The food pouches you buy at the store can be so expensive especially when you have a very hungry toddler like we do! These pouches can be anywhere from 1 to 3 dollars each! So, it really helps to be able to make our own! We often buy organic fruits or veggies that are frozen to help cut down on costs as well. We also have reusable (BPA Etc. free) pouches that you can put in the dishwasher to clean!
For the pouches above I used two medium sized sweet potatoes, one large pear and one large apple. Steamed them, blended, then used the Infantino Squeeze Station to make the pouches! Easy!
Wow! Can’t believe I made it to part 5!! Well here I go… stuff I’ve realized, learned, was totally surprised by, or needed to reiterate!
62. There’s a new kind of tired in town… it’s called parenthood. Get your coffee. It never… ever… goes away.
63. As a mom, you will hear every tiny sound your baby makes. Your husband, can and will sleep through e.v.e.r.y.t.h.i.n.g. Literally.
64. It no longer matters what time you feel like having an adult beverage. Motherhood can drive you insane some days and sometimes taking the edge off is not a bad idea.
65. I’m pretty sure babies know when you’re about to lose your mind. Because then they finally do whatever you wanted RIGHT before… like nap for longer than 5 minutes or not wake up as much at night!
66. I could stare at my son sleeping forever. And not in a creepy way of course. 😉
67. Baby steps. For. Everything… progress, learning something new, a new skill, training/creating new habits, breaking old habits etc.
68. Two steps forward. One step back. Every time. You make total progress, then they regress a little and test the waters… and repeat. I’m pretty sure that’s close to the definition of insanity.
69. There is no right answer. And it will drive you nuts.
70. Overthinking things will also drive you bananas.
71. Consistency is key. Being consistent is important but things will never, ever be consistent. What does this mean? Stick with your routines, use the same verbiage, support and reassurance. But things are ever-changing with babies.
72. You’re not alone. Even though you may feel so frustrated, lost, sad, exhausted, and defeated… you are not alone.
73. Baby giggles cure all.
74. A break without the baby is never a true break for moms. When you get a free moment you’re trying to play catch up – do laundry, dishes, clean, prepare for the next day, make dinner etc. Moms never seem to get breaks.
75. Do what feels right. You can read 1 million articles and they can tell you a different thing each time, but in the end, you just need to do what’s right for you. If you are doing what is supposed to be right according to 10 other people, but yet are feeling completely exhausted, defeated, and your gut tells you this isn’t what you’re supposed to be doing, then it isn’t what you’re supposed to be doing. There’s no use and having a baby that was unhappy and a mommy that is in tears all the time.
76. The dynamic with your {single, married without kids, married but trying} friends will change. That and even those friendships with those that have kids but have different perspectives and parenting styles will change. It gets messy, folks.
77. When your child becomes mobile it is a blessing and a curse. It’s awesome they can occupy themselves more independently, tire themselves out, and move to what they want to move to. But, they get into everything. Everything. Nothing is safe anymore and you better get baby proofing if this is the case!
78. Dads get the best behavior. Moms get the totally unguarded behavior. What do I mean by this? Babies let their guard down more with mommy. With daddy it’s often fun and play time because if the dad is working, they don’t spend as much time together. Also… the fact that their food source is built into mommy definitely doesn’t help sometimes.
79. Having three dogs and a baby is a blessing and a curse. The dogs are protective and the baby gets used to being around animals… but the dogs can be overly protective and also bark at anything and everything. Oh and the amount of fur everywhere is insane.
80. Almost eight months later you’ll still be losing hair. I swear I’m going to be bald with how much I’m losing.
I think this is a good place to stop for now. 😉Thanks for reading and to be continued…!
More fun stuff I’ve learned, realized etc. in motherhood. 😃
38. Starting solid foods does not mean that your baby will sleep better at night.
39. Being female, and having a boy as your first, there are many things that raise questions. Such as, him exploring his parts!
40. Even when their babies start sleeping through the night or sleeping longer stretches, you still will wake up! Is he breathing? Is the room too hot? Is the room too cold? You will still wake up.
41. Nap training is FAR worse than bedtime sleep training. Especially if you have a baby that doesn’t want to miss out on anything! And has major FOMO!
42. Transitioning to something new is absolutely awful. I’m sure it is relative but in my experience it is not so fun. It is always a difficult task abandoning something that works and guarantees you success…for something totally new and not seeing any results for days if not weeks! It’s rough.
43. You may be tempted to have a glass of wine or a beer at 11am some days.
44. Babies are smart. They understand more than you think.
45. Watching your baby learn how to mimic, talk, roll over is the most awesome thing ever.
46. Seeing your baby’s soft spot pulse is really creepy.
47. Once you start solids, the poop 💩 becomes quite colorful and fragrant.
48. Remind yourself to drink water and eat. Better yet, set a timer on your phone.
49. It’s kind of amazing how much gas babies have.
50. People will keep telling you “It’s going to get better/easier!” But really, it just gets difficult in different ways than before. Not necessarily easier. You have different battles to fight at every stage.
51. You will make the weirdest noises and faces to get your baby to laugh.
52. Going out to eat with a baby that doesn’t like to sit still (stroller, high chair, carrier) is not fun. It’s kind of like a Chinese fire drill. One person eats while the other is walking around with the baby. Then switch. Not worth it. Lesson learned.
53. You’re going to constantly guess what’s going on with your baby… it’s difficult to tell what’s bothering them a lot of the time! Until he or she learns to talk.
54. Borrow baby items before buying – swings, etc. it’s quite possible your baby will hate it and so will you after spending $100+ on it!!
55. Baby snuggles are the best thing ever. They never get old. Snuggle as much as you can while you can!
56. Everyone is losing their shit. You’re not alone.
57. A baby that’s teething while nursing can chomp down on you and it’s bloody awful.
58. Sleep train when you’re ready and when baby is ready. You’ll just know when to do it. We waited until he was 6mos and had his reflux under control and his stomach issues more settled. If we were to do it when he had those issues unresolved, we all would have been miserable.
59. Teething isn’t fun for anyone. We all knew this. I just had to reiterate.
60. I have to say this again… things change CONSTANTLY! And everyone always says once you get something down, babies will switch it up on you! This is true… or just throw you constant curve balls.
61. Looking back at Gavin’s photos… it’s INSANE how much they change in only ONE month. Their looks, personality, sounds, poops…. haha.
I think I’ll leave it at that for now… until next time, thank you for reading! 😉
Hello! Welcome to part two! Now, please remember, that these experiences that I’m sharing are ones that I had and it is never the same for everyone. These are also some things that I was not knowledgeable of beforehand! Or, I did not know the extent of it! I’m writing about this for my own sake, for the memories! Oh and to share and inform the people that didn’t know some of these things about motherhood… like me!
9. Waiting for your milk to come in is slightly nerve-racking. Mine came in on the fourth day after giving birth and waiting those four days were tough! Why? Because you want to make sure your baby gets the nourishment he or she needs and going that many days without milk/food is scary! Many times people supplement with formula during this time however, I decided not to.
10. Getting up every 1-2 hours is excruciating after awhile. Sleep deprivation is in full effect here. I knew this… And I knew it would be tough but this was and is the most drained I’ve ever felt!
11. Hearing your baby cry makes your insides hurt. Literally. It’s gut wrenching. Especially the first month! It killed me to hear him cry. Call me a sucker, but I’m pretty sure it’s a million times worse than nails on a chalkboard.
12. Gavin had jaundice and had to go to the doctor every day for 5-7 days after to get labs drawn. This poor guy had been stuck with a needle on the bottoms of his feet so many times since being born I felt so bad.
13. You feel like a milk factory if you’re breastfeeding. Don’t get me wrong, it truly is a special time to bond and I wouldn’t change it for the world… But yes I feel like a drive through milk factory at times.
14. You’ve never worn sweats or pajamas so much in your life. Especially the first few weeks! Just go with it. Put on whatever is comfortable because there’s no use getting dressed up to nurse every two hours and have spit up on your shoulder.
15. You’re lucky if you shower. No seriously the first 4-6 weeks are brutal. You’re in survival mode and trying to get to know this little being all while trying to stay sane.
16. You eat whatever you can whenever you can. And when you do, you’ll eat like you’ve been starving for the past year.
17. Postpartum baby blues can be tough. I would just start crying for no reason or because of the smallest thing. Stress, no sleep, and trying to figure everything out all at once is totally and completely overwhelming especially if it’s your first. It will pass! And if you need to take medications, that’s okay too! Don’t be hard on yourself because it is a tough time you’re going through and try to be kind to yourself!
18. Cramping happens while breastfeeding. Ok I didn’t know this. But it kind of hurts. It is actually your uterus contracting while your little human is sucking on your boob. Mind blown.
19. If you have a baby with a super sensitive digestive system lik I do, your diet is going to be BLAND. For a foodie, this is hell. I know it’s temporary but I dream of eating anything and everything. No garlic, onions, broccoli, cauliflower, bell peppers, lentils, beans, limited raw veggies, or dairy. I swear you can still eat food – I swear.
20. You will hear…”It gets better!” And “enjoy this time” a zillion times. Yes, it’s a number.
I can’t tell you how many times I’ve heard this over the last few months from well-intentioned, caring individuals, especially during the first few months. Heck, I’ve said it to others. And while the truth is it really does get better, and I truly am trying to enjoy everything…something about those statements have bothered me a bit. It’s kind of like when people tell you that it will be okay. Or telling you to enjoy minor forms of torture. Just kidding. Kind of. It’ll be okay though right?! Ha! I’m not doubting that the end result will turn out okay, but in this current moment, I’m not thinking about that. I’m thinking about when it will get better, how exactly it will get better, what I have to do or not do to make it better, etc. I am also trying to enjoy the moments of smiles and coos as much as possible. I’m trying to think positively about everything but when youre in the middle of a regression or something.. You’re so exhausted that it can be very challenging to take well! So I’ve committed to myself to no longer saying “It gets better!” and “Enjoy this time!” to other newly minted parents. Instead, I’ll put in a word of encouragement or offer my support in some way.
21. You’re going to have to come to terms with yourself and make peace.
I don’t doubt that I need to make peace with myself. I’m still in the process of making peace with lots of things. I’m making peace with the fact that my life is different than it was a short time ago. The days of taking off and doing whatever I want, whenever I want, are no more. I’m making peace with being a mom. It is what it is, and it’s something that I have to do for my family. I’m making peace with the fact that my body may never look the same again. Enough said about that one…!! It’s a process, but I’m making peace with it. You just have to do it or it will keep eating at you!
Part 3 is coming soon..stay tuned and thanks for reading 😘
Anyone who’s ever tried to lose weight in their life can tell you that it’s not easy. Anyone who’s diabetic can also tell you that weight loss is a constant struggle.
Taking insulin is a major component of what prevents us diabetics from losing weight. For type 1 diabetics such as myself, we are provided with a sliding scale that best suits us. However, little does anyone tell you, that your sliding scale varies not only day by day, but hour by hour. What does this mean? For example, if you’re a person who exercises once a day for an hour each day, five days a week, and eats the same foods each meal, then sure – your sliding scale may be the same. But who does that? No one that I know. So what exactly are the variables that create such differences in our sliding scale?
Foods Consumed – The obvious one. Fattier foods such as beef, butter, donuts, cheeses etc. will create a major increase in our blood glucose (BG) levels over a long period of time. This can range anywhere from 8 hours to 24 hours later depending on how fast it is digested. This is also where the glycemic index of foods come in handy. Of course, the amount is also a factor here. Not eating enough could lead to low levels/hypoglycemia.
2. Exercise – the amount of time you exercise as well as the type of exercise. Cardiovascular exercise will decrease your blood sugar more rapidly than strength training. Strength training will immediately increase your blood glucose due to your muscles needing energy for the work they are doing, but then decrease over a longer period of time. Normally if I do any strength training, I will follow this up with 15-20 minutes of cardio to help bring the blood glucose down.
3. Stress – Yes, we all know stress always seems to work against us mentally and physically! When stressed, my blood sugar is 10-15 points higher overall! This makes a huge difference!
4. Hydration – Drinking enough water is so important! If I’m dehydrated, my blood sugar spikes more often, and for longer periods of time. I literally have to set my phone to remind me to drink water sometimes, but it is a must!
5. That ‘Female’ Thing – But of course this wouldn’t help a diabetic’s blood glucose! Hormones never seem to work in our favor. Not only is my body temperature higher, but my blood glucose is at least 10 points higher during this time.
6. Sickness – When sick, my blood sugar can stay high for longer periods of time, especially when I have a fever. It is actually very, very scary when you do everything you can to keep your levels down but don’t see any results.
So as you can see, all of these vary on a daily basis. This would mean that a person could have many different sliding scales in a given day. Often times, if we keep the same sliding scale over a large period of time, and with life factors that are constantly changing, we could very well be taking more or less insulin than needed. By taking more, your body stores this as fat. And fat is not my friend.
It is true, that I may never have a perfect sliding scale to accommodate my lifestyle. However, I have heard of studies about a fake pancreas which would be amazing. Other than that, us diabetics are kind of screwed. There is never such thing as perfect sliding scale, and therefore, we are constantly battling weight loss in some way, shape or form!
Let’s be real here, I constantly wonder how I survived my 20’s. I had that ‘Oh sh!t I’m turning 31 soon’ moment today. Reflecting back on my 20’s and all the craziness that took place, made me realize what I learned during that decade of chaos. I’m not going to get into the details of everything but WOW. I believe that there is SO much change during that time. I have asked a number of people for their input and many of the same kept coming up. Again, this is all relative!
From the early 20’s, you’re in college, or graduating college, or maybe you started working after high school. You think, there is really life after my high school bubble?!? Yes, yes there is and darn it now I have to kind of grow up. Kind of. You live on your own and you learn the tango of living with other people besides your family. Having to actually share your space with other people, divvying up household responsibilities, and being held accountable for bills – yikes. Surviving your 21st birthday and the crazy bar/club scene is a pure miracle. Hopefully it wasn’t based from the movie ‘The Hangover’. Bar tabs, eating out whenever and eating whatever were major parts of your spending habits. Random dates, unhealthy relationships, unruly friends, and living life on the edge was a good portion of your syllabus.
Some of you may have continued to graduate school in the mid-20’s, or kept on working but here you see more of a finesse in living on your own. Your relationships may, or may not have improved. But if it’s any consolation, you sure as heck learned a lot the hard way. OR maybe you played it safe. In any event, there is a lot to be learned during the third decade of your life!
1. Start saving. And leave it be.
Did I do this? Yes, but I kept taking money out for various expenses. So what am I left with? Not too much! If there’s anything that I’ve learned thus far is that there are SO many unexpected items to pay for that you have to dip into your savings for. In my early 20’s there was no way in hell I had a savings account and an emergency savings account. Maybe I wasn’t the most educated about how to best save my money at that point, but at least I got there eventually… In any event, I would say that putting away at least $5 a paycheck to start. I know college students don’t usually have all the time in the world to work, but every little bit counts. I wish someone made me do this back then! Remember, leave it be and do not touch your savings! (Easier said than done).
2. Take care of your body and mind.
Yet another piece of advice that was not drilled at me. And when I have kids, I will drill this into their brains. Seriously. Being diabetic and susceptible to just about anything and everything, it is imperative to start exercising regularly and eating healthy. Most people eat and drink whatever they please, without the worry of gaining weight or any health risks. Plus not to mention the metabolism is a bit more speedy during those years! Ahhhh the good ‘ol days. Burgers and fries with beers, fried yummy-ness, pasta, bread, sugary things from heaven and eating whatever and whenever I wanted… I dream about this, you know? No… I really do dream of this. Everything in moderation is my motto.
3. Spend more time with family.
Family first. This doesn’t take precedence as much as your friends in your early 20’s. Finding yourself, and your place in your social life seem to be more important. I mean, come on, there are SO many fun things to do. Like… your 21st birthday, discovering every bar possible in your area (and other places), going to Vegas, parties, BBQ’s, organized sports, travel, and places to explore with friends. Yes, everyone does at least some of these and your time gets sucked up by it all. Oh and school and work, that happens too. As the years drift by and we find our place outside of the college scene, we start to see our parents and grandparents getting older. What a concept, I know. But this is often difficult to truly see
4. Get a job… please.
If you haven’t gotten a job yet in your lifetime, please drop what you’re doing and go look for one immediately! This is a subject I could probably rant about for quite a long time. I started working when I was 15 years old and pretty much never stopped except while in high school. I worked during the summers, of course, and throughout college. By your 20’s, it would be not only in your best interest, but everyone else’s, for you to get a job. At this point in your life you should be weaning yourself off of your parents’ payroll. Being able to support yourself, and starting to take responsibility for your finances is an incredibly vital aspect of survival in this world.
5. Take every opportunity to travel.
Life gets crazy, and it gets crazy FAST! If there’s one thing that I wish I did when I was in college, it would be to spend time abroad. This is your chance to spend more time than you’ll (probably) ever be able to in the future, in a foreign country. Experience a new culture, meet new people, and explore the world!
6. Do things for you.
It is so easy to get caught up in doing things for other people – friends, family, whomever. This is the time to be adventurous! Not to mention, the time you’ll be the most resilient to anything. Friends may come and go, relationships come and go, but take the time to build YOU!
7. Take risks (to some degree).
Try out a new sport. Join a club. Go on a weekend outdoors trip with the recreation department. Ask questions. Try new foods. Work in an environment you never thought you’d see yourself in. Try out for a team. Take a class because you’re curious. Study abroad. Ditch the car, and ride the bus. Eat by yourself. Live in a town that you’ve never lived in. Take a job out in a new location. Live in a foreign country. This is the time to try new things! Your resources are at your fingertips!
8. Relationships are fun.
This is your time to see what’s out there before settling down. We learn more about what we want and don’t want in a partner, and in ourselves as well. Meet as many people as possible, go on dates, put yourself out there, get to know someone, fall in love, and just have fun. I remember this time as a time when I was not only getting to really know who I was, but a time that I was figuring out what kind of partner I want. It was a total trial period and by no means was it glorious. I had my share of unhealthy relationships, ones that I didn’t see going anywhere or ones that I just didn’t fully connect with. I stayed with people that didn’t treat me right, and/or I didn’t treat them right. Learning about confrontation in an honest, graceful manner was difficult – especially in matters that I had never brought to the table. It is always uncomfortable.
9. Prioritize.
The easiest thing to do is to do is lose track of yourself and your priorities because there is just SO much going on all the time. That BBQ on the beach with your sounds like so much more fun than great aunt Sally’s birthday. And you’ve got to keep up with the styles – besides, the money in my savings account isn’t going anywhere! Bring it back to your purpose and what you want for your future. Are you doing what it takes to reach your goals and setting yourself up for a good future?
Overall, your 20’s are a time of growth. As people say, you ‘find yourself’. I would have to say that it is 100% true. Have fun, take care of your body and mind, explore the world, and learn from everything!
This article will take approximately 3-5 minutes to read.
After my workout this morning, I sit in the sauna to think, meditate, and well… just sweat it out. It feels good! If you haven’t tried it, and you have access to one – do it! Anyway, I started thinking a lot about the evolution of this blog.
I started this blog with the intention of getting the word out about our Diabetes and Colitis management through food. We almost always cook with modifications and finds ways to better suit both of our needs. I mean, after all, we love food. Then, the more I thought about my posts, my thoughts, and what I wanted to really write about, was not JUST about food and recipes, but about the mental, physical, and life changes that need to happen in order to make ourselves healthy according to OUR personal molds. It is not only specific to food or diets, but specifics about exercise (types of exercise, how it affects our health according to each individual, what exercises work the best for our goals, what our intentions are with exercising, what is realistic, etc.), food (choices, capabilities, modifications, portion size, balance of proteins, carbs, veggies/fruits, etc.), and a healthy mind (how we deal with stresses, loss, guilt, motivation, determination, support or lack thereof, love, relationships etc.). I found that I didn’t want to write as much because I felt constricted to our primary topic of food and recipes.
What am I going to do about it?
Change it up! My intentions for this blog are selfish and self-less. I get to be selfish sometimes and in this case, it is an outlet for me. I want to put my experiences, my thoughts, and ideas out there NOT for gratification, but to take the change in knowing that someone else might relate to me in a large or small way. I want to be self-less in the sense that I would like to be able to help anyone that could be in the same boat as me, or have interests in the same topics. I know that diabetes management, colitis management, weight loss, motivation and making changes to your habits and daily life can be extremely challenging. My main topic is still, of course health.
So here I go…
A recent situation has led me to truly change me for the best. People call it a ‘blessing in disguise’. Over the past few weeks I’ve had a lot of time to reflect and dig deep about myself and my purpose. The topic that comes to mind constantly is my health – diabetes, weight management, mental state of being, and my overall comfort level in my own skin. Like most people, their jobs and families consume a large part of one’s life. I know that for me, when times at work become extremely stressful, my level of motivation to work out decreases prrrrretty quickly. So, with work and wedding planning I had hardly any drive to work out. What did that do? That increased my blood sugar levels which increased my hemoglobin A1C level, body fat percentage increased due to lack of exercise which then decreased my energy levels as well. As you can see, it is quite the domino effect! With diabetes, people are more susceptible to pretty much everything! My work situation was the start of an ongoing decrease in health and I can’t tell you how incredibly relieved I am. It feels pretty gosh darn awesome to be healthy again.
So here’s what I’m currently doing. Now, I take spin class or run three days a week, pilates three days a week, and weight/strength training three days a week. I am currently checking my blood sugar levels four times a day to ensure tight control of my levels – which then affects the A1C. My A1C lab test result was provided as of this week and it is 6.8. This is a little high compared to last time. In two and a half months, my goal is 6.0. With the exercise, tight control and motivation, I know I can do it! With the combination of different types of exercise and checking my levels 4-5 times a day, there is no excuse to not reach my goals. Not to mention the increase in exercise has increased my energy levels and I truly feel good in my own skin. I look at the scale and see no fluctuation in numbers, but I know my body is changing and I can feel it.
I know it’s only been a few weeks. I know this is not a total life change. But it’s a step in the right direction! All my life I’ve been in flux. My workout schedule, my eating habits, my comfort level with my weight/body. We all have our moments, but for me, it has been a huge struggle. I’m not entirely sure why to be honest with you. I know it is dependent upon my stress levels which are connected to my energy levels. I also know I love food too much. I’m such a sucker for good food! Otherwise, I’m not sure. Maybe I get bored? Maybe it’s based on my emotions? All good stuff for me to think about! But as of now, I am so happy with where I’m at, how I feel, and the path that I’m on. Now the real challenge is – is to stick with it!
That being said… I am changing the name of the blog. Haven’t found one that I love just yet, but stay tuned… I will be writing more about life experiences in conjunction with my/our health.
Someone posted this and I just had to repost it! Think about it, do you love what you do? Are you someone that is passionate about your job or career? We spend so much of our waking lives at work. So make it something that you love.
Many times, we forget to stop and smell the roses. We become SO caught up in the chaos of our lives that we forget to appreciate who we are, who we are surrounded by, mother nature, and purely life itself. We take for granted our health, our body, mind and soul. Being present and taking life’s lessons as they come is something that I most certainly forget to do. It may sound a bit hippy-ish, but think about it. Take a moment every day to… just breathe. Take one single minute out of your day and think about anything or anyone you’re grateful for. You can call this meditation, you can call this centering yourself, you can call this breathing exercises – call it what you want, but do it for you. People can sense your peace and positivity.
It’s not so bad… try it!
Ok enough hippy ranting.
This is an article in an email I received this morning. Click on the link above called ’60 Things to Be Grateful For’. Check it out.
So I am getting more and more blood test results back. I worry because of the fact that I was doing so well previously, and now, am slightly more at risk. Isn’t it crazy how fast these things can change? It still surprises me every morning. I think about this every day now. It is on my mind, and I am worried. As of now, it seems as if all other tests are coming back normal. Some of these tests include:
These are routine and should be done once every 6 months. Though I am worried, I am appreciative of the fact that I can have these tests done.
From my doctor:
“After reviewing our past visits, I see that one of the main reasons you did not need insulin with meals was that you were working out so much. At the time I saw you, I noted you were exercising (average) 2-3 hours daily.
Diabetes is a very individualized condition and requires individualized treatment plans. In your case, your body was making a normal amount of insulin last time we checked, (August 2013), and the problem was insulin resistance, meaning the insulin was not working well.
Exercise is the best medicine for this condition, and exercise coupled with metformin usually works very well to decrease insulin resistance.”
I am determined to not have to take more medicine if I can help it. There is no other option. I need to stay motivated.
Nourishing Zen 