Birthday Boy!

I have a two year old.

And yes, it feels like I just woke up and suddenly “I have a two year old.”
I don’t want to sound too sentimental because I know it feels the same when you have a 5 year old or a 12 year old or an 18 year old (and perhaps even a 33 year old!) And after all, he is only 2.

But somehow, someway when I wasn’t looking we went from this:

To this:

And man it flew by.

As I peeked in on him during his nap on his birthday, memories of the day he was born came flooding back to me.

And then I thought about how little I knew on that day.

I had no idea how hard it would be or how truly exhausted I would become or how naive I had been about children before I had one of my own. (Let’s just say people who don’t have children should never give child rearing advice of any kind!)

I had no idea how much I time I would spend looking at bugs or how excited I would get to see a cement truck or how many hours I would spend at the playground.

I had no idea how fast I could clean my house, how much I could do with only one hand (or my feet!) how much patience I needed and how fast my reflexes would become.

I had no idea what on earth I had done with all of my time before he was born or why I actually chose to stay up all night in my early twenties or how I even functioned then.

I had no idea how easy I had it at a restaurant, or on a car ride or at the grocery store.

I had no idea I would go days without a shower and how luxurious a bubble bath (alone) truly was.

But more than anything else, I truly had no idea how much joy and love and happiness one little tiny person could add to my life.

Happy Birthday to my sweet baby boy.

We’ve only just begun.

Products, Reviews

Wrap-N-Mat

Holly 1 Comment

Back to school time! Unless your child goes to one of those schools with the amazing school lunch program, he’ll be better off with a homemade lunch from you. There is a lot of waste to be made with all of those plastic baggies, but there is a solution!

I recently received a Wrap-N-Mat sandwich wrap and snack pouch and they are such great products!

My son is not in school yet, but we still have picnics in the park and lunch on-the-go, and these mats are great. They wrap up the food nicely, and also serve as a place mat (with fun designs your child will love!) while you’re eating.

From the website:
“The environmentally-friendly re-usable Wraps and Pouches also serve as a place mat providing a clean eating surface anywhere!

The WRAP-N-MAT® Wraps and Snack Pouches were developed and patented with a plastic liner that cleans up completely without any fabric weave or pores that can harvest bacteria.

Unlike a bag, our WRAP-N-MAT® Wraps and Snack Pouches do not need to be inverted to be cleaned but rather lay flat to clean easily.
Say good-bye to wasteful plastic sandwich bags and hello to saving money and the planet.”

For more information, please visit Wrap-N-Mat.

Think about all of the plastic you can avoid by using these pouches!

Natural Treatment

More Reasons To Avoid OTC Drugs

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There has been even more news lately about the danger of giving children Tylenol. It is tied to asthma when given in the first year of life, and new studies show that teens who regularly take acetaminophen were more than twice as likely to have asthma and allergies. Combined with the recalls and unknown long term side effects of these drugs, I plan to avoid them altogether.

But what’s a parent to do?

Use natural remedies to reduce teething pain and fever in infants and toddlers.
I’ve written about many natural teething remedies- click here and here for a list of posts.

Many trusted pediatricians concur that fever is the body’s way of creating an inhospitable environment for viruses and bacteria- thus fighting off these illnesses. Most say to let a fever run its course, but do things to keep your baby comfortable. (Please note- this is for older babies only: we were told by our pediatrician that in babies under 6 weeks old, a fever of 100.5 or higher warrants a trip to the emergency room!)

Of course you never want to let a fever get dangerously high- here are links to some great information on causes of fever, as well as the best way to treat them and when to call the doctor:

Dr. Feder

Dr. Sears

Dr. Greene

Prevention, Recommendations, Websites

Free Shipping at Tea Collection

Holly 1 Comment

One of my favorite clothing lines for babies and children is Tea Collection.

A friend gave me an adorable outfit before I had my baby, and I was hooked. I then borrowed her catalogs and poured over them picking out what I would buy depending on whether I had a boy or a girl. I got my baby boy a full wardrobe- my favorite being the cutest pin striped pants he wore from 3-6 months. He was such a handsome little man!

These clothes are super soft and sturdy and obviously made well because they come out of the washing machine looking new.

They are offering a one day free shipping sale TODAY- in time for back to school.

So head over to Tea Collection! If you haven’t discovered them yet, you’re in for a treat!

Books, Prevention, Reviews

Organically Raised

Holly 2 Comments

Lately I’ve been in a rut with the food I’ve been serving my toddler, so when I was asked to review Organically Raised: Conscious Cooking for Babies and Toddlers by Anni Daulter, the timing was perfect. This book is exactly what I needed to reinvigorate my excitement for cooking.

It opens with reasons to buy organic, locally grown and seasonal food. No matter how many times we read or hear those concepts it’s always great to be reminded, and Daulter nudges us in a graceful way.

There are also inspiring Mama Mantras throughout the book, such as “Preparing healthy, delicious food is my gift to my family,” and “I am learning and growing with my baby, and every day I see the world with new eyes.” These paired with the beautiful photos of both children and food add such a refreshing touch and make the pages stand out from the monotony of most other cookbooks.

Organically Raised is filled with simple, delicious recipes that are easy to follow and incredibly nourishing. Each recipe clearly recommends the season it is best for, and the ingredients that will support your child’s health throughout the year. There are also tips on what to keep in your kitchen, appliances you will need, how to start solids and the best way to expand your baby’s palate.

I have a 23 month old toddler, and he has loved every recipe I’ve made for him. His favorite so far is the “Enlightenment” Eggplant and Red Bell Pepper Puree with Red Lentils. Even though he has tried a very wide range of foods, flavors and spices, Daulter recommends some that I hadn’t thought to serve him- such as Cold Watermelon Soup and Sweet Potato Fries with Ponzu Dipping Sauce, as well as healthy “mix-ins” as she calls them, like goji and acai berries.

I urge you to get a copy of Organically Raised, whether you are pregnant, have a baby, or are past the baby food making stage. These are recipes the whole family can enjoy (so you won’t be cooking two separate meals!).

Perhaps the most important reason I recommend this book is because too often I rush to get my son’s food on the table. Organically Raised reminds me that the most important ingredient I put in his food is love.