Designer Diapers

Okay okay, so really, diapers with a design.  

I knew once they introduced the "denim" diapers that eventually they would produce adorable girly prints.  I had been great about avoiding them, rushing straight to the cheapest brand--Parent's Choice and Up and Up for example--without looking around at the other options.  Then the other day, while shopping for groceries, there was a display of these ADORABLE Pampers at the end of an aisle.  I couldn't resist, I bought them, and Kailee LOVES them.  She likes to pick which design I put on her.  Brady was immediately concerned that our diaper budget just doubled but I assured him that this was a one-time splurge... :)

XOXO,

Cry-it-Out Toddler Bed Take 1

Our littlest bedbug has made bedtime a nightmare again.  She immediately goes into hysterics which has resulted in her falling asleep in our bed the past two nights.  The problem is, it's hard to give tough love if your partner is completely unwilling and rushes in to "save the day" for our little one after less than 5 minutes.  Tonight I took control and we are trying again.

When I say "cry-it-out," I don't mean that I lock her in her room and let her scream until she falls asleep.  I let her cry, but I check on her periodically to let her know I'm still around but that she's going to stay in her room at least, if not her bed.  When I go in to check on her, the recommendation is to soothe/comfort but exit again in less than 2 minutes.  I try to get in and get out in less than 30 seconds to prevent working her up even more.  She's so high strung, the situation actually seems to worsen the more often I go in.

I set the CIAO Baby app to go off after 4 minutes for the first check.  Each subsequent check is twice as long as the previous, for a maximum of 32 minutes.  You can start with as few as 2, but I prefer to start with 4 since she's older.  Here's how it went down tonight:

Wait #1 (4 minutes)

0 minutes - The fit begins and she cries hysterically as Mommy shuts the door.  The timer is set @8:07:00 PM

4 minutes - Still hysterical, she claws at Mommy when comforted and returned to her bed.

Wait #2 (8 minutes long, total time: 12 minutes)

8 minutes (half-way through 2nd wait time) - silence

12 minutes (seconds before the 2nd wait timer went off) - The hysterics began again, she clawed at Mommy when comforted and again returned to her bed.

Wait #3 (16 minutes long, total time: 28 minutes)

22 minutes minutes (halfway through 3rd wait)- Silence (Daddy comes upstairs to tell Mommy the reason Kailee won't go to sleep is that it's still light out; sorry, Daddy, Mommy's not giving up so easily)

24 minutes (with 8 minutes left in the 3rd wait) - The hysterics begin temporarily but last less than 10 seconds, this happens periodically for the rest of the wait.  We have a VERY stubborn, headstrong little girl--I wonder where she gets it ;)?

27 minutes (almost done with 3rd wait) - She really gets worked up again briefly and then silence for the rest of the wait.

28 minutes (end of 3rd wait) - It's quiet in her room, I debate about going back in at all... I decide to set a new timer and if she cries again, I will go in regardless.  If not, I will check to confirm she is in fact asleep in 32 more minutes.

Wait 4 (32 minutes long, total time: 60 minutes)

32 minutes (4 minutes into 4th wait) - She fusses a bit.  I stay out

33 minutes (5 minutes into 4th wait) - She gets hysterical again so I go in.  She's sitting in her glider with her "bankie."  She jumps out of the chair, runs to me and gets VERY upset when I put her in bed.  She screams as I walk out, but then, silence...

38 minutes (10 minutes into 4th wait) - Kailee gets all worked up again briefly.  This continues to happen from time to time for the next several minutes.

44 minutes in (halfway through 4th wait) - Silence...

47 minutes in (13 minutes left in wait 4) - The hysteric outbursts begin again

49 minutes in (11 minutes left in wait 4) - Daddy comes upstairs and threatens to be the knight in shining armour.  At that point, I give up, go in and hold my precious baby.  If anyone gets to be the "good" guy tonight, it's going to be ME!  It took 5 minutes to calm her down.

55 minutes in (5 minutes left in wait 4) - Kailee and I are sitting on the couch, finishing up this post, about to go to bed in Mommy and Daddy's bed.

With checks included, it's been 1 hour of HELL.  This is the worst she's fought me and I totally FAILED!  When I've done CIO in the past, she was out in less than 30 minutes.  Of course, she could not get out of her bed then...

GRRRRR!

XOXO,

2nd or 3rd generation remedy :)

Growing up, I had stomach aches FREQUENTLY.  I remember praying that I didn't have a stomach ache on days we had big plans--like Christmas, family gatherings, Six Flags, Wet 'N Wild, Krause Springs, etc.  It really was random when I got them because as a creature of habit, I typically ate the exact same things everyday.

On one occasion, my mom told me to lay on my left side, and it worked!  Of course, the stomach ache would only stay away as long as I was lying on my left side, meaning the remedy was really only available when around the house.  Nevertheless, I still would try to use my trick when out in public if I was in enough pain.  When on a school trip to London in between 7th and 8th grade, I had such a severe stomach ache that I went to the infirmary at Hampton Court Palace to lie down.  They were very accommodating but the leader of our trip accused me of faking to get attention.  In all honesty, I HATED the attention I got when having to deal with my annoying ailment.  Back then I was horribly shy; thus, I did everything possible to avoid extra notice.

But back to the present, today, Gavin ate a Pop-Tart and then told me he had a stomach ache (I know I know, the source of his pain is obvious).  Instinctively, I told him to lie down on his left side on the couch.  I had to help him get situated with a blanket, but my remedy worked.  His tummy is all better now! :)

XOXO,

Mmmm Delicious! Pasta a la Mommy :)

This was one of my favorite meals as a child!

Ingredients:

Box of pasta (we prefer wheels, bowties, and/or shells)

Water

Butter Spray

Parmesan cheese

Directions:

1. Boil the pasta (in the water) to your desired tenderness.

2. Strain the noodles.

3. Measure out the desired amount.

4. Spray the desired amount of butter spray.

5. Sprinkle the desired amount of parmesan cheese.

    -for me it's a ton, for Gavin none, Kailee a little bit

Gavin, Kailee and I LOVE this meal.  Brady hasn't quite gotten on board.  He prefers his pasta soaked in a meaty sauce.  We like that too but sometimes it's nice to keep it a little simpler!

XOXO,

L-J's review of Sliding into Home by Kendra Wilkinson

I LOVE celebrity memoirs, even of celebrities I don't regularly follow.  I knew who Kendra was from seeing clips of her reality show and reading stuff on celebrity gossip sites, but she was not on my radar beyond that.  Her memoir, Sliding into Home, shows what a tough life she had growing up--mostly due to choices she made--and what life is really like when you live at the Playboy Mansion.  She is very open and candid about her experiences and does not leave much to the imagination.  I was curious to know what life was really like for Hef's girlfriends and she tells you.  But I'm not going to spoil it for anyone who hasn't yet read her story!

This is a quick, fun read that I recommend if you are looking for an interesting celebrity memoir.

XOXO,

Crafty girl? Me?

Most of the things I've made, though I've given away 4 not pictured

Yes, it's true, I am addicted to crafting!  Less than a week ago, I discovered decoupage and it has turned into a new obsession that has branched into painting and stenciling.  I've created so many different things, many of which will be hung in our home soon.  Who knew I would love this so much?

XOXO,

A big night!

Kailee recently has been VERY interested in the potty.  She has wanted to sit on it several times, for about 10 minutes at a time.  While we are not yet "potty-training," we are happy to see Kailee's interested and allow her to sit on the potty sans diaper whenever she wants.  

On Monday night, we had the surprise of our life!  After many occasions of just sitting on the toilet, Kailee actually peed!  Gavin and she had been tossing a ball back and forth when I heard the trinkle of liquid.  Kailee stopped, looked at me in confusion, I got all excited, and then she continued to empty her bladder.  Gavin and I were both sooooo excited while Kailee seemed a bit confused and clueless.  Gavin was excited because on the first occasion, I told him that if Kailee peed in the potty, they could both get M&Ms.  Gavin immediately ran to get the candy treat.

While she is no where near potty trained--in fact, she can't tell us when she needs to go--it was still a big day for our big girl!

XOXO,

L-J's Review of Princess: A True Story of Life Behind the Veil in Saudi Arabia by Jean Sasson

I've heard people complain about life in the United States, citing examples of how other places in the world are better for various reasons.  I myself am very grateful that I was born in a country with equality and freedom.  Princess: A true Story of Life Behind the Veil in Saudi Arabia is the story of Sultana, a Saudi princess--royalty who has ZERO rights simply because she was born a female, not a male.

This is not a lighthearted summer read, it's the polar opposite in fact.  The realities of such a male-chauvinistic culture are extremely hard to digest especially for someone like me who has difficulty accepting when people intentionally do the wrong thing.  I found myself angered to tears at many points in Sultana's story.  I know that I would likely not still be alive had I been born with my fiery disposition in that country.  I don't know why more women don't run away when they get the chance--they are so rich that they travel to Europe and the US where they could be free!  I would be very saddened to learn that the US deported women seeking refuge from Saudi Arabia.

I highly recommend this book as it brings much needed awareness to the harsh realities of a woman's life in Saudi Arabia.  The lack of freedom and fairness is sickening.  There are many moments that I cannot forget even though I want to.  

There are two follow-up books to this one that I intend to read soon.  I am curious to know what happened as her life continued.

XOXO,

L-J's Review of Dead Reckoning by Charlaine Harris

The most recent installment of The Southern Vampire series had more action than the last novel though it still seemed to lack the flare that kept me interested in the first 9 novels.  I don't know if Harris is running out of ideas or is perhaps trying to stretch out the series to get more money out of it, but she's needs to step up her game.  Frankly, the fairy business is getting old, and I know without a shadow of a doubt that the next book will be focused on something big with the fae.  Dead Reckoning has setup the next novel to focus more on the fae than the vamps though we are left with a cliffhanger in the vampire department at the end that has enticed me to read it when it comes out.

All in all, this one was a disappointment.  Hopefully the next will be more enjoyable.

XOXO,

The Consequence

A couple of years ago, one of my sisters-in-law shared a "cure" for the "talker-backer-syndrome."  She would put a drop of Tabasco (something she had tested on her own tongue to make sure it wasn't that bad) on her child's tongue if s/he refused to stop talking back to her.  We used the idea a few times with Gavin but I hadn't had to use it for a few months until tonight....

Tonight, Gavin decided to dump out all the dominoes from our Mexican Train (Turkey Foot on the Heil side) game.  I told him he could not watch TV or eat dinner until he put the dominoes away.  He slowly put them away, throwing out snide comments here and there.  I kept threatening the "consequence" (as Gavin calls it) but had not followed though.  Finally, 40 minutes into the process, with only half the dominoes put away and immediately after being told "I don't want to hear what you have to say, Mommy," I followed through with my threat and put a teeny-tiny drop on the middle of his tongue towards the back (where it isn't very sensitive).  You would have thought I'd poured acid on his tongue.  He cried real tears and boo-hooed.  BUT the other half of the dominoes were quickly put away, Mommy got an apology, and Gavin promised never to dump the dominoes out again--we'll see about that one.  

Mild salsa has the exact same effect as Tabasco.  In fact Gavin's reaction tonight was not nearly as severe as when I have used mild salsa.

XOXO,

L-J's Review of Cocktails for Three by Madeleine Wickham

Madeleine Wickham is Sophie Kinsella's real name.  Sophie Kinsella was made famous by the Shopaholic series which are fun, lighthearted chicklit novels.  She also published a few other fun fast reads that scream "Kinsella" when you read them--Remember Me, The Undomestic Goddess, Can you Keep a Secret? and Twenties Girl.  When I pick up a novel by Kinsella, I know I'm going to enjoy the journey through the book, probably laugh out loud several times, identify with at least some of the heroine's inner-dialogues, and be satisfied with the resolution of the story.

When I pick up a Madeleine Wickham novel, I am more hesitant.  My only other experience is that of a quite depressing story in which I did not like the paths various characters chose.  When I began Cocktails for Three, I had my own reservations, plus the knowledge that a friend did not like the story enough to finish it.

Cocktails for Three is not up to par compared to Wickham's novels as Kinsella, but neither is it as depressing as the other Wickham novel I read--Sleeping Arrangements.  This one did cover a couple of depressing topics but in a way that suggests Wickham was beginning to develop her style that would become Kinsella's.  I too found it difficult to attach myself to the plot and characters but after 200 pages, I felt I had to find out what happened in the end.  

All in all, I was able to appreciate the book for what it was--but I am an optimist and usually can find good in most things, even really bad books and movies.  I would not suggest paying money for this one, but for a free book, I can't really complain.  In fact, if I didn't know that it was by the same author as the Shopaholic novels, I probably would have been able to appreciate it more.

XOXO,

L-J's Review of Jemima J by Jane Green

Jemima J is the story of an overweight London journalist in the mid-1990s, when the internet first became mainstream.  None of the characters have cell phones or computers at home and it was fun to think back to a time when gadgets did not rule our lives.  

Jemima is of course in love with an unattainable heart-throb, Ben, but finds entertainment by frequenting an internet chat room where she meets Brad, the LA gym-owning stud.  Between Ben, Brad, her gorgeous colleague and friend Geraldine, a pair of kooky gold-digging-yet-somewhat-glamorous roommates Sophie and Lisa, our heroine has a lot of interesting and beautiful people in her life.  Of course Jemima does not feel like she fits in with them at all.

Jemima is a character that women can relate to, especially any woman who has ever worried about her weight or felt insecure about her place ih her own life.  In typical chick-lit fashion, there are many fun and kooky minor characters, romance, heartache, and a surprise ending.  If you are looking for a light-hearted summer read, this is it!

XOXO,

Mmmm Delicious! Brady's Nachos!

I spent the summer of 2005 in Vermont with Brady and while I was there, I was homesick for good 'ole Tex-Mex.  Brady decided to make me nachos and accidentally bought ground sausage instead of ground beef.  He thought, "What the heck?  We'll give it a try," and invented what became my favorite nacho recipe.

After browning the ground sausage, layer chips on a microwave-safe plate.  Then add refried beans that have already been warmed on the stove.  Next, throw on some ground sausage and top it with shredded cheese.  Finally, heat it in the microwave for 60 seconds to melt the cheese.

Brady hasn't made this awesome dish very often in recent years because Gavin would not even try it.  Tonight, after at least 10 attempts, Gavin FINALLY tried it and he LOVED it!  Kailee of course scarfed hers down--but she's not our picky eater.

XOXO,

Last year's jeans, this year's capris!

This is kind of a spin-off of to my post Last year's dress, this year's shirt!  If you have petite children like I do, they grow up faster than they grow out.  With Gavin, it was quite frustrating finding him cute clothes that fit until he reached the toddler sizes and adjustable waistlines.  It just didn't work to let him wear his last year's jeans as capris seeing as how he's a boy.

With Kailee, it was easy to make last year's jeans into this year's capris!  While we still had to get her some jeans--jeggings are actually her preference and can be found cheap at Wal-Mart--her old ones became awesome spring-wear as adorable capris.


So if your daughter grows up faster than, out, this money-saving tip may help you as well!

XOXO,

L-J's Review of The Boy in the Striped Pajamas by John Boyn

This is the story of Bruno who moves with his family to a home outside of Auschwitz when his father, a Nazi Soldier, is promoted as Commandant of the camp.  One day, while at Out-With (as our hero calls it), Bruno goes exploring and meets a little boy who is sitting on the other side of the fence.

This book takes you through a year in the life of a naive little boy who has no idea of the harsh realities of the world during the Holocaust.  It is not like any Holocaust novel I've ever read and gives the reader an opportunity to see the situation through the eyes of someone who clearly is oblivious to the world situation.

The Boy in the Striped Pajamas is also a major motion picture that I highly recommend.  It is a more sophisticated presentation of the story than the novel.  I've rarely liked a movie better than the book but this time I do.

This is not a happy tale and will inevitably make most readers/viewers cry at least once.

XOXO,

Last year's dress, this year's shirt!

Shirt 2011

Dress 2010

 This is something I happened to try with Kailee this year.  I was not ready to say goodbye to all of her super-cute dresses from last spring/summer so I decided to see if I could make them work with leggings, jeans, and shorts.  I could!


Not only do I get to see Kailee in all her adorable dresses again this year, but it's a HUGE money saver.  I have not bought Kailee a single shirt this spring/summer.

Shirt 2011

Dress 2010

Plus thanks to my mom's generosity and ADORABLE hand-me-downs from my cousin Ella, I have not had to buy Kailee a single dress.  She is set for the summer!

XOXO,

L-J's Review of The Last Little Blue Envelope by Maureen Johnson

Crazy as it is, I read the sequel to 13 Little Blue Envelopes all in one day...

Needless to say, this one reads even faster than the first and is much more entertaining.  I really can't say anything without giving important information away about the first one.  Just know that the adventure picks up 6 months after we were left hanging, and Ginny (now 18) continues on her journey learning about life, love, her aunt and herself.

Again there's no parental involvement--making it a bit unrealistic--but as the character seems older than 18, I was able to forgive and forget that minor detail.

I recommend both 13 Little Blue Envelopes and The Last Little Blue Envelope as quick, fun summer reads.

XOXO,

L-J's Review of 13 Little Blue Envelopes by Maureen Johnson

This is one of my Barnes & Noble Free Book Friday finds from a little over a month ago.  It's the story of an 17-year-old who receives a package of 13 little blue envelopes from her deceased aunt.  Along with the letters, she gets distinct instructions of when/where to open each letter, and each letter holds a new task that must be completed before opening the next.  If you can get past the fact that she's 17 and traveling throughout Europe without adult supervision, the novel is quite enjoyable.  In fact, I forgot how young the heroine was and kept thinking she was 19 or 20.

It's a fun book that takes you on a journey with Virginia as she learns a lot about her aunt, herself, and life in general.

WARNING: the novel does not resolve the story at the end and you are left wanting the sequel--which conveniently hit bookstores the Tuesday after 13 Little Blue Envelopes was released as B&N's Free Book Friday.  Smart move by the author and B&N as I purchased the sequel moments after finishing the first.

XOXO,

Just a day at the pool

Daddy had to work so Mommy and the kids headed to the pool with YaYa and Poppa.  Here's some proof we were there since I have NO tan as evidence.

Enjoying the "round things" as Gavin calls them 

Trying to climb out nowhere near the stairs

Hanging out with YaYa, watching Gavin swim

Enjoying the water

Poppa!

And my genius pool-gear-carrier worked perfectly!

XOXO,