancake recipe but you need to have eggs it seems. I tried it with my egg replacer but they turned out terribly... After trying that recipe I read up some more just about coconut flour it self and it seems I was mistaken about being able to treat it like regular flour.
I haven't even started trying anything with my almond flour, I really want to get a couple good coconut flour recipes. I will not be discouraged! I just need to find an egg replacer that vibes well with coconut flour!

Gas and diets

My son his been a great baby, he doesn't complain when my daughter is constantly toughing him with her face a millimeter away from his, he's pretty easy going and he's a great eater and sleeper. His only issue has been gas. The poor guy tenses up so badly that if he had better balance, he could stand on his own!
Right from the get go I had eliminated dairy and after a few weeks of constant night time pterodactyl screams and frantic crying, I decided to eliminate eggs too, and a couple more says after that wheat...
This has opened my eyes to an entirely new world! I feel so much more for the people with in tolerances and allergies! Especially egg allergies because every gluten free dairy free bread in a regular old grocery store seems to have eggs. :(
We bake a lot in this family and I have purchased coconut flour as well as some other okay to eat foods. I tried to make pancakes with our new ingredients and they turned out terrible but if I stopped something every time I screwed it up I would do nothing all day!
I have just begun this food journey and am anxious to see if it helps Lincoln. Online I read it will take two weeks for any diet changes to get through our systems but I have also heard it could take two months.
Let's hope it will work sooner if that is even the issue but I guess we won't know until we know!

Hope!

Lena has been ridiculous in the whining department for some time now and although today she wasn't perfect I think I have found a couple things that might help us both keep our sanity.
She has been taking only one nap for about six months and its an early one, so around 2:30 she is starting to melt down but isn't feeling a second nap. The last few weeks we have been watching a lot of tv to try to unwind and calm down but it just wasn't quite cutting it.
Today I decided to lock her up in her room and let her do her own thing for an hour. I almost felt like a bad mom because of this, but she ended up finishing her rest time extremely happy. Maybe she is an intravert or maybe she is just tired of.being with me all the time, but for what ever reason it worked!
Also, she has been randomly peeing in the potty, three times in as many weeks. Today i decided to try her in pull ups and see if she could let me know when she needed to go. This effort was kind of unsuccessful but it sure did make her feel special! So now when we have home days we are going to work on potty training. I'm not pushing it but we might as well give it a shot, especially if it makes her feel important and helps her be a bit more independent and a bit less whiney.
Yesterday there were a couple times I had to remind myself that it was okay to walk away but today I feel hope!

Dealing with the craziness of the first child

How do you help your first child out of their regressing when the second baby comes?
Lena was great the first week or so when Lincoln came home. She was.a bit needy but it has just been seeming to continue to escalate.
I read to continue to put her needs first because he won't remember but she might. I've been doing that.
I also read to get her to be part of taking care of him so she feels like she has a new baby too rather than feeling replaced. I've done that as well.
I've taken her on special Lena and mommy trips when my husband has been able to watch our son.
When Lincoln naps, I cuddle her or play with her or find some way to make her feel.like I'm there for her.
I've praised her good behavior and encouraged her regularly. I've tried to help her be a big girl by letting her do things her self, like put herself in her own car seat, and then telling her I'm proud of her...
But even with all that, the truth that I can not give her 100% of my attention still seems to haunt her. And she especially doesn't seem to handle me being with other people very well. It's like her neediness is amplified when she has to share me with even more people...
Needless to say after a month of this, I'm struggling and am having a really hard time figuring out how to help her know I'm still here for her, even when.I'm not able to give her my 100%....
This is me reaching out, anyone else have ideas?

Chicken crazy

Please tell me I'm not the only mom who, when sees blood, completely loses her cool and almost forgets how to be a good mother. Instead of thinking, I run around the kitchen like a chicken with my head cut off trying to clean blood flowing from my girls mouth as she screams bloody murder! Do I think to stop and assess the situation? No. Do i think to calm myself down so my daughter isn't feeling my stress? No.
I often joke that my husband is the only reason I'm even a semi stable person, and the only reason our kids will be, but my joking is based on complete truth!
It's in these blood soaked chicken runs where my husband steps in and helps me regain, or is forced to take control.
Interestingly enough, I am well aware that head wounds always gush blood and my daughter cries over "booboos" which happened over a week ago. But even with that knowledge I go chicken crazy when I see the combination.
So why is it so hard in those moments (and many others if I'm being honest) to set emotion aside and plug into that thinker??