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	<title>WIRL Project &#187; Toddler</title>
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	<description>What It&#039;s Really Like.</description>
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		<title>Reality &#8211; What It&#8217;s Really Like</title>
		<link>http://www.wirlproject.com/reality-what-its-really-like/</link>
		<comments>http://www.wirlproject.com/reality-what-its-really-like/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Wed, 18 Nov 2015 16:00:17 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Brody]]></dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Entertainment]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Family]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Food/Drink]]></category>
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		<category><![CDATA[Style/Beauty]]></category>
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		<category><![CDATA[ABCs]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[bedtime with toddlers]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Born]]></category>
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		<category><![CDATA[Mornings]]></category>
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		<category><![CDATA[No Coffee]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Real World]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Reality]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Road Rules]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Toddler]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.wirlproject.com/?p=9912</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[This post is part of a series titled, “A-B-Cs – What It’s Really Like”. Each week a new letter and its word will be revealed. Each word’s explanation will illustrate significant personal meaning, application and ultimately demonstrate, What It’s Really Like… Back in 1998 MTV debuted the reality TV show Real World/Road Rules Challenge – better known as simply, “The Challenge”.  In reflection of my current life I have found that much my own reality is impacted by challenges from the real world and the rules of the road. *** BASED ON ACTUAL EVENTS: 4:30AM – the alarm rings out.  The real world will begin after a few open handed smacks of the snooze button.  Is it mommy or daddy’s turn to take the boys to school?  Whoever’s turn it is has the first shower.  I can’t remember what she said last night.  Was it me or her?  She’s not moving.  Shit, I think it’s my day.  Yep, it is.  OK I’m up. Ouch!  How many times am I going to kick that laundry basket before somebody moves it?  Where is the light?  What’s the difference?  I can’t see anything anyways.  Toothbrush.  Man, the lights are bright.  I’ll try to rub my eyes a few times to clear my eyesight.  Whoa, wish I could not see again.  You look like crap.  When is the last time you worked out?  Ugh, I guess I’ll weigh myself.  That might motivate me to run tonight after work.  Please don’t be high.  WOW.  How is that possible?  I feel 25 pounds heavier than that.  I still feel like crap, though.  Lucky.  Probably still won’t run tonight, anyway. Pounding sinus headache.  Not a sip of alcohol last night and I feel like I’ve pulled an all-night bender and just stopped drinking an hour ago.  Time for the shower.  Don’t forget to turn the light on in Little room before you get into the shower.  It is taking a lot longer for him to get out of bed lately.  Maybe today I can get him dressed on his own without World War III breaking out.  Doubt it. What the hell do I wear today?  This closet selection is so sad.  God, I hate ironing my pants.  Why don’t I do this the night before?  Oh, Kathy’s up.  I’m not going to say anything.  She’s not a morning person.  That’s ok.  I feel like my head is going to explode and I don’t feel like talking either.  Let’s see if Little B is up while I wait for the iron to warm up.  Nope.  He won’t even move.  Why can’t he sleep this hard EARLIER in the night?  I’ll shake him to get things going. “Hey, buddy.  Time to wake up.  Rise and shine!” “No, no, nonono, GO AWAY DADDY.  Leave me ALONE!” When did my toddler turn into a teenager? “Five minute warning and we are going to get dressed.” “No, no, NOOOOOOOO!” I’m so glad he hasn’t learned any cuss words.  I half expect him to use a few one of these mornings. OK, I am dressed.  Now let’s get him dressed.  This has to be the worst part of the day.  What is my strategy?  He’s been terrible to wake and get ready lately.  Sneak attack?  No, that makes things worse.  I can’t bribe him this early.  Let him make the choice. “Who do you want to get you dressed – Mommy or Daddy?”  Classic line.  He usually picks the opposite. “Noooooo!  I DON’T KNOW” That didn’t work.  Now what? Have to try the bribe. “If you get up and get ready without crying we can go get donuts on Friday morning before school.  Do you want donuts?” “I don’t want donuts.  I don’t want to go to school.  Leave me alone, Daddy!” This is turning into a hostage negotiation. *15 minutes pass* I can’t take this anymore.  I am going to start yelling.  Now I’m yelling louder.  OK, now I am threatening to spank him.  Should I spank him?  He just woke up.  That’s really not right.  He is really pissing me off today.  I’m going to be late.  Enough is enough.  Well, that didn’t work.  He’s bawling now.  Kathy just walked in.  THANK GOD.  He has everything but his socks on now.  Good enough.  She can brush his teeth and comb his hair.  I’m out of here. I am starving.  It’s 6:25.  SERIOUSLY?!  I have not even eaten yet.  Why are there no clean spoons?  Cereal sucks when you ate the same exact meal as a snack before going to bed.  ARRRGHHHH!  I just remembered!   I have to pack my lunch.  Unreal.  I have no time for this.  I hear Little B coming down the stairs.  How did she brush his teeth so fast?  No wait, he’s at the top of the stairs refusing to come down.  Awesome.  He hasn’t eaten yet either.  Let’s try the line again. “What do you want for breakfast?  Mommy or Daddy’s cereal?” “I don’t want breakfast!  I want NUFFING!” I look at the clock.  It is 6:29.  Zero hour is 6:30.  The commute is only 15 miles, but traffic is horrific.  If I don’t leave before 6:30 I won’t make it to work until after 8:00.  Screw it.  Leftovers.  Where is the ice pack for my lunch?  Of course I forgot to put it back in the freezer yesterday.  Good thing we have a backup.  Cute, real cute.  The backup ice packs are so fat that the Tupperware doesn’t fit in my lunch bag.  Guess I’ll have to make a sandwich after all. “WHAT DO YOU WANT FOR BREAKFAST?” “NUFFING!” I’m pouring a bowl, I don’t care.  At least I can say that I tried. “Here’s your cereal” “I DON’T WANT IT” “OK, Daddy is going to eat it or throw it away” “NONONO!” (crying ensues)  “I want to eat it!!!” “Sit down at your little table and eat it then.” “Ok… I WANT A BIG SPOON!  I DON’T WIKE THE GREEN BOWL!  I WANT THE BLUE BOWL!!!!” You’ve got to be freaking kidding me.  You know what, I am not even going to fight him today.  Where is that damn blue bowl?  Dirty in the dishwasher.  Figures.  Well that’s out the window. “EAT IT OR IT GETS THROWN AWAY!” (Sobbing ensues) What time is it now?  6:34. I can still make decent time if I am in my truck by 6:45. COFFEE. This can’t be happening.  THERE IS NO COFFEE.  I have no time to make coffee. “Welp, there is no coffee!!!” “I’m so sorry Brody, I can’t do everything around here!” Oops.  That wasn’t for her to hear.  She did get Little B and Baby K ready without my help.  Doesn’t matter anymore. I explode. I light into everything in the kitchen.  Little B, Kathy, the freezer, coffee maker.  I’ll even cuss out my lunch bag while I’m at it. Shut up and get out before you ruin everyone’s day. Truck keys.  I’ve got to get out of here.  I’m going to be late.  I feel horrible for not helping Kathy.  She won’t want my help now because I yelled back at her.  Why do I do that? *15 minutes pass* We are all loaded up.  Deep breath.  We made it.  Start the truck, garage door down, aaaand adjust radio.  No Country this morning.  I need to calm down.  Where is the Jazz station?  There that is better.  Silence. “Daddy, I hungie (hungry)”. *** For me, reality comes in one giant cycle commencing and culminating with two massive countdowns for launching (departing the house) and landing (bedtime).  The road rules quality time spent with my children during three hour commutes in which I stare at the rearview mirror into the backs of their little eyelids after they have passed out from a long day at school.  The reality of “R” is a challenge that each of us faces every day. Rise, retain, remain, retire. Repeat. &#160;]]></description>
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		</item>
		<item>
		<title>What It&#8217;s Really Like to Be Me &#8211; Part 1</title>
		<link>http://www.wirlproject.com/what-its-really-like-to-be-me-part-1/</link>
		<comments>http://www.wirlproject.com/what-its-really-like-to-be-me-part-1/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Wed, 22 Jul 2015 16:00:44 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Sara Brennan]]></dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Life/Leisure]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Technology/Web]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Australia]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Charlotte]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Competitive]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Erie]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Famous Podcast]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Mercyhurst College]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Mercyhurst University]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[NC]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[PA]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Podcast]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Sara Brennan]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Slang]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Sports]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Toddler]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Traveling]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Traveling with a Toddler]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Tv Williams]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.wirlproject.com/?p=7815</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[I had the privilege of being invited by T.v. Williams to be on his Famous Podcast a few weeks ago and it was a blast! It was my first podcast, so it was a new and very interesting experience for me and somehow T.v. lead me to talk about all kinds of things including my personal and professional life. I will be sharing bits and pieces of this podcast over the next few weeks and today I am sharing Part 1 which is about: What it was really like to live in one of the snowiest cities in America The CRAZY way I bought my house in Charlotte Australian slang and what it&#8217;s REALLY like to have a spouse with an accent Traveling on a plane for over 24 hours with a 7 month old My competitive nature and why my son is bound to also be competitive &#160; I was very honest and real in this podcast and can&#8217;t wait to share the whole thing with you. I love the idea of podcasting because not everyone has time to sit down and read an article, WIRL, or a post. However, a podcast is something you can play on your phone while you are driving or cleaning your kitchen or while you have a few minutes to sit on the couch and relax. Hopefully there will be more of these kinds of posts in my future! The video link is below, let me know what you think! &#160; Thanks for watching and thank you T.v. for having me on the Famous Podcast! &#160;]]></description>
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		</item>
		<item>
		<title>I See My Father in My Son</title>
		<link>http://www.wirlproject.com/i-see-my-father-in-my-son/</link>
		<comments>http://www.wirlproject.com/i-see-my-father-in-my-son/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Thu, 18 Jun 2015 09:00:15 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Sara Brennan]]></dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Family]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Life/Leisure]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[ALS]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Blue Eyes]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Child]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Drool]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Father]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Goodnight]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Lou Gehrig's Disease]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[love]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Parent]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Scribble]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Smile]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Son]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Talk]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Toddler]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.wirlproject.com/?p=7102</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[I see my father in my toddler son when he looks at me – they share those same gorgeous blue eyes that can cut glass or melt your heart. Their eyes are filled with love and challenge; the kind of love that only a parent and child can understand. The kind of love that can endure temper tantrums, heal boo-boos, and teach you significant life lessons. Their blue eyes change colors with their temperament and health, almost like a chameleon. When they’re not feeling well, their pale skin exemplifies the color into a rich, deep blue and when they’re feeling proud, they are just right mix of blue and whatever color confidence might be. Interestingly enough, they share the same I love you, but don’t like your right now look as well – I’ve seen it enough from my father in my teenage years to immediately recognize it in my own child, even though he’s still just a baby. I see my father in my son when he smiles – their eyes squint in the same kind of way. Their personalities are infectious, they’re both social beings, and thrive on attention. They even have a similar forced chuckle when they find something funny. The best thing about their smile is that it’s so genuine – you can actually feel the happiness beaming from their bodies like warm, bright, glowing rays from the sun, which his why people love to be around them. The best thing about their smile is that it’s so genuine – you can actually feel the happiness beaming from their bodies like warm, bright, glowing rays from the sun, which his why people love to be around them. I see my father in my son when he’s happily eating my father’s secret family recipe of homemade spaghetti that I’ve prepared for him for dinner; it’s one of his favorite meals. They both love it greatly and could devour large plates of it – more than any one man or boy should ever eat in one sitting! I thoroughly enjoy watching my son gobble down this meal, not because he’s adorable and completely covered in tomato sauce when he’s done, but because it almost feels like my father is sitting right there at the table too, enjoying this special meal with us. I see my father in my son when he gets frustrated or doesn’t get his way. They’re both wired with the same short fuse that can instantaneously take them from zero to one hundred. They’re passionate, driven, and intense. I see this mostly when my toddler son is trying to tell me what he wants, but can’t quite get the words out. When he is pointing and saying what he needs, as best as he can, but can’t quite articulate, just as my father did. Secretly, I enjoy being one of the only people who can actually understand the slurred, mumbled language they speak. Sometimes it makes me feel privileged or honored that I can help them in that way, however, I wish I never had to have this role with my father. They’re both wired with the same short fuse that can instantaneously take them from zero to one hundred. They’re passionate, driven, and intense. I see my father in my son when I’m wiping the drool from his chin. How I wish I didn’t have this memory. Although my son drools from teething, my father had a very different cause. His weakening throat muscles weren’t working well anymore, causing the saliva to build up in his mouth and sometimes fall out the sides. Oftentimes he would choke, so I would use a suction tube to stop the drainage and make him more comfortable. Just as I do with my son, I would wipe his chin and clean him up without hesitation, all the while, his blue eyes were silently saying thank you. I saw my father in my son when he was learning to walk. He would take a few steps, stumble, and then cling to something to help him stand. For my sweet toddler boy, this was an exciting milestone, however when my father experienced this same stumbling, it meant something very different and grim. See, my father had been suffering for 5 years. Suffering from a terrible disease that took everything from him, including his ability to talk and eat, walk or travel, socialize, function, and eventually breathe. As his body and muscles atrophied, we all prayed he would continue to be able to walk as it was about the only thing he had left going for him, but, towards the end, his disease began to rob him of this as well. For my sweet toddler boy, this was an exciting milestone, however when my father experienced this same stumbling, it meant something very different and grim. I see my father in my son when I hand him a pencil and ask him to draw for me. He clumsily holds it the same way my father did when he would try to write me notes to articulate his words during the last few days and months of his life. He would scribble a few things here and there, mostly happy faces and sad faces, or little hearts that meant I love you; they weren’t words, but it was enough – I knew exactly what he meant. Just as I now do with my son, I saved many of these scribblings, as it was one of our only ways of communicating to each other in this stage of his life; and on this paper, I hold special memories of my father. I see my father in my son as I put him to bed every evening and we go through our nightly bedtime routine. I am always brought back to that hot summer night in July, when for the first time, I went to bed without saying goodnight to my father. It wasn’t on purpose; I actually forgot. Typically, we would have sat together for a while, sometimes a long while, watching TV and I would rub his hands and feet, which were sore and achy from not functioning well anymore. Honestly, sometimes I would try to avoid this nightly routine because, although I loved this time together, he would keep me there for much longer than I ever intended to be, but I didn’t purposefully avoid him on this July 14 night. Somehow, before falling asleep, I realized we had not done our regular nightly TV bonding session and I felt bad. I even said to my husband, Ah, I forgot to say goodnight to my Dad!, but it was late, so my husband and I agreed that I could just wait until tomorrow, but tomorrow never came. I am always brought back to that hot summer night in July, when for the first time, I went to bed without saying goodnight to my father. On July 15, 2007, at about 5:00 a.m., my father, Dominic Andriacchi, died from cardiac arrest caused by Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) or Lou Gehrig’s Disease. I never got to say goodbye or goodnight. I think of this everyday single day, especially when I am putting my son to bed. I think of my father every time I squeeze my son, give him that goodnight kiss, give him one more hug, and tell him I love him. I will never miss this opportunity again; my father taught me the importance of this. I never got to say goodbye or goodnight. I think of this everyday single day&#8230; I see my father in myself when my son wakes up from a bad dream and I comfort him. I assure him, just as my dad did with me in his darkest of days and scariest of times, that everything is going to be alright, even though I have no way of being certain of this. As my parent my father was strong, even when he was dying. As the child, I believed him when he said everything would be OK. I wish I could have done that in return for him; maybe I did? In hindsight, I wish I could have assured him that everything would be alright, especially that one last time – but I didn’t and I often have to ask myself, why? Was this always part of the plan? Would I have known I was going to be saying goodbye instead of goodnight that night? I’ll never know. I see my father in my son every day. His blue eyes are looking at me with love, thanks, and confidence. I know they are both proud of the job I’m doing as a daughter, wife, mother, and woman. But, if I’m being honest, I’m just doing the best I can; thankfully they both saw and see so much more in me. Thankfully, I had the opportunity to know my father, but my son never will – which is why I am so proud to see so much of my father in my son. &#160; &#160; &#160;]]></description>
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		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Crap My Three Year Old Says</title>
		<link>http://www.wirlproject.com/crap-my-three-year-old-says/</link>
		<comments>http://www.wirlproject.com/crap-my-three-year-old-says/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Mon, 04 May 2015 18:00:09 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[WIRL Project]]></dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Family]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[3 year old]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Funny]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Motherhood]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[parenthood]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Toddler]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.wirlproject.com/?p=5825</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Arden turned three in March, but has run the roost since she was just a couple months old. We knew that she’d be a spitfire but, given the choice, I still would have preferred a spitfire over a wallflower. I’ll likely be eating those words when she’s a teenager. As parents, part of our jobs is embarrassing our kids, usually not on purpose, when they get older. This entails showing up at school drop-off in our pajamas, answering the phone when their friends call, and generally just breathing and being alive. On the other hand, when our kids are young, we pray they won’t say anything in public that is mortifying or likely to get us shot. Like loudly commenting about the overweight lady eating a hot dog in her bikini at the beach. Or the stinky European guy at Disney with the long armpit hair. The list goes on. So far, in her first three years, Arden’s managed so say some hilarious things. Luckily, none have gotten us shot. Here are some of the gems: Arden: Mommy, what’s that mole doing on your chin? Me: It’s not a mole. It’s a beauty mark. Arden: No. Pretty sure it’s a mole. _____ Arden: Mommy, can I wear this princess dress to school? Me: No. It’s a 5t and you wear a 3t. You can wear it when you get bigger. Arden: Okay. And when I get bigger, I can drink beer and wine and coffee. _____ Arden: Mommy, put Elle’s hand on the stove. _____ Background: Arden and her girlfriend, Emerson, are each enjoying their own brownie sundaes. Husband: Arden, can I have some of your brownie? Arden: Hey Emerson, wanna give my Daddy a bite of your brownie? _____ Arden [pointing at food that dropped on the floor]: Don’t eat that- it’s a casualty. _____ Me, trying to diffuse a temper tantrum: Arden, stop the drama. Arden [dramatically]: This isn’t drama. It’s real life. _____ My sister: Arden, what noise does a pig make? Arden: Oink, oink. My sister: What noise does a cow make? Arden: Moo. My sister: What noise does Kuma [our geriatric labrador, who practically has one paw on the plank of the rainbow bridge] make? Arden: pants heavily with tongue out. _____ Background: Arden is in the car seat returning home from a trip to the grocery store with my mom. Arden: Grammy, I have to go potty. Grammy: You need to hold it for a little while. Arden [confused]: Do I hold it in my hands? Man, I can’t get enough of this kid. What are some of your favorite things your kids have said? Cheers! &#160; The content and image in this WIRL was originally written by Jennifer Burby and published on The Champagne Supernova. You can find Jennifer on WIRL Project here. &#160;]]></description>
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		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Sample Food Menu for a 2-Year Old: One Mom&#8217;s Account</title>
		<link>http://www.wirlproject.com/sample-food-menu-for-a-2-year-old-one-moms-account/</link>
		<comments>http://www.wirlproject.com/sample-food-menu-for-a-2-year-old-one-moms-account/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Mon, 27 Apr 2015 20:00:40 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Amy G.]]></dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Family]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Food/Drink]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Health/Fitness]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Home/Garden]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Food]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Menu]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Sample]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Toddler]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[What to feed toddler]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.wirlproject.com/?p=5580</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[&#160; Sample Menu for a 2-Year Old: One Mom’s Account The sample menu below takes you through some examples of what I have recently been feeding my 2-year old son. This is by no means a comprehensive list…we move and change with the times and current circumstances occurring in our household! Every family has their own unique schedule and challenges, and we’re no different! When possible, I try to mix up the food options from day to day so that our toddler eats a wide variety of foods. I find that serving a variety of foods and switching things up encourages healthier nutrition and an open palette; it doesn’t allow my toddler to get overly comfortable eating and requesting the same foods over and over, consequently rejecting other food options we try to serve. 8:15 AM: Breakfast is Served! Options for the Main Meal: Steel cut oats with cardamom and nutmeg Plain yogurt Greek yogurt Cereal with milk Blueberry waffles &#160; Options to Serve on the Side: Freshly diced fruit (banana, berries, pear, apple, watermelon, etc.) Cheese &#160; Drink: Milk or water in a sippy cup &#160; 10:00 AM: Did Someone Say Snack Time? Options for Snack Time: Fresh fruit smoothie for mom and kiddo (i.e.: mixed organic berries, fresh spinach, water) Cottage cheese with diced apples Fresh fruit &#160; *Note: We often skip snack time if we’re out of the house doing an activity. My toddler comes back nice and hungry for a hearty lunch that holds him until the afternoon. &#160; 11:00 AM: It’s Lunch Time! Options for the Main Meal: Dinner leftovers from the previous night Toddler Veggie Platter (served with hummus or yogurt dipping sauce for protein) Avocado, Tomato, and Hummus Sandwich Peanut Butter/Almond Butter Sandwich Black beans, spinach, and tomatoes with cous cous or bulgur Soft taco: Chicken or beans (previously made and stored in fridge/freezer), cheese, tomato, and spinach wrapped in whole wheat tortilla Spinach and cheese omelet with fresh herbs and toast &#160; Options to Serve on the Side: Diced fruit (i.e.: avocado, pear, berries, watermelon, grapes, peach, apricot, plum, tomato) Diced vegetables (i.e.: brightly colored bell peppers, broccoli, cauliflower, etc.) &#160; Drink: Water or milk in a sippy cup &#160; 3:30 PM: It’s Snack Time Again?! Options for Snack Time: Diced fresh fruit Dried fruit (i.e.: raisins, cranberries, blueberries, etc.) Whole wheat crackers with cheese, peanut butter, or almond butter Cheese &#160; Drink: Water or milk in a sippy cup &#160; 5:30 or 6:00 PM: Dinner’s On the Table! Options for the Main Meal: *Note: If we’re cooking dinner at home, our son is expected to eat what the family eats for dinner, and we rarely make exceptions. When possible, we try to include a protein, whole grain, and/or vegetable in the meal. On evenings when my husband and I can’t cook and we need a quick dinner, we’ll serve our son sardines (they’re high in omegas!) with some vegetables on the side or one of the lunch options listed above. If we go to a restaurant as a family, our son currently shares the meal we order versus ordering off the kids menu. Chicken, ground beef, or bean soft tacos Whole wheat pasta tossed with sauce and vegetables Slow cooker beef short ribs with Yukon Gold potatoes Chicken tikka masala Turkey cutlets Lemon chicken with fresh herbs Grilled salmon on a cedar plank Grilled hamburgers Lentil soup &#160; Options to Serve on the Side: Vegetables (broccoli, cabbage, bell peppers, spinach, kale, green peas, etc.) Salad Whole grain (i.e.: farro, bulgur, barley, wild rice, etc.) &#160; Drink: Water or milk in a sippy cup &#160; What are some of your go-to meals for your toddlers? Tell us in the comments!  If you like what you&#8217;ve learned here, visit www.whatagoodeater.com for free recipes and eating tips for babies, toddlers, and family-friendly meals!]]></description>
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		<title>Speedy Toddler Lunch Idea, Good Lesson for Mom</title>
		<link>http://www.wirlproject.com/speedy-toddler-lunch-idea-good-lesson-for-mom/</link>
		<comments>http://www.wirlproject.com/speedy-toddler-lunch-idea-good-lesson-for-mom/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Tue, 03 Mar 2015 14:00:04 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Amy G.]]></dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Family]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Food/Drink]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[baby food]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[eating]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Food]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[kid meals]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Lunch]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Toddler]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[What a Good Eater!]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.wirlproject.com/?p=3595</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[On Super Bowl Sunday, my husband asked me what appetizer we should bring to share at our friend’s Super Bowl party.  We originally decided to bring jalapeno poppers, but on the day of the party, my husband got a text message from the host saying someone else decided to bring the same thing.  We quickly aborted our plan and decided to bring something else instead.  Enter The Vegetable Party Platter!     We chopped up some raw broccoli, cauliflower, baby carrots, and arranged it on a beautiful, white platter.  Positioned in the center was a bowl of creamy Ranch dressing.  I’m aware that there is absolutely nothing novel about this idea.  We’ve all seen and eaten this at parties.  Grocery stores even sell these prepackaged!  My biggest surprise came from witnessing my 1 ½ year-old son ogling the vegetables at the party and asking to eat them, even amongst the many bowls of chips, dips, and desserts.   Honestly, I think it was the presentation and blocks of beautiful colors that enticed him. I’d tried serving my son raw vegetables before without much luck.  Sometimes he’d eat them; sometimes he’d return them to me like I was a waitress at a restaurant serving sub-par food.  His change of tune at the Super Bowl party was a great lesson for me.  It reminded me that sometimes I can get trapped into incorrect, preconceived notions that my toddler doesn’t like a certain type of food.  I maybe tried a particular food once or a few times a while ago, and he didn’t care for it.  But try that same food again tomorrow, in a few weeks, or in a few months, and I’m always amazed to discover that often times, he’s changed his tune and will eat the food or at least try it.  Studies show that it can take 12-16 times for a toddler to try a new food, eat it, and enjoy it.  That’s a heck of a lot of tries, but a good reminder that we shouldn’t give up or get discouraged too early if they indicate they don’t like a particular food.  They might just need a little time to warm up to it, or they might like it prepared slightly differently: baked instead of sautéed, for example, or raw instead of roasted. After the Super Bowl party, I started serving my son The Vegetable Party Platter for lunch pretty often.  It’s especially useful when I don’t have time to cook or when I’m just too tired!  Here’s how to assemble it: Chop some raw broccoli, cauliflower, and bell pepper into bite-sized pieces that are small enough and safe for your toddler. If your toddler favors other vegetables instead, try those! Consider celery, cucumber, tomatoes, and black olives. Brightly colored foods are often super foods. Serving your child a variety of different colored foods ensures well-rounded nutrition, so mix up the colors! I like to chop the vegetables and assemble his meal in front of him, because watching me prepare his meal excites him! Serve them with your toddler’s favorite dipping sauce. The dipping sauce is key with The Vegetable Party Platter. Toddlers love to dip! My first picks are hummus, yogurt, peanut butter, or almond butter because they add good nutrition and protein to the meal. Other options are Ranch dressing or cream cheese. Dipping allows toddlers to exercise their independence, touch and feel their food, and heck—it’s just a fun, interactive eating experience—so let them dip away! Food presentation matters. Adults aren’t the only ones who eat with their eyes first…so does your child! Arrange the food on your child’s plate attractively, grouping them into bright color blocks. Place their favorite dipping sauce in the middle and show them how to take a vegetable and dip it in the sauce. Be a food role model for your child. How can we expect our kids to be great eaters if we don’t model good eating habits ourselves? How can I be eating fast food in front of my son for lunch while I try to serve him The Vegetable Party Platter? I don’t know how well that would work. It helps immensely if they see you eating and enjoying the food too. As Landon and I sat down for lunch together today, I made sure that along with my sandwich, I served myself baby carrots and raw broccoli on the side. I made a special point to make sure he saw me eating them so he knows we’re in this together. I can’t remember the last time I ate raw vegetables like that for lunch. I normally don’t enjoy raw vegetables, so I found that I surprised myself too! I actually enjoyed the way they tasted, and it made for a wonderful, crunchy compliment to my sandwich. It also gave me the opportunity to eat more vegetables in the middle of the day…something I find a little more difficult to do. &#160; I’ve got to say, this new lunch idea has been a win-win for my son and me, and a huge time-saver!  What are your favorite toddler lunch ideas?  Tell us in the comments section.  Visit www.whatagoodeater.com for more baby and toddler meal ideas, and sign up for our newsletter to receive free baby, toddler, and family-friendly recipes!]]></description>
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		<title>Toddler Proofing Your Dining Room Carpet</title>
		<link>http://www.wirlproject.com/toddler-proofing-your-dining-room-carpet/</link>
		<comments>http://www.wirlproject.com/toddler-proofing-your-dining-room-carpet/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Sat, 28 Feb 2015 20:00:00 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Brody]]></dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Family]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Food/Drink]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[advice]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[How To]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[tips]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Toddler]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.wirlproject.com/?p=3499</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[We recently moved and inherited a dining room with white/cream colored carpeting.  This immediately became a concern with a toddler living in the house.  Our two-year-old son refuses to sit at a smaller sized table and chairs in the kitchen and demands to sit at the big table with the grown ups. Originally we were placing old beach towels underneath his chair and end of the table.  This seemed to work well temporarily, but after a while the towels would become loaded with crumbs or camouflage old dried food and inevitably become nasty.  We also discovered that it was not practical to change out the towels every other day because it was such a hassle.  Plus on top of all of that, the beach towels were not exactly the interior decorating statement we wanted to make in our new home. Thus, the solution for protecting your eating area carpet from the messy lovable little man or lady in your life: This is a computer desk chair mat designed to protect your carpet from heavy rolling furniture.  I came up with the idea to lay this 3 x 4&#8242; mat under our son&#8217;s end of the table and place his grown up chair on top of it.  Non-dried food is a breeze to wipe away with a sponge or wet paper towel.  Crumbs are easily swept up using your household vacuum.  Best of all, it blends in with its surroundings and is not an eyesore in your formal dining area.  You can pick one up at a nearby office supply store or on Amazon.  Basic mats this size run from $30-40.]]></description>
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		<title>Outdoor Design with Baby in Mind</title>
		<link>http://www.wirlproject.com/outdoor-design-with-baby-in-mind/</link>
		<comments>http://www.wirlproject.com/outdoor-design-with-baby-in-mind/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Thu, 26 Feb 2015 20:00:09 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Sara Brennan]]></dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Family]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Home/Garden]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Baby Proof]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Deck]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Fence]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Gazebo]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Outdoor]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Outdoor Design]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Patio]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Pool]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Pool Fence]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Sliding Gate]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Toddler]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.wirlproject.com/?p=3391</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[The dreaded baby-proofing! If you have an eye for pretty design and decorations, baby-proofing is like nails on a chalkboard, but if you’re creative enough and think outside the box, you will find that there are options to keep your baby safe and your house still looking fabulous! Today I’m going to share with you my outdoor space makeover, so you can see that you can still have a very functional, aesthetically pleasing space and design it all with your baby in mind! Here are some tips to keep in mind as you are trying to design your outdoor space with your baby in mind: 1) Be Innovative Having a baby does not mean you need to throw all your style out the window, but it does mean that you probably need to get creative in how you keep it. Let’s face it, if you open up an edition of HGTV magazine and see a beautiful outdoor space, it’s probably filled with large open floor plans, beautiful decor, knickknacks, outdoor plants, and lots of things with sharp edges – but if you are creative you can eliminate these dangers and exchange them for baby safe items. We too used to have a large open floor plan on our deck, in fact – we actually had a space about 15 feet wide that opened up straight to the pool. It was actually quite nice, you could go out the back door, down two steps and straight into the pool – not one gate!! But now, that’s just way too dangerous, even though my son has taken swim lessons, we still wanted to be sure he could not get to the pool on accident, EVER! So, my mom and I brainstormed one day and we came up with the idea for a sliding gate to close up this very large opening on our deck. I did some research and could not find anything like what I wanted; Pinterest had one image of something similar and it was pretty scary – it looked like cousin Sam came over for the weekend and quickly installed something after his 10th beer. Needless to say, it was not what I had in mind, so I sketched up a picture (I can’t draw at all) to somewhat bring my idea to life and then I called about 5 contractors, 4 of which said, “No, Sara, we don’t do sliding gates – it just won’t work”. Then, the company who built our fence in our yard came though and said they’d never done or seen anything like it before, but they’d give it a wirl ( ) So, long story short, we ended up with two very beautiful, functional, baby-safe sliding gates to use for our outdoor space and it works perfectly!!! When we have adults over, we can slide the gates completely open and you can’t even tell they’re there, but when we have baby friends over, we close it all up and let them roam…it’s beautiful!!  I’m so thankful for Gastonia Landscaping for going out on a limb and trying something they’d never done before. Our builder, Manny, was awesome and he made sure everything was built with integrity and safety in mind – he made my dream come to life!! They actually have a video on their site showing how beautifully their design works!! So, now Mason and I often go outside to play in the late afternoon and because we sanded the boards before we stained them, the surface is very smooth and safe and he crawls all around that deck! He loves to pull himself on up on the rails and try to open the latch, but he can’t and that’s the beauty of it! So, the moral of this story is: Don’t let someone tell you no, if you feel that you have an idea that could work – search until you find a contractor who will work with you – I did and I’m so happy I was persistent because I love, love, love how safe our deck is now!! 2) If You Have A Pool, Purchase A Child Safety Pool Fence Enclose my beautiful pool with some ugly mesh fence? Are you kidding? Yes, those were thoughts that secretly went through my mind as we thought about the safety of our back yard pool. Yes, my son has taken swim lessons, but that does not mean he would be safe, by any means, if he accidentally fell into the pool. Plus, I wanted to be able to send my 5, 6, 7 year old kids outside to play (someday) and KNOW there was no way they’d accidentally fall in. So, we shopped around and explored all the options and costs. In the end, we ended up choosing a company called Protect A Child and they specialize in this stuff. We decided to go with a brown color, to match our decor and within hours this thing was set up. No, its not aesthetically ideal, BUT I do have to say, it’s not bad at all. I thought it would be MUCH more noticeable and its actually quite sheer – you can hardly tell its there most of the time because the mesh is so fine. No matter what it looked like, I knew I had to do it for the safety of my family and that was the bottom line. In the end, I am very happy with my decision and my advice to anyone in this situation is: Go for it, it will look better than you think and it will keep your children safe; in my book, keeping my child safe trumps everything! 3) Add Some Shade We live in Charlotte, North Carolina and it gets pretty stinkin’ hot down here in the summer. I LOVE to be outdoors and felt trapped when I had to sit inside with the baby during these beautiful sunny days because the sun is too strong and the heat is too much for my little guy. But, I also found a solution to this – a gazebo!! I shopped and shopped and shopped and shopped for hours and hours for the right one. Why a gazebo? Well, our back yard gets a lot of sun and if I created a shaded place for us &#8211; it actually decreases the temperature about 10 – 15 degrees! So, I did it! I chose the STC Valencia Gazebo and I was a little nervous about the orange color, but I’m so glad I choose it – it’s awesome!! It’s also huge; measuring at about 11 x 15 feet, it covers about half of our deck and gave me space to create a shaded outdoor living area! Mason and I now go outside to playduring the day, when it’s not too humid, and we don’t have to worry about sunburns or getting overheated! Sometimes we even set up his little blow-up pool under the gazebo and we he loves splashing around! There are tons of gazebos and large umbrellas out there and I encourage any mom who likes being outdoors to look into getting one. They even have them on Craigslist sometimes and they can be really affordable. Aesthetically, I think it’s added so much value to our deck area because it makes the space look more like an outdoor room. I even found an orb chandelier (that I&#8217;m obsessed with) to hang inside and I also hung little lights around the inside perimeter so that at night time, it became a little place to sip on some wine and unwind – overall it’s been a great addition to our deck!! 4) Add Safe Pieces My last bit of advice is to add baby-safe furniture and decor pieces to your outdoor space that make the area seem more like a room. I added an outdoor 4 piece resin wicker patio set along with some really cool beanbag type poufs for seating. Poufs are so “in” right now and they’re so perfect for babies because it’s almost impossible for them to hurt themselves on one. I also added a couple rugs – this keeps my son’s little knees cushioned as he’s crawling around outdoors and our feet from burning up when it’s so hot out! I also added a few little details here and there like a very heavy (unmovable) ball, two outdoor carts that store towels, baskets, sunscreen but also serve as a buffet table when we have guests over. Our dining set has plenty of seating for when we have BBQ’s outside but it’s heavy enough that Mason can’t knock over the chairs on himself. I am all about the “little details” and wanted to give my outdoor space a final little “touch” so I added towel hooks for when we are done swimming in the pool, an outdoor clock and, of course, a bottle opener for the guys when they are drinking non-twist-top beers. I have to say, I was very apprehensive about changing up our outdoor space and making it baby-proof, but my vision and persistence paid off! I love our space the way it is now 10,000 times more than I did before. It’s perfect for us and I am so glad we did it. Our baby is safe, our space is fun and we enjoy it on a regular basis. Having a baby does not mean you have to give up everything, it just means you have to get creative and change the way you think and do things.]]></description>
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		<item>
		<title>Toddler Meal Schedule</title>
		<link>http://www.wirlproject.com/toddler-meal-schedule/</link>
		<comments>http://www.wirlproject.com/toddler-meal-schedule/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Wed, 25 Feb 2015 14:00:33 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Lauren]]></dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Family]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Food/Drink]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Child]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[First Foods]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Food]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[meal ideas]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Meal Planning]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Toddler]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.wirlproject.com/?p=3358</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Creating a meal schedule for your child can be a difficult task. I often felt I left the doctor’s office with little answers. Like all mothers, I wanted Hadley to enjoy a variety of foods. When she first began solids, I did make her food and supplement with packets when needed. Around 8 months, she started to grow tired of my food and I did rely heavily on the puree pouches and other store bought food. After her nine month appointment, her doctor gave her the green the light on pretty much all foods. From then on, I became more confident in having her expand her palette. Here is a typical food schedule for Hadley. &#160; 7:00 AM – Rise and shine! Hadley has a full sippy cup of milk &#160; 8:00 AM – Breakfast usually includes scrambles eggs with cheese, toast with cream cheese, and some blueberries and strawberries to start her day. She also has water with all her meals. &#160; 10:30 AM – For a mid morning snack, Hadley munches on peanut butter and bananas. &#160; 1:00 PM – Lunch is one of Hadley’s favorite meals. Yogurt, string cheese and some diced mangos always fill her up. &#160; 3:00 PM – Hadley drinks a sippy cup full of milk and some grapes or goldfish. &#160; 5:00 PM – For dinner, I like to include a protein, veggie and carb. One of her favorites for dinner is rotisserie chicken, guacamole (avocado mixed with lime juice) and cheesy quinoa. &#160; 7:00 PM – Hadley ends her day with a sippy cup full of milk and some bedtime stories! When dealing with food, I always felt like I was feeding Hadley the same items. I like to switch things up a bit so she does not grow tired of certain foods. Here are a few options in case you are in a toddler food rut… &#160; Breakfast: Eggs Pancakes Waffles Bagels with cream cheese or peanut butter Oatmeal Cereal &#160; Snacks: Diced strawberries Bluberries Black beans String Cheese Peas Corn Grapes Diced mangos &#160; Lunch Meals: Peanut Butter sandwich Chicken and Cheese quesadilla Grilled Cheese Yogurt Guacamole (We mash up one avocado and squeeze lime juice on it!) &#160; &#160; Dinner Meals: Spinach Lasagna Rolls Rotisserie Chicken Pulled Pork Salmon Chicken pot pies Pasta Salad with fresh veggies Baked rigatoni]]></description>
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		<item>
		<title>Teething Snacks</title>
		<link>http://www.wirlproject.com/teething-snacks/</link>
		<comments>http://www.wirlproject.com/teething-snacks/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Tue, 24 Feb 2015 20:00:18 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Lauren]]></dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Family]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Food/Drink]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Baby]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Snacks]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Teething]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[teething snacks]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Toddler]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.wirlproject.com/?p=3359</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Let’s face it, no one enjoys the teething process. When a child is teething, it is rough on everyone! Every time Hadley went through a teething phase, I felt like a waitress at a bad restaurant. I was constantly making different meals, only for her to send them back with an attitude. Now that I have been through a handful of these phases, I wanted to share a few of the healthy teething snacks that she enjoyed on the first try. &#160; Celery with Cream Cheese – Such an easy snack! She tends to take her time walking around, chewing on the celery. Apple slices with peanut butter – The cool and crunchiness from the apple helps soothe her gums. Frozen Yogurt Slices – I cannot take credit for this one, my mother-in-law told me about this one! All you do is freeze the yogurt sticks and when you are ready to use them, take them out and slice them. You can also serve it like a push up pop. Frozen Banana Sandwiches – My daughter loved bananas from the start, so I was not surprised that she inhaled these. I like to add little peanut butter in the middle of the two banana slices. I also tend to take them out ten minutes prior to serving them so they are not too hard for her to bite into. &#160; &#160; Honorable Mentions: &#160; Frozen peas Cucumbers Sliced Grapes &#160; I hope you enjoyed a few of our go to teething snacks. Hopefully, they will work for your teething child too! &#160;]]></description>
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