Toys, Toys, Toys!

Being a mom I know a little bit about toys. I know they are always on my floor and under my feet to trip over and always in my sons mouth. With that in mind I took special interest in recent reports that there are many toys available with lead paint on them.


Lead can be especially dangerous to small children because lead attacks the brain and central nervous system. Children with even modest elevations of blood lead levels can exhibit attention deficit disorder, learning disabilities and developmental delays. This made me think about the things I give my child to play with. To date most of the things that have been a lead concern have been plastic toys. I currently have a love hate relationship with plastic as it is. I try to eliminate the "bad" plastics from my home but as budget allows I would like to rid my home of most of its plastic.


While the jury is still out on whether or not BPA (bisphenol A- a chemical that leaches from plastic baby bottles, food/beverage cans, and many other products) is harmful I believe that anything coming directly from oil has to be at some point toxic. They note that BPA acts like the sex hormone estrogen -- indeed, BPA was originally developed as a chemical estrogen. These researchers worry that BPA is behind hormone-linked trends in human health such as increased abnormal penis development in males, earlier sexual development in females, increases in neurodevelopmental diseases such as ADHD and autism, increased child obesity, decreased sperm count, and more breast and prostate cancers.


I personally don't want my child exposed to artificial hormones or other chemicals. That is why I buy mostly organic meat (mostly cause sometimes Zack shops and I can't control all of his purchases) dairy and especially milk. We as parents try to the best for our children. Its the little things like their toys that should be the least of our worries but unfortunately they aren't.


Recently, there was a baby/ child resale event where you can sell all your outgrown clothes and toys and buy "new" ones from other people. I love these events! This time I got rid of most of Grayson's toys. Pretty much anything plastic met its demise. (Leap frog, Playschool, Tonka, Little tykes were all safe) And when I shopped I looked for wooden toys and more educational toys.


Which brings me to my point (long time getting there I know- sorry) I found these two great sites www.rosiehippo.com and www.magiccabin.com that I am going to start buying more of G's toys from. Grayson would ideally not receive any more plastic as gift either but alas I cannot control others choices. (hint hint) Happy shopping friends.

Fountain Fun

One of the great things I have found about living in Portland is all the fabulous fountains all over the city to play in. This is Beaverton fountain, it is in a park in the center of Beaverton a few miles from our house. We had a great time playing with our friends and in the water. Grayson wasn't very sure at first and didn't want to get down but he warmed up after a while. He also loved climbing on the play structure not far away in the park.

Thank you Grandpa!

Grayson got a package from his Grandpa Bill the other day with his second tractor. He LOVES it! He loves to drive it all over the house, making tractor noises (well sort of :) and running over things. He gets kinda frustrated though cause it is really heavy so he can't carry it like he would like to.

Him getting this new tractor lead to another great thing. I learned to take my own videos on my camera (knew how to do that) and UPLOAD them MYSELF to youtube. I even edited! I was SO proud of myself. Now I don't have to wait for Zack to do it, since he is so busy with work and such.
Here is the finished product, Grayson saying Thank you for his new toy:

Read baby Read!

This is a few months old but it is totally relevant today. Grayson LOVES to read. He seriously brings me books at least 8 times a day, usually the same ones but any book will do. He loves to read anything that is readable. It reminds me of myself. I used to read anything and everything even shampoo bottles and random things like that. It makes me very happy that he loves to read so much, its something I try to foster and try never to turn him down. Right now his favorite book is a favorite of mine. I used to read it to Grete (former nanny charge) at least 5 times a day when she was 2. And now I read it to G about as much. I change the words though cause all they say is NO! and we try to say No Thank You. So I have the words whenever possible, so its a little nicer. ;)

Lovey Buns bites the Dust

Well it turns out that there is a company out there that is LoveyBuMs and my name is too close. (I knew they were there but since its not that same I didn't think it was an issue. :( So I have been kindly asked to change my name. :( She is trademarked so I have little choice unless I want a lawsuit- which I don't. SO my new name is Lovey Doodle Diapers!

www.loveydoodle.etsy.com

Out of this World Pizza

A new Pizza place just opened near our house and it is SO fun. We
went to check it out and see if there is anything G could do, of if it is
more for big kids. Turns out there is a ton for everyone to do.
Grayson had a blast playing in the baby area with the playhouse
and little slide and climbing structure. We had more fun than we
should have on the "track" for the plasma cars... they have a 180
lb weight limit so we all hopped on and took a ship. Grayson loves
them too. I actually bought him one so we car ride with him in the
neighborhood cause he hasn't figured out how to ride other bikes
by himself yet. We stayed about an hour and half,
past G's bedtime!We will definitely be going back there!

Playland at the Mall

Grayson and I got to a weekly signing group that a friend of mine teaches in her home or mine. It is usually about 3-6 girls and their babes. We try to break it up and go someone where else than a house once a month. This last week we went to the Mall Playland. It is all "plastic coated foam" and the kids have a blast climbing all over it. This is Grayson under the bridge in the "river".

What happens when boys are in charge!

This is Zack (and Jesse out of photo) being in charge of Grayson for a bit while I sewed last weekend. :( They took his slide from Grandma Linda B and put it on our Ottoman and stacked the couch cushions up for a landing pad. Then down he goes. They actually come running into my sewing room to get me thinking I would be PROUD of them for their ingenuity! BOYS!!!! (This got promptly put away after they called me in- mean ol' mom! :)

My little Lovey Bun!

Today I was working on photos for my tags and labels for my dipes. I wanted to use G and the diaper I made for it cause his buns are so darn cute and my diapers are named after him after all. :) Which one of these would you choose to put on tags on the diapers that say LOVEYBUNS BY JSB above the photo and WWW.LOVEYBUNS.ETSY.COM underneath? Feedback please!

Sad but True!

Thinking of Having Kids? Do this 11 step program first!
Lesson 1
1. Go to the grocery store.
2. Arrange to have your salary paid directly to their head office.
3. Go home.
4. Pick up the paper.
5. Read it for the last time.

Lesson 2
Before you finally go ahead and have children, find a couple who already are
parents and berate them about their...
1. Methods of discipline.
2. Lack of patience.
3. Appallingly low tolerance levels.
4. Allowing their children to run wild.
5. Suggest ways in which they might improve their child's breastfeeding,
sleep habits, toilet training, table manners, and overall behavior. Enjoy it
because it will be the last time in your life you will have all the answers.

Lesson 3
A really good way to discover how the nights might feel...
1. Get home from work and immediately begin walking around the living room
from 5PM to 10PM carrying a wet bag weighing approximately 8-12 pounds, with
a radio turned to static (or some other obnoxious sound) playing loudly.
(Eat cold food with one hand for dinner)
2. At 10PM, put the bag gently down, set the alarm for midnight, and go to
sleep.
3. Get up at 12 and walk around the living room again, with the bag, until
1AM.
4. Set the alarm for 3AM.
5. As you can't get back to sleep, get up at 2AM and make a drink and watch
an infomercial.
6. Go to bed at 2:45AM.
7. Get up at 3AM when the alarm goes off.
8. Sing songs quietly in the dark until 4AM.
9. Get up. Make breakfast. Get ready for work and go to work (work hard and
be productive)
Repeat steps 1-9 each night. Keep this up for 3-5 years. Look cheerful and
together.

Lesson 4
Can you stand the mess children make? To find out...
1. Smear peanut butter onto the sofa and jam onto the curtains.
2. Hide a piece of raw chicken behind the stereo and leave it there all
summer.
3. Stick your fingers in the flower bed.
4. Then rub them on the clean walls.
5. Take your favorite book, photo album, etc. Wreck it.
6. Spill milk on your new pillows. Cover the stains with crayons. How does
that look?

Lesson 5
Dressing small children is not as easy as it seems.
1. Buy an octopus and a small bag made out of loose mesh.
2. Attempt to put the octopus into the bag so that none of the arms hang
out.
Time allowed for this - all morning.

Lesson 6
Forget the BMW and buy a mini-van.
And don't think that you can leave it out in the driveway spotless and
shining. Family cars don't look like that.
1. Buy a chocolate ice cream cone and put it in the glove compartment. Leave
it there.
2. Get a dime. Stick it in the CD player.
3. Take a family size package of chocolate cookies. Mash them into the back
seat. Sprinkle cheerios all over the floor, then smash them with your foot.
4. Run a garden rake along both sides of the car.

Lesson 7
Go to the local grocery store.
Take with you the closest thing you can find to a pre-school child. (A
full-grown goat is an excellent choice). If you intend to have more than one
child, then definitely take more than one goat. Buy your week's groceries
without letting the goats out of your sight. Pay for everything the goat
eats or destroys. Until you can easily accomplish this, do not even
contemplate having children.

Lesson 8
1. Hollow out a melon.
2. Make a small hole in the side.
3. Suspend it from the ceiling and swing it from side to side.
4. Now get a bowl of soggy Cheerios and attempt to spoon them into the
swaying melon by pretending to be an airplane.
5. Continue until half the Cheerios are gone.
6. Tip half into your lap. The other half, just throw up in the air.
You are now ready to feed a nine- month-old baby.

Lesson 9
Learn the names of every character from Sesame Street, Barney, Disney, the
Teletubbies, and Pokemon. Watch nothing else on TV but PBS, the Disney
channel or Noggin for at least five years. (I know, you're thinking what?s
'Noggin'?) That?s exactly the point. (don't worry, you'll know)

Lesson 10
Make a recording of Fran Drescher saying 'mommy' repeatedly.
(Important: no more than a four second delay between each 'mommy';
occasional crescendo to the level of a supersonic jet is required). Play
this tape in your car everywhere you go for the next four years. You are now
ready to take a long trip with a toddler.

Lesson 11
Start talking to an adult of your choice. Have someone else continually tug
on your skirt hem, shirt- sleeve, or elbow while playing the 'mommy' tape
made from Lesson 10 above. You are now ready to have a conversation with an
adult while there is a child in the room.

This is your mission should you choose to accept it! Good luck. ;-)

etsyclothdiapers

Check out the current Promotion Etsy Cloth Diapers Group is running. Go to participating stores listed in the link and search each shop for free gifts with purchase. So fun. Happy Hunting!


http://etsyclothdiapers.blogspot.com/

We heart Silver Falls!

Last Sunday we decided to take Jesse to see some fun things and spend some quality time as a family. So we went to Silver Falls and walked to the South Fall, which is our favorite. It is so amazing, I don't think I will ever get tired of going there. On the way Zack climbed into a crevis, then had Jesse hand him Grayson, not pictured, made mommy have to look away but G enjoyed it. Then we wandered around showing Grayson the smaller streams and the bigger boys threw pike cones at each other. What an great morning. Such amazing weather too! It was almost 70 that weekend. Then it was off to the Spring Tulip Festival. More on that later.

Pass it on Sale! Got some loot!

I love the Pass It On Sale. It is a twice annual baby and kids resale Event. It is so fun. I sold off the toys and clothes that Grayson has outgrown and that I wasn't too attached to (for the next baby) and got some new ones for him to enjoy. I am trying to get more wooden toys and less plastic so I ended up getting a bunch of puzzles, a water coloring mat, a wooden train with some blocks on it, a new little bike and these great animals pictured here that do animal sounds and tell you about the animals. So fun. I got a ton of clothes and other stuff too. He loves the rode and sandles I got him, as you can see. :)

Boy oh boy.

I can't believe that Grayson is growing up so fast. He is almost 15 months old. :) :( The other day he was playing out in the front yard and it dawned on me that he is such a little boy. He was digging and just having such a good time. He was so calm and quiet. In his own little world.

And then he desided to go for a walk. So cute. :)

Sewing Fool

I feel like I have not left my sewing machine in a week. Oh wait- I haven't! I talked to a gal on Sunday about my diapers that is opening a baby boutique in Hillsboro. She loves them and wants them in the shop! Yay me! She also wants to take them to a mommy and baby bazaar this weekend. I had three made. So above it what I whipped up this week. Since Monday night actually. (17 in total now!)

Have I slept you ask- well no. Not before 2 am this week.

And have I been with my child- well a little. :) Some friends helped out and took him a few hours this week. THANK YOU SO MUCH, Diana, Jamie and Libby! I owe you guys.

Gotta get back to it, my deadline is fast approaching! I really need to add it up and see how many hours I have worked this week. I might need to ask my slave driver of a boss for a break. ;)

Oh well you know what I always say- I'll sleep when I am dead!

forgot to add the link to her shop: http://www.styledbabydesigns.com/

Grayson loves to read!

Grayson loves to read. (Keep those books coming grandparents! :) But today when he decided to sit down and read he was reading A Nursing Mothers Guide to Weaning. Maybe he was getting tips on how to avoid the inevitable. :)

Turn Out for Earth Hour- tomorrow at 8pm!

I was just reading my ideal bite DAILY BITER (http://www.idealbite.com/tiplibrary/today) that comes directly to my email and gives me a tip each day of new ways to be "green". I have never heard of Earth Hour (http://www7.earthhourus.org/ ) before but it sounds like a great thing and I am totally in- Zack you are by default! Sounds like a lovely "couple" time to me. Time to break out those dusty old candles! And since a radio would defeat the purpose I guess we can hum to eachother!

Oh wait I am losing the point. Do your part because collectively we can do so much good!

Happy Easter!

Today is Grayson's first REAL Easter. Last year I gave him a cute little bunny but all he did was chew on it- go figure. :) This year, the Easter Bunny came and delivered a fabulous basket of goodies and an Easter Mr. Potatoe head. He is cute, and smaller than the normal one so G can easily play with it. Thank you Easter Bunny.

He didn't really get it but he got that he was getting fun stuff and very quickly found the marshmellow candy that we put in the eggs. Lovely breakfast.

Later we went to Corie's for Easter Linner. (yes I said Linner) It was lovely as usual with Ham and all kinds of other goodies. Yum. Then we did an egg hunt with all the boys (hers and G) and GRayson sat and ate all his jelly beans (mother of the year award today- I am not sure he ate much real food- oh well)

Anyway, it was a great Easter even if G didn't really get it. He will next year and from then on. I remember my childhood of Easters. I always woke up so early and woke up my brother and we ran out to find our Easter baskets. It was such an egg-citing moment! I
love Easter morning.

What a wonderful day. sigh. I am content.

Crafty Mama's Bizarre at Milagros

Saturday I spent the day at Milagros Boutique peddling my wares. Or attempting to. :)
I had a lot of interst and a lot of people taking my business cards. But alas no orders. Next time I will hopefully have enough finished diapers for people to buy and take them with them. Hopefully people will start to catch on and buy, buy buy! Anyone want to buy a diaper? www.loveybuns.etsy.com











Hi Dad! :)