Nesting

Every pregnant woman knows the feeling. We want to get ready for our new baby’s arrival so we nest. We get the nursery ready. We clean out closets. We shop for new things. And, recently, I went through the same nesting process. I started spring cleaning in February as I waited for our July baby to be born! Most things were easy to clean out. However, when it came to the medicine cabinet, I wasn’t sure how to get rid of expired medicines. I had always flushed old medicines down the drain, but the Federal Guidelines for Disposal of Prescription Drugs now suggests mixing the drugs with kitty litter or coffee grounds and put them in a discreet carton or container before putting them in the trash. For more information, please check out the guidelines at www.whitehousedrugpolicy.gov/pda/022007.html.

Mall Rat

Yesterday, I went to the mall with my 2 week old baby. Just my little guy and me… no 6 year old, no 3 year old. What a joy to shop with such an agreeable little one! I was able to shop and actually think while doing so. But, the best part of all was that I had the Mommy Hook. The Mommy Hook is a metal hook that attaches to your stroller and holds your bags while you shop. This way, you don’t have to squeeze everything in the basket under the stroller inevitably crushing your purchases and you have easy access to your bags. Retail therapy at its finest!

Bath and Pool Toy Safety

In the summer, my kids love to play in the blow-up backyard pool. They bring their favorite bath toys out to play. However, I was always considered about mold, mildew and germs that collect on the toys, particularly in the squirt toys. I recently read an article about how to solve this problem with bath toys. It certainly would work on pool toys as well. First, dry off the toys squeezing as much water out as possible. Make sure to turn on exhaust fan to get humidity out. If mildew starts to build, take ¾ cup chlorine bleach per gallon of warm water and soak toys for 5 minutes making sure solution goes inside squirt toys. Rinse with hot water and air dry. Make sure to store toys in a dry place outside of the bathroom. (Information taken from Real Simple Magazine-Nykia Spradle)

Summer Buzz

In preparing to head to the beach, I asked my husband, a former military man, to give our 3 year old son a hair cut- a buzz cut to be exact. I thought it would be cooler and easier to keep while on vacation. My husband did a great job on my son’s hair cut! He looked so cute and very grown up! However, about 1 hour later, my son got his hands on the scissors and cut a chunk from the front! I have always told the kids that “We cut paper- nothing else!” But, when our 3 year old saw Daddy cutting hair with those scissors, that rule went out of the window! Since then, in talking with other parents, it seems that many a little boy (and girl) has done this to his/her haircut… So, the moral to the story is be vigilant and always put scissors away or be prepared for another trip to the barber shop or hair salon!

Snack Control

Now that it is summertime, it seems like the kids are constantly asking for a snack. The kitchen never closes! Both of the kids just help themselves to snacks from the pantry- and it always seems to spoil their dinner. So, I put a door knob lock on the pantry door. Genius! Now, they have to “ask permission” before getting a snack and I’m not wasting their food at dinnertime.

How many times has my heart stopped when I thought one of my kids darted into the parking lot with a million cars zooming by! And, now with three kids and only 2 hands, I needed to come up with a solution to this dilemma. Then, I discovered the “Parking Pal.” It is a magnet that sticks to the car with a handprint on it. Your child puts their hand on the magnet when they are leaving the car and then you can gather everyone at the same time and have control of the situation. This is especially useful for preschoolers, like my 3 year old. He loves to make it into a game. It certainly came in handy today when I ran errands for the first time with 3 kids. Most importantly, it gives me peace of mind knowing that the kids have a plan when getting out of the car.

Coming home from the hospital on Wednesday with our third baby, I discovered a package at the door! What a special treat- something I had never seen before, a Grobag Egg Digital Thermometer that doubles as a nightlight. If it is too warm, the nightlight turns red. If it is too cold, it turns blue. Ideally, you want the room to be between 61-67 degrees which will make the nightlight yellow. So, I set it up in the baby’s room and much to my surprise- the room was 4 degrees hotter than our room where our thermostat is. So, on went the A/C! Even on days that seem beautiful outside, I have realized that it is still too warm for the baby. What a clever product! Now, we can keep our baby comfortable and safe… and hopefully we can all get a good night’s sleep!