WTF Wednesday: The Diaper Bandit

WTF Wednesdays are when we get real, and by real I mean TRUTH.  Every week I will post a parent fail, rant, complaint, or questions about parenting as an opportunity for some full disclosure venting.  This thing we are doing, raising children, is hard. And for some reason we all want to pretend like its easy.  It's not easy, nor is it always a clean, organized execution like we would lead others to believe.  If you're about this life of child rearing you are well versed in how easily things can go wrong.  Not terribly wrong, but like "crayon in the laundry" wrong.  I want all of you to know from the start that I do not profess to be the most perfect single parent on the planet.  We're alive, we're happy, we're healthy…but there isn't a day that goes by that i don't think to myself "seriously, what the f%#?!?!?!?!" WARNING: This post involves talk of poop.  If you have children you already know this basically makes up about 75% of what we talk about with other parents anyways. Especially if you're child is preschool age.  I just wanted to warn you that if you have a weak stomach, don't read on.  But seriously, I am sure worse has happened to you….this is just my WTF moment for the week! 

Yes, that is our dog Spirit.  And yes, she's in the shower. And yes, there is  a very traumatizing story behind this picture.  So, here we go...

Boo is potty training.  He's got the whole peeing in the potty thing down like a pro, but pooping in the potty…well, not so much.  For some reason he's afraid to poop in the potty.  I resist putting Pull Ups on him and keep encouraging him to try to poop in the potty.  We've tried stickers, M&Ms, bribery with toys, trips to Disney, ice cream, EVERYTHING! Nope. He's just not into it.  And I can't force him.  He's 2 years and 10 months old and i keep telling myself by 3 he will be pooping in the potty, so just chill out and don't give the kid some sort of complex that has to be fixed by many years of intensive therapy.  On this special day Beckett wore underwear to preschool for the first time and made it all morning with no accident.  When he came home he asked for a Pull Up, but because I didn't put it on him he decided to put it on all by himself.  So he did.  And he pooped in it. Next, he decided that he could take off all by himself as well.  I let him.  Boom! Parent fail #1.  He smeared that mess all over himself and the rest of whatever was anywhere near him.  I threw the dirty diaper in our Ubi (parent fail #2 and didn't even realize it) and escorted little man into the shower to rinse off.  We had a nice long conversation about how much easier and less messy it would be to just use the toilet.  Get kiddo out of the shower and all dried off, dressed, smiling, cleaned up bathroom.  Ok, cool.  Time to relax and play some lego duplos.

Nope.  Not at all.  Not when I noticed that our loving, affectionate, curious and slighty mischievous little terrier rescue is carrying the dirty diaper down the hallway and showing you how she has rolled herself in it. This wasn't some random weird thing dogs usually roll in out in the backyard that would warrant a hosing off.  This was shit.  Human shit  and it was all over her.  And then it was all over me as I grabbed her to get said shit off of her.   Apparently I didn't close the diaper pail and while we were in the shower she decided to steel the diaper and violate whatever was left of my last nerve that day.

Heres what was going on in my brain at the time:

"Umm, what does the dog have? Oh my god, thats a diaper.  Holy crap! AHHH!!! Ok, clam down.  Just breathe.  Gross. Grab the diaper and throw it away.  Close the damn diaper pail, idiot.  Grab the dog.  Get her in the shower.  Oh, this is so disgusting.  Why?!?! No, seriously…What in the actual f*%#?!!!"

So there you have it.  A real parenting story.  A parent fail of epic proportions.  Some days we feel like we're up to our necks in it, and here's proof that somedays that is literal. At the end of the day, we love our dog.  I love her like she's my other baby, so cleaning her up after something like this is not that big of a deal.  I do it for Boo, why not her too.  Bright side to all of this: both babies bathed by sunset.

Please feel free to share a parent fail, frustrations, or questions with us by commenting below.

For information about where we got Spirit please check out Poodle and Pooch Rescue.

Persnickety Palate: The Smoothie Addition

Every Tuesday I will post a recipe, snack and meal ideas, or restaurant reviews all relating to my picky little eater.  When I hear other moms say, "oh my precious little so-and-so will eat anything I put on his/her plate" I want to scream and pull my damn hair out.  HOW?? How the heck do you do this? Boo can be particular, to say the least. And it sucks!  When the Boo was a baby I made homemade organic baby food.  I bought the most expensive and healthiest brands on the market.  He really ate anything.  Right around the time that I could foolishly join ranks of moms who can brag "oh my precious Boo, he will eat anything" he started eating...NOTHING! It didn't matter if it was his favorite food or something new, he threw it down or refused to eat it. Not for lack of trying on my part either.  I cooked and created and cried until I found a meal he would eat.  It felt like I was doing that all day, everyday (somedays I still do!) Thankfully, we have smoothies.

I started making smoothies for Boo around the same time that I introduced solids (cleared this with his doc and got the OK as long was we stuck to foods that didn't include nuts, honey and other allergens advised against in the first 12 months.)  He instantly loved them and the liquid meals kept him full and happy. We made this part of his daily routine and now when he wakes up a smoothie the first thing he asks for! I call it his "baby coffee" because he's not fully awake and ready for the day until he has had at least 12oz of yummy fruit and veggie medley.  Added bonus: whenever Boo won't eat a meal that I have cooked,  or is sick/teething and doesn't seem interested in actual food,  and especially when "the incident" happened and Boo had to live in a spica cast for 10 weeks we LIVED on smoothies.  Dense nutrition, easy to make and portable!

**It is very important to me to feed Boo organic fruits and veggies, non-GMO (if I can find it), no added dyes, artificial sugars or sweeteners, etc. which I know can be expensive.  Costco, Aldi and Winn Dixie all offer Organic, Non-GMO, no high fructose corn syrup products at a lower cost than other grocery stores.**

For recipes and tips on smoothie making I heart this book big time!

Heres what I do to prep smoothies for the month:

Wash and Dry baby spinach and baby kale (I find these easier on Boo's tummy while offering the same benefits as mature kale and spinach)

Break out your favorite frozen and fresh fruits: dark cherries, pineapple, mango, blueberries, strawberries, peaches, blackberries, raspberries, citrus, apple slices etc.

Using quart size freezer baggie and add a heaping handful of spinach or kale and any combination of fruit.  Squeeze excess air out of the the baggie.  Typically I can get 2 days worth of smoothies out of one baggie.  Just add half the bag to the blender with your liquid and additions.  The frozen spinach or kale blends very nicely and no one would even know it's in there by taste! In my house we make enough for one smoothie a day for at least 30 days or more.  The goal is between 15-20 baggies. If you have any left over greens freeze them in snack bag size portions for soups, sauces, extra boost to smoothies, etc.

Our daily morning routine:

I add a fresh (not frozen) ORGANIC banana or fresh avocado daily.  In my opinion, these blend easier and give the drink a creamier constancy if added while at room temp.  For a liquid base I like to use kefir for added probiotic benefits. You can also use coconut milk, sambazon juice (yum) or water.

Add in some extra love:

I like to add in a dash of cinnamon, a generous glob of local honey, a couple of 60% cacao dark chocolate chips, or a spoonful of nut butters (almond, cashew, etc) **DO NOT add these if your child is UNDER 12 months or you suspect any allergies.  Check with your pediatrician before adding new foods like these into your kiddos diet. 

Mix it up: Currently I use a NutriBullet which is easy to clean, blends fast, and takes up very little space on my counter.

Toddler eating habits can drive you crazy so best of luck!

-W and Boo

Monday Fave Rave: Hanna Andersson

Welcome to our first Monday Fave Rave! Every Monday we will be spotlighting one or a few of our favorite brands or products to share with you.  Boo and I have lived in both Florida and Brooklyn NY so we have had access to great products and over the last three years I have become a real "pro" at testing the tried and true performance of everything from mattresses to toys.  I'm excited to share our faves with you every week and look forward to hearing from you about some NEW things we can test out.  So let's get down to it. This weeks Fave Rave is all about Hanna Andersson brand clothes and shoes.  We absolutely adore this quality, functional and fashionable clothing line! From their use of organic cotton to toddler friendly zippers and velcro, I have found this brand to be our "go to" when shopping for school, camp or special occasions.  The brand has Swedish roots and European sizing so their focus on color and durability and long-lasting wearability helps justify the higher price point. Also, if you really love to dress your family up in coordinating PJs or outfits for holiday pictures the FAMILY SHOP offers everything you need for a totally awesome snapshot for this year's cards and gifts for Grandparents!

Our fave of this fave rave are Hanna Andersson's shorty pjs, amazing rash guards and swim trunks, and completely and undeniably adorable undies!

Pros: 

unique designs, bold colors, classic prints and limited edition collections with recognizable characters such as Star Wars, Disney, DC Comics, Peanuts, Pippi Longstocking, etc.

Euro sizing goes by height (waistbands are adjustable) so finding the best fit is easy.

Organic cotton!

And as an added bonus they have an unconditional guarantee and 20% off when you refer a friend.  Sweet!

Cons:

Brick and mortar retail locations are few and far between so online and catalogues are pretty much the only options for ordering.  (Some people need to see and feel the product before they buy, personally, I do not.)

Quick Tip: The "brooklyn" bath tub

Just a quick tip: When Boo and I lived in Brooklyn we didn't have a bathtub and the sink was not large enough to bathe him in properly.  Well, thanks to quick thinking by my Mom we came up with the "brooklyn bathtub" which is just a clear plastic storage container that I filled approximately 1/2 of the way with luke warm water and baby wash. Instant bath tub! It was like a luxury soaking tub for baby.  What are your favorite quick tips?