Mommy $ Sense

Great Charity Event- Sesame Street Silent Auction

2010-06-09T11:26:00.000-07:00

Click for more info!

Giveaway Monday

2010-01-14T18:45:00.002-08:00

Giveaway Monday

2009-12-08T07:00:00.001-08:00

Kolcraft
Logitech Pro
Smart Mom Jewelry

“Great Holiday Season gift ideas for kids! Over at Mommy’s Quiet Time there is a Vtech Jungle Gym: Ride & Learn Giraffe Bike Giveaway. For ages 18-36 months. Great interactive toy that encourages toddlers to peddle and have fun while learning how to count, do their ABCs, play games and more! Hurry and enter today! Contest ends on December 14th at noon central time. Contest is only open for US residents.”

Giveaway Monday

2009-11-23T14:35:00.001-08:00

Dairy Makes Sense
Evenflo
Scandinavian Child
Mommy Milk
Avery
Hallmark

Have you visited Vanilla Joy? She has a lot of great giveaways going on right now!

She also has great posts on craft room organization, creative date ideas, obaji skin care , scrapbooking furniture, teaching baby sign language

Visit 5 Minutes for Mom for a TON of GREAT giveaways!

Giveaway Monday

2009-11-15T17:37:00.001-08:00

Evenflo
Rachel Ray Cookware
Make Ahead Meals
HP Touchsmart
Brugo
Jeep

Be sure to visit Jolly Mom to get early entries into her HP Touch Computer!

Great Christmas Cards!

Giveaway Monday

2009-11-09T04:51:00.000-08:00

Graco
Blurt
Evenflo

Giveaway Monday

2009-11-02T10:51:00.001-08:00

My Little Roo
Medela Freestyle
Daysteps
Dremel
Roku
Evenflo
4Moms
Scandinavian Child
Boon
Nap Nanny
Kolcraft
Gerber

Get your early entries to the Here Comes Santa Claus event!

The great blogs participating are:

Go Graham Go & Jolly Mom

Did you see the giveaway for Beaba Babycook? Also be sure to check out the how to make baby food article!

Sonicare for Kids $100 Visa giveaway @ BBMReview!

TJ Maxx $25 Gift Card Giveaway over on Mommy’s Quiet Time. Check out the great deals and loads of photos! One person will win a $25 TJ Maxx gift card to use however they want. Whether on Fall fashions, holiday decorations, Christmas gifts or just to buy something nice.

Giveaway Monday

2009-10-21T19:48:00.001-07:00

Medela
Freshpair

Giveaway Monday

2009-10-12T19:57:00.001-07:00

Infrashine
Skip Hop
Kissluvs
Glamourmom
Baby Bjorn

Giveaway Monday

2009-10-07T18:19:00.000-07:00

The Learning Curve
Amon Maternity
Baby Cubes
Summer Infant
Oreck
Baby Bjorn
Sprout Baby

My Very First Review & Giveaway!

2009-10-06T19:55:00.000-07:00

Sprout Baby Review and $50 Gift Certificate Giveaway

My very first review and giveaway! I'm so excited- please go check it out, and enter!

Old Navy Coupon Giveaway

2009-10-03T04:00:00.000-07:00

You only have till 11:59 PM tonight to enter to win a $50 off of $100 Old Navy Coupon giveaway! Think about it- an extra 50% off of everything? Including sales? Man! AND there's 10 winners, so your chances are good! Only 178 entries so far. I'm hoping to win to buy little man some jeans in 2T and 3T for CHEAP! I love Old Navy's little boy jeans. It's for in-store only, but luckily I'm on my way back to Texas and we have one right by our house. Yay!
Happy Giveaway Entering!

Wordless Wednesday- Cousin & Mom =)

2009-09-30T08:38:00.000-07:00

Giveaway Monday

2009-09-28T21:23:00.001-07:00

Exergen
Orajel
Boon Inc
Bravado

Wordless Wednesday- Old-school Hubby pic- he's the little one

2009-09-23T10:41:00.000-07:00

Week(s) in Review- September 7th- 19th

2009-09-21T16:31:00.001-07:00

September 7th- 19th

-We had a fun little family labor day- made me wish Harold was here, but glad I have my parents! We took Harrison on a walk and too the park all together- it was fun! Grandma even went down the slide- TWICE! =) We went home and had a great dinner of grilled hot dogs, homemade potato salad, & cucumbers & red onions marinated in oil, vinegar & dijon mustard. Yum, yum!

GRRR... Bad to the bone!

Mischievous little man...

Practicing playing with the football for Daddy's return! =)

Blocks are yummy!

Toy deprived? Oh man...

Babies love their boxes...

This is why I need to wear a bib ALL THE TIME!

Happy baby boy!

This week we celebrated Auntie Tori's 24th birthday! We walked around downtown and shopped, then I dropped HP off for an adult dinner of sushi (which I couldn't have, boo.) at Arrowwood.

Rad like Dad

Harrison got a new Harley from his great-aunt Arlene! He loves it, although Mommy already let him fall once... uh oh.

-Harrison added cottage cheese & yogurt. His vote? Yogurt- thumbs up. Cottage cheese? BIG thumbs down. We'll keep trying though. =)

-The little guy is officially mobile- although, not forward. =) He can "crawl" backwards to get virtually anywhere, and rotate around 360 degrees. He's starting to get up on all fours & rock a little bit as well. He'll be crawling (forward) in no time!

-We have 2 more weeks in MN, then we're off to home in TX! It's a little bittersweet, but I know the second I see Harold I'm going to be all happy!

March of Dimes

2009-09-21T16:15:00.000-07:00

For anyone who hasn't heard of March of Dimes, it's a great charity that works with woman before, during, and after pregnancy to promote pre-natal care.
Baby Makin(g) Machine is doing a great raffle event that you must check out. The prizes are great, and it all goes towards a great cause!

Giveaway Monday

2009-09-21T14:51:00.001-07:00

Danielson Designs
My Brest Friend
Evenflo
Accent Furniture Direct
Eden Fantasys
Sprout Baby

Contributor to The Bragging Mommy!

2009-09-20T21:34:00.001-07:00

I am SO excited and proud to announce that I am a contributor to The Bragging Mommy! She's added me to her "review team" and I cannot wait to get started! Be sure to check us out!

Meet the review team

Week(s) in Review- September 7th-20th

2009-09-20T20:36:00.001-07:00

- Harrison added cottage cheese & yogurt. His vote? Yogurt- thumbs up. Cottage cheese? BIG thumbs down. We'll keep trying though. =)

-The little guy is officially mobile- although, not forward. =) He can "crawl" backwards to get virtually anywhere, and rotate around 360 degrees. He's starting to get up on all fours & rock a little bit as well. He'll be crawling (forward) in no time!

I Just Won 1 Swag Buck on www.swagbucks.com

2009-09-16T11:38:00.001-07:00

I Just Won 1 Swag Buck on www.swagbucks.com

Shared via AddThis

Giveaway Monday

2009-09-14T15:08:00.001-07:00

Casio
Tike Tech
See Kai Run
Scandinavian Child
Zooper
Barbar
Bumbleride
Britax
Fisher Price

Check out Kijiji, eBay's new FREE local classifieds site! And while you're at it, check out the giveaway @ I Should Be Folding Laundry for an Organize.com GC!

Wordless Wednesday- One of our first dates

2009-09-09T19:47:00.001-07:00

Giveaway Monday

2009-09-07T17:38:00.001-07:00

$25 TJ Maxx GC!

Keramikos Kitchen
Luvs
MetroMama
TJ Maxx
Zooper Waltz
Shapely Secrets
My Little Monkeys
Tike Tech
The Children's Place
Bumbleride
Your Baby Can Read
Circlelinestudio

Have you been introduced to Vanilla Joy yet?? She's a great blogger with so many awesome bloggy features:

craft room organization
creative date ideas
obaji skin care
scrapbooking furniture
teaching baby sign language

Make sure you check her blog out!

Week(s) in Review- August 23rd- September 6th

2009-09-07T11:26:00.000-07:00

August 23rd- September 6th

Been a little too busy to post lately- I also lost my camera charger for a few days which was a TRAGEDY, especially since I sent my fujifilm camera to Harold in Afghanistan. Luckily it was recovered a few days later. =)

Harrison & I went to Brainerd, MN to visit one of my best high school girls Kristen (check out her great food blog!) We had a ton of fun!

On Friday Harrison had a playdate with a friend, Odin! They had fun. Harrison really hasn't spent enough time with other kids- he was pretty fascinated. It's always good to hang out with people who have kids! (don't do that much here in MN)

We went out for dinner friday night @ Maddens (yummy!) then came home to relax. Harrison decided to take control of the remote, and changed the channel to the Redskins game. Hubby is OBSESSED and I thought it was funny- a sign for Daddy! I told him to come home soon because his little HP was ready for some football!

Saturday we went shopping in Nisswa (really touristy area) all day- great area.

My little Fox in Socks!

Harrison Gage Price

He's discovered the Xylophone (see video in post below) and is literally obsessed. I've never seen him be so interested in one single toy! One day I tried to give him a bottle, but he whined and squirmed until I sat him back by his precious xylophone. I think I've got a little musician on my hands! =)

Goof!

- Harrison had a saltine cracker for the first time- we went to Raaper's for my brother's birthday (two for one drinks, and have price appetizers. GREAT deal. Too bad no drinks for me! hehe) He really enjoyed it! He was thirsty the morning after though-

-Harold called & said he officially has less than 60 days!! YAY!!!!! He was thinking it was going to be the first week in November, but he things he'll be leaving the first or second week in October!! I'm thrilled. Harrison, my parents and I are leaving for Texas October 3rd, so excited! It's going to be sad to say goodbye to Grandma and Grandpa though!

-We took HP to church on Sunday for the first time in awhile (guess the summer made us too lazy!) He was SO good. Honestly, I couldn't believe it. Just sat on my lap and played with some paper and other toys. Perfect angel!

- The weather has been great here in MN! We've been trying to get outside more and hang out in the shade & on our swing. I am really starting to get my fall allergies though, and am not taking anything due to being pregnant. That coupled with my general lack of energy from pregnancy, it's been hard for me to even get our walks for the day in.

My Xylophone Prodigy

2009-09-05T11:39:00.001-07:00

The Children's Place

2009-09-04T14:17:00.001-07:00

Here I go again with the clothes. =) It is a passion of mine, especially getting them for CHEAP!! The Children's Place is having a really great Labor Day Sale (at least the boys, haven't checked out the girls... sniff sniff) Some great deals, especially on shorts. AND if you use the code FA79 at checkout, you will save an additional 15% off of EVERYTHING you buy! Can't beat that! Happy Shopping!

Wordless Wednesday- Hubby in Afghanistan

2009-09-02T11:54:00.001-07:00

65 cent Tanks

2009-09-01T14:00:00.000-07:00

So, I've seen a lot of people post photos of good grocery deals, but here's something a little different. =) I'm not too great with grocery stuff yet- still need to get better at clipping coupons and finding deals. What I do know about, however, is clothes!

Just wanted to share these 6 tank tops that I got at Old Navy for .65 each! I won a $45 off of $100 coupon, coupled with some great deals, and voila! I got a lot of other great deals too- The most I spent was $8.77 on a skirt. I got my son 4 shirts for around $4 each. I have a new-found love for Old Navy!

Giveaway Monday

2009-08-31T06:47:00.000-07:00

My son is only 8 months old, but I would still like to dream about how I would re-do his room when he becomes a tween/teen! Crafty Mommy of 4 is doing a $500 Wal-Mart gift card giveaway to re-do a room! Here's his room now:

And my favorite Your Zone item:

Giveaway for a $100 Sears/Kmart Christmas Card!

Be sure to check out ABCneckties for 3 NFL Grand Prizes!

Eighty MPH Mom is having a great giveaway from Just Wine Racks. Win a gorgeous wine rack! Just Wine Racks is the place for everything "wine", including the best selection of wine racks and wine accessories!" (link using these urls in your post: http://www.eightymphmom.com and http://www.JustWineRacks.com) -

Wal-Mart has a new line perfect for your favorite tween/teen called Your Zone. Check it out!
Suzanne Calling is hosting a giveaway for a $500 give-away! Be sure to enter!

BlogHer & AT&T FamilyMap are giving away $100 Visa GC! Here are the blogs:

I Try Thinks
My Own Circle of Confusion
Unexpected Bliss
SAHM
Bridgett's Reviews
The Swim Mom Review
Slacker Mama
Because Your Mama Said So
Caloden Reviews
Mama's Picks & Pans

Giveaway for the The Studio by Danielson Designs- great little signs for with quotes and personalization! Reasonable prices. Check out the giveaway!

Wal-Mart
Bumbleride
Seventh Generation
Guyot Designs
Sears Christmas Card
EcoTime Toys
Must Have Shoes
Barbar
PF Changs
Box Tops
Shoes Under
Audiovox
Step 2

Wordless Wednesday

2009-08-25T21:14:00.000-07:00

Week In Review- August 16th-22nd

2009-08-25T17:16:00.000-07:00

August 16th-22nd

Trip to Target- he loves to ride in the cart & people watch.

We had our first taste of "real" food! Here's the "before" pic- he actually didn't get that messy, so I didn't even post the "after". This one was too cute not to post, though. =)

Totally unsure what this is...

But I like it! =) He did pretty well with it.

Mommy & Baby in Minnesota Gopher Gear! My brother Will was home for a few days, so we took him out to "Wing It Wednesday" at a local restaurant/bar. They have a deal on a huge plate of wings & pitcher of beer. Harrison & I refrained from the beer. =)

Hanging around the house.... Captain Adorable!

Friday night we took Harrison to the Douglas County Fair. Here he's looking @ Horses w/Grandpa. We took him through all the animal barns. He didn't seem all that interested, however he is only 7 months. But it was good to get out! We ran into a lot of people we knew so it's always fun to show him off!

Totally pooped from the fair... it's not that far from our house, so we just walked. It didn't take him long to fall asleep though! =)

Saturday Harrison & I went to my college roommate's wedding! She was my freshman roommate in the dorms, and we lived together the next two years. She's the first of my friends to get married (besides myself, of course) so it was a fun wedding. CLEARLY I'm the half-ton pregnant one on the right. I was bummed to be pregnant, because it would have been fun to really let loose for the night with the college roomies, but what do you do? Isn't she a beautiful bride? These are only a portion of the girls I lived with- Junior year we lived in a house with 10 girls!

The Happy Couple!

Harrison getting kisses from Auntie Tori! I am the only one of my friends with a kid, so he was a hit, to say the least.

- Harold & I decided on a name for Baby Boy #2... Reuben. (actually, he wants to spell it Ruben, but we'll see who wins that debate... hehe) It's funny because on our very first date we got into some heavy topics, including babies & baby names. Harrison was his top pic, and Reuben was mine. We never even really talked about girl names. What do you know? A few years later we'd have two little boys named Harrison & Reuben! Life is funny.

Giveaway Monday

2009-08-24T19:21:00.001-07:00

Shopaholic Mommy is having a birthday bash in honor of her daughter's 2nd birthday! Be sure to check it out!

Sensory Edge
GE
Ecousable
EA Sports Active
Lucy Activewear
Kid Basix
Mobi
Umi Shoes
Build NY
Zutano
Baby Dipper Bowl
The Juice
The Bragging Mommy
Mimi The Sardine
Star Kids
Pillsbury
Bravado
Crane

Racism

2009-08-19T20:13:00.000-07:00

I'm not entirely sure why I feel like I need to share this with the mommy blogging world. I guess I am just so deeply offended I need to get some of it off my chest... I grew up in a smallish town in Minnesota. There was an article in the paper recently about an armed robbery at a gas station (pretty rare event). Here is the first online comment made: (this IS the minority opinion, thank God. I like to think my hometown is generally a nice place to live. I guess people "like this" live everywhere...)

G B.
08/19/2009 12:58 PM

A couple of years ago, someone from the douglas county social services had an article in the paper, suggesting that Alexandria was not diversified enough, well now you have your diversity, how do you like it? Last year a murder, last year a drive by shooting, now a hold up at a convienace store, A lot of people in this toen want to be politically correct and not say to much, but I can tell you right now, The alexandria community is not happy about this diversity, namely transitory blacks that are moving in to this community, I'll bet that 75% of the blacks in alex are on some kind welfare, the social services must be keeping busy. I speak for a lot of people on this subject, and they are not happy about it.

SO disgusting. The more times I read this, the angrier I get. There were many following comments, and G.B. continued to defend his/herself. My comment:

Joanna P.
Harker Heights, TX 08/19/2009 8:54 PM

G.B. and defenders- I am offended as a wife, a mother, a former Alexandrian, and an American citizen. How dare you say those words, and then continue defending them? Even though I have known racism still exists in this country, it's hard to hear it point blank. For you to say, after that comment, that you are not racist is absolutely outrageous. As you sit on your computer, typing away, my husband (a black man) is in Afghanistan, fighting for your freedom. I would never even dare show him your comment because it would hurt him so far to the core I don't know that he'd ever want to step foot in Alexandria again. I want to cry for my son, who is biracial, and who will visit Alexandria time and time again throughout his life. Will you see him at Target and wonder if he's a welfare child? Will you wonder how long it will be before he commits a drive by shooting? My husband is intelligent, funny, loving, caring, and most of all a fantastic father. It kills him more than you could ever imagine to be parted from his child, and his pregnant wife. He is an upstanding citizen, going above and beyond to be on his second tour in the middle east. He is dedicated to his education, and has a master's degree. His family is wonderful- his mother is a loving human being, and his father is in a nursing home due to his long-standing dedication to the United States Army. If they ever made the decision to move to Alexandria, they would absolutely add nothing but quality to our town. "I'll bet that 75% of the blacks in alex are on some kind welfare..." HOW DARE you say that! Show me some evidence. I would LOVE to see some. And even if that's the case- does that mean they aren't welcome in our town? Should we ask all the white people living in Alexandria on welfare to leave? Why would they be any more welcome? "Last year a murder, last year a drive by shooting, now a hold up at a convienace store" - Not that it even matters, but the only murder committed in Alexandria that I know of was committed by a white man. He killed his wife. Do some research before blaming the black community for a murder. And don't come back saying you weren't blaming them. Because with that statement you absolutely were. Don't you think the crime level rise has anything to do with Alexandria simply growing larger? You say Alexandria was so much better 30 years ago... wasn't it much smaller? It is so incredibly ignorant for you to blame the crime on black citizens, based solely on this article. If you have some more evidence to back that statement up, I'd love to see it. As an Alexandria citizen it is your duty to welcome newcomers, no matter their race. You are judging people based solely by the color of their skin, which is by definition, racism. I feel sorry for you. You will never know what a wonderful thing African-American culture is- because if you did, you definitely would not make those awful statements. I am proud to be the wife of a black man, and the mother of biracial children. I love my husband's family, and all of his friends. To ANYONE of a non-Caucasian race- There are many people who welcome you to Alexandria. We appreciate your cultural differences, and the great things you can bring to our community. Please do not be deterred by those who are too ignorant to open their eyes and shake your hand.

http://www.echopress.com/event/comments/id/67641/start_row/1/

Wordless Wednesday

2009-08-19T08:10:00.001-07:00

Gymboree Coupon Code

2009-08-18T07:16:00.000-07:00

Save an extra 30% at Gymboree August 20th-23rd! Who can resist that?

They have adorable Halloween costumes! (Can't believe it's that time of year again!)

Code: GYMFAMILY

Happy Shopping!

Giveaway Monday

2009-08-17T18:34:00.001-07:00

Check out the great giveaway by CSN mattresses

Mobi Technology
Bebe Au Lait
Smart Mom Jewelry
Simple Wishes
Pop-A-Tot
Green Toys
SKLZ
Mimi The Sardine
Little Lasso
See Kai Run

Saturday Week in Review

2009-08-15T14:16:00.000-07:00

August 9th-15th

Harrison started using a "bath seat". He was still lying down on a mat before. He got his first taste of water being dumped over his head! =) A lady I used to nanny for just started dumping water from the very begininning, and they got used to it and never complained, so that's the route I'm taking. He was (obviously) shocked but smiled afterwords.

What a cheeseball!

Good Morning HP! Nice bedhead. =) (he got his first real diaper rash last week, so we're still using the desitin... THANK GOD for desitin!)

What Mom??

Getting ready for the beach!!

Lake Latoka, Alexandria, MN
August 14th, 2009

He never tried to put the rocks in his mouth- I was so surprised! He loved the water, splashing, and most of all watching other kids! We (my mom & I) had so much fun!

Some swing fun! Waiting for Grandpa to finish grilling some burgers

THAT face!

Pretty smile

Today is our 1 year anniversary! I'm (of course) bummed that Harold is 234234 miles away, but next year when I'm NOT PREGNANT (cross your fingers) we will really celebrate. =) Happy Anniversary my love!

-On Wednesday night we went to my cousin Katie's baby shower. (forgot my camera) We had a lot of fun, and of course, Harrison was a hit. Baby showers are always fun! There really wasn't anyone who had little kids, so I got made fun of because I knew so much about the "new fangled" baby gear. =)

-Harrison has (finally) started rolling over like crazy. Still no scooting or much moving around on the tummy. It will still be awhile before he crawls. =)

-Harrison took his weekly Wal-Mart trip with Grandpa today- they are such buds!

Wordless Wednesday

2009-08-12T05:49:00.000-07:00

The Power of a Positive Mom- Chapter 1

2009-08-11T14:10:00.001-07:00

*I started reading this book- it's really good! I wanted to share some highlights from each chapter as I read (I'm slow- usually I read out loud to Harrison so just a little bit at a time).

The Power of a Positive Mom
By: Karol Ladd
(click on book to purchase!)

Influence Beyond Measure

-Motherhood: It's the toughest job we ever loved!

-Committing ourselves to love and care for our children as God commands- even if it means putting their needs above our own, time and time again- is the way to a full and abundant life. Motherhood has this kind of selfless love built into the job description.

-Still, we often feel put to the challenge when someone asks "And what do you do?" Unfortunately, because of the way society thinks, it seems shallow to answer, "I'm a mother." Even though we know that motherhood is a high and important calling, we feel as though we must be able to list several substantial interests outside the home to satisfy our inquirers. It used to be that our occupation was spoken of with respect and honor; now it's treated as a mere accessory in the ensemble of life!

-Certainly we do not receive a lot of accolades for the job of motherhood. Often our many hours of hard work seem to roll by largely unnoticed, but our work does make a difference in this world. My dad always says, "Spectacular achievements come from unspectacular preparation." The tasks we do day in and day out as a mom may not seem so spectacular, but they are achieving an important end goal: raising the next generation.

-You are absolutely essential in your home and in the lives of your kids. Your job has more than monetary value; it has eternal worth!

-Colossians 3:23 & 24- "Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men, since you know that you will receive and inheritance form the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving."

-Insightful poem:

I took a piece of plastic clay
And idly fashioned it one day;
And as my fingers pressed it still,
It moved and yielded at my will.

I came again when days were past,
The form I gave it still did last
And as my fingers pressed it still,
I could change that form no more at will

I took a piece of living clay,
And gently formed it day by day,
And molded with my power and art,
A young child's soft and yielding heart.

I came again when days were gone;
It was a man I looked upon,
He still that early impress bore,
And I could change it never more.

-Choose: I will view my role in motherhood as a highly significant investment of my time and energy.

Giveaway Monday

2009-08-11T13:36:00.000-07:00

Seeryus Mama wants you to keep on grilling! Enter to win a Preseasoned Cast Iron Grilled Pizza Set from Teak, Wicker, And More.com. They carry patio furniture and so much more! Enter before midnight CST on August 30th.

Oreck Halo
Bummis
Snuggle Mez
Urban Fluffs
Itty Bitty Baby Bunz
Zooper
One Step Ahead
Mimi The Sardine
EA Sports
Wal-Mart
Tupperware Chain of Confidence
See Kai Run
Roku

Wordless Wednesday- Love from Hubs in Afghanistan

2009-08-05T10:13:00.000-07:00

Giveaway Monday

2009-08-03T21:03:00.000-07:00

Thank You Baby
Tot Tutors
Cymax
Kissluvs
Busy Body Book
The Mommy Card
Boon
Got Free Cards
Happy Heinys

G-Diapers

2009-07-30T18:01:00.000-07:00

Harrison started wearing G-diapers with the cloth inserts a few days ago!! What a cute little muffin top =)

So far so good! (This is my first attempt at cloth diapering) He hasn't pooped in them yet though =) I only have 3 inserts for now, so we've been just hand washing them and hang drying. They are just too cute aren't they?

Anyone have any good tips for washing? I'm living with my parents while my husband is deployed so I probably won't get too into it until I get home. I'm thinking I won't cloth diaper the new baby right away, since newborn poop is repulsing and I don't want to invest in all the diapers and inserts for size small when medium starts at 13 pounds anyway. I love these little diapers so far!!!

Benefits of Baby Sign Language

2009-07-30T11:47:00.000-07:00

Baby Signing Benefits for your infant or toddler

Before child can properly vocalize their wants and needs, they must master very complex actions of the muscles in their face:

Placement of tongue

Formation of lips

Shaping of nasal passage

Controlling of vocal chords

Breathing regulation, etc!

There are so many benefits for a baby utilizing Baby Sign Language it is hard for some enthusiasts to understand why more parents are not teaching their infants this particular form of communication.

Everyone has had moments in their lives when they could not communicate their needs in a way others could understand. The result is a level of frustration beyond compare. Babies are the same as adults in this regard.

Wanting something and being unable to explain what exactly is wanted frequently results in loud crying, utter frustration, and/or tantrums.

So the first benefit of using Baby Sign Language is it gives your baby the ability to express his or her important needs and thoughts.

Additional baby signing benefits:

Promotes the development of language skills
Reinforces language skills already developed
Reduces frustration at not being able to express needs
Increase speed of spatial reasoning development
Develops understanding of language for communication of emotions
Creates feelings of satisfaction and accomplishment
May increase IQ
Increases creative thinking
Teaches a 2nd language that is formally recognized (ASL)
Reduces unexplainable emotional outbursts
Increases early literacy skills
Teaches baby how to start (and participate in) a conversation

Sign language for infants gives babies a way to communicate what they are truly thinking, feeling and/or needing. Because they learn to communicate early, Baby’s mind develops a rapid interest in increasing communication ability.

Thanks to early learning of Baby Sign Language, infants quickly learn to match particular shapes or items with a particular gesture.

When your baby begins to speak, the same skills are used. One gesture means one thing in infant sign language. One word means one concept in baby talk. This enhances spatial relationships and reasoning, and cognitive skills development.

- from Babies & Sign Language

Giveaway "Monday"

2009-07-29T13:46:00.001-07:00

Think Fun
Little Luvee
SKLZ
Stork Craft
Snack Taxi
Laugh & Learn
Storkie Express
Swaddle Designs
Gogo Babyz
Ju Ju Beane
Sweet Pea 3
Levels of Discovery
Thank You Baby
One Step Ahead
Amelie Jo
JoJo Designs
Subway
Misikko
MJM Books
Kokopax
Baby Bjorn
Subjective Beauty

Wordless Wednesday- Harrison & Friend Tavian

2009-07-29T11:06:00.000-07:00

Giveaway Saturday! (been on Vaca)

2009-07-25T20:51:00.001-07:00

Sweet Wee Bairn
The Baby's Bundle
Layers Clothing
Pediped
Kickboard USA
Le Baby
Graco

Wordless Wednesday- Momma's Boy

2009-07-15T15:29:00.000-07:00

Giveaway Monday

2009-07-13T21:00:00.000-07:00

Bumbleride
Eden Fantasys
Bebe Au Lait
Old Navy Weekly
Able Mable
Baby Urbana
Baby Star
Baggino
Bebe Au Lait
Boon
Milk Bank
Graco
Sprig Toys
Itzbeen
Baby Fabulous
aden + anais
Go Jane
See Kai Run
Applecheeks

Great Baby Sign Language Animation

2009-07-09T12:12:00.001-07:00

This is too cute- Harrison is only 6 months, but I guess it's never too early to start doing the signs!! He also thinks it's HILARIOUS when I ask him if he wants more using the sign when he's eating. Plus it gets him to open his mouth! =) Not like he needs the help usually, he's a little piglet at eating time. Anyway, check it out! Happy Signing!

Wordless Wednesday

2009-07-08T13:06:00.000-07:00

Giveaway Monday

2009-07-06T11:11:00.001-07:00

ESBaby
IttyBittyBabyBunz
Ah Goo Baby
Mutsy
Cuisinart
Kelty
Tiny Soles
Slimperfect
My Monkey Moo
Keurig
Baby Signs With Elizabeth

Coming SOON!

Dear Mommy Bloggers,

2009-07-04T18:41:00.000-07:00

Yesterday was the Fourth of July, and I didn't feel much like celebrating. This will be a long, LONG mommy rant-I feel so drawn to get all my feelings out there, hopefully this can help me feel better. Please take everything with a grain of salt. Truth is, I know that I am one of the luckier people in the world. I have been blessed with a fantastic life, and do not have a legitimate right to complain about anything. As if that will stop me.

For anyone that has dealt with depression in the past/present I think you will have the best idea of how I feel. I have dealt with depression since junior high. It's definitely something that runs in my family, and it's as real as it gets. Sometimes I worry that I use it as a crutch- an easy way to just not deal with the triggers that get me there in the first place- just be overwhelmed with the fact that I have reached a depression episode. Then when I come out of the fog, I'm so happy to feel normal again the last thing I want to do is deal with my problems.

For the most part I have had my depression under control. I have been on medication for all of my adult life, and it seems to be as easy as that. Long ago I became accustomed to the idea that I will take a little pill every single day for the rest of my life. I think I was lucky to get it young- the choices were more or less made for me. My dad forced me to go to the doctor, and my life has been better ever since. I never had to deal with what other people go through- do I want to be dependent on medication for the rest of my life? I have known from a young age that I have no choice- the other option is a life of negativity and despair, or, as morbid as this is, no life at all. I have tried multiple times in my life to go off of the medication- life is good, so I think maybe I can handle being with out. That has never worked for me. Not even close. The doctor that prescribed medication for me as a child saw me throughout my high school years. He did such an awesome job of explaining why I need medication- that it's a disease (whether or not you believe that is up to you, I definitely do), no different than other millions of things people take medication for every day, except that it has a negative stigma. People associate anti-depressants with weakness. Do I think anti-depressants are over prescribed? Absolutely. Do I think I truly have, and will always have, depression? Absolutely. My husband had a tough time accepting the fact that I truly have depression. He didn't think I should take medication while pregnant, but it didn't take that long of living with me and my pregnant mood swings for him to change his mind. =) It was frustrating for me, though, to try and explain how serious my depression can be.

The last year or so of my life have been nuts and filled with adjustments- getting pregnant, getting married, moving in with my hubby, 5 weeks in MN while hubby was in Washington working, back home to Texas, had the baby, started working part-time, hubby left for another month, the deployment and move to MN, then getting pregnant again. All that has happened since April 2008. Pretty typical Army Wife situation, but SO out of my element. I think I did a pretty good job of handling things for the most part- the 6 weeks after having the baby were a little rough with the hormones flying, but we made it through. Not to mention that I've been on 4 different medications, since I saw so many different doctors in Austin, MN, and Fort Hood. But I was feeling good, until the deployment. The first couple weeks were OK, I missed Harold terribly but everything was still pretty new and exciting, seeing my friends was fun and I was looking forward to having quality time with family and friends who are normally 1200 miles away.

But after that I just fell apart. I think it was just the last straw for me. The thing that put me over the edge. Well, I would have to say that and the combination of being pregnant. My kids are going to be 11.5 months apart, an that is just not the plan I had in mind. I wanted to be able to enjoy Harrison- live life pretty stress free for awhile. I am still so young, so I had the ability to spread my kids out a bit. So much for that. And I apologize if I sound like an alcoholic, which I'm not, (I hope... =)) but part of the appeal of being here was live-in babysitters, and my friends- 23, not married, no kids... I was looking forward to some crazy times. So much for that. Now I'm "The Mom" again. Obviously, I wouldn't trade Harrison in for anything in the world, but I do sometimes feel like I've put myself in the position to be the "Odd Man Out", I wish I could be having babies WITH my friends, not first and all by myself. And especially not two in a row. Seriously, I am SO, SO, SO tired of being pregnant. Anyone who has a baby will agree, that the 8 weeks I had of not being pregnant, essentially does not count. The hormones are still there, and with breastfeeding you're still watching what your eating, and most of all, not drinking, at least not without a huge hassle and guilt. I am so lucky though, because I don't get any morning sickness at all. I think that would have made this outrageously difficult. I also feel like a COMPLETE cow. I really had no problem with the weight gain with Harrison- it's a part of pregnancy. But this time, the thought of getting huge again, on top of the 15 pounds of Harrison weight I never had a chance to get rid of, and the 30 pounds I needed to get rid of before either pregnancy, is horrifying. I was SO bound and determined to lose weight here in MN. I had babysitters for the gym, beautiful Minnesota summer weather, and tons of motivation. How awesome for my husband to be gone for 6 months and come home to a transformed wife??

Moral of the story is- here I am in MN, living with my parents, hubby is half way across the world, pregnant, with 75% of my stuff (including a lot of maternity clothes) in my home far away, fat, and depressed. This is the weirdest depression I have ever dealt with though- It's almost like it's just pregnancy mood swings X1000. It kind of just comes and goes. Usually it takes me weeks or days to come out of a depression episode, but I can go through both extremes in one day. As far as I know I am not bi-polar, and my understanding of bi-polar depression is that it's days and weeks of manic and depressive spells. Whatever is going on, it's not just mood swings. I promise. Friday & yesterday I felt like the whole world was against me. My friends were wanting me to come out, and it was as if I couldn't even make a move. Luckily I've been through it enough times to know that I AM going to feel better, and cognitively I know that, but that doesn't help me one bit in the moment. I just laid in my bed and cried and felt sorry for myself. The ironic thing is that I am sad mostly because I miss Harold, but regardless of why I am sad, I want Harold because he has the ability to make me feel better. He has a way of joking around just enough so that I don't get annoyed, but eventually can put on a smile. And is there anything better than a loving hug from your husband? The way I have always tried to describe depression is that when I'm depressed, I put a HUGE negative spin on everything. All the little daily things people go through can feel like the end of the world. For instance, Harold being in Afghanistan. When depressed, it's the most awful thing that has ever happened to me. Life isn't fair, and I feel like there is NO way I can survive it. When feeling normal, I can see that it's only 6 months, we gain finacially, and in a way it's brought us closer. Essentially it's "cup half full/empty", except that it's half full, or completely empty. After a depression episode, I can look back at my previous thoughts and think that I'm crazy!! Why was that such a big deal? Why couldn't I have just GONE? I can hardly understand why I have done the things I have done, so I guess I can't expect someone else to. I just know that it's real, and I have very little control over my thoughts and my inibility to function normally.

I guess I was feeling sorry for myself because everyone got to go out and have fun, drink, enjoy their families, while my husband is in Afghanistan fighting for the freedom everyone is partying about. It was Harrison's first fourth, and I wanted Harold to be here. I wanted to go to a party as a family. I understand that that is a little over-dramatic, but depression knows no logic. I tried really hard to just force myself to go somewhere, but the work involved in getting myself and a 6 month old ready to go and prepared for an entire day away from the home is too much when all you want to do is lay in bed. Sometimes I think it's hard for my friends to understand that I can't just "stop out" somewhere, especially if it involves water. Maybe I'm just lazy, but babies need SO much stuff, and it takes a lot of planning. Maybe if I was better at keeping the diaper bag stocked and prepared, but it seems like I'm very unproductive here.

So, really, really long story short: I'm still feeling my way through this depression. I don't know whether my current medication isn't working fully, or the things I am dealing with are just too much. I feel bad because I am not myself here, and have been extremely anti-social, which to be truthful I sort of am in a normal state anyway. But that just fuels the fire of how I'm feeling. I guess I just needed to put it all down on "paper", maybe just to justify it to myself. I don't dislike being here, and I certainly love being around my friends. I just am not myself, and cannot wait until my life can once again be restored with my husband, my home, and my TWO children. =) Thanks for listening.

$55 of Coupons from Nabisco

2009-07-02T13:46:00.000-07:00

Wordless Wednesday- Harrison & Grandpa

2009-07-01T15:24:00.000-07:00

Coupon Love

2009-06-29T14:35:00.000-07:00

So, this is my second post about buying coupons. Crazy, yes. A great money-saving tool? YES! I bought two Sunday papers once, but there aren't many that I would actually use two of. But what about those great coupons for things you LOVE and you would use 7 to stock up! Well, here's how you get them. mycouponhunter.com.

Here's an example of what you'll find:

$1.50/2 Dole Salad Blends exp 7/17/9

Our Price: $0.15

For example, I bought a few Lean Cuisine coupons from her, since I knew I would use more than one. The total price is similar to what you would spend on an extra paper, yet the coupons are more tailered to your needs, plus, no cutting! =) Happy Saving!

Baby Names

2009-06-24T15:46:00.000-07:00

Starting to think of baby names for Baby Price #2- I want some input! Background- Our last name is Price. I really like the name Rhys for a boy, but Rhys Price doesn't sound the best. Looks cool though. damn. Also, I'm looking for unique names, so some of these might be "too out there", I guess that's the main thing I want, for someone to tell me that a name is way too weird. The middle name is Lee, after Harold's stepfather, so keep that in mind. Our son's name is Harrison, which is just so perfect. Unique, yet classic, a way for Harold to name a child after him, and Harris is my maiden name. I seriously am starting to doubt we'll find another name as perfect! Well, here are some choices...

Boy

Reuben
Griffin, aka "Finn"
Kane
Beckett
Cohen
Cullen
Lincoln
Rohan
Graham
Calhoun
Bauer
Weston
Ryker
Brewer

Girl

Willa, aka "Willie" (my brother's name is Will, sort of after him)
Livia aka "Liv" or "Livvie Lee"
Reagan
Ariella
Olive aka "Liv" or "Livvie Lee"
Greta
Roma

AAH this is so hard. I didn't really have to do it the first time around- Harrison was his name from the very beginning. We talked about it on our first date =) None of these are like "the one" to me, so if you have any suggestions I would love to hear them! Thanks guys. Happy Naming!

Wordless Wednesday

2009-06-24T12:41:00.000-07:00

Free Parents Mag for 2 years!

2009-06-24T12:33:00.001-07:00

Just signed up... doesn't seem like a sham! You don't have to fill any information besides address and email. They say they will not send you a bill! Please don't bill me if they do =). It's worth a try, especially if you wouldn't mind paying for it anyway. Happy Parenting!

ps- There's a EA Sports Active giveaway! Be sure to enter. But not too many times, I want to win! =)

2009-06-22T21:38:00.000-07:00

HP's first trip to the beach! We had a blast- all my besties were there. He was not interested in the chilly Minnesota water though. Such a blessing to be able to experience firsts with your own baby- done it a million times with kids I have nannied for, but this is a whole new experience. Mommy loves you Harrison Gage!