Xavier was experiencing some seriously bad diaper rash this weekend. So bad that it was bleeding yesterday from him scratching it so much. The good news is it doesn't seem to bother him, other than the constant scratching. Xavier has very sensitive skin, so we have tried all the tricks for getting diaper rashes to go away. We just found another great trick recommended by our daycare. We mix up equal parts of Maalox and Aquaphor and apply it after completely airing out his tooshy (sometimes using a blowdryer on cool). He went to bed with a bright red rash and this morning it was a light pink! We have a new favorite remedy!
Steve and I are not the type of parents who get so consumed in our child's lives that we forget to have some fun of our own. We regularly go out on dates, take Xavier to places we like to go (like wine tastings at the grocery store), and try to stay up on the latest TV shows. But, that means we have to continually juggle making a fun life for him and household chores with the fun of our own. It gets better all the time because we find new ways to cut corners. Here are some time (and sanity) saving tips I've learned along the way!
Steve and I are not the type of parents who get so consumed in our child's lives that we forget to have some fun of our own. We regularly go out on dates, take Xavier to places we like to go (like wine tastings at the grocery store), and try to stay up on the latest TV shows. But, that means we have to continually juggle making a fun life for him and household chores with the fun of our own. It gets better all the time because we find new ways to cut corners. Here are some time (and sanity) saving tips I've learned along the way!
1. Buy as much as you can from Amazon and Target.com - And for that matter, buy as much as possible online! Get amazon prime and items arrive fast to your door. Get the Target RedCard and save 5% and get free shipping on all Target purchases. You will leave the house for erranding way less frequently. We buy diapers, wipes, formula, paper towels, toilet paper, etc. in bulk with these services. For clothes or makeup, Nordstrom.com and zappos.com are great because they both offer free shipping & free returns. I don't know how moms back in the day survived without products constantly arriving on the doorstep.
2. Switch to paper plates and cook on aluminum foil - We are running (and unloading...Grrrrrr!) our dishwasher a lot more since Xavier started eating table food, I'm talking like every other night. But, since we switched to paper plates (including me and Steve), we are going about 4 days between washings. We stick as much as possible in it; pots, pans, bottles, nipples, all of X's mealtime utensils. I have this little contraption to hold nipples and other small parts so they don't get lost or turn upside down in the washer. We also line pans with aluminum foil to keep from having to wash them so frequently, or we just put a layer of foil directly on the oven racks. Works great for pizza, chicken nuggets, and for reheating leftovers. Note: I've heard that cooking on aluminum foil causes Alzheimers, dementia, cancer, etc., but what doesn't?
3. Maximize the use of baggies and freezer storage bags - We save any and all leftovers because even the smallest leftover from our dinner can be turned in to a meal for Xavier when combined with veggies and fruit. Saving the food in tupperware takes up too much room in the fridge, so we started using sandwich baggies and it works great. We even save pancakes in sandwich baggies and reheat them for Xavier in the toaster. Or I'll dump a can of mixed veggies or chopped fruit in a baggie and serve from it the whole week. We have a shelf in the fridge designated for all of Xavier's sippys and stacks of baggied leftovers. The gallon-sized bags are great for freezing meatballs (double/triple those recipes you freeze!), pasta, and food from the grill. It's easy to make these foods in bulk so we make extra and freeze it.
4. Embrace the un-tidy home - It's tempting to want to clean up messes after your little one dumps a bin of organized toys on the floor, but if you don't let it go, you will find you spent your whole weekend cleaning up messes! Pick a time of day to go around and pick things up. For me, I try to do it once after lunch time and again after Xavier goes to bed. This also includes cleaning the kitchen! With more sporadic meals/snacks to feed, the kitchen can get quite dirty. It's okay to leave the mess until your kiddo goes to bed! Embrace the mess and try to remember it's only a few years that you GET to have kids' toys and baby feeding products in your house!
5. Do laundry and cleaning during the week - This helps tremendously for enjoying the weekend, especially for working moms. I know it's hard, but force yourself to do just one load of laundry during the week. Then up it to two. Friday night is a good night to do laundry. You can go in to the weekend feeling accomplished and not feel behind when you waste an entire Saturday at the pool!
4. Embrace the un-tidy home - It's tempting to want to clean up messes after your little one dumps a bin of organized toys on the floor, but if you don't let it go, you will find you spent your whole weekend cleaning up messes! Pick a time of day to go around and pick things up. For me, I try to do it once after lunch time and again after Xavier goes to bed. This also includes cleaning the kitchen! With more sporadic meals/snacks to feed, the kitchen can get quite dirty. It's okay to leave the mess until your kiddo goes to bed! Embrace the mess and try to remember it's only a few years that you GET to have kids' toys and baby feeding products in your house!
5. Do laundry and cleaning during the week - This helps tremendously for enjoying the weekend, especially for working moms. I know it's hard, but force yourself to do just one load of laundry during the week. Then up it to two. Friday night is a good night to do laundry. You can go in to the weekend feeling accomplished and not feel behind when you waste an entire Saturday at the pool!
No comments:
Post a Comment