201 Organic Baby Purees Review

Seven years years ago, when my oldest started eating solids, I never even considered making his baby food. I was young and it seemed so complicated and time-consuming. After all, didn't baby food come out of a glass jar, smelling almost like something you could consider edible?

When Babycakes came along, I realized just how simple making baby purees could be. Our first attempt yielded us over 30 meals worth of apples and sweet potatoes at about 10 cents a serving. (I love getting good deals!) And, it only took me about 20 minutes of work time. Ah-mazing.201 Organic Baby Purees, by Tamika L. Gardner, is the first baby cookbook I've used. And I have to admit, it will likely be the only one. Not only does it offer recipes for first foods through 12 months and more, it covers the basics of preparation and storage. The recipes range from simple to complex, but all sound like yummy flavors and combinations for little palates. I can't wait to try Avocado-Pumpkin Mash, Cinnamon Peas Galore, and Plummy Potatoes with Babycakes. I have even added a few of the recipes to next week's meal plan for our entire family. Cheesy Corn Nuggets and Mika's Rainbow Corn Medley sound too good not to try.

201 Organic Baby Purees is not only about purees. In addition to the 201 purees, it offers healthy recipes the whole family can enjoy together. I love that it suggests flavor combinations I wouldn't have created on my own and tells me which recipes will freeze well. It's a great cookbook to keep on hand well beyond baby's first year.

Buy It: 201 Organic Baby Purees is available for under $12

A copy was provided for review. All opinions are my own.

Yes, I am

It seems that at least once a week, people question whether I'm still breastfeeding. And not in a positive, way to go, you rock for giving your baby the best possible nutrition kind of way.

Before Babycakes came along I never realized there was such controversy surrounding breastfeeding. I was occasionally disgusted after hearing of a mom being chastised in a store, but overall, I heard over and over that breast is best.

Now that I'm 5 months and counting into our breastfeeding relationship, I'm dealing firsthand with the questions.

When are you planning to stop? Aren't you tired of him always on your boob? Aren't you going to teach him to eat real food? Isn't it a pain to pump? Don't you want to drink, go out, etc?

Well the truth is this: We'll stop when he's ready. But at this point, I'm pretty sure it'll be before he finished high school. No, I'm not tired of him. I love staring into his little eyes. Last I checked, my milk is perfectly designed to sustain my baby. (And he's eating purees, but just for fun.) Pumping can be a pain. Not physically though. Those bottles and parts are a pain to wash. And I do go out. To my oldest's Cub Scout meetings, to baby group, to dinner.

I have to wonder why are so many people concerned with how I feed my baby? Breastfeeding has not limited how I live my life. But it has given me the chance to bond with my baby, to get to know his sweet little attitude, to see him thrive. I am proud of our relationship, as any breastfeeding mother should be. It's not always easy, but is well worth the reward.
So here's to the last 5 months, and the many months to come. And if you're a fellow breastfeeding mom, fielding questions from people too nosey for their own good (or any mom for that matter), I just want to say: Good for you! You rock!

Puppet Heap Review

My son loves to make up stories, act out things, and write down tales. I never fail to be impressed by his imagination. Sometimes I really can't imagine where he gets his ideas from. Since I really want to encourage him to be creative and hope he continues with his story-writing, I'm constantly looking for ways to keep him interested and active.

I was recently introduced to the Puppet Heap. The Puppet Heap is a very unique puppet and character design company. They recently launched the "Puppet Heap Playthings," a line of hand puppets that are creatively based on their short film productions of Mother Hubbard and I Knew An Old Lady Who Swallowed a Fly.

My son was able to create and act out a story using Lucy, a bad-news cat from the town of Spudbottom. Lucy's "the one with the bum eye playing the fiddle for pennies by the bus stop...She's in with that shifty band of alley cats who caterwaul behind the music shop at all hours of the night."Lucy is so well-built and able to withstand the rough and tumble play that comes along with a 7-year-old boy. But both my son and I also love the details of Lucy. She has an almost realistic look to her, achieved through the careful attention to her facial features and coloration.

Puppet Heap Playthings are perfect for kids (and grown-ups) who love to preform or create their own stories. They have attitude and spunk, we're talking major attitude. Plus, they are amazingly high-quality and each puppet comes with a unique code that unlocks a secret window into that character’s world at the Puppet Heap Playthings website.

Puppet Heap Playthings puppets, including Lucy, can be purchased for around $20 at Amazon.

A sample was provided for review. All opinions are our own.

These Days

Been busy...
Playing.
Snuggling.
Cuddling.
Smiling.
Enjoying.

The Deep Black Pond: Book Review

I'm so used to reading non-fiction books with my 7-year-old, that when I first heard the title The Deep Black Pond, I automatically assumed it was a book about fish and other water critters. But after reading more about the book, I learned it was a very imaginative tale by Morgan Kostival.The Deep Black Pond is the story of fantastic critters living in a pond in the middle of a tropical island. You won't find your typical animals on this island. However, you may find a fish with a glowing eye, a queen with a mask of solid gold, or a warrior with an entire village of Peewees on his shoulders.

It's one of these Peewees that becomes the star of the story. When little Mimi falls off the edge of the city, she changes everything in the pond. She brings the characters together and gets them to cooperate after years of distrust.

Kostival not only authored the book, he also created and photographed the images throughout the story.

Buy It:
The Deep Black Pond is available for $18.00

A copy of the book was provided for review. All opinions are my own.