Formula Feeding: Tips, Tricks and Products

I am finally getting around to second post in my formula feeding series! Hopefully you read the first post if not check it out! http://aboymakes3.blogspot.com/2009/07/formula-feeding-how-it-all-started.html

Pre-made: At the hospital they give you little nipple ready bottles of formula, all you have to do is screw on a nipple...they are great!

Take as many if these simple bottles home with you then you might even want to think about buying more for the first week or two! They are 2 ounces each and perfect for the many many feedings you will be trying to get used to doing at all hours.

They are more expensive but some times you have to think about convenience!


Coupons: Once you know which formula works best for you go online and sign up for their mailing list, give you email address and home address! I get coupons online and in the mail from Similac regularly and they are big savings...like $5.00 off each!







  • Bottles: Buy enough bottles and nipples so that you don't have to wash them but once or twice a day! I like the Playtex bottles with liners. You will also need a dishwasher basket!















To Go: Okay so this may be my best advice! When I get ready to leave the house I make up a bottle with everything but the water. You put the liner in the bottle with the amount of formula your baby is drinking and then put the nipple on with a lid. Then you take a water bottle (I use a bike water bottle) and fill it with your home water. Doing it this way I found is so much easier than using those little formula dispensing containers and much cheaper than using the "to go" products the formula companies make. You can even make it pretty warm/hot water if it will be a while until your baby is due for feeding, then it will be just right and not to chilled when the cutie pie is hungry! This was really important for Jackson because he would get tummy aches if I switched water on him. If you are going away for a couple days you can pick up gallons of distilled water when you get to your destination. Make sure you use distilled not spring if your child is water sensitive like mine!

I would love to hear your tips, tricks and products too...please share!

Ready....set....gone!!

So.. I know I have been neglecting my blog latley but, I hope you will understand......

On Saturday August 15th 2009, at 8 months and 3 days old "The Punkin" (Jackson) went mobile! Life as I know it is officially over....but one look in those big blue eyes and I don't care about anything else!

See for yourself...




Could you resist this face...I can't







When did your kids start crawling....walking..?? I would love to know!


Bye Bye for now!!

Wordless Wedding Wednesday









We Love Weddings! Can ya tell? What's not to love?

Buying a new dress....love shopping
Seeing a couple profess their love for one another
Open Bar
Dancing
Friends
Cake
Babysitter

.......need I say more?



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Unexpected!

Okay so I'm not really a person that likes long drawn out surprises! You know "I got you something but I'm not going to tell you what it is".....that kind of thing. I do however appreciate the unexpected!

So when I received this award I was thrilled!!

Jillian over at http://itallbeganwithamaninablackjeep.blogspot.com/ gave me this "One Lovely Blog Award"! Thank you so much Jillian (don't you just love her name) that was so sweet of you, it is my first blog award! Jillian just had a beautiful little girl if you have never checked out her blog you should!!!

In accepting the award, you are asked to pass the award on to 10 other sites you love. This is going to be hard, I love so many blogs!!

Oh no the fun did not stop there! It's my "birthday month" as my husband teasingly calls it but with the little guy around somehow it just doesn't seem as important for things to be all about me, so I Really did not expect to come home more than a week before my birthday to a New Laptop on the kitchen table! WOW!! I was not at all expecting that, I had hinted that I would REALLY like to have my own laptop but I never thought he would just pop out and get it for me!

The moral to this story is..... be unexpected, do nice things for people for no reason at all! You might be surprised by how much they appreciate it!

Check out these blogs and then please pass the award on!!

Blog Hop- Favorite Recipe 8/17/2009

Welcome Hoppers!

I thought this recipe was appropriate since Fall is right around the corner. My mom made these cookies almost every year for Halloween and they are FANTASTIC..... not low cal but great non the less! I plan on keeping up with the tradition and making them for Jackson...Justin loves them too!

PUMPKIN COOKIES

1 Cup Butter
1 Cup Sugar
1 Cup Pumpkin (canned)
1 Egg
1 Tsp. Vanilla
2 Cups Flour
1 Tsp. Baking Powder
1 Tsp. Baking Soda
1 Tsp. Cinnamon
1/2 Tsp. Salt
1/2 Cup Nuts (optional)

Mix ingredients well (I mix all the dry ingredients in a
separate bowl first then add to other stuff that has been
mixed) and drop by teaspoon on cookie sheet.

Bake 10 to 15 minutes at 375 degrees.

This is KEY!!
**Frost with Butter Cream Icing, recipe on the box of powdered sugar. I add red and yellow food coloring to icing (looks orange and festive).

Can't wait to see all of your recipes!




MckLinky Blog Hop

Not Me Monday


Welcome to Not Me! Monday! This blog carnival was created by MckMama. You can head over to her blog to read what she and everyone else have not been doing this week.

This is what I have not been doing this week.....

Today is definitely not my 29th Birthday...that would make me old! I am certainly not making my husband get a pedicure tonight for my birthday and he absolutely did not agree! That would be weird...but kinda cool.

Jackson did not start crawling this week that would make my life as I know it officially over....uh oh! With his new found bravery he certainly did not fall off the bed and then ummm the couch! In the words the of the great MckMama......."someone should really be watching this kid....where is his mother??"

I definitely did not waist Jackson's 2 hour nap on a horrible movie (do not see Revolutionary Road...its depressing) when I should have done something productive....that would have been very unlike me!

I definitely have everything ready for this weekends family events and I definitely don't need to figure out the following in the next 3 (working) days.... that would be procrastinating and I don't do that EVER!

  • What food to have after Jackson's Baptism for 20 people
  • What to wear for a wedding, a bridal shower and Jackson's Baptism
  • What presents to get for the wedding and the Shower

Last but not least my house is completely Baby proof, I am a first time mom, I am ready for anything and sooooo careful.......definitely!!

Okay please make me feel better and tell me what you have not been doing this week!!

8 Months

Happy 8th month birthday baby boy!! I love you more than words could ever say! My life is so much more wonderful because I get to share it with you and Daddy.


-- Post From My iPhone

Blog Hop- Favorite Photo's


*******WARNING*******

If you just ate lunch or are mad at your hubby for messing up the house or not helping with the kids you might want to skip this post! I am about to be a little mushy and say nice things about my husband! I know I know.....but every once and a while I get these weird butterflies in my stomach when I am around him, we have great conversations and hold hands and stuff. What's that about???

This week's topic on the Blog Hop is Favorite Photo's and I know Jackson is cute, but I thought you might be tired of seeing pics of him ALL of the time.....so i decided to mix it up!

I meet my husband 8 years ago through my Dads wife at a time when I really did not want a serious relationship at all. I was SICK of men, but I thought hey if this guy wants to take me out to dinner at a nice place what the heck......I did not think he was my "type" at all!
When he picked me up he opened the car door....then he proceeded to tell me that he made reservations at 4 different restaurants and I could choose wherever I wanted to go! When we got to dinner he complemented me and then pulled out my chair....I started thinking ummmmmm then we had great conversation on the way home I started thinking who needs a type anyway! Who would have thought that would turn into a great life together.....definitely not me!
So even with the risk of sounding a little mushy I want to show you my handsome husband!
Best Daddy EVER!





Really fun guy to vacation with....














Always up for a PARTY!!










Okay so I got that out of my system.....now I can go back to calling him my 2nd child, teasing him and complaining about what a slob and pain the ass he is!
Can't wait to see all your favorite photo's!




MckLinky Blog Hop

MMMMMMMM Lemon!!!



Sunday

Good Morning!

So as you may know I am not a morning person but this morning I am excited, it's going to be a nice day! Dinner with my dad and fam, but I am excited because we have found a great little Church and today we are starting our goal of attending church regularly!! Also Jackson is being Baptised here in a couple of weeks when my husbands little sister (Aunie) is in town for her bridal shower.

This is our little Methodist Church! Isn't she cute? We love it!!!

Chapel




New Life Center

**Update: Jackson did great at the nursery during church, I was a little nervous since he has only ever been with family when we are gone. But he did fantastic......there was even a little flirting with the older girls!

Hope you had a great Sunday!

God Bless,

Blog Hop - Encouragement 8/4/2009

WELCOME!!

This week's Blog Hop is your favorite quote, spiritual passage, life lesson, saying, PHOTO or encouraging thought.


This is Papa! My maternal Grandfather, he was born in 1912 and he is my inspiration! I started thinking about what inspires me and most of all my family does.

But...... Papa, he was amazing, and I aspire to be half of the person he was!!

  • He lived through the depression and helped his father when the lost their farm and opened a general store.
  • He worked very hard and moved his way up in the Exxon Mobil Company.
  • Raised 2 children
  • Stayed happily married to the same woman for 50+ years.
  • Took care of me and my mom after my parents got divorced. Came over to play with me, taught me so many things.
  • Volunteered- He delivered meals on wheels in his 80's.
  • Donated money to a few great Charities regularly
  • Made friends EVERYWHERE he went!
  • Found beauty and imagination in everything he did. Including things off trash piles!
  • Said goodbye to 2 loves of his life with grace. My grandma and then after she passed and he reconnected with his high school sweetheart and he lost her too!
  • He had a twinkle in his eye and a smile that could light up a room.
  • He made me and my mom feel so special! He was always happy to see us no matter what kind of day he had or how sick he was. He opened doors, pulled out chairs.....just wanted to take care of us.
  • He had the BEST memory! He remembered everything and if he didn't he had it written down or when all else fails he made something up!
  • He could fix anything....with black electrical tape or a hot glue gun.

These are just a few of the reasons that I loved him so much...I could never list them all! There was just something about Papa, everyone who knew him knows what I mean.

Papa passed away last summer just before his 96th birthday in July and Jackson was born in December. I truly believe that god does not close a door without opening a window and I don't think I would have made it through his passing without the excitement of the arrival of my son! It's really funny because I will do a double take every now and then when I look at Jackson because he will make a face or do something that reminds me so much of his great grandpa!

Even though I miss him every day I know that he is watching over me a piece of him will always be with me. Papa made me want to be the best person I can be. But with him it was like he didn't even have to try. I try to remember everyday all those wonderful things he did and the amazing person he was! If I am even just a little bit like him I am so thankful!

Who inspires you? Do you have a special person in your life? I can't wait to read your posts!

Stacy


MckLinky Blog Hop



Date day- were at the movies .......see!




-- Post From My iPhone