Wednesday, October 30, 2013

Words of Wisdom Wednesday - Tips and tricks on getting your child to stay in the stroller

          After having a lot of trouble getting my little girl to stay in the stroller, I tried everything and read all there is about my problem on the Internet. By trial and error I finally found what works best for me and my baby and I am sharing some tips hoping to help other moms in need. 

1. Comfort - Make sure your baby is sitting comfortably in the stroller and is well-fed and rested. If there is any other discomfort your little one will not tolerate it and the ride would be more of an ordeal than a pleasure. So, before you leave the house check if the stroller is a comfy place for your precious baby.

2. Weather - When going out, make sure that your baby is not too hot nor too cold and dress him / her in layers so that you'll always be able to put on or take off a layer depending on the weather conditions. Babies don't like direct sunlight in their eyes so invest in a sun cover or a stroller umbrella.

3. Toys - Always have a toy that you know your baby likes and use it when out with the stroller. The new toy will distract him / her for a while. I keep a small bag of rarely used toys in my diaper bag and change them once she is no longer interested in them.

4. Snacks - If your baby is old enough to eat on its own, have a snack ready for him / her. There are countless options when it comes to snacks but choose ones that aren't messy and won't leave stains on the stroller or your baby's clothes. Our personal favorites are carrot sticks, baby crackers, bananas, apples ...

5. Patience - Last but definitely not least, be patient in the process since some babies need more time to get used to the stroller and each and every child is different. Start with a 10 minute walk and every day add a minute or two to the previous one, so that your baby will gradually get used to the idea of sitting in the stroller for longer periods of time. 

I am now happy to say that we take two hour long walks without any problems whereas a couple of months ago we were afraid to go out the front door because of her loud screaming every time we put her in the stroller.

 What are some other tips and tricks that have helped you? I would love to read your comments on this subject.

Sunday, October 27, 2013

Sweet & Savory Sunday - Traditional cake

            This weekend passed way too fast and I'm still catching up on things to do around the house, even though it's actually Monday here. These past two days were all about celebrations and great food which inspired me to bake a traditional (although not very healthy) cake. Be prepared to experience a delicious sugar overdose :)

The ingredients:

1st layer

5 eggs
5 egg yolks
10 tablespoons sugar
10 tablespoons flour
1 package baking powder (approximately 10 gr.)

2nd layer

5 egg whites
5 tablespoons sugar
5 tablespoons flour
a pinch of baking powder

5 tablespoons cocoa for dusting

Mix the ingredients for the first layer with a hand mixer. Do the same with the second batter and set it aside. Pour half of the first batter into a 9 x 13 inch baking pan. Lightly dust it with some cocoa.


Take out little dollops of the second batter using a tablespoon and carefully put them all over the dusted first layer. Dust the second layer with some cocoa as well.


Pour the remaining half of the first batter. Bake in a preheated oven at 390 F (200 C) for 30 to 45 minutes.

After the cake is cooled, put 800 ml water and 800 gr of sugar into a saucepan and bring to boil. Carefully pour the hot syrup over the cake and let it cool. You could also decorate it with some whipped cream.



Enjoy in moderation! :)

Linking to

 
Yummy Healthy Easy

Thursday, October 24, 2013

Fashion Friday - Baby Outfit of the Day

I've always enjoyed Outfit of the Day posts, as they are a true inspiration and have helped me many times to make the most of my wardrobe. But instead of my outfit of the day, today I present to you my baby's outfit.

Here's what she wore for our afternoon walk.


Even though it's October the weather is quite hot so she is still wearing her short-sleeved blouses and light baby shoes.





This color combo reminds me of summer - a subtle hint of nautical, without the explicit sea symbols. Perfect for such a sunny day!


Have a great weekend!



Wednesday, October 23, 2013

Words of Wisdom Wednesday - Sleeping problems



Once I found out I was pregnant I read all of the baby books, baby blogs and baby everything out there so I would be prepared when the baby comes and I would be her super mom. Nothing could convince me that I would have trouble with the goals I set for myself. One of the goals was to teach my baby to self sooth and fall asleep on her own. Yeah, little did I know that it was not going to happen. 
The first day I was out of the hospital I was just so happy and overwhelmed, that all I wanted to do is hold my baby and give it all my love. Days went by and I remember I was talking with my husband and said, “She is just so tiny, there’s no way she’ll remember I rocked her to sleep every night – I’ll stop rocking her to sleep when she’s at least three months old and then I’ll stick to my goals. Three months passed in a second. As much as I hated it, I had to carry out what I promised - so after her bath I breastfed her and put her in her crib thinking she'll fall asleep right away. After a few minutes she started crying hysterically - I was so not prepared for that. I waited for 10 minutes picked her up and rocked her to sleep once again. I remember thinking, she is just so little maybe she is afraid to be alone. Since then she’s gotten too big and heavy for me to handle, and I struggled every night when I put her to sleep. I danced, I sang I rocked her, I did everything and when she was 5 months old I decided to try the CIO - I just had to see if it would work with us so that I could stop the vicious circle I got myself into. The first night was horrible. She cried incessantly and after 1h of crying she fell asleep. I was so devastated and didn't know if that was the right decision. She woke up every hour that night with lots of crying. The second night was the same - she cried for 45 minutes and was waking up every hour all night long. Needless to say I was more tired than ever. The third night she cried for 15 minutes and woke up every hour during the night again. I was relieved that I made it through those nights, but still a week after we started the CIO method, she was so unhappy at bedtime and woke up a lot during the night. My husband and I just couldn't watch our baby so unhappy, so I stayed with her in the room the next night which made things even worse. The fact that she could see me resulted in an even longer and louder crying and I immediately realized that tweaking the method wasn’t such a good idea.
Rocking and singing was a part of our bedtime routine once again. As I was rocking her that first night after the CIO I was so depressed and felt like the worst mother in the world. I was awake that night and just couldn't go to sleep but my baby was sleeping like she used to, and would only wake up for her usual two feedings during the night.
Today she is 6 months and we still rock her to sleep which is horrible for my back but she seems to enjoy it. I read a lot on other methods to teach my baby to self sooth but at this point I am just too afraid to change the routine we have going. Definitely no more CIO - I just can't go through that again. As I am writing this I feel willing and brave enough to explore other no-cry methods and approaches and see how my baby will react. That’s my story so far - until the next sleep adventure.
What are your thoughts on the CIO method?
Have you tried it?
If you have any suggestions on other methods and techniques that worked for you, I would love to hear them. 

Monday, October 21, 2013

Cleaning Monday - Water stain removal

What better way to start a week than with a neat and clean house. The fresh smelling surroundings boost your enthusiasm and make Mondays more bearable, at least for me. That's why here, at Mommy Battles, we'll start each week with a cleaning post.

One of the things that I personally find so annoying to deal with is removing water stains and limescale from the kitchen and bathroom faucets. In the past I've used a variety of products which left my faucets spotless but none of them was made of natural ingredients. Since I'm a new mom now I am much more concerned about the toxic properties of cleaning products and I try to use Eco-friendly ones as much as possible.  I've read a lot about the cleaning properties of baking soda and decided to give it a try although I was a bit skeptical at first. So, here's how an old bathroom faucet turned out at the end of this cheap and effortless cleaning task.

First, spray the faucet with water. Generously apply the baking soda and gently rub it onto the faucet until it's consistency resembles that of a paste. 


Leave the paste on for 30 minutes, occasionally spraying it with water so that it remains moist. Afterwards, scrub it well with a sponge and wash it clean.

Perfect results with minimum effort and no toxic ingredients.


Sunday, October 13, 2013

Sweet & Savory Sunday - Healthy soup

Since weekends tend to be the time when we cook more meals and indulge in food together with our families, Sundays will be dedicated to recipe posts. And as the weather gets colder out here, what better way to star our Sweet & Savory Sunday than with a bowl of healthy homemade vegetable soup. This recipe is super easy to prepare and makes for a satisfying dish if you are detoxing or trying to loose weight.

Here's what you'll need:


Ingredients
 
1 large potato or 2-3 small ones
1 large carrot
1 pepper (you could also use bell peppers)
1 cup rice
1 tomato
1 broccoli (optional)
salt
2 tbsp vegetable oil
a handful of parsley 

In a large pot, pour 1,5 l water, 1 teaspoon of salt and 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil. By the time the water comes to a boil, you should have the vegetables, except for the pepper, chopped in cubes. When the water boils, set it to low heat and start putting the ingredients - put the potato and carrot first, then add the rice. Leave the pepper as is and add it to the soup. At the end add the tomato and broccoli. Cover the pot and let it cook for 45 minutes up to an hour, and check if the potatoes and carrots are well cooked before removing the soup from the stove.


When the soup is ready, take the peppers out, peel them and put them back in the soup. Let it sit for 5 minutes and then add a handful of chopped parsley.





Easy, tasty and budget-friendly. Enjoy!


Linking to:




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Thursday, October 3, 2013

First things first


Starting the Mommy Battles blog was an idea that matured for quite some time before it actually found its place on the net. A great number of blog post ideas kept popping inside our minds and we started taking photos and notes, making plans and preparations before we even decided on a name. The easy flow of thoughts was interrupted when we began work on the initial post. Finding the words to express who we are and what our blogging philosophy is proved to be the most time consuming and strenuous mental activity.

So, why Mommy Battles?

Because the life of a mommy is a constant stream of small battles and never ending dilemmas – how to have a smooth morning routine, what’s for dinner, what’s the easiest and most effective way to clean grout, how to potty train your toddler, what present to buy for your nephew’s birthday and remain calm, well-dressed and well-versed at the same time. It’s the multitude of such things that comprise a mom’s life and we wanted to transfer that notion to the blog. There will be everything and anything, but in the end, all of it will be one compact whole. 

Who’s behind the blog?

Two enthusiastic moms, who share a lot of similarities but lead different lives, have different parenting approaches and different writing styles. This blog will embrace diverse, and sometimes opposing, points of view, a variety of tips and tricks, food and fashion, home keeping and family making.
We hope you’ll enjoy it!
  

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