Life Savers vs. Money Wasters

I was sitting here going over my finances and such and thinking about what I need to buy for Bear and what I've already bought and wanted to share my thoughts on a few products. Some have been life savers and some just didn't last as long as I'd hoped.

Foot Rattles ($4.99) They seemed like a really great idea and he loved them for about a day but his feet are so big they don't fit. I would just invest in the hand rattles put one around the arm and one around the ankle and look! Now you have a wrist rattle AND a foot rattle!

ArmsReach Co-Sleeper ($80.00) I admit when I first got it I LOVED it. But if I am being honest with myself it doesn't last very long. He's only 16lb and too big for it. He has an inch over his head and two inches under his toes. I think this is best for c-section mommies in he very beginning but for me Bear ended up just sleeping with me anyway.

Graco Pack N' Play ($90-130.00) Life saver! I actually scored one of these for only $30.00 very lightly used. The changing table is perfect height, the bed is nice and big and its portable (it's best feature) I should have got one of these instead of the arms-reach co sleeper. I can pull it close to the bed or wheel it into the nursery very easily. Also the bed drops down to make a netter play yard for when he's older.

Sassy MOD Pop Bouncer ($55.00) another life saver. He used to nap in it, it takes up almost no space, it's easy to bounce with your foot and he is 5 months and still fits in it! He also really loves the nature sounds it plays and the vibrating feature-seemed weird to me but he likes it! I've heard a lot of mom's say their babies grew out of their bouncers fairly quickly and most of them had those really crazy gizmo and gadget ones that swing and jump and do everything. This one will work fine.

Graco Tucson Changing Table ($100.00) I actually got this at Target for only $15.00!!! Someone returned it open box because the coloring in the stain was slightly off...who cares?! I have mutual feelings about this one. I rarely use it as a changing table but all of Bear's clothes are stored in colorful bins on the shelves below. So it makes a great dresser but I don't use it for what it is.

Bumbo ($29.00-59.00) I love this for feeding time! It get's him sitting up and I can either put it on a chair or right on the table. He is tall and thin and can almost push himself out which makes me upset since it's advertised as a chair babies cannot get out of on their own but with supervision it was good. I recommend finding a cheaper used one.

PlayMat ($20-60.00) all play mats are essentially the same I have two and he loves both. Good for tummy time or just quiet time where baby can entertain himself. I wouldn't buy a $60.00 one when the ones for $20.00 are equally as entertaining. I would get one that you can attach your own toys if you want though.

Cracker Barrel Rocking Chair ($80-110.00) GREAT BUY! I had trouble finding a rocking chir NOT a glider. And Cracker Barrel has good quality American made rocking chairs in all different stains. It's wide and low so you can fit you, baby and a nursing pillow while rocking without back issues.

Well those are most of the "big buys" and my opinion on them. I hope this helps a new mommy somewhere!

Love

PlusPeace

BUBBLES!!!

This is a short post but one that will bring hours of entertainment for your little one. I remember when I was little I loved bubbles! And I thought my son might be too little to enjoy them but I was very wrong he loves popping them and feeling them land on his tummy.

How to:

-You'll want a naked baby, either in his tub or in the sink with some warm water.

-Have 2tbs water and 2tbs baby shampoo mixed in a container-I used an old travel lotion bottle.

-Either cup your hands covered in the solution and blow or use the bubble wands from a bubbles bottle from the dollar store (I recommend the wand)

-Blow bubbles at baby's tummy during bath time and when one pops say "pop!"

-DO NOT aim for the face. This is why I make my own baby-safe solution in case any go in the mouth or eyes the baby shampoo wont irritate like regular bubbles will.

-When the bubbles touch his legs tell him he has bubbles on his legs or arms, etc. This way it's a learning experience too!

Love

PlusPeace

Mr. Yarn!

I went out to breakfast with family today and I had quite a fussy baby and no toys. I used his fleece hat as a hand puppet and voila! A smiley baby! SOOO I went home and made "Mr. Yarn" Who will now travel in the diaper bag.

Very easy to make all you need is:

-Needle and any color thread

-Piece of old t-shirt or piece of scrap fabric about 12" x 10"

-Two buttons

-10 3" strands of any color yarn

Fold fabric in half so the outside is facing in. Sew along the long edge and knot. Sew the top and pull tight to make it bunch up and tie tight. Turn right side out and put your hand inside and hold the "bunchy" part in your hand to make the mouth. Sew the buttons as eyes-about either side of the center of your middle finger (if that makes sense) Lay your 10 piece of yarn and tie very tightly at the center then put above the eyes and stitch to puppet to make hair.

If you're not any good at sewing use a tube sock and skip the first few steps.

What I love about puppets is they can be happy, sad, playful or silly by only changing your voice and it's expression. SO easy and SO entertaining for our growing little ones. Mr Yarn got his name because Bear pulled out one of his hairs and the puppet kept "eating" it and spitting it back out to make Bear laugh. It was a blast!

Love,

PlusPeace

Boob Cube-REVISED

So I now realize that "boob cubes" are no longer the most efficient way to store breastmilk when our little ones are eating more and more often. SOOOO I have come up with 3 oz Boob Cubes!!

Buy a tube or two of those 4 oz bathroom cups (I chose the SpongeBob themed ones) and after a pumping fill almost to the top-about 3 oz and put saran and a rubber band as the lid. Line your freezer door and then after they are frozed squeeze them out into freezer baggies and label! The cups can be reused twice (two times only) if you rinse with HOT water.

Follow the thaw instructions from my past feezing blog.

Love

PlusPeace

The SIMPLE things in life.

I have been SWAMPED! SO sorry for not posting any nifty things for you thrifty moms in a while BUT as your little one discovers the world around him it may be tempting to buy every toy on the shelf. I have to resist the toy aisle in every store because all the kids toys are just so damn cute! At this stage I truly believe simple every day things are better.

Lately I've been lining up things for Bear to grab and touch and explore. I sit him on my lap at the table or lay him next to a bunch of different colorful things around the house. Colored plastic baby spoons (2.99 for 10 at the grocery store) A bright blue plastic measuring cup, a plush toy (usually his "binky bear" its a Wubba-nub) and I let him hold them and pick which ones he wants. The way I see it if I give him a some shiney monster toy off the shelf he'll have no idea what it is (because I have no idea what it is) but if it's an every day thing he's more likely to recognize it later on.

Also we have so much fun with paper towel rolls the other day, I would talk into it and he thought it was hilarious.

Make sure everything you give them in OK to put in their mouth and CLEAN! A great way to clean toys is 1 cup white vinegar and 1 cup water and after washing them just dunk them and let dry. Non-Toxic and once vinegar is dry it has no smell!

Love,

PlusPeace

Squishy Food

Ahah! Your little one is probably sitting up with some support and holding his little head high when he's carried around...well I know my man is! Once they are a 'supported sitter' its OK to try out some new foods! Easiest is bananas and apples. For bananas just puree them with some almond milk until they are runny. Don't expect your baby to gobble it up or be all that interested at first there may be disgusted faces or it might come out a few times before staying in but thats all fine. DONT replace breastmilk with food yet. Your baby still needs all the nutrients and antibodies in the milk you're makin'. The other I've made but he hasn't tried yet is apple sauce. It's super easy take some sweet apples, core them and bake them in a covered pan at 400 for about half an hour. they'll bubble up and get smooshy. Use a fork to pick out the skins and then puree in the blender or (my favorite) the magic bullet. (its as easy as 1-2-3...haha)

Baby spoons are so cute too!

Don't force the food it may not be time yet! The suggested thing to do is feed your baby an ounce of milk then try a spoonful of food.

But making your own foods has tons of advantages, especially for such a new body. You can feed them foods you grow in your own garden like carrots and peas, you can buy organic fruits and vegetables, you can buy local, it's way cheaper than buying baby food and you can make a bunch and freeze it in ice cube trays (see my "Boob Cube" blog entry) And lastly it's more fun =] They even make baby cook books.

Love

PlusPeace

Easy Kitchen Classics

Now cooking is not my thing, I'm getting better at it (for really good recipes go to my sisters blog Junk by KelseyJeanne ) but for the time being I have stuck to really easy recipes, ones that work well for the tired mom and thought I'd share.

Quiche and Italian Quesadillas are my favorite ones so far so we'll start there.

Quiche!

For crust:

-2 tbs rosemary

-1 tsp salt

-1 cup flour

-1/3 cup shortening

-5 tbs water

mix all rosemary, salt and flour in a bowl. Using a fork add in shortening and water. Use hands to finish mixing. When it seems pretty well mixed sprinkle flour on a flat surface and roll the dough until its about 12 inches wide (circle) Place in your pie pan and then cover with tinfoil. Bake for 5 minutes at 450 and then remove tinfoil and bake until golden brown (about another 5 minutes) and remove from oven. Turn heat down to 350

For filling you will need:

-1 cup of any leftover veggies you have in the fridge (last night I used peppers, onions and garlic because they were on the verge of going bad)

-5 strips of crispy cooked bacon or ham

-2 eggs

-1 cup milk

-1 tbs flour

Sate veggies in a skillet with 2 tbs olive oil then put in a bowl. Add meat, eggs, milk and flour. Mix well and pour into pie crust. Put in over, uncovered for 35 minutes. take out and enjoy! Makes 8 slices and you can use leftovers. It's pretty easy and fairly fast.

Italian Quesadillas!

You will need:

1/4 onion

1/2 red pepper

2 tbs chopped garlic

fresh basil (i buy the tube of basil they have in produce section)

cherry tomatoes (halved)

olive oil

perdu pre-cooked roast chicken strips

Italian shredded cheese blend

tortillas

Preheat oven to 350. In a pan sate onions, peppers, garlic until golden brown, add tomatoes and chicken and remove from heat. if you bought the tube of basil spread thin over on of the tortillas if you bought fresh mix with sate veggies. Add veggies to torilla evenly and coat with cheese. Put another tortilla on top and bake in oven for 12 minutes or until cheese is melted.

Yeah those are both fairly quick and the veggies can be whatever is in the fridge, same with the meat on both. So if you don't wanna shot and dont want to cook a whole big meal both of these have meat, dairy, vegetable and grain and work for lunch too.

Love,

PlusPeace