One of the benefits of the new house is a playroom for Billy. He's got all of his toys together in one spot. The only thing is, there's not enough toy storage. I only have the one small shelf and the basket and the tub. The result? Toy mayhem.
Daddy assembled Billy's new play table and it's the only clean thing in the room. There's toys everywhere else. Billy just walks in and stares at the mess. I've given up. I have to buy storage before I even try to clean it up.
Billy's solution?
He crawls up onto his new play table and sits there in the only clean space surveying the mass chaos from his seat on high. Toys are not welcome on his table of solace.
Yup. I better get some storage fast. I think they're breeding!
Friday, March 9, 2012
Crazy Creative Corner- Custom Apparel
Do you want to know how to make a custom shirt for your little one that's inexpensive and easy?
Here's how I made this shirt:
1. Buy a plain shirt. I got this one on sale at Babies'R'Us for 5 dollars.
2. Find or create your design.
Ok, it helps that I'm a designer. Here are the key points to remember. Keep it simple. Pick 2-3 colors. Use at least one color as an outline. Measure the area on the shirt that you want your design to occupy. It will be smaller than you think!
3. Buy felt squares in the colors you've picked. I bought one 8.5x11 felt piece in each color at Joann Fabrics and I already had the thread in different colors. The felt pieces are about 30 cents each.
4. Pin a printout of the design to the outer color. For this art that would be the red. Then, carefully cut out the paper and felt at the same time around the outside edge of the red. Now you have your red piece.
5. Pin the printout now to the next color. For this design that would be the white. Then, carefully cut out the paper and felt at the same time around the outside edge of the white. Now you have your white piece.
6. Pin the printout now to the next color. For this design that would be the blue. Then, carefully cut out the paper and felt at the same time around the outside edge of the blue. Now you have your blue pieces.
7. Now sew the inner color to the middle color (blue to the white). Then sew the blue and white piece to the red. I just used a whip stitch. You could also glue them together (with fabric glue, not Elmer's).
8. Now you have an applique ready to attach to your shirt. Sew it on and you're done!
This took me 2 hours and under $7 to accomplish.
Here's how I made this shirt:
1. Buy a plain shirt. I got this one on sale at Babies'R'Us for 5 dollars.
2. Find or create your design.
Ok, it helps that I'm a designer. Here are the key points to remember. Keep it simple. Pick 2-3 colors. Use at least one color as an outline. Measure the area on the shirt that you want your design to occupy. It will be smaller than you think!
3. Buy felt squares in the colors you've picked. I bought one 8.5x11 felt piece in each color at Joann Fabrics and I already had the thread in different colors. The felt pieces are about 30 cents each.
4. Pin a printout of the design to the outer color. For this art that would be the red. Then, carefully cut out the paper and felt at the same time around the outside edge of the red. Now you have your red piece.
5. Pin the printout now to the next color. For this design that would be the white. Then, carefully cut out the paper and felt at the same time around the outside edge of the white. Now you have your white piece.
6. Pin the printout now to the next color. For this design that would be the blue. Then, carefully cut out the paper and felt at the same time around the outside edge of the blue. Now you have your blue pieces.
7. Now sew the inner color to the middle color (blue to the white). Then sew the blue and white piece to the red. I just used a whip stitch. You could also glue them together (with fabric glue, not Elmer's).
8. Now you have an applique ready to attach to your shirt. Sew it on and you're done!
This took me 2 hours and under $7 to accomplish.
Yet Again...
And again, we have no internet (or phone or TV) because our appt was rescheduled. Normally, I would try to post daily from work instead, but we've been so busy at work that I can't even begin to contemplate how I would fit that in. I get home so late even Daddy is sleeping, so that's been this week. Add to that the fact that I can't find any matching clothes (because they are all packed) and it's been a real bang up week.
Billy's favorite thing about the new house is the window in his bedroom. It is low enough that he can see out without a stool or even tiptoes. It's thrilling for him to watch the world go by. "Look, Mommy! Dog! Woof, woof." That was what he told me he saw. He wouldn't stop telling me until I came over to look at the neighbor walking his dogs. It's very exciting stuff. He also gets to see cars, trucks and even the occasional school bus. "Woooow!" he says.
Just by the fact that he can talk in sentences (like the one above, which is verbatim) means that he has to move up to the next room in daycare. Either next week or the week after he will officially be in the "Twos" room. Poor Billy will be leaving his best friend behind in the "Ones". She's not ready to move up. He is only just 17 months, so I'm thinking it's maybe a bit early to be moving him, but daycare seems to think he'll be bored with the babies now that he can talk more. I guess we'll see.
So until Verizon figures out how to get me plugged in (I"m dying without being able to troll my favorite boards, surf my fav sites and think up excellent words in Words With Friends) I'm going to be stuck randomly posting, not regularly posting.
I apologize profusely for my lack of internet resources. I hope by next week to be back on the interwebs officially and able to catch up with my posts.
Thanks for being patient!
Billy's favorite thing about the new house is the window in his bedroom. It is low enough that he can see out without a stool or even tiptoes. It's thrilling for him to watch the world go by. "Look, Mommy! Dog! Woof, woof." That was what he told me he saw. He wouldn't stop telling me until I came over to look at the neighbor walking his dogs. It's very exciting stuff. He also gets to see cars, trucks and even the occasional school bus. "Woooow!" he says.
Just by the fact that he can talk in sentences (like the one above, which is verbatim) means that he has to move up to the next room in daycare. Either next week or the week after he will officially be in the "Twos" room. Poor Billy will be leaving his best friend behind in the "Ones". She's not ready to move up. He is only just 17 months, so I'm thinking it's maybe a bit early to be moving him, but daycare seems to think he'll be bored with the babies now that he can talk more. I guess we'll see.
So until Verizon figures out how to get me plugged in (I"m dying without being able to troll my favorite boards, surf my fav sites and think up excellent words in Words With Friends) I'm going to be stuck randomly posting, not regularly posting.
I apologize profusely for my lack of internet resources. I hope by next week to be back on the interwebs officially and able to catch up with my posts.
Thanks for being patient!
Thursday, March 8, 2012
Wednesday, March 7, 2012
Reminder!
Just a reminder that regular posting will resume tomorrow with the next installment of...
Drawn In Thursdays!
What will cartoon Billy do next???
Drawn In Thursdays!
What will cartoon Billy do next???
Tuesday, March 6, 2012
And Now We Return To Your Regularly Scheduled Program...
On Thursday...
That's right. Billy posts will return on Thursday.
We're off the grid until then. It only takes Verizon 5 days to remedy their own mistake. Until then, no phones, no internet and very limited TV. Yep, ABC, the channel channel, a spanish channel, QVC and public broadcast.
By Thursday my posts might be a little crazy... I'm going out of my head without Nat Geo and the Science Channel! Only an infusion of Mythbusters can save me now...
Anyway, look for Billy posts to return Thursday. See you then!
That's right. Billy posts will return on Thursday.
We're off the grid until then. It only takes Verizon 5 days to remedy their own mistake. Until then, no phones, no internet and very limited TV. Yep, ABC, the channel channel, a spanish channel, QVC and public broadcast.
By Thursday my posts might be a little crazy... I'm going out of my head without Nat Geo and the Science Channel! Only an infusion of Mythbusters can save me now...
Anyway, look for Billy posts to return Thursday. See you then!
Monday, March 5, 2012
Posting Postponed!
Oh the "joys" of FiOS.
We have no internet, so there will be no regular posting until FiOS can figure their out their bum from their head.
We waited 7 hours for them to show up. I confirmed with them 24 hours before they were supposed to arrive. Did they arrive? No.
Why?
The technicians called the number they were supposed to connect to see if we were home. They couldn't reach us, because the number was disconnected, so they cancelled the appointment. They were supposed to be here all day, so who knows what they decided to really do... maybe they went to the zoo to see the monkeys...
It took an hour on the phone with customer care to determine that the problem was that we weren't answering our phone that the technicians hadn't come out to connect. Really? Really.
So, they told us they would call us back sometime this week to schedule an appointment.
We're still waiting on the phone call to SCHEDULE the damn appointment.
I bet they called the number they haven't connected yet.
We have no internet, so there will be no regular posting until FiOS can figure their out their bum from their head.
We waited 7 hours for them to show up. I confirmed with them 24 hours before they were supposed to arrive. Did they arrive? No.
Why?
The technicians called the number they were supposed to connect to see if we were home. They couldn't reach us, because the number was disconnected, so they cancelled the appointment. They were supposed to be here all day, so who knows what they decided to really do... maybe they went to the zoo to see the monkeys...
It took an hour on the phone with customer care to determine that the problem was that we weren't answering our phone that the technicians hadn't come out to connect. Really? Really.
So, they told us they would call us back sometime this week to schedule an appointment.
We're still waiting on the phone call to SCHEDULE the damn appointment.
I bet they called the number they haven't connected yet.
Sunday, March 4, 2012
The Sunday Post ~ Go Crib Review
A lot of people that I know personally have been asking me about my portable crib. So, here's my product review on the Go Crib. I would like to mention that I have not been contacted by the manufacturer and am receiving no compensation for my review.
I apparently don't take photos of Billy sleeping, so this is the best I've got. Here we are at the beach with Billy asleep in the portable crib (and Uncle Alex passed out in front of it).
When Daddy bought this expensive item I said, "what the heck is that??? We don't need that! We have a Pack'n'Play!" Ok, ok... maybe Daddy is right sometimes. Just don't tell him- it might go to his head.
The first time we used it was our camping trip in western West Virginia. It was a grueling 5 hour car ride with a screaming baby (popping ears from driving over mountains=unhappy camper...teehee). We arrived after dusk and had to set up our tent and gear in the dark. Fortunately, the rest of our group was there, so at least we had a fire to see by. But we had a cranky baby ready for bed in the middle of the woods.
After Daddy got the tent set up it took only 10 minutes in the dark with first time use to get the whole thing set up and Billy into it. Getting him to sleep was a whole different matter...
A few weeks later we took it to a festival with our friends and Billy's girlfriend. He and his gf played in it and then napped together in it in the middle of the festival. The best part there was since its carrying case is a small lightweight backpack, it was no problem to lug it into the festival. And the case holds the included foot pump, so everything goes with you when you take it places to set it up easily.
In July we hauled it to Florida on an airplane for a wedding. We used it in the hotel room instead of getting a hotel provided crib. It was great. I had no trouble getting it through security and brought it with me as my carry-on. I knew it was clean and safe and he was already familiar with it.
We also took it to the farmhouse for a month and he slept in it the whole time. I only had to re-inflate it once in the whole month. He was comfortable in it the whole time. That's not to say that I could always get him to go to sleep...
We also took it with us every time we went to the beach so Billy could sleep under the umbrella. He had no trouble sleeping on the beach. And it was easy to haul. Although, I have to admit that it leaks air more now that it's been exposed to sand (won't stay inflated for more than a week now). The zip-down flap on the side also gave Billy the ability to climb in and out of it by himself. He hated the sand, but didn't mind sitting in the Go Crib, so he was in and out. It locks, so you can keep the kid in when you want, or open it up to let them have free reign.
So there it is. If you're a parent on the go, the Go Crib is awesome to own. We couldn't survive without it. Daddy and I both highly recommend it.
But where can you get it? We've only seen it available at REI and on Amazon.com. The baby stores don't seem to carry it.
Check it out:
Go Crib on Amazon.com
I apparently don't take photos of Billy sleeping, so this is the best I've got. Here we are at the beach with Billy asleep in the portable crib (and Uncle Alex passed out in front of it).
When Daddy bought this expensive item I said, "what the heck is that??? We don't need that! We have a Pack'n'Play!" Ok, ok... maybe Daddy is right sometimes. Just don't tell him- it might go to his head.
The first time we used it was our camping trip in western West Virginia. It was a grueling 5 hour car ride with a screaming baby (popping ears from driving over mountains=unhappy camper...teehee). We arrived after dusk and had to set up our tent and gear in the dark. Fortunately, the rest of our group was there, so at least we had a fire to see by. But we had a cranky baby ready for bed in the middle of the woods.
After Daddy got the tent set up it took only 10 minutes in the dark with first time use to get the whole thing set up and Billy into it. Getting him to sleep was a whole different matter...
A few weeks later we took it to a festival with our friends and Billy's girlfriend. He and his gf played in it and then napped together in it in the middle of the festival. The best part there was since its carrying case is a small lightweight backpack, it was no problem to lug it into the festival. And the case holds the included foot pump, so everything goes with you when you take it places to set it up easily.
In July we hauled it to Florida on an airplane for a wedding. We used it in the hotel room instead of getting a hotel provided crib. It was great. I had no trouble getting it through security and brought it with me as my carry-on. I knew it was clean and safe and he was already familiar with it.
We also took it to the farmhouse for a month and he slept in it the whole time. I only had to re-inflate it once in the whole month. He was comfortable in it the whole time. That's not to say that I could always get him to go to sleep...
We also took it with us every time we went to the beach so Billy could sleep under the umbrella. He had no trouble sleeping on the beach. And it was easy to haul. Although, I have to admit that it leaks air more now that it's been exposed to sand (won't stay inflated for more than a week now). The zip-down flap on the side also gave Billy the ability to climb in and out of it by himself. He hated the sand, but didn't mind sitting in the Go Crib, so he was in and out. It locks, so you can keep the kid in when you want, or open it up to let them have free reign.
So there it is. If you're a parent on the go, the Go Crib is awesome to own. We couldn't survive without it. Daddy and I both highly recommend it.
But where can you get it? We've only seen it available at REI and on Amazon.com. The baby stores don't seem to carry it.
Check it out:
Go Crib on Amazon.com
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