Toddler Crafts: Stamping

While our little caveman toddlers need structure in their days, coming up with "successful" activities for them can be a little challenging. Specifically when considering that everything will end up in their mouths (paint, beads, dirt, you name it) and clean-up is directly proportional to the amount of fun an activity will present. Coloring: fun factor = 1, Clean-up factor =1. Making mud pies: fun factor =5, Clean-up factor = 50. And let's face it, the fun factor attributable to clean-up is at least a -20; we're lucky to escape without a full scale, defiant temper tantrum. Because picking up and washing your hands, are sooo awful and I must be the meanest mom ever.

This week we present the toddler craft of stamping, as we begin to ramp up our sweatshop for fathers' day gifts. Ahh, sophisticated handy-crafts.

A Stamping Tutorial (for you novices out there):

Step 1- procure stamps and washable, non-toxic ink stamp pads
Step 2- introduce toddler to the graceful art of inking the stamp and
pressing into paper
Step 3 - sit back with pride as toddler creates magical scenes of kittens
and rainbows
Step 4 - quick and easy clean-up with a wet paper towel and hand wash

The reality

• Toddler will be so giddy at thought of stamps that she can barely maintain focus long enough to look at you, forget listening.


• In approximately 15 seconds toddler will cover every conceivable inch of giant floor pad paper with stamps. And not the pretty stamps - ours chose windmill and guitar, bypassing cat, dog and rainbow all together.


• Stamping may need to be re-purposed as an outdoor activity: toddler will yell out the name of the stamp every time she stamps it. WINDMILL! WINDMILL! (Please, please don't wake up the baby!)


• When you turn your back to get a new sheet of paper, toddler will create a near-perfect tattoo sleeve of stamps on her arms.


• Remember how you specifically purchased "washable"ink? Well, apparently "washable" is a loose interpretation. After multiple hand washings, including scrubbing with your favorite exfoliating sugar scrub - your toddler's colored fingers & arm tattoos remain. Now is when you can at least feel better about saying no to a second arm stamp yourself.

And the winner is...

No, sorry to disapoint those of you eagerly awaiting results, the diaper study isn't complete.

Instead we offer photos from the girls watching the Miss USA pagent, in crowns. Charlotte is even wearing her own teeny crown. Yes, it is made out of tin foil. Classy.

Dispite her short attention span, Addie did get into the spirit of the pagent and made her own runway out of pillows. Good idea in principle, but proved to be very difficult to walk on without falling over.

The Diaper Study - Test Protocol

Brought to you by the MitMit household with two children in diapers and an author with underutilized engineering skills, we present the Diaper Study.

Introduction
This test protocol has been created based on concerns raised over pampers "dry max" diapers and diaper rash. The following details the comparative (attribute) analysis to be performed on three diaper types:
1. Pampers Swadlers Dry Max
2. Pampers Swadlers Sensitive
3. Huggies Little Snugglers
Author's disclaimer: this testing is not sponsored, affiliated, or authorized by any company (diaper manufacturer or other). Nor does the author assert that these results will conclusively prove or disprove the concerns raised over diaper rash. Realize that this is just an engineer keeping herself entertained...so enjoy this journey into geekdom.

Test Samples

• This study will use a single diaper user, Charlotte (age on 5/12/10 is 4 weeks, 1 day) currently weighing approximately 8.5 lb.
• In this study diapers from a minimum of 1 lot (each) of the 3 diaper types will be used.
• Study will use size 1 diapers only.
• Sample selection: Test samples will be randomly selected from within package and serialized for traceability. At time of protocol, lot numbers are TBD. Lot numbers will be recorded in the report.

Test Sample Preparation and Conditions

• When switching between diaper types, diaper user will use "new" type for 24 hours prior to starting the test sample diapers to minimize residual effects (if any) from previous diaper type.
• Test sample diapers will be changed every 2 hours, at a minimum, or when suspected to be dirty.
• Test sample diapers and analysis will only be performed during daytime hours (6am - 11pm), to minimize errors attributable to night time change snafus.
• Sensitive diaper wipes will be used with each diaper change (Brand = Kirkland Unscented Ultra Soft Cloth Baby Wipes.)
• Diaper cream (Brand = Desitin original) will be applied with each diaper change.

Sample Size
A sample size of 45 diapers from each type will be used in this attribute study. For individual diaper type analysis, this represents an an attribute sampling plan of n=45, a=0 intended to demonstrate with 90% confidence that the results are greater than 95% reliable.


Validation Tests
For this testing, the test sample diapers are to be subjected to standard use conditions as worn by the diaper user (i.e. Charlotte will the test sample diapers just like normal diapers.) During the removal of the soiled test sample diapers (i.e. diaper change) the test samples will be analyzed for the following two tests reflective of diaper performance during "use":

1. Leakage
This test for leakage is an attribute result to answer the question: did the diaper leak, yes or no? Analysis will be performed by individual removing soiled diaper by inspection on diaper user's attire for signs of pee or poop. (Pee and poop are scientific terms, right?)

2. Rash
This is an qualitative test for rash which will inspect the skin in the diaper area of the diaper user during removal of the soiled diaper. Rating for rash will be recorded based on observation of individual removing soiled diaper based on the following scale:
1 = no rash
2 = Minor localized rash
3 = Significant localized rash
4 = Significant wide spread rash
5 = Severe rash (red bumps against red background, broken skin, etc.)

Instructions for data recording
With each test sample diaper record the time installed, the time removed, the condition of diaper upon removal (W = pee, BM = poop, W + BM = pee & poop), leakage observation (Y/N), and rash rating (1 - 5).

Method for Data Analysis
Since I'm a little tired, I'm going to leave the analysis details somewhat unbound at this point (rather than limit my options based on what I can think of now). Intention is to compare attribute performance of each diaper type discretely. Intent to also compare results across the different diaper types to determine if there is a significant difference.

Report to follow...stay tuned as the MitMit household conducts this testing.

Toddler Lessons: in less than a minute

Here in another edition of "Toddler Lessons" we present evidence supporting why the acceptable amount of time toddlers can be left alone is ZERO seconds. Why zero, you ask? Because those little buggers are fast. Much faster and smarter than our adult brains are able to comprehend. Leave the toddler alone in the living room while you go to the bathroom? Sure - what could she even get into? Answer: A LOT. Here are some recent accomplishments of our toddler, all performed while left unattended for less than a minute:

1. Find a pen and apply to face as "make-up"

2. Take apart decorative dried flower arrangement and break apart into little twigs. (Okay, in fairness this wasn't unattended...it was actually right in front of three adults who were too distracted to notice.)

3. Find a pink highlighter and add artistic flourish to coffee table

4. Toss about room multiple baskets of clothes mom just finished folding

Hard to tell

Charlotte lost her cord this morning, which raises a puzzling question: Does she have an innie or an outie? Take a look below...hard to tell which one it is.

Front view of belly button w/ legs extended

Front view of belly button w/ legs pulled in

Side view of belly button