Bringing Your Baby to Sporting Events

Danielle and I were approached by Fanatics, an online retailer where you can get everything and anything sports related - from MLB hats and jerseys to NFL gear, to participate in a series called, "Family Fanatics." I have actually ordered NY Giants and Mets stuff from them many times and was thrilled to be asked. I had planned on writing a blog post about how we take Makenna to sporting events with us, so this was right up my alley. 

The "Family Fanatics" series is about an instance where sports have brought your family together. There are too many instances to count where sports have brought my family together. We are an avid sports loving family. My husband played, and up until recently, coached baseball. We are also season ticket holders for the NY Giants and attend as many Mets games as we can. If we aren't at the games, they are on TV. It's just not limited to those two sports though, my husband will watch any type of sporting event and any team if his aren't playing. 

When I became pregnant with Makenna, I remember my husband making a comment on how we weren't going to be able to go to a lot of games anymore. I said, "Why not? We will just bring her with us!" That is exactly what we have done from the very start. Makenna was exactly a month old when she attended her first Giants game. It was a gorgeous October day! We tailgated and everything. People were amazed she was there with us. The Giants lost the game and Makenna lost all her hair, but we had a blast!

First Giants Game 1 month old 

As Makenna got older we continued to bring her to games with us. We always tailgate, so it can be a LONG day. She is pretty much a pro at attending football games at this point. Now that she is almost 3 and super active, I am a little nervous about bringing her to Giants games. Not because she can't handle going, but because our seats are waaaaay up top and her being up that high freaks me out. She likes to walk around by the seats and talk to everyone. We might have to wait a few years before she can start going with her Daddy again.

One of my favorite pictures of us! 

My husband has passed his love of baseball to Makenna. She asks all the time if we can go watch a baseball game or go see Mr. Met. She doesn't care if it is high school, college or professional baseball. She just loves to go to games. A few months ago we went to watch a county championship HS baseball game. We severely underestimated the amount of people attending and the amount of parking spaces. After driving around and not seeing any spaces we decided to leave. Well, Makenna was NOT having it. She threw such a fit that we actually turned around to go back. Luckily we found a parking spot this time.

Makenna's middle name is Shea, so she was pretty much born a Mets fan. Citi Field, where the Mets play, is like her second home. We also took her to a Yankee playoff game, just because my husband found a good last minute deal on tickets. For someone who is not even 3 years old yet, she has attended more games than most.

Her first Mets game and meeting Mr. Met. They have a love hate relationship :) 

 Lucky kid even got to attend a Mets spring training game in Florida.

I am so glad that we decided from the start to include Makenna in our love of sports. I couldn't imagine leaving her behind every time we wanted to attend a game or deciding to just not go at all. This is something we love to do as a family and it has given me the opportunity of making some of my favorite memories. I can't even imagine all the quality and bonding time we would have missed out on.  

Here are some tips for people wanting to take their small children to sporting events:

1. Pack LOTS of snacks and drinks.
2. A little notepad and crayons helps them stay in their seat when they are getting restless or any little dollar store toy. Even your phone games.
3. If they are getting antsy, take a walk! There are so many kid friendly areas in most sporting venues. 
4. Play I Spy with them. It will help them stay still in their seats for a little bit and they can learn about the stuff around them.   
5. Start young! The younger you take them, the easier it will be. Its like second nature to Makenna.
6. Try to get seats on the end of an aisle. It will be easier than having to ask 20 people to stand and move every time you want to get out. 

I hope this helps anyone who is on the edge about going to a sporting event as a family. When baby #2 comes this september, you can bet she will be right there with us. Makenna has no problem sleeping anytime she needs to, even with 40,000+  fans screaming around her. I swear I think this is why she will sleep through just about anything! If not for any other reason, this is why we need to get baby #2 to a game asap! :)

What are some times sports brought your family closer together? Feel free to share below and make sure you check out Fanatics for all your sporting apparel needs. They have the cutest kid stuff, which is always hard to find! p.s. I am NOT being paid to say that! 

Have a great week!

-K

Friday Favorites :)

Being a full time private nanny for ten years I have seen many gadgets, strollers, car seats, bottles, pacifiers, etc! You name it, I have either seen it or used it. I have stayed tried and true to all the products that I believe in and of course that have worked for me throughout the years.

Things come and go, and no product is the same since ten years ago. However, with all that being said I have a NEW FAVORITE to add to my list. I feel that this company has made having a baby a NO BRAINER! I am proud to say that I am a new fan of the UPPA BABY EVERYYYYTHINGGG!!! Specifically, I have used the Uppa Baby Vista Stroller and attachable seat along with the Uppa Baby Mesa Car Seat Base. I am so thankful that I have been introduced to this product!

Image found off of Uppa Baby

Image found off of Google

One of my girlfriends who has a baby girl has told me all about the Uppa Baby system and how much she loves it. I never listened! Boy, I wish I had!! I will always be a fan of the City Mini but, this stroller may be even lighter than the City Mini and a heck of a lot easier to open and fold. The car seat base is truly a no brainer. It allows for a ten second accurate install. What!? Thats my dream come true! Sometimes I have up to three car seats in my backseat (like now) and the base just allows for the best flexibility EVER!! It also has a smooth base bottom so no damage will occur to your car! I shouldn't be as excited as I am about this but I can't help it! I joked with my friend that by the time I have kids I am sure they will have the Uppa Baby Vista Cargo 15! (LOL) Clearly, children of my own are not in my near future. However, when the time comes this for sure will be number one on my baby registry list! 

For another Friday Favorite here is something that is more up my alley... ;) I am currently the Maid of Honor in my best friend's wedding. Big role, I know!! It has been my greatest pleasure and honor to plan her Bachelorette weekend. However, when planning such a big weekend sometimes it can get a bit sticky. You want to have fun and celebrate in style but you also want to avoid being tacky! I am not sure how many of you remember the store, The ICING? It has been around for forever! It is more of a grown up version of Claire's. Oh my goodness! It is the best store EVER!! They have truly upped their game. They have the cutest and most elegant accessories! From watches, bracelets, and necklaces to coverups, scarfs, fedoras and floppy hats! All at the most amazing prices. They also now carry the cutest accessories for Bachelorette parties. Their accessories are classy and stylish as opposed to tacky and raunchy. Of course there is a time and a place for raunchy but I am trying my hardest to abide by the Bride's wishes ;) 

If you have some free time over this weekend and your looking to spice up your summer outfit a bit check out The ICING! You will not regret it! I am so glad that I have been reunited with this store again! 

I hope everyone has a wonderful and safe weekend.

XOXO,

-D

Rainbow Flour Paint!

My Boss and I are always emailing back and forth with all of these different ideas to keep Thomas busy!  He is turning the big TWO! this August 19th and I am SO excited! Her and I both feel that from the age of a year and a half to two years old can be a bit awkward and sometimes the sailing isn't so easy! 

Your child is constantly growing, their minds are constantly going. They are learning to walk, climb, run, talk and express themselves. Sometimes they revert back to having sleep issues all because their brain just cannot turn off! Trust me, I know how hard it can get for all of you! This past week we have been conversing via email with different shape and motion activities as well as creative activities. During the summer my schedule gets dropped down to part time since she gets the pleasure of spending time with Thomas and doesn't need the full time help. So, while the nanny was away.. Mommy & Baby played! ;) 

Rosie decided to try out a new recipe to make edible flour paint! Keep in mind that the recipe I am about to give you came from Learn~ Play~ Imagine. Also, please note that she did not make a plethora of colors. She wanted to start out small so Thomas didn't get overwhelmed. She only made yellow and blue (when combined make green). Rosie also played around with the recipe a bit and only used a LITTLE bit of flour. Just enough to introduce the art of painting to Thomas and to leave an easy cleanup for herself. 

How to Make Rainbow Flour Paint:

Supplies:

• Water
• Flour
• Food Coloring
• Cooking Oil
• Whisk
• Paint Brushes
• Butcher Paper

Directions:

• Roughly 1/4 Cup Flour
• Add food coloring and a squirt of water and mix the paint with a whisk
• Since this recipe has a flour base you will need a good amount of color. If you think the paint is too thick, add more water. Hopefully not too much! 
• Once your happy with the consistency of each batch then add about a teaspoon of vegetable oil. The oil is OPTIONAL. It gives the paint a glossier look. 
• Give your child the batches you make and enjoy painting without a hassle! They can eat it if they wish (I don't think it will taste good!) However, as a parent, NO WORRIES!

I hope you enjoy this recipe as much as Rosie and Thomas did! What an awesome activity to do!

XOXO,

-D

Getting Ready For Baby #2

I feel like the weeks are just flying by now! I can't believe next week is the beginning of July already! The count down is officially on till we bring home baby #2. 

I have started pulling out all Makenna's old clothes and organizing them. I took out all the newborn and  0-3 month sizes and can't believe we'll have a little baby to wear them all soon! I love looking back and remembering when Makenna wore each item. She was holding them up to herself and saying, "We can give these to Gummy Bear. They no fit me anymore." As I was going through all the clothes, I noticed yellow stains on a lot of the newborn stuff. I remembered seeing something on Pinterest a while ago about getting stains out of baby clothes. I went back on and did some research. I decided to take a few peoples suggestions and combine them. I was amazed at how well it worked! Almost all the stains are gone or hardly noticeable anymore! I'm sorry I never took before and after pics! Blogger fail! But here is the recipe I used to get the stains out. 

• OxyClean powder detergent
• Hydrogen peroxide 
• Gain dish soap
• Hot water
• A small spray bottle

1. I combined about 3 tablespoons of OxyClean and about 3-4 tablespoons of hot water.   
2. Added 2 1/2 tablespoons of Hydrogen peroxide
3. Added a good sized squirt of Gain dish soap, a tablespoon maybe
4. Shook it al up and let all the bubbles settle so I could put the lid on the spray bottle.
5. I laid out all the clothes with stains and sprayed them all generously rubbing the solution in with my fingers. 
6. I let them all sit for around 20 mins
7. Put them all in the washing machine set on the stain wash setting and used OxyClean detergent 
8. When the cycle was done I laid them all outside to dry in the sun

The results were pretty amazing. There were some heavily stained onesies and now they look brand new! Some still have really faint stains and if I really cared I would probably just redo the process on them. But they don't bother me since baby #2 will be adding her own stains in no time. I'm kicking myself for not taking before and after pictures so I could show you how well this really worked.

Now I just need to find somewhere to put all these clean clothes. My husband and I decided that although we have a third bedroom, we want the girls to share a room for as long as possible. Makenna has been really great saying she's going to share her stuff with her baby sister. As soon as I mentioned sharing her room she looked at me like I was crazy and said, "But this is MY room." She's finally coming around to the idea when I showed her some cool bunk beds they can get eventually. Baby will be in our room for the first year anyway since I plan of breast feeding and it will be easier to have her right next to me.

I feel like I have so much I need to do to get myself organized. If you are a parent of 2 or more and have any good advice for me, feel free to share!!

-K 

Book Review Tuesday!

It is always such a hard decision for me to choose the children's book that I want to showcase for Book Review Tuesday. Since my little guy Thomas has been working hard on using his words I thought it would be appropriate to talk about the wonderful book entitled, "Go! Go! Go! Stop!" by Charise Mericle Harper.

Image found off of Google.

This story is adorable! It is about a cute little guy named Go! He rolls into town one day and yells the only word he knows. GOOOOOO! It helps to give the town order and speed. "Go!" allows for all the construction trucks and cars to move about town. However, "Go!" gives the town a little too much speed. How will they ever be able to stop?! That is when a cute little red circle rolls into town. The red circle goes by the name, "Stop!"

This book is so much fun, especially for little boys. It is filled with so many bright colors. It showcases all of the construction sites including all the trucks and tractors that capture the attention of your little ones. The underlying theme of this story is teamwork. "Go!" learns how to work together with "Slow!" and "Stop!" in order for the town to run at a normal pace. The language in this book is perfect for ECRR (Every child ready to read) talk. The labeling that is used for lifting, mixing and carrying is great! As well as the catchy vocabulary! "Tow truck towed terrifically," "carried carefully," "dumped dependably," etc. After a few times of reading it to Thomas he began to yell the word, "GO!" as well as whisper it too. It is filled with so many shapes. Instead of calling the green dot well, a green dot... you can refer to it as a green circle. That way you can work on colors and shapes with your toddler! There are so many fun options when reading this story. "Go! Go! Go! Stop!" is truly wonderful and jam packed with skills to work on with your children. Another sure fire hit to add to your child's library! You can order it offline or go check it out at your local library. I hope you enjoy this book as much as I enjoyed showcasing it for you! 

-D

Friday Favorites

Yay for Friday!! I can't believe that tomorrow is the official first day of Summer!!! After the crazy cold and snowy winter the North East had, I have never been SO ready for some sunshine. It also means we are getting that much closer to baby # 2 making her grand entrance into the world. I'm going to try my hardest to enjoy this summer and not just wishing it was September already. 

One of my favorite things about Summer is all the carnivals, fairs and festivals there are to attend. It seems like every weekend there is something fun to go to. The kids love going and exploring every thing. Especially if it includes bounce houses and pony rides! Just do a Google search and check your local stores bulletin boards to find out what is going on in your area. 

Have you all heard of Hello Apparel? I am in love with everything they sell. Makenna has a few of their shirts and a pair of the leggings. I have one of the Hello sweatshirts and wear it all the time. I'm thinking I need to invest in a few other there new items! 

Family Tees, I'm not tired onesie , I'm so tired tee

I found out about The Matthew Freeman Project via Facebook this week. The mother of a fallen solider transforms uniforms into Teddy Bears for the children of fallen soldiers families. They also are "Dedicated to supporting education of people in order to promote communities of promise, prosperity and peace throughout the US and the World." -Via their website mission statement. Everyone should check out their website and see what they have going on! What a wonderful thing these people are doing for these families. 

image via Google

I hope you all have a great weekend!! We'll see you back here on Monday!

xoxo -K

A Great Summer Recipe

I feel like this week just flew by! Maybe it's because we have been super busy. So when I saw this recipe for a veggie pasta salad from Better Homes & Garden, I knew it would be a fast and yummy addition to our dinner. I changed the recipe up a bit so I'll write it out for all of you. 

My husband went to dish up some and I yelled "STOP! I need to take a picture first!" lol

Grilled Veggie Pasta Salad

You need:

• 1 zucchini
• 1 red sweet pepper 
• 1 small red onion
• 1/2 pound of asparagus
• a can of halved artichoke hearts 
• 3 Tbs of olive oil
• 3-4 Tbs balsamic vinegar
• 4 cups of cooked pasta (I used zucchini & spinach pasta by Barilla)
• salt 
• pepper
• garlic powder

Directions:

1. Cut up all veggies and mix with 1tbs of the olive oil. Add a little bit of salt, pepper and garlic powder
2. Grill veggies ( I used this QVC grilling sheet! AMAZING!! The absolute best way to cook veggies on the grill) 
3. Cook until veggies are tender
4. Add cooked pasta and veggies into a bowl with the remaining 2tbs of olive oil and balsamic vinegar
5. Salt and pepper to taste

It was SO good! The original recipe only called for 1tbs of balsamic vinegar. I added 2tbs and my husband and I both agree it could have used more. So play around with how much vinegar you like. I also added the artichoke hearts and left out the fresh oregano. I'm just not a fan of oregano in pasta salads, but I'm sure most other people are. 

This would be a great recipe for parents that use baby lead weening. Just make sure pieces are cut big enough for baby to hold and chomp on. I would cut veggies into large strips instead of chunks. I'll get more into baby lead weening for those who don't know what it is in another post soon. I swear though, baby lead weening is why Makenna will eat ANYTHING you put in front of her.  

So there you have it! A fast and delicious recipe for those busy summer nights. What recipes are you all loving?? Feel free to share below! 

-K

School's Out For Summer!

image via Google

Kids everywhere are celebrating and parents are crying just as thrilled. :) Now that Makenna no longer has preschool 3 mornings a week, I really wanted to keep her on a schedule this summer. We decided not to sign her up for camp, but Matthew is in camp 5 days a week until noon. Both of them thrive with a constant schedule. They like to know exactly what is going to happen each day, and Matthew can tell you down to a T what is planned for the week. So far he is LOVING camp. While he is in camp, I want to make sure Makenna is just not sitting around.

This is what our summer schedule looks like so far:

Monday: Library

Tuesday: Swim Class / Letter & Number reviews

Wednesday: Park/ Movie (depending on weather)

 Thursday: Swim Class

Friday: Our free day for just lounging around

I recently took Makenna to the Library for the first time. She is beyond obsessed with going there now. She asks every day if we can go. It is just our TINY town library but they have a cool kids section with computers. The computers have awesome learning games on them. They also have a story time starting in a couple of weeks. She loves to read! You will not find Makenna without a book somewhere close by. She "reads" them to anyone who will listen and just out loud to herself. I am a big reader also, so I am so happy she loves books just as much.

I signed Makenna up for swim classes at the local YMCA. She has only been in a big pool a couple times, clinging for life to me. I thought taking a swim class would be a fun way to help her get use to being in such a large body of water. Of course it's a mommy and me class so I have to get in a bathing suit twice a week also. BIG thumbs down. I'll keep you all updated on how this goes. 

I want to make sure this summer that Makenna doesn't experience any learning loss. She is pretty great at identifying any number below 20 and can count to around 25 without messing up. She also knows her ABC's and can identify about half of them. I want to work on nailing them all down. We have little activity books and flash cards, then we practice writing them out. I'm sure she'll have them down in no time. Matthew will also be working on this.    

I blogged earlier about the Summer Movie Express going on at Regal Theaters. On Wednesdays, we will definitely be heading to some of those movies. On days where it is just to gorgeous to stay inside, we will head to the park. There are a ton of really great parks in the area. Makenna loves to go on the swings. We are working on having her pump her legs. She is getting really good at it! We can head out early before it is too hot and bring a little picnic breakfast to enjoy.

Friday's are our day off from being with Matthew. So we have the whole day to just hang out and do whatever we feel like. I see play dates and just hanging in the backyard eating ice pops in our future.

After Matthew gets out of camp at noon every day, we also have some fun stuffed planned. We have a membership to pool and a local sports club. There are also little afternoon day trips I have planned and lot and lots of picnics at the park. These kids love to eat at the park and then run around like crazies. When the weather is bad out we can head inside and just relax. This is summer after all! It's okay to have a nice relaxing day of nothing!

What does everyone else have planned for this summer? Do you like to keep you kids on a schedule or just take it day by day?

-K

Book Review Tuesday!

Running a parent-child blog can get to be a little hectic at times. You want to make sure you incorporate a little bit of everything for everyone. You want to capture the attention of Parents, Grandparents, Caregivers and Friends. That is why we aim to be all around worldly and different.

We like to bring you new ideas for recipes, crafts and overall advice and guidance and of course our own self experience as a mommy and a caregiver. However, beginning today we are trying something a little different. We welcome with open arms, Book Review Tuesday! Every tuesday we will showcase a new children's book and explain not only why it is a great story to read to your child but the benefits and lessons it will provide and show your child. Book Review Tuesday will run through the entire summer and may change course for a bit. But, as of today, it is here to stay.

I pondered different books to showcase as the very first book we bring to you. There are so many amazing children's stories out there. They all have great lessons and illustrations. For today, I thought I would start out with, "Little Blue Truck" written by, Alice Schertle. I am sure many of you have heard and read this children's book. It is just fabulous! 

Little Blue Truck is a story about a small friendly blue pickup truck. Little Blue is friends with all of the barnyard animals. He is always lending a helping hand to anyone in need. Every time he passes by all of his friends he lets out a cute, "beep, beep, beep!" The illustrations in this book are colorful, bold and big. It is just the right amount of color to capture the attention of your little one without being overbearing. The story has a steady and catchy rhythm. "His heavy duty dump truck tires, were sunk deep down in muck and mire." Thomas LOVES this story. He even knows what line to say next and always gets super excited when I take it off of his book shelf! This book is also filled with tons of animals. While reading the story you say all of the animal sounds so your little one learns. Before you know it they will be a professional cow caller! 

Little Blue Truck leaves your child with a few very important life lessons. Always lend your hand to a few good friends! It showcases teamwork, compassion, humility, what happens when everyone pitches in and works together and, staying true to yourself. From all of the wonderful illustrations, different vehicles, animal noises and many lessons that fill this book, this is a sure fire hit to add to your child's library! You can order it offline or just go take it out at your local library. 

What are some of your child's favorite story books that you would love to see showcased on Play Dates & Sippy Cups? Comment below and let us know! 

XOXO,

-D

A Small Father's Day Recap...

As I welcome myself back from a wonderful weekend I would just like to send some warm wishes out to everyone in hopes that they had a great Father's Day with the men who mean the most to you! I spent my weekend lunching with some special people & enjoying a wonderful Father's Day dinner with my Step-father and family.

For those of you who read this blog and do not know me so well, here is a rare opportunity to get some vital information about my life. Yes, I do have a father. However, we are not close. In fact, we don't even speak at all. Unfortunately my biological father battles with diseases that control him. I had decided about five years ago that the down spiral I was being dragged into was not healthy for me and I needed an out. I needed a break and really needed to breathe. For years leading up to my adulthood the relationship I had with my father was so toxic. It affected everything in my life. From moods, to simple decisions, to boyfriends and even friendships. I craved dysfunction, I craved the battles and the bad moods. I fed into all negativity around me. Quite frankly, the negativity ruled my life. It led me to make poor decisions and find outlets for my anger and sadness in unhealthy manners. At one point everything had come to such a head between him and I that I truly tried to save our relationship. If there was anything left to save I literally put our father/daughter relationship on life support. I wrote him multiple letters, and had multiple conversations with him. I bared the naked truth. I offered him my help and my love. Unfortunately, there was nothing I could do. Today, I know and understand that it is not my fault, he is who he is and some people just cannot be saved. I am okay with that. However, I am also blessed to have a male role model in my life who is a great dad to my little brother and a good man who takes care of my mother. Although, it has taken us all a long time to get to this point. 

Not sure how many of you come from blended families but as you can imagine it is not easy. Being brought up with a father who didn't exactly know how to cater to my emotional needs and the blending of having a step father... well, it didn't go so well. There was tons of misunderstandings, and miscommunication. Times were tough for sure emotionally, and I was an angry soul. Not to mention with my smart ass ways and sassy mouth I know I aided to a tough environment. However, with all that said I am glad to say that today is very different. My present is so bright and this is the healthiest I have ever felt. I would be lying if I said I don't miss my father. Truth be told, even if he was in my life it would never be the relationship that I need nor would it be on my terms. So I leave the hassle in the past and move on to a wonderful future. Today, my step father and I have open lines of communication. We talk daily and fill one another in on our daily lives. We do not harbor anger, guilt or sadness. If for any reason we come across a small bump in the road we address the issue at hand and do not drag it on. Again, it has taken myself and him a very long time to get to this point. However, our house is now a HOME. I would not trade them or my situation for anything in this world. It has made me into the strong woman I am today. 

For Father's Day we made dinner reservations at a quaint BYOB Italian restaurant. My little brother stuffed his cute baby face with bread and tons of butter (GAG!) however, it kept him occupied. We had some great fish and pasta dishes and of course wine. At the end of the day my favorite part of the entire dinner was just our normal down to earth EASY conversations and being able to just BE. For any of you who comes from real dysfunction you understand the art of being able to just BE and to appreciate the simple moments for what they are. It truly was wonderful. 

Here are some pictures of our Father's Day Celebration...

Mom & Mike

My little brother Michael & I

He really is such a sweet angel!

A small collaboration of our family pictures

For those of you who come from blended families and are having a hard time getting on a straight and narrow path here are some pointers that I have found that worked well for my family and I. Again, it has taken us a very long time to get to this point.

• Let's face it... you need to hit rock bottom.
• Sit down and talk to one another. Communication is key!!
• When you lay things out on the table you find that people perceive many things differently than you do or how you think they do. It will most likely surprise you. 
• Do things together as a family. Talk, find a favorite TV show, share a hobby. A family that hangs together, stays together. 
• Try to help out your family members in small ways to show appreciation. Clean the dishes, make someone's bed, fold someone's laundry. The small deed goes such a long way with appreciation.
• Go seek help from a therapist. Many of times issues run extremely deep. It is always great to have a mediator from outside of the box to help clear smoke from the inside. 
• Never be afraid to show and share your emotions. Emotions are not a sign of weakness. It is a sign of strength and being healthy.

I hope this post got to shed a little light about my upbringing and about the person I am today. Again for those of you who don't know me I hope you feel a bit closer to me. We all face many battles in life. Some big and many small. I just want everyone to realize that you only get one life to live here on earth. Please make the most of it. Don't apologize for who you are or who you want to be. If your unhappy with your life just know it is never to late to stop and make changes. Don't accept bad or disrespectful behavior from others. You are so special and so unique. Value, love and respect yourself. I promise you will attract the right people who will walk into your life, see your sparkle and stay in your life. 

If you come from a blended family and have any other tips and experiences that everyone can relate to, please feel free to comment and share. I hope everyone's Father's Day was filled with so much love and many special moments! 

XOXO,

-D

Friday Favorites!

I have to admit.. this has not been the best week. I am definitely more tired than usual and I am just trying to keep tackling those terrible two's! However, THANK GOODNESS IT IS FRIDAY! Since another week has come and gone I wanted to give you some of my "Friday Favorites" from this past week.

One of the only things that has kept me sane throughout this week during quiet time was watching one of my favorite shows. Orange Is The New Black! It is back and just as great as the first season. If you have not had a chance to watch it, I highly suggest you do. I do not want to give anything away just be prepared to not want to leave your house for the entire weekend. 

Since this week has been pretty hectic, I have been having trouble finding time to eat. Which, for anyone who knows me, knows that I schedule my life and day around FOOD! Who am I? What has gotten into me? I don't completely hate it.. however a girl needs to eat. The one simple dish that has helped me get through this entire week is literally, whole wheat pasta with olive oil and light parmesan cheese. If you want to make it a little more healthy feel free to add in some spinach, broccoli or baby peas and garlic. SOOOO GOOD! Extremely light and refreshing. 

Besides food and laying in bed and watching your favorite television show.. what else makes a woman's week THAT much better? There are only two sayings that can make us women extremely happy. One, I love you and two, 50% OFF! Haha. Ladies, I am about to make your weekend FABULOUS! Victoria Secret's Semi Annual Sale has kicked off and it is in full force. From underwear to bathing suits. Bra's to sweat pants. It is my dream come true. One of my favorite buy's was a beautiful silk robe. I already have this robe in black.. but hell, what's one more! 

This is an awful picture but I am in love with the color.

Now that this week has come to a close, thank God. I really hope that everyone has a safe and beautiful weekend! Go watch some Orange Is The New Black, or do yourself a favor and go buy yourself some cute things! Enjoy yourself everyone!

XOXO,

-D

What A Day!!!

I had another blog post planned today but life got in the way. It has been one of THOSE days! I am beyond tired, but before I go to bed I thought I would give you a little taste of my day by sharing some quotes that actually came out of my mouth today....

• You are peeing on my foot.
• What the hell is in your hair?
• Move your head away from the toilet while she poops!
• Don't pick your nose....or wipe it on my pants.
• Why is there a cat in the house? (fyi we don't own a cat)
• Now the cat is laying in your bed and refuses to leave.
• I don't have any house keys.
• Can I borrow your ladder so I can climb through the window?
• All I want to do is lay in bed and eat raviolis.
• Shit! I can't fit through the window!
• Makenna you need to climb through this window for mommy.
• I will give you ice cream for dinner if you do.
• Great job helping mommy break in baby! I am so proud of you!
• All out of pasta sauce so I'm using a little jar of pizza sauce. I don't even care.
• You cannot put hand cream on your vagina.
• Why does your neck smell like Daddy's armpit?

Tomorrow we will be back to our regular scheduled programing here at Play Dates & Sippy Cups! But first I leave you with a few pictures that accompanied our day...

Never mind! My computer is officially out of memory space and won't let me download any pictures. Yup, that sounds like a perfect ending to my day. Good night!

-K

Tackling the Terrible Two's!

Being a nanny I face a lot of hurdles with children. I really want to talk about one that I am currently facing. We are officially approaching the "terrible two's!" I know a lot of parents have gone through this stage with their child. It is a very trying time for everyone. I wanted to give a few different tips and tricks to attempt to help get you and your child through this difficult stage.

I am a BIG believer in using words. Real words. I never speak to a baby or young toddler in baby talk. It will never do them any good. Let's face it, they scream at the top of their lungs because they want to communicate. Some kids talk sooner than others and no worries if your child isn't speaking at the rate you want them to. I promise they will talk and then they will never stop :) In a case where I have a child who will just scream at me I will always say to them, "use your words." I will go through their mini vocabulary with them until I can figure out what they are trying to say. You may need to go through a total of 50 words but I look at it as great review.

If you have a child who points to everything and grunts (which, for a bit every child does) never walk them over to everything. They won't learn to talk that way. You can tell them the object they are pointing to and then either take them to it OR you can say, "That is the pantry. You may open it . But first I will put you down and we will walk  over there together." Because well, let's face it, they are a big kid. It really helps to promote their independence.

As a nanny I have been lucky to be with my little guy since he was just a little bit :) I believe he was going on four months when I started with my awesome family! Very shortly after I started with him I began teaching him baby sign. By the time he was seven/eight months he began to sign back to me. Baby signing has really helped him through this difficult stage. Even if he can't fully express the word he is looking for, he can surely sign a great deal of words. It has truly helped to lessen his levels of frustration. For some great references for baby sign there's a wonderful program called, "baby signing time" which can be a bit pricey but it's just fabulous! Also, if you check out YouTube you may be able to find some free signing videos!

When your child has a tantrum, there are two ways you can go about dealing with this stage. Everyone has different beliefs so please do what fits your family and your lifestyle. The first thing you can do when your child throws themselves on the ground and begins ther tantrum you can literally just walk away into the other room. Most likely they will follow you however, if you do not feed into them then they tend to give up the charade in a timely fashion. The second approach you may use is to hug it out with them. I used this technique on another child I nannied for. Everytime she went into tantrum mode I would grab her and hug her, hold her and help her to work through it. You can tell your child to take deep breaths. Show them how to breathe properly and do it with them. This approach may work for some and for others it may anger them more. I would try both approaches to see what works best for your child. Last week, Keri had blogged about making "hush bottles." It is a craft that is used when your child begins to get flustered. It grabs their attention and literally calms them down and snaps them out of their funk. Check it out!

Another great approach Ito help extend their vocabulary is to READ, READ, READ!! There is a great starter book called, the "Alpha Block." It's by, Christopher Franceschelli. It's one of the best alphabet books I have seen in awhile. The words are basic and simple, and the illustrations are great! I go through that book with my little guy at least three times a day and he loves it! He has already began to say new words from using that book! Plus it aids to a growing imagination!

I really hope that some of these approaches will work well for you and your family. I am always looking for new approaches to help coach my little ones through their hard times. As a parent what approaches have worked well for you? Please feel free to comment and share your thoughts! It's always wonderful to hear from you all!

Xoxo
-D

Father's Day Gift Ideas

Father's Day is approaching fast. If you are a procrastinator like me, then you still haven't gotten a gift yet. I always have an idea what I want to do, I just don't do it till last minute. I'm guessing at 30 years old, I am not going to start changing my ways. 

Here are some Father's Day gift ideas. Some I have done in the past and some I might use for the future. So if my husband is reading this.... STOP. If you are not my husband, please continue reading below. :) 

I think if it's his first Father's Day then he deserves something extra special. The way to my husbands heart is sporting events and watches. For his first Father's Day we picked him out a nice watch. It's something he uses all the time and I hope it will always be a reminder of what an amazing father he is. We also always make something homemade. For his first Father's Day I got a baseball and put Makenna's little handprint on it. He keeps it on his office desk and really loves it. 

 It was super easy to make. This works better with smaller children under the age of two. Otherwise the handprint will be to big to fit properly. Just get a normal sized baseball, permanent ink pad and a permanent maker. If you are working with a baby, wait till they are sleeping to do the handprint. Press their little hand into the ink pad and then wrap it around the ball like they are holding it. I remember it took us 3 balls to get it right. So have some extra balls on hand. Make sure to wipe the babies hand with a baby wipe right after so their hands don't stain. I then wrote Happy Father's day with the date and Makenna's name on the bottom. Simple project and any baseball loving dad will love it. 

Last year for Father's Day Makenna was almost two. We started a new tradition of doing a quiz about Dad. I found some sample questions online and made up some of my own. Then I asked Makenna the questions and she answered them to the best of her ability. She talked really well at that age, so this is definitely for ages two and up. I am going to ask her the same questions this year and see how they differ. They were quite hilarious last year, so I can't wait to see this years. I printed it out on a heavy stock paper and she colored on it and we put her handprint. Another simple project that will be fun to look at through the years.

Some other great gift ideas are tickets to his favorite sport team, a beer of the month club membership, a round of golf with some personalized spot markers, and just about anything your child can paint on. We have made coffee mugs and picture frames before.  

What are some Father's Day gift that you are giving or if you are a dad what are some gifts you have loved to get?? Please feel free to share below! 

Makenna and her Daddy the day she was born <3

Nanny Code of Conduct 101

I know this post may come off as more of a rant... However, there are a few things I would like to stress for all you nannies and even babysitters out there...

1. Do not sit on your cell phone all day (I promise Facebook will still be there when your shift ends)
2. Wear appropriate clothing (cover your navel, chest & behind!)
3. Be on time
4. Speak nicely to the children
5. When talking to other Nannies and adults (you never know who your engaging with) speak nicely OF THE CHILD(REN)!
6. Pay attention to the children

I cannot stress enough all of the points listed above. That is not even all of them. I am a professional nanny who is proud of the career I have. I am college educated and chose to take the path I have and expand my business. It is just too often that I go to the park, or a gym class or even to the library with the little guy I watch and see how terrible other caregivers are. 

A lot of nannies out there go to the park and literally park their butt on the bench while the kids try to get their attention. HELLO NANNIES.... WE ALL SEE YOU! I definitely take pride in what I do for a living and how I conduct myself. I have had parents come up to me and compliment me, and I quote on, "being a normal nanny." Parents have told me that I am one of the few nannies they have seen who doesn't sit on her cell phone and actually pays attention to the child. 

Recently, I had even met a nanny who every single time I see her complains or talks badly of the child. I mean, really?!?!? People like that belong in another line of work. Clearly, this is not the field for you. But, better yet, I wonder what the employers are like that had actually hired this person. 

Nannies and caregivers, please speak nicely to the children and treat them with respect. These children are not your own to speak ill too. When and if you have your own children then feel free to practice your own style of parenting. Until then, you need to follow the rules and wishes of your employers even if you do not agree with them. Everyone is different and are allowed to their own set of beliefs. It is not up to you. Unless of course it is abusive or illegal. Then, report it. 

When talking to other adults... NEVER belittle the child or your employers!! YOU NEVER KNOW WITH WHOM YOUR SPEAKING TO!!! I have seen this way too often. Everyone knows someone!! Again, I have had parents come up to me and make comments about nannies they have met that just speak bad of the child(ren) they care for. It does not impress them nor does it make you sound like you know what you are doing. It certainly won't get you hired elsewhere in the future.

I understand most nannies and caregivers are in this line of work while putting themselves through school. However, for all of us full time professional nannies please do not give us a bad name or image. It is scary enough for parents to find someone to bring into their home and to trust with their child. Help to make the transition easy and fun for the parents and the child(ren) too!

Lastly, remember when out and about in this line of work you are constantly REPRESENTING YOURSELF!!!! This is a BUSINESS. If you ever want to continue working in this business you ABSOLUTELY need to follow the guidelines listed above and then some. 

PARENTS: If you ever have any questions about how to go about hiring the right nanny for your family please do not hesitate to contact Keri and myself. Please click on the PLAY IT SAFE link to get a hold of our email addresses. 

Have you seen any nannies who do not act appropriately when out in public? Any pet peeves that just get to you? Feel free to comment below and tell us your stories and experiences.

-D

Friday Favorites

This has been such a beautiful week weather wise! I absolutely love sitting outside in the sunshine, with SPF 70 covering ever inch of my face. Damn pregnancy induced melasma! Anyone else suffer from that??? But anyway... I can't wait for more beautiful weather this weekend. I see lots of outdoor play in our future. 

For todays post, I thought I would share some of my favorite things from this week. 

I made this pasta dish for dinner last night. It's spinach and artichoke pasta. SOOOO good! I got the recipe from The Pioneer Women. I changed it up a little and added chicken to the dish too. I left out the extra hot pepper (to avoid heart burn later), but used pepper jack cheese to give it a little extra kick. I also forgot to add the panko breadcrumbs at the end, because by that time I was just thinking, "GET IN MY BELLY!" My husband and Makenna both gave it two thumbs up. 

My husband got me this necklace for mothers day. It's from Olive Yew. It's both of our daughters initials. Silver with a rose gold heart in the middle. I couldn't get my shadow out of the heart, but it's really a nice rose gold color. I LOVE it!! I was going to wait till E was born, but I think I might start wearing it now. 

We are going to Cape May this summer for a week. I can not wait! What I can wait for is having to wear a bathing suit at the beach. Big thumbs down since i'll be 30+ weeks pregnant. I remember going to the beach when I was pregnant with Makenna. People just stare at you like they have never seen a pregnant person before. I wasn't even wearing a bikini! I found this swimsuit at ASOS. If I'm going to look like a beached whale, I might as well look like a cute one. p.s. I will absolutely look nothing like this not really pregnant model.

I read, A Fault In Our Stars by John Green, in less than 24 hours this week. I am a super fast reader to begin with, but I could not put it down. I even went old school and read in bed with a flashlight to finish it. I of course was basically sobbing at some parts. It was a great book. 

image via Google 

Now I am in the search of some good summer reading books! If anyone has any suggestions feel free to share. I will read just about anything and everything. 

Hope you all have a great weekend!! 

xoxo -K

THiRSTY THURSDAY

Now that summer is officially here one of my favorite past times is making a simple and YUMMY batch of WHITE PEACH SANGRIA and grilling with my family & friends on the weekends. Unfortunately this summer my lovely best friend is out for the count due to being PREGO! Sorry Keri!! LOL.

Picture found from Pinterest.

1. Two peaches, sliced.
2. 3/4 Cup Peach Schnapps.
3. One bottle chilled Moscato (Get a cheap one. Barefoot is always good!)
4. One liter Peach Seltzer Water

This may be the easiest and yummiest recipe! Matching seltzer flavors can also be paired with Raspberries, Blackberries or Strawberries! So feel free to do what ever tickles your fancy and OBVIOUSLY since theres fruit in this who says it isn't healthy?!? ;) P.S. If you really want to get creative then pour this sangria mixture (fruit included) into a popsicle mold for your very own "Adult Popsicle." HOW FUN!!

I hope you enjoy this light, refreshing drink just as much as I do! Feel free to comment and share some of your favorite summer drinks! I am always looking for new drinks to sample!... Clearly. :)

-D

Some Fun and Easy Frozen Treats

I have been absolutely loving the weather this week! After a long and cold winter, we were ready to play outside and enjoy the sunshine. The kids love to sit outside and have an ice pop after lunch. I really want to get an ice pop maker or some ice pop molds, but in the mean time Bomb Pops are a big favorite! Here are some other fun and easy frozen treats kids are sure to love!

"Homemade" Ice Cream Sandwiches

With two busy toddlers, I am keeping this really simple. Feel free to make a from scratch or allergy free version by just swapping out items.

1. Get a ready to bake pack of large sized chocolate chip cookies and bake according to instructions.
2. Wait for cookies to cool down entirely.
3. Take your favorite flavor of ice cream and put about two good sized scoops in the middle of two cookies.
4. Gently press down on cookies and flatten it out a bit. Use a spoon to even out ice cream falling out.
5. Wrap in tin foil and put in freezer for a little bit to firm back up.
6. ENJOY!

Frozen Grapes

Again this is such a simple thing to do and the kids love them. I probably don't have to write out directions, since most of you have probably done this before, but I will anyway.

1. Buy a bunch of grapes.
2. Wash throughly and take off vines... is that what they are called, vines? lol no clue
3. Put still wet grapes in a freezer bag or a freezer safe container.
4. Pour a tiny bit of sugar into bag or container and seal it up
5. Shake to mix sugar around grapes.
6. Freeze for a few hours or until grapes are hard.

For the kids I like to cut them in half when I serve them frozen. Grapes can be a chocking hazard and while frozen even more so. So make sure you supervise younger kids. You can also leave out the sugar part if you want to!

Frozen Watermelon  

This is so good and again very straight forward. I have been craving watermelon this entire pregnancy!

1. Buy a watermelon. I wish I could tell you how to pick a good one out but I always buy the WORST one there somehow! :( I'm cursed.
2. So if you are bad at picking watermelon like me, get some pre-cut ones.
3. Cut the watermelon into triangle slices keeping the green rind part. Its easier for the kids to hold that way, and just slightly less messy.
4. Put in a freezer bag or freezer safe container and freeze for a few hours.

How simple is that and they are sooooo good! I have even seen people insert sticks into the rind part before freezing them. 

Hope you all are enjoying this beautiful weather like we are! What are some fun and simple frozen treats you love? Feel free to share them below!