USC Trojan Kids Club

As a very loyal alumni, I signed Little J up for the University of Southern California Kids Club. The package came today, and now I am SO excited about the football season!! The club includes free admission to USC home volleyball, soccer, and baseball games. It all came in a bag, with our quarterback's number on it.



Next was an adorable Marvel t-shirt, with Captain America, Thor, Ironman and the Hulk. I am not quite sure why there are Marvel characters affiliated with USC- but I'm sure there's a reason!



The back said USC Trojans Kids Club.



Then, we got a USC basketball mousepad. I am actually going to steal this for my office, I don't think Little J will mind!



We also got a helmet decal wannabe. I'm not quite sure where to put this, but I need to figure out somewhere that it will get noticed!



A kids club wallet to hold the 'official USC kids club card', of course.



and lastly a USC book light!



Normally, USC paraphernalia is very expensive. I was impressed that this entire package was only $25. Now I just hope that we can take advantage of some of those free games. I think it would be a fun outing for the family.

Citrus Lane July 2012

Bon Voyage! Citrus Lane has put together an adorable July box. I received several items that will be perfect for my annual Labor Day trip to New Jersey to visit the family.

Green Toys Racecar: We received a blue, BPA free toy racecar that Mayhem LOVES. He instantly grabbed that out of the box. The car is made from recycled milk cartons!



Medi Buddy First Aid Kit To Go: This kit includes an assortment of bandages, gauze, antiseptic wipes, a sting relief pad, burn relief cream, antibiotic ointment, and stickers in great little case. It's a great thing to have on the go.



Ella's Kitchen, Nibbly Fingers: We received a package of mangoes and carrots snack bars. My kids have enjoyed everything we have tried from Ella's Kitchen!



Baggu: This foldable tote will be GREAT to keep in my diaper bag, for those times when you could really use an extra tote. I frequently wish I had an extra bag to fill with beach toys, pool toys, or other kiddie items!



California Baby Travel Kit: Wonderful travel-size shampoo, conditioner, and hair gel! Perfect for my two little men, to make sure they look their best at Grandma's house!



Dapple detergent: Also received a travel size (3 washes worth) package of Dapple detergent. Dapple is a line of natural-based cleaning products for households with children. I may bring this to Grandma's too, so we can wash the baby's clothes in a more sensitive detergent if we need to.



The final item in the box was a certificate for three free Postagrams. It is a program that you can use to make postcards from pictures on your phone. This sounds very cute, and I'll have to try it!!

Check out Citrus Lane for yourself! $25/month for a wonderful box of mom-recommended products!

http://www.citruslane.com/invitedby/Keri.Bullock

A Day Off From Work

Yesterday was the 4th of July, which meant that it was a rare occasion that my husband and I both had the day off from work! We 'slept in' until 7 a.m. - how glorious that was! Then we all got dressed and decided what we wanted to do for the day. I wanted to sleep all day, but I got overruled. We ended up heading to the mall for a quick trip, and then headed to a neighborhood fair type event. They ran out of hot dogs, at 11:30. How does that happen? POOR PLANNING. We bought some tickets for the boys to play games, and 'won' about 1,000 glow necklaces because that's all that was left of the choices. After chasing J out of the bounce house, "Just ONE more time?" we headed up to the playground.

Then, we headed home for nap time (yay!), and J said his tummy didn't feel good. Long story short- by the end of the day, I had cleaned up more than my fair share of #2 and puke. Lesson learned: Do not let your kid eat bacon and ice cream for dinner. (But I think he has a stomach bug, in fairness) Rather than focusing on that, I choose to just remember the day this way:





Matching t-shirts! How was your 4th of July holiday?

My Little Man is Growing Up!

Little J is growing up before my very eyes. He is working hard on being independent. He has been trying to develop his signature, and has the 'J' down. He seems to be trying to figure out where we are, when we are driving he'll ask me, "Is this where the store is?" He has an opinion on everything from what shorts he would like to wear for the day, "COMFY ONES, Mommy!" to what he's having for each meal.

[caption id="attachment_665" align="aligncenter" width="368"] "Waffles ARE real food!" when I told him we had to eat "real food" for dinner...[/caption]

Since we're limiting his tv intake, he is becoming very discerning about what he watches. I am thankful for this, as I cannot stand certain Nick Jr. shows... Diego and Dora, I'm looking at you! He is making decisions, weighing whether he would like to watch a tv show or play with the iPad for a short time. He is anticipating his mother's actions. When we leave the house, he asks, "Is this going to take long? Are you bringing us snacks?" He's more responsible than me sometimes!

When he gets his haircut, puts his little backpack on, and slips on his shoes- I just want to freeze time. He looks to grown up! But he still melts my heart when he tells me, "Mommy, today you need to come home before the sun goes down. OK?" OK, little man, I wouldn't want to miss our snuggle time...

[caption id="attachment_666" align="aligncenter" width="368"] Happy times...[/caption]

Mommy and Me Swim Class

J has been in swim class since he was less than two years old. I felt strongly that he should know how to be safe in or near a pool. Drowning is one of my top mommy fears http://wp.me/p1AbH5-7y. Now that he is also enjoying the social interaction with children his age, I thought it would be great for Mayhem to give it a try. The problem is that Mayhem is too young to do solo swim class, so I have to swim with him.

Sunday morning was our first attempt. My husband filmed the entire ordeal. I just might have to download some clips to share (even though it is footage of me in a bathing suit). Mayhem was happy during the first part of our class. We bounced around in a circle with all the happy babies and parents, singing and splashing. And then the instructor told us to put the kids on their backs. Mayhem did NOT want to do this. He fought me like we were in a wrestling match. He flipped himself over, and started a death roll. OK, I know what we need to work on!

[caption id="attachment_653" align="aligncenter" width="328"] This is what we were SUPPOSED to be doing...
Image source: http://www.dolfinswimschool.com/blog/[/caption]

Next, we moved onto grabbing the side of the pool and having the babies pull themselves out of the water. Great manuever, I thought, very 'water safety' focused. Mayhem wanted none of that. He did not want to get out of the pool! He squealed like a kittle piglet as I tried desperately to follow the instructions, "Elbow, elbow, tummy, legs!" Oh, if only it was that easy...

Waiting in line for our turn was another major issue. There were maybe 8 kids in the class, and each child 'swam' to the teacher and back to their parent. Mayhem wanted to just swim around the pool. It was like he thought he could do it by himself. He was kicking, and waving his arms around- and trying to push me away. "I got it, Mom!" Waiting our turn was a constant struggle.

Next, we stood on the stairs and had the kids reach for pool toys. This required them to put their faces into the water, and theoretically hold their breath. Mayhem's version- dunk your face in and freak mom out, grab the toy, have a look of shock on your face... and then do it again and again until you're nearly choking and mom has to pick you up and wrestle you away from the toys.

 It felt like the longest 30 minutes of my life. Have you tried Mommy and Me Swim Class? Was it nearly as painful as my experience?!

Citrus Lane Box - June 2012

My June Citrus Lane box just arrived! It made a rattle noise, so the boys were very excited to open it. I was excited to see that the theme of the box was 'the little artist'. The rattle noise was maracas, which are apparently the best toy ever. I may have to hide them, so I don't get a headache though.



The items this month include:

1. Wee Can Too Veggie Art Kit. This 'veggie baby art kit' is edible finger paint and crayons. I love this concept, since toddlers have a tendency to put finger paint right into their mouth. The kit is made of organic ingredients and real fruits and vegetables! There are also crayons. I will be very interested to see what Mayhem thinks of this kit. www.weecantooart.com

2. Sampler CD. I will add this CD to my car collection. Putumayo 2012 Playground Sampler includes 6 songs from around the world. www.putumayo.com

3. Pop & Lolli Decal. My only problem with this adorable owl is deciding where to put him. J said he looks like 'Z' from Nick Jr. and loves his hat. www.popandlolli.com





4. Hohner Kids Musical Instruments. This is the maracas. Bright green, with yellow details they make you happy just looking at them. And both boys love the noise they make! www.hohnerkids.com

5. BabyGanics Toy & Table Cleaner. I've wanted this product, so I'm glad it was included! Especially this week, with germs everywhere. In fact, I can use it on the maracas right now... www.babyganics.com

6. Minted Offer. Lastly, the box included a $35 credit towards items at Minted.com. This website features absolutely adorable birth announcements, party invitations, and stationary. I have never used it, but I'm going to check it out! www.minted.com

As a Mom...

Becoming a mother brings certain responsibilities. There will be times when everyone looks at you. And the more children you have, the more eyes you have staring at you for answers. I wish I knew these things before I became a mom. I wanted to share some of the things that you are expected to know:

1. What's for dinner? You must know this before breakfast is done, so start thinking. No one will like it anyways.

2. Location of 'lovey'. If your child has a lovey, you must know where it is ALL AT TIMES. There was one Thanksgiving, where J left his lovey at a family member's home. They were gracious enough to overnight it back to us, once it was discovered. There was also a close call in Target, when we dropped it out of the shopping cart and didn't realize it until we got home! href="http://laderamom.files.wordpress.com/2012/06/20120613-193821.jpg">

3. Why is the baby crying? When your child cries, everyone is looking at you. Fix it now. No pressure.

4. How to do things with half as many hands as you used to. I can do the laundry, do the dishes, set the table, and serve dinner with a child on my hip.

5. Are we there yet? You must be able to entertain the children in the car, no matter how long the drive. And you should probably take traffic into account. And the possibility that you may need extra diapers, and snacks, and toys.

6. Inventory of your home. Do you have enough sunscreen? What about Cheerios? Diapers? Toilet paper? Wipes? No one will know, except you!

7. Where are your car keys, your wallet, and your cell phone? You aren't going anywhere without them!

8. How to prioritize. What's more important- getting the house straightened up, or getting a nap in. I can tell you that sleep is ALWAYS a priority for me!

Are there things you didn't know would be expected of you, as a mother? Please share!


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