Halloween

This was my little one's second Halloween.  But, it was actually the first one that she could enjoy.  And enjoy it she did!  I was so surprised that she did not fight me when we put her costume on.  When we previously tried on her costume she was not so eager and she hated putting on the hood. 

Halloween she put on her costume and proudly showed it to her grandparents.  It took her a few houses before she got into the trick or treat rhythm.  As we moved from house to house she picked up her pace and even added s skip to her gate.  She proudly took the candy and put it into her bucket.  She even uttered the word treat here and there.

Once we got home we were challenged with getting her into the house.  She wanted to keep going.  If it would not have been so cold outside we could have kept going. 

Now the challenge is explaining to her that every time she goes outside she does not get a treat. 

Sleep Routines

I guess you could say that when I saw the word "routine" in relation to sleep I was a little skeptical.  Every article that I read discussed using a routine.  I thought ok that is great but how can that get my child to sleep.

Well, about a month ago we started a routine at bedtime and it has paid off (sort of).  Every night we put on her jammies and night diaper.  Then we have a little snack before we sit down to do flash cards and read books.  Once we finish reading, we have her brush her teeth and give her a drink of water.

We then collect her favorite toy (Mickey Mouse) and tell her that we are going to lay her down in bed.  We each give her a hug and a kiss good night and tell her that we will see her in the morning and blow her a kiss as we walk out the door.

So far, she goes to sleep on her own without a problem.  It is the staying asleep that is a problem.  Sometimes she sleeps through the night, but mostly she wakes up once or twice.  Usually, she wakes up at 5 am and will not go back to sleep on her own.  So, this part of the routine is still a work in process and open to suggestions.

We have since implemented part of this routine for nap time.  I play on the floor with my daughter for awhile and I tell her in a few minutes it will be nap time.  As soon as it is 1 o'clock I tell her that it is time to read a story and then take a nap.  I carry her into her room and read to her while we rock.  Once the book is finished I tell her that I am going to lay her down and I will see her when she wakes up.  We have been practicing this routine for about 4 days now.  I have been met with some resistance, but eventually she falls asleep. 

I guess my skepticism and desire to see what the hype regarding routines was worth it.  I would love to know it anyone else follows a routine or if they have a way to keep their little one sleeping through the night!!

New Phone

Well, I finally have a new phone, again!!   My old phone is an iPhone.  I have had it for 2 years and for 2 years I have barely been able to make a phone call.  I have more rollover minutes than the law should allow.  But, what good are rollover minutes when your phone call does not go through or gets hung up on??

A few months ago My husband bought me a new iPhone.  I was pretty excited to try it out.  I loved my old phone except for calling people (isn't that the whole purpose of having a phone).  Well, when I tried it out I had to wait for ever to send a text (just like the old phone).  I got disconnected and could not make the calls (just like the old one).  And don't get me started on the whole antenna thing (be careful how you hold your phone). Needless to say, I did not like it and sent it back. 

So now we are trying out the Motorola Droid.  So far, I can text.  I can make a phone call.  I do not get disconnected.  And I do not have to be careful how I hold it when I want to make a call.  Let's see how happy I am as time flies.  I wonder if anyone else has the Droid and how they like it.

Garage Sale

I think that I have finally recovered from our garage sale last weekend.  It was so hot and humid, I thought I would pass out.  It took us the whole day of our garage sale to empty all of our totes and price the things that were not priced.  Who knew it was so much work.

The nice thing is that my mother in law, sister in law and myself unloaded a whole lot of stuff.  Oh yeah, we made a little money too.  That was nice.

We priced stuff pretty low just to get rid of it (we did not want to pack it up again).  At the end of the sale we packed up lots of clothes and household goods and donated them to our local shelter.

The inside of the house is still a little bit messy.  Who knew that your entire house becomes a disaster site when you have  a garage sale!!!

I am thankful that I finally got some rest and that it is over with!

Father's Day

I hope that everyone had a great Father's day.  I wish a Happy Father's day to my dad, brothers and husband.  This is a day to appreciate the men in our lives.

I appreciate my father for all that he has done.  He is the one that raised all five of his children.  My mother died when I was young.  He could have let our relatives raise us, but he chose to do it.  It was not easy and we went without many things.  One thing that I never lacked was the feeling of being loved.

I am grateful to have a wonderful husband.  He loves and adores his daughter and always has such joy when he sees her little face. He is gentle and patient with her to no end.  He loves me and has made it possible for me to spend the first year of our daughter's live at home with her.  He makes us feel safe, loved and cherished.

I am blessed to have great brothers who love their children and their family.  They would do anything for their families and have always done so in the past.

I guess Father's day is not just a day to give cards and presents, but a day to reflect and be thankful for the wonderful men in our lives.

SpaghettiO's recall

SpaghettiO's Recall 2010

WASHINGTON — Campbell Soup Co. is recalling 15 million pounds of SpaghettiOs with meatballs after a cooker malfunctioned at one of the company's plants in Texas and left the meat undercooked.
The Agriculture Department announced the recall late Thursday. Campbell spokesman Anthony Sanzio said the company is recalling certain lots of the product manufactured since December 2008 "out of an abundance of caution" because officials don't know exactly when the cooker at the Paris, Texas, plant malfunctioned. Officials believe it happened recently but aren't sure, he said.
The meatballs that went through the cooker did not get the requisite amount of heat, according to the company.
Recalled are certain lots of three varieties of the pasta product often consumed by children: SpaghettiOs with Meatballs, SpaghettiOs A to Z with Meatballs, and SpaghettiOs Fun Shapes with Meatballs (Cars).
The USDA said there are no reports of illnesses associated with the product and Sanzio said the company has received no customer complaints to date.
The recalled products have "EST 4K," as well as a use-by date between June 2010 and December 2011 printed on the bottom of the can. The products were manufactured between December 2008 and June 2010 and distributed to retail establishments nationwide.
Sanzio said the company believes there are about 35,000 cases of SpaghettiOs subject to the recall on the market right now. He said USDA announced the recall of 15 million pounds because that is all of the product that has been manufactured since December 2008. Much of it has likely been consumed.
Consumers with questions about the recall can call Campbell's Hotline at (866) 495-3774.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/06/18/spaghettios-recall-2010-c_n_616831.html

Worst Dining Experience

Have you ever looked forward to going someplace to only be disappointed when the event arrived?  Last night my daughter and I took my husband to Hooters for Father's day (that is where he wanted to go).  He ordered some hot drummies and I ordered the special boneless hot wings and fries.  I ordered then half plain and half hot (so that the baby could have some chicken).

Thank goodness I also packed some peas and strawberries for the baby.  The meal was so terrible, she refused to eat the chicken.  The drummies were tiny, the fries were cold and the boneless wings were like shoe leather. 

When I say shoe leather, I am not exaggerating.  The boneless wings were so dried out that I could not even cut through them with the knife.  By the way, silverware did not come with the meal.  I had to ask for it long after I was served.

I am not complaining because it was Hooters.  I like the food at Hooters, normally.  But, this was by far the worst meal that I have ever eaten.  I know the economy is tough, but terrible service and lousy food is no way to entice the population to part with their hard earned money!!

Bumps and Bruises

It seems like every day there is a bump, bruise or a scratch.  I have a little girl.  Little girls are not supposed to run and fall.  Or, crawl across concrete and rock beds.  It is  a crazy cycle.  She runs, she falls, she cries.  I pick her up, she stops crying.  I put her down and we start all over again. 

I thought that you dressed little girls up in cute outfits and bows.  Then they stayed clean and pretty all day.  NOT.  I honestly expect my child to be messy and get dirty.  In fact, the cuter the outfit, the messier I expect the day to be. 

What I did not expect is that my little girl was going to want to dig in the dirt, crawl on the fireplace, play in the rocks, climb on everything and jump whenever and wherever she wants.

Whatever direction she decided to take her life, I will support her.  I just hope that it isn't one of a daredevil!!!

The Art of Repitition

I often wonder if my daughter really knows what her name is!  I tell her to be careful so many times in a day that I would lay money that she thinks that is her name. 

It is funny that as a parent we often find ourselves sounding like a broken record. Only we don't really realize that until we have said something for the eight hundredth time.

Sometimes we don't realize that we have taught our children something until we see them do that.  I see my daughter walking around picking up her dolls and toys, hugging them then patting them.  We hug her all of the time, but I am not quite sure where the patting came from.  Then one day I was holding her and rubbing her back, then I patted her back and suddenly realized it must have come from me.

Watching her grow and imitate life has certainly been teaching me a valuable lesson or two.  Be carefule of your actions because little eyes are ALWAYS watching.

Baby Blanket Recall

A recall has been issued for 44,000 baby security blankets sold exclusively by Target. The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) announced the recall on May 18 due to a possible choking hazard.
The Giraffe security blankets are manufactured by Rashti & Rashti of New York, NY and were sold in Target stores nationwide.

According to the CPSC, the balls on top of the giraffe's horns can detach, posing a choking hazard to young children. To date, there have been no injuries reported.

Description: The recall involves the pink "I Love You" security blanket with a giraffe plush head. The blanket measures about 14 inches wide by 14 inches in length. "I Love You" is embroidered on the blanket. Style number Y22230H and "Just One Year a division of Carter's" are sewn into a label on the blanket.

Target stores carried the Giraffe security blanket from January 2009 through August 2009 for approximately $9.
There are Target stores locally in Smithfield and Warwick, RI, but they are not accepting returns and have not sold the recalled item since the summer, 2009.
Do not bring the blanket to a Target store for a refund.
If you have this baby blanket, take it away from your child immediately. The manufacturer will provide a full refund. Call  Rashti & Rashti toll-free at (888) 594-3730 between 8:30 a.m. and 9:30 p.m. ET Monday through Friday.