Sick Children Make For Tiny Tyrants

Posted on by Mandy


Being taken care of when you’re sick is a wonderful thing. It helps to know that when you can’t do for yourself, someone is there to step in and make sure the house is kept clean, food is prepared for you (and the rest of the healthy ones), and that all you need to worry about it getting your medicine on time and commanding the remote control.

However. HOWEVER. There comes a point in time when you know you’re feeling a little better and could do a little more than what you’ve been doing, but gosh darnit, having people wait on you hand and foot and be at your beck and call is just plain old heaven.

E.B.’s free pass on “milking” his sickness has expired. He can play just fine, climb all over the furniture, etc., but can’t bring me his cup when he wants a refill. Picking up the toys he has littered the house with “makes his arms hurt”, and disrespect is being served up to me everytime he doesn’t want to take a bath, go to bed, etc.

And I? Am done.

And he? Is doing much, much better. And it is time to nip the milking of the sickness in the bud.

Goby Create Your Own Adventure Review & AMEX Card Giveaway

Posted on by Mandy


I’ve found in the past that one of the most frustrating parts of planning a trip online is that there are just too many websites to choose from when gathering information. I recently tested out (successfully!) Goby while planning my son’s birthday trip and I can’t stop singing it’s praises! It was super fast (something busy moms and dads can appreciate), easy, and informative.

Goby (pronounced GO-be) searches more than 300 different categories of “things to do” from zoos and aquariums to playgrounds and children’s museums. Goby poses three questions: What, Where and When. By just answering two of the three questions, you can instantly receive an easy-to-read results page that includes not only detailed information about attractions, activities, locations and events, but also an interactive map and photos from sites like Google and Flickr.

Goby has generously offered a $50 American Express gift card to one lucky Mommy Cracked reader so they can plan a fun day with their family.

TO ENTER:

Visit Goby.com. Search for a perfect adventure! Leave a comment on this blog post telling me what type of adventure you are looking for and what you found.

Deadline to enter is Tuesday, February 9 at 11 PM Central. U.S. Only.

Poop On Croup

Posted on by Mandy

E.B woke up yesterday with a terrible sounding cough. It was like nothing I had ever heard before, and at first, I seriously thought it was our fat male cat Clyde hacking up a hairball. Yes, gross, I know. I can always tell when E.B. doesn’t feel well because he gets really quiet and slows down. This child was asking me to sit on the couch and watch TV with him yesterday. Do you know how often he will sit down and actually watch TV? Unless it’s a movie or cartoon, this rarely happens. And the fact that he was letting me command the remote? It only confirmed what I feared. He was sick.

This morning was more of the same, so we ventured out to our pediatrician who confirmed that E.B. did indeed have croup. He was also blown away with how much progress E.B. had made in speech therapy and couldn’t believe how much E.B. was talking. The talking? He does that in his sleep, too.

So we’ve spent the rest of today indoors and tomorrow E.B. will stay home from school because apparently this is contagious. I can’t tell you how sad he is to know that tomorrow he will be spoiled by the person he loves more than chocolate cake (his great-grandmother…who actually makes him chocolate cakes) and be forced to watch all the cartoons he wants.