12.29.10

I recently learned that the Graco Quattro Tour Travel System that I have was recalled. Luckily, Graco will be sending me a repair kit for whatever it is that needs to be replaced on it. I used this exact stroller, for Sean and Mackenzie. I am still using it for Quentin, since the part that needs replacing is for when he's sitting in the stroller once he's out of the baby bucket. I should have the repair kit in my hands way before Quentin ever gets to that stage. I didn't bother getting a new stroller, since I kept mine in pretty good shape (hey, it's not brand new anymore) and I have until April 2012 on the baby bucket (Since they expire 6 years after the stamped date on them). Even though I got the stroller for my baby shower in November of 2006, a month before Sean was born, it was manufactured in April of 2006, so that's the date I have to go by. All car seats, no matter the kind expire after 6 years. Quentin should be in his baby bucket until his 1st birthday (unless he becomes a chunky monkey and I have to put him in a rear facing car seat until his first birthday) which brings me to a few months before the baby bucket I have now, expires. While this review states that "This is probably not a stroller that will last through multiple children, and you likely will not recoup much money by reselling it later on", I actually am on number three with it. While the stroller itself is a tad on the heavy side, (great for your arm muscles when taking it in and out of the trunk) and it's not exactly compact, but that worked for me. For those times I was going somewhere quick or narrow, I just took my Strolee.

Since Quentin's appointment yesterday, I've been worried about the fact that his doc said he has a posterior tongue tie. Mack had a tongue tie too - but in front, and that she corrected right away when he was about 3 weeks old. I have non-stop been thinking about it since we left her office. I think I might call the doctor tomorrow and see if I can just get it done now. She didn't go on about it, since I am not nursing (which it would cause an issue now if I was). It could (but may not - but still could) cause him to have speech development issues later on in life. If he could have speech development issues later on in life - well then, I want it corrected now, so that he doesn't have to go through having his tongue clipped when he's 2-3 years old, and conscious completely of what is going on. Anyone have any insight on this? I had never even heard of this before Mack had it when he was born.

I went into the city today to a woman's house to pick up her Fisher Price Swing, which was an even older model than mine is. (Mine I bought in 2007 when Sean was born (after he was born) and it was a life savor for both Sean & Mackenzie). She was getting rid of it for very inexpensive, and wanted it out of her house. I had a piece missing on mine (a pin to hold one of the legs in place) and went to go look at it to see if I could use it on mine. For the price it was, I took it. I came home to realize that the legs on hers was a tad longer than mine, so that wouldn't work. Then I thought about maybe taking out the pin to put in mine, as it was the identical pin. When I went to go look inside the tube of hers, to see how I could get the pin out... I realize that the pin is like a clothes pin. When you push the pin in to snap the leg in place, it goes into the leg, but then it pops back out when it's in place. So the pin sits on a "clothes pin" style contraption. (Best way I can describe it). I then realize, that, that is the reason why I never found the missing pin, once it got pushed in on mine. I never heard it rattling around on my swing, Jamie kept telling me to look in the leg, and shake the leg to see where the pin went. Well.. I went and took apart the leg and little did I know, that the pin, was still there, just pushed down a bit in the leg. I found my longest pliers, and managed to pull the pin back into place. I actually fixed my swing. I couldn't believe it. And now, I have an extra swing. I haven't decided what I'll do with it. I'll either set it up in another room, or list it back on Craigslist to sell it. We'll see. Or maybe one of my friends who just had a baby will need one. It was inexpensive compared to what they are selling brand new in stores, so I'll figure something out - and I'm sure I'll be able to get rid of it.

Another thing that needed to be fixed was the mobile in Quentin's room. Each of my kids have broken it once. Sean broke it (by pulling on it when he started to lift himself up), and I had the piece replaced to use it for Mackenzie. Mack then broke it when he learned to pull himself up in his crib. (And when they both broke it, that's when I took it out of the crib). It's seriously one day they're not able to, and then you wake up one morning and they're standing in their crib. I finally got the piece replaced and have a working mobile in the nursery. I love my mobile. (You can see it here and closer up here in Sean's first bedroom ever - our first nursery in our old duplex).

Today was all about fixing things and replacing things, and finding things as well. One thing I cannot find, is a bottle cap for one of Quentin's bottles. I have no idea where it is, or why we can't find it. I have checked all the rooms that I feed him in, and even had a search party for it. Our cleaning lady is coming soon, so I will have her keep an eye open for it. I don't understand where it went. I always keep the cap with the bottle, and put it back on the bottle when he's done drinking. I hope it's not gone. But just in case, I called up the company and they're actually sending me out a replacement cap and even some bonus coupons for money off future purchases. How nice of them. It always pays to call customer service. I even took off the mattress and box spring off our bed to see if maybe by any chance it was under the bed, and though I didn't find the bottle cap, I did find a million other toys under there, hockey cards, and a lot of dust and cat hair. I vacuumed up and put the bed back together. I swear, it was almost as if I was nesting without being pregnant.

Tonight, Mackenzie went to bed with his hat on. Silly kid.
A few weeks ago it was his sneakers and tonight his hat.
I wonder what will be next.
(And yes, those are He-Man, Master of the Universe bed sheets circa the 1980's!)