Tot School

One of my busy activities this month has included Tot School! Tyler is 17 months and has shown much interested in doing different learning activities. So of course I have been busy trying to plan a special learning activity each day. I have learned about much of these activities and ideas from some fellow home school bloggers. These activities have been fun and does not take up to much time in your day, especially if you have them all planned out. Some of the activities are simple things like coloring, but even the most simple activity can provide tons of needed learning. Plus it helps you and your little Tot spend some quality time together each day. What could be better than that?

Here is one of the activities I started with Tyler. Something every kid will eventually need to learn.....the Alphabet! This activity took some time planning and sewing and since I am new to the sewing world it took even more time! I found this really cute idea from the Happy Together blog, she is a awesome sewer with some really cool tutorials for you to try out. What she did was make the entire alphabet out of material to turn them into Rag Quilted Letters. These adorable letters are tons of fun and easy for your little tot to throw around, while learning their alphabet.

Here is what I used.....

26 different colored material from the dollar section at Walmart

Quiting Batting

1 yard of Terry cloth for the back of my letters

Bright colored thread to stitch together

I printed off the letters from the Happy Together blog, then traced the letters onto a huge poster board and then cut them out. This way I will always have the letters ready to use for the next set of letters to be sewed or ready to pass along to a friend. Then I traced each letter onto a different colored scrap piece of material, layered the quiting batting in the middle and the terry cloth on the bottom. Then I sewed them together, cut them out and then threw them into the washing machine and dryer to give them the "ragged" look.

Word of advice if you choose to use the Terry Cloth.....when I threw them into the washing machine every thing got tangled together.....it was a huge mess and I was close to tears thinking my letters were ruined after all my effort to sew them together (remember I am new to sewing so I thought all my work was ruined). But I was able to untangle them and cut off the extra frayed pieces and they turned out GREAT!!! I am so happy that I used the Terry Cloth for the back! It really gives them the ragged look and the texture I was looking for.

When I gave them to my son, he instantly loved them! We sat down and went through each letter and he would try in his own little way to repeat each letter after me. Then he loved throwing them all over the place (typical boy) and then bringing me each letter, one at a time, 26 different times.....uggh :) It was really sweet to see how much he loved them and it was also rewarding that all my hard work paid off. I look forward to all the activities I can come up with to include these rag letters.

If you notice the K is missing...I have no idea where it went! This was 2 seconds after I gave them to Tyler....hmmmm.

This is the back side with the Terry Cloth

Busy Bee's

Ok fellow blogger friends, things have been a little crazy for Lindsay and I, so blogging has temporarily been put on the back burner for a couple more weeks. Please forgive us, but it will pick up here soon :) We have been busy with babies being born, baby showers, birthday parties, anniversary and much much more! Soon we will overload you all with what has been going on this month :)

Sunday Signing "Milk"

Is it really Sunday already? This week has flown by! I have been so busy with working and doing some photography that I blinked and it was SUNDAY! Wheeew I need a vacation:) Anyways this Sunday's Sign is "Milk." This is one of Tylers favorites to use right before its time to go to bed and he wants his "ba ba" of milk (really thinking about quiting the bottle habit here soon uggghhhh).

It is a real easy one to teach your little one, you just simple open and shut our fingers into a closed fist.

Here is the sign.....

I hope you all have a wonderful Sunday and hopefully this week won't be as busy :)

Sunday Signing "Eat"

This Sundays sign is "Eat." This is a popular one in my house with my son. He no longer points to a box of crackers or a banana and whines. He simply walks over to the kitchen signing eat and I know he is hungry. This is a great one for me because I am having a hard time getting Tyler to eat a full meal. He is too busy playing and running around the house to actually take the time out to eat. So of course my natural Mommy anxiety kicks in and I am nervous that he is not eating enough or getting the nutrients he needs. But I am sure this is just normal toddlerhood we are experiencing. At least with this sign I know when he is actually hungry and can offer him a healthy snack or maybe some more of the lunch he left sitting on his plate :) Happy Sunday everyone!

Learning Colors Masking Tape Game

Tyler just turned 16 months and I started wondering about when to start introducing colors, letters and counting. We have him in a preschool curriculum daycare that at first I was sick to my stomach about sending my baby to a "dreaded daycare," but it ended up being the best thing for Tyler on so many different levels. Our daycare has a different theme, letter, color, number, shape and music genre that they review each month. Since starting at this program at daycare (we call it "school") I starting thinking that maybe it would be a good idea to incorporate what Tyler is learning at "school" with some easy, fun activities at home. I also did not want Tyler to miss out on any learning at "school" because he only goes two days a week (one of the any perks of being a nurse). I found this great blog The Activity Mom that gives you fun, easy and cheap ideas to help incorporate learning in your home. Her kids are a little older than Tyler but I was able to modify some of the games for Tyler's age.

Our first activity involved a masking tape board that was featured on The Activity Mom's blog. Since the colors of the month that Tyler was learning in "school" are Yellow and Green, I decided to try this activity in a modified way to help him with recognizing the colors.

Here is the material we used:

Masking Tape

Yellow and Green construction paper

A big bag of huge colored buttons

I masked out a couple of squares on my carpet and laid out in each square either a piece of yellow construction paper or a piece of green construction paper. Then I put a couple of green buttons and yellow buttons on the paper to help give Tyler a hint to where the buttons are suppose to go. Then I handed him a green or yellow button and told him " Can you put the yellow button on the yellow paper?" Then I would help him place the button in the correct spot. At first Tyler looked at me like I was crazy, but after prompting him a few times he began to understand the game. He still needs a little work with the colors but we had fun playing with our huge masking tape board. Tyler even loved to use it as a race car track later :)

Like I said before I am not too sure if it too early to start these kinds of activities at home, but we sure did have a lot of fun doing it. I am sure we will have to continue to review our colors each day to make sure Tyler fully understands, but I am glad we found such a easy and fun way of learning them. I look forward to trying out many more different learning activities in our home and sharing them with you!

Signing Sunday "Done" or "Finished"

Our sign for this Sunday is "Done" or "Finished" This is another one of those crucial signs that is used everyday. Tyler will sign "done" after eating, playing or if he wants us to stop doing something. This is defiantly one of those signs that has helped minimize the tantrums and helped us understand that Tyler has had enough.

Here is the sign


Tyler did not do this sign perfectly at first, he would just wave his arms up and down. So be on the look out for your babies unique way of signing when they are first learning. I hope this sign helps you and your baby communicate better :)I hope you all are enjoying your holiday weekend!

A Little Extra Spending Money

This month in my Woman's Day Magazine I read a great article about how to make a little spending money! Rachel Singer started a blog (mashupmom.com) years ago and has since written her first book Mashup Mom's Guide to Saving and Making Money Online.

Here are some of her favortie ways to get a little extra spending money!

1. Launch a blog :-)
Blogger.com or wordpress.com, then go to Google AdSense (google.com/adsense) or the affiliate program at Amazon.com (affiliate-program.amazon.com) to feature advertising on your site. With AdSense, you make a little bit every time someone views your ads and with Amazon you make a bit if someone views an ad and then makes a purchase at Amazon. You will only make small amounts at first, but eventually you will make some good afternoon spending money. Rachel reports she makes a couple hundred dollars/month.

2. Give your Opinion
MySurvey.com, Surveyhead.com or ValuedOpinions.com you can sign up to take surveys online about products and services and get paid for it! Typically around 2-5 bucks per completed survey.

3. Search the Internet (my favorite)
We all love to search the web and most of us probably use Google as our search engine. Well, this may change your browser! If you use Swag Bucks as your search engine (swagbucks.com) you can earn Swag Buck Points-called "SBs" redeemable for merchandise like Target gift cards and beauty products. To maximize the amount of SBs you earn, install the Swag Bucks toolbar on your computer! It can take a while to accumulate SBs, a $300 Apple gift card costs 37,000 SB. You can also get a deposit into your paypal account if you do not want the prizes!

Happy Making Money!! $$$

Easy Tuna Casserole

Pre Heat Oven to 350

Boil one bag of egg noodles as directed, 2-3 minutes before noodles are finished add 1 cup chopped celery and half an onion to boil.

Drain 2-3 7oz cans tuna, set aside

Drain 1 can of peas and carrots, set aside

Add egg noodle mixture (drained) to casserole dish with tuna, peas and carrots and 2 cans of low sodium cream of mushroom (or onion) soup.

Add a dash of salt and pepper (optional dash of onion powder).

Bake for 20-30 minutes. Take out and add shredded cheese and crushed ruffle chips to top. Bake until browned.

Serve with lemon water and a green salad! Enjoy!

Daily OM

Here is a daily OM that might help focus your thoughts for the day. This website (www.dailyom.com) will send you inspirational sayings and thoughts that are great. Here is an example of todays, perfect for us moms!!

Embracing Womanhood

When one woman honors who she is, all women collectively move closer to becoming what they are capable of being.

There are many ways and myriad reasons for women to honor and embrace all that they are. And when any individual woman chooses to do so, all women collectively move closer to becoming what they are truly capable of being. By honoring her experience and being willing to share it with others—both male and female—she teaches as she learns. When she can trust herself and her inner voice, she teaches those around her to trust her as well. Clasping hands with family members and friends, coworkers and strangers in a shared walk through the journey of life, she allows all to see the self-respect she possesses and accepts their respect, too, that is offered through look, word, and deed.

When a woman can look back into her past, doing so without regret and instead seeing only lessons that brought her to her current strength and wisdom, she embraces the fullness of her experience. She helps those around her to build upon the past as she does. And when she chooses to create her desires, she places her power in the present and moves forward with life into the future.

Seeing her own divinity, a woman learns to recognize the divinity in all women. She then can see her body as a temple, appreciating its feminine form and function, regardless of what age or stage of life she finds herself. She can enjoy all that it brings to her experience and appreciate other women and their experiences as well. Rather than seeing other women as competition, she can look around her to see the cycle of life reflected in the beauty of her sisters, reminding her of her own radiance should she ever forget. She can then celebrate all the many aspects that make her a being worthy of praise, dancing to express the physical, speaking proudly to express her intellect, sharing her emotions, and leading the way with her spiritual guidance. Embracing her womanhood, she reveals the facets that allow her to shine with the beauty and strength of a diamond to illuminate her world.

Signing Sunday "More"

Its "Signing Sunday" Whoooooo Hooooo!!!! We are so passionate about using signing with our babies that we are going to start a weekly tradition with you. Every Sunday we will post the sign of the week for you and your family to practice in your everyday lives with your babies. Soon your communication between you and your baby will become so much easier, just with the use of simple hand motions.

The Sign of the week is "more." "More" is an essential sign and one that my son uses the most. Whether if we are singing a song and he wants "more" he will sign to me or if he wants "more" food he can tell me. This has been a crucial sign at our house and a ear piercing, crying/tantrum saver :)

Here is how you sign "More"

Up until recently my son did not do this perfectly of course. Instead of taping all his fingers together, he taps his pointer fingers together. This is an example of keeping a watchful eye on how your baby is signing, because at first they will do it in their own special way that won't be perfect.

We hope you enjoy our "Signing Sunday," and we hope that this helps you and your baby communicate a little easier! Happy Sunday everyone:)

Communicating With Baby Signing

Baby signing is a perfect way for us parents to teach our little ones how to communicate their needs before they can talk. Many of us do not realize that our babies use sign language in their own little way all throughout infanthood. Whether it is clapping their hands, grabbing a toy, or pointing to a specific object, your baby is trying to communicate with you and the world around him or her. By encouraging your little one to use specific hand motions through American Sign Language, you can help your baby learn how to communicate their needs in a much easier and less frustrating way for your baby. Baby signing has helped our boys tell us what they want with less fussing, less whining and less tantrums. Who wouldn't want less of that!

Baby signing has been a big hit around both of our houses and it is absolutely amazing how fast each of our boys pick up signing and actually use it to tell us something! We both purchased a signing DVD through Baby Signing Times . These DVD's have great songs that keep your little one's attention, they show real live babies doing the signing and fun cartoon characters to help keep your baby engaged in the video. I started showing the DVD to Tyler around 5 months of age. You also have to continue to use the signing with your baby with everyday things. For example, when it is time to eat before you give your baby a bite sign the word eat and say "eat" then give your baby the bite. Eventually your baby will catch on to the sign and begin to do it themselves. You have to keep a watchful eye when your baby is trying to sign, because of course they don't do it perfect (just like they don't speak perfectly when beginning to talk), they will do the sign in the easiest way for them.

Tyler is now 16 months and he can sign over 15 different words. Signing has been a life saver around our house. Tyler will walk up to me sign "eat" when he is hungry, sign "more" when he wants more of something and the list goes on and on. I have had less tantrums and melt downs from Tyler because he can tell me what HE WANTS! It is truly amazing that it really works with babies. I am so thankful for these DVDs.

We love signing so much that every Sunday it will be "Signing Sunday" and we will post the new sign for the week that you should practice with your baby. You will be amazed at how fast your little one will pick it up! We truly hope that signing becomes the new exciting tool for you and your baby to communicate with each other :) Please share any signing stories with us. We would love to hear how your little one is doing with signing and how it has helped your family.

Chicken And Biscuits

Found a new recipe to try with my "to busy to eat" toddler. It has veggies and protein so I thought maybe just maybe, Tyler will eat it. Here is the recipe.....

1 can of condensed cream of chicken soup

3/4 cup of sour cream

2 cups chopped cooked chicken

1 package of frozen mixed veggies, thawed.

1 cup shredded mild chedder cheese

1 cup all-purpose Baking mix

3 tablespoons of Milk

Heat oven to 375. Mix soup and 1/2 cup of the sour cream into and 8 inch square baking dish. Stir in cooked chicken, veggies and cheese.

Mix baking mix, remaining sour cream and milk just until mixture forms a stiff dough.

Spoon 6 mounds of baking mix over the chicken mix. Bake for 35 min or until biscuits are golden brown and chicken mixture is hot.

The Big Question.... Does He Like IT????

YES HE DOES!!!! Wheeew

Teething Tips

Teething has taken over both our households these past two weeks. This whole teething thing is awful and makes me feel so horrible that my baby has to suffer through the pain. When I go to heaven someday, I think I will ask to be on the committee for revision of babies. That way I can request that babies be born with a full set of teeth that are soft (so they don't hurt us breastfeeding) and gradually get hard and stronger as they get older. Personally, I think this is a great idea :) Anyways, well this whole teething thing has me wonder what works for you? I also want to give you mommy's out there they signs and symptoms and some helpful tricks to help ease the pain.

First off let me start off with the bad news......there are 20 primary teeth that our babies precious gums will have to cut through. This is actually 12 less than the full set of 32 teeth that us adults have. Meaning later in life there will be 12 more teeth for our kids to suffer through. Your baby should have their full set by age 2 or 3. Here is a chart I found that tells us what teeth we can expect to see at a certain age.

Age	Teeth	Position
6 to 7 months	Incisors	Two central bottom & Two central top teeth.
7 to 9 months	Two more incisors	Top & bottom; making four top & four bottom teeth in all.
10 to 14 months	First molars	Double teeth for chewing
15 to 18 months	Canines	The pointed teeth or “fangs”
2 to 3 years	Second molars	The second set of double teeth at the back

Here are the signs and symptoms that you might find your baby going through.

• Irritability
• Drooling
• Cough
• Chin Rash
• Biting and Gnawing
• Cheek rub or Ear Pulling
• Diarrhea
• Low Grade Fever
• Cold Like Symptoms

There are many ways to help your little one's bare through the pain. Every baby will be different in what works for them in helping sooth their discomfort.

• Buy teething rings and freeze them. Some babies love these rings because chewing on the cold helps numb the pain temporarily.
• Wet a wash cloth and put them in your freezer. This worked wonders for Tyler. The wash cloth always was frozen but not to frozen to where he did not want to hold it in his hand. He would suck on the wash cloth for a good 30 mins.
• Pressing your finger (after washing them of course) against your baby's gums. The pressure helps with the pain, but only temporarily.
• Mesh feeders with frozen fruit. These mesh feeders make it easy for your baby to suck on a frozen part of a banana, mango or other soft fruit without you having to worry about choking (with supervision of course). You can also make a tray full of apple juice ice cubes and put the cubes in the mesh bag for your little one to enjoy. We love the mesh bag in our house, it is a life saver.
• Hylands Homeopathic Teething Tablets. These tablets are 100% natural and dissolve instantly in you babies mouth. I SWEAR by these tablets! They worked instantly for Tyler. Every time he was fussy from teething we popped a few of these tablets in and he seemed instantly relieved.
• Numbing gel like Oraljel. Placing some of the numbing gel on your baby's gums will temporarily numb where the tooth is coming in and help ease the pain.
• Good old Tylenol or Ibuprofen. For those really fussy days try giving you baby a dose of Tylenol or Ibuprofen (according to your doctors proper dosage for your baby). This will help act as a mild pain reliever and help take the edge off the pain. This always worked well at night with Tyler when he was up more during the night due to the pain.

Teething is just a part of growing up unfortunately. Thankfully there are some things you can do to help your baby get through it. You will just have to try a combination of tricks to find out what works best for you and your baby. If you have any suggestions or home remedies that worked well for your baby, please comment below and share with all of us so we can all get through this teething together.

Mommy Sanity Saving Website

I found an awesome website for all us busy mommies out there! This website has everything you need from baby stuff to baby toys to household needs (they even have organic products whoop whoop!). I know that us busy moms do not always have time to go to the store or we purely hate the hassle of packing a diaper bag for the unexpected blow outs, bringing snacks as bribery to keep our kids quiet and of course the sweat wrenching work out of loading each kid up into the car and strapping them down. This site will help all of us mom's keep our sanity and enjoy having everything we need for our home delivered right to our front door! Enjoy!

Nursing Tips

Go to this website (http://www.pesihealthcare.com/) and sign up for free weekly emails of nursing tips....They are general, but can apply to whatever type of nurse you are. Sometimes it is a nice reminder why I became a nurse. Here is an example of this weeks tip.

Most people agree that the healthcare system needs to change. Many of us would welcome a change so long as we are not the ones who have to make the change and so long as it does not affect us too closely. Change is difficult. We all resist change. Even if we can clearly see a desired result, such as losing weight, it is still difficult to be in the process and persevere to its completion. The changes that you want to see happen in the healthcare system are not just going to happen automatically or by someone else's initiative, you must be the change you want to see happen if you wish to give better care to all of your patients. You must start by giving better care to all of your patients and become involved with the people and the organizations that can further your cause. Make no doubt about it, the change must begin with you. Change is difficult. There will be many times when you want to give up, but perseverance is necessary and will be rewarded in the long run. Keep the end result (your goal) right in front of you every day by writing out your goal every day. This action helps to keep your focused, and at the same time, helps you to ignore the distractions that keep you from your goal.

Twice Baked Potatoes.

I tried this recipe for Twice Baked Potatoes the other night and they turned out great! We had them as a side dish with Tri Tip and some Watermelon. A perfect end of the summer meal! Hope you and your family enjoy!

4 Large baking potatoes

1 cup Real Bacon Bits

1 cup Sour Cream

1/2 cup milk

4 tablespoons of butter

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon pepper

1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

8 green onions, chopped

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Bake potatoes in preheated oven for 1 hour. When done allow them to cool for 10min. Slice potatoes in half lengthwise and scoop out the mash into a large bowl. Save the skins and place onto a cookie sheet. In the large bowl with the potatoes mash add the sour cream, milk, butter, salt, pepper, 1/2 cup of the cheese and 1/2 cup of the green onions. Mix all together or blend until creamy. Spoon the mixture into the potato skins. Top each with remaining cheese, green onions and bacon. Then Bake skins for another 15min.

Want to see recalls for infant products?

Sign up for free email recalls on everything baby/infant/child at http://www.cpsc.gov/

Track your CEUs/Classes

Here is a great website for come CEUs plus a nice bonus (free once you sign up for a free account) it will track and organize all your CEUs. So when it is time to see what classes and CEUs you did for the year you can log in and scroll from lets say June 2009 to June 2010 and it will pull all your CEUs up! I come home right away after a class and enter them it so I can keep track. Try it out!

Go to http://www.medscape.com/nurses

Click on the medscapeCMN link (top left corner)

From here you will see the CE TRACKER to get started.

Childhood Vaccines

So this is one of the first decisions you have to make when your baby is born. They will receive their first dose of Hep B in the hospital prior to discharge, that is if you sign a consent. It is our responsibility as parents to be informed of each vaccine, what it is made of, and the potential side effects as well as how common, rare, or serious the disease it if your child should get sick (from not being vaccinated).

The Vaccine Book:Making the Right Decision for Your Child (Sears) is a wonderful educational book to allow you to make informed decisions about your child's health.

I choose to use his alternate scheduled (with some of my own variations) of vaccines for a couple reasons. I know the research is out there NOT linking vaccines to autism (having worked for an institute providing care for autistic children back in college I am very educated on this fact); however there is still some speculation. Thimerosal has been removed from all vaccines since 2001 (trace amounts remain in flu shots). With that slight possibility and the mere truth that autism is more prevalent in boys caused me some concerns. The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) schedule has kids getting up to seven shots in one visit!! That is crazy! And unnecessary. I did not want to put my son through the trauma and possible side effects of all those vaccines at one time.

Did you know that by the time your child is 18 years old they will get around 50 shots (including boosters), compared to 11 for when we were children (1980s). Yes, this means children are getting protected against a greater number of potentially deadly diseases.

This was a hard decision for my husband and I because of course we want our son protected from possible deadly diseases, but we also didn't want him receiving so many shots during his visits. We were happy to bring him back more often just for a "shot visit." He will be slightly delayed in some that are not needed at this time and/or are pretty much nonexistant diseases in the US, but he will be all up to date with the AAP scheduled by the time he is 2 years old.

For example, Polio which hasn't been seen in the USA for over 25 years it is not necessary (per DR. Sears) to vaccinate at 2 months old, you can wait until age 1 or 2. Hepatitis B is a sexually transmitted disease, so why do babies need it before leaving the hospital? Because the AAP recommends it. No, your baby can wait until preteen years. We did decide to go ahead with this when my son was born, some of the variations we made. And the Measles, Mumps and Rubella (MMR) is usually given at age 1, along with the chicken pox vaccine and a hepatitis A booster. Dr Sears recommends to wait until age 3 or 4, before entering school. The shot combines three live vaccines, more apt to causing side effects-especailly in young children with less-developed immune systems.

I hope this information helps. Do your research and read Dr. Sears' book. You can also make your own 'schedule' with the help of your pediatrican to suit your needs and the health of your child. For more info check out the CDC web site cdc.gov/vaccines.

Autism Info and Facts



Becoming a parent is scary.....scary in many ways. As a new mother of a boy I worry everyday if he is develping "on target" or if I need to be worried. One concern of mine is autism. An unknown cause and no cure is a life changing event I can only wish and pray will not happen to my family. Here is some good info on autism.



There is no known single cause for autism, but it is generally accepted that it is caused by abnormalities in brain structure or function. Brain scans show differences in the shape and structure of the brain in children with autism versus neuro-typical children. Researchers are investigating a number of theories, including the link between heredity, genetics and medical problems. In many families, there appears to be a pattern of autism or related disabilities, further supporting a genetic basis to the disorder.


Other researchers are investigating the possibility that under certain conditions, a cluster of unstable genes may interfere with brain development, resulting in autism. Still other researchers are investigating problems during pregnancy or delivery as well as environmental factors, such as viral infections, metabolic imbalances, and exposure to environmental chemicals.


Genetic Vulnerability
Autism tends to occur more frequently than expected among individuals who have certain medical conditions, including Fragile X syndrome, tuberous sclerosis, congenital rubella syndrome, and untreated phenylketonuria (PKU). Some harmful substances ingested during pregnancy also have been associated with an increased risk of autism.


Research indicates that other factors besides the genetic component are contributing to the rise in increasing occurrences of ASD, such as environmental toxins (e.g., heavy metals such as mercury), which are more prevalent in our current environment than in the past.



Traits

Aggression
Insistence on sameness; resistance to change
Difficulty in expressing needs, using gestures or pointing instead of words
Repeating words or phrases in place of normal, responsive language
Laughing (and/or crying) for no apparent reason
Preference to being alone
Tantrums
Not wanting to cuddle or be cuddled
Little or no eye contact
Unresponsive to normal teaching methods
Sustained odd play
Spinning objects
Obsessive attachment to objects
No real fears of danger
Uneven gross/fine motor skills
Non-responsive to verbal cues; acts as if deaf, although hearing tests in normal range



Stats....Did you Know???

Autism now affects 1 in 110 children and 1 in 70 boys
Autism prevalence figures are growing
More children will be diagnosed with autism this year than with AIDS, diabetes & cancer combined
Autism is the fastest-growing serious developmental disability in the U.S.
Autism costs the nation over $35 billion per year, a figure expected to significantly increase in the next decade
Autism receives less than 5% of the research funding of many less prevalent childhood diseases
Boys are four times more likely than girls to have autism
There is no medical detection or cure for autism

1 to 1.5 million Americans live with an autism spectrum disorder.
Cost of lifelong care can be reduced by 2/3 with early diagnosis and intervention.

The cost of autism over the lifespan is 3.2 million dollars per person.



If you think your child may have autism, call your doctor.



http://www.autism-society.org/

Baby Bump Reads...

OK baby bumps I know you are wanting to read everything about becoming a new mother, transitioning your marriage from two to a family of three, and learn how to raise a healthy, happy baby. Those of you who are already shrinking that baby bump with your little one on your hip there is some great reads for you too!!

I have read them all!! Books to prepare for childbirth, breastfeeding, taking care of my baby, and the most popular book, yes many many books, is how to get your baby to SLEEP! There are some great books with awesome suggestions, recommendations and examples on everything you are wanting to know about. Here are some I want to pass to you. I have read most from cover to cover and in between, front to back, sometimes 2-3 times. Others I have browsed and returned to later for some tips. So grab a cup of coffee (you will need it to stay awake) and read up.....

Pre-Baby Reads
1. Your Pregnancy week by week, 6th ed. (Curtis and Schuler)
Easy read to allow you detailed descriptions and illustrations of baby's developmental milestones each week. Also gives tips on nutrition and exercises appropriate for each week your bump is bigger!

2. What To Expect When You're Expecting, 4th ed. (Murkoff and Mazel)
"America's Pregnancy Bible," the book claims. Similar to the above book, just monthly descriptions and illustrations. Gives a lot of Q&A which is helpful because you will be wanting to ask the same questions!

3. Belly Laughs:The Naked Truth About Pregnancy And Childbirth (McCarthy)
Very funny book written by Jenny McCarthy showing that even famous beautiful women get stretch marks, balloons to 200lbs and farts uncontrollable while in a crowd of people while sporting a baby bump! A must read!

4. Fit Pregnancy for DUMMIES (Cram and Drenth)
Discusses how to remain fit during pregnancy and postpartum shape-ups

Post-Baby Reads
1. On Becoming Baby Wise:Giving Your Infant the GIFT of Nighttime Sleep (Ezzo and Bucknam) GREAT book! Sleep deprived parents need to read this. Gives suggestions to help infants synchronize their feeding, wake-time and nighttime sleep cycles!

2. The Baby Sleep Book:The Complete Guide to a Good Night's Rest for the Whole Family (Sears)
Provides info on infant's sleep cycles and how they differ from adults, figuring out where, when and how your child sleeps best, co-sleeping, nap-time strategies that work and more!

3. Baby Whisperer (Hogg)
Sleeping, feeding and behavior beyond the basics from infancy through toddlerhood. Helps solve 'accidental parenting' issues such as sleep & eating problems, separation anxiety, and tantrums.

4. Healthy Sleep Habits, Happy Child, 3rd ed. (Weissbluth)
Everything you need to know about sleep and nap-time. Helps correct sleep disturbances.

5. Your Newborn Head to Toe (Natterson)
Everything you need to know about your baby's health through the first year.

6. What To Expect The First Year, 2nd ed. (Murkoff, Mazel, Eisenberg, and Hathaway)
An all-in-one guide to the first year packed with the most reassuring answers and the most practical and realistic tips on all things baby!

7. Baby Owner's Manual (Borgenicht)
Operating instructions, trouble-shooting tips, and advice on first-year maintenance.

8. The Happiest Baby on the Block (Karp)
Great information on how to calm your fussy baby and help them to sleep longer!

9. The Vaccine Book (Sears)
Make the right decision for your child regarding vaccines. Is an alternate schedule right for you and your baby? Great info on each vaccine, why your baby needs it and when the right time for them to receive it.

Any Mommy Reads
1. Pantyhose Parenting (Mauldin)
Common sense principles for raising kids.

2. Just Let Me Lie Down:Necessary Terms For The Half-Insane Working Mother (Ogtrop)
The trial and error of a working mother and her journey to sanity (if that is even possible). A funny, must read for working mothers!

Hope you enjoy your readings! If you have any good reads please post them, I would love to add to my collections!!!!

Chunky White Bean Dish

Chunky White Bean Dish

Saute 12 oz lean ground turkey breast and 1 chopped onion in 1 TBS olive oil; drain fat. Add two 15-oz cans great northern beans, one 16-oz jar of green salsa, 1 3/4 cups low sodium chicken broth and 1 1/2 tsp cumin. Simmer, covered 15 min.

Add a green Italian salad kit (store purchased) and homemade corn bread!

Mustard/Dill Salmon

Mustard/Dill Salmon



Dijon mustard

1 lemon

1 tablespoon fresh chopped dill (you can use dried dill also)

4 (7 oz) salmon fillets



Rinse fillets and arrange on baking sheet

Oven 350

Paint on dijon mustard to entire fillet

Sprinkle dill on top

Squeeze half lemon

Bake for 15-20 minutes until done



For a quick dinner, make a fresh green salad and or veggies and brown rice (I use Uncle Ben's Ready Rice, microwave in the pouch in 90 seconds)!

Tools Needed To Make Homemade Baby Food

The tools you need to make your own baby food.

1. A Food Processor ( I prefer a bigger one to make bigger batches of food, that way you can spend less time making enough baby food for the month).
2. Steamer. Any kind will do, either a multi layered steamer or a collapsible one.
3. Large pot or skillet with a lid.
4. Several ice-cube trays or freezer tubs with snap on lids
5. Plastic wrap to cover the ice cube trays
6. Ziploc 1 gallon freezer bags
7. A baby food making recipe book ( I use "First Meals" by Annabel Karmel)

Super easy! Just make your recipe accordingly, allow it to cool. Scoop into your processor and blend to desired constancy for your baby. Then scoop into ice cube trays and place in freezer. Once frozen, pop out cubes and place into ziploc bag. Write name of food and date it was prepared. Then take out as many cubes as your baby will eat and enjoy!

Why Homemade Baby Food Is Better Than Jarred

Making my own baby food has been a great experience for me and my son. Although many of my friends think I am crazy for doing so, I have found it to be easy, money saving and a complete anxiety reducer, knowing what is going into Tyler's mouth. I strongly encourage every mom to make their own baby food. Here are some of the reasons why homemade baby food is healthier than jarred food.

1. Nutrients are crucial for your baby for the first three years. These nutrients include carbohydrates, proteins, fat, vitamins (A,B,C,D &E) calcium, zinc and iron. While most jarred foods contain most of these nutrients, the problem is how they are prepared. With jarred foods they are cooked at extremely high heats. This is to preserve a longer shelf life. If you were to look at the shelf life of jarred food you would notice that they are good for two or more years! This is when your mommy alarm should be sounding off. Highly cooked food to maintain a longer shelf life means, loss of crucial nutrients that your baby NEEDS. For me, the sacrifice of nutrition for convenience is not worth my baby's health.
2. Since Jarred food is cooked at such extreme temperature, it not only loses most of the nutrients but also looses a lot of the real taste of the actual fruit or vegetable that is in the jar. Go ahead try a bite of a jarred food. Does it really taste like fresh green beans? No, it taste bland and usually salty. This creates a problem later in life for when our babies graduate to full blown regular food and they are surprised at the actual taste of green beans. Jarred food can lead to picky eaters later in life. Stick with the fresh, real taste of homemade baby food and save yourself the headache later.
3. Most Jarred foods contain filters, sugars, salt and preservatives because it is the cheaper way to "fill" the jar. This includes the organic jarred foods too. When making your own baby food feel at ease knowing exactly what is going into your baby's mouth. No preservatives, no extra sugar, no extra salt and no filters. There is no secret and you feel better about yourself for knowing.
4. Organic jarred food is just as processed as non organic jarred food. They just don't have all the harsh pesticides on the fruit and veggies they are making.
5. Homemade baby food is cheaper than the jarred foods. In these economic times, here is an easy way to save money. Check out this chart from wholesomebabyfood.com, it will show you just how much cheaper it really is.

As you can see making your own baby food is way healthier for your baby. I understand the convenience of popping open a jar of baby food. We all love the "easier" and "faster" things that make our lives that much less stressful. But can't you put aside two hours a month to make a couple of big batches of baby food for you baby? For your babies health?

What To Pack For The Hospital

What to Pack For The Hospital. As a L&D nurse here is what would be most helpful for you and your family :)

1. Your CARSEAT! Thats right the thing that you have left in the box in the baby's closet....time to take it out and actually learn how to put it in your car! But please leave it in your car:)
2. A Pillow (they are like gold around the hospital and often go missing). Don't forget to bring one for the hubby too!
3. A Robe ( This will make you feel more comfortable than our uhhhh breathable hospital gowns)
4. Slippers or socks with some kind of grip. Nobody wants to walk on a nasty hospital floor! They are not clean so please protect your feet!
5. Two pairs of Pajamas
6. Full coverage underwear, about 4-6 pairs. At the hospital you will get a pair of our oh so beautiful mesh Victoria Secrets.....but trust me you will be more comfortable in your own.
7. Nursing Bra or tank tops
8. Going home outfit. Something comfy. Remember your not going to Snap magically back to your pre prego size. You will still look about 5 months pregnant (depressing I know). So bring something to wear home accordingly.
9. Chap Stick, nothing is worse than having chapped lips after breathing through all those contractions!
10. Hair ties. Bring a couple of them, because they always seem to get lost.
11. Your hair brush! Its always better if you have long hair to have someone braid it for you.
12. Glasses if you are a contact wearer. The last thing you will need is a lost contact.
13. Your toiletries....nobody wants to use hospital brand lotion or shampoo. Its basically just like using dish soap on your hair.
14. Your Boppy or My Breastfriend. This will be your new best friend with breastfeeding or even to prop your baby when bottle feeding.
15. Your Breast pump. Just in case something happens and your baby has to go to the NICU, you can still start up your milk supply for your baby by pumping.
16. Cell phone
17. Camera
18. Chargers for all electronics
19. Your insurance card
20. Hospital pre registration paperwork
21. Reading material like magazines, or that book "what to expect when expecting" you were suppose to read months ago :) You never know how long a delivery is going to take so bring some simple entertainment for you and your family.
22. Phone number list
23. Outfit for babies first picture and a going home outfit. This is all the clothing your baby will need while at the hospital because the hospital will have them dressed in the hospital tee shirts.
24. Baby Blanket
25. Baby receiving blankets like 2
26. Baby Hat and Socks
27. You will not need diapers, wipes, bottles or formula. The hospital will provide all of this and since you are going straight home when discharged after the hospital I am sure you can make it without having to stop and change or feed the baby.
28. If you are ok with your little one having a pacifier than bring one, most hospitals will not provide one (they say it interferes with breastfeeding.....more info to come on this).
29. For the husband: pajamas, a sweatshirt because hospitals are cold, a change of clothes and his toiletries.
30. Change for the vending machines for your support people ( you will probably not be allowed to eat until your delivery).

Thats all I can think of for now! If I am missing anything, please feel free to add it to a comment below. Even though this looks like a long list, it is still best to pack light. Nothing is worse than packing your car full of stuff that you didn't use at the hospital after a loooooong delivery and hospital stay ( of course this is the daddy's job, but he is tired too, trust me.)!

Nursing Shoes

Check out these nursing shoes! A fellow nurse friend bought a pair and they are PERFECT for us L&D girls! They are adorable :)

http://theswanx.com/BabysFeet.aspx

Breastfeeding Positions

Ok breastfeeders.... Here are some breastfeeding positions you can try with you baby. Some baby's prefer one position over the other, so its a good idea to have an idea of the different positions you can do.

• Lying down – with your bodies parallel

• Holding your baby across your lap, supporting him with the arm opposite they breast he is feeding from.

• Holding your baby across your lap, supporting him with the same arm as the breast he is feeding from.

• You could also tuck him under your arms, with his feet behind you. You will need to use pillows to support him in this position.

• If you have twins and want to feed them together – any combination is possible.

Another breastfeeding aid is the Boppy Pillow or the My Breastfriend. Both of these pillows helps hold your baby at a perfect height for breastfeeding and aids in all of these different position. I hope this helps! Happy Breastfeeding :)

Images found a www. babycenter.com