Easy Writer

I try my darndest to incorporate "educational fun" into whatever activities the kids might be doing. It doesn't always work out that way, but I try.

Here's something super-simple that'll keep kids occupied for hours on end while providing an opportunity for learning: chalkboard paint. I'm always surprised by how few people actually use the stuff--it's great! We had a door off our kitchen that was just awful--however, when painted with chalkboard paint (go Home Depot!) and accompanied by some dust-free chalk, it became a veritable magnet for the kids and our kitchen was transformed into "Schoolhouse Rock" (in a good way).

So now, no matter what I might be doing in the kitchen, I can usually count on my kids playing school or drawing holiday-themed decorations or simply scribbling away. It's also been great to help teach our kids Dutch, Spanish and some French--and we sometimes play "what's that sign?" to practice ASL. All in all, you can't beat it. If you can find even a 3' x 4' area or so, that's all it takes. And in close to 5 years, I've only touched the paint up once. Oh, and the chalk wipes off easily with a damp cloth.

Decorating...here we go again!

Ok, this time it's not about holiday decorating. It's about your kids' rooms--when they get to that certain age and realize they can vocalize their feelings on how they'd like their rooms to look.

My daughter is at that age. Unfortunately for her, we moved into our house just prior to having the twins--so, of course, our focus was on the twins' nursery-to-be. I didn't go all out as I wasn't really sure anyway what to do for a room that would have not one, but two babies. But I did at least paint the room. A nice cheerful shade of blue--not pastel (too traditional baby)...not navy (too "wait-till-they're-7")--but a nice shade none the less. And it looked lovely--at least for the time being until the boys actually came and actually grew and actually became boys who were actually quite rambunctious and actually broke things. But I digress.

The key is, it looked nice. My daughter, being no fool, immediately saw the contrast between the boys' room and her white-walled boudoir. This translated immediately into a cry for a yellow room. I'm pretty quick on my feet so I tried to explain to her that her room was not white, but "a whiter shade of pale" (with a nod to Procol Harum) and that she should appreciate the blissful dichotomy of its subtle yet overbearing nature. Alas she is no fool. She said, "Mom!" (which somehow became a two-syllable word) "it's WHITE! Can't you see?" It was not the first time I had no comeback for her.

Somehow fortune was on my side a mere few weeks after this discussion as I sauntered down an aisle at a "Dollar Store". I was searching for party decorations upon the advice of several other mothers and, as luck would have it, there in front of my eyes was a knock-off version of Wallies! In many design options! My mind started racing. Most options were "country"-style borders (not my taste at all) or the usual seashells, herbs, abc's in pastels...you get the picture. But tucked in the middle of the display was a wonderful set of colorful gerberas and an alphabet set to match! Again, I note, this was in the DOLLAR STORE--so you know how much these self-stick, removable wall decals cost! I snatched them up (almost every last one of them), bought them all (sans any party crap), and raced home.

When my daughter returned home from school I surprised her and she was beside herself with glee. I helped her come up with words or phrases to spell out on her walls--like "reading spot" for where she keeps some of her books or "take a snooze" by her bed (see pics). And we randomly put the gerberas on the walls, too. She loved it.

The best part? I loved it. Simple. Cheap. No need to paint. A lot of happiness for basically zero effort. And if we move or paint or...? They peel right off.

Baby Alive Needs a Mommy Alive

So it's been a week of holiday festivities and frivolity and we've had a new addition to our family! For those of you who know me, no, you did not miss my pregnancy and no, we did not adopt another child. Rather, we've become the proud parents of a new...BABY ALIVE! I say "we" because once Santa brings your daughter a Baby Alive (BA), it does indeed take a village.

For those of you who are not familiar with this little tyke, she's reminiscent of that Sassy Susan doll of yore in size and coif. However, BA has eyes right out of some Japanese cartoon or comic--they just seem unnaturally large for what's supposed to be a natural-looking babe. I had to first get over that. Then, to my naivete, I had not kept up on all the BA hype enough to to absorb the fact that she...poops! Yes, she POOPS! Just like the original from the mid-70's. And I now know why my own mother never got me one. We're not talking about those dolls that "drink" water and then (oops!) "pee" it out neatly on the other end. We're talking poop: whatever color you feed her is whatever color (& consistency) you find on the other end.

And here's the "gotcha!" glitch for her real parents with real wallets: HER DIAPERS ARE NOT REUSABLE!!! Now, that is stated on the package--but not in anything larger than say, 12 pt type. So when you have your first trial run (no pun intended) you realize you cannot wash and re-wear. Then you realize Hasbro has only given you TWO diapers to start and BA has just sent one to a landfill. So you're hearing "Mommy! Let's feed her the peas now! Please! PLEASE!" while you're mentally processing the fact that after the peas, BA will have to starve for a while and your daughter will be despondent.

For a fleeting moment, I entertained the thought of making some washable diapers--complete with velcro tabs. I figured I'd already earned my Fed-Ex stripes from having boxes (& boxes!) of diapers shipped to my door for the twins and I was not about to repeat that, even if on a miniature scale. Fortunately for me, my daughter would rather curl up with a book or feed her starving Webkins brood--even if she only gets to do so for 30 minutes at a time. So the "Mom, can we buy Baby Alive more diapers?" whine only lasted for days 1 & 2 of her newly found motherhood. There is a higher power.

And so I feel guilty that BA is not getting enough love.

Not sure if I would've let Santa bless us with this little cherub had I been eyes-wide-open on all her needs. But then I also would not have had the harrowing life-flashing-before-me experience of hearing my daughter say, "Mommy! This means you're a grandmother!!"

A New Column: DAIS NAID (said: "DAY-IS NAY-ID")

Or in other words, Do As I Say, Not As I Do. This is where I get to share moments of sheer stupidity (bad word, Mommy!) with you. It's where I get to impart some little tidbits that I have become wiser about simply by life experience...those moments when you just go ahead and act in your "mom" role, without really thinking things through first.

Here's today's tidbit:

You may, in one of your "I am woman, hear me roar" moments as a mom of multiples, feel that you can conquer the supermarket with a tandem stroller. And, yes, you most certainly can--IF you only need milk (which of course you need) and bread. I, however, thought I could pull off a small shopping list with twins and tandem stroller in tow.

Results: YES! Those strollers--particularly the front-to-back type vs. the side-by-side kind--DO provide quite a bit of grocery-loading room in the bottom storage compartment. BUT--here's the rub--once you check out and the once-dispersed products are neatly bagged, they take on a new "cube". And what do you know? They no longer fit--AT ALL--in your lovely tandem stroller.

If you are shopping in the southern region of the country, this will most likely not be a huge issue, as many supermarkets there have staff that will gladly assist you to your car. And, as it is de rigeur there, no one will be the wiser and you will be spared the embarrassment. Not so in the Northeast. In many instances you will have to either seek out help, or UNBAG your items so you can then rearrange them back in the under-baby storage compartment.

Better to try this shopping method at Costco or some other bulk-shopping place. Though, of course then you'll only be able to purchase one or two items anyway as no more will fit. Best idea: hire a babysitter, take the van, and get a real shopping cart!

Books that won't Bore! (Volume I)

While I love the classics (think Dr. Seuss) for kids and am a firm believer in reading, reading, reading to your kids, I have to admit to the read a page, skip a few paragraphs, turn the page (or two) method of reading, which of course only works until your child can a) actually notice sight words in the text or b) knows the story plot line and/or cadence by heart.

But over the years, family and friends and a few lost trips to Barnes & Noble have provided me with some great keep-a-Mom's-interest reads. A few of which I'll note here:

1. Tidy Heidi. By John Patience. A really cute story about a pig who's overly concerned with primping, then learns how to get down 'n dirty. Many thanks to Helen for that one!

2. The Todd Parr books. Simple, quick reads with colorful, graphic illustrations with some really wonderful messages (e.g., "it's ok to be different").

3. Mary Had a Little Jam. By Bruce Lansky. Classic nursery rhymes with a new twist. Even though toddlers won't necessarily get the play on words, they'll still laugh at these versions!

4. Once Upon a Time, the End. By Geoffrey Kloske and Barry Blitt. Think classic fairy tales if Cliff Notes got their hands on them. It's the super condensed but still on point version of your favorites--each story fits on one, single page.

5. You Read to Me, I'll Read to You. By Mary Ann Hoberman. This series has won awards and made the NY Times Bestseller list. And it falls into the category of "why didn't someone think of this sooner?!" For when your child is learning to read for him/herself. Your-turn/my-turn paragraphs in alternating colors cue you and your child into who-reads-when. Engages both of you big-time and it's definitely a lot of fun all-around!

That's it for now--but these are definitely worth a look. More to come in Volume II...

The Next Generation of Dry-Erase...

Here's something someone should have thought of long ago!

If you're a parent of a child over the age of 2 or 3, you then most likely know the benefit of products such as write-on/wipe-off mats or the ubiquitous Color Wonder series from Crayola (http://www.crayola.com/).

Now, however, we can welcome products by the Board Dudes to this realm of "thank the dear, sweet Lord someone came up with this" ideas. Check out http://www.boarddudes.com/ for their complete line.

But there's also a simpler route: visit your local Staples store. It was there that I found some of their great (and educational!) dry-erase mats for learning cursive writing, doing ABC's, doodling, playing hangman.... They also have some great high-school- and college-kid things (for lockers, etc.): foam boards, message boards, locks, organizers...

For the rest of us, they have weekly organizers, cork boards, magnetic boards--all worth a look. One of my faves is their Seagrass bulletin board--for when you're tired of looking at cork!

So my thoughts veer today from the ho-ho-ho-holidays to...potty training. Yes. About as non-cupful-of-cheer as you can get. But necessary none-the-less. And here's the thing. There's a whole group of product marketers out there who are trying to get inside your toddler's brain to find that one gem that'll make the process easier. What follows here is a list of some of those gems. Most I haven't tried, and many have made the list simply out of my own disbelief that they even exist...
1. The Peter Potty. Yes, a urinal for the toddler set. See it at www.peterpotty.com

2. Toilet Targets. (I have these--they get more laughter than actual pee-pee) Turn pee-pee time into sport! Available at www.pottytrainingconcepts.com

3. Potty Mitts. Mittens for little ones so you don't have to keep saying "don't touch anything!"; also available at www.pottytrainingconcepts.com

4. Inflate-A-Potty. Lest you be caught potty-less on the road! At www.onestepahead.com

5. Potty Watch. Skip setting the timer--now your little one can wear a watch whose sole purpose is to beep potty reminders. At www.onestepahead.com

6. Folding Potty Seat with Handles. (yes, I have this one) A great lifesaver to convert any toilet to a potty while you're out and about. At www.onestepahead.com

7. Family Seat Potty Seat. For those of you who find it too tiresome to use a removeable potty seat. At www.onestepahead.com

8. Cottonelle for Kids Toilet Paper. Yes, follow the paw-prints to know just how much toilet paper to use (how did we ever survive without it?!?). Available at most supermarkets.

I'm sure there are others I could add to the list. But I just never realized how much of an industry going to the bathroom has become.

Completely Hassle-Free Holiday Shopping... with Benefits!

I'm one of those people who, given the opportunity, will make a competition out of just about anything--even when there's no one to compete with but myself. It keeps things interesting. Example: think I can't fix that broken towel rack? Watch me! (all said in conversation to myself)

So now that the holidays are upon us--although it is a tad bit late for those of you who are the more conventional brick & mortar shoppers--here's a little challenge I typically put myself up to: shop for everyone on my list (usually 15+ folks--not including those (ugh!) obligatory work/school/childcare gifts) in 24 hours or less without leaving home! If you really know me, you know this is no challenge at all. Why? Because a) I let my fingers do the walking on my keyboard at the speed of light; and b) I belong to www.upromise.com;

Upromise has been a great little "friend with benefits" for saving for my kids' education. The beauty of it is, you shop online just as you would normally, and automatically (provided you shop via the Upromise site/links) a percentage, from 1% to 10% or more of your purchase, is dumped into your Upromise account. It sits there and collects until you either have it electronically transferred to a 529 account, or you withdraw it via snail mail check to deposit into an account that's not directly linked to Upromise. (check out the site for the specifics...)

And here's some other Upromise perks... Your everyday purchases (groceries, gas, restaurants, etc) may be eligible for savings--provided you register your grocery store savings card, your gas credit card, and your primary credit card numbers, it's all automatic and you can track how your purchases are adding up to savings online. You can also have your family and friends register and have their purchases benefit your little ones' futures. Not bad.
I've been a member since before my first was born (yes! you can register your child in utero!!) and now the "deposits" keep coming on auto-pilot...

Oh, and yes, my shopping's done. No malls, no parking hassles, no food courts. I'm just sitting back sipping my coffee and waiting for the boxes to arrive via my UPS guy....