Are You A Fan Yet?

Now that I have a toddler and another baby on the way, I am always looking for great deals at children's stores. Especially for clothing and baby gear, that's why I became a fan!

I am a fan of The Children's Place and Babies R Us personally and on Facebook. They recently updated their Facebook pages to keep their fans informed about steals and deals for the latest fashionable clothing and upcoming events and sales. For example 10/24 only, Babies R Us launched a printable 20% coupon to use in-store for any one baby item.

From now until October 31st The Children's Place is giving away a $50 gift card EVERY DAY to one of their Facebook Fans regardless if you are new or old! And all you have to do to enter is become a fan!

To become a Facebook Fan click on the links below and start saving. Who knows, maybe you'll be the next $50 winner of The Children's Place giftcard!

www.facebook.com/pages/The-Childrens-Place/46687203018?ref=mf

www.facebook.com/pages/The-Childrens-Place/46687203018?ref=mf#/babiesrus?ref=ts

Infant & Children's Tylenol Recall

The drug company McNeil announced a voluntary recall of twenty-one children and infant's Tylenol, due to possible bacterial contamination of an ingredient used to make the product. There has been no bacteria found in the finished product, but the recall was announced as a precaution. Consumers may contact McNeil customer service for a coupon to replace the product at 1-800-962-5357.

For a list of the 21 recalled products go to http://www.nowpublic.com/health/tylenol-recall-2009-list-infant-and-childrens-tylenol-recall

Loaded Pumpkin Muffins

Looking for a healthy and delicious pumpkin recipe? These muffins are great for breakfast or to have as a mid-day snack. This recipe makes 24 regular size muffins or 72 mini muffins. These muffins can be stored in an airtight container for up to three days of freeze up to three months.

Ingredients:

3 Cups Wheat Flour
2 T. Baking Powder

1 t. Pumpkin Spice

1/2 t. Salt

4 Large Eggs

1 Cup Brown Sugar

1 1/2 Cups Milk

1/2 Cup Butter

15 oz. Can Pumpkin Puree

3/4 Cup Raisins (optional)

3/4 Cup Walnuts (optional)

Cooking Spray

Optional Frosting:

Combine 8 oz. of light cream cheese, 1/2 t. of vanilla, and 3T. of powdered sugar.

Directions:

Pre-heat oven to 375 degrees and spay muffin tins with cooking spray. Mix first five ingredients together. In a separate bowl combine eggs and sugar than beat until smooth. Add milk, butter, and pumpkin puree until blended. In two batches add dry ingredients to the wet ingredients. Mix well than add raisins and nuts if desired.

Spoon mixture into muffin tins and bake for 20-25 minutes. Let muffins cool completely before frosting.

For those of you who have followed by blog and fellow blog readers, I apologize for the lack of posts. Due to life circumstances, I had to temporarily put my blog on hold. But I am back and plan to continue with many posts!

Thank you for your time, patience, and support! Stay tuned for new posts.

Crib & High Chair Recall

Evenflo Envision High Chairs

High chairs sold from December 2002 through April 2006 were recalled because the recline fasteners and screws can fall out and the back seat may come off. Call 800-233-5921 for a repair kit.

Jardine Cribs

Cribs sold from September 2005 through April 2009 were recalled because the wooden slats can break. This will cause a gap in which a child can become trapped. Call 800-646-4106 for a credit towards a new crib.

Crib Styles:
- Americana
- Berkley
- Capri
- Hilton
- Olympia
- Positano
- Spindle
- Windsor

Only the Following Crib Model Numbers are Included:
BC-23, BC-36B, BC-36G, BC-36P, BC-007, BC-010, BC-010C, BC-010HP, BC-010W, BC-017, BC-107C, BC-107CR, BC-110C, BC-110HP BC-110W, DA617BC, DA620BC, DA715BC, DA770BC, DV730N, DV730W, DV830-N, DV830-W, 0108L00, 0113B00, 0113K00, 0303C00, 0303G00, 0303B00, 0308C00, 0309K00, 0108C00, 0312D00, 0102B00, 0102E00, 0308L00, 0302P00, 0302C00

5 Tips For New Parents

1. Organize your home before the baby arrives. You won’t believe how much clutter a newborn can bring to a house! It all begins with that first baby. Get a head start by carefully planning and organizing ahead of time. Here are some ideas:

• Put a basket in every main room for toys. It’s a cinch to pick up all the toys and toss them into the basket at the end of the day, and your child can learn to do this independently at a very young age.
• A well organized changing table: we use my parents old vanity.
• Designate a place in the kitchen for bibs, baby bottles, baby dishes & utensils, etc. or they will take over your counters and drawers.
• Organize baby clothes in boxes by gender, season & size in a storage area. You’ll be going through baby clothes every two or three months.
• Make sure laundry is cleaned, folded, and put away.
• Put batteries in toys and baby equipment is put together. With a newbie in the house you will not have a time or the energy to that care of these things. It also gives you the opportunity to focus on yourself and enjoy your new baby!

2. Use a Backpack diaper bag. Forget the standard diaper bag. We parents need use of both our hands as much as possible. An ideal one would have two halves: one for the diaper bag, one for your purse items. Keep your purse and diaper bag items simple and organized (use Ziploc baggies if you need to), and you’ll be set! A couple rules of thumb: always have one more diaper than you think you need; always have one change of clothes until the child is beyond potty-training; have a plastic bag to put soiled clothes in; and make sure you have a back-up binky or burp cloth or whatever your baby gets attached to, if applicable.


3. Freeze meals ahead of time. This is a great tip for those that do not have family members living close by and you can’t always depend on people coming over with several meals. All you have to do is freeze half of your dinner every night about a month or two before the baby arrives. Doing this will save you time, money, and energy in the long run. By the time the baby arrives, you will have about 3 weeks of dinners prepared!

4. When friends and family members offer to help…take it! Whether it’s to pick up items at the store, watch the baby so you can catch up on much needed rest, or assist with household chores.

5. Find a way to get your sleep. Don’t feel bad about turning people away. When we had our daughter my husband and I limited our visitors to one a day, turned off our phones, and put a note on our front door. Since our friends and family were anxious to see the new baby, this was the only way we could get some quiet and alone time. Just remember you need to take care of yourself!

RELAX AND ENJOY! This stage will be over before you know it, and babies are so precious. Enjoy this time fully. I hope these tips encourage and enable you to be a successful, joyful parent. They should also give you an idea of what’s ahead. Good luck and happy parenting to you!

Stepping Up Your Workout

Did you know that after a year of giving birth, 26% of women still carry 10 lbs of baby weight? Experts say that in addition to cutting calories, improving your fitness routine is vital to keeping off the extra baby weight. Please keep in mind that if you are nursing do not cut calories. Your body still needs about an extra 300 calories a day.

Here are some ideas on how an hour of activity can step up your "workout". Who said it had to be boring!

• Bike Riding 441 Calories


• Dancing 370 Calories


• Gardening 324 Calories


• Brisk Walking 297 Calories


• Light Cleaning 240 Calories


• Playing With Kids 216 Calories


• Strolling 206 Calories

For more information on activities and calorie counts go to www.americanbaby.com