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Friday, December 25, 2009

Teething Baby



Two teeth! Finally some relief for poor Ryder. He looks so cute constantly feeling his new teeth with his tongue. He is probably thinking "so this is what has caused me all this pain!"

Most babies will get their first tooth between 4-7 months. The symptoms most likely to bother a teether are:


• Drooling (which can lead to a facial rash)
• Gum swelling and sensitivity
• Irritability or fussiness
• Biting behavior
• Refusing food
• Sleep problems
• Coughing
• Diarrhea
• Low fever
• Cold like symptoms (Runny nose..)



It is recommended that if your baby experiences any of these symptoms you should check with your pediatrician to rule out other possible causes for the symptoms.

I felt so bad for Ryder when he was going through this. He was just not himself. He had the runny nose, fussiness, drooling and trying to bite everything in sight. His sleeping was affected as well. For comfort I gave him homeopathic teething tablets. They seemed to take the edge off for him. Once or twice when he was in more pain than usual I would give him infant Tylenol. (Please check with your doctor before giving your baby any pain medication.) I bought him the Sassy Teething Feeder. I would put some frozen berries or ice in it and he loved to suck on it. I also bought him The First Years Massaging Action Teether. He loves that toy. When he chews on the edges it massages his gums.

There are many methods to help relief your babies discomfort. You can offer your baby a bottle with cold water, Teething rings and toys, if your baby is old enough to eat solids you can even try cold foods such as chilled applesauce or yogurt. 



Check with your pediatrician/doctor which methods of pain relief are best for your baby.

Ryder has two teeth down and 18 more to go!


Wednesday, December 23, 2009

Breakfast on the go

Breakfast seems to be the most neglected or skipped meal. Eating breakfast not only aids in weight management but it also fuels the body to help provide energy, better concentration and problem-solving ability throughout the day. Parents need all of these things to keep up with their kids.
How does it help with weight loss? Eating breakfast will curb your hunger and prevent binge eating later in the day. When you skip breakfast, your metabolic rate slows down and your blood sugar drops. As a result, you become hungry and have less energy. So what do we usually grab for at this point? Often it ends up being carbs to help fill us up quickly, or high-fat sweets, or an extra serving or bigger portion at lunch. On the other hand, when you eat breakfast, your body feels nourished and satisfied, making you less likely to overeat the rest of the day.
I found a great idea for a great breakfast that makes the prep a snap in the morning. Just grab one and reheat it for a morning meal that contains lots of protein and one healthy serving of vegetables. 


Veggie Egg cups


8 eggs beaten
1 package frozen spinach or 1 handful of fresh spinach
1 bell pepper diced
1 onion diced
1/2 - 1 cups shredded cheese (low fat preferably)
Salt and pepper to taste
2 tbsp oil
Hot sauce optional 
Muffin tin cups


  • Beat the eggs, add spinach, pepper, onion, cheese, salt and pepper and mix. 
  • Oil the muffin pan, or if using muffin cups, spray oil. 
  • Pour mixture into the cups.
  • Bake at 350F for 20 min. You will know they are done when a knife inserted in the middle comes out clean. 
Delicious!!






Monday, December 21, 2009

So worth the money!

So just over a month ago is when I decided I was sick of having nothing to wear. I was sick of feeling fat and out of shape. I was sick of feeling tired. It was time to lose this weight. I have a gym membership and it needed to be used! So I took advantage of the free classes my gym offered. Step classes, cardio kickball, ball classes. They were all great classes, but I found I needed something more. The times I went to the gym and didn't do the classes, I had no idea what to do and therefore no motivation to do it.
I decided I needed a major kick start to get me going. I also needed to know what I should be doing and how to properly do it. So I decided to try a personal trainer. I called my gym and I was astonished at the prices. I could not afford $60 an hour. I started looking at craigslist to see if anyone was advertising their services. I found him. He charged $30 an hour, he was certified and best yet, he came to me! I was nervous about not knowing who this guy was. I was a little worried this big meat head would show up at my door. I was also concerned that he could be some creepy guy who falsely advertised. After meeting him and having heard his strategy to help me succeed with my goals, my husband and I felt very comfortable with him and we were happy with the price.
I have had 6 or 7 classes with him now. Getting a trainer was the best money I have ever spent. From our first training session I knew he was going to be a huge help. I also knew I was going to be in serious pain! I worked muscles I never knew I had. He showed me how to properly hold the weights.  He taught me about being aware of using and strengthening my core. He showed me some great exercises, like running sideways on the treadmill. (So sore the next day!) Having a personal trainer, changing my diet and working out on my own has helped me lose 8 pounds so far.
 It feels fantastic to finally see results!

Thursday, December 17, 2009

So many car seats!

Graco My Ride 65 Convertible Car Seat - Spiral - Graco  - Babies"R"Us

It was time for me to get Ryder the next size car seat. I thought this would be fairly simple. Go to Babies R us, ask a lady which one we should choose, purchase and leave the store. How wrong was I! I was there for nearly two hours. I didn't know there would be so many options with so many features. Yes, features! Do you want a cup holder? Do you want the air side inpact feature? (Air bags!!!??) Do you want to spend $99 or $300? Do you want a combo car seat? (sits reverse or frontward) ....and the list goes on. 

I checked out ICBC website for some car seat info. Check out this site Car Seat Brochure There is some important safety information.

One thing I had to keep in mind is that Ryder was to stay in the reverse position in his car seat until he is at least one. So since that is only just over four months away a combo seat made the most sense to me. So I had it down to 2 options. Good, process of elimination. Now did I want the air impact protection? The new Safety 1st Air Protect offered mostly everything I was looking for. It is in the higher price range at $299.00  and after reading some online reviews it seemed like not a good choice because of its size. My husband drives a small car and it won't fit backwards in it. Another thing I didn't like was the seats cover was difficult to remove for cleaning. This car seat wouldn't suit our needs.
The 2nd car seat we were considering and ended up buying was the new Graco My ride 65. We chose this one because it allows a child to sit read-facing up to 40 lbs, longer then most car seats. It has an energy absorbing foam and side impact testing. It is easy to remove the cover and is machine washable. It is fairly light weight which is a bonus. It also has duel cup holders.  This seat cost $219.00 


Do your research and read reviews when choosing a car seat. Ask the store if you can try hooking it up in your car to make sure it fits. Find out the safety regulations in your area.  The ICBC website states that a correctly used child safety seat reduces the risk of fatality by 71 percent and the risk of serious injury by 67 percent.  


So ensure your childs safety and find the right car seat for you.


* You may have seen recently on the news the car seats that have been recalled. Check out this site Car seat recall to see if your car seat is on that list. 

Wednesday, December 16, 2009

Faking the summer tan



Winter is here and that means snow, hot chocolate, soups, fireplaces and urghhh - white skin! Who of us doesn't wish for the summer time glow all year long. Of course a nice holiday near the beach will give us just that. For the rest of the winter we only have two options. One option of course is to fake and bake at a local tanning salon. This can be a difficult choice for moms. Whether it be lack of time, money or maybe even a babysitter. There are many health concerns regarding the use of tanning beds and many opt for another option. One of the safest and most cost effective ways to tan is to use a self tanner.  Self tanner works by dying the top layer of your skin. Here are a few tips to get the best results.
To use self tanner on your face:

  • Pull your hair back.
  • Cleanse and exfoliate your skin.
  • If you don't have a separate self tanner for your face, then you can blend a few drops of self tanner with equal amounts of moisturizer. Apply on your face and neck.
  • Wash hands thoroughly.
To use self tanner on your body:
  • Cleanse and exfoliate your entire body with a body scrub or loofah. Pay close attention to your knees and elbows (dry skin will absorb more of the tanner) 
  • Make sure your skin is dry. 
  • Moisturize and allow to absorb. (I find putting extra moisturizer on knees and elbows help with streaking)
  • Apply tanner all over body. Make sure to spread evenly over your skin.
  • Use moisturizer wherever you did not apply the tanner, like your hands and feet, then rub it into the self-tanned areas.
  • Wait at least 10 min. before getting dressed.  Read labels for drying time. 
  • Wash hands thoroughly.
If you follow these tips you should come out with a streak free tan. If you still end up with a dreaded streak try my homemade recipe to remove. Salt, vinegar, lemon juice and warm/hot water. Dip a face cloth and gently scrub the area to remove the tanner.

Happy self tanning!

Tuesday, December 15, 2009

Pets and kids



We have a dog named Emma. She is a 4 lbs Yorkie. Emma came first almost 2 years ago. We were a little worried how she would react with a new baby. She is the most hyperactive dog you have ever met! So my biggest concern was her jumping all over him. I was also worried of her being jealous.
I was very surprised how she acted around him. Its almost as if she knew to be careful around him. She would come up gently and sniff him. (She snuck a few wet licks in there too!) She would go and sleep in his room while he had naps, almost as if protecting him.  I was so relieved!
My next concern was the stage he is in now. Crawling, pulling her hair, taking her toys...etc. Again she has surprised me. She runs right up to him licks him quickly before he can grab her and she runs for it. I guess they have each other figured out. Ryder might take her balls, but she gets all the fallen cheerios and the left over applesauce on Ryders shirt and face. So it's a good trade off!

So are pets good for kids? Each family will have to weigh the pros and cons and consider who will ultimately be responsible for the care of this animal, if they do choose to get a pet. (As all parents know the care will most likely fall on them. Children can lose interest quickly after the initial enthusiasm wears off.)
Children who grow up with pets tend to be more caring towards other individuals. It teaches them responsibilities at a young age. The type of pet that you get your kids depends upon their age as well as your lifestyle. So before falling for those cute puppy dog eyes, do your research on which animal you will choose and the breed best for your family.

Choosing the right gym partner

<br/><a href="http://i41.tinypic.com/x2md7d.jpg" target="_blank">View Raw Image</a>

So tonight, with the motivation of my work out partner and friend, I dragged myself to the gym. We had a great work out. As much as I didn't want to go, it was so worth it. I felt great afterwards. We spent almost 2 hours working out on the stair master, doing some crunches, backward and frontward lunges, squats and some more cardio on the treadmill. I am determined this baby weight will come off!

 I think that would be my first tip to getting started with a fitness routine. Find a gym partner. Here are just a few benefits:

  • When tempted to skip a workout, the guilt of leaving your partner alone should keep you on track.
  • They will keep you focused and working hard. 
  • You're not alone on the road to a healthy lifestyle.
When searching for the right gym partner keep these few things in mind:
  • Choose a partner with a similar fitness level to you.
  • Choose someone who is consistant.
  • Find someone who shares your fitness goals.
Think about everyone you know and find someone who meets this criteria. You will be happy you did!





Monday, December 14, 2009

Homemade baby food

Green Bean Baby Food






You are probably thinking, "Who has time for that?" The first time I made his food, I was so surprised by how easy and quick it was to make. 


There are some great reasons to making your own baby food. Personally I love that I know exactly what Ryder is eating. I don't have to worry about fillers, additives or preservatives commonly found in commercial baby food.  Vitamin A and B are retained far more in homemade food. Another benefit is the money you will save. 


I thought today would be a great day to get all my vegetables out and start steaming, baking and pureeing. My husband was working from home (benefit of being a mortgage broker) and so I had some time to peel, chop and cook Ryders veggies. I first steamed carrots. (Unfortunately I wasn't paying attention and burnt my pot into oblivion. I took it outside and threw it in the snow, haha not sure that was a smart idea.) The fire alarm was going off so we were running around opening all the doors and windows. Not the best day for that as it was -7 outside. Anyways, back to making my food :) I baked sweet potatos, yams and apples in a little water. Once they were soft enough I put them in the blender and pureed them. I then spooned it out into ice cube trays. This is a great way to make big quantities and freeze them for later use. When I need some food for Ryder I just pull out 3 different cubes to defrost and eat. 


There are many ways to prepare the fruits and vegetables for baby food. Boiling, steaming, mashing, baking and straining if necessary. Don't bother preparing banana's as they are easy enough to mash. 


If you are going to store in the fridge, do not feed your baby from the container and then re-store. Saliva may contaminate the food and bacteria may grow. Also find out which fruits and vegetables are suitable for the age of your baby. 


Have fun! My only advice-Don't burn the pot! :) 


Please check out Baby Centre community to see the cost comparison of homemade baby food to vs. commercial. Cost Comparison










Sunday, December 13, 2009


Hi,
Im so looking forward to embarking in the blogging adventure with you! I have to admit, I am a first time blogger. I am looking forward to sharing my life and the road to getting back to me. My son is now 7.5 months old. I love little Ryder more then anything but being a mom take a toll on you. Physically, mentally and of course emotionally. Im sure all moms can relate. Last month I took a good look in the mirror and decided it was time to bring back Jenn. As much as I love being a mom, it was time I started taking care of myself inside and out. I think if I am feeling my best inside and out, then this can only be a positive thing for my family.

So I am excited to share what works and what doesn't. I have 15 pounds to lose and of course some major toning (skinny fat is a no no!) Stretch marks? Well the road map across my stomach might be there for life. But I will try some products and let you know how they work. Saggy boobs? Maybe surgery is the only answer for that, but we can definitely see which bras can help in the meantime :) Crazy hormones, cellulite, insomnia,......must I go on?!?!

It can be so challenging in so many ways being a mom. So many questions and too many answers. Should I vaccinate? Should I breast feed or formula? Organic or not? Glass or plastic? Cloth diapers or disposable? Home school or public? These are all topics I am looking forward to covering as well. To feel great as a mom, part of it is knowing we are making the best choices for our children.

The choices we make for ourselves will ultimately effect our children. So lets make the right choices. Lets get healthy, get fit, get educated. In doing so we can boost our confidence as women, as wives and most of all as mothers.