Do I use my software?

OK, so I'm sure you are wondering: Do I use my own software?

The answer is a resounding "YES." I did not use it a lot for the past couple of months but here is how I am currently finding it very useful...

My daughter Rhiannon is 4. She has been a great napper but has had trouble going to sleep at 8:30 pm a few months now and she awakes between 6:15 and 7:00 am.

My son Dasher is 2. He has the same bedtime but is more inclined to awaken around 6:00 am and then I really have to keep him going until a 1 pm naptime.

Seemed like a lot of work for 2 kids that I didn't really feel were getting adequate sleep, so I decided to try an experiment. I am currently being leniently with Rhiannon and not forcing her to nap. On the Activity Tracking Software (ATS), I am finding it useful to track if and when she naps, her bedtime, and her overall mood. For Dasher, I have moved his naptime one hour earlier to 12 pm. I am tracking his daily nap and bedtime. Bedtime is earlier, lights are out by 8:00 pm.

Observation from one week: Both children are falling asleep much more quickly at bedtime. Rhiannon gets really cranky if she misses her nap 2 days in a row. Dasher is going to sleep quickly with his earlier naptime (and Rhiannon, also, on the days she naps) and his nap seems to be increasing from 2 to 3 hours (interested in seeing if this trend continues). They are also both sleeping until about 7:00 am.

Granted, this is only one week of observation but it's fantastic to have a quick visual view of the situation on my computer and to not second guess what I remember from the day before (I walked out of the grocery store without my groceries the other day...again. At least I didn't drive all the way home this time!) By looking at the data I input into the ATS, I can immediately see that my experiment seems to be having a positive effect. My children are falling asleep faster, they are sleeping longer, and they seem to be more rested in general. Nice!

Once I get into the groove with the new sleep schedule, I am going to begin tracking our attempts at potty training Dasher which, to date, have been sporadic at best...

ABC Kid's Expo--see you there!

My Baby's Day just got pulled off the waiting list for the ABC Kid's Expo in Las Vegas in September. Yeah!

We will be there at a mini-booth. I will publish more as I find out more specifics about our booth location.

Another sleep dep mom...

Saw a friend at the grocery store today. She got out of her min-van, took her 2 yr old, and went into the store. What did she forget? To close her mini-van door....!

Coping mechanisms....

Excited about the launch of our software. Everthing went about as crazy as expected...still married although I almost drove my husband nuts!



Just wondering. When I am at my most exhausted, I absolutely CRAVE Coca-Cola and store bought choc. chip cookie dough. Nothing nutrional about it. It just tastes darn good, gives me lots of energy, and keeps me in a somewhat good mood. The good news is that these cravings only come 1-2 times a year and only last about a week so I haven't had to "move up" in my wardrobe.

Curious about other Mom's "coping mechanisms..."

Another great product...

(Sorry, Whitney, but I just found your business card!)

I was remiss in not mentioning in an earlier blog www.squeeze-free.com, a juice box holder created by Mom named Whitney Trulove-Cranor of Kid Pro Co out in Colorado. It's a great product and she's a super personality. I met her at the JPMA Trade Show and she was kind enough to answer several of my questions about being a Mom inventor. She impressed a lot of people and made some great sales.

For any other Mom inventors, try www.MomInventors.com. The book and website are great resources.

First attempt at thoughts about sleep dep

It's interesting to me that millions of dollars and hours have been spent trying to find the root cause of global warming. And who knows how many hours Congress spent debating whether sleep deprivation is a form of tortue, yet no one seems to have an answer for why my 1 and 4 year old children can't stay in their beds all night.

Granted, children are humans and each one is a galaxy of personality unto themselves. I've read several books that try to help but the answers are as varied as the children themselves. I saw a cover story in Newsweek just over 2 years ago about sleep deprivation and moms. "Yeah!" I thought. "Finally someone cares enough to create some public awareness about why so many mothers often cannot remember their own name!" I was humored to see that the author attributed the mom's fatigue to sleep apnea. Oh well.

It's not that there is a solution necessarily. Being a mom is a real challenge and going days, weeks, or occaisionally months without a complete REM cycle really affects my brain. I'm not alone. I've talked to many moms in the course of building my software. The best way to get a mom to open up is to ask her if her kids sleep at night. I've heard some incredible stories.

As with many things in my life, I will have to sum up my thoughts later as my 1 year old son needs my full and undivided attention or I will have shaving cream in every room of the house...

Major Doug Zembiec, USMC

Just a few thoughts while fresh in my mind...

I had the pleasure of being an acquaintance of Major Doug Zembiec USMC, who was killed on May 11th, 2007 in support of operations in Iraq.

I wish I could say I was a close friend but I am honored to say that I had classes with Doug in college and on occasion crossed paths with him while serving as a US Marine. He was one of those people--everyone has someone like this in their lives--that I would run into completely unexpectedly and he would remember the last conversation we had...and, strangely enough, I always knew I'd run into him again.

I last saw him a few years ago. Doug and a friend were coming out of a movie theater in Maine at the exact same time as me--the odds of this occurring are beyond calculation. He was stationed in NC and was in Maine only briefly to attend some intense training at a school that was under the charge of my husband at the time. Unfortunately I found out later that the phone system was having problems and he never received the invitations to join my husband and me for dinner.

There is a lot I could say about how much I admired his "sense of living and being" and my respect for his accomplishments both personally and professionally, but his life's philosophy is best summed up by a quote from the funeral service bulletin:

"I would rather be ashes than dust!
I would rather
that my spark should burn out in a brilliant blaze
than it should be stifled by dry rot.
I would rather be a super meteor,
every atom of me in magnificent glow,
than a sleepy and permanent planet.
The proper function of man is to live, not to exist.
I shall not waste my days in trying to prolong them
I shall use my time."

Jack London 1876 - 1916


No matter your calling in life, be a meteor and live, truly live...

To his parents, brother, wife and young daughter, Semper Fi and my deepest sympathies.

JPMA Trade Show

Just returned from the JPMA (Juvenile Product Manufacturers Association) Trade Show in Orlando last week. Some of my favorite products (and good people):

www.zoobiegear.com a stuffed animal, pillow, and blanket all in one CUTE!
www.kidco.com used the KidCo grinder with my infant HIGHLY RECOMMEND
www.myroyalheinie.com great diaper tote with built-in wipes dispenser
www.glamourmom.com great tanks for nursing incognito and looking good at the same time
www.bebesounds.com various products incl. good monitors, both audible and visual
www.trunki.net Travel a lot? Gotta get your kids one of these! Carry, pack, ride!
www.reliadose.com Trouble with medication dosing? This item is truly inventive.
www.penobscotbayporchswings.com Want to feel like you are vacationing in New England?
www.bumgenius.com Perfect for those who prefer cloth diapers
www.babygenius.com Music and videos
www.frubishades.com A must-have for protecting your child's eyes from the sun

Really enjoyed the show and seeing a lot of new products. Looking forward to the ABC Kid's Show in Las Vegas in September. Will keep my eyes out for the "latest and greatest" and will post my favorites.