The Very Hungry Caterpillar My A**!! Parents Watch Out for these Caterpillars!!!!

There has been a lot of reports lately about the "Puss Caterpillar" around the Florida area but now I just saw on the news that one has stung a toddler in my area and I'm very concerned. As a child I remember me and my cousins touching and picking up caterpillars if we saw one from time to time, not even knowing or being informed that one could possibly sting us, now that I know this I find it necessary to pass this info to other parents who may be unaware of any potential harms that could possibly come to our children from these caterpillars. I found a list of venomous caterpillars on www.poisoncentertampa.org and I thought I would share this with you all.

1. Puss Caterpillar - A convex, stout-bodied larva, almost 1" long when mature, and completely covered with gray to brown hairs. Under the soft hairs are stiff spines that are attached to poison glands. When touched, these poisonous spines break off in the skin and cause severe pain. Most often found on oaks and citrus. In Florida there are two generations a year, one in spring and the other in fall. 
   
2. lo Moth Caterpillar - Pale green with yellow and red stripes. Often exceeds 2" in length and is fairly stout-bodied. The nettling organs are borne on fleshy tubercles, and the spines are usually yellow with black tips. The spines are connected to poison glands. Ixora and rose are their favorite hosts.
   
3. Buck Moth Caterpillar - A large caterpillar, 1-3/4" to 2-1/4" long when mature. It is yellow-brown to purplish-black with many small white spots and a reddish head. Feeds on oak, willow and other deciduous plants.
   
4. Flannel Moth Caterpillar - This caterpillar is about 1" long when mature. Stinging hairs are intermixed with soft hairs in diffuse tufts. Larvae are creamy white (Upper photo), turning dark as they mature (lower photo). They feed on oak and various other shrubs and trees. 
   
5. Hag Caterpillar - Light- to dark-brown with nine pairs (sometimes fewer) of variable-length, lateral processes, which bear the stinging hairs. It is found on various forest trees and ornamental shrubs. Not as common as the other species.
   
6. Saddleback Caterpillar - Brown with a green back and flanks, on which there is a conspicuous brown oval central area that usually is bordered with white. The brown spot looks like a saddle, and the green area looks like a saddle blanket. It may exceed an inch in length and is stout-bodied. The primary nettling hairs are borne on the back of paired fleshy protuberances toward the front and hind ends of the body. There is also a row of smaller stinging organs on each side.
   
7. Spiny Oak-Slug Caterpillar - A pale-green caterpillar about 3/4" long when mature. Favorite food plants include oak, willow and other deciduous plants.
   
8. Tussock Moth Caterpillar - Larvae are 1-1.5 inches in length. They are characterized by hair pencils of black setae that extend forward from the prespiracular verrucae of the prothorax, a dorsal hair pencil of black setae on the eighth abdominal segment, dorsal tussocks on the first four abdominal segments, and mid-dorsal glandular structures on abdominal segments six and seven.
   

 If you or your child sees any of these caterpillars I highly suggest going the other way. If you (The Parent) can safely capture it without touching it that's great! Get it the hell from out your yard! Now if you or your child gets stung by one of these caterpillars, don't panic! 

If Stung: Place Scotch tape over the affected area and strip off repeatedly to remove spines. Apply ice packs to reduce the stinging sensation, and follow with a paste of baking soda and water. If the victim has a history of hay fever, asthma or allergy, if allergic reactions develop,or if you don't have any of the following supplies contact a physician immediately.

The Disgusting Things We Do For Our Kids!

I believe i speak for all moms when i say I've been in some very disgusting situations with my kid. You never even realize until your actually a parent that "Their issues are your issues." I mean obviously that's a given, but the reality of it is really shocking to a first time mother. Ive caught myself doing things that would usually make the average person say YUCK! and i do it like its second nature now. Its part of parenthood, if you don't step up who will?? Okay so what i want to know is am i the only person who does these things:

1. Wipe snot away with your bare hands - Yes if i have a wipe or napkin near me i will use that instead but sometimes you got to do what you got to do. Anit no way I'm going to have my little homie out in the streets with a snotty nose. [Looking like the snotty nose boy from "Martin's" Building] 
   
2. I Examine Poop!!! - Call me the poopie police or whatever but I'm always checking to make  sure everything is looking normal... hehehe
3. Stick your hand in the toilet - Toddlers always seem infatuated with the toilet water, especially mine and they will throw toys, phone, anything inside just to see the water splash. I remember on one occasion i was dumping Baby Alex pee from his potty into the big toilet, well soon as i dumped the pee he dumped my keys and i had to reach in there to grab them since i had already began flushing the toilet before i noticed them... smh 
   
4. Smell Butts - I have definitely been catching myself a lot recently picking up my baby or leaning down and smelling his butt, i don't even notice i do it sometimes. 
   
5. Pick their Nose - If you've been following my blog for awhile, you already know one of my pet peeves with kids are nasty noses. So yes i admit that i will go get my sons boogers out his nose, because he doesn't know how to do it yet... I use napkins.... most of the time hehe
6. Clean their face with your Spit - This is actually a normal thing i think all mothers do, I usually only do that if he has dried up tears on his face or something sticky. 
   
7. Catching that unwanted food into your hands - The first time i actually did this i was so shocked at what had just transpired in the food court of the mall... Half way into chewing his grilled cheese Baby Alex decided he was done and attempted to spit the whole glob of mush onto my food, i nonchalantly put my hand under his mouth and caught the food like it was nothing. it wasn't until then did i realize how gross that was.
8. Picking up Poop off the floor  - Lol i have only had to do this once but it felt like i was cleaning up after a puppy. I'm currently working on teaching my son about the potty, and one day when he went to poop in the potty he missed the whole damn thing and pooped on the floor.

These things may be very disturbing to someone who doesn't have kids, and maybe even disturbing to someone who has 3 kids, but at the end of the day this is me, this is motherhood. Its not always rainbows and sunshine, but as a mother you should be able to deal with these types of things because they can happen any day at anytime without warning. I actually love these little experiences because you go back and laugh, and you learn.

Wednesday Weekly Recipe

 So I'm sitting on my couch, trying to figure out something different to make for dinner last night, when I stumble upon this recipe for Chicken Enchiladas on eatcakefordinner.net,  but the twist was they were made with Stuffed Shells!!! OMG my mouth began watering immediately. I had to share this with you guys!! My husband Proposed again once he tasted this lol...

THIS WEEKS RECIPE IS CHICKEN ENCHILADA SUTFFED SHELLS (FROM EATCAKEFORDINNER.NET)  

 Ingredients

1. 2 cups of Cooked Shredded Chicken (Rotisserie fine)
2. 1 Tablespoon of Taco Seasoning, or to taste
3. 3/4 cup of Sour Cream
4. 1 Roasted Red Pepper, chopped
5. 2 Tablespoon of Chopped Cilantro, plus mor for garnish
6. 1 Tablespoon of Chopped Green Onions, plus more for garnish
7. 1 Large Tomato, diced
8. 2 cups of Monterey or PepperJack Cheese
9. 18 Jumbo Pasta Shells, cooked

White Enchilada Sauce

1. 3 Tablespoons of Unsalted Butter
2. 3-4 Tablespoons of Flour
3. 1 (14.5 oz) can of Low-Sodium Chicken Broth
4. 1/3 cup of Green Salsa
5. 1/4 cup of Sour Cream

 Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a medium bowl, combine shredded chicken, taco seasoning, sour cream, chopped red pepper, 2 Tablespoons chopped cilantro, 1 Tablespoon chopped green onion, 1/2 of the diced tomato and 1 cup of grated cheese.  Divide filling between the cooked jumbo shells and place in a greased 8x8-inch casserole dish; set aside.  
   

 For the Enchilada Sauce

1.  In a medium skillet over medium heat, melt the butter.  Whisk in the flour, one Tablespoon at a time, until a thick paste forms.  Cook for two minutes, stirring occasionally.  Gradually whisk in the chicken broth and continue whisking until smooth and sauce reaches desired creamy thickness.  Stir in the green salsa and sour cream.  Pour sauce over stuffed shells.  Top with remaining cheese.   
2. Bake for 20 minutes or until cheese is melted and bubbly.  Broil  for a few minutes until cheese is browned.  Garnish with additional chopped cilantro, chopped green onions and remaining chopped tomato.  Serves: 3-4, depending on how many shells each person can eat.       
   

   
   

   
   

Poop Poop in the Potty!!!!

I'm just so excited to announce that last night before bedtime Baby Alex pooped in the potty for the first time.!!!

 AHHHHH I'M HAVING A PROUD MOMMY MOMENT!!

 I just recently introduced him to the potty but i haven't actively started potty training him yet. I just usually sit him on the potty first thing in the morning, before and after nap time and before bedtime so he will become familiar with it, and up until this point all he did was pee but now he pooped!! My main intention is to try the whole 3 day potty training boot camp in the next few weeks. I will definitely keep everyone updated on his progress and i will make post once i start the actual potty training.

Yeaaa!! one step closer to tossing the diapers!!!

Let's Nourish Our Toddlers Not just Feed Them!

As a first time mother I was absolutely clueless on what type of meals to feed my son once it was time for him to eat regular foods. Up to that point I was mainly breastfeeding him and giving him pureed baby foods, then once I noticed he was interested in what I was eating i began switching it up. I didn't have a clue what to feed him. Friends and family told me to give him fries, hot dogs, etc. and even though he seemed to enjoy those foods it wasn't something i wanted to feed him everyday. I wanted to nourish my child not just feed him, so I changed up his whole meal plan to something I thought was better for him. Of course I did my research, and in the end I came out with an overall healthier, happier, more energized toddler.

 It definitely took time though, Baby Alex was in the mist of going through that annoying picky eater stage. Our dinner table had become a battleground, but i had to take control of the situation, and that's exactly what I did. I stayed calm when he thought mealtime was playtime and threw his food all over the ground, because I knew if he was hungry he would eat. I continued to offer him the nutritious foods and I let him decide how much he was going to eat, and as time went buy he began to eat more and more healthier without the fight. The war was over and i was victorious!!! Dinnertime had become a peaceful place again.

 So I wanted to write this post to help other mothers who may be struggling with giving there child a healthier meal. I put together a list of foods that I give Alex and along with the food I will put how it helps your toddler... Now lets get Started.

1. Avocado - Avocado has "good" fats that lower "bad" LDL Cholesterol, It also has a Super source of Fiber which helps prevent constipation, and it contains Vitamin E. Baby Alex loves avocado by itself and i usually will give it to him as a snack but if your child is not as welcoming to Avocado you can add it to salads, chili, dip for chips etc. 
   
2. Greek Yogurt - aka "The Perfect Snack". Greek Yogurt helps aid digestion and contains healthy bacteria known to boost immunity.
3. Oatmeal - Helps boost energy, and it has a good source of Fiber.
4. Sweet Potatoes - Sweet Potatoes contain Vitamins B,C, and E, they also give your child a great source of Calcium, Potassium and Iron, and they are rich in complex carbohydrates and Fiber.and all you have to do to make this perfect with your meal is add some Cinnamon - which helps regulate blood sugar.
5. Cabbage, Broccoli, and Kale - All of these green veggies contain Phytonutrients, and helps clear harmful toxins from your child's body by releasing enzymes.
6. Milk - Contains Protein and Calcium. (builds brain tissue) helps keep bones and teeth strong.
7. Fruit - Gives your child Vitamins, Minerals, and Fiber. ( berries, Melon, Kiwifruit, Oranges)
8. Blueberries - Ranked one of the healthiest fruits. It has anti-oxidants and promotes brain function. 
   
9. Black Beans -  Contains Protein, Fiber, and Calcium. It guards against Heart Disease and High Cholesterol. " The Darker the color the better they are for you."
10. Salmon - Has anti-inflammatory powers, contains heart-healthy omega -3 fats, and it boosts brain development. 
    
11. Eggs - Contain Protein, Calcium, and Vitamin D
12. Basil - Has Anti-oxidants, contains Vitamins A,C, and K, it also has Iron, Potassium, and Calcium. It Improves Digestion. You can add basil to Pasta, Pesto, or grind it up for soups if your child doesn't like seeing green on there food.
13. Tomatoes - Loaded with lycopene which protects against many Cancers. Did you know that cooking tomatoes make them even healthier!! it releases lycopene. Tomatoes go great on these quick meals... Pizza, pasta, and chili. Add some Olive Oil to absorb it more.
14. Peanut Butter -  Contains Protein, Vitamin B, Fiber, Magnesium, and Potassium. Although its high in fat most are healthy fats. Spread it on Whole Grain Bread with fruit, bananas, or berries instead of Jelly or Jam.
15. Lean Ground Beef -  High in Protein, Iron, and Calcium. Hamburgers, Meatloaf, ground beef added to spaghetti sauce, and chili are all potentially healthy meals for toddlers.

 Now before I go I just wanted to tell you all if you give your toddler a main meal just before his nap he may be too tired to eat. Give him a small snack instead and a meal when he wakes. Try to space his snacks evenly between meals too, that way your toddler will have energy to fuel his burst of activity. 

**** Here are some good Snack Ideas****

• Yogurt with berries or Fruit
• Cherry Tomatoes
• Grapes
• Cubes of Cheese
• Small Sandwich
• Fruit Smoothie
• Veggie Stick or Bread stick with Dip

Wednesday Weekly Recipes

Anyone who knows me knows that I love to cook and I love to eat, so I thought it would be an awesome idea to start a weekly recipe, it's basically just showcasing a meal that's easy for everyday moms to cook for there family and I also will put some of my experiences with cooking certain meals, so I hope everyone loves this....

This weeks Recipe is Tomato Cucumber Salad with Olives and Feta (from fivehearthome.com)

Dill & Garlic Dressing

1. 1/2 cup of Olive Oil
2. 1/4 cup of Red Wine Vinegar
3. 1 1/2 teaspoons of Sugar
4. 1 clove garlic Minced
5. 1 teaspoon garlic powder
6. 1/4 teaspoon of dried Oregano
7. 1/4 teaspoon of Salt
8. Fresh ground Black Pepper, to taste

Salad

1. 1 pound of Tomatoes (cherry or grape cut in half)
2. 1 pound of Cucumbers (approximately cut into 2 large or 4 small dices)
3. 1/2 cup of Kalamata Olives (drained, chopped, diced)
4. 1/2 cup of Feta Cheese, crumbled
5. 2 tablespoons of fresh dill, for garnish

*** I also added an Avacado, just because I love Avacado in my salads*****

Directions

For the Dressing...

1. In a Medium bowl Mix all the ingredients until Throughly blended.

For the Salad

1. In a Large Bowl combine all Salad ingredients
2. Add Dressing mix to the bowl with Salad Ingredients and toss until everything is evenly coated.
3. Let refrigerate for at least 4 hours, removing from the refrigerator 30 minutes before serving.
4. Enjoy

I have been a busy Mama!!!

Hey everyone, Sorry that i have been M.I.A. for the last few moths but i have had so much going on lately. Firstly i have got Engaged and Married since you last heard from me so i was practically busy trying to put together a small wedding in a months time. Also My Husband and i are mentally getting ready to make a big move out of Virginia to become homeowners soon, so were in the mist of trying to find a house that will work well for our family... Baby Alex is growing!! He will be 19 months now and boy is he busy!! Now he is starting to get to the point were he wants to do his own thing. He's to cool for hand holding, He wants to feed himself and he rather to dress and undress himself... no more help from mommy is wanted =[ Its okay though i knew this would eventually happen so i'm prepared. Here a few photos of what we have been up to...

 

Media Mom Monday (Week 7)

This weeks Media Mom Monday goes to Tamera Mowry-Housley. It's no specific reason why I picked her other than her being an awesome mom. She is one of the few Celebrity mothers that I aspire to be like. I'm obsessed with her and her son Aden! ❤️ Keep up the good work girlie!!! I can't wait to see her on "The Real" this fall.

Sunday Funday Easter Edition

Today of course was Easter and the family went out to a resort for Easter Hunting.  This resort turned out to be everything we could have hoped for, and Baby Alex really enjoyed himself to the point he didn't want to leave.... I snapped a few photos of our day to share with everyone.

Baby Alex wanted nothing to do with this Easter Bunny!

So many kids were out today. Everyone looked so cute in all there dressy clothes, face paint, and balloons.

They had a small petting zoo. Alex and the goat "Claybell" bonded.

Before we left I had to get Alex a balloon from the balloon artist. She made him a  "Pacifier" I think??

After we left the resort we went out and had lunch at UNOs.

I hope everyone enjoyed there Easter.

-Bre

My Toddler Has Separation Anxiety

This situation is very new to us but, recently Baby Alex started waking up in the middle of the night crying. We usually let him cry for awhile but lately he distinctly sounds "scared" and when I go to check on him he immediately clings his nails into my back OUCH. I eventually calm him down but by that point he is wide awake. Most of the time I put him to bed awake and let him fall asleep on his own, and usually if he wakes up he can get himself back to sleep. Up until now! My first thought was that maybe he was having "nightmares" or maybe he had an "Ear Infection" or something I didn't notice. So of course me being me I took him in to see his pediatrician to make sure everything was okay.

According to his pediatrician "waking up at night is fairly common in his age group. The major cause is not being put to sleep awake but being held by a parent until the child falls asleep". But that didn't apply to me. The doctor then said it looked like he was suffering from "Separation Anxiety". Basically he is at the age were the out of sight out of mind thing just dosent work for him anymore. In his mind when he wakes up and I'm not there he may think that I'm gone forever. Seriously???

So basically the doctor gave me a printout with a list of things to do to help him overcome this stage and get back to his all-night and nap time sleep routine.

Here are some suggestions, courtesy of developmental pediatrician Dr. Barton Schmitt:

• Continue to provide him with a pleasant bedtime ritual, and whenever he starts to look drowsy, place him in his crib. (Your child's last waking memory needs to be of the crib and mattress, not of you) This helps make sure he can put himself to sleep when he wakes up at night.
• When he wakes up at night, do not stay inside his room longer than one minute. Don't turn on lights. Keep the visit supportive and reassuring. Act sleepy. Whisper, "shhh, everyone's sleeping" and add something positive "mommy loves you" or "your almost asleep." Never show anger or punish him during these visits. If you hug him he probably won't let go, so just touch him gently and help him find a security object, such as a stuffed animal, or a blanket. This may go better if dad goes in.
• Do not rock or play with him or bring him into your bed. You should not remove him from his crib at all. Any brief contact will reward him to want to continue the behavior. Most young children will cry when you leave the room, but then fall asleep.
• Find a security object. A security (transitional) object is something that helps a waking child sleep. It comforts your child and helps your child separate from you. This object can be a stuffed animal or blanket. Include the object into your ritual before bedtime and tuck it into the crib next to your child.
• Check on him every 20 minutes while he is crying, but make your visits brief and boring. After he learns to put himself back to sleep, awakening with crying usually stops In a few nights.
• Don't change his wet diapers during the night. Change the diaper only if it is soiled or your treating a diaper rash. If you must change him use as little light as possible, do it quickly and do not provide any entertainment, and if he is standing up in his crib at bedtime, you can leave him in that position. Just try once to get him to settle down and lie down. If he refuses or pulls himself back up, leave him that way. He can lie down without your help. Encouraging him to lie down over and over can soon become a game.
• Consider reducing the length of his afternoon nap.

I feel that some of these points are good ideas and I will consider them all these next couple of days, but I honestly know that I probably won't be able to help myself. I can't stand to see my baby upset, and although everyone says I spoil him, that is what I'm here for right?

-Bre

Easter Eggs and Tantrums

Hey everyone sorry I've been away so long but so much has been going with me lately. Between planning 3 separate upcoming vacations and the whole family catching some kind of sickly bug we have been busy, but Baby Alex and I finally managed to get out the house the other day to go to an Easter Egg Hunt at a local State Park. Baby Alex seemed to enjoy himself but I could still tell he wasn't 100% feeling better.

Once we got to the park Baby Alex didn't seem very interested in picking up eggs and after a few failed attempts at guiding him toward the eggs, I decided to let him run around, do his own thing, and enjoy the beautiful weather. He ended up picking up pine cones, leaves, flowers, and other peoples stuff, and By the time we left all he had were 2 Easter Eggs and a Resse Cup.

Since the weather was so beautiful and it was Baby Alex first time going on an Easter egg hunt. I decided to treat him and myself to some "Sweet Frog". I don't know if he was upset we left the park or if he was just still not feeling that great but his whole attitude changed once we got there. I believe he was mainly tired from all the running around... But I think his little friends helped cheer him up.

Baby Alex's Tantrum at "Sweet Frog" had me thinking, what do you do when your child is having a full blown Tantrum in public. I mean it's one thing to ignore and deal with it at home, but really how easy is it to do the same in public?? Not easy at all, especially when other families are staring at you  probably thinking "I wish she would shut that kid up". But on the other hand you can't yolk them up, spank them or even yell at them to loud without someone whispering "Omg did you see how she treated her child"... Moms I've just come to the conclusion that you will be judged no matter how you handle the situation so do what works best for you. Tantrums can be overwhelming but they are your baby's way of expressing there dissatisfaction to you. Yes it can be annoying and embarrassing but I believe if you teach your toddler early that that behavior is unacceptable they will learn.

-Bre