In Case of Emergency

Every year or so I'm prompted to look deep within my phone book listing while preparing for what I hope will never happen..an emergency and the need for medical personnel to contact someone. I dread the "In Case of Emergency" contact: _____ space on medical forms. With no family members nearby, the title falls to a nearby friend. I worry about burdening someone.

All my friends also have a few kids and can't just drop everything to come help mine. I scroll thru my numbers: she's pregnant & puking, she works during the day, she lives further than the rest. But the question isn't really 'who does it inconvenience the least?', it's 'who will do it no matter what, no matter where, no matter when, because that person loves your kids like their own?'.

I hope every mom has several names to answer that question. No matter if it's one or four people - let each know how much it means to you that they care for your kids so much. And definitely warn the one which you bestow the title of "In Case of Emergency, Contact". For me it would be an honor to be this person to my friends, never a burden.

The Shining

I didn't get to post yesterday because we were not shiny happy people. Our little guy had his 18 month well visit, except that he wasn't well. A little virus and some pink-eye always makes a baby fun, huh? The usual questions...."does he run?" uh yeah, away from me. "does he use words together?" um...I think so. Then on top of the check-up it's time for shots. Yuck. The older they get, the more wickedly they look at you while enduring the pokes. After all, you brought them to this torture chamber and are sitting there watching it happen and not making it stop.

Relief set in as we finished and finally got to the mini-van. The boys like to go in through the back while I'm putting the stroller away. I had one of the seats flipped up due to hauling big stuff yesterday. The baby managed to fall precisely into the exposed metal bottom of my upturned seat. A lot of screaming followed. I thought surely he poked his eye out this time. A few seconds (which felt like hours as it all seemed in slow motion) later, he suddenly had a huge purple mound protruding from under his eye. I was calmly freaking, if that's possible.

Of course we ran back inside to make sure he wasn't blinded by the fall. Now even more screaming. I had dared to take the poor soul back into the torture center or horror. By this time the waiting room is packed! Thankfully we were whisked into a room. Now I can say that he does use two words together. "I go" and "get down" were repeatedly screamed confirming his vocal skills. Of course my middle child decides he has to pee, and he is hungry. Geez. It never ends.

Then it gets better! We're leaving, but the little guy now doesn't want to leave. He wants to play with the toys. ARGH! He can't play, he has pink eye. I say "no", he throws himself onto the floor and everyone watches me. I will NOT play into this act....so I stand at the door saying "bye, we're leaving". What a bitch, huh?

Finally, home. The eye looks horrible. Today as we ran errands everyone stares, a few ask what happened, I mention that he conveniently fell just outside the doctors office. It's definitely the biggest shiner any of the boys have ever had. And this is just the beginning, right? Oh the testosterone nightmare!

Tuesday Sale

My friend at One Little Monkey has a page full of sale items for baby and toddler.
I love these baby lounge pants!

Many of the deals are up to 40% off, so check out this great site by a fellow biz woman!

Da Bomb

I love, love, love bath bombs. They are great moisturizers and having them around makes me take time out for a much deserved soak in the tub.
This one (pictured) is high on my list, largely due to the hot name, “Sex Bomb”. Hey, a girl can dream! It’s sexy scent of ylang-ylang and jasmine leave a lovely lingering smell, plus it turns your bath water a pretty pink.

I also like The Happy Pill Bath Bomb. Half mandarin scent, half grapefruit scent, this bomb is sure to lift your spirits and put a kick in your step.

Check out LUSH for more Lush Bath Bombs and other fabulous body products!

Winter Warm Up

Today's mission is: buy more warm clothes for boys without going out in the cold. I fall back on and old favorite, Old Navy. The clothes last long enough to feel I got a good deal, they usually fit fine and I've never had to do a return. My first find is the Old Navy Boys Painter Jeans. I'm pretty sure we already have at least two pair of these for my six year old and I'm getting two more. They have the adjustable waist so at least I can get him a six and know they won't fall off his skinny waist. And after watching him and the neighbors boys slide down the sidewalk while waiting for the bus, I have a feeling we'll need a new pair anyway - at $16.50 each, not a bad investment.


Next I need a few more hoodies. My little man says the big kids poke fun about all the winter wear his has on. A hoodie looks cool and elimiates my nagging about wearing a hat.
Old Navy Boys Graphic Zip Hoodies
Again, under $20...not bad.
I'm going to go finish my shopping. Turns out we have to go out this morning anyway, but at least I can do the drive-thru bank and pharmacy! Cheers!

Haute Stuff

Haute Market is doing another fabulous shopping party for you KC metro area gals.

Retail Therapy - a break from the winter blues, brings you fantastic shopping from many of their talented local designers, a wine tasting and free food samples from award winning chefs! All this for only $10...oh, and of course the awesome swag bags filled with samples of lip balms, lotions, jewelry and more. Get your tickets now before they run out!

Bring your gal pals, or even your honey..just be there!

Marker Mess

Just so you know...Mr. Clean erasers take marker off the wood floors. I cannot say, however, if it will leave a finish on the floor, but the marker is definitely off. Unfortunately, the blue marker mess was not a small reserved spot, but a very large area, approximately 4 x 4, in teh middle of the floor.

I've used my Orange Glo cleaner, and am now waiting for the Orange Glo wood finish treatment to dry. Let's hope it works. There were some pretty dull streaks once I used the eraser. So just remember my disclaimer...marker gone...finish maybe gone too. :)

Any suggestions? Post comments here or email the Queen Mum. Cheers!

Frightful weather

Once the temperature drops below 20, does it realy matter exactly what number it is? It's friggin' cold! I hear DJ's on the radio arguing weather it's 13 or 16. Dear me. Just go outside..it's cold. So just report to me that it's so friggin' cold you must wipe the boys' noses or the buggers will freeze on their cold little faces. That's the type of weather update I need.

Other than that I really have nothing to report. I've got some great products I'm sampling so that I can give you some super reports on some super goodies! For now I'm staying in and staying warm, plus praying schoold doesn't get let out early!

Wonderful Fun

If you are in the Kansas City area with kids...you're probably like me, searching for indoor activities before cabin fever strikes.
Check out Wonderscope. It is a fantastic children's museum type place that all my kids love. Ages 6, 3 and 1, and there is something for all of them to enjoy. Usually all in the same room.

Wonderscope is an elementary school building that was transformed into a magical playland for kids. Each classroom has been turned into an imaginary world of shopping, a hospital, even a trip to the moon. There is a cute little eating area too. So pack the kids and a lunch. Get there at 10:00 a.m., stay for lunch, they drive home your sleepy little babes. It's a perfect break to the week.

We buy the family + 1 membership so that each time we go we can bring an extra friend and that friend doesn't have to pay! It's well worth it, and it helps a great cause....growing our childrens' minds!

For Us Girls

More and more we search high and low for stuff for the kiddo's, then screw ourselves just grabbing whatever we find that may or may not work out for us.

Queenmum ot the rescue! Well, only if you've been searching high and low for a fantastic curling iron. They definitely are NOT all alike.

I have thick thick hair, and loads of it. It's dead straight, but I can nearly pull off an afro-look because there is so much hair. The last thing I can get it to do after baby #3 is curl. It's finally long enough to really look great if I use a big fat curling iron or rollers. I've been doing rollers for a while, but the curl doesn't hold. An hour later I just have a full head of flat, yet poofy hair.

I've discovered a miracle! The Infiniti Tourmaline Ceramic curling iron. My hair is still curled after sleep on it! It heats in 30 seconds with 30 different heat settings. You put water in the removable end which does some magical thing to my hair making it curl and stay curled. I love it, I'm throwing my other 4 curling irons in the trash! Happy Hair Day to me! :)