Savvy Toddler Mom

My second niece of the year arrived last night - hurrah!  Baby Grace is adorable.  Congrats to her mom and dad.

And no, I haven’t quite finished her quilt yet, but I’m close!  I’ve got the top completed (that’s the hard part), so now I just need to put it together and bind it.

In my not-sewing hours this week, I wandered into All Tucked In on Bountiful’s Main Street.  What a cute place!  Like The Tutoring Toy Shoppe, this place has a lot of different books — and a few toys, not to mention random shoes and clothing.  It’s a tiny little place down the block from the post office, but worth a look in.  The toot had a great time browsing with me.

Since we are talking about book stores, my all-time favorite is The King’s English on 1500 South and 1500 East in Salt Lake.  LOVE this store.  (That’s a command, not an editorial comment. LOL)  Not just for kids (far from it, actually), The King’s English does have an extensive children’s area.  Staff there know their stuff, too.  I love to ask for recommendations.

They are celebrating their 30th year in business on Monday, September 10th.  Don’t miss the 30% off sale.

Favorite book for a newborn?  This one: … okay, I can’t remember what it’s called now, and since the toot is asleep in the room where it is, it’ll just have to wait.  It’s a must-have, though.

Aren’t you thrilled that I finally made the move to www.savvytoddlermom.com?  I am.  It’s always hard to tell people about my blog when the url is so long, you HAVE to write it down or email it to them.  Not that “savvytoddlermom” is easy to remember either, but at least there isn’t an extra “dot wordpress dot com” in there as well.

Hopefully it will now be easier for all of us.

I have two fun finds to share today — both are places I visited last Friday.  Yes, it’s taken me almost a week to sit down and blog!  

Cookie Cutters
Have you heard of Cookie Cutters hair salon — the hair salon specifically for kids?  If not, I am not surprised.  Until about a month ago, they only had one location in Utah, and that was in Draper.  The fun find I have to share is that they’ve opened a location in Brickyard (across the street to the east, actually) and I took the toot there on Friday.

Cookie Cutters is amazing… it caters to those little people in our lives that hate getting their hair cut!  Each station has a car, plane, motorcycle, firetruck, etc. that the kids get to ride while they get their hair cut.  Each station also has a television and DVD player to play your little mop-head’s movie of choice.  They have a wide selection to choose from.  On top of that, they also have toys and bubbles (!) to distract the kids from what is really going on.  After it’s all said and done, they get a balloon with a cookie cutter attached AND a lollipop.  What is not to like?

I took the toot to Cookie Cutters for his first haircut… and every one after that.  (They have a cute kit for 1st hair cuts — collect a lock of hair, take a photo, etc.)  The toot LOVES it.  After his appointment on Friday, I hauled him out of there while he wailed, “More haircut! More haircut, please, Mommy?!”  He was loving the motorcycle he got to ride… as well as the slide set up in the waiting room.

Cookie Cutters is more expensive than most for a children’s haircut - $12 - but is worth every penny.  I received a coupon in the mail for the Brickyard location (because I was a Draper customer) and my mom gave me another one she received via bulk mail.  They also mail frequent coupons to their existing customers, and if you schedule your next appointment while you are in, they will take $2 off.

Check them out…

Draper Location
1223 East Draper Parkway #B
Draper, Utah 84020
(801) 501-0386

Brickyard Location
1301 East Miller Avenue #4
Salt Lake City, Utah 84106
(801) 466-4643

The Tutoring Toy Shoppe
After the toot’s haircut, I dropped him off at Grandma’s for some “me” time and I went wandering for a bit.  (Always nice to do some mindless wandering…)  My wandering took me to Foothill Village where I discovered The Tutoring Toy Shoppe.  What a fabulous toy store!  Full of unique and different toys, I was delighted to browse for quite a while.  They have a lot of educational toys, wooden train sets, and lots of other toys and games for all ages.  I was impressed by the variety and just the… uniqueness.  I spend a lot of time browsing online and in stores for new and fun things for children and this store STILL managed to surprise me.  I picked up an adorable honey bee tree game similar to Jenga, except you pull out the leaves one at a time until the bees all spill down the tree — so cute!

I spoke with one of the owners for a few minutes — they are an independent store, only one location.  They don’t have a web site yet, but are planning to launch one early next year, after the coming Christmas season.

Definitely worth a look for parents and grandparents:

The Tutoring Toy Shoppe
1400 S. Foothill Blvd.
Salt Lake City, Utah 84108
(801) 581-1060

They are in Foothill Village, just north of the Basket Loft. 

Their slogan is “Toys that Spark Imagination and Growth.”  I would say that summarizes them quite nicely.

I’ve been slammed with work since last week — even over the weekend (grrr…) — so just a few thoughts for today. 

1) Sunscreen.  It’s freakin’ hot already here in Utah (102 degrees on Friday!), and the toot would be lobster-red without his sunscreen every couple of hours.  Always put sunscreen on your kids when they play outside, whether it’s sunny or cloudy.  Apply, then reapply.  The nuisance is definitely worth not having them get skin cancer.

2) Early Book Review. I just started reading “Raising an Emotionally Intelligent Child” by John Gottman.  I’m only 20 or so pages into it, but really, really enjoying it.  Several times today I was able to put Gottman’s theories to the test with positive results.  Recommended by a therapist friend of mine (who said she’s glad Gottman wrote it, because otherwise she would have had to…), it’s all about teaching your children to be comfortable expressing their emotions and having them learn how to cope with emotionally-charged situations.  I’ll let you know my final verdict after I finish reading and some real-world application. 

However, I keep thinking about a childhood experience where my mom and I were shopping for underwear (I think I was seven or eight) and she wouldn’t let me get the kind I wanted.  No explanation, no empathy.  Just “no,” and then got mad at me for being upset about it.  (I think I wanted Strawberry Shortcake or something…)  I’m sure there was a reason: cost, quality, etc., but she didn’t try to explain it.  I just remember her being MEAN because she wouldn’t let me get whatever it was.  A mean mom.

Gottman argues that parents should validate their children’s feelings, let them express them, give them a name (sad, angry, disappointed), and then learn to cope with those feelings and move on.  I wish my mom had put her arm around me and said, “I know you want to get those.  They would be really fun, wouldn’t they?  Unfortunately, [her reason here] and I’m so sorry we can’t.”

It would have made all the difference in the world. 

3) Potty Training.  This is the one I’m the most excited about.  The toot has shown little interest so far in the little potty we placed in “his” bathroom several months ago.  It might as well just be a step stool. 

Some days I’ll get ambitious and ask him if he wants to sit on it.  The answer is usually “no.”  Sometimes he’ll actually do it for a minute to humor me… first, fully clothed, then he would actually let me take his clothes and diaper off.  Lately, we have been asking him before his bath if he wants to sit on it — just to keep it on his radar.  He usually says, “no.”  My pediatrician said not to even bother potty training until he’s three — he’ll just do it when he’s ready, she says. 

Well, tonight I was getting him ready for his bath and asked him if he’d like to sit on the potty.  I nonchalantly added that if he went “tinkle” (the word I have chosen for this bodily function) in the potty, I would give him a car.  He’s really been into doing anything for a Matchbox-sized character from Cars.  Would you believe that the kid sat down and tinkled like a pro?  I couldn’t.  I absolutely could not believe it.  What a big boy!

Unfortunately, I don’t think I can afford to keep up the potty training program with cars as a reward, so I’m going to have to try another tactic pretty quick.  I am just thrilled to know that he “gets it” and can do it on command, if he so chooses.  Wow.

4) Funny words.  I have to share a couple of funny things the toot said to me today:

• When I asked him if we should get him some chocolate milk: “Good idea, Mommy!”
• To a couple of things I said today: “Okie dokie”
• When we were calling SavvyDad on the phone: “I can’t wait!”

What a crack-up.

Back to the salt mines for me… I’d love to know about any potty training stories or tips that anyone has.  It’s a whole new adventure waiting for us, I’m sure.

I was at a Wasatch Online Marketing Association-related lunch on Friday, and of the 8 of us at the table, 6 were men, 2 of which didn’t have children.  But what did we find ourselves talking about?  Signing Time.

The other woman at lunch was my best friend (who still needs a name for this blog!) and she and I started talking about her 1 1/2-year-old son who is right now picking up SO many sign language signs and helping him communicate.  How is he doing it?  Signing Time. 

Signing Time is a series of DVDs/videos designed to help children (and adults) learn sign language in an easy and fun manner.  They are 30 minute programs that focus on a series of words/signs.  The signs are taught by your “hosts,” children and cousins Alex and Leah, and Leah’s mom, Rachel de Azevedo Coleman.  Rachel and her sister Emilie are the brainpower behind the series. 

All of the signs are tied together with delightful songs that Rachel sings and signs the words.

Beneficial to children with or without speech/hearing challenges, we found Signing Time to be a valuable tool when my son was learning to talk.  He could do the sign (or his version of the sign LOL) and say his version of the word… and between those two clues, I could usually figure out what he was trying to say.  SO much better than a frustrated screaming child!  I know that this has made the “terrible twos” easier.

According to their web site, Signing Time is also being broadcast on public television now.  For Salt Lake, it looks like it’s on KUEN (channel 9) Mondays at 12:30pm and 3:30pm.

I am still smiling about the men at our table on Friday… these are great dads who are more involved with their children’s upbringing/education/nurturing than any generation of men that has gone before.  These guys had not only watched the Signing Time DVDs (some of them ad nauseum), but had opinions about it.  We even talked about the toddler harness/leash (see prior post for more on that) and how difficult twins are.  I hope that trend is here to stay. (Not the difficult twin part, but the awesome dad part.)

Then it was back to the work thing… Speaking of which, I had better get back.  Have a happy Monday!

Every time I have the toot out and about with his adorable (and functional!) toddler harness on, I have SO many people that ask where I got it.  I’m going to say about 3 per hour, actually.

Since I noticed I’ve been getting hits on this blog from searches about the stuffed animal toddler harness, here is the info y’all are looking for: The one I have is the Eddie Bauer Harness Buddy and I’ve seen it at Target and Amazon.com for $9.99.  I’ve seen it as a bear and a dog.  We have the bear.  It has brought hours of SAFE outings at the zoo, etc. where the toot has been able to walk around and enjoy the experience (and get TIRED) without me losing him in a crowd or him running away in his unruly toddler fashion.

To those who disagree… sorry, but I love it.

(And, yes, I know it’s on backwards in this photo.  I wasn’t there when it was put on and I wasn’t going to bother fixing it after the fact.  It still works backwards!)

Quick update on the flood: carpet is dry, but tonight we cut a hole in the drywall to check for mold potential.  Things look good, but I still sprayed with a Clorox/water mix to make sure.  As soon as that’s dry, we’ll get the carpet people in here to replace the pad, reinstall the carpet, and do a good cleaning.  My favorite carpet cleaning company?  Action Cleaning & Restoration (801-395-2822).

For now, though, my family room and office is still inundated with STUFF from the craft room.  I can hardly move!  I did find my list, though… so without further ado…

Here are some of my favorite baby/toddler books:

• The Girlfriend’s Guide to Pregnancy: A must-read for anyone that has ever gone through the experience of having a child.  Meant to be informative and HUMOROUS.  Not to be considered a medical reference.  Very, very funny, though.  Vicki Iovine ROCKS.
• Baby Bargains/Toddler Bargains: Better by FAR than Consumer Reports or any other ratings guide.  These guys know their stuff!  I don’t think I’ve made a big purchase without their advice… and they have tips and info on a wide variety of topics.  Also, if you had a copy of this and are having another baby — be sure to check out the newer versions.  They just came out with edition #7 two weeks ago (4/25/2007).
• Baby 411/Toddler 411: Others by the same authors as above (and a Dr. too).  I told my brother to pick up Toddler 411 — great reference book with bite-sized snippets on everything from nutrition to discipline to illnesses, etc. 
• The Girlfriend’s Guide to Surviving the First Year of Motherhood: Ditto from above.
• The Girlfriend’s Guide to Toddlers: Ditto again.
• The Happiest Toddler on the Block: I just started reading this one and I am already a convert.  I know they have a “baby” version of this book, but I’ve never read it.  If you have an unruly toddler, though, this book will help you learn how to speak “toddlerese” and break down the language barrier.

There are many, many more books I want to share, but I don’t wish to overwhelm.  Another day, another post.

On a side note, on my bedside table on top of The Happiest Toddler on the Block is Love Your Handwriting by Heidi Swapp, scrapbooking queen.  If you are into card making/scrapbooking, check out her blog (check out this book too!).  She posts great info and examples of her pages/projects with TONS of personality.

Since I’m on the prowl for a “big boy bed,” I thought my favorite baby/toddler furniture store deserved a mention.  USA Baby in Taylorsville is my recommended big-ticket item store… and let me tell you why:

• They carry the higher-end versions of the baby and toddler products you find at Babies R Us, Target, and Walmart (why is this good? because I can be a snob and I don’t like to skimp on certain things for my only child)
• They have CRAZY sales - they have “Trimester Sales” four times  (I think?) a year and also one-day sales where they open at 7am (again, from memory) on a Saturday and have screamin’ deals
• They have quality furniture and gear from the best manufacturers in the business
• Their customer service is excellent: employees are helpful and courteous and the one time I had to return something that we had broken accidently, they were amazing… they actually let me return it
• THE BEST REASON: They match competitors’ prices.  Yes, really!  Online competitors too.

So, bottomline: you can get the high-end version of whatever for the best price around.  At USA Baby.

To illustrate how much I love USA Baby, I bought not only my infant and convertible car seats there (two VERY important purchases to me), but also my crib, crib mattress, matching changing table, changing pad, stroller (matches the infant seat), and other random items (nightlight, Baby Bjorn, etc.).  I have given them so much of my money.  (Makes me start to wonder why I am giving them free advertising… hmmm… Oh, yeah! So you guys won’t spend too much getting the stuff YOU want either!)

I think I heard that their next one-day sale is in June… you can call and check for sure, though.  Check out their latest catalog on their web site too.

I need to head over there because I saw that they now carry the ChildSpace line of children’s furniture (along with baby furniture) and I’m in the market for a twin bed and dresser.  Maybe nightstand.  We’ll see.  I’m loving the myHaven collection.  SO cute.  I have no idea on the price range, but I will keep you posted.