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Santa Claus

Well, we took Wiggle to go see Santa yesterday. And I was surprised at how well he actually did. And we had absolutely no wait! Granted, he has more of a smirk than a smile in the picture, but it is better than screaming. He fussed a little when Daddy first put him on Santa's lap, but by the end, he had told Santa he wanted trucks and had gladly taken his sucker! I am reminded how lucky I am that it went so smoothly when I think about my sister's experience a couple of years ago. They had waited in line a couple of different times only to get to Santa and her children would not sit on his lap (I think they were 4 and 1 at the time, maybe 5 and 2). Anyway, finally they waited an hour at this particular place and prepared the oldest one who said she was finally going to do it! Ready for a sucessful picture, they walk up to Santa only to finally settle for a picture of the oldest one scowling and the youngest screaming for Mommy! Ah, family memories!

Routine kid

I always knew I had a creature-of-habit child, but it has become all the more evident this week. He is used to me picking him up at the sitter's about 2:50, we stay and visit for a little while, we go home and play, then we have dinner when Daddy gets home. He is very comfortable with this routine. But Monday was out of wack because we went to visit my Dad at his house. Tuesday and Wednesday were out of wack because I had shopping to do before picking him up, and then Christmas decorations to put up at home. And every day at daycare this week he has been a little harder to handle - hitting other kids with the door to the plastic playhouse or not listening. Then he has been very hungry for attention at home, which I have found hard to give him. And tonight won't be any better because Josh and I have theater tickets again tonight so he is staying with Grammie and Grampie. I really need to take Friday and just concentrate on my son! I have missed playing with him.

See if You Can Find the Weird in This...

...quote from this article:

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. — Authorities are searching for the parents of a 3-month-old girl who died last year after her parents allegedly gave her lethal doses of vodka to quiet her crying, police said. Makeisha Dantus died in 2004 but her parents were not charged until last month. By that time, they had disappeared. The couple, Mackenson Dantus and Mardala Derival, are wanted on charges of aggravated manslaughter. Authorities said they believed the couple, both Haitian immigrants, were still in Florida.

Notice that the parents didn't have the same last name. Hmm--weird, huh? Who wants to wager that whichever one of these ridiculous first names is the female is referred to by the other as My Baby's Mama?

Some cute things, Vol. 3

When Wiggle gives hugs, he has to hug you on both sides. He calls them "other hugs". I love it because it means I get an extra hug every time! The other day, he was looking at his dad's goatee and gave it a new name: "nest". I'm not sure what is living in there, but I hope it is not laying eggs! This was one of those things where you want to laugh hysterically, but instead you put on your "stern face" to say that we don't say things like that -- All three of us were driving home the other day when we got stopped by a red light. The cars going the other way were legitimately going, as they had the green light. However, Wiggle must have thought it was pretty unfair because he said "C'mon, knuckleheads!" I think I know what Daddy says when he is tired of waiting in the car! Although, it could be a lot worse (I have heard him say a lot worse)!

Blogging for Posterity

According to this recent MSNBC article, many seasoned citizens are taking to blogging to fill their time. I say hoorah for them. It seems a common trait of the greatest generation is a propensity toward humility almost to the point of invisibility where when the grandparent passes on, they leave very few stories and memories for their children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren. I took it upon myself to begin asking questions about a year ago. I talked to my own grandmother (whom I still affectionately call "Mee-Maw") a little bit about her past and recorded what I was told in a Family Tree software program. Chances are that there is one studious member of your family that has done extensive research on the history of that particular branch of your family--so use them! Don't let the memories and personality of your blessed grandparents pass out of the annals of the history of your family without trying to preserve and protect their legacy. But better yet, if you are a senior and looking to fill some time in your silver years, then give your family a great gift of yourself and start blogging about your life. It doesn't have to be David Copperfield where you start on the first day of your life and write all the way until today. Give them snippets. Give them images. Give them your experiences. Tell them what you think about life because the chances are that if you've made it this far then you know something that your loved ones need to know but are too shy, too busy, or too ignorant to ask you when they see you. Families are about shared love through common memories and the most precious thing you can do is preserve your memories for your families to share long after you are gone. If you are wondering what blogs are, how much they cost, and how to start one; there are plenty of resources. Just go to Blogger and look around--it's free; and if you need to know anything, just e-mail Rachel or me and we'll help you out as much as we can. Post away and Preserve Your Family

My father, part 2

I am happy to report my father is doing wonderfully! Home from the hospital in 3 days and feeling better every day. Thank you to anyone who took a moment to pray for him.

Before I Was a Mom (A Forwarded E-Mail from My Mother)

My mother sent me this spam e-mail today and normally I just trash them after reading, but I thought this one would be appropriate for this blog.

• Before I was a Mom I never tripped over toys or forgot words to a lullaby.
• I didn't worry whether or not my plants were poisonous.I never thought about immunizations.
• I had never been puked on.
• Pooped on.
• Chewed on.
• Peed on.
• I had complete control of my mind and my thoughts.
• I slept all night.
• I never held down a screaming child so doctors could do tests.
• Or gave shots.
• I never looked into teary eyes and cried.
• I never got gloriously happy over a simple grin. I never sat up late hours at night watching a baby sleep.
• I never held a sleeping baby just because I didn't want to put it down.
• I never felt my heart break into a million pieces when I couldn't stop the hurt.
• I never knew that something so small could affect my life so much.
• I never knew that I could love someone so much.
• I never knew I would love being a Mom.
• I didn't know the feeling of having my heart outside my body.
• I didn't know how special it could feel to feed a hungry baby. I didn't know that bond between a mother and her child.
• I didn't know that something so small could make me feel so important and happy.
• I had never gotten up in the middle of the night every 10 minutes to make sure all was okay.
• I had never known the warmth, the joy, the love, the heartache, the wonderment or the satisfaction of being a Mom.
• I didn't know I was capable of feeling so much before I was a Mom.

And before I was a Grandma, I didn't know that all those "Mom" feelings more than doubled when you see that l ittle bundle being held by "your baby"

My father

My father had coronary bypass surgery yesterday, so needless to say, it has been a emotional week. He is doing well right now, thank God. I told him yesterday when I got to see him before surgery that he was the best dad I could have asked for. And he was. I have to say that I never truly doubted his love for me (even though I sure acted like it in my teen drama years). And I know he did the best he could for us, which is the best any parent can do. Looking back, I had a pretty good childhood - not much to complain about at all! Did we fight? Yeah. Did I always get what I wanted? Nope. Has he always been there for me? Yes, and I absolutely know he always will be. Anyway, we love him always and have prayed for him to get better quickly, and any prayers you can offer would be much appreciated.

Hold On, This Wasn't In the Contract: A Husband Responds to the Pain in the Butt of Professional Picture Taking

When I was a kid, I had my picture taken professionally (not counting annual school pictures) probably three or four times. This was usually done at Olan Mills Portrait Studio back when it was in Fairview Plaza in Decatur, Illinois. Back then, you made appointments and things were ready to go when you showed up. After we had our son, my wife transformed into this picture scheduling overlord who decreed by the will of God that we would have our family pictures taken every six months by the JC Penny Portrait Studio because we don't want to lose "the memories." Now, keep in mind that we have owned a digital camera (still and video) since before Wiggle was born, and right now I have about four thousand "memories" sitting on our hard drive. But apparently these memories aren't as valuable until you pay $200 for a club membership, sitting fees, etc. And as an added bonus, the portrait studio also accepts walk-ins and this is especially lovely during holiday times when they schedule sessions in increments of 10 minutes. Now, how many families with small children do you know that can accomplish a complete photo shoot in ten minutes? Exactly. So, you end up waiting at least a half-hour and this is for an early-day appointment. God forbid you schedule a mid-afternoon appointment on a Sunday and if you do, you'd better bring a book and red slash your afternoon because you won't be getting one. And here is where the elitist in me comes out because for every photo shoot, we've gone up to the nice suburban mall in the rich part of town where my parents live and where I spent about five years living. I didn't think about how the caliber of people affected the inevitable JC Penny picture taking waiting period that proceeds every "scheduled" appointment--until yesterday. Yesterday, my wife sprung a new location in the "lower economic opportunity" area of town with the run down mall. Imagine the mall from Fast Times at Ridgemont High and add twenty-five years with little maintenance and you'll get a good picture of what I'm talking about. When we got into the store, my wife went to the elevators and pushed the button. Nothing happened...for like two minutes. And we must have had "Free Food Here" signs on our backs because ten people came out of nowhere and hovered around us waiting for the elevator, which still wasn't here. I imagined the prospect of riding up three floors with all these people in an elevator that couldn't make it down in two minutes and I looked at my wife and said, "Are there stairs?" We hit the escalator which sounded like it had lost a few springs. I could barely hear the store muzak over the groans of the metal teethed ascension. We finally made it up to the third floor and I was delighted to see that all the miscreants who we had escaped from riding up with were already crowded around the front desk signing in. I had brought a book with me, having learned from past errors, and immediately took to my seat along with my son. Now, I'm about to use a bad phrase--White Trash. This family came in with these two brat kids, probably eight years old, a boy and girl. They immediately began fighting and arguing over the germ-infested portrait studio toys. It's mine. I had it first. No it's mine. Until finally whatever passed for these childrens' mother came over and took the toy away saying, "If you can't share it, you can't have it." I thought, Because taking away the object is goingt to solve the root problem, right? But I kept my mouth shut. The little boy started eyeing my son's cars that he had in his hands. One was his and the other was a Portrait studio toy that he had picked up. The little kid asked if he could play with them. I told Wiggle that we were going to let the boy play with the studio toy and gave it to him. He asked to play with the black car (my son's) and my wife promptly told him, "No, that's ours." Then the little girl started faking hiccups in the worst way that I've ever heard--it was kind of like a sharp inhalation of breath to which she added after each one, "I've got the hiccups." We ignored her, feeling sorry for her having to resort to such pathetic tactics to receive attention from adults who were strangers. I thought of the mother and her "swoop in and shit all over everything" style of parenting and I felt sorry for the kids because I could see their futures like a soothsayer. She was going to experiment with drugs and sex early in life, probably get pregnant at seventeen, end up working as a receptionist (if she was lucky)--and of course, she would be a single mother. The boy would probably have his lip split open in a bar fight by the time he's 23. And while these are probably unfair assessments, I don't think they're off the mark. The truth is that everything you need to know about someone, you can find out from the way their children act. It's a painful truth but one that we parents should learn early. After the kids walked away fighting over something else their mother was going to ignore them over with her "get them to go away and be quiet style of parenting' (which I am still guilty of far too often); I leaned down and whispered in my son's ear, who had been watching the whole scene with marked interest. I said, "Those kids are bad." He looked up at me and said, "Yeah, they're bad." And in that moment, I thanked whatever deity spins the world around that I was smart enough to court and keep my wife and that she had enough patience with my shortcomings as a man and as a person to let us have this wonderful child whose future is as bright and wide as the stellar highway that spins in the sky each night. And if these are the memories we're puchasing, I guess litte sitting fees and sitting time aren't so bad in retrospect.

Yeah for Friday!

This will be the first Friday in a while I will be going home to an empty house. While sometimes, I admit, it was annoying to work outside the home all day to come home to my husband sitting on the couch (okay, so he did clean every once in a while too), it was really nice on Fridays. We could run errands, or just enjoy basking in the glow of the coming weekend! But now, he doesn't get off work until 5:30, and we will be lucky to see him at 6:00. However, I feel eternally grateful that he is FINALLY working for a company he likes. A company that seems to take pretty good care of their customers AND employees. This is a sacrifice we are glad to make, although I will miss that time together. I am sure Wiggle will to. But Friday is Grammie day, so he gets plenty of attention today!

One More Reason I'm Glad We Don't Watch Live Television

According to the recent Kaiser Family Foundation study (Columbus Dispatch requires registration):

The number of scenes with sexual content has almost doubled during the past seven years, from about 1,900 in 1998 to about 3,800 this year. During prime time, about four out of five shows on the major broadcast networks included sexual content during the 2004-05 season.

I would never let our son watch live television because I believe that even benign television advertising influences children in insidious ways. We have a Tivo (which is on the fritz right now) but we haven't had actual cable to use it with in over a year and won't until at least this summer (or never if Rachel has her way). Once I get my HDTV installed, the Discovery HD channel will be on all the time (unless my XBOX 360 is taking stage) or we are watching a DVD (the best way to control what your children watch on television and limit exposure to an acceptable level). Parents must be the filter for the children or else all the crap out there will just pour right into the delicate minds of your children and they will become rotten because the nature of our consumer culture is to sweeten, desensitize and destroy. So be a filter or be part of the problem.

Halloween cutie

Halloween day was an interesting treat this year! Wiggle was in a terrible mood from the time we got home. He didn't want to eat. He didn't want me to put him down. He didn't want me to pick him up. He didn't know what he wanted!! And he didn't want that puppy dog outfit on. But once we got him outside, he was good to go. He really enjoyed looking at the other kids' costumes and handing out candy to them. He didn't want the hood of his costume up though, so we had to bribe him with Daddy's lightsaber so we could get a few pictures! I haven't gotten brave enough to take him out trick-or-treating. Maybe next year. Who really needs the candy anyway?

What a weekend - and some thoughts on differences

I think I spent more time with my husband this weekend than I have in a very, very long time. Let me make a distinction here. When I say time, I don't mean the guy's definition of time (in the same house together). I mean the woman's definition of time, where there is actually communication between the 2 parties and maybe even a little physical contact. Now mind you, this does not mean we spent a lot of quality time together. My husband still wanted to call his friend at our "romantic" dinner table on Thursday before the theater. He still spent plenty of time staring at the computer screen where the sound of my son and I are white noise in the background. But we did go visit some friends and their beautiful new baby girl and celebrated my grandfather's 83rd birthday (which is actually today - Happy Birthday, Grandpa). I am confused and asking for some help understanding. Why is it that men have such a different idea of "quality time"? Why is it men think women are much more important in the parenting process than they are, especially when it comes to boys? Do they really think the five minutes they spent today telling their son they loved him is going to stick with him more than the five hours his son spent playing while his Daddy paid him no mind unless he was doing something "wrong"? Where is the line between maintaining a man's individual passions and a man making sure his family knows they are the most important passion? Sorry for sounding negative. I still mean what I said on our anniversary. I love my husband and feel lucky to be married to him. Understand his priorities, I do not.

Date Night was a Success

It was a brisk night here in Columbus, OH this past Thursday when Rachel and I motored into the arena district. We had a fantastic dinner at Gordon Birsch where Rach had her signature cosmopolitan (made with Absolut of course) and I had a fantastic breakfast beer that had been brewed with bananas and cloves. After dinner, we made our way to the Ohio Theatre for Hairspray which ended up being pretty good. I'm not a huge musical fan, mind you; but my wife really enjoys the theatre so I bought her season tickets for the whole year. I have a secret suspicion that every musical has a bit of homosexuality at its core and, understanding that going in, I can generally look beyond the flash and flair and really enjoy the show. The music was good, full of high energy, and the storyline dealt with racism, segregation, and bridging humanity through music and the spontaneous outburst of human emotion. Of course, any time spent alone with my wife is worth the price of admission and this date night was no exception.

If You Want to Know How Rich People Treat Education Differently...

...look no further than New Albany schools here in New Albany, OH--home of Leslie Wexner (founder of the Limited, Victoria's Secret, and Bath & Body Works). The public schools in this communty are unbelievable; they look like an Ivy league college. And where most school systems are struggling and begging their landowners to pass paltry 2 to 5 million dollar levies; New Albany is asking its citizens to pass a whopping 20.26 million dollar property-tax levy. If you have seen the houses in New Albany, you would have no doubt that this money could be raised. Now, I am all for big money being spent wisely even if there is risk involved, but consider the system's justification for this cost:

[The money is] needed to address a projected enrollment increase of about 1,000 students by 2010, officials said. If voters approve the levy, it would cost the owner of a $100,000 home about $620 a year

In case you didn't believe your eyes, let's go over those numbers again:

• That's a $20.26 million dollar levy to acquire 1,000 new students in five years
• This equals $4,052,000 each year
• This equals $4,052 per student per year
• This equals $11.10 per new student per day for five years

Now, I have heard from credible sources within the community that there is a rampant problem with the high school children, as you could imagine would happen when you are the child of rich executives who work 70 hours a week and allow their children to be raised by nannies and country club staff. Too much money and too little direction has created social monsters who seek entertainment in drugs and other shenanigans, undermining the very stable social structure the community leaders are seeking to establish. In other words, this is the perfect breeding ground for the next Eric Harris, Dylan Klebold, or Theodore Kaczyinksi--and the citizens are being asked to pay $11,101.37 per day for the next five years to fund this possible menace to society. Now look, I'm a capitalist and I believe that success is generally earned but I also believe that inherited wealth can become a poison in the mind and spirit of those without direction or inspiration and I do not mean to stigmatize or generalize accusations on the characters of the young adults coming out of this communal institution of learning. But I am urging caution and I am saying very plainly that money alone does not a proper citizen make; and in my mind a 20.26 million dollar tax-levy to attract 1,000 new students is so far beyond ridiculous that I still find it incredible that they actually published their intentions behind this tax-payer request. Les Wexner is one of my heroes; he has created an empire out of giving people exactly what they want and he himself has given back immeasurably to the community of Columbus, OH. But just because Les gives his money to this community does not mean that he can likewise infuse his morals and values into the children of the community. I say, if you're wealthy enough, home school your kids and make sure that you are the ones providing the moral and spiritual influence in their lives. Otherwise, all the money in the world won't create a better one, it'll just look nicer on the outside while it rots from within.

This article originally appeared on the Boys Wear Pants, Men Wear Trousers Blog

TAGS: New Albany, Ohio, Leslie Wexner

Date night!

Everybody tells you that you have got to make time for your marriage when you are a parent. In theory, I understand why and believe it to be true. In application however, I am very bad at it! I mean, Josh and I almost always spend the hour between Wiggle's bed time and my own bedtime together. Sometimes it is quality time, and sometimes it is just time that we are next to each other. But to take a whole evening and spend it with Josh only, that is rare indeed! And it is my own doing. I have no shortage of people who would watch Wiggle for us. But for my birthday, Josh got me season tickets for the theater. And our first show is tonight. I absolutely cannot wait! Not only do I love going to the theater, but it will be very nice to get "cleaned up" and go out on the town. I am sure it will be worth being dog tired tomorrow!

Sorry, I'm getting lazy with the posting!

Well, Josh is almost employed again! He has accepted a position, we are just waiting for him to start. Yeah! This has just been so stressful, I find it hard to keep up with blogging. Okay, so tonight I tried blanket sleepers for the first time this season with Wiggle. Now, understand he is pretty particular about his clothes all of a sudden. Well, he freaked out. I am sure he forgot that he has worn them about half of his life! He was not into it covering up his feet. I kept telling him they were just like slippers or socks, but he was not buying it. He would not help me pick up his toys, either. The only thing that eventually calmed him down was his milk. I knew I couldn't give in because I have like eight other pairs just like them that are also brand new. But if that milk didn't calm him down, I am not sure what I would have done! By the time he was done with his milk, he had forgotten he didn't like those "red jammies". How funny it is - sometimes they don't forget what you want them to, and other times they just get over it!

Anniversary

Today is Josh and my 4th wedding anniversary! Of course, we don't get to really celebrate by going out because money is tight. Sometimes I think it always will be. But we have each other, Wiggle and our health. I feel blessed to have that. I feel blessed to have spent 4 years married to a man with so much passion and ambition, even though that means sometimes it is not easy. But marriage never is easy 100% of the time. If it was, would you really appreciate it or would you take it for granted? We love each other always, and we love the life we have made for ourselves. Even though this is a rough patch in our lives, we are trying to face it together, strong. This too shall pass and it will be easier together.

The wedding and brown shoes

Well, we were brave enough to take Wiggle to his first wedding since being a tiny infant. Overall, I thought he was very good. He did however, take a quiet moment in the ceremony to announce that he had brown shoes! He was very taken with college friends of ours Mark and Jen. During the best man's speech, all he wanted to do was go see Jen. I don't think I have ever seen him so facinated with another adult (one that he was not related to). It was actually pretty cute, as long as mommy remains number one girl. Congratulations to Arlie and Peter! I know your love will continue to grow as Josh and mine has, even when times are rough.

Oh no, not again...

I have to admit, it has been pretty hard lately to be a good parent. Wiggle is at that age anyway where he is constantly challenging and pushing the limits to find the boundaries. But Josh is out of work again, and stress is very high. I am finding it very hard. Yesterday, it was just him and I at home (Josh had gone to a job fair) and he was not listening. Finally, I just sat down on the bed with slumped shoulders and rubbed my eyes, feeling completely discouraged. Wiggle must have sensed my limit because he stopped what he was doing, put the phone away like I had been asking him to and came to me. "Are you mad, Mommy?" I told him no, I was just tired of him not listening. But I felt a lot better when he recognized my feelings and wanted to make me happy again. I think that may be the first sign of compassion he has shown on his own, without help. I am so proud of him. Now, I am just asking for prayers for my family's strength and fortitude. Josh is extremely intelligent and will find something soon. But prayers never hurt!

I am so proud of myself!

Last night, my precious son tried his milk-pouring trick again. This Mommy was so proud of the way she handled it! Instead of yelling, I remember how bad I felt after doing that the other day. I stayed calm, removed his milk from the table, and told him to clean up the mess with his napkin. I then reminded him that that is not the way we drink milk and that he was done. It was a good moment for me, remembering to think about positive discpline before reacting. We had such a long afternoon yesterday because he was tired and whinning that I can't believe I still had that much restraint stored up! Then yesterday, my day care provider told me that his diapers are staying dry longer and she is going to start trying to get him to go potty. I hope he does! In some weird, kinda disgusting way, I would like to be there when he first goes in the potty, but what is more important is that he be proud after he has done it!

Oops, I yelled...

Okay, so I am trying to be that positive discipline mommy I have been talking about. Well, last night I took a step back towards reaction mommy. Wiggle decided to pour his milk on the table and splash it - and he had a ball doing it! Of course, my first reaction was to yell at him for doing it. What I should have done was to make him help me clean it up. Sitting here now, that makes total sense. But in the heat of the moment, I just didn't even think about it. This is a new way of traning your brain, and it's hard work.

The "thing" that matters weighs about 30 pounds!

Okay Josh. You made me cry at work! I know last night was a sacrifice for you, but I am glad to see you thought it was worth it. Wiggle was so happy to have you in class with him, and it definitely got you some deposits into my love bank! I applaud you for making that time for Wiggle. He absolutely misses you when you are not home when we get there.

The Things That Matter Can't Be Weighed...or Can They

I started my new job this week and the time commitment is intense compared to what I'm used to. I'm used to being able to hit the store after I drop off my son. I'm used to being there when he gets home. But now I'm back to looking at his picture while sitting in a cubicle and wishing I was hearing him laugh or scream or cry or whatever he is doing at that moment. I've been guilty of not showing him enough attention, of losing myself in cyberspace while he whittles away the seconds of his childhood running around me. But today I drew a line. We've been taking him to a singing music and instrument class called We Joy Sing for almost two years now. And normally Rachel takes him with the understanding that I'll come once a semester and take pictures and film so we can use the footage in our scrapbook videos. Well, I work about 40 minutes away from home and have been taking the backroads home to avoid traffic--backroads which just happen to go right past the church where the class is held. About 2:00 today, as I stared at his picture, thinking about how crappy it was going to be that I wouldn't see him and my wife until 6:30 when they got home (three hours before I'm back in bed to start the whole thing over again)--I decided I would surprise them by showing up to class early. So I waited...and they pulled up. I hid down the hallway and waited for them to enter the hallway. I stepped out and my wife saw me first, calling his attention to me. He screamed fantastically and started running towards me with his hands outstretched. I have to admit that I got lost in the moment and ended up quite choked up. As a man, as a father, and as a human being; there are few things more wonderful than seeing and hearing your child run down a long hallway, arms outstretched and overjoyed to see you. In fact, that experience is what makes life worth living and while he may not remember the twelve hour days (including traffic) that I put in to keep a roof over his head, clothes on his back, and Hot Wheels on the floor for me to step on--I hope that he remembers the time that his daddy surprised him by showing up for his music class, by putting him first for a change, maybe not always, but definitely once in a while. These things are what make life worth living. It's cliche but it's true.

Pumpkin Painting and Apple Picking

We had a full weekend of first times. I got it in my mind to take Wiggle apple picking on Saturday. So my sister and her 2 girls came with us and so did Josh. Wiggle, being the classic city boy, didn't want to walk through the taller weeds. But other than that, he had a ball and ate an apple fresh of the tree. But then we went to the pumpkin patch. That, he didn't like at all. All those vines and stuff, I had to carry him through the whole thing! But we got some good video of him screaming his head off in the pumpkin patch because I set him down! On Sunday, he painted little pumpkins. He was so cute and particular about using the right brush and the right color. These were the first things he had ever painted, so we have them proudly displayed on the mantel. We also took some video of it. While Wiggle was watching the video we took on the laptop, he said "I am so handsome!" Boy, I guess he has heard that a couple of times (or a couple million times).

Some cute things, Vol 2

On Wednesday, we discoved Wiggle had learned the word "dude." He was playing with his cars and said "Hey, dude!" I thought Josh and I would die laughing. Wiggle does this chin-down eyes-up look when he is reading you the riot act. People say he got it from me. So the other day at dinner, Josh said "show me what Mommy looks like when she is mad." So he did it! Then, Wednesday at dinner, we had a guest over and Josh asked him again. So he does that look and then Tom started laughing because he says I really do look like that when I'm mad! Kids are way to observant!

Help develop your preschooler's brain!

As I stated in a previous post, I am reading this parenting book called Positive Discipline for Preschoolersby Jane Nelsen, Ed.D., Cheryl Erwin, M.A., and Roslyn Duffy. In it, I just read a section about the best ways to develop a healthy brain, since that is so important during these years. Here is what they say: How to develop a healthy brain: 1.) Demonstrate affection, interest, and acceptance. 2.) Practice the art of conversation. 3.) Read, read, read! 4.) Encourage curiosity, safe exploration and "hands-on" learning. 5.) Limit television time. 6.) Use discipline to teach, never to shame or humiliate. 7.) Recognize and accept your child's uniqueness. 8.) Select child care carefully--and stay involved. 9.) Take care of yourself. Some of these seem as though they should be obvious, but how many of us are feeding our children Baby Einstein and running them to and from educational/developmental classes feeling like if we don't, we must be inadequate parents who care little about our child's learning. However, I believe that these authors have a really good point. Preschoolers' brains may be "sponges," but what is it that they are really meant to absorb? I believe that they learn much more life-long benefitial lessons from practicing the above tactics then us cramming ABCs and music appreciation down their throats. I try to let Wiggle learn at his own pace, and provide a healthy environment for it. And I think he is pretty smart!

The Wiggle Diet

I find that I am so much more careful about what I give my son to eat than I am about what I eat myself. Overall, I think we all eat pretty healthy -- buy whole grains, don't overdose on bread and pastas, don't sit down and eat ice cream every night. But we could be a lot better off too. Josh's family has a history of heart disease and we could both use a better workout. So Josh and I are beginning what we like to call The Wiggle Diet. If we wouldn't give it to him, we shouldn't eat it ourselves! If you look at what Wiggle eats, he is among the healthiest children I have seen. He likes whole peaches and he just bites into them, skin and all! He loves blueberries, raisins, turkey and cheese, cottage cheese, yogurt, etc. And to top it all off, he rarely sits around. Last night for dinner, he had 1/2 a peanut butter and jelly, yogurt and raw broccoli (with nothing to dip it in). I think most of us corrupt our children's diet because we don't think they will eat things plain; they have to eat it like we do (smothered in catsup, or ranch dressing). Plus, he eats 3 meals and 2 snacks, which is what is recommended for all of us to keep our metabolism up. So here we go on The Wiggle Diet Josh!

The English language is missing a few words

There is only one word for love, but it encompasses so much and means different things to different people. I was wondering tonight why we expect people to show love the way we do. I choose to show my love by spending time with people. My husband spends more time with his computer right now than he does with any person. But that doesn't make him a bad father, a bad husband, a ban son, etc. In fact, he is good at all of those things. However, I expect him to show love the way I do. Rationally, that seems ridculous. Emotionally, it seems obvious. Josh best shows his love by the little things he does (the time he calls you back to say he was a jerk, the time he spends setting up and researching Wiggle's train set, the frequent and short calls to his mother). Let's take a survey. How do you let the people you love know that you love them? Maybe we can expand our horizons.

Train set

Between Josh, myself, and Grammie (mostly Grammie), Wiggle has collected almost everything for his Geotrax train set. It is made by Fisher Price. It is so cool, although it takes up a lot of space. We don't even have everything set up and it takes the majority of his playroom floor. But it is neat because there are little remote controls with which he can make the train go and make noises, or he can just push it around the track. They have a multi-level clock towerwhich chimes when the train goes through it, a lighthousethat plays the sounds of seagulls, and all sorts of cool things. If you have a train lover like I do, check it out on Amazon.com. Although they don't have the starter set any more, you can still buy it in the store. Anyway, even Josh and I have fun with it. I caught him playing with it after Wiggle went to bed last night!

New Study States that Entering Day Care is a Very Stressful Time for Toddlers

Story Link

Job!

Well, the wait is finally over! We can breath a sigh of relief and cheer with happiness. Josh was offered a job yesterday! Thank God. While I have incredible faith in my husband, the prospect of losing income is always scary. Especially when you have a child, a mortgage, and all those other bills. But, we are over that trial in our marriage now (although I think we handled it pretty well) and it is time to celebrate our next chapter in life, credit card debt free and thinking about another child!

Quote to Share

What I learned from my mom is that in life, you need to be flexible, to realize that challenges are best viewed as an adventure. Living in a civilized way is not having the finest house, but about the way people treat one another. -Donna Hanover

Dinosaurs!

I wanted to recommend these 2 books we got for Wiggle to anyone else who might have a child interested in dinosaurs. One is called How Does a Dinosaur Clean His Room? and the other is How Does a Dinosaur Count to Ten?. They are great books because the are short, the pictures are very well done, and they teach little lessons. I think there are 2 others out there done by the same authors, but I am not sure what they are called. We don't have those yet, but when we find them, we will certainly be picking them up!

Ohio Cops Arrest Parents Who Kept Their Kids in Cages

Story Link C'mon...don't say you've never thought about it. There's nothing wrong with thinking about it so long as you don't do it. But don't lie and say you've never thought about it. Livia Soprano said, "Children are like animals. They're no better than dogs." I'm sure there are a lot of people out there who agree with those sentiments and they are the ones that should be locked in cages. TT: Ohio, Children in Cages

9/11

September 11, what a memorable day. Not only was does it mark a day where a horrendous tragedy occurred in 2001, but in 2002, it is the day I found out the Josh and I were going to be blessed with a child. What a difficult day that was, 3 years ago. I was so happy about being pregnant, and so full of sorrow for the families that would never see their loved ones again, the wives who maybe never got the chance to have their babies with their husbands. The children who would not know their fathers. This continues to be an awkward day for me emotionally. Three years after that day, I am blessed with a wonderful and healthy son, and a loving husband. I pray that those who experienced such a tragic loss 4 years ago have been able to find blessings too.

Books

Both Josh and I are readers (Josh certainly reads more now than I do)! So who would be surprised that our son is too?! When Wiggle was younger, he was like most other kids and wouldn't sit through a story. He wanted to flip the pages himself, out of order, and maybe rip them too! One night, I found a story that I really wanted to read. When he tried to take to book from me, I said, "It's Mommy's turn." He seemed to accept that. For a while at story time, I had to remind him when it was Mommy's turn and always give him a chance to read too. Now, he loves books! We read for about 30 minutes every night. His newest book, The Wheels on the Bus, has moveable flaps and is a familiar song to him. He really likes this book and I highly recommend it!

Time to Watch What You Say!

Josh uses the word "stinking" a lot. Stinking dog, stinking cat, I think it is his favorite adjective! Well, the other night we took Wiggle to Half Price Bookstore. He was ready to go, but Daddy was looking at one more thing. So I told him to wait. He looks at me and says "Stinking Mommy!" Okay, so that is funny, but not funny. It's funny in the store when I am in a good mood, but it is not going to be funny when I am trying to discipline him. I keep telling Daddy, wait until he says it to you. Then he will see what is wrong with it!

Good Play Toy for Cheap!

Last time we went back to Josh's home town, I got a great recommendation from his cousin Roxann (a teacher). See, Wiggle loves to play with cars. So she recommended getting some dried beans letting him play with his cars in those. So I went and bought some dried green peas and lentils (you can use any type of the dried beans, I just bought the small ones so he can dig with his trucks). Then I put them in an old 9 x 13 pan and let him go to town! He loves it! He played with that for at least 1/2 hour tonight, which is quite the attention grabber for a 2 year old! Before long, I am going to have to find a bigger pan. Also, he always has to play in the kitchen so we can easily spot what he drops on the floor, because some will always find their way out of the pan. Thanks, Roxann for the great idea!

Saying These Things Already?

Sometimes Wiggle cracks me up. The other day he looked at me and said "Get outta town, Mommy." I had to laugh. Where do they come up with these things?? Then, Sunday he heard be say absolutely and kept saying it the rest of the day, but it was more like "Ass-olutely". Unintentionally, of course. Just couldn't pronounce that B!

Some Cute Things, vol. 1

The other night, Wiggle was playing with his trucks, and they were frustrating him. So, he looked at them quite seriously and said "Not a game, trucks!" The other day in the car, we were playing the "Potty or Diaper" game. I would give him a name of someone he knew, and he would tell me if they went peepee in the potty or if they were diapers. I don't know why, but he loved this! Last Friday at Grammie's, Wiggle had a first. He gave something a name. Grammie hooked her dog's leash onto Wiggle's little plastic shopping cart. He walked it all around the house and when Grammie asked him what his "dog's" name was, he said "Lady." Where he got that, I have no idea. But he remembered her name when we went over there again for a visit. He was even telling her to sit!

You Can't Have a Blog About Parenting and Not Touch on the Spanking Debate!

Okay, so here I go. This is my view on spanking. Let me start by saying that every parent should do what they believe is best for their child, and I am not trying to say otherwise. I am going to share my point of view, and what Josh and I are doing with our son. But I do feel very strongly about what is right for us. Also, I want to say that this blog was sparked by an article I read last night in Parents magazine, and some information was taken from it (but not my views). I believe that we want to instill the belief in our children that violence will not solve their problems. How is it we are supposed to instill that moral in our children if violence is what we are using to solve our issues with them? It's not violence, some may say. Well, whether you call it violence or whether you call it physical discipline, it still doesn't teach our children the way to handle issues/problems as adults. They can't punch their schoolmates when one of them breaks the rules. It's the old do as I say, not as I do. I believe that spanking does not teach our children how to correct their behavior, which is what we really want. It teaches them what not to do (for the short term anyway). Why don't we showing and/or telling our children what we expect and giving them reasonable consequences for that behavior? This will certainly serve them better in the long run. Let's use eating for example (extremely frustrating topic for this age). I could smack Wiggle's hand when he chooses to throw his food. And I have a couple of times (regretfully). But instead, I remove the food from his reach and tell him we don't throw food. Most the time, it is just a signal he is done eating. So I ask if he is done. Mostly, he replies yes and I reinforce the correct behavior by telling him that when he is done, he just needs to tell me he is done. Overall, this tactic has worked so much better than smacking his hand ever did. People in the "spanking camp" would say things like "my parents spanked me and I turned out okay" or "parents who don't spank are just afraid to discipline their children." I'll address the later first. I am sure if you asked Wiggle, he would tell you I discipline him. I do not consider myself to be a pushover, and I don't think anyone who knows my parenting would tell you I am. He gets away with some things, but they are few and far between. I state my expectations and expect them to be met. Or he will have the consequences. But the consequences are things like being held firmly in my lap as I described a couple of weeks ago (works like a charm for us), or losing his nighttime story privilege (I hate to enforce this consequence). I assure you, I am not afraid to discipline my child. However, I just don't see where discipline equals spanking. Now, in regards to the old "my parents did it" argument. I have to say that I don't recall ever being spanked by my parents (I must have been a perfect child). However, many of us spend our teen years, and some of our adult years finding things that we want to do different then our parents. So how do we revert back when it comes to spanking? My parents did a great job, but that doesn't mean I am going to do it just like they did. (As an aside, I do believe my parents occasionally did spank. At least that is what my sisters say.) It is time now also to say that the American Academy of Pediatrics is strongly against spanking. However, Dr. James Dobson says it is okay if used sparingly and not violently. So who do you believe? This is what I believe. I believe that most parents spank out of their own frustration. I believe that teaches our children the wrong way to deal with undesirable behavior and frustration. I believe that an occasional "loving" (meaning not while you are frustrated but while you are calm and collected and have discussed why the child is getting spanked with the child) swat on the bottom is not going to permanently damage a child, mentally or physically. I also believe that it is not the method we are going to use with our child. I just don't see where the benefit lies.

Night time already!

We recently adopted a new bedtime routine that really seems to work. At 7:30, we clean up Wiggle's toys. If he was good and helped clean up, then we read stories and let him drink milk until 8:00. If he didn't help clean up, he gets his milk and we try to have him in bed by 7:45. Then we brush his teeth. Our toothbrush has a little red light in it the flashes for two minutes (the lenght of time you are supposed to brush your teeth). If he is good, then he gets to brush his teeth for another "flash". If not, then it is straight to bed. Then we turn on his nightlights, make sure his Froggie and Glowormare in bed. I then turn on his music and we snuggle for 2 songs. Now, these are kids CDs, so the songs are shorter. When those 2 songs are over, he gets in his crib, lets me cover him with his blanket, and that is it. I do tell him every night "Mommy and Daddy love you. Good night." It seems to be working like a charm! We rarely have any troubles, including when we were out of town visiting Josh's family. Bedtime after Paci has finally consistently been easy!

I Have the Most Mannered Child!

I had other things I was going to talk about today, but then Wiggle did the cutest thing last night, I just can't resist talking about it. I knew he did a good job for a 2 year old remembering his manners - please, thank you, excuse me, etc. Lately, he has really enjoyed role playing. He tells me all the time "I'm Daddy" or "I'm baby." Well, last night he was Daddy again. So, to tease him, I said "No, I'm Daddy." Well, then the real Daddy came in and said "I'm Wiggle. Milk! Dinosaur!" (Wiggle's two most spoken words). So, Wiggle went into the kitchen and pretended to get some milk for him. He broght it in, gave it to Josh and he "drank" it. Then Josh said "cake, fruit snacks" which are Wiggle's favorite food words. So, Wiggle went into the kitchen again and pretended to get him some cake. When Wiggle brought it into the living room for Josh, he looked at him with a sideways, serious look and said "Please?" Josh and I just about busted a gut laughing. Boy, has he ever paid way more attention to us then we thought!

Are You Listening??

Wiggle has started to ignore Josh and I already! Well, maybe ignore isn't the right word, because he will acknowledge us most of the time and then just tell us to "wait" or keep doing what he wants until he is ready. So Josh and I made an agreement. If you want him to do something, or stop doing something, you tell him once. Then you make him to do it (not forcefully or agressively) firmly. We have a rule that Wiggle is to sit down when he eats. In the past, I would tell him multiple times to sit down (mostly because he would get up once he had already sat down or got distracted on his way to sitting down). So now, instead of repeating myself, I will lead him to a chair after I have asked once. We have found it to be working pretty well. It makes you get rid of the silly complaints, because you have to be willing to get up if he doesn't listen. It cuts down on yelling or getting upset because he didn't listen. Think about it: if you have to ask you child 10 times to stop jumping on the couch, by the time you get up to make him sit down you are frustrated! However, if you say it once and then get up to sit him down, he learns that you expect him to do what you say immediately, not when he feels like it. Plus, there is no arguing. Things were overall pretty peaceful this weekend.

Movie Night

Someone at work let me borrow the movie The Love Bugyesterday. Believe it or not, I had never seen it. And we thought Wiggle would probably like the races and crashes. True to his ususal form, he couldn't sit through the whole 108 minutes. He probably watched a maximum of 45 minutes. But what he did watch, he really liked. I thought it was a very cute movie. I am such a proponent of having a variety of choices of kid-friendly DVDs, even though we rarely watch TV with him. Last night, we broke down and bought The Muppet Show Season 1and The Muppets' Wizard of Oz. I can't wait to start those. I remember watching the Muppet Show as a kid! I just couldn't resist. TV is getting such a bad reputation with parents. Now, I don't care much for TV myself. My husband will tell you that when he is not home, the TV is not on. However, I believe that if you are watching something "clean" and you are watching it with them, it can be family tradition. I remember watching TV with my parents, and I didn't turn out so bad! I think it is the overuse of the TV, allowing viewing without company, or letting children watch inappropriate TV is the problem. TVs are not human. They do not really interact with your children, nor are they babysitters! I think even education shows like Dora and Blues Clues are better when you watch them with your child and talk to them about the concepts.

Happy birthday, Grandma!

My Grandma turned 80 this past weekend. She is still getting over pneumonia and not as strong as she should be, but we had a little surprise party for her. It was great to see her light up at the sight of the people there to celebrate her. She had a stroke not too long after I was born, so I never remember my Grandma walking. But she barely let that slow her down. She always seemed to be in a good mood. But now she seems full of the complaints of things she can't do. I am amazed and upset about how much more than physical strength this has seemed to take out of her.

Why are newborn babies so perfect?

Well, I saw my newborn nephew last night for the first time! He was five days old and perfect. I had forgotten how easy it was to sit there and just stare at newborns, talk to them as though they know what you are saying. This baby has been a miracle and a surprise from the beginning. My sister had her tubes tied, but got pregnant anyway. Then they told her they were pretty sure it was a girl, only to decide it was a boy a couple of months later. Then, labor came on so quick, he was born in the ambulance on the way to the hospital! I was very upset not to be able to see him while he was still in the hospital, but last night I realized that that does not really matter. What matters is that I love him already! Even Wiggle wanted to hold him! I thought seeing him would make my desire to have another child even stronger. Fortunately, my "mind" overrode that feeling and I didn't have too much difficulty. However, I am ready as soon as my husband finds a job!

Welcome to the Internet, MeeMaw

This week, I took a computer to my grandmother who has never been online before. She will be 72 this November and she learned how to do e-mail, surf the web, customize her Yahoo DSL browser, bookmark internet sites and how to properly use emoticons in instant messages and e-mails IN ONE DAY!!! My grandmother is the sharpest woman I have ever met. She raised three pain in the ass boys who grew up into three pain the ass men practically by herself. She worked three plus jobs her entire life and never complained to anyone. She is my hero and I am very proud to welcome her to the online community. I love you MeeMaw!

Birthdays

Today is my birthday. Really, I am just another day older. Just like every other day. But it was a good day for us. I had a spa day curtesy of my wonderful in-laws, and then a relaxing evening at home with my family and my friend who was born a week before me, and I don't remember any of my life without her. It was very nice! Neither of my sisters called, but there is still time, and they do have their own lives (one is about to give birth to her 4th child). But I got all the other usual calls. And Wiggle told me happy birthday and sang it to me too just now. It doesn't get better than that!

Here's a New Method of Discipline...When Your Child Annoys You, Abandon Them on the Side of a Busy Highway

Story Link For some people, the act of conceiving a child should be deemed criminal.

How much is too much?

You see so many programs for children lately, it is hard to pick one. But I believe you should just pick one. That is the most important thing. So many people get caught up in the idea that a child's brain is a sponge that they put them in a class ever day of the week. We have chosen a music class. They get to play instruments, sing songs, listen to stories, etc. And Wiggle absolutely loves it. We have been going for over a year now. He has learned some really valuable lessons, like cleaning up his toys. I would love to get him into swim classes too, but that will have to wait for the money (or we take some time off of his music class). Time is valuable at home too. Remember to let children have free play time. It is vital to development too.

Since When Has Potty Training Involved Beating Your Child with a Belt Until She's Dead?

Mom guilty in death of toddler Yeah, we're using the "tell us when you're ready method" combined with the great DVD Potty Power.

This is So Outrageous, I Can Barely Respond...

Story Link A couple has finally been cleared of child sexual abuse charges after they took a roll of film to get developed that included a father kissing his son's belly button (the little boy was naked). The children were taken away, put in protective custody and the legal avalanch descended upon the couple. This should have been a short investigation and then done with. These poor people...

More Than $1 Million Kids' Folding Chairs Recalled

Story Link

Great Quote

My mom sent me an e-mail with a quote she thought I might enjoy (and I did). Children who are not spoken to by responsive adults will not learn to speak properly. Children who are not answered will stop asking questions. They will become incurious. And children who are not told stories and who are not read to will have few reasons for wanting to learn to read. Gail E. Haley 1971 Caldecott Medal Acceptance Speech My mom also paid a compliment to my husband and myself for preparing our child to be a life long learning, and I am so proud to receive a compliment like that! Thank you to my mother for recognizing what I strive so hard to do. Thank you for the support and education you gave me that enabled me to do this for our son!

How Much Corporate Insurance Has Gone Downhill in Two Years...

My wife and I both work for one of the largest health insurers in the nation. In 2003, it cost us $15 to have our son. Our next child will cost us $400. And we work for the company that adminsters the benefits! I shudder to think of what the future is going to be like in healthcare if something isn't done right now!

Mary Beth Posts an Interesting Post About the Type of Mother She DOESN'T want to Be

Supafine's Blog ...unfortunately this is type of mother that the media is teaching many women to become. We need more mothers like Mary Beth and I'll be willing to bet that as she stomped the campus of our mutual Alma Mater BGSU in her combat boots, she never thought that someone would be saying that about her parenting skills and philosopy. Keep it up Mary Beth...

I'm back from the black hole of Harry Potter world and thinking about discipline

I finally finished Harry Potter last night, so now I can blog again! Excellent book for those of you who want to know! I want to talk about discipline. There are so many various positions and ideas about how you should teach your child good behavior. Of course, to make it all the more complicated, each child responds to different things. You have to find what works for your child, and each child separately. Wiggle is 2 now, so we are leaving the time of accidental bad behavior and unappealing behavior resulting from curiosity. We are entering the time when that beautiful angel of mine may decide to do something out of meanness or anger. Gone are the days when he threw his food because he wanted to find out what would happen, how it would look when it hit the floor and how long would it take for the dog to eat it. In are the days where he throws it because it is not the food he wanted (or one of the other many things he could get angry over). Right now, the big problems we have with him are hitting and whinning. The whinning is my fault. I taught him that whinning will get him what he wants, even if that is just my attention. I have made a conscious effort the past couple of weeks to stop that. I will tell him "Ask me in a nice voice," or "I can't understand you when you are whinning." Or something along those lines to let me know that I am not responding until he stops whinning. Hitting, on the other hand, I handle a little differently. I hold him in my lap, face out. I hold his arms down and wrap my arms around him so he can't move too much. Let me make it perfectly clear that I do NOT hold TIGHTLY. I hold firmly so he can't "wiggle" away. I hold him there for a minute or so. Then I tell him that I will let him up, but if he hits again, I will hold him again. It works almost without fail. He normally wants to get up and immediately give me a hug. I use this with some other unwanted behaviors, such as throwing toys, spitting, etc. It is firm, but not frightening, and it seems to work for now. Ah, the excitement of raising the future leaders of this world! Sometimes, I find myself just gazing at him and wondering what kind of man he will become. It is incredibly important to me to remember (especially when he is being rotten) how much what I do impacts the answer, including discipline.

White Trash Parenting Lessons (How NOT to Talk to Your Children)

Story Link A sixteen-year old kid secretly records a fight with his mother who ruthlessly assaults him verbally. This is not for the feint of heart and the mother should be put on trial for child abuse--no questions asked. Lock her butt up and get her out of my society, like two second ago.

A Fathering Quiz from Daddy Connection

Site Link

I pulled this fathering quiz off Daddy Connection which was downloaded to my Pocket PC but which I couldn't find an actual hyperlink to.

"Rate yourself ona scale of 1 to 10 in each area (1 is lowest or 'I want to do more' and 10 is highest or 'I am doing great')

1. Express my love to my child out loud
2. Show healthy physical love
3. Know and acknowledge my child's unique gifts, talents and aptitudes
4. Know and accept my child's unique peculiarities
5. Giving my child eye contact when talking
6. Ask them how they feel and listen to what is not being verbalized
7. Validate my child's emotions
8. Openly admit my own mistakes
9. Ask for forgiveness or apologize
10. Spending individual time together

I rated myself an 8 or 9 (I don't believe in total perfection) in everything except number 10 which I am making a commitment to myself to work on, if only adding an extra 15 minutes a week at first.

Here is a Very Scary and Very Special Blog You Should Take Some Time to Look Through

Blog link I came across this Blog by chance and it knocked me out. Start at the bottom. If you don't feel a pinwheel of emotions by the time you get to the top, you might want to check your spirit-level because you could be mentally, emotionally and spiritually dying inside.

Harry Potter strikes again

I know I haven't posted lately, but this week was pretty hectic and I have been reading the new Harry Potter this weekend. And of course enjoying it! I had to tell myself not to feel guilty spending time reading instead of playing with Wiggle every minute. How silly is that! But I feel like I am neglecting him if I sit there and read instead of play. Well, back to my book... or do I play with Wiggle?

Study Claims that Delaying the Introduction of Cereal-Based Foods in Infant's Diet Could Help Avoid Later Gut Problems

BBC NEWS | Health | Gut problem link to baby weaning

A Father Faces His Delivery Room Fears

A dad's delivery-room anxieties - Maternity Madness - MSNBC.com

RIP Doc Baker. Little House Doctor Dies at 77 Years Old

CNN.com - 'Little House's' Doc Baker dead - Jul 12, 2005 The last season of Little House will be coming out October 11, 2005.

Study Finds That Children Learn Bullying By Example

Story Link

Father of 3-Year-Old Was Afraid His Son "Was Becoming a Sissy" and Might be Gay, So He Beat Him to Death

Story Link

Study Finds 287 Contaminants In Cord Blood of US Infants

Story Link Unborn U.S. babies are soaking in a stew of chemicals, including mercury, gasoline byproducts and pesticides, according to a report released Thursday.

Study Finds That Video Games Have Therapeutic Potential

Link

Study Finds Hand Washing Dramatically Cuts Illnesses in Children

Hand washing dramatically cuts illness in kids - Children's Health - MSNBC.com

Missouri Begins Posting Pictures of Sex Offenders and Their Communities Online

FOXNews.com - U.S. & World - New Law Posts Sex Offenders Online

Sharing a Bed With Infants Raises SIDS Risk

FOXNews.com - Health - Sharing a Bed With Infants Raises SIDS Risk

High IQ and Active Youth May Prevent Dementia when Older

FOXNews.com - Health - High IQ and Active Youth May Prevent Dementia

Two Six-Year Old Boys Found Performing Oral Sex on Each Other in School

KGBT 4 - TV Harlingen, TX: Kindergartners Accused of Having Sex at School Anyone who thinks that our schools haven't become havens for indecency and immorality need look no further than this news link here. This is exactly what happens when you expose youth to sexuality at too young of an age. I don't even think I knew what sex was until the third or fourth grade and only then through dirty drawings that the black kids were doing on their multiplication table ditto sheets. This is just pathetic.

Man Faints and Dies After Seeing Wife's Epidural

Man faints, dies after seeing wife's epidural - Men's Health - MSNBC.com The hospital is being sued in a wrongful death suit.

Ohio Department of Education Puts a Cap on New Charter Schools

New charter schools limited; 100 in lottery for 30 spots They are tripling the voucher program and limiting competition--this sounds like some hands are getting washed here. There are 100 schools competing for 30 spots and they are doing it through a "lottery." How about through a rigorous system of educational testing? Nope, let's throw a dart instead--that seems fair; that seems smart when we're talking about the education of our children. Stupid Ohio politicians and beauracrats.

TV in Bedroom May Hamper Kids' School Performance

FOXNews.com - Health - TV in Bedroom May Hamper Kids' School Performance

"Reading" already

For Christmas, Wiggle got some of these little board books where there is one picture on each page and then it names it. His set is called "Machines," but there are plenty of others out there. There is Busy Machines, Rescue Machines, Speedy Machines, etc. We have read these so many times at night that he can "read" them now based on the picture. It is wonderful to see the joy on his face when he reads the whole book. He has such a sense of accomplishment!

Fireworks

I figured that at 2, maybe my son was ready to see the 4th of July fireworks. As it turns out, I was right. At first, the noise clearly startled him. He started pointing to the car saying "go home, go home." But he never screamed and cried, so I continued to speak calmly to him and by 5 minutes in, he was saying "pretty." I am so proud of him for working through the fear!

Snoring Tots More Likely to Be Hyperactive Later

FOXNews.com - Health - Snoring Tots More Likely to Be Hyperactive Later

Friday night gatherings

I am sitting at home on a beautiful Friday evening with my husband and son by my side. We are expecting my sister, brother-in-law, and 2 neices any time. We have an enjoyable evening ahead of us. It makes me think about moving. My husband is job hunting, and with that there is always the question to move or not to move. I always said I would if the job was right. But I sure would miss evenings like this. You can't put a price on things like this!

Mom Pleads Guilty in Diaper Rash Death

FOXNews.com - U.S. & World - Mom Pleads Guilty in Diaper Rash Death

Madonna Gives Her 8-Year Old Daughter a $10,000 Credit Card To "Teach Her About Money"

MADONNA - CREDIT CARD FOR LOURDES This is about two notches below giving a child a loaded handgun. It's a social crime.

Dinosaur Fever!

Well, it used to be cars that my son was obsessed with. Now, it has moved to dinosaurs. We had to watch the Disney movie Dinosaurtwice this weekend! It was amazing how quickly the shift in interests happened. He is just like his father, obessive about something until he finds something else he is excited about.

Abstinence Makes Weak Sperm Grow Stronger

FOXNews.com - Health - Abstinence Makes Weak Sperm Grow Stronger

Evacuating the Home After a Chemical Leak is Not Necessarily the Safest Thing to Do...

BBC NEWS | Health | Home 'safest' after chemical leak

Could We Possibly Demascuate the Modern Male Any More Than We Already Have? Apparantly So.

BBC NEWS | Health | Father's blues can blight babies

Ohio May Begin Tracking Sex Criminals Using Satellite Technology

Ohio may track sex criminals ...wicked cool.

Study Finds that Home Births are Safe for Women

Home births safe for low-risk women - Women's Health - MSNBC.com

Study Confirms Portion Sizes Directly Related to Obesity in Children

FOXNews.com - Health - Do Bigger Portions Lead to Bigger Kids?

Wash your fruit!

I know a woman whose 4 1/2 year old son was just diagnosed with Hepatitis (they are still unsure which type). The doctor speculates that it could have been from fresh fruits or vegetables. I know we all get a little lax somtimes on things like washing these items before we eat them. But we have to remember how many people touched it before we did (including the people at warehouses and other shoppers). Hepatitis isn't the only thing that could be spread this way! Let us remember to wash off our food and pray for this precious little boy feels well again soon!

Having a Strong Social Network Can Help You Live Longer

BBC NEWS | Health | Friends 'help people live longer'

Ohio is Now the 35th State to Allow Legal Public Breastfeeding

WTOL-TV Toledo, OH: Public Breast Feeding Now Legal in Ohio

He will be reading at three!!

Okay, well maybe not. I know we all think our children are so smart. But my child is blowing me away. About three weeks ago, he started with his colors. Then it was letters about a week later. He can identify some of them consistently. And X is his favorite letter because he can recognize it and tell me what sound it makes. He is doing phonics at 25 months! He has to have learned it from the Leap Frog Fridge Phonics Magnets he got for Christmas. He loves it. He plays with it at least once every day. I have to say if it didn't cause him to learn, it sure as hell didn't hurt. This is one of the best learning toys we own!

CDC Says Kids Need 1 Hour of Exercise Per Day

FOXNews.com - Health - CDC: Kids Need an Hour of Exercise a Day

A Good Support System Can Help Fight Ovarian Cancer

FOXNews.com - Health - Family and Friends May Fight Ovarian Cancer

In Vitro Fertilization Kids May Be Taller

FOXNews.com - Health - 'In Vitro Fertilization' Kids May Be Taller

This is So Atrocious that It Has to Be Shared...

FOXNews.com - U.S. & World - La. Town Stunned by Church 'Child Sex Ring' I don't even know what to say, but that it's events like these that reassure me than church life is not for my family. I realize not all church's are like that but there is still a risk of this involved with any system that instills a group identity upon individuals. I'll pass on the purple Kool-Aid, thank you.

Study Links Hair Dyes to Cancer

BBC NEWS | Health | Study links hair dyes to cancer

Raisins May Keep the Dentist Away

Raisins may help fight cavities - General Health - MSNBC.com

US is Failing to Meet Infant Mortality Goals

U.S. failing to meet infant mortality goals - Children's Health - MSNBC.com

Mom rant

I can't wait to be out of an office building and home raising my son! All these office politics is crap. Believe it or not, my home life is so much less stressful. I can feel in my bones today that I am not meant for cubicle life.

The Muppet Show Season 1 Press Release

Muppet Show, The - Season 1 Press Release

3 Year Old Boy Dies Locked in a Day Care Van

FOXNews.com - U.S. & World - Boy, 3, Dies Locked in Day Care Van Even professional child care givers can make horrible mistakes!

Call for President Bush's attention continues

I previously posted a blog about vaccinations and their connection with autism. Unsure of the connection, my blog was pretty uninformative. I have now been told that a couple of groups have been going to President Bush to push for vaccinations produced without mercury. I feel completely ignorant because I didn't even know they had mercury in them! Please, for you child's sake and for the sake of being an informed consumer, look into this. The two organizations that I know are going to the President are Unlocking Autism (www.unlockingautism.org) and the National Vaccine Information Center (www.nvic.org).

Study Finds that Pediatricians are More Likely Than Any Other Doctor to Communication with Patients Via E-mail

Diagnosis: E-mailed parents feel better - washingtonpost.com Highlights - MSNBC.com

Study Claims that Children That Drink More Than 3 Servings of Milk a Day are Prone to Obesity

More milk means more weight gain - washingtonpost.com Highlights - MSNBC.com

Exciting Leads in Search for Childhood Cancer Cures

Race is on for new childhood cancer drugs - Other Cancer News - MSNBC.com

Dolphins Teach Their Young to Use Tools

Dolphins teach their young to use tools - Science - MSNBC.com

Superbugs Survive for Weeks on Sheets and Nails

Superbugs survive for weeks on sheets, nails - Infectious Diseases - MSNBC.com

Get Fit on an Hour and 20 Minutes a Week

BBC NEWS | Health | Keeping fit may only take minutes

Study Determines that Noise May Affect Kids' Reading and Memory

FOXNews.com - Health - Noise May Affect Kids' Reading, Memory

Powdered Baby Formula Goes Behind the Counter

Powdered baby formula goes behind the counter - Children's Health - MSNBC.com

Can Baby Sign Language Delay Speech?

Can baby sign language delay speech? - Growing Up Healthy - MSNBC.com

7,000

Well, on a normal day, I walk about 7,000 steps. I guess the goal is to get up to 10,000 which is about 5 miles. Any ideas on how to add these steps into my day?

Child Tylenol Recalled Over Label Confusion

Child Tylenol recalled over label confusion - Children's Health - MSNBC.com

Got a Nanny? You Need a Paper Shredder...

Got a nanny? You need a shredder - Consumer Security - MSNBC.com

Busy, busy

Well, last night from 3:30-9:30 pm, doing normal evening stuff, this busy mom walked 4,000 steps. That is approximately 2 miles. At work for 6 hours today, I have only gone 1,400 steps. Gee, wonder where I am busier?? And my husband wonders why I am always so tired.

Some Day Cares Force Children to Sign a Contract Stating They Will Get Along with Peers, Follow Adult Directions and Sit Still or Be Expelled

Contracts help preschoolers learn how they should behave - The Boston Globe - Boston.com - House & Home - Your Life

Parents Can Help Children Build Rhythm

Parents can help babies develop rhythm - Children's Health - MSNBC.com

Walk, walk, walk

As a mom and full-time worker, some days I feel like I don't sit down until I get into bed. Granted, my job is centered around a computer, but it seems like I am always up and down doing something! A very kind person gave me a pedometer today and I can't wait to see how many miles a day this busy mom walks.

Are You a Helicopter Parent Buzzing Around Your Children?

'Helicopter parents' buzz schools

Too Much 'Noise' May Lead to Dyslexia

FOXNews.com - Health - Too Much 'Noise' May Lead to Dyslexia

Kids love to prove you wrong!

As soon as I feel secure enough to say "Wiggle does/says/etc." something, he contradicts me! We traveled for the holiday weekend to visit family. We left later, thinking he would fall asleep by 9:00, one hour past his bedtime. Wrong - the child didn't fall asleep until 10:30!! I figured he'd sleep until 6:00 their time. Wrong - he woke up every day by 5:30. Last week, some family was visiting in town and one of them commented how good it was he said "ruck" for truck unlike a lot of kids who say the f-word. Now he says the f-word, try as I might to correct him and not laugh. Of course, he has no idea what he is saying. He is talking about his beloved trucks! But I would be horrified if he decided to talk about his trucks that way to my grandparents!

You Can Now Pre-Order Fraggle Rock Season 1

Fraggle Rock - Season 1 up for preorder!

Lucas and Spielberg Give Indiana Jones IV Script Their Approval

Moviehole.net - Indiana Jones whipped into shape ...just waiting on Harrison Ford. Hat tip to Fark.

Pediatric Experts Discuss the Proper Way to Beat Children

Discipline do's & don'ts Hat tip to Fark.

Why can't we let kids be kids?

I got praise the other day for something I don't quite understand. My son is just barely 2 years old. He shows little interest in "going potty." Occasionally, he wants to sit on it and read some books; he talks about peeing and pooping in there sometimes. But he has yet to do anything in it. And I am okay with that. I am not going to push him now to have him resent it. Soon, I will take some time off work and see if, with diligence that is harder to give working 40 hours, he is ready. But I am not into forcing the issue. However, I have a neice that is 3 months shy of 3, and a newphew who is 26 months, and they are both going in the potty. The other day, someone said to me that she was proud of me that I was not forcing the potty on Wiggle because those around him were doing it. While I always enjoy someone telling me I am doing something right (hehe), I was baffled at how many parents she must have seen doing the opposite of me. I think we, as parents, need to remind ourselves that each child is different. We need to be aware of the signals our child might be giving us to say they are ready for something more. We need to not force our children into what is comfortable or convenient for us. While we don't need to revolve our entire being around our children and their needs (we need to be individuals with our own needs met to be able to meet our children's), it is up to us to recognize them and teach our children how to meet them. Too many of us find it too subtle an art form, too time consuming a venture, to watch our children for their signals. Our children communicate a lot more to us than we take the time to understand. Set some time aside; spend it watching your child in their splendor!

Study Links Plastics to Small Genital Growth in Infants

FOXNews.com - Health - Study Links Plastics to Small Genitals

To vaccinate or not

It is amazing to me all the research that is coming out against these supposed "routine" vaccinations we are expected to let our children get. It seems now there may be research to support that the NMR vaccination can cause Autism. Josh's brother was diagnosed with Autism and was put into, what seems to have been, a wonderful program and has made amazing progress. But how great it would be to know for sure that these vaccinations that are supposed to prevent certain diseases don't cause others (or increase the risk of them). Aren't they supposedly "safe"? Sometimes I wonder if anything is!

Family Meals Promote Healthy Eating & Weight Loss

FOXNews.com - Health - Family Meals Promote Healthy Eating, Weight Loss

New Hallmark Holiday

We have Hallmark holidays for almost everything under the sun! Well, I propose a new one (at least, I think it is new). I think we need to add Day Care Provider Day. I am lucky enough to have a Day Care Provider who I am completely comfortable with. I know she will call me if something isn't right, or it just doesn't seem right. I know my child is safe and well fed there. I know he loves it there. This is one of the biggest comforts I have. Getting up and going to work every morning is hard for me. Knowing my son is in good hands makes it easier. So if you are like me, take a moment and tell them "thank you." We all like to hear we are appreciated. Just like yesterday's post, don't assume they know. I don't know what I would do without them, so I took a second last week and gave her a Thank You card. It was simple, but meaningful.

Teen Drives Car Into Day Care, Eight Hurt

FOXNews.com - U.S. & World - Teen Drives Car Into Day Care, Eight Hurt

Smoking During Pregnancy Stunts Infant's Airway Development

BBC NEWS | Health | Smoking stunts airway development

Don't "sweat the small stuff"

So many of us get caught up in the mundane, day-to-day issues of life. However, I believe nothing is wiser than forgetting the small things and remembering what a blessing life is. My second cousin passed away last night because of a cat scratch. This should remind us all how fragile we are, how precious every day should be. I know it is hard, easier said then done. But I have changed a lot of my every day behavior in the past year by reminding myself of this often. I will NOT leave my house without kissing my family goodbye, even if it is a kiss I blow to Wiggle in the morning so I don't wake him up. All of our lives are too short, too fragile, and we cannot see into the future. So before you let something bother you too much, remind yourself that each moment is non-refundable, every second special in its own way. And remember to tell those around you that you love them - never just assume they know. We all would rather hear it!

Educated Women May Sleep Better

FOXNews.com - Health - Educated Women May Sleep Better

Child Strangles on Jump Rope

Child strangles on jump-rope We must constantly be watching our children. This has been very hard to adapt to.

The Muppet Show Season 1 Comes Out August 9th for $40.

Muppet Show, The - Disney Announces Season 1

Federal Site Offers Sex Offender Registries

FOXNews.com - Politics - Federal Site Offers Sex Offender Registries

Blueberry vs. boobies

You know, kids can say the funniest things. And they all have words they say their own special way. For Wiggle, milk was always "nilk," water was "wawa," bananas were "nanas." He now says them correctly (except nanas) most of the time. But now, he has also come up with the funniest one yet! My child absolutely loves fruit of every kind. And I would say blueberries are his favorite. He always just called them berries. Of course, then I would always say blueberries to reinforce the correct word. Well, he finally decided to give the whole word a try this weekend, but instead of blueberries, he now says "boobies!" I absolutely cannot keep a straight face when he says this! I just hope he doesn't ask for some blueberries in public, or we are going to get some pretty strange looks!

Warning Signs for Childhood Obesity

What are warning signs for child obesity? - Children's Health - MSNBC.com

Six Flags Becomes First Theme Park to Bar Sex Offenders

FOXNews.com - U.S. & World - Six Flags Claims Right to Bar Sex Offenders

TV Watching Linked to Childhood Obesity

BBC NEWS | Health | TV watching link to child obesity

Researchers Tout Positive Effects of Video Games

Researchers tout positive effects of video games - Nightly News with Brian Williams - MSNBC.com

Smart Shoes Help Decide Children's Television Time

Smart shoes decide on television time - Breaking News | Print | New Scientist Hat tip to Fark.

Survey Finds that Discipline Should Be Left Up to Parents

Local News - The Advocate - www.newarkadvocate.com

2 year checkup

Wiggle had his 2 year check up with the pediatrician yesterday. He is 35 1/4" tall (75th percentile) and 28 pounds (50th percentile). Everything looked wonderful! On a side note, my parents were telling me I have a second cousin in the hospital for Cat Scratch Fever, aka Cat Scratch Disease. For those of us that have cats as household pets (and even if you don't), check out an on-line medical dictionary for the symptoms. They say most the time, children 2-14 get it from kittens younger than 6 months. But this is not necessarily the case. And they don't know exactly what causes it, but it is a bacterial infection that can be very serious, including fatal. Just keep your eyes open if someone close to you, or you, get scratched or bitten by a cat.

When Should Sick Kids Go Home?

When sick kids should go home

Preschoolars 18 Times More Likely to Get Kicked Out of School that K-12th Graders

1010 WINS - New York's All News Station : Study: 600 Pre-school Kids Expelled In NY

Cell phones can now receive Amber Alerts

Cell phones can now receive Amber Alerts - Wireless World - MSNBC.com

Why Cincinnati is a Great Place to Raise Autistic Children

Autistic children can be 'stars' This is fantastic.

Early Cereal Eaters Might Be Safer from Celiac Disease

FOXNews.com - Health - Cereal for Infants: A Link to Celiac Disease?

Mood swings

Last night showed such a range of Wiggle's emotions. It is amazing to me how children can go from calm and loving, to energetic and silly, to down right pissed off! We sure felt them all last night. He was so cute at dinner, asking to hold my hand. Little less than a half an hour later, he was dancing around the kitchen being silly. That lasted about 10 minutes, then he was mad at me, hitting me twice and headbutting me so hard in the nose I had to close myself in the bathroom to calm down. Of course, then he wanted to hug on me. Do they have radar for when the need to "kiss up" to Mommy and Daddy, or what?? Uh oh, I'm in trouble. Better look extra cute and smile extra big! Maybe even say "Sorry" and give them a hug. They will buy that hook, line and sinker! And it is amazing how hard it is not to. Little stinker!

21% of All Eyeglass Injuries Are Between the Ages of 2 and 17

Children at risk from injury from eyeglasses, 21% of all injured are aged 2-17

Trampoline Injuries are Greater Than Ever!

FOXNews.com - Health - Trampoline Injuries Jump

Menstrual Cycle May Alter Brain Chemistry

FOXNews.com - Health - Menstrual Cycle May Alter Brain Chemistry

Imaginative Play is Quality Therapy for Autism

FOXNews.com - Health - Imaginative Play Therapy For Autism

Autism May Be Linked to Difficult Births

Autism may be linked to difficult births - Mental Health - MSNBC.com

Preschools Begin Focusing on Nutrition

Preschool's curriculum focuses on nutrition - Diet and Fitness - MSNBC.com

The Number 2

So, my husband thinks I am this sentimental, weepy woman who can't through anything away. This Sunday after Wiggle's wonderful birthday party, my husband approaches me about the number 2 candle I had washed icing off of and set aside. Thinking he had me figured out, he went on and on about how a picture of the candle would be as sentimental as the candle itself, couldn't he throw it away? After about 2 minutes of this, I looked at him and said "I was just saving it for our next kid." This stunned him. He laughed and tossed the candle to me, knowing he had been dead wrong and looked ridiculous. Of course, I have terrible cooridination and I didn't catch the candle. So, the garage floor, breaking the candle in half, made the decision for us to throw it away!

Fatherhood is Easy

...in theory. The theory of great fatherhood is Be the father your father was and much more. Some of us were lucky to have one great father or several great fathers in our lives; others of us were not so lucky. The world is littered with good people who are in touch with the things that make life extraordinary--these individuals aren't hard to find if you start looking for them. But that means looking for the good in people instead of the con, the sly, the trick. This isn't easy to do, given the negative morals and detrimental belief system of fear, anger, hatred and loss that have infiltrated our society. So, being more than your father to your child, while in theory is very easy, it turns out to be a very hard thing to do in practice because these are the people from which we learn how to father; even an absent figure can be a teacher. It requires that we rise beyond our genetic tendencies and become more than we ever believed we could as individuals. We take what's best from our parents, put it together with what's best in our life partner and create brand new beings with the best from all worlds. If we parents can clear the blockage from our own ridiculous emotional past and act upon our child with the same reverance we do our idea of God, while angels look down on man and weep out of spite, then we can truly create a generation of children that have no emotional and spiritual blockage, who know no hatred and fear no man or construct of man. The choice for salvation and greatness lies completely with the individual parent and how they view their past, approach their present and wish valiantly for their future. As my mother has always been fond of saying, "We need to clean up our own backyards before we go telling other people what's wrong with theirs."

It's his birthday!

Well, today Wiggle is 2! Where did the time go? Today is an interestingly emotional day for Mom. He looked so big this morning when Daddy and I went in his room to sing Happy Birthday first thing. Such a boy, not a baby at all! On one hand, I am so very proud of the boy he is: happy, mannered, curious. I love actually being able to have conversations with him, even if they are short! He can tell me what is on his mind, and what his needs are. Our relationship is better every day, our bond stronger every day. But on the other hand, he doesn't need me as much any more. I long for the baby who was never happier than when I was holding him, the baby that was soothed by the sound of my heartbeat that he had heard for 9 months in my womb. Really, he is only one day older today, but it seems like the biggest difference I have yet experienced! He's telling me "oh gosh" and "June, 'nough!" He is the most beautiful thing I have ever seen.

HBO Criticized for Pushing TV to Infants

HBO criticized for pushing TV to infants - Children's Health - MSNBC.com

11-Ounce Newborn Delivered by Caesarean

11-ounce baby delivered by Caesarean - Children's Health - MSNBC.com

Are You Being Eaten Alive by Bed Bugs?

Can't sleep? The bed bugs may be biting - General Health - MSNBC.com

Many Kids With Lead Exposure Don't Get Retested

FOXNews.com - Health - Many Kids With Lead Exposure Don't Get Retested

Stray Dog Saves and Abandoned Baby, Drags it Across a Busy Road, Then Through Barbed-Wire and it is Found Nestled in It's Puppies, Sleeping.

ESPN Outdoors -- Kenya: Stray dog saves abandoned baby

Are Moms Pregnant with Boys Less Forgetful?

Moms pregnant with boys less forgetful? - Women's Health - MSNBC.com Does anyone care?

Tom Painter Has Just Released a Financial Program that Will Help You Teach Your Kids, Your Teens and Yourself About How to Properly Manage Your Money

Tutorials This could be the most valuable lesson you impart on your children.

Consumer Reports Rates Diet Plans

WFTV.com - News - Looking To Shed Pounds? Consumer Reports Rates Diet Plans

Wisdom Teeth Removal Often Unnecessary

FOXNews.com - Health - Wisdom Teeth Removal Often Unnecessary

Meanness In Girls Can Start in Preschool

FOXNews.com - Health - Meanness In Girls Can Start in Preschool

Just like Daddy

Grammie got Wiggle a bubble lawn mower. I thought he would like because recently, we have to watch Daddy mow the lawn. We get his little rocking chair and scoot it up to the window so he can watch. He absolutely loves this bubble mower! I think he would have played with it all day, and he was furious when it was time to go back inside. He will definitely need one for his birthday to use at home!

Should We Parents Concerned About Cyber Bullying: You Bet We Should.

ABC12.com: Cyber bullying on the rise Look, everyone in the future will have an online identity that will merge with our personal identity. In fact, our electronic face will matter much more in terms of economics and politics and our careers than our personal faces do. Attacks on your electronic identity are just as serious as threats made to our faces or over the phone. Take hold of the situation before it gets out of hand. Protect your children through strength and being well armed with information--it's a new world out there.

Make Your Own Holograms at Home

How to make holograms at home - Tech News & Reviews - MSNBC.com

The Importance of Mom in the World

Mother's Day, 2005 I have often found myself thinking about how my decision to build a monogamous and special relationship with my wife--which turned into living together, which turned into moving to another city to start a life together, which turned into our marriage, which turned into our house, our cars, our careers, our corporation and our dreams--was the best choice I ever made in my life. Jackson Browne, one of America's truly great lyricists, sings these words in his opus The Pretender:

I'm gonna find myself a girl/ who can show me what laughter means

and we'll fill in the missing colors/ in each other's paint by number dreams

And then we'll put our dark glasses on/ and we'll make love until our strength is gone And when the morning light - comes streaming in/We'll get up and do it again

The best choice that was not made in my life was the fact that I was born to a woman with the wisest and kindest heart I have ever met. My Mom may not be able to recite the Declaration of Independence, figure the cosign of a tangetial equation or pound her fist on the dash when Rush Limbaugh says something stupid; but she knows people better than anyone I've ever seen. She can read you like a flashing neon sign, determine your emotional presence and have you sized up in the time it takes you to scan a McDonald's drive through menu. My mother has taught me lessons in caring and forgiveness that even the millionaires in the country clubs can't purchase as a commodity for their families. The best secondary effect from a personal choice I've made is that I not only married a fantastic woman but I get to see her fantastic family all of the time. My mother-in-law, while a bit more traditional my than my own mother, is every bit the heart and mind. These two women stand like light house pillars of love and support on rocky cliffs that look down on the river my wife and I are navigating. And I like this image of the raging river in the valley because that is what life is--jagged razor rocks that come in the form of selfishness, idiocy and plain ignorance. These women help steer us around the rocks like: leaving the lid up, drinking too many beers and ignoring them at a party, smoking pot, making irresponsible purchases in times of financial stress, always having to have things our way, ignorning the kids out of pure selfishness, perusing legally approved Internet pornography at the expense of intimate encounters with them and about 14 million other bad habits that the civilized male has picked up in during the Information Age. These women steer us away from the rocks because the water we churn together is sweet ambrosia. We have given them their children and we have given them an identity--in return, they have given us life and I'm not just talking about nine months. There was a time when both of my Mothers were navigators (and, at times, pilots) on this same river with its same rapids. But they eventually found port, set up camp, began exploring and finally built lighthouses on top of very high cliffs. Women's roles have changed a lot since even I was a kid (writing this at 30 years old)--the navigator role has changed to co-pilot but the song remains the same as Robert Plant might say. And I don't need a special day to thank my wife and my mothers for the unquantifiable positive effect that they have had on my experience and my joy for life. The women in our lives are the ones who eventually run the high, high lighthouses that keep us young sailors from breaking our vessels on the jagged Scyllas that threaten to tear our boats into bubbles and cracks. We owe our entire lives to them--not just the first part in the delivery room. I Love You Moms--Rock on in the New Millenium Joshua Minton

My Mother's Day is May 7th

Let's face it. For those of us Moms who still are blessed enough to have our Mothers alive, May 8th is not for us. It's more like Grandma's day. And I am so fine with that, because I love them and want to spend time with them on that special day and let them know how much they mean to us. So I am taking my day on Saturday instead. I am not doing a thing!! After all, the actual date that you are recognized is not all that important. Hallmark probably picked the day! What really matters is that there is one day a year that your family pampers you and shows you (and hopefully tells you) how important you are to them every day. I love being a Mom, more than I can even express, and I am proud to have any day that celebrates motherhood.

Spyware Firms Targeting Children

Spyware firms targeting children - Consumer Security - MSNBC.com

Social Relationships Are Good for Men's Hearts

FOXNews.com - Health - Social Relationships Good for Men's Hearts

Research Offers Hope for Autism Test

FOXNews.com - Health - Research Offers Hope for Autism Blood Test My younger brother was almost diagnosed with autism. This was like four years ago. He is reading, comprehending, communicating as well as and better than other kids his age right now. Thank God for qualified educational and behavioral intervention applied by the right teachers at the right time. This boy and his sister are going to be somebody someday--just like their parents and just like brother Josh.

Father's Life Span Linked to Blood Pressure

FOXNews.com - Health - Father's Life Span Linked to Blood Pressure

Are Ugly Children Less Loved?

Are ugly children less loved? - Children's Health - MSNBC.com

This Is Awful!

Murder charged in baby's death I used to play with my son like this. My god, what could have happened? Oh well, it's a good thing that I can catch.

Study Confirms that Children are Safest in the Back Seat

Kids safest in car back seat, study confirms - Children's Health - MSNBC.com

Ode to Fathers

My husband is about to take on a second job. Something I had hoped we would never have to do, and for a long time, I thought my husband would not be willing to do. Always fiercely protective of his spare time, I didn't believe he would sacrifice it, even temporarily, for money. He sacrifices it regularly for family (both immediate and extended), and me. To me, it is inspiring. Really though, it is not about the job. I looked at the father my husband is this weekend and it filled me with joy. For a man who had so little experience with children before we had one of our own, he has learned how to do so much that Wiggle needs, so much that brings him joy. I think he has learned so much about himself through fatherhood. Although he will never show Wiggle love in the same manner I do, all you have to do is look at Wiggle's face when he sees Daddy to know how much he loves him. And Love is the foundation on which a family stands strong. And we've got a lot of it!

All too true

"A mother's Love is like a circle; it has no beginning and no ending. It keeps going around and around ever expanding, touching everyone who comes in contact with it." -Art Urban

This Actually Happened to Us!

Kids' chairs blamed for amputated fingers - Children's Health - MSNBC.com This finger-pinching incident was one of the only times that I have experienced true panic as a parent. I have swept my finger down my child's throat on at least two occasions without hesitation. I saw what was happening and took immediate steps to save my son's life--those classes at the hospital paid off and I highly recommend them to any new parents. But at this particular time, I was sitting in a high backed office type chair that had a reclining function. Well, my son got his finger stuck in the mechanism and when I leaned forward, it pinched his fing between two flat pieces of metal converging on each other with a lot of force. We had no idea how to help him and I almost literally cried in frustration because my child was suffering and I didn't immediately know how to help him. I imagine this is probably just a small incident of a general parental concern over time--as our children grow up and prepare to enter "the real world," they are leaving the comfort zones that we have built for them and using their unique talents and experience in directions that we may have never considered for their lives--but that joy also comes with an equal concern. Taking risks is, well, risky and no one wants their child to be in a situation that they can't help them out of; so, heed the lesson of the pinched finger and watch

Love you!

On the same day my husband's heart melted, so did mine. For the first time, Wiggle told me "love you" without me saying it first! He is so incredibly sweet. It must be the books we read Guess How Much I Love You and When Mama Comes Home Tonight. I know he doesn't get that sweet reading his favorite book, The Grouchy Ladybug! He loves that book so much we read it every night now. It amazes me how much of it he retains and is able to read with me. Children love repetition!!

My Heart Just Melted...

On the phone, my son just said these words to me,"Bye Da-EEEE, Lub You." It's Heaven on Earth in the Moment.

Parents, You'd Better Be Monitoring Your Kids On the Internet..

Kids, blogs and too much information - Consumer Security - MSNBC.com ...or you are going to be found guilty of putting them in harm's way.

Mary Beth Wrote a Sweet Love Letter to Her Baby Son

Supafine!: Baby, I'm amazed at the way I love you.

Birthday

We are fast approaching the 2nd birthday for Wiggle. Party invitations have all gone out in the mail. I can't believe it is really here, 2 weeks from Saturday! Grammie bought him a pretty cool bike to play with outside, called Kettrike Happy Navigator. I can't wait to see how much he likes it! But boy, is he going to look like such a big boy riding it.

Net-Illiterate Parents Are Hurting Their Children's Future

'Net-illiterate' parents seen failing children - Tech News & Reviews - MSNBC.com

What do you want for your children?

This is not an occupation question, but a personality question. I am reading a book that my husband picked up for me called Positive Discipline for Preschoolers. Within the first chapter, it asks this important question and it got me thinking. What are the most important qualities I want to instill in my child? For Wiggle, I know I want happiness, healthy relationships, and compassion. I think these things will help him achieve any other goals. I think compassion will lead to values, self-confidence will come from happiness, etc. Now the question is, how do I help him to value these things and obtain them? I guess I have to keep reading the book and see what they think for now! But I believe the answer will be to live and breathe these things myself. Children learn much more by example, I believe, than by instruction.

Call Me Crazy!

But I want my son to recognize the symbol of the Earth in space before he recognizes the American flag. Some things are just more important than patriotism.

This Just Screams "Bad Parents" to Me

Cleveland.com: NewsFlash - Father told officer he didn't think son could be highway shooter

Ten Successful Blogging Tips for Anyone Interested in Starting Their Own Blog

How To Write A Successful Blog: Top Ten Tips - Robin Good's Latest News

Baby Gene Test Needs Much More Study Before Being Instituted on a Massive Scale

BBC NEWS | Health | Baby gene test safety 'unchecked'

All This for Little That

BBC NEWS Science/Nature Early Universe was 'fluid-like' It amazes me how much has been allocated, in terms of time and resources, towards understanding what happened milliseconds after the birth of matter, more commonly known as "The Big Bang. I have been following cosmology religiously for over a decade now and even back then the questions and rigorous study were aimed at these small moments in time. It is one of those inverse relationships where the stakes are so high and the questions are so large that they seem to dwarf the things that really matter in the mundane moments we spend with our own loved ones. I just hope these cosmologists make it home each night to eat dinner with their families because those are the seconds that truly matter most.

God Bless Aunt Jenny!

Last night was a breeze! I put Wiggle to bed with his Gloworm. He said "Mommy" as I was leaving the room. I said "Good night, Wiggle" and he yelled "Mommy" as the door closed. But that was it. I think it was the control he had for lighting up the toy, getting the music to play, that gave him the comfort. Whatever it was, thank you Aunt Jenny for buying it for him for Christmas!! And I hope it works again tonight, for both of us.

Paci wars

Well, Wiggle is still very upset about the loss of his pacifier. Happy as a clown in the bathtub right now, in about 30 minutes he will be screaming "NO!" This might be one of the hardest things I have ever done since becoming a parent. I am not one to let my son cry himself to sleep. He has always drifted into dreamland peacefully. I am sick of people telling me (my husband included) that he is fine. Physically, yes of course he is. Emotionally, he is very disturbed to have his soothing mechanism "broke". And I have tried replacements; they just don't measure up! I pray for the strength to make it through another night of this! (Why did I start this anyway??!!)

 

FRAGGLE ROCK is coming in Season Sets to DVD!!!

Fraggle Rock - Proof that Season Sets are Coming this Fall This was one of my favorite shows growing up. I'm so pumped about this.

5-Year Old is Cuffed to Desk by Police Officer after Punching Principal in Face and AFTER she had calmed down.

FOXNews.com - U.S. & World - Cuffed 5-Year-Old's Parents To Sue

Better every day

Every day, my Wiggle is getting better. And every day he is doing better without his pacifier. I am so proud of him! He was asleep last night within 5 minutes, and with very little fussing. He was obviously ready to give it up, he just wasn't going to do it on his own. I was told today about a blurb on the news about Ibuprofen and children. I found this website today: http://www.sjsupport.org/. How scary is it that these regular painkillers that we all take at some point can do such horrible things to our bodies if we are so unlucky. Beware of these symptoms (according to the website): 1.) rash, blisters, or red splotches on skin 2.) persistent fever 3.) blisters in mouth, eyes, ears, nose, genital area 4.) swelling of eyelids, red eyes 5.) conjunctivitis 6.) flu-like symptoms 7.) recent history of having taken a prescription or over-the-counter medication. I am not one to panic about these things, but we should be informed. My prayers go to the families and people suffering through this ordeal.

Sending Infants to Day Care Could Prevent Child Cancers

BBC NEWS | Health | Day care prevents child cancers

Prostate Cancer Linked to Mother's Genes

Prostate cancer linked to mothers' genes - Men's Health - MSNBC.com

If You're Pregnant, Take Your Fish Oil Pills and Protect Your Baby Girls

Omega-3s may protect baby girls in womb - Breast Cancer - MSNBC.com

Study Finds Many Kids Aren't Sleeping Enough

FOXNews.com - Health - Many Kids Not Sleeping Enough, Study Says

Sickness and Pacifiers

I haven't blogged for a couple of days because it has been a pretty eventful time for us. Friday, I decided it was time to start getting rid of the pacifier. First, let's make it clear he only got it when he was sleeping. I talked to my sitter who said one of the other parents had starting snipping off the end of the pacifier little by little until their child decided he didn't want it any more. That sounded promising. My Wiggle likes to make up his own mind, and I thought, if he made the choice to give up paci, then it would go smoother. However, both Friday and Saturday night, I put him to bed as usual, with his in tact pacifier. Ooops! Sunday rolls around and I remember. So, I snip the end of one off and try to give it to him at bed. "Broke, Mama! Paci broke!" He wanted nothing to do with that broken paci! An hour and a half after bedtime, he falls asleep with me holding his hand through the slats in his crib. He only woke up one time during the night, again falling asleep holding my hand. A little groggy on Monday, I talk to my sitter about the big change. Being the wonderful day care provider she is, she takes it all in stride. She calls me a 1:10 that day (nap time is at 1:00) and says he's fast asleep! Encouraged, we move ahead on Monday night. I put him to bed and he cries as I get myself ready for bed. I sat by him for a little while, but he fell asleep without me there, 54 minutes after I put him to bed! And he slept through the night. Feeling good the next morning about our progress, I get a call from my husband that he has gone in to get Wiggle up to find him covered in vomit and diarrhea. And so started the next couple of days. I have spent all my waking hours since then trying to get liquid and a little food down him. He is much better than my neice (who is also sick and goes to the same sitter) who is spiking high fevers and hasn't kept much of anything down since Monday afternoon. His fever, at its highest, has been 102.3. Still, he is lathargic, cuddly and absolutely sad-looking! As a mother, I spend a lot of time wishing my growing child would spend more time hugging and snuggling with me. Now that I have it, at the expense of him feeling horrible, I long for the days my healthy child was too busy playing cars to give his mom a kiss. "No kiss!" Poor guy. But, still no paci!

One Hour of Play Keeps Thin Babies That Way

FOXNews.com - Health - Doctors Warn Against Obesity in Toddlers

Newborn Weight Has Been Linked to Obesity

BBC NEWS | Health | Newborn weight linked to obesity

Minor Childhood Infections Increase the Risk of Heart Disease

BBC NEWS | Health | Childhood bugs 'heart risk' link

Toddler Eating Habits Lead to Obesity

Keep an eye on toddlers to fend off obesity - Children's Health - MSNBC.com That little jelly bean can hurt your child by encouraging unhealthy dietary desires.

Study Finds Ear Tubes Safe for Kids

Ear tube surgery safe for kids, study finds - Children's Health - MSNBC.com

Happy Moments Protect Your Heart

BBC NEWS | Health | Happy moments 'protect the heart'

The People Around Us Can Seriously Affect Our Health

Family Matters - Health For Life - MSNBC.com

Martha Stewart and me

Leisurely flipping through my Martha Stewart Living magazine yesterday, Josh stopped me and said "How come you never do anything creative like that?" How do you possibly list all the reasons?! Money, time, energy, etc. Keeping you home neat and clean, and your children neat and clean, takes enough time away from enjoyable things! Of course, I guess being creative can be enjoyable, but only if you don't feel rushed. Where are the extra hours I need in the day? If I had them, would I really spend them making my home prettier?

Storytime

I always knew how good it was for children to read books, but Wiggle never took to it like I thought he would. He would pick up books, flip back and forth, all over the place. He wouldn't even stay on a page long enough for me to read it. But then I tried taking turns. Now we sit down (hopefully 15 minutes before bed at least) and read. First I tell him to pick out a book. Then I tell him it is Mommy's turn to read it. If he goes to grab it at any point during my turn, I remind him that it is Mommy's turn to read. When I am done, I give him the book to look at and "read" for as long as he wants. When he sets it aside, I let him pick out another book and we start all over again. It has worked perfect. He is really beginning to enjoy reading and sometimes even picks the up before bed! I am so proud of how good he is at sharing the book. I bet he will grow up to be a book lover just like his parents (Daddy more than Mommy)! One month from today and he will be 2! My goodness, how time flies.

A Great Play Rug

A Great Play Rug

Shoe Success!

Well, Wiggle wore his sandals all weekend. What a relief! When your child has an extra-wide foot, the selection is limited and expensive. And when they are developing a mind of their own, you just might have to let them go barefoot! Money is such an issue for us right now, barefoot is a tempting option.

Low-Fat Diets Could Deprive Children

Low-fat diets may deprive children of vitamins - Children's Health - MSNBC.com The title is a bit misleading because the study focused on Vitamin E and C. Vitamin C is easy to put into someone's diet and Vitamin E (a fat soluble vitamin) is also easy to put into your child's diet with appropriate planning.

Disney's New Broadband Service for Kids

Disney offers new preschool broadband service - Tech News & Reviews - MSNBC.com This seems like a pretty good way to introduce kids to using the Internet responsibly.

Shoe Obsession

Wiggle (Daddy called him that once and it seems to have stuck) loves his shoes. He gets mad when you take them off, if he is not going to bed or getting a bath. Take off his shoes and put on his slippers, and you have committed a major crime that he will remind you of the entire time his slippers are on! Last night, we went to buy him sandals for the warmer weather and your would have thought we were pulling out toenails! Okay, well maybe it wasn't that bad. But he was certainly relieved to get his regular tennis shoes back on! This just started in February after I bought him a two pairs of shoes on clearance and he REFUSED to try one pair on, so I had to return them. Now, he is very shoe-sensitive. I sure hope he wears those $30 sandals!!

WHO Appeal for Better Baby Care as Deterent to Save Millions of Babies

BBC NEWS | Health | WHO appeals for better baby care

Baby fever!

I haven't decided yet if it is the fact that my son no longer "needs" me for a lot of the little day to day things, or if it is the spring in the air, but the desire to have another baby is starting to rear up! Why is it that women become so overwhelmed with the desire to have children?! I mean, giving birth was the single most important event of my life, and I thank God for it every day. And even though I tell myself that I am SO incredibly lucky to have him, that desire to give him a little brother or sister is pretty strong. For our family, it is the worst time for us to have a baby. My husband will more than likely lose his job soon (although we have a "band-aid" plan to help us through that, the band-aid doesn't stretch that far), my sister is using my maternity clothes, and I am enjoying having some time to myself again. So, why is it that as soon as we start to lose the feeling of being needed, we want it back again so strongly, when we remind ourselves how proud we are of the independent and strong child(ren) we are raising?

Here's an Interesting Article and Video on Why Kids Cheat and Lie--Parents Showed them How to Do It.

Keep kids away from lying and cheating - Parenting - MSNBC.com

New Study Shows Drinking Alcohol is Bad for Breastfeeding

BBC NEWS | Health | Alcohol 'bad for breastfeeding'

notLow Iron May be Barrier to Mom-Baby Bonding

MSNBC - Low iron may be barrier to mom-baby bonding Back when my wife was a vegetarian, she had a major issue with anemia and had to take iron pills. Right when she got pregnant, she began eating chicken and eventually red meat. Thank goodness--low iron is not a good thing.

Noisy Places May Delay Kids' Speech

FOXNews.com - Health - Noisy Places May Delay Kids' Speech

Doctors, Hospitals Ban Birth Videotaping

FOXNews.com - Health - Doctors, Hospitals Ban Birth Videotaping

Ionizing Air Cleaners May Pose Health Hazard

FOXNews.com - Health - Ionizing Air Cleaners May Pose Health Hazard

Family Meals

I have had a lot of people question my decision lately regarding family meals. These people think that I should make my son eat what I offer him, or he doesn't eat. I believe he is too young for that (remember he is almost 23 months). At this point, I think it is much more important for him to sit at the table with his family, take part in the conversation, and get some nourishment along the way. To me, it is much more important that he eat something healthy, than that he eats what we are eating, or what I put in front of him. I can always count on him to eat a Nutragrain bar, and most of the time he will eat fruit (he hasn't turned down a blueberry yet)! I still always offer him part of our meal, or some alternative thereof. However, should he refuse it, I don't think it is worth the misery to force him to eat it. I mean, he is 2. I can't make him eat what I want him to, and I can't let him starve. So we compromise somewhere in the middle - at least it is not junk food. Sure, sometimes it is stressful trying to find something he will eat. Last night, he didn't want what we were having, and didn't want the yogurt I offered, so I let him up from the table because we were finished with dinner. Then he was whinning. I said "use your words" and he said "eat." So we had some apples with peanut butter. When he is older, I believe I will be able to use the "this is what we are having for dinner, period." This approach is not always easy, but at least our meals are less stressful!

Gene causes 'problem pregnancies'

BBC NEWS | Health | Gene causes 'problem pregnancies'

Too Much TV Can Make Kids Bullies

FOXNews.com - Health - Too Much TV Can Make Kids Bullies

The Terrible Twos

You hear it for months before your child turns two. "OH, wait till he is 2!" Well, the question becomes, are the twos really all that bad, or is it a self-fullfilling prophecy? I mean, my son sure takes a lot of my energy and patience right now. Some days are a breeze and others are a constant battle. And he is not 2 for another month yet. Maybe it is too early to tell, and maybe I am just optimistic. But every day is a new day, and every day is a new helping of love and patience. I just be sure to tell myself that when he throws his fits that he is learning to deal with the overwhelming emotions of toddler. Everything is extreme, nothing is simple. If the car doesn't stay exactly where he wants it on the slightly drooping couch, that is a darn good reason for a breakdown in the universe. He doesn't even realize that the couch drooping is making the car move. It is simple; the STUPID car is doing the most important thing, what HE WANTS!! I have found what gets me through the really tough times is forgetting what I know, and trying to remember what it is like to have such a limited knowledge of the world, of cause and effect. I try to think like a 2 year old, and it really does help me. And when all else fails, I just put him in a safe place and let him cry. Sometimes, we all need a good cry.

Older Kids Replace Milk With Soda, Sugary Drinks

FOXNews.com - Health - Older Kids Replace Milk With Soda, Sugary Drinks Here's something we all intrinsically know but it is still scary to hear it. Personally, I'd be happy if my son drinks more water than milk as a teenager but I'll settle for milk over anything carbonated. Now, if I could only apply this to my own hypocritical diet:)

If You've Ever Wondered Why You Can't Wake Up without an Alarm Clock

FOXNews.com - Health - 'Early Bird' Gene Mutation Identified

Funny E-mail

I got a pretty cute e-mail the other day and I thought I would share some of the "insights". THE FOUR STAGES OF LIFE: 1) You believe in Santa Claus. 2) You don't believe in Santa Claus. 3) You are Santa Claus. 4) You look like Santa Claus. SUCCESS: At Age 4 success is . . . not peeing in your pants. At Age 12 success is . . . having friends. At Age 16 success is . . . having a drivers license. At Age 35 success is . . . having money. At Age 50 success is . . . having money. At Age 70 success is . . . having a drivers license. At Age 75 success is . . . having friends. At Age 80 success is . . . not peeing in your pants. -Unknown Everybody needs a laugh every now and then.

Be informed!

I heard of a website you can go to in some locations that will tell you what sex offeders are registered and live in your area. Try going to the Sheriff's website for the county you are in and see if they have it listed. There is a lot of useful information here like case numbers, photos and names.

Study Finds Babies Do Fine When Mom Works

FOXNews.com - Health - Babies Do Fine When Mom Works

Nine Kids Get Deadly Kidney Infections From Petting Zoos

FOXNews.com - Health - Nine Kids Get Deadly Kidney Infections From Petting Zoos

10 Millions Kids Die Before Age 5: Here's Why

FOXNews.com - Health - More Than 10 Million Child Deaths Per Year

When Does Your Child Develop Their Tastes?

BBC NEWS | UK | England | West Midlands | Children's tastes 'develop early'

Will we be able to one day pick the sex of our children?

BBC NEWS | Health | Parents 'could pick babies' sex'

Zoo day

It may have been close to feeling like freezing today, but Dad and Son went to the zoo anyway. It was incredibly hard as Mom to work another mundane day while they were having so much fun looking at the animals for the first time since last summer. However, I spend so much more time with our son that Daddy can (although he is pretty helpful in comparison to a lot of Dads), that I know they need that special one on one fun time together. Dad called as they were leaving to say they were able to spend some time in the Gorilla house alone and got to see the introduction of a new baby to the Silverback. I am truly glad they had a wonderful time (but it would have been nicer for me if I hadn't had to work through it)!!

History of the Easter Egg

History of the Easter Egg Ever wonder why we hide Easter Eggs?

Moms, Break Out the Sonicares

FOXNews.com - Health - Mom's Dental Health Could Affect Baby's Birth This is a very interesting article about how personal hygiene can affect your pregancy.

Superbug kills two-day-old baby

BBC NEWS | UK | England | Suffolk | Superbug kills two-day-old baby If you ever had thoughts that hospitals were safe places to go because they are sterile, etc. put it out of your heads. The amount of individuals who contract illnesses while stayin in hospitals is staggering. Better invest in homeopathic remedies and hit the Urgent Care centers if absolutely necessary.

Breaking Your Heart on Screen

I just finished watching the documentary The Boys of 2nd Street Park which is about a group of guys who grew up in the New York parks and what happened to them as life went by. There is one particular guy's story which just about broke my heart. He was a pill-popper, addicted to all kinds of drugs for years and years, but he had a son who loved playing hockey. The kid was on a hockey team when he was three years old but when he was five he was having trouble playing during one particular game. He told his dad that he didn't feel well and it turned out that he had Leukemia. The next five years were filled with doctor visits and hospital trips only to end up with his son dying in his arms at ten years old. How utterly terrible. As a parent, I find myself wondering how I could have ever feared the loss of things like my DVD collection or my electronic empire that I've built in my home compared to the loss of a child. I remember one particular conversation I held with my step-father about ten years ago, during my more liberal-minded days about the death penalty and how a father would feel about it regarding his son's murderer. He said that it's different when it's your kid and I felt that killing another person would never bring back the life that was lost. He was right about not understanding it until you have your own kids. If you're a true parent, meaning someone who is going to raise a child instead of someone who just participated in a grunting session that produced a child, then you will do anything to protect your children. Anything. It's absolutely frightening that something you can't even see or conceive could come along and take your child away. I couldn't imagine and I pray that I never have to.

I hate going to work!

My husband has decided to start a new tradition. He is the one who gets our son up and ready in the mornings. He used to call me after he dropped off our son at the sitters to let me know how things went. We called it the Wiggle Report, because his nickname is Wiggle. But now, he calls before they leave the house so our son can talk to me. It is the best and the worst at the same time. I love to hear his sweet voice in the morning, but it also reminds me how much I hate having to work and be away from him 45 hours a week. I pray for the day I can quit this place!

Pet Dogs May Keep Infants From Wheezing

FOXNews.com - Health - Pet Dogs May Keep Infants From Wheezing

Manners

My son has decided lately that he likes to make up his own songs. The most recent one was "thank you, welcome." Sometimes I think I must have the most well-mannered 22 month old child ever born! However, there was that trip to Target during which he screamed down the Matchbox car aisle "OPEN"!!! In other words, all the toys actually already belonged to him, I just needed to open the box... So, everything belongs to him, and he's grateful for it!

It's On!!!

Muppet Show, The - Extensive Season Set Update - LOTS of New Info!

The New Book of the Day

My son is all about the book The Grouchy Ladybug by Eric Carle. In the book, this ladybug is trying to pick a fight with all the animals from another ladybug all the way up to a blue whale. The recurring statement is, "You wanna fight?" He's been walking around saying, "Fight?" Ah, the non-violent youth--luckily there is a moral to the end of the story.

Baby Whispering

Before I had our son, I read a book called Secrets of the Baby Whisperer by Tracy Hogg. I really enjoyed it and used most, but not all, of her techniques. She made a lot of sense to me. Yesterday, Josh brought her second book to me about toddlers. Only on disc one, I have found some useful advise already. And I am sure I will learn more. She mentioned whining, which all of a sudden my son seems to do a lot. Somewhat my fault I guess because I have tought him, accidentally of course, that I respond to that. She has talked about standing back and letting children do things in their own time. I applied this "own time" thing today at the sitters. I was ready to go, but he wasn't. So we waited. I think he was better at the grocery store right after that because I didn't rush him out of there and make him do what he wasn't ready for. And I absolutely think they find so much so much satisfaction in discovering and doing for themselves, but we parents too often interfere before they get a chance (I am guilty as charged). I highly recommend reading these books. She helps you define what kind of child you have and helps you understand and accept them as they are, even if that is not exactly what you thought they were. ,,njnnnnnnnnn8iu9iikkl.';/' =j4445nnnnn nnm m cdd..k\ -Message from the boy

Go Bucks!

Boy is Grampie going to be happy! Today, our son was shaking his fists in the air and yelling "Go Buckeyes! Yeah!" He ought to be a Buckeye fan since he is surrounded by them. Only five months til football season. He should have it down perfectly by then. SLi2 DEQA555IIIITREWA` -message from The Boy

The Yes Song Experiment

Our son is a major contrarian. Everything is NO! While this is supposedly normal, it's definitely annoying. So, I took the horse by the reigns today and started what I thought was going to be a breakthrough in child pyschology--I created The Yes Song. For those uncultured members of our audience The Yes Song goes like this: "Yes, Yes, Yes, Yes, Yeeeeeessss! YESSSS!" Guess what? It worked...at first. Then what did my son say? NO YES! NO!!! NO YES!!! I can't win.

Welcome to the Family Bliss Blog

Hello everyone, this is going to be a wonderful place where all issues about family are discussed. Check back often.