Transitioning to a Toddler Bed

Last night was Liv's first night in her new room with her new bed. She did amazingly well.
I have been prepping her a lot for it.

She helped us put all her clothes in her new closet, bring in her toys and books too.
She also watched Daddy take apart her crib and turn it into a toddler bed in her new room. He asked her to help him. She would give him screws and hold the flash light.
After the bed was set up we had her help put in her night time toys and let her play in the bed reading to her dolls for a little bit before bed.
We went through her normal night time routine and she was out. She didn't wake up once the whole night.
I think she enjoys the freedom of being able to get out of the bed when she wakes up.
We talked about her new bed for a while and how she is not a baby any more and gets to sleep in a big girl bed. She loved the idea, which is why I think she has done so well.
I didn't not push her before I felt she was ready. Since her bed converts all the way to a full we got another set like this for the baby so worse case scenario she could of stayed in her crib.
Liv is almost 2 now and does not think she is a baby any more. She loves the idea of being grown and likes to cuddle and kiss babies and her dolls. I just hope this keeps up when our new baby arrives.

The Joys of Pregnancy

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I have again become a blogging slacker, but this time I have a good excuse, carpal tunnel. Just another lovely side effect of pregnancy. With the high heat and humidity the dr told me to wear a brace at night or when it bothers me and just try to relax since it most likely won't go away till after the baby is born, which is another 6 weeks.
I am also stuck indoors with my asthma getting worse with this high heat. I just love being pregnant, haha.
So my typing now has to be limited, especially since I determined to make some knitted things for the new baby. Knitting is not the best thing if carpal tunnel is bothering your right wrist.
Since I am new to knitting my first project is this
I am almost done and am getting so excited to make something for the baby by hand.
I'm hoping that the carpal tunnel will subside more since the brace is helping so I can keep knitting gifts for my new baby.
Maybe if this heat subsides it will feel a lot better and I can post a real blog.

Manners and etiquette, long gone?

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Today I was shopping at a children's consignment shop. I am now 8 months pregnant and was holding my almost 2 year old's hand trying to get in the door when a women rushed out to get more bags from her car. She said excuse me. But really shouldn't she be waiting for a pregnant woman and a child, not trying to cut ahead? Is your time really that important, that more important than mine?
At first I thought this was the owner, and was about to leave since I didn't want to give someone like that my business. Then I realized this is another customer trying to sell her stuff to the shop. So I went on my way shopping.
I just think of my little girl, not even 2, who has better manners then this woman. She says please and thank you (we are working on your welcome since she always responds to thank you with another thank you) she even says bless you when someone sneezes.
I was not raised with good manners or etiquette, but as I got older I realized the importance and how bratty I probably was as a child so I always said I would instill good manners in my children.
Honestly I have not found it hard either. I make sure to always say please and thank you and Liv has just caught on.
I just love seeing children using good manner, its always puts a smile on my face. I can recall last time I was pregnant a boy, maybe all of 4 held the door open for me. This made my day.
To me most often bad manners just shows me that you think your time is more important then mine. This is such a selfish attitude. No wonder society is the way it is with people walking around thinking this way.
Someone is late, what I have nothing better to do then wait around for you?
Holding the door, someone can't take 20 seconds out of their day to help out a pregnant woman, a child, the elderly or just anyone who might not have his/her hands free.
I had a woman block me in at the grocery store last month with her cart. Said excuse me, she looked at me and looked around at the boxes blocking me in on the other side. "What do u want me to do?" She said moving on with looking for her purchase. "Move your cart so I can get out?"
Again another selfish act. She expected me to wait for her to pick out her meat, which can take a while, then take 5 seconds to move her cart out of the way.
People talking or texting while out with friends, is something else better going on. You can't enjoy the company of others and give them your full attention?
Talking loud on cellphones in public places. Lack of cellphone etiquette is a huge pet peeve of mine. I hate when I go to a register and have to wait for the cashier to finish up his/her text. People have no pride in their work at all.
When did we become so self-centered?
What ever happened to love thy neighbor?
I can not change the world, but I am glad that I am teaching my own children that walking around thinking that the world revolves around you is not okay. I feel good teaching them brotherhood for their fellow man. Yes I feel manners are a simple start of this.
Manners show respect to yourself and others.
Treat others as you want to be treated.
These may sound cliched, but they are true.

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Raspberry Preserves

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I have become more of a homesteader and a better homemaker and what better way then to make your own jam. This way I know exactly what is in what we are eating, I love that. We have lots of local farms, some with pick your own, so I went out with Liv last week and picked as many raspberries as possible.
I tried to do the same with strawberries, but I missed a lot of the season so picking was slim and we just ate most of it. Hoping to make some yummy stuff with blueberries soon, they are now starting to get ripe up where I live.

I was totally surprised at how easy it was to make jam, and how yummy the results turned out.
Technically I made preserves, which is not as smooth as jam or jelly. But to make jam or jelly you need more supplies, and just in case I hated the process or got lazy (which tends to happened when you are 8 months pregnant in a hot hot summer) I wanted to start of easy.

How made Raspberry Preserves (yields 3 jars)
4 cups of raspberries, cleaned and picked over
3 cups sugar
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
Combine all ingredients and let them sit for about 2 hours, stirring occasionally, till all the sugar is dissolved
Pour into a heavy sauce pan
Bring to a boil, reduce heat, simmer till a candy thermometer reaches 220 degrees F
Remove from heat, skim off any foam.
Ladle into 3 1/2pint jelly jars that are sterile, allow 1/4inch headspace. Cap and seal
Process 10 min using boiling water method.
Remove and let cool.
Enjoy!

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Enjoying Summer's Bounty

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One of the best things about living in the garden state is when our produce starts to come it.
Last week we went strawberry picking at a local farm.

I think Liv ate almost half our bounty on the walk back from the strawberry fields.
I wanted to freeze them, make jam and make a strawberry tart, but since we went late in the season and Liv ate most of them we just ate the rest of them up in their natural state. I have to say they are the best strawberries I have ever eaten. Nothing tastes better then fruit eating right of the vine.
We are going raspberry picking Thursday, and since they are more tart I know Liv won't eat as many so I will have enough left for some jam.
Blueberries are also coming in season so that will be out next adventure. I don't know how many of those I will get home. Blueberries are her favorite.
I just feel so blessed living in an area with so many great farms and markets that have so many fresh, local and organic produce.
SLOW food, Seasonal, local, organic, whole. There are so many benefits to eating this way as much as possible, for your health and the environment.
To find out what is in season in your area go here.

Baking Vs. Cooking

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Most people have a preference to what they enjoy, either cooking or baking, if they enjoy being in the kitchen at all.
I will right away admit I love baking. I do enjoy cooking a lot, but baking seems to be so much more relaxing and enjoyable. Kneading bread can be so peaceful. Watching cookies bake and the wonderful smell of fresh baked pie fills up my whole home.
With cooking there is a lot of multi-tasking, which I still have not mastered. Having everything taste good I can manage, but being hot and all ready at the same time is something I am still working on. That is not a problem with baking.
Many people say to me that they don't enjoy baking because its simply following a recipe. To that I say "not always." With cooking it can be very easy to change things up, which I almost always do (it is rare I will follow a recipe to a t), but baking is much harder to do so. But even with baking I often do, with very good results. After you get the hang of baking certain items you can try to experiment with different aspects of the recipe. Lots of my experimenting has come when I run out of an ingredient.
Last winter while making my favorite pumpkin cranberry bread I realized I am out of sugar. But I looked hard and found some brown sugar and said "sure why not?" Well I am never making this bread with white sugar again. I got so many complements on this bread, my mistake turned into a success.
While just earlier in the week I was making Blueberry Boy Bait Cake for a breakfast snack. I had everything mixed and put in the pan when I realized I never added the white sugar, just the brown. Since I was making a breakfast cake I didn't worry. I didn't want it to be too sweet any way. Well it came out fine, the perfect sweetness for breakfast or a snack.
I often experiment with adding different types of flour or grains to make something healthier. Adding some flaxseed meal or mixing in some whole wheat flour with the white. My husband is not a whole wheat fan, but with my blend he not once has noticed his white bread is a little brown.
Don't be afraid to experiment with your baking. You can check out several baking books and blend recipes together, or google healthy baking tips for ways to make your cakes and cookies a little healthier for you. But remember what you did and write it down! There is nothing worse then making an amazing cake and forgetting what you did to make it so yummy.

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Reading to Your Child

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I read to Liv everyday, several times a day. We read before nap time and before bed time. We also read at other quiet times during the day. She is learning so much from our simple reading, but mostly she is learning to enjoy reading, which is a life long lesson.
Recently someone suggested to me the book "The Read Aloud Handbook"
At first I was a little apprehensive about checking it out. I read aloud and though I don't need tips on how to read aloud to my child.
But I was presently surprised with the information in this book. In addition to showing a lot of studies about how reading aloud to your child can benefit them he also has some great individual stories about how reading helped these kids.
There is also a great list at the end of some of his favorite read aloud stories. In his book he explains what makes a good read aloud book compared to a silent reading book. He advocates reading aloud to much older children then people usually read aloud too.
I just loved how he gives some great advice to keep your children enjoying reading. Many toddlers and young children love to read, but often around 4th grade they lose that love. He gives lots of practical advice on how to keep that love and enjoyment going.
This book is an excellent resource for all parents and I would highly recommend at least checking it out from your library.
Right now reading with Liv is one of my favorite activities. I am now 30 weeks pregnant and feeling every bit of it. It being a hot, humid summer does not help much. Reading in the shade or on hotter days in the house with the ac on is one of the few activities that is relaxing and enjoyable for both of us.
I am hoping that these memories will stick with with her and she will love reading, and turn to it as she gets older for a relaxing activity, not the tv or video games like many children today.

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