So far so good.

Where did Long Island go? 

I'm am pleased to be writing this on Monday! We have power - so far! The winds are gusting but, luckily the wires and trees all seem to be staying up. The high tide is definitely HIGH. The flooding they are talking about is definitely not a joke.

A few years ago, the hubby and I were thinking about buying an adorable little waterfront home in a neighboring town. We are so pleased that it didn't work out. At the time we were really upset, but fact of the matter is there was a reason for it. We would have been evacuated twice in the last two years and our house would have definitely filled with water. Being that it was only one story on a canal, we would have been in deep trouble.

Another thing I am grateful for today is that both my brother and his girlfriend and my in laws made it back to their homes safely. My brother and his girlfriend were at a wedding in Atlanta and returned to DC. My in laws were at a wedding in San Antonio and returned to MD.

As I sit here, I wonder if babies have a sense that bad weather is coming. Little Charlie hasn't wanted to leave my arms in several days and is particularly clingy today. I'm sure some of it is that he senses that I'm tense. But, other times when we got a crazy thunderstorm out of no where, he was going a nuts before hand.

The worst part of the storm is definitely waiting for it to arrive. We are simply sitting ducks waiting to be blown away by these insane winds. Right now, the gusts are pretty incredible. I can't imagine when it actually gets going. They were reporting 53 mph winds at JFK earlier and the airports aren't going to close.

Oyster Bay
Oyster Bay

Cold Spring Harbor
4:04 PM - lots of popping and cracking but we still have power. Lots of wind and heavy rain now.

Morgan Park
4:36 PM - things are picking up. It should be here within the next hour. The power is going on and off frequently.

4:44 PM - County executive called to say the storm is moving faster than they thought and the surge will be greater than they thought.

4:54 PM - Heard from the cousins in SI. They are w/o power and lots of trees down but, they are OK.

What I Wore Sunday - vol. 2

The wonderful ladies over at Fine Linen and Purple are hosting a link up called "What I Wore Sunday". Women are asked to link up what they wore to Mass with the hope of giving other women some fashion ideas. So, what did I wear?

We spent all day prepping for the hurricane so, I didn't get to take pictures until after Mass on Saturday. I took a cue from Katie @ NFP and Me and decided to wear a ruffled shirt (completely outside my comfort zone). I really like the shirt but, would love some feedback on whether it just made me look "fluffier".  What did you think about the color? The pants, shoes, and sweater were just basic colors. I'm thinking next time I might need to go with a brighter top.

The outfit was put together from the Talbot's MEGA sale. Everything was $12.99 or less. Mandi @ Catholic Newlywed had talked about this sale over the summer and I was able to take advantage of it. It is always fun to wear something new! There was no time for make up, accessories, or a hair do since we were running late.


The Great Closet Clean Out, Part 2


Last week, I decided I would follow in Sarah's footsteps and begin cleaning out my closet, dresser, and under the bed storage. I have to say it is going well. I have determined that I have many things that I just don't need or that don't fit the way I'd like them to.

The biggest hurtle I've come across is finding a consignment shop for some of the nicer items. It appears as though most places here have a waiting list to even look at your stuff. I found one nice place for mom and kid clothes but, it is quite a hike from here. The other thing is that they don't ever give you money for your clothes, they simply give you a store credit. Therefore, you have to spend it there. The one exciting part is that all of the baby clothes are BRAND NEW, tickets on!

Every consignment shop I have come across only takes clothes that are "in season". Unfortunately, they consider most of my skirts to be clothes. I know that St. Vincent de Paul will take anything. But, being that we are trying to save/make money anywhere we can, I thought it would be prudent to be a bit persistent with the consignment shops.

In my cleaning/organizing, I decided that I needed a few things to help keep shoes, the hubby's ties, and sweater/blankets/sweatshirts organized. It is amazing how much room is available when things are organized. After reading a bunch of articles about organizing your closet, I discovered that many people have the same trouble spots. I love that I can see the floor in my closet because the shoes are on the back of the door. The sweaters/sweatshirts/blankets are contained in the sweater bags and neatly stacked in the top of the closet rather than having them fall off of the shelf every time I grab one. You shouldn't need a crash helmet to pick out your clothes for the day, ya know?

My purchases:
Tie Hanger
Shoe Rack

Sweater Bags

REPOST: EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS WITH AN INFANT


I wrote this post earlier this summer but, I feel as though it is appropriate to repost this based on the path of Hurricane Sandy. For those of you living in Nassau County, Nassau County Executive Ed Mangano has put the emergency phone system into place and is urging residents to "be ready". For anyone North of 25A check your evacuation routes. In the event that you lose  power, contact LIPA

Well, this seems to be the summer of storms on Long Island. In Charlie's short life, we've been without power three times and have had countless storms. Last night we received calls from the county legislator indicating that there would be strong thunderstorms with the possibility of a tornado. We made sure we had a bag for Charlie of everything he would need for at least a day and we waited...


Emergency Kit for A Breastfeeding Infant
1) 1 package of diapers
2) 1 package of wipes
3) Hand sanitizer
4) Water (for mom)
5) Wrap/sling/nursing cover
6) Blankets
7) Burp cloth
8) Pacifier
9) First aid kit
10) Medicine dropper
11) Nasal aspirator
12) Changes of clothes

13) Nipple shield (if needed)

Have I forgotten something? Comment below! 

As a kid, we never received these ominous phone calls from the local government. While I understand, we need to be informed sometimes I feel like these phone calls make everyone just a little too crazy. There were always warnings on the TV but, those warnings seem much less personal than having a person or a recording call your house.

Charlie was absolutely hysterical as the first large storm was approaching. Can babies sense storms like animals? As the storm passed, he calmed down (THANKFULLY!). We were very lucky that most of the strong weather stayed to the west of us and our power remained on.

Breastfeeding and Emergency Preparedness
As a result of the many storms we have had since Charlie was born, I have become very grateful for the ability to breastfeed. It is wonderful not to have to worry about having enough formula and bottles. As long as, I am there... he will be fed. Woohoo! Go nature!

Breastfeeding and Mother's Stress
With all of the excitement yesterday, I noticed I was not as anxious as I usually am when the weather gets bad. I've been doing a lot of reading about breasfeeding and much of the reading indicates that it reduces the stress level of the mother. This is true for several reasons: Skin to skin contact with your little one automatically relaxes a mother and child. (I mean really... who doesn't like snuggling with a little baby?) Breastfeeding releases a hormone called Oxytocin which is shown to lower blood pressure in the mother. Prolactin is also released which is related to a positive mood and lower stress levels.

Another added bonus!
It has been proven that breastfeeding reduces a baby's pain level. If your child happens to become injured in the storm, it will help to ease the pain!

Links on Emergency Preparedness and Support for Breast Feeding In Disaster Situations
http://www.cdph.ca.gov/healthinfo/healthyliving/childfamily/pages/emergencypreparednessinfantandyoungchildcareandfeeding.aspx
http://www.kitsklub.com/catalog/i1.html
http://www.midwife.org/siteFiles/education/K_Carr_Sept._06_Quickening_article.pdf

7 Quick Takes




  1. I've started so many posts this week and haven't been able to finish any of them since Charlie appears to have given up sleeping again. Could this be another growth spurt?
  2. We are going to a play date today with some other baby wearing moms. If any of you are locals, there is a group called Long Island Baby Wearing on Facebook. The women there are wonderful and friendly! We try to have play dates/ meetings each month at a different person's house.
  3. We are preparing for the possibility of Hurricane Sandy heading our way. When Irene hit this area, my parents were without power and phone for seven days. So, if I disappear next week, that would be why. Please say some prayers for everyone's safety.

    O Heavenly Father, all the elements of nature obey Your commands, including hurricanes. Calm the storms that threaten us and turn our fear of Your power into praise of Your goodness. Grant this through Our Lord Jesus Christ, Your Son, who lives and reigns with the Holy Spirit, one God forever and ever. Amen.
     via
  4. I hope Charlie will get to wear his cute dinosaur costume for Halloween!
  5. The exterior of my parents house is being painted therefore, I am becoming well versed in Spanish language opera. The gentlemen enjoy singing opera at the top of their lungs.
  6. I am trying desperately to finish these before Charlie wakes up.
  7. I made these to share with the play group today. I made them with the dark chocolate version of the fudge stripes cookies and green icing. Since I did it with the dark chocolate version, you didn't have to flip the cookie over and it added a little bit of decoration. They came out really cute and tasty!

BBQ Chicken Crescent Rolls from Pillsbury.com

Wednesday was super dreary in NY. It wasn't quite raining but, it wasn't dry either. It wasn't quite cold, but it wasn't sunny either. The little guy and I had been out shopping and I was starving - not in the mood for fast food. 

After seeing a Pillsbury crescent roll commercial on TV  last night, I decided to Google the recipe for these rolls. Earlier in the week, I made a roast chicken for dinner and had a bunch of meat leftover. These rolls seemed like the perfect, easy way to use the leftover chicken! (There are only so many days you can eat chicken salad before it loses it's appeal.) Crescent rolls are so versatile and so yummy!


BBQ Chicken Crescents

BBQ Chicken Crescents

    • of ingredients4
    • prep time10 Min
    • total time30 Min

     

    1
    can (8 oz) Pillsbury® refrigerated crescent dinner rolls
    1
    cup shredded cooked chicken
    1/4
    cup barbecue sauce
    1/3
    cup shredded Cheddar cheese
    • 1Separate dough into 8 triangles.
    • 2In bowl, mix chicken and barbecue sauce. Spoon chicken mixture onto short end of each triangle; sprinkle each with 1 teaspoon of the cheese. Roll up loosely as directed on can. Place on ungreased cookie sheet.
    • 3Bake at 375°F 12 to 15 minutes.
    ***The original recipe from Pillsbury.com included brushing the crescent rolls with egg and sprinkling cheese on top. I did not put egg on them because it seemed unnecessary. They came out great! They were super quick, easy, and tasty.

    A Special 5 Month Dessert: Homemade Chocolate Cupcakes with Vanilla Icing

    For Charlie's 5 Month Birthday, I made chocolate cupcakes with vanilla frosting FROM SCRATCH for the first time! They were SOOOO good! The frosting was really sweet however, when put together with the cupcake it was perfect. They tasted a lot like Magnolia bakery cupcakes. I will definitely be making these again! Next time, I hope to get creative and decorate them or add a filling.



      Source: realsimple.com via Elizabeth on Pinterest


































































































    From baking these, I learned that it is probably just as easy to make "box" cupcakes as it is to make completely homemade cupcakes. The hubby has asked that I make these for his birthday in December. (I have a feeling I will have to make them with chocolate icing though.) 

    Here are some ideas for the hubby's cupcakes: 

    Source: via Brooke on Pinterest







    What I Wore Sunday

    The wonderful ladies over at Fine Linen and Purple are hosting a brand new link up called "What I Wore Sunday". Women are asked to link up what they wore to Mass with the hope of giving other women some fashion ideas. So, what did I wear?

    Brown cardigan (NY & Co.)
    Purple tank top (Old Navy)
    Brown skirt (Macy's)
    Brown heels 

    I picked my outfit because we had practically no sleep last night and I was dressed up for a wake/funeral yesterday. Therefore, I wanted to be comfortable while still be somewhat dressy. I always have to keep in mind that my little guy tends to pull on me during Mass so, whatever I wear I have to make sure it will stay put and keep me covered. 

    As I was thinking of what to write, I couldn't help but think that there should be a before Mass photo and after Mass photo. I definitely look put together before Mass however, by the end of Mass it is an entirely different story. Generally, my hair and clothes are askew from having the little guy clawing and climbing all over. 

    I don't make it a habit of wearing much makeup because I know that Charlie will likely lick it off my face. I do put on mascara and liquid lip color but, that's about it. In terms of my hair, it varies between half up half down and a bun. It entirely depends on how much time I have to get ready and how much I feel like Charlie pulling on it during Mass.


    You are my I Love You!

    We received this book at my baby shower and I still can't read it without crying but, it is a beautiful poem. I thought I would share since our baby boy will be FIVE MONTHS OLD on Monday!


    You are my I love you 
    by Maryann K Cusimano 


    I am your parent, you are my child
    I am your quiet place, you are my wild
    I am your calm face, you are my giggle
    I am your wait, you are my wiggle
    I am your dinner you are my chocolate cake
    I am your bedtime, you are my wide awake
    I am your favorite book, you are my new lines
    I am your nightlight, you are my sunshine
    I am your lullaby, you are my peek-a-boo
    I am your kiss goodnight, you are my I love you









    7 Quick Takes


    1- Yesterday, my great aunt at 96 years old went to be with our Lord. She is the last sibling in my grandfather's family and the last of that entire generation to return Home.

    2- It must be incredible to be almost a century old. However, it must also be extremely sad to be the last of your friends to be living. 

    3- We really need to see family more often than at weddings and funerals. You should see the people you love while they are alive. 

    4- Family is important. This is one of the lessons I would like to teach Charlie. 

    5- I would love to see Charlie grow up and call his uncles just to chat. It would be wonderful for him to have a close relationship with my three brothers. 
    via
    6- This makes me think that we need to have a family picture taken. We have several pictures of the three of us but it would be nice to have a professional portrait done. 

    7- The ladies over at Fine Linen and Purple will be hosting a link up titled: What I Wore Sunday. You are asked to link up your going to church outfit on Sunday night! I'm psyched to get some new church outfit ideas! I hope you'll link up too! 

    Ten Things I'm Grateful For Thursday

    Another shout out to Sarah @ And Twins Make Four for hosting this link up!

    via
    1. Plumbers - hopefully, the plumber will come tomorrow and the giant leak in the basement will be fixed

    2. Grandma - for watching Charlie today so I could have some much needed "me" time.

    3. Sunshine  - it warms the house on a cold morning

    4. Seasonal weather - so Charlie and I could take a walk in his stroller

    5. Consignment shops - for inexpensive shopping and the opportunity to possibly sell some of my unneeded clothing

    6. Housing - to keep us warm and safe

    7. Food - to fill our stomachs after long days

    8. Financial Resources - to allow us to help out my parents, to provide us with the things we need.

    9. Wisdom - to discern the difference between needs and wants

    10. Family - to support us in our times of need and to love us unconditionally

    The Great Closet Cleanout

    via

    My friend, Sarah @ And Twins Make Four, has started a closet purge using these five rules:


    1. Only keep what fits and flatters. (Exceptions: maternity clothes, nice dresses that may fit once the babies are weaned)
    2. Only keep what is worn regularly. (Exceptions: special occasion clothes, maternity clothes, seasonal clothes)
    3. Only keep what fits with my current role and lifestyle. On a regular basis, I wear simple cotton t-shirts, button-down shirts, jeans, sweaters, and simple skirts or dresses for church...
    4. Only keep what is reasonably modest. I am still figuring out what my exact standards are for modesty... Eventually, I know I need to come up with something specific, but for now, I'm going to try things on and see how I feel in them.
    5. Only keep things that go with at least one other item. If I need to purchase something to make it wearable, that new item must go with at least one other item. This one is a bit complicated, but I know I need to have a rule like this to combat unnecessary expansion.

    I feel inclined to join her in her closet purge because since having Charlie not only has my sense style but, it has changed by my body as well. Things that used to fit well now fit strangely in ways that I don't think will change any time soon, especially since I have reached my pre-pregnancy weight. In addition, I am no longer working full time so, I don't need ALL of my 9 gazillion work clothes. I could probably do with fewer exclusively work outfits and keep things are more versatile. Namely, I will keep items if they can be paired with casual items to be worn on a day to day basis OR if they can be paired with items that I can wear to church. 

    One of the places where I am struggling with the purge is with my bathing suit collection. (I say collection because I have close to 10 bathing suits.) I have put a lot of effort into selecting bathing suits that are modest and flattering. Despite living 2 miles from the beach, I don't think I will need 10 bathing suits. How do I decide which ones to get rid of? How many do I get rid of? 

    I have decreased my skirt collection despite the fact that I wear one to church just about every weekend because there are some that require slips and things that I don't have time to deal with anymore. Anything that requires multiple steps to put on is on the chopping block. 

    As a result of this purge, I have noticed that I have quite a few shirts that have holes in them mostly tiny little ones from being old. My favorite shirts that fit perfectly are MANY years old (pre-college days) and realistically it is just time to replace them. The scary thing is I never even noticed the holes until I started to look at things closely. I can't believe I was wearing clothes with holes in them! 

    I will be donating most of the clothes I am getting rid of to St. Vincent de Paul. I am hoping to sell some of them however, the local consignment shop doesn't have an appointment until January. I don't really think that it makes sense to keep a whole mess of clothes around just to maybe sell them. Any other suggestions are always welcome! 

    I still have to go through my sweaters, shoes, and purses BUT I've made a nice pile to get rid of/sell so far!

    Whole Wheat Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins

    Earlier this week, I was looking for a way to spice up breakfast. (I was bored with cereal.) I remembered Stacy at Catholic & Crunchy had mentioned she was in a similar place a couple of weeks ago. She suggested a this wonderful, easy, and tasty recipe from 100 Days of Real Food.



    As per Stacy's suggestions, I only used one egg and the entire 15 oz. can of pumpkin. Instead of chocolate chips, I chopped up a Hershey's bar because what isn't better with chocolate? Since I was making these as a breakfast food, I didn't ice them but, they would make a hearty, filling dessert for your little trick or treaters! My husband was shocked at how filling these muffins were. I found that they kept the "breast feeding hunger" at bay until a reasonable lunch time.


    Infant Phonological and Phonemic Awareness

    via

    It is no secret that I love the library and everything it has to offer. As a special education major, we spent a lot time learning how to make reading fun. During this time I developed a passion for children's literacy. There are several reasons for this not, the least of which is that literacy is one of the most important parts of a child's development. One of the best ways to begin teaching your child about reading is by reading and singing with them. I have dedicated a page on the blog to the books that we are reading with Charlie with the hope that you might find something fun to share with a little one in your life.

    One way to blend reading and singing together is with nursery rhymes. Rhymes are a great way to introduce children to the ebb and flow of speech. They are also highly entertaining. I like to use the traditional Mother Goose nursery rhymes and change the names or the words to things I know will make Charlie laugh. When I am bored with nursery rhymes, we do action rhymes and fingerplays like the Itsy, Bitsy spider, Open Shut Them, and Row, Row, Row Your Boat. Another excellent time to incorporate rhymes and songs into your day is in the car. Charlie hates waiting at red lights. In fact, he wakes up as soon as the car stops. It helps to calm him down by singing little songs with repetition or rhymes in them. (His favorite at the moment is Apples and Bananas.)


    I like to eat, eat, eat, eat. I like to eat apples and bananas.
    I like to eat, eat, eat, eat. I like to eat apples and bananas.
    I like to ate, ate, ate, ate. I like to ate aipples and banainais.
    I like to ate, ate, ate, ate. I like to ate aipples and banainais.
    I like to eat, eat, eat, eat. I like to eat eapples and banenes.
    I like to eat, eat, eat, eat. I like to eat eapples and banenes.
    I like to ite, ite, ite, ite. I like to ite ipples and baninis.
    I like to ite, ite, ite, ite. I like to ite ipples and baninis.
    I like to ote, ote, ote, ote. I like to ote opples and banonos.
    I like to ote, ote, ote, ote. I like to ote opples and banonos.
    I like to ute, ute, ute, ute. I like to ute uepples and banunus.
    I like to ute, ute, ute, ute. I like to ute uepples and banunus.
    I like to eat, eat, eat, eat. I like to eat apples and bananas.
    I like to eat, eat, eat, eat. I like to eat apples and bananas


    Here are some online resources to get you started:
    6 Great Tips with Links
    Phonological Awareness and Activities for Toddlers and Infants
    The Importance of Rhyming
    Rhyme A Week Curriculum
    Baby and Infant Action Rhymes
    Toddler Fingerplays and Action Rhymes
    Infant Storytime - October

    Lullaby Leaf: An Etsy Shop


    Earlier this month, a college friend of mine just opened an incredible Etsy shop called the Lullaby Leaf. She is a mom to two beautiful little boys, an educator, a graduate student and an all around talented woman.
    Jack and Sam
    "I have always been a lover of words and wearable art. My jewelry is hand stamped one letter at a time which makes each piece one of a kind, imperfect and special.The Lullaby Leaf comes from 2 of my favorite loves, singing to my children and when the leaves turn beautiful colors in the fall.Two years ago while on maternity leave with my first son Jack I bought a metal stamping set. Now that I am on my second maternity leave with my little guy Sam I decided to start creating pieces for my family and friends." -Lindsay Alexandra

    I was so excited when Lindsay opened her shop. I couldn't wait to get a piece of her jewelry for myself. After much deliberation, I decided on a personalized birth stats handstamped necklace. One of the many awesome things about her shop is that she welcomes custom orders and encourages buyers to have input in the designs in her shop. So, if you have an idea feel free to send her a message on Facebook. I  had been looking at various mommy necklaces online and I thought who better to support than another mom! 

    If you are looking for some beautiful handstamped jewelry, feel free to check out her shop and use the promotional code newmom1 for 10% off your purchase for a limited time! For more promotional codes and giveaways, "like" Lullaby Leaf on Facebook!

    7 Quick Takes

    1. This week absolutely flew by! I can't believe it is Friday already. We've been super busy. You may have noticed our new Facebook page! Please like us!

    2. Charlie and I went to Shake N Make Music this week! Check out her website!

    3. We went to a meetup with a bunch of Long Island Babywearing moms. I was great to meet such a wonderful group of ladies, especially since it is International Babywearing Week!

    4. Charlie is so alert and is really enjoying his books, rhymes, and songs! What was your favorite book, rhyme or song when you were little?

    5. A dear friend opened her very own Etsy shop! Check out her shop! Like her on Facebook for discounts and giveaways!

    6. I have definitely spent waaaay to many hours waiting for this baby giraffe to be born.

    7. I am not a deal blogger but, Shutterfly has had two great promos this week. 2 Free 8x10s - backtoschool AND 1 Free 11 oz White Mug - halloweenmug

    Tasty, Easy, Quick Recipes From This Week

    Inevitably when I don't plan what I'm going to cook I end up picking random recipes that are the result of a Google search. Most recently, Martha Stewart has come to my rescue on two separate occasions. Love how practical her recipes are to make at home without any crazy amount of culinary ability. (Some of the stuff on foodnetwork.com is way too hard and too time consuming.)

    Today, I needed to make something "kidney friendly" so, I decided on chicken, spinach, and mushroom penne from sparkpeople.com! I omitted the penne in favor polenta. (I think we eat too much pasta.) We had some instant polenta in the cupboard so, it cooked up nice and quick. It came out great! I was quick, easy, and we had all of the ingredients in the house!

    Why I love nights and weekends

    I'm a stay at home mom and love spending time with my little guy during the day. However, I have begun to LOVE nights and weekends because the hubby is home. We've always had an equal partnership. This means we both handle our finances, our chores, and now our child. We don't have clearly defined jobs in our marriage but, I think it works because we both have a sense of what needs to be done.
    The LORD God said: "It is not good for the man to be alone.
    I will make a suitable partner for him."
    -Genesis 2:18

    I often think back to our PreCana classes, in particular when we were discussing the FOCCUS questionnaire. I found this questionnaire interesting because we scored exceptionally high. I was super proud of our perfect score in problem solving! I kind of feel like our team approach to all things marriage and family works because of our problem solving abilities.

    On weekdays (and soon some weekends) when the hubby is at work, I feel like I am missing one of my arms or part of my brain. Some might say that's because I'm with an infant all day who babbles nonsense but, I honestly think it is because my partner, my equal, is not there with me. Two brains are absolutely better than one and. Four arms are absolutely better than two, ESPECIALLY WHEN THEY ARE WORKING TOGETHER!

    God made them male and female.
    For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother
    and be joined to his wife,
    and the two shall become one flesh.

    In just two short years of marriage and four short months of being a parent, we are an inseparable team. The priest who presided over our wedding Mass spoke to us about how we should have a competition regarding who could love the other more not a competition as to who is more "right" or more "productive". He was absolutely right. Each day, the hubby and I do very different things. However, our goal is to do what is best for our family each and every day.

    As I am writing this, I am reminded that while we are inseparable team that works together like a well oiled machine we do have disagreements. But, we do not allow these disagreements to break apart the team because we know that we both want what is best for our family. Of course, there are days when we go to bed angry because when you are tired isn't the best time to hash out something that requires careful thought and consideration for your partner. Just because you may go to bed angry doesn't mean that your spouse doesn't love you, in our house it mean that you love each other enough not to hurt the other by saying things that you don't mean because you are exhausted.

    Having an infant, whose sleep schedule is sporadic at best, has definitely changed our relationship however, we are learning how to make our marriage stronger as a result.

    Linking to: MercyINK and Cornerstone Confessions

    FRIDAY:In a nutshell

    Charlie at the Gazebo in GC

    Charlie at TR Beach

    7 Quick Takes

    1. So, I didn't realized it was Friday. Everything seemed to smoosh together this week.

    2. Yesterday, Gram was off so Charlie, Gram, and I went to the Cold Spring Harbor Fish Hatchery (using the Library museum pass). He really enjoyed watching the fish splash around for the food.

    3. I thought we were supposed to be going to a program at the library today but, it is two weeks from now. I'm really glad I didn't drive all the way over there!

    4. I will never understand how the same brand of gas at two stations in neighboring towns can differ in price by almost $0.25. I can understand different states or counties but, literally the next town over has exactly the same gas for $0.25 less.

    5. We are still having MAJOR sleep issues with Charlie hence why I don't know what day of the week it is or what activities we are supposed to be doing.

    6. I have discovered the wonderful world of consignment shops, consignment sales, and garage sales! A couple of weeks ago there was an enormous consignment event at a local arena. My friend Sara and I went a got four overall outfits ($10), a snowsuit($10), an Exersaucer($25), a cozy coup (that will be turned into a Batmobile) -$10, four kids CDs ($2) and several toys ($14) for Charlie all in great condition! Last weekend we got a barely used backyard swing for $5 at a garage sale! YAAAY!

    7. I can't believe how quickly Charlie is growing. His motor skills are increasing by the day. He newest thing is that he likes to hold a spoon and put it in his mouth!

    Ten Things I'm Grateful For Thursday

    A blogger friend of mine, Sarah, has set up a weekly link up for things you are grateful for:

    1. My beautiful son who makes everyday worth living.

    2. My loving, patient, and considerate husband - namely because I've been very sleep deprived and therefore not so nice to be around.

    3. My supportive parents who couldn't be more generous

    4. My in laws who will be coming up from MD for one day to spend it with Charlie

    5. The ability to stay home with Charlie because of #s 2, 3, 4

    6. My father's health - although fragile be is home with us instead of in the hospital

    7. Medical professionals who are working tirelessly to try to encourage my father to take care of himself and his medical needs

    8. The public library - they provide endless hours of free, wholesome entertainment for my family and employment for my mother

    9. Generous, caring friends who give up their time off to visit with us and love on Charlie

    10. The women of #CathSorority because without them I would be in the loony bin this week.



    Making Your Own Baby Food

    I have always enjoyed cooking therefore the thought of making my own baby food has excited me from the time I found out I was pregnant. Friends of ours had a little boy about six months before Charlie was born. They made their own baby food and it just seemed so easy. Since I am home and have the time to do it, I might as well!

    (If you've been reading my previous posts, you know I'm a bit of a library addict.) I checked out a great book from the library called Top 100 Baby Purees. It is a great way to jump into making your own baby food. So far, we have introduced avocado (no-cook), sweet potatoes (boil and mash), apple sauce (heat w/ 2 tbsp of water for 4 min. and mash), and pears (heat for 4 min. and mash). SUPER EASY! You really don't need any special equipment to make your own baby food. You can use your blender/immersion blender/bullet/fork to mash.

    SUPER ECONOMICAL! We buy the same produce we would buy for ourselves. The little market in town has fruit and veggies 10% off every Tuesday. The little packages of baby food cost more than one piece of fruit and yield less in terms of meals. Not to mention the real fruit and veggies will never go to waste because someone will eat them! (I can't say that I would baby food out of an already opened jar but, apple sauce/sweet potatoes/avocado will definitely get eaten!)

    Some "Make Your Own Baby Food" Websites:
    *Wholesome Baby Food - MY FAVE!
    *Dr. Sears On Make Your Own Baby Food
    *Baby food recipes
    *Baby-led Weaning

    Infant Storytime: October Edition

    Most of the libraries around here don't have story time for children under 9 months old. The hubby and I have been reading to Charlie since he was a few weeks old. Charlie and I go to the library weekly (or several times a week) to pick out books and music.

    I decided that we would pick out some Halloween-y board books to supplement the ones we already had at home for our own little story time. Generally story times involve developmentally appropriate books, rhymes/fingerplays, and songs. If you and your kids haven't ever been to a story time, you should check out your local library!

    Some of the songs/rhymes we might use will be:

    Five Little Ghosts
    Five little ghosts flying through the door,
    One flew away and then there were four.
    Four little ghosts spooky as can be,
    One flew away and then there were three.
    Three little ghosts drinking Halloween brew,
    One flew away and then there were two.
    Two little ghosts having lots of fun,
    One went home and then there was one.
    One little ghosts a real superhero,
    Went to help a friend and then were was zero!

    LITTLE GHOST 
    I saw a little ghost (hold hands over eyes)
    And he saw me too! (point to self)
    When I said “HI” (wave hand)
    He said, “BOO.”

    via

    Pumpkin, Pumpkin
    Pumpkin, pumpkin, big and round, (Make big circle with hands.)Sitting on the cold, hard ground. (Sit on the ground.)Soon I'll pick you off the vine, (Pretend to pull pumpkin from vine.)Give you a name and make you mine, (Hug imaginary pumpkin tightly.)Carve a face for all to see, (Point to face.)Add a candle -- Halloween glee! (Clap, clap, stomp; clap, clap, stomp.)

    via


    Here's a great blog, filled with songs and fingerplays, if you are looking for more!

    For the month of October we will be reading:



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