Monday, February 23

Laundry and Samosas



Our dryer broke a couple of weeks ago. After taking apart the dryer and figuring out that we needed a new dryer belt, like a fan belt in a car. We descovered that you can't buy one in our small town. Since then I have been hanging up our laundry to dry it, at first this was temporary but then I don't mind it. Plus our electricity bill was HUGE last month so I will keep hanging our laundry, and in the spring, outside.



The other day I made samosas from scratch! Totally rad...very easy! Just mashed potatoes, peas, curry and pie crust. Here's the link for the recipe: http://www.realsimple.com/food-recipes/browse-all-recipes/quick-easy-samosas-10000001707637/index.html

I love Real Simple Magazine, they also have the best tips!

Sunday, February 8

Sleep Glorious Sleep!


Finally our baby of 16 months sleeps great! I can finally say great because up until 1 week ago to get baby to fall asleep either me or my husband had to sit in baby's room and keep our hand on baby until he finally decided to go to sleep. We had a classic case of a baby who could not self sooth!


If baby was woken up by anything during the night he would have to have booty (boob) in order to settle down, if I was really lucky he would fall asleep while eating and the transfer to his crib would go well. If not then at least 30min of standing in the room with baby would happen until he went to sleep.


Enough was enough after almost 2 years (pregnancy induced insomnia) of no sleep I was at the end of my rope and my hubby was hanging off the end.


I went to my local library (LOVE!) and took out the book:


5 Days to a Perfect Nights Sleep for your child.


This is the best book ever! A very small book, about 60 pages if that, and so very helpful.


You start a bedtime routine, places baby in bed then leave and check on them at timed intervals. We did try a similar method before but it did not work, our baby was tramatized! We could not even go into the baby's room to change him without baby getting upset, it was awful.


This method was so straightforeward and simple, and very gentle that by the 4th night our little man takes less the 10 minutes to go to sleep on his own! Also he sleeps longer 9 hours 2 nights ago and better! No fuss, no crying, just great, quiet sleep!


Now our little man still gets up once in the night for booby but until I am willing to night wean him I accept this very short (10 min) interuption. I am certain that when I do choose to wean him that full nights of sleep will be ours!


I suggest this book to anyone that is having trouble getting baby to sleep and trouble teaching baby how to sleep by himself!




Good Luck! This could be your baby soon!

Friday, February 6

Vitamin D Helps Prevent MS

I was listening to CBC yesterday in the morning (yes now I listen to talk radio, shhhh!).

New research has discovered that by taking Vitamin D when you are pregnant and suplimenting your baby's diet with it up until 5 years will help prevent MS.

"Our study implies that taking vitamin D supplements during pregnancy and the early years may reduce the risk of a child developing MS in later life," said the study's lead author, Dr. Sreeram Ramagopalan. (via CBC.com)


Studies also show that Canada has one of the largest numbers of cases of MS. Possibly because we are so high up in the northern hemisphere. It is not possible to get all your vitamin D from sun exposure because of the lack of direct sunlight. Plus we want to avoid skin cancer, so don't forget your sunscreen.

After discovering this new information I will never forget to give my son his Vitamin D again!

Check out more info : http://www.cbc.ca/canada/ottawa/story/2009/02/05/ms-vitamin-d.html

Child Labour?