Not entirely Wordless Wednesday

My stint with the Dove Skin Vitilizer. Do I look 10 years younger?

I think I just started acting ten years younger!

Tasty (ambrosial, appetizing, delectable, heavenly, luscious, savory, scrumptious) Tuesday

Dana from Just Talk and Eliza.

Here is the latest edition of Tasty Tuesdays! It was contributed by Dana from Just Talk. Check out her blog for another tasty recipe. I feel like I can't stop writing tasty. Tasty, tasty, tasty. Phew! Glad that is out of my system. How about ambrosial, appetizing, delectable, heavenly, luscious, savory, or scrumptious. Alrighty then, I guess pretty soon I am going to start posting my own recipes and stop being a lazy a$$.

Vegan Spiced Oatmeal Cranberry Cookies

I've actually never made these but found this recipe that I thought Danielle and everyone else would like to try.

INGREDIENTS:
3/4 cup margarine (make sure it's vegan)
1/3 cup sugar
3/4 cup brown sugar
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 cup soy milk
1 cup flour
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp ginger powder
1/4 tsp cloves
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp nutmeg
3 cups quick cooking or rolled oatmeal
1 cup dried cranberries

PREPARATION:
Cream together the margarine and sugars until smooth. Add vanilla and soy milk and mix well. Add flour, baking soda and spices until well mixed, then stir in oats and cranberries.
Spoon 1 1/2 inch balls onto an ungreased cookie sheet and bake 10-15 minutes at 350 degrees, or until done.

EAT & ENJOY!!

Heather the Nanny - Day 1

Today was my first real day picking the kids up from daycare. Last week I stopped by with my sister-in-law to check it out & see what rooms they are in so I know what to do. So today after work I went to get them from Fort Knox...I mean daycare. When you first walk in, you can talk to some people through a window and can't get any further without signing the book for each of them, and showing ID, and telling them the secret password. If they want, I can drop off a copy of my fingerprints too. Just kidding...I am sure this will get to be annoying in a few days, but I am so happy about how thorough they are. Obviously they want to make sure they are sent home with someone they know. (In case the teacher missed my niece running to me and screaming my name...I think she was ok with me picking her up!) Good to know they follow the rules because there are some weirdos out there...

We had some pretty stinky weather here in NJ but that didn't stop Layna (almost 3) from doing gardening (i am assuming it was indoors somehow), singing, dancing, and arts & crafts (or as she calls it - arts & craps). Down the hall, Owen (6 months) was doing sign language & yoga. I want to sign up for his class! Both of them had a much more stimulating day than I did.

So the gross story of the day is that Layna had an accident in her clothes this morning-mom decided to try out the big girl underwear instead of the usual pull up so that was a disaster obviously. If you are wondering what is gross about that story...we are pretty sure that the wet underwear and pants are somewhere at the school because the teacher forgot to give them to me to take home. Well they will be sitting there until Thursday...

So after I brought them home we had dinner, watched a show and then had baths. This is around the time where I was reminded of the post we did a few weeks ago regarding how to know when you should have a 2nd baby. I would like to change my answer to when the first one goes to college haha. Just kidding! After baths, we read some books and both kids went to bed early - they must have been tired from all of their gardening and yoga :)

Mommyfest Blog Party

Who doesn't love a good party?

I am participationg in Mommyfest which is being held from May 12th-May 16th. I am always looking to meet new mom bloggers. There will be contests and prizes so I hope you will all join me.

Meme Monday, Awards and My Own Beatlemania

I am lame and having nothing to post about. The most exciting thing that I did today was spend 20 minutes in my car listening to the Across the Universe Soundtrack trying to decide which Beatles song is my favorite. I am in between Blackbird and Hey Jude. It was a rainy day and the only cure for that is some Beatlemania and my own personal concert.

What is your fav. beatles song?









ANYHOO

Pam posted this on her blog so I decided to join in the fun!

Pick up the nearest book.
Turn to page 123.
Post the 5th sentence.
Tag 5 other people.

I am at my parents house and I picked up John Lennon In His Own Words. This is what came up...

And in the 70's everybody's going nah, nah, nah.

I'm not tagging anyone and everyone!

I would like to thank some people for awards that I have received!

Thank you so much to Lori for this award. I lobe her blog and if you are not already a reader you should head over and check it out.

I pass on this award to Tracy from What On Mommy's Mind. She always posts though provoking entries.

Also thanks to Dana for this award. I love Just Talk. It rocks!

I pass on this award to Lori from Teacher turned mommy because she alwasy makes my day with posts about her son Blake.

Oh and we won the Spring Baby Wearing Picture Contest over at Baby Sling Blog! WOOHOO. They are holding another contest in May so be sure to check it out.

so I say nah, nah. nah nah nah nah...hey hey hey...good bye !

Swimming, Swimming in the Swimming Pool

Eliza had her first swim class at the local YMCA! I was so excited when I woke up in the morning that I felt like a kid on Christmas morning. It was so much fun and I THINK she had a good time. She was the most distracted baby there by far and was looking all around at the people and the lights. She could care less about mommy blowing bubbles and singing. She is considered a shrimp because of her age and that cracks me up. I don't know why but it does. I mean what is smaller than a shrimp-maybe some krill. All of the babies in our class were adorable and their smiling faces really made my day.

The class lasts for six weeks ans is every Saturday morning for 30 minutes. I had a ton of fun and I can't wait until our next class on Saturday. Some skills we practiced were splashing, kicking and blowing bubbles. Now I know all of the songs and motions so we will be old pros. Here are some of the songs that we sang in the class:

• The Hokey Pokey


• If Your Happy and You Know It


• The More We Get Together


• Ring Around the Rosy


• Motorboat

Here is how the motorboat song goes...

Motorboat, motorboat so so slow

Motorboat, motorboat go so fast

Motorboat, motorboat step on the gas Vroom!

She really likes so vroom on her belly and glide across the water. Most times she managed to continue sucking her pointer finger while completing this song.
Motorboat VROOOOOM!


Here are some more pics from our class. I think Eliza looks very fashionable in her swim diaper and bathing suit.

Jump off the lily pad little froggy.



This finger sure is good. What is my crazy mommy doing?

She just looks like she is intently paying attention.

Hi Daddy!

She just loved the part when I threw the ducky and she had to reach for it.



Don't forget to enter my Munchkin Giveaway!

Mother's Day Photo Contest- 5 Minutes for Mom

A picture is worth 1,000 words...

and now your picture could be worth $1,000. Head on over to 5 Minutes for Mom and enter the Mother's Day Photo Contest. This photo was taken just minutes after Eliza was born. Don't I look Fab? tee-hee-hee I think I do because it is one of the proudest moments of my life. Too bad the ate stamper thingy ma-jigger is wrong and Eliza was born on 9/18! Let's just hope I never get Alzheimer's.

Ok. Ok. I couldn't resist posting one more pic. as a tribute to my mom who has helped me tremendously with little E. Here she is helping me bathe Eliza. I think it captures the essence of motherhood. That and post-pregnancy body shots are so much fun.

and in case you are wondering why I am blogging at 3:30 a.m- it is because I have restless leg syndrome and my legs are feelin all crazy like- so I can't sleep.

and don't foregt to enter my fun Munchkin giveaway!

You can't do this at Nana's House

When I was little I wasn't even allowed to play with Play-Doh or real paint- only that paint by numbers water crap. So whenever my nieces come to visit we always end up doing some type of messy experiment or craft that I NEVER would have been permitted to do when I was young.

and so I give you...

SLIME!!!

of course I got ripped off at Micheal's' for this slime kit. After I opened it I realized that I could have made it using common household items. Here is the link if you want to try this fun and messy experiment at home.

I am now turning this Blog over to my niece Alli. She will describe the slime making process.

Well of course it was messy. DUH!!! Anyways it was alot of fun! First we ( and by we i mean i) had to mix together

1. 1 cup water
2. 1 cup glue ( Elmer's is fine)

Okay that was solution A now for solution B.( make sure you do SA and SB in seperate bowls.)

1. 1 1/3 cups warm water
2. 4 tsp. laundry booster (borax)

Mix SA together then mix SB together. mix SB until borax is dissolved.

slowly pour SA onto SB. then roll SA around in the bowl. after that seperate SA from SB and knead until putty like. And ..........Da Da Da Da you..... have .......SLIME-PUTTY!!!!!

Here is a slideshow for your viewing pleasure. ENJOY!

Vote for Little E

You know Eliza and I love photo contests. I heard about this one from Fina'Drea- she entered her adorable boys as well. She has an amazing Blog so check it out.

Check out the contests and please vote for Eliza and vote for her here too! Vote for Fina'Drea's boys too!

Munchkin Giveaway

I am proud to announce my munchkin giveaway. One lucky winner will receive this AbFab basket full of munchkin goodies.


For one entry
Leave me a comment about your favorite Munchkin product. Won't be easy because there are so many great choices.

* If you are a first time mom-to-be which Munchkin product would you like to have?

For five entries
Leave a comment telling me about your favorite Munchkin product and post about this contest on your blog.



It is that simple so spread the word to all of your friends. Please make sure you leave me a valid e-mail address. The contest ends on May 15!

Stupid News and A Giveaway

And the stupid thing I did this week is...
Run over the garbage cans again! My hubs did it on Monday night and I did it again yesterday morning. You really think I would learn- but I am that dense. Of course when I did it the can was full of recyclables so I had to pick them all up and then go to work. (I did run back in the house to wash my hands) On a good note a neighborhood kid asked me if I needed help which I thought was so super sweet. I kindly declined and said THANKS! but I would clean up my own mess. I did not want him touching all that garbage and then getting on his bus.
and in other stupid news

• I also forgot to sign in at work this morning.
• Used the Salsbury Steak spoon from my mom's dinner to mix Eliza's Rice Water.

Just wait- It's only Thursday-the week is not over yet.

and now for the more exciting news.

I will be unveiling my first giveaway and it is a GOOOODIE with a capital G. I am so excited about it I could do a cartwheel. The contest will run for 20 days and I hope everyone will participate.

Talk about being MIA! Where have I been?

It has been awhile since I posted anything so I thought I would say a quick hello so you all know I'm still alive.  The last few weeks have been super busy, and I was also a bit under the weather.  Not anything as bad as Danielle, but a major sore throat and laryngitis for about 5 days straight.  I couldn't really talk on the phone for awhile or say much during one of my best friend's bridal showers or another friend's wedding last weekend which was pretty annoying.  I give major props to Danielle for being able to do all of those postings while she and Eliza were sick because I was just not feeling it.

Also I have also been busy working on my website which I now own, however it is under construction.  I have been getting a lot of business through friends so that is keeping me busy. Just when I thought I was getting some free time to get back to my normal life of cruising the internet for baby stuff, blogging, etc...my niece & nephew's nanny had to take some time off after having a baby SO who do you think they call for help.  Aunt Heather to the rescue!  My sister-in-law put the kids in daycare for the summer however both of them work late and the daycare closes at 6.  So I will be picking them up 2 days a week about 40 minutes away and taking them home for dinner, baths, etc. I am really looking forward to this and I have done it all a million times before...plus a major bonus of me having car seats makes me feel mom-ish which is fun.  (I am a major weirdo!)

Also Danielle has been having such interesting things to say lately I don't want to step on her toes and post right over top of something she has just worked really hard on to talk about how eating bananas makes you more likely to give birth to a boy.  

In case you are interested in that, click here

So anyway, I am still around and hopefully you will be hearing more from me that you have the past couple of weeks!  :)

I am sure some funny stuff will happen with the kids & i will let you know!

Lovin My Nana

This is not a review-just something so cool I had to share.

Eliza's Nana bought her the cutest Taggies book. It is so awesome. She loves to rub tags on toys so this is just perfect. They also make blankest and I would love to get one for her. All of the tags are different and provide tactile and visual stimulation. How cool is that?

Eliza says, "I love my Nana Banana!"

Fun Activities/Crafts for Transportation

WW Post Down Below

This week my class is learning about transportation. We read the big books Dan the Flying Man and Dan Goes Home which are a part of our reading series The Wright Group. Here are two fun centers we are doing this week. They could easily be done with younger children as well and require very few supplies.

Here one student made an airplane using shapes. Other students made cars, buses, submarines, spaceships, helicopters, etc. He then wrote a sentence. He wrote "to" instead of "in" but overall a great job. At the end of the week students will count and record the number of shapes used in his/her creation.

And here is the second project. We discussed things that they would take in their suitcase on a trip. Who doesn't love a trip? Then students picked items from store circulars, glued them into a suitcase and labeled them using invented spelling. If daddy or mommy goes in business trips- little ones might like to pack a pretend suitcase for them.

The class is also preparing to write postcards from a dream travel destination. I will use travel guides from a travel agency to help give them some inspiring ideas!

and don't forget to sing The Wheels on the Bus! Actually my class had this idea all on their own today and sang it without my prompting!

Wordless Wednesday

Our Weekend

I know I have been kind of MIA. Sorry I haven't been around the blogosphere much. This weekend pretty much stunk. I missed one of my dearest friend's bridal showers because I was laying on my husband's bathroom floor suffering from the stomach flu. At one point I was banging on the tile for about 20 minutes hoping my husband would hear me and come up to bring me a new pair of underwear. DON'T ASK! It was that wonderful kind of stomach flu where you get it on both ends. Tons and tons of fun. Of course my hubs thought it was the neighbor playing around with his tools and did not answer my desperate tile plea.

Enough about me and on to little E . . .

Eliza was really on and off all weekend. She was certainly never 100% and her appetite was really weak. She still had a cough and a stuffy nose with occasional vomiting but nothing like Thursday night. We really thought she was getting much better- until last night...

She woke up her in her crib crying at around 5. She was them projectile vomiting for a good hour and a half. I swear my nerves were so shot that I was like we are going to the E.R. I couldn't bear to see my baby in pain anymore.

My husband tell me to get what I need and we will go to the E.R. So I think I pack the diaper bag and we head out in a flustered mess. She is continuing to throw up this entire time. My husband was in such a rush that he ran over my dad's garbage cans when we drove away. He wouldn't even stop to fix them. In the car I had to lift her car seat out off the base so she wouldn't choke while puking. This is not something I want to experience again. The hospital is only about 5 minutes away do we arrived quickly.

Once we got into the E.R we realized Eliza made a mess in her diaper. I go to check my diaper bag and realize I only have that horrific Target diaper and about 3 dried out wipes in the wipe case. I also realize we have no bottles, burp clothes, or anything else we might actually need. Here is how that went...

Dear Husband inquired, " I thought I said to get everything we need ready for the hospital."
Dear Wife responded, " I thought I did. Do I need to remind you that you ran over the garbage cans. Nuff said"

It turns out that even though Eliza threw up she was still hungry and more than a little tired. They informed us that they wold be taking blood to check her electrolyte levels and hooking her up to an IV for fluids. Now the hubs and I argue over who should go home and get everything we are missing. We decide to call my dad and see if he can bring some bottles, wipes and diapers for us- to which he happily responded yes.

They hooked Eliza up to an IV and put on a pee pee bag to see if she is urinating. We settled in for a few hours watching bad t.v, waiting for blood results and for Eliza to get her fluids. Pete held Eliza while she slept and I laid on the comfortable hospital bed wishing I had not worn flip flops because my toes were ice cold.

It is at this time that my husband decided to tell me how annoying he finds my yawn. Apparently I make a noise at the end of my yawn that in irritating. I personally find it endearing and will now continue to do it more loudly than ever. Let me tell you that husbands have such wonderful timing.

When the blood results came back they said her electrolyte levels are good and that her CO2 was a little low but that is normal with her vomiting . They said that we would be going home shortly because it seems viral and there is nothing really to be done for that. They also told us they just needed to call our pediatrician and let her know the results before we could go home.

Here I am thinking we are on our way out when the doctor comes in and tells us that the pediatrician wants a urine sample so they need to put in a catheter. Due to the previous UTI the doctor wants to be safe and make sure it has not returned.

Anyhoo, to make a very long and boring story short, her urine was clear and we are home. The doctor has us giving her soy formula and rice water until she feels better.
I tried to make rice water three times and it just doesn't seem right. It is a bit thick in my opinion. Has anyone had experience with this? I googled it and this is the only thing that popped up.


Dr. Reddy's Pediatric Office on the Web TM had this to say about rice water

Although we have occasionally recommended boiling rice in water, pouring off the water, and serving the water (which contains sugars, minerals, and proteins from the rice) to a child with gastroenteritis, we no longer recommend that; there aren't enough minerals or carbohydrates in the rice water for it to be well-absorbed. Giving rice in the cooking water, however, does seem to help.

If you read this far you are a true bloggy friend and I thank you. I am sure I have a zillion typos and my tenses are way off because I have been typing like a maniac with my stream of conscience thoughts. I am a ball of nerves at this point and certainly have not been feeling well myself. I am not sure if the constant ache in my gut is remnants of my own tummy bug or just nerves. Regardless, this too shall pass and I it just can't be soon enough for me.

Tasty Tuesdays

I am slapping this up really fast because I need to get off to work. Sorry Dana- NO pic this week.

Oh and last week I repeated the recipe from the previous week. How come no one called me out on this bozo move?

I will post later- hopefully- with our latest emergency room adventure. Eliza was very sick again last night (vomiting) and we ended up in the E.R. My hubs is following up with the pediatrician this morning.

and here it goes- I know you all want to read this after I just typed the word vomit. SORRY!

Here is a great recipe from Dana at Just Talk.

Creamy Veggie Pasta - this is one of my favorites!! it is soooo quick & easy, and it tastes sooo good!!

Ingredients

1/2 pint fat free cream
4 small shallots
2 TBLS of Olive Oil
1 cup grated cheese
1 14 oz can of diced tomatoes
1 box orzo
1 package Birdseye Steamfresh Garlic Peas & Mushrooms
Salt & pepper to taste

Preparation

In a deep pan saute shallots in olive oil and add salt and pepper.

Once the shallots are soft add the can of diced tomatoes. Cook for 10 minutes on medium to low heat. After 10 minutes turn the flame off and keep covered.

In a separate pot bring water to a boil and add the orzo: cook 10-12 minutes.

Once the pasta is done drain it, add the cream to the tomatoes and shallots and mix.

Microwave the Peas & Mushrooms.

In a large bowl combine the pasta and the sauce, add the peas & mushrooms, grated cheese and mix well... Serve and Enjoy!!

This is a great dish that can be eaten alone or served as a side dish!!

I'll get up a linky later if I have time.

Meme Monday & Awards

Yay! I received some blog awards and I am super pumped.

Dana from Just Talk bestowed the Blog of Distinction on me. Thank you! I hope I continue to make you laugh and smile for many days to come.

I would like to give this award to Andrea from The Laughs Will Go On for all of her great reviews and giveaways. I also love her pics and videos. They always make me smile.

Also Tipp from A[tipp]ical Thoughts bestowed upon me the E for Excellent award and I am greatly honored. Thank you so much!

I would like to give this award to Mommy Mechanics for always providing excellent tips on her blog and always making me smile with pics of her boys.

and on to the Memes

I should have done these last Monday! I was tagged by Rebecka from Mommy Moments

are you a proud parent?
yuppers

how many kids do you have?
one


what are the ages?
7 months

boy(s) or girl(s)?
girl.


how old were you when you had your first child?
27


was it planned?
YES!!!

do you regret it?
not one bit

who do your kid(s) look like?
Eliza looks just like my hubs

when were your kid(s) born?
September 18, 2007


do you plan on having more?
Yes- hopefully


do you have more than one baby daddy/momma?
NOPE


do you love your baby daddy/momma
Yes

are you still with this person?
Yes


are you married to this person?
Yes

is this person a good parent to your kid(s)?
The Best!!!


do you live with this person
yes


do you have a happy family?
yeah


do your kid(s) look like you or the dad/mom?
Dad


do your kids have proud grandparents?
Heck yeah

what did you want your kid(s) first words to be?
Daddy- so she can call him when she wakes up at night

what was their first words?
nothing yet


is being a parent hard?
Yes! Yes! and Yes!


do you put your kid(s) before everything?
Absolutely

do you have a job?
I am a teacher


is your child in school or grown up?
Baby


if you plan to have more will it be with a previous baby daddy/momma?
Yes


is that person the love of your life?
Yes


do you have a momma's boy or a daddy's little girl?
a daddy's girl

are you looking forward to being a grandparent someday?
In the distant future


Baby's Name?
Eliza


Male/Female?
female


Birthday?
9/18/07


Where was he/she born?
JFK Medical Center


What time were they born?
Eliza 8:06am

Weight/length at birth?
6lbs. 1oz. 20in

Age as you're typing this survey:
28


Are you a paranoid mom...?
Yes

Do you sterilize everything (like boil nipples or wash every toy)?
Nope

Do you buy "sensitive skin" wipes because they're "better" for baby's skin?
yes.


Do you worry that your baby will stop breathing in his/her sleep?
Every single day. Will it ever end?


Do you freak out if they happen to doze off during tummy time? (SIDS!!)
Eliza has never fallen asleep on her belly. She is not that relaxed


Do you overdress your baby, whether it's warm or cold?
never

Do you wash your baby's clothing in Dreft or other baby detergent?
Seventh Generation


Do you refuse to dress baby in anything with buttons (choking hazard)?
no


Do you watch (and critique) when someone else changes baby's diaper?
nope


Did you buy all of their furniture (crib, changing table, stroller) NEW?
Yes


Do you have to wash a pacifier that fell on the floor before giving to baby?
yes.

Do you worry about anyone else holding your baby?
nope


When you leave baby with a sitter, is all you do worry about baby?
sometimes

Do you jump out of bed the second baby starts fussing during the night?
no. My husband does it for me

Do you worry about making baby bleed when clipping his/her fingernails?
no. my husband does that for me too

Do you call your pediatrician at least once a week?
more like three times a week


Do you cancel play dates because your baby has a runny nose & coughed once?
yes! ha ha

Do you refuse to go shopping without a shopping cart cover?
she is not big enough for that yet

If you have a cat, do you worry about toxoplasmosis?
Yes. we have three cats


Is your baby allowed anywhere near your pets?
yes


Do you only feed your baby organic baby foods out of fear of preservatives?
yes


Do you think you are or ever have been a paranoid new mom?
I am the most paranoid mom I know

I tag..
anyone who wants to join in the fun

Eliza spreads the love

I am recovering from the stomach flu- be back soon

I could't make it up if I tried

Happy 7 Month Old Birthday Eliza!

There is no need to respond to this post. I can just go back to the other ten posts where Eliza is sick and read your wonderful comments.

Eliza has been sick with a head cold/ or allergies- who knows- for about a week.

Yesterday after I picked her up from day care she did not seem that interested in eating. After her 7:30 bottle she threw up on me four times. I changed my clothes. Then it happened again. I had to change my clothes again. Even though her poor little stomach was empty she continued to dry heave and throw up every 30 minutes until 12:30 a.m. My husband held her until 3 a.m. because we were scared to put her down and I was a mess- basically no help at all. She was also tugging on her ear a great deal and my husband was worried that she had an ear infection. Luckily, we now think she was just trying to soothe herself.

It took the doctor and hour and a half to call us back. When she did call back she said if the baby was still throwing up in the morning take her to the E.R because they did not have office hours today. BIG HELP!

So I am home with Eliza today. She took 3 oz of Pedialyte at 6:30 a.m. and 3 more oz at 7:30 a.m. She is now taking a nap. Unfortunately, Peter and I did not learn from the first time she had a stomach bug and she mad a mess in the bed. We woke up this morning to a mess in the bed AGAIN! Oh the joys of parenthood.

Can someone please throw us a bone. How much can one little baby, a mommy and a daddy take. I know so many other families are in much worse situations so i don't mean to vent this much but I am just so frustrated.

Oh and of course we called daycare to tell them Eliza would be absent. We inquired about any other reported cases of stomach flu and they said no other toddlers or babies has the bug-0 but some preschoolers did. The preschoolers are in a different part of the building and apparently my daughter can catch a bug from 100 miles away.

For more info on the cause and prevention of noroviruses- the stomach flu- check out this article from the CDC.

It is disturbing to me

I am very disturbed by recent reports concerning the estrogen like ingredient Bisphenol A (BPA). A preliminary report from the National Toxicology Program says this common ingredient may cause harm to fetuses, babies, and children. Animal Tests ( and oh yes I am just thrilled about animal testing) shows the chemical effected developing fetuses and babies. Additionally, they think this COMMON ingredient might be linked to early puberty,a decline in semen quality in males, prostate and breast cancer, attention deficit disorders and other neurological disorders. This sounds like something I want to give Eliza. Order me up some BPA stat!

Of course the plastics people are saying it is perfectly safe. Just like the cigarette companies said smoking was perfectly safe too. I swear that companies are only out for profit. Do I smell future lawsuits? As I always say Trust Nobody!

I was also happy to read that some states - NEW JERSEY!- might ban products made with BPA. Sounds good to me. It will force plastic companies to alter their practices.

Unfortunately, I am pretty sure the Avent bottles I have been using contain BPA. Now I guess I will start seeking out BPA free sippy cups. Check out Green and Clean Mom for a chance to win two of these BPA free sippy cups. This post includes a great review this mom did on several different BPA free sippy cups. How awesome is that? She did the work for us.

For some tips to help avoid BPA exposure check out this article from washingtonpost.com

Also- Check out this amazing cheat sheet of safe bottles and sippy cups from Safe Mama. Her latest post is a staright to the point fact sheet on BPA. It includes information on how to check recycling codes to see if a product contains BPA.

BPA Free Bottle Products
Adiri Natural Nursers
Avent “Via” disposable bottles
BornFree - All bottles and cups BPA free *see note
EvenFlo: Glass bottles, Classic Tinted Polypropylene bottles
Playtex Opaque Soft Bottle, Playtex Drop in liners
Gerber: Gerber Clearview, Fashion Tints (also called “Plastic Pastels”), Gerber GentleFlow
Medela: All bottles
Sassy MAM bottles (UltiVent), Baby Food Nurser Kit
Green to Grow Bottles **see note
Sassy Baby Food Nurser Kit
ThinkBaby Bottles
Momo Glass Bottles
Nuby: Standard Neck Non-Drip Bottle, Wide-Neck Non-Drip Bottle, Wide-Neck Bottle with Handles and Non-Drip Nipple, Standard Neck Bottle with Handles and Non-Drip Nipple, 3-Stage Wide Neck Easy Grip Feeding System with Non-Drip Nipple.
Nuture Pure Glass bottles
Babisil Silbottles
Weego Glass Bottles
Siliskin Glass Bottles
Dr Brown’s: Glass Bottles (all vent system pieces BPA Free), Dr. Browns Polypropylene bottles (due in store’s April 15th)
Parent’s Choice Bottles (available at Walmart) - box is marked BPA Free

BPA Free Sippy Cups
Avent Magic Cups
Playtex: Coolster Tumbler, Insulator, Einstein Training Cup, Sipster, Create My Own, Quick Straw, Insulator Sport, Sip and Discover, First Sipster
Gerber: Sip & Smile Spill-proof Cup, Easy Grip Insulated Soft Straw Cup, Insulated Cool Cup, Fun Grips Color Change Spill-proof Cup, Grins & Giggles Spill-proof Cup (source)
BornFree sippy/drinking cups
Kleen Kanteen
Thermos Foogo Sippy Cups, and drinking bottle with straw
SIGG Toddler Water Bottles
Kid Basix The Safe Sippy
Boon Sippy
GrowPure Multi-Stage Feeder and Sippy Cup
iPlay Aqua Bottle
ThinkBaby Training Cup
Sassy Snack Time Infa-Trainer Cup
Munchkin: Cupsicle, Cupsicle Straw Cup, Big Kid Sippy Cup, Mighty Grip Flip Straw Cup, Mighty Grip Trainer Cup, licensed character Sports Bottles, Re-usable Straw Cups, Re-usable Spill-proof Cups
Nuby: No-Spill Sports Sipper, Insulated Soft Silicone Spout Cup, Soft Spout Easy Grip Cup, Gripper Cup with Soft Silicone Spout, 2-Handle Cup, Tinted Mega Sipper
The First Years: Take & Toss, Spill-proof Cup, Insulated Cup, Licensed character sippy cups, Insulated Spill-proof Cup, 2 Handled Cups

BPA Free Milk/Liquid Storage
Avent Via 8-oz. Nurser Kit
Avent Snack Cup / Formula Dispenser
Mother’s Milkmate Storage bottles
Medela Milk Storage bottles and breastpump accessories
Playtex Breastmilk storage kit
Lansinoh® Breastmilk Storage Bags
Lansinoh® Breastmilk Storage Bottles
Gerber Breastmilk Storage Bags
Dr. Brown’s Breastmilk Storage Bags
The First Years” Easy Pour Breastmilk Storage bags
BPA Free Baby Food / Food Storage
So Easy Fresh Baby Food Kit
Baby Cubes baby food storage system
Laptop Lunch System

*If you are currently using Dr. Browns polycarbonate bottles and would like to switch, the Dr. brown’s venting system (the internal pieces) are BPA Free and are made of polypropylene plastic. Also, they FIT and work with BornFree bottles which could be a little bit of a money saver.

** Safe Mama reader Melissa wrote in to let me know that Dr Browns bottle nipples fit with Green to Grow bottles. As we know once a baby is comfy with something it’s sometimes a pain to change so it’s good to know we don’t have to change everything if we don’t have to. Alicia of The Soft Landing did a more exhaustive report on what nipples fit what bottles. Read about it on her blog here.

Please reference Z Recommends for a detailed report on many of the above products. They have gone beyond to call, write and test all these products and have extensive information. I credit a large portion of this cheat sheet, to date, to them. I have fully appreciated their research and provide this cheat sheet as a quick reference for BPA free products for shopping purposes. Please visit their most recent BPA Report for complete details.

National Library Week

It is National Library Week! I have very fond memories of taking trips to the library as a little girl. I still take a trip to my local library every few weeks and stock up on books. It is a great way to read and save money. I was reminded about NLW from someone's blog- but now I can't remember who. If it was your blog drop me a comment.

I read Click, Clack, Moo Cows That Type by Doreen Cronin with my Kindergarten class and we have been working on letter writing, Today my students wrote letters to the librarian and the library aide thanking them for everything they do. The kids were very excited about this activity. We will deliver the letters when we go to library tomorrow morning.

Wordless Wednesday

Weird Dream

So I had the weirdest dream this morning. Let me preface the story by saying anyone who knows well me knows I mean business when I go to a theme park. I do not mess around when it comes to rides. I don't want to spend time eating, shopping or playing games. I want to ride as many rides as I can as many times as I can. Those park tickets don't come cheap nowadays and I want my money's worth. I will go on ANYTHING! I love, love, love roller coasters. I have zero tolerance for whose who are too scared to ride coasters. I have been known to tantrum when people will not go with me on certain rides. You know who you are...

So in my dream this morning I was with Future Mom at six flags. Dana from Just Talk was there too with our friend Erika but we were split up for some reason. I wanted to get straight to the rides of course but Future Mom just wanted to shop. In my dream there were so many stores at the theme park. I am not a big shopper in real life or in my dream apparently because it was almost like an anxiety dream. The stores were never ending and future mom kept looking at onesies for her future child and at a children's book about going potty. It had a little naked boy on the cover. It was too weird.

So I finally dragged her away from the onesies and we went to stand on line for a roller coaster. In my dream we must have been on line for about an hour when they came out and said they were taking one more group and then closing down for maintenance. I didn't make the cut. I guess I should have been more worried about dying on a coaster that needed maintenance but instead I was fuming mad.

Then the phone rang and it was Pete telling me to get up.


That was one weird dream.

Tasty Tuesday

I know I am on a break but I had this recipe from Dana so...

It is Tasty Tuesday again and I am here with another Easy Meal for Mommies contributed by Dana from Just Talk! Check our her blog for another Tasty Tuesday recipe.

Quick and Easy Chimichangas Topped with Fresh Avocado Salsa

Prep Time 25 minutes
Cook Time 13 minutes

Ingredients

8 flour tortillas
1 medium onion (chopped)
1/4 cup butter (melted)
sour cream
1/2 tsp salt
1 clove garlic (minced)
1 lb ground beef, ground chicken, or your favorite veggies
1 tsp ground cumin
3/4 cup picante sauce
1/2 tsp dried oregano leaves (crushed)
Salsa

Directions


1. Preheat oven to 475 degrees.
2. Brown meat(chicken or veggies) with onion and garlic; drain.
3. Stir in picante sauce, cumin, oregano and salt; simmer 5 minutes or until most of liquid has absorbed.
4. Brush 1 side of tortillas with butter; spoon heaping 1/3 cup meat/veggie mixture onto center of unbuttered sides.
5. Fold 2 sides over filling; fold ends down.
6. Place seam side down in 13x9x2-inch baking dish.
7. Bake in preheated oven about 13 minutes or until golden brown.
8. To serve, top with sour cream and salsa

OR TOP WITH FRESH AVOCADO SALSA

Prep Time 15 minutes
Ingredients


1/2 cup green peppers
1/2 cup green onions
2 seeded tomatoes (diced)
1/2 cup fresh cilantro (chopped)
1 avocado (diced)
1 lime (juice of)

Directions


1. In small bowl, combine avocado and lime juice.
2. Stir in tomatoes, green onion, green pepper, and cilantro.
3. Cover and refrigerate until ready to use.

3 months ago...

Looking back to Jan 17, 2008.

I was still at home. Eliza was not sleeping through the night. I was being inundated by talk shows featuring New Year's Resolutions.

Tilt, Tuck, & oh who am I kidding

Update

It is now 3 months later and...

Eliza is still not sleeping through the night.

My Hip Hop Abs DVD has not left my suitcase. I wonder if I can get in shape through Osmosis.

I still have high hopes of getting in shape by summer.

BLOG BREAK

Eliza is sick AGAIN

I am not feeling myself at all

I am taking a blog break. I will probably repost some older posts if I have the time.

Til then


Danielle

Spring at last?

I am lovin the weather and hope it is here to stay. Here are some more of the baby wearing pics we took.

Baby Wearing Photo Contest

The Sling Station and Peppermint.com are holding a spring themed Babywearing Photo Contest! Head on over and check it out. The winner gets a free pair of baby legs!

Here is my entry!

Toys R Us Goes Green- Is it Enough?

In light of what happened with that Baby Einstein sun and the paint recall I learned about from Amber I am feeling very frustrated about toys in general. I am sick of all the recalls! I don't understand why products marketed for baby's and young children are so unsafe. I have decided I am going to make an effort to purchase more organic and green toys.

I was scouring the Internet and discovered Toys R Us is coming out with an Eco-friendly line. I googled it to see what I could uncover and here is the article I found. and now here is the gist of what I read for those of you who are spending there weekend doing more fun things and don't have time for reading articles. Starting on April 22 you will be able to purchase Natural Wooden Toys, Natural Cotton plush animals and Organic Cotton Dolls at Toys stores and online. The wooden toys are decorates using a wood burning technique. In addition, the packaging is made up of 70% recycled material.

I was thinking OK this is good until I found this article. The gist of this article is that most of the toys are still made in CHINA. The organic cotton doll are made in Egypt-but the rest of the toys are being manufactured China where as we know the regulations are weak at best.

I am very happy to see this change but I personally don't think it is enough. They openly admit that going green is more than a passing trends. I am happy to see the Eco-friendly products, but a few toys in recycled packaging hardly makes up for all of the other toys they sell that are harming the environment. I personally would like to see MORE of an effort on the part of Toys R Us.

Does anyone know if Toys is offering an alternative to plastic bags?

Check out Toy Tips for great product reviews, articles and tips on toys.

You wouldn't like me when I 'm angry!

OK. So I turned into the Hulk the other day (Tuesday) after coming home to discover my daughter almost choked on a pieced from her Baby Einstein blocks. OK I admit I am exaggerating a bit. The toy piece never made it into her mouth because my father grabbed it out of her hand before that could happen.

You have seen Eliza playing with these blocks in pictures I have posted on the blog. The yellow block has a tiny little mirror with a sun covering it. Eliza ripped off the sun piece and of course was about to jam it into her mouth as all babies her age do with anything and everything they can get in their little hands. These blocks are targeted for 0 months and up. I am a little disturbed that it came apart so easily. Eliza is pretty strong- but c'mon.

Here is a pic where you can see the sun piece. It is actually smaller than it appears in this picture. Now when I look at that stupid little smiling sun- I know it is just smirking at me- taunting me. GGGRRRRR

So I went into HULK mommy mode and wrote this not so nice e-mail to customer service.

I am writing this e-mail in great distress. Today while my 7 month old
daughter was playing with her Discover and Play blocks - the little
yellow sun came off in her hand. It is a good thing she was being
carefully supervised because she was about to put it in her mouth. I
don't even want to think about what could have happened had the
tiny piece blocked her airway. I am appalled at the poor quality of?this
toy. It is being marketed for baby's newborn and up. Your web site
describes it as a baby safe mirror. Doesn't seem so safe to me. I have
always been a supporter of your company but I am very upset.

This is the e-mail I received back today.

Dear Danielle,

Thank you for your e-mail. Your inquiry has been forwarded to The Walt
Disney Company Guest Services Team and they will be contacting you
directly. They can also be reached by calling 800-362-4695.

Sincerely,

Kristen

The Baby Einstein Company

They should be kissing my a** for letting them know about this issue. What if some other little baby does the same thing when no one is watching. The whole batch of toys could have been faulty.

anyhoo- I will let you know what happens next.

Has anyone had a similar experience?

Calling All Moms!

How many of you have heard about business cards for moms?  Also known as mommy calling cards...these are becoming a must have item for moms with busy lives and busy kids.  If you meet a lot of other moms at your child's school, sports activities, birthday parties etc...how can you quickly exchange your information with them?  How about rummaging through your purse to find a receipt or gum wrapper to write your phone number on?  Or a better way - a mommy business card!  Keep these in your purse, diaper bag, or car so that you always have one handy.

So what kind of information do you put on a mommy business card?  Your name, your children's names, home phone, cell phone, email...anything you want really!  Why not add your blog on there and get some free advertising while you're at it.  Once you have these cards, you will wonder how you ever lived without them!

As some of you know, I am starting up a website to grow my business of selling custom invitations.  I have also decided to offer these business cards for moms for sale as well.  Here is where you all come in...I am in need of design and sample ideas.  I am looking for anyone who wants these to contact me with all of your info and an idea of what you would like your cards to look like (this can be a photo of your children, idea for a color scheme, theme, you get the idea).  I would like to offer everyone to get these cards at my cost of making them which is 10 cards for $1.  (I can send you as many as you would like in multiples of 10.)  Please leave me a comment that you are interested in this and then send me an email to heatherbookman@optonline.net with MOMMY BUSINESS CARDS in the subject.  You can give a quick summary in the email such as "my name is Mary and here is my info - i would like pink and purple polka dots on my cards."  I will email you the design and we can go from there!

I am very excited about this and will be only be doing this special for the next 2 weeks so hurry up and email me if you are interested.  :)

When is the right time to have your first baby?

After reading Danielle's post which mentioned the quiz about having another baby, I was wondering how to figure out when is the right time to have the first one? My answer would be whenever my harassing finally works! There is no techical data to figure this one out...but there was a quiz. (Here it is)

So in case you were wondering here are the results.

I took it & got a 34 out of 39 which means
You are and your partner have thought this through and are ready to take the next step! What are you waiting for? Your score indicates you're emotionally, physically, and financially ready for parenthood.

I actually got the hubby to take it by lying and telling him it was something for Danielle hahaha (yes i know lying is not exactly good but he'll get over it).

He got a 28 out of 39 which means
You may be ready for parenthood but you still feel anxious. Don't worry, that's normal. You and your partner should talk about the emotional, financial, and physical realities of having a child, and then work together on the parenthood decision.

Honestly I was kind of surprised...I was thinking his would say something like "your poor wife will end up a childless old lady" or something like that. I am actually pleasantly surprised with his answers :)

Obviously him being in school and the fact that we have no room for a baby in the townhouse are major issues we need to get past but now I know that when his school is done, he gets a job and we can move - it's baby making time! If you read my earlier post about choosing the sex of your baby, you will know that I am very much into doing those methods and I did manage to convince him to go for the girl first. (Because you have to "try" more times to get it-he is a guy after all and what guy would say no to that.)

How do you know it is time?

What is the best time to have a 2nd baby?

Lately my husband and I have been having discussions over when to start trying again for another baby. I know many experts advice waiting until your first born is two and other say to wait until three. However, I know many people who are less than two years apart.

Spacing Babies: What's the Ideal Interval Between Pregnancies?
How to decide what's best for you, your body, and your family

According to a study by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, published in the February 25, 1999, issue of the New England Journal of Medicine, the recommended interval between pregnancies is 18 to 23 months. Those who became pregnant within six months of giving birth had a 30 to 40 percent greater chance of delivering a premature baby or a child small in size. The risks also increased significantly for mothers who waited 10 years. These women were twice as likely to have undersized babies and had a 50 percent greater chance of delivering prematurely. The study examined 173,205 births in Utah from 1989 to 1996, with the majority of mothers being white. The results may not be the same for minorities or for high-risk pregnancies. A second study to account for this deficiency is currently underway.

There are many things to factor in when making this decision: Money, time, work, sanity, etc! I know I want more than one child and I don't want to wait forever to have another baby. My body is getting older by the minute and it will not bounce back as well as the years pass. Also, part of me wants to get all the diapering and bottles out of the way at once. I would hate to start all over again.

My brother and I were about 8 years apart. My husband and his two siblings were much closer in age. I guess I would have liked to have a brother or sister closer to my own age. Or it might have been a nightmare. Who knows!

I took the, "Are you ready for another baby?" quiz at babyzone. My results said.

Well, what are you waiting for? You're clearly ready to add to your family if you've determined you've got the energy, the money, and the patience it takes! Good luck, and happy baby-making!

Obviously there are no right or wrong answer where this is concerned- just lots of opinions. I always thought I would definitely wait two years before tyring again-but now that Eliza is here I am not so sure. I did have a hard time after the delivery and was out of sorts for about 6 weeks. I had a horrific time with breast feeding and Eliza has been challenging at times. However, none of that has really made me want to wait.

What are your thoughts on the situation?

Purposeless Prose

• When Eliza goes to day care in the morning my dad sings his version of the popular Amy Winehouse song...Rehab
  
  They tried to make me go to daycare but I said 'no, no, no'




• It is Wednesday evening and I feel like it is Friday. I am too pooped to pop.



• On Sunday I was very ill from not eating enough before I took my antibiotic. I learned that as a mother I can multitask. aka throw up while holding my daughter. When my MIL arrived to help out we were sitting on the bathroom floor. I was too dizzy to carry her up the steps so we just sat down.



• Papaya is tasty



• Word verifications exist solely to annoy me



• If nervousness is selfish energy than I am the most selfish person alive.



• Today after I put Eliza down for a nap a bird flew right into the window and made the loudest smack. I think it was like a turkey vulture or something. OK- maybe it was more like a robin- but I swear the sound was deafening. It almost woke her up. ALMOST! When I peeked in her mobile was still shaking from the impact. This actually happens quite often at my moms as her sun room is mostly made of glass..



• Whoever decided Kindergartners should take the Terra Nova should be stoned in public. I will throw the first stone.



• People who live in glass houses shouldn't throw stones. DAMN@!*&



• Jason Castro rocks and I can listen to this song over, and over, and over

Wordless Wednesday

I know this should be wordless- SORRY! I can't believe Eliza is almost 7 months old. This is one of my favorites. It was taken when she was just a few days old.

It's been festering

So I haven't commented on the Oprah Puppy Mills show because I just don't know what to say. I know this sounds terrible and horrible and horrific, but I actually expected the conditions to be worse. I am in no way, shape or form in support of this practice. I am against the abuse or neglect of any animal- big or small. But in comparison to some of the conditions chickens, pigs and cow live in- the puppy mills weren't too bad.

Hens often can't even move their wings in their cages and their feet grow into the cage bars. The ammonia from urine gets so strong it burns their lungs and skin. Cows live in cramped fenced in quarters where they stand in their own waste. Baby male calves are sold from dairy farms to the veal industry. They are kept in crates so tiny they can barely turn around. There is currently legislation to change this in a few states. Pigs live in very similar conditions.

Now I know that these animals are considered agriculture in this country. Then again the Amish consider puppies to be agriculture. They won't let dogs in their houses just like many people would not let chickens or pigs in their houses. What makes them wrong and us right? All of these animals are being abused. I understand that the chickens, cows and pigs will most likely end up on a dinner plate. I am not saying you should stop eating meat. But why do they have to live their short lives in such horrific conditions?

I am sure many of you are thinking, "Well I buy Free Range Chickens?" Please don't be fooled by these labels in grocery stores. Free Range only covers their like of the farm and it isn't like these animals are grazing in the pasture.

I never try to push being vegetarian on anyone because I feel it is a difficult personal choice. Okay- so maybe I push my husband a little. Sorry Pete. I just want people to be informed about the practices in this industry. Just because we don't know it happens, or ignore the fact that it happens, does not mean it doesn't happen. It is only the consumers who have the power to change this industry.

So my answer is yes I am shocked at the horrible conditions of puppy mills. But I am equally shocked about the conditions that these other animals live in as well. and I doubt Oprah will be doing a special on them.

How To Choose The Sex Of Your Baby...yes it is possible

I am back with another book review! For this one, I have selected "How To Choose The Sex Of Your Baby" by Landrum Shettles MD, PhD and David Rorvik. This is a book I actually bought and read for the first time before I was even married (can you say baby obsessed weirdo?) I just heard about this somewhere at the time and couldn't wait to get my hands on this book. So I read it then and it has been collecting dust on my shelf for a few years...so I decided to share the info with all of you :)

I am wondering if anyone else has even heard of this or maybe tried it for any of their pregnancies (if so, did it work?) Enjoy!!





How To Choose The Sex of Your Baby
By: Landrum B. Shettles, M.D., Ph.D. and David M. Rorvik

The Shettles Method of sex selection has had over 30 years of success. It was developed in the 1960s and refined continually since then. It has been used by millions of couples worldwide with consistently good results. The success rate of this method is at least 75% for couples seeking a girl and 80% for couples seeking a boy. The instructions are not without failures; however it does significantly increase your chances of having a child of the sex you desire. (Considering the chances are 50/50 if you do nothing.)

OBVIOUSLY IT IS NOT FAIL SAFE, SO THE AUTHORS RECOMMEND THAT YOU ONLY TRY THEIR SEX SELECTION METHOD IF YOU WOULD BE HAPPY WITH ANOTHER BABY, NO MATTER WHAT THE SEX. A HEALTHY BABY SHOULD NOT BE CONSIDERED A FAILURE.

The results of this sex selection method are satisfied parents, happy and healthy children, & smaller better balanced families.

A few interesting thoughts from hundreds of years ago regarding sex selection:
1. It was thought that women had 2 uteruses-one made boys and the other made girls
2. It was thought that a sperm from the man’s right testicle would make a boy and one from the right would make a girl (they would tie a string around the one that they did not want to use that time)
3. If you wanted to have a boy, you should wear men’s clothes during sex
4. If you wanted a boy, you should sleep with a boy in your bed on the wedding night (the boy would be in the bed while they were trying to conceive)
5. If you wanted to have a boy, you should sleep with an axe in your bed
6. If you wanted a girl, you should eat a lot of sweets during your pregnancy

The Facts of Life (How to Make a Baby):
Your sex cells contain half the number of chromosomes (23) that other cells have (46). When the egg and sperm combine, they form into pairs and form the nucleus of a new cell in a new human life. The average menstrual cycle lasts 28 days & ovulation occurs about midway through on day 14. One male ejaculate may contain 1 billion sperm, but only a few hundred will get to the egg. The egg and sperm meet in the upper portion of the fallopian tube and once one gets in, all others are locked out. The sex of the baby depends on the sperm. The egg always contributes an X and the sperm may contribute an X or a Y. XX equals a girl and XY equals a boy.

More about sperm:
*Y (boy producing sperm)-smaller & more compact, faster
*X (girl producing sperm)-bigger & bulkier, better staying power
*The average man has more male producing sperm in their ejaculate
*When fluids of the vagina are acidic-the female producing sperm survive longer
*When fluids of the vagina are alkaline-the male producing sperm survive longer

TIMING IS THE MOST CRUCIAL ELEMENT TO SEX SELECTION! Also it is very important to study both the boy and girl methods to see what you should and should not be doing.

How to successfully use the Shettles method
First determine the time of ovulation! Your cycle begins with the 1st day of bleeding. All women are different (and some may vary from month to month). You can determine when you ovulate by 3 methods.

Cervical Mucus (CM)-most predictable, lowest cost
Basal Body Temperature (BBT)-very helpful for women who have irregular cycles
Ovulation Predictor Kits-very expensive, do not use for sex selection alone but can be used to check your information from the other 2 sources-not necessary at all but some people like them

How to observe your CM: observe the cervical mucus at various times during your cycle; it will be thicker, cloudier, and less abundant earlier in your cycle and will become thin, transparent and elastic at the time of ovulation. Can be done with a tissue, don’t need an internal exam. Chart your results over a few (at least 3) months to find when you ovulate. Keep in mind that stress, illness, or change in diet can affect your CM.
Note: YOU CAN NOT USE THE BIRTH CONROL PILL DURING THIS TIME BECAUSE IT INTERFERES WITH THE CM AND YOU SHOULD BE OFF THE PILL FOR 6 MONTHS BEFORE TYRING TO GET PREGNANT. ALSO DO NOT USE ANY CONTRACEPTIVE FOAMS OR JELLIES –ONLY USE CONDOMS AND WATER BASED LUBRICANTS.

How to take your BBT: you will need to buy a BBT thermometer (aka an ovulation thermometer), take your temperature every morning before getting up or doing anything. Your body temperature will shift abruptly upward about the time that ovulation is occurring. Keep a chart from 97.0 to 99.0 including every tenth of a degree in between so you can tell when the sudden upward temperature shift occurs. Maintain a regular diet, sleeping, and eating regimen for most accurate results.

How to use ovulation predictor kits: Read the directions!! These kits do not detect ovulation; they detect the surge of a certain hormone which precedes ovulation. They are not easy to use and are not “magic”. They are also very expensive and the information will not be more helpful than the CM and BBT charts.

Trying for a boy:
*have sex from 24 hours before ovulation up to 12 hours past ovulation
*intercourse closer to ovulation favors the faster and less robust boy sperm because the cervical mucus present is less acidic and more slippery to help them reach the egg more quickly
*position-deep penetration from the rear, “doggy style” will deposit the sperm closer to the cervix giving the more aggressive & quicker moving boy sperm a head start
*orgasms-good for conceiving a boy because the body produces substances that make the vaginal environment more alkaline which favors the boy sperm, also the contractions which accompany the orgasm help move the sperm up into the cervix & gives the boy sperm an extra chance at being present when the egg is ready (the woman should have the orgasm before the man)
*have the man wear boxers instead of tight fitting underwear which can increase heat levels around the testes and lower sperm count
*have the man drink a caffeinated beverage 15-30 minutes before sex to make the Y sperm more active
*do not have sex for 4 days before you are going to make the attempt to get pregnant-this will increase the sperm count

Trying for a girl:
*it will take more patience and effort to conceive the girl
*start out having sex 3.5 days before ovulation, if nothing happens then move to 3 days, if nothing happens move to 2.5 days, and then if nothing happens move to 2 days. 2 days is the cut off!
*to increase your chances, have sex everyday from the end of your period; then do not have unprotected sex again until at least 3 days past ovulation
*frequent intercourse will naturally diminish sperm count which favors female conception
*intercourse further away from ovulation favors the larger & slower girl sperm, the weaker boy sperm will die more quickly in the more acidic vaginal environment & there will be more girl sperm available to fertilize the egg
*position-shallow penetration, “missionary position”, will deposit the sperm closer to the entrance of the vagina which is more acidic which will work against the weaker boy sperm
*orgasms-do not have an orgasm during sex when trying for the girl because the orgasm produces substances and contractions which favor the boy producing sperm
*the woman should avoid caffeine for the entire time you are trying to conceive a girl

Things to remember:
-This method is not guaranteed! Do not use unless you are prepared to love your baby no matter what the sex!
-Timing is the most important element!
-Do not try this while breastfeeding-you must wait until at least 3 months after you have stopped breastfeeding for accurate results!
-Go off the pill at least 6 months before you are attempting sex selection!
-Abstain from oral sex during the time you are attempting sex selection!

Tasty Tuesday

It is Tasty Tuesday again and I am here with another Easy Meal for Mommies contributed by Dana from Just Talk! Check our her blog for another Tasty Tuesday recipe. This week is Three Bean Vegan Chili Recipe. Can you say YUM!



Three Bean Vegan Chili Recipe
Ingredients

1 package Morning Star Meal Starters (or any ground meat replacement)
1 14.5 oz can of Black Beans
1 14.5 oz can of Red Kidney Beans
1 14.5 oz can of Pinto Beans
1 14.5 oz can of Corn (No Salt Added)
1 28 oz can of Diced Tomatoes
1 28 oz can of Tomato Sauce
1 Medium Size Green Bell Pepper (cored, seeded, and diced)
1 Small Size Red pepper (cored, seeded, and diced)
1 Large Yellow Onion
2 - 4 Cloves of garlic (Depending on how much garlic you like)
4 TBLS Chili Powder
Cayenne Pepper to taste
Black Pepper & Salt to taste

Olive Oil

Preparation

Dice up the veggies first, because the cooking will go fast.
On medium high heat, heat up some olive oil, then saute the onions, then the garlic and bell pepper.
Throw in the Meal Starter/meat replacement (still frozen is fine), and let it brown. Add 2 TBLS of chili powder. Add black pepper and salt to taste.
Now add in the beans and corn, one can at a time, stirring as you go along, making sure the bottom doesn’t stick and burn.
Add 2 more TBLS chili powder and cayenne pepper. Spice it up nice!
Add the Diced tomatoes, stir, and then add in the tomato sauce.

Lower the heat and let it simmer for 30 minutes. You can actually eat it right away (prep and cooking time: 10-15 minutes) or you can simmer it for 30 minutes, an hour or more. The longer it simmers, the better the flavors will all mix together. Taste it and spice it as needed. You may need to add more/less Chili Powder, it depends on your tastes.

Top with your favorite salsa and vegan sour cream & Enjoy!

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Milestone Monday

It is so exciting to watch your little one achieve different milestones. I must admit I have a tendency to worry that Eliza is behind- but I usually push those fears aside knowing that each child is different and develops at his/her own rate. I found this list of milestone at iVillage and decided to see which ones Eliza has reached.

Keeps head level when pulled to sitting position

I checked and her head still lags back a bit. I am sure it will get stronger before too long.

Makes some vowel-consonant sounds

A fellow mommy texted me the other night about this milestone. Apparently her friend's baby has been saying ba and da since 4 1./2 months. However, my friend's baby and Eliza have not really started making these noises. She was wondering if she should be concerned. I think as teacher we tend to over analyze our baby's development. We know too much! My advice was to her was to relax. I told her I honestly try not to worry about these things because each baby is so very different.

Sits by self with minimal support

Eliza just achieved this milestone this week. I was very surprised that after having almost no floor time due to her hospital stay she came back the a vengeance. She is sitting and playing just like a big girl. haha. I am awe of her new found skill. Timber!

Opens mouth for spoon.

We just started with solids again. YAY! Eliza opens her mouth big and wide for her oatmeal. She also opens up wide when mommy is eating.

Reaches for and grabs objects

Eliza grabs for everything- especially my hair. It is so important at this time to keep potentially dangerous items out of reach. i. e. hot coffee, utensils, anything sharp

Rolls over and back

My peanut does roll both ways. However, sometimes she rolls onto her tummy and gets fuming mad. She doesn't seem to want to roll back- but she doesn't want to be on her tummy either.

Drinks from a cup with help

We have not given her a cup yet. I didn't even know you could do that this early. Any thoughts?

*Yesterday, Pete was holding a cup and she opened her mouth and tried to drink from it. I guess she was imitating mommy and daddy.

Can hold bottle

Does a bear bottle count?

This is the clincher. I don't know if my PRINCESS will ever hold her own bottle. She seems more than content playing with her feet, ears, or hair while I give her the bottle. That is her relaxing time I think. We try to let her hold it for a few second but she lets go.

Copies some facial expressions

She doesn't seem to copy any other facial expressions besides smiling. I try to get her to stick her tongue out but haven't had much luck.

Makes two-syllable sounds

Does squealing like a pig and screaming like a banshee count?

Which milestones have your little ones reached over the past few weeks?