Mommy Tips

I thought I would share a few tips and tricks I use and love:

Pacifier Pillow
My kids both love their pacifiers. There are certain rules in our house, though. For example, when they wake up, pacifiers have to stay in the crib and they can't have them until nap or bed time. It always seems to happen in the middle of the night, right when I've hit really deep sleep, one of them loses a paci. I've learned to keep a few pacifiers tucked under my pillows each night. They don't bother me, but when I wake up and know there's no way I'll be successful in a pitch black search for a paci in their cribs, I can just reach under my pillow before running upstairs and I'll have the lifesaver in hand. It also comes in handy if we ever have an episode where one of the boys needs to get in bed with us.

Teething Washcloths 
Want a cheap solution to teething? Get the very middle of a washcloth damp, then dip it in baby food. Fold the washcloth up so the baby food is tucked in the middle and not exposed. Then, put the washcloth in the freezer. When you pull it out, your little one will have a tasty, soothing treat to chew on!

Gas Drops
When I make a bottle (with formula), there are tons of bubbles. I found the best way to get rid of the bubbles and prevent any extra gas for the little ones is to put a few gas drops into the bottle before giving it to the boys. It eliminates those bubbles - quick! You also save a ton because a few drops go a LONG way, as opposed to giving the designated serving by mouth after each feeding.

Water
Have a gassy baby? Right before bed give him or her an ounce of water. Should clear that gas right up. Worked wonders for Jackson, who tried everything from gas drops to gripe water.

Pacifiers...everywhere
I posted about this before, but I keep extra pacifiers everywhere - the car, my diaper bag, downstairs, and my bedroom. You never know when you may have a meltdown and need one on hand.

A Big Gate
The best present I received was from my aunt. She got us a huge baby gate that can bend all sorts of ways and also has the capabilities to add more pieces to make it bigger. We first used it to separate the kitchen and living room, so Jimmy had a safe area to play in. Once he figured out how to escape, we put the gate all around our entertainment center so he couldn't get near the television and electronics. Works like a charm.

Baby-Proofing
Since we just moved into our new house, I'm really hesitant to screw in things for all the cabinets to keep Jimmy from getting in them. To solve this problem, I moved all breakable items to the top cabinets above the counter and moved all other non-breakable stuff to the bottom. He is extremely curious and isn't getting into stuff to get on my nerves, it's just how he learns. I have tupperware, old bottles, pots and pans, cookie sheets, etc. on bottom shelves that he can get to. When he pulls stuff out, the rule is he has to play with it in the kitchen and then put it up when he's done. I don't have to worry anymore (or ruin my cabinets) when I see he's in the kitchen. Of course, all household cleaning items are tucked away on a high shelf in the laundry room, well out of reach.

Weekly Planner
Lately I've found that I'm blurring the line between work and being a Mom way too much. If I see the kids are content playing in the living room, I'll grab my laptop and get some work done. With the cooler temperatures around the corner (hopefully!) I've decided I need to really get the boys out and about, since we spent all summer cooped up due to record high temps. I've created a weekly planner of things we are going to do: one day will be arts and crafts, another is park day, one day is games/sports, one day is movie day and then one day is spent with Grandma. This gives me something to look forward to each week and keeps things from getting too mundane around here for them. These activities will tucker the little fellas out and then I'll be able to catch up on work during naps. Watching them grow, learn and have fun is the most important thing, though!

If you have any fun tips or tricks, please let me know! I love to hear from other Moms!