I Am A Freestyle Mom

I am a freestyle mom.
I don't fit into any other parenting category completely.
I have the right to choose my own parenting style.
I am always learning.
I do not necessarily parent exactly like I was raised.
I am not perfect and do not always know what I'm doing.
Being a parent has been learn as I go.
Google is my friend.
I am not afraid to ask other moms for ideas or advice.
I make mistakes & I learn from them.
There is always room for improvement.
I am a freestyle mom.

Why our family uses cloth diapers

When my oldest was a year old I decided to try out cloth diapers for the first time. He has really sensitive skin and we were going through multiple brands of disposables before I heard about the use of cloth. When I first imagined cloth diapers I thought of ugly rags with ducky safety pins. Boy was I wrong!

I went online and researched all the different types and brands that I could find. There is a social networking site called Baby Gaga that has a forum for cloth diapers. The women in there answered all of my questions wonderfully. They seemed to know the answer to every problem. I went back with different questions like “How do I wash the diapers properly?” or “My child is getting a rash. What is going on?!”.  There is so much information on the internet; I love being able to get my questions answered with the stroke of a few keys. (Link for forum below) 

I was really interested in the environmental side of using cloth as well, and just seeing how many diapers we threw out to be put in a landfill disturbed me. However, what got me hooked was how darn cute cloth diapers are! I slowly added to our stash over the course of a couple years. Every once in a while I stumble upon a great deal and I cannot resist. 

After our second child was born we continued using cloth for months. It was at least 4 months before I became tired of the extra laundry and started buying disposables again. Then a few months ago I decided to sell my cloth to make a little extra cash. When I brought up the box of cloth diapers and started going through it I had a change of heart. There was no way I could say goodbye. It sounds silly but I have a slight emotional attachment. Now months later my children are rocking their cloth again. It's really fun because they can pick out their own diapers. When they are soiled we have a garbage can with a lid and waterproof washable bag in the bathroom that we toss them in. In the summer time we have a clothesline outside that we hang the diapers to dry on after washing. 

When we go on trips or away for more then a couple hours they are back in disposibles because the last thing I want to do when we get home is a load of dirty diapers. I’d rather have nice clean cloth waiting for us when we come home.

Cloth diapers are not for every family but for ours they work great.

Our favorite brands are: 

Bum Genius

Kawaii

BubuBebe 

I purchased most of our diapers at www.cottonbabies.com and www.ebay.com.

For more information on cloth diapers:

http://forum.baby-gaga.com/about1035088.html

http://www.cottonbabies.com/clothdiapers.php

My babes rocking Bububebe diaper covers. 

My youngest happy to be in a Kawaii pocket diaper. 

Ways to Have Fun With Your Toddler at Home

Kids grow up so fast. I'm sure you feel like it was just yesterday that your baby was born.  Don't let anymore time pass by without making memories that you and your child can cherish forever. 
Your kids aren't going to remember all of the times you said no to a new toy or the days you worked late or weren't with them. They aren't going to remember that you fed them the same lunch for a week straight or kept them in their pajamas all day because you were sick. What they will remember is the time you spent together, and the fun you had!
We don't always have the extra money to spend on activities so here are some fun ways we spend time with our kids at home.  

• Have your own dance party! Turn the music on and dance with your toddler. Let loose, sing at the top of your lungs, and make up your own moves. Act silly! Kids love music, pick them up and spin them around.  Have fun with it! If you have any instruments bring them out. Let the kids play the drums, or whatever else you may have. March around your house singing and dancing. Having your very own dance party can be great exercise and a fun way to connect with your toddler.  
• Reading time. I cannot stress how important reading is. Kids show an interest in books at a very early age. Grab a pile of books and announce that it is reading time. Find a comfy place to plop down and make it exciting. Create your own voices for every character and point out all the different pictures. You can add or omit certain words or sentences for learning purposes. Ask questions about the pictures. Show your child that learning is FUN! 
• Cuddle time. Cuddling is another activity that I feel strongly about. Studies show that there are lifelong benefits of cuddling from infancy. "They found a clear link between love and attention in the early years and healthy emotional responses in later life." (Luna Lullaby's Blog) Cuddling shows toddlers that they are safe and loved.  I cuddle my toddlers everyday. Usually in the morning when we all are waking up, we lay in bed cuddling and talking about what the day will be like. My kids and I make blanket tents and cuddle underneath. We make growling noises and snuggle deeper into the covers hiding from pretend bears and big foots. 
• Talking. Talking to a child helps them improve their speech. It also lets them know that they are loved and valued. Talk to your child, ask them questions about everyday objects. "What is that sound? Can you hear it with your ears? Is that the garbage truck coming down the street?" You can talk anywhere, during any activity. It is amazing how much my son has learned from just asking questions and pointing day to day things out. 
• Clean the house. Yes, I said clean the house! We make a big deal out of vacuuming, laundry and picking up toys around here. The kids get so excited to help out. Sometimes we make it a race to clean up all of the toys before the vacuum gets to them. Laundry may take longer with help from the kids but it teaches them to help. They really enjoy putting clothes in the wash and then in the dryer. We also hand them rags so they can "wash" the fridge, stove, dishwasher ect. while we do other hardcore cleaning. Cleaning the house with the kids isn't an everyday thing, we just don't have the time for that. Every once in a while I break out into the "clean up, clean up, everybody everywhere" song and they know I'm serious!
• Make your home into a museum! Now with Pintrist you can find a craft for just about every occasion. Sure they may not turn out like the pictures, but your kids aren't going to know the difference! Make crafts with your kids. Let the creative juices flow. We have a craft cabinet in our kitchen. It is full of construction paper, glue, markers, crayons, paint and random supplies. At least once a week I sit the kids down and attempt a craft. My son thinks it is great! Immediately after finishing whatever project my son wants to hang it on the wall. The result is our own little art museum on our dining room wall. :) 
• Movie night!! At least once a month (usually on a weekend) we have a family movie night. We pick out a family/kid friendly movie and make snacks. Then we lay out blankets and pillows on the floor in front of the television. Trevor's uncle calls it carpet camping. We all love it and I look forward to staying up late cuddling with my family. 
• Take silly pictures! Kids LOVE seeing themselves on the screen. Use your digital camera, smart phone or laptop webcam to capture silly pictures. Have fun with it, let loose and laugh. It's always fun to go back months/years later and look at all the pictures. 

All of the things I talked about are free. I guess the point I am trying to make is that spending quality time with your children is important. It doesn't matter what you're doing, as long as you're doing it together. 

If you would like more information on any of the topics above, the websites below are great resources. Or feel free to use google! :)

http://www.whattoexpect.com/toddler/toddler-learning/toddler-music.aspx

http://www.parents.com/blogs/red-hot-parenting/2012/03/13/health/3-ways-to-talk-to-your-toddler-that-pay-off-academically-10-years-later/

http://blog.lunalullaby.com/2012/01/lifelong-benefits-of-cuddling-your-baby.html

Permanent marker on the Mother-in-law's flat screen

A couple weeks ago we were visiting my mother in law with our children. Jackson, who is 2 and a half, was by himself in the TV room watching a movie.  I decided to check on him because he had been pretty quiet. As soon as I walked in the room I saw him standing with his nose inches from the television screen. Immediately I realized that he had black marker all over his face. I gasped as I looked to the screen and saw that there were black scribbles across the entire thing. My eyes went to his hands, which were clutching a black permanent marker. My heart dropped to my stomach. I had to think fast. Was the marker dry? Yes. Damn. What the heck am I supposed to do next? I wanted to scream!!

I turned off the television. I then sat him on the couch and let him know that what he did was wrong. All the while in the back of my mind I was worried about how the heck to get the marker off and knowing that if we couldn't remove the marker we would have to figure out how to get money to buy a new TV. What was my mother in law going to do/say? I had to fix this, and fast!

I went to go tell my husband what had happened. Meanwhile Jackson was crying on the couch because I had taken the marker away and turned off his Cat in the Hat movie. 

After I let my husband in on what happened I ran to the computer. There I went to my secret weapon, Google!! I typed in the search bar, "How to get permanent marker off of a flat screen TV". From the results I could tell that I wasn't the first, nor will I be the last to have their child color a flat screen television with permanent marker. Those who had been in the same predicament before me where advising different solutions.  Some of those were toothpaste, drawing on the screen with a dry eraser marker and then erasing it, black coffee, and non-acetone nail polish remover. 

My biggest fear was ruining the television further by putting any of the above listed things on the screen. Which one should I chose?  I saw the worst possible scenarios being played out in my head for each option. If we use toothpaste what happens if it gets sticky and won't come off? Then I will have to Google how to get toothpaste off of a flat screen TV. Forget the toothpaste. 

I ended up choosing the non-acetone nail polish remover. I decided to let my husband be the one to test it. After all, he helped me make Jackson; why not take some responsibility in the messes made? Also, it was his mother's television; she wasn't going to kill her youngest right?

I asked my husband to please just try a small section out first, in case my worst fears came true and the nail polish remover burnt a hole in the screen. He didn't take my advice. When he figured out that the nail polish remover worked, he quickly cleaned the entire screen. I ran to get a damp cloth and wiped where he had cleaned. (Just in case it took awhile to burn through the screen, I wasn't taking any chances!)

Thankfully, we were able to save the television screen and there was no long-term damage. I learned a few things from this event. One, and most importantly is that acetone free nail polish remover takes permanent marker off of flat screen TVs. Two is to keep a better eye out for things that could become objects of destruction when in a toddlers hands. Three is that the Cat in the Hat might not be the best movie to watch at Grandma’s house!

What is the worst thing your child has done while at someone else's house?

5 Ways to save money

Buy 2nd Hand

You can find really great deals at thrift stores, and some of the things are in awesome shape. It's all about taking the time to find a thrift store you like and look through what they have. It can be hit or miss, but don't give up the first time you don't find exactly what you are looking for. 

Think about buying used toys. Your younger children aren't going to know the difference and you will save heaps! In fact, at some thrift stores you can even find NEW items that people have just given away.

Used children books are priced at 1/10 the price of new books. They may have been loved previously but your child is going to love them just as much.

It is completely possible to find fantastic clothes and shoes for you and your children at low prices. I've been able to find barely worn shoes for my tots. This past week I splurged and spent 14.99 on a pair of size 3 pink Nike shoes for my daughter. (Originally over $30) I couldn't help it; it was like they were waiting there for me. Other finds were snow boots and snow pants for $9 total!! Check with your local thrift stores, because ours has days where everything in the store is 50% off. 

This Christmas we bought a few toys new and the rest were from different thrift stores. With our kids being so young they will never know the difference.

Get to know other moms

I know what you're thinking. How is getting to know other moms going to help me save money?  Well, the whole point is the idea sharing! I realize we don't all feel like going to the park only to walk up to a stranger to ask them how to save money. It can be much easier then that!

Join an online forum! There's no better place to get ideas then from a bunch of moms who are in exactly the same place as you or have been there before. The biggest two parenting forums that I know about are CafeMom and BabyGaga. The best part is that you can be as anonymous as you please.  

Keep an ongoing grocery list

Heading to the grocery store and not knowing exactly what you need can result in overspending.  My advice is keep an ongoing list as you run out of items or when you are getting low.  Keep the list in a spot you'll remember on a daily basis. Make the list available to add on items at all times. (This will also help with not having to run back to the store.)

To make shopping organized and easy I suggest rewriting your list before you leave the house in sections. For instance think about how you walk around the store. I always start by going over to the fruit/veggie section and then head over to the meat. By categorizing my list by where I find each item and in order of how I walk around the store I lessen the chance of forgetting something or having to walk back. Oh, and don't go to the store hungry!! 

Make money with your old stuff

Sites like Ebay have made it increasingly easy to sell your stuff online. All you have to do is snap a picture or enter a barcode for items already in the system. Buyers pay for shipping, just set up a Paypal account to receive your funds.   

I've sold old video games, clothes that the kids have outgrown, old digital cameras and even clothes that I wore post-pregnancy that I wouldn't dare wear now. Over the past year I've made a couple hundred dollars selling things that would otherwise sit in boxes. 

My only word of advice is make sure you pay attention to the listing price. Ebay offers 50 free listings a month, but they have stipulations on auctions and days listed. Play around with the site, and get to know it. Check out what similar items are going for. Ebay does take a percentage of your earnings, as well as Paypal, but those percentages are very small. 

Do your BIG shopping after the season

You will find the best deals on everything from clothes to holiday decorations after each season. The best time to buy summer clothes for your children or yourself is after summer or near the very end. Stores need to get rid of their seasonal inventory so take full advantage and buy in bigger sizes for next year for your children. 

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New Beginning

I haven't blogged in forever!  Our life has been crazy lately. We recently purchased a new house and  moved about an hour from all our friends and family. On top of that I started back with school full-time taking online classes.

Juggling my kids and school can get pretty hectic. Having 2 kids so young and close in age is amazing but at the same time so challenging. (As I write, J is trying to shove a Christmas cookie down my throat. "Bite, Momma, bite!") I know there are other mothers out there who know exactly what I am talking about. I am constantly learning new methods and trying different things out on my children.

My youngest just turned one and my oldest is a few months from turning three.  I'm still trying to get the hang of being a mom of 2. Staying at home with my kids also means that I have to look for ways to save money.
Join me on this adventure as I raise my children and try to find ways to save money along the way!!

It's been a while....

I haven't posted in a really long time, and I apologize. I've had my baby. A healthy little girl named Allison. We all love her. Jackson gives her sweet little kisses whenever he can. She is now almost 2 months old and smiling like no other! Jackson is learning new words everyday and amazes me in every way.