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As we were roaming through the store this morning on our errands, I stopped to check the Infants and Toddlers section.  It has been a while.  We’ve been recovering from Christmas and preparing to move, so I’ve steered clear, as I have a shopping addiction when it comes to kid clothes.  My cart just drove right in there though, I swear, I don’t know how it happened.

I’ve mentioned in the past that I’m drawn to cute little monsters for some reason.  Like the Manhattan Toy monsters.  And this cute Target kids monster bedding set.  Caleb however, couldn’t care a thing in the world about monsters, as I might have mentioned in the past, it is all about wheels for him.  So I spotted a compromise.  This absolutely adorable jacket!

I think the cuteness balances out the fact that it is a white jacket for a toddler.  It sort of reminds me of Dr. Seuss in a way.

And it is from…you ready for this…Walmart!

Obviously other people must have really liked it also because they only had two left, a 12-18 month and a 3t.  I had to force myself to put it back because Caleb is just about out of 3t, it didn’t make sense to buy it.  So what to do, what to do.  I know!  Send hubby to the next closest Walmart on his way home from work.  They had ONE left, a 5t, so now we have plenty of growing room (I think the Walmart brand tends to run small too).  And it was $7.50.  It’s the little things that make me stupid happy!

Tell me what you think, is this a cop out for a “birthday gift?”

As you know, we have an impending move, hopefully before Caleb’s birthday.  I’ve been mulling over what we could get him for his birthday.  It always seems like Christmas and his birthday are back to back, despite there being three months in between.  So I was thinking for his “big” gift, we could do his bedroom.  My mom bought a set of bunkbeds for his room from a friend with an older child who had outgrown them.  They are currently sitting in the bedroom dissembled (due to the impending move).  Caleb is very excited to have them put together.  I suddenly realized we’ll need linens for two beds though.  I like his current set (and it is still available at Target – a kids Woolrich camping set), but I was thinking of switching to a car themed set.  I suppose there is no explanation needed there.  We could do it the night before his birthday (letting him sleep in our bed that night) and “wrap” the bedroom door with paper and a ribbon or something.  I was thinking of carrying the theme to the bathroom and doing the same thing there.  Anyway, here’s the adorable theme I found.  I think he would freak out if he wasn’t expecting it.  This stuff is from Target by the way!

HAVE TO HAVE IT:

I wanted to do the quilt on one bunk…

…and the comforter on the other.  Because I couldn’t decide which was cuter, we could switch for some variety!

The sheets are so adorable!

THE WATER IS GETTING DEEP:

What color curtains would go with this?  Light tan?  I feel like there’s enough blue already!

Even a little car bank

The lamp has a stop sign pull chain

This is the kids bedding throw pillow:

And this is the toddler set throw pillow:

Dumping the trash!

BUT I CAN STILL TOUCH THOUGH:

Cute, cute, CUTE shower curtain!

NEVERMIND, GONE OFF THE DEEP END:

4X4 toothbrush holder

Umm…Herbie soap dispenser?!

Even the shower curtain rings are precious (Can you tell I’m super excited about this?!)

Lotion dispenser?  Don’t need it, just think it is adorable too!

I can find some use for this right?

These are very cute, but probably an unjustified cost (or overdoing it perhaps?)

I LOVE this shelf that actually goes with a different baby bedding set.

DRIFTING OUT TO SEA, BON VOYAGE:

And this dog blanket (doesn’t match the theme at all), I just had to throw it in here because it is so dog-gone cute!

Road rug

Adorable storage stool (Don’t stand on that!  It’s too cute!)

Wall stickers of vintage airplanes

A light switch plate to go with the nearby shelf.

UP NEXT WE HAVE BREAKING NEWS: A DAYDREAMING MOTHER IS LOST AT SEA.

Seriously, I think Kmart must have hired some fresh faces in their toddler clothing design department.  I have really been lucking up there lately!  And best of all, they are cheap, cheap cheap!  They had gotten in several Christmas things recently (as well as popped up all their fake trees in a different part of the store).

I just had to get this one, because my friend Amber has said this exact thing about Caleb before.  Seems she should have trademarked it!

There was another cute red hoodie long sleeve tshirt that said “Dear Santa, I can explain…”

Have a seat, let’s chat. So tell me, what kind of hairdryer do you use? I only ask because I seem to go through them like toilet paper. I remember my first hairdryer. I had old faithful for a loooong time. Don’t know what brand she was. Then mom got me this really ultra quiet one that lasted about two years. I then went through two of the exact same hairdryer that my suitemate in college introduced me to. They overheated and shot blue sparks out at my head. I dropped a few here and there. Now my current hairdryer is cutting on and off at random, even when it is switched on. It also shot blue sparks at me, but they came from the cord area where it connects to the bottom of the hairdryer! Now that’s a new one!

Bottom line, I have no luck with them. I’m wondering if I should just bite the bullet on one of those super nice ones. You know, the ones you have to buy at Sally’s Beauty Supply instead of aisle seven at Target. But I don’t want to drop a bunch of cash on one to have it last no longer than my $30 ones. In other words, I need something durable. Like I said, I seem to make a habit of dropping them (usually on my toe). My hair is fast approaching the crack of my ass and looks just like Jessica Simpson’s in Dukes of Hazzard is stick straight and has split end starting just above my ears. To add insult to injury, I flat iron the hell out of it right after a 15 minute blow dry. It makes it nice and shiny so you barely notice all the split ends and flyaways. Because of all of these fuzzies, I do need something with a cool button/switch. I just don’t go to the beach often cause let me just say YIKES. I’m trying to grow it out a bit longer so I can hack 10 inches off for Locks of Love and still have “long” hair by a hairdresser’s standard (a few inches blow my shoulders).

So now that you’re through the maze of bad jokes, any suggestions for #744?

Watch out, keep me away from the Christmas list. I think I’ll just put these on the to-get list instead. I’m not sure why I had never really checked these out, as I’ve seen them a millions times in online stores, and I’ve seen the boxes in a local store, but just didn’t even look at it. I didn’t realize they came apart, but I could see this being a long last toy. And now they make cute little minis!

This cool looking sportscar will not be available until after the new year, but it is available on preorder.

Interchangeable parts teaching shapes, colors, categorizing, etc enhancing play value.

(Click the picture to read about the learning benefits)

One of the 6 [large] cars available right now.  There is also a Automoblox Mini’s line.

I’ve been scouring the internet for gift ideas. As you can imagine, I came up with way more than enough. So I’ve created a list at wishlist.com to keep track of some of them for later purchase/birthday ideas, etc. I don’t think I could ever bring myself to use the wishlist service for something like a birthday or Christmas, but it would certainly be helpful for weddings, baby showers, etc. I’m just using it to keep track of neat products that I find online so that I don’t clog up my bookmarks.

1. Castle Blocks – I think these are amazing. This wasn’t one I found myself, I had a little help from Chris’s Holiday Gift Guide over at In the Trenches of Motherhood (aka Notes from the Trenches). These blocks look amazing. Be sure to read about how the ‘blocksmith’ started his business. Certainly a different take on your average wooden blocks. They look to be excellent quality. I am quite anxious to try them out, and I would love to take advantage of a holiday sale. This would be a good one to go in together with the grandparents!

2. Memory Game: I’m not even sure what I love about this one so much. It looks simple, long lasting and well made, for a nice price. Memory is a classic game that is good for all ages, so this would grow with your child, provided you are diligent about keeping up with the pieces. If not, it certainly isn’t a terrible budget strain to replace it. The shapes do look pretty small though, so watch out for the younger members of the family. You can always start out with 3-4 pairs and leave part of the board empty for the younger players.

3. Car Cake Pans: I must give credit for this find to my mom. She called to ask me if I though Caleb might like something like this for a gift. Would he like it? WOULD HE LIKE IT?? Let’s see, he loves to kitchen. He drags a kitchen chair across the room and positions it on my foot so that he can climb up and help. The mega bonus is that the cakes are little car shapes, they are absolutely precious. I already have birthday ideas whirling through my head. Wouldn’t that make a neat center piece. A long straight road running the length of the table with car cakes for each party goer. It could also be an EXCELLENT birthday party activity for kids a little older than mine. If you’re the organized type, you can set up a decorating station for each child, give them their vehicle, a paint brush for the icing (glue), and several pieces of candy for decorations, have the sprinkles lined up down the table. Kids would eat that up, literally!

4. Haba Boat Swing: I have drooled over seen this before. It is quite expensive, but doesn’t it just make you smile to look at it! Love the colors. I have always loved the concept of an indoor swing. Hey it could even double as a bassinet when the next baby comes along! I’M JOKING! Don’t try that! Especially when the older sibling has been soaring around the room like Peter Pan in the thing for a year.

5. Aqua Play Set: This is just a neat concept to me. I’ve seen a similar thing made by Brio a while back, but I can’t find it now. Again, steep price, but there are different sets you can get, this of course being the most complete/expensive. Looks like it would made a good summer toy for those days when you need to get the kid out of the house, but once you do it is too hot to move outside. Set it in the shade and let them play. It looks like it might be time consuming to set up though(?)

6. Colorforms: Yes the same colorforms that were around when you were a child. They seem to be pretty timeless as well. Encourages pattern play and creativity. Look around, you might find a better price, but I just happened to see them here.

7. Lacing Tree: Need to brush up on your hand eye coordination. This looks like a cute version of a lacing activity. A little more clever than some I’ve seen where you just outline a picture that is already there. Here you can actually make decisions about which animals should go where. Waiting room activity anyone?

8. Mazes(click pictures for links): I think I’ve seen the first one (or a similar one) at Target. “Drive” the different vehicles around to their appropriate buildings/homes. Very cute also. Requires some thinking for how to get each vehicle to the correct spot and move others out of the way. The bead maze has two pens, so siblings/friends can share. Again, hand eye coordination. Both of these are self contained, so they would make excellent toys on the go (for waiting rooms, airport terminals, etc)

Go to payless right now! They are having a 50% off sale, these shoes are $9.99 a piece. I know, that might seem like a lot to pay for a pair of slippers, but HOW freakin cute are they?!?! I think that is a good deal for the little Airwalks though.

We met a lady and her son at the park this morning. Jack was just a month and half younger than Caleb. I scored a kick ass stroller from her for a great price. This thing is sharp! It is an Inglesina Zippy (which is a near carbon copy of a Peg Perego Pliko P3). It is black and gray, so it will work later, regardless of the sex of a future kiddo (oh no, no…don’t even go there…not yet people, I just have a stroller obsession). It is a little on the heavy side, but it folds like an umbrella stroller. I don’t have any reason to need a super light weight stroller, so it’s all good. Caleb seems to really like it. As a matter of fact, he’s sitting in it right now watching the end of Cars. It feels really comfortable. So out with the Graco and Combi, enter Inglesina! You wanna hear something sad? I have owned 7, yes seven strollers for my one child. But I think this baby (the stroller) will be sticking around. It is a full features, super nice stroller, pushes well, folds compact, huge canopy. It can even take a bassinet/carrycot made by Inglesina for a newborn. I just don’t think I can bring myself to pay more for the carrycot, than I paid for the stroller!! Like I said, I got an awesome deal, nearly $200 less than retail for a stroller that came new in the box! And the carrycot is an additional $179!! I wanted our next little one to be able to face me when being pushed, but I guess we’ll have to settle on the travel system feature with an infant seat.

Anyway, the kiddos just had a blast this morning. We met at the closest park, only about four minutes from our house. There was a camp there, with two busloads of kids. But they weren’t playground age kids, most of them were teenagers! So a few of them were running around like mad people, being all rough. Others were sitting in large groups on the play equipment. Caleb was scared of them, you know, a bunch of staring teenagers can make a little guy uncomfortable! One guy had tattoos! So you know he was probably at least 18! He was laying down on the toddler play equipment (think 6′4″ basketball player type). Kelly (the mom I met) and her little boy Jack were up on the bridge, and some bigger kids came barreling across without showing any concern for the petrified 2 year old. You know, one of those hinged bridges that shifts when you step on it? And Kelly was on the other side of the bridge, so Jack just had to hang on for dear life. We looked at each other and said at almost the same time, “Let’s go!” I said I hated for the kids to not be able to play, so I showed her the way to another park that rarely has anyone there. So the boys were able to play hard, and have a blast, and I got to interact with an adult!!! So it was nice.

Caleb has upgraded his tantrums to a Category 5. Ya know…like hurricane ratings…only tantrum ratings. I swear. Can it get much worse? He holds his fists up like he’s about to fight, but he just shakes his entire body, including his tightly clenched hands, and turns bright red while screaming. Then he just flailed all over the kitchen floor screaming and kicking, looking quite similar to a fish out of the water. I removed him from the floor and put him on his bed. He proceeded to just beat up the pillows and worm all through the covers. Quietly though. I think I saw a little steam coming up from beneath the pillows where his head was buried. I let him get it out of the system, and waited on the sea of pillows to calm, and then asked if he’d like to read a book. “Uh Huh!” And he jumped in my lap like nothing had even happened, happy as a lark! The cause of all the drama? A truck that wouldn’t fit inside another truck. Yeah.

PS one fish down, one to go. And yes I do mean down the porcelain cemetery.

I found this crazy awesome store. If I did indeed have a million dollars, I would certainly shop there.

 

Luckily they have the…

 

because otherwise, I wouldn’t be able to afford this $1780.00 crib. Whew. Thank God for price matching.

~~~

Rest assured, after enduring one child that has never slept well, our second baby will be sleeping in an Amby Motion Bed from day 1. I will even fight tooth and nail to use it in the hospital.

See how this new mom and baby are well rested. You can tell by the twinkles. Yep. I want that.

I sold our crib for $100 bucks shortly after the little man turned 1. He slept in it 4 months. It was expensive too. Like the Modern Nursery one above. Give or take $1500. Okay, you got me. It was $300. In hindsight, I’m quite glad it wasn’t too expensive and it was a gift too.

~~~

I’m really loving some of these strollers. Why didn’t I know these existed when I bought strollers for Caleb. Yes I said strollers. With an “S”. Because I was referring to all five of them.

This is a Bumbleride Queen B. I like this stroller. I love this stroller. I can just feel the stroller envy moms looking at it. I’m one of those moms. I’m always checking out everyone’s stroller. Men have cars. Women? Strollers. I like the fabric and the pram style that still maintains steering ability. The basket is a little poopy (pram like though). I would rather have canvas/fabric/whatever the stroller material is. But I’m willing to look past the basket, and on to the huge canopy, big rubber, air-filled, removable(!) tires, forward facing or parent facing seat, and adjustable handle bar.

Then there’s the Orbit Baby stroller & infant seat. This thing is just wicked. If you need proof, watch their video. See if you aren’t bobbing your head, tapping your foot, and/or snapping your fingers to the music by the end. You might even be saying, I’ve got to have that. Until you look at the price tag. Wowzers. But it is still really cool right?!

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