This episode is for the mama who’s feeling tired, overwhelmed, and  guilty for not loving every minute of raising toddlers. We’ll unpack my beef with the "motherhood is hard" narrative and go over a few small steps you can take to find joy when stay-at-home-mom-life feels overwhelming. Life may be anything but picture-perfect, but I hope you’ll leave this one feeling seen, encouraged, and reminded that hard doesn’t mean you’re doing it wrong and you will find joy again!   LINKS 📖MY DEVOTIONAL FOR TODDLER MOMS📖 https://amzn.to/42UhhBQ   GET OUT OF YOUR HEAD (book by Jennie Allen) https://amzn.to/42y4y6b 📝EPISODE TRANSCRIPT📝 micaela.ca/podcast/023 💻EMAIL ME💻 hello@micaela.ca   CHAPTERS 00:00 Intro 01:43 The "motherhood is hard" narritive 05:56 Hard doesn't mean you're doing it wrong! 09:36 Where are you finding fulfillment? 11:46 Notice something new 16:25 Lighten the load of your home 17:27 Take a social media break

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?

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  

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

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!

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!

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

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  

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

"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.

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. 

Let's chat about how to be creative as a mom, how to have fun and find hobbies that work in a busy season of raising toddlers. I'm sharing five of my favourite crafts for moms that work well around babies and toddlers. From crocheting and embroidery to watercolour and blogging, I hope these mom-hobbies will inspire you. LINKS CRAFT SUPPLIES Caligraphy Caligraphy Pens: https://amzn.to/3XvfJea  Free Caligraphy Course: https://courses.thehappyevercrafter.c... Watercolour Paints: https://amzn.to/4i3l30x Blogging My posts about blogging: https://www.micaela.ca/blog/tag/blogging Blog Post Ideas: https://www.micaela.ca/blog-post-ideas  Crochet Yarn: https://amzn.to/4i08bbm  Crochet Hook: https://amzn.to/3F6xNVC  Embroidery Embroidery Kit: https://amzn.to/4kEHfjp  BOOK RECOMMENDATION Create Anyway by Ashlee Gadd:  https://amzn.to/3QKMznt  CHAPTERS 00:00 Intro 00:54 Why I want to create 02:37 Ground rules for crafting 04:29 Caligraphy 05:28 Watercolor painting 06:23 Blogging 08:08 Crocheting 08:50 Embroidery

If you are wrestling with mom guilt and wondering, "am I a good mom?" or "am I doing this right?" You've come to there right place. I'm sharing my six-step plan to ditch the mom-guilt for good and make decisions from a position of peace. There are so many decisions to make as a new mom. What should I feed my baby? How should I potty train my toddler? It can feel like there are too many options and we'll never find the "right" way to mother. I hope these tips to limit the flow of incoming information, avoid comparison and choose your priorities will help as you steward the sweet children God has blessed you with.  You've got this mama! LINKS 📖 Grab the devotional https://amzn.to/42UhhBQ 🖳 Read the blog micaela.ca/blog  📧 Send me an email hello@micaela.ca CHAPTERS 00:00 Intro 00:45 Mom-guilt is spiritual warfare 01:42 Pray 02:26 Choose how you measure success in decision making 03:30 Limit incoming information 05:41 Limit opportunities for comparison 07:20 Decide what matters to you 08:54 Nothing is as serious as it seems 10:11 Recap

Teaching a toddler about Jesus can feel SO intimidating. It can be hard to explain God to small children and decide what to teach a toddler. I’m sharing 5 things to teach your toddler about Christ in simple words and our favourite Christian picture book to go along with each point.   LINKS Free Download - Truth for Tots Class https://www.micaela.ca/truth-for-tots   📖MY DEVOTIONAL FOR TODDLER MOMS📖 https://amzn.to/42UhhBQ   CHRISTIAN PICTURE BOOKS Found https://amzn.to/3W6Pnye The Jesus Storybook Bible https://amzn.to/4h5TFhk The Blessing of You https://amzn.to/4j6Fiv5 Just in Case You Ever Wonder https://amzn.to/40kG00y Don’t Forget to Remember https://amzn.to/3DGpmPU Anytime, Anyplace, Any Prayer https://amzn.to/4h4dUfg 

 If you're feeling burnt out and exhausted, like you just need a break from your toddlers, I'm so glad you're here! I know this episode is going to bring you a lot of peace. I'm sharing 5 simple tips to get more rest as a mom of toddlers and find time to care for yourself.    LINKS 📖MY DEVOTIONAL FOR TODDLER MOMS📖 https://amzn.to/42UhhBQ  💻READ MY BLOG💻 https://www.micaela.ca/blog 

If you want to set up screentime boundaries and spend less time on your phone, I know this episode will inspire you! Get ready to be a more present and relaxed mom with these practical tips. I'm sharing five steps to reduce your screentime, screentime boundaries I've tried and how to blog without social media. As a stay at home mom, I know the value of using my time wisely and avoiding distractions. Be blessed! LINKS 📖 Grab the devotional https://amzn.to/42UhhBQ 🖳 Read the blog micaela.ca/blog  📧 Send me an email hello@micaela.ca CHAPTERS 00:00 Intro 02:15 Why I limit my screentime 05:24 Screen experiment #1 Cancelling our wifi 06:51 Screen experiment #2 No TV 09:23 Screen experiment #3 Deleting our social media 10:17 My personal screen time habits 11:22 Five steps to reduce your screen time 14:34 Blogging without social media  

Is there a peaceful way to potty train your two-year-old or three-year-old? Is it possible to have fun while potty training? Today I'm sharing my best potty training tips along with the mindsets that have helped make potty training fun in our house! If you are a mom of toddlers looking to ditch diapers, you've come to the right place.    LINKS Grab the devotional https://amzn.to/42UhhBQ Read the blog micaela.ca/blog    CHAPTERS 00:00 Intro 02:02 When should I potty train? 02:41 My devotional for toddler moms 03:30 Set realistic expectations 04:03 Communicate with your toddler 05:56 Hold it loosely 07:39 Use pull-ups in public 08:26 View yourselves as a team 09:23 Expect pee on the ground 10:43 Our process

If it feels hard to read the Bible right now, this episode is for you! Are you tired of not sticking to your Bible reading plan and feeling guilty about it? Are you struggling to find time to read the Bible as a mom of toddlers? These 12 lies might be keeping you out of God's Word. I hope this episode helps you discover practical tips and encouragement to get back in God's Word even if its been a while.   GRAB MY DEVOTIONAL: https://amzn.to/42UhhBQ My new devotional for toddler moms is out now! If you have been looking to get back in God's word, you will love this 21-day guide. It is full of practical Bible reading tips suited to the toddler mom lifestyle, encouragement and some of my most embarrassing motherhood moments. Grab a copy on Amazon https://amzn.to/42UhhBQ

These are some of my must-read books for Christian moms. Though they are not all parenting books, I know these faith-based books will encourage you and change the way you mother. These would be great gift ideas for your mom friends or your holiday wishlist.    BOOK LINKS My devotional: Bible Time Take Back https://amzn.to/42UhhBQ  Fervent  https://amzn.to/3X2idAg  Create Anyway https://amzn.to/4hCKc1X  Take Back Your Family  https://amzn.to/42S9ch3   The Lazy Genius Way https://amzn.to/3Ql6edj  Cozy Minimalist Home https://amzn.to/412aMu1  Risen Motherhood  https://amzn.to/40YY938  Satisfied  https://amzn.to/4b5rnC8  Completely His https://amzn.to/3EBUz7B  The Life-Giving Parent https://amzn.to/41jntSw  The Read Aloud Family  https://amzn.to/3CVIiu7  How Not to Die https://amzn.to/4hEdQ6S  The Ruthless Elimination of Hurry  https://amzn.to/4jYEeKi 

Do you want to stop hating laundry and find simple homemaking tips for a growing family? Do you want to make cooking easier and eat homemade meals without cooking every day? I hope this episode will bless your socks off! I'm sharing my favourite strategies to make homemaking feel simple so you can spend more time enjoying your sweet toddlers. These are homemaking strategies I use daily for our family of five. LINKS Cube shelf for kids: https://amzn.to/4hP9Dxi Bins for shelf: https://amzn.to/4keIwgA Black socks for toddlers: https://amzn.to/4kaPO4W My devotional for toddler moms: https://amzn.to/42UhhBQ