Monthly Archives: April 2008

Stardust Lullaby 2 CD set

Bedtime, Music & DVD

Stardustlullabycd My brain tends to be a big mess of chaos between the hours of 6a.m. to 9p.m..  Maybe it’s a parent thing.  Maybe it’s an "I operate a business from home" thing, or maybe it’s a "My almost 2 year old daughter climbs all over me while I am trying to work" thing.. or wait, maybe it’s all three!?!

Stardust, a lullaby CD set created by award winning singer/songwriter siblings, seems to magically lull Madelyn to sleep within 10 minutes of being put to bed.  I love it!!

In addition to helping little one’s get to sleep, the soothing collection of traditional and original lullabies creates a relaxing environment for those of us who need to release ourselves from ‘the chaos that is parenting’.  I have one CD in Madelyn’s room and one in the kitchen.  Between cooking dinner, emptying the dish washer, and eating, and homework, the kitchen is where I get the most stressed.  Now I just hit play on the CD player and wah lah.. my stress induced high blood pressure plummets and I am able to concentrate on the task at hand while Madelyn dances to the music.  With over 2 1/2 hours of music, you don’t have to worry about hearing the same song several times in one sitting.  Every song has a corresponding instrumental version which is perfect for times when your child wants you to sing her to sleep.

Stardust was awarded the iParenting Media Award in January 2008.   I highly recommend that you buy this CD set before buying other lullaby CD’s. You will not be disappointed.  There is a reason this CD set is titled Stardust, audible chocolate for sweet dreams.

Listen to music clips and learn more about Stardust here.

Chicco Lullaby Playard

Age 0-1 year, Age 1-3, Bedtime

The combination of bells and whistles, comfort, and ease of use make the Chicco Lullaby LX Playard a mommy must have.  I don’t know a single parent that doesn’t or didn’t have a play pen for their baby.  I am a big proponent of play pens.  How else can parents cook, help big brother with homework, and fold the laundry while the baby is awake and in need of attention?  Gather baby’s favorite books and toys, put them in the Playard and then add baby.  It’s a recipe for success!

Chiccoplayyard

The Chicco Lullaby LX Playard is perfect for playtime and
nap time. Among other obvious uses, I used the Playard as Madelyn’s snack area and she loved it.  Unlike her last play pen that didn’t have any bells and whistles, the Chicco Lullaby LS Playard has plenty of things to keep Madelyn occupied including the little animals that that are initially attached to the removable play mat but come off easily for older baby’s to use inside the Playard. 

The thickly padded, quilted
mattress can be removed for easy machine washing. To meet the
needs of smaller babies, the Lullaby LX includes a bassinet with an
elevated changing table. The Lullaby LX also has a toy gym with plush
toys that can be used on the bassinet or as a play mat. To help your
child sleep, you can turn on music, vibration and a night light.  The remote control allows you to adjust the sound, vibration and night light settings without your child seeing or hearing you.

The push-button folding mechanism, compact fold, and wheels make the put up, take down and transport of the Chicco Lullaby LX Playard a breeze.  When you are not using the Playard, simply store it in the matching cargo bag.

WEBSITE: Chicco Lullaby LX Playard

Printable lists and planning pages + coupon code + giveaway

Organization

Lists.. at any given time I have three or more active lists on my desk.  I keep a list of work tasks, personals tasks, the kids appointments, sports/classes, and groceries just to name a few.  Up until recently, my lists were hand-written on printer paper with a combination of pencil and pen, and I often wrote list items terribly crooked, horizontally and vertically on the page. 

After reading that, you might think that I handle chaos well.  Reality is that I don’t handle chaos well at all.  I get to a point where I can stand to look at my list anymore so I crumple it up and throw it away. 

The chaotic lists came to an end when I was introduced to a website called List Plan It which offers over 300 printable lists and planning pages.. with lines to write on!  What a novel idea.

List Plan It printable lists and planning pages include (but are not limited to) groceries, family chores, birthday memories, menu planning, and one of my personal favorites is the ‘record of my day’ page.  Use the ‘record of my day’ page to document the hours you put in folding clothes, paying
bills, and doing art projects with the kids.  This list is a great way to give yourself the credit you deserve.

Listplanit_2

Keep track of your family finances, business finances, babysitter contacts, goals, menu’s and much more.

List Plan It memberships are reasonably priced starting at just $9.95 for 3 months of access to all 300+ lists and planning pages.  If you think you might need access for one year, pay just $29.95.

Enter our May giveaway contest for a chance to win a free List Plan It 3 month membership. We will choose five winners.  Subscribe to our newsletter (link above) to be notified/reminded when the giveaway contest begins.

WEBSITE: List Plan It lists and planning pages

COUPON CODE: (EXCLUSIVE) Get $5.00 off a yearly membership with coupon code moms2008

DaysAgo Digital Day Counter

Gadgets

DaysagoWith everything that parents have to do and think about, it’s no wonder we don’t remember when the tomato sauce was opened or if the open jar of baby food in the refrigerator is from this decade.  It’s tough to remember when you opened what.

The DaysAgo Digital Day Counter solves that problem once and for all.  It is the first and only digital day
counter that attaches to a variety of surfaces with a magnetic or
suction backing or with a band.  Now you can store baby food, breast milk, or left-overs without having to worry about remembering when you put it in the refrigerator or freezer.  The DaysAgo Digital Day Counter counts up to 99 days. It’s a simple gadget that is
re-usable, versatile and helps save money. You can use it on food
containers to let you know how many days ago you opened it, closed it,
tried it, sauced it, grew it, etc.  As for leftovers, it eliminates the
doubt about when to throw it out.

Use the DaysAgo Digital Day Counter to reminder you when you:

  • cleaned the fish tank
  • opened the baby food
  • watered the plants
  • gave your dog medicine
  • made the baby’s bottle
  • thoroughly washed the bath toys

Simply attach the DaysAgo Digital Day Counter to an item (produce, chips, fish tank, plants) and
it digitally displays how many days or hours ago the item was opened, cleaned, given or watered. 

There are tons of usage possibilities.

What would you use a DaysAgo Digital Day Counter for?

Three readers will win a DaysAgo Digital Day Counter!  Send your most creative usage idea to be entered to win. The contest starts Friday April 25th and ends April 30th.  I will choose the three most creative ideas by May 2nd and will contact the winners by email.
Email your most creative idea to alicia @ themommyinsider . com (no spaces).

WEBSITE: DaysAgo Digital Day Counter