Parenting Children

I have so many favorite things to share with you today, the last day of February. I love looking all over the web and in stores for the cutest and coolest things for moms, and children. I also love supporting mom owned businesses and try to promote my favorites whenever I can.
Here are some great things that have caught my eye in the past few weeks:

I love everything sock monkey. Target has had a lot of sock monkey products lately from slippers to sheets. If you want to make your own, here is a good rainy day activity for you and your kids, make your own sock monkey kit.

I have always loved anything with my name on it, but who doesn’t? This site is closed for maternity leave right now, but it has everything personalized for baby from diaper covers to bibs and headbands. I can’t wait for her to get back because I need to get my daughter a personalized headband of her own!

Practice Spanish with these cute dominoes. These are English/Spanish dominoes and for $6.50 are a steal because they are well made and so cute!

Every little one needs a pair of converse sneakers!

Check out my latest reviews on the ultimate receiving blanket

Eco-friendly baby gear

A blanket that is easy to carry and so soft you will want your own!

Great burp cloths and

This amazing pregnancy planner I cannot live without!

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Making baby food may take a little more effort then just buying cans at the grocery store but more and more parents are doing it. Although it is not for everyone, making your own baby food can be simple and is great for your baby. You have control over the ingredients, it won’t have preservatives and the texture can be just what your baby likes.

Are you ready to make baby food? OK here it goes, remember when using fruits and vegetables, always wash and remove the skin. use organic whenever possible. Steam or boil food until it is soft and mushy, you do not need any seasonings or salt. If you are making this for the whole family, put aside and flavor some for the older members of your family.

You can mash the food in a blender, food processor or baby food mill and play with the texture to see what your baby likes and dislikes. Start with pureed food when you introduce your baby to solid foods (after 4 months or when your pediatrician tells you) and slowly move towards mashed or small pieces of food when baby learns to chew food. You can make these ahead of time and freeze them!
Make as much as you would like, then place into sanitized ice-cube trays to freeze. Once the food is frozen, pop them out and store in freezer containers and label. These will last for up to three months frozen!

Tell me, do you make your own baby food? If you buy jarred baby food which brand do you prefer?

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There is one thing about children I didn’t learn from a book, parenting class or from family, I had to learn it on my own: children are all strange. Not strange, look there is a tony person in out house that depends on us for everything, but strange with idiosyncrasies. They start out as cute little things, then turn into full habits. Whether it is what or how they eat or dress or play, every parent has a story to share about their children.

When my daughter was about 18 months old she needed to have a something in her hand at all times. First it was a small plastic care bear doll, then it turned into a stick of some sort. It could be a spatula, a rain stick, anything like that and she carried it around wherever she went. Around the same time my son would make a disgusted face every first bite of food he took. Not the second bite, not just new foods, every first bite of anything would get “the face”.

My son started being “strange” about clothes when he was 3. He wouldn’t wear striped shirts (he had 30 of them) he wouldn’t wear anything with the bear logo of The Gap on it, and he wouldn’t wear any collared shirts. That left us with his 4 ugly t shirts with trucks or spiderman on it. So boring. Thank goodness he grew out of that but it did take a good year.

So tell me, what weird or wacky things do your kids do?

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Now that I am 37 weeks pregnant the fact that a baby will emerge from my body soon is starting to freak me out. With the twins I knew I was having a C-section early on because my son, who was Baby A, was breech. Now I am facing all new things, like contractions, labor, vaginal birth and epidurals. None of which I had last time.

I have to admit, I am scared to have a vaginal birth but I really do not want a repeat cesarean section either. I have had enough surgeries for one lifetime and recovering from surgery with a newborn and five year old twins doesn’t sound too appealing.

I am enjoying the last few weeks of pregnancy knowing that this is it for me, my last pregnancy, my last baby. This pregnancy was hard at times but now at the end, it is not half as hard as when I was pregnant with the twins. I can still sleep and I didn’t have ONE horrific leg cramp that I had all the time with the twins. I can still get out and do things and I can even still drive! I am going to miss being pregnant and although it is so hard at times, I will remember it fondly.

I am getting very excited about this baby and I cannot wait to see what it is. I have been getting many “girl” things to review so I wonder if it is a sign, or it will never be used. Either way this baby will be loved and his or her arrival will be a great joy to our large families. Especially by his or her big brother and sister.
We are down to the final countdown, so wish us luck!

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One things that all parents have to do when they have a baby is baby proof their home. Whether it is taking kick knacks down from the coffee table or nailing everything down in the entire house, baby proofing is very important. Some people start baby proofing the minute the baby is born, others wait until they become mobile. There are now even companies who will come to your house and tell you what you need to baby proof and even help you do it.

Do you need someone come out and tell you what and how to baby proof? No, but if you are a busy couple or know nothing about babies and what they are capable of getting into, this might be the route for you. Some companies charge nothing for a household consultation and others can cost a few hundred dollars. If you are interested in hiring a company to come out and evaluate your home, go to iafcs.com for a list of baby proofers across the country. Make sure you ask for references.

If you want to do it yourself there are a few things that every house hold can do to make their house safer for baby.
Make sure all outlets are covered.
Make sure sharp edges of tables, counters or doorways are covered.
Don’t leave knick knacks or sharp objects on tables or low counter tops.
Use baby gates everywhere there are stairs including outside.
Get a gate or fence installed around your pool and never leave standing water where a baby can reach it even outside in a bucket. Get locks for all the doors in your home, especially the bathroom.

For more tips on how and what to baby proof check out these sites.

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There are so many things to think about and discuss with your spouse when you are pregant and once the baby comes home. One of the easiest things for E and I to agree on was the twin’s eating. We knew we would offer the best foods possible to the babies and plenty of variety! We didn’t want chicken nugget and french fry kids, you know they type, that is their only order no matter where they are eating.
I read that food preferences are established early and that eating is a learning process, if kids are given mainly sweets that will be their taste preference instead of trying new things. It seems to be true in this house my kids will want fruit over french fries any day and they prefer guacamole and hummus to chicken nuggets and hamburgers.

The stats are scary too, 25-30 percent of kids 9 too 24 months did not eat any fruit and 20-25 percent did not eat any vegetables. The most common vegetable eaten by toddlers? French fries.
That shouldn’t be so shocking considering the childhood obesity epidemic.
What can you do to build your child’s healthy eating habits? Here are some tips:

Give the baby grains at six months. Sure he may be weirded out by the texture at first, but I bet he will grow to like it.
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When I was pregnant with the twins, my last month of pregnancy was miserable. I was huge, sleeping, walking and sitting had become uncomfortable. Doing anything was a chore, I just wanted them out. This time around I am feeling great, besides a little tired and trying to enjoy the last weeks of pregnancy of my life. I am awaiting the time when I am so uncomfortable that I am done so I did a little research on what to do to give labor a little nudge.

Walk. Everyone says to walk to try and stimulate labor. I guess it is gravity’s pull coupled with the sway of your hips that can bring that baby down into the pelvis.

Nipple stimulation. Ouch! Experts say this can release your body’s oxytocin and start contractions. I am not sure I would try this no matter how far along I am, but never say never.

Herbal teas. Raspberry leaf tea is one I have always heard of trying to bring on labor. We tried it with my sister at nine months though and no luck. You should always check with your doctor though before trying any herbs or herb teas becvause soem can cause harm to your baby.

Sex. this is the one I always heard that works, but maybe it is just men feeding into this rumor. Semen does contain prostaglandin which can stimulate contractions. I guess if you are physically able to, have some fun and do it.

Do you have any tried and true recipes for getting the baby out?

Is it really on February? This winter is going as slow as any I can remember and being almost nine months pregnant doesn’t help matters. It is all I can do to keep my poor five year old twins entertained in this house all day. Plus we haven’t even had the fun of snow to play in all winter long! Here are some ideas of fun indoor things you can do to keep your kids bodies and minds moving:

Hullabaloo My kids love this game. Think of it as a more motion filled Simon Says game. Players move from one colorful shape to another and use their bodies to perform the many Hullabaloo move, when you hear “Freeze!” the player on the lucky pad wins! I love this because even one child can play by themselves. 1-6 players, ages 4 and up.

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They say the most accurate way to take a baby’s temperature is rectally. I could never get up the nerve to do it with my twins and the one time I did, I did it wrong. I didn’t put it in far enough or for enough time. From then on, I always used a temperal thermometer. Now I know how to do it and have instructions for the new parents who are as lost as I was.

-Clean the end of the thermometer with rubbing alcohol or soap and water

-Put a small amount of lubricant like vaseline on the end of the thermometer

-Place your baby on his stomach on a hard surface like a changing table and hold her steady by placing your hand on her lower back.

-With your other hand, gently slide the thermometer 1/2 to 1 inch into his bottom. Never force it in!

-Hold it in place for one minute or until the thermometer beeps.

-Clean the thermometer
(Normal rectal temperature is 100.2 degrees Fahrenheit or less)

You should take your baby’s temperature if:
-baby is especially irritable
-baby’s skin is hot
-baby’s complexion is either very pale or flushed
-baby’s breathing is unusually fast, slow or especially noisy
-baby has a runny nose, is sneezing or coughing
-baby rubs his/her ear or rolls head and screams sharply

Also, remember that overdressing, or too hot of an environment can cause a high temperature. If the baby is overdressed, remove some clothing and retake the temperature in 30 minutes.

At least New Jersey is doing something right! New Jersey is leading the way in postpartum depression (PPD) care and prevention. As of October 2006 a new law states that hospitals have to screen new mothers for postpartum depression before they leave the hospital.

Postpartum depression has risen significantly over the past few years, probably because of better diagnosing. Symptoms include, feeling angry, irritable, depressed, sad, guilty and inadequate.
I know it is hard to decipher what could be PPD when your hormones are going crazy also and you have a brand new human depending on you. You can always talk to your doctors, nurses or family about what you are feeling. Getting help is very important.
If you need more information or to find help in your area visit www.postpartum.net.

Wondering what else you can do to celebrate Valentine’s Day with your family or make it more special for your children. You can make it more then just a Hallmark holiday. Here are some ideas for some mid week Valentine’s fun for everyone:

-Wear all red or pink. Dress everyone in head to toe in the colors of love.

-Eat only red foods! Spaghetti and sauce, tomatoes, red velvet cake, apples, pomegranates, red peppers with dip, shirley temples and champagne with grenadine, etc

-Write love notes on napkins. Write little notes about how much you love your child or your spouse and send them off to school or work with them, or put them around the dinner table.

-Eat by candlelight. You can have a nice special dinner with your whole family not just your husband.

-Eat only finger foods. Tea sandwiches, crudite, mini quiche, shrimp cocktail or mini burgers. Melt some chocolate for dessert and have everyone dip in their favorite fruits like strawberries, pineapple or grapes, marshmallows, graham crackers or even their fingers in!

-Make rice krispie treats for your kids but use strawberry marshmallows instead of plain ones, so they will be pink!

-Give everyone Valentines tattoos.

Looking for some ways to decorate your house for valentine’s Day? Maybe you are just interested in some arts and crafts or snowy day activities to do indoors with your children. Either way, I have great ideas for you.
Here are some ideas for Valentine’s day or any day to keep the boredom at bay.

Decorate Branches
What you need:
branches
colored paper
crayons or markers
colored yarn or string
scissors

-Gather some branches in your yard
-cut out some heart or cupid shapes
-color them or decorate with glitter or what ever you have around the house
-cut out a hole in the top and string yarn through
-place on your branches and put in a vase!

Lollipop Hearts
What you need:
colored construction paper
scissors
lollipops
glue

-Fold a 12-by-3 1/2-inch piece of construction paper in half vertically, and trace four half-hearts along the fold and cut out hearts
-stack hearts and punch a hole 1/4 inch up from bottom
-position petals to form a flower, making sure holes line up. Secure by applying glue around holes then let dry.
-insert lollipop
-then you can write classmates names on them and give them out or display in a small vase!

Love Coupons
what you need:
construction paper
scissors
markers or crayons

-Cut out “coupons”
-write what they are for (massage, hug, extra story at bedtime, favorite dessert etc)
-color and decorate

Then hand them out to family & friends. Perfect for kids who want to give something to their loved ones!

I hope you like these ideas and check back on Wednesday for more Valentines day fun ideas!

While I was in the hospital they monitored the baby for signs of distress. They did various non stress tests and one sonogram to make sure the baby was handling the stress of my illness and developing appropriately. During one of these tests the nurse told me I had had two contractions and asked if I had felt them. I had not. Honestly, I have no idea what a contraction feels like since I didn’t have any with my first pregnancy, that I knew of. It got me wondering what they really felt like and have me asking any and every mom I come in contact with for their experience. I want to know in case I do go into early labor, something I hope not to do.

Premature births are babies delivered before 37 weeks and they are on the rise in the Untied States. Being born too early puts the baby at risk for life long health problems. There are signs for early labor and ways to reduce your risk:

-Get prenatal care as soon as you think you are pregnant

-Reduce any stress you can

-Do not smoke, drink or do drugs.

If you have any of these signs of premature labor call your doctor right away:

Contractions every 10 minutes
leaking fluid
pelvic pressure
low and dull backache

Of course if you have any concerns or questions call your doctor and if you need more information on premature births, visit the march of dimes web site.

What do you do when you have a sick kid at home? You take care of them, that is what. I took care of my son with his low fever and cough and gave him his honey and his vitamins and made sure he was drinking enough. I tried not to expose myself too much to his coughing, but what else is a mother to do? I willed myself not to get sick especially since I am pregnant. I couldn’t get sick.

I got sick. It started as feeling my asthma kick in, like it usually does. I had a doctor’s appointment already so I got some meds and expected to be fine with some TLC. I was wrong. I was in the emergency room 24 hours later, and then again 24 hours after that. That stay lasted five days. I had to take more precautions and stay to make sure the baby was getting enough oxygen. I am finally home now although I have to wear oxygen all day every day. hopefully I can get off of it when I go for my check up appointment on Friday.

I wished for a break from my kids, but I didn’t realize which form it would come in. I missed them so very much. I hade never been away from them for more then twelve hours in their entire five years of life. Now I had been away for five days! This sickness had me bond with my unborn baby even more. It was just me and him/her. I felt guilty for all the drugs I was on, I prayed for the baby’s health. It made me have a greater appreciation of all of our health in this house. And, really in the end, nothing else matters.

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