What about booster seats?

So, I thought most of this car seat drama was done with....but with Damon now being the big boy he is quickly approaching 4 in the next few weeks, we decided to get him a booster seat. As mentioned before, this may have been almost as intimidating as when I first went car seat shopping? What do I get? Does he need one with a back? Is there a benefit? After plenty of research on Amazon, we decided to go with the Evenflo Big Kid AMP Booster. It has a back. It also gives you a place by the shoulder to feed the seat belt through, making it more comfortable for Damon. It comes in cool colors which is always helpful with a 4 year old as well. If you choose to go with one without a back, make sure your child is old enough and tall enough for it.

Follow Up: Kid's Birthday Parties

So..... I have struggled with this. Damon's birthday is in March. It is not warm enough for any outdoor parties like the park or moon bounces. So what do you do? I have done Chuck E Cheese. If you do it on a Sunday, it is not awful- but still exhausting. As far as houses go.... this is not an option for everyone. Plus, you need activities for the kids. Many other options are not practical cost-wise. For this time, I would like to open the floor to you.... the readers. Please, give me some ideas!!

So here we are year 4 for Damon and year 1 for Ryan....This is an overview of what I've done for parties:

Damon:

1 - Chuck E Cheese (I know! For a 1 year old?) He loved this place. It was on a Sunday. Because of that, it wasn't crowded at all! The one where I live is very clean. Overall, I was very happy with it. We also had family at my mom's on the actual day.

Theme: Sesame Street. I did Cookie Monster cupcakes for the party. I loved these. They were not difficult to make, and adorable. I also did an Elmo Cake for the celebration at my mom's house.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00006BMPO/ref=as_li_qf_sp_asin_il_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=B00006BMPO&linkCode=as2&tag=momdadbabrev-20&linkId=ZYGKVINK4TVL52AE



2- Chuch E Cheese. This time, it was on a Saturday. I HATED IT. Way too crowded, and we felt just like a number. I think this place really comes down to the time.

Theme: Cars! I made cupcakes. I did a variation of these:


3- I went ALL OUT! Damon had just become a big brother, and I wanted him to feel special. We had his birthday at a place that was full of inflatables (Sport Bounce of Loudoun)! This place was AMAZING. I did have one serious complaint. The party moved at too fast of a pace and it was super expensive. It was very fun!

Theme: I went with Jake and the Neverland Pirates. After doing my research, I decided to go with cupcakes.  I bought figurines for the cupcakes. I also bought Damon a Jake costume. I handmade party favors by buying brown cloth and making satchels with coins, tattoos, dubloons, etc...
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00CU2IDSM/ref=as_li_qf_sp_asin_il_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=B00CU2IDSM&linkCode=as2&tag=momdadbabrev-20&linkId=BSPFJ7UGPIJO3APU

4- I am doing a Skylander Party at my house - stay  tuned for more!!!

Ryan:

1- we did this at our house. Sesame Street themed. I brought back Cookie Monster and Elmo. I bought more decor for the house. It was very nice!
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00767PTWO/ref=as_li_qf_sp_asin_il_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=B00767PTWO&linkCode=as2&tag=momdadbabrev-20&linkId=LSB3CXY6M5CDSPAI


http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0057O6576/ref=as_li_qf_sp_asin_il_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=B0057O6576&linkCode=as2&tag=momdadbabrev-20&linkId=55JLGMQIA37JBHFK

Cloth Diapers: To use or not to use?

So.... many of you may be considering using cloth diapers. They are less costly and environmentally friendly. While I personally did not use cloth diapers, a close friend of mine has and swears by them. I also have several friends and family members in the childcare industry. Here are their opinions:

PROS: You will save a good bit of money if you do not use a diapering service. I spend about $20 each week on diapers. My friend bought 32 cloth diapers, and now she is done. She has a piece that sits in her bathroom to rinse them immediately. She does the wash every other day. They are cute. They are also much better for children prone to diaper rash. I have heard it is easier to potty train out of these too because they are not as absorbent.

CONS: These will not be the most convenient. You do have to wash these frequently. Having changed my share of diapers, I really do not want to handle the load inside any more than I have to. My friend that works in preschools say they are prone to smell after a while, even if you bleach them....which leads me to the next point.... They do have to be bleached occasionally. The odor tends to be less masked than with disposable diapers as well.

VERDICT: If you are busy and want convenience......then cloth diapers are probably not for you. However, if you are environmentally conscience, want to save money, and don't mind handling a little extra work with diapering....then cloth diapers sound like a great idea for you! Either way, the choice is yours. Don't let anyone pressure you otherwise. After all, a happy a calm mommy lead to a happy and calm baby



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