Everything but Look For Eggs

So, Easter was last weekend.  Easter makes me feel joyful, victorious, empowered, hopeful, and happy! Happy Easter!  One of my favorite things about being our own little family is starting new traditions that will get passed down to the following generations.

Here's an overview of the Easter traditions we did this year:


Upper Room Night:
On Friday night, we ate a meal of homemade French bread and red wine.  During dinner, we read about Jesus' last night with his disciples. We read the usual "communion" story, but also read Jesus' last words to his friends from John 14 to John 17.  I found so applicable for us as a family, because He taught and showed what kind of relationship we should have with each other, and what kind of relationship He wants with us.

Resurrection basket:
On Friday night, we put in the basket things that are old, worn out, out grown.  For Ada, we put in her church shoes that she outgrew, and a dress she outgrew, then covered the basket with a dark tablecloth.  On Easter morning, a white tablecloth covered the basket, and inside the "old" things are gone, instead there are gifts that are "new" and have "life."  When Ada woke up Easter morning, she uncovered the basket to find her Easter outfit, a flower balloon, and fresh yellow flowers.  The Resurrection Basket is meant to symbolize both what Jesus completed on Easter, and 2 Corinthians 5:17 ("Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation.  The old has passed away; the new has come").

Easter meal:
If we are hosting the Easter meal, then we always make something that Jews would eat.  This is partly because Jesus and the disciples were Jews so it is kind of symbolic, and the other reason is that I really hate ham.Two years ago, when we lived in a tiny one bedroom house, I roasted a leg of lamb.  Last year I cooked fish.  And this year.....Chicago dogs made with the 100% beef Hebrew National hot dogs.

What are Chicago dogs??
It is an all beef hot dog, topped with:
mustard
pickle slice
sliced tomatoes
chopped white onion
sweet relish
sport peppers (could not find these anywhere so we used banana peppers)

celery salt

NO KETCHUP!

 We thought about going to an Easter egg hunt, but then realized that Ada wouldn't be able to eat any of the candy in the eggs, so decided to pass this year.

Chris and I have two goals in creating new traditions for Easter: it must teach our children and grandchildren about what Jesus has done for us, and it must be as or more exciting and fun as Christmas.    Last year, Chris and I read this great book:



 which challenged and changed some of our worldview, and got us super excited about Jesus rising from the dead.  I hope to reread this book again this year so I can better grasp all that it threw at me.  I'm already excited for NEXT Easter and have some more new traditions to start with my family. Yay!

What unique Easter traditions do you do or hope to start with your family?

Princess Buttcheeks

Well, March has gone and past me.  And, not a single blog post.  At first I felt disappointed in myself, but blogging is hard work and it doesn't come naturally to me yet.  Also, thanks to those of you who encourage me to keep blogging.  It's delightful to me that all kinds of people are interested at peeking into the life of this new modern mom.

This is what March looked like for me:
Ada starts calling me "mommy."
Ada takes more and more steps.
Ada makes a few poops her potty.
My mom teaches us the skill of home-brewing.
I turned 24! BUT, I only feel 22.


Today I wanted to talk about a goal that Ada and I have been working on the last few months. Our goal is for her to be potty trained by June 18 of this year.   Around here, we call it "diaper free."

Two experiences have really shaped the way I want to help Ada become diaper free.  The first is a vivid memory of my mom potty training my little brother (who is now 18) John Lloyd.   She potty trained him in 2 or 3 days, by sticking him outside to play all day long NAKED (except for a tshirt).  When he peed, his pee would get all over his legs and feet and he would throw a fit.  So then my mom would tell him that next time he should pee on the flowers, or the trees, or the rocks, and then eventually the toilet.

My second experience is what I saw while I lived in China for six months.  In China, babies wear what we would call "split-pants."
 

I would see babies as young as probably 3 months wearing these.  I saw babies squatting to pee on sidewalks.  I saw a mom RUN out of a grocery store with her baby to make it just in time to hold the baby over the sidewalk for him to pee.  Can you imagine how nice it would be if your 10 month old was already diaper free?  I think split pants are a great idea!

Why does bare naked butt work?  I think it's because babes can see and feel the cause and effect of relieving themselves.  Also, parents can easily see what cues their babes make right before they pee or poo, and specifically when they peed or pooped.  

So, that's where I'm at right now.  About once a week, I let Ada be naked for several hours.  Diaper free is really about training myself to learn how Ada communicates that she's about to relieve herself.  While she's diaper free I watch her as best as I can to see what she does.  Some days are more successful than others, and we've made progress since we started 5 months ago.  And you know what's surprising?  It's actually  kind of fun and exciting!  Ada loves being naked, too.  I call her Princess Buttcheeks when she's diaper free. Neighbors be warned, you probably will see our children squatting in the backyard and front yard for the next several summers!

If you want to learn more about diaper free methods, you should visit http://diaperfreebaby.org/.

Have you experienced or witnessed any odd potty training methods?

Cloth Diapering at 14 months...Sayonara Diaper Pins!

I recently read a very interesting article about cloth diapering in an old issue of Mothering magazine.  This fact shocked me: it takes SEVEN BILLION GALLONS OF OIL every year to make disposable diapers!

Well, we are still cloth diapering, and I'm still very satisfied with cloth. However, diapering a newborn and diapering newtoddler have been very different experiences.

In my previous post about cloth, I was using pins, pre-folds, and different sizes water proof covers.  If you are wanting to do cloth and have a small budget, this is by far the cheapest option that I've found.  It was a great system that lasted until Ada was about 10 or 11 months, in which diaper changes turned into a battle.  For the last 3-4 months, Ada has been very resistant during diaper changes.  To overcome this, I use a combination of discipline to make her be still while I change her, and have invested in some different diaper covers to make diaper changing faster and easier.

So, I've done away with pins (impossible to pin a squirming, kicking toddler), and invested in some one-size diaper covers (you can adjust the size to your growing baby), in which I am able to place the pre-folds into and snap onto Ada.  The brands I have are Sweet Pea and Flip.  I wish I had known about these and bought these at the beginning of diapering.  Oh well!  The future kiddos will use them!  I prefer the Flip slightly more because it's less bulky and fits Ada better.

Here's what they look like:

Flip diaper cover (left) and SweetPea Diaper cover (right)

Though I paid more than I wanted to (about $10 each), I'm really satisfied with them and they've made cloth diapering easier on us.  I fold the prefold diaper into thirds, lay it in the cover (Flip has flaps you can tuck it into), and snap it on Ada.  EASY!

SweetPea cover has gussets to contain blowouts

diaper in the Flip diaper cover

And the dirty diaper?  I remove soiled prefold diaper and throw it in the diaper bucket (unless poop needs to be sprayed off first).  I use a diaper wipe to wipe out the inside of the cover, and then use it at the next changing.  At the end of the night, I soak all the covers we used during the day in the sink with some hot water and about a teaspoon of detergent for about an hour, then hang them up to dry overnight.

And, though I was using cloth wipes from when Ada was about 6 months to 12 months, I've gone back to using disposable diaper wipes again, until I find something that's as convenient and reusable. They were much easier to use when Ada wasn't so squirmy and mobile.  I don't like forking the money out for them, but I dislike diaper changes (about 4-5 times per day) turning into battle zones more. Now, I can even change Ada's diaper while she's standing up!

Ada is almost walking!  SOOO close!  She makes me laugh so much! :)  Also, she does the sign language for "milk" and calls her Bunny "Bubba."  She has also started praying with us (by holding our hands) at dinner time.  We are SO proud of her!

I love both my jobs!

This picture was taken when Ada was about 4 months old or so.  Here I am breastfeeding, but you probably couldn't tell.  Do you spot Ada?? Her foot is sticking out in the bottom right corner!

About 3 months ago I began a part-time (6 hours or less per week), at-home job as a breastfeeding peer counselor for the WIC program.  With this job, I basically build relationships with women in the community and help them get a good start in breastfeeding.  Many days when Chris comes home from work I say, "I just love BOTH my jobs!"

Here are my favorite things about my job:

1. As I continue to learn about pregnancy and breastfeeding, I am constantly amazed at how truly incredible a woman's body is.  Women, have you ever stopped to think about this??  I can't believe all of the changes my body has undergone within the last 2 years! I have a much deeper appreciation for how God created my body, that I want to honor and take care of it more.  I love that a woman's body is beautiful, life-giving, and accommodating to the many changes it goes through..  I am so glad I'm a woman!

2. I love connecting with other moms, especially since it's harder to socialize with other adults after having kids. When you become a mom, you instantly are able to connect with any other mom, regardless of class, race, language, religion, etc.

3. I love holistically helping women and children and making a difference in their lives.

The hardest thing about my job:

The actions of many hospitals (not all) and OBs can make it very difficult for women to breastfeed.   It makes me feel sad because breastfeeding is probably one of the healthiest things for a woman and baby to do, yet  I've discovered that many medical professionals don't make it a priority to be educated about breastfeeding or committed to helping women get started.  Almost weekly, I hear from my clients of truly wrong advice or actions given/done by medical professionals which has prevented women from breastfeeding at all, or made it extremely difficult to get a good start. To be a well-informed patient is to be in charge of you and your children's health.

I hope to include more posts about breastfeeding in the future to help you (men and women) to be more informed and excited about breastfeeding!

Greek Geek

I'm a little disappointed....one blog post for January.  I'm still trying to get the hang of this blog thing, while balancing life of stay at home mom, and being a breastfeeding peer counselor.  Ok, but here is something I've done in January...I've fallen in love with Greek yogurt!  It is more natural and simple, much cheaper, and tastes way better than store bought!  And, it is SUPER easy to make!  I regret I didn't learn to do this years ago!

How to make Greek yogurt!
It's so easy, there's really no need for pictures...

What you need:
Already prepared yogurt with active cultures (look on the container to make sure it says this)
1/2 gallon milk (any kind of cow's milk, I haven't experimented with soy milk yet)
Thermometer (digital is best)
Mesh strainer
Cheesecloth (found in the fabric section of Wal-mart for about $5.)

1. Heat 1/2 gallon milk (whole, low-fat, or skim) on the stove until it reaches 180 degrees. Stir constantly to keep the milk from burning on the bottom. (about 20 minutes)
2. Transfer heated milk to another large container, preferably one that is plastic or glass.  Do not cover.  Let the milk sit until it cools to between 105 and 110 degrees. (about 25 minutes)
3.  While waiting for the milk to cool, mix together in a small cup 2 tablespoons milk, and either 2 tablespoons already prepared plain Greek yogurt or 3 tablespoons already prepared plain yogurt. (Make sure the yogurt contains active cultures! It should say on the label of the container).
4. When milk cools to between 105 and 110 degrees, stir in the milk-yogurt mixture.
5. Cover the cooled milk with a lid or plastic wrap.  Wrap the bowl in a towel.  Turn on your oven light. Put the wrapped bowl in the oven (make sure the towel is not near the oven light).  Leave in the oven for 7 to 8 hours. If left in longer than 8 hours it has a more tart taste.

At this point you have made regular yogurt! Good job! Wasn't that easy? and CHEAP?! Read on for Greek yogurt...

6. Put the homemade yogurt in the fridge to chill for about 2 hours.
7. Over a large bowl, place a mesh strainer lined with 3-4 layers of damp cheesecloth. Pour the yogurt into the cheesecloth-mesh strainer and cover with plastic wrap. Place in the fridge to strain for 4-6 hours, or until it reaches in the thickness you like. (The yellow liquid leftover is called whey, which is super healthy for you, but I haven't found a good use for it yet.)Then transfer the Greek yogurt to a convenient container for storage.  Remember to save about 2 tablespoons to use for your next batch of yogurt!

How to eat Greek yogurt:
1. Mix with some sugar (or honey or agave syrup), vanilla extract, and thawed frozen berries, or fresh fruit. (My favorite)
2. Make tsaziki sauce and use in gyros or kabobs.
3. Plain--a healthy alternative to sour cream (Ada's favorite)
4. Plain--dip herbed foccacia bread into it. You can also add some spices and herbs to the yogurt. (Chris' favorite)

Price difference? With the half-gallon of milk, you make about 6 containers of Greek yogurt at the store.  Greek yogurt sells for about $1 per container.  So, with a half gallon of milk (about $1.50) you made about 6 servings of Greek yogurt.  That's only $0.25 per serving!  A savings of  75 percent!

Anyways, Ada is now 13.5 months old.  She's not walking unassisted yet, but I know she is close!  I absolutely love this stage that she's in right now.  I'm amazed at how much she understands and how much she is communicating (though I don't always know what she is saying). She is definitely a chatty girl!  Ada has also been somewhat consistent at communicating with sign language for things like "all done" "more" and "milk." and points to things she wants. She says "mama" "dada" and "DAAAHdah,"which means doggie.  Here is a pic I snapped of her recently that shows her infatuation with the dog.

Ada walking with mama

Ada loves to read in her chair!

Listening for Heartbeats and Cranberry Margs

We had a just a wonderful, beautiful Christmas weekend filled with lots of sugar, laughs, family, and presents.  It is so much fun to give and receive gifts!  Chris and I also celebrated our 2-year anniversary with a little getaway (baby-free) in Des Moines.  Ada and I both survived and did wonderfully away from each other.  It was actually harder on me being away from her!

My favorite part of Christmas this year though, happened late last night, just a few minutes past midnight.  Ada was in a nearby room fast asleep.  Chris had just dipped off into a deep doze, and I was laying peacefully awake, my head pressed against his back so I could hear his heartbeat.  It was so still and quiet in the night, that when his heart would beat, I could feel it pulse against my ear.  I laid there, just enjoying this quiet moment, and thanking God that I had my living, breathing, heart-beating, warm, wonderful love of my life with me.  God is so good to give me a partner and lover to walk this wonderful life with me.

On another note, I just have to share this recipe for Cranberry Margaritas by yours truly.  This is by far my favorite holiday drink.  Here it is:

Cranberry Margaritas (makes two 7oz drinks)
Ingredients:
Tequila (gold)
Triple Sec
100 % Cranberry Juice
1 orange
Sugar
Ice cubes

Line rim of two glasses with sugar (get wet and dip in sugar bowl), and put 3-4 ice cubes in each glass. Cut a 1/4 section out of an orange. In a cocktail mixer or bowl or something, mix 1.5 oz triple sec, 2.5 oz tequila, 14oz of cranberry juice, and the squeezed juice from the orange piece.  Mix or stir well.  Cut the leftover squeezed orange piece into two pieces and stick them in the glasses.  Pour the drink into each glass and stir to distribute coldness.

Happy Birthday Miss Ada

Well, I no longer have a lil baby, Ada is now my "lil girl."  She's let me know the last two months or so that she is definitely not my baby anymore, but yesterday we finally got to celebrate my lil girl turning ONE.

Ada was completely oblivious that it was that party was for her, and she was pretty disinterested in her birthday cake, but she did think the glowing candle was pretty cool.  She only had about two bites of her cake, which I was totally OK with.  I've heard of babies devouring their birthday cakes and having crazy sugar rush highs, and I was happy to avoid that.  For the special birthday treats I made strawberry cupcakes with cream cheese frosting.  I'm really not much of a baker, but they were a hit!  If you want the recipe, click here.   Also, my sister and I have been on a big sangria kick.  We've been serving it at the last 3 parties we've hosted, and it's delicious!  Here's the recipe for that:

Sangria for a Crowd:
1 bottle pink wine
some brandy (to taste)
Peach sparkling water
Strawberry sparkling water
fresh or frozen berry fruits

Add the wine, some brandy, the fruit, and some each of the sparkling waters.  Taste.  Add more brandy or sparkling waters to taste.  Serve in a punch bowl, pour over ice in individual cups. ( guessing it makes around 40 4oz. servings)

Grandpa John (my Dad) and Ada

Miss Ada's Birthday Outfit

Here's what I learned:
Chris and I really love our family a LOT!  It was so great that there is so much love and joy crammed together in a small space when both of our families get together.  We are so thankful that our families really welcome and love each other to create an even bigger, louder, funnier, more loving family.

To keep your sanity and maintain your stress, do the one thing you're good at.  For me, that was the food prep.  I delegated everything else to other people.

Lastly, as I was cleaning up and throwing away all of the streamers and other disposable decorations, I realized that I need to come up with a better solution for party decorating.  I want to build up a supply of reusable party decorations (streamers, tablecloths, vases, signs, centerpieces, etc).  I came up with this after thinking about how many more birthday parties, bridal showers, baby showers, ladies parties, that I will be hosting throughout my lifetime.  I really don't want to buy new paper products each time, but would rather just open up my linen closet and pull out the few things I already have, saving time and money.  I could even have a set that is "girly" (girls birthday parties, bridal and baby showers) and a set that is "neutral" (for things like boys birthday parties, or parties that aren't girl only).  I could make all of these things myself or buy them secondhand from garage sales and Goodwill.  I'm not convinced that I should give up disposable dinnerware (plates, napkins, cups, silverware) just yet, only because cleaning up is soooo much easier with them.

On to ,more adventures with a one year old!!

Rich Man's Meals

Chris and I are choosing to live on a tight budget now so that we can quickly pay off debt, save, invest, and be millionaires in a few decades.  We also value healthy eating, and are learning ways to get the best of both worlds of eating healthfully and cheaply.

We call these meals "Rich Man's Meals" because by eating "poor" now, we will be eating "rich" later!

The official poor man's meal:  In a pan heat some olive oil, when heated add a clove or two of minced garlic, and cook for about a minute.  Add 1 can of diced tomatoes with green chiles, 1 can of kidney beans (drained and rinsed well), some chili powder and basil to taste.  Serve over warm rice (brown is healthier, but I like the taste of white better).

Bean Burritos:  In a bowl mix one can pinto beans (drained and rinsed well), and one can fat-free & preservative free refried beans.  When I say "preservative-free,"  look at the list of ingredients on the can.  If you know what all the ingredients are then buy it.  If you don't know what some of the ingredients are, then don't buy it.  Aldi's sells fat-free & preservative free refried beans.  Spread bean mixture in a tortilla and roll it up.  Top with cheese and microwave for about 1 minute 30 seconds.  Top with salsa.

Eggs and toast.  Eggs are a great source of protein and are very healthy in moderation.  I don't pay more than $1.08 for a dozen eggs unless I'm desperate. Use 100% whole wheat toast.  Or eat with pancakes if you're feeling really rich!

All rich man's meals are served with a very generous side of steamed or fresh vegetables. These meals also take little time to prepare, so we usually eat these meals on busy nights.

Also calling them "Rich Man's Meals" really helps you happily and gratefully eat a poor man's meal and help you stay motivated in your choice to live cheap now.

What's your family's rich man's meal?

Teefers

Today Ada has 4.5 teeth.  2.5 on top, 2.5 on the bottom.  I thought her smile without teeth was adorable, but now her smile is even more lovable! Teething has been one of the hardest challenges in motherhood.

When Ada was preparing her bottom teeth to come in, she was drooling so much that I'd have to change her shirt in the middle of the day because it was soaked, and she started to get a rash on her cheeks and neck because her skin was too sensitive for her saliva. If your child has this problem, breastmilk applied to the skin helps heal rashes, and have your baby wear a bib or change clothes often.

The bottom two teeth were a breeze compared to the upper teeth cutting through!  The two nights before the uppers popped through, she would wake up screaming in agonizing pain. I ended up giving her baby Advil those two nights to help with the pain.  As a general rule, we use drugs as a last resort in our house and rely more on natural treatments for ailments.  For Ada, because she can't communicate, I will only give her Advil if I am 95% or more sure that she's crying because of teething pain, and its at night when she's trying to sleep.  When you hear your child crying, it could be any number of things (gas, tired, moody, hungry, dirty diaper, teething), and it's hard to pinpoint what exactly they need.

During the day, these are what I've found useful to ease teething pain.
*cold wet wash cloth (I would keep a glass bowl in the fridge, fill it with ice water, and stick 2-3 washcloths in it to have them ice cold and ready)
*homemade popsicles (these were Ada's favorite!  I would fill them with just water, or water and a tiny splash of juice)
*melon rinds (stick them in the fridge or freezer, and WASH THE RIND SKIN! remember the listeria and cantaloupe scare we had a few months ago?)
*cold celery
*cold apple fingers (slices of peeled apple, or an apple core)

This was back in summer time when her teeth were just starting to cut through.

Lastly, I haven't been able to blog as much lately because of transitioning into my part-time at home job as a breastfeeding peer counselor for WIC, and I've fallen in love with reading this incredible magazine called Mothering (parenting through natural and alternative ways) and have been learning so much!  

An Interesting Sunday

On this Sunday
1. I had a pomegranate for the first time. Yum! I made a salad with the pomegranate (only $1 at Aldi this week), cut apples, fresh spinach, and greek vinaigarette (I like Aldi's "Grandessa" brand best!).  Yum times two!
2. Ada had peanut butter for the first time.
3. Ada broke out in hives for the first time.  I called my Mom (an RN) and she told me to call First Nurse. Turns out, she's mildly allergic to peanuts.  (I bet she will outgrow it though)  No more tasting peanuts until she is a wee bit older.
5.  Ada had baby benadryl for the first time. Yucky.  You know how when you drink yucky tasting medicine, you kind of do a spastic shiver and shake because it's so gross?  She did that, and it was pretty cute. :)

Children's benadryl and a pomegranate on the chopping board.

Ada, Chris, and Charlie (our dog) are all snoozing, and I'm listening to "early jazz" station on Pandora, will be reading books and pamphlets about breastfeeding (learning SO much!) for my job, and flipping through these magazines I borrowed from the library : Mothering (all about natural, simple, and healthful parenting!), Real Simple (Nov. 2009), Martha Stewart Living (Nov. 2009), Better Homes and Gardens (Nov. 2010), and Everyday with Rachael Ray (Nov. 2009).

Fellow moms, what do you like to do when your family is snoozing on a slow Sunday afternoon?

An Ada update!

It has been a very long time since I've blogged, and here is an update on what is happening in the life of Ada and Mommy!

She drinks out of her sippy cup all by herself like a big girl!  She has also recently loved snuggling with me in our recliner and reading books together.  It is one of my favorite activities every day!

Ada has 3 teeth, with her fourth ready to pop any day.  People still comment (literally, everyday) on her gorgeous blue eyes and sweet spirit.

I made her a Halloween costume...can you figure out what she is???? 

  

A candycorn!  I had to choose something simple because I am a very amateur sewer (or seamstress?).

Ada started saying "mama," "dada," but not always at the right time.  She also looks for Charlie, and when she finds him she says "DA! DA! DA!" (yes, it does sound different from "dada") She loves to chase Charlie and play with him.  Charlie is very tolerant of her.

  

I'm an Aunt!  My beautiful niece, Olive Adele Tittle, was born on October 11, 2011.  She is a miracle baby, born premature at 34 weeks, but she has some great loving parents that are pouring their hearts and lives into her.

Lastly, God brought me a new job opportunity!  I will be working as breastfeeding peer counselor for WIC!  With this job I will support, encourage, and educate fellow moms about breastfeeding their babies!  Yay!  This job is a maximum of 6 hours per week, and Ada is allowed to be with me for most tasks, so being a homemaker is still most definitely my full time job.

Happy Halloween everyone!

Bye Bye Butt Wipes

Diaper wipes or socks?  Diaper wipes or hat and gloves?  Diaper wipes or book?  Diaper wipes or shoes?

These are the questions that have been running through my mind the last few months.  As Ada has gotten older, she has also gotten more expensive.  Ten months ago all she needed was a warm blanket and her mommy.  Now she needs socks, shoes, booster seat, baby gate, bigger clothes, toothbrush, etc.  We have a baby budget of $30 per month to spend on all things baby.  We are able to do this because we cloth diaper (we buy disposable diapers every 2-3 months).  Now, diaper wipes only cost $5 to $7.  Big deal, right?  It's not that we can't afford to buy wipes, I'm annoyed buying them.  I mean that $5 could make a bigger, long-lasting investment--like socks, or a hat, or a book, or a cute outfit, or potty training seat I found at a garage sale.  I like investments, not throwing my money away.    So began my adventure in cloth wipes.  

Even if you don't cloth diaper, YOU can use cloth wipes!  So easy!

What you need: 

Old t-shirts, undies, onesies, any old smooth cotton cloth

squirt bottle (one that has a misty-spray nozzle, not a super-jet pressure nozzle)

water

baby lotion (optional)

1. Cut old clothing into  square-ish shapes.   You can cut them into any size you want, but I cut about 4-5" squares.  You will need about 30 or so if you wash your little one's laundry once per week.  

2. Fill the squirt bottle with water.  If you like a little scent, add 10-20 squirts of your baby's scented lotion to the water and shake.

3.  When it's time to change baby's diaper, give baby's bottom a few sprays, then wipe and pat dry with the cloth wipe.

4. Throw the cloth wipe (which will be hardly damp) into the hamper to get washed with baby's clothes, or in the diaper bucket if you cloth diaper.  

I don't use cloth wipes for poopy diapers.  Poopy messes are much easier to clean with wet disposable wipes and you can toss them in the trash when you're done.  Another alternative to cut back on wipe usage is to cut your cloth wipes in half.  I did this for awhile, and I went through a package of wipes much slower.  Switching to cloth wipes you will probably save about $40 a year.  Not a huge amount.  But think of it this way, $40 is about 2 jumbo packs diapers, 4 adorable dresses, 6 board books, or a yoga class for yourself.  

After reading this, you might be worried that I've given up on all things disposable--like toilet paper.  Let me reassure you, we will definitely continue to use toilet paper, paper towels, tissues, and q-tips.  In fact, I bet my husband will say this to me after he reads this post: "If you dislike disposable products so much then why don't you cut back on the amount of toilet paper you use?!"  It's true, I tend to be a little wasteful with toilet paper, but I'm getting better at it, OK?! 

Playtime with Baby

I love hearing Ada giggle.  Let me say that again.  I LOVE LOVE LOVE hearing Ada giggle, seeing her flash a big gummy grin lights me up, and I think it's adorable when she chases me down (army crawling) and pulls at my toes to play with me. Playtime with my daughter is one of my favorite things about my job.

Sometimes though, I have no idea what to do with her!  I can't wait for days when we can play the Wii together as a family, spend Chris' money at the mall, paint our nails, do arts and crafts, play hide and seek, etc.  But right now, she's a baby.  Our options are very limited.  And TV is not an option for entertainment for her at this age.

This book, "Brain Games for Babies, Toddlers, and Twos" by Jackie Silberg has come to the rescue!   It is filled with very intentional brain-development games that coordinate with their milestones and abilities.  It is organized like a reference book and contains games from 0 months to 3 years you can play with baby.  It also gives a brief description of the science/research behind the purpose of the game. Currently I have the book checked out from the library, but I am DEFINITELY going to buy this book sometime this year.  Amazon is selling it for $3.99 (older versions for cheaper).  I wish I would have known about this book when Ada was just a newbie!



But I've found that when all my tricks and games are exhausted (or I'm just exhausted), sticking Ada in front of the mirror keeps her entertained for quite a while!

Nuffin but a Muffin

I'm not a big believer of muffins or fruit breads for breakfast.  With all the sugar and oil that's in them, they are actually cupcakes with fruit.  And you just shouldn't eat cupcakes for breakfast, unless it's your birthday.  I'm not saying to never enjoy banana bread or blueberry muffins, but they are more suitable for dessert or a treat. Don't feed you or your kids junk for the most important meal of the day!

 It is possible to tweak the recipe in muffins and fruit breads, to make them more healthy, filling, and acceptable for breakfast.  Many muffins and bread call for a LOT of sugar.  Try adding HALF (or eliminate completely) of the sugar the recipe calls for, and add a little more fruit instead, and you'll notice that the bread or muffin is still pretty sweet and enjoyable.  In fact, fructose (sugar in fruits and vegetables) is actually sweeter than sucrose (table sugar)  Use whole wheat flour, oat, bran, or add flax seeds to add more fiber, iron, folic acid,  protein, etc.  It is also good to add nuts, unless your baby or toddler will be eating the treat too (choking hazard).  Nuts are full of protein and good fats for your heart.  Nuts can be expensive, but buy them when on sale and freeze them to extend their life.

I came up with this recipe (part of it is adapted from a Quaker Oats recipe) after Ada and I were so sick of eating Cheerios for breakfast.  Ada doesn't eat a lot for breakfast in the morning, and will usually just eat about 1/3 c of Cheerios.  I wanted to feed her something that was more healthy and hearty to start off her day.  You can totally eliminate all the sugar from this recipe and your baby would still devour them.  I kept some of the sugar (though I reduced the sugar about 90%) because Chris and I may enjoy one from time to time too.  There is less than 1 teaspoon of sugar per muffin, so I feel comfortable letting Ada eat it.  Your baby is ready to eat this muffin if they are self-feeding with finger foods, and has no allergies to wheat, eggs, or dairy. These muffins would also be great for a preggers lady who is experiencing morning sickness.  Eat one of these with a big glass of milk before you go to bed to help hold you over until the morning.

Baby Breakfast Muffins

Topping (optional):
1/4c oats (quick or old fashioned)
1/2T brown sugar (or less!)
1T butter or margarine, melted (or less!)
1/8t ground cinnamon

Muffins:
"Dry" ingredients:
1/2c oats
1 1/4c whole wheat flour
1t baking powder
3/4t baking soda
3/4t cinnamon

"Wet" ingredients:
2 4oz. jars unsweetened applesauce (or about 3/4c unsweetened applesauce)
1 4oz jar pureed banana (or 1 mashed very ripe banana)
1/2c grated carrot or zucchini (optional)
1/2c skim milk
2T brown sugar (optional)
3T vegetable oil
1 egg white, lightly beaten

Heat oven to 400 degrees.  Line 12 medium muffin cups with baking cups.  Combine ingredients for topping and set aside.  Mix dry ingredients in a large bowl.  Mix wet ingredients in medium bowl, then add to the dry ingredients all at once.  Stir just until moistened, do not over-mix.  Fill muffin cups almost full.  Sprinkle with the topping, patting gently.  Bake 20-22 minutes.  Cool muffins in pan on wire rack 5 minutes.  Remove from pan.  These muffins freeze well.

Enjoy! Ada sure is!