FIRST EVER PRODUCT REVIEW

Hi everyone. I have been getting a lot of questions about products that I buy or receive for Brandon so I've decided that I'm going to do my very first ever product review! The first half is regarding items received at Brandon's birthday. They were all purchased at Target, however their website is being a little slut today so I can't find the products anywhere on there. However I was able to find them on Crayola's store website and I will provide the links so you can see prices and what not.

First up is the Ozzie the Octopus Faucet Cover. At first I thought it was just a faucet cover like I already had. After further inspection I discovered it came with three little color tablets. The tablets look similar to the tablets that come with Easter Egg dying kits, however they were a bit bigger. The instructions told me to put Ozzie over the faucet and turn on the water. Then you take the tablets and slip them inside of Ozzies mouth. This was very simple and in fact with some practice I bet even Brandon could do this (however I think he would use the whole jar up at once). The first one I put in appeared to be pink. Then I added a yellow and we made orange. After that I put in blue and I made half red that then morphed from purple to blue causing a really neat tie dye effect. After that I noticed the back of the box gave you a color key showing you that if you put two tablets in you could make different colors. I put in a blue and yellow and made green! Brandon thought this was a blast and had a great time with the colors. He liked that if he put his hand in the water his hand appeared to change colors. Also he liked filling his toys up with all the colors. After all the colors mixed in the bath I was pleased to see that it didn't turn brown or black but a fun shade of purple. The box said this could stain clothing but I used a yellow towel to wipe up and saw no stains at all. The bath drained completely white and clear with no color left behind. Brandon was also color free which I was very happy to discover. I got some of the dye on myself and just wiped it on a rag and it came right off. You couldn't tell that we had been playing in purple water at all. After the bath I wrapped him in a yellow towel and saw no residual color on the towel after wiping him from head to toe to see. I rate this product four and a half out of four stars. The only reason it doesn't get five is because it only came with three tablets and we used those right away. Luckily they sold a separate container of tablets and my friend was nice enough to include them. Here are a couple pics of Brandon enjoying his new toy!

First with just the red, yellow and blue...I liked how the colors stayed separate at first

Then we made green and Brandon and I realllly loved the tie dye part of the water.

These are the Color Dotz refills for Ozzie. I am glad I got these because it allowed me to experiment more with colors. They were also very reasonably priced at only $4.99 for 30 dots. They claim this makes 30 baths but come on I have to play more then one dot per bath so I assume it will probably last me about 10 baths using 3 dots per bath!

We also received these Crayola Bathtub Crayons. I was so excited for these because Brandon is really into coloring right now. I decided that he could only have one crayon per bath until I saw how they worked. The first thing I noticed and liked is that they have a click feature. This meant that I only had to click out so much of the crayon at once and he couldn't just smoosh the shit out of it in one go. We chose the blue crayon and it colored very bright and very nice and smooth. We wrote on both the wall (I do not have a painted wall I have a tile wall so I don't know how it would work on paint), the tub and Brandon himself. All three things worked great. The only down side is they are semi soft so at one point Brandon pushed too hard (more like mashed it into the tub) and the tip broke off. However I attribute this to his force and the fact that he is still new with crayons, and not to the quality of the product. After he broke the tip I clicked it up once so he couldn't break off more and it worked great. For his body the crayon simply washed off when I rubbed my hand over his belly. The rest of the bath I used the washcloth from his bath and one swipe across came perfectly clean as though it was never there. Brandon was even able to use the washcloth and clean the wall off with ease. I liked that because it taught him to clean his mess. The crayon ended up at the bottom of the tub in the water for some time while we played with other toys. I was pleased to see that at the end of the bath, the crayon didn't melt or wash away, rather stayed in one perfect piece. I rate this a five out of five and can't wait until he is old enough to use all of the colors at once.

Finally, this is the Crayola sidewalk paint that I used a few pictures back. I love this product. The product I actually got was package set from Toys R Us for about $9.99. My package came with three colors, Pink, Blue and Yellow. It came with two pieces of chalk also. It was enclosed inside of a neat paint tray with three spots for the base colors and then four spots on top to mix up your own colors. It also came with a brush and a roller. The directions tell you to shake the paint well before pouring. I didn't do that and the paint came out a little lumpy the first time. However after I read the directions and poured it out, it came out a nice consistancy. The colors were very bright and pretty. As the box says the colors get brighter as the paint dries which turned out to be exactly what happened. The roller worked great and allowed me to draw shapes and fill in large spaces at once. The brush also worked wonderful and made it easy to mix up colors. Both the brush and roller seem to be great quality. The brush has now been outside for a full two weeks and they still remain intact. In fact the brush has even spent a few nights in the pool and it still works great. I was worried that if it wasn't rinsed it would cake up and not be usable again. However since the paint is a water based paint, one dunk in the pool and the brush was working perfect. Also the bristles are all still in tact and none seem bent or misshapen. The roller is still working great and rinses out very easily. The box states that to rinse it off your side walk simply hose with water and some mild scrubbing my be necessary. As far as I saw simply spraying it with a spray head hose worked great. The parts that I didn't clean off are still there however they have greatly faded by the sun which leads me to believe they will also easily wash off even after being there for a while. As you can see Brandon and I were covered in paint. All I had to do was get myself wet and the paint practically fell off. I also got some one my bathing suite and it also washed right off and left no trace that it was ever there. Another great feature is that since this is a water based paint, if you find it drying at all in the bottle you can simply add a little water, shake and whala you have new paint. You can buy more paint for $5.99 for a set of all three colors and two more pieces of chalk. Over all I also rate this product a 5 out of 5 because it worked amazing, provided over two hours of fun (that is a long time to hold a two year olds attention) and was good quality!

This is the paint tray, you can also see how bright and vibrant the colors are. They mixed well and made a great orange and green.

There is the roller, he had a great time, as you can see it goes on pretty light, but then look below it dries super bright and pretty.

The colors fully dry.

So this was my first product review, sorry it was so dang long, I just wanted to get caught up, from now on I will do one review at a time.

BIRTHDAY MADNESS

BEFORE THE PARTY PEOPLE GOT THERE. I STARTED OUT WITH 65 BALLOONS BUT THE WIND BLEW ALMOST 40 OF THEM INTO A TREE AND THEY POPPED LIKE FIRE WORKS, ME AND MY PREGGO HORMONES HAD A SMALL BREAK DOWN. LATER BRANDON LET EVER BALLOON GO ONE BY ONE AND THOUGHT IT WAS THE GREATEST TIME EVER. EACH TABLE HAD A BUCKET WITH TOY CARS, TRUCKS, SIDE WALK CHALK, PLAY DOUGH, BALLS AND BUBBLES FOR ALL OF THE KIDS TO PLAY WITH AND TAKE HOME!

THE CAKE BEFORE THE MASS DESTRUCTION

HERE COMES THE BIRTHDAY BOY ON HIS NEW PRESENT FROM GRANDMA AND PAPA..HE DISCOVERED THE SUPER BOOST THEREFOR HAD TO WEAR A HELMET


HE WAS GOING TO FAST WE COULD BARELY CATCH HIM

HIS BEAR CAKE

THIS IS HOW WE EAT CAKE IN OUR FAMILY

AND ONE SLICE IS NEVER ENOUGH

THE PARTY WAS AT A PARK SO OF COURSE WE HAD TO HAVE A PLAY BREAK

AND A SLIDE BREAK

BRANDON SNEAKING A TASTE

SNEAKING A BIGGER TASTE

OH SHIT JUST GIVE ME SOME CAKE

PRESENTS!!!!!!!

THANK YOU FOR THE PARTY DADDY

ALL THE SUDDEN HE WAS OUT. GUESS THE PARTY WAS OVER.

PLAYING WITH ONE OF OUR NEW TOYS...CHECK OUT OUR WATER.

OOOOH TIE DYE WATER


WHATS LEFT OF THE CAKE AFTER BRANDON FED HIMSELF AND THE REST OF THE KIDS FOLLOWED SUITE AND DUG IN!

PHATSO PHOTOS WEEK 24 (JEN I'M KICKING YOUR ASS AT BELLY SHOTS!)

HINT HINT JEN POST A NEW BELLY SHOT DANG IT!

ALSO SEEMS I'VE HAD A FEW COMMENTS ON MY OUTFIT. FIRST TO CLARIFY IT IS A DRESS NOT A SHIRT. I GOT IT AT OLD NAVY, IT IS A MATERNITY DRESS, HOWEVER THEY ALSO HAD IT IN REGULAR STYLE. IT CAME IN A FEW OTHER COLORS, I THINK BLACK AND BROWN. IT IS SOOO SUPER COMFY AND I LOVE IT. I CAN'T FIND IT ONLINE BUT IT MIGHT STILL BE IN STORE. SINCE MINE WAS MATERNITY AND ON SALE AND IT WAS A LESS FAVORED COLOR I DIDN'T PAY MORE THEN $11.99 FOR IT.

Never going to understand it

I had friends whose kids did it, and I didn't understand, and now when my son does it I still don't understand.

WHY DO SOME KIDS THINK THEY HAVE TO STRIP DOWN COMPLETELY NAKED TO GET ON THE POTTY?

Shoes are acceptable though?

A little about my mom

I hesitate to write this sort of stuff but here goes. Although my mom is totally nutty bananas and we totally fight often she was a really good mom. I may have had shit for a dad, but the man my mom remarried totally made up for it. However, in the mom department, mine totally wins.

I have this memory of being about 7 or 8 and my friend was over playing. My mom called me over to her and she gave me this big hug and kiss. I was soooooo embarrassed. We sat there for a minute while she basically just rubbed my head and hugged me. Then she looked at my friend and said, "do you think her mom hugs her every day like me or are not all moms like me? I remember being so jealous of Laura at that minute that her mom wasn't like mine. In fact a vast majority of my friends moms have and never will be like mine. The odd thing is I never seemed to really notice it and understand it till now and really how many times did your mom say, "just wait till you have kids then you'll understand?" Dammit I hate when she is right.

My mom was the kind of mom who almost put her whole life on hold until I turned 18. She was there for me at the drop of a hat for 18 years, and still at 25 my mom is always no less then 5 minutes away (with the exception that she now takes a week to go to burning man, but seriously I'm the first place she stops when she comes home). My mom kisses me every day. She hugs me every day no matter how much I protest hugs (ick). I have always had the best clothes even if she was broke and putting them on lay away, I always had pretty much anything I wanted. This wasn't because my mom was spoiling me, it was because she never had this, and in her mind she was just giving me the life she always wanted. Now, I'm that kind of parent not because I didn't get it, but because thats how I was raised and I don't know how to be any different.

My mom never stopped parenting. She was never sick she was never hurt she was never anything because she had to be a parent. She would come in at night and rub my feet, or braid my hair, or just do something to be touching me and spending a few minutes with me. She loved to give me little manicures and she was at every single game I ever cheered for and at every single dance recital. Granted there were weekends she took me to grandmas (but I looooved seeing my grams and playing with my cousins) and she would have a life for a weekend, but she called me every night and was always there about 5 hours early to pick me up because she missed me so much.

A lot of people think its weird that I rarely make a decision with out consulting my mom. I ask her opinion on everything and that is what 99% of our fights are over, when she disagrees with my opinion on something! However these people don't realize that I don't know any better. Growing up with my mom we were a team. Everything I did was with her or because of her. Now, being a mom, I realize that I would love for my son to come to me for help with decisions, or questions or thoughts or just re-assurement.

Now having a son, my mom and his nanny (who was really my moms house cleaner before that end then fell so in love with Brandon she became useless at cleaning houses but a gosh darn hero in my sons eyes) and my dad are the ONLY people who watch my son. Oddly enough, my son is a good judge of character and those are the people he gravitated towards. I know that had my grandma Keefer still been alive, she would have been the only other person that my son would have clung to, and that was because she was the same mom, she was never less then 100% and she was the same grandma. It makes me so sad knowing that Brandon will never know her. The same way I have trouble explaining just how much my mom loved me, I'll never be able to explain how much my grandma loved me, and vise versa.

This is why people keep yelling at me for picking up Brandon (which I have still not been cleared to do). But people don't understand, I was raised by a woman who was always 100% and I don't know how to be different. My mom was always telling me, I was the best thing she ever did. Again, EMBARRASSED much. I just never understood, but now, NOW I get it. My son is the best thing I've ever done, and I only hope that I can be half the mom that my mom was. She never let me leave the house dirty. My hair was always combed my clothes were clean. In fact I remember a girl in my class putting on my sweater one day and marveling at the smell. I guess not all moms use Downy on their kids clothes. My mom would come to my school and clean out my desk and help me get organized. She cleaned my room and organized my closet but color, season and style. This woman did everything for me. Now, I have no intention of being the same way. However, while doing everything she also taught me how to be self sufficiant. When I moved out I cooked, I cleaned, I did laundry. I had a very organized closet, my stove was always spotless. Now, being married, I'm the same way. I rub Rob's back all the time, my stove is spotless, I drop everything for my husband and he has anything he wants. As far as parenting I've become the same way. My son, in 23 years is going to say, I had the kind of mo who loved me the most in the world. No man ever came between me and my mom even my step dad. It's been widely known, I'm number one and he's number two. For Rob and I it is the same way, our kids will always be first and then each other. For us that works. For Rob and I, being 99% of a parent, well, thats just not going to cut it. I blame my mom totally for now making me the crazy mom I am. I'm now the mom who is going to embarrass her son with hugs and kisses. I'm that mom whose going to cry when he gets hurt at soft ball games, I'm going to punch other moms who heckle him at T-ball. Yeah I'm screwed, I'm going to be that mom, the one who loved her sons the most in the world, its a hard job, but someones gotta do it huh?

Relief

I was at Brandon's birthday party this weekend (which was amazing pics to come) and my husbands ex bosses wife (there is a mouth full) showed up. She is soooooo freaking amazing! Anyway her name is Tami. Tami has ummm 4 kids. 3 are boys and one girl. I think her oldest is probably just turned about 27ish. The thing I love about talking with Tami is she will openly admit that she is closer to her sons then her daughter. She also told me that out of three of her sons, two are a little more masculine and crazy, ie big versions of Brandon and that she feels closer to them. She was the first person to ever totally get it when I said that I was meant to be a mother to boys. In fact, her daughter just had a baby and it's a girl, and she has even been telling her daughter she needs to hurry up and try for a boy.

Some of the relieving things she told me are that twenty something years later she is still her boys hero. She said that if she ever cries (she has a lot of health issues with parents and families right now) that is the only thing that breaks her kids down and makes the boys sad. Then she told me that when they turned about 15 she told them, for the next few years I'm your mom not your friend, BUT when your 22 if I'm still your friend after everything I know I've done a good job. Tami said that all three of her boys always tell her, you know what mom, you're not my friend your my best friend. I needed to hear all of this. I've been so afraid that around 6 Brandon would be done with his mom, and then he would be a teen and mom would really be icky. I was terrified I was losing my son forever after a certain point. Tami let me know, that if you parent right, and you are the best and right kind of mom that will never happen. I see so many of the same traits in me that I see when I look at her. Sure she is way nicer and waaaaaay sweeter but shit she taught kindergarten that already earns her a life time achievement award. However, I can see that we both love our sons with the same insane intense emotion. I can see that she like me, STILL looks at her son and is so overcome with emotion she wants to cry.

I was worried about all of this because so many people say to me, AFTER ABOUT 5 YOUR KIDS ARE NO LONGER CUTE THEIR JUST LITTLE ASSHOLES! I have been cherishing every second of every minute for fear that one day I was going to wake up and not want to bawl my eyes out when I look at Brandon.

I realize that 25 years later my mom still can't go a day with out kissing me and hugging me and telling me I'm her world, but I guess I always assumed my mom was just totally crazy and overly in love with me. I never realized that one day, aside from fearing that Brandon would stop loving me, I also sort of fear that one day, my son is going to think his mom is totally bat shit crazy because she won't stop kissing him and hugging him and telling him he is the best thing she ever did. However, I'd rather him think I loved him too much then not enough right?

Stolen from Pumkin Doodles

You don't actually have to take the quiz. Just read straight through, and you'll get the point.

1) Name the five wealthiest people in the world.
2) Name the top five news stories five years ago.
3) Name ten presidents or leaders of the biggest countries in the world.
4) Name ten people who have won the Nobel or Pulitzer Prize.
5) Name the last half dozen Academy Award winners for best actor or actress.
6) Name the last decade's worth of World Series winners.

How did you do? The point is, none of us remember the headliners of yesterday. These are no second-rate achievers. They are the best in their fields. But the applause dies. Awards tarnish. Achievements are forgotten. Accolades and certificates are buried with their owners.

Here's another quiz. See how you do on this one:
1) List a few teachers who aided your journey through school.
2) Name three friends who have helped you through a difficult time.
3) Name five people who have taught you something worthwhile.
4) Think of a few people who have made you feel, appreciated and special.
5) Think of five people you enjoy spending time with.
6) Name half a dozen heroes whose stories have inspired you.

Easier? The people who make a difference in your life are not the most powerful ones, nor have the most money or awards. They are the ones that care.

This chick has lost her fucking mind

Click here to read about the looney toon!

Today's cuteness overload

Brandons new thing he likes to say while he is eating something good...MMMM TASTIES. It really cracks my shit up.

Child Proofing

When Brandon started crawling Rob and I talked about child proofing. We thought, however that since he was low down there was no need. All he could reach was pots and pans, and the kitchen towel drawer. Oh and those damn DVD's. After about 2 months of the DVD's we finally wised up and put em all in a CD case. Problem Solved! The only two things we child proofed were the cabinet under the sink with all the chemicals and the bathroom cabinets..because Brandon loved to pick used items out of my bathroom trash.

Then he started walking. This posed a different problem. Right away he learned that walking meant climbing. He would push his stool around and open anything or get on the counters. Rob and I made the decision at this point to child proof the sharps drawer and Brandon's drawer, this happened after the 503985098 time he pulled out every cup and spoon he owned.

Other then that we never child proofed anything. Oh wait, we have those thingies in the plugs but the previous owners of this house had a 1.5 year old and had already done that for us. Truth be told they had already done the kitchen sink too (they also had poles in all the windows so you couldn't break in or something and they didn't know kids well because every one of those poles has now turned into a weapon in my home). I guess after the first two times of telling him no he got it. When it came to the stove, I started teaching him HOT from very early so he never really touched it. The knobs on the stove I've seen him touch once, and all he did was point to them and say HOT yeah! When we moved in our fire place had already been child proofed. And really all they did was put foam padding stuff around the tile edge. He can still reach the switch to turn it on he just knows better.

I'm not sure what else we could have child proofed, I know they sell lots of stuff, but to me it seemed better to just teach him no rather then have him think it was okay as soon as he could figure it out. The cool thing about the ones under the sink is they still open far enough that he can learn to throw stuff away.

Now I'm glad we don't have a bunch of stuff child proofed because we don't need it. The most recent thing we have done is put a latch on our front screen door way up high, because he already mastered the lock on that. All of our doors beep if opened because of our alarm system. The screen door didn't make noise though making it easy for him to escape.

So with our second kid coming I wonder if we will have as much success with not child proofing or if two of them will gang up on me. So what about you? What stuff did you child proof and why? Did the need for child proofing grow with two? Did you change anything the second time around?