I Just Need A Minute...

I'm no expert, but I've raised a few kids in my lifetime. As a parent my #2 biggest complaint about parenting is SLEEP DEPRIVATION. From just cranky to colic, I've had a lot of advice on what to do to get some sleep. While there can be underlying health issues that are very important, and should NOT be ignored, if you're thinking that your baby just doesn't want to "miss anything", and that she's otherwise perfectly healthy, these are some products that have been tried and truly worked for me.

First, the Fisher Price Ocean Wonders Travel Swing. I had purchased a full size version, and my son was scared of it. I put him on the table in this one, and he would get the MOST sleep there as an infant. If it wasn't for this swing, no one would have had clean clothes.

As he got too big for the swing, we tried the Fisher Price Ocean Wonders Bouncer. 

If you thought the screaming of an overtired baby was bad, there's nothing like an overtired, and now TERRIFIED baby. So, I bought the Fisher Price Rainforest Bouncer. 

I heard the angels sing! He LOVED this bouncer! With the help of it's soothing vibration, he kicked, giggled, and cooed himself right to SLEEP! 

I have also mentioned the Baby Einstein Turtle Crib Soother in a previous post. 

This soother was also a favorite with my children. The music and motion of the fish was mesmerizing, and even at 3 years of age, my son was entranced by this soother, and promptly told me to "shut it off!"

*Be sure you are not purchasing a recalled item. The first version was recalled, and the toy was redesigned to meet safety standards. 

If you are interested in purchasing any of these items, and I currently do not have them in stock at www.kidcrazee.com, please email me through the "Email Me" button on my website, and I'll see if I can locate one for you. (Buyer responsible for shipping costs.)

Happy Nappin'! 

You Get What You Pay For

You know what really ticks me off? When you marinate chicken, prepare black beans and rice, and fresco salsa for a fab mexican dinner, and you go to light the grill to cook the chicken you've marinated, and the damn "INSTANT light" charcoal won't light. Not even with fluid ADDED. Looks like leftovers, again.


Know what ticks me off even more? Cleaning the charcoal out of the grill, putting it back in the bag, (and just then noticing that somehow, I missed that this bag had been taped up and put on the shelf.) I now have to make a trip to Wal-Mart to return the charcoal wielding my two children that are going to be very angry they've been drug out in 110 degree heat, AGAIN. Wal-Mart Charcoal=FAIL. 

Just Another Manic Monday...

Can I tell you how glad I am that this day is over? First you must understand that my daughter is like an animal let out of a cage when she doesn't have her meds.

My daughter has to go in to the Dr. every three months because of her ADHD meds. Well, last week when I called for her refills, they told me she had to come in and they didn't have any appts. available until Monday. This was lovely, seeing that she would be out of meds on Sunday, and since it's a "Controlled Substance" that also comes in a patch, and there are 30 to a box, they can't give you some to 'get you through'.

So we go this morning, as scheduled @8:45, we drive the wonderful 20 minute drive through rush hour traffic on I-4, near Orlando.



The Dr. is late. I leave the office around 10:15. I call some of the local pharmacies, and NO ONE in the area has her script, the only location is 1/2 an hour away. I needed to get a couple things at some stores that we don't have around here, so I figured I'd get what I needed and go back to the town I live in and get the script filled at the pharmacy that I TOLD to have it EVERY month (which they agreed to do.)

The shopping was, to say the least, a NIGHTMARE. I was so embarrassed by her behavior, and it fueled the youngest to act "just like my sisser."

I finally make it back to my town and go to the pharmacy. By now it's about noon. I send the script in, they look it up and find they don't have it. They said the only place that had it was 20 minutes away. Grrr. I leave and call the pharmacy I used to use, the nice lady tells me that "I can't give you that information over the phone". I promptly hang up wondering why I bothered to place the call in the first place. Really-gas is $3.40 a gallon, and I drive a truck that has the BIGGEST motor that GMC ever made. You want me to drive all the way there with my script so you can tell me you don't have it?

I decide to re-group and head home because I need to feed my children, and figured I'd make a few phone calls to some of the larger pharmacies. I called the one that's 20 minutes from me, and they had it, but I didn't really feel like another joyride across town. I decided to call Publix, which is about 3 miles from my house. PRAISE THE LORD, they had it. I pack the kids up again, and we're off to Publix. I figured I could get the rest of what was on my grocery list there, so it would be easy to blow the 20 minutes it would usually take them to fill the script. Except today, of course, it would be longer than 20 minutes. We went ALL the way around the store. We had a sample of today's Apron's meal. We went to the bakery for a cookie, my son throws a fit because there's no "sprinkles". We went to the bathroom (where my son promptly pees all over the toilet seat). Checked the pharmacy, still not done. We check out (except that they didn't have the grapes that hubs loves.) We go back to the pharmacy. Hallelujah! The script is ready!

But, by this time, it's too late to put the patch on because it takes 2 hours to work, it's 1:30 in the afternoon, school ends at 4 pm for my daughter, who CANNOT go to school with out the meds- she'd be expelled for sure. So, in the spirit of torturing myself, I make a stop at Winn-Dixie for the grapes before I head home. We walk in, and one child goes one way, and one goes the other. I just needed to get grapes. Instead, I'm the crazy mom running around yelling childrens' names like I'm herding cattle.

Moral of the story: I need drugs.  I'm off for a nice big glass of Bacardi's ya'll.