Baby Ball Pit

My parents brought over a bag of balls for an outside sand box to use this year instead of sand as Greyson wants to put everything in his mouth right now (7 months). It is still a little too cold to have him play for an extended period of time outside right now, so I thought I'd find a way for him to play with the balls inside. First we tried putting the balls in his pack n play. It worked okay, but he kept falling over when the balls moved out from underneath him and we couldn't play with him very well because we had to bend over and reach way down to play. Then I spotted a plastic tub that I had just bought for $7 to put some of Greyson's clothes he had outgrown into. I decided to put the balls in there and stick him in. He loved it! It was just big enough to sit and play in the balls, but small enough that he didn't fall over when the balls moved underneath him. What a great sensory experience!! We also tossed a few balls in a tent he likes to crawl around in and he will chase them around the floor of the tent. Hours of fun from balls and a storage tub!

These are the balls that we got. They are crush resistant which is nice!

Baby Discovery Bottle (Part 1)

I started saving tons of plastic food containers and jars recently with the intent to make some cheap "toys" for my son. Although my hubby asked to throw away the containers, I have managed to grow quite a stash of jars/containers including chicken and beef bullion jars, puffs containers, baby wipes tubs, and spice containers. I also started saving the screw top caps from the squeeze pouches of baby food. We make our own baby food, but I have found that when we go out we like the pouch option, but that's for a different post! I was storing the caps from the food pouches in the beef bullion cube jar and decided it made a nice sound when I shook it. I gave it to my son to see what he would do with it. Well, let me tell you it has been a hit this weekend! We even threw it in the diaper bag to take to my parents house for him to play with.  By the way, my son is 7 months old right now, but this could work for a younger baby (as soon as they start picking up things) to an older child (that may be able to unscrew the cap and put the food pouch caps in and out). This is a great toy that makes sound. It also works on fine motor skills for the older child if you let them screw the cap on and off and drop the food pouch caps in or take them out.

How to make a discovery bottle:

There you have it! Simple and cheap! I plan on making more of these, so as I make more I'll post more ideas!

Welcome

So here goes...I've been thinking about doing a blog for awhile, but have never really gotten around to it. I thoroughly enjoy reading other blogs and think I have something to offer the blogging world, as well as give myself an outlet.

So who is Green OT mama? First and foremost I am a mother and a wife. We were blessed with a beautiful baby boy in September 2013, and he has forever changed my life. I like to think I am a pretty "green" mama. We do cloth diapers (with a modern twist), baby wear (love my ergo!), and make our own baby food. Best of all, my hubby is on board with it all! Second of all, I am an occupational therapist (OT). I specialize in pediatrics (early intervention and school based), but also do homecare as well. I graduated with my Master's degree in Occupational Therapy from St. Francis University (Loretto, PA, USA) in May of 2008, and have been working full time since. 

Why a blog? I am super passionate about being the best mom, wife, and OT I can be, and I'd like to share my journey, knowledge, and any other fun things along the way. I love reading others' blogs and pinterest, so I thought this will give me a place to be "me". 

What sorts of things will you find here? Anything and everything baby/child related! More specifically, cloth diapering, baby wearing, baby food making, developmental milestones, fun play for children, ways to foster development, and ways to have fun with your child. As I mentioned, I am a first time mom, and find myself doing a lot of research, so if I can compile that into one place, hopefully I can reach other moms too! You may also find photography tid bits creep into my blog, as photography is another passion of mine! Health and fitness may also appear, as I am on a journey to get back into my pre-pregnancy body, fitness level, and running shoes!

I can't wait to see who I will meet on this blogging journey! Here goes nothing

~The Green OT Mama~