Little Monkey met the wall...

There is a few things a mom never really want to see.  Bleeding heads is definitely on my list.  Last night, that is exactly what I saw.  My little monkey man was climbing all over the furniture, as usual, and fell off the coffee table hitting the wall and some plugs that were plugged into the socket.  He screamed and cried but I didn't know how bad it was as I rushed to pick him up and hold him.  But as I hugged and comforted him, I saw a drop of blood land on my hand.  Panic set in as I assessed him for the source. 

It was the back of his little head that was bleeding, a little half inch gash.  I rushed him off to the urgent care where he quickly received his first set of staples.  Throughout this ordeal, Will was such a trooper.  He had stopped crying soon after I cleaned off his head.  He was happy throughout the time in the Urgent care, except for a few short minutes when they actually stapled.  As we waited, he even kept trying to climb on everything in the waiting room, including the coffee tables.  He walked out of there with a smile on his face and a lolly pop in hand.  Thankfully there are no other negative signs of trauma, and after a full nights sleep he is doing great.  

I have a feeling this is not our last trip, he is going to be trouble, just like his daddy...

Thankful Thursday

Today I am thankful for so many things.  First I am thankful for the health of my kids.  As we battled the stomach flu for the last week I am happy for their renewed health and energy.  I am thankful for every bite of food they eat for every smile on their face.

I am thankful for my husband who loves me more than anything but loves our kids a close second.  He is a true family man and I love him for being there for us all the time.  I am thankful for his love of cooking because my love of cooking is not quite there.  He is my perfect match.

I am thankful for my friends who have taught me so much about parenting and friendship.  They are amazing and I am thankful everyday because they are here to walk beside me on the path of motherhood.  They inspire me to be more creative, push me to be more driven, and are always encouraging.  They love my kids like their own as I love theirs like my own. 

I am thankful for our parents, who love my kids and spoil them like great grandparents do.  I could not ask for better people to love my children.

What are you thankful for?

Toddler Nutrition

My kids are the exact opposites of each other.  Will is a light hair, darker skinned easy going kid who loves to eat (and I mean EAT, anything I put in front of him he will go for).  Emily on the other hand has dark hair, pale skin, and is the definition of high maintenance.  She is such a picky eater, although, loves healthy food such as broccoli and grilled chicken.  Yesterday I could hardly get more than two bites down her.  And since I refuse to be a short order chef, she went to bed a little hungry and subsequently woke up earlier than normal today ready for cereal (two bowls) and sausage (5 links, she ate all hers, mine and Andy's) and one egg.  Whoa, is that almost all yesterdays calories in one meal?

That got me wondering today about toddler age nutrition requirements and what that would mean for her everyday meals.  So the breakdown is 40 calories per day for each inch in height. Well here is the math for my kiddo- 40 x 35 inches= 1400 calories per day. 

So what does that really mean when it comes to food? 
2-3 servings dairy (milk, cheese, yogurt)
4 servings fruit and vegetables
4 servings bread or cereal
2 servings protein (meat, eggs, tofu, peanut butter)

I don't know about you but I have wondered before- "What is a kids serving size?"  Not the same as an adults serving size!  It is about 1 tablespoon per year for fruit and vegetables and for meat and bread about 1/3 the serving size of adults. 

At the end of the day, a toddler will eat what they end up eating.  There is no forcing them, but guiding them in the right direction.  Healthy eating starts now, we teach them about what to eat at this age, so feed them well, feed them healthy and hope it continues for their lifetime!

Breastmilk saves Lives!

I just found this great article this morning.  I have been reading a lot lately about breastfeeding and it advantages for a project I am working on.  This article sums it all up so great.  Breastfeeding is so important for not only our children but for mothers too.  Mom's have such an amazing ability to change the world with little changes in the home, starting with breastfeeding!  We can decrease obesity, diabetes, leukemia and SIDS just by breastfeeding.  Along with the benefits to our children it is so amazing for moms too.  It decreases our chances for cardiovascular disease and cancer.  With all these facts how can anyone say no to breastfeeding?!  As a nurse I will continue to spread the word to our patients to continue breastfeeding for as long as possible.  And at home I still continue to breastfeed my little guy, because its the best thing I can offer him.

For the Love of Broccoli

I like broccoli, I really do.  My kids however love broccoli.  That makes me happy, don't get me wrong.  Almost everyday my Emily asks, no, practically begs for broccoli.  Now I ask, how do you say no to a kid who wants broccoli?!  I just can't bring myself to do it.  So we eat broccoli, sometimes for lunch, almost every night for dinner.  "Mmm Mmm, delicious!" she says as she gobbles up a plate full of broccoli.  Even Will can't get enough.  I however am less enthusiastic about our culinary repetitiveness.  I long for some mashed potatoes or Brussels sprouts, neither of which the kids will eat.  

I may be bored but I am proud that I have managed to instill some great eating habits at this age, where most toddlers stick to mac and cheese (which Em does love also).  So as food jags go, this is one I can live with.  But I certainly look forward to the next one.