Chocolate, Flowers, or Teddy Bears? My Postpartum Depression Pick Me Up

A few weeks after my first child was born, long after everyone else had gone back to their daily routines, I was left alone with fatigue and a mild-case of postpartum depression (post natal), one giant, smelly dog, two cats, one bird, and a bacteria infested exotic frog.  Oh... and a newborn baby, let's not forget the baby.  Everyone of those little lives needed something from me, and I needed sleep.

I didn't have enough energy to spread the love, clean the pet messes, and change the baby.  I was simply overcome by Bleh.  I knew I needed to be strong for the baby but the monotony of being alone with all of these creatures in a messy house for eight hours everyday had taken its toll.

One day, the doorbell rang.  Begrudgingly, I threw on my best hospital, maternity robe, slid on my fuzzy, pink slippers, threw the baby on my hip, and shuffled to the door. Standing on tippy toes, I snuck a peek through the peep hole. A bright-eyed, delivery girl with a broad smile peered over a huge arrangement of flowers.

With both hands wrapped around baby, I struggled to free one to open the door. Her contagious smile and bubbly personality brightened my grumpy, hermit-loving mood.  I became giddy as I signed for the flowers. The presentation was unique. Flowers were displayed in an earthenware container reminding me of the ancient ruins. 

I plopped my son into a baby bouncer and quickly cleared a place in the center of the mantle, out of reach from babies, birds, curious cats, and a dog who would eat anything. Then, I dropped to the couch and opened the card.  

"Thought you might need a pick me up about now."

Of course, I bawled like a little baby (remember I was postpartum). How did they know?  I barely knew the sender at the time - my father-in-law and step mother-in-law who live out of the country.

The special delivery came at the perfect time giving me a little pick-me-up to press on for the next few weeks.   Nothing is more heart-warming than knowing someone is thinking about you in your darkest moments.  

Why not surprise someone who is going through a rough patch.  

Seven years later, after a fall that rivaled Humpty Dumpty, the patched container sits on my mantle, looking more than ever like ancient ruins, holding my own arrangement of silks and reminding me of that special moment.

What is Postpartum depression learn more here.

My postpartum depression pick me up!

Turkey Chick Pom Pom Thanksgiving Craft

Make a Baby Turkey Craft for Thanksgiving

Make a cute baby turkey from pom poms and feathers. Aww...  Turkey Feathers! This cute pom pom turkey chick craft was a deal! Scroll down to learn how to make your own Thanksgiving turkey. Enjoy!

Pom Pom Turkey Craft Thanksgiving Activity.

Deep Discount Bat Craft Turns into Bargain Turkey Craft.

I got these bats at Michael's on clearance for 29 Cents! The turkey kits were $1.79 each. My creative juices were flowing. I thought about dividing them and doing a fall barn owl now and saving the bat for next year, but when I got home a light bulb went off in my head. So, I sorted the pieces and decided to make a turkey critter and a bat fridge magnet. 

Take Away: Stock up on holiday clearance items.

Divided the pieces for individual kid's craft projects.

I like to repurpose things...

So, I robbed last years fridge magnets of their precious feathers.

We got to work crafting this cute baby turkey chick from pom poms.

Cute, baby turkey craft for Thanksgiving.

Tacky Glue works better than Elmer's Glue. Hot glue is best for allowing the wings to stick out at the sides. 

Look for cheap foamy rectangles or construction paper and cut out the shapes seen here. Buy a bag of feathers, pom-poms, some googly-eyes, and get crafting. All of those items are at the Dollar Tree too.

Adorable baby pompom turkey craft.

Recommended Reading:

Free Printable Turkey Coloring Sheet

Crafts for Thanksgiving (Holiday Crafts for Kids)*

T is for Turkey: A True Thanksgiving Story*









ADS DISCLOSURE: We've partnered with some wonderful advertisers who may sponsor blog posts or send us samples to test. Some companies pay us to review their products.

*We also use affiliate links, if you make a purchase we get a tiny commission. Kids Creative Chaos participates in the Amazon LLC Associates Program*, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a mean for blogs to earn advertising fees by linking to Amazon properties, including, but not limited to, amazon.com, endless.com, myhabit.com, smallparts.com, or amazonwireless.com. We also offer Tapinfluence, Google Adsense, SoFab, and Izea ads here. Thanks so much for helping us keep the lights on! :)

Hey, What is the name of the Cartoon Chicken that...

Famous Cartoon Chickens: What are their Names?

I heard you were wondering what is the name of that cartoon chicken in that funny cartoon show. You know, the silly, little, cute, tall, fat, cocky, cock-a-doodle-doo, rooster or hen? Well, I know the chicken cartoon you mean. Enjoy!

Chicken Cartoons to Trace and Draw

What's the name of the cartoon chicken that says, "I say, I say, I say boy"?  Well, my friend, that chicken is a rooster. 

His name is Foghorn Leghorn, and he's often referred to as the Looney Tunes Chicken. He appeared on the Bugs Bunny and Road Runner Show, Merry Melodies, and he even won an Oscar. Well, one of the cartoons he starred in won, "Walky Talky Hawky" in 1946.  His buddy is a Rhode Island Red, aptly named, Red.

What's the name of the Superhero Chicken? He's also a rooster, and his name is Henry Cabot Henhouse III. He says, "Bawk for Super Chicken." He played on the "George of the Jungle" cartoon series. He drinks super sauce out of a martini glass to transform into a hero.

What's the name of that little chicken with big glasses on the Foghorn Leghorn Chicken Cartoon? His name is Egghead Jr. He first appeared in 1954 on "Little Boy Boo".  His mother's name is Miss Prissy. Foghorn liked to say, "That boy, I say, that boy..." often  in reference to the little chicken.



What is the name of the chicken in Chicken Little? Little Rooster, again. Chicken Little was his name, but they often called him "Ace".  He had glasses too. This Disney cartoon came out in 2005.

Photo from Wikipedia for the movie soundtrack.

In 2006, Rob Paulsen played a silly chicken in the movie Barnyard.
His name was Peck. Again, a rooster.

Rock-A-Doodle.

What is the name of the chicken in Rock-A-Doodle?  The movie came out in 2004. His name is Chantecler. His name refers to a breed of chicken originating in Canada. 

In the 2000 movie, Chicken Run, the Rooster's name is Rocky. Hey, hey, hey... the girl got a star. The hen in this one is named Ginger. In the end, they want to know which came first, the chicken or the egg, so they can start a chicken farm.

There is a new cartoon the kids watch on Netflix, "Chicken Town".  The rooster is named, Zino. Polly (the landlord) is always after his chickens.

The French cartoon, Chicken Town is on Netflix. Picture from Animation Magazine.

                             Real Baby Chicks Picture

What do you call a baby chicken? 

Adult male chickens are known as roosters or cocks and females are called hens. Cock-a-doodle-doo! However, in  baby chicks under 1 year old, females are called pullets, and males are sometimes referred to as cockerels. 

If you are purchasing one at a feed store, straight-run means they haven't been sexed so you can have boys or girls. Sex-link means the chicken is from two different breeds of parents. The male and female chicks show  different feather colors at birth, so they are easier to identify.

Baby Huey is not a chicken.

Which brings me to my favorite chicken! But wait, he's a baby duck or duckling. He first starred in "Quack-a-doodle-doo" in 1949. Huh? I always thought he was a big chicken. Anyway, his name is Baby Huey. You know the one... so silly, so duh-y.

Keep up to date with our Free Newsletter.

Recommended:

How to Make a Chicken Paper Bag Puppet and Pattern

Storey's Guide to Raising Chickens, 3rd Edition*

Chicken Little*

Rock-A-Doodle*









ADS DISCLOSURE: We've partnered with some wonderful advertisers who may sponsor blog posts or send us samples to test. Some companies pay us to review their products.

*We also use affiliate links, if you make a purchase we get a tiny commission. Kids Creative Chaos participates in the Amazon LLC Associates Program*, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a mean for blogs to earn advertising fees by linking to Amazon properties, including, but not limited to, amazon.com, endless.com, myhabit.com, smallparts.com, or amazonwireless.com. We also offer Tapinfluence, Google Adsense, SoFab, and Izea ads here. Thanks so much for helping us keep the lights on! :)

Circle Activities for Teens Middle School Age Youth

Circle Games and Activities for Youth: Camp Songs and More

Camp Songs always bring back the best memories! Circle Time isn't just for preschoolers! Circle Activities and Games are fun for teens too. If you're planning activities for an after school program, summer camp, scouts, or youth group, these school-aged circle camp activities make nice icebreakers. We've used these group circle games and songs to welcome kids to camp, introduce each other, and as a way to make attendance and head counts fun. 

My Best Option: Formula Alternatives to Breast Feeding

Formula was the best choice for us.

This post brought to you by Sam’s Club. All opinions are 100% mine.

I’m a mama of four - blessed through adoption. Choosing to adopt comes with different feeding options and needs. While working towards breastfeeding is possible with the help of your doctor and a lactation consultant, it was not the route we chose or felt was best for our family. So, formula was the best and only option for us. I wish we had known about SIMPLY RIGHT™ Infant Formulas!

Happy formula fed baby.

Our oldest son, suffered from serious malnutrition when he came to us and even though he was above the age of typically needing formula, we used it in his cereal to increase the calories and nutrition that he desperately needed. One of our sons came to us as a newborn and struggled with a sensitive stomach. After trying several formulas (with our doctor’s guidance), we ended up using Similac Sensitive™ with success.

SIMPLY RIGHT™ Infant Formulas are available at Sam’s Club and in retrospect would have saved me a lot of money while still providing the important nutrition that my children needed. It even comes with three different options to best fit your baby's needs: Baby Care Gentle®, Baby Care Complete®, or Baby Care Sensitivity® SIMPLY RIGHT™ Infant Formula. They each provide the best nutrients for your infant and now include Lutein for brain and eye health. They have also recently improved their formula ingredients, included a useful scoop holder and leveler, and offer an easy open top all while being very affordable.

Clinically proven to support growth and development, now with Lutein for brain and eye health

The bottom line is, you will get a great formula with everything you need while paying less - in fact, you can save up to $617 per year by switching to SIMPLY RIGHT™ Infant Formula. That's undeniably a wonderful savings that can be used for so many other things that your child may need.

Have you tried SIMPLY RIGHT™ Infant Formula? Has formula been something that you needed for your baby? I have four wonderful, formula-fed kiddos and I don't regret choosing formula for their early nutrition!

Baby Book: Cute Baby Words and Sayings with Vernacular

Our Baby's Vernacular and Sayings Cute Words and Quotes

Mayhem's baby book memories: Mayhem's Dad was born and raised on the East Coast. Boston, Massachusetts. By the time we met he had very little accent left.  He finds my Hoosier, small-town vernacular amusing and often asks me to repeat things in "English, please".  For example, he and I both ride bi-sickles but while I also ride a motor-sickle, he rides a motor-cycle. The teasing of my 'country bumpkin' accent is endless.  Really? 


   
How many people do you know who ride a bi-cycle? 

Maybe in England.



Anywho....  Mayhem seems to have been born with a Bostonian Gene.

"Mommy, Good Mawning."   

Mayhem's Baby Word List:

Can you guess what these words represent?

Sqwiell

hawn

Cawn

wom

tawtise

Awweo

Guwd

Big Tortoise.

Colorful Fall gourds.

              
And, my favorite...

"Awweo, you know, Mommy,  AWWEO.  I don't know, Jada's puppy's name.  That Cookie!  I can't say it Mommy...  I just can't.  Aww-EEE-O!"      
      
Recommended Reading:

Beginning Reading

Quiddler

How to get Baby to Sleep for a Nap

Foolproof ways to tire your toddlers out for nap time

Are you struggling to get your little toddler to take a breather and rest? Nap time can be heaven for both you and your toddler. They get some much-needed rest before carrying on with their day, giving you a chance to get a few things done, or simply take a minute for yourself. You've probably wondered, how to get your baby to sleep for a nap, here are some tips to earn that well deserved quiet time.

While nap time sounds like a dream, getting your toddler down and asleep is much easier said than done. Although some days may not run to plan, there are some great ways to encourage a toddler to take his nap, so you can have a moment to get through your to-do list. Here are some infant nap time parenting tips so you can get some things done around the house.

Encourage or play active games with them

Active games are a great way to burn off all that extra energy before a nap. It can be as simple as a game of Simon Says or Head, Shoulders, Knees and Toes. Not only are these games fun and easy, but they also require minimal set-up and clean up. 

Simon Says can help kids learn about body awareness and movement, as well as how to pay attention, follow instructions and be a leader. Whereas Heads, Shoulders, Knees and Toes can help kids with their balance, coordination and learning about their bodies.

Other games like Duck Duck Goose and Ring Around the Rosie lets kids literally run around, but can also help them develop strategic thinking skills and spatial awareness – although you’ll need more than one child (or adult!) to be able to play them.

Get some fresh air and/or exercise

This goes without saying – exercise is a great way to tire your little ones. Ideally, any exercise you choose to do should burn through their excess energy without giving them a second wind and keeping them wide awake. The key is to stay active and keep babies moving, but not to have too much fun so they won't fight sleep when it comes.

The old stand by activities are great for tiring out your baby for outside play: 

• Bouncing or kicking a ball.

• Riding a bike or scooter.

• Playing chase.

• Blowing bubbles.

You can even go for a light walk around the block or to their favorite playground. Let them loose on the play equipment and they’ll be ready to nap when they get home.

If the weather isn’t the best, you can still get your toddler moving at home. Encourage them to have a dance along to a music video or get them running and climbing with a make-shift obstacle course. 

Put them to work with some household chores

If you’ve got a few jobs to get done around the house, why not get your toddler involved? This will take a little patience, the job will likely take a little longer, but every little chore will get your toddler closer to sleep.

The easiest way to make this nap time trick work is by giving your kids chores that are appropriate for their age, which also keep them active. Start with simple things like picking up their toys or tidying up their room. You can add a touch of fun to the household chores by having clean-up races, enjoying a toy scavenger hunt to be found in the bottom of the laundry pile, or making a game of loading the dishwasher.

Not only will doing household chores wear your kids out, it also teaches them responsibility about how a household functions. These are valuable life skills your children will carry with them throughout their lives. It’ll also help you get through the household chores on your to-do list, even if they’re not perfectly done!

 

Encourage winding down activities

Even with all their energy burnt off, your little one might not just drop straight off to bed. Sometimes they need a little quiet time to help them settle and wind down.

Relaxing activities that will keep their attention are key to quiet time. These activities can be as easy as giving them an age-appropriate puzzle, a simple coloring activity, or engaging them in quiet building activities, like a Lego set.

When all else fails, a good-old children’s book is a sure-fire way to help them unwind. You can encourage them to curl up on the couch and read to themselves or mimic bedtime and read to them as they fall asleep.  

Create a nap time ritual

Complement winding down activities by creating a nap time ritual to follow. This should be similar to creating a bedtime ritual. It should be consistent, such as setting aside a specific period of time everyday for the nap, dimming the lights, reading a story to them, and playing some white noise (like rain or wind) to block out outside noises.

This nap time ritual gives your baby's body a cue to fall asleep, rest, and recharge.

Once you start giving these nap time sleep methods a try, you’ll soon be watching your little one drift off to sleep with ease, allowing you some much needed me time.

Recommended:

How to get Baby to Sleep through the Night Tips

Nap time Tips for New Parents

Breast Milk of Formula?

Featured U.K. Preschool and Craft Blogger: Jo from Le Baby Bakery Dino Activity

Preschool Dinosaur Activity Printable 

Our featured blog is Le Baby Bakery. Jo is a U.K. preschool and craft blogger who blogs about life and crafts with two boisterous boys. She also makes baby and toddler clothes and accessories which she sells through her Facebook page. Enjoy!

The clothes are adorable! If you're in the U.K., hop over and take a look. Handmade kid's clothes make great birthday gifts! 

I met Jo through Pin it! Preschool Scavenger Hunt on Pinterest. She recently won with the most repins. Jo does lots of preschool activities with her boys. 

I love this preschool dinosaur activity. She printed a Letter "D" dino worksheet, and then attached magnets to colorful pom-poms, placed the sheet on a metal tray, and let the fun begin. 

Letter "D" dinosaur theme lesson with 
magnetic pom-poms and tray from Le Baby Bakery.

Check out more fun ideas for preschoolers at Le Baby Bakery. 



Recommended:

Dinosaur Activity Kit*

ADS DISCLOSURE: We've partnered with some wonderful advertisers who may sponsor blog posts or send us samples to test. Some companies pay us to review their products.

*We also use affiliate links, if you make a purchase we get a tiny commission. Kids Creative Chaos participates in the Amazon LLC Associates Program*, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a mean for blogs to earn advertising fees by linking to Amazon properties, including, but not limited to, amazon.com, endless.com, myhabit.com, smallparts.com, or amazonwireless.com. We also offer Tapinfluence, Google Adsense, SoFab, and Izea ads here. Thanks so much for helping us keep the lights on! :)

Doll Collections: Are you a Crafter? Collector? Or just a plain, old Hoarder?

Collecting Dolls and Crissy Babies

Doing more surfing than crafting for kids lately? After Christmas and year end clearance specials are amazing. We all need to stock up on junk  more craft supplies for the new year. My favorite clearance sale is always the one on Toys and Hobbies. Doll collecting is my downfall. 

I've been collecting dolls since I was born, literally. Here's a picture of the first doll ever given to me, shortly after my birth in...  1969. (collector, collector, collector)

This post contains Amazon Affiliate links.

Doll Collecting Habit

My Grandmother crocheted her a beautiful, new outfit many, many years ago, but I still have her chartreuse and lace dress. (hoarder, hoarder, hoarder)

I also have a jingly, wobbly, Mickey Mouse, baby toy given to me the same year (1969) with perfect tag intact ~ Walt Disney World ~ I think I may have chewed off one of his ears. (Ebay, Ebay, Ebay)

Then, there's Crissy Baby. I never actually owned one as a child but always wanted one. Now, I have several. (collector, collector, collector)  

And Barbie... mostly from garage sales. (dumpster diver, dumpster diver, dumpster diver) The Bubble wig 1960's version.

These girls sit in boxes in my closet sharing space with my most prized possession-  a Dennis Rodman doll with interchangeable heads to showcase his Kool-Aid dyed hair years. That's right, my friends, Dennis Rodman with interchangeable heads.  They even make a Dennis Rodman in Wedding Dress doll.

Here's an old creepy doll that I dressed up and gave a new wig.

Michael Jackson is there too with his glove and Grammy glimmer jacket, but he was born a collectible doll. Even though we attended college together, (yes, you read that right, I took a doll to college) but he isn't my favorite doll.

I mean, you probably know someone else with an MJ, but how many of you know someone with a Dennis Rodman?

Crissy Baby Doll ~ Growing Hair.

Interchangeable heads.

OMG, I didn't realize this doll existed. Want.

Want to make your own Kool-Aid hair dye?

So, when Marie Osmond started designing dolls, I had to have one right up until I found out they were "collectible" and expensive. I don't collect anything considered collectible. In my opinion, that's what separates the collector from the hoarder. It's okay to laugh here.

Who doesn't love them some Donny and Marie?  I'd dumpster dive for a set of Donny and Marie dolls. 

Donny and Marie Osmond Dolls.  Is this TMI?  

Ahem, I'm surfing browsing the Marie dolls when I come across Marie Osmond Crafts.  She sings. She dances. She dolls. She gains weight. She loses weight. She crafts. Love her!  I'll bet she uses bonding tape to hem those doll clothes.

Did I already mention how much I adore these cute Russian dolls? I first saw these at a friend's house and I instantly decided to get a set to add to my collections. It wasn't hard finding these dolls because you can now get them online. I got mine from https://nestingdolls.co/ and they look great!

I just bought a mini-sewing machine for simple craft projects... Forget about Martha Stewart (Sorry, Martha). I wanna be like Marie. If I design some collectible dolls with Kool-Aid dyed hair would you collect them? (hoarder, hoarder, hoarder)

Crissy doll collecting.

This Crissy doll looks a little like my son. Okay, a lot. How weird is that? 


Recommended:

Follow me on Pinterest 

How to Make a Doll Purse for a Gift Bag

More Animal Nesting Dolls

Get Books on Doll Collecting