Immune Boosting Maple Cookies

It's been one of those weeks (hence the lack of posts the past few days!).

On top of one of the busiest weeks at our Etsy shop that we've EVER had, my car battery finally died. It's been on it's last leg for the past few months; we knew it was going to. Every time I get into my car, the time is 10 more minutes behind. I have been helplessly late to everything because of this battery! (At least that's my story and I'm sticking to it.) Yet, somehow we kept finding ways of putting the replacing of it off. Apparently BMW batteries are NOT cheap. Thankfully, when it finally decided to kick the can, Asher was not with me to melt in the 98 degree heat and John was just down the road. 

I felt ANOTHER cold coming on and even though I am not a proponent of taking antibiotics at every given chance, I decided to hit up that extra z-pack I had in my medicine cabinet. Last time I was sick, it lasted for 3 weeks and my ears still don't feel quite right. I didn't want to take any chances.

Which leads me to my next hiccup this week... I haven't been out in the sun in AGES. So, I decided to hit the tanning salon (I know, I know!!!) to give myself a tiny base tan and some much needed vitamin D. I've literally only been out in the sun one time in the past... year???... so, hey, give me a pass on this one. Anyways, I forgot that antibiotics make you sensitive to sunlight and I got burned, baby, burned! I just hope my red hot skin tames down before my massage scheduled for this Sunday. If not, that will really top everything off for me. This momma needs to get her relaxation on and I am not about the let a faux sunburn stop me!

On the positive side of things, our transition from the bassinet to the crib has been going magnificently well. The past 2 nights, Asher has slept through the night again (10-11.5 hours) and gone to sleep within 10 minutes of being put down. He's even starting to cooperate with being put down for naps, now, too. (Insert applause - make that standing ovation - here!) Take that Cry-It-Out. We barely even needed to use you. :)

So in celebration of our baby sleeping soundly at 6:30pm and also as a band-aid to my oh-so-stress-filled week, I decided to whip up some sinfully delicious Maple Cookies this evening. Did you know maple syrup (the real stuff, people, not that high-fructose-corn-syrup-crap) has immune boosting properties? Maple syrup contains zinc and manganese, both of which are key players in the function of your immune system. So if you happen to eat one too many of these cookies - it's all good! You're just building up your immune system, after all!

MAPLE COOKIES - FIND THE RECIPE HERE

Oh, you thought I made that recipe up? Not a chance. ;)

I hope everyone has a wonderful weekend! Go and get some sun - some real sun - but don't forget your SPF! Learn from my mistake. 

...Lastly, I have to leave you with at least one cuteness shot from this week. Check out these adorably chunk-a-licious Jumperoo lovin' legs! Go, baby, go!

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While Baby Was Asleep... Healthy Banana Bread

I am obviously not a food photographer and certainly not a pastry chef. I ended up with a sweet tooth this afternoon while Asher was napping, and in trying to stick with my healthy eating plan as much as I can, I decided to see if there was a healthy option I could whip up. I saw the quickly browning bananas sitting idly in my kitchen and knew they would be perfect for some good ol' banana bread.

It is definitely always easier to make the full-of-fat-and-gooey-deliciousness desserts and pastries than the healthy ones. At least, it's easier to make them turn out well! (Also, I only had wheat flour, so I had limited options. Shh...) I scoured Pinterest for wheat flour banana bread recipes and lo and behold this RECIPE from the blog A Full Measure of Happiness. I substituted the milk with almond milk since that's what I had on hand. 55 minutes later, I had a perfectly browned loaf of banana bread on my hands - complete with wheat flour, almond milk, and the superfood walnuts.

{  QUICK FACT: Walnuts are powerful antioxidants and can help reduce the risk of cancer, diabetes, and heart disease. Studies have also shown them to BOOST BRAIN POWER with their omega-3s that help with visual memory, multitasking, and problem solving. Yes, please!  }

Mine came out a little more lumpy than the beautifully pictured bread on Pinterest, but it was delicious anyhow. I did alter it a bit with the almond milk, so that could have been the culprit. I brewed a fresh cup of coffee and spread some cococut oil on my delicious, healthful slice of banana bread. Next time I might just try substituting coconut oil for the butter altogether!

You may already know, but coconut oil has so many health benefits and uses. I'm not one to go soaking my hair in it or anything, but using it here and there when it can yield great results and smell like a yummy coconut, it sure sounds like a win-win to me!

Here's some info on coconut oil:

Coconut Oil: Your New BFF
101 Uses for Coconut Oil

Asher was awake by the time I got the bread into the oven, but I'm always amazed at how productive I can be while he is sleeping some days. I also unloaded and reloaded the dishwasher, put in a load of laundry, and got some work done on Etsy. I'll hold on to that on the days that I want to do nothing more than lay on the couch while he's napping. We all need those times like that, too!

What things have you gotten done while baby is asleep?


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Conquering Spit-Up Fashionably PART 1

We deal with a lot of spit-up. A lot. A lot, a lot. We've tried to find a rhyme or reason, some kind of method to this madness... but there really isn't much of a pattern other than a lot of spit-up, all the time. There are days when I can lay Asher down after a feeding and he is fine. Actually this happens quite often. He spits-up whether he is held upright or is in a sitting or laying position. Off and on, he spits-up immediately after eating and in-between them. He'll spit-up when he's overwhelmed - but sometimes he's totally fine. The only difference is the spit-up itself with different formulas. We've been through so many and it's pretty consistent in quantity and frequency. At least with his new formula, his spit-up isn't all acidic, curdled milk; that's a plus. 

So, when dealing with a baby who spits up a lot, you NEED to use bibs or you will find yourself changing their outfit umpteen million times a day. Ugh. Bibs.

I used to hate baby bibs. I even wondered to myself in those early days with this sweet, new baby eating from his bottle so delicately in my arms, "Why do these baby outfits all come with ugly bibs? Who would ruin the cuteness of the outfit with a BIB??" Now I know.

We only had 5 or so bibs until a few weeks ago. Don't even ask me how I did it. I don't know. 

"This bib? THIS BIB?? Mommy, you CRAZY!"

In an effort to save a little, I bought 2 packs of 10 bibs that were $10/each at Target. They aren't the cutest bibs in the world, but I needed something and fast. They work well during feedings, but they aren't nearly thick enough for our in-between spit-up occurrences. Asher laughs in the face of those bibs between his feedings. "HAHAHA!" Squashes them like bugs. Or maybe floods them like bugs, rather. I may just double up on them until he grows out of this problem. 

Lucky for us, I have come up with some other options that better fit our "bib criteria" and also are more fashionable! 

My Bib Criteria:

• CUTE
• THICK/ABSORBANT
• DURABLE TO WITHSTAND MANY WASHES

{Of course, with any bib you don't want to let your child sleep or nap with it on.} 

ZULILY SALE / Electrik Kidz - Bandana Style Bibs with Pacifier Loop

I got these super cute bibs from a Zulily sale featuring the brand Electrik Kidz. They're so adorable and also reversible, so they will work with many of different outfits. They seemed to be more targeted towards drool rather than spit-up, but Asher tested out the nautical anchor one just moments after snapping the last picture of him wearing it. It did the job!

LE PETITE BIRDIE - Stylish Boutique Bibs

I purchased these baby bibs from an Etsy seller, Le Petite Birdie. So far so good. They are lined with fleece to wick away the moisture. I'm honestly not sure how that works since it's on the back of the bib and I thought that moisture still would soak through while the fleece still feels dry... but I must be wrong, because these have been protecting Asher's outfits beneath them quite well. I don't understand the concept of a "stay-dry" fleece liner in a cloth diaper now.... Some serious 'Google-ing' is about to take place! Regardless, every time he wears one of these bibs, he gets compliments. In particular, the sock monkey patterned one has been a real hit!

I have some more bibs on their way, a few SCARF STYLE ones from another Etsy seller. Until those arrive and I've had a chance to try them out, this post is officially...

 To be continued...

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Formula Update

This picture doesn't even show our entire "formula stash". Now, finally, I think we've found it!

Similac Alimentum in powdered form. (<--- Imagine singing angels and lots of light!)

This post is mostly for those who may be in the same boat as us when it comes to finding the right formula for their baby. It may get a little "TMI" up in here... but sometimes you just gotta go there.

I made a spreadsheet with Asher's reactions to the different formulas so that we could see which one is working out the best. Yes, I'm that mother. I'll show it to the doctor, too. Ain't no shame.

We gave up on the sensitive and the spit-up formulas within a week or so of trying them because the spit-up got so bad and was very curdled with a really acidic smell. Although this was still early in the game, my instinct told me we did the right thing. And things have been working out very well with this new formula. It's amazing the difference in his complexion since switching to the Similac Alimentum. Asher's always had lots of baby pimples, and now his face is almost completely clear. Amazing! The doctor agrees that he must have a mild milk and soy allergy.

When searching online, the symptoms and images of soy and dairy allergies show are always so dramatic, so for those who are unsure with their own babies, it may be helpful for you to see what Asher's skin looked like when he was on a formula he had an allergy to and now on the Similac Alimentum:

untouched photos taken with my phone

You can see how much healthier his skin looks now.

He also had these bumps and redness on his shoulders, back, and chest. I'm also wondering if it was contributing to this diaper rash that wouldn't go away. He is pretty clear now in his diaper area, although I've switched up a few things in our diaper routine, as well, so it could be a result of one of those things, too.

A lot of people brush off irritation like this on their skin as "just baby acne" or "just sensitive skin", but obviously it was something more and I'm SO RELIEVED that we figured it out.

This does mean that we are going to have to be extra careful when starting baby Asher on solids.

According to our doctor, we have to be sure to avoid these risky allergenic foods for the first year:

Citrus
Tomato
Wheat
Egg

From research I've done on my own, with the soy allergy, we also may have trouble with:

Green Peas
Chickpeas
Green Beans
Lima Beans
Barley
Rye

...and with the dairy allergy we may have trouble with:

Dairy Products in General...Cheese, Butter, Margarine...
Canned fish
Deli/Processed Meats
Pre-Mixed Cereal
Some Spices / Seasonings

...and there is a whole list of ingredients to look for in foods before serving them to an infant on solids. 

There's really no telling when he'll outgrow his sensitivity to soy and dairy. Could be one year or it could be longer. We'll just have to keep a watchful eye on that.

Since Asher sleeps 12-13 hours through the night already, there's no rush to get him started on solids before 6 months. We are going to try to wait the full 6 months before starting. I really don't want to rock the peaceful sleep boat!

Has anyone else had experienced with food sensitivities and their babies or been through something similar and have advice to offer when starting solids??

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10 Fingers, 10 Toes

There are things in life that we take for granted. Many of us tend to get sidetracked from the simple yet valuable aspects of our lives and are distracted by day to day annoyances and trivial things that seem so important while they are happening.

I ran across another mother's blog today about her baby who had a terminal illness and didn't live past age 2. He would have been 4 just a few days ago.

Reading the story of this brave mom and her precious child brought me to tears and made me think about how grateful I am to have a healthy baby. I don't think this is something we actively think about enough. When you are pregnant or when your baby is just born, you say and others will say to you, "Just happy and healthy, that's all we're hoping for!", or "10 fingers and 10 toes!", but I think many of us don't even grasp the reality that a baby of good health really IS something to be hopeful and incredibly thankful for.

I don't know what I would do if I was unable to watch my baby grow and smile and laugh and learn… I can't even imagine it. I don't want to imagine it. I can only hope that I would have the same incredible strength that these admirable parents exhibit on a day-to-day basis if I was ever faced with such a life altering challenge. I pray that I would. I don't think I would have much choice.

I love my baby more than any words I could conjure up to try and describe. I am so thankful for him everyday, every minute, every second. I love him and am thankful for him when he is overtired and cranky and just needs a good cry. I love him and am thankful for him when he spits up all over me, the couch, the floor, the dog. I love him and am thankful for him when I have only had 3 hours of sleep. I love him and and thankful for him when I just can't figure out if he needs dairy milk or soy milk and won't sleep because of gas pains or that his hiccups just won't go away. I love him and am thankful for him during the hardest of times that we've had, which, let's face it, are nothing compared to what they could be.

Asher, baby, you are my life and my heart. I love you more than you will ever know. I love your smile and the squint that your eyes get when something is so funny to you that you just can't smile big enough. I love that you are here and that you are happy. I hope that I make you proud that I am your mommy and I know that you have and always will make me proud that you are my son. I hope you reach your every goal and every dream. I hope you live your life to the fullest and love with all of your heart. You are my baby and I am so thankful to have you, all of you, every day. You can count on me to stick with you through the thickest of thick and the thinnest of thin. That's what moms are for.



I want to share the blog that touched me so deeply and inspired me to write this. I can't even begin to imagine how it would feel to go through such a painful experience and I pray for this and any mother…or father, grandparent, brother, sister, friend… that has to, as well. Moms, be grateful for your healthy child. We are so lucky. Kiss them, hug them, tell them you love them. It's too easy to cry over spilled milk.

Here is the story of baby Tripp who was born with Epidermolysis Bullosa and his incredibly brave, incredibly strong, and admirable beyond words mother who is now and forever in my prayers.

http://randycourtneytripproth.blogspot.com/p/tripps-story.html

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