Three Cheers For Happy Bellies

Rice cereal is the traditional and most recommended gateway food for babies on their path to a lifetime of healthy eating!  I'd like to share my absolute favorite rice cereal starter: Happy Bellies Organic Brown Rice Cereal.

I discovered Happy Bellies when our daughter Izzy was born in 2008.  At the time, the popular brands of rice cereal only came in a box with an open/close flap that could not be well secured on it's own. The packaging was frustrating to me because I was always worried about the contents becoming stale and I usually poured either more or less than what I intended on feeding Izzy. Then, during a quick trip to the grocery store, I came across Happy Bellies Brown Rice Cereal. It came in a cylindrical tin with a lid. I learned that this brand is certified organic and "the first baby cereal with probiotics for digestive system health and the only organic cereal with DHA and Choline to support brain and eye health"!  All that and it met all of my packaging needs? This was a major score for a new mother!

I was hooked on Happy Bellies baby cereal brand for Izzy, which can be mixed with heated breast-milk, formula or water. Incorporating solids into your little darling's diet can be a challenge because it is recommended that only one new food be introduced a week, making it a long and delicate process. Some babies are intolerant of certain foods, but we were fortunate to be able to take a more aggressive approach, as Izzy did not have any allergies, and we introduced her to a new food every three days. We kept her rice cereal as a breakfast staple and included pureed fruits like apple, pear, banana and strawberry to the mix as time went on.

Since our daughter was born, Happy Bellies has produced a line of food and snacks for babies, toddlers, big kids and adults. Our son was a fan of their combinations as an infant and I can say that given the opportunity, he could be sustained by their "Super Toddler Bars" alone.

For all you mommies out there that are about to start the adventure of meal making for your little darlings, please check out Happy Bellies and stay tuned for our upcoming posts on making your own baby food, store bought baby food brands we loved, the perfect storage containers and our favorite feeding products!

With love,
Mrs. Darling

Life Beyond The Microwave

My girfriend Diana is one of those Moms who always seems to have it together 100% of the time. Diana swears that this is not true, but I'm still waiting for proof. She inspires me every day to look at parenting and family life in a new way, but one afternoon I found something out about my friend that I just didn't know if I could get behind.

About a year ago, my little darlings and I were at Diana's house for a playdate and I needed to reheat McClain's baby food. I searched high and low for her microwave but I couldn't find it anywhere. I reasoned that it must be hidden behind a secret panel, an aesthetic solution that many city dwellers are opting for these days. After asking her where it was, I found out that Diana refuses to own a microwave. "Excuse me?!" and "Why?!" Were the first two questions that came out of my mouth.

While some people believe that a microwave changes the fundamental structure of food and won't use one for that reason, I consider my microwave a god-sent. It quickly reheats the coffee that got cold while I was distracted with the baby, it is the secret to cutting my potato baking time in half and in just a few seconds, the premade food that I picked up at Whole Foods for the kids (because I was too tired to cook that evening), is warm. It's ease and convenience make life so much simpler for me that I couldn't imagine my kitchen without it. I recently brought this topic up with Diana again because I wanted to get the full scope on why she seemed to be making life so much harder for herself.  This was her response:

Everyone has made bets on me getting a microwave by this point, but my reasoning for shunning this "necessary" invention is two fold:

First, I truly believe that the kitchen is the heart of the home. It is where your children are nourished in mind body and soul. It is where joys are shared, where stories are told and where concerns are discussed. Second - Patience. Cooking involves patience and allowing moments to pass. The questions a child can ask while waiting for water to boil can create priceless memories. The ability to wait until an explanation is concluded before acting, controlling your hand to pour without spilling, to focus on one activity and only one activity -- these are invaluable lessons of personal control and patience (something I learned from my Grandmom that helps me every day inside and outside the kitchen).

Also, we seem to value things more when we've waited for them and when we've helped create them.  I want my children to value the meal on their plate in front of them and know how it came to be.

In this world of instant gratification, I want my children to be able to have moments of mindlessness. I want them to have the ability to listen and to value their body, mind and soul and appreciate what goes into it.  Everyone has those moments from your life that are forever in your memory and heart. Those moments that shape who you are. For me those warm moments and memories were in my grandmother's and mother's kitchens. I dream that one day my children will have that too.

How amazing is this? I truly respect my friend's steadfast resolution to break with what is convenient on a day-to-day basis in order to cultivate what she believes is important for her children and family. There is no way that I will ever give up the ease of a microwave in my kitchen but I love Diana's take on the importance of looking at the bigger picture in parenting and family life and finding ways outside the box to teach one's children valuable life lessons.

I hope that you find a little bit of the inspiration that I found from her words. Not everyone's style or methods of parenting will mesh, but I think it's important to be open minded. You never know how one family's tradition will affect your own!

With love,
Mrs. Darling





  

Mummies Only - Witches Dinner

What is scarier than Halloween night? Getting through life without the light and support of ones' Mummy-friends! My girlfriends near and far have kept me afloat through some of my most challenging moments as a mother. We rejoice in our children's milestones, we are there for each other when our babies are sick, we group text when comparing notes on handling temper tantrums and we remind each other that we are good mothers when we are feeling our worst.

I decided to put a "Mummies Only" Dinner spin on my Aunt Susanne's annual Witches Tea in Louisville, Kentucky for my Philadelphia girlfriends. Five of my close "mummy" friends (my own Mommy included) and I shared a meal and endless cackling.  Featured below is our dinner menu and a collection of pictures from prep to party! Stay tuned for a follow up post featuring the recipes from our spooktacular night!

With love,
Mrs. Darling

The Menu

Mrs. Darling's Asian Style Short ribs
Stir- Fried Shrimp
Pickled Radish
Steamed Bok Choy with Garlic and Chestnuts
Spiked Apple Crisp a la Mode

Good Night Babies - Once the little darlings were bathed and tucked in bed, party prep commenced!

My mother and I found this spectacular punch bowl while antiquing in Adamstown. I take every opportunity to break it out. For our dinner, I brewed a Sparkling Apple Cider Rum Punch! 

The beginning of the bar setup 

 These festive Mario Luca Giusti glasses and the pitcher below were purchased two years ago at Barneys. As soon as I saw them I knew I had to have them. The best part is that they are acrylic! No matter how wild the party gets, there will be no breakage!

Fresh thyme cocktail garnish. I love the smell and infusion of fresh herbs. These sprigs were the perfect touch to the punch and St. Germain cocktails.

These creepy gem spider rings from Target were a huge hit! I used them to decorate the silver and place mats and we each donned a couple on our fingers

The place setting: Black linen napkins and silver brought my every day Juliska "Berry and Thread" pattern from Neiman Marcus to life!

One of the flowers I used in the tablescape was Echinacea. It's spiky texture and rich color was a sophisticated twist on the traditional Halloween feel.

The Leucadendron looked so much like little cocoons. They paired beautifully with the Echinacea and created such a great look in the individual vase place care holders.

Putting the finishing touches on the tablescape!

This is one of my favorite fall decorative items! I have had this little fruit pom for six years and since we moved to Philadelphia, every time I hang it, I think of my dear friends in Virginia Beach and all of the dinners we shared and the toasts that we made. 

I ordered black tapper candles from Williams Sonoma that were placed in my brass and crystal candlesticks on the buffet. They created a dim and intimate setting along with my seasonal pillar candles from Target!

The bar is set and equipped to wet the driest of whistles!

My most prim and proper mummy-friend shocked and delighted us all with her killer (and completely out of character) press on nails and festive attire. She flew in the door on a household broom baring candy and flowers ... the key to any fellow witch's heart!

What would a Witches Dinner be without the perfect witch hat? Ryan's feathered number was the darling of our dinner!

The Apple Crisp a la mode - ready for consumption!

Witches Broom Goodie Bags ... Thank you Pinterest ... and Casey for helping me make them!

We cackled until the clock stroke midnight! Abby was parent-of-the day in the morning, Diana had an early morning conference call and a trip down to Virginia, Susan and Stephanie were exhausted and Ryan had a drive all the way back to the suburbs. It was time for these witches to hit the road!

As soon as my guests left, my "mummy" and I threw off our jewelry and got to work on rinsing the silver and wrapping up the food. We left the rest of the clean up for the morning (**one of the top entertaining tips that I learned from my mother is to leave the cleaning of breakable serve and glassware until the morning. When you're tired or have had a couple of cocktails, accidents can happen. It's best to wash them when you are rested and refreshed ... especially if they are heirlooms**).

Responsibility

Book featured: The Table Sets Itself - written by Ben Clanton 

Responsibility doesn't begin when you become an adult. It starts at a much younger age. In the Darling home, we believe that teaching responsibility early gives children the tools they need to help navigate through their little world.

At the age of five, Izzy is biting at the bit to help us around the house. This is a wonderful thing, but it  can sometimes be more of an inconvenience, especially during the days when we are working on a timeline (five year old hands are so loving but they are not as fast at leveling out flour as their adult supervisor).  A few months ago, we decided to give Izzy certain responsibilities at home. They include feeding our dog Sailor, setting the table for supper and clearing her plate from the table after our meal.  We felt that three was a good number of tasks to start with so that the responsibility was not too overwhelming for her, but it was enough to make her feel accomplished and helpful.

Before introducing Izzy to her new responsibilities at home, we gave her a wonderful book entitled, "The Table Sets Itself" by Ben Clanton. This charming book is a must have for every child's library, and it was especially relevant for our family because it is about a little girl named Izzy who is given the responsibility of setting the table. She learns the proper places for each piece and delights in completing the job every night with the help of her friends, Dish, Fork, Knife Spoon, Cup and Napkin ... that is until the place-setting and Izzy decide it's time for a change...  Our Izzy delighted in this entertaining story and after reading it she was excited to take on her own responsibilities.

Izzy is thriving with her new responsibilities and she performs them with great pride. I often hear her whispering to Sailor that she snuck a few extra pieces of dog food in her bowl. Our place settings have never looked more well set and the look of satisfaction on her face as she carefully brings her plate to the sink is priceless.  I love seeing her so proud of herself and since beginning her new tasks, I have already seen a shift in her awareness of her surroundings. The other day she saw me struggling to put a slipcover back over a cushion and without being asked, she said, "Here Mommy, let me help you. It looks like you're having a hard time". I threw the whole mess over my head and grabbed my girl and gave her kisses until she begged to be released. I explained why I was so happy and her response was nonchalant, "Well, I am a big girl now. I help every day".

Time will add more responsibilities to her list and ours, but for now, we are all happy with where we stand. Our little darling has three little chores and a big heart full of pride. What more can a parent ask for?

With love,
Mrs. Darling

The Lovies

When a child is born, they are often given plush, stuffed animal friends. Of these friends, there may be one that is favored above all others. To a child, this particular friend becomes a "lovie". Lovies comfort your little darlings when they are sad or scared. They soothe them into a dream-filled slumber.

When Izzy was 14 months old,  we turned our entire house inside out looking for Tadbit (Izzy's buddy blanket lovie made by Bunnies By The Bay).  Tad is a friendly looking fuzzy frog head with a short satin-lined blanket for a body and he is Izzy's world. For the first two years of her life, she never went anywhere without him and couldn't sleep without feeling his softness against her face. When he was lost, everyone was in a panic. You can imagine the mounting anxiety for me as a parent of a lovie obsessed child. Tad had to be found. I was already imagining sleepless nights and long days of whining for comfort when we finally found him, looking sad and alone, on the side of the road where we took a stroll earlier that morning.

I decided then and there to run to the store and buy 4 more Tads. There was no way this was going to happen again. I quickly learned that having multiple lovies in rotation is essential to maintaining comfort for our child and sanity for us.

With a fleet of reserves we were prepared for anything - misplacement, torn limbs, ripped seams and laundry day. Izzy would never have to be without a Tad. We kept his clones a secret for a while, rotating them through the wash so that they all looked the same. It was brilliant, until Izzy walked in on a clean pile of Tads lying next to the crib sheets I was folding. I will never forget the look on her face when she learned the truth: There is more than one Tad. Fortunately for us it never affected her. We followed suit when our son Mack was born and he too has his own little fleet of soothers ... duck-headed blankets named Emmett.

If your children are like mine, or you are thinking of purchasing a lovie for a child, consider my advice and buy a spare or two... or four to keep in rotation. Enjoying the satisfaction that ones children are happy, comforted and quiet is (in my opinion) worth the extra money and space taken by their lovie clones.

With love,
Mrs. Darling

A Pre-Baby Delivery

My friend Lauren is pregnant with her first baby and a week past her due date. The thought of being in her shoes right now makes me cringe! I was miserable at the end of my pregnancies and had no desire to do anything, especially cook an entire meal. When I heard from Lauren that she was still pregnant, I decided to make our friends and their happy, yet obstinate baby in-utero, a dinner to help with the end of pregnancy exhaustion and possibly entice the little darling to make his way into the world.

I typically make meals for our friends who have just given birth. After arriving home from the hospital, many new parents find that food is the last thought that runs through their minds (excluding the baby's food, of course)! Mr. Darling and I received so many meals after our first child was born that our refrigerator and freezer were completely full. I remember thinking: This is amazing, but what are we going to do with all of this food?

After the first day at home, without the help of our parents who came to give us a hand for a few days post delivery, we looked at each other and said, "Oh wait... what are we going to do for dinner???" We remembered all of the meals stocked by our friends and family and immediately felt a sense of relief. We quickly learned that welcoming a baby gives you a new found appreciation for a warm meal prepared by someone else!

Lately, I've come to find that a meal for Moms-to-be before the birth of their little darlings are just as beneficial and meaningful as the meals you make after their little darlings arrive.

Preparing the deliveries!

My tips for making meals for new parents and families are as follows:

* Make meals that are easily transported and frozen - often times, parents are overwhelmed with meals throughout the first few weeks after their arrival home with baby. Making simple, easily frozen and thawed meals allows parents to pull them out as needed without the risk of the meals spoiling and going to waste. Pasta sauce, soups and stews are just a few of many examples of easily transported and frozen meals.

* Remember that breakfasts and lunches are important too - Parents and siblings are not always the only ones enjoying delivered meals. Many family and friends stop by to visit and meet the new baby. It helps parents to have a variety of meals that they can share with guests such as baked-goods, breakfast foods (like bagels and lox or baked oatmeal) and cold-cuts and bread.

* Place meals in containers you are willing to part with - New parents, or even parents welcoming another baby are not thinking about returning your containers after your meals have been enjoyed. If they are, they shouldn't be! They just went through a major life milestone and are marveling in the life they brought into the world. My advice is to buy serve-ware that they can keep or throw away. I prefer simple Pyrex containers and bake-ware. They are more sturdy than aluminum. Rubbermaid containers are also great, but are limited as they can not be baked in the oven to reheat.

* Include a note to the family and baby - not only will this personalize your gift and serve as a lovely memento, it also helps parents when it comes to remembering who to send thank you notes to when they have a few minutes of peace to write them.

*Have fun with packaging your meals - I like to "swaddle" our meals in Aden + Anais swaddle blankets. This way, they are like a two in one gift for both parents and baby. They even look like little stork deliveries. I also like to include a bottle of champagne or prosecco... a little glass helps to relax and to celebrate!

*Remember that store-bought meals are just as meaningful as homemade meals - I am a firm believer in "It's the thought that counts". A few of our friends who work full-time and have families of their own barely have time to make a meal for their families, let alone make one for ours. They picked up healthy and nutritious pre-made meals (one even ordered in for us one night). We were so touched by their thought and generosity that it did not matter that they didn't make the meals themselves. It didn't diminish the love that they gave toward our family.


I hope you find these tips helpful. Being a part of the joy in welcoming a baby is a tremendous experience. Every little contribution and good wish is cherished and remembered!

With love,
Mrs. Darling

P.S. A day after writing this post, our dear friends became parents to healthy and beautiful, Aris James Morton. Welcome, sweet darling! We have been waiting for you.

Ready for delivery - A meal of italian sausage and peppers, herb and cheese polenta and blueberry cobbler. Prosecco was picked up on the way!          

The swaddle blankets used for our delivery to the Mortons were from the  Aden + Anais organic muslin collection - pattern: "Into The Woods" How charming is this little fox? 

It's not rest ... It's Tata

My girlfriend Stacy recently sent me a text that read: "Blog subject for you... The essentials for not looking like the least put-together mom at drop off". I promised her that I was hard at work for all of us who feel like we've been scrapped off the bottom of our breakfast frying pan in the morning.

I decided to start a mini-series on foundations - starting points where one can build polished looks, but still maintain one's personal style. I begin this week with the foundation of skincare. One can wear the most beautiful clothing, but nothing shines like a glowing complexion.  A simple and effective regimen is the key to achieving this goal. The trick is to find a line of products that work well with your skin.

Hormonal skin poses one of the biggest challenges for many mothers at some point during or after their pregnancy. Sleep, water, healthy nutrition and exercise play a vital role in a glowing complexion, but as many mothers know, these four important elements are often hard to maintain, especially during a rushed day, when all you had to eat was your child's left over mini bag of Pirate's Booty.

When my own skincare regimen lost it's effectiveness on my post-pregnancy complexion, and everything I tried caused my sensitive skin to flare up in protest, I turned to Tata Harper. This particular line tamed my hormonal skin after just one week of religious use. After six months, I swear by all of the products in my regimen and refer to Tata Harper as "Mommy's Miracle".  My skin is supple, bright and I feel confident leaving our home with little to no makeup at morning drop off!

Tata Harper's, eco-friendly, all-natural products are gentle, effective and suited for the most irritable skin. My personal line up includes four main products and one weekly mask. Please click on the green links below to view and purchase the products directly on the Tata Harper website!

With love,
Mrs. Darling

My Tata Harper Regimen Picks

Regenerating Cleanser: This day and night gentle exfoliating cleanser is the ultimate refresher for tired, dull and sensitive skin. I have found that a little goes a long way. I use about a nickel size amount and after each use, my skin feels fresh, clean and well prepped for the rest of my routine.

Hydrating Floral Essence: I have found this misting facial toner to be a key part in maintaining a natural glow. I use it after cleansing, before applying my serum and moisturizer and even as a finishing touch to my makeup application. It's ingredients include beet root, vitamin C, pink clay, witch hazel, Gotu Kola and jasmine extract.  The fragrance is natural and extremely refreshing. I mist my face with 3 sprays and afterward, gently pat the essence into my skin.

Rejuvenating Serum: This wonder serum is the third step in my day and night regimen. It minimizes the signs of aging and restores that youthful glow that I had been yearning for since the birth of my second child. One of the many marvelous ingredients in this effective serum is Menyanthes Trifoliata, which stimulates collagen production. I use 2 pumps of the serum and lightly blend it into my face and neck  while they are still damp with the Hydrating Floral Essence.

Repairative Moisturizer: One of my hormonal skin issues was dryness and my favorite thing about this wonderfully rich moisturizer is that it is absorbed quickly into the skin. There is a line between a healthy glow and an oily glaze. This moisturizer, in combination with my other three day and night products, gave me the hydration I needed without leaving me with a sticky, slippery feeling and look to my skin. It's ingredients include safflower oleosomes, cocoa extracts, raw honey and fresh rose.  I use 2 pumps of the moisturizer and in upward, circular motions, massage it into my face and neck.

Resurfacing Mask: I use this award winning mask 2 - 3 times a week in the evening depending on how much time I have or how tired I am at the end of the day. I apply a thick layer immediately after cleansing and drying my face. I leave the mask on for about 30 minutes before rinsing with warm water and proceeding with the rest of my regimen.  I noticed that after each use, my complexion was brighter and the fine lines around my mouth were instantly smoothed. One morning I broke routine and used this mask before meeting a friend for coffee. After complaining about how exhausted I was, she told me that I looked surprisingly well-rested. I told her: It's not rest ... It's Tata.



*Mrs. Darling Side Note: Skincare regimens can be a costly commitment. Tata Harper understands that and offers a "Try Me" Kit offered only on the Tata Harper Website.  Enjoy!