Fire Kid's Edition Review

I was not paid for this review or reimbursed/rewarded in any way. I am just sharing my opinion about a product I have purchased.

I bought a Kindle Fire Kid's edition for, Nadia, my 9 year old daughter.  This was purchased to replace the Nabi that was broken and unable to be replaced due to the fact that the serial number sticker wore off. My absolute favorite thing about this Fire is that there is a 2 year no questions asked replacement policy.  That means I wouldn't have had to explain any insane way my child may break it. Like the time one of them peed on a tablet... don't ask. Chalk that one up to the dangers of potty training.

I love how easy it was to set up controls to make my child read before being allowed to play. Not that she needs to be forced to read, but some days she needs the nudge to get her reading time done before playing. The parental controls can limit screen time hours as well. As a parent you can also set bed and wake times, leaving the tablet unusable after hours. You can set two different limit settings for weekdays and weekends.

I will be signing up for the Amazon Free Time Unlimited access to continue after our one year of free Amazon Free Time service is up. The access to kids books and videos, just kid's content, is worth the small cost to me. (Less than I pay for Netflix)

At only $99 (when I purchased) this tablet was much cheaper than an Ipad. It has much better kid mode function than the Ipad as well.  Now I can have my Ipad back, just as soon as I get the other two Fire Kid's Editions for my youngest children as well.

Hoover FloorMate SpinScrub Wet/Dry Vacuum Review

I was not paid or provided any rewards for this review of the Hoover Floormate SpinScrub Wet/Dry Vacuum.   My family had killed another floor steamer.  With over half of my house being tile it was an enormous task to clean.  When you add all the pet/kid mess I clean as well it is overwhelming at times.  Bird food and bunny food scattered around cages.  Jello hidden behind the couch because my 2 year old doesn't like the texture.   I was spending too much time cleaning the floor.

With my Floormate SpinScrub I do a quick sweep of all larger object. Why sweep first? Because there was a chicken nugget under the train table.. among other WTF findings after my children picked up.  Then I switch my SpinScrub to Vacuum and finish picking up any dirt or debris.
I almost cried the first time I actually washed the floors with it. It was cleaning my gross grout! I was to the point I wanted our floors professionally steamed.   I've even pulled up gum and other mysterious spots that were here when we moved in.
Once I was done washing the floors I switch it to dry and my floors are dry before I can wrap up the cord.  Which for me means no children's footprints across a newly cleaned damp floor. It's dry before they can even plot to run on it.
Cleaning the machine is easy too!  Everything comes apart for easy washing.  The Spinbrushes underneath pop off for easy rinsing as well as the front hood.  I clean my machine after every use. Dumping the dirty water out without spilling is so easy my kids sometime help me.

My Hoover Floormate SpinScrub Wet/Dry Vacuum has become my favorite household appliance. That is really saying something because I finally have an Artisan Kitchen Aid Mixer as well as a Delonghi Food Processor/Blender both that I have wanted for years.  This amazing product has taken a chore that would normally take a few hours down to a 20-30 minute task to clean the same areas.

I bought my machine off Amazon because with our Amazon Prime membership we got as great discount as well as having it shipped to our house. Hoover Floormate SpinScrub Wet/Dry Vacuum 

OraMD Review and Giveaway!!

I have always hated toothpaste. From the foaming types to the way too gritty, they all make me want to puke.  With a sensitive palate I can not stand the fake flavoring in many toothpastes and after having kids my toleration of certain textures has gone out the window.

Add the years of suffering with sensitive teeth from the time my adult teeth came in as a child to bleeding gums after having children, my mouth was not happy. I was recently offered to try something different. A liquid 3-in-1 toothpaste, mouthwash, and breath freshener with strong antibacterial properties.  With the leading cause of bad breath being bacteria I was willing to give this 100% pure and natural product a chance.  Thank you to Trusted Health Products for introducing me to this product.

I admit, I was skeptical what this little bottle could do for me.   The science couldn't be argued with though. OraMD reduces the bacteria that cause bad breath.  I started with just a few drops on my toothbrush, OraMD was nothing like the toothpaste/spackle experience I've grown to despise.  The taste is very strong the first use but with just a few uses I had gotten use to and actually started to like the strong minty taste.  Compared to my supposed long lasting toothpaste I didn't wake up in the next morning with nasty feeling teeth.  My mouth still felt cleaner.. as if less nastiness came back over night.  
After a week of use I no longer had tender bleeding gums.  I have been enjoying ice cream again as well.  I love OraMD.  I'm not just saying this because they gave it to me free to review. It is now part of my everyday routine and I no longer dread brushing my teeth.    

If you would like to try this product and are not one of the 3 lucky winners of this generous giveaway you still have a chance!  The manufacturer is willing to offer my readers one FREE bottle. They would love to have my readers try out OraMD and agreed to send one bottle FREE if our readers would pay a minimal shipping and handling charge.  They also agreed to include 2 eye-opening reports called 1) “The 6 Hidden Dangers In Toothpaste” and 2) “Why The FDA Requires A Warning Label On Your Toothpaste.”  
That’s a total value of over $40.00.  Click here to get your FREE bottle and FREE reports now.

Another bonus is when you like Trusted Health Products Facebook page you save $5 on your first order as well!

Good luck on the giveaway! I look forward to announcing the winners.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

5 kids and a messy parrot defeated! The Hoover TwinTank Steam Mop review

With 5 kids and a very messy parrot I always have a mess to clean in my house. One of those kids is a son who is potty training so you can only imagine the type of messes I have to clean.  ::shudder::  Don't try!  5 kids in all his potty training messes are the least of my problems.  From food fights, to oops I dropped the jelly jar in the middle of the kitchen, to just plain dirty little heathen foot prints across every inch their legs can reach.  You can't forget a bird that shakes her head splattering fruit bits on everything or with her refusal to be potty trained as well, leaving worse things on my floor...  .My floor was in a constant state of horrifying mess.  The one thing I have been grateful for is that the majority of my floors are tiled.  I still look back at the time we lived at our apartment that was carpet in EVERY room... even the bathroom  ::shudder:: my kid's don't mix well with carpeting.  Like shag carpeting and tree sap.

Then the condo we lived at that had wood floors in the main rooms.  This is where I was first introduced to steam mops. Sadly it was as much work to steam with as regular mopping.  In less than 3 months I killed one very popular brand one mop I will leave un-named.  I'd rather not slander.. even if their product was disappointing along with their customer "dis"service.

When I was recently given the opportunity to test and review the Hoover Twin Tank Steam Mop, I was excited.  The day it arrived I wanted to take a picture of it still in the box but my quick charge camera would have taken a whole 15 minutes to charge and my hands were itching to get to steaming.

It has two easy fill tanks that keep the specially formulated Hoover SteamPlus Cleaning Solution separate from the water, so you control the amount of solution used with a quick turn of the dial.  No more waiting for the machine to build up steam either.  It was ready to clean in less than 10 seconds at the push of button. There is even a steam ready LED light to alert you when it's time to clean. This Steam mop is perfect for busy moms like me!  I have better things to do than wait around for my cleaning machine to be ready.  The TwinTank Steam Mop comes equipped with a on-demand steam trigger, so you can boost your steam power where you need it.  With a 30 foot power cord so I can clean farther without constantly swapping outlets it saves my sanity.  The intelligently designed triangle mop head gets under my kitchen cabinets easily, against the baseboards and even around the toilet. There is nothing I do not love about this machine!!

The machine came with an 8oz bottle of Hoover 2X SteamPlus Cleaning Solution, 3 Microfiber Triangle Pads( so you always have one ready to clean with), Cooling Tray (to protect your floors during storage and cooling), and a Carpet Glider(to refresh carpets).  

My personal experience with the Hoover TwinTank Steam Mop was amazing. When we moved into our house there were many old gum spots.  I tried scraping but they were so old they didn't budge.  With just a few seconds of steam shot from this amazing machine with the trigger activated steam, all the ancient gum was very tacky and easily cleaned.  I was delighted to be able to steam clean the entire downstairs in less than 30 minutes.  The only drawback was no need to kick my kids out of the house because it left the floor dry within minutes. Ok, that's not a real drawback, but it's the only one I could come up with.

To sum up.. If I hadn't gotten this as a review opportunity I would be begging my husband to buy it for me.

I received a sample of this product to facilitate my review, but my opinions are entirely my own.

Thirsties Duo review

Let me just say. I love this diaper!
I won it from a a giveaway on a another blog. I am a giveaway addict but that's a whole different post.  I picked the larger size in blue so both my boys would be able to use it.

I love the double openings so there no reaching into a dirty pocket to remove your inserts. It comes out during the wash.  The one thing I don't like is the Aplix. (velcro)  That's a personal preference though.  I prefer snaps mainly because my resident streaker can't remove the diaper at will.  With all the girls in the house there is always a serious amount of hair collected on the tabs even though they were secured in the wash. (it's the one major drawback with aplix closures for me.

The fact that both my sons can wear it due to it's rise snaps is a huge bonus for me.  Even though cloth diapers have an excellent resale value, it's nice not worrying about which  diaper I am grabbing in the middle of the night for a quick change.  They all fit right.
It's not the cutest print in my collection but it is the workhorse of my diaper stash.  I've never had a blowout or leak in this diaper. That is enough to make me want more of these awesome diapers. Hubby's displeasure with my ever expanding diaper addiction is the only thing holding me back.  Good thing I work co-ops and giveaways like a part-time job.  He can't complain if I win the diapers.

Bird Tricks Saved my Sanity

Want to stop the screaming?  Is your feathered friend a biter?  Don't give up, there is help out there for you.

The best online resource for me as a parrot owner has been Bird Tricks.  Their blog answers many everyday questions that a bird owner may have.  Did you know birds get dry skin like we do in the winter?  

I first became introduced to this website after we rescued Mezmo our African Grey Parrot.   Mezmo was a victim of the poor economy.  His previous owner, a hypnotist or magician in Las Vegas, lost his home to foreclosure and Mezmo was the bird that he didn't take with. sad right? A friend of the family was left to feed him.  They knew we were bird lovers and we took him in right before Christmas of 09.

Their DVDs are an invaluable tool for any bird owner.  Since buying their DVD's I better understand my parrot's behavior.  I thank the training we learned from the DVD's for how fast Mezmo came to trust us.  Going from a bird that would fly around in it's huge cage when you walked into the room, to flying to you and taking food off your fork as you eat.  The clicker training made a huge difference in his response to step up in a few weeks.  The screaming took longer but more due to my response.  Telling your bird to "Stop it" will just lead to them screaming then saying "Stop it" as if to mock you even more.
 
We still have some more work to do with Mezmo, but training never stops when you own any animal.

Downy Unstoppables Review

I was recently given the chance to try out Downy Unstoppables In-Wash Scent Booster.  All thanks to Vocal Point for providing me with this sample.

With a husband that has highly sensitive skin it really prevents me from getting too adventurous with our laundry.  Every single fabric softener I have ever tried has resulted in him getting a horrible rash.  I was left with only laundry soap to add a fresh scent, or so I thought...  I discovered that I couldn't use anything but one brand for the only the most sensitive of skins and with no added scent or dyes.
At first I was hesitant to put Downy Unstoppables in any laundry that my husband would use out of fear that he would break out in huge ugly welts.  I instead started with the kid's blankets.  It was that time in the laundry cycle for a bedding wash.  They immediately loved it.  Nadia was the first to beg for more of her things to be washed with the "special scent beads."  After the first success I slowly started adding the Downy Unstoppables in-wash scent booster with more types of laundry.  To my surprise my husband was not allergic to it in any way and thoroughly enjoyed the fresh scent.

The fresh clean smell was a great addition to the boring routine. I actually looked forward to laundry.  (I know! I was shocked by this too)  You add this product at the beginning of your wash cycle with the detergent.

It was easy to use with the flip top cap, secure snapping lid for measuring and the mess free beads.   No liquid to pour into a weird ball that may open at the wrong time leaving a creepy stain on your clothing.  The ability to smell the product without breaking the seal open was great and made it easy to share the scent with my family before trying it on the laundry.

It may not have a fabric softener in it but maybe that is the ingredients that have been leaving my husband with horrible welts after using other products.

I look forward to seeing Downy Unstoppables In-Wash Scent booster on my local store shelves. (Thanks to my Vocal Point membership I get the chance to try products before they are released to the general public)

If you would like to be able to try this product and many more sign up for Vocal Point.

Mio Liquid Water Enhancer Review

There are many days that I have difficulty drinking enough water throughout the day.  This isn't a shock to me, because there are days I have difficulty getting myself dressed before lunch.  Being pregnant this has become even more important to get my recommended daily water.

It's not that I drink soda or other drinks that are bad for you.  Living in the Las Vegas valley tap water is just plain nasty.  (No matter how many ads the water district put out I will never be convinced that the water is good) There are days when the tap water smells like the back end of a week-old dead fish and others when it smells like a public swimming pool.  It's not just my super pregnancy sniffer that is bothered by it, I have always been disturbed by the smell since we moved here when I was only 9.

My husband took pity on me and used to order big jugs of water delivered to our door. (to the detriment of our bank account.)  Now that we have moved into our new house we no longer subscribed to water delivery.  We enjoy our new filtered water system instead of overpriced jugs of filtered water.

With the higher than normal amounts of water needed during pregnancy I still find myself struggling to drink enough.  After coming home from a recent doctor's appointment complaining of exhaustion  my wonderful husband ran off to the store bringing me back some tasty treats.  One of the many goodies he brought me was two different flavors of the new Mio Liquid Water Enhancer.  At first I was doubtful it would taste well enough for me to want to drink repeatedly.

On my first attempt I put way too much in my glass. A little squirt goes a very long way.  After letting the glass sit and ice melt into it, the drink was perfect.  I was surprised by how sweet tasting it was without adding any calories to the water.  That's right no extra calories!!   All the benefits of drinking water without adding extra chunk, unlike sugar laden kool-aid.  Even my children prefer water with a small squirt of Mio in it to their usual kool-aid.  This product is quickly becoming a staple in our household's everyday lives.  I would highly recommend this to everyone and anyone.  (from the soda addicts to the health nuts.)

There are many ways to use Mio and not just in your water.  You can mix it in your smoothies to add flavor without extra calories.  Add it to jello to a kick of flavor.  Mix it into plain Greek yogurt for a tasty treat.  Add into tonic water to make your own soda.

My Vacuum Doesn't Suck

My wonderful vacuum was purchased just last year and I've loved every minute of owning it.  I got a great deal on the price by ordering from the Germ Guardian website rather than buying it from walmart.  It worked perfectly for almost a full year.  Even with at least two different kids trying to ride it or conquer it in some way every chance they get.

One evening during movie night Maxx was terrorizing his sisters.  I had purchased these new Orville Redenbacher popcorn pop up bowls special for this night.  They were awesome, No extra dirty dishes.  The one draw back is once Maxx got a hold of one he had the popcorn flung in a 2 foot wide swath across the front room.  (it took less than 3 seconds for the destruction)   I got out my beloved vacuum and let Morgan start cleaning it up while I got Maxx ready for bed.  She was doing a wonderful job getting the mess cleaned, but the higher pitched noise coming from the vacuum went unnoticed.  The hose was clogging up with popcorn.  Suddenly the vacuum shut off and would not turn back on.

I wanted to cry and scream. I did not want to have to shop for another vacuum.   I loved all the extras on mine. I sent an email off to customer service for Germ Guardian.  The very next day there was an email waiting for me when I woke up.
My vacuum is even more awesome then I knew it was.  Not only does it convert from a standard push vacuum into a canister vacuum.  It also come equipped with a thermal reset button.  Basically if the vacuum starts overheating it will trip the button instead of damaging the internal workings.  After a short 30 minute cool down you press the small button and it's back to business as usual.

My vacuum doesn't suck.. it ROCKS!  Everyday I am glad I purchased it rather than another Dirt Devil in a long line of deceased cleaning tools.  I highly recommend the Germ Guardian line of products from their humidifiers, UV light sanitizers, to the vacuums.  They have excellent customer service and amazingly wonderful products.

BabyLegs Review

I just recently purchased my first set of BabyLegs leggings.  They had a great sale and I was able to convince my hubby to buy some. Once he saw that you could use it on the kid's arms when they got bigger he was sold.  The fact that they had a great sale really helped to seal the deal.  Now Maxx's knee's get a break from crawling on the hard wooden floors.  Plus when I wear him in a carrier  I wont have to wrestle with his pants to cover his ankles. Those are just a few of the added bonuses of having BabyLegs.

Within an hour of wearing Maxx wearing them all three of his big sisters were jealous of them and wanted a pair for themselves. I didn't think the older two would like them so I just ordered some for the youngest pair.  Looks like I'm gonna have to place another order after the holiday craziness is over.

As I type this Maxx is laying cuddled up next to me toasty as can be without a blanket, pants or socks.  The BabyLegs are keeping his legs warmer than any pair of pants I've ever put on him.  They haven't crept up or slipped down at all even after being picked up repeatedly, playing with his sisters, crawling up and down the hallways, and climbing up onto whatever he can reach.  I'm shocked he hasn't tried to pull them off like he does with pants.
I would recommend them for anyone not just for babies.  They have such a huge multitude of uses for all ages. The same pair Maxx is wearing I could fit on the arms and legs of ALL his sisters.  Sure, the oldest two aren't pulling them thigh high but they are still nice leg warmers and cute too.
I did not get a pair free or at discount for writing this. This is just me sharing my love of a great product.

Clicker Training Hamsters

I am a sucker for animals that need a home. Our African Grey parrot Mezmo is a rescue bird. (He came to us just last December) Mezmo had some behavior problems but after serious clicker training he has changed drastically. It took some work with great guidance from a set of Bird Tricks DVD's I purchased. My only regret was not buying the DVD's sooner.

My youngest sister is moving out-of-state soon and I guess her friend thought it would be the perfect chance to pawn some angry hamsters off on someone. (someone she may never see ever again.) After accepting them my sister realized that there was no way she could take the hamsters on the long move.

In turn our family recently acquired 2 dwarf hamsters with cage and supplies, from my little sister. They are two girl Dwarf hamsters, one is white with pink eyes and the other looks just like the picture. Her friend's kids had stopped handling them as often as they should due to other newer pets in the house, which was why their mom got rid of them. The hamsters are not very well socialized and they will bite. They are very aggressive when treats are given. I think they had also been teased. We are going to try to do clicker training with them. Clicker training is a great trust building activity. It has worked very well with our parrot.

I learned what I know about clicker training from the DVD's we purchased from Bird Tricks. After some research on the web I found someone using clicker training for hamsters as well. Rodents being a food reward type animal clicker training the hamsters will be very similar to the bird. I will just use what I learned from the DVD's and adapt the training for small animals and not a bird.

My goal is to get the hamsters to the point that my kid's can hold them without the hamsters attempting to bite them. As a family, we plan to go visit the nearby pet store this weekend and pick out some new accessories for the hamsters' cage. Our oldest two daughters want to name the hamsters as a family this weekend as well.

Related Articles

• Is a Hamster a Good First Pet? (brighthub.com)

30 Day Shred Redux

That's right you read that right, I'm starting over on the 30 day shred. The results I was getting were just too impressive not to fight through it again. I only made it just surpassed the halfway point before I was sabotaged. I didn't even make it to the change-up into difficulty level three which has really bothered me.

As of today I am back on day 3 of the 30 day shred. I started back on level one of the three difficulty levels and I am so glad I did. Let me just say, I am really feeling it today. Yesterday, I caught myself at some time or another walking as if I were decrepit old woman. After going for a walk with my kids to the store my aching muscles felt so much better. They just needed a better cooldown than what it shown in the video, nothing over the top just a nice 15 minute walk.

Julian Michaels is still the same reincarnate of a medieval torturer that I remembered. Even though I've done these workouts before, it really was day 1 all over again. It's not that I lost the muscle tone just the muscle memory of the workouts. Don't get me wrong, I love doing the 30 day Shred. I love that Julian Michaels is not your average cookie cutter, annoyingly perky trainer gazing blankly at you from screen like most other workout videos you've seen in the past. She is one tough cookie. She doesn't try to cheer lead you through the workout, but instead pushes you with her no excuses attitude. At one point in workout level one she says, "I have 400 lb people who can do jumping jacks, so can you!" Just when you start to feel the burn she gets this demented look on her face like she will come through your TV screen if you even think about resting.

On days when I want to get in a little more exercise (which is crazy sounding within the first few days of each level of the 30DS) I do a few repetitions of V-ups with my exercise ball. To me exercise becomes an obsession, once I really get over the first shock to my body and into a good workout schedule. The endorphin rush from a great workout is very addictive.

Here is a video of a good example of V-ups

My belly may have been cute 7 to 8 months ago when it was round with my baby boy. Now that it is round from too many sweets it's not so adorable. So it's outta here!

I will be wearing those goal jeans for my birthday. That means less than three more months to go!

Adding to the Joy of Baking

There are many things I can't live without bake without. The one thing most important to me for baking is my can of Baker's Joy cooking spray.  I can't say enough about how much I love that baking spray.  Even some of the stickiest and most troublesome recipes will always slide right out of the pan when using Baker's Joy.  Unlike when you oil then flour dust a pan separately, when using Baker's joy it uses only a fine mist of oil and flour.  Leaving much less chance for a simple mistake like too much or too little ruin your sweet treat.

My all time favorite packaged brownie mix is easily the Ghirardelli triple chocolate brownie. I buy mine in bulk at Sam's Club. 4 batches of this gooey brownie come in one box.  When we eat the last batch it is truly a bittersweet day.

My favorite use for brownies if they make it beyond the warm gooey treat fresh from the oven is turning them into hot fudge brownie sundaes.  Even with a lactose intolerant husband I can't live without my standard french vanilla ice cream to dress up with yummy treats like these brownies or even a favorite cookie.  It is the one ice cream you can always count on in my freezer.  Dress it up or mix something in, vanilla ice cream is a good base to start many delicious treats.  French vanilla is even more yummy with its vanilla bean speckles and custard-like base.

Here is a delicious hot fudge sauce recipe.

Hot Fudge Sauce

Ingredients

• 1 stick butter
• 4 ounces unsweetened chocolate
• 3 1/4 cup sugar
• 1 - 13 ounce can evaporated milk

Directions

1. In top of a double boiler over hot water, melt butter and chocolate.
2. Gradually add sugar and half the milk alternately.
3. Stir well after each addition
4. Add remaining milk, stirring constantly.
5. Cook until mixture is thick and sugar dissolves.

Notes

May store in a glass jar in the refrigerator.

The First of 30 Days

Yesterday was the first day of my workout routine using the Jillian Michaels 30 day shred.

Let me just say.. She kicked my ass. I was left a shaking, aching, panting, sweaty mess. I can confidently say that was the best workout I have done by far. No other workout left me feeling so thoroughly whipped.  Plus the added challenge of my 4 yr old dancing in and out of the room. (as I refer to her while working out... increased difficulty) Or the blow to my ego when my audience containing my 5 month old was laughing at me jumping around and rolling on the floor. Maxx thought it was hilarious.

To add insult to out of shape injury my husband calls me on the phone just as I finish my first level 1 routine. He actually laughed at how out of breath I was and totally whipped I sounded.    So, I challenged him to do the workout.   He confidently agreed. "No way can a female's workout be that tough"
Well, he tried it.. That was the most sweaty I have seen my husband in a long time.  He was a soggy hot mess.  I can honestly say.. she kicked his ass too.  I didn't point and laugh at him struggling thru some of the moves... like I wanted to. (yes, I am a very sore loser.. and sore winner too) I did giggle quietly to myself when he was cursing at the tv towards the end.
When he finished the workout he was just sitting with his muscles shaking.  I let out a very satisfying...

I TOLD YOU SO!!

Even though I felt horrible right after my routine was over. I still look forward to today's routine.  I was left feeling energized after recovering from the total shock of my first real workout in over a year.  Sure my muscles ache, but for dramatic results you need dramatic action.

The Unwilling Night Owl

Early to bed and early to rise. That was my motto. Since having kids... It's changed a LOT and not willingly.
I now find myself struggling to fall asleep and once I do get to sleep it's even harder to stay asleep.

I've tried warm milk... ::GAG:: I don't like that stuff when it's cold.. it's so much worse when warm.  Counting sheep til I lost count and am really tempted to poke my eye out with a  spork.  List making to slow or even stop the thoughts that swirl through my head constantly. Mostly to do lists... As a stay at home mom to 4 kids I can always think of something that needs doing.  Warm baths seem to energize me and a shower is much worse.  What am I to do?

I catch myself spending all day yawning, but then I get to take very few naps.  The slightest noise disturbs my sleep or as my husband says, "You startle awake from a mouse fart."  Some days I can sleep in until 10 am. At the same time can it really be considered sleeping in if you aren't asleep but instead are pretending in the hopes you can trick yourself into falling back asleep?

As I type this I realize there are many factors to why I can't sleep.  I'm sure there are more but there are some that are a constant cause in my insomnia battle.

Having a new baby in the house I wake throughout the night and constantly check on him.  Maxx is exclusively breast-fed and seems to go from one growth spurt to the next with very little time between.

If only that were all that kept me from sleep.

My husband has a job that his schedule flip-flops throughout the year. Most the year he is working from 2 P.M. to 10 P.M.  but during the summer and winter school breaks from school he works 4 A.M. to Noon.  Throughout the year I stay up and wait for him because I can't sleep without him next to me.  Then during the flipped schedule I have a tough time falling asleep because he's already comfortably in bed snoring away once I finally get the house settled to bed.

With Maxx teething lately he's been up hourly throughout the night.  His constant need to soothe nurse has me worn out.  To make matters worse he's started refusing his pacifier lately.  So I have become the pacifier unless I prefer a little angry person yelling at me.  If it wasn't for Hyland's Teething tablets I would have run away to join a circus by now.  Some parents say they don't work for their children.  I pity those poor souls.  In our house they are miracle pills. My son just has to see the bottle and he perks up and opens his mouth ready for a dose.  My daughter did this too when she was little and teething viciously.

Maybe one day I will be the early bird catching her worm again.  For now I will be the content mama night owl off to obsessively check her flock "one last time".  Let's all hope I get more sleep soon or I am gonna be one nutty mama.

And for those that argue that Hyland's Teething tablets can't safe if they have Belladonna in it.. Please read this very informative post explaining their safety from a great natural mama site.

Everything Birth ~ The Safety of Hyland's Teething Tablets

My Baby-Wearing Experience and What an Experience it has been

I haven't always been a baby wearer.  In the past I was more of a baby holder. I always said that your baby will only be small enough to be held for so very little before you are going to need to chase them down for your hugs and cuddling.

My problem has always been with the carriers.  Either you are going to be spending WAY too much for something that will get bodily fluids on it or it is reasonably priced and uncomfortable to wear.  On top of that, other carriers I've had in the past were horrible to clean and didn't support the baby very well.  The final straw for me with standard baby carriers was when I pinched my youngest daughter with the closures on my last standard carrier.  After the tears cleared Daddy just said "she must be too big to be worn" and we moved her to a stroller. I sadly gave up baby wearing with her.  Every time she rode in the stroller I mourned the time spent being close to her without having to sacrifice productivity.

When I became pregnant with my son I was determined to find a better carrier. Even against my husband's complaints. "Don't you own enough carriers?"  No.. not enough of the right one.  Stubbornly I searched for my dream carrier. Supportive for my back and child, easy to clean, and it must grow with my baby.

After endless amounts of searching and comparing I finally found a carrier that intrigued me, the Moby Wrap.  I wondered how could one long strip of material secure my baby to me.  Thank you for the clarification goes to all the video's online showing the many ways to wear your baby safely in the Moby wrap and even all the way to toddler years. I convinced my husband to let me order just one more baby carrier and he actually agreed.  I think it was the promise that it was the last item I was ordering in my online baby shopping frenzy.

The carrier arrived even before my son did.  I resisted the urge to try it out, even though my 3 yr old would have still been within the weight limit.  My big belly and aching back wouldn't have been in on the fun.

Once my son was born I was excited to put it to use.  I will be the first to admit it took some getting used to and lots of reference to the booklet that came with it. My husband even helped me get it on myself and the baby inside safely the first few times. I think it was more because he didn't trust a long strip of material to hold the baby well enough, rather than him just being helpful.

My son went from fussing  to asleep in less than a minute. It frightened my husband when our son went silent that fast.  He thought something was wrong.  When he leaned in to check on the baby he shocked to watch baby Maxx snuggle closer and let out a little sigh.

I will be the first to admit that at 4 months old my son is very different from any of my daughters were. Not just the usual gross little boy stuff... stinky farts and already amused by them. He is a much calmer and happier baby than his sisters were. I never even thought it was possible to have a happier baby then his big sister was.   On the rare days when he is being grumpy all I have to do is hold up the Moby wrap and ask if he needs some Moby time. As soon as he sets his sight on the Moby wrap he is all smiles and giggles.  Once inside he's either fast asleep or calmly quietly observing the world around him.  Daddy is even amazed at the difference the Moby wrap has made.

If I could go back in time.. I would own just one carrier.  I found the perfect one for me. It may not be the same for everyone, but it's the one I can't live without. Although I may get a second Moby wrap for wash day...  Just don't tell my husband.

Boon Inc. Oval Animal Bag

I was always on the look out for a way to store my kids' stuffed animals.   Sure, the nets are great if I want to constantly fetch toys for my 4-year-old.  I was finally motivated enough to do something about all the fluffy cuteness overflowing the kid's toy storage.   So, recently I bought a Boon Oval Animal Bag.

It has been great!

The Boon Animal Bags are like bean bags without the fear of messy explosions.  Another bonus is that there is no need for my kids to empty out the entire toy container for one special fluffy friend. With multiple zippered mesh windows my kid's can easily find the toy they want and without removing them all.  Soft toy storage and a soft fluffy seat all in one.

Next year, I may buy the largest Boon Animal Bag because my children end up wrestling over who gets the choice spot on the Boon Animal Pod (as they have come to refer to it).   Which also means we are going to need a lot more stuffed animals too.