Sick and Tired

I am sick and tired of being sick and tired.

This past week, the usual frenzied hum in our hive has slowed to an almost catatonic state. It all started with Busy bee, followed by myself and Baby bee and is finalizing with Hubbee. We have each in turn coughed, sneezed, wheezed, spit-up phelm, blew out "boogies", and whined.

This is the first family-wide sickness our hive has endured and I sure wish it would be the last. I never realized how trying it is as a mother to care for a sick family. I can handle the constant nose dripage but I can't handle the whining. Everything seemed to make Busy bee sad, mad or frustrated. He spent the majority of the past week crying and I spent the majority of the last week consoling him, all the while trying not to think "bad" thoughts. It is so frustrating to deal with a sick and mopey child. I can only imagine how frustrating it is to be sick, not be able to describe what hurts, and to deal with a grumpy mom.

This week has blatantly showed my downfalls as a mother. Not only am I impatient but I quickly lose all sense of compassion. And that which I most despised in the sick Busy bee's character, the whining, I myself am prone to do. I hope to learn and improve in these areas but I sure hope that the good Lord doesn't have any plans in the near future to "teach" me in the same manner which I have been thus taught.

Birthday Shoes

Our house was bursting at the seams this Saturday as our many friends so kindly came to wish Baby bee a Happy 1st Birthday. Everyone piled into our small living room/kitchen/dining room area that was decorated like a Winter Wonderland complete with snowflakes, balloons, crepe paper, and an igloo cake. Baby bee, who was decked out in her birthday party outfit, was a little cautious and stayed clung to my side for a few minutes until she felt confident enough to play with her nine little party guests. It was nostalgic to think back to Busy bee's 1st birthday when none of those little ones were even alive!

Though we had practiced, for the last two weeks, blowing out her birthday candle, Baby bee insistently tried to touch the flames throughout the "Happy Birthday" song. She did however thank everyone for our melodic attempt by clapping. With frosting covering her mouth, cheeks, hands and clothing one could only assume she thought her cake tasted delicious. Much to everyone's' surprise she was most excited about the presents pertaining to her attire. She cooed, clapped, and grinned at the beautiful outfits. A pair of shoes elicited the most exciting of responses as she demanded Hubbee promptly put them on her. Due to the pleasurable responses displayed upon opening her gifts, Hubbee is a little worried that this love of apparel will span for many long years and be a drain on our bank account...I was just excited at the thought that someone might eventually like to shop with me. And not to be left out, Busy bee has since commandeered a few of Baby bee's gifts but will grudgingly share when commanded. Needless to say, he has not thought of touching her shoes...she has yet to take them off!

We are so grateful for our friends and family who traveled many miles just to share and participate in this special event with us. We thank you for your kindness and generosity...we are all truly blessed to know you.

And to Baby bee, we are so lucky to have been given such a beautiful, intelligent, and loving gift from our Heavenly Father. We couldn't have asked for a sweeter spirit to live in our home and become a member of our family. We love you dearly.

Baby bee is ONE!!!

Its hard to believe it but our "littles" (the affectionate nickname given to her during her birthing hospital stay...We couldn't decide upon a name until the day we took her home), "Chubby Delicious" (as she is known to many of her aunts and uncles), or Baby bee (as I refer to her here) has turned ONE.

Its sad to admit as a parent, but we almost forgot it was her birthday...We had our dates (not her actual birthdate) mixed up and thought her birthday was one day later. Luckily, we have been practicing "Happy Birthday" because it is Busy bee's new favorite song and she had been sung "Happy Birthday" many times on her actual birthday. Phew!

As any parent knows a child's birthday is accompanied with the oh-so-fun doctor's check-up. In the Army they refer to them as "Well Child" appointments. Ironic that the child goes in well but does not always leave that way... Anyway, Baby bee had hers today and it was quite the experience. I mistakenly thought we were going to have a great experience as we had made it a) on time, b) through the doctor's poking/prodding with minimal issues, and c) everyone was waiting patiently in the immunization waiting room.

That was until Baby bee, who had been chewing on the rubber tip of the infant tylenol bottle managed to open and spill all of its contents on her white shirt and my pants. The other moms in the waiting room were trying to hide their "glad that's not me" chuckles...Bless them!

I frantically searched the diaper bag for wipes only to realize that I hadn't remember to put them in this morning as I had told myself to "remind myself" last night. A nursing student took pity on me and brought me wet towels. They managed to remove most of the stickiness but the staining damage was already done.

Eventually, Baby bee's name was called and Busy bee, the stroller, all of our bags, Baby bee and her now bright orange shirt, and I all went into to the "shot" room. Baby bee did a great job getting the three shots in her legs but she almost managed to make the poor technician cry when he tried unsuccessfully three times to bandage her finger after taking a blood prick. He was trying to wrap two of her fingers together (wearing latex gloves) all the while Baby bee was moving her fingers, her hands, her arms...And once he would get it on she would promptly pull it off...all the while she was giggling and smirking what I can only describe as a "devilish smirk." He confided in me that giving shots to babies was the least favorite part of his job. I am sure Baby bee didn't help him change his mind.

So with the doctor's appointment and the shots done, I was certain we were in the clear...I mean we only had to make it to the car and drive home, right!?!

Well, Busy bee decided he didn't want to walk like a "big boy" and promptly threw a full-blown tantrum in the hospital halls when I gave him the boot out of the stroller so Baby bee could take a ride. His crying only worsened when opening the car door I accidentally hit him in the head which caused him to fall into the wet, slushy snow and ice covering the parking lot. So with newly drenched pants and an orange-stained shirt we loaded into the car. The whole ride home I consoled myself saying that they would sleep for hours after all this trauma.

It's now three hours later and I am the one who needs a nap...they are still fully charged and raring to go...maybe the Army should change the name from "Well Child" check-ups to "Well Child, Frazzled Parent" appointments.

Beautiful Baby bee

Baby bee is smack dab in the midst of her "narcissistic" stage. I am not sure of this stage's real name but all I know is that Baby bee thinks she is beautiful!! She will spend many uninterrupted minutes looking at herself in the mirror. Often I will hear her giggling with delight at what she sees looking back at her. She also enjoys making faces and noises in front of the mirror...an actress already, if you ask me. And to top it all off, her adoring public (aka herself) loves to kiss her mirrored image...because honestly, who could be cuter?!?

Super Glue

Busy bee recently turned two years old. Hubbee and I decided to throw a small family birthday party for the occasion. A few weeks before the "big day" I started to explain to Busy bee that he would be turning two. We worked on holding up two fingers instead of one, practiced singing "Happy Birthday," and even worked on puffing our cheeks full of air and blowing. To say that Busy bee had been prepped would not do all of my hard (not to mention repetitive) work justice.
Finally, the big day rolled around and Busy bee was excited. He still wasn't completely sure what was happening but he knew that there was a cake (aka "cookie" in Busy bee's vocabulary) and presents. Throughout the day I would sing "Happy Birthday" to him and he would promptly point his cubby finger in the direction of his cake and ask, "Cookie?" A few times I even found him trying to sneak peak under the wrapping paper.

Despite all this, I think it was harder on me than Busy bee to wait for Hubbee to get home and for the festivities to start. Have I mentioned that I love birthdays?!? (Actually I am a sucker for almost any holiday...I love traditions) Needless to say, Hubbee finally made it home and Busy bee showed off his past few weeks of training. He accurately blew out both birthday candles and even mastered the art of unwrapping!

His gifts turned out to be a big hit. Surprise, surprise!! He was almost in a state of reverent awe with all his new goodies. Hubbee showed him how to do strafing runs with his new airplane which he now does with an alarming closeness to Baby bee's head. And his two new motorcycles (or "guycycles") can regularly been seen in each of his chubby hands.

I searched long and hard to find airplanes and motorcycles acceptable for a two year old...let me tell you, they aren't out on the market. But it was all Busy bee had been talking about for months...airplanes and guycycles. In an act of desperation, I finally opted on models that seemed to have the fewest amount of removable/breakable pieces. I kept picturing a horrific, not to mention, embarrassing trip to the emergency room where I would have to describe to some state social services employee how my 10 month old had managed to swallow a model airplane's propeller. Luckily, that hasn't been the case...yet.

I will say that even if I had found age suitable airplanes and guycycles, my newly turned two year old ball of mischief would have found a way to destroy them. His third year on this planet has prompted a desire in him to climb everything, get into everything, and brake everything. I have a feeling this might be a long and trying year. 8 days down...357 to go.

By the way, I am typing this with fingers crusted in dried super glue...yup, you guessed it, the guycycle broke!!

Quite Time

My little bees seem to have an inner radar that detects when the other is awake. They can be sound asleep and then..."RING, RING, RING" the radar that is hidden somewhere on their little bodies from parental eyes, goes off and they feel the need to be up too. Its like they are afraid they are going to miss out on something.

We actually had to separate them, giving each their own bedroom. Because if their radar by some rare chance malfunctions, the awake child then feels a compelling magnetic urge to wake the slumbering one up. This was a much easier task when they shared rooms because they could walk right up to the sleeping one and touch them, prod them, or throw things on them. Now they just have to walk up and down the hall hollering in a futile attempt to rouse them.

It is rare, but I love the few times when the radar and magnetic urge are both malfunctioning and I get the opportunity to spend quite time with one of them. It is one of the few times I get to hug, kiss, and praise my little individual without any interruptions. I get to look at them and appreciate them for their unique personalities. I get to see the progress that each day brings to their little minds and bodies. These rare minutes often feel stolen but nonetheless do not cheapen their value.

These are the times when I remember that I am not simply a mom to messy, whining, frustrating little ones but the mother to two real people...little people, but real people.

Booger

As much as I would like to say it isn't true, its true. My little son is smitten with boogers and booger-picking.

All day long he walks around with his finger (or fingers) up his nose. On the rare occasion that his fingers are not up his nose, he is busy searching for his next booger sighting. Every unidentifiable tidbit and morsel in our house has now been falsely accused of being a booger. Bits of groundbeef in his casserole = boogers, dust bunnies on my not always swept kitchen floor = boogers, anything on his little sister's shirt = boogers.

But I do have to admit there are a few times the little man has gotten it right and pointed out that either my Hubbee or myself, a family member, or heaven-forbid a friend has the unfortunate experience of not only having a "booger" but also the uncomfortable knowledge that an almost two year old pointed it out (and not so quietly) to you and whoever else might be within a good 50 yard distance.

So if by chance you are feeling the slightest bit nasally, stay away from Busy bee because he is on the hunt and I would hate to have anymore unsuspecting visitors fall prey to his booger attacks!

Well Intentioned Advice

My next door neighbors recently (four day ago) had their first little bee. It has been neat to witness these past few days of "firsts" with them. It is even nicer because I am not the one who is going through these "firsts," I am just merely witnessing them.

However, I do find it interesting to note all the friendly pieces of advice they are given, from in-laws, friends, and neighbors as to how to care for their new little one. I hope they remember that almost all the tips people have shared and will share with them as their little one grows are well intentioned. Most people are only trying to help. But, there will be the occasional few who just want to tell you how they did it because they think their way is the only right way.

I remember those first days of my first little bee's life with my roller coaster hormones, lack of sleep, and sore body. If my eyes had superhuman powers to incinerate everyone and their advice there might have been a few crispy deaths. It is hard as a new mom to not take advice as an insult to your parenting skills. Even the well intentioned ones can feel like a direct attack. But, if I could offer one more piece of advice to my dear neighbors and to any new mom for that matter, it would be this...

You have a bond with your child that no one else currently has. You know them better than anyone else and soon you will know their habits, likes/dislikes, and schedule like the back of your own hand. So, use your maternal instinct in all matters concerning your baby's health and well-being. If your baby is sleeping but you feel she needs to eat - feed her. If your baby is acting out of the normal and it has you worried - call the doctor or go to the emergency room. If your baby has been crying in her crib for the last twenty minutes and you want to hold her - hold her.

At this point in your little one's life you will be their voice, later you will not only be her advocate but also her champion and biggest fan. And as a wise mom once told me, "If you don't stand up for your children, who else will?"

So to wrap it up new moms, do what FEELS right. Books don't account for every circumstance and advice, even well intentioned advice, isn't always right.

Eating Antics

I just wanted to share with you all a few of the little bees' most recent eating fiascos.

Yesterday, Busy bee talked/"meow"ed me into one of those nice little Halloween-inspired "Kitty" Pez dispensers. It was late in the afternoon and I just wanted to get home. He saw the "Kitty" right before the checker scanned my last few items and promptly told me, "Mama! Kitty! Kitty!" then he started "meow"ing in the checkout aisle and all the on-lookers, who happened to be grandmothers or at least grandmotherly looking, were giving me the "oh, isn't he just darling" nod. At which time Busy bee realized he had the public backing him and he couldn't loose, took the packaged Pez and lovingly rubbed it against his cheek while "meow"ing. Busy bee had never had a Pez dispenser before and merely thought he was getting a menacing "kitty" (who was more of a Cat than a "kitty") head on a rectangular body. After giving in and purchasing the Pez to avoid disguisted looks from Busy bee's adoring public, Busy bee tasted what he considered to be heaven. He sat in the back seat of our extended cab truck "mmm"ing and "yum"ing at each little pez. Because he is still not even two years old, I thought he would have a hard time getting the pez candies out of the dispenser...and he did. But, he didn't get upset or whine when the offending candy wouldn't pop out. He would matter-of-factly say, "Mama, stuck." and then try to manuever his chubby little fingers to an angle to which he could free it. Minus all the "mmm"s it might have been the quietest car ride we have had in a long time.

Baby bee has been teething something rough lately. She will wake up screaming only to sob in my arms for the two minutes after I pick her up followed by at least five minutes of trauma-induced hiccuping. I have resorted to giving her food that is mostly frozen and teething ring after teething ring. I have three that I rotate in hopes that one will be completely frozen and last her a good ten minutes of mouth-numbing relief. The first time I gave her the teething ring she had it following dinner. Immediately, the area around her mouth turned a bright pinkish-red. I thought maybe she was having an allergic reaction to something I had given her at dinner. The second time she turned that same shade of bright pinkish-red, the light flashed on and I realized it was just the teethers and that she had numbed her whole mouth, nose and chin area with the cold. I had merely assumed that these lifesaving teethers were indestructible only to find that my little girl with only one little snaggle tooth managed to bust one completely open...Busy bee you better watch out! "She may be small but she is fierce (with her one tooth.)"

And last but not least...more reasons why I don't like oranges.

For those of you who know me, you know I hate oranges...I like orange juice but hate oranges. For those of you who don't know me, I hate oranges! I am trying to be a good mother though and let my little bees have the opportunity to try all types of different foods (even the ones I don't like.) Last night, I cut up an orange (eeekk) and let the little bees go at it. They, unlike me, like oranges. After giving each one a slice with the rind on I resumed my dishwashing. Not even 25 seconds later did Busy bee come up to me, pull on my shirt, and then point to his tounge and shudder. I couldn't find the offending orange anywhere and my best guess is that the little guy swallowed it rind and all. And then like clockwork, Baby bee started screaming. She had squeezed the orange just right and managed to squirt herself in the eye. Thus two more reasons to add to my long list of why "I Don't like Oranges"...I'm sure there will be one more added once that rind makes it's second appearance (eewwww.)

Keep 'em coming

So, its been a long time. Too long...

I could give you the list of excuses: Hubbee has been continuously in and out of field training thus leaving me and the kids to fend for ourselves, Grandma Queen was here for a visit, we did a few home renovation projects, I had a week-long business trip, and everyone has been sick.

Things are not yet back to normal but at least they finally seem to be heading that way. But during this time of constant busyness, tribulation, and upset throats, noses, and tummies, a few good things have happened.

Baby bee is now crawling!

Busy bee went to the speech therapist and has progressed so well that he no longer needs to go back!

We have painted the whole interior of the house including ceilings!

Baby bee got her first tooth!

Hubbee designed, built and installed a window seat/shelving unit and made (by hand) crown molding for our living room, dining room, and kitchen!

I hope to not let my entries lapse this long ever again, because I enjoy writing about my hive and letting you all know what's going. But sometimes as a Mama Bee there are just things that have to be done and only one person to do it. So I hope you can forgive me for my lack of updates...I'll try to keep 'em coming.

A four day

Because Hubbee is in the military, our family looks forward to patriotic holidays. We enjoy these holidays not only because Hubbee/Poppa gets to stay home for a long weekend (aka a "four" day) but also for the opportunity it provides our little bees to learn patriotism. Even the littlest of bees will enjoy looking at the colors of the flag. And I haven't found a toddler yet that wouldn't enjoy marching around the living room to "America, America" waving a small flag...especially if you are doing it too!

Holidays are a great time for families to start or continue traditions. Children love the consistency of traditions. They can be a constant in an ever-turning world. Its not too early and its never too late to start them...just try to follow through with them. The traditions your family participates in (or makes) will most likely be some of your children's favorite memories as they grow older. Also, traditions are a great teaching tool. They can help your children to understand their heritage, religion, and/or history.

Thus my Momma Tip #3:
Make a family tradition! It can be silly or solemn, unique or commonplace but make it yours! Plan it, discuss it with your little ones, do it, and then remember to do it again. Its a memory in the making.

The Queen Bee's Top 10 Most Useful Baby Products

In no particular order...

Boudreaux's Butt Paste - the absolute best diaper rash ointment I have ever used (and I have tried them all)...not to mention it smells good!

New Baby socks - the best socks for little feet! They not only have elastic around the top of the sock but also around the ankle so socks don't come off of little feet. Plus, they don't pinch or cut off circulation.

Bumbo - I swear this seat enabled Abbee to sit unassisted by herself two weeks faster than she would have been able to without using it.

Snap N Go by Baby Trend - as the name implies, I simply snap my infant's carseat onto this lightweight stroller frame and off we go. It folds up to such a nice and compact size that I've even been able to fit it between my front and back seat when the trunk is too full.

Fresh Food Feeder by Munchkin - this feeding utensil is key to letting Abbee try new fruits, vegetables, and even meat. The food de jour is held in the mesh bag and the top is snapped shut. Baby then sucks/gums the mesh bag getting all the food's tasty flavor and some very small digestible pieces...all without the risk of choking.

Drop-gate Crib by Baby's Dream - I love this crib. It is sturdy, stylish, affordable, convertible, and safe. Plus, it will last my little ones for years to come.

Boppy - A must have for every newly nursing mom...seriously!

Nuby Sippy Cups - Easy-to-use two handled grip, soft mouthpiece, and cheap. I haven't found a better sippy cup for beginners.

Robeez - Soft-soled leather shoes that are cute and easily slide on. They can even be machine washed. I've used the same pair for both of my children and they are still in excellent condition.

and last but not least...

White Onsies - These are a tried and true basic. They go under everything, work in every season, are washable, bleachable, and are cheap. No baby's wardrobe is complete without them.

These are all baby products that I have never once regretted buying. They have made my job as a parent easier and thus more enjoyable. Let me know what some of your favorite and most useful baby products are? I always like to know what others are using.

Is THREE easier than TWO?

Busy bee came home Saturday night! We were so excited to have him home (and of course for Grandma Queen to visit, too.) I was glad to see that except for longer hair on his head and a few new teeth he looked remarkably the same as when we had left him. He was very loving to us and didn't choose to give us a hard time for leaving him. However, he does still run to Grandma if he gets hurt or upset or if we tell him something he doesn't want to hear. But who could blame the kid...he has been with her the past FIVE weeks.

Determined to have a fun afternoon in the unusually warm and sunny weather we were experiencing yesterday, I took Grandma, Busy bee, Baby bee and myself to our local waterfront for the "Sand in the City" festival. It was a very neat event filled with sand sculptures, live music, bubbles, aquatic touch tanks, and many different kid craft tents. Baby bee obligingly slept most of the time we were there allowing me to give Busy bee some much needed attention. He especially loved the bubbles. I think he was quite possibly covered in the bubble solution until his bath this morning!!

While we were at one of the toddler activity tents, I overheard two moms "catch up" on their lives. It was the usual mom-lingo...

Mom 1: "Oh my gosh Mom 2! How are you?"

Mom 2: "Mom 1, it's great to see you! I am doing just great. How about you? How are the kids?"

Mom 1: "I am good. The kids are great. Sally just started kindergarten. Ellen turns three next month. Enough about me. How is the baby? The last time I saw you you were still pregnant."

Mom 2: "Sesh, has it been that long? Seth is great. He is two months old now and I think he might quite possibly be the smartest two month old out there!"

Mom 1: "He looks just like his daddy."

(You might ask why I am re-telling this conversation...just hold on. I am getting to my point.)

Mom 1: "How are you handling three children?"

Mom 2: "Oh, it couldn't be easier. It was much harder to go from one to two than to go from two to three."

This conversation made me stop dead in my "peeping" tracks. Is THREE easier than TWO?? Have I already done all the hard work adjusting from one to two?? Have I learned everything I need to know about multi-tasking and parenting...or did Mom 2 simply mean the new addition in their family wasn't as jarring to their family dynamics as child #2 had been?!?

Can any parents of 2+ children fill me...is THREE the new TWO?

Informed

I have come to love the books Consumer Reports Best Baby Products and Baby Bargains. I didn't have them when Busy bee entered the world but was enlightened as to their good graces and general helpfulness and thus got them for Baby bee's birth. Unfortunately, since my children are so close in age and money doesn't "grow from trees" Baby bee uses most of the same products we used for Busy bee. But had I had these books earlier in my first pregnancy I would have (I believe) made better product choices for my little ones.

Consumer Reports Best Baby Products has great product safety sections including their ever-so-helpful safety ratings on all the big baby purchases like cribs, crib mattresses, car seats, and even a section on the best family cars and suvs. They also provide good tips on purchasing items and remind the reader of the little things that make a difference in choosing one product from the next. This is especially helpful for the first time parent who might not have even considered that a small difference between products can make a huge difference in ease of use.

Baby Bargains by Denise and Alan Fields is considered by many as the next closest thing to the bible...at least where babies are concerned. I wouldn't go that far considering my lifelong religious upbringing, but I would say that this book is a must for every first time parent. It is easy to use and offers great parent-tested advice and ratings. Denise and Alan are witty and you feel almost as if you are talking to them rather then having them talk at you. They provide great product insight and I often find myself reading this book page by page just because I like to hear their perspective on everything from the best crib to the worst diaper pail.

At any rate, these books are helping me make more informed decisions and what parent wouldn't love that.

Check out their websites
Baby Bargains - www.windsorpeak.com/babybargains/default.html
Consumer Reports Best Baby Products (this book doesn't have its own webpage but you can link to the actual Consumer Reports page to get basic baby product ratings) - www.consumerreports.org/cro/index.htm

Milestones

Baby bee is the last one in her play group to learn how to crawl. She is very close, however. She gets up on her chubby little arms and knees and rocks back and forth and squeals. She thinks she is amazing. More often than not she manages to propel herself backwards. I know its only a matter of a few weeks or possibly days until she masters this next baby milestone and is one step closer to being a toddler.

I remember constantly worrying about Busy bee's development at this age. Was he behind the other babies? Is this a problem I should worry about? What can I do to help him? Questions, questions and more questions!!! I spent so much time worrying that I think I forgot to simply enjoy each and every moment of his babyhood. My mother would tell me not to worry, "Busy bee will do it when he wants to...just enjoy what he is doing right now." She was right.

Babies are and always will be on their own schedule...they will smile only when they want to, crawl only when they are ready to, and talk only when they have something worth saying. And I am glad I have learned that this time around. Because I know that this time I am enjoying the moments between the milestones and not just the milestones themselves.

The List

Lately, I have found myself rushing from one thing on my to-do-list to the next. I promised myself while Busy bee was visiting Grandma and Grandpa Queen that I would make the most of my time. I wrote a long and detailed list of every unfinished craft project, household chore, and outside chore that I hadn't yet had the time (or made the time) to complete. I really wanted to have the things that seemed to lately be "weighing me down" done. I wanted for Busy bee to come home to a calm and collected Mama who would rather spend time playing with him than worrying about all the things that weren't getting done around the house. Baby bee has done a great job of helping me accomplish my goal...she sleeps and I work. Thankfully, we are almost done with our list because Busy bee comes home on Saturday. Then it will be our time to play!

A Car Seat Induced Haze

Armed with the Consumer Reports infant/child car seat ratings, Hubbee and I spent the majority of our weekend comparison shopping (Baby bee has almost outgrown her rear-facing infant car seat.) And in the end, we came out empty-handed. Empty-handed and hazy-headed to be precise. Buying a car seat is such a loaded decision. Every state has its own laws and to further confuse every parent in America, almost every organization dealing with either children, travel, or transportation has their own recommendations too. Which, I might add, often times tend to disagree.

So parents, there seems to be no "Golden" rule to picking the best car seat...no easy way out. You and I are just going to have to sift through the hundreds of different choices; convertible, rear-facing, forward-facing, booster, latch, harness, belt-positioning, fabric, cupholders, reclining, color scheme, nightlights, weight limits, front adjusting harnesses, price, and who knows what else they'll come up with next, until we find the best product for our child. Because in the end there really never is the perfect answer to raising children (or picking car seats)...just the best choice given the circumstances.

If you have any car seat recommendations please share them because we are still on the lookout.

Washing Machine Woes

Recently our washing machine went kaput. Which is not a good sign for a mother of little ones. I vividly remember the days before kids when I could go weeks before doing a load of wash. Now I get excited if I only have to do one load a day. Needless to say, I knew that not having a wash machine for a few days would not only spell disaster but smell of disaster.

The previous owners of our house left their new front-loading high efficiency washer and dryer when we moved in. I was very excited to be using the "Cadillacs" of the washing world. Everything was working well, coming clean, and I was happy...until the birth of Baby bee. Within the first few weeks of her life I noticed that her socks started to disappear. I didn't give much thought to it because I figured they had simply been misplaced by any number of family members who helped me after her birth. When it got to the point that the majority of her socks did not have a mate we would jokingly say, "The washing machine must eat them!" Never once did I guess we were right!!!

Soon after, the wash machine decided not to drain the water from its rinse cycle. I immediately called the washing machine's maker looking for an easy fix. They, however, were as baffled as I. Luckily, my handy Mr. fix-it Hubbee was able to take apart the back of our machine and quickly came across the "clogging" culprit. That's right, you guessed it!!! Baby bee's baby socks...six of them to be exact had clogged the drain that allowed the water to leave the machine.

Maybe I loaded too much in at each wash. Or, maybe her socks were just small enough to slips through some mysterious holes in the washing machine. But it forced me to come up with a "non-sock eating" solution. Which is my Mama Tip #2...

Mama Tip #2: Wash (and dry) all baby socks in one of those small mesh bags advertised to wash lingerie in. They can be bought almost anywhere (our local grocery store even stocks them.) It will save you from lost or eaten socks. Not to mention, it will save you "loads" of time when it comes to folding because they will all be in one spot.

The Fourth Dimension

While on my business trip, I was driving down the highway and noticed a sign advertising a 4-D ultrasound. I was a little confused for two reasons; 1) I have been pregnant twice in the past two years and I have never heard of such a thing and 2) I didn't know there was a fourth dimension. I just recently witnessed a friend's 3-D ultrasound which showed a lovely and not to mention very clear picture of their precious baby girl...and now there is supposedly something better!?!?

Hubbee and I, who went the more traditional route as far as ultrasounds are concerned, were pretty satisfied with our meager ultrasounding attempts. The shadowy picture showed enough of our little bees to make us happy and assure us of their correct development. Actually to be completely honest, most of the time I couldn't figure out what the heck we were supposed to be seeing. Hubbee would very excitedly say, "Oh, look there is our little bee's spleen (or some other ridiculous body part that I am sure he had no clue to its real whereabouts)! Can you see it?" and then I would nod my head and reply, "I can see it. Isn't a lovely spleen?"

Most of the time Hubbee was right in his "What body part is this?" guessing game and thus could not see the reason for paying for something more advanced. Maybe I didn't understand completely how an ultrasound worked and thus couldn't picture it the way it was intended but I needed something more...something better.

I decided to do a little research because if the 3-D ultrasound was so amazing then what more could this 4-D ultrasound offer...besides I wanted to know what the 4th dimension is. According to the GE Healthcare Worldwide website at http://www.gehealthcare.com/usen/patient/ultrasound/index.html, the 4th dimension is "real time." They describe their 4-D ultrasound as "the difference between video and a still photograph." 3-D ultrasounds show width, length and volume. Thus for all you non-technical folks, rather than your baby appearing flat (as they do in a regular ultrasound) in a 3-D ultrasound your baby will appear to have volume or take up space. However, this new 4-D ultrasound will not only show your baby's volume but will also show a "live action" view. GE claims there are many benefits to monitoring baby's development by studying it's movement patterns through 4-D ultrasounding.

If I were a high-risk pregnancy or had any abnormality surrounding my pregnancy, I could only imagine what a blessing it would be to see my baby and all of their limbs and organs moving...working. If you (the reader) have had a 4-D ultrasound please take the time to comment. Tell me what you think. How did it work? Were you pleased with its capabilities?

As always, from my hive to yours...

All Is Well

Well, the little bees seem to be surviving without me...pretty well from the sound of it. Actually, it sounds like they are being spoiled. Their grandparents' good-hearted spoiling is most assuredly going to mean that I will have one heck of a time getting my bees back into their schedules.

My mom told me on the phone last night not to be surprised if Baby bee holds a grudge against me for a few hours or even a few days when I get back. She told me Baby bee gets upset and cries if she sees someone who has long brown hair like mine...I guess it reminds her that I am NOT there and NOT taking care of her. Needless to say, her "mama left me and I am sad" dramatics get her a full hour of "x's and o's" from an all too willing set of grandparents.

Busy bee, on the other hand, doesn't seem too upset to be left and still kisses my picture when he walks by it. However at Grandma and Grandpa's, he has become a dedicated lover of Diet Coke (an addiction we never feed at home.) I am told he gets to go with Grandpa every couple of days to the local convenience store to get a 52 oz. "cold drink" (that's what Grandpa calls a soda.) Because Busy bee was having a hard time sharing, Grandpa now gets them two straws so they can drink out of the insanely large cup at the same time. Luckily, he doesn't have all that many teeth because he doesn't like to brush his teeth and I don't want my 21 month old to have a mouth full of cavities. Hubbee and I joke that when we pick him up from the airport that his first words to us will be, "Busy bee want cold drink!"

Granted that I will have a hard time getting my little bees "un-spoiled," I am ever so grateful that they are blessed enough to have Grandparents that think the world of them. And for that, a few more days of "cold drinks" and "x's and o's" would do us all a world of good.