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Sunday, January 31, 2010

Missionary Chocolates Vegan Truffle Winners


Thank you to all who participated in the Missionary Chocolates Vegan Truffle Giveaway.  We have our Winners!  (I am super jealous, these are soooooooo good!)


True Random Number Generator 37 
True Random Number Generator 116

clynsg said... 37      Blog follower     

Sherry Carter said... 116 Sweet Raspberry or Ginger sound delicious!
 
I am about to email you! Please respond within 72 hours! Congratulations!!!!! Many thanks to Missionary Chocolates for this Review and Giveaway Opportunity, it was the most delicious one I have ever done!

Saturday, January 30, 2010

Review and Giveaway: Rock Rhythm and Rhyme Color Songs CLOSED



I never thought I would be one of "those" parents,  I made a vow that my daughter wouldn't even know about those 4 guys in the colored shirts (you know the ones!) and there is just something about those crazy monster things on Nick Jr. (especially that green one with really long arms).

I made fun of my sister once (probably more than once) when she picked me up one day and was listening to a CD from the Wiggles.  Now since she is a mom, this is not a surprise but her kids were not in the car. 

I made it a year but must confess that I did not turn off the Color Songs CD after dropping Wiggle Bean off at daycare.  I found myself cruising down the freeway singing and bopping my head along to the songs.  My favorite is Black  (B-L-A-C-K spells black).  My Wiggle Bean's other top favorites are Red and Green.  I am not sure what a Pink-A-Saurus is but he sounds really cute, so does the Brown dog.  There are ten song on the Color Songs CD that will have your preschooler (or younger) spelling their colors in no time.


My husband and I try to expose our daughter to as many types of music as possible.  That is one of the things that makes Rock Rhythm and Rhyme's Color Songs such a great CD.  The found a way to incorporate rock, blues and even rap into a fun and educational songs.  

Per the Rock Rhythm and Rhyme website, Color Songs was written and recorded just for
preschoolers but my 1 year old daughter loves it.  While she can not spell any of the colors (yet!), she does smile and clap when I put the CD in.  She may not understand the spelling part but it is never to early to start teaching her.  

The songs are so entertaining that your child will not feeling like they are learning.  They will enjoy the fun upbeat tunes while learning how to spell their colors.

Where to Purchase
Color Songs can be purchased at a few stores in Kentucky as well as being available for sale at CDBaby.com and Amazon.com.
WIN IT!!!
Mike Peay, founder of Rock Rhythm & Rhyme, has  offered one Over Thirty Mommy reader a copy of Color Songs.
Limitations:
This giveaway is open to U.S. addresses only. You do not need to be a blogger to enter, but you must have a valid email address and be age 18 years or older. If you enter anonymously and fail to include a valid email address in your comment entries, I will not be able to notify you should you win this random drawing.

How to Enter:
Visit Rock Rhythm and Rhyme, check out the list of songs and leave a comment telling me which one is your favorite. (Please leave a valid email address in your comment or make sure one is visible in your blogger profile).

You must complete the mandatory entry before doing any extra entries.

 Extra Entries -   Follow Over Thirty Mommy publicly (join followers on right-hand sidebar)
-   Subscribe to Over Thirty Mommy via Reader or email.
-   Follow Over Thirty Mommy on Twitter and tweet about this review/giveaway. (leave link to tweet)
-   Grab my Blog Button, let me know in your comment where I can find it (2 entries).
-   Comment on a non-contest post, let me know which article in your comment. (up to 2 entries for this one) 
-   Blog about the giveaway on your site and link back to Over Thirty Mommy and Rock Rhythm and Rhyme (leave a link to your post in comment) (3 entries!!!)
- Add Over Thirty Mommy to your Technorati Favorites. Then leave a comment telling me you did so and under what username.  Add to Technorati Favorites (2 entries)

Please leave a separate comment for each entry.  Good luck!

Winner will be chosen via a Random Drawing.  Winners that I am unable to contact or one who does not claim their prize within 72 hours of being sent their winning email notification will forfeit their prize.

Giveaway ends midnight PST on February 19th

Limitations:
This giveaway is open to U.S. addresses only. You do not need to be a blogger to enter, but you must have a valid email address and be age 18 years or older. If you enter anonymously and fail to include a valid email address in your comment entries, I will not be able to notify you should you win this random drawing.

 

**Disclaimer: I was not paid in any form of cash for this posting.  I did receive a copy of the Color Songs CD for my testing purposes. This is solely the opinion of Over Thirty Mommy. Other people may have different experiences with the product.** 



 

Friday, January 29, 2010

Recall: Children's Necklace Sold At Walmart


FAF Inc. Recalls Children's Necklaces Sold Exclusively at Walmart Stores Due to High Levels of Cadmium

WASHINGTON, D.C. - The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, in cooperation with the firm named below, today announced a voluntary recall of the following consumer product. Consumers should stop using recalled products immediately unless otherwise instructed.

Name of Product: Children's Metal Necklaces

Units: About 55,000

Importer: FAF Inc., of Greenville, R.I.

Hazard: The recalled necklaces contain high levels of cadmium. Cadmium is toxic if ingested by young children and can cause adverse health effects.

Incidents/Injuries: None reported.

Description: The recalled jewelry is shaped as a metal crown or frog pendant on a metal link chain necklace in a crown hinged box. The packaging has the words “The Princess and the Frog” on it and contains the following model numbers and UPC codes:
Crown Model # 4616-4187 UPC # 72783367144
Frog Model # 4616-4190 UPC # 72783367147
Sold exclusively at: Walmart retail stores nationwide from November 2009 through January 2010 for $5.
Manufactured in: China

Remedy: Consumers should immediately take this recalled jewelry away from children. Consumers should return the recalled jewelry to any Walmart store for a full refund or a free replacement product.

Consumer Contact: For additional information, contact F.A.F. Inc. at (800) 949-3311 between 8 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. ET Monday through Friday, or visit the firm's Web site at www.faf.com
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CPSC is still interested in receiving incident or injury reports that are either directly related to this product recall or involve a different hazard with the same product. Please tell us about it by visiting https://www.cpsc.gov/cgibin/incident.aspx

Tuesday, January 26, 2010

Wordless Wednesday Birthday Girl!




Wiggle Bean turned 1 this past Friday.  Happy Birthday Baby!

See more photos at Wordless Wednesday and 5 Minutes For Mom!

Friday, January 22, 2010

Sleep Training: Night 2 and Night 3




Sorry for the delay in updating, I have been so busy planning Wiggle's first birthday party.

The second night of sleep training went pretty well.  I think that it went just a little better than night 1.  I am hoping that the progression continues and full nights sleep will be here soon.

Night 2:
7:30 Bottle with mom
7:45 Story time
7:50  Song time (Bob Marley tonight)
8:00 in bed
9:30 tiny whimper of restlessness but then back to sleep
12:00 light crying
12:05 mom checked in and put her blankie back on
12:15 mom checked in again (I know I should have waited a little longer, I am still training myself!)
2:05 little louder cry than earlier
2:12 mom got up to check on her but she self soothed and fell asleep by the time I got to her door
4:40 I'm Hungry cry, can't ignore this one!
4:45 mom went in for feeding
4:51 back in bed
5:10 fully awake so I got her up and we got ready for the day

Night 3:
I was working on party stuff so we got little bit of a late start on our routine but cought up with a shorter story.  She was in her bed by 8:10.

9:05 there was a tiny whimper but she quieted down on her own within a minute or two.
4:35 I woke up looked at the clock and realized that she had not woken up yet.
5:00 started whimpering, it turned in to the I'm Hungry cry so I went in and gave her a snack and put her back in bed by 5:15. ( I was off work today to spend her birthday with her so I went back to bed!)
7:00 Finally decided she wanted to get up for the day.

HOLY COW!!!! She slept through the night!  What a great birthday present for both of us, I just hope it wasn't a fluke and it happens again tonight.

HAPPY 1ST BIRTHDAY WIGGLE BEAN!!!

Thursday, January 21, 2010

Terrible Service at Jack In The Box




Customer service is very important to me.  I will not frequent restaurants that consistently have poor customer service.  I know that Jack in the Box  is a Fast Food establishment but I expect to be treated pleasantly when I do decided to spend my hard earned money there.  It is a rough economy and when we decided to eat out (yes, even fast food) it is a treat.  I am not asking for top notch service, nor do I expect it, but I do expect some level of service and professionalism. 

We have 2 Jack in the Box locations close to our home and we used to go to the one just slightly farther away because it seemed nicer and the staff was more pleasant but lately we have going to the one closer to save on unnecessary driving.  Over the past few months we have noticed that the level of service from the staff has been going down hill.  This weekend was the last straw.

We went to the restaurant around 6:43PM.  There was a lady in front of us waiting to order and one couple seated waiting for their food to arrive.  Other than that the place was empty since it was after the dinner rush.  When we walked in we noticed that there was a loud beeping sound that appeared to be coming from the smoothie machine on the counter behind the cashier. 

There was only one cashier, according to my receipt her name was Kyra.  She seemed to be trying to manage not only the counter but organizing things at the same time.  She started to come to the counter to take the order of the lady in front of us when the manager (did not get her name because she was not wearing a tag) yelled at her to fill the machine and make it stop beeping.  Kyra motioned towards us and said that there were guests.  The manager told her to let them wait and fill the machine so that it does not shut off because when it shuts off you have to clean it and "I'm not going to clean it". 

Now, I am not in the service industry but a few basic (or what I would assume as basic) customer service rules seem to have been broken here: 
1. You should not yell at your staff in front of customers. It makes you all look bad and it makes us uncomfortable to hear it.
2.  Don't leave guests waiting.  We contemplated walking out but my daughter was tired, I was starving and I did not want to drive to another place.
3. Yes, you are the manager but you can help out.  You did not look that busy, you could have filled the machine. 

Also, and I think this is a biggie, How often is that machine cleaned?  It is a smoothie machine therefore milk products are run through it.  I realize that it is refrigerated but I would still think that it needs to be cleaned regularly.

So Kyra climbed up and filled the machine while we all waited and then hopped down and started taking orders.  We placed our order (to go) around 6:50 (we waited just shy of 10 minutes just to place our order) and tried to entertain our daughter while waited for it to arrive.  Since we were going for fast food, I did not pack any toys for her to play with so I did my best to keep her from running around the store (she is only 1) and disturbing the 2 other people that were in there.

Our order finally came up on a tray, we reminded Kyra that it was to go and she placed it in a bag.  We were not offered any ketchup or dipping sauce. We were just happy to finally get our food.  We made our way out to the car where I checked the order for accuracy.  I noticed that we were missing an order of tacos that my husband ordered so I left him and my daughter in the car and ran back in with the bag and our receipt.  I went to the counter and the manager looked right at me but ignored me.  After a little bit Kyra came back to the counter and I told her I was missing the order of tacos, she called back to the manager that she needed an order of tacos.  I asked for some ranch and she said sure but then turned and walked to the back never to be seen again.  I waited for the manager to make the tacos and when she brought them up I thanked her.  Her response to me was "Yeah".  No "your welcome", no "no problem", no "sorry we forgot it in the first place", just yeah.  I opened my mouth to ask for the ranch when she turned and walked away from me.  I did not want to bother her so I just took my food and left.

I looked at the clock when I got to the car, it was 7:07.  It took us 25 minutes to order and get our food that does not seem very fast to me.  I could understand waiting that long for food if you were slammed but the inside of the restaurant was practically empty and there were not that many cars in the drive through.

Maybe the manager was having a bad day but if you are not happy with your job, look for another one.  I am sure there are hundreds of people (State officials say that there are more than 334,000 people unemployed and looking for work.) that would be more than happy to take yours, especially with Washington's unemployment on the rise (currently 9.5%, the highest in the state since 1984).

This experience will not make me stop going to Jack in the Box, I love their breakfast for dinner too much for that.  However, I will not visit this location again.  I will drive the extra mile to the other location.


Wednesday, January 20, 2010

Sleep Training: Night 1




I am not sure if it is more training for myself or for Wiggle Bean but we are working on our sleep training.

I decided while writing my last post, about how we (by we I mean Wiggle and I because Hubby does not seem to be having a problem sleeping) are not sleeping through the night yet and how much trouble we have had lately,  that I was going to start "sleep training" or rather re-training.

According to many articles that I have read lately, I am doing just about everything wrong so I am going to correct all my "mistakes" and try to get her sleeping through the night.

It will be a learning process but I am hopeful that we will survive and I will soon be able to sleep longer than 2-3 hours at a time.

This process may not work for everyone (heck, it may not even work for us) but this is what I am going with

Step 1: Set a routine and stick to it!

Here is our new routine:
7:30 PM Nighttime bottle while sitting on the couch with mommy (or daddy!)
7:50 PM Bedtime story in her bedroom
8:00 PM Lights out and mommy will sing (or what she calls singing) you one of your favorite songs.  Right now these include Somewhere Over the Rainbow and Could You Be Loved, Three Little Birds and One Love all by Bob Marley.
8:05 PM In bed

Step 2: Do not run in there every time she makes the slightest peep.  Let her self sooth for a bit before going to check on her. When checking on her DO NOT pick her up, unless she needs a diaper change.  (this is for me)

Step 3: Cut out night time feedings to break the habit of waking for a snack and using milk as a soother to get back to sleep.

Night 1 Results:
Overall I think it went fairly well and we both made good progress.  Here is the schedule for the night:
8:05 completed our routine
8:30 small whimper and little cry, lasted only a minute or two
9:10 Awake in the crib and crying
9:14 Daddy checked on her and thought she was cold so he gave her another blanket
9:15 Still crying fairly loud so mommy checked in and reassured her that we were still here and she was OK
9:18 Quieted down
9:22 Crying again
9:34 Mom checked in and reassured again
9:45 Daddy checked in, patted her back and reassured her
9:55 Fell back asleep!!!!
1:15 Small whimper that grew to a loud cry when I did not go it to feed her
1:25 Daddy checked in on her
1:30 Mommy checked in (then went back to bed and fell asleep while daddy stayed up to reassure baby)
2:00 Fell asleep!
4:30 Loud "I'M HUNGRY" cry.  This is a different cry than her usual cry so I went in and gave her a small snack then put her back in bed by 4:45
6:10 Up for the day

It might look like there was a bunch of crying but this is a huge improvement from where we were at before our new plan.

I'll let you know how night 2 goes tomorrow!  Wish us luck!

ANOTHER MAJOR STROLLER RECALL


Graco Recalls Strollers Due to Fingertip Amputation and Laceration Hazards

WASHINGTON, D.C. - The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, in cooperation with the firm named below, today announced a voluntary recall of the following products. Consumers should stop using recalled products immediately unless otherwise instructed.

Name of Product: Graco’s Passage™, Alano™ and Spree™ Strollers and Travel Systems

Units: About 1.5 million

Manufacturer: Graco Children’s Products Inc., of Atlanta, Ga.

Hazard: The hinges on the stroller’s canopy pose a fingertip amputation and laceration hazard to the child when the consumer is opening or closing the canopy.

Incidents/Injuries: Graco has received seven reports of children placing their fingers in the stroller’s canopy hinge mechanism while the canopy was being opened or closed, resulting in five fingertip amputations and two fingertip lacerations.

Description: This recall involves Graco Passage™, Alano™ and Spree™ Strollers and Travel Systems with the following model numbers and specific hinge mechanisms:

Model Numbers
6303MYC, 6303MYC3 7240DNB, 7240DNB2
7240MKL2, 7240MKL3
7F02GLM3
6320IVY, 6320LAU 7241DDH2, 7241DHO3 7F04TAY3
6330CAP, 6330THR,
6330THR3
7255CLP, 7255CLP2,
7255CRA2, 7255CRA3,
7255CSA3, 7255GPK3,
7255GRN, 7255GRN2,
7255JJB3, 7255ORC2,
7255WLO2, 7255WLO3
7F07EMA3
6F00QIN3, 6F00RRY3 7256CLO2, 7256SPM2,
7256SPM3
7F08DSW3, 7F08LAN3
6F03GLN3 7260BAN, 7260BAN2,
7260BAN3, 7260MRA2,
7260MRA3, 7260PKR,
7260PKR2
7G00DLS3, 7G00DLS4
6G10CSE3 7270BIA, 7270BIA2 7G01CRL3
7235GGA, 7235GGA2 7E01JON2, 7E01JON3 7G04KRA3
7236CDR2 7F00LPE3, 7F00RSH3 7G05GPR3, 7G06WSR3
7237HOL2, 7237HOL3 7F01FOR3 7G07ABB3, 7G07BAT3

Graco manufactured two different styles of hinge mechanisms for these stroller models. Only strollers or travel systems with a plastic, jointed hinge mechanism that has indented canopy positioning notches (see photo below) are included in this recall. The recalled strollers were manufactured between October 2004 and February 2008. The model number and manufacture date are located on the lower inside portion of the rear frame, just above the rear wheels.

Sold at: AAFES, Burlington Coat Factory, Babies “R” Us, Toys “R” Us, Kmart, Fred Meyer, Meijers, Navy Exchange, Sears, Target, Walmart and other retailers nationwide from October 2004 and December 2009 for between $80 and $90 for the strollers and between $150 and $200 for the travel systems.

Manufactured in: China

Remedy: Consumers should immediately stop using the recalled strollers and contact Graco to receive a free protective cover repair kit.

Consumer Contact: For additional information, contact Graco at (800) 345-4109 between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. ET Monday through Friday, or visit the firm’s Web site at www.gracobaby.com






     





Tuesday, January 19, 2010

RECALL NOTICE: Dorel Asia Cribs (ONE DEATH REPORTED)


Dorel Asia Recalls To Replace Cribs; Pose Strangulation and Suffocation Hazards
One infant death reported, 10 injuries to infants

WASHINGTON, D.C. - The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, in cooperation with Dorel Asia SRL, of Barbados, is announcing a voluntary recall to replace drop side and non-drop side cribs that pose suffocation and strangulation hazards to infants and toddlers. Consumers should immediately stop using the recalled cribs until replacement kits are obtained and installed.

Name of Product: Dorel Asia cribs

Units: About 635,000

Distributor: Dorel Asia SRL, of Barbados

Hazard: The drop side hardware can fail causing the drop side to detach from the crib. When the drop side detaches it creates a space in which an infant or toddler can become entrapped and suffocate or strangle. In addition, the recalled cribs can pose a serious entrapment and strangulation hazard when a slat is damaged. This can occur while the crib is in use, in storage, being put together, taken apart or reassembled; or during shipping and handling.

Reports: CPSC and Dorel Asia SRL received a report of the death of 6-month old child from Cedar Rapids, Iowa who became entrapped and strangled in a crib after the drop side hardware broke. The crib continued to be used after the parents tried to repair the drop side themselves. CPSC and Dorel Asia received reports of 31 drop side incidents. In six of those incidents, children were entrapped between the drop side and crib mattress. Three children suffered from bruises as a result of the entrapment. In addition, CPSC and Dorel Asia received reports of 36 incidents of slat breakage, including seven reports of bruises and scratches to children and two reports of entrapment that resulted in no injury.

Description: The following Dorel Asia cribs are involved in the recall:
Model Number Front Rail Description
WM1633 Drop side 3-1 Sleigh Crib – Cherry
WM1633-0 Drop side 3-1 Sleigh Crib - Cherry (no castors)
WM1676BC Fixed 4-1 Bethany James Crib – Walnut
WM1676BCR-DC Fixed 2-1 Crib – Walnut
WM2163 Fixed 4-1 Crib – Manhattan Walnut
WM2163DC Fixed 4-1 Crib – Manhattan Walnut
WM1633-0-DC Fixed 3-1 Sleigh Crib (no castors)
GP004B3EGR Drop side 3-1 Convertible – Espresso
GP004B3WGR Drop side 3-1 Convertible – White
GP006BCEGR Drop side Single – Espresso
GP006BCWGR Drop side Single – White
DA1615B3 Drop side 3-1 Convertible Crib – Natural
DAKM5132 Drop side 3-1 Convertible Crib – White
DASE5005 Drop side Cottage Hill Single Crib – White
DASE5009 Drop side Vintage Estate 3-1 Sleigh Crib – Cherry
DA0504KMC-1N Drop side 3-1 Heritage Crib – Natural
DA0504KMC-1W Drop side 3-1 Heritage Crib – White
DA1614B3 Drop side 3-1 Lexington Crib – Cherry
DAKM5152 Drop side Single Jenny Lind Crib - Walnut
DASE5015 Drop side 3-1 Convertible - Toffee

Sold at: K-Mart, Sears and Wal-Mart stores nationwide from January 2005 through December 2009 for between $120 and $700.

Manufactured in: China and Vietnam

Remedy: Consumers should immediately stop using the recalled cribs, find an alternative safe sleeping environment for your child, and contact Dorel Asia to receive a free replacement kit. Consumers should log on to www.dorel-asia.com to order the free replacement kit to prevent child entrapment in these cribs. The repair kits will be provided to owners within the next several weeks.

Consumer Contact: Call Dorel Asia toll-free at (866) 762-2304 between 8 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. ET Monday through Friday or visit the firm’s Web site at www.dorel-asia.com

Important Message from CPSC: CPSC reminds parents not to use any crib with missing, broken, or loose parts. Make sure to tighten hardware from time to time to keep the crib sturdy. When using a drop-side crib, parents should check to make sure the drop side or any other moving part operates smoothly. Always check all sides and corners of the crib for disengagement. Disengagements can create a gap and entrap a child. In addition, do not try to repair any side of the crib, especially with duct tape, wire or rope.
Visit CPSC's Crib Information Center for more information on Crib Safety and Recalls.


4-1 Crib - Walnut, Model # WM1676BC


3 -1 Sleigh Crib - Cherry Model # WM1633 & WM1633-0


3 -1 Lexington Crib - Cherry Model # DA1614B3


3 -1 Heritage Crib - Natural Model # DA0504KMC-1N 
 

3 -1 Heritage Crib - White Model # DA0504KMC-1W
 

 

3 -1 Convertible Crib - White Model # DAKM5132

 



Cottage Hill Single Crib - White Model # DASE5005


                                                                                                                                                              Vintage Estate 3-1 Crib - Cherry Model # DASE5009


3-1 Convertible Crib - Natural Model # DAKM1615B3

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CPSC is still interested in receiving incident or injury reports that are either directly related to this product recall or involve a different hazard with the same product. Please tell us about it by visiting https://www.cpsc.gov/cgibin/incident.aspx

Baby's Bad Sleeping Habits




Wiggle Bean will be have her first birthday this weekend and for some reason (first time mom naivety I guess) I was under the impression that by the time we hit this milestone she would be sleeping through the night.

I dream of consistently sleeping through the night but that is the only dreaming I get to do since she is still getting up at least twice during the night.  It gets exponentially worse when she is sick or teething.  During these times we are up more than we are down or else I end up sleeping with her to "comfort" her.

I do not mean to sleep with her all night but I am so tired that I fall asleep either on the bed in her room or the couch while feeding her.  This usually happens after the 3rd or 4th time up in the night and I just can not keep getting up every hour to feed/comfort her.

We were doing pretty good for a while and I got her down to getting up once or twice, for a late night snack but then she got a cold and started teething and it was all down hill from there.  For the past two to three weeks I have been sleeping with her since it was the only way I could get her to stay asleep for longer than an hour or two at a time.

I do not sleep soundly while holding her because I am afraid that she will roll out of my grasp, fall off the bed/couch, or I will squish her.  The light sleep is however better than getting up every hour to feed her (she does not eat much each hour, so I assume it is a comfort thing) or not sleeping at all like last night.

She is over her cold and her tooth is in so I thought things would get better and I would be able to sleep in my own bed.  Wrong again!

Sunday night was not too bad, we had our big 8oz bedtime bottle, I rocked her to sleep and put her in her bed about 8:30.  She woke at 12:30 for a "snack" and I got her back in bed within 15 minutes.  She woke up again at 2:30 for another snack.  My milk production is really low now so I fixed her a 4oz bottle and she went back to sleep not waking again until almost 6:30.  This was great since she had been getting up at 5:00 with me and then it takes me forever to fix breakfast and lunch for hubby and myself because she wanted to be held.

Monday evening comes around and I am looking forward to another night where I get to sleep more than one hours at a time and in my own bed.  Guess Wiggle Bean had different plans.  She was super tired and cranky so I fixed her bedtime bottle a little early and she went to bed at 8:00.  I made it to bed around 10:30 and she woke up at 11:30 for a snack.  I fed her and put her back in bed about 11:45.  Around 1:15 she woke up again so I went and fixed her a 4 1/2 oz bottle.  She guzzled that like she hadn't eaten in days (she actually ate better for dinner than she had in weeks).  I got her back to a restless sleep and put her in bed around 1:45 but she was not satisfied and was whimpering again by 2:00.   She was wide awake by this time and though it should be play time.  I tried everything, I snuggled on the bed with her, we curled up together on the couch, I rocked her in our chair, and I tried nursing her but she was having none of it.  About 2:45 I fixed her another 5oz bottle of which she drank 4oz but she was still not going to lay down and sleep.

Finally at 3:10, I decided to try tough love and put her in her crib awake.  I clicked off the monitor so as to not wake up hubby and put her in her bed, she was not happy about that.  She screamed and cried bloody murder.  I closed her door and struggled to stay out of her room and let her "cry it out".  I sat on the floor outside her room quietly crying to myself and feeling like the worst mom in the world for letting her cry for so long.  I made it about 15 minutes before I decided that this was not working and I am not cut out for "tough love".  I went in and she immediately wanted me to pick her up but I held my ground (I call it not quite so tough love) and made her stay in her crib but I rubbed her back and head.  I tried to comfort her by telling her that it was OK, and I was here but that she had to stay in her bed (like she understood me, how do you reason with a 1 year old?).  I sat on the floor near her crib, reaching a hand through the slats to rest on her back for 20 minutes until she finally went to a restless sleep.

I crawled back in bed around 4:00 only to have my alarm go off just after 5:00 so that I could get ready for work.  She must have wore her self out with all the crying because she did not wake up when I got up and stayed in bed until a little before 6:30.

I am sure it is my fault, I must have done something wrong.  They (whoever THEY are, sometimes I want to strangle THEY) say that I should not feed her during the night or it will form a habit and she will forever wake up to eat at night.  I just do not see how if she is hungry I should not feed her.  That just seems mean.  I read about a "trick" where instead of milk you give her water and then she eventually realize that water is not food and not wake up for food in the night.  I tried that, it didn't work for us, she would just throw a fit until I gave her milk. 

According to the article 5 Baby Bedtime Mistakes to Avoid from Parents.com, I am guilty of 3 out of 5 of the No No's.  I always jump out of bed as soon as I hear her peep in the might.  It started as me getting up to quiet her so as to not wake hubby up since I was on maternity leave but it never changed even thought I have returned to work.  Mistake #2, Wiggle is well over the 12lbs that the article suggests stopping night feedings.  #3, I ALWAYS rock her to sleep.  It seemed to soother her and it was great bonding time for us.  Another mistake that I apparently make is not putting her in bed awake.

Now I have to break her of all the bad bedtime habits that I created for her.  I guess I will start with sleeping in her own bed and not getting up to snuggle with mommy.  Then I will tackle the getting up 3-4 times in the night for food.  I am sure it is just a pipe dream to want to sleep a full night so if I could get her down to only getting up once I would be a happy camper.

Some day I hope to be able to get a full nights sleep again but at this rate she will be a teenager before that happens and then the worrying will only get worse because then she will be a teenager! NOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!

Tonight I will  begin our new sleep training.  I will be sure to keep you posted on our progress. 

Thursday, January 14, 2010

My Own Shower Winner


Thank you to all who participated in the My Own Shower GiveawayWe have a Winner!


Kim  from Because I Forget Things said... 73
feed subscriber



I am about to email you! Please respond within 72 hours! Congratulations!!!!!

Many thanks to Rinse Ace for this Review and Giveaway Opportunity.

RECALL NOTICE: HAPPYTOT Stage 4 and HAPPYBABY Stage 1 & Stage 2 Pouch Meals



 
Nurture, Inc., is voluntarily recalling selected varieties and date codes of HAPPYTOT Stage 4 and HAPPYBABY Stage 1 and Stage 2 pouch meals with date codes expiring between November 2010 and January 2011. These products are being recalled due to a packaging defect that potentially could cause the pouches to swell or leak. Swollen or leaking pouches could indicate that the products may contain bacteria that could potentially cause illness.

No illness has been reported. The products were sold at less than 300 retail locations nationwide.
Potentially affected varieties include:
    • Green bean, pear & peas, NET WT. 4.22 OZ. (120g), UPC 8 52697 00127 9;
    • Sweet potato, carrot, apple & cinnamon, NET WT. 4.22 OZ. (120g), UPC 8 52697 00128 6;
    • Spinach, mango & pear, NET WT. 4.22 OZ. (120g), UPC 8 52697 00129 3;
    • Butternut squash & apple, NET WT. 4.22 OZ. (120g), UPC 8 52697 00130 9;
    • Banana, peach, coconut & prunes, NET WT. 4.22 OZ. (120g), UPC 8 52697 00131 6;
    • Banana, peach & mango, NET WT. 4.22 OZ. (120g), UPC 8 52697 00132 3
    • Mango, NET WT. 3.5 OZ. (99g), UPC 8 52697 00134 7 
    • Spinach Mango Pear, NET WT. 3.5 OZ. (99g), UPC 8 52697 00139 2
    • Apricot Sweet Potato, NET WT. 3.5 OZ. (99g), UPC 8 52697 00136 1

The above meals are packaged in plastic pouches with plastic caps.

To determine if a specific product is part of this voluntary recall, consumers should examine product packaging for expiration date codes between November 2010 and January 2011. These dates are printed as the first seven characters of a 15-character string, as illustrated in the accompanying illustration.
Less than half of one percent of the products sold to date is affected by this packaging defect; no other products sold by the company are affected. As standard practice for Nurture, all products sold are sent to a laboratory for food safety testing prior to market release and no harmful bacteria have been detected in damaged packages to date.

One consumer complaint was received regarding swollen and leaking pouches, and no illnesses have been reported. The company has worked quickly with the manufacturer to identify the cause of the malfunction and the issue has been resolved.

"We are committed to ensuring our organic foods are not only delicious, convenient, and as healthy as possible, but also delivered in the highest quality, dependable package for our youngest consumers," says Shazi Visram, Nurture, Inc.'s Founder and CEO. "As a mother-to-be expecting my first child to arrive any day now, I know firsthand how critical it is for parents to have complete confidence in the foods they serve their children. We stand behind our mission to provide only the very best, which is why we have taken the measure to voluntarily recall these products."

Nurture has worked with the contract manufacturer and the US Food and Drug Administration to resolve the matter.

While no illness has been reported, consumers who have purchased affected products should not consume or serve any swollen or leaky pouches and may return them to their place of purchase for a full refund or contact Nurture Inc directly for a full refund or exchange. Consumers with questions and would like more detailed information are encouraged to contact Nurture, Inc. at 212-374-2779, Monday through Friday from 9:00 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Eastern time.

Monday, January 11, 2010

Review and Giveaway: Missionary Chocolates Handcrafted Vegan Truffles CLOSED





For those of you that know me, you know I am a lover of almost anything chocolate with a passion for truffles.  I would not call myself a connoisseur of truffles but I do crave love me a good quality truffle on a regular basis (at least the reasonably priced ones!).  There is no way (OK, maybe if I won the lottery!) I would ever pay $250 for a single truffle like the one sold at Knipschildt Chocolatier

Missionary Chocolates, a Portland based chocolate company, sells their handcrafted vegan truffles for a very reasonable price.  Missionary Chocolates quickly blossomed from a small one man woman home based business started in 2008 to a thriving boutique.  Missionary Chocolates truffles are dairy-free, gluten-free and contain many organic ingredients.  Not only are they affordable, they are delicious!

Recently I was searching for treats to include in goody bags for guests of a baby shower that I was hosting and came across Missionary Chocolates.  Vanessa was generous enough to send me a 4pc variety box that included their Glorious Ginger, Peppermint Perfection,  Meyer Lemon Explosion, and Dark Chocolate Delight truffles.  I was also sent a special sample of their Vanilla Salted Caramel truffle.  


I had never tried vegan truffles before, in fact, I never had vegan chocolate of any kind before. To be honest, I was a little concerned that I might not like vegan chocolate.  Man was I wrong.   Just put your pinky over the vegan part of their name and you get Handcrafted Truffles, and that is exactly what they taste like.  It would not do Missionary chocolates handcrafted vegan truffles justice to say that even though they are vegan they taste like regular truffles.  They are delicious, smooth and creamy!


I was not sure about the Vanilla Salted Caramel when I first saw it but I tried it with an open mind.  It is very good, better than I ever expected.  It is the prefect blend of sweet and salty all mixed together.  You get the sweet caramel chocolaty flavor then zing, a salty kick!  Best of both worlds!

I thought that the Dark Chocolate Delight was going to be my favorite after biting into it, how could it get anybetter?  I love dark chocolate!  Then unwrapped the Peppermint Perfection and I swear I heard heavenly angels singing in my head (AAAAAAA!!!!!!!) WOW!  That might be the best truffle I have ever tasted. If you are asking your self whay I had to unwrap the Peppermint truffle it is because Missionary chocolates wrapps in shiny green foil to preserve its minty flavor.


I am so glad that I found Missionary Chocolates and doubly excited that they are local to me so I never have to wait for shipping when I have a craving (and that is often!) for a yummy truffle.


Where to Purchase
Missionary Chocolates Handcrafted vegan truffles can be purchased directly from their website, as well as multiple locations around Portland and Stogo's in New York.


WIN IT!!!
Missionary Chocolates has generously offered TWO lucky Over Thirty Mommy readers a 4pc box of their handcrafted vegan truffles.

Limitations:
This giveaway is open to U.S. addresses only. You do not need to be a blogger to enter, but you must have a valid email address and be age 18 years or older. If you enter anonymously and fail to include a valid email address in your comment entries, I will not be able to notify you should you win this random drawing.

How to Enter
Mandatory entry: Visit Missionary Chocolates and  read through the descriptions of each of their truffles, then come back and leave a comment with the truffle you want to try the most.

You must complete the mandatory entry before doing any extra entries.
Extra Entries
-   Suggest a new creative truffle flavor
-   Follow Over Thirty Mommy publicly (join followers on right-hand sidebar)
-   Subscribe to Over Thirty Mommy via Reader or email.
-   Follow Over Thirty Mommy on Twitter and tweet about this review/giveaway. (leave link to tweet)
-   Grab my Blog Button, add it to your blog and let me know in your comment where I can find it.
-   Comment on a non-contest post, let me know which article in your comment. (up to 2 entries for this one) 
-   Blog about the giveaway on your site and link back to Over Thirty Mommy and My Own Shower (leave a link to your post in comment) (3 entries!!!)

Please leave a separate comment for each entry. Please leave a valid email address for winning notification purposes or make sure your blogger profile is public. Good luck!

Winner will be chosen via Random Drawing.  Winners that I am unable to contact or who does not claim their prize within 72 hours of being sent their winning email notification will forfeit their prize.

Giveaway ends midnight PST on January 29, 2010.

Limitations:
This giveaway is open to U.S. addresses only. You do not need to be a blogger to enter, but you must have a valid email address and be age 18 years or older. If you enter anonymously and fail to include a valid email address in your comment entries, I will not be able to notify you should you win this random drawing.

**Disclaimer: I was not paid in any form of cash for this posting.  I did receive some delicious truffles to eat for my testing purposes. This is solely the opinion of Over Thirty Mommy. Other people may have different experiences with the product.** 






Sunday, January 10, 2010

She Is Walking Already!




I just realized that it has been quite some time since I have blogged about Wiggle Bean.  Things are changing so fast with her, it is truly amazing how fast she learns and grown.  The above picture was taken the first weekend of December.

At this point, she could crawl at lightening speeds, stand on her own for a for short periods of time and had just started pushing her Step Start Walk 'n Ride.  

On December 16th, my daycare provider texted me to let me know that Wiggle Bean had taken her first steps.  Yes, she texted me, a first time mom, to tell me that I missed her first steps (but that is another story that I do not want to get into).


Did Wiggle take any steps for me that evening? NO!  No matter how hard I tried, I could not get her to walk for me.  Of course the next morning daycare asked me if she walked for me and I had to say no.  Wiggle did walk for me Friday, FINALLY!   It was only a couple wobbly steps before falling down but they were steps none the less.  I was such a proud mommy!

Some time between the 18th and New Years Eve she became a walking pro.  She was all over the place.  Yes, she would still stumbled and fall from time to time but overall she was doing remarkably well.  With in a matter of two weeks, she went from 3 wiggle wobbly steps to being able to walk across 2 full rooms or up and down the hall. 

What will she learn next?  It is just amazing how fast babies learn.  It seems like only last week when I was trying to get her to crawl and not she is running.








Friday, January 8, 2010

Mom Select Holiday Pak Reviews


Special thanks to MomSelect for choosing Over Thirty Mommy to review the 2009 Holiday Pak.  This year's holiday pak was full of great items.  It was so much fun opening the box, digging in and seeing what would come out next.


One of my favorite items in the holiday pak were Build-a-Bear's Hal and Holy



I hid these from Wiggle Bean and put them under the tree for Christmas morning as a special present.   We are planning on making this a tradition for Wiggle.  We will get her the new special holiday "bear" each year.




The next item out of the box was the Reli-On Temple Touch Thermometer



This is one of the best inventions ever!  I think my husband  liked it the best.  He recently returned from a business trip and must have caught something on the plan because a few days after he returned.   He was able to easily check his temperature and liked the easy of use and quickness of the Reli-On Temple Touch Thermometer.  Wiggle Bean seemed to be getting what Daddy had and I was able to use the thermometer to check her periodically to make sure she was not running a fever.  It was much easier to use than the standard mouth or underarm thermometer and gave readings more accurate than other temporal thermometers than I have tried before . 


Also in the holiday pak was two full-length BOZ DVDs ; Bananas, Bubbles and Busy Bodies and A WowieBOZowee Christmas. Both titles include song-filled stories, music videos, and lots of bonus activities designed to entertain, educate, and inspire preschoolers.
  

Wiggle Bean does not watch much TV at home but she seemed to take an interest in these DVDs.  She kept pointing at the screen and saying "Wass dat?" (What's that?, for those that do not understand baby speak)  It was so cute, she was mesmerized by the giant green bear.  I liked that the were not only fun and entertaining but also incorporated faith.  She may not understand that part now but as she grows, it will be nice to have videos that reinforce values.    




The Holiday pak also included a Playmobil Advent Calendar.


We did not get a chance to use it this year but put it aside for use in the future.  We decided that since it had so many small parts and Wiggle was only 11 months, it would be best not to open it.  It does look like it would be a lot of fun to get a small piece each day and have it combine into a full play set after Christmas.




Any one that knows me knows that I am not the greatest cook but I like to try new things out once in a while.  I have never tried cooking with Olive Oil but have some great sounding recipies that call for it.  I can not wait to try out the California Olive Ranch Extra Virgin Olive Oil.
 
According to the California Olive Ranch website,  their high-quality olive oil is certified extra virgin olive oil and has won multiple awards over the past 7 years.

The last item (but definitely not the least!) was a coupon for a bottle of SUN laundry detergent.
 

This was one of the most practical items in the MomSelect Holiday Pak and one of the best!  Since Wiggle is still young, we do not like to put to many chemicals on her sensitive skin.  The Sun Free and Clear allows us to wash our clothes along with Beans so that we do not have to purchase the ultra expensive baby "safe" detergent.

I would like to give a special thanks again to MomSelect for selecting  Over Thirty Mommy to preview these great products.  I know there are many blogs out there and it was a great honor to be chosen.



**Disclaimer: I was not paid in any form of cash for this posting.  I did receive the product(s) featured in this review free of cost  for the purpose of product testing and review. This review is based solely the opinion of Over Thirty Mommy. Other people may have different experiences with the products.**




Thursday, January 7, 2010

Shaklee January Specail: Join Free with 50 PV!




Now is a GREAT time to focus on your health and your home and become a Shaklee Member. Now through Jan. 16, purchase Shaklee products that add up to at least 50 points value (PV) and Shaklee will waive the $19.95 Shaklee membership fee!  As a Shaklee Member, you will receive a 15% discount on all products, you can receive special promotions, offers, and discounts for even more savings.  Don’t forget, you also have an unconditional money-back guarantee and you’ll have exclusive access to our Shaklee Member Center where you can find extensive health and wellness information reviewed by the expert Shaklee Health Sciences team.  Shaklee has products to help you live healthier and greener in 2010.  Shop online at www.livin-healthy.com
I appreciate your consideration.
Thank you,
Brandy Naleski
Shaklee Distributor
www.livin-healthy.com


**Disclaimer: I was not paid in any form for this posting.** 
 

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