It’s a Zoo Life

I came across It’s a Zoo Life by watching TV, believe it or not. I stumbled upon the TLC television show “Our Wild Life” about the Abrams family, who own and run a zoo and fell in love with it! The fact that they had a wolf, baby kangaroos, a sloth, and more exotic animals living at their farm (and inside their house) was so interesting to me. The family was so fun and real, and I really enjoyed the show. I thought how cool it would be to visit but never thought I actually would.

One day, I happened to look up the farm and saw it was a short drive away from where I lived in North Carolina. I couldn’t believe it. So when my daughter was about 1 1/2, and my son was 6 months old, we made a tour reservation and went to visit the zoo in person. It was my son’s first experience with a zoo, and it was so much fun! Because it is a small family zoo, it is very hands-on. We got to get up close with all of the animals and even got to hold/feed some of them. My daughter was in heaven – she even wanted to hug the porcupine. But don’t worry, that didn’t happen.

It’s a Zoo Life is located in Macclesfield, North Carolina. A small town about 30 minutes northwest of Greenville, NC, and about 1 hour east of Raleigh, NC.

You have to make a tour reservation ahead of time. They only do tours at specific times, and they keep the groups small, so you’ll want to make sure to do it ahead of time if you are looking to go on a certain day/time. You’ll want to make sure to arrive a little early to check in, use the restroom (if needed), get strollers set up, etc.

They have a cute check-in area that has photo op areas including an animal cutout you can put your faces in, a big chair, and of course the It’s a Zoo Life sign. The check-in is a little cabin/shed, and they also have some little concessions/snacks and gift shop items to purchase. They currently have 100+ animals; many are exotic ones. The lemurs were some of my favorites, and my daughter loved the zebra.

Bobby Jo Abrams gave us our tour. If you have seen the show, she is the matriarch/mom who runs the zoo. Our group was small, so we had plenty of time to see all the animals and ask any questions. We got to go inside the cage and pet the wolf, feed the farm animals, hold a baby hedgehog, feed kangaroos and wallabies, hold a little fox, get up close to a sloth, and my personal favorite: hold and bottle-feed a baby kangaroo (just like I had seen on the show)!

In fact, at the time of our visit, I was still nursing my son. When I held the baby kangaroo, she tried to suck on my arm, which felt very funny. Bobby Jo said she probably could smell my breast milk and was hungry (so cool!). The whole team at It’s a Zoo Life was phenomenal and stayed after the tour to talk and answer any questions. It is so much fun, and I definitely recommend that if you are ever in the area, you plan a visit!

If you want to support a small family-owned business, enjoy zoos, like getting up close with animals, or are simply curious to learn more – make sure you check out It’s a Zoo Life in Macclesfield, NC. You won’t regret it!

Sleep Training Tips & Tricks

The sleep training phase is one of the biggest baby phases, and I both look forward to it and dread it at the same time. On one hand, I dread it because it can take so long. But on the other hand, once you do figure it out and get into a good sleeping routine, it is such a blessing!

I wanted to share with you a few tips and tricks that were helpful for both of my kids’ sleep training journeys. I hope that by sharing, they will help someone else struggling with this phase.

1. Routine

Creating a nap/bedtime routine for your baby can be a big help. When I first started sleep training, my kids’ routines consisted of a diaper change, milk, then rocking and singing. Once they got older, it changed to brushing teeth, changing diapers/potty, and reading a story. Creating a routine helps your baby know what to expect and can help them wind down.

2. Consistency

Staying consistent is key. It can be hard and draining, but it is so important! If you decide to do cry it out – stick with it. If you plan to rock your baby to sleep – just know they’ll need it every time. Whatever you choose to do, stay consistent. I know it can be hard, but it is worth it in the end! When I sleep-trained my son, it took two weeks of him crying and refusing to sleep every nap time until he finally figured it out. It was the longest two weeks of my life. But once the consistency paid off – we were all happier.

3. Find what works for you/your kid

Just keep in mind that each child is different, and they won’t all adapt the same way. My daughter, for instance, adjusted well to naps in her crib, but it still took longer for her at night-time. My son, on the other hand, had no issue with nighttime sleep but struggled with naps. I tried multiple methods with my son, trying to find what worked.

Ultimately, we went with cry it out, but that doesn’t work for every child or parent. It is completely fine if you prefer a different approach. And it is perfectly ok if it takes you multiple methods to figure out what works for you. You have to find what works for you as a parent and what works for your child.

4. Take it slow

Whether you’re trying to transition a baby into their own room, teaching them to learn to put themselves to sleep, or working on sleeping through the night — it will take time to get your little one adjusted. Take it slow and do a little bit at a time until you get there. With my daughter, I started her off by playing in her crib while I cleaned/put laundry away in her room. Once she got comfortable with the crib during playtime, I started trying one nap a day there, then two naps, and lastly, nighttime.

5. Give yourself grace

The biggest advice I could give is to give yourself grace. The sleep training process can be long and hard and stressful. It can be very trying on your patience and sanity. If you’re anything like me, the mom guilt will creep in some too. Every mom goes through it. Just hang in there and give yourself grace.

If you are struggling with sleep training, you are not alone! I’ve been there – twice. You can read all about my sleep training woes here. You can and will get through it. You’ve got this!

DIY Paw Patrol Birthday Party

For my son’s second birthday, we decided to make his favorite TV show come to life. He was obsessed with puppies and all things “Paw Patrol”! It was easy to create this theme because it is such a popular show and theme. I was able to find a bunch of stuff at local stores. This is ultimately what I did to make the theme come to life.

Photo Backdrop

Supplies You’ll Need:

• Green, red & yellow plastic tablecloths
• Paw Patrol streamers
• String
• Tape (optional)

Step-by-Step Guide:

1. Hang the string on the wall. I used a clothesline rope and tied it in place around each side of the wall.
2. Drape the green, red, and yellow tablecloths over the string.
3. Hang the Paw Patrol streamers over the tablecloths at the top of the string. You can tape them into place if needed/preferred.

Birthday Outfit

Supplies You’ll Need:

• White t-shirt
• Red, yellow, dark blue & light blue fabric paint
• Paintbrush

Step-by-Step Guide:

1. Paint a red shield (the Paw Patrol logo) onto the white T-shirt and let it dry. Make sure to leave a little inch or so gap at the bottom of the logo for the bone.
2. Paint a dark blue bone overlapping the shield where the gaps are. Let it dry.
3. Paint a light blue edge around the outside of the red shield. Let it dry.
4. Paint a yellow edge around the outside of the light blue of the shield. Let it dry.
5. Paint another light blue edge around the outside of the light blue of the shield. Let it dry.
6. Paint a dark blue T, W, and paw print (in place of the o in “two”) in the middle of the shield. Let it dry.

Cake

We purchased a pre-made Paw Patrol-themed cake at our local grocery store for this party. But you could just as easily make your own cake or cupcakes and use the same color scheme as the party.

Photo Booth Props

We bought some cute Paw Patrol character masks to wear for a fun photoshoot.

Balloons

I bought Paw Patrol-themed balloons at Walmart that had the characters on them. We also had to have a giant number 2 balloon.

Birthday Poster

I included a cute birthday Paw Patrol poster where you fill in the blanks for your child’s favorite things. We hung it behind the tablecloths and pulled them to the side.

I hope these ideas help inspire you to create your own Paw Patrol-themed party and have a pawsome time with it. Happy creating!

How to Make Theme Parks More Enjoyable with Kids

Who doesn’t love theme parks? I have loved going with my girlfriends, going as a couple, and now going with my kids. I will admit that theme park days were a bit easier when I didn’t have to pack extra bags and worry about naps.

However, even though the extra bags and schedule changes can be stressful as a mom, I absolutely love taking my kids on theme park adventures. We have gone to Disney World as a family of four twice now and to other parks. I wanted to share some tips and tricks we have found to make long days at theme parks more enjoyable with Kids.

Find Less Busy Times to Go to the Park

For both of our Disney trips, we tried to plan around busy times of the year. When you pick nonpeak times to visit, it’s less crowded. Lines are shorter, kids can run freer, and you have more space. This brings me to my next point…

Bring a Stroller

I know it can be annoying lugging a big stroller around, especially if you’re traveling far, but I promise you will not regret it. I always take our stroller to every theme park or activity where there is a lot of walking involved. Kids can use the sunshades for a break from the sun, ride along when their feet need a break, or nap, and you can store all your extra items/purchases in it.

Even with my kids walking, I still always bring it. The last thing you want to do is have to carry your tired toddler around. Plus, if the park is busy, you don’t have to worry about chasing your kids around or them not keeping up when you want to move fast. Bring the stroller. Every time.

Bring Some Snacks

There will be times your kid(s) will be hungry and you’ll want something quick or won’t want to buy the expensive snacks at a theme park. Packing some simple snacks will help with this. I always bring crackers, granola bars, and fruit snacks in our diaper bag.

Bring Their Favorite Items

There may be times that your kid(s) may just want their item from home for napping or just some normal comfort. If they have a favorite blanket or toy/doll that is easy to bring along, I do that. Being away from home all day will probably be a change for young kids, and having a comfort item from home can help with that.

Plan it Around When Kids are Happiest

Planning to visit the theme park when your kids are the happiest can help a lot. My kids have always adapted well to being out and about (when it was once in a while and not a regular occurrence), but some may not. When they were little, I always tried to plan outings around their nap schedule to help with this. You could try going first thing when they wake in the morning or right after naptime. For all-day adventures, I usually try to go in the morning and use the stroller for nap time.

Find the Weather Sweet Spot

Planning your trip around the weather can be helpful for you and your kids. For example, when we went to Disney in Florida, we knew it would be hot days. The first time we went in September, and the second time we went in May. While it was still warm, we actively avoided the hottest part of summer (July). Try avoiding the coldest days for other parks as well. When we went to Dollywood, which is in the Great Smoky Mountains in Tennessee, we went in September to avoid the colder winter months.

Be Prepared

As a mom, my motto is always to be prepared. You never know what can or will go wrong. I always bring extra clothes, diapers, and wipes in our diaper bag for long all-day outings. For outside adventures, I make sure to have water, sunscreen, and hats. For theme park days when I know we might not be able to go back to our hotel, I bring extra stuff in the car. If it’s warmer weather, you never know; I bring jackets in the car. Worst case, we just walk back to the car to grab something, but at least we won’t have to go all the way home/to a hotel.

Bring a Baby Carrier

For babies/infants, I always bring a baby carrier along. When we went to Dollywood, my daughter was only 5 months old and still nursing. There were times when she wanted to be held or close to me. I would put her into the baby carrier, and it was a lifesaver. I could still have my arms free, and they didn’t fall asleep holding her. Your partner can also use it to give you a break. I have also used a baby carrier a few times for nursing babies when we were on the move and couldn’t find a place to sit.

Kids don’t have to stop you from taking adventures or visiting your favorite theme parks. I love taking my kids with me. With a little extra planning, it can run smoothly. So take the trip, visit the theme park, check off bucket-list items, make memories, and have lots of fun!