Prayer Request (and Milestone)

If you ever read the comments on my blog, you might recognize the name Coach Mom. She is an IRL friend. Tomorrow, her daughter (Jersey #2) will undergo a five hour open heart surgery to replace a heart valve. Jersey #2 was born with Tetraology of Fallot, and underwent an even longer and more difficult surgery at almost 3 months old. Now she is 6.5 years old and in need of another surgery so she can be active again. Please pray for this family. Tomorrow many of us are wearing either crazy socks or rainbow colored clothes in honor of Jersey #2, as this is the type of clothing she loves to wear. If you join us, send me a picture so I can pass it on to her mom. They are going to show Jersey #2 all of the pictures to pass the time when she is stuck in bed.



In other news, AJU6 has a tooth now. You can't see it really yet, but I can feel it. I knew it was coming, but I was still surprised to feel it this morning. Hopefully he will sleep well tonight...

My Purchases

Here are the shirts I bought. I didn't iron them or anything, so that is why there are some wrinkles. Tell me what you think.

Deals?

So, I became a "fan" of BabySteals and KidSteals on Facebook a few weeks ago. I like to see what is for sale, but I have yet to buy anything. Some things I don't think are real steals. Hats for $20? No thank you. I bought one for AJU5 for $4 today at Wal-Mart. It may not be "name brand," but she doesn't care. Fancy diaper bags? Nope. Already have a few diaper bags, and I still just use the one because it is too much of a hassle to switch bags.

I am surprised by the number of people who buy multiple times a week. Yes, the stuff is about 50% off, but do you really need it? I guess I am just cheap. I have a hard time buying most stuff. I think that because we are getting by with what we have that we don't need more.

I still splurge occasionally. I buy things for the kids that we don't need. I am very guilty of buying lots of cheap things - like the 8 plastic baskets I bought today at Wal-Mart for $4 plus tax. Luckily my husband is the same way. He buys big things occasionally, but normally he spends very little (except for basics like gas, etc). We don't eat out much because it is more work some times and costs so much more than homemade food. It has allowed us to have the big things we want.

Today I also bought four new shirts. The ladies over at All Kinds of Pretty have made it very obvious to me that I shouldn't we wearing my unisex t=shirts (that I got free) all summer. And, since I am bigger than I was 3 years ago when I bought most of the short sleeved shirts I own, I needed a few new ones. The one I like the best my husband thinks is ugly though. He hasn't seen it on me though, so maybe then he will change his mind (it was a clearance shirt, so I can't find a pic online). Actually, there was only one shirt he didn't make a negative comment about - the most basic shirt. Oh well. He likes solids and that is about it. So, It doesn't surprise me he doesn't like the ones with a little color on them.

Now - those four shirts cost me under $60 with tax. So, I am happy! I do know how to find deals. I just have to decide I need to buy something first...

Product Review Friday - Infant Clothing/Sizing

Above is a picture of Carter sleepers in sizes NB and 3M. Can you tell which ones are NB?


Here is a hint - there are not three NB sleepers!


Any ideas?


Answer - the third and forth from the left. The fifth one is 3M! Some of them had never been washed (brand new), but the two monkey ones on the right have been washed the same number of times. The red sleeved one has been washed the most since it is a hand-me-down.

Really Carter - can't you make clothes the same size? It is bad enough trying to remember sizing differences between brands.

Mini Houdini

No, AJU5 cannot escape her crib. She doesn't even try - thank goodness! But, her left arm is very Houdini these days! She has figured out how to get it out of shirts without much effort. My question is why does she do it... And it is almost always the left arm (right arm occasionally will follow the left though).

Last night she did it with her pajamas - the footed, one-piece type that zip up and have a snap at the top. I didn't realize it until she was in bed with us for about 15 minutes and not going to sleep. Then, when I went to get her out of bed and put her back in hers, I discovered what may have been causing all the fuss! She did it again today with one of her shirts...

We can't go smaller on the shirts because many of them barely fit over her head. So, I just have to watch for naked arms periodically...

Product Review Friday - Winter Clothes

Yesterday AJU5 and I went to Ross and Burlington Coat Factory to try and finish up her fall/winter wardrobe. We have hand-me-downs already as well as a few leftovers from last year that still fit and some jeans I bought already. But, making outfits was proving to be a challenge because the tops and bottoms didn't necessarily go together. So, I though Ross or BCF might have some inexpensive separates (I did buy one shirt at Target earlier this week too).

End Result - One long sleeve shirt, one jacket, and one package of 24 month Carter onsies (that I had looked for since early summer). I was definitely hoping for more success!

My big issue is that so much is sold as outfits! AJU5 wears a 24 month top and an 18 month bottom. So, outfits just don't work (unless I buy the shirts small and her belly shows or the pants so big her feet are completely covered). Well, Carter 18M outifts barely fit on top right now, and I am not going to spend money on something she will outgrow by December for sure. So I am stuck!

I wish there were more options! I might head back to Target next week and see if I can find any more Circo tops that go with the pants she has. I might also hit JcPenney because Okie Dokie brand items are normally separates too. But, those are the only brands I have found so far that sell the majority of their items as separates!

So, how is Fall clothes shopping going for you? Have you faced any of these challenges?

Product Review Friday - Swim Tops

I wanted to buy AJU5 a swimsuit like this for the summer, but they do not fit her! The problem is the top. I managed to get a 3T top over her head, but it was still quite snug going on and coming off (to the point I am sure it didn't feel good). So, we are stuck with the standard one piece for away from home "swimming." I like the idea of two-piece suits, but I don't think toddlers should be showing off their bellies in public (I put her in two-piece hand-me-downs for backyard swimming). Why don't they make any with zippers or something so that kids with big heads can wear sun-protecting tops? One would think they would want as many kids as possible to be protected from the sun. But, as usual, they don't make clothes for children with large heads. Last year, the 12m one fit her (it was a little big, but not too bad - see picture at top). This year we would have to go to at least 4T for the head, and I think it would be way to big everywhere else when we actually swim.

Have you had problems with clothes in the "proper" size not fitting because one part/whole was too small?

There Is Hope!

For my husband. That the house may be clean eventually. That the clothes may someday be folded and put away.

Why does he have such hope?

AJU5 has some cleanliness genes in her! She has mastered the art of throwing away garbage (and I have only found one non-garbage item in the garbage so far). She has also acquired a love for wiping things with rags - in a dusting/cleaning sort of way. We are still working on her laundry skills, but I don't expect a 16.5 month old to fold clothes JUST yet. She does like to take them out of the basket and play with them though...

So, I guess I get to do the laundry for now. I have folded three baskets so far this afternoon. I have about 3-4 left to do. The guest bed was COVERED in clothes! But, now that the closet has storage (more on that in the days to come), my husband is pushing me to put the clothes away. And, I guess it is about time...

Girlie-Girl or Not

AJU5 has some girlie-girl in her, but not completely:
She loves to play with her doll these days - she holds her, hugs her, "feeds" her, etc.
She had ZERO interest in dresses at Target yesterday. She was a lot more interested in the pants, skorts, shorts, and t-shirts.
She loves to play outside.
She also loves to just sit in my lap and snuggle.

So, will she be a girlie-girl or not? I am actually hoping that it is not. I am not a girlie-girl. I don't mind dresses/skirts when I am dressing up, but day to day I prefer pants or shorts. I love to do active things like hiking and skiing - especially over mall shopping.

Are you a girlie-girl? If you have a daughter, do you wish that she will be a tom boy or a girlie girl?

Dear Clothing Manufacturers...

Why do you insist on making small head holes on so many of your cute outfits? And why do you insist on not using buttons or snaps to allow the neck area to expand? It means outfits that are otherwise a little large are just able to be worn. It is very annoying!