Baby Blogging: The Best Nightlights

So I've noticed that the typical nightlight that you plug into the outlet is just not enough, plus they can be dangerous because if baby can reach them they want to play with them. So here are my favorites that light up my sleepless nights :)



This one comes as a turtle, sea turtle or ladybug that shows three different colors of stars and turns off after 30 minutes by itself. It lights up the room with stars all over the ceiling!



I use this one as a nightlight also. The waterfall makes the room glow and it turns off after 15 minutes by itself.



This one is the best! It has Three soothing natural sounds to choose from: heartbeat, rainforest or ocean
Play one of the three tender lullabies: Twinkle Twinkle Little Star, Rock-A-Bye Baby and Brahms Cradle Song, The image projector gently rotates one of three interchangeable image disks that show either stars and moons, birds or fish, it also has 15, 30 or 45 minute auto-off timer

The Best Development Toys Ever!

Now that I've wasted money on mobiles that last for two minutes and other useless (but cute) toys here are some that are so worth it.



Product Features

* A glowing blue waterfall with mesmerizing motion leads down to a pool of real bubbling water
* Colorful lights slowly turn on and off while two rainforest friends, a swinging monkey and a frog playing peek-a-boo, move about in the leaves
* Mom can choose between classical music, lullabies, or rainforest sounds for her baby, and choose between 3 modes of activation
* Both mom and baby are able to activate the soother by pressing the cute toucan button on the front of the unit
* Volume is adjustable between high, medium, and low




This is the best Mobile Ever! With a Remote Control!

Product Features

* Made of a lightweight cotton-weave
* Projects soft moons and stars directly above your baby
* Canopy moves in one direction, the light projection ball in the other
* Mobile plays 4 soothing music selections
* Hi-low volume control allows you to adjust the volume to your desired setting



This also comes in Dora theme, a Train, Mickey Mouse and many more

Product Features

# Includes realistic engine, horn and horse sounds
# Princess figures pop-up and rotate to the music
# Mirror that lights up, castle that glows

# Manufacturer's Suggested Age: 12-18 Months
# Care and Cleaning: Wipe Clean With Soap and Water



Product Features
* Learn & Groove with 15 activities and over 40 songs and melodies!
* Activities provide opportunities for baby to explore with a roll, tap, slide or spin.
* Includes a variety of music styles for baby to enjoy.
* Features legs to attach to table as baby grows.
* Introduces shapes, numbers and counting 1-10 in English and Spanish.



Product Features

*This Fisher-Price kitchen has all the ingredients-with plenty of learning on the menu!
* The magic starts when baby crawls through the doorway, triggering music, sing-along songs, dancing lights and fun sounds. Both sides of the toy kitchen are loaded with activities and playful discoveries for a full course of learning!
* Learning time!: Learn the alphabet with music & crawl-through fun. Drop balls in kitchen sink for counting. Spin numbers on stove front. Sort shapes & discover colors.
* Music time!: Sing along with 21 delightful songs, including classic favorites & fresh originals. Enjoy songs, greetings & fun phrases on radio stations. 25+ sounds & encouraging phrases with activities!
* Imagination!: Discover the joy of role play in the familiar comfort of a kitchen, with lots of idea-starting activities & realistic sound effects!



Product Features
* Features three ways to play: Alphabet, Dance-Along and Music Play learning modes.
* Letters of the alphabet light up when baby taps.
* Music Play allows baby to explore creativity and develop gross motor skills with tapping, crawling and moving to the music.
* Introduces the alphabet in English and Spanish.



Product Features

* Shake and move to a learning groove!
* Maracas provide lights, sounds and learning activities.
* Features three ways to play: Counting, Colors and Music Play learning modes.
* Music Play allows baby to explore creativity and open-ended play.
* Introduces colors, vocabulary and counting 1-10 in English and Spanish.




Product Features

* Discover the alphabet from Alligator to Zebra!
* Features three ways to play: Letter, Animal and Music learning modes.
* Explore learning with each spin of the wheel.
* Playful musical responses reward each touch.
* Introduces letters A-Z and animal names and sounds.



Product Features

* Excellent for teaching language skills
* Convenient bag for storage and portability
* Multiple play possibilities
* Big, child friendly pieces
* For children 1 and up

Toddler and Baby Shoes that are sooo cute for a great price!

There is no need to spend over $60 on shoes your child will outgrow in months and may not even walk in! There are so many cute ones out there right now for great prices I had to list some!

These are from Target by Converse for $19.99 for Toddlers

Also from Target for infant boys $8.99

From Payless for Toddlers on sale for $14.99

Also from Payless for Toddlers

Payless Toddler $12.99

Childrens Place for Infants $10.50

Childrens Place Infants $12.50

Childrens Place Toddler $18.50

Childrens Place Toddler $12.50

Dressing a Toddler

My 2 year old daughter has gotten to the point of picking out her own clothes. Even if it's pajamas (usually with a princess on it) she won't give in. I now hide certain outfits from her if they don't fit with the weather outside. She's just like mommy I guess. I picked my clothes out at 2 and was determined to wear what I wanted..and nothings changed.
If she doesn't think a jacket goes with what she's wearing she refuses. She's even slept in her princess dress up clothes because she wouldn't take them off!
It's funny but also frustrating. The only time she throws a tantrum is when she is wearing something she doesn't like.
I know you have to pick your battles plus she actually has pretty good taste!

Baby Blogging: 8 Reasons I Dread Holiday Parties

So now that the holidays are here everyone gets invited to people's houses for parties and get togethers. I dread this everytime and usually don't RSVP because I'm scared to commit to going.

First of all..can I even make it on time with both kids?

Second..I have to pack the almost everything they sell at Babies R Us if I'm driving far

Third..again if I'm driving far..will I have to pull over to feed the baby or change either childs diaper? (Last time I did that a cop knocked on my window and told me it was illegal to do that) I guess next time I should just do it while driving then officer?!

Fourth..is the party at a late time and my kids are expecting a bath and bedtime? If so they probably won't be on their best behavior and childless people may deem them "wild kids"

Fifth..is the place I'm going baby proofed? Usually not and there are almost always some stupid crystal cat collections displayed or tea sets right where my toddler and baby can reach

Sixth..will other kids be there? If not than I know my kids will get bored and into trouble and this probably means the house won't have toys for them to play with either

Seventh...is it even worth it? If I'm going to be chasing after two little ones and constantly saying "no!" and can't hold an adult conversation then why bother

 Eight..I'm also not a fan of chasing toddlers in heels :) Give me back my Juicy Tracksuit!

Why not get a sitter you ask? Because my mom and mother in law are usually invited to the same parties. Ugghh the stress! I'd rather go to the park and call it a day.

Massive Crib Recall!

Baby Retailers..will they ever get it right? There are so many recalls everyday but this one is HUGE!

Directly from the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), the following cribs are affected:
-Stork Craft drop-side cribs and Stork Craft drop-side cribs with the Fisher-Price logo
-Cribs with plastic trigger and one-hand-system drop-side hardware
-Stork Craft cribs with manufacturing and distribution dates between January 1993 and October 2009
-Stork Craft cribs with the Fisher-Price logo that have manufacturing dates between October 1997 and December 2004
Retailers in the U.S. and Canada selling the cribs include BJ's Wholesale Club, J.C. Penney, Kmart, Meijer, Sears, USA Baby, and Wal-Mart stores and online at Amazon.com, Babiesrus.com, Costco.com, Target.com, and Walmart.com from January 1993 through October 2009. The cribs cost between $100 and $400.
Complaints prompting the recall included:
-67 incidents in the United States, 43 in Canada
-20 falls
-15 entrapments
-10 incidents of drop-side detachment
-4 suffocations (all fatalities in U.S.)
Those who have cribs involved in the recall can find "[T]he manufacture date, model number, crib name, country of origin, and the firm's name, address, and contact information located on the assembly instruction sheet attached to the mattress support board" for identification and can contact Stork Craft with this information via phone or its Web site.
Customers are urged to be patient contacting Stork Craft due to capacity overload at the moment.

Baby Products I Just Bought and HAVE to Tell You About!

I just had to replace some lost bottles and bought more of The First Years Soothie Bottles. I love them! They improved since I last purchased them and now the lid clicks onto the bottom of the bottle so they don't get lost! What a simple and great idea!





I also bought a new stroller after going through so many I hated. This one is on my Stroller Recommendation posting and it lives up to it's reputation! I'm in love!
It pushes with ease
Reclines completely for baby
Has a snack tray
Is cute (I bought the Orange and Grey on called Extreme)
Is affordable
Has lots on mommy storage (a cup holder and other container)
A HUGE basket!
And adjustable handle bar so mom can wear heels without hunching!

Baby Blogging: If you have a Pack n Play You Should Read This!

 

Do you Travel with your Pack n Play?

This is the Summer Infant Playard Essentials Kit. It's great for anyone with a Pack n Play! It comes with:

*A Pad to make baby more comfy that's 1 inch thick

*A waterproof sheet so the pad stays dry

*Two fitted sheets to cover the padding

It's great if you want to travel and want baby to feel like they are in their crib because the Pack n Play can be uncomfortable for many babies. If you take off the raised part of the Pack n Play and use it at the bottom of the playpen it can be used until baby is 1 year old!

So now you can visit family and friends for the holidays with no sleeping issues!

It sells at Babies R Us or Toys R Us for $49.99 Toys R Us Link

I bought this for my nephew but I also added this Carter's Playard Plush Sheet for extra coziness.

It was $15.99. Here is the link to it on Babies R Us

Getting Your Baby/Toddlers Ears Pierced

So after thinking about it for their entire lives I Finally got the guts to get both my daughters' ears pierced!

I expected screaming and arms flying every direction. But I still tried to prepare them for it.

For my 2 year old I told her about it, showed her other girls with earrings and asked her if she wanted them even though it hurts like a boo boo. She said yes! As for my 9 month old, she had no choice.

I put Lidocaine (which is prescribed by Doctors to numb the skin) on their ears 30 minutes before we went to the Mall. When we got to Claire's I put Orajel on their ears as well.

You know what I got? NOTHING!! No screaming no crying, just one super happy toddler looking like a diva in the mirror every chance she got, and an oblivious baby. Blinged out like mommy's blog!

I would recommend numbing the earlobes ahead of time to any mother! Another mom was there and borrowed my Orajel and her daughter didn't cry either!

Tips and Tricks by yours truly!

Baby Blogging: Going to the Mall With a Toddler and/or Baby

With a passion for finding deals and shopping I never thought I would dread going to the mall. After many unsuccessful trips with my toddler and baby, attempting to stop at all the stores I needed to go I decided this calls for a strategy.

Here are 5 Tips:

First off make sure it's NOT naptime and bring FOOD! Lot's of it.

Second, Bring a Stroller! Just in case the toddler is the wandering type and/or you don't feel like running.

Third, Park far away from any play areas, carousels, choo choo trains and such. If you don't you will be stuck there and there will definitely be a tantrum when you want to get your errands done.

Fourth, Strategically plan the order of the stores you will go to. For example you know your child will never want to leave the Disney Store so go there last. Get the boring for toddler stores done first. And they need to still be away from the play areas.

Fifth, Know what you need to buy. Sometimes shopping ahead online helps so you already know the price and what you want.

So that's my 2 cents if you want them. I wonder if other moms plan this way too.

Maclarens Major Stroller Recall!

---

Maclaren is recalling at least 1 million umbrella strollers because of a potential hazard to children's fingers. A side hinge mechanism poses the risk of cutting or amputating a child's fingers when the stroller is being opened or closed, the British company said Monday.

The voluntary recall applies to all Maclaren strollers sold in the U.S. since they were introduced in 1999.

The U.S. Consumer Product Safety and Maclaren have received reports of 15 incidents in which children were hurt over the past ten years.

The affected models include Volo, Triumph, Quest Sport, Quest Mod, Techno XT, Techno XLR, Twin Triumph, Twin Techno and Easy Traveller, according to the stroller company. The strollers, which are manufactured in China, are sold nationwide.

Maclaren, in cooperation with the CPSC, is providing consumers and retailers free repair kits which will cover a joint on the faulty hinge mechanism.

Consumers should stop using the strollers immediately and call Maclaren toll-free at (877) 688-2326, the company said.

Get 30% off at Gap, Baby Gap, Old Navy and more!!

Yay for new clothes at a discount!

It's only good November 12th-15th

30% off Coupon Code Link

Want to Get your kids out of the House?

When the weather is too hot or cold it's hard to figure out what to do to entertain your baby or toddler. Since you can't go to the park there are other solutions. Here are some ideas, some are local for me but if you Google "indoor play gym"  or "children's museum" and enter your city to find one.

Chuck E Cheese: These are all over the country and most have a toddler play area. There is no fee to get in and I love how they stamp your childs hand to match the stamp on your hand. The security is great. You can print coupons if you want pizza on their website Chuck E Cheese and the rides are only $0.25 each plus some of the coupons come with tokens.

Childrens Museums: This is also something that can be searched for any area. In Los Angeles there is Kidspace which is good for 2 years and up it's $10 for each adult and each child, under 12 months is free.
Also in Los Angeles is Zimmer's Childrens Museum Adults: $8.00 Children 3-12: $5.00
Children 2 and under: FREE
Grandparents: FREE when accompanied by a grandchild (how cute! and you could use the help too huh?!)


Indoor Play Gyms: So these are all in the San Fernando Valley but they all operate the same way pretty much. Some are chains or franchises so you can search the name in your area. They charge between $7.50-$9 for kids under 6 months or 12 months (depending where you go) Adults are always free. Most have a sibling discount and most offer playpasses so you can go for a certain number of visits at a discounted rate. Plus they have every toy under the sun including moonbouncers and you can play as many hours as you want to. They also have eating areas for lunch or snack time and most offer food delivery. You can spend all day there if you want to.

The Playroom This one is better for crawlers and early walkers. It's $9 per child and siblings under 9 months are free.


Jumping Genius This one is HUGE and has a separate baby play area so they don't get trampled by older kids. Its $9 per child over 6 months of age.


Playsource  This place is also huge and really nice. It's $9 for the 1st child and you get a discount for each sibling so the 2nd child is $7, the 3rd $5 and the 4th $3 and babies under 9 months are free

Gummy the Bear This one is brand new and really nice. They are also the least expensive its only $7.50 per child and each sibling after that gets 50% off admission plus they don't charge for babies under 12 months.

Under the Sea Its $9.00 per child and siblings under 9 months are free. They have 6 locations in southern california.

Mall Playgrounds: They are free for all ages

The Library: Also free and many have toddler storytime and free classes

YMCA: There are many activities and classes at any local YMCA just look up what yours offers

I hope this helps since the weather is getting cold now :) (Although if I had my own diamond staircase maybe I would be home all the time!)

Shopping With Kids or Babies is Very Hard So Are Some Stores With Great Return Policies

Shopping With Kids or Babies is Hard So Are Some Stores With Great Return Policies:

Every time I shop with either one of my children something can go wrong. (Someone has a tantrum, or is tired or hungry) Then I have to grab what I can and get out of the store ASAP!
So I am making this list in case you bought something out of impulse, desperation or is went on sale or you changed your mind. It's hard enough to make decisions as women but with unpredictable babies/toddlers in tow it can seem impossible.

Target: I love Target! Their Up and Up store brand is super cheap and great quality but besides that they will take back anything without a receipt or tag because they track your purchases through the card you used. Paid with cash? No problem they will use your ID and give you a credit and you can do this 2 times every 12 months, you can use other people's ID's too ;). It also doesn't matter how long ago you purchased the item.

Victorias Secret: Since I live in their PINK Collection I go there and shop online A lot! The online store and catalog has a No Sale is Final return policy. That means if you bought it two years ago you can still mail it back and return it! Yay!
The in store policy is 90 days and they will do Price adjustments within 14 days if something just went on sale. It's good to hold onto those receipts and tags since they are extra lenient if you have them.

Nordstrom: Everyone has heard the story (which I don't know if it's true) of the lady that returned a car tire to Nordstrom claiming she bought it there. It's not really like that but you don't need a receipt you just keep the tags and even if it's been three years you can get cash back. With no tags a store credit. I heart them!

Bed Bath and Beyond: They also have no time period, no receipt required and you can get a credit. I once returned a three year old broken lamp and got the full credit for it!

Costco: They track everyone's purchases so no receipt required and you can return almost anything whenever you want to. I know someone who has been getting new patio furniture this way for years!

Kohls: No time limit again. With a receipt full refund without a credit!

Macy's: 180 day return policy just keep the sticker they give you and get a refund.

Start keeping a receipt/sticker/tag box if you shop at any of these stores and keep your merchandise in decent condition. It doesn't have to be brand new and unworn to return it.

For Tired Moms..Here is a New Best Friend

Newfound Beauty Product

I just bought this for my dark circles since I haven't slept in days. It seems like everyone has some kind of sickness or the swine flu and I had a baby teething on top of it.
The concealer Erase Paste by Benefit actually covers and then Brightens the eyes! I look rested and awake! (At least I can fake it) :)

Milfymom chosen as featured Blogger for Radical Parenting!

Click Here to check us out!!

Vanessa Van Petten guest blogs for our Baby Blog!

 We will be posting guest blogging articles over the course of the week from Radical Parenting . Hope you enjoy the insight into our children's minds as much as we did! (it even helped us give perspective to how we relate to our own friends/family)


Teacup Parenting


We have all heard of helicopter parenting. You know, the kind of parents that are uber involved in every aspect of their child’s life and sort of buzz and run circles around them as they grow up.
I work with a lot of parents and kids, I hear from a lot of parents and kids, and I spend all day reading about parents and kids today. Something about the term helicopter parenting wasn’t fitting right with the kinds of questions and problems that parents and youth bring to me and talk about.
Teacup parenting is a much better fit.

I do not want to offend anyone with this post, I am just simply stating a trend that I see in the parenting community. Some of the traits of teacup parenting are good, and some, in my opinion are a bit scary.

1. Cherished Possession
Like a teacup heirloom, children are often treated as their most cherished possession. This is great!

2. Teacups Break Easily
This one is not so good, many of the kids I mentor and went to school with can break at any moment. When they do not get their way, like do not get a class schedule they want or cannot get driven to a place they want to go they literally crumble.

3. Once It Gets Chipped, It Feels Ruined
Many members of my generation feel the need to be perfect all the time. When something bad happens or do not get a perfect grade, they feel unworthy, like a bad person and ruined. I wish this was not the case and realize that chips and smudges build character and we learn from them, they are not to displayed prominently or tarnish your character.

4. Want to Display a Beautiful Set
There is absolutely nothing wrong with parents who brag and talk about their kids, but recently I see parents putting their kids on display like they are going up for auction: “Carrie is applying to Harvard and Yale, she has a 4.2 GPA and a 90 percentile SAT score, she plays tennis in the Junior Olympics, any takers, anyone? going once, going twice…”

5. Want to be like the Others
Parents especially want their kids to fit in and be a perfect part of the family and uphold all of your values. This is not always the case. There is a lot of pressure on kids to not only succeed, but succeed in what their parents want them to do. We need to be different, we strive to be different, we do not fit into a set.

6. Only Feed it High Quality Tea
Again, not always a bad thing. But many parents are ob.sess.ed. with the idea of only high quality, organic, positive energy, luxury, natural foods and products on, in or near their kids. Unlike a teacup, we do not get stained when we eat a big mac, and many kids are now afraid of regular food and have developed all sorts of crazy food allergies because of it.

7. The Quality Reflects Your Taste and Status
Teacups or a tea set often reflects the owners taste and status depending on the price and style of the set. I know that kids reflect on their parents, but if we mess-up, we mess-up let us get a little dirty and wear mismatching clothes if we want to, it is our way of experimenting.

8. You Do Not Want It to Leave the Collection
I have known parents to move to their kid’s college town or take an apartment off-campus for visiting times. Unlike a teacup, we need to leave the home permanently (some parents are looking forward to this day!)

9. Must Be Very Delicate with It
We fall, we get in trouble, we lose sports games we feel general ickiness. You cannot–and should not protect us from this. We need to feel those bumps so that when we grow up we do not fall apart at the first curve in the road.

10. All Teacups Have Essentially the Same Function
A teacup, although it can have all different designs and styles, is essentially just used to drink tea. Kids on the other hand do not all grow up to be mommies and daddies. I am now 23 and oh my goodness I cannot believe that some of my friends are deciding to get married and have kids (freak out!), but some others have decided they really do not want to have a family and are getting a lot of grief from their parents. We might lead a different kind of life than you and I hope this is ok.
Not everyone is a teacup parent. Are you? Do you know any teacup parents?




This article is by Vanessa Van Petten who runs RadicalParenting.com a parenting blog written from the kid's perspective with 20 teen writers. Their goal is to give parents a secret view into the world of kids and youth.

Babies R Us and Toys R Us "One Night Only Sale" Coupons!

Babies r us and Toys r us are having a private sale! In case they didn't email you about it here is the link to the coupons you need to print out to get the discounts! The Sale is only this Wednesday night October 28th 2009 from 5-9pm.

Click here to print the coupons!

Baby/ Toddler Blogging: Sippy Cup Review

After buying so many sippy cups for babies and toddlers it seemed that parents where having trouble cleaning them after a while. The multi valve sippy cups and straw ones are the toughest and can get mold inside that can't be removed. So here are the reviews for Sippy Cups.

We decieded they must be:

Easy to clean

Leak proof (like for real not just say it on the package)

Cute of course!

Inexpensive

And have only one valve so there are no removable parts to clean

These are good for toddlers or 12 months+





These are good for 7 months+ and beginners because of the handles



For a first timers sippy cup about 4 months+

Does your baby ever poop and just the wrong Time/place?

It seems like no matter how much I plan ahead of time. Both my kids poop just as the wrong time and place.

Like when everyones buckled up and ready to go

Or I'm at a friends house (and they don't have kids) and we stink up their house. Some people are very uptight about this, plus it's like now where can I change them without getting looks. They want to send me down the the dungeon somewhere.

Or out somewhere where there are no changing tables (there should be a law about public restrooms and changing tables!)and I have to get creative (use a bench, the car, the stroller, my lap or anywhere I can balance their little bodies). It just draws a lot of attention when it's poop and people start making faces.

Am I oversensitive or does anyone else ever feel this way? We gotta do what we gotta do as moms you know?!

Before Baby there was you

Remember when..........

- You saw a toddler having a tantrum in public and thought "that will never be me"


- You saw a baby crawling in a public place and thought "I would never let my baby do that!"


- You saw a babys pacifier fall to the floor and mommy picked it up, wiped it off and gave it back and thought "eew"


- You saw a mom changing her baby in her car in a parking lot and thought "why isn't she using a changing table?!"


- You went to a public restroom to change your baby and realized not all bathrooms have changing tables


- You went to the mall the first time with baby and realized you now need to locate all elevators everywhere you go


- Poop was not something you counted or took notice to


- Getting dressed did not include the requirement of "will spit up blend into this?"


- You gave your first evil look to your phone when it dared to ring at naptime

Buying a Stroller is like buying a Car

Shopping for Strollers sucks!

Since shopping for strollers is like buying a car, you need to know what you want and if it's gotten good reviews. We looked for:

1. Easy to maneuver

2. Less than $600 (and btw if you don't need a car seat the strollers are even less by themselves)

3. Large enough bottom basket

4. Cupholders or pockets for mom

5. Reclines for naps

6. Lightweight

7. Fits easily in car

8. Collapses easily

So I polled moms to find out if and why they love their strollers. The prices on Amazon seemed the cheapest and many are available for FREE shipping. These were the ones that received rave reviews:

Toddler boots should not cost as much as mine!

Finding boots for a reasonable price for a baby or toddler should be easy. Thinking "Oh they are smaller than my size they should be less expensive" Not true! Ugg, Emu and Bearpaw prices are so inflated when the latter two are just Ugg knockoffs! 
Comparing Payless to Sketchers to Target to Childrens Place and Nordstrom (I know they are way expensive but I was just curious) the average price range was between $30-$40 and I saw some for over $100+! That seemed steep for boots that will be grown out of in a matter of months.  But here are some cute deals I found:

Everything's a Virus

Why do we pay for health insurance when most times babies or children are sick the Doctor just looks at them, takes their temp and tells us it's a virus and must run it's course.

I hate that! I want Doctors to have magical remedies to stop the suffering my child is experiencing. 

Well since our Doctors don't graduate from Hogwarts we need to just pay our copay and go home to take care of our little ones.

Also I thought about writing this because of the recent Tylenol recall and a few months back there was that Motrin scare leaving us to be afraid of medicine when our children have fevers and pain and need it.

So here are some things I found to help with the attack of the VIRUS. If your child has any of these symptoms there are some remedies you can use to ease everyone's frustrations:

Fever over 99F

Diarrhea or Vomiting

No Appetite

Cough

Stuffy Nose

Extreme Diaper Rash (possibly bloody or very raw)

FEVER/PAINS: Obviously you can use Infant or childrens Tylenol or Motrin but I always buy the store brand Acetaminophen or Ibuprofen Target, Walmart, Walgreens, Rite Aid and CVS all have great store brands which usually go for about $5 for infant drops compared to brand names being around $9








DIARRHEA/VOMITING/NO APPETITE: Ya fun stuff. These are the worst because you feel horrible but are grossed out by cleaning it up. If baby will drink they are fine. Just avoid sugary drinks because they can make symptoms worse.
They don't necessarily have to eat, but it's best if they eat the BRAT diet:

Banana
Rice
Applesauce
Toast

 And they are supposed to drink Pedialyte or anything with Electrolytes. (Which also comes in store brands at Rite Aid and CVS) My daughter hated all the flavors. This one is flavorless and you can mix it with something or have it alone for about $6 for name brand!

They now make Popsicles for about $6 a box for name brand.




And to my surprise CVS and Walgreens make dissolving Electrolyte Strips that are flavored and hydrated your child without drinking!

These are amazing! They are $4.99 and you can go to CVS or CVS Buy Electrolyte Strips

But since kids get sick and you urgently need what you need you probably want to run to the store!

COUGH/STUFFY NOSE: Unfortunately there isn't much you can do medicine wise for these for small children and babies. You just need to use a bulb to empty their nose as often as you can and use a cool mist humidifier in their room (this Hello Kitty one comes with a night light too!). They can also drink chamomile tea.

DIAPER RASH: For girls this can be tricky because if it's an "angry" looking red it could be a yeast infection. Besides normal diaper creams/paste you can also used Hydro cortisone Cream mixed with Antifungal ointment to relieve a severe rash. You can even mix Neosporin in there too. When most Pediatricians write a prescription for a diaper rash, it is the same as mixing these together. It works like a charm. (Use this only if the rash is extremely red or skin is broken and other diaper creams aren't helping)

Mothering and the Corporate World

Mothering in the Corporate World

You know we really don't get or give enough credit to working moms. It's an extremely hard job to do and it seems everything goes in the opposite direction you need it to. 

This is the experience for some:

FIRST TRIMESTER:

First get pregnant

Then worry about when and how to tell the boss

Pretend morning sickness isn't happening and keep producing

Pretend that not having coffee in the am makes no difference while falling asleep in cubicle

Will this affect any chance of promotion?

SECOND TRIMESTER:

Ok go tell boss before getting written up

If it's the first pregnancy people may be excited at first, if it's the 2nd or 3rd you may hear "Oh not again!" in the breakroom

Go through pregnancy and work as if  unaffected.

"Oh office clothes are no problem!"

"Sure I'm comfortable"

"Going to the Dr during lunch break" (OMG I'm starving)

"Want to show husband/family new ultrsound pics. Guess it will have to wait until 7pm when the day is done"

Have to pee again during big meeting. What to do? (and OMG I'm starving)

THIRD TRIMESTER:

Getting big  hearing comments like the ones posted in "Advice I never asked for" 

and "Hey you're still here? Didn't have that baby yet huh? When are you coming back? Wow you're big!" (wearing flats doesn't help)

BABY COMES:

Moving on "Yay Maternity Leave"

But once you have your precious little one..your job is calling expecting you back 6-9 weeks later. 

"What am I supposed to do with my newborn? Leave him in a dresser drawer until I come home?"

"Or pay for daycare at $800 per month?" 

Figure it out

"Ok back to work."

GO BACK TO WORK:

NOW the Mommy Guilt kicks in..."What if a milestone happens?, Baby can't say how the day went, what if it was bad?

Baby was up all night but the office still opens at 9am sharp. So exhausted don't know how to make it through the day and still have co workers respect.

Then "Is there a room for pumping milk, What everyone uses the supply closet!?, Do moms have to tell their boss every time? Will people think nursing moms just take a lot of breaks?"

What if baby is sick and leaving early is the only option? Are mothers valued as employees here or seen as a liability?"
 

Working moms deserve extra pay for the extra job they do (and stay at home moms have a job that is harder than it looks. They deserve ANY pay since they get $0 for a 168 hour workweek) 

It's a tough job (but rewarding..motherhood anyway) and I would love to see a male CEO try even half of this one day.

Baby Poop

Yes it's true my daughter pooped in the bathtub. As a matter of fact BOTH of my daughters have done this and both have done it more than once!
Of course they were not teenagers or anything (still under 12 months old) But Geez!! Nothing in life prepares you for these things! I used to be scared to touch anything even remotely gross..well now I'm sure you all know the story.

Oh man...you should have heard me the first time. I was like "OH GOD, THIS DID NOT JUST HAPPEN TO ME!!!"

I was like not knowing what to do first! Get gloves, get baby out (but wait she's got poop on her), wash all the toys before she puts them in her mouth...seriously too much to handle..

You know after becoming a mom you never look at poop the same way as you used to. As a newborn it's an accomplishment (like yay I have milk baby is eating!), later you count them to make sure they do it everyday, then you get worried if they do it too much. Now I worry also during bathtime....


What unexpected things have happened to you since motherhood where you thought "I can't Believe I'm doing this right now"!?

Baby Blogging: Do other people's kids bug you??

Let’s be real here. We all like our own kids more than anyone else’s. But let’s not kid ourselves, just because you love your own kids and are positive they are the best thing that could be put on this Earth and are the smartest most talented kids you know, lol. Doesn’t mean you like ALL kids. Even a teacher doesn’t like ALL kids. And you don’t have to it’s fine.

Do you like ALL people? I know I don’t! So kids are just little people, some you like and some you can’t stand. The difference is with kids you can go tell their mommy if they do something you don’t like. (It probably won’t do any good though because their parents are the reason they behave the way they do) Any children's place I go (the park, indoor playgyms) there are always parents not watching their kids! I can't stand it because those are usually the kids that are throwing sand, or toys or pushing and acting crazy!

Why do parents use child friendly places as babysitters so they can read a magazine or text their friends? Has anyone else experienced this?

Don’t lie you know some of these have happened to you (or at least a couple)

Just admit it we aren't perfect! I'm not June Cleaver and don't walk around with a smile on my face while I lovingly clean up spit up and poop, while dinner is on the stove of my spotless house.

Ya right...I have two kids under 2 and if I see a shortcut I take it. We have all done something we wouldn’t tell our significant other or mother in law from time to time. Now don’t judge me I haven’t done all of these. Many are things my spying eyes have caught or confessions from others who didn’t think I’d post what they did. Now I’m only posting non serious things here..unfortunately I have also witnessed what could be classified as neglect but lets keep it light here:

1.       1. Oops the pacifier fell on the ground, I’ll just wipe it clean on my shirt baby will be fine                       

      2. Shoot! don’t want to mess up the manicure( that I finally got after three months of waiting), maybe baby will have to wait a few for that diaper change

     3. Baby needs a new diaper. Can’t reach the wipes. Oh well it’s just pee

     4. Feeding time! What?!! Why is all the food on the floor!! Well baby will just have to eat it anyway. This isn't a cafeteria.

5  5. Of course baby is hungry while I’m cleaning the house or finally getting ready to go somewhere. I’ll just prop up the bottle with a blanket                      

     6. Baby got really dirty while (you choose one) playing, spitting up, drooling, eating...good thing I have an extra change of clothes in my diaper bag. Oh..Darn it! too bad I forgot that its been in there for months and doesn't fit anymore

     7. Wiped baby’s drool with their own top when a burp cloth or bib was nowhere to be found.

8.   8. Baby pooped (they always wait for the perfect time huh?). I'm nowhere near a bathroom or all the ones nearby are gross with no changing tables. I'll change baby in the car. 

9.  
9. Oh you have advice I didn't ask for? Ok great, why don't you go take a number and have a seat. I'll call you when I want it.

W   Whats gone wrong for anyone else? I would love to hear it so we can laugh at it now that it's over!

Keeping mom feeling beautiful without a trip to the spa

Home Beauty Treatments!


I have begun to embrace at home beauty treatments. Pre babies I was a bit high maintenance and I can still maintain some of that for a lot cheaper while at home and I don't need a babysitter. I don't endorse any products I've just wasted my own money on the bad ones so you can reap the benefits of knowing the good ones. So here we go:

1. I love ProActiv facewash kit. It comes to my door right when I need it and I haven't gotten pimples in forever, even in my last pregnancy! If you want to save money just tell them to stretch out your shipments so they can ship to you every 12 weeks instead of every 6 weeks. And you can also ask them to switch what they send you. Like if you go through a lot of cleanser but not the lotion they can give you 2 cleansers and a toner and you can get lotion the next time. Its about $39 plus shipping


2. Daily Self Tanners. These are great because they don't smell bad and don't leave streaks. I like the ones by Jergens and Dove the most. Jergens makes an oil free moisturizer for the face too. You can find these at all drugstores or Walmart and Target. They each cost about $8.






3. Now some people may think I'm crazy for this one but I am in LOVE with my Epilator! Remember those horrible "Epilady" machines from the late 80's?
Well they have improved the technology and I have to say I'm in love. I save so much time by not shaving in the shower, I don't have to buy shaving cream or razors or do it in a rush because baby is crying. It's not messy like waxing so if I'm in the middle of doing it and someone calls or I have to take care of the kids I can just stop and start back up when the kids are napping.
Now I'm not gonna lie. The first time you do it if you've never waxed it will probably hurt like the dickens!!!!
But the results are amazing and in the long run you save money and time. I use the Braun Silk-epil Xpress Wet Dry. It also comes with trimming and shaving attachments. It pulls hairs out from the root and they come back very light and then barely come back at all. You need to exfoliate daily with a sugar scrub or loofah so you don't get ingrowns. I got mine at Bed Bath and Beyond so I could use the 20% discount. It was $119 before the discount. But I also found www.Amazon.com had a good price. Trust me it saves $ in the long run.






4. Now for makeup I used to be a MAC junkie. I still have almost every eyeshadow color they make. But their foundation and powder run about $30 a piece. I was also using Lancome mascara for about $30 too. That's $90 on three products! So I asked around to see what people recommended. I found Covergirl Advanced Radiance foundation and pressed powder for about $10 each. they are oil free and have the exact coverage I was looking for. And I am crazy about Covergirl LashBlast Mascara you can get 2 for $10 at Target when they are on special. Its the best mascara I've ever used!







5. This product works really well on days you don't have time for your hair but want it to look great anyway. It also depends on your hairs texture if you need it.
It's by Scunci and it's called "Create the Perfect Pony" I found it at Rite Aid one day and I love it! It costs about $5. You just put the rubber insert in your ponytail and you have a full glamorous ponytail in a few minutes.

Scunci Perfect Pony Tool with 3 No Damage 4mm Elastics (Pack of 3)


6. This last one is the best antiperspirant I've ever used and I don't know why more people don't use it. Maybe because it's packaging looks really 80's but you know when your lifting children, babies, carseats, strollers and everything else it takes to get out of the house with a baby the last thing you want to worry about it sweating. And you can find it at Target or drugstores it costs around $5 unlike Secret Clinical Strength which is $14! You use Certain Dri at night and you won't need anything the following day or sometimes for up to three days! It's amazing!