The Pediatrician's Guide to Feeding Babies & Toddlers by Anthony F Porto, MD MPH & Dina M. DiMaggio, MD

The Pediatrician's Guide to Feeding Babies and Toddlers:

Practical Answers To Your Questions on Nutrition, Starting Solids, Allergies, Picky Eating, and More

(For Parents, By Parents) 

By: Anthony F Porto, MD MPH & Dina M. DiMaggio, MD

Back Cover:All Your Questions about Feeding, Answered.

The choices of when, how, and what to feed your baby can be overwhelming. With The Pediatrician’s Guide to Feeding Babies and Toddlers, you have the expertise of a team of pediatric medical and nutritional experts—who also happen to be parents—in a comprehensive manual that takes the guesswork out of feeding. This first-of-its-kind guide provides practical, easy-to-follow advice to help you navigate the nutrition issues, medical conditions, and parenting concerns that accompany feeding. With recipes, parenting stories, and recommendations based on the latest pediatric guidelines, this book will allow you to approach mealtime with confidence so you can spend more time enjoying your new family.

Review:I have a four month old who is going to be starting to eat soon. When I saw that this book was up for review, I jumped at the chance to review it. The team of contributors are pediatricians, a dietician, a lactation consultant and two chefs?? PLUS THEY ARE ALL PARENTS. Sign me UP! I want to hear about how THEY fed their children!! :) They have to know a thing or two.
When it came to the house, I opened it immediately. It was exactly how the cover states! "Easy to Use" "Q & A Format".  I can scan this book easily for a question that I might have. This is a book that I will constantly be going back to when I have concerns about my daughter and what she is going to eat. The chapters have charts and diagrams showing you different things about feeding and food. First the book is broken down by age, so you can read about a particular age group. The Doctors talk about the baby's stomach, and make comparisons to adults. It don't use complicated words, or lots of medical jargon. It was so easy to get the answers for things that I was concerned about. In the book there are also recipes that I cannot wait to try. The first section of recipes was for food to eat while breastfeeding. The Veggie and Cheese Mini Frittatas sound delicious! I will be posting a review of that recipe later on this month! There are so many different types of diets, and they are broken down in the back. This was most interesting to me because I don't know a lot about diets like that. This helped me to visually see the diets, as well as read in depth paragraphs about it. This book is a worried parent's dream! It covers topics from stool colors to banana smoothie recipes! Very informative! This is a book that will help me for MONTHS to come. I am so happy to have found this book!

About the Authors:
Anthony F Porto, MD MPH:
Anthony is a board-certified pediatrician and board certified pediatric gastroenterologist. He is an assistant professor of pediatrics and associate clinical chief of pediatric gastroenterology at Yale University and director, pediatric gastroenterology, at Greenwich Hospital in Greenwich, Connecticut. He is also the medical director of the Yale Pediatric Celiac Program. He sees patients in Greenwich, Trumbull, and New Haven, Connecticut. He has won numerous awards, including the Norman J. Seigel Award at Yale University in 2015 for leadership and providing outstanding clinical care, as well as Physician of the Year during his time at Morgan Stanley Children's Hospital. He has been named Castle Connolly Top Doctors since 2012. He is on the American Academy of Pediatrics PREP Gastroenterology Advisory Board and a member of the North American Society of Pediatric Gastroenterology and Hepatology's Public Education Committee and writes web-based educational materials. Anthony is interested in nutrition, especially in the care of children with difficulty gaining weight, feeding issues and celiac disease. He loves teaching and educating parents and gives lectures to parents throughout Connecticut.

He graduated from Columbia University with a bachelor of arts in neuroscience and behavior and attended medical school at Tufts University School of Medicine, where he also received his master of public health. He completed his pediatric residency at the Children's Hospital at Montefiore Medical Center (where he met Dina and Persephone) and his pediatric gastroentergology fellowship at the Morgan Stanley Children's Hospital of New York at Columbia University (where he met Janet). 

Dina M. DiMaggio, MD:

Dina is a board certified pediatrician at Pediatric Associates of NYC (where she met Liza and Susan), one of the oldest pediatric practices in Manhattan, and a clinical instructor at NYC Langone Medical Center. She has received numerous research awards, along with Patient's Choice Award (2008-2012) and compassionate doctor recognition (2010, 2012). She was featured in the New York Times Magazine as a Super Doctor in 2014 and in 2015 as a New York Rising Star. She is dedicated to educating parents on baby and toddler nutrition and gives talks to parent groups throughout New York.

She attended Barnard College (where she met Amanda), graduated summa cum laude and as a member of Phi Beta Kappa Society, and went on to attend medical school at Albert Einstein College of Medicine (with Amanda), where she was elected into the Alpha Omega Alpha Honor Society. She completed her pediatric residency at the Children's Hospital at Montefiore (where she met Anthony and Persephone) and her hematology/oncology fellowship at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center.

I received this book free as part of their Blogging for Books program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255

The Power of Broke by Daymond John

Power of Broke
By: Daymond John
Published By Crown Business
ISBN: 978-1-101-90359-9
269 Pages

Back Cover:
Daymond John has been practicing the power of broke ever since he started selling his home-sewn t-shirts on the streets of Queens. With no funding and a $40 budget, Daymond had to come up with out-of-the box ways to promote his products. Luckily, desperation breeds innovation, and so he hatched an idea for a creative campaign that eventually launched the FUBU brand into a $6 billion dollar global phenomenon.  But it might not have happened if he hadn’t started out broke - with nothing but a heart full of hope and a ferocious drive to succeed by any means possible.

Here, the FUBU founder and star of ABC’s Shark Tank shows that, far from being a liability, broke can actually be your greatest competitive advantage as an entrepreneur. Why?  Because starting a business from broke forces you to think more creatively.  It forces you to use your resources more efficiently. It forces you to connect with your customers more authentically, and market your ideas more imaginatively. It forces you to be true to yourself, stay laser focused on your goals, and come up with those innovative solutions required to make a meaningful mark.

Drawing his own experiences as an entrepreneur and branding consultant, peeks behind-the scenes from the set of Shark Tank, and stories of dozens of other entrepreneurs who have hustled their way to wealth, John shows how we can all leverage the power of broke to phenomenal success. You’ll meet:

- Steve Aoki, the electronic dance music (EDM) deejay who managed to parlay a series of $100 gigs into becoming a global superstar who has redefined the music industry
- Gigi Butler, a cleaning lady from Nashville who built cupcake empire on the back of a family  recipe, her maxed out credit cards, and a heaping dose of faith
- 11-year old Shark Tank guest Mo Bridges who stitched together a winning clothing line with just his grandma’s sewing machine, a stash of loose fabric, and his unique sartorial flair

When your back is up against the wall, your bank account is empty, and creativity and passion are the only resources you can afford, success is your only option.  Here you’ll learn how to tap into that Power of Broke to scrape, hustle, and dream your way to the top.

Review:
I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book by Daymond John, from the show, Shark Tank. I have been watching Shark Tank for a few years, and even though Daymond had books out before, this book looked like it was written just for me. “The Power of Broke is a mindset.” Is how the book starts. Right off the bat, he gets you interested in the book and how to make this “Power of Broke” work for you. I don’t normally read non-fiction books, but this one kept me engaged and laughing. I felt like I was sitting in the room with Daymond and he was giving this advice to just ME. I liked the POWER FACT’s littered throughout the book. They were a great resource while I was reading. Each chapter was about a person that used the Power of Broke to get to the top of their potential. I enjoyed reading about these people and their journeys. If you want a peek into Daymond John’s life, and how to get a slice of it in your life, I highly recommend reading this book and discovering these great secrets yourself!!

Read a sample here!

About the Author (found here):
A young entrepreneur, an industry pioneer, a highly regarded marketing expert, and a man who has surpassed new heights of commercial and financial success are just a few ways people have described Daymond John. Over the last 20 years, Daymond has evolved from one of the most successful fashion icons of his generation to one of the most sought after branding experts, business, and motivational speakers in the country.

Daymond's creative vision and strong knowledge of the marketplace helped him create one of the most iconic fashion brands in recent years. FUBU, standing for "For Us By Us", represented a lifestyle that was neglected by other clothing companies. Realizing this need in the marketplace, Daymond created the untapped urban apparel space and laid the groundwork for other companies to compete in this newly established market.

Daymond grew up in the community of Hollis, Queens, quickly becoming known as the birthplace of the new genre of music called Hip-Hop, with acts like RUN DMC and Salt-N-Peppa rapidly making names for themselves. Being surrounded in this influential neighborhood helped spur the inspiration for his clothing line that would ultimately change the fashion world.

His first foray into the apparel market came when he wanted a tie-top hat he had seen in a popular music video but could not find one for a good price. With the sewing skills he had learned from his mother, Daymond started making the hats for himself and his friends. Realizing he was on to something, Daymond made a sizeable order of the tie-top hats, sold them on the streets of Queens one day, and made $800 in just a few hours. There was a buzz about Daymond's products that simply could not be ignored.

Based on that early success, Daymond recruited some of his neighborhood friends and FUBU was born. They created a distinctive logo and began sewing the FUBU logo on all sorts of apparel, including hockey jerseys, sweatshirts and t-shirts. The brand hit a tipping point when Daymond convinced Hollis native and Hip-Hop superstar, LL Cool J, to wear FUBU for a promotional campaign. This was the catalyst behind the entire Hip-Hop community supporting the new brand and instantly giving it credibility. In need of start-up capital to keep up with demand, Daymond and his mother mortgaged the home they collectively owned for $100,000. Soon, the home was turned into a makeshift factory and office space.

FUBU gained even more nationwide exposure when Daymond and his partners traveled to the industry trade show Magic in Las Vegas. Despite not being able to afford a booth at the event, the FUBU team showed buyers the distinctively cut, vibrantly colored sportswear in their hotel room. The company came back to Queens with over $300,000 worth of orders. FUBU soon had a contract with the New York City-based department store chain Macy's, and it began expanding its line to include jeans and outerwear. A distribution deal with Korean electronics manufacturer Samsung allowed their designs to be manufactured and delivered on a massive scale. With the brand transcending into the mainstream markets, FUBU recorded annual sales of $350 million, placing it in the same stratosphere as designer sportswear labels such as Donna Karan New York and Tommy Hilfiger.

In 2009, John joined the cast of the ABC entrepreneurial business show, Shark Tank, produced by acclaimed TV producer Mark Burnett. As one of the "Sharks", Daymond and four other prominent executives listen to business pitches from everyday people hoping to launch their company or product to new heights. Investing his own money in every project, Daymond becomes partners with the entrepreneurs helping turn their dreams into a reality. Millions of viewers tune into the show as Daymond demonstrates his marketing prowess and entrepreneurial insights.

Due to the increasing amount of requests from major companies, Shark Branding was formed to provide companies with the marketing insights that have made Daymond's companies successful over the years. The firm consults companies on innovative strategies to connect with their consumers more effectively by associating with the world's most influential celebrities, musicians, and personalities. Whether it's activating a celebrity endorsement or integrating product in a music video, companies rely on Shark Branding to utilize Daymond's contacts and relationships to produce real results and sales.

Daymond entered the literary world with his first book Display of Power: How FUBU Changed A World Of Fashion, Branding And Lifestyle which tells the story of his awe inspiring journey and provides a roadmap for those who aspire to succeed in business and in life. Daymond followed up his with his second book, The Brand Within: How We Brand Ourselves, From Birth To The Boardroom, which examines the loyal relationships companies seek to establish with the public by attaching celebrities to their brands and the instantaneous impulses consumers exhibit when purchasing a product. Drawing on his cutting edge experiences in the fashion business, as well as his hard-won insights developed as a sought-after marketing consultant to trendsetters and tastemakers, the author argues that branding relationships have now seeped into every aspect of our lives.

In recognition of his contributions to fashion and the face of American business, Daymond has been celebrated with some of the most prestigious awards including: Brandweek Marketer of the Year, the Advertising Age Marketing 1000 Award for Outstanding Ad Campaign, Crain's Business of New York Forty Under Forty Award, and Ernst & Young's New York Entrepreneur of the Year Award.

Other books by Author:

 

Author Interview:

ABC Breaking News | Latest News Videos
I received this book free as part of their Blogging for Books program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255

5 FREE BABY BOARD BOOKS!

Just thought i'd share this with everyone!

I absolutely love reading to my kids. My son enjoys a story or two or seven before bed. I've started to include my newborn daughter with us, but I know she's not absorbing much yet. I think she just likes to hear the sound of my voice.

Anyways, Babies First is offering a deal for Valentine's Day! :) 

Regularly $40.00, you can get FIVE FREE books today!

Just go to the Babies First website here, add the five books that you want, enter in the code "XOXO" and $40 will be taken off of your total!

Just pay shipping and handling, and the books are on their way!



I was not paid for this post. I just got an email about the deal, and thought I would share the savings with everyone else.

PINCHme Free Samples!

I have got to take a moment and talk about a great website for a moment. PINCHme Samples is a website where you can get free samples from popular brands every month!

I have been apart of this website for about a year and I am loving it. I have gotten free body wash, sugar samples, formula and more! Sometimes i've even gotten FULL SIZE samples. It's great! It's a mix up every month and the more information you have filled out in your profile, the more samples you can qualify for.

It's super simple and not time consuming at all! You just sign in on the Sample Tuesday, that is once a month. They ship the samples right to your door, within a few weeks. Then you use the products, and review them on the website. This is the most recent sample I got from them, it was a full-size Gerber supplementing formula sample and a bib with monthly infants to take pictures with when my daughter grows this year! 

They don't spam you with emails, you don't have to do anything once you've filled out your whole profile. Just get free samples for your opinion!!

Just click here to join! 

I have received products for free from the PINCHme program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255

Breath of Angel by Karyn Henley

Breath of Angel
By: Karyn Henley
Published by: Waterbrook Press
Released in 2011
227 Pages

Back Cover: The stranger’s cloak had fallen back, and with it, a long, white, blood-stained wing. When Melaia, a young priestess, witnesses the gruesome murder of a stranger in the temple courtyard, age-old legends recited in song suddenly come to life. She discovers wings on the stranger, and the murderer takes the shape of both a hawk and a man. Angels. Shape-shifters. Myths and stories—until now. Melaia finds herself in the middle of a blood feud between two immortal brothers who destroyed the stairway to heaven, stranding angels in the earthly realm. When Melaia becomes a target, she finds refuge with a band of angels attempting to restore the stairway. But the restoration is impossible without settling an ancient debt—the “breath of angel, blood of man,” a payment that involves Melaia’s heart, soul, and destiny.

Review: This book was a slow read. I couldn't really connect with Melaia, even though I know I was the target audience. The way that she thought and the things that she did didn't really make sense to me. I liked the kind of world that the author tried to create, but I wish that there was more to it. The book could have been longer and I would have been more satisfied. I know that there is a series of these books, but I think that lengthening this one would have been satisfactory. I appreciate the strong Christian values throughout the book, but they didn't feel genuine. It felt kind of forced. All in all, I'm glad that I read this book, but I don't think I will be continuing the series. 

About the Author (taken from here): Award-winning author Karyn Henley has written over 100 titles, which include a mix of children's books and articles, parent-teacher books, articles, and curricula, and preschool musicals and CD's/DVD's of original music for children. An accomplished songwriter, Karyn has been a Dove Award nominee, and received a regional Emmy Award as Music Composer for a Christmas television special. She has traveled worldwide speaking to parents and teachers and entertaining children and their families in storytelling/active movement sessions and concerts. Most of her work has been in the area of spiritual development. She is best known as the author of the original version of The Beginner's Bible, which during the fifteen years it was in print (1989-2004), sold over 5 million copies and was translated into 17 languages.

A graduate of Abilene Christian University (BSEd), Karyn received a Master's of Fine Arts degree from Vermont College of Fine Arts in 2004. She lives in Nashville, Tennessee.

Book Trailer:

 


I received this book free from WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group as part of their Blogging for Books program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255

Seventh Generation Laundry Detergent

My husband, son and newborn all have sensitive skin. I am constantly looking for detergents that aren't going to bother them. I received a free product for the purpose of my review. Opinions are 100% my own. I was so excited to try this detergent when I received it. I'm doing laundry EVERY DAY now that I have a newborn and so I threw this in with my daily laundry routine. It doesn't have a fragrance and it cleaned my clothes just like the detergent I had been using before (store brand).

I've always seen Seventh Generation in stores, but I never had the guts to try it out. I didn't know if they actually delivered on their promises.

Here is their mission statement:
" We believe our products are healthy solutions for the air, surfaces, fabrics, pets and people within your home–and for the community and environment outside of it. As a pioneer in corporate responsibility, we want our products to make a difference—from their development through to their production, purchase, use, and disposal.  We are always evaluating how to reduce their environmental impact, increase performance and safety, and create a more sustainable supply chain. We believe it is our responsibility to set a course for a more mindful way of doing business, where companies act as partners with other stakeholders to create a brighter future for the whole planet. "

Who can argue with that? Helping the environment and making a healthier home for me? Win-Win!

I am proud to report that I absolutely loved their detergent. It works really well and it didn't bother anyone's skin here at our household! I have a coupon to buy my full size product next!

I am apart of Generation Good, which is a great program that i've just joined. You can check out more information about it here. 

The Magnolia League by Katie Crouch

The Magnolia League

By: Katie Crouch

Published by: Poppy (Little, Brown Books for Young Readers)

ISBN #: 978-0-316-07849-8

Back Cover: When her free-spirited mother dies in a tragic accident, sixteen-year-old Alexandria Lee is forced to leave her West Coast home and move in with a wealthy grandmother she's never known in Savannah, Georgia. By birth, Alex is a rightful if unwilling member of the Magnolia League-Savannah's long-standing debutante society. But white gloves and silk gowns are a far cry from the vintage t-shirts and torn jeans shorts she's used to.

Alex is the first in decades to question the Magnolia League's intentions, yet even she becomes entangled in their seductive world. The members enjoy youth, beauty and power...but at what cost? As Alex discovers a pact between the Magnolias and the Buzzards, a legendary hoodoo family, she discovers secrets-some deadly-hidden beneath the glossy Southern veneer.

New York Times bestselling author Katie Crouch's poignant and humorous voice shines in this enchanting and mysterious story about girls growing up in a magical Southern city.

Review: Alexandria (Alex for short) lives on a community farm called RC, in California, until her mother dies in a car accident and she is shipped off to go live with her grandmother, Miss Lee. Miss Lee lives in Savannah, Georgia which is a completely different world to Alex. For starters, her grandmother is extremely wealthy and the head of a very prestigious society called The Magnolia League. She forces Alex to join, and signs her up for classes so she can prepare for her debutante party. The rest of the story is Alex questioning and challenging the Magnolia League's intentions. 

At first this book was hard to get into, Alex was a bit of a cliché and her 'bad-girl' persona was very easily pushed aside during the course of the book. The first eighteen chapters felt very rushed and confusing to me, as a reader. I felt like the author kind of jumped all over the place. She would let you into the Magnolia League's conversations but you would have NO idea what was going on or what they were talking about.

Another thing that I didn't understand was Alex's relationship with Madison and Hayes. I never understood their intentions. When they first met her they didn't like her at all, and then a couple pages over they were fawning over her. It was very confusing, and I never felt like it was a genuine friendship. Even though it seemed like at the end they were extremely close. Those chapters are kind of a blur to me, but once you hit the nineteenth chapter you get really hooked on this book. I thoroughly enjoyed it after this point. I couldn't put the book down! In the end The Magnolia League was an absolutely fascinating read.

All in all, I adored this book. I cannot wait for the next one! It left the reader salivating at the end of the book with a satisfying ending. She didn’t leave you hanging on the edge of a cliff! I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a quick and fun read with magic all throughout. Don't miss this one at the bookstore, definitely take this one home!

About the Author (taken from here):
Katie Crouch is the New York Times bestselling author of Girls in Trucks. Her other novels include Men and Dogs, two young adult novels, and Abroad, a literary thriller set in Italy. Julia Glass wrote of Abroad: With uncanny psychological precision and a dark, dead-on wit, Katie Crouch explores how the casual follies of youth all too quickly turn tragic" Katie covered the Amanda Knox appeal for Slate magazine, and has also written for The Guardian, the New York Times, McSweeney's, Tin House, and Salon, and she has a regular column on The Rumpus called "Missed." A MacDowell fellow, Crouch teaches at San Francisco State University and lives in Bolinas, California with Peter Orner and their daughter Phoebe.

Other Books by the Author:

Book Trailer: