MostlyMommies - Early Childhood resources

Great 10 year old birthday gift!

2013-04-07T09:25:00.000-07:00

I was worried this year! We are all teched up and out so what am I going to give my 10-turning-11 year old?

Phew!

She actually asked for what she wanted this year!

Heelys. I bought a pair for my now 13 year old when she was 9. Loved them, and I loved the idea!

Aren't they gorgeous? And you can take the wheel out and make them into regular skate shoes!

Best part is they make them in adult sizes too! And for preschoolers...

Of course, I have to get all the safety gear as well. But all in all, not expensive for a birthday gift and she will be getting outdoors and off the devices! ;-)

ToonGoggles App Videos for kids

2013-03-28T09:56:00.003-07:00

The kids' app available that is getting the most play around here right now is ToonGoggles. It's similar to Netflix but with only kids shows!
We dove in, my 11 month old, my 10 year old and I and tried an episode of Gloria's House. What can I say, the description spoke to me!

The free access is limited to three episodes of each show but once you're hooked on one show, monthly access is very reasonable!
Download the iOS (iPod, iPhone, iPad) version here.

Download the Android version here.

Or if you want to see a demo before you download it click here. But since the basic version is free, just give it a try! My kids like it, I bet yours will too.
Mostly Mommy

Updated games page with a free online Word Matching game

2013-03-03T18:36:00.000-08:00

I found a new game site!

It's called Cookie and it's just so appealing right now. Maybe it's that it's Mommy's favorite color - who knows.

There are so many printables, I find myself hoping Baby hasn't *actually* messed it up with his new found ability to access the wall of technology. I also checked out a game or two and found this cute Word Matching game.

Of course, as always, you should head over to MostlyMommies' games page and check out all the cool free games for toddlers, preschoolers and kids.

Shrinky Dink style DIY Shrinking plastic fun! Free!

2013-02-04T10:40:00.001-08:00

I don't know what the rules are but I suppose it's only fair to say Shrinky Dinks exist as an item you can buy.
Now that I've said that, it's possible to make them for free - better than free, you use stuff from your recycling bin! I know I used and recommend using #6 plastic. I've seen other sites stating you can use other numbers but you probably have enough #6 (which works spectacularly!) to achieve what you want.
This is not a toddler craft! It's best for 8 years and up, I'd say. But with proper parental supervision, it's your call. If the child is not using the oven, the permanent markers are your biggest concern. And if your child mouths things still, this is for later in crafts-years.
I used the tops from two store-bought sushi lunches.

These have the little #6 ... I'm going to try with a white plastic #6 single yogurt container and let you know later.
Draw what you'd like on there with a Sharpie. Great idea is to trace an outline from a picture. You can colour in the outline with other permanent colour markers.

If you want a pendant, punch the hole in there before you out it in the oven.
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
I did everything on a baking sheet with a piece of parchment paper on it - just in case.
Here is another amazing fact: it's free AND fast!
The largest ones we made took 1:45 (one minute and forty-five seconds). The smallest were 1:00 (one minute).
So, once your oven is the right temperature, open it up and slide in the baking sheet with your plastic shrinking pieces on it. Watch with the oven door closed - or if you have to (like me) take pictures, open it up a crack.
You'll be able to see that they're done but first you'll probably have that moment of "oh my god, what's happening in there?" as they curl up. Don't freak out! They curl up and then they lay flat - smaller and thicker! Then take them out.
*I actually remembered to get a measuring tape out for some of the pictures so you can get a good idea of the shrinkage factor.
Look at the pictures below for proof and for fun! Then go make yourself something unique and cool! Post your comments or pictures, I'd love to hear what you did with the idea.

Curled up and flattened out! It's like exercise for plastic!

by Mostly Mommy

Rainbow cake! A special birthday cake for a wonderful daughter.

2013-01-18T11:23:00.001-08:00

Check out this birthday cake I made!
I did originally see this idea on Pinterest but much to my surprise when I went to make it ... It was only pictures, no recipe. And I saw cola in the picture - does anyone know if you can use cola in a cake recipe? I don't. Hahaha ... Here is the original Pinterest post so that the original idea creator gets credit.

Since I had no recipe to work with, I just followed Betty's instructions. You know... Betty Crocker? Lol! Are those not the cutest measuring cups?
I used a white cake mix and after making the batter according to the instructions, I separated it into 6 bowls. I know the rainbow is 7 but I couldn't futz around with the difference between indigo and violet - purple people, it's a colour! :)

Once it was separated, I coloured each bowl of batter with food colouring. Mmmmmm. Funny, last night my daughter told me the way to remember the order of the rainbow - "Roy G Biv" red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo and violet". Phew. Keep in mind I melded the indigo and violet... So the four basic food colourings were fine and I mixed yellow and red to make orange and red and blue to make purple.

Don't those bowls of batter look amazing?
After the colours are ready, take a spoon and put an equal amount into each cake pan. I didn't have the two round cake pans so I used three heart shaped ones. It was two large spoon scoops per pan in my case. So, two scoops of red into each pan... Then on top of that, two scoops of orange, then on top of that two yellow spoonfuls... It starts to spread out.

After I had emptied each bowl into the pans in their order, I tapped the pans to flatten the batter.

Since I used three pans I kept them in a little less time, monitoring it as I went - somewhere between the 18 minutes for cupcakes and the 25 minutes for two cake pans. And voila! Cool for ten minutes and then pop them out to cool completely before icing.

I have this awesome cake leveller that I saw at the dollar store. My husband loves kitchen gadgets and has always made cakes so I bought it. Today I will use it! Hahaha. The original recipe called for white icing but my daughter is a chocolate fan so... Chocolate icing it is! I will post the picture with icing after but I just couldn't wait to share this with you!

Alright it is now the morning after the birthday celebration and I can post some "finished product" pictures so you can see exactly how fabulous this turned out!
I think next time I will try two or three colours and do stripes because the rainbow effect was a little lost in the three layers. But I will definitely be doing this for future cakes of all sorts - school bake sales lookout!!

Yes, it's a cheese knife but this way I don't need to remind everyone to smile for the camera! ;)

Love the colours!

Wish I could get a picture of

2012-12-18T08:32:00.001-08:00

My husband and a mover-guy are in the balcony, lowering our sofa down to the ground from the second floor. It's the first snow storm of the year and everything is covered in snow! Not to mention, our flat (apartment) is the second floor of a heritage house here and the floors are slanty ... Seriously slanty. Anything round, including the wheels on our son's high chair, will roll to the middle of the house. (Unfortunately, "anything" also includes cat vomit ... Ewww)
So it's very dicey right now, with two men and a large leather couch that came in by the balcony but during less inclement weather, on a balcony seemingly designed to dump you off into the street. I'm just trying to stay out of the way and entertain the baby ... I want to be involved but there's barely enough room for one person, never mind three!
Tag me #sittingonmyhands
But - here is a picture I took from our window this morning, showing what we woke up to, having decided today was packing the Uhaul day and tomorrow is the drive out of town day.

Mostly Mommy

Quiche glorious quiche

2012-12-07T15:15:00.001-08:00

I absolutely love making quiche again!
I went off it for years and forgot pretty much everything since my kids are often fussy eaters or at the very least, they don't like the same things. Really though, once it came back to me, I realized how flexible they can be. The one in the picture below has cauliflower, mozzarella and ripped up pepperoni slices. Really, anything goes and because of the secret I'm about to share with you, it's a great weeknight meal. It's also great if you make several on Sunday and heat them up for a few night's meals.

The crust is the big secret. This is a delicious, flaky crust and it whips up in no time at all with ingredients most of us have on hand.
Ingredients:
2 cups flour
1 tsp salt
1/2 cup olive oil
1/2 cup COLD water (I put ice cubes in during the whisking stage)
Mix flour and salt in a bowl
Separately whisk ice cold water with olive oil - you'll see it thicken and this is good! Pour into the flour and mix with a fork until it becomes a ball of dough. Press into your quiche pan. tada! Put it in the fridge until you use it.

As I said, the quiche pictured has cauliflower (tastes amazing in quiche!), pepperoni pieces and mozzarella. I steamed the cauliflower and after it cooled a bit, I put the cauliflower and cheese into the quiche shell in the pie pan. The custard (that's what they called the egg mixture that I pour in to bind everything together) is one that I took away from the Swiss cheese and mushroom quiche recipe from the Moosewood cookbook.
Three or four eggs, depending on your quiche pan size and fullness. I use four but I don't end up using it all so ... you'll figure out what works for you.
4 eggs
1/4 cup of milk
3 tbsp flour
1 tsp mustard powder
Pepper and salt

These are fly by the seat of my pants directions but I haven't had a quiche fail yet.

Let me know how these instructions work for you and I will post improvements to the recipe and/or instructions.

When the snow starts to fall

2012-12-02T16:57:00.001-08:00

Well, that's a crazy-making lead in!
First of all, there should be a mountain of snow outside the door of my current residence here in Montreal, Canada, and there is none. There's been a light snowfall but it was washed away by rain - which is normal for where I've been for the winters of the last 15 years, British Columbia.

Secondly, I am so relieved that the snow is behind schedule as we are about to drive, with our worldly belongings, across the country - Montreal to Vancouver.
Although we have a total of six kids in our blended family, only our youngest, 7 month old DS, will be in the vehicle with my DH and me.
Thank goodness! The car battery couldn't charge ALL of our devices for that long!
We have a wonderful vehicle for the trip and we are planning to rent a Uhaul as well. Unfortunately, when I asked them if their vehicles have winter tires, the response was a rather flippant "it's hard to put them on and take them off but feel free to buy some yourself". Seriously. If that is an indication of future customer service, I'm looking at alternatives. Anyone have any ideas?
We will be tweeting and blogging merrily across the country "when the snow starts to fall"! Won't you join us?
Mostly Mommy

My holiday wish

2012-12-01T20:20:00.001-08:00

For the holiday season of 2012, my wish is for my whole family to be together.

We have one of these modern "blended" families. It's been a struggle for all of us (this story goes well beyond a seasonal wish) because we are geographically separated. Not just a short drive either. Three of the kids are about 5000 miles away - and one of them has been temporally separated from us in such a painful rendering, I don't touch on that spot.

Between my husband and I, we have six children, with 5 parents. I'm so grateful for the time we spend together but it's been piecemeal so...

In my holiday wish, we are all in the same place at the same time, enjoying the emotional wealth that our big family affords.

Is Santa/the universe listening? I think he/it is.

Towards that end, the MostlyMommies family is about to embark on a cross-country journey. Join us! And please - seriously - keep an eye on us as we drive because it's winter and ... well, it's cold, snowy and just a little scary!!!

Mostly Mommy

Food my kid will like! Shepherds Pie with a Christmas twist

2012-11-30T09:04:00.001-08:00

Wow! That's what I'll say about this meal.
Then I will say - ALL of the kids and adults at the table ate until we could eat no more.
THEN I will say I got them to eat peas, broccoli, corn, potatoes, beef, pork and turkey. All of that, all of them.
And hopefully none of them read this and find out. ;) Our secret.
Ingredients:
Ground meats - take your pick, I used all of them. A package of the meatloaf ground meats and then a package of ground turkey.
I made a 9 x 13 inch baking dish sized meal and used a total of about 2.5 lbs or 1.25 kgs of meat.
Correct me in the comments if I'm wrong about that approximate conversion.
Two cans of niblet corn
Two cans of peas
Two stalks of broccoli - cut off the tops. Save stalks for soup stock maybe? I do.
About 6 med potatoes, skins on
Start by browning the meat mixture. I threw in some Worcestershire sauce while browning it. Mmm... and some Herbamare.
I have a 7 month old so I do things when I can, sporadically throughout the day. 10am - brown meats for tonight's dinner! Hahahah!

After browning it, I put it in the baking dish and into the fridge. Off I go to mash some bananas and play baby sign language games...
Okay. Baby is napping. 2 pm. Boil potatoes and drain them once cooked. I cut them into quarters and boiled them for about 15-20 minutes. Poke 'em with a fork to test!

I didn't want to wait for more water to boil so I drained the water into another pot and threw the broccoli in on boil for about 6-8 minutes. Normally I like broccoli with a bit of crunch but we want to mash it in with the potatoes.

Now toss the broccoli and the two cans of peas (drained) and the potatoes into one pot and mash them up! Add some butter and a little milk as you go along to get the texture you like for your smashy foods! Creamy or chunky mashed potatoes? Yum, yes to both!!!

Oh my goodness, does that not look amazing?
Grab the baking dish with the meat from the fridge and put a layer of corn on top of the meat.

(Those turkey chunks stayed bigger than most ground meat but added such a great texture and flavour!)
Now spread the mashed mixture over top!
I've made the mashed mixture before and it is very popular (Thank you, Jamie Oliver - see here for his original recipe) with my whole family. It spreads jut like the mashed potatoes onto shepherds pie so yay for that! And I always make little peaks that brown off nicely - because it's green and because Christmas is coming - I made the peaks in Christmas tree shapes. Awww...

Here is what it looks like from the side:

Now it goes into the oven set to 375 degrees, about 45 minutes before you plan to be eating. I covered it with foil for the first 25 minutes and then the last 15 minutes without foil, I turned it up to about 425 degrees to crisp the top layer a bit. See?

Yummy! And, as promised lots of green veggies, lots of proteins and no complaints!
Mostly Mommy

Homemade pretzels!

2012-11-23T11:55:00.001-08:00

As always, I started from something on Pinterest. (Click here for original recipe I am, working from.)
I love pretzels. I can't remember the last time I had them. It never occurred to me to make them myself so when I saw this recipe and it looked easy I thought why not? If the kids like them even better but at least I'll probably like them.

The dough was really easy to make. I was surprised when it rose so much so quickly. I have always had yeast-fear... You know, expecting it not to rise. I also remember when my mom let me eat raw dough and it rose in my stomach - that did NOT end well for anyone! 🙊
The dough went from this:

To this:

Here are the ingredients:
1½ cups warm water (like you'd bathe a baby in!)
1 tablespoon brown sugar
2 teaspoons salt
2¼ teaspoons instant yeast
4 ½ cups plain flour
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted (I used salted because its what we have - my husband loves his salt!)
Vegetable oil, for greasing the bowl
Have ready:
egg wash (1 egg yolk beaten with 1 tablespoon water)
So the dough is ready to go and now the water with baking soda is boiling. Here you see: 10 cups water and 2/3 cup baking soda in a stock pot.

I found these great pretzel tying instructions - and promptly messed it up and tried again until it just magically came together! I did start with a long piece of dough, about 24" ... The instructions said 60cm long so there, I did the conversion for you! Because I was completely stumped, doing the "okay, there are 2.5 centimetres in an inch" before turning to my phone conversion app. What did we do before these devices? I guess the longer way I was just explaining.
So, I had a two foot long piece of dough, in u shape, laid the bottom of the u on the counter, crossed the two ends - I crossed them twice, I found it held together better that way when I boiled it.
Take the slotted spoon and lower the pretzel shaped dough into the water. Let it boil for about 30 seconds and use the slotted spoon to take it back out again. Put it on the cookie sheet lined with baking paper. I used parchment paper - can someone please tell me if that's not the same thing?
Insert picture I forgot to take here of pretzels, post-boil, pre-bake stage! 😳
Once as many as you're going to make now are boiled and on the baking sheet, dip a pastry brush in your egg wash and coat your pretzels - yum! Now salt those tasties up! Oh yes indeed!!
So, into the oven they go for between 10 and 15 ,inutes, depending on how crispy you like the outside... These were in an oven that was a little on the hot side of the 450 Fahrenheit (230 Celsius) called for and I took them out at ten minutes. THEY ROCKED!!!

Looking at that picture I want to go have more!
Also - do you see that rainbow glow on the right side of the pretzel in the oven? I have a prism in my window and everyday I find a little rainbow somewhere new! Check out MostlyMommies on Instagram to see more of my little rainbows.

Magic dessert with one healthy ingredient

2012-11-14T12:53:00.001-08:00

BANANAS!
Okay this does not even count as a recipe since it really only has the one magic ingredient. Anything I add after that is just the cherry on top... Hmmm, come to think of it, I think I'll try cherry sometime!
It really is as easy as this.

Bananas and the love thereof are on some kind of revolving door in my family. If I don't buy them, I hear "why don't we have any" and then when I do, I end up with a bunch of brown spotted bananas - with an occasional fruit fly for good measure. Now I don't. It isn't quite as simple as throwing them in the freezer for banana bread but the results are easier than making bread! SLICE the bananas and out them into a container in the freezer. That's it. When you have a bunch (hahahahah) or are craving some ice cream-like deliciousness, take out your container of now-frozen banana slices.
Now the fun part.

Into the blender with the slices - depending on how many you have you may want to add them gradually or if you only have two bananas' worth, all at once! They are going to bounce around and make a frightful noise! That's why slices work better. You will have to scrape the sides a couple of times. No shortcuts! The miracle is about to occur in front of your very eyes.
Blammo!

Ice cream.
Did you see it? All of a sudden it becomes this smooth mass of ice cream! For some, that's where it ends and believe me it is delicious as-is.
Here are some ideas for additions:

Peanut butter!!

Mmmmmm

How about chocolate chips - or syrup?
After you're done adding or not, put it back into a container and into the freezer for a couple of hours. Hurray! Healthy ice cream for all. That way you can pair it with something a little more sinful and still not suffer the full effects. Enjoy!

Baby diapering innovation I can't wait to use

2012-11-07T06:54:00.001-08:00

Remember I saw those cool sticker thermometer thingamabobs last week? They're on the way ... but now I've seen this new thing and I am so excited!
I have always (and if you do the math, I've been diapering for ... 8 or 9 years of the last 12 so LOTS of diapering) had trouble with squirmy babies during diaper changes and don't even get me started on the "kicks in the face vs. kicks into a full diaper mess, which is worse" debate! This new, mom-designed SnuggWugg let's you change your baby from pretty much any age at which point they start kicking and rolling over, and not suffer ill consequences.
Not only is that a miracle I am anxious to experience as my DS is 6 months now and really getting into the squirmy stage but the story behind the SnuggWugg is one of the "yay Moms" feel good stories of 2012. Head over and read about the SnuggWugg and it's inventor, Lisa Cash Hanson.

I want a SnuggWugg but I was also motivated to continue being creative and positive! In the long run, that may be even more beneficial!

Mostly Mommy

Gorgeous new swaddling blankets

2012-11-04T08:49:00.001-08:00

I can never seem to have enough swaddling blankets and these lush, rich colors from aden + anais are going to be a welcome addition to my home. I love muslin fabrics! These colors are just beautiful and I think they are visually stimulating for Arthur.

Baby Gear: aden + anais Swaddling Blankets - Its a Wrap Colorful Swaddling Blankets
from: The Land of Nod
These swaddling blankets also come in bamboo in different patterns.

Baby Gear: aden + anais Grey Swaddle Blankets - Grey Bamboo Swaddling Blankets
from: The Land of Nod
Did swaddling work for you? If not what did? I also wear my baby in a wrap and he nurses and sleeps there while I ... blog! It's the only way to get those moments in!
Mostly Mommy

New tools for parents! Continuous monitoring fever stickers? YES!

2012-10-30T09:53:00.001-07:00

Alright, who invented these and didn't tell me? I mean really, a cute sticker I can leave on to monitor my wriggly baby's fever? Genius. I just wandered across it like that but it makes me wonder "what else am I missing?"
Physio Logic Fever-Bugz Stick-On Fever Indicators - I don't want my son to get sick but I do want to try these so.... ;-)

Activities for autistic children online and offline - UPDATED

2012-10-30T08:08:00.001-07:00

Hi Mommies! (mostly)

I feel bad when I see our visitors return and find no new activities posted! So this morning, I am putting in some time to list for you my favorite activities (both online and offline) and crafts. While they are fun to do with all your wee ones too, these can be especially fun and stimulating for autistic children.

This Sparkly Alphabet Water Bottle craft is fun to do and you will keep coming back to use it. The letters spinning and sparkling in the glittery water are sure to delight.

Here is a list of 10 Gross Motor Activities for Autistic Children from the LovetoKnow Autism site. These will help maintain muscular stimulation and brain-body connection.

Drop me a line with your favorite activity and I will include it in the next update!

Free home safety starter kit - still child proofing after all these years!

2012-10-23T08:54:00.000-07:00

From HomeMade Simple, visit this page for a free starter kit as well as several videos and tutorials on home safety for children. There are First Aid kit lists too and I absolutely have to put together one for the car.
I am amazed child proofing doesn't seem to end at any age!

What's the last thing your wee (or not so wee) one got into?
HomeMade Simple free home safety starter kit

Stop your iPhone from tracking you in iOs 6

2012-10-22T14:23:00.002-07:00

This is a short video tutorial I made showing how to disable the newly re-added tracking feature in iOs 6.
If you've upgraded to iOs 6 on your iDevice or if you have an iPhone 5, you may want to stop your iPhone from transmitting information about your habits to advertisers. Some people don't mind being tracked. I am not one of them.
This step takes less than a minute and keeps a little more of your information private - why give away your information? Maybe someday they'll offer an incentive to give this information out but until then, I will continue to disable these functions as often as possible.
The written steps follow the video below.

If you need more help, add a comment below and I will help if I can.

How to disable the tracking in your iPhone running iOs 6.

Go to Settings.

Go to General. (This caught me by surprise since I was looking under Privacy.)

Go to About. (Again, considering all the other options under General, About seemed like the least obvious place to put this option.)

At the very bottom of the About menu, choose Advertising.

Turn the switch On to limit your iPhone tracking you.

Cradle cap home remedy

2012-10-11T14:49:00.002-07:00

Cradle cap
Or "cradle crap" as we've lovingly renamed it in our house. Bane of bald or peach fuzzed kids like mine because its so immediately visible on the scalp and it just won't go away with bath time. It can though! And without anything harsh so here we go.
You will need:
A shallow bowl with a little (maybe a tablespoon or two? I don't know ... A thin layer on the bottom of your bowl.)
Soft baby brush (they seem to come in every baby kit thing out there - where are all these babies with enough hair to brush?)

Get a little bowl of olive oil. My go-to oil!

Dip your fingertips into the oil and then massage the oil onto your baby's scalp.

I was quite generous because he seemed to really enjoy the massaging too. At this point is when I got my little guy into his bath and brushed the cradle crap out but you can brush before the bath time. Depends on your preference.

Get your soft brush - the really soft, not-good-for-much-else, bristled kind only - and massage the scalp in small circles.
After about 30 seconds to a minute, take a look at the brush. Egads! See that cradle c(r)ap on the bristles?

Give the brush a rinse and repeat over the entire area affected by the yucky stuff. I said until the brush is clean when you look at it but of course, use your own good parenting judgement. If the scalp appears to redden, stop. Try again later and be more gentle with the brush. The oil really, really is the trick since it loosens the cradle cap bond to the skin. The brush is just a little leverage.
Now bathe that baby! Shampoo the scalp gently and rinse away the rest of the oil and cradle cap.
Quite likely, you have a smiley cradle cap free (for a while) baby, ready to be scooped up into a warm baby towel.
Let me know how it works for you below!

Mostly Mommy

Diaper shortage - where can I get the best prices on diapers now?

2012-10-04T08:53:00.001-07:00

There I was, changing a diaper and watching the presidential debate, when I read the tweet that struck fear into my heart like so many mommies around the world - "disposable diaper shortage likely, stockpiling underway".
Stockpiling? Diapers? A diaper shortage crisis??

A fatal explosion at a factory that makes the super-absorbent particles I often find on my son's bum has left the world wondering how to cover their behinds, pun intended. Check out this article at BabyCenter: http://blogs.babycenter.com/mom_stories/100112-worldwide-diaper-shortage-imminent-prices-may-skyrocket/

Sure enough, I checked Walmart where I order my huge box of diapers and it arrives at my door without my being led through aisles of "I didn't know I needed that until I saw it" baby items. Sure enough... The diapers that were $50 earlier this week (!!) are now $65. And there is no way the effect was felt THAT fast so tsk-tsk Walmart for hiking up the price, knowing parents were running for their wallets, screaming "oh my god, what if I have to switch to cloth?!?"

So, I tried my other source of free shipping diapers, at Well.ca. Guess what? $50 still! AND I joined the baby club there so $45!
I liked it so much, I'm giving the MostlyMommies readers this free $10 off $40 coupon code to use on their site. If you enter this coupon code in your cart, you will get $10 off your $40 purchase (buy diapers!) and the kind people at Well.ca will give me $10 off my next $40 purchase too! It's all win-win-win today so here is the coupon code and I really recommend you take advantage before diaper prices change legitimately - they also have great prices on the rest of your family's pharmacy and baby gear needs.

www.well.ca
Coupon code: MostlyMommies

New look going live

2012-10-01T13:47:00.001-07:00

Alright! I went through a couple of growing pains but I think we are ready to get to adding the content now! Tag me #bitingoffmorethanIcanchew

Instagram, Facebook Page, blog - what's next?

2012-09-15T08:05:00.001-07:00

Well, there is the MostlyMommies' Twitter account too. If people decide to follow, I'll add the games and apps links for toddlers there as well. Right now though, I am excited about the addition of an Instagram feed on our homepage, games page and blog. I have set it up to show the hashtag #mostlymommies so that Mommies on Instagram (there are lots of us!) can see their baby and toddler pictures on the MostlyMommies website!
http://mostlymommies.com

How cool is that? You can show your baby their own picture - on the MostlyMommies website! Then find a game you both enjoy or visit the blog for more crafty and fun ideas.

Of course, it will have to be removed or moderated at least if it is abused so let's enjoy it!

Mostly Mommy

Blog style change up! What do you think?

2012-09-13T20:11:00.001-07:00

Okay Mommies! Progress is good and I am updating the MostlyMommies blog. If you've arrived and it's hideous, my apologies - hopefully in the next 39 minutes or it will be less so!

Cardboard stackers! A craft you can actually play with after you're done crafting!

2012-07-30T13:18:00.001-07:00

Okay, any age kid will enjoy making the craft, with different skill levels totally adaptable by mommy! And then ... Drum roll ... Any age kid will enjoy playing with the result! These little stackers can be made in varying sizes and colors. They can be used simply as building blocks (sort of) or, I just imagined some sort of Star Trek-style 3D Tic-Tac-Toe! Use the colors to make that one work or come up with your own game and that'll be part of the fun! Thanks for this great craft post goes to... Meaningful Mama

Meaningful Mama: Day #161 Cardboard Stackers
http://www.meaningfulmama.com/2012/06/day-161-cardboard-stackers.html?m=1

Kids respond to color and choice when they're eating

2012-07-23T12:27:00.001-07:00

I found this great idea for serving toddler snacks in an ice cube tray! Serve colorful toddler-sized snacks in an ice cube tray - it refers to another article I read about how children prefer choice and color at meal time. Kids prefer choices and colors when eating I still love the oatmeal pancakes recipe I posted here a while back but I'm always looking for ways to get the kids to eat healthy!