Seasons Change

I never realize I've been in the midst of a "stage" until I reach the end of it. We fall into rhythms, comfortable with the daily routine whose variations are represented by blue squares on the calendar. And even those tend to repeat themselves. But then all of the sudden something happens--the birth of a child, friends moving, a new job, the beginning of a school year--and feelings of nostalgia creep up out of nowhere and I long for time to stand still. I don't typically show much sentiment on the outside which is why I wonder if these feelings hit me so hard. Maybe I need to be better at expressing my joy in the little things before they are no longer.

I was walking to the bus stop to pick up the girls after school a few weeks ago and Luke insisted on bringing his umbrella. As you can see, it was a very sunny day. I watched him marching off in front of me, perfectly aware of the routine even at his tender young age and thought about how great this past year has been. I hope I will always remember how excited Luke would get when the girls stepped off the bus. Squeals and hugs all around. Having a child run to you with arms wide open after a day away is the best feeling in the world. And of course, being able to spend one on one time with Luke has been wonderful. I love having a buddy.

Now we're looking forward to another Virginia summer (with a Utah escape in the middle) and I'm going to try to experience it with gratitude because when school starts again in the fall, I'll be longing for lazy summer evenings.

Bring on the next season. Life is good.

The Brother

I like to think Luke chose our family, knowing he'd have two adoring older sisters. Though, at times, I wonder if he has any regrets about that decision.

Well, Hello There! (And a Review)

Hmmm....where to begin here? I have lots to catch up on, but that will have to wait. I'm going to share something with you:

With each of my kids I have had moments while using products where I've thought "If only they'd...". One such product that I never seemed to find just the right fit for was baby baths. We've always lived in limited space, so the thought of having an extra tub for baby that doesn't store anywhere was never appealing. So I tried the baby-sized sponges that supposedly float in the tub. Yuck! They never dry out and are really just nasty. So I resorted to the awkward contorting over the tub, simultaneously cradling baby while trying to wash the many folds. It was never a good experience.

Well, a girl named Katie contacted me to see if I would be a product tester for a baby "tub" she has invented. See, back in the day I used to clean her teeth (I had to fight to get her as a patient...the other hygienists wanted her too...she's that darling). I took one peek at it and thought "she's done it!" She obviously had the same feelings I did about bathing baby...only she did something about it. And it looked awesome! Super light-weight, low profile tub (it shipped in a 1 inch thick box) made out of antibacterial foam that doesn't absorb water (yay!). It's seriously ingenious design (when you see it you'll wonder why you didn't think of it).

Since my "baby" is two, I went ahead and contacted a friend who graciously let me use her as the tester with her little cherub. Her baby is not a newborn, but we went with it anyway and you know what? It's every bit as great as I thought it would be. It fits in the bathroom sink so you can stand comfortably while bathing baby. It hangs up to dry and doesn't absorb water. It unfolds, completely flat so storage is not an issue. Plus, the material it's made of is nice and soft, so you feel good about putting a tiny little baby in there instead of a cold, hard tub.

Brilliant! Absolutely brilliant. Every mother of a newborn needs one of these things. It seems to be super durable, so I would imagine it would last through as many children as you're willing to have. :o)

My pictures and review only give you a glimpse of how cool it is. Check out the Puj Tub for yourself at the new web site exclusively for baby bath tubs! (And yes, the gorgeous blond is Katie).

So, beautiful Katie, thank you for an awesome product moms will love!