Product Review - Fisher-Price Laugh and Learn Puppy and Friends Learning Table

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Fisher-Price Laugh and Learn Puppy and Friends Learning Table

We received this toy as a gift right after the babies were born. To be quite honest, it's one of only a handful of toys that we have that requires batteries. Aside from the Exersaucers and one other toy, we have a household full of wooden or non-electronic toys. YAY US! Wooden toys have their place, and I love them as much as the boys do. But they really love this toy. It sings, beeps, lights up, makes all sorts of loud, obnoxious noises and just generally gets these 20 second-long children's songs stuck in your head.

When we first received it, I considered exchanging it for something that was not electronic. Ain't nobody got time for that though, so I begrudgingly gave in and opened it. It's pretty awesome.

For the first 8 or so weeks, it sat in the closet. But as soon as the boys started to develop their neck muscles and could hold their heads up a bit for tummy time, I collapsed it down on 2 legs so that they were able to see and occasionally touch a few buttons.

A few months old and learning Spanish already!

 Around 5-6 months they were able to use it sitting up...

"MOST EXCITING TOY EVER!" -Oliver

Now, at 8 months, they are just starting to stand and cruise around it to the different areas. Or just stand up and scream at each other because they are so proud of themselves.

Standing is really hard, adult baby work!

Features:

1. ABC's, colors, shapes
2. Spanish mode
3. Musical mode - all of these songs are now engraved into my memory
4. Playtime (computer sounds, piano, just general noises)

A few CONS: 

1. It's loud. Babies are loud. This toy is louder.
2. It comes with a little blue phone (not pictured in my photos, but it is in the photo at the top of this post) but it is not attached to the toy so it's ALWAYS MISSING. 
3. The legs are really hard to take on and off... but you shouldn't have to do that too often. 

This toy would make a great Christmas gift for baby - not necessarily a baby shower gift though as it is not essential and they can't use it for a while. Bonus points if you can find one for cheap at a yard sale on online yard sale!

Need additional Christmas present ideas? Check
out these posts and product reviews!
--- Top 10 Baby Items from a Mom of Twins
--- Munchkin Fresh Food Feeders
---3 Awesome Baby Shower Gift Ideas (or Christmas presents for a new baby!)

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3 Things I Wish I Would Have Done While Pregnant...

First photo together!

 This time last year I was pregnant, knowingly expecting twins, but not yet knowing that they were both boys! Looking back at the past year there are a few things I wish I would have done and/or done better. IF I were to re-do this whole preggy thing again, these will be on the top of my to-do list so I don't miss out on the memories... again!

3 things I wish I would have done while pregnant...

1. Kept a log/scrapbook/journal - anything! Something I could have kept ultrasound photos in with dates and estimated weights of the babies. Something to log dates of when I first felt them move, our anatomy scan or even when and how we announced our pregnancy to our family and friends. Sure, Facebook has done an okay job keeping track of some of that but I actually kept most of my pregnancy off of social media - photos of my baby bump are carefully stashed away, for the most part!

Andy kept a mental log of my complaints and pregnancy symptoms - just to use against me in the future, I'm sure, but a year later I can barely remember some things. I will never forget the acid reflux though. I actually thought I was dying the first time I got it - Christmas Eve to be exact. That will forever be burned into my memory! I would definitely recommend keeping a journal - if only as a reminder of how miserable you were!

Almost 2 weeks old and swimming in newborn clothing!

2. Purchased a handful of preemie outfits. Yeah, this one never even crossed my mind with the twins. I knew the chances were pretty high that they would be at least a little premature but I was convinced that I was going to carry them to term (still convinced that I COULD have if I wouldn't have had to be induced!) and that they would go straight into newborn sized clothing. Well, they were a little early and a little small and looked more than a little ridiculous in newborn sized clothing.

Even if I would have had just an outfit or two for each of them so they could be in well-fitting clothing for photos, that would have been a step up. I had months to prepare and I forgot to get them clothing! First time mommy problems.

6 months pregnant...

3. Taken one final belly picture. I have very few pictures of my pregnant self, by choice. I have maybe 2 or 3 made public to the world, a few from my baby shower and a small stash of other ones hidden away on my husband's computer where no one can find them. Not because I am self-conscious. Not because I hated being pregnant. Just because I'm a fairly private person and I did not want my pregnant self posted all over the internet for everyone to see and judge.

I do wish I would have remembered to take one last picture on the day I was induced, when I was at my largest. Not for Facebook. Just for me.

Do you have anything you really wish you would have done? Anything you're definitely doing for next time (ha... next time!)???

Daily Schedule for Twins at 7 1/2 Months

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These babies are MOBILE! They roll, scoot, crawl, climb and they can ALMOST stand on their own. I have been busy, busy, busy these past few weeks supervising them nearly constantly and teaching them all sorts of new tricks and skills. I have learned over the last few weeks that baby-proofing is not a once-and-done thing. It is constantly evolving and I baby-proof on an almost hourly basis depending on where the boys are and what they can now get into!

Love me some happy morning babies!

Daily schedule for twins at 7 1/2 months:

7 a.m. - Wake up! Play time in their nursery and read a book.

8 a.m. - Breakfast bottle and then head downstairs for playtime. They can go between their Exersaucers and playpen (a.k.a. environmental enrichment area) and I do keep the TV on for background noise. We watch "educational" shows such as The Crocodile Hunter and Doc McStuffins --- that show is adorable!!!

9:30 a.m. - First nap of the day. We are currently transitioning to a 2-nap schedule instead of the 3-nap schedule since they are almost 8 months old.

11 a.m. - Lunch! This consists of 3-4 ounces of fruits, veggies, oatmeal - whatever homemade and delicious baby food I have created. Today's menu is a a gourmet pea puree (Steamed peas, oatmeal, dried thyme, Parmesan cheese, small amount of salt and butter) and they love it! Oliver actually growled at me while he was eating because I wasn't feeding him fast enough.

Can you guess what educational/historical movie is playing?

11:30 a.m.  - Bottle #2 and playtime

1 p.m.  - Nap #2. Our goal is to make this the longest nap of the day... so far it's hit or miss. On the good days this will be the final nap but on the bad days we will need to squeeze in a 3rd nap.

2:30 p.m. - Bottle #3. Then we practice sitting in the high chairs and using sippy cups and eating Cheerios. We've been working on this for about a month now and they can finally get the Cheerios into their mouths ...sometimes! Junior and Bubsy camp out under the highchairs for scraps.

4 p.m. - Nap #3 - no longer than 45 minutes at best. They need to be up by 5 p.m. for when Daaaa gets home from work and so we can eat dinner together.

5 p.m. - Bottle #4 and frozen berries/bananas in the mesh feeders. The boys sit in their high chairs with us and we have a family dinner. Every night that we're all home together. Good habits start early!

6:30 p.m. -  Solids meal #2 followed by "dessert." I'm a big fan of dessert as you know. They get a few spoonfuls of plain Greek yogurt with pumpkin pie spice/cinnamon/fruit puree.

6:45 p.m. - Start bedtime routine. Play upstairs in their room, bath time, clean diapers and clothes, sleeping bags and bottle #5. Everyone is in their cribs and asleep by 7:30! 

Christmas shopping with these adult babies!

Some skills we are working on:
-Waving hello and goodbye
-GO CRAZY (thanks to Grandma Teenie)
-Standing/walking/couch surfing
-Pulling up on everything
-Sippy cups, Cheerios and other finger foods
-Exploring the house
-Opening and closing drawers
-Banging on things, clapping, generally learning to make noise and manipulate their little bodies and toys
-Going out in public in their big boy stroller (not the infant car seats anymore!)
-New adult baby car seats!
-Petting the "kihkitties" nicely!

Things we haven't quite gotten to yet:
-Teeth. Not a single tooth
-No mamamama or dadadada... yet!
-Giving kisses/blowing kisses

3 New Parent Myths - Debunked.

You've heard these 3 new parent myths everywhere. You've seen them on TV. Your relatives have said "Good luck functioning on ___ hours of sleep!" You've mentally prepared for this mythical "midnight diaper run" ever since you found out you were pregnant. But I'm here to tell you these are legitimately just myths. I find it strange that nearly everyone told me these 3 things while I was pregnant and shortly after having the boys. But yet not a single one has ever rung true in this household. I could just be lucky. But 3/3 makes it seem more as though been-there-done-that parents are just trying to scare the newbies. But why??? Is this similar to fraternity initiation hype? I'm just straight up confused.



Midnight diaper runs. 

Mythical scenario: You have 2 diaper changing "stations" and a diaper bag in your house, minimum. SOMEHOW in the CRAZINESS of being a new parent, you run out of diapers. In every spot in the house. And it's the middle of the night. Supposedly this is when Dad runs to the store in his pajamas to pick up the only pack of diapers left on the shelf - and it's the wrong size. Insert disaster of some sort here. 

One of our "Diapy Stations" throughout our house

More likely scenario: You realize you are down to your last BOX of diapers. You add it to your shopping list. You text your husband to get some on the way home from work. It's Sunday and you feel like going to Target anyway, even though that box of diapers will last you through the week. Who doesn't feel like getting out of the house to go to Target? [Hi, I'm Nikkie and I have an addiction to shopping at Target. I've been clean for... 3 days? If we don't count window shopping online. Then we're at about... 27 minutes.]

Most likely scenario: You have a stash or closet full of boxes of diapers (guilty) and when your babies are close to outgrowing one size, you still have 2 more boxes of that size to scramble to get through. It'll be a tight fit for a week or 2 until you can break open that new box of size 3's, but you'll do it! What the fudgenuggets is a midnight diaper run???

You will never have time to shower. Ever. EVER. 

Mythical scenario: It's the one you've seen on TV over and over again. New mom, hair a mess, spit up on clothing, maybe some poop, too? Mom breaks down crying when family member drops by because they are SO disgusting and haven't showered for a week. You know how that one goes.

More likely scenario: The longest you may go without showering is 2-3 days and that is while you are in labor/shortly after labor when you don't (or can't physically) get up due to pain. I skipped one shower while in the hospital because I couldn't stand up without support. That's it. I have successfully showered every day since and I am very proud of it. Your baby naps, right? Your baby can play by himself and/or entertain himself in a Pack N Play or Exersaucer for 5 minutes, right? You have no excuse!

"Baby jail" is a baby-proofed, secure place for these hooligans

Most likely scenario: You'll take a shower every morning - but it'll be a quickie-5-minutes-or-less shower during the week and a "luxurious" 10 minute shower complete with shaving your legs on the weekends when hubby is home to keep track of the boys. You may still forget to brush your teeth though. And make-up most likely won't happen.

Say good-bye to sleep.

Mythical scenario: You are a zombie. You have not slept since baby was born 9 months ago. The second baby closes his eyes and you tip-toe out of the nursery and crash on your bed, baby is awake again. I repeat: you.have.not.slept.in.months.

More likely scenario: The first few months will be rough. You'll sleep in small increments. 1 1/2 - 3 hour spurts. But you get to go to bed when baby goes to bed (ideal bed time is 7 p.m.!) If you do stay up past that time, use it to do some research on sleep coaching/training/learning and put it to use once your baby is old enough, about 4 months old.

All babies sleep eventually!

Most likely scenario: It'll be hit or miss after the first few months. Baby may sleep through the night occasionally. Sometimes. Maybe never - but once or twice a night feedings don't last forever. I cannot stress healthy sleep habits for babies enough! It has helped me keep my sanity (and sleep) and can do the same for yours. You don't need to pat baby's butt for 35 minutes to get him to sleep each time (and he gets up 5-10 times a night, of course) he wakes up. That's just not healthy for anyone.

What have your family members and friends scared you with while you were pregnant? Have you actually been one of those people who did make a midnight diaper run? Or do you prefer to be the person who hasn't showered in a week?