Mommy Series:Quick and Easy Breakfast/Lunch/Dinners for Babies & Kids

I am blessed to have a very non picky baby when it comes to food.  My husband is the same way, he will try anything once and is very easy to please when it comes to food...so Baby C obviously gets his tastes buds from his dad.

Below are a list of items that I really like to feed Baby C,  I only listed items that are quick and easy to heat up. I usually give Baby C one homemade dish, slices of fruit or cheese, and one frozen item ( if I don't have enough food or have time to make him food).  Aside from purees and soup..I let Baby C feed himself, because 1) I noticed he is more interested in his food when he gets to touch it 2) It gives me a break so I can eat my food as well.

The homemade dishes I make him usually  include steamed veggies, protein with rice or pasta, or soup. ( Note: I only give him his solids after he drinks his milk...I'm not sure how it works for toddlers..but I was advised by our pediatrician to still have him drink his milk prior to his meals). If I notice that Baby C is not finishing his bottle of milk ( which he will do at times, because he knows he can eat afterwards), then I will take away his snacks for a few days, which usually does the trick.

 I've tried all of the items that I listed below  I've tried all of them and they are all pretty good.

Breakfast on the weekdays are usually sweet potatoes pancakes, mini waffles, or french toast.  I like the Earth's Best brand because their products are usually made with multigrains, gluten free, and are as kid friendly as I think it gets.  I also LOVE the A+ sweet potatoes pancakes.  I usually give Baby C half of the pancakes, but sometimes he will want the whole pancake. This is a great option for babies who get constipated and need extra fiber.  I do not give him any syrup or dip with any of these items. However, if your kids are older..I think it is ok to give them a tiny bit of syrup, honey, or agave nectar ..if it will get them to eat their breakfast.

 He will usually then eat half of a cup of his yobaby yogurt.  I usually give him watered down apple juice or prune juice as a drink.  I do this to help him with his constipation.  I also give him a few slices of fruit.  I do not feed him in the middle of the night anymore, so he does tend to be more hungry in the mornings.

On weekends I will usually make him an egg yolk omelette with different veggies thrown in ( spinach, broccoli, butternut squash and etc).  I try to make his plate as colorful as possible.  If I don't have time to cook, I will give him some oatmeal and throw in some sliced up blueberries.

I purchased the 365 mini waffles and A+ sweet potato pancakes from Whole Foods, all other items can be found at Target or your local supermarket.

The above items are my go to items for quick lunches and dinners.  I try to give Baby C sweet potatoes almost every day, because it is the only thing that really helps with his constipation. The 365 sweet potato puffs are from Whole Foods.  You can find them in the frozen section. Bake them for about 20 minutes at 400 degrees and they are ready.  I will usually make a batch at night and give them to Baby C for a snack or as a side dish for lunches or dinners the next day.

 I love the Dr. Prager spinach, broccoli, and sweet potato littles. Again, they are gluten free and I think this is a great way to get your kids to eat veggies..if they aren't a huge fan of them. They come in cute shapes and look like chicken nuggets.  They are not fried, they come frozen and you have to broil or bake them in your oven.  It takes about 8 minutes for them to get soft.  Once they are ready they are super soft, I noticed that they do break apart..which is good for younger kids, but can also get very messy. I  purchased these from Whole Foods, but I've also seen them at Target and other local super markets.

I am not a huge fan of giving Baby C chicken nuggets or fried food of any kind since he is a baby.  However, if your kids do like chicken nuggets, I recommend giving them Applegate Chicken Nuggets.  I think these are probably the healthiest chicken nuggets you will find.  There are no fillers or chemicals in these nuggets, and they are made from all natural white chicken meat.  These are also gluten free.  I found these at Target in the frozen section.

I love Dr. Pragers products..can you tell yet? If you're going to give your kids fish sticks..I recommend the Dr.Prager fish fillets or fish sticks. They also make a kids version, but I really think they are the same as the regular adult ones. Again, this is gluten free, potato crusted, super easy to heat up and serve to your kids.

I didn't put a picture of  this above, but I also love all the Plums Organic puree pouches.  If we are out and about, I will usually bring a couple Plums Organic pouches with me.

Next, I will be writing a post on Baby C's favorite healthy snacks!

Makeup Mondays-YSL Lip Balm

I'm a little late in posting on Makeup Mondays, but I really wanted to share with everyone my favorite lip balm by YSL.  It is the Volupte Sheer Candy in Grapefruit. This is a very sheer lipstick/lipbalm..so not much color shows up, but I love how it just has a hint of light pink and it makes your lips super soft.  I also likehow the cap of the lipstick is a small mirror.  This lipstick/lipbalm smells amazing! I am on my second tube and this is still my favorite go to lipstick/lipbalm.  

Bachelorette Party Essentials

It's officially wedding season!!! Don't you feel like you have bunch of wedding events coming up?! I love all the wedding events prior to the actual wedding itself.

One of my favorite events is the bachelorette party... I know, poor bridesmaids..they have to do so much of the work..but just remember you get what you give...  Lesson is, throw your friend/sister/cousin a kick ass bachelorette party..and they will forever love you and will return the favor.

My essentials for a bachelorette party are as follows:

1) Buy the bride some kind of cute head wear, crown, tiara, veil..don't buy her something disgusting to wear on her head..
2) Let her be the standout in the group. Ask her what she is wearing so none of the girls wear the same color as her.  It's her day, almost like her wedding day, but a mini version of it..with all girls.
3) If you guys want to drink, then I suggest you bring some of your own alcohol.  Pack it in your suitcase, wrap it up in some beach towels, or buy the pocket shots that come in plastic baggies.  I promise this will save you some $$$.
4) Bring water or buy water.  Everyone will be dehydrated..this will save your life at 3 am.
5) Bring some cute decorations.  I think its great to go with a theme ( my bachelorette party theme was the 50 Shades of Gray..isn't that such a neat theme?) or a color scheme...blow up balloons, bring confetti, bring some streamers.  Decorate and make it look festive for the special girl!
6) Bring some snacks...the bride to be will need it! The poor girl probably has been starving herself for 6 months.
7) Be budget conscious.  Yes, everyone should chip in for the bachelorette and help with her party, but I think it's also important for the bridesmaids to have a budget in mind.  If you're going to do bottle service on Friday night, its probably not a good idea to do bottle service again on Saturday. If you're going to an expensive restaurant one night, do a pizza night the next night or order in.  Just remember, the bachelorette party is just the beginning..you still have the bridal shower and the actual wedding to attend.
8) Plan something the bride wants to do! If shes not a clubber, then don't plan a clubbing night.  If she loves the spa, then do a Glen Ivy spa weekend.  If she loves the outdoors plan a camping trip.
9) Don't get strippers if the bride isn't into that kind of stuff.  You don't want to make the poor girl cry on her special day! But, if she is into that kind of stuff..then that's another story..
10)Make sure the bride to be has fun! It is her last few months as a non-married woman! It's about her, so make sure everyone accommodates her and does what she wants to do.  I know sometimes this is hard with a group of opinionated girls..but really, put your needs aside..and make sure the special girl has a blast!

Thirsty Thursdays-Skinny Pina Colada

Doesn't it feel like summer already? Well..if you live in So Cal it feels like summer..if you live in the east coast..its snowing!

Anyway, the recent sunny weather has made me crave for my favorite summer cocktail which is the Pina Colada.  But, did you know that a regular Pina Colada has over 550 calories! It's because of the coconut cream they put in that damn drink, but doesn't it tastes so freaken good? It's one of those drinks that is so good, you take a huge ass gulp..and then you get massive brain freeze...but it's still one of my go to drinks..it's a safe drink ( meaning it's too hard for someone to mess this drink up).

Ok, so since swimsuit weather is coming up soon, here's a lower calorie version I found here.  It's super easy to make..and I like how it includes actual coconut water..which we all know is very hydrating, lots of potassium, and is just all around super healthy for you.

RECIPE 

 2 oz. of your favorite coconut rum ( my personal favorite is Malibu Rum)
2 oz. of pineapple juice
5 oz. of coconut water 
serve over ice, and with a slice of pineapple

Mommy Series-Sleep Training

My 8 month old used to be a pretty good sleeper, until he hit the 4 month mark.  His sleep schedule became totally out of whack and he constantly wanted to sleep in our room.  We tried many methods, letting him CIO (cry it out), consoling him every 20 minutes, 10 minutes and etc. I would nurse him until he fell asleep, carried him in the ergo, rocked him..put him in the swing..blah blah blah..you see where I am going with this.  For whatever reason it wasn't working..we seemed to always blame it on teething..since baby C started teething at 4 months, and has gotten a total of 6 teeth by the time he was 8 months.

One day, my coworker told me about a sleep trainer who is also a post partum doula that he hired for his 1.5 year old ( who was waking up every 2 hours and has never slept through the night).  The Sleep Trainer, sounded AMAZING.  So, he gave me her number and I gave her a call.

She told me exactly how she was going to train Baby C.  She even told me to try it out myself first, if it worked..to call her and we could cancel the appt I scheduled with her. I was weary..since sleep training has been super hard for me to do.  The Sleep Trainer was set to come on Friday night at 9:45pm.  She predicted that Baby C would wake up by then.  She told me to put him to bed at 7:30pm. She told me that part of the problem was that Baby C was going to bed wayyy too late ( I would put him to bed around 9pm). At the same time, she told me she would help me wean Baby C off of his pacifier, which I felt like was keeping him from sleeping through the night. She told me that weaning him off the pacifier was the easy part, and he really shouldn't be using a pacifier past 9 months...after that it gets harder and harder to break babies of that habit.

So, on Thursday night, I decided to give this sleep training thing a try.  I put Baby C to bed at 7:30, as expected. He cried.  The Sleep Trainer told me to make his room pitch black, turn on his white noise machine ( I have one that runs all night long), give him his last bottle around 7:15 pm, place him in his crib and walk away.  I was told not to give him his pacifier. If he cried, I was to check on him every 2 minutes...pat him on his chest and say, " baby go night night".

Day 1: Baby C cried from 7:30 pm to 8:30pm.  I went in his room every 2 minutes to pat him on his chest.  I felt so bad for him, because he was really really mad that I was leaving him.  So I would try to say encouraging things. I would never stay in his room for more than 1 minute. I also made my husband work out in our basement, since he can't stand to hear Baby C cry and would instantly go to his room and pick him up. Everytime he wanted to do this..I would convince him not to.  Baby C finally fell asleep he slept from 8:30pm to 1am.  At 1am he woke up, cried for 2 minutes and then fell asleep.  I did not go into his room.  He then woke up at 5 am.  Now..this is when I usually feed Baby C, I was SOOO happy he slept till 5am that I went to his room gave him his bottle and brought him into my room.

In the morning, I called the Sleep Trainer and told her the good news..it wasn't as bad as I thought it was going to be, so she cancelled our appt and told me to do the same thing for the next 3 days ( meaning if he cried pat him on the chest and walk away..she told me I didn't have to go in every 2 minutes from now on, because he should be catching on to the pattern already).  She told me NOT to get Baby C when he woke up at 5am.  She said, he needs to learn to sleep from 7:30pm to 7:30 am.  If he did happen to wake up at 6:30am, it was ok..but she would prefer he sleep till 7:30, since most babies his age do need 12 hours of sleep at night.

She also told me that by bringing him into our room, I was telling him that I did not believe that he could sleep through the night all on his own.  She gave me a talk on how at the age of 8 months I was basically shaping his future and his confidence.  We  needed to show Baby C that we believed he could do anything he set his mind to, especially since he really really really needed to sleep better.  She told me, that babies like adults sleep better in their own bed on their own and if I was ok with co sleeping, than it was totally fine.  But in our case, the co sleeping method was not working for our family.

Day 2: Baby C cried for 30 minutes and fell asleep at exactly 8pm.  He slept until 5 am, cried and then fell back to sleep until 7am. 

Day 3: Baby C cried for 2 minutes and fell asleep, he woke up at 5 am cried for 30 minutes and then fell asleep till 7am.

Day 4: Baby C fell asleep as soon as I put him in his crib, he woke up at 4:30 and cried for 20 minutes, he then fell asleep until 7:15am.

Day 5: We went out to dinner, and didn't get home till around 7:45.  I put Baby C to bed after reading him a book and giving him his last bottle.  He cried for 2 minute and fell asleep. 

We also took Baby C's pacifiers away from him, since we knew he would be crying, we figured the pacifier would be constantly falling out of his mouth anyways.  He actually totally forget about the pacifier after day 1 and we are so relieved that he doesn't need it anymore.  We did notice that he is getting a lot more vocal than before..probably because he doesn't constantly have something in his mouth.

This time around, it seems like sleep training Baby C has been a lot easier. I think what made it work this time was that we really committed to it and did not go pick him up in the middle of the night.  We also, were very consistent in  hisbedtime routine. Baby C would eat dinner between 6-6:30, he would play for a bit while we go this bath ready, after his bath I would brush his teeth, then read him a book, he would then drink his last bottle and then I would put him in his crib.

As everyone probably has already told you, yes routine is key..it sucks that my husband and I have to rush home..that means no more late dinners, but having Baby C sleep well is very much worth it!


 

Makeup Mondays

I picked up a few things during the Sephora VIB sale. I always pick up my favorite night cream by REN and a make up primer.  I usually go with the Laura Mercier hydrating primer, but this time I decided to try the Hourglass Veil, which I am totally loving right now.  It is not as hydrating as the Laura Mercier primer, but with the hot weather coming up..I needed something that would make my skin less oily.  The Hourglass primer is a great primer for combination skin.

I am also LOVING the Tarte Maracuja Oil, I actually purchased this item on Amazon, since I found it for around $24..and at Sephora they were selling it for $46.  I apply the oil after I apply my toner.  I only use this product at night..two drop of this product is more than enough.  This oil has made my skin smoother and brighter.  I read that it even works on sunburns.  

The Solid Beauty Blender cleanser is SOOO much better than the liquid version.  It cleans your makeup sponges and brushes super well.  I also always pick up extra beauty blender sponges, since I use them everyday.  

I've heard great things on the Philosophy Purity cleanser, so I decided to give it a try.  So far, I do like it.  It is a fairly light cleanser and works well on my sensitive skin.   

I also wanted to try the popular bronzer called Hoola from Benefit.  So far, I do like the bronzer.  I have pretty fair skin, and this bronzer does blend well, and gives me a subtle tanned look.  However, my favorite bronzer is still my smashbox bronzer.  Not sure if I will be repurchasing the Hoola bronzer.

Lastly, I needed a powder that I could stick in my purse.  I love Laura Mercier's powders.  So far I am loving this setting powder product, it does not make my skin look chalky after applying it. However, I do think the results are better when applying with a brush and not with the sponge it comes with.  

Fashion Fridays-Forever 21

 Below are some pieces that I am currently loving for spring. All pieces are from Forever 21. I just purchased the white lace tank, the boyfriend jeans, wide leg pants, and sweater.  All four pieces are super cute and are pretty good quality wise..considering each item is less than $30. All four items I purchased fit true to size.  Happy Shopping!

More Forever 21...

Mommy Series -Going Back To Work After Baby

For those of you who don't know me, I have an 8 month old son. Many people ask me what it is like to go back to work with an infant...so here's my story.

I went back to my job when my son was 8 weeks.  I started off by going to work part time around 20 hours a week for about 3 months, then I went back to my usual 40 hours a week.  Was it hard, YES! But, there are pros and cons to being a WOHM ( work outside of home mom), just like there are pros and cons of being a SAHM ( stay at home mom).  

My husband and I decided that I would be a WOHM  prior to us even having kids.  This was a topic we discussed even before we got married.  One of the major reasons I did go back to work was because my parents and in laws were willing to help us watch our son. 

When I went back to work, the first thing everyone asked me was, but don't you miss your baby?  Now, of course I missed him, but it was honestly a nice break.  I was able to talk to adults, grab a coffee at starbucks, eat my lunch in peace, and pee with the door closed.  Although, it is nice to be at work..I miss out on A LOT with my son.  

First, I miss a lot of adorable things he does throughout the day.  I don't have the luxury of taking him to mommy and me classes during the week, or any classes during the week period.  I don't have many mommy friends..I literally have a handful of mommy friends, therefore my son rarely goes on playdates during the week. I've had a really really hard time sleep training him, or getting him on any kind of nap/sleep schedule, which is why I hired a sleep trainer to come to our house tomorrow ( more on that on a later day). I did not breastfeed my baby for as long as I wanted to.  Our lives are HECTIC ( also a post for another day).  We are on a crazy schedule, and my husband and I only get to spend time with our son for a good 2-3 hours a day, if even that ( in my husbands case..he works very long hours and sometimes only sees our son for 30 minutes a day). 

However, the pros are that our son is very close to his grandparents.  My parents take care of my baby when I am working, and when my in laws are in town, they usually watch my son.  He is not super attached to me..which gives both me and my husband a break when we want to go out on a date night.

I can go on and on about the pros and the cons, but ultimately I really think this is an important topic that needs to be decided on prior to having kids.  Many people think going back to work is harder, but I actually disagree.  I think being a SAHM is much harder. Yes, I still have to go to my 9am budget meeting when I have gotten 3 hours of sleep the night before, but I can always nap during my lunch time..or grab a huge ass coffee during my breaks. Yes 90% of the time, I am a zombie at work, along with the majority of my co workers since they also all have young children.   Being a SAHM means no breaks..ever, but it does comes with many great perks that I wish I could have with my son. 

I often go back and forth about whether I want to quit my job and become a SAHM, but ultimately my husband and I have decided that I would continue working....till the day I turn 50..or the day I win the lotto..in which case my husband said he would still continue working ( no idea why..he must really love his job.). 

Do I feel guilty about my decision to be a WOHM? Yes, all the time, but I know that this is the best decision for my family and I.  I think whether or not you are a SAHM or WOHM, or WAHM....all any parent strives for is to be the best parent to their child.  I don't think there is one option that is considered EASIER, the only way I can describe each role..is that they are DIFFERENT.  Just like when babies or kids go through different stages in their lives, it never gets easier..it is just a DIFFERENT stage with different things you have to deal with. 

Makeup Mondays: Lasting Foundation

With the hot sunny weather on the way, here is a simple and easy way to get your foundation and makeup to last all day.

Step 1: Spray your sponge, beauty blender, or foundation brush with a makeup setting spray ( if you are using a beauty blender lightly wet it with water like you usually do). I usually spray my beauty blender two times with my UD makeup setting spray. 

Step 2 : Dip into your foundation

Step 3: Apply your foundation to your face as you normally would

Finish applying the rest of your makeup and then spray your makeup setting spray one last time directly on your face.   This is a great trick to keep your foundation and makeup fresh on your face for a good 8 hours. 

Happy Monday! 

Fashion Fridays-Baby Edition

People always tell you..kids grow up so fast! Literally, my son grows like a wild weed and I feel like I am constantly buying him new clothes. Currently, my go to shops and websites are Baby Gap ( (I feel like they have way better sales online than they do in their stores), Old Navy, H &M, Carters, Zara and Children's Place.

I like shopping at Children's Place for their pajamas.  It's hard to find size 12 months + pj onesies, and Children's place offers them at a very affordable price.  I recently bought my son 2 pairs of  pjs for $3 each ( on clearance).

Zara has more of an edgier urban feel to their clothing ( faux leather jackets, vintage looking t shirts and etc), which I find is pretty rare in kids clothing.

Gap and Old Navy are my go to places for basic everyday play clothes, although they do have cute dressy wear for babies/ toddlers.

Below are some items I am loving from Gap and Old Navy

More Old Navy...

More Old Navy...

Thirsty Thursdays-Low Calorie Lychee Martini

Lychee Martinis are one of my all time favorite cocktails. I found this recipe that is super easy to make and is pretty yummy. Added bonus..it is only 162 calories.

Recipe:

2 ounces of vodka (whatever brand you like)

1 ounce of lychee juice ( i just use the juice from the can)

1 ounce club soda

throw 1 or 2 lychees in there for garnish.

Items that I love from Trader Joes

For some reason, I am obsessed with going to Trader Joe's. I love how they offer decently priced items..and an array of ready made meals, for those of us who are not great in the kitchen.

A few items that I always purchase are:

Edamame Hummus-Amazing! I can eat this straight out of the package. 

Yogurt Chives Dip-Just started purchasing this and love the flavor.  I love eating this with flatbread or pita chips. 

 Organic Spinach- Ok this bag of spinach, organic spinach..is $2.49! I can't eat spinach raw, but my husband can..so he throws this in all of his salads. I, however will steam this and eat it with pasta, put some in my omelette, or cook it with some other veggies. 

Turkey meatballs-These meatballs are already cooked, so you can just heat up and mix them in with your spaghetti sauce, or use them to make lasagna.Tastes great and lower calorie than the regular meatballs, which is an added bonus.

Frozen Artichoke-Kind of obsessed with artichoke lately. .  These are pretty decent for frozen ones.  Super easy, you can defrost and throw them in your salad, make dip with it, or put them in your pasta  ( which really tastes awesome).

Mac and Cheese-Ok seriously this is the best frozen mac and cheese I have ever tasted!  Cheesy, but not overly cheesy..you can throw it in your microwave..and there you go..you have a side dish, main dish..or late night snack ( preferably not drunken late night snack....i don't know if cheese and being drunk is a good combo).

Mushroom Risotto- I just bought bag of this. Heard it is really good, but have yet to try it.

Vanilla Yogurt with Almonds-Love this!  Great breakfast option-I usually throw one of these in my bag while I am rushing out the door for work.