A Little Luxury

Not too long ago, I attended a presentation about special needs parenting called "Juggling Three Balls and a Watermelon." We special needs moms are fantastic jugglers. Just like all parents, we know how to keep many balls in the air at once. But for us, one of those balls is really a watermelon. It is heavier than the rest and can throw things off balance. It would be really messy if dropped. And so it is really important that we keep that watermelon in the air. The other balls, the ones labeled "other kids" and "marriage" and "keeping the house clean" often get dropped.

But there is another ball. Sometimes this ball is so small, has so little weight, it flies away. We might not even realize we don't have it any more. That ball is marked "self."

This speaker suggested one way to take some time for ourselves is through small luxuries. For example, she suggested taking an extra five minutes in the shower and, most importantly, to acknowledge that time as a special treat. I had a few immediate thoughts at this.

1. That's not very environmentally friendly. Aren't we in a water crisis?
2. I am lucky to get a shower every day, let alone one with extra minutes tacked on.
3. I have eczema. I'm not supposed to take long showers.

Even so, she was clearly on to something. My bathroom is filled with lotions and bath products that smell wonderful and look pretty and that I can only use once or twice before itchy red patches start to appear in the crooks of my elbows and the backs of my knees. But I can't help myself.

I don't generally do product reviews on this blog (though I would happily tout my favorite chewy tube or zip-up-the-back pajamas). But when I got the opportunity to try a new body wash from Dove®, a brand I can generally safely use, I couldn't say no.

The bottle even looks nice with
our new bathroom tile

So for the past week I have been using the new Dove® VisibleCare™ Softening Body Wash with NutriumMoisture™.  The first thing I noticed was how thick and creamy the body wash is. It feels very luxurious and contains a mild cleanser that is designed to soften skin and dry spots. Nice! It also has a lovely floral fragrance that includes an elegant combination of magnolia and pink jasmine. This worried me at first, since fragrance is often a no-no for sensitive skin, but I'm happy to say that my skin looks and feels great: soft and moisturized with no need to add extra lotion after getting out of the shower.


And because I was reviewing a product, I had to take a shower every day. And with this body wash, I even felt safe tacking on a couple of extra minutes. You know what? It was actually kind of nice.


What do you do to find some "me time?"

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This is a paid review, and all opinions are my own.

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Solving Problems...And My First Giveaway

This year has been a lot about problem solving. Moe is only 3 1/2 so we're still pretty new at understanding his particular brand of autism. I'm looking forward to spending some time reading all of my past blog posts and summarizing some of the problems we've encountered and where we've succeeded or failed. I think it will help us have a more manageable 2011.

But before I do that, I want to write about one more problem we had and how we've remedied it. Moe has always been a pretty good eater, but over the past few months, we couldn't get him to sit still at the table. He outgrew one booster seat, and we got him a really comfy one, but he still never seemed quite comfortable. He was always squirming or sitting sideways. We figured out that the main issue is that his feet dangle. As someone who is quite vertically challenged myself, I understand that this is uncomfortable. But how do you fix this on a 3 year old?

We decided to get a Tripp Trapp chair. I've always like the aesthetic of the chair. I love child-friendly furniture that doesn't look like baby furniture but wasn't sure we needed it. It is just expensive enough that I had to really justify it. But the great thing about this chair is that both the seat and footrest are height adjustable, so it can continue to be an ergonomically correct chair for Moe. And if he gets tired of it someday, it also works as a chair for adults, so I can reclaim it for a desk chair. I'm picturing it at the little computer nook in my fancy new kitchen in my big new house. (That last part may be pure fantasy, but a girl can dream.)

We got it in the walnut finish, with the Fresh Stripe cushion, so it matches our decor perfectly.My only complaint is that I wish the cushion were an oil cloth or more wipe-able fabric. But it is machine washable. I love this chair so much, I got a second one for Jelly. No more high chairs - hooray!

We later mentioned this to our occupational therapist, who said that when a kid's feet are dangling they are focused on that and not on whatever they are supposed to be doing, whether it is paying attention in class or eating a snack. I'm not sure why we didn't just ask her in the first place. But we felt pretty proud of ourselves for analyzing the problem, brainstorming solutions and finding a really great answer.

And now for the best part! If you want a Tripp Trapp chair, or any other modern furniture or accessories for your kids (or yourself), I'm giving away $35 to AllModern. If you'd rather buy something for yourself, you can use the card at any CSN store! Just leave a comment below about a great solution you've discovered for your child, or really anything you feel like saying.

Giveaway open through Sunday, January 2, 2010. Winner will be announced on Monday, January 3.

The winner will be given a promo code worth $35 for use at any CSN Store. Cannot be used toward shipping. I was not given the Tripp Trapp chair, nor was I compensated in any way for this review.