Entries from April 2008

Perspective… It Makes the World Go Round

April 30, 2008 · 2 Comments

I am always amazed how everyone sees the world so differently. I have several great friends who see things completely opposite of me. We all know one another’s perspective and opinions on certain topics and have agreed to disagree. It’s a great thing when you can put aside differences and find common ground with great friends.

I have one group of great gals that all have kids the same age as the Big One. The kiddos will all be turning three in the next month or so. Our situations are all different. Some of us are experiencing the “terrible twos” for the first time, while others are celebrating it being the last time they have to deal with them.

One of the girls sent an e-mail the other day lamenting how wonderful this age is. She wrote: {please don’t get offended Renee that I am sharing this}

Are all of you just loving the stage that our May babies are at? I am sooooo enjoying Kaden so much. I don’t know if it is because he is my last baby or what but I just “inhale” all of his cuteness everyday. I just can’t get enough sometimes. I am sooo thankful for him in our life. I just could not imagine my life without him.

Based on the last few days in my house, I have to say the she is on crack! Okay, just kidding. But I do have to say I think it is Renee’s perspective that makes her gush with joy over toddler-ville. Since he is her last baby, this wonderful time is a joy to behold.

Now for me, since the Big One is my first I have to say I could really live without this stage. At least once a day, she frustrates me almost to tears. She is sassy, whiny, demanding and generally rotten to be around. Yes, I love her to pieces, I just wish I could eliminate certain pieces of her– especially her mouth!

I do love that she is learning to be independent, voice her opinions and develop her little personality. However I just wish she could do it without yelling, doing the whiney dance, and crying.

I know she is only two and that while she is a great talker, she doesn’t know how to express her frustrations and feelings appropriately. I also know that it is my job to help her learn how to do this effectively (note: the screaming and whiney dance are not effective). But how many times a day to have to say, “STOP! Don’t whine, talk to me in a big girl voice and tell me what you want.”

Based on the number of times a day I have to say it, I am beginning to fear that my child is a slow learner. Thank God the Husband is a math geek. I know I don’t have the patience to teach fractions to this one!

Categories: The Big One · The Little One
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Where’s the &#$@ing Quality Control?

April 24, 2008 · 5 Comments

Not only has customer service gone down the crapper, so has quality control. Call me crazy but when I go to Starbucks, I expect my grande iced white mocha to taste a certain way. If I am going to spend $4 on a freaking cup of coffee, I want it to like a grande iced white mocha. I don’t want it to taste like the bottom of the rotten milk carton smells.

As I mentioned before, I heart McDonald’s vanilla iced coffee. It rocks and for only $2 it’s truly makes my heart skip a beat. But every once in a while, I like to indulge in a little Starbucky goodness. Okay, typically it’s on a day when my kids are driving me batty that I go for the Starbucks.

Today was obviously one of those days. We were at a little furniture store buying a “big-girl” bed for the Big One.  She currently sleeps in the Step 2 Fire Engine Bed . It’s very, very cute, but she plays on it more than sleeps on it.  So the Husband and I decided we’d try a twin bed. We took the parental unit with us last weekend to look for kiddie beds and found this cute picket fence-like bed.

I took the kiddos today to buy it and set-up the delivery time. The Little One, who is generally the sweetest child in the world, started screaming like a crazy person in the store. There were alligator tears, shrieks and general unhappiness oozing from her. Not to be outdone, the Big One was loud, climbing on all the beds and generally unruly.

Once we paid for the bed. {God, I hope the mattress is comfortable. I’m really not sure which one I paid for as my kids were out of control.} We head for the car, but not before the Big One screams “I pee-peed…. I pee-peed” at which time she starts doing the cowboy walk out of the store. Seeing as how she was climbing on the one mattress that didn’t have a plastic cover on it, I quickly ushered her to the car and prayed that the diaper wasn’t leaking.

Once I get the Big One changed and both kids strapped in, I head for Starbucks. Yes, I have mapped out almost every one with a drive-thru so I knew exactly where to go. I ordered my 470 calorie beverage, my mouth was watering at the thought of that first sip. Imagine my disappointment, no angst, no rage as that first sip almost killed me. Seriously almost crashed the car into the back of a big old white van that was in front of us as I tried to choke down whatever crap it was that they put in my drink.

On any other day, I would have gone back and asked for my money, but considering my frustration level today I chose to merely focus on driving home and putting the kids down for a nap, figuring that $4 wasted was better than eternity in prison. I am afraid that if I would have gone in there the poor unsuspecting barista who tried to poison me would have been my dad’s next customer. {I know you are curious now, what does her dad do? Ask me, I might tell you}

What would you have done? Have you ever gone back someplace and demanded money or a new drink? Or opened up a can of whoop-arse on some schmuck who tried to poison you?

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How Young is Too Young…

April 24, 2008 · 2 Comments

To let them fight to the death? I knew the day would come, but I really didn’t think it would be this early. Call me naïve, call me stupid, just don’t call me to break it up.

The Big One will be 3 next month and the Little One turned 1 a few weeks ago. I really thought it wouldn’t start until they were 2 and 4. I know, I know, I know, not so smart, huh?

We are visiting the parental unit for a few days. Actually we’ve been here and week and don’t know for sure when we are going home. The Husband is gone for work for a month so there is no big rush to get home {except for sleeping in the comfort of my own bed}.

Our nieces are older (18 and 14 (today Happy B-Day Niki!)} so the toy selection at grandma and grandpa’s house is limited. However, the Little One’s birthday party was down here a few weeks ago so there are a few new toys still here. Let’s face it, my house looks like Geoffrey {from Toys R Us} puked so we intentionally left some new cool toys here at the folks’ house to make our visits more fun. {that’s not to say grandma and grandpa aren’t fun, but sometimes you need something that lights up and makes noise to keep my kids entertained}.

So this morning I was reading a book to the Big One while the Little One happily played with some toys. The Little One decided she wanted to play with the new Pooh Bear Choo-Choo Train ride-a-long thing. {thanks, Aunt Tami}. At which point, the Big One decided that she needed to play with it also.

So what happened? The Big One, as usual, managed to push the Little One out of the way, hopped on the train and took off riding it around the living room. Obviously the Little One is not big enough to get on the thing by herself, nor is she fast enough to catch her sister. So the Little One did the only thing she can do. She channeled her inner demon and screamed like a banchee. I kid you not, the Little One is the sweetest kid in the entire world, so I was a bit surprised at where this shriek came from.

After the scream, she hightailed it after her sister. Of course she wasn’t going to catch her, but she tried. By then the Big One ran out of room to ride so she had to turn around and came toward the Little One and me. The Little One seeing the opportunity, pulled herself up on the train and took a swing at her sister. It was hilarious. {bad mom, I know but it was funny} Don’t be calling CPS on me, she had no idea what she was doing we don’t hit with closed fists in this house. She just wanted to let her sister know she was not happy and flailing her arms about is about her only defense.

If it’s starting this young, I can hardly wait for them to get a bit older and really start going at it.

Categories: The Big One · The Little One · Uncategorized

Yakety Yak.. Shut the Heck Up!

April 22, 2008 · 1 Comment

I swear that’s how people look at me and the kiddos when we are shopping. I know my girls are loud. But isn’t talking a lot a sign of great intelligence and creativity?

We were at Vons shopping today. The Big One was “driving” the car cart and the Little One was in the small basket part by me. Yes these carts are 8 feet long so the Big One and I probably are a bit loud when trying to communicate, but for goodness sake she is two and curious. And she’s supposed to be loud, it’s in the manual.

It seriously felt like everyone was looking at us with pity as we walked through the store. They all had that, “you poor woman, you don’t get any peace” look on their faces. Yes, it’s true it’s rarely quiet at my house, but it’s really not all that bad.

Yes I whine about it, but deep, deep down I know that talking and reading to my kids will help them with their communications skills, critical thinking and generally help make them brilliant women who will one day change the world for the better.

Over the last few days, I’ve been observing several moms and kids. They mainly walk through the aisles mundanely putting things in their carts while rarely sharing a word. Sometimes the kids ask questions, whine about something or ask for something and the moms I’ve seen put the kibosh on the conversation before it even gets goings.

I just don’t get it.

We have running dialogues as we walk through the aisles. We talk about everything from what is on the shelves, to what we are looking for, to what’s for dinner and why the sky is blue. {If you’ve got a great answer to that one, please post a comment and share your secret with me.}

I am sure that there are people who are shopping around us who don’t care about what we are having for dinner, what Barney movie we are leaving at grandma’s house or what color underwear we are wearing {it comes with the potty training territory; underwear color is a very important topic of conversation}, but I don’t care. All this talking is sure to help them grow up to be smart, confident and awesome.

Categories: The Big One · The Little One · Uncategorized
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Sponsor My Friend at March for Babies! - Help Babies like Christopher!

April 18, 2008 · No Comments

 

Help my fab friend Laura reach her goal for the March of Dimes Walk. And you’ll be cool like me. :-)
 

 

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Progress or a New Low in Mommyhood?

April 16, 2008 · 2 Comments

Before I burst, I just have to say, the Big One peed on the potty last night!!!!

Okay, so here’s how it happened. We were playing in the play room when the Big One announced, “Mommy, I peeing.” My trained response, as it has been for the last few months, was, “Well, do you want to sit on the potty?”

Fully expecting her to shout NO and run away from like she usually does, I was nearly blown over when she said YES! Of course the yes was followed by a list of demands. She wanted her little potty, her wipes, the Dora and fishy stickers and the M&Ms all brought downstairs. {yes, we resorted to bribes of stickers and candy to get her to pee}.

Now I ran up the stairs as fast as my fat legs would carry me, knowing full well that the act of peeing was done and over with but I didn’t want to mess with the progress of her actually having the desire to sit on the potty. So I return to the bottom of the stairs and head for the bathroom, the Big One following closely.

We strip her down to just a shirt {which was actually a Dora dress} and the waiting begins. She sits on her little Baby Bjorn potty and says, “Mommy stay in here!” So I oblige, parking myself in the bathroom doorway. The Little One was playing nearby so I wanted to be able to keep an eye on her while providing the Big One with the moral support she needed.

As time goes on, we talk about going on the potty, wearing panties, getting stickers, cleaning our butts and all kinds of other topics as we sat for 45 minutes. Yes 45 minutes of trying to go on the potty. I knew she had just peed in her diaper and the chances of there being more pee in there were slim to none, but I didn’t want to mess with her mojo. So we sat.

Finally the Husband got home from work and I convinced the Big One that I needed to start dinner while she kept trying. After another 20 minutes or so, the Husband and I convinced her that she needed to eat dinner, but if she felt like she needed to go potty all she had to do was tell us and we’d get her back to the potty.

She declared that she would eat dinner, but she wanted to wear her panties. She has NEVER gone without a diaper. I was not looking forward to a potential accident but knew that her enthusiasm is fleeting and I need to take advantage of it. So we put the blue Dora panties on. {Yes, they had to be blue because that is her favorite color!}and headed for the dinner table.

We were eating our dinner, chatting about our days when the Big One suddenly says, “Excuse me mommy and daddy, I need to go potty.” Jumping into action, the Husband gets her down from her booster seat, takes off her pants and panties and plops her on the potty. He returned to the table and we continued eating when about 3 minutes later from the bathroom we hear, “I pee-peed…. I pee-peed!” I ran in to check and discovered that she had in fact peed. WAHOOOO!!

Here’s where the new low comes in. She declared that she still need to “go poopie,” and that I needed to stay in there with her. In fact she was insistent, so with tears of joy and pride in my eyes, I set-up shop on the bathroom floor and finished eating my dinner while the Big One continued her quest to poop on the potty.

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Is Everything Bad For Us? #3,6 & 7 plastics

April 9, 2008 · No Comments

So the story on the Today Show regarding the safety of plastic bottles got me thinking. Now I am not an alarmist who generally gets sucked into the notion that everything we eat, drink or touch is going to cause us to die of cancer. But this story touched a nerve with me.

The offending chemical is Polycarbonate (PC) which is composed of a hormone-disrupting chemical called bisphenol A, which has been linked to a wide variety of problems such as cancer and obesity. Additional potentially harmful affects of the stuff include fertility problems childhood behavioral problems such as hyperactivity. (sources: http://www.thegreenguide.com/products/Kitchen/Plastic_Containers/1 and http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Polycarbonate )

The doctor who was on, mentioned that it’s best to try to avoid plastic bottles with the numbers 3, 6 or 7 in the little triangle found on the bottom of them. So I did a quick scan of my house and discovered that my baby bottles (Evenflo) are #7 and all of the Gerber baby food that I currently feed to the Little One and previously fed to the Big One are all #7 containers.

An article on the National Geographic Web site (http://www.thegreenguide.com/products/Kitchen/Plastic_Containers/1) says that #7 is actually the catchall for “other” plastics.

Here’s their definition of #7 containers: “ #7 other (misc.; usually polycarbonate, or PC, but also polylactide, or PLA, plastics made from renewable resources)
Product examples: Baby bottles, some reusable water bottles, stain-resistant food-storage containers, medical storage containers”

So how in the heck am I supposed to figure out if the #7 on the Gerber baby food containers represents PC or PLA???

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The Beach is Closed????

April 8, 2008 · No Comments

Do people seriously think that they can close down the beach in San Diego (or any where else for that matter). This is a true story. It is not about me personally nor any of my friends. It’s about some relatives, although not mine directly.

These anonymous folks were visiting sunny San Diego from the Boston area. They really wanted to see the sunset on the beach. Now this is a completely reasonable request especially considering while they were in San Diego to see the sunset, Boston was getting slammed with snow.

Some other relatives of mine sent them to La Jolla Shores to see the sunset. It’s beautiful and generally free of the riff-raff that can be spotted at other local beaches. We didn’t want to frighten these poor people.

Shortly after their arrival at the beach, a voice from above apparently announced that the beach was closing and they needed to clear the area. Now I am not certain, as I wasn’t there, but I assume these poor Boston-ites were picturing a large metal grate coming down straight from the heavens locking up the entire beach…. hook, line and sinker.

So they did what any normal person would do, right? They actually left the beach and came back home defeated after missing the sunset.

I was not there to hear the story first hand, but I do know that what they probably heard coming from the Lifeguard tower (not the heavens) was that it was approximately 7 p.m. and the lifeguards were calling it a day. The beach was not in fact closing, rather the lifeguards at that station were going home so if some idiot who didn’t know how to swim decided to take a dip they were probably on their own to drown in the Pacific Ocean.

Seriously, I know that average America is not real sharp, but c’mon did they really think the beach was “closed” and they had to vacate the area immediately? If so, then they deserve to miss the sunset and all subsequent sunsets. Honestly, I am officially declaring San Diego closed to all stupid people…. Don’t even bother coming, there will be an IQ test upon arrival at the airport and if you fail, you will be immediately shipped back to whatever rock you crawled out from.

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