FAVORITE FINDS FRIDAY: Mickey Mouse Clubhouse

My husband and I have been back and forth trying to decide if it is best to use Mickey Mouse Clubhouse to help assist in some of my son’s unfavorable, but necessary times of the day.   During the summer when my son’s iron levels were low, I started to use Mickey Mouse Clubhouse during mealtimes to encourage him to eat more food.   My reasoning was that his iron level was far more important than the negative effects of watching television when eating.   However, deep down I worried that I was creating more harm than I knew.

Throughout the summer and into the school year, we continued to watch Mickey Mouse Clubhouse during mealtimes.   However, when he started to zone out during these shows and was not eating at day care, we started to rethink this mealtime tactic. Therefore, we took a brief break from Mickey and focused on meals differently. That soon changed when pneumonia hit us hard…

When my son started to wheeze, it turned into a trip to the emergency room and then doctors’ offices for several hours of breathing treatments.   Then, after he was diagnosed with pneumonia, we had to use the nebulizer several times a day at home.  What 19 month old toddler wants to sit for 10-30 minutes without moving!?!?  Therefore, we turned back to Mickey and the gang for help.

Not only did Mickey Mouse Clubhouse help us through two weeks of breathing treatments, they have also helped us many times with eating.   I know that as TJ grows older we will have more opportunities to eat as a family and I cannot wait for those days.    For right now, as he is now eating well at daycare and at home, we feel like it is quite okay to use Mickey’s help on some days when needed.

Therefore,  this week’s favorite find is Mickey Mouse Clubhouse. Thank you Mickey, Minnie, Donald, Daisy, Goofy, Pluto, and the rest of the gang who have helped us in so many ways while also teaching great lessons.   With that being said, I never thought I would be that parent using the television during mealtimes or to help with something like breathing treatments.   In fact, before my son, I was against it.   Now, I realized it is all about living in the moment and doing whatever works best for your family.   In many ways, being a mother has made me an even more open-minded person than I already was.

With Mickey Mouse Clubhouse on our side, we smile on to an amazing holiday…

Favorite Finds Friday – Sippy Cup/Soy

The following post was my very first “Favorite Finds Friday” about a product that we still love. Check it out and smile on with us this Friday…

“From now on, I plan to post a “Favorite Find” on some Fridays.  Like this week, it may not always directly relate to food allergies and eczema.   However, it will always be something that has helped us a lot with TJ’s restricted diet.

To start, after TJ passed his soy food challenge, I started to wean from breastfeeding after a lot of debating about it.   However, for us, at that time, it was the right decision.   This new soy tolerance gave us two new options: soy milk or a soy-based toddler formula.   Because TJ’s iron levels were slightly low and we were looking for ways to bring them up without using a supplement, we, with the guidance of our pediatrician and a nutritionist, decided that the toddler soy formula would be the best option for TJ.   Therefore, around 13.5 months, TJ started to solely drink Similac Go & Grow Toddler Soy Formula as his “milk” source.

I worried that the transition from nursing/breast milk would be difficult; however, the most difficult challenge proved to be getting TJ to stop drinking from a bottle.  He would drink water from a sippy cup since he was like 8 months old.  However, he would not drink milk/formula from one.  I think I bought close to 20 different sippy cups and nothing worked until a friend from my breastfeeding support group suggested the NUK Blue Turtle Silicone Spout Active Cup below. Check it out:

http://www.nuk-usa.com/cups_and_accessories/turtle-ladybug-active-cup/

Not only does TJ loves this product, it has also helped him use several other different kinds of sippy cups.  Therefore, we continue to smile on…”

 

Favorite Finds Friday: Pouches

Since eating actual vegetables was very short-lived with my son, we are currently so thankful for pouches! While there are many great companies out there, our two favorites right now are Earth’s Best and Gerber.

Some of our favorites include:

See more here:

Earth’s Best Puree Pouches

Gerber – Organic Baby Food Options

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While we still try to give actual vegetables, I find comfort in knowing that my son is getting these nutrients through other products like these.   Therefore, we smile on with veggies and fruits in our bellies…

Favorite Finds Friday: Little People

Since we are still gradually adding new foods and products to TJ’s diet, this week’s favorite find is once again indirectly related to food. Fisher-Price’s Little People figurines are some of my son’s favorites toys at 18.5 months and quite helpful to our routines.

On top of his multiple food allergies and sensitivities to textures, my son is often a picky eater.  While Mickey Mouse Clubhouse continues to help us during parts of mealtimes, we also rely on our friend, Fisher-Price’s Little People. Whether they are taking turns “eating” TJ’s food with him or just being held in my son’s hand, they add great support and distractions during breakfast, lunch or dinner.

In addition to helping with food, I have mentioned before that they also help on our car rides. These little people are amazing! Because TJ keeps one or two in his hands, he very rarely scratches at his eczema anymore as I drive.   Sure they get thrown and cause some drama sometimes; however, their benefits outweigh those other moments.

Here are some of our helpers:

ADDED LINKS TO SOME OF THESE AMAZING LITTLE PEOPLE COLLECTIONS

Little People Spinning Sounds Airport

Little People Big Animal Zoo

Disney Princess Musical Dancing Palace

Little People Magic of Disney – Day at Disney

Little People Fun Sounds Farm

Little People Musical Preschool

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Wishing everyone an amazing Friday as we move on to the weekend with Little People in our hands and smiles on our faces…

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Favorite Finds Friday: Baby & Toddler Food Containers

Since even before we learned of TJ’s multiple food allergies, we made most of his baby food while also using some trusted brands of baby food jars.  Then after learning about his allergies, for several months we made ALL of his baby food.  This was a decision made by us and recommended by his doctors after he was having reactions at times to some of the jars.   Even though we later learned that these reactions were due to his oat, wheat, and barley allergies, we continued to make all of his food for about three months.  During this time, we spent Saturday mornings preparing all of his food for the entire week for both home and day care.   It was time-consuming but definitely what we felt was the right decision for him at the time.

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During those months, freezer/refrigerator space and storage were often a problem.   However, the following product truly worked magic!

http://www.oxo.com/products/baby-toddler/feeding/oxo-tot-12-piece-baby-blocks-set

Source: http://www.oxo.com/

Not only did these containers save our refrigerator because of their ability to be stacked so perfectly, they are easily transferred to and from day care.   While we started to use this product last October 2014, they continue to be a trusted product we still use daily 13 months later. Because of that, we wanted to share as we smile on to the weekend…

Favorite Finds Friday: Similac’s Go & Grow Toddler Soy Formula

I truly believe that breastfeeding my son for 13.5 months was the best option for him.  When he was 7.5 months, we learned of his multiple food allergies after an anaphylactic reaction to a taste of yogurt.  Because TJ had always been gaining nicely and doing wonderfully before this reaction, I felt that I needed to at least try and continue to nurse him until his diet was opened up to more options. Therefore, I continued on a strict elimination diet of everything was allergic to (wheat, oat, barley, rye, coconut, sesame, peanuts, tree nuts, dairy, eggs, soy) for the next six months.  After he passed an oral food challenge to soy in the spring, I decided that it was best for both of us to wean him.   We had two options at that point for a milk source: soy milk or soy toddler formula.

After his blood work came back, we learned his iron levels were slightly low.   Because his diet was so limited and he was not eating many solids, we decided to go the toddler formula route.  Based on an allergist’s and nutritionist’s recommendation we started to use Similac’s Go &Grow Toddler Soy Formula.  

From the start, TJ has always loved this!  Two months after starting, his iron levels were tested again and were in the normal range again.  I believe that this product helped with this.   Therefore, although I am a supporter of breastfeeding when possible, I am an even bigger supporter on doing what is best for you and your family.   No two situations are ever the same; therefore, breast milk and this formula have both been beneficial to my son’s health.

On this Friday, we are thankful for making TJ’s sippy cups something he truly looks forward to so we smile on…

Favorite Finds Friday: Van’s Waffles

Due to my son’s multiple food allergies, finding breakfast foods that he can and WILL eat has been difficult.   However, this week we took a huge step in the right direction.   After trying to give my son allergen-free waffles several times, last weekend he started to eat them!

Therefore, this week’s favorite find is Van’s gluten-free waffles.  We are forever grateful for companies like Van’s that create delicious products for people living with food allergies.

With this new favorite find, we smile on and wish everyone an amazing weekend…

 

 

 

Favorite Finds Friday: Seventh Generation Free & Clear Products

This Friday’s favorite find will not be food related as it has been a tough week with food here due to the flu.   However, we are very thankful for several non-food products from companies like Seventh Generation. According to their website, they state that…

“For more than 25 years we’ve been formulating plant-based products that are safe and that work.”

From our experience with my son’s skin sensitivities, eczema, and allergies finding safe products that work are difficult to come by.   However, for months now we have been using the following Seventh Generation Free and Clear Products with great success.

While everyone is different, Seventh Generation’s hand soap, laundry detergent, and dish liquid have been safe products for my son so I wanted to share. With that being said, we smile on to a must-needed, “free and clear” weekend…

Favorite Finds Friday – Chex Cereal

My favorite find for this week is TJ’s second real cereal, Rice Chex. Like I have posted many times, because of TJ’s multiple food allergies, finding breakfast foods that he can and WILL eat has been the most challenging.  While it continues to be his least favorite meal, Rice Chex has given us another option to offer.

Like usual, before introducing every new food or product, there are steps that we take to try to ensure TJ’s utmost safety. So once again we play detective …

Step 1) We did our own initial research about the ingredients. After reading the label, it appeared that it did not contain anything he was allergic to.

Step 2) Back in May, we checked with both our pediatrician and allergist and asked if it was a safe food for him. Both approved!

Step 3) Spoke to other parents who have kids with multiple food allergies.   Many of their children were able to eat Rice Chex and some of the other gluten-free varieties. Knowing every person is different, like usual, we introduced slowly and cautiously.

Step 4) When my son first turned 13 months, we had him try the cereal.   However, he has always been sensitive to new textures.  After giving him a couple small pieces, he gagged it up.   So we took a break from this, feeling like he wasn’t ready yet.

Over four months later…

Step 5) Since we believed that spitting the Chex up was initially due to a texture sensitivity, we decided to try it again four month later.  So, we introduced slowly, being optimistically cautious. The first day I gave TJ four of the Rice Chex.  Then, watched him.   Then, we continued this introduction for a total of five days.  It was a success!

To conclude, thank you General Mills for your creating  Gluten Free Rice Chex. Because I know God is working within TJ and guiding our steps, we are beyond thankful for this product and continue to smile on…

Favorite Finds Friday – Honest Wipes

Happy Friday! Our favorite find this week may not be food; however, it has helped us drastically with my son’s eczema and skin sensitivities.

Honest wipes have been and continue to be our “go-to wipes” throughout each day.

According to their website, these natural wipes can be used “cheek to cheek” as they are, “made without: alcohol, chlorine, phthalates, formaldehyde, parabens, phenols, quaternary ammonium compounds, SLS, or SLES, lanolin, or unnecessary additives.”

Read more about the Honest company here.

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Whether we in our house or “on the go,” we have multiple uses for these wipes. Some examples include they:

• Assist in hand washing
• Wipe down hands and faces after touching random, possibly contaminated surfaces or objects
• Clean and calm the area where my son may start to develop a hive after his skin is irritated (If it is a skin irritation due to his dermographism, it helps it to fade away.)
• Wipe off  hands and mouth during and after mealtimes
• Travel with my son to daycare
• Help my son blow his nose without irritating it more.  (He actually loves using them to do this.)
• And the list goes on…

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Due to these Honest Wipes’ many everyday uses, they make our lives a little bit cleaner and safer.  Therefore, we needed to share and smile on to a great weekend…