Urban Suburban Mommy

Tag Archives: bath

The bath bombers

Posted on by Posted in Mommy Approved .

My boys are addicted to bath bombs, and I’m okay with that.

Stinky boys + Lush bath bombs = Happy Mama

If your kids have ever given you the run-around because they don’t want to take a bath, I highly recommend taking them out to pick up a few bath bombs. I love the ones at Lush. I have tried other types, but I’ve never found better. I especially love Lush for their amazing quality, natural products that are never tested on animals and their social responsibility. But mostly because the products are so pretty, smell so good and work so well!

For the uninitiated, bath bombs are essential-oil-and-magic-filled balls of bright colour. They smell lovely and are chalky to the touch, but drop them in water and they become effervescent as they react. They spin and fizz, emitting colours and aromas to sooth the soul. The water takes on gorgeous hues and sometimes – if you pick just right, they release flower petals, sparkles and other wonderful surprises as they do their thing.

Yoga bombing boy

Yoga bombing boy

It’s the perfect kind of fun to get your kids begging for baths!

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Most bath bombs area  one-time use. They melt away completely as they finish fizzing. Warning – they will leave your child (and you) smelling better than any soap ever could, filling the bathroom and hallway with an incredible aroma. The essential oils are picked with precision and awareness. You can buy bath bombs for bedtime that relax, ones that soothe, ones that remind you of the forest, ones that invigorate, and ones that offer a pick-me-up. The happy, energizing scents are especially perfect for a cool, mid-day bird bath in the summer.

If you’ve never experienced the bird bath, then you need to start. My university roommate Jen, the loveliest of souls, not only turned me onto Lush products and bath bombs, but I believe she also coined the term bird bath.

Some baths are meant to be long and luxurious, where you need to reheat the water two or three times. Other baths are fast, soothing – not much more than a quick rinse. Bird baths. You pop into the tub for two or three minutes. Sometimes to wash up, other times just to cool off in the summer.

Jen and I lived with two male roommates that joked they could never have imagined their bathroom would smell so good or be used so much, but I believe the landlord was probably having conniptions about the water bills!

My name is “NO”

Posted on by Posted in The Struggle is Real .

sullivan noOn mommy’s agenda for me today:
  • getting dressed
  • going to school
  • eating dinner
  • bath
  • bedtime.

Um, no. I will not be doing any of that. At least, not with any discernible amount of ease.

GETTING DRESSED

I know that I wear the same uniform every day, and most days I’m cool with it. But today, I don’t know… I’m just feeling like it’s a pyjamas-to-school-type day. No, not these pyjamas on my body, Dunderklumpen. I want to wear the pyjamas at the bottom of my dirty laundry hamper.

Why?

Because they’re friggin’ COOL. You might not remember what cool feels like because your fashion criteria is whether or not your leggings roll down and you think musical ingenuity ended in the 80’s.

I don’t give a rat’s a** what the weather is outside. I will wear the exact opposite. I will also wear my pants and/or shirt backwards because I am expressing myself. I am an individual who will not live under your Reich of conformity. I also have first rights of refusal regarding outerwear. You can be sure I will complain about being cold and that my pants are falling down. Because, individual.

GOING TO SCHOOL

Give me the keys, please. You know the drill. I press the buttons to open all the doors (yes, even the trunk). You may have them back once I’ve shut all the doors and locked everyone inside. Just because you drive like Hunter S. Thompson on a bender doesn’t mean we all have a death wish. I’m concerned about safety.

You’re welcome.

(After school)

So, about today. I may or may not have licked my friend’s face at lunch. I was pretending to be a puppy. You know, a small, warm, furry pile of love that I want more than the very oxygen I breathe but you say we can’t have because you have “allergies” and basically don’t care about my happiness?

Also, the teacher got a bit annoyed because for the fourth time this week, I brought in a piece of paper with random letters typed on it for show-and-tell, which apparently only happens on Mondays. Pfft. They’ll all regret not basking in my genius and technical prowess. I know how to use a computer. I am the future.

EATING DINNER

It smells nice in here! No doubt some healthy concoction of proteins, carbs and veggies. Chicken? Isn’t that the animal on my Fisher Price See ‘N Say farm toy? Are you suggesting that I eat the cute, smiling cartoon animal? Everywhere a tsk tsk.  You say I like chicken? Come on poo monkey, chicken is so five seconds ago.

Unless it’s nuggets. I like those.

Besides, chicken nuggets aren’t really chicken, that’s just a name, like eggplant or…soup. You’re a dummy.

(Ten minutes after dinner is finished.)

I want macaroni. I want MACARONI. I WA-A-A-A-A-A-ANT MACARONI!!

What the hell is wrong with you? I HATE macaroni! I want cookies!

BATHROOM BREAK (Not on the list but the four year old is nothing if not flexible when it comes to routine and schedule. Sorry, I tried to keep a straight face.)

I don’t have to wash my hands after I use the toilet, because I never touched my thingie and I even wiped up the floor pee with your face towel so I never touched anything. Besides, I washed my hands two days ago, so they’re practically like new. I have bacteria on my hands? That sounds like a word you made up. I’mma smell my fingers and very likely put them in my mouth. Just to be sure.

BATH

A bath? Sure, I’m down with a bath. Here is my list of demands:

a) I get into the tub first. I don’t care if the baby gets undressed faster and has to stand there while I spend the next 10 minutes running around naked screaming “I have a penis!” I don’t care if the bathwater goes tepid. If anyone starts bathing before I get into the bath, my head will explode and you will have to clean it up and you’ll be sorry.

b) I am in charge of putting all the tub toys into the tub.

Every. Single. One.

c) I will not be washing my hair. I washed it last week and it’s fine. If you come at me with the shampoo I will literally flip my s**t and try to drown you. The baby, however, looks dirty and needs a shampoo. I will conduct the rinsing. I’m holding him under to rinse out the shampoo. This is called rinsing. He’s rinsed when he starts to panic a little. Can you please tell him not to be such a big baby?

BEDTIME

I want 2 books. No wait, 5 books. No wait, I’ll just pile up all the books. Wait, I don’t want to read a story anymore. I want to play with the Gro Clock. What do you mean I broke it? I just took off the back panel to see what the buttons did. What shoddy manufacturing! I have a curious mind, I’m thirsty for knowledge! Speaking of thirsty, I want a drink. I know very well that “bedtime” is what you call the bottle of red stuff on the counter. Before you get to the bottom of your “bottle of feigned happiness and forgotten dreams”, where’s my drink? I want water in a cup with a lid, but just to make things interesting, I have no intention of telling you which cup I want, and will only yell “no” at each selection until your eye starts twitching. Then I’ll get bored of the game. Also, I’m laughing at you because I’m not even thirsty.

(Two hours later)

By the way, even asleep I know you’re crazy about me. See you tomorrow.

Love, the Despot.

 

 

Live clean wash

Posted on by Posted in Mommy Approved .
mom tested

I can’t even tell you how happy I am that I came across the “Live Clean” brand when I was perusing the baby aisle one day in my local pharmacy.  I absolutely love the brand  and the product is certainly true to it’s name. Want to know why?

mom tested

Here is the product overview:

A clinically tested, tearless formula that gently cleanses without drying. Leaving babies skin and hair feeling soft and nourished. Featuring a coconut based surfactant, Live Clean Baby is formulated free of harsh chemicals and preservatives. Made with purified water and enriched with certified organic botanicals of Chamomile, Lavender and Aloe, this unique formula rinses clean with a gentle scent to sooth baby. These baby products will make washing up a splash of fun!

Features:

  • 98% Plant ingredients
  • SLS free
  • Tear free
  • Hypoallergenic
  • Pediatrician tested

The shampoo & wash smells absolutely amazing and what’s great about it is that I can use it on both my baby and 3 year old.  In fact, my 3 year old has dry skin and a dry, peeling scalp.  Ever since I started using Live Clean Shampoo and wash on my toddler, my son is no longer suffering from dryness.  I was so impressed with the brand that I wanted to do some additional research about the company and its other offerings.  What I learned is that the product is Canadian – so thumbs up again.  I also like supporting homegrown products.  I also discovered that the Live Clean brand has a series of products including skincare and products for adults.

I have extremely dry hair, perhaps because it is colour treated.  I have had a hard time finding a moisturizing shampoo so I decided to try the Live Clear Keratin Oil Shampoo.  Again, I love the scent and so far my hair is pretty soft with washings which is a bit of a miracle.  I definitely will be exploring the rest of the product line and will share any other additional insights.  Live Clean is available at Walmart and other retailers.

Bath or shower?

Posted on by Posted in The Struggle is Real .
bath or shower

I think my love of baths must be genetic. I have always been a bather. I would bathe for hours while I wrote term papers. I would take ‘bird baths’ – quick little baths instead of a shower – before going out. I’m a bath bomber, I’m a bubbler, I’m a three-reheater and I think my little muppets have inherited the bath genes.

We’re not the nightly bath type of family. Honestly, I don’t know who has time for that between playdates, swimming, karate, grocery shopping and homework. But I can never figure out whether baths or showers are better for the boys.

Showers are definitely faster but baths are far more fun.

I love a good, long bath, and so do my kids. But a bath turns into an hour of splashing and playing and toys in the water and a sopping wet floor. The problem is, I’m not comfortable leaving them in the tub without watching them.

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They’re too big to bathe together – not too old, just too big. And I cannot spend 2 hours letting them bathe, one after the next. Showers aren’t their favourite, so they’re fast and easy, but the boys only put up with them grudgingly.

What do you do?

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