Awesome Craft Project: Soft Ball!

I need this.

As soon as I find enough extra material laying about (probably from old clothes!) I'll be making some of these babies! Can't just make one, as the kids like to have everything color coded.

Are my kids the only ones like that? They've always had certain colors they like and stick to.

Kalli originally liked red and now pink.

Izy has always liked purple and green.

Double D likes green and grey.

Sebby gets blues as he is too little to pick a color. ;)

I tend to color code everything based on this, especially with schedules. It makes everything easier!

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RIP Rosey...

She was out hunting today (she has been quite a lot since her kittens are older and about to be weaned) and was hit and killed by a car.

Stop the ticker at 2 years, 3 weeks, & four days.

Izy keeps talking about how much Rosey loves her babies. And she does still, of that I am certain. It's just, we have to take care of them for her now. :*(

Let me note that the person who hit her did not stop, has had the police called on him on several occasions, and almost hit my husband a number of times while he was attempting to back out of the driveway. That little bastard is going to pay for this, believe me.

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"Let Your Geek Flag Fly"

...Is what my husband said when it came to naming the lovely dog we were given a few days ago. ;)

His name is Skeets*.

He's part Jack/Parson Russel Terrier and Beagle. Loves the kids, terrified of cats. Doesn't really play. Skittish as all hell. (The lady that was taking care of him before rescued him from a shelter, but wherever he was before he was abused and beaten--his ribs were broken.)


*Hint: Booster Gold**.


**Look it up.

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Excuse Me?

I don't care how nice someone is trying to be, but randomly asking "You're getting you're tubes tied now, right?" is still rude.

Why do other people make these things their business?

I understand that they are simply being friendly and attempting small-talk since four kids tends to be a rather large topic starter. But what really gets me... It's always other moms that say these things to me!

I've only had issues with one pregnancy and it didn't even make me high-risk or anything like that. Sure, we've had our kids in rapid succession but that's because we tried for years before the first and were worried about having the same issues again.

No matter how much our families ignore this: Our children were planned.

We love our kids. We take care of our kids. I stay at home and raise them, unless Hubby isn't working and then he spends even more time with them. I've already signed up to start homeschooling. We teach our children without books or things like that right now because they're more "hands on" and we're fine with that!

Why can't everyone else be fine with our family and how we do things?

Yes, we're younger and have four kids but we wanted them. We love them.

I know several girls that have four kids with different guys or aren't married, etc. It sucks because I get "Do they have the same father?" questions a lot. Yes! "Are you married?" Yes! Why in the world is it so hard for people to comprehend?

My aunt laughs when I tell her these things. She says if any of these people actually knew us at all they'd know the kids were all ours and that we are happily in love. Maybe she sees us differently than everyone else, because questions like those even pop up in our own families.

It's discouraging. It's hard to answer these kinds of questions when they actually bother you. They bother me. While it's nice to be able to start up a conversation with a stranger, having them tell me that and then go on about giving one of their kids up and having another that was raised as an only child--being an only child, it makes me cringe to think about--doesn't make me feel too good about myself.

Honestly, with the ease at which I've had children I've thought about being a surrogate. I think it would be wonderful to help others like that! But I'm sure my doctor would hear nothing of it. Of course, she also doesn't want me to get "fixed" because I'm so young.

In any case, if you have kids or not, if you happen to be attempting to strike up a random conversation with another person and they are, perhaps, the mother or father of multiple children, please please please please please hold your tongue. Small talk doesn't have to involve invasive questions about sex and anatomy, it could just be as simple as asking how old the kids are or their names!

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Parenting Confession

One day when we were low on diapers and I didn't have enough time to run to the store before my husband had to go to work, he called his parents and asked if they'd be willing to come over and watch the kids for just little bit while I went to the store down the road.

Well, there were a lot of other things that I had to get besides diapers and I was in such a rush to get back home because I thought it was rude to just spring this up on my in-law's that I completely forgot to buy diapers until I unlocked the front door.

I was way too embarrassed to say that, so I quickly dug through the bags as though I was searching for them and then told a little white lie about how I must have forgotten them at the store (oh no!) to make myself look a little better.

I felt like I couldn't get back to the store and home fast enough. I felt like a moron and have never told anyone, including my husband, how scatter-brained I went that day.

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Princess Prize Pack!

I can't very well wish for this--though that dress is immensely adorable!--because we have two little princesses that have no problem beating one another for things, along with their brother who likes to be a princess too!

And since all these lovelies are for one princess, I'll have to pass... But that doesn't mean you have to! Hurry over there and win!

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Bugs!

With all the fuss that Izy's been going on about with ants lately, when we were outside earlier working on the tent, I spotted a tiny Praying Mantis!

It's just a nymph, so it's so so so tiny! I thought it may have been a stick bug at first!

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Attack of the Monster Mr. Hoppy

First and foremost, allow me to explain that a Mister Hoppy is, in fact, a frog or toad.

Izy woke up last night screaming bloody murder. She's shaking, clutching her blanket, unwilling to move from the corner of her bed where she is standing, screaming about something through tears and mumbles.

Finally, after my husband sat her down and she shook her way over to the doorway where I was did I begin to understand her, though she was hyperventilating:

"Mr. Hoppy attacked me."

Of course, there is no frog or toad in the house or in her bed for that matter, not to mention that she generally likes them unless they jump on her face like a little tree frog did some time ago. Even then, it doesn't bother her half as much as her big sister.

Izy just has a tendency to hyperventilate whenever she is upset. She's always been that way!

She just wanted to cuddle, then eat some more pizza, color, then go to bed with us. There was no way she was willing to go back into her bed even though Daddy had "taken Mister Hoppy outside where he belonged."

After staying awake most of the night, she finally started twitching and fell asleep against me.

All was good until her sister couldn't sleep only seconds after Izy fell asleep. We ended up trading one child for another.

Kalli stayed up for a little while, but she just could not get comfy. That was her main problem. Didn't help me any though, as she's always been a Daddy's girl and wanted nothing to do with me whereas her sister used to stick to me like glue.

None of the kids are really cuddly all the time... DD just wants people to pick him up and as long as he knows you he doesn't care who you are. Izy cuddles when she is scared and Kalli snuggles when she wants something. Sebby is too little to pick sides, but he certainly prefers Daddy over me because I'm on a mission to get that little boy's head the right shape!

In any case, Izy was all good after she was put in bed--even if it was pretty early this morning. No more nightmares about Mister Hoppy jumping on her and her pillows, then worrying about her sister and brothers being attacked too.

That is, until she fell asleep tonight.

Iz is always the first one out. She gave up naps in order to stay up like her big sister, but makes up for it by passing out about a half an hour before her little brother and waking up a little later than her sister. So, the other two were still up watching Puss In Boots when she started screaming.

She was suddenly at the door, struggling with it. I thought it may have been her sister but both of them can open doors and DD doesn't know how to climb out of his bed yet. It took a little while before Daddy went and let her out and she was freaking.

Runs over to me, going on about how Mr. Hoppy attacked her again. I put her on my lap and hold her to get her to stop shaking and calm down enough to breathe. She finally does and goes on about it jumping on her and it's in her bed again.

Her sister is beside her bed. Her brother is beside her bed. Neither of them have seen anything and don't even know what she's going on about.

My first thought is, like last night, that maybe it's the hanging plant by the window. Maybe she wakes up and sees it and thinks it's something falling? But it's been there for a while...

Maybe her sister is being mean and playing tricks on her? Maybe her brother is throwing things at her and startling her awake? Neither would surprise me...

But, it seems to just be nightmares as there is, currently, no proof of anything else.

So, here we are at 12:30 on a Wednesday night Thursday morning with Izy in the chair not wanting to sleep again. Maybe tomorrow we'll do better.

She didn't take any naps today, but she's been in one hell of a mood too.

Then again, Daddy and I are too. If she whines one more time about ants or bugs in her ear/climbing on her or about the crayon wrappers that she thinks look like bugs that she just peeled off...

If nothing else, she was really cute running around singing The Doom Song earlier.

...I'm sure Daddy didn't think so since he was playing his video game, hehe.

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Squished Head... Thinking that might be a nickname in the future!

If you have children, I'm sure you know how soft their tiny skulls are for a while. If they lay on one side more than the other, you have to flip their heads around or their head will get lopsided.

Well, all of our kids have different shaped heads. Kalli always liked to sleep with her head to the right, so she's a bit flatter on that side--not as though you can tell with all those curls though. Izy's head is bumpy on top to the right, whereas her Daddy's head is bumper on the left. Double D is flat in the back because he just lays like that, still. But Sebby is the worst...

For three days, he constantly pulled his head to the left. Three days, and his head was completely flat on the left side and rounded on the right! Oh my, it freaked me out. I know Kal's head did that a few times, but his looked horrible!

He's still looking more to the left than to the right, but it's not as though there's anything wrong... He just really likes to sleep on that side. When he was a few weeks old, he learned how to kick enough to roll over to his left side. We can only assume he's been doing this much longer than since he's been out of the womb.

So far, so good though. He might not like it, but his little head has been getting turned to the right a lot more than before. He fusses about it and I can only assume things are much cooler to look at on the left side, so we've been putting up more things to the right for him to look at.

He can move his head around just fine, but he favors the left over the right. Once his head solidifies more, I really don't care. But right now, I'd prefer to attempt to make his head a more proper shape.

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"Copy-Kids Eat Fruits & Vegetables" Review & Giveaway!

Ever had your child not want to eat something essential, like fruits or vegetables? Then this might just be the right DVD for your home too!

For one, it's basic. Kids watching other kids tend to mimic. If you have children happily playing and eating fruits and veggies, then more likely than not yours are going to want to join in. (Hey, sometimes doing what everyone else does is good for your kids! So, you can stop asking if they're going to jump off a bridge too--at least this time!)

Secondly, well, just look at this adorable mascot:

Blue parrot. I know my kids love it. Even I do! It's colorful and certainly grabs your attention, in a good way.

There are several chapters on the DVD (like bananas, carrots, broccoli) that target certain fruits or vegetables so if you're kids are only having issues with certain ones, you can target those.

I'll even admit that some of the stuff on here I don't like! Raspberries and avocados? Ew. This might make me want to give them another shot, but I still tend to lean towards the "those are icky" kind of thing, but I'm rather stubborn and set in my ways at this point! Good thing kids minds are more easy to mold.

My kids are good with fruits and veggies. (I guess that's the good thing about them being more like me on eating than their father, who is a bit picker.) Still, we all have bad days and this is something fun to watch and get them eating!

I'll tell you a secret--if you want your kids to eat anything, get them to watch this DVD. Even if it isn't the targeted fruit or vegetable, you should be able to talk to them more about eating good/healthier foods and get them to try more. You know, the ol' "if you try it you might like it" routine.

Honestly, my kids loved it. (Banana eatin' right here.) Kids like to watch other people have fun and the kids in this are having fun.

Now if only I could get an adult version with foods I like to get my husband to try something new...

If you'd like to see the video quality and content, you can watch a trailer here.

It was rated by Dr. Toy in 2011 as one of the best children's products in creativity and music.

You can find them online at Copy-Kids.com and on Facebook or you can win a copy in our giveaway!

Read more...

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Join Melissa & Doug's Treasured Toy Club Today!

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Everyday Family: Baby Coupons, Samples, & More!

Formula Samples, Baby Magazines, Daipers Coupons and more!

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Join Pampers Gifts to Grow Rewards

Get the rewards you deserve. Join Gifts to Grow now to get 100 Free Points.

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Wordless Wednesday: B-A-N-A-N-A-S!

via Copy-Kids Eat Fruits & Vegetables Review & Giveaway!

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Join Totsy & Save on Kids Clothes

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Household Products Database

I use this quite a bit. Like to know what's in products now that my kids try to stick everything in their mouths. I never even knew about it before we had kids, but it's something you should probably know about even if you have pets. Don't want to be ingesting horrible things yourself either, I'm sure.

This database links over 11,000 consumer brands to health effects from Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDS) provided by manufacturers and allows scientists and consumers to research products based on chemical ingredients. The database is designed to help answer the following typical questions:

• What are the chemical ingredients and their percentage in specific brands?
• Which products contain specific chemical ingredients?
• Who manufactures a specific brand? How do I contact this manufacturer?
• What are the acute and chronic effects of chemical ingredients in a specific brand?
• What other information is available about chemicals in the toxicology-related databases of the National Library of Medicine?

Information in the Household Products Database (the database) is from a variety of publicly available sources including brand-specific labels and Material Safety Data Sheets when available from manufacturers and manufacturers' web sites. NLM and its Contractor (the Database Providers) do not test products nor investigate to determine if this information is complete or accurate. The Database Providers do their best to record the information as it appears on labels and other sources. Manufacturers frequently change formulations and although the Database Providers strive to keep information current, a lag period may occur between the time when a manufacturer makes a change to a label or a Material Safety Data Sheet, and the time a change appears in the database. As a result, The Database Providers cannot guarantee that the information in the database is 100% accurate, current or complete at a particular point in time. When precise ingredient information is important, the database should not be considered a substitute for reading labels on products or for contacting the manufacture. For these purposes, the Database Providers have provided telephone numbers and mailing addresses where available.

The National Library of Medicine and its contractor make no expressed or implied warranties, representations or endorsements whatsoever (including, without limitation, warranties of title or non-infringement, or the implied warranties of fitness of brands for a particular purpose) with regard to any information provided through this on-line database.

The user assumes full responsibility for using this site and understands and agrees that the National Library of Medicine and its contractor are neither responsible nor liable to you or anyone else for any claim, loss or damage resulting from its use.

All brands and product names in this database are the trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective holders. This database is provided to the National Library of Medicine under a license agreement with DeLima Associates as a copyrighted information resource for non-commercial use only. No part of this database may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including recording, or information storage and retrieval systems, for any purpose other than for the personal use of the site visitor. The National Library of Medicine welcomes links to the Household Products Database home page. The National Library of Medicine's license agreement with DeLima Associates does not permit framing the content from our site.

Initial funding for this database was provided by the National Center for Environmental Health of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Brands shown in the database were first selected in 1995 based on market share within each of 9 product categories and shelf presence in retail stores such as drugstores, supermarkets, auto parts stores, building supply stores, office supply stores, craft stores and pet stores.

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On Pregnancy: I'm Not as Fragile as You Think

I've been pregnant four times. I've dealt with the pain, the swelling, the aches, the mood swings--okay, my husband more so than me on this one--but you get the point. It's not all rainbows and sunshine, but you're working overtime making another human being inside of you, I don't think it's meant to be an "easy" task.

The thing that bugs me is the people that act as though you are suddenly unbelievably fragile, as though any activity that you were to do may cause you to lose the baby.

Now, don't get me wrong, I do know that there are women like this. High risk pregnancies are not what I'm talking about. I'm talking about the regular, run-of-the-mill pregnancy where everything is perfectly fine and you have no restrictions what-so-ever.

All of my pregnancies have been no-restrictions kind of pregnancies. Even though my third one was now considered high risk, at the time it really wasn't so bad. Both of the first ones were high risk in delivery, but none of this was any reason to drop my activity level, if I could keep up with it, as though I weren't pregnant.

With number one, I worked outside a lot. I worked on fish ponds, lifting and digging and doing all kinds of work that my body is completely used to. Besides that, my grandmother was living with us and, unfortunately, she was dying from advanced breast cancer.

I remember the first night she fell when I was alone at home with her and I didn't hesitate to help her to her feet. She raised me and barely weighed a thing at that point, and I wasn't that far along. I didn't even think about it. I don't think most people would in that position either.

A few days later we were talking with my husbands' family and it came up in conversation. (My husbands' grandmother was dying from lung cancer at the same time, so discussing this sort of thing was actually rather normal.) I can remember the anger that my father-in-law had on his face as he started on about how I didn't need to be lifting on her, didn't need to be doing this, doing that, because I was pregnant and could kill the baby. Of course, his wife joined in right away as well. It was horrible.

I mean, where did they come up with this idea? Do they not trust that I know when to stop pushing myself? By the second pregnancy, I couldn't do the same things I did the first time around. The first pregnancy I didn't have a baby to take care of. I didn't have to get over my depression from losing my grandmother. I didn't have to deal with that lost feeling because most of my family was suddenly "gone."

It's not like I was trying to harm myself. I've fallen during pregnancy and, no matter what some of those old shows used to portray, nothing bad happened to me or the baby. There were no strange birthmarks on my children from when I smashed my toe or finger.

Sure, I liked off-roading when pregnant with both girls and they like speed and bumpy rides--who'd figure?

But does that mean all my kids love to dance because I randomly shake my booty when no one is looking? Well, yeah, probably. I mean, that would explain a lot.

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Cracked.com: Parenting Articles

Maybe I get bored a lot. Maybe I have nothing better to do while feeding a sleeping baby or being used as a chair/bed/slide. Maybe, I don't know.

But, I do know that I like reading Cracked.com. Sometimes, you'll learn things that are trivial facts that you'll never be able to bring up in regular conversation with another human being, unless that person is your significant other and the conversation starts off with, "So, I was reading on Cracked.com..."

Somehow, I ended up over there--I blame Babble--and started reading all kinds of, well, I'll just call them "parenting articles." Actually, I think it'd do a few stuck up people some good to read. >,> No, seriously... Read these if you don't believe me.

• 5 Hallmarks of Bad Parenting That Are Actually Good for Kids
• 5 Horrific Ways Bad Parents Turn Their Kids Into Good Money
• 7 Things 'Good Parents' Do (That Screw Up Kids For Life)
• 5 Internet Life Lessons Parents Need to Start Teaching Kids
• 6 Horrible Lessons Hollywood Loves to Teach Kids
• 6 Popular Children's Books That Teach Kids Horrible Lessons

And once you read or skimmed through them, let me know what you think. I really need other people to talk to about this stuff because while my husband can't generally remember a conversation five minutes after having it, it does start to get boring on my end.

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Translation?

For the most part, I'm the one that translates the strange things that our youngest daughter mumbles. Today, however, I had to ask our oldest what the hell she said.

Iz: I want tay-tay-o's.

Me: What?

Iz: I want some tay-tay-o's.

Me: What are day-day-o's?

Iz: Tay-tay-o's! They're day-day-o's.

Me: Izy, I have no idea what you're talking about.

Iz: *faceplant into chair*

Me: Kal, can you tell me what you're sister is saying?

Kal: *nods*

Me: Izy, tell your sister what you want.

Iz: I want tay-tay-o's!

Kal: She says she wants Spagetti-O's.

Me: *facepalm*

Thankfully, the oldest can translate better than the rest of us. Since they were all born close together, they do have their own language. I was surprised the first few times people asked that, because people always assume our girls are twins. (They are 12 days short of being one year apart.) Usually it's mothers or grandmothers of multiples that ask. Hey, I guess we do have something in common!

Waiting for the boy to start talking more. He's rather quiet and shy though, so he just says "hi" and smiles at people. Waves. Bats his eyes... That sort of thing. Kalli introduces everyone and Izy hides. Seb is, of course, too small to do much of anything besides stare blankly and drool.

I just can't wait 'til they're all talking "their language" and no one else knows what the hell they're saying. They'll make fun of us, complain even more than they already do in the bedroom at night, and whatever else one can do while speaking a language that others don't understand.

And I'll, hopefully, figure out enough of it to get by... And maybe catch them being mean and pop in their room all like, "Don't talk like that!" and they'll drop and be so surprised I knew what they were saying.

Or, uh, not. I'm never going to be that awesome/cool.

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