Sales make me feel rich. Which, quite unfortunately, I most certainly am not. I don’t know what it is about that red ‘SALE’ sign that pulls me in like a moth to a flame. It’s becoming a problem. Especially now that I’m on maternity leave and have ample time to partake in the sport of online shopping. So much more fun than basketball or soccer in my humble opinion. And much safer, too.
Anyways, I finally realized I had a problem this weekend. All week, I had been checking out miscellaneous items (on sale, of course) at a store I absolutely, no word of a lie, adore. It shall remain nameless but let’s just call it Restoration Hard-To-Resist. So the weekend rolls around and guess what I decided would be a fun outing for my family? Yep, just a regular day shopping for items we either don’t especially need or can’t really afford.
I’m sure you can see where this is going. A ‘fun outing’ turned into a stressful shopping excursion from hell. Obviously that’s what was going to happen. There we were in the store I love that was full of items I want. What’s a girl to do? Well, this particular one did what comes naturally to her — she shopped. She shopped because it was a sale and such a good deal and it just wouldn’t make sense to pass it up and who knows when I’d ever find that particular dining table on sale again. Because that is the dining table of my dreams and will make my life so much better.
Except it really might not be the dining table of my dreams and I’m not quite sure I will even like it once it’s in my house.
That’s the problem with sales. You think you’re in love and only later realize that it was more of a one night stand. But, dear God, that momentary thrill is just something else.
So, back to my story. I bought a freaking dining table in about the span of five seconds. A dining table that might just be too big for the room. A dining table that cost me much, much, more than I want to spend. A dining table that I have no chairs for. Oops.
I realized my stupidity as soon as I walked a few feet out of the store. I think it was the fresh air that brought me to my senses. Perhaps it was the weight of the invoice in my hands. Or it might have been my scowling husband and hungry children who I had dragged along with me.
In any case, I had to do the worst thing I've ever done.
I had to hang my head in shame and walk back into the store….and cancel my order. Sigh.
And no, my husband refused to do it for me. No matter how much I begged him.
And to think I cook dinner for this man every day. Well, most days. At least a couple times a week. Unless there happens to be an unbelievable sale that I just can’t miss….
I am obsessed with my younger daughter. Okay, fine. I’m actually obsessed with both my daughters but I absolutely love this infant stage that my youngest is at. She’s no longer a newborn and not yet a toddler. She is at the perfect part of infancy.
Why is it so perfect? I can give you so many reasons but I’ll try to stick to the top five:
She is sleeping longer through the night. She still gets up during the night and there are some days that she just doesn’t want to sleep but overall, its leaps and bounds better than before. Sleep makes everything better. So, so, so much better.
She finally has nursing all figured out. Breastfeeding is my Achilles heel. It doesn’t come naturally to me and it’s a lot harder than I ever thought it would be. While it’s still not easy, it has become a lot more manageable. My daughter is no longer struggling at the breast and gets the job done much faster than when she was a newborn. Hooray for progress!
She laughs and giggles and coos. It is the cutest thing I’ve ever seen and heard. I love that she has started interacting with people around her and it literally makes my heart melt when she gives me one of her chubby faced smiles. And her giggles are the best sound ever!
She fits perfectly in my arms. I’m trying to hold onto this stage and freeze it into my memory forever. I know that far too soon she will no longer fit so flawlessly into the cradle of my arms like she does right now. Nothing will ever compare to the feeling of holding my little babies and I'm dreading the day when she outgrows it.
She’s not yet mobile. Thank goodness for that! She’s so close to turning over that it scares me but so far, she’s still always in the same place I’ve left her. When my first was a baby, I couldn’t wait for her to start turning over, crawling, walking – that sort of thing. Now I know better. A mobile baby is a tiring baby!
I can’t wait to see the little person that my baby will one day become but right now, I just want her to stay my baby for as long as possible.
My little baby that thinks I’m her entire world just like she and her sister and are mine.
When you’re a parent, you’re either a collector or a hoarder. There’s just no way around it—your children’s toys and baby gear overtake the house.
If you’re likely to make it on the next episode of Hoarders, you are the unfortunate parent who has an alarmingly large and ever-expanding toy box that is full of half broken toys that your child is never fully satisfied with. These toys rarely keep your child’s attention for more than five minutes, teach them nothing, break apart with the first tantrum toss, and need to be replaced almost immediately. I think it’s safe to say we’ve all unwillingly been this parent.
But then you learn. Boy, do you ever learn.
Eventually you start to put some thought into the toys you buy. Toys that will be taking up valuable real estate in your never-big-enough house. You want toys that will actually do what they promise to do — entertain your child and help your child learn in a fun way. Toys that are built to last and hopefully can be passed on from one child to the next. And that is when you become a collector.
I’ve now mastered the art of collecting, my friends. I have learned the fine art of deciphering which toys are quality built and which will simply be a waste of my money. I look for toys that will stand the test of time and that can be passed down from my toddler to my newborn when she’s ready to enjoy them.
I also like to hunt for toys that will help my child learn in a fun and innovative way; toys which will actually keep hold of their attention. And perhaps, most importantly, I look for toys that will aid in my quest to occupy my children long enough for mommy to get some things done. Important things like a hot shower and dinner.
That’s why I was so excited when Fisher-Price asked me to write about a few of my favourite products from their Fisher-Price Favourites. As a seasoned parent to young children, I have learned that Fisher-Price makes awesome toys and baby products.
Quality built and durable? Check.
Fun and innovative? Check.
Educational and stimulating? Check.
Let me get chores accomplished around the house? Checkmate.
Every one of their products that I have bought for my older daughter is still in great condition and I know my younger daughter is going to enjoy them just as much.
My newborn is not yet three months old and she is already showing a strong preference for the Infant-To-Toddler Rocker. I think it’s the combination of bright colours, eye-catching toy bar, and soothing vibrations that appeals to her most. I can put her in the seat after a feeding and she will happily play in it without fussing. I also love the fact that I don’t have to buy a new seat for her as she grows since it converts to a toddler’s rocking chair. What does this all mean? It means less baby gear in my house! *Jumps up and cheers*
She also loves the Ocean Wonders Aquarium. Truthfully though, I think I might just love it more. What is it about the water and fish and seaweed that enthralls children so much? Not that I’m complaining. I can put my daughter down for a nap in her crib and I know this aquarium will soothe her to sleep. It doesn't matter if it takes a while either since the toy can play up to eighteen minutes of calming music. But the best feature, by far, is that if she wakes up while I’m in the middle of some important activity (usually folding laundry because that’s all I ever seem to do), I can activate the aquarium with the remote control and she is entertained for a while longer. Seriously, how genius is that? I'm telling you, there should be remote controls on everything.
The Laugh & Learn Say Please Tea Set is one of my older daughter’s favourite toys right now. She loves to have tea parties. Maybe because she has seen her mommy guzzle a lot of it in her short life thus far. Don’t judge please. But whatever the case may be, she’s become a bona fide barista. She’s already started serving tea to her baby sister and I can’t wait until they start having proper tea parties. I’d bet money on the fact that my younger daughter is going to enjoy this toy just as much as her older sister. It’s the quintessential girl toy with a modern twist that allows her to learn about counting, shapes, and opposites. It even helps with her manners! It’s almost like a pretend mommy figure. I also like the fact that this toy set allows me to interactively play with her in a way that is fun for both of us. I love watching her use her imagination even if it means that she gets all three of the included desserts because they will make my (and only mine) tummy hurt.
The toy box at our house are full of Fisher-Price products and for good reason — they stand the test of time. And there’s something oddly comforting about knowing that my younger daughter will inherit a lot of her sister’s toys. It’s almost like I’m somehow holding onto their baby years just a little bit longer. And it’s keeping me from being the next Hoarders casualty. Yay for that!
This is proudly sponsored by our friends at Fisher-Price.
www.fisher-price.ca
Check out these Fisher-Price Favourites—top playtime favourites for a toy box packed full of fun!
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