Ten Tips for New Moms on Bringing a Baby Home!

I remember getting closer to my due date(s) and getting the nursery all ready for the new baby.  It seems like it was the longest time ago, but I do remember it very clearly.  Distinctly I remember making a list of things that we would need and posting it up as my check list along with a count down of the days I had left to finish that list in!  Having a baby is a hectic time, as is bringing home the baby!

1.  Get most things done before the baby comes.  I thought I had all the time in the world to get things done for my oldest.  I was thinking "Oh yeah, I'll have 40 weeks.  She'll come late and everything will be ready!"  I was wrong.  She came 6 weeks early and I did not have all the time in the world.  Suddenly, my family was rushing around to get most of the tasks done and I was left worrying that things wouldn't get done in time to bring her home.  After all, I wanted my daughter to have the best of everything and to come into a great atmosphere.

2. Do you have a dog or a cat?  You want the animal to get used to the baby's scent before you bring him/her home.  Have your husband, boyfriend, significant other or any other family member bring a receiving blanket home that has been near the new baby in the hospital.  You are going to want to put that blanket near where your dog or cat sleeps and let them sniff that blanket and cuddle with that blanket.  They will pick up the baby's scent and know that the new addition also will be a new friend to your pet.  You don't want the dog or cat to potentially try to jump at the baby when he/she comes home.

3. Stock up on diapers and wipes!  I know this sounds funny and I know most people HATE when people give them diapers and wipes as additions to baby shower gifts.  Well, I'm here to tell you that you can NEVER have enough diapers or wipes.  Your newborn baby will probably go through close to two packs of diapers per week.  If you have coupons and find sales that are good, stock up!!  If you can't print anymore of the coupons because of the quota, ask family and friends to print it off for you.  You will need both the savings and the diapers and wipes.  Believe me.

4. Keep a bottle of Purel in the nursery.  I learned this while my daughter was in the NICU.  Keep hand sanitizer in your nursery.  Actually, keep one in your nursery, kitchen, bedroom, bathroom, garage, car... Keep one everywhere.  Why?  Babies are prone to getting sick more than we are.  Their immune systems are just starting to further develop and we don't want them to get sick.  We want our babies to be comfortable and happy.  If anyone comes in the home to visit, have them sanitize their hands as well.  Don't let any unsanitized hands touch or go near your baby.  Hell, I even asked strangers to sanitize their hands before going near my baby... Even until she was a year and a half...

5. Take advantage of nap times.  This is going to be important until your baby is about 7 years old. (lol)  Make sure to nap when your baby naps!  You're going to want to take advantage of their nap times so you are able to get in some sleep too.  While you think you  may be super mom, you're not.  Take it from someone who did think that and got so physically exhausted that she actually got sick.  You need to take naps during the day for yourself, you're sanity and your significant other's sanity.

6. Wash the clothing before wearing.  You're going to want to wash your baby's clothes before you put them on him/her.  Wash in a mild detergent that is gentle to a baby's skin like Dreft.  Don't use anything harsh like Tide or any of the major known detergents.  There are plenty that are specially made for babies.

7.  White noise helps.  Often babies may get cranky or even colicky.  If this happens, white noise is great to sooth the baby.  White noise is anything that may be a humming sound.  (Any sound that is annoying to us!)  It may be a vacuum cleaner going, the sound of a static-y TV or even a heartbeat.  Heartbeat bears are available for purchase and they do work.  Babies are so used to the noisy atmosphere of being in the womb and coming out into the world is a different experience.  We often keep our baby's room quiet so they can sleep, but occasionally they need the familiarity of a more noisy environment.

8. Bottle warmers are great, but often you don't have the time to wait that long until the bottle is warmed.  As much as they say you should not use a microwave, it doesn't hurt.  It's important to put the bottle in the microwave at low intervals.  Microwave until the bottom of the bottle is tepid and the top of the bottle is just room temp.  Shake the bottle as much as you can until you feel the temperature be a little warmer than room temp.  ALWAYS test formula on your arm first.  You don't want to burn your baby.

9. Ask for some help.  We know that mothers and mother in laws can be annoying and invasive, but in the first few weeks they may be a Godsend.  We spoke earlier about not being super mom and not trying to be super mom.  You may need the help, don't be afraid to ask.  If you need someone to prepare meals while you're taking care of your baby, ask.  Chances are, they will be more than happy to assist.

10. Make sure your car seat is correct.  Most fire or police stations do car seat checks for new mom's or pregnant mom's.  It's important that your car seat is in correctly and firmly in place so your child is safe.  If you are ever unsure about the way you put it in yourself, it's best to get it looked at and installed properly.  Better to be safe than sorry.

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I wrote this blog post while participating in the TwitterMoms and Lysol® Wee Wisdom blogging program, making me eligible to get a $50 gift card. For more information on how you can participate, click here.

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10 Ways of Making Your Favorite Foods Healthier!

There are days when you want to indulge yourself in something delicious and sinful. Especially when you're trying to watch your weight and trying to eat healthy! Isn't that always when the cravings come knocking? Don't deprive yourself! There are ways to make your sinful guilty pleasures guiltless and healthy! You can add a healthy twist to almost anything, and here are some great suggestions.

1. 
   
   
   Burger King Whopper – I absolutely love BK Whoppers, but I don't like the 1000+ calorie count that they carry along with them. There is a way to substitute the ingredients to be delicious as well as guilt free. You can use either a Morning Star Farms meatless griller burger or a Boca Flame Grilled burger. They're both veggie burgers but taste delicious! Get a slice of Fat Free Kraft Singles and melt that on top. For the “special sauce” use either Miracle Whip or Fat Free Mayo mixed with a little bit of Ketchup. It tastes the same as the high fat and high calorie sauce that BK uses! You can get some buns that are wheat and about 80 calories at the grocery store. Just garnish with lettuce, a slice of pickle, tomato and onions and you're good to go! Now you have a fake Whopper that tastes almost as good as the calorie and fat packed original!
   
   
2. 
   
   
   Spaghetti and Meat Sauce - My kids and I love spaghetti, but the regular version is full of carbs and calories. Since my family and I are trying to eat healthy, we love to make a low carb and calorie version of this. It's quick and easy! Use wheat noodles that you can buy at the grocery store. I use the Healthy Hearvest noodles because they taste the best. Pick up some Ragu Light No Salt Added sauce and some lean beef to add to it. It tastes just as good and the kids won't even notice.
   
   
3. 
   
   
   Craving something salty? This is an old low carb trick that I learned years ago. If you're craving something salty such as chips there are two options that are also very creative and very delicious! Take some turkey pepperoni and put them on wax paper in the microwave. (This will smell a little crazy while it's cooking, but it tastes delicious!) You will microwave them for approx 40 seconds to a minute depending on your microwave and the wattage. When you take them out they will be crisp, salty and delicious. You can keep them in plastic snack bags in the refrigerator for portion control.
   
   
4. 
   
   
   Another great idea would be to take hard cheese such as parm, cheddar, white cheddar, jack, etc... and grate some. (You can also use the shredded cheese as well.) Put about 1-3 tbsps (depending on how big you want it) onto an oiled piece of wax paper on a cookie sheet. You can make as many little piles as you want of cheese. Season with garlic powder, some salt or whatever seasonings you would like to use. Bake approx 4-6 minutes on 350 degrees. They will be darker at the edges, but taste like cheese its. They're absolutely delicious and satisfy that craving!
   
   
5. 
   
   
   Delicious breakfast - Here is an idea for a delicious breakfast that will replace the norm! As we all know bacon is fatty as is sausage! Replace eggs with Egg Beaters. It's just as delicious as eggs but less calories. You can also scramble them so much easier or make omelets! As for bacon, turkey bacon that is flavored maple is delicious! It's half the fat but when you cook it you can't even tell the difference. What about sausage? There are two options. You can get Banquet Light Maple Sausage that is 80 calories in 3 links or get Boca veggie sausage. Boca veggie sausage doesn't taste too much different than regular sausage. It's absolutely delicious! Combine those together to make a delicious breakfast. If you'd like, you can also throw some Eggo Low Fat Nutrigrain waffles in the toaster and top with Reddi Whip and Cary's Light syrup. Breakfast IS the most important meal of the day.
   
   
6. 
   
   
   Substituting your lettuce? When you're making a delicious salad, substitute iceburg lettuce with romaine. Why? Romaine lettuce has more fiber, more vitamins and less calories. Can you believe lettuce has calories? Even though Iceburg Lettuce is crisp and delicious, Romaine lettuce can be just as good.
   
   
7. 
   
   
   Avacado Spread - Instead of using high fat mayo, use mashed up avacado on a sandwich instead! While fat isn't always great, the fats in avacado are healthy fats. They're good for you and your heart. Avacado adds a rich flavor and the same texture as mayo to your sandwich. Delicious!
   
   
8. 
   
   
   Craving Pizza? I actually have this recipe in the “Recipes” section of my blog. It's absolutely delicious and something that you can trick people into thinking is regular pizza! The crust is made with Bisquick Heart Smart and Egg Beaters and the calorie count is low on this entree! Your whole family will enjoy this delicious low fat, low calorie pizza!
   
   
9. 
   
   
   Love toast? So do I... I use wheat toast (40 calories) with I Can't Believe It's Not Butter spray. It's delicious, buttery and less than HALF the calories of using butter or margarine! As I said before, there is still fat in the spray, but it's good fat that is healthy for you. The butter spray also has trace calories in it! Less than 0!
   
   
10. 
    
    
    Dips? Instead of using sour cream in dips for baked chips or baked tortillas, use plain not fat yogurt! While it has a different taste, it's sweet and delicious. You can mix in whatever you would mix into the sour cream for a dip and it will have a great and different taste. It will also be healthier!

There are so many ways that you can be healthy while still indulging in foods that you love. Be smart and think healthy when you want to make something sinful. Keep in mind that there are substitutes for almost anything! Happy Healthy Eating!

From breakfast to lunch, dinner, desserts and snacks, Weight Watchers® Smart Ones® has a variety of great tasting, good-for-you meal options to help you manage your weight. So start eating smart, today.

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“I wrote this blog post while participating in the TwitterMoms and WeightWatchers SmartOnes blogging program, making me eligible to get a $50 gift card. For more information on how you can participate, click here.” 

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Ten tips for a cleaner, greener home!

I have heard many people refer to becoming green as a "hippie new trend" and I don't believe that's true.  We don't have to do everything green!  Though if we take some small steps around our home to reduce, reuse and recycle, we can be helping ourselves, the health and future of our families as well as helping the environment around us.  All it takes is a few small steps in our every day routine!  What can we do?

1. Paper towels are frequently used among households and used in many rooms of our houses.  U.S. households spend a lot of money on these super absorbent miracle cloths and we really don't need to.  They may seem necessary to us, but trees are being cut down at an alarming rate to provide us with paper products.  There are many other substitutes such as old torn up clothing for cleaning or purchasing a low cost set of super absorbent washable cloths for your home.  You can get sets of 4 or 5 for under $6 and help save trees by cutting down paper towel usage. 

2. Make your own cleaning supplies!  Ever wish you knew what went into your cleaners?  Well, now you can!  Making your own cleaning supplies is a great way to make your home greener.  Believe it or not, natural cleaners were used when our parents or grandparents were young.  Some of the "recipe" are tried and true.  They also don't pollute & save a lot of money!  You can make anything from Window Cleaner to Oven Cleaner to Laundry Detergent!

3. Reduce energy costs.  It's very common knowledge that appliances use a small amount of power even when they're plugged in and turned off.  However, if you have quite a few plugged in, as many americans do, you can save yourself 30% on your electric bill every month.  A great solution to this is to use power strips.  Plug appliances into the power strips and just switch them off when you aren't using them.  It may take some time and getting used to, but it can save you $300 a year. 

4. Use green bulbs.  Using energy efficient light bulbs has many advantages as well as being good for the environment.  You can cut out using a substantial amount of energy to light your home this way and can save yourself $20 a month on energy bills.  That's a few hundred a year!  Listening now?  Another advantage of these bulbs is that they last longer.  Meaning?  Well, meaning less and less end up in landfills.  They last 10x longer.

5. Recycle!  Hasn't everyone heard this one for years?  Well, it's true! Recycling has many benefits for the environment.  It saves wildlife, reduces water pollution, saves natural resources, saves energy and saves space in landfills.  If all the landfills get filled up, where do you think they'll make another??  Do you want it to be near you?  Just doing a small bit to recycle does a lot to help the environment.

6. Use disposable bags.  Plastic bags are not biodegradable therefore they can stay in landfills for years as well as cause harm to animals on land and sea.  Plastic bags are also pesky and don't hold enough!   

- Paper bags come from trees.  A lot of trees.  It makes a large negative impact on the planet to cut down the trees required to make these bags!

- Most disposable bags are made from recycled material.  They also hold more and at some stores, you can get a discount for using them!

Reason enough?

7. Compost.  Anyone can do this even if they live in an apartment.  Why do this? Again, less space in landfills, less methane that food waste produces and a better way to plant.  Composting can very much help your grass, plants and garden grow.  You'll be helping yourself, helping the environment and spending less money.

8. Reuse.  Use glass jars left over from grocery food items, plastic containers from butter, cottage cheese, yogurt or use bowls with plastic wrap or a plate over it!  You can also reuse kids paper scraps for future art projects or your own grocery lists.  Take a look around your house and see what you can reuse for other reasons.

9. If possible, sell the items you don't need.  You reduce clutter, find beloved items new homes as well as makes some extra household cash.  Don't just throw things away so they sit in landfills.

10. Wash clothes in cold water!  You don't necessarily NEED to use hot water to wash clothes unless you want to disinfect them and fight germs. (Which is only occasionally necessary.)  Using cold water saves a lot of energy and money.  The only exception is that I wash sheets, pillow cases and comforters in warm water.  They really do need germ fighting!

I wrote this blog post while participating in the TwitterMoms and Mrs. Meyer’s blogging program, making me eligible to get a $30 gift card. For more information on how you can participate, click here.

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Five important lessons every kid should learn.

As parents, we want our children to get the most out of what we teach them and we also want them to get along well in life by what we teach them.  When children are young they're like sponges; they absorb absolutely everything around them and everything we teach them.  Their young minds are eager to learn.  There are many lessons that our children should learn, but these are a few that I find are very important for present and future.

1. Children need to learn responsibility. Some children depend on their parents for everything and that is OK in some cases, however children do need to learn responsibility early on when they want to learn.  Give your children some age appropriate chores.  You can give them an allowance or small reward if you desire, but make sure they don't learn to depend on the reward/allowance and make sure they learn WHY they're doing the chores.  You don't want them doing the chores half heartedly.  Teach them that responsibility is something they're going to have their entire lives.  Independence will eventually be very important.

2. Respect.  I was a child that was bullied and it made my life a living hell.  I think all parents should teach their child respect and the importance of including all types of children into their activities and friendships.  There is no reason for excluding others because they are different.  No two children are exactly alike.  Children definitely pick on others for absolutely no reason, and I believe that if more parents taught their children the importance of respect for others there would be less bullied kids.  

3. You have to like yourself for others to like you.  Confidence is extremely important in life and extremely important to learn while you're young.  It will carry on throughout your entire life.  Teach your children to love themselves just the way they are.  I was always taught that if you carry yourself with confidence it will help you in your school work, activities, career path as well as general success.  Believe in yourself.

4. Parents aren't trying to be the bad guy.  If we say no to something, it's because we know better.  We're not trying to be mean.  I remember when I was a child and my mom would be overprotective -- I would tell her she hated me, I would say terrible things that I'm sure every daughter must say to their mothers at least once in their lives.  I never realized that parents are overprotective just because they love their children and are doing all they can to protect them from danger and from mistakes that they themselves have made in the past.

5. The importance of saving money and financial stability.  Starting early is important for the future.  Teach your children how they get money by working for it and teach them that working and saving their money is important for getting things they'd like to have.  You can start to teach them by dividing up their allowances and birthday money into a few separate envelopes.  (Possibly a saving envelope, a pocket money envelope and an envelope to go into the bank.)  Once they start to see the money add up, they will want to keep on adding to those envelopes.  Teach them that the way they have TV, phone service, internet, etc... is to pay the bills monthly.  It's also very important to teach them about credit cards and make sure they know that the money they spend with a credit card they DO have to pay back.  As a child, I thought a credit card was plastic money.  I thought it was basically free and we never had to use our real money for it.  

“I wrote this blog post while participating in the TwitterMoms and Nanny McPhee Returns blogging program, making me eligible to get a $50 gift card. For more information on how you can participate, click here.” (make sure to link to: http://nannymcphee.twittermoms.com/about)

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Ten Tips for Ensuring a Healthy, Safe and Successful School Year

School is quickly creeping back up on us and whether we're first time school moms or moms that have had kids in school for a few years now, we want to make sure our kids are happy and healthy as they learn and grow throughout the year!  Here are ten tips to ensure that your kids are healthy, safe and successful.

1. A great healthy tip would be to make a healthy lunch that will also amuse them and make them want to eat it.  We know kids are never keen on eating healthy and always want the PB&J, Ham and Cheese sandwiches, Lunchables or they want to opt for the unhealthy options at school cafeterias.  We have been doing "Bento Boxes" around here occasionally for lunch to try to introduce healthy foods, and through my apprehension, the kids ate the healthy options I presented them because they were fun looking and amusing!  There are many resources on making Bento Boxes amusing and cute.  Google is a great place to learn about them!

2. To make homework fun, make a game out of it!!  This worked for me and also has been working for my 4 year old as we were doing some at home work to practice for school.  It has been proven that kids learn better when they're presented with information in an amusing way.  (Song, story, poem, etc...)  And it's true.  It worked for me when I was in school!   If it's information they have to memorize, make up a little song or fun poem that they can use to remember it!  Honestly, the kids will remember it for years to come. (I still remember some of the silly songs my mom used for me!)  If it's math problems or something of that sort, use quarters, dimes or nickles for every right answer!  Earning something will encourage them to actually do the work it takes to get it right rather than to just guess on the answer.

3. Set a schedule! Coming up with a special schedule for the day works perfectly.  It has been working for us since we are practicing for school.  This is our current schedule for the school year that we are going to go by. Starting from breakfast to time to leave for school to snack, dinner, homework, shower time, bed time, etc...  Put the schedule up in your kitchen in an obvious place.  You can use a dry erase board so you can alter the schedule as needed per day.

4. It's important to enroll students in after school activities.  It socializes younger children and teaches older children team work.  It can be sports, gynmastics/ballet, ice skating, art classes, community activities, church activities...  Whatever it is, it will be beneficial for your child in the future.  I have enrolled my kids in classes from a young age and they look forward to it each time they have to go!

5. If your child is bullied in school it is important to teach them self confidence and how not to listen to the bully.  I know if's very difficult to do for a child and even more hard for a parent to watch, but bullies will find a target and pick on any stupid little thing they can.  I was bullied as a child and my mom never taught me to stand up for myself and never taught me not to listen to them until I was much older.  BULLYING CAN IMPACT SCHOOL WORK NEGATIVELY.  

6.  Make your child a balanced breakfast each day.  If they eat too little, they'll be hungry before lunch time and it can distract them for their schoolwork!   As they always say -- BREAKFAST IS BRAIN FOOD.

7. Set a strict bedtime.  You don't want your kids to go to bed too late and be exhausted during the day.  Make their bedtime something very reasonable between the both of you and make bedtime a big deal!  Watch a special show together, read a special book, make it together time so your kids will look forward to it and not dread bedtime. 

8. If your kids are having a hard time learning and you know they're trying, there could be two simple problems.  First, get their eyes checked.  Not being able to see the board and accurately write down notes can be a big problem and big contributor to not doing well.  It was in my case!  I would write down what I heard the teachers saying instead of what I saw, because I couldn't see well.  Secondly, get their hearing checked.  It may be just the opposite.  They may be writing what's on the board and writing what they think they hear, but even something as simple as clogged ears can cause a problem!  

9.  After school, it's important that your child doesn't just sit in front of the TV, Computer or video games.  Get them out for a few hours! Take them to the park, let them run around in the yard or with friends.  Exercise is essential for MANY reasons and most kids don't get enough exercise.  Especially after school.

10. Make sure they're safe getting to school!  If they're riding a bus, walk them to the bus stop or keep an eye on them out the window.  For smaller children, walk them onto the bus until they're seated, if you can.  If they walk to school, walk with your child! Get some exercise as well!  If they're getting picked up by a friend's parents, watch that they get in the car with the appropriate person.  Also, teach your children the basics of not talking to strangers, not getting in cars with strangers, etc...  Safety is vital~

I wrote this blog post while participating in the TwitterMoms and Airwear blogging program, making me eligible to get a $25 gift card. For more information on how you can participate, visit http://airwear.twittermoms.com/about

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Fun Summer Activity - Make Veggie Critters with Scallion Bacon Ranch Dip!!

This project kills two birds with one stone;  A family fun activity as well as getting your kids to eat their vegetables!  My kids LOVED to make these lovely little veggie critters and couldn't wait to eat their creations.

I've learned, over the 5 years that I've been a mom, it is difficult to get your kids to eat their vegetables.  From the moment they're babies, you have to do the airplane to try to get the peas into their mouths or mixing the peas or green beans into their mashed potatoes telling them it's a new "recipe" they can make... Anything to make them think eating their vegetables is fun.  Well, why don't they PLAY with their food?  

What a great family summer project this is!

Break out the bell peppers, mini cucumbers, olives, tomatoes, broccoli and carrots as well as some Hidden Valley Ranch dip mix and GET GOING!!  

HOW DO I MAKE THE DIP?

1 packet Hidden Valley® The Original Ranch® Salad Dressing & Seasoning Mix
2 8 oz. tubs reduced fat cream cheese

Scallions

Hormel Real Bacon Bits

Instructions:

1. Add the seasoning mix to the cream cheese.
   
2. Stir until well combined.
3. Snip the scallions and add to dip.  The amount is your preference.
4. Add the hormel bacon bits
5. Stir
6. Using a variety of vegetables – and a little imagination – you can build critters with your child. 

HOW DID WE MAKE CRITTERS?

LADY BUGS:  Cut grape tomatoes down the middle into two sides.  Take black olives and slice them into small bits for the spots.  Attach "spots" with some of the dip to keep it on the tomato.  

Slice a small sliver of one of your mini cucumbers for the "leaf" that the lady bugs sit on.

BUTTERFLY:  Cut one small side of a bell pepper, cut that in half and shape it to resemble wings.  Cut one half of a mini cucumber for the body of the butterfly.  Again, attach wings to cucumber with some dip.  Use baby carrots for the antennae

Use Broccoli to make the "trees".  Attach the trees upright to the plate with dip as well.

OF COURSE, these are just ideas.  This is how we made our critters.  Feel free to make your own with your imagination!!  

My girls were VERY amused that the dip could also be used as a "paste" to keep the pieces in place.

My girls were so proud of their creations!

And they enjoyed chowing down on it too!

ENJOY!!  Let me know if you try this great project. :)

This post is part of a blogging contest from the TwitterMoms community. There is a chance this post could be selected to win a $25 AmEx Gift Card, so wish me luck! For more details, you can view the contest page here (link to: http://www.twittermoms.com/forum/topics/share-your-veggie-critter)

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