A Break From Mom

Kids need a break from Mom every now and then. Mark is super excited to be going to World of Wisdom today. He's excited that two of his friends, Aiden and Macie, will be there to play with. They always have a great time together.



World of Wisdom is a drop in hourly day care in the area. You don't have to make a reservation (though it's recommended) and it's mostly just play time. However it's great for times when you (or your child) need a break. Or you need to run some errands kid free, have a doctor's appointment, or even, a *gasp* date night with your significant other.

Mark enjoys WOW. He's only been a handful of times, but never wants to leave. The first time we went to go check it out he was so excited that he asked to stay and play. His first "official" stay there he didn't want to leave when I went to pick him up. I had to "bribe" him with a trip to his favorite consignment store Belles and Beaus.

Mark used to go to another one in the area (it's now closed) and absolutely loved it. He absolutely blossomed there, and I credit the owner and teachers there (they eventually added a Mother's Day Out program) with helping shape him into the eager to learn student he is today.

WOW does have "circle time" in the mornings and typically does a craft in the afternoons. You have the option of purchasing a meal (for $3) for your child if they will be there during meal time. Or if you prefer you can bring your child's lunch or dinner.

The rates are reasonable. It's $6 an hour if you don't buy a package (additional children have lower rates). Or they offer a 10 hour package for $50 ($5/hour), a 20 hour package for $85 ($4.25/hr) or a 40 hour package for $160 ($4/hr). Those are very reasonable rates. The hours are great too in that they are open early in the morning to late at night from Mon-Sat. And they do offer their services on Sunday by appointment.

Everyone needs a break every now and then. And this is a great way for the kids to have a break from parents in a fun, safe environment.

5-4-3-2-1! You've Got Mighty Math Powers!

Along the lines of Blue's Clues, Team Umizoomi is a combination animation/live action show. It is just in its first season, but I tell you, it's a hit around here.





Mark loves to be an "Umifriend" and help Milli, Geo and Bot solve problems. Helping Geo and naming shapes is one of Mark's most favorite parts of the show. As the team goes about their adventures they count, compare, measure and discover shapes and patterns. It's done easily as math is already in our daily lives. By involving the toddler/child watching (as an Umifriend problem solving skills and early math concepts are taught. Mark is learning math and doesn't even realize it. It is neat to see how he counts along, identifies the shapes, problem solves and interacts with the team.

Funny side note, if you recognize Bot's voice it's because he is played by Donovan Patton (Joe from Blue's Clues.)

And of course there is music. Mark loves the singing and dancing too. There are only about 20 episodes (and I don't even think all have aired yet) as it's only in its first season, but it's well worth adding to your DVR.

Water Fun

Mark is finally getting used to water. He's never really been a big fan, and even now washing his hair can be quite a chore. Forget those splash pads and other such places that are all around. He wants nothing to do with them. Funny thing, he loves boats, the boardwalk, looking at the Gulf and lakes. And the river, he loves rivers and watching them flow by. But it is all buy impossible to get him into the water.

This summer every Thursday is going to be Splash Day at our house. We have it on our playgroup calendar and invite everyone to drop in and play for a while. We start at 1030 and run until 330 or so- folks will come and go as they wish.

By having water toys and stuff I'm hoping that Mark gets over whatever it is that is keeping him from enjoying water sports.

We had some friends over today to play in the little pool and some sprinkler fun. Let me tell you, we found the BEST toy for Mark. It's the Sizzlin' Cool Aqua Blast Hopscotch. Mark had the best time playing with his friends in it.





They boys (three two year olds) had a wonderful time with it. Now of course they weren't necessarily playing hop scotch the correct way- but the point is that they had a great time getting wet. You can buy it at Toys R Us for $10, but we got ours at Target (not online) for half the price. It was $5 well spent.

It's very easy to set up- literally unroll it and attach it to a hose. It comes with hop scotch markers (we put them aside as we aren't using it to play the hopscotch game). I was wondering how Mark would do with the water when it came out, but he absolutely loved it. Typical two year olds, they were all investigating it to see how it worked and where the water came from. Eventually they moved on to the pool, the climber, even the soccer goal - but they always went back to the hopscotch. It was a hit. I look forward to watching Mark and his friends have fun with it all summer long.

A cool place to get Amber Necklaces

I mentioned the other day about the Baltic Amber necklaces, and some folks have asked me where to get them. Well, Frog Loves Monkey went live. Check it out: www.FrogLovesMonkey.com . She's got the necklaces available for sale on there as well as some other goodies. While I haven't ordered online from her yet (since the site just went live), I have bought from her in person several times. So I know you will get great service!

That's Not My...

Mark loves books. We discovered Usborne books at one of the fairs I worked at last year. We purchased a couple of toddler friendly books. One has proven to be a favorite with Mark.



That's Not My Airplane! by Fiona Watt is Mark's favorite of the "That's Not My" series of books. We have a couple others in the series, but this one is the one he requests the most. We typically end up reading it at least twice.

What is unique about the "That's Not My" series is that there are several ways to read the book. First of all, just read it as is. It goes through saying "that's not my (fill in the blank)" and stating the reason why. The last page states "that is my (fill in the blank)."

Second is that each page has a touch element to it in relation to the words. So the child can feel different textures on each page.

Third is the white mouse. There is a little white mouse on each page, sometimes it is harder to find than other times. It encourages the child to find the mouse on each page.


When we read it with Mark we typically go through it regularly reading the story and touching the different textures. Then we read it again with Mark finding the mouse on each page.

Mark likes to "read" it too and will make up the story as he goes along. We look forward to adding more books to our collection. Usborne books are usually bought from a consultant, though we have found one or two at a consignment store.

Ni Hao! and Hola!

Toddlers love to learn. Mark is no exception. We started him at an early-preschool last year and he really took to learning sign language and Spanish. Unfortunately that school closed earlier this year. We've discovered that his old school was unique in that it taught Spanish to toddlers. Apparently most schools wait until Kindergarten or so. We knew Mark was at that prime point to continue on, so we decided to explore other ways for him to learn languages.

That's where Mark's two "cartoon girlfriends" come in. Ni Hao, Kai-Lan and Dora the Explorer are mainstays on our DVR. They both are on at least once a day on Nick Jr. Mark loves Kai-Lan and Dora. And we love that he's learning languages in a fun way.



Both shows encourage kids to learn and explore. And a second language is easily woven in there throughout the story. It's pretty cool to watch your two year old count to ten in Spanish unprompted. Or to sing the Mandarin Chinese version of "Twinkle Twinkle Little Star".

Mark can easily weave both Chinese and Spanish in with his typical English as he goes about his day. Without a doubt we highly believe that these two shows are actually helping Mark. In addition to languages we've found he's also relating to the stories. In fact, he's learned to be "calm" and take a deep breath when necessary. And that comes from Kai Lan. It was so cute the first time he told me "Mommy, I'm calm." And now when he works himself up and is about to throw a tantrum I ask "Are you calm?" and he stops mid-tantrum and takes a deep breath. Sometimes it takes a few breaths but eventually he tells me "I am calm Mommy".

It was really cool that early on Mark figured out that YeYe is Kai-Lan's Grandpa. Mark calls one of his grandfathers "Keepa" and the other "Peepo". Keepa and Grammy were visiting us one day and Kai Lan was on. Mark was watching the show, then all of a sudden looked up and went to Keepa. He then exclaimed "YeYe is Kai-Lan's Keepa!" We thought that was pretty cool that he was able to put that thought together.

Nick Jr itself has a pretty good website. We haven't really explored it much yet, but as Mark is older and able to do more fun activities and stuff we will for sure. I am looking forward to doing some of the activities from both shows this summer with Mark. There are printables, flashcards, crafts and other fun activities.

Teething Troubles?

Thankfully we are almost finished with teething. Mark is currently working on the last of his two year molars and hopefully they will pop through soon. We've been pretty lucky though as he hasn't really had too many issues with teething pain.

We've managed to keep it pretty much under control thanks to three main methods: Hylands Teething Tablets, a Baltic Amber Necklace and Teething Bling. In fact, Mark was almost eighteen months old before we broke open the Baby Motrin, and he's never had Tylenol in any form. The teething tablets and necklace seem to work pretty well for him. At one point during Hurricane Ike he had four teeth come in at once. You wouldn't have known it as he wasn't out of sorts in any way.




Hylands Teething Tablets are great. We liken them to magic because all we have to do is give Mark a few and his temperament changes. It takes away the pain he is feeling, and is especially useful at night. I always carry a bottle in my purse for quick and easy access. As Mark got older he's started to ask for them when he needed them. They are non-addictive, homeopathic, and contain no chemicals. They dissolve quickly and easily in the mouth without a bitter or bad taste.

Hylands Teething Tablets are fairly inexpensive and can be found at CVS, Target, Walmart, Walgreens, Babies R Us, Kroger and many other grocery and drug stores. And even better, they are a FSA eligible item.




I have to admit, I was a bit skeptic when I first heard about Baltic amber teething necklaces. But you know what? They have worked wonders for Mark. He is on his third right now and wears it just about every day. Currently he has one similar to the one pictured above. And he's so used to it that he will tell us if he isn't wearing it and ask for it.

Baltic Amber is supposed to be a natural pain reliever and anti-inflammatory, with the warmth of the skin releasing trace healing oils. It's supposed to help with teething and other discomforts- in fact it's also supposed to be good for headaches and arthritis. I don't know. I do know that on the days Mark didn't wear it you could tell.

We did catch some flak, especially from my brother, and for a while there Mark had the nickname of "hippie", but I have to say- it was worth it because teething was pretty much painless around here. Even my husband, who also doesn't believe in Baltic amber admits that it seemed to make a difference.

I used to sell them in my online boutique (now closed) and got them from Inspired By Finn. A friend of mine is opening her shop, Frog Loves Monkey and will be selling them now. I don't think she has them listed, but you can contact her and she can hook you up. It is well worth it.





As any parent of a teething infant or toddler can tell you, the little one LOVES to stick stuff in their mouth. The folks over at Smart Mom Jewelry came up with Teething Bling for those little hands who were tugging on Mom's jewelry and sticking it in their mouths.

Teething Bling products are made from a food-safe, phthalate-free, federally-approved silicone. That is the same stuff that many teething toys are made of. These products are non-toxic, phthalate, BPA, PVC and lead free and all pendants come with a breakaway clasp. They are also cute and stylish (as costume jewelry goes).

We used the necklace, bracelet and key chain. The necklace was great- in fact I had several of them. It saved us a couple times when we were in church or out to dinner and Mark was fussy. He simply chewed on it and was fine. We had several different colors. We were not as fond of the bracelets. The are ok, and compliment the necklace. But you have to take it off for your child to chew on it, and it can be a hassle trying to slip it over your wrist while juggling a toddler. We typically just handed him the bracelet to chew and included it in with his teething toys as opposed to actual jewelry. The key chain was great. Most babies love to play with keys, and to have a key chain they can chew on safely was great. Eventually I just put an unused key and some realistic looking toddler keys on the key chain and it became "Mark's keys". He loved that he carried around his keys, and it was great that he could stick the key chain in his mouth as a teether. Overall we were satisfied. I shut down the online boutique that was carrying them, but you can purchase them at Smart Mom Jewelry or any of their online partners or retail partner locations.

Trading in Toys

As Mark grows older his toys need to reflect his current activity level. Since his birthday and Christmas are one in the same, the challenge is to figure out how to acquire age appropriate toys yet not spoil him or condition him to expect new things all the time. We have implemented an exchange program, and it's working pretty well.

We're pretty much regulars at Belles and Beaus Consignment Boutique. I discovered it when Mark was about five or six months old. I loved the concept and saw this as a way to help de-clutter some of the baby stuff we had acquired during our long wait for Mark. Since we hadn't known what age/sex child would join our family we'd amassed a collection of stuff that wouldn't be used. Our weekly trip to Belles and Beaus also encouraged me to get out of the house with Mark. So in a way it was also therapeutic for a new mom.



Mark loves going there, in fact if we pass by the building and don't go in he will say "Hi Belles and Beaus!" Occasionally he'll ask to go to Belles and Beaus, and has been known to throw a tantrum or two if we don't go there. He's had free reign of the store since he was able to crawl, and feels like it is a second home. They have a toy room there, and Mark loves to check out the toys. I get great ideas watching him play as to what sort of toys he likes now.

Anyway, back to the point of this post.

In order to get new toys for Mark as well as get rid of the ones he's outgrown we've implemented a trading system. It's pretty simple- when he finds a toy that he likes at Belles and Beaus we ask them to hold it for us. We then go home and pick out a toy or two that he is not using anymore and has outgrown. Those toys go to Belles and Beaus to be sold, and he gets to buy the one that he wants. He's learning cause and effect from this- because he's taking toys to be sold he gets to buy a new one. So far so good, and it's a great way to de-clutter the toys that aren't being used anymore.

So if you are in the League City area, check out Belles and Beaus. They have more than just toys- they have clothing, supplies, and more. It's a great store.

Bathroom Reading

We are in the midst of potty training. Some days Mark does great, others not so much. Mark has shown an interest in potty training off and on for about six months now. He successfully uses the potty sometimes. Other times - not so much. The little stinker (literally) sometimes will sit on his little potty fully clothed and use it. Then tell us he's done and needs a pull up change.

We decided that we were not going to push it, just take his lead. Recently he has been a lot more interested in actually using the potty properly. As we've gone on this journey we've found and read several books. However only one has really seemed to "click" with Mark. A Potty for Me! By Karen Katz. We keep it in the bathroom as his "reading material" and read it to him as he sits on his potty.


We found ours at a Kid to Kid consignment store, but it is available just about everywhere including Pottery Barn Kids, Barnes and Noble, Borders, Amazon, and Target. Even The Gap and Bed Bath and Beyond have it available online. And that is just the tip of the ice burg as many other places, both large and small, sell it online.

Anyway, we love this book in our household. They rhyming is perfect for keeping an active toddler's attention. The story is told from a child's point of view. The thing that makes this book unique is that it is perfect for both boys and girls. Due to the clever drawings and text you can't tell if the child is a boy or a girl. So both boys and girls can identify with this potty training child.

The child in the story goes through all emotions and aspects of potty training, and even has an accident. The Mommy in the story is very positive, using encouraging words and positive language. In the end the child successfully uses the potty and gets to wear big kid underpants. The book closes with "I'm so proud of me!"

Mark is enthralled with this book and is starting to memorize it. He will sometimes attempt to read along with me as I read it to him. Mark likens himself to the kid in the book, pointing out similarities of his day and the child's activities. We typically read it at least twice while in the bathroom. It's now part of our nightly potty routine. And I am pleased to say that we've experienced success most nights since we've added this to our bedtime routine. It's a great book that todders can identify with, well worth the purchase.

A Great "First" Train Table

Having a birthday on Christmas Day makes it a bit of a challenge for us to find presents for Mark sometimes. Toys need to be bought that he can "grow" with. Since he isn't having another "present" day just for him later in the year we work hard to make sure that he'll get lots of use out of what we select.

For Mark's first birthday his "big" gift from Mommy and Daddy was the Step2 Deluxe Canyon Road Train and Track Table with Lid. It's available at most online shops including Toys R Us, Amazon and Walmart.




This was one of the best purchases we've made. Mark at almost 29 months still uses it daily.

This table says it is for 3-5 year olds, but he (and all his playgroup friends) had no problem using it at the tender age of one. Every time kids came over they gravitated toward this table. As new walkers and "pull upers" this table was plenty sturdy for the little guys and gals. And because the train track is plastic and in there secure they could play with it to their hearts content without worrying about track pieces coming apart. An added bonus, the top. We could store all the trains and cars in there and just put the lid on for quick clean up.

Now that we've moved on to wood train tracks and trains we use the table more as a craft table and car table. It's not really wide enough if you want to make the most out of wood train sets. We end up using our coffee table as our official "train table" now. However this table is still great and used for several car sets and other toys. The height is perfect for toddlers.

Mark has always been a climber. One of his favorite things to do was to climb on the table and play "Godzilla" on the train table. The table is plenty sturdy to support a toddler who decides to do so or to climb on the table to get closer to the train table action.

What is unique about this table is that it is both road and track. So it has the best of both worlds in that you can play with your trains and your cars. The standard Brio, Thomas and other train sets as well as Hot Wheels and Matchbox cars all fit well with this set. Even some of the Dollar Bin at Target cars and trains fit with this set. So it really is versatile.

Mike had no problem putting it together when it arrived. Though the stickers were slightly time consuming it was fairly easy to snap all the pieces into place.

It was a great purchase. I am glad we bought it at age one though rather than 3-6 as recommended. It is a perfect "first" train table and well worth the investment.

Need Storage?

My toddler as a LOT of small parts toys. Between his growing car and train collections, not to mention the multiple types of building blocks, it's hard to keep everything from overtaking the playroom.

Well, we hit on a solution with the Storage Organizer. This is the style we own, but there are many different brands and similar styles out there. Ours is sold at Target but we got ours at our favorite consignment store, Belles and Beaus.


It is great because Mark can easily put his toys in and out of the bins. The bins are easily removable, even a two year old can do it. The different sizes (there are two different sizes) and colors are great because we assign certain items to certain colors/sizes bins.

So when it is clean up time Mr Mark knows that all the matchbox cars go in the light blue large bin. An added benefit, a bit of education as the child learns to distinguish between large and small and the different colors. We have fun with it, and Mark loves to help clean up by putting his toys in the storage organizer.

Then again, he also likes to pull them out. The ease of viewing what is in the bins is great because Mark can pull out the bin he wants or needs. No digging through a large box or tote to find the items he is looking for- they are all easily viewable. It's a great solution for an active toddler on the go-go-go.

Overall the construction is pretty standard. It can be a little wobbly if the screws aren't tightened properly, but it is an easy fix. The bins are easily wiped down, easy to clean. And the organizer itself is pretty sturdy. Infants can pull up on it pretty easily and won't have it come crashing down on them. The bins stay in place pretty well and are not easily tipped.

We love ours and are considering purchasing another next time we come across one.

Welcome!

Thanks for stopping by! As Mommy to an active toddler and aunt to two boys and two girls, I've come across some wonderful products that make life interesting and fun. I love to talk about them, so I decided to share them on a blog!

I don't get paid by anyone to review the products or services, these are things I come across and just want to share my views about them. However, if you have something you want reviewed, please feel free to contact me and I'll be happy to oblige. I give candid reviews of products, based on actual use of the item. And of course, I always link to let you know where you can purchase it!

So have fun reading my reviews. We sure have fun testing out the products!