Monday, September 28, 2009

Potty training

My son is 31 months old. He has recently shown an interest in potty training. In the past week he's peed in the potty several times. I even purchased him some dinosaur underwear, which he was very psyched about. It seems as though he is very inconsistent about this. He does much better to notice that he has to go when he's naked or wearing the underwear, otherwise the diaper is on and he goes about his business. I have an M&M jar, (which he calls M's) that he gets some if he uses the potty. I think he is still figuring out that there is a difference between pee and poop. He calls it all 'poopy'. And, he's yet to go to the bathroom sitting on the potty, he straddles it and pees standing up.. which is hysterical.

So, to all you mom's.. I assume the inconsistency is normal? But how do you get them to go more regularly? Or do you just wait until they're ready?

Thursday, September 10, 2009

Child Safety Week

Next week is Child Safety Week. Saturday Sept 12th is National Seat Check Saturday.
Statistics say that 3 out of 4 child safety seats are installed incorrectly.

For more information, view:

Wednesday, August 19, 2009

Sensory Processing Disorder

My son is currently 2 1/2 years old. When he 18 months, I started to get concerned that he wasn't really talking. He grunted alot and was able to communicate well with you, but just never used any words. My doctor said, "He's a boy, He's the first born... we'll revisit this at his 2 year checkup." Well, his 2 year check up comes along and still no words. My doctor finally decided we would get his hearing checked to start. Like I suspected, his hearing was fine. But this was the first step to getting some speech therapy. We went through the Early Intervention Program and they hooked us up with a multidisciplinary evaluation. There was our case coordinator, a med student, a speech therapist and a teacher. They would just have him do some basic activities, etc. Well, he clearly qualified for speech therapy. They also recommended an occupational therapy evaluation because they noticed a few things with his fine motor skills, etc.

He qualified for occupational therapy too, just borderline scores. So, as it turns out, some of his peculiar behaviors are making more sense. He got some Sensory Processing difficulties. He's a little more busy, active than most kids. He rarely sits down to do anything, wants nothing to do with watching TV. He likes to roughhouse and wrestle, crash, jump. This was explained to me that it takes a lot for him to be stimulated. He also has a very high pain threshold, which could give anyone watching him a heart attack. He has some low muscle tone in his mouth, which explains the trouble with his speech... and he drools a lot when he's concentrating on something.

This disorder manifests in different ways with different kids. There are various combinations of difficulties a kid could face. We've been doing therapy for 3-4 months and it has worked wonders. He's speaking much better. Everything isn't clear and he still needs to work on expanding his vocabulary, but we actually have conversations. He has been able to settle down to participate in some fine motor activites more and more. Overall, he's going to do well. He was born 1 month premature and it's possible he didnt' have enough time to cook. We didn't notice much because he's so good at his gross motor skills and those are the milestones that children meet typically in the first 12-18 months of life. We're lucky that we caught it relatively early. I asked the OT, if he didn't have the speech problems, how would we have noticed the other things. (I just figured he was a boy that liked to roughhouse... with the drooling, I just thought he was teething.) She said it probably would have gone unnoticed until school, where he needed to sit still for length of time.

I write this because if you have little ones and notice some different behaviors, you might want to get them evaluated. There's not a whole lot of resources yet on the internet, but I've found some books that I'm gonna check out.

Friday, July 31, 2009

My garden!

Okay, it's finally seemed to hit a streak of 80 degree weather here in the northeast and my garden is finally starting to do good things.


This is my lone zucchini. My squash plants were starting to die. And I managed to bring them back to life.







These are my tomatoes just waiting to turn red. I have a couple of heirloom tomato plants mixed in there too.







I have lots of hot peppers. I have hungarian wax peppers and you run of the mill green hot peppers!







This is my biggest success. Cucumbers! This is about half of my total bounty so far, I figure I have about 13 or so of them that will be ready to pick soon.




My beans are just starting to come in to. For some reason I couldn't get my carrots or beets to grow this year. I had a great crop of snap peas. It made it all worthwhile to grow a garden when my son finally started to eat some of the peas.

Monday, July 27, 2009

Cute story segments

I think I've decided that I'm going to post cute things that my son does in an attempt to remember them. I've told myself that I'm going to write them down and it never happens so....

My son is getting speech therapy. He was born 1 month premature and there are signs that the muscles in his mouth are a little weak. He's been doing well, getting speech therapy for about 2 months now. It's worked wonders.

So, this weekend I've been trying to get him to nap when he's been miserable. The summer humidity is kicking in and he's been very emotional. So, I tell him he needs to close his eyes and go to sleep. If he opens them, I'll say "Close your eyes". So last night, I'm telling him that it's bedtime and he needs to close his eyes. He says to me...."Mommy.......eyes." It took me a minutes to figure out that he was telling me to close his eyes. I just laughed.... I think he might just be smart enough to know that if I close my eyes, I won't be able to see that he hasn't closed his.....

Oh, and a recipe to come later.

Monday, July 13, 2009

Please bear with me.

Hi everyone. I have a lot of pictures to post.... however my computer has no more memory. I recently purchased a new one, I just have to get it up and running. Then I will have CSA, Farmer's Market and Garden pictures to post. This should happen this week.

Also, please check out the following site for some important information on Mesothelioma.
www.maacenter.org

Thursday, June 18, 2009

Remind your father.....

How important regular check ups are.

Send your dad (and any dads that you know) an email Father's Day Card.
This card will remind him of the important preventative checkups that he should be getting.
Include your own personal message about how important his health is to you.

Send an E-Card

Tuesday, June 16, 2009

Back in Action

I am going to start posting more regularly. My garden is up and running. I just need to start taking some pictures. My computer at home has no memory, so it's such a hassle to post anything.... but I'm looking around for a new one. I've doubled the size of my garden this year.

I'm also hoping to get to the Farmer's Market.. I've had to work some Saturday mornings lately.

AND... this week starts my CSA deliveries. I think this first week is just going to be leafy greens but I will take pictures to show you what I've gotten. It's Wyllie Fox Farm and they do organic farming, although I don't think they're technically certified organic. But they do picking events during the summer as well. I'm anxious to get there and look around. It's about 1/2 hour from my house.

Wednesday, May 13, 2009

Started my garden

I've started my garden officially. Because I'm in the NorthEast, I need to wait until after Memorial Day typically to plant some things.
But the cooler weather vegetables are starting to grow.

Snap peas, Lettuce, Spinach, Radishes, Golden Beets and Onions.

I'll be snapping a picture soon.
And, farmer's market season is here. I'll be bringing back my weekly posts of the great bargains I've found.

Wednesday, April 22, 2009

Happy Earth Day!

Take a little time today to do something good for our beautiful planet. Even, if you stop to admire mother nature.

Wednesday, April 8, 2009

Spring is getting here!!!

Okay... so I've been a slacker with this blog most of the winter... but spring is here and last weekend I was able to get my garden bed ready. I'm going to plant some different things this year... but this weekend I am going to plant my snap peas, spinach, lettuce, radishes, onions and beets. I also learned about staggering... I don't know why I didn't think of this last year so that I could spread out the harvest a little more. The other things I am going to plant will be beans, tomatoes, peppers, zucchini, cucumbers...

Last October I canned tomatoes, peaches and applesauce and they turned out to be real useful. So I am going to plant tomatoes this year. In fact, I picked up a package of seeds for tangerine mama.. they are orange tomatoes that have less seeds and aren't as gooey... I planted them in a little planter to get them started. I also planted some Basil to get that started.

So I picked up the pot to water the basil and out of the corner of my eye I see my son take the pot with tomato seeds and pour it into this big pot that I had sitting nearby. The soil I used had little white specs in it as well so there was no getting the seeds back. I think I did cry for a second. I put all the soil back in the pot and I'm going to hope for the best.

I'm also going to join a CSA that will deliver weekly to my husband's workplace. It's $255 for a 1/2 share for the season and it breaks down to about $15/week. Plus it will be neat to have a surprise of the items that we'll receive.

All right, well I should be posting more often now. I even took the winter off from the Farmer's Market. But I'm gonna get back to posting my weekly finds.

Tuesday, March 10, 2009

My life as a Registered Dietitian

Note: This post is participating in an "RD Blogfest" in honor of National Registered Dietitian Day (March 11)

I was asked to write a post about how my work life and being a dietitian coincide.

I should clarify to readers. A Registered Dietitian is someone who has 4 years of school in dietetics, 900 experience hours, and passed the registration exam. These are the folks that you should see for advice. Because we aren't a licensed profession (yet).... anyone is able to call themselves a nutritionist and dole out advice, sometimes correctly, sometimes not.

There are many places where you'll find Registered Dietitians. It just so happens that I work in a dialysis center. Dialysis is a life sustaining treatment that keeps people alive whose kidneys aren't working. Diet plays a huge role since the kidneys function in keeping your electrolytes in balance, getting rid of excess sodium and fluid, converting Vitamin D to a usable form for your body, and helps produce red blood cells that helps oxygen travel around the body.

The thing I really like about my job is the relationships I've formed with my patients. Because I see them 3 times a week and they're there for about 4 hours, I have plenty of time to speak with them. I find something in common with just about any of them. One patient has taught me so much about gardening (something that I'm just getting in to). He spent many years landscaping. He's from Puerto Rico and his brother sent him some seeds for a sweet pepper plant. He even brought me in some. I had a huge batch of flat, pole beans that I brought to him. He opened my eyes to sofrito as well.

There are others that I talk sports with. Even some fellow Mets fans. One of them just received a transplant from his daughter last week and he is recovering well. I will miss my chats with him. He even was a basketball player for a short time with the Detroit Pistons and would tell me stories about his playing days.

Some others politics, family, childraising. I've gotten great tips for helping me with my son. They always like to see my pictures and listen to my stories.

So you see, for as much as I've given them... I received it back twofold. I pride myself in being a dietitian that they don't dread seeing as I come by with their lab reports. Occasionally, I get a couple that pretend to be sleeping... but I'm on to them!

Check out some other fabulous Registered Dietitians and the work they do. Wish them a Happy Registered Dietitian's Day! March 11th.

Beyond Prenatals - Food vs. Supplements and Real Advice vs. Fake Advice
Annette Colby - No More Diets! A Registered Dietitian Shares 9 Secrets to Real and Lasting Weight Loss
Ashley Colpaart - Dietitians working in food policy, a new frontier
Diana Dyer - There and Back Again: Celebration of National Dietitian Day 2009
Marjorie Geiser - RD Showcase for National Registered Dietitian Day - What we do
Cheryl Harris - Me, a Gluten Free RD!
Marilyn Jess - National Registered Dietitian Day--RD Blogfest
Julie Lanford - Antioxidants for Cancer Prevention
Renata Mangrum - What I'm doing as I grow up...
Liz Marr - Fruits and Veggies for Registered Dietian Day: Two Poems
Meal Makeover Moms' Kitchen - Family Nutrition ... It's our "Beat"
Jill Nussinow - The Registered Dietitian Lens I Look Through
Wendy Jo Petersen - March 11 is our day to shine!
Diane Preves - Registered Dietitians and the White House Forum on Health Reform
Andy Sarjahani - Dr. Seuss Tribute continued: Green Eggs and Ham and a Sustainable Food System
Rebecca Scritchfield - Big Tips from a "Big Loser"
Anthony Sepe - RD Showcase: Registered Dietitian Day, March 11, 2009
Kathy Shattler - RD Showcase for Nutri-Care Consultation
UNL-Extension, Douglas/Sarpy County - Nutrition Know How - Making Your Life Easier
Monika Woolsey - Dietitians--Can't Do PCOS Without Them
Monika Woolsey - In Honor of National Registered Dietitian Day

Wednesday, February 11, 2009

What's more green than the library?

I finally got myself to library tonight. I'll admit.. I probably haven't stepped foot in one since college. I don't even know where to find my library card, in fact they probably shut down my acct.

So, I've been checking out my favorite food blogs and there are so many good cookbooks recommended that I want to check out. So, I went to the library and found 4 good books. 3 cookbooks, plus "On Food and Cooking" by Harold McGee to refresh my memory about food science concepts.

This was so exciting. I can't believe how good it felt to go into the library again! Also picked up a flyer for storytimes for children... but sadly they are only offered M-Th during the day. I have Fridays off and thought it would be fun to take my little guy for something to do.

If it's been a long time for you, check it out... think of the $$ and paper you'll save.

Thursday, February 5, 2009

Beauty products

This is a great website:

cosmeticdatabase.com

You can go there and type in the beauty products you use and find out how dangerous they are. I know, that sounds so discouraging... but it's best to know. It gives a number scale from 1-10 and grades it on different areas like whether the ingredients are known to be carcinogens or if they test on animals. It was an eye opener for me and I don't even use a lot of lotions and whatnot.

Sunday, January 25, 2009

Dryer Sheets?... Nah, Dryer Balls!


I found these while grocery shopping last week. I rarely even go down the cleaning supply aisle at the grocery store, because it's more expensive than going to Target. But, these were $7.99 and it seemed like a good deal, rather than buying dryer sheets. These balls go into the dryer with the clothes and allows air to pass through them. I've done 3 loads of laundry with them and so far, so good. I would recommend them!

Friday, January 23, 2009

An easy dinner! and Frugal Friday.


I made this dinner on Monday. Took about 1/2 hour and was very tasty.


It's Chicken Pineapple Rolls, rice, and broccoli. The recipe comes with an easy sauce that you put inside the rolls. I used 1/2 long grain brown rice and 1/2 basmati rice. I had purchased a bottle of Caribbean Sauce at my supermarket that was on sale for 99 cents. I mixed just a small amount of it in with the rice for some flavor. Basmati rice is something new to me. I love it! I mix it with the brown rice, because I like the amount of fiber that provides. I steamed some fresh broccoli in the microwave. Out of the whole entire dinner, my son liked the broccoli best! (go figure).
Chicken Pineapple Rolls
1# skinless, chicken breast (cubed)
2 (8oz) pkgs Crescent rolls
1 (8oz) can pineapple chunks (drain and reserve)
3 tbsp honey
1 tbsp ginger
1. Place chicken in skillet with 1-2 tbsp oil. Cook over medium. Drain and set aside.
2. Preheat oven to 350F
3. Separate crescent roll dough. Place triange on single layer on baking sheet.
4. In bowl, mix 3 tsp pineapple juice, honey and ginger.
5. Brush each roll triange with juice mix. Place 1 pineapple chunk and 1 tbsp chicken on each triangle. Roll and seal. Bake in oven for 15 mins.

Monday, January 19, 2009

Watch this space.

I know I've been neglecting this area. I'm dying for winter to be over so I can start my gardening for this year.

But, I'm working on a couple of things. I have a new thing that I've purchased to help with the laundry. I'm gonna take a picture and give a review!! It's very ecofriendly.

A nice blog and a giveaway

A great gal who frequents my blog is having a wonderful giveaway.

Stop by to check it out.

http://cynthialovespictures.blogspot.com/

Her posts are so funny and touching and real.

Thursday, January 1, 2009

Happy New Years!!! Yay 2009!

Hope everyone enjoyed themselves last night! We had a blast at my father-in-law's house, eating yummy foods and waiting for the ball to drop.

Today I decided that I would start putting away Xmas decorations. Well, that turned into some spring cleaning. I have 5 different things going at this very minute. But I was cleaning through some drawers and found all the cards I've saved in the past year. Got a lot of them with the baby shower, Mother's Day, Father's Day, and First Birthday.


I wanted to share my recycling project with you.



Here are all of my envelopes. I put them through my new shredder to make confetti. I figure I can use this to stuff gift bags. (Did you ever see how much that stuff costs?) Here's the after picture:




Well, I hope we all have a better year! It's so nice to start fresh.

Christmas Cookies

I know this post is late, but just wanted to show off some of my creations.

The Gingerbread men were used with a recipe from Stephanie -"Fun Foods on a Budget". I've never been a big fan of gingerbread, but I loved these.


The following are various sugar cookies that I did.
Sorry about the glare, I should have photographed before I wrapped them.









Here is my Cut out cookie recipe. It's from my mother-in-law. It makes a large batch (it's already doubled).

Cut Out Cookies


Sift together : 6 c Flour, 3 tsp Baking Powder, 1 tsp Salt

Cream Together: 2 c (4 sticks) Margarine or Butter, 2c Sugar

Add: 2 slightly beaten eggs, 2 tsp Vanilla, 6-7 Tbsp Evaporated Milk

Divide dough into 4 Balls and Regrigerate 3-4 hours or overnight. Bake at 400 degrees for 5-8 minutes.