Here’s How to Dress the Kids For Easter

Posted on March 18, 2018

Bellyitch Rewind

Easter is around the corner. For many families, that also means it’s time to start hunting down that perfect Easter dress or suit. Dressing in Sunday’s best for church service is customary. And even for non-religious families, drive essing up for Easter Egg Hunts or photos with the Easter Bunny at the mall present a good opportunity to have and excuse to buy digs for the kids.

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Girls usually wear headbands, white tights, patent leather Mary Janes and floral dresses with pastel sweater. Easter is also a great time for a little girl to wear her first string of pearls (authentic or faux) and other nice jewelry from Baptism, Christening, Christmas that parents just store away for special occasions.

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And of course, their pretty dresses.

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Boys are outfitted in smart suits with vest jackets.

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Another option to a formal suit is a nice dress shirt in Spring colors, pastels or plaid or another nice print.

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Or, even more casual, a little boy could wear a colorful polo shirt and khaki shorts or plants.

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Our friends and partners at Gymboree are having a 50% off Sale for Spring and Easter dress shopping.

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Check it out HERE!

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20 Saint Patrick’s Day Crafts For the Family

Posted on March 17, 2018

While everyone knows that St. Patrick’s Day is a holiday, it’s unlikely that many know the story behind St. Patrick’s Day.

In a nutshell, a man named Patrick converted a large group of Irish people from Paganism to Christianity and was made a Saint. Now considered the patron saint of Ireland, St. Patrick used the shamrock as the symbol of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. The color green is used because of the rich green hills that are found all over Ireland. You may be wondering how St. Patrick’s Day turned into a day for drinking, and there is a reason for that too. St. Patrick told a bar owner who was cheating his customers by pouring short glasses of liquor that there was a demon in his basement and that the only way to be rid of it was to be generous. After that, St. Patrick said that everyone should celebrate with some of the hard stuff on St. Patrick’s Day. However, the holiday isn’t solely reserved for those of legal drinking age; there are plenty of family-friendly things to do to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day too.

Check out these 20+ blog entries to find craft projects to make with the kids, decorations for your home, recipes to make for your family and other activities to do as well.

Crafts

Make these simple crafts with your kids as part of your celebration of St. Patrick’s Day. This often overlooked holiday can be really entertaining if you make a point to celebrate it just like you would other holidays with special crafts, decorations and food. These five blog posts will share some craft projects you can enjoy with your kids.

Decorations

Up your house’s festivity factor this St. Patrick’s Day by decorating in plenty of green and gold. Some of these decorating ideas are appropriate for younger children, while others are better suited for the older kids. Get together as a family and enjoy some creative time together decorating your home.

Meals

All things green are up for grabs on St. Patrick’s Day. What, you don’t think your kids will be excited about spinach and kale and other green leafy food? No problem! Just make regular food green instead and see what the kids think of it. It doesn’t have to be just for dinner, enjoy these five blogs that have breakfast, lunch and dinner ideas.

Desserts

While green is definitely the star color for St. Patrick’s Day, it isn’t all confined to just that color. After all, you can’t forget about the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow. Make some rainbow inspired desserts instead of just green ones this year. For some inspiration check out these five blog posts.

Activities

What kind of things can you do as a family or with the kids for St. Patrick’s Day? Some cities have St. Patty’s Day parades, so you might see if your city is having one. Or you might decide to have a party for the kids in the neighborhood. Take a look at these five blog articles for some ideas on activities that your kids or your family might enjoy.

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Tips

Saint Patrick’s Day: How to Make a Shamrock Shake

Posted on March 17, 2018

The Shamrock Shake is a favorite seasonal dessert served at McDonald‘s in early winter thru Saint Patrick’s Day (and a few weeks after)

All you need is four ingredients: Vanilla Ice Cream, Peppermint Extract, Half & Half and green food coloring. It would only take 5 minutes top!

Add two heaping scoops of ice cream to a blender, pour in one quarter of a cup of half & half, add 5 drops of peppermint extract and 5-6 drops of green food coloring for the green tint. If you want, you can add one more ingredient: a cherry to garnish on top. Oh yeah, and whipped cream to top.

Voila! PopSugar did a simple video to show you how:

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Tips

The Busy Mom’s Guide to Salads in A Jar (RECIPE LINKS)

Posted on March 14, 2018

I am trying to lose some weight for a photo shoot I have coming up. I already pretty much adopt the Mediterranean Diet lifestyle as I am a vegetarian who eats fish occasionally. I will severely limit the carbs and will rely heavily on eating salads and soups. It can get boring relying on salads for lunch and dinner to get through the day but I think variety will help me keep it interesting and not get too bored.

Naturally, I gravitated to Pinterest and found tons of great boards with salad recipes and that is when I also discovered this wonderful Salads in a mason jar trend like here and here and here and here.

It’s great for busy moms on the go! You pick up some large mason jars with lids, about 5 to 7, enough to last the work week. Then you pre-load and make your salads the night before so in the morning, you just grab your jar and head out to work. Store them in the office fridge or an insulated lunch kit.

For stay-at-home and work-at-home moms like myself, we can just whip them out during the day and don’t have to worry about the stress of deciding what to eat.

I also found a wonderful blog, Everyday Eyecandy that has a marvelous post with everything you need to know about salads in a jar!

Here are the initial tips:

TIPS FOR A SUCCESSFUL SALAD IN A JAR

THE most important thing to remember about a salad in a jar: DRESSING ON THE BOTTOM. You want to make sure that your greens are as far away from your dressing as you can get them. It keeps your greens fresh and crisp.
Jam pack your jars. Not only does it make a good salad, but it keeps everything from moving around. The less air between your layers, the longer your salad will last.
If you are making a side salad( like you are taking a soup and salad or a salad and a sandwich), use the pint-sized mason jars. If you are going to make your salad a full meal, use the quart sized jars.
The longest I’ve ever saved a salad in the jar in the fridge was 8 days. The veggies on the bottom were marinated in the dressing, but they were delicious.
Be sure to add a protein. You want it to last.

There is plenty more recipes and advice! Check out the entire post here! There are also great recipes at the Back to Her Roots blog! Enjoy!

photo: courtesy Brit&Co

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Tips

Your Primer On Keeping Your Newborn Clean

Posted on March 13, 2018

Everybody knows that babies get dirty, however, only parents know the true extent of just how dirty that can get. New parents are in for a wild ride of drool, tears and the occasional diaper explosion. It can get messy and stressful, but those tender moments when your baby looks up at you and smiles make it all worth it. Baby’s bath time is important, yet for the first few months, you aren’t going to need to bathe them every day (until they start getting dirty, it’s recommended that you bathe them only two or three times a week).

However, hygiene is still an important part of their daily routine that you are going to want to instill in them. So, how do you keep your newborn clean between baths?

Regular Diaper Changes

Newborns under a month old should have their diapers changed right around ten times a day – definitely not less than six. They will typically have around three or four bowel movements a day. As they get older this number will change, below is a table detailing estimates of how many times a day you should change your baby and how many diapers a month that equates to:

Age Diaper Changes Per Day # Diapers Per Month

0-1 Month 10-12 320

1-5 Months 8-10 240

5-9 Months 8 240

9-12 Months 8 240

Remember, the above numbers are just an estimate – some babies will require more, some will require less. Diapers also need to be changed as soon as it is noticed that they are soiled. Urine and bacteria can lead to painful rashes that take time to treat.

Trim Their Nails

One of the most dreaded parts of taking care of your newborn is when it comes time to trim their little nails. Just like the rest of them, their nails have been growing since before they were born – so they may need a trim during the first week (and every two or three days of the first three weeks, until the nails harden and stop growing so quickly).

While one of your older relatives might suggest nibbling on them, you may peel them too far back which is, obviously, immensely painful. When clipping, hold your baby’s finger tight and press the the fingertip pad down and away from the nail – and of course, always using special baby clippers or scissors. Snip while following the gentle curve of their fingernail.

Wipe Them Down

No matter whether you’re at home or at the grocery store, you should always be sure to keep some baby wipes handy. You never know when they’re going to spit-up or have some other kind of fluid disaster – so be prepared for everything! It’s also a good idea to keep clean swaddling cloths on you at all times, too. Just like the top sheet on your bed keeps your blankets from becoming dirty, these handy baby sheets can be quickly swapped out for a clean one upon soiling.

When it comes down to it, you want to keep your baby as clean as possible to give them the best possible hygiene for a healthy and happy life!

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Tips

Pi Day: 20 Pie Recipes to Create (LINK)

Posted on March 10, 2018

Pi Day is coming up this week: March 14.

The date 3.14 represents the numerical value of pi, which is the ratio of a circle’s circumference to its diameter and is approximately equal to

3.14159…… The numbers after the decimal never repeat and go on forever!

March 14 is generally recognized as a day worldwide when we geeks recognize and celebrate the mathematical phenomenon that is the unique irrational number: Pi!

Pi has been represented by the Greek letter “π” since the mid-18th century,

Pi day is also a great day to celebrate, make, eat and be all about PIES!

A lot of schools celebrate by encouraging families to bake pies. If yours is or if you are just interested in baking a pie to celebrate, the Kitchn.com has a great list of 20 with recipes to check out HERE!

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Study: Device Addiction Has Kids Unprepared to Hold Pencils in Kindergarten

Posted on March 7, 2018

Children are increasingly finding it hard to hold pens and pencils because of an excessive use of technology, senior paediatric doctors have warned.

An overuse of touchscreen phones and tablets is preventing children’s finger muscles from developing sufficiently to enable them to hold a pencil correctly, they say.

“Children are not coming into school with the hand strength and dexterity they had 10 years ago,” said Sally Payne, the head paediatric occupational therapist at the Heart of England foundation NHS Trust. “Children coming into school are being given a pencil but are increasingly not be able to hold it because they don’t have the fundamental movement skills.

“To be able to grip a pencil and move it, you need strong control of the fine muscles in your fingers. Children need lots of opportunity to develop those skills.”

Payne said the nature of play had changed. “It’s easier to give a child an iPad than encouraging them to do muscle-building play such as building blocks, cutting and sticking, or pulling toys and ropes. Because of this, they’re not developing the underlying foundation skills they need to grip and hold a pencil.”

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Tips

5 Non-Medicinal Alternatives For Debilitating Menstrual Cramps

Posted on March 5, 2018

A fraction of women get menstrual cramps so debilitating that they lose time from work or school.

While over-the-counter remedies like Motrin, Naproxen or Advil may work, sometimes those fall far short of relieving menstrual pain.

Here are five alternative solutions that Dr. Prudence Hall, author of “Radiant Again & Forever”, suggests:

1. Magnesium: Take a magnesium supplement at night. Women who experience the most severe menstrual cramps typically have low levels of magnesium.

2. Bath Time: Take a warm bath with Epsom salts. These also contain magnesium.

3. Sex: Although it may sound counterintuitive, having sex – and orgasms – will definitely help relieve pain due to the hormones released into the body.

4. Oxytocin: Ask your doctor to prescribe oxytocin, a natural hormone (the same one that is released when women nurse). It has the effect of decreasing menstrual cramps and general body aches, while also producing an overall feeling of well-being. What’s not to like about that?

5. Omega 3: Omega 3 can also be very helpful as it helps to relieve inflammation.

Of course, Dr. Hall cautions that extreme pain should never be ignored and advises that all women check with their physicians to eliminate the possibility of such issues as endometriosis, STDs, or uterine fibroids.

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Tips

10 Unique Easter Egg Hunt Ideas You Might Not Have Thought Of

Posted on March 3, 2018

Easter is around the corner. If you are in the hunt for new or different ways to have fun with the kids on Easter weekend, here are 10 unique and innovative ideas compliments of SheKnows:

1. Easter bunny tracks

A full-blown Easter egg hunt guided by the Easter Bunny himself? Surely there could be nothing more adorable. The kids will love waking up on Easter morning to find that the Easter Bunny has left them a personalized note and a few bunny tracks pointing them in the direction of the hidden eggs. These cute printables make setting up the bunny track hunt a breeze.

2. Easter egg garden

For very young children, this is as cute as it comes. If they’re too little to hunt well in the yard, you can make your own Easter egg garden that “grows” plastic eggs instead. Placing candy-filled Easter egg flowers in the grass or sand will make it easy for even the littlest ones to find their treats.

3. Indoor egg hunt

If you live in a part of the country where spring hasn’t sprung yet, all hope is not lost. You can turn a cold or rainy Easter day into an adventure when you tell your kids that they’re going to hunt for all their eggs and Easter trinkets inside the house. To make the indoor egg hunt even more unique, try hiding the eggs in a trail or with clues leading to one giant Easter basket.

4. Golden egg hunt

Little mateys at that pirate-loving age will get a kick out of this specialized Easter egg hunt. When kids know there is “buried treasure” involved — like a one-of-a-kind golden egg left behind by the Easter Bunny — they’re likely to take the hunt a little more seriously. Bonus points for putting some booty (read: money) inside or attached to the golden egg.

5. Letter hunt

Learning can be fun, right? For younger kids who are just learning to spell and read, they’ll enjoy hunting for Easter eggs that each contain a letter to spell out a hidden message. Kids can work together to find the letter-filled eggs and put together the Easter message (“Some bunny loves you,” for example) to earn their Easter prize.

6. Easter egg decoder

This is a great one for a larger group, since kids will need to be broken up into teams. Teams of three or four can hunt to find as many mismatched eggs as they can (where the wrong-colored halves of plastic eggs have been put together). Once the eggs have been found, teams can take apart and reassemble the right-colored halves of the eggs. The first team to “unscramble” their mismatched eggs gets a big, ol’ Easter basket filled with candy.

7. Kid-guided hunt

For any kid who loves to pull a fast one on their parents, they’ll be thrilled to be put in charge of the Easter egg hunt for the day. Ask your kids to hide a basket of candy-filled eggs around the yard and watch as you try your best to find them. Any eggs that aren’t found within a certain time limit — say, 10 minutes — the kids get to keep and eat.

8. Scavenger list

This one’s for elementary school and older kids who are looking for a little challenge: Make over your traditional Easter egg hunt using a scavenger hunt checklist. You can task kids with finding a variety of different objects hidden around the yard (like four blue eggs, six yellow eggs, two chocolate eggs and a chocolate Easter bunny) before time is up.

9. Exercise scavenger hunt

Kids have a lot of energy to burn — we know this much is true. So, if your kiddos have been begging for Easter candy all day long, why not make them work for it? Hide sports-themed Easter eggs that contain an exercise instruction along with a candy treat. Kids will have to do 10 jumping jacks, run a lap around the yard or jog in place before they can move on to the candy in the next egg.

10. Glow-in-the-dark hunt

This one might require a little patience, but it is so worth the wait. If you can get your kids to hold off on their Easter candy extravaganza for most of the day, then the reward will be even sweeter — an Easter egg hunt to find glow-in-the-dark eggs is perfect for older kids looking for a thrill.

11. Easter egg piñata

Or how about you forgo the logistics of an egg hunt altogether and just hit some stuff with a stick? Buying an adorable Easter egg piñata — or making your own — is ideal for smaller kids who may not understand how to hunt for eggs yet, as well as older kids who just want to do something different this year. To make things even more interesting, try your hand at mini piñatas so you can make a special candy-filled creation for each kid (to destroy).

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Why You Wash Newborn Clothes You Get From Your Baby Shower

Posted on March 2, 2018

One of the last nesting chores that moms-to-be have to do before the arrival of baby is the washing and folding of all the baby’s new clothes.

The reason you wash all of the clothes your newborn will wear for the earliest months of her life is that they have very sensitive skin. New clothes sometimes have chemical residue on them from processing, packaging and shipping. Also, different grubby hands man-handle the clothes in stores before you pluck them off the shelves or racks. Babies’ skin could break out easily if any residue or agents aren’t washed out of them before you put the clothes on them.

With all of my kids, I relied on Dreft which is one of several specially formulated gentler detergents.

It has a light scent and was great for preparing all their towels, blankets, bedding and clothing for when they would arrive. Dreft has been a parent staple for years and so has Ivory Snow. I know that since I last gave birth, that there has been several other companies to spring up providing soap just for babies.

After washing, you have to organize and arrange the clothing in the baby’s nursery, wardrobe, drawers and closet. Check out the BabyTalk with Bellyitch video I did years ago, back in 2012, with tips on how to prep our baby’s clothing in the nursery before the baby arrives:

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Tips

1. Easter bunny tracks

2. Easter egg garden

3. Indoor egg hunt

4. Golden egg hunt

5. Letter hunt

6. Easter egg decoder

7. Kid-guided hunt

8. Scavenger list

9. Exercise scavenger hunt

10. Glow-in-the-dark hunt

11. Easter egg piñata