Summer Safety

Chazz's first summer is fast approaching, and I need to be prepared. Summer is going to be a fun time to play together, and I have been doing a lot of summer safety research during naptime! Here are a few things I've learned to keep little one safe:

-Babies under six months of age should be kept out of the direct sunlight.

-Move your baby to the shade or under a tree, umbrella, stroller canopy, or baby tent.

-Dress babies in lightweight clothing that covers the arms and legs, and use brimmed hats. That is the best protection. I love Baby Gap hats!

-Apply sunscreen at least 30 minutes before going outside, and use sunscreen even on cloudy days. It should have an SPF 30 at the least. I like Aveeno Baby Continuous Protection.

-Sunblock and sunscreen are not the same! Sunscreens absorb ultraviolet light so that it doesn't reach your skin, while sunblock blocks them. Sunblock is better and protects from UVA and UVB rays.

-Some sunscreens claim to be sunblock. Don't be fooled! Look for the ingredients titanium dioxide or zinc oxide.

Some with good reviews:
Blue Lizard Australian Suncream SPF 30 Baby
Blue Lizard Australian Suncream SPF 30 Sensitive
Neutrogena Sunblock Lotion Sensitive Skin SPF 30
California Baby Sunblock SPF 30
Aveeno Baby Continuous Protection

-Most products are for 6 months+, but the American Academy of Pediatrics says they are okay to use on younger babies if there is no way to avoid the sun. They recommend:

"For babies younger than six months, use sunblock on small areas of the body such as the face and the backs of the hands if protective clothing and shade are not available. For babies older than six months apply to all areas of the body but be careful around the eyes."

-Babies dehydrate and overheat much easier than adults. If baby is overly sleepy or fussy, it may be time to cool off.

-Try absorbant bath toys soaked in cool water for play!

-Breastfeed or offer formula more often to ensure enough fluids. Some pedi's also recommend water, ask yours. I keep a sippy cup full of cold water for Chazz to sip on.

-Inflatable summer toys can be fun, but don't rely on floatation devices. They are never foolproof and your baby should be supervised at all time. Infants can drown even in shallow water.

I love this inflatable wading pool for babies. The cute little mushroom provides some shade!






Insect Repelent kind if scares me when it comes to putting it on my baby, but it's important to protect them from things like Lime Disease.

-There are a ton of natural repellants that use lemon or citronella oils, or eucalyptus. I love California Baby Natural Bug Blend. It uses citronella, lemongrass, and cedar, and is safe for baby, pets, and the environment. Some don't find them as effective, so using them with a bug net might work for you.

-When using a bug repellant with DEET or picaridin, make sure the concentration is less than 30%.

-Don't use any repellant on babies under 2 months.

-Spray the product on your hands and rub on any exposed skin, that way baby doesn't inhale it or get it in his eyes! If this happens, you should call the poison control center right away.

-I don't like sunblock/repellant combos for the simple fact that sunblock needs reapplied often, and repellant doesn't. That means too much chemicals for your little one!

Whew! There are so many little things involved in a simple walk in the park or trip to the lake. I can't wait for his first summer to start! And I'll be able to relax know he is protected from bugs and sun rays, and enjoy his summer fun. Do you have any summer tips?

Forever & After- How It All Began

Wow, that sure went by fast! Roman and I got married one year ago today!

For our One Year Anniversary, I thought I would tell a little story about how we met.

Once apon a time, I was 17, he was, well... not! The scene starts in the backseat of a mutual friends car. (Don't worry, I swear this is PG!) And I was completely ignoring him. Yep, wouldn't even give him the time of day. I heard he was trouble, and wanted nothing to do with it. {I thought.} Turns out, he was just the trouble I was looking for, I just didn't know it yet.

Fast forward to the very next day. I headed to the public library, and sure enough the only computer open was right next to him... And I am so glad I sat there! I thought he was super cute, and he smelled so good! I ended up asking him to lunch with me when a friend bailed, and we spent the whole meal laughing. And despite looking like trouble, I found he was the sweetest guy ever!

After lunch, we went to the park and sat and talked. And it was an awesome, amazing connection. There were never any of those silent awkward moments or weird pauses. It all just flowed! We flow.

And then we just never stopped hanging out! We spent that summer, always together. Attatched at the hip. Here are some of our favorite pictures from back in the day:

Weren't we just the cutest little rebels! I love the picture of us holding hands. It was only a couple days after we met. The second is in Subway a couple weeks later. {Gosh, I wish I could get that tan again...} The third is us being cute for the camera. Rawr! The last photo was a year after we met. <3

What an amazing summer that was. I had met the love of my life, and didn't know it yet! It was perfect, young love that grew into that forever and after kind of love.

Here is a screenshot of a myspace message (yes, myspace) that I found from him. Notice the date!



It has been four years since that beautiful summer. Since then, we have tied the knot and started a family, but we're still the two teens in love, who just never stopped holding hands!

And they lived happily ever after!

Where Did May Go??

It's a busy week in the Forever&After house, with birthdays {particularly Roman's} anniversaries {ours! teeheehee!!}, and this year, a friend's wedding! So of course, there has been no time to blog! Here is the quick rundown:

Yesterday, one of my very good friends got married. Good, as in going into the sixth grade, and coming out together alive, good. I'm honored that I was a bridesmaid, and got to stand by her for one of the biggest days of her life! It was a beautiful ceremony (I only teared up a couple times!) and the reception was a blast! Chazz even came and was amazing for his daddy all day! Of course, once the reception started, he flirted his way around.

We also got into a house that we liked. It wasn't our first pick, but it is still a great place. It's a little out of town, with a nice fenced yard for the mutts, and a creek along the back. We're waiting for the new carpet and appliances, and then we get to move in.

Buh-Bye lil old apartment!

Roman's 23rd birthday is on Monday, and I'm still thinking of what to do! Maybe a picnic?

And the greatest part of May??
Tomorrow is our 1 Year Anniversary! It has gone by pretty dang fast, and it's still somewhat of a shock to us both. We have a babysitter lined up, so it's out on the town for a little fun!
In celebration, tomorrows post is going to be epic. And a little embarassing... I'm writing our love story, complete with pictures of us circa 17yrs old. Epic I tell ya!

But that's all I can say until tommorow's post!! And thanks for all of the comment/vote lovins, I promise I'll get back after all of this madness is over!

Plum Organics Baby Food Review and Giveaway- Ends May 31

Freezer running low on homemade baby food? Or maybe between working and being a wife and mom, you just don't have the time to make it? Well, don't stress it, because EcoMom.com is bridging the gap between eco-friendly baby products and your front door.

I recieved a few samples of Plum Organics baby food to try with Chazz, and I couldn't be more pleased. They have multiple blends and stages, from new eaters to toddler-friendly Revolution Foods. And the best part is you don't have to stress about what's going in your little one's tummy!

There is a good variety of flavors! Chazz and I recieved Plum Organics Baby in
-Pear Mango
-Sweet Potato, Corn, and Apple
-Spinach, Peas, and Pear
And Plum Organics Tots in
-Peach Mish Mash
-Strawberry Mish Mash

What I Think:
The first one I tried (yes, me!) was the Pear-Mango blend. It was smooth for my beginning eater, and it actually tasted like pear and mango, no funky after taste. Looking at the ingrediants is comforting. Organic pears. Organic mango. That's it! No fillers, no toxins, and not one thing I can't pronounce.
It comes in an BPA-free pouch with a twist off lid. Let me tell ya a secret. I squeezed it right out of the pouch, onto a spoon, and right into my Little Man's mouth. No mess. No waste. And only a spoon to wash!

What Chazz Thinks:
I knew he loved pears, but this blend takes the cake. He had those deep belly laughs after every bite!







And later, the refridgerated pouch made a great teether!













How To Win:
EcoMom wants to give one winner $20 in Plum Organics and/or Revolution Foods! That's a great start for your growing little one.

EcoMom is also offering everyone 15% off your first order with promo code SBBL211. The code is good now through May 31, 2010 so go check them out!
While your there, sign up for EcoPass. It allows you to purchase a $99 annual membership that provides a 15% discount off of EVERY ORDER and free shipping.

Ok, now for how you can win! It's pretty easy!

*-Mandatory- Leave a comment answering this question:
Do you taste your little one's baby food? If so, what is the best and worst so far?

That's it! Of course, if you want to snag some extra entries, here they are!

*Follow Forever&After with Google Friend Connect
*Vote for my blog on Picket Fence Blogs [One vote per day]
*Follow EcoMom on Twitter @EcoMomCEO
*Fan EcoMom on Facebook
*Subscribe to EcoMom's newsletter

Leave a seperate comment for each entry, with your email address in at least one comment so I can contact you when you win. At some point on MAY 31st, I will select a winner using random.org I will send you an email to notify you if you have won and you will have 48 hours to get back to me before I will draw another winner.

Good luck!



Disclosure: While I did recieve product, I was not compensated in any way by EcoMom for posting this review and giveaway. All opinions about EcoMom and their products are strictly my own and were not influenced by them in any way.

Wordless-less Wednesday

My Wordless Wednesday posts have never been wordless! So here you have it, Wordless-less Wednesday!

Little Man is enjoying being able to hold himself up on things. Everything! I have to be careful when picking him up, because he has been grabbing onto any and everything he can! I snapped this quick picture at a family get together last week, pardon the bad lighting!

What A Day

Today is a good day, but can I just rant for a second here?? I normally try to take everything in stride, but this morning is just not my morning!

To start, my poor Little Man rolled right off of the bed in the middle of the night. (Yes, I'm back to bed sharing!) I can't believe it. I don't even know how it happened, but I swear my maternal instincts woke me up before he even hit the floor. And he was in my arms and nursing before he had a chance to cry.
On top of the midnight mommy fail, Chazz had a very important eye appt at 8:30 this morning. I woke up at 8:28. {oh sure chazz, you choose today of all days to not wake up at the buttcrack of dawn!} But I managed to get us all together, out the door, and to the appt in 20 minutes. Whew!

Ok, vent over, on to the good stuff!

The appt went well! It was a follow up to the original ONH diagnosis, and we discussed the MRI and his progress. Chazz is tracking a lot better with his eyes. He does seem to have periferal vision in his left eye, which is a relief! The MRI showed that he does have a smaller pituitary gland, so we are keeping close tabs on his growth. Since getting a 6 month old to cooperate for an eye exam is next to impossible, we won't know be tackling that until his next eye appt at 1 year old. At that point, we will know how well he can see, if glasses could help, and a little more about how it will or will not effect how he learns.

I am suprised at how well I handled the appt. No tears, I remembered all of my questions, and it offered a lot of closure for me. He doesn't have the brain deformities that are often hand in hand with ONH. It's like a huge weight has been lifted, and there is somewhere to go from here. I'm just thankful to have my happy, healthy, handsome boy!

Home Sweet Home

Renting is the pits. I really can't wait to own our own home. *sigh*
Soon enough, soon enough.

I dont like moving. Well, moving isn't so much as bad as packing. Wrapping up everything, packing it tight, labeling, losing stuff in the meantime. It's tedious! However, I don't mind unpacking because you can put everything exactly how you want it. I'm OCD like that!

But anyway, Roman and I have decided to move out of our current house for a couple different reasons.
-Way. Too. Small. I always feel like I'm going crazy!
-No yard. (And I want a garden!)
-No yard! And we have two lovely mutts that need more of it!
-Just 'cause. We do that a lot.

Oh yeah, and did I mention it was too small? So the last couple days we have been on the look out for some rentable houses. We have our heart set on one that has some amazing architecture and cute vintage flair. There is room for a little garden, a big yard for the mutts, and a garage for Roman to work on cars. Chazz would have lots of crawling room!

I'm crossing my fingers on this one, and hopefully we will know by tommorow evening. This could be a new begining for all of us...:)