RocK the Shot

Rock the Shot

Monday, September 30, 2013

Baby with a Broken Leg :(

It's been a year since my baby broke his leg. It was a horrible experience. So glad we made it through.
Did you know a common way for babies to brake their legs is my going down a slide on parents laps. When I was a little kid I saw a baby with two casts... It was a slide injury. I always was super careful as a babysitter with slides..
Well my 22 month old was running through the house with his 6 year old brother chasing him. He fell off the step from the kitchen to the living room and brother fell on top of him. I went to help a screaming baby and tried to get him to stand and he wouldn't!
So took him to ER and they couldn't find a brake, but put him in a soft cast because it was the weekend.
Came back two days later and got a full leg cast. It was explained as a Toddler Fracture... come back in ten days and we should see healing on the x-ray.
I was heart broken to see my once crazy active baby not be able to move. But it lasted for about 3 days... And then he became a master at the butt scoot. We took him to the beach and triple bagged his cast and he had fun digging.
10 days later the doctor was right you could see the line in his X-ray showing healing where it hurt so he had to get another cast.
He was in a cast for 6 weeks and then a walking boot for 2 weeks and then he was free. It seemed like forever at the time but it passed by quickly.
If you find yourself in the same predicament make sure you side with caution too. I hated that cast and if I could've I would taken it off ASAP but I know we had the best of care. My son had a limp for about 5 days and he walks perfectly.


He was on the "injured list" for the 49ers for halloween. Lots of laughs and well wishes.

I made his soft helmet  Directions Here


Brother and sister soccer games were difficult.
I put a soccer sock to protect the toes and cast
and this is what he got.
Poor Guy



The walking boot was great because baths are back in the
routine!

We did lots of sponge baths, took a shower only once. :( It was too difficult to hold him and not get water in his cast... The sink worked out a bit....

We have the funniest videos of him dancing with a diaper and cast.

Saturday, September 28, 2013

Tea Light Candle holders for indoor Succulent Planters


This is my latest addition to my little succulent world. I put this on my entry table and I absolutely love it. It has 11 little plants in a cast iron holder. So if you have an old tea light candle holder this is a perfect way to repurpose as a beautiful planter. 


Barnes & Noble LEGO Master Builder Academy

We went to the free LEGO class at Barnes & Noble. You had to RSVP and there were spots for 25 children. I was surprised by the size of package for free. A LEGO pack with 150 pieces to learn special robot building skills. The class was an hour long and all the kids built their own robot without directions. My kids were thrilled and they spent the next few days building robot after robot. :) Thank you Barnes and Noble for a fun event!

Free LEGO events are all over this area. 
Check this site Celebrate-family
It has EVERY deal in the Bay Area, story times, special events etc..


Succulent Color Palettes

So I came across this blog called Design Seeds and it is very beautiful and inspiring. So I downloaded an app and tried the idea with my personal collection of succulents.
And here they are:
I used the Real Colors App for this one:

The App I used for this one is Color Viewfinder 



Monday, September 23, 2013

Birthday Books

This is probably my favorite item for the kids. I got this idea when my firstborn turned 1.
I'm not much of a scrapbooker (yes big time digital book  IDEAS HERE) but not that sticker, shapes kind of girl. But I have one exception and that is the Birthday Book. We spend so much time planning the party and making everything just right...what if all your pictures were in one book with special notes from special people at the party year after year in one book! Yes that's what my kids have and after a few years it is quite a keepsake!
 I like to make collages at walgreens for free or costco for $2.00 and it captures the party perfectly. Some special stickers for the theme of the party, the invitation, and all the cute notes from people that love them.
Here are the Birthday Books up in my closet. Packed away for the next party. Whenever another birthday comes around the kids pull out the books and sit on my bed an reminisce of all those special days....
Themes for birthdays X4 
Age 1... Fun to Be One, Firetruck, Carnival, Diaper Derby
Age 2... Toy Story, Curious George, Pooh Bear, Truck Party
Age 3....Cars, Peter Pan, Carnival, 
Age 4..... Princess Party, Dinosaur, Carnival
Age 5...... Pajama Party, Pump it up
Age...6 Salon Party, Rocket party
Age 7.. Pump it up, LEGO Party
Age 8... American Girl
Age 9..Soccer Party

Feeling a bit partied out...now I can see why. :)


Family Bonding times at Home Depot & Lowes workshops

I started taking my kids to the free workshops at Home Depot and Lowes. I had read about them for years but never wanted to try it. It seemed to chaotic to me dealing with nails and kids and hammers.
But I was very impressed with the system. The kids get an apron and a sealed pack with directions for building. It takes a lot of effort. I like it because I can see the kids different personalities. One who likes to rush but then has to pull it apart because its wrong.... or one who is such a perfectionist that it takes extra long. When they are finished they get a pin/or badge (Lowes) to put on their apron. Is is such a feeling of accomplishment to both parent and child and it's free!!
Its amazing how many free events there are in a big city.
These event are held on the first Saturday of the month from 9-12. They are not strict on the age. You sign a waiver for your kids to participate.




Wednesday, September 11, 2013

Potty training 4 kids in 9 years!

Train up a child in the way he should go; and when he is old he will not depart.... Proverb 22:6

This verse never meant so much to me until I potty trained my first child. Training had a new meaning, hard work, practice, patience, consistency, and a result after many many many tries....

I remember walking into my sisters kindergarten class and telling her that its really a miracle that all these 5 year olds are potty trained someone had to love and care for them and teach them very carefully how to be potty trained. I remember her laughing at me and probably wondering if I had gone crazy.

After 9 years of diapers I finally am free! My 2 1/2 year old is potty trained and I feel like I need to celebrate! Its been along time dealing,changing,paying for diapers.... No wonder I feel tired. I feel like I've accomplished a small miracle that seemed like it may never end. My diaper bag consists of wipes and cute little boy underwear.

Potty training four children, 2 boys and 2 girls I felt like I need to give my tips....

I remember I started potty training my 1st at 18 months old. I researched and found there was a small window of opportunity but mine past by quickly and it didn't work. While I was researching I came across Diaper Free Baby Its a pretty interesting sight basically teaching an infant to pee on command with a sound of running water. Its the idea that we teach children to ignore the feeling of bladder control and teaching them at the age of "terrible twos" doesn't make any logical sense. So I embraced it for my 3rd child and tried. Well at 4 months I found myself rushing to the potty and holding her over and yes it worked. I did it for 2 days and didn't enjoy it. My friend did it for a while and it was cute to watch the interaction and communication of such a young baby with her mommy. I decided it wasn't for me.

So I recommend  warm weather and age 2 years 3 months. Young enough to understand, but not stuck in his ways. When your child starts hiding to poop that is a good sign he is ready.
I used this very basic potty Baby Bjorn potty chair to train all four kids. I liked this one because of the price and because it is all one piece. You don't have to clean any crevices and it work great. A bit gross but they all are. Its unusual for me to have something that went through 4 kids. And this is a good one!
On the go potty is the best potty training tool for the car. I brought it to the park, beach, mall and its great because your child pees in a bag and you simply toss it in the garbage. This potty chair is a must for those times your baby's bottom is too small for that dirty public restroom toilet and bowel movements. Its important not to scare your child with new toilets and yourself with all the germs. This eliminates both problems! I just bought a bunch of small garbage bags and use a roll of paper towels. This is another item I used for all 4 kids. We call it the emergency potty. Your child will use it for about a year after being potty trained and then the transition is more normal. 

A couple of my kids had a very difficult time with poo poo. It was such a difficult hurdle for us to cross. I discovered this book and it was a favorite for a while. Be warned it's gross! But hey its about poo what do you expect?
Everybody Poops by Taro Gomi
Have a special chart with stickers. I bought the jar of Jelly Bellys from Costco and had everyone in the house shout hooray for the newly potty trained kid. Whenever they peed they got a jelly belly. They got to choose the color and each sibling, friend or parent got one too if they shouted Horray for _____ !
My older kids would take the baby to the bathroom just to get candy for themselves! YAY!


The biggest element in potty training is realizing you as the caregiver are no longer going to rely on diapers. If you can mentally grasp that you will not go back no matter what you are ready to potty train.
I actually would plan to finish a box of diapers and then start training. It seemed like I had to. It worked for me. Also realize that your child is yours, read blogs, read book, glean from other mothers who have been there done this but you are the only one who knows your child and the right time that works for you and your family. Good luck its no easy process and I'm glad I never have to do that again!!!!






Tuesday, September 10, 2013

More beautiful succulents central California




LEGO warrior mascot

We go to all the free LEGO events in our area. The kids are into it and so am I. It's fun to build all the cool models and who doesn't like free especially when you have 4 kids.

I like to bond/ build with my kids. I feel like I'm always fighting them on internet/tv usage and this was my way to enjoy the summer building.. building and more building.

In June we made this cute fisherman at the Lego store. The other day I was inspired to make the kids Warrior mascot for their school and well I needed directions. So I used the fisherman as my template and made this cool warrior.


Tweek it with the color that you have or need and make your perfect mascot!