Homemade Baby Food

I never looked at the ingredients that were in foods until after Harper was born. When Harper first started baby food at 5.5 months old she had been strictly breastfed before that and I didn't want her first food to be something that was processed and really didn't have much nutritional value. I stared doing some research and talked to some friends who felt the same way and decided rather than give her rice cereal I was going to start with avocado. Avocados are a food that is becoming more popular as a "first food", the nutrients and fats in them and closest to breast milk. 

After Harper had avacodo for a couple months I started to shop around for different baby foods and as I read the ingredients I couldn't believe how many foods that advertised as "organic" had so many other ingredients in them that I couldn't even pronounce. This is when I decided to just make my own for Harper. I found a great website that gave advice as to when you could introduce certain foods and also had different receips for your baby. (http://wholesomebabyfood.momtastic.com) I didn't want to spend the money on a Baby Bullet so I used a handheld mixer. It was such easy cleanup, and so simple! 

I used one similar to this that my in-laws had, but I have seen them for less than $20 at t.j. Max and other stores. I would either steam or boil different fresh fruits and veggies, blend them with the mixer while it was warm and then spoon it into ice cube trays and cover with plastic wrap. After it was frozen I would remove the food chips and put them in labeled freezer zip locks. I could make so much food in bulk and it was SO much cheaper than buying already made baby food. When she was ready to eat something I would either take out the certain amount of frozen cubes and thaw them in the fridge or in a glass bowl in the microwave. When Harper was first starting out I also would mix in water or breast milk to water certain foods down that were too thick for her. Remember though when heating foods in the microwave, do not include any with breast milk as it should not be microwaved. I was loving making her food, knowing exactly what it was that she was ingesting. 

Once she got a little bit older I did find one brand of store bought baby food that we used when we went to the beach or somewhere where it was more difficult bringing her homemade food. Plum Organics baby food packets had no weird or added ingredients. Just whatever fruits or veggies it was supposed to be. 

Hope this was informative and has encouraged you to try making your own baby food. You will be surprised at how easy, fun and cheap it is!! Enjoy! 

{Baby Blues}

I love dressing Harper in blue tones because it just brings out more of the blue in her gorgeous eyes. My mother-in-law got this adorable outfit for Harper yesterday, it was supposed to be for Christmas but she couldn't help it and gave it to us early...."For the blog", she said . 

Hat: Crazy 8

Shirt: Crazy 8

Jeans: Target 

Shoes: Crazy 8 

Dots on Dots

I have loved polka dots for as long as I can remember. I think it runs in the family because my mom loves all things polka dots too. So of course, I am gonna dress Harper in them as much as I can. This is an outfit that my mom got her for her first birthday and itt was perfect for this cool, foggy morning. 

I love mixing polka dot prints with other ones in the same outfit. It can add to the outft and make it more fun, especially when mixing large and small dots. These skinny jeggings are great because they are a lot thicker than her other jeggings and they have adorable pockets on the back. I am obsessed with these little fake ugh boots! They are so easy for her to walk in, zip up on the inside so quick to get on and off and they also have a regular sole so they aren't slippery. 

Top: Target

Vest: Target

Pants: Target

Boots: Target

Headband: etsy shop mintandarrows 

Sleep. Who Needs That?? How to Sleep Train Your Baby.

When most people think about having a baby, chances are the first thing that comes to mind is the lack of sleep. You hear the horror stories of the babies that cry all night long, have their days and nights mixed up, and prepare yourself for months of being exhausted. When Harper was born I had no idea what to expect or what my plan would be to sleep train her, I just knew that it was something that had to be done! Please keep in mind I am just sharing my story and how we did things, everyone has their different parenting thoughts.
A key I had learned from watching other mom friends of mine was that I didn't want Harper to get used to sleeping in my arms all the time as an infant. The habits that babies form when they are little can be very hard to break later. I am not saying that I never held her or anything like that, I just tried to let her have equal time in her swing or laid out on a blanket on the floor. I have to say, that was one of the best choices I made as a new mom. She loved having her "playtime" on the floor and it taught her to explore the stuff around her, as well as got her used to laying on her own.
She slept in the bassinet in our room for her first 4 weeks or so. I never let her sleep in bed with us at night because I didn't want it to become a habit. There were many nights where nursing would have been so much easier if she was just in our bed, but I am glad I held out. I am a really light sleeper and wake up to any little noise, so when Harper was about a month old I moved her into her own crib in her room. She did fantastic and that was when she started to sleep longer stretches. The other thing I did that helped her sleep better was to have her sleep on her stomach. (I know that's not what they recommend these days but she never spit up and slept so well like that) She loved laying on her stomach and I noticed it made her feel full longer so she would sleep 6 hour stretches or so around a month old.
When Harper was 4 months old we moved in with my in laws to save money and Harper had to sleep in our room for a little while. At that point our amazing sleeper stopped sleeping through the night and would wake up several times wanting her paci. It was torture! After a month and a half or so of this I started letting her just cry herself back to sleep because I didn't want her to think I was going to get up in the middle of the night to give her her pacifier. It was hard at first (especially since she was in our bedroom) but on the first night of letting her cry, she cried less than 3 mins and fell back to sleep. Letting her cry it out instead of getting up to give her the paci made a huge difference in her sleeping habits. Babies are a lot smarter than you think and they catch on pretty quickly with what you are and are not going to do. Just remember when letting your baby cry it out, start with small amounts of time and work up to longer amounts. When you go in to comfort them, rub their back, sing to them, tell them it will be ok, and walk out again. Try not to pick them up every time or else they will think that you will do it every single time they cry at night. Crying is NOT hurting them at all, it is way harder for you as the parent than it is to them. If you really have a hard time listening to them cry, try standing outside or turn on some music for a couple mins. If you stick with letting them cry it out for a few days, a week even, they should be totally used to it and be sleeping through the night!
When Harper was about 7 months old we were able to move her into her own room. I wasn't sure how it was going to go, afraid that she had gotten used to sleeping in our room. But in her first night back in her own bedroom she slept 8 hours and only woke up once. I think she could sense that we were not in the room with her anymore and knew there was no point in waking up crying. haha In the couple months that followed she started sleeping 10-12 hours at night. It is amazing! She goes to bed around the same time every night and wakes up at the same time every morning.
Another thing we use that really helps her sleep well is an air purifier fan. It creates great white noise so that she isn't awakened by random things outside or noises in the house. There are so many wonderful sound machines or fans that will do the trick! I even have a sound machine app on my phone in case we are at someone else's house for her nap.
I have helped a couple friends with advice and support about getting their babies to sleep at night and guess what, it worked with them too! Keep in mind, every baby is different and has different sleeping habits. Also, if you are sleep training your baby once they are a bit older it may be more difficult at first as you are having to break them of things they have been used to for a while. It is possible though, just be patient, persistent and have someone you can vent to and get support from.

Here are some great links I have recommended to friends that I found on Pinterest about helping sleep train your baby.
http://www.parents.com/baby/sleep/issues/teach-baby-to-sleep-in-7-days/
http://www.incredibleinfant.com/baby-sleep-training/sleep-training-mistakes/
http://get-your-baby-to-sleep.com/one-week-to-better-baby-sleep-habits/http://www.babble.com/baby/sleep-training-101-9-tips-for-encouraging-better-sleep/
http://get-your-baby-to-sleep.com/sleep-training/

Thanks for reading and feel free to share with other parents!
Questions or comments? Leave them in the comment box please!

Fall Fun

Today Kyle had the day off work and we took Harper to the pumpkin patch with some friends. I remember last year when we took her, she was only a few months old and we said how fun it would be next year when she would be running around. Now that year has flown by and there she was today, exploring on her own like a big kid.

Top: Target (I loved this black tee so much when I saw it! I love black clothes and was always so annoyed that I could never find cute black things for girls when Harper was a a baby. Now that she is fitting in bigger sizes I am finally able to find some.) 

Overalls: Babies R Us (I always dislike the photos of me in overalls as a kid and I am pretty sure I swore that when I had a child I would NEVER dress them in overalls. But gosh, when I saw these I couldn't help it, they are so darn cute, AND they were on sale!)

Shoes: Carter's 

Photos are a mix between ones that I took and ones that my sis-in-law, Cammy took. She has a great fashion blog, check it out! •••lastofthemoheak.com•••

Scheduling Your Little One

There is such a happy medium between having your child on a great schedule that you follow daily, but also being able to veer from those routines when it is necessary. After Harper was born, the days of the week no longer mattered, night and day didn't even really matter at first either, it was really just all about the hours. My eyes were constantly checking the clock; those hands going around were what determined my life those first few months. Nursing, pumping, diaper changing, over and over and over again. I knew that I didn't want to feed her on demand so I got her on a schedule as soon as possible and followed it a little too religiously at first. I think I was worried that if I didn't follow my every 3 hour agenda that things would just hit the fan and then I would have no schedule at all. However, after a few months of this I started to realize that varying from her schedule a little really was ok. There were growth spurts, diaper blowouts, teething and other things that shifted our routine slightly and I had to learn to bend with those.

As Harper got a little older I tried to get her naps on a schedule as well, three times a day and around the same time each day, she was much happier with a routine and I was too. I could plan outings, or playdates and know when in my day I could fit things in. I am a very organized person and I knew that for my sanity I had to have an agenda. I am very lucky to have been able to stay at home with her as well, which also made this much more doable for me. I also noticed that when she stuck to a similar day to day schedule, she slept through the night so much better as well. She went to bed and woke up around the same time every day. (I will do another post sometime on how we sleep trained her. She started sleeping through the night around 6/7 weeks old) Meal times and nursing's were also always around the same time everyday. She picked up on that very quickly too so she didn't want or expect food at random times. Since she is used to her routine, I am able to change things up occasionally if I need to and she handles it really well. 

Around 8 or 9 months when she dropped to two naps a day, I brought in something new to her schedule. Playtime alone. I started with just 10 mins or so at a time where I would give her books and some toys in her crib to play with. I usually did this in the morning before her nap. It was great for me because I would be able to get some stuff done on my own and she was learning to be ok having time alone. A dear friend of mine really helped encourage me through this, her two little girls are older than Harper and have playtime in their room together everyday. It is so great for them and also fantastic for their mom! It was hard at first, Harper didn't like it at all, but after a few days, she got used to it and I would add on a couple more mins every couple of days. Now at 14 months old Harper can play happily on her own for 45mins to an hour. She enjoys it and I can take advantage of that time too!

I know there are so many people out there with different views on their kids and how they do things. This is just my experience and since it has been so fantastic for us, I would like to share it with anyone who is interested. Please feel free to comment any questions! Thanks for reading. 

••Super Sign Language••

I cant tell you how happy I am that I taught Harper sign language. It has been such an amazing tool in her learning and growing. Having those communication skills start early, before she can talk has been wonderful! 

I took sign language for 2 years in high school and one year in college, though I don't remember  a lot of what I learned then, I always knew that when I had kids I wanted to start ASL with them. One of my good friends had kids a few years before me and she did sign with her babies, so I was even more encouraged watching them and determined to do it with mine. 

Harper started solid foods at five and a half months and that is when I introduced her first sign, "all done". I did it at the end of every meal. At first when I would do it, I kept thinking, this kid has absolutely NO idea what I am doing. But finally around 7/7.5 months old she started copying me. It was just with one hand, rather than two but I was encouraged that she was finally catching on. Soon after that I introduced the sign for "more". We stuck with those two signs until she got them down and then I taught her the sign for "food" and "water". These four signs are things she uses all the time. It is awesome to have her be able to tell me if she is hungry or thirsty, rather than just having to cry to let me know. Once she got the essential signs down and I could tell she really liked learning them, I started teaching her more signs for fun and educational purposes. We did animals and some objects. It is so cool to see that she enjoys learning, and there is no better time to start! 

We have had an amazing experience with sign language and I would strongly encourage other moms to teach their kids! There are awesome apps that teach you basic signs for your children if you don't already know ASL. It makes communication with your baby start so much earlier and they get those brain muscles working early. Try it out, you won't be sorry! 

Denim Lovin'

I seriously never thought I would have so much fun dressing my child! But everything looks cute on her and kids clothes are so cheap! (at least the ones I buy) We frequent Target, Babies R Us, Carter's and H&M and now that she isn't growing quite as fast as she did her first year, she is able to fit in things for a longer period of time. 

I love mix matching different outfits that come together with other pieces! This peplum top from Carter's came with leggings and is an adorable piece for fall and winter but I also love it for a summer look too. The shorts were a hand-me-down from a friend from Old Navy and they fit her perfectly. I love the denims together, especially since the top adds something extra with the little polka dots. These Carter's shoes were awesome for her when she first started walking, the bottom isn't fabric like some other beginning shoes but it isn't completely hard either so her feet were able to bend well in them. They are pretty stretchy too so she hasn't outgrown them as quickly as she did with other shoes. And another added benefit is they are washable! I throw them in the wash with regular clothes and then just let them air dry. Who knew baby feet could get so smelly, I guess it's not that surprising though when it is over 100 degrees out.  Lastly, the headband! I have a super small head, and though Harper's seems to be more average, this headband is awesome because you tie it yourself and it can fit any size head! I found it through an Instagram friend who makes them. Her Etsy shop is called Mint and Arrows. She has SOOOO MANY adorable patterns and colors and they are only $6. Totally worth it, right?!

Headband: Etsy shop- MintandArrows

Top: Carter's 

Shorts: Old Navy

Shoes: Carter's 

First Post

Happiness and Harper. Two words that very well describe my life. I am a first time parent and am trying to enjoy every second of it. I have been married to my wonderful hubby, Kyle for 4 years, we have an amazing relationship and I am so blessed for all that he does. In August 2012 we welcomed out beautiful Harper Grace into our lives...and so the happiness that we had previously shared together multiplied even more as we embarked together in parenthood.

I have so many great friends who became parents before me and helped me with all the new experiences you have as a parent. Since then I have loved giving advice and helping other first time moms out with everything from how to get their baby to sleep through the night, to breastfeeding tips, to making homemade baby food. 

As the mom of a girl I have also LOVED dressing my little girl and taking pictures of all those adorable outfits as we are out adventuring (especially since we all know they can outgrow some things over night). I want to remember every moment that I can since it all goes by so fast! If I had all the money in the world, I am sure I would spend a fortune dressing her; girl things are just too darn cute! But let's be real, I don't have all the money in the world, not even close, so I have found many great clothes for good prices! 

On this blog I will have lots of photos of my little Harper, how I put together her outfits and where the pieces are from. I also want to help other moms out there with parenting tips and advice, because that's really what counts! And as she gets older, the things she does get more and more entertaining, so funny stories will be included too!

Thanks to all who visit and hope you have fun reading about our adventures, our happiness and Harper!