Thursday, April 26, 2012

Munchkin! Love these food storage cups!

I think I have mentioned about 1,000 times that I make my own baby food... I use the Baby Bullet for all my pureeing... and then the Beaba silicone storage tray to freeze it all... but until last week I have been stumped as to what I should put the frozen ones into to thaw in the fridge... I wanted something just as convenient as the storage I use for the freezer... and I had been having a hard time figuring that out. Almost everything I found was either too small, or the wrong shape for the rounded Beaba shapes that came out.  So, the other day strolling through Target *dangerous* I came upon Munchkin's Fresh Food Cups.

They have a silicone base... and to my surprise - the frozen food from the Beaba fits inside EXACTLY! So every morning I get up... pop out four frozen portions from my Beaba tray.. and put them into the Munchkin cups to let them thaw for the next day. I definitely need to grab another set of the Munchkin... I believe 8 cups would be perfect for me! And one more of the Beaba trays to get me through longer stretches... SO thats it! I just wanted to share that with you, in case any other mamas were facing a similar dilemma. There is now a solution!

Monday, April 23, 2012

Back from our mini trip

Sometimes even I need a break... and starting LATE Wednesday night, I took one. After a 6 hour road trip to IL with a crying 6 month old, a 4 year old, and a 5 year old with an ear ache... at 3am we were on "vacation"... I headed home to visit family for a few days while Zaq is in Europe with Motion City Soundtrack. *lucky goose* I figured, why stay home alone when we could take a few days off. The days off of course, still involved tons of emails for work, and running from one place to another... but still great none the less... Its always hard living out of a suitcase with 3 kids. Between clothes, diapers, food, and feeding... with a baby it can be a nightmare. So - I wanted to take a second to share my MUST HAVE ITEMS when I go home with the kids.

MY LIST: In no particular order...
* Bumbo: It replaces the need for so many things... I feed Rozzlyn in here... Its also a great tool just to sit her down to play for a bit if I need both hands... Its light, small, and easy to bring place to place... *reminder: always keep the bumbo on the floor for safety reasons*
*gDiapers: I am a cloth diapering mama - but man, on the road it can be tough... and when I am home visiting I have ZERO time to do diaper laundry... so gPants are a great way to still use cloth, but get the convenience of disposables at the same time. YAY Eco-Friendly!
*Plum Organics: With baby Rozz, I have chosen to make my own baby food. I have SO SO much fun doing it... but traveling, there was no way I was going to bring a bag of fruit and vegis, my blender, all my storage, ETC. So I needed another solution... Plum Organics pouches were AMAZING! Such quality, organic baby food... So easy to squeeze from the pouch into a bowl, and recap if she didn't feel like finishing! Its so great to know there is an affordable, easy, organic option on the market that comes in all the great flavors I love to make at home.
*Nuby Easy Go Suction Bowl: MY LIFESAVER! This little contraption was my lifesaver... and Im not even exaggerating. It made feeding SO SO convenient. When we were headed out the door I would pour a little cereal into the bowl, cap it with the super tight sealing lid, and snap the spoon into the top. Everything was in one spot and easy to grab. When I was ready to feed her I would fill it with the Plum baby food... mix it up and feed her. When she was done, I would just re-cap and toss the rest in the fridge. THANK YOU NUBY for such an amazing product.
*Diaper Bag: Shameless plug? Maybe... but its true. I don't know what I would have done without my awesome diaper bag. Its an exclusive line by Stellar Cheri made JUST FOR RockerByeBaby... you can't get this anywhere else, as this specific pattern was made exclusively for us. And let me tell ya, its perfect! It was plenty big to hold all randomness that makes its way in there while you're on the road. But not SO BIG that you feel like you're carrying your suitcase... I definitely recommend grabbing one from our shop! They're custom made to order... so if you need a different print, just ask!

Well! Those are my 5 absolute must have's for travel... I hope you find some (or all) of these goodies to be useful on your next road trip! If you have them (or get them), we would love to hear what you think! And of course - if you have any other traveling tips we would love to hear them!!


Sunday, April 15, 2012

Like Free Stuff?

We are 19 facebook fans away from 5,000..... This last 50 fans to get to 5,000 has taken so long! If you love us, share with your friends... when we get to 5,000 I will give away a custom adult blanket... that way everyone has a shot at winning something :)
Click Here: to fan us on facebook!




Thursday, April 12, 2012

Special coupon code inside!

Its Friday the 13th somewhere! (will be in an hour here) so treat yourself to 13% off with the code: FRIDAY13

www.rockerbyebaby.etsy.com

Tuesday, April 10, 2012

Nuby is giving away 1,500 Gripper cups!

Nuby ♥'s their fans!! Today, they want to show you just how much!! We are giving away 1,500 Nuby Gripper Cups! Click the following the link and enter all required information for your chance to win with Nuby! All 1,500 winners will be notified via email on Monday, April 16, 2012!www.nuby.com/en/newsletter

Sunday, April 08, 2012

Hoppy Easter from Ms. Rozzlyn!

Spent about 2 hours on and off thoughout the day trying to get her to smile... Camera up = no smile... camera down = BIGGGGG smiles. Eventually I gave up, haha
 
 


Wednesday, April 04, 2012

MMmmm... Low-Carb Pumpkin Cheesecake

Low-Carb Pumpkin Cheesecake

I want to start this out saying - I absolutely HATE pumpkin pie... the gooey mushy texture, the overwhelming pumpkin flavor, just nothing does it for me. Now the crazy thing about this, is that I crave it. I just LOVE the idea of a warm, fresh pumpkin pie. I love the smell of one baking in the oven, the look of that beautiful, rich orange color... topped with some creamy cool whip. But... I just... can't.... do it! One day I went on the hunt for a delicious pumpkin dessert that would satisfy my craving but not be too over the top. (While still being low in carbs, since we eat a very low carb diet in our family) Well, let me tell you - I found it... and it BLEW. MY. MIND! Hands down my new favorite dessert no matter the party, holiday, theme, etc. Its a winning dessert that needs no excuse.

Ingredients:

Crust:
1 ½ cups almond meal
½ teaspoon each of ginger and cinnamon
4 Tablespoons melted butter
4 Tablespoons Splenda
Filling:
3 8 oz packages cream cheese at room temperature
2 ½ teaspoons cinnamon
1 teaspoon nutmeg
¾ teaspoon ginger
¼ teaspoon allspice
¼ teaspoon cloves
½ teaspoon salt
1 ½ cups Splenda
1 can (about 15 oz) pumpkin
1 Tablespoon vanilla
5 eggs, preferably room temperature
½ cup heavy cream

Preparation:

Heat oven to 375 F.
Prepare springform pan: I like to put a piece of parchment paper over the bottom of the pan -- no need to cut it to size, just snap it into place when you put the tighten the sides. Wrap the bottom and sides of the pan in heavy-duty foil. You'll be baking the cheesecake with the springform pan set in a baking pan half-full of boiling water, so you want to protect from leaks.

1) Combine ingredients for crust, and press into the bottom of a springform pan. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes, until fragrant and beginning to brown.
2) Beat cream cheese until fluffy. Scrape sides of bowl and beaters. This step will be repeated several times and is important. The mixture will gradually become lighter, and the denser stuff has a tendency to cling to the bowl. You won't be able to incorporate it as well later, so keep scraping.
3) Add spices and sweetener. Beat again, scrape again.
4) Add pumpkin and vanilla. Beat well, scrape.
5) Add 3 eggs. Beat well (about a minute), scrape.
6) Add the other 2 eggs and cream and beat another minute. Pour mixture into pan over crust.
7) Place pan in a baking pan and pour boiling water around the sides, about halfway up. Lower the oven temperature to 325 F. and bake for for 60 to 90 minutes, checking often after an hour. When the cake is firm to touch but slightly soft in the center, or the center reaches 150 to 155 F, remove from oven.
8) Remove sides from pan. Let the cheesecake cool to room temperature, or up to 3 hours. Cover and chill, ideally for another 3 to 4 hours.

Nutritional Information for full fat cream cheese, at 16 servings: Each serving has 4 grams effective carbohydrate plus 2 grams fiber.

We borrowed this recipe from: http://lowcarbdiets.about.com/od/lowcarbthanksgiving/r/pumpkncheescake.htm

Tuesday, April 03, 2012

One dessert I will miss since cutting Carbs.

So - our family has decided to really cut back on carbs... even more specific, sugar.  I will most definitely have to work on a low carb/sugar free version of these... but until then, I MUST share this recipe :) Oreo stuffed chocolate chip cookies.


recipe from the fantabulous Jenny of Picky Palate
2 sticks (1 cup) softened butter
3/4 cup packed light brown sugar
1 cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs
1 tablespoon pure vanilla
3 1/2 cups flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
10 oz bag chocolate chips
1 pkg. Oreo cookies
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Cream butter and sugars together with a mixer until well combined.  Beat in eggs and vanilla.
In a separate bowl mix the flour, salt and baking soda.  Slowly add to wet ingredients along with chocolate chips until just combined.  Using a cookie scoop take one scoop of cookie dough and place on top of an Oreo Cookie.  Take another scoop of dough and place on bottom of Oreo cookie.  Seal edges together by pressing and cupping in hand until Oreo cookie is enclosed with dough.  Place onto a parchment or silpat lined baking sheet and bake cookies 9-13 minutes or until golden brown. Let cool for 5 minutes before transferring to cooling rack.

New Shirts to match our favorite Goodmamas!






THESE ARE NOT READY TO SHIP - THEY ARE CUSTOM MADE TO ORDER BASED ON YOUR SIZE CHOICE!!

ADORABLE!
Brand Spankin’ New Shirt Design
size: NB, 6m, 12m, 18m

If you're a cloth diapering mama like me, then you probably like easy access to your diapers... and if you're a GOODMAMA diaperer like I am... then you gotta show off those cute prints! I started out just making these to match Rozzlyn's diapers, then realized they were too cute not too share... I love having matching tshirts... it makes them look more like an outfit, and of course it super easy to get at the diaper when they need a change. And since we don't typically use a cover around the house with our Goodmama fitteds, its nice the just feel quick if they're damp without having went pants. 

Each shirt is made to order. Please see announcements for current turnaround time.

Turquoise Blue lap t-shirt 
Nice and long... 
hand cut and sewn applique...

Leave your choices in the notes to seller for the Size.

Be sure to check out Goodmama Diapers! 
http://shop.thegoodmama.com/
If you have a favorite diaper that needs a matching shirt let me know... there are tons of shirt colors, and as long as I can find the print, I can make a matching top :)

Monday, April 02, 2012

We heart EcoStore USA

There are products that support you, so you brag them up and down... then there are the products that you truly just love, and they make your life easier... One of those many brands is EcoStore USA. I have been a constant supporter of them for over almost 3 years now. I use all of their baby line on the kids. (Even the two older boys). The baby wash is gentle enough for Ms. Rozzlyn sensitive skin... The Shampoo doesn't irritate their eyes and still leaves Zavery's thick curly hair nice and soft.

And one of our favorites is definitely the "Sleepy Time Bath". Its become part of our routine to add it to bath before bed. It helps to settle down the little lady and get ready for a good nights sleep.

 The best thing however, they have just lowered their prices AND they added a baby moisturizer. YAY! Guess that means Ill be making another order soon! Just to prove to you how much I stand behind them - I am going to give away a brand new bottle of their BABY SHAMPOO (because I buy like 3 at a time, HAHAHAHA). Why am I doing this? Because I love them, and I want others to get a chance to love it as much as I do, even at my own expense. ALSO, because they are trying to win a contest to get on the shelves at Wal-Mart, which would make me OH SO HAPPY to be able to pick up their line locally.

So, how to win your bottle of EcoStore Baby Shampoo.
COMMENT SEPARATELY BELOW WITH EACH ENTRY THAT YOU FULFILL.
(Each one must be separate to be counted accurately)

#1: VOTE for them... click here to follow this link and use either TEXT or FACEBOOK to vote for them to "get on the shelf."
#2: Fan EcoStoreUSA on facebook.
#3: Follow EcoStoreUSA on Twitter.
#4: Follow RockerByeBaby on Twitter.
#5: Tweet This: "Free Giveaway: Win a Bottle of @ecostoreusa Baby Shampoo from @RockerByeBaby http://punkrockerbyebaby.blogspot.com/2012/04/we-heart-ecostore-usa.html"

Ms. Princess has a tummy ache :(

 We started some solids with Ms. Rozz... and after a couple weeks of trying different things, I screwed up and gave her a breakfast of fresh pureed organic bananas mixed with rice cereal. *dumb dumb dumb* My poor little lady has been "backed up" to put it nicely... So, I cut the cereal totally and have been giving her lots of fruits hoping to stir things up..... and this morning I even gave her some watered down prune juice... but nothing seems to be helping... I know this isn't the most exciting topic of conversation, but I know lots of you understand it... does anyone have any good, natural tips to helping her out? I have been do proud making all my own baby food... but I just want to be sure I'm not making anything that will constipate her. Feel free to post all your baby pooping tips below, haha. Thanks!

Fun snack time! Frozen Yogurt Drops

I can't take credit for this one, but I can definitely say it is a HUGE hit in my house. Our new favorite fun snack is frozen yogurt. Simple right?! How had I not though of this myself!? My son Zavery just loves those Gerber freeze dried yogurt drops, but who really knows what is in that stuff. I like knowing exactly what I am putting into my little ones bellies. So anything that I can make myself, while still keeping it quick and easy is a win. So here it is... frozen yogurt drops.

You will need:
Yogurt (any kind will do, though I recommend one without the fruit bits)
Plastic Wrap or a plastic food safe baggy
Scissors
Plate (freezer safe)
Container with a lid (I recommend the Nuby Wacky Ware Bowl & Lid)

Take your baggy and put your yogurt in one corner. I like using a single yogurt cup so I know how many drops it makes each time. I fill the baggy with that entire cup. With your scissors, cut the corner of the baggy. I would say just about 2 millimeters up. You want the hole small so you have control over how fast it comes out. Squeeze the drops onto the plate... about the size of a nickel and evenly spaced out. Don't be afraid to have fun with it! The boys like when I spell out their names with the yogurt... When you're all out, just put the plates in the freezer. They freeze quickly... within about 2 hours they are ready to eat! Just pop each one off the plate and serve. With your leftovers (if there are any, haha) toss them into your Nuby Wacky Ware Bowl... cover it with the lid, and toss them back into the freezer. Once they are frozen they can all be combined together. Though, be sure they're still frozen. It can get messy once they start to melt. These yogurt drops have replaced dessert on our house. The kids are so excited to eat them after dinner, and I am more than happy to serve them.

Hope you enjoyed our fun snack!
<3
RockerByeBaby


sleeeeeeeeep baby!

Sleep? What's that? I don't even know anymore. I spend so little time sleeping lately that I feel like it more like napping. Instead of saying "time for bed" I literally say, "it's time for a nap".  I'm stupid - and the one chunk of the night where she sleeps about 4-5 hours straight... I spend working, emailing, *ahem* blogging (at 3am)... Its just that its the only time I can get quiet, uninterrupted mommy space to get things done. Tonight has been one of those nights that Ms. Rozzlyn has been awake about every 1-2 hours because her teeth are bugging her :( I need to get her one of these cool Twista Rattles from Nuby.
 I bet she would love chomping away at it! Can you believe it!? My teeny baby girl is already 5 months old, and teething! And sitting up in her bumbo, and eating food, and playing, and sleeping in her crib... and... and... and...... *tears* Where has the time gone? I could cry. She needs to slow down that whole growing thing and just be my baby girl for a little while. Well - time for a nap... daddy is snoring away on the couch, so I think thats my sign to get us both in bed... even if just for a couple hours. Sweet dreams all!