Monday, September 30, 2013

Picture Day!


Last week the kids had picture day at school.  Since it was going to be Tank's first time in front of strangers trying to make him laugh, we decided to take a few at home while they still looked all spiffied up.  Remembering how *WELL* Tink's went her first time, there was no guarantee that we would see something worth buying. We also took some of Tink, especially since she likes to "mean mug" people she doesn't know.


This is her half "Mean Mug", beware of the full one.

Tank is always smiles, at least with us.




Saying "Cheeeeeeese"!

I am done Papi!

Keeping my fingers crossed for good proofs!


Loaded Scrambled Eggs


This is an easy, "work with what you got" type of recipe.  Mix up the veggies with anything you have in your produce drawer of your fridge.  I love scrambled eggs but lately I have been trying to add as many veggies as I can to my meals.  


Ingredients:

1 tbsp butter
1/2 onion, chopped
1/3 red bell pepper, chopped
1 squash, chopped
salt
pepper





Add butter to pan and melt.



Add onions and cook for 3-5 minutes, until soft.


While onions are cooking, beat eggs in separate bowl.  Add salt and pepper.



Add rest of veggies to the pan and cook for 5-7 minutes.



Add egg mixture to pan and immediately mix all together until egg is cooked.



I like to turn off the heat once the eggs begin to take shape and are still wet looking.  The remaining heat from the pan finishes them off a bit more.



We topped the eggs off with a little avocado, homemade pico de gallo, and cilantro.  Add more salt pepper to taste if needed.



Simple and fast.  Plus very filling.  Enjoy!


Wednesday, September 25, 2013

Update - Boy's Sports Room


I have mixed feelings about Tank's room being completed.  I know that it was definitely time to give him his own space but Mommy misses him already.  My little man is getting big and I am just enjoying him so much.

What a fun project this was!  Now that it is complete I love the finished space.  With time we plan to add a rug and few pieces that will just make the room more him.  Check the beginning stages of this room here.



Close up of what's between both windows.




Close up of what's to the right of the door above.








Check out these details that we love.



Repurposed my daughter old bumpers to fit Tank's room.  Check out how here.


This is a Build-A-Bear outfit that was on a teddy at my sister's baby shower.  Thought it would be cool to put it in a shadow box.

As soon as you open the door, this is what you see on the wall.


Sunday, September 22, 2013

Baby Crib Bumper Redo


Crib bumpers... always a topic of discussion.  Yes, we are recommended not to use them but I always felt like my babies felt cozier with them and it made me feel at ease.  The first couple of months both my kids used the breathable ones that had a mesh like fabric all around.  Once they became pros at turning over, sitting, and moving I felt it was ok to put the regular ones on.  Every mommy will know what they feel most comfortable with, use your own discretion.

As we were finishing my son's room today, I realized that I never bought bumper that would match his room.  I sure didn't want to spend $40 plus dollars on a new one now since he is 10 months and before you know he will be in a toddler bed.  I thought maybe I could use my daughter's old ones but hubby said they didn't really match.  That is when I remembered I had some spare fabric I bought on clearance, a little over a yard for $3.  Originally, I wanted to make pillows for his room but just hadn't gotten around to it.  Now, I am in no way an expert at sewing.  Last time I used a sewing machine I was in middle school, a long time ago.  And you will laugh once you see the machine I used, but hey, it got the job done.

This is the view of one side of Tink's old crib bumpers.

I bought this fabric on clearance for under $3.  Here I measured to make sure I had enough for all four pieces.

Made sure I had enough to reach top to bottom.

And the cutting began.

Then I pinned the long seam.


It's ok if you laugh.  I know it looks like a toy but it did the job.  I need to work miracles on this one before my hubby agrees to purchase a REAL one.  I have a tendency of buying things and not using them like I said I would.  


I made sure I left two tiny openings to pull the ties through.

And finally, wiggled the cover over the bumper.  It reminds me of feeding elastic through a pair of pants.

After blind stitching the opened end, this is what I got.  

They will looks great in Tank's new room.  Again, use your own discretion on the use of bumpers.  Here is what they look like in the crib.


Creations - Miami Heat Painted Canvas Shoes


Getting ready to mail these babies out to my nephew tomorrow.  He is a total Miami Heat fan and I hope he likes them.  It was really fun making these.  I will be making a few different pairs to sell and I will post pictures in case anyone is interested.  I can always be reached at happinesscove@gmail.com if there are any inquiries about what I can make.  Here is the link for the shoes I made my daughter.







Thursday, September 19, 2013

Top Baby Items That I Love


It's getting pretty close to Tank's 1st birthday and I don't know where time has gone.  My little chunkers is officially 10 months.  Before I forget, I just wanted to share a few baby items that made my life easier and that I recommend to any soon-to-be mommy whether it's their 1st time and any time after.

Muslin Blankets

These blankets are so versatile and amazing.  Light weight, breathable and soft.  They can be use for many things.  I primarily used it as a nursing cloth and stroller cover.  It is Tank's personal blankie of choice and he does not fall asleep with out hugging one of these.   They are huge, mine are 44 x 44 inches, and are great for swaddling.  Tink was born in the Spring and I don't feel like she was overheating when wrapped and Tank was born in the fall and I can say the same.  They can be pricey but I think they are worth it.  Aden & Anais make a set for Target that at times goes on sale.



NoseFrida

I always felt like it hurt the babies when I had to use a bulb syringe.  And I never felt like I did a good job at extracting all those nasty boogies.  Then I came across the NoseFrida.  Some might think this is gross but I don't.  Don't worry it has a filter and the boogies never make it to filter anyway.  It is does a very good job of extracting and not hurting baby's nose.  My pediatrician has even recommended it.




Safety 1st 360 Ultrasonic Humidifier

I like this one because of the movable 360 spouts.  It's compact and quiet.  A full tank will last about 12 hours.  You can't go wrong with the price either.




Fisher-Price Rock n Play Sleeper

I didn't have this when my daughter was born but I sure wish I had.  She was a terrible sleeper in the bassinet.  I learned my lesson and got one when Tank was born.  Oh how sweet it was to sleep!  The baby lays on an incline and it just feels cozy for them to be in it.  The weight capacity is 25 pounds and some babies use it up until their 1st birthday.  Mine didn't (see pic below).

Just make sure to was the cover periodically to avoid any excess moisture (sweat, leaky diaper, etc) staying on the cover.



This is when I knew he had out grown it!

Stroller Frame

I debated for a while whether to get a travel system the second time around.  My experience with my first child and a travel system was that it was so big and bulky. Once she was out of the infant carseat and could sit up she truly only used it only twice.  We just went straight to an umbrella stroller.  It was less bulky, much lighter and easy to open, not mention cheaper! So between deciding on another travel system or a bulky double stroller, I remembered that stroller frames existed.  They are sooo light weight and simple to open especially when you have two kids with you.  It cost under a $100 and I am still using it. We ending up getting a double stroller anyway but a much lighter umbrella type.



Baby Brezza

I always knew I wanted to make both baby's food and this little machine sure made it easy to do it.  It steams and also blends the food in the same cup.  Less to dirty and less time to be washing up dishes and parts.  When you work full time and then need to make baby some food, it's not a big deal when you have this.  I will post a full review on this soon.



Booginhead SippyGrip

I have used this little strap to secure toys, pacifiers, and cups.  You just strap up the item and go.  It's good to use in restaurants while they sit in the high chair and stroller when you are on the go.  Our poor Sofie the Giraffe gets strapped all the time!




The items mentioned above are not necessary but they sure helped me a ton.  If your budget allows I definitely recommend looking into them.