It’s hard to choose between the Instant Pot chicken wings and the bacon-wrapped potato wedges

Whether you’re having a small gathering, heading to a big bash, or just want something special for a movie night with the kids, we have a few easy appetizer recipes that’ll come in handy. From finger foods to veggie appetizers, keep reading to check out our favorite appetizer recipes that are all made using three ingredients or less.

Baked Brie with Jam

Savory, gooey cheese, sweet fruit preserves, all served warm, what’s not to love? Get the recipe from America’s Test Kitchen.

Avocado Dip

Serve this 3-ingredient no-cook appetizer with crackers or veggies, either way, it’ll be a hit. Get the recipe from All Things Mama. 

3-Ingredient Hawaiian Meatballs

Ready in just 20 minutes, this 3-ingredient appetizer is perfect for little hands! Get the recipe from When Salty and Sweet Unite.

Proscuitto-Wrapped Pears with Balsamic Glaze

This is the definition of an easy appetizer recipe! If you want to get really fancy, consider throwing in a slice of cheese.

Monkey Bread

This cheesy monkey bread from Brit + Co is literally as easy as 1, 2, 3... ingredients. Kids will love the soft bread and parents will love how easy it is to make. 

Caprese Skewers

caprese skewers are an easy appetizer recipe
iStock

Quite possibly one of the easiest appetizers to whip up, simply grab fresh mozzarella balls, tomatoes, and pesto; skewer, drizzle with olive oil and balsamic vinaigrette, and go! 

Tomato and Cheddar Palmiers

The Suburban Soapbox

These pretty palmiers from The Suburban Soapbox will definitely impress your guests. Buttery puff pastry and tart tomatoes meld perfectly with rich cheddar cheese—delish! 

Crock Pot Chili Cheese Dip

chili cheese dip is an easy appetizer
Julie’s Eats and Treats

Break out your slow cooker for this crowd-pleasing dip from Julie’s Eats and Treats. With just two ingredients, it’s definitely the simplest thing you’ll make all day. 

Related: 18 Finger Foods Easy Appetizers You Can Make in 30 Minutes or Less

Mozzarella Cheese Sticks

Averie Cooks

This appetizer from Averie Cooks is kid-approved and super easy to make. You’ll get the crunchy, melty effect of mozzarella sticks but without the mess and hassle of deep frying. 

Instant Pot Wings

Instant Pot wings are an easy appetizer
Mom Advice

Everybody loves chicken wings, and Mom Advice has a foolproof method for making them in the Instant Pot. A quick pass under the broiler gives them a crispy finish. 

Pesto Yogurt Dip

Melanie Makes

This light and fresh dip from Melanie Makesis an ideal appetizer to serve before a heavy holiday meal. Pair it with plenty of fresh veggies, cheese, and crackers, and you’ll be ready to entertain a crowd. 

Best Breadsticks Ever

These breadsticks are an easy appetizer
Kiwi & Carrot

How fancy do these breadsticks from Kiwi & Carrot look?! Using a pre-made puff pastry makes them super easy to pull off, even if you’re not a master baker. 

Crock Pot Glazed Kielbasa Bites

Julie’s Eats and Treats

This genius recipe from Julie’s Eats and Treats is totally hands-off, thanks to the magical Crock Pot. It’s made with kielbasa, brown sugar, and one unexpected ingredient.

Bacon Wrapped Cherries with Thyme

We Are Not Martha

It might sound strange, but stay with us: these bacon-wrapped cherries from We Are Not Martha are delicious. The savory bacon makes a perfect contrast for tart, juicy cherries. 

Related: 13 Trader Joe’s Appetizers to Serve During the Holidays This Year

Quick Dinner Rolls

Life, Love and Good Food

Start your meal off with these yummy dinner rolls from Life, Love and Good Food. No rising required—just mix up the three ingredients, and bake the rolls in a muffin tin. 

Everything Parmesan Crisps

The Suburban Soapbox

This inventive take on a crispy cracker from The Suburban Soapbox is bound to be a hit with cheese lovers. Even better, they come together in less than 10 minutes, leaving you more time to obsess over the rest of the menu. 

Creamy Salsa Dip

Simply Stacie

For a crowd-pleasing appetizer, whip up a batch of this super easy dip from Simply Stacie. Paired with fresh veggies and tortilla chips, don’t be surprised if this one disappears fast. 

Classy Pigs in a Blanket

Culinary Hill

Make your party extra magical with an appetizer that only uses two (count ‘em, two!) ingredients. These pigs in a blanket are the definition of simple—and you can even add a touch of sesame seeds to up the wow factor. Get the recipe over at Culinary Hill.

Blue Cheese Bites

blue cheese bites are an easy appetizer recipe
A Wicked Wisk

Serving something warm to take the chill off is also the perfect way to welcome guests. This easy appetizer recipe from A Wicked Wisk combines a couple of our favorite things—flaky biscuits and flavorful blue cheese—to make a melty, bubbly appetizer perfect for a crowd. Drooling yet? 

Related: Did Somebody Say Bacon? 7 Bacon Appetizers to Make Today

Honey-Roasted Pecans

Trial and Eater

If you’re worried about dinner timing or want something festive (and deceptively simple) on your snack tray, make a batch of these honey-roasted pecans from Trial and Eater for guests to graze on throughout the day. The recipe couldn't be easier, but it’s way more delicious than the store-bought kind. 

Bacon-Wrapped Potato Wedges

bacon-wrapped potato wedges are an easy appetizer recipe
A Calculated Whisk

Potato wedges just got even tastier, thanks to this recipe from A Calculated Whisk. How? Why, wrap them in bacon, of course! Now you’ve got an appetizer fit for a hungry crowd of grown-ups and kiddos alike. 

Baked Ham and Cheese Roll-Ups

baked ham and cheese roll up is an easy appetizer recipe
Pumpkin ‘n Spice

For an appetizer that’s a bit more filling, try these yummy roll-ups from Pumpkin ‘n Spice. It’s easy to customize them with your favorite meats, cheeses, and seasonings. As a bonus, you can keep this recipe in rotation for school lunches. 

 

With all us moms and dads have to remember on a daily basis, we don’t blame you if you forgot to stock up on Kiss Me, I’m Irish tees and shamrock socks in preparation for St. Patricks Day. But that doesn’t mean you have to send your little leprechaun to school without a speck of green. Here are seven simple (and sometimes silly) ideas for how to add some instant green to their look today, to ensure no one gets pinched.

leaf crown

Photo: The Twig and Toadstool

Make a Leaf Crown
Forget the store, just stop by the nearest tree to complete your “Luck of the Irish” look. Just follow this easy tutorial from Twig and Toadstool, and your little will rule the day.

Raid the PJ Drawer
No green tees or pants? You may have more luck in the pajama department. For this fun day make a wardrobe exception, and let them wear those dino PJs out into the world.

green lunch

Photo: Mom100

Pack a Green Lunch
Pesto, broccoli, edamame, kiwi, grapes, bell pepper, celery, green apple—we are betting your fridge is stocked with green, so why not challenge yourself to pack an all green lunch today? The Mom100 has more great ideas on adding some color to packed lunches, so check it out here.

photo: Jose Soriano via Unsplash

Sport a Green Juice Mustache
This idea is so easy it involves doing LESS than you do on a typical day. Just blend up a greens-filled power juice and skip the clean up after, and let your little smoothie sipper sport a green juice mustache all day. Some dripped on their shirt? Even better.

Don A Broccoli and Kale Corsage
This one is sure to garner giggles from their schoolmates. Just bundle up a few of the prettiest greens from the crisper drawer and make a prom-worthy (and Iron-packing) corsage. The best part? A healthy snack is always at hand…literally.

Green Hair, Don’t Care
All you need is a stick or two of green chalk, some warm water and a little hair gel for an instant and very temporary (promise!) hair dye. Follow these simple instructions from The Krazy Coupon Lady and your kid will head to school looking like you planned for this holiday for weeks.

Raid Mommas Jewelry Box
We are betting there are some faux emeralds or even forgotten Mardi Gras beads in that jewelry box of yours, so let you littles sort through your stash and come up with something sparkly and green. Just be sure and remove anything of actual value from the pile of options! 

 

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You’re used to dishing out snacks to feed those hungry bellies, but what if those snacks also fed and helped develop your kiddo’s mind at the same time? Cerebelly does just that. They are the first children’s food brand on the market that leverages developmental neuroscience to offer products with brain-supporting nutrients. We’re obsessed with their Smart Bars released last Ocotber and veggie-first pouches, and are eagerly awaiting their newest product: smoothie-inspired pouches. Read on to discover why savvy parents are excited about this new product.

Cerebelly is teaming up once again with Peppa Pig and this time they’re offering smoothie-inspired flavors for their newest product release. The brand tells us that like their original collection, this new product will also be veggie-first (versus fruit-first) to ensure kids are getting all superior ingredients in a delicious and naturally sweet way.

The veggie-first smoothie-inspired pouches will come in three new flavors: celery apple kiwi, purple carrot blueberry and sweet potato peach. Sip them straight from the pouch or serve on a spoon (we personally love mixing the original flavors with greek yogurt for breakfast).

As busy parents, we adore Cerebelly. While we’re not pediatric nutritionists, we’ve tried a lot of different kids snacks and found that Cerebelly’s pouches and smart bars have some of the lowest amounts of sugar we’ve seen. And, they’re delicious to boot (yes, we’ve tried them ourselves!).

We love that their pouches are veggie-first and that the ingredients are specifically tailored to your child’s development. When you sign onto the Cerebelly site, you’ll take a short quiz that asks what milestones your child has reached and then they’ll provide suggestions about what flavor combos are best for your kid at that moment in her brain development. They’re all about providing the right nutrients at the right time.

Find the new collection on cerebelly.com or at Whole Foods markets starting February 16, 2021. Cerebelly will donate 20% of each product run to Baby2Baby.

 

—Erin Lem

photos: Cerebelly

 

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A festive advent calendar is one of our favorite ways to mark the days until Christmas morning. Whether you’re looking for a STEM advent calendar or a Be Kind calendar or just a fabulous family advent calendar you can keep for the future, we’ve found a DIY advent calendar that will work for you. Pick out your favorite from our top picks below, and let the Christmas countdown begin!

Fabulous Felt

Studio DIY

Feeling extra crafty this year? Try your hand at this adorable DIY felt Advent calendar. Perfect for transportation-crazy toddlers, this is an Advent calendar you'll use year after year. Plus, the sweet felt packages offer interactive entertainment for your little one. Find out how to make your own at Studio DIY.

Simple Santa

Hello Wonderful

What could be cuter than a pack of Santas? We love this DIY calendar because it's not just adorable—it's free! Pack each smiling Santa box with a piece of candy or other goodies. Grab the free printable and read the instructions at Hello Wonderful.

Upcycle Advent Calendar

Smashed Peas and Carrots

Old toilet paper rolls get all dressed up in this DIY advent calendar. Add scrapbook paper in your favorite colors, and you'll soon have an easy, inexpensive advent calendar sure to delight your family. Jingle on down to Smashed Peas and Carrots to find out how you can make your own.

Heirloom Advent Calendar

Amber Ulmer via A Beautiful Mess

A Beautiful Mess put together this stunning advent calendar. You'll love pulling out this calendar each year, with its sweet felt stockings and numbered stars. Crank up the Christmas tunes and find out how you can put it together yourself at A Beautiful Mess.

 

Character Advent Calendar

Kiwi Co.

Take the focus of the Christmas season from what's going to be under the tree to what really matters with this character trait advent calendar that prompts discussion about what it means to be kind and honest. Putting together this advent calendar is easier than Santa sliding down the chimney, and you can add on these character trait cards to an existing advent calendar. Get inspired at Kiwi Co's blog.

The Kind Calendar

Lovely Indeed

Looking to shift your family's focus from receiving to giving? Look no further than Lovely Indeed's Acts of Kindness Advent Calendar. This free printable includes simple, actionable ideas like sending a Christmas card. The open-ended cards that say "Volunteer" or "Donate gently used toys" give you a chance to put your family's spin on the countdown by picking local nonprofit partners that are close to your heart. To create this beautiful, meaningful calendar, visit Lovely Indeed.

Candy Countdown

Hey Let's Make Stuff

Make use of all those snack-sized candy bars in your pantry with Hey Let's Make Stuff's Leftover Halloween Candy advent calendar. Pick up treat cups and chalkboard clothespins, and you can create your own version. Click here to find out all the holiday how-to.

STEM-Mas

Little Bins for Little Hands

Little scientists will get a kick out of the STEM Countdown Calendar from Little Bins for Little Hands.  We love that the printable includes Christmas challenge cards with all sorts of things to build, test, mix and create. From festive homemade slime to gumdrop structures and a powerful Christmas catapult, you'll find loads of hands-on fun for dark winter nights. Find out how to create your own STEM countdown at Little Bins for Little Hands.

It's in the Bag

Alice and Lois

Little ones' eyes will be aglow when they see the toys and candy you put inside each bag in this advent calendar. We love that Alice and Lois's simple DIY Muslin Bag Advent Calendar can be used year after year—simply stuff your bags with new goodies or activities each November. Sled on over to Alice and Lois to learn how to make your own. 

Smash It Up

Studio DIY

For kids who can barely sleep they're so excited about a visit from St. Nick, this DIY Punch Box Advent Calendar is perfect. Your candy cane-crazed kiddos can blast through each numbered pocket and pull out festive goodies. Studio DIY has all the how-to's you'll need. We predict this Advent calendar will be a smashing success!

 

Dino-Mite

Boxy Colonial

Roar through December with this dinosaur-themed advent calendar. Your kids will love the Jurassic dose of fun, and parents will love that it's super easy for even the most exhausted elves to put together. Check out all the how-tos over at Boxy Colonial.

Scratch-Off Countdown

Melanie Blodgett for Minted

Who doesn't love scratch-off cards? This activity-packed advent calendar created by Melanie Blodgett for Minted adds extra, festive scratch-off holiday cheer. Make your own with paint and contact paper. Find out how here.

The Envelope, Please

Dandee Designs

We love Dandee Designs' simple, modern DIY advent wreath. Plus, you can pick up all of the supplies at the Dollar Store! This version uses red envelopes—but you can pick any color that fits with your holiday decor. Find out how to make your own at Dandee Designs. Happy crafting!

 

Reverse Advent Calendar

Alison Suttcliffe

Give back this year with a reverse advent calendar. To DIY your own, decorate a cardboard box or basket, then contribute one item to the basket daily until Dec. 25th, when it’s finally ready to be delivered to a homeless shelter or food bank in your area. We suggest prepping your list and stockpiling supplies ahead of time, so it’s easy for your little elves to do their part!

Story Time

Jolly Mom

December is the perfect time to snuggle up by the fire with a good book, and this advent calendar gives you two dozen chances to do just that! Wrap up Christmas-themed books you already own and pick up a few more at your local used bookstore to round out your collection. Wrap up the stories in paper and number the backs. Each night, your child will get to unwrap a book and hear a special seasonal story at bedtime.

Candy Cane Calendar

Annisa via A Pretty Happy Home

Advent calendars don't get much easier than this cheerful candy cane countdown. We love that it's a simple, festive way to deck the halls. Kids love that it's simply delicious. Pick up a few packages of flavored candy canes, and you're well on your way to building your own. A Pretty Happy Home will tell you how you can get started.

—Oz Spies with Erica Loop & Karly Wood

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Are are looking for that last sip of summer before everything is pumpkin spice flavored/ Starbucks is now offering two new vibrant green drinks, the Kiwi Starfruit Starbucks Refreshers Beverage and the Star Drink. Both are joining the permanent menu at locations across the U. S. after a successful launch in Canada earlier this year.

New Kiwi Starfruit Starbucks Refreshers Beverage

Kiwi Starfruit Starbucks Refreshers Beverage

The Kiwi Starfruit Starbucks Refreshers Beverage is a tropical combination of starfruit flavored juice and real kiwi pieces, hand-shaken with ice. With less than 100 calories in a Grande (16 fl. oz. beverage), the Kiwi Starfruit Starbucks Refreshers joins the Starbucks Refreshers platform, alongside customer-favorites Strawberry Açaí Starbucks Refreshers, Very Berry Hibiscus Starbucks Refreshers and Mango Dragonfruit Starbucks Refreshers.

New Star Drink

Star Drink

The Star Drink adds coconutmilk to our new Kiwi Starfruit Starbucks Refreshers Beverage for a creamy and refreshing sip that’s under 200 calories in a Grande (16 fl. oz. beverage). Now on the permanent menu alongside other creamy customer favorites like the Pink Drink, Violet Drink and Dragon Drink.

Customers can use the Starbucks App to find a store nearby, order ahead and have contactless payment. And for those who want their favorite Starbucks drinks and food without leaving home there is always Starbucks Delivers.

Another way to enjoy the final moments of the summer season is with a new, colorful cold cup or tumbler. Now through August 24, customers can enjoy 30% off their purchase of summer-inspired drinkware and merchandise. To learn more about the new Starbucks food and beverage menu items available in U.S. stores, visit www.starbucks.com/menu/featured.

—Jennifer Swartvagher

All photos courtesy of Starbucks

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Check your swing sets now. There’s been a recall of the Swurfer brand Kiwi Baby and Toddler Swings. According to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, the plastic stopper on the bottom of the swing rope that holds the swing seat in place can detach, posing a fall hazard to the swing’s occupant.

Swurfer swing recall

The plastic swing is sold in green, blue and pink and attaches to a swing set or a tree branch. The swing measures about 15 inches wide, by 10 inches deep and 20 inches high and weighs about 4 pounds. FlyBar, Inc. and Kiwi Swing SSW-0005 are printed on the underside of the swing. The manufacture date code of August 2019 is embossed on the back of the swing. 

Consumers should immediately stop using the recalled swings and contact the firm to receive instructions to repair the swings. Call Swurfer toll-free at 800-764-6784 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. ET Mon. through Fri., email at productsafety@flybar.com or online at https://swurfer.com and click on Product Safety under the Quick Links section of the website.

There have been six reports of the rope end detaching. No injuries have been reported. 

The swings were sold online at Swurfer, FlyBar, Amazon, Walmart and at independent stores nationwide from October 2019 through March 2020 for about $80.

—Jennifer Swartvagher

Featured photo: U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission

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If you’re like most parents, you’ve heard the phrase “I’m bored!” a lot over the past few days. But boredom doesn’t have to be a daily occurrence in your house. KiwiCo creates interactive crates that are both entertaining and educational, and keep kids engaged without screens. They’re perfect for learning at home and staying indoors.

Every month, KiwiCo delivers a craft kit that includes different activities and projects. KiwiCo has eight unique subscription lines​ to fit different ages and interests, and each kit is designed by experts and tested by kids. So if you have an 8-year-old budding Picasso artists, rest assured another young artist helped test every activity in the crate to make sure they are engaging and fun. Let’s face it— what’s the point of having an enriching project if the kid doesn’t want to do it? And the best part? All of the materials are provided in each crate. So busy parents don’t have to make dozens of trips to the store to buy craft supplies.

Here are the different crates available and their themes:

Panda Crate (0 – 24 months) — Even the littlest minds can explore and discover with this kit that includes age-appropriate kit subscription options.

Koala Crate (2 -4 years) — Kids will play and learn with high-quality materials and activities to inspire creativity at a young age.

Kiwi Crate (5-8 years) — This kit is focused on science, art and engineering. Kids create their own pinball game, kits and more.

Atlas Crate (6-11 years) — This geography and culture kit helps kids get globally inspired with projects and activities to explore different cultures. The Atlas Adventure books comes with the crate and includes collectible cards and stickers for a passport keepsake book.

Doodle Crate (9 – 16+ years) — Kids create and craft awesome projects such as a DIY clock, soap and stained glass stencil kits.

Tinker Crate (9 – 16+ years) — This awesome create includes all the materials and supplies to create science and engineering projects. Kids learn and make the science of slime and create their own animation.

Maker Crate (14+  years) — Using art and design, kids create amazing projects that are unique and useful. Past projects include pillows, hanging plants and sewing projects.

Eureka Crate (14+  years) — This kit includes an engineering project with high-quality materials and step-by-step instructions. Kids also receive a Maker’s Guide that lets them explore the science and technology behind the design.

How does KiwiCo work?

To order your KiwiCo crate, here’s what you need to do:

1. Pick a line based on your kiddo’s age and stage.

2. Your crate will be delivered monthly. And your first kit is shipped in two days! And you pay no shipping fees.

3. Have fun! Watch your kiddo enjoy their create and see their imagination grow as they start exploring immediately.

You also have the option to skip the subscription and shop directly from the KiwiCo store.

Ready to give KiwiCo a try? You can cancel or pause your subscription anytime. Save 30% on your first crate with code REDTRI!

—Leah R. Singer

February and Valentine’s Day are usually synonymous with gifts of love and affection––and lots of candy. If you want to share the love this year, but without all the sugar, then keep reading. We’ve rounded up some of the sweetest and heartfelt gifts Etsy has to offer. These handmade notions are made with love and are perfect for your little loves this Valentines.

Watercolor Heart Print

Kiwi n Berries

Valentine's Day may be the perfect day to give this gift, but it will look sweet the entire year long. The instant download features nine watercolor hearts that can be customized in different colors and printed in various sizes.

Get it here, $5.70

Love Checkerboard Sweatshirt

Trex & Unicorn

With options in pink, gray and red, this adorable love checkerboard sweatshirt is perfect for any kiddo. The handmade and made-to-order top is made with a blend of cotton and fleece and will keep your little love nice and toasty through the month of love.

Get it here, $26

Snap Clips

Ryan and Wren via Instagram

Dress up your sweetie this year with adorable hair accessories! These rose gold snap clips from Ryan and Wren are the perfect festive addition to your little's hairstyle, and we won't tell anyone if mama wants to wear one, too!

Shop tons of clips here, $5+

Conversation Heart Soap

Sun Basil Garden Soap

Get them here. $12.95 per jar which contains approx. 18 mini hearts

Heart Mobile

Florcy Designs

Baby's first Valentine's Day has never been dreamier. This handmade felt mobile is made with 15 colorful hearts and 10 Nepalese wool balls and hangs from a satin-wound wooden hoop. Sweet dreams!

Get it here, $47.04

Tic Tac Toe Game

Little House Lane

Perfect for on the go or the coffee table, this Valentine's Day-inspired game will become a family fave. Handmade from maple hardwood, this sweet game comes with 12 pieces in a cozy burlap bag.

Get it here, $14.78

Personalized Valentine Mailbox Chair Backer

The Playhouse Kid

Who misses those days of getting snail mail? We do! So we're re-introduce this "vintage method" of giving love to your kids who only ever seen e-cards. For home or at school, this bright red cotton chair backer is a great way to get your kids sitting still in their seats.

Get it here, $27+

Conversation Heart Crayons

Kage's Krayons

Now that conversation candy hearts are no more, you can continue the tradition in a new way––with crayons! These handmade crayons are works of art in their own right, with the famed sayings you know and love from the OG heart-shaped sweet. 

Get it here, $9 for a set of 5

—Karly Wood

 

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There have been times in my life when I didn’t know if I would see another day. Seriously. There were days when having an autistic child would nearly kill me. I never knew it could get better. There were times when I wanted to run away and never be a mother again.

I get it. Mothering an autistic child, a “wonder” as we call our sweet son, was horrible. I’m not here to sugar coat it. Whether I was going through a bout of depression, whether it was simply the stage of our family life we were in, or whether it was a combination of the two possibilities, nothing felt easy and everything felt as though it were becoming progressively harder each and every day.

For years.

Years.

Then 10 happened. 10 was a wonderful year. Our sweet boy suddenly started becoming funny. Or funnier I guess I should say. Not just funny but hilarious. He learned joke telling and the art of having good timing. At the same time he learned to stop freaking out about everything and we, one day, found ourselves on the other side of things. We no longer found a need to give him medication. We were having meaningful conversations with him and we were able to go for long bouts with him not needing special treatment or aides. It was amazing.

10 years. 10 long years and I had forgotten what it was like to have a child who didn’t need my every waking moment. Who could have fun and have a willy-nilly schedule. Suddenly everything was okay. I was no longer on pins and needles waiting for an outburst or a flair up or a meltdown. It was okay if I forgot his juice. We could get through lunch if I used the wrong kind of jam.

Since Cal just turned 11 and an entire year of our new carefree life has gone by, I am starting to exhale. I’m no longer waiting for the other shoe to drop or for things to quickly fall apart like they always do. I’m enjoying my family and our life and our love again.

This has been a long time coming. I want to tell you all this message. This is a message of hope in the journey and a message of redemption from the mess of life.

To the Mommas of Autistic babes: Please, hang in there. Did you hear me? To those who are out there, hang in there.

It will get better. I promise. And you are never alone.

I write this because I wish I had known this. As a mother sitting on the floor of the bathroom sobbing, I saw no end in sight. I presumed this ebb and flow of bad days and horrible days was to be the making of all of my days. No one told me that we would have stretches of weeks that we would go without problems. That our only care would become our children fighting and bickering like typical adolescent siblings. I never thought we would come to a day when he would care what his hair cut was much less want to help pick out his clothes based on the current trend and not on whether or not his pants could have an elastic waist. No one understands quite like a parent of an autistic child just how nerve wracking the parenting game can be. Everything is up in the air all of the time. Everything is chaotic and yet somehow must be made orderly in an effort for the chaos to not overtake every day.

But those days have come. And oh, how blissful. I feel like we are prize fighters. We have fought tooth and nail to get to where we are today. I endured days that included eight hour stretches of blood curdling screaming, so I can have a little boy who assembles kiwi crates and tells me the differences between Yoda and Obi Wan. Cal fought tooth and nail to teach himself how to talk…to somehow get his brain to communicate with his mouth to speak the thoughts into words that he had formed in his mind. He endured this so he can tell funny jokes to his family over the dinner table. We still have our hard days, our difficult weeks, our weary moments, don’t get me wrong. But we have won.

We have gone back into our corners as champions. But there are some of you who are just coming into the ring to start your fight. Your battle. Your everyday. Please know this…it will be hard. There will be days you will want to quit, to run away and not face this anymore. There will be days you are tired and battle weary. But you cannot quit. You cannot be done. And it will get better.

I have sat down to write this letter to you so many times. Mommas, please know you are in this to win this. This is not a meaningless battle. The days are long but the years truly are short. And maybe it will be years from where you are, but things will get better. I am here for you. The other mommas who have been through this are here for you.

Hang in there. It gets better.

This post originally appeared on Super Busy at Home.

I am a coffee drinking mom, an advocate for our autistic son, a wife, a crafter who will never finish a project, a planner junkie, a wanna-be naturalist, a lover of baking and avocados who will probably always look the the muppet chef when dancing!