As I've mentioned before in my List Rebuttal, I love the show Modern Family! In today's episode (besides the hilarity of a subject that is never mentioned on sitcoms), the Pritchett-Dunphy-Tuckers celebrate Leap Day. Phil's main goal of the day was to do something crazy on this "bonus" day.
I thought that was such a great idea, to do something you would never otherwise do. Phil chose trapezing. I need to remember this for February 29, 2016!
Did you do anything fun to celebrate Leap Day?
About Me
- Chrissi
- Hi! My name is Chrissi. I live in Hoboken, home of the "Cake Boss" and the birthplace of baseball and Frank Sinatra. With my husband, infant son and extraordinary super-dog we are set to take over the world... of mommy blogging (Well, at least I'm trying...they are tagging along!) I love to bake and I share Sweet recipes I try every Sunday. I post every night (or at least I try to post every night!) around midnight. The only time, as a new mother, that I have to myself.
Wednesday, February 29, 2012
Hindsight is 20/20
...."they say". And it's true! If I had known how little I would use things (or in some cases, not at all!) I wouldn't have bought them in the first place. Here is my list of maternity and post-partum things that I bought, but had no use for. Hopefully this will help mamas-to-be.
Prenatal Yoga DVD-I had full intention of staying fit while I was pregnant, so I bought a prenatal yoga DVD for all of the extra time I had. Oh wait, there was no free time! You would think that you have so much time, especially when you are anticipating never having free time when baby comes. But the truth is, you spend so much time thinking about the baby, preparing for the baby and resting from carrying the baby that you have so little time to do much else.
Maternity Belt-this was recommended to me by my doctor when I told her how much back pain I was having. She said that putting this on would support the weight of my bump and take the pressure off my back. Not so much... You need to realize when you are preggers that your body is changing and weight is shifting. Something that hurts now probably won't hurt so much in a week. Also, I have to say, it looks really dumb and is too bulky for wearing under clothes.
Maternity Clothes-Maternity clothes are great as long as you don't go overboard. Select pieces that you can use over and over again. I bought so many clothes that I think I filled 2 big storage boxes with them. And half of them I didn't even wear! The problem with maternity clothes is that it's much easier to find clothes online but you can't try them on. Returning them is a hassle. Anyway, I recommend going to stores like Kohl's and Motherhood Maternity.
Snoogle-I LOVED my Snoogle. It's a body pillow especially for preggos. It hooks around the back of your body and wedges between your legs. When you are pregnant you are only supposed to sleep your right side. Or maybe it's your left. Whatever it is, the Snoogle makes it much easier to sleep. But since this is a post about things you shouldn't get when your pregnant, let me clarify. The Snoogle is great, but once you are done with it, it's impossible to store! It's huge and you don't really want to keep it on your bed anymore because it's hideous!
Belly Bandit-The one thing a lot of pregnant women think of once the baby is born is how they are going to lose all of that baby weight. The Belly Bandit makes lofty promises that you'll drop a couple sizes if you wear this contraption all day, every day after you give birth. I tried it, but it's hard to remember to put the thing on. You are so busy with your new baby and the continuing things going on with your body, that this is the last thing on your mind. Not to mention, it's uncomfortable to wear, especially if you are nursing since it forces you to sit straight up. It's also incredibly expensive. Definitely not worth it.
Stretch Mark Cream-another product promising great results, but not really delivering. Stretch creams say that daily applications make the stretch marks fade and eventually disappear. But no, it doesn't work. You just have to give it time. They eventually fade.
Hope this list has been helpful. Don't make the same mistakes I did and save your money! Stay tuned for a list of baby things you don't really need.
Prenatal Yoga DVD-I had full intention of staying fit while I was pregnant, so I bought a prenatal yoga DVD for all of the extra time I had. Oh wait, there was no free time! You would think that you have so much time, especially when you are anticipating never having free time when baby comes. But the truth is, you spend so much time thinking about the baby, preparing for the baby and resting from carrying the baby that you have so little time to do much else.
Maternity Belt-this was recommended to me by my doctor when I told her how much back pain I was having. She said that putting this on would support the weight of my bump and take the pressure off my back. Not so much... You need to realize when you are preggers that your body is changing and weight is shifting. Something that hurts now probably won't hurt so much in a week. Also, I have to say, it looks really dumb and is too bulky for wearing under clothes.
Snoogle-I LOVED my Snoogle. It's a body pillow especially for preggos. It hooks around the back of your body and wedges between your legs. When you are pregnant you are only supposed to sleep your right side. Or maybe it's your left. Whatever it is, the Snoogle makes it much easier to sleep. But since this is a post about things you shouldn't get when your pregnant, let me clarify. The Snoogle is great, but once you are done with it, it's impossible to store! It's huge and you don't really want to keep it on your bed anymore because it's hideous!
Stretch Mark Cream-another product promising great results, but not really delivering. Stretch creams say that daily applications make the stretch marks fade and eventually disappear. But no, it doesn't work. You just have to give it time. They eventually fade.
Hope this list has been helpful. Don't make the same mistakes I did and save your money! Stay tuned for a list of baby things you don't really need.
Monday, February 27, 2012
Amazing Race Dreams
Bartek and I love The Amazing Race! And, pre-baby, we dreamed of one day going on the show and racing around the world. Now, besides having a baby as an obstacle, each time I watch, I realize another reason why I could never compete on this show. Here is my list so far....
1. I'd need way too many bathroom breaks to make it a competition. I could just see myself 5 minutes away from the check-in spot and having to stop somewhere.
2. I have a terrible time with other languages. It's a well-known fact that I can't roll my "R's" and that's a huge problem in just about every language. When I try to roll my "R's", it sounds more like "gRRRRrooowww".
3. I'm shy about asking locals questions. I think I'd probably drive around in circles for hours before I'd even think about asking someone.
4. And when I do ask for directions, it's in-one-ear-out-the-other. Something in my brain turns off when people tell me directions.
5. I cannot jump out of planes. No way, no how. Bungee jump....maybe.
I still like to think that maybe, one day, this man will be handing me a check for ONE MILLION DOLLARS!
1. I'd need way too many bathroom breaks to make it a competition. I could just see myself 5 minutes away from the check-in spot and having to stop somewhere.
2. I have a terrible time with other languages. It's a well-known fact that I can't roll my "R's" and that's a huge problem in just about every language. When I try to roll my "R's", it sounds more like "gRRRRrooowww".
3. I'm shy about asking locals questions. I think I'd probably drive around in circles for hours before I'd even think about asking someone.
4. And when I do ask for directions, it's in-one-ear-out-the-other. Something in my brain turns off when people tell me directions.
5. I cannot jump out of planes. No way, no how. Bungee jump....maybe.
I still like to think that maybe, one day, this man will be handing me a check for ONE MILLION DOLLARS!
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| http://www.aoltv.com/2009/04/30/phil-keoghan-interview-for-the-amazing-race-14/ |
Becoming a Cheese Monger, Part 2-The Basics
As you may remember, I'm on a quest to become a cheese monger! This is the third class I've attended at The Hoboken Cheese store, which is just such a great place-the owner is very warm and friendly. Read part 1 here.
Bloomy Rinds are cheeses that get runnier as they age. We loved these! We tried the Delice de Bourgogne (which Bartek and I have actually tried before) and the Selles sur Cher. Delicious! The Delice de Bourgogne is 72% butterfat. Butter is 82%...making these a delicious buttery, creamy cheese. Yum!
Hard Ripened cheeses harden as they age. They get richer as they age. We had the 5-year Borenkaas. We learned that the best milk in the world comes from Holland. It has a high beta-carotene content because the soil in Holland is so rich in minerals.
Washed Rind Cheeses are cheeses that have been bathed in a brine that promotes the growth of bacteria, which make them stinky. We tried Taleggio and it was one of my favorites!
Blue Cheeses-these are the worst! I'm not sure how any one can like these. We tried Gorgonzola and Bleu d'Auvergne. The are what I like to call "the sinus-clearers". One bite and any congestion you have immediately goes away. Yuck!
The best part of cheese tasting is enjoying cheese and wine with friends! Our group keeps getting bigger and bigger every class!
*Random interesting cheese tidbit: In Italy, all mozzarella cheeses are made with buffalo milk, not cow milk!
So today, we went back to the basics to learn about how cheese is categorized-Bloomy Rind, Hard Ripened, Wash Rind and Blue Cheese.
Here is our cheese plate:
Bloomy Rinds are cheeses that get runnier as they age. We loved these! We tried the Delice de Bourgogne (which Bartek and I have actually tried before) and the Selles sur Cher. Delicious! The Delice de Bourgogne is 72% butterfat. Butter is 82%...making these a delicious buttery, creamy cheese. Yum!
Hard Ripened cheeses harden as they age. They get richer as they age. We had the 5-year Borenkaas. We learned that the best milk in the world comes from Holland. It has a high beta-carotene content because the soil in Holland is so rich in minerals.
Washed Rind Cheeses are cheeses that have been bathed in a brine that promotes the growth of bacteria, which make them stinky. We tried Taleggio and it was one of my favorites!
Blue Cheeses-these are the worst! I'm not sure how any one can like these. We tried Gorgonzola and Bleu d'Auvergne. The are what I like to call "the sinus-clearers". One bite and any congestion you have immediately goes away. Yuck!
The best part of cheese tasting is enjoying cheese and wine with friends! Our group keeps getting bigger and bigger every class!
Sunday, February 26, 2012
Sweet Tooth Sundays-Chocolate Blackberry Mille-Feuille
I wanted to make something to tie into the Oscars but it was hard to think of something. With all the French things nominated-The Artist, Hugo, and Midnight in Paris-it made sense to do something related to the French. This is a recipe I saw a few days ago and pinned on Pinterest. It's from this website.
Chocolate Blackberry Mille-Feuille
*Mille Feuille is usually made with puff-pastry, so this is based on how to make a mille feuille.
Servings: 4
14 oz dark chocolate
14 tbsp coconut milk
pinch of fine sea salt
2 tbsp black current liqueur (the original recipe calls for blackberry liqueur, but we had black current in the apt.)
2 tbsp blackberry jam, seedless
4 oz fresh blackberries
Cocoa powder for dusting
Finely chop chocolate in a food processor. Separate chocolate. Melt half of the chopped chocolate in a microwave. Place the other half of the chopped chocolate in a bowl and set aside.
Stir melted chocolate until smooth and pour onto parchment-lined cookie sheet. Smooth with a spatula into a thin, even layer. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour.
Meanwhile, make the ganache. Heat the coconut milk and salt until just simmering and pour over the reserved chocolate. Let rest for 2 minutes while the chocolate melts. Stir gently until smooth. Add the blackberry jam and black current liqueur and stir until incorporated. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour.
After at least 1 hour, take a biscuit cutter (or I used a drinking glass and a sharp knife) and cut 12 circles out of the thin chocolate.
Briefly whip the ganache mixture. Put it into a piping bag or plastic bag (and snip a corner off).
Pipe ganache onto 4 circles. Top with blackberries. Repeat with another layer of circles, ganache, and blackberries. Top with last circle and dust lightly with cocoa powder.
Serve immediately or reserve in the refrigerator.
Bon Appetit!
Chocolate Blackberry Mille-Feuille
*Mille Feuille is usually made with puff-pastry, so this is based on how to make a mille feuille.
Servings: 4
14 oz dark chocolate
14 tbsp coconut milk
pinch of fine sea salt
2 tbsp black current liqueur (the original recipe calls for blackberry liqueur, but we had black current in the apt.)
2 tbsp blackberry jam, seedless
4 oz fresh blackberries
Cocoa powder for dusting
Stir melted chocolate until smooth and pour onto parchment-lined cookie sheet. Smooth with a spatula into a thin, even layer. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour.
Meanwhile, make the ganache. Heat the coconut milk and salt until just simmering and pour over the reserved chocolate. Let rest for 2 minutes while the chocolate melts. Stir gently until smooth. Add the blackberry jam and black current liqueur and stir until incorporated. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour.
After at least 1 hour, take a biscuit cutter (or I used a drinking glass and a sharp knife) and cut 12 circles out of the thin chocolate.
Briefly whip the ganache mixture. Put it into a piping bag or plastic bag (and snip a corner off).
Pipe ganache onto 4 circles. Top with blackberries. Repeat with another layer of circles, ganache, and blackberries. Top with last circle and dust lightly with cocoa powder.
Bon Appetit!
Friday, February 24, 2012
Crack and Barrel
Ever since Bartek and I moved in together (5 years ago!), we've had an obsession for Crate and Barrel. So much so, that we dubbed it "Crack and Barrel".
We started off buying a chotzki here and there. Then it was one piece of furniture at a time....the media stand for the new TV, then the side shelves for the media center, then the bookshelf, and most recently after our wedding, our trunk (which serves as a coffee table) and our buffet. We cannot walk out of that store with something in our hands!
My latest trip to Crate and Barrel was to buy a friend a bridal shower gift. But of course, I left with some gifts for myself! One of my favorite things about Crate and Barrel is the cute little plates and little utensils they have and of course, this is what I came home with:
Cute for Sweet Tooth Sunday pictures! I actually had to stop myself from buying other plates too. I'm obsessed with Crack and Barrel!
We started off buying a chotzki here and there. Then it was one piece of furniture at a time....the media stand for the new TV, then the side shelves for the media center, then the bookshelf, and most recently after our wedding, our trunk (which serves as a coffee table) and our buffet. We cannot walk out of that store with something in our hands!
My latest trip to Crate and Barrel was to buy a friend a bridal shower gift. But of course, I left with some gifts for myself! One of my favorite things about Crate and Barrel is the cute little plates and little utensils they have and of course, this is what I came home with:
Cute for Sweet Tooth Sunday pictures! I actually had to stop myself from buying other plates too. I'm obsessed with Crack and Barrel!
Thursday, February 23, 2012
I Heart Snacks
What are some of your favorite snacks? Lately I've been on a snack-binge....not really eating so many snacks at a time, but replacing lunch with some snacks. I've been having string cheese (apparently I'm a kid at heart), an apple with peanut butter and sometimes oatmeal.
Having the same thing everyday can be a bit boring so I'm thinking of adding new snacks into the mix. Maybe some carrots and hummus. What are some (healthy) things you like to snack on?
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| suburbanwoman.net |
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| wegmans.com |
Homemade Baby Food-Carrots
I'm becoming a pro at this baby food-making thing! Today's foray into the art of gourmet baby food (just kidding) was carrots! Another simple one!
Carrots -1st Foods
bag of baby carrots
Throw carrots into a pot of boiling water. Boil for 13-15 minutes. Once they are soft (easy to stab with a fork), ladle them into a food processor, along with a few splashes of the water the carrots were cooked in.
Pulse until the carrots are a nice, thin consistency, adding water as needed. Spoon into an ice cube tray and freeze overnight.
Once the cubes are frozen, pop out of the tray into a freezer bag.
Enjoy!
Carrots -1st Foods
bag of baby carrots
Throw carrots into a pot of boiling water. Boil for 13-15 minutes. Once they are soft (easy to stab with a fork), ladle them into a food processor, along with a few splashes of the water the carrots were cooked in.
Once the cubes are frozen, pop out of the tray into a freezer bag.
Enjoy!
Wednesday, February 22, 2012
How'd You Fatten up on Fat Tuesday?
While I don't see myself going to New Orleans for Mardi Gras in the near future, I still had to take advantage of the last day before lent. We had so many sweets in our apartment from the past weekend. It's so sad to throw them out, especially when you are fat asses like us. But you gotta do what you gotta do. We can't have these things staring us in the face till Easter.
Today, my last sweet before Lent was a bite from each of these Crumbs cupcakes that our friends Kayla and Lee brought over on Monday. Yummm!
In Poland, instead of Fat Tuesday, they celebrate Tłusty czwartek, Fat Thursday, the Thursday before Ash Wednesday. They use up all the ingredients they have in the house before Lent and make Pączki which are like jelly donuts, but filled with ingredients like rose, custard, raspberry, or plum instead.
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| http://www.thekitchn.com/like-jelly-doughnuts-but-bette-138638 |
You can easily find panczki around this time of year in your local supermarket, but as I've heard from Bartek, they are nothing like the real thing!
We all have our own traditions for Lent and Easter. You always give up something you love as a form of penitence. And it's always fun (at least I think it is!) to compare what other people are giving up for Lent. This year, Bartek and I are giving up all sweets (what's new?!), except for whatever I make for Sweet Tooth Sundays and only on that Sunday (no Monday left-over nibbling). Until two years ago when I became Catholic, I had done fasting for Lent in solidarity with Bartek. It was fun to challenge myself then. And now, as a Catholic, I find the deeper meaning in the fast.
What are you giving up for Lent? Or, if you don't observe the fast, what is something that would be hard for you to give up for forty days?
Monday, February 20, 2012
Little Man Will be Crawling in No Time
Lately, Bartek and I have been thinking that Landon is ready to get moving. He wants to move around everywhere so badly! He lunges for things when he can. And he practically pulled himself halfway out of his bathtub tonight. He can almost hold himself up on all fours. He'll do it for a few seconds before his tummy plants into the bed or couch.
Well, tonight we tried to take it to the next level with Landon. We put him on the floor (on a blanket so he wouldn't eat dirt/dog hair) and tried to get him to scoot around. With Bartek's hands used as a "wall" to push off against, Landon successfully pushed around to get a jingly ball-at least a foot or two. Our little man is so strong! He's going to have a huge chest and arms soon!
Homemade Baby Food-Bananas
Today was my second attempt at making baby food. This time is was bananas and you really can't fail with those.
I know some people just mash them up with a fork, but I wanted to make a bigger batch so I used the food processor. It was incredibly fast and simple!
Bananas-1st Foods
6 Ripe bananas
Peel the bananas and put in a food processor.
Blend until the puree is light and airy, with no chunks.
Pour the puree into ice cube trays and freeze overnight.
Once it's frozen, remove banana cubes from the tray and place in a ziploc bag. Use as needed.
I had a little bit of trouble popping these out of the tray, so I just used a spoon for leverage.
**Warning- the puree won't look like a pretty yellow banana mixture. It turns kind of grayish-brownish-yellow, so don't be alarmed by it. **
And here's my little man enjoying his first taste of bananas. Yum!
I know some people just mash them up with a fork, but I wanted to make a bigger batch so I used the food processor. It was incredibly fast and simple!
Bananas-1st Foods
6 Ripe bananas
Peel the bananas and put in a food processor.
Blend until the puree is light and airy, with no chunks.
Once it's frozen, remove banana cubes from the tray and place in a ziploc bag. Use as needed.
I had a little bit of trouble popping these out of the tray, so I just used a spoon for leverage.
**Warning- the puree won't look like a pretty yellow banana mixture. It turns kind of grayish-brownish-yellow, so don't be alarmed by it. **
And here's my little man enjoying his first taste of bananas. Yum!
Sunday, February 19, 2012
Sweet Tooth Sundays-Raspberry Thumbprint Cookies with Lemon Glaze
I think I say it a lot, but I have to say it again. I have the most amazing husband ever. Bartek had to drive his mom home after her flight came in from Poland. So I asked him to take Landon with him so I could take a nap. After such a crazy week, it was amazing to have a few hours to myself to rest! While he was on his way home, I got to work on this week's Sweet Tooth Sunday.
This is another recipe I found on Pinterest, located on this website here . I have to say, their cookies came out so much prettier than mine! I think I may have added too much flour or maybe should have used room temperature butter.
Raspberry Thumbprint Cookies with Lemon Glaze
1.5 c butter
3/4 c granulated sugar
3 tsp vanilla
1/4 tsp salt
3 3/4 c flour
Raspberry jam
1.5 c powdered sugar
4 tbsp lemon juice
Heat over to 350 degrees
Cream butter, sugar, vanilla, and salt in a mixer.
Slowly add flour to butter until blended.
Roll dough into balls and place 1-inch apart on parchment-lined cookie sheets. Press thumb into dough. Fill each indent with a dollop of jam. Bake for 15-18 minutes. Remove from oven and cool on a cooling rack.
Meanwhile, whisk together powdered sugar and lemon juice. Put into a ziploc bag, snip off a corner of the bag and drizzle the icing over the cookie.
Like I said, these aren't the prettiest cookies, but they taste pretty darn good.
This is another recipe I found on Pinterest, located on this website here . I have to say, their cookies came out so much prettier than mine! I think I may have added too much flour or maybe should have used room temperature butter.
Raspberry Thumbprint Cookies with Lemon Glaze
1.5 c butter
3/4 c granulated sugar
3 tsp vanilla
1/4 tsp salt
3 3/4 c flour
Raspberry jam
1.5 c powdered sugar
4 tbsp lemon juice
Heat over to 350 degrees
Cream butter, sugar, vanilla, and salt in a mixer.
Slowly add flour to butter until blended.
Roll dough into balls and place 1-inch apart on parchment-lined cookie sheets. Press thumb into dough. Fill each indent with a dollop of jam. Bake for 15-18 minutes. Remove from oven and cool on a cooling rack.
Meanwhile, whisk together powdered sugar and lemon juice. Put into a ziploc bag, snip off a corner of the bag and drizzle the icing over the cookie.
Like I said, these aren't the prettiest cookies, but they taste pretty darn good.
Giant Fails = FUN! sometimes
We had no concrete plans for the weekend, so we decided to hop on the ferry and take Landon into midtown for the first time.
We had these grand ideas of using a gift certificate we received for this luxe French baby store, Jacadi, and going to Dylan's Candy Bar. But of course our day didn't go as planned.
At Jacadi, we had Landon's outfit all picked out....
Then we walked across town, down 60th Street, with the lovely scent of horse manure blowing in the breeze at the entrance to Central Park. We made it all the way to 3rd Avenue at Dylan's Candy Bar and as we walked up to the door, we knew it wasn't a good idea to go inside. If I had known it was such a ridiculous tourist trap, I would have skipped it all together. And with the stroller, whewwww, that was interesting! We parked the stroller in the back of the store and walked up to the top floor where they had a cafe. Landon needed a bottle and we just needed to take a seat.
Well, "just taking a seat" led to "Oh, let me get a snack" and just a few minutes later, I can back to the table with a Cheesecake Fantasy Sundae-Oreo cheesecake ice cream, strawberries, chocolate sauce and a piece of cheesecake -OMG! Did I mention I giving up sweets (except for Sweet Tooth Sundays) for Lent?
Landon loved playing with the chocolate sauce and getting it all over himself. After we finished our delicious treat, we headed to the lowest level to see what they had down there.
Nothing really piqued our interest so we went back up to the main level and it was like entering the 7th circle of hell. We tried to pick our own candy to fill up a bag, but terrible brats with absolutely no manners kept cutting in front of this. After maybe a minute or two, we lost our patience, and said "Let's get the EFF out of here!" We grabbed the stroller and booked it out of there.
As we were walking down towards 39th Street, we found a Baby Gap, and got the button down shirt and plaid-lined khakis that I had blogged about a few weeks ago! Yay! Finally something going our way!
Normally, we would have been incredibly stressed about how our day went, but Bartek and I found humor in our epic fail of a day. We laughed about it as we were walking back across to the ferry! And Bartek said, "This has been such a great day, despite what happened. I got to talk with you for four hours straight!" What a sweet hubby.
So I guess fails don't always have to be so bad, as long as you have people to share them with.
Saturday, February 18, 2012
Hope Landon Doesn't Kill Me in Twenty Years!
Today I was reading a post on Babble.com about the best gifts to give at a baby shower. While a lot of things on the list were ridiculously overpriced, this one peaked my interest and then, of course, I ordered a pair.
Yes, I have a son. I know, he's a boy. And I know it's not the 80's anymore. But they were just so irresistible! I had to do it!
The reasoning for baby leg warmers on the BabyLegs site and on the Babble list is that babies get cold during diaper changes. When I have Landon up on the changing table and I take his pants off to change his diaper, he gets cranky or cries because it's uncomfortable for him. This is the ultimate solution! And they are just so darn cute. And it also helps to get them at half price with a coupon code!
Can't wait for these to come in the mail!
Friday, February 17, 2012
Homemade Baby Food-Sweet Potatoes
Because of the circumstances of the past week, I hadn't had a chance to attempt making baby food until yesterday. Landon had tried green beans and squash from Gerber. And truthfully, I wasn't quite sure how to make those two veggies homemade. For the green beans, do I take the beans out of the shell? Or puree it with the shell? Same for the squash. I guess I would bake the squash and then scoop it out of the skin. Maybe?
Anyway, I figured sweet potatoes would be pretty easy, and I was right! This is how I made them....
Sweet Potatoes -1st foods
Ingredients:
2 Sweet Potatoes
Filtered or bottled water
Poke holes all over the potatoes with a fork.
Microwave the potatoes for 10 minutes.
Slice open and let steam out until the potatoes are cool enough to work with. Scoop the "meat" (I guess you would call it...) out of the skin and put in a food processor or blender.
Add water and blend until mixture is thin. Add water as needed. After all of that, I probably added maybe a cup of water until it got to the consistency that I know Landon is comfortable eating.
Pour the potato mixture into an ice cube tray. Freeze overnight. Then pop the potato-cubes out of the tray and into a Ziploc bag. Defrost and use as needed.
Can't wait for Landon to try his first homemade food tomorrow!!
Anyway, I figured sweet potatoes would be pretty easy, and I was right! This is how I made them....
Sweet Potatoes -1st foods
Ingredients:
2 Sweet Potatoes
Filtered or bottled water
Poke holes all over the potatoes with a fork.
Microwave the potatoes for 10 minutes.
Slice open and let steam out until the potatoes are cool enough to work with. Scoop the "meat" (I guess you would call it...) out of the skin and put in a food processor or blender.
Add water and blend until mixture is thin. Add water as needed. After all of that, I probably added maybe a cup of water until it got to the consistency that I know Landon is comfortable eating.
Pour the potato mixture into an ice cube tray. Freeze overnight. Then pop the potato-cubes out of the tray and into a Ziploc bag. Defrost and use as needed.
Can't wait for Landon to try his first homemade food tomorrow!!
Art Imitating Life
I LOVEEE the show Up All Night and I feel like they take all of their show ideas from my life.
The writers of the show have to be parents. I feel like they nail every parenting roadblock and misstep. From making fun of mommies who are always in sweats (like myself), to buying a family car, to daycare mishaps, I feel like there is something I can relate to in every episode.
Tonight's episode dealt with Reagan and Chris's first time flying with the baby. Something I've had anxiety about for months. There's nothing worse on a plane than a crying baby but when it's your baby, that's just pure hell! The only way moms think that flying with infants is possible is to overplan every single aspect of the trip. Making sure the baby is ready to nap when the plane takes off, over-packing just in case the baby poops, pees, spits up or drools itself mid-flight. I think Reagan and Chris even brought their baby's bulky changing pad.
Anyway, the show is great. It helps you realize the challenges to come (if you are a new parent, or a parent-to-be/wanna-be). Having a baby is such an incredible blessing, but it comes with its hurdles.
And I just have to say, Landon is wayyyy cute than Baby Amy.
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| promo image from Babble.com |
Tonight's episode dealt with Reagan and Chris's first time flying with the baby. Something I've had anxiety about for months. There's nothing worse on a plane than a crying baby but when it's your baby, that's just pure hell! The only way moms think that flying with infants is possible is to overplan every single aspect of the trip. Making sure the baby is ready to nap when the plane takes off, over-packing just in case the baby poops, pees, spits up or drools itself mid-flight. I think Reagan and Chris even brought their baby's bulky changing pad.
Anyway, the show is great. It helps you realize the challenges to come (if you are a new parent, or a parent-to-be/wanna-be). Having a baby is such an incredible blessing, but it comes with its hurdles.
And I just have to say, Landon is wayyyy cute than Baby Amy.
Wednesday, February 15, 2012
Do You Trust Your Doctor?
After the past few visits to the pediatrician and our visit to the hospital this weekend, I had to wonder to myself, "can I really trust all of these doctors?"
Our pediatrician's office is a practice, so basically every time we go, we see a new doctor. It's starting to seem like it's becoming a problem. Each doctor has their own opinions and it never seems like we, as the parents, are doing the right thing.
At our 4-month appointment, Doctor "A" said, "Don't worry about feeding your son solids yet. He's getting all of the nutrients he needs from breast milk/formula. Don't give him anything til 6 months". Then at our 6-month appointment, Doctor "B" said, "You're not feeding him solids yet?? He should already be on the 2nd foods". And then she gave us a rigid schedule to follow, telling us to only feed him 4 times a day (6-8 ounces each) and feed him solids twice a day. Normally he has 6-8 bottles a day (4-6 ounces each time). Let's just say that the week after this appointment was PURE HELL with lots of mid-night wake-ups and cranky episodes.
When we were at the hospital this weekend, Doctor "C" had said we might want to consider one procedure. While the doctor the next day, Doctor "D", had said, "No, you definitely do not want to do that."
With all of these opinions, it's hard to determine who you should listen to. Do you listen to the doctor that gives you the easiest answer? or the one that you think sounds the smartest?
Although we aren't doctors, I think it's best, as parents, to go with our instincts. We are the ones that know our babies the best.
As for our pediatrician, I think we will start requesting to see the same doctor, not just who ever is available first, so we can finally get some consistency in Landon's care.
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| Random photo of dr from All Systems Up |
At our 4-month appointment, Doctor "A" said, "Don't worry about feeding your son solids yet. He's getting all of the nutrients he needs from breast milk/formula. Don't give him anything til 6 months". Then at our 6-month appointment, Doctor "B" said, "You're not feeding him solids yet?? He should already be on the 2nd foods". And then she gave us a rigid schedule to follow, telling us to only feed him 4 times a day (6-8 ounces each) and feed him solids twice a day. Normally he has 6-8 bottles a day (4-6 ounces each time). Let's just say that the week after this appointment was PURE HELL with lots of mid-night wake-ups and cranky episodes.
When we were at the hospital this weekend, Doctor "C" had said we might want to consider one procedure. While the doctor the next day, Doctor "D", had said, "No, you definitely do not want to do that."
With all of these opinions, it's hard to determine who you should listen to. Do you listen to the doctor that gives you the easiest answer? or the one that you think sounds the smartest?
Although we aren't doctors, I think it's best, as parents, to go with our instincts. We are the ones that know our babies the best.
As for our pediatrician, I think we will start requesting to see the same doctor, not just who ever is available first, so we can finally get some consistency in Landon's care.
Tuesday, February 14, 2012
Landon's Trip to the Hospital
We finally got home from the hospital today! When the doctor gave us the OK, I was ecstatic. We were there for three nights, but it felt like an eternity. Here are some pics from our little ordeal. Landon, of course, was smiling through the whole thing because he is such a trooper.
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| Hooked up to the IV |
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| Landon's little club hand |
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| Playing with his toys |
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| Riding the horsey from the play room in Pediatrics |
Happy Valentine's Day!
Normally, I'm not a huge fan of Valentine's Day. Florists, grocery stores and bodegas raise the cost of flowers ridiculously and it's a holiday that makes single people feel like crap! Before Bartek, the only Valentine I had was my parents. They'd be so sweet and always make me feel special. I agree with allowing kids to enjoy the holiday, give them candy, a rose, a Valentine card. It was really cute, as I was walking the dog earlier, to see families together with the kids holding pink and red balloons.
But anyway, this Valentine's Day was extra special for me this year. It was the end to a terrible, horrible week. My boys, all three of them, were finally together and healthy and happy. No more hospitals, last minute flights to funerals. I was so happy when I picked Bartek from the airport and we were finally all together. I couldn't ask for anything more!
But anyway, this Valentine's Day was extra special for me this year. It was the end to a terrible, horrible week. My boys, all three of them, were finally together and healthy and happy. No more hospitals, last minute flights to funerals. I was so happy when I picked Bartek from the airport and we were finally all together. I couldn't ask for anything more!
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