Closure

Recently I was reading some of my favorite blogs and noticed that one of my favorites This and That had posted after a long absence. I was surprised as I read her post that she said that one of her New Years resolutions was to blog LESS. That really hit me. Like, really hit me. I couldn't stop thinking about it for the next few days. I wouldn't have been surprised at all if she would have posted about wanting to blog more, keep updated more, do more projects to post; but no, she said she wanted to blog less and spend more time with her kids. I took notes. I decided that I was trying to do too much too. So I am going to stop posting on Motherhood Answered. I just can't keep coming up with enough stuff to keep this and Small Fry and Co both updated as much as I want. I decided that most of what I was posting here I could post on Small Fry. I was waiting to see if I could get a few more moms to send in questions but maybe there just aren't as many moms that are wanting to do that as I thought. I for one am super grateful for everyone who commented to help answer all of my questions. I have put into practice a lot of the advice given and it has been so helpful: hair doing is going much smoother, Allie gets out of the bath no problem, we are brushing teeth twice a day with success, I feel less guilty about TV watching. So thank you, thank you. Sorry that this didn't go anywhere. I would rather do a really great job at one blog, than a sort of great job at 2. Lets all just go back on over to small fry shall we.

Bedtime reader question

My daughters are 6 and 3. They share a bedroom, and have separate beds. Lately it has become such a battle to get them to go to sleep. They talk and goof off, come in and out of their room, and just will not go to sleep. Last night I started putting them to bed around 7. My oldest (who has to get up early for school) was still awake come 9-9:30. Some nights are even later. I don't know how to get them to go to sleep. Should I put one to bed first and let the other stay up a little later? Do I forfeit the playroom, and give them each their own room? Do I figure out a REWARD system to get them to go to sleep? I am at a loss. They used to be fine and now it is madness. I do stick to a routine before bed, but it isn't helping. Any advice?

Blueberry Muffins Recipe

I was just making these this morning and I thought this would be a great recipe to share with other moms because if any of you are like me you are probably always looking for ways to sneak in the healthy stuff. Well these muffins are perfect for sneaking in whole wheat flour if you don't regularly use it.
The Recipe:

Very Blueberry Whole Wheat Muffins

6 TBSP butter softened

3/4 cup sugar

2 eggs

1/2 cup milk

1 tsp vanilla

1 cup white flour

1 cup whole wheat flour

1 TBSP baking powder

1/4 tsp salt

2 1/2 cups blueberries

Preheat oven to 375. Spray or line muffin tin. NOTE: if you don't think you can eat 12 muffins in one sitting make 1/2 a recipe. These are nice and crunchy when they are hot but are not that great the next day. In a large bowl cream sugar and butter. Add the eggs, stir in milk, and vanilla. Add all dry ingredients and stir just until moistened. Add blueberries and fold in gently. DON'T OVERSTIR. NOTE: if using the frozen blueberries that are really large 2 1/2 cups are too many. You will want to use less. Bake for 25 minutes or until light brown.
DELICIOUS!!!

Stocking my Nursery: Reader Question

I am expecting a baby in about a month-a baby boy. This is my first baby. I was just wondering if I could get a few tips from experienced moms of what type of things I should stock my nursery with besides diapers and wipes. Like are there any things out there that moms would strongly recommend or not recommend? Thanks
Expecting.

Exercise

I have been doing my Cindy Crawford workout video since having the baby and it is one I highly recommend. It has 3 different workouts (the time saver one is the one I do but I just rewind certain parts and do them repeatedly), she did the video after having a baby herself so it is totally geared towards new moms and it isn't totally in your face aerobics. My daughter has been joining in the workouts with me which proves to be interesting each morning.

We made her a set of weights out of her foam blocks. Well anyway usually what happens is she marches for about 30 seconds and then hangs on my legs or tries to push me over the rest of the time. I know she wants to play but I really need to get in my exercise time. Has anyone found any exercise program, DVD, video out there geared towards moms and children together? My mom had this great Mickey Mousercise tape when we were kids that we always did with her (though my younger brother claims he is scarred for life from it- I always enjoyed it.) She got exercise and it felt like we were playing. I would love to have something like that to do with my daughters-well my 20 month old for now and later my other daughter. I want something that is actually exercise but that could be fun for her too. Just wondering if anyone has heard of anything?

Rewards Reader Question

I am a mother of 2 kids ages 3 and 5. I was just wondering if any moms out there would care to share what they use as rewards for their kids for good behavior. I would just like some new ideas for good behavior rewards, or rewards for doing chores etc. Thanks.

Teeth

Should I be making a big deal about brushing my 20 month old daughters teeth? I mean she has a mouth full of teeth? When she was first getting teeth she would let me brush them, then she went through a phase where she wouldn't let me, then she wanted to do it herself. I didn't really push the issue. But now she eats candy (I know, I said I would never let that happen either) and I am wondering if I should be more concerned about brushing. I am successful at getting her to let me do it about 1 in 4 times of asking but I don't ask consistently. Any advice about teeth brushing out there? The doctor told me I shouldn't worry about taking her to the dentist until she is 2 so should I be doing something more serious before that?

Binkies

Question: How many of you mom's out there seriously wash your child's binkie each time it falls on the floor? I can understand washing it when it falls in the dirt, or near the toilet but if your child is just going to crawl around on the floor and suck on her hands anyway then why are we washing the binkie that fell on the floor? I don't know if maybe i should be getting a bad mom award on this one or not but I don't wash the binkie every time it falls on the floor. If I did, I would be doing nothing but going back and forth to the sink. I didn't do it with my older daughter either. I mean the girl ate dirt; washing her binkie when it fell on the sidewalk by our steps was going to do nothing to help keep her sanitary. One time her binkie fell out of her mouth at church on the carpet and the lady near by insisted that she go and rinse it off. THE CARPET AT CHURCH PEOPLE!!!! And I might add my daughter has been sick (to any degree of seriousness once or twice in 20 months). So am I nuts or what? I don't think I need to wash the binkie each time.

Recipe Help for Moms

If you are like me you probably have days where you hate the thought of having to cook breakfast, lunch and dinner. It may not be that you don't like cooking, just the thought of coming up with something and then having to make it that particular day, or week, seems like a burden. Well I have those days and weeks. Menu planning doesn't help me either. But this website has. www.campbellkitchen.com I have seen the commercials, seen it advertised on the cans of soup but just hadn't ever checked it out. Then on one of those "desperate for an idea" days I went there and I was like, "why has it taken me so long?" That is how it is with everything it seems like in my life. I am so stubborn. I always seem to be the last one on board with things, especially if my mom recommends it. If she had told me to go there, it would be at least 6 more months before I would check it out. Sorry mom, stubborn as a mule I am. Anyway the discovery has been made and it has been wonderful. There are tons of recipes. They are easy, with few ingredients and steps (at least the ones I have looked at). And unlike other company recipe websites (Kraft in particular) the recipes actually involve some cooking not just opening up cans of things and warming prepackaged foods (how many recipes do we need with hot dogs and Kraft Macaroni and Cheese anyway Kraft foods? Thank you very much.... I digress) So here is a list of what we have tried that we like (sorry I am not linking each recipe-I have a 20 month old on my lap-enough said).

Baked Pork Chops and Gravy (okay so this one does involve lots of prepackage but you can substitute)

Cheeseburger Pasta

Italiano Chicken and Rice

Quick and Easy Nachos Supreme

We have not yet tried Mini Beef Loaves and Cheesy Chicken Enchilladas Verde

So if you are looking for something new and need some help and you are like me, the last person on earth to check these things out, I highly recommend this website.

Discipline Reader Question

I have 2 boys - 2½ year old and 15 month old. They are the joys of my life. My question is how do other moms discipline their children. I haven’t spanked my babies. I believe in it, I just don’t think they have done anything severe enough to warrant the punishment. They are so little at this point. My 2 ½ year old is pushing my limits more and more every day. We currently have a timeout carpet square “The Green Square” that is used for discipline. I try and channel my inner Joe Frost and be consistent, put them on the square, tell them why they are there and walk away. After the allotted amount of time, I reinforce the “Why” and ask for an apology and love. It works, but now my 2 ½ year anticipates the punishment and once he does something, he says, “Do I need to go to the green square?” My 15 month is becoming more physical with the older one. He has recently been introduced to the green square as well. I’ve started taking favorite toys away as a secondary form of punishment. I don’t yell or scream at my boys and until recently, I haven’t had much problems. I just wondered what other forms of discipline do other mom’s use, other than spanking.

With Love,
Stacee.
staceebrown@charter.net


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