Foogo Straw Sippy Cup

We all know how expensive having children can be… and to be honest, one of the things I have had struggled with the most was justifying some of those purchase- especially if they did not come from gift money.

I have learned with everything that if I got my money’s worth- then it was probably worth whatever I spent on it. This brings me to the topic of conversation- or blog today… why I finally bought the $20 sippy cup:


1) It is BPA free and stainless steel. We like to use glass bottles, it only made sense to continue in avoiding plastic

2) This cup does not leak at all, flip it over backwards, sideways, upside down- you name it… it will not leak… all the other cups leak like crazy- which just means you have to keep your kids in bibs and constantly need to change their clothes… why not just buy a leak proof sippy cup?

3) Keeps beverages cool

4) Easy straw suction- the last sippy cup we got for Zaki was impossible to suck out of, we were shocked because we tried it and almost hurt our brains trying to drink out of that thing

5) Has a cute lid/snap on cap- to keep the straw germ free!

6) You can order replacement straws once wear and tear happens to your old one

7) Light weight, baby and toddler can handle holding them… baby can probably use the spout cup to start off with

8) Come in blue or pink- gender colors if you care to match your baby to their cup!

9) Easy to wash and easy to clean- you may need to purchase a small bottle brush and use the small bottle brush side to clean the inside of the straw

10) Yes they are pricey… but buy 1 or 2 and it will save you money in the long run… don’t even bother buying other brands

Finger Paints

I have been doing weekly crafts with Zakariya... and let me tell you, crafting with a 14 month old aint so easy! First of all, he is really messy about the whole thing. He actually tried to paint on me at one point. He also refused to use any color other than the blue paint, which is kind of a cute in a blue-boyish way. He ruined my mom's table cloth.

Still... I think it is worth it and a creative outlet and for some reason I am a beaming proud Mama who wants to frame all his artwork and gift it to other people- so they can hang it in their homes ;) I think next year Eid gifting will be so much cheaper thanks to Zakariya (muhahaha- evil laugh)

So, Mama's what are some easy, crafty, creative outlets for babies-toddlers? Share share!

Toddler Sleep

Tips and strategies from Todays Parent

-If you think your toddler is getting enough sleep and might be going to bed too early, try shifting her bedtime to a later time. Gushnowski recommends moving it 15 minutes at a time for a couple of days, so that she's not overtired by the time she goes to sleep.

-Adjust nap times. Perhaps it's time to move from two naps a day to just one. Or you might want to gradually shorten nap times.

-Make sure your toddler's room is sleep friendly. Install blinds to keep the room dark, or add a white-noise machine to mask the sounds of pre down garbage trucks and particularly enthusiastic birds.

-Does your toddler wake up with a soaking diaper every morning? Try using overnight diapers or "diaper doublers"-- cloth or disposable pads that are inserted in the diaper to increase absorbency. You may also want to cut down the amount of liquid she has before bedtime. Putting a barrier of cream on her bottom may help reduce the discomfort so that she doesn't wake up.

-If he seems hungry when he wake up, a high-protein snack, such as hummus, yogurt, or nut butter on toast, before bedtime may help to stave off hunger longer.

-If he's awake and not willing to go back to bed, Gushnowski suggests trying to get him involved in quiet play until you're ready to get up. You may be able to leave some toys in his crib or room the night before, or you might feel safer having him in your room playing on the floor while you get a little more rest.

Give Give Give me AWAAAAY!

Drum roll please…

As promised, here is our very first give away! It is an IGym Yoga and Exercise mat! Finally an excuse for all of us to get off our butts!

The contest is open to all single ladies, newly married brides, married aunties, mama’s to be and full time mamas!

To enter send an email to alif2yaa@gmail.com and tell me in a few words- why you like reading my blog, and why you keep coming back for more! Simply take a few minutes and put together a list of things you love about or love seeing/hearing/watching kids and babies do!

The contest will end Thursday Nov 25th, 2010. I do not like the idea of a lottery style, luck of the draw, game of chance- style of picking a winner. So I will be reading the all the entries and picking a winner myself.

If you feel like being extra creative, feel free to attach a picture of your cute self, kiddos or any image of your choice.

Pajama Mama!

Unlike real jeans, it uses Dormisoft fabric (a proprietary blend of cotton and spandex) that’s both stretchy and cushy, yet gives off a very jersey-like feel. Inside, it’s completely brushed, making it as smooth as fleece. Basically, it’s really just a pair of casual pants that should be so soft and comfortable, you wouldn’t mind wearing them to bed. Like a more stylish pair of mom jeans, probably.

source: http://www.neatorama.com/2010/02/09/pajama-jeans/

Are you serious? These are weirder then the SNUGGLY! I am not sure how to react to this...

CALLING ALL mothers to be & postpartum mama's!

Apparently, there is a pajama turned jean- that is Mama friendly. Can you imagine being comfortable and still looking cute? This would be my husband's dream come true. It would be like the newly married days, when I would actually wear my skinny jeans... or when I could actually fit into my skinny jeans.

Here is what I am thinking, if I get these:

1) I will look HIP at all times
2) I can trick my in laws into thinking I am dressed up, even under my abaya
3) It looks like they can handle a little baby spit up
4) They look stretchy and remind me of maternity pants.... HOW COMFY!
5) I can wear them to sleep

Yeah... I probably will not be buying them. For some reason, they still creep me out. Is anyone into these?