My Little Picasso – Crayola Paint Review

August 17, 2009 by

Look at my little Picasso, he’s creating a master piece. I decided to introduce Xavier to finger paints. He had a ball. I purchased the No Mess Crayola Finger Paint set and I loved it as much as he did. The paint showed up only on the paper. I did put an old sheet under him, I just had hardwood floors installed and I didn’t want to take any chances, but there was truly no mess.

The set comes with an adorable tray in the shape of a hand with 5 paint colors, red, yellow, green, blue, orange, and 12 double wide sheets of the Wonder paper. I like he fact that the hand is sturdy and stays in place on the table. The lids covering the paint are easy to open; however, for a 2 year old they will need assistance.
Xavier enjoyed sticking his fingers into the paint and was amazed when the colors magically appeared on the paper. He was so funny using the sponge. I tried to get him to wipe his fingers with it, but he wasn’t interested. I decided to show him how to sponge paint. He’s only 2, I didn’t think it would hold his interest. Wrong. He’s quite astute, and caught on quickly as to how he should dip the sponge into the paints and than apply it to the paper.

Here’s my Little Picasso taking a break. Painting makes baby thirsty. This set is recommended for 3+, but Xavier didn’t have a problem using the set. I like to challenge him with toys (as long as they don’t contain small parts), books etc. that are recommended for children a year or 2 older than he is. I believe it helps with a child’s advancement.

I would highly recommend this set to any parent who is looking for a rainy day activity or who just wants to expose their child’s creativity on paper. They have the Gel Paint refills, which includes the classic colors shown and additional tropical colors. Purchasing the set will be money well spent.

Filed Under: children's activities, children's crafts, finger paints, Great Finds, Uncategorized Tagged With: , , ,

I Screwed Up My Life

August 12, 2009 by
Nadya Suleman

“I screwed myself. I screwed up my life, I screwed up my kids’ lives. What the heck am I going to do?” The words of Nadia Suleman, it looks like the idiot is having a reality check. Hello girlfriend you couldn’t handle 6, what did you think would happen with 8 more. I’m sure she spends her waking hours thinking about it, but she will find not an ounce of sympathy here. I believe her motives were purely selfish, and she as well as taxpayers will pay for the rest of those poor children’s lives.
Fox will air a show on August 19 on Nadia Suleman and her 14 children. Take a look at this video clip, 14 screaming, crying children. She states the older children are negative, what’s positive in this situation for an adult let alone a child. In my opinion, you can not possibly give yourself whole-heartily to 14 children. Physically, emotionally or physiologically. America will be getting a first hand look at someone who thinks in the moment.

She also states that the older children are curious about their father. Now how do you explain to a child that their father was literally a sperm donor. You came from a frozen egg, honey. That’s like saying The Stork dropped you off. Apparently the father is married and has no intentions of being in the children’s life as a father or role model. Chances are there will never be a father figure or role model in their lives. What man is going to take on the responsibility of 14 children who are not his and being followed around by a camera for the rest of his life?

Normally, I don’t concern myself with others and how they live their life. However, this woman just rubs me the wrong way. I could slap that bitch each time I look at her. I need to take a deep breath, I feel the anger rising. I still think about her website seeking donations. WTH? Now you want people to help pay for your poor judgment.

I’ve debated as to whether or not I will watch this program. I still haven’t made up my mind. There’s a part of me that wants to see those adorable babies who did not ask to be brought into this world, certainly under the conditions that we’ve seen. There’s another part that is angry that a woman could be so stupid, and I don’t want to support her in any way. I want to knock this woman in the head, but I guess it too late for that. I wonder how she is going to keep what little sanity she has trying to raise 14 children. She’s already stating that she resents herself, when she will start resenting the children. Do you see that coming?

I hope something positive comes out of this insane situation, and these children will be blessed in some way. I’m sure in the end they will thank their mother for being a human incubator and bringing them into this world.

Feel free to leave your comments/opinions on Nadia Suleman and her 14 children.

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Potty Training Journey

August 2, 2009 by

Yes, it’s that time. We have embarked upon our journey through Potty Training Land. My little sweetie is turning 2 in September and we’ve introduced him to Mr. Potty. He seems to be receptive to the idea, and loves hearing the music in his potty when he pee pees. We’ve started him in the Pampers Easy Ups, but we’re also going to try Huggies Pull Ups to see which works best with him.


I decided to purchase this adorable Fisher Price Cheer For Me Potty. I love the shape, it looks so much like the real thing and I thought we would have an easier transition when it was time to move him to the toilet. I also love the smiley face on it. I haven’t placed any toilet paper on the holder yet, I’m afraid he will cover my bathroom floor with it.
The potty is battery operated and plays music and gives words of encouragement when he poopies and pee pees. I love the fact that he must actually pee pee or poopie before the music will start playing, it’s suppose to be an incentive for using the potty. The handle on the potty makes a clicking sound when it’s pushed. He gets so tickled. I reward him with Parental Praise too. Gran claps, dances and sings the Big Boy Potty song. Here it goes: Pee Pee on the potty, Pee Pee on the potty or Poopie on the potty, Poopie on the potty. I believe Kirstie Alley sang this song in Look Who’s Talking when she was potty training her son.

Xavier loves stickers, so I’m going to make a poster and start rewarding him with Big Boy Stickers. I’ll implement this award system next week. I looked at some of the charts on the market and thought I could create one as good if not better than those available.
Stayed tuned for more adventures on our Potty Training Journey. If you have a Potty Training story or tips that you would like to share, I would love to hear them.

Filed Under: Huggies Pull Ups, Uncategorized Tagged With: , , , , , , ,

Free Children’s Book Download

July 30, 2009 by


Download this adorable book by Hans Wilhelm. It’s the story of Anook, a little poplar bear, who is mistreated by her sisters and eventually thrown out of the palace by her father, the Poplar Bear King. Her mean sisters are made queens, but they later turn on their father who has become old. They dethrone him and order him to leave the palace.

Anook and her father are later united. They return to the palace where Anook finally stands up to her mean sisters. She banishes them from the palace and is crowned queen. Together Queen Anook and her father King Poplar Bear rule Northland.

This book is appropriate for children ages 4 – 8. Click on the link below to access this wonderful story.

http://www.childrensbooksforever.com/Childrenpics/ANOOK.pdf

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Should We Take His Pacifier?

July 18, 2009 by

As you can see my little sweetie is a character. Don’t you love his hat? He also has another attachment, his pacifier. He’s almost 2 and my daughter thinks he’s getting too old to have it. Pediatricians recommend that toddlers be weaned from their pacifiers by 2. She and my son-in-law want to put him in nursery school for a few hours a day so he can play with other children, and they believe he should be off the pacifier. How old should a child be when you take their
nip nip? He absolutely loves it. Gran thinks she should leave him alone and let him give it up when he’s ready. I don’t expect him to be walking around with his nip nip when he’s 3, but now it soothes him.

He was a thumb sucker when he was born, and I’m concerned that he will revert although research has shown that most toddlers don’t revert when they’re weaned. There are also other concerns, interference with speech, dental problems and ear infections. I’ve seen no signs of either. I think he will gradually give it up when he learns to sooth himself. I must admit he hangs on to it tightly. If you try to take it, he’ll fight you for it. I meant that literally.  If we have a discussion about it, he understands.  He will run to it, pick it up and suck on it for dear life. He’s such a sweetie and oh so adorable. I simply can’t stand to see or hear him in distress.

How old was your child when you weaned them? I would love to hear your story, please leave a comment.

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Multiple Births – Quintuplets Overwhelm Mom

January 24, 2009 by

Five beautiful babies. Adwai Malual, a 28 year old first time mother from Sudan, gave birth to 4 girls and a boy in an emergency birth last month while visiting her sister in Prince George’s County. It took a team of 30 doctors and nurses to handle her birth. Fortunately, mom and babies are doing well.
Adwai says she is exhausted, but she feels blessed to have all five of her bundle of joys. Her quintuplets are the first at the Anne Arundel Medical Center in the hospital’s 106-year history. Her mother is visiting from Sudan to assist with her new grandchildren. The quintuplets go through approximately 40 diapers and numerous bottles of formula each day. Adwai and her mother work in 12 hour shifts feeding, changing, burping and holding the little darlings. Adwai said by the time she gets the last baby feed and changed, the first is crying again. Can you imagine, lol. I struggled to handle one, I don’t know what I would have done with five at once.
Adwai’s husband has not seen his children. He is over seas working as a liaison for the military in southern Sudan, and her mother will return home soon. Adwai is without insurance and she is unsure how she is going to continue to sustain the children. Even though the United States would be a better place to raise her children than war torn Sudan, Adwai realizes it is expensive to live in the United States. She said donations came in for several weeks, but they have slowly tapered off. Everything she has, has been donated from the clothing and diapers, to the crib to the changing table. Usually corporations such as Johnson and Johnson, Pampers, Similac etc. assist families with multiple births, but they are not volunteering to assist her. The economy has taken its toll on everyone.
If you would like to assist Adwai or know of an organization who can help, please contact Reverend Barbara Sands, the hospital chaplain at the Anne Arundel Medical Center, who is coordinating donations. Reverend Sands may be contacted at bsands@AAHS.org or 443-481-5120.
May this family be blessed.
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Teens Are Sending Nude Photos

August 28, 2008 by

Is your teenage daughter sending nude photos? There’s a big concern among parents of teens, girls are sending nude photos of themselves to their boyfriends over their cell phone. There have been incidents where the photos have ended up on the internet or passed to other boys. Teens are landing in court as a result of it. Teens don’t know that it’s illegal if both parties have not agreed that the photo could be posted on the internet or passed to another person.

School officials decided to confiscate cell phones in Santa Fe, Texas because nude photos of two girls in junior high were being circulating through out the school. Apparently the girls thought it was a good idea to send nude photos to their boyfriends. Their boyfriends thought it was a good idea to send the nude photos to their friends.

In another incident, teenage girls sent nude pictures on their phones to their boyfriends and the boyfriends decided to make DVDs and sell them.

Poor judgement, to say the least. These incidents of poor judgement are landing the males in court with a record and the girls are being humiliated. Not only are they being humiliated, they’re now worried that these photos will resurface down the road. Their lives could be ruined as a result of a moment of poor judgement.

My daughter didn’t have a cell phone until she was in college. My niece who is 16, has a blackberry. So do many of her friends. Teens having a cell phone is a must these days. So they say. As a parent, I can’t imagine discovering that my teen daughter sent nude photos of herself to a boyfriend and than worrying for the rest of my life they could resurface and ruin her. Until I came across an article posted on the web regarding this trend, I never thought about teens using their cell phone to send nude photos. Am I Naiive? It’s real, police are hosting seminars so they can inform parents of how they can prevent this tragedy from occurring in their home. From one mother to another, listen up and take action before your teen makes this mistake. If you’re an aunt or an uncle of a teen make this a topic of conversation, they will love you for it.

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