Two Posts Today - Just call me an overachiever

Auntie L came over this week to make a gingerbread house with J. Perhaps to make up for teaching J the pete and repeat joke? Anyway, J saw the box and said "this is going to be a masterpiece." Two minutes later I was reading the back of the Williams Sonoma box and it said something like "create a masterpiece with your children." Did she read the word masterpiece from the box? Unlikely, but still a weird coincidence. I never heard her use that word before.

The construction begins


And then J went to put on a gum drop in an overloaded spot, so I said that that place was full and she could eat it. She does, then promptly picks up another, informs me that there is no room for it on the house and that she better eat it...slick little boo.


Here is the finished product vs. how it was supposed to look. I guess this is what you get when you subcontract out the work....

Parenting Mu-Galto Style: Products

Continuing on my last post while pictures of gingerbread houses and snow upload, here is a list of products that I found useful when J was a little boo. Again, I am by no means an expert, but my mom was out of control in terms of purchasing stuff for J. Oh and I have no idea why these things are good in terms of actual development studies or other uber parent information sources, they just were good for us. If you click on the link, it takes you to a place to buy. Just for convenience, I am not getting a cut from Target or anything. So here we go....

1. Munchkin Bottle warmer - this thing was just handy to heat up a bottle without making it too hot and without overheating the nipple. Yup, I said nipple.


2. Microwave Bottle Sterilizer - sterilizing bottles is a pain in the arse. Cleaning them too. The microwave bottle sterilizer was quite handy, just some water at the bottom and a few minutes in the microwave and presto - done. Does it actually work in terms of sterilizing? Who knows...but it let me check off "sterilize bottles" without much work, so sold.


3. Froggy Prison - this thing is great because you can put the kid in it and do things like eat, deal with partners who have your cell number, and brush your teeth. I probably put J in it when she was a bit too young and she barely could get her arms up and out of it. Hence the name froggy prison. See below, that is a young J.



4. Taggie Blanket - I don't know what it is about tags, but babies and toddlers love to rub them. When J was about 10 months, this blanket was important in the quest to get her to sleep. She still takes it to bed. I refuse to let her take it out of the house for fear of it turning into a "blankie." Um, I totally had a blankie btw.


5. Columbia Diaper Bag Backpack - I know, I know. This doesn't fit in with my designer handbag collection. And there are so many other cute diaper bags, kate spade, coach, LV make them. But this one is the best. Remember school? How a backpack freed up both hands to do stuff and didn't slip off your shoulder? That is a hundred times more important when trying to deal with a baby. This is roomy, comes with a changing pad, and has a hot/cold pocket for a warm bottle or a chilled bottle. It is awesome for traveling, etc. Go ahead an buy an expensive nice bag, but drop the $45 for this one too.



6. Aaarrrrgghhhh Spider! - I don't know what it is about this book, but J LOVED it. We read it all the time and I think it helped her start to recognize letters. Someone gave it to us, so props to that person (sorry I don't remember who!)

7. Hedgehog chew thing - Jillian loved this guy. We had multiple hedgehogs in case of loss. Google has failed me in terms of a site where you can buy it.

8. Breathable Crib Bumper - J rolled all around and got her sausage legs stuck in her crib on a regular basis. Of course, I was told I could not use the very expensive cute bumper I bought, so this ugly, but cheap and functional one would have to do.

9. A grandpa who is a baby hog - as far as I know, these are not available in stores.


I am sure there are more I don't remember. But I would like to give a shout out to today's inspiration - Ms. E aka "the Pipster" the new arrival in the jbux household. She is adorable, may grow up to have a British accent, and I can't wait to meet her! (JB let me know if you want this down...she is so cute, I couldn't help it!)

Parenting 101 Mu-galto style

I was checking out bizarley's blog while eating some lunch today, and it looks like she made her first foray into shopping for the bun that is in her oven. This inspired me to share some of the parenting tips I have learned over the years. Keep in mind, NONE of these are from books, a few are from fellow parents, and I am generally too lazy to consider things like safety, etc. (I mean I try to keep J safe, but instead of baby proofing I just told her not to do stuff and she listened). Here we go:

1. Do not buy a Combi Stroller - they suck.

2. You do not need the Bugaboo unless you have a need to compete with other parents in terms of stuff. It is $900 and the bassennet part doesn't fold. Difficult to get into the car.

3. Of all the strollers I have purchased - which is 4 - I like the Bob jogging stroller the best for the city, and my free babies r us umbrella stroller for travel.

4. Purchase a baby bjorn (I never figured out any of the slings). With the baby bjorn, do not feel weird taking your baby to happy hour. Once the child is older, still take him or her to happy hour, just order him or her a cheese plate or chips. Ask them to substitute anything for the stinky cheese.

5. Chuck E Cheese is not a bad deal if you go at off times. They open at 9am and no one is there. $10 bucks of tokens buys you an hour and a half of "fun."

6. Ikea - seriously, take the kid there, run around, grap chicken nuggets, and it is a good day. (credit to St. Scobie)

7. Put the wii on one player but give the kid the second paddle. Then you can play against the computer but the kid will think he or she is playing.

8. Take everything that grandparents give you. Kids are $$$$.

9. Of all the stupid things I had, I actually liked the wipe warmer.

10. Bring the diaper bag everywhere. If you think oh, I will just through a diaper in my purse and go, something will go horribly wrong and you will wish you had the diaper bag.

11. When traveling ask for a bulk head seat (assuming you are not in first class). These are the ones right at the front with no seat in front of them. The airlines will usually give them to someone traveling with a child in his or her lap and this way no one can put their seat back and bonk your baby.

12. When the kid is about 1.5 get him or her a small stroller to push. They will love it.

13. Just give in to the Disney. It is going to happen.

14. Also get used to the fact that you can no longer pull the car over and pop in to get coffee or return a video or something. The baby is in the car.

15. You can spend lots of money on toys and the kid will want to play with a box.

16. Cheap stuff is fine - I recommend the target onesies that zip up. They are easier than messing with buttons and I gar-un-tee you won't mind throwing one or two out after a poo-splosion.

I am sure I have more and will update. Good luck to everyone who has recently had a baby or will in the near future! I want to come meet all these new little people.

So November was apparently blogging month...

I guess I missed it for the most part. Sorry for the absence. Just alot going on - San Francisco for Thanksgiving, work going bananas, medicine that literally makes me a zombie, and X be an a-hole.

Anyway, I promise to write something entertaining, or at least something that makes an attempt at being entertaining, soon. Right now I am watching the biggest loser finale and then on MTV a new show that follows some of the girls from "16 and Pregnant." Needless to say, I cannot miss that.

In the meantime, here is a picture of J that I debated posting for a long time. If it is out of line, please let me know. But I don't need to know if you think I should have a mail order bride, anonymous spam commenter. The story behind it is that she has balsamic vinegar on her upper lip. When I make a salad to take for lunch, J likes to smell all the ingredients. It actually is hilarious, she wrinkles her nose and is all dramatic. Well today she got alittle too close to the balsamic vinegar bottle. And this was the result. And I am not posting this picture because I find the resemblance to a certain evil doer funny. Just because she looks ridiculous, and I thought like Charlie Chaplin until I took a second look. So please no one take offense. Or do, and let me know and it will come down.

Ok, after all of that, I am not going to post it.