Free Mozart Song Downloads

I've had an ipod forever that I haven't been using. Now I've started loading it with free kids music for Maddie. It works great with a speaker to have quick music. And I keep finding free downoads. Here is my latest find. Download 50+ FREE Mozart songs for babies and toddlers from Munchkin. There are 2 different albums, or you can choose to download the songs individually.
These Mozart favorites have been developed and arranged by Dr. Norman M. Weinberger, a renowned neurobiologist, and Jimmie Haskell, a 3-time GRAMMY® award winner.

Camilia: relief from teething and grumpiness

Camilia is a homeopathic teething soother. It was magic for our daughter as it quickly calmed her. I ordered mine from Amazon...by Boirin, the kind in the "single-use oral doses," shown here. You just squeeze it into their mouth. It is for 4 months and older and helps with irritability as well. It has no side effects and no risk of overdose, no sugar, no alchol, no preservatives. This one is made in France. I ordered lots. :) Hmm, maybe I should try it on myself.

Care for a cup of tea?

I'm a big tea drinker, every day in fact. Mostly black tea in the morning, but I love green tea in the afternoon or evening. I read about the antioxidants, heart benefits, rumors of help with weight loss...all sounds great, but I love the relaxation of a cup of tea. So here's a great deal. I signed up for it a while ago, and received 4 free tea bags in a really lovely tea bag carrier that can be re-used and is perfect for traveling.

Get a FREE Lipton Green Tea sample pack containing 4 tea bags of the flavor you select. Choose from:

•Lipton Mixed Berry Green Tea
•Lipton Orange, Passionfruit & Jasmine Green Tea
•Lipton 100% Natural Decaffeinated Honey Lemon Green Tea
•Lipton Green Tea with Citrus

Just wait for the banner to load completely, and then you can click on it to get your FREE sample!

Arnica: Help for toddler bumps and bruises!

Arnica is an amazing homeopathic cream or gel that helps with bruises and bumps. It is amazing. Maddie bonks her head hard or wacks her leg on the furniture, and we rub it on, and no bruise! Now if she gets an owie she says, "Put lotion on it!" It works for adults too, if you remember to put it on right away. Every medicine cabinet could use this.

Back to the Basics Without the Guilt, Doubts, and Self-Criticisms!

One important reason I decided to start this blog is because of the many stories I've heard from moms who think they aren't good enough. And yes, I have been there! There have been times I've thought that every other mom at the park had it WAY more together than I did. But I'm happy to say that I'm feeling MUCH better about mommyhood now.

I realized that every mother is different, and we just have to learn to accept ourselves. You have to be yourself and celebrate what you like doing and what works for YOU. For me, as a new mom, it was a huge new role that I didn't feel I quite understood. Was I bad mom b/c I don't LIKE sitting in a huge sand pit with toddlers? Was I bad mom b/c I need some quiet time alone each day? Could I balance protecting my child against growing her into an independent woman? Did I need a new mommy wardrobe? Everyone has different likes and dislikes, and I found I just needed to incorporate those things into day-to-day life and let the rest go.

Balance is really important and everyone talks about it. For me, being a part-time library consultant and a part-time stay-at-home mom is the right balance for me at this time in my life. When darling daughter is in school that might change. At this point, I would go insane if I were a full time stay-at-home mom and I would go insane if I worked full-time. With a little of each, I appreciate my child and my work a lot more. For another woman, another balance is best, and that is what is right for her. This whole debate about working or not working as a mother just demeans us, not just as women but as basic people. And sometimes, of course, there is no choice about whether we can decide to not work--bills have to paid. But an unhappy mother, unfulfilled mother doesn't help a family.

There are some parts of motherhood I feel I'm really good at, and other parts that I am still striving towards. And there are some times that I have to rely on others to fulfill my dauthter's needs.

Most mothers do the best they can, and I really feel that by trying to keep the basics in mind, we can have the balance we need. Focusing on love, health, fun, learning, and on how we can help our children become the best people they can...that's Mommy Basics for me.

Number One Favorite Mommy Basic Product!

This Fisher-Price booster seat is my all time favorite baby product!

1) It saves space--no high chair to add to your room. It fits on to every kind of chair I've tried. We just use our regular dining chair.
2) Clean-up is sooo easy, it just wipes off or you can put the tray in the dishwasher. The seat is all one piece and there are no seams or crevices for food to get stuck in or fabric to get stained.
3) It is highly portable. We take it to restaurants or on trips. Lightweight too!
4) It's safe. The seat has a three-point seatbelt that adjusts, so it can accomodate a growing baby and toddler. As they grow, you can convert it into a plain booster seat as well.
5) Kids love it. The tray is handy not just for food, but also for toys, and crayon marks wipe right off. Our daughter LOVES it and will sit happily for a good long meal with us. What could be more BASIC than a family eating a meal together.
6) The price is great!

We have one at Grandma's and now at Auntie's. I wish all restaurants carried this instead of those said wooden ones that are groddy AND enable table cloth snatching. There are three different height settings. This chair is inexpensive enough that you could even buy two and always keep one in the trunk of your car for going out.

Welcome to Mommy Basics!

This blog shares what I know about the basics of mommyhood AND serves as a reminder to myself that sometimes the basics--the simple, low-stress, quality, creative, loving--aspects of parenting are really what is important.

I'll share and recommend:

• healthy, easy recipes and food preparation tips,
• parenting advice,
• fun activities for families,
• easy ways to save money,
• favorite books for kids and parents (I'm a librarian, after all),
• basic products that I've found to be affordable and worthwhile,
• travel tips (my 21 month old has been on almost 20 flights!).

My hope is that you will contribute tips as well, since I'm not an expert on all of this, but I am committed to trying to keep the "basics" in mind while living our lives. My goals for my family include good health, learning opportunities, peace and calm sometimes while dancing and rowdiness other times, planned yet flexible schedules, saving money while still having quality, and lots and lots of smiles and happiness! Let's get back to basics!!