I cannot believe the holidays are right around the corner! As much as I adore fall with all its loveliness, I absolutely love Christmas. I could do without the hustle and bustle of shopping for presents, but the meaning, feel, and happiness that Christmas brings is more than enough for me. I'm making myself wait until after Thanksgiving to decorate...
For now, here's an update on what our ONE year old is up to!
-Calvin is almost walking independently. We've found that our boy is quite cautious and does not want to fall. He took a couple steps on his own the day before his birthday, and now we are waiting for him to take off!
-He is dancing! It is beyond cute. It's hilarious to watch my little guy shake his hips to music.
-He talks to us all day! It's not always understandable, but he makes his wants and needs very known. His favorite thing to do now is point to different objects and say "Dee, dee!" (See, See!!)
-Calvin is a little stinker. He is very mischevious, and knows exactly what he isn't supposed to do...then he does it.
-As for eating, WELL, that's an adventure. Calvin is very independent...and picky. He gave up on purees a long time ago and refuses to be fed from a spoon. Of course you live and learn, and I shoud have taken his cues that he was ready to eat on his own. He has been able to feed himself for a couple of months now, and loves Cheerios and crackers. As for more substantial foods, we're getting there. Turns out he loves my Dad's recipe for egg cassarole...so I will be making that every week. ;) I appreciate good friends' advice, and I've given him all kinds of goodies to try. Grapes, apples, chicken, and basically whatever we are eating. I let him try everything as long as it's safe for him to have it. I know that in time he will fall into a routine and eat like a champ. Even though he's a picky little guy, he will try everything that I give him which makes me very happy. He can drink out of cups, and use a straw which is so cute.
That's all for now. I'm sure there will be much, much more to come.
Friday, November 11, 2011
Sunday, November 6, 2011
Going Green...Sort of.
I never used to be environmentally conscious or even live anything close to resembling an organic lifestyle. In college, I'm pretty sure McDonald's double cheeseburgers were a daily occurance...not to mention several Coke's a day. Over the past few years I've made some changes I am very proud of, and I now know the importance of choosing good foods, better cleaning products, and homeopathic remedies. Don't get me wrong, I still eat fast food! (oh, and I ate about 4 Chips Ahoy a few minutes ago) It's about small changes leading to an overall lifestyle change, and I believe that you can enjoy pretty much everything in moderation. It started with my nephews who all have some sort of emotional or behavioral issue that requires us to watch what we feed them. I noticed that sugared, processed foods made them act literally insane. Also, dairy products in excess seem to trigger major allergies for one of them. I began becoming really ingredient conscious, and it's more important to me now than ever to eat foods that are not only good for you, but real. While pregnant, I also began thinking quite a bit about cleaning products, and the chemicals they would leave on surfaces and floors. Here are some of the changes I've made progressively over the past few months and years:
-I used to be hooked on Pine Sol, but I now use Mrs. Meyers Clean Day All Purpose Cleaner. It comes in great scents, but has less harmful chemicals and is environmentally friendly. It also lasts twice as long, and you can dilute it and clean pretty much anything.
-Method hand soap, laundry detergent, fabric softener, and dish detergent. The Method brand is affordable, works great, and the laundry detergent lasts forever. You only need 4 pumps for a large load of laundry, it smells good, and does the job. It's made of plant based materials and won't affect sensitive skin. Method is sold at Target, and you will often get register coupons.
-Seventh Generation bathroom cleaner. It's bleach free, and is actually cheaper than major brands like Scrubbing Bubbles. Think about it...I'm cleaning the surfaces and toys that Calvin has his mouth all over, why would I want him to be basically eating harmful elements?
-Bon Ami powdered cleaner for hard surfaces (like tub bottoms, sinks, stovetop,etc) I used to use only Comet cleaner, but Bon Ami works just as great. My Dad used it for years for everything including pots and pans.
-I'm a big Clorox Wipe fan because it's easy and convenient, but I know it's not the best option, not to mention wasteful. This is one thing I haven't changed...yet.
-I'm still a fan of Burts Bees lotion for Calvin. I also like Aveeno products. We use disposable diapers, but I'm curious to learn more about cloth. If I didn't work full time, cloth may be an option. Or if I could hire someone to do my laundry... hmm... any takers?
-When buying pacifiers, sippy cups, or any other plastic made products, I always make sure they're BPA free. BPA has been linked to cancer, and it is in many plastic products.
-Food: Here's where it gets tough. We all know how expensive organic food is, so I just try to buy selectively. If chicken is on sale, I'll get regular chicken depending on the brand. Wal-Mart has a great organic option for chicken that isn't too pricey. Town and Country now has organic meats. They are expensive, so I sort of pick and choose which ones I buy. My theory is "Do what you Can". I try to stay away from processed cheeses and prefer to buy real. I'd rather something be real, even if it's not necessarily organic. Target has great brands as well. I love Annie's products for kids. Cheddar bunnies and their mac and cheese are great inexpensive options that are made with organic, real products! It's also important to buy organic dairy if at all possible. I still eat fast food, I know, I know...it's disgusting. My job requires me to constantly be on the go, and hey, I love a good french fry! If I eat "garbage" for lunch, I try to balance it out with a good home cooked meal for dinner...or go to my parents house for my Dad's home cooking. ;) As for produce, I try to go by the "dirty dozen" which lists the 12 fruits and veggies that are the most important to buy organic.
Like I said before, my theory is "Do What You Can". Even a little change is a good change!
-I used to be hooked on Pine Sol, but I now use Mrs. Meyers Clean Day All Purpose Cleaner. It comes in great scents, but has less harmful chemicals and is environmentally friendly. It also lasts twice as long, and you can dilute it and clean pretty much anything.
-Method hand soap, laundry detergent, fabric softener, and dish detergent. The Method brand is affordable, works great, and the laundry detergent lasts forever. You only need 4 pumps for a large load of laundry, it smells good, and does the job. It's made of plant based materials and won't affect sensitive skin. Method is sold at Target, and you will often get register coupons.
-Seventh Generation bathroom cleaner. It's bleach free, and is actually cheaper than major brands like Scrubbing Bubbles. Think about it...I'm cleaning the surfaces and toys that Calvin has his mouth all over, why would I want him to be basically eating harmful elements?
-Bon Ami powdered cleaner for hard surfaces (like tub bottoms, sinks, stovetop,etc) I used to use only Comet cleaner, but Bon Ami works just as great. My Dad used it for years for everything including pots and pans.
-I'm a big Clorox Wipe fan because it's easy and convenient, but I know it's not the best option, not to mention wasteful. This is one thing I haven't changed...yet.
-I'm still a fan of Burts Bees lotion for Calvin. I also like Aveeno products. We use disposable diapers, but I'm curious to learn more about cloth. If I didn't work full time, cloth may be an option. Or if I could hire someone to do my laundry... hmm... any takers?
-When buying pacifiers, sippy cups, or any other plastic made products, I always make sure they're BPA free. BPA has been linked to cancer, and it is in many plastic products.
-Food: Here's where it gets tough. We all know how expensive organic food is, so I just try to buy selectively. If chicken is on sale, I'll get regular chicken depending on the brand. Wal-Mart has a great organic option for chicken that isn't too pricey. Town and Country now has organic meats. They are expensive, so I sort of pick and choose which ones I buy. My theory is "Do what you Can". I try to stay away from processed cheeses and prefer to buy real. I'd rather something be real, even if it's not necessarily organic. Target has great brands as well. I love Annie's products for kids. Cheddar bunnies and their mac and cheese are great inexpensive options that are made with organic, real products! It's also important to buy organic dairy if at all possible. I still eat fast food, I know, I know...it's disgusting. My job requires me to constantly be on the go, and hey, I love a good french fry! If I eat "garbage" for lunch, I try to balance it out with a good home cooked meal for dinner...or go to my parents house for my Dad's home cooking. ;) As for produce, I try to go by the "dirty dozen" which lists the 12 fruits and veggies that are the most important to buy organic.
Like I said before, my theory is "Do What You Can". Even a little change is a good change!
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