Aunts are Special

The first few days of your child's life are so precious and unforgettable.  It's the time when you realize you didn't know you could love someone as much as you love this new life.  One of my favorite photos of Griffin from the hospital is this one.

This is his Aunt Martha, and she is one special lady!  Look at what a snuggle bug my little guy was :).  You can tell how excited she was to meet her new nephew.  Martha knows a lot about raising boys.  She has two sons of her own - ages 18 and 24.

Tonight Martha joined us for dinner.  It's been a couple of months since she's seen Griffin.  It was so great to see her, and Griffin had a wonderful time playing with his aunt.

Here's this duo almost one year later....

Thanks for visiting, Aunt Martha!!  We love you!!

Zoo Day

Day trips with my little man are so much fun!  Today we went to the Atlanta Zoo with some of our friends.  To make the trip easier, save $$ on gas, and to have the benefit of pleasant conversation for moms and interaction for babies, a friend of mine and I carpooled.  I would highly recommend doing this!!  Once you get the knack of installing those pesky car seats, it's so much more enjoyable.

Since I knew we'd be gone for lunch, I packed an easy and healthy go-to lunch for Griffin.

• plain whole milk yogurt with cut up mango, prunes, and puffs
• 1/2 a homemade zucchini muffin (recipe below)

Zucchini Muffins

2 eggs
6 fl oz (3/4 cup) milk - use whole milk, formula or breast milk
5 fl oz oz (2/3 cup) olive oil
4 oz (1 cup) all purpose flour
4 oz (1 cup) whole wheat flour
2 tsp baking powder
1 medium zucchini (courgette), grated
1 to 2 tsp dried oregano (adjust according to your baby's taste)
3 tbsp grated Cheddar cheese

Preheat the oven to 450 deg F, 230 deg C..
Beat the eggs and milk together in a bowl, then stir in the oil.
In a separate bowl, combine the flour and baking powder.
Mix the wet ingredients with the dry ingredients until the flour is moistened (the batter should look lumpy - don't try to make it smooth).
Carefully stir in the zucchini and oregano.
Spoon into greased muffin tins (you should get 12 muffins) and top with the cheese.
Bake for around 20 to 25 mins, then cool and serve!  

Everyone had a great time!

Bathing in a Flash

If bath time could be modeled after an automatic car wash, my son Griffin would be the first child in line.  He has not been a fan of bathing since he was born.  Now that he is old enough to sit in the big tub, I thought he'd start enjoying splashing in the water and playing with toys.  For Griffin, bathing is just one of the routine tasks in his day.  Once in the tub, it's a battle to keep him sitting down.....for those who know Griffin, you know that standing has always been his favorite thing to do!  The other day, Griffin actually spent more time than usual in the water.  As a mom, I was so happy to see him taking a break to relax!  I am always talking to Griffin throughout the day to build his receptive language skills (comprehension).  He surprised me in this video from Friday's bath.  It shows that something as simple as bath time routine can be used as a language teaching opportunity.  There's really no need for fancy materials or training classes! Enjoy!

Dinner....

....with friends is just so much more fun!  Tonight we had our friends, Heather and Mary Alice, over for some burgers on the grill.  Even the babies sampled their first burger.

They also enjoyed some macaroni 'n' cheese (recipe from previous blog) and pineapple.  Both Griffin and Mary Alice were excellent diners!

It sure is nice to spice things up during the week and add some new people to the mix at your dinner table.  When entertaining with babies in the picture, I find it easiest to prepare as much of the food ahead of time as I can.  Prior to our guests arriving, I was able to season and mix the hamburger meat, season and cut up some red potatoes so that they would be ready for the oven, and cut up onions and portobello mushrooms to be sauteed later.  It's even better when the two littlest guests help with the dishes!

Hope your Thursday was a good one!!

A No TV Household

What?!  No television?  Well, let me rephrase that...I'm not allowing my 10 1/2 month old to watch TV, and here's why...


The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommends that kids under 2 years old not watch any TV and that those older than 2 watch no more than 1 to 2 hours a day of quality programming.  As a speech language pathologist and new mom, I also support this statement.  The first 2 years of life are considered a critical time for brain development. TV and other electronic media can get in the way of exploring, playing, and interacting with parents and others.  Interaction with others encourages learning and healthy physical and social development.  Even background TV noise can interfere with a child's development.  Extensive research has been conducted regarding infant exposure to television and the following conclusions have been made: 

• young children and their adult caregivers uttered fewer vocalizations, used fewer words and engaged in fewer conversations when in the presence of audible television.  This refers to a television that is on in the background as well.
• 
  
• television exposure during infancy is associated with language delays and attention problems
• 
  
• a specific study published in  Archives of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, found that  for every hour a television was turned on, babies heard 770 fewer words from an adult.  Conversational exchanges between baby and parent dropped 15%, as did the overall number of vocalizations made by children. 

For children over the age of 2, the following recommendations have been made:

• If you allow TV time, choose age-appropriate programs. Involve older children in setting guidelines for what to watch. Use guides and ratings to help, but beware of unproven claims that programs or DVDs are educational. Even cartoons produced for children can be violent or over stimulating.
• Limit TV time to no more than two hours per day. Less is better.
• Keep TV off during meals.
• Set "media-free" days, and plan other fun things to do.
• Avoid using TV as a reward.
• Turn off TV when a chosen program is over. Don't leave TV on as background filler or while engaging in other activities. When no one is actively watching, turn TV off.
• Watch TV with your child. Talk about what you see and engage with your child about the content.
• Keep TVs out of bedrooms.

As a new mom, I often feel overwhelmed with getting housework completed and dinner on the table for my family.  This sensation is often increased due to my son's inconsistent napping.  Boy, when he does nap, I've become a whiz at getting things done in a 25 minute period!!!


It can be difficult to get everything completed particularly during his waking hours, and the television would be an easy way to keep him entertained.   I have chosen to refrain from television watching and accept the fact that I can't be 'Super Mom.'  Sometimes the chores just need to be put on hold.  I will admit that there have been times when I haven't been able to vacuum my house all week....however, my time with Griffin is precious and these moments will not last forever.  Before I know it, he'll be wanting to play with his friends and not his mom.  


So, what do I do on days when Griffin does not nap?  Well, I have my 'go-to' meals - quesadillas, chicken pasta, and salmon cakes.  I try to keep these ingredients in the house at all times.  Last night was another story...Griffin and I found ourselves visiting Walmart at 6:00 to pick up tortillas and salsa - we had run out!  In the end, the quesadillas turned out great and everyone was happy.   Here's to the good life, friends!

Interested in reading more about television's negative impact on babies?  Check out these sites.....


http://www.nytimes.com/2011/10/19/health/19babies.html


http://kidshealth.org/parent/positive/family/tv_affects_child.html#

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/06/090601182830.htm

http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/80beats/2009/06/02/tv-can-slow-language-development-even-in-the-background/

Lentils - say what?!

I've had this container of red lentils in my pantry.  Each time I open the door, it jumps out at me as if to say, "Come on lady...it's time to get the creative cooking juices flowing!"  I found another baby/family friendly recipe, Lentil Burgers with Mint-Yogurt Sauce  from Cooking for Baby.  I had to make some changes to the recipe because I found that the measurements weren't quite right, but in the end they turned out pretty good!

Lentil Burgers with Mint-Yogurt Sauce

brown lentils, 3/4 cup picked over and rinse (I used the red lentils from my pantry)


old fashioned rolled oats, 1/2 cup (I ended up using about 1 1/2 cups because I found that the mixture was           
                                                    too wet)


garlic, 1 clove minced

ground cumin, 1 tsp.

mild curry powder, 1 tsp. (I only could find the hot curry powder, so I used a 1/2 tsp.)


1 large egg, beaten

salt and freshly ground pepper

plain whole-milk yogurt, 1 cup

fresh mint, 2/3/ cup minced

canola oil, 1 Tbsp.

1. In a large saucepan over medium-high heat, combine 2 cups of water and lentils.  Bring to a boil, cover, and simmer until lentils are tender, about 15 minutes.  Drain.
2. Meanwhile, in a food processor, grind oats to a coarse meal.
3. In a large bowl, mash lentils with a fork.  Add 3 Tbsp. of oats (or more depending on the mixture thickness), garlic, cumin, and curry powder.  Mix together and add egg.  Season with salt and pepper.  Using hands, form mixture into six 4-inch patties, each 1/2 inch thick.  Coat patties with remaining oats and chill them uncovered in the refrigerator for 10 minutes.
4. In a small bowl, stir together yogurt and mint to make a sauce.  
5. In a large frying pan over medium-high heat, heat oil.  Fry burgers, turning once, until brown - about 4 mins. per side.
6. Depending on your kiddo's age and chewing ability, spread burgers with sauce and cut into small pieces or strips.
7. For older kids and adults, serve on split pita rounds with lettuce, tomato and a dollop of the yogurt sauce.
8. Burgers can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 3 days or frozen for a month.  The sauce can be refrigerated for 3 days.

The finished product

Griffin's portion - 1/2 lentil burger with sauce,

cut up prunes, and carrot rounds

Bottle Weaning

Bottle Weaning....sounds scary, but really it isn't.  Prior to initiating, I had visions in my head of Griffin throwing his sippy cup down on the ground and refusing his formula.  You see, my kid cherishes his 'baba' time.  Since around 6 months old, he has been holding his own bottle while laying on his 'thrown' - which really is his Boppy pillow positioned on the floor.  It's been his alone time as well as a place to demonstrate independence and autonomy. 

I began introducing the sippy cup around 8 months old.  I used it only for water (also tried diluted juice, but G was not a fan).  The cup we purchased was called the Nuk Learner Cup (below).  I like this cup because it does not have a stopper which slows down the flow and requires increased oral motor pressure making it more difficult for newbies suck. I also like the material of the sipper - silicone just like a bottle nipple which makes the transition less foreign.

Upon first introduction, Griffin was indifferent and not really interested in drinking water.  I decided to establish 'sippy cup time' after each meal since babies often respond positively to repetition and routine. Sometimes he drank the water and other times he just played with the cup.  I did not push him to drink, however, I provided praise when he sipped some water. 

In time, Griffin became a water fan.  He even began saying 'wawa' when asked "Do you want some water?" or to request a drink.  I apologize for being so loud in this video!!  I must learn to use my inside voice - lol!



At around 10 months old, I began to fill the sippy cup with his formula.  He readily took the cup and drank the formula from it!  Now, he is taking 3 feedings a day with his sippy cup.  I've kept the pre-bed feeding as a bottle one.  Part of me, still wants to hold on to that baby part of Griffin...but this feeding will soon be replaced by the sippy cup.  Of course, Griffin continues to drink independently and from his ever so comfy 'throne!' 

Of course, not every baby's experience with bottle weaning is the same.  Just like us, each baby has his/her own time frame and personality!  There's an entire website dedicated to bottle weaning, http://www.bottleweaning.com/.  There's some great advice on this site!

Now, if only consistent napping could be so easy.....