Just say NO to Munchkin Trainer Cups

Here are a series of emails I have been exchanging with the Munchkin Customer Service. I do not recommend these cups with your little ones.

My 1 year old daughter recently transitioned from a bottle to a cup a few weeks ago. We chose your munchkin trainer cup with the soft silicone spout because it seemed the transition would be an easy one. Yesterday, as she was drinking her milk, I noticed she was chewing on something. I am sad to report that the soft no spill spout had broken off into her mouth. I am so glad I that I was sitting right there with her and caught this before she swallowed it or worse choked on it. This cup was brand new when we got it and had only been hand washed. We never put it in the dishwasher. I am not sure what caused the plastic piece to break off, but I do think it is a problem that you should look into. We will no longer be using your munchkin cups, and I now feel compelled to inform all of my mommy friends of this instance.
Holly

Thank you for contacting us, we recognize that customers like you have made Munchkin the company it is today, and we truly appreciate hearing from you. I’m very sorry to hear that the spout to your Mighty Grip trainer cup has torn.

So that I may better assist you, could you please confirm if your child was biting and/or chewing on the spout, before it tore?

Sincerely,

Amanda Maria
Consumer Relations
818-893-5000 x546
F: 818.893.6343
amanda.maria@munchkin.com

Amanda, The chances are very high that my 12 month old daughter was chewing on the cup. She is teething after-all, as are most children her age. I am unable to watch her every move with the cup, therefore we have chosen to go with the Playtex brand cup that has the valve on the inside of the lid instead of right there on the spout. The chance of something coming off in her mouth is reduced dramatically, I believe. Thank you for getting back with me so quickly. I am glad to know that you will look into your cup and hopefully make some changes. I don't want to cause any problems, just prevent them from happening in the future. Sincerely, Holly

Thank you for following up with me.

The Mighty Grip silicone spouts and straws are not designed to be chewed or bitten as this may lead to leakage or tearing. As such, we recommend that the product be discarded and replaced at the first sign of weakness or damage. This information is stated on the packaging and instructions for each cup. If you child was biting or chewing on the spout, which caused it to tear, then it may not be suitable for her.

Nevertheless, we value your input and work hard to make moms (dads) like you 100% satisfied with our products and I will be sure to pass along your concern for our Mighty Grip cups. Our management and product development teams are constantly reviewing our products to make improvements based on consumer feedback.

Sincerely,

Amanda Maria
Consumer Relations
818-893-5000 x546
F: 818.893.6343
amanda.maria@munchkin.com

Your email below states: This information is stated on the packaging and instructions for each cup. I have a Munchkin Mighty Grips TRAINER Cup in the package on my counter to go back to the store now. No where on the package does it say they should not be chewed on. If it stated this in the instructions that are INSIDE the cup, I missed that. I would not have spent money on these cups (4 in total) if it was clearly stated ON the package. They do say TRAINER on them which implies that these cups are meant to be used by children learning how to use a sippy cup. It also clearly states that these cups are for 6 mo+. Children learning how to use a sippy cup and who are 6 mo+ WILL be teething and are VERY likely to chew on them.

-Holly

Hi Holly,

I have pulled several samples of our Mighty Grip cups (all styles) from our warehouse and confirmed that the statement is on the packaging. I apologize that your Mighty Grip trainer cup does not have the biting/chewing statement on it and have informed our Quality Assurance department for their review.

In regards to the instructions, the statement is made as shown in the attached document.

If you have any further questions or concerns please let me know.

Thank you.

Sincerely,

Amanda Maria
Consumer Relations
818-893-5000 x546
F: 818.893.6343
amanda.maria@munchkin.com

I don't mean to be a pain in the neck, I just wanted to show you the pics of the cup that I have here. I know the picture quality is not the best, but no where on my cup does it state that a child should not bite on the cup. I really do think your company should look at the wording on these cups. They should not be recommended as trainer cups. A child could bite the valve off all too easily. Once I open the cup and read the directions, I feel it is too late.

Holly

Hi Holly,

Thank you for providing me with pictures of the cup packaging.

I will forward these to our Quality Assurance department for further review.

Sincerely,

Amanda Maria
Consumer Relations
818-893-5000 x546
F: 818.893.6343
amanda.maria@munchkin.com

Top 10 (now edited with new info)

It has been a long while since I have put any thought to this blog. I guess with Facebook, I feel that is all anybody needs to know about what is going on in my life. A quick sentence or two and some pics here and there. This is for my dear friend, Emily, who gave up the FB addiction a few months back.

Top 10 Happenings at the Hebert House:
Ten: I am working a very part-time job for HERI Jax. My job is to help coordinate standardized testing for local Homeschool families. I love it and it is just enough work to keep me busy, but I don't feel like I am losing my mind. I get to do it on my time and in my home. It is an answer to prayer because Adam and I have been thinking of homeschooling and this gives me first hand information straight from homeschooling parents.

Nine: It seems my prayer list is long right now. I have so many friends that are trying to have babies, have babies in their bellies, or have new babies to care for. They are topping my list. I am in constant prayer for my own children. It seems everyday I am bombarded with information about sick, hurting, dying children, and that can overload my brain. I am praying that worry will not seep in and destroy my joy in having healthy children. I also am in constant prayer for protection over them as they grow up.

Eight: We have lived in our house over a year now and I love it. It really seems like home to me. Every week Adam and I do something small to make it a more organized or beautiful home. This is the house my children will think back to for many of their childhood memories. I have so many wonderful memories of my childhood home.

Seven: I am doing the Jillian Michaels 30 day Shred...I am sore.

Six: This has been the healthiest winter we have had in a long time. Bryson only suffered from asthma 2 times I think, and Mabry has only had one runny nose. Ahhh it has been great!

Five: Mabry is doing some sort of crazy army crawl, refusing to pick her belly off the floor. None the less she is moving and as a result has ended her up in "baby jail." Breaking news: Mabry has gotten her belly UP off the floor and has been crawling for the past 10 minutes.. A real crawl!
Four: As of this date, March 17, 2010, Mabry's sign language vocabulary consists of the following words: So big, More, All done, Eat, Dog, Elephant, Hi, "blow kisses", duck, milk, and book. Her verbal vocab consists of: Dada, doggy, kitty.

Three: Bryson is quite the ball player. He has been practicing hitting a baseball from a thrown pitch for a few weeks now. He is making contact with the ball on many of the pitches. He loves playing baseball with his daddy.

Two: Bryson has been introduced to Monster Trucks and Nascar. Both are all the rage around here.

One: I am planning my baby girl's first birthday party. Where in the world has the year gone? It is crazy. When I think about her she is still only 4 months old. She has gone from this:

to this:
So there you have it. My top ten.

Merry Christmas

I love getting Christmas Cards, especially the ones that have pictues included.
Here we are with Santa. My scardy cat boy did GREAT, My laid back baby flipped out. Must have been opposite day.
Bryson has really enjoyed our Christmas tree filled with wooden toys. He plays with all the ornaments and hangs them back up. Just perfect for a preschooler.
I just love watching him play with our nativity. Just so sweet.

Watching Bryson decorate the tree was just so special. He was so excited.
I love this little scene.

Thanksgiving Centerpiece

With my mom's help, last week, I was able to deck my halls for Christmas. I wasn't too concerned that Thanksgiving hadn't arrived yet. The day was going to be spent just the 4 of us. So, we simply bought a 6 lb turkey breast and I halved all my recipes for a small celebration of Thanksgiving.

As it turns out, a neighbor of mine, who lives alone had no plans for Thanksgiving. So, I jumped at the chance to invite her to celebrate with us. I looked around my house and realized it was going to look a lot like Christmas feast instead of Thanksgiving if I didn't make a few changes.

I still had our Pumpkin from Halloween that was never carved. Bryson didn't want ours to have a face. I asked him so many times and he denied wanting to do it just as many times. I started with that. I then printed out some leaves onto construction paper and had him color them fallish colors. We wrote out what we were thankful for on the leaves and poked them into the pumpkin. I even left a few out so my guest can add somethings she is thankful for if she so desires. I am pleased with my ever so cheap Thanksgiving decorations.


I then used my wreath from the front door to spruce it up a bit, along with my cornucopia. Voila! Instant Thanksgiving Decor!

Today is Day One - Day by Day with ADD

A while back, I wrote about having ADD. I have been off medication for a while now, since before I had Bryson. Lately, especially since I completly have my body to myself, I have been considering talking to my Dr. about taking medication again. I have honestly forgotten what it feels like to be in focus, not in a cloud, and able to finish a task, any task without ditractions. The time is right. I have two kids now, all the more reason for some help. Recently, it took me 3 hours to clean out the dishwasher and the longer it took me the more anxiety I felt about it. I would put one dish away and turn to take shoes to my closet or pick up a toy to put away or check my email, only to walk back to the kitchen and be frustrated that the job was left undone. I would think to myself, "GOLLY HOLLY! This is not hard, just one dish and then the next, FOCUS!" This went on all morning. So frustrating.

I made an appointment with my primary care. I went over my script in my head for days and days about what I wanted to say. For example: I feel like I am in a fog, I am unable to complete tasks before moving to the next. I have been unable to read and finish a book for the longest time. I am forgetful, frustrated, and have anxiety. I find myself checking email all day long or eating, because those are tasks that require NO thought whatsoever. It is a way to shut out all the out of focus feelings I have.

Did I say ANY of that to my Dr? Of course not. I didn't write them down. Instead, she asked me what my symptoms were and I couldn't answer her in a cohesive thought. All my words came out in a jumbled mess. I felt so dumb! I am no stranger to this feeling, but it is never a fun way to feel. All in all, I was an absolute "Poster Child" for Adult ADD. If she couldn't tell I had ADD, then she shouldn't be in medicine. She prescribe ritalin 15mg to start.

Today is the first day on my medication. I hope to keep an online journal of my journey as a mommy being medicated for Adult ADD.

I could hardly wait to take my first dose this morning. I took my pills at 7:30 and proceded to get ready for the day. I got Bryson off to school came home and got several chores done. COMPLETED without bouncing from chore to chore. I even had time to spare before I needed to leave again. My head feels clear...it is amazing.

As I am typing this now, I do have a bit of a headache...I am going to take some Ibuprophin and see how that goes. I am hopeful, prayerful, and excited to be the best wife/mommy I can be. We shall see how it all unfolds.

Beauty and the Branch

A dead tree fell into my backyard not long ago, and it was love at first sight. I saw potential in this gigantic tree. It was about 20 feet long, but it was the top 6 feet that called to me. I (by myself) got a hand saw and chopped that baby right off, hauled it into the garage and waited for inspiration to strike. Would you like to see what happened next? Check it out:

I spray painted it white, used plaster of paris in a milk jug to hold it up (my mom helped with this part, thanks Momma!)Wrapped white lights around some feather boas I had and added red Christmas balls. I love it. It is fun, whimsical and just what I needed. I have been wanting a second Christmas tree to sit in my living room and now I have one.

I also love that God sees this same sort of potential in us. I too was once dead and lifeless, and now made new because of His great gift.

Countdown to Christmas an Advent Calendar How To

I have been wanting an Advent Calendar for a while. After browsing many catalogs and online stores I decided to just make one. They are just so expensive. I came across one on etsy.com that I thought was adorable and doable. The one on etsy sells for $40. I have made 2 this week and I love them. The cost for 2 was about $30.

Here are the supplies needed:

You will also need one 24 count muffin tin. Preferably NOT coated with teflon. I had to sand all the teflon off in order to paint mine.

Use a drill to make 2 holes in the top of the muffin tin for a ribbon hanger.

I sanded and painted one red and left the other silver. (The one that was for sale on etsy was not painted.)
I let that dry then coated it with Polyurathain.

See the blue lid in the supply picture? That was the perfect size lid off a Cleaning Spray Bottle. You will need to find something about 2 inches in diameter to make your magnet and paper circles.

I hot glued the papers to the magnets.

Laid out the paper circles to find the best order. I didn't want two greens together or two similar patterns together.

I then stuck on the number stickers, then used the red and green glitter glue to enhance the papers.

Last, I put my ribbon through the holes on top to hang.

Put candy behind each magnet for your little one to find each day of December. I am thinking of using the red and green Hershey's Kisses. In addition to the candy, I would like to find a Bible verse about giving or Jesus' birth to include with the candy.