Ughhh kind of annoyed...

I was just checking my e-mail before I head out to the Anthropologie mega-sale today, and I opened my FitPregnancy "Your baby is 29 weeks" email.  There is a box at the bottom that poses a popular question and then takes you to the forums.

This week's question: If I rock my baby to sleep, will he become dependent on it?


My blood boiled for a minute.  On many of those sites there are Moms, and some "professionals", who warn against the dangers of a "dependent" baby.  Ummm....THEY ARE BABIES!  They are dependent on you for everything!  Why is everyone trying to make their baby so independent at an early age.

Reality check: babies need comforting, babies need skin-to-skin time, babies wake up at night because they are hungry.  For anyone who tells me that whatever age baby wakes up and does not need to eat, I seriously want to pull my hair out!! Maybe they really ARE hungry, the baby is not conspiring against you because he or she wants you to be sleep deprived.  They are waking up for  reason, (sometimes they just need a hand on their chest until they fall back asleep.)  


I am all about everyone having their own approach to parenting, but do any of you feel like we are becoming to self-centered?  That, I will do anything for my child mentality still applies at 2am, when you are tired, have a headache and just want some sleep.

Maybe I just woke up on the wrong side of the bed...comments, thoughts?

Here is something to make you smile....

Hey Everyone!!

I have started a new blog about food!  To check it out, click here!  Follow it if you like!

I really like blogging and I thought I could combine the And Baby Makes Three blog with food, but I want to save this one for my friends and keep it a place where we can share baby advice and "home" stuff.  Decorating, etc!

By the way, here is a picture of Logan.  He is 6 and half months old!!

Examiner.com Article!!

MY FIRST EXAMINER.COM ARTICLE!!!

I have become quite passionate about organic eating lately, as some of you know...especially after having Logan.    I like to steal a quote from Food, Inc., "You can vote, three times a day."  So true!  Our food system, obesity, and resulting health problems will not change unless we demand healthier foods.  Just imagine if we did not eat fast food (or cut back) it would change everything!  If we shop organically the companies will have to change to meet demand!  

Anyway, I would really appreciate it if you read my article.  Even better: if you subscribe to my page you will be notified every time I write one!

Next topic: LOGAN!  He will be five months old next week! 

Fun website!

For all of my Mama friends, I found this awesome website!  You can find it....here!

It is called Zulily.com.  It is like those daily save sites, the items are on sale for 72 hours. They have about five different brands on sale each day!

Many of these brands are organics, which I love!  They are softer and healthier, and many times made in the U.S.A.!!

The greatest thing about the site though it that they have sales on Maternity, Women's, and Nursing items.  Like this tunic....on sale for $26.99

Check it out!!!

5 Things They Don't Tell You About Childbirth!!

Pregnancy and childbirth are amazing, wonderful, miraculous, and life-changing.  Throughout both I had duel emotions at all times.  I was nervous about all of the many possible complications yet, confident in my body's ability.  I was excited for motherhood, but worried about sooo many things that I could not control (blame the hormones!)

Here are five things I never knew about this experience:

1) Every pain, twitch, movement (or lack of) will send you sprinting for Google.  I can't count how many times I looked up, "Is _____ normal at 22 (23) (24) weeks...

2) Nesting really is no joke, I cleaned my baseboards (multiple times) for goodness sakes!!

3) Your husband will amaze you; it must be the scariest thing he will ever go through and he will be calm, cool, and collected. 

4) When IT is happening....TRUST ME...the last thing on your mind is how many people are up close and staring at your lady parts!!  You are in the zone!

5) You will never feel more complete and in love than when they place that little person on your chest...

Logan is 3 months old!!!

I can't believe it!  Logan was three months old this past Sunday; he is growing and changing so fast.  I feel like I am armed with the camera and video camera at all times, trying to catch every first! 

Steven returned on Saturday night, and should be home for a while now (hopefully.)  He was so surprised at how much he had changed in just two weeks!  Last night he was tickling him and Logan let out two HUGE laughs!  He has chuckled before, but these were real laughs! So precious.  I am so glad that Steven got to see that. 

Having children makes you realize the importance of family, in the end they are all you have. 

5 Ways to Save Money on Groceries!

Being a chef has it's ups and downs; I have all of these new dinner ideas in my head, but...I am not made of money and some ingredients are expensive!!  Since we are going to be living on one income shortly, I have been thinking of ways to save money.  Here are five ways to save money on groceries:

1) Buy whole chickens: Roast them off in the oven in the beginning of the week and use the meat for a variety of things, casseroles, enchiladas, etc.  Make stock for the week with the bones!! 

2) At the end of the week gather up all of the veggies that are almost goners and some of the stock you made with chicken bones and make soup!  Add leftover rice or grains from the week, or beans for some protein. 

3) Stay away from pre-cut and packaged items: they are WAY more expensive than buying the whole thing.  Think: Butternut squash cubes; it is so easy to cut a squash in half and roast it yourself at a fraction of the cost.

4) Use those weekly ads: Stock up on non-perishable items when they go on sale.  This requires some menu planning, you do not want to buy something just because.  Think: Pasta sauce (my fav is Muir Glen Organics), canned goods, pasta. 

5) Use your bulk bins: Henry's, Sprouts, and Baron's all have bulk items that are a fraction of the price of their packaged relatives.  Think: Steel Cut Oats, Rice, Lentils, Trail Mix! 

The key to saving money on food is planning, thinking about your weekly menu will help you take advantage of sales and you will be able to use leftovers to create new dishes!

My quest to buy grass-fed beef!

The most inspirational thing I took away from the film Food, Inc. was, "We can vote, three times a day." We choose products every time we go the grocery store and it is basic supply and demand.  If Organic, antibiotic free, grass-fed products are demanded; farmers will respond. 



My goal is to sometime in the next month or so, buy a whole or half of a grass-fed cow.  I feel like by spending a few extra dollars per month, I will be giving my family a healthier future.  I do not want Logan to grow up eating meats that have been tainted with antibiotics and raised in a feed lot.  Cows were supposed to be grazing the fields and eating...GRASS! 

There are some local options in Fallbrook and some even here in Temecula.  There is also a farm called Open Space Meats and they serve all of the local Sprouts markets. 

I encourage everyone to do a little research and learn about the foods we eat everyday, you might be suprised!!

Check back soon to see how everything goes!!!