Be A Good Mom

What happens when you ask your husband to post a picture for your final post of the year?  Well he posts a picture of course.  For the record, Geetle would have one but BAGM resorted to cheating to pull out the victory.

Happy New Year!

• That my grocery store, for some inane reason, does not put the flour right next to the sugar. And I forget that every time. So, I wonder around the aisle looking for the flour, which is on the bottom shelf of course, so I never see it, as I walk around the “Baking Needs” aisle for a good 10 minutes searching high and low. White corn meal? No. Powdered Egg Whites. No. Rainbow sprinkles. No. Rice Flour. No. (which is at eye level, I might add) Finally. All Purpose Flour.
• That I do not work in a TIP supported industry. Sometimes I would just like someone to toss me a few bucks to prove that I am doing my job well. Literally, $2 would do it.
• Linux, or rather, being Linuxed against my will.
• Parking lots that are not connected. Why can’t I pull into the Pier One parking lot and skibble over to park in front of TJMaxx? The stores are literally right next to each other. What would an extra 4 feet of asphalt cost you cheapskates? Why do you want to keep me from going to TJMaxx? Why do you make me park and walk through the bushes to get there?
• Pictures of my kids in which one is doing the perfect pose and knowing exactly what I wished the other ones were doing, but aren’t, thereby ruining the picture.
• Blister clamshell packaging. Merry Christmas to me, I cut myself twice opening their presents.
• Teenage boys in those super-tight pencil-leg black jeans and enormous partially-untied shoes. I try not to look, but its like a medical oddity. The lower half of your body looks like 2 chopsticks stuck in a pair of baked potatoes.
• “Sales” at Walmart. Regulary $5.86, marked down to $5.74!” That’s twelve cents. Don’t bother hanging up the stupid smiley face sign. You insult my intelligence. You think just because you put a “Sale” sign over it, I am going to buy it?
• That when BAGD sees something odd around the house, like an easter basket in the bathroom, he thinks to himself “Well, she’s a nut, so I guess she put it here on purpose” and leaves it carefully centered in the middle of the counter, beautifully displayed.

www.bureauofcommunication.com 

The American Academy of Pediatrics recently began to recommend AGAINST giving children under the age of 6 OTC cold medicines.   They say these cold medicines do not work and can cause side effects or injury to children.   The AAP also commented on the confusing nature of the products and the possibility that parents, even those that carefully read dosing instructions, could accidentally give their children too much of an ingredient by  combining products.   Finally, although we all want to help our kids feel better, it is proven that these remedies do not cure the common cold, they treat the symptoms, and often have side effects that outweigh the benefits (hyperactivity, fatigue, racing heart beats, etc).  The AAP offers advice on home remedies that can help.  They suggest that we:

BAGD and I have always believed in under-medicating the kids.  We don’t treat every fever or runny nose.  We keep our eye on things, but we try not to jump off the deep end.   Its Ok to have a fever, it means your body is fighting an infection .  Its OK to have a runny nose.  Its OK to cough.  Last winter, we did use OTC cough and cold medicines, sparingly.  This year, we won’t be doing so, until we can talk to our doctor about what is safe and what is recommended.   We expect her to say that we can give the kids something to dry up the runny noses, if needed.  Our big kids are not prone to ear infections and are getting old enough tp where this is not a huge concern, but we want to make sure we keep on top of it, so a runny nose does not lead to fluid in the ear.  With Giggles, its a different story.  She is so young.  I expect that we will be told to keep her off of medicine this winter, but that next winter its OK.   Bottom line is that even if you use OTC cold medicines, you have to watch out for symptoms or conditions that require a Doctor’s attention.  If we do that, we will be OK, whether we give OTC meds or not.

Until we can talk to our doctor, we like the following ways of alleviating a child’s cold symptoms:

• Vicks VapoRub, also available for babies
• a cool mist humidiier
• Little Noses Saline drops
• the good-old snot sucker bulb
• Sudacare Nighttime Vapor Plug in (like a Vicks VapoRub air freshener)
• lots of water
• cool baths to bring a low temperature down
• tummytime to help an infant blow the boogers out
• Popsicles for a sore throat
• Extra naps, extra TV time and a “Whine if you need to” punchcard.

How do kids learn to write their letters? According to Geetle’s teacher, its by tracing the letter over and over. I don’t know for sure, but that is probably right.

However, if you are Pookie, you learn how to write your letters through these 4 easy steps:

1. Refuse to trace letters, no matter how often and how firmly your mother or teacher asks.
2. Pretend your hand is made of Jello-coated spaghetti when your mother or teacher asks you to hold a pencil and try to make a letter.
3. Visually memorize the shape of each letter, quietly, when no one is looking.
4. Crank out the entire alphabet in one sitting, from memory, without being asked, just to shut your mother up.  Then immediately try to erase it.

Hello, I have a crafting problem.
When I get started on a craft, I end up making MANY of the same thing. I made flannel pajama pants for Pookie and Geetle last winter….about 8 pairs a piece. When I was pregnant, I started knitting hats. Dozens and dozens of hats. Here are Geetle and Giggles modeling just two of my collection.

I have moved on. Now I am into Rag Quilts. I started with one made from a kit I bought on eBay. It turned out pretty well but I was not happy with the batting. So, here is the second one I made, no batting.

I already have 2 more cut out and flannel for another…for a total of 5 rag quilts. Who needs that many rag quilts?! Well, who needed 23 knitted hats. Somehow you find the room. And I figure, these hobbies keep me off the streets.

By the way, if you are looking for an easy craft, might I suggest that you purchase a Provocraft Knifty Knitter Round Loom? I made all my hats on these looms; the kit includes 4 different sizes. I could crank out a baby hat in a few hours in front of the TV. Now that I am on to the Rag Quilts, let me just tell you that they are just as easy! They are made from flannel, which naturally frays in the washing machine. You just cut the squares, sew together with the wrong sides together (all seams on same side of quilt) in rows. Sew the rows together. Cut snips in the seam allowances, about 1/4 inch apart, wash and enjoy. There is a much better description here.

Both these crafts are easy, I promise. Otherwise, how do you think I manage to make dozens of them?

Merry Christmas from Geetle, Pookie and Giggles. Sorry giggles could not join Pookie and Geetle for the picture, she was unexpectedly called away for an urgent nap.

Get matching T-shirts for her and her baby sister.

Sometimes I am the worst mother. I try, but I just don’t get why certain things are fun for the kids. I think I am in tune with what they like and I try to make up games for us. We play with their toys together. I do have an imagination. But sometimes, I look at a toy and think “what fun is this? You can’t do anything with this.” When I was Christmas shopping I had to really stop myself from over-analyzing the toys I was buying. I would look at a toy and think “this is boring, the kids won’t like this.” But they always prove me wrong. They will play for hours with a tin pail. First its a pail. Then its a helmet for space travel. Then its a drum. Then its a place to collect tickets from everyone who walks through the hallway. Finally, its a place to stuff other toys, seeing just how many will fit. God forbid I try to throw away an empty paper towel roll. Its a telescope, its a horn, its attached to an imaginary rope which is pulling them across the room.

Even when I think I get it, sometimes I don’t. Stuffed Animals, for example. I know what they are good for. You can put them in your bed. You can pretend they are real animals or pets. You can even put doll clothes on them. That’s it.

Or apparently, you can bury yourself in them and play “hibernation” just like Vincent in “Over the Hedge”.

I did not see that one coming. I am glad my kids have such good imaginations, since I don’t. If I hang around them long enough, maybe I will learn a few things.

I am sooooo getting one of these! I already bought the dowels.