Cars and Parts Swap Meet
2012 senior class photos
2012 West Carrollton graduation
Home > Blogs > Adventures in Motherhood > Archives > 2009 > December
December 2009
Decade has been full for growing families
Today is New Year’s Eve and, at least until we break out the cheap champagne and sparkling soda to celebrate the new year, it is a good time for reflection on the year and years past.
And this New Year’s Eve is a particularly good one for that kind of pausing and perusing, since this is not only the last day of 2009, but also (at least colloquially) the last day of the first decade of the 21st century.
(The official first decade of the millennium ends next year, but popular usage has the decade from 2000-09. Many Web sites are referring to the decade as the “Naughties” working off the “aught” theme and making reference to all the negative things that happened in that time. But I digress.)
For many of us, life is very different now than it was 10 years ago.
Back in 1999, we looked up information in encyclopedias and phone books and on road maps; we debated whether to upgrade to a stereo that played CDs rather than cassette tapes; we only sent pictures to friends and family after we got those photos developed; and we talked on phones with cords.
And, those are just a few of the cosmetic changes. Ten years is a long time — at least an eighth of our lives, if we are lucky — and it is interesting to think about the personal and family changes that have occurred in that time frame as well.
For example, 10 years ago tonight, my 8-month-old son and I celebrated New Year’s Eve alone (my husband worked nights back then) in our little apartment.
The two of us were sitting in our big, blue recliner watching the ball drop on Times Square. Dick Clark was still his preternaturally young self, about five years away from his debilitating stroke.
As I recall, the “New Year’s Rockin’ Eve” coverage that night spanned the globe. We all waited to see whether the Y2K bug would cause all the lights to go out in China before it crept its way into our computers to derail our lives back home.
At our house, we had the requisite gallons of water, chunk of cash and extra batteries — just in case.
In the 10 years since that night, like with all growing families, it has been one change after another.
We had another baby and watched both kids grow out of their baby dimples and into their first pimples, saw them lose their first teeth and had discussions about braces, and listened to their cries of hunger evolve into more coherent complaints of hunger.
Also in that time, siblings and friends welcomed babies, advanced careers and moved into new stages in their lives.
Many of us bought houses, acquiring all the work that comes with homeownership, and people who used to eat Ramen noodles raw learned to cook real, balanced dinners for their families.
We purchased lawn mowers, grew gardens and sewed everything from patches to carpet to ailing stuffed animals. We learned useful terms such as “soffit,” “fontanel” and “iPod.”
Also in that time, for many of us, our first gray hairs made their appearance and brought their buddies, the crow’s feet. Our bodies got a little more creaky, and pulled muscles no longer had to have a clear source of origin.
There also was great loss for many of us, with grandparents, parents, peers and even those younger passing on, and the subsequent lessons in trying to live with those losses.
But, as we learned this decade and in all the years supporting it, this growth and change are just part of life.
Novelist Max Frisch put it well when he wrote: “Time does not change us. It just unfolds us.”
It will be interesting to see what unfolds in the next year, and in the next decade as well.
I just hope, for all of us, that the days are predominantly filled with less “naughty” and more nice.
Happy new year!
Permalink | Comments (0) | Post your comment | Categories: Mother's Daze columns
Moms don’t get “sick days”
It’s no secret I’m squeamish when it comes to potentially germy things like door handles, faucets and children (including my own).
But no matter how fiercely I combat cooties, I occasionally lose the battle.
With a baby in the house again my germ warfare has become compulsive, however, no amount of Lysol wipes or hand sanitizer proved to be weapon enough this time.
It started with Nick and a runny nose, progressed to The Sister in the form of a fever and then I was attacked. My luck had run out and I was quickly reminded, moms don’t get “sick days.”
My pillow taunted me as I muddled through the day, packing lunches and changing the diapers of a baby who was also miserable with congestion - her tears of frustration only adding insult to injury.
I reminisced to the days when over-the-counter cough and congestion medications were available for infants. Oh, how I had taken that for granted.
This time we resorted to the recommended simpler methods of “relief.” Ever try to put saline nose drops into an infant’s nostrils? It’s kind of like water-boarding.
The humidifier and Vapor Rub didn’t help much either. So, Baby Girl was forced to suffer through the symptoms of her first cold while Mommy found minimal relief with cough drops.
Sleep came at a premium, and Nick’s runny nose woke him up at precisely the moment The Sister closed her eyes and Mommy finally hit the sheets. No rest for the weary - except for my husband who could sleep through a freight train in the living room.
By the time Nick was back in bed with his Vapor Plug emitting soothing eucalyptus, The Sister was awake again, begging for her nose to be suctioned so she could use her pacifier.
Hesitant to go running to the pediatrician for just a cold, I finally gave in and made a call to his office.
“Is there a top secret solution to relieving a baby’s stuffy nose?” I pleaded.
Stopping short of providing me with a secret potion, the nurse informed me I was doing the best I could and essentially, this too shall pass.
And pass it did, albeit slowly.
We’re all on the mend and back to disinfecting the door knobs.
What are your secrets to making your little one’s feel better when illness strikes?
Email this contributing writer at Motherhoodcolumn@yahoo.com.
Permalink | Comments (9) | Post your comment | Categories: Motherhood Column
Tips for Holiday Tipping
Whom should we tip, and how much? That’s a perennial question we all deal with (or should) during the holidays.
I received a press release with some good advice on thanking those who serve your family well throughout the year.
(Yes, I’m busy-busy with Christmas stuff too, so I’m letting another writer carry my blog this week. So sue me. Wait, don’t do that.)
Among the etiquette tips from Sheila Lirio Marcelo, founder of www.Care.com, a Web site designed to help you find babysitters, tutors, senior caregivers, house sitters, and more:
— Nannies and au pairs: If you have a full-time nanny, offer them a tip or a “Christmas bonus” that reflects 10 percent to 15 percent of one week’s pay.
— Regular babysitters: If you have a go-to sitter who takes care of your children regularly, say thank you with a tip or a gift worth one or two nights’ pay: whatever equals about a week’s worth of service.
— Coaches, tutors and instructors: Get your child involved in thanking teachers with a small gift or a thank-you card and a gift certificate.
— Pet sitters or groomers: If you have someone regularly take care of your animals while you’re at work or traveling, say thank you with a week’s pay.
— Home-care attendants and caregivers: One week’s pay, but give two weeks for extra special care or long-term service.
Sheila says if money is tight, you can be creative with your tipping: Give your caregiver a few extra days in paid time off to use throughout the year. They’ll appreciate it!
Other People You Should Tip:
— School bus drivers, who are often overlooked: A small thank you (a $10 gift certificate and a card signed by your children) is a nice “something extra” in December.
— Mail carriers, newspaper delivery people and garbage collectors: A nice card with a $10 gift certificate for coffee or a plate of fresh cookies goes far when it’s cold outside!
— Housekeepers: If you have a regular housekeeper (I wish I did), tell them thank you by giving them an extra week’s pay during the holiday season.
— Baristas: Some of us have those regular spots that we visit daily for our morning coffee or bagel. If you’re used to seeing the same person and they give you great service, say thanks! Buy them a cup and give them a card. They’ll be surprised, and pleased, by your consideration.
I read another good tip in a church bulletin the other day: Don’t forget to smile and say thank you to all those low-paid clerks you deal with during the season’s mad shopping rush.
If you’re tempted to let loose on a clerk after waiting too long in a check-out line, just think of all those who have done it before you.
He or she really doesn’t need more garbage heaped upon them. Being pleasant doesn’t cost a dime.
Permalink | Comments (12) | Post your comment | Categories: Christmas, Helpful tips
Mom magic needs little boost this season
It has taken me a long time to get into the Christmas spirit this year.
Between the kids getting older and wiser and the world not getting any more shiny and new, that feeling of Christmas has required a little more work than in years past.
And that can be an issue when you’re the mom.
Because, not to take away from any of the awesome dads out there, but it is no secret that (more often than not) most of the Earth-bound, physical magic of the season is generated by us maternal types.
Although we get a little help from North Pole crew, we are usually the shoppers, bakers, carolers, organizers and the ones who keep track of all the little details like whose turn it is to put the star on the top of the tree.
But, even at Christmas time, as the saying goes: “If Momma ain’t happy, nobody’s happy.”
So I have tried to hurry up and get festive, with the hope that it will then spread through my house like the joy felt when Santa asked Rudolph, “Won’t you guide my sleigh tonight?”
My little holdup has been, like for many families that grow and change, that it is a transition year.
And, it appears I may have relied on the fuel of sparkly eyes full of wonder to keep me going more than I thought.
Lately I have been finding, though, that there are still glimpses of little boys past to be found in my house — I just have to look a little harder to find them.
My older kid, who is 10, has “graduated” to the kind of Christmas list that contains items worth more than all his previous lists combined.
In place of the requests for Spider-Man air-hockey tables and skateboards are $50 video games and music players.
Fortunately, his 8-year-old brother still has an eye to the big and fun, rather than the small and pricey.
When I asked him what he most wanted to see under the tree, he said, “A tackling dummy!”
His older brother explained why he didn’t need that kind of gift.
Motioning to the younger one, he said: “He is my tackling dummy.”
And there might just be a little childlike wonder left as well.
They won’t let me wrap the dog’s gifts when the dog is around, “because he can see you!”
And, when we were building a fire in the fireplace the other night, the fifth-grader said, “I bet it gets pretty hot in here for Santa!”
I checked for sarcasm out of one corner of my eye, but all I found was a smile.
So I smiled right back.
If I can, I am going to tuck away these glimpses right next to that Christmas tree star for next year.
Because, by then, I bet the wonder is going to be even harder to spot.
Merry Christmas!
Permalink | Comments (1) | Post your comment | Categories: Mother's Daze columns
Trimming tree makes mom sappy, nostalgic
‘Tis the season already. Each year I say I’m going to sit back and enjoy Christmas time a little more. Yeah, that’s not really happening - again.
I flipped through photos from last Christmas, and was reminded of my baby niece being “dropped” by Noah in lieu of another gift; and Nicholas, unfazed by the chaos around him, sitting quietly popping bubble wrap. Daddy and I also creatively told our families we were expecting.
I have had my moments of nostalgia this season, however.
We spent an evening trimming the tree, our immensely tall tree. It didn’t seem so tall when we bought it, but the boys, standing on a step-stool, were getting the ornaments only about half-way up.
They passed the step stool back-and-forth, and weighted down about three branches with ornaments. Amazingly, no one toppled forward into the branches. I laughed, even teared up a bit, knowing this would soon be a distant memory.
Then like a needle scratching on a record, I was jolted back to reality, “Nick! That’s my sled (ornament)!”
The eldest brother of six years has also taken it upon himself to remind little brother Nick that Santa will put him on the “naughty list.”
With O Holy Night playing softly in the background, and the boys once again trimming away, I settled back into my nostalgic mood. I cradled my new baby girl, sleeping soundly in my arms - what a gift we have received already.
I felt the love only a mother can feel and wondered what Mary was thinking as she cradled her newborn son, Jesus. She was so young, and yet she was chosen to be the mother of the One we celebrate on Christmas.
I looked to my own two sons, still wrangling with decorations, and wondered if they know how much I love them, even when they are testing my patience.
There was not likely a tree in the stable that night, but the one we came together to decorate this Christmas, brought us together and reminded me of what really matters - faith and family.
Merry Christmas.
Email this contributing writer at Motherhoodcolumn@yahoo.com
Permalink | Comments (0) | Post your comment | Categories: Motherhood Column
Great deals on holiday photo cards: It’s not too late!
If you’re still wondering how you’re ever going to get all those holiday cards in the mail before the New Year is old, take a tip from me: Order photo cards online and simply change the message from ‘Merry Christmas’ to ‘Happy New Year.’
For years, I had insisted on hand-writing a personal greeting in each card and including a photo of the kids, especially for our far-flung friends and relatives. But no more!
Last year was the first time I sent a holiday photo card, and boy was it easy. You can design the whole thing online in just a few minutes. Choose a photo and download it to your computer’s desktop, pick a card design, select a text font, add a salutation and the family name, and voila! — no more writer’s cramp.
And photo cards can be as inexpensive as sending standard Christmas cards, if you shop around.
This year I used three different sources for my cards and accessories.
DealSeekingMom.com and MoneySavingMom.com both passed on this tip on how to get 50 free 4x8 photo cards:
— Create an account with SeeHere.com or login to your existing account.
— Create your photo card and add 50 of them to your cart. Check out using code newbaby (case sensitive). Pay just $3.19 for shipping!
I ordered mine in the wee hours of Dec. 13 and they arrived on Dec. 17. They look great, and they were free, Free, FREE! I don’t know when this offer ends, so you better hurry.
And because I always send way too many cards, I supplemented that order using the services of Walmart.com’s Photo Center. I paid just $33 for 100 cards, shipped free to the store closest to me. Again, I ordered them on Dec. 13 and they were ready to be picked up on Dec. 17. Unbelievable, huh?
I also cashed in on an offer from Vistaprint.com for 140 free return address labels featuring our family photo for only $3.59 for priority shipping. Still available!
So I paid about $40 for the whole shebang. applause
Two of my Facebook friends also recommended Vistaprint, saying the cards came quick and were thick and nice. (But don’t tell Friend #1 about the free card deal I got — she paid full price for hers! ;)
And another FB mom says the best deal around is at Sam’s Club. She got 200 cards for $30, and they’re printed while you wait.
Don’t miss out on these deals!
Permalink | Comments (0) | Post your comment | Categories: Christmas, Great deals, Helpful tips, Photo of the Week
Trying to give kids a sense of giving at Christmas
Christmas is a little different around our house this year, with the kids getting older and illusions dropping like heavy snow off Evergreen branches.
Thud. … Thud.
However, as I continue to fan the glow of this magical season, it is good that the kids are learning that Santa has limited finances — especially as their interest in smaller, more expensive gifts grows.
(It is so nice when evolution dovetails so well with our modern society.)
But, while the path to the presents the kids might receive becomes clearer, the kids’ sense of giving is getting more hazy. And it is making me as grumbly as the Grinch.
When my sons were really little, I wanted them to learn to give to extended family members. I had them draw pictures to send to their aunts and uncles for presents.
I even framed some of them; not that I deluded myself into believing the creations were works of art, but I wanted to make them a little more grand than a crinkled piece of paper.
As the years went on, the drawings tapered off and I started sending presents to relatives with the kids’ pictures on them — mugs, shirts, ornaments, etc.
The presents were supposedly from the kids, but they really didn’t involve any consideration on their part.
After a year or so, that fell by the wayside and evolved into just making sure the boys sent very nice thank-you notes after the holidays.
In addition to these meager efforts, my husband and I have made it a point each year to participate as a family in The Giving Tree program, in which you take an ornament off the tree and buy for a child in need.
We would ask the boys to put themselves in that child’s shoes and help pick a present that would be most loved.
But this year, due to time restraints, my husband shopped for our Giving Tree girl on his own. So, the kids weren’t being asked to buy for anyone — not even someone who needed a present.
And, lately, I could tell that their giving muscles were beginning to atrophy.
One morning this week on the way to school, my 10-year-old said he was concerned about Christmas.
“I’m worried I won’t get very much stuff because I didn’t put much on my Christmas list,” he said. In my head, I could picture at least 10 things he had written down.
Then his 8-year-old brother chimed in: “Well, I’m worried I won’t get my No. 1 thing!”
“What’s that?” I asked.
“A trampoline!”
So, I started to think that probably the best thing I could give them this year is some much-needed perspective on the holiday.
Then, as fate would have it, a friend forwarded me an e-mail about some of the items that Daybreak has on its Christmas wish list.
Daybreak, the Miami Valley’s emergency youth shelter, is asking for disposable razors, soup, peanut butter and the like — things the kids need.
There isn’t a trampoline or video game in sight.
So, I printed out the list and I’m going to take the boys shopping for some of these items. And I am going to ask them to help me pay for some presents as well.
I hope it helps them see that they are lucky to get fun presents under the Christmas tree, even if it’s not their “No. 1 thing.”
Because, despite a culture that sometimes speaks to the contrary, they need to understand that Christmas should be about giving more than receiving.
Permalink | Comments (0) | Post your comment | Categories: Mother's Daze columns
Used toys still have a lot of “fun” left in them
Seems like just last year I was the one asking “How many more days until Christmas?” Now I am the one answering, “12 more days, guys.”
The older I get, the faster Christmas comes around. It used to feel like an eternity between Santa visits, but since I’ve had children it seems like the Christmas tree is growing in the living room.
I’m a purger, especially before Christmas. Clothes, toys, whatever - if they haven’t been used in the last 12 months, they are out. Thus, there I stood again, staring ominously at the mountain of toys that had built up in the playroom. “I can’t believe my kids have a room just for toys,” I said to myself. Granted, not a huge room, but still a room. For toys.
When we learned The Sister was coming, we knew the boys choosing to share a bedroom would no longer be a choice, but a solution to our need for a nursery again. Nick took over the bottom bunk in Noah’s room when Noah migrated to the top bunk. We let Nick sleep there, but didn’t move any of his clothes or play things. Despite my efforts to move as much as possible into the donation pile, I still couldn’t get the combined items comfortably into one room or closet. Hence, the playroom.
It was time for our annual lesson in giving. “OK, guys, if you don’t play with a toy anymore we’ll give it to someone who will.” We then talked about how blessed we are to have these things and a home to keep them in - something I like to remind them of at every opportunity I can.
While sifting through the toy boxes, I actually began to feel guilty - and even embarrassed - by the amount of stuff that had accumulated. The number of Happy Meal toys alone gave me a stomach ache. “We don’t need all of this,” I thought as my mind went to the children who had nothing.
On a trip to Nicaragua this year, my husband encountered a little boy playing in the dirt with a broken toy. It was all the child had, but he had a big smile that tugged at my husband’s heart. “I just wanted to give him all of those toys in the playroom,” he said. Instead, he went to the child’s parents and gave them some money, asking that they use it for the child. They were so grateful.
There are many families locally, facing hard times, who would also be eternally grateful. My boys and I filled several bags with toys and stuffed animals that day, many like-new. We took them to a donation center that will make sure a child in need receives them.
Although we won’t see the faces of the children when they get their toy, it felt good to know we could make a difference. You can, too.
Email this contributing writer at Motherhoodcolumn@yahoo.com.
Some locations accepting gently used toys include: Mercy Parent-Infant Center 40 W. High St., Springfield (937) 322-4939
Hannah’s Treasure Chest 124 Westpark Road, Centerville 937-438-5039
Salvation Army, Springfield For drop-off locations call (937) 322-3434
Permalink | Comments (0) | Post your comment | Categories: Motherhood Column
Seeking organizations accepting gently used toys
Children are always outgrowing toys.
Every year before Christmas I sift through the abundance of toys my boys have somehow acquired over the year and I purge. If the toy hasn’t been touched in the last three months, chances are it has been forgotten.
Christmas presents a wonderful opportunity to teach children the joy of giving. Many of these toys have a lot of life left in them and may bring happiness to a child less fortunate.
New toy drives are great, too, but I am able to give a lot more to organizations who accept gently used toys such as Hannah’s Treasure Chest.
Thus, we are seeking legitimate organizations who accept gently used toys and distribute them to children in need.
Please email your organization’s name, address and contact information to Motherhoodcolumn@yahoo.com. Your organization may be included in a list in this blog in the coming week.
Permalink | | Categories: Motherhood Column
Amazing cakes: Photo of the Week
Although money is tight right now at our house, I went ahead with my yearly splurge on the cake for my youngest child’s 4th birthday party. And now that you see the photos, you know it was totally worth it!
Friend and co-worker Karen B. took a cake decorating class the year after my son was born and has been fashioning evermore intricate confections for him ever since. First was a brightly colored Elmo carrot cake, next a three-tier Spider-Man cake featuring edible webs and a cityscape made of cookies, and most recently the Pirate Ship Extravaganza.
My two older kids had some great cakes in their pasts, but nothing like these masterpieces. I’ve even subjected my older son to my own homemade attempts at easy shapes like a hockey puck and a football. (Lame, I know.) And daughter gets a Jell-O ‘pool’ dessert for her summer parties. But they’re older now and don’t seem to mind all the fuss about little brother’s cakes — thank goodness.
The rest of the pirate party was pretty low-budget: I found a red-striped jersey fabric remnant at Walmart for like a buck-fifty and made quick-and-dirty sashes for all the boys (just scissoring involved, no needle and thread).
And Dollar Tree came through for me again: They had pirate sets for — you guessed it — $1, featuring an earring, eye patch, hook and telescope, so we were able to supply each child with a complete costume upon arrival. Instant party favors.
I made a ‘ship’ for the kids to play in from a huge cardboard box (thanks for the donation, Brian). I simply striped it with ‘planks’ of brown marker and had Hubby cut out one side so they could climb aboard. We filled it with a few dozen balloon ‘bombs’ and let them go crazy on each other.
For party games (which I’m not that into), I set up a ‘walk the plank’ game using a 2-by-6 on a blue ‘sea’ of painter’s tarp from the garage, then made it look very scary and dangerous (haha) using rubber bath-toy sharks and killer whales and such.
We played a game of ‘pass the cannonball’ (just like hot potato, but with a black foam bowling ball), and whoever was out had to Walk the Plank, after which the scurvy dog was rewarded with a chocolate coin.
That was it for the games. It took all of 10 minutes, and that’s plenty for an indoor party for 4-year-olds, imho. Or maybe I’m just lazy like that.
I’ve also learned that kids don’t generally eat much at parties, so why bother slaving away in the galley? I kept it simple yet in theme by serving ‘parrot wings and peg legs’ (chicken wings from GFS), emeralds and rubies (green and red grapes), gold nuggets (puffed popcorn), cannonballs (black olives), PBJ doubloons (sandwiches cut with a biscuit cutter) and veggie chili (for which I could not think of a clever pirate name). Oh, and a bit of rum punch for those scalawags over 21. (Lots of parents stay for my parties! ;)
Son has already picked out a theme for Birthday Number 5: Ninjas. I can’t wait to see what our personal pastry chef comes up with next!
P.S. Send me an e-mail if you’re interested in procuring the creative services of the talented Karen B. and I’ll hook you up with her contact info. She’s the next Chef Duff, but without the beard and tattoos.
Permalink | Comments (2) | Post your comment | Categories: Great deals, Helpful tips, Photo of the Week
Cold weather blows in Coat Wars with kids
The temperature has been below freezing this week, so that means it is officially time for the semi-annual Coat Wars.
The Coat Wars are marked by that heated five-minute period each weekday morning (and on the occasional weekend and evening) during the fall and spring when it is debatable whether the day’s more appropriate outerwear is a coat or a jacket.
And by debatable, I mean it is debatable to my children and their father. If it were up to me, there would be coats worn whenever the temperature dipped below 40 degrees.
However, I know my internal gauge is not typical for this area, and that has made me second-guess my instincts where the kids are concerned.
Having grown up on the West Coast, even though I have lived in Ohio for 14 years, I don’t think I have fully acclimated to Midwest temperatures yet.
Until I went away to college, I didn’t own a winter coat, although I think I have worn one the majority of time since then.
In fact, my enormous yellow parka, known affectionately by fellow parents as “Big Yella,” has become as valuable as a GPS when others are trying to find me or our kids’ team on the sidelines of many a sports field — be it fall, winter or spring.
My husband, on the other hand, has lived in southwest Ohio all of his life. I don’t know if he has ever owned a parka or anything I would classify as a winter coat.
For the 13 years I have known him, a windbreaker worn over a sweatshirt has been the extent of his cold-weather gear.
Unfortunately, this little difference between my husband and me and our subsequent discussions have contributed to these Coat Wars with the kids.
The small margin of error these discussions provide has been enough to allow beams of sunlight to pierce through our attempted parental shield and has caused our sons to believe that they, too, should help decide if they should wear a coat or jacket.
Now, as I mentioned in a previous column this year, my husband and I are starting to let the kids make some decisions about themselves and their lives.
While they are still in elementary school, however, I have to draw the line at choices that can affect their health — especially in this current flu season.
Also, I fear that if I open the door to this discussion, it will just lead to an avalanche of discarded winter hats and gloves, and that sweats will never again be worn over basketball uniforms to and from games.
After talking to parents of older kids, I figure I should keep them warm for as long as I can — because it sounds like the battle just intensifies (and becomes less winnable) from here.
Pretty soon, wanting to look cool reportedly will enter the equation, and the kids might even realize they can stuff their coats into their backpacks when they are out of my view.
When that time comes, I may have to raise the white flag in surrender. But at least I will be in good company.
After seeing all those middle- and high-schoolers walking to their bus stops on snowy mornings, I know I will just be one more parent on the losing end of these Coat Wars.
And, if not strength, at least there is warmth in numbers.
Permalink | Comments (2) | Post your comment | Categories: Mother's Daze columns
Wiggles, Elmo are fun for kids but costly for mom and dad
Who would have thought that a little red muppet or four musical men singing children’s songs could achieve rock star status?
Noah was able to spout off the names of the Wiggles - Jeff, Murray, Anthony and Greg - like they were his best friends in school before he ever set foot in a classroom. Ah, yes - Disney strikes again.
I confess, I fell for the Aussies in their colorful shirts singing catchy tunes about fruit salad. Even today Noah occasionally asks to watch The Wiggles do their thing. I happily oblige because I’d rather he ask for the Wiggles than Pokemon which makes no sense to me and I still consider the boys too young for.
Naturally, when the Wiggles went on tour, we did what many parents do - bought tickets and indulged our young fans.
It was a slightly different experience than sitting through a rock concert. Show-goers can actually kick the chairs in front of them, have a screaming meltdown when the cotton candy runs out and fill their pants without be escorted from the premises.
The kids were moving and shaking to Hot Potato, but the adults were bleeding cash. Trinkets galore were luring kids with their flashing lights and triple-the-value prices. We said “no” to many Wiggly items but still left with our pockets turned inside out. Yet, we got sucked in again - this time with Elmo.
Nicholas has recently decided Elmo deserves the highest honor in his realm of childhood heros. So, when Elmo came calling at the Nutter Center - we were there to meet him and all of his Sesame Street pals.
The cost of our four tickets could have paid Elmo’s salary alone. But, Nicholas was star struck and it was priceless. He sat in awe as Elmo danced around the stage singing about imagination.
During intermission - a necessity for children’s shows - a man came out carrying a minimum of 100 Elmo balloons, maybe 200. I couldn’t believe he was able to stand sure-footed on the ground with all of that helium defying the law of gravity.
At the sight of the balloon man, thousands of little eyes lit up with greed and the demands commenced, “I want one!” Parents swarmed around the balloon man shoving money at him and temporarily appeasing their Little Highnesses. The balloons were sold out before intermission was over.
Yeah, we’re guilty of bringing home one of these Mylar treasures. It lasted about two weeks. Each day Elmo looked a little less like Elmo. He drifted ever closer to the floor - eventually deflated.
While I intentionally avoided decorating our new daughters room in anything character-related, I did unconsciously allow castles and ponies to be painted on the walls of our little princess’ bedroom.
I can see the future now filled with Cinderella dresses and “Daddy! I want a pony!” I’d better get to redecorating.
Tell us about your children’s show experience.
Email this contributing writer at Motherhoodcolumn@yahoo.com.
Permalink | Comments (2) | Post your comment | Categories: Motherhood Column
Kids want to be where the action is: Facebook
“Are you on Facebook again?!”
This is what my 10-year-old son asks whenever he sees me using our computer at home.
Sometimes I am (and it just burns me when he gets it right), but many times I am not. But I think I have figured out why he continues to hurl this accusation my way: 1) Because he knows it just burns me when he gets it right; and 2) Because he wants to live vicariously through me in this ever-so-small sense.
As I have recently learned, he and many of his fifth-grade friends have come to view Facebook as the elusive and cool place to be.
I mean, this is a group that doesn’t even have cell phones yet (well, most of them), so they are practically bursting with freckled-faced exasperation over their lack of a social/technological outlet.
And, when they then see older kids and parents “talking” to friends, playing games and sharing pictures, it makes them even more eager to take part.
So, it was pretty much inevitable that my 10-year-old son would ask to join Facebook. His reasoning, of course, was as old as social networking is new: “All my friends are doing it!”
However, when he and I checked, we only found three people he knew — and those were through his friend’s older sister.
So, he switched to another tack; one that had several of his friends asking their parents if they could join practically at this very minute, and many of them being inches from approval.
I still wasn’t sold, but wanted to get a little perspective. So, I asked some fellow parents.
Some of them felt it was OK for fifth-graders to have MySpace or Facebook accounts if the kids were monitored. Others said they thought there was too much margin for social error — too much opportunity to say or read the wrong thing.
Remembering back to the time when a rumor that you liked someone or someone liked you could practically ruin your life, and then imagining that it was published for all your friends to see, made me agree that it might be a good idea to put a pin in this plan.
So, I told my son we would revisit the idea when he was 12 or so — probably right before he’s allowed to get a cell phone.
However, I did OK a secondary request. Since I figured he could handle a little safer way to talk online with friends, I signed him up for an e-mail account.
I signed his little brother up as well, since that is just the way families work.
I have access to both accounts, and check to make sure all is going as it should.
So far, they have only e-mailed their uncle and me, but they are having fun.
The 8-year-old wrote to me and said: “Hi, mom! I was just saying hello. I’m so glad I got e-mail!”
The older one, not surprisingly, already had an angle for his first note to me: “Sometime soon we should get a good dessert. Maybe like Greaters [sic]. Shoot me an e-mail.”
At least this new opportunity is quelling that need for more techie-social interaction for now, and it might just be a good first step into the busy, more grown-up world of the Internet.
Besides, I figure it will provide me and my sons with more ways to communicate and good topics of conversation.
Already, I just can’t wait to ask the 10-year-old: “Are you on e-mail again?!”
Permalink | Comments (4) | Post your comment | Categories: Mother's Daze columns
Mall Santas rock! (wet lap? no problem)
We are big believers in the Big Man — that’s Santa Claus to most of you — at our house.
The 13-year-old wouldn’t dream of spoiling the legend for his younger sibs (it’s the chivalry in him). The 11-year-old has been warned that as soon as she questions his existence, her pile under the tree will magically grow smaller. And the 4-year-old is just enjoying the ride.
Call me sappy if you want, but I truly believe in the miracles of Christmas.
This does not, however, extend to shopping mall frenzy that many moms succumb to this time of year. In fact, I had been able to avoid the malls for three years running. But that came to a screeching halt last weekend when we were visiting out-of-state friends. A lovely and talented young lady who’s like a daughter to me was filling in as one of Santa’s elves, so I broke down and lined up with my youngest behind the velvet ropes outside Macy’s and waited.
![mms_picture[1].jpg](http://alt.coxnewsweb.com/shared-blogs/dayton/mommy/upload/2009/12/mall_santas_roc/mms_picture%5B1%5D.jpg)
And waited. And waited.
From our spot alongside Santa’s stage, we couldn’t see what the bleepin’ holdup was, so I texted Hubby, who was waiting out front with camera at the ready. Here is his reply:
“some boy peed on santas lap. for real. elf said it happens a bunch.”
So funny I had to spread the news in a whisper to the antsy moms nearby. It was like a scene from David Sedaris’ “SantaLand Diaries,” an uproarious tale about the dark side of mall Santas. (It is definitely not G-rated.)
With that bit of insider knowledge, the parental tensions eased as we shared a knowing wink.
A few moments later, Santa rounded the corner from his dressing room, gave his fresh pair of trousers a final adjustment tug, and headed for his throne.
He invited the dozen or so kids in line to grab a set of jingle bells from a basket and join him on stage to “make it snow.” Then Our Favorite Elf led the youngsters in a few holiday songs, and much to the crowd’s delight, soap-bubble “flakes” started falling from above. Pure magic!
And even though we hadn’t purchased an Exclusive Holiday Photo Package ($19.99 for two 5x7s was the cheapest available!), Santa gave my little boy plenty of one-on-one time and listened to his Christmas list. (Meanwhile, we’re snapping photos like mad.)
He left The Lap with an “I made it snow” sticker, a free reindeer hat, and a happy memory for all of us.
Permalink | Comments (2) | Post your comment | Categories: Christmas, Funny stories, Photo of the Week, Things to Do
When did holiday vacations go from relaxing to exhausting?
I’m writing this as we are driving back to Ohio from our Thanksgiving “vacation” in Kansas. Yeah, Kansas: Where the state tree is a telephone pole.
Here I sit in the back seat, staring at the vast plains rolling by - watching for tornados - and wondering, “Why am I in the back seat?” To tend to the baby on her first road trip, of course … and to tend to the impatient boys in the far back already uttering, “Are we there yet?” “How much longer?” and “I have to go to the bathroom.”
My job description as Mom includes that catch-all phrase “and other duties as assigned.”
My other duties currently include DVD Changer, Snack Distributor and Referee.
Not much different than home.
I started off in the front seat but found myself turned 180-degrees and getting tangled in my seatbelt far too often. So, a quick rearrangement - again - of luggage and I fit perfectly behind Daddy, the driver.
I managed to squeeze in between the portable crib and box of baby bottles. It’s incredible how a person so small requires so much gear. I had to make a list of what to pack for The Sister before we left: diaper bag, enough extra clothes to account for diaper blow-outs, car seat, binkies, formula and … and … and …
Vacation, by definition, and I know I’ve said before, is not really a vacation when you travel with young children.
There were some great, memorable moments, don’t get me wrong, but a majority of vacation involves exactly what you’d be doing anyways, just at another location. But now I have to worry about remembering to pack Bunny and Reindeer when leaving each hotel or house so the kids will sleep at night. We sure don’t want any return trips 2-hours after we’ve left.
We do enjoy visiting family and friends and passing the baby off to those who want to love on her - until she needs changed.
Kind of like leaving the kids at Grandma’s for the weekend though, the children will need some “retraining” when we get home. “No, bedtime is actually 8 p.m. not midnight.” “No, we cannot have Happy Meals for breakfast.” “(Gasp!) Where did you learn that word? Let’s not say that in our house.”
The baby will have to be retrained in her day vs. night sleeping routine, too. Any headway made before we left for the week has been undone. That nice, comfy car seat sure does make for a great bed during the daytime driving.
Despite all the traveling trials, there is nothing like being with family and having some fun. The boys and Daddy were able to watch the Kansas Jayhawks basketball game in Naismith Arena and even meet the team - very exciting for them.
Baby Girl was welcomed with open arms into the lives of those who want only the best for her. For these people and things I am thankful.
But, be it ever so humble, there is no place like home. I’m exhausted, my patience in waning and I’ve been clicking my heels for a few days now.
Are we home yet?
Email this contributing writer at Motherhoodcolumn@yahoo.com.
Permalink | Comments (0) | Post your comment | Categories: Motherhood Column
