Thursday Favorite Things

This is not just one certain favorite object but something that was accomplished this week and it is my favorite thing! 

At almost 3 years old (less than a month) Logan has finally mastered drinking from a straw. As most of you know my son has moderate to severe autism. This is huge and something that most parents of normal children would take for granted and not make a fuss over it. My son is different and has taught me to not take the small things for granted and to celebrate each and every milestone, whether it be small or big! 

Way to go Logan, now is the time for us to go buy you some new sippy cups!!

Making A Cranky Baby Happy With Babozoo

Just admit it, all of us mommies have been there. We are trying to shop, run errands or have a dinner and our child or children decide it is a good time to get cranky and scream at the top of their lungs to try to get anything but give you peace. Sometimes it can be embarrassing. I especially hate it when we are in a restaurant. Many times have we played the whole, you hold the baby while I eat then I will hold the baby while you eat. So much for enjoying our dinner together. Sorry folks it happens when you have kids. Kiss your peaceful meals goodbye! Kiss the quiet shopping time goodbye and kiss an enjoyable trip to the grocery store gone too. Oh who am I kidding. I never liked doing most of those things anyway. 

With my second child we had to totally avoid the toy aisle in Wal-Mart. If she seen a barbie of any sort she wanted it and she let us know that she wanted it and if she did not get it she let us and everyone in the dang store know. (thanks to her grandma) My first was 14 and a half years ago and I can not remember much except using the whole "Do you want to go to the bathroom?" For you parents out their that have never heard that phrase, it means. I will tear your butt up in that bathroom if you do not listen! Do not make me have to take you to the bathroom! One of the many phrases I swore I would never repeat to my kids that my parents repeated to me. 

Okay anyways back to what I want to get at. Okay let me set the scene for you. Parents waiting for their much anticipated, delicious steak dinners when all the sudden your year and a half year old gets mad. Really mad just simply because he or she is bored! You give him or her crackers, in the floor it goes. You try bread, in the floor that goes. You even try to give them the silverware and you got it..to the floor it goes. Mom goes into panic mode and dad is looking around to see who all is staring. This is when we bring out our trusty smartphone. Which in reality it was probably already on the table beside you. We always went to the Bubble Guppies show that was put on the phone by my husband just for this reason. 

Guess what? I found something just as good. I hope! I have not tried it in public yet but I have done it here at home. I found an app. for Logan. The name of it is Babozoo. It is for ages six months and up. Its simple but yet when I handed my phone to my son with this on he started laughing immediately and forgot what he was mad about to begin with. Its a free download on the android market. I am not sure about Iphone but I am sure it is available. It has little animal faces pop up with their sounds. Its a learning opportunity for your little nugget! Its simple but the only thing that is missing is a lock. My son can push the home key and get out of the application and get very upset again and then we have to repeat the process. My screen could stand to be a bit bigger for this but my son loves it and that is what matters. Watch the video and see for yourself. 

So the next time you are out with your little nugget and they decide to let everyone know that they are unhappy try this app and see if it works for your kiddo! Hope it works for you as it has me so far.....Until he gets bored and I have to find something else. If you are interested in checking it out go HERE

What Happens When Daddy--Wordless Wednesday

It is yet another Wordless Wednesday. My how does time fly. 

This is what happens when daddy takes over taking care of the munchkin.

Guess it is to hard to sit him upright to change his clothes and apply eczema cream. 

Wordless Wednesday

Yee Little Things

Create With Joy

Oh My Heartsie

Catch My Words

Tots and Me

Splash Pad

The husband and myself took our little one out to the splash pad today. It was his first time ever going and sadly enough, my first time. I had never even heard of such a place until this summer and I seen it by accident when we were driving around. 

I meant to take all the kids when they were all here but never seemed to get around to doing so. Today I decided it was the day to take sweet little Logan. The husband thought for sure he would not enjoy it. In the bath tub Logan does not like his face to be wet at all. 

I put together a collage of his time there. All I had on me was my camera phone. Yes I did bring my camera but the husband forgot to put the memory card in it. The built in memory just SUCKS! So its his fault I did not get the best of pictures I wanted, but that just leaves an excuse to go back out and redo it all over with the real camera. 

Logan had a wonderful time. It took him a minute to get brave enough to get out there but once he did he had a blast! I will post some individuals that are my favorites. 

After he got all dried off and changed we had to make a trip to wal-mart

He is such a happy sweet little boy

Our evening was filled with the splash park and working on a project my husband is making just for me :-) So he says. It just gives him something to do, so he says its for me so I will let him spend the money to make it. 

Here is a sneak peek

And of course baby boy has to help too

The project is almost finished and I can not wait to post pictures of the final result! Have a great weekend my fellow readers and bloggers!

Weekend Blog Hop

Lovin' The Weekend Blog Hop

Weekend Blog Walk

Wednesdays Wordless Photo or Photos

I thought I would mix up the title a little bit :-) 

THIS POST IS LINKED UP WITH:

La La's Home Daycare

Project Alicia

Create With Joy

Sarah Halstead

Claire Justine

Brookies Baby Bargains

Tots and Me

Art and Tree Chatter

Yee Wittle Things
Joshuas Photo Link Up

Saturday Stroll

The husband and I have not gotten out much since Logan was born. We used to enjoy many hikes throughout the year or just some amazing scenic drives to a place we had never been before. Early in our marriage we had said we were going to try to go to every state park in Arkansas. Last year Logan was born. All that came to a halt. For several reasons this goal went on the back burner. You know, excuses like money, gas, and the baby. 

Money is a huge issue now. Logan is old enough to tag along but its not fun all the time to go to the places we enjoy and a stroller will not make it. Saturday we decided we would try out the nature trail around the area we live in, now that Mr. Logan is walking. 

I warned my husband that we should carry him during the beginning then let him walk later. I knew he would wear himself out before we even got to the good stuff. Yes honey, I was right again. 

Logan was cute nonetheless, taking off like he knew exactly where he was going and looking back at us like we were the slow ones. 

For some reason once he reached the bridge he got a little freaked out. Like being able to see the ground through the cracks but yet his feet was not on the ground just confused him. 

I took the outing as an opportunity to take some photos of him. Like real ones and not just snap shots as above. 

This is pretty much the only one I was able to capture because he was cranky, hot and tired. He took a long nice nap when we got home! I can not wait to try it again. 

Now moving on to my Monday Macro shot. I actually have two. My lovely husband showed me exactly how to work it on our camera so I decided to play with it more. 

Our visitor on the car before we left on our Saturday stroll.

Just some "weeds"

This post is linked up with:

Lisa's Choas, Monday Macro

Monday Blog Hops:

The Things We Find Inside

The Naptime Review

The Not So Secret Confessions Of A Second Time Mom

Springfield Weekend

I have not been as active on my blogging this week as I have been. I guess because I am recovering from a very very busy weekend in Springfield Missouri. It was my husbands mothers side of the families annual Fourth of July pick-nick. We attended the first year we were married but have been absent the past two years. Fortunately we made it again this time. It may have been hot but we enjoyed ourselves. It was not so bad under the tree in a shade. 

We never seen our kids it seems. They were off playing with water guns, taking a hay ride, driving the Mule or down at the river. Because of Logan being so young I stayed behind with him. We had a wonderful time.

The day before, we got to see our granddaughter in person for the first time. She is 3 weeks old! It was refreshing and made the whole trip worth it.

What is a trip to Springfield Missouri without a trip to Bass Pro Shop? Ugh not much. So of course we had to take the kids..LOL it was all for them!

After the family reunion I had a photo shoot! A guy my husband was good friends with back in his younger days. The shoot was with him and his family.

 Those are just two of my favorite shots from the shoot. 

On our way home we of course had to stop and take a few more snap shots. I do not have access to those at the moment because they are on my other laptop. I will be possibly sharing those with you as well in a later post! 

There was our busy weekend. Of course its been a busy week also. Resting up from the weekend, editing photos, fireworks show and I became ill on the holiday. Now I am better and back to the grind. 

Hope everyone had a happy and safe July 4th! Happy late Birthday America!!

Oh I am also linking up with Pixel Dust Photo Art for Photo Art Friday. This is the architectural edition, so here is my photo for that. Justin took the picture I edited it

Also Linking up with Light Photographs at Blissfully Domestic

Back On (Wordless Wednesday

Wordless Wednesday

Create With Joy

Tots and Me

Art and Tree Chatter of Aquariann

Wordless/Black and White Wednesday

Another Wednesday so that means time for Wordless Wednesday/Black and White Wednesday hosted by these lovely ladies

Me As A Mother

Art and Tree Chatter of Aquariann

Tots And Me

Create With Joy

I shared this picture in my previous post, I love it so much and thought it was perfect for this Wednesdays themes. 

I absolutely love a sleeping baby. 

Wordless/Black and White Wednesday

I participate in two themes on Wednesday's, Wordless Wednesday hosted by

Create With Joy

Tots and Me

Art and Tree Chatter

Black and White Wednesday Hosted by

Me As A Mother

This week instead of having two separate blogs on this I found the picture that is perfect for both the Wordless Theme and the Black and White theme. 

Love my boys!

This photo has also been entered into the finagle a Foto challenge
Click here to like

Wordless Wednesday (a little wait)

Welcome to another edition of Wordless Wednesday on Thursday. OOooppss! Sorry

 First time letting my son loose at the park. His first time in the sand. 

Wordless Wednesday

This needs no words what-so-ever

Learning To Walk

So my son Logan is now almost 14mths old and just now started pulling himself up on the couch, coffee table, the entertainment center or whatever his little hands can pull himself up on and walk around the objects by holding on. He has one downfall to this activity. He has not figured out how to just let go of it and fall to his butt and go on to the next place. He will literally sit there and fuss and complain until either me or his daddy go "rescue" him. He seems to only do this when he is at the entertainment center. He will literally stand there forever if you don't go rescue him. Poor baby cries the whole time. No tears but fussing!!

So I am left with a dilemma, keep rescuing my poor baby boy or just let him figure it out?? Now as I am typing this up he is actually at the coffee table doing the same exact thing. Lord help my patience and help my baby boy learn to, just let go..Total different meaning than us adults have learned what to just let go is. 

Eczema--Not So Simple(useful tips?)

This is a continuation from my previous post on some ways to help control an eczema flare up. Some of these will not work for everyone but in my sons case it has seemed to somewhat help. I do have a long ways to go in finding out other methods and experimenting with things. If any of my readers would like to offer any suggestions I am most definitely up to trying them out if I have not already. So no holding back on the comments! 


First thing we learned is that we were doing everything WRONG! Warm baths, baby lotion, baby oil, dreft for laundry and even keeping the room warm. Who knew?? Not us and unfortunately our little boy got the butt end of it. 


1. First thing we did was get rid of the Dreft and switched to All free and clear. Nothing with dyes or smells and not only did we switch to washing Logan's clothes but everyone in the families laundry with this product. 

Another laundry switch was the dryer sheets. This was just as important as the detergent. We chose Bounce free and sensitive. 

And we always! always! use the second rinse cycle during the wash.




2. Instead of warm baths we were told to use luke warm baths. The heat from the water can cause a flare up. This is the crazy part, we were told NO SOAP or SHAMPOO unless it was absolutely needed. If it was needed then use it only on that certain spot. Do not rub the child dry but pat, or you can choose not to dry them off at all (which is what I do). 

3. In Logan's case, forget the baby lotions and baby oils and even all the Aveeno products..I use straight up mineral oil! When I get him out of his bath and lay him on the towel I apply the mineral oil while he is still wet. Seems to work well for us. I even have to use it on his head. His head will even flare up with eczema..He has scabs all on his scalp. 

4. The next product that has worked well for us when he has a flare up or even a small one, I use it a lot really is Cortizone 10--eczema healing lotion. I apply this 2 to 3 times a day.

These are just some products we use that works for Logan or at least keeps it a little bit more under control than what it could be. The next few things we plan on looking into is a cool humidifier for his room. This is for the purpose of keeping moisture in the air. We try to keep the rooms in the house as cool as possible because heat can and will cause a flare up. This may not be a serious condition but it is a pain in the butt condition to have to deal with. Logan has his good days and his bad days. Hopefully with time he will grow out of it. According to our doctors we may never know what causes the flare ups entirely (could be allergy to something such as clothing, dander, dust, food, etc..). The only thing we can do is eliminate the causes one by one and try to keep him comfortable and the flare ups under control. 

I apply mineral oil in the morning, the cortizone 10 at lunch and then before bed I apply both..If he has a horrible flare up I will use his prescription cream in his worse spots and only on occasions we have to use his oral steroids.  It is a constant battle to keep his skin moisturized and him comfortable.