Mother's Day LOVE

This year marks my third year celebrating Mother's Day!  It's been an amazing 2.5 joyous years of disrupted sleep, ear-to-ear smiles and a LOVE so BIG I could explode from time to time!

So many things have changed with Motherhood ... more than I could have digested being on the other side of giving birth!  It is true what they say ... it changes EVERYTHING!  The perspective I now have of Mothers has been eye opening.  I always knew how important Mom's were - I knew how truly LUCKY I was to come from generations of such LOVING, caring and nurturing Mothers/Grandmothers - but now to look around at the bi-products of amazing Mothers, it's beautiful to see what that LOVE can GROW.

Inspired by the street I grew up on, Letchworth Drive, some neighbors have helped me to conclude just how powerful the LOVE of a Mother can be.  At my childhood friend/neighbor (Adam's) Memorial Service, I could not help but to notice how truly exceptional he and his siblings were/are.  All full of LOVE & LIFE, gracious, patient and giving ... four children all this way?  How did their Mother do it?!  When I shared my observation with her, and asked how she was able to succeed in raising 4 amazing children, she told me she instilled in them family values, "I told them all they had was each other."  That emphasis on family values and LOVE shaped the way they live their lives and it's apparent to all whom cross their paths.

The other GINORMOUS story of a Mother's LOVE that comes from Letchworth Drive is Sarah Sanford.  Her an her husband, Vance, were unable to have children of their own when they decided to adopt.  Home to Letchworth Dr. came a little girl named Jane.  The family of three was complete ... almost!  And then the call that changed it all!  Jane's biological Mother was pregnant again and did not have the ability to care for the baby ... and the question asked, "are you interested in adopting again - Jane's biological brother?"  OF COURSE!  And the family of four was brought together!  (Read their story here in Sarah's own words!)

Jane & Jude's biological Mother not only was unable to care for her babies, she was also unable to care for herself while carrying them.  With no prenatal care or general well-being care for herself while pregnant, Jude suffered a stroke in utero which in turned caused him to develop a tremendous amount of physical challenges.  Told he may never walk, and a long laundry list of terrible expected physical outcomes, Sarah & Vance have tackled some hurdles no parent or child should have to face!  They have provided endless LOVE, support and dedication to caring for the children and especially aiding Jude in overcoming the tremendous hurdles he was faced with from the moment he was conceived.

That LOVE makes me speechless.  Sarah's LOVE brings me to tears.  She has a LOVE BIG enough for a family of four and carries the weight of their world on her back.  In and out of the hospital, to therapy, to medical treatments, up all night, and facing and dealing with the scariest healthcare situations for her little one you could imagine are all in a days work for this Momma.

Sarah's LOVE has changed the course of the world for Jane and Jude.  She has busted a cycle of unhealthy patterns and given these two lives a LOVE they would not have otherwise known in their early lives.  I have seen similar patterns broken in my own family - and all it takes is a Sarah that has a LOVE so BIG and STUBBORN it will not allow anything but LOVE to survive.

Thank you to the wonderful and amazing woman I call Mom.  Thank you to my beyond amazing 98 year old Granny for providing our family with generations of unwavering LOVE.  And most importantly THANK YOU to all the Mother's in my world that inspire me to be patient and LOVING during the sleep-deprived & challenging times.

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Four Generations on Ivan's maternal side!  photo taken by EmileeRamsierPhotography, April 2013

A little LOVE can ago a long way ... and so I ask, if you feel so inclined to donate a few dollars to the pot!  The goal is to raise some change to give Sarah Sanford a Mother's Day serenade!  With the monies collected she has to spend it on treating herself!!  Pedicure, nails, cleaning service, date out with her hubby, etc!  Visit here to donate

The sweetest Mom I know, on the street I grew up on with two of the LUCKIEST children in the whole wide world!  Jane, Sarah & Jude

Soon to be a new Mom? Be prepared for the unexpected ... sign up for Amazon Prime!

6 weeks early was quite the surprise!!!  Ivan was due January 14 so it's no surprise that when my water broke December 5 there were no holiday presents purchased, no baby clothes washed, not even a bassinet in the house! 

Next problem, STUFF!  Christmas gifts, holiday decorations AND all the stuff I didn't get at my baby showers that I didn't even know I was going to need.  Somehow I found Amazon Prime.  Free shipping on Prime purchases, no tax and diapers delivered to my door without me having to think about it!  YES PLEASE.  I can assure you I have more than gotten my money's worth from the free shipping alone!

Hey new Mommies, make it as easy on yourself as you can!  For me, having the basics delivered makes a noticeable difference - and it's even more cost effective!

The moment you've been waiting for ... anything can happen now!!!

Congratulations ... YOU'RE HIRED! How the heck can a mother have it all ....

They say having a kid changes everything ... before that kid arrives that sounds ... like it sounds.  There is no way you can translate that feeling to someone until they have the cement shoes on of motherhood (and I say that endearingly)!  Before I became a mother myself, I remember being annoyed at my sister (mother of two) telling me "just you wait ... !"

Trying to balance feeling productive, being a supportive wife and good mother is often OVERWHELMING to say the least!  I was seeking something to do that would deliver the feeling of accomplishment, be mentally stimulating, provide adult conversation/interaction AND give me a break in the day from the never-ending cycle of dirty clothes, dishes, diapers and dog poo ... perhaps I'm asking for too much???

One day, while browsing LinkedIn, I noticed a posting announcing a job that pre-motherhood, would have been a dream opportunity for me.  I applied and was hired!  Challenge & mental stimulation ... CHECK!  Adult Interaction ... CHECK!  The ability to manage home and full-time work ... FAIL!  Two weeks in I found myself busting out in tears (twice in the second week) for no reason what-so-ever!  I simply knew this wasn't working - it felt wrong in so many ways!  Still not sleeping for a consecutive 7/8 hours a night since my nugget arrived was causing complete exhaustion.  Exhaustion is LITERALLY a killer!  and it HURTS.  It causes terrible side effects including: depression; impairs judgement; forgetfulness; anxiety; and on and on!  I was experiencing all listed side effects and more!  ENOUGH.

I know so many women that work full time and have young kids ... seriously, HOW DO THEY DO IT?  Could I be a complete wimp?  Definitely a possibility, but I don't think so ... These women make it look so easy ... I've got to be missing something ...  

While attending a local women in business luncheon, the key note was the President of her family business and was talking about leadership, her role, the usual and then she touched upon being a mother of 4.  She also said she regularly missed school functions, sporting events, and so on, due to the demands of her work responsibilities.

There it is!  FINALLY some truth.  I'm so sick of women painting this glamorous picture of work and motherhood with such ease.  We are only hurting ourselves by not sharing the detail on HOW to balance work and home.  WHAT EXACTLY does that support system look like ex. nannies, house cleaners, etc.  Let's be realistic there is only 24 hours in everyone's day ... unless that's the part I am missing ... WINK!  This was the FIRST time I've heard the acknowledgement of a sacrifice being made. 

And then right then, I began thinking about what sacrifices I was willing to make with regards to my time spent with family to pursue things outside of my role as mother and wife.  For me, the easiest thing to do was to start backwards ... What did I want my home life to look like?  What did I want to be present for and what things/times was I willing to give up/share.  I dialed that in and then sat back and enjoyed my boy.  I took the summer off and Ivan and I spent our days feeding giraffe's, catching butterflies, playing in parks and frequenting the pool.  We took a road trip to NYC to visit Aunt Emilee and enjoyed our time.  That fall (Ivan was approx. 20 months), a seemingly perfect work situation presented itself and I've been balancing home and work with much more ease. 

There are still so many challenges surrounding the fine tuning of my work/life balance, but for the most part, I'm enjoying HAVING IT ALL!

Ivan and Isabelle ...

YouTube to the rescue!

What an amazing resource YouTube is!  I love being able to elaborate on a subject with my (almost 2 year old) son with a quick and easy clip on YouTube.  It makes things come alive in a way that is thrilling to watch and can be a great distraction to get a quick diaper change done without getting poop EVERYWHERE!  Below I've included links to some of our favorite YouTube videos.

Ivan's progression of entertainment started with his LOVE of ELMO ... There are great videos that are only a few minutes long of the Elmo and friends singing.  I usually start with Elmo's Got the Moves and find great suggestions from there.

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Hey, gingers stick together!!  Sesame Street LIVE Spring 2014

On vacation, Ivan started honing his love of the steering wheel and Daddy's "vroom" car!  We then progressed to Disney's Car's and Car's 2 movies.  As his love of motors started blossoming, MOTORCYCLES were the next item of interest.  We often visit our downtown area and walk up and down High Street watching the buses, motorcycles, and bicycles pass.  Now add in trains!  This YouTube video has the same effect as Baby Einstein on my lil'Einstein and the historic train engines are quite beautiful!

Earlier this week, we took Ivan to the first pre-season NHL Columbus Bluejackets game and while walking to the arena saw a train under the foot bridge.  That was obviously pretty LOUD and of course COOL!  Tonight we were in the same area and Ivan remembered the tracks.  He ran to the railing and couldn't understand where the "choochoo, choochoo, choochoo ... " was.  Not long after, we heard a train on a nearby track that we could not see.  The entire ride home, "choochoo, choochoo, choochoo ... " until I couldn't take it any longer!  I searched YouTube for train noises and found some pretty fun clips with amazing audio and video!  I can't believe it took me until tonight to really realize how amazing YouTube can be! 

Until our YouTube adventure this evening, Ivan has really only seen 1, maybe 2 real trains since he's been paying attention to them ... with the YouTube videos I can show him all kinds of trains (old and new) faster than we could sit an wait for the next train to pass.  I'm just loving watching the world unfold in his eyes ... !!

We have also found some video's that are great for learning ABC's, numbers, and colors.  The Pete the Cat book series is also a fun dance to get dressed to in the morning!

Am I creating a monster ... What is "spoiled," anyway?

Today I visited the State Fair twice!  That's a lot of corn dogs if you know what I mean ... In watching some of the competitions today, I could not help but feel bad for some of the animals.  This coming from a city girl that knows NOTHING about farming or raising farm animals.  I'm sure they were all properly loved and taken care of, but the simple tug on a horse that didn't want to go that way or a calf that wasn't interested in having his picture taken, or that brown bear that I KNOW didn't want to live in that trailer and travel the fair circuit made something inside of me squirm.  That got me to thinking about my own animal handling skills and knowledge (which more than a few around me say is ridiculous - and not in a good way). 

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Isabelle ... clearly, she knows how to work it

Isabelle, my 9 year old Yorkshire Terrier is Queen.  She knows it, I know it, the rest of the family has not quite digested it.  So then I go from fair animals --> my treatment of animals (and admittedly Isabelle is SPOILED which can be beyond annoying to say the least these days, however, she did come by it honestly) to --> my treatment of Ivan ... OH GOODNESS ... is he doomed to be spoiled rotten?!

I'm of the belief "he's only 1 year old for 365 days," kids should get to be kids, and so on ... Life is too hard, and too fast, too soon.  So, between hugs, I am going to do my best to try to let him feel some pain and experience some contrast so he's able to be a functioning adult.  But until then, until the adult part (which I have 17 years to prepare for), I am going to love him and hug him and as some would say, SPOIL HIM!  (Guess this is my first formal apology to his future wife.) 

I've recently added this book to my reading list - To Safe for Their Own Good by Michael Ungar - I'm looking forward to learning what he has to say ... 

To be alive, we do need to experience risk, loss, and contrast in order to expand ... I know this, OH MY do I know this, and how painful that sounds to watch!!!  ... Holy Motherhood ;)

Feeding toddlers ... my tasty and easy chicken recipe

Trying to feed toddler can be a trying adventure ... they like it today, throw it on the floor the next!  About 8-9 months months ago, Ivan was less than impressed with any protein sources I presented so I came up with a match made in heaven ... dark meat chicken & Ritz crackers!

TO MAKE: Combine 1 beaten egg, about 1/2 sleeve crushed Hint of Salt Ritz crackers with 1-1.5 lbs of ground chicken.  Form into patty's and cook on a skillet with olive oil.

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combine crumbled Ritz, chicken & beaten egg before placing in the skillet

I keep patties in the refrigerator or freezer and warm in the microwave for approx 25 seconds for meals as needed.  Sometimes I cut the patties into strips, or just serve in bit size squares ... Ivan loves them!!

Located in Columbus, Ohio, I choose to buy grass-fed and free-range organic chicken that can be found from both North Market Poultry & Game (they seem to always have dark meat chicken ground on hand) as well as Oink Moo Cluck Farms (I've only sourced from here twice and have liked the meat ... it seems to have more white meat in the ground mixture which makes the patties a bit more firm).  Oink Moo Cluck is regularly found at neighborhood farmers markets such as: New Albany Farmers Market & Clintonville Farmers Market and their website says they deliver!

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Enjoy!

Fun things for toddlers to explore at the Ohio State Fair 2014

This morning we ventured out to The Ohio State Fair, the gates open at 9 am and we got there shortly after.  Admission is $10 for 13-59 yrs and kids under 5 are FREE.  Kroger sells the 13-59 year old tickets for $6, so plan ahead!

In each and every direction there was SOMETHING interesting and magical to look at ... we got to see the Budweiser Clydesdale's getting their morning exercise.  There were being walked, 4 at a time, behind their stalls so we got to get as close as we were brave (there was a lot of flying poop going on!) 

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Colorful action EVERYWHERE ... Ivan was loving all the support vehicles buzzing around!

I could not help but to notice the "LOST KIDS BOOTH" ... I wasn't quite sure this was an option, but apparently you can rely on the Ohio State Troopers to help babysit!  Who knew?!

In the Kiddie Land section, Ivan had a blast watching all the rides zipping around.  He was getting quite sluggish with all the cool fresh air (and nap-time nearing) but he perked right up in Kiddie Land ... I'm not sure if it was all the kiddie-energy or the aroma of cotton candy filling the air that got him!  36" was the height restriction for most rides ... If he can pull off 3-4" in the next 365 days our trip to the fair will be quite different next year!

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Ivan playing in the JD Equipment tent - Running with the Bulls!

On our way out we had to have some french fries and of course I got the healthy ones (haha) the sign did say NO trans-fats!  As we made our way to the car, we got to wave to the tractor pulling people in from the parking lot, see the State Troopers car lights flashing, and see a field full of semi-trucks parked by Crew Stadium. 

In our almost 2 hour stay, I'm most certain we missed 85% of the fair excitement!  We will be heading back before it's over, August 3, 2014.  Hope you get to check it out too!

We found a HAPPY PLACE in Franklin Park Conservatory

In the routine chaos that is motherhood, there are days and times I need to, as they say, "stop and smell the roses."  When those thankless & redundant tasks us mothers tackle round-the-clock cause that overwhelming feeling of non-completion I NEED A HAPPY PLACE!  It's these days that are PERFECT days for me visit Franklin Park to gain some perspective and regenerate!  Not only do I enjoy the sensory overload, but I know Ivan does too! 

I highly recommend finding a place or two you can share with your little one that provides the same rejuvenation.  One of our favorite places to visit is Franklin Park Conservatory located on East Broad Street in Columbus, Ohio.  This year marks the 20th anniversary of their Blooms & Butterflies Exhibition that runs from March 8 - September 28, 2014.

Not only is Franklin Park a perfect place to visit on an off weather day (snow, rain, or too much humidity), but it's a great place to experience the magic Mother Earth has to offer.  Flowers, amazing plants, butterflies from around the globe, multiple waterfalls and streams, fish, hands-on interactive games/stations for kids, birds, and even a choo-choo train!

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Ivan loves visiting Franklin Park

On a routine visit, I bring the stroller with water and snacks, and we start our tour in the Pacific Island Water Garden (left after the entrance).  I love stopping by the windows were you can watch the caterpillars in their cocoons and the butterflies emerge!  Viewing this metamorphosis is as equally as magical to me as the experience in making my little (1 year old) nugget, Ivan! 

As 100's of butterflies fly about you can take in all the sounds, smells, and visuals of all the amazing plants and flowers that fill this space.  Ivan loves visiting the fish, waterfalls, and spotting flying butterflies.  Next we pass through the basement that has a few hands-on stations for kids to play with before heading into the next section that includes the Desert Biome (out of my respect for the incredible cacti, Ivan is not allowed to run free in this space) ... then we enter the Rainforest Biome that is home to Max and Mic the two resident Macaw's that scare the pants off of both of us every time with their abrupt greetings ... After the Rainforest is the train room, AKA, the Himalayan Mountain Biome that features another waterfall and other delicious visual treasures to discover (look up after you pass the over the bridge and round the corner).

The Palm House and Showroom also feature seasonal exhibitions that host all kinds of events from weddings beyond ...

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The Hungry Caterpillar becoming a Beautiful Butterfly ... AMAZING!! & One of the hands-on features, a giant light bright!

If your kids are older, there are classes and workshops for all ages (kids-adults) offered year round.  Check the website for more information here.

The Blooms & Butterflies exhibition is now through September 28, 2014 ... I hope you plan a visit!

and as Ivan ends The Hungry Caterpillar book .... [waving] "Bye, bye!"

Cow's say, "MOO" and Horses say, "Neigh"

It's so much fun watching books, sounds, places, and frankly EVERYTHING come alive through Ivan's eyes!  His newest love is the sound, "Mooooo"

May 2014 Ivan and I found ourselves in Central Park in NYC watching the horse drawn carriages and Ivan "Moo'ed" at a white horse ... the Carriage Driver said, "Is he moo'ing at my horse"  Ha, yea, I guess so!

The Franklin County Fair was a perfect place for Ivan to meet all is barn-yard friends up close and personal!  He was able to moo with a cow, cluck with the chickens, baa with the sheep and quack with the ducks.  They also had horses, ducks, goats, rabbits and I'm sure other animals I may have missed!

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That cow was quite impressed with Ivan's MOOO!

We are looking forward to a few more trips to visit his favorite friends at The Ohio State Fair July 23, 2014 - August 3, 2014 in Columbus, Ohio! 

Blueberry lovers breakfast for toddlers! (and my nutritional WHY's)

Ivan is a BIG eater (most of the time)!  His typical morning routine begins with a banana in our bed while we have coffee and read a few book(s) … or the truck book 10x in a row!  Then Ivan eats a waffle, oatmeal, and/or toast, and scrambled eggs.  Oh yea, and sometimes when he hasn't seemed to get quite enough I toss him some Rice Krispies or Cheerios with Almond Milk.

Because this boy loves his blueberries Oh, SO MUCH (and I avoid feeding him foods high in sugar - syrup) I came up with the brilliant idea to make him blueberry sauce and here's how I do it …

Blueberry Sauce:
I usually use frozen blueberries (purchased at the grocery with no added sugar) fresh blueberries when they are so plentiful due to being in season.  Next, bake the blueberries in a glass 8x8 (brownie) pan, covered in foil, for approx 45 min (until bubbly) at 350-400F.  Then, pour the blueberries and juices into the food processor (baby bullet, blender) and puree.  
I keep a small container of the sauce in the refrigerator and put the remaining sauce in the same small containers in the freezer for future use.

Blueberry Sauce & the Van's waffles Ivan prefers

Ivan enjoys blueberry sauce on his waffles and a spoonful (mixed with his daily probiotics) in his oatmeal for breakfast … I've also used it in place of jelly or preservatives for a PB&J!

Oatmeal:
Blueberries – cut in 1/2 or 1/4's depending upon the size
Walnuts – ground (with the skins on) in the blender or food processor to make powder
Blueberry Sauce + Probiotics (Klaire Labs, Ther-biotic Infant Formula)
Oatmeal – prepared as package states … I make 1/4 cup dry oats with water in the microwave
Almond Milk – splash if my oatmeal is a bit sticky

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Oatmeal with blueberries, crushed walnuts and blueberry sauce (probiotic powder) ... and of course, Isabelle standing guard at her usual post -- under the high chair!

SO, WHY oatmeal with blueberries, whole walnuts (ground) and daily probiotics? 

Walnuts are a GREAT source of not only omega-3 fatty acids and monounsaturated fats but also vitamin E and have great heart healthy benefits!
Blueberries have one of the highest antioxidant capacities among all fruits and provide a great source of  minerals including: magnesium, potassium, iron and manganese, anti-inflammatory agents & vitamin C, E and K. 
Oatmeal has omega-3 fats, fiber and other vitamins.
Probiotics – I purchase the probiotic powder from Ivan's pediatrician, Dr. Carine, located in Upper Arlington.  (They do sell supplements to non-patients if you call or visit the office!)  Probiotics improve immunity, prevents diarrhea, helps with intestinal problems, calms colic, and can help ease eczema ... Great article that gets far more technical than I ever will by Parents Magazine here.

And if you need any more reasons why your kids should start the day with a GREAT breakfast, check out this article from Quaker Oats highlighting the importance of teaching healthy eating habits.

Attention all toddler's … it's Touch A Truck time!

One of my complaints as a new mom is not knowing what I don't know … I've learned about so many things I feel I should have known about prior to finding myself in the trenches of motherhood (such as play café's).  Luckily enough I have heard of Touch A Truck from my sisters experiences raising my nephew.

If you haven't already heard, Touch A Truck is a magical event for little ones … It's a parking lot filled with every type of vehicle imaginable for the kid's to climb up in and check out!  Ivan's first Touch A Truck was in Worthington, Ohio in Spring 2014 where is was able to check out a trolley, buses (of all types), The Chiller's Zamboni,  a Magic Mountain race car, Uhaul trucks, helicopter, motor-home, utility trucks, swat vehicle ... on and on!

This Friday, July 25, 2014, (weather permitting) will be Touch A Truck #2 for Ivan.  If you haven't checked out a Touch A Truck event or just didn't have this one on your calendar make note!

TOUCH A TRUCK - JULY 25, 2014
THE SPORTS COMPLEX, 325 N. CLEVELAND AVE, WESTERVILLE, OHIO 43081

Admission is FREE ... We hope we see you there!!

RuummMMM ... Beep, BEEP!!

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Ivan's first Touch A Truck in Worthington, Ohio.  Spring 2014

Bathtime Rave!

Daddy always comes up with the most fun activities!  He started performing light shows for Ivan by swinging and dancing around with glow-sticks ... you know, the ones you could buy for $5 a piece during firework shows or concerts to wear around your neck as a kid!  In the spirit of trying to be fun myself, I ordered a tube of necklace length glow-sticks from Amazon for one of Daddy's Christmas presents (who knew how easy they are to find!) and the sporadic light shows continued ...

One night I was giving Ivan a bath and of course, I am not as entertaining as Daddy can be, nor was I ready for him to come out of the tub ... then a LIGHT BULB went OFF (in my head)!  Light show in the tub!!!  And that's how the bath time rave was born.  See!  Mommies can be fun too!  

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Ivan swimming in the tub with a beach ball + glow-stick; and singular glow-sticks in varying lengths (all from Five Below)

After my Amazon purchase of the tube of necklace length glow-sticks I have also had luck finding glow-sticks at Target (in the $1 bins near the front door) as well as super cool glow-in-the-dark sticks, balls, etc at Five Below stores.

Teething SUX

They say every child teethes at a different pace ... Luckily Ivan got his teeth relatively fast and was not as miserable as I have heard some can be.  Throughout the process we experienced all the typical symptoms: mouthing & biting EVERYTHING, irritability, red cheeks, diarrhea, sleeplessness, fever, drooling & chin rash. The age old tricks for relief include: freezing a damp wash cloth or other items that can be frozen and safe for a baby to hold and bite and other medications.  Not wanting to constantly drug my child, I discovered Hyland's Teething Tablets made of homeopathic medicines: Calcarea Phosphorica (for teething, dentition); Coffea Cruda (for sleeplessness); Chamomilla (for teething pain) and Belladonna (redness & teething).  They also make gel you can apply directly on the gums with the same ingredients.  The other homeopathic product that worked well was Borion's Camilia which comes in single dose liquid capsules you can just squeeze in your little one's mouth.  Camilia worked especially well for us when Ivan had a bit of diarrhea due to it's ingredients: Chamomilla (for teething pain); Phytolacca decandra (for painful gum relief); Rheum officinale (diarrhea).

Homeopathic medicines are made from highly diluted natural substances (plants, animals & minerals) and have been used for over 200 years ... I have been told when presented the proper remedy or combination of remedies for a symptom a person is feeling, they don't even necessarily need to ingest it to feel relief, but by just holding the container, the energy can heal.  Ivan seemed to know what the Hyland's Teething Tablet container was and while in pain, was always eager to open his mouth for a few tablets.  (I gave him 3 tablets at once.  If I didn't notice a difference in his behavior or symptom he was experiencing in 15-20 minutes, I gave him 3 more.  He was usually noticeably experiencing relief after the first dose of 3 tablets).  Both Hyland's and Borion's products were easy for me to find at the regular neighborhood stores (Kroger, Giant Eagle, Wholefoods, CVS, Drug Mart & Walgreens).

Getting his one-year old molars ... found him sleeping with a lion over his head.  Fitting for his irritability ... RooaAAR!

Even though we were able to get through Ivan's first 16 teeth avoiding the medicated route, there were a few times Motrin was necessary ... Holy Molars!   

Trick for accomplishing kitchen chores with a busy one year old

The simplest tasks such as folding laundry, cooking dinner, or washing dishes have become some of the most difficult things I am challenged with daily as a new mom!  The constant distraction of a newly walking tot can be, well, quite interesting to say the least.

Ivan became very interested in what was in kitchen cupboards around his first birthday ... how to open them, what was inside, and was quite helpful at rearranging items from shelf to shelf.  One of the more popular activities: empty out the entire cupboard of Tupperware/plastic containers.  I quickly learned to put all the lids on each container.  This took up more room than my typical stacking arrangement, however, I wasn't as concerned with him emptying the entire cupboard and then needing to wash everything his slimy hands touched.

One day while trying to be productive in the kitchen, I took the risk of the potential mess vs. the chaos he could ensue left unattended and gave Ivan some fun kitchen accessories (stainless steel bowl, plastic wine glass, large spoon, etc).  Then, I dumped some Cheerios and Rice Krispies in the containers and let him go! 

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How fast and easy I made a sensory and motor skills activity that also provided a snack and allowed me the full use of both hands for 15-20 min.  WIN for Mommy!!  There was a bit of a mess after, but I got what I was doing in the kitchen done, and clean up was a breeze ... Isabelle even helped!

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This game NEVER gets old!

Traveling with an infant for the first time ... Ivan's first flight!

Ivan was 4 months old - it was April 2013 - and living in Columbus, Ohio by the time it's April all you can think of is SUNSHINE and dream of SANDY BEACHES ... Especially after 4 months of brand new baby chaos in the grey of winter, a WARM, SUNNY vacation sounds like a DREAM!!!  Weighing all factors at hand we decided it was probably best to find a destination within driving distance (Hilton Head, SC) so we could take everything but the kitchen sink & drive through the night while Ivan slept.  The little dude had no idea we even drove as long as we did and the travel portion of the vacation worked out perfectly, breast pump and all!

Minus the travel, last years Hilton Head adventure ended up being a disaster - unusually cool and overcast weather, I got the flu, BLAH ... so I wanted to head further SOUTH for Spring Break 2014 for baby vacation #2.  We found a beautiful house to lease for the week outside of St. Augustine, FL located in Palm Coast, FL adjacent to The Hammock Beach Resort & Spa (what a great baby + dog destination!)

John and the Nanny headed down the day prior via car ... This affording us a bit more house with 2 less airfares and solving the problem of what to do with Isabelle, the family dog!  To my surprise the flight had 100+ empty seats so Ivan and I had a whole row (6 seats) to ourselves!  He was a dream ...

In my bag of tricks:

• Maclaren Mark II Umbrella stroller - not the best for steering with one hand, I prefer my Britax B-Agile Stroller any day, but didn't want it to get all beat up
• My old iPhone in the Fisher Price toddler case loaded and ready to go with none other than plenty of ELMO'S WORLD ... aka Ivan kriptonite
• iPod with back up of video's as well as games he has not yet mastered
• BRAND NEW Elmo books and a few other exciting toys he's yet to see (thanks Laura)
• an apple (thanks Stephanie)
• more snacks
• Of course diapers, extra clothes, water & sippy cup, blanket

Our destination airport was Orlando, FL ... what a great airport to roll into with a baby by yourself especially during Spring Break.  It's all families - Disneyworld bound - that are overly sympathetic and extremely kind & helpful!

All in all, I'm not sure what I was really so worried about ... just the unknown I suppose.  It was less than a 2 hour flight ... the West Coast will be the true test.  This Momma isn't brave enough for International with this busy body!

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Fun on the Scioto Mile ... pack a TOWEL! life in Columbus, Ohio

Time flies when you are chasing a 16 month around!  We recently went on spring break vacation in Florida and have solidified Ivan's LOVE of water!  Fountains, pools, faucets ... he is not choosy, just wants to be IN the water NOW.

My new Mommy tip of the week: With the nice weather upon us, DON'T LEAVE HOME WITHOUT A TOWEL! 

We have an amazing downtown area in Columbus called The Scioto Mile.  I thought it might be fun to go walk around the park and see the fountains ... Ivan had other ideas!  Luckily I had a swim diaper in the diaper bag left over from vacation and an extra change of clothes!  Wish I had had 4 hands so I could have taken a video ... this baby had a BLAST!

Happy Spring!

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A surprising 78 degrees makes everything better!  Ivan, 16 months

Bye Bye Bottles

At Ivan's 12 month well check our Nurse Practitioner (who is not a mother) said, "OK, no more bottles, he can drink milk now"

Well, doesn't that sound EASY!  I opted for unsweetened vanilla almond milk in place of dairy milk (we make a special effort to make sure Ivan is getting good fats by cooking with Olive Oil and feeding him avocados, etc).  The first few days he seemed slightly bothered he didn't have a bottle, however, I kept his night time routine (which included a bottle) on schedule.  The first few weeks he LOVED his "Ba-ba" and looked forward to it, but shortly after he only drank half and was more occupied with reading a few books rather than rocking with his bottle.  

It took about 8 weeks in total (from his 1 year birthday) to the day I packed up the bottles ... As a new parent I often hear how every child will develop on his/her own time and not to get too caught up in milestones ... this was just a prime example of that in practice for us!  I'm trying my hardest to nurture his development, while allowing him to be a baby just as long as possible!!

Feeding Ivan his vitamins for optimal baby & toddler development

Feeding any child can be tricky!  I've got a system in the way in which I present food to my 14 month old son that includes protein first, vegetables second, carbs next to last and fruit for desert!  This was learned, like most new Mommy things, by trial and error!  This order works best for my son, based on his preferences ... he loves his pasta and always has room for strawberries & blueberries!

The human brain increases approximately 3.5 times in mass between birth - 5 years old.  This is why I have made such an effort to make sure I was taking a DHA supplement while pregnant and breastfeeding.  Now that Ivan is on his own with regards to diet, it's my job to make sure he gets what he needs ... and sometimes that takes being more creative than not!

Our daily vitamin routine starts at breakfast ... I mix his multi-vitamin with Nordic Naturals Baby's DHA and either Bolthouse Strawberry-Banana Smoothy or Naked Juice's Green Machine. 

Next, I thicken with brown rice or oatmeal infant cereal, which I love for the Iron (I could not find a multi-vitamin for babies that contained iron).

Poof, that nasty tasting multi-vitamin is disguised and down it goes!  If he doesn't finish it at breakfast, I put it in the refrigerator so he can finish a few bites later in the day.  He also enjoys a spoonful of Gaia's Black Elderberry Syrup to help support his bodies immune system since I cannot keep him from putting EVERYTHING from everyone's playroom in his mouth!

Thank goodness for white vinegar!

There was a day not long ago when I was precise about removing the clothes from the dryer as soon as the cycle finished.  Prior to folding, I would immediately shake out all shirts and lay them flat so everything would stay wrinkle free.  Each item would be neatly folded and carefully placed - usually in color coded sequence - in the closet.  Ahhh how those days are long over ... Enter IVAN (motherhood).  Laundry these days usually sits for 12-24 hours in the basket after leaving the dryer.  It is still neatly folded, however, once it hits the drawers it is usually re-arranged by a busy 13 month old.  Bras end up in the sock drawer, socks behind the mirror, my husbands neatly color coded underwear and sock drawer look like the dryer spit them straight into his drawer.

Motherhood changes oh so many things ... it's the things like the impact on a simple load of laundry that surprise me most!  I often joke that I didn't read the fine print on this mommy thing!  Quite an extraordinary adventure we are on, Mother & Son.  Everything appears to be the same, BUT it is not!  The degree of difficulty to do the smallest chores, like a load of laundry, have created another set of challenges.  At my baby shower, guests were asked to write advice for a new mother (me) on a note card ... I think back to the advice written and the advice I can now share.  Close to the top of the list I hope to pass along: white vinegar added to the wash cycle will remove the moldy smell created by towels that have been damp too long, or that load of laundry you washed and forgot about!

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