It’s time once again for the My Consign sale! It’s the only sale of its kind in the metroplex. What makes it unique? The moms who consign their items are present the day of the sale to answer questions and bargain with you so you get the best deal! And consignors get to keep 100% of their profits from the sale.
We still have openings for consignors for the May 18, 2013 sale. For more information, please visit the My Consign website and sign up for updates here.
My response to this letter http://4littlefergusons.wordpress.com/2012/11/14/dear-mom-on-the-iphone/
Dear Mom Judging me on the Playground,
I get your whole life is short, enjoy the kids, live in the moment bit. I really do. That’s why I chose to give up a job I LOVED to stay at home with my tiny tots. However, when you see me chatting with a friend, talking on my phone or messing with my phone (if I had a smart phone!), don’t be so quick to judge me.
I’ve spent most of the past 6 years with my children from sun up to sun down. Yes, occasionally they are cared for by someone else, a few hours, maybe once a week at most. Other then when they are sleeping I see their every waking moment.
My daughter running around like a crazy kid and twirling in one of her beloved tutus? Yes, I know she’s turning into a little girl and not so much a baby anymore. I’ve also seen her prance around in her tutu all morning. Make that all yesterday as well as she refused to take it off at bedtime. I also know exactly where her lovey is right now, where she set him so she could spin around and where she probably won’t remember to look when she realizes he’s missing.
My eldest, my little boy, who is such a funny kid, yes, we have played all morning together. I saw him slide down the stairs, like he’s not supposed to, this morning when he said watch me! I also have watched him do 1,000 other things legal and not this morning. All adorable in their own right. We also have discussed the weather, made up songs to the tune of “Jesus Loves Me” that he likes to sing as additional verses and I’ve praised him many times on his handwriting exercises and reading.
The baby, well, considering all she does is sleep most of the day still, she’s enjoying her time being snuggled up in her stretchy wrap next to me as usual. I can’t tell you the last time she let me put her down or hand her over to daddy for a few minutes.
Yes, I know play time at the park will be over soon, and I should soak up every moment, but once I call time to go home, I’m back to constantly being on the clock without a break until they go to sleep once more.
Speaking of sleep and spending time with my darlings, did you know that last night I was up most of the night with my toddler who had a nightmare? She wouldn’t go back to sleep in her bed so she came into ours. Considering the fact that the baby is plastered to me constantly meant I got no sleep last night for fear that I’d smoosh one of them? Four in a bed is a tight fit.
Did you know that for the past few days my husband was working pretty much all day, so I was without the help I usually get during the late afternoons and evening? I know single parents do this constantly…not sure how they do it, its been rough! The rare times he is busy, he’s super busy and some days barely gets to see the kids awake. Those days are hard. Those days I get no break.
I haven’t visited a toilet alone unless they are all asleep in six years. Six years. Privacy in the shower? Again, only when they’re all asleep. Now that I’ve got a newborn, I’ve once again picked up the skill of nursing a baby while using the restroom.
No where in the house is sacred. We live in a very tiny space for five people. When we go to the park, it’s a chance for all of us to get some space.
I’m not complaining. I love being home with my kids, I love knowing all that they’re doing. I’m even going to homeschool my children! But when I read pieces judging me on what I’m doing with the thirty minutes I have to sit and have to myself while something else has their attention, I get irritated.
You have no idea of how little time I get to think during the day. I can’t even listen to the news on the radio anymore because of my children’s constant question asking in the car. Thirty minutes to regain some semblance of self isn’t too much to ask for, is it?
Thirty minutes to quickly catch up with a friend, thirty minutes to perhaps talk to my husband while he gets a break because I haven’t seen him much lately either, thirty minutes to finally get a chance to call the pediatrician to schedule their well checks without a child screaming in the background…
I could go on, but you get the idea. Mommy needs a break. Stop judging me when the thirty minutes of semi ignoring, yet always knowing exactly what they are doing on the playground because I’m paranoid they’ll somehow disappear, comes. The kids and I will be much happier during the rest of the afternoon if I’ve had a few minutes to myself.
Signed,
24/7 Mommy to Three Adorable Children
Come to the free Cloth Diaper 101 class this Saturday night in Richardson at Chilosos! It’s from 7-9. Chilosos has great food, so feel free to grab a burrito or quesadilla to munch on while you learn. Children and spouses are welcome. Chilosos is located on the east side of 75 off Campbell Rd. in the new shopping and eating area.
I haven’t posted in ages, I know. This pregnancy hasn’t been the easiest. No complications, but second trimester sent me into a major funk and zapped my creativity. Physically it’s been a bit more challenging as well. Carrying a twenty five pound toddler, even as little as possible, does not help one’s lower back. My midwife keeps saying the only cure is birth, which I know is true so I’ve spent a lot of the second half of this pregnancy wanting it over. I hate wanting to rush things, but honestly, I miss my body. This big belly and weight gain take a toll on my frame that isn’t used to carrying round extra weight. Add a toddler who needs to be held and its a lot of extra weight I’m not used to.
In speaking with other moms, I’ve been comforted that my second trimester funk as I’m calling it is normal. I didn’t experience it with my other two, but this one has been hard. I’m not sure if it was the weather compounding things, but third trimester and the nicer weather hit at about the same time and my mood improved. The patience I did manage to muster was spent not being cranky at my children and not working on my business and blogging as much. Now I’m just tired, but I think every pregnant mom could say the same thing once they hit the third trimester.
Anyone else experience major pregnancy funk?
Help us celebrate 400 “likes” on Facebook by entering our giveaway below! One person will win a green pocket diaper perfect for St Patrick’s Day celebrations next month, doll diaper (boy or girl print, winner’s choice) and play wipes (choice of pink, blue or yellow case).
Contest ends on Feb 22 at midnight. Winner must be a US resident.
Even if you don’t win, be sure to come to the free cloth diaper class I am teaching on February 28 from 7-9 p.m at La Madeline (Coit and Campbell) in Richardson. Keep up to date on details on my facebook page.
The University of Texas at Arlington is in need of more participants for a fun and engaging study of early childhood behavior. They are looking for families with twins or two siblings between 2.5 and 5.5 years of age.
Participants can receive up to $75 in gift cards for their involvement: a $25 Amazon.com gift card for completing three surveys and a $50 Target gift card upon completing a lab visit at UTA. In addition, children will receive goodies during their visit.
More information can be found at the website here:
http://www.uta.edu/faculty/jgagne/texasfamilystudy/
If you have any questions about the study, feel free to send an email to texas.family.study@gmail.com
Hard to believe that it’s 2013 and that the next consignment sale is almost here. We decided to switch to off season sales because as we all know, the weather in Texas is CRAZY and it’s really hard to plan in August what size your child will be in January!
Come out tomorrow and shop!
8-11am early entry $5
11am-1pm regular entry $1
Trinity Bible Church
400 W Campbell Rd Richardson
The old adage, “It’s what’s on the inside that counts,” rings true for what I’m about to share with you. It’s scary, frightening, and may be lurking in your house. Your children may have even played with it this evening. What am I talking about? Bath squirt toys. Did you know they can harbor disgusting black mold? Oh, yes it’s true. We cut up a few squirt toys and found this disgustingness lurking.
Poor mister turtle never saw it coming, but his sacrifice will hopefully show you what is taking a bath with your child:
He was the worst toy that was cut open. A few others were much cleaner, but they were newer squirt toys. In theory, rinsing out with bleach could help prevent this issue, but its very hard to get every, single drop of water out of these toys because of the tiny holes. Bleach is also something I don’t recommend using on baby toys, I usually use more natural cleansers when it’s necessary to remove germs.
I didn’t have a bulb syringe (nose sucker) lying around, and frankly after seeing the turtle, I couldn’t stomach more gross mold, but they also harbor mold.
Curious to what yours look like? I am! Sacrifice a few bath toys or a bulb syringe (nose sucker) and share on JBP’s Facebook page! Lets see who has the worst squirt toy!
Why don’t children ever want to go to sleep? I love sleep most of the time. I wish my children felt the same way. We are parents that don’t believe in shutting the door and letting them cry to sleep which some nights can mean long bed time routines.
Tonight number two did not want to go to sleep. I’m not sure why, but here I sit an hour later and she’s FINALLY asleep on my lap. Number one is easier. My husband lies down with him for a few minutes after books are read. They talk and do prayers. Then after a few min, he leaves and number one usually goes to sleep. Number two, sigh. We will get there one day! She’s only just now two, so it’ll come.
I think sleep routines can and probably should look different parent to parent. Why torture your child with screaming alone if they need mommy or daddy to sit or lie there until they can sleep? I think we get too tied up in what everyone else is doing, what a child should be song, etc. Do what is least stressful for your kiddo and you. They won’t need you to put them to bed soon enough, so take that extra time to snuggle, talk, kiss, hug, smell their sweet little kid smell before they smell like a stinky big kid and you dream of the days they were small enough to curl up on your lap.
My daughter was trying to hide under the bed to avoid bedtime…
Stripping diapers. Some of you may have never heard of this term and others may have, but don’t know what it is or what it means.
Stripping diapers needs to happen ideally at one of three times: stinky ammonia smelling diapers, buying used diapers, or switching detergents.
If your diapers stink, even after washing them, chances are you’re using the wrong kind of detergent. You’ll know the smell. Smells like urine. Yuck. So what do you do? Strip them and get some cloth friendly detergent like Rockin Green!
How to strip:
Put diapers in wash.
Rinse hot (Not scorching hot. Your water heater shouldn’t be terribly hot if you have children!)
Fill again for another load on hot and squirt in blue Dawn. Yes, blue. The ph level is correct with this color.
Wash and rinse and wash and rinse until all the bubbles are gone.
Dry
The stink should be gone.
If you had been using a cloth friendly detergent, you may not be using the correct one for your water type.
You can also strip diapers using RLR sold at Krogers. I’ve never used that method, but I hear it works.
If you are still having trouble, email me! I’ll see what I can do to help you out.
