What Moms Want To Know

Save Money By Budgeting And Go Shopping Without the Guilt

One way I save money is to buy gift cards. 

"Huh? " you ask.

But yes, as weird as it may sound, it helps me budget my money. For example, I knew way back in the fall that I was going to want some new clothes once I had my baby and lost the baby weight.  So I started buying gift cards whenever I had a little extra money.  I also asked for gift cards for Christmas.  I now have $300 to go buy (guilt-free) some clothes.  (That is, if this baby weight ever comes off, at this rate, I may just be purchasing shoes and purses. *sigh*)

You have to be careful though, some companies charge fees on top of the card, so for example, you end up paying 56 dollars for a 50 dollar card.  I avoid this by reading the circulars in the Sunday paper.  CVS and Walgreens both run deals where you can avoid paying those fees.

This will not work for everyone but it certainly works for me.  I plan on shopping soon, after I hit the gym!

My Toddler's Journey to Independent Play, Part 6

(Click to see Parts 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5.)

We have arrived.  I don't know if it was turning 2, getting a little brother, my encouragement, or a combination of the three, but my older son is playing some by himself now, thank goodness. 

I think more than anything he was just ready developmentally. 

So, I want to encourage all of you that are struggling with getting your kids to play by themselves, the time will come.  I promise.  There are things you can do to encourage it, but when they're ready, they're ready.

Note To Self: It would not hurt to put your baby down occasionally and encourage him to play on his own.  (This comes from someone with experience, I don't think I put my first little one down for more that 10 minutes at a time unless he was sleeping and even then I held him a good bit. I swore I would not make those mistakes with this one, but how can you NOT hold that tiny, sweet, adoring bundle of goodness????  But I know I'll be paying for it in a year or so.)   

What Newborns Need

 
Photo Credit: Siti Saad

I'm back.... I think.  The baby is six weeks old, sleeping decently, and I'm ready to use my brain again.  I'd forgotten how absolutely magical newborns are, and how all-consuming they are!     

When we brought our first one home, we had the nursery stocked with every gizmo and gadget BabysRUs sold.  It's been a bit different this time around.  The nursery is still nowhere near ready to be slept in and most of the gizmos and gadgets are in the attic or sitting on the shelves at Goodwill.

If you're about to bring a new baby home, here's what you really need, in my opinion.

A Swing
I would not survive without one.  I live in constant fear that we are going to run out of batteries. 

A Carseat
This one is kind of a given, but if you plan on bringing your baby home from the hospital, you'll need a carseat!

Desitin.... And Lots of It
Both of my boys were prone to diaper rash the first few months.

A Bouncy Seat
The baby bounces his way through his mommy's breakfasts, lunches, and dinners. 

A Stroller
This has been more of a neccesity with my second than it was with my first.  I need at least one hand to keep my 2-year-old under control, so I use my stroller frequently.

Sleepers
Soft, comfy things for baby to wear.

That's really all you need.  You don't need all that stuff "they" (the stores) list for you to register for or that you see displayed.  What I found is that it only clutters up your house while wasting your money!

At Long Last... My New Little One, Michael

My boys are actually napping at the same time, so I snuck in here to my computer!  Here's a picture of my new little boy.  He's a sweet, sweet baby, even if I do say so myself. 

I'm Still Alive!

Thank you all for bearing with me.  I had planned to post a little more often than this, but I had  forgotten how all-encompassing newborns are.  I hope to get a few posts in during the next few days, along with some pictures, so please be patient with me.  I'm still here.  I just haven't quite figured out how to blog while nursing a baby, changing diapers, and reading to my two-year-old!  Whew.... 

Blogging Break

Our second little one arrived a little early, so that's why I have not posted in awhile.  I am going to take the next few weeks off from blogging to enjoy my new little boy's tinyness and help my older one adapt to his new brother. 

Teaching My Toddler How To Take Turns

I've been working with my 22-month-old son on how to take turns for awhile.  He's still not consistently giving and taking, and developmentally, that's probably not all that unusual.  Still, though, I don't think kids are ever to young to be introduced to the concept of turn taking.  Here are some things I try to do with him to teach taking turns.

1) We Share Snacks Sometimes
I'll say okay, you can have a bite, then Mommy gets a bite, and I point out to him that we are taking turns eating.

2)  Bathtime
He washes his arm and then Mommy washes his other arm.  Again, I'll point out that we're taking turns.

3) Timer
My son is an only child right now (for about 6 more weeks, anyway) but when his brother gets here and gets older, I plan on (if the need arises) to use a timer when they need to take turns playing with or doing something.  I have a friend who uses one and it seems to work well with her kids.  She just sets a timer and when it goes off it's time to trade toys or activities. 

4) Don't Always Let Your Child Go First
I've read this and heard it a million times, but it's still hard for me to take a turn before my toddler.  It just feels kind of weird to take the first turn with the finger paints, or whatever it is we're doing.  But, I know it proabably teaches a good lesson, so if I think about it, I'll say something like, "You went first earlier, now it's Mommy's turn to go first."  He's usually just fine with this, and it does teach him that he doesn't always get to go first.

My Toddler's Journey To Independent Play (Part 5)

(Click to see Parts 1, 2, 3, and 4.

My son is doing much better with playing alone.  I don't know how much it has to do with me working with him and how much is due to developmental maturity.  (Probably more of the  latter.)  But, regardless of the why, he is playing a little better alone.  Don't get me wrong, we still do LOTS of things together, but he is playing independently more and more often. 

The next step I've decided to take is to simply insist that he play alone. 

Here is what happened today that led me to this conclusion.  He awoke around 7, we rocked for twenty minutes, played (our version) of Memory, ate breakfast, went to the library, met friends for a very kid-friendly lunch, and finally settled down for a nap.  Guess how long he slept?  45 MINUTES.  That's it.  He's usually a great napper, so I don't know what was going on, but needless to say, Mommy was disappointed.

So, I got him up, gave him a snack and asked if he wanted to play outside.  He did, of course, but wanted me to come with him.  I firmly told him, that no, Mommy would watch him play from the kitchen.  And he was okay with it.  He played for about twenty minutes with our dogs while I watched from the kitchen table.  

I felt fine with this because I could see him play and our entire day had been centered around him.  He needed time to play alone and I needed time  to myself.

So, I guess we've arrived at the next step of this long process.  I insist, he reluctantly complies, and we both end up a little happier.

Pound Cake Recipe

This pound cake is easy and delicious!

Prep Time: About 20 minutes
Cook Time: About 1 hour, 15 minutes 

Ingredients:
2 Sticks of Butter
3 C. Sugar
1/2 C. Shortening
5 Eggs
3 C. Flour (All Purpose)
1 C. Milk
1TBS Vanilla
1/2 tsp. Baking Powder

1) Cream the butter, shortening, and sugar

2) Add eggs

3) Add flour

4) Add milk

5) Add vanilla

6) Add baking powder

7) Place in a COLD oven

8) Bake for about an hour and 15 minutes

9) Let cool and enjoy!

Tips for Teaching Toddlers To Play Alone (Independent Play Series, Part 4)

As I have struggled with teaching my toddler to play by himself, I've discovered some valuable lessons.

1) Get everyone on board.
Your spouse, your child's grandparents, older siblings, etc...

2) Be patient, it will take time.
Think baby steps.  Independent play does not happen overnight, expecially if you were like me and did not expect it from the start.

3) Reinforce behavior you want, ignore behavior you don't.

4) Find toys they like that keep them engaged. 
Don't expect them to play by themselves very long with a toy that only requires them to press a button and listen to music.  Toys that require manipulation and imagination seem to work best with my son.  For example.... blocks, trains sets, play kitchens. (Read more here about what my son learns from his train set.)

5) Make sure your expectations meet where your child is developmentally.
For example, most twelve-month-olds are not going to be able to play well alone for thirty minutes.  Do a little research and figure out what is reasonable to expect from your child.

6) Have a goal so you will know when you've reached it.
Do you want your child to play for ten minutes alone?  Twenty?  Figure out exactly what you expect so you will know when you and your child have achieved your goal.

7) Relax
Your child is not going to want or need you to sit beside her and text her boyfriend when she's fifteen, although you might want to!  Eventually your child will learn to work and play alone.