History Repeats Itself

History Repeats Itself

When I was in first grade, I went to a Catholic school where we had to wear uniforms every day. One precious day a year, all the kids were allowed to wear whatever they wanted for the grandest day of all…picture day. One boy? Got to wear a turtle neck and LOVE BEADS . He was totally the coolest 6 year old in all of 1971. But not me, nope….my mom put me in an itchy green dress with an ugly scarf to go with it. I did have some pretty rockin’ white patent boots though so it offset my otherwise middle aged attire just a little bit…but not much. It didn’t help that I was sort of a chubby kid with no athletic skills that people picked on.

I got to school on picture day and after enduring an awful lot of laughter over my stylish dress green polyester frock, I looked around and realized all the “popular girls” had bangs while I did not. My mom prided herself on not having given in to cutting my bangs despite my begging her…I had long wavy brown hair that she could do all sorts of things with to make me look even more like a middle aged 70’s housewife. (And not that there is anything wrong with housewives, but honestly, do any of you want to look like your Mom did then? Hip and cool were so not in vogue then in middle America…)

Well, I showed her a thing or two. Everyone, please meet Stiletto Mini, the 6 year old version of The Stiletto Mom.

See those crooked bangs? Yep, those were clipped by yours truly in Sister Mary Catherine Francis Angelica Margaret Elizabeth Anne Catherine’s (because you can’t have too many Catherine’s) class with a pair of little kid safety scissors. Look at that uneven line…but more importantly, look at that evil gleam in my eyes. VICTORY! I may be dressed all wrong but man…I showed her….I totally jacked my hair 5 minutes before pictures…take that! Also? While it looks like I have a missing tooth? I don’t…it’s a SPIT GAP. Ok, so let’s put all this together, chubby kid, dressed like a 1970’s polyester wearing forty year old, uncool hair plus spit gap equals??? You got it, six year old meltdown with safety scissors. Granted, it could look worse but there was a good four minutes spent trying to make them appear even for the picture with tremendous amounts of nun spit and I believe Elmer’s Glue…though I can’t be sure.

When my Mom came to pick me up that day, the nun stoically marched me out to the car and handed me over to my horrified Mother. I’m not sure, but I think they could hear her scream all the way up in Oklahoma, “OH HOLY MOTHER OF GOD AND ALL THAT IS HOLY!!!! WHAT HAVE YOU DONE TO YOUR HAIR????” And what did I say? “I fixthed it Mommy.”

So when Oklahoma heard these very words come out of my mouth some 37 years later this weekend, they should not have been surprised. None of this should be a shock to me either because Miss G is a carbon copy of me. (Wanna know what she looks like? The picture above, with blonde hair….evil gleam in eye is the same)

Keeping in mind that Miss G’s circumstances are totally different…she has a the tiniest bit of a spit gap, is very fit, wears super cool clothes and is generally popular, the thing I learned this weekend is bad hair happens to all of us.

Apparently, it went down like this. She had a headband and put it in her hair. Her hair, however, did not want to cooperate and would not form the perfect swoopy on her forehead. So doing what any logical 6 year old girl birthed by me would do…she got out the scissors and went to town. While she did not create the full bangs like I did, she managed to take a huge chunk of hair out of the middle of her face and elected not to tell me but to tuck it into the headband (you know, because I’d never figure it out right?)

Well I did figure it out. While I was on the phone with my cousin (who knew my mother all too well) all of a sudden Oklahoma heard from a crazed Catholic Mom from Texas one more time…“OH HOLY MOTHER OF GOD AND ALL THAT IS HOLY!!!! WHAT HAVE YOU DONE TO YOUR HAIR????” And what she say? “I fixthed it Mommy.”

Well, of course you did. And now, Miss G, you have bangs just like Mommy did in first grade. You enjoy growing those out honey.

1920’s childhood – SERIOUSLY?

I was recently spending an afternoon reading parenting books at Barnes & Noble. Our daughter is 15 months old, and we are starting to get into “testing” territory – and my husband and I wanted a plan.

Julie’s Favorite Things for New Moms

The hunky guy outside the toy store was definitely checking me out.  He smiled, for crying out loud and–get this–lifted an eyebrow appreciatively.

Huh.

I looked down at my Fourth Trimester self: Nasty black leggings, spit-up covered T-shirt, spare tire sizable enough for people to wonder when I’m due.  Did I mention that I recently got a pin-head haircut that had the effect of making me look like the “before” picture in a Jenny Craig weight-loss advertisement?

Hot Guy sauntered over.

“Hello,” he said in a throaty growl. “Tell me about your buggy. It’s really something.”

Girls, this is what happens when you’re 35 years old and you live in the suburbs: Men pick you up for your stroller.

I must say, my buggy is something to be admired.  It is an aubergine Bugaboo Frog, as seen rambling down Rodeo Drive being pushed by celebrities. It sports a comfy, full-sized bassinet, rugged over-sized rubber wheels that can traverse either sand or sidewalk and a souped-up suspension system the Princess and the Pea would admire. My girlfriend Donna sold it to me used for $350. Lord knows she probably had to take out a home equity line to purchase it new.
I have been fantasizing about something similar since I was in Scandinavia five years ago and developed a bad case of Pram Envy. At the time, I was pushing a Graco Duo Glider, a horrible 70-pound lug that made the worst grocery cart like a Maserati. As it turns out, baby gear in general and the vendors who provide such stuff have come a long way since 2004 when my twins were born. Not only has Bugaboo brought the pram back to America, but I’ve been pleased as punch to find half a dozen new inventions and people who make toting/cuddling/entertaining Lovey much more convenient.

Consider, for instance, the Sleepy Wrap.  I had half a dozen slings for my twins that promised to do everything for me but pay for their college tuitions. Unfortunately, I have no sense of geometry and could never master the art of hanging said togas securely enough to ensure I wouldn’t drop my children.  Somehow, the people who make the Sleepy Wrap took the challenge out and produced a stretchy piece of fabric and directions for using it that actually make sense. You can swaddle Junior in a number of positions and be reassured he won’t end up falling through a trap door onto the black top. The positions deliver: Charlotte takes one look at her wrap and promptly passes out cold. Furthermore, the wrap works on all body types, even that of my strapping husband who is broader than a double door. It comes in several stirring colors, too, so you can add a little hootzpah to your Fourth Trimester black separates.

My next favorite item is the Brest Friend nursing pillow with terry cloth tarp.  Mind you, I was prejudiced against this find due to its ridiculous pun-y name. Yet, after I trying it at the behest of my lactation consultants, I ran down to the closest Babies R Us and bought one.  The tall foam pillow boosts Teensy up to your boobs so that she can properly latch on. A seat belt wraps around Momma’s waist so the pillow won’t slide or sag, as others do. Moreover, the broad platform is so dense you can carry Baby from your rocker to her bed allowing you to transfer her easily without waking her.  The terry cloth slipcover is washable and includes a thoughtful pocket for stray pacifiers.

Once you’ve spent enough time with the Brest Friend, you’ll want to get yourself some Soothies.  My gal pal Jeannette rushed me these breast pads in the maternity ward when she learned Charlotte was chomper.  Made of some type of miraculous space-age cooling gel, these little gems slip inside your nursing bra and heal the damage done by overzealous suckers. Better yet, they are reusable and smell sort of herb-ly which cancels out the scent of fear you’ll likely emit, especially if you’re a first-time mom.

After you get your mammaries under control, you’ll realize you are starving. And when the neighborhood casseroles run out, you might want to check out Subway.  I have long overlooked the fast-food giant (again, I have a problem with ridicuous advertising campagains, which in my opinion, includes the ever-cheesy Jared.) However, I shouldn’t have been so snotty: It turns out the chain just started offering substantial breakfasts along with a variety of healthy luncheon sandwiches. My favorite condiment is the sweet onion sauce which adds an element of fancy to any cold cut. Believe me when I tell you you won’t want to be cooking anytime soon and that Subway five times in three days is no sin.

After her lunch and yours, you might want choose to memorialize Cherub. For a fresh take on baby pictures, I met with Toni Elmer of Urban Photo.  The Dallas-area photographer and mother of four is an endlessly patient baby whisperer and hugely creative. Her artwork has appeared in glossy magazines and celebrates the unique traits of your little one. For instance, she pointed out that Charlotte’s cavemanlike black arm hair is dainty and sweet rather than cause to a visit to the esthetician.  Moreover, Toni does home visits which means she can catch your child on her best behavior. In my case, she waited for nearly an hour as Charlotte enjoyed a meal atop the Brest Friend.

It turns out that Toni isn’t the only one who will come to you.  A breastfeeding crisis at 5 p.m. on a Saturday night gave me cause to ring the women at the Nesting Place, a Southlake breastfeeding support center and boutique. For a $100 fee, a veteran lactation consultant hustled through traffic to diagnose Charlotte’s case of tongue-tie. She gave me now-and-later strategies as well as written instructions so that I wouldn’t have to rely on my sleep-deprived brain to recall them.

Once all that was taken care of, Charlotte could relax in her Fisher-Price Hoppy Bouncer. Of all the baby seats I’ve owned–and at one time I had one chair per room–this new option offers up the best angle for a remarkable $34. It supports Little Bit’s floppy neck yet is reclined just enough so that she can nap comfortably. The seat also offers optional battery-powered, soothing vibrations and a removable playtime bar with small toys to spy. While the froggie motif might be too cutesy for those with modern sensibilities, note that you’ll soon be too tired to care.

Now, if only the baby engineers would dream up a solution for eliminating the effects of sleep deprivation. That would be one product I’d definitely buy.

The Cost of Convenience

I love the idea of making my own baby food for Rachel. It doesn’t sound like a lot of work. Just cook some foods, blend them up into a puree, and freeze them until I need them. I can control what goes into them (and what doesn’t) and I can be sure to use organic produce on those few items that I feel it’s important to spend the extra money. It all sounds wonderful.

Except for the fact that I’m already stressed to a breaking point trying to do more than I have time for each day.

Not only am I doing well to just get both kids fed some mornings, I rarely have time to eat breakfast myself because I’m juggling too many other things and putting out fires here and there. So the idea of adding one more thing on my “to do” list like making my own baby food just doesn’t sound like a good idea at this time. So Gerber baby food it is…

I go to the grocery store every few days for something. Not big shopping trips but we always run out of something like milk or bread or baby food between the big shopping trips so I end up going several times a week. I always try to buy a few more jars of baby food each time I go since we go through about 6-8 jars a day. It’s not always easy taking two little children shopping though. As a matter of fact, it can really make the trip rather exhausting. So I’ve avoided going for a few days knowing we would be fine without this or that for another day or two. But this weekend completely ran out of baby food. I didn’t need anything else so I decided to stock up on it so I wouldn’t have to go back in a few days to buy more.

I came home with a nice stock of baby food. But instead of working a few jars here and there into my grocery budget, I saw just how much baby food by itself really costs. Can you believe this trip for just baby food cost me $43.00?! Wow, that’s a lot of money for about a gallon of pureed food. With all that I manage to get done each day, I really like having a few conveniences that I don’t have to worry about like little baby food jars that are already prepared, that I can just pop open and feed to Rachel as needed.

But as I take a look at how much this convenience is costing us, maybe I need to reconsider pureeing my own food for her. Now if only I could find a way to add an extra hour to every day…

3 Steps to Homemade Baby Food!

Homemade baby food – the perks are obvious! It’s WAY cheaper than pre-packaged baby food. You get to control the ingredients. Plus, it let’s you introduce food combinations, and ingredients you can’t find in typical jar food! And best of all- it’s FUN!

But it’s hard to do, right? And only granola loving, hippy moms living in communes do it, right? Right?

WRONG!

Making baby food is super easy, and you don’t need expensive equipment – although William Sonoma won’t tell you that.  All you need are some fresh fruits or vegetables of your choice, and a dream.

Here is how I make one of my daughter Molly’s favorite meals – Carrots & Green Beans with Dill.

You need:
Carrots
Green beans
Dill (optional)
Microwavable dish
Blender
Something to freeze your puree in

STEP 1- Prepare the veggies.
First I peel and wash a large bag of carrots. Or, if I’m feeling lazy (and I usually am!) I just buy a large bag of pre-peeled baby carrots, that are ready to go! You can also find carrots, and green beans in the frozen food section. I used frozen green beans in this puree.

STEP 2- Steam.
I stick the carrots and green beans in a large microwavable dish, add a few cups of water, and put a loose cover on them. You’ll know when they are done microwaving when you can pierce them easily with a fork. Above, you’ll find a picture of my carrots and green beans all tender from the microwave, and ready for step 3!

STEP 3- Blend.
It’s important to let your veggies cool down before putting them in your blender. Depending on the size of your food processor or blender you may have to puree your baby food in batches. Also, some fruits & veggies need very little extra water added to the blender because they are so juicy naturally. But other ingredients like our carrots and green beans, need water added to the blender in order to puree them smoothly. I use the leftover water from steaming, and add additional water as I need to. Blend for just a short amount of time for a chunkier texture baby food, or a longer time for a silky smooth consistency baby food. If you want to add any spices, this is the time to do it. I like to add a dash of dill before I blend, and after blending.

And then… wallah people!

Fresh baby food!

STORAGE- I use ice cube containers to freeze my puree, but you can also freeze portions in Ziploc bags. The benefit of using ice cube trays is that you can keep the cubes in a baggie in the freezer, and then pull out as many, or as few cubes as your baby is hungry for at any given time!

Making baby food is a simple, economical and creative activity! It’s also, thankfully, pretty mistake proof! Try different fruit & vegetable combinations as things at the grocery store go on sale. Hide vegetables your baby doesn’t really love, like spinach for instance – in sweeter vegetable like acorn squash or sweet potatoes! And don’t be afraid to taste your baby food as you go! In fact something like mango puree, is a pretty yummy adult snack as well!

And finally – HAVE FUN!

Mama Called The Doctor, and The Doctor Said, No More Corn Kernels Stuck Inside Your Head!

Once upon a time, in the land of Vacation, was playing in the room while Mommy took a

came into the bathroom & told Mommy “I put a popcorn in my ear!”

“You did what? A what in your ear?” Mommy said.
“A popcorn. Look!” And as digs his finger in his , Mommy yelled “Stop!”

From inside the , she saw in his .

“Tilt your head & jump up and down.” says the soapy Mommy in the . No luck. The was firmly in place.

Greaaat. At least we passed a hospital about 5 minutes away from the hotel. Mommy had a feeling we’d be making the trip, so she told to ask to try & get it out.

As he’s working at the computer, sees come over nervously & says “I have popcorn in my ear. Can you get it out?”

Thinking Mommy would be mad (and not knowing that Mommy already knew), and went quietly into the bathroom to look for a tool to remove the .

Luckily, found , and using his big, bad Daddy ninja-skills, he popped the out of Reese’s .

Mommy was SO glad we didn’t have to make a hospital trip, & we all understand NO popcorn kernels in the ear!!

Thank You Note 101: How children of all ages can help send a note of thanks

This Christmas season may be remembered as the time that I frantically emplored my children to JUST. SLOW. DOWN. when tearing into gifts and utttered such phrases as don’t-dare-rip-the-card-attached-to-that-present and please-someone-tell-me-who-sent-that-gift-right-now.

I am the mother of two preschool children…two preschool children who are blessed by loving friends and family members who bestowed  upon them mounds and mounds of Christmas presents. Being a lifelong subscriber to Southern Living magazine and firm believer in social graces, I fully intend to have the children (and myself) write thank you notes to all these generous realitives in our lives.

Thus the reason I manically dug through the discarded wrapping paper in search of lost gift tags so I could know who gave us the dinosaur book and who bestowed upon us the diaper bag and ringing cell phone set (not sure if I am truly thankful for the ringing cell phone, but a card will be sent nonetheless).

If you believe as emphatically as I do about having children write thank-you notes, gather the children and have them sit down to scribble out a few notes of gratitude for all the loot received this holiday season. Teaching kids how to write a note of thanks is an excellent way to instill a gracious spirit as well as practice those necessary writing skills.

Obviously, age plays a factor in children’s ability to write a thank you note. However even young children can get in on the action. Below is an example by age group of how children can participate in writing thank you notes.

0-18 months: Babies can help in the note writing process by simply being present while mom or dad write the thank-you note. Cheerfully say “Now we are writing Uncle Peanut to thank him for that toy he gave you for Christmas” as you jot out a quick thank-you to relatives. Although a six month old will not understand the process of writing thank-you notes, they will enjoy the one-on-one time with a parent. Involving a child in such actions early on sets a precedent for how things will be later in life.

18-36 months: Toddlers can use their newfound skills to help the note writing process. They can attach stickers to notes or create a drawing that can be tucked inside the envelope for the receiver to enjoy. Because this age group is on the go the majority of the time, it might be best to write the thank-you notes before sitting down with the child. Read the note to the child, talk about how nice it was for Nanny to give her a new doll, and then have the child decorate part of the note with crayons or stickers.

3-4 year olds: Preschoolers are aware of letters and words and can be a considerable help with writing thank you notes. Children this age usually can write their name so give them the opportunity to sign the bottom of each note. Some preschoolers can even write words and could write one or two in the note themselves. For example, the parent can write “Thank you, Papa, for the new _____.” and the child can fill in the blank with the correct word.

5-6 year olds: Depending on writing skills, this age group could write the note themselves. Let go of any anxiety of how most likely the note will be sloppy or unreadable, Just remember that the message of gratitude is being expressed from a child’s heart. 5 and 6 year olds might be able to write a simple sentence of “Thank you for the Lego’s.” or might need to use the fill-in-the blank method listed above. Either way, they are an active part of the thank-you note writing process.

7-10 year olds: Elementary-aged children can sit down and write out a thank-you note independently. The trick with this age group is actually getting them to accomplish the task. Make this more of a fun activity rather than a chore by setting up a thank-you note writing center, complete with blank cards, stickers, colored pencils, envelopes and stamps. If a child has several notes to write, break up this project over several days. Make a set time, such as after supper, that everyone sits down and jots out a few notes.

‘Tweens and teens: Getting teenagers to do anything can be a hassle. Approach sending thank-you notes by handing over all control to the child. Explain why the notes need to be written and mailed and then give teens free range in how they choose to get the job done. Perhaps they design a cool card on the computer or send out witty emails (Miss Manners might not appreciate electronic communications as a way of sending “thank yous” but she might also have never lived with a teenager). The key here is giving over control and then stepping back and let teenagers decide how they would like to accomplish the task. Do not criticize the harsh neon colors chosen or critique the wording. Simply smile knowing that the task has been accomplished independently.

Do not forget that children are not the only ones who need to respond with a note of thanks for gifts received. Adults should do so as well. Set a good example for children by sitting down and writing out a few thank-you notes while the family is relaxing in the living room in the evening. Let them see that even mom and dad need to be sure to express gratitude for the gifts they received…even when those gifts consume a large amount of batteries and spontaneously make terrifying beeping sounds in the dead of night.

Making Our Own Glow Stick

Nicholas LOVES glow sticks. We must keep the glow stick companies in business because I always have to have a stock of glow sticks on hand. He loves to crack them and take them to bed with him but he also loves to crack them in the middle of the day. He especially loves to get his hands on an unopened box of 15 glow sticks and crack them all at once. He loves glow sticks.

So we couldn’t pass up this experiment to let him make his own glow stick. The ingredients were simple: zinc sulfide powder, vegetable oil, and water.  We got all of this in a kit but there are lots of sites on the internet that have directions for making your own glow sticks as well as where to locate the zinc sulfide powder.

Nicholas loves doing science experiments because he gets to wear his safety gloves. However, these are obviously adult size gloves and they can’t be very safe if they inhibit him from grasping items well. Anyone know where I can find child-size disposable latex gloves?

Daddy held the test tube while Nicholas measured the zinc sulfide and transferred it to the test tube.

Adding the other ingredients…

Voila! We made GLOW!!

Bye-Bye, Little Swing

Moving out of stages in life is hard. Even if the new stage is fresh and exciting and full of wonder, it still can be hard to leave the old stage that you’ve grown so used to and loved so much. I’m such a wishy washy sentimental person. I’m all moody about getting rid of our infant swing. Yes, I’m sad over a silly swing.

I had really wanted a baby swing for Nicholas but I was trying to be practical and not go overboard on buying baby stuff so I didn’t buy one. Dad came to visit when Nicholas was just a few days old and he got the swing for Nicholas. It was a wonderful gift but we were just too tired in those first few weeks to have the energy to put it together. So it sat in the box for a brief time. But then I was at one of the various follow up visits with my OB/GYN and I mentioned that Nicholas seemed to be colicky – crying hours at a time for reasons we just couldn’t figure out. My doctor asked if we tried a baby swing. I embarrasedly said that we had one but just hadn’t put it together. My doctor’s prescription? Go home now and get the swing put together. The energy spent on putting it together will more than be made up for by the restful sleep of a colicky baby.

The swing was put together that night and it was an instant success! Nicholas loved that swing. For his first month or two, he spent a lot of time there. He napped in it, played in it, sat in it while I read to him. It was a life saver for all of us.

When Rachel was born, we knew we had to get the swing down from the attic. It was definitely a necessity. However, Rachel is so different from Nicholas. From the beginning, she has liked her sleep. At about 2 weeks old, she was sleeping peacefully through the night and then slept for most of the day as well. She was never colicky and although we let her sit in the swing for a change of scenery, it was never something we felt that she couldn’t live without. But still it has been neat watching her grow up, sitting in Nicholas’ swing, doing some of the same things he did in it.

But now Rachel is too big for the baby swing. I just put new batteries in it and it swings just fine. However, when I put Rachel in it this morning, it just barely, I mean ever so discreetly, wiggles a little from side to side. She still likes sitting in it but there’s really no swinging going on. And she, like Nicholas when he got too big for it, would prefer to lean herself over the side as much as possible to try to grab at anything on the floor within reach. The swing is very stable so I don’t think it would fall over with the weight shift but it certainly wasn’t designed to manage that kind of weight being disproportionately hanging out of the seat.

What Was Life Like Back Then?

I’m not typically a Family Circle magazine reader and I don’t collect old magazines for a hobby. But this old find is so exciting for me. Here’s the story behind it…

Recently I was looking back through some old pictures of me when I was a baby in an attempt to figure out if Rachel looks more like me or Stuart when we were babies. I ran across this picture of my Dad holding me.

It’s a sweet picture and I’ve seen it hundreds of times before and never paid much attention to it. However, this time I took a moment to look at it more closely and think about what life might have been like for my parents at that time. They were living in an apartment in Baton Rouge at the time I was born. Mom had been an English teacher but quit when I was born. Dad was working as an accountant.

I was born at the end of September 1970 and it’s fun to look at the decor at that time. I actually remember that gold couch. I used to like sitting on it because it was sort of a soft velveety fabric. The black pattern was a different texture than the soft gold fabric I used to like to sit there and run my finger around the black swirls and feel the different textures side-by-side.

I think my parents still have that giant coffee table although it looks much different now. It is very sturdy and big. I haven’t taken a close look at it since I was little but I seem to recall sitting under it and looking at some iron swirly pieces between the legs. I’ll have to take a closer look at that next time I go home to visit.

I believe that the leopard painting is still at their house but I can’t recall seeing it last time I was there. I can’t imagine it is gone though. I think my parents have several paintings by this artist. Mom had told me something about the the lady that painted them but I can’t recall now. Maybe she was just a friend of Mom’s. I’ll have to ask next time I talk to her.

I can’t remember my parents ever having a rotary dial phone but that was obviously all there was at the time. The first time I recall phones in their house was when I was old enough to be on the phone all the time. I got to pick out my own Trimline phone and I picked a sweet pastel blue one.

The drama masks and zodiac on the wall. What can I say? It was 1970.

Then I took a look at the things on the coffee table. What had they been doing or reading earlier that day? Of course there is a baby bottle. The giant textbook sized book is most likely Dad’s. There is a Family Circle magazine and a TV Guide. I knew TV Guide has been around forever but I’ve never had much interest in reading that.

I didn’t know Family Circle was around back then. The thought of my mom reading a magazine like that to learn new parenting ideas and new recipes for our family was neat because I do that now for my family, just with different magazines. I tried to zoom in and get a closer look at the magazine to see what that month’s issue covered but I couldn’t tell.

However, a few searches on the internet and I found a magazine on ebay that looked remarkably like the one on my parents’ coffee table. It’s dated November 1970 so I was sure this was the same magazine.

A single bid later and I became the proud owner of a copy of the magazine on my parents’ coffee table when I was a newborn. It may sound silly but for a sentimental sap like me this magazine is really special. I’ve enjoyed looking through it, especially at the ads for products that aren’t around anymore. It’s also fun to look at the prices of products that are still around today. How different things were back then.

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