Crib Nap Progress, Crawling, Eczema Update (and please enter my giveaway)

At the risk of jinxing things, I wanted to mention that Mungee has been napping in her crib over the last several weeks.  It was getting to be way too hindering having her nap on me and she was having more trouble doing so.  I fought her for about a week and then she started settling into it.  I nurse her before her nap and she falls asleep.  If she doesn't fall asleep nursing, I do still have a hard time getting her to nap.  Some days she won't cry when I leave the room, other days she will.  It's hit or miss, but I feel a lot better about it now.  She seems to be a lot happier and a little less whiny and clingy when she's well rested.

No more of this :(        .... but also :)

We officially have a crawler on our floor hands.  Mungee has finally figured out how to propel herself forward and doesn't flip onto her back every time she gets her knees under her.  She lifts herself up on her elbows, then gets her knees under her and uses her arms to scoot.  She's still a lot faster when she rolls around the room, but she's picking up speed.  I'm trying to get it on video, but the camera battery keeps crapping out.

Mungee's eczema has all but cleared.  I can't believe how quickly her cheeks went from dry, red, oozy and crusty to the almost smooth-as-butter cheeks that they are now.   I didn't make many changes other than eliminating peanuts from my diet and stopped giving Mungee jarred mango puree.  We're also using a steroid foam on her face and other really dry spots.  However, her face started to clear up so quickly upon beginning the foam that I think the slight dietary changes were the main catalyst.

This is how Mungee feels about the weekend coming to a close:

One more thing ...

Please stop by this post and enter my giveaway for 5 sets of address labels from Pear Tree Greetings.  Thanks!

Happy Friday!

I love Fridays.  I love that once DH gets home from work, he'll be with us for two full days.  I love that he gets to spend this time doting on Mungee.  (And not so secretly, I love that I can get a bit of a break!)

I hope you enjoy your Friday and the weekend to come.  Do you have any special plans?  I'm sure your agenda includes stopping by the new and improved Friday-Follow.  That's where I'm headed (right after I feed Mungee her breakfast, of course).

I'm Entrepreneurial-ish: Pear Tree Greetings Giveaway! - CLOSED

 
I kind of discovered Pear Tree Greetings by accident.  I am distracted by curious about sidebar buttons, the people they connect me to and the places they can take me.  So naturally, I click on them.  They are one of the reasons this happens.

I saw the Pearista button on Mommy & Molly.  I clicked.  I liked the modern look of their site.  I answered those two simple questions with a "yes" and a nod of my head.  I wrote to them.  I asked to become a Pearista.  I bragged that I had a whopping 41 fans on Facebook and 26 followers on Twitter.  I thought it was a shot in the dark.  Imagine my surprise when I recieved a quick reply saying they thought I was a great match and they would be happy to call me a Pearista!  (Side note: DH keeps asking me when I'm going to make him a cappuccino.  Sorry honey, that's a barista). 

I contacted Pear Tree Greetings toward the end of May.  I was encouraged to post about their promotion that was coming to a close.  I suddenly felt pressured and thought maybe I was trying to take on more than I could handle.  I emailed my Pearista contact to discuss my concerns.  I thought it would be in my best interest to wait until I got to know the company a bit better before I suddenly started posting about them all over my blog.  She agreed and was quick to ease my worries. One thumb up.  I soon received a set of personalized note cards, which arrived very carefully packaged and included a handwritten note from my Pearista contact thanking me for being honest about wanting to wait until I'd seen their products firsthand before sharing with Mungee and Me readers.  The note cards featured a modern design in pink and brown.  I wondered when I had told the company about my favorite color combination.  Then I realized that the note cards were inspired by the background of my blog.  Two thumbs up!  (Side note numba two: I showed DH the note cards and he said "Those are cute ... but where's the coffee?")

Okay, so what exactly is Pear Tree Greetings?  They are a fun, fresh and affordable personalized stationery company that offers birth announcements, invitations, note cards and more!

Now for my first giveaway!  

Do you want to win five sets of address labels (up to 120 labels!) from Pear Tree Greetings?

When is an address label not an address label?  Go visit Pear Tree Greetings' entire collection of address labels! Come back and let me know your favorite design and tell me what else could you do with an address label? Be sure to leave your email address when you comment (Mungee doesn't have the time to search for a way to contact you, she's a baby on the move!)  One comment/entry per person, please and thank you.  Simple, huh?  Become a follower of Mungee and Me if you'd like.  You won't get an extra entry in the contest, but we sure would appreciate it (picture us with happy faces)!

This giveaway is open to U.S. residents only (sorry!) and ends Sunday, June 20, 2010 at 11:59 p.m. EST.  Mungee will select the lucky winner on June 21st, using random.org.  The winner will be emailed and will have 48 hours to respond to confirm their prize.  If the winner does not reply, a new winner will be chosen, get emailed, etc., yadda and so forth.

Want more?  Throughout the month of June, enjoy 10% off your purchase of $19 or more at Pear Tree Greetings!  Use the code PEARJUN10 at checkout.

Disclosure: As a Pearista, I have become a partner of Pear Tree Greetings, with the purpose of trying out their products, passing along their offers and providing you with a chance to win some pretty nifty stuff!  They don't pay me with cold hard cash, but they will on occasion send me free products to try out as a testament to their company/commitment to service.  They wouldn't expect me to promote something I'd never tried, right?

That chicken's not gonna cook itself

If I wasn't married, and with a kid, I'd be perfectly content to eat like I did in college: Totino's pizza rolls, Pasta-Roni parmesan noodles (I could eat a whole box in one sitting), "grilled cheese" and sodium-laden sliced turkey sandwiches prepared in the Snackster.  Sometimes, I got gourmet - let me tell you about my version of chicken parm: a frozen breaded Tyson chicken breast, "cooked" in the microwave, served atop a bed of Ramen noodles, but without the seasoning packet - I used marinara sauce instead.  Sprinkle on some mozzarella cheese and voila!

Unfortunately for me, Mungee's Pa has a more sophisticated palate.  When he was growing up, his dad had a restaurant.  His mom made macrobiotic meals.  He challenged his neighbors to stuffed grape leaf cook-offs.  Sushi to him was like hamburgers to me.  I didn't know I liked Mexican food until after I graduated from college.  (Taco Bell is apparently not Mexican food).

These days, I don't cook all that often, but when I do, I have a few go-to dishes: chili, meatloaf, lasagne, beef & broccoli, or pulled pork in the crockpot.  Don't ask me to coordinate sides - I start them too early, or usually wait entirely too long and then don't want to get them started because I'm ready to eat the main meal.  Most of the time though, I just stand in front of the refrigerator with the door open for way too long, trying to wish a meal into existence. 

I keep whining suggesting to Mungee's Pa that we start meal planning, but I get overwhelmed at the thought of it and don't know where to begin.  Do you plan your meals?  Grocery shop specifically for your menu?  Does your menu coordinate with what's on sale?  How did you get into the rhythm of cooking regularly for your family?  I appreciate any and all suggestions as to how to get started!