Raising A Baby On A Budget...Tips and Trics

Raising a baby isn't cheap! So i'm going to share some tricks, tips and ideas on how to raise your kido on a budge.

1. Buying in bulk never hurts. Sam's Club Memberships are like $40 for a year. And that $40 can save you hundreds of Dollars on Groceries. You can buy all your canned goods and non-parishables and stock up and save up.

2. When shopping, always take a list, and stick to the list. Search the stores website or flyer for sales and savings. Coupons are a great way to save some money.

3. Buying Generic never hurts. Its the same thing, just with a different name!

4. Diapers......Boy are they expensive. Buying them in bulk can save you a load of money. Cases are normally cheaper than the large bags. And also, do your shopping around.....Again the Generic are just as good. And don't forget to sign up for coupons and savings from your favorite diaper company! Cloth Diapers are also a money saver!!

5. Formula is super expensive. Remember that Powder is always cheaper. And to get more help if your a low income family, try applying for WIC.

6. When buying furniture for your little ones room, always buy what can grow with your kido. Convertable Cribs and Car Seats are a money saver. They go from Infant to Toddler in no time. You can always do Second Hand also! Goodwill, garage sales, craigslist, consignment shops. You can always find a deal. Just make sure to check for Recalls.

7. Coupons Coupons Coupons!!!! Find them in the flyers, online, from a friend, the sunday paper, Find them and Clip away! Just don't get Carried away! only clip for the things you normally use in the house.

8. Baby clothes are expensive too. But you can always save money in this department. Second hand is Awesome!! You can swap with friends, buy second hand. Most stores have sales at the end of each season. So keep your eyes peeled for those 2.99 outfits for next year!

9. The number one big time money saver is.....Breast Feeding and making your own baby foods. Breast Feeding cuts out that 25$ a can formula. And making your own baby food is easy, all you need is a blender and some fruits and vegies and TADA Blend Away!

There are so many ways to save money and raise your kidos on a budget. And remember you can always unload all that un-needed baby stuff to a consignment shop or list it on Craigslist and Make some extra money to put in the bank.



Untill Next Time

Keep Smiling and Keep the Kidos Happy and Healthy

A Worthy Cause....Tide Loads of Hope

I was laying in bed lastnight, and i couldn't sleep so i was watching VH1 hoping i could finally fall asleep. As i was watching, i saw the commercial for the Tide Loads Of Hope. This is a great way to lend a helping hand without really having to do anything. For every bottle of Yellow Cap Tide you purchase, a portion of that money goes to people affected by some sort of disaster. I Would love to help out with this, but myself and my son are both Allergic to Tide, :( Which sucks. But if your like us, and have an allergy, Just hope on over to the Tide site and you can help in other ways. You can buy a Vintage Tide shirt They are 20$, and all the money you spend on those goes to Disaster relief. I belive its only 10 cents from the Yellow Cap Tide that goes to the fund. So i say this is a Worthy Cause, and everyone should try and help out. Just think about how many natural disasters happen each year, and how many people need help.

The team at Tide go around with like 32 Energy Efficient Washers and Dries and go to the areas that need help and wash, dry and Fold their laundry. This is like getting a million dollars to some of these families. When a natural disaster strikes, you never know what your going to do. Well Tide is here to help out a little by giving these families clean clothes to wear and clean sheets to sleep on and clean blankets to cover up with.


So go on over to www.tide.com and see if you can help out a little by buying a shirt or buying the Yellow Cap Tide.

Untill Next Time

Keep Smiling and Keep the Kidos Healthy and Happy

Psych Evaluations and Neurology.... Oy Vey

I have for the last 3 months been trying to get my son an Psych Evaluation so we can have a diagnosis of what exactly is wrong with him. His dr. and his therapists all agree he may be autistic. No matter what it is, it dosn't matter to me and daddy, we will still love him and be by his side no matter what. But its sooooo hard to even get someone to schedual an appt. for him in Pittsburgh. We are on like 5 waiting lists, and waiting for like 4 other places to call us back to see if they can get him in or not. I know there are millions of children that need to have these evaluations, but seriously, there isn't one place in Pittsburgh that can schedual a dang appt?? Do i really have to be on a waiting list for 5 months?? This is crazy! I'm about to start researching other places in the surrounding states to see if i can find someplace that can get him in sooner and just fly or drive there and get it done. I want to know if there is something wrong with my little man. I'm sure there is something going on, he's 23lbs at 2.5 yrs old and he has such a bad temper and has a horrible track record with his behavior and he can't play with more than one toy at a time or he goes into his panic hand shaking act. I am currently waiting for a call back from Childrens Hospital's Child Develepment Unit, hoping that they can squeeze us in sometime soon. I know they are moving their location to a new AMAZING hopstial they just built, but just gime a call here people. i will take only like 5 minutes of your time. Damien's Dr's and Therapists have all suggest the CDU at Childrens, so i thought i would take a shot and give them a call. Well i called and i got an Answering service, and they say, i'll send them your message and someone will be in contact with you to schedual an appt. They never say, Someone will call you back today, or tomorrow, its just someone will call you. So this could also be a waiting game. I hate waiting.

The newest thing that we are trying to deal with is getting an appt. with Neurology at Childrens. Damien has started having Headaches to the point where he holds his head and cries, and cries Tears! He isn't big on crying unless something is REALLY hurting him. So i know that something is going on. When he was a baby they found an arachnoid cyst on his brain. They assured me that it was nothing to worry about and that all kids have them. Well all i know is that if i see the Neurologist and he tells me the headaches are because of the Cyst, you best bet someone is getting a lawsuit from me. I find it hard to belive that all kids have them. I'm throwing the BS flag at that dr. over and over again. I have done my research, and even if they say its Benign, it can still cause issues for your kido!

As i said before, don't ever second guess youself as a mom, you know whats best for your child. If you don't agree with what a dr. says, speak up, it never hurts to have extra tests run just for your own peace of mind. Yes it may be costly, but Is your child really comparable to Money? I don't think so!



So untill Next Time

Keep Smiling and Keep the kidos happy and healthy

Autism Awarness Month

My son has a lot of signs of being autistic, and i have a neice who is autistic, and know many other autistic children, so when i read this post online today, i decided it was worthy of a repost.

Directly From Gulf Daily News

Did you know over 67 million people around the world are affected by autism including here in Bahrain? Today marks World Autism Awareness Day - only one of three official diseases specified by United Nations days.

Events are being held all over the world in recognition of this day - including here in Bahrain.

On the December 18, 2007, the UN General Assembly by unanimous consent adopted Resolution 62/139, which declared April 2 as World Autism Awareness Day.

The resolution, which Bahrain is a co-sponsor of, encourages all member states to take measures to raise awareness of autism throughout society, to promote early diagnosis and early behavioural intervention and to acknowledge the high rate of autism in all regions of the world and the consequent development challenges to long term health care, education, training and intervention programmes.

Autism affects individuals regardless of race, socioeconomic status or geography. Its causes are unknown, and it affects more boys than girls.

In some areas around the world the prevalence of autism is increasing.

Autism is a complex brain disorder that inhibits a person's ability to communicate and develop social relationships, and is often accompanied by behavioural challenges. However, early diagnosis and intervention improves the lives of people affected.

First warning signs appear when a child is between 18 and 24 months old. (click here to read the entire story)

This is something that everyone should support. There are so many kids affected by this, Give a little support where support is Due!

Here are some things that you could do in April brought to you by the Autism Society Of America.....

Host your own event. ASA‘s 1Power4Autism is the first grassroots fundraising Web site for the autism community. It gives you an opportunity to “turn on your power” by starting an event online and the tools you need to mobilize your friends and family. Learn more at http://www.1power4autism.org/. Or for more events in your area, please visit our event calendar. Get bouncing! After a successful first year, ASA and inflatable playground franchise Pump It Up are bouncing again with “Bounce for Autism” - a nationwide, community-based fundraising event that combines family fun with raising awareness and support for autism in locations that welcome children on the autism spectrum. Find an event near you at http://www.bounceforautism.org/. Show your colors. Wear your autism awareness puzzle bracelet to show your support. To purchase autism awareness items please visit our online store. Read a book. In The Horse Boy, Rupert Isaacson shares his inspiring story of how he and his wife learned to think of their son’s autism as an adventure rather than a curse, a beginning rather than an end. Little, Brown and Company is publishing the book on April 14, 2009, and will be partnering with the Autism Society of America to raise awareness. Both the ASA and the book aim to empower families to think creatively and openly when it comes to treatment. Learn more at http://www.horseboythebook.com/. Spread awareness. ASA has free download materials to help your family, your school, your church or other community organization learn more about people with autism. ASA has developed a poster which can be displayed to raise awareness in your community. To download an 8-1/2 X 11" PDF of the 2009 NAAM poster, click here, or to request a 24 X 36" PDF version of the poster, click here. Our “Growing Up Together” is a new, popular pamphlet that teaches typical kids how much fun they can have with their friends on the autism spectrum. Visit www.autism-society.org/shop_downloads for this and other great material provided free of charge. ASA’s Safe and Sound materials are also critical to keeping our citizens with autism safe. Bring our cards and pamphlets to your local police and fire station and help us spread awareness today! To learn more, please visit www.autism-society.org/research_safeandsound. Take action. Getting involved in advocacy efforts at the local, state and national levels is a crucial way to support legislation benefiting those with autism and their loved ones. Check out current national initiatives at www.autism-society.org/research_advo_action. Become a member. A gift of $30 gives you all the benefits of membership, including access to a community that provides comfort, support and essential information to families living with autism; ASA's quarterly magazine the Autism Advocate, a leading source of information on the latest issues in autism; and valuable resource information and advocacy for autism-related issues. With your help, we can achieve our mission of improving the lives of all affected by autism. Learn more about becoming a member at www.autism-society.org/join_home. Learn the signs. Research indicates that early identification is associated with dramatically better outcomes for individuals with autism. The earlier a child is diagnosed, the earlier the child can begin benefiting from one of the many specialized intervention approaches to treatment and education. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the National Center for Birth Defects and Developmental Disabilities has developed the "Learn the Signs. Act Early." campaign and provide a number of informational materials on developmental milestones for parents, healthcare providers, early childhood educators and others that are available on their Web site http://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/actearly/index.html.

If you can do anything, do it. If you think you can't do anything, your wrong. Inform one person that April is World Autism Awareness Month Tell them a little bit about what Autism is and how kids are dealing with the daily struggles and how parents handle it. You can always do something. Autism is Serious and Everyone should know about it. Do your Research and Help out where you can help out! :)



Untill Next Time

Keep Smiling and Keep the Kidos Healthy and Happy