Step 2 Neighborhood Fun Center Playhouse Giveaway

• J. Leigh Designz is giving away a Fun Center Playhouse from Step 2.
• It looks like so much fun.
• I want to get in and play!

Purgood Organics Giveaway

• One Jolly Mom reader will win her choice of either the Purgood Organics Baby Wash & Shampoo or the Lotion!
• My kids have always had skin issues, so I'm careful about what I put on them. Mica's grown out of his issues, but Isaak still gets patches of baby eczema every once in awhile and has what I call chicken skin on his arms and legs.
• Part of what triggered my kids bad skin is after Mica had his staph infection at 7 months, and Isaak had meningitis at two month. All those harmful antibiotics were not good on their little systems. When I gave them probiotics, this helped clear their systems. Once their skin would clear up, they'd have another break out. I'm very careful when it comes to their skin.
• Purgood Organics is made of all natural ingredients, which is important to me.

Art Easel Giveaway

• Jolly Mom is giving away an Art Easel by Melissa and Doug from the company Gummy Lump.
• I love Melissa and Doug products and the company Gummy Lump. They have a great selection of toys!

In Regards to My Last Two Posts

• The preschool director emailed me back.
• She said that they do not have kids graduate twice. Mainly because they give out a Bible when they graduate. If he walked twice, people would wonder why he's not getting a Bible.
• I think if he had a robe and a hat on he'd be fine.
• She said that they could have Mica lead the line to feel important.
• I can't decide if I want him to go, or just to stay home?
• I just think it's awkward for a little kid to be isolated by not getting to do something that a whole bunch of other kids get to do. I'd feel different if it wasn't for rest of his class graduating. I'm not the type of mom that feels my kid should get everything when they don't deserve it. I just don't want someone so young to have that feeling of being really left out. I know what that feels like, and it's not fun.
• Maybe I am making too much of an issue out of it. I very well could be.
• It would help if they just had a little party celebrating them graduating. Instead it's this formal event with robes and hats.
• I'm going to sit Mica down closer to the event...tell him the whole situation, and ask him if he wants to go to see his friends off, or if he wants to go do something special as a family? He'll know about the whole ordeal anyhow because they are practicing songs for it in preschool. His cousin will be talking about it too. It's not like I can hide this event from him. Usually with kids if you just don't talk about something...they don't know what they are missing. He will be seeing some of his friends when he has a birthday party in August.

In Regards to My Last Post

• I was talking to my sister (Aunt Terra). She said to ask the director of the preschool if Mica can go through the graduation ceremony. He did go through their full two year program after all. He started preschool when he had just turned 3. He'll be leaving preschool when he's 5, and about to turn 6 next year.
• I went ahead and emailed the director about my concerns.
• I'll let her make the call.

What to Do With a Preschooler?

• So...after conferences this week it dawned on me when I talked to Aunt Terra...Everyone in Mica's preschool is graduating, but him. Terra asked me if they were going to let Mica graduate with them anyhow? I didn't even think to ask about that.
• I didn't really think about how that will make him feel. The more I think about it, the more I feel for him. It bothers me that it might bother him. Maybe he won't feel anything. He might just understand.
• It wouldn't be a big deal, if they didn't make it a big deal. They have the kids wear graduation hats, robes, walk down the isle, you know the works. A little crazy for a preschool as far as I'm concerned, they go overboard. But...this is the norm now a days.
• What do I do?
• Do I ask if he can wear a hat and robe anyhow? After all...he did complete their two year program. He's not graduating though. That's kind of like giving a kid an award when they didn't earn one. It annoys me that kids get awards now a days for doing nothing at all. Here's your, "I tried award". Then they expect something for nothing all the time.
• Do I not say anything to the preschool, and just talk to Mica about it? After all the world is never fair, and maybe he just needs to understand that at an early age.
• Do we just not go to the ceremony? After all we are busy people. I know I'm using an excuse! But...I do want him to be able to see his friends for the last time, and his cousin will be graduating.
• I wish I would of just had him two or three months earlier, then he could go on to kindergarten like everyone else in his class.
• It's crazy how something like this can occupy my mind. It's a real problem in my mind, and to someone else it would be no big deal. It is no big deal, but it's a HUGE deal to a little kid to have all their friends get to wear special hat's and robe's, but not him.

April Fools!

• I'm kind of disappointed I'm not teaching today, it's my planning day.
• Usually on April Fool's Day I give the students a really hard fake assignment. I have a handout, and everything. Many of them buy it. In the past I heard complaining. I try my BEST to keep a straight face. I proceed to talk about, "When I was in school I had to write 10 page papers..."
• Then someone catches on. April Fools!
• I talked to the teacher that's in first year today, he's giving the student's an Art History quiz that's supposed to take all morning long. It too is an April Fools joke. I high fived him.
• Daddy greeted our Brother-in-Law Tyson at the door this morning. Daddy said, "What are you doing here? Didn't Terra (Aunt Terra) tell you that Cindy and Red (Grandma and Grandpa Spiehs) are getting the boys today? We both have the day off and have plans all day long."
• Tyson bought it. He started walking his two kids back to the car. He said, "Either Terra didn't tell me, or I just didn't listen." Then Daddy said, "April Fools!"

Shorts, T-Shirt and Boots

• Well...it's that time of year where kids wear shorts and a t-shirt.
• Mica wanted to put sandals on this morning. He was so excited about his outfit. Daddy cut his hair on the sides and back last night, so he is a cute looking kid!
• Mica was showing Isaak his sandals.
• Then I got Isaak dressed. I put shorts, a t-shirt and his magic boots on. He too got a hair cut two nights ago. It's more like a bowl cut for now. His hair looks really cute! Not that he was ugly before.
• All summer long Isaak will be wearing his boots that look like they are on the wrong feet with his shorts. Poor kid! His feet are hot and sweaty when when I took his boots off the last few nights.
• What will be even a more funny site is when Isaak is running around with his underwear and boots on for potty training!

I'm a Medela Mom Maven

• I'm a Medela Mom Maven.
• Medela is a company that has been driven by the importance of breastfeeding and its health benefits to children and women for nearly half a century. As a result, Medela has created a group of breastfeeding ambassadors to share knowledge about the many benefits of breastfeeding, as well as breastfeeding advice, with other moms and moms-to-be. My experience and support could have a significant impact on women and their babies.

• As a Medela Mom Maven I’ll have:

• A Chance to make a difference by teaching other moms about the benefits of breastfeeding.
• A First Look at new Medela products.
• A Voice to express my opinion to Medela.
• So far I've expressed my opinion to Medela, filled out informational surveys and emailed problems I had with breastfeeding and the benefits of different stages when it came to breastfeeding.
• Breastfeeding is hard to start and finish. It's both challenging and nurturing.

Playing House

• I had a lot of fun watching Isaak play in the nursery at Mica's preschool tonight.
• We watched the 4 boy's (our 2 and my sister's 2) while they were in conferences for Evan (my nephew). Then they took over while we into conferences for Mica.
• Isaak played house.

• Isaak found his babies. Who ever said that dolls are only for girls? Isaak loves them!
• He likes to rock them, throw them on the floor and pick them back up once again.