Who Needs a Beach? We Have Sand & Water Right Here!

Summer didn't wait for it's official start here in Columbus. Last week it was hot - unbearably hot. And of course I had two children who wanted to go outside every day.

The problem, of course, is that any amount of time spent outdoors will melt the lot of us faster than a bucket of water on the wicked witch. Wait - water! Add water to a hot day, and suddenly it's not so bad anymore, right?

So last week we introduced the Step 2 Sand & Water Cart to our backyard, and the girls were very excited to try it. It required a little bit of construction, so I told the girls to be patient. (Never an easy task.) Thankfully, the pieces fit together easily, and the screws were easy to put in. I'm not good with building things, but this took only 10 minutes and very little effort with the well-written instructions.

The cart is very compact, yet still offers plenty of room for several kids to gather around and play. Wheels and a handle on the front make it easy to move around the backyard (we moved it to the shade), and a cute umbrella provides shade if the cart is out in the sun.

Cordy saw the water wheel toy on the cart and decided that no sand was needed. I was ordered to fill both sides with water, even though one side is designed for sand and I had a bag of it sitting nearby. Both girls immediately started splashing, pushing the boats around, and Cordy poured water into the water tower to watch the wheel spin. I splashed around with them for a little while (we had boat races by blowing on the plastic sails) and then I pulled up a chair nearby and relaxed in the shade for a bit.


An hour later, I had to drag them in from the backyard and deal with the wails that dinner wasn't important, because there was water to play with! Clean up was a snap: there's a spout on the bottom to drain out the water, and the toys can be stored inside or on the lower level of the cart. The cover fits tightly with bungee cords to secure it, keeping bugs and water from getting into your sand.

I really appreciate how portable this toy is. We don't have a deck or patio, so we have to move all of their toys to mow the lawn. Wheeling this cart out of the way is a breeze. And the cart can be used in several ways: sand and water, sand alone, or water alone. We added the sand this week, and they love digging in the sand to find things Cordy has buried. (And I get to practice my observation skills, as Mira tries to eat the sand every now and then.)


It's also a toy that both girls can use together. The one year old enjoys it as much as the nearly-four year old does. Mira enjoys the sensations of feeling the water and sand, while Cordy learns how water can make a wheel move and a boat float, and practices hiding and digging up toys in the sand.

I can see this cart will give us years of use, and I highly recommend the Step 2 Sand & Water Cart. Having this toy around has resulted in more time spent in the backyard and less around the TV. But I think we need to build a patio now just so I can relax at a table (with my computer, of course) during these extended outdoor play sessions!

Babybug: A Magazine For the Short-Attention Set

I'm sure Mira is a girly-girl in the making. For example, she has a strange fascination with shoes. Any shoe in our house is sure to be picked up and examined, and if she finds one that she thinks is pretty, she tries to put it on her foot. She loves satin ribbons, jewelry, and feather boas. And she steals every one of my magazines. Mira watches me read magazines, and has decided she needs to be doing the same. But Self and People aren't exactly ideal reading for babies, and I get tired of trying to read around the half-ripped pages.

Now she can have a magazine designed for her age group. Parent Bloggers told me about Babybug, a magazine designed for children 6 months to 3 years old. I'll admit I wasn't sure what to expect, since I didn't know how a periodical could be designed to interest someone who can't read or even understand that many words yet.

What arrived in our mailbox looks like a board book, much smaller than your average magazine. Each page is thick - not cardboard, but very thick paper. This gave me hope that each issue might survive more than a week without being shredded. The outer cover had an introduction to that issue for parents, discussing the theme of that month's issue and suggestions on how to make reading these stories and poems to your child more interesting.

Inside Babybug, there are lots of poems and very short stories. The longest story is 6 pages long, and it is the continuing adventures of Kim and Carrots. Kim is a little girl, and Carrots is her stuffed bunny, and the first pages of each issue feature a new story about them. Following that is a series of poems and rhymes, emphasizing simple words and lots of repetition.

Each page features large fonts and is filled with bright, colorful illustrations. I know the large font was probably intended for children, to help with letter recognition, but I appreciate being able to read the text without difficulty as I hold it out so Mira can see the pictures well.

The illustrations are beautiful, too. Some look like watercolor paintings, some look like cut out shapes and animals, and some are very detailed drawings. Lots of animals are represented, and I like that there is a lot of human diversity represented in the illustrations as well.

Mira loves listening to the rhymes and short stories. Like I said, the longest story is 6 pages, and there isn't a lot of text on a single page, so this is perfect for the short-attention span set. Sometimes we'll sit and read the entire issue. Other times I'll read a page or two and then she's off to do something else. She also will pull Babybug off the table and page through it herself at least once a day.

And my initial hopes about the weight of the paper came true. She cannot rip these pages! It takes a lot of effort to tear out an entire page, and even more effort to rip a page in two. Even my determined ripper has yet to pull out a page, although she continues to try. I can see each issue adding to our library, right next to her board books. With how well they hold up, it's like getting a new book each issue.

Babybug has 9 issues a year, and is only the first in several magazines for children published by Cricket. As children get older, they have developmentally appropriate magazines for each age group. I'm a big fan of Babybug, as is Mira, and I think we'll continue to enjoy this magazine as it fosters a love of reading in my little girl.

I'm Stuck On Mabel's Labels

**Edited to add: This contest is now closed. Thanks to all who entered!

Most parents know that the second you get more than one baby/toddler/preschooler together, stuff gets mixed together and often goes missing. More than once I've had to ask a friend, "Does this sippy cup belong to your kid or mine?" I've written Cordy's name on many items with marker, but the marker always fades after awhile.

Then I tried Mabel's Labels, and I'm in love. Have you seen these? They're personalized labels that can be used for all sorts of stuff. They have labels to use on hard items, like baby bottles, toys, and sippy cups, plus they have labels that can be ironed into clothing or stuck into shoes. Clothing labels are great for kids going to preschool or daycare - it's too easy for extra clothing to get mixed together if it falls out of a cubby or backpack.

Best of all? They don't come off. My one year old, who picks at everything, can't get these labels off of her sippy cups, and after many trips through the dishwasher, they're holding strong and still just as colorful as when I put them on.

The label colors are bright and the font is cute. When you place an order, you can choose a cute design to go with your child's name, too. Sticky labels come in two sizes to accommodate most items, and you can choose from the Standard, Princess, or Ocean color packs. We like the standard colors, but little girls who love pastels and soft pinks will love the Princess pack.

There's no question which items are ours at playdates now. The labels make it easy to spot our stuff when cleaning up, and if something gets left behind at a friend's house, they know who it belongs to. This has saved us so much money in replaced bottles and cups. I'm thinking about labeling our plastic snack bowls, too, since they seem to disappear at an alarming rate.

Also, if you're a bit of an organizer yourself, Mabel's Labels makes household labels for the kitchen, storage, crafts, or any other use.

I'm a big fan of this Canadian company, and can't say enough how durable and useful Mabel's Labels are. My older daughter loves looking at the labels on her stuff and spelling out her name, and while she can't read yet, she can recognize the butterfly and letters on her labels and know it's hers.

WIN IT! The lovely folks at Mabel's Labels have offered me a gift certificate for a Camp Pack of labels to give away to one lucky reader. This includes: 15 Sticky Labels, 40 Iron-Ons or 50 Tag-Mates (your choice), eight Shoe Labels and two Bag Tags, in your choice of color packs. Your child won't lose anything this summer with this set!

To enter the contest, leave a comment on this post telling me what baby or kid items you've lost or if you haven't ever lost an item (it must be a miracle), which items you think these labels could keep you from losing.

Participation is open to both U.S. and Canadian residents. One winner will be chosen at random (thanks to Random.org) and the deadline to enter is Tuesday, June 24 at midnight Eastern time. Good luck!

Send a Yummy Message With Fruit Roll-Ups

Edited to add: This contest is now closed. Congrats to the winner, janny226!

As a child of the 80's (well, born in the 70's, but went to elementary school in the early 80's), I remember Fruit Roll-Ups well. I always wanted one in my lunch bag each day. I loved how one side was rough, and the side against the plastic was so smooth. That smooth side was always the side you placed against your tongue - I'm sure it had more flavor.

Fruit Roll-Ups have come a long way since their launch in 1983. Back then there were, what, four flavors? Now they come in lots of flavors and shapes and cut outs and stamped designs and rainbows. It's amazing how much you can do with rolled out fruit paste.

Now you can add messenger to the list of Fruit Roll-Up accomplishments. The Parent Bloggers Network asked me if I wanted to try the new My Fruit Roll-Ups website and try making my own custom designs, and of course I said yes! It's probably been 10 years since I ate one, so I was only too happy to try this out.

The My Fruit Roll-Ups site has cute little animated characters walking you through how to customize your snack. They have a huge assortment of designs that can be applied to your Fruit Roll-up, in several different pattern combinations. There are animals, sports, hobbies, holiday icons, and general party images to choose from.

But if you want to really personalize it, you can also add text, in one of four fonts. There are so many ways to customize Fruit Roll-Ups with this option. Got a child's birthday coming up? Have them say Happy Birthday with your child's name printed on the fruit snack. Teaching your child to recognize her name? Print them on her fruit snack, along with her favorite animal. The possibilities are endless.

(And sure, you could use them for wedding favors, but I'd think you must really like them to do that. Or are planning an 80's pop culture themed wedding.)

The design process is extremely simple, with instant viewing of your Fruit Roll-Up as you click each image or enter text. It's easy enough that a computer savvy preschooler could do most of the designing herself. In our case, I did the clicking, but I let Cordy pick out the designs. She wanted a butterfly, a ladybug, and a dragonfly, so we used the three image option to create her perfect design.

Ordering is just as easy, with a checkout system that guides you through the process. Yes, these are more expensive than your regular box of Fruit Roll-Ups. But for a special occasion or a reward for your preschooler, they're still reasonably priced. Customized Fruit Roll-Ups are fun, easy to design, and have to be healthier than any of those personalized candies.

WIN THEM! Want to win your own box of personalized Fruit Roll-Ups? All you have to do is visit the My Fruit Roll-Ups website, then leave a comment here telling me which design(s) you would choose for your Fruit Roll-Ups. You have until Thursday (June 12) at midnight Eastern time. One winner will be picked at random on Friday to win a box of their personalized design. (One box equals 30 Fruit Roll-Ups.) Good luck!

Tiny*Prints Gets a Big Reception

Last weekend we celebrated Mira's first birthday. I know the first birthday is really more for the parents than it is for the baby, so I wanted it to be a casual but fun gathering of friends and family. I also wanted to have pretty invitations to send out and also keep as a memento.

Usually we order the standard photo cards for birthday parties. They're usually glossy, and some of the designs are cheesy or limited in how much you can personalize them. Nothing fancy, but they get the job done.

So when Parent Bloggers asked if I would like to try out some invitations from tiny*prints, I took a look at their site. After looking through their birthday options, I agreed to order Mira's party invites through them.

I was really impressed with the modern, stylish designs they offer for birthday invitations. Even baby-themed birthday invites were both elegant and fun at the same time. It was actually very difficult to choose which invite I liked the best. Some had cute drawings on them, others were photo cards, and they came in a variety of different sizes.

Finally, I decided on a photo card, and went to the next step: personalization. The on-screen editing of each section of the invitation is simple, easy to use, and allows you to preview your changes immediately. Can't think of what to say? They have suggested verses to borrow.

The photo editing was better than any other I've seen. Photos can be changed in several ways: zoom in or out, move to better fit the size of the window, rotate, and change to black and white or sepia tone. If you decide you don't like the changes, you can always revert to the original.

Before I placed my order, the system also let me know that an actual human being (a professional designer) would be reviewing my order to make sure everything looked the best it could. How many places offer that?

So how did my invitations turn out? Well, take a look at this:

(Bad blurring of personal info was my doing.)

I was stunned at how pretty these invites were! I love the thick cardstock they are printed on, and the colors are vibrant and rich. (No glossy finish, either!) The envelopes were also much better than the standard see-thru lightweight envelopes you find at other places.

Overall, I love the tiny*prints invitations. The only downside is that they are a little more expensive than other photo invites I've seen. But the quality makes that additional cost worth it, I think. Several of the guests told me they thought the invites were beautiful, and they planned to save them.

I recommend tiny*prints, and would use them again for birthday invites. They also offer moving announcements, birth announcements, thank you cards, and invites for lots of other events.

Is Your Child Star-Quality?

Company Kids is currently looking for their next child models for their 2009 print and online catalog. If you've seen their catalog or their website, then you know they have an impressive collection of fun children's furniture, room decor, and apparel.

If you think your child has the right look and attitude to be a model, then check out this contest. To enter, just visit the contest website and submit the best current photo of your child. Entrants must be between 3 and 6 years old. Full rules can be found at the contest site.

2 winners will be chosen to go to New York City for the photo shoot, as well as a $500 Company Kids gift card. 10 others will receive a $100 Company Kids gift card.

Contest ends June 20, 2008, so find your best pictures and send them in today. Good luck to everyone, although my daughter is clearly going to win. (Kidding! Now go enter!)

Best. Steak. Ever.

Occasionally you go out to dinner and are so blown away by the food and the service, you have to tell everyone you meet.

So hello everyone. I'd like to recommend Outback Steakhouse to you.

Oh sure, I'm probably the last person on the planet to eat at Outback. While those Bloomin' Onions looked good, my husband doesn't like onions, and I couldn't see eating an entire one when I could just apply it directly to my thighs instead. Same effect.

But I remembered I had a gift certificate to try Outback, so we took the entire family out to eat last week. Looking over the menu, I skipped the appetizers (avoiding temptation) and went straight to the main course. My first thought was to choose a pasta dish - my standard fare - but then I remembered that I was at a steakhouse, so steak seemed the obvious choice. You wouldn't order a steak at Red Lobster, right?

Aaron and I both ordered the "Outback Special" steak. This is a center cut sirloin steak, and the cheapest steak they offer. We both expected a decent steak, but not the best we've ever had. I was surprised, though. It was delicious. Juicy, tender, and not chewy at all. The seasoning was just right, so that no additional seasoning was necessary. I did ask for some barbecue sauce, and found it added another yummy layer of taste to the steak. Folks, this was their cheapest steak, and it still tasted better than nearly every other steak I've tried.

Our service was awesome. Drinks were always filled. Any request was promptly handled. And when I asked for an extra milk for Mira, our server billed it as a "refill" of Cordy's milk - no charge.

The children's menu was impressive, too. Cordy got not 1, not 2, but 4 crayons, which made her very happy. Instead of the usual page or two of games and coloring, she was handed a large booklet full of activities that kept her happy for most of the meal. And she was thrilled with her grilled cheese and fries.

So thank you, Outback, for an impressive family meal. You can bet we'll be back again.

Mama Knows Best, and Mama Rock Rules!

Growing up, my mom didn't have a lot of time for me. She worked long hours and often left me alone at night. But while I was given a lot of freedom, I also knew what her expectations were and kept to her rules. I respected her and in return I was given more leeway. Many of my friends thought that I had it easy, and that my mom was more of a friend than a mom. But while she was someone I could always talk to about anything, she was still my mom first.

After reading Mama Rock's Rules, I think my mom and Rose Rock would get along well. Parent Bloggers offered me the chance to read this book, and I thought, "The mom of Chris Rock wants to tell me how to parent? This should be good."

But having read it, I have to say that this woman may be one of the best parenting experts out there today. After raising ten children of her own, along with 17 foster children and working in preschool and special ed, Mama Rock has some well-tested theories of parenting that are simple to follow and practical.

She jumps into the most important aspect of parenting in the first chapter: you are your child's parent, not their friend, and you must set boundaries. This seems to fly in the face of the new parenting guidelines that ask us to be kinder, gentler parents. In Rose Rock's house, the kids knew that she was the boss, and their job was to follow her rules. Establishing these boundaries early on isn't some attempt at forcing your children into submissiveness, but instead setting them up to understand that the world is full of rules you must follow, and learning to be a respectful human being early on will help you cope with the world around you.

I was really impressed with her advice. One tip was to have a family dinner time free of distractions. This is something we don't have, and I can see how a dinner ritual, free of outside distractions, could help a family connect each day. We're often eating at different times, and TV is always a distraction. It's something that I want to start in our home.

She also discusses the need to establish respect, often beginning with eliminating swearing and negative talking from the house. (Yes, parents, this means you, too. Where do you think your little one learned those words?) But not only do your kids need to respect you, they need to respect themselves, too. Her ideas for teaching self-respect were inspiring and reminded me that I must always choose my words carefully around my daughters.

This isn't just a book about being tough with your kids, though. There is a lot of talk about love, too. She stresses that your kids should respect you, but not fear you. Mama Rock explains that kids want to belong, and they want positive attention from their parents. Rewarding kids for good behavior with hugs and kisses is always a good idea.

For me, the greatest lesson I took away from this book is that while your children may not always like you, they will someday appreciate and understand the rules you set for them. Looking at my own life, I remember many times when I did not like my mom at all. But as an adult, I can examine those situations and see that she really did have my best interests in mind, and most likely saved me from some very bad decisions.

This book is an easy read, with a casual tone and a lot of humor and anecdotes. She even throws in a few of her best recipes, in case you can't think of any food to make for a family dinner. Mama Rock's Rules is the most down-to-earth and honest parenting guide I've ever read, and I recommend it for new parents as well as veterans who feel they need to find some support or a new direction to go in. Mama Rock will set you straight on how to be an effective parent.

Never Again Hear "Why Don't You Send Me Pictures Of The Kids?"

As I've said before, my mom is constantly upset with me because I never give her new pictures of the girls. I show her new pictures on the computer when she comes to visit, and each time she asks me to print off some of them for her. I always forget.

While I do give her digital versions of the photos, she has no idea how to get them printed off. (It's not like when she could take a roll of film to the store and have it developed.) Which is why I was interested in trying out Kinzin, a photo sharing service that offers several advanced features to keep grandparents happy.

Kinzin has many of the features that other photo sharing services offer - the ability to keep your photos private, the ability to e-mail photos, etc. But unlike other services, Kinzin specifically is targeting families with children in the services they offer.

When you first set up an account, you have the option to set up separate categories for each child. You can then upload your pictures into each one, adding in information about your child to their "kidstream" if you want, such as a wishlist or your child's favorite things. You can also create virtual books using the pictures you upload, adding in titles and text.

This service is extremely easy for less tech-savvy grandparents to view. Simply send them an invite e-mail, and they can then access the photos. There is very little clicking involved, and each section is clearly labeled, making it less likely to cause any confusion.

Uploading is fast and simple. You can either upload from your computer, or pull your pictures from your Flickr account, and add a caption if you want. My only complaint is that I haven't found a way to go back and edit an image in any way once you upload another image to a kidstream.

But the most unique service from Kinzin is their automated print delivery system. For $2.99 a month (per recipient), you can have your ten most recent photos printed and mailed to the person of your choice. It requires no effort from you other than uploading your pictures and if you have more than ten uploaded in a month, selecting the ones you want to print and send. They do all the work from that point - printing, packaging, and mailing.

I'm really impressed with the automated print delivery, and feel this is what sets Kinzin apart from other photo sharing services. I set up three addresses for my account (you can set up as many as you like, and every third is free): one to my mom, one to Aaron's dad, and one to myself so I could see how well the photos turned out.

My mom received hers first, but only by a matter of hours. Each of us received our package on the same day. She was thrilled to see some of her favorite images on paper, and immediately started putting them in frames. My father-in-law also commented that he was happy to have some printed copies of the photos.

The photo quality is pretty good. It's not the best out there, but then again, my digital camera doesn't take the best shots, either, so the blame could lie with my camera. But the pictures were clear, the colors were good, and I was impressed that the photo paper was so thick. My only complaint is that the photos have a matte finish, and I wish I would have had the choice between glossy or matte. It's a minor thing, but some people really love that glossy finish.

Overall, I like Kinzin, and think it is a great way to keep your family in touch. If you have family members who live far away, getting ten photos of the kids each month will be a welcome thrill for them. If, like me, your family lives nearby but you use a digital camera, they will also enjoy getting hard copies of photos. If you're worried about the safety of your images, Kinzin is also a good choice, because you have complete control over who can see your pictures.

I'm glad that Parent Bloggers introduced me to Kinzin, because thanks to them I will no longer have to deal with nagging grandparents who want more pictures of their granddaughters. For more reviews of Kinzin, be sure to visit the Parent Bloggers Network.

Just What Do You Do With A Baby, Anyway?

I don't know about you, but as a first time mom I was pretty boring. While pregnant, I had big dreams of doing all kinds of exciting things with my baby on my days off as we enjoyed spending time together on walks and doing crafts while we wore matching white linen dresses. OK, maybe not the dress part.

The reality was that parenting was extremely overwhelming, and whenever I found a free moment to do something with the baby, my mind drew a blank and we ended up sitting at home, me in my sweats, and her in the stained sleeper she woke up in. It was all about survival in those first hazy months.

If I had a copy of The Rookie Mom's Handbook back then, I might have picked myself up off the floor and forced myself outside more. This book, written by Heather Gibbs Flett and Whitney Moss, was an extension of the Rookie Moms website, and features "250 activities to do with (and without!) your baby." This isn't your standard book of activities, asking you to play peek-a-boo and shake a rattle over baby's head. Instead, it is a guide to help you, as well as your baby, have a fulfilling, successful first year.

They understand the difficulties many women go through in transitioning to the role of mother, and so several activities in the book are aimed at making sure that you are not forgetting about yourself during baby's first year. Each section of the book covers three months of the first year, and instead of listing what skills baby has mastered at that point, they list skills that mom has mastered, such as folding laundry with ease, reciting baby books from memory, etc. Some activities involve going places with friends, or finding ways to reconnect with your spouse - in other words, to prevent you from losing all of the "old you" in motherhood.

The ultimate goal is to make sure you get out of the house and not become a hermit because of baby. It's all too easy to fall into a boring, predictable pattern, and that's not healthy for mom or baby. Instead, get out and hit a children's museum, or a park, or the zoo, or go to a sit-down restaurant with friends. Sure, your baby may be too young to reap the full benefits of an outing, but the real benefits are for you. Going out forces you to shower, put on clothing that isn't stained or has an elastic waistband. We all need those little pushes, right?

Each section of the book has age-appropriate suggestions for what to do with your baby, and many were things I had never thought of. One idea is to take an artistic picture of your baby looking at herself in a mirror, so that baby's front and back sides are in the photo. It's easy to set up, and easy to do, and we all know babies love to look at themselves in the mirror, right?

There are also several ideas to help you maximize your time, such as planning out a schedule for the week, making dinner a night in advance, and using the internet to make shopping easier.

I've already started using some of the suggestions in this book, and I think I'll continue referring to it long after my second baby's first birthday. Because even though the book covers the first year, many of the ideas are not limited to the baby stage. Even moms of toddlers could use a date night now and then, right?

My favorite part of the book has to be the mom milestones chart in the back. We all write baby's firsts in their baby book, but how often do we stop to remember our firsts? They give prompts like "first unpregnant cocktail," "first public diaper change," and "mom's most impressive new bra size." I wish I could remember some of those details.

The Rookie Mom's Handbook is a small book that fits easily in your purse or diaper bag, and is a great resource, with a lot of humor, for helping you make the most of your baby's first year. I really enjoyed this book, and unlike some books that you read once and forget about, this one will stay off the bookshelf as a useful guide whenever I find myself feeling bored or overwhelmed. And once my youngest has moved past toddlerhood, I see myself passing this book down to another new mom, to make this transition to motherhood easier for her.

This is a great book for new moms and moms-to-be, and would make a well-appreciated shower gift. I'd like to thank Parent Bloggers for giving me the chance to review The Rookie Mom's Handbook. If you'd like to read more reviews or check out how to participate in this Friday's rookie mom blog blast, visit the launch page at the Parent Bloggers blog.

SanDisk Cruzer Gator Winners!

With 30 entries for the contest, I asked the great instrument of fate, Random.org, to select who would get a new electronic gadget. Here are the five winners of the SanDisk Cruzer Gator flash drives:

ladyvonkulp
Monica
Cassie
Goon Squad Sarah
Amy in Ohio

Congrats everyone! I'll be in touch with you to get your mailing address and color preference.

Rasied By Wolves, Or Just A Very Busy Mom

When I heard the premise of the new book, Were You Raised by Wolves?: Clues to the Mysteries of Adulthood, I knew it was something I had to read. Basically, author Christie Mellor gives practical advice on surviving young adulthood that some of us may not have received (or at least didn't pay attention to) when we were younger.

What modern mysteries am I talking about? Much of it is basic advice - things like how to make your bed, wash dishes by hand, and set up a budget. Simple, everyday living tips that we probably all should be following, but most of us aren't.

But a surprising portion of the book digs far deeper into topics we should have been educated about: how to act in social situations even if you're bored, how to properly throw a party, how to be a good worker at your first job, etc. In other words, basic etiquette.

As Mellor writes, "By making the people around you comfortable, and therefore forgetting about yourself for a few minutes, you are actually helping society run more smoothly and in a much more enjoyable manner." I wish I could force a large chunk of society to read these sections, as I slowly see basic etiquette slipping away more and more each day. I love her rant about turning off your cell phones once in a while - do we all really need to be that connected? Her guidance on how to be a good listener is also priceless information that even I need to be reminded of now and again.

OK, at this point I have to make a confession: I learned a surprising amount of information even from the basics mentioned in this book. I consider myself a domestic zero. My mom was a single mom, so she didn't have time to teach me all of her wisdom when I was younger. My house is a disaster, I'm a lousy cook, and until reading this book, I didn't know that a martini was made with gin. I could have sworn it was only made with vodka. While the intended audience are young adults on their own for the first time, I realized that at 31 I still needed this advice and knowledge.

Mellor also proves to have a little bit of Martha in her (sorry, Christie, if Martha offends you!) when it comes to ingenious uses for everyday products. Who knew baking soda kills fleas, relieves itchy skin, and can unclog a kitchen sink? And I never would have guessed that mayonnaise could bring back the shine in hardwood furniture.

Near the end of the book is a series of quotes under the title If only I had known: Things I wish I'd understood before I hit thirty. I enjoyed reading all of these, nodding my head with them and wishing I had understood some of them before I was 30. I especially liked the first one: "Sunscreen and cocktails: one I should have used more, the other less." So true.

This book is a quick read, and Mellor's sometimes chaotic writing style - jumping from one topic to the next, rapid-fire - is actually easy to follow and resembles having a conversation with a wise friend. Even if you think you've mastered adulthood, this book could prove you still have a few things to learn.

I'd like to thank Parent Bloggers for giving me the chance to check out Were You Raised By Wolves? You can read more reviews by visiting the PBN campaign launch page.

Win A SanDisk Cruzer Gator Flash Drive!

Every time I visit with my mother, she asks me if I have any new pictures of the girls for her. And me being the forgetful person I am, has to answer no because I didn't take the time to print any of them off. My mom is OK with computers, but not so good with the internet, so telling her about my Flickr account doesn't help much.

But I was recently contacted by SanDisk about their new Cruzer Gator flash drives, and I immediately thought: I'll keep all my photos on a flash drive, and then I can upload them to my mom's computer each time I stop by. Brilliant! The flash drive also serves as an additional backup for my pics, in case my laptop's hard drive should ever decide to spontaneously erase itself.

How does this apply to you, you may ask? Well, you can have one too! SanDisk has given me five of these little beauties to pass along to you. The black and red ones hold 4GB of data, while the pink one is the 2GB model.

How to enter: Leave a comment on this post, telling me what was the best/worst Mother's Day gift that you've received or given. Was it an inappropriate piece of lingerie from your mother-in-law that made you cringe? Or maybe a breakfast of soggy cereal prepared by an eager-to-please five year old that melted your heart?

The contest will close Friday, May 2 at 11:59PM Eastern. Five winners will then be selected (using Random.org) - please make sure you leave your e-mail address with your comment so I can contact you.

Good luck!

Working Through Transitions With Skill-Building Buddies

In my previous post, I reviewed a DVD intended for kids on the autism spectrum. It covered topics such as greetings, recognizing feelings, using words to express feelings, and dealing with transitions.

But when Parent Bloggers sent me that DVD, they also sent me another with a similar purpose. Skill-Building Buddies is a DVD that teaches children on the spectrum about the right ways to deal with transitions and change, using a mix of animated characters and real-life examples with kids in familiar settings.

The first thing I noticed about this DVD is that I recognized the animation style and the voices. I quickly realized that it was made by the same people who made Go Potty Go, a favorite in this house.

The animated characters set up each live action clip, discussing how change can be hard in different situations, and then after the clip they discuss what the child did right. Each situation followed the same formula: look, listen, and stay calm. Included with the DVD are flash cards of each of these three concepts, so that the parent can use them with their own child.

I liked that each situation showed a very common transition problem that kids will deal with on a weekly, if not daily, basis. One showed a teacher asking a girl to put away her clay because it was time to move on to a different activity. Another showed a boy upset because he wanted an apple for snack time, but there were no apples left. In another clip, a girl was sad because her friends wanted to play a game she didn't know.

In each case, the children showed that they were sad, but then modeled the appropriate behavior. The animated characters always validated the feelings of each child, letting the audience know that it's OK to feel sad or mad, but that you need to listen to your parents and teachers and handle the situation in a calm manner.

Cordy likes this DVD, although just like the Kibbles DVD she never asks for it, yet watches quietly when it's on. At first, I didn't think she was getting the message, but then I saw her playing with her little sister one day, and I overheard her saying, "...use your ears to listen, and stay calm," while she modeled the hand motions. Apparently she understood more than I thought she did.

This is a short DVD, about 15 or 20 minutes in length, and it packs a lot of information into that time. Each situation is quick and to the point, followed by a description of what the child did correctly, and then on to the next clip. My only complaint is that there is just one song in the program. It's a good song about change, but it is played at the beginning and then again after every two situation clips. I got tired of that song before the end of the first viewing.

I think this DVD is a good tool to help children on the spectrum learn to cope with transitions and change. Seeing children model the appropriate response to situations helps them think about the right way to approach a situation. In a sense, it provides them with a script to follow, and scripts can be comforting to children with autism.

Skill-Building Buddies is made by Mazzarella Media and can be purchased directly from their website. Parent Bloggers will also be giving away a copy by leaving a comment on their post about these DVDs.

Rockin' With Kibbles Rockin' Clubhouse

Many of you know that my oldest daughter was diagnosed as being on the autistic spectrum last fall. Officially, it's PDD-NOS (pervasive developmental disorder, not otherwise specified), which means that she has autism-related delays in speech, motor skills, and social skills. In many ways, this has been a relief, because we now have a strategy to help her overcome her difficulties so that she can move through this social world in an easier manner. Right now, she attends a special needs preschool every weekday for three hours. She has speech therapy, occupational therapy, and physical therapy once a week for an hour each.

While these are great, I often feel like it's not enough. An hour once a week doesn't feel like enough for me, and no matter how many times I've asked, I can't get her therapists to send home exercises and activities to do at home. We're on the list for further services from the county, but we're still waiting to hear back. With money for these services always running short, we could be waiting a long time for additional help.

A few months ago, the Parent Bloggers Network asked if I would be interested in checking out a couple of DVDs that are intended for kids on the spectrum. These programs help teach basic social skills that are often hard for kids on the spectrum to learn: greeting someone, understanding emotions, keeping your cool, using your words, etc. Of course I wanted to give these a try.

The first one we tried was Kibbles Rockin' Clubhouse vol. 1: Expressing Yourself. This DVD combines music and simple language to create a master class for autistic children on the topics of greetings and expressing emotions. The very first song is about how to say hello to someone, which includes waving or shaking hands, making eye contact, and saying "hi". I was impressed that they stressed eye contact - Cordy had a lot of trouble with that skill, and we constantly have to remind her to look at our eyes when she talks to us.

Verbal and non-verbal communication are addressed with each topic. When discussing feelings, all of the characters practice showing what someone looks like when feeling each emotion. It's hard for many autistic kids to "read" emotions on the faces of others, just like it's hard for them to express their own feelings. Cordy loved watching them practice each emotion, laughing at the silly faces, and trying to pick out the right emotion each time. (For the record, she still can't recognize angry, frustrated or sad faces.)

I really liked their use of an activity schedule to guide kids through the DVD. The activity schedule is a picture schedule showing what activity will come after each one is completed. Cordy responded well to the schedule - after a couple of viewings, she recognized the pictures and knew what was coming next. In the parent section of the DVD, the speech therapist said that kids on the spectrum often can't transition well between activities because they prefer the predictable and the routine, but as we all know, the world is a very unpredictable place. Moving from one activity to the next can be scary, so having a picture chart to refer to at all times can help provide some structure and prepare them for each transition. I'm thinking about setting up an activity schedule for our daily routine now.

The true test is: did Cordy like the DVD? Honestly, she wasn't that thrilled to watch it, and never requested it. But when I played it, she was drawn to the TV and would quietly watch and internalize the message. While she never asked for it, she still enjoyed watching it. She soaks up anything she watches on TV, and when she is tired or having a rough time, she often falls back on her "scripts," retreating inwards as she repeats entire conversations said on TV over and over again. (Thank goodness we don't let her watch anything other than preschool TV, right?) Now she's repeating some of Kibbles lessons also. And she's added "howdy" to her list of greetings.

The extras on this DVD are just as valuable as the actual program. The speech therapist and the two music therapists who helped design Kibbles Rockin' Clubhouse talk about the theory behind the therapy and give parent strategies for incorporating music and speech therapies all day long. They explained that studies have shown that kids on the spectrum process pitch better in their brains better than the average person, meaning that music is a natural strength for them. This makes sense to me, because I know Cordy learns better when it is set to music.

They also discussed how their music is comforting to kids with autism, and how they used very structured music, with lots of repetition and minimal extra language to reinforce the lessons being taught. This was very effective for Cordy - she's only three, and a lot of extra words often confuses her and throws off her concentration. The speech therapist explained how they used video modeling to reinforce non-verbal cues and teach new scripts to kids who might not have a script in their heads for basic social interactions.

Overall, I was very impressed with Kibbles Rockin' Clubhouse, and I recommend it for children with any kind of social developmental delays. Cordy is three years old and followed the 40 minute DVD fairly well, with only a few moments of wandering off. This probably wouldn't be as effective on kids who are younger than three, but I could see this as a useful tool for older kids. The DVD is made by NoteAbilites and can be found at Amazon. It also includes a sing-a-long CD for the car. Parent Bloggers will also be giving away a copy of both DVDs for this campaign - to enter, just click here and leave a comment on their blog post.

Check back Friday when I'll be reviewing another DVD for kids on the spectrum.

Mamma Mia! Contest from Ponds

This summer, Mamma Mia! is moving from Broadway to movie theaters everywhere. If the movie is anything like the show, it's going to be a lot of fun. (And c'mon, with Pierce Brosnan and Colin Firth staring in it, the eye candy alone is worth seeing this film.)

Ponds is offering to send three women to the London premiere to spend the night living the life of Donna & the Dynamos. The only rules are you have to be 40+ and willing to show the world how fabulous you and two of your friends are.

To enter, just make a video of the three of you singing one of the songs from Mamma Mia!, then submit your video to this site by April 30. Be bold, give it your all, and have fun! Five videos will be selected and posted on the Ponds website on May 23, and then popular vote will determine the winners.

And if you want to see my singing performance, you'll have to find me at the theater July 18 as I groove out to Abba songs and drool over Colin Firth.

All The Gory Details From Camp Baby

Seems like nearly everyone has written their recap about the Johnson & Johnson Camp Baby event from last week. I could sound all writerly and say I needed time to digest the event for a proper write-up, but the truth is I've just been so busy catching up from being gone three days and working on school assignments. And it is incredibly hard to condense three days worth of information into one post, so I was a little intimidated, too.

Wednesday

Conquering my fear of flying was a little difficult when I took my seat on a plane where the cabin was only slightly wider than my SUV, with about as much head room. But we made it there safely, and I quickly found the Camp Baby representative, who ushered me into a Suburban. I learned that all of our ground transportation for the event was being sponsored by GM. I've seen GM at other blog events (like BlogHer 06) and I've always been impressed with their outreach.

At the hotel I checked in and was told that I could get something to eat in the hospitality suite. Since I traveled during lunchtime, I was hungry, so I quickly dumped my luggage in my room (stopping to notice the gift bag of Neutrogena products) and set off to find the hospitality suite. When I got there, I immediately ran into Belinda and Carmen, who were already chatting while Belinda twittered. The food was a bit of a let-down at first: some fruit, nuts, and soda. I was expecting something a little more substantial. Tracey arrived shortly after that, and asked if we could get some food with a little protein, like hummus. Poof - hummus and pita triangles arrived! Later, we tried this same trick with "something sweet" and poof - cookies arrived. Yum.

That evening everyone gathered for the wine tasting with Ted Allen. Confession - aside from him being male, I couldn't have picked him out of the crowd if asked. I've never really watched any of the shows he's been on. He was very patient through all of our chatting (C'mon, many of us haven't seen each other since July! We want to catch up!) as he guided us through food and wine pairings. I've always preferred white wine to red, but I got to try a few reds that might change my mind.

We were all feeling warm and happy, thanks to the wine, and then Lori got up and reminded us that Thursday's activities would begin at 7:30am. (Ack!) Still, it wasn't enough to convince us to go to bed - many congregated in the bar afterwards, and Kristen did her podcast live from just outside the bar.

Thursday

All of the morning activities were in one (very nice) room. They clearly were thinking of us when choosing this hotel. Each row had a desk with outlets to plug in laptops. Genius! The programming for the day began with a talk about teaching your children to sleep by Dr. Jodi Mindell. Most of us could identify with our children having at least one issue with going to bed or staying asleep, and we all learned we don't get enough sleep. (Wait - we knew that.) We were all given a copy of her book as well.

Other morning programs included a talk with "Dr. Germ" who told us that there are germs on everything (and then I watched the poor germaphobes in the room squirm in their seats), and a nutritionist who I didn't care for at all. I mean, she had some good points, but she also insisted that there was no problem giving artificial sweetener to kids, and organic milk was a waste of money, because there's nothing wrong with antibiotics and artificial growth hormones in milk. I might mention that even Wal-Mart, who I trust with my health about as much as I trust George W. Bush with searching for alternatives to oil, recently decided to remove growth hormones from all of it's private label milk.

We also got to see a J&J employee answer questions about the safety of their products. She had clearly anticipated that we would have questions about parabens and phthalates, and proceeded to tell us that there are good and bad versions of these chemicals, and they use only the "good" ones. I don't think she convinced anyone in the room - many of us have read the research and know the dangers. But she was honest about not knowing just how much animal testing they do with their products - I appreciate that she didn't try to talk around that question.

We then heard Tina Sharkey from Babycenter talk about how the internet has affected the way moms connect and interact, and while she was a great speaker, she said little that the mom bloggers in the room didn't already know. Those stats she gave? We're the ones making those stats.

The best session in the morning had to be Dr. Scott Jens talking about the InfantSEE program, which works to provide babies under a year old with free eye exams. I'll be blogging more about this in another post.

After lunch, we were split into three groups so we could rotate through three different sessions. One was a feedback session, some of which I talked about here. I felt a little like we were beating our heads against a wall. There were so many of us trying to get across that we are VERY concerned about the chemicals in our children's bath & body products. Several challenged J&J to make one product - just one - free of parabens, phthalates, artificial fragrance, etc. and let us prove to them that there is a strong market for it. I hope our suggestions will be given serious consideration.

The next session was "What's Happening Down There?" where the greatest amount of twittering took place. This session discussed the issue of uterine prolapse and other gynecological issues that can affect women who have had children. Honestly, I think it was too much for this crowd to handle. I'm in nursing school, and just finished my unit on reproductive health, so it didn't bother me, but many women were (justifiably) horrified at the topic. But I felt bad for the speakers, too. How would you like to be giving a lecture and look up to see this:

The laptop brigade can be intimidating.
(photo by Glennia - found here)

By the time I got to the final session (hairbraiding), I was burned out, along with everyone else. Silliness ensued:

Dana (Mamalogues)

Catherine (Her Bad Mother) (photo by Glennia again - found here)

Dinner was held at The Frog and the Peach restaurant, and while the dinner was simply amazing, that wasn't the story for the evening. GM sponsored all of the cars that took us to the restaurant, but I have no idea who they hired as drivers. As a group of us were being driven to the restaurant, it quickly became clear that the driver had no idea where he was going. We drove from one end of New Brunswick to the other, still not arriving at dinner. Even worse, the driver was listening to ultra-conservative talk radio, and we were all stunned into silence at what we were hearing.

If it wasn't for Sarah and her GPS, we might have never made it to the restaurant - two blocks away from the hotel. It took 20 minutes to get there.

Sarah saves the day.

Nintendo had several Wii systems set up at the restaurant, including one that featured the new Wii Fit. I can simply say that I will be lined up to purchase the Wii Fit when it is available in May. (Karianna has now pointed out they are available for pre-order on Amazon now.) They also surprised all of us with a DS Lite and a copy of the game Brain Age 2. Being a geek, I already have a DS Lite, but the game was a welcome distraction in the airport on the way home.

Friday

Again, we had to be in the lobby way too early for my liking (7:00am). We checked out of our rooms, stowed our luggage with the hotel, and went to the J&J headquarters for breakfast. We had a great presentation about the history of the company and some information about the blogs they write. We gave a little more feedback, again asking for more product information on their website, and they seemed genuinely interested in our thoughts.

After breakfast, we returned to the hotel to visit the product expo, where we went table to table with our pretty bags, trick-or-treat style, collecting full size samples of many of the products Johnson & Johnson makes. Another genius moment - the event coordinators anticipated that we wouldn't be able to take all of our loot on the planes, so they provided boxes and FedEx labels to ship it all back to us. (Side note: It's been over a week now. I'm still waiting for my box. Where's my box?) From there, we all waited in the lobby for our moment to be whisked away to the airport to return home.

Other random thoughts about the event:

• Lori and the entire event staff did a kick-ass job making sure everything went smoothly. Honestly, I don't think I've seen an event run so well, often going above and beyond to make sure we were getting what we needed (and a lot of what we wanted).
  
  
• I fully expected to have a lot of product information pushed at us. I realized this was a business trip. But I wish they would have put together a morning of product information and then have sessions that weren't necessarily related to a product. It became a game after a while to identify the pitch. Dr. Germ = Purell. The nutritionist = Splenda. Hairbraiding = J&J hair care products. Even the "down there" session = lube, pads, and the surgical materials used to fix a prolapse.
  
  
• Twitter is the greatest invention ever. If it wasn't for Twitter, I might have been bored through some of the presentations. But knowing that half of the room was on Twitter discussing how good looking the eye doctor was, or throwing out links to research that countered things being said. It was like a second discussion going on without having to bother the person talking. And having those who couldn't be there following along with us made it a party.
  
  
• I think J&J learned a lot from us, and we learned from them, too. I didn't realize that some of the products I use are made by J&J, and I didn't know about some of the community outreach projects they participate in. I hope they learned from us that many mom bloggers are smart, highly educated women who really do want to know more about the products we use, and have a serious concern about the safety of what we're using for our families. We want full disclosure - you might think we're not interested in chemistry and research, but we are.
  
  
• Did you know J&J has a blog? More than one, actually.
  

While there were some problems with the initial invitation process, the event was interesting and entertaining. I appreciate that J&J wanted to meet with us and listen to us, and I'd like to see more blogger outreach. (And I'm not talking about sending us press releases and expecting us to post them.) If you really want to know what moms think, go to the mom bloggers. We're some of the most opinionated women out there, and we're often happy to tell you exactly what we think. Even if you don't want to hear it.

So thanks for a fun event, J&J, and I hope we didn't tell you too much that you didn't want to hear.

Because Trains Are Like Toddler Crack

If you saw my Christmas post, then you know that Cordy likes trains. The hit of the year was her Thomas the Tank Engine Trackmaster train set. It's still set up on our table, although the train is more likely to be found traveling across the living room carpet or trying to move his load of logs through the wall without success.

While she owns several Thomas trains, Cordy has never seen any of the Thomas videos or the TV show. So I was excited when I was asked by PBN to review the newest DVD, Thomas & Friends - Engines & Escapades.

This DVD has several episodes featuring the smaller engines of the Sodor gang. Each episode features a fairly standard script, where one engine finds himself in in a situation that seems promising at first, but then a problem develops. This leads to a solution that involves teaching a lesson about seeing a job through, conquering your fears, helping others, etc.

I am impressed that some of the more complex social issues are tackled - this isn't just about being nice to your friends and sharing. One episode is all about an engine (sorry, I can't keep their names straight) who is left in charge of the others for the first time, and lets the power go to his head. He quickly learns that there is more to being a leader than just telling others what to do. Another episode features an engine who is scared of storms, but learns to be brave and get the job done. Who knew train engines could teach so much about life?

Cordy was very interested in watching the trains, but I found her attention quickly drifted away after only one episode. The pacing of this series feels very different from other children's TV shows. It's slower, with the story unfolding with a lot more narration and a lot less action than your typical children's show. She's used to faster-paced shows, so I think that's why she had a short attention span. As long as we watched the DVD one episode at a time, followed by another activity, she was happy.

And I must admit, I was happy to only watch one at a time, too. The stories all have a good message, but the narration made me want to curl up on the couch for a nap. Plus, hearing "Look, mommy, the train is going in a tunnel! And now up a hill!" does get old after a bit.

Mira, on the other hand, could sit and watch trains with faces roll by on the TV all day long. She squealed and clapped and tried to touch the engines on the screen. With the low amount of action, yet bright colors and interesting faces on the engines, this was the perfect DVD for her.

If your child likes trains, or more specifically Thomas, then Thomas & Friends - Engines & Escapades is a good DVD to pick up. It teaches valuable lessons about doing your best and getting the job done (middle-class work ethic, anyone?), which can be useful to revisit in everyday situations - like asking your child to clean up his or her toys.

Naptime Is the New Happy Hour

I just had the chance to review a copy of the new book Naptime Is the New Happy Hour by Stefanie Wilder-Taylor thanks to the Mother Talk book tour. Some of you may know Stefanie's blog, and others may know her first book, Sippy Cups Are Not For Chardonnay.

I read her first book, and was looking forward to this book. While the first dealt with the crazy changes that occur in your life immediately after becoming a mom, this book goes beyond the cozy, cuddly infant years and into the chaotic, tantrum-filled toddler years.

This is not a parenting how-to guide - more like a here's what its really like guide. Filled with lots of humor and honesty, Stefanie shares her experiences with raising her toddler daughter while wondering how anyone can survive this period without some form of chemical dependency.

What I like best is Stefanie's way of relieving all of the guilt that society heaps upon us. You know what I'm talking about - letting your kid watch TV, feeding her anything other than all-natural, organic, no-added-sugar foods, never letting your child throw a tantrum in public, etc. One part of the book discusses New Mommy Math, which helps you distinguish what the truth is when hearing another mom brag about some amazing feat of parenting. The truth is, none of us are perfect, and it's time to stop stressing about if our kid is getting the precise amount of stimulating play each day or if they happened to sneak an extra handful of M&Ms.

I also appreciated that Stefanie admits up front that she's not a perfect parent. It's nice to read about someone else admitting that she doesn't like her kid sometimes. Reading about her failures as well as her successes is refreshing. And her ability to come up with creative parent hacks rivals any parenting book on the market. Her ideas about taking your toddler to Target instead of an overpriced museum are brilliant. Her list of which TV shows to watch, and which are too painful to be worth it, are useful and amusing. And reading her opinion of the alterna-parent movement is absolutely hilarious. (It also reminds me not to expose my kids to too much of my music, lest they turn into sixth grade social outcasts!)

Naptime Is the New Happy Hour is a quick, light read - I'm a slow reader and still finished it within two days. While the material is presented in a humorous manner, don't think it might be light on substance. I feel like a weight has been lifted from my shoulders as I see in print another reaffirmation that I'm doing the best I can and shouldn't be stressed if I can't live up to the expectations of the competi-mommies out there. I will warn you that there is some strong language in this book, but if that doesn't bother you, you'll enjoy this take on surviving life with a toddler. I recommend this book for anyone currently in the trenches with a toddler or new moms who will get there eventually and need to know what's coming.

Let's Talk Poop and Goop

It's a mom blog, so I have to talk about poop, right? Well, this isn't exactly about poop - more like the after-effects of poop.

Both of my daughters are stealth poopers. They will either do it when they are across the room and then avoid me, or they will hold off until bedtime, waiting until the middle of the night to let it all out. As you can imagine, keeping that against their sensitive, fair-skinned bottoms for so long can lead to diaper rash.

So when the Parent Bloggers Network asked me to try out Diaper Goop for their diaper rashes, I was intrigued. The name was, well, a little odd. But I hated the pungent smelling diaper creams we were already using, with only so-so results, so I was ready to try anything, even if it had a strange name.

When our supply of Diaper Goop arrived, I was impressed that it was in a tub and not a tube. There's nothing worse than trying to squeeze the right amount of cream out of a tiny tube while wrestling down an unwilling preschooler with a sore butt who is yelling "No cream! No cream!" With Diaper Goop, I can unscrew the lid and have it ready to scoop out when I need it.

Unlike the thick white paste we've used before, this is a slightly sticky, clear yellowish, uh...goop. Goop really is the best way to describe it. It's a lanolin based product - when I opened it for the first time, my mind was immediately taken back to those early breastfeeding days of cracked nipples. It's very similar, right down to the smell, which I find more pleasant than the white paste.

Does it work? Yes! Mira provided a chance for us to use it within 24 hours of it arriving at our door. I dabbed some of the sticky goop onto her red bottom before bed, and by the next morning, the redness was gone. Other experiences have yielded the same response: the rash is generally gone within 12-24 hours.

The really impressive part is that it helps Cordy with her rashes, too. She has a number of food allergies, and the reaction usually appears as the food is on the way out. If she's eaten something that bothers her, as soon as the poop touches her skin it causes a rash, and sometimes blisters if it is there too long. These are very painful rashes for her, and as a result she hates to have anything applied to them. While she still fights me to put anything on her rash, the Diaper Goop does seem to clear up her allergy-related diaper rashes better than the white cream did. It must be more soothing, too: I haven't noticed her doing her I'm-in-pain, wide-legged cowboy walk lately.

I've also discovered that Diaper Goop can be used on more than just red bottoms. Got a cut? Add some goop to help it heal faster. Dry, cracked cuticles? A little goop moisturizes and heals. And although I'm done with breastfeeding, I'm sure it works as a perfect nipple cream, too. Don't let the name fool you - this stuff can be used for any incident of dry skin or minor wounds.

The folks at Diaper Goop were kind enough to send us a few containers of their product, and I know I'll be giving them to friends who are currently pregnant. Well, I'll give at least one away - I might want to keep the others for myself.

Win your own! Parent Bloggers are giving away two containers of Diaper Goop. Leave a comment on their post to enter the contest.

Finding a Caregiver You Can Trust

When I was a kid, my babysitter was an older woman that my mom found in the newspaper. She had no idea if this woman was trustworthy or not, but she needed a babysitter quickly, and didn't have a lot of money to spend. Thankfully, my babysitter turned out to be a woman who was so special to me that I called her "grandma".

Now, though, the thought of trying to find a non-family member to babysit my daughters sends me into a panic attack. How can I trust a stranger? How will I know they're safe? And beyond that, how would I even go about finding a babysitter? Our neighborhood is short on cheery teens who want to spend their evenings playing games with a preschooler in exchange for $5 an hour.

I recently was introduced to Care.com, though, and I think I've found the answer to those questions. Care.com provides listings for babysitters in your area, allowing you to select and contact those who fit your criteria.

The site has a filter that lets you pick specific criteria when searching for a provider. You can search for someone based on the number of years experience, or someone who can handle pets, or someone who has experience with a certain age group. You can also specify if you're looking for part time or full time care, and how much you're willing to pay. I'm really impressed with how well the filter works to eliminate those who aren't a good match, giving you only the best choices for your needs.

As for safety, when you view a profile, you can learn more about the person, and if you think they are a good match, you can view references and even request to see the background check for that provider. You can also rate a provider on the site, giving one more way to see if a provider is a recommended caregiver or not. Being able to see an official background check goes a long way to settle my nerves over contacting a compete stranger.

But Care.com doesn't just have babysitters. You can also find pet sitters, tutors, senior care, and even housekeepers. Each offers the same filter process to select the best provider, and many profiles will show more than one service offered. (Such as housekeeping and childcare.)

If you need to find a babysitter for those oh-so-rare date nights, take a look at the providers available in your area via Care.com. The basic service is free to sign up for, with premium services available for a subscription fee. The security of references, ratings, and background checks will help you feel you're getting the best babysitter for your children. And they'll probably be more reliable than the neighborhood teen.

Vamos a Jugar con Whistlefritz

In our area, there's no denying that Spanish has claimed the #2 spot for most spoken language. And if you travel just four blocks from our neighborhood, Spanish is easily heard more than English.

My knowledge of Spanish is limited. I had three years of it in high school, and one semester in college. So I can still remember basic words and phrases, but unless someone speaks to me in Spanish like they would to a two year old, I'm lost. I wish I would have learned a second language earlier, but languages were not offered any earlier than high school in my town.

Knowing that a second language should be introduced as soon as possible, I was excited to try the new Whistlefritz Spanish DVDs offered by the Parent Bloggers Network. Cordy knows some Spanish from Dora and Diego and other DVD series, but the words taught on these shows are very limited and surrounded by English. How can she learn more when Dora rarely speaks in complete sentences in Spanish and is limited to the same words used over and over?

The Whistlefritz series fills this gap. Like so many innovative products, Whistlefritz was started by a mom who was unhappy with the Spanish educational programming available, so she made her own. She knew from her own experience that full immersion Spanish teaching is the best - just like the way we learn our first language. And she also knew it is important to start when children are young - so this DVD series is aimed at 2-5 year olds.

We received two DVDs: Vamos a Jugar and Los Animales. These DVDs are a mix of bright, fun animation, puppets, and lots of kids, all led by one adult teacher. There are songs, learning games, and cute skits, all designed to teach new Spanish words in a fun environment. Not one word of English is spoken on the entire DVD. At first, I thought, how will Cordy know what in the world they're talking about without any instruction in English? And even with my knowledge of the language, the first time we played one, I felt a little lost at first.

But even though I didn't know what they were saying word for word, I soon began to understand what was being taught. The DVDs do a great job of using visual and audio cues to clue you in as to what's being said. For example, when they're doing a song like Head, Shoulders, Knees & Toes in Spanish, it's hard to not know what they're talking about.

On just the second time through, Cordy was beginning to repeat back some of the animal names, along with telling me what they were in English, too. She may not know everything being said, but she's picking up more each time she watches it. While she's not speaking in full Spanish sentences yet (and I didn't think she would be), she is expanding her Spanish vocabulary far beyond what Dora and Diego can teach her.

And while these DVDs aren't intended for Mira's age, she is absolutely enamored with the animation, puppets and songs. I'm sure once she starts talking she'll be learning Spanish right along with English thanks to the Whistefritz series.

If you're serious about wanting your child to know a second language, the Whistlefritz Spanish DVD series is one you should strongly consider. The full immersion method is effective, and the colorful animation, songs and games make learning Spanish anything but passive. Kids are encouraged to join in, repeat back words, sing along with songs, and take an active role in their learning.

Win the series! Sign up for the Parent Bloggers Network mailing list in March and be entered to win your own set of the Whistlefritz series.

A Magazine For The Preschool Set

Did you get any magazines as a kid? I'm not talking about your grandmother's National Geographic that she gave you each month to "expand your mind", I mean magazines meant for kids. Growing up, there were two that were my staples throughout elementary school: Ranger Rick, and Highlights.

I loved Highlights magazine (now in its 60th year!). It helped improve my reading skills, it taught me fun craft ideas (my mom may never forgive me for emptying the milk into the sink to use the carton for a bird feeder), and it was entertaining. When it arrived in my mailbox each month, I'd immediately turn to the Hidden Pictures section and not move on until I found every single object. And who can forget Goofus and Gallant? (OK, I admit it - every now and then I was rooting for Goofus.)

My grandmother, in her enthusiastic effort to get Cordy reading as soon as possible, subscribed to Highlights for us. But Highlights is for elementary school kids, not preschoolers, and Cordy wasn't interested. We did a little internet checking, and soon found that Highlights now makes a magazine for the preschool (2-5) set: High Five. One quick call, and the subscription was switched to a more age appropriate choice.

Parent Bloggers asked me if I wanted to receive High Five to review, and I explained that I already received it, but would still be happy to join in for a review.

We love this magazine. It's full of stories, bright, colorful artwork, and games that keep Cordy entertained and nurture her natural curiosity. It doesn't assume that the child can already read, yet the text is simple and in a large font to encourage the beginning reader. The picture to word ratio is much higher than in Highlights, too, which helps a preschooler "read" the story without needing to know the words.

Some of the features I like best in Highlights are also present in High Five. They still have the Hidden Pictures, although these are far easier for little eyes to find. Crafts and cooking projects are still included, too - one of Cordy's favorites is building a paper chain caterpillar. Nature stories teach children about the world around them, and short poems and action rhymes introduce the ideas of rhyme and rhythm.

My favorite part of High Five are the English and Spanish stories. These stories are mostly in English, with Spanish phrases spoken by some of the characters. Thankfully, there is a guide for each phrase, instructing parents how to pronounce the words and giving a translation.

Each section of High Five is short (1-5 pages), so you can read a quick story with your child when you only have a moment (or if your kid has a short attention span, like mine), or snuggle into the couch and explore several stories and rhymes together if you have more time.

And unlike a book, a new issue of High Five is in our mailbox each month. I don't know about your preschoolers, but I can tell you mine loves to get mail. Like, jumps up and down and runs around the house clutching it to her chest and saying "I got a magiiiizzzinne!" kind of love. Seeing her face light up when I tell her she has mail, and then handing her a magazine filled with fun pictures, stories and crafts, is probably the best part of it. Now she has her own magazine to read, and won't need to steal my magazines to pretend she has mail.

I highly recommend High Five magazine. It provides new and interesting stories to read to your child each month, and encourages creativity through crafts and activities. And everyone loves getting mail, right?

Win a subscription! The Parent Bloggers network will be hosting a Blog Blast on March 7 and giving away a free subscription to either High Five or Highlights. Check their blog in early March for details!