Bye Bye Baby Bink

I took Logan's binki away.  No matter how much I want him to stay a little baby, he isn't one.  He is a walking talking little boy.  It was time.  The first nap was dreadful. The first night was a little bit rough.  I let him cry through his wake-ups.  Last night he didn't wake up at all, and he went right down for his nap today.  I imagine if I had waited too much longer it would have been more of a struggle.  He still gets his bottles before sleeping.  I decided on a slow transition to sippie cups over the next few months. 

It is a little bit of a sad day for mama.  Days are passing more quickly than I would like them to.

Right before I had Logan, a beautiful white-haired grandmother who I didn't know came up to me and put her arm around me.  She asked when my baby was due.  I told her, and I will never forget her reply.  With all of the love and wisdom that she had she said, "These are the glory days.  Enjoy every minute of them.  One day you will wish you could return to this time of your life."  It was a little miracle for me.  I was feeling some concern and anxiety about my new undertaking and the changes it required.  I hope I never forget her wise advice.

Near Death Experience

I have been very disciplined regarding my eating and exercise recently.  Sufficed to say, I had some difficult health problems after Logan was born that prevented me from returning to my normal exercise routine as quickly as I would have liked.  Thanks to a good surgeon, I'm doing much better now.  Although I lost all of the baby weight quite some time ago, I have needed to strengthen my muscles again.  I've been working hard at it.  I have filled my house with nutrient rich foods, and spent 1-2 hours a day exercising.  My good friend Lilli has been very supportive.  She told me the other day she was enjoying an amazing piece of cheesecake, and as good friends do, she wanted to share her experience with me.  She decided not to bring me any.  I appreciated her exercising that control, because I may not have been able to.

Yesterday I spent the day at her house watching her girls.  She was gone.  Necessity required me to get in her pantry several times.  There on the second shelf from the top, right at eye level was a box of Samoa girl scout cookies.  All throughout the day my mouth watered and longed for the cookies.  The toasted coconut, carmel, and chocolate treats were almost too much to resist.  By 3:00 the cravings were so bad that I hid the cookies behind a box of Triscuts so I wouldn't have to see them while rummaging around for animal crackers and goldfish.

I'm proud to announce that I did not succumb.  This morning my weekly weigh in showed another 3 lbs. lost (that is 10 total in five weeks).   The happiness I felt this morning was worth all of the suffering of yesterday.

Lilli, please eat your cookies, feed them to your children, or hide them somewhere in your house before I come over again.  I don't know if I can handle the torture.

Beans and Brews is Much Better than Starbucks

Yum, yum, yum! Last night two of my girlfriends and I went out after our little ones went to bed for some hot chocolate and a chat (a wonderful ritual which I highly recommend). We decided to go to Beans and Brews instead of Starbucks. We paid a bit more for our warm steamy beverages, but it was totally worth it. I'm really into flavors in my chocolate. They had about 20 different syrups to choose from (Starbucks only has about 7). A few of the most fantastic were coconut, carmel pecan, toasted marshmallow, almond toffee, and macadamian nut. They also had lots of fruity syrups like passion fruit, boysenberry, and banana which they told us make very tasty italian sodas. I tried macadamian nut. I'm really trying to be cautious about my portions and sweets right now, so I ordered a small, skipped the cream, and had them use skim milk. It was still wonderful. I was still thinking about it when I woke up this morning.

Take a girlfriend out for a relaxing treat. Unless of course my husband is reading this. Then take me.

School Board Meeting

Last night I attended a meeting where all of the candidates running for the school board spoke to parents and educators.  Sadly, there weren't very many people there.  People expect so much from the school system, but often they aren't willing to involve themselves politically or volunteer in their kid's classrooms.  So often my friends express concern over their children and the declining school system.  This is what I tell them.

1.  There are lots of great teachers still in the public system.  Be involved.  Know the teachers at your school.  Spend time volunteering.  You can always call the school and tell them you would like to volunteer once a day/week/month.  Ask them how you can help.  If you are a friend to the teachers, office employees, and administrators, it is likely that you can gently pull strings for your own children when it comes time to place them in classes.

2.  If you are awful (back-stabbing, demanding, intrusive, insulting) to a teacher - regardless of what they've done, your child suffers.  Some teachers take out their frustration on the kids.  As a teacher when I had a threatening parent I handled it by telling them what they wanted to hear so they would leave me alone.  I kept a positive, low-key relationship.  I disconnected to a degree from their child.  I had to.  Teachers have to protect themselves too. There is no reason to involve a parent and be honest with them, if all they are going to do is create problems for you and the student.  You may be saying, "Oh, I would never be that way!"  You'd be surprised how many parents are.

3.  If you have a problem with something that is going on in your child's classroom, calmly go to the teacher.  Do not run to the district or principal first.  If you have already worked with the teacher and you can see that they are not able to solve it, then you can go to administrators.  

4.  Do not assume that everything your seven-year-old (or fifteen-year-old) tells you is accurate!  Their perceptions are often not actual, and even more often they are telling a story to keep themselves out of trouble ("I promise I turned that in!  My teacher lost it." "I don't have any homework." "Jimmy hit me and I didn't do ANYTHING to him." Sometimes these statements are true, and sometimes they aren't.).  Check their story out before you get all wrapped up around the axle.  Most teachers want to listen to parents, solve problems, and help their students have a great experience.  I appreciated calls from parents when their children were having trouble on the playground, didn't understand concepts, or were having problems at home.  I always addressed their concerns.  Most teachers do.  

5. If your child gets a consequence for doing something wrong, they probably deserve it.  If you have a real concern, calmly talk to the teacher.  Again, don't assume what your child is telling you is completely accurate until you have checked out their story.

6.  Be at the school.  Help.  Spend time in the classroom.  Attend events.  Pay your PTA dues (they are cheap).  They really help if everyone participates.

7.  Express gratitude.  Most teachers are working so hard.  They receive so little in return.  I still keep the heartfelt cards parents wrote to me thanking me.  Don't just do it on Christmas.  Your child will benefit so much if you work to develop a positive relationship with their teacher!

8.  Children adopt the attitudes of their parents and other adults they are around.  Even if you don't agree with everything that your child's teacher does, do not talk poorly about them in front of your child!  Be supportive.  Even if your child is having a tough year, talk to them about what they can learn from their experience.  Being negative only makes a bad situation worse.

9.  Do not tell your children that you are "bad" at subjects and that is why they are "bad" at them too.  Do not tell your child's teacher on the first day of school all of the rotten experiences your child has had in the past - especially in front of the child.  Even if you feel that way, be positive and encouraging for your child's sake.  Miracles can happen in classrooms.  Children can change when they are in a warm, safe, structured environment.  Let them start each year with a fresh start.

10.  Educate yourself.  Go to the source.  Attend political and board meetings if you can. Your neighbors are not always an accurate source of information.  Be an active, voting, citizen who supports our public schools.  Teach your children to give educators the respect they deserve.

Get This Stuff and Sunscreen

I decided last year that I wanted to have great skin when I'm 50+ more than I want a tan when I'm 25.  I wear a tinted moisturizer on my face and a little bronzer.  Three or four times a week (after shaving) I use Jergens Natural glow for medium skin.  It is fabulous!  You can't tell a difference for about a week, but after that it gradually, evenly, darkens your skin.  The color on my skin is very natural looking (no orange streaks).  The kind that is also firming doesn't really firm, but it does smell really good.  I'll let you know in 30 years if it was worth it.  

Gratitudes

This list is not comprehensive, nor is it in any particular order.  These are just a few things I have been thankful for recently.  I tag Boo, Lilli, and Liz.

1.  Health  - I suppose God gives us things to suffer through so we appreciate all of the things that are in good working order.  Bodies are a miracle.

2.  A warm safe place to live - We recently invited a neighbor over who grew up in post-World War 2 Eastern Germany.  Among other things, he told us about his father being captured and killed by Stalin's army while traveling home after the war ended, eating grass to survive in a city that was 90% destroyed, and having his country taken over by communist Russia.  

3.  A husband - I'm so glad I'm not raising Logan alone, and that Topher is my best friend.

4.  My mom - She has taught me to be strong, to take care of others, and to take care of myself.

5.  The Office - I need to laugh until I cry once a week.  

6.  Good neighbors - I have the best neighbors.

7.  Mangoes - I just ate one.  They are so good.  Logan likes sucking on the pits.  They remind me of living in Fiji.

8.  College - I learned a lot more than how to become a teacher.  The life lessons I learned were crucial to my success as a wife, mother, and friend.  I'm grateful for the people God placed in my path who taught me to be a better person.

9.  Sunday - I love going to church, and being home with Topher and Logan.  I love turning off the T.V. and radio and having a peaceful day.  I love playing games with Topher while Logan takes his morning nap.

10.  Spring - No explanation necessary.

Helper

I was wiping up the floor under Logan's high chair the other day.  The phone rang and I left the rag on the floor I had been using.  When I returned I found Logan finishing my job.

Little Reader

Logan and I have a morning ritual of reading together.  I prefer reading in the morning and when he wakes up from naps as opposed to bedtime.  He is much more interactive and attentive when he is not exhausted.  

This morning Logan pointed to the fish when I asked him where it was.  He also pointed to a ball in the book and said ball.  For a teacher who is familiar with the developmental stages children go through as readers, this was a big day.  I was more excited this morning when he pointed at the fish than when he took his first steps.   I love watching Logan learn new things.

Playing at the Lake

We spent Saturday at the fishing pond behind our house in celebration of the warm weather.  Logan ate cherry tomatoes and played with rocks.  Grandma and a few cousins came along. 

                                            Yeah for Spring!
Grandma came along to play with Logan.  He loves her and all of the little toys she finds for him.
Thanks for the cute flip flops Aunt Boo.  I especially like the color!  -Logan
Here is Logan using his new sliding skills (see former post)  at the park later that day.  He climbed up the steps and slid down the big kid curly slide all by himself.
 

Swimming with Grace

It was my friend's daughter's birthday last week.  We went swimming with them at our community swimming pool.  Everyone had fun, but no one had as much fun as Logan.  He discovered that he could slide down the dinosaur slide all by himself.  He climbed up the stairs in the back, flipped on his tummy, and slid into the pool over and over again.  I don't know very many 13 month old children, but I assume most of them don't do things like that all by themselves.  It is time for swimming lessons this summer.