Fazio Home made Authentic Italian Pasta Sauce
(Makes enough sauce for 2-3 times) Put all ingredients in your crock pot for 4-5 hours stirring regularly -1/2 chopped onion -2 tbspns chopped garlic (jar garlic is fine) -1 tbspn of bouillon powder (secret in the recipe for taste) -1/2 diced red pepper -4 glass jars of strained tomato -salt and pepper to taste Optional: Hot pepper if you like spice raw meatballs (mini meatballs are kids favorites)
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Babeez Crock Pot Taco Stew (Serves 4-6 ppl)
Put all the following into a crock pot 1 can of pureed tomato sauce 1 can of diced tomatoes 1 can of corn 1 can of kidney beans 1 can of black beans 1 package of taco seasoning 1/2 chopped onion 1 bottle of beer 2-3 skinless boneless chicken breasts -cook on high for 4-5 hours -After 4-5 hours, remove chicken breast and shred, then place back in pot for an additional 30 minutes -Serve in a bowl with shredded cheese and tostitos (kids love the scoops) I was so excited to pickup the new Ford Escape Titanium 2013 after seeing it featured on the Amazing Race. I knew it would be special but had no idea what I was in store for me this week. The intention of my one week trial was to see how the Ford Escape would hold up to a busy family of 5. Well let me tell you it exceeded my expectations and more! The Ford Escape is not only a very smart, sleek and sexy car but the safety, functionality and space it offered to our family this week superseded what any car or minivan ever offered us before. This 5 passenger "SMART" car had every feature you could imagine except for the feature that drives the car for you. When it comes to vehicles, size does matter! Every family needs a large vehicle with lots of interior passenger space and storage but no one wants to feel like they are driving a bus. The Ford Escape offers tons of space for all passengers. You would expect that the front seats had ample space but I was shocked when my 3 tween kids fit in the back seat with tons of room between them even with their winter coats on. I actually did a test myself and sat in the back to see how an adult would feel and I had about 5inches of space between my knees and the front seat. More then enough room to fit 2 car seats and a passenger. The trunk space was a complete surprise! There was approximately 12 square feet of trunk space which was perfect for grocery shopping, school bags, sports bags and more. As a mom of twins, fitting a double stroller was one of my biggest concerns when our kids were small and this vehicle would definitely have more then enough room for a double stroller, diaper bag, playpen and groceries! When I first saw this vehicle, I thought it was so "cute & compact" but once I got inside it felt so spacious. Ford seems to have mastered the optical allusion of making big things look smaller! Not only did this vehicle provide ample space for my family but the Ford Escape is also every techy's dream car. It truly is the smart car of the next generation. It has a keyless entry and push button start. Its touchscreen voice activated computer system located in the center front dash was not only an entertainment system but also a built in GPS, Bluetooth, rear camera and incredibly it even had wifi capability. The Bluetooth system links to your phone to not only offer hands free talking but also hands free texting. This smart car will read and write texts for you, its like having your personal assistant in the car with you at all times. This "My Ford Touch" system even allows you to control things like car temperature using your voice or the 5-way controls on your steering wheel. My favorite smart feature had to be the kick sensor to open and close the trunk and unfortunately it was my kids favorite too! Imagine 5 of standing in the rain taking turns at opening the trunk and trying to figure out how it all worked. Like I said, this car has everything except an automatic driver! Lastly but most importantly, every families biggest concern is safety. I felt completely safe in this vehicle. The drivers seat houses a front, side and knee airbag system. All passengers are protected with a safety canopy and side curtain airbags. Every passenger has a 3 point safety belt restraint with adjustable head restraints which is ideal for young children. The reverse sensing system with camera makes it easier for backing up and parking and also includes an audible noise system when there is something or someone to close to the back AND front of the car. This is an amazing feature for parents with curious young children who may not understand the danger of being around a vehicle in motion. Now don't just think this is a mommy mobile. My husband took the car for a test drive and he LOVED IT! "Wow, a lot of room in here!" "This is nice" "Good pickup and lots of power" "Pretty good on gas too!" "OMG, does it have a fax in here too?" Just a few key things I heard him say! LOL After my week long adventure with the 2013 Ford Escape Titanium, I wonder if any other vehicle will ever measure up. This car fulfilled my expectations and desires of the perfect family vehicle. It passed my 3 S's: Space, Smarts and Safety and definitely gets a 2 thumbs up from me. My only disappointment with this vehicle is that I had to give it back! Congratulations to FORD for listening to their customers! Looking for a family car...consider the Ford Escape Titanium! And when you get it, can I come for a ride? Debbie Fazio Many parents we talk to have reservations about sleep training their child. They have heard various rumours about how sleep training can cause emotional and physical damage to a child. How a child can feel abandoned and alone. And probably one of the most upsetting for parents is that it can weaken the baby/parent bond. In some cases, where parents have not taken the proper steps to ensure that all their child’s needs are met, that their room atmosphere is ideal for sleep, clear messages for baby have been implemented and that an age appropriate schedule and routine have been establish, it can most definitely create emotional and physical issues for baby. However, as long as these important things have been taken care of, sleep training won’t have any long term effects on baby. Most parents seek out professional help from a sleep consultant because they feel very anxious and unsure of how to move forward with sleep training. However, it’s important to understand that sleep training with or without professional support will be one of the hardest things a parent has to do, but it won’t be the last. This is just the first of many times when a parent has to recognize that parenting also means sometimes doing a very hard thing for a very good reason. I try to use the “playing in the street” scenario with families. If your child wants to play in traffic, do you let him just because he demands it by screaming and protesting or do you parent the child and teach him a better and safer way of playing. Of course, your answer would be the later. Wanting to teach your baby to sleep better, have self soothing skills and be on a better routine is not selfishness on the parents’ part. It’s actually the opposite. Sleep training is so difficult for most parents to emotionally accept that when they finally do sleep train, it’s because they recognize the toll that the lack of sleep habits is having on the child and the family as a whole. Who said sleep training was easy? NO ONE! Sleep training is one of the hardest things a parent will have to do. However, in some cases, it is necessary to ensure that their child gains the skills he needs to sleep better which ultimately will help him with growth and development physically, socially and emotionally. Ask most parents who have sleep trained their child and their answer will be “it’s the best thing we ever did!” Both babies and parents are happier, healthier and enjoying each other more every day. You will know you have made the right choice when your baby points to his room at nap time, snuggles into his crib, smiles at you and goes to sleep! Definitely not easy…but worth it! Be Debbie Fazio – Parenting & Sleep Coach Precious Moments Babeez I often envy new moms these days for all the amazing products, services and resources that are available to them and specifically how easy it is to obtain these in our modern technical world.
Imagine, only 13 years ago when my first daughter was born, we were one of the first of our friends who got dial-up internet! But I’m now starting to realize that moms these days are at a bit of a disadvantage because of this modern technology and by how quickly information, advice and comments can be spread around the world. A message that used to take years to get across, now takes hours! Results from scientific studies done on every topic from swaddling and breastfeeding to co-sleeping and sleep training are published on a regular basis and through the power of the world-wide-web, moms are bombarded with these studies and the horrific effects it has or doesn’t have on their babies: “swaddle your baby, it helps them sleep better” "don’t swaddle your baby, its leads to SIDS” “co-sleep with your baby, it gives him security” “don’t co-sleep with your baby, it will give him independence" and my personal favorite “don’t sleep train your baby, he will lose trust in you, he will not love you, he will lose brain cells!” It’s no wonder that moms these days are at a higher risk for postpartum depression than ever before. They are bombarded with conflicting information on what to do to offer the best care for their baby and child. Not only are they getting this from family and friends but now from strangers on Facebook, Twitter, the media, books and even scientists. Over the last 15 years, they have made so many changes as to what is “the best” way to put your baby to sleep, “the best time to start solids, “the best” time to introduce cows milk, “the best” time to move baby into his own crib and so forth. The changes have been made so often, that parents are lost with what is the right thing to do. Parents with children the same age will chat for 20 minutes about their babies and realize that they have been told to do things so differently. It seems that even the professionals are confused! My message here is “STOP THE MADNESS!” Stop listening to and making judgemental and hurtful comments! Stop forcing your beliefs on people! Stop letting people force their beliefs on you! Stop trying to be the perfect parent in the public eye! Be the best parent you can be in your baby’s eyes! You know your baby best! You know your family best! You know you best! I’m not saying parents shouldn’t research and educate themselves about their new baby, but it’s important they take everything they have read and learned with a grain of salt and develop a plan that works for their family! As long as you are parenting from your heart with love, compassion and understanding, you WILL be the best parent and that’s all that matters! Please…Stop the madness! Enjoy you As much as I hate soothers/pacifiers, I did use them for all 3 of my children. Parents are often faced with the dilemma of “To soother or not to soother!” As a professional, this is a question that’s very hard for me to answer because it is such a personal decision. But what I can do is give you some information that may help you to decide whether a pacifier is right for you and your baby. First off, it’s important to understand that babies are born with a very strong, natural urge to suck. This is called the sucking reflex and some babies are born with a greater need to suck then others. Reflexes are involuntary movements or actions stimulated by the brain to help your baby survive. This sucking reflex is not only an instinctual survival reflex that assists with feeding but also helps babies to soothe and calm. Some parents can be confused with sucking as a message of hunger or a message of needing comfort. If you know that your baby is nutritionally satisfied but still seems to have a strong urge to suck, a pacifier may be the solution. Although babies are born with the Babkin Reflex, which instinctually allows him to bring his hand to his mouth, some babies are not as skilled as others to bring his hands close enough to suck on them. Also, to help minimize excessive wakes from the babies startle reflex, many babies are swaddled for the first few months with their hands kept close and tight to their body, which again doesn’t allow your baby to suck on his fingers. Nonetheless, many professionals would prefer parents to offer their baby a pacifier as its use can be much more controlled by parents and it is much easier to wean off of then a finger would be. A pacifier can help your baby to calm, soothe and fall asleep more easily and independently Unfortunately, there are some disadvantages of using pacifiers. If breastfeeding, there can be some nipple confusion. Your baby will need to suck on a pacifier differently then he sucks on a breast. Therefore, if you use the pacifier too often, this could cause some confusion when baby returns back to feed on the breast. Not to mention, that if you are resorting to the pacifier too often, your baby may become very dependent on it and need it more often than you would like him to have it. Lastly, because your baby won’t be able to put the pacifier in his mouth on his own until about 6 months of age, you will be the one putting it into his mouth until then. Regardless the use of a pacifier may not be unavoidable and may help your baby learn to soothe and calm much easier and quicker. However, as one of my biggest philosophies…there’s always a better way! Here are a few tips to help you use the pacifier with your baby but still maintain some sanity! Tip #1 If you are giving your baby a pacifier for the first time, you may have to try a few times and sometimes hold it for him until he learns how to suck and hold on to it. You may also need to try a few different pacifiers to learn which one he likes the best. Tip #2 When offering the pacifier, try to limit how long your baby has the pacifier in his mouth. Once he is asleep, try and remove it from his mouth. If you can believe it, many parents will try to prop the pacifier to keep it in baby’s mouth, however this is not only dangerous but also creating a very bad habit that will be much harder to break. Your baby only needs the pacifier until he is calm, so try and remove it once he seems asleep. Tip #3 If you have given your baby the pacifier 2-3 times and it continues to fall out very quickly, then it is not doing what it should be doing so refrain from continuing to use it, at least for that particular time. I usually give families a 2 x2 rule. If baby drops his pacifier 2 times within 2 minutes, then his fussing is likely in response to something else. You may need to ensure that there is not another issue like hunger, wet diaper or gas. Make sure that you have looked into these issues before attempting to offer the pacifier again. Tip #4 Once your baby is about 4 months, you can start using the “guided approach” with your baby. When offering him the pacifier, use his hands to get the pacifier and put it into his mouth. This will teach him that he can actually do this on his own and although it will take a couple months, he will eventually learn that he can get the pacifier himself. Tip #5 For older babies who can put the pacifier in their mouth on their own, use short pacifier clips to clip a few pacifiers to his bed sheet in the same area every night. This will help him find the pacifiers in the dark when he wants it without having to call out for help to find the lost pacifier. So, all in all, use of a pacifier may be necessary to help your baby self soothe however, try to eliminate the pacifier completely by 12 months age. By 6 months, many parents will make sure that the pacifier is only used for sleep times and then around the 10-12 month mark start to wean from it completely. For a variety of pacifiers and clips delivered right to your door, visit wells.ca Lack of sleep can have a huge impact on both parent and child for not only the present but even for the future.
Sleep issues for children can cause: · Chronic fatigue · Irritable & aggressive behaviour · Growth and Health issues · Development issues · Attention Deficit · Bed wetting · Sleep problems now & in the future · Obesity and emotional difficulties Sleep issues for adults can cause: · Chronic Fatigue · Difficulty concentrating · Difficulty making decisions · Feelings of depression and anxiety · Temper and moodiness · Loss of coordination · Relationship problems · Loss of appetite and increase weight gain · Immune system & Nervous system issues
Babies are born wanting to suck. Some even suck their thumb or
fingers before they are born. This is a natural behaviour that allows them to feed and grow. It is also comforting and helps them settle. The use of a pacifier can help soothe a fussy baby. What are the advantages? · Sucking on a pacifier is better than a thumb or finger because it causes fewer problems with future tooth development. · A parent can control the use of a pacifier but it’s harder to control thumb sucking. When it’s time to stop using a pacifier, you can throw it away. You can’t throw away a thumb! · Also, the latest medical research finds that using a pacifier may decrease the risk of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) or crib death. What are the disadvantages? · Not using a pacifier properly can lead to problems with breastfeeding, teeth (cavities and overbite), and possibly, middle ear infections. · Homemade pacifiers, sweetened pacifiers or pacifiers tied around a baby’s neck are not safe and could lead to injury or death. · If used too much, baby can become dependent on it The Do’s and Don’ts of pacifiers · Try not to start using a pacifier until breastfeeding is fully established. An exception is for premature or sick babies in the hospital. They may use one for comfort. · Always see if the baby is hungry, tired or bored before giving him the pacifier. · Always sterilize the pacifier by putting it in boiling water for 5 min before the first use. Make sure it’s completely cooled down before giving it to the baby. Then, keep it clean by washing it with hot, soapy water. · Always check for cracks or tears before giving a pacifier to the baby. · Never dip the pacifier in sugar or honey. This will damage the teeth. Honey can lead to botulism, which is a type of food poisoning. · Never tie a pacifier around a baby’s neck. This can cause strangulation and death. · Never make your own pacifier out of bottle nipples, caps or other materials. These can cause choking and death. Are you getting enough sleep! Encourage effective sleep habits right from the start and you won’t need to break bad ones down the road!
Step 1 Take advantage of the window of opportunity (W.O.O.) to encourage healthy sleep habits. Initially, when a baby comes into the world, he (or she) keeps his eyes closed tight in order to limit the sights and sounds that threaten to overwhelm him. However, around six to eight weeks of life, a tiny baby comes out of his shell, and begins to enjoy his world. He stares at lights, appreciates his hands, gazes into your eyes, and flashes a heart-melting smile. It’s at this precise moment that your baby's big smart brain is busy forming and filing away memories. This is huge! It means at this precise moment, the sleep habits your infant is exposed to are the ones that will stick. This is the window of opportunity to nudge your little guy towards healthy sleep habits. The true beauty of this method is that a young baby is primitive and sensitive, which means only gentle and loving nudges are needed. Wouldn't you rather peacefully instil effective sleep habits than be forced to break bad habits with strong arm techniques? Step 2Create feel-good bedtimes. When you surround a new baby with womb-like conditions, he’s able to relax, let go, and fall asleep. Here’s how (think wow): · White noise · Oral ease · Wrap White noise: After sleeping in surround sound for nine months, babies crave noise. White noise helps lull a baby to sleep as it inundates the ear with so many tones that the brain simply cant distinguish one sound from another, so it surrenders to its calming nature. They key is to ensure that the sound you are using is as loud as a vacuum or blow dryer. Don't be surprised if your baby prefers it blasting; many do. Oral-ease: Sucking makes babies feel good. In fact, studies show that sucking releases chemicals in the brain that decrease stress, heart rate, blood pressure, and pain. Whether you give your baby a pacifier, finger, or nipple, sucking is your baby's number one calming tool. If you choose a pacifier, offer it after breastfeeding is well-established. Wrap: There’s a reason why swaddling has been around for centuries. It helps a new baby feel at home and this in turn triggers contentment. Step 3 Charm your baby into sleepy contentment. Here’s where you wrap your baby in words and lull him to sleep. After you pop your baby in bed, gently stroke and reassure him until he is calm and then step back to allow him to fall asleep on his own. What if your baby fusses? Stroke his head, pat his tummy, or hold his hand. And if he just cant settle, pick him up and give him a cuddle but, please, please, please, put him back in bed awake, and try again. Let Dad try. Babies associate Mom with milk and this makes it trickier to fall asleep when mom is nearby. Author Unkown |
This is a great place to ask your questions. Anything from prenatal to preschool. From feeding to sleeping...ask away!
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