Archive | March, 2008

Smarty Pants Mama is pleased to annouce this week’s Munchkin!

Name: Isabella MarieAge: 17 monthsBirthday: 10/25/06
Likes: building towers with her blocks and knocking them down, “reading” books, holding and playing with her dolls, playing with her grandfather (Lolo), watching Mickey Mouse Clubhouse, “splash-splash” (bathtime), applesauce, going “bye-bye”, climbing where she shouldn’t climb, Elmo, moo-ing like a cow and hiss-ing like a snake!
Dislikes: having her diaper changed, going to bed, having a toy taken away from her, watching her daddy go “bye-bye” (to work), waiting, having her hair washed
I know there is a special munchkin in your life! Maybe it’s your daughter, your son, God-daughter/son, cousin or niece/nephew! Would you like your munchkin featured in Munchkin Monday? If so, please email photo of your Munchkin, name, birthday, likes, dislikes and any other funny/interesting information. Email: SmartyPantsMama at gmail dot com.

Happy Friday!
Sorry for the no real post today! Had a doctor’s appointment for my knee, followed by physical therapy where I think they wanted to rip my knee out of its skin!
See you Monday for Munchkin Monday! Don’t forget to nominate your munchkin to be featured! To get the details of what to mail me, click here, to read last Monday’s post.
Smiles,Smarty Pants Mama

So we all certainly have at least 1 thing in life that drives us bonkers! It may be a neighbor, an in-law, a disorganized garage. Bill Cosby once said, “You can turn painful situations around through laughter. If you can find humor in anything – even poverty – you can survive it.” Isn’t that the truth?? With that in mind, here are my thirteen things that I miss as I recuperate from knee surgery – in no particular order!
1. Walking – without crutches, without a walker, all I want is one leg after the other!2. Curling up in bed – leg elevated with huge a brace to keep it straight stinks!3. Standing up in the shower – sitting on the edge doesn’t really cut it!4. Driving – although being chauffeured is nice, I’d rather be in control.5. Carrying my daughter – I miss …

I have received 4 recalls this week from the CPSC! Please be sure to read the description that I have taken from their site, as well as look at the pictures I have included. As a Smart Mom, it is very important that you remove all recalled toys so they don’t pose a hazard to your munchkins!

Item 1: Toy Puzzle Vehicle Sets Recalled Due to Violation of Lead Paint Standard; Sold Exclusively by QVCHazard: Surface paints on the puzzle pieces and components contain excessive levels of lead, violating the federal lead paint standard.Description: The recall includes the 16 piece Puzzle Track Play sets also known as Battery Operated Puzzle Vehicle sets. QVC item number T16876 is printed on the exterior of the brown box packaging. The sets have plastic puzzle pieces that when put together form a track with a battery operated train, fire engine or school …

Okay, it’s now been 3 full months since Christmas morning! Yes, I’ve put away the lights, the tree and the way too many decorations. However, what still lingers in a pile, a pile that has moved from room to room, is the adorable photo Christmas cards we received. I have a thing for these cards. I can’t throw them away – I just won’t let myself.
Typically, I arrange the photos in the over 20 frames in my family room and the 10 plus in the living room, swapping the previous year photo with the current. Now there are quite a number of obstacles I face in this swap. Is the previous year photo for the cousins in Massachusetts the same size as this year’s? If yes, great! If not, well then where will they go? Whose spot will they take? What about if we …

Smart Pants Mama is pleased to present this week’s Munchkin Monday!

Name: RobertAge: Almost 9 monthsBirthday: 06/27/07
Likes: sleeping in bed with mommy, playing with his favorite toy – a spoon, playing with things he’s not supposed to: pulling on wires, ripping paper, pulling the curtains, hitting the guinea pigs water while he’s drinking so he squeaks, being “up high” like at the top of the stairs and looking down on people, bath time, sipping water out of plastic cups, looking at & trying to grab the lighthouse sun catchers @ Nanny & Pop’s, playing with my cousin Skyler, remote controls, pulling on necklaces, standing & walking while mommy holds my hands!
Dislikes: # 1 all-time dislike is sleeping in crib by himself, getting diaper changed, getting dressed, when mommy takes away things that aren’t safe to play with (wires, paper, curtains), the wind, a mechanical singing plastic turtle toy that walks …

For this week’s Free for Me Friday, I wanted to share a very random and strange website I came across. It’s called TrueDadConfessions.com. The intent of the site is to allow husbands/dads a place to get things off their chest. They can post whatever they would like, about whomever they would like. Most if the confessions are left anonymously. I consider this site one of those train wreck sites, where you don’t want to look, but for some reason you keep doing so!There are actually other confessions sites:

truemomconfessions.com

truebrideconfessions.com

trueofficeconfessions.com

truegreenconfessions.com

truemilitarywivesconfessions.com

truehookupconfessions.com

I can’t say that it’s a Smart Mom idea to check out these confessions, but I have a feeling a few of you will! No worries, no one will ask how long you looked – or if you post a confession!

Have a …

The Cow That Went Oink! by Bernard Most has become a favorite in our home! We currently own and enjoy the Spanish version, La Vaca Que Decia Oink! It’s such a cute story of a cow and a pig that have confused their sounds. The cow spends his time ‘oinking’ while the pig is a ‘moo-er.’ The two animals learn from each other the appropriate sounds, while the other animals from the farm laugh at them. This story teaches the reader/listener how to deal with criticism from your peers (ignoring the animals laughing), it also shows how determination and hard work pay off (the cow learns to moo and the pig oinks). For the younger listeners provides a chance to review animals found on a farm and their sounds – discriminating with correct and incorrect sounds.
This is a certainly a book to add to …

Last week I recommended the United States Consumer Product Safety Commission’s (CPSV) listserv (www.recall.gov) to receive current recall information on the products in your home. As a current subscriber of this listserv, I will post any recall information I receive on this blog on Wednesdays – hence Recall Wednesday! On the right sidebar of this page I have included a photo, when available, of the product or products recalled within the past week.
Today I have posted the recall for Wire-O Bound Journals and Calendars, made by Galison/Mudpuppy, of New York, N.Y. The notebooks were sold at specialty and gift stores nationwide and on-line from August 2003 through December 2007 for between $7 and $10. I received an email about this recall yesterday, 3/18. To learn more about this specific recall: Click Here.
Be a Smart Mom – visit this …

My daughter is beginning her toddler years and her personality is really starting to shine through. She has a great sense of humor, finding everyone and everything hysterical! She is pretty even tempered, although at times she does have a tiny temper tantrum when she has to wait for a certain toy or a cookie. I want to approach the next few years prepared. I want to be chock-full of knowledge of manners and skills to provide her. I want her to be well mannered but not hammered down with rules.
Recently I came across a very creative and fitting website. Fishful Thinking, www.fishfulthinking.com, made by Pepperidge Farm, makers of my daughter’s favorite snack, Goldfish! (See previous posting about her love of Goldfish!) Fishful Thinking provides parents with creative and useful resources on using Goldfish, or other similar type snacks, to teach optimistic behaviors and …

Happy St. Patrick’s Day!
So my munchkin will turn 17 months in 10 days, yet on Saturday she reached a milestone that the majority of toddlers don’t reach until well into 2 years – she climbed out of her crib!!! As a parent, this is a very terrifying moment. A child’s size and strength with give them the ability to get out of the crib, but what happens when the reach the other side? Will they jump over the edge, or slowly inch down? What happens when they are “free” in their room, while all along mommy and daddy are thinking they are nestled in their crib asleep?
While my peanut was napping on Saturday, we heard a thump (not too loud or heavy, but certainly a thump) followed by a cry. Tom, my husband (a.k.a. SmartyPantsDada), ran upstairs to check on the little one. As he reached the …

So these toy recalls don’t want to stop. It feels like every week we’re hearing about lead paint on a toy that was made in China. I get nervous when I read about these. Does my daughter have one of these toys on her play shelf, at Nana’s or at her cousin’s house?
Rather than waiting for your local news station to have a huge news story on your little one’s favorite train set, I recommend some other options. One option is to subscribe to the United States Consumer Product Safety Commission’s (CPSV) listserv to receive timely announcements in your inbox of which toys to toss. You may also want to subscribe to the FDA’s listserv to learn what should be going in the trash from your fridge or pantry! You can access the subscription for both government agencies on recalls at www.Recalls.gov.
Another site I …

My husband swore that Barney would never play at our house – this was obviously before our little one was born and he became the biggest mush for her. With nearly a dozen “kid” channels available, we’ve found that Sprout TV, the PBS Kids, toddler version, to be the best. It plays favorites such as Thomas & Friends, Angelina Ballerina, Kipper, Fireman Sam, Sagwa, Sesame Street and of course Barney! They also have three main shows a day, The Sunny Side Up Show, The Let’s Go Show and The Good Night Show. In each of these three programs, the host sings, dances and introduces the different episodes that are shown during the show. There is very much a routine involved; the same programs are played in a specific order. For example, Kipper always comes on around 6:20 PM after Nina …

Sitting up, crawling, walking, and first words are mighty milestones, however the inevitable still lingers, your little one will grow and have her first day of kindergarten, join a soccer team, go on 1st dates, drive a car, and begin the college days.
In the little more than 10 years that I graduated college, my school has already nearly doubled in tuition and room and board costs. To think that in about 16 years my peanut will be completing applications for her favorite schools! Will we have the financing in place to support her dreams?
I’ve come across a great website, www.collegesavings.org, that will undoubtedly assist you, and me, in finding exactly what’s needed to take advantage of state and national programs to save for the little one’s future education. The 529 programs allow you to save today, at the prices of today for the …

It’s PARTY TIME!!!! I have been invited to participate in this year’s Ultimate Blog Party, sponsored by 5 Minutes for Mom! ! It’s a great opportunity to learn about mommy-made blogs and blog readers! That means you too! Check out the site and see the over 1000 blogs listed and maybe even win a prize!

PS- Thank you TechSavvyMama for sharing the party news!

Have you noticed that your viewpoint on child rearing has undoubtedly changed since you’ve began rearing your own? Were you one of those who muttered under their breath when you saw a mom feed their child a candy bar just before dinner time, or let their child run a circus show at a restaurant? I was! Now, I don’t necessarily agree with these mom’s choices on rearing, but I understand much more their situation.
Every trip to Publix with my peanut includes her tote bag with emergency items: GoldFish, Maria Cookies and water. If she gets feisty, the water comes out. If that doesn’t do the trick, the GoldFish come swimming out into her belly! The last resort, and typically the cure-all is the cookie! Rarely do I even consider the time of day – eating a ½ cup of GoldFish just before lunch may just spoil her …

Ok, so we hear over and over again that kids are expensive. However, not until you begin to experience the near daily trips to Publix or Target, do you see how the cost of diapers, averaging 20 cents a piece or wipes for $5.00 a box, adds up so quickly!
Diapers – did you ever think that a human being could dirty a diaper with the frequency of your new little munchkin?? Are you using formula – averaging $25 per container!? There has to be – and there is – ways to use cost saving tips and coupons that will save you TONS as you adventure to properly dress, feed and clean your peanut!
This week I want to HIGHLY recommend BabyCheapSkate.com. This site provides frequent, near daily, updates on the latest and greatest deals for moms.
Real Story: Last summer I visited the site, based on …

I’m super excited to begin sharing with you my many different experiences and successes I’ve had with my beautiful daughter. Experiences make us smarter moms. Think of those 1st few days with your little one. Remember how clueless and nervous you were with that 1st bath. You sweated over if the water was warm enough, or if the washcloth was the soapy one or the one to water rinse your bundle of joy. At last you were done and considered yourself an ole pro! I like to think that we, as moms, become smarter and smarter with each and every experience. Think about everything you did with your children yesterday, you became knowledgeable – smarter- on being a mom!
With each post, I will share a website or other resource that has proven to be super helpful in making me a smart mom! …