So, this pregnancy, instead of opting for an epidural, I've decided to try Hypnobabies. There are several reasons but the most important one is the lasting side effects I've had from my 3 epidurals, and my desire to prevent that from worsening. (I have scarring in the epidural space. The anesthesiologist was actually unable to give me an epidural in the standard place last time and had to go up quite a ways to not cause me excrutiating pain. I have throbbing pain at the sites of the scarring when I get a migraine.)
I've been doing the program (we're doing the Home Study course) for over a week now. Yes, just my second week! (It's a 6 week course.) Already, I have found so many benefits to it. I can't believe I never discovered this sooner.
I had pubis symphasis disfunction my last pregnancy. This time the aching pain in the hips and pelvis had started up, the hips popping every time I moved, etc. Within ONE NIGHT of listening to my Pregnancy Affirmations cd-- just one night! One listen!-- I woke up the next morning, heard my hips pop-- and felt no pain. Instead, I had the thought, "This is normal for the stage of pregnancy I am in. My body is preparing for my birthing time." So the physical state I was in remained the same-- but my Pregnancy Affirmations (one of which is "my bodily functions remain normal for the stage of pregnancy that I am in) re-programmed my brain after ONE listen to re-interpret that as a wonderful normal sign of getting ready to birth my baby, not pain. Wow!
Another affirmation is "My blood pressure remains normal every day and every night." I'd been having low blood pressure dizzy spells pretty frequently (I get those a lot when pregnant.) I haven't had one in over a week (they were every day, sometimes twice a day, for the last month before that.)
This week I have learned the "Finger Drop Technique" to put myself into a state of deep hypnotic relaxation instantly for as long as I want, tune out everything but emergency-type input, and experience anesthesia all through my body (by turning my "light switch" off to shut down all non-essential-for-life muscles etc.) It is incredible! So relaxing, comfortable, and takes away all the discomforts, aches, etc. I am feeling. It cured my migraine the other day!
I also am healing emotionally from what I went through after Maggie's birth (now believed to be PTSD. I meet all the criteria...) I have not had nightmares at all, or anxious thoughts or panic attacks about my birth or being separated from my baby, in the last week. This is incredible and wonderful. I can't wait until later on in the program when I get to do the "Fear Clearing" sessions and hopefully let go and heal even more. I have been thinking only positively and with joy and loving anticipation of what a wonderful birth I am going to have, instead!
So, um, yeah, by the time I'm ready for my birth I am going to sound like a walking Hypnobabies infomercial, I'm sure. But really, this is GOOD stuff! If you're interested you can learn more on their website, and they have wonderful birth stories on there too. I will be thrilled to be able to write mine! I'm sure I'm going to have a beautiful, comfortable birth with the help of the self-hypnosis techniques I'm learning and the relaxing, wonderful scripts from Hypnobabies.
Showing posts with label product reviews and recommendations. Show all posts
Showing posts with label product reviews and recommendations. Show all posts
Wednesday, September 29, 2010
Saturday, March 27, 2010
Gosh, it's been a long time...
...since I posted. About 1/3 of a year.
I keep meaning to, and then not...
What's up?
We've moved. To a house. We are loving it. Lost a pool but gained a backyard, extra bedroom (used as playroom/tv room/guestroom) and washer/dryer. Plus clothesline. Totally worth it.
Maggie has started reacting to soy through breastmilk (yes I'm still nursing her) as well as in her regular diet. So she and I are both 100% soy-free. Thankfully I've found more soy-free foods-- even tater tots, and fast food, when we want junk. ;) Also graham crackers, saltines, etc.
Jeff's work is going GREAT. He even gets home before 10 most nights even though it's tax season. And he gets along SO WELL with his boss. He's realized that his boss being from the South makes a difference-- he "gets" Jeff's attitude (which is kind of more laid-back and externally calm than most people out here are used to.)
I'm doing a lot more CPST work. USA Baby in Burbank has my cards and I get a lot of calls and occasional e-mails. I also do the occasional presentation/lecture/Q&A session there. Loving it. Sometimes since we're in tax season I do checks in our garage (oh yes, we also have a 2 car garage, though currently 1 car's worth is full of, um, stuff we haven't unpacked and my car seat collection) and that is great for me, adult interaction is wonderful.
We keep getting sick but I think we're finally on the upswing. Dratted colds.
I got a new stroller, Mountain Buggy Urban Double. After a period of panic even though I got it at a great price because it wasn't love at first push, I've begun to really appreciate it. We can still walk to the park and store when we want to and even down to Arnie's Cafe or my dad's. It's great to have a really easy-to-push stroller for that kind of stuff. I do recommend it if you're in the market for an all-terrain stroller; it has it's downfalls but it really does push like a dream. Definitely one to consider.
Emma has booster-trained, though she sometimes still wants to ride in a harness. She and Bridey have both passed 40 lbs. now and we still haven't had the money to get a Radian 80SL or XTSL so they have to forward-face. Maggie is 36 lbs. and rear-facing. As she approaches 40 we WILL find the money for a higher-weight rear-facing seat, because I will NOT turn her so young!
Emma got 3 teeth extracted. Her permanent teeth are coming in behind instead of below, and so won't push the baby teeth out, but the baby teeth get in the way. So they have to be pulled. Jeff had the same thing. She also lost a front tooth naturally. So now she's all gappy and impish-looking. It's cute and strange at the same time. Definitely makes her look older.
I've been on the compy a lot less because there is so much more to keep up with! But, the house is staying in reasonable condition. So much so in fact, that we are hosting Easter dinner and egg hunt this year, for my mom's family and some of our friends. Lots to plan, followed by 2 birthday parties (a "Ladybugs' Picnic" and a "Luau." Fun!)
Emma is reading really well. About second-grade level stuff now. We've pulled back on writing for now. Once she's an independent reader at a 2nd or 3rd grade level, we'll focus on writing. Then math. I aim to have no more than 15 minutes of sit-down "work" a day right now, and lots of outside running around and playing. Since we moved here our grocery bill has about tripled because the children EAT ALL THE TIME. They have also grown like weeds. I'm counting this as a good thing.
As you can see I still have a weird sleep schedule. Sometimes I can sleep, sometimes I can't... It's usually better but every once in a while I have one of these weird nights when I'm just not able to sleep no matter how exhausted.
So, that's it. And hopefully I'll come back to blogging in the next few months, I think it's nice to get everything spit out on the screen. Cathartic, kind of. ;)
I keep meaning to, and then not...
What's up?
We've moved. To a house. We are loving it. Lost a pool but gained a backyard, extra bedroom (used as playroom/tv room/guestroom) and washer/dryer. Plus clothesline. Totally worth it.
Maggie has started reacting to soy through breastmilk (yes I'm still nursing her) as well as in her regular diet. So she and I are both 100% soy-free. Thankfully I've found more soy-free foods-- even tater tots, and fast food, when we want junk. ;) Also graham crackers, saltines, etc.
Jeff's work is going GREAT. He even gets home before 10 most nights even though it's tax season. And he gets along SO WELL with his boss. He's realized that his boss being from the South makes a difference-- he "gets" Jeff's attitude (which is kind of more laid-back and externally calm than most people out here are used to.)
I'm doing a lot more CPST work. USA Baby in Burbank has my cards and I get a lot of calls and occasional e-mails. I also do the occasional presentation/lecture/Q&A session there. Loving it. Sometimes since we're in tax season I do checks in our garage (oh yes, we also have a 2 car garage, though currently 1 car's worth is full of, um, stuff we haven't unpacked and my car seat collection) and that is great for me, adult interaction is wonderful.
We keep getting sick but I think we're finally on the upswing. Dratted colds.
I got a new stroller, Mountain Buggy Urban Double. After a period of panic even though I got it at a great price because it wasn't love at first push, I've begun to really appreciate it. We can still walk to the park and store when we want to and even down to Arnie's Cafe or my dad's. It's great to have a really easy-to-push stroller for that kind of stuff. I do recommend it if you're in the market for an all-terrain stroller; it has it's downfalls but it really does push like a dream. Definitely one to consider.
Emma has booster-trained, though she sometimes still wants to ride in a harness. She and Bridey have both passed 40 lbs. now and we still haven't had the money to get a Radian 80SL or XTSL so they have to forward-face. Maggie is 36 lbs. and rear-facing. As she approaches 40 we WILL find the money for a higher-weight rear-facing seat, because I will NOT turn her so young!
Emma got 3 teeth extracted. Her permanent teeth are coming in behind instead of below, and so won't push the baby teeth out, but the baby teeth get in the way. So they have to be pulled. Jeff had the same thing. She also lost a front tooth naturally. So now she's all gappy and impish-looking. It's cute and strange at the same time. Definitely makes her look older.
I've been on the compy a lot less because there is so much more to keep up with! But, the house is staying in reasonable condition. So much so in fact, that we are hosting Easter dinner and egg hunt this year, for my mom's family and some of our friends. Lots to plan, followed by 2 birthday parties (a "Ladybugs' Picnic" and a "Luau." Fun!)
Emma is reading really well. About second-grade level stuff now. We've pulled back on writing for now. Once she's an independent reader at a 2nd or 3rd grade level, we'll focus on writing. Then math. I aim to have no more than 15 minutes of sit-down "work" a day right now, and lots of outside running around and playing. Since we moved here our grocery bill has about tripled because the children EAT ALL THE TIME. They have also grown like weeds. I'm counting this as a good thing.
As you can see I still have a weird sleep schedule. Sometimes I can sleep, sometimes I can't... It's usually better but every once in a while I have one of these weird nights when I'm just not able to sleep no matter how exhausted.
So, that's it. And hopefully I'll come back to blogging in the next few months, I think it's nice to get everything spit out on the screen. Cathartic, kind of. ;)
Friday, October 02, 2009
The Safety 1st Complete Air Convertible Review (or, how I got 3 rear-facing car seats in our Corolla)
Most of you reading this probably know that I'm a CPST. Most of you have probably also heard that rear-facing is the safest way to ride. If you haven't, check out this video:
Rear Facing is Safer
While EVERYONE is safer rear-facing, evidence (real life statistics as well as crash tests) shows a significant decrease in injuries and deaths when children under the age of 4 are properly secured rear-facing rather than forward-facing. Nor is 4 the limit; the benefit just becomes less and less significant after that-- but it's still there, and still the safest way to ride as long as the child is within the limits of the seat (in the US that means has one inch of shell above the head in most seats, though in some it's even with the shell, and is under the rear-facing weight limit.) The American Academy of Pediatricians has recommended since 2002 that all children should ride rear-facing to the limits of the convertible seat, and also recommended that manufacturers make seats large enough to accomodate the average 4 year old (40-45 lbs.) Seats are just starting to be released that can actually do this in the U.S. (If friends in Europe are reading this, in Sweden seats are available that rear-face even longer by weight, though about the same length of time by height-- since Swedish seats can typically be used rear-facing until the ears are even with the top of the shell. These seats are approved for use anywhere in the EU. If you'd like more information on them, please check out this site: carseat.se.)
Bridget is under 4, so there is a clear benefit to her rear-facing. While the benefit is not as clear for Emma, she really really really wanted to. And it is safer, though not as measurably so (part of that is that we don't have much data on rear-facing past the age of 4, as it's an age when even Swedish seats are often outgrown.) When one of my Radians' rear-facing limits was retroactively raised to 40 lbs. (applies to all Radians manufactured 9/08 or later) I turned Bridget back rear-facing. Emma got very jealous. She said it was "so comfy" (I let her ride in it one day) and "so safe" and she cried every time she had to get in forward facing.
Now, I'm not advocating giving in to a child's tears ( ;) ) but it's safer; we had the means to get a Complete Air (used the 20% trade in deal at Babies R Us to recycle a near-expired, unknown history seat we had been given and Jeff had a big check) and, well, it made my life easier... Emma loves being rear-facing, is "comfy", takes naps in the car again (which she had quit when forward-facing, for the most part), and loves the expanded view she has out the rear as well as the side windows.
The Complete Air is currently a Babies R Us exclusive (though also available at some Toys R Us stores that have a Babies R Us section.) We got the "Harvest" cover, which is an awesome orange and brown (the other cover currently available is a rather meh grey.)
I put the Complete Air behind the driver's seat in our Corolla. It was not very easy to get all three in and independently tight, and they have a slight tilt from the retractor I used to lock the belts (but not enough that it bothers my kids or that I worry about it.) The Complete Air needed a chunk of pool noodle under it in order to get even the maximum upright allowed angle of 30 degrees from vertical. (I didn't mind, I keep pool noodle chunks with me... And I rather expect that of most seats in our Corolla-- an '03, by the way. Be aware that newer models have prohibitions on car seats, or anything else, touching the back of the front seat.) I had to pull the cover up to access the belt path in order to tighten adequately, and it was difficult to get it back down. I scraped my knuckles a bit too (not uncommon with Dorel seats, unfortunately.) But the end result was that it was in, and all seats were independently tight (less than one inch of movement at the belt path if you remove the seats next to them and tug where the belt goes through.)
Emma, at 5 1/2 years old, has tons of room to grow by height (the Complete Air allows use until the head reaches the top of the headwings-- which go two inches higher than the shell!) She is on the third of five sets of harness slots rear-facing (straps come from at or below the shoulders rear-facing, at or above forward-facing.) She is above the stated height "maximum" of 40 inches. However, manufacturers put a height maximum on because they have to, not because there really is one. Every child will fit a seat differently at the same standing height. That is why these "maximums" are really more guidelines than set in stone-- and while the company will, for liability reasons, stand behind them, well, they're not really important, safety-wise. (Weight limits, on the other hand, should be followed exactly.) Where the head and shoulders hit is the important thing, and by those guidelines, she has a ton of room to grow. (Dorel is ALSO well-known for their idiotic height maximums which really have nothing to do with reality of how a child will fit the seat.) As a technician and as a mother, I am very comfortable using her in this seat to the maximum weight limit despite her being over the "maximum" height guideline. She currently has about 2 lbs. to gain before she will outgrow it by weight (well before height.) This is an excellent choice of seat for tall and skinny kids!
Emma loves the colors of the cover. I like that the seat is easy to wipe clean, though the quality could be better (especially for the price tag!) I prefer a seat that allows rear-facing tethering or has an anti-rebound bar-- this one does not. However I would choose it again anyway, because right now it is our only practical available seat to rear-face behind the driver's seat (the Radian installs too reclined to allow the seat back as far as my husband needs it in our car.) The headwings move with the harness, and are easy to adjust when installed. I have not had problems reaching the tightening mechanism. The tightening mechanism is also very smooth (though I don't have to use it much because of the continual loop routing of the harness strap.)
There are a few drawbacks. The straps tend to twist and need to be untangled every time. The crotch buckle falls under Emma's bottom and has to be fished out. There are no strap covers-- not a problem for her but might be for less narrow kids (if so, you can cut the toes off of baby socks and put them on the harness for neck protection and comfort.) Most significantly, it is not the easiest seat to install, and the bottom harness slots are amazingly high. It shouldn't have been too much trouble to put one more, lower set in. As it is I fear we will see many babies in this seat who have just outgrown a 22 lb. infant seat with a shorter shell, and do not yet fit it by height, especially if installed less reclined (as mine is.) That is something I hope to see remedied in future redesigns (as well as a reconsideration of the idiotic 40 inch height "limit" for rear-facing.) Also, the forward-facing harness weight is only 50 lbs.; while this should be more than adequate if Emma still needs harnessing once outgrowing it rear-facing by weight, a heavier child might reach that weight much earlier. It has tall enough top slots that I would love to see a 60 or 65 lb. weight limit on it.
Overall, though, I'm pleased with the seat, would recommend it, and would buy it again.
Here is our three across.
Our long term (okay, in the next few weeks) plan is to get a new Radian XTSL seat, which will rear-face to 45 lbs., and have that over where Bridget's current seat is (and move hers to the middle for Maggie.) The way Bridey and Emma gain weight, I'm thinking that Emma should be able to rear-face at least until 6-- at which point, provided she demonstrates that she can sit properly, I will be comfortable boostering her (if she wants to use a booster, and as I said if she is behaviorally ready. I'm thinking the Britax Parkway Slide Guard...) For now, we are quite happy with this setup, and the safety and comfort it affords our children.
Rear Facing is Safer
While EVERYONE is safer rear-facing, evidence (real life statistics as well as crash tests) shows a significant decrease in injuries and deaths when children under the age of 4 are properly secured rear-facing rather than forward-facing. Nor is 4 the limit; the benefit just becomes less and less significant after that-- but it's still there, and still the safest way to ride as long as the child is within the limits of the seat (in the US that means has one inch of shell above the head in most seats, though in some it's even with the shell, and is under the rear-facing weight limit.) The American Academy of Pediatricians has recommended since 2002 that all children should ride rear-facing to the limits of the convertible seat, and also recommended that manufacturers make seats large enough to accomodate the average 4 year old (40-45 lbs.) Seats are just starting to be released that can actually do this in the U.S. (If friends in Europe are reading this, in Sweden seats are available that rear-face even longer by weight, though about the same length of time by height-- since Swedish seats can typically be used rear-facing until the ears are even with the top of the shell. These seats are approved for use anywhere in the EU. If you'd like more information on them, please check out this site: carseat.se.)
Bridget is under 4, so there is a clear benefit to her rear-facing. While the benefit is not as clear for Emma, she really really really wanted to. And it is safer, though not as measurably so (part of that is that we don't have much data on rear-facing past the age of 4, as it's an age when even Swedish seats are often outgrown.) When one of my Radians' rear-facing limits was retroactively raised to 40 lbs. (applies to all Radians manufactured 9/08 or later) I turned Bridget back rear-facing. Emma got very jealous. She said it was "so comfy" (I let her ride in it one day) and "so safe" and she cried every time she had to get in forward facing.
Now, I'm not advocating giving in to a child's tears ( ;) ) but it's safer; we had the means to get a Complete Air (used the 20% trade in deal at Babies R Us to recycle a near-expired, unknown history seat we had been given and Jeff had a big check) and, well, it made my life easier... Emma loves being rear-facing, is "comfy", takes naps in the car again (which she had quit when forward-facing, for the most part), and loves the expanded view she has out the rear as well as the side windows.
The Complete Air is currently a Babies R Us exclusive (though also available at some Toys R Us stores that have a Babies R Us section.) We got the "Harvest" cover, which is an awesome orange and brown (the other cover currently available is a rather meh grey.)
I put the Complete Air behind the driver's seat in our Corolla. It was not very easy to get all three in and independently tight, and they have a slight tilt from the retractor I used to lock the belts (but not enough that it bothers my kids or that I worry about it.) The Complete Air needed a chunk of pool noodle under it in order to get even the maximum upright allowed angle of 30 degrees from vertical. (I didn't mind, I keep pool noodle chunks with me... And I rather expect that of most seats in our Corolla-- an '03, by the way. Be aware that newer models have prohibitions on car seats, or anything else, touching the back of the front seat.) I had to pull the cover up to access the belt path in order to tighten adequately, and it was difficult to get it back down. I scraped my knuckles a bit too (not uncommon with Dorel seats, unfortunately.) But the end result was that it was in, and all seats were independently tight (less than one inch of movement at the belt path if you remove the seats next to them and tug where the belt goes through.)
Emma, at 5 1/2 years old, has tons of room to grow by height (the Complete Air allows use until the head reaches the top of the headwings-- which go two inches higher than the shell!) She is on the third of five sets of harness slots rear-facing (straps come from at or below the shoulders rear-facing, at or above forward-facing.) She is above the stated height "maximum" of 40 inches. However, manufacturers put a height maximum on because they have to, not because there really is one. Every child will fit a seat differently at the same standing height. That is why these "maximums" are really more guidelines than set in stone-- and while the company will, for liability reasons, stand behind them, well, they're not really important, safety-wise. (Weight limits, on the other hand, should be followed exactly.) Where the head and shoulders hit is the important thing, and by those guidelines, she has a ton of room to grow. (Dorel is ALSO well-known for their idiotic height maximums which really have nothing to do with reality of how a child will fit the seat.) As a technician and as a mother, I am very comfortable using her in this seat to the maximum weight limit despite her being over the "maximum" height guideline. She currently has about 2 lbs. to gain before she will outgrow it by weight (well before height.) This is an excellent choice of seat for tall and skinny kids!
Emma loves the colors of the cover. I like that the seat is easy to wipe clean, though the quality could be better (especially for the price tag!) I prefer a seat that allows rear-facing tethering or has an anti-rebound bar-- this one does not. However I would choose it again anyway, because right now it is our only practical available seat to rear-face behind the driver's seat (the Radian installs too reclined to allow the seat back as far as my husband needs it in our car.) The headwings move with the harness, and are easy to adjust when installed. I have not had problems reaching the tightening mechanism. The tightening mechanism is also very smooth (though I don't have to use it much because of the continual loop routing of the harness strap.)
There are a few drawbacks. The straps tend to twist and need to be untangled every time. The crotch buckle falls under Emma's bottom and has to be fished out. There are no strap covers-- not a problem for her but might be for less narrow kids (if so, you can cut the toes off of baby socks and put them on the harness for neck protection and comfort.) Most significantly, it is not the easiest seat to install, and the bottom harness slots are amazingly high. It shouldn't have been too much trouble to put one more, lower set in. As it is I fear we will see many babies in this seat who have just outgrown a 22 lb. infant seat with a shorter shell, and do not yet fit it by height, especially if installed less reclined (as mine is.) That is something I hope to see remedied in future redesigns (as well as a reconsideration of the idiotic 40 inch height "limit" for rear-facing.) Also, the forward-facing harness weight is only 50 lbs.; while this should be more than adequate if Emma still needs harnessing once outgrowing it rear-facing by weight, a heavier child might reach that weight much earlier. It has tall enough top slots that I would love to see a 60 or 65 lb. weight limit on it.
Overall, though, I'm pleased with the seat, would recommend it, and would buy it again.
Here is our three across.
Our long term (okay, in the next few weeks) plan is to get a new Radian XTSL seat, which will rear-face to 45 lbs., and have that over where Bridget's current seat is (and move hers to the middle for Maggie.) The way Bridey and Emma gain weight, I'm thinking that Emma should be able to rear-face at least until 6-- at which point, provided she demonstrates that she can sit properly, I will be comfortable boostering her (if she wants to use a booster, and as I said if she is behaviorally ready. I'm thinking the Britax Parkway Slide Guard...) For now, we are quite happy with this setup, and the safety and comfort it affords our children.
Friday, April 03, 2009
A week of cleaning car seats...
I feel a song coming on:
Bringing in the seats,
Bringing in the seats,
I shall come rejoicing,
Bringing in the seats;
Bringing in the seats,
Bringing in the seats,
Though washing's not my fav'rite task,
Cleaning the car seats!
Yeah.
Earlier this week (we've all been sick) Bridget threw up in her car seat. And Emma's. And all over the car. So I got to take all 3 seats out (well, Maggie's was dirty too), wash 2 covers (M's just needed a shake-down and a wipe-down with a disinfectant wipe), and while I was at it I did the spare Radian that we'll be putting in my mom's car tomorrow, since the buckle was sticky (again, just a good shake-down and wipe-down.)
Then I also am getting rid of (sold 1, gave away for shipping 2 others) 3 of my "extra" car seats that were just hanging around. (The Scenera, the Cosco HBB, and the SnugRide, if you were wondering...) So I've been wiping/shaking down and washing up those, too.
It's actually kind of cathartic, methodically disassembling, cleaning, drying, reassembling, and checking for errors all these seats...
Plus, I get to put them back in.
I do love a good car seat installation. (And we're having the car detailed in a few weeks so I'll get to do it AGAIN!)
And, it made room for the new ones. Well, I have a Como (actually I have 2; I had 3 but I am trying to get rid of one still, sold one on eBay) and I got one that is not technically a "seat" but a "child restraint." It's a Ride Safer Travel Vest. Emma tried it on and we got it all adjusted today. Tomorrow she gets to ride in Grandma Pam's car in it! She will be in the middle, between Bridey in the Radian and Maggie in the Uptown. I am actually rather stoked because until now if Grandma Pam wanted to take them anywhere we've been switching cars, because she has a Sentra. 3 kids in restraints in the back of a Sentra is REALLY difficult. This is, like, history-making. ;) I think it's really exciting and cool, but now you all probably think I'm really weird...
Bringing in the seats,
Bringing in the seats,
I shall come rejoicing,
Bringing in the seats;
Bringing in the seats,
Bringing in the seats,
Though washing's not my fav'rite task,
Cleaning the car seats!
Yeah.
Earlier this week (we've all been sick) Bridget threw up in her car seat. And Emma's. And all over the car. So I got to take all 3 seats out (well, Maggie's was dirty too), wash 2 covers (M's just needed a shake-down and a wipe-down with a disinfectant wipe), and while I was at it I did the spare Radian that we'll be putting in my mom's car tomorrow, since the buckle was sticky (again, just a good shake-down and wipe-down.)
Then I also am getting rid of (sold 1, gave away for shipping 2 others) 3 of my "extra" car seats that were just hanging around. (The Scenera, the Cosco HBB, and the SnugRide, if you were wondering...) So I've been wiping/shaking down and washing up those, too.
It's actually kind of cathartic, methodically disassembling, cleaning, drying, reassembling, and checking for errors all these seats...
Plus, I get to put them back in.
I do love a good car seat installation. (And we're having the car detailed in a few weeks so I'll get to do it AGAIN!)
And, it made room for the new ones. Well, I have a Como (actually I have 2; I had 3 but I am trying to get rid of one still, sold one on eBay) and I got one that is not technically a "seat" but a "child restraint." It's a Ride Safer Travel Vest. Emma tried it on and we got it all adjusted today. Tomorrow she gets to ride in Grandma Pam's car in it! She will be in the middle, between Bridey in the Radian and Maggie in the Uptown. I am actually rather stoked because until now if Grandma Pam wanted to take them anywhere we've been switching cars, because she has a Sentra. 3 kids in restraints in the back of a Sentra is REALLY difficult. This is, like, history-making. ;) I think it's really exciting and cool, but now you all probably think I'm really weird...
Monday, February 09, 2009
It's raining
and so, I can't sleep.
So here are my assorted thoughts about our weekend.
Maggie stole dairy food AGAIN and ate it. So we gave in and got her some yogurt at the store. She doesn't seem to like it much. Oh well, the other kids will eat it. And she's not reacting so she now has a wider variety of foods she can eat (eggs are the only major allergen she hasn't had yet. Well, eggs and nuts.) Maybe she will like cheese better.
We've all had a nasty cold. (Maggie had a fever for 2 days and refused to do ANYTHING but nurse. Non-stop. First baby I ever knew to get sick and GAIN weight; she put on about a pound in 2 days!) Just as we were starting to get on the upswing of it, Jeff got it. Luckily he's recovering quicker than we did, since it's back to work with him.
We went out to dinner on Friday night (really late-- 24 hour diner) and checked out the hotel next door to the restaurant (also close to Jeff's work.) We decided to go there next weekend for Valentine's Day. Should be fun!
I untangled Emma's hair. It was really bad, since she'd been sick and I'd not had a chance to brush it. Poor kid. She was really good about it for the most part though. Bribery helps. She got a piece of candy afterwards. She has just enough of my curl to get really tangled really easily.
Took framed pics of the girls over to my aunt and uncle's house for my Uncle Bob's birthday. He loves them, they will hang on the wall where he can see them. :)
The Carmax guy called us, we may have found the car we want... We'll see if it works out! *crosses fingers*
Okay, not about this weekend but a week ago I got a SafeGuard Child Seat. Loved it so much I got another. And I don't even have a car they will fit in yet... It's a really awesome seat, I'm so excited to use it, and I got a great price. I may do a full review with pictures some day. But for now, check out their website here. If you want to know where to get it muuuch cheaper than the $420 list price let me know and I'll share...
I made too much ratatouille for Jeff's dinner co-op so we are having some too (if the kids will eat it...) If it stops raining we will go to the store and get rolls to go with it. I have to get rye bread for Tuesday's dinner anyway, the store was out, and I just think rye bread or pumpernickel goes better with cabbage soup, don't you?
Um, I guess that's it. Can't think of much else. Tired but can't sleep. Want tax season over. *yawns*
So here are my assorted thoughts about our weekend.
Maggie stole dairy food AGAIN and ate it. So we gave in and got her some yogurt at the store. She doesn't seem to like it much. Oh well, the other kids will eat it. And she's not reacting so she now has a wider variety of foods she can eat (eggs are the only major allergen she hasn't had yet. Well, eggs and nuts.) Maybe she will like cheese better.
We've all had a nasty cold. (Maggie had a fever for 2 days and refused to do ANYTHING but nurse. Non-stop. First baby I ever knew to get sick and GAIN weight; she put on about a pound in 2 days!) Just as we were starting to get on the upswing of it, Jeff got it. Luckily he's recovering quicker than we did, since it's back to work with him.
We went out to dinner on Friday night (really late-- 24 hour diner) and checked out the hotel next door to the restaurant (also close to Jeff's work.) We decided to go there next weekend for Valentine's Day. Should be fun!
I untangled Emma's hair. It was really bad, since she'd been sick and I'd not had a chance to brush it. Poor kid. She was really good about it for the most part though. Bribery helps. She got a piece of candy afterwards. She has just enough of my curl to get really tangled really easily.
Took framed pics of the girls over to my aunt and uncle's house for my Uncle Bob's birthday. He loves them, they will hang on the wall where he can see them. :)
The Carmax guy called us, we may have found the car we want... We'll see if it works out! *crosses fingers*
Okay, not about this weekend but a week ago I got a SafeGuard Child Seat. Loved it so much I got another. And I don't even have a car they will fit in yet... It's a really awesome seat, I'm so excited to use it, and I got a great price. I may do a full review with pictures some day. But for now, check out their website here. If you want to know where to get it muuuch cheaper than the $420 list price let me know and I'll share...
I made too much ratatouille for Jeff's dinner co-op so we are having some too (if the kids will eat it...) If it stops raining we will go to the store and get rolls to go with it. I have to get rye bread for Tuesday's dinner anyway, the store was out, and I just think rye bread or pumpernickel goes better with cabbage soup, don't you?
Um, I guess that's it. Can't think of much else. Tired but can't sleep. Want tax season over. *yawns*
Tuesday, January 06, 2009
KY Yours + Mine
Ranks right up there with KY Warming Gel.
No adverse reactions, even from super-sensitive me.
Heartily recommended.
That is all.
No adverse reactions, even from super-sensitive me.
Heartily recommended.
That is all.
Saturday, November 29, 2008
Big Lots Saturday Deals
Just got a couple of great bargains! We got a Graco Video Monitor (normally $199; got it for $50) and an Apex 65 car seat (normally $130-ish; got it for $65.) And got a $10 off coupon for being there early. :D The car seat is to replace the backup Bridget has grown out of; it will harness to 65 lbs. and has higher top slots. Nice. (Of course now that my kids all have backup seats that fit, I think Jeff thinks I should be getting rid of the backups that don't fit...)
The prices are all day though the coupon offer isn't. Of note the Apex, while a nice seat, is a bit wide (we have a Radian to go next to it so I think it will still work for 3 across in many situations but for most people, not so much) and needs a headrest or very tall seat back behind it since the top is not reinforced; it is outgrown when tips of the ears go over the top of the seat back or headrest, not just the seat. But on the other hand it does make a decent booster (it is a combination seat that harnesses and then is a booster.) Again, must have support behind it. But all around I am quite thrilled with it because for the price it's an excellent seat! I mean, when can you usually get a higher-weight harnessing seat for $65?
Now I have to go check out the date of manufacture and stuff. :D
The prices are all day though the coupon offer isn't. Of note the Apex, while a nice seat, is a bit wide (we have a Radian to go next to it so I think it will still work for 3 across in many situations but for most people, not so much) and needs a headrest or very tall seat back behind it since the top is not reinforced; it is outgrown when tips of the ears go over the top of the seat back or headrest, not just the seat. But on the other hand it does make a decent booster (it is a combination seat that harnesses and then is a booster.) Again, must have support behind it. But all around I am quite thrilled with it because for the price it's an excellent seat! I mean, when can you usually get a higher-weight harnessing seat for $65?
Now I have to go check out the date of manufacture and stuff. :D
Monday, September 29, 2008
Dinner tonight...
...was a hit, and was easy and cheap, so I thought I'd share!
It is HOT today and we didn't feel like doing much. But boiling a pot of water isn't too hard and doesn't heat up the house too much.
Last time I was at Trader Joe's, I spied (and picked up) some dried three cheese tortellini. Jeff boiled those up and we tossed in a jar of garlic basil pasta sauce. We had that with Private Selection organic baby spring mix, croutons, and dressing of our choice.
The tortellini were tempting even before we added the sauce! They fill the house with a delectable cheesy smell. The tortellini are $1.79 for a bag; a bag makes about 5 servings. The jar of sauce, with coupon, was $0.90 or so. So, main dish for all of us for $2.80-ish. Emma, who grumped when we told her what was for dinner and said she did not WANT pasta, ate a large-ish serving and asked for more. Bridey asked for seconds and thirds.
We've been really into the Private Selection organic baby spring mix lately. PS is a Kroger brand (around here that means Ralph's.) If you buy the small container it's a bit more expensive, but if you buy the large container it works out to about the same price per ounce as the regular bagged salads-- and they're not organic, or usually as fresh! Once I open it I stick a paper towel in the top to absorb condensation and change it every few days, which helps keep it un-wilted. A large (recyclable) bin will last us for about a week, sometimes more, depending how many days we have salad. Even the kids adore the baby spring mix (which is a tad less bitter than mature) if they get to choose their dressing. And let's face it, around here, salad is more likely to be eaten if it comes in pre-prepped.
So all in all, we ate about $0.60 worth of salad and "fixin's." Grand total: $3.40 for all of us. Not bad at all for a "convenience foods" meal!
It is HOT today and we didn't feel like doing much. But boiling a pot of water isn't too hard and doesn't heat up the house too much.
Last time I was at Trader Joe's, I spied (and picked up) some dried three cheese tortellini. Jeff boiled those up and we tossed in a jar of garlic basil pasta sauce. We had that with Private Selection organic baby spring mix, croutons, and dressing of our choice.
The tortellini were tempting even before we added the sauce! They fill the house with a delectable cheesy smell. The tortellini are $1.79 for a bag; a bag makes about 5 servings. The jar of sauce, with coupon, was $0.90 or so. So, main dish for all of us for $2.80-ish. Emma, who grumped when we told her what was for dinner and said she did not WANT pasta, ate a large-ish serving and asked for more. Bridey asked for seconds and thirds.
We've been really into the Private Selection organic baby spring mix lately. PS is a Kroger brand (around here that means Ralph's.) If you buy the small container it's a bit more expensive, but if you buy the large container it works out to about the same price per ounce as the regular bagged salads-- and they're not organic, or usually as fresh! Once I open it I stick a paper towel in the top to absorb condensation and change it every few days, which helps keep it un-wilted. A large (recyclable) bin will last us for about a week, sometimes more, depending how many days we have salad. Even the kids adore the baby spring mix (which is a tad less bitter than mature) if they get to choose their dressing. And let's face it, around here, salad is more likely to be eaten if it comes in pre-prepped.
So all in all, we ate about $0.60 worth of salad and "fixin's." Grand total: $3.40 for all of us. Not bad at all for a "convenience foods" meal!
Tuesday, September 23, 2008
Jaden got her new carseat!
She got her Regent yesterday. (I bought it during the recent Britax sale. It was her birthday present.)
She loves it!
The Regent harnesses to 80 lbs. with a top harness height of 20 inches. Jaden is 4 years old, 43 lbs.-ish with about a 16 inch torso. She has years to grow in it!
I'm ecstatic that she likes it. By Texas law (where she lives) she could have been in a seatbelt only when she turned 5 OR was 36 inches tall (which she was at 3!) even though it is not safe to put children in an adult seatbelt only until they pass the five-step test. And if there aren't enough seatbelts, by Texas law children can ride held in a lap! :0 That blows my mind, and makes me really sad, that the Texas legislature cares so little about the safety of children. Luckily, her mother and father know better, and want her to be as safe as possible! Hopefully Jaden will be a good example for the other children around her and tell them how safe she is riding in her big-girl seat! (Hey, I've already got my four year old saying, "That boy needs a carseat" and "that baby has a belly clip!" LOL!)
She loves it!
The Regent harnesses to 80 lbs. with a top harness height of 20 inches. Jaden is 4 years old, 43 lbs.-ish with about a 16 inch torso. She has years to grow in it!
I'm ecstatic that she likes it. By Texas law (where she lives) she could have been in a seatbelt only when she turned 5 OR was 36 inches tall (which she was at 3!) even though it is not safe to put children in an adult seatbelt only until they pass the five-step test. And if there aren't enough seatbelts, by Texas law children can ride held in a lap! :0 That blows my mind, and makes me really sad, that the Texas legislature cares so little about the safety of children. Luckily, her mother and father know better, and want her to be as safe as possible! Hopefully Jaden will be a good example for the other children around her and tell them how safe she is riding in her big-girl seat! (Hey, I've already got my four year old saying, "That boy needs a carseat" and "that baby has a belly clip!" LOL!)
Monday, September 15, 2008
Britax Fall Sale is here!
This is a twice a year event; if you're looking for a higher weight harnessing seat or just want a really stylish one, this is a great opportunity to get a good bargain! See my sidebar full of information if you want to know why it's a good idea to keep your children rear-facing and harnessed longer than the minimums!
I won't try to list all the deals here; Baby Cheapskate is tracking the deals, check it out!
Jaden's Regent was bought today and should get there next week or so!
I won't try to list all the deals here; Baby Cheapskate is tracking the deals, check it out!
Jaden's Regent was bought today and should get there next week or so!
Thursday, August 21, 2008
When life gives you lemons, go to IKEA.
We got a lemon. A lemon of a fridge, that is. We bought it, new (floor model but unused, just out for demonstration) two years ago, and Wed. it broke for the THIRD time since we've had it. The freezer is working but the fridge is not (and our milk is bad.) Each time it's broken before, we have spent around $200 or $250 getting it fixed. This time we said, "Enough."
We don't have it in our budget to buy a really nice fridge just yet; we looked at the Recycler and Craigslist, but we really don't feel like renting a truck, driving a distance, hauling it up to our apartment...
So we shopped around a bit online and decided to get a fridge from IKEA. Their fridges are made by Whirlpool, so a decent brand. We thought before going we'd probably get their $350 model, but when we got there, they're having a promotion; spend $499 or more on a fridge and get a $100 gas card. So we ended up getting the $499 model because for what amounts to $50 more after the value of the gas card, we get a nicer model with better shelves, an ice maker, and better resale value if we decide to sell it and trade up next year (which we probably will. I do want a bigger fridge eventually; this is just a tiny bit smaller than our current fridge, which we got because it fit in the ridiculously small fridge space in our first apartment.) And because we paid for it with a debit card (thank heavens Jeff got his big EA bonus this month) we got a $17 discount toward our next purchase.
All in all I'm quite pleased with the value, this is basically the same fridge that sells for $150 to $300 more at other stores, and it will get here on Saturday, and someone else gets to haul it up the elevator and lug it into our apartment. Now to figure out what we're doing with our old fridge... Freecycle or something, I suppose. I'm just overall pleased with our decision to get a new one instead of pump money into one that I'm afraid would break again in six months.
We don't have it in our budget to buy a really nice fridge just yet; we looked at the Recycler and Craigslist, but we really don't feel like renting a truck, driving a distance, hauling it up to our apartment...
So we shopped around a bit online and decided to get a fridge from IKEA. Their fridges are made by Whirlpool, so a decent brand. We thought before going we'd probably get their $350 model, but when we got there, they're having a promotion; spend $499 or more on a fridge and get a $100 gas card. So we ended up getting the $499 model because for what amounts to $50 more after the value of the gas card, we get a nicer model with better shelves, an ice maker, and better resale value if we decide to sell it and trade up next year (which we probably will. I do want a bigger fridge eventually; this is just a tiny bit smaller than our current fridge, which we got because it fit in the ridiculously small fridge space in our first apartment.) And because we paid for it with a debit card (thank heavens Jeff got his big EA bonus this month) we got a $17 discount toward our next purchase.
All in all I'm quite pleased with the value, this is basically the same fridge that sells for $150 to $300 more at other stores, and it will get here on Saturday, and someone else gets to haul it up the elevator and lug it into our apartment. Now to figure out what we're doing with our old fridge... Freecycle or something, I suppose. I'm just overall pleased with our decision to get a new one instead of pump money into one that I'm afraid would break again in six months.
Sunday, August 10, 2008
Artichokes, mmm mmm...
(In case you don't know, that's from a song by Malvina Reynolds)
We just had a yummy dinner; we started it with artichokes my dad picked up for us earlier in the week. We all love artichokes. These were giant ones, but fresh and still tender. Mmmmmm. The kids each finished a whole one off, too!
Then we had salmon and steamed rice. We've had the salmon a while, it's been sitting in the freezer. They were salmon patties, actually (like round steaks, the size and shape of a hamburger patty), from Trader Joe's; I think my aunt gave them to us. I threw them in a simple marinade I often use:
-1 part soy sauce
-1 part apple cider vinegar
-2 parts honey
-1 part water or apple or orange juice to dilute
-handful of dried onions or a few cloves minced garlic
You just dump it in a ziplock bag, seal, mix it all up by shaking or squishing, and put the meat in, re-seal, and squish around to cover, then pop it in the fridge to marinate. It's kind of teriyaki-ish, and goes great with fish or chicken, though turkey and some cuts of beef can be good, too! Then Jeff grilled it (we have a very nice communal gas grill out by the pool. Makes grilling really pleasant!) It is hot but clear, a perfect day for grilling!
It was so delicious with just plain steamed rice. Really yummy, easy dinner!
Oh, and I've done two things on my list (below.) I went swimming Thursday night and tried out my swimsuit (which is GREAT! The high neck keeps me covered even when I have, ahem, buoyancy issues. And the slenderizing really holds me in, even when I'm "really" swimming, not just towing and chasing Emma! As usual, Land's End has more than just satisfactory quality. The color, rich and attractive when dry, gets richer as it gets wet instead of just looking sodden. And did I mention it STAYS PUT? I highly recommend this suit!) And yesterday we went to the Watermelon Festival. We picked up dinner on the way and ate it there, then had all the watermelon we wanted for dessert! The kids rode the carousel and Emma rode a kiddie ride; she seemed scared at first but warmed up to it by the end. She insisted she REALLY REALLY wanted to go on it even though she had to ride it alone... It was a bit nerve-wracking for me, since it's the first time she's ever gone on a ride alone, even a little one! I was proud of her for giving it a try and even smiling by the end. :)
We just had a yummy dinner; we started it with artichokes my dad picked up for us earlier in the week. We all love artichokes. These were giant ones, but fresh and still tender. Mmmmmm. The kids each finished a whole one off, too!
Then we had salmon and steamed rice. We've had the salmon a while, it's been sitting in the freezer. They were salmon patties, actually (like round steaks, the size and shape of a hamburger patty), from Trader Joe's; I think my aunt gave them to us. I threw them in a simple marinade I often use:
-1 part soy sauce
-1 part apple cider vinegar
-2 parts honey
-1 part water or apple or orange juice to dilute
-handful of dried onions or a few cloves minced garlic
You just dump it in a ziplock bag, seal, mix it all up by shaking or squishing, and put the meat in, re-seal, and squish around to cover, then pop it in the fridge to marinate. It's kind of teriyaki-ish, and goes great with fish or chicken, though turkey and some cuts of beef can be good, too! Then Jeff grilled it (we have a very nice communal gas grill out by the pool. Makes grilling really pleasant!) It is hot but clear, a perfect day for grilling!
It was so delicious with just plain steamed rice. Really yummy, easy dinner!
Oh, and I've done two things on my list (below.) I went swimming Thursday night and tried out my swimsuit (which is GREAT! The high neck keeps me covered even when I have, ahem, buoyancy issues. And the slenderizing really holds me in, even when I'm "really" swimming, not just towing and chasing Emma! As usual, Land's End has more than just satisfactory quality. The color, rich and attractive when dry, gets richer as it gets wet instead of just looking sodden. And did I mention it STAYS PUT? I highly recommend this suit!) And yesterday we went to the Watermelon Festival. We picked up dinner on the way and ate it there, then had all the watermelon we wanted for dessert! The kids rode the carousel and Emma rode a kiddie ride; she seemed scared at first but warmed up to it by the end. She insisted she REALLY REALLY wanted to go on it even though she had to ride it alone... It was a bit nerve-wracking for me, since it's the first time she's ever gone on a ride alone, even a little one! I was proud of her for giving it a try and even smiling by the end. :)
Thursday, August 07, 2008
Fun plans
We have many things coming up that look to be lots of fun (if we ever get over these colds...)
So not so much a real blog post as a list of stuff we'll be doing that I'm looking forward to.
-the Watermelon Festival is this weekend. That's always a blast!
-the weekend after, we're staying Friday night in a hotel in Costa Mesa. Jeff has a seminar he has to attend for work that Sat. at the Huntington Beach Hyatt Regency, and while that's too rich for our taste, we'll be close so he won't have to get up at 5:30 to get there. The place we're staying at is literally across the street from an IKEA, so we'll have a late checkout, and just sleep in our clothes, get up, and go spend about 3 or 4 hours at IKEA while Jeff goes to a boring seminar! We do so love IKEA. And sleeping away will kind of be like a mini-vacation, so fun! Jeff has that Friday off so we can do stuff that afternoon, too.
-when he gets out, we're going to his cousin's wedding reception in Pacific Palisades. Not only do we get to go to a wedding reception and see his cousin; that happens to be the building I was baptized in! It should be fun for me to go back, see if there's anyone still in the ward who remembers me! (Long shot-- it's been 7 years, and I've changed a lot!) Maybe I'll get a chance to show the family the font where I was baptized. That would be cool. Also, it's just plain beautiful there. :) Emma will love looking at the ocean. Hopefully Bridey will sleep in the car there. Now, I get to decide what we're all going to wear... (Well, what we're going to change into. Jeff will probably be the only one to wear what he's going to wear to the reception all day.)
-I get to buy a super-cool carseat! Jaden, our niece, just had her birthday. She turned 4, and she's outgrowing her carseat. So for her present, we're buying her a Britax Regent, which is just an incredibly awesome seat (we'll probably be buying one when we get a bigger car, for Emma, and when she's outgrown it Maggie will probably be ready for it, my long-torsoed girl... Do you know she has a TWELVE INCH torso already? :o ) Anyway, there's going to be a Britax sale soon, so we're getting this ASAP (when Jeff gets his bonus for getting his EA next paycheck-- oh, did I mention that came???) from Amazon, which has a 30 day price guarantee. Then when the price drops for the sale, I'll just call and get my refund. Simple! I even found a website that will track your Amazon items and notify you when the price drops. Awesome!
-I got a new swimsuit (from Land's End-- via On The Counter), and I get to try it out. I love having a pool. :) And I just ADORE their swimsuits. This is a "High-Neck Slender Swimsuit." Which is just how it sounds! Has a high neck, and slenderizes you. :D
And I'm sure there's more fun stuff that will happen too! But that's my top-five excitement list right as of this second. :)
So not so much a real blog post as a list of stuff we'll be doing that I'm looking forward to.
-the Watermelon Festival is this weekend. That's always a blast!
-the weekend after, we're staying Friday night in a hotel in Costa Mesa. Jeff has a seminar he has to attend for work that Sat. at the Huntington Beach Hyatt Regency, and while that's too rich for our taste, we'll be close so he won't have to get up at 5:30 to get there. The place we're staying at is literally across the street from an IKEA, so we'll have a late checkout, and just sleep in our clothes, get up, and go spend about 3 or 4 hours at IKEA while Jeff goes to a boring seminar! We do so love IKEA. And sleeping away will kind of be like a mini-vacation, so fun! Jeff has that Friday off so we can do stuff that afternoon, too.
-when he gets out, we're going to his cousin's wedding reception in Pacific Palisades. Not only do we get to go to a wedding reception and see his cousin; that happens to be the building I was baptized in! It should be fun for me to go back, see if there's anyone still in the ward who remembers me! (Long shot-- it's been 7 years, and I've changed a lot!) Maybe I'll get a chance to show the family the font where I was baptized. That would be cool. Also, it's just plain beautiful there. :) Emma will love looking at the ocean. Hopefully Bridey will sleep in the car there. Now, I get to decide what we're all going to wear... (Well, what we're going to change into. Jeff will probably be the only one to wear what he's going to wear to the reception all day.)
-I get to buy a super-cool carseat! Jaden, our niece, just had her birthday. She turned 4, and she's outgrowing her carseat. So for her present, we're buying her a Britax Regent, which is just an incredibly awesome seat (we'll probably be buying one when we get a bigger car, for Emma, and when she's outgrown it Maggie will probably be ready for it, my long-torsoed girl... Do you know she has a TWELVE INCH torso already? :o ) Anyway, there's going to be a Britax sale soon, so we're getting this ASAP (when Jeff gets his bonus for getting his EA next paycheck-- oh, did I mention that came???) from Amazon, which has a 30 day price guarantee. Then when the price drops for the sale, I'll just call and get my refund. Simple! I even found a website that will track your Amazon items and notify you when the price drops. Awesome!
-I got a new swimsuit (from Land's End-- via On The Counter), and I get to try it out. I love having a pool. :) And I just ADORE their swimsuits. This is a "High-Neck Slender Swimsuit." Which is just how it sounds! Has a high neck, and slenderizes you. :D
And I'm sure there's more fun stuff that will happen too! But that's my top-five excitement list right as of this second. :)
Saturday, June 21, 2008
Tech-savvy Kids and Their Assorted Stuff
Emma figured out how to use the mouse by the time she was about Bridey's age. (Note to self: schedule Bridget some alone time on the compy so she can learn, too.) Much as we may like to extol the virtues of giving our kids no electronic toys or screentime until they're Much Much Older, in our house it just Ain't Gonna Happen That Way. (We haven't even succeeded in getting people to stop giving them toys that make noise, much as we would like to. Heck, we haven't even really stopped ourselves, we'll occasionally buy one.) These kids grow up knowing technology and understanding it almost instinctively-- if there's a button to push, they figure out how to push it, if there's a sequence to follow it they learn in two seconds what takes older people several repetitions to remember, and if you take their picture they want to see it right away-- these are children of the digital age.
So once we've given up on the tech-free lifestyle, the problem becomes how to placate them in their love of all that beeps, plays movies, or otherwise has technological bells and whistles without them messing up our stuff. The phone issue is pretty much solved by locking the cell keypad, letting them make the occasional call (but not teaching them how to use the one-touch speed-dial) and giving them toy cell phones that sing and make annoying noises (you learn to tune out the noise after a while and, besides, the small annoyance is usually worth them not calling Italy.) The camera can be used with supervision-- it's not a waste of film since digital photos are easily deleted-- and important photos on the flash drive "locked" for protection. But then there's still the issue of the computer. Ah, the computer.
We have several ways we let our kids enjoy the computer. First is good old-fashioned (well, not really) YouTube. Now, before you flame me for letting my four year old navigate around YouTube, she doesn't do it willy-nilly. She does it while I'm in the room (or at least within hearing distance and walking by frequently); I start her off with a Sesame Street video (or whatever), she may not get on by herself, and she can ONLY click on links to other videos that are either pre-approved or she asks about (I have to approve anything before she clicks on it), and when I say a video goes off she knows that means navigate off the page NOW, like before I get there, or she will not be allowed on the computer for the rest of the day, if not longer, no arguments and no fuss. Our thinking: it's better for her to learn these "internet safety" rules and procedures now on this relatively safe site than have to learn them when she's more argumentative. (I say "relatively safe" because we can immediately see or hear if something is not appropriate, unlike a forum or chatroom where it would be harder to monitor; she can't read yet so even if there's an inappropriate word on the screen, she doesn't know it yet. These rules give us a foundation to build on when she gets older and CAN read and go on forums and such.)
The second is Starfall. Oh, how the kids love Starfall! And it's educational! 'Nuff said. Starfall is great. And it's hard to go astray from Starfall (though, you have to be careful about them closing the window and messing up your desktop, as I've learned the hard way. And teaching them to use the "back" button on the browser is useful if they tend to get "lost" from the content they want sometimes.)
Third, "Watch Instantly" from Netflix. Again, not allowed to choose a video without getting approval, but since they came out with this we've really gotten our money's worth from it; this is how Emma discovered The Wiggles, among other things (and boy was I glad when they took the monthly limit off-- that meant I could watch movies myself without worrying about hitting the limit and then not being able to let Ems watch!)
And the one that prompted this post: the Fisher-Price Easy Link Internet Launchpad. I got it on clearance from Toys R Us, and it was well worth the money. (We also got two extra character sets-- Barney and The Wiggles, and Clifford and Arthur. Emma wants Bob the Builder and Thomas, but we're not sure if we'll ultimately get them or not.) Man, this thing works just the way it claims to! It locks the kids out of your files, desktop, out of doing anything other than navigating to the allowed sites and, I guess, doing a hard shutdown of the computer (they could if they really wanted to-- but they never want to.) The software that comes with it (one time installation) is fast to set up and doesn't try to install ten gazillion add-ons (at least not that I remember); it allows you to put a timer on computer use, and requires a password to change that or other settings (such as allowing or disallowing printing) or to exit the program once it's started. Even when the USB cable to the Easy Link is unplugged (thank you Bridget for testing this), the software does not allow you to exit until the password is entered. Nice. Neither does the website shut down if the character "key" is removed while in use; you just can't navigate to another website until another key is entered. And the websites have no objectionable content other than a few ads; even the shows that contain the occasional "stupid" (a word not allowed in our house) do not have it on the site. The only two problems I have with it: there's no in-program volume control, so if I want to change the volume my only options are to either exit the program, change it, and re-enter the program, or to use the external mute on the speakers, and the software is not downloadable. The problem with that is that we have a broken CD drive on one computer, so in order to install it it has to be put on the good computer, copied to a USB flash drive, and then installed from there. And what if I lost the CD and wanted to re-install or install on another computer? They should really make it available for download. Other than that, it's great, though! The games are suitable for a wide variety of ages and abilities; Emma loves the "painting" pages and some of the sorting and matching games, while Bridey loves the sequencing games. The hardware is easy to use (though it still requires a bit more force and finesse than Bridget is used to to insert the keys, she's getting the hang of it); the only things you need are a computer, the console itself, and a mouse to play. (Bridey broke Abba's wireless mouse by removing and sucking and chewing on the USB part repeatedly, but they have both learned to use the touchpad mouse on the laptop since we haven't had the spare cash to replace it, as well as the regular mouse on the "big" computer.)
The only option we know of that we haven't tried is keyboard basher programs. You know, programs that lock the keyboard out from other functions but bring up letters or educational activities when the keys are pressed. There are several I know are available for free download or free trial periods, but since we're doing so well with what we're doing so far, we have never tried them. If any of you have used them, or used other options, I'd love to hear all about them! My tech-savvy kids will thank you.
So once we've given up on the tech-free lifestyle, the problem becomes how to placate them in their love of all that beeps, plays movies, or otherwise has technological bells and whistles without them messing up our stuff. The phone issue is pretty much solved by locking the cell keypad, letting them make the occasional call (but not teaching them how to use the one-touch speed-dial) and giving them toy cell phones that sing and make annoying noises (you learn to tune out the noise after a while and, besides, the small annoyance is usually worth them not calling Italy.) The camera can be used with supervision-- it's not a waste of film since digital photos are easily deleted-- and important photos on the flash drive "locked" for protection. But then there's still the issue of the computer. Ah, the computer.
We have several ways we let our kids enjoy the computer. First is good old-fashioned (well, not really) YouTube. Now, before you flame me for letting my four year old navigate around YouTube, she doesn't do it willy-nilly. She does it while I'm in the room (or at least within hearing distance and walking by frequently); I start her off with a Sesame Street video (or whatever), she may not get on by herself, and she can ONLY click on links to other videos that are either pre-approved or she asks about (I have to approve anything before she clicks on it), and when I say a video goes off she knows that means navigate off the page NOW, like before I get there, or she will not be allowed on the computer for the rest of the day, if not longer, no arguments and no fuss. Our thinking: it's better for her to learn these "internet safety" rules and procedures now on this relatively safe site than have to learn them when she's more argumentative. (I say "relatively safe" because we can immediately see or hear if something is not appropriate, unlike a forum or chatroom where it would be harder to monitor; she can't read yet so even if there's an inappropriate word on the screen, she doesn't know it yet. These rules give us a foundation to build on when she gets older and CAN read and go on forums and such.)
The second is Starfall. Oh, how the kids love Starfall! And it's educational! 'Nuff said. Starfall is great. And it's hard to go astray from Starfall (though, you have to be careful about them closing the window and messing up your desktop, as I've learned the hard way. And teaching them to use the "back" button on the browser is useful if they tend to get "lost" from the content they want sometimes.)
Third, "Watch Instantly" from Netflix. Again, not allowed to choose a video without getting approval, but since they came out with this we've really gotten our money's worth from it; this is how Emma discovered The Wiggles, among other things (and boy was I glad when they took the monthly limit off-- that meant I could watch movies myself without worrying about hitting the limit and then not being able to let Ems watch!)
And the one that prompted this post: the Fisher-Price Easy Link Internet Launchpad. I got it on clearance from Toys R Us, and it was well worth the money. (We also got two extra character sets-- Barney and The Wiggles, and Clifford and Arthur. Emma wants Bob the Builder and Thomas, but we're not sure if we'll ultimately get them or not.) Man, this thing works just the way it claims to! It locks the kids out of your files, desktop, out of doing anything other than navigating to the allowed sites and, I guess, doing a hard shutdown of the computer (they could if they really wanted to-- but they never want to.) The software that comes with it (one time installation) is fast to set up and doesn't try to install ten gazillion add-ons (at least not that I remember); it allows you to put a timer on computer use, and requires a password to change that or other settings (such as allowing or disallowing printing) or to exit the program once it's started. Even when the USB cable to the Easy Link is unplugged (thank you Bridget for testing this), the software does not allow you to exit until the password is entered. Nice. Neither does the website shut down if the character "key" is removed while in use; you just can't navigate to another website until another key is entered. And the websites have no objectionable content other than a few ads; even the shows that contain the occasional "stupid" (a word not allowed in our house) do not have it on the site. The only two problems I have with it: there's no in-program volume control, so if I want to change the volume my only options are to either exit the program, change it, and re-enter the program, or to use the external mute on the speakers, and the software is not downloadable. The problem with that is that we have a broken CD drive on one computer, so in order to install it it has to be put on the good computer, copied to a USB flash drive, and then installed from there. And what if I lost the CD and wanted to re-install or install on another computer? They should really make it available for download. Other than that, it's great, though! The games are suitable for a wide variety of ages and abilities; Emma loves the "painting" pages and some of the sorting and matching games, while Bridey loves the sequencing games. The hardware is easy to use (though it still requires a bit more force and finesse than Bridget is used to to insert the keys, she's getting the hang of it); the only things you need are a computer, the console itself, and a mouse to play. (Bridey broke Abba's wireless mouse by removing and sucking and chewing on the USB part repeatedly, but they have both learned to use the touchpad mouse on the laptop since we haven't had the spare cash to replace it, as well as the regular mouse on the "big" computer.)
The only option we know of that we haven't tried is keyboard basher programs. You know, programs that lock the keyboard out from other functions but bring up letters or educational activities when the keys are pressed. There are several I know are available for free download or free trial periods, but since we're doing so well with what we're doing so far, we have never tried them. If any of you have used them, or used other options, I'd love to hear all about them! My tech-savvy kids will thank you.
Thursday, May 01, 2008
Maggie comes home
Here are some coming-home pictures!
I am pleased to say that we did NOT have to get the infant carrier out. The 9 inch bottom slots are even a bit BELOW her shoulders, not just at! (You can't see that 'cause of the infant cushions, but it's true.) The nurse who checked the carseat (who is a certified tech, and also the sweet one who showed me how to make Maggie more comfy by putting blanket rolls on top of the Bilibed cover) had never seen a Radian before and thought it was an awesome seat (and awesome that I'm a carseat geek who knew just what to do with it.) And she was pleased to hear that our other two are harnessed in Radians as well and will be for quite a long time. I love our Radians! So do the kids, they're really comfy in them! Bridey liked the seat rear-facing and still likes it now that she's hit the RF weight limit and has to forward-face. I love the fact that they exceed federal requirements even without the top tether, and do even better with the top tether (which we use) and can even be tethered rear-facing. And they let us get three across in a Corolla, can't ask for more than that!
Anyway, here she is fitting perfectly in the car seat (though the cushions did end up needing a bit of adjusting down):
Here you can see how they fit three across:
And here are the proud big sisters (who also needed their harnesses and such adjusted before we went.)
Finally, here's her first picture at home! I was so glad to see her lay in her own playpen!
I am pleased to say that we did NOT have to get the infant carrier out. The 9 inch bottom slots are even a bit BELOW her shoulders, not just at! (You can't see that 'cause of the infant cushions, but it's true.) The nurse who checked the carseat (who is a certified tech, and also the sweet one who showed me how to make Maggie more comfy by putting blanket rolls on top of the Bilibed cover) had never seen a Radian before and thought it was an awesome seat (and awesome that I'm a carseat geek who knew just what to do with it.) And she was pleased to hear that our other two are harnessed in Radians as well and will be for quite a long time. I love our Radians! So do the kids, they're really comfy in them! Bridey liked the seat rear-facing and still likes it now that she's hit the RF weight limit and has to forward-face. I love the fact that they exceed federal requirements even without the top tether, and do even better with the top tether (which we use) and can even be tethered rear-facing. And they let us get three across in a Corolla, can't ask for more than that!
Anyway, here she is fitting perfectly in the car seat (though the cushions did end up needing a bit of adjusting down):
Here you can see how they fit three across:
And here are the proud big sisters (who also needed their harnesses and such adjusted before we went.)
Finally, here's her first picture at home! I was so glad to see her lay in her own playpen!
Maggie's phototherapy
Maggie didn't LOVE the Bilibed, but she settled pretty quickly in it, though she'd rather be swaddled and held, and it was so much more comfortable for her than a biliblanket or bank of lights and blindfold would have been. Phototherapy for neonatal jaundice uses UV light to help break down the bilirubin that the baby's liver can't clear on its own. My mom says that a nurse discovered it by accident; she noticed that the jaundiced babies near the window did better than the jaundiced babies who weren't. (I don't know the whole story but that's what my mom says.) With my first two that's just what we did, we put them by the window and nursed frequently. Unfortunately, Maggie's jaundice was more severe and her bilirubin levels were higher. (Thankfully, they only had to stick her once a day, not two or three times like they once would, in between they used a jaundice meter that works on light instead of a blood draw to estimate her level and make sure it wasn't rising. Another new purchase since last time I was there.) The way the ABO isoimmunization jaundice works is this-- basically, I'm genotype OO, my husband is AA (we are pretty sure) and our kids are therefore AO, with each pregnancy I react to the baby's blood type by producing antigens which are passed to the baby. It's trying to deal with the antigens that causes all the problems. Unfortunately, it's likely that every baby will have some degree of jaundice, and since the levels seem to get higher each time, it's likely that future babies may require phototherapy as well. So I'm glad the hospital has the Bilibeds and my babies don't have to suffer the other kinds of bililights!
Since she was much more comfy with some confinement of her legs, one of the nurses sweetly showed me how to roll and tuck a blanket or two around them to provide more of a "swaddled" feel in the Bilibed (which is a mesh mattress over a lamp that sits in the hospital bassinet instead of the bassinet mattress, and then is covered with a special kind of blanket-cum-sleeper that snaps on to the mesh mattress and has sleeves, a zip-up place for the legs shaped like a sleep blanket's "sack", and velcro closure up by the neck for a better fit. Oh, and a little duck on the top velcro closure.
Since she has such strong suck needs and I couldn't nurse her longer than just what she needed to empty the breast because she needed the lights, Maggie got very fond of her paci. (That's the RazBaby Keep it Kleen paci, btw; they really do what they're advertised to! She drops it and it snaps shut! We love 'em!) She got used to the routine; I would see her waking, change her diaper, nurse her, burp her, put her back on the lights (usually with a spit pad under her head, she's a spitty baby) and then give her her paci and sometimes sing to her and/or pat her tummy to settle her until she calmed down. Then we'd go back to sleep, usually.
The only time I could hold her during the phototherapy was while I nursed and burped her. So I made the most of it. I had Jeff burp her so he got some holding time, too, if he was around, and would let the kids help by tickling her feet and kissing her head to keep her awake, and Emma even helped Jeff give her a bottle when she needed a little supplementation. But most of the day it was just me and her in a room with the lights.
Since she was much more comfy with some confinement of her legs, one of the nurses sweetly showed me how to roll and tuck a blanket or two around them to provide more of a "swaddled" feel in the Bilibed (which is a mesh mattress over a lamp that sits in the hospital bassinet instead of the bassinet mattress, and then is covered with a special kind of blanket-cum-sleeper that snaps on to the mesh mattress and has sleeves, a zip-up place for the legs shaped like a sleep blanket's "sack", and velcro closure up by the neck for a better fit. Oh, and a little duck on the top velcro closure.
Since she has such strong suck needs and I couldn't nurse her longer than just what she needed to empty the breast because she needed the lights, Maggie got very fond of her paci. (That's the RazBaby Keep it Kleen paci, btw; they really do what they're advertised to! She drops it and it snaps shut! We love 'em!) She got used to the routine; I would see her waking, change her diaper, nurse her, burp her, put her back on the lights (usually with a spit pad under her head, she's a spitty baby) and then give her her paci and sometimes sing to her and/or pat her tummy to settle her until she calmed down. Then we'd go back to sleep, usually.
The only time I could hold her during the phototherapy was while I nursed and burped her. So I made the most of it. I had Jeff burp her so he got some holding time, too, if he was around, and would let the kids help by tickling her feet and kissing her head to keep her awake, and Emma even helped Jeff give her a bottle when she needed a little supplementation. But most of the day it was just me and her in a room with the lights.
Thursday, March 13, 2008
More reasons I'm never sending anything FedEx. :|
So apparently the other two seats were delivered today... I knew nothing about this until Jeff asked when they were scheduled to come. I checked the tracking info and saw "delivered 11:34 AM." WHAT???
I went and looked and they are outside our door! Thank goodness we live in a safe apartment complex! Somehow the FedEx guy got in without buzzing like he's supposed to (probably someone was going out and opened for him as he was coming up), and then WITHOUT KNOCKING OR ATTEMPTING TO GET A SIGNATURE, he just LEFT THEM OUTSIDE THE DOOR. If they had been damaged or stolen I would have been REALLY MAD. As it is, I guess I'll just be glad they're here. :|
FedEx is NEVER getting my shipping business, and if I have a choice I'll choose another carrier when ordering things, too. Grrr.
I went and looked and they are outside our door! Thank goodness we live in a safe apartment complex! Somehow the FedEx guy got in without buzzing like he's supposed to (probably someone was going out and opened for him as he was coming up), and then WITHOUT KNOCKING OR ATTEMPTING TO GET A SIGNATURE, he just LEFT THEM OUTSIDE THE DOOR. If they had been damaged or stolen I would have been REALLY MAD. As it is, I guess I'll just be glad they're here. :|
FedEx is NEVER getting my shipping business, and if I have a choice I'll choose another carrier when ordering things, too. Grrr.
Tuesday, March 11, 2008
I am NEVER sending anything FedEx, EVER.
Today I got TWO of my Radians. The other two are apparently in another shipment somewhere and the info on them hasn't been updated since they left CO. Hmmm. First the estimated arrival date was last Friday. Then FedEx took 3 days to pick up the car seats after a next-day pickup was scheduled. So they changed the EAD to yesterday. Then today. Then tomorrow. Finally Thursday.
Today, with no warning (and we're all sick, so I wasn't dressed or anything, and look awful, I'm sure, unkempt and in my nightgown) two of the seats arrived. The other two are still showing a Thursday EAD (which these two were last night when I checked them, too.) At this point, I'm expecting them to arrive some time between tomorrow and next week. *rolls eyes*
To make FedEx look even worse, I've had 3 packages sent UPS ground in the same period of time, and arrive with no delays. I know there have been storms and grounded flights in the midwest, but that shouldn't affect ground shipping from CO to CA, should it now? Not to mention that the UPS packages were coming from areas that WERE affected by ice storms, blizzards, and the like during that time. Hmmmm.
On the good side, I got one seat all adjusted and ready to go (it's the one for my dad's car; since I got Bridey's seat and one of Emma's, I figured I would give the first one that came for Emma to my dad for his car, since she currently has a well-fitting seat in our car, if a cheap one, but has pretty much outgrown the one she's using in my dad's car. So the first seat goes to replace the unsafe seat while she can wait another week if need be to get the seats in our car.) They are just as advertised, very narrow, nice low profile, and super-sturdy! And I've gotta say the folding up is cool. Heavy, but then again, that's 'cause they're built to be so sturdy and hold such big kids! And Emma looks to have a good few years of growth in this seat. I think she'll make it at least to 6 for sure (by height of course, there's no way she'll outgrow the weight when she's only 34-ish lbs. right now! By six I do expect her to have passed the "standard" 40 lb. limit, though, so I'm glad I'll be able to keep her harnessed-- check out the sidebar for info on extended harnessing!) I am going to be thrilled to have the kids in such great seats (now that I've played with one and figured it out.)
Now I think I'm gonna take more Sudafed and Tylenol; I'm so congested my ears hurt. :( Bridey has been screaming her poor little head off since she woke, about every little thing, saying "no no no!" and throwing fits. I think she feels about like I do. But I am not up for wrestling meds into her; maybe when Jeff gets home we'll dose her so she can sleep tonight. Emma's doing the best of the three of us, she's a little drippy at the nose but her cough seems better today and she doesn't seem so miserable. And her throat seems better than ours, she's a little more open to eating "scratchy" things.
Today, with no warning (and we're all sick, so I wasn't dressed or anything, and look awful, I'm sure, unkempt and in my nightgown) two of the seats arrived. The other two are still showing a Thursday EAD (which these two were last night when I checked them, too.) At this point, I'm expecting them to arrive some time between tomorrow and next week. *rolls eyes*
To make FedEx look even worse, I've had 3 packages sent UPS ground in the same period of time, and arrive with no delays. I know there have been storms and grounded flights in the midwest, but that shouldn't affect ground shipping from CO to CA, should it now? Not to mention that the UPS packages were coming from areas that WERE affected by ice storms, blizzards, and the like during that time. Hmmmm.
On the good side, I got one seat all adjusted and ready to go (it's the one for my dad's car; since I got Bridey's seat and one of Emma's, I figured I would give the first one that came for Emma to my dad for his car, since she currently has a well-fitting seat in our car, if a cheap one, but has pretty much outgrown the one she's using in my dad's car. So the first seat goes to replace the unsafe seat while she can wait another week if need be to get the seats in our car.) They are just as advertised, very narrow, nice low profile, and super-sturdy! And I've gotta say the folding up is cool. Heavy, but then again, that's 'cause they're built to be so sturdy and hold such big kids! And Emma looks to have a good few years of growth in this seat. I think she'll make it at least to 6 for sure (by height of course, there's no way she'll outgrow the weight when she's only 34-ish lbs. right now! By six I do expect her to have passed the "standard" 40 lb. limit, though, so I'm glad I'll be able to keep her harnessed-- check out the sidebar for info on extended harnessing!) I am going to be thrilled to have the kids in such great seats (now that I've played with one and figured it out.)
Now I think I'm gonna take more Sudafed and Tylenol; I'm so congested my ears hurt. :( Bridey has been screaming her poor little head off since she woke, about every little thing, saying "no no no!" and throwing fits. I think she feels about like I do. But I am not up for wrestling meds into her; maybe when Jeff gets home we'll dose her so she can sleep tonight. Emma's doing the best of the three of us, she's a little drippy at the nose but her cough seems better today and she doesn't seem so miserable. And her throat seems better than ours, she's a little more open to eating "scratchy" things.
Saturday, February 23, 2008
MY trip to the dentist went MUCH better than Emma's.
I haven't had dental insurance for a long time, like since before I was married, so I haven't been in years. My wisdom teeth have come in and are causing me great pain (one is in sideways and of course none of them have been sealed, like my other teeth, so prone to cavities because of the crowding they're causing.)
My dad gave us a ride, and he walked the kids to the library and the park while I was there (they were both just a few blocks down.) They only had to wait about 20 minutes at the end; they came in when it started raining.
After waiting almost an hour (only bad part), I finally was taken back for x-rays. That was the longest part of the visit-- it took a LONG time because I have crowded teeth, TMJD, and a VERY STRONG gag reflex. The dental technician ended up numbing my mouth with benzocaine and then sticking it in at the last second and saying "now" to the tech standing outside to get shots of my bottom, impacted tooth. Ay.
Then we got to the consult. The dentist says that yes, the wisdom teeth need out, and yes, I have cavities, but if my doctor and I are more comfortable waiting until the baby is here that's okay, as long as nothing changes. I have to floss every day, brush 2 or 3 times a day, and use mouthwash (all things I already do) and call if there is ANY change or increase in pain level. But she thinks that the cleaning I got today and daily maintainance will be enough to keep it at bay so I can get the work done after the baby comes. Yay! So I have an appointment for that for the middle of May-- I think the 15th. That will be a good time, I think.
BTW, we used 1-800-Dentist to find a dentist in our area that was open Saturdays, would take a pregnant woman (though of course I had a note from my doctor giving permission), and does oral surgery. She's the nicest dentist, and has about the nicest staff, I've ever encountered. So score one for 1-800-Dentist!
When I got back, my mom was here. (She came over right after we left.) She stayed for several more hours, and cleaned some more dishes and more of my apartment. Again. I love my mommy.
Now my dad is bringing me the first artichokes of the year! (He went to Bristol Farms, and they have the BEST artichokes and only the best!) Mmmm, I sense an artichoke in my future tonight or maybe tomorrow...
My dad gave us a ride, and he walked the kids to the library and the park while I was there (they were both just a few blocks down.) They only had to wait about 20 minutes at the end; they came in when it started raining.
After waiting almost an hour (only bad part), I finally was taken back for x-rays. That was the longest part of the visit-- it took a LONG time because I have crowded teeth, TMJD, and a VERY STRONG gag reflex. The dental technician ended up numbing my mouth with benzocaine and then sticking it in at the last second and saying "now" to the tech standing outside to get shots of my bottom, impacted tooth. Ay.
Then we got to the consult. The dentist says that yes, the wisdom teeth need out, and yes, I have cavities, but if my doctor and I are more comfortable waiting until the baby is here that's okay, as long as nothing changes. I have to floss every day, brush 2 or 3 times a day, and use mouthwash (all things I already do) and call if there is ANY change or increase in pain level. But she thinks that the cleaning I got today and daily maintainance will be enough to keep it at bay so I can get the work done after the baby comes. Yay! So I have an appointment for that for the middle of May-- I think the 15th. That will be a good time, I think.
BTW, we used 1-800-Dentist to find a dentist in our area that was open Saturdays, would take a pregnant woman (though of course I had a note from my doctor giving permission), and does oral surgery. She's the nicest dentist, and has about the nicest staff, I've ever encountered. So score one for 1-800-Dentist!
When I got back, my mom was here. (She came over right after we left.) She stayed for several more hours, and cleaned some more dishes and more of my apartment. Again. I love my mommy.
Now my dad is bringing me the first artichokes of the year! (He went to Bristol Farms, and they have the BEST artichokes and only the best!) Mmmm, I sense an artichoke in my future tonight or maybe tomorrow...
Monday, February 18, 2008
I got my new car seats!
Well, I didn't get them, yet. But I'll get them in about a month. And I ordered and paid for them today. I ordered them from hipmonkey.com's Presidents' Day Sale. Emma says, "I will have a gray car seat, Bridget will have a pink car seat, and Maggie will have a tan car seat." She is very adamant. So we bought two Radian 65s (one "Granite"-- grey, one "Champagne"-- tan), and one Radian 80 in the Princess pattern, for Bridey. Since our kids are tall and skinny enough that they will probably outgrow even the 65s by height before they outgrow them by weight (most kids do, even though the Radian has very high top slots), this will work great for us. They sell the infant insert separately, so the 65 (which doesn't come with one) will work fine for the baby once we get one. (We'll also probably get a few of these because the seat covers are hand-wash only and I'd MUCH rather throw one of these in the washer if we have a diaper blowout or a potty-training incident in the car seats. Since these products are made by Sunshine Kids, the company who makes the Radian seats, they have been tested with the Radians and are not considered an after-market product. Remember to read the instructions for your car seat to find out what is and is not allowed to be used with your seat before you use ANY extra products, as use of such products may void the warranty and cause you to be held partially liable by your insurance company in case of a crash that your child is injured in-- which means they may not pay for needed therapy or other benefits.) AND the seat covers are interchangeable for the 65 and the 80, so if at some point Emma DOES outgrow it by weight before height, we can just switch her cover with Bridey's, if it comes to that. And with the sale, my grand total for all three was $619.97! That's a great deal for 3 Radians. And shipping is free, and no tax. AND shopping at that site benefits the Kyle David Miller Foundation (it's actually run by his mom.)
Can you tell I'm excited?
The sale runs through tonight if anyone else is interested. Besides Radians they also sell Britax, Recaro, and SafeGuard higher-weight harnessed seats, Britax strollers, and Peanut Shell slings and nursing covers, among other things. :)
Can you tell I'm excited?
The sale runs through tonight if anyone else is interested. Besides Radians they also sell Britax, Recaro, and SafeGuard higher-weight harnessed seats, Britax strollers, and Peanut Shell slings and nursing covers, among other things. :)
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