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Carter Strikes Again, Poison Control, and more…

Posted in Kid Humor, Life

Yes, I have been gone from the blogging world for about a month now. There has been so much going on at home, that I couldn’t justify taking time away from my family to sit down at my computer to write a post. I know my wonderful readers understand!

As many of you saw from a previous post, I went back to a part-time nursing job, and my training began last month. I am happy to say I survived two weeks of full-time classroom time, and I am near the end of my hospital training. *Survived* being the key word there. I thought that it would be an easy two weeks, simply sitting in a classroom. Wrong. I came home absolutely exhausted, from doing absolutely nothing but sitting and trying to stay awake. I could barely keep my eyes open at 7pm! On a normal day, I chase around 3 kids, and run a baby hair accessory business from home, yet I was pooped from sitting in a classroom. It did not make sense, but I am glad that part is over, and was thrilled to be out of the classroom and actually working as a nurse. I am very excited about my new job in a pediatric emergency room, and think that I am really going to enjoy maintaining my nursing skills with an occasional, flexible shift.

Okay, what I am really back to share about today is a funny story from our family vacation. I will tell more about our vacation later, but this story takes the cake. As many of you know, 3 year old Carter is quite mischievous. He has not been up to significant trouble lately, so a Carter story has been long overdue. Here is my little man, looking so innocent and sweet.

The problem began when he fell asleep for about 5 minutes, on the way home from an afternoon outing. Unfortunately, even the smallest power nap seems to ruin his normal 2 hour nap. I decided to try, and put him down for a nap anyway. He stayed quite, and I assumed that he had gone back to sleep. 45 minutes later, I hear him yell, “Mommy, I poopy.” I went in to change him (potty training adventures will start this week) and I found him covered in sunscreen. He was holding an empty tube of sunscreen stick, which previously was totally full. I asked him where it went, and he replied, “I ate it. It not taste good, but I ate it.” As you can see below, the stick was completely gone!

Just great…after more questions and searching, I determined that he consumed the majority of the sunstick, only sparing the amount that was smeared on his face and body like a greased watermelon. On the back of the tube it read, “If consumed, seek medical attention immediately, or call Poison Control.” This was a first in our family. I called Poison Control, who was very reassuring that this particular brand should be rather harmless, but may cause some nasty bodily functions as it works its way through the system.

As I looked around the room to see if he had found anything else to get into, I realized that my phone was accidentally left in the room with him, and it was also smeared in sunscreen. I was not too concerned. Since I have a 4 digit password, required to unlock all functions of the phone, I didn’t think he could have done much on my phone. Well, he never ceases to amaze me. Somehow the boy cracked the code!!! Yes, somehow he guessed and got lucky, and typed in the 4 digits to allow him total access to my phone functions.

For over thirty minutes, he had full freedom with my phone. He changed the background image (even I don’t know how to do that!), attempted to call 11 people, and successfully sent 5 nonsense, jibberish-filled text messages. Oh, and I just discovered today that he added several new contacts!

My favorite text is pictured below. He texted my friend Stephanie, and when she replied, he promptly texted her back again!

I am very thankful that no lasting harm was done through his ingestion. It was a good reminder that even on vacation I cannot let my guard down and allow him access to items that are normally out of reach at home. At the same time, I am extremely concerned that his continual sneaky antics are only the beginning of many years of mischief…

Posted in Kid Humor, Life

4 comments

Mr. Mischievious Turns 3. Happy Birthday Charmer! | Picture Share

Posted in Life

I never knew I could enjoy being a mom to a boy so much. After two girls in frilly dresses and a healthy obsession with hair bows, when I was told I was having a boy I was a little concerned. Surely it couldn’t be as much fun as girls, I thought. I came from a family of sisters, and I knew nothing of raising a boy. Well, Carter entered our lives 3 years ago today, and he has been out to prove me wrong.Wow, being a mom to a boy is AWESOME!

After months of contractions, I had to be induced 3 weeks early. 3 week early delivery=small baby, right? Well, Carter surprised us all when he popped out at a full 8 pounds. The first words out of the OB’s mouth were, “Boy, you weren’t supposed to be this big!” Carter was playing tricks on Mommy from the very beginning. We quickly learned that “his plumbing” worked, when he peed all over me after they laid him on my belly. I heard that in some countries, that is considered a blessing. I would agree. We have been greatly blessed!

Wow, was he ever cute! He was the fattest of my babies, and continued to maintain that status. Look at this head full of hair! Here are a *few* of my favorite pictures over the past 3 years.

I just loved all of his many chins!

He pretty much slept through his first 8 months of life. As a baby, he was so mellow and easy going! I think it was the calm before the storm. : )

Devastated that I didn’t appreciate his artwork.

He climbed out of his crib and explored the Desitin. Have you ever tried to wash that stuff off? It is nearly impossible!

I didn’t feed him a snack quick enough, so he took matters into his own hands.

All boy. LOVES dirt. He goes out of his way to find mud puddles. We were at the park recently, and he wasn’t playing, but looking around. I asked him what he was doing, and he replied, “Mommy, I JUST looking for some water…or some mud!”

The boy loves dirt. The dirtier the better!

Look at him now. 3 years old, as full of spunk as ever. Last night he was begging me to help him find his Superman cape. I was in the middle of fixing dinner, and didn’t want to stop what I was doing. He insisted, and insisted. He clung to my legs, begging “Mommy, help me find my Superman Cape!” Excited that he is finally finding some interest in boy dress-up instead of princess dress-up, I finally dropped what I was doing and helped him look. When we found it, you would have thought I just gave him a puppy, based on his excitement! I asked him if he wanted to go outside, and I am so glad I brought my camera along. Here are his superhero poses. : )

This was his attempt at flying. I asked him what a superhero does, and he said, “Fight and fly.” He tried really hard, made multiple attempts, then concluded, “I can’t fly Mommy.” : (

Happy birthday our little Charmer! I can’t believe how much you have grown in 3 years. We are looking forward to celebrating our own Mr. Incredible.

Posted in Life

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The Things They Say! | Plus, a GREAT baby hair bow deal!

Posted in Kid Humor, Life

I wish I could preview my kids’ thoughts, just before they say exactly what they are thinking. I would really love to know what they are getting ready to say, as a warning to put my hand over their mouth before they say something that will embarrass me themselves. I know that part of being a mom is teaching my kids the polite things to say, and most of the time they do a pretty good job of saying “please”, “thank you”, and “yes maam”. However, the part I have a harder time with is teaching them what NOT to say. I can drill into their mind the cues for saying words of gratification or manners, however, I can’t seem to cover my bases on inappropriate topics of conversation.

We don’t curse in our house, so I have not had to deal with 4 letter words…yet. I am sure they will come home from school one day, having learned a new piece of vocabulary, and I will quickly deal with it. However, specific “off limit” words are easy. It is the situations such as these, that I repeatedly find myself in.

1) At Costco, in October, Lucy spotted a plump, white haired man with a beard. As we were passing, she asked, “Mommy, is that Santa Claus?” I tried to “shhhhh” her until he was out of earshot, but she just got louder, “But Mommy, is that SANTA CLAUS?! I need to know, is that SANTA CLAUS?” It was mildly embarrassing, but nothing beats this next one…

2) At Target, we were in the bathroom washing our hands. A lady walked up to the sink next to us, and began washing her hands. Lucy began staring at her, and then said (very loudly) “Mommy, why is her bottom so very, VERY big?” Yes, she did stress and put emphasis on “very, VERY”. I stood there, frozen, thinking to myself, “She really didn’t say that out loud, did she?!” I could have crawled in the stall. I was HORRIFIED!

Pause the story right there. I would LOVE to know how you would have reacted if your child had just said something so humiliating to another person. I was at a total loss for words. I was not prepared. I didn’t know whether to scold her, make light of the situation, deny her (accurate) claims…I said nothing for what seemed like 10 minutes.

The kind lady replied, “Sweetheart, my bottom is this big because I eat too many cookies and cakes, and not enough carrots and apples.” Bless that woman! I truly hope that she was not scarred by Lu’s words, the way I was.

3) Lucy strikes (again). We were shopping, again. I had all 3 kids with me, and I was trying to maneuver one of those enormous triple seat shopping carts at Walmart. A worker was coming towards us, and kindly tried to scoot her own cart to the side, so that we could pass. As she pushed it to the side, she got too close to the cereal shelf, and wiped out about 3 dozen boxes of cereal. As began to pick them up, Lucy exclaimed to her, very sarcastically, “Sorry ’bout your LUCK!”

I wish I could say that those are my only stories. As I look back on those, it was my spunky little spitfire “Lulu”, making curious comments about someone’s skin color, hair style, way of talking. In her defense, she was not trying to be mean, racist, or judgmental, she was simply making her observations out loud, and without reservation. She has never been one to stop talking, so it is as if she just says whatever is on her mind. Each of these situations have been used as teaching points, but I usually end up kicking myself, wishing that I had already covered that “lesson”, to save some embarrassment.

We have made *some* progress in this area. Recently, we were shopping (I promise, we don’t shop all the time!) and Lucy noticed someone that sparked her attention. She waited until he passed, and said quietly, “Mommy, that man sure did have a long ponytail! But only girls are supposed to wear ponytails, not boys!” She followed it with, “It sure is good that I waited until he was gone to talk about him.” Okay, so maybe teaching a child to talk behind someone’s back is not good either…regardless, I do still consider this progress! That will be a lesson for another day.

Okay, now the fun part. Share your own story in the comment section, of the most embarrassing things that your little one said. I look forward to reading them!

And….since every post needs a picture, I was trying to find one that fits. I found these from my phone camera, from a Costco shopping trip a while back…probably around the time of the Santa Claus comment! One second they are getting along great, everyone is happy, smiling for the camera…

However, Lucy just can’t manage to keep her hands off of the little guy. She has been like this since Day 1, constantly smothering him with hugs and kisses…

He usually takes it for several minutes, without complaint, until he hits his breaking point and shows her “I’ve had enough!” I just love the surprise look on her face!

On a slightly different note…

Moms of baby girls, or anyone with an upcoming baby shower, I have a great deal for you! I am offering a coupon code for $5 off one of my best-selling baby hair bow packs. Four bows for only $10! It is an adorable pack of tiny baby bows, that are made to stay in the slightest bit of peach fuzz. I often have moms rave, saying that my baby clip is the first one that has ever worked on their little one’s fuzz. To prove my point, I am not a hairy person, but I can get these clipped to my tiny arm hairs!

To get your 4-pack for only $10, use the coupon code CarrotTopMom in the coupon code box at checkout. Limit of 1 discounted pack per person, and/or per address. Expires 5/22/2011. Additional packs are $15…still a pretty good deal! I also have a great assortment of baby-toddler-big girl flower clips, no-slip barrettes, and other styles of baby hair bows. (I am not limited to babies, and will offer deals for bigger girls in the near future as well.)

If you have a little one who is stuck in headbands, have a newborn on the way, or a friend with a baby, this is a fabulous way to try out my baby clip, exclusively from Bitty Bows Boutique (my hair accessory company). I will periodically offer Carrot Top Mom exclusive offers, so make sure you subscribe to receive emails, if you would like to be the first to hear about these discounts! Also, I have a Bitty Bows Boutique Facebook Page, where I offer exclusive discounts and updates about new styles.

Well, that is all for today. I will be back in a few days with a new and very simple, tasty, and healthy crockpot recipe! Have a great Thursday!

Posted in Kid Humor, Life Tags: Baby Hair Bows, Bitty Bows Boutique

2 comments

Coconut Cream Cupcake Recipe | My new favorite cupcake!

Posted in Cupcakes, Desserts, Recipes

It has been a long time coming, but finally, here it is…my new favorite cupcake recipe! Yes, this has surpassed carrot cake, and even my red velvet cupcake recipe as my favorite. The simplicity of the coconut cream flavor is incredible. If you enjoy coconut, you simply MUST make these! I promise, they are worth the effort! The reduced coconut milk packs a delicious coconut punch, without being too overwhelming. It also makes them insanely moist. I wanted to share this recipe over a month ago, but I tried a few substitutions for the reduced coconut milk, trying to find a way to simplify it. I finally concluded that they didn’t make the cut, and I was done messing with a good thing. The reduced coconut milk is the key to this recipe. Don’t substitute for it!

NOTE: You will need to plan a bit ahead for these! The amazing coconut flavor comes from a reduced coconut milk, which needs to be made one day ahead, and refrigerated overnight. Plan ahead. : )

Coconut Cream Cupcakes

Yields 18 cupcakes

Ingredients

Cupcakes:
2 cups all purpose flour
2 1/4 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
1 1/3 cups sugar
3 large eggs
1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 cup reduced coconut milk (NOT Reduced Fat. See below), room temperature (TOTAL, begin with 2 14oz cans of coconut milk)

Frosting:
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
8 cups powdered sugar
2/3 cup reduced coconut milk (see above), room temperature
2 Tablespoons vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups unsweetened flaked coconut, (optional, for garnish)

Directions

For reduced coconut milk: Bring 2 cans (14 ounces each) coconut milk to boil in large deep saucepan over medium heat (coconut milk will boil up high in pan). Boil until reduced to 1 2/3 cups, stirring occasionally, 30-45 minutes. Transfer to small bowl. Cover; chill (coconut milk will settle slightly and thicken as it cools). DO THIS AHEAD, allowing to chill overnight: Can be made 2 days ahead. Keep chilled, allowing to come to room temperature when ready for use.
For cupcakes: Position rack in center of oven; preheat to 350°F. Line eighteen muffin tins with paper liners. Whisk flour, baking powder, and salt in medium bowl. Using electric mixer, beat butter in large bowl until smooth. Add sugar; beat on medium-high speed until well blended, about 2 minutes. Add vanilla. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating and scraping sides well after each addition. Add half of flour mixture; mix on low speed just until blended. Do not overblend. Add 1 cup reduced coconut milk; mix just until blended. Add remaining flour mixture; mix on low speed just until blended. Divide batter among muffin cups. Bake cupcakes until tops spring back when gently touched, about 20 minutes. Transfer cupcakes in pans to rack; cool 10 minutes. Carefully remove cupcakes from pans and cool completely on rack.
For Frosting: Cream butter on high for 2 minutes. Add powdered sugar, reduced coconut milk, and vanilla extract. Beat gradually at first, until combined. Beat on high for an additional 2-3 minutes, or until smooth and creamy.
Frost cooled cupcakes. Sprinkle with coconut if desired, for garnish. (They will have plenty of coconut flavor without the garnish!)
Do not refrigerate. As with all my cupcake recipes, the flavors are best at room temperature!

14 comments