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How To Better Understand The Correct Food for Toddlers


Raising a toddler can be an immensely rewarding challenge for new parents. The toddler years are full of many changes and exciting developments in your child’s life. These changes can bring a great deal of joy to your life but also a great deal of stress.

Transitioning from caring for an infant to caring for a toddler can be a tricky process for those who are unfamiliar with what to expect. Food for toddlers is an area of particular interest for those new to toddler care. Here, we will look at some specific tips and advice on how to better understand the correct food for toddlers.

Let’s delve into this topic in more specific detail with some advice and recommendations.


Toddler Food Basics

Children start to accommodate new foods at different ages. At the one-year mark, toddlers should be able to tolerate cow’s milk and more solid foods. However, this transition point is somewhat arbitrary and can vary between children.

Remember that even though your child is becoming more independent by the day, you are still the caregiver responsible for all your child’s needs. They cannot think for themselves regarding what they should eat or how much of some things they should eat. Controlling portion sizes, especially of less healthy snacks, is an effective means of ensuring that your toddler develops healthy eating habits and avoids conditions like obesity and heart disease later in life.

One great place to start for nutritional advice is the government food guide. These guides often have explicit recommendations for how much of different types of foods your toddler should be consuming each day for optimal health. Using these guides may even give your own personal dietary habits a health boost. Eventually, making sure to plan healthy and nutrient-dense meals for your family can ensure the well-being of your entire household.

Toddler Milks

If your child is having difficulty in transitioning from breast milk to cow’s milk, toddler milks are a great stepping stone solution. While ideally, your child will be receiving more of their nutrition from solid foods during the toddler years, toddler milks can ensure that these needs are met as a temporary measure.

Toddler milks are made from a preparation that is similar to most infant formula with a cow’s milk foundation. These milks are full of vitamin D, iron, calcium, and many other nutrients that are essential to the healthy development of your toddler.

What To Avoid

There are some things that toddlers simply should not eat at their age. This is because some foods pose a choking or health hazard for young children. Whole grapes, for example, are slippery and may block your child’s windpipe if not consumed with care. Small and hard foods like peanuts or seeds may also present a hazard. If your child wants to enjoy such foods, be sure to chop them up sufficiently before offering them.

Always be mindful of how your child seems to be tolerating certain foods, especially foods that are commonly associated with allergies. Milk, peanuts, wheat, and shellfish are all foods to exercise caution around.


Find More Toddler Food Facts

The best way to ensure that your toddler receives the food and nutrition they need to thrive is to orient yourself towards continual learning and improvement. Nobody knows everything when it comes to proper toddler nutrition and optimal growth. Therefore, taking the time to go through a variety of sources and soliciting expert advice can serve you well. Always consult with your family physician before making any serious modifications to your child’s diet. Your toddler will be all the happier and healthier for your efforts.

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Perfect for moms on-the-go, Ju-Ju-Be "Be Right Back" back pack (Review & Giveaway)

 **CLOSED**
Winner is Jammie- congratulations! 

Are you a mom-to-be or have a little one? I remember when I had my babies, I had the tacky, boring baby bag that all new moms carry. By my third child, I gave up the baby bag all together and went with my regular purse instead. Times have surely changed and now you can find bags and accessories that fit your fashion taste. Ju-Ju-Be bags are made for not only looks, but have great function and durability. I received a "Be Right Back" smart back pack in the Platinum Petals print from their fall line of bags. This back pack is so pretty and has so many great compartments inside.
I made a short video to show you all the great features of this bag. 


I really love the variety of sizes and shapes, as well as colors and patterns that Ju-Ju-Be has to offer. There is definitely something for every taste! With having a little one in kindergarten, I know I will get great use out of this bag for field trips and outings. I love having my hands free and also having all I need with me. Now that I think about it, this is idea for when we go to the State Fair or on day trips. My high school daughter is even eyeing it for herself! She was saying how sturdy the back pack is and she would be comfortable putting her Chromebook in it. I think she better not get any ideas about taking MY bag! 

I am so pleased that the sweet folks at Ju-Ju-Be are letting me host a giveaway for one Mom Files reader to win a Be Right Back bag {$140 value!} in their choice of pattern. I know you want one! Enter below: a Rafflecopter giveaway  

This giveaway is open to US Residents only and will end on September 24, 2013. One winner will be selected at random and contacted via email to claim prize. Be sure to follow contest rules stated in Rafflecopter widget. Mom Files is not responsible for any lost or stolen prizes. Good luck!

I received a bag of my choice for review purposes. All opinions are my own as always.
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Tidy Tots Review & Giveaway

I received a box of Tidy Tots disposable potty chair liners to review. Although William is fully potty trained, we still use the potty seat for him to take care of his 'business'. He is still a little leery of sitting on the big toilet so we keep his frog potty handy (yeah we still have it). To get a better understanding of how these potty chair liners work, check out the super quick video below:

   

These potty chair liners will come in very handy for our big road trip we are getting ready to go on over the holiday break. At least William will feel comfortable "going" on his regular potty and we don't have to worry about clean-up.
Each carton contains 16 super absorbent pads and 16 liners. The super-absorbent pad will hold 2-3 urinations. Up to 48 uses per carton! Only $8.99! Purchase them here.

Giveaway: Enter to win a box of Tidy Tots potty chair liners by letting us know why you want to try these out.

For extra entries you can:
~ "like" Tidy Tots and Momfiles on Facebook
~ Follow Tidy Tots and  Momfiles on Twitter
~ Tweet this giveaway and leave a link of your Tweet:
Win a box of @TidyTots1 potty chair liners from @momfiles http://www.momfiles.com/2011/12/tidy-tots-review-giveaway.html #pottytraining #giveaway
~ Follow Momfiles via GFC

Giveaway is open to US Residents only and will end at 9:00 pm EST on December 23, 2011. One winner will be chosen at random and contacted via email. Be sure to leave your email address if you do not have a Blogger profile. Momfiles is not responsible for any lost or stolen prizes.

I received a product sample for review purposes. All opinions are completely my own. 

Shelly, Mom Files
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Moon Dough Review

We received the Moon Dough Breakfast Kit for ages 3 and up to check out. I have heard of Moon Dough before but this was my first time getting to play around with it hands on. The kit came with 2 colors of Moon Dough (pink and yellow). Moon Dough is a "magical modeling dough" that never dries out, is hypo-allergenic and wheat-free. It has such a cool texture and is really quite addicting to play with! The kit included some push & pop tools that you can use to mold your Moon Dough in breakfast shaped items like waffles, pancakes and bread. Seriously, I am thinking about keeping the pink Moon Dough next to my computer to play with when I need some stress relief!
William really had fun with this! He enjoyed pressing the Moon Dough out as well as breaking it up in smaller pieces.
We thought the play mat that was attached to the packaging was a neat thing. William made a cute little breakfast!
Moon Dough has improved their modeling dough making it less crumbly... meaning less mess! That is a big plus for me! I will however suggest that you keep a close eye on younger children while playing with it. Don't ask :)  Learn more about  Moon Dough products on the web and stay connected on Facebook & Twitter.

I received a product sample for review purposes and received no compensation. All opinions are 100% mine as always.

Shelly, Mom Files
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Living, Laughing, Enjoying

I realized that I have barely been posting anything personal here on Momfiles. I have been busy taking care of my family and taking time for the little things. The girls have birthdays coming up this month and we have been very focused on them. Teenagers require so much! I always used to hear when the girls were just born that I should enjoy them while they are young. I did not really get the full understanding of what that meant until they got around 10 and 12. Having little William has given me another opportunity to take even more time to enjoy every single moment.
Every time that William makes me want to yank my hair out I stop and smile. I realize that he won't be 3 for too much longer and I have learned to find something good out of what might have been a bit naughty. He is thriving with his language and still lagging behind with the potty training thing. I have chosen to not stress out over it. I just know that one day he will be his sister's age and I will enjoy all the littlest things NOW. Having babies when you are older really makes you look at things from a much different perspective!

So what has everyone been up to lately?

Shelly, Mom Files
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Parents are the first teachers

Today I am making these sentence strips and other random tidbits as part of William's daily learning activities. He has shown a lot of maturity with his memory and vocabulary so it is time to step things up. I plan to hang some of these in his room so he can read them out loud every morning when he hops out of bed. We did something similar with the girls and I really think it helped.

One very important thing we feel every child needs is to have self-confidence. Why should a child not feel like he or she is the best? I feel like the old school teaching methods I used for the girls were a success so I am doing the same for William. I am still playing with the idea of home schooling him. We shall see!

Shelly, Mom Files
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eBeanstalk makes toy shopping easy


Sometimes I feel like searching online for toys for my son can be a hassle. Do you go with digital toys, top selling toys for 3 year olds, or just stick to the classics? This is where I refer to eBeanstalk for help. We are really big on learning toys for our son and that is what makes eBeanstalk the perfect place online to shop. They offer so many toys for 3 year old boys as well as toys for 3 year old girls that match your child's developmental needs. You can choose items for specific age groups and gender. We have gotten several wooden toys for our son and he has enjoyed them. The quality is outstanding and I can feel good to hand them down to friends or family with little ones once he has outgrown them.

I was browsing through the eBeanstalk site and I really have my eye on this Band in a Box for my son. The first thing that attracted me was that it is a Melissa and Doug toy (my favorite brand) so I know it will be made to withstand the abuse from a 3 year old boy! If you are looking for toys for 3 year olds like I am (or any age up to 12) then I totally recommend you check out eBeanstalk. They make it so easy for busy parents :-)


Shelly, Mom Files
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Wordless Wednesday

Look at these two! I stole the idea of putting the juicebox in the cup from my friend Tanyetta.
No more squeezing! Thanks Tanyetta and Gracen! :)


Shelly, Mom Files
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William's new book | Rocket Town

We received the cutest new book for William called Rocket Town by Bob Logan. I took the book out of the package and handed it to him and he immediately said "rocket ship!" Look at that big grin! Lately William has shown a big interest in rockets so I knew this book would be right up his alley.

Rocket Town is a very cute board book that shows the adventures of an astronaut and his dog as they travel through where else~ Rocket Town! They encounter all kinds of rockets: a shark rocket, hot air balloon rocket and even a school bus rocket~ this totally fits in with a little one's imagination. There is a countdown at the end that is a big hit with William and he wants you to go back to it over and over again. It's a simple book great illustration.

William really loves pointing out all of his favorite rockets. I think this book is ideal for a little boy and makes a great gift for any occasion. I still prefer board books at this age since boys tend to be a little destructive!
You can purchase a copy of Rocket Town here.

A little about the Author and illustrator: Bob Logan has worked as a story artist on feature animations such as Madagascar and Open Season, as well as Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs and is currently working on the upcoming Puss in Boots! Logan’s picture book, The Sea of Bath, charmed readers with fun and sweet illustrations, and Rocket Town will delight parents and children alike with colorful and imaginative rockets.

I received a book to review and no other compensation was received. All opinions are 100% mine as always!


Shelly, Mom Files
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BornFree® is for the cool kids!

I received a super cute Twist'NPop Straw Cup for review. It features a hygienic pop-up straw mechanism for comfortable mess free drinking. 14oz body interchangeable with BornFree® bottles and cups. Suitable for ages 2+

I really like the design of the cup and the little grip bumps on the outside for making it easier to hang onto. This cup is so convenient for when you are on the go and I know we will be making a lot of use out of it!

Spice Girl Mel B. and daughter Angel are spotted with a Born Free Twist ‘N Pop. So many parents have great concern about the products we use for our children and this Spice mama sure feels that!
About BornFree™:

BornFree™ has developed a range of products baby bottles, cups and accessories that is totally free of the potentially dangerous chemicals Bisphenol-A (BPA), Phthalates and PVC. BPA is a known estrogen mimicker that is used in the production of polycarbonate plastic. According to researchers, BPA may cause developmental and neurological problems if it leaches from plastic. Reports suggest that small amounts of BPA may leach into food or beverages stored in polycarbonate containers, especially when the contents are heated. In addition, BornFree™'s cups and bottles feature the unique BornFree™ venting system, designed to reduce colic and ear infections.


For more information on different BornFree products visit www.newbornfree.com


I received a product sample for review and all opinions are 100% mine.

Shelly, Mom Files
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Car seat safety rules make my head hurt

I have seen it everywhere today- CNN, Headline News, e-newsletters, Facebook and Twitter. The American Academy of Pediatrics announced a new car seat policy. This one really has me scratching my head. The new AAP Car Seat Safety Guidelines suggests you keep your child in a rear-facing safety seat until age 2. Although this does not apply to my now 3 year old, it still concerned me. There were so many comments for and against this policy. I almost wonder if I did the wrong thing by flipping my little guy's seat when he was a year old. After all, I did it with his sisters and everything was fine. Then I read through some of the comments where moms were saying their 3 year old was still rear facing! I was also reading where a child should be in a safety seat until they are 8 or 4'9". Wow, I guess I better tune up my skills since so much has changed since I had the girls! It looks like William will be in a car seat for a long time. Maybe I need to consult with the Car Seat Lady. What are your thoughts?
Shelly, Mom Files
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William + School = HAPPY!

William's favorite thing to do these days besides fishing is going to "school". He loves when it is time to practice his alphabet sounds and words on the computer. You would not believe the squeals and excitement that comes out of this kid over lesson time. I hope this love for learning is here to stay.
**Please pardon his tongue chewing!



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No naps allowed!

I never thought the day would come that I would be so happy that my little guy stopped taking a nap. This has been going on for about 2 months and it has made my life so much easier. William is not grumpy at all without a daytime nap. He goes to bed at 8:00 pm and I have to wake him up the next morning at about 7:30. I find that if he takes any part of a nap he won't go to bed until after 10:00 and that does not work for me! I really like his new schedule and he seems to like it too.

At what age did your little one stop taking a nap?

Shelly, Mom Files
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Preschool at home

I take my stay-at-home mom gig quite seriously so I do my best to stay on top of teaching William all I can. I recently started having him sort beans by color and size and then counting them. You would not believe how much enjoyment he gets out of it. He yells out each color and then places it in the correct group. Then he pretends to be me and says "Now count the beans".

Of course I would never leave him unattended for long with the beans~ Not that he would put them in his mouth but he would probably try to throw them all over the place or even at the dog. I think I am going to make a chart of each type of bean by gluing them in groups to help avoid a lot of mess. Of course I am sure he will figure out how to peel them off :)


Shelly, Mom Files
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I know I can't be the only one

So, we are in potty training mode with Will. He has not shown signs of readiness although he does go pee pee in the potty when you tell him to. He still wets his diaper during a nap and saturates it at night. I stop giving him anything in liquid form by about 5:00 and he still soaks a diaper overnight. I swear the kid is a pee pee machine. He is not a big drinker either. So what do I do? Am I pushing potty training to early? I don't even think Will can comprehend when he needs to go to the potty. He turns 3 at the end of March and I feel like such a loser mom. Please tell me that someone else has gone through this. I try not to always go with the theory that boys are harder or take longer than girls but it is really looking that way. Help please...
Shelly, Mom Files
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Beware of the "Repeater"

I am sure many of you are very familiar with the stage that your little ones went through with repeating everything they hear. I listen to William have imaginary telephone conversations and he starts of with hello and you hear him say numerous times "alright and okay". His most commonly used phrases are "oh gosh", "put on shoes and go to Walmop", "take off jacket", "mommy cook food", "mmm, yummy food". Recently we all went on a family car trip and we were having discussion about music and entertainment. Somehow we started talking about the Chris Brown song called Deuces and then about Gucci Mane. First Brie says "Deuces!" and Dwayne follows up by saying "Gucci!" and little Will decides to say "Guccis!" We all tried so hard not to laugh but we all broke down. We realized from that moment that Will is indeed listening to everything we say and we better watch out! We do not want to corrupt him. I have made it a point to only listen to NPR or one of his cd's in the car while we wait in the carpool line or drive around town.

What is the most outrageous or funniest thing your little one has said from overhearing someone in your family?
Shelly, Mom Files
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Wordless Wednesday

William is very serious about mealtime and always wants to help. He was in the kitchen yelling out "I need nakkin" and he comes running around the corner over to his table with half the roll of paper towels. He's so helpful isn't he? :D
He loves sticking his tongue out!

Shelly, Mom Files
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Our big boy

Our little guy is really growing up. He will be 3 in March and has come a long way since he turned two. Gone are the days of the terrible two's ~thank goodness! He is now a very independent and intelligent little guy. He is saying "please" and "thank you" without being prompted. He helps to prepare things for meal time and bath time as well as clean up after himself (most times). We are very pleased with his extensive vocabulary and his usage of Spanish words. The boy loves Dora and Diego. He also shows compassion for others and loves to initiate hugs. It's really sweet and makes me happy that he has a kind heart. Will is also learning responsibility with taking care of our dog Milo. He feeds him, gives him treats, plays with him and also loves to let him outside throughout the day. He is pretty well behaved and listens a lot better these days. We are really proud of him.

Surprised to see what is in his hand?

Will has this new evening ritual where he gets bathed and dressed for bed and tells me "I go bed". He then pulls down the covers on MY bed and lays back. Then he asks me to "Put the light" (turn off the light). Once I turn it off he tells me "Thanks". He thinks he's a man. I always have to tell him "Excuse me boy, I already have a husband". From there he watches a little Nick Jr and he is out for the next 11-12 hours. Daddy carries him to his own bed and puts him down for the night. I think often how happy I am that I no longer sweat the small stuff because before long all of our kids will grow up. We are fully enjoying every minute of every day :)
Shelly, Mom Files
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In "the lab" with dad

Please excuse the low quality photo but I just had to snap this one. You see Dwayne has a mini studio set up downstairs in his man room and William has been watching his daddy closely. It is not unusual to see Will talking into his Carmex tube or anything else that he can use as a pretend microphone. He saw his dad practicing a speech and Will said to Dwayne "Arriba!" and he goes straight for the mic and chats away. It is so funny when you play his voice back on the computer. His face lights up at the sound of his own voice.


Shelly, Mom Files
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Ebeanstalk toy review

Have you ever needed to find perfect baby gifts, but weren't quite sure where to look? Search no further. All you have to do is head on over to ebeanstalk and search for toys by age! Ebeanstalk is a website that provides toys for babies and kids of all ages. Child experts hand select only the best learning toys, so not only is it easy to find age appropriate toys, but you can be reassured that they are great for a baby's development too!


I was so happy to receive the adorable Stacking Train by Melissa and Doug from ebeanstalk to test out. This was perfect since William is really into locomotives right now and most especially TRAINS! This toy is made from wood and is very sturdy for my rough toddler. It has brightly colored shapes that are great as a teaching tool and also makes your child use their brain to figure out how to put it together. I can see this train being William's favorite for a while. He walks around saying "play choo-choo train". I am a fan of this toy because I know that the Melissa and Doug brand make durable wooden toys that make your child think. I would recommend toys and games from ebeanstalk any day if you are looking for something fun and will help your child to learn in the process. There are so many choices and the site is so easy to use. Happy toy hunting!

Disclosure: I did not receive any compensation for this post, all opinions are mine as always.

Shelly, Mom Files
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