It's so hard to believe that Jace is six years old today. It seems like yesterday that I was bringing him home from the hospital.

Jace was definitely our biggest surprise. A few months after Zander was born, he started refusing my milk. (He was exclusively breastfed.) I couldn't figure out what was going on, so I turned to the ladies on my Moms Message Board. One of them suggested that I might be pregnant and I should take a test. I laughed (literally out loud) and typed that I hadn't even started my cycle again since Zander was born. She still thought I should test anyway, and then the rest of the ladies started chiming in that I needed to test. I decided to test, just to prove them all wrong. Only, I didn't prove them wrong, I proved myself wrong! There was no mistaking that second pink line on the test.

Shock set in, and I just couldn't believe that I was pregnant. I spent the first 20 weeks of my pregnancy in a daze. I had a very young baby that I was taking care of, and now I was going to have another one? They would be 13 months apart in age. Crazy.

I ended up having a rough pregnancy with Jace. Started pre-term labor at 28 weeks, and was on constant bed rest. I was miserable all the time. Finally, the doctor scheduled my induction date for September 2, 2004. I would be 39 weeks along at that time, and it should be safe to deliver.

Here's the birthstory that I posted on my Mom's board back in 2004....

We left our house around 7:15 and got to the hospital about 7:45 Thursday morning. We went straight to the admissions department, and, of course, there was an extremely long wait. By the time they got me checked in and up to my room, it was after 8:30. They had me put on a gown and climb into bed. The nurse came in, then decided she'd "be right back." So, Gene and I just sat there and waited. We heard them wheeling another girl to her room, and all of a sudden, we hear, "OH MY GOD! MY WATER BROKE!" Not 10 seconds later, we hear a baby crying. The poor girl didn't even make it to her room! She delivered a healthy baby girl right outside our doorway! They had to cut her pants off real quick to get the baby! Could you even imagine????

Anyway, after all of the nurses recovered from THAT excitement, it was about 10:00, so the nurse finally decided to give ME a little attention! She started fluids right away, then turned on the pitocin around 10:30. I had already been contracting (go figure) so they didn't turn up the pitocin very high. About 11:30, my doctor came in and checked me. He said I was still between 4.5 - 5, so he told me he'd break my water and we'd have a baby by 5 pm! He told me that because I was already about 5cm, I could have my epidural as soon as the contractions got uncomfortable. Not 5 minutes after he left, they became unbearable. So, the nurse called for the epi, and it took him until NOON to get there! Gene wasn't allowed to be in the room while they put in my epi, so they sent him to the waiting room. Once the epi guy got there, he put the epi in and it didn't take!!!!! The contractions were coming one on top of the other, and hurt like heck. He fooled around with it for about half an hour, 45 minutes, and still couldn't get it to take. So, he ripped it out, and put in a new one. After fiddling around with the second one for what seemed like forever, he finally got my legs numb, but my tummy and girly parts weren't even close. As he left the room to get his partner to figure out what was going on, I was crying so hard I couldn't stand it, and the nurse decided to check my cervix. Only, there WAS no cervix - the baby's head was crowning, and he was ready to come! So, she runs over to the phone, gets every one in there (I've never seen people move so fast! LOL!) and we all prayed that the doctor would make it in time! (Luckily, he did!) They grabbed Gene out of the waiting room, and I squeezed his hand so hard that he thought I was going to break it! The baby arrives, and all of a sudden, I hear my doctor say, "Oh my god." That was it - no explanation - nothing.

Then, the baby started to cry, and I could just feel the relief wash over the entire room! He proudly announced that it was a boy, but they needed to get him checked out and then I could hold him. The doctor then showed me the knot in the umbilical cord, and proceeded to tell me that if it had been ANY tighter, or if we had waited even one more day to induce, the baby wouldn't have survived. I cried and cried and cried! He is definitely my miracle baby. But, Jace passes his apgars with 9's both times, and looks just as healthy as a little horse with a BIG ROUND head!

Jace weighed 8 pounds 12 ounces at birth, and seemed so big. We could barely snap the 0-3 month outfit we had brought along. To date, he's still my biggest baby, and probably the reason my hips and rear look the way they do.

Here's a picture of our family back then...

My little family sure has grown since then, wouldn't you say?

Happy Birthday, Jace! I love you so much, and I am so proud of you. You are doing so well in Kindergarten, and I love hearing all the wonderful things your teacher has to say about you. You are such a sweet, amazing boy, and I am so lucky I get to be your Mom. Stay as kind as you are, and keep your life in God's hands, and He'll always take care of you.

Enjoy your special day, sweetie! You deserve to have a fabulous birthday!

A couple of weeks ago, I introduced you to the new Wisk with Stain Spectrum Technology. At that point, I hadn't gotten to test out the new Wisk formula.

Now, that's all changed. I've gotten to test out the new formula, and I am blown away by the results.

Wisk asked me to hold an experiment, and sent me some items to complete that experiment. I enlisted my son Jace to help me, and he was thrilled! He couldn't wait to don his lab coat and goggles and get to work.

For the experiment, Wisk sent us a protein stained cloth, a bottle of Wisk and a few tools to complete our assignment. Not sure what a protein stain is? In my last post, we talked about the different kinds of stains:

Stains come in lots of types, but they usually fall into 3 major groups:
     * Carbohydrates (milk chocolate)
     * Proteins (grass)
     * Oils (peanut butter)

A few of the other stain groups include...
     * Bio (blood)
     * Bleachable (coffee)
     * Particulate (dirt)
     * Synthetic (ink)

The protein stained cloth we were sent was a grass stain - a stain that I deal with on a daily basis around here. My kids are always coming home with grass stains on their knees, and even their behinds! They are a pain to get off! I can't even tell you how many hours I've spent scrubbing their pants, only to be disappointed when they still didn't come off in the wash. I was really excited to try this experiment and see how well the new Wisk would handle the toughest grass stains.

Take a peek at our experiment:



I really wish I had let the Wisk stay on the stain just a bit longer before mixing it around, or that we had swished it around more while we were taping. While you can see an obvious difference in the video, after the camera shut off, I put the cloth back in the water and swished it around more. After that, the water turned green - really green - and it removed almost all of the stains from the cloth. You can see the difference here in these pictures:





I've been using the bottle of Wisk since I received it, and I have to tell you, this stuff is fantastic! Where we live, we don't deal with normal dirt or mud stains. We have red clay down here, and it turns clothes orange. I have turned more clothes into "play clothes" because of the nasty orange stains that get left on the kids clothes, but I was in awe of how well it worked on these stains! The kids clothes will last a lot longer now, and I won't be moving so many outfits into the "play clothes" box.

Wisk is available now at major retailers nationwide such as Walmart, Target, and Kroger for the Suggested Retail Price of $5.99 for a 50 fl oz. bottle that cleans 32 loads.

To learn more about the new Wisk with Stain Spectrum™ Technology and download a money-saving coupon, head to www.wisk.com. Also be sure to "like" Wisk on facebook and follow Wisk on twitter.

Disclaimer: I am participating in a compensated One2One Network program on behalf of Wisk. I am being paid for this post, however all opinions and thoughts are 100% my own and have not been influenced in any way.

Yep, we got another look at Jelly Bean on Monday. (By the way, in case you haven't guessed, this will be a "not-so-wordless" Wednesday post.)

I ended up in the ER on Sunday with severe cramping. I'm talking pain that had me doubled over in tears. It was nothing like I have ever experienced in pregnancy before. But maybe I should start at the beginning....

We went to church on Sunday morning. I wasn't feeling great, but that's nothing unusual. For some reason, I always feel horrible on Sundays. I think it's Satan trying to keep me from church. Anyway, we got to church, and even arrived early for Sunday School. Before Sunday School starts, we always meet in the Sanctuary, sing a song, recognize birthdays and anniversaries, and then have a short devotional. I started feeling really icky during the congregational song, so I sat down. Then, as we started to sing Happy Birthday (to one of my favorite little girls!), it hit me.... I was gonna be SICK. I flew out of my pew and barely made it to the bathroom. Morning sickness had struck again, and this time it was bad. After I... well, you know, I started having these horrible cramps in my stomach. They were up high, so I assumed the baby was ok, but the pain was so bad that I couldn't stand upright. After another visit with my head in the porcelain throne, I let a friend take my kids to my MIL's house (with my MIL), and then my friend took me to the Emergency room. They put me in this room in the very back of the hospital all by myself. I was in so much pain, and I was scared to death. I couldn't stop crying. About half an hour after I got to the hospital, hubby called to tell me he was on his way home. Thank God. I needed him so badly.

They ran all sorts of tests, took blood, and gave me lots of fluids. I was severely dehydrated upon arrival - probably because I'd brought up everything I'd already drunk that day, and hadn't had the chance to try to get anything else down. They were able to find the heartbeat, and it sounded beautiful. 174 beats per minute. The doctor predicted a girl, but I'm not betting on that - Zander always had a super high heartbeat, and he's definitely a boy.

Anyway, hubby arrived about an hour and a half later, and sat with me the rest of the time. We prayed together, and we left everything in God's hands. A short while later, they informed me that I had a severe bacterial infection and was dehydrated. They sent me home with an antibiotic and an anti-nausea medicine. I was told to follow up with my doctor the next day.

On Monday, the doctor squeezed me in for an appointment. He did a quick check of my cervix (still long and closed) and a quick ultrasound of the baby. Everything looked just fine. Praise God. He said that the fact that I was throwing up so violently on Sunday was probably why I was cramping, but it may also have been heartburn. (Apparently sometimes heartburn can feel more like cramps than burning. Go figure.) He did another test, and guess what? No bacterial infection, so I didn't even need the Rx for the antibiotic. He did recommend that I get the anti-nausea medicine filled in case I have another bout like I did on Sunday, and he also prescribed a prescription heartburn medicine to be taken only if I need it.

I'm just glad that everything turned out ok. It was really, really scary, but it helped to see the baby and know that he/she is ok.

Sorry for the not-so-wordless Wednesday. It's been quite a week around here already!

If you're participating in Wordless Wednesday, leave a link to your post here:

I had no idea that "child leashing" was such a controversial topic. In fact, I didn't even really know it had a name until a few months ago when I was surfing a message board and came across a very heated (and not so very friendly!) debate about the topic. I have honestly been afraid to post this review of the Gripsterz Stay Along - Child Leash Alternative just because of what some of the reactions may be. Not sure my pregnant hormones can take criticism. But, the sponsor sent me the product, and it's my responsibility to make sure the review goes live with my honest opinions.

I guess you would say that I am one who "leashes" my children. When my boys were younger, I bought those cute little backpacks shaped like animals that had the long tail that I could hold onto and keep them at a safe, comfortable distance while we were out and about. I did this because at the time, I had 4 children, 3 under the age of 4, and only 2 hands. I had already had a scare with Zander wandering off in a store by this point, and that was the scariest moment of my life. To look down and see your child gone? Horrifying. The backpacks allowed me to know exactly where my child was at all times, quickly and easily. Maybe someone who has never been in the position of not being able to find their child wouldn't understand. Shouldn't parents do anything to keep their child safe? Is putting a harness on them really so bad? I just didn't see it that way.

Before I get to my review of the Gripsterz Stay Along, here is some must know information about it from the "My Precious Kid" website:

CHILD SAFETY - The Gripsterz Stay Along is a child leash or harness alternative that keeps Mom and kids together while shopping or going to the library, at the same time freeing up Mom's hands. It can be attached to a purse, a stroller, a shopping cart, a belt hoop, a "Mommy Handle" (included), and various lengths of attachments to allow you to decide how much room your child can have to explore, while helping both child and adult feel secure. Gripsterz is created by a mother of eight — six biological children and adopted twins from Guatemala — ages 1 to 8. The children are home-schooled.

CHILD LEASH ALTERNATIVE - You can attach multiple Gripsterz products together for multiple children. The book included in the package has the adorable monkey character act as a pal and a guide for your child as different environments are described and your child learns what they might expect to encounter and what may be expected of them. This child leash alternative helps decrease the anxiety and surprises of excursions or outings for parents and children, and helps turn a potentially stressful trip into a fun and enjoyable adventure.

GRIPSTERZ FEATURES:
Gripsterz kit includes:

• one irresistible Grippy monkey ring with attaching clip, two vine straps (1 ft & 2 ft) with an attaching clip,an adult handle, a convenient storage bag and a Grippy book for kids.
• The Grippy adventure book enhances the child’s natural attachment tendencies to their new friend Grippy and encourages enjoyable adventure experiences.
• Interchangeable pieces allow for a variety of adventure needs.
• Easy to use
• Can be clipped to a stroller, belt hoop, shopping cart, luggage, purse, and many other portable devices.
• Great for crossing streets and parking lots, visiting museums, exploring parks, attending festivals, and traveling.
• Patent Pending
• Made of nontoxic materials
• WARNING! Gripsterz is not a toy. Never leave child unattended. Use only with adult supervision. Never use to physically restrain child.

My Review of Gripsterz Stay Along - Child Leash Alternative
In all honesty, this product looks more like a leash than the backpacks I used to use when my boys were smaller. In fact, after we first received the product, I had to put it up where the kids couldn't find it, because they all wanted to take turns "walking" Parker around the house. I hated it. I would remind them that Parker is not a dog, and that we don't "walk" people. So, obviously now I see where the debate comes from. While I am absolutely ok with anything that will keep my children safe, I am not ok with my child being treated like an animal. I get it now, I really do.

But, all of that being said, I do understand the idea behind this product and what the inventor was trying to do. The monkey is adorable. Parker loves holding onto the monkey, and I don't have to worry about how far he can wander away when he's wearing it. It keeps him close, and it keeps him safe. That feature is absolutely priceless. And, had my children not been so adamant about "walking" Parker, I would probably use it all the time. It is a fantastic idea and a really cute product that Parker loves. I see absolutely nothing wrong with it, except for the way my kids treated the product. I would definitely recommend the product to anyone who is looking for a fun, cute child leash alternative for their little one. It's very easy to use, it's reasonably priced at just $14.99, and it gives Mom peace of mind while out and about with her child(ren). There's nothing more important than that.

I also want to tell you that before this post went live, I had the opportunity to speak with the creator if the Gripsterz. She is an absolutely fantastic lady, and handled my thoughts and opinions with nothing but grace and kindness. She did also show me several pictures of the Gripsterz used in a different way: instead of using the long "leash," she used the short one and attached the handle to a shopping cart or a stroller. This feature is ingenious, and now, I plan to use the Gripsterz this way every time we're out. It doesn't look "leash-y" at all, and it will keep Lucy close to the cart so that I don't have to worry about her wandering off. Plus, with the shorter handle, it's perfect for throwing in my purse and having it with me at all times. Thank you, Robyn, for showing me this feature and for taking the time to contact me. I know you used your heart to create this product, and it really shows.

I would also recommend that you check out the "My Precious Kid" website. They have dozens of child safety products and lots of great baby gear. I love visiting their site and seeing what new products they have. I've found several "must have" items for my baby list this time around.

Also be sure to follow My Precious Kid on Twitter and become a fan of My Precious Kid on Facebook. You can also keep up with the latest news on the My Precious Kid Blog. (They also host fantastic giveaways on their blog!)

Disclaimer: I was contacted on behalf of My Precious Kid. I was sent the necessary products to write this review. I was in no other way compensated for this post, and all opinions stated above are 100% my own.

Man, I am a day late and a dollar short on everything around here, aren't I. I hope you'll forgive me for not picking a winner sooner.

Anyway, let's finally get to the winner of the Dinosaur Train Under the Sea DVD Giveaway.

Here's the number that Random.org selected:

And here's the lucky comment:

Congratulations! I've sent an email your way. Please respond by noon on Thursday, or a new winner will be selected.

Thanks to everyone that entered!

If I thought this summer was crazy, it's about to get a whole lot crazier. September is the start of craziness around here. I've got Jace's birthday this week, our anniversary the week after that, and Lucy's birthday the week after that. Then, it's almost time for Parker's birthday, then Halloween, then Thanksgiving, then Christmas. AAAAAAGGGGGHHHH. It's almost too much to take. Of course, September usually brings fall weather, so I am definitely looking forward to a break from all this heat. Plus, I'll hit my second trimester in September, so maybe I can get a little bit of energy back. That would be a bonus.

Enough about me. I know you all are busy too, so let's get to the good stuff. If you are hosting a giveaway, or if you found a giveaway somewhere on the net that you just have to share, I'd love to have you share your links with us here on our weekly giveaway linky so that we can all stop by and enter.

I really don't care how you post your links. Some like to include their blog name, some just want to leave the prize and the ending date. Post it whatever way you feel like, but make sure that the prize listing and the date the giveaway ends is listed.  

Please make sure you post a link directly to your giveaway - not just to your main blog page.

Here's just one example on how to post links:
Name: Pillsbury Sweet Moments Chocolate Spa Kit (9/8)
Link: http://www.5vinezmonkeys.com/2010/08/pillsbury-sweet-moments-review-giveaway.html
Shows up like this: Pillsbury Sweet Moments Chocolate Spa Kit (9/8)

Now it's your turn! Leave your links here:

For years, I have used Johnson's Baby Products with my kids. In fact, their products are the only products I will purchase for my kids. Their no-tear formula and gentle cleaning power are simply the best. They're a name I trust, and have trusted in over 13 years of parenting.

Now, Johnson's is introducing a new line of products called Johnson's Natural. All of the products in this line contain 98% of naturally derived ingredients from sources like Coconut, Palm, and Sugarcane. The No More Tears® Formula makes these products as gentle to the eyes as pure water, and their Allerfree™ fragrance leaves baby's skin and hair smelling clean and fresh without worry of a harmful reaction.

The best part about these products is that they've expanded the baby line and they are also making products for kids. Truth be told, I still use Johnson's baby products on my 4 youngest children, but I love that now there are products made just for the kids and their needs.

Mom Central and Johnson's recently sent me a box of samples of the new Johnson's Natural product line. There are several things that I love about the new Johnson's Natural products, aside from what I've already mentioned.I think it would be easiest if I went through each product I received individually.

• Johnson’s Natural Baby Lotion - Parker (my youngest) and Zander (my 7 year old) both have very sensitive skin, and require having lotion put on their arms and legs after bath time. This lotion is perfect for doing just that. It's gentle but effective, and it smells great. It leaves their skin silky soft. I love it!
• Johnson’s Natural HEAD-TO-TOE Foaming Baby Wash - This is my favorite product for Parker. While Parker loves the bath, he hates taking time away from play to get clean. With this all-in-one product, I can quickly (yet thoroughly) get him cleaned and back to playing. It smells great, and I love that it still has the No More Tears® Formula.
• Johnson’s Natural Baby Shampoo - I use this on my 7 and almost 6 year olds. They still need that gentle touch that only Johnson's can provide with the No More Tears Formula®, but they also need something that's going to get their hair clean. This does the job perfectly. 
• Johnson’s Natural Kids 3-in-1 Shampoo Conditioner & Body Wash - Lucy has this long, gorgeous curly hair that is a nightmare to wash. It tangles so badly, and I hate seeing the tears roll down her face when I comb her hair after a bath. It's heartbreaking. I wasn't sure how this 3-in-1 product would work in her hair, but now I can't even begin to tell you how much I love this product for Lucy.The conditioner adds just the right touch, and I've noticed a significant reduction in the tangles in her hair. (Even though it's not necessarily a tangle-free product, it really has made a difference.) It smells great, and since it's a 3-in-1, I can quickly wash her, rinse her, and get her back to playing in the bubbles.
• Johnson’s Natural Kids 2-in-1 Hand & Face Foaming Wash - This is great for sitting on the bathroom counter and having the kids wash their hands and faces before dinner. They love that they can do it themselves, and it's gentle enough to splash on their faces, but gets them clean. Fantastic product over all.

Johnson's Natural products will now be regular additions to our bath time routine, and I know what I've giving as gifts for all the dozens of baby showers I'll be attending over the next few months. I love that they're from a name I can trust, and that each product comes with the Johnson's No More Tears® Formula.

If you're looking for the perfect baby shower gift, or simply want the best for your baby (or kids!), I would highly recommend New Johnson's Natural Products.

To learn more about the Johnson's Natural Line of products, check out their website: http://www.johnsonsbaby.com/naturals

Disclaimer: I wrote this review while participating in a blog tour campaign by Mom Central on behalf of Johnson’s Natural and received the products necessary to facilitate my review. In addition, I received a gift certificate to thank me for taking the time to participate.