Snack Bucket Organization

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My three year old son has an independent streak that would rival anyone of any age.  This encompasses his need to get his own food.  Goodness forbid I get him something when he is being extra independent feeling, because then it is complete toddler meltdown mode for him.  He will grab whatever I got (even if it is something he wanted), throw it back where it came from, turn around, walk back to the cupboard, and grab the same thing right out again and instantly be happy.  Ah, toddlers.  To help support his independence, yet still have control over what, and how much he grabs of his snack foods, I made a snack bucket.  Believe me, the time it takes to do this will reward you ten fold in how many fewer arguments, and spilled boxes of crackers there would have been. 

I try to score snack foods that I think are more or less nutritionally acceptable (please don't judge what you see in the picture, I swear he does not live off of this) for my son when they are on sale, I have a coupon, or they are a good deal at places like Sam's Club.  I bought a few boxes of snack size ziploc bags at the store (generic brand work just fine, it is what I use and have no problems).  I had a large, flat, maybe 6 in tall storage bin that fit perfectly the depth of my cupboard.  Every few weeks I take half an hour or so and measure out servings sizes of the snack food (I use a food scale, best kitchen investment ever!), usually doing a containers worth of each kind just so I don't have to store the bucket and the boxes.  I put each serving in a snack size baggie and then I re-purposed a bunch of the snack food boxes as little dividers.  I know it is not particularly aesthetically pleasing, but it didn't cost any extra money, and they can be replaced when you put new snacks in and have more empty boxes.  For some like the nutri-grain bars, I just tear off the top tabs and put the whole box in there. 

This makes packing his lunch for preschool in the morning quick, easy, and generally less confrontational.  I open the cupboard, pull it out, and let him pick out a few things to add to his lunch.  No measuring, no bagging, no arguing for the most part.  He knows that if it is in his snack bucket it is ok for him to choose, and that is that.  (I cleaned out prime real estate in my cupboard on a shelf he could reach, just so that I could put this in there, and besides, it is taking the place of all the containers of snack food, but it shows how much I think this is worth it).  It makes him feel like a big boy because he is picking what is going in his lunch and packing it, and I feel better knowing that it is one less arguement, and he isn't over eating the junk food.

Believe me, it is worth the time to measure out the portions and organize it.  Now I know that when he has a snack, he is not eating the whole box, or wasting the whole box of whatever it is. 

PSA: Hands Only CPR and Infant/Child Choking

Pin It Now! Goodness forbid that the unthinkable happened and someone you knew or didn't know for that matter needed CPR.  Do you know it?  If you are not CPR certified, I highly recommend it, particularly if you have kids.  If you are not certified, here is a video that explains how to do hands only CPR, which has been shown to be effective in circulating blood and oxygen until more experienced rescuers arrive.  This video is only a minute long, and could save a life.

Just two easy steps:

1) Call 911
2) Push hard and fast at the center of the chest.



I have been CPR certified for 12 years, and I think it is the most valuable thing you can learn, that you hope you never have to use.  

Another valuable thing is how to aid a choking infant.  I worry about this all the time because my toddler seems incapable of keeping his finger food at his table and away from his 11 month old brother, who still can't do anything more solid than baby food puree, not for lack of us trying.  See the video below for instruction on how to help an infant:



For infant CPR, check out this video from "The Dr's" television show, very informative:



Lastly, here is how to help a choking toddler, and child CPR. I know this is a lot of info, but it is well worth knowing:

Choking child:



Child CPR:




If you want to find a class, the American Heart Association gives online courses, and then you can take the practical exam at a facility in your city that offers it.  I did this for my recertification.  Super easy, I took the online written portion, printed out the certificate, made an appointment at a local buisness that provides the practical examination, went during my appointment time, did the practical hands on exam, got my certification card right then and there.

Nothing is better than piece of mind, and knowing you have the knowledge to help save a life.

More information on hands only CPR and CPR certification can be found at:


American Heart Association

or

American Red Cross

Hyper in a Diaper

Pin It Now! ....No, I am not talking about me. This would be my almost three year old son. He goes faster than the speed of light, and does not stop. I love the kid to pieces, but he can be so frustrating sometimes. For instance, when we put him down for a nap, and after two hours of him up in his room singing every song he as learned at preschool at the top of his lungs (and may I say, he has quite a repertoire of songs), he comes down stairs and the first thing he says is "Mommy...I so tired. I want to take a nap." Seriously?!?! Really kid? What do you think was supposed to be happening the last two hours? Frankly, it is insulting.

Today though, he displayed just how talented he is. After a battle of wills over him wanting to change his own diaper, I finally said "whatever" and let him. It was sheer comedy. He ever so nicely takes his shorts off, tosses them aside, and proudly goes and picks out a diaper. With the care a precision reserved for surgeons, he pulls off one tab on his diaper, all while singing "I got a bowling ball!" (a VERY wet diaper)and shaking his butt to make the now precariously perched diaper swing back and forth. Then he pulls the other side off, lays the diaper down and carefully rolls up his diaper and happily plops it in his grandmas hands (I am sure she was so excited for that gift). Watching him put the clean diaper on is something I don't know I can describe in words, but it involved a lot of toddler butt crack. Thankfully, once he completed what he set out to do, and after much convincing, he acquiesced to grandma making it presentable.

I really think that if he is smart enough to change his own diaper, he should be able to use a potty and pull underwear on and off. I fear we will be changing his diapers until he is 5. Unfortunately, this kid can't seem to be bribed (toy store, Disneyland, zoo, ice cream, movies, park...nothing works). Sigh...hopefully he will wake up one day soon and just decide he is too cool for diapers, and want his underwear. I can hope, right?

While this is going on, his 9 month old brother has been patiently watching his brother's antics, probably taking notes on the best ways to drive mommy nuts. Outwardly though, he was going to town chewing on one teether after another. Poor kid is teething practically his whole mouth full of teeth right now. More on him later :)

On a side note, if anyone wants to test the baby proofing of their home, we will happily rent him out, since he has managed to circumvent even the best baby proofing measures we could possibly take. If it can be gotten into, he will find a way.

I would post a picture of my toddler, but he moves too fast. Just a blur in all the pictures.