Let it Grow: Plant with Your Toddler

Spring time has come! The weather now allows for much needed outside time for the little ones and the parents. I live in a townhouse with limited yard space so we love the park. However, going to the park is not always feasible. So, planting with the little ones turned out to be a great outside structured activity. It helps teach them about science, nature and taking care of things. 

What you need:

Small shovel - $1.00 Target

Dirt (the dirt in the yard works just fine!) - Free

Plastic bucket with plastic shovel - $1.00 Target

Pack of Seeds - $1.00 Most places

Small metal bucket - $1.00 Target

Cup of water - Free

First choose seeds wisely. You will need hearty seeds that don't require much depth and grow well in most soil types. We went with blue flowers that grow well in pots, most soil types and like full sun. You could also do herbs such as cilantro or basil. 

Next, dig some dirt. Let the little ones help if possible. Put the dirt into the plastic bucket and insert shovel. It is best to use dirt from the ground for this to avoid exposing your little ones to pesticides and/or plant food that is commonly found in commercial soil mixes. 

Then, let the little ones fill metal bucket with soil about 1/2 full. Add the seeds and put a little more soil on top. The bucket should be ~3/4 full at this point. 

Last, water it and put it in the sun! Be sure to explain everything while planting. I do realize a toddler will not grasp the full concept, but it is good for their brain to hear you talk to them and explain each step. 

Let your toddler water the plant daily. Make it their plant they need to care for. Toddlers love to have some responsibility and they love to mimic mommy and daddy. Put a small empty watering can where they can reach it. When you water plants everyday let your little one get the their watering can and do it too!

Helpful hints: 

*A vinyl tablecloth on the porch will help catch spills and can be shook out once done.

*Plants done by the little ones make great gifts for grandparents. 

*You can decorate and reuse household items, such as yogurt containers or coffee containers, instead of buying a metal bucket.

Rebekah, Esme and Tate enjoying planting on the back porch!

Esmé's favourite cheesy, chicken, pasta bake/ vegetarian alternative available below

This recipe is an adaptation of a recipe my sister made when she was in high school for home economics. Her recipe was called pasta pie and was loaded with veges. I LOVE the loaded vegetable version myself and will provide the substitutions in the recipe listed below. However, my husband who absolutely hates, peppers, onion and mushrooms didn't take to her recipe. So being a good and faithful wife I decided to alter the ingredients to cater to his pallet. For the tomato sauce 6 large juicy ripe tomatoes chopped 1 tablespoon of butter 1 tablespoon of dried oregano 1 tablespoon of dried parsley 1/2 tsp of cracked black pepper 1/2 tsp of kosher salt 4-6 cloves of chopped garlic 1 tablespoon of tomato ketchup 2 teaspoons of sugar For the cheese sauce 2 pints of milk (2 percent is sufficient) 1/4 cup of flour 1/4 cup of melted butter 1/2 tsp of Dijon mustard 2 cups of grated cheddar cheese 1 package of chicken tenderloins 12 oz of pasta, rigatoni, shells, penne (whole grain can be used) 1/4 cup of Parmesan cheese. In a large saucepan melt a tablespoon of butter and gently sauté the garlic until transluscent, 1-2 minutes. add the tomatoes, ketchup, herbs, sugar, salt and pepper and cook over a low heat until the tomatoes are soft and pulpy. 20-30 minutes. Using an Emersion blender, blend the cooked tomatoes to form a sauce. Alternatively ladle into a food processor or blender and blend until smooth. Return to the saucepan and simmer on low for another 15 minutes. Whilst the tomato sauce is simmering, bring 4 qts of water to a boil and cook the pasta according to instructions. Drain the pasta. Melt 1/4 cup of butter in a separate pot and stir in the flour. Mix thoroughly to form a roux. Slowly add the milk and whisk to remove any lumps. Slowly heat the sauce to create a bechemel. Once thickened, remove from the heat and add the Dijon mustard and grated cheese. In a large 9x13 dish, lay the chicken tenderloins on the bottom of the dish, in a single layer, covering as much of the bottom of the dish as possible. Next, pour the tomato sauce over the raw chicken, coating evenly. Add the cooked pasta in another layer over the top of the chicken and sauce. Finally pour the cheese sauce over the top of the pasta. Sprinkle the top of the dish with 1/4 cup of Parmesan cheese. Bake in a 375 degree oven for 40 minutes. For a Healthier vegetarian version, I substitute the chicken for sautéed vegetables, broccoli red, green and yellow peppers Red onion squash mushrooms. I lay the sautéed vegetables in the bottom of the dish, top with the tomato sauce, then layer the pasta, then I add a layer of sautéed spinach. I change the cheese sauce recipe slightly, omitting one cup of the cheddar cheese and substituting for a cup of ricotta or cottage cheese. Bake in a 375 degree oven for 30 minutes.

Honeynana cinammon oatmeal- a quick, easy and nutritious toddler breakfast

My daughter Esmé (16 months) loves this oatmeal, I make it at least once or twice a week as a breakfast staple. When you have a toddler I find breakfast time quite tricky. I'm always a bit scatter brained in the mornings and it's nice to have a few go to recipes that I know will leave my daughter full and provide her with a healthy breakfast. Ingredients Either one packet of instant oatmeal (plain) Or half a cup of oatmeal cooked according to instruction in the microwave. 1 banana, gently mashed with 2 teaspoons of honey and 1/4 teaspoon of cinnamon. Gently fold the banana mixture into the oatmeal until fully incorporated. Occasionally I will add a spoonful of fresh blueberries or even 4-5 chopped grapes. You could try your toddlers favourite fruit to try and entice them. I find that the mushy banana makes the oatmeal more palatable for my daughter, she also enjoys this served at room temperature and will eat much more when the mixture has cooled significantly.

The ultimate key lime pie

I make this recipe for my husband on special occasions, I foolishly made him one to take into work last year and now get inundated with requests for key lime pies from his co-workers. This is absolutely delicious, especially now the summer months are approaching.

Ingredients

5 egg yolks
1 can of sweetened condensed milk
1/2 cup of heavy cream
1 cup of fresh squeezed key lime juice
The zest of 2 large limes
Pinch of salt

For the crust
1 1/2 packets of graham crackers
1/2 cup of sugar
2 tablespoons of melted butter

In a food processor combine graham crackers and sugar and process until fine breadcrumb texture, add the melted butter and process again for 1-2 minutes until the crumbs are well coated with the butter and the mixture looks slightly moist.

Press the crust into a pie tin and smooth with the back of a metal spoon. Bake in a preheated 350 degree oven for 10-12 minutes until lightly brown.

While the crust is baking, juice a bag of key limes until you have a cup of juice. Alternatively, you can use half regular limes and half lemon juice. In a large mixing bowl combine the egg yolks and the sweetened condenses milk and mix until thoroughly combines. Gently stream in the lime juice. Whisking continuously until the mixture thickens. Add the lime zest and the heavy cream and mix until combined.

Pour the key lime mixture into the baked pie crust, gently tap the pie pan to release any air pockets. Return the pie to the oven and bake for 15-20 minutes, remove the pie and refrigerate for at least 4 hours, preferably overnight to allow the custard to set.

Serve with the remaining whipped heavy cream.

Chic-fil-a copycat chicken sandwich

I'm going to come right out and admit it, I LOVE me some chic-fil-a! So does my 16 month old daughter Esmé. I also love to cook and recreating recipes is my passion so, I thought I'd give the chic-fil-a sandwich a whirl, and this is what I came up with.

Ingredients
Serves 4
2 large chicken breasts cut horizontally
1 ripe tomato
4 ribs of lettuce
4 slices of cheddar or pepper jack cheese
4 soft white hamburger buns
8 dill pickle slices
2 tablespoons of butter

For the brine
1 quart of cold water
1/4 cup of salt
1/4 cup of sugar
1/4 cup of pickle juice
1 ziplock bag

For the coating
2 cups of Ap flour
1 tsp of baking powder
2 generous tablespoons of black pepper
1 teaspoon of cayenne (optional)
1 tablespoon of dried milk powder
2 beaten eggs

Place the four chicken pieces in the brine in a ziplock bag and refrigerate for 1/2 an hour.
Assemble the breading mixture and place into another ziplock bag
Beat the two eggs, remove two tablespoons of the egg mixture and add it to the dry breading, mix thoroughly until the breading becomes clumpy.

Remove the chicken and pat dry.
Dip in the egg mixture and then coat in the breading, pressing the mixture into the chicken.
Gently shake the chicken to give a ruffly, cracked looking texture to the breading.

Fry the chicken in 1qt peanut oil at 350 degrees until golden brown and internal temperature reaches 160 degrees.

Gently toast the buns bottom side down in a skillet using the butter until lightly golden brown.

Add the drained, fried chicken, a slice of cheese, 2 pickle slices, 1 rib of lettuce broken in two and a juicy slice of tomato.

Serve hot and fresh.

Lorien's Lasagna Cups

I am always trying to find or create recipes that are easy to make and can be frozen or made ahead. These lasagna cups are perfect for both. They are easy and can be frozen or made the day before and refrigerated. The lasagna cups have been a big hit with my son Tate. They have some crunchy parts, some noodle parts and loads of cheese! Also, I can sneak in veggies and find a good way to use up leftover spaghetti sauce. Below is a basic recipe, but you can jazz them up with your favorites!

36 Wonton Wrappers
~8 oz. Marinara Sauce
Shredded Parmesan Cheese
Shredded Low Moisture Part Skim Mozzarella
Muffin Tin

1. Place one wonton wrapper in muffin cup and form to cup bottom.
2. Add ~1 Tbsp of sauce, shredded Parmesan and shredded mozzarella. Add as much cheese as you like.
3. Place wonton wrapper on top of cheese.
4. Add ~1 Tbsp of sauce, shredded Parmesan and shredded mozzarella. Add as much cheese as you like.
5. Place wonton wrapper on cheese.
6. Add ~1 Tbsp of sauce, shredded Parmesan and shredded mozzarella. Add  as much cheese as you like.
7. Bake at 375F for 10-15 minutes. The edges should be golden brown and crispy.

Makes 12 lasagna cups

(Tip: You can add ricotta cream and fresh basil to the top just before serving for a yummy adult appetizer.)

Late Bloomer Love: Delayed Milestones

Your baby is 10 months old. He doesn't crawl, pull to sit or stand, and he barely rolls. The 9 month checkup went something like this:

 "Your baby is very healthy, growing well, but you may need to see a occupational therapist..." 

What does that mean?! This happened to me with my oldest son, Tate. I knew he seemed a little slower than other babies when it came to gross motor skills, but I didn't think therapy was necessary. I was heartbroken. Did I do something wrong? Was he not getting enough nutrition? Did he hit his head to hard? Next, I did the worst thing possible... I Googled. Every worst case scenario was thrown at me in a string of mommy circles and posts. Words like cerebral palsy and neurological condition came up. Now I was freaking out, having panic attacks. I was also 6 months pregnant at the time going through all the stages of grieve, and it was completely unnecessary. 

Yes, unnecessary. If you are in this spot, do NOT freak out. It will be fine. There isn't much support for parents of late bloomers. I was usually at play dates hearing how this baby rolled both ways at 4 months and that baby crawled by 6 months. These proud parents don't realize the shame and guilt parents of late bloomers feel at hearing this and having nothing to add. I just quit going out. It was too much for my son and I to handle. Finally, I stopped resisting therapy. 

I went to see the occupational therapist for an evaluation. It was painless and covered by insurance. I learned most counties have a program set up to help with these situations and that early intervention is healthy for your child. My husband fought it because it felt it was unnecessary and not good for Tate. Turns out those feelings of guilt and shame weigh just as much on daddy as mommy. We kept thinking if Tate went to therapy something was wrong and it was our fault. Truth is - NOTHING was wrong, he was just different. 

The therapist evaluation made me feel so much better. Yes, my son did display a 3 month delay in gross motor skills, but he also displayed enhanced cognitive and emotional skills. I was not totally getting it wrong and my baby was growing and learning! It was a relief to hear this. I went ahead with therapy to work on the gross motor skills. Tate displayed a condition known as low muscle tone. Low muscle tone doesn't always infer not normal muscle tone, but muscle tone that falls on the low side of average. Children with low muscle tone must be stronger to compensate. My son had just as much strength as other babies his age, but he needed a little more to accomplish the same the tasks. He also needed confidence. 

Providing a safe environment, being very patient and giving encouragement will provide a foundation for confidence. When babies try to do something and find they are not able and they can get hurt, they back off. Sometimes they get anxious because they don't have the ability to move away from something that scares them or closer to something that makes them feel better. This can cause even more anxiety and a resistance to try the activity again. Taking your baby out or leaving him can make it worse. It is important to always make sure your baby feels safe and comfortable to help him build the confidence he needs to master the milestones.  

The therapy worked really well. Tate did one on one therapy in our home for 2 months. Within weeks he was sitting himself up and by the end of therapy he was army crawling and pulling to stand. The therapist only came once a week. When she was there, she stayed on his level and did exercises with him while playing. She stopped if he got over-wrought. She also showed things I needed to do with him everyday to encourage movement and build confidence. Finally at 13.5 months my son crawled for a graham cracker! I was so thrilled. It had been a long process to get to this point, but it wasn't over. He still would not stand alone or walk. 

We did not resume therapy, but we worked with him everyday. We also gave him space to explore on his own. He needed some more independent time to get a feel for his environment. I stopped keeping him in the carrier and started setting up play stations in every room for him to have self exploration. It was great. He finally could go out and feel confident. He started making friends and interacting with other people. At 18 months he started walking and he was walking well. It was like he never missed a beat. Suddenly he was just as advanced as every other 18 month old I ran into. 

Tate is now 22 months old. He walks, runs, climbs, goes up and down steps and interacts with other children. No-one can tell he was a late bloomer. He is a normal toddler. He is confident and it shows. I am so proud of him because I know it took him so much more work to overcome his low muscle tone and be able to run next to his friends. My youngest son, Braden, is also a little slower on gross motor skills, but this time I am not worried. I know there are great things I can do to help him and that he will get there. It is OK for your baby to be different and acceptance on the parents part helps the baby so much. 

When I was dealing with Tate as a late bloomer I did not take the time to reflect on the good things that come out of having a late bloomer. My son and I are very close because I stayed with him. I carried and held him more than I would have if he had been hitting all his milestones. My son trusts me implicitly. He also understands so much because he was close to my face often and watching me talk, cook or sing. His attention span is great when doing activities because he had to wait for mommy to help him through things. He also understands emotion and picks up on it easily, I think, because being a late bloomer was also an emotional time for him. I see him pat his brothers back when brother is upset and give hugs and kisses to his friends. 

If you are a parent going through this, I hope I helped. Below are some suggestions for working with your child:

1. Make exercise time play time and stop when he is over-wrought. 

2. Only do intense work with him once or twice a week and be sure to give ample nap time on those days.

3. Respond to your babies emotions quickly and confidently. 

4. Give him space to try things on his own. It is OK for a baby to fuss when trying to do something. 

5. Go at the babies pace. One week try siting up, the next week add one more activity and so on. 

6. Think about how you sit and stand and show the baby the proper way to do those activities. 

     i.e. you don't stand straight up, you usually put one leg up in a kneel and push off to stand. Also, you use        your arm or hand on the floor to push yourself to sitting. 

7. Don't force a baby to do things by pulling up on their arms and hands. They are not puppets and they need to support their own weight. If they can't support themselves then they are not ready.

8. Accept it will take time and be loving and patient.