Mile High Parents

2 month Well Child Check

2008-06-14T13:53:00.002-06:00

So you have survived to the 2 month well child check. You have become experts on understanding your child's cues and likely, you have developed a schedule set for your child and yourselves.

The same things happen at this visit in regards to discussing weight gain, sleep issues and feedings. You probably aren't thinking about solid feeding yet (normally 4-6 months) so I like to make sure no other issues have developed. Here are some of the common conversations at this time
1. You potentially have enrolled your child in daycare. It is a viral breeding ground and you should learn what to do when your child develops a runny nose and congestion. The doctor can help clue you in to symptoms of ear infections, lung infections, etc as well too.
2. You should make sure you are not neglecting your other children and may need to discuss behavior issues that have developed since your infant's birth.
3. You should remember to be getting outside and ensuring that you aren't getting trapped at home all the time.
4. Make sure you are using clothes to protect your child's skin. They are still too young for sunscreen.
5. Your doctor will go over development milestones with you and see if there are any red flags.
6. The vaccines today are Hepatitis B, Rotavirus, Haemophilus Influenza, Prevnar, Polio, DTaP. You can give your child a dose of tylenol before or during your visit to help with pain.

Those are the big things for now. Otherwise, continue to breastfeed as exclusively as possible, give your child some tummy time and start exploring the world more with your child!

Please post your comments and opinions below!
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Penny Pinching - GroceryGame.com

2008-06-01T20:43:00.001-06:00

After hearing about GroceryGame.com recently, we decided to check it out today. The site is a membership based site that compiles sales at local grocers, and recommends items for the best discounts.

We grabbed a Sunday paper, and logged in to the website, checking out the deals at King Soopers and Safeway. The website color codes the deals with BLUE, BLACK, and GREEN, recommending you focus on the BLUE and GREEN items as items to stock up on (GREEN items are actually free after store discounts and coupons).

If there is a coupon for an item that is already on sale, the website tells you where the coupon was found and what day it was from (it suggests a filing system for the Sunday coupons).

Anyway, it says it takes about 12 weeks to start fully realizing the savings, but we did pretty well in week 1, saving about 29% ($64.63) on our groceries between two stores.

We have also heard about CouponMom.com but have not checked it out yet.

Please post your comments and opinions below!
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Potty Training Preparedness - Prepare Children for Potty Training Video - About.com

2008-06-01T13:01:00.001-06:00

Potty Training Preparedness - Prepare Children for Potty Training Video - About.com: "Potty Training Preparedness
with Kathy Moore

Sooner or later, every parent is faced with the task of toilet training a toddler. Follow along with this potty training checklist and learn how to tell if your child is ready to make the big step out of diaperland."

How to keep track of baby gifts and their givers | Parent Hacks

2008-05-28T07:20:00.000-06:00

It dawned on me to take digital pictures of each gift, and to include an index card in the photo on which I've written the name of the gift giver. Now I have an inventory of gifts that's simple to update, and easy to skim through and connect with the giver. And, if I pass these gifts along to other babies in a few years, I can avoid any social blunders associated with re-gifting or recycling to the wrong person.
Read entire post: How to keep track of baby gifts and their givers | Parent Hacks

Planning to be spontaneous when you have a baby | Parent Hacks

2008-05-28T07:00:00.000-06:00

Planning to be spontaneous when you have a baby | Parent Hacks: "Planning to be spontaneous when you have a baby

It's funny how, once you have kids, even being spontaneous takes forethought. Here's a great tip from Pam, good to keep in mind as the long, warm evenings of summer approach:

We keep a pair of pyjamas in the diaper bag and the Pack and Play in the trunk of the car. Now if we decide on a whim to go to the grandparent's house or a friend's house and stay for a bit (even if not for overnight), we know we'll be all set. We can put our 16 month old to bed and transfer her to the carseat after a wild board game night." Continue Reading

Trying To Prevent Allergies

2008-05-17T21:32:00.002-06:00

The conversation often comes up of when to start solid foods in your infant. There is not a lot of good evidence to say one way or the other, but current guidelines suggest breastfeeding exclusively till 4-6 months and then adding fruits and vegetables one by one. It is preferred to avoid high allergen foods like berries, peanuts, etc until after a year of life. This is contrast to older generations who would start solids in the first month of life. How did they overcome that tongue reflex that is present for the first couple months???

There is not much evidence to suggest waiting longer will decrease allergies. Also, the evidence is not great that restricting what you eat during pregnancy reduces allergies. However, some data suggests that if your infant is high risk for allergies (mom/dad with asthma, eczema or a lot of allergies) then *exclusive* breastfeeding for 6 months might decrease allergies.

For those who use formula, there has not been any evidence that soy based formulas decrease allergies. Mainly you choose based on what your infant enjoys, unless your child is high risk, then a formula like Alimentum might be helpful.

Often, I simply recommend when you child has developed a strong interest in what you are eating and shows the ability comfortably swallow, then start food. (This is typically around 4-6 months conveniently.)

When you do start solids, I suggest reading 'First Meals' by Annabel Karmel. It is a great resource on how to start, what to start and how to make your own food. (Which is remarkably easy)

Please post your comments and opinions below!
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Working out while pregnant?

2008-05-17T06:23:00.003-06:00

A question was emailed to me for Russ, our fitness expert. Here it is, along with his answer:

"What can I do as far as working out, now that I am pregnant?"

Answer: This question brings up more additional questions than answers, because every person is different.

A few questions I would ask include, how far along are you and how active were they before the pregnancy? If you were sedentary before the pregnancy you need to be more weary of what they are doing.

General do and don'ts are

Don't do anything where you are lying directly on their back or where you have the chance of falling (core or stability training).
Have a certified personal trainer (CPT) help you from a safety point of view, and to ensure your proper form and technique. Without the proper form you are setting yourself up to muscle imbalances and long term damage to the joints and/or muscles
Depending on your pregnancy activity level monitoring your heart rate is an important thing as well. I suggest the Polar heart rate monitors, I have the F11 but I bought my wife the F6. The F6 comes in many colors as well, I got her a cute little pink one she loves. I have had clients get them for cheap on ebay. Women who come from a not as active lifestyle should keep their heart rate under 140. Keeping it under 140 is safe for people who are unsure as well, active or not.

As the abdominals spread they are going to have a tougher time with a few different things. You will know what I mean when it happens. At that point, you will really need to limit yourself, but by getting a good workout routine consisting of balance training and endurance training you will be ready to go. As far as a specific workout routine, I can't really say without seeing you but the above general guidelines should get you going.

Start by talking to your health care professional before starting any workout program, and begin with general walking, get a heart rate monitor and go from there. I would love for you to come see me at the gym and I could really help make a personalized workout program.

Russ (CPT)

Please post your comments and opinions below!
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The gym has great parking at 4:30am | Fat Dad Series - Post 3

2008-05-12T07:26:00.004-06:00

4:00am *beep, beep, buzz, beep, beep, buzz* Irritated at having my dreams interrupted, I turn over, reach for my phone, and I see it is 4am. It's dark. It's early. It's a Sunday!

Angry at myself for somehow setting my alarm to go off on a Sunday, I turn it off and roll over. My mind slowly clears enough to realize that it actually Monday, and I did set that alarm on purpose. It is time to go to the gym.

It takes 15 minutes, but I finally get out of bed and roll into the gym. Apparently, the normal people don't come to the gym this early. Not even Trainer Russ is usually there that early.

Last week while training with Russ, I spotted a friend in the gym and I found out he works out at 4:30 every day. Selfishly knowing that I need some accountability to get up this early, I quickly made myself his workout partner... not that he asked.

Anyway, I was running late this morning after my alarm confusion, so when I got there, he was already going strong, so I jumped right in. This is the first time I've done any lifting in a LONG time... and it shows.

At least I got a great parking spot.

Happy Mother's Day! (Poem)

2008-05-11T07:36:00.001-06:00

Superhero

I never really knew
What a superhero was
Until I saw you
Live life as a mom

Already amazing as ever
My very best friend
My love forever
And then you became a mom

Now you are even more
More beautiful. More amazing
And impossibly, even more loved
My love. My friend. Their mom.

Our Superhero

Please post your comments and opinions below!
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Mother's Day

2008-05-10T06:59:00.001-06:00

Mother's Day 2008 - Parenting.com

Parenting.com has some great resources related to mother's day, including Mother's Day Recipes for husbands and kids, gifts to give yourself, pampering treats, a pregnancy planner for moms to be and a number of other features.

Please post your comments and opinions below!
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Russell Shadron | MileHighParents.com Personal Trainer

2008-05-09T13:12:00.011-06:00

I want to introduce the new MileHighParents.com personal trainer, Russell Shadron (see bio below). I will be posting tips from Russ, along with my own fitness progress as part of the "Fat Dad" series. I will post his answers to your questions about fitness here on the site. For anyone looking for a great personal trainer, Russ will get you on the road to achieving the results you want. You can contact him through this blog, or just drop by 24 Hour Fitness (Lowry Sport)

Here is his bio:

Russell W. Shadron, NCSF, NASM, BA
Personal Trainer at 24 Hour Fitness (Lowry Sport)

Philosophy: “That which does not kill me makes me stronger”-Niche

No matter how insurmountable you believe the challenge to be, together we can get there. We will be there! With hard work and dedication anything can be achieved.

In 2001, after a life threatening car wreck doctors told my parents that I would not make it through the night. I did, but only to be in a coma for another month. I woke to this person I did not recognize or know. I woke up 50 pounds lighter with one ear, double vision from the traumatic brain injury and I was in a wheelchair unable to walk or even stand on my own. Doctors then told me that I might never walk unaided ever again. Last year I ran the Chicago Marathon to help raise money for Children’s Memorial Hospital in Chicago. From then on I decided I would be the one determining what I can and can not do.

“Tell me again I can’t do something… then watch me do it!”

I was born and raised in Lindenhurst, IL. Prior to my accident I attended Eastern Illinois University (EIU). Despite my brain injury I returned to EIU after my accident and graduated with my BA. After my accident I had a new appreciation for fitness and helping others achieve goals they might have once thought unattainable. While doing my rehabilitation at the Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago (RIC) I was able to mentor and help many young individuals scared and facing some of the same challenges I had. This is where I heard my calling.

I want us to get to OUR goal, the question is how bad do you want it and what are you willing to do to get there? Yes there will be costs, sweat, frustration, and exhaustion but at the same time you will also feel accomplishment, celebration, confidence, and a greater feeling of overall happiness. I do what I do to get something positive out of a negative. My accident almost ended my life but it only made me stronger. I am a person who has climbed his own insurmountable mountain, now it is your turn, follow me I know the way. Together we will decide what your goals are and determine what it’s going to take for us to get there.

Remember, yesterday is history, tomorrow is a mystery, and today is a gift—that is why they call it the present. Let’s use it!

MOTIVATION + DETERMINATION + HARD WORK = RESULTS

specialties

Personalized Program suited to each individuals: goals, interests, experiences, and fitness level
Concurrent programming for weight loss and increased muscle tone
Physiological adaptations of cardiovascular endurance exercise
Plyometrics and explosive movements for fast-paced sports
Functional applications for the geriatric population
Working with individuals with special needs
Training individuals who are working toward hypertrophy and have a tough time gaining weight.
Marathon training

Experience and credentials

Certified Personal Trainer -- National Council on Strength and Fitness (NCSF)
Proven results over two years of full-time personal fitness training (see testimonials)
Ran and Finished Chicago Marathon in 2006
Bachelor of Arts: Eastern Illinois University, Charleston, IL

Questions for Russ? Post them below!

Fat Dad Series | Post 2: Still standing

2008-05-08T06:35:00.005-06:00

As you may have read in the first post of the Fat Dad series, I am really getting out of shape... and it happened so QUICK!

I know I'm not the only "fat dad" out there, so I am going to keep this series going with my progress, and tips from my trainer Russ, who has agreed to serve on this blog as the MileHighParents trainer. Wow. First, a doctor, and now a fitness trainer. We're getting somewhere now!

Anyway, I went to 24 hour fitness (Lowry Sport) this morning for my 5am appointment with Russ, AKA "the guy who kicked my butt this morning".

He did a fitness assessment, including a body fat analysis, measurements and of course, weight, then we went into the workout.

I travel fairly regularly, so Russ is setting me up with workouts I can do anywhere, with minimal or no equipment. This morning, my actual workout was all in the basketball court area at 24.

Having a trainer really helps, at least for me. I went to the gym yesterday for the first time in months, and sort of walked around like I was lost, trying to look like I actually had a plan.

Not this morning.

Russ had me doing interval training in the basketball court area, with my "rest time" consisting of jogging between everything from crunches to pushups to dead lifts and box jumps. I was slow, panting, and sweating like a horse.

Out. Of. Shape.

As he put it, you have to crawl before you walk.... and man, I was just about crawling by the time my session was over.

I'll keep posting updates, including fitness tips from Russ, our new MileHighParents.com resident fitness expert.

Here is Russ' bio, where you can also ask questions of him.

Please post your comments and opinions below!
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The Fat Dad Series | Post 1 - The beginning

2008-05-04T10:15:00.007-06:00

A couple of weekends ago, I went to the 9 Health Fair, and among other things, I had my BMI (Body Mass Index) measured.

Turns out, my BMI is 28.4, which puts me officially at "overweight" (26 to 30 – you are overweight).

Of course I know that I'm not at my optimal weight. I also know that I haven't worked out for close to three months, after having been on a great running routine (I was actually getting into decent shape about 3 months ago, when I broke my toe 3 weeks out from running my first marathon, and never started working out after that abrupt stop).

As my workout program disappeared, so did my awareness of healthy eating, as well as feeling new aches and pains, and also dress pants just not fitting the way they should (or not at all).

I am about to hit 230 lbs. The MAN BOOBS are showing up in pictures. I am afraid I'm turning into a Fat Dad. Our daughter is 21 months old, and we just found out we are expecting another. During the first pregnancy, I think I gained sympathy weight. It will not happen again.

Time to turn things around. This series of posts will be my chronicle of the road back to fitness.

I'll post on my workout plan & schedule, my progress, and tips from my trainer.

Any other "fat dads" want to join the challenge? Post below!

Wish me luck.

Please post your comments and opinions below!
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Things to Do This Summer - The Parenting.com Blogs

2008-05-04T09:26:00.000-06:00

Things to Do This Summer - The Parenting.com Blogs: "Things to Do This Summer

My 10 year old son began working on a list of things he wants to do this summer. He said that he always thinks he will have plenty of time to do all the things he wants, but then suddenly summer is over and he never gets around to it.

I don't have the heart to tell him that it is called life.

Instead, I embraced his list making, and we have been making a family list of things to do this summer. A list that is ambitiously titled '101 Things To Do This Summer', even though we haven't listed that many yet."

Read list at Parenting.com

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PeePee TeePee Alternative

2008-05-04T09:20:00.000-06:00

Tissue-stuffed Dixie cup stops baby boys' "geyser" fun | Parent Hacks: "Tissue-stuffed Dixie cup stops baby boys' 'geyser' fun

Hacker Daddy Dave offers a homemade alternative to the Pee Pee Teepee:

When he was younger, my son loved peeing straight up into the air when I had him undressed on the changing table. Fun for him, not for me. So," Read article at parent Hacks

Please post your comments and opinions below!
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Cut solid food for new eaters with an egg slicer | Parent Hacks

2008-05-04T09:17:00.000-06:00

Cut solid food for new eaters with an egg slicer

Here's how Margaret speeds up getting "first solid food" meals ready for her baby:

The trickiest - and the most important - thing when having an infant who just started having solids is to cut the food "to size" - not too big, not too... read article at Parent hacks

Please post your comments and opinions below!
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Z Recommends: Amazon.com Launches "BPA-Free Baby" Shop: Buyer Beware

2008-05-04T09:15:00.000-06:00

Z Recommends: Amazon.com Launches "BPA-Free Baby" Shop: Buyer Beware: "Amazon.com Launches 'BPA-Free Baby' Shop: Buyer Beware
Posted by Jeremiah McNichols

Amazon.com quietly launched a 'BPA-Free Baby' shop on its site last month, with a promo box appearing in rotation on the landing page of its Baby section." Read article

Please post your comments and opinions below!
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The Truth About Feeding Your Baby - Parenting.com

2008-05-04T09:14:00.000-06:00

The Truth About Feeding Your Baby - Parenting.com: "The Truth About Feeding Your Baby
How to raise a healthy, happy eater by Gina Bevinetto Feld"

Please post your comments and opinions below!
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Speed tip: Make individual portions in freezer bags | Lunch in a Box: Building a Better Bento

2008-05-04T09:00:00.001-06:00

Speed tip: Make individual portions in freezer bags Lunch in a Box: Building a Better Bento: "Speed tip: Make individual portions in freezer bags Although it might be nice if I were organized enough to plan out all of our dinners and my son’s bento lunches in advance, that’s never going to happen" Read entire article at LunchInABox.net

NOTE: I did this the other day. I made 3 lbs of a hamburger recipe I found at AllRecipes.com (Essentially, it's just a packet of ranch dressing mix, an egg, and an onion).

Anyway, I only grilled 4 burgers, so I just put the rest of the meat in one giant bag, flattened it, and 'scored it' into patties. It worked great.

Please post your comments and opinions below!
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Starting my own business!

2008-05-03T15:12:00.000-06:00

Ever since I left the business world and became a full time stay at home mom, I have been looking for ways bring in some extra income for the family, but with the insanity of motherhood, along with taking care of my niece 3 days a week, I had pretty much given up on finding anything that would actually work... until a few weeks ago.

My friend, who is a mother of 2, introduced me to Southern Living at HOME, and I've always liked the magazine, so after a good bit of research, I decided to jump in.

I have literally just started, but since I know there are other stay at home and working moms who read this blog and might be interested in generating extra income, I thought I'd go ahead and track my experience in case this is something anyone else wants to try out (and you can see how it goes for me).

I ordered my starter kit (the pics are of the items in the starter kit as I unpacked them) and was like a kid at Christmas opening everything up this week. I was actually excited/impressed to see that the website and catalog don't do the products justice.

Essentially, here's how it works... if you want to start your business and become a consultant, you sign up with someone who is already doing it, you order your starter kit (you get a TON of great stuff, so that's worth it all by itself), then you throw your first party. There are then some great programs that will incentivize your friends to throw their own parties and share the products with their friends, and so on. The products are tremendous, and the business plan seems effective.

I'm excited to get started I have my launch party tomorrow, so I'll post how that goes! While this venture won't be the focus of this blog, I'll keep track of my experiences, and I welcome your comments or questions.

Mile high parents... again

2008-05-03T15:10:00.001-06:00

In a future post, I'll share how this video was made in about 5 minutes using Jumpcut.

Please post your comments and opinions below!
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Creating a family blog

2008-05-03T14:34:00.004-06:00

We have had a lot of fun over the past couple of years maintaining a family blog. I thought I'd post a few tips here on how you can easily have a blog to keep friends and family in the loop with photos and updates.

1) Pick a tool. For the purposes of this mini-tutorial, we are going to focus on Blogger.com. There are a lot of blogging tools out there, but in my opinion, Blogger is the most simple to use, and because it is owned by Google (which is pouring resources into it) it continues to get better and better.

2) Sign up for a blogger account at Blogger.com. It is very self explanatory. If you do not already have a Google account (free), it will have you create one. If you do have one, you simply sign in using your google username and password.

3) Choose a blog name, and if you want pay the extra $10 a year for a custom domain name (ie, Milehighparents.com ($10) vs milehighparents.blogspot.com (free). I personally like the personalized .com domain. It is easier for people to remember. Consider seeing if your last name is available, or [familyname]blog.com.

4) Simply follow the steps at blogger, including selecting a theme.

5) Start blogging!

6) We primarily do photoblogging using Picasa. Picasa is another tool owned by google, and it's also FREE. It is great photo editing and organizing software, and has one click "blog this" functionality. You simply choose photos you want from your computer, click on BlogThis, and viola!, it shows up on your blog!

I'll follow this post up with other tips on how to create your family blog. Stay tuned!

Please post your comments and opinions below!
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cbs4denver.com - Program Lets Parents Monitor Teen Text Messaging

2008-04-26T14:47:00.000-06:00

"DENVER (CBS4) ― It is a problem that is becoming far too common -- pedophiles trying to reach teens through their cell phones.

CBS4 used a picture of a teenage girl to illustrate how pedophiles are now turning to cell phones to meet up with their young prey."
Read Story: cbs4denver.com - Program Lets Parents Monitor Teen Text Messaging

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ToyInstructions » home

2008-04-26T14:35:00.000-06:00

Great site to find instructions for toys and games.

ToyInstructions » home: "Welcome to toyinstructions, a collaborative wiki of deep links to instructions, user manuals, and building guides for toys and children's games. This site also offers links to blog searches, photos, and Yahoo user groups for toy brands, and a moderated list of top fan sites."

What happens in Stapleton...: Having it all, all at once

2008-04-26T11:32:00.000-06:00

What happens in Stapleton...: Having it all, all at once: "...She makes an interesting observation: most of the moms are educated, career women who approach child-rearing with the same strategies that they (we) used in their careers..." Read Post