ipad 2

Soooooo excited to finally have my new ipad2!!!!!!!!!

My Favorite Things!!

These are a few of my favorite things (In my Julie Andrews voice ; ).   The other day I was cleaning up around the house and I realized I was in love with certain products.  So of course I decided to share.  Keep in mind this only my very humble opinion.

Favorite Cleaning Agent

 Mr. Clean Magic Eraser.  I must have five of these all around my house.  I love them.  They work wonderfully and once they get gross, you just toss them out.  One day while I was nursing my little bear, my munchkin was eating his lunch quietly in the kitchen (Yes, I know... there is no such thing as quietly for a 20 month old).  If only I had turned my head 90 degrees I'd have seen what he was really doing so quietly.... COLORING! No, not on the paper we have, but all over the wall stretching from his little table to where I was sitting.  Beautiful black scribbles, from the baseboards to as high as his little 2 1/2 foot self could reach.  After telling him how pretty his art was, then reminding him to color on paper,  I ran to get my Magic Eraser (lol... ok maybe thats not exactly how it went down).  Anyway, just as I thought it would, it came off, and didn't ruin the paint.  Since then I have only bought washable crayons which come off with water, and I make sure I always have a Magic Eraser close by. 

Favorite Facial Cleanser

Mary Kay Timewise 3 in 1 Cleanser.  Yes yes, perhaps I am a bit biased, as I am a Mary Kay Consultant, but it was my favorite way before I started selling Mary Kay.  I've tried so many different scrubs, cleansers,  and toners.  None have made my skin feel as soft or look as healthy as my Mary Kay Timewise 3 in 1.  I feel like I give myself a treat at the end of each day with my night time pampering.  I use the entire miracle set, and rotate between satin lips, even complexion power pair, and now my microdermabrasion set.  Yes there are some nights when I am too tired to even think about a miracle set... but I always use my 3 in 1 if nothing else.  My night time routine helps me feel feminine again. 

Favorite Appliance 

Cuisinart Prep Plus II .  Now I have to admit this was a tough one.   I like all my appliances, but this one allows me to grate cheese in seconds, slice and dice veggies, as well as make the perfect soups.  I used to watch the Food Network in envy as the pro chefs would throw things in their processors for quick salsa, pesto, and countless other cool munchies.  Now I am apart of that food processing elite (okay, that's a bit of a stretch since I haven't made pesto yet).  The only draw back is all the pieces, but since they are dish washer safe... it's all good!

Favorite Baby Gadget

Baby Touch Digital Color Video Monitor by Summer.  Hands DOWN!! For my first son my husband and I had a hand me down black and white video monitor (which we are still very grateful for).  Hubby and I both thought this was the coolest thing ever.  Enter Baby Touch.  The only reason we decided to purchase another is because the first died on us.  My husband is a research fiend and found this online.   I love this monitor.  It has a touch screen color monitor, remote camera, and my favorite feature - baby talk.   The feature baby talk is actually pointless for an infant, but for a two year old it is not only perfect... it's hilarious too.  When I put Munchkin down for his nap, like most tots he's up and out with in minutes.  With this feature I can sit in the office and blog, and with the touch of a button remind him (ever so nicely) to LAY DOWN!! ; ) 

So those are a few of my favorite things.  However, please know that when I say favorite things,  I should add favorite material things.  My favorite things of course are my family and friends,  they are truly who I could not live with out.

The Scoop on Baby Food Making

     Little bear has started on solids.  Hooray, a new milestone!! More like... sniffle sniffle, soon he'll be telling me he wants pantates (that's Munchkin speak for pancakes).  Every new milestone my babies hit is a bitter sweet moment.  I love that they have achieved a new level in their young lives, however it also means they are growing up.  In order to make this transition more on the sweet side,  I've decided to make little bear's baby food.  Making my baby's food gives me a sense of "I am woman, hear me roar!". You know, a sense of pride.

     To all of my working mom friends out there, it's not as hard or time consuming as you think.  When I started making Munchkin's food, I was working full time and I commuted almost 2 hours one way.  I had been given a baby food maker as a gift and it sat in the box for months.  I was inspired to dust it off by a friend of mine.  She had two small boys (2 1/2 & less than a year), she worked full time (with a monster commute), and was still breastfeeding the baby.  When she visited one day, I was shocked to see her unpack her pumped milk and frozen packages of homemade baby food.  I was very impressed that she found the time.  What I've realized since becoming a mother is we make time for what is important to us.

     My friend's advice to me was pick a day.  She made hers for the week on Sunday.  Currently I am blessed with the opportunity to stay at home with my boys, so Monday is my day.  You should then decide how much your going to need for the week, or until the next time you plan on making food.  Next pick your tool.I have the Beaba Babycook Baby Food Maker.  It was a gift when Munchkin was a baby, but you can use a blender or food processor as well.   Then choose foods.  For menu ideas try wholesomebabyfood.com. If you have a baby food maker, it will probably have the capability to steam the food, if not steam it or cook it yourself.  FYI - Bananas get really brown when you steam them first.  Next, blend!  I like to add the water used to steam the food or a little breast milk to get the right consistency.  You can also use formula to thin the food out.  If you add to much accidentilly, try add a bit of baby cereal to thicken it back up.  Last store your food.  I've read you can use ice cube trays to give you perfect 1 ounce servings.  I use little snack baggies.  I measure 2.5 ounces in little wide mouthed advent baby bottles first.  Then pour into the baggies.  I label the baggies with type of food, date, and amount.

     I started out pureeing just fruits and veggies.  Then I experimented with different types of flavors.  This week Little Bear is experiencing cinnamon.  I mixed carrots, apples, and whole grains, then sprinkled just a bit of cinnamon.   At some point I'll make a modified version of what my Munchkin, my husband and I are eating and blend that together.  You can decide what your baby is ready for.
Happy Blending!!