Choo Choo

My daughters have a love for music and dancing and Playhouse Disney's Choo Choo Soul has only brought out the dancing queen in them. When these three minute videos come on, the girls go nuts, shakin' and movin' all around the living room. I decided to welcome the frenzy to the car and purchased a $10 gently used cd/dvd set from Amazon. The music is upbeat with R&B beats and there's always a lesson to learn: ABC's with a gospel twist, farm animals and Jump Jump to name a few of the house favs. Another show to get the kids groovin' is Hip Hop Harry on Discovery Kids Network. Yes, don't blink. It's a big ole bear break dancing at a community center with pumped up and choreographed 10 year olds.

Ants on a log

Somehow I tricked Janae into eating celery. Keep in mind she is not a fan of veggies. I include sliced baby carrots or cucumbers in her lunch but she won't touch them. So I threaten her. "No juice box tomorrow if you don't eat those carrots today," I warn her as I drive her and Belle to daycare. I ate one carrot she yells excitedly when I pick her up. I try again. She's a peanut butter addict so when we get home, I slice up a celery stalk and dip it in Trader Joe's Organic crunchy peanut butter explaining to her that mommy loved to eat this when she was a Girl Scout except I also put raisins on it. "Ohhh, I want to be a Girl Scout," she says eyeing the snack. Janae loved it and also agreed to eat peas for lunch. Her sister Belle on the other hand, flashes a dimple when I serve her frozen peas, cucumbers, and broccoli for breakfast.

I go potty

My little Belle woke up with a dry diaper this morning so I rushed her to the potty chair and she tinkled twice. Lately I have been throwing her on the potty before I dip her in the bathtub and when she wrinkles her brow because a numero dos is arriving. She seems to get it. I say "Belle do you have to go pee pee?"She answers then beelines to the bathroom. Most important tip I can provide in this training is be willing to drop what you are doing and unfasten the diaper for a quick try. Also make a routine of when you place them on potty and stick to it. Finally if a slightly older sibling or cousin is present, let them go potty on the big toilet and let your little one watch. Treats work too, so every time they take a spin at it and produce, reward with cheers and a little piece of organic candy. Here is an eco-friendly potty chair and other tips.

One Trick Helper

When I was a little girl in the 70's, cheese hamburger helper was my absolute favorite dinner. I have been looking for a healthier alternative for the girls and I think I struck gold. First off, Janae won't eat ground meat unless it's disguised with noodles and cheese or a red sauce. Here's my magic recipe with Annie's Homegrown Organic Macaroni and Cheese - Boil noodles for 10 minutes and cook ground beef until browned. Mix the cheese pack with 1/3 cup milk and a 1/2 cup of alfredo sauce. Mix sauce with noodles and meat. I served it with some cut up cucumbers and told Janae that this was my favorite dish when I was her age. Now every time I make it, she says, "Oh Mommy, your favorite dish! Mine too!"