My new mission- use as many coupons as I can!

Back in the day.....when I had one child....coupon clipping and more importantly using was easy. My baby girl was such a good little shopper. She was quiet and Mom could concentrate on what she needed. I would save so much money with coupons. One time I saved $80 at the grocery store~and the bill prior to the coupons was only about $120. It was so much fun and Mike would always be so amazed at my bargain shopping skills.

Well...2 more children added to the mix....coupon shopping isn't so easy. Anyone that knows me and my family knows that Mike usually works all the time. That leaves me to do everything- with all 3 kids in tow. And Mikey- my 3 year old who at one time had a speech delay- is now making up for it and NEVER shuts his mouth. While I am overjoyed that my little man is talking- especially because the thought he had aparaxia and would NEVER speak- it makes it REALLY hard to concentrate. When Mikey isn't talking his head off, Max is jabbering away and so is Delani. I have 3 blabber mouths. So...coupon use became pretty non-existent. I would use a coupon here and there but not to the extent that I had in the past. This all changed when I found this awesome blog. This blogger seriously inspired me. She tells where and how to get the best deals!

Since I have gone back to my coupon addiction- I have bought SmartOnes meals from Target for .40 each- regularly $1.99, a Bella Cucine Rocket Blending Set - regularly $60 for $9.99, Bic mechanical pencils- Staples paid me .50 to buy them- for the two pack it is usually $2.49 each- they were on special for .25 each- I bought 2 and used a buy 2 save $1 coupon, a DKNY sundress from Macy's- regularly $90- I paid $17.80. I am having so much fun doing it!

I must admit...I haven't done all of this coupon shopping with all 3 children in tow by myself. Tonight I went to Target by myself since Grandma has the older two for the night and Maxy Man stayed with Daddy. The blending set and the sundress- Grandma was there. Staples- I was alone with all 3 and they did behave. Maybe because I read them the riot act before entering the store! But I have promised myself that I will get my coupons organized and USE them! Even if I have to take all 3 munchkins with me!

Let's face it...the economy sucks right now...any extra money in the pocket is a bonus! Hopefully I can keep up with this. The only thing I am worried about is stores taking the Internet coupons. When I went to Seabra- the nice little girl behind the register said "I can't take Internet coupons because so many are fake!" Mike thought I was going to kill her- but I just said ok and made a mental note not to go there with coupons! All I have to say is Stop and Shop better take them...if not I will be pissed! I have 2 coupons Buy 1 gallon of milk get a 1/2 gallon of chocolate milk free and 2 free gallon of milk with a $100 purchase! They better take those damn coupons!

The BEST baby product EVER invented!!!

So, today when I was at CVS- I think I found the best baby product EVER INVENTED!! And at a mere $3.99 it was also quite inexpensive. I had seen these things on the internet before~but could never find them at the store. When I was doing my leisurely walk around CVS (since I only had 1 sleeping baby with me) I just about screamed when I saw it! What is this product?? I am sure you are wondering! Well it is this!!!

This thing works so well! And this works for a boy who is 11 months old (with no teeth) and has NEVER used a pacifier! The one problem- it's pink! It was the only color available- and I just couldn't pass it up! Hopefully he will be secure enough in his manhood when he is older to look past this pink raz-berry teether!

Seriously- you have to get this teether! Baby M has refused all other options to soothe his painful gums~ except this!

Baby Love Over Here!!

Max is a lover boy! He loves to give kisses- but only to the ladies! And he doesn't give a quick smooch on the cheek. Max has his own technique.

First he grabs your face or your hair.

Next he zeros in on one of three places. Your mouth, your nose, or your forehead.

Next he pinches with his fingers and goes in for the kill with an open drooly mouth!

And do not think this is a quick process. He holds his kiss for at least 20 seconds and repeats the entire process a few times!

He just loves to give lovins!

Please see the series of steps demonstrated with his big sister Lani.

Getting ready!

Focusing and pinching in order to maintain control!

Making his move!

Sometimes I wonder how he became such a love bug! Is it because we are always loving on him? Is it because he has the best babysitter in the world- who is also his cousin Stefanie? When he sees her he has the look of absolute love in his eyes! Is it because even when Stefanie has something to do, his other favorite cousin (who he also absolutely adores) Nikki gives him all the love that she gives her own children?

I guess it doesn't really matter why or for what reason he is such a lover- we are just lucky that he is!!

Visit to the Pediatric Ophthalmologist

Last Thursday, we made our way over to the Pediatric Ophthalmologist at Rhode Island Hospital- Dr. Yoon. Usually, it is just Mikey that is checked out but that day Max was being checked to see if he needed glasses as well. Little Max had all the tests done- including having his pupils dilated. During the entire thing, Mikey held Max's hand. Mikey felt like such a big shot because he had done it all before! What a great big brother!

We were very happy to hear that everything checked out well with Max's eyes! We just have to go back in 6 months for a re-check!

Next it was Mikey's turn. Initially he wanted to sit on his own, but then he got a little timid so he sat on Mommy's lap! Mikey had all the tests done as well. Dr. Yoon told us that the left eye looked okay- no changes. Dr. Yoon, however, was concerned because Mikey's right eye seemed to be getting worse. The remedy for that was bi-focals and a patch over the good eye for 3 months to make the right eye work harder. As soon as I heard that I thought "Oh my God- how am I going to keep a patch on this kid?" The doctor explained that he only needed to wear his patch 2 hours per day while doing close work. The two hours did not need to be consecutive. That sounded a little better. If this didn't work- he would need surgery. I didn't like the sound of that.

We got the patches from the office. They are super cute! They are called Ortopad for Boys. They have some cute boy designs on them! And only $20 for a box of 50- too bad my insurance didn't cover it! I will upload a picture of him with them on!

Next we were on to the bi-focal lenses. Luckily enough, the doctor had warned that bi-focals may have been in Mikey's future during the last visit- so I made sure that I purchased glasses that would support that type of lens! His glasses are super cute- they are called Mira-Flex and I seriously believe that they are the best glasses for children. Mikey has been wearing Mira-Flex since he was ten months old. He became accustomed to them right away and actually wore them! What is even better is that they are virtually indestructible. The last pair Mikey had lasted for over 2 years! The only problem we had was when Mikey fed a pair to the dogs! There is one thing that sucks- they are not carried at standard places like Target or Sears- so I have to use the optical store at the doctors office- which my insurance company does not cover. So $175 (that is just for the lens! Ouch!) later we have Mikey's bi-focal lenses on order.

So far he is doing well with the patching. We haven't made it to 2 hours yet- but we are slowly building our way there! Hopefully this routine works and he will not need surgery!

I thought I had a chunky guy!

Let me start out by saying that I LOVE chunky babies! I love the cellulite and the fat rolls! Delani was one of those! She was super chunky and I was always getting in trouble with the pediatrician. You are feeding her too much was all I ever heard!

Then came Mikey- my preemie who has always been my tiny guy! A little itty-bitty. With him I got yelled at for him not gaining weight. He needed a high fat diet! I wasn't supposed to feed him "healthy" meals- only the high fat stuff for this kid. I remember reading the "diet" instructions over and over. Chili cheese fries, high fat milkshakes, all fruit with heavy cream??? Were they serious. Long story short-it didn't work- so I stopped it. He is little- but he is healthy!

Now we have Max. He was the smallest at birth but he quickly became a little chunky man! He had the rolls, the cellulite- all that cute stuff that you just want to pinch! And can this boy eat- he loves everything! If he sees food he WANTS IT!! He can eat an entire bag of Gerber Yogurt Melts in a sitting if I would let him. I figured he would surpass Mikey in size within the year! At least that is what I thought until my pediatrician visit this past Saturday. Who would have guessed it- he is the exact same weight as Mikey was at this age. I think I am in for another little guy!