Coming to a Nursery Near You

Archive for July, 2009

Dayum.  I totally missed my 3rd blogoversary! 

3 years + 1 month ago, I began this blog upon receiving the news that I was pregnant with my 3rd baby!  Now here we are, 3 URLS, more than 50,000 visitors, countless templates and version changes, 3 years and 40,000 diapers later!  My thanks to those of you who have stuck around, despite the blogging outages and general malaise that my life’s become.  I apologize for not keeping up with things better, but hey – I do the best I can. 

In these last 3 years, my baby boy has grown from the sesame seed that he was into a full-blown toddler, complete with daily tantrums, strange attachments to Curious Buddies videos and of course, he is my beautiful beautiful boy.

Along the journey, though, is his big brother, Anthony.  Anthony was rather disturbed to learn he was going to be a big brother again, but he quickly grew into it, and as it turns out, is an even more awesome big brother to 2, as he was to 1.  He’s transitioning into the next phase of his life  -the phase that goes from calling me mommy to ma.  The phase that brings physical & emotional changes that neither of us will know how to handle at first.  My 1st is growing up too fast for me! 

He’s so protective and nurturing.  He loves to teach and explain and just loves the role of big brother.

And of course, Big SISTER Libby – she’s grown from a toddler herself into a 6 yr old who is on the cusp of greatness.  She’s always thirsting for knowledge and loves to draw.    She, with her wild & crazy hair and adventurous spirit – she of the insane tantrums (STILL) and high pitched squeak voice – light of my life!

This blog has brought so much comfort to me in the last 3 years, and I simply DO NOT KNOW what I’d have done without this outlet to keep my thoughts straight – or at least mostly straight.  Thank you all for visiting, and hopefully, I’ll be here for my 4th blogoversary too!

Btw – this is my 800th post! The #1 search term for my blog, of all time, is “Ouch” – in response to my post for Parent Bloggers Network’s ridiculous labels blogging contest. LOL

Thanks to our/his idea of moving out of the area, our trips down south have equaled vacation.  Ok, so a really poor man’s version of vacation, but still – pools & hotels = vaca!

If we weren’t trying to move, however?  We’d totally be staying at home.

As it turns out, more and more families are spending extra time at home because of the economy. According to a recent Clorox survey, over 60 percent of the Moms surveyed reported an increase in cleaning around the house as their families now spend more time at home. And, not surprisingly, Moms want to save time and money for all of this extra cleaning. Mom Central got together with the MommyDocs and came up with a list of Five Tips for Summer Staycations to keep your family safe and your house cleaner during the summer months this year.   

    Staying Safe at BBQs. According to a recent survey, 70 percent of Moms are cooking more at home and many are likely switching up their meal routine with an outdoor BBQ. Make sure your kids have a safe BBQ experience by keeping them away from the flames and any sharp knives. Also, don’t forget to check that your child’s hamburger is fully cooked. Always keep a thermometer on hand to be sure all food has reached the appropriate inside temperature.

    Keep the Pool Cool and Clean. If your kids love to spend hot afternoons in kiddie pools, you know the importance of cleaning the pool area. Dump out water after each session, and keep the pool clean by disinfecting it with a solution of ¾ cup bleach* to one gallon of water. Don’t forget to rinse well and dry thoroughly after each cleaning (never leave any water in the pool). Be sure to always supervise children when they are in or around any water. (* Always remember to read and follow precautions and usage directions before using cleaning products)

    Staying Healthy and Hydrated. Spending time in the heat means kids will be more prone to becoming dehydrated. Remind kids to take frequent rest/drink breaks in the shade when playing outside and try to avoid activity during peak sun hours.  Encourage fluids before, during, and after outside activities.

  Having Peace of Mind at Playgrounds. Sometimes just getting out of the house is the best way to keep it clean, but before letting kids loose at the playground, ensure the safety of the equipment. Swing seats and slides can really heat up in the sun – test them out before your kids hop on to avoid burns. Be sure the playground surface is composed of a soft material to help prevent injury. All playground equipment should be routinely checked for any broken or loose parts.  As always, adult supervision is a must at all times! 
  
   Saving on Spills. Spending extra time around the house, especially with kids, often means more spills to clean up. Synthetic sponges and kitchen cloths can start to smell and carry bacteria, but you don’t have to toss them out after a few uses. One option to reduce bacteria is to sanitize sponges and dishrags by soaking them in a bleach solution (¾ cup of bleach* to a gallon of water) for 5 minutes in the sink.  Don’t forget to rinse and dry when done.  A wet sponge can also be microwaved to get rid of bacteria. (* Always remember to read and follow precautions and usage directions before using cleaning products)

All great ideas!  I love the fact that my kids know that the house is clean and safe when they see the Clorox Wipes container on the counter, too. 

My thanks to MomCentral for letting me share these great tips with you

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anger

….seething

….growing

….burning

….tearing

….spreading

….infecting

….killing

………………nothing.

   On our latest trip to Maryland & Virginia. 

My babies are growing up.

for every time we’ve been given a notice stating that there’d be an apartment inspection, I’d be rich – kinda.  I’m so tired of these inspections,  We get a week’s notice, typically – sometimes less, although the notice is always dated a week before.  Sometimes they’ll be coming to every apartment – other times, just “some”.  So you never know when they’re gonna show up at your place, so you have to go through this checklist of stuff that they’re looking for.  Some of the things are pretty easy, basic – is your smoke detector chirping because the battery’s dying?   Is there anything broken? Etc. etc.  Oh – and you have to get rid of all clutter. 

Clutter.

That’s like saying ‘getting rid of your kids’.  When you have kids – in my case, 3 kids – you have clutter.  You have toys, you have clothes, books, toys, clothes, books, drawings, small woodland creatures – E V E R Y W H E R E.  We could clean for 7 days straight, 20 hours a day, we’d still have those things.  In fact, the notice says, “including clothes”.  So my friend Christine remarked, “well when they show up for the inspection, have your kids running around naked”.  LOL 

Clutter.  Just in my room, there’s bank statements that need to be shredded, but of course, I can never shred because the noise attracts those small woodland creatures.  and Zachary.

Toys – books – diapers – paper paper paper.  Clothes. 

Sure people, we’ll get rid of the clutter.  When We Are Abducted By Aliens!  no, huh?