For all the dads out there...

Forget all the ridicule you've gotten over the years for playing rough with your children. Roughhousing has been proven to help children throughout life, despite what many mothers and grandmothers might think! Catapulting your children across the living (onto a matress or pillows), flipping them over your back (so they land on their feet) and the always fun game 'pile on top of dad' help to build confidence, strength, character and closer bonds between child and parent (The Art of Roughhousing). Don't believe me? Well, now you can read all about it.

Anthony T. DeBenedet, board-certified physician, husband and father of three girls, and Dr. Lawrence J. Cohen believe that, 'with safety in mind, roughhousing releases the creative life force within each person, pushing us out of our inhibitions and inflexibilities'. This passage can be found in their recently released book The Art of Roughhousing in which they not only support roughhousing but also encourage it with over 150 pages detailing different forms of roughhousing and diagrams depicting the safest way to roughhouse.

As a little girl, I always loved these times, when my father would allow my brother, sister and me to climb ontop of him, wrestle him to the ground and then have him tickle us until we were giggling so hard we needed a break to catch our breath. One of my favorite games, that I believe scared my mother and grandmothers, was when my father would pick us up, hold us to the wall and say, 'Now, you stay there. I'll be right back.' And with that he'd turn and drop us just a bit so we slid down the wall, but then quickly catch us and tease, 'I told you to stay there!' to which we woud just giggle and ask him to do it again.

This moment, although seemingly scary for an onlooker, was delightful for me because I knew that I was not in harms way, that my daddy would catch me and I'd be just fine. Like the doctors in this book say, it is games like this one that helped form a close relationship with my father, and mother.

So if you think that roughhousing is not beneficial, I encourage you to read this book. It is wonderfully written, with basic beginner tips and roughhousing games which then lead to advanced and extreme roughhousing for older children. There are games for all ages (of children and adults) that will definitely bring smiles and laughs to all those playing. Check it out on Amazon.com and let me know if you had/have any favorite games!

Straight from Orbit City...

Baby Boy's new high chair! I hope to heavens that Rosie doesn't show up in the next few days to replace me...

Squeak-tastic...?!

This weekend my parents came to visit me in Chicago. We made our way around much of the city between Friday and Sunday, hitting The Bean (aka Cloud Gate), Navy Pier and the Art Institute. While at the art museum taking in the beauty of Seurat's Sunday Afternoon on the Island of La Grande Jatte, I heard what sounded like a dog toy. Now, after dozens of field trips in elementary, middle and high school to museums I know a few things that make my thought very unlikely. 1) dogs are not allowed in museums unless they are service dogs. 2) if a service dog is in a museum it is most likely not playing with a squeaky toy (that's just a guess). 3) museums are supposed to be on the quieter side, unless of course it is a children's museum or an interactive museum. So, with those thoughts quickly filtering through my head I turned to see what in the world was making this squeaking sound. My ears had taken my eyes over to the handicap ramp where I saw a security guard, a man, and the tops of 2 children's head, walking, or running in the case if the children, down the ramp. At first, behind the ramp wall, it looked as if the security guard was walking one of those toy wooden dogs that claps when you pull it. But after she turned off the ramp I knew she was just walking with her arm behind her (it was also very unlikely that she would have had one of those toys, but I'm just sharing my thought process). So my attention was then turned to the two children running down the ramp. BINGO!

To my surprise the squeak was coming from the little girl, no more than 3 years old. I had narrowed down who the squeak was coming from, but I could not seem to pin point where, until I started watching her run. The squeak was in sync with each of her steps. It was her shoes! Fist, I laughed. Then, when she didn't stop running I thought, 'Would somebody please pick up that child?'

Who knew a cute shoe could be so annoying?

A great idea on paper, but in reality, maybe not so much. I Googled these squeaky shoes and came up with a number of websites that create these shoes. What I learned is that most of the people who created these companies that sell the shoes had adopted a child from China. Apparently, when they met their child, in the country that seems to create an abundance of odd (but often useful) nick-nacks, each child was in a pair of these shoes. The purpose, and a pretty obvious one, was to keep an ear out for the child(ren). Like I said, good in theory, not in reality. The obnoxious squeak was high pitched and constant, like a dog who refuses to stop chewing on his stuffed squeaky squirrel. Charming and annoying all in one.

For those of you who would like a laugh, enjoy this video I found on YouTube. (you'll have to copy and paste this into your browser address bar because the link button wasn't working. So sorry!)

http://m.youtube.com/index?desktop_uri=%2F&gl=US#/watch?v=VgLKPJ3koA0

Then if you think they're just wonderful, purchase a pair for your child, or if you don't so much consider giving them as a gift...! :-D

The English Language

As a nanny who is also a trained teacher, I know that children are learning language, even when we don't think they are. That is why I believe that it is crucial to provide children with the best, most appropriate and correct language as they grow up. Yesterday I posted a Facebook status, in all naivety, more for a laugh than anything else, but it drew quite a bit of attention within 5 minutes of me posting my opinion on the English language.

Has anyone seen the Gain commercial recently? Well if not, please take a look. Because the rest of this post will make more sense if you do.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sqtvVfa0VqI&feature=youtube_gdata_player

I don't know about you, but the first time I saw this commercial I cringed and thought, 'How could a national commercial, with (most likely) some well paid and good writers, make such a huge vocabulary mistake?' Maybe it's that I paid attention in school, or it's just the fact that I had some of the best English teachers out there, [shout out to Mrs. Varga, Mr. Kennedy, and Mrs. Schwartzle], but I hope that more people are better educated to know that 'gooder' is not a real word!

Now, I posted a statement addressing this and the other too-often-used word 'funner' on Facebook informing Americans (in a comedic way), that indeed these words are not real. Then, maybe a mistake maybe not, I posted one more controversial language mistake: asks. I stated that when pronounced as 'acts' or 'ax', which happens more often than not, the word has a different meaning than it should. It was this part of my statement that surprisingly received more attention, and negative attention at that. I was called racist and told that the mispronunciation of the word was actually part of the 'language' Ebonics. (I put the word language in a quotes because I do not believe that it has been officially named as a language, such as 'Pittsburghese').

It was not my intention to sound racist, for I am not. It was more my intention to write about how frustrated I was that we live in a society that is often so nit-picky about the silliest of things, but doesn't seem to mind the mistakes so often made in our mother tongue, especially when using it in media that is nationally, or globally, seen and heard. Because, as I first stated, children, from the earliest of ages, pick up on language, using it in what they believe is the correct way. So if a child continuously hears the word 'gooder' being used, rather than 'better', they might start to believe that that is the correct word, when it is in fact not.

Now I know many of you might be thinking that I am completely throwing this out of proportion, but there is reason behind my concern. My junior year of high school, in preparation for the state wide test, my English teacher handed out copies of previous years' English portion of the test. She asked us to read the prompt, the answers given by the students and then award each student the score we think they deserve based on the criteria given, as practice for when we would take the exam. There was one essay, or rather I should say short paragraph, that caught many of my classmates' attention and had many of us laughing, mostly in shock. An anonymous student (from the previous year from an anonymous PA school) had written '...an den I aks him wat he thinked...'. Besides the poor grammar and misspelling, it took some of my fellow classmates a few seconds to figure out what the student had meant to write:'...and then I asked him what he thought...' It got our class talking about what this meant for students who spoke one way with their friends and family, and then were expected to speak, or at least write, another way when it came to performing nationally.

We debated as to whether or not this student should be accountable for his extremely incorrect use of the English language, or if the teacher and school should be responsible for not correcting him and teaching him the proper spelling, pronunciation and grammar. We also discussed whether or not national and state tests should be reworded depending on the area in which it is given, due to slight changes in dialect. No real decision was made in my English class of 25 students, but I knew where I stood.

I do believe that people should be able to express themselves using whatever language or dialect they choose, but when it comes down to national and global usage, we should maintain one set American English language. Otherwise, I feel it would become too confusing if people started saying 'aks' with the intention of meaning 'asks', and so on.

So, to my readers, what are your thoughts on using correct vocabulary when speaking on a local, national and/or global level?

The Magic Number(s)...

When I began nannying for this family in Chicago, the mother asked me if I would be willing to read What To Expect The First Year. I of course was very willing and also allowed her to sign me up for weekly emails from a couple baby websites. All have been very informative and helpful when both she and I are looking for answers to questions such as 'How many naps should my baby really be taking?' and 'Is it normal for my baby to be spitting up so much at five months?' But something that I had not only read about in the book and online, but had also been shared with by my mother and a few friends, was the shear joy that a few certain ages would bring. First there was 3 months. I didn't quite get it until Baby Boy turned three months. It was as if over night he blossomed into a little boy who held his head up, rolled over, smiled (almost) non-stop and enjoyed talking just as much my sister and I do when we're together. Oh, and the giggling and laughing, which brought endless smiles not only to his face but to mine! As months four and five were checked off the growing up list, Baby Boy continued to develop, making more eye contact, sitting up on his own (for short amounts of times), and rolling over from back to front (something that is a difficult task for a baby). But the next big milestone for Baby Boy... The big SIX!

Six months is another magic number for those parents looking for new developments in their child. Baby Boy turns six months tomorrow, but this past weekend he and his parents skipped out early friday morning to jet off to Kansas City to visit his grandparents, which meant that I wouldn't see him for three whole days. And let me tell you, when I woke him up this morning, I barely reognized the adorable, sweet face staring up at me. Yes, it was him, his parent did not switch him out. He looked longer (taller), he definitely had more hair on the top of his cute head, but the best thing of all was that he had discovered his tongue! Babies, so I've read and heard, go through stages where they discover body parts, like their hands around 3 months (the time at which parents with long hair always have a pony-tail holder on hand, when they stop wearing dangly earrings and remove any necklaces before picking up their inquisitive child). The hands then lead to the discovery of their mouth, and the realization that you can put almost anything in it! Including, but not limited to, fists, bottles, spoons, the dog's fur (yes, still attached to the long-haired, shaggy pet), blankets, Jeanne's iPad, and of course food!

So at six months I was expecting (and still hope to expect) the discovery of feet and legs, which leads to crawling and walking, but never would I have expected the tongue! All this leads me to this morning. From the moment I woke him up he has been licking his lips, sticking it out, and turning it from side to side. Hopefully I will be able to get a video of this hysterical process of his discovery but until then here is a video to help with the image. (note to reader... this is not Baby Boy)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HVMWobfc5sc&feature=youtube_gdata_player

With all that said, my readers out there, if I have any other than my mom (shout out to her for keeping me typing!), are there any numbers and moments you remember being excited, shocked and/or thrilled about your child reaching, either early, on time, late or just randomly? Share them with me!

Sweet-Salty Tooth

I am the daughter of a sweet-toothed mother and a father who would prefer something salty. I got the best of both. I love sweet and I love salty. However, I can only take a pinch of either at a time. So tonight when I was picking my mom's brain about Agave Nectar as a replaced for sugar in recipes, I stumbled upon The Kitchn (no, it's not spelled incorrectly) that gave me not only a great insight to this sweet treat, but other recipes that others had discovered by sheer accident! Have you ever had ice cream made with only ONE ingredient? But not only ONE ingredient, but ONE ingredient that won't go straight to your hips, thighs or butt? Have frozen bananas and a food processor? I was so skeptical when I saw this, but I knew I had frozen a few bananas last week, so I pulled out my Magic Bullet, one frozen banana (just one in case it didn't work) and gave it a try. And would you believe it, it worked! It's fantastic! I added a scoop of peanut butter and a very small handful of semi-sweet chocolate chips and I have myself instant HEALTHY ice-cream that is both salty and sweet! I wonder if kids would know the difference (if they like bananas, chocolate and peanut butter that is)??!!??!! Give it a try! It's also so easy that kids can make it themselves, with adult supervision that is. Experiment with different ingredients and tell me what you come up with! I think I'll give strawberries or blackberries a try next time!

... Anticipation for Summer

With summer quickly approaching, although it is hard to believe as Cumulus Nimbus rides overhead, parents and caregivers are frantically trying to find summer activities for their children who will be out of school within weeks. Whether it be summer camp, horse riding lessons, or the local summer soccer league some of these options are hard to narrow down, or even find, if you're in a big or small town/city.


As a caregiver, and teacher, I understand the need for children to interact with other children, even at the youngest of ages. It teaches them proper social skills and allows them the opportunity to make friends. Even though Baby Boy is only 5 months (and 10 days) old I have also found myself searching for events, classes and outings that he and I can do together when the sun comes out and the warm weather decides to stay longer than a day.


Where to search? The internet was my best bet. So up came Google, curser blinking at me to the beat of the Jeopardy song, as I decided what to type. The easiest thing to do would be to type the city I was in followed by 'kids': Chicago Kids. Up popped 'about 122,000' results. Ugh. Time to start weeding through the sites. (If you don't live in Chicago (this blog post is long) jump down to the bottom to see other city websites I've listed!)


First up, ChicagoKids.com "Guide to Family Fun Events and Activities for Kids and Families in the Chicago Area". That was easy. A very basic yet inviting website presented me with five options: Calendar, Places to Go, Resources, Coupons & Deals, and Join Now! 'Calendar' seemed to be the best of choices, narrowing down my results by looking at a specific day of the week and going from there. It was, in fact! They divided the day by 'Activities', 'Entertainment', 'Kids Eat Free', 'Ongoing Exhibits', 'Performance', 'Storytelling', and 'Theater'. Each event had information on time, place, price and a link to their website. ChicagoKids is a great resource. The only downfall to this website is that you cannot search for events and activities by area (Chicago, Evanston, Lisle, etc.).

• Positives: Well organized by date; provides resources beyond events and activities, such as Childcare information; Easy to navigate; Free Membership
• Negatives: Unable to search by area of the city, Print can be small for some links

The next few results on Google were for parents visiting Chicago with kids, so I skipped those. Then I came upon KidWinks.com. The website is crowded with Buttons, Calendars and News and it seems a bit overwhelming, after taking a deep breath I decided to start at the top and work my way down. Eight buttons with, what I believe is, a car on them provide me with options to better narrow down my needs: Weekly Activities Guide, Summer Camp Guide, Free Museum Days, Birthday Party Guide, Classes Guide, Indoor Areas, Family Dining Guide and Summer Fun Guide. The print on each of these buttons is small, almost forcing me to pull out my reading glasses, but they lead to pages packed with information. It is definitely not as organized at ChicagoKids but it organizes its events by Week and Weekend. Each event is linked to its own page where it describes the event, place, times, day(s) and price, similarly to ChicagoKids. I could go on about this website, but then I would probably be writing a book and not a blog. I would say the best way to learn about this site is to just take a half hour or so out of your day to explore (or maybe 10 minutes a day for a few days)!

• Positives: Many options for activities; Free Memberships; Coupons and deals;  provides resources beyond events and activities, such as Childcare information
• Negatives: The mass amount of information displayed is distracting and can be frustrating if you don't know exactly what you're looking for or how you need to look for it; lacks specific organization (dividing events by day instead of week); delayed in updating their website weekly/daily.

Last but not least is Time Out Chicago Kids. I think this is one of my favorite resource websites that Chicago offers for families. Unlike the other two websites you can search for events by age group, times and neighborhood right on the main page. They also have easy-to-read tabs like ChicagoKids.com does directing you to more specific subjects: Things to do, Arts + Entertainment, Eating + Shopping, Guides + Resources. Also on the main page is a daily schedule of events that are happening around the city, the weather and a number of articles related to kid things; music, movies, dining, etc. Overall I would say that this website has the most to offer, but each are great resources. Time Out also has websites for New York and Boston.

• Positives: Well organized; Easy to read and navigate; Sortable events by age, time and neighborhood; 
• Negatives: No free membership

Here are some websites for other cities in the U.S.


Pittsburgh:

1. Visit Pittsburgh - Pittsburgh is Kidsburgh!
2. Children's Museum of Pittsburgh
3. Ligonier Camp and Conference Center - Shout out to my home town!

Boston:

1. Boston Central
2. Boston Children's Museum

New York

1. New York Magazine, Kids
2. Time You New York Kids

San Diego

1. San Diego Kids
2. Eventful - San Diego Kids & Family
3. San Diego Family

What are you and your kids planning on doing this summer? Have any websites you recommend? Share them with me!

Childlike Behavior...

James Tate. Does that name ring a bell? To most it wouldn't, until today. Like most mornings, I turned on the news to catch up on the latest dilemma following the Mississippi River flooding and other such events, only to hear James Tate's story.


With prom approaching, many students are trying to come up with the best way to ask their date to prom. For a Connecticut high school senior, his fun idea landed with with a suspension and a ban from the prom. But what extremity caused this outcome? With the help of a few friends, he taped cardboard letters to the side of the school early one morning before anyone had gotten to school. When school officials saw this, they deemed the act 'dangerous' and accused him of 'trespassing'. His punishment: to remove the letters, one day of out of school suspension (OSS), and being banned from the prom. James Tate apologized for his act, both in person to the school officials and on live tv.

Sonali Rodrigues Will you go to Prom with me? HMU (Hit Me Up) ~ Tate

The TODAY SHOW has an ongoing poll where people can vote whether or not they think the punishment was right, and post their comments. Here's one of my favorites. Marianne from Cincinnati wrote "If the stunt was considered so "dangerous" why did the school make him clean it up? Seems to me they canceled that reasoning out." Great question Marianne! On the other hand, here is what Frosty the Snow Man aka Jack Frost wrote agreeing with the given punishment.  "Overlooking his behavior is an "ok" for others to pull pranks. This sends a strong msg. He shouldn't attend with those who have character." 


Now, I say that the punishment was too severe. He did nothing to harm anyone or the school (the letters were taped on, not spray-painted or chiseled into the brick). The question of trespassing could hold up, but what are the exact rules on trespassing on public school property and isn't the OSS enough punishment? Because most likely, I have trespassed on public school property when I was learning to drive (it was one of the only large parking lots where I grew up) or when playing a pick-up game of soccer or frisbee on the school fields with 20-30 other high school kids. Should I have been suspended from school for utilizing free space that my parents' tax money goes to? I don't think so. But apparently the school officials in Connecticut believe his minor offense is much grander than we all believe. Who's being more childish, the officials or James Tate? What are your thoughts on the decision made by the principle. Is it just or did they go overboard with the punishment?

Strollers... leading to childhood obesity?

So, my title is a bit extreme... okay, it's very extreme. But I got your attention, right? Just the other day, Baby Boy (BB as my sister now calls him) and I went for a walk to the park, then through part of the zoo and the conservatory. It was a beautiful day. Shouts and laughter of children who had taken to the jungle gyms and swings could be heard from blocks away. Across the street you could hear kids say, "Look! A bear!" and "The seals! They're dancing!" while running around, pulling their big people from place to place. But what caught my eye was not the parents rolling their eyes as their children dragged them around the park, but it was the parents/caregiver who was pushing their child around the park. Now, typically this wouldn't cause me to raise an eyebrow (who hasn't seen a child in a stroller?), but it was the size/age of the child that was being pushed around in these strollers that caught my eye. Children, who looked to be around the age of 5-9, were being pushed in strollers! It got me thinking... what are we teaching children if we are willing to push them around when they are very capable of walking themselves? Ironically, when I logged into TODAY online, the top story for Parenting was "Too big for strollers, or too judgy about parents?"



First, I would like to point out that 'judgy' is not a word. Second, this is a great topic. The article on TODAY was addressing a website that posts pictures of parents pushing their too-old children in strollers, blurring out the child's face with a circle and the word 'WALK'. TODAY reports that the act of this blogger is judgmental, even though she denies this accusation stating that she finds it humorous that parents do this. Despite what they say, I am judging, sort of. However, it's not the parents choosing to push their child that I'm judging, because who really knows why they're pushing their too-big-for-the-stroller child in the stroller (as the article points out), but I'm more judging the outcome: What are we teaching children when they do complain or are 'too tired' or just don't want to go? Could we, as parents and caretakers, be relying on the 'easy' too much? Are we allowing children to adopt lazy habits, in turn encouraging them to be more lazy in life, resulting in what has now become a significant problem for 1 in 3 children, obesity? This is a stretch, I know, because I fully understand that there isn't just one factor to childhood obesity, that it is affected by diet, genetics and exercise. What I am saying is that as adults we are role models and must maintain and encourage good habits for ourselves and children if we want them to succeed and be healthy. What I'd like to purpose is this question. What are we encouraging our children to do that might lead to bad habits in the future, and how can we make changes to better the outcome?

Nursery Rhymes

One of my first posts [linked in case you missed it] was about how twisted and dark many of the cheery, happy, sweet-sounding poems, songs and rhymes actually were. TODAY wrote an article about Mother Goose's rhymes, just as I had done about songs we typically sing to our children to get them to smile or giggle or stop crying. The article is a wonderful piece on the histories of these stories and I encourage you to read about them. So the next time you sing or say these words to your children, not only will they get a laugh out of them, but so will you, because you know what they actually mean and can laugh at the fact that we use some of the most messed up stories to get our children to chuckle.

Once upon a time, even Mother Goose had a dark side

Parents Magazine

I know it's been a while since I last posted, and I wouldn't usually post something along these lines, but this is a fantastic contest for Parents Magazine. My mom posted this picture of her cousin who has been entered (by his mom) into the cover contest and I encourage you to vote for him (or for whomever you think is the cutest)! Parents Magazine is a phenomenal piece of literature for parents and those who work with children. Check out the website and cast your vote!

Parenting Faux Pas?

Just this past week J. Crew featured a new ad showcasing a mother and son enjoying what seems to be a normal day in any stay-at-home mother's life. But, if you take a closer look you'll see that this isn't your typical mother-son moment. Both with smiling faces (can be typical), the mother holds her son's feet (odd, but not bizarre), which have bright pink nail polish painted on them (wait... PINK nail polish?). Yes, on her son's feet! Now, being an educator, I understand the need to explore the imagination, let children play without critiquing or criticizing, so in my mind, I'm not really all that disturbed. But my opinion is not shared by many people; mothers, fathers, critics, reporters and so on. Some argue that this ad allows and encourages children to question their sexuality. Others say that it's a form of play and argue that if your daughter dressed up as a boy during play time, would you become upset? Here's my opinion, and please understand that I am not rejecting or criticizing any body else's opinion. What makes this ad controversial is not that the child has nail polish on his toes (although some may disagree), but it seems that the mother has done it for him. I don't think either are bad, but I believe that that is what most people are getting caught up on, the fact that it seems as if the mom is encouraging her son to play with, what's typically labeled as, 'girl' products by helping him paint his toes. I have no concerns over this sort of play, but I know many other people do.

Would you let your son paint his toe nails? Would you help your son paint his toe nails if he asked? HOw about this. Would you let your son play with dolls and Barbies? Or, would let your daughter get a crew cut if she wanted one? What about allowing your daughter to play with a tool set (made for children)? Do you believe this act of 'play' is really encouraging your children to question their sexuality? Let me hear your opinion!

CNN's Report

Today Show Report

An Update on my post... thanks to a college friend, and Jon Stewart :-)

(WARNING (to those who might be offended...): there is some foul beeped language and inappropriate references in the clip)

http://www.hulu.com/watch/232355/the-daily-show-with-jon-stewart-wed-apr-13-2011

The Million Dollar Stroller

Okay, so this stroller isn't a million dollars, but it is the most expensive, high end stroller you can find on the market. It's called the Bugaboo. The basic stroller starts at $600, but if you want the convertible stroller, no I'm not talking about top down, hair blowing in the wind convertible, I'm talking newborn to infant to toddler convertible, that stroller starts at $1,029 and with each add-on seat it is another $400-$600. But what does this outlandishly expensive stroller get you, other than a loan with your local bank? Status. Anybody who is anybody in the world of baby will recognize this stroller in a snap. With wheels that are made with the technology of an all-terrain bike tire, that spin like the new style found on rollable suitcases, and the minimalist, modern appearance as if coming straight from the Jetsons' home, these strollers are definitely one-of-a-kind. The fabrics come in an array of bold, bright colors, so you can individualize your stroller to fit you and your baby's personality. And if you find it difficult to pick just one color, no worries, have your choice of two when purchasing one of the convertible strollers! Mix and match with basics and your choice of color from the rainbow! All for only another $100! But, what's $100 when you're already spending $1,000 for the stroller? Oh, did I hear you say you wanted somewhere to put your $8 venti, non-fat, vanilla, no-whip iced cappuccino? No problem! Bugaboo also sells 'accessories' for your stroller. A cup holder will only put you back another $30. And how about adding something chic that will shade your baby from the sun (since you bought one of the strollers that does not come with a canopy)? A parasol can be added to your order for $40, and in one of 13 colors! Feel like also giving to charity while supplying your little one with the newest, greatest stroller there is, Bugaboo gives 1% of all revenue to a global organization to help in the elimination of AIDS in Africa. So, for the hip, modern, parents out there who want to be sporting the latest, chicest stroller, don't be caught with anything other than The Bugaboo!

Halle Berry

Naomi Watts

Jennifer Garner

Little Ballerina Struggles...

This had me remembering my days in ballet... Enjoy!

FDA Decides....

In response to my last post, the FDA has decided that warnings do not need to be administered on products containing food coloring... any thoughts?

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/42362742/ns/health-diet_and_nutrition/?new

Food Dye Linked to ADHD?

While watching The Today Show yesterday, where it seems like most of my news comes from these days, I saw a featured report on the links of Food Dye to ADHD, a disorder that has recently (in the past decade or so) become so prominent in many children. For those who don't know, ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder) is 'a problem with inattentiveness, over-activity, impulsivity, or a combination... beyond the normal range for a child's age and development'. (National Center for Biotechnology Information). Another name for this disorder is ADD (Attention Deficit Disorder) and the two often are used interchangeably in society. There has been much speculation over the past couple decades as to why children are developing this disorder at a much higher rate than previously found. What has been proven to be the cause of ADHD is heredity, that there is a given gene that contributes to the development of the brain which causes children to have such symptoms as inability to concentrate for long periods of time, sit still or even follow directions. (My ADHD)


Although heredity is the number one source linked to ADHD, many believe that products our society uses today increases the chance that your child will develop these symptoms and eventually be diagnosed with the disorder. Next to hormones, television and poor parenting, studies have also shot down the idea that a child's diet does not affect whether or not they have ADHD. However, in a recent article featured on The Today Show, Jackie Jackson Van of Washington D.C., a mother of four, says that removing all dyes from her children's diet has made a significant improvement in their day-to-day living. 


She decided to make this life altering change when she noticed her son showing symptoms commonly associated with ADHD; hyperactivity, inability to concentrate for long lengths of time, etc. She had heard and read articles that claimed that dyes found in many of our common foods were the source for ADHD symptoms so she removed all dyes from her children's diets. Within two weeks she saw drastic changes in her children's moods, behavior and even hand-writing. Although the FDA continues to deny that there is any such link, it makes a person wonder. After much speculation, the FDA is once again conducting more research on this topic.


Europe has already begun its fight to rid all foods of dyes, switching to natural fruit and vegetable sources for colors. In Britain you'll find that Fanta is dyed with pumpkin and carrot extracts and NutriGrain bars use beetroot, annatto and paprika. I do agree that by using natural elements to color our foods is much safer and better for our systems. But I am still debating whether the dyes do in fact bring out or even cause symptoms of ADHD. What are your thoughts?


Here are the two articles.
Jackie Jackson Van or Washington, DC
FDA Examines links between Food Dye, hyperactivity


Additional websites containing information on ADHD and Food Dyes:
ADHD - Pub Med Health
Food Safety Net - Cancer, ADHD and Dyes
Web MD - ADHD and Dyes

Colic

No one enjoys colic... neither baby, mommy nor nanny. The Today Show recently found a study on ways to better cope with colic and here I am to share it! It's so interesting how the natural elements of tea can be good for everyone, no matter the age. Read the article to find out what exactly I'm talking about.

Photo credit - icetea.com

http://moms.today.com/_news/2011/03/28/6355131-how-to-soothe-babys-colic-pour-a-cup-of-tea

Thanks...

Photo credit - Pen and Paper blog

To all those who say the written word is dead, you're wrong. Tonight after changing my facebook pictures in celebration for tomorrow's College of Wooster festivities (the seniors are celebrating their victory over Independent Study), I decided it was time to pull out my button so I could wear it to tomorrow's event in Chicago. What was going to take a simple 15 seconds, changed into an hour long walk down memory lane through my two boxes of Wooster memorabilia (the word is used very lightly). It started with the button, but then ended with my graduation cards. Hit with all emotions that brought tears and laughter, I was pleasantly surprised by the number of letters, cards and simple notes I had received during my years Wooster from family and friends. Most were from my mom, dad and sister, words of encouragement, drawn pictures, a little money here and there for laundry (now only the letter remaining of course), nothing much, but it was everything to me. And as I think of those times, it could have been simpler for them to pick up the phone and say 'hi' or 'we're thinking about you', but the beauty and honor that pen and paper bring would have been lost. There is something to be said about someone who takes the time out of their oh-so busy days to write even the simplest of words. But those are the moments that hold such pleasure, to know that someone cared so much about you that they wrote you a note.

So why did I label this post 'thanks'? Because I want to share my appreciation with my friends and most importantly my family for sending me those notes every now and then. They will be something I will treasure for ever. And here's what I would like to pass on to you. Do you have someone you've been thinking of recently, or someone you haven't spoken to in a while, or just a friend you'd like to say 'hi' to? Pick up a piece of paper and a pen. It doesn't have to be fancy or expensive. It takes five minutes, but the joy felt on the other end will last much longer. And who knows, maybe one day that smile will end up right back in your mailbox. Happy writing!

Play Time

Barbie and Ken. What is the first thing that comes to mind when you hear these two names? Girls. Dolls. Unrealistic features. Pink. Controversy. Racism. Perfect. Well, you can stop at perfect. In 2004, these two icons made their debut break-up, calling it quits after 43 years of dating. (Without a ring, I would have said the same thing, Barbie). This, however, was not the first time major change has taken place with the Barbie brand. Most of the changes though were made to the physical aspect of these dolls. NBC's The Today Show reported that Ken is going through yet another one of these physical changes. After getting back with Barbie on Valentine's Day (2011), Ken is getting a whole new make-over. He is looking younger, thinner, and less... muscular. He's taken on the Justin Bieber physique, just with the trademark blonde hair, which will continue mirror the 'real' hair that Barbie flaunts, instead of the plastic do we've seen for decades. Ken had a makeover in 2010 when Toy Story 3 featured him and Barbie flirting at Sunnyside Daycare. The 2010 'older' version of himself received a whole new wardrobe, including a classic black tux, but kept the traditional muscular physique so many of us are familiar with. Now, Ken is looking younger than ever. Take a look at Ken over the years.

Click to view NBC's report

Onesies

My last post gave me the idea to find the best and cutest onesies for babies! Here's what I found :-)

"Hey Chuckles... Enjoy... Laugh It up! One Day I will have the keys, and you will be the on in diapers!

Product of CafePress

"QT Pie"

Product of CafePress

"Party 3 a.m. feeding in my crib... BYOB"

Product of CafePress

Geek Wear (love it!)

Product of CafePress

iPood (Apple's latest product)

Product of CafePress

'Does this diaper make my butt look big?'

Product of CafePress

"That's how i roll"

Product of CafePress

"You like this." (Facebook)

Product of CafePress

"Mommy needs a ..."

Product of Cotton Baby Onsies

"You Have Now Crossed Over Into.... The Poopy Zone"

Product of Cotton Baby Onsies

Which one is your favorite? Have a favorite that didn't make my list? Post it!

Explosives

To all the mothers out there who had children with stomach issues, I tip my hat to you! I am fortunate to be working with a baby who does not have stomach issues, but on the rare occasion I will receive a gift, one which I often wish I could opt out of. You all know what I'm talking about. Yesterday was one of those days when my instincts told me to lift him off the changing table as fast as I could so what was in his diaper did not also end up in his hair (it was a close call). This little incident required me to hold Baby Boy from under the arms, while Baby Mommy (who had been working from home yesterday) stripped him of his filthy clothes, wipe him down, started the bath, then held him under the water all so we could get a cleaner version of him into the tub to be completely washed down. Had she not been there I probably would have resorted to literally hosing him down in his clothes with the shower head so I could then set him in his tub to get everything ready (I had time to think this out as I was running around washing clothes, getting new clothes, diaper, lotion and shampoo and deep cleaning all surfaces where Baby Boy had left his mark). Let's just say that I give a big shout out to Baby Mommy who had been home, and to all mommies out there who have to deal with this on their own! Who knew a 16lb child could make such a mess?! I think I am getting Baby Boy his next gift...

Fenway...

The Bearded Collie. He's my dog fix!

Firsts...

Okay, well today wasn't full of firsts, but it was close. I guess it started last night, when for the first time, I summoned up the courage to wander to the basement of my 16 story apartment building in hopes of finding a workman to repair a few things in my place. I've neglected this for a while and have now lived with inches of water in my tub while showering, a leaking bathroom faucet, a broken kitchen light and no screens in my windows. With no one downstairs to help, I left a note and within 40 minutes standing at my door was a large (in width) Polish man in a janitor's suit with 'Stan' embroidered on his right chest pocket. After the quick 'hello' and 'what's the matter with your place?' he became very chatty, and I quickly realized that asking him where he was originally from, since his accent was so thick, was probably the wrong move on my part if I had wanted to call it an early night. Once he came back with the new light bulb and the drain-o for the bathroom, he refused to work until I played him something on my piano. I tried to back out of it saying that it was too late, but he wouldn't accept that, telling me of a resident on the 15th floor who plays his baby grand (which I'd love to know how he got that up there) so loud that residents are always complaining. With a resistant workman at my door, and the minute hand clicking closer to 9:30, I pulled out the Canon in D in hopes that playing a page would please him. I finished, turned around, and he smiled and said, 'With a little practice, you'll be great!'.... Not what I was expecting him to say. Thankfully though, Stan went back to finishing his work. However, I still couldn't get rid of him. I asked about the screens (stupid me, should have just let that one go), and after a nice long conversation about how no one gets screens until the windows have been cleaned professionally from the outside, but if I stop by on Saturday or Sunday he might be able to get me a few, I smiled, thanked him and... 'But, if I install them you have to play the guitar and sing,' Stan said in a thick Polish accent. Shoot. I thought I was home-free. I laughed, agreed to consider it, and sent him on his way. What I thought would be a nice 10 minute visit, ended up taking close to 30 minutes. BUT, I will say this. I have learned that it is good to know the workmen in your building, because if you want to make sure pigeons aren't flying through your window when you feel that it's a warm enough day to open them up, then you'll need a friend who works in the building to help you out. So that was a first, meeting the workmen.

Another first. Babysitting and nannying a newborn always leads to the inevitable. Spit-up. I've had it down my back, on my pants, sleeves of shirts and sweaters, fronts of shirts and sweaters, hair and hands. However, today, was a great first. Baby boy got it down the inside of my shirt. I have no idea how in the world it happened, but he must have had the right angle, and I must have been leaning forward just so... SPLAT. Thank God for button up sweaters, and the family's washer :-)

And another first. Well a second, but first for pictures! Baby Boy and I went to the zoo. It was close to 65˙ today so we went for a stroll to the Lincoln Park Zoo. More animals were out today, and there were many more people out as well.  The stands were selling fresh popcorn ($3 a container...), the zoo cafe was open and the carousel was in full swing (ha). Here's what we saw!

This one's for Lins!

Baby Blue

Here's my next crocheted stuffed animal! He's a baby blue penguin. Sorry the pictures are a bit blurry.

Hobby

After two weeks of sitting in front of the television watching useless shows and reading article after article online when Baby Boy slept, I realized that the time I spent in front of a piece of technology was starting to add up to a ridiculous number. I had to find something to occupy my time that wouldn't make me feel like such a couch potato. Although I took up completing crossword puzzles, it quickly became boring when the Chicago Tribune started re-listing previous days' clues, over and over again. So I was in search for another hobby that wouldn't be too expensive and that I might actually enjoy. While looking at baby toys online for one of my previous posts I was drawn to the simplistic yet beautiful woven stuffed animals. I've seen them before in little boutiques around the city and on websites such as Etsy. I figured if other people can do it, why not me?! I bought some yarn, a crochet kit, using a Michael's coupon I found in the newspaper (woot!), and began my search. Having not practiced this art in a while, I searched on youtube to find a tutorial on reading patterns. (If you haven't seen a crochet pattern before it's something similar to short hand. There are lots of single letters and combination of numbers and letters to guide you through the steps of crocheting. Complicated if you don't know the abbreviations.) I found a step by step tutorial to make a giraffe and here is my final product! Please remember that this is my very first attempt at crocheting anything, so be kind! More to come soon. I am currently working on a cute little blue penguin. Maybe, one day, you'll see these on Etsy to purchase!

Words...

Poor choice of wording in this children's book?

Scramble... chicks?

Toys for Developmental Purposes

In a constant battle to be at the top, The United States strives to be the best at everything, even when it comes to their youngest. Researchers work long hours to design toys that are not only enjoyable at face value but also provide children educational and developmental value. Now when speaking about a newborn, there isn't much you can 'teach' them, but they have a lot to learn; For example, dexterity, language, emotion, etc. You'll find that today many parents analyze every toy they put in front of their child, verifying that this toy will in fact be good for something more than just entertainment. In reality, I believe children are clever in their own ways and learn through experience - (have you ever seen children drop their Buzz Light Years and Barbies just to jump into a huge box from a refrigerator and make believe they're soaring off into space, or paddling down the Allegheny or Mississippi?). My point is that no matter what a child has in their hands, I'm convinced that they're learning something, whether it's how their arm moves back and forth, or their fingers clutch the toy, or the sounds that come from it when they move it around. But there is something to say about these researched toys.

Yesterday, when Baby Mommy came home, she told me about how a coworker's 10 month old had to wear a helmet because he didn't receive enough tummy time and had now formed a flat head. The parents of this 10 month old committed little time to putting their baby on the floor because within 5 minutes she would start screaming. So my task for this week, and for the weeks coming, is to increase tummy time for Baby Boy. But when I thought about it, what baby wouldn't scream if they were taken from their rocker where they can see the world around them and placed on their stomachs to look at the carpet? In hopes of making Baby Boy enjoy tummy time a bit more, I placed Henry the Hippo in front of him, and to my delight it worked! I raised Henry a bit above eye level so Baby Boy had to use his arms and legs to push up to see Henry. After about 3 minutes, he was still smiling, and had figured out how to roll himself over, something he much preferred over lying on his stomach. This whole activity got me thinking. Is there a toy designed to encourage babies to lie on their stomachs or to at least occupy them during tummy time? So I went in search for some age appropriate toys! Here's what I found.

To make it easier for anyone interested in toys that are designed for specific developmental skills, Ebeanstalk is a great source. These toys, for ages newborn to 12 years have been created in mind of a developmental purpose (or purposes) with an explanation under 'features'. Below are a few of my top picks from 'baby toys'.

Whatzat: Dexterity and Emotion

This cloth creature can be hung from a stroller or mobile arc. It gives the baby texture to touch, colors and patterns to explore and the legs pull down and vibrate back up.

Whoozit Icicle Toy: Imagination, Dexterity and Emotion

This toy not only inspires the 3 month old with sound, shape and movement, but as the child grows, the toy will also change in use. It can be rolled, thrown and shaken.

Boing, Bobble & Bounce: Dexterity

This toy isn't just for Dexterity. It your child with an outlet for language, sound, and imagination. Each head wabbles and makes a sound when hit. The suction on the bottom allows this toy to be attached to a highchair, floor or divider in the car. This is a great toy for Baby Boy's tummy time!

Octotunes: Education and Dexterity

What child doesn't like noises, tunes and music? Octotunes provides just that, with each tentacle a different note when squeezed. The songbook that comes with it can be used when the child is bigger and can pick up on small patterns and tunes.

Here are some other great websites that provide similar toys.

Tiny Love: Search for toys by age, elements and category

Toys R Us: They have a great website divided into categories for developmental skills - Cause & Effects, Sights & Sounds, Manipulatives, etc.

Fisher Price: 'Find a Toy' by checking the box. They compile a list based on what elements you want a toy to possess.