Monday Mom Post - Diapers That Tweet

Have you heard about these yet? Diapers that tweet!! Well...to be fair...it's not actually the diaper, but something Huggies developed called a TweetPee. A bird that clips to the diaper and alerts Mom, Dad, Grandma, or the nanny that the child is wet. How does it alert you? You guessed it! It sends you a tweet! To an app you download. Not only does this app monitor diaper moisture, but also inventory and keeps count of the average amount of diapers the baby uses.

Seriously? Seriously? Have we gotten so lazy that we can't get off our butts and check our babies ourselves? That smell didn't let you know? The sagging pants? We need a message to pop up on our phone or tablet saying "HEY YOU!!!! YEAH YOU!!!! Go change your kid!!!!!" Seriously? What is wrong with people?

I'm a normal person. Just as lazy as the next. But when my kids are in diapers, I check them every couple hours. If I smell something, guess what?? I even change them before those two hours are up! I don't need something to chirp at me and tell me my kid is wet. And does it only work on pee? How many pees? Just one? What if the pee is further down? What about poop? Does it tweet if the kid poops? Not to mention about having an electronic device "down there". What happens if these things actually catch on and in 20-30 years all these men are infertile or getting penile cancer? All just because Mom, Dad, Grandma, or the nanny was too lazy to get up and physically check baby's diaper.

Shaking my head.

The TweetPee is being tested in Brazil, so it's not being sold yet. Let's hope it stays that way.

http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-205_162-57583756/huggies-tweetpee-device-sends-tweet-when-baby-wets-diaper/

Monday Mom Post - Picking Up Kids Early

My middle schooler doesn't like one of her teachers. In fact, I don't like the teacher either. But having a teacher you don't get along with is part of life. It's 50 minutes out of the day that'll just have to suck. I keep explaining to her that it's something that will happen...whether it's this year, next year, or three years from now. Everyone is bound to get a teacher they don't really like.

Every day, my daughter comes home with a story about this teacher. Sometimes it's directly related to her, sometimes it's what the teacher did to someone else in the class. Only one time when the teacher took something away from my daughter - my daughter's fault, but the teacher wouldn't give it back - did I get involved. There were other times I wanted to get involved, but didn't. And there were other times I just rolled my eyes and said, "I understand you hate her, but you have to find a way to get through it."

I can't go calling the counselor for every little thing. Now, if it was a big issue, I would. If it was something that kept me up at night, I would insist on the school switching her teacher. There are other parents that feel the same. Many who have expressed to me their feelings about this teacher.

Today my daughter texted me asking to be picked up from school before the class. I felt bad, but I don't feel like I should go rescue her just because she doesn't like the teacher. She has to learn how to deal with it. But then I feel guilty. It sucks. If I go pick her up, it'll set a precedent that any time she doesn't like something or someone, I'll go get her. On the other hand, I don't want her to think I'm ignoring her.

So, parents, how do you handle situations like this? If your child calls or texts you asking to be picked up early, do you have rules as to when or why you will pick them up?

Bad Ideas - Monday Mom Post

One of my daughters got a towel bag as a present. That's what I call it because I have no idea what it is actually called. I thought it was a good idea at first...

It's a beach towel that folds itself into a bag with a strap. That way you can actually stuff your bathing suit and goggles (or whatever) into the bag and throw it over your shoulder. Cool. No extra bag to hold everything needed.

Until my daughter stashed it into her room for days...used it another time...stashed it in her room again...repeat, repeat, repeat. I found it one day, pulled the towel out, and was disgusted by the huge black mold spots. OMG! I asked her why she was continuing to use the towel and she said she thought it was dirt!!!! EW!!!! I tried bleaching the thing, but no luck, so it's gone on to a better place now.

This is just one of those ideas the inventor didn't think through. Many kids just don't think about things like mildew and mold. And I never realized it was missing out of the wash.

Signs In Your Yard - Monday Mom Post

There are people in the neighborhood that place signs in their yards with their children's names on them. Some even have a year or grade under their name. Most of them seem to be sports related. Maybe you've seen them? Maybe you have one? A giant baseball that says FRED 2012. So, now anybody going by your house knows that you have a son named Fred, that he's old enough to play baseball, and young enough not to care that you have his name on a sign in the front of the house.

What a magnet for a kidnapper! Seriously! Think about it. Some crazy guy (or gal) driving by sees that you have a son or daughter around the age they'd like. Now, they know the kid's name as well.

Smart. Really smart. Great advertising! Hey kidnapper! Yeah you!!! I've got a 7 year old boy who loves baseball. Come and get him! His name is Fred!!

You won't find one of those in front of our house. And I urge you to think about it before putting one in front of your house.

Life Is Good - Monday Mom Post

My daughter thinks she has it so bad. She doesn't. She has no idea how good she has it. And I have no idea how to prove it to her. Anytime I try to tell her about "way back when I was a kid", she shuts me out. I don't blame her. I did that to my parents too. Anytime I try to tell her about "other people", she shuts me out too. She doesn't care unless she's living it.

Kids these days have it easy and good. Remember the toys we used to play with in the 70s and 80s? Nothing like the stuff they have now. What about phones? Remember the rotary phones? Used to take a minute to dial a number, now we just push a preprogrammed name. Or use voice control.

My high school offered a handful of classes. Hers? An amazing selection of classes that touch on almost every career out there.

She has her own room, bathroom, TV, queen size bed, and so on. But, she appreciates none of it.

Sometimes I feel like moving to a farm and living off the land.

Baby News - Monday Mom Post

Okay, I'm late in this too. Our baby boy was born two weeks late. My midwife said I had to be induced a day or two before the two week overdue mark to be able to have the baby at the birthing center. So, I said okay. We left to go to the birthing center at 7am. My midwife broke my water at 8:45am. I didn't have any pitocin or IVs or any other method of induction.

My contractions weren't real regular. They were more intense than they had been for the past few weeks, but nowhere near intense enough for me to think they were doing much.

I was 3cm when I got there, 5cm by 2:30 when my midwife suggested I get into the Jacuzzi. I didn't think it would help, in fact, I thought the Jacuzzi would make me too relaxed. I stayed in the tub for an hour and fifteen minutes. When I got out, the contractions started coming harder and closer together.

Around 5pm, I got in the bed and found out I was almost completely dilated and just needed my body to push this baby out.

Luke was born soon after after a few pushes. He really is a boy and I am completely in love with him. He's almost always in my arms. I can't stand putting him down. I will get back to writing, but it might be a month or so. I am in the last stages of writing another book with Julia Crane. Once that is done, I hope to write a YA drama and have it out before the end of the year. But, it all depends on how I feel. This is our last baby and that is a very emotional feeling. I want to cherish every minute I have with him.



Me in the room I gave birth in. Look at that awesome blue room, with ocean pictures, a big bed, and a Jacuzzi. So much better than a hospital setting. I'm all for giving birth outside of the hospital if you're not high risk. We got home at 9pm. So, I was gone for a total of 14 hours (the birthing center was an hour away - so I was there for 12 hours - not bad at all!)

This is my little guy shortly after he arrived.

And here he is all cleaned up.

Little Bullies - Monday Mom Posts

Here it is, very close to midnight, and I wasn't sure what to write about today. I'm really trying to stay on track, but with midwife appointments and kids' schedules, things don't always go according to plan.

As you can tell, most of my posts are short, sweet, to the point. I don't drag on whining about something for paragraphs on end. This one will be the same.

I live on a street I swear should be on reality TV. Some of the women here are life-size Barbies. Drives me nuts! There's one on the street who I thought was going to be more normal when she moved in, but she turned out to be as much as a drama queen and witch as the rest of them.

Her son is 4 years old and one of the biggest bullies I have ever met. My kids aren't allowed to go near their house or their kids. One of the neighbors on the street that is a nice person has a little boy the same age and he wants so badly to play with another little boy. But, this little boy (we'll call him Little Bully) is horrible to him. He's hit him, bit him, called him names, told him to shut up and so on.

One time, Little Bully hit Nice Kid and Nice Kid told Little Bully's mom. Little Bully's mom told them to "fight it out". Another adult neighbor overheard this. She was mortified and got Nice Kid inside.

Just this past weekend, another nice neighbor had to ban this kid from her yard because he hit her 5-year-old daughter and told her to "shut up".

What are these parents thinking? Why in the world would you think it's okay for 4 and 5 year olds to "fight it out"? Why would you teach your child that?

If my child ever acted that way, I would put a stop to it immediately! And believe me, if something happens to my child because of this one, I won't hesitate to press charges or whatever is necessary.

Barbie Clothes - Monday Mom Post

My five-year-old brought me a half dressed Barbie. "Can you help me?" she asked.

"Help you what?" I asked eyeing the Barbie.

"Get her clothes on."

Hmmm...okay. Seemed like something a five-year-old should be able to do. I took the Barbie and tried to pull up her shorts, they didn't budge. I yanked and tugged for at least five minutes and was finally able to get Barbie's shorts over her hips.

Really? This is what we're teaching our daughters? That clothes should fit this tight. It's not like Barbie is fat. Why can't she have clothes that simply go on? Something easy enough for kids to do so they don't have to bother their parents for help in putting clothes on a doll. I never liked Barbies anyway, now I have another reason to add to the list.

Polly Pockets often have the same problem. Tight clothes that take forever to shimmy up their thin bodies.

Dressing a doll shouldn't be hard.

Squeaky Shoes - Monday Mom Post

Who's the genius that invented these?

They look like normal baby shoes, right???

Wrong.

They squeak when baby walks in them.

The first time I realized these shoes existed, I thought "Aw, cute." A friend had them on her 1 year old daughter. We were outside and she squeaked down the road. I actually said "what a neat idea". I thought about how you would know where your little one was at all times. Cute.

Then the 1 year old I babysit for showed up with a pair-at 7 o'clock in the morning. I opened the door and greeted her and her mother. She walked in. Squeak. Squeak...squeak...squeak...little faster then as she ran into the playroom. I cringed thinking about how much they echoed in my open floor plan and how my 1 year old-who was still sleeping-could probably hear them.

Within less than a minute, I sat the little girl down and took off her shoes. 7 o'clock in the morning is way too early for that kind of noise. 

The child I babysit for now has 2 pair of noisy, squeaky shoes and constantly shows up in them. It really got me thinking. Who invented these? They can't possibly have children. These are the most annoying shoes I have ever seen/heard.

I was wrong.

I've been to a few websites of people who make them, some actually make them for a reason, like their children are delayed in walking. But, now with the squeaky shoe, the child is delighted to hear the squeaks coming from their feet and tries to walk more. I suppose I could see the reasoning there...but they are still VERY annoying and I NEVER want a pair.

Hear that people planning my baby shower?? NO squeaky shoes!!! 

Where Are Grandpa's Feet?

Many parents don't want their kids exposed to death at an early age. I understand and respect that, but I feel that death is a part of life and kids should know about it. A lot of people asked me why I took my kids to my grandfather's wake and asked if I let the kids see him.

I think it's important for kids of any age to understand what dying is and to participate in the family events that happen when someone dies. Now, I don't necessarily mean a 1 or 2 year old. They are too young to understand. Although, I did bring my 2 year old and she kept pointing at Grandpa and saying, "Papa." I know she doesn't understand, however my 5 year old had some questions...

She wanted to know why Grandpa was so short and where his legs and feet were. This was something I didn't think about preparing her for. It was really cute how she wanted to know where the rest of him was. I explained to her that he was all there...legs, feet, toes and all...they are just underneath the top of the coffin. She wasn't so sure about that answer. I don't know why she didn't believe me.

At the end, she was asking my mom about it again and the funeral director was there. She offered to open the bottom part of the casket so my daughter could see. They lifted it up enough so she could see that he had legs and feet under there and boy was she relieved when she saw that he was wearing SOCKS. Guess she thought maybe his feet would get cold?

She also wanted to touch his skin and his hair. Nobody had a problem with this. She was just curious. She had some other questions and hopefully we answered them well enough for her. I really do think it was important for her to go and see him and even experience the sadness that people showed. Although, I'm sure she enjoyed the huge family dinner and ice cream bar afterwards.

Death is part of life.

Retail Stores and Phone Numbers

We teach our children not to give out things like name, address, phone numbers to strangers. The other day, my 10-year-old daughter wanted to buy a present for her friend at Justice. She picked it out and went up to the counter to pay. The cashier asked for her phone number, my daughter told her no. The cashier then looks at me (I was standing a few feet behind her) and asks for the phone number.

I said, "She's a kid."

Cashier said, "Well, she's with you, right?"

I replied, "She's the one buying the item."

Cashier starts getting nasty. "Don't you have a home phone?"

I was getting irritated at this point. "She's a kid. She's buying this with her own money. She knows not to give out this kind of information to strangers. You should respect that."

We glare at each other for a minute and she finally loudly types something into the computer/register thing and rings up the purchase.

The funny part of this is I usually give my phone number to kids' places like Justice so I get the coupons. But, this lady had me so irritated, there was NO WAY I was going to give it to her at that point. My mother who was also shopping with us and waiting behind us to make her purchases NEVER gives out her number. She just tells them no. I always roll my eyes at her when she does this. If I'm with her and it's a place I like, I'll give them my number...but this...this was principle. The cashier never should have gotten nasty over the fact that a CHILD was protecting herself like she was taught.

So, when my mother went to pay, the cashier looked at her and said, "I suppose you don't have a home phone either."

My mother said, "No, I live out of state."

Cashier growled and punched something into the computer/register again.

So, WHY do they need it so bad? Do they get paid a commission for how many phone numbers they get? What if you don't have a home phone? Just a cell phone? Do they get an address for you from that to send coupons to? If they call your cell phone, they might use some of your minutes. I don't want random texts from some store. (Yes, I do have unlimited texting and I haven't ever gone over my minutes, but ya never know, it could happen.)

Shouldn't these stores teach their employees not to harass children for a number? And to respect anyone who doesn't want to give out their number?

Our Elf VS. Everyone Else's Elves

A few years ago, one of my daughters came home talking about an elf.

Who knew my life was about to change?

"What elf?" I asked.

"An elf on a shelf. He comes to your house and watches you and then reports to Santa."

Hmmmm. Could be blackmail... I could hear myself threatening, "Better be good. The elf is watching and will let Santa know how you're acting."

But, the price was a bit high. $30 for a measly looking elf and a book. Really? $30?? Grandma to the rescue!

And then, Krispie, the elf was at our house. The first year was fun.

The second year not so much.

This year...sigh. Is there anywhere the elf hasn't hidden?

First, why didn't they make this elf posable? He has to be the cheapest made thing I have ever seen. Imagine the possibilities if he was posable? Or had velcro on his hands and feet? But, no, he's very boring. And other than having a skirt for sale NOW, all elves are the same.

Then came the time last year where the elf didn't go back to the North Pole one night. He was in the same place the next morning. Kids were devastated. Did someone touch him? Was their behavior that bad? Was it that good? Why, oh why, didn't Krispie go back to the North Pole? (Mom really felt horrible that day! But, it had poured all night, so she told them that maybe Krispie didn't want to fly in the rain.)

Now, you have to understand that we have a variety of ages in our household. Our daughters range from 14 to 1. The 1 year old does not understand that you cannot touch Krispie, therefore he cannot be low enough for said 1 year old to reach. This limits things. There just aren't enough hiding places in the main rooms. Why doesn't the elf hide in the kids' rooms? Well, this would cause a fight. "Why is Krispie in HER room? Why isn't he in MINE?" Nope. Not happening. Not with 5 kids - although I doubt the oldest and youngest would complain. That still leaves 3 whining about it all day.

So, Krispie is stuck showing up in the game room, living room, kitchen, dining room, and study. And well, I'm not a very fancy person, so we don't have lots of great places for him to hide. And again, he's not posable, so that limits things too.

I decided that Krispie should come a little later this year. Maybe not Thanksgiving weekend, but a week or two later. That way, he didn't have to think of as many places to be.

You would have thought the world ended!

EVERYBODY else's elf came that weekend!!! And by everybody, I do mean everybody. It seems that every household with children under the age of 10 has at least 1 elf, maybe even 2. (One for each kid, I was told. Could you imagine if 5 elves were in this house?)

So, Krispie showed up a few days later. And the kids' were relieved! We read the book. We watched the new TV show.

But, now, I have to hear about everyone else's elf getting creative, or getting into mischief (where in the book did it talk about elves having bad behavior??? Maybe they should be reported to Santa?? Isn't the whole point of having an elf so that the child's behavior gets reported to Santa? Wouldn't a naughty elf encourage naughty behavior? It must be okay to make a mess, the elf does!). One floats on a raft in the pool. One bakes. One does this, one does that. I admit I'm boring. I can write books, but figure out what do do with an elf? Nah. Then I see pictures or read about what to do with your elf...flour? feathers? MESSES? Um...no. I have FIVE kids, a husband, 2 dogs, a house, and I'm pregnant and you want me to make a mess just to have to clean it up? No.

But, so and so's elf does.

One day, I caught them leaving notes for Krispie asking him to color a picture or write a letter. I put a stop to that. Krispie doesn't have time to draw pictures or write letters. He has to FLY to the North Pole and back every night! Sheesh!!!

But, so and so's elf writes them notes.

UGH!!!!!!! The elf on the shelf used to be fun. I can only hope it'll be fun again, because right now, I'm so not feeling it.