Celebrating Baby Number Two!

More and more second time moms are having baby showers to celebrate the newest addition to the family, but often times, they don't know if they should register or what they should register for. It's all in what you feel comfortable doing, and if there are items you need to make the transition from one to two children easier, I say go for it...register away!

But...since many of your guests may have given you a gift when you were pregnant with your first child, focus on the essentials when registering for your second baby. Some items to consider registering for are:

- Diapers

- Wipes

- Gift Cards

- Daddy Diaper bag

- Burp cloths

- Bibs

- Double Stroller (Perhaps family members will pool together to get you this big item.)

Consider registering for a few outfits, too. If your second baby is a different gender than your first child, gender specific clothes are always very fun, and very necessary! Even if the gender is the same, new clothes are always a great gift idea since baby clothes become worn out so easily.

If you still feel uncomfortable about having a good ol' fashion baby shower thrown for you for your second child, there are other ways to celebrate your pregnancy. You could suggest to your gracious hosts to hold a specific themed shower, such as a book shower (guests bring children's books to build your baby's library), a diaper shower, or a frozen meal shower. All of these shower ideas would mean less expensive gifts that your guests would have to give, but all are very useful. Or you could simply have a "Baby Bash" where your friends and family come to a party in your honor, but no gifts are given.

Expanding your family is an exciting time...enjoy celebrating your new baby!

Napping is Necessary!

My baby has (luckily) been a good napper from the beginning, but after a recent ear infection, he has been off his nap schedule for about a week now. Not having those long, restorative naps has made my little guy a little off kilter. (It made me off kilter, too! I need those down times as well.)

Being off schedule this week made me realize how important those naps are...not only do they rejuvenate moms and babies, but according to a new study from the University of Arizona in Tuscon, babies learn better when they nap within four hours of learning something new.

The study shows that babies who are able to take a daytime nap are more likely to exhibit an advanced level of learning known as abstraction. Abstraction is a level of learning where the brain detects patterns of new information.

One of the researchers of this study, Lynn Nadel, stated that babies should get some sleep within a reasonable amount of time after learning new information. If a baby doesn't sleep within four to eight hours of learning new information, they most likely will lose everything they just learned.

So what does this mean, parents? It is important to stimulate your baby with reading, talking, playing and other stimuli, but these stimuli need to happen within a timeframe that includes adequate sleep.

Interesting, huh? Nap schedules are important for your little one's disposition and for their learning, too!

For more information on the nap study, click here.

Teething Is the Pits....

My little guy got his first tooth last week…at five-and-a-half months old! I forgot how hard teething can be on both babies and parents! Long, sleepless nights and fussy, irritable babies make teething one of the hardest parts of raising your baby for some parents.

Here are some ways to cope with the inevitable milestone in your little ones life…teething!

• Look for signs of teething. Excessive drool and cramming anything and everything in their mouths are sure signs that a baby is teething. Other signs of teething include swollen gums, sleep issues, and biting behavior. If you know your baby is teething, you can sympathise with them during this trying time.

• Wipe your baby’s mouth and face often when they drool. This will prevent what is known as “drool rash’ from appearing on their mouth, chin, and cheeks.

• Give your baby something to chew on, such as a teething toy or a frozen wet washcloth. Make sure it is big enough to where your baby cannot choke on it, and that it also cannot break into little pieces.

• One way to soothe your baby while teething is to rub his or her gums. Make sure your fingers are clean before you put your fingers in the baby’s mouth.

• If you baby is eating solids, sometimes cold foods, such as chilled applesauce or pears feels good on your baby’s gums and is a good remedy for teething.

• If all else fails, give your baby Infant Tylenol. Before giving your child Infant Tylenol, always check with your pediatrician first.

Teething is the pits, but remember it does end...eventually!

Cabin Fever Got You Down?

Our household was recently blessed with some awesome winter weather, and the whole family enjoyed sledding, eating snow cream, and making snowmen! However…after a weekend of winter bliss, we were plagued with days of closed schools, cabin fever, and cold, wet rain.

Are you feeling the effects of winter in your household? Cabin fever got you down?

What are some ways you can combat the winter blues? Here are a list of ideas on how to make the not-so-great indoors become fun for the whole family.

- Have a movie date with your kids, complete with popcorn and treats! Create a comfy atmosphere with pillows, sleeping bags and blankets and curl up and enjoy the show!

- Host a game day and invite neighborhood kids over to compete against one another. Play Candy Land, Monopoly, Uno, and other family friendly board games and card games all day long…you and the kids will love the competition and camaraderie!

- Put together puzzles as a family. You can do this over an extended period of time. Once you finish a puzzle, it’s time to pull out another one and start again! Always have a puzzle out for family members to work on during times it’s too cold to go outside.

- Stock up on arts and crafts supplies. Before winter weather heads your way, stock up on fun crafts you can do with your kids. Glue, crayons, scissors, glitter, foam shapes, stickers and paper are sure to create hours of fun for your little ones!

- Cook with your kids! Everyone loves to eat when you are snowed in, so make preparing the meals a family affair! Have everyone join in making warm soups, delicious baked goods and yummy comfort foods.

Being snowed in with your family can be a wonderful bonding experience. Enjoy the time together and when cabin fever starts to creep in, use your creativity to make your time at home fun for the whole family!

Losing the Baby Weight...Again

How do celebrities lose their baby weight so quickly?

Lately, there have been so many magazine covers touting new celebrity moms who lost their baby weight in record time, and their baby isn’t even three-months-old yet! It took me more than a year to lose all the baby weight after my first daughter was born.

After the arrival of my son, the weight is coming off quicker, but I still have those last pesky 10 pounds that I would like to lose pronto. I don’t want to celebrate my son’s first birthday with this extra weight, so what can I do to lose the baby weight…again?

Here are some tips I found when researching how to lose baby weight!

- Find time to exercise.
“Duh”, you may be thinking…so simple, yet so true. With two kids and a husband who travels quite a bit, finding my way to a gym is not so easy. My goal is to find ways to exercise that works for my family, such as taking walks with the kids (outside on nice days, and inside at the mall on cold, rainy days). I can also utilize nap times and work out in the living room with my Wii Fit or an exercise DVD while the kids are sleeping. Finding time to exercise will make a difference in your day, as well as a difference in your mental and physical health.

- Have healthy snacks readily available.
It is so easy to eat what’s left on your toddler’s plate, or to hit up a drive-thru restaurant on your way to pick up your oldest from preschool, but resist. Have nourishing snacks near you at all times. Put some nutritious snacks in your purse and in your pantry in plain sight. Grab for those wholesome snacks that will satisfy your hunger. Some great grab-and-go healthy snacks are: edamame, baby carrots, string cheese and rice cakes.

- Drink more water!
If you drink a glass of water before each meal, it will make you feel fuller, making you eat less. Also, if you are nursing, make sure to drink a glass of water during each feeding as well.

- Set a fitness goal.
I find that if I set a goal to work towards, it will actually happen. For me, that would mean working towards running a race or working out a certain amount of days a week. When you reach your fitness goal, reward yourself with a special treat, such as new running shoes or a pedicure!

- Delay, delay, delay!
If you are feeling hungry, drink a glass of water and wait fifteen minutes to see if you are still hungry. Often times, moms mistake thirst for hunger. Also, at the end of a meal, instead of rushing to get seconds, drink a glass of water and decide if you are still hungry. Taking a break from eating will allow you to figure out if you are indeed full and satisfied.

Check out this article from Parents.com for more weight loss secrets. It has 18 great tips on how to lose the baby weight for good from real moms!

A New Adventure: Making My Own Baby Food!

My son is just starting solids, and this time around, I decided to try to make my own baby food. When my daughter was a baby, I found the idea of making her baby food at home overwhelming, so we never attempted it. I feel more confidant in my abilities the second time around, so we are going to give it a try!

Why make your own baby food, you may ask? For me, I thought it would be fresher, healthier, easier and more economical in the long run. Instead of buying prepackaged foods, your baby can eventually eat what the rest of the family is eating. Also, because you selected the organic foods yourself, you know exactly what is going into their little tummies.

Here are some tips on how to make your own baby food.

- Get the tools you will need to make the baby food ahead of time. You will need some sort of blender to puree your baby’s foods. A regular kitchen blender or food processor will do, or you can opt to get a baby food maker, such as the Beaba Babycook from Williams-Sonoma (there are other baby food makers out on the market as well.) You may also need to purchase storage containers and ice cube trays to use for freezing extra portions.

- Select the freshest fruits and vegetables you can find. Organic produce is best, but you will have to be mindful to use them in a timely manner, usually within a day or two. You want your baby to eat as organically as possible to ensure pesticide-free and additive-free baby foods.

- Label your freezer packages with what the food is and the date it was made. Baby food can be stored for up to three months, so put the freshest foods in the back of the freezer and use the older foods first.

- To avoid wasting the baby foods you have prepared, only thaw our small portions to heat up and serve. Once you have thawed out baby food, it cannot be refrozen. Also, do not save any baby food that is leftover after a feeding because once your baby’s saliva has touched the food (via the baby spoon), bacteria can grow in the food.

- Play with the textures and tastes of your baby’s foods. Because you are able to puree the foods and mix the foods to suit the taste buds of your baby, transitioning to table foods will be much less stressful.

- Do not add any salt, pepper, seasoning, butter or spices to your baby food. Your baby’s digestive system is not ready for that yet!

If you decide to make your own baby food…good luck and have fun with it! Post some of your favorite baby food recipes in the comments section below. If making your own baby food if overwhelming to you, remember that your local grocery stores more than likely carry organic baby food brands, such as Gerber Organics, Earth’s Best, Happy Baby Foods, and Natures One.

Mom Resolutions in 2010

When thinking of my New Year’s resolutions this year, most of them revolved around my children. Some of my initial thoughts were:

- I am going to add more structure to my daughter’s day.
- I am going to feed my children healthier foods this year.
- I am going to read more to my kids.

It got me thinking…am I the only one out there that has “Mom Resolutions” (or “Dad Resolutions”) for the new year?

If you, too, made Mom Resolutions, what are they and how do you plan on achieving your goals? Post in the comment sections what you are striving to do for your kids in 2010!

Happy New Year from Pure and Honest Kids!