Reader Q + A

"Ask my mom anything at all but don't ask her to help you get your toys back because she'll start yapping about sharing. It's useless. And makes for a dismal existence."

It's been a minute since I've done one of these posts and maybe you hate them so I'll keep them to a minimum because I only aim to please the good readership. I've noticed a few specific questions pop up in my inbox over and over again over the past few months so I thought I'd throw them up right here. Right now ...

1. Sound Machine: What type of sound machine do you use? We have three of these HoMedics sound machines from Bed Bath & Beyond and I love them because they are relatively inexpensive, small enough to travel with, and are nice and loud. Simon says we are probably causing future hearing loss and I say so what. If you're in a pinch ... this is a great website and I like (don't love) the Sleep Machine Lite app as well. The only way I can get all three kids to nap at the same time is because of these blessed machines and I am equal parts baffled and impressed by babies and kids that nap without white noise.

2. Kids in Church: How do you take your kids to Mass while still getting something out of it and not feeling defeated by the end? Wellllll ... I'm not qualified to answer this (and I'm sure there are many, many, many moms that are!!) because there are Sundays that I walk out and highly doubt I could tell you much of what went on outside of our pew. It's always been important for us to go as a family and I know some people split up and go separately which is genius and really tempting some Sundays but with Simon's schedule it's nice for us to stretch our family time and go together. Also - I took Julia by myself when she was a baby and never again. We used to be pretty dedicated hospital Mass goers (30 minutes ... no shame) but have started being better about going to a parish Mass. We've noticed avoiding the back pews, not taking kids to the back (they see it has more of a reward), and bringing books (I need to find some religious books but we just take regular old heathen books for now) for the older kids seems to keep things to a dullish roar for the most part. The kids haven't been awful these past few months but this past Sunday was a (really!!! bad!!!) nightmare because we slid into the very back pew at the last minute and so hopefully they aren't regressing but maybe they are. Again, I'm not qualified to answer this - you'll know this especially if you've had the pleasure of sitting near us during Mass .... ever.

3. Making Slideshows: How do you make the photo slideshows with music? (example and example again) I use Picasa Movie Maker because it's free and pretty user friendly. I've been able to Google any and all questions I have when I hit a snag (and I hit MANY the first time I made one) and I just upload it to Vimeo and that is that. I'm sure this is a pretty archaic method compared to a lot of slideshow making methods but it works for grandma grace for now.

4. Prenatal Vitamins: Do you recommend a certain brand of prenatal vitamins? No way josé because I'm not a doctor and I take the gummies. But! I also take a few other supplements that I talk alllll about right here.

5. Starting a blog: Any tips on starting and growing a blog? I always feel bad when people ask this because I really am super clueless and there are bloggers that have it so much more together than I ever ever will but I wrote a post with some tips here. And I know the buzz around the net is that the face of blogging is changing and fewer and fewer people are reading blogs and blah blah blah but I'm still holding onto shreds of hope that people still want to read blogs. I'm holding on pretty tight.

6. eBay: What's the secret to finding deals on eBay? Lots of patience and persistence and lots of patience and persistence. I usually have a very specific idea of what I'm looking for (I like buying New Balance tennis shoes for Bash because his feet are really wide and Hunter rain boots for the older kids because they can put them on themselves and they can share them and they SHOULD last for a the next two kids at the very least) and I have a dollar amount that I won't go over. I generally don't spend more than $5 on tennis shoes for the kids. I "watch" items that I hope to win but once they go over a certain amount I take myself off the watch list so that I'm not even tempted to bid on something. I looked for Frye boots for over a year before I found thee pair. I've bought Salt Water Sandals a few sizes too big knowing the kids will eventually grow into them because they were in great shape and being sold for $4. Simon always jokes that I dress Julia like a boy (and I guess I sort of do) but it's really nice that she and Bash can share the vast majority of their clothing and now that Theo is a little bigger he can get away with wearing a lot of their stuff too. Jeggings y todo.

7. Is Simon your OB/does he deliver your kids? No. No, no, and no.

Have a question? Let me know. I love hearing from the charitable souls that read the blog and I try really, really hard to quickly respond to emailed questions and hopefully I haven't missed you but if I have I know three little piglets that you can blame.

Sebastian's new favorite recreational activity is to sprint circle around Theo and declare that Theo is "trapped" so ... I spend a lot of time talking Theo down from his "hand crushed by toddler boot" hysterics. A lot of time.

And I know that no one really cares what I think about anything but I needed a little something to do while I played heartless nap nazi for Julia's first stint in her big girl bed because she is trying every last trick in the book to wriggle right on out of my favorite time of day. NO.

oh! and more q + a right here!