Can Our Little Ones Really Have Low Self Esteem?

Deegan, is my youngest son, he's 3 years old.
He was born with club foot and cleft lip...so, after a few years of surgery, castings, braces, etc, he is pretty much all "repaired"...walks fine, acts fine, just a regular kiddo. (Well, he's exceptionally nutty lol a crazy daredevil actually)
But so, this summer, Deegan started noticing his nose is slightly different then mine or his siblings noses, and he asks why....
He also refuses to look at all his baby pictures, from before his lip surgery, (even though, we love them! The extra giant smile is adorable!)
And now, he's been picking at his scar above his lip, and asking why there is a bump there, and he also asks why his teeth are "messed up"..they're not bad at all, although he may require surgery, depending on what his adult teeth are going to come in as....
The cleft palate clinic mentioned another surgery for his nose, although it doesn't have to be done for anything that would benefit his health..
My decision is that we aren't going to be scheduling this surgery, he can make this decision on his own.
I don't want him to think that he wasn't good enough, and so we "fixed" his nose that he was born with...
When he's bigger, if he wants more surgery to fix his nose, and maybe to make his scar less noticeable, he can if he chooses. Id think he'd keep it the way it is, since its a part of who he is.
My question is, does anybody have any advice on how to get a 3 yr old, to be happy when he sees his baby pictures, or how to help him realize that his nose, teeth and lip are fine?

PottyCover Review and Giveaway!!

Ok, how many times has this happened to you...
You just spent the last hour or more, getting your little one or little ones dressed and ready to go out the door, you repeatedly yell, "Make sure you pee before we go! It's gonna be a while until we stop!" and you gather the bags, snacks, extra clothes, wipes, diapers, drinks, your own bag, cell phone, keys, and run out the door.
When you are finally pulling out, everything seems fine for a few miles, then the bickering starts, then the yelling, they already want some snacks and drinks, and all of a sudden, somebody cries with some of the most terrifying words a mom or dad want to hear on the highway, "I have to PEEEEEEE" OMG! This happens to us ALL the time! Especially since we live kind of far away from anything, and the highway is our route out of nowhereland. So, almost everywhere we go. it takes forever.
Of course you can get off at the next exit, (which really does suck and it eats up so much time, and you know you'll end up late for your appointments!),  luckily, virtually every exit off the highway has a gas station, or truck stop of some sort. (at least on the one we travel on). But, have you ever seen some of these bathrooms?? EW!
If you aren't one of those amazing moms who has IT ALL TOGETHER, and has a giant bag of 3 of everything that everybody could possibly want at any time, for any mishap, you aren't really prepared for cleaning a gas station bathroom!
I've used baby wipes, antibacterial cleaning wipes, and of course the infamous, paper towels and toilet paper that are (hopefully) in the bathroom. But it is very gross, and I would not ever recommend it. It certainly doesn't kill any germs, and you would have to use way to many, probably more then what you have with you.
Of course I have also seen these disposable toilet covers in some bathrooms. usually the doctor offices, maybe some stores, grocery stores, but they slide around, are super thin, and are also just plain old, gross! (better then nothing though, right?)
 If this happens to you, or even if you are a grandma, or don't even have kids, I know you have to know what I'm talking about;)
Well, check these out!!
Disposable Potty Covers!! You can grab a 6 pack of these, and you can throw em in your purse, bag, (I use a backpack, lol!), put some in your glove box, and take them everywhere!

Now, what makes these different then the free ones we can maybe grab in some public bathrooms? Lots of things!! For one, these are extra super big! They cover much more then just a tiny bot of the actual seat!
 

PottyCover is a disposable seat cover that not only covers the seat, but the front and the sides as well! Those parts of public bathrooms can sometimes be the grimiest, and little kids are always swinging their legs back and forth, lol, so PottyCovers would help keep germs away from the whole toilet, not just the seat. They do come in a pack of 6 and sell for $5.99, ($1 per cover), which isn't bad at all when you think about how much stress and germs you won't have to worry about anymore!
 My favorite part about them, is that they come in their own little bags, so you don't have to worry about them ripping apart, falling apart, getting messed up, and you can fit them nicely in your pocket, or your kids pockets.
PottyCovers are actually made of non woven fabric and coated with plastic, which creates a waterproof shield or barrier, between the seat and your child. (that's another issue I'm sure a lot of us would love to well, never, ever have an issue with as long as we live! (I don't know about you but the wet toilet seats in public restrooms really make me gag!)
You can also find these on their website, here, and you can also find them on Amazon, Bed, Bath and Beyond stores, Ebay and Buy Buy Baby stores. PottyCover also has a Facebook page you can visit!
and you can find them on Twitter!

I would also grab a bag or 2 of these even if you don't have little ones. These aren't just for kids, and we all could use some protection!
 Enter the Rafflecopter below to win your own 6 pack bag of PottyCovers!!

a Rafflecopter giveaway  I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free using Tomoson.com. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers.

The Nutcracker Music Game and Giveaway!!

This is such an awesome game for children of all ages! When Deegan, our 2 year old, heard this video, he shot straight from the table with his cereal, and giggled and came flying over to me, clapping, and giggling and was super excited to watch! He especially loved the music and started dancing like crazy!

 I was especially amazed with how beautiful the music was, believe it or not, when I was growing up and had music class, we had classical music courses and my favorite composer of all time was none other then, Tchaikovsky. I don't know what it was about his music, but it stuck with me from grade school the whole way into being a mom. So, when I read about The Nutcracker Music Game, I was immediately drawn in just from that!





 Kids love games, parents love things that help our children learn, so you put the 2 together and Voila! You have everything wrapped into one. Add the beautiful music, and your children not only learn to appreciate such music, but they learn about Tchaikovsky too! Our little ones have been going nutty over this since day 1 and it is really hard to keep Deegan away from the computer.
This is a brilliant game, created for children, all children, to not only find their own appreciation of music, but also to help with problem solving skills, but also to sharpen their listening skills, ( yes, I think this may also help with listening to rules too;) , as well as help them learn basic concepts of music.
 Music has always been a very, very important learning tool, and ever since I read one day, a LONG time ago, lol, that music could be heard in the womb, (our 1st daughter was born in 1992), we made sure music was an everyday part of life. Which wasn't hard, since we love all kinds of music and appreciate all music, and our oldest started playing the violin at 5 and went onto play guitar for several years. She now does the same with her little princess, and Lillian, my granddaughter, is only 5 months old and already has her favorite music and songs.
 Onto the game part of The Nutcracker Music Game. The object is to earn 9 golden keys, through a series of games and activities that teach students about differences between sounds, exercises their memory skills, and increases their music vocabulary. (PS Aaron, he is 9 and loves video games, and Genevive is 5 and loves fun things and games and earning, so this was a win win win, with all 3 kids here at our house!)
 The Nutcracker Music Game has won, The Parents Choice Gold Award, NAPPA Gold Award, The Parenting Seal of Approval, and many others. Yes, it has also earned our Busymommylist seal of approval too!
 Would you like to win a copy of The Nutcracker Music Game for your little ones??
 I promise you won't be disappointed!
 It will keep them occupied, you get a bit of a break, and who knows? They may all get along together like these lil guys did, (at least for the time they worked together throughout this game!
Just fill out the Rafflecopter for a chance to win your own!
a Rafflecopter giveaway I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free using Tomoson.com. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers.

The Little Sprout by Muse

We received an eBook version of this book to write a review, and we will be grabbing a paperback copy. (I love real books and we always purchase the paperback or hard cover version of all of our favorite eBooks we receive for reviews) Even as an electronic version, the illustrations are very vivid, and truly one of a kind! You can't help but spend a lot of time just staring at these vibrantly colored pictures! They are drawn so well that they tell the story all by themselves!
My children just loved this story, the little sprout and his mommy are just like little ones and their mommy. (My 5 year old daughter said:) The little sprout in the story is so cute and does act just like a little one who is so anxious to grow and see the world!
Books are a very important part of bringing up children. We always read to our children as early as just a couple days old, and all 4 of them have grown up to respect books, and enjoy them and look forward to story time. This is a book that should be treated as gold, and given to children, new moms, newborns, as I am certain they will love the bright colors and adorable illustrations!
It is also a sweet book, as it shows how a mommy loves her baby and watches them grow, watches them create and think and dream and imagine and how they can aspire to be and do anything they set their little minds too!
We recommend this book for any house that may ever have a child visit or a home where a child lives:)
You can find Muse on Facebook;)
** We received a copy of this book in return for our honest review **

Nacho Money Volume 4 by Candi Sparks

I have 4 children, so this was a fun book to read and review for all of us!
Our 2 middle children, ages, 5 and 8 (almost 9), are both excited about having money, having the freedom to buy things, and they love being at an age to receive an allowance. Although they may not always receive an allowance lol.
this book is about, Max, a 10 year old who is starting to understand the concept of money and borrowing and paying back. It all starts with a video game disc he borrowed from a friend, Emma, that he said he would borrow for just a week... and it ended up being a month. So, she asks for it back one morning at school, and that's when the whole day went crazy!
His teacher gave him a bill for library books, rather then his report card, again, something he borrowed and didn't return on time..then he has a $10 from his big brother in his pocket and decides to use that for some pizza with his friends.
This is such a common issue with kids, and the only way for them to learn about money and borrowing and returning, is to learn from mistakes, (ok, and well maybe a little help from mom;) Believe me, we have made mistakes in the past with our kids, bailing them out way to many times, but there has to be a line somewhere where you just kind of let them figure it out on their own. Not only does this build character and independence, but you are allowing them to grow and learn some of the most important aspects of life. This is something they will be thanking you for, for years to come!
When I was in grade school, we didn't learn much about money, other then coins and of course the math part. We never really learned about how much things cost compared to how much you have, (assets, and liabilities) I thought the clever way this story was written, and the cool little character, Max, (who is pretty much like other kids his age), is an excellent resource for teachers, parents, and anybody who has a kid in their lives. This is a valuable lesson, and not just about money either!
Max also learns about how it feels when you don't return something on time, (Emma's game), and the library books. (which cause him to not get the game station he wanted so badly!) He also gets an earful from his big brother, who really was counting on his money (the ten that Max figured he could borrow for pizza), and then mom helps explain what went wrong and offered a super good solution! But,just like other kids, Max kind of didn't do his 2 weeks of free chores to pay his mom back for the loan, and he ended up having to do a little bit more then what he had to do. If only Max, would have done his chores in the first place, but instead he decided to hang out with his brother. (sound familiar??)
We read this story a few times over, I am going to be looking into more of these very valuable lessons from this author, and I believe we are going to grab copies of each! This was so clearly written, and I know my children understood! (Well, at least for the days that we read the book! We have to have some of this author's books on the shelves, just for reminding them again and again. They certainly remember Max though, and the hilarious joke, cheesy joke, that made the title of this book so funny!! (Especially our almost 9 year old, he loves jokes, especially the cheesy ones!!)

You can buy this book from Amazon! (Either click above, or you can buy from our book store!)
You can check out the author's site here!!

Visit Candi Sparks on Facebook!
Candi is a mom and an author, and holds many financial certifications, you can read about her amazing career, and how she got the idea to empower others, here!
Follow her on Twitter!
Check her out on Youtube!!
and on Pinterest;p

** We received a copy of this book in return for our honest review **

I Remember Mommy's Smile by Dina Wolfman Baker

This was going to be a very sad book to read, and I knew what this was about before it arrived, and still found it hard to open up.
Even as a children's book, I didn't want to share it with the youngest little ones, because i myself have a fear of death and didn't want to have one of those conversations that pops up once in awhile about where do we go? Will I see you again? Things like that upset me terribly, even if I firmly believe we will be together again. i just couldn't stomach it.
It was hard to get through this book, especially since it was written through the eyes and heart of a child. I don't like to hear that anybody has to go through such a horrifying event in their life, but I know we all will at some point.
I do believe this is an amazing book for families who are experiencing a loss of a loved one, especially for the children. (Although it will certainly help the grown ups deal with such a devastating loss as well)
You can't help but cry a bit, well, a lot, while reading this and the pictures alone are sad enough. The pictures in this story are simple yet in such a beautiful way, especially the mommy part when she is smiling.
I Remember Mommy's Smile, goes through the whole process of finding out her mother is ill, and the good times they could still have together, to the hospital, to coming home again, to being very sick and going back to the hospital. Reading the words that come from a child really got to me, but this will definitely help with coping and the healing process. There is a part when the little girl couldn't hug her mommy, knowing it was the last time she will see her, that was a nice addition as I believe most children go through this and they should not feel ashamed or feel as though they let anybody down,so this will let them know they are not alone and they are understood!
The whole story was like this, and covered every aspect of death and dying, and the feelings that a child would have during the whole process.
Then the little girl explains her feelings at her mommy's funeral, to getting back to school, being able to smile once again, and how she remembers her mommy's smile. This part was especially sweet, and will be a crucial part for children when they need the extra help to try and get back to normal. (and for parents, this book will be a much needed tool for your family, whether it is used to just help your children see they are not alone, or take the place of some very hard to answer questions while you are grieving also)
I would recommend this book for churches, schools, day cares, all parents and families who have lost a loved one, and of course, any therapists that help families with this process.

You can read more about this book at www.BakersDozenPress.com
and www.MommysSmile.com
Please leave any comments below and share your reviews of this book!!
If you are interested, you can click the picture above to purchase this book at Amazon.com!

A Quest for Good Manners by Karin Lefranc

I have 4 children, and they are so similar to Rosalind and her pet dragon, Sparkler.(I think a lot of children are;)
That's one reason this book was so special! It made my little ones laugh at the beginning, because they do the same, and hear the same as the characters did!
We really enjoyed reading this book, and the kids of course, were all full of manners immediately afterwards! (Yes, I have to read it often, but luckily, Aaron, he is 8, loves to read out loud too!)
The illustrations are charming, and the book itself is especially neat. The kids love the cover, and even the way the words are on the pages. (We loved the please, thank you and your welcome parts.)
By the middle of the book, Genevive, (she is 5), was able to understand before I read it, what they should have done or said, and we were super proud that she was learning some manners!

I really love the cute story and how simple the author makes the lesson of manners that some of us parents have a hard time with. Of course, at least in our family, the kids are great in public, but when it comes to respecting each other and being kind and considerate at home, it doesn't last to long. But, all in all, so far, we have had a wonderful response with this book and even Deegan,(he's 2), knows that when this book comes off the shelf, it is please and thank you time!

We had so much fun reading, and I personally had a lot of fun seeing the children actually be kind and considerate to each other. (Even if just for the day;) But, everytime we read it, they go on their own journey and are kind and have manners here at home!

I recommend this to all little princes and princesses, and any parent or grandparent who may be getting tired of repeatedly asking, well, begging, for their little ones to have some manners!
You can buy this book on Amazon!

You can also check out A Quest for Good Manners on Facebook!!

** We received a copy of this book in return for our honest review **

The Toughskin Rhinoceros Wrangler Company

Of course the little ones were excited to be able to read this story and check out all of the cute illustrations as soon as we received the pdf file for this brand new book by, Thomas L Vaultonburg. Aaron always loves to be the one to read the story since he is the almost 9 year old;) Genevive and Deegan love that their big brother, (or big brudder, lol) is reading them a story. This book was super easy for Aaron to read. which was perfect, because they like to hear some stories a few more times, immediately after the first!!
The rhinos in this book love to dance, thanks to rhino Jack. Who is rhino Jack? he is a little boy who likes to dress in his rhino costume, and hang out at the zoo with his rhino family!
One day, the rhinos are stomping and running through town, and the zoo had to call Jack to come and help get the rhinos back where they belong, and Jack saves the day!
The pictures in this book are very attractive, and definitely caught the attention of my children. The story flows extremely nice, and after listening a couple times, genevive got the dancing part memorized pretty good.

Aaron is always so proud of his reading skills, and so am I!

This is Genevive when we asked her what she thought of the story, and she could hardly stop laughing as she described the dancing rhinos doing her favorite part, the Tango, lol! Of course, she asked to hear it again and again and again...
This is a very sweet book, and will be one you want a copy of for your children's bookshelves. It falls into the category of all those good classics that kids will remember and pass down to their children and grandchildren. It definitely isn't easily forgotten!
Another neat thing in this book, is at the end, there is a section with some real interesting facts about rhinos. Aaron had a fun time learning about them, and ran out to tell his dad that they can sometimes run 35 miles per hour. That was the most impressive to him.
You can purchase a copy of this book directly from their website, and you can also get it signed!!
We would love to read your comments! Have you ever heard of this book? Do you own a copy? Would you like a copy?
I normally ask the kids how many stars they would give a book they just reviewed, when I asked them how many stars out of 5, Aaron said, 5, Genevive said 50:P I also give this story a 5 star rating!!

**We received a copy of this book in return for our honest review**

Lightning Fast Japanese for Kids and Families by Carolyn Woods

I was very excited when I received an email from Carolyn Woods, asking if we would be interested in reviewing her Lightning Fast (insert your choice) for Kids and Families book. This was something I have been wanting to get started on with my kids and something I thought would be fun for me as well.
We chose German, (which I will be posting about next), but she also had a Japanese version, and the kids were anxious for this one, so she kindly sent me the file for Japanese too!
This was so much fun, and Carolyn, has a very unique way of teaching other languages, which I found I am very impressed with. She makes it all seem so easy, and after you start, it really is rather easy. The only thing I am worried about is, are we saying it right? Lol! But, I am hunting for something online maybe that I can type the words in and have a translation. Just so I can be sure! (Carol does have the pronunciations in the book of course, I am just curious as to if I am saying everything properly:)
The kids have tons of fun learning this language! Especially Aaron, who was the main one who said, "Let's learn Japanese!!!", and Carol makes it fit into everyday life, so there was no studying for 2 hours a day or anything added to our already hectic schedule.
You just simply start out asking and answering in the language you chose, just as you would talk and communicate in everyday settings. For instance, you can start out with waking up in the morning and asking questions about what would you like to wear to school today? The way she teaches this makes so much sense! Just jump right in and start! So, you can ask "What are you going to wear to school today?" Your child/children, can answer (with your help at first of course, and lots of printing and reading from the book:), with the type of clothing, the color, and there you go! You and your children already started learning Japanese!!
I really like how she wrote the book to fit into our everyday life, this was something that just seems to make so much sense, and yet I don't think I have ever come across this, when shopping online for a simple and quick way to teach my kids.
The book has several chapters that all fit into our lives, from going outside, to breakfast, to dinner, and she even has "I Spy" games, and other practice games as well.
It is also very easy to read, it doesn't scare you away in the least bit, and it really just starts to come as a second language in your house!
We are anxious to learn more languages now, and I am also contemplating home school for my children, and I would certainly recommend Carolyn Wood's Lightning Fast series for home schools, and just for parents who would like to open their families and children up to other languages and cultures. Carolyn includes many different good ideas and tips along the way, and it's almost like having a teacher right there in the pages. Unlike other books I have found where it is simply a word, and then the translation. The way she wrote these books, really seems to help get through it all much quicker, without sacrificing anything important.
We will be also going back to her books for reference along the way, and using them again for refreshers.
Another cool thing I have to mention, Carolyn Woods, is also a very busy mother of 4, just like me! So, I was happy to have this opportunity to use her books and review them! I also believe that this is exactly why and how she has made such an amazing and simple way for us to teach these other languages to our children!
If you are interested in purchasing her books, (if you have children, I highly recommend looking into this series!!), you can check them out on Amazon
There are many choices:
Lightning Fast German
Lightning Fast Spanish
Lightning Fast French
Lightning Fast Italian
Lightning Fast Chinese (this one will be our next choice!!)
Lightning Fast Japanese
Lightning fast Spanish Vocabulary Building Crossword Puzzles

I have the eBook versions, which are perfectly fine, however, I would suggest maybe purchasing paperback versions, so you can throw it in your bag and use it for the doctor waiting rooms, and times when you are away from home and have a little extra time:)
I would love to hear any comments from any of you who have used these books! Please comment with your review links, blog links, and share your opinions!

Books and Book Reviews and More Books and More Books!!!

We love books, and although I would love to read a book a day, I end up having some kind of small catastrophe that turns into running extra errands, going to the doctor, running to the pharmacy or a grocery store, or just a big crazy "fun" day here at home with some very hyper crazy kids!
I sometimes have to put off reading a book, or finishing one and starting the next, especially when I know it will be a good book and I won't be able to put it down!
As most of you know, I work weekends, and although it is considered my "time off", I have a long weekend some weekends, like this one coming up! I sometimes work straight through the whole thing! So, books, unfortunately have to be put aside. ( for the time being)
But I can assure you, we have some very, very exciting books coming up, some I have had to put off a little longer and schedule as they came in, but there are history books, thrillers, mysteries, all kinds of books, except for children's books! Aaron just asked me last night if he just has off for awhile or what lol! But the kids have been working on their German and Japanese, which is very cool!! The Lightning Fast Series will soon be posted here and this has been an adventure in itself!
There are also a couple reviews coming for some very pretty and well made nail accessories that we received, and soon a couple very cool Father's Day gift ideas! One we are still waiting on, a fogless shaving mirror, and there is a local couple near me who sell and install LED's on anything from cars, motorcycles, Aaron's 4 wheeler is soon coming home with some, even in your home! They save you tons on your electric bill and some people have them installed in their kitchens! I am thinking of doing this! But, I am having a baby shower for our oldest daughter, yes, I am going to be a grandma in July, so it has been real busy with planning and things but still more excitement then anything! I ordered some light strips from BnP Led Lights for prizes and I think this is such a cool idea for Father's Day!! What guy doesn't like crazy bright, super bright, colorful, flashing, lights? LOL! You can get power cords for them and a strip and they can be attached to whatever your husband or dad or friends want! I am going to see what it would be like on or near my desktop because this will take place of the annoying tiny lamp in my room when I'm online! I don't know how good my pictures will get but I will take some soon! For now, if you want to check their page out, there is a link to their store where you can place orders, you can visit them here!
In any case, if you like to read, our schedule is completely booked for a month! So, some will have giveaways with them and these will be announced as they are posted!
In the meantime, if you have a children's book your kids love, or you are an author of a children's book, please let us know! Leave a comment below or email us at busymommylist@yahoo.com.

Teach Baby to Talk

I am a mother of 4, one of which is almost 2, and he is a late talker! So, I was excited about being able to read this book and hoped to learn a few pointers to maybe help Deegan start talking!
Ella Jackson, has been an education researchere, a practicing teacher from kindergarten to 12th grade, and she also tutored children with learning problems. She is the author of this book, and a mother of 3 and a grandmother.
I have to say, I actually feel a little more intelligent after reading this book, mainly because I learned quite a bit! I was very pleased with the way it was written, as if I was having a conversation with somebody and they were answering my questions as i read through this book, and they reinforced some of the harder to grasp parts. Yes, I can honestly say there were a few things I found that shocked me! For instance, when a baby is born, he/she actually has more brain cells then an adult! Can you believe that? I never even thought about it, and just when I thought, "Nah ah!", the author explained it again, and it really made some sense!
I have always been a pretty confident mom, and even though I would always still take what people offered for tips, advice, to heart, I usually ended up being stubborn and sticking with my same old routine. Of course I still call my own mom for advice, and even with 4 children, things change, new research and medicines and science. I just have always stuck with what I learned and what I knew. It has done pretty well for us, so far.
But each child is different, and all of ours have their similarities, there are giant differences! Bethany, our first, talked and walked and was potty trained by age 1. Aaron talked at, (you will never believe this, but I swear it is true!), the very night he was born! The nurses and doctors insisted he was saying "MOM!", every time he looked at me and wanted me to pick him up. However, Aaron was in diapers for much longer then Bethany! Genevive, was an early eater, walker and talker, but is still in Pull Ups at night time only!
Deegan, who will be 2 in May, was born with club foot and cleft lip. ) I have many miracle stories about this little boy, as some of you may have read, but we were told several times that he would be born with many, many issues, and he wasn't!). Most recently, we were told that he had some missing pieces of his brain. He was also diagnosed with DiGeorge Syndrome, Chiari Malformation, and Hydrocephalus. Well, we just refused to believe this, seeing that he showed not 1 symptom, and the doctors and specialists were going on and on and insisting that they were right during my pregnancy. We took Deegan to The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, for a second opinion. Here is another unbelievable story, they told us Deegan is perfectly healthy and fine! I was in tears and tried to keep from being so happy and relieved because I felt horrible for the other families that were there that morning. The pediatric neurologist told us that his MRI's had a missing tonsil, which actually wasn't missing and the pictures were just a bit off and goofy but only because Deegan moved his head during the MRI! Wow.
Anyway, my point behind this is, I am very happy and much more content since reading this book! I have been afraid to ask our doctors about Deegan not really talking much just yet. I figure they will start the tests and diagnose him some more, so I have been trying to help him talk.
What I found with Deegan, is, he just doesn't feel like it. He does this thing where he talks with his mouth closed and you can kind of make out what he is saying, but very rarely will he talk while his mouth is open. He does say Mom, Dad, what, thank you, he even says your welcome. Some days he doesn't say anything except for mom. Some days he is talking like crazy, but still mostly inside his mouth.
I am very thankful for this book, and have been able to feel more at ease, knowing that there are late talkers and there are things I can do to help Deegan along the way!
At the end of this book, is a section that explains what ages in months, should be considered "normal". Suffice to say, Deegan is "normal", and I am quite content now, knowing that at 24 months Deegan should be saying 7 true words, and understanding 50.He should also be able to comprehend simple spoken directions, like, "Give me the cup", which he has for a long time. (Trust me, he is a naughty little man, so he does hear lots of simple spoken directions, as he smirks at us and kind of does what he is told lol).
By 24 months, he should be speaking 2 word phrases, which he does, point to body parts when asked, yes, and understanding when called from another room, YUP! So, unlike a lot of what I hear from other moms, magazines, and even the doctor's pamphlets they give at each visit, (You know the "milestone reports"), Deegan is fairly doing just fine.
Of course, as the author suggests, if you would happen to have a doubt in your mind, you should talk to your doctor, about a possible hearing assessment. Deegan does have his hearing checked every 6 months due to his cleft lip, so we are good there;)
Back to the book, is it worth your money? Yes! Is it a well written book? Yes! Would I recommend this book to family and friends? Yes!
Not only does this book help you teach your baby to talk, and give you examples, facts, and back up the research, it has lots of very cute activities for you and your babies and toddlers!
Each chapter offers more information, I always say I try to learn something new everyday, and this book most definitely taught me plenty!
I liked how they explained the differences between the different ways you can talk to your baby, and teach your baby to talk. Each way has their own examples, explanations and activities. I am going to be a grandmother this summer, and I enjoyed reading about the bilingual and sign language options, and I believe that would be very interesting to talk with Lillian in German, or Japanese, (yes, me and the little ones have been learning these 2 languages). I also was happy to read about how we should talk to our babies and use mimicking and touch, as ways to help them learn and make the connections between objects and words.
We have always, well me especially, (since I tend to talk a lot), spoken to our babies, from day 1, as though they were an adult, or at least a big kid. I tell them what we are going to do today, where we are going, what we will do, point out colors and animals, what is in the cabinets, the bathroom closet, etc.
I have to add just a couple more things I found very useful and interesting in this book:
If your children are saying a word or two or more, with a different sound or letter, for example, "gog" for dog, try saying "dog" with a thumb or a bottle or a pacifier in your mouth;) I never thought of it this way. You should also not say "gog" back to your child, you should still say, dog, correctly!
My favorite part of the book, (well, one of my favorite parts), was; newborns are capable of expressing emotions through their facial muscles. They can in fact smile, and frown, and much more!
I know some people and doctors say they are not smiling at us that early, but they are!
Another cute thing for you mommies and daddies out there to remember, when your babies are moving their little mouths, you should consider this as a sign that they are communicating and trying to talk to you!

You can find Teach Baby to Talk on Facebook
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and you can order this book, along with some very cool freebies, here!

Be Fun. Be Fabulous. Be You. (Holy Cannoli! Chick-E Gets A Job)

If you like funny, silly, hilarious, very descriptive stories, this is definitely one you must check out!
I did read this story with my kids, even though the word "bra" is included! ( I would suggest, that if you are the type of parent who does not want this word in your children's stories, replace it when you read to them!) Don't just throw this off to the side, and disregard! Because this book teaches a very valuable lesson, and you will be pleasantly pleased at the end of this story!
I have to explain who Chick-E is, Chick-E, is a very cool, and sweet character, I am assuming she may be a teenager, or very early adult. But she is an, energetic, lively, cool and very positive chic, with some super cute hair, and a great personality! She loves to help others with problems, and has the kinds of answers a parent would be content and very pleased  with, when Chick-E is asked by their pre teens and teens.
She even has her own blog!  
Chick-E also has a Facebook page !
You can also find her answers to some of life's, kid's. and young adult's roughest questions, on her Youtube channel!
I was very happy to have been given the chance to do this book review, and I read the story with my children, and I visited her blog, and social network, to see what she was about. It has been a long time since I have picked up an issue of YM or Seventeen magazine, do you remember Sassy magazine? That was the cooler magazine for the cooler chics;p and that is where I bet Chick-E would have her own "Ask Chick-E" section each month!
I have to say, we all loved the story, I especially loved the lesson in the book, and my kids love to laugh and this was a very silly book! I am a big fan of teaching our future adults, to love and respect others and themselves, and to always get right back up and never give up! I especially love when these values and lessons are hidden in such a good way, (to our children), behind a cool girl that will end up being a good friend, and a book that has some of the funniest scenes, (food flying all over the place, ALWAYS gets them!!)
This book has it all! Holy Cannoli! Chick-E Gets A Job by Mona Schmitt, is definitely a book for parents, grandparents, school teachers, and children of course!
Chick-E gets herself a job at Mama Romano's restaraunt, and she has quite the eventful, first day! Did you ever have one of those days when everything just seems to be going wrong? (I know I sometimes have those a couple times a week!) Well, that is how poor Chick-E's first day was. After some flying meatballs, a couple crazy twins and M&M's, Mama Romano, and noodles in her hair, Chick-E gets sent home early.
What happens next is my favorite part, not to mention, a recipe that doesn't sound bad at all! You have to read this story to see how quickly, smoothly and confidentially, Chick-E changes the course of her waitressing job at the Italian restaraunt.
This is Volume 1 in the Chick-E Gets A Job series, so I am very anxious to read the next volume, and Genevive, my 5 year old, already loves Chick-E. (I think it's the hair that got her!!) Genevive has been asking about this Chick-E book, ever since she heard it, and in 8 years or so, I am hoping Chick-E is still around answering questions for Genevive!
Chick-E also has some t-shirts and pendants you can check out here! 
This is my new favorite saying, and my favorite item from the Chick-E shop!
Be fun. Be fabulous. Be You.
It is pretty catchy and short and to the point!
We are giving this story 5 STARS!!
Genevive and I loved it the most, Deegan is 20 months old, so he had a fun time watching the rest of us giggle and Aaron actually picked up on the lesson  and shared his insight. Which led to our discussion on. how to make the best out of everything from school days to fighting with siblings, to possible future dilemmas. This story was written very well, lots of adjectives, which described everything so well, you don't need pictures!
Another cool activity from this story we are planning? Why, make Neatballs, of course!
There is much more coming from this author, you have to check out Chick-E's blog, and Facebook, and  we will be hosting a giveaway, where some of you will win a free download of Holy Cannoli! Chick-E Gets A Job! Stay tuned in for that!! (Coming within the next few days!!)