I know some of you saw the title of this post and winced. I know, I know, it's just barely July and beach season is in full swing. You're not ready to think about Christmas yet. But hear me out... the summer is a great time to start your holiday shopping, especially for your little ones. My daughter is only 2, so she's not yet old enough to have a wish list. That makes things in the present department a little easier. However- even if you have older children you can still take advantage of summer savings. Here are some ideas.
1.) School supplies.
If you have a budding artist at home there is no better time to stock up on art supplies than during the back to school sales. Last year I bought my daughter a backpack and filled it with fun art projects for my daughter. (You can see the post on that here) But even if you aren't making a big gift out of it, crayons, markers and the like make great stocking stuffers.
2.) Summer toy clearances.
Many stores are now doing a version of Black Friday sales in July. Amazon and Target are great examples. You can find a great list of Target's toy clearance sales going on now on the krazy coupon lady website. Target Toy clearance
3.) Clothing.
Right now stores are trying to make room for the new fall items that will come out for back to school shopping, which leads to great deals on off season clothes. You can take advantage of the back to school sales as well, but check the clearance racks for extremely marked down sweaters and winter gear. (After 4th of July is also a great time to think of next summer's needs. Pick up a bathing suit that's a size or two bigger than your little ones are right now.)
4.) Spreading out the payments.
My husband and I are firm believers in not leaving a balance on our credit cards. Thankfully we have never been in a situation where we are unable to pay our cards in full. So in order to avoid interest charges as well as not getting whacked with an enormous bill in January- buying presents slowly throughout the year helps spread out the payments.
5.) "Summer toys"
Many toys that are considered summer toys go on clearance at the end of August. But there are plenty of those toys that can be used throughout the year if you're creative enough. For example in our house we have outdoor balls that do not come in the house and indoor balls that don't go outside. You can get those large rubber balls for less than $2 at the end of the summer. There are also a lot of pool or water table toys that can be used as bath toys. Christmas aside for a moment, I also like to pick up things at the end of summer for the next year that tend to wear out. You can store brand new bubbles, swimmies and pool noodles in your garage and next year not only will you not have to worry about buying new ones, but you will have gotten them all for pennies! (Keep those clearance stickers on- it's like a little high to remember the deal you got when all the circulars are showing those same items for nearly 90% more!)
This is the first post in a series about holiday shopping that I will be doing as well as possibly a few posts about the gifts I make for my daughter. Stay tuned! Now forget about the cold and go enjoy the vitamin D and pool time!
Mommy and Addison
Thursday, July 9, 2015
Wednesday, December 17, 2014
Children's Christmas Ideas: Backpack
Hey all! Long time no post. Sorry- the holidays are kicking my butt. Luckily I prepared in the present department! At Thanksgiving my plan was to give you a run down of all my present suggestions, but then I decided that it was too big a project and maybe instead I would show you some closer to Christmas that you could use as possible inspiration for last minute gifts or for other gift buying occasions throughout the year.
This first idea come directly from under my tree. One present that my daughter will receive in just over a week is a backpack filled with art supplies. I try to use Christmas to stock up on fun activities for the year- or at least until the Easter bunny comes and replenishes us.
I chose the skip hop backpack in the ladybug design. Of course I got it on sale, and you can find it in a number of stores as well as amazon, in many many different animal designs. My daughter will be 2 in February so the toddler size was a must. I couldn't love this backpack more. It's adorable, and is the perfect size for her to take a snack, a book, a toy and a water bottle with her wherever we go. Obviously my backpack needs a little steam since I ordered it online and it's a tad wrinkled.
This first idea come directly from under my tree. One present that my daughter will receive in just over a week is a backpack filled with art supplies. I try to use Christmas to stock up on fun activities for the year- or at least until the Easter bunny comes and replenishes us.
I chose the skip hop backpack in the ladybug design. Of course I got it on sale, and you can find it in a number of stores as well as amazon, in many many different animal designs. My daughter will be 2 in February so the toddler size was a must. I couldn't love this backpack more. It's adorable, and is the perfect size for her to take a snack, a book, a toy and a water bottle with her wherever we go. Obviously my backpack needs a little steam since I ordered it online and it's a tad wrinkled.
The next step in my backpack of artsy fun was to collect some age appropriate art supplies to fill it with. If you're in a hurry you could accomplish this process in one trip to Staples, but since I'm a girl who likes a bargain I had to plan. Sometimes last minute purchases can't be avoided, but I have always felt that the 11th hour was for people who can afford it. Since I wanted to fill this bag to the brim I did some of my Christmas shopping during the back-to-school sales weeks. Here was my loot:
Crayola, in my opinion, is unbeatable. I have tried many other brands hoping to get good results with cheaper products but it's just a waxy breakable mess. So I picked up the 24 count crayons, colored pencils, thin washable markers, and two boxes of the thick washable markers for between $.25 and $.50 a package. Back-to-school shopping is not just for students and teachers. Always take advantage when you can. In fact at the time, I bought 10 boxes of crayons and just dolled them out as needed. The finger paints, pom poms, gel pens and construction paper I got from the dollar store. The dollar store should never be overlooked when it comes to art supplies. The color wonder sets I got from Kohl's on Black Friday when they were about 60% off. And the washable paint set I picked up at Target for $2.50 along with the paint brushes that were on sale for less than $2.
The last minute gem that made me so happy is a book by skip hop that features the backpack I purchased! Since my mom is a teacher, she and I were able to attend a Scholastic Book Fair this week at their warehouse. Since they were trying to cut down on their stock and make room for new books, their entire warehouse was 50% off. I'm sure you can get this book for the full price of $4 and not have it break the bank, but like I said- discounts are my high. It's a board book with pull tabs for hidden surprises. Perfect for a toddler!
All told I probably spent about $20 on this gift and it will give my daughter creative fun for a year. My only disclaimer is that I bought a number of items which are recommended for ages greater than hers. But I know my child and what she can handle. So with the ample amounts of supervision that she will have for projects such a painting, I'm not worried. You should fill your bag with all the things that your child can safely enjoy. Keeping in mind that next Christmas is a year away, and maybe they won't be ready for markers now, but they will in 6 months. :-)
I also think this would make a great birthday present and the skip hop company has a ton of matching accessories if your child is not interested in art supplies. You could get the matching lunch box, or water bottle. They even have matching towels and blankets. So many possibilities. Merry Christmas!!
Monday, September 29, 2014
What's in my "Mommy Must Have" Bag?
OK so here is my the current full contents of my Mommy Must Have bag. It's the medium sized cosmetics bag that I bring everywhere. If we are out and about, rest assured this bag is somewhere in my possession. There are a few items that rotate in and out depending on the season (i.e.: sunscreen or bug spray), but the rest are staples that I keep around all the time. This obviously is not the full contents of what I carry with me, but it's all the small items that can be gathered together.
Here is a shot of everything laid out on my kitchen table.
EOS for me and vaseline for Addison. Occasionally she will want/need it and I can better control the amount I use on her when it's a little tub. Plus it's so cute and smells so good!
4- Mouthwash
First let me address the dollar. I always have emergency money. A dollar might not seem like enough, but it's the amount I keep in this bag. It's a mommy bag don't forget, so it could buy you a snack if you find yourself without one. I also have higher amounts in my car and in my purse. You never know. And the shout wipes are an obvious winner when you have little ones that spill on themselves, you, the car, strangers... you get it.
It seems like a lot when you lay it all out one item at a time, but it really all fits in this one little pouch in my purse. In case you're wondering it's a cosmetics bag by Vera Bradley. What's in YOUR mommy pouch?
Here is a shot of everything laid out on my kitchen table.
First, let's just get the TMI portion out of the way. I always have feminine products with me. In fact I usually have two of each because I was always told that the girl code with tampons is, 'If you have a spare, you have to share' so I am prepared for you too- lady-in-the-stall-next-to-me-who-had-to-ask-a-stranger-for-some-help.
2- Lotion.
Whenever I would play that game where someone asks what three things I would bring to a desert island my answer is always the same: lotion, lotion, lotion. I'm obsessed. So I have lotion strategically placed through out my most frequented places like my night stand, my car and of course, my bag. In fact here you can see- I have two.
3- Chapstick.
4- Mouthwash
This started recently when I got three of my four wisdom teeth removed. I needed to rinse and spit after I ate since I had a giant hole in my gums. After that I kept refilling this tiny bottle because I liked having it for when I was out and about and just needed a refresher.
5- Ibuprofen
Someone always has a headache it seems. Lately that someone is me.
6- Hair ties.
I have some for me and some for Addie because you never know when you are gonna need to get your hair out of your face.
7- Deodorant
It's a tiny little insurance policy for the mom (me) who is often in such a rush out the door that she gets where she is going and remembers that she never put on deodorant. Voila, problem solved.
8- Neosporin and bandaids
Ever since my little one learned how to walk, this became introduced to my permanent collection.
9- Tissues
One of the most highly used items in this bag has got to be tissues. 'Nough said.
10- Shout wipes and a Dollar.
It seems like a lot when you lay it all out one item at a time, but it really all fits in this one little pouch in my purse. In case you're wondering it's a cosmetics bag by Vera Bradley. What's in YOUR mommy pouch?
Monday, July 21, 2014
Dear New Moms.
Dear New Moms,
Hi! Welcome to the sisterhood. I would like to share a couple things with you that maybe you haven't heard before, or if you have, bears repeating. You are about to understand the theory of relativity way better than Einstein ever did. The moments of your life are about to come racing at you, in slow motion. Sound confusing? It is! From the moment they put that bundle of joy in your arms, and you begin to study and memorize your child's delicate features- they change. By the time you post the pictures you took on the first day of their life to your facebook page, they already look a little different. It goes by in an instant; and yet you feel like it's been an eternity since they were born because that's how long it's been since you had any sleep! My daughter is 17 months old today, and I can't believe that she's telling me what she wants instead of crying in morse code. (BTW, if you come across any of those articles that try to describe the different types of cries, so that you can address their needs sooner- don't bother. Ya know what happens? They scream their fool heads off and you play guess and check until you either fix the problem, or come to the point where you've tried everything and anything you've ever heard babies may like- and it didn't work- so now you're going to plot your revenge on the last person who ticked you off and simultaneously question why anyone would let you go home with a baby?! Couldn't they tell in the hospital that you weren't equipped to handle this sort of thing? Relax, no one is. Babies cry, and you can too. We won't judge.)
If you plan on breastfeeding, and I encourage you to, think of it as your full-time job for at least the first 2 months. I lost my milk 8 weeks in because I was trying to do too much, and therefore letting my husband get up with her once a night to supplement. Ya know that one kid in high school health class who would ask, "Is it true that if you don't use it, you lose it?" Well it's not true for that, but it is true for breastfeeding. It's all consuming. And if that means that during the day you don't have the time or energy to clean your house, or host company than I am officially giving you permission to say no to visitors. Or if you are home alone and ready for some adult conversation or another set of arms, than take solace in the fact that no one expects you to have polished furniture or gourmet meals prepared. If someone asks if they can come see the baby, it is also perfectly ok to say, "Sure but let's not set an exact time. Can I call you when it's a quiet moment?" or if they ask what they can bring don't say nothing just because you are trying to be polite. Tell them what you'd like! Or maybe something like, "Anything you pick up will be fine" No one wants to be an imposition, they just happen into it. So help them, help you! You deserve any little help you can get.
You're gonna cry for no reason. You're gonna cry because you have a lot of reasons. Let it out. Pick a friend, a blog, a parent or even your spouse who will listen to you say terrible things with no judgement. Know that at some point you are going to question whether or not you should have had a child. Know that at some point you are going to resent the loud intruder in your home. Know that at some point you are going to try to reason with an infant about how unfair it is that s/he gets all his/her needs met, and you are not getting yours! Also know that everyone feels that way. That it's fleeting. That one day you'll be crazy enough to want to do this all again. Know that a shower or a nap have magical healing powers, and that even though it's still true- you are a mom- you'll feel like a person again and be ready to go back to one on this day. Because somedays being a parent is like being in a 12 step recovery program- and you just need to take it one day, hour, or minute at a time.
Oh, and shave you're legs- you'll start to remember that you used to be a woman too!
Love and Solidarity,
Jennifer
Hi! Welcome to the sisterhood. I would like to share a couple things with you that maybe you haven't heard before, or if you have, bears repeating. You are about to understand the theory of relativity way better than Einstein ever did. The moments of your life are about to come racing at you, in slow motion. Sound confusing? It is! From the moment they put that bundle of joy in your arms, and you begin to study and memorize your child's delicate features- they change. By the time you post the pictures you took on the first day of their life to your facebook page, they already look a little different. It goes by in an instant; and yet you feel like it's been an eternity since they were born because that's how long it's been since you had any sleep! My daughter is 17 months old today, and I can't believe that she's telling me what she wants instead of crying in morse code. (BTW, if you come across any of those articles that try to describe the different types of cries, so that you can address their needs sooner- don't bother. Ya know what happens? They scream their fool heads off and you play guess and check until you either fix the problem, or come to the point where you've tried everything and anything you've ever heard babies may like- and it didn't work- so now you're going to plot your revenge on the last person who ticked you off and simultaneously question why anyone would let you go home with a baby?! Couldn't they tell in the hospital that you weren't equipped to handle this sort of thing? Relax, no one is. Babies cry, and you can too. We won't judge.)
If you plan on breastfeeding, and I encourage you to, think of it as your full-time job for at least the first 2 months. I lost my milk 8 weeks in because I was trying to do too much, and therefore letting my husband get up with her once a night to supplement. Ya know that one kid in high school health class who would ask, "Is it true that if you don't use it, you lose it?" Well it's not true for that, but it is true for breastfeeding. It's all consuming. And if that means that during the day you don't have the time or energy to clean your house, or host company than I am officially giving you permission to say no to visitors. Or if you are home alone and ready for some adult conversation or another set of arms, than take solace in the fact that no one expects you to have polished furniture or gourmet meals prepared. If someone asks if they can come see the baby, it is also perfectly ok to say, "Sure but let's not set an exact time. Can I call you when it's a quiet moment?" or if they ask what they can bring don't say nothing just because you are trying to be polite. Tell them what you'd like! Or maybe something like, "Anything you pick up will be fine" No one wants to be an imposition, they just happen into it. So help them, help you! You deserve any little help you can get.
You're gonna cry for no reason. You're gonna cry because you have a lot of reasons. Let it out. Pick a friend, a blog, a parent or even your spouse who will listen to you say terrible things with no judgement. Know that at some point you are going to question whether or not you should have had a child. Know that at some point you are going to resent the loud intruder in your home. Know that at some point you are going to try to reason with an infant about how unfair it is that s/he gets all his/her needs met, and you are not getting yours! Also know that everyone feels that way. That it's fleeting. That one day you'll be crazy enough to want to do this all again. Know that a shower or a nap have magical healing powers, and that even though it's still true- you are a mom- you'll feel like a person again and be ready to go back to one on this day. Because somedays being a parent is like being in a 12 step recovery program- and you just need to take it one day, hour, or minute at a time.
Oh, and shave you're legs- you'll start to remember that you used to be a woman too!
Love and Solidarity,
Jennifer
Saturday, July 19, 2014
Thanks Mom
My mom has always shared stories with me about when I was little. My friends joke that the Hegmann's take out the trash and it's a story. It's something I have always love about my family, we are story tellers. We also love to give each other a hard time. So when my mom told me that she used to give me a dust cloth when I was very little and we would dance to Lionel Ritchie while polishing the living room furniture, I couldn't let it go. I joked that Kathy Lee Gifford doesn't have monopoly on the child labor market. I kid her that even in third world nations the kids get paid at least a nickel an hour, I was doing it for free! I asked for college credit for all my years of manual labor for which I was paid with "experience".
Then I had my daughter and the jokes stopped. I watch my daughter take napkins, towels, socks- anything she can grab, and try to help me clean. I watch the look on her face when I ask her to throw something in the garbage and she can follow through. The self-esteem she gets from contributing to the household and helping Mommy, is astounding. And in those moments I can't help but think, "Thanks Mom". I never realized that when she told me that I could watch Sesame Street and Mr. Roger's Neighborhood and then the T.V. went off, it was a gift. We danced together. We cleaned together. I learned to take pride in my home. I learned to clean up after myself. I learned that there is great satisfaction in contributing to the family success. And I got to spend time with my mom. I got to know her as a fun person and not just the person who kisses my boo boo's and fixes my dinner (although she did both of those things as well).
The older my daughter gets the more I realize that my mom was mothering me even when I didn't know. Perhaps, especially when I didn't know it. And I am grateful that she had (and has) expectations of me, even at a very young age. Because those expectations never exceeded my capabilities, and often they helped me see my capabilities for what they really are.
I know that someday my daughter, if she's anything like me, will probably make a joke about how I would wait 10 minutes for her to pick up her toys one by one and put them in the toy box when I could have done it myself in less than a minute. She will probably remind me that she and I would clean the bathroom together, each of us with our respective sponges. Maybe she will ask me if I broke any child labor laws by dusting together. And I will laugh, all the while knowing that one day she will see me through different eyes- and think, "Thanks Mom"
Then I had my daughter and the jokes stopped. I watch my daughter take napkins, towels, socks- anything she can grab, and try to help me clean. I watch the look on her face when I ask her to throw something in the garbage and she can follow through. The self-esteem she gets from contributing to the household and helping Mommy, is astounding. And in those moments I can't help but think, "Thanks Mom". I never realized that when she told me that I could watch Sesame Street and Mr. Roger's Neighborhood and then the T.V. went off, it was a gift. We danced together. We cleaned together. I learned to take pride in my home. I learned to clean up after myself. I learned that there is great satisfaction in contributing to the family success. And I got to spend time with my mom. I got to know her as a fun person and not just the person who kisses my boo boo's and fixes my dinner (although she did both of those things as well).
The older my daughter gets the more I realize that my mom was mothering me even when I didn't know. Perhaps, especially when I didn't know it. And I am grateful that she had (and has) expectations of me, even at a very young age. Because those expectations never exceeded my capabilities, and often they helped me see my capabilities for what they really are.
I know that someday my daughter, if she's anything like me, will probably make a joke about how I would wait 10 minutes for her to pick up her toys one by one and put them in the toy box when I could have done it myself in less than a minute. She will probably remind me that she and I would clean the bathroom together, each of us with our respective sponges. Maybe she will ask me if I broke any child labor laws by dusting together. And I will laugh, all the while knowing that one day she will see me through different eyes- and think, "Thanks Mom"
Thursday, May 22, 2014
Baby Weight
After my daughter was born I lost 20 pounds in the first week. She was only 8 pounds of it, so I really felt like the rest of the weight was going to be easy. And then I plateaued. For a while. It was frustrating but I kept reading these blog posts that basically all said, it took you 9 months to put on the weight, it will take you 9 months to get back to where you were. I tried to have patience with myself. But it's not easy when the people around you can be, well, rude morons. I remember I went to Home Depot to get a copy of a key made and I had my 3 1/2 month old daughter with me. The guy at the key machine asked me a few questions about her and then said, "Boy you're really gonna have your hands full with her and the one on the way."... He thought I was pregnant. I guess I understand how if he didn't think about the math- he could see that my weight was all in front and that I am other wise a petite person with small legs and arms so it's more obvious. I wanted a sink hole to open up under my feet. I just smiled and said, "Oh we are just working on the first one still." He looked completely unfazed. I remember being angry at how unfazed he was. You just told a woman that she looks visibly pregnant and she wasn't, how do you not apologize or at least have the courtesy to blush?!
Before that I went to the dentist when my daughter was 6 weeks old. The receptionist there has known me since I was an infant so she knows what I usually look life and when she over heard me talking to the dentist about the baby she said, "Did you say something about having a baby?" and I said "Yes, I just had a baby." I was beaming as any new parents does. I couldn't wait for her to ask questions about her so that I could break out the pictures and brag about my perfect angel. Instead she said, "Well that explains the belly." And I laughed. Laughed so that I wouldn't make her feel embarrassed. She followed up with, "How old is she?" and when I answered 6 weeks she said, "Oh well that really explains the belly."
I always do that, I thought on my drive home. I always and smiling politely when other people say rude things so that it's not uncomfortable. Why am I making myself laugh when someone calls me fat to my face? They SHOULD feel uncomfortable and embarrassed. They acted like an ASS. Yes, it really did explain the belly. And if it didn't, it's absolutely still rude and cruel to say. It's almost like people think to themselves, 'Gee, that woman with the baby doesn't realize that she's not pregnant anymore and she still has a belly. I think it's my duty as a peripheral character in her life, or even better total stranger, to let her know that she needs to loose weight. Because the day before you give birth your belly is adorable and the day after it's disgusting. Clearly, she doesn't know that.' If they thought for one second that they were saying anything I didn't think 100 times a day they were mistaken.
Then, about 8 months after I gave birth I needed new jeans. I was trying to avoid buying anything because I didn't want to commit to the size I was. I was really struggling with the last 10 and I still wouldn't accept defeat, but the fact was nothing fit- everything was either too big or too small. I went to Old Navy and tried on a few pair. A woman that worked there, we'll call her the Angel of Kindness, had been helping me before I went in the fitting room and when I came out disgusted and discouraged, I handed them back to her. She asked me if she could fetch me a different size and I said, "No. I'll be back when I am the size I want to be." and like the Angel of Kindness she is she replied, "Don't be too hard on yourself, you have a beautiful gift." I walked out of that store having bought nothing but I wasn't empty handed. I can't say I am not ever hard on myself, but I can say that I think of her kind words often, and in many places in my life.
Since then I have found a new routine that is helping everyday with loosing weight and I am happy to say that even though I am still not at the ultimate goal, I am officially smaller than I was before baby. But if I wasn't that wouldn't make me less of a person. So to all the people who speak before they think, do the world a favor and SHUT UP! Please?
Before that I went to the dentist when my daughter was 6 weeks old. The receptionist there has known me since I was an infant so she knows what I usually look life and when she over heard me talking to the dentist about the baby she said, "Did you say something about having a baby?" and I said "Yes, I just had a baby." I was beaming as any new parents does. I couldn't wait for her to ask questions about her so that I could break out the pictures and brag about my perfect angel. Instead she said, "Well that explains the belly." And I laughed. Laughed so that I wouldn't make her feel embarrassed. She followed up with, "How old is she?" and when I answered 6 weeks she said, "Oh well that really explains the belly."
I always do that, I thought on my drive home. I always and smiling politely when other people say rude things so that it's not uncomfortable. Why am I making myself laugh when someone calls me fat to my face? They SHOULD feel uncomfortable and embarrassed. They acted like an ASS. Yes, it really did explain the belly. And if it didn't, it's absolutely still rude and cruel to say. It's almost like people think to themselves, 'Gee, that woman with the baby doesn't realize that she's not pregnant anymore and she still has a belly. I think it's my duty as a peripheral character in her life, or even better total stranger, to let her know that she needs to loose weight. Because the day before you give birth your belly is adorable and the day after it's disgusting. Clearly, she doesn't know that.' If they thought for one second that they were saying anything I didn't think 100 times a day they were mistaken.
Then, about 8 months after I gave birth I needed new jeans. I was trying to avoid buying anything because I didn't want to commit to the size I was. I was really struggling with the last 10 and I still wouldn't accept defeat, but the fact was nothing fit- everything was either too big or too small. I went to Old Navy and tried on a few pair. A woman that worked there, we'll call her the Angel of Kindness, had been helping me before I went in the fitting room and when I came out disgusted and discouraged, I handed them back to her. She asked me if she could fetch me a different size and I said, "No. I'll be back when I am the size I want to be." and like the Angel of Kindness she is she replied, "Don't be too hard on yourself, you have a beautiful gift." I walked out of that store having bought nothing but I wasn't empty handed. I can't say I am not ever hard on myself, but I can say that I think of her kind words often, and in many places in my life.
Since then I have found a new routine that is helping everyday with loosing weight and I am happy to say that even though I am still not at the ultimate goal, I am officially smaller than I was before baby. But if I wasn't that wouldn't make me less of a person. So to all the people who speak before they think, do the world a favor and SHUT UP! Please?
Friday, May 2, 2014
Toddler Foods
Ahhh I can't believe how long it's been since I've posted. I'm sure if you are reading this you are a parent and you can understand how drastically my life changed when my darling daughter learned to walk. Add to that a first birthday party, mommy and baby being out of commission with rough sickness, losing my computers hard drive (more on this later), getting sick AGAIN and going on vacation (awesome trip and I'm not complaining but travel with kids requires tons of planning and is fun but not so much with the restful) and you can understand why I've been absent.
So now to the topic at hand. Food. After breastfeeding ended for us we were forced to switch to formula. Once that happened Ryan and I used to joke that we wouldn't know what to do with all our spare income after she graduated off of formula. I would think to myself at least 4 times a day that I couldn't WAIT for real food. Making one family meal and giving Addison a portion. We would eat well, and therefore she would eat well. And then she actually did graduate to real food being her primary source of nutrition. And it was totally different than I thought it would be.
We have two main daily struggles: One- she has days when all she wants to eat is Mac and Cheese. Two- She is not a good chewer. I never know what kind of eater she will be that day. Some days she will literally eat spicy calamari or black olives and blue cheese. And some days chicken is greeted with a face of disgust and she spits it out. I have to make her a separate dinner a lot, either because she is being picky or because I know she can't chew what we have. When I say she can't chew, I don't mean she only has 8 teeth and chewing isn't easy. I mean she doesn't really attempt chewing most of the time and she will swallow food whole. So just when I think I have found a great lunch item for her that is easy to chew (or not chew), she will suddenly decide that food is on the list of "not on your life" foods. It can be frustrating.
In the spirit of preventing frustration in others, here are some foods we have all the time. This is by no means a complete list foods that she eats nor am I saying this is a go-to for total nutrition. These are just some staples in our house that work for us and maybe you could incorporate one or two in your house to make things easier for yourself.
Breakfast:
Oatmeal
Aunt Jemima lil Griddles mini pancakes. These pancakes are the perfect size for a toddler. They come in a few flavors and a small stack gets nuked in the microwave for 30 seconds. Can't beat how easy and delicious they are. Most days Addison will have two pancakes with half a banana and a piece of sausage.
Bananas. Addie loves a lot of different fruits but bananas are by far her favorite. She eats a banana a day. I like them because they are portable and I can break it apart with my fingers if I don't have silverware or a plate.
Brown n Serve. One minute in the microwave and it puts a little protein in her first thing in the morning.
Lunch:
Whole wheat tortilla quesadillas. OK here is one of my favorite mommy quick tips are the Perdue Short Cuts. They are small packages of grilled chicken breast strips. They come in a few flavors and all of them are good. I get them from Costco, but you can get them at any supermarket. I use them in a lot of different ways, like on top of a quick salad for lunch. But Addison's favorite way is on a tortilla with some shredded cheddar and a little salsa. Then I cook it in a dry skillet. You can brush a little olive oil on the outside if you want, but since Addie doesn't chew well I don't want the tortilla to get crunchy so I leave it dry. She gobbles this up.
Peanut butter and jelly on whole wheat potato bread. I like the potato bread because it keeps in the cabinet longer and we use low sugar options for the jelly. Light on the peanut butter so it doesn't pose a choking hazard! Addison doesn't care for crust, so I cut it off and save it in a ziplock baggie for feeding the ducks.
Grilled cheese. Whole milk cheese slices and I sometimes add a slice of tomato in the middle because, as I will tell you later, Addison LOVES tomatoes.
Cream Cheese and Jelly or CC and Cucumber on whole wheat bread.
Easy Mac. As I mentioned, Addie loves Macaroni and cheese. She would eat it breakfast lunch and dinner if she could. So easy mac is a great quick, and portable option that I can throw in her bag if she is going to visit Grandma and Grandpa for dinner and doesn't care for that night's menu options. But we also use them at home for lunch. I can also hide healthy items in the macaroni and she often won't notice that she is also eating broccoli.
Sides:
Avocado
tomatoes
watermelon
apple
raisins
mandarin oranges canned in fruit juice
pineapple
banana
sweet potato
corn
Steam bag of frozen veggies (the mixed veggies often come cut up in toddler sized pieces!)
peanut butter crackers
string cheese
yogurt bites
strawberries
blueberries
blackberries
cantaloupe
pear
I will use all of these as either sides to a meal or as a snack. Many are portable, easy, inexpensive and don't require a lot of preparation or refrigeration. All things that help me in my day, and hopefully will help you!
So now to the topic at hand. Food. After breastfeeding ended for us we were forced to switch to formula. Once that happened Ryan and I used to joke that we wouldn't know what to do with all our spare income after she graduated off of formula. I would think to myself at least 4 times a day that I couldn't WAIT for real food. Making one family meal and giving Addison a portion. We would eat well, and therefore she would eat well. And then she actually did graduate to real food being her primary source of nutrition. And it was totally different than I thought it would be.
We have two main daily struggles: One- she has days when all she wants to eat is Mac and Cheese. Two- She is not a good chewer. I never know what kind of eater she will be that day. Some days she will literally eat spicy calamari or black olives and blue cheese. And some days chicken is greeted with a face of disgust and she spits it out. I have to make her a separate dinner a lot, either because she is being picky or because I know she can't chew what we have. When I say she can't chew, I don't mean she only has 8 teeth and chewing isn't easy. I mean she doesn't really attempt chewing most of the time and she will swallow food whole. So just when I think I have found a great lunch item for her that is easy to chew (or not chew), she will suddenly decide that food is on the list of "not on your life" foods. It can be frustrating.
In the spirit of preventing frustration in others, here are some foods we have all the time. This is by no means a complete list foods that she eats nor am I saying this is a go-to for total nutrition. These are just some staples in our house that work for us and maybe you could incorporate one or two in your house to make things easier for yourself.
Breakfast:
Oatmeal
Aunt Jemima lil Griddles mini pancakes. These pancakes are the perfect size for a toddler. They come in a few flavors and a small stack gets nuked in the microwave for 30 seconds. Can't beat how easy and delicious they are. Most days Addison will have two pancakes with half a banana and a piece of sausage.
Bananas. Addie loves a lot of different fruits but bananas are by far her favorite. She eats a banana a day. I like them because they are portable and I can break it apart with my fingers if I don't have silverware or a plate.
Brown n Serve. One minute in the microwave and it puts a little protein in her first thing in the morning.
Lunch:
Whole wheat tortilla quesadillas. OK here is one of my favorite mommy quick tips are the Perdue Short Cuts. They are small packages of grilled chicken breast strips. They come in a few flavors and all of them are good. I get them from Costco, but you can get them at any supermarket. I use them in a lot of different ways, like on top of a quick salad for lunch. But Addison's favorite way is on a tortilla with some shredded cheddar and a little salsa. Then I cook it in a dry skillet. You can brush a little olive oil on the outside if you want, but since Addie doesn't chew well I don't want the tortilla to get crunchy so I leave it dry. She gobbles this up.
Peanut butter and jelly on whole wheat potato bread. I like the potato bread because it keeps in the cabinet longer and we use low sugar options for the jelly. Light on the peanut butter so it doesn't pose a choking hazard! Addison doesn't care for crust, so I cut it off and save it in a ziplock baggie for feeding the ducks.
Grilled cheese. Whole milk cheese slices and I sometimes add a slice of tomato in the middle because, as I will tell you later, Addison LOVES tomatoes.
Cream Cheese and Jelly or CC and Cucumber on whole wheat bread.
Easy Mac. As I mentioned, Addie loves Macaroni and cheese. She would eat it breakfast lunch and dinner if she could. So easy mac is a great quick, and portable option that I can throw in her bag if she is going to visit Grandma and Grandpa for dinner and doesn't care for that night's menu options. But we also use them at home for lunch. I can also hide healthy items in the macaroni and she often won't notice that she is also eating broccoli.
Sides:
Avocado
tomatoes
watermelon
apple
raisins
mandarin oranges canned in fruit juice
pineapple
banana
sweet potato
corn
Steam bag of frozen veggies (the mixed veggies often come cut up in toddler sized pieces!)
peanut butter crackers
string cheese
yogurt bites
strawberries
blueberries
blackberries
cantaloupe
pear
I will use all of these as either sides to a meal or as a snack. Many are portable, easy, inexpensive and don't require a lot of preparation or refrigeration. All things that help me in my day, and hopefully will help you!
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