Pillow Talk

Oh come on, people. This is a family friendly blog. But it sure got your attention, didn't it?

Josh loves his pillow. Ever since we had to prop him up on multiple pillows when he was in his cast, he has insisted on using it. Towards the end, he would drag his pillow down the hall with his teeth while scooting along in his cast. It was quite the sight, and I'm bummed I never got any pictures of that. But here is one of him post-dragging:

Now he just drags it down the hall like this:

And once he gets it where he wants it to be, he usually ends up like this:

Of course all we have now are regular, adult-sized pillows, but I would like for him to have a kid-sized pillow (I have read that having your head too high can hurt your neck/alignment). A friend and fellow mom of twins recommended these - she uses them with her boys and loves them. I was on the verge of ordering them, when I had a brilliant (or possibly delusional) idea. I'm going to make them! I thought it would be a good way for me to brush up on my sewing skills while also exercising my desire to be frugal. We bought a couple of extra pillows during the cast phase, so my idea is to cut one in half, take out some of the stuffing to make them flatter, then sew them back up. Voila! Two pillows! And my mom and I are going to find some cute (inexpensive) fabric to make pillow cases (should be simple). I'm excited for all the things I'll be able to do once I'm back into the swing of sewing! Oh, the projects (drool). And moving to a new house, I'm sure I'll have lots of opportunities to use my sewing machine (curtains, anyone?). I will be sure to document/blog the pillow-making process.

*Updated* Use What You Have - Pink Eye Solution

We've just gone through pink eye, as I recently mentioned on here, and I thought I would post a couple of suggestions that I received as alternatives to using the regular pink eye drops.

1. Breastmilk - Obviously this option would only work for those of us who have immediate access to this particular liquid. But this idea came to me from an online friend (who also happens to be a La Leche League leader, and knows all kinds of interesting uses for breastmilk!). I tried it in the boys' eyes, and it seemed to do just as well as the store-bought drops.

2. Tea - I was talking to my friend Lisa today, and she shared this idea. Someone she knows said to make some strong hot tea (my assumption is that you would of course let it cool off first, and I'm not sure if it matters what kind - I'll have to update that information if I find out), dip a cotton swab in it and dab it on the eye. The tea is supposed to have soothing and antibacterial properties that clear it up fast! She said she tried it with her girls and it worked in like 2 days.

I'm always interested in frugal/natural/homemade recipes and alternatives, so if you have anything to share, please let me know!

*Update* So just regular black tea (like Lipton's) should do the trick.

Nancy's Product Reviews (NPR) - Tom's of Maine Deodorant

NPR - Doesn't that have a nice ring to it? Not to be confused with National Public Radio, of course.

I thought I would start a series of posts where I review new products that I am trying out (and possibly products that I can't live without). No, I am not getting paid for this (but I should be!). Nobody asked me to do this. But I appreciate people's opinions on stuff, and when someone actually takes the time to write a review, then that helps me make my consumer decisions. So I figure if it helps me to know why someone likes or dislikes something, then perhaps other people will find my reviews helpful.

I am currently in the process of putting together a more natural living plan. I've been doing some research, and many of the products I currently use I am hoping to start making myself. Deodorant is one such product. However, I have tried some Tom's of Maine products, and thought I'd give their deodorant a try as well, since it is a non-aluminum containing product.
Here's a little info about the product:

Natural Long-Lasting Care Deodorant Stick
Size: 2.25 oz
Fragrance: Apricot, Lavender, Lemongrass, Unscented

Our Long-Lasting Care Deodorant Stick fights odor three ways to keep you feeling fresh, naturally, all day:

• Hops inhibit the growth of odor-causing bacteria. The antimicrobial action of hops inhibits the growth of odor-causing bacteria while reducing the possibility of skin irritation.
• Zinc ricinoleate binds up odor molecules. Sourced from castor beans, zinc ricinoleate traps and absorbs bad smells
• Natural fragrance blocks odor. Encapsulating natural fragrance oils with silica shells makes them last longer.

Sounds good, right?

I took one whiff of the apricot and knew that was the one for me. I have a sensitive nose, so I have to be careful about the products I buy. But this smells wonderful. And since it touts the ability to last 12 hours, I was pretty excited about smelling fantastically fruity for that long. Now, as it happens, I am someone who does not perspire much unless I am exercising vigorously or in a very hot and humid environment. So the need for deodorant, for me, is not as much to keep me from stinking or sweating as it is to make me feel smooth and fresh. I like to use deodorant. It is part of my daily routine. But I don't really notice its absence unless I start to feel sticky under the arms.

With Tom's of Maine, I could tell after the very first application that this is probably not the deodorant for me. Though the scent is delightful and not overpowering at all, I think this deodorant actually made me feel stickier than not having any on at all. As for lasting 12 hours, I couldn't really say. I just know that I can only go for maybe 3-4 hours wearing Tom's of Maine before I feel like I need to put a different deodorant on to feel fresh. So there you have it. For me, it is not worth the extra money or the "natural" ingredients to buy Tom's of Maine. My overall plan is to go more frugal, anyway. I just wanted to try it once and see what I thought. I will be using it (don't want to be wasteful!), but I will not be buying it again.

Anyone else tried Tom's of Maine Deodorant and like it? I'd love to hear other people's reviews. Let's make this more of an interactive blog!

Sign of the Times

Blake has started signing! I can't believe my baby has begun to really communicate. But the gears are clicking and the wheels are turning and you can just see it happening - it is amazing! When the big boys were about 10 months we started signing with them too, and it was a wonderful experience. They were able to communicate their needs without frustration and we had a lot of fun with it too. We use Signing Smart, and I highly recommend it. The big boys still remember some of their signs, and still love to watch their signing DVD. I think they will have a lot of fun helping us to teach Blake how to sign.

So he can use two signs so far: "light" and "more." He knows "milk" too, but hasn't actually used the sign yet. He definitely recognizes it, though. He's so smart! Don't believe me? Here he is signing light:

It's not perfect, but it's his way of doing it. And I love it.