Mom Blog and Baby Blog | Baby Bunching

baby bunching bests

Happy Friday and Happy Halloween! Don't forget the Baby Bunching photo contest on Facebook. We'll give you until Sunday (oooooo....an extension!) so you can upload Halloween photos. We're sure 99% of you will take photos on Saturday night, but know only 30% of you actually ever upload them to your computer. Here is your incentive and then you can shoot them to grandma as well!

Emily over at Powell Power takes some time to answer questions from her readers about her life/day with the kids. We enjoyed the read. Also, check out their Halloween costumesfor this year. Cute! It should be required that us Bunchers can coordinate costumes.

Super Ninja Mommy over at Two Under Two just had her fifth baby (other kids are 8, 5, 2, 1 and now a new baby boy!). She gives all the details of this birth. Check it out.

Kristen over at Motherhood Uncensored certainly can see the silver lining in soap and toilet paper all over the bathroom.

Amalah overs some Advice Smackdown over at AlphaMom about baby spacing. C'mon ladies. Go chime in over there.  

product review: Thermos Intak water bottle (with bonus water recipe)

I recently stumbled upon a product I love so much that I just had to share it with you girls.  I am a huge water drinker, and I try to go the reusable bottle route if at all possible to avoid generating waste associated with plastic bottles.  Back in August I had surgery, and Linda was so sweet to send me a care package with goodies such as comfy jammies, trashy celebrity magazines, and this awesome water bottle. 

Seriously, I must have 10 different kinds of water bottles in my cupboard - all of which I used on a rotational basis, including the huge insulated thermos mugs with straws that I got from the hospital when I delivered each of my babies.  In fact, when I had my surgery, I was thrilled to come out of anesthesia to discover that you don't have to be in the maternity ward to get one of these babies - I was able to round out my hospital mug collection without even reproducing again! 

But little did I know that my new Thermos Intak from Lindy would be my new go-to water bottle.  What I love about it is that it has a screw top lid, but a sturdy little plastic straw the pops up so you can sip instead of gulp. Somewhere along the line when I was sick, a doctor recommended to me that I sip water through a straw instead of drinking it out of a glass, claiming that people tend to ingest more water this way (and I have found it to be true for me personally). The bottle comes in 16 and 24 ounce sizes, is dishwasher safe and BPA-free, and I have yet to have a leaking problem with it.  This is a great little bottle for Baby Bunchers because we all know how important adequate water intake is for nursing and staying healthy!

As a bonus, I wanted to share with you my new favorite water recipe. Yes, you read that right - water recipe. Cut up a few orange and lemon slices and toss them in a pitcher of water with some sprigs of mint and a few cranberries. I discovered this when I went to Blogalicious a few weeks ago and I have become addicted. This refreshing combination perks up regular old water and looks festive for entertaining, but is easy enough to make to spice up water drinking on a daily basis.  Cheers!

In light of the upcoming flu season, water intake is more important than ever, and this was one of my biggest challenges as a Baby Buncher (no time to eat, no time to drink, no time to pee, etc.). If you've got any time-tested secrets for making sure you get enough water, do share!

when sick finds you

I'm following up from Cara's post yesterday on H1N1. She and I differ greatly on vaccines so we're not going to discuss the pros and cons of it. And since we're not medical doctors (nor do we play ones on TV--read our biosif you want to find out what we pretend to be in the afterhours), we're just going to give you some food for thought.....this is not advice (Read: AAP don't come get me!)

I don't care how you slice and dice it. If you're reading this blog, chances are you have more than one young kid. Chances are you are pregnant, too. Chances are your kids are under the age of 3. Flu shot or no flu shot, chances are sickness in some form or fashion will wiggle its evil head into your home. Your job is to be prepared. We're preparing you now. Your kids will get sick. Kids stick fingers up their nose, rub dirty counters, lick stair railings and suck their thumbs, sometimes in that order, so just accept it.

So now that you know that someone will have croup, flu, ear infection, stomach virus, strep throat, upper respiratory infection (which means no drugs), or any other combination of fun things, we're going to set you up with a few fun suggestions.

Your main goal should be to keep YOU well. Because when Mama is sick, the whole house falls apart. It's like the whole oxygen mask on the airplane theory. Put your mask on first then help those around you. This may seem like an impossible feat, but put some extra energy into hand washing your own hands. Take your vitamin C and some extra garlic pills. (Garlic has antiviral properties that actually can help fight flu and viruses. Score!) Most importantly, sleep. When you put the kids to bed, you head to bed at a decent hour.

Stock up on on over-the-counter meds. Nothing is worse than having a kid with a 102-fever at 2 a.m. and finding no Motrin in the house. Take stock on what you have, what's expired and what you need. This includes Pedialyte.

Also, don't forget to stock up on yummies for you and the kids. Online grocery services like Peapod are running free delivery for 60 days with your first order. So now you don't even have to leave you house with your kids, which makes it easier to relax and get well--any and all of you. Amazing what a few lollipops and popsicles will do to cheer everyone's spirits.

Get your bag of tricks ready. This means have a few "rainy day" activities for sick days--movies, cheap toys, new books, coloring books, fresh PlayDoh or pull some out of the mix now to reintroduce later. One of the occupational hazards with Baby Bunching and illness is that almost never are both kids sick together, but they almost will always be back-to-back. So it's possible (and probable) that as one gets over the sick, the next one gets it. Managing a well kid with a sick one can be difficult and it's hard to ask friends to take in the well one when chances are they are germ infested as well. Get creative and just realize this too shall pass.

A walk can do wonders. A chance of scenery or fresh air really can lighten the mood. If your kids don't have fever, bundle them up and take them for a walk in the stroller. It's a great way for exercise for you, fresh air for them and the well one (especially if he's the walker) can run off some steam.

Most importantly, stay calm. Sick sucks so use it as an excuse to say no to obligations, cuddle up with the kids, watch family movies, drink tea and relax.

H1N1: to stick or not to stick?

Anyone who wants to feel better about their day should check out my post last week about the joys of getting flu shots with all three kids.  Unless, of course, you are scheduled to get flu shots with your Bunch today, then you should probably skip it.

With all the controversy about vaccinations in general and even more controversy because of the unknowns associated with H1N1, we're curious as to where y'all fall in the in the flu shot or no flu shot debate.  Linda and I frequently find ourselves in opposite camps on the vaccination issue, but this season's virus is throwing a wrench in the works that no one (including the CDC and AAP) knows what to do with.  The deal's sealed for me, but Linda's still on the fence, so tell us, dear Bunchers, what does the survey say on H1N1?

baby bunching bests

How is it Friday already? It is....here are some of this week's Baby Bunching Bests. Check them out. Read them, tweet them, comment on them, love them. Tell them we sent you there. We love that. Cara and Linda are off this weekend. Cara's off to endure one of the most beloved family events (sister's bridal shower) and Linda is escaping with hubby and no kids. Read that right....no kids!

Jessica over at A Bushel and a Peck writes about making choices and finding balancing between play and word.

Michelle over at Maniacal Musings on Motherhood writes about dealing with her Bunch after her husband left for his deployment training. After a very familiar story of poop, kids being sick and no one sleeping she handed the best line: Those are the moments you no longer want to be a grown up.

Jean at Stimeyland just makes us laugh with every post. And in real life, she really is this funny! We loved reading about her youngest making great strides in the art world. Go Quinn!

Stacey at Is There Any Mommy Out There? started my day out with a smile and this post. Sometimes humor is required. Actually, humor is required!

the trouble with tagalong twiblings

Even four years into it, I learn something new every day about Baby Bunching.  And frequently, I am re-learning the same lessons for the thousandth time.  Like during last week's field trip to the zoo with Middle, for instance, where I made two rookie mistakes:

• forgetting Baby's lovey
• failing to get a babysitter for Baby

I'll spare you the EXTREMELY painful details, but let's just say that the story ended with me bailing on my middle child and leaving him to ride home with another mom while I dragged my sobbing, inconsolable youngest child home. The irony of this situation is that I'd already done this exact same field trip once (with the oldest of my Bunch last year) and I'd done it right (read: hired a sitter to watch the other two).  So what the hell made me think that bringing a tagalong sibling this year was a good idea?  Well, perhaps that fact that there were easily a half dozen other siblings tagging along with no problems whatsoever, but that's not how we roll in the Fox family and I should've known better.

I called a mommy friend for moral support on the way home from the zoo and she sagely pointed out that at least I had I learned a lesson. Again. GET A FREAKING BABYSITTER FOR THE SIBLINGS.

That afternoon, empowered to take charge after the colossal failure of the zoo outing, I returned home and immediately declined a slew of birthday party invitations for the Bigs that I had been sitting on while I tried to decide if I could either A) make it work with the other two kids hanging off the side, or B) justify hiring a sitter. The day's events were a much-needed reminder that A was a was NOT gonna work and a quick glance at the remainder of the month's babysitting budget removed the B option from the table.  I briefly worried about the boys getting wind of the few parties they were missing, but fortunately they are boys and not girls and could give two craps about being included in any social engagement - all they really care about is the cake.

Because my Bunch is so close in age, of the same gender, and have many of the same friends, I am often tempted to think that activities that are appropriate for one will be embraced by the other.  And yet, we have a long history of failed attempts at "tag along" outings that date back to our music class dropout in the early days, leading right up to this semester's ball playing commitments (flag football for Big, t-ball for Middle, tears and tantrums for everyone).  Honestly, for me it is hard enough to manage the child participating in the activity, let alone his assorted siblings and all of their special needs on the sidelines. 

The bottom line is this:  Tagalongs are only good in the form of Girl Scout cookies.  If it's something really special for one kid, figure out a way to let it be special for that kid only. And carry an extra car seat in your trunk in case another Buncher is learning this lesson for the thousandth time and needs you to bring her kid home.

grocery shopping: because we all have to eat

This post came as a response to a question from my mom's group asking about how to take two under two grocery shopping. Some painful memories here at the many configurations for this question:

--Bjorn/sling baby, toddler in cart seat
--Toddler in front of cart, baby in carseat in back
--Double seats
--Baby in front, toddler in back of cart with toys/food
--Baby in front, toddler in car cart
--Leave both kids at home with a sitter!

Many suggestions came in, but one of my favorite (IRL) Baby Bunching friends, Carol Amie, emailed this to the group and she's just so damn funny that I wanted to share her tips. Her first two are 15 months apart, last two are 23 months apart. (It's a bit long, but worth the read for some great, funny tips.)

Start with a meal plan so you know exactly what you need and what you've already got at home when you make your list~in the store with two screaming kids is not the time to try to remember if you have that can of special tomatoes in the pantry and if you don't plan for the whole week you'll find yourself enduring twice the torture to get to the weekend with food in the fridge.

Now, logistics for the store: when it was just the first two I alternately wore one and put the other in the seat of the cart. I let (my oldest) choose which one he preferred right up until the younger one outgrew the bucket at about 3 months and went with it because it was an easy way for him to be appeased. Then I wore younger child in the sling and put him in the seat for a while because she couldn't sit up. Added bonus, she could nurse while I shopped and it made it a much less stressful race against the clock sort of outing. I also offered treats to anyone capable of eating finger foods while we shop. Probably not the coolest move as far as the store in concerned but something not too messy that requires a lot of chewing keeps them busy.

With the carts, our method now varies depending on the types available--double car-carts mean that the Bigz drive together and the baby is either in the sling or the seat.

The best option though is the cart at Harris Teeterwhich has the 5-pt harness for two big kids, as well as a baby seat facing them...all three kids keep each other entertained and with them much closer to me than in the car-carts I have a better shot at keeping the Bigz under control.

For places like Target with just two kids, I would use the double stroller but bring the sling. If I happened to fill the hand cart hung on these, as well as the lower basket of the stroller then I could put a kid in the sling and use their part of the stroller for the jumbo pack of toilet paper.

For a super quick trip I also found that hand carts hooked perfectly right over the handles of a basic $15 Walmart umbrella stroller making it easy to get in and out for milk, bread, eggs. Or that quick trip to the deli for a ready made dinner because it had been one of "Those days." Again, wearing the baby makes it possible. You do have to remember though that it can make the stroller top heavy so if you overfill the thing, your kid could get a surprising ride as the stroller tips over. No, I am not saying that ever happened to me, but I will say 2 gallons of milk is probably a danger for the average 18 month old.

Forget about huge grocery savings for the first year. Find a store that has decent non-sales prices and make it THE go-to store. Then you know exactly where everything is, how to find it and how to spell out your list in order of the aisles to make it as fast as possible. I actually keep a legend for all of the stores at home because I could call my husband on his way home and say "please pick up X that you'll find in aisle 10 at Giant on your way home" if I forgot something. Because you will forget something.

Next it is important to find a time when said store is relatively slow that also happens to coincide with a good non-napping, non-hungry, non-evening bewitching hour for her kids and make that her regular grocery time...if you can happen to sync that up with a good checker (I *loved* Sylvie in the no tabloids, no candy aisle of Shoppers when Tara was little) then you'll have the grocery trifecta.

Still, you should allow yourself a good cry in the parking lot now and then because we've all got to eat but shit happens.

i need your help this time!

This time, I'm posing the question and hoping you'll supply the answer.  This is not so much a Baby Bunching question as a parenting question, but this blog gets way more traffic than my personal one so thought I'd ask where the experts are hanging out - I am at a complete loss here.

Q: My four-year old has always been a finger sucker, but his teachers this year are strongly discouraging him from sucking fingers in the classroom (with my full support).  He has now taken to chewing on his shirts and jackets instead.  He comes home from school with the whole top half of his shirt drenched!  His finger sucking was never associated with a lovey or anything - he just sucks his fingers out of habit more than anything and the shirt sucking appears to be the same.  I could have used a thumb crib or another device to break the finger sucking habit, but short of confiscating all his shirts, I'm not really sure what to do about this.

Help?

A: (from Linda who hijacked this post before it was posted) I am all about the rewards program. Since you actually have proof of if he did or didn't eat his shirt (by the way it looks at the end of the day) you could do a reward system. My neighbor keeps a bucket of a $1 toys or trinkets she's hijacked from the cereal boxes. At the end of each day you could let him pick a cheap toy of some kind if he keeps his fingers out of his mouth or doesn't chew his shirts. Or you could always try my marble system--get and lose marbles based on this.

baby bunching bests

It's time for the Baby Bunching version of #followfriday!  Speaking of which, come follow us on Twitter if you're not already - @babybuncher (Linda) and @babybuncher2 (Cara).  If you post your Twitter handle in our comments, we'll follow you too!  Check out some our fave posts this week and have a great weekend!

Elizabeth at Me and Les Girls  comes clean about her real motivation for matching outfits for her Bunch. Seriously, who cannot identify?

Shana from 3 Cute Kids hits the nail on the head with a short, sweet post on the importance of multi- single-tasking over at Deep South Moms.

Gabrielle over at Design Mom is pregnant with her sixth baby. She is featuring some of the most beautiful pregnancy stories from her friends and colleagues. Whether you're pregnant, trying to conceive or just reflecting, these stories will make you laugh and cry.

Jen at Dirty Little Secret talks about how Karma has a twisted sense of humor. She tried to make it through the whole day without yelling, but fate decides to make it a challenge.

Jenni at Oscarelli has hit a plateau with after baby-weight ups and downs. She provides some good insight for getting back on track.

Kate from The Big Piece of Cake is writing over at DC Metro Moms about how her kids just always seem to know....the right moment for everything.

a slave to the schedule

When my first child was born, I became a slave to the schedule....feedings, naps, playdates and what not. My son from the very beginning necessitated a very firm schedule. Perhaps it's because I am a bit like that as well or perhaps it just because he is who is. Then #2 arrived. Her schedule was driven by the toddler's. But as all Baby Bunchers know our day is dictated by the clock and balancing it out with two or more is tricky.  

I was certain that once my kids got older being driven by the clock would cease, but really it's just only driven me to insanity lately! With kids ages 5 and 4, our lives are still run by a schedule and that schedule is kicking my tired ass. Who thought kindergarten could complicate things? In my mind, school meant things would be less crazy...and in some ways they are. 1) My kids aren't with me all day (which means we all get a break and I actually can go to the store without them). 2) My kids are exhausted at the end of a day with no napping that it makes 7:30 look really happy (happy hour, that is!)

The major issue right now is that both my kids are half-day. Even the  kindergarten in my neighborhood is half day (three hours) and I lobbied BIG time to get the morning so at least everyone was in school at the same time. The problem: pick up and drop off times. My son is due at school 20 minutes before my daughter but his school is across the street from hers. So most mornings, my husband manages to drop my son off at school on his way to work and I only have my daughter to deal with. Unless it's like this week when he's out of town. I have between 20-30 minutes to kill between one drop off and the next. While for many people this wouldn't be a problem with books to read, pages to color, etc. my daughter cannot wait to get to school and spends 30 minutes asking 'how much longer?'

Once I get everyone off to school, I have three hours to work my part time job from home. Unless it's Monday then I only have 2 hours because kindergarten gets out early on Monday. Yup. Isn't that fun? Then I dash to pick up my daughter at school (10 minutes early so I have enough time to pick up my son who ironically gets out of school at the EXACT SAME TIME.) Then I dash home because I let him take the bus home. Why? Because the bus gives me an extra 5 minute window to get home to get him in time. Yikes!

Since my son is in morning kindergarten, I wanted to give him the opportunity to do a few after school actvities. This is one of the bonuses to half day. So we go from swim to gymnastics to sports--depending on the day.

Oh, I get it...this is all totally and completely my own doing. If I was my husband, he would have just brought the kids home and let them wander for the next seven hours being kids. I get that. My kids do spend a great deal of time outside wandering and making their own fun (or trouble). But my plan was the structured activities in the afternoon would provide us with some kind of, well structure. Only now my plan has bit me in the butt.

Apparently, after all these years of being forced to stay in for naps I have been driven myself to the other side of pure-Type A mom madness!