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I don't know who is responsible for it, but somehow the calendar has turned a page. September. IT'S SEPTEMBER! How is that even possible? I guess that means I can't argue that it's still summer. It most certainly is not. September!

Looking back over the summer, it's tough to pick out the highlights. There were quite a few of them. From our day at Kennywood to afternoons at the zoo, from exploring the Arts Festival to hanging out at Pirates games, it has generally been a good summer. And this, this will be the summer that Alexis spent getting wet.

More than any other year in her life, Alexis found her way to pool after pool, sprinkler after sprinkler, and fountain after fountain. It seems nearly every photo I've taken of her in the past three months somehow involves water.

And that's EXACTLY the way she wanted it.

I'm not looking forward to tearing down the pool in our back yard. I know that will be the absolute final act of summer. I'd like to pretend for just a few more weeks, so here's to hoping Mother Nature will comply.

What about you? What was the highlight or theme of your summer? Tell me and you could win a $100 Visa Gift Card, courtesy of the Mom's Breakfast Club. Official rules for the giveaway can be found over here, and you can find additional opportunities to win over there.

Psst . . . this post is part of an affiliation with BlogHer and the Mom's Breakfast Club. Mom’s Breakfast Club was started to help educate moms and families about kids’ cereal and share the scoop on their nutritional benefits and ingredients. To learn more about the program, visit www.loveyourcereal.com.

Me: "What do you want for dinner?"

Her: "I don't know."

Me: "How about spaghetti?"

Her: "Noooooooooo!"

Me: "Why not?"

Her: "I don't want to get Sidney Crosby's face dirty."

In other words, Alexis really, really, really likes her dress from Upcycled Designs,

This is sponsored content by BlogHer and Kelloggs.

I've already mentioned that mornings are a frantic race to the finish at our house. From the moment my alarm goes off until we pull out of the driveway, it's hurry-hurry-hurry-hurry-hurry. Except, of course, for the part where I hit the snooze button a few times too many. Whoops.

Every time I hit that snooze button, I know that I'm changing what Alexis will get to eat for breakfast. The first snooze takes away the minutes it would take for me to make her a hot breakfast. Needless to say, that first snooze is purely a ceremonial act and I have never actually intended to get up quite that early.

If I hit snooze again, I take away the minutes Alexis needs to eat her Strawberry Delight Mini Wheats while lounging in our bed and watching old episodes of Scooby Doo. When I only hit the snooze button once, Alexis is a happy camper. She gets her favorite cereal, knows that she is eating something healthy, and she gets to partake in Scooby's shenanigans. All in all, it makes for the perfect start to the day.

Normally it's "you're out" if you make it to three strikes, but in my case three times with the snooze button only lowers our standards to the Drive-by Waffling stage. I love that I can grab Alexis something filling and nutritious to start her day. Now, if only she didn't have to eat her Eggo Waffles while strapped into her car seat . . . Oh, well. Such is the life of someone who can could find the snooze button on a mobile alarm clock. Seriously, the thing could grow legs and start running around the room and I would STILL manage to hit snooze at least once. OK, probably twice. Ahem.

What about you? Does what you feed your kids change when you get a late start on the day? Tell me and you could win a $100 Visa Gift Card, courtesy of the Mom's Breakfast Club. Official rules for the giveaway can be found over here, and you can find additional opportunities to win over there.

Psst . . . this post is part of an affiliation with BlogHer and the Mom's Breakfast Club. Mom’s Breakfast Club was started to help educate moms and families about kids’ cereal and share the scoop on their nutritional benefits and ingredients. To learn more about the program, visit www.loveyourcereal.com.

Update on Tuesday, September 7, 2010 by burghbaby

Random.org decided Jim looked fabulous today. He has 48 hours to reply to the email that was sent to him. Congrats!

This is sponsored content by BlogHer and Kelloggs.

My kid is kinda weird. I'm not sure how many times I have thought that, but every day she reminds me of it again. Offer her a choice between Lima beans and chocolate, and she'll take the Lima beans. Ask her if she would rather have a salad or a cupcake, she's taking the salad. Send her down the breakfast aisle and she will walk straight to her favorite cereal-Kellogg's Strawberry Delight Mini Wheats.

Seriously.

Forget the powdered donuts, the kid would happily eat Strawberry Mini Wheats every single day for every single meal for the rest of her life.

I'm OK with that. I mean, who am I to complain when the kid prefers healthy foods?

It's pretty common that Alexis will start to grab a snack, turn to me, and ask, "Is this healthy?" She cares about eating healthy foods a lot. She just plain prefers them. She always has. In fact, I couldn't eat junk food when I was pregnant with her. Those of you who have met me know that my food pyramid consists of chocolate, french fries, pizza, and more chocolate. And, yet, while I was pregnant, I thought even graham crackers were too sweet. The kid was forcing her healthy ways on me long before I realized that she's exactly right.

If everybody were born preferring healthy choices, we'd all be a lot better off. I'm trying very hard to learn from her, even if I do hate Lima beans.

What is your kid's favorite cereal? Tell me and you could win a $100 Visa Gift Card, courtesy of the Mom's Breakfast Club. Official rules for the giveaway can be found over here, and you can find additional opportunities to win over there.

Psst . . . this post is part of an affiliation with BlogHer and the Mom's Breakfast Club. Mom’s Breakfast Club was started to help educate moms and families about kids’ cereal and share the scoop on their nutritional benefits and ingredients. To learn more about the program, visit www.loveyourcereal.com.



Update on Tuesday, August 31, 2010 by burghbaby

I asked Random.org to pick a number, and it decided that Lauren should be the lucky one. An email has been sent to her and she has 48 hours to reply. Congrats!

Playskool recently sent Alexis a new Play-Doh set to try out. Originally I planned to ask her what she thought and post the video, but I think the pictures say it all:

It was a movie theater play set, complete with the tools needed to make popcorn and french fries and gummy bears and pretty much all of her favorite things to eat at the theater. She started out thinking the popcorn was All That and Then Some, but then she found the french fries.

All was well right up until the moment my OBVIOUSLY clueless child disregarded the laws of nature and Play-Doh and started mixing colors. Just thinking about it makes me shudder. ACK!

Mmmm . . . red and green and brown and yellow french fries.

Alexis gave the Play-Doh Fun Food Poopin Movie Snacks set a big ol' thumbs up. I just wish it came complete with Play-Doh police who would enforce the NO MIXING COLORS rule.