Thankfulness 2013: Day Sixteen

Party Day!!

This afternoon we had our first HouseParty!  It happened to be a Lego Duplo event and it could not have been a more perfect event to be selected as hostess for.  I am thankful for the opportunity to have friends over for fun and in no little part am I forgetting the free products that the company gives us for having the party!

Thank-you House Party and Duplo for the chance to host this party!!

If you're not familiar with House Party, it is essentially a website that you apply to host parties sponsored by various brands (clothes, electronics, toys, food, crafts, etc) and the sponsors send you out a Party Pack.  This pack has the main pieces of your party.  In our case it was filled with six sets of Duplos (see the boxes in the photo?), paper crowns, posters, plates, napkins, stickers, coupons, etc.  You are required to share the items given at your party with your guests.  For this party, the kids come play with the blocks and take home the crowns, posters, stickers, etc along with a snack bag and coloring sheets that were printed off for them (to match the theme of planes and pirates of course).

Check out both House Party and the sponsors that they work with!  It is such a fun time!

**By the way....that pirate ship cannon actually shoots...and it is pretty fun.  I may or may not have played with it when I set up all the sets last night.**

The Value of Photos

Our Venture Photography Mosaic!

I adore these photos!  I think they are so fun and they are perfect for the family room atmosphere.  It was an investment because they weren't cheap but I put a lot of value on family photos.  Capturing not only an image, but a feeling or a personality through a camera is not a simple challenge.  They may hire anyone who can point and click at the basic studios and many of those photos turn out nicely, but they are so similar to every photo we've taken before.

Venture Photography is a studio-based photography experience but with the personalization of having an on-site photographer.  Their studio is large enough to hold horses...really, they've done it!  You bring ANYTHING with (almost) that shows off what your family does and who you are.  You don't have a 15-30 minute slot where you fit in a bunch of standard poses.  You have an hour and you play, you dress up, you do whatever kinds of things you'd do at home.  Your kids get relaxed and glow for the camera.  That dreaded 'say cheese' isn't heard within the building unless *mom* slips up...oops!

I have no doubt in my mind that we will save up to do this again.  Our goal is to be able to do this every 5 years.  Wether that happens or not will of course depend upon what life throws at us, but it would be absolutely wonderful.

They aren't very spread out in the U.S. but they are great if you're nearby!  They began in the U.K. so they are an international set-up and neat to check out.  (US, UK, and Hong Kong locations)

**No location, business, or individual has asked me to write this post.  I simply wished to share a product and business that I've personally utilized.  I received nothing in exchange for my post.**

Product Review: My First Look and Find's

We have so much fun with these books that I needed to share them with you.

Did you ever enjoy the I Spy books or games?  So many kids love to hunt for things and when they find them they are THRILLED and so proud.  If your young child loves treasure hunts or spying things that you ask them to find, try these books out:

First Look and Find books are the I Spy concept for toddlers.  There are many options out there for characters from Pixar to Disney to PBS and more.  Here is our collection (though there are some we have on our radar for a good book buying day still):

Our most recent addition was the Pony version.  It is easily the favorite which is predictable when it is also the favorite TV show currently.

We highly recommend these books for your toddlers.  They can be enjoyed together or for some quiet time.  The covers are done in a semi squishy material over the hardcover to soften it up just a bit which is nice considering I dig at least two out of the toddler bed each morning.  I love that they all have different searches for each page in the back in addition to the pictures that they are supposed to match on each page.  If I'm not available to read those extras, Alyssa sticks to matching the pictures on each page.  Later we go back and do all the extras together!

Toddler Photobombing

End of Toddler patience (aka Book Repo)

**Edit** This is a completely unsponsored review.  We purchased every one of those books because we love them.  We got them at Barnes & Noble (they usually have more in stock than online oddly but they are all tagged as 'Bargain Books').

Fingers...they do tricks.

As you can see, we have hit a new milestone.  He is now grabbing and manipulating items that are given to him!  He is almost 3 months now so it was only a matter of time but I was thrilled to catch it on camera.  BTW--have you seen these stuffed animals?  They are "Breathables" that I spotted at Target.  I thought it looked strange with that meshy fabric (almsot looks like those sports shorts/jersey material) so I picked one up and read about it.  Then I tested it.  You can BREATHE through the fabric as easily as, well, breathing.  It is easier by far than breathing through a painters/dust mask and those give you a little room still.  It is meant to be safe for infants to play with ("crib safe").  They keep disappearing through clearances so have your eyes open and check them out...pretty neat things I thought.

In other finger related news....in an attempt at keeping this Nuk-less girl from destroying her fingers by chewing them off, we coated them in vinegar.  (I thought this might be a little more child-safe than the bleach that my mother tried with me and my nail chewing habit.)

Hands drying.

First taste...

This was the initial reaction.

In case you're wondering, it didn't work one iota.  In under a half hour she was sucking on her fingers again.  I don't know if it wore off--I wasn't about to try them to find out--or if she just thought they tasted like pickles.  In retrospect, as pickles are a favorite food group (did you know that cheese and pickles are part of the food group called Indispensable?), it probably was doomed to fail.  My husband thinks hot sauce is next on the list to try...Do you have any other suggestions that won't fry her tastebuds?

Taggies!! Product Review

So with the 6 month clothes came something that I snatched up when I was out shopping just before Wyatt came along.  Notice anything very different about these jammies?

How about now?

Yup, those are some little silky tags sewn right to the jammie fronts.  You know, all those toys and lovies that have that silky texture that fascinates many babies in the world...they added it to the sleepers now!  No more worries about a lovie in the crib.  No more worries that they can't find their lovie in the middle of the night at slightly older ages either.  Well, okay, they will still probably cry out in the night for their favorite lovie toy if it goes into hiding.  For Wyatt's age though, you can't get much better than having this safe alternative in bed with him to soothe himself.

Awesome job, Taggies!  Thanks for bringing the toys safely to bedtime.

Green Light! Time to Wake Up!

In an effort to help our toddler figure out when it is okay to be awake (without using such subjective things like it being dark outside) I went on a hunt for the elusive toddler alarm clock that I had seen somewhere in the last year.  Turns out I could find it both on Target's website (probably where I saw it randomly over the last year) and on Amazon.  I'm sure it is available elsewhere so check your favorite stores!

We set it up while getting super excited to teach Alyssa that she doesn't get to "wake up" just because she is awake...especially at 5am.  My request was for a 'green light' at 9am but that seemed a little too late to make her lay around waiting so we went with a 7:30am compromise.  So, at 7:30 the body of the clock goes from a dim yellow nightlight mode glow to a "Green Light!! Momma, it's GREEN LIGHT!"

Now, fair warning, there is another clock out there that has a naptime feature (meaning it will do the 'green light' for naps also) and I *thought* that this one had it as well.  They are easy to differentiate as one has a flower or alien face plate and this one looks like a clock.  Clearly I was comparing the two much too often and mixed them up because the Teach Me Time Clock by American Innovative does NOT have a nap feature.  This turned out to be perfectly okay for us but while setting it up I was bummed.  Truly though, the dual display feature of both analog and digital clocks is AWESOME and totally makes it up to me.  It has features that teach your child time by reading the clock to them if they hit one of the feet--don't worry, this talking feature can be turned off in the 'hidden' back panel meant just for parents ('hidden' because Alyssa opened that on day one).

We have had this clock for a few weeks now and she has done remarkably well with it.  There have been two instances where she would call for me before 'green light' and not lay back down or quietly read after being reminded of the clock.  Of course she hasn't stopped calling for me in the morning if she is up before the light changes but the 'green light' reminder is usually enough to get Momma a few more minutes of peace before the announcement is shouted from her door, "Green Light!  MOMMA!  GREEN LIGHT, Momma!!"

Yes, I do laugh nearly every morning when she is practically bouncing with excitement because her clock shows her when she can get up.  It is a fun way to wake up with a toddler.  We don't have the alarm clock feature set, we have the talking feature turned off, and we set it to dual display mode so she can read both clocks as her TV shows teach her how to tell time way before I thought we could even try!  (Yes, one day Papa was in her room at 7pm and she told him he couldn't come out until "8 o'clock".  "Papa, it not 8 o'clock.  It 7 o'clock!"  He asked her how she knew it was 7 and she showed him the big hand being (very) close to the top of the clock and the little hand at the 7...Can we say stunned??  I'd bank on Umizoomi for that one...so sometime in the next year we will probably turn on the talking feature so she can learn a little more time telling with her own clock.  For now we just work on the full hours for fun.

**This post was not written at any request beyond my own love of a product that we purchased of our own choices.  I love this clock and recommend it for any parent who wants a visual option for their kids to know when it is okay to get up.**

Favorite Baby Things

Everyone has this list.  Anyone who has Pinterest and is or is planning to be pregnant has a list pinned (or ten).  Every list is different and every list is both right and wrong.

No amount of lists will have you prepared for Baby.  Embrace that fact and you will feel better about getting overwhelmed later knowing full well that you are allowed to be overwhelmed.  That said, every mother has a list of things she LOVES (and a longer list of things she LOATHES) and an innate desire to share said lists.  I am no exception so here you go!

1. Boppy  --I don't think I've seen a list without this item or a similar one.  I'm not a breast feeder so don't think it isn't for you just based on your feeding method of choice.  First Boppy tip:  Get it early.  You can use it to lay on your stomach for a few minutes of bliss after you've lost the ability to do so without squishing an inside baby into all your soft organs.  After you get too big to use it for that your arms will learn to love it during all those middle of the night feedings when you can't seem to find the strength for lifting a diaper let alone a baby.  Finally it becomes a wonderful pillow for your child as they age.  I've seen some people use it as tummy time practice but I found it a little too big for that purpose until she had her head control down and didn't require the tummy time so much as the propping help to learn to sit.
2. Aquaphor Baby Healing Ointment (butt cream)  --Alyssa was prone to diaper rash.  The zinc based creams dried out her skin which is the point but they did it so well for her that her butt cracked/chapped and bled.  The pediatrician told us to try this brand because it is not zinc based and it was so much better for her bum.  It took a little longer for the rash to clear up but the pain and chapping was no longer a problem.
3. Swaddle Blankets!  I LOVE the Aden and Anais cotton/muslin swaddle blankets that we got after realizing that our newborn was too big for plain receiving blankets for more than a week.  I did NOT love the price tag though.  Imagine my pure joy at discovering the same type (they feel the same to me in store and the material is muslin just like A&A) of blankets being offered by Carter's for much less cost!
4. Baby Einstein Music and Discover Travel Mirror  --This was my car ride savior but I would love if it had a remote start like some different brands do.  I was happy enough with a nice long timer on it though.  Just don't expect to actually see your kid in those mirrors because they aren't mirror quality that really works for more than baby to look into for fun.  It really is the music and lights that make this a favorite.
5. Dr. Bloom's Chewable Jewels  --If your child wants every bracelet he/she can reach, you may want one or two of these.  We did the necklace to keep things from falling to the ground quite so often.
6. Pacifier wipes  --I know, I know.  How dumb that these are on my list.  My original thought was okay, neat, food safe but I can just use a baby wipe or rinse it off.  How often do you think you are actually near a sink or water fountain when you need one?  As for the baby wipe idea that I had....well, you wipe a nuk or a teether down with one and stick it in your mouth and see how that tastes.  I used them mostly during the time period that they had no control over their own mouths and couldn't keep their toys or nuks where they were supposed to be.
7. Hyland's Teething Tablets  --I was prepared for teething.  I had all the orajel one kid could possibly consume during teeth coming in for both baby set and adult set!  Of course this only meant that my child stubbornly did not respond to orajel once.  It didn't help one ounce.  I don't even remember if I found these on the shelf at Target or if I found them on a forum first but they were MAGIC.  (Use what works for your child because I'm told that each one could be different for what works...stubborn kids.)
8. Cozy Cover --This is for babies in infant carriers during the really cold months.  Alyssa--December baby.  Baby #2--January baby (barring any early deliveries that would be TOO early).  Why do I love this thing?  I think you can see why this is a smart (and SAFE) option to keep ittybitty baby warmer/out of of the winter winds.
9. Ear Thermometer  (We got this way later after too many fights over a normal one.  Little did we know that this would make Dr. appointments less scary too for Alyssa!)
10. White Noise Machine  --any brand, any price, any look.  Just get one so you don't become that parent who can only whisper and tiptoe during naptime or bedtime.  Alyssa likes the river and rain settings still at age 2.  Short of colic I refuse to be the parent who says "SHHHH! The baby is sleeping!"  Well, to anyone but the barking dog.  I fully believe that her ability to sleep on the living room floor while three adults converse at normal to just below normal tones is due to that machine.
11. Cloth Diapers  --I love my disposable diapers for the butts but there is no burp/spit rag better than one intended for the other end!  Just learn from me and do not get the gauzy ones because they bunch up faster through washing machine loads.

Fitbit Ultra--Product Review

The Fitbit Ultra

This nifty little pedometer does so much more than count your steps for you (which will explain the price difference, I promise!).  This piece of technology as a basic workout buddy seems great to one who does not workout.  It counts steps, elevation (floors climbed!), distance, calories burned, how active you were (it can sense how fast you're moving at different times of the day and break it down into % Sedentary, Mild, Moderate, Active!).  Honestly, these things are neat but not what my primary use for this device is.  I use it to track sleep.

Yes, I took a nice and not-very-cheap pedometer and I track my sleep with it.  No, really!!  It comes with a wristband to do this for me!  How??  Well, if you are in a deep sleep, you don't roll, lift your arm to swat something, bring your hand up under your chin as a pillow, etc.  If you are getting the deep sleep you need for your body to recover, you will lay still much more of the time than tossing and turning.  Seems pretty basic, right?

Over a year ago I had a medical sleep study done.  I spent two weeks with a wristwatch strapped to my arm and you press a button to tell it when you are going to sleep.  You do not press it when you climb in bed but when you turn out the lights after putting away your computer, the tv, your iPad, your books, etc.  You press it only when you lay your head on your pillow and close your eyes in an attempt to sleep.  The watch process was followed by an overnight study in the sleep clinic with wires and electrodes glued to my body and head....lots of fun.  The results however were less fun than peeling glue out of my hair for the next couple days.  I have a sleeping disorder with no discernible cause.  I spend significantly less time in REM than required by the average person.  I can sleep for 16hrs+ and not feel like I have had 4hrs yet.  My brain (according to electrode readings) wakes up an average of 13 times per hour in the night but I remain 'asleep' for them.

All-in-all I am basically constantly sleep deprived no matter how much time I spend asleep.  Fun, right?

Well, I stumbled upon this Fitbit gadget while looking for some neat gym tools for my hubby.  I had no idea something out on the market would measure my sleep like that watch did for the doctors...and I was excited!  I didn't think I'd ever get to track how I'm sleeping on my own short of filming it and watching every night for movements to get some idea of my sleep patterns.

The Fitbit has a thirty day return policy so I decided it was worth a shot to compare how it reads to how I know my sleep roughly goes.  It works just like that wristwatch for the user--press that button when you sleep and when you wake.  That was slick and the wristband that it goes into for nighttime tracking is pretty comfy too so I have no issues wearing it at night (comparatively I cannot stand to wear a watch or bracelet normally even if I'm laying down with my toddler to watch a movie).  When it came to tracking the sleep info, you get that online.  Their site has their trackers free with the purchase of the device (there are upgraded features if you buy the annual membership that seem worth the price if you are using this for tracking workouts and diets too but I figured I'd wait until after my pregnancy to start that stuff and hold off on paying the membership until then too).

I decided to start on the "normal" setting for sleep tracking first to get an idea of how well it tracks.  The first week I used it was interesting in the results.  It said I was sleeping very well.  Every tracking that it registered me as 'awake' I could remember.  That means I was both mentally and physically awake during that time.  A few of them were bathroom trips or rolling over to get my back comfortable again, others were during the time that my hubby was getting ready for work or whatnot.  This was quite accurate but not what I needed from the tracker (but I started loving the pedometer features during this first week too).  I kept it on the "normal" setting until last night and nothing really changed during my "normal" trial time.  I remembered most of the 'awake' times.  Now I am switching to the "sensitive" setting and last night it showed me that it is very similar to that wristwatch!  I am excited (and sad) to say that the results were very similar to those the doctor went over with me a year+ ago.  Now, last night could have just really sucked, or it could be exactly what I'm expecting because I haven't felt THAT different that I could be sleeping with 90%+ efficiency instead of the 50%'s that are typical for me.

I'll let you know how this next week or so goes but overall, I am super impressed with this product and wanted to share it with everyone in case you might be looking for something with any of these benefits...

**This is my own opinion of the Fitbit Ultra and I received no freebies/discounts for a review.  This blog is not affiliated, endorsed, supported, or sponsored by Fitbit or any related companies.**

*I purchased my Fitbit Ultra from Best Buy where they happen to carry almost the whole line of Fitbit products.*