Sunday, November 2, 2008
A new blog!
I have recently begun blogging at Lots of Kids, a website for larger families. Check it out!
Thursday, October 30, 2008
The power of advertising
This morning at breakfast, my 2 year old was crying. My daughter, in an effort to cheer him up, said, "We need to go to Disney World right now!"
"Why?" I asked.
"I've seen the commercials!" she replied. "Disney World made a baby boy learn to walk!!"
Disney World. The cure for all of life's maladies.
"Why?" I asked.
"I've seen the commercials!" she replied. "Disney World made a baby boy learn to walk!!"
Disney World. The cure for all of life's maladies.
Monday, October 27, 2008
By the numbers. . .
80+ items of laundry I washed and folded today
30 number of almonds my youngest dumped on the counter today
2 pieces of Halloween candy I consumed today (okay, I admit that is a lie. The truth is too painful to type).
1 number of times my youngest used the potty today (we're making progress!)6 number of times I said to myself, "Calgon, take me away!" today
Halloween horrors!
Last night. Two trunk and treats. EXTREME amounts of chocolate.
The children are hyper from all the sugar, and I think I have gained seven pounds already.
And just think - we will be getting more on Friday. . .!!
The children are hyper from all the sugar, and I think I have gained seven pounds already.
And just think - we will be getting more on Friday. . .!!
Friday, October 24, 2008
Junk art!
My daughter's class is going to make junk art projects today in school. They were told to bring in "junk". . .peanut butter lids/jars, toilet paper tubes, etc. We scrounged up a few items for her to take in.
Our daughter is a pack rat. Just last night, I was telling her about stories I have read of people who become trapped under their toppling piles of stuff. She thought it is was quite funny; I hoped it wasn't a vision of her future! Anyway - my husband and I were talking this morning and thought she should submit her entire room as her junk art assignment. I think she would win the grand prize!
Our daughter is a pack rat. Just last night, I was telling her about stories I have read of people who become trapped under their toppling piles of stuff. She thought it is was quite funny; I hoped it wasn't a vision of her future! Anyway - my husband and I were talking this morning and thought she should submit her entire room as her junk art assignment. I think she would win the grand prize!
Thursday, October 23, 2008
A surefire way to attract the children
Yesterday, a friend called soon after we arrived home from school.
"It's so quiet at your house", my friend commented when I answered.
I said I was in another room. But I told her the solitude wouldn't last. My children have radar. They seem to intuitively know when I am on the phone, and quickly ambush me. It turns out I was correct. Within 30 seconds, two of the four were in my face demanding more snacks.
How does that saying go. . ."if you build it they will come"?
In our house it's. . ."if the phone is on your ear, they will come".
"It's so quiet at your house", my friend commented when I answered.
I said I was in another room. But I told her the solitude wouldn't last. My children have radar. They seem to intuitively know when I am on the phone, and quickly ambush me. It turns out I was correct. Within 30 seconds, two of the four were in my face demanding more snacks.
How does that saying go. . ."if you build it they will come"?
In our house it's. . ."if the phone is on your ear, they will come".
Wednesday, October 22, 2008
Car seat woes
I have a love-hate relationship with car seats.
On the one hand, they do this little thing called protect-my-children. We completely enforce the law with car seats. Our children have never been in a moving vehicle without their seatbelts or safety straps securely fastened. (Well, okay, one time when my daughter was a baby, I unknowingly drove around the corner to the gas station without her straps buckled. I about had a heart attack and berated myself for hours over what could have been a horrible tragedy.)
When the kids were babies and screaming bloody murder on long car trips, we either powered through or we pulled over and let them wiggle. We sang songs, we tried white noise on the radio, anything to calm them down. I even tried nursing one of the kids while he was in his car seat. I do not recommend this, by the way.
My point being, we never (knowingly) fudge on the car seat law.
That being said, car seats make me crazy!! It takes my husband several tries to install the car seats (though he's been doing this for 8+ years, it is still impossibly difficult!). To get it it completely tight, he has to put his whole body weight into the seat, attach the little silver clip, wiggle it around to be sure it worked, sweat profusely, and pray fervently. Usually this is all done under severe time constraints, 100 degree heat or pouring rain. Forget the possibility of me installing one. I am not nearly strong enough, and when I try, my effort is laughable. The seat wiggles around so much you could actually fit one of the children behind the car seat.
The straps are also frustrating! Just today, I was buckling in my youngest, and his straps were all twisted. How does this happen? Each time we buckle him, we are careful to keep them straight. It's as if the seat has it in for us.
We will continue dutifully putting our kids in car seats and booster seats (I think our daughter will take her booster on her first date - she'll be 16 before she gets to the 80 lb. requirement!), but just because I love them, doesn't mean I can't hate them too. I'm a woman. I have the right to several conflicting opinions at once.
On the one hand, they do this little thing called protect-my-children. We completely enforce the law with car seats. Our children have never been in a moving vehicle without their seatbelts or safety straps securely fastened. (Well, okay, one time when my daughter was a baby, I unknowingly drove around the corner to the gas station without her straps buckled. I about had a heart attack and berated myself for hours over what could have been a horrible tragedy.)
When the kids were babies and screaming bloody murder on long car trips, we either powered through or we pulled over and let them wiggle. We sang songs, we tried white noise on the radio, anything to calm them down. I even tried nursing one of the kids while he was in his car seat. I do not recommend this, by the way.
My point being, we never (knowingly) fudge on the car seat law.
That being said, car seats make me crazy!! It takes my husband several tries to install the car seats (though he's been doing this for 8+ years, it is still impossibly difficult!). To get it it completely tight, he has to put his whole body weight into the seat, attach the little silver clip, wiggle it around to be sure it worked, sweat profusely, and pray fervently. Usually this is all done under severe time constraints, 100 degree heat or pouring rain. Forget the possibility of me installing one. I am not nearly strong enough, and when I try, my effort is laughable. The seat wiggles around so much you could actually fit one of the children behind the car seat.
The straps are also frustrating! Just today, I was buckling in my youngest, and his straps were all twisted. How does this happen? Each time we buckle him, we are careful to keep them straight. It's as if the seat has it in for us.
We will continue dutifully putting our kids in car seats and booster seats (I think our daughter will take her booster on her first date - she'll be 16 before she gets to the 80 lb. requirement!), but just because I love them, doesn't mean I can't hate them too. I'm a woman. I have the right to several conflicting opinions at once.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)