Time is Running Out!

There's still time to enter my giveaway! I'll draw and announce the winner tomorrow night after 6pm Central time. The items would be perfect if you currently have a baby in the house or for a baby shower or Christmas gift.

Click here for the entry rules and pictures of the giveaway items. Good luck!!

My ABC Book!

Here it is: My ABC Book! I have to admit that this is not my original idea, however, the final product is pretty different than the original idea that I saw on this etsy site. I wanted upper and lower case letters and more complex images for each letter, and this is my finished product! I wanted it to be a 2nd birthday present for the boys, but they have been dying to get their hands on it ever since I started cutting the felt, so they might not be able to wait another 3 months. I think my favorites are the lion, penguin, jellybeans and rainbow, but I'm pretty pleased with how the entire book turned out - especially all the beaded embellishments. What do you think?!

Beanie Bags

Using the leftover felt from a few earlier projects, I whipped up these colorful bean bags for the boys. They are actually filled with dried beans that we had used for a Tot School sensory tub a little while ago and I was looking for a way to repurpose them.

I'm still discovering all the ways that these can be used for playtime, but so far they are having a great time tossing them into buckets and baskets, balancing them on their heads and each other's head and stacking them up. I love that it ended up being a free project for me since everything I used was leftover from something else.

I can't wait to 'unveil' my most impressive felt project yet! I have one more component to complete, but it should be ready within the next day or so. Stay tuned!

Favorite Things Friday - Newborn Gear Edition

I don't generally jump on the bandwagons of 'Not Me Mondays' and 'Favorite Things Fridays'... not because I don't love reading them but because I don't usually have the brain power working for me to come up with a decent post. However, reading this one on Amy's blog combined with the fact that we're expecting #3, I thought that I would play along and help myself remember all the things that I couldn't live without during the baby stage.

Fisher Price Infant to Toddler Rocker

What a lifesaver! We would swaddle the boys and lay them down in the living room, then carry the whole chair up to their room for bedtime. They were able to stay inclined while they slept, which really helped for those early reflux days, and we were able to keep them sleeping while we transitioned them from one floor to the other. The vibrating feature was instantly calming and the 'kickstand' could be tucked away to turn the chair into a rocker - crucial when nursing one and trying to keep the other from screaming.

Target or Walmart Brand Infant Gas Drops
Don't let the picture fool you... we never paid for the Mylicon brand name. We went through countless bottles of gas drops in our house, and it became part of the feeding routine to give them a squirt each time they nursed. We would stock up on these bottles 4-5 at a time and definitely noticed a huge difference when we forgot to use them. The name brand is over $10 a bottle, the store brand is less than $4. We had just as effective results with the cheaper option.

Summer Infant Day & Night Video Monitor

Especially in the early days when the boys shared a crib, this monitor was awesome. We were able to tell who was crying and why (came unswaddled, lost a binkie, getting punched in the face by their brother!), which was really helpful in knowing if I had to get up to feed someone or if Charlie could handle getting them back to bed. We did A LOT of tag-teaming in the middle of the night and knowing who was crying was really helpful for both of us to get a little extra sleep. Later, it was helpful to know how long they actually slept vs. played in their crib during naptime.

Carter's Receiving Blankets

Yes, I am a Carter's snob, but these blankets really are the very best when it comes to swaddling. I think what makes them so great is that they aren't perfect squares, they are 30"x40", which makes the burrito tucking so much easier as the baby grows. They are super soft and wash up great. Our boys were swaddled in these for months before we finally upgraded to the sleep sacks, which I also loved by the way.

What are one or two things YOU couldn't live without during the infant stage? Tell us!

Sponge Ball Square Arms

I don't know about you, but by middle August I am ready for summer to be over. I am tired of sweating at the park, trips to the pool and reruns on TV. Now that it is September the forecast is, of course, in the 80's all week long and I am staring longingly at my sweatshirts on the top shelf of my closet. So if Indian Summer is threatening your hopes for an early fall... here is a simple craft that will keep you and the kiddies cool.

Supplies:
3 new, plain kitchen sponges
1 long piece of string
Scissors

Use scissors to cut each sponge lengthwise into 5 strips and stack them as shown below.

Loop the piece of string around the center of the stack. Try to get it as close to center as possible as this affects the look of the ball.

Pull the string tightly, double knot and then cut off the excess.

And there you have your sponge ball square arm!

Grab a friend, soak the ball in a bucket of water and have fun throwing it back and forth and getting wet in the process. This also makes a great bath toy as my toddler discovered!

Craft featured in the August 2009 issue of Family Fun magazine.

Trisha is the wife of Luke and mom to Sam (19 months). Sam especially loved this craft and thinking it looks like a "butterfly" has come to call it by that name and takes it everywhere!

Hand/Footprint Keepsake

I saw this idea in a magazine and did a little research on an easier way to create it. The basic idea is to create a handprint or footprint keepsake, but the medium and display changes a bit depending on the method you use. Charlie created a footprint 'plaque' using the boys' hospital prints right after they were born with a wood burning kit, so I thought it would be a fun idea to create another set one year later. If you're not interested in having things like this in your own house, I'll bet your parents or in-laws would love it (and as an added bonus, Grandparent's Day is September 13th this year).

Scoop up those little ones and enlist their help in making this cool keepsake (and/or potential gift for those sentimental grammies and pappies out there...)

Method 1: Clay
(I like this idea better - I think there are more possibilities for color and personalization, and you don't have to worry about burning your kids!)

Purchase a wooden plaque at a craft store. This can be bought for as little as $2, depending on the size you choose. While you're there, pick up decoupage glue (or use watered down Elmer's glue) and some scrapbook paper that you want to use as the background. You'll also need Sculpty clay (either the air dry or the bake-to-dry kind is fine) and alphabet stickers for the words.

Seal the plaque with decoupage glue. Do this by painting a thin layer of glue across the whole surface. Wait for it to dry. Apply a thin layer to the back of the paper you chose and lay it on the plaque, making sure to smooth the bubbles before it dries. Wait for it to dry. Apply another layer of glue on top of the paper. Use this process for each layer you want to add, whether you layer multiple patterns of paper, use stickers to spell your child's name or leave it as a single layer.

As it dries, work the Scuplty clay into a soft ball using warm hands. Press it into a circle (for a handprint) or more of an oval (for a footprint). [NOTE: Make sure you flatten the circle or oval onto a flat surface, or adhering it to the plaque will be very difficult because it won't lay flat. I found that wax paper worked the best.] Press your child's hand or foot into the clay. If you don't like how it turns out, simply rework the clay and start again. I found that it was easiest to roll the clay out between two pieces of wax paper using a rolling pin. Depending on the clay you chose, either air dry or bake per the instructions.

Use a glue gun or Super Glue to fasten the print to the plaque. You can either fasten a hanging bracket on the back (to hang it on the wall like a picture), glue a ribbon to the back and tie it into a bow to hang like that (as shown in the Audrey example below), or buy one of those plaque stands to prop it up on a coffee table or mantle. Here's my finished project:

Method 2: Natural 'plaster of Paris'
Mix 1 cup baking soda, 1/2 cup cornstarch, 1 teaspoon salt and 3/4 cup water. Heat over medium heat until boiling, then lower the heat and stir until thick. Use the lid from a margarine tub (or cool whip, or Tupperware, etc) as a mold and spread the mixture in it. When cool, press your child's hand (or foot) into the dough to form a print. Use a paperclip to create a hole in the mold and to etch in the date and your child's name (before it dries), then string with a pink or blue ribbon.

Product Review: Sippy Cups

I'm a sucker for a cute or trendy looking sippy. My rationale is that the transition would be easier for the boys if they enjoyed drinking from the cup. I have tried five different cups so far and have found that each have pros and cons. For those of you who are about to embark on the sippy cup phase, I thought you'd appreciate a little feedback on the ones I've tried. Hopefully other people will chime in with which ones they found especially great (or useless) too.

I'm actually wondering if anyone has had good luck with a hard spout cup. Please share your experience (good or bad!)

Nuk Learner Cup (by Gerber)

• Price: about $6.50 for one
• Pros: Only holds about 5 oz. of fluid, so it isn't too heavy for small hands to hold up; easy grip handles; locking cap; any Nuk bottle will fit in the handles
• Cons: incredibly difficult to suck from (I even tried it and couldn't get it to work!)
• Final Verdict: Waste of money. For as difficult as it is to suck from, I can't believe any baby ever learns how to use a cup.

Nuby Flip-n-Sip Straw Cup

• Price: about $4.99 for one
• Pros: Doesn't leak when straw is contained; easy grip handles; holds 8 oz
• Cons: Confusing to babies because they have to keep the cup down to drink from a straw; difficult to clean (I'll only use water in it so milk doesn't get stuck in the cracks); won't fit in a cup holder because of the handles
• Final Verdict: These cups are fun and exciting for the boys to use. Since they have figured out the straw, they are much easier for them to use. I still wouldn't use milk in these cups, but for juice and/or water, I really like them.

Nuby Handle Cup with Spout - 2 pack

• Price: about $6.50 for two
• Pros: price; soft spout
• Cons: very difficult to screw the top on (the handles get in the way and the bottom is too fat to get a good grip on); nipple collapses when baby sucks too hard; leaks
• Final Verdict: I hate this cup and would never recommend it to anyone

Nuby Leak Resistant Cup

• Price: about $4.99 for one
• Pros: soft spout makes learning easy; easy grip handles; easy to clean
• Cons: food particles get stuck in crevices when washed in the dishwasher and don't come out; very easy for babies to push nipple through the ring (which spills out all contents); because of the handles, it won't fit in a cup holder
• Final Verdict: this is usually our everyday cup, though I have to keep a close eye on the boys so they don't push in the nipple

Nuby No Spill Gripper Cup

• Price: about $5.50 for two (but even cheaper at Walmart)
• Pros: easy to clean; inexpensive; soft spout
• Cons: No handles and heaviers, which makes it hard for slippery, small hands to hold up
• Final Verdict: Now that the boys are better with cups and their hands, this is a great option