I took cupcakes in for Jake’s birthday this past week. He asked that I not stay but I did manage to snap a couple of photos before I left. As I was looking through them I stopped on the photo you see here with this post. I am not sure if it the school setting, or his recent haircut or what but my little Jakey looks too old! Where is my baby?!

Jake still sleeps with his cookie monster and he still gets scared in the dark. He still runs to me when he is hurt and is unsure of himself in new situations. All that said, I know he is no longer a little boy. Pretty soon I can expect more changes I am sure……wanting to choose his own clothes, fewer hugs and kisses in public…..he has already started to resist holding my hand sometimes when we are out. I can tell he is just not as “into it” as he once was. While it makes me sad, I am also excited to see the young man he becomes.

It will be so fun to watch him and Sam grow and mature. I already really like who they are and I know they will continue to impress and surprise me. While those surprises may not always be good ones, I am so lucky to be their mom and to be here for all of it. As long as we can weather the not so pretty moments we can all enjoy the good ones together as a family.

When did it hit you that your child was not so little anymore?

I got some good news this past week…my cousin and his wife welcomed twin girls! They were 33 weeks and really, really tiny but healthy and had no complications. My extended family is very excited as these are the first babies in the family since Jake and Sam were born. We are planning to visit them this week when we are in Ohio for Christmas and I can’t wait.

Who wouldn't at least think of more when they come out this cute?? (Sam 8mos)

Kerry and I decided awhile ago that we are done having kids….two is plenty for us and we are not prepared to go back to being up all night and changing diapers. Even so, why is it that even the mention of new babies starts me thinking crazy, like “it wouldn’t be that bad?” The rational and logical me knows it would be THAT bad and I in no way, shape or form truly want another baby……..it’s just the idea that is so nice

Jake and Sam are only 17 months apart. I did all that baby stuff all at once and now I have two fairly independent, capable tweens who can feed themselves, buckle themselves in the car and even shower on their own. Who in their right mind would even think for two seconds about adding a baby to that equation?!

I guess we all just love the “idea” of a baby around….how they smell and how they snuggle. The reality is very different and I know that. Kerry and I won’t be changing our minds…two is perfect, but it is still fun to talk about “what if” sometimes….just for fun

Have you decided you are done having kids? When did you make that call?

With the change of season, comes many changes in health, germs and sharing amongst family members.  We have discovered that attending many functions can spread germs and create illnesses that ultimately will affect the whole family.  With the kids home for the holidays it is still important to remember to wash your hands, cover your mouth when sneezing or coughing, and throw away used tissues.  Disinfect areas that have been contaminated with germs.  Be careful not to rush back into activities to avoid boredom or being “stuck in.”

A child can still be a carrier to illness after symptoms subside, as evidence in families where one is sick and then another member of the family gets sick a few days later.  As annoying as it is, play it smart and stay inside instead of sharing your germs.

The CDC has some great tips on holiday health issues.  Doctors recommend keeping your child away from public areas or group settings when a child has had a fever or diarrhea or a runny nose with yellow mucus in the past 72 hours.  Of course there are other symptoms such as coughs, chills, abnormal activity level.  However, fevers and diarrhea are active germ carriers and can cause the spread of a virus.

My tween came down with something the last day of school but didn’t say anything because she didn’t want to miss out on the parties.  The result: a weekend inside, and my husband catching whatever it was.  My husband’s trick to knowing if the kids are really sick is asking, “do you want….(whatever their favorite food is)?”  If they respond yes, they aren’t usually sick, if they decline they usually have come down with something.

The best advice is to play it smart.  Get seen by your doctor and plan on a week inside just in case it runs it’s course through the family.  Many health things going around this season are viral and do not have medications.  It’s a waiting period.  Take advantage of your pajama family time and stay inside!  Catch up on your sleep and use the holiday break not only as a vacation but to catch up on health appointments.

Any health advice for this holiday season?

Image courtesy MSNBC

When you hit the grocery store, do you dread the cereal aisle, wishing to avoid the fight over the sugary cereals your kids crave, versus the healthier options you’d prefer?   Well, it turns out, getting kids to happily eat nutritious, low-sugar breakfast cereals may be easier than you think.

A new study finds that children will gladly chow down on low-sugar cereals if they’re given a selection of choices at breakfast, and many compensate for any missing sweetness by opting for fruit instead.

The 5-to-12-year-olds in the study still ate about the same amount of calories regardless of whether they were allowed to choose from cereals high in sugar or a low-sugar selection. However, the kids weren’t inherently opposed to healthier cereals, the researchers found.

“Don’t be scared that your child is going to refuse to eat breakfast. The kids will eat it,” said study co-author Marlene B. Schwartz, deputy director of Yale University’s Rudd Center for Food Policy and Obesity.

Nutritionists have long frowned on sugary breakfast cereals that are heavily marketed by cereal makers and gobbled up by kids. In 2008, Consumer Reports analyzed cereals marketed to kids and found that each serving of 11 leading brands had about as much sugar as a glazed donut. The magazine also reported that two cereals were more than half sugar by weight and nine others were at least 40 percent sugar.

This week, food giant General Mills announced that it is reducing the sugar levels in its cereals geared toward children, although they’ll still have much more sugar than many adult cereals.

In the meantime, many parents believe that if cereals aren’t loaded with sweetness, kids won’t eat them.

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You’ve enrolled your tween in a sports program; you’re teaching them teamwork, leadership skills and they’re getting their exercise while they’re at it.  Right?  Well, while they might learn new skills and make new friends, they may not be reaping the health benefits you think.

Playing team sports does not guarantee that a child will get the U.S. government-recommended 60 minutes of moderate to vigorous exercise per day, a new study reveals.

Using accelerometers, a type of sensor that measures physical activity, researchers studied activity levels of 200 children aged 7 to 14 while they took part in practices with their soccer, baseball or softball teams.

Overall, only 24 percent of the children met the 60-minute physical activity recommendation during practice. Less than 10 percent of participants aged 11 to 14 and less than 2 percent of female softball players reached the guideline, said Desiree Leek, of San Diego State University/University of California, San Diego, and colleagues.

Among the other findings:

• Practice lengths ranged from 40 to 130 minutes for soccer and 35 to 217 minutes for baseball/softball, and players were moderately to vigorously active for an average of 45 minutes (46 percent) of the practice time.
• Soccer players were active for an average 13.7 more minutes and active for 10.6 percent more of practice time than baseball or softball players.
• Boys were active an average of 10.7 more minutes and 7.8 percent more of practice time than girls.
• Players aged 7 to 10 were moderately to vigorously active for 7 more minutes and 5.8 percent more of practice time than players aged 11 to 14.
• Overall, the players spent an average of 30 minutes being inactive during each practice.

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