Children Dosing Cups

I never complain about products I buy to companies (i.e. complaining about a discoloration of clothing from laundry detergent to, say, Tide).  I never do this.  If I don't like a product, I just quit using it.  And I just don't feel it's worth my time to complain to a large company.

Of course, if something were life threatening, I would definately complain.  Afterall, how would the companies know about recalls for high chairs, cars etc. if complaints about danger situations weren't made.

Well, I've filed a complaint.

How many times have we heard stories about the overdose of infants and children on Tylenol or Motrin products (or the CVS/Walgreen versions)?  Lots and lots and lots.  We are told to read the directions and take every single precaution to make sure we dose our children correctly.

BUT (and this is a BIG BUT!), I canNOT see the freaking lines on the dosing cup!!!  Here's what my cup looks like.  (It's really blurry because I blew it up to show the cup - look, no black lines!!!)

All the cups, whether it be Tylenol, Motrin or whatever, seem to have colorless lines.  Lallie had a tooth ache this morning causing low grade fever.  She doesn't feel good (those silly molars).  So, here I am giving her the CVS version of Motrin (side note - I LOVE CVS, I use all their storebrand products as they are the same, half the price and guess what....during a recall, CVS is still available!) ....but I digress.

I am squinting, pouring the medicine back out, twisting and turning in everywhich direction to see the colorless lines to make sure my 20 pound 2.5 year old gets only 1 tsp because we've been told that 1.5 tsps is for a 34 lb 4 year old and we MUST NOT overdose our children.

Hello - It is impossilbe to read the little lines.  It took my 5 minutes to pour my child her medicine this morning.  But I wasn't about to let her suffer because of her silly molars causing "teeth owies."

I've complained to Tylenol about this.  They sent me two expiration-less coupons for free Tylenol.  Thanks Tylenol, but that didn't solve my problem, though I appreciate the sentiments.  I'm not complaining to look for a coupon.

One might say, just ask the pharmacy for one of those vial thingys or use an actual teaspoon.  Sure, that worked for a while, until my independant 18 month old insisted on drinking it herself and therefore, I have to use the little cup (the teaspoon cooking thingy gets everywhere, and then I have a non-dosed, sticky child).

My question -  Am I being irrational?  It's my child and when I hear horror stories about overdose on a daily basis, I don't feel I'm being irrational. 

I'm going to CVS today to complain to the pharmacist (who happens to be my good friend :-) - I can't find a complaint section on the website.

Sorry for the vent.  I never vent.  But this has happened time and time again and I'm sure I'm not the only one.

I'm done.

Happy Wednesday Y'all!

Thoughts of an 8 Year Long Roller-Coaster Ride

Dear Husband:

Our lives have been an absolute roller coaster of highs and lows, but as Grandma said in the movie "Parenthood:"

Grandma: You know, when I was nineteen, Grandpa took me on a roller coaster.

Gil: Oh?

Grandma: Up, down, up, down. Oh, what a ride!

Gil: What a great story (sarcastic).

Grandma: I always wanted to go again. You know, it was just so interesting to me that a ride could make me so frightened, so scared, so sick, so excited, and so thrilled all together! Some didn't like it. They went on the merry-go-round. That just goes around. Nothing. I like the roller coaster. You get more out of it.

Happy 8th Annivesary Husband.  In the past 10 years, here are some highs and lows of our courtship and marriage:

1) We met and became the best of friends.  I fell in love immediately, it took you a little longer.

2) On February 19th, 2001, you said you loved me for the first time

3) In June 2001, we moved to Florida and left our home, families and friends.  Exciting but difficult

4) Just after 9/11, I lost my job and was jobless for 4 months.

5) I received my first job in commercial real estate in February 2002

6) On June 15th, 2002, we were married in a gorgeous garden wedding in Kentucky with our friends and family as witnesses

7) On June 15th, 2003, we took our First Anniversary trip to St. Augustine

8) We bought our first house in March 2003

9) We adopted our furbaby, U.K. in May 2003

10) We bought our first boat in the summer of 2004

11) Also during that summer, we watched our child, our furbaby, go through heartworm treatment (his prior owners were not good owners).  It was absolutely heartbreaking.

12) In the summer of 2004, you started a new job as Director of Engineering for your division

13)  In Agust 2005, I started a new job as Director of Commercial Real Estate Asset Managment

14) In late 2005, we started trying for a baby

15) In  December 2005, March 2006 and again in June 2006, we suffered miscarriages, the last one at 12 weeks, which resulted in two DNC procedures within two weeks.

16) In June 2006, I was diagnosed with Hashimoto's Thyroid disease, most likely the result of the miscarriages.

 

17) In October 2006, I received a job offer in Atlanta.  After weeks of contemplation, we decided not to go, with very heavy hearts.  You had job interviews as well.

18) Three weeks later, we found out we were pregnant.

19) You received your PE in February 2007

20) In July, two weeks before Lallie was born, you started a new job, continuing to move up in your field.  We also had major construction going on at our house.

21) Lallie was born on July 30th, 2007.

22) During maternity leave, I studied for my national licensing exam and flew to New Orleans in September, leaving you with Llallie, to take the exam.

23) In October 2007, I returned to work

24) In December 2007, I found out I passed the national exam.

25) In January 2008, we listed our house for sale.  Not one bite in 9 months.

26) In April 2008, I had the first of two heart cath procedures, trying to ablate heart issues diagnosed during pregnancy.  Both have been unsucessful.  I am now heavily medicated.

27) In January 2009, we replaced our kitchen and re-modeled our bathroom (in high gear I might add)!

28) In March 2009, we listed our house for sale again.  Our house sold in 3 weeks (with lots and lots of prayer) and bought our new house.

29) In July 2009, we moved to our new home.

30) This year, we are celebrating our 8th Annivesary and Lallie's third birthday!

I love the roller coaster ride, and I love going on the roller coaster ride with you. I wouldn't have it any other way.  I love you!  Happy Anniversary!

What's In My Bag (pink-n-green-wise)

I have posted about "what's in my bag" before, but today, as I was going through my large purse, I noticed the extreme amount of pink and green goodness.  I started going through all these fun things and thought, what a great blog idea.  (Honestly, these are fun and make me appear happy my day a little happier!)

So, here is the Pink And Green version of What's In My Bag!

1) Lilly Pulitzer Day In the Life Journal  - this is where I keep all important must-have info when on-the-go, such as passwords, Lallie's pre-paid college info, important preppy websites for referral.

2) My pink and green clipboard for on-site inspections (for my job), Junior League meetings etc.  I often get laughed at for my clipboard but I don't care, I love it and it makes my job, whether for JL or work, a lot more fun.  My one male employee, a seventy year old man who calls me "kiddo" (don't worry, he's worked for me for years), thinks it's adorable and actually defends it.  Isn't that sweet?

3) Not green, but definately Pink!  An extra outfit for Lallie is always in my bag!  When you have a toddler in potty training, extra outfits are a must!  For some reason, I could NOT get this picture to upload normal, sorry it's sideways).

4) My pink and green notepad, also for meetings etc.  I couldn't find a "J", so I got a "T" which sort of looks like a "J", so it works both ways! :-)  This is the same size as my Day In the Life Journal, but for note taking whenever I don't feel like carrying the bigger clipboard.  Perfect for keeping notes private, especially when on the job.

5)  My Mom-Agenda - must NOT leave home without this.  It contains all my work and home appointments, calls and social events!  Tres importante!

6) I originally bought this folder to organize the upcoming JL fundraiser I'm chairing, but quickly found out, I need a file BOX, not a file FOLDER....so this morphed into something else!  It now houses any important forms, documents and bills that are in transit for processing home-life things.

7)  And last but not least, my bags of stuff.

** The shimmery pink bag has all my necessities from lip glass to oil blotting papers

** My new "Ouch Pouch" which only has Neosporin in it so far.  I just need to get organized and fill it with Toddler Bandaging items.

** A snack bag (can be found on My Etsy link/tab above) with a snack for Lallie.  I also have one that holds crayons and one that holds extra pens/keys/etc.  Since they velcro shut, and I love a hobo bag, things actually stay where they're meant to stay!

There you have it.  The pink and green goodness that lights up my purse.  So, whenever my bag is in disarray, I don't get too bummed because there is way too much pink and green to keep it happy! :-)

Happy Monday Y'all!

Etsy Shop Giveaway!

Happy Monday Y'all! 

I made three of these adorable dresses for a custom order this weekend.  For three little girls participating in a beach vow renewal ceremony.  They are lined (so you can't see those cute little pink princess diapers) and made of eyelet material with all the trimmings, including gorgeous satin ribbon.  I just love how they turned out and am thinking of making the same dress, in pink (surprise!) for my little Lallie.

I am so excited to be featured on Mary Janes and Galoshes today!  If you've never been to Taylor's site, you should really check it out.  She has wonderful (and easy) craft tutorials, is a HUGE supporter of small handmade-driven businesses and is just an all around good person.

She is doing a GIVEAWAY of one of my dresses and four reuseable snack bags!  Remember, the snack bags are not only great for crackers and goldfish, but for crayons, legos-on-the-go and so many other things!  We use them in our house for all sorts of things (even in my purse/diaper bag for on-the-go medical needs such as band-aids, neosporin and allergy medicine).  So click on the link above and enter now!  Don't forget, I can custom make anything to fit your little peanut too!

Lallie's Graduation

Oh, what fun was Lallie's toddler graduation!  We had a great time, Lallie was adorable (of course, I'm biased) and we are just so proud of our little peanut.  I couldn't help but get a little teary-eyed.  Here are a couple videos and pictures from the ceremony as well as a couple videos (pardon my comments, I'm just a proud mommy and I was tearing up during the whole thing, so I sound funny!)

Of course, Lallie and I were both in Lilly (surprise!)

 

Happy Saturday Y'all!

Pink and Green Thursday

For kicks, I thought it would be fun just to google the phraes "Pink and Green" and see what pops up.

Of course, Lilly Pulitzer was a result and there were a few less preppy pink and green pictures.  But, I was pleasantly surprised to see tons of pink and green floral arrangement photos, or just plants in their natural state.  Here are a few with a little garden party flair added in.

Enjoy and Happy Pink and Green Thursday Y'all!

 

Life with A Toddler Takes Some Adjusting

(1) After moving the potty stool about a million times, Mommy has finally learned to squat on the top of the toilet, with her knees above her boobs during releif.  This makes life a lot easier, especially when arts and crafts are involved and mommy just has to go!  To not risk as big as a playdoh mess as could have resulted in the time it takes to move the potty stool, the potty stool has just remained in place.

Mommies with toddlers-to-be, take note....just learn to do this and don't even bother moving the stool to start.

(2) Toddlers are naturally slow when you need them to be fast and fast when you need them to be slow.  For example, Lallie LOVES to take her sweet time when we're trying to get out the door in the morning for work and school.  However, when naptime or bedtime arrive, or when we go to the store, zippy-Lallie takes over and you can't get her to slow down!

It's like driving.  When we have somewhere to be, Husband drives 5 miles an hour.  But when we have nowhere to be and we're just out, he drives like a maniac.

Why is this?  Don't answer that.

 

(3) Branding - oh yeah, as hard as you try, it happens whether you like it or not.  I went to McDonald's a few times.  One day I came home and guests were arriving, so I plopped Lallie down to watch Arthur with her chicken nugget/apple happy meal.  I had strategically taken out the toy and cookies, for obvious reasons.

Well lo and behold....a McD's commercial comes on and next thing, Lallie is looking in her box and saying "Mommy, they forgot my Shrek!"

So much for not branding!

(4)  Talking - oh my word....you think the learning to talk stage is frustrating?  Because 18 month to 24 month olds are learning to talk and they know what they want to say and it just won't come out.

Yes, it gets better!

See, toddlers don't always know the proper words of describing things and they usually come off in very weird descriptions, or descriptions you would not like them to say in public, at all!

For example, Lallie likes to take her on socks off and she will express herself by saying really loud (remember, Lallie is a demander) "Socks off!!!" but, replace the "s" with an "f" and it's not pretty.  We really need to work on those "s" sounds!

Sometimes, they just know what they see.  When I get out of the shower, I wrap my head in a hand towel into a turban so it will dry while putting on makeup.  After getting out of the pool the other day, Lallie insisted on having one by saying "Towerhead" over and over again.  After 20 minutes and some frustrations...we finally figured out she meant "towel hat."

Let me tell you, once we figured that out, we all (including Lallie) took a huge sigh of relief!

I could go on and on, but I'll leave you with those for today!

Happy Tuesday y'all!