The Moments

Jason started his new job on Monday and it's been an adjustment for all three of us to figure out a new morning routine.  While waiting for his start date, Jason was a stay at home dad for about a month.  It was wonderful to have him realize that just because you stay at home all day doesn't mean it's a cakewalk.  He has a new appreciation of just how difficult it can be to get everything done while watching a child.

But by staying at home he and Dayne were able to "sleep in" on a daily basis.  Dayne would start babbling around 7 AM and Jason would retrieve him around 7:30.  With Jason's new job however, he & I both need to be up early.  He's getting up around 5 and I'm getting up soon thereafter so I can get myself ready before waking Dayne up to get him ready to go to his grandparent's house for the day.

Monday morning was easier because Jason didn't have to be there until 8.  Tuesday morning I had to go in and wake Dayne which gave me a glimpse to my future teenage boy.  He was dead to the world and when I rubbed his back and said his name he whined and burrowed further into his mattress.  This morning he beat us to the punch, waking us both up with cries around 5 AM.

I rolled out of bed, made my way upstairs and picked him up from his crib.  I was still rubbing sleep out of my eyes and wishing I could just curl back up in bed for another hour.  As soon as Dayne hit my chest he grabbed my hair, his safety blanket, sucked his thumb and snuggled in.  I sat down in the glider and felt him fall back asleep, safe in moms arms.

I sat there for a while just absorbing the moment, treasuring the weight in my arms, the steady breaths escaping from his nose.  I could be sleeping but this is one moment out of my lifetime that I will never forget.  It was nothing "momentous" or "milestone".  It's not something I'll pull the camera out to record or write down in his baby book.  Instead, it will be one of those moments I pull out from time to time in my memory bank, a time where my son was still small enough to snuggle in my lap, still needed his mommy to feel safe, still wanting the feel of my hair in his balled up fist to reassure him that I was close.

I rocked and rocked, not wanting the moment to end, wanting to stay there with him until the sun finally peeked over the horizon and he woke up because he wanted to wake up.

He'll be nine months old tomorrow.  Time is rushing by me in a blur.  It seems like yesterday I held him for the first time, marveling at every feature.  Today he's a speed crawler, cruising the furniture and throwing tantrums when he doesn't get his way.  One day he'll walk, then talk, then run.  One day I'll send him to school for the first time, one day he'll come home and shyly tell me about a girl he likes.  One day he'll graduate high school and then be off in the world on his own, making his own path, living his own dreams.  One day.

But today, this morning, that moment - he was my little boy, my baby, my love.   

Learning Early

It's never too early to start the education process with your kids!  Even at 9 months old, I'm starting with Dayne.  We go over colors, shapes, numbers, letters and animals among other things.  I was excited to learn about AlphaBeasts, a 15” doublesided learning companion ‘beasts’ with an upper case alphabet letter residing on one side of the doll, and a lower case character in contrasting color residing on the opposite side. Each Alphabeast has a distinctive design characteristic and physical attribute that makes them different from one another.

 

I was sent the "Dadildoit" AKA the "D" AlphaBeast for Dayne.

Actions speak louder than words to this beast. Dadildoit, best friend of Intooit, is always focused on getting things done. With the amazing ability to breathe fire, this beast is always helpful with projects, or then again, you might want to stand back if he becomes frustrated. Get the water hoses ready!

I wasn't sure how interested he would be in it just yet but the bright colors and the super soft velveteen shell caught his attention quickly.  I was impressed with the quality as well, the eyes & the teeth are both solid thread, the mouth itself is felt and the letter is fleece.

“Creating a oneofakind children’s toy line such as Alphabeasts that promotes learning through fun has been a passion of ours for some time now,” said Alphabeasts spokeswoman Kristin Ferguson. “It’s exciting to see them on display in homes, children toting around their favorite characters and people using them as a learning tool for their children.”

“We’ve created a better way to teach children how to spell,” added Alphabeasts spokeswoman Shylo Kline. “Instead of relying on basic flash cards or image recognition tools, children can now use Alphabeasts as “manipulatives” to properly learn both spelling and phonics through interactive play, which in turn creates a stronger foundation ongoing.”

This is a toy that will grow with Dayne, a toy that doesn't require batteries or make noise.  He's already using it as a pillow when chilling out with us on the floor and grabbing onto it whenever it's near and he needs something to snuggle.

I'm so excited to tell you that AlphaBeasts is gifting one of my readers with their ABC Book Box Set!  See how to enter below!

BUY:

The 15” plush characters retail for $15.99 each and come with a detachable biographical collector’s card. The Alphabeasts Alphabet Book Box Set, showcasing the ‘beasts’ in multiple creative illustrations, retails for $15.99.

WIN:

Drawing ends at 12:01 AM on Friday December 16. I’ll draw the winner, via random.org, on Friday December 16. I will send an email to the winner & you will have 48 hours to respond before another winner is chosen. Please be sure to read the rules!

Use the Rafflecopter form below. If you don't see it - click on the title of this post. Otherwise email me at tarah716[at]ymail.com for instructions on how to enter.

Trying New Things

CONGRATS TO CLARISSA D!

I like spicy food but if you make it too spicy, I'm outta here.  I was sent a few products from Frieda's to try out and review for you guys.  The pine nuts and tomato pesto seemed pretty easy to find a recipe to toss them into.  I was also sent dried chipotle chiles.  I have to admit, I was stumped.  I don't really cook with chiles a lot.  So I put them off to the side and tested out the pine nuts first by making my dish to pass this Thanksgiving, Green Beans with Brown Butter & Pine Nuts.  

It turned out amazing, Frieda's pine nuts are so fresh and tasty!  I was munching on them as I was putting together this recipe.  They offer the perfect amount of crunch and nutty flavor without taking over the dish!  Pine nuts are quite versatile to add texture and flavor to green and pasta salads, tossed into a stir-fry or added to rice and vegetable dishes. The creamy texture and soft flavor are enhanced when toasted. Pine nuts are great in fruit salads or as a quick snack.  

Next I used the Tomato Pesto on a homemade pizza as suggested on Frieda's website.  Oh my GOSH it was an amazing burst of flavor vs the common tomato sauce.  I loved how it gave the pizza a whole new dimension and my friends were asking what I used to add that "flavor they couldn't put their finger on."  It's such an easy way to impress family & friends!

Then there were the dried chipotle chiles.  I pondered and searched and wondered how I would use these things.  I was a little intimidated because they clearly printed on the package to use gloves while handling.  EEK!  But I finally found a recipe that sounded wonderful and included dried chipotle chiles.  The Enchilada Lasagna would be my step out into a new food world, using ingredients that previously seemed off limits.  

I was a little nervous it would be too spicy, but I learned that removing the seeds also removes some of the heat from the chili so this lasagna packed enough of a kick to make it fun but not too much to send Jason & I crying from the table. 

  

Overall I was very impressed with the quality and the flavor with all the items I was sent from Frieda's.  Their company slogan "We change the way America eats" hit home with me, I love trying new recipes and this product review truly made me look outside the box on what I usually gravitate towards.  I conquered my unnecessary fear of dried chiles and realized with the proper care and handling, they're a wonderful addition to many dishes!

Frieda's offers more than 600 specialty fruits vegetables and companion items to supermarkets, restaurants and distributors.  Frieda's practically invented the specialty produce category and has introduced many once-rare produce items to American tables. Frieda's is the company who introduced the Kiwifruit in 1962, and that was just the beginning. Since then, they've introduced more than 180 specialty and exotic items to produce departments and food service distributors throughout the United States. Shallots, Cherimoyas, Donut® Peaches, Sugar Snap Peas and Habanero Peppers, to name just a few.

Founder Frieda Caplan's story is an inspiration in itself. In a time when few women ran businesses, Frieda pioneered and persevered to succeed in the male-dominated produce industry. Frieda's is the first wholesale produce company in the United States to be founded, owned, and operated by a woman and remains a family-owned and operated business today. Frieda Caplan is Chairman of the Board, while her daughters Karen and Jackie serve as President/CEO and Vice President, respectively.

Try your luck at their Holiday Gourmet giveaway they are running on their Facebook Page as well.  You must like them on Facebook and then participate in one of their posts (Answer a question, post a recipe) to enter to win!

BUY:

You can find these awesome ingredients and many more on Frieda's website or by checking out a store near you via their website.  

WIN: 

Frieda's is offering one lucky reader a gift bag of their products!  It contains: 

• Purple Kiwi Cookbook (Signed by Karen Caplan, Author and CEO of Frieda’s) 
• Green Reusable Bag 
• Pen & Notepad 
• Tomato Pesto 
• Pine Nuts 
• Crepes 
• Dried fruit

Drawing ends at 12:01 AM on Tuesday December 13. I’ll draw the winner, via random.org, on Tuesday December 13. I will send an email to the winner & you will have 48 hours to respond before another winner is chosen. Please be sure to read the rules!

Use the Rafflecopter form below. If you don't see it - click on the title of this post. Otherwise email me at tarah716[at]ymail.com for instructions on how to enter.

Where Love Meets Chocolate

CONGRATS TO CATHY H. - ENJOY YOUR WONDERFUL CHOCOLATES!

Chocolates - it's that time of year they start showing up all over the place! They're one of my favorite host/hostess gifts to bring to parties we've been invited to because it's something they can tuck away and enjoy after the festivites are over.   I'm very picky about they type of chocolate I give too, I don't want it to be an everyday run of the mill, find it at the checkout line chocolate.  No, I want something you open up and it feels like a decadent gift!

I was so thrilled to review Romanicos Chocolate, just viewing their website had me excited to see what I would be sent and they didn't disappoint!  Just LOOK at how beautiful their chocolate is!

 

(Jason was at home when this was delivered, they DO ship full boxes, my husband just couldn't wait to dive in though.  And I'm also missing a chocolate bar as well thanks to my darling husband)

I was sent this amazing Mixed Cube of chocolates, it includes 12 Chocolate Truffles (assorted flavors), 12 Chocolate Art (assorted flavors), 12 Truffle Bites (assorted flavors).  A feature I thought was amazing was their made on or best by dates they include on the boxes.

 

Look at how beautiful their chocolates are!  Every chocolate is made by hand and made with the finest ingredients.  I was very impressed to learn that they make everything in small batches so it gives them the opportunity to check each piece closely and watch all the details.  How is that for quality control?   

Truffle Bites

Chocolate Truffles 

Chocolate Art (aren't they beautiful?!)

I love how Romanicos Chocolate has perfected the just hard enough shell with the creamy, melt in your mouth chocolate on the inside.  I enjoyed the "extras" on the outside of the truffles I was sent, just enough to add a little more to each bite. 

These boxes are perfect for the holiday season as gifts to give, something to keep on hand when you receive that gift from someone and need something to give in return.  What I think is even better is the wonderful idea Romanticos Chocolate has rolled out this year, Family Holiday Gifts!

We are convinced that sending chocolate doesn’t just positively affect the person who receives and enjoys Romanicos’ mouthwatering chocolate. The more we communicate our gratitude, appreciation and love to those we are close to, the happier we become, too. 

We have made a personal mission to make it easier for you to send a personal greeting along with a perfect, tantalizing box of chocolates. Now, you can send in a family picture, crayon drawing or other design along with your order. 

Romanicos’ in-house design shop prints the image onto an original greeting card, and then we use vintage photo corners to hold the card in place on the top of our chocolate box. 

The service is available for one box of chocolates, and offers special savings starting with 15 boxes. 

 Who would not enjoy that holiday card?!  What a step above the Jones huh?  Check out their site for more information.  

Romanicos Chocolate was also kind enough to send us two of their Exotic Chocolate bars, Original Dark & Cayenne Pepper (all are lactose and gluten free - suitable for vegans) and three of their 80 gram Chocolate bars, Salted Almonds, Soy Beans & Sea Salt and Walnuts & Honey. (All are lactose, gluten and dairy free, suitable for vegans)  Jason devoured the Walnuts & Honey bar before I was able to get home.  I'm told it's safe to assume the empty wrapper meant he liked it.  

I was able to try the rest to give you an opinion of my own and again, I am blown away by the quality Romanicos Chocolate provides.  Each bite of these chocolate bars causes your mouth to be consumed with the perfect flavor of dark chocolate and just enough the the extra flavor to know its there without taking center stage away from the chocolate.  I'm a huge almond fan and I have to admit the salted almond bar was my favorite but the soy beans & sea salt was a very close second.  I loved the mix of sweet and salty!  

I had never had a cayenne pepper in a dessert before so I has a little hesitant but I thought it was a great new experience!  I loved how the pepper flavor rested on your taste buds enough to excite them but not enough to make you run for a glass of milk to help with the spice.  The Original Dark was just that, a perfect of original dark chocolate.  I usually shy away from dark chocolate because I think it's too much of a bitter flavor but Romanicos Chocolate has won me over with their products!

I am SO excited to offer this giveaway to my readers, I think it's the perfect time of year to start getting serious about your chocolates!  Romanicos Chocolate is providing one lucky winner a Mixed Cube of chocolate (a $75 value!).  Keep 'em for yourself or use them as gifts!  

BUY:

Buy your own chocolates on Romanicos Chocolate website!

WIN:

Enter to win a Mixed Cube!  Drawing ends at 12:01 AM on Wednesday November 23. I’ll draw the winner, via random.org, on Wednesday November 23. I will send an email to the winner & you will have 24 hours to respond before another winner is chosen. Please be sure to read the rules!

Use the Rafflecopter form below. If you don't see it - click on the title of this post. Otherwise email me at tarah716[at]ymail.com for instructions on how to enter.

Restring your Drawstring!

WINNERS PENDING - CHECK YOUR EMAILS!

Our cat has a collection of strings that have come out of our hoodies because I'm too lazy to try to shove them back through the hood. My mom showed me when I was younger how to restring them, you put a safety pin on one end and use that as a guide to pull it through. It works but it's a tedious job. So now when they fall out, our cat has a new play toy. Jason has since tied them together to make the "super string" which she will parade around the house waiting for one of us to grab on to it and play.

When I was sent the EZStringer to try out I have to admit I was skeptical.  It consisted of three different size restringers, directions and a collection of different widths and colors of strings.

 

 

I shuffled through our closet to find one of the many hoodies without a string, Jason has this super comfy sweatshirt that lost its string years ago.  I found a red string to go with the red hoodie and glanced through the directions.  It seemed simple enough.  

First you latch the string on the restringer and give it a tug to make sure it's secure. 

Then you guide the restringer into the hoodie (or whatever you're restringing)

It's very simple to grab onto the restringer and pull it around the hoodie, then you just guide it out and there you have it, a new string where there was once none!

It couldn't BE more simple!  I'm very impressed with the EZStringer and it's something I will be keeping around the house for those moments I'm going through the laundry and realize an article of clothing has lost its string!

The EZStringer was the brain child of Noel Ross - she started her woman owned company, Innovators Inc, in 2009!  The EZStringer is made in the USA as well, in the Chicagoland area.  It's priced right too, something that you can't pass up.  I think it would make an extra gift this holiday season, perfect for the college student you know who lives in hoodies!

Even better, EZStringer is giving away a kit to three of my readers!  Just in time for the holiday season to kick off!

BUY:

Purchase your own kit on EZStringer's website for an amazing $10.00 (plus shipping & handling) and know you're protected by a 30 day money back guarantee.  But I'm pretty sure the first time you use it you'll be hooked as well! 

WIN:

Enter to win one of the three kits up for grabs!  Drawing ends at 12:01 AM on Saturday November 26. I’ll draw the winner, via random.org, on Saturday November 26. I will send an email to the winner & you will have 48 hours to respond before another winner is chosen. Please be sure to read the rules!

Use the Rafflecopter form below. If you don't see it - click on the title of this post. Otherwise email me at tarah716[at]ymail.com for instructions on how to enter.

Baby's Here...Now What?

CONGRATS TO ERICA C! 

I remember frantically searching through my baby books when Dayne first arrived home to see if the earth would truly stop if I gave him a pacifier when he was four days old.  You could see him struggle to get his thumb in his mouth but with that ever so endearing poor hand/mouth corridanation it wasn't working and this made him angry!

He screamed because he wanted to suckle and I needed him off my boob for five seconds just to breath!  He didn't want food, he wanted to sooth himself.  All my books told me were "some kids need them, others don't.  It may cause nipple confusion."  No!  I needed "been there, done that" answers from a real mom!

In The Mommy MD Guide to Your Baby's First Year by Rallie McAllister, MD, MPH and Jennifer Bright Reich there are four pages of advice from doctors who are also moms themselves!  They go over what the American Academy of Pediatrics says about them (A-OK! by the way) and what studies have shown, both the pros & the cons.  After that, pages of "this is what I did and why it did or did not work for me" advice.

By the way - I did end up giving Dayne a pacifier and as soon as he figured out how to get his thumb in his mouth he had zero interest in his soother.  He just needed something to get by until then.

The Mommy MD Guide to Your Baby's First Year starts at Birth & 1st Month with chapters including Meeting your Baby for the First Time, Treating Jaundice and Adjusting Your Insurance Policies and finishes up at the 12th month with chapters including introducing finger foods, coping with tantrums and celebrating your baby's first birthday! 

Just like with the The Mommy MD Guide to Pregnancy & Birth this book reads like a wonderful collection of tips & ideas from family & friends vs a medical book giving you an umbrella look at what to do with each stage your child reaches.

Each chapter starts off with an overview of your baby's development for the month and followed by a section about taking care of YOU.  And my favorite, Justification for a Celebration!  For example in month two the justification for a celebration is you made it through your first month!  Any new mom can tell you that's plenty to celebrate!

Each month delves in a little deeper into areas of motherhood you may be wondering about and follows up each section with tips and stories from 70 doctors who are also mothers about their first year with their children.  In Month 4 they discuss safely taking your baby swimming going over safety along with what they should & should not wear in the water.  That section follows with six different doctors stories about swimming with their children.  How they started introducing them to water, when, why and what worked & didn't work.

In each chapter there is a Mommy MD Guides-Recommended Product that pertains to something they are discussing.  Like in Month 5 they talk about teething and the recommended product is Orajel Tooth & Gum Cleanser - a special infant toothpaste that contains no fluoride to help with new teeth and tender gums.

There are also the When To Call Your Doctor boxes in each chapter on different sections to help you decide if your fussy baby warrants a visit to your MD or if it's something to just keep an eye on at home.  And just like their The Mommy MD Guide to Pregnancy & Birth book, the Mommy MD Guide to Your Baby's First Year also has the MomMy Time - tips to help mommy relax and feel "normal".  In Month 9 they suggest trying yoga as a way to tone your body, build strength and gain flexibility after having a baby.

Buy:
Purchase their books here for yourself or a family or friend for this holiday season!  Or just to say congratulations!  This is a must have for all new moms!

Win:
Rallie McAllister, MD, MPH & Jennifer Bright Reich has offered one of my readers a copy of The Mommy MD Guide to Your Baby's First Year.  Drawing ends at 12:01 AM on Wednesday November 23. I’ll draw the winner, via random.org, on Wednesday November 23. I will send an email to the winner & you will have 48 hours to respond before another winner is chosen. Please be sure to read the rules!

Use the Rafflecopter form below. If you don't see it - click on the title of this post. Otherwise email me at tarah716[at]ymail.com for instructions on how to enter.

Where are the instructions?

CONGRATS TO VALERIE M.!

The moment that second line appeared on my pregnancy test I cracked open the first pregnancy book.  I consumed every word of several books on my night stand.  There was so much information and at the same time, not enough!

I had so many questions even with all this information at my fingertips.  I wanted to know if feeling this twinge this week was normal or when you were this far along did your baby do this too?  The books went over generalities, how most normal pregnancies progress. 

Jennifer Bright Reich and Rallie McAllister, MD, MPH have come pretty close to doing such a thing.  Jennifer was wonderful enough to send me two of their books, The Mommy MD Guide to Pregnancy & Birth and The Mommy MD Guide to Your Baby's First Year (see this post for review & details).

What is so wonderful & different about these books vs the others you see?  Jennifer & Rallie's books are like reading a bunch of friends "been there, done that, have the t-shirt" tips & tricks.  They're such an easy read that you don't feel like you're reading a medical book but a girlfriends guide to what worked for me.

In the Pregnancy & Birth book there are more than 900 tips from 60 doctors who are also mothers.  They break the pregnancy down week by week which I LOVE.  It's so nice to take it in smaller chunks than try to consume one month at a time.  Each chapter starts off with your baby's size then your baby's latest developments along with YOUR latest developments (weight gain anyone?).  Then one of my favorites, they throw in a "Justification for a Celebration".  For example, in week 23 it's "If not now, soon your partner will be able to feel your baby move."  Any mom who has reached that milestone will tell you that most certainly is a reason to celebrate! 

After these fun tidbits the doctors give you stories, tips & tricks they used in that week, for example in week 31 the doctors go over choosing to breastfeed or bottlefeed, preventing stretch marks, dealing with itchy skin, preventing & treating the loathed hemorrhoids.  Throughout the chapter they have "Mommy MD Guide-Recommended Products", "When to Call Your Doctor or Midwife", and my favorite "MomMy Time".

MomMy Time are tips for pampering mommy!  In Week 11 they suggest buying  yourself some new luxurious toiletries.

Now would be a great time to treat yourself to some soothing new bath products.  Lavender is very relaxing.  Or perhaps choose vanilla, which will come in handy after you baby is born

This book covers Week 1 - Just a Dream to Week 43 - Welcome to the World Little One!  The easy to read and find Index also helps you flip to the location you need in the book for reference.

The Mommy MD Guide to Pregnancy & Birth is like having 60 of your best doctor friends tell you what worked for them.  Each woman is different so you're sure to find someone with your point of view on things.  In Week 21 three different doctors discuss their registering stories, one doctor's husband was overwhelmed and panicked, walking right out the door.  Another discusses taking her trusted friend with her instead of her husband (the road I went down) and another tells us why they registered prior to their baby but didn't bring anything home until after their child was born.

In a crazy 40 weeks (more or less) of pregnancy, it's nice to know that's you're not alone in your feelings or emotions even if other books may imply that.  Plus it's always great to hear that a doctor did things the same way you feel you want to progress.

Buy:
Purchase their books here for yourself or a family or friend for this holiday season!  Or just to say congratulations!  This is a must have for all mom-to-bes!

Along with the book they also offer an app at the App Store for just $0.99! 

Win:
Rallie McAllister, MD, MPH & Jennifer Bright Reich has offered one of my readers a copy of The Mommy MD Guide to Pregnancy & Birth.  Drawing ends at 12:01 AM on Wednesday November 23. I’ll draw the winner, via random.org, on Wednesday November 23. I will send an email to the winner & you will have 48 hours to respond before another winner is chosen. Please be sure to read the rules!

Use the Rafflecopter form below. If you don't see it - click on the title of this post. Otherwise email me at tarah716[at]ymail.com for instructions on how to enter.