Tuesday Q: Favorite Apps



What apps do you use?  Do you use your phone to distract your kids while shopping or keep them happy in a restaurant?  Do you have a favorite parenting app to track feedings?

We want to know:  Which apps are your favorites for parenting?

Tuesday Q: Spring Party

I really enjoyed chatting with members I'd never met before (or met briefly at past events) and checking in with good friends I've made through the years while on the board.

What was your favorite part of our Spring Party at Out of this World?

Tuesday Q: Three things I wish I had known {before babies}

1)  More expensive doesn’t always mean better.  IKEA high chairs are fabric-free, so there are no crevices where food can get stuck.  In fact, food can sit on the chairs overnight and still wipe clean easily (or be hosed off, if necessary), and they’re only $25.  
 

Available in these colors now!

2)  Communication is essential – with your spouse/partner, doulas, family, and everyone else who wants to help.  No one can read your mind, and if you try to do it all, you’ll be too exhausted and frustrated to be a good parent, spouse, or employee.  

3)  Transitions are hard.  Swaddle to no swaddle.  Bottle to sippy/straw cup.  Cribs to toddler beds.  Every horrible growing pain never seemed like it would end, but it did, and life got back to a new normal.  Asking other parents for advice can really help, so take advantage of friends and online forums.

Liane B.
FHM Co-President 

What 3 things do you wish you had known before having babies?

Tuesday Q: Outdoor playgrounds for little ones?

There's a park somewhat near our house with a fence around the playground where I used to take the twins and my older son to play when they were almost two and four.  I loved taking them to that park even more than the ones right near our house since there was only one gate they could actually open, which I, of course, still had to keep an eye on!  Little escape artists. Without a doubt, while pushing one in the swing the other would try to escape!  It was the only park in the immediate area where I could somewhat relax (as if parents of multiples EVER truly relax at the park) while they played.  (Hard to see #4 in the picture, but my husband is entertaining four just turned 3 year olds while the big brothers are in swim lessons at this park.)

I still worry about the twins wandering off, but they tend to stick together now, not like when they were two and literally RAN in two different directions!  Finding "safer" parks to play at was such a big deal a few years ago.

So, where do you take your young children to play outdoors?  The warmer, drier weather is coming.  I just know it is!  (Parents of older kids, please give tips to the parents of one and two year olds on where to go! :)  Parks with fences, limited openings, etc.

Tuesday Q & Forum Chat: Mini Van Recommendations?

 Member forum post::

 

We need to upgrade to something bigger for our family! We want to buy something that accommodates 7-8 people. I am looking for recommendations for this search. What do you have and are there features you really love with your mini van?

 

 

Power doors are a must! I love that I can have the van open and ready for us before we even get to it!

Add power tailgate to that too. I am so bummed when I drive my husband's pilot and I have to put the tailgate down myself. I am spoiled now. It is nice when you are getting a stroller in and out of the back all the time.

I don't know if everyone would agree, but the one thing I would kill for my minivan to have is the 3 seat option across the middle (so I don't have to put anyone all the way in the back - so the 8 passenger vs 7), but if you only have 2 carseats that may not be as important to you...good luck minivan shopping...as much as I dreaded having to get a minivan, I have to admit that I really love it!

We just got the 2011 Honda Odyssey & are expecting twins in a few weeks (and have a 2.5 year old). We love it!! The new 2011 Odyssey is the only mini van that allows three car seats in the middle row, so no one has to climb in the back (if that is important to you...it was our biggest selling point!). I also second the auto doors & tailgate. We decided to go with the upgraded version to get leather seats, which are much easier to clean. Already our 2.5 year old has made this worthwhile! Another nice thing about the Odyssey is that the entire back row folds up into the floor, so you can have a flat back area for a stroller and lots of other "necessities" if you don't use the seats. I think other mini vans probably do this too, but can't remember all the details when we were shopping. You can also fold 60% or 40% of the back row down if you need a seat or two, but want a little extra space for cargo. We also thought the Sienna was very nice & had almost all the same features, but just couldn't accommodate three car seats in the middle row safely, so we'd have to crawl in the back to buckle in small children (ugg!). Hope this helps...I sound like a car salesman:)

I love our Touring Honda Odyssey for it's function. I will fully admit I'd love to have something sleek and sporty and maybe one day, we'll get a fast sporty two seater to satisfy that need, but the mini van is pretty functional. The power doors on the sides and rear are a must, I love the back up camera, leather seats are amazingly easy to clean mess off of, tons of cargo space, 24 cup holders!, DVD and Nav system, 6 disc cd changer for hours of children's music, it has the works! It has made traveling a breeze for us. One thing I liked about the Honda was that it seemed like it tried to be sportier than the other mini vans. I could almost pretend that I was driving my MDX when we traded that in. Hope that helps!

LOVE the Honda Odyssey. We have 4 Britax marathons in it and it's still roomy. Huge trunk too. And make sure you get the automatic doors, a must have!

We recently got a 2007 Honda Odyssey (finding used with low mileage and excellent condition not easy, though!!) and we love it! I agree with other posters...Power-sliding doors are a MUST with the kiddos !! I also love the built in sunshades, the heated seats and the fact that I can wipe the leather off easily. Several seat configurations for the middle row which I love.


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From me:  I find it very interesting that not one Toyota Sienna recommendation popped up (so far).  We have an Odyssey, too.  And we're on the lookout for another.  Yep, that's right.  We're going to become a two mini van family if we can find a used one for the right price.  Transporting three kiddos in a Honda Accord just isn't realistic.  The only feature we have from above are the remote sliding doors which are AWESOME.  

Even though the Sienna wasn't mentioned above, I feel this video appropriate to view, especially for us Mommies looking for a little "Me" time:      Mommy Like Swagger Wagon

And just maybe this is why my husband is good with another mini van #2:   Honda Odyssey Commercial

Tuesday Q

I'll keep it simple and sweet- especially if you're DONE like me! :)

How many items did you input & tag for the resale?
How late did you, or do you plan, to stay up tagging?

Me- 300 (29 of which are Little People playsets-shameless plug-come buy them!)
Tagged ALL day Sunday from 10 AM to 10:30ish PM.  It caught up with me yesterday with a migraine, but it's all good and I'm DONE now!  Yipee!

Bins filled with tagged toys in my garage!

Tuesday Q

This A to Z zoo set will be at the sale!

Consignors and Buyers, what are you selling at the FHM Resale or what are you hoping to buy?

This even looks like my parent's kitchen counter!

I'm selling 24 sets of Fisher Price Little People toys (newer versions only).  I had no idea we had accumulated so many over the years!  And these particular toys are extremely hard for me to part with since they bring back many warm memories. I'm reminded of my childhood and fun times playing Little People, setting up a town with blocks for all the little wooden & plastic choking hazard people.  (We had this set in the picture. Loved it!)

We'll see you at the sale!

So if the prices seem a little high on those (I did mark them at least 50% off the original price-promise), well, it's because my inner child really wants to keep them, but my adult self (and my husband) tell me we need to part ways.  Plus, the boys aren't really that interested in them anyway.  So sad (for me).  Until we have grandchildren and can buy them the new improved next generation Little People sets, so long, my friends!  I will miss you. 

So, what are you selling at the FHM Resale or what are you hoping to buy?  (Maybe my toys?)

Tuesday Q

I'm sick.  And I'd like to feel better.  Much better.  And when did this hit?  Over Spring Break of course!  Before the illness took over, I managed a one nighter to Salem with the twins while my older son was with his Grandma in Albany.  We called it "Camp Grandma" since he was gone for three nights. I'm looking forward to the day the Grandmas can take all three at once for "Camp Grandma" in Salem and "Camp Grandma" in Albany.  So looking forward to those days.

Where did you go with your multiples over the "break"?  What was their favorite part of the week?

Tuesday Q

Why, oh why couldn't daylight savings start at the beginning of Spring Break, when the kiddos have a week off from school, or their regular schedule, to adjust?  What has been the worst part of daylight savings for you and your family? 

Indoor Play

We practically live at Out of this World Pizza & Play in Hillsboro these days.  Spending long winters in a rainy, cold climate means getting out and about is a must in order to maintain my sanity, and a necessity for the boys in order to burn their seemingly endless supplies of energy. We got the membership just before Christmas break to OOTW and have visited the large indoor play park too many times to remember in the past three months.  Now that the twins are 4 1/2 years old, letting them run around freely is a breeze (for the most part), and my seven year old can't seem to get enough of the bouncy mazes.

When the twins were two and three, we were all about the Tualatin Hills Parks and Rec. play gyms, and we seemed to frequent the McDonald's in our area with the play structure where I could easily watch them run around.  We've loved the Children's Museum as well through the years (see picture).  I've only taken my oldest son to OMSI by myself.  I know the twins love it there (we all went on a weekend-extended adult family members included and very helpful), but I'm thinking that will be a great place to visit when the twins older.

Visit the CM and go home with children that look like this!

Where do you take your twins/triplets to play indoors?  (Please include ages you think the location is perfect for.)
 

Tuesday Q for You

"Oh, wait a minute. Huh. Hmmm. Yep. Looks like there are two (insert larger number if needed) in there."

How did you react when you found out you were having multiples?

Question for all to answer

A FHM friend of mine posted on facebook today:  "I wish people wouldn't ask my twins which one of them is the "evil" twin."  Nice, right?  What's the strangest or worst comment you've received about having multiples?