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Could your baby have a deadly heart defect and not even know it?

Today is Newborn Heart Defect Screening Awareness Day… I’ve told you guys before about Abby’s birth – she was almost 3 weeks early, and had an incredibly rough delivery. That first day, we weren’t sure that she would make it through the night – but luckily, she pulled through, and quickly grew into a happy, healthy baby girl. But some kids aren’t quite as lucky…

Each year, thousands of babies go home from the hospital with undetected congenital heart defects, sometimes leading to future problems.

Learn how you can help – whether it’s keeping your own baby safe, or helping to spread the word to friends and family. About one in 100 babies are born with a congenital heart defect, but early screening can save lives.

Why should I get my newborn's heart screened?

Why should I get my baby screened? 

Well, as I mentioned, one out of every hundred new babies born each day are born with a defect in their heart. Congenital heart defect {CHD} is the most common birth defect in the US, but sometimes these defects can go undetected into adulthood. I know this first hand – My youngest brother, Brian, was born healthy as could be. As a toddler, he was a chunky but active little guy – no problems whatsoever. At about 6 years old, we switched to a new family doctor, one who would see both of my parents and all of us kids – my mom liked the idea of a doctor who knew all of us, and one that we could grow up with, and still continue to see as we got older. He was the first one to detect a very faint sound when listening to Brian’s heart, something that was probably fine – but he was a really thorough kind of guy, and sent us for further testing.

Those first tests came back normal.

We saw another doctor for a second opinion, who said there was nothing wrong, and to forget about it all. But my mom really trusted our new family doctor, and her mother’s intuition – so she agreed to his advice to have just a couple more tests done. It turns out, my little brother had been born with a defective aortic valve in his heart. It wasn’t causing him too many problems yet, but it was incredibly dangerous. The specialist that we saw said that it was the type of thing that is usually missed by doctors, and leads to a sudden death in a child – either as a baby, an energetic toddler or thriving kiddo, or even as a high school athlete who dies suddenly during a game. Scary stuff to hear as a big sister – Now as a mom, I can’t imagine how frightening this type of news would be.

November 30: Wear pink and do a random act of good.

One little girl that wasn’t as lucky as my brother was is Cora Mae McCormick

After she was born and later passed away in 2009, a new tradition was born as well. Her parents asked for people to wear pink on the 30th of every month and to do an act of good in Cora’s name. So to honor Newborn Heart Defect Awareness Day, pick out your favorite pink shirt, dress or socks or accessories – Together, we’ll wear pink for not only Cora, but for all of the babies born with undetected congenital heart defects.

Do a random act of kindness in their honor that day.

And there’s more you can do. Sign the Pledge to ask your baby’s doctor about screening for congenital heart defects. Share the pledge with other new mommas-to-be. And spread the word about this important screening test using the tweet button below – this test is done in the first 24 hours after a baby arrives, is painless and quick, and you can even hold your baby while they do it – so no separation anxiety for new moms. Learn more about the pulse oximetry test for newborn heart screening.

Let’s Chat: Did you know that this test isn’t standard at many hospitals, in many states? Have you ever heard of it, or had a child in your life with heart defects? Share your stories and your thoughts in the comments below…

{Disclaimer: Photo credit: SabianMaggy. I learned about this cause through Mom Bloggers for Social Good – an amazing group of women using their social media power to do great things and promote amazing organizations. I received no compensation, and all thoughts shared are my own.}

 

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What iCarly Taught Me About Kid-Friendly Veggie Recipes…

Kid approved, family ready recipes that make healthy veggies bright and fun… I’m lucky. The kiddos in my house are pretty good fruit and veggie eaters. They help me and grandma grow a big garden out back, so they feel like those tomatoes, carrots, peppers, squash, and strawberries {along with the other abundance of goodies we have!} are their produce. That ownership really helps to encourage them to eat ’em up at meals and snacks. But even kiddos that love good foods benefit from a little fun at meal times, right? If you’re looking for some super fun ways to make veggies “new” again, you have GOT to check out the awesome ideas on the Birds Eye Kids Website.

how to make kid-friendly healthy smoothies

Kid-Friendly Veggie Recipe Inspiration from iCarly

The reason that the BirdsEye.com website caught my attention at first, is a super fun recipe called the Yakimaniac Veggie Martians. I mean, it’s a super cool creative idea, but that’s not what made it jump out at me. It’s because I’m from a city named Yakima, and the only time I’ve ever heard someone use the term “Yakimaniac” is in reference to people who live here! I knew it somehow how had to be connected… And sure enough, it is. These Martian-ized dinnertime plates let kids add personality to their meal with edible glitter, pretzel antennas, and veggie faces – and they were first featured on the super popular iCarly. And if you’ve watched much iCarly, you know that it’s set in Seattle, and one of the character’s grandpa is from a city called Yakima. Which is where this awesome recipe comes in! Very cool, right? {Every time I travel out of state, and people here where I’m from – if they’re a mom, they mention iCarly right away, lol. Most didn’t know it was a real city!}

 Our Kid-Friendly Veggie Smoothies

After showing the kids the awesome Yakimaniac martians named after our hometown, I browsed through some of the other creative ideas – like Veggie Cupcakes and Green Monster Pizza, I decided to try out the Veggie Smoothie recipe, since we are HUGE fans of smoothies here in my house. {It is the easiest way to get a ton of healthy stuff into your kids daily diet!} It’s made with Birds Eye Broccoli, Cauliflower & Carrots – all pre-sliced and frozen, meaning no prep. Mix ’em up in a cool gadget like the Magic Bullet, or whatever blender you have on hand, and you’ve got a super tasty smoothie packed with healthy vitamins. The bright-orange color totally got the kids excited – and the addition of the orange juice, honey, and fruit make is super sweet and yummy.

This was kid-tested in my house – two very picky little boys {6 and 9} and a toddler who has no other opinion than absolute love or complete hate. Verdict? 3 sets of thumbs up!

Try it here. It’s easy as can be to create – and might inspire some other cool veggie combo smoothies too. I’m thinking that carrots with apple sauce and juice, with a dash of cinnamon, might make a really interesting festive drink. And frozen blueberries, frozen broccoli cuts, and cranberry juice combine to make a pretty awesome smoothie – seriously. I’m not always a big veggie fan, so I rely on soups simmered in the crock pot, and cool fruit-veggie combo smoothies to ensure I get a big variety in my diet.

Kid-Friendly Veggie Smoothies

Ingredients

  • 1 bag (12 oz.) Steamfresh® Broccoli, Cauliflower & Carrots, cooked according to package directions, cooled
  • 1/2 cup low fat vanilla yogurt
  • 1/2 cup orange juice
  • 1 large ripe banana
  • 3 Tablespoons honey or brown sugar
  • 1-1/2 cups ice cubes

Instructions

  1. This is as easy peasy as you can get!
  2. Toss all ingredients into your blender.
  3. Mix 'em up until smooth.
  4. Pour into glasses, and enjoy!
  5. Serves 4 people.
https://sunshineandsippycups.com/2012/11/how-icarly-led-me-to-new-kid-friendly-veggie-recipes/

For more awesome inspiration to help encourage healthy eating, and to simplify meal times in your house – be sure to follow Birds Eye Facebook and Birds Eye Twitter Page, for new promotions and product updates!

Let’s Chat: What are your favorite healthy kid-friendly recipes? Which one of the Birds Eye Kids site are you most excited to try?

Wittlebee Kids Clothing Club

{Disclaimer: Photo credit one: Khawkins04. I participated in a campaign on behalf of Mom Central Consulting for Birds Eye. I received product coupons to facilitate my review as well as a promotional item as a thank-you for participating.}

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Is Motherhood Like a Fairytale…?

“You can learn many things from children. How much patience you have, for instance.” – Franklin P. Jones… I have a story to share. It goes a little something like this – Once upon a time, there was a young woman, who lived alone. Just her, and a stray cat that decided to move in with her. She wore trendy clothes and accessories, she was 10 {ok, maybe 20…} pounds thinner, she wore heels and makeup, and had time to not just sort-of brush her hair, but also curl it – on a daily basis. Her home was amazingly organized {she’d been accused of being slightly OCD, but she liked to simply call it being thorough.} And it was always clean – no stray Legos land-mines on the floor at night, no sticky fingerprints covering the surfaces of every wall and piece of furniture and window and appliance, and no extra socks in the toilet. Yes, life was good….

Cleaning up messy toddlers [Read more…]

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If Only Healthy Snacks Smelled as Good as Bacon…. #SmartSnack

“Life expectancy would grow by leaps and bounds if green vegetables smelled as good as bacon.” – Doug Larson… Do you struggle to get your kids to eat healthy snacks? We do pretty well in my house – but when they’re bombarded by commercials for sugary treats, fat-loaded snacks, or toy-filled fast food meals – it can be a bit rough. But, as smart mommas, we always have a few tricks in our toolbelts, right? Whether it’s sneaky – err, I mean creative – ways to get kids to eat more veggies, frozen meals that are high on convenience but still low on fat and yucky additives, or new ways to make whole grain sandwiches more fun – I’m always hunting for the best new ideas and products to keep us eating great, while still staying on a budget, and keeping it all low prep.

Shopping for healthy snacks for kids [Read more…]

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3 Creative Ways to Make Sandwiches More Fun

November is National Bread Month!Did you know that over 60% of Americans eat a sandwich at least once a week? Yep, it’s true. So this month, renew your passion for truly good bread – not only is it National Bread Month, it’s also the 250th anniversary of the sandwich!

Ok, I admit it. On first glance, that doesn’t sound like the most exciting month out there to celebrate. I mean, we just got over the massively promoted Breast Cancer Awareness month, where everything in your life is turned pink – it seems hard to build a ton of hype about bread, right? Wrong! Bread is a total must-have at most holiday meals, is a pretty big staple in most of our diets, and is super healthy if you’re buying the right kinds. And if you’re like our family, sandwiches make up a big  part of your weekly meal plan- so to make sure things don’t get boring, check out these 3 tips on making your sandwiches more fun, to celebrate National Bread Month…

Heart shaped sandwich - creative lunch ideas for kids [Read more…]

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Skip Fast Food for Kids – Get Real Food Fast! – #KFHealthyKids

“Kids’ meals these days… a lot of them are downright scary and often loaded with all sorts of artificial ingredients.” – Matt Cohen… I’ve told you guys many times over the past couple of years about my lifestyle change after I became pregnant – It suddenly became super important to me to finally make those changes I’d been thinking about making for years, those changes towards a cleaner and greener lifestyle. I wanted to give this little bean in my belly have the absolute best possible chance at growing into a healthy baby, and I knew that everything that went in, on, or around me would affect her. Then, as she grew into a toddler, and I started feeding her the snacks and kids meals that are marketed to little ones her age – I realized that we needed to find some better options to keep up those standards that I’d had when she was a baby….

comparing kids mealsI’d been hearing a ton of buzz about these new Kidsfresh frozen kids meals. But there’s always some new kids product that supposed to be healthier and better and more amazing than the others – so I don’t always pay much attention to most of these so-called “healthy kids meals.” But this new product did have some substance behind it:

  • These were meals that started with an idea from a real dad who wanted to give his own kids better options. The meals were developed in partnership with a pediatric nutritionist. And they’ve already been sold out of their NYC concept store to rave reviews.
  • Most kid meals are stuffed with stuff like this – “Isolated Soy Protein,” “High Fructose Corn Syrup,” “Meatballs with Caramel Color Added,” “Monosodium Glutamate.” But you won’t find that stuff in these Kidfresh meals. You know why? Because the American Academy of Pediatrics has linked yucky additives and artificial stuff with potentially serious health problems.
  • Even their packaging is good for you – No BPA, Phthalates, or other gross chemical stuff.

Love it all, right? And when you compare them to the other kids meals in the store – it’s clear just by glancing at them that these are a better option. {See more of my kids meal comparison in our shopping trip album on Google+.} I hate that most kids meals in stores, fast food, or even nice restaurants are almost always choices like greasy pizza, kinda-sorta-chicken nuggets, all stuffed with fat and sugar. Like these ones at Safeway – but look at them compared to the Kidsfresh meals, stuffed with hidden veggies, and NOT containing junk food or sweets. Thank you Kidfresh!!

Kidsfresh meals - healthy kids mealsBut admit it moms – it doesn’t really matter what WE want them to eat. It matters what they WILL eat without a fight. We can do our best to encourage them to eat healthy meals packed with whole grains, fruits, and healthy veggies – but if they refuse and throw a fit, it’s a losing battle. So I was SUPER excited when I handed a few of these to Abby, to see which one she wanted – and she hugged them all to her and said, “MINE! Mine deeeener momma!” So I said, “Heck, sure, we’ll get one of each!”

Kidfresh frozen healthy kids meals at SafewayWe got ’em home, and I was eager to have Abby try them, and see if they passed her picky toddler taste test. I mean, they sounded good – with names like Rainbow Rice + ChickenWagon Wheels Mac + CheeseSpaghetti Loops Bolognese, and Muy Cheesy Quesadillas. Since kiddos don’t eat enough veggies, each meal has sneaky pureed veggies included. And they’re flash frozen to preserve nutrients. Even better? They’re super crazy-easy to prepare – one to two minutes in the microwave, and they’re done. I’m starting to fall in love….

taste test - Toddler versus healthy mealsThis afternoon we were in a huge hurry to get out and run some errands – the craft store to stock up on more of the clearance I saw yesterday and decided I needed more of {they had Halloween at 80-90% off!!}, the bank, drop the dog off for a grooming, and another doctor appointment for miss Abby. Since I was running behind getting us out the door – I grabbed one of these new meals – ONE minute in the microwave for these Quesodillas, and we were out the door. It was time for that all-important taste test….

She looked at it.

She poked at it.

She licked her fingers for a taste of it…..

Toddler loves safeway kidsfresh frozen kids meals in the carAnd BAM!!! She loved ’em!! Score one for mom, and for healthy eating habits. She CHOWED DOWN on these. I wish I’d caught video of her after tasting it. She said, “Mmm, mmm, MMMM – Momma, this is SOOO good. No share.” In toddler speak, this is about as good as it gets. Our little dog Deuce {remember, I had to drop him at the groomers?} was in the back seat with her. And she usually shares everything with him. So this was a pretty big deal for her to not share with her best buddy. Seriously. So – we’ve got a new family favorite. I totally recommend checking out your local Safeway for them too.

Learn more today, and switch from fast food – to real food fast!!

  • Visit the Kidfresh Facebook Page to print a $1 off coupon.
  • Follow Kidfresh on Facebook and Twitter for product and promotion updates.

{Disclaimer: I am a member of the Collective Bias® Social Fabric® Community.  This shop has been compensated as part of a social shopper insights study for Collective Bias® and Kidfresh #CBias #SocialFabric #KFHealthyKids.}


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What is Your Happy Haven?

As most of you know, when I found out that I was going to be a mom, I started moving towards a cleaner, greener, lifestyle… I didn’t do this to be trendy. I didn’t do it to be cool. I did it, behind the scenes, imperfectly, to try and learn how to make changes that would keep us safer and healthier, without causing me to make totally drastic lifestyle changes. We’re still far from perfect, but I feel like we’ve moved miles away from the way we used to live! So, to help me along my way, I’m also always on the lookout for cool tools and resources that can help me make changes, without being extreme. A recent favorite of mine is HappyHavens.com. Learn why…

Happy Havens covers a wide array of topics from DIY and wellness to tips for saving money and going green. [Read more…]

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