Review // Munchkin Miracle 360 Cup

I am shakin' my tail feather over here! I have finally found a spill proof, easily cleaned, modern designed training cup that Miss Isla will actually drink out of - milk too!

When it comes to parenting, everyone has an opinion, even those without children of their own. As parents, we are already judging every decision we make and if you're like me, your main goal is to keep these tiny humans alive at all costs. Tips + tricks are always welcome, but I will roll my eyes and "whatever" you under my breath every time you say "I ought to // I should do // she's too old for a paci // Ice cream before dinner?" Well, this will blow your mind...my almost 2 1/2 year old still drinks from a bottle. I know. Your mind has been blown. You want to shake me and warn me of oral problems and future ortho estimates in an amortized (and laminated) schedule. My response? It's not a battle I'm willing to fight. She drinks out of a straw at restaurants, bottled water at the pool, regular cups at school, but insists on having her milk and water at home in a bottle.

Believe me, we have tried every cup out there. I have sat on the floor and cried along with her after she threw every single cup on the floor. I have gone through a gallon of milk in 30 minutes trying one cup after the other; all ended up cracked and spilling on the floor around us. Isla is one tenacious little shit when she wants something.

However, I always hit up the feeding aisle when shopping to see if there's any new miracle cup that will get this punk off the bottle. Enter the Munchkin Miracle 360 Cup. Miracle. Ha! No pun intended.

They make one with handles for younger tots too!

I offered this to her and not only did she drink the entire cup of milk that first time, but she has since requested it!! I am in sippy cup love!! I think she likes it for two reasons 1. You have to kinda suck or sip to get the liquid to flow. 2. She calls it her mommy cup because it resembles the Tervis Tumblers I always use. This cup is also completely spill and leak proof. There is a seal that only opens when you put your mouth to it and sip. I highly recommend this cup for every picky tot out there! They are kinda pricey - one for $7, but worth it. I will never buy another transition cup again.

Anyone need a box of 20+ random sippy cups?

You never know, until you know

My husband and I recently went away on a much anticipated trip of Munich and Prague. It was truly the best trip we have shared together in the past five years. I plan to post the deets of that trip very soon (I'm still editing photos).

I looked at my iperiod app (yes, there's an app for that) and saw that my monthly cycle was set to start the day we arrived in Europe - oh for eff's sake, really?! That's what I get for not checking dates prior to booking the flights... I stocked up on the necessary arsenal and off we went.

On the last day of our trip, we found ourselves outside of a pharmacy with an extra 2 Euro to burn, so I plucked it down for an I-know-I'm-not-but-we-got-this-extra-2-euro pregnancy test, took my change (yes, it was that cheap!), and headed to the hotel to grab our luggage.

My husband was off downing some free booze before our car arrived and I made haste to the nearest public bathroom - fun fact: I find myself armed with pregnancy tests in more public bathrooms than I do in my own at home.

The test said negative. Anyone who has ever peed on a stick will tell you that even when hoping for a negative result, the sight of one still stings and makes you wonder if you wasted all your good eggs on college and birth control.

The test was a twofer, so when I hadn't started a few days later (now 9 days late) I took the second test. Negative. Well shit! I guess I should call the doctor because I obviously have cancer!

Later that night: "why is there a pregnancy test in the bathroom? Are you still late?" asked my husband

"Ew, sorry, I'll just go throw that away."

Ummm, my previously negative result was now positive. Now, had this not happened one other time I would have thrown it away per package instructions, but I knew. I just knew it was right.

Pregnancy confirmed. Bank account less $14 - the Europeans know what's up with $1.50 price point! $14?! 

We were scared shitless! I had started to rethink my want of a second child due to the horrific attitude of my first - a girl can only get smacked in the face and screamed at so many times before she starts to empathize with China's one kid policy.

First thing out of Victor's mouth? "Is it mine?"

What the eff effity eff?! Did he just ask me that?!?! I swear he loves me... I swear we're happy... I just laughed and told him to get his wishful thinking in check.

Fast forward a week - I started what I knew in my heart of hearts was a miscarriage. I knew because I'd been down that road before and it ain't pretty. All of a sudden I knew. I knew we wanted this baby and we were meant to turn our threesome into a foursome. Unfortunately, it just wouldn't be with this baby at this time.

I had just went through one of the worst weeks in my professional career and came out of that stressful week with a face of acne and a miscarriage. A month went by and I no longer work for Chloe + Isabel. On my last day there, my husband left work early to be with me and console me. We spent the day talking, laughing, and eating candy in bed. As we were on our way to pick up Isla from school, he looked over at me and said, "this may be the first day of the rest of our lives." 

Wink wink ;)

As much as the loss hurt, I was so incredibly happy + grateful that I already had one back-talking, shin-kicking, hair-pulling monster of my own. I love you, Islaboo, and I am so happy I'm your mother and you're my daughter. You were the light of those dark days and I am forever grateful that I had you to snuggle and smooch on as I came to terms with the loss of another Fernandez baby. 

My heart goes out to all of you who have lost a child or never had the chance to. 

xo