1m2aSandbox

A few things that are important to
understand about me and the world of infant clothing:


First, I loved baby clothes. Think they’re really cute. And,
compared to adult clothes, really cheap. And, since they outgrow
them so fast, I always have an excuse to go shopping.


Second, I think that clothing giving is a tricky thing. You have to
not only have good taste, but similar taste to the person to whom
you’re giving the gift. And if you’re giving someone
baby clothes, I think the clothing should be not only cute, but
well-made enough to last more than two washings.

Yes, we’re sick. And I’m tired
of it.


A few days ago Maddie and I went to a playdate with several other
kids. Apparently one mother brought her toddler along, even though
he was sick with a cold, because he didn’t want to miss it.
When did I find this out? Was it after he took a drink out of my
daughter’s water and I didn’t wipe it because I
didn’t want to seem petty? Nope.


I received this news from another friend, as I complained about
Maddie and I having a cold and not being able to figure out where
we’d picked it up.

Proving once more that she’s
definitely my daughter (as if the c-section scar isn’t proof
enough), Maddie has reached new heights with her lack of tact
concerning her opinions.


As I’ve mentioned before, Madeleine is quick to speak up if
someone’s talents are not up to standard. And by
“someone”, I usually mean me. Many times in the past
we’ve put on music for some Song and Dance time (listen, you
gotta make your own fun), and I’d start dancing around the
room. After a few moments of watching me, Maddie would speak up and
say, “Mama no dance.” It took all my control to not
point out to my then-1-year-old that lots of people used to pay 100
bucks a ticket to see mommy dance, but I tried not to take it
personally. Likewise, we’d start singing songs, and
she’d simply shake her head and say, “Mama, no.”
I’d run through my whole repertoire and nothing was good
enough for this critic.

Just in case you hadn’t heard,
Fisher-Price is recalling over a million toys for containing
lead-laced paint. The toys, all made in China, were made between
April and August of 2007, and include characters from Sesame
Street, Dora, Diego, and more. This is considered serious, and you
are urged to take any toys on the list away from your child
immediately.


The recall has been issued in conjunction with the CPSC. Click
href="http://www.cpsc.gov/cpscpub/prerel/prhtml07/07257.html">here
to read the official CPSC recall, including a list of all recalled
toys, and get more information. You can also call
Fisher-Price’s hotline (800-916-4498) or visit their target="_blank"
href="http://service.mattel.com/us/recall/default.asp?recall_id=52430">
website. And just as a reminder, you can sign up for
automatic notification of any child-related recalls via email
– simply click href="http://www.cpsc.gov/cpsclist.asp">here to find out
more.

Yes, Brian’s home and the house is
still standing. More important, everyone’s still alive and I
haven’t run screaming. How did we fare? You be the judge:

So Brian’s heading off for a long
weekend and I’ve been freaking out for, oh, a few months now.
He’s best man for a wedding and with us moving into month 5
of unemployment, tickets for everyone just wasn’t in the
cards.


Which means Mommy’s home alone.

Ladies and Gentlemen, not all sunscreens
are created equal.


The Environmental Working Group recently release a comprehensive
study of hundreds of brands of sunscreen, testing for
effectiveness, how well they live up to claims, how safe they are
for children, and more.