I was wondering if a preschool, daycare, or gradeschool art teacher could possibly make use of these for paint or some other type of art supplies. I'm not crafty, but that was my first thought.
Although it's a comfort to him (and to you) to "help" him by nursing and holding him, it's really not doing him (or your family) any good at this point. A baby that age is pefectly capable of sleeping through the night (given there are no underlying medical issues as mentioned previously). If medical issues are ruled out, you will have to go the "tough love" route and let him cry, no picking up, tenderly telling him to "go night night" or "time to go to sleep" and then gently leaving the room. Begin extending the time between trips to his room for comfort. After a few nights, he should know what to expect. His sleep is what's best for him (and you). You're the adult and know that. You can get physically sick if you continue for too long with no deep sleep of your own.
You use the phrases in your post "I always give in" and "it rips my heart out". Parents can make the mistake of letting the child make the rules, but you need to take charge and let him know what his schedule is. Some may say that this doesn't seem loving or caring, but sometimes loving and caring means making these difficult changes. Just as you wouldn't let one of your older childreb stay up all night or participate in something unhealthy for them or the family, this baby needs to know this is not what happens at your house because you make the rules and know what's best. He will be much more content if he is getting better sleep himself, and you will feel better as well.
He should be old enough to be eating some table foods and getting more calories that way, especially since he has teeth. Instead of letting him snack his way through the day and night, give him larger regular meals, spaced apart at an appropriate intervals (not every hour).
All my kids slept through the night (10 hours) by the time they were 11 weeks old. When I tell them now (they are ages 8, 7, and 5) that I had to let them cry a little so they would learn to sooth themselves, they smile to hear the stories. We are an extremely close, loving family, and they still like their beds and are good at going to bed and going right to sleep. They were not damaged nor do they feel unloved because I had to help teach them something they needed to know.
Start the process at a time your husband has a couple of days off, in case your son cries a lot the first couple of nights. You may not get much sleep for a week or so as you go through the process, but then again, you're not getting much sleep now either.
All my kids enjoyed holding a cloth diaper as they went to sleep, so you might put one up next to his cheek and see if he likes it.
Best to you. Post an update later to let us know how you're doing.
How about butter flavoring/extract? It's really good to add a rich buttery flavor to all kinds of dishes and baked goods, so it might be worth a try. I'm an Independent Watkins Associate, and Watkins is known to have one of the largest selections of extracts and flavorings (some of the more interesting ones being Cherry, Mango, Orange, Peach, Peanut Butter, Raspberry, and Strawberry). Of course our Double-Strength Vanilla is the most popular (specially formulated with a low-alcohol content, so the flavor doesn't bake or freeze out).
My sister's toilet in their "shop" was so bad it was just about black from the build-up. It's the kind of bathroom that rarely gets used (they lived in the shop while building their house a few years ago). Anyway, I took my Watkins Toilet Bowl Cleaner (professional strength) and did a test with it using that toilet. It was absolutely unbelievable. It looked like new when I got done. I can send you a Watkins catalog if you would like, or you can browse online and see what you think. There is a brush and caddy you may order also as the brush specially is made to withstand the power of this cleaner. Best of all, if you don't like the product or it doesn't work for you, you get a 100% full refund, so you don't have anything to lose.
I agree, homesteadingtoday.com is great. You might also look at http://www.backwoodshome.com/ There is a published homesteading magazine, but there are also articles and message boards online.
I used to have a vine like this. Take the pods and seeds and keep them in a small paper sack in a cool place. When warmer weather gets here and you're ready to plant, take some seeds and scratch their hard outer coating with an emery board or something abrasive like that. Let soak in some water overnight, and the seed will open up a bit and can then be planted. Hope this works for you.
I know you'll get a lot of nice replies, so take your time looking them over to determine what would work for you.
The business I have from home is with Watkins (known for their vanilla, pepper, cinnamon, other spices and extracts, dessert mixes, salves, liniments, household cleaners, etc.) When I was a child growing up my mother and grandmother purchased products from the "Watkins Man", the door-to-door Watkins salesman that would come by. Consequently, when I was looking online for something to do from home and came across Watkins, I knew it would be a good fit for me. The Watkins Company has been in business since 1868, and they have a wonderful reputation for quality and integrity.
If you would like to read about this particular home business, please feel free to visit my web site at htt://www.mo3bk.com. If you would like me to mail you a catalog or other information, I'd be happy to do that.
I'm glad you're wanting to spend more time with your son; I think that's great!
I am an Independent WATKINS Associate, and we have a great recipe for Chocolate Truffles:
6 oz. semi-sweet chocolate 4 oz. cream cheese 1-1/2 cups powdered sugar 1/2 tsp WATKINS Double-Strength Vanilla 1 tsp. WATKINS Extract of choice (lots of choices) WATKINS Baking Cocoa, powdered sugar, chocolate, nuts, etc. for decoration
Melt chocolate in microwave on high for 60 seconds. Stir and continue cooking on high for another 30 seconds or until completely melted.
Beat cream cheese until smooth. Add powdered sugar and continue beating until well-blended. Stir in chocolate, vanilla and extracts. Refrigerate for 2 hours or until firm. Shape into 1-inch balls. Roll in cocoa, sugar, nuts, etc. or dip in melted chocolate. Store in refrigerator. Makes approximately 3 dozen truffles.
Try this: Use white chocolate in place of the semi-sweet and follow same directions or use white chocolate for dipping.
Hope this helps! I'd be happy to send you a catalog if you'd like to look at one.
I highly recommend that you try Red Clover Salve or Old Red Barn Salve from Watkins. I am an Independent Watkins Associate, and these products are just great for dry skin and cuticle problems. Red Clover is great for rashes as well, and many people like this salve for itchy rashes and eczema, but it's also rubbed into your hands and around cuticles. This salve contains bee pollen, lanolin and vitamin E in a base of olive and safflower oils. It has a really nice smell. The Old Red Barn Salve is really great for rough, dry hands and has lavender and chamomile oils blended with vitamin E and eucalyptus in a base of canola and sweet almond oils and beeswax. With your profession (as well as colder weather coming on), I think either one or both of these would really help you. I have a sample of both if you'd like me to send you one, and I can send you a catalog too, if you wish.
A friend of mine looked up some information about good items to send as we are in the process of organizing some packages to send as well. Here are a few ideas:
Food Items (bought) Tea bags Apple cider mix Beef Jerky Trail mix and nuts Cereal bars Microwave popcorn Pop-Tarts Ramen noodles, Cup-O-Noodles or Cup-O-Soup Instant Oatmeal or Cream of Wheat Breath mints Candy (chocolate will melt)
Toiletries Socks Zip-lock bags (any size) Batteries Unscented lotion Lip Balm Toothbrushes and paste Soap Wet wipes Anti-bacterial gel Razors Foot powder Envelopes and paper
Fun Things Hand-held games Board games Travel games Puzzle and word games Playing cards Yo-Yo's Nerf balls Velcro darts Music CD's Christmas decorations Books
Things Not Allowed Pork products Perishable foods such as fruits, meats, veggies
Some items mentioned that ship well are Chex mix, Rice Krispy treats, date bars, gooey brownies. Generally, moist cookies hold up much better and should be wrapped individually in plastic wrap in addition to putting them into another container.
