Payday Friday #6

Dear Monster,

   Unfortunately, there will be quite a few times in your life when you stop and realize that you truly did not appreciate a specific moment, person, or object like you should have. The best thing you can do is take the extra time to sit quietly and reminisce on the moment, call the person and let them know you appreciate them and make an effort to spend more time with them, or use that object more often (go buy it if you don't own it already so you CAN use it more often!!). You can't go back and change things but you can change now and tomorrow. So, be aware of how lucky you are and appreciate those who surround you with love. Always.
~~~

Hello hello readers! It's Payday Friday again! I am so so so excited about this product. I wish I had done my research and discovered this product earlier on in my child rearing experience so I am going to attempt to preach the word of this product as loud as I can!

Welcome to the Payday Friday crew:

Dr. Brown's Formula Mixing Pitcher

I, literally, cannot say enough about this product. It mixes 32oz of formula at a time (that's 4 of Liam's bottles) and, if you use it properly, it does it without clumping or adding extra air to the formula to help prevent unneeded bubbles in baby's tummy. You can take it completely apart for thorough cleaning and all parts are dishwasher safe. There is an adjustable locking ring to ensure that the mixing blades never go above the water level which is the key to keeping the air in the formula to a minimum. The no-drip spout is thin so it is easy to pour the formula into any size bottle opening. And of course there is a no-slip grip for secure handling.  (A note if you're planning on purchasing this pitcher: I could not find this in any stores. I eventually bought it from Amazon.com.)

I got this pitcher in the mail and I could NOT wait to make tons and tons and tons of formula. I was a little surprised at how small it was when I opened the box but I guess my reference for how much 32oz of liquid actually is was way off! It fits perfectly into our refrigerator amongst the bottles and containers of baby food though so all is well. Some of the reviews for the pitcher state that the design feels flimsy at times and I will agree there. All of the pieces lock securely into each other but the actual handle on the top that you mix the formula with pivots so that you can maintain your grip however you are most comfortable. This is a wonderful feature but it leads to the entire mixing mechanism feeling a little loosey-goosey. It isn't, of course, but the swivel action makes it feel that way at times. I've already used it several times and the most important thing is that it makes perfect formula EVERY time. For me, being able to mix 32oz of perfectly clump and bubble free formula in under one minute is like a freaking gift from heaven! I wonder if you could mix other things in this pitcher? Tang mayhap? Hm...

Moving on. This amazing pitcher is my recommendation for your Payday Friday purchase. I love this thing and I hope you will as well! So, if you're not racing out to purchase this pitcher for yourself or a friend, what are you buying??? Any amazing plans for that well earned money? Any advice for me on my next big purchase? I'd love to hear from you guy!

Happy Friday Everyone!

My First DIY

Dear Monster,

   I can't wait to work on crafty stuff with you! Fun projects for Dad, homework sent home from school, or fun things just because they're fun! I can't wait! I've never been a crafty person, but for some reason, thinking about doing crafts with you makes me giddy!
~~~

Hello readers! I hope everyone's Saturday is going well. Saturdays are not all that thrilling for me as I have to work on Sunday but my husband usually gets home early and I get to spend the whole day with my monster so, they generally rank about an 8.

Although most Saturdays are an 8, today was AT LEAST an 11!! Why you ask? Because, today, I got to give my husband a gift. Let me preface by saying that Sean is the WORST person to try to give a gift to. He is always humble and ever so kind so no matter how hard you work, how much money you spend, or how much thought you put into it you will still get a "Aw...thanks. That's awesome." Then maybe a hug. Maybe. In 7 1/2 years I have only been able to make my husband cry TWICE because of something I have given him. 1) On his 29th birthday I bought him a "Yard of Beer" glass and a 6-pack of his favorite beer, I prepaid for his Uncharted 2 game, I bought him the Slave 1 from Star Wars in Lego form, and I gave him an incredibly romantic card....I think he cried for the Legos. 2) When I had him come home for lunch so that I could present him with 2 positive pregnancy tests.

THOSE ARE IT! So, it is like this intense DRIVE that I have now to try to get my husband passed his simple reactions to gifts. I've tried big and expensive, I've tried little and handmade, I've tried sentimental, funny, weird, and fun. I've tried it all. So, now it's just the luck of the draw. It all depends on what mood my husband is in. Due to this discovery, I try to make each and every gift intense and awesome...just in case.

Which brings me to today's blog! It's my first DIY blog so bear with me. :) I got the idea from a poem on Pinterest that I repined from a friend of mine. I was in tears by the second line (I'm convinced I am still working through some sort of pregnancy awfulness because I am, most definitely, NOT a crier) so I decided I had to do something with it. It helps that I had a very small budget to work with. Whenever I'm strapped for cash, I head to the crafts department and whip out some creativity. My basic idea for this was the print the poem out on some pretty paper and put Liam's little footprints next to it, then frame the whole thing. Simple. So, here we go...

The basics for that you will need for this project are as follows:

1. Card-stock Paper (I went ahead and grabbed 4 pieces of my chosen color because, let's face it, I'm gonna mess up)

2. A frame (I quickly discovered that frames are ridiculously expensive and that a normal 8 x 10 wouldn't work unless I trimmed the paper. So, I went with a "floating picture" design and bought an 11 x 14 frame. Your local Thrift Store would be a great resource for an awesome/unique frame!)

3. Finger paint (The incredibly helpful and patient lady at the JoAnn Fabric store informed me that normal fabric paint was NOT a good idea and that I should head over to the "Kid's Crafts" section for finger paint. Duh, Courtney! Did I not notice the GIANT sign for "Kid's Crafts" when I came in??)

4. A onesie that you're not so fond of (This is optional. The lady at the store said it would be a good idea just in case but I decided to keep Liam in his diaper. That way I don't have to clean a baby AND a onesie!)

5. Stickers (Also optional. I happened to find a sticker that went very well with my project so I purchased it. You, most definitely, don't have to.)

6. A bowl of luke warm water with an old wash cloth (You'll want to rinse off each foot as you finish with it.)

7. A paint brush (I found it easier to apply the paint directly than dipping his foot in and making a GIANT mess!)

8. A mat you're not so fond of (I used one of our old changing mats.)

9. You may also need one of these:

Alright, got your supplies?? Ready to go??

Step 1: Put your quote or poem or whatever you're going to use to your card-stock paper. This step is actually were I went through most of my paper. This was mainly because I was attempting to use a font that prints quite a bit lighter than every other font in existence. Once I finally got my font and placement figured out it went very well! Please note: It is a good idea to inform your printer that you are using card-stock paper before you attempt to print your project. Not saying that it won't work if you don't, but it might make it easier on your printer. :) Also, practice on some regular paper a couple of time.

Step 2: Once you've got your paper arranged, lay it on a firm surface. Most of my house is carpet so I placed it on an old album that we had laying around. 

Step 3: Paint your kiddo's feet/hands/whatever:

I squeezed my paint out on some baby wipes

Red tootie! If your kiddo is like mine, hold the foot very still. Ticklish feet cause bigger messes! ;)

Step 4: I rolled Liam's foot from heal to toe while having him sit in my lap. It went very well for his left one, but the right was more difficult. Turns out that while his body was hanging over the rest of the paper he tried to grab and kick at it and causes all sorts of paper movement. We were golden until I went to pull his right foot from the paper and he kicked the paper with his left foot. *sigh* This whole process is easier with a second person.  

Step 5: Let the paint dry.

Like watching paint dry. ;)

Step 6: Once the paint is dry, it's time to place it in your frame. 

Always so helpful

I flipped over the stock photo to create a white background for my paper

 And the final results??? TADA!!!!

Yay! I love it! I'm a perfectionist so the right foot print bothers me every time I look at it. lol I've convinced myself that I'm okay with it because it's unique and adorable but *sigh* I fear it will always bother me just a little.

Oh well, I think I did fairly well for this being my first real crafty project with my son. I can't wait for our next one!!! I hope you enjoyed my first DIY blog. It was hard to miss out on some of the photos because it was only me so I will endeavor to have Sean with me for our next one.  

This project was really important to me. The poem touched my little heart so much and Sean adored it as well. He loved the gift but I'm pretty sure he loved it more because it came with two Butterfingers ;)

Let me know what you guys think. Any advice for my next DIY blog? Any requests for projects I should give a try and blog about? It's always more fun when you have no idea what you're doing! Ha ha ha.

Happy Father's Day to all of you amazing fathers out there. I am blessed with an amazing team member, husband, and friend. I wish I could thank him in some small way everyday! (Hmm...that may have to be a part of my next crafty project) Thanks for stopping by everyone! What crafty things have you done lately? Are you a crafty person?

"You'll figure it out as you go..."

Dear Monster,

   We just did a 5 day mini vacation and you ROCKED it! You are such a traveling champ! We had a couple of rough spots, but that is always to be expected. Throughout everything (long drives, hot/cold rooms, changes in routine, hot sun, big crowds, etc.) you maintained your happy, relaxed, and calm attitude. You're just such a good kid. Your father and I are so lucky to have you in our lives.

Eating his sword at the Renaissance Festival

~~~

Hello again readers! Sorry for the massive gap in blogs. We went on a mini vacation to see my Mom out in the mountains of Colorado. Such a lovely trip. Best of all? The trip was for my BIRTHDAY!!! Huzzah! That's right, ladies and gentlemen. I'm 25! Holy Guacamole! I'm sure a lot of you are rolling your eyes and saying something along the lines of, "Oooo...25...you're sooooo old." Well, I feel like it was just yesterday that I was turning 18, getting married, and living my new "adult" life. So, 25 feels a little hefty to me. But, I got to ring in this new age with my wonderful Mom, my amazing husband, and (as always) my kick-ass little kiddo. What more could a woman want? *sigh*

That being said, I had a lot of time to reflect on my quarter of a century on this earth and I was able to make some fairly large realizations. See, I have always been taught that with age comes wisdom. It was never defined as any specific type of wisdom. I was never told that by the time I was 30, I would know everything there is to know about Geometry or that when I turned 55, Psychology would make so much more sense. No, just that with age would come wisdom. So, as I said, I had some reflecting time and the one thing that truly stands out to me as something that I have simply learned about as I've gotten older (not through specific study or education) has been Liam. Yes, yes, I have learned all of those "It is better to give than to receive" and "To thine own self be true" such things. Those are all very important and are honestly things that you don't learn until you are put into certain situations. But, in the end, Liam is still the stand out in my "Learn as you grow" situations. As always, I would love to share some of these baby lessons with you with the hope that you won't have to learn them the hard way as I have.

So, without further ado, here are some of the important things I have taken from the wonderfully frightening experience that has been raising my son:

1. Poop happens. Nothing you can do about it. Just gotta move on.

2. Humor can, quite literally, get you through anything. (Patience also helps.)

3. Water, baby wipes, and detergent can clean any mess. I mean ANY. MESS. Don't panic

4. Babies are weird. They make weird sounds, they do weird things, they smell weird, and they do things on weird schedules. Most of the time, if you're panicking that something is wrong with your child, it is probably just being weird. Give them time. They'll normalize shortly.

5. Scrapes, bumps, and bruises will happen. There is NOTHING you can do about them. Trying to prevent them often causes bigger ones. Have a cuddle and some triple antibiotic ready.

6. Germs are everywhere. No matter how many times you wipe with Lysol wipes or scrub those toys with Dawn, they are still there. I'm not telling you to quit trying, but don't get mental about it.

7. There is no such thing as "Tear Free." Nice try Johnson & Johnson.

8. 99.9% of the time, store brand is ≥ name brand. If you absolutely NEED name brand, check the thrift stores first. No-brainer. Especially for baby clothes (I got around $100 worth of baby clothes for $20).

9. Don't buy baby clothes if you can at all avoid it. Honestly. Throw a baby shower, enjoy the donations or lendings of friends and family, whatever. If you must buy them, go to thrift stores (as I said above). You won't truly understand how much money you've wasted on "adorable" or "someday sentimental" baby clothes until you are donating two garbage bags full of BARELY used items to your local second hand store. Hurts the soul a little.

10. Trust your instincts. You will have no idea where they are coming from. You won't believe them at times. People will doubt, question, and disagree with them straight to your face and they will not always lead you down the easiest route. But, in the end, your brain and your heart know. They know better than anyone else what is best for your child and your family. Stand behind them and don't ever question them when they are pounding something into your head and you just "know".

And last but not least:

11. Teething sucks. You may think you got off easy with a kiddo that did great for a couple of teeth, but just you wait. It will get awful. Soon. Be prepared for it the best way you can. It doesn't matter which treatment or preventative measure you take, but be prepared.

So, there they are. My "Things I Figured Out As I Went" for one of the most defining learning experiences of my life. I'm positive that this list is an ever-expanding one. There is no hope that these are the only things I will ever need to know in this line of work but it's what I've got so far. If you're a parent, a soon-to-be parent, or you're thinking about having a kiddo, I hope my little list helped in some way.

That's all for me tonight folks. I'd love to read your lists. What are some of the things you've learned as you've gone?? Anything to help me or others?

Thanks again for stopping by and being patient with me. I promise there won't be such a huge gap next time!

Payday Friday #5

Dear Monster,

   Your Physical Therapist recently told us that we need to get you more advanced toys. After a moment of looking at her like she was crazy, we started to panic! Not until that moment had we realized that we never expected you to get bigger than your initial 2lbs 7oz. We never even thought we would be working on helping you crawl and we definitely didn't even consider that you would need bigger and more advanced toys. I guess now we need to start looking into what we should have ready for a one year old! Insanity!
~~~

Hello again readers! I hope you all enjoyed my littler series of Co-Blogs. I will be doing my own version of the template I gave to them in the coming week but today my dear friends, today is Payday Friday!

 As you read above, we were recently told that Liam needed some "Cause and Effect" toys that he could play with while sitting and eventually standing. I just absolutely could not believe what she was telling us. Sean and I have been through so so much with Liam (including the 2 1/2 years that we spent just trying to create him in the first place) that, for that brief moment, we just could not comprehend that he was here and alive and GROWING! We've been so overwhelmed with measuring formula and doctors appointments and growth charts and developmental trip ups that it never occurred to us that our son, before our very eyes, was growing. Because of his adjusted age it feels like he's been "Under Six Months" for YEARS! I just recently realized that, as of Wednesday, Liam is 7 months adjusted! When did that happen??? When did my baby start needing bigger diapers, bigger binkys, bigger bottles, thicker solid foods, and more advanced toys? Since when are a rattle and some plastic rings not enough??? Where was I when all of this happened??? I swear, it's like he just sprouted overnight. He now has 2 little teeth, he sits all by himself, he's pushing to his knees to figure out this crawling business, he eats 8oz bottles, he loves chunky solid foods, he babbles constantly, and occasionally he spits out an actual word (completely on accident I'm sure). WHEN did all of this happen? I'm gonna have to keep a closer eye on this kid. Before I know it, he will be in Kindergarten!

Getting back to the beginning, and the reason for today's blog, the toy hunt has gone very well...baring our minor mental breakdown. This expedition for developmental toys is what brings us to today's Payday Friday product (I'm even gonna throw in the whole company as a perk). Welcome to the Payday Friday line up:

B. Toys

And more specifically your:

Parum Pum Pum

 

Included in this toy are:

• Drum with handle & strap
• Centipede drumsticks
• Jingle bell ant
• Busy bee maraca & clacker
• Caterpillar tambourine
• 2 shaka-shaka eggs

I CANNOT say enough about this company and this toy. The Parum Pum Pum was suggested to me by Liam's Physical Therapist because of all of the amazing developmental toys hiding inside. Cause and Effect, Gripping, Sound Production and so so so much more! From the moment this little drum filled with fun and creative instruments came into our house Liam has been enthralled. He doesn't have one specific favorite as he loves the sounds and feel of all of them but if he had to pick one, he would probably pick the Busy Bee Maraca & Clacker. He could spend house watching the beads move and playing with the wings!

The Drum itself stores all of the smaller toys and is 9.75" x 11" x 9". The toy is listed as being for children 18 months to 3 years but Liam's Physical Therapist says that there is most definitely something in there for every age. We discovered, quite quickly, that he does need to be supervised while playing with the drum sticks. Everything goes in the mouth, whether we want it to or not!

The B. Toys company itself is truly unique as well. When doing my research on them I found this lovely idea that they have: "We want to be a voice to children that says it’s okay to be curious, to be pensive, to be loud, to be happy and sad all at the same time, to be generous, to be afraid, to be quiet, to be wild, to be fun, to be open, to be scientific, to be poetic, to be giddy, to be serious, to be smart, to be free, to be you.
Just B. Just you. B. you."

You can just feel the joy that this company has in creating toys for children. Looking through their site and walking down their aisle at Target I just wanted to buy every single toy and bring them home just so I could see the look on Liam's face as he saw all of the colors, designs, and brand new things that he could do with each and every one of them. Their personality and love can be felt even on the consumer side of their business and isn't that just wonderful?

B. Toys is also quite dedicated to helping children. This is seen through their work with the Free The Children charity. Every time you purchase a B. Toy, 10 cents is donated to Free The Children. As they say, "May not sound like a lot, but as dimes add up they change the world."

I love the idea that they have regarding gift wrap! I don't know how many people know that their products all come with gift giving tags attached and several of them have a unique packaging that allows you flip it inside out and have it looks like a present!

An example of the gift wrap packaging

And, of course, how could we love a company if they didn't love planet Earth. As they say, "B. nice to the planet. As far as we know it's the only one with chocolate on it." They definitely put in the effort. On their site they list the following as their contribution to a better tomorrow for our children:

*Minimizing.
*Using recycled materials.
*Packaging toys in bags you’ll love to reuse.
*Designing boxes to become pretty trays to hold tiny treasures.
*Even making some packages reversible to become gift wrap.
*Our inks are soy-based and our varnishes water-based.
*Every single bit of our clear plastic is recyclable and marked #1, the most widely recycled plastic available. (Bet your town takes it.)
*And when we simply have to create a tie to hold a toy in place, it’s made out of 100% recycled polypropylene (PP), easily recycled again.

Their cute tags that are on all of their toys

Last but not least here are some adorable pictures of the Monster, playing with his Parum Pum Pum:

Playing with the Tambourine!

Why we can't leave him alone with the drumsticks

Playing the drum!

I think he surprised himself here.

So, there you have it! I love the toy, I love the company, and I can't WAIT to buy more of their products as Liam grows and develops!

I hope you are having a lovely day wherever you happen to be and whatever you happen to be doing! What are your plans for your Payday Friday??