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Amanda

Exhausting Concern

by Amanda on November 16, 2007
category: The Mom Crowd news

McKenna, Amelia, and myself have all had some sort of health issue this week with ourselves or our children. Ace has had a mild fever for almost three days. We have an appointment to see a doctor in the morning. I was trying to ride it out, but just when it seems it is getting better her fever comes back up.

Ace is my first child. She has never been this sick. It is certainly a new experience caring for a sick person who can not care for themself. I think this is the first time that I have really worried about her health. I am sure I will have much more to worry about in the future. But I am going to have to get better at it, all of this worrying and concern is exhausting.

McKenna

Thanksgiving Plans

by McKenna on November 15, 2007
category: The Mom Crowd news

We’re less than a week away!

What are your Thanksgiving plans this year? Who does the cooking? Do you battle the crowds at the mall the day after? Tell us! Tell us!!

Amanda

A Website We Love: Parenthacks.com

by Amanda on November 14, 2007
category: Cool websites

Parenthacks.com is a really cool website that publishes practical parenting tips from actual parents. You can browse through the categories for suggestions for your child’s age or keep up with the most current tips on the front page. A lot of the tips are really easy to do and they just might make your life a little simpler. Check out the website.

Amanda

The End of Daylight Savings Time and a Normal Schedule

by Amanda on November 12, 2007
category: 0 – 1 year (baby)

In Dooce’s latest blog post, she mentioned the effect of Daylight Saving’s Time on her daughter’s class at school. This got me thinking about Ace’s own sleep schedule being all jacked up. I really thought it wouldn’t be that big of a deal. I thought a week was enough time to adjust. I was wrong.

She now wakes up around 6:00 a.m. instead of her usual 7:00 a.m. I returned my borrowed copy of ‘Healthy Sleep Habits, Happy Child’ so I can’t look up how to correct the situation. I’ve been letting her cry until about 6:30 a.m. hoping she gets the message that she is not going to see me anytime before 6:30 a.m. every morning.

I have scoured the internet looking for advice and only found one article.

How about you? Did you appropriately adjust your child’s schedule before the time change? Are your kids back to normal yet? Did their schedule even change? Any advice for a First Time Mom like me experiencing the joys of an hour earlier schedule?

McKenna

Homemade Baby Food in Five Easy Steps

by McKenna on November 11, 2007
category: 0 – 1 year (baby),Feeding

697290_56953092.jpgYou’re probably thinking, “who has time to make their own baby food?” I can assure you that you have time! Making your own baby food is a lot easier than you think and will save your family a lot of money. There are other benefits to making your own baby food. Gone are the days of reading labels and watching for hidden additives. Making your own baby food ensures that there are no hidden ingredients in your baby’s food that he or she may be allergic to. Serving homemade baby food to your child will make their transition to table food less stressful because they’ll be exposed to a greater variety of tastes and textures. Another benefit to home made baby food is that you can make sure that your babies food tastes yummy! Have you ever tasted jarred baby food? YUCK!

  1. Prep Work
  2. Wash, cook, and peel fruits and vegetables. The microwave is an extremely quick way to cook your vegetables! Try to always buy organic. Some great foods to start your baby on are avocados, sweet potatoes, bananas, and baby cereal.

  3. Mash and Puree
  4. Some foods, such as bananas and avocados, mash easily with a fork. Others, such as mangoes and broccoli, may require the use of a blender or food processor. I like to use my Oster Hand Blender or my Black and Decker Food Chopper to puree my baby’s food. Babies who are just starting out need very smooth foods, while older babies can have more textured foods. I haven’t had the need for a big food processor, although I imagine having one would make this process even quicker!

  5. Freeze
  6. Scoop pureed fruit or vegetables into ice cube trays. Put foil over tray and put the covered ice cube tray of pureed food in the freezer.

  7. Organize
  8. After cubes have been in the freezer overnight, or about 12 hours, pop out each individual cube, and transfer the cube to a freezer quality zip lock bag. Don’t forget to label the bags with the name of the food and the expiration date. You can store fruits and vegetables for up to three months in the freezer. Some fruits and vegetables can technically be stored in the freezer for longer, however fruits and vegetables can start to lose nutrients during the thawing process after being in the freezer for too long. It is best to serve your frozen baby food within 3 months.

  9. Thaw and Serve
  10. You can thaw frozen cubes by placing them in the refrigerator. Please use this baby food though within two days. You can also microwave the frozen cubes straight out of the freezer when your baby is ready to eat. Just make sure your baby’s food is not too hot before serving!

Resources:
For more detailed information on making your own baby food, you can purchase or check out from the library the book, “Super Baby Food” by Ruth Yaron or visit the Super Baby Food website. In the book you will find all the details of making your own baby food, including:

  • what foods baby can eat at what age
  • how long you can store every fruit and vegetable in the freezer
  • how to easiest cook your veggies
  • a really fun toddler recipe section!

Libraries, pediatricians, parent-groups, midwives, and other baby care professionals can receive a free copy of the book “Super Baby Food” by clicking here.

Helpful Tools:

Oster Hand Blender
Black and Decker Food Chopper
Nifty Frozen Cube Storage Option

What is your baby’s favorite food? Do you have any tips or tricks on making this process even more simple? What homemade baby food books do you like?

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