Super Max

I had so much fun making Max's costume this year. "Super Max" is the nickname he gave himself about 2 years ago. I sketched out a design that he described to me and together we went to the fabric store and picked out the fabric.

New Signature coming this week...NEED YOUR HELP :)

We had such a busy weekend... Great Kids Expo hosted a consumer show in Chantilly VA tons of fun...met a lot of new mommies!(...as soon as I find my darn camera I will post pics of our booth.) We got to use our new banner...hopefully we can afford the other two soon :)

The above swatch is of the new chocolate lollipop design to pair with chocolate side panels. Really super cute, I hope it does as well as the DAMASK bundleboo.

I really need your feed back on this...Lisa and I are considering cutting the classics out of our wholesale line and offering only the new bundleboo designs and signature line (for stores). This will allow us to offer our direct customers a classic (basic) bundleboo at a DEEPLY discounted rate. As consumers...(be reasonable) what would be your price cutt offs...and what do you think Classic Bundleboo should be listed at?

I have added a poll in the upper left row...thank you so much!

I made a hat!!

So I started crocheting this week to try and beat the winters coming blues....I picked up some hooks, yarn and a few instructional books at the local craft store. Its really addictive! I can see how people think this is therapeutic. I picked brown yarn because its my favorite color...I think the next hat I will use lighter more fun colors. It ended up being a baby beret although it was supposed to be a hat for me....lol... I guess it will get better once I can learn to read the pattern books.

Potty love!

So a new friend of mine loaned me her baby bijorn potty and I LOVE it! Its a perfect size for Lucy G's little butt. Its compact like a potty bowl but has a wide base so that it doesn't tip over. I had it at the base of my bed last night with a cloth inside to soak up the pee. Soooooo much easier than getting up to take her to the toilet at 2am. I am always super excited about anything that makes ECing easier...Oh and I looked it up online...its $10 on the EC store.

Wrapping Tips ~ how to get a snug back wrap

I have had a few requests on "how to" get a back wrap secure enough for a wiggly child. One suggestion that I've made is to snug the baby up first with a good chest belt...then finish the wrapping. But I agree with some of the feedback responses... "The chestbelt hurts my boobs!" So I've posted a solution to that problem as well :) I am not a tiny chested girl and so I've been loving this solution myself. Let me know what you think.

What the...?

lol...just kidding :) She didn't pull herself up on her own...but isn't this funny anyway :) Oh and it never fails that I get a shot of laundry.

Seasonal Depression

So I have been in a fog for the last week... I guess my obsessive blogging is due to the fact that if I don't fill up my extra space with something constructive...all I want to do is sleep. Today is Sunday... I was supposed to go to Church with Lisa and I didn't even realize what day it was...until I woke up from a nap this afternoon and realized that the weekend is over. .....
......

A girlfriend of mine just stopped by .... much needed company. I think we are going to take up knitting to beat the winter months... and make presents for Christmas... any suggestions on scarf or hat patterns... I have been dreaming of making wool soakers but I don't know how to knit and I haven't found a good DIY site.

EC in action

So, I have decided that for the winter months I would do babylegs and toddler undies for easy EC. I just know that If I put her back into diapers when it starts to get cold...I will get lazy with the communication. Im loving not having to do laundry right now...other than the few times that I don't hear her...or I am simply not listening.
I thought I would show those who were curious what my morning EC routine looks like... please excuse the baby nudity and my war zone house :) Im sorry that the beginning is hard to see...I didn't want to blind her with bright lights right off the bat :)

babywearing workshop - introduction

Babywearing
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Babywearing is the practice of wearing or carrying a baby or child in a sling or other form of carrier. Babywearing is far from new and has been practiced for centuries around the world. In the industrialized world babywearing has gained popularity, partly under influence of advocates of attachment parenting, however, not all parents who babywear consider themselves attachment parents. Babywearing is a form of baby transport.

Contents[show]
1 Benefits of babywearing
2 Practicality of babywearing
3 Infant feeding and babywearing
4 Babywearing safety considerations
5 References

Benefits of babywearing
Dr. William Sears, a pediatrician, coined the phrase attachment parenting. One of Sears' principles of attachment parenting is babywearing and he attributes many benefits to babywearing and the in-arms style of parenting.

Claimed benefits of babywearing include:
Mothers' progesterone (mothering hormone) is increased through physical contact with the infant, leading to a more intimate maternal bond, easier breastfeeding and better care, thus lowering the incidence of postpartum depression and psychosomatic illness[citation needed].
Infants who are carried are calmer because all of their primal/survival needs are met. The caregiver can be seen, heard, smelled, touched, tasted, provide feeding and the motion necessary for continuing neural development, gastrointestinal and respiratory health and to establish balance (inner ear development) and muscle tone is constant.[1]
Infants are more organized. Parental rhythms (walking, heartbeat, etc.) have balancing and soothing effects on infants.
Infants are "humanized" earlier by developing socially. Babies are closer to people and can study facial expressions, learn languages faster and be familiar with body language.[2]
Contrary to western cultural myths, independence is established earlier.[1]
Attachment between child and caregiver is more secure.[3]
Decreases risk of positional plagiocephaly ("flat head syndrome") caused by extended time spent in a car seat and by sleeping on the back. Sleeping on the back is recommended to decrease the risk of SIDS. Cranial distortion resulting from non-vehicular time in car seats has shown to be more severe than in children who develop plagiocephaly from back-lying on a mattress. [4] Concern over plagiocephaly has also led the American Academy of Pediatrics to recommend that infants “should spend minimal time in car seats (when not a passenger in a vehicle) or other seating that maintains supine positioning. [5] None of the babywearing positions require infants to lie supine while being carried. Infants can even be worn while they sleep, also decreasing sleeping time spent in a supine position.

Practicality of babywearing
A traditional Nez Perce cradleboard (1911).
Babywearing allows the wearer to have two free hands to accomplish tasks such as laundry while caring for the baby's need to be held or breastfed. Babywearing offers a safer alternative to placing a car seat on top of a shopping cart. It also allows children to be involved in social interactions and to see their surroundings as an adult would.

Many sling users have found that it is easier on the back and shoulders than carrying their infant in a car seat. The weight of the child is spread more evenly across the upper body.
Slings can also be a fashion statement. They come in many different designs and colors and are available in many different types of materials, including silk, hemp, cotton, wool, fleece, and flax/linen.

Infant feeding and babywearing
Breastfeeding and babywearing often go hand in hand. Many baby slings and other carriers offer mothers privacy and for many mothers, the option of nursing hands-free while tending to other activities or household chores. Not all mothers can nurse hands-free in a baby carrier. Large-breasted mothers and mothers of small or hypo tonic infants may need to support the breast or help maintain proper positioning of baby's head or body. Even so, a properly adjusted baby carrier can help reduce arm strain and allow a mother more freedom of movement while nursing, even if it does not allow her to be completely hands-free.

Babywearing can help premature babies and babies who are slow weight gainers to gain weight at a faster rate.[6][7] Since the baby is held up close to the mother, the baby will be able to be nursed more often and often for longer intervals. Kangaroo care is well-studied and has shown clear benefits to premature and ill infants.[2]

Not all parents find breastfeeding in a sling or carrier easy. It is important, before attempting to breastfeed in a carrier, to first master the art of breastfeeding without a carrier. Latch and position are vital, and it is important to establish these first before adding a carrier to the mix. Where breastfeeding difficulties exist, babywearing can simplify the other tasks of parenting by allowing a parent free hands to deal with breast pumps, bottles and other supplementation devices.

Some parents prefer, even with the best carriers, to take time out and sit down to nurse a baby. Some babies may reflexively clamp down when nursing while a parent moves around, so nursing while babywearing is not always entirely comfortable. Individual experience will vary radically not only from parent to parent, but also from baby to baby, even within the same family. Some babies nurse very well in slings and carriers, others do not.

Where breastfeeding fails or is not possible, babywearing can aid attachment by encouraging closeness during bottle feeding and freeing at least one hand. Daycare providers and foster parents often find that babywearing allows them to better meet the needs of multiple children by freeing hands during times when babies need to be held.

Babywearing safety considerations
Parents who babywear must be aware of external hazards in the environment, mostly relating to floor or ground conditions such as curbs, debris, icy sidewalks, etc. As the baby has more freedom of movement and is closer to the adult point of view in a sling, compared to the knee's eye view of a stroller, parents must also watch to prevent the baby from grabbing hot drinks or other dangerous items.

Proper position in the sling/carrier is important for the infant's hip, pelvis and spine growth. Several sources express concern that carriers which put all of a baby's weight on a narrow band of fabric at the crotch may cause problems with spinal growth, and advocate carriers which disperse most of the infant's weight between the hips and thighs. There is much debate on this in the babywearing community since there has not been sufficient research to show that this could be an issue for babies who do not already have a hip or spine condition which would require special consideration.

In general, when wearing a baby it is important to stay attentive to the baby's interaction with the environment. Parents need a little more space to turn around to avoid bumping the baby into counters and doorways. Babies on the back may be able to reach things that the wearer cannot see. Carriers must be fit snugly and properly to avoid an active baby wiggling out, and it is generally recommended with most carriers to avoid wearing an uncooperative child on the back. Babywearing can improve safety, especially in crowded areas such as airports, by keeping a child who might otherwise be able to run into a crowd safely attached to the parent.
A parent who trips and falls while wearing a baby is often better able to "catch" themselves and is less likely to injure themselves, avoiding dropping the child and less likely to drop the child at all. Very occasionally falls will result in injury to a child and may be compounded by the weight of a parent pressing against the child or against the fabric holding the child.

Knotted carriers should be tied snugly. Several knots are considered acceptable, the square knot or reef knot is usually recommended, granny knots will work with most fabrics which are not excessively slippery, and some fabrics may be twisted and tucked in lieu of knotting, but this is generally considered an advanced skill and should be undertaken only with extensive babywearing experience with care given to avoid slippage. Slip knots should generally not be used as they can come undone more easily, especially around toddlers and small children.
Where young infants and newborns are being worn in "cradle" or other horizontal positions, it is important to be alert to the baby's head position to avoid the baby's head being pushed chin-to-chest and constricting airway. In pouches and other carriers intended for use with the "cradle hold", a towel or small pillow may be placed under the baby's back to improve positioning. One must make sure that all worn babies have good color and are able to breathe easily, and avoid overdressing worn babies, who will stay warm just from being in contact with the parent in most cases. Parents must avoid putting blankets or other fabric in the vicinity of a child's face in or out of a carrier.

References
^ a b Morris, D. (1992). What Comforts a Baby? In Babywatching (pp 80-82). New York: Crown Publishers Inc.
^ a b Kitzinger, Sheila. (1989). The Crying Baby. Penguin Books.
^ Anisfeld, E., Casper, V., Nozyce, M., & Cunningham, N. (Oct., 1990). Does Infant Carrying Promote Attachment? An Experimental Study of the Effects of Increased Physical Contact on the Development of Attachment. Child Development, Vol. 61, No. 5, 1617-1627.
^ Littlefield, Timothy R. "Car Seats, Infant Carriers, and Swings: Their Role in Deformational Plagiocephaly," Journal of Prosthetics & Orthotics 15, no. 3 (2003): 102-106.
^ John Persing, MD, et al., American Academy of Pediatrics Committee on Practice and Ambulatory Medicine, Section on Plastic Surgery and Section on Neurological Surgery, "Prevention and Management of Positional Skull Deformities in Infants," Pediatrics 112, no. 1 (July 2003): 199-202..
^ Hasselmeyer, E. G. (1964). The premature neonate's response to handling. Journal of the American Nursing Association, I. 15-24.
^ Solkoff, N, et al. (1969). Effects of handling on the subsequent development of premature infants. Developmental Psychology, 1(6). 765-768.
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Diaper Free Baby ~ brag time :)

So today is the second day that Lucy has been completely diaper-free! I have been feeling so proud and confident in her ability to express her elimination needs. So much so, that she has even been diaper free at night...(without soiling :) I never would have thought that at 5 months my infant would have been virtually out of diapers.

So feeling proud, I went online and started googling Diaper Free...I very much wanted to hear other EC success stories. To my dissapointment I found more critacizm and skepticism than I did support...: (for the families practicing EC.) Diaper free baby was one really fab resource that i've run across during my search that offers information and support group resources.

I want to preface this by saying, I am not a judgemental mom in the least bit... I live with an open mind and short of putting soda in your infants bottle and blowing cigarette smoke into the crib...I am pretty supportive of most types of parenting.(as long as the mother has all the best intentions)

I do believe that there really isn't really a clear cut manual for mommy's... for each family is different. With all of my excitement about being able to nurture and attend to my child far better than I could have ever possibly imagined...I feel more outcasted than ever :( It saddens me that in order to be socially accepted, your parenting practices have to be normalized first. Natural parenting in western society has not been normalized as of yet...thus, there is always the feeling of having to sneak around publicly to evade gawks, comments, judgements and ridicule. This includes public breastfeeding (especially extended breastfeeding).

I read a post today from a woman who sounded angry about EC. She sounded mind blocked to the fact that babies and diapers should go hand in hand... she commented that its an obsessed person, who would force an infant to potty train before they were clearly ready. She continued that its wrong for EC parents to "take away" a childs diapers and leave them vunerable to soiled clothing because of our own vanity.

Lucy has benefited far more from EC than just my simple vanity. A few months ago before Lucy was primarily diaper free, she got a terrible bladder infection. Our pediatrician ordered multiple tests on her and she was diagnosed with bladder reflux stage 2. Meaning that her bladder pushed urine all the way back up to her kidneys. This opened Lucy up for cronic infections and worse yet, possible kidney damage. We were told that the treatment for this was long term antibiotics to avoid more severe problems...at least until the reflux eventually corrected itself...or until she was old enough for urater relocation surgery. This left us feeling very vunerable. I must admit have not been very complient with the antibiotics... (it was a choice given to us by our doctor whether or not we wanted this course of treatment anyway)...instead I have focused on keeping her well hydrated and out of bacteria latent diapers. Lucy has been infection free without prophalaxis antibiotics now for 6 weeks! I think that EC vanity by this womans definition has gone out the window...as we have clearly done right by Lucy.

More Babylegs :)

DIY BabyLegs

I love love
love babylegs (especially for babywearing and EC purposes)... unfortunately I am simply too cheap to spend $12.00 per pair for something that I was sure I could make myself...plus its always nice to be doing something new. I found a great DIY post and had fun with a pair $2.00 walmart socks...actually I bought quite a few pairs...can't wait to get them all finished. This was fun and SUPER
easy...even for a beginning sewer.


STEP 1: Cut the heel and toe of the sock off.















STEP 2: Measure out 2.5inches and cut the remaining fabric.

STEP 3: Turn the knit inside out so that the wrong side is showing.

STEP 4: zig zag stitch the longest "raw edge" of the knit.

STEP 5: Trim the narrow "raw edges" of the sewn piece to make them even.











STEP 6: Turn the sewn piece right side out half way...now you have your cuff! Stuff the tube portion of the sock (right side showing) into the cuff so that 3 raw edges stick out the bottom.
(I was like HUH??? When I first saw this... it does workout in the end.)





STEP 7: Using a straight stitch sew all three raw edges together.

(tip: stretch the fabric slightly as you sew that will create a nice gather)












TIP: The DIY site recommends that you zig zag stitch the raw edges to create a serged finish if you don't have a serger.














FINAL: Flip cuff down and WHALA...DIY BabyLegs...you can see the right one was my first...I got the hang of it with my second one.

Kiddo sweetness

I don't have many pictures of all three of them... I thought I would share one I caught the other day.

Just anyold place

Its funny the momvolution of things...with my first child I felt I had to put him some place designated "baby" like a bouncy seat or crib... not my third... a pile of clean laundry will do just fine :)

The Brain Game

So I was spending some one on one time with Max yesterday...regretfully we don't get to do that very often these days. I sat outside pushing Lucy on the swing while Max started his regular barrage of questions...I love those questions BTW.

I decided I would play a little educational game with him... I asked Max to hold up his hand and wiggle his fingers. And he did...so I said.."Wow, that's really neat! How did you do that Max?" ...so he proudly held up his hand and did it again..."like this mommy!" ..."I see, but can you tell me HOW you can move your fingers like that? Max, think about it...what makes your fingers move?" So Max, looks at his hand and inspects it...turns it over...wiggles some more. "bones!" he said proudly. "That's right Max! But what moves your bones?" "Muscles!" He adds proudly again... "Perfect Max, you are so smart...but what moves your muscles... this is really cooool...can you guess?" ... he gets excited... "tell me mommy, tell me!" .... "YOUR BRAIN!!!" ... "Do you know where your brain lives???" he puts his hands on his head..."That's right! Your brain is in your head and it talks to the rest of your body telling your other parts what to do...like wiggle your fingers." He was amazed!

I explained that his brain was responsible for dreams, thoughts and memories. He asked me what was a thought and memory. I covered his eyes and told him to tell me what color Ms. Anne's (his teacher) shirt was this morning. He said "BLUE!" ... "Great Max...that's a memory!" "Do you see Ms. Anne behind your eye lids??? Is she smiling at you?" .... "Yes! There she is!" he said... "That's a thought Max...isn't this fun?"

We did this for an hour in the back yard... I prompted adventures in his head by encouraging imagination... "Look Max, you have wings!!! Now jump up and fly like a bee!"

Picture love!

All I can say is woooow...thank you Drea!

New Product Idea

Hopefully we will be adding this to our Bundleboo line soon... I wanted to get every one's take on it. These are pictures of a prototype I whipped up a few months ago. Its a full coverage burp cloth that snaps in place and the other side will be a child smock/apron made from wipe able material...cute or silly? My husband makes fun of it...I would really love your honest CC so that I'm not wasting my time getting out :)

Disturbing Politics

I have to be honest and say that up until this point I truly wasn't sure who I was voting for this election. I am a republican by heart, but recent debates have left me hanging in the air...up until now. I agree with Mom4life (a recent fav on my blog list) Heather that politics isn't something I normally tread upon socially...but somethings need to be shouted out about ...CHECK THIS OUT!

If you are revved up about the infacide check out the other link Mom4life posted with this one. Gods word taken out of context.

SPREAD THE WORD PLEASE!!!

Sweet Sunday

I just had to share how cute this is... Lucy and Terry snuggling on my bed :)

Easy "EC"

So I have been brainstorming ideas of how to make easy acess pants for winter EC. This is my first cold season where I've even had to think about it. I find that I am a lazy EC mommy when I have to undress, undiaper and re-dress, re-diaper for every potty break. And Lucy does better signaling without clothes on... any suggestions on how to make EC pants or easy EC underwear for a 5 month old?

Going GREEN and saving $$ - FOOD

GREEN TOPIC: FOOD

(going green does not have to mean your $$ is going)

I would have to say that other than the mortgage our biggest expense is food. Our family of 4 (+1 newborn) previously averaged a food bill of approx $1500.00 per month...whoa! After Lucy was born we really needed to start watching our budget. My business isn't making us income as of yet and like most Americans these days we were barely making it from one paycheck to another. Something had to give. So I started looking into ways that we could stretch our dollar with out sacrificing our health. One thing that I had noticed is that we ate out WAY too much and we bought a lot pre-packaged convience items. I had spent a decent amount of money shopping in the "organic" food section at Martins feeling guilty trying to do the right thing. Really what was I paying for? Convience of the store, product, packaging and the label "organic"...not to mention the unjustly inflated costs of buying things at retail prices. So what did I do to avoid this?

1. (if you can) BUY LOCALLY: Not only can you buy fruits, veggies, breads, eggs and dairy from local produce stands and farms. But you are buying it at cost...without the inflation of retail and gas surcharges. You are using less packaging, helping the local economy and saving money on gas (if you avoid making frequent trips). This summer the kids and I would make a weekly or bi-weekly trip to a local produce farm/market. It makes a great day out and a fun educational experience for the kids. An average trip we would pick: 12 Apples, 12 peaches, 12 nectarines, 3 bushels of blackberry's, 2 cantaloupe, 2 squash, 3lbs of green beans, 2 tomatoes, 2 doz carrots and a few peppers. At check out we would purchase 1 or 2 dozen brown farm eggs. And maybe some local pumpkin bread for breakfasts. The whole trip including gas was a whopping $60.00...what a difference! And we had fun! Now, a trip like that to the store would have been at least $100.00 or more. Going home and spending an hour cutting up some fruits and veggies then putting them into freezer bags and stocking my freezer really stretched my savings even more.

2. BUY IN BULK: If you don't have a Sam's or Costco membership I suggest making the small investment it takes and get one. Usually a wholesale membership will run you about $75.00 per year. As far as foods we buy at Costco...its a great bulk resource for buying foods when its out of season to shop local. I am a big fan of the FREEZER...If we buy a package of two loaves of bread at wholesale...one will stay out and the other will freeze to prevent molding...thus preventing waste and saving $$. Fresh chicken breast at the store will cost you up to $6.00 per/lb...if you buy the refriderated prepackaged fillet. At Costco you can buy 20 frozen chicken breasts for $15.00... they take just a few minutes to thaw...and they are really good...AND you've only used one large bag for packaging instead of all of that Styrofoam and plastic wrap.

3. STOP EATING OUT:(so much :) Pack your lunches in a re-usable container...you can precut fruits and veggies to make them easy to grab and go. If you always have food handy when you are out...you are less tempted to stop at the local Mc D's. :)

4. BREASTFEED: Its free, requires no preparation or artificial packaging

4. MAKE YOUR OWN BABYFOOD: If you are one to feel that your baby needs 4 square meals a day once solids are introduced.... its good to know that your leading brand babyfood company will charge you .23 an ounce for regular and .33 for organic store bought babyfood! If your children eat like mine did...you may be finding yourself spending up to $150.00 a month for babyfood and snacks. Making your own babyfood is super easy!

WHAT DO I NEED? Bulk fruits and veggies, large pot, 4 ice cube trays and a blender.
WHAT DO I DO?

STEP 1: Wash produce (large quantities IE: 3doz carrots)...cut up into large chunky pieces removing stems, core or seeds. I leave skin on for added texture and vitamins.

STEP 2: put produce into a large pot with a small amount of water at the bottom of the pot.(you should use filtered or bottled water) Cover and steam until super tender...approx 30mins (steaming helps hold the minerals)Do not drain the water.

STEP 3: If you have a stick blender simply blend food right in the cooking pot. Otherwise, pour produce (and water) into a blender or food processor. Blend until preferred texture... I did some "firstfoods" by blending longer... and some chunkier foods for later. Then spoon into your ice cube trays...and freeze.

STEP 4: When frozen solid... empty trays into labeled bags and put back into the freezer. (tip: it will make it easier to pop food from the tray if you run some warm water on the backside of the ice cube tray first.) 1 ice cube = approx 1oz. Soooo easy.

Here is Lucy tonite getting really excited about her homemade sweet pot and green beans.

UPDATE: I also wanted to say that I really appreciate what Mom4Life posted a few days ago about the economy...her post is what really spurred me to start posting about the $$ saving tips that I have been implimenting in my own life. Frankly I agree wholeheartedly on her message about not losing sight of the things that are really important during these "money crisis" situations. Its so hard not to get burried in worry and stress when times get tough. I do believe that its in Gods hands and I am so incredibly thankful for my family and supportive friends. Thank you Heather for reminding us not to lose site of the truely important things.

Co-Sleeping with a puker

I have found extreme value with infant co-sleeping...all three of my children have slept in my bed until they were mature enough to sleep thru the night. People ask me all the time "is your baby sleeping thru the night"...whats with that question? Why is it so important that people have to know and ask everyone they see with a baby? Well, I have found that with co-sleeping I can honestly say... I don't know. At 5 months Lucy seeks out what she needs as long as I have it freely available to her...insincts are an amazing thing. I think at some point in the night I may roll over to equalize the emptying process...otherwise I end up with one rock hard boob and a sad floppy deflated one. Not pretty. Anyway, after co-sleeping with katy I discovered the "humanity family bed" what a genius idea!!! I've never had a baby fall out of my bed...but there was always the extra cautious worry. My husband sleeps like the dead, and I've had to stop him from rolling onto the baby at least once or twice. So now I sleep with the babies on the outside of the bed away from him... I saw this on Mom4Life and decided it was a must have for co-sleeping...especially in my circumstance where I am the only alert parent in the bed.

This awesome creation is all organic, crevice free, and super absorbent. I don't know about you other nursing co-sleepers but there is nothing worse than leaking breast milk onto your sheets then having to sleep on a cold wet spot for the rest of the night. Even a towel has a milk capacity limit :) To make things even more interesting during the night...Lucy has reflux...yuck, yuck, yuck. Let me tell you tho, I don't feel wet at all on this family bed....even right after she pukes it just sucks it up like a big sponge and whala... no cold wet spot. Its machine washable...I LOVE this thing!

Spiderman

I just had to share my giggles, Max and Katy were so funny tonite! They found a spider crawling around the basement floor...and of course it becomes the main attraction of the night. Katy is screaming as this tiny thing comes dodging in and out from under the entertainment unit in our family room. Max comes running up to me with his finger up in the air "I can get it with this mommy!" as he holds up a sprayer tip from a squirt bottle....LOL... what silly a goob!

Katy Flashback

I love these darn videos...is everyone loading them up okay???

New Bundleboo!!!

Here is your sneak peak of the new bundleboo design and print. Kicking toddler and attack cat, I was still able to get her up in under 1 minute..lol :)

Total Tea-saster

So I was a little lax with Katy today... I told her to play quietly with her toys or watch a program on TV while I got some work done on the computer. Not 10 minutes into working Katy comes into my office demanding something to drink. I told her that I would be in to get her a drink in 5 minutes. I sent her upstairs to find her sippy cup...(rule number 1: you may not get a drink refill unless you have at least attempted to find your first sippy cup.) Sooooo... I lost track of time. 20 minutes go by and I realize that its exceptionally quiet in the house. So I go looking Ro-Burger... Expecting her to be coloring on the walls or something fun like that. NOPE... Katy has decided that her drink of choice for the after noon is sweet-tea and Ms "I can do it all by myself" made quite the adventure out of it...all over my living room. I mean ALL OVER my living room. This .5 gallon jug was half full this morning. It seemed as if she could not get every drop out...so she shook it spraying sweet tea drops everywhere.

The carpets, the walls, the toys, couches, curtains...you name it... it drank sweet tea this afternoon. The jug that was made already was poured on the carpet downstairs... I didn't find that until later today. For some reason she wanted Oatmeal with her sweet tea... I never did find the container... but it sure did have a tar and feather effect on everything. LOL....I love you Katy-Ro!!!

Max Flashback

Dropping off Max today at preschool I just couldn't believe how fast time has flown by... my goodness he will be in KINDERGARTEN next fall. What????? He was two when we did this video...we didn't coach him on being sweet to his sister...:) What a good big brother!

Wordless Wednesday

Andy got this picture of Katy at the park a few days ago...LOL...I love it! I feel so truly blessed to have such a full life. My children are the heart of my craziness...but nobody can make me belly laugh like they do. Crazy is good!

For Laughing Out Loud

Little Lucy finally laughed out loud!!! I have been a total idiot over the last few months trying to make her giggle. Its amazing what we will do to put a smile on our kids faces. Even public displays of giggle attempts haven't been short of a scene :) These pics were taken at the park today... her first laugh was actually on Saturday at my parents house. She had just puked all over herself for the 10th time that day and I was tired of smelling rotten milk...so I put her in my moms monster tub with a little bit of shallow water on the bottom. She was kicking and cooing...Lucy LOVES her baths. I flipped my hair and growled "mama" at her. She must have thought that was hysterical because finally the laughs broke loose. Woohooo!!

"Kindness For Smiles" fundraiser

I am really excited about our new upcoming blog "kindness for smiles" to quickly update those that aren't current customers...we have been trying to raise money for our favorite charity "the smile train" for the last year and a half. The way we have been attempting to donate is with a percentage of our profits from Bundleboo sales. However with the slow (natural) growth and evolution of the business we have not been able to donate even close to what we were hoping. :( We are very proud of how far our little Bundleboo company has come...however we must not lose sight of our important goals. Which is raising money for charity. Right now "the smile train" hits close to home for us and we wish to kick the fund raising into high gear!!

Engage your children in the fundraising effort by leading them to do simple acts of kindness. Simple meaning: photograph your child holding the door for someone at the post office, picking up trash in a local park, bringing extra paper towels to your local SPCA or hugging their little brother or sister. (you may want to get you child's sports team or school involved to really make an impact) We want to see your pictures and hear the story of what your child did that was selfless... HOW DOES THIS RAISE MONEY FOR CHARITY??? You may choose to participate to help teach your child about being "selfless" or you can help further by making a small donation directly to the Katy-Ro tribute fund at "the smile train" website. We will make it a no-brainer by linking you directly there :)

WHAT IS THE GOAL????

1. Each "act of kindness" photo post earns "smile points". You may choose to donate as low as $1 ($1.00 = one smile point) per act of kindness submitted or as much as your family can afford ($5.00 = 5 smile points) However much YOUR donation Bundleboo will automatically donate $1.00 per act of kindness shared with the blog. 250 smile points = one free cleft lip and palate surgery for a child in need!!!

We will also offer incentives by awarding monthly prizes to families that are able to achieve 250 smile points...if you are a company that is interested in donating prizes to this cause please email Becky at info@bundleboo.com for more information. The blog will be up and running by the end of the week... I am accepting kindness submissions via this email now. You may make donations now to "the smile train" . Thank you!!!!!!!!!