DIY all the way!

Oh wow.. it has been months since i have ever posted anything on this page!

My bad ---just pure lack of inspiration and lack of time! I've been busy at home and at work.

But my blogging mojo and is now back and hopefully I can add more posts here regularly. 

For now, i'd like share my recent do-it-yourself project. These have been taking a lot of my time.  

My son requested this skeleton costume for this year's Halloween. 

Hippie costume: tied dyed shirt and vest made with felt cloth.

Now, why go DIY? There are a lot of ready-made stuff out there. Why spend so much time and effort doing diy?

Well for one, it is CHEAP! For a penny pinching mama, CHEAP truly is the magic word. With just a few scraps of cloth, i can already make a decent output. I ended up spending just Php 85 for the black shirt for the skeleton costume. Then for the hippe getup which the school required during an event, i just spent Php 20 to dye one old white shirt and Php 40 pesos more for the the smiley and peace sign pins.  That was a no-sew vest made from felt cloth which has been in my possession for year. Is used the same black pants for these two ensemble.

Two, DIY is the ECO-FRIENDLY route. Instead of getting new stuff that might and will end up at the back of your closets, why not look at what you already have and work with that piece you already have with you? The idea is to just work with what you already have, before acquiring more new stuff. That way, we lessen our waste because we use up what's already there.

Lastly, DIY brings out my CREATIVE side.  I love how i get to create unique pieces from the materials i already have on hand! I'm always up for challenges - like when my son requested that skeleton costume. I used pure black ensemble and white cloth (from scraps from an old white thirt) applique.

For any DIY person, Pinterest truly is a gem.  It is overflowing with DIY ideas not just for your child's costume but for other crafts as well.  

Stay tuned for more DIY projects from this page! 

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The 5-step DIY kids apron

It's my son's transition period to his new preschool and they have too many requirements! We had to spend one whole Saturday just to put everything together. Finally the checklist has been sorted out but one more thing is missing - a kiddie apron. They'll be using this during art activities. We looked for it at National Bookstore and in art craft stores but we did not find any that will fit our 3 year old son.

I knew i had to D-I-Y this one, eventually. But it's ok because DIYing is really liberating yet challenging, as it squeezes my creative juices. Plus i'll get to use up the remaining junk i have in storage. ;)

No need to bring out the sewing machine (though i wish i own one), just plain hand stitching will do. I got the idea from this blog.

So here's how i made this cute little apron.

DIY Play dough

How's your child's summer break so far? My son's classes have ended three weeks ago so he's at home the entire day. IT IS a challenge to keep him busy, but i manage to squeeze in a few ways to he keep his hands off the Ipad even just for a few hours.

His most requested activities so far include making volcanoes (you know the reaction when you mix baking soda with vinegar?) and play dough. These keep him busy for a while and i like it because he's able to practice his fine motor skills on a sit down activity.

Let me share how we make our own play dough.  I found several different versions online, but the recipe below seems to be the simplest and i readily had three main ingredients in our pantry.

My DIY Breastfeeding Poncho

I'm a big fan of do-it-yourself stuff. Not only does it save money, it also paves the way for creativity to make unique pieces.

Since it's breastfeeding month, let me share how i made my own nursing cover. I decided to make a poncho type because it requires less sewing.

Recipes for Babies 8 Months and Up

Starting 8 months, i got more adventurous in preparing baby's food. He started taking different types of meat and dairy products like yogurt and cheese. As much as possible, i don't give him infant cereals so he'll be more accustomed to the taste of real foods.

Just a note to breastfeeding moms, make sure your baby get his iron. My baby has recently been hospitalized and with a CBC (complete blood count), the pedia found out that he has low iron levels.  Iron prevents anemia and promotes baby's mental and physical development. Our pedia says low iron levels is common to breastfed babies beyond 6 months, so she recommended giving daily iron supplements.  I'm upping his diet and will prepare foods rich in iron. Good sources of iron are lean meats and fish and iron-fortified cereals.

Chicken, broccoli and carrots

[caption id="attachment_1259" align="aligncenter" width="300"] Carrot, broccoli and chicken. My son loved his mix.[/caption]

Meat,especially lean meat is a good source of protein. Protein is important to babies at this age since they need to build muscles. Choose breast parts, it has less bones in. It's softer too.

For this recipe, boil 1 piece chicken  breast and keep the broth. Drain the chicken and let cool for a while. Once cool enough to touch, shred the chicken into small manageable pieces. Set aside.

Wash and cut one medium sizes carrots into one inch cubes. Wash and slice a medium sized brocolli into small pieces. Reboil the broth then add the veggies. Add in shredded chicken. Simmer until veggies are fork-tender.

Let the mix cool until ready to blend. Put the mix in the blender. Add breast milk if desired. Start blending until desired consistency is a achieved. Below is the finished baby food:

[caption id="attachment_1260" align="aligncenter" width="300"] Store in individual serving amount to lessen waste.[/caption]

Yogurt, banana and pear 

[caption id="attachment_1258" align="aligncenter" width="300"] For this recipe, i used banana, pear and yogurt.[/caption]

Yogurt is good source of calcium and aids in digestion. Yogurt is a good base if you want to give baby a fruit smoothie.  Get a big container of plain yogurt, this can go along with almost all kinds of fruits.  My sons' favorite is banana in yogurt.

This recipe is fairly simple, no need for cooking at all. Just peel and slice fruit into small pieces. In a blender, add about half a cup of yogurt and the sliced fruit of your choice. Blend until smooth.

[caption id="attachment_1261" align="aligncenter" width="300"] You can add minced or chunks of soft ripe fruits like banana to train baby to gnaw or swallow.[/caption]

Here are some more notes in preparing food for your little one.  Here's my other post on feeding older babies.

• Instead of using broth or water, use breast milk to dilute his food. This way, he'll have less aversions with the new food since he can still get a hint of  the milk.


• Avoid adding salt or any artificial taste improvement like bulion cubes or seasoning. Baby's digestive is still developing and it will have a hard time processing these flavoring. Wouldn't it be best if he gets the natural taste of the foods he's been served?


• Choose in-season veggies and fruits to get the best tasting ones. In-season fruits are also cheaper.


• You don't need to buy customized baby food maker. Normal kitchen utensils will do. Make sure to be extra clean about the utensils though. Have a separate chopping board for all his food. Chopping boards usually carry bacteria from the rest of family foods like meats and spices. The blender will be a great help if you need to mix and mash veggies into a smoothie consistency.

Enjoy preparing baby's foods and happy feeding!!!

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Baby Toys for Every Age

Its the "BER" months, the start of Philippine’s very very long Christmas season. At may kasabihan tayo "Ang Pasko ay para sa mga bata." Kaya nga siguro sa gitna ng Christmas rush, damit at laruan ng mga bata ang ma-benta.

If you’re a parent looking for toys for babies  here are some points to consider.

Actually there's really no strict rules on the type of toy for a baby of a certain age. It may depend on what baby can do on a particular age.  As a guide here's Baby Center's guide to babies'e development stages. Newborns may just be contented with rattles and mobile, since they just developing their sight and hearing. You may need to reassess then upgrade toys once he learns to sit or walk.  Napansin ko nga sa baby ko, 9 months na sya,  hinahagis na lang nya ung mga rattle nya, mukhang bored na at gusto na ng  mga toys like stacking cups and books.

NEWBORN TO SIX MONTHS

Mobiles and rattles will definitely be fun to a newborn to probably about 3  months. Since limited pa ang vision at hearing nila. At this stage, baby’s eyesight and hearing are developing. He'll spend hours and hours gazing and listening to crib mobile. They say black, red and white are most appealing to newborns so look for toys in these colors.

[caption id="attachment_1054" align="aligncenter" width="210"] From my baby, this crib mobile is my nephew's apple of the eye.[/caption]

[caption id="attachment_1056" align="aligncenter" width="300"] This black and white panda was P's best friend during his first two months.[/caption]

The rattle will provide exercise for hearing. Watch baby get curious and look for the source of the sound as you shake the rattle from different directions.

When baby learns to hold and grasp, this usually  starts around 2 months,  you might want to give him textured toys like blocks or books. Such will stimulate his sense of touch. Pulô's tita gave him Tiny Love First Book, which is double sided so it's teeming with fun activities. Guide his hands while touching a cloud on the activity book and say "This is soft!".

Another fun activity for babies at this age is looking human faces. You may place an unbreakable mirror in front of him. You'll see that he's starting to stare, may be even coo at the face in front of him.  You can add some learning by teaching him parts of his face.  Point to his nose and say "nose". Maybe he's not old enough to retain this but it's definitely a fun activity for newborns.

SIX MONTHS TO ONE YEAR

Starting around 6 months, babies may start to sit. Mine started sitting (with balance) around 7 months.  His view has now changed from just lying down to being able to sit up. You can offer him shape sorters, building blocks and stacking cups. What to Expect also suggests toys like shape sorter, nesting toys and busy boards around this month. These may develop his hand and eye coordination. Hindi pa kaya ni baby na pagpatung-patungin ang stacking cups nya pero natutuwa sya kapag pinapatumba nya ang tower!

[caption id="attachment_853" align="aligncenter" width="225"] Stackable cups can help improve hand-eye coordination.[/caption]

As early as three months, babies can actually see farther than those away from his straight line of sight, may even be aware of things inside the room. He may now  appreciate stuffed toys.  Just a note, never stock the stuffed toys in the crib with the baby in it. Baby's ventilation may be blocked.

[caption id="attachment_858" align="aligncenter" width="300"] Stuffed toys are versatible. My baby loves this gorilla. He had this when he was 6 months. Until now, Gori is still his friend.[/caption]

By the time he can stand with support, you can give him toy push carts or walkers. They can provide support as he takes his first steps. Just make sure such push toys have skids and are stable, so baby can lean on them safely as he moves forward. Never leave the baby who's just learning to stand and walk alone on a push toy.

A note on baby walkers

There's actually conflicting advices on using baby walkers. Read my post discussing this. My take is as long as you're using it with adult supervision and for a limited period per day, then it's ok.

Do not under estimate to joy babies can get from ordinary objects. Let him touch actual things rather than looking on just pictures or photos. Click here for my post on everyday objects which may work as baby's toys.

Most labels in the toy packaging usually indicate the appropriate aged for the toy.  Read this for more tips on choosing and taking care of the little one's toys.

Ok, have fun with baby!

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Everyday Objects as Baby's Play Things

Stimulating senses is key in baby’s development.  Introducing age-appropriate toys is integral in nourishing his senses. Read this page to check on baby’s developmental stages.

Parents can encourage stimulation by introducing toys. But buying baby toys can drill a hole in our pocket! Believe me, hubby and I often go overboard when we stray in the mall’s baby toy section!  We’ve been tempted to buy a walker worth P3500 but luckily we haven’t given up to the urge. We’re still weighing in on the toy’s pros and cons.

Playing with baby need not be expensive!  There are ordinary things that could be useful tools in stimulating baby’s senses.

Here are of some ordinary objects that work as baby toys:

Baby’s hands

• Baby’s hands are also his first toys. His hands are most attractive to him in the first months as he  just realized that it is part of his body.  Baby’s vision at  1 month is still blurry so he is most attracted to objects near his sight, that includes his hands.


• As early as 1 month our pedia told us to remove baby's mittens. This is so that we can check if baby is able to move his fingers. Being able to do is integral in developing baby's fine motor skills. Just make sure you cut and buff his fingers regularly so he won't scratch his face.


• You are bound to hear “Close open! Close Open!” as your LSS. This is a good way to promote baby’s eye-hand coordination


• At about 6 months, baby learned to play with his hands and feet! At this stage din, kahit anong mahawakan ni baby, isinubo, so make sure to always sanitize baby’s hands and feet.

[caption id="attachment_215" align="aligncenter" width="225"] Favorite past time ni Baby ang paglalaro ng kanyang kamay.[/caption]

 Your hands

• Use his hands to tickle him and stimulate his sense of touch.


• My baby seems to be attracted to anything moving, especially near his eyes. He responds to the funny acrobatics his dad does with his hand. Daddy’s finger plays give baby quite a good laugh.


• Teach baby how to clap, count and point out his body parts.

 Baby’s Face and Your face

• At six months, baby recognizes many faces. He  laughs when you smile at him or when you make ridiculous faces.


• He learns to track persons from across the room. This can be a good time to play "Where's mommy?".  This game teaches him about the non-permanence of things to make both of you deal with separation anxiety better.

Mirror

• I’m surprised to find that baby finds his own face so amusing!Tuwing humaharap sya sa salamin at nakikita ang sarili niya, dahan-dahan pa syang ngumingiti!


• Just make sure you're giving him an unbreakable mirror if you intend to let baby touch it!

Cellular phone and other techie stuff

• The internet is a source anything and everything! My husband downloaded early learning apps on his Itouch.  Baby enjoys "playing these games" like "baby rattles" or "animal sounds". Some apps can be downloaded for free.


• Toy companies like Fisher Price also provides applications like baby games and apps that teach baby colors, animal sounds and numbers!


• Ipads and cellular phone hold tons of dirt  so be sure to always sanitize before letting baby touch them.

TV and Radio

• Expose baby to different sights and sounds.   For sure you've let baby watch Mickey Mouse Clubhouse, Jake and the Neverland Pirates, Bananas and Pajamas... the list goes on...


• Expose his ears to different voices and music on the radio.

Posters   

• As early as 5 months baby can distinguish bold colors so choose brightly colored posters. Baby will surely spend hours and hours just staring.


• Colorful posters ang kadalasang tinititigan ni Baby pagkagasing.  We bought number and shapes posters from National bookstore for about P50 each.

[caption id="attachment_214" align="aligncenter" width="300"] Tinadtad ni Daddy ng posters showing number, colors, shapes, animals and alphabet ang dingding ng kwarto.[/caption]

Plastic cups and plastic balls

• These can act as shape sorter.  Just show baby how to enjoy them. Show baby how a ball can fit into a plastic cup.


• Avoid giving him small pieces for risks of choking.  Always guide him in playing with these toys.

Wooden spoons and cardboard boxes

• These will encourage him to tap and bang these together, producing sounds and rhythm. Of course babies need adult supervision while handling these stuff.

Flashlights

• At night when almost all lights are off use a flash light to reflect shadows on the ceiling. Baby will stare at shadows and light reflected from the bed. A fancy toy which does almost the same thing can be sold for around P1,500.

Tickle baby's sense of smell by letting him smell the aroma of anything cooking at the kitchen. Or make him smell freshly cut fruits. Or expose him to the scent of mild colognes and soaps.

Let baby interact with other kids. At this age (7 months) i noticed that baby is much more curious and turns toward any source of "new"voices and sounds.   This will serve as foundation of his social skills.

Give him lots of objects to touch and grasp. This will develop his sense of touch. Instead of showing him a picture of an apple, why not let him touch and feel the skin of an actual apple? Let him touch a variety of things  to make him accustomed to different textures. These activities improve baby’s fine motor skills, which are required for him to be able to feed on his tie his shows or dress himself up.

Here's WTE's  list of other non toys that could be baby's playthings.

After seven months as newbie parents, we've discovered that buying for baby could be quite expensive!  Parents need to be practical to better allocate the family budget. Avoid buying on impulse so you won't regret that decision when you get home.  Have a list of pros and cons before buying any toy.

Expensive toys are useless if you don't find time to play with your baby. In the end, quality time spent will make your baby an intelligent and independent little one.

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