Saturday, May 30, 2009
When You Need a Plumber in Cincinnati
In Between Words
Chatting with Fellow Christians
Friday Night Out
Getting Tickets for Las Vegas Shows
Friday, May 29, 2009
Marguerite's Apron
Here you can see Marguerite working the apron and actually using it while preparing her snack of cut up bananas (she's using a spreader here; she has a wooden toy knife, but she uses that for playdough - and I was too lazy to wash it, so the spreader it is!). Later she would add cereals, raisins, dried blueberries and pomegranate bits to the mess and actually eat it all up.
So here's Marguerite's apron hanging with mine (completely upstaged behind Marguerite's).
Tuesday, May 26, 2009
Activities for Scrubs Readers
Shaving Things off the Grocery List
Saturday, May 23, 2009
What the Stylish Nurse Reads
Marguerite's Trove
Crossing Out a List Item
We got a call on the intercom saying that a courier just dropped off something for me. Marguerite naturally thought it was for her. Anyway, she's holding on to the envelope and letter while I put the gift certificates away.
Thursday, May 21, 2009
My Potty Issues
Anyway, here are some excerpts from Ms. Pantley's book:
Gentle Ways to Help Your Child Say Good-Bye to Diapers
| |
Quick Facts About Potty Training Potty training can be natural, easy, and peaceful. The first step is to know the facts. ♦ The perfect age to begin potty training is different for every child. Your child's best starting age could be anywhere from eighteen to thirty-two months. Pre-potty training preparation can begin when a child is as young as ten months.
♦ You can begin training at any age, but your child's biology, skills, and readiness will determine when he can take over his own toileting.
♦ Teaching your child how to use the toilet can, and should, be as natural as teaching him to build a block tower or use a spoon.
♦ No matter the age that toilet training begins, most children become physically capable of independent toileting between ages two and a half and four.
♦ It takes three to twelve months from the start of training to daytime toilet independence. The more readiness skills that a child possesses, the quicker the process will be.
♦ The age that a child masters toileting has absolutely no correlation to future abilities or intelligence.
♦ There isn’t only one right way to potty train - any approach you use can work - if you are pleasant, positive and patient.
♦ Nighttime dryness is achieved only when a child's physiology supports this--you can't rush it.
♦ A parent's readiness to train is just as important as a child's readiness to learn.
♦ Potty training need not be expensive. A potty chair, a dozen pairs of training pants and a relaxed and pleasant attitude are all that you really need. Anything else is truly optional.
♦ Most toddlers urinate four to eight times each day, usually about every two hours or so.
♦ Most toddlers have one or two bowel movements each day, some have three, and others skip a day or two in between movements. In general, each child has a regular pattern.
♦ More than 80 percent of children experience setbacks in toilet training. This means that what we call “setbacks” are really just the usual path to mastery of toileting.
♦ Ninety-eight percent of children are completely daytime independent by age four. The Potty Training Readiness Quiz Potty training is easier and happens faster if your child is truly ready in all three areas: physical, cognitive and social. But the big question is: how do you know when your child is ready? If you have never traveled this road before, you likely don’t even know what signs to look for. Take this quiz to find out where your child is on the readiness spectrum. 1. I can tell by watching that my child is wetting or filling his diaper: a. Never. b. Sometimes. c. Usually.
2. My toddler's diaper needs to be changed: a. Frequently, every hour or two. b. It varies. c. Every two to three hours--sometimes less frequently.
3. My child understands the meaning of wet, dry, clean, wash, sit, and go: a. No. b. Some of them. c. Yes.
4. When my child communicates her needs, she: a. Says or signs a few basic words and I guess the rest. b. Gets her essential points across to me. c. Has a good vocabulary and talks to me in sentences.
5. If I give my child a simple direction, such as, "put this in the toy box," she: a. Doesn't understand or doesn't follow directions. b. Will do it if I coach or help her. c. Understands me and does it.
6. My child can take his pants off and put them on: a. No. b. With help he can. c. Yes.
b. Sometimes listens, sometimes wanders off. c. Sits, listens and enjoys the story.
b. Sometimes. c. All the time!
9. I think that it's the right time to begin potty training:
b. I'm undecided. c. Yes.
Total the number of responses for each letter: a. __________ b. __________ c. __________ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Most answers are a: Wait. Your little one doesn't seem to be ready just yet. Test again in a month or two. Most answers are b: Time for pre-potty training--get ready! Your child is not quite ready for active training, but you can take many steps to prepare your toddler for the future. Gradual introduction of terms and ideas will make potty training easier when the time comes. Most answers are c: Your toddler is ready to use the potty! It's time to start your potty training adventure. Good luck, and have fun! Are you between two scores? Just like any parenting situation, there are choices to make. If your child is hovering between two categories, it's time to put your intuition to good use. Your knowledge of your own child can direct you toward the right plan of action. |
Wednesday, May 20, 2009
Lighthouse Love, Part 2
Oh wait. The lighthouse was this one. I think they call it the Spanish Lighthouse.
Tuesday, May 19, 2009
Paid Hacker - Dream Job for Many?
Lighthouse Love
When strange things happen,
Are you going round the twist?
Have you ever, ever felt like this,
When strange things happen,
Are you going round the twist?
Well have you heard the word about the bird and the spider?
It wiggled and wiggled and jiggled inside her.
Have you ever, ever felt like this,
When strange things happen,
Are you going round the twist?
Have you ever, ever felt like this,
When strange things happen,
Are you going? Are you going round the twist?
Beach Portraits
Monday, May 18, 2009
If You Think This Is a Shameless Plug
So, I've started yet another blog. This one can be found over at Momcenter (Mumcentre in other countries, I think). I'm calling it This Mom's Issues and true enough, I've only blogged about my concerns as a mother. Will there come a time when I'll call myself a professional blogger?lol I'm actually thinking of starting at least two more and they'll certainly be monetized. This one, however, isn't. It's really just my thoughts and anecdotes related to motherhood. I figure I can do that here since it's my personal blog, but what the hey, I can do it there too. :)
Saturday, May 16, 2009
What's New with Direct TV?
Friday, May 15, 2009
Every Gag=10 IQ Points
Apparently, there's a study showing that children whose mothers had suffered from morning sickness when they were pregnant performed better in IQ assessment tests. If this is true, then Marguerite has got to be a genius as I had hyperemesia (btw, the term morning sickness pissed the heck out of me because, what morning?! every minute, every second of every day - I had no respite) from my 2nd month to a little past my 5th month. I actually thought I would have an easy time since my first month was so normal. Enter the second month and I became like a character from The Exorcist. I probably reeked of puke the entire time. I remember the students always on alert, ready to dodge flying vomit at any time. Fun times, lol. Anyway, I did know that morning sickness is an indicator of a healthy pregnancy, but I took little comfort from that at that time. Now that the memories are less vivid, I can say that it wasn't so bad (but it WAS! lol). Add this piece of news and I can even be grateful for the experience. :) Anyway, to the pregger ladies out there, including my SIL, in case one of these days you find yourself slumped on the floor gagging into a barf bucket, just think that this could be an indication of your child's high IQ. :)
Thursday, May 14, 2009
An iPod Anecdote
Piggy/Spider - Charlotte's Web
Daddy - College Road Trip
Enchanted - Enchanted
Tracy Turnblad - Hairspray
Heather Mullins - this is a video of a teen girl singing "I Want You Back"
Mamma Mia - Mamma Mia
Paint - Miss Potter
Nim - Nim's Island
Wall-E - Wall-E
I've Got Milk - You've Got Mail
Anyway, yesterday while we were in bed (both of us started out reading) she picked the iPod up and got it started correctly somehow so she ended up watching Enchanted. I guess the movie ended soon and since I didn't lock the pad, she was able to fiddle with it. Anyhoo, while I thought she was watching Enchanted all that time, she was actually watching The Da Vinci Code (which comes right before Enchanted). The next time I glanced down from my book, I saw Tom Hanks. It didn't register immediately that Marguerite was watching something else, but when it did, I yelped, "Why are you watching The Da Vinci Code?" and took the iPod from her to switch it back to Enchanted. When I gave it back to her, Marguerite whined, "No! I want The Bitchy Code!" I explained to her that Da Vinci Code was not for little girls. She's usually pretty good about dealing with "not for children" explanations and would normally just leave whatever it is alone, but she was adamant about this one. I ashamedly admit that I tried to trick her by switching to You've Got Mail (I've Got Milk) since Tom Hanks is also there, but I underestimated my smart girl. She tried to make me switch back to Da Vinci Code a few more times before I was finally able to convince her that You've Got Mail was as fascinating (Ooh, look at that... so many books; Oooh, such pretty twinkly lights; Wow, that looks fun...). Methinks the iPod should just stay with Husband all the time.
Wednesday, May 13, 2009
The Appeal of a Supercharged Ride
Tuesday, May 12, 2009
I Have This Idea That I Can Sew
It's part of a study desk set we bought at a garage sale last year and I've been meaning to découpage or paint the thing, but when I saw this blouse (also from a garage sale) crumpled in a ball at the back of the closet (never got to wear it much since it's too warm to wear here and since I've accumulated all this blubber, it really didn't fit anymore), and since I still have all that leftover fiber from when I made Marguerite's shopping cart cover, I thought I'd just make a cushion for Marguerite.
The end product's a right mess with lots of puckering and ugly stitching (the thing's hand-stitched, okay?), but I think it's "charming", teehee. First it was just supposed to be the blouse material plain. Then I thought of the leftover ribbons I'd used for Marguerite's party's cloth bunting. Yeah, so no picture for those stages. Anyway, then I thought it would be nice to put an M on it.
The M looked jarring somehow, so I thought I'd soften it up with a lace border.
Sigh. I thought I'd better finish the thing before I start adding sequins and fringes and turn it into part whoopee cushion... Anyway, Marguerite doesn't like sitting on it. She pushes it up and uses it as a back pillow.
Monday, May 11, 2009
Mother's Day and Marguerite's Apartment Living Contraband
Last Saturday as I was preparing a salad lunch for myself and Husband, I discovered two creatures that had been living in our vegetable crisper for almost a week. Don't tell our building admin, but Marguerite just got herself her first pets.
Marguerite was fascinated, of course, and she belted out with her medley of insect songs, with the addition of her vegetable song (because the caterpillars were in the broccoli!). In honor of our creepy crawlies, I leave you with this video (Husband loves the drumming - very jazzy!):
Thinking About Webhosting
Saturday, May 9, 2009
Nothing Bad About Girly Colors
Thursday, May 7, 2009
100 Species Challenge (22-37)
22. thyme
23. tarragon
24. chives
25. local oregano
26. basil
27. Thai oregano
28. sweet basil
29. aquatic mint
30. mint
31. choco mint
32. parsley
33. alugbati (malabar nightshade)
34. asparagus
35. rosemary
36. dill
37. garden strawberry
Tuesday, May 5, 2009
Isaw, Fairy House, and Sunflowers
Summer is sunflower season in UP, especially along University Ave. We haven't had the chance to take a picture of the rows along the road, but did find these ones at the lagoon area.