Stages

Kids go through some crazy stages in their lives.

Turtle is currently going through the "I am stubborn, gimme that Mum Mum NOW and how cute am I?" stage.

The kid is crazy!

And I... am exhausted.

She wakes up early, goes all day, stays up late and wakes up at least 3x a night.

And she spends 98% of the time smiling. The other 2% is spent nursing and demanding things.

Oh and destroying things.

Girl can trash a room in two seconds flat... And all with a smile.

But goodness, she is pretty and that's a stage she will never grow out of.

Gnomeo & Juliet Movie Trailer Official (HD)

Disney: Gnomeo & Juliet Giveaway!

This giveaway is closed.

I love love love the story of Romeo and Juliet.

It makes me sigh with happiness when I think about it.

And now Disney has gone and remade this classic and you know what, I'm sighing with happiness about it too.

From Disney: "Two garden gnomes, Gnomeo (voice of James McAvoy) and Juliet (voice of Emily Blunt), try to avoid tragedy and find a happy ending to their star-crossed love affair when they are caught up in a feud between neighbors."

Roo and I cannot wait to see this movie.

To celebrate the opening of Gnomeo & Juliet, which hits theatres February 11th(!), I'm giving away (courtesy of Disney) two prize packs that include: 1 t-shirt, 1 beanie cap and 1 Gnome Hat Shaped Notebook!

All I need you to do to enter to win is tell me if you have a garden gnome in your garden.

Easy peasy.

Contest ends on February 10, 2010 (the day before Gnomeo & Juliet comes out in theatres!).

So quick, leave me a comment!



I received a prize pack in conjunction with this giveaway. All opinions in this post, except those noted, are 100% mine. Please see my full disclosure policy for more info.

Central Florida Zoo Charges Up!

If you own a hybrid and visit the Central Florida Zoo you can get priority parking up front plus have the option of charging up your car.

Review: North American Bear Co

It's no secret that toys are huge around this house.

They are such a big deal here that they are everywhere.

The latest toys that are capturing my girls attention are dolls.

And I couldn't be happier.

Sweet, pink, girly dolls that are soft, cuddly and so-oh adorable.

The North American Bear Company has just the products to make my girls squeal.

We recently got the chance to check out two of their fantastic dolls.

Roo got the Rosy Cheeks Big Sister and Turtle got the Little Princess Doll.

And the best thing about these dolls, they look like my girls!

The North American Bear Company offers the same doll with different skin tones and hair to best match to your child.

Perfection, if you ask me.

Turtle adored her doll, when she sees it she goes "Squeeee!" and gives it the biggest hug. Roo totes hers around in her rolling suitcase and takes it with her when we go exploring around the barns.

The fabrics of the dolls are soft, perfect for Turtle to chew on, and washable, perfect for when Roo gets hers dirty.

There is a lot to choose from with the North American Bear Company. If your daughter (or son!) is crazy about Fairy tales, the Topsy Turvy Doll Collection is to die for. Plus they always have a selection of toys on sale!

Visit the North American Bear Company's website for more information.

I received two dolls to review. All opinions in this post are 100% my own. Please see my full disclosure policy for more information.

Breastfeeding: Call for Support!

Recently, I was chatting with my friend who attends a weekly breastfeeding luncheon and she mentioned to me that the Surgeon Generals recent "Call to Action" regarding breastfeeding stated that only 13% of moms exclusively breastfed their babies by their sixth month.



I have to be honest, I was really shocked by that number.



Only 13%?



Are you sure, I asked.



Sure enough, upon doing a little googling, I found she wasn't lying.



To me, this statistic is just heartbreaking.



It also makes me go, "Why just six months?" and "What can we do to make this number a heck of a lot higher?!"



With me, in regards to breastfeeding, my goal has always been to make it to a year with my children and anything after that year mark is bliss.



I'm very lucky to have a great support system. I have a husband who is completely cool with it, friends that I can call and chat with if I'm having issues and a mother that encouraged me to breastfeed and told me that she was happy about it.



Along with my support system, I have the added benefit of being a work from home Mom that doesn't require much effort to continue the breastfeeding relationship. We have no structure, no routine, we just nurse when we need to.



Of course, I know that not every mother is as lucky as I am... but I often wonder what propels a Mom to stop nursing her baby at such a young age?



Is it a demanding work schedule? Pump anxiety (which you know I totally understand)? Social pressure (again, something I know all about)? What is it and how can we resolve these issues?



And let me just state, for the record, I know that some women cannot or do not want to breastfeed. I get it, I'm cool with it. I am not trying to shove anything down someone's throat with this post or with my desire to help a Mom out. The point is to help those that want to be helped.



Easy peasy.



In the Surgeon Generals Call to Action, Dr. Regina Benjamin its stated that some of the areas that need to be fixed are the lack of education in the health communities, such as maternity care practices and employers need to be more breastfeeding friendly.



Thinking about me and my situation, I couldn't agree more. With both my children, the doctor never mentioned breastfeeding to me and when I was in the hospital with my first, I had to ask the nurse about breastfeeding (after they had already shoved a bottle in my babes mouth). With my second I just did it, no questions asked.



Thankfully I had made the decision myself to breastfeed because if I hadn't and had been waiting for someone to inform me about all the good things that come from it, I could've lost that relationship with my children.



A great thing about breastfeeding, besides the closeness it creates, is that it will help protect both Mama and Baby. The "Call to Action" press release states: "breastfeeding protects babies from infections and illnesses that include diarrhea, ear infections, and pneumonia. Breastfed babies are also less likely to develop asthma, and those who are breastfed for six months are less likely to become obese. Mothers themselves who breastfeed have a decreased risk of breast and ovarian cancers."



A great added bonus, I believe, because last year a study was published saying that we, as a nation, could save $13 billion dollars a year in health costs if more babies were breastfed exclusively for those first 6 months.


In the press release, it's stated that if we did the following we could see a great increase to the 13%:



"Communities should expand and improve programs that provide mother-to-mother support and peer counseling.


Health care systems should ensure that maternity care practices provide education and counseling on breastfeeding. Hospitals should become more “baby-friendly,” by taking steps like those recommended by the UNICEF/WHO’s Baby-Friendly Hospital Initiative.


Clinicians should ensure that they are trained to properly care for breastfeeding mothers and babies. They should promote breastfeeding to their pregnant patients and make sure that mothers receive the best advice on how to breastfeed.


Employers should work toward establishing paid maternity leave and high-quality lactation support programs. Employers should expand the use of programs that allow nursing mothers to have their babies close by so they can feed them during the day. They should also provide women with break time and private space to express breast milk."


Families should give mothers the support and encouragement they need to breastfeed."



I am so happy and excited that Dr. Benjamin has started this movement and I hope it works. I hope that every woman that wants to breastfeed her baby can get the support that she needs to build a relationship with her baby.



If not, tell them to email me, I'll be a cheerleader and maybe even wear a short skirt and jump around waving pom poms.



It's a relationship worth fighting for and the benefits are great, especially the one that allows you to cuddle and snuggle your baby for extended periods of time.



Here are some links where you can get support if the thought of me in a skirt horrifies you. :)



Best for Babes

The National Women's Health Information Center

Kelly Mom



Breastfeeding Counselors are also available toll free at 1-800-994-9662 Monday through Friday, 9:00 AM to 6:00 PM ET.

Please don't be embarrassed about asking for help.

My Fabulous Five

Thanks to Trop 50 for sponsoring my writing about fabulous bloggers. This year Trop50 is granting 50 fabulous wishes. Click here to enter for a chance to win $1,000 to help grant a friend's wish!

The blogging community is an amazing set of people. There is someone out there for every question, every support needed, every giveaway possible.

It's breathtaking.

It's inspiring.

I recently put together a list of my Five Fabulous Bloggers that rock my world and I wanted to share it with you.

#1 Obviously, the Pioneer Woman.

I love her. Seriously, I could marry this woman and live off her cooking and become fat and happy. The Pioneer Woman is your one-stop spot for everything: Confessions, Food, Photography and Wrangler Butts.

It doesn't get any better that Wrangler Butts.

#2 My First, Mom of Two (soon to be three! Yay for babies!)

Erika popped my cherry... wait, that sounds bad and makes me sound like a tramp. Let me explain.

Back in 2000, I was tooling around on the internet on web boards, writing fan fiction for Dawson's Creek (Pacey + Joey = True Love!) when Erika commenting on a story I'd written and then I commented on a story she'd written. We emailed each other a hundred or so times a day for six years (seriously). And when I say she popped my cherry, it's because she is the first person I'd met online and then met off line. We went to a chili cookoff and saw Kenny Chesney in concert and she got drunk and was hollaring "Chenny Kesney" out the truck window on the way home.

Ahhhh, memories.

Plus, she pimped me out once on her blog and I'll forever be grateful.

Oh and she's having a little baby girl in three months and she's got the cutest baby belly, ever.

#3 Who Said Nothing In Life Is Free?

My local frugalista. I check her blog daily to learn what I can save money on, where I can find stashes of diaper wipes and how to clip coupons properly.

I love saving money, and in turn, love her.

#4 The Spohrs Are Multiplying

I don't even remember how I stumbled upon Heather's blog, but I did and was immediately pulled in by her writing and her stunning photos.

I've always wanted to write about my love of her blog, but felt... hesitant.

Heather has gone through so much and put so much of herself out in the world for us to read... I never wanted to write the wrong word and disrespect her or her daughter.

Maddie.

Maddie, who I read about. Maddie, who I loved. Maddie, who passed away too soon.

I followed along, participating in her life through her words and through the passing of Maddie. I was heartbroken along with the rest of the blogging world and mourned alongside everyone else. I don't know why I feel so connect to Heather, whether its her amazing ability to put one foot infront of the other every day or her bare naked truths about how she's struggling or maybe it's the inspiration that comes in the form of living her life.

I don't know what it is, but I love Heather's blog.

#5 The one I write, my own.

Hey, this is my list and if I think I'm fabulous, why not say so?

My blog means so much to me. I put so much blood, sweat and tears, oh and goldfish crackers, into it. It's like my third child. I put so much time and energy into my words and I love what I do.

So there you have it: My fabulous five.

Don't forget to enter the 50 Fabulous Wishes contest for a chance to win $1,000 to support a friend's wish. I was selected for this Tropicana Trop50 sponsorship by the Clever Girls Collective, which endorses Blog With Integrity, as I do. I received compensation to use and facilitate my post.

Super Mom, Not I!

This morning I had to run out and pick up medicine for Roo and when I was standing there holding Turtle, the lady gave me a funny look before telling me that her nose was running.

And sure enough, yellowish snot was rolling out of her nose and all over her upper lip.

She handed me a tissue as I searched in my diaper bag for something suitable to wipe her nose with.

And honestly, I felt like a crap ass mom as I wiped up the snot.

What kind of Mom was I to let my babe walk around with so much snot?

I'm sure Super Mom wouldn't ever have this problem.

Then again, I'm not Super Mom.

I'm just Mom chasing after two kids, making sure they eat their veggies, don't pick their nose in public, kick or bite (me) and giggle as much as possible.

Besides who wants to be Super Mom? Not me, I look horrible in tights!

She's Too Young, Damnit!

Roo has a little bit of a belly on her and she's also longer in the mid-section (long torso?) so I normally buy her bigger shirts (plus there is an advantage to she can wear them longer).

I decided that I would start buying her size 5 shirts and the last time I went shopping I had to venture into the girls section.

And I have to say, I was shocked.

Only because clothing in size 5 is so much... older than the toddler section.

Everything is so... bright. So bold.... so sassy.

The thought of my little girl wearing shirts that say, "All About Me" and "Diva" or "HOT" written across her butt! It gives me the chills.

She's not ready for this.

She's a little girl. She should still be wearing cute stripped shirts with lollipops on them!

I couldn't bring myself to buy anything... so I ran home and ordered plain shirts online for her.

And just thinking about going back to the store and being surrounded by short, pleaded skirts and tube tops (okay, not tube tops but you get me here) freaks me out.

She's my sweetheart, my baby, my firstborn, I can't handle her growing up so fast.

And I know for a fact I can't handle the clothing that comes with growing up.

And if I had a problem with the clothes that are to come, imagine her father.

Eck!

Enough!

This is what happens when you chase your kids around all day with a camera.














She tells me "Enough, Mom."

Disney Wants You!

Disney has just unveiled their latest "Let the Memories Begin" campaign and they want you to help them make it super special.

Disney will feature photos and videos taken by Disney Pass Photographers around the park and display them on Cinderellas Castle during their new nighttime spectacular making you and your family (if chosen) stars!

You also can submit your Disney memories by submitting your own photos and videos to Disney's "Let the Memories Begin" online hub at: www.DisneyParks.com/Memories

Those that submit their photos and videos also get a shot of being TV stars as Disney will pick from the submissions to be used on their national television commercials (which for the record always make me weepy).

From a Disney press release: “A Disney vacation is the perfect way to create family memories that will last a lifetime,” said Tom Staggs, chairman of Walt Disney Parks and Resorts. “We’ll spotlight those ‘only-at-Disney’ moments with family and friends during our ‘Let the Memories Begin’ campaign.”

The show is guaranteed to be amazing and a new song was commissioned just for this nighttime event.

"Let the Memories Begin" is shown nightly at Cinderellas Castle at Walt Disney World in Florida.

This post is for your information only. I was not compensated for posting this info. All opinions, except those note as from a press release, are 100% mine. Please see my full disclosure policy for more info.

What is Love?

One of my goal as a parent is to smoother my kids in love.

I hand out kisses, snuggles and hugs like they are going out of style.

I want there to be no doubt in their minds that they are loved.

I think it's important.

One of my favorite holidays is Valentine's Day because it does just that (with tons of pink and red hearts all over the place).

Valentine's Day is all about L-O-V-E!

When you ask my eldest what Love is, she tells me that it's horses and dinosaurs.

A typical kid answer.

Love to me is my family.

It's also a huge piece of chocolate cake.

To celebrate Love and Valentine's Day, Tiny Prints has an awesome assortment of Valentine's Day Cards!

You can get your neighbor, your boss, your sweetheart and your children done all in one spot, and the best thing is you can customize them.

"Tiny Prints provides simple, modern and unique stationery from Valentines Day cards to personalized greeting cards to thank you cards, business cards, and even custom wedding invitations. Offering exclusive designs from the nation’s top designers, easy card personalization, a powerful preview engine and top-notch customer service and paper quality, their designs have been lauded by numerous television networks, publications and celebrities. With Tiny Prints by your side commemorating every holiday and momentous occasion is a cinch! They offer perfect party invitations for every occasion and memorable personalized photo-gifts like notebooks, photo books and calendars."

Head on over to Tiny Prints and start your order today.



I was compensated with a Tiny Prints gift code for this print. All opinions in this post are 100% my own. Please see my full disclosure policy for more information.

5 Things

Recently, I saw a post about 5 thing a writer could live without and it got me thinking about 5 things I couldn't live without.

There's the obvious top two

#1 My Children

#2 My husband (I can live without the cigars but it's a package deal with him so I love him and in turn, love them).

#3 Diet Coke.

Yes I know this shouldn't be on my list, soda is the devil. But you've never seen me with a caffeine withdrawl headache. If you ever did, you'd hand over a soda and tell me to deal with it.

#4 My Home.

I love this place, no matter what I say.

#5 My Pen.

What is a writer without a pen?

Do you have a list?

Wordless Wednesday

Brat

I never thought I would hear myself say this sentence: my kid is a brat.

And the worst part about it is that she's only a brat when we are out running errands.

When we are home, she's a happy kid that is content.

She has her toys, she plays, she's great.

Put her in the car and suddenly she's demanding we go to a toy store and if we don't go to store with toys, she's telling me she's starving, or she wants her Daddy.

If I tell her no, she repeats herself a thousand times driving me bananas.

Now, I love this kid (both of my kids) more than life itself but, dammit, this sudden annoyance makes me want to stay home and never take her anywhere, ever again.

I turn into Mean Mommy with the constant questioning, the tears, the everything.

I keep telling myself that this has to be a phase because just a few weeks ago she wasn't like this. A few weeks ago she never did this.

Sure, she asked for toys (what kid doesn't) but never to this degree. Never with the amount if repetition, the amount of tears and fuss.

I'm praying it's nothing more than a phase because I can't stay holed up forever at the barn.

Someone has to get the groceries.

And it's definitely not the Mister.

Photography.

Way, way back when I was a youngster I expressed an interest in photography and my Dad, bless him, worked hard to get me my very first SLR camera.

I still have it too!

Since then, I've never gone far without a camera in my hand.

My husband picked up the love for pictures and flourished with it.

I stepped back for a while and raised babies while he was the main picture taker in the family.

Now, I'm pushing him back.

Or actually, he's pushing me forward.

He scored me a used DSLR and now I'm ready to take over the picture world (insert evil laugh here).

And while it's been awhile since I've had anything but my ipod or my craptastic point and shoot in my hands, I'm ready.

But I'm rusty.

And this is where you come in handy, tell me what I need to know. What chic accessories do I need? What websites do I need to stalk? Where is the best info?

Help a sister out, will ya?


(Also, I will be adding a photography tab up top soon, so if you have a great photography product you need reviewed or want added to a must have photography list, please email me at nytmblog at gmail dot com).

Grrrrrrrr.

You don't wanna mess with this cuteness.

Dinosaur Train: New Episode!

You know my Roo loves Dinosaurs.

She also is a big fan of Dinosaur Train. This Monday, January 17th, Dinosaur Train is back with two brand spankin' new episodes!

From the press release: "In the all-new episode, “The Good Mom;” “Diamond Anniversary,” Mrs. Pteranodon meets fellow mom Millie Maiasaura, who is a little too over-protective of her kids. The two moms share some time comparing mothering methods in a play date at the Big Pond. And, Mr. and Mrs. Pteranodon decide to surprise each other with gifts on their anniversary."

Also, a fact I learned about Maiasaura is that its name means "good mother lizard" and she was a large duck-billed dinosaur that lived in North America during the Late Cretaceous period. They have also found evidence that Maiasaura lived in large nesting colonies and that the kids to these dinosaurs were lucky because Maiasauras cared diligently for their young.

See, you learn something new every day.

You can find out more about Dinosaur Train by clicking this link here.

And tune in on Monday, January 17th, for the new episodes.



I was compensated for this post with a Dinosaur Train product. All opinions in this post are 100% my own. Please see my full disclosure policy for more information.

Is it okay to tell another kid "No?"

The other day we were at a local bookstore and Roo was playing with a little boy while Turtle had made it her mission to pull all the books off the lower shelves.

While Roo and this boy were playing, Turtle had walked over to them and wanted to join in. At that moment, the boy threw a toy and it skimmed past her little head and my instincts kicked in and I told him to be careful that there was a little baby playing and we didn't want to hit her.

I didn't yell but I wasn't soft. I was firm, but gentle (does that make sense?) in my statement.

They continued playing, as kids often do, and not another toy was thrown.

Then Roo started misbehaving (I call it showing off) and I was firm with her. When she did it again, I told the boy that she could no longer play because she wasn't listening to her Mommy.

So he went off and while Roo pouted in a chair, I started picking up all the destruction Turtle had caused.

Then the boys Mom came around the corner and gave me a look.

You know, the look.

She didn't say anything to me but you could tell she had heard me talk to her son and I had the feeling she wasn't happy about it.

She and the boy disappeared before anything could be said (if there was anything to be said) and I didn't give it another thought until this morning when I saw an article from Baby Center regarding disciplining someones child and it got me thinking.

Was I in the wrong to say something to this child? Should I have tracked down the mother first and made sure it was okay to say something in the first place?

I must admit, I do say a lot to other people's children.

No, don't step on Turtle's hands. No, don't push. No, don't shove. No, we don't throw dirt at people.

I'm never harsh (well, I was once but I learned my lesson). I am just firm.

And the funny thing is, what would I do if I was in that lady's shoes?

Well, now that I stop and think about it I would probably approach and ask, find out what Roo did wrong and tell her myself to behave and then I'd apologize to her for Roo's bad behavior.

Tell me, am I wrong?

Why Ask Why

The most hated word I hear daily, hourly, even every two minutes is: Why?

Every statement I make to my 3, almost 4, year old is met with "Why?"

Sometimes I am totally cool with the constant questioning.

I get it.

Hell, I want to know why in a bunch of issues myself.

But why do I want her to clean her room? Why do I want her to not knock her sister over? Why aren't we allowed to run with straws in our mouth?

And my favorite, why do I have to listen to you?

It never fails.

And I am sure this is just a phase that all 3, almost 4, year olds go thru but, damn.

Damn. Damn. Damn.

Nothing like a simple three letter word to irritate a tired Mommy.

My husband has resorted to asking her why when she asks him why and while it's funny for the first ten times anything
after that is just annoying.

I am hoping that this phase gets over rather quickly and she returns to the trusty sweetie pie that she used to be

Otherwise I'll just lose my mind!

And don't you dare ask me why!

Mommy Confession: Oh, the guilt

As you know I joined the gym at the beginning of the year.

And I love it.

Love love love it.

I can rock out on the treadmill, I can work on admittance to the gun show, I can shower in peace without ten thousand tiny little toys at my feet (or two babes at my feet).

And the best bonus, I'm doing good.

The bad part is that I have major Mommy Guilt.

Taking the girls to the child care center is no problem. I drop them off and even though Turtle gives me this "WTF" look when I depart, there's rarely tears.

But when I come and pick them up... oh, there are tears.

I usually walk in to Turtle's screams and I immediately feel guilty for taking 30-40 minutes of time just for myself.

She'll stop crying the second they hand her over to me, but it does nothing to make my feel any better.

And Roo, she's a champ. She loves going to play with all these cool new toys and to run around with all these new friends.

But my little Turtle... she'll be all red faced with tear tracks and she'll do that dramatic little sniffle every few minutes for about thirty minutes after I pick her up.

I wonder if this is just a phase, because she's never really been left with anyone before. It's always been me or the Mister taking care of her.

Plus it's only been a week since we started going to the gym and I've been fostering her off on complete strangers, just so I can run in peace.

The guilt makes me feel horrible and I don't know what to do. I don't want to give up the gym because I've fallen back in love with working out. And everyone under the sun has told me that she'll get use to it, but will she?

She is terribly stubborn (like her father).

Advice, suggestions, anything... please!

Press Release: Elephant Parade!

From a press release (word for word):

"Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey® Pachyderm Performers
Parade Through Orlando This Monday Night

The Greatest Show On Earth® Moves To Orlando’s Amway Center

ORLANDO, FL – January 7, 2011 – The Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey train rolls into Orlando this Monday, January 10. Fantastic photo opportunities will be available Monday night as the Ringling Bros. pachyderm performers parade to the new Amway Center. The all-new 141st edition of Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey, Fully ChargedSM, debuts in Orlando next Thursday, January 13th, for an eight-performance run.

The Ringling Bros. animal performers will unload at 6:30 p.m. and walk beginning at 7:00 p.m. (time subject to change). Animals will unload at the railroad tracks at the intersection of S. Hughey Ave. and W. Gore St. This pachyderm parade will travel south on S. Hughey Ave., turn right onto W. Gore St., turn right onto S. Division Ave., turn right onto W. South St., and enter the GEICO Garage.

Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey® Presents Fully ChargedSM, the all-new, 141st electrifying edition of The Greatest Show On Earth®! Ringling Bros.® powers up audiences with acts from all over the globe featuring breathtaking dare-devilry, superhuman stunts and never-seen-before performances that spark the imaginations of Children of All Ages! Clowns from the world-famous clown alley charge the audiences’ funny bones, while megawatts of thrills explode out of the ring including The Human Fuse who rockets across the circus skies igniting the power of the people. And of course, amazing animals that spark the audience’s awe and wonder. Experience the current of excitement at Ringling Bros. Fully Charged!

Lower level ticket prices start at $25. All seats are reserved, and tickets are available at www.ringling.com or www.ticketmaster.com, at any Ticketmaster outlet, by calling 800-745-3000, or at the Amway Center box office (phone for information only: 407-440-7900). For group ticket sales and information, call 866-248-8740.

Feld Entertainment is one of the worldwide leaders in producing and presenting live entertainment experiences that lift the human spirit and create indelible memories, with 30 million people in attendance at its shows each year. Feld Entertainment's productions have appeared in more than 70 countries on six continents and include Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey®, Feld Motor Sports, Disney On Ice, and Disney Live! For more information on Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey® visit www.ringling.com."

Giveaway: National Bubble Day

Giveaway is closed!

Did you know that today is National Bubble Day?





It is!





Bubble baths are huge in our house. My oldest would be in a warm bubble bath with all of her toys all day long if we let her.





And to tell you the truth, so would I... if only.





To celebrate I'm doing a quick giveaway.





One of my readers will win a Pocoyo Bath Figurine and a 14 day access code to PocoyoWorld

Want to win?

Tell me your favorite bubble bath scent.

Easy peasy!

Extra entries can be earned by following my blog via email, liking my facebook page or following me via twitter.

Please leave a comment for each entry and make sure your email address if available so I can contact you if you win.

Contest ends January 15, 2011.


I was not compensated for this post. I am hosting this giveaway with three sixty marketing. All opinions in this post are 100% my own. Please see my full disclosure policy for more informaion.

Florida Friday: Vacation

Florida Friday is on hiatus for the month of January.

It will be back in February with tons of fun stuff to see and do next month.

It's Official

It really is official.

Turtle does not know how to sleep.

And I. Am. Exhausted.

As I mentioned before, she's a night nurser.

But last night really took the cake.

Turtle went to sleep around.... 8ish and I went to bed around 10ish. In those two hours, she woke up twice and I managed to sneak a binky in between her flying kung-fu arms (she wails in the middle of the nights sometimes, not just vocally but physically) and she went back to sleep.

She woke up an additional two times between 10 and 1am and I nursed her because I was exhausted and wanted to go back to bed.

At 1am, she had a good nursing so I thought (fo sure) that she would go back to sleep and I could go back to sleep.

Wrong.

Since I refused to nurse her, she refused to sleep.

And she cried and wailed, and cried and wailed for two hours.

Finally at 3am, I gave in and nursed her and she went back to sleep.

For a hour.

Then she woke again at 530am, 6am and 630am. Then she finally slept until 745am.

It's exhausting just to write it out and I'm sure you're exhausted just reading it.

The problem is I know that she'll work it out in time. I know that she will figure out what works best for her and sleep eventually.

But damn... I'm tired.

I don't mind nursing her in the middle of the night, but does it have to be so many times?

Suggestions?

Wordless Wednesday

My girls can ride out.

Deep, not really.

Sometimes I read over my blog posts and notice that I tend not to go very deep. That a lot of my posts are silly, or short, or just a big fat photo of cake.

I do like cake a lot.

And I wonder if my readers want more from me.

That maybe you would rather read about more important things like how much tea in China costs or maybe a dissection of my thoughts on the government and the impact of chemicals in plastics.

And then I thought, hell, I wouldn't want to read anything like that... So why bother?

I like writing about trivial things about how cute my girls are and why I breastfeeding or baby products that give my kids enjoyment (and me a few moments of quietness).

And you must not mind either because you keep coming back for more.

So have no fear, there will be none of that silly seriousness here. NYTM is a place for humor and pictures of adorable kids, droolicious desserts and mindless ramblings.

Enjoy!

Breastfeeding Differences

My first babe was an amazing nurser, so much so that we would lounge on the couch for hours. I would set up a comfy camp for us. She had the nursing pillow, I would get my books and my water bottle. And we would bond.

Turtle was nothing like that in the beginning.

She would nurse for a few moments here and there and if I dare bring a book, she would swat it away. She wanted all my attention on her.

Totally understandable.

Their differences in their approach to nursing was crazy.

The one thing they do have in common is their inability to get through the night without nursing.

Neither of my babes (Roo sleeps like a champ now) could make it without me and my boobs.

It took Roo 14 months to give up the drink in the middle of the night. Turtle is still guzzling like a newborn.

And I've heard it from everyone: let her cry it out.

Turtle is stubborn about her milk. Deny that child and there is hell to pay.

With Roo I was clueless (and exhausted) so I didn't know what to do.

I know what to do now, it's just that Turtle has her own game plan.

And while I tend to walk around like a zombie due to her stubborn love of my milk, I have to have faith that eventually she will work out her addiction and learn about portion control.

Roo figured it out and is such an amazing sleeper now that I feel like if she works it out she will be the same great sleeper that Roo is.

If not, I am sure she will learn to wean herself before college.

Back into the Swing of Things

It's always hard to get back in motion once you've taken some time off.

You know what they say: Once you go lazy, it's really hard to go back.

And that's me right now.

I have no desire to much of anything and I blame this on the sickness that was clouding the house.

But I have to pull through this. I have children, I have a blog, I have butt-imprints on my couch.

Not the last one, but if I'm not careful I will!

It's time to (wo)man up and get back into the swing of things

So today I will hit the grocery store, the library, the park and maybe the gym.

Plus I will write, take photos, sing to my children and make dinner for my husband.

But I don't want to go overboard (you know, too much too quick), so I will devote at least 45 minutes to Twitter and at least 30 minutes to mindless television.

Don't wanna overkill the whole thing and end up back to making dents in my couch.

:)

Happy New Year!

New Year, New Me?

I joined the Y yesterday.

I actually went to the Y this morning.

And I have to be honest with you, I was over the moon about it.

I hopped on that treadmill ready to rock and roll... and I did.

And tomorrow, I'm not going, because it's Sunday and their childcare hours suck, but on Monday I will be there bright and early ready to kick some ass.

Or kick this baby weight because I'm tired of it.

And this isn't a New Years Resolution either, just because I went on the 1st day of the year, this is a life resolution.

Get in shape and be happy about how I look.

Wish me luck.