Queen Christine's Decrees

Projectile Pukies

2011-01-31T21:29:00.008-05:00

Warning: This is a first time parent discussion of a sick baby. It's gross. Really gross. You probably don't want to read it. (Unless you've ever had to, or will have to, care for an ill infant...)

Last week Jax turned 1, and got his first stomach flu. If you are wondering how much fun it is to have a baby who channels exorcist style up-chuck*, the answer is: none... unless you're the spouse watching the other lucky parent be baptized in vomit.

There is something so sad and so absurdly funny about trying to plan your life around a baby who has been reduced solely to a random cookie tosser. How long can you hold him? What can you afford risking to wear? How many towels should you stack under him at night? Is double folding said towels really creating twice the amount of bile absorption, or should you discard both layers with each attempted stomach evacuation?

It is just so sad when your sweet baby suddenly smells more like he's been worshiping the porcelain god at some frat house rather than smelling like a parcel of angelic goodness soaked in unicorn tears of blissful joy while swaddled in the virgin linens of the fairies of light. I mean, how can a child who has had his diet completely reduced to a few minutes of nursing at a time ingest enough to produce a bathtub's worth of toxic waste?

Did I mention poo? I should bring that up. See, if your baby's "tummy" doesn't feel good, and there is barfing, it often means the sh*t is about to hit the fan. (And, because of the projectile nature of these issues, it just might). I mean, if you think your baby is impressive when he Ralph's across the room, just wait 'till you see what the other end can handle. I admit that since we EC with Jax, I get to *literally* see and feel the wrath of the intestinal track with more visual acuity than most, but I'm pretty sure no one could miss the Dante's Inferno of smells that would accompany even the most contained of said fecal explosions. I think it is entirely possible that my son has expelled the entire range of possible combination of road kill entrails decomposition gases whilst maintaining his vegetarian status.

In case our first fight with force migration of stomach contents wasn't exciting enough, the whole thing seemingly stopped for eight hours only to return with an obscene vengeance. You start to relax, you do things like start to get ready for bed in your room again, cuddling the child you only recently reclaimed from possession by the spirit of the Chunk Blower... only to have him channel said spirit all over your fresh clean nightgown, his pajamas, your sheets, your pillows, and, your sanity. No, dear reader, he did not just "lose his lunch," he eradicated in a way that makes the idea of Taco Le Bell's "fourthmeal" seem like a reasonable nutritional option.

Add to this the amazing feat of producing gallons of frothy green turdlets, and the hilarity of AGAIN mistakenly thinking your son is cured, letting him snitch a minuscule tidbit of black fondant from his penguin-themed cake (in case you were wondering, one micro gram of "black" food coloring can produce an entire night's worth of blue and aqua excitement), and you have a techni-color nightmare meant for the historic annals of parenting.

Apparently, you also have a Top 11 blog post for regurgitation. WIN!

* Top 11 Puke Terms used:
Up-chuck
Vomit
Cookie tossing
Bile
Stomach evacuation
Worshiping the porcelain god
Ralphing
Forced migration of stomach contents
Blow chunks
Lose your lunch

Top 11 Rockin' Names for a Horse

2010-12-15T13:14:00.005-05:00

For Christmas, Aunt Sweet Sweet and Uncle Mean Mean gave Jax a lovely wooden rocking horse. He's a little small to really use it on his own, and it got left at Granny's because it wouldn't fit in the car, but we've been working on a fitting name for this awesome heirloom. "Horsie" was arleady taken by a tacky car toy, so, here's our current Top 11 Rockin' Names for a Horse.

11. Dust Devil - much much smaller than Zorro's Tornado.

10. Concorde - the name of the page who walks along banging coconuts to "sound like a horse" in Monty Python's Quest for the Holy Grail

9. Foggy - NOT of Chincoteague

8. Shadowemail - way more modern than Shadowfax.

7. Wood Ugly - doesn't quite have the same impact as Black Beauty...

6. Hippocampus - this is the name of a sea horse that pulled Poseidon's chariot... plus it sounds like a different animal... plus it's part of your brain!

5. Giggle-Maker - a nod to Pecos Bill's Widow-Maker

4. Whacka - it's funnier than Flicka

3. Good-Horse - the opposite of the "thoroughbred of sin" from Dr. Horrible's Sing-Along Blog

2. Tin - you know, for when you can't afford Silver? (The middle name of The Lone Ranger's Horse with the last name, Away)

1. Hi Ho - The first name of The Lone Ranger's horse. (this one is, secretly, my current favorite)

Of course, if you're actually looking for horse names, there are whole sites to help you out:

FunHorseNames.com
Names from Cowboy Movies
Pictures of Movie Horses
Fictional Horses

It goes on and on... just Google it.

So, got a suggestion? A favorite? I'll post back when we finally commit!

What I Learned During NaBloPoMo

2010-11-30T21:02:00.001-05:00

So this post wraps up my one a day posting marathon. I survived. I wrote, mostly crumby, some funny, even some really good stuff, but I wrote. Here's what I learned.

11. I can sum up pretty much everything in a Top 11 List.

10. Not a single person batted an eye lash at my choice of 11.

9. Real people comment if you make it easy enough, but so do Chinese porn spammers.

8. I may have 900+ friends, but only about 10 are gonna read my posts.

7. I feel better when I crank out something, even if it's just short thoughts.

6. Reading old blog posts isn't as cool or arty as reading old poetry, but it still makes me smile.

5. The habit has been started, I might not do every day, but I'm gonna at least try to keep a couple posts a week.

4. I wanna read other people's blogs, but it's so hard to keep up.

3. Statistics are totally addictive. I spend more time analyzing my blog than writing it.

2. No real promotion still gets readers. It's nice to know I have a core of people who care what I think.

1. People LIKE deep stuff, but SHARE funny stuff.

What was your favorite post? What do you think should be my next topic?

11 Words or Less: Pregnancy (Puking Redacted)

2010-11-29T22:01:00.003-05:00

11. Ovulation

10. Confirmation

9. Heartbeat

8. Movement

7. Contractions

6. Pushing

5. Holding

4. Nursing

3. Cuddling

2. Sleeping

1. Knowing

Dreaded Decorating Doofiness

2010-11-28T22:44:00.000-05:00

I am a big fan of expressing individuality, I mean, I haven't worn matching socks in well over a decade, I have shaved my head squeeky clean bald, and I rocked Flamboyant Fridays in college... however, my dislike of Christmas has lead to a tertiary concern with bizarre decorating trends and themes. Don't take offense, don't take it personally, I'm glad folks groove to the season, but still, some of these seem, well, Doofy. (And, no, I'm not getting an Amazon kick-back, but I'm linking in case you're feeling cheeky and decide to purchase something).

Top 11 Doofy Decorations

11. Big Blow-Ups
This is my husband's pet peeve. They are loud and generally tacky. My least favorite would be the 6 foot snow globe with actual carasol inside. If you're going to that much work to decorate, can we seriously think of some better outlet? Only $329.99. (Side note: I'll be installing my mom's tomorrow. It's giant penguins with doctor accessories. It's super duper tacky... and I love it.)

10. Bottoms of Tree Toppers
I cannot possibly be the first person to feel weird about cramming pine needles up the dress of an angel. Is no one else confused by the symbolism of sticking the pointy tops of trees up the bums of a variety of toppers? I'm sure someone in the marketing division of stars should get on that. It's probably more creepy than doofy, but today, we're doing doofy.

9. OrnaMENTAL
I think it's nice when decorations and ornaments can reflect your personality. Here's a tip: TV is not your personality. Seriously, this is marketing on a whole new level. Not pictures of your kids, or even pictures of yourself singing, or, for Pete's sake, pictures of you watching the show. Just three judges watching someone else. To recap, that's a memory of you watching TV of people watching someone else. Doofy. (If you should choose, you can purchase the above ornament for $13.50 from Amazon.)

8. Icicle Lights
If you plug it in and it lights up? Not ice. Not even close. Sure, they are pretty and twinkley and give you more shimmer per square foot, but icicles they are not. 'Nuf said.

7. Faux Popcorn
Seriously? Fake strands of popcorn? If I hadn't helped a preschool teacher return sewing machine needles prior to attempting to thread garlands of the salty stuff, I'd find this UNBELIEVABLE. I guess it doesn't go bad? Why?! 9 feet of fake buttery goodness can be yours for $6.99.

6. Random Acts of Weirdness
Again, individuality is awesome, but I'm often confused by this. What does that giant wooden Barney have to do with the holidays. How about the giant elephant? If you're looking for more examples, I'd suggest UglyChristmasLights.com for further amusement.
5. Anachronistic Nativities
Maybe it's my love of open ended play being crushed by single use bizzaro-ness. Maybe it's the whole cave vs. stable argument. Maybe it's the part that angels don't sing... Let your kids play with whatever you choose, but if you're going to decorate? Maybe this is not the least doofy choice. (Having had personal experience with this set, the sounds when the batteries wear down are well worth the $44.99).

4. Highlighting Horribleness
If your home has a less than perfect feature... or a REALLY bad code-violating type issue. Trimming in lights is a poor choice. I can't think why folks would do this. Check it out this year whilest driving around. You will be amazed by the lovely hanging gutters, rotting porch railings, and other architectural sadness which is now enhanced by having small electrical devices stapled
to them.

3. Inappropriate Santas
Believe me, you can find the creepy old elf doing just about anything. I guess it's amusing, but why would you decorate to celebrate a holiday with this? Why? If you know, well, for $6.95 it can be yours.

2. Multicultural Atrocities.
Let me start this rant by pointing out that my family is fond of appropriating a wide variety of holidays. I'm all for sharing in a lovely tradition, I just feel like the forced overt PC-ness is a bit much. Celebrate your holidays, make them personal, but don't feel like you have to mention and mix them all lest you offend someone. Seriously, the Kwanzaa dreidel feels a little forced guys, especially if it's not pictured next to my Festivus Pole.

1. Terrible Trees
Can someone tell me why this product exists? It's a Whimsical Yellow Laser Artificial Christmas Tree... ARTIFICIAL?!? You mean it's not a REAL whimsical yellow Christmas tree? You can get similar ones in a variety of flavors/colors/painful horribly doofy styles. If you'd like this one, it can be yours for $8.05, that's right, this 30" beauty is on sale!

Got a favorite pet-peeve decoration? Know a place for specialty doofy products? Wanna share YOUR horror stories? That's why blogs have comments!

Creepy Christmas Carols

2010-11-27T20:34:00.000-05:00

I'm not a big fan of Christmas... I know, I know, Bah Humbug! Anyhows, the part I do like is family and tradition. In that vein, I was helping decorate the tree at my mom's house today with my sister. We put on some "holiday" music, and soon we were giggling gleefully at the horrible irony of so many of the lyrics. In honor of the weirdness that is Christmas music, here are my Top 11 Creepy Christmas Carols.

11. Grandma Got Run Over by a Reindeer
Pretty self explanatory, I mean, seriously? A song about family whose drunken matriarch is trampled by a beloved myth... yep, automatically included.

10. I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus
OK, here's my issue. I know we're going for cute, but this is either Daddy dressing up knowing he'll be seen by the child, in which case the make-out break is a little creepy; or, the dress up is solely for the benefit of Mommy, in which case, that's a little weird kinky if you ask me. Or, I suppose, it's a song about how the beloved jolly fellow is in fact an adulterous fiend and Mommy is a hussy. Creepy.

9. I Saw Three Ships Come Sailing In
My theory here is that this a song about an awesome heist. I mean, it smacks of Ocean 26 type planning. Christmas day... the only day when the guards are on lower alert... yeah, it's not a Christmas song, it's a song about thievery. Maybe more amusing than creepy, but amusing none the less.

8. Twelve Days of Christmas
It may have been said before, but this is just a bizarre dance of materialistic insanity. (No, it's not a memory aid.) It's just a creepy idea of what someone wants for Christmas, or at least, what they got from their insane "true love." I think this is one creepy display of capitalistic affection.

7. Some Children See Him Lily White
The song is pretty much randomly racist. I guess it's supposed to be how we all see God in a different way, but I can't help but think it's just a way of legitimising misconceptions and stereotypes. I'm just sayin' I'm pretty sure he was an Arabic looking Jewish fellow. Just sayin'.

6. The Christmas Song (Chestnuts Roasting on an Open Fire)
This choice amuses me based solely on the ability of the lyrics to effectively summarize many creepy holiday themes: dangerous pyromaniac tendencies romanticized, scary mythological entities harassing innocent victims, simplistic ethnocentrism, and the theme that everyone should know and approve of these ideas. Ahhh creepy.

5. Little Drummer Boy
The whole thing is just an unsupervised child apparently busking for a living, not sure why he's headed to visit the baby, but it seems no one is interested in caring for him. Sure, it's a nice sentiment that he wants to bring the gift of music, but is anyone gonna help out the young street musician? No. No they're not.

4. Mary Did You Know
Let me just cut to the chase. Yes, she did. I'm pretty sure we're clear on the whole angelic messenger explaining it. Plus, having recently been a new mother, the last thing I'd like is generations of folks harassing me to see if I'd done my home work on parenting. It's not like there's any pressure for her, raising God incarnate. Oh, and you think God was going to pick someone who didn't get it? Really?

3. Frosty the Snowman
Mythical anthropomorphic characters are the hallmark of creepy holiday songs. I think this fellow embodies the whole idea to a tee. Sure, sounds nice to have an enchanted friend, but the next time a giant snow demon bangs on your door after chasing your children around, let me know how lovely you find the sentiment.

2. Santa Claus is Coming to Town
Stalker. Voyeur. Sees you when you're sleeping. Knows when you're awake... Suppression of feelings: Better not pout, better not cry... really? This is supposed to be a happy song? It just scares the goodness outta me.

1. Baby It's Cold Outside
This was the most disturbing song of the afternoon. It pretty much reeks of a very uncomfortable intimate power/control situation. The lady says repeatedly she'd like to leave. She says "no" more than once. He tries to give her more alcohol and take away her coat. He uses verbal coercion to let her know that her reputation is already ruined. Seriously creepy.

Sorry if I've ruined a little part of your holidays. Got another creepy hit that amuses you? Let me know in the comments.

The Penguin Cherpumple

2010-11-26T22:57:00.001-05:00

This Thanksgiving, I was finally able to slice into my very own cherpumple. Cher-wha? Last year I was introduced to the fabulous idea of the cherpumple via this video:

I knew I must have one! Basically, it's a cherry pie baked into a white cake, on top of a pumpkin pie baked into a yellow cake, on top of an apple pie baked into a spice cake, all frosted into one amazing three layer cake of AWESOME.

Here's how I made mine. I started off with lofty goals of going all from-scratch... but I'm not that awesome. Did I mention I have a 10 month old? Anyway, started off with the apple pie filling.

Most of my recipes are really annoying to share since I fake my way through it. Here's my best guess:

4 Granny Smith Apples, sliced up
4 tablespoons orange juice (I usually use lemon, the idea is that the citrus adds a little punch and keeps the apples from browning)
3 tablespoons of flour (to thicken it up)
1 teaspoon of cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon of nutmeg

I put all of this into something that seals, stir, then shake it up. (This part is a great little release of angst). For the other two fillings, I did store bought; the pumpkin required adding evaporated milk and and eggs.

For the pie crust I went with a basic crust for all three. Here's my guess at about a pie's worth of recipe. (So I made about 3x as much).

2 cups flour
2 1/2 tablespoons of Oil
1 teaspoon of salt
4 tablespoons of water (or how ever much you need to get the right consistency)

Next, I poured the fillings into each pan. (The trick here is to get pie pans smaller than your cake pans. I did this by buying 8 inch disposable cake pans to use as pie pans, thus fitting nicely into the nine inch cake pans.)

Then I added lattice to the cherry pie and a cover with pricks to the apple pie. Neither of these is really needed, but I figured it would make flipping them into the cake pans a little easier later.

Baked all three pies at 350 degrees for about a half hour... until they looked golden brownish.

I let them cool over night.

I also opted for super easy on the cakes, by using mixes; in this case, white, yellow, and spice. I literally bought the cheapest kinds. They each required three eggs, 1/3 cup of oil, and a cup and a third of water. (The white one just used egg whites).

I spread cake batter over the bottom of the pan, about a centimeter thick. Then flipped the pie into the batter. It sorta didn't go all in one piece. Luckily, I just kinda smushed the rest back down into there.

Finally, I spread batter to fill in around the edges and cover the pie. *Note that there is A LOT of batter... too much really*

I spread the extra batter into another cake pan to make a mini-pie-less cherpumple... which wouldn't really have any of the reasons for the name... If you were making nine inch pies to go into twelve inch cake pans, I'm guessing you'd have just the right amount of batter.I repeated with the Apple pie in yellow cake. (I only had two cake pans, so I only did the first two.)

Into the oven they went at 350 degrees... for about fifteen minutes... when I smelled the smoke. You see, they were totally too full and dripped. This was a total fail since it was Thanksgiving morning and the turkey was very shortly going to bake in that oven. GRRRRRRrrrrrrr!

Took the cakes out, cleaned the oven, then finished baking. Next, went about making the third cake. I was a little more careful not to over-fill. We baked that bad boy next the turkey. Here's the drippy cake:

At last, it was time to assemble this behemoth. I had to de-pan the cherry/white layer to bake the apple/spice layer. It just popped right out. The apple/spice layer was a tad more difficult. It seams I didn't grease the pan as well since I was in such a hurry. I ended up breaking the whole darn thing in half.

Luckily, I used a spatula to loosen up that bad boy, and just set it right on top.

I cut around the edge to trim it into a circle. The bottom was also slightly burnt, so I just scraped off the darker/burnt part since I'd be frosting it anyway.

I frosted the bottom layer. I cheated here too with a store-bought frosting. It took three cans total.

Next I sliced around the edges of the pumpkin/yellow layer and placed it on top.

I frosted there as well.

Finally I added the third layer.

I frosted all the way around.

And on the top, if you're generous, it's easier to spread the frosting.

Because it amused me, I added some silly safety green decorations. My sister also let us put the mini-cakes she had brought around it. The whole thing was in a large tupperware dish because we needed something really sturdy... the thing weighed 8-9 pounds.

After an incredible feast, it was time to chow down. It takes a bit to slice, and you don't want to make a large slice as it is already pretty tall with all those layers.

I found out it was easier to dish up with a spatula AND the knife. Here's a few more pictures of the glories of our cherpumple success.

What do you think? Have you tried it? Are you going to?

Thanksgiving Escape

2010-11-25T21:55:00.000-05:00

Today may not have been the most typical of Thanksgivings, or, maybe it was. I'm too exhausted to type much, but lets just say it included a tire swing, for one thing.

It started bright and early with some work on the cherpumple (full briefing on that to come tomorrow)

It was a great chance to kick back with some immediate and extended family.

Even better, it included a tiny man being paraded with a lovely parasol.

Back to family time. I'd love to hear about yours. Special thanks to Aunt Sweet Sweet for the lovely pictures.

Family Time, Sister Time

2010-11-24T23:37:00.000-05:00

This afternoon we arrived at my parents' house for our Thanksgiving trip. Time for some super duper family time. My family has always been close, but geographic proximity makes it feasible for get-togethers to happen with more regularity. Lately, I've been taking advantage of this time to get a little less time in with my son.

I know, it sounds bad at first, but lets be honest. The brand of parenting I have chosen involves me being within arms reach of my son almost constantly. I was doing the math the other day and thought part of the reason I get so tired of being with my son is that I am pretty much always with him. There are plenty of awesome parents who see their child for an hour or two in the morning, drop them off with another care provider for the work day, then spend a few hours with them in the evening before they drift off to the blissful twelve hours of sleep they are oh-so-lucky to experience. Lets just say that, by my own choice, this is not my experience. I am not saying these parents don't also deserve a break, I'm just saying I'll let myself off the hook a little here.

The point of all this is to say that I had two hours or so of shopping time with my sister-in-law. I love that this was some of the best "Family Time" I've had in a long long time. Not to take away from time with my son or husband, or even the large family gatherings where eight or nine of us gab in a glorious pun making riot of hilarity based on jokes that someone misheard and referenced twelve years ago. This is different. Sure, I've known her for seven or eight years, but she's a fresh face, someone who isn't obligated to love me.

I have always treasured my biological sister, and since high school the sisterhood of Sukwat, but I am particularly grateful right now for a sister-in-law with whom I can be my complete honest self. I am so thankful for her ability to share wise and kind words and still make me laugh. I wish everyone could be so blessed as to have their family blossom with flowers as fragrant as she.

What is "Family Time" like for you? Does quality family time involve different people at different times for different reasons? How? Why?

Thanksgiving Limerick

2010-11-23T18:10:00.001-05:00

My family has a veritable plethora of odd traditions, some of my favorites include silly things like how sentimental it is to wrap something in a paper grocery bag (which are getting pretty hard to find these days), or rules like "No singing at the table!"

My personal favorite is what my family says just before we eat our Thanksgiving feast. Some years we say the things for which we are thankful, or some other borrowed tradition, but every year, without fail, we gigglingly make eye contact and chant in unison:

There once was a finicky ocelot
who all the year round was cross, a lot
except at Thanksgiving
when he enjoyed the living
'Cuz he liked to eat cranberry sauce a lot.

I have no idea who really wrote this little poem. I tried finding it, but have found some conflicting theories. My best guess is Eve Merriem. If I'm wrong, feel free to point it out (there's a first time for everything...). I'm pretty sure we started saying when we were much much younger due to our mother's amazing home schooling. We each memorized a poem every week, and although I've forgotten hundreds, a few gems, like this one, have stuck with my siblings and me through the years. My other favorite for fall would be:

The leaves are green, the nuts are brown.
They hang so high, they won't come down.
Leave them alone 'till frosty weather,
then they will all come down together.

The sheer glee of this tradition is not the wittiness of the poem, or even that we do it every year in a blissful sense of togetherness. For me, at least, it's how we almost always forget. It's the look on any new comer's face. It's knowing my son will hear it a great deal more clearly than he did last year.

What's your favorite holiday tradition? What's your favorite poem?

Of Puppies and Penguins

2010-11-22T23:24:00.000-05:00

Today was the first day where I can honestly say my son chased our dogs. Up 'till this point, they have simply co-existed. I was really a little scared about bringing a baby home to two dachshunds. They are a breed that is supposed to not be "good with kids." What was I supposed to do about blending a new human into a home that was half canine? I read all the articles I could find on the topic and tried to follow the advice. I sent home baby-smelling clothing before bringing Jax to meet them. I came in and played with them before bringing him in to be sniffed, the whole nine yards.

Early on in their relationship, they mostly just whined when he cried, and otherwise ignored him. The only other way you would know they knew he existed was the fierce defensiveness if someone got close to the baby when I wasn't holding him. That, and the need to sleep next wherever he was sleeping. Then there was the licking during tummy time, but generally, I think they just thought he was a really ugly, really dumb, new member of our little pack.

I should note that our dogs are not the most identical, though a matched set they may be. WiMax is half standard size wire haired dachshund and half friendly-neighborhood-terrier. We rescued him from the pound when he was about a year old. About a year after that, my mom found a miniature wire haired dachshund with "macaroni penguin" eye brows on petfinder and soon we added Isadora, an old lady with bad teeth, to our family. WiMax is very smart and learns quickly; the sort of dog that could work in movies if his humans would invest a little more time. Isadora's only trick is to drag cute outfits from her bin for you to put on her so she gets more attention.

In practice, this has meant that WiMax is unimpressed with the baby, but that Isadora would desperately seek his attention... or any attention... from anyone. She would scootch up to the edge of the blanket where Jax was playing so that his feet might *accidently* bump into her, thus constituting rubbing and petting, and therefore doggie validation. To be fair, WiMax has taken a much greater interest in being in close to proximity to Jax any time self-feeding is involved. Jax has rewarded this interest by noting, and reinforcing, the amusing dance-of-the-hind-legs that WiMax is more than happy to perform when food is involved.

But, back to today. I have been waiting for real, genuine, amusing interactions, and today really qualified. It was a bizarre little dance of army crawling and chubby fists grasping at tufts of ear fur. Lunges into a dog bed and stolen cheek lickings amused everyone. I'm sure there will be many giggles and tears to come. I'm sure there will be more germ swapping and probably a bit of nipping as everyone figures things out. I'm just excited to watch some sibling bonding between my fur kids and my bald one.

Do you have kids and pets? In what order did they join the family? How did you introduce everyone? What are your favorite moments with your pets?

Schrödinger's Penguin: Getting Baby on Tape

2010-11-21T18:59:00.002-05:00

The observer effect is a pretty well known theory. The idea goes like this (if you're willing to oversimplify... of course, I am), just the act of observing something changes it. I have found this to be only too true when attempting to document my infant son.

Early on, I knew he couldn't REALLY understand what I was trying to do. I knew to him the seizure inducing flashes of light were just an odd quirk of his reality. As he got a little older, he learned to squint at the red-eye light, and now, well, now he's just a ham. Sometimes, you capture what you expect, like how he feels about Zucchini:

The part of this I understand, is his predictable reaction to my documentation efforts. The part that amuses me is the Schrödinger's cat part. The part where you don't really know what you've got 'till you bust open that box and find out. The first amusing version of this came early on when I tried to document his amusement with lion sounds:

Most recently, I was trying to capture his adorable clapping (it inspired a whole post). Instead of the amusement of reinforced clapping, I got this:

Honestly, it's the unpredictability that amuses me. Much like the cat in the box, I'll have to think of my grandfather's answer "The only good cat's a dead cat." So, for me, maybe the only best video's a funny video.

What has trying to document people taught you? Do you ham for the camera? Ever look for the camera you JUST KNOW must be there?

Deep Thoughts of a Shallow Swimmer

2010-11-20T17:57:00.000-05:00

I have long claimed that the best compliment I was ever given was this "Most people just think really shallow thoughts about deep things, but you think really deep thoughts about shallow things." I hope that, to some extent, this is still true about me. I hope that as the days go by, I don't just passingly contemplate the meaning of life, I would hope that, instead, I really dig into the here and now; that I treasure the little things. With that thought in mind, here are my Top 11 Little Things.

11. Tags. My son loves how they look and feel. Given almost any toy with a printed tag attached, he will feel it and stare at it. I'd like to think he's having a very positive interaction with print and that it is good for all those pre-literacy skills. If nothing else, he loves they way they all feel a little different.

10. Teeth on Cloth. Although I could write an entire post about my son's recent vampiric ways, his fascination with biting cloth has really intrigued me. He has figured out that biting the skin under the cloth is bad, but I've let him play with just grasping the top layer of fabric with his teeth. He's really good at this. I can't think of a time when this will be a really important skill for a tiny vegetarian, but it's interesting to to watch.

9. Fractals in Velcro. With my son in cloth diapers, I spend a lot of time staring at velcro tabs. I have recently noticed that they attract strings and dog hairs and what not in almost perfect fractal shapes. I have had some interesting flash backs to working for the math teacher in high school... I've always been interested in patterns, and this is an odd place to discover one.

8. Wrinkles and Freckles. Jax loves staring at my face, and more recently his face. We've spent quite a bit of time looking at ourselves in the mirror. I have always hoped I would have happy wrinkles around my eyes and have been delighted to see a sort of permanent smile emerging there. Even more intriguing is the way these wrinkles start to hide some of my freckles. It's like a new set emerging as others are hidden; getting to discover a new skin pattern all over again.

7. Gurgling. I have never been able to make the cool wookie sound like my husband. Jax makes it often when babbling. I have had an interesting time exploring my glottal and vocal control in imitating his visualization. As with learning Portuguese, I'm intrigued by the sounds I simply cannot seem to make with the accuracy I desire.

6. Puree. Mashed up foods have been sliding down my gullet for decades, typically thanks to my amazing teeth. Pre-mashing food with intent to serve is a more recent amusement. The variety of texture in "baby" food and pureed foods is really amazing. You'd think by the time you blended something to a liquid form, that the consistency would be, well, more consistent. The difference between a squash, a sweet potato, a banana, and a pear are really something to behold.

5. Hair Color. I'd never really had dark hair before this September. I've been pretty much a dozen shades from blond through red, but but dark brown was something new, and mostly, for the Miss Klingon Empire beauty pageant (which I'm sad to say has since turned into a Star Trek Universe pageant and hence gets judged on things like... well... beauty). At any rate, I am amazed that no matter what color my locks are dyed, folks seem to be fairly equally split on whether or not they like them that shade. I, for one, don't really care. I tend to like red best, but, given the culture freedom to do so, would go back to being clean bald.

4. Nails. I like having nails longer than my finger tips so I can make my favorite sound. I discovered while taking piano lessons in eighth grade that my teacher had fingernails which made the slightest click as she played each note. I adore this sound. Just the light tap of a fingernail on the ivory before the note sounds. Lovely.

3. Asphalt. While on the topic of odd favorites, my favorite smell by far is asphalt when it first starts raining. I'm sure this is some sort of noxious chemical fume that is causing cancer in lab rats by me merely mentioning it. It is just such a friendly smell, reminding me of a barefoot childhood, running up the road towards the house to escape the summer soaking and, instead, splashing about in a frenzy of muddy puddles and slick cool grass between our toes. For now at least, just the smell in a parking lot will do.

2. Jumping. I love to jump. Trampolines are especially fun, but really, I just like hopping and skipping. (I admit to enjoying these much more when I'm in better shape and not encumbered by certain parts of my anatomy which serve to nourish my son's tummy and my husband's eyes). I love the moment of weightlessness before tumbling to earth. I adore the rules of physics that mean I tug equally hard on the earth to join me as it does to bring me back down... but it wins because despite my current obese state, the mass of the earth is still greater. Most of all, I love how it brings out the wiggling giggling inner child in me.

1. Sharing. I like to share my words and thoughts. I don't really need everyone to read them, or anyone to really care about them, but I love the idea of the nebulous "someone" being a part of my innermost dialog. I get little chills that the power of the internet means someone somewhere might be sharing my world. I love the power of being literate meaning I can share in their world when they comment. I like that it makes a window from my world, no matter how dark, to peak and and see the rainbow when it comes.

Party Like It's Your 1st Birthday

2010-11-19T19:21:00.000-05:00

Since my son was born last January, I've attended about a half dozen various birthday celebrations for young children. I have really enjoyed them all, and been honored to get to attend. I've been thinking a lot about what I want to do for my son's first birthday. I'm excited because, being his first, he won't really remember it or even care at this point, so it's really a "We've survived a year with this baby!" party for my husband and me. On the other hand, there are a lot of societal and cultural expectations. This has lead to the quiet voices in my head, you know, the ones who get over time for worrying about the ratio of wild blackberry prickers to kudzu in my back yard, to thinking.*

Disclaimer: No, I'm not totally freaking out about this... no, I'm not really worried what "people" will think... no, it's not that big a deal... yes, it was a fun thing to consider enough to make into a blog post.

Top 11 1st Birthday Worries

11. Mediocrity. What if it just isn't good enough? Who gets to judge? Is there a secret panel that investigates the quality of parties. If so, how do I get that gig?

10. So Silly (and not in the good way).What if people think I'm silly for having a first birthday party? The party industry certainly thinks it's a good idea, but what if people think I'm just trying to show off? What if it sets some bizarre precedent? Again, do I REALLY care what "people" think? Especially if these are the sort of people willing to be suckered into a kid's first birthday party?

9. Location, location, location! It's going to be cold in late January, and our little house and two barking dogs plus probably visiting relatives indicates some other option should be considered. Too little for Pukee Queso's, but too many kids to do a sit down restaurant... hmmm.

8. The Who's Who of Attendees. I hate to make someone feel obligated to attend or send a gift. I also hate for someone to feel they were intentionally excluded. I want everyone to come, but how much cake can we really afford to make?

7. Tell the World? Homemade paper invitations mailed out seems lovely. and pricey. and time consuming. Mass e-mail/facebook seems to impersonal and possibly greedy. Etiquette just ain't as simple as it used to be.

6. 'Tis Awkward to Receive. What's the best way to tell folks what to bring? Gifts aren't really neccesary, but I know folks like to give SOMETHING. Do we register? Make a "Wishlist?" Just tell folks his size (which is changing pretty much daily)? Is it a faux pax to tell people they can chip in towards a "big" gift like swim lessons?

5. Let Them Eat Cake! What if Jax breaks out in hives? What if we serve peanuts secretly hidden in the cupcakes? Who knows what might cause someone to fall ill? It will be a party to remember, for sure!

4. Apocalypse Then. I met a Mom when I was volunteering in New York in 2002 who had a support group for children who, like her son, had birthdays on 9/11. Many of them were dealing with a plethora of guilt and anger issues. What if something horrible happens that day and burns it into everyone's psyche as THAT day. Shoot I even if it's the day before, or the day of the party, that's pretty much bad news.

3. Thanks for Nothing. I seriously am pretty sure I still have people who have not yet received a "Thank You" card from my wedding or baby shower. I am tempted to avoid the whole thing just to make sure the situation doesn't get any worse. Oh, and if you're reading this "Thanks!"

2. Let Me Entertain You. How much entertainment should you plan? Background music seems like a good plan, and something for children to do, but I know folks who are so afraid of "games" that they avoid showers like the plague. (If you think the last statement smells fishy, I also know people who don't like to go to parties celebrating weddings and births...)

1. Thematics. I love a theme party. OK, I LOVE a theme party. Supper Club in high school? WIN! I mean, seriously, how could you not go the Hawaiian Luau as a marine biologist? How do I really decide? I think I've got it, but it's so hard to commit!

So, yo know you're dying to give your input. Tell me what you did. Tell me what you've seen done. I want to hear both sides: the sweet "just us" parties and the insane thousands of dollars puts-my-wedding-to-shame all out bashes.

* This split infinitive brought to you with lots of giggling on behalf of my sister, Aunt B.

It Gets Better... (You Know, for Parents)

2010-11-18T15:06:00.004-05:00

I have really enjoyed the videos made recently to encourage those who may be victims of bullying, particularly gay bashing. I'm just saying right up front, that I find them inspiring and uplifting. I am in now way trying to diminish their impact, take away from their message, or say they are silly... the problem they combat is all too real.

That being said, Mr. Penguin and I were just thinking how great the same thing would be for new parents. When you're going through nights filled with spit-up rather than spit, imagine videos of smiling parents of adult children saying things like "I know it seems like this is the worst thing you've ever decided to do, but my children and I both survived!" or "You could have been raising your children before you had cell phones for emergencies or internet for late night diagnosis; just think how much better it will keep getting!"

Just think of the celebrity endorsements... Michelle Obama with a couple of smiling First Children telling us that even when a campaign is in full swing, your kids will still want to give you a hug. Brad and Angelina with their brood telling us that THIS is what keeps them going. George Tekai telling people who wish bad things on children EXACTLY what they are...

This whole thought made me happy, but then I found one that made me happier. "It Gets Better" for those dealing with infertility. Sure, there would be the happy "We finally got our Big Fat Positive!" stories, but there would also be the amazing adoption stories. I would hope there would even be stories of those who never fulfilled that dream but still found, in their life, that "It Gets Better!" (I know I still feel a kick in the gut when I see the "dart" board of happy fresh babies at the OBGYN and think of my losses, but it's important to remember that it hurts a little less each time.)

I know I really could have used the support... when we lost our babies, when we had trouble trying again, when I was puking every day, holding a neonate who wouldn't stop losing weight, late at night listening to the croupy seal cough, pretty much every day. So, I'll be watching those videos with a twist, and keeping an eye out for some other topical ones.

I guess it all just comes back to the thought that has inspired so many in recent times, no matter what, no matter who you are, no matter how rotten things are right now:

IT GETS BETTER!

Super Penguin

2010-11-17T21:53:00.004-05:00

Some days I honestly believe parenthood has made me a super hero. (Of course, some days I honestly believe I'm going nuts... but that's another post). I am somehow able to do things I never thought possible. I wish this journey had started more simply, I wish I were writing this post about how things changed the day Jax was born. But it started long before that... again, another post. I wrote the most depressing Top 11 of my life but decided it wasn't healthy to share that just yet... so this is a bit more upbeat.

Since I'm snitching internet we'll cut straight to the chase. Here are my Top 11 Penguin Parent Superpowers.

11. Super Cleaning Saliva.
I can use my spit to clean anything off my son's face. I wasn't going to be THAT Mom, but I literally did it the week after he was born. I was walking down a hall and caught myself licking my thumb to get some gunk off his cheek. Gross.

10. Selective Amnesia.
I cannot find the keys, but I know the number to poison control and the quickest three routes to Childrens' Healthcare of Atlanta...

9. Incredible Strength.
An entire baby is no match for me and my baby carrier day or night, crying or cheerful, I can haul that little chunker pretty much anywhere. I may not always be able to. But I hope I'll always at least try to hold him when he needs is.

8. Radioactive Resistance.
I can clean puke, snot, or poop from any surface without gagging... and considering I couldn't do ANYTHING without puking, at least a little, just this time last year, that's pretty impressive.

7. Lyrical Genius.
I can rewrite lyrics to any given song so as to create an endless sleep inducing haze. I'm not promising they're brilliant, I'm just saying I'll run out of voice long before I run out of stupid made up verses.

6. Insane Insomnia.
I can *technically* function for weeks on end with less than five hours of sleep and less than two hours in any given stretch. I wouldn't recommend it. But I've done it.

5. Costume Diva.
Whipping up tiny size outfits and accessories is awesome. It takes way less fabric than stuff for grown ups, but the sleeves and hems are HUGE compared to the Barbies I used to dress.

4. Stroller Aficionado.
I know, you're thinking this one can't be true since I don't own one. I think that's part of the draw. People seriously spend thousands... yes thousands of dollars on these. I got so interested that I've done too much reading. We'll be at the mall and lean over to my husband "That's Japanese and cost somewhere between $700-$900... it's titanium!" Then I'll giggle and feel Jax snuggle up. Maybe I just need to do a test drive?

3. Spidey Senses.
Intuition is the most bizarre thing that's ever happened to me. I was trying so hard to find it, that sometimes, when it smacks me up side the head, it scares the goodness outta me. Seriously, how do I "just know" that my son needs to pee? Is it possible that I can just "sense" that my son's about to wake up and nurse even though he just did twenty minutes ago? I wouldn't believe it if it weren't happening to me.

2. Egotistical Editing.
I grew up in a family where bedtime reading... well, reading in general, were practically sacred. I can still hear the voice of my three year old sister indignantly hollering "Wead it Wight!" as she skimmed the words on the page ahead as my Mom tried to edit the story. I already catch myself making amusing commentary as if it were written. Trust me, the next time you reread the same board books a dozen times, see if some great twists don't pop into your mind!

1. Conned.
I am totally and willingly conned every day. I can be frustrated and elbow deep in vomit, but when that little fella smiles at me? I'm done. Sold. Hooked. I wish I could spare him the nasal aspirators, the upset tummies, and the bruised ego, but I'll settle for getting to be there for him whenever I can.

What are your super-powers? Written any great lyrics or edited some endings? Got a super power you wish you used more wisely?

Angry

2010-11-16T23:59:00.001-05:00

I hate feeling trapped. No Internet + no car seat + no end in sight = feeling powerless. Fail. I hate having to depend on others. Lesson learned.

Forced Fast - Fast Forward

2010-11-15T23:07:00.003-05:00

Due to issues with our internet provider, I've been without internet for over 24 hours. Not a true fast. I've had access to Mr. Penguin's iPad for the purposes of writing last night's post, and now this one. It's been rather odd to go without. It's forced me to imagine ways in which my childhood was so very different than what Jax will experience. Here's my "Top 11" off the *top* of my head.

11. When he thinks of an address he will probably think URL then e-mail then GPS and maybe THEN about something that requires a stamp.

10. Encyclopedias will probably only be found in libraries... and no one will ever try to sell him one by knocking on his door.

9. He will be able to track his life through a variety of virtual scrapbooks that will be indexed and searchable.

8. Typing may be more important than handwriting; but, as things continue to change, his fine motor skills will be increasingly important.

7. In reverse of my lifetime trend, he'll see fewer and fewer wires.

6. He will be able to track himself and his consumption quickly and easily; from food to books to dollars.

5. The importance of good written communication will seem vitally important him from infancy. It is not a lesson anyone will have to try to sell by pointing out letters to the editor or well-written books. Anyone who wants to be taken seriously must be able to write, and, if not well, at least understandably.

4. He will probably think of Face.book accounts the way I think of my Juno e-mail account.

3. Searching and responding in a multitude of languages will probably be simple and instantaneous... but not as good as really knowing another language.

2. There will be a multitude of entertainment available to consume at his leisure. Imagine being able to watch any show ever made any where any time. He won't have to.

1. He will still prefer great big hugs and snuggles, even if he can interact with holographic images of far flung friends and relatives.

What changes do you foresee in the lifetime of this year's babies? What is dramatically different from your own childhood? Which are good? Which are not-so-good?

Short and Sweet

2010-11-14T22:58:00.003-05:00

Posting every day in one month may not seem like a big deal... and it probably isn't reason to throw a party. It is, however, more difficult when you have a cranky baby who just wants to fuss. November is just about half way done, and with it, a daily blog post by yours truly. Today, as I type in frustration onto Mr. Penguin's iPad, I am in total awe of those bloggers who manage to post regularly; whether that be daily, weekly, or some other format. You make the web a better place and inspire me to be the best me I can be.

On a side note, a friend has thrown down a little self love gauntlet. I'll be linking to it in the morning when I have access to the "real" internets again. Therefore, Here goes my list of self-love:

Physical
1. I love my nose. I think it's perfect and cute; down right adorable.
2. The color of my eyes is just amazing. I like how they seem to change with my moods.
3. My tongue. I can do really impressive things, like flip it both ways and make a "W."
4. Although for many years they went into the category of self loathing; I'm proud to say I now love my freckles. I especially love how they make me feel connected to my ancestry.
5. I love that my breasts are full and luscious and functional. I love feeling like a beautiful woman while nursing my son.

Mental
1. I enjoy a good logic puzzle, and was a little disappointed that I never had a reason to take the LSATS.
2. A vocabulary of astoundingly redundant proportions dwells within a veritable plethora of linguistic humors.
3. I can find, read, and understand academic research. I love feeling empowered by helping myself be well informed.
4. Observing children and noting things on several levels from play and developmental appropriateness to social skill to emotional awareness comes almost as a second nature. Not only do I do it well, I love doing it.
5. Rephrasing something to put it in new light has been helpful to me; in other words, I like to put things another way by saying them using a different set of words to convey the message in a way that helps me get across an idea...

Accomplishments
1. I have a Master's Degree in Social Work with Children and Families.
2. When I was only fourteen, I earned my black belt in karate.
3. I am winning a long time battle with chronic depression.
4. After repeated miscarriages I carried a baby to term and pushed him out of my vagina. (I know this might not sound like a big deal... but I'm super proud!)
5. I am consciously building healthy and nurturing friendships with the people in my life.

I may not agree with the idea that one shouldn't rely on others to help one feel awesome, but I do feel that loving one's self is a great place to start. I think it is hard to let go and trust others with pieces of our selves. Sure, if others are your only source of love, there is probably a problem, and the task at hand is one of self-love, but I think it's important to encourage you, dear reader, to share a little bit of Awesome love with others... just "Love Thyself" first ;)

Granny Penguin's Library

2010-11-13T23:00:00.000-05:00

In honor of our visit to the Granny's house, I thought I'd share her growing collection of books about grandmothers, grandmas, nanas, etc. Jax already enjoys hearing familiar stories, and the collection is fun because it offers something special to them and their relationship. Unfortunately she only has 10... and one that's not REALLY a kid book (So we'll squeeze it into a Top 11). I'm linking to Amazon again, just for informational purposes.

I'm writing this post so you can get to my favorites first. Lets just say that Granny has started collecting books and rather than a true "Top" 11, these would be the "Only" 11.

1. Piglet and Granny

by Margaret Wild

This is probably my favorite, and definitely Jax and Granny's favorite so far. The story is about a little pig waiting to spend time with his Granny. We get to hear all about the fun things Granny has taught him as a parade of farm animals help him wait. When we find out what has taken so long, it is a delightful surprise for them to enjoy together. I am sure I'll hear it a thousand times more in the years to come... and I'm looking forward to that.

2. Good Granny, Bad Granny

by Mary McHugh

This one's not really a children's book, but more of one from the humor section. Each page spread has a comparison of what "Good" Granny would to as opposed to "Bad" Granny. Some are funnier than others and, of course, the truth probably lies somewhere between any two extremes. Nice for a good laugh for a new grandmother.

3. My Granny's Purse

by P. H. Hanson

This is more of a board book with flip out goodies than a classic book. It is an imagined purse with all manner of fun things that you might (or might not) expect to find in a delightful purse. It brought back memories of time with my own Grandma; knowing there would be gum, and tiny paper and tiny scissors for paper dolls all within that magic bag.

4. WHAT! Cried Granny: An Almost Bedtime Story

by Kate Lum

This book just stinkin' hilarious. The idea is that a grandmother tries to get her grandson to go to sleep. He inevitably finds an excuse why he cannot which shocks the grandmother so much that she goes to hyperbolic lengths to fix it. I'm sure this is destined to be a favorite because it is just so much fun to repeat the title phrase with each scenario.

5. Our Granny

by Margaret Wild

The social worker in me just eats this book up. It is all about the diversity of grandmothers. It includes descriptions of all manner; from physical, to emotional, to where one might live. The pictures are a rollicking good time and made me giggle right out loud. I'm a big fan of celebrating what makes us unique and, goodness knows, grandmothers are some of the most unique among us.

6. Banjo Granny

by Sarah Martin Busse and Jacqueline Briggs Martin

This is the delightful tale of a Granny traveling with her Banjo to be with her grandson, Owen. It probably has not only my favorite paintings of those listed here, but also the best word pictures. How can you not love a "grandbaby, who goes wiggly, jiggly, all-around giggly and tip over tumble for bluegrass music?"

7. In Grandmother's Arms

by Jayne C. Shelton

This fanciful book is a reflection of reading with Grandmother's and is a summary of the Reading Rainbow song... you know "I can go anywhere, just take a look, it's in a book..." I like how it emphasizes the security and whimsy of reading together, even if it's not the most catchy or interesting of the books with similar themes.

8. My Granny Went to Market: A Roung-the-World Counting Rhyme

by Stella Blackstone and Christopher Corr

This book has child-like art and a fun rhyme of what a traveling Granny might bring back from around the world. This is a fun little read-aloud that I'm sure will be more fun as Jax gets a little older and more familiar with repetition. This would also be fun with a child old enough to use a map or globe to locate the various places the Granny visits. (It's the last of the books I'd actually recommend.)

9. A Day at Gramma's

by Marcia Cate Overstreet

This book has lovely illustrations but was so sappy sweet I was concerned about my upping my son's chances of diabetes. The little story is simple enough, but the prayers on each page in the paintings are a little over the top. Not really one for mass appeal, but a really nice thought none the less.

10. I'm Glad I'm Your Grandma

by Bill & Kathy Horlacher

This is a Christian based Early Reader "Level 1." Each page shows a different Grandma and Grandchild/ren and states times the Granmda is glad she's "your Grandma." It mostly makes me want to write a mean version stating times Grandma's aren't so glad: "When I'm selling my heirlooms to help you make bail..."

11. Granny's Fish Story

by Phyllis LaFarge

This is a cute mini-chapter book about a little girl staying over night with her Granny. The plot is simple and easy to follow, but not very exciting. If you're looking for a nondescript way to burn some time, this book is a good choice. There's probably a good reason the last reprint was 1977.

Do you have a favorite grandparent book? Have any special relationship books you love to share? Got thoughts on any of these books?

No Strangers to Penguins

2010-11-12T22:58:00.004-05:00

They say that penguins in Antarctica are unafraid of humans because they have no natural land predators. You can just walk straight up and interact with them. I think sometimes people feel the same way about pregnant women and folks with babies. I know we all mean well, but it just cracks me up sometimes to think about it. Thus, without further ado, my Top 11 things total strangers say to "Preguinos" and those with a little chick along:

11. When are you due?
(I always wanted to say "They weren't completely sure, but it turns out, like most people in our culture, it was what we now celebrate as my birthday!")

10. It's a boy. I can tell.
(Seriously? You have vision that pierces my abdomen? You can sense my unborn chid's DNA? Or, like any good fortune teller, you're going with the 51% chance that puts statistics in your favor.)

9. It's a girl. I can tell.
(Ummmm you were wrong... or my child had some really sneaky surgery.)

8. You'll stop throwing up once... you hit 12 weeks/you really WANT to be pregnant/ you get to the third trimester/you buy those magic beans/you stop listening to strangers' advice.
(Turns out what works really well for me? Giving birth.)

7. You have put on so much weight!
(Thanks! That was a total of six pounds. SIX. 6. He weighed almost 8 when he was born. You do the math.)

6. He is so big for his age!
(Well, he's stayed pretty close to the 50th percentile for length and 25th for weight...)

5. He is so tiny for his age!
(See above, but, seriously, I frequently get both comments within minutes of each other. Perhaps I have a baby in a state of flux, but really, people just stink at eye-balling what's "normal.")

4. Is he yours?
(Nope, he's a loaner for my Home Ec. Class...)

3. He looks just like you!
(Again, within minutes of the previous comment, or, in ironic back peddling, from the SAME person. I know this is supposed to be a compliment, but I always think to myself what the reverse means: "Hey, you look a lot like nine month old little boy..." Thanks, I think?)

2. You're doing X wrong.
(This is my favorite. The out of the blue disapproval without correction. As in: "You shouldn't burp your baby like that!" No, "Hey, I see you have a lovely child, I just read this article..." or "I can tell you really care about your child, a better way to try that might be..." Or just "Mind your own stinkin' business unless I'm about to do something that places my child, or someone else in extreme danger!"

1. Touching.
(Not technically saying anything, just the blatant walk up and rub the belly/pat the child's head/surprise hug attack. All are quite welcome from friends, and sort of ok if the stranger asks... but it is seriously bizarre that folks do this. You can also immediately have a conversation with the "Toucher" about how scary "Strangers" are and how we can never never feel our children are safe. Oh the beauties of "Us" vs. "Them" logic. "Strangers" are dangerous people not involved in THIS situation. Or, possibly, the crazy person who just touched my child. Ummm, Mrs. Stranger? That would be you.

I love that life makes me laugh. I enjoy being an extrovert because it means I get to have more of these entertaining moments. Maybe I just look approachable? The great news is that I get to savor every moment of oddness without feeling too uncomfortable or weird. Just like plenty of early Antarctic explorers ate the penguins and the current penguins don't seem to care; I'll continue to be amused by the random acts and words of well-meaning strangers.

What's your favorite stranger moment? What things have you walked up to a complete stranger to say?

Passions of the Penguinos

2010-11-11T23:24:00.000-05:00

Tonight I spoke to a college class about child maltreatment. It is a subject I know all to well from an academic and professional standpoint. After two hours of textbook and lecture, the questions the students had weren't about how to go about reporting, or what was this type of abuse most likely to cause. They were all about how I got into social work. Would I do it again? Could I do that sort of thing now that I'm a Mom. They saw my passion... well, that and my scary stories and wild gesticulations...

It was rather surreal to step back and examine my life through their eyes. To tell them I believe people have a calling. That life is so much better when you are passionate about what you do.

When I got home, I took one more step back. I meant "work" at the time. As in, you ought to feel that way about your career. I want it to be true about the rest of my life as well. Life is so much better when you're passionate about what you do.

My husband and I did one of those family workshop type things a while back where you are supposed to define your family "mission statement." The final step of the instructions was to narrow it down and be as specific as possible. While other couples had "narrowed" things down to top ten type lists, our was two words. They are our words to live by, and I hope they will be for Jax as well.

Live Passionately.

Wings? Flippers? Who Cares? He's Clapping!

2010-11-10T23:29:00.000-05:00

This morning was one of those "Yay!" moments that will be forever etched in my mind. We'd gotten up, gone to the potty, and returned to bed for some snuggling/nursing/pretending we're going back to sleep time. Jax was mostly staring around at the fan and the ceiling but then furrowed his brow. You could just sense that something monumental was about to occur.

He looked at his right hand and then his left. He concentrated and appeared to summon the Force. There was a moment that lasted an eternity where he appeared to be showing the size of the fish he had caught... slowly making it appear slightly larger. Then WHAP! he smashed his open palms together. He stared at them in amazement and bewilderment. He paused. He did it again. He looked at me as the smile inched across his face.

I giggled. "Yay! You clapped!" I squeeled and proceeded to clap loudly and quickly. He gave me a look which is the infant equivalent of eye rolling, as if to say "Wow, you've been doing it for almost thirty years and THAT'S as good as you've gotten?!" He then proceeded to clap several more times; comically enough, at the same speed you clap as an insult: about once every two seconds.

Throughout the day he repeated this new stunt... until we tried to show Daddy... this brought on some rousing games of whack-the-table and laugh-at-the-silly-parents and four-fang-vampire-baby-impersonations... but no clapping.

Finally, when we weren't really watching, he did it. We both whipped 'round to see him and started clapping and cheering wildly with praise. This had the effect of pretty much scaring the poo out of him (well, not literally, but if it had you could check out my EC post). Luckily, being the persistant little genius that he is, he repeated his performance for several Mommy friends and after several rousing, if simplistic songs.

These are the Magic Mommy Moments for which I live. These things that I never knew how much I'd appreciate. If you'd asked me yesterday if my son could clap, I'd have told you he tries with little fists. I wouldn't have really thought it would be a milestone that might change over night. Even if I had, I would not have thought the experience would be a joyful revelation of my humanity. I longed for moments like these, I yearned to hold this child, I suffered and bled and puked for him. This is why.

What moments changed your perspective? What little things have brought you great joy?

Not Guilty! Dealing with Mommy Guilt

2010-11-09T23:19:00.000-05:00

When it comes to the issue of "Mommy Guilt" (or Daddy guilt.. or heck, just most random guilt in general...) I wish I could say that I was either

A. The mythological perfect mother who never has or does anything about which to feel guilty.
or
B. the equally mythological mother who always forgives herself. (I was going to put "mother who never feels guilt" and realized that pretty much would make her a psycho... hmmm)

In truth, I'm really good at feeling guilty. Over big stuff, over little stuff, over medium stuff, you name it, I can pretty much feel guilty about it. The trouble, I think, is not whether or not I feel guilty, but whether or not this guilt is productive. If guilt that I am not eating as well as I should while breast feeding compels me to make wiser choices, than it's probably not all bad. If, on the other hand, that same guilt drives me to a feeding frenzy of circus peanuts and soda, it's probably not so great.

Ironic though they may be, my "favorite" guilt trips (when I take a stop back) are those that are due to me finding some sort of middle ground. Really, these are areas where I'm probably doing things in a way that will make me most happy when looking back to reflect. Well, without further ado, because I love Top 11 lists so much, here are my current top 11 random Mommy Guilt Trips.

11. I'm not feeding my son all the recommended things to constitute a well balanced diet and expand his palate.

10. I'm trying to feed my son to wide a variety and quantity of foods and not focusing on letting him continue to respond to his body's natural ability by allowing him nurse and eat on cue/just until he is full.

9. I am not documenting and sharing my son's life as well as I could be with the far flung people who care about us.

8. I'm putting so much of his life online that he'll never be able to choose to go "Off the Grid" even if he wants to.

9. I don't even own a TV, tune out of most of the news, and don't subscribe to a newspaper, so my son may just have to be culturally illiterate.

8. How much screen time does a household with an iPhone, iPad, iMac, and MacBook get? Too much.

7. My son is going to get some horrible disease from French Kissing our dogs.

6. my son is not learning to interact in appropriate ways with the pets because they are forbidden to play together.

5. Dragging my son on "play dates" mostly for myself where I get my extrovert on and he has to be strapped into the ::in my best movie trailer voice:: Cursed Car Seat of Dooooooom! in a lonely back seat on the way there and back is just mean.

4. I am not getting my son enough opportunities to experience a multitude of adult and child interactions and learn appropriate behavior through hands-on situations.

3. I am trying to do too much "educational" stuff with my son rather than helping him enjoy life through open ended play.

2. I'm missing a critical opportunity for interaction when I just put him in the Jumperoo for 20 minutes so I can get online.

1. I worry to much. I worry too little. I try to do too much. I don't do enough...

Luckily, on of the best things my own amazing mother taught me to say (besides pronouncing abcadefkeejeckylmenoxerstuwitzes and Doshis Allee Expeditious Fragi Cali Rufus) is the all important phrase "I forgive me." See, turns out I'm really good at seeing past other people's mistakes and forgiving them, but forgiving me? Now that's where I have the issue. So, my take-away? Forgive and forget, remembering that over-all I'm doing a pretty ok job. What I can't let go, I'll let motivate me in positive ways.

About what things do you feel random guilt? How do you use your powers of guilt for good rather than evil? (Sorry, had a super-hero moment.)

Top 11 Things I Didn't Know I Didn't Know: Pregnancy and Infancy

2010-11-08T23:07:00.000-05:00

There are some things you don't know because you don't want to know, and some you don't know because you don't ask, and some you don't know because you don't know to ask. Today's post is the last group. Stuff about which I'd never thought enough, to know I didn't know about pregnancy, and having an infant.

11. Your belly button might not pop out. Even if you really really want it to. Seriously, only 80% or so of ladies have this happen. No one told me it might not, until way into the pregnancy and by then it was this lovely thing I'd been promising my puking self. I was SERIOUSLY disappointed. Stretch marks? Of course. Cute pop-when-the-turkey's-done belly button? Nope.

10. People will be shocked and horrified if you don't want to know the sex. Now, you can't really tell from this costume either, yes I had friends who looked REALLY closely. All during pregnancy I had complete strangers say things like "That's just selfish! How will you shop? How can you be prepared?" I think I'd have to go with "The same way everyone in the history of the world did it before the last forty years or so." Besides, should it really matter whether an infant has indoor or outdoor plumbing? I like Garfunkel and Oates' take on it, personally:

9. There are options between bronzing and/or eating the placenta and pretending it doesn't exist by having it disposed of as medical waste. Not that I judge any of the above options, or think it really matters if you bury it under a special tree or grind it into pill form to treat post partem depression (seriously, you should check out the research on that... pretty cool!) In our case, I got to see it, poke at it, save it in some tupperware and donate it to a search and rescue group. It turns out human tissue is a tricky thing to get and one placenta can train a rescue dog for almost a year. Here's the group: ATSAR.

8. When a baby loses the umbilical cord stump, they might actually LOSE it. Seriously, one diaper change it was there, the next it was gone. My grandmother suggested we check his pockets; "Little boys are always sticking strange things in those." No such luck. I was gonna be a big nerd and save it for the scrap book. FAIL.

7. Your siblings will have super strong reactions to your child. OK, it sounds silly, but I was expecting my husband to react with immediate and strong attachment, I saw it coming in my parents, but witnessing my baby brother trash talk my newborn while in complete worshipful adoration was a transormative experience. This amazing photograph was taken by professional photographer Anne Almasy, who attended Jax' birth and wrote about it. She and her very talented husband make up the infamous team "Dan & Anne" and are also Jax' Godparents.

6. Sleeping "through the night" is defined as a six hour stretch. Not that Jax has been interested in a stretch that long since he was a couple months old, but really, six hours is technically the mystical number about which everyone is so excited. Many older babies can, and do sleep for this and even longer stretches, like 12 hours. However, I would be remiss if I didn't warn you to be concerned if a very young infant is going this long without eating. We're talking tiny tummies that need frequent feedings. FYI, it's also perfectly normal to have a child who wakes up for comfort or to nurse well into the first year.

5. Newborns poop pretty much every time they eat; tiny, seedy, poops. I had never known this happened. I'd worked with older babies, but this was pretty bizarre to me. FYI, because we're on the topic, breast milk poop does not have a "pleasant" odor. Sure, it smells less than formula poo, and way better than a variety of poo from solids, but anyone who tells you any poo has a pleasant odor is just silly, or nasally challenged. (And remember that to smell something, you have to breath in tiny bits of it... mmmmmm poop).

4. Somewhere around 8 weeks babies go from pooing after pretty much every feeding, to not pooing for long stretches. Like, a week, or in the case of Jax, 10 days. The tiny little digestive track slowly but surely improves and suddenly absorbs pretty much everything. No one lets moms in on this little secret, which can lead to a pretty serious freak out. Just sayin' I wish I'd had the heads up.

3. Just like wedding dresses and maternity clothing, baby clothes sizing is just a silly and random number placed in the lining to confuse new moms. Gerber generally runs small, Carter's seems shorter and wider, Children's Place seems made for children who morph randomly from big to small and back. At the rate children spurt through sizes it shouldn't really matter, but it's sad to never really know what will fit until you try it on. Jax currently can wear several 3 month size shirts... but anything with footies has to be 12-18 months... go figure, and good luck!

2. If you're going to do something every day/every month, etc. make it as simple as possible. Sounds dumb, but as someone who has tracked every feeding and diaper for going on ten months, has stayed up super late the night before a monthly birthday for a photo shoot on an assembled mat with corresponding block props, and still feels REALLY guilty about three days of his life that lack a single picture, I'm telling you to just let it go, and Keep It Simple Slacker (Slacker, 'cause now no matter what you'll feel like you shoulda lived up to my awesomeness)

1. Pregnancy Brain and Mommy Brain are myths. Yep, turns out that despite consistent self-reports, pregnant moms and new moms actually score the same, or BETTER than control groups on a variety of measures. Forgot to recommend it in my reading post, but for a full on fascinating explanation, check out:

The Mommy Brain: How Motherhood Makes Us Smarter
by Katherine Ellison

What other things do you wish someone had told you? What totally caught you off guard? What did you think was going to happen, but didn't?

Jax' Snacks: Num Num Nummies Recipe Using "Baby Food"

2010-11-07T19:31:00.001-05:00

We didn't start solid's 'till well into Jax' sixth month, and by then, he was all about self-feeding. We had a LOT of baby foods given to us and he was not really impressed with letting someone else spoon feed. So, I've been using baby foods in a variety of other ways.

The fruits go into yummy spreads or smoothies (it's just pureed fruits after all). They also go into lots of sweets recipes replacing one egg with about a half a jar (2 ounces) of baby food... which means your cookie dough or cake batter is now salmonella free and oh-so-edible. The veggies go into sauces, casseroles and patties. I find that things that are fried take a little less one egg with about a quarter jar (1 ounce) of baby food, with baked goods using the above ratio.

After tweaking a recipe (from a website I cannot remember or find, I hate not giving credit!), I have come up with my son's new favorite way to consume "baby food." I call them "Num Num Nummies" which is a bizarre amalgamation from yummy and Nom Nom Nom. I realize this means an entire group of breast feeding children will be very confused... but you could just call them "Jax' Snacks" and be OK. The other cool thing I can tell you about this recipe, as a social worker, is that baby food and baby cereal are often a part of WIC packages for low-income mothers and babies who are part of that awesome government nutrition program.

Ingredients

8 ounces of baby food (2 Jars) in just about any flavor (Jax really likes sweet potato)
1 cup of infant cereal (Jax is a big fan of barley) or another flour type
1 cup flour (The gluten makes it sticky, but I haven't experimented)
2 teaspoons baking powder (this is to make it rise... again, I'm sure you could use something with similar properties).

Dump all the goodness into a bowl and stir until it starts to be one big ball. My batch looked like this:

So I added more, flour (about 1/4 cup), until it looked like this:

Then lump the whole thing onto a greased cookie sheet and dump a little flour on top so it won't be sticky (you could also roll it out, but I'm all about easy clean-up).

Using the flour and your hands, (or a big spoon if the goo thing weirds you out), smush it until it's about a half inch thick all over.

Find a long, thin, flat, greased implement to score the dough into half inch strips all the way across. Basically you're pre-cutting it by pushing something down to the pan. (I sometimes use a butcher knife, the edge of a thin cutting board)

Then score the other direction creating squares. (I gave up and used a spatula this time since I couldn't find either of my preferred tools).

Should look something like this before popping in the oven at 375 degrees Fahrenheit for about 10 minutes (Feel free to pull it out sooner if the edges look like they're getting much darker than the rest).

The bottom should be firm and look bubbly.

Tear apart using your handy dandy pre-cut guidelines and VOILA! Jax' snacks way cheaper than puffs. (The above pictures are from the sweet potato barley version... the below shot and action shots of Jax eating are carrot barley... in case you were wondering about the color difference)

Do you have a great use for baby foods? Got a great recipe for folks on WIC? Brilliant tweaks to this recipe?

Rookery Reading: 11 Parenting Books Better Than "What to Expect"

2010-11-06T21:06:00.000-04:00

I love to read. I want my son to love to read. Not just stories and fiction: I'm an infoholic... I can't get enough information on anything. So, besides the topics I've covered thus far, on of the things other expectant or new moms ask is if I can recommend any good books. Short answer: Yes! Long answer: I've read probably close to a hundred-a hundred and fifty books on pregnancy and parenting outside of my Master's degree in Social Work with Children and Families. Most of them are helpful, but not that exciting or different from the rest. (I will resist the urge to rant against "What to Expect When You're Expecting." My one note is that it tends to scare the crap out of expectant Mom's and isn't all that accurate.)

This is just my short list, I'm sure there will be another whole post on the topic at some point, but, for now, here are a few recommended reads linked to amazon dot com. (I don't get a commission or anything, and I tend to be a library junkie to feed my infoholic needs, but giving the link at least gets you to a page with the ISBN and what not).

If you're looking for something informative and/or pregnancy related that will make you laugh... which is secretly WAY more important than discussing changes in hair follicles, I recommend checking out:

Belly Laughs
by Jenny McCarthy

I love this one because it's got super short chapters so you feel like you're getting somewhere, and it stays really light hearted. I don't agree with everything she does/says, but it's a nice, informative, read.

Sippy Cups Are Not for Chardonnay: And Other Things I Had to Learn as a New Mom
by Stefanie Wilder-Taylor

This just had me laughing outloud and reading whole portions to complete strangers. By far the funniest short honest look at becoming a mom I read the whole time I was pregnant.

If you're still in need of a giggle, along with some quite practical type tips, my husband and I really enjoyed:

The Worst-Case Scenario Survival Handbook: Parenting
by Joshua Piven, David Borgenict, and Sarah Jordan

If you're looking for one of the best books on natural child birth, I send folks to check out:

Husband-Coached Childbirth: The Bradley Method of Natural Childbirth
by Robert A. Bradley, Marjie Hathaway, Jay Hathaway, and James Hathaway

(Of course, you should probably know that I was Bradley baby, my parents were Bradley instructors, and this was the method we used with Jax...) Disclaimer aside, it is a good basic look at the philosophies behind low/no intervention birth.

When thinking about parenting philosophy, I felt like it was important to find out what research had to say, and make sure I wasn't just assuming my cultural norms were best because, well, I saw them as norms.

Our Babies, Ourselves: How Biology and Culture Shape the Way We Parent
by Meredith F. Small

Looks at humans and how we best function. It delves into some great research on things like breastfeeding and co-sleeping. I love that it looks at both research and anthropology. But, if you're really into anthropology, I cannot reccomend enough:

A World of Babies: Imagined Childcare Guides for Seven Societies
by Judy S. DeLoache and Alma Gottlieb

This book was an absolute delight. Written by a psychologist and an anthropologist who wrote "Dr. Spock" like guides from the perspective of other cultures. Very insightful things that make you reconsider why we do what we do. For example, if you lived in an African tribe you might feel the need to give your child daily enemas... it's the right and healthy thing to do! Really good for opening one's mind and rethinking one's Western ways without feeling judged.

After checking out the research on co-sleeping I was really intrigued, but still quite fearful, this book looks at not only the benefits of sleep sharing, but how it effects children and families in the long term:

Good Nights
by Maria Goodavage and Dr. Jay Gordon

And, because my greatest fear as a new parent was SIDS, I would be remiss if I did not share with you the book that helped me calm WAY down by feeling like there were things I could do to at least lower my risk:

SIDS
by William Sears, M.D.

Although I admit I did not actually read it cover to cover, the best and most comprehensive resource on breastfeeding has just been updated in a new edition:

The Womanly Art of Breastfeeding
by La Leche League International

Although I try to avoid bringing up religion, or at least getting preachy, I had several friends who asked if I could recommend something with a Christian perspective:

The Complete Book of Christian Parenting and Child Care: A Medical and Moral Guide to Raising Happy Healthy Children
by William Sears and Martha Sears

And, last but not least, just when you think you've got things about figured out, a book to shake your assumptions to your core, but leave you much better informed:

Nurture Shock: New Thinking About Children
by Po Bronson and Ashley Merryman

Is there another topic for which you wish you had a good book reccomendation? Got other great books you always recommend to new parents? Post them in the comments below!

Shameless Self Promotion: Super Babies

2010-11-05T23:35:00.003-04:00

A couple of months ago I was honored to get to participate in the 2nd Ignite Atlanta. Ignite has the awesome slogan "Enlighten us, but make it quick." I was honored to be chosen to present after submitting this blurb:

Super Babies: The Super Powers of Babies (and how to exploit them)

"Control your breathing? Make your core temperature drop? Why yes, a baby can do that! Luckily, they also have their weaknesses... like being obligate nose breathers. Explore the world of the infant with new eyes and learn how to enjoy, engage, and exploit... I mean "enhance" the people who will be paying for your retirement."

So, what in the video intrigues you? About which parts would you like to hear more? Anything you'd like me to flesh out into a whole post? Let me know in the comments!

P.S. Yes I waited 'till 11pm to start writing today's post so it's a short cop-out, but I forgive me ;)

Dating Again? or Playing Nice

2010-11-04T23:58:00.001-04:00

Earlier this week I wrote a post about how I found my Mommy Tribe and how important it was for me to have one. I thought I'd write a follow-up post about what it's been like to build and maintain those relationships. First off, lets just say that these relationships are just like all other human relationships. They aren't perfect, but if you put in the effort you'll generally be rewarded.

There are four basic social interactions I typically have with my Mommy Tribe; Formal Groups, Informal Groups, One on One, and Online. Each has their benefits and limitations, and each has been an important component for me.

Formal Groups are things like La Leche League and Diaper Free Babies meetings or a local library story time. Typically you can find them online, or advertised where they take place. You can expect to meet folks with the obvious common interest, and, that often means children of a close age. Expect someone to act as a leader and there to be formal time followed by more casual interactions. If you're cruising for other, like-minded parents, this is a great way to meet and, you already have something in common. A great next step is to exchange e-mails or at least full names to hook up online, often on social networking sites.

Often times you'll transition from the formal group to an Informal Group. This would be the group headed out for coffee after the meeting, or the play date at the playground Tuesday morning. This is where the temptation is often to lapse into high school mode. Suddenly there's the question of who is invited and who isn't. There's the awkwardness of trying to initiate conversation with a group you've just discovered. Here's my tip. Be friendly. Say "hi" and if you're the one inviting, be obvious about inviting everyone within ear shot. (If, for example, you're just trying to set up a private play date at your house, a more discreet e-mail or online invite may be the way to go.)

If you'd like to kick it up a notch to the One on One parent dating, it's best to get to know someone in the above situations first. Sure, everyone loves a "Bestie" but it is more awkward to put some hard work into a relationship and realize you just don't "click." I'm a huge extrovert so I don't think twice about approaching just about anyone, particularly in obvious parent centric settings like story time or the park. My fear is becoming the Mom in this video.

The video purports to by why the author doesn't have any "Mom Friends." I disagree with that basic premise. Not all Mom's are in a super competition or are trying to constantly convert you. Hopefully, it makes you laugh a little and not take yourself so seriously. Sure, I'm crispy, if not all the way "crunchy" but there's a fine line between sharing what you know when someone asks and lecturing someone on how you think things SHOULD be. (That's what blogs like this are for right?) The above video is about the quickest way to become what I like to call THAT Mom. The kind everyone politely acknowledges at the formal meeting, but who is mysteriously missing from most online and informal group interactions. (I realize this could also be a dude, I've tried to be fairly gender neutral, so, in the spirit of fairness, it's wise to also not be THAT dude or THAT Grandparent, or THAT Dad, or THAT anyone).

While I'm on the topic of scaring the other parents away, here's my suggestion of topics to avoid on first dates, and when you're just getting to know a new parent. The same way bringing up your exes or delving into highly political or religious topics right off the bat are generally a bad idea when on a romantic date, there are hot button topics I wouldn't jump into right away. Some of them I didn't even know existed before I was a Mom.

1. Cloth vs. Disposables (Unless they ask, you're not going to convert them right there).
2. Vaccinations (You would not believe how upset folks on both sides of this get and, again, unless you've got some in your bag that you're planning to sell and use right there, probably not important RIGHT THIS SECOND).
3. Discipline (Sure, you should prevent someone from beating a child, but this is often a deeply complicated issue that's tied to a value system not easily changed.)
4. Food Allergies, Starting Solids, Organics, etc. (You never know where this will go, folks will swear you're nuts, or poisoning your children, or your annoyance with peanut restrictions will be directed at the poor Dad who's been to ER six times in the last year).
5. Formula/Breast Feeding/Supplementing (See my last post, this is a hot mess topic).
6. TV/Early Education (This again tends to be a value based judgement call. You might be neglecting and stunting your child by not showing them the all important Mac Your Bebe smArt DVD, or your giving your child ADHD by letting them know screens exist, or, well, you get the idea).
7. Pacifiers/Thumb Sucking (Seriously, this is one of the most judgemental topics I've ever heard that I would have never believed).
8. Car Seats (Brands, which way to face and when, who inspects them and how often).
9. Family Planning (I have no idea why this is so common a topic, but, again, it's personal and often tied to values and religious beliefs. Plus, do we really want to talk about sex using silly euphemisms in front of our children? Really?).
10. The Evils of Anything (plastic, clothing, dinosaurs, salt...)

Sure, these are all important to raising your child, and you'll probably want to find like-minded folks who share your values, but these are often also issues about which people, and parents in particular, feel very strongly. So, when first meeting and getting to know folks, stick to the stuff at hand, and try to keep it positive. No one likes to be around a Debbie Downer... unless she's REALLY funny.

Finally, there's the world of online interaction. My big tip is to remember that not everyone cares about everything you do... unless you're me. Just kidding. Seriously though, while it's fine to share and post and comment to your heart's content, don't be offended or sad if someone didn't see everything you did, or isn't up to date on your blog, or didn't give you feedback on the new sweater Jr. was wearing. We're talking about crazy busy parents who often use the online world as a vent and escape hatch. Just like the rest of life, be the pal you'd want to have. Do comment on their posts or give the virtual ((hugs)), but don't get all crazy stalker. (See THAT Mom above).

So, summing it all up: it's totally way too much like dating, but in a bizarre high school like world. There will be people you like, and people you don't. That's ok, but try to be nice, or at least tolerant, to everyone. Be prepared to say sorry when you hurt someone's feelings, and be ready to stand up for what you believe in. You're likely to get some great friends and have a lot of fun along the way.

P.S. Since Jax is still a bit young to play much yet at play dates, I'll post again when he's more involved in the active process.

That Penguin's Lactating!?

2010-11-03T23:37:00.002-04:00

I started to write a post about my experience with breastfeeding, and, I will, but this is not it. This post will probably offend people I wouldn't like to offend, but I feel like I keep getting asked, so I'll share. See, it turns out that just doing something all mammals do to survive is a HUGELY controversial topic. Everything about it seems to stir up a hot mess. So, this post is just my back peddling way of getting to the topic... if you just want my happy story, you'll have to wait for the next post. Before you go worrying that I'm all judgy, let me just say yes, I am... I hope not as badly as I could be. These are just my personal opinions, and I'm hardly an expert.

Every drop of breast milk a baby gets is a WIN! Not only that, but I'm super glad formula exists that works really well. Any other time in history the option was get breast milk or die. Although I may not be a big fan of formula, I'm a huge fan of babies not dying. Sinister marketing causing devastation among those living in poverty and costing industrialized nations billions in unnecessary costs? Sure, but still better than nothing, or sips of water, or cow's milk.

Let me just jump right into the controversy. Breast is not best. Yep, you read that right. Breast is not best. Breast is normal. The same way eating food through your mouth is not "best." You CAN eat through an IV or a tube through the side of your abdomen... but people generally agree that through the mouth is the way to go. So common is this agreement, that you have to stop for a second to come up with another way to do things. Generally, you only use those ways to get nutrients if you literally cannot do it through your mouth. That's my short story on breastfeeding. We, as a culture, should have to stop and think for a second, then look up and go "Hey, if you didn't have breast milk, what else could you use?"

Disclaimer 1: Some people cannot breastfeed. If the Mom dies, or no longer has tissue in her breasts, or the child is adopted, it is a great deal harder within our culture to get that child breast milk. Stimulating lactation in a person who has not recently given birth is pretty tricky. More importantly, we stopped nursing each others' children somewhere along with the invention of formula/when we stopped living with each other/when we viewed wet nursing as servant's work. Pick your poison on that one.

Lets say you'd like just the milk? To get breast milk from a breast milk bank is pricey... like $3 an ounce if you've got the prescription. Oh, and that milk has to be processed like cow's milk... as in a bunch of the good stuff is killed off so you don't get contaminated. Or, if you're more adventurous you can buy it in most states privately online for closer to $1 an ounce, but that's still pretty steep. Not to mention the weirdness factor for buyers, much less sellers. (The sites generally have disclaimers about stating if you're willing to sell your milk to folks not using it for feeding infants... we'll just hope that means cancer patients.) If you're really lucky, you'll have someone donate for you. But how does one offer? How does one ask? Of course, getting someone's breast milk at all in our litigious society means dealing with trusting someone else's body and taking on the responsibility of nourishing someone else's child. Just donating to a breast milk bank means going through a litany of tests and a comprehensive application process; all for a woman with a small child of her own.

Disclaimer 2: Our culture is full of "booby traps" that make it really hard for women who want to breast feed to do so successfully. There has been much written on the topic, but lets just summarize with a few thoughts.

First, formula is BIG money. You have to buy it, so someone is making money from that sale. If you use formula, you're likely to have a pretty strong brand loyalty since switching stirs up a hot mess of digestive issues. (Lets just say beetle bits are a pretty strong reason). So, if you're making your livelihood by selling formula, it is vitally important that you get folks to choose your brand ASAP. Hence marketing tactics like "gift bags" from the hospital. Seems nice enough, but if the formula is right there in your house when you hit the rough exhausted spot, it's crazy easy to give up and switch. I can hear a well-meaning Daddy's simple logic "You are SOO exhausted, just let me feed him over night so you can get some rest." Are formula companies evil? No. Are they in it for the cash? Of course.

Secondly, we tend to paint breast feeding as either super easy and natural or extremely difficult and/or painful. Really, like most things, it's not that simple. If, however, you believe either end of the spectrum, it's likely you'll be a little shocked to find out that it isn't true. Cognitive dissonance is a real kicker. It is also tricky to figure out how to get help. I, for example, thought everything was great but still requested a lactation consult. They don't do weekends so we got the quicky visit before checking out, if I hadn't begged the doctor who told me to supplement to use breast milk we'd have never been referred back to get that help. (I don't know where I thought I'd be getting that breast milk to use to supplement: see above). Furthermore, I hadn't yet been to a La Leche League meeting and, I know for those less extroverted than myself, the idea of walking into a room full of strangers to ask for help that might involve flashing your boobs, is more than a little intimidating.

Next, there's the issue of nursing covers. Because our culture has turned breasts into highly valued sex objects, it is difficult, if not impossible to view them as a purely functional baby feeding apparatus. Nor do I feel we should. I, personally, like the idea of being able to use my body for both sexual things and functional things. The trick comes in convincing folks that this is ok. Or even that viewing them as functional at all is ok. For some reason, our culture has decided that since boobs are sexy, any time we see them it means SEX. It wouldn't be so funny if we also treated bottles and nipples with the same fear and power.

*warning, mini rant*
I mean, really, which is weirder: me getting all animal planet and nursing my son or someone whipping out a rubber sex toy and shoving it into their child's mouth. You know, the artificial nipple it is OK to us in public? If babies eating offends you, I can understand, but you can't say one is ok but that the other is offensive... well you can, but you just sound silly.
*ok, I feel better*

Then, all that being said, we get to the idea of a nursing cover. Here I have a great deal of ambivalence. I own, and use, several, generally around people I know well and would feel weird if they saw under my shirt, not just the nipple, but my side and back. I figure strangers in public are fine, and, it's my body and my issue. On the other side, I know from research that women who use nursing covers are more likely to wean earlier and not meet their own nursing goals. I should note that I grew up in a really modest subculture. We're talking I feel guilty wearing tank tops or shorts that don't hit my knees kind of modest. While I wish it weren't true, nursing without a cover makes people about whom I care deeply VERY uncomfortable. They love me and they support me nursing my son, but it is a big stumbling block for them. It seems ironic that it is actually sexuality that makes this group uncomfortable when the act taking place is pretty much the least sexual thing I can imagine. Further irony, to me, is that WAY more people notice I'm nursing when I whip out my backwards super hero cape than when I just cuddle my baby and let him nurse. The nursing cover is the compromise that works for everybody right now.

I also realize that, lactivist though I may be, I cannot single-handedly change culture. I cannot change the fact that when the 17 year old boy at the coffee shop sees me nurse, he thinks "Boobs... oooh I LOVE big boobs!" I can help him learn that they are for babies first and other things second, but that involved initiating a conversation with which I am not comfortable. Furthermore, I cannot however get past how I feel about his sexualization of me and my baby (Yet!). So, if you feel you're more comfortable with a cover and it keeps you nursing, awesome. Do I think we ought to feel a nursing mother needs one? No.

Finally, we get to the struggle of women who need to pump. I didn't have to do it long, but I HATED it. I felt like a cow. I hated how detached it felt. I hated keeping track of every milliliter. For most women who work, maternity leave is six weeks. God forbid you're on bed rest for a week or two before the baby is born and need to return to work after just a few weeks of nursing. You're trying to keep up supply and balance your life while leaving your tiny infant in the care of someone else. Then, at work, finding a time and a place to nurse. Sure the legislation is on your side, but often it requires you being a pioneer and your own advocate. I cannot imagine the struggle. I could never blame a woman who, after giving her all, could not manage to do it.

In fact, that's my summary. I can't imagine blaming any individual woman for her choice of if and when to breastfeed. Again, every drop of breast milk is a win. All that being said, our society and culture have some serious issues. We are getting very high rates of women who intend to and even initiate breastfeeding, but still don't meet their own stated goals. We have women in third world countries who give their babies formula because they saw TV that said it was better; even when the formula they can afford to use is, by necessity, heavily diluted and mixed with filthy water. We've somehow convinced our culture that "Breast is best" yet are horrified when we see a child beyond a few months nursing despite research showin us that there are important nutritional benefits your toddler cannot get anywhere else (WHO and AAP are both saying through two years).

Long story short, if you know someone who is thinking about and/or trying to breastfeed, support her for as long as she chooses to do so. If you see her nursing her baby make eye contact and smile as you pass. Breastfeeding is important for all of us and our futures, lets get it together folks!

Discovering the Tribe of the Penguina

2010-11-02T19:05:00.000-04:00

I was lucky to meet my husband in college. We were in a self-contained environment that made becoming friends, and dating, simple. Life after college is not so easy. Even after getting married, you find yourself trying to find friends. You have friends who are still unmarried and/or in and out of relationships but you also want friends who are going through the same things in life that you are. You start doing what I like to call "couples dating." You know, where you and your significant other spend time with other folks who are also paired up. You don't ditch your old friends, you just add new groups. Sometimes friends transition into the couples group, or, sadly, back out, but it is helpful to have a mirror to reflect who you are as an individual and as a couple. I'm sure these norms will be true of my parenting relationships as well.

I was rather shocked to find myself going through all this yet AGAIN when I had a baby. I was bound and determined not to be one of THOSE couples that disappeared with the baby only to surface again at a random PTA meeting when their child was in third grade. I didn't want to stop being friends or spending time with them just because our lives had gone through a dramatic shift. Nor should I have to. But, just like couples dating, it turned out I needed something different. I didn't want to scare some uninterested young woman by telling her how awesome my placenta looked and how I was giving it to a search and rescue program 'cuz human organs are hard to come by. I needed people I could ask if it was normal that I felt really conflicted about my breasts being both sexual and udders. While I trusted my friends (both single and coupled) to be there for me, I realized it was ok to seek something beyond what I currently had. I wasn't sure what it was or that I even really needed it, but I was at least sort of aware that I wanted an additional form of support.

There are plenty of ways to go about finding supportive people in your life. When trying to conceive I need online support, people who were there when I wanted and needed them, but who didn't "really" have to exist for me. I could celebrate the joy of their positive pregnancy test without having to endure a baby shower or see them every day. I found that with Jax I needed to get out of the house and into a very real place. I needed to see and talk to actual physical people and have a reason to comb my hair, even if I wasn't going to manage a shower. My son wasn't old enough to see beyond my arms, but I needed a play date. A chance to sit with someone and just shoot the breeze about all this bizarre baby stuff in my life. I really needed a Mommy Tribe.

For me, it happened at my first La Leche League meeting. Yeah, I learned about breastfeeding, and it was really neat and great and all that… but it was the few minutes after the meeting when these ladies really got to talking that I knew. I mean, what sort of crazy people consider Sci-Fi inspired names for their children? Or homeschool AND go to Dragon*Con? My people. I knew it when a woman I had just met looked across the table at me when I cracked some Über nerd pun and said "You've found your tribe!" It was true. I got in my car and I wept. It is a bizarre and spiritual thing to find something you didn't know you needed so profoundly. (Before you get too excited, I'd also like to note that I was about three weeks post partum, insanely hormonal, and had just found a parking ticket on the windshield of my car).

Finding my Mommy Tribe was a transformative experience. Here they were, like minded people who are raising their children with the same basic core values I hold dear. In my case, they happen to be pretty much exclusively women… which is not really surprising considering I met most of them through a La Leche League meeting. They are not, however, the homogenous group one might expect. Often, when I describe a basic group of breastfeeding cloth diapering mama's people picture either a group of crazy hippies or ultra conservative nuts. I would say my Mommy Tribe has both and they are really the more awesome for it. That's what I need. My husband told me it sounded like my Mommy Tribe was the start to a really great joke: "A Pagan, a Catholic, a Mormon, and a Seventh-Day Adventist walk into a room…" and the diversity goes way beyond that to matters of intimacy and lifestyle choice. Why am I telling you this? Because I want to surround myself with people who are like me in the ways that are important to nurturing who I want to become, but different enough to stimulate my thoughts, to make me stand up for what I believe, to be accepting and tolerant, to see the world through another prism. I want my son to grow up around people who encourage him to be his best, to know why he believes what he believes, and who love him for who he is no matter what. That's what I've found in my Mommy Tribe.

I've got an upcoming post about dealing with the Mommy Tribe relationship, because, like any relationship, it definitely has its ups and downs. I'm also looking for suggestions for posts as this month I'm going for a post a day in honor of NaNoWriMo just type already style efficiencies.

Waddling for Two: Babywearing for Penguinos

2010-11-01T23:58:00.000-04:00

Lets just say that being able to hold Jax and still use both my hands is a wonderful thing. I thought it was a genius idea from the papoose to the shawl. Handsfree baby carrying is possibly one of the greatest inventions of all time. Once we found a carrier that worked for us, we were totally hooked! The awesome thing about babywearing, (besides the closeness, less fussiness, no tired arms, and ability to actually type/fold laundry/use the facilities) is that it makes going out SOOOO much easier.

We tend to be out and about A LOT and I'm always amazed at the hassle through which people go with a stroller. Admittedly I don't own a stroller. I meant to get one, I even registered. We just haven't really needed or wanted one since Jax got here. I just seem to see frazzled Moms dealing with a screaming baby sitting in a car seat while she unfolds the stroller, unstraps the baby and restraps them in, or just clicks the whole car seat onto the stroller. Then there's the pushing it around wherever it is. Strollers need elevators at the mall and don't fair well on Rennasiance Festival terrain. I see the logic of a wagon for a day at the park, but I can't handle all the extra time and stuff involved with a stroller when running errands, particularly when Jax was so little and needed to be held. He still prefers to be close and it's so much quicker to negotiate in and out of a car and through a crowd or store if I'm not taking up the space of a baby walrus. Despite what it may appear, with the right carrier, the weight is on my hips, not back or arms, and I can comfortably carry him all day if need be.

I had this wonderful plan, having read up on the topic and planned to keep him as close to someone as possible for as much time as possible early on. It's good for baby and GREAT for breastfeeding. I even got the fancy shmancy Dr. Sears recommended sling. (I got it at a consignment shop, but still!). Again with all the research and preparation? Yeah, I'm an info-holic. Before you freak out and tell me (as a woman in Target did) "That thing will KILL your baby!" Please read about the difference between the re-called pouch slings and the proper way to use "real" slings. It's another one of those things humans have been doing for thousands of years that actually protects infants by keeping them close and encouraging breastfeeding.

So, back to our story, Jax was born and, while he loved being swaddled and held, he had once again failed to do his home work and had not read up on how much he was supposed to love his sling. He hated the sling AND the Infantino structured carrier I had purchased before he was born. HATED. I was sure I had just been wrong about the whole thing. Maybe babywearing just wasn't that great? Enter the ladies of my local La Leche League group. Besides being really handy when discussing issues of lactation and giggling at toddler hilarity, it turned out they were my Mommy Tribe; my parenting soul mates. There's another whole post about this I'm sure, but long story short, one invited me to a babywearing party. A wha?

Babywearing party. A chance to try on different carriers, have someone wrap you into a piece of cloth and check out how you feel and, all importantly how your BABY likes the various carrier options. AWESOME. Turns out Jax just didn't much care for slings or crotch carrier types like the Bjorn or Infantino where his legs dangle. I hadn't realized there were other options even out there!

What he did like was the Asian style Mei Tai and the soft structured variations. (Despite my assumption that babies should want to forward face, most prefer to straddle around mama's waist). He also really liked the simple wraps, but I was a little intimidated at first. Even if you just curious about babywearing, I seriously recommend attending or hosting one of these. Just getting to check stuff out in person makes a BIG difference.

Sew, I decided to get cracking' and make him a little something… (get it? Sew instead of So?) I checked out several awesome how-to sites like
http://thosemartins.com/bmt/ and
http://www.thebabywearer.com/lists/Sewing.htm

After reading up I tweaked and modified to make things how I thought Jax and I would like them best; denim (had a bunch of old jeans on hand), wide stripes, pockets, and a hood. I didn't really measure per se but mostly just eye-balled and tried pieces as I went along. If you're interested I've got the parts in a Facebook album and, eventually, I'll post a tutorial here. He did, indeed, love it, as did I.

However, as we live in GA it became quickly apparent that the denim double thick Mei Tai was not going to cut it in the summer months as Jax was always getting hot (and super fussy when hot). I'd also tried on several other carriers and had decided that it would be worth the investment of money I would have put into a stroller to get a really nice, easy to use carrier. I settled on the Ergo and waited patiently (and by "patiently" I mean stalkerishly) for one of the daily deal sites to feature them. I cannot say enough about how incredibly intuitive and easy to use the Ergo is. We literally us it every day.

Once you're hooked on baby wearing, it is sorta hard to resist trying new things. Like this carrier I made and only wore once... but it was a cool idea!

I've also gotten really good at doing a simple wrap carry. I bought 5 yard of muslin at the fabric store and finished the ends. During the hot Georgia summer around the house I'd often wear just the wrap and Jax since it covers more than a tank top and allowed quick and easy cuddles and nursing without overheating. We still do this when he's not feeling well as being skin to skin helps him feel much better.

If you're in the market, for something economical and want to support an awesome WAHM I suggest www.ridewithmama.com because, although I love my Ergo, I realize $70+ is quite the pretty penny for something you're not sure you or your baby will like.

There's a right and wrong way to carry your baby. Just sayin'. I'm gonna assume you, dear reader, will be smart about it.

Date Note: NaBloPoMo

2010-11-01T21:52:00.000-04:00

This is the place holder for November 1's post. It got listed as July since I had saved ideas as "drafts" and then posted before figuring it out. Just in case anyone besides me cares ;)

The Big Stuff: What a New Mom REALLY Used

2010-07-15T22:12:00.010-04:00

My previous post discussed the smaller stuff I really used, this one looks at the larger things I really put to work. We're really talking big in space and/or dollars, generally speaking, but still the items we chose to use and that made our lives that much easier. I'd also note that all of these are way under $100s so "big" is pretty relative. In fact, with the exception of gifts, most of these items were found used on Craigslist or in consignment stores.

Travel Bed
They sound silly, but, if you're going to travel with a pre-mobile infant, it is an awesome thing to have. We have the Eddy Bauer version and it comes with two dangley toys, and a toy bar which is impossibly to easily store with the travel bed, but cute to have. The great thing is that this has a couple of giant pockets and folds up to throw over your shoulder and voila! You have a clean safe place to set down baby for sleep, or diaper changes, or just because you can. We hauled this thing to Florida and Wisconsin before Jax was two months old and it was a work horse!

Boppy
I know everyone says it, but it's true. It's not just for breastfeeding... (after all, it was invented as a baby sitting aid). It is a life saver for anyone holding a baby in those "just right" positions that would be super uncomfortable pretty quickly without support. As seen above, it's also handy for diversifying tummy time.

I also suggest springing for a couple of covers (keep an eye out at your local thrift and consignment stores). Boppy's are easy enough to wash, but covers are quicker and there will be spit-up... believe me... lots of spit up.

Swing
I intentionally shopped for and bought the Fisher Price Papasan Nature's Touch Cradle Swing for several reasons. 1. It was the least offensive color scheme available. 2. The daycare where I had worked had used it for the three years I had been working there pretty much twelve hours a day and it was still in fine form. 3. I knew I could get it used online or on Craigslist.

The major downside of this swing, which I knew going into it, is that it eats through D sized batteries like a pregnant me consumed Circus Peanuts. We invested in rechargable batteries which was another big chunk up front, but a known sacrifice. I would have preferred a plug in, or better yet, old school crank and wind option, but not to shabby. He loves the mirrored middle of the mobile but is more amused by the things I dangle from it than the leaves and butterflys that come from the factory.

Jumperoo
I hate that these and the exersaucers are giant plastic pieces hideousness. Plus, you only use them for a few months, and, they take up a ton of floor space. I'm inventing something better, but it's not done yet. Before you go and suggest I do the door swing or a walker, those are both pretty much universally shunned by the baby world as death traps. The door swings are a strangulation hazard, and the walkers are bad developmentally, and worse for horrific accidents. Don't go looking for the stories, but it's bad news.

The up side is, Jax LOVES this. He bounces and squeals and generally treats it like baby crack. You'll hear that these aren't great developmentally and that your baby shouldn't be in them for extended periods of time... but when I want to spend more than 30 seconds in the bathroom without taking my son along... this thing is priceless.

Baby Bath Tub
This is another one of those things you totally DO NOT need (But I, secretly, love). We have this cute blow up duck and when you pinch his bill he goes all AFLACK sound effects on you... well, more normal duck, but that's what I always think. It's also soft and cushy which is good for a baby who likes to slam his limbs into the water a la the Hulk Smash. It was less than $10, and also pretty easy to deflate if you need your space back. We originally used it on the counter, but now it goes right in the big tub. It has a nifty suction cup to hang up to dry/make space for me to torture the dogs by bathing them.

Look for posts in the near future about babywearing (and my collection of carriers), as well as one on what I really wanted to use... but didn't!

Note to Self: You're NOT a Bad Mom!

2010-07-15T09:55:00.004-04:00

Dear Self,

If you were counseling yourself, you'd point out a few logical fallacies. You would tell yourself to relax, to stop worrying so much, and to think about things with a little perspective. Go ahead and do that...

Remember listening to Ayelet Waldman's Bad Mother? She made some pretty good points! I think it's time to make a top 11 list of things you can let go... like back when you wrote for the humor page in college. Heck, everyone should probably do it at regular intervals!

11. The world's landfills will not overflow if you have to use the occasional disposable diaper because you forgot to keep track, and Jax just soiled the last cloth one before you could wash the rest of the fluff.

10. Jax will not have horribly debilitating physical deformities if he spends 20 minutes instead of the suggested "15 or less" joyfully playing in his Jumperoo.

9. It will not stunt Jax' emotional growth if you can't figure out what's making him cry and just have to hold and comfort him while he whimpers.

8. No one who matters will judge you if, sometimes, you don't feel like nursing and do so resentfully because you feel like a cow and hate sharing your body at this moment.

7. Cancer, disease, and genetic mutations will not instantly attack or overtake your body, or Jax' if you use the really-good-smelling Baby Magic lotion instead of some better-for-your-skin organic lanolin.

6. You have two dogs and a baby. At some point, they are going to lick each other without your knowledge. This will not kill anyone involved.

5. Feeling angry and frustrated and exhausted by nights when Jax wakes up every two hours because he needs you is ok. You still manage to love, cuddle, and feed him.

4. Needing a break from the baby for several hours is a legitimate and reasonable thing. The umbilical cord stopped beating before it was cut... I'm pretty sure it's not still functionally attached.

3. No one but you freaks out if a daily picture of Jax is not taken and instantly tagged and uploaded to be shared on Facebook.

2. Your son will not be doomed to illiteracy if you forget, and don't read to him on any given day.

1. In general, you are not Super Mom, you are a Mom who does her best and loves her son. That will be good enough for Jax and it should be good enough for you!

The Small Stuff: What a New Mom REALLY Used

2010-07-13T22:35:00.014-04:00

I like stuff. My husband, not so much. He fantasizes about not needing shelves and would probably prefer to have one utensil and multipurpose dish per household member. I, on the other hand, am emotionally attached to stuff. My house burning down when I was fourteen probably contributed to this emotional connection, but also made me aware of the temporary nature of stuff.

I tell you this to explain the logic of stuff accumulation in regards to having a baby. Like so many other pregnant women I created a registry, perused catalogs and websites, became a freaky lurker on message boards, and checked out enough books on baby essentials to seriously hurt the gas mileage on the twice weekly trips to and from the library.

So, after my exhaustive research, my basic summary of what one REALLY needs for baby is this:

1. Plan for nutritional input to grow baby... at least one functionally lactating human breast, or alternative if needed.
2. Plan to manage waste output of baby... diapers, Elimination Communication, or alternative if needed.
3. Safe way to transport baby... correctly installed car seat, have baby at home and walk everywhere, or alternative as needed.
4. Safe place for baby to rest... next to caring adult, in co-sleeper, in own bed in same room, or alternative if needed.

That's pretty much it. If you've got those things, pretty much everything else is something you are choosing as a luxury. I'm totally not saying that the luxury things are bad; on the contrary, I think they are AWESOME, hence this post. I have new/expectant moms ask all the time what I really used. That's a totally different question that what I really needed. I had much more fun baby shopping knowing I was choosing things for my luxury rather than feeling like I needed to cross it off the list or else I'd have to attend a 12 step BAADMOM meeting, you know for Behaving As A Dumb Meaningless Oblivious Monster.

What I REALLY Used: The Small Stuff Top 5

Nail Clippers
This is me, scared out of my mind to do the deed. You will hear a million options for dealing with sharp little nails. I needed to deal with them as his face, and my breasts were getting sliced and diced like a crazy Ginsu Knife commercial. You can bite them, use regular clippers, get baby clippers, or get the kind I fell for: the kind with the magnifying glass attached. I loved these. I was so stinkin' scared of slicing his little finger tips that the first time I tried to trim his nails I merely transformed sabers into daggers. These did the trick. I don't use the magnifying glass any more, but they were well worth the $3 at the time!

Sunglasses
Jax has always HATED having bright light in his eyes. I bought three different pairs of baby sunglasses before I discovered the kind with the little strap. Here's the deal; the other kind are cute but they would not stay on his head/face for more than the most cursory of photo op. The ones with the little strap, on the other hand, stay on and sort of mold around to block out the light. He will wear these all afternoon if we're out and about and pretty much only fusses if they get pulled crooked. The neoprene strap is also supposed to float in water, but I don't really need it to. I also like knowing it's better for his sweet 'lil baby eyes.

Swaddlers
Yes, I could swaddle my son using a receiving blanket, but these bad boys were priceless during the first few days of total insanity. They could stretch then Velcro in place, keeping the little guy from waking himself up as soon as he nodded off. This also being the only time in Jax' life when was ever cold, they were a nice layer in winter. We had two brands, and, frankly, both seemed equally easy.

Car Mirrors
This just shows the one in the back, I actually also have one attached to the rear view mirror. That way I don't have to move my rear view mirror or take up the whole back window. These are priceless for me when I'm driving Jax somewhere with no one sitting back there next to him. Just in the last few weeks is he able to see me occasionally when he's checking out the reflection, but really, it's all about me knowing he's ok and breathing.

iPhone
Ok, this is way on the luxury side. It's really handy to play games or check my e-mail when I'm nursing at 3am and can't sleep. Seriously though, we've been using the Total Baby app to track his feedings and diapering since birth. I also use it to track my sleep... which turned out to me more relevant to us than Jax' sleep. Because we had a rough time in the beginning before my milk came in, I was a little paranoid. Since then, the nerd in me just likes the statistics and checking for patterns. Hmmmm he's eating four hours total today instead of his usual two: growth spurt! Now, obviously, we could easily track this another way, or, not at all, but it makes me happy and I use it constantly, therefore, included. *check my next post for thoughts on the carrier*

Elimination Communication, or, Antarctica Reconsiders the Embrace of Diapers

2010-07-12T22:51:00.007-04:00

Spoiler Alert: this post contains frank talk about urination, defecation, and bodily function in general. As in, I'm gonna tell you all about poop and pee and who does what where.Ok, now that THAT is out of the way, I'd like to start by saying I like to defecate in the place of my choosing. I feel better when I do and, I find, it is much less messy than cleaning it out of my underwear and pants. Further more, I prefer that my dogs poop where I would like for them to poop. They hold their urges to go so long as I help them get to where they need to go before they give up and have to go where I'd prefer they not go.

I have found that the above paragraph also applies pretty well to my baby. He seems to feel better when he voluntarily empties his bladder and/or bowels. He seems more comfortable and we both find it to be less messy than my having to wipe smeared poo from the amazing amount of surface area it seems to occupy when I don't get him to the potty in time and he defecates in his diaper. He can hold his need to eliminate for longer and longer periods of time.

OK you say, this makes sense, sort of... except that your son is not even six months old! That is also true, but we have been practicing Elimination Communication, EC for short, since he was four weeks old, so, most of his short life. The practice goes by plenty of other names like Infant Potty Training, Natural Hygiene, and Diaper Free Babies to name a few. The basic idea boils down to this:

1. Babies can and do signal their needs for elimination much like their other needs, such as being hungry or hot.
2. Diapers are a fairly new invention and used mostly in Western cultures or for very young infants.
3. You can work with your child to develop an understanding to facilitate meeting their elimination needs.

Before you freak out and tell me I'm really messing up my child by forcing them to potty train before he is ready and that I'll permanently damage him etc. Let me share a few things that EC is not. It is not attempting to force a child to eliminate, or, to reward or shame a child for his elimination behaviors. It is also not an all or nothing endeavor. Jax wears a diaper almost all the time (although I know several children his age *and younger* who don't wear diapers at all in my monthly local group, Diaper Free Baby of GA/SC).

My Discovery

I stumbled across EC while pregnant and remember thinking "crazy hippies!" I mean, seriously, who tries to potty train a kid who can't get to the toilet? You're going to have to hold over the potty every time he needs to go?! I skimmed a few sites and forgot about it. I was pretty much too busy puking into my toilet to care about whether my son eliminate into it. I had found the cloth diaper world, why would I want anything more?

Then Jax was born, and I noticed he seemed to have a little bowel movement every time he nursed. Because I'm an info-holic, I was reading about this predictability *which is totally normal* and I came across a few references to EC. I spent an hour or two reading, mostly on the Diaper Free Baby website, and thought it sort of made sense. I was dealing with my son's elimination all day anyway, why should it matter if I held him over a toilet or spent twenty more seconds wiping his bum? Of course, I was totally sleep deprived and almost anything "sort of made sense."

Jax was sleeping, as four week old babies are want to do. I thought to myself, this site says babies usually go when they wake up... I'm home alone with the baby... I could try it and, if it didn't work, no one would ever have to know! So, Jax woke up, I took off his diaper and held him over the toilet and made the cue "Psssss sssss" sound. He urinated and then defecated. I almost did too. I literally stood their laughing like an idiot. What the crap? *literally* I could not believe it. He did it again when my husband got home and I was hooked!

My theory is this: any pee or poo that doesn't go into a diaper is poo and pee with which Jax and I don't have to deal. I'm not really worried about potty training, although it seems like it would be much easier with a child who knows when he's going and just has to learn the when and where; rather than working with children to learn when to go and all the places and times not to. The big benefit to me is knowing Jax is more comfortable, and that the two of us are more in sync.

What We Do

In the grand world of EC we're considered "Part Time ECers." Basically it means we don't go without diapers all the time, but we do it more than occasionally, in our case, every day. I'll do a basic break down for you. But do remember, this is just us, just what we, personally do.

When Jax wakes up in the morning, I take off his diaper and hold him over the potty. I cue him by talking about what we are doing "I'm taking off your diaper, it's time to go to the bathroom" and hold him over the toilet with my hands under his thighs and sing the potty song I modified... it goes to the tune of "This is the Way We Wash our Hands...."

"Where do we go to urinate,
defecate, urinate?
Where do we go to urinate?
We do it in the toilet!"

This makes me giggle pretty much every time. I borrowed it from someone who suggested "Where do we go to poop and pee..." but the nerd in me totally loves using the correct word for things. Now, he usually starts to urinate about mid song, if not, I'll further cue by making a "Psssss sssss sss" sound. When we first started he would wait for the cue sound. On a side note, he is often flatulent first thing in the morning, and, lately, will also have a bowel movement every other day or so.

Because I narrate almost everything Jax and I do together, I will then continue "you urinated here in the toilet. Does that feel better? I feel better when I urinate in the toilet." We then will put on a diaper and nurse or do a morning activity.

He usually takes the opportunity to urinate at any given diaper change and I will offer more often if he is kicking or seems fussy for no other obvious reason or just have the gut feeling that he needs to go. He pretty consistently will urinate the most upon waking up from sleeping. If we're going to be home, I'll use a BumGenius 3.0 with no insert or soaker so he can feel as soon as he is wet and get changed immediately. If I am consistent, and offer opportunities *or Pottitunities* at least once an hour, he will generally stay dry for a whole morning or afternoon.

I also try to give him some "naked time" when he is not wearing any bottoms, but is sitting on a towel or something "just in case" so we can both notice as soon as he starts to urinate. In the beginning he would just release and empty his bladder; now, he will just barely start and if I pick him up, he'll stop and wait 'till I get him to the toilet or his little Ikea LÄTTSAM Potty.

Take Away

Long story short, EC would be way easier if I could just hold Jax out any time he needed to go and it would fall somewhere, like the grass, where it wouldn't matter. Because we have carpeting, and generally wherever is not an acceptable location, we use a back up system. My Mom shared with me all about split pants being used with toddlers in China this way, and I have since read more anthropological information about how other cultures deal with children and infants eliminating. It's actually quite interesting.

I know EC isn't for everyone, and, I know it sounds weird and crazy to lots of folks. On the other hand, it works for us. When Jax makes a great big bowel movement in the toilet and grins at me, I grin back. He feels better and one swipe is better than five wipes. I also know I'm not hard core enough to just suck it up and deal with the misses of going 100% diaper free. I think that's the great thing about EC... it's not really about potty training, it's about communicating better with your child.

P.S. I just discovered this awesome blog today, Do-it-yourself EC, with posts on how to make some home-made EC stuff and I thought this would be the perfect place to link to it! It not only talks about EC, it's all crafty and sewy and stuff!

Antarctica Embraces Cloth Diapers

2010-07-09T19:48:00.007-04:00

Having a baby is generally not a total shock, you often get to know as many as eight or nine months ahead of time that someone of the diaper wearing age is about to join your family. (Notable exceptions being friends who adopt on short notice). Hence, I figured since diapering is one of the biggest expenses to accompany a new baby, I'd try to plan ahead to budget for it. Because I've been asked several times about our decision to use cloth, I thought I'd put my diaper notes together.

First things first, I'm by no means an expert. I've been doing it for six months and think it's pretty crazy easy, good for cutting down landfill junk, and a big money saver. Let me also preface this by saying that cloth diapering may not be for everyone. It works for us. It makes sense for us. I've had folks ask about it, and the best jumping off point I've found is DiaperSwappers.com; but you're reading this because you wanted to know what the Queen of the Penguins does with her chick.

What We Penguins Do:

We use BumGenius 3.0 one size and they’re pretty darn easy. I honestly chose them based solely on internet research before I knew anyone in person who uses any cloth diapers *other than the old school pins plus cotton square aka prefolds*. Anyway, these have snaps to size up or down so they'll fit for years, are structured like “disposables” with Velcro, use waterproof cloth on the outside, and have a microfiber soaker insert. We pull those out, and throw it all in a pail, dump it in the washer and wash once on cold (to rinse), then once on hot with about 2 Tablespoons of Rockin’ Green Detergent. (I currently love Smashing Watermelons in Classic Rock)

The wipes are just squares of cloth serged around the edges. I keep a squirt bottle with a couple drops of baby lotion and a couple drops of baby body wash to a cup or so of water and wet down wipes as needed. They get thrown in the diaper bucket. I also now use these for nose blowing and cleaning, they’re handy and one less disposable thing I’m throwing away.

I do diaper laundry about twice a week and have started drying them outside using these nifty octopus hangers, the Pressa, from IKEA. I also have a “wet bag” for the dirties on the road. I "strip" the diapers about once a month by doing a hot soak and adding a little bleach.

Why We Cloth Diaper:

I’d like to claim cloth diapering was all about the environment or what not, because that is important... but, really, it’s mostly about economics. Say you find REALLY cheap disposables for 15 cents a piece. Lets also say you use very few, like 8 a day (We tracked it, and Jax averaged close to 11 for the first few months and is now closer to 9 a day.) That means in one year you’re talking $438 (0.15*8*365). Plus however much wipes are.

Lets say you went over to CottonBabies.com and bought two twelve packs of brand spanking new bumGenius 4.0 diapers at $203.40 a piece for $406.80... (I’d suggest going with the recently discontinued 3.0 line, or going used at DiaperSwappers.com, or looking for a sale or deal, but lets just say, for the sake of argument, that you go new) and two sets of wipes at $11.95 each for $23.90 (again, not sure why you’d spring for brand new brand name pieces of serged flannel, but, say you do) that puts your total at $430.70 (free shipping).

If you add in the laundry costs, then it could, technically, be more expensive to cloth diaper. Until you add that second year, which doubles the cost of disposables and only the laundry prices for cloth... and, unless you really rock the EC and go diaper free, *see next post,* I’m betting you’re going to need diapers for closer to two years minimum.

To be more realistic, disposables seem to average closer to 20 cents a pop, we used closer to 10 diapers a day putting that total estimate at a much heftier $730. I also had no idea how to include wipes in the disposables pricing.

You could also use Econobum diapers with covers and prefolds from the same site and manufacturer for $99 (two sets of 3 diaper covers with 12 prefolds at $49.95 a piece) plus one set of wipes at $11.95 for a yearly total $110.95.

So, you could be talking $110.95 for cloth vs. $1,460 for disposables over two years... cloth diapering can be even cheaper than that if you go a bit more old school/shop around. Those are my quick thoughts and numbers, I'm sure there's plenty of room for variation. If you're local in Atlanta, you should check out Atlanta Diaper Service as an option and for info.

Oh, and on a total side note, cloth diapers come in about a million super cute colors/patterns/designs. They can pretty much function as bottoms during the summer, and offer a veritable plethora of fashion opportunities if you're into that for your "fluff."

P.S. Expect a bunch more New Mom blogging as I answer the most common questions I'm getting from friends and family. I'm not the expert, I'm just a new mom who is willing to share what I've learned so far.

Gotto Start Somewhere

2010-04-01T17:13:00.009-04:00

So, for April, I've decided to actually get on here and type the darn blog. I'm not worried about content or quality, I just want to get my bum in gear and post at least something on here everyday. Maybe even more than once a day! Basically my goal is to get over the weirdness of posting and cut to the chase by actually doing it. I figure maybe this will eventually turn into a homeschool/Mommy blog and if nothing else is a good record for my personal reference.

So, without further ado, here's my lovely day in pictures:

Waking up to my sweet boy.
Finally getting some flowers in my yard.
Hanging out with WiMax... and Jax for some diaper free time.We were much happier after he was done with Tummy Time!That's it for today... so far, so blogged.

Holiday Giveaways

2009-12-02T14:29:00.002-05:00

So if anyone's interested there are some great seasonal giveaways here:

Fantabulously Frugal

and here:

Apartment Therapy

SUCK UK - Who Tall Are You Mirror

2008-08-20T08:51:00.000-04:00

SUCK UK - Who Tall Are You Mirror

I love this.... how much fun to look and see just how tall you are. Reminds me of one of my favorite songs by "What I Like About Jew."

Books you can't live without: the top 100 | Books | guardian.co.uk

2008-08-06T11:00:00.001-04:00

This MEME is often attributed to the Big Read but is
actually from The Guardian and is the Books you can't live without: the top 100 | Books | guardian.co.uk

Let me know how you are doing on this list. (Some of them overlap each other, but it is rather an interesting compendium. I've read 24).

1) Look at the list and bold those you have read.

2) Italicize those you intend to read.

3) Underline the books you LOVE.

1. Pride and Prejudice - Jane Austen

2. The Lord of the Rings - JRR Tolkien

3. Jane Eyre - Charlotte Bronte

4. Harry Potter series

5. To Kill a Mockingbird - Harper Lee

6. The Bible

7. Wuthering Heights - Emily Bronte

8. Nineteen Eighty Four - George Orwell

9. His Dark Materials - Philip Pullman

10. Great Expectations - Charles Dickens

11. Little Women - Louisa M Alcott

12. Tess of the D'Urbervilles - Thomas Hardy

13. Catch 22 - Joseph Heller

14. Complete Works of Shakespeare

15. Rebecca - Daphne Du Maurier

16. The Hobbit - JRR Tolkien

17. Birdsong - Sebastian Faulks

18. Catcher in the Rye - JD Salinger

19. The Time Traveller's Wife - Audrey Niffenegger

20. Middlemarch - George Eliot

21. Gone With The Wind - Margaret Mitchell

22. The Great Gatsby - F Scott Fitzgerald

23. Bleak House - Charles Dickens

24. War and Peace - Leo Tolstoy

25. The Hitch Hiker's Guide to the Galaxy - Douglas Adams

26. Brideshead Revisited - Evelyn Waugh

27. Crime and Punishment - Fyodor Dostoyevsky

28. Grapes of Wrath - John Steinbeck

29. Alice in Wonderland - Lewis Carroll

30. The Wind in the Willows - Kenneth Grahame

31. Anna Karenina - Leo Tolstoy

32. David Copperfield - Charles Dickens

33. Chronicles of Narnia - CS Lewis

34. Emma - Jane Austen

35. Persuasion - Jane Austen

36. The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe - CS Lewis

37. The Kite Runner - Khaled Hosseini

38. Captain Corelli's Mandolin - Louis De Bernieres

39. Memoirs of a Geisha - Arthur Golden

40. Winnie the Pooh - AA Milne

41. Animal Farm - George Orwell

42. The Da Vinci Code - Dan Brown

43. One Hundred Years of Solitude - Gabriel Garcia Marquez

44. A Prayer for Owen Meaney - John Irving

45. The Woman in White - Wilkie Collins

46. Anne of Green Gables - LM Montgomery

47. Far From The Madding Crowd - Thomas Hardy

48. The Handmaid's Tale - Margaret Atwood

49. Lord of the Flies - William Golding

50. Atonement - Ian McEwan

51. Life of Pi - Yann Martel

52. Dune - Frank Herbert

53. Cold Comfort Farm - Stella Gibbons

54. Sense and Sensibility - Jane Austen

55. A Suitable Boy - Vikram Seth

56. The Shadow of the Wind - Carlos Ruiz Zafon

57. A Tale Of Two Cities - Charles Dickens

58. Brave New World - Aldous Huxley

59. The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time - Mark Haddo

60. Love In The Time Of Cholera - Gabriel Garcia Marquez

61. Of Mice and Men - John Steinbeck

62. Lolita - Vladimir Nabokov

63. The Secret History - Donna Tartt

64. The Lovely Bones - Alice Sebold

65. Count of Monte Cristo - Alexandre Dumas

66. On The Road - Jack Kerouac

67. Jude the Obscure - Thomas Hardy

68. Bridget Jones' Diary - Helen Fielding

69. Midnight's Children - Salman Rushdie

70. Moby Dick - Herman Melville

71. Oliver Twist - Charles Dickens

72. Dracula - Bram Stoker

73. The Secret Garden - Frances Hodgson Burnett

74. Notes From A Small Island - Bill Bryson

75. Ulysses - James Joyce(started)

76. The Bell Jar - Sylvia Plath

77. Swallows and Amazons - Arthur Ransome

78. Germinal - Emile Zola

79. Vanity Fair - William Makepeace Thackeray

80. Possession - AS Byatt

81. A Christmas Carol - Charles Dickens

82. Cloud Atlas - David Mitchell

83. The Color Purple - Alice Walker

84. The Remains of the Day - Kazuo Ishiguro

85. Madame Bovary - Gustave Flaubert

86. A Fine Balance - Rohinton Mistry

87. Charlotte's Web - EB White

88. The Five People You Meet In Heaven - Mitch Albom

89. Adventures of Sherlock Holmes - Sir Arthur Conan Doyle

90. The Faraway Tree Collection - Enid Blyton

91. Heart of Darkness - Joseph Conrad

92. The Little Prince - Antoine De Saint-Exupery

93. The Wasp Factory - Iain Banks

94. Watership Down - Richard Adams

95. A Confederacy of Dunces - John Kennedy Toole

96. A Town Like Alice - Nevil Shute

97. The Three Musketeers - Alexandre Dumas

98. Hamlet - William Shakespeare

99. Charlie and the Chocolate Factory - Roald Dahl

100. Les Miserables - Victor Hugo

ASL Browser

2008-03-31T20:47:00.000-04:00

Several people have asked for this link, the best sign language site for quick reference, you need quick time to see the oh-so-helpful illustrations

ASL Browser

Hope this helps!

MapOfStrange.com - Strange things in Google Maps

2008-03-29T23:39:00.000-04:00

Way too much fun to see what people can find.

MapOfStrange.com - Strange things in Google Maps

Makes me wonder what sort of advertising will grow from this... seems like an obviously underused space for it that the companies already own... We shall see I'm sure.

The Stray Shopping Cart Project

2008-03-29T18:00:00.001-04:00

I was quite enamored to find some-one who had already gone to greater lengths than I to document this phenomenon:

The Stray Shopping Cart Project

However, my photos can still be found here:
Christine's Local Shopping Carts

Sick but Surviving

2008-03-28T17:44:00.001-04:00

So being ill with some head infection of goop and nastiness meant I’m actually getting “enough” sleep which is a good thing… it also meant I laughed out loud at the nurse practitioner when she told me to cut back on some things and relax. I told her I’m a grad student with six weeks left and my husband’s unemployed… there’s no where left to cut back. Add to that the stress of having my therapist seem pointless this afternoon and it just ends up being a sad sad story.

See more progress on: Sleep 8 hours every night

Super WiMax

2008-03-09T18:27:00.002-04:00

In the harsh battle against depression, creativity is often the key... today that creativity was forcibly channeled towards.... da da da da SUPER WiMax

Results for 'Christine Penguino'

2008-03-09T14:26:00.000-04:00

A fun sight for playing around with your name to tell you silly things like how well endowed you are based on vowels or what your name looks like in ASCII binary... here's mine

Results for 'Christine Penguino'

Oh, and here's a shocker, it turns out my name is pretty uncommon... I guess that's what happens when you make it up.

Blogger Down... BOOOOO!!!

2008-03-08T15:11:00.003-05:00

I had to spam a bunch of stuff at once because blogger was down... I couldn't even see Junebug's Musings to which I am totally addicted! I took a clip so you could all share in my disappointment.

Crossword Research

2008-03-08T15:00:00.001-05:00

So I’ve looked at several books of Monday (easy) crossword puzzles and have about decided to spend the $7 or so to get in the practice. I’ve also been checking out some how-to books but the $15 seems prohibitive since I really only have the prestige need of completing one. I also need to think about what is cheating. I know looking up the direct hint would be… but what if I know, for example, an actor’s first name but not last? Or if I know the word but am unsure of spelling? I guess it’s a slippery slope I’ll keep examining.

See more progress on: complete a NY Times crossword without cheating

The Fancy Dinner

2008-03-08T14:55:00.002-05:00

I know I just wrote about it under be a better wife, but I’m so proud of my cooking I just had to share a little more! Look at those yummy chopped up onions, peppers and mushrooms. They even got seasoned with things like cumin and if that’s not fancy I just don’t know what is!

See more progress on: cook more often

Climb Up Kennesaw Mountain

2008-03-08T14:52:00.003-05:00

Yesterday this also went on the list of “But I don’t WANNA do it.” It seems that friends at work have started this campaign to go everyday at 2:30 to run (or walk really intentionally) up the Mountain (which if you’ve ever seen a mountain you would call a hill). The point of this story is that I got there before my pals but thought I was after them so I went barreling up at top speeds…

only to have it occur to me a pretty good ways up that I was probably ahead. I took some time just sitting and staring at the view which was calming and quite lovely.

I caught them on my way down and had a friend join me for the return trip which was also nice. On a side note I figured out how to take video with my phone both with and without sound... ok so the first time I just didn't realize it had sound and then how to sync it to the Mac here at home so I can get all those pictures and videos onto the web for the world to see. Yay me!

See more progress on: exercise regularly

Cooking Dinner (Even when I didn't feel like it)

2008-03-08T14:48:00.002-05:00

So it turns out that I can do things I don’t feel like doing… I know it doesn’t sound that amazing but sometimes it is. Thursday night I actually chopped and baked and generally managed to put together a multi-dish super impressive and tasty meal.

I also managed to sing to my dogs in a silly fake French accent while doing it a la Little Mermaid. It did cheer me up, especially when Roger LOVED eating it! Hooray for food.

See more progress on: be a better wife

School is Cool

2008-03-08T14:47:00.001-05:00

So I was totally excited to whip out my trombone this week and play for the various classrooms at school. They were really excited to get to hear the sound, see the shiny metal, and feel the vibrations with their hands. Needless to say, several also wanted to taste it but had to settle for practice buzzing their lips. The faces of the children are blurred out so you can’t see the tears streaming down their faces (and so you can’t tell who they are).

See more progress on: practice my trombone

Literally Painful

2008-02-26T21:07:00.001-05:00

Today was a bad awful rough day any way you cut pretty much. To top off the pain grief and agony, I got an invitation I cannot accept:

Dr. Bill is organizing a community development program in Argentina this summer and extends her invitation. The trip is scheduled to take place on May 17, 2008, through May 27, 2008. The Community Development program will take place in the Andes Mountain in a village comprised of seventy (70) families in a compound. Students will help in the following areas: build corrals for their Llamas, assist in gardening projects for the little children, and participate in painting the school house among other projects.

The cost of this trip is $2500. Costs include the air flight to Argentina, 3 meals per day, lodging and 2 nights in Buenos Aires. We ask that interested students pay a deposit in the amount of $1700 during the first week of March. The remaining balance is required by the first week of April.

Something I'd love to do, a time I can actually go, a great deal on air-fare etc. I even have the passport. It's the week after graduation and would be a lovely and purposeful celebration. However, coming up with $2500 in basically two weeks with hubby still jobless is beyond impossible. Oh for the future days of real money coming in when I could say, why yes, I'd love to go... and actually go.

Got Home Early, Walked the Dogs and Husband

2008-02-25T19:46:00.001-05:00

So, we’re off to a great start this week, spent time with puppies and my favorite guy. We walked for 45 minutes and did two miles. Not to shabby and not to sweaty, which is always good for lazy old me. Oh, and now we’re going to go eat Italian with our friends and re-consume all those calories he he he.

See more progress on: exercise regularly

Finding cheap NY Times Puzzles

2008-02-24T22:18:00.001-05:00

So, I’m obviously to cheap/poor to actually subscribe to the NY Times. So, now I’m in search of practice to figure it all out. I really don’t know where to start but figured I could pretty easily let myself commit to looking around so I can count some progress.

See more progress on: complete a NY Times crossword without cheating

Graduation

2008-02-24T19:14:00.003-05:00

Graduation is officially May 13th at 2pm. I’m gonna get there and then do the licensure thing. Hey, that’s another thing to add to my list I guess. Always nice to get letters added after my name and particularly nice to already be getting snail mail spam about doing my PhD!

See more progress on: Get my MSW

Getting my LMSW

2008-02-24T19:14:00.001-05:00

It requires a test after graduation to get my Licens which would make me ever-so-much more marketable. That also means more studying right as I’m finally done with school but I really feel that it is worth it in the professional realm of things as I then accumulate hours towards my LCSW, Licensed Clinical Social Worker which is another three years out with a ton of hours required. But, this goal will hopefully keep me motivated in the short term.

See more progress on: Get my LMSW

Productive Day to Be a Better Wife

2008-02-24T19:02:00.001-05:00

So, today I really got cracking, I totally cleaned my two rooms for the week, did some tangible romance with candles, and if I walk the dogs a second time in a minute I’ll be totally hitting the mark since I cooked twice yesterda (and made brownies). Yay me!

See more progress on: be a better wife

Internet Celebrity

2008-02-23T21:29:00.001-05:00

So this is a hard to define goal… I’m going with thinking of some way to calculate it but for now I’ll count progress as adding myself to LinkedIn and to Facebook. I even hooked in 43things.com to facebook to keep up with myself with some simple reminders. Lets see if that leads to minor celebrity :)

See more progress on: become an internet celebrity

Updating Progress: be a better wife

2008-02-23T21:27:00.001-05:00

A. Domestic Improvement – Did neither more cooking or cleaning in any given week, guess I need to focus.

B. Partnership Improvement – I haven’t checked in with the budget formally, but have done better with less spending, I have walked the dogs twice a day for about a week so if I can hang on to that one I can drop it.

C. Romantic Improvement – I’ve got one week to go with this and I’ll call it done on both self-esteem and tangible love… yeah me!

See more progress on: be a better wife

Because I Can

2008-02-21T22:44:00.001-05:00

Maybe it’s just weird but it occurred to me that I keep meaning to try and become a notary public. Seems like it would save time and be a handy thing when you need it. What’s sad is that the thirty dollar fee is what’s stopping me. I guess it’s just always time and money right now, time and money.

See more progress on: become a notary public

Freerice.com Delicious Vocabulary

2008-02-20T22:44:00.001-05:00

I earned 500 grains of rice and am excited to try to expand my vocabulary while making the world a little bit better place. Besides that it doesn’t hurt to be a little more self aware in the sea of societal ills!

See more progress on: be part of a team that donates 10 million grains of rice through freerice.com

Professional Socialite

2008-02-20T22:35:00.000-05:00

So, long story very short... in case we weren't all already trying way to hard to connect, I've joined a "professional" social networking site. You can find me here: Christine on LinkedIn

One word at a time... a novel

2008-01-30T21:29:00.001-05:00

So, the plan is for this goal to be specific and measurable; I’ll start out by putting in one hour a week of nonschool/nonwork writing. I’ll work on outlining for now, count poetry work, and let it all lead up to the glory that is Nanowrimo! We’ll see how it goes from there. I think I’ll theme on the myths of my childhood i.e. how I misremember growing up… my version of my little life.

See more progress on: write a novel

Finish the Crossword

2008-01-30T21:20:00.001-05:00

So, seems silly but I’ve always wanted to say I did it. Not that it proves anything, but I do consider myself to be pretty up to date. I mean, my addiction to Wait Wait Don’t Tell Me has to be doing something for me. Besides that I love word games. On the downside, sometimes I totally blank on things I don’t care about or find the easy way out. This will be an interesting little challenge. It may take several puzzles, but I’m well on my way.

See more progress on: complete a NY Times crossword without cheating

Postcarding Around the World

2008-01-29T15:46:00.001-05:00

Finally got to the point where mine’s received so I’ve officially sent 20 Postcards with Postcrossing. It really is the little things but I’m super happy to have done this and feel like I got something done today.

See more progress on: Send 20 Postcards with Postcrossing

Manamana

2008-01-28T21:28:00.000-05:00

Totally my smile moment of the day. I know, I'm a political junky, but I couldn't bare to watch the State of the Union, this was much more fun and probably more relevant to daily life right?

91-100 Things That Make Me Happy (Besides Money)

2008-01-27T20:02:00.001-05:00

91. Thoughtful complements from out of the blue
92. VW Bugs
93. Roger singing nothing in particular
94. Shopping for really good looking fruit and veggies
95. Massages (from Roger or a masseuse)
96. Graduation
97. Being honestly asked for advise and listened too
98. Clean laundry smell
99. Candles, lots and lots of flickering candles
100. Money j/k not worrying so much

See more progress on: identify 100 things that make me happy (besides money)

Cooking More (Different Goal... But Addressing it)

2008-01-27T19:57:00.001-05:00

So, really this is getting better under the be a better wife, to summarize, the goal is cook a meal twice a week for one month. Today was a great start by actually going to an international farmers market and getting things I’d like to eat; like water cress for Roger. I am really hoping that by having foods that are super yummy but way healthier it will be easier to kick start this area of personal progress.

See more progress on: cook more often

Is being angry better?

2008-01-27T19:54:00.001-05:00

In looking over my list, I can genuinely say that indeed, I feel like I have stopped worrying. Not entirely, but I definitely let a lot more things go. Ironically, a big help in this has been working being ok with letting myself be angry about things. I’ve never been very comfortable with the idea of being angry, but it is a good thing when done in a healthy way. As in, I feel angry that things didn’t turn out. This is much better than an hour of worrying about how I should/could/would’ve done something different. I just acknowledge that this is how I feel, and that that is an ok thing, and move on with life. Weird how healthy and easy that sounds. You have no idea how tricky it is not to feel guilt for the anger that is replacing the worry. Maybe being a therapist is going to be way trickier than I thought.

See more progress on: stop worrying

Be a Better Wife?

2008-01-27T19:47:00.001-05:00

Hmmm, good goal, poor definition. I’m going to break it down into a couple areas and see if I can tackle it from there. I know, I know, it’s secretly a case plan. At least I can check in with myself to track progress. Plus, I can always edit depending on Roger’s reactions ;)

A. Domestic improvement
1. Cook two meal at home each week for one month
2. Clean two rooms each week for one month.

B. Partnership Improvement
1. Budget better by checking in with Roger sit down style once a week for a month.
2. Walk the dogs twice a day for two weeks.

C. Romantic Improvement
1. Improve my own self esteem by doing something that makes me feel pretty daily for two weeks.
2. Demonstrate my love in a tangible form three times a week for one month.

See more progress on: be a better wife

Getting There with Exercise

2008-01-27T19:26:00.001-05:00

So, to update my progress, I’ve managed to go to yoga twice this week 45 minutes each, and on Friday I did 30 minutes of Cardio before my afternoon appointment. So… looking good. This week’s already off to a bang with 40 minutes of walking with husband and dogs while the laundry dried. So far, so simple and oh-so-good!

See more progress on: exercise regularly

Out On the Town

2008-01-27T11:24:00.001-05:00

So, after waiting several long months, it was finally time to go see the Capitol Steps. I was absolutely thrilled. My friend's sister was celebrating her birthday and so an amazing white bean chili was prepared before the adventure. After laughing so hard I almost cried and nearly every song and enjoying the ad libbing the actors threw at each other, it was time to go home. Or, actually, back to our Ikeaite friends' house for ice cream and brownies. Talk about a lovely evening. I, of course, being the early bird I've had to be lately to get to Yoga (yes, I'm going twice a week at O'Dark Thirty) fell asleep on the couch. At any rate, I highly recommend the show to anyone who can go.

81-90 Things that Make Me Happy

2008-01-23T16:58:00.001-05:00

81. Re-Inventing Myself
82. Having the cosmetologist wash my hair
83. A new haircut
84. Being back to red
85. Fitting a 14 when it’s usually 18
86. My nose
87. Being thankful for the parts that don’t fit the shirt right
88. Being able to say “I’m Angry”
89. Reading a waste of time magazine
90. Surprising someone with a special act

See more progress on: identify 100 things that make me happy (besides money)

Mini Make-Over

2008-01-23T16:17:00.000-05:00

So, long story short a combination of lack of funds, stress, lack of time, self loathing and general malaise had led to a pretty pitiful state of self. Thus, the mini-make-over in a desperate attempt to feel pretty. Lucky me it worked pretty well so far. Did the hair, the nails, new outfit, feeling pretty good about it. Hopefully there will be a trickle down effect to other areas of life as well. Maybe I'll even write a poem.

Here's the one I like best but you can't see the whole outfit:

71-80 Things That Make Me Happy

2008-01-21T19:13:00.001-05:00

71. Crossing stuff off lists
72. My friends’ crazy schemes
73. My crazy schemes
74. My new light therapy light bulb for cheap from Home Depot
75. American Gladiator… I’m inspired
76. Not hating how I look in my reading glasses
77. Paying someone else to clip dog toenails
78. Silly old pictures
79. Getting to try some assessments on myself
80. Hot dates

See more progress on: identify 100 things that make me happy (besides money)

Postcrossing 20 Cards done and done

2008-01-21T19:08:00.001-05:00

So, after slacking forever, I requested the silly addresses. I’ve had the goal of sending 20 postcrossing.com for a while and lack only two cards. As mundane as it may be, when I actually get the new cards in the mail I know I’ll be uber stoked. It really is like a magical surprise package in the mail, and I could use some happy surprises in the never ending fight for emotional well being. I’m trying the whole Dark Night of the Soul idea but lately I can’t even bring myself to write mediocre poetry. Maybe I’ll spend some more time editing the older stuff. Who knows, maybe I’ll start writing it on postcards to random people from Postcrossing.com

See more progress on: Send 20 Postcards with Postcrossing

8 Hours, no more, no less

2008-01-19T09:16:00.001-05:00

OK, for emotional health and to fight depression, the plan is 8 hours a night. That means I’ll have to be in bed at a certain time, and then roll out when the alarm goes off. No more sleep all weekend or just get two hours in one night. I’m hoping this really helps. I’ll give it two weeks as the time cap.

See more progress on: Sleep 8 hours every night

61-70 Split for the Blog

2008-01-19T09:01:00.001-05:00

61. Faked expertise that even convinces myself
62. Roger with a new tech toy
63. Sharing political frustration
64. Political activism
65. Greeting cards
66. Finally catching up
67. Feeling productive
68. Getting the bargain
69. Win win compromises
70. My business cards

See more progress on: identify 100 things that make me happy (besides money)

41-60 Finally More Recent

2008-01-19T08:55:00.001-05:00

41. Our trip to Brazil
42. Being family just because I love their family
43. Not being trapped in perpetual heat exhaustion
44. Izzie
45. Stafford Loans
46. Finding therapy
47. Providing therapy
48. Old romantic files
49. Fresh mangos
50. Peca Pal

51. Trying new things
52. Tradition
53. Siblings only laughter
54. Cooking
55. Not having to cook
56. Diet Dr. Pepper
57. Being Ok with not knowing
58. Positive peer pressure
59. Having someone tell my I’m driven like it’s a good thing
60. Ms. Tene Tene

See more progress on: identify 100 things that make me happy (besides money)

31-40

2008-01-19T08:54:00.003-05:00

31. People finding me on MySpace
32. My group
33. Photo montages by me.
34. WiMax (My dachshund). *old entry, no jealousy*
35. Ceiling fans at night.
36. My mom's laugh.
37. The way my sister describes a favorite author.
38. Having someone pet my hair.
39. Finding Roger's foot under the covers.
40. Funky looking toys.

See more progress on: identify 100 things that make me happy (besides money)

21-30

2008-01-19T08:54:00.001-05:00

21. Hugs, really strong ones
22. 100% juice
23. Ice cream
24. Old pictures
25. The “Stupid John Dance”
26. Showers for babies
27. Showers for brides
28. Showers for smelly dudes
29. Opportunity
30. Doodles

See more progress on: identify 100 things that make me happy (besides money)

11-20

2008-01-19T08:53:00.001-05:00

11. My lucky number 11
12. Funny stamps
13. Croissants with cheese
14. House episodes
15. Ikea lamps
16. Stationary
17. laughing at myself
18. Pictures of toddlers
19. Unexpected cheering
20. Forgiveness of myself and others

See more progress on: identify 100 things that make me happy (besides money)

ten at a time 100 things that make me happy

2008-01-19T08:50:00.001-05:00

I’ve decided this would be good for me and I think I’ll enter them ten at a time to keep it a reasonable goal. These were the first ten I wrote a year ago

1. My husband’s smile
2. Penguins
3. Our new Mac
4. Living in a home with central heating
5. Julie being so excited about getting married
6. My little brother was so worried about me being ill he would risk getting fired to take care of me.
7. My co-workers caring about me as a person.
8. Sending Postcrossing postcards
9. Recieving Postcrossing postcards
10. Playing on 43things

See more progress on: identify 100 things that make me happy (besides money)

Measurable and Time Limited

2008-01-18T21:02:00.001-05:00

When creating client case plans, they have have to be measurable and time limited. I’m going to define this as exercising at least one half hour two times a week for four weeks. Hopefully Yoga will be the jump-start I need this week.

See more progress on: exercise regularly

Nervousness

2007-10-31T23:46:00.001-04:00

Depressed, scared, nervous
Generally freaking out
Life is weird like that
I'm weird like that
my mismatched socks a scary analogy
for my current feelings
excited to go
melancholy all over inside
craving escape
fearing being away
here I go
why match?

Boobiethon

2007-10-01T15:24:00.000-04:00

Most of you people reading this blog know I support this cause every year. Some of you even helped with pics yourself. I believe it's a great way to bring attention to a great cause. Plus, you can see my boobies ;)

Please check it out at
http://www.boobiethon.com/

You'll get the chance to see all sorts of funny ways to cover up your boobies and, if you donate $50 or more you can see the not so covered up boobies. All for a good reason. Boobies are a great thing, culturally significant to our sexuality and we're losing thousands a year. Lets fight for the cure!

A Heady Story

2007-09-28T00:09:00.000-04:00

So, I was reading all about the two headed turtle in my favorite odd news links... and they've got the AP picture:
Pretty cool, the little guy (guys? gal/gals?) has two heads and sets of front feet and one tail with a set of back feet. So, after reading how rare and exciting all this is I go looking for good video. It turns out back in February there was a different really super rare two headed turtle who got featured on the Tonight Show...

Which lead to my favorite turtle twin name clip "Jim and I" you know, like the star twins also very appropriate music ;)

Biggest two-headed turtle twin going to this set/twins/thing

Ummm coolest finger nails and oddest hatching site "work" where do you work that hatches two headed turtles??

Then, of course, the "found on the banks of a contaminated river" turtle... which would have sounded much more rare and reasonable if I hadn't just seen a half-dozed clips of other two headed turtles.

I guess two heads are better than one, but just not as odd or rare as one might have thought.

Park(ing) Day 2007

2007-09-23T11:46:00.000-04:00

Weird news comes through for me again as I read a fun story about leasing small pieces of land. Apparently according to San Francisco oridinance, when you pay a parking meter you are leasing that land for any legal purpose. So, a group has formed to spend one day a year turning parking spaces into parks. That's right, the pay the meters and then put down sod, trees, benches, or whatever else and open some new public green space... for that day 'till the meter runs out.

After reading the story, I headed over to the official website, http://www.parkingday.org/ and got tickled reading all about it. They have a map of the Bay Area to check out all the parks for the official day, and links to Park(ing) Day sites around the world. For even more informaion the Trust for Public Land had a very informative site.

Checking out Flickr lead me to some great pics by Stewf
And Laughing Squid

A quick perusal of YouTube.com lent this quick clip from Paddington which is amusing to watch. There's lots more that are more informative but didn't make me giggle.

Linguistics and Me... and I?... and Christine

2007-09-22T00:24:00.000-04:00

Today's weird news took a couple of odd little turns. First there was the story about Oxford's new dictionary getting rid of the hyphen in 16,000-odd words.... using the cited story's example of their not getting rid of the 16,000 odd words themselves. The most interesting part of this story was the choice of words to share with the world that had lost their hyphen to become one word, or split into two. They seemed an interesting selection and I have posted them here with my interpretation of their linkage.

Formerly hyphenated words split in two:

fig leaf, hobby horse, ice cream, pin money, pot belly, test tube, water bed.

(Apparently some story about Adam constructing clothing before eating the forbidden flavor, spending some dough to realize he's fat and weighing his options of conception between non-Eve and location facilitated options?)

Formerly hyphenated words unified in one:

bumblebee, chickpea, crybaby, leapfrog, logjam, lowlife, pigeonhole, touchline, waterborne

(Ummmm an insect who eats an odd salad and is so disappointed that he skips over the lumber traffic because he's a real loser, stuck in his position at the edge of a rugby game supported by consumable liquids?)

The other story was more down those that generally make me smile. Judge recieved an egg, presumably chicken, in the mail from a whiner locked up in jail. Unable to resist the inherent humor of the situation he wrote what I would consider my favorite poetry of today (According to Yahoo News and the AP):

"I do not like eggs in the file, I do not like them in any style. I will not take them fried or boiled. I will not take them poached or broiled. I will not take them soft or scrambled/Despite an argument well-rambled."

And ordered "No fan I am/Of the egg at hand. Destroy that egg! Today! Today! Today I say! Without delay!"

Karma for Clicking

2007-09-18T19:00:00.000-04:00

Maybe it's hubbie's class on world religion... maybe it's a forwarded e-mail I didn't just delete... who knows, but I have a new every day site. You know the kind. The e-mail, the news, the favorite laugh site... those five or six you hit every single day just to "check in" on the world at large.

Well, for about a week I've been checking out a neat little set of sites. Sure, the advertising is obscene, but for once, the corporate sponsorship has a point. The hook site for me is:

http://www.thechildhealthsite.com/

You click once a day and all those blaring ad people donate money to the cause. It's targeted advertising and they pay for the visits and clicks. It's basically ad space on a super-trafficked site. Hey, works for me. So, you go, you click, they donate.

Plus, the page has little tabs at the top for the affiliate sites:

Pretty smart deal. Six clicks, thirty seconds... admittedly surfed some of the cool trinkets, which is why the ads are worth it to the sponsors, and BAM! Internet karma scores a few points.

(Plus, since I posted this, it means all you people who go and click are totally boosting my karma as well, I'm so set for like the next day at least!)

It's Just a Flesh Wound

2007-09-18T16:39:00.000-04:00

Ok, so my weird news story today isn't really all about the Black Knight from Monty Python's Quest for the Holy Grail... but the headline was enough to make me giggle:

Armless Man Delivers Fatal Head-Butt

That's just the sort of thing that makes me reflect on culture... of course it happened here in Georgia, but in general, our culture still condones and popularizes violence. In feeling a little guilty about my own laughter I had to wonder. Is connecting violence with humor one more way to let it pass? Well, maybe, but it's also a way to help us cope. I know working in child welfare I sometimes had to laugh to avoid crying, but still, I hope to laugh at things less harmful. Ok, so maybe just laugh more to step down the proportion. Ok, so maybe just hope more :)

And You Thought I Was Corny

2007-09-16T11:58:00.000-04:00

Ok, so I'm a weird news addict, and have been known to do a corn maze or two...

Wow... old school and hubbie looks like Satan with the red-eye. Note to self, that fruit shirt is getting OLD!

Anyway, what started this blog was that, much to my amusement, Gull Meadow Farms has created the likeness of President Ford. It's actually pretty good when seen from the sky on their website.
It was apparently designed by the oh-so-corny site The Maize who have the CORNIEST! site of them all (And that's an official decree). Even a song about "funtastic fun in the corn maze!" Apparently they design lots of really cool sites, including another great ariel shot of a football field... he he he.
(I also love the visible hot air balloon!)

Unlike Cagle's Dairy Farm which has a bad drawing of the maze over a picture of a cornfield which is just really odd, not to mention painfully commercial with several sponsors.

Of course, if you wanna hear all about a wide variety of corn mazes in the corporately designed kind of way, check out cornmaze.com for all their sites. Mostly diagrams rather than actual pictures.

My other favorite "actual" picture is of Severs Corn Maze, it's got a cool wild west theme, but not nearly so cool as a dead president. They're kind enough to offer a picture in their press packet section even though it looks a little touched up, but hey, still pretty cool:

What I Learned from the Bottle

2007-09-16T11:44:00.000-04:00

So, sitting in class, I was staring at my drink, thinking I ought to be learning something... So I took notes - and getting meaning...

Shake Well - Mix it up a little
Settling is Natural - It's ok not to be perfect, just see it coming
Perishable - You're not immortal
Keep Refrigerated - Chill out
Low Fat - Try to keep down... not no fat, just low fat
All Natural - Be Yourself
Product of USA - Be proud of, or at least honest about, your origins
For Questions or Comments Please Call - Communication is key
Best if Used By - Don't delay your enjoyment
Serving Size: 8 fl oz (240 mL), Servings per container: about 4 - Know when to be specific

So this is from MySpace

2007-09-13T20:29:00.000-04:00

I admit, I'm totally just copying this from my MySpace page to feel special.

o, apparently been to long since the last mini-blog. Here's the deal about IKEA... umm it was 2005 and if you google my hubbie you can read all about it. We basically got all the furniture we own there. Including a rather infamous red leather couch.

I'm liking classes at Kennesaw State University. The coolest thing about grad school is that it's all about what I'm totally into: Social work with Children and Families. That and my new classmates are pretty cool and fun to talk to. *Becky that hanging preposition is for you.*

Went to Dragon*Con and got my nerd on. Yes that's me in the costume. I met some star trek people like the guys who played Riker, Data, and Q plus saw some super cool costumes. Oh, and of course the filking which i LOVE and the Klingon Beauty Pageant. It's getting to be so big a deal that we had to wait in line outside to get in.

I also went to the Decatur Book Fair with my bud June as well. You can check out her blog about it here: http://junebugsmusings.blogspot.com/2007/09/labor-day-convention.html We had a blast just poking around and listening to some kicking speakers. My new book is Sherman Alexie's "The Lone Ranger and Tonto Fistfight in Heaven." I'll update as I go.

Hmmm in other news I'm getting excited about Germany trip in November with KSU and totally daydreaming with hubbie about packing up and leaving the country for a while after graduations. I totally googled social work jobs in Britain. Would be a great home base for Euro travel. Or just getting sponsorship for a travel vlog. If your rich and interested... or just interested, totally let me know and I'll keep you up to date.

Queen Christine's Decrees

Projectile Pukies

Top 11 Rockin' Names for a Horse

What I Learned During NaBloPoMo

11 Words or Less: Pregnancy (Puking Redacted)

Dreaded Decorating Doofiness

Creepy Christmas Carols

The Penguin Cherpumple

Thanksgiving Escape

Family Time, Sister Time

Thanksgiving Limerick

Of Puppies and Penguins

Schrödinger's Penguin: Getting Baby on Tape

Deep Thoughts of a Shallow Swimmer

Party Like It's Your *1st* Birthday

It Gets Better... (You Know, for Parents)

Super Penguin

Angry

Forced Fast - Fast Forward

Short and Sweet

Granny Penguin's Library

No Strangers to Penguins

Passions of the Penguinos

Wings? Flippers? Who Cares? He's Clapping!

Not Guilty! Dealing with Mommy Guilt

Top 11 Things I Didn't Know I Didn't Know: Pregnancy and Infancy

Jax' Snacks: Num Num Nummies Recipe Using "Baby Food"

Rookery Reading: 11 Parenting Books Better Than "What to Expect"

Shameless Self Promotion: Super Babies

Super Babies: The Super Powers of Babies (and how to exploit them)

Dating Again? or Playing Nice

That Penguin's Lactating!?

Discovering the Tribe of the Penguina

Waddling for Two: Babywearing for Penguinos

Date Note: NaBloPoMo

The Big Stuff: What a New Mom REALLY Used

Note to Self: You're NOT a Bad Mom!

The Small Stuff: What a New Mom REALLY Used

Elimination Communication, or, Antarctica Reconsiders the Embrace of Diapers

Antarctica Embraces Cloth Diapers

Gotto Start Somewhere

Holiday Giveaways

SUCK UK - Who Tall Are You Mirror

Books you can't live without: the top 100 | Books | guardian.co.uk

ASL Browser

MapOfStrange.com - Strange things in Google Maps

The Stray Shopping Cart Project

Sick but Surviving

Super WiMax

Results for 'Christine Penguino'

Blogger Down... BOOOOO!!!

Crossword Research

The Fancy Dinner

Climb Up Kennesaw Mountain

Cooking Dinner (Even when I didn't feel like it)

School is Cool

Literally Painful

Got Home Early, Walked the Dogs and Husband

Finding cheap NY Times Puzzles

Graduation

Getting my LMSW

Productive Day to Be a Better Wife

Internet Celebrity

Updating Progress: be a better wife

Because I Can

Freerice.com Delicious Vocabulary

Professional Socialite

One word at a time... a novel

Finish the Crossword

Postcarding Around the World

Manamana

91-100 Things That Make Me Happy (Besides Money)

Cooking More (Different Goal... But Addressing it)

Is being angry better?

Be a Better Wife?

Getting There with Exercise

Out On the Town

81-90 Things that Make Me Happy

Mini Make-Over

71-80 Things That Make Me Happy

Party Like It's Your 1st Birthday