Milestones

At 9 months, 1 week, J is:

• Sprouting two bottom teeth
• Sitting up from a lying down position (with help of crib railings)
• Learning to eat food out of the palm of his hand and also chew
• Perhaps experiencing separation anxiety as he WAILS right before each nap and bedtime. It's so hard to listen to because he is so sad :(.

To add to this list from the morning:

• Grunting single "syllables"
• Sometimes grunting double "syllables"
• Waving hello/goodbye

Coupons for Starbucks at your local grocery store

{Print coupons}

Bloom - double $1.99 manufacturer coupons May 1 only

On Sunday, May 1, Bloom is having (what is to me) and unheard of coupon doubling promotion for manufacturer's coupons up to $1.99! The promotion is limited to 20 coupons, with no more than 10 coupons for the same item (coupon policy {here}). I'm tempted to check out this store for the first time.

Double cash back on Ebates for Mother's Day

Shop online for Mother's Day (or yourself!) through Ebates and get double cash back. Use my {referral link} and I could earn a $40 reward. I know what I'm using my Sephora gift card for, which was given to me by my recent bride-sister. Available Sephora codes:

• Code AMSTERDAM for Free Buxom lipstick with $25 purchase
• Code SHRINK for Free Clinique Pore Refining Serum with $25 purchase

Other double cash back stores on Ebates:

• FTD, Teleflora: 20%
• The Body Shop: 10%
• Avon: 6%
• Blue Nile, Macys: 5%
• Kohls: 4%

FREE at Staples

Have you gotten your {FREE Duracell batteries yet} - hopefully your {local store} still has some in stock! While you check if they have batteries, here are some other deals!

• FREE Pentel e-sharp 0.5 mm start set (FREE after Easy Rebate, mail in or online {here}). Limit 1 per household. Exp 4/30/11.
• FREE Scotch pop-up desk grip dispenser (FREE after Easy Rebate, mail in or online {here}). Limit 1 per household. Exp 4/30/11. If you want to reduce your OOP (out of pocket) expense, use this {$1 coupon}.

{Easy Rebates} are different than {Staples Rewards} (which gets the batteries for free) because you receive a check for the rebates.

Below are 50% off deals:

 {Print coupon}

 {Print coupon}

 {Print coupon}

{Print coupon}

Month 9

{Doc} says that sometimes between {6} and 9 months, babies' weight level off or even drop because they are becoming more mobile and thus burning more calories…but not our baby! He's still climbing steadily near the 95th percentile mark. Doc says that's ok because he's tall (also 95th percentile). Nevertheless, Doc gave us the number of the Infants and Toddler's program in Maryland just to make sure J doesn't have any developmental issues that could be hindering him from being able to crawl (see, {he tries}), lift himself into standing position, or grasp small objects at 9 months. I'm trying not to be concerned.

Give it up for Jesus, yo

I originally saw this posted here - I know, a gossip-column like website. The description under the video read:

"This video comes courtesy of an honest-to-goodness Mom email forward: It's a middle-aged lady, Tamara Lowe, doing her trademark 'rap,' which is about cramming as many pop culture proper nouns into one singsongy poem as possible."

I thought the rap was about Jesus, not pop culture...

Happy Easter!

While you get that paper at Staples...

While you get that paper at Staples...buy one (or two) 20-pack of AA or AAA Duracell batteries and get 100% of that back in Staples Rewards (limit 2).

• Earn 10% back in rewards on all ink & toner, case & ream paper and Copy & Print purchases
• Quarterly Statements when you earn at least $10
• Get $2 back in rewards when you recycle ANY ink or toner cartridge — up to 10 per calendar month, per customer.

Since a 20-pack of batteries is going to be over $10, you're automatically going to receive a $10 reward! Buy the batteries with a coupon makes this an even better deal!

Free paper at Staples

Get your free (after easy rebate) ream of HP Multipurpose Paper through tomorrow, Apr 23, at Staples. With this coupon, cashier will print an extra receipt for your easy rebate. You can submit by mail or online here. Enjoy!

Finger foods

Lately, J's been wanting to grab the food bowl and the food inside. This results in a mushy mesh on his hands, in his lap, and sometimes also in his hair, ears, and nostrils (hehe). I'm kinda glad that this "mushy food" phase is over because then I don't have to run the blender. But carting around softened foods when we travel will mean more things to pack (and forget!). Nevertheless, I am excited that J is so curious. And it never ceases to amaze how "natural" certain behaviors are - from being content to watching us play with his toys to wanting to play with them himself, from sitting to crawling to walking, from being mostly silent to laughing and complaining (not our favorite!).

A great tip from WholesomeBabyFood.com, coat soft foods in ground up Cheerios, graham crackers, wheat germ etc. for easier pick-up. And you know I have plenty of Cheerios to spare, haha!

My deals at Giant

Enfamil powder: best deal online at Amazon for $32.98. Regularly at Giant Food for $34.99, on sale for $31.99. I used a coupon for $2 off, so I got it for $29.99 (10% savings). Would have been a better deal with a $5 coupon, which I see/get for Similac all the time (humph!).

Kraft singles: Regularly at Giant Food for $3.99, on sale 2/$5. I used a coupon for $0.75 off, which was doubled, so I got it for $1.00 (75% savings).

And the best deal...

Cheerios: Regularly at Giant Food for $3.29, on sale 2/$5. I used a coupon for $0.55 off, which was doubled, so I got it for $1.40. But on each box there is a $1.50 coupon for Pampers, which we use, so it's like getting $0.10 back (3% overage)!

Why so sad?

From Totsy.com

Why does the girl in this Scholastic advertisement look so sad? Isn't reading fun?

In related news, join Totsy now (one of many "exclusive" sales sites). Get $10 off your next order of $50 or more (exp 4/22) using the code 10off50.

Kinda love - Coach Madison

From Coach.com

LASER CUT OP ART LEATHER SOPHIA SATCHEL - $498. Price kinda steep too!

Rite Aid deal

 From weekly circular

Reese's Eggs on sale 2/$1

• Watch a short commercial on Rite Aid Video Values website for printable coupon to save $0.50/2. That's getting them for $0.25/ea.

Gain Dish Detergent on sale for $0.89/ea

• Received a $1/1 (any size) in P&G coupon book (can request on every so often here). So that's getting them for FREE plus overage of $0.11 each. Weekly ad says limit 1 offer per household, but I think that refers to the $10 UP+ reward because I bought 2 Gains at $0.89 each.

Total transaction including tax = $0.45. It's the little victories in life that I must enjoy.

$1 off Pampers Thick Care Wipes

Request your $1 coupon Pampers Thick Care Wipes

Our little Van Gogh

N & A

This past weekend, N & A tied the knot. I loved that they served popcorn during the ceremony, since it was held in the movie theatre inside Goggleworks (awesome place, by the way!). After the ceremony, we headed over to an arboretum where we took fun photos - I finally got to jump in one, which I didn't get when I got married :). Both photographers were a blast to work with (see their websites below). There's also a funny/amazing story about a set of lost keys.

The reception was held just upstairs of the theatre in a big, open studio. I loved the little cups that their friend made for the favors - each one was unique in its shape, size, color, and hand-drawn sea creature (apparently, they have a thing for whales, walruses, and puffer fish). There was a photobooth where guests took pictures of themselves.

Instead of cake, N & A ordered luscious pies (I think this is the site). I don't normally like apple pie, but the apple crumble was AMAZING! There was also like 5 other kinds…YUM. During the pie-cutting ceremony, someone got a whipped cream pie in the face…and it wasn't N! Sooo funny!!!!!

CONGRATS YOU TWO!

Photo credits:
Jan Thiessen http://photosbyjan.wordpress.com/
Tania Lezak http://www.tanialezakblog.com/

Rocker

Love this lamb rocker! Rockabye's Lil' Bo Sheep Rocker, available at HauteLook for $65. HauteLook is one of many members-only sites that offer selected discounts on top brands.

Milestone - Rolling over

A week ago, the hubby says, "Lisa, don't freak out when I tell you this but…I went to get J out of bed the other day because he was crying hysterically. I found him at the opposite corner of the bed on his tummy."

I didn't freak out. I know that he would reach this milestone sooner or later. At his 6 month check-up, we told the doc he wasn't turning over yet. We also told her that when we lift J up by the arms (from a lying down position), his head still fell backwards. She told us that he wasn't getting enough tummy time, which will strengthen his upper back and arms which he'll use for turning over and crawling.

I immediately went into OCD mode and put him on his tummy every chance I got. Looking back, it was probably a good idea. But also, the OCD/worrying wasn't necessary because J would turn over when he was ready to. My OCD may have helped but only a little bit, I think.

Anyways, nowadays, if neither of us gets J the moment he wakes up, we'll find him on his belly in various parts of the crib. The hubby immediately lowered the crib to the lowest position - you never know when he'll pull up onto his feet! So sweet!

Beginning to crawl

One of J's favorite activities now is to sit on the floor in "tripod" position - that's both arms out front supporting his body like a tripod - and shifting his weight forward. He also bangs his hand on the floor too. He might be crawling soon. I can hardly imagine the chaos that will ensue once this curious, rambunctious little guy gets himself moving!

Drinking from a cup - longer version

Since my last video was way too short...

Good use for kiddie songs

The rules for passwords at work are ridiculous, and we have to change them every 3 months. So I've been using J's favorite songs as starters. At 3 months, J loved the song "The itsy bitsy spider". Then at 6 months, he loved "Do your ears hang low?" I wonder what his next favorite song will be...

Also, who knew there were so many verses to "Do your ears hang low?" And why is it sung so fast?