Everyday Baby Steps

Boochie Review

marybabysteps — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 18:27:47 -0700

Boochie is a fun new game from Gamewright. It's based on the Italian game, Bocce, but is so much more fun due to its hilarious twists and turns. The object of the game is to toss your designated ring and ball as close to the Boochie target as possible. The game is for players ages 8 and over and is designed to be played by two to four people.

The fun part comes in when you're given a special challenge by your wrist tracker, that doubles as a scoring device. Challenges can be anything from hopping on one foot while throwing to making sound effects. Every player's wrist tracker contains different challenges, making it even more fun to see what the next command will be..

My family had a blast with Boochie. The directions were easy to understand, and I appreciate that there are no small parts to get lost. The game never got boring, as there was always something new to encounter with the various challenge commands. Even the baby enjoyed watching us make fools of ourselves out in the yard, and I think the neighbors did too!

When we were done playing, cleaning up was a breeze. Everything fits easily right back into the plastic carrying case. It's a great outdoor game for the whole family to get involved with. I think it would work for kids younger than 8 if they have good coordination and reading skills. The directions say it can be played inside or out, as the pieces are soft. Our house isn't big enough for this kind of game, so we're planning to keep it outside, but it is portable and easy enough to take to a friend's house.

Boochie is a very fun game. It's a great way to let off steam and get everybody moving and having a "ball"! I can see why it's won several awards, including the Oppenheim Toy Portfolio Gold Award, the Parenting Media Award, and a Major Fun Award. I totally recommend it for your family. And thank you, Momfluence, for hooking me up with the folks from Gamewright for the chance to review this unique, fun-filled game.

We're Going On Vacation!

marybabysteps — Mon, 04 May 2009 08:00:00 -0700

In less than a week, my family and I will be on a plane to Missouri to visit my parents. I'm so excited, as we haven't had a real vacation in the entire three and a half years Bill and I have been together. We're leaving on Saturday and will be staying a whole week! We're going to have a great time visiting, hanging out, and sight seeing. Did I mention that I can't wait?

We haven't seen my mom and dad since they came here to visit two Christmases ago. They haven't even met Brady! I know my mom will be ecstatic to cuddle her newest grandbaby. And all the kids have been talking about lately is seeing Grandma. They're also very excited about flying on the airplane. Thank you so much, Mom and Dad, for paying for our flight!

One of the most exciting things on the agenda is our visit to Branson. The last time the kids were there, Norah was so sick with a cold and (unbeknownst to us) ear infection that she didn't get to enjoy it. She doesn't want to miss a thing this time. We'll be visitng the same places we did last time so that she can enjoy them. Plus, Bill's never been to Branson.

Our first stop will be to Silver Dollar City, a fun theme park with an 1880's theme. We'll be able to get on the rides, see craft artisans, visit shops, and take a fun little guided train ride around the park. We love Silver Dollar City. Thank goodness the folks have season passes!

Our night time entertainment will be Dolly Parton's Dixie Stampede, an amazing spectacular of horse riding, showmanship, and splendor. I cannot even express what a cool show this is. I know, some of you may think, "Dolly Parton, cool? No way!" Seriously, anyone would enjoy it. The animals are beautiful, and the stunt riders are so incredibly talented. You get to see fantastic performances while enjoying a Civil War era meal that is out of this world.

There are so many more shows and attractions I'd love to see. We could spend days in Branson if we had the funds. Take a look at the post I wrote over at my paid blogging gig if you'd like to know more about Branson. You can also visit the Branon Tourism Center's website. I'll be tweeting about our fun, and I'll be sure to post pictures! Have you ever been to Branson? Where's your favorite family vacation spot?

Photos obtained from the Branson Tourism Center.

Meet My Wild Family!

marybabysteps — Tue, 18 Nov 2008 15:09:39 -0800

After all this time, you finally get a chance to see my wild family in action, thanks to the awesome folks at NewBaby.com. NewBaby.com is an awesome site for moms to share what they know and what's important to them. The very cool part about it is that the sharing is done by video. NewBaby.com sent me an awesome Flip video camera so that I can be a featured mom vlogger for their site.

I can't believe I'm a vlogger! I'm so excited. I plan to share videos on important aspects of parenting a baby that aren't often discussed by baby books and pedicatricians. Be on the lookout for my videos at NewBaby.com I'll be sure to share some here at Everyday Baby Steps as well. By the way, what do you think about my wild bunch? I think they're amazing.

What If My Friend Had Been Shot?

marybabysteps — Wed, 24 Sep 2008 12:05:04 -0700

My wife, Mary, asked me to guest blog this week. OK, she asked me a couple of weeks ago, but it's taken me this long to sit down at the keyboard and put something together. Mary thinks I'm amusing, and I guess other people do, too. But today, I want to talk about something serious.

Recently, my best friend (after Mary) was robbed. At gunpoint. In his own house. A little background on my friend Sam before I tell you the story. I've known Sam for nearly thirty years. He has been an advertising salesperson, a cable TV executive and a restaurant owner. Now, he's on disability and works as a sports official. Sam's hobby is collecting stories. That means that Sam has to talk to a lot of people. And he does. Sam talks to bus drivers, waitresses and people in line at grocery stores. Sam asks questions of anyone and everyone. His gregarious nature has led Sam into a wide variety of relationships.

His former housemate, and one-time employee, Larry, was deaf. Larry was also an alcoholic and drug addict. Larry's girlfriend was in prison for the two-plus years that he lived with Sam. Since his divorce more than ten years ago, Sam has been involved with a large number of women. Some of these women have had substance abuse problems. Some have been married. At least two were exotic dancers. One was most likely a prostitute.

I have warned Sam that he is living too close to the edge. Before meeting Mary, I spent some time near that edge. I have been worried about Sam for a long time. Concerned that he would get into a dangerous situation and be hurt or even killed. So when Sam told me he had been robbed, I wasn't surprised. The surprise was that it had nothing to do with his reckless lifestyle.

Sam fell asleep while watching TV in his bedroom. He forgot to lock the side door to his house. Around four in the morning, Sam woke up with a gun in his ribs. A young black man, wearing a hoodie and a bandana, asked Sam where the money was. Sam, suddenly awake, told the robber that all the money he had was on the dresser. Sixteen dollars.

The robber didn't believe Sam. He asked again, "Where's the money? Jason told me there was fifteen hundred dollars here." Sam's reply: "I don't know anyone named Jason and I don't have fifteen hundred dollars." The young man looked around Sam's bedroom, and then asked Sam if there was anyone else in the house. Sam told him no. The robber again repeated the information about Jason and the money.

Sam told the gunman he didn't know Jason and that he had no money. Sam told the robber his name and that he didn't know Jason. The young man then said, "I've got the wrong house". He made Sam take the sixteen dollars off the dresser, then get down on the floor and push the money toward him. Next, he told Sam to get undressed, then walked him downstairs and outside onto the deck. That's when he forced Sam to the floor and ran off.

Sam told me it took him quite a while to move back inside. And even longer to get dressed and call the cops. Sam, who has had dozens of wild and crazy people in his house and his life, was frightened by this young black man with a gun. He didn't sleep at home for the next three nights. He tells me he still can't sleep through a whole night.

When Sam told me about the robbery, he finished the story with this comment. "Willy, all I could think about while this was happening was you telling me I was living too dangerously and that you were worried about me getting hurt or killed. Then this happens. I could have been killed because this kid got the wrong house."

Sam wasn't hurt. He's very lucky. So am I. What if Sam had been shot? What if I had been, the two times someone aimed a gun at me. What if the bullet that once narrowly missed me had gotten me instead of the wall of the church I was walking by?

Mary says I worry too much. She's right. All the worry in the world won't change what happens. None of us can control what others do. We can only change our reactions. So, I'm going to try to worry less. And, I'm going to put up bigger house numbers.

Best Remedy for Teething Pain

marybabysteps — Tue, 09 Sep 2008 15:10:59 -0700

Poor Brady is teething. He's got his two bottom teeth in, and they're so cute. But it seems he's got some coming through in the back, and he's just miserable. Miserable, for him, anyway. He's such a good baby - the easiest of my three.

I thought I'd share my favorite teething product with you all because I know this is something so many parents deal with. No one wants to see their little one in pain. I learned about this product through an online message board for stay-at-home-moms nine years ago when my Noah was just a baby. And I passed the recommendation on to a Twitter friend just the other day. So it only seems right to keep spreading the word online with this post.

If your baby is miserable with gum pain from teething, you must try Hyland's Teething Tablets. Hyland's is in no way affiliated with this post; this is not a paid promotion. Just a personal recommendation from me to you. They're made with homeopathic ingredients, and they're easy to give to your baby. I just put the tablets on a baby spoon with a little bit of water to dissolve them. All my babies loved it - no rubbing messy, yucky medicine on the gums. Talk to you pediatrician; mine said the ingredients were safe for babies.

Hope you can find some relief if you've got a teething baby. One more suggestion that's helping us right now is a frozen washcloth. Just wet the corner of a washcloth and pop it in the freezer. Then give it to baby to chew on. This is a tip I just read in American Baby. Wish I had known about it nine years ago!

Weekly Winners August 11 - 16

marybabysteps — Mon, 18 Aug 2008 02:23:05 -0700

This is a meme I've never participated in before. It's hosted by Sarcastic Mom, and I enjoy seeing people's entries each week. It's called "Weekly Winners", and all you do is post your favorite photos from the week with a short caption telling about each one. Sarcastic Mom's got a contest going on for the most entries, but I'll probably just jump in for fun every now and again. Here are my entries for the week. We took Noah's telescope out and spent a nice evening looking at the stars!

[caption id="attachment_303" align="aligncenter" width="300" caption="Noah was so excited to try out his new telescope!"][/caption]

[caption id="attachment_304" align="aligncenter" width="300" caption="Oh, the pain we endure for our kids!"][/caption]

[caption id="attachment_305" align="aligncenter" width="300" caption="I wish I may, I wish I might..."][/caption]

[caption id="attachment_306" align="aligncenter" width="300" caption="Norah stealing the spotlight!"][/caption]

[caption id="attachment_308" align="aligncenter" width="300" caption="Even Brady joined in for a little star gazing!"][/caption]

There you have them, my favorite pictures from the week. To see more great photos, from much better photographers than I, visit Sarcastic Mom!

A Generous Man

marybabysteps — Thu, 07 Aug 2008 15:45:38 -0700

Today I am thankful for my father-in-law, Lew. He's taking us all to dinner this afternoon at Ponderosa. The kids love it. And he loves it, too. Lew will turn 93 next month, and he lost his second wife just a couple years ago. I know get oftens gets lonely.

So he takes his "kids", the youngest of whom is my 54-year old husband, to breakfast every Tuesday morning. Anyone who can come shows up to spend time together and have a meal. It's great fun. And he usually invites someone to go to dinner with him a few times a week. Tonight's our turn. Lew always pays.

I love spending time with Lew. The smile on his face when he watches the kids just melts your heart. He's just fascinated with his newest grandson; he thinks Brady is a very advanced baby. "Look at him smiling. He's really paying attention good. He can sure hold that head up, can't he?" I guess it's been a while since Lew's been around babies. But he's a proud grandpa.

And he's a generous and giving soul. If it weren't for Lew, we wouldn't have our home. He gave us the down payment. I remember the first time he came over. There were tears in his eyes as I gave him the tour. I think he was happy for his son.

So today, and every day, I am thankful for my wonderful father-in-law. I'm looking forward to seeing him today and to hearing one of wonderful stories. He's got a lot of them, you know. I hope I live to be 93.

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Home, Sweet Home

marybabysteps — Thu, 31 Jul 2008 14:27:21 -0700

This Thankful Thursday is dedicated to my home. I must confess I wasn't feeling thankful this morning while reading the blog of a woman who lives in a beautiful, luxurious lakefront house. Her pictures were enviable. I live in a three-bedroom mobile home, and currently there isn't even enough room for a crib. I've realized how ridiculous I was being and decided to change my thinking.

You see, I have always, ALWAYS, wanted to own a home. The idea of home for me is stability. It's comfort, a safe haven. I have that. It's small, but it's new, and it's mine. My husband always says, "It's not where you live; it's who lives there." He's so right.

My family lives here. The ones I love. This is where I make meals for my loved ones, kiss them goodnight, and where we make our memories. I love my home. It's my retreat, my sanctuary. Even though it's small, even though the land it sits on is not my own. It's where I'm meant to be right now, and I truly don't think I'd trade it for a fabulous lakefront house. Not now, anyway. If that's meant to be in my future, I'll take it. But right now I'm content.

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The Generosity of Strangers

marybabysteps — Thu, 24 Jul 2008 16:25:11 -0700

Today's Thankful Thursday is an easy one. I am incredibly thankful for the box of baby stuff that arrived last week. This is the third box we've received - from someone we've never even met! Pam is my brother-in-law's neice who lives in Florida. Her son is a couple months older than mine, and she sends us the clothes her little boy has outgrown.

This is the most amazing thing considering our economic situation right now. The first package arrived on the day I was heading out to look for good deals on pajamas. We didn't have much money, but I knew the baby would at least need some pj's; that afternoon a large box full of newborn onesies, pj's, and outfits arrived. I nearly cried. The next box came again in a timely manner, just as Brady was outgrowing the first clothes.

Now Pam has gone above and beyond. The largest box showed up with not only clothing but toys! Nice, big ones. There were a couple play gyms, a Bumbo to help him learn to sit, and fall clothes. Check out Brady in the Bumbo and playing on his activity gym.

Thank you, Pam, for your wonderful generosity. You have no idea what it means to me and my family!

If you would like to share your Thankful Thursday post, just click the Mister Linky icon or just leave a comment sharing what you're thankful for!

What If. . . I Spend the Day With My Kids?

marybabysteps — Wed, 23 Jul 2008 14:09:17 -0700

We had a pretty eventful night last night; there was a tornado warning very near our house. The sky was dark, and the wind was strong. It had been a long day (kind of like a tornado!), as the baby didn't sleep, the air conditioning was still broken, and the kids were wild. So by evening, I was quite frazzled. The Pittsburgh news channels portrayed the danger as immediate, and we were ready to take the kids for shelter, (we live in a mobile home), but the storm tracker showed that the major gusts were moving away from us by then. So we watched the progression of the storm on tv, calming the kids by explaining that tornadoes can't turn around and come back, and finally tucked everyone into bed.

After all that, I've decided to just take the morning off to relax with them. One day away from research, writing, and querying certainly won't stall my blooming career! So I'll leave you with some pictures from our day out on Monday and catch up with everyone tomorrow. Happy Hump Day!