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Friday’s Find – My Favorite Totally-Unnatural Energy Booster

MeckMom — Fri, 04 Mar 2011 19:13:35 +0000

Last night I was up until about 1:30 catching up on emails. At 5:15 my oh-s0-charming baby woke up bright-eyed and brimming with energy. At last, around 7:45 he finally started yawning. Sadly for me, that’s the exact same time my other 4 kids’ days are just beginning.

Since I have two little guys that sleep on totally opposite schedules and big kids who need rides, homework help, and dinner, a nap never really works out for me. On days like this, I really only have two options: go through the day groggy and grumpy or find an alternative that will help me function.

Some people go for a jog or meditate to boost energy – not me, I go for the totally unnatural version. I grab one of these handy little packets and dump it into my giant 24 oz Contigo water bottle. Each packet contains 120 mg of caffeine so I don’t drink it all at once. I just keep the bottle in the fridge and sip it throughout the day.

I used to have a hard time with this ‘fake energy idea’ but I don’t anymore. In my mind I try to see these the same way I see headache medicine – to be used in moderation when the need arises. You see, just being around my kids isn’t enough, they need a mom that is engaged and actively helping all the time. I can’t do that with a headache so I take Tylenol – I also can’t do it without adequate energy so on occasion, I drink this.

I know this isn’t an ideal solution. Someday, my son will sleep through the night consistently. Someday, my two year-old won’t destroy the kitchen every time I close my eyes. Someday, I’ll be able to read, relax, and rest a whole lot more. Until that day, I need a back up solution that helps me keep up with (and enjoy) my crazy life. That’s why I keep a stash of these packets on the top shelf of my cupboard. It’s not ideal, but works for me.

Have a great weekend, everyone!

Help Kids Focus with this Simple Trick

MeckMom — Fri, 25 Feb 2011 00:05:25 +0000

Elementary School is sort of rough on parents. A lot of the homework required demands parent interaction. Listening to reading, quizzing on math facts, helping with spelling words, checking worksheets, finishing dioramas…they all require my direct supervision. Since I have three in elementary school (2nd, 3rd, & 5th) my nights often seem to be an endless homework session.

All of my kids need my help at one time or another so sending them to their rooms to finish homework just isn’t an option. We set up a homework table in the back of the living room but with three of them working at the same time, attention was a definite issue. So I came up with this cheap and easy hack to help them stay focused.

Designed from a squishy memory foam, these ear plugs adjust to any size ear. I love them because they don’t block all sound. They just muffle the sounds enough so my kids can ignore the distractions around them yet still hear me when I need to get their attention.

They work for me too. When I really need to focus on a project I’ll send the kids to the toy room and pop a pair of these in my ears. They don’t block out all the sound (I can still hear if someone is in trouble or if they come into the room to tattle on each other) but they block out all the random kid chatter, allowing me to dedicate my attention and get my job done quickly.

I’ve even used them with my newborns to help them sleep during church or on airplanes (I trimmed them with scissors first). ***I’m offering this tip with real reservation because I know a bunch of you will stress out and tell me about the all horrible choking hazards I am exposing my children to. Trust me, when you’re managing five kids on a plane, those ‘risks’ will seem a lot less hazardous. Just please be smart and don’t use these on a child that has the dexterity to pull them out of their ears or trim them so small that the plugs can get wedged in the ear canal.

I’m sure you can find these plugs in virtually any pharmacy or supermarket. I buy mine at WalMart (near the contact lens cases) for $1.49 per pack. I hope you enjoy the muffled peace and quiet this tip may bring. ;) Just thought I’d pass it on.

Swappin it Up – Easy Toddler Games

MeckMom — Wed, 02 Feb 2011 21:22:08 +0000

Today I’m guest posting at Or So She Says. A great blog dedicated to offering easy solutions to women. You can find everything from parenting tips to makeover ideas, it’s a great resource. If you haven’t seen it yet, hop on over and check it out.

Luckily, today I’ve got a guest poster for you to fill in in my absence – and she’s a doll. Her name is Meagan and she contacted me last week asking to do a guest post on easy baby entertainment. Since I spend the vast majority of the daylight hours entertaining a couple of little guys myself, I was all for it! Here goes…I hope you enjoy it.

7 Games You Can Play with Your Toddler to Help Him Learn

I am a SAHM of two little boys ages 1 and 3, and I’m trying to grow a small business. Sometimes it can be

difficult trying to balance the two…work and family. They are both important to me, but at the heart of

everything I know that my family comes first.

Image: Little Alouette on Etsy

My infant is just starting to be more interactive although he does well entertaining himself. My 3 year

old on the other hand is becoming more and more energetic, and he wants me to entertain him all the

time. Sad to say his ideal form of entertainment is to sit in front of the television and watch Blue’s Clues

all day. Some days when I’m really busy trying to work on my business I’m tempted to allow that, but

then I remember that my first priority is the wellbeing of my kids. So for me, that doesn’t mean letting

them watch cartoons all day or for them to play by themselves for long periods of time. Yes, they need

to learn to entertain themselves, but they need to spend quality time with me too. In our house there’s

a time for work and a time for play. Work for me usually happens when the boys are napping or when

they’re playing with Daddy, but when they’re both awake and Daddy’s at work I don’t want them to sit

around with nothing to do, being board, and getting into mischief. So I play games with them.

Now how do I go about spending time with my toddler and keeping him entertained? First I want him

to spend some quality time with me, second I want him to be active, and third I’d like for him to learn

something as we play. Sometimes we play with his toys, go visit Daddy at work, play outside, go on play-

dates, or play learning games. So today I want to share some fun games with you that will help your

toddler develop some skills they need to learn, and will allow you to spend some quality time with your

little one.

Image: Evgie on Etsy

1. Play Catch – {hand-eye coordination, gross motor skills}

Since most toddlers can throw a ball before they can catch one, this is a great game to

play to help them learn to catch! Use a big ball, like a beach ball, and start by sitting 3-4

feet apart. Roll the ball back and forth until he has the hang of it. Next deflate the ball a bit

so that it’s easier to catch. Start by asking him to throw the ball to you showing him how

to catch then let him have a try. Once he has the hang of it you can increase the distance

between you and he little by little.

2. Balancing Act – {balance, eye-foot coordination, spatial awareness}

Trying to balance on narrow walkways is a natural activity for little ones so you probably

won’t have to work too hard to play this game. Find something for your toddler to walk

on that’s low to the ground, straight and narrow. Railroad ties and balance beams at the

local park work great. Hold his hand and walk him across. Make sure to praise him once he

reaches the other side, and if he falls off encourage him to try again. Eventually you won’t

need to hold his hand any longer!

3. Playtime with Puppets – {imagination, language development}

If you’re really in a creative mood you can start with an art project and make your own sock

puppets, but if not than using stuffed animals works great. Rig up some sort of stage where

you aren’t seen but the puppets are. Behind the sofa works well. Ask your kiddo questions

with the puppets, and encourage him to talk back. Sing songs that he knows. Use different

voices for each puppet.

4. Head, Shoulders, Knees, and Toes – {body awareness, listening skills, visual memory}

You know the fun children’s song, “Head, Shoulders, Knees, and Toes”. Sing that song while

you demonstrate where your hands go each time. If your toddler is having trouble getting

the hang of it, use his hands and put them where they go as you sing. After your little guy

has got the hang of it, have a bit of fun and speed up the song each time you sing it. By the

end you’ll both be jumbled up and laughing together.

5. Fluttering Scarves – {eye-foot & eye-hand coordination, gross motor skills}

In this game you’ll need to find some brightly colored, lightweight or sheer scarves. You can

also use tissues if you can’t find any scarves. Scrunch up a few and toss them high in the air.

Have your toddler try to catch them as they float down. Next ask her to throw them up for

you to catch. After a while increase the difficulty level by having her spin around once or

clap her hands before trying to catch them.

6. Phone Calls – {creative expression, language development, social skills}

Toddlers are drawn to telephones like bees to flowers! Find an old phone or use a play

phone if you have one. You can even use your own phone if you don’t mind. Have your

toddler hold the phone up to her ear, and ask questions to the imaginary person on the

other end. You can even slip around the corner and pretend she’s talking to you!

7. Bottle Bowling – {balance, cause & effect, hand-eye coordination}

Little ones LOVE to throw things so this game will be perfect for them. Start by gathering up

plastic cups, bottles, or empty cans and placing them together on the floor. Find a soft ball

or plush animal, have a seat about 4 feet away, and demonstrate how throwing the item at

the bottles knocks them down. Take turns setting the bottles up and knocking them down.

Make sure to let your little one help set the bottles back up! You can move your toddler

closer or further from the bottles to change the game a bit, and when he has that down

have him stand up and play the game.

So what are you waiting for? Go grab your little guy or gal and spend 30 minutes here and there playing

some of these quick and easy games!

Meagan Visser is the owner of Baby Swank, an online shop for trendy and eco-friendly

items for babies and toddlers. She is a SAHM to two perfect little boys, and a wife to

the love of her life. She lives in the beautiful Appalachian Mountains of East Tennessee,

and is working toward growing her business and helping other moms pursue their

dreams of running a business while having a family.

Friday’s Find – My Favorite Bargain Diaper

MeckMom — Fri, 10 Sep 2010 18:41:30 +0000

I love to try new stuff – recipes, cleaning products, iPhone apps, kitchen tools, crafts, even the occasional ‘as seen on TV’ gadget. What can I say? I’m always in search of things that will make my life a little easier and more enjoyable. Most of these little finds aren’t worthy of an entire weekday post so I thought I’d add a new type of post to the MeckMom roster. I’m calling it my Friday Find.

It will be a short little post about my latest-greatest find. To add to the fun, I’m adding in a linky party as well. So starting next week you’ll be able to link up to your own blog and share yours favorite Friday Find with the group. It’s a win-win for both of us. You get to boost your blog’s web traffic and I get a sneak peak into a bunch of great new stuff to try. So start thinking of your latest favorite find, snap a picture and make a post about it this week. Then, swing back here next Friday and share it with the rest of us. I can’t wait to see what fun stuff you recommend!

Ok, now onto this week’s find.

One website I found suggests that a baby will burn through 730+ diapers in the first year and at least 2000+ by the time their potty trained. Take that number and multiply it by 5 kids and you’ll have an idea why finding a good diaper deal is important to me. I grabbed these Up Up diapers at Target several months ago and I’ve loved them ever since. They’re soft, super-absorbent, and covered in cute blue and green polka dots. Best of all, they were a steal-of-a-deal. The entire box was less than $14 (compared to a similar sized Huggies box at $21). It’s tough to turn down a bargain like that. Whether you’re on your first bundle of joy or your fifth, you should definitely give these diapers a try.

How about you? What fabulous finds have you come across? Post about it on your blog this week and meet me here next week for the linky party. Don’t have blog? I still want to hear from you – just leave your friday find in the comments area below. Thanks, everyone. I hope you have a fabulous weekend!

(don’t you just love his face in this pic? i laughed right out loud when it popped up in my viewfinder.)

My Favorite Tool for Cutting Baby Hair

MeckMom — Fri, 26 Mar 2010 20:56:51 +0000

All five of my kids were born with gobs and gobs of hair. With my girls it was wonderful because they got to skip the bald phase and go straight to clips and pixie flips. My boys however just looked shaggy – adorable, but shaggy. The long, ultra-fine baby hair just wasn’t very manly in my opinion so I decided to give them haircuts. I was a bit nervous to hold scissors or sharp trimmers anywhere near their wobbly little heads so I looked around for a better option. Luckily I found it in men’s grooming aisle of Target.

This inexpensive beard and mustache trimmer is the perfect tool for tiny trims in my book. It’s small and lightweight so it’s easy to maneuver around a baby’s delicate head. It has a built-in adjustable guard so it’s impossible for the blades to touch his skin. And it’s cordless so you don’t have to worry about being near an outlet. I bought mine (a Remington) at Target for less than $20 a few years ago and I still love it.

Check out the difference it made on my latest little guy…

Sam’s hair before his cut
Sam’s hair after his cut

See? Doesn’t that look better? I’ve found the easiest way to cut newborn baby hair is to have someone else hold them while you work – be sure to feed them first so they’re nice and sleepy. If that’s not an option, try laying them on their tummy on a towel on a soft floor. Once they’re able to hold their heads up comfortably, I recommend putting them in a Bumbo chair and seting them on the bathroom counter. They’ll be so entertained by the mirror in front of them that they hardly notice what’s going on with their head.

I’ve used this type of tool on all three of my boys – starting around 2wks old. I love the way it evens their hair and gives them a clean, trim look. If you’re not a fan of fine, patchy baby hair on your boys either, you should definitely give this trick a try. Just thought I’d pass it on.

The Best Burp Cloths Ever

MeckMom — Fri, 12 Mar 2010 07:10:44 +0000

This particular tip comes from years of experience. Not general mothering experience, mind you. I mean experience walking into church, a store, or the kids’ school only to find that I’ve got lovely patch of baby spit-up hanging out on my shoulder. I’ve tried tons of different burp cloths over the years but nothing really seemed to work. Even the washable diapers everyone raved about didn’t actually absorb anything. For the most part the spit-up just sat on top of the fabric, which inevitably found its way back onto the baby or worse, onto my shirt.

With my fourth baby, I finally found a better option in the car care aisle of Sam’s Club – a mega-pack of microfiber cleaning towels. Initially I bought them for house cleaning purposes (I was trying to break my addiction to paper towels). Then one day, desperate for something to catch the spit up, I grabbed one of these towels from the closet. Much to my surprise it worked like a charm. It soaked up the spit up like a sponge and consequently kept the mess off my baby and my shirt. I’ve been hooked ever since.

With this baby, I prepared early by sewing a bunch of burp cloths before the baby was born. I’m sorry I don’t have step-by-step photos of the process. I made all 20 burp cloths in the middle of the night and couldn’t get decent lighting for the pictures. Luckily they’re pretty easy to make (I’m talking 3 minutes each) so you shouldn’t need much instruction.

Buy a big pack of towels (I paid around $10 for 20 towels). I pre-washed my towels because they shrink a little the first time you dry them but you could probably skip this step if you’re in a hurry.
The towels usually come in large, thin squares. Fold the square in half to form a long rectangle (the fabric is the same on both sides so don’t worry about right-sides together).
Next, stitch a straight line down the long side (opposite the fold you just created). Now flip your towel inside-out to hide the seam. Your towel should be like a tube at this point; lay it flat so the seam is centered on the back.
Stitch the top of the tube and the bottom of the tube closed. Now stitch a straight line down the center of the towel for stability (you don’t need to measure or pin, just eyeball it).

That’s it. Now just whip out 19 more and you’ll be armed with excellent baby protection. I know they’re not the prettiest things you’ve ever seen but they’re super-soft, inexpensive, and totally functional. Trust me, when it comes to protecting your clothes from spit-up (and everything else that spurts out of your little bundle of joy) they’re a mothering must-have. Just thought I’d pass it on.

Want more great baby advice? Check out all the fabulous comments from this past MeckMom post.

Keep Diaper Supplies Handy with this Simple Trick

MeckMom — Wed, 03 Mar 2010 06:23:53 +0000

Yesterday my husband had to take our new son to the doctor for a routine check up and was presented with a dilemma. He knew he’d need to bring diaper changing supplies but had no desire to tote my cute, melon-colored purse along with him. I couldn’t send him to the doctor empty-handed so I showed him one of my favorite mom-tested tricks. I grabbed a diaper and a thin pack of wipes and tucked them into the lining of the baby’s car seat. Viola! Instant access to the supplies he needs without compromising his tough, manly appearance (you’re welcome, handsome).

I’ve used this trick for years now. I came up with it when I had three kids under three and was desperate for a way to simplify the getting-out-the-door process. Since the car seat goes everywhere the baby goes this simple solution has allowed me to make quick runs to the store or to pick up the big kids from activities without lugging a diaper bag all the time.

I’ve got a diaper and a small ziploc bag of wipes tucked into my toddler’s car seat lining too. Granted, his seat stays in the car but my car is never far away so it’s a a great backup for diapering emergencies. The same trick worked for my daughter when she was potty training too. You moms that have been through the potty training process know how frustrating it is when your kids have accidents away from home. The clean pair of underwear, wipes and pull-up that I used to keep in the lining of her booster seat saved me from many messy situations. No matter where we were or how long we were away from home, I always knew I had a backup available.

It’s a simple idea that has saved me from tons of trouble. If you’re a mom of little ones you should definitely give this simple trick a try. Just thought I’d pass it on.

The Newest Eckersley is Here

MeckMom — Sat, 27 Feb 2010 01:49:37 +0000

It’s official. I’m now a mom of five fabulous little kids. This week we welcomed the newest Eckersley to our house. Little Man Sam as we’re calling him is a delightful little bean-bag of a baby. He’s tiny, wrinkly, and has a full head of dark hair. We couldn’t be happier.

Luckily he’s still in that sleepy stage and my wonderful Mom is here catering to my every need so the full weight of being a mom of five hasn’t really set in yet. I imagine the panic will hit me right around the time her plane heads down the runway. Wish me luck! It will be an adventure. Just thought I’d pass it on.

2 Handy Tools for Quicker Clean-Ups

MeckMom — Mon, 21 Apr 2008 19:49:12 +0000

As a Mom, sometimes it seems like I spend half my day “picking up” after my family. I often spend so much time getting the small stuff in order that I never make it to the deep cleaning. Consequently, I’m always looking for cheap tools to help speed up the the process. Two of my favorites are my Butler’s Broom and my ultra-handy Grabber.

It’s kind of amazing how quickly the kitchen floor can go from clean to crumb-covered. Even if the mess is isolated to a certain spot (like that pesky area under the stools) – the kitchen gets so much foot traffic that the initial mess seems to spread within minutes. My solution? Catch the mess early with a Butler’s Broom – or better yet, make your kids do it. I bought this handy little tool in the cleaning supplies section of Wal Mart for around $10. Its short size makes it very kid-friendly and allows it to tuck away neatly on my pantry door. It’s perfect for sweeping up small messes and reaching into tight corners. As a bonus, the handle-mounted dustpan saves you from bending down and it’s large enough to hold even the bigger kitchen clean-ups. I’ve used mine several times a day for the past two years and - although it’s starting to signs of wear - still works like a charm.

My Grabber was another Wal Mart find that I can’t live without. On any given day, I probably pick up dozens of random items off my floors, tables, sofas (and pretty much any other horizontal surface). I guess it might have something to do with the 4 people in our family that are less than 40 inches tall. You long time readers might remember the stash boxes I created to help deal with this pick-up-after-yourselves problem. Although the stash boxes and our weekly stash box challenge help a ton, I still hate bending over a zillion times a day to pick up what remains. That’s where this handy tool comes in. Designed to help people with disabilities extend their reach, the Grabber is perfect for Moms looking to streamline their clean-ups. It’s narrow and lightweight which makes it incredibly convenient for grabbing kid shoes, papers, matchbox cars, couch cushions and pretty much everything else that wanders out of place each day. Best of all, the long handle virtually eliminates the need to bend over and provides extended reach for when your son decides to stash his rotten apple core behind the way-too-heavy-to-move-by-yourself armoire.

I loved having my Grabber during pregnancy – especially during that last trimester when I couldn’t bend over to tie my own shoes, let alone pick up Polly Pockets. If you’ve got a baby shower to attend in the near future, I highly recommend skipping the sea of traditional pastel baby presents and picking up a Grabber instead. Trust me, yours will be the first thank you card she’ll write! You can find the Grabber at various sites online or in the “as seen on TV” section of your local Wal Mart for around $10. Just thought I’d pass it on.

Best Baby Advice Giveaway Update

MeckMom — Mon, 24 Mar 2008 03:26:04 +0000

Happy Easter everyone. First off, let me say thank you for your insightful comments in regards to last week’s Talk To Me Tuesday post. I was floored by the huge wealth of fabulous Mom-tested advice that came streaming in all week. I’m going to have to have give away free stuff more often. You guys are a fantastic resource and fully intend to take advantage of your brilliance.

My 5 year-old daughter had the privilege of picking the winning comment number today. She drew the number 26. So congratulations to Lisa. I’ll be sending you an email shortly. Thanks again to everyone that participated. I hope you had a wonderful holiday weekend. More great tips and simple solutions to come soon. Just thought I’d pass it on.