Look. I grew up with cabbage patch dolls. I ADORE cabbage patch dolls. But wtf is up with their business lately?? Raise your hand if you’ve purchased a doll lately. Chances are the room is not full of raised hands. They are VERY hard to find in stores, and when you do see them, they are very specific looks and styles, that are hard to customize or change. If you want a 17-20” doll (like my childhood) you can order online. Those beauties are $69.99 flipping dollars. The ones in store (like Walmart or target) are 14” and range between $22.99-$45.99 depending on where you shop. They are limited release and if you miss out on one, people are selling them online for hundreds of dollars. I DO NOT UNDERSTAND why the cabbage patch people are focusing on adoptimals. No one has a flipping key from their doll, so that’s not a selling point. The little cutie mini plastic toys are cute, but I mainly think so due to my love of my baby doll that I used to feed are dress like she were real. I spend 6 hours today trying to find a 14” doll thatbhad medium blonde/ light brown hair and brown eyes to match my youngest child. I might have chipped in for the 20” doll, but I had already purchased one for my older two children and didn’t want a size discrepancy. (Jealously, you know). I could rant more about how they’re not being the best doll company they could be (they could rival American girl if they quit doing these bullshirt side projects) but I will bite my youngest for now. But the BEST part of dollies in general is dressing them up!! If anyone has any good 14” cabbage patch doll patterns, let me know, but in the mean time, here is what I have mocked up, as I was unable to search a good pattern out on Pinterest. My goal is to make these into pdf’s eventually, but as of now, they are jpeg photos of printer paper. If you can print this with no margins, it should be good. GOOD LUCK! 👍🍀
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6/20/2015 0 Comments Toddler cageMy son is a runner. He loves to follow paths and see where they lead. He loves cars and isn't afraid of parking lots. I can't take him to a playground without stress because he just bolts. It's frustrating. He needs his exercise. Well, this tennis court is fully caged. It's like a dog run without the poop. I am not ashamed to say I've just HunG out there at least twice. It's against the rules, but rules be damned. 6/20/2015 0 Comments Double stroller canopy trimI made this cool canopy cover for my double stroller. I've felt frustrated with the sun coverage for a while and now that it's summer i thought I'd do my kids a favor and provide an option for more shade. I've always felt that most strollers don't have a good system for blocking sun. These Rinky-dink, stumpy canopies that don't stretch out hardly at all seem like a waste of space. 6/7/2015 0 Comments Hedgehog nurseryI started my sons nursery decorations when I was pregnant with him, and begged my mom to buy this set from ikea. Vandring Igelkott. It was before I knew if I was having a boy or a girl, and I fell in love. But it was missing a mobile to match, and after all my searching, the closest i could find was owls. I had always thought it would be fun to make my own, but never got around to it. I've had another baby since, and she's already 10 months, so idk what lit a fire now. So I need to attach cord, make sure they're weighted evenly, and I'll be done. Here's how my sons room looks now. Wall quilt is from ikea Foot duvet is from ikea Green comforter is from target Plaid sheets on clearance at target Owl mobile from Walmart Sea horse soothe and glow from target Pillowcase is a remnant from a project, but it's a crate and barell sheet set. The wooden bed is ikea The clip lamp is 7+ yrs old and idk where it's from. 5/28/2015 0 Comments Baby clothes from free patternshttp://www.purlbee.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/04/Baby_Sun_Bonnet_Template_V2.pdf http://toddah.net/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/ToddAh_LilLeggingsPatterns.pdf I made one thing, but was skeptical and didn't take pics. But it turned out nicely and now I don't have pictures to show the process. I'll work on it for the next item. This is very much still "in progress" but got stuck in the closet for the time being. 3/10/2015 0 Comments Baby advice I agree with!This bitch has got it going on! LOVE this post! I agree with it all!!!!! http://modgblog.com/2011/08/23/5-steps-to-get-your-baby-to-nap-for-a-long-freaking-time-every-day-of-your-life/ I also liked this one: http://alphamom.com/parenting/baby/toddler-napping-problems/ If you can't tell, I'm working on improving nap times. I have taken on a boarder during the day. A precious little 14 month old who wants to be rocked to sleep while eating a bottle. And when I do get her in the crib, she sleeps 45-69 min. I then have the option of letting her sleep up to another hour in my arms. Where as this may work for this only-child at home, when she's at my place she's just one of three. And not even the cutest one (but a mother should be biased for her own children). I feel like I'm being held hostage, between being utilized as her personal portable arm hammock, or suffer the wrath of 60 minutes of shrieking followed by horrible behavior the rest of the day. I know what has to happen. I have to pick a routine and stick with it. But I have to narrow down what exactly will work best, then be strong enough to replicate the pattern daily. One downside is her parents are very tuned in to her cry and don't want her to fuss, ever. I don't think they're sticking with a schedule at bedtime it on the weekends. I LOVE SCHEDULES FOR LITTLE ONES (1 and up). I think it makes them confident and secure. Whenever I'm having an issue with my children, I search around to get ideas or advice. I think turning to those more knowledgable than yourself is something worth doing. Medical professionals are my first source, school teachers second, family and friends next, and as a last resort random Google rearch. The more children a person has, or the more children they've experienced, the more likely I am to buy what they're selling. What really gets my goat is how frequently people (mostly random internet people or parents of only children) turn to "just cuddle them. They must not be ready yet. They need more comforting." This could be true. I think cuddling your child is a great thing. A child that feels loved is a child that is going to be secure and confident, and transition more easliy on their own. That sliver of time, in which a rolling blob of drool and chub transforms into a creature that can answer questions and run to the door at the recognition of a word. Its glides smoothly into the phase in which defiance and testing limits are a common discussion, aka "terrible twos." But i would argue this phase begins well before two. As soon as a child is able to recognize cause and effect, a child is able to test boundaries. Baby question: "I want my milk" Baby test 1: *cry* Toddler question: "I want my milk" Toddler test 1: *cry* Toddler test 2: point Toddler test 3: stands up and gets milk The main issue is parents who react to crying EVERY TIME. Crying is an infants only form of communication. But as they phase into a 1 yr old, which phases into an 18 month old, to two and so on, they gain more skills and abilities. This never allows the 13 month old to realize there are other solutions. It robs them of utilizing their problem solving skills. I'm not suggesting parents should ignore their children and let them scream. I'm suggesting that you, to the best of your ability, help TEACH them there are other methods to getting what they need. I say need, because it's also important to teach small children that every time they want something, doesn't mean it has to happen (Need vs want). Toddler: "I want my milk" Parent help 1: say "here's your milk" and show them the cup Parent help 2: move the cup half way toward the child, say "come get your milk. You can do it" Parent help 3: gently take the child's hand and move it toward the cup, saying "here's your milk. You can get it. Good job, you can get your milk" Parent help 4: put the child's hands on the cup, and move their elbows up to help them tilt the cup. Try to move your hands away until they're holding the cup in their own. None of this is ignoring a child. It's providing support to allow a child to learn new skills and gain independence. You're providing a scaffolding to the new learning structure they're building. INDEPENDENCE IS A LEARNED SKILL Even as an adult, if I had the option to be waited on at the ring of a bell, I would take it. Little ones start to use crying in this way as they gain the skills but don't practuce them. As your child becomes their own person, they need to see their parents as Caregivers, a loving support system, NOT as minions. The other side of this coin is the pushy parent. The one who says things like "MY child was drinking from a sippy cup at 5 months, on their own" or "my child was potty trained at 1." I'm not recommending this either. All children progress differently. And it's not a pissing contest either. It's not about reaching milestones early, or accomplishing tasks like a trained dog. It's about you and your child developing a way of communicating with eachother so that they feel secure to try things, and you can begin to tell the difference between a "need" cry and a "fuck this, do it for me slave" cry. (I swear to you, the second type exists). No matter what you do, they'll all be fine by the time theyre adults (hopefully). It's just a matter of establishing boundaries and making the full transition into toddlerhood as smooth as possible, for both child and parent. No matter what road we take, it's the same goal in mind. But ffs, don't underestimate that child's intelligence. They're pretty damned smart. 2/13/2015 0 Comments Jake and the Neverland PiratesWatching this Disney channel favorite and am left with a few questions:
P.s. Jake and his crew usually model good behavior. I appreciate this. Sometimes in shows, the main character makes bad choices or acts rude in order to "learn a lesson" in the events that follow. I don't think little ones always pick up on this, then just model what's funny. So in always making good choices from the start, it's less likely a child will pick and choose what suits them to model. 2/13/2015 0 Comments Consumer review: Baby GeniusAvailable on Netflix are a wide selection of short movies under the title "baby genius" accompanied by a title that summarizes the type of music (favorite nursery rhymes, favorite sing-a-longs, etc). What you'll find is a series of the worst music videos, paired with mediocre versions of children's songs. The animation is clunky and harsh looking. The videos of children look awkward and dated. The life sized fur suit mascot animals don't look any better than their animated versions. But despite all that, my children still sit mesmerized when it's on. They love music, and the imagery is just flashy enough. What I can't forgive, is a seeming attempt at popularizing the shows own cartoon characters. I don't care how many views they've had, how much they've sold, these aren't the lovable household icons I can get behind. It's not Mickey Mouse. It's not Clifford or Big Bird. So I absolutely don't want a song that wastes my time learning the names of these animals. It's garbage music and a copout. It's not a nursery rhyme or a sing-a-long favorite if it's a new made up song based solely on this "Baby Genius" franchise. "It's Vinko, the dancing bear, the dancing hear is here. That's V. I. N-K-O." Nope. Just don't. 12/25/2014 0 Comments Star Trek Quiet Book. Complete!!I got this idea from another blog. I personalized it, and finally got it finished. I learned a few things 1) I hate hand stitching 2) hot glue is awesome 3) permanent marker isn't good for writing on felt 4) quiet books shouldn't be double sided |
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