Resolution Update

Having posted about my New Year’s Resolutions, I feel compelled to update you. I have good news and bad news.

The good news is that my resolution to spend the hour after supper, before bedtime prep, playing with my kids has been wonderfully successful! It can be hard to ignore the call of the email, chores, etc, but I’m doing well focusing on my family at that time. We play games, dance in the basement, play with trains, pretty much whatever my sons want to do. The best part was, a few days ago, my son Tyler (age five) was talking about the best part of his day, and he said, “I know what the best part of your day is, Mommy, playtime after supper.” And he’s right!

Now the bad news: My other resolution was to lose the 12 pounds that have crept onto my 5′2″ frame over the past three years. I had been trying to just eat less. That has not worked out. One of my favorite expressions is from Weight Watchers: If you always do what you’ve always done, you’ll always get what you’ve always got. And so I know I have to try something different. I’ve gone back to the tried-and-true method of counting Weight Watchers points. And I’m keeping my hands busy during the “witching” snack hour after my boys have gone to bed, while I watch tv. My friend Rallie gave me a Knifty Knitter, and so far I’ve knitted five hats to donate to charity! Here’s hoping I can get that scale to budge. Stay tuned!

Make Baby Food from Family Food

We’re all pretty sick and tire of being sick and tired…

But, here’s a quick product mention. Though the days of grinding or making baby food are behind me, this is one gadget I think would have been nice to have.

In my variuous home visits, I’ve seen several different kinds of gadgets, from small pink or blue blenders to hand held immersion units to things that looked like a giant garlic presses with plastic mesh.

The KidCo food grinder is the unit that pediatric nutrtionist Hydee Becker used to grind her family’s food when she was doing a combination of finger feeding and spoon feeding.  Hydee has put every meat imaginable in here, from ground beef to pork chops. So many parents tell me they worry about protein, and the texture of most meats is so tough that many children won’t eat them reliably until they have molars (M was at least 2 before she reliably ate most meats.) For many parents, the protein worry in particular leads to the chicken nuggets that become the staple because it’s the only “protein my kid will eat.” Here’s an alternative.

Feeding your baby the same foods you eat is the best way to teach them to learn to like the foods you eat. Prepare your squash, chicken breast, rice, or casserole, or whatever you are eating. Sit at the table together, pull your little one up to the table, put some of your chicken through the grinder (add a little broth or water if it’s too dry,) mash up some squash, have a little iron fortified cereal to go with it in the first months and enjoy! (This is not a comprehensive how to feed solids, but a typical way a meal with the older infant might look.)

Allow your little one to play with the food, touch it, lick it, spit it out, put it in their hair. Help her pull the spoon to her open mouth, or skip the spoon altogether. This little gadget can help introduce the variety of flavors she will be eating growing up.

What are your favorite feeding gadgets?

Follow Your Instincts

Last night, my son Tyler (age five), woke me around 3 am. He was really feeling badly, sore throat, upset belly, and a 100.4°F temperature. Uhoh, I thought. We’ve been down this road before. Tyler has had this combination three times in the past, and every time it was strep throat. I was sure I’d be calling the pediatrician at 8 am.

In the light of day, with a dose of Tylenol in him though, Tyler seemed much better. He said that his throat didn’t hurt that badly, and his temperature was only 99°F. Part of me was tempted to wait it out. But I decided to go with my instincts overnight, and I called the pediatrician at 8.

When the doctor looked at his throat, she didn’t think he was sick. But lo and behold, the results of the throat culture: Strep! Thank goodness, we caught it early, and with TLC and antibiotics, Tyler will be just fine. But I’m sure glad I listened to my instincts!

Say “Cheese”

It’s hard to believe, but Austin, my “baby,” will turn four years old in a few weeks! When I look at him, I still see a beautiful baby, but I’m sure other people see a handsome little boy.

When my older son, Tyler, (age five), was born a dear friend of mine gave me a membership to a photo place called the Picture People. I took Tyler there each month his first year to have his photo taken. My husband thought I was nuts. Each month, I bought a sheet of wallet-sized photos and two 5X7s. I sent wallets to my parents, in-laws, each of our siblings, and a few close friends. We sent one 5X7 to my inlaws, who live far from here, and I saved the other 5X7 to hang on our wall.

Lo and behold, after a few short months, our family started to ask us, “Where’s this month’s photo?” They didn’t think it was silly at all, and they enjoyed seeing our baby grow as much as we did. After that first year, I’ve had Tyler’s photo taken once a year on his birthday. Then when Austin was born, I did the same: I had his photo taken once a month for his first year and then once a year after that. Each year at Christmas, I have their photos taken together to send out with cards.

I have to admit, I’ve spent many agonizing moments at the Picture Place, and now Portrait Innovations, which opened up closer to my home, about the cost. But in hindsight, I haven’t regretted a single cent that I spent on those photos. They are precious to me.

TIme to make the appointment for Austin’s photo! I can’t wait!

My Sleepy Song

When my son Austin was born, I made up a lullaby to sing to him each night. (“Go to sleep, go to sleep, little baby…”) We call it his “sleepy song.” I think that it helped him to ease into the transition time to go to bed.

Even now at age three, he still asks for it, and I sometimes hear him singing it to his stuffed animals. I will miss it when he no longer wants to hear it!