Thursday, September 6, 2012

Plantains - Fry Baby, Fry!

Today I discovered THE way to fry plantains. I have been pretending to fry them for years. This time it was real! I actually coated the plantain with rice flour, sugar, coconut milk, and coconut. I love coconut, so naturally this was terrific for me. 

 

Wednesday, September 5, 2012

Monster Essentials

Just some of the things that this Monster has to use every single day:




G Diapers are an alternative to disposable diapers and cloth diapers.  They are flush-able and biodegradable.  After switching to cloth diapers, we wanted to go with something that would not be too harsh on the environment.  
 
ScrathMeNot: Flip Mitten Sleeves
"For occasional newborn scratching to the constant scratching of those with skin irritants like eczema, chicken pox and more!"

The Monster scratches like crazy.  When I met the owner of the company, I knew that God had placed her right in the same space as me for a great reason.  Since that meeting, he has worn one everyday.  From their colorful sleeves, to the silk mittens, these flip mittens are excellent.  ScratchMeNots were ideal for our family during the time that it took us to get the hang of taking care for a baby with severe allergies and severe eczema.  






Shea Butter Mix Created by Mommy

I just love it when I meet someone that tells me something new that I never thought of. I started mixing shea butter and oils when I talked to a friend at church.  She doesn't like lotion, but suggested that oils were the way to go.  She suggested grapeseed oil.  I always keep grapeseed oil in my cabinet, so I decided to go home and try it. Score! I have been mixing shea butter, grapeseed oil, jojoba oil, coconut oil, and other essential oils for months now.  This combination of products has worked quite well for the Monster. We apply to his skin after a bath, on damp skin.





Coconut Milk 
At birth, the Monster's birth weight was very normal.  He was thin, but many babies are and we had no initial concerns about his size.  We just figured he was our thin baby.  As he got older, his doctor decided that he was not gaining weight at an average rate.  The doctor sent us to nutritionists, an allergist, and a dermatologist.  As milk is one of his allergies, one of the nutritionists suggested a milk supplement.  I read the ingredients and was highly unsatisfied with this choice.  I decided to try coconut milk.  Coconut milk has fat, fiber, and iron that the Monster needs. He was not able to get these essential nutrients from cow's milk and we did the research to find another option.  


It brings us such joy to see our Monster thriving. He is a major talker. He walks like a champ now. And he is FAT! Our entire family has been waiting for the day that we could say that about this Monster.  He has gone from an under nourished, skinny baby, to a thick, healthy Monster.