Saturday, 17 November 2012

6 Flower Petals: Going Out Of

It depends on what your plans for the future are when the diet comes to the end. If you plan to continue loosing weight you may stick to a long-term balanced diet. If you just want to fix the results eat mainly the same food increasing gradually food energy up to 1400-1800.
I myself tried this diet. There certainly were pluses like easily going-away kilo grams (I lost 3,5 kg in a week), the diet was really easy to follow. But as soon as I started eating normally I gained some 5 kg within three weeks.
At the moment I am planning to start the diet again but I will carefully think my menu after the diet out!!!

Monday, 12 November 2012

Taking Care Of Your Child`s Ears


Not long ago I came across a problem concerning my younger daughter`s ears, cleaning them to be exact. Every time I tried to use a cotton swab to clean her ears she burst into tears and as soon as she started talking Sophiko kept shouting, "It hurts, it hurts!!!". The situation has not changed so far, thus I have decided to look this question up in the Net. Here is what I `ve found:

The Facts on Earwax

You might wonder about earwax and whether it needs to be cleaned out. Actually, even though earwax seems yucky, it serves a purpose. Your ear canal makes earwax to protect the ear. After it is produced, it slowly makes its way to the opening of the ear. Then it either falls out or is removed when you wash. If you want, you can clean the opening of your ear gently with a washcloth.

Friday, 2 November 2012

My Elder Daughter Singing!


My Daughter Singing!


6 Flower Petals: Menu

This diet as has already been mentioned is based upon the alternation of protein and carbohydrate days. At that you should strictly follow the scheme of petals alternation, otherwise the diet is no use. You should compose the menu for each day following the below-mentioned principles:
  • On the first day you eat only fish, you may choose any dietic way to cook the fish. You shouldn`t roast the fish, it is better to cook it in a steamer or just to stew it or use a grill. The salt is not prohibited but you should remember that it holds water in your body. It is allowed to eat clear fish soups adding spice and greenery.

Saturday, 20 October 2012

Diets: 6 Flower Petals (Psychological basics)

The diet "6 flower petals" owes its name to the idea proposed by its author. Anna Yuhanson believes that even the most efficient weight loss program will be no use if it depresses the woman and causes her considerable discomfort. She suggests drawing a flower of six petals to those who want to go on this diet and fixing it at a visible place like a fridge in the kitchen. As you proceed just put down the number of grammes you have lost onto the petal and tear it off with pleasure. That is going to be an additional stimulus and turn an ordinarily dull and hard process into a kind of a game.  

Tuesday, 16 October 2012

Development of a one-year-old!

Your little one is growing up. It happens so quickly that I for one beg the time to slow down a bit so that I could enjoy every moment with that pretty laughing girl of mine! There are lots of activities we do together every day, some of them have already been described earlier. However each day I look for something new to entertain and develop my younger daughter. Here are some hints given by a psychologist.

Thursday, 11 October 2012

When the Kid Is Ill: Urticaria (Pink Rash)


The kid`s health... Can there be anything more important than that? - Nothing. So, every mom tends to be overconcerned about each small sign that might seem not normal. Some four or five years ago when my elder daughter was sick there appeared lots of pink spots all over her body. The first idea that came to my mind was that it was chickenpox since the spots were quite a lot. I phoned our pediatrician who recommended watching the spots and the girl`s condition carefully within an hour. Very soon I realised I`d been wrong about Chickenpox, for the spots were too vast. I considered everything that had been happening earlier that day and found that an hour earlier I had given my daughter a new syrup against fever. Immediately I applied an antihistamine gel onto the large pink spots. By the time our pediatrician arrived the spots had nearly disappeared. I was explained that it was Urticaria.

Diets: 6 Flower Petals

A Sweden nutritionist Anna Uhanson developed this diet system. It is based on the main principles of the so-called monodiets.  According to those on the diet it takes away some 0.5-0.8 kg a day.
The diet spans 6 days - 6 monodiets - 6 flower petals. During these days you should stick to 6 monodiets following each other in a certain order:
Day One - a fish diet;
Day Two - a vegetable diet;
Day Three - a chicken diet;
Day Four - a cereal diet;
Day Five - a curd diet;
Day Six - a fruit diet.
This scheme works due to the fact that during the diet proteins do not mix with carbohydrates thus allowing fats to be split.  The diet monotonicity fosters the process of losing weight because our stomach awaiting the new food has to work idly and so that to get the energy it has to make use of its own fat reserves. At the same time our body cannot get used to the food and switch on the energy-storing mode, that is common in the long term monodiets. So you loose weight every day. 
According to the studies held by the European Weight Loss Centre, a monodiet lasting for less than 25 hours helps burn fat most actively. You do not feel hungry, so it is much easier to stand it.


Sunday, 26 August 2012

Words that touch so deeply: Eve`s Prayer (by Mark Twain)

It is my prayer, it is my longing, that we may pass from this life together--a longing which shall never perish from the earth, but shall have place in the heart of every wife that loves, until the end of time; and it shall be called by my name.
But if one of us must go first, it is my prayer that it shall be I; for he is strong, I am weak, I am not so necessary to him as he is to me--life without him would not be life; now could I endure it? This prayer is also immortal, and will not cease from being offered up while my race continues. I am the first wife; and in the last wife I shall be repeated.

Thursday, 23 February 2012

Words that touch so deeply...

HE and SHE
By Mandy Howard

He laid quietly, softly breathing, warm and safe.
He lay close enough to her to feel the warmth of her breath.
With his eyes closed he thought of her, and tried to understand her. She was like the whole world.
When he came from the darkness she was the only one he knew.
He recognized her smell, and her voice, and even the way she moved, he was safe with her. She was always nearby, all he ever had to do was call, and she would come, she would hold him close, and kiss him she would make the world feel right.
She rarely went away, for very long, and always came back, so glad to see him.
He lay there quietly and she was so close just the way he liked it. She began to roll away, he called for her, and she smiled.
She rolled back and kissed his forehead softly, "I'll be right back," she promised.
He laid and watched for her return, after a moment he got frightened and almost called for her. Then she returned, and leaned over him, She again kissed his forehead, and smiling she whispered, "It's ok baby boy, Mommy is
here, and she loves you"
He wanted to answer, to tell her his feeling, but he couldn't make himself
understood. He softly curled the corners of his lips and smiled as he struggled for the words. He wanted to make them as sweet and soft as her words, but all that came out was a tiny noise that meant nothing. He wanted to cry out; no matter how he tried he couldn't tell her his feelings.
How would she ever know how he loved her, he tried once more in vain to make the words come out. It was only then that he noticed her smile, at each soft noise he failed to make into a word and each tiny smile he gave her she smiled.
His heart grew warm, and he slowly drifted off to sleep knowing that she
knew what he meant.

Sunday, 19 February 2012

Children: Speech Development

From the moment of birth a baby is getting prepared both mentally and physically to produce speech. Either they suck, scream, cry, babble, coo or giggle, they are preparing to speak. All sorts of games intended to imitate different sounds or just to make a noise help them to get ready to start speaking some day.
But the preparation of the organs isn`t sufficient. The development of speaking abilities is closely connected with mental development and communication with the environment and people surrounding a baby. From their birth babies need to be immersed into a language. Words fascinate babies. Speaking to the baby from the very birth is the best way to prepare him to speak. Talk to him, sing him songs, read him fairy tales, play with words,  it doesn`t matter if your baby understands you or not!
Being born a baby has got an ability to speak any language with no exception, but as time goes by they "specialise" in speaking one or several languages he hears.
Initially learning to speak comprises immersion and imitation.

Thursday, 16 February 2012

Tips to create the best LOOK ever!

1. Spend some money on the tools
Tools and products are equally as important as the makeup skills that you have. For example, let's say you were using mediocre brushes, mediocre products, and had average skill. Just by improving the quality of your brushes and using richer pigmented products, the application would immediately be better, even without improving your technique. So if you really want to apply your makeup like a pro, do what the professionals do: Use the proper brushes for application.
Here are the eight basic brushes you need:
1. Foundation brush
2. Concealer brush
3. Fluffy powder brush
4. Blush brush
5. Small blending brush
6. Flat eyeshadow brush
7. Precision angle brush
8. Lip brush
Once you have your tools, you need to know how to hold them. Where you hold a brush on the handle affects your control. The closer your fingers are to the barrel (the silver section beneath the brush head), the more pressure you put on the brush head and vice versa. In general, if you want to apply color evenly, place your fingers on the center of the brush handle. Another tip: You can easily turn a fluffy brush into a flat, angled brush by wrapping your hand around the bristles and flattening them.

Thursday, 9 February 2012

When the Kid Is Ill: Cough

Today is a week since my younger one-year-old daughter started caughing and it gets worse and worse. We have already started taking in antibiotics for our pediatrician heard some weeze inside. But there are some general rules about cough and its treatment in children.

Coughing is a healthy and important reflex that helps protect the airways in the throat and chest.
Coughs are one of the most common symptoms of childhood illness. Although a cough can sound awful, it's not usually a sign of a serious condition.
there are different types of cough, among which are

  • "Barky" Cough
  • Whooping Cough
  • Cough With Wheezing
  • Nighttime Cough
  • Daytime Cough
  • Cough With a Fever
  • Cough With Vomiting
  • Persistent Cough

Wednesday, 8 February 2012

Paronychia or An infection of the tissue at the side or base of the nail

Some days ago when cutting the cuticle off my fingers I damaged the skin around the nail and carelessly paid no attention to it. Now I understand that I should have at least washed the wound with some antiseptic liquid, unfortunately I hadn`t. And two days later I noticed an abscess at the nail which hurt me much. To tell you the truth I still haven`t seen the doctor. Hope I will not have to.
Here is what I found out and have already done to my finger.
An infection of the tissue at the side or base of the nail is called paronychia. It is quite common in children. Since it is a purulent infection it is better to consult the doctor as soon as possible for only a doctor can assess the situation and prescribe proper medicine.

Sunday, 5 February 2012

When the Kid Is Ill: Otitis

Earache is a common symptom in kids. It can easily be treated by correctly prescribed antibiotics. Here are some tips to help cure and prevent otitis given by a French pediatrician Dr Martine François.
What are the symptoms of the disease?
The first sign is earache which is often followed by fever (38.5 - 39 °C). Sometimes the child moans and lacks appetite. He or she can cry at night.
Each time the disease restarts, the same symptoms appear. Thus a mom can easily determine what happens to the kid and take quick action to prevent it. So, coming to the doctor for a consultation she states that her child suffers from otitis.
At what age are children most vulnerable to otitis?
My experience shows that most often babies over 1 month and under 2 years are affected by the disease, but it also rather common in all ages. It is nit a surprise to see a 5-year-old suffering from otitis.
55 % of those fallen ill are boys.
Can the earache be prevented?

Wednesday, 1 February 2012

Wedding Anniversaries: the 2nd!

The second wedding anniversary is paper in UK and Russia, cotton in the USA and leather in France.
Although the symbols differ, the most common one is paper in most of the countries. Paper is easy to tear and burn thus the meaning of the second anniversary symbol is rather clear - the family life is still very unstable.
This can be easily explained from the psychological point of view. The first two years full of positive emotions and passionate love however reveals lots of unexpected things about the spouses` character and habits. Besides the spouses get around trying to fulfil the plans the have made in their first year together. This process can be crucial for if the hopes and dreams of the first year do not come true than the arguments are inescapable. But if you love each other and do want to overcome all those difficulties you won`t blame your spouse for every fault, just on the contrary you will discuss everything and come to a compromise!
A baby birth is always a happy and one of the most precious moments in every family. In most families the first baby is born in their second year bringing lots of problems and fears. Elder relatives and friends should understand that it is important to support the family, calm them down if it is necessary and help them if is needed.

Saturday, 28 January 2012

Teaching playing! (Neatness)

It`s about bedtime, feeling a bit sleepy I look around and as always realise that the kids` room is in a terrible mess - toys, blocks, dolls and balls are all around. Slightly irritated I start picking them up and putting everything into order. Some 10 minutes after almost angry I undress my girls and take them to the bathroom to take a bath, then comes the bed... at last ... for my daughters ... And I still have got lots of things to do before going to bed with my beloved husband. I am angry, tired and sleepy...
The same thing happens over and over again and being fed up with my mood I dicide that it won`t happen any longer! Want to be happy? - then be happy! What can be better than being a young caring Mom and a nice loving Wife??? Nothing.
Next evening the same about bedtime))) Looking around I understand that the room is still messy... but I am not!!!
'Hey Sweeties, want to play a game?'
'Suuuuure!!!' come my girls laughing.
'Let`s call the game "the Best Detective!"'
'OK. What are we doing???'
'See how many blocks and parts of your pyramids are all around! Lets find each of them to fill every box from the blocks and all the pyramids!!! but to do that it is important to pick up every toy since a block can be under...'
Some two-three minutes later all the boxes and pyramids are at their places and there are some toys left on the floor, but they are also put where they should be in no time. It is time to announce the winner! Certainly, my elder daughter is for the younger is just a year old))) Happy we go to the bathroom.
Next time we will play a game called "the Best Cleaner" or will make up a fairy tale about the sleepy and tired toys which need to be taken "home")))  Cleaning can be a fun!

Friday, 27 January 2012

New Principles To Cure Food Allergy

Today doctors no more recommend to follow strict diet excluding components which cause allergy in children. Instead they suggest that the amount of allergic food should be reduced to its tolerable minimum.
Strict diet is no more appropriate:
For a long time the only way to treat the food allergy had been the diet excluding the food to which a child was allergic.Nowadays the method has been replaced by the one according to which a child is allowed to consume very small amounts of allergic food.
According to the recent reseaches the effect of the strict diet could worsen allergy and in certain cases cause complete intolerance.Besides complete restriction put the child at risk of accidental allergen reintroduction, which causes food phobia and affects the life of the whole family.
Partial restriction?
The principle is common to the one of pollen allergy treatment when a small amount of pollen is injected to lessen the allergy. The minimal tolerable doze of the allergic component is to be determined by the doctor and it is also recommended to stay in hospital for a day so that to be taken some medical tests.
(According to Stéphanie Letellier, www.enfant.com)

Thursday, 26 January 2012

Mother`s Love...


After the earthquake in Japan having reached the ruins of a young woman`s house the rescuers saw the young woman`s body through a crack. Her posture was very strange - she had knelt down just as if praying, her body bent forward arms embracing something. The destroyed house damaged her spine and head.
With the great difficulty one of the rescuers reached the woman`s body with his arm. He hoped she was still alive. Although the cold body proved she had died. Together with the rest of the rescue team the man left the house to inspect the next one. But some unknown force drew him back to the young woman`s house. Again he knelt down and pushed his head through a crack to examine the space under the woman.Suddenly excited he shouted: "A baby! A baby in here!"
The whole rescue team cleared the ruins around the woman`s body. There was a three-month-old baby boy under her. He was wrapped in a blanket. Obviously, the woman had sacrificed herself for the sake of her son. She covered him with her body when the house was falling down. The baby boy had still been sleeping tight when one of the rescuers held him in his arms. The doctor came immediately to examine the baby. Having unwrapped the blanket he found a mobile phone inside. On the screen there was a text message: "If you survive remember that I love you. Everyone in the rescue team read the message and everyone cried...
"If you survive, remember that I love you." "That is what a mother`s love is!

Diets: in accordance with the menstrual cycle


A woman body is a complex unity demanding and grateful. If we take care of ourselves then everything comes out just right and no problems appear but as soon as we forget about our body it pays us back in no time. So, answer one question what your menstrual cycle day is it today? It is certainly great if you can answer but there are lots of women who have no idea about the cycle day or what phase they are in. 
If you had started reading this article you must have been interested in loosing weight but you may probably ask how our menstrual cycle can influence out weight. If you are an experienced 'dieter' you probable have noticed that our weight tends to increase in the end of the cycle and it reduces after menses. The matter is that our metabolism and appetite depend upon lots of different things among which are: the age, season, time of the day and menstrual cycle day. 
Menstrual cycle usually takes about 28 days starting with the first day of menses and can be divided into three phases: follicular phase, ovulation and literal phase. The first phase is characterised by the growth of estrogen which will reach its top in the middle of the cycle. The middle of the cycle is known as ovulation. This is the time when a woman can get pregnant. Progesterone will grow slowly and reach its maximum in the end of the third cycle week. It will remain at its peak up to the menses thus every woman feels slightly pregnant being hungry, irritable and sleepy.
So, we can also divide our cycle into three phases. Phase A is the estrogen growth period. That is the best time to go on a diet. Let`s call it "time to loose weight" phase. Phase B is the progesterone growth phase, which can be called "time to keep weight". Phase C is the time when most women experience premenstrual syndrome. Let`s call it "time not to get fatter".

Wednesday, 25 January 2012

Children: Toddlers. Let`s Play Together!


Let`s go travelling!! 
You will need: a big towel or a blanket, pictures of different means of transport and toys.
Take a big towel or a blanket and spread it on the floor. Put your toddler onto it. Carefully and slowly pull the blanket with your kid on. Tell him he has gone travelling. Choose a vehicle you like - a car, a train, a boat, a plain... Explain that you are travelling by train (for instance) and imitate the sounds of a train 
You may show a picture of the chosen means of transport beforehand or when playing. Even if your toddler seems not to understand you he will certainly love the game and will soon start pronouncing the same sounds which is a good exercise to develop his speech. 
Toys will also be of a great help and fun in this game. Sure you have got a toy car, a toy train, etc among the toys. Use them to make your child understand better what this all is about. This game teaches a toddler to balance, imitate and widens his or her horizon.

Tuesday, 24 January 2012

Diets: Fasting (Part I)

This circle of articles is dedicated to fasting. Nowadays most doctors insist that fasting cannot be good for our health since it is a great stress to our body and vital processes. Still lots of people try fasting and find it extremely positive. So, who is right?
The first question to ask is: What is fasting?
Fasting is a period of abstinence from all food or specific items. Fluids are consumed in sufficient quantity to satisfy thirst and physiologic requirements. During the absence of food, the body will systematically cleanse itself of everything except vital tissue. Starvation will occur only when the body is forced to use vital tissue to survive. Although protein is being used by the body during the fast, a person fasting even 40 days on water will not suffer a deficiency of protein, vitamins, minerals or fatty acids. In the breakdown of unhealthy cells, all essential substances are used and conserved in a most extraordinary manner. There is an unwarranted fear of fasting that strength diminishes from the catabolism of proteins from muscle fibers. Even during long fasts, the number of muscle fibers remains the same. Although the healthy cells may be reduced in size and strength for a time, they remain perfectly sound.

Diets: Days of Limited Calories Intake (General Info)

The first probable question concerning LCI days may be: 
Are these days good or bad for our health?
Most dietologists will answer that they are certainly good. It is obvious that you won`t be able to loose the extra-weight you have gained in the last weeks or months but there are some benefits proving that it is very good for nearly each of us to have such days once or twice a week. Among them are:
1. These days stimulate metabolism.
2. They quicken the processing of fat stored in one`s body.
3. The help remove dead, dying and diseased cells and toxic waste matter out of one`s organism.

There are three main aims of LCI days.
The first is to let our organisms have a rest from a huge amount of extra food we consume each usual day taking no care of how it affects our body.  
Secondly, LCI days are aimed at removing dead cells and toxins from our bodies.
The third aim is to facilitate the process of switching to rational eating rather than swallowing everything we see.

The rules to follow during these days:

1. You should avoid intensive physical or emotional tension during these days. Try to spend them in calm and peaceful atmosphere. 

Monday, 23 January 2012

Diets: Basic Rules

I have been trying to loose weight for more than a year already. Well, I have succeeded but that is not enough, moreover, the New Year delicious dishes did their best... I have gained some 3 kilogrammes on.
So, it is high time I started my way from nearly the very beginning.
Today there is a huge amount of information about diets, healthy eating and so on. Having examined lots of different sources I came to the conclusion that there are some basic rules.
1. Still water! Plenty of water! 
I try to make it a rule to wake up and drink my first glass of water as soon as I come into the kitchen. Besides, I drink a glass 30 minutes before and after each meal. Water does help! It activates metabolism and washes toxins out. It is known that a person should drink as much as 2 litres of water per day.
2. Small but frequent portions!
I try to eat at least 4 times a day: first breakfast, second breakfast, lunch and supper. The ration varies each day but I always use a saucer (not a plate) so that to avoid overeating. 
3. Plan what you eat beforehand and stick to your plan.

Saturday, 21 January 2012

Words that touch so deeply...

Only One Mother
Hundreds of stars in the pretty sky,
Hundreds of shells on the shore together,
Hundreds of birds that go singing by,
Hundreds of birds in the sunny weather.

Hundreds of dewdrops to greet the dawn,
Hundreds of bees in the purple clover,
Hundreds of butterflies on the lawn,
But only one mother the wide world over.
The author is unknown
Something old, something new,
Something borrowed, something Blue,
A silver sixpence in her shoe.

All brides-to-be know this traditional poem, and of the tradition of wearing such items on their wedding day to bring good luck to their marriage.

The poem and the tradition stem from some ancient superstitions and each item in the poem represents ceratain things.

The rhyme dates back to the time of Queen Victoria
Something old:
Represents continuity with the bride's family and the past, usually a ring or a piece of jewellery that has been passed down through the family from generation to generation.

Something new:
The wearing of something new shows the bride is looking to the future of her marriage. This could be the wedding dress or the lingerie worn under the dress.

Wedding Superstitions

Proposing and Engagement
A woman should only propose to a man during a leap year, otherwise it
endangers the marriage.
Engagement and wedding rings are worn on the fourth finger of the left hand because it was once thought that a vein in that finger led directly to the heart. 
It is bad luck for the bride to remove her engagement ring before the day of her wedding. 
Stag parties were first held by ancient Spartan soldiers, who kissed their bachelor days goodbye with a raucous party. 
It is unlucky for a woman to marry a man whose surname begins with the same letter as hers:To  change the name and not the letter, Is to change for the worst and not the better. 
Buying the engagement and wedding rings at the same time is thought to bring bad luck. Wearing the wedding ring before the ceremony is also considered bad luck.

Friday, 20 January 2012

Words that touch so deeply: A Legend

There is a legend about a bird which sings just once in its life, more sweetly than any other creature on the face of the earth. From the moment it leaves the nest it searches for a thorn tree, and does not rest until it has found one. Then, singing among the savage branches, it impales itself upon the longest, sharpest spine. And, dying, it rises above its own agony to out-carol the lark and the nightingale. One superlative song, existence the price. But the whole world stills to listen, and God in His heaven smiles. For the best is only bought at the cost of great pain . . . Or so say the legend.
Colleen McCullough (The Thorn Birds)

Wedding Anniversaries: the 1st!

Well, the first and the most difficult year is up! Congratulations!
Now is the time for the spouses to celebrate their first anniversary. Though in different countries the first anniversary symbols are different (paper in the US, cotton in the UK and chintz in Russia), the meaning of them is the same. There were quite a lot of arguments and problems during this very first year, the couple is supposed to get used to each other but their love is still passionate!
Why paper?

Thursday, 19 January 2012

Children: Toddlers. Let`s play together!


Look what we have found!
In the colourful mood! 
It is a nice game you can play with your toddler to help her learn the colours and differentiate among them. So, let`s get started.
Choose a toy of one colour and place it in front of your toddler or let her hold the toy. Find one or two more toys or any other things of the same colour. Talk to your toddler about what you have found out. For example: "Look! This blue plate is the same colour as your blue ball." or "This table is brown just like your favourite Teddy". 
There is one more way to play this game. Take a basket and walk around the house picking up the things of the same colour. 
You won`t notice how soon your toddler will learn the colours having fun and playing!

Wednesday, 18 January 2012

When the Kid Is Ill: Synechiae

I wonder why a new-born baby-girl`s Mom is never warned by a neonatologist that there might be cases of synechiae with girls. It happened to me twice with both my daughters. The first case wasn`t serious, the children gynecologist did some painless manipulations to Teona and she was alright. But with Sophya it was just terrible. 
In the middle of summer I took my girls to their granny. Suddenly Sophya (6 months old) felt uncomfortable and irritated which puzzled me since she had used to be an active, joyful and calm baby. Watching her for a day or two I realised that to pee was a problem for her. We immediately went to a hospital to take the urine test which was a bad one, there were too many leukocytes. The next morning we were brought to hospital again to examine what had gone wrong and to start the treatment. Fortunately, the gynecologist found the problem but that happened only after 3 antibiotics injections and much more painful blood tests. Three days later we were allowed to go home with the diagnosis Sinechiae instead of the supposed urinary tract infection. 

Wedding Anniversaries


Year
Traditional (U.S.)
Traditional (UK)
Modern (U.S.)
Traditional (RF)

1st
Paper
Cotton
Clocks
Chintz

2nd
Cotton
Paper
China
Paper (Glass)

3rd
Leather
Crystal, glass
Leather

4th
Linen, silk
Fruit and flowers
Appliances
Wax

5th
Wood
Silverware
Wood

Tuesday, 17 January 2012

When the Kid Is Ill: Tonsillitis


Sore throat, fever, chills and body aches... Familiar symptoms? One always has a difficult time if he has tonsillitis.
First, some general information on the illness:
Tonsillitis is an inflammation of the tonsils most commonly caused by viral or bacterial infection. Symptoms of tonsillitis include sore throat and fever. While no treatment has been found to shorten the duration of viral tonsillitis, bacterial causes are treatable with antibiotics. It usually takes around three weeks to recover.
Common symptoms of tonsillitis include:

Cooking For Kids: Soups - Oat Soup With Beef Meatballs

You will need:
Oat groats - 30 gr
Carrots - 50 gr
Beef - 400 gr
Eggs - 1
Greens (parsley, fennel)- 20 gr
Food energy - 357.2 kcal
How to cook
1. Mince the meat twice.
2. Add an egg to the mincemeat.
3. Mix the mincemeat+the egg, beat it up and make small meatballs.
4. Boil the broth (made beforehand) and put the oat, carrot and meatballs in the boiling broth.
5. Cook the soup until it is ready.
6. Before serving add the finely chopped greens into the soup.

Monday, 16 January 2012

Cooking For Kids: General Info

Today everyone tries to eat healthy food, but when it comes to children the aspects of healthiness and safety take the first place.
This article is dedicated to general tips about cooking for children.
Getting the ingredients ready
Milk (except for sterilised) should be boiled for 2-3 minutes to prevent the spread of pathogenic microbes. Then the pan should be put into a wider pan with cold water. The boiled milk can be stored in a fridge for 24 hours. If the milk turned sour, use it to make pancakes or something like that. Don`t give it to your kid.
How to defrost frozen meat : put it into the fridge (at about +7 degrees C) for 10-18 hours. Defrosting shouldn't`t last longer than that and the temperatures should`t be higher since the meat will no longer be juicy. Wash it before cutting into pieces. That will help to save the juice it has in. Do not leave the meat in water so that it doesn`t loose any mineral salts.

When the Kid Is Ill: Fever. Waiting For the Doctor


What should a Mom do when waiting for a doctor if her baby has a fever?

  • First of all, do not panic. If the kid`s temperature is more than 38 degrees C, you may give him some infant acetaminophen or ibuprofen to bring down your child's temperature. I usually use suppositories so that not to make harm to my kids` stomachs.

Saturday, 14 January 2012

When the Kid Is Ill: Fever


Fever is quite a common symptom in many illnesses. No wonder each woman is scared when her baby has a fever and is nearly always at a loss whether to call the doctor immediately or not. Here are some tips.

The first thing is - never rely upon yourself when it comes to taking your baby`s temperature. They often recommend to just kiss or touch your baby's forehead. If you think he feels hotter than normal, you're probably right. But it is not always that right! My children for instance are not hot as far as their foreheads are concerned but I can tell for sure if they are feverish or not judging from their hands. So, to make sure take the thermometer. By the way this is the first recommendation our pediatrician gave us when my elder daughter was born.

Children: Toddlers. Let`s Play Together!


Fingers talking!

If you are waiting in a queue or going somewhere in a train or a bus having no toys with you don`t worry. So that your toddler doesn`t get bored take a pen and draw smiles on your finger pads. Those funny  faces can sing songs, tell stories and play with your toddler while you move your fingers talking with different intonation. Be sure that your child will love it and you won`t notice how quickly the time will go by!  


Friday, 13 January 2012

Children: toddlers. Lets play together!

A Book About Us!

Most of one-year-olds are able to say a few words and understand much more. My daughter can say "ma-ma, pa-pa, bow-wow" and some other words. She doesn`t like books much but she just adores watching photos. I guess it will be interesting for her to 'read' a hand-made book containing photos and images of the people and things she can name. So, it is quite easy to make such a book. You should choose several your kid`s favourite words and select matching pictures - a photo of Mom, Dad, Granny, a picture of a car, dog or a kitten. Glue these onto separate sheets of paper and make a 'dictionary-book', join them together. You can also make this book in another way. Just put those photos into an album and sign each image. It will be a fun to look through this book again and again!! 



One-year-old! Developmental Aspects


There is no one like your child

Every child's development is unique and complex. Although children develop through a generally predictable sequence of steps and milestones, they may not proceed through these steps in the same way or at the same time. I for one know that for sure. Having two daughters I can state that even having the same parents they are totally different starting from their character! Below is a snapshot of this year.

Sleeping well: babies

Is it difficult to make your baby fall asleep? Does he or she sleep well at night? If I were to answer I would say that it is rather easy to make Sophy fall asleep, but she doesn`t sleep well. Her day naps last 40-60 minutes twice a day, in the evenings she goes to bed at 9 p.m. waking up at midnight, at 3 a.m. and at6 a.m. It is difficult to find the reason for this since she isn`t hungry or hot (the average temperature in the room is about 23 degrees C). It might be teeth but we haven`t been sleeping well for half a year already. Our neurologist sees no problem here which is rather encouraging. So as far as I can understand I am the only person to define the problem and eliminate it.

Thursday, 12 January 2012




Christmas fortune-telling in Russia take place during Christmastide. Christmastide is a two-week period in winter starting from the Christmas Eve and finishing on January 19th that is on Epiphany

The fortune-telling at this time is considered to be the most truthful.

Cristmas fortune telling is the most positive. It isn`t worth paying attention to the things you don`t like about your future! Here are some popular fortune-tellings! I hope they will be truthful and bring you lots of positive emotions.

Wedding Anniversaries: the 7th!



The seventh wedding anniversary is the Copper one. It is an important wedding date although it is not round. Being a good electrical and heat conductor copper is soft and ductile. Thus it is considered that the couple who has managed seven years together have adjusted themselves to one another.

Wednesday, 11 January 2012

Teaching a Toddler To...: WALK


Sophya is one year and 12 days old. She does almost everything that is supposed at her age except for walking. Although I do understand that all children are different and develop according to their own scheme I started to get a little worried about it since my elder daughter began walking at the age of 12 months and all my friends` kids do walk even being younger. So, I studied the question in the literature and would like to share some interesting facts.

Is my Baby Ready to Walk?

Children: toddlers. Lets play together!

In the Kitchen!!!


Bored in the kitchen
Every toddler`s Mom knows that it is very difficult to find time for everything. I am not an exception. Sometimes it was just impossible to manage the dinner or do the washing-up since my daughter did not like the kitchen. A month ago I found the way out! I took out a small pan and a wooden spoon and offered them to my girl. The result was stunning, it took her more than half an hour to play with just two kitchen items!!!

Tuesday, 10 January 2012

The Recipe of the Day: Cake Napoleon!!!

This year I decided to try myself as a real chef which means that I am able to make the most favourite New Year cake in family - Napoleon.
I must mention that this is one of the most popular home-made cakes in the Russian Federation.

Tuesday, 3 January 2012

When the Kid Is Ill: Rose Rash

Being 11 months of age my little daughter once got up feverish. The 
fever was about 38 degrees. I gave her some antipyratic medicine but it did not help much. She neither coughed nor had running nose so the only thing I did was wiping her face, hands and feet with a wet cloth so that to make the fever go down. The next morning our paediatrician came to see my girl, she prescribed no medicine except for some immunostimulatory suppositories and nasal spray. Besides I was told to make her drink as much as possible since that really helps to remove to remove toxins. So I made some chamomile tea with honey in one of her bottles and filled another one with water. I must admit that it was not that easy to fight the fever since it went up every four-five hours.

Monday, 2 January 2012

When the Kid Is Ill: Stomach Flu

We are three days back from the hospital having overcome three drop counters and many more injections. The matter was that my elder daughter was brought back home from kindergarten because of vomiting. It continued for 12 hours (about 10 times) and in the evening my daughter was feverish. The next day the temperature didn`t fall down but my sweety no longer felt nauseated. That calmed us down and we decided not to go to hospital. It was only 50 hours later (from the very beginning) that we took her to the hospital. The doctor was really furious about the fact that we came only then since Teona`s condition was serious, the doctor doubted if she should be taken to reanimation for she had been dehydrated in spite of the fact that we had made her drink mineral water very much. To cut the long story short we were in hospital with my both children for a week with the diagnosis gastroenteritis. Here is a short reference on the illness and some practical advice.

Sunday, 1 January 2012

Children: toddlers. Lets play together!

Roll it to me
Balls are popular toys for toddlers. Bouncy balls are best kept outside, but soft, foam balls make great indoor toys. The best ball game to start playing with your toddler is an easy version of "catch." Both of you sit on the ground facing each other with your legs apart and toes touching. You can now roll the ball backward and forward to each other without it going out of bounds. Fun for building arm muscle strength and hand-eye coordination.