About the time my wife and I learned we were pregnant with our third child, I realized that my pregnancy threat level—or how panicked I felt internally about having additional children—was only canary yellow instead of Creamsicle® orange. (Or was it the other way around? I was never quite sure which threat level was more, well, threatening.) I wasn’t overwhelmed by that mixture of panic, joy, and bile, and I even skipped my ritualistic calculation of how many years this new baby would push back my retirement. I finally figured out that the joy of fatherhood outweighed the fears and challenges that pregnancy presented. That’s when I decided to write Dude You’re Gonna Be a Dad!: How to Get (Both of You) Through the Next 9 Months (F+W Media, On Sale Now). My goal with the book was to coach new dads along as they joined the cult of fatherhood, and hopefully provide some relief to the growing pains that are so familiar to experienced dads. To welcome rookie dads into the fold this Father’s Day, let’s take a look at five of the biggest mistakes us veterans know new dads can make: 1. Playing dumb: Guys, we all know this one is classic. We’ve all done it. I think we may have overshot our goal with this technique. Originally it was a brilliant way for us to get out of doing stuff we didn’t want to do, because you know, we don’t know anything. Which end of the bottle do we put in junior’s mouth? But now we are the dumb blondes of the new century. Who is the most popular TV dad? Homer Simpson! We can do better guys. Besides, after awhile there will be an issue that comes up we actually care about and our spouse won’t even ask us our opinion-because we are just too dumb. 2. Waiting for the “magic”: New dads, I know the feeling. You’re in the hospital and waiting for that rush of emotion to sweep you off your feet. Maybe they handed out magic fairy dust while you ran down to the hospital cafeteria. Either way, you don’t feel anything magical inside besides the stomachache from hospital meatloaf. Or was it liver? The truth nobody remembers to mention to new fathers is that special bond with your child is built little by little. Each small experience you have with your child helps that feeling you are waiting for to grow into something special. 3. Learning on the fly: Guys, there is no doubt our days are full. After a long day we probably want to sit down, kick up our feet and maybe watch some sports, or read more about our favorite hobby. But whether your favorites happen to be Harleys or hydrangeas, you need to carve out a few minutes to learn more about being a dad. Because although our bodies are born with all of the right equipment to create a child, raising one in today’s world is hard. The good news is that ever since Al Gore invented the Internet we have more resources than ever at our disposal. So if you think there is an area your child needs a little help in, or a concern you have, much like the old TV show “The X Files”, the answer is out there. 4. Neglect: This one is huge, and in applies in all directions. First and foremost, take your responsibility as a parent seriously, and never neglect your child. Keep an eye on Mom as well, as the reports state 10-15% of new mother’s get postpartum depression, but most experts feel it is a higher percentage. Dad, you may not see it coming, but estimates range from 10-25% of new Dads getting postpartum depression, you are not immune. Be vigilant in making sure you and Mom are getting exercise, proper nutrition, and as much sleep as possible. Hopelessness, anxiety, and mood swings are just some of the symptoms. If you think either of you may be experiencing this, do your research and talk to your doctor. It is much worse than the term “baby blues” makes it sound. 5. Sitting on the sidelines: This is the distant relative of point number two. You share DNA with your child, and you will see that come through as time progresses forward. But if you kick back and watch Mom take over, you will probably be hurting your relationship with both of them. Times have changed and you need to get in the trenches. Find your role in your family, and be an active parent in your children’s lives. Most of all, realize, as the adage says, the more you put into it, the more you get out of it. So while being a new parent isn’t as serious as, say, war, where hot metal flies by you and there are bombs overhead, there will be heated words flying between parents and stinky diaper bombs exploding all over the house. Parenting is a tough job; it always has been and always will be. Kids require a lot of time and effort, and for once in our lives there isn’t “an app for that.” But if you are willing to give the effort, you can become your child’s favorite superhero. Isn’t that what we all wanted to be when we grew up? Here is your chance, oh, and Happy Father’s Day! About the Author John Pfeiffer is the proud father of three and author of Dude You’re Gonna Be a Dad. You can check out his fatherly advice (gripes) and ramblings at http://www.dudeyoureadad.blogspot.com/ and follow him on Twitter at @johnpfeifferdad.
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Okay, so by now you all now I am absolutely crazy for Step2. What's not to love? They offer the absolute best products for outdoor play as well as indoor creative play. You should see my playroom! Wait...No you shouldn't. We've got 2 very active toddlers and are preparing to move out of state, so things are in quite the state of disarray right now, between the babies playing and the act of sorting through things and packing. (Yes, I am quite stressed out lately!) Anyway, my playroom looks like a veritable Step2 advertisement. We have activity tables, art desks and easels, a Real Projects workshop, and not one, but 2 kitchens! And that's just our Step2 indoor toys! Want to see more? Come take a look at my garage! Here we've got our Naturally Playful Woodland Climber and our Wagon For Two Plus! This is another reason I cannot wait to move and have a huge yard of our own. Here at our current home, we can't leave play equipment outdoors, so we have to drag it in and out of the garage. Thank goodness we only have to deal with that for another couple of months! We're looking at a home in Ohio that has a whopping 4 acres, so if we end up buying it, that's plenty of room for any Step2 goodies we want. I am thinking that the Adventure Lodge Play Center and Sandbox Combo would have to be at the tippy-top of my wish list! Or maybe the Clubhouse Climber. With so many awesome products, it's really hard to choose! Anyway, I am getting way ahead of myself here. I am so excited about our upcoming move and all of the great creative play possibilities that I forgot to tell you about the amazing product I just bought for my kids. A few weeks ago, I ordered the Step2 LifeStyle Grand Walk In Kitchen for Sophie and Xander. They already have a smaller kitchen from Step2, but now that they're both actively toddling, I wanted to give them more room to play together and minimize the fighting. The LifeStyle Grand Walk In Kitchen allows plenty of space to to move around in, and endless possibilities for budding culinary geniuses to whip up their latest creations. Who says there can't be 2 chefs to one great kitchen? This positively roomy kitchen from Step2 allows just that. As the parent of 3 great kids, I find that we always have about a zillion uses for petroleum jelly. Whether it be to create a water-proof barrier, moisturize, or make taking a baby's temperature easier, petroleum jelly is something we generally keep on hand at all times. However, since I prefer organic, all natural skin care products for my family, the ingredients found in traditional petroleum jelly leaves a lot to be desired. I don't like products that contain petroleum or hydrogenated oils. Not only are these ingredients icky, they can also clog the pores and cause embarrassing break-outs. That's why I was thrilled to learn about Waxelene. This is an all natural alternative to petroleum jelly! Waxelene contains organic ingredients that are gentle to the skin and the environment. What's in each 2oz jar of Waxelene? Organic Soy Oil, Beeswax, Organic Rosemary Oil, and Natural Vitamin E (from soybeans). That's it, no petroleum or artificial ingredients. The best part? Waxelene can be used in hundreds of ways, just like traditional petroleum jelly! It's a wonderful product to keep on hand to use for baby care, dry skin, and more. You can even remove a stuck ring with Waxelene or even extend the life of your favorite perfume! Other awesome, albeit unconventional, uses include removing chewing gum from wood surfaces, keeping ants away from pets' food bowls, and removing water stains from wood tabletops. You can even remove lipstick stains using this product! So as you can see, there's a lot more to Waxelene than meets the eye! HOW TO CONNECT: You can learn more about Waxelene on their website. You can also connect with Waxelene on Facebook and on twitter! I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free using Tomoson.com. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. AMC Theatres Presents Pixar Summer Movie Weekend May 25-28, featuring the beloved films
“Toy Story 3,” “Ratatouille,” “Up” and “WALL•E” With the summer movie season heating up, four popular Disney•Pixar movies are returning exclusively to AMC Theatres for the Memorial Day holiday weekend. From May 25 through May 28, “Toy Story 3,” “Ratatouille,” “Up” and “WALL•E” will be featured at AMC locations around the country. Each film will be accompanied by a classic Pixar short film and an exclusive behind-the-scenes look at the upcoming movie, “Brave.” “There are some great films coming out Memorial Day weekend but nothing specifically for families and young children,” said Sun Dee Larson, vice president of Film Marketing at AMC. “We’re excited to provide our guests with an opportunity to take the whole family out to the theatre to enjoy some of the most treasured movies of all time, plus give our guests the chance to see a behind-the-scenes look at ‘Brave.’” Priced at $6 per movie (pricing may vary), each movie will play once every day on a rotating schedule. Participating locations, showtime information and advance tickets are available now at amctheatres.com/pixar. About AMC Theatres. AMC Theatres delivers distinctive and affordable movie-going experiences in 347 theatres with 5,048 screens across the United States and Canada. The company operates 22 of the 50 highest grossing theatres in the country, including the top three. AMC has propelled industry innovation and continues today by delivering premium sight and sound, enhanced food and beverage and diverse content. AMCTheatres.com. About Pixar Animation Studios Pixar Animation Studios, a wholly-owned subsidiary of The Walt Disney Company, is an Academy Award®-winning film studio with world-renowned technical, creative and production capabilities in the art of computer animation. Creator of some of the most successful and beloved animated films of all time, including "Toy Story," "Monsters, Inc.," "Finding Nemo," "The Incredibles," "Ratatouille," "WALL•E," "Up" and "Toy Story 3." The Northern California studio has won 29 Academy Awards and its 12 films have grossed more than $7.2 billion at the worldwide box office to date. Pixar's next adventure, "Brave," takes aim at theaters on June 22, 2012. Okay, so this clip had my toddlers dancing, laughing, and jumping up and down. I just had to share this with you all, since it's a great way to gear up for the Holiday weekend! A grand adventure full of heart, memorable characters and signature Pixar humor, “Brave” uncovers a new tale in the mysterious Highlands of Scotland where the headstrong Merida (voice of Kelly Macdonald) defies an age-old custom and inadvertently unleashes chaos, forcing her to discover the meaning of true bravery before it’s too late. Opens June 22, 2012, in Disney Digital 3D™ in select theaters. Disney Junior's interactive multi-platform "Yo Ho, Let's Go Summer!" programming event returns with new episodes of "Doc McStuffins" and "Jake and the Never Land Pirates," cable TV's #1 and #2 series among Kids 2-5 respectively, as well as other favorite Disney Junior series including "Mickey Mouse Clubhouse," "Jungle Junction" and "Octonauts" beginning MONDAY, JUNE 4-FRIDAY, AUGUST 24. The "Yo Ho, Let's Go Summer!" programming event will take place across all Disney Junior digital platforms including Disney Junior On Demand, Mobile and iTunes, as well as an immersive online super-site on DisneyJunior.com featuring new games to "unlock" each week and a printable summer scrapbook. Additionally, new interactive iOS apps for "Mickey Mouse Clubhouse" and "Jake and the Never Land Pirates" launch today.
Disney Junior's "Yo Ho, Let's Go Summer!" programming event kicks off on Monday, June 4 with a week of new "Jake and the Never Land Pirates" episodes airing on both the Disney Junior programming block on Disney Channel (8:30 a.m., ET/PT) and the new 24-hour Disney Junior channel (5:30 p.m., ET/PT). Also beginning June 4, kids and their parents can log on to DisneyJunior.com/Summer to print out pictures of their favorite Disney Junior characters to take along with them and include in photos of their summer adventures. Parents can then upload the photos of their child with their character for the chance to be seen on Disney Junior. The site will also feature a printable summer scrapbook, with new pages added each week through August 24. Beginning Friday, June 15, new episodes of favorite Disney Junior series will air every Friday throughout the summer on both the Disney Junior programming block and the Disney Junior channel. During each episode premiere, kids will see a featured Disney Junior character of the day and can go online to DisneyJunior.com/Summer to unlock a new game based on that character. Among the premieres are an episode of "Jake and the Never Land Pirates" where Marina (voiced by recurring guest star Ariel Winter of "Modern Family") and the rest of the mermaids make Izzy an honorary mermaid, Friday, June 29;a special 45-minute episode of "Jungle Junction," where Zooter and Ellyvan care for a stranded baby FlaGoGo bird, Friday, July 6; Donald Duck serves as a reluctant babysitter for a mystery egg on "Mickey Mouse Clubhouse," Friday, July 13; Jim Belushi guest stars as the recurring character Glo-Bo, a six-handed toy monster in "Doc McStuffins," Friday, July 20; Jane Kaczmarek guest stars in the recurring role of Red Jessica, a swashbuckling pirate gal who wins over Captain Hook in "Jake and the Never Land Pirates," Friday, August 10; and a heartwarming episode of "Doc McStuffins" where Doc's toy friends come to her rescue when she becomes the patient, Friday, August 17. In anticipation of this summer's programming festivities, the network today launched two new iOS apps, the "Mickey Mouse Clubhouse Road Rally" appisode app on iPad and "Jake's Never Land Pirate School" gaming app for iPad, iPhone and iPod touch. The Mickey Mouse Clubhouse Road Rally appisode brings viewing, learning and interaction together into one cohesive, fun-filled iPad experience. Fans 2-7 years old can touch, tap shake, swipe, drag and talk through an entire episode of Mickey Mouse Clubhouse. The activities presented in the "appisode" include valuable counting, critical thinking and problem solving skills. This is the first in a series of Disney Junior Appisodes to be released this year. Using the "Jake's Never Land Pirate School" app, preschoolers can become completely immersed in Never Land, completing pirate-themed challenges presented in Sailing, Music, Flying, and Map and Spyglass classes. Features include: hunting for doubloons on Doubloon Beach; a customizable pirate certificate signed by Jake; and the ability to import a child's photo into Pixie Dust flying class. As the mom of 2 toddlers, safety is always on the forefront of my mind. With 2 active toddlers, I need to stay on my toes and always be aware of any hazards or dangers, whether this be avoiding playtime injuries or taking a closer look at the products I choose for my babies. As parents, we all want the safest car seats, strollers, cribs, etc...But did you ever consider safer crib bedding? Yes, there is such a thing as unsafe crib bedding! Many parents are used to the traditional crib bedding sets. In conventional sets, you usually get a comforter, sheets, a skirt, and a bumper pad. While this may sound normal, there are obvious hazards included in these conventional sets. For one, the American Academy of Pediatrics warns against the use of loose bedding, such as comforters and blankets, as well as the use of crib bumper pads. Why? Because they pose strangulation and suffocation risks. Even though these types of products have been proven to be unsafe for babies, companies still continue to sell them. This is probably because parents can be drawn in my the "cute" factor. Personally, I don't use crib bumpers, and I choose to use the crib bedding quilts as wall-hangings in my nursery. This way, I've still got the attractive look without putting my toddlers at risk. The bumpers? Well, they are stuffed into our storage area, as I really have no use for them. That's why I was so thrilled to hear that HALO, one of my favorite companies, has created a crib set with everything you do need and nothing that you don't. You see, the folks at HALO are committed to providing innovative products for families that are not only fashionable, but safe as well. Their brand new Safe Sleep Crib Set proves just that! To celebrate our American heritage, every (yes, every!) Step2 item ships FREE now through Monday, Memorial Day (5/28). No coupon coded needed. Free shipping is reflected on the product pages. Not valid on Canadian shipments or Infantino items.
I have some lucky, lucky winners to announce! This is the best part of my job, since it makes me feel like Santa Claus!
Without any further ado, here are my latest winners! You've all been contacted via e-mail and have 48 hours to respond and claim your prizes! Thanks so much to everyone who entered, and be sure to check back often for more great giveaways! Simple Solution: Gina F. Nature's Sleep: Amanda A. JumpSport: Gladys P. Favor Creative: Randall Food Lion: Mary F. Getting to get my 12 year old to take his vitamins can be a major pain in the butt. He doesn't like the taste of chewable vitamins, and he has a hard time swallowing pills. We've even tried a lot of vitamin beverages in the past, but most of them have an odd, chalky taste. So while I have always insisted on my son taking his vitamins, it's not something that he has ever really enjoyed doing. That's why I was so excited to learn about Children's Oxylent. You see, Children's Oxylent is unique because it puts the fun back into taking vitamins. Children's Oxylent is free of gluten, dairy, caffeine, and artificial colors and flavors. In addition to that, this drink is sugar-free, and is sweetened with a little Stevia. It's also a good source of iron, which is something that many kids' supplements are lacking. This product comes in convenient little pouches that can be mixed into 4-6oz of water. Each box contains 30 pouches, which is a whole month's supply! What happens next is the fun part....When you prepare Children's Oxylent, it becomes a fizzy, bubbly, sparkling fruit punch! Yep, the kiddos will think they're drinking soda, and you will know that they're actually getting real nutrition! Whether you let them in on that little secret is completely up to you. (Wink, wink!) My son loves Children's Oxylent, and asks for it every day. He thinks of it as a treat, so it takes the pain out of trying to convince him to take his vitamins. He loves the berry flavor and the fizz, and I love the great vitamins he's gaining. I even tasted this myself, and it's actually very good. There's no weird after-taste, and no chalkiness. You know how many vitamins have a metallic taste to them? Well, this doesn't. At all. it just tastes like a fruity, berry punch. So obviously, it's a win-win situation! Take a look at some Children's Oxylent prepared and ready to drink: |
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I'm Brandy, a happily married, proud Mom of 3 amazing kids. If you're interested in building a working relationship, please feel free to e-mail me at: NewlyCrunchyMamaOf3@gmail.com Links We Love :Archives
June 2023
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