Tub Danger

When I was a toddler I swallowed some of my mom's apple shampoo.  It created bubbles and foam that filled my esophagus and mouth.  I almost suffocated. My parents were panicked and didn't know how to help me breath.  My lips turned blue.  Gratefully my grandma had a feeling she should come visit and arrived just in time to induce vomiting.  Thank heaven! 

So Logan was playing in the tub the other day.  Before I knew it he had the cap off his grape shampoo and it was up to his mouth ready to drink (you can't believe how fast he can get lids off things).  I'm so glad I was right there, because I was able to stop him.   Even with the experience when I was little that my mom has told me about so many times, I didn't think about the shampoo as a hazard I should keep away from him.  The experience was another testimony to me that little ones can't be left alone in the bathroom, and drowning is not the only danger in the tub.

Logan Says...

1. Hi (means hi and bye)

2. Book (100 times a day, possible his mom is a former teacher)

3. Uh-oh (often throws things down just to say it)

4. Mama (when he is hungry or tired)

5. Dada (in the morning when he wakes up)

6. Up (hold me)

7. Raaaaarrrrr (the universal noise for all animals except duck, pig, and cow)

8. Quack quack, oink, moo

9. Bink (he only gets it during bed time, and never forgets to ask for it)

10. Bottle (also a bedtime ritual)

11. Apple (this means computer, he likes the learning activities on Starfall.com the first of which is A for Apple)

Logan also says duck.  My mom bought him one of those irritating singing dancing animals for Easter.  He says, "Duck, duck, duck, duck.....etc....." until someone squeezes it for him.  Children are so easily entertained.  

Will You?

I have made an important discovery in my marriage.  Beginning a request to my better half with "will you..." is a highly effective way to help him help me (and Logan).  I cannot take credit for this wonderful idea.  I read it in Men are From Mars. Women are From Venus.  The author points out that men respond much better to "will you..." than "won't you...", "why haven't you...", "can you...", "you should...", etc.

To my greatest joy, I have found that several "will yous..." followed by "thank yous" have lead fewer requests for things like changing diapers, emptying trash, preparing bottles, and emptying the dishwasher.  I truly appreciate having a husband who is so willing to support and help me in the menial tasks motherhood often requires.

Give it a try, and remember to never underestimate the power of semantics in a marriage.  

I Can't Wait to See this Replay in Heaven

There are a few things I'm looking forward to seeing on Tivo in Heaven.  Sometimes I wish I had a camera crew following me around so I could see the things I miss in my own life.  

Today I took Logan to the Post Office with me to mail two large packages.  How does a mother carry a near 30 lb. one year old, two large packages, and her purse into the Post Office at the same time?  She doesn't.  It is impossible.  As I carted loads inside, I was hoping that Riverton law enforcement didn't show up and see my small child singing to himself in the car between trips and haul me off in cuffs.  Three trips later we were finally standing in line.  While in line, I realized that Logan had disassembled one of the items to be shipped (I foolishly left it sitting next to him in the back seat of the car), and lost one of the pieces.  I searched the car, my purse, and even got down on my hands and knees and crawled around the floor in the Post Office looking for it, all to no avail.  All the while, Logan, unaware of the trouble he had caused happily talked to the people in line, reached for everything he could see that looked appealing to him, and growled at the teddy bear display.  As my turn came up to pay for my packages, I leaned over to pick up something Logan had confiscated from my purse and thrown to the ground.  He smacked his head on the counter (Mommy's fault) and began to wail.  I quickly finished my transaction and returned to the car.  I gave Logan his sippie cup to help him feel better, which he promptly disassembled and poured all over himself.  

Unfortunately for me, the government has little incentive to improve the efficiency of the Postal System (or many other systems for that matter).  I'm hoping that by some miracle they take a page out of Walgreen's book and get a drive thru.

Please Talk to Your Kids, You'll be Surprised at What they May not Know

I work as a private tutor two days a week.  This week I was working with a little darling on some mental math skills.  Although this student is in 5th grade, they were unable to tell me the value of 3 quarters.  I have met many 6th and 7th graders who do not know the difference between odd and even numbers, or how to divide a number by two.  None of these children have learning disabilities, they just struggle because they have few meaningful one on one conversations with adults about how to apply what they learn.  I have made a few observations as a teacher and tutor.  

1.  It is relatively easy to teach a child who is 3-5 years to read.  

2.  It is extremely difficult to teach a child who is 9+ years to read.

3.  Children usually do okay if they watch some T.V. and play some video games.

4.  Children who have unlimited T.V. and video game privileges struggle concentrating, listening, and participating in three-dimensional interactions with peers and adults.  Possibly this is because they choose to vegetate in front of a screen almost exclusively and have limited experience with other activities that help them develop positive social skills and strong work habits.

5.  Children crave structure and boundaries.  They make them feel safe.  Children act out to find boundaries.

6.  Children enjoy positive meaningful interaction with adults.

7.  Children are intuitive regarding our feelings about them.

8.  Children are highly influenced by the attitudes of the adults they are around.

9.  Many of the children I have seen who struggle are unwilling, not unable.  Often they are unwilling because they don't think they can be successful.  

10. Children who have a father and mother who are actively involved in their education rarely have trouble being successful in school.  

100 Things About Me You May or May Not be Surprised to Know

My friend suggested I make a list of 100 things about myself. This is a work in progress. 

1. I have a strong will.

2. My hair is very obedient.

3. I never get tired of eating Hawaiian pizza.

4. I can't have sweets in my house because I can't stop eating them if they're around.

5. I love my family.

6. I have great fingernails.

7. I taught school in Fiji. It was very hard while I was there, but now it is one of the most treasured memories of my life.

8. I like listening to music that matches my mood.

9. Doing what I say I'm going to do is very important to me. I keep my commitments.

10. I deeply admire my younger brother. I have always looked up to him.

11. I rarely operate out of guilt or perceived feelings of obligation. I do what I think is right, and what I want to do.

12. I am very organized. I like knowing where everything is in my house.

13. I love teaching. I particularly like working with kids who struggle. I am good at helping them be successful.

14. I never get my mail unless I have time right then to sort, shred, and pay the bills.  I hate piles of paper in my kitchen and office.

15. I love my parents for the sacrifices they have made for me.

16. I love holding my baby when he is asleep. I love singing and dancing with him when he is awake.

17. I am a great cook.

18. Once two men asked me to marry them on the same day. I didn't marry either one of them. I married someone better for me.

19. I love my grandparents and value their wisdom.

20. I like to run outside, not on treadmills.

21. I always have my toenails and fingernails painted.

22. I haven't missed a day of reading scriptures in over ten years. Some days it has only been a verse. It has brought power into my life.

23. I am a fabulous bargain shopper. I rarely purchase clothing that isn't at least 50% off. Pants are an exception, because I have very long legs and they are difficult to find.

24. My favorite spice to cook with is cumin.

25. I always add a little salt to sweet things I cook, and a little sugar to salty things.

26. I have a deep abiding love for coconut anything.

27. I like to hike.

28. I like to water ski, even though I'm not very good at it.

29. I am good at throwing a frisbee.

30. I am very frugal with money. I hope I always am even if I don't have to be.

31. I want to build wells in Africa and schools in the South Pacific.

32. I think we should institute much harsher punishments for criminals in this country. I think Singapore has something going.

33. I want to visit Inverness, Scotland one day. My dad served a mission there.

34. I love to go on cruises.

35. Being a teacher was a hard job that I loved. Being a mom is a harder job that I love more.

36. I enjoy working hard.

37. I like to sing in bathrooms.

38. My dad died when I was a little girl, and it still makes me sad sometimes. Sometimes it makes me feel grateful.

39. I am a great sleeper. I love my bed. If I don't get 8 hours a night, watch out.

40. I laugh loudly.

41. I am allergic to animals.

42. I am too outspoken.

43. I don't let people treat me poorly.

44. If I could live anywhere I wanted, and still be close to my family, I would live by a beach.

45. The ocean relaxes me.

46. I am the opposite of a pack rat.

47. I have a hard time ordering in restaurants.

48. I have a hard time spelling restaurant.

49. I dislike the portrayal of women in pop culture.

50. No dessert is ever too rich for me.

51. I love Harry Potter, and I think J.K. Rowling deserves to be richer than to queen, because she has made so many little kids love to read.

52. I am not afraid of public speaking. I like it.

53. I love eating tropical fruit.

54. I wear sunscreen every day. I want to have beautiful skin when I'm 60 more than I want a tan when I'm 25.

55. I like delayed gratification.

56. My husband was the first boy who took me on a date. It was on my 16th birthday.

57. I am a donor.

58. I graduated from college in 3 years. I walked in the graduation ceremony at 20.

59. I love LDS General Conference.

60. I don't like mushrooms or zucchini.

61. I also have a hard time spelling zucchini.

62. I like wearing heels even though I am tall.

63. I love summer, spring, and fall, in that order.

64. My least favorite chore is taking out the garbage and vacuuming. I have never taken out the garbage since I have been married. My sweetie always does it for me.

65. I hope all of my children inherit my husband's chin.

66. It is hard for me to ask people for help.

67. I try to serve one person outside my house every day.

68. I like writing letters to companies who provide excellent products and service. I also let them know when I am unhappy with their products and service.

69. I love camping on the beach after Christmas with my family.

70. Sometimes I wish I had gone to Law School.

71. I have very strong teeth.

72. Fifth grade and eleventh grade were my favorite years in school.

73. I love reading historical fiction.
74. I like having a candle burning in my house, but I often forget to light one.
75. I loved my wedding day even though there was a bad snow storm that day.
76. I am very good at teaching math and writing.
77. I love watching fireworks and eating homemade hamburgers with my grandparents on the 24th of July.
78. I am a Scottish Highland dancer, and I performed with a pipe band when I was younger.
79. I think text books are a rip-off, and I didn't buy them my senior year of college. I got A's and B's without them.
80. I've never pierced my ears or any other parts of my body.
81. It doesn't stress me out to cook meals for large groups of people.
82. I always clean my kitchen before I start cooking in it, then I continue to clean as I go.
83. I make my bed every day. My mom doesn't. She thinks making your bed allows all of the critters that live in it to reproduce more quickly. She makes it sometimes and lets it "air out" sometimes.
84. I tell it how it is.  If I am in a situation where I need to candy coat something, I have to think about it ahead of time.  I usually ask my husband for advice.
85. I am very practical.

86. I love fillet mingon cooked medium.

87. I value my independence.

88. I love ziplock bags

89. I buy expensive toilet paper and cheap paper towels.

90. I don't like sad movies.

91. I drink water not soda.

92. I wore braces twice.

93. Snorkeling is a little bit scary to me, but I love seeing coral reefs, so I do it anyway.

94. I love playing games with my husband even though I almost always lose.

95. I appreciate my good girlfriends.  I need them.

96. I used to have an organized purse, but now I am constantly digging through baby stuff to find what I need.   

97. I do not like to snow ski. even though I live in one of the greatest skiing areas in the world.

98. I love tulips and daisies.

99. I like to spend my money making memories with my family.

100. I believe in miracles.

Please Don't Try This at Home, or in a Fancy Hotel

While in Hawaii with my husband's family we visited a very fancy hotel on the other side of the island we were staying on.  One night stay runs around $1,000 per night. While admiring the posh decor and beautiful ocean view, my husband told his sister that he would pay her 10 times as much as she could fish out of the fountain in the center of the lobby.  I excused myself from the scene hoping that if security showed up I wouldn't be hauled out in cuffs with them.

She made $6.40.

Car Crap

We are now approaching $20,000 out of pocket for car problems and maintenance in the last 18 months.  Have a good laugh at the following.  I have to laugh about it so I don't cry.

10+ tows

2 blown engines (Hyundai and Volvo)

2 totaled cars (newly repaired Hyundai and Rodeo)

1 rear-end accident

2 accidents during 3rd trimester of pregnancy (baby and mama were fine)

1 tire blow out on highway

4+ times stranded on side of the road because something broke and car wouldn't start

new astronomical insurance fees

Just a disclaimer, I was not the cause of any of the accidents although I was in the car for two of them.  I'm ready to move back to Fiji where I can take the bus and walk everywhere I go.  I also try not to dwell on the fact that if we'd been able to invest the $20,000 we've lost at 14% interest (what we are currently getting on real estate notes), and allow it to compound until we are 65, it would be $5,120,000.00.

Logan is One!!

Indoor Activities for Mamas and Babies

This winter has been a bit of a struggle for me by virtue of the fact that it has been so cold and snowy.  I like to be on the go.  Here are some things Logan and I have found to help with cabin fever this winter.

1.  Go to the library.  The one by our house is not fabulous, so we go on field trips to other libraries in our county.

2.  Start a weekly play group with other moms in your neighborhood.  Take turns hosting.

3.  Pay a visit to a family member we don't get to see often, or one we do get to see.

4.  Visit an aquarium or museum.  Many are free at local universities.

5.  Get popcorn and a drink for $1.00 at Target and shop the clearance racks for as long as your child will last.

6.  Read stories or listen to music.

7.  Blow bubbles or play with clay.

8.  Go out to lunch at a restaurant with a play area for kids (Joe's Crab Shack, Carl's Jr. McDonald's)

9.  Bake cupcakes and decorate them together.  Take some to a neighbor or friend.

10. Go on a mid-week road trip with a friend to somewhere warmer.

11. Bundle up and make a snowman.

12. Find a new recipe to cook for dinner and grocery shop for the ingredients.

13. Do a toy rotation with a friend so your child has something new and exciting to play with.

14. Go visit Daddy at the office for lunch.

15. Practice learning letters and sounds on Starfall.com.

16. Pull the pots and pans out of the cupboard and let baby play.  Mom can organize the pantry while baby is occupied.

17. Swim at an indoor pool.

18. Go to the store and get some a new fruit or vegetables for baby to try.  Logan has become a huge fan of blueberries, mangoes, blackberries, and even parsnips.

19. Offer to volunteer at a local elementary school.  Depending on the activity, you can take your little one(s).

20. Logan loves baths.  Sometimes when I'm going stir crazy, I let him have a mid-day bath and play in the water.

Our Buddy's Favorite Messes to Make... This Week

1.  Pulling tissues of of the Kleenex Box (we call it his magic box because they just keep coming)

2.  Get into Daddy's drawer in the bathroom and take his Q-tips out of the box one by one

3.  Take all of the ziplock bags out of their box

4.  Pull Mommy's files out of her portable file box

5.  Throw food from his high chair tray when he has finished eating

6.  Take the pans out of the cupboards and climb inside when it is empty

7.  Disassemble his sippie cup and pour its contents out on the floor

8.  Unfold laundry when Mom carelessly leaves it unattended for 5 seconds or more

9.  Blow out his diaper several times a week

10. Take all of the DVD's off the shelf 

A rake or a blow dryer... you choose

While on a morning run last week I happened upon a neighbor of mine who recently moved to our snowy valley from Seattle.  He was raking the snow in his front yard in hopes that it would melt more quickly if he spread it out.  I considered taking a blow dryer to my front yard.  I took 3 weeks of vacation this winter to warm tropical locations.  It was not sufficient to abate my discouragement with the miserable weather I have to face.  The weather has bothered me more this year than any other.  Perhaps it is because I am home now, and I am confined to my house with my one year old when it's too cold to go out.  I love my one year old and my house, however, it is definitely preferable to pass the days at the park, zoo, or swimming pool, as opposed to following my little buddy around the house putting the tupperware back in the cupboards and re-rolling up the toilet paper dozens of times every day.