Convincing Baby the Bottle is Way Cool, too.

  • November 19, 2009 6:57 pm

I wasn’t made to survive in the wild. 

My labor/delivery/nursing stories involve phrases like “failure to progress,” c-section, and “low milk supply.”  But, my babies have survived nonetheless in this not-so-wild world, thanks to medical technology and bottles.  Yes, I bottle-fed my babies, another reason I have that Mother-of-the-Year trophy so prominently displayed on my living room shelf.  It’s not that I didn’t try to nurse, I did; it just didn’t work out for me.  As a result, I’m a wealth of information when it comes to formula and bottles, but not so much when it comes to breast milk, nursing, and pumping. 

So, when two of my best friends recently encountered problems introducing the bottle to their nursing babies, I had no wisdom to pass along to them.  They tried different kinds of bottles, different kinds of nipples, cold milk, warm milk, cuddling, no cuddling, walking, sitting…the list is endless, but still Baby squished up her face and waited (impatiently and loudly) for Mommy.  In the meantime, Baby became increasingly more hungry and agitated, making the bottle less and less appetizing as the day wore on.  It was the definition of a negative feedback loop:  baby gets hungry, baby refuses bottle, baby cries, baby gets hungrier, baby cries harder, baby hates bottle even more, baby blames bottle for all unhappiness in the world. 

It’s been a few years since my days centered around bottles, diapers, naps, and those wonderful amazing baby smiles.  But, I remember worrying over each feeding, counting ounces, and calculating how much was going IN verses how much was coming OUT.  I also remember analyzing that OUTPUT praying THAT was normal, too. I critiqued every little cry, coo, and peep.  Being responsible for a WHOLE PERSON stressed me out when I thought too much about it, so I stopped thinking so much (good or bad?).  Hey, maybe I would survive in the wild.  Isn’t that what they call instinct?  Anyway, I say this because, I can retreat right back to those baby days in a second; I can FEEL the stress on my mommy friends, and I want to help.

So, how do we convince Baby that the Bottle can be almost as good as the real thing?

Holiday Shopping Lists

  • November 18, 2009 8:22 pm

Can you believe it’s already time to start?

I personally love the holiday shopping season.  I like looking for that special gift for that special someone.  I actually look for little treasures all through the year and stow them away in my “gift closet” hoping to ease the burden on my checking account in the month of December.  Sometimes that works out for me, and sometimes it doesn’t, but it’s a good plan.  :)

I also love stealing away with my husband for a datenight of shopping coupled with dinner and a movie in the crisp December weather.  Yep, I’m that sappy. 

But, back to my shopping list.  The list has become more complicated through these years of growing up, having kids, and becoming functioning members of society.  I’ve actually graduated to spreadsheet format vs. paper/pen scratch sheet of paper format.  In my official spreadsheet, I keep track of ideas, stores, sales, and then the all important “done” box.  Love that.  Especially when everybody’s done and we can begin WRAPPING!  I actually hate wrapping, and usually delegate that to ANYONE WHO WILL VOLUNTEER, but we aren’t talking about wrapping right now.

We are talking about shopping.

So, I take my trusty list with me, and I really dive into shopping on the day after Thanksgiving, otherwise known as Black Friday.  I set my alarm for some crazy hour, like 4 a.m. and hit the stores, shoving my way to the best deal.  Well, I don’t really shove my way, I politely maneuver my way and look askance at all the other crazies out there shopping so early in the morning.  But, by about 9 a.m. I’ve knocked out a big chunk of my list, leaving just a few items for that datenight later in the season.

What about you?  Any shopping traditions or tricks to share with the rest of us?

Sticker Man

  • November 17, 2009 8:49 pm

For us, sitting with the kids during church is like training for an Olympic Event.  We’ve definitely graduated from the baby and toddler days when we would just hope and pray we made it through the service without too much chaos or spilled cheerios, but it still requires a certain degree of endurance.  I find myself redirecting, quietly entertaining, shhshing, and settling each kid back in their appropriate seat.  I have many MANY stories from the trenches on this one, but this last week’s is the most recently noteworthy.

Toward the end of the service, I had my youngest on my lap for the back scratch, a calming gesture that gives at least 7 minutes 25 seconds of calm. (I have this down to a near science.)  As I was doing this, I noticed his skin felt just a little odd.  When I peeked under his shirt, I found seven (SEVEN!) Power Rangers stickers.  On his skin.  Leaving little sticker rashes all over his back and stomach.  

“Wow Mommy!  Power Ranger Stickers!  I’m Sticker Man!”

Yep, I guess you are. 

Note to self:  Check sticker man’s belly before leaving the house.

Future PETA President

  • November 16, 2009 7:46 pm

Dear Mom,

I found a dead dear by the road.  Please call a veterinarian to come and help us.  Please.  I will love you forever.  By this way, this is the way he looks:

**insert awkward drawing of deer in fetal position.**

Please help the poor thing.

Love,

your daughter

The Art of Racing in the Rain

  • November 16, 2009 10:47 am

Art-of-Racing-757760

My husband read this book over the summer, and has been begging me to read it since he finished.  Since I’m not quite the race fan he is, I’ve been procrastinating the read.  I finally succommed during my recent excursion from everyday normal, and I’m really glad I did.

The book is written from a dog’s point of view, so even though the byline is Garth Stein, Enzo is actually the author.  From the first chapter, you are taken on the journey of a dog’s life, and through that journey, your eyes are awakened to the degree of loyalty a dog has for his owner, and to the depth of love a dog has for life in general.  A dog’s world can be so simple, and according to Enzo, so intense.

The events in the story of this book will drive you insane, and there are more than a few times that you might want to put this one down never to pick back up.  I encourage you to continue to the last page.  You’ll never look at your dog, or pet, the same way again.

Even if he does have an accident on the floor, or eat your couch.

That Darn Cat

  • November 14, 2009 7:06 pm

He has a way of always getting out of that bag, doesn’t he?

I recently posted about my perfect world.  The world where everything has a place, everyone has a job, and everyone’s intentions are good and honest.  People are happy, content, and predictable.  I’ve also mentioned before that in a crowd, my safe place is in the back corner.  I’m perfectly content and even happy blending in with the wallpaper, laughing quietly at someone else’s jokes.  I’m not a fan of public speaking or dramatic acting.  Say what you want about the irony of choosing teaching as a choice-a career where both public speaking and dramatic acting skills would serve me well.

But, put a blinking cursor in front of me, and it’s a different story all together.  The words flow out of me and onto the screen faster than I can type them.  I’m certain I would win some kind of writing endurance contest for the Guinness Book of World Records.  Quantity is what I’m talking about here, not necessarily quality, but I’m working on both.

Are you wondering where I’m going with all of this?  Stay with me, it’s a funny story.  My perfect world, my wallflower safe place, and my blinking cursor addiction?  They collided this past week.

My students googled me.

Yes, with “kids these days” I suppose it’s a normal occurrence, but one I did not anticipate.  In my last year teaching before those stay-at-home years, Google, and Internet Searching in general, was in its infant form.  Now, it’s a daily hobby, and my students use Google to answer their everyday questions.  So much that, in one of my classes, it turned into a running joke.  I’d ask a question, a student would answer with something almost right, and I’d dig a little to see the root of the answer.  Google.  Every time.  Funny, right?  Then, last week, they came in murmuring about a “blog” and “Mommies.”  There it was.  That cat running all over my classroom.  Crash #1.  When put on the spot, I admitted my moonlight addiction to that blinking cursor.  Crash #2.  They were effusive in their support and thought it was awesome I’d included some vague stories about their hilarity, but most of all, I think they liked seeing another side of their dorky teacher.  In addition, in an attempt at full disclosure (and knowledge of how “hall talk” works), I let my principal in on the secret.  Crash #3.  No longer will I be allowed to blend with that amazing wallpaper.  My blinking cursor addiction threw a monkey wrench in that perfect world of mine, pulling me out of my very happy, very cozy “safe place” I love so intensely. 

So, That Darn Cat is out and strutting all over my cursor AND classroom, just taunting me with his playful antics.  It’s not that I was intentionally being stealthy, but my quiet, perfect world didn’t allow me to put myself out there.  However, my blinking cursor did.  I suppose it was just a matter of time before the two worlds collided, making a mess of my safe place.  And, I also suppose it’s “good for me.”  “Whatever doesn’t kill me makes me stronger.”  Blah. Blah. Blah.  But still, it threw me off balance there for a second, and I had to write my way through it.  For now, I’ve settled into a new safe place, still watching and observing from the sidelines, but knowing my cursor is hyperlinked.  Old dog.  New trick. 

And kids?  We have a vocabulary quiz on Monday.  Go study.  Crash #1 for you.  :)

Crystelle Waggoner Park Work Day

  • November 12, 2009 8:58 pm

Once upon a time, our little community rallied together to build a little park.  This little park turned into a little dreamland for our little people, and little by little, it’s become a little treasure in our little town square.

Now, it needs a little help.

This Saturday, November 14, the Decatur Junior Woman’s Club will host its annual work day at Crystelle Waggoner Park just off the square, near Harmon Park Baseball field.  The work will begin at dawn (or 8 a.m. depending on your Starbucks run), and will last until the job is complete.  There is new sand and mulch to spread, fence pickets to repair and stain, fire ants to kill, and vandalism to repair (just to start with a short list).

So, grab your favorite tools, rakes, shovels, and work gloves.  Bring them all down to the park with you, and spend one or two hours working for the good of our little town.

A little goes a long way.

Happy Shopping!

  • November 11, 2009 8:57 pm

One of my friends just posted a list of her favorite online shopping sites, and since we are entering the Holiday Shopping Season, I figured it was an excellent time to pass along her wisdom.  She has a four-month old little girl, so her eyes and ears are geared for mostly baby, if not baby girl must-haves.

Here are her favorites:

www.babysteals.com
www.kidsteals.com
www.scrapbooksteals.com
www.kids.woot.com – obviously for kids stuff but check out Woot! and Sellout.Woot too.
Gilt Groupe
Haute Look — both Gilt Group and Haute Look tend to have more clothing and accessories (high end stuff) and you have to join before you can view the sales.
BabyGaga – a cool reverse auction, new every hour on the hour
Schnoop
Mama Bargains
Green Baby Bargains

I’m in the process of compiling other lists for amazing shopping, so let me know if you have a favorite that works for you!

Sunny day, sweeping the clouds away…

  • November 10, 2009 9:53 pm

 

sesame_street_ensemble-hp

Sesame Street celebrated its 40th Birthday today, and everyone seemed a part of the action.  Over the past few days, Google sketched out some favorite characters in its logo, and the First Lady herself, Michelle Obama, made a guest appearance on today’s show.  We didn’t get to celebrate with the cast because of that whole school and work thing we do, but I’m guessing they were googly-eyed and esctatic with the day’s festivities.

As long as Grover wasn’t waiting tables.

Personally, I loved Sesame Street.  Loved.  My parents had a nice break as I sat transfixed watching Cookie Monster eat the Letter of the Day or waiting for Snuffleupagus to bat his crazy long eyelashes listening to Big Bird’s wisdom.  I thought Bert and Ernie were hilarious, especially Bert’s scowl when Ernie couldn’t sleep.  Their low ceiling kinda weirded me out, but I rolled with it.  The Grouch.  He tapped into that little grump in all of us.  I think I can relate to him even better now than I did then.

And then there was Kermit.  I was always confused where he belonged.  He split his time between the Muppets and Sesame Street, but noone else did.  Weird.  I got past the whole “talking frog and monster” thing.  I just wanted him to have a permenant address.  That says so much about me.

But even through that minor confusion, I learned all about letters, sounds, numbers, manners, history, art…the list is too long.  Because on top of all that I also learned how everything was “A-ok.”  I tried to pass on the love of Sesame Street to my kids, but I’m afraid the competition was too great, what with all the Dora, Backyardigans, Arthur, Clifford, and Curious George out there.  I’m not sure my own kids will look back at their little years and hear just one theme song telling them to “Come and play where the air is sweet.”

Sesame Street’s endurance is remarkable.  It’s pushed, plugged, and plowed its way through the decades, competing with everything from the Smurfs and Barney to the Power Rangers.  It’s survived fads and trends and time.  Those big orange feet are an icon, celebrating 40 years today, and it was a perfectly Sunny Day, sweeping the clouds away….

but Mommy…

  • November 10, 2009 7:43 am

“Get in your bed, and go to sleep.”

“Mommy, will you lay with me?”

“We already read our books, and it’s time to go to sleep.  I love you.  See you in the morning.”

“But Mommy, I love you forever you know.”

“I know.  I love you forever too.”

“Lay with me just one more time?”

 

I’m such a sucker.