Monday, August 30, 2010

Always fear the noises you hear...coming from a 4yr old...

((Warning pictures at end of post, not all will want to see))

Mr. Seamus is hyper, hardly ever stopping and non listening(teenager already?!). Tonight was full of telling him to stop running in our small living room (apx. 12'x12'). I went to the kitchen to do some dishes and get dinner made and the hubby was on his computer(which is in the kitchen looking into the living room. The kids were playing in the living room, running even after being told to stop. Next thing I know we hear a super thud, then the, "Owie, Owie, OWIE!!" screams. Hubby gets to Seamus first since he was less then 3ft away. As hubby went to give Seamus a hug, thinking it was just another bonk on the head, I notice the blood pouring down the side of his face. I know head injury's bleed a lot, but holy cow I didn't expect that much. I figured with how much blood and we needed to take him to the doctor. Our pediatrician's have 3 offices in 3 towns in our county, and I called to tell them we were coming into the one in our town...but they had just closed an hour before. Our only option was the main office in the big town in our county which was 15minutes away taking the interstate. The whole drive Seamus was fine, quiet for him, but fine. The bleeding had stopped on the way too. We had a 15minute wait after we got to the office, but Seamus did well sitting there and wanted to play (covered in caked on blood >.<).
When we get called back, the nurse wants to clean it up so the NP could get a better look at it. Just the sight of the water bottles set Seamus off and the blood started coming again. After the nurse got it all cleaned she said the NP would be in to see if she would close it with the glue or stitches. When the NP came in we were expecting her to say that she would glue it and we'd be on our way...not how it happened. The gash was too wide to use glue(its a little over an inch long and around 1/4-1/2" wide), and she said he needed 6-8 stitches. Poor Seamus, it was horrible holding him down while she trimmed his hair, he was screaming(they herd him out front in the lobby too) which was making him bleed worse. She couldn't do the 6-8 stitches because of how he was being so instead she did 3 or 4 and then a mattress stitch (which she said was a larger one to make up for the ones she couldn't do). He has to keep them in for 7 days then get removed. Hope the next 7 days go smoothly and he doesn't mess with them.

Warning Pictures are a little gory.




This was from hubby's cell phone at the doc's before the nurse cleaned him(after we'd wiped him down and held pressure on it before we got to the doc) so the picture quality isn't very good.




And after once we got home



Wednesday, August 25, 2010

Top to Bottom Baby Boutique Review and Giveaway ~*~*CLOSED~*~*~

I found Top to Bottom Baby Boutique on twitter one day and contacted them about doing a review and giveaway. I was super excited when they agreed!



Top to Bottom Baby Boutique is located in Nebraska (where my dad and step-mom live, though different area!). They offer a wide range of cloth diapers and accessories; from prefolds to AIOS, to wool, swim diapers and wet bags. TTBBB also carries baby carriers and cloth diaper soaps. Top to Bottom Baby Boutique also has a blog where they feature an item of the week.

I was very lucky to work with TTBBB, very friendly staff, fast shipping, and helpful if you have any questions.



I was sent a Monkey Snuggles fitted diaper in a pink Zebra print to try on Miss Kieran. My first thoughts on getting this diaper, "OMG it's so soft!" I wanted to rub my face all over the diaper. The Monkey Snuggles fitted is an OS diaper, with a fold down rise, and 2 snap in soakers. The diaper is made of organic bamboo fleece, between a layer of organic bamboo velour with an adorable cotton print outer, the soakers are made of 4-layers velour. It is an OS diaper made to fit baby's appx. 10-35lbs.





My take on the diaper:

This was an awesome diaper. I've been on a fitted kick lately and was super excited to try another one. Right now this is my favorite fitted diaper we have. The first day I tried it on Kieran I did so at nap time, since I don't cover her at naps. When she woke from her nap I could barley tell she was wet, which was awesome! I did have a little issue figuring out how to make the diaper OS but a quick email to TTBBB helped me out with that. Kieran is 19½ pounds and I have the rise folded down on her for a beautiful fit. We used the diaper again for a normal play time and she had it on for 3hrs before I started to notice she was wet, and it was just barley noticeable. I love how absorbent this diaper is, as well as how soft against her skin it is.

I made my first ever video of a diaper, its a little shaky cause I was trying to balance it on my tummy. Next time I'll ask the hubby to help out (lol)

I will have a video added soon, just taking a while to upload


If you love fitteds, WAHM's or just want to try a new diaper check out Top to Bottom Baby Boutique and look at the Monkey Snuggles OS fitted diaper for $21.00.


Top to Bottom Baby Boutique have been super awesome to work with and as an added bonus they've offered to do a giveaway!

Win it: Win a $20 gift card to TTBBB!

Mandatory entry: Take a look at Top to Bottom Baby Boutique's site and tell me what you'd get if you won the GC.
(Mandatory entry must be completed before any extra entries. Make sure to leave an email address in the form of johndoe at gmail dot com so you can be contacted if you are the winner)

Extra Entries:
(Post a new comment for each entry to count)

-Become a fan on Top to Bottom Baby Boutique's facebook, and let them know I sent you, then post here in the comments (just post your first name and last initial so I can check)
-Join TTBBB's newsletter
-Follow me on Twitter @SliverStorm (make sure to leave me your twitter name so I can follow back)
-Follow @toptobottombaby on Twitter
-Follow @monkeysnuggles on Twitter

-Tweet anything with @SliverStorm AND @toptobottombaby AND #clothdiapers along with a link to the giveaway, or you can use this(can be done twice a day at least 4hrs apart, please post link to tweet);
"I want to win a $20 GC to @toptobottombaby from @SliverStorm #clothdiapers http://tinyurl.com/TTBBBgiveaway"

-Follow my Facebook
-Follow TTBBB's Blog
-Become a blog follower of mine on Google Friend Connect
-Add my button to your blog and let me know where to find it
-Add TTBBB's Button to your blog and let me know where to find it (found on their blog)
-Blog about this Review and Giveaway and include links to TTBBB and to this giveaway


This will end on Wedensday September 8th 11:59pm PST. At the close of this I will use Random.org to draw the winner and post on the blog. The winner has 48hrs to respond to my email before a new one will be drawn. US only.


**Disclosure**
I was sent this product review, I did not receive any other compensation. The review is my own and my honest opinion of the product.

Monday, August 16, 2010

The Heart Mender ~WINNER~

Sorry it's taken me a few days to get this posted, but without fail, here is the winner of The Heart Mender giveaway.....
#5 - Kowanda who said:
My favorite book is Mere Christianity by C.S. Lewis. Christianity is so simple but we make is so hard.




I will be emailing you shortly. Please respond within 48hrs to the email or a new winner will be drawn :)

Monday, August 9, 2010

150 Fan Giveaway

I decided to have a little giveaway when I reach 150 Google Friend Connect fans! The giveaway will be for a $10(maybe $15, gotta check with the hubby) to Mom's Milk Boutique! (click to check out my affiliate link). Once I get 150 GFC followers I will have the drawing, using random.org, but for now I'm offering a chance to get extra entries :) (I will add the 150 followers and these entries for the total to plug into random.org)

Mandatory Entry:
(don't post in a comment but in order to leave "extra" entry comments this must be done first)
Be a follower on Google Friend Connect

Extra Entries:
-Become a fan on Facebook, leave a comment on this post with your first name and last inital
-follow on twitter , leave a comment with your Twitter name
-Tweet about this giveaway with the #clothdiapers and @SliverStorm in your tweet, spread the love :)
-put my blog button on your blog and let me know where to find it
-tell me what you'd use the GC to get from MMB


Giveaway will end when I reach 150 followers

Saturday, August 7, 2010

Well Child visits

I forgot to update after the kids had their Well Child checks. We took them to a combined appointment, Seamus' 4yr and Kieran's 15mo on July 19th. Kieran is doing great developmentally and is where she should be for her age. She is still really small and dropped percentiles again, which the doctor wasn't too happy about. Kieran is now 19lbs 8oz which is the 7%(according to the nurse, the doc said 5%. She was the 10% at her 12mo appt), and is 30" tall which is the 25%(or 20% according to the doc. We still aren't sure why she doesn't gain weight well cause she eats like a horse, more then Seamus at most meals. She did stay on her growth curve for her height though so the doc said she was at least growing well in one aspect.

Seamus is still my big solid boy. He is 47lbs (95%) and 42" (85%), so his height to weight ratio is pretty even, so the doctor isn't too worried about that, which is a relief to me since WIC likes to mention how he's over weight (doc said no, not with how tall he is). Seamus of course is still having development issues, and behavior issues. We got the referral that his Speech Therapist asked us to get to go see an Occupational Therapist for Sensory issues. I of course was naughty and did some googling(is that a word? lol), and I found something very interesting, Sensory Processing Disorder(SPD). While reading I noticed that SPD had some similarities to Autism, and a light bulb went off in my head...if the Speech Therapist(and OT who watched him one day on a "non" official screening) noticed how he was right off the bat with nothing from me, then something is going on and its not in my head. SPD is similar to Autism where it has different "categories" if you will.
The Hyposensitivity to movement sounds alot like Seamus(* next to each like him):

2. Hyposensitivity To Movement (Under-Responsive):

* in constant motion, can't seem to sit still

* craves fast, spinning, and/or intense movement experiences

__ loves being tossed in the air

* could spin for hours and never appear to be dizzy

* loves the fast, intense, and/or scary rides at amusement parks

* always jumping on furniture, trampolines, spinning in a swivel chair, or getting into upside down positions

* loves to swing as high as possible and for long periods of time

* is a "thrill-seeker"; dangerous at times

* always running, jumping, hopping etc. instead of walking

__ rocks body, shakes leg, or head while sitting

* likes sudden or quick movements, such as, going over a big bump in the car or on a bike


Some other parts of SPD that are Seamus through and through, or how he was as a baby/toddler:

-distressed about having hair, toenails, or fingernails cut
-as an infant, did/does not like to be held or cuddled; may arch back, cry, and pull away
-prefers hugs
-may overreact to minor cuts, scrapes, and or bug bites
-is a picky eater, only eating certain tastes and textures; mixed textures tend to be avoided as well as hot or cold foods; resists trying new foods
-may not be aware that hands or face are dirty or feel his/her nose running
-may be self-abusive; pinching, biting, or banging his own head (this was a baby/toddler thing, the last year or so he doesn't do it as much)
-thoroughly enjoys and seeks out messy play
-may be afraid of the dark (extremely, he has to sleep with a night light and the regular light on)
-may be a messy dresser; looks disheveled, does not notice pants are twisted, shirt is half un tucked, shoes are untied, one pant leg is up and one is down, etc.(so much that I don't know how its comfy, and he doesn't seem to notice)
-has a limp, "floppy" body (as a baby/toddler, had very week muscle tone, always noted by his OT, PT and Pedi)
-frequently slumps, lies down, and/or leans head on hand or arm while working at his/her desk
-difficulty simultaneously lifting head, arms, and legs off the floor while lying on stomach ("superman" position) (again bay/toddle thing)
-has poor body awareness; bumps into things, knocks things over, trips, and/or appears clumsy
-poor gross motor skills; jumping, catching a ball, jumping jacks, climbing a ladder etc. (had issues with all of these, still has issues with jumping jacks and catching balls)

Sensory Seeking Behaviors(these are what Seamus does):
-seeks out jumping, bumping, and crashing activities
-stomps feet when walking
-kicks his/her feet on floor or chair while sitting at desk/table
-loves to be tightly wrapped in many or weighted blankets, especially at bedtime(he was swaddled nightly till 10mo or he wouldn't sleep at all, and off and on till 1, and even now likes to be in his blankets tight)
-loves/seeks out "squishing" activities
-enjoys bear hugs
-excessive banging on/with toys and objects
-loves "roughhousing" and tackling/wrestling games
-would jump on a trampoline for hours on end
-grinds his/her teeth throughout the day
-loves jumping off furniture or from high places

Signs Of Auditory Dysfunction: (no diagnosed hearing problem) His seems have a lot of Hypersensitivity and 2 hyposensitivites.
-distracted by sounds not normally noticed by others; i.e., humming of lights or refrigerators, fans, heaters, or clocks ticking
-fearful of the sound of a flushing toilet (especially in public bathrooms), vacuum, hairdryer, squeaky shoes, or a dog barking
-started with or distracted by loud or unexpected sounds
-bothered/distracted by background environmental sounds; i.e., lawn mowing or outside construction
-frequently asks people to be quiet; i.e., stop making noise, talking, or singing
-runs away, cries, and/or covers ears with loud or unexpected sounds
-often does not respond to verbal cues or to name being called
-appears to "make noise for noise's sake"


Those are just some of what fit well for Seamus, the list and categories are long. We were bumped to the top of the list for the OT since Seamus is already receiving Speech through the same place. The OT is on vacation till the middle of the month but hopefully we will be seeing her at the end of the month, especially since she already watched him one day and said that something was going on and he really needed an eval done.

Thursday, August 5, 2010

The Heart Mender by Andy Andrews ~Review & Giveaway~ ***CLOSED***

Photobucket



This is a wonderful book, I fell in love with it after the first few pages and it was hard to put down! A historical book that will grab the attention of history buffs like me and the average non-fiction reader alike. I loved how the flow of the book went, taking you from present day when the author was digging in his backyard, back to World War II and back to present day. For me this was a story of love first and foremost, and forgiveness.

The book starts out with the author digging in his yard where he finds some old artifacts, he then proceeds to ask around to figure out what they are. Soon the author figures some of it out and we find out about Helen Mason a war widow who finds an injured solider on the beach, nursing him back to health, even after finding out he was a Nazi. You follow Helen in her world where she worked as a waitress, and how her and Josef's relationship bloomed.

This was a wonderful book, always keeping you on your toes and trying to guess what would happen next. The historical data in it was wonderful, and knowledgeable, and down right interesting. The story of forgiveness and love throughout the book was wonderful and got me thinking about my own life as well as Helen's. I would definitely recommend this book to everyone, I believe this book has something in it for everyone to learn from.

As a added bonus the wonderful people at BookSneeze.com have given me a copy to giveaway on my blog!

Mandatory entry (to be completed before any others, also please leave your email in this entry)
What is your favorite book and what lessons has it taught you?


Extra Entries
(make sure to leave 1 comment for each entry, if it says 2 then leave 2 comments)
~Subscribe to my blog via RSS reader and/or E-mail (1 entry for each)
~Follow my blog via Google Friend (2 entries)
~Follow me on Twitter
~Follow me on Facebook, link on the heart upper right side of my blog
~Tweet this giveaway making sure to use @SliverStorm in your tweet. You can tweet 2x's a day with at least 4hours between tweets
~Tell me how you found my blog
~Random question: Do you like historical books?

Giveaway will end on Friday August 13th, 2010 @ 11:59pm PST. I will use random.org to pick the winner.


**Disclosure**
I was sent this book review, I did not receive any other compensation. The review is my own and my honest opinion of the said book.

Monday, August 2, 2010

Such a tiny girl!

I was taking pictures for a Fluffy Fashion show on JustMommies, and I put our favorite wool pants on Kieran, and found a matching shirt. When I was taking the pictures I realized...she wore this outfit last year, almost a year ago...and it still fits her! The top is actually a dress though, its 3-6months but it still fits her just fine as a top, and the longies still fit, starting to get too short but the waist is still really large on her. Kind of nice to be able to use cloths for more then just a month or so but really a year lol. So odd having such a tiny baby after my monster of a boy Seamus.


Picture from last year (I'd say Septemberish 2009, 5 or so months old)



Picture this year (July 30th, 2010, almost 16mo old)