MOM Reviews - WubbaNub

One of the things I hated the most when my older two kids were born were the constant falling pacifiers. They would fall onto the floor... lord only knows what has been on those dirty floors everywhere you go. Ewww! Or fall in the bottom of your diaper bag... that bottomless pit you put the whole baby room into.

Pacifiers used to be a pain to keep up with and not to mention the creative ways, you know we have all done, to clean them off before putting them back in baby's mouth. Come on, you know you have put those little biscuits in your mouth to clean it off when you have absolutely no other source nearby just so you could quiet those screams.

Thank you Schneider family for making these adorable little WubbaNubs! I first learned about these when I saw a friend of mine had a pink bear for her little girl. I was pregnant with Roman and immediately added them to my baby registry.  These are a must have for every mom.  They are so cute and they come in many animals and colors.  The part I really liked about these before I even used them, were the type of pacifier they designed these plush animals to attach to. The Soothie brand pacifiers that most hospitals use when baby is born. They are the best pacifiers and now even better!

Roman loves his WubbaNubs. He has a bear, frog and red dog. If he lets go of his pacifier from his mouth, the WubbaNub stays put. It does not roll away, and he can easily grab onto the little animal and put the pacifier in his mouth by himself. It is very easy to catch the plush animal if it starts to fall away, than to fumble around with just a pacifier in a juggling act.  LOVE, Love. love this product!  They are definitely worth the money.

MOM Reviews - Chicco Polly Magic Highchair

Yesterday, we went to Babies R Us and bought Roman a new high chair. Now that he is almost 5 months old, we started feeding him rice cereal and soon he will be trying out new foods and he needed a chair where he could enjoy his first foods.

I knew all along that I wanted to get a Chicco high chair. We had a Chicco Polly high chair for our other two kids and loved it. I especially loved the versatility of the chair with its different height positions and reclining capabilities. So, when we got there, I noticed this other Polly Magic high chair, also by Chicco, right next to the Polly high chair.
 
The difference...  the cost was only $10.00 more and the upholstery was different. The Chicco Polly chair is upholstered in vinyl while the Polly Magic chair is covered in a padded leatherette. I love the styling of the leatherette look, it blends in nicely with my current decor and is still easy to wipe clean with a wet cloth. All the rest of the features of the Polly and Polly Magic seem to be almost identical. So it really comes down to preference as to what fabric you prefer to have when choosing which Chicco high chair is best for you.

There is a removable top tray that snaps on and off easily for a quick clean without having to remove the entire tray.  Less bulky and you can instantly get the food mess away from baby without having to remove him from the chair.

The chair positions are a great feature for any age from infant on up to toddler.  I love this chair because I can feed Roman while he is sitting in the up position and then I can gently recline the seat back for him to take a quick rest. Just image if you had just finished eating a big meal, you could simply unbutton that top button on your pants and recline back... all in the same chair. Great for babies... dangerous for adults. HA! We wouldn't get anything done!

The wheels on the base of the chair are great features as well. They are wrapped with rubber tracks, so it is quiet and has some traction, so it does not go slip sliding around the floor. It glides beautifully on hard floors as well as carpet.

This is simply a dream high chair and definitely worth the money.  I wouldn't have any other chair.... just ask my husband. ;0)  Most of all... Roman really likes his new high chair. It is Magic in the making! Well done Chicco, you have outdone yourself with this high chair. 

For more features and information about the Chicco Polly Magic high chair, check out their website and videos...

Roman Numeral 4

I am a little behind on posting Roman's 4 month pictures. I can't believe he is 4 months old... almost 5 months. This kiddo is growing so fast and BIG! 

At his 4 month doctor appointment, he weighed in at 16 lbs and 25" long. He is already wearing 9-12 month clothing!

He drools in buckets and loves to giggle and smile.  His favorite thing to do... rolling!
 

That's our bug!
 

Oreo Truffle Eggs

I learned this yummy recipe from my SIL and thought I would make some Egg shaped oreo truffles for the kids teachers for their Easter Gifts.  They are sooo good, it is very difficult to refrain from eating any while you are making them.

What you need:
1 Package of Oreo Cookies
1 8 oz package of Philadelphia Cream Cheese
Bamboo Skewers or other kind of stick with a pointy end.
1 bag of Candy Melts in your choice of color
wax paper

What to do:
With a blender (I used my Kitchenaid), dump all the oreos and package of cream cheese into the bowl and beat, mix and blend until somewhat smooth.

Using a cookie scoop or spoon, scoop out balls of oreo mix onto wax paper lined pan. Be sure the pan you select will fit nicely into your freezer. Put the pan into the freezer for 2 hours.

Shape the frozen balls into egg shapes using a plastic bag. I used a gallon size ziplock bag so I could put my hand into the bag and form the egg shape without making a huge sticky mess.

Melt the Candy Melts following the directions on the package and put a stick in the bottom of the egg oreo and dip until completely covered.

Let the candy melts dry (hold them in the freezer for a few minutes) before laying them back down on the wax paper. Remove the stick. You can then re-dip the bottom to cover the hole.

You can "decorate" your eggs with different colored candy melts if you wish.

Cut an egg carton in half or leave hole for a larger gift. Using the small cupcake liners, line the inside of each of the egg holders.

Place your candy covered oreo truffles into the egg liners and tie the egg package with a bow.

 Enjoy and have a wonderful Easter!!!

THANK YOU!!!

This morning I received this yummy Cheryl's package from my book publisher, C&T Publishing / Stash Books.  The boxes were filled with Chocolate Chip, Oatmeal Raisin, Chocolate covered Pretzel Clusters, and Buttercream Cut-out Cookies... YUM!

It was my birthday this past Tuesday... 32 -  WOO HOO! I am loving my 30s. I am not sure why some people hate turning 30... I was actually looking forward to my 30s.

The kids even enjoyed their pick of cookie.

THANK YOU C&T!  We all love my birthday cookie package! 

No Joke.

What is that famous phrase? Desperate times call for drastic measures? I must be desperate for my kids to listen and follow my directions, because I have taken some drastic measures with them today.

I had it... I had reached my limit with the constant messy rooms even after I tell them to pick up, doing the complete opposite of what I ask them to do, the whiny complaints and never taking me serious. I am tired of telling them to always pick up their toys and hearing how tired they are to pick them up.

If you have kids, you know what I am talking about... it's frustrating!

Let me give you a little history on the situation...

If the kids don't pick up their toys (mind you.. this is after multiple warnings) then I get a trash bag out, and "throw away" any of the toys they failed to pick up. Paige quickly learned after the first time her toys were "thrown away" and started keeping her room clean. Matthew has not figured this out just yet. He has had many toys "thrown away" but he still had a room filled with toys so he did not seem to care.

I have to admit, Paige is a smart little girl. She figured out our system and started playing with Matthew's toys and in his room so when it was time to pick up in the evening... she would tell us "Those aren't my toys" so she didn't have to pick up.

Hmmm. Does she really think we are blind or stupid???  We caught on to her little scheme and told her "If you were playing with them, then you get to help him pick up his toys."

For those that are wondering if I actually throw them away.... no. I put them into a trash bag, take them to the garage, and then I filter through them and donate some of them. The remainder toys are kept out in the garage and they can "earn" the toys back on good behavior. Out of sight, out of mind.

Anyway... yesterday, I told Matthew he better pick up all his toys before he goes to bed, or I am throwing them all away.  Not just the toys on the floor, but ALL his toys.  So last night, he went to bed and his room was a MESS! I started picking them up to "throw away" and put them in piles so I could move them to the garage in the morning. It was late. I was tired. So I went to bed.

This morning, I woke up, walked into his room and his toys were dumped all over his floor. WHAT?! How does this happen in just minutes???  I had it! So I asked him, what was he thinking and why he made such a mess of his room. "Paige did it." REALLY??? Sure enough, Paige peeks into the room and a little quiet squeak comes out her mouth... sorry. "You did this?" I asked her.

That was it... "They are ALL mine!"  I packed up ALL their toys, every last little LEGO and Barbie shoe and moved them all into a big pile in the dining room. Oohhh. they were not happy. BUT, I told them exactly what would happen if they didn't pick up and they thought I was joking. It may be April Fools day, but this is no joke! The only toys they were able to keep are puzzles, board games, color books, and reading books. No more TV, toys, or movies. They are officially GROUNDED!

Now, maybe they will know that I am not playing around and will listen and follow directions. Ya think??