Tuesday, January 31, 2012

Successful Marriage

“I am satisfied that happiness in marriage is not so much a matter of romance as it is an anxious concern for the comfort and well-being of one's companion. Any man who will make his wife's comfort his first concern will stay in love with her throughout their lives and through the eternity yet to come.”- President Hinckley

Monday, January 30, 2012

Successful Day


Yesterday was kind of a downer day for me so today I decided to be productive to ease some stress.

Last night, I made Orange Chicken and Baked Egg Rolls and it was an amazingly successful meal that disappeared by the end of the night.

Aidan woke up at 7:45 this morning so we decided to make breakfast for Aaron before he got home from work. We made Whole Wheat Pancakes with banana and also had eggs and sausage. I made a large batch and froze some of them and saved some of the dry mix for next time.

I then went on a quick run with a friend. Meaning, we jogged to the track and then got kicked off the track after a lap and jogged the longer way home and played with our kids a bit.

Aidan was then ready for his nap so I went and showered while he was still in there talking to himself. He fell asleep shortly after I got out of the shower. Then I put together some frozen pizza with this great recipe. You make the dough and then roll it out to a crust and bake the crust at 500 for 4 minutes. This ensures that it will stay flat. Then take it out, let it cool and put the sauce, cheese and toppings on. Wrap it in plastic wrap and stick it in the freezer. To cook it you just put it in the oven as it preheats to 425 and then cook for about 10 minutes. Awesome-right? So I made 4 pizzas for future last minute meals. And then I put a roast in the crock pot for tonight's dinner.

I also washed all of the dishes. My sinks were totally and completely empty. Heck yes! It's a joke around here that my kitchen is only clean right before I cook.
Aidan's becoming a good helper in the kitchen.
Aidan woke up from his nap and we played for a bit and then went to the store. He is so dang energetic.

We came back and played some more. Aidan sometimes breaks out singing La La La La from Elmo's World. He's loving the L sound right now. He also said spaghetti today, but it sounded more like "Ghetti". Love that boy so much. He asked for "nilk" and to go "nigh nigh" so I put him down for his second nap- which I'm pretty sure he never actually fell asleep for. He was only quiet for about 15 minutes.

I had bought some containers to organize my baking ingredients and took care of that while he was "asleep" and also made laundry detergent. It made my house smell good, but I'm pretty sure I went to statistics class smelling like soap. This recipe made a bunch for very little money and only takes 1 Tbs per load. I'm guessing it'll last quite a while. It has great reviews. I'm hoping it'll work well for us.

I love baking and being productive and setting things up for the future and feeling somewhat organized!

The only thing that would have made together would be if Aaron had been awake and hanging out with us, too.

Wednesday, January 25, 2012

$7.99 for 24pk Play-Doh

Right now through 2/18/12, Target has the Play-Doh Fridge pack (24 ct.) on sale for $12.99. Plus, you can use the $5.00 off one Play-Doh Fridge Pack Target Coupon to get the 24 pack for only $7.99!
This is a great price if you have any birthdays coming up or if you need to replenish your own supply!
**This is an unadvertised deal so prices may vary by location.

Monday, January 23, 2012

Media & Early Learning

My mom sent this to me and I found it so interesting! I actually watched this entire TEDx clip regarding media and early learning.





  • Early experiences condition the mind. Connections between brain cells change based on experiences our children have while their brain triples in size between birth and age 3.
  • Initiation of television viewing is now (on average) 4 months of age.
  • Prolonged exposure to rapid image changes (like on a TV show designed for an infant) during critical periods of brain development may precondition the mind to expect high levels of stimulation. This may then make the pace ofreal life less able to sustain our children’s attention. The more hours a child views rapid-fire television, the more likely they will have attention challenges later in life.
  • Cognitive stimulation (reading books or going to a museum) reduces the likelihood for attention challenges later in life.
  • What content your child watches on TV matters: the more frenetic or violent the TV show, the more likely your child will have attention challenges later in life. Television shows that move at a typical pace may be far better for our children. Educational shows showed 0% influence on attention challenges later in life (Mr. Rogers, Sesame Street etc.)
  • New studies (using mice) may demonstrate that learning suffers with excess TV viewing.
  • We need more real time play for children. (Get out the blocks or get outside!)
http://seattlemamadoc.seattlechildrens.org/what-does-tv-do-to-my-kids-brain/

AAP Guidelines:

1. Limit children’s total media time (with entertainment media) to no more than 1 to 2 hours of
quality programming per day.
2. Remove television sets from children’s bedrooms.
3. Discourage television viewing for children
younger than 2 years, and encourage more interactive activities that will promote proper brain
development, such as talking, playing, singing,
and reading together.....

A Good Mother

"There is no one perfect way to be a good mother... Each mother has different challenges, different skills and abilities, and certainly different children... What matters is that a mother loves her children deeply and, in keeping with the devotion she has for God and her husband, prioritizes them above all else." Elder M. Russell Ballard

Sunday, January 22, 2012

Postpartum Progress

I just stumbled upon this site the other day and it is WONDERFUL!! There are a bunch of resources, updated research, support groups, personal stories etc. for perinatal care. It's such a great site. I'm so happy to find a good resource. I wish I had found it sooner.

I'm currently in a Specialization course and I've decided I'm going to specialize on the presenting problem of Postpartum Depression. (I still work with a lot of other things, but we can only choose one presenting problem for this class.) I'm doing a lot of research this semester on diagnosis and treatment and then in the spring I'll be starting a study and support group.

Have you battled with a perinatal mood and/or anxiety disorder? 
I'm really interested in hearing stories and experiences if you want to share.

Friday, January 6, 2012

Baby Item Recommendations


I LOVE LOVE LOVE spreadsheets and I'm also determined to find good deals. While I was pregnant with Aidan, I started compiling a list of all the things we wanted and needed with their average selling price as well as the best deal price. I made a copy on google docs that you can look through if you're interested.


Keep in mind that I had Aidan in 2010 so some of these items may now be updated....

What were some of your favorite/must have items for your baby? 
What deals did you score when purchasing them?




Orig PriceBest PriceWhere
BABY GEAR
Chicco Cortina KeyFit 30 Travel System - Adventure  329.99242Amazon
Graco Blossom 4-in-1 Seating System 279.99162
Graco Pack n Play w Newborn Napper 140119Albee
My Little Lamb Seat6444
Cradle Swing 15099
Moby Wrap (or Homemade)5030
Combi Flare Lightweight Stroller - Edamame/ Brown  99.9978ShoppersWorld
NURSERY
Bedding
Changing Table & Dresser50Craigslist
Sealy Baby Posturepedic Crown Jewel Mattress  159.99$87.00Walmart
Angelcare Movement Sensor with Sound Monitor Deluxe12095Amazon
DaVinci Emily 4-in-1 Crib 249.99199Amazon
Storkcraft Hoop Glider Rocker and Ottoman - Cherry/ Beige  159.99129Amazon
SwaddleMe (3pk)  22Amazon
Swaddlepod (Newborn)  11Amazon
Waterproof Quilted Crib Pad 24.9912Amazon
Diaper Genie  5735Amazon
Sound Machine 2017Amazon
Serta Contour Pad 25.9925Amazon
BREASTFEEDING
Medela Freestyle Breast Pump (comes w 4 bottles etc) 350270Amazon
My Brest Friend Deluxe Nursing Pillow 49.9936Amazon
Night and Day Bottle Warmer  29.9927Walmart
Medela Slow Flow Nipples 4.79
Medela Pump & Save Bags- 50 pk 19.1915
Medela Quick Clean Wipes9.298
Lansinoh Breast Creme  9.993.95HeyYouBaby
Green Sprouts Cotton Nursing Pads  7Amazon
HEALTH
American Red Cross 17-pc. Health and Grooming Kit  19.9913.75Amazon
Dream Baby Home Safety Kit  19.9911.99
Braun Thermoscan Ear Thermometer 39.99$10.95
Fisher-Price Ocean Wonders Deep Blue Sea Bath Tub 3317.99
Braun Thermoscan Ear Thermometer- Lens 7.997.99
Boon Frog Pod - Drainable Bath Scoop and Toy/Organizer  29.99
Safety 1st Tubside Kneeler and Step Stool  19.99
Burpcloths (Cloth Diapers) 12pk  10
Newborn Soothie Pacifiers  or Gumdrop Pacifiers 3.493.49
BOOKS FOR MOM (Sleep)
Healthy Sleep Habits, Happy Child  17
The Happiest Baby on the Block159
The No Cry Sleep Solution17
Science of Parenting  11Amazon
TOYS
Fisher-Price Rainforest Melodies and Lights Deluxe Gym 7053
Sophie Giraffe, Teether  15
Freddie Firefly  10
Links
Rainforest Waterfall Soother  29
Baby Einstein Toons  9