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The Magic Fridge

Awhile back I was going to make Horseradish Meatballs. I was disappointed when I went to make the recipe because we did not have any horseradish. Husband had asked me if I had purchased some and I said, "No, I thought there was some in the fridge." If I did not purchase any, then how did I expect there to be some in the fridge? Simple. Every fridge has horseradish; if just grows there. My husband thinks I am insane and all conversations some how seem to come back to horseradish. Which is what happened with or Twitter conversation today.

Me: The Monkey has developed a love of popcorn. He must be my son

Hubs: You made popcorn? I want popcorn. Where do I get popcorn?

Me: From the top of the fridge, it grows there like horseradish

Hubs: Wow. That fridge is magic.

Me: Otherwise, we may starve to death. LOL! Trying to teach it how to produce milk next

Hubs: Screw the milk - train it to product Twinkies. They never go bad and can sell them! 

Me: You are insane. I do not even like Twinkies. How about chocolate milk? If the fridge makes enough, we can sell it.

Hubs: Mmmm... mystery fridge Twinkies...

Me: Laughing so hard I almost choked to death. Are you trying to kill me?

Hubs: No, but clearly my powers are growing. Now, I must learn to control them.

 So as you can read, my husband and I are crazy. Maybe this is what has kept us married for, I think, five years or so. Clearly, I am not good at remembering things like that.

Pacifiers and Thumb-sucking - Revisited

June 2009 - My well-meaning mother states, "It is better for a child to have a pacifier because you can throw it away. You cannot cut off his thumb, Danielle." Yes, that was my goal, to remove my child's thumb. Where does she come up with this stuff? She has said this so many times, I was starting to think I was setting my child up for a lifetime of addiction because I was so quick to place a pacifier in his mouth rather than let him soothe himself. Thankfully, I never pulled his thumb out of his mouth and replaced with a pacifier. I figured if he wanted it in there and he was quiet, it worked for me. However, if he started to get fussy, I popped in a paci.

March 2010 - All my worries about addiction to pacifiers was totally unfounded. Not to mention, my total embarrassment of having photos taken with one in DZ's mouth. Dustin decided to give up the pacifier not long after I wrote the above post. I never had to throw it away or any other possibly damaging action because he made the decision himself. He did the same thing with breastfeeding. At about 10 months, he decided he was done and preferred exploring the world to quiet time nursing with Mama. 

As you may know, DZ is 17 months old and has all of his teeth. His first choppers came in at 2 months of age. Since then, he has chewed on anything he can find to try and get his teeth to come in. Although, he often has his fingers in his mouth, he never really adopted the sucking habit. 


Bottom line: All that worrying I did when he was younger was just wasted energy. Now that I have learned to follow my instincts and filter the advice, Motherhood has become a little easier.

Story of Love

Story of Love
by Danielle Zazueta

With wild abandon and no thought to expense
Great Love
Giving it all for those we love
Love shown in many ways
Learning to give and receive love
Souls having sense of God's love
Love cannot be bought no matter how much we try
Enjoy the moment
Vulnerability comes from being so open
Never taking advantage of a generous friend or heart
Love and Sensuality
Radical love is giving the courage and respite needed before the final journey

As I wrote this poem, I was reminded of Califmom, who's radical love and devotion will, no doubt, give her husband the courage and strength to keep up the fight. My thoughts and prayers are with you and your family.

Best Birthday I Ever Had

When I was 8 years old, my birthday was on Friday, the 13th. This is the first time I can remember it being on a Friday.

In 1983, Cabbage Patch Kids were the biggest thing to hit the toy market. Parents were wrestling these chubby cheeked funny looking kids supposedly born in a cabbage patch. My cousin worked at Mervins and helped my grandmother secure one for my birthday. I was so very excited that I placed my new friend in the basket of my pink Huffy and rode all over the neighborhood to show everyone.

Ever since then, the number 13th has been my favorite number and I get extra excited when my day falls on a Friday. When I was pregnant, I even wanted to name my son, Thirteen. Since my husband thought I was insane, we ended up naming him, Dustin.



Share your favorite birthday story on your blog for a chance to win a KitchenAid mixer, named Bertie.

Wordless Wednesday - At The Park

Monday, Dustin & I went to the park to enjoy the sunshine. Since I have received requests for more pictures of Dustin, Wordless Wednesday seemed a perfect opportunity.

Dustin is so mobile now, he was all over this park and did not stop moving until I put him in the car.

I look forward to more park visits. Not only is Dustin able to burn some energy, but I am able to take in some mood boosting Vitamin D. Perfect combo.

Review - Green Lullaby's Eco Cradle - Taking Green to a New Level

Green Lullaby is a unique company in that they have created children's furniture entirely out of corrugated cardboard. "Cardboard", you say? That is correct, my fabulous readers. When I was in college, one of my art projects was to design a chair out of cardboard that would support our weight. I was surprised at how little of the brown papery goodness was required to complete the task.

While perusing Green Lullaby, I came across their Eco cradle. This is a portable lightweight cradle that will support your adorable little bundle during the first few months of their life. There are 2 color choices available, white (you can decorate yourself) or a snazzy circle pattern (I adore this one). What I like best about this cradle, aside from being 100% recyclable, is you can take it part easily and packs flat for storage when you are not using or if you need to travel. Below is the question and answer session I had with Laly Davis of Green Lullaby:

• What kind of mattress will fit in the Eco cradle? Any type, preferably better quality but any mat in the right size would fit. The size 14.2 X 28.7 X 1.5 inch.  
• Is the cradle specially coated to resist moisture? The outer lacquer resists moisture to some extent, it will not resist rain or constant pouring water, it will resist body fluids, baby bottles, or occasional spills. If it is soaked in a lot of water it will be recycled.  
• Does it only come is white or how can someone get the patterned on feature on your site? It is either white or circles patterned, both are available at Abe's Market in the US.  
• Does it wear out fast if your take it apart often for travel? No!  

I know you will fall in love with this cradle as much as I did. Get this new addition to your green nursery at  Abe's Market ($69, plus $5 flat rate for shipping) in the US or visit Green Lullaby's website for other locations in your country.

Thank you very much to Laly Davis for answering my questions so quickly and supporting my post.

Thinking about Divorce

Have you ever contemplated what would happen if you got a divorce?

Before we had a child most of our belongings were mine from my single days. I used to tease Rob that if we split up mostly everything was mine. He would always give me the "your adorable, but freakin' crazy" look. Since we have been together since the millennium, Rob has perfected this look. He is probably giving me that look now and not even looking at me.

Now when I think about divorce, I am reminded of what we have together, emotionally and materially. Would I be better off? Most definitely NOT! Rob and I share a bond I have never experienced with anyone else. Besides, many people would probably think it was my fault because Rob is just too nice a guy. If only I had a dime for every time someone asked me if he had a brother. NO ladies, he is an only child, get over it.

Yes, we are struggling financially but trying to get back on track. Rob, now, has a job he loves (most of the time), we have adjusted our lifestyle and made cutbacks where we were able. Do not get me wrong, financial stress takes a serious toll on a relationship. I read somewhere it is the #1 reason couples actually get a divorce.

Do I really think this will happen to us? No, I do not. The reason I believe we will make it work is because we enjoy being together more than we enjoy being alone or with anyone else. Each of us says the only problem we have is a lack of funds. This difficultly can be fixed in time and then our life will be perfect. ;)
Well, probably not perfect because I will still strive to annoy my husband with my antics, am a terrible house keeper and enjoy jumping out from behind things just to scare him. (Luckily, he has a strong heart) Insert the "your adorable, but freakin' crazy" look, here. He also likes to make fun of my bad spelling and any other foibles I may have and will probably always be a workaholic. However, our humor gets us through each day and really, I would not want to do any of this without him.

Besides, I have stopped referring to him as my first husband. So, I will keep him as long as he will put up with me. Hopefully, it will be until death do us part whether it be from homicide or natural causes.

My Love Affair With My Grocery Store

First let me say that I HATE grocery shopping. All the high prices, screaming children and general rudeness of strangers. Usually, I will wait until there is only a can of beets left in the house before I will pack up the kid to make the dreaded journey. Not any more, folks.

You may have heard me talk about the grocery Disneyland. This how I refer to WinCo.We have one about 20 minutes from my house and I make the trip about every other week. I am no longer paying almost $4 for a gallon of milk or $3 for a dozen eggs. My funds go farther and I no longer leave feeling empty in my pocketbook or my soul.

So in honor of my passion for my grocery disneyland, I have written a love poem.


Winco, My Love
by the Grocery Mistress

Winco, you're the grocery Disneyland.
You always have my favorite veggies on hand.
Dustin loves all the attention he gets
from checkers, shoppers and grandmas he's met.
Your warehouse is very large
Low prices have my budget in charge.
Shopping here is almost a vacation
I stay so long, security insists on evacuation.
So until next time, I will say farewell
in hopes that DZ will not start to yell.

Don't judge me for my bad poetry. Love has no words.

Knock Your Socks Off - Literally

Since my son was born 17 months ago, my bedroom has not seen much action. If you were to peek in our bedroom, all you would have heard were crickets (well, probably snoring, but you get the point). Seriously, I have been too tired and emotional to give a sh*t. It took my husband's absence on a business trip to inspire a change.

Having recently returned, Hubs suggested I sleep naked because he missed the feel of me close to him. Feeling exposed, I do not usually sleep in the buff. Since he asked, how can I refuse. One thing led to another and now, Dani's Got Her Groove Back. Whoo Hoo! I usually think about sex A LOT, but now I am looking forward to being disrobed and  letting it on.

Going to bed al naturel, promotes intimacy not just because of the vulnerability, but also the accessibility. How can a man sleep with bare breasts within reach? Answer: He can't. Roaming hands are always hard for me to resist and this wife makes a point to never refuse an invitation. Party Over Here!

Besides, a good romp makes all of life's petty problems more manageable. Really, people should stop taking Prozac and start having more sex.

Ladies, being nekked will not only make life more exciting, but save you on therapy bills as well. Sometimes, I let stress get the better of me & forget that a really good screw would probably make it all better. So take it from me, put your stress aside and literally knock your socks off!

Update: This is a Zoo in Here

For Christmas, the monkey got an assortment of wooden Anamalzfrom Santa. These were not your standard barn animals, but a zebra, camel, giraffe, elephant, hippo, ape & goat. Santa and his wife thought it was important children know about other animals in the wild. Everyone knows what sounds an ape and goat make and these did not prove to be a challenge. The other animals, not so much. Grampy, Grammy, Hubs and I all have different sounds for these 4-legged examples of walking nature.

Do you know what sound a Zebramakes? Being that a zebra is part of the horse family, I assumed it may neigh. This has been a discussion item at my house since Christmas morning. Rob just makes up sounds for the oratorally challenged beasts. Having my curiosity spiked by this post, I did what every technically adept parent would do. I did a Google search. Apparently, zebras make whooping sounds. Who knew...

Next mammal of difficulty is the Giraffe. Have you every heard a giraffe make noise? Me, neither. When Dustin picks up the giraffe and expects me to tell him his name and sound, I have been at a loss until today. Being that giraffes have long blue tongue for removing leaves from tall branches, it only makes sense it would make a slurping sound. So when my child goes to kindergarten someday and learns about this tall slender leaf eater, he will probably point and go "slrop, slrop". His teach will probably be calling us, a lot.

Explaining to your child about warm-blooded baby birthing milk drinking creatures takes some finesse because at the end of the day you hope your kid has learned something. Although we improvise and have tons of laughs, Dustin will hopefully learn giraffes have long blue tongues and zebras have stripes. Again, we will have done our job.

Update: Since I have received requests asking me where to get the above Anamalz, I have updated this post to provide links to Amazon. Dustin jut loves these animals. I like them because they are wood, posable and durable.

Santa has already given his stamp of approval by delivering them on Christmas morn. Now, I have word the Easter Bunny is adding these to baskets because the adorable toys inspire imagination in both parents and kids (see above) & do not rot teeth. She feels she is getting a bad rap because of all the candy and wants to improve her image. You can help the Easter Bunny do that by clicking this link.

There's a Monster Under My Bed

Dustin is approaching the old age of 17 months. This got me thinking, "when is it time for a 3B, big boy bed?" My next thought, "I do not want a free-range child wrecking havoc while I am sleeping." Or almost worse, waking up to child staring at me. Ask Rob, he will tell you waking up to your wife staring at you is bad enough.

Grampy was taking a nap, today. Free-range Dustin went over, stuck his finger in Grampy's nose and poked him until he gave up the nocturnal effort. How do parents sleep at night knowing that at any minute a mini-handed-monster could jump out from under the bed and jab a appendage in one of your facial orifices? Sometimes, just these thoughts keep me away at night.

Being able to cage your child is a joy at times. Not to mention putting him away for the night and know he has no escape. There are times I spend a great deal of my day looking forward to night time and toddler lock down. Can you get unfettered peace any other way?

Knowing a 3B is a rite of passage into adulthood and eventually moving out of my house, I will survive, hopefully, like every other parent before me. The hair may be thinner and the nerves a bit shot, but we all come out on the other side. Right?

Absence Makes The Heart Grow Fonder

Yesterday, my hubs left for a business trip. The day or two before he left, I was experiencing quite a bit of anxiety. This is the first time I have been alone with our son both day and night.

However, I am proud to say Dustin and I survived our first night without Daddy. Sleeping was not hard and I felt rested this morning, even though Dustin got up at the crack of dawn. *yawn* Usually, I get up around 7 AM and Rob takes care of our son in the morning while he is getting ready for work. Since Rob was not home, I assumed "we" would sleep until 8 AM. WRONG!

On an average night, I sleep with ear plugs because it is noisy in our bedroom something like a combination of jackhammers and buzz saws. Since I was alone, I decided to forgo the ear protection because I wanted to be able to hear the baby just in case. *yawn* That is how I ended up awake at the crack of dawn.

Although I am functioning quite well in Hub's absence, I miss his presence and all he contributes to our household. Rob is a wonderful father and husband. He takes charge *yawn* of our son's care when he gets home at night, giving me a break from a long day of snot and diapie patrol. Being a modern family, I am proud and thankful of our equality and shared responsibilities.

This weekend I am spending with my parents, not because I cannot handle the 24 hr job or loneliness, but because they are fabulous cooks and enjoy having their grandson around. They want to make sure that Dustin and I do not starve while Rob is gone because I do not like to cook. *yawn* Thanks, Mom and Dad.

Hopefully, I will get a nap soon and my next post will have a lot less yawning. :)

Emmie Bee's Great Felt Food Giveaway

Emmie Bee's son (both of whom I am related to) celebrated his first b-day in January. Happy belated b-day, little cuz! It was quite a shindig and all the family was there.
Anyway, one of the coolest presents he received was 3 lunch bags full of felt food. These were totally amazing and I was jealous for my child that he did not have any. Kristina or Krust, little cuz's aunt, made them. Her workwomanship was amazing and my fav was the banana. I had asked her about them & she stated she was working on some tutorials and that it was not that hard to make. Well, ladies and gents here is your chance.

All of this is to tell you about Emmie Bee's First Giveaway. She will be giving away 1 felt food item per month from now on. This could be the best and cutest diet you have ever been on. All you have to do is visit http://www.emmiebee.com/ for details. Make sure to tell her I sent you.

Houdini: The Stealth Diaper Removing Machine

Yesterday, I changed Dustin and put him down for a nap for which he usually sleeps for 2 hours. Sometimes he plays for a bit in there, but eventually falls asleep. Not yesterday! He just seemed to be having a grand old time in there and refusing to snooze.

At the 2 hour mark, I go in there to see that his bed has wets spots all over it. Thinking he has been crying, I look at him to see he is happy as a clam. Perplexed, I pick him up to find that he is soaked, still dressed in bodysuit and diaperless. Using my imagination, this situation could have been much, much worse. Phew, dodged a bullet on this one!

What is a mom to do in this situation? LAUGH, OUT LOUD. I laughed so hard I had to leave the room. There are a lot of other reactions I could have had, but this was just so amazing to me that amusement was the only option.

So, where is the diaper and how did he get it off? Well, after looking all around his crib, I find it on the side still as clean as when I put it on. With said imagination in place, I know this is a good thing. Phew, again! Scratching my head, I figure that he reached into the leg holes of his body suit and pulled on the tabs. Presto Chango, diaperless baby.

Normally, he is always wears some form of pants. Mom has always said that it is improper parenting to have your child run around half-naked. In this case, his pants were covered in yogurt and fruit. (Hazard of self-feeding) Since he was going to bed, I figured he would be warm enough with his blankets and I would put another pair on when he woke up.

This totally explains why he was not sleeping. Lord knows, I had a hard time sleeping with the postpartum night sweats. Urine has got to be worse. Again, you can use your imagination.

After bath, bed change and clean clothes he went right to sleep.

Well, I learned my lesson and my son will forever wear pants or some sort of baby proofing. Because next time... it will probably be worse.

Maybe it is time for potty training?


Original image courtesy of http://www.flickr.com/photos/olgite/ / CC BY 2.0

Is It Potty Time - How is a Parent to Know?

Like many parents out there, I am concerned about potty training my child at the RIGHT time. Many daycares/preschools require a child be 2 years old and potty trained for admission. How will I know if my child is ready? If I try to early, will he be scared for life?

Well parents, Sue Hubbard, M.D. Pediatrician, who I follow on Twitter, posted When is the best time to Potty Train? that answered many of these questions for me, today. She says the best time to start is around 2 years old and your child will be probably successfully potty trained by 2.5 years old. As much as I hate diapers, waiting another 7 months before we bring this journey does not seem so bad.

Another tip she shared was to use cotton training pants and to steer clear of the disposable training pants. Instead of asking your child if they need to you the bathroom, tell them it is "Potty Time" and take them to the bathroom frequently. What I found most helpful was the article made potty training seem doable and way less scary.

In addition, I found a online e-course for potty training. 7 Days of Potty Training

 Parenthood is frightening at times & I constantly strive to do my best job possible. Hopefully, Dustin will look back on his childhood & see all the actions & decisions I made were done so with love.

Clip art courtesy of DailyClipArt.net

Things That Go Squeak in the Night & ALL Day

Being that today is child-free, I have taken the opportunity to clean my house. It seems that every toy my child has makes freaking noise! They do not require much action to set them off. The worst offender is Fisher-Price Laugh & Learn Learning Puppy. Just picked it up to see what it was and did not touch any part that is supposed to turn it on and yet, it starts talking. This annoyance has volumne control, but I have it on the lowest setting and it is still too loud. The worst part is that Dustin actually likes this racket maker.

Honorable mention on annoyance level is Vtech - Explore & Learn Helicopter. This one does not have volume control, which is a huge flaw. Also the singing is like nails on a chalk board. Of course, this is Dustin's second favorite, if it is turned on. Luckily, he has not figured out how to turn on these noise polluters by himself. 

He may come home tomorrow to find that all of his toys no longer have batteries because they drove me up a wall each time I had to move them. Most toys are now in his bedroom, so hopefully he will play in there, so the rest of my house is not such a disaster.

My advice: Stay clear of these peace disturbers at all cost.

Realistically, I know he will drag them back into the living room, but at least we can mitigate some of the mess. *Hopefully....*

Day Without Baby

My parents have taken my son for the weekend, so I can clean my house and various before my husband goes out of town next week for 5 days. As I am writing this, I am overwhelmed by the "free" time and all the things I have to do that I decided to procrastinate and right this post.

List of things to do today:

1. Clean kitchen Husband started
2. Do laundry and put it away Working on it
3. Dispose of the Freaking clutter Almost Done
4. Update baby proofing (Monkey's reach is now out of hand) Done
5. Dust & vacuum Living Room Done, Rest of House to go
6. Change crib sheets Done
   
7. Finish book, so I will stop wracking up late fees at library Working on it

Totally, hoping to get at least a few of those items accomplished. Really, all I want to do is read my book and get my toes done. Oh well, life will go on and I will be happy to have a clean house, even if it is only until my child gets home.

Well, as you can see, I am checking items off my list. Loving the sense of accomplishment.

Mommy Makes Teeth Brushing Success

The thing about children is you will do just about anything to make tasks like teeth brushing a success. For me, this included dancing and making up songs on the fly. Things I would have never done before are now part of my arsenal to encourage my son to do things.

So here is my Teeth Brushing Song (tune: Row, Row, Row Your Boat)

Brush, brush, Your Teeth
Every day and night
Round and Round and you go
To Keep your pearlies bright.

This song is sung over and over, until Dustin's teeth are clean. Before this singing and dancing foolishness, he would always fight against me and everyone ended up frustrated. Now, the task is fun for both of us.

Dinner Casino: D's answer to "What's for Dinner?"

I am a lazy cook. This does not mean I am a terrible cook, just hate to do it. Therefore, I am the master of the one pot meal. Here is my method for throwing dinner together fast and with what is in my fridge.

1. Pick 3-4 ingredients, usually a veggie, protein, dairy and/or pasta. 
2. Bring water to boil for pasta or put other starch on to cook.
3. Saute protein. When almost done, add veggie and allow to cook until your desired level of doneness.
4. Once starch and above mixture are complete, mix together and     serve.                                                                                               Unmodified photo courtesy of Arc

Note:  My favorite proteins are sausage, chicken and shrimp. Veggies I use most often are spinach, eggplant and broccoli. For dairy, favs are feta and chevre cheese. Pasta is a new addition because I needed to be able to make the meal stretch farther, but it's fabulous without it. Don't forget to season with your spice du jour!

Husband teases that this meal is called "Something Different" because it is like pulling the lever on the slot machine and seeing what tonight's combo is. I feel that because the ingredients are always different, this cooking method should work for at least 2-3 night's a week and therefore "something different" for dinner. He seems to disagree and makes the sound of pulling the slot machine lever ("shhh-CHUNK: Sausage, broccoli, chevre, penne") when he sees what is for dinner.

Hence, Dinner Casino as Born.

Sickness Sweeps Z House

Love is one of the few things you can give a child who is sick, aside from fluids, humidifier and rest. Dustin came down with a cold on Sunday and by Monday evening he was running a fever of 102.6.  As a parent, I want to make it all better and when he is sick, I feel so powerless.

“Health is not valued till sickness comes.” Thomas Fuller

It seems many moms in the bloggersphere also have tikes with the same thing. Mandy from Harper's Happenings tweeted that her daughter has been running a fever of 102, as well. Whether you are in California or Washington or anywhere else in the country, your child is not immune. Sorry!

I am writing this after, I was able to get him back to sleep. The coughing and congestion wakes him up and he cries because he feels so miserable. My normally energetic child is now snuggly and when he really doesn't feel well, follows me around the house whining. The snuggles are nice since they are so rare, but the whining just drives me crazy.

There is just no magic cure for a virus and I think that is the hardest part. Infections can be cured, but viruses are pesky, irritating and usually cost you a $30 co-pay because you want to make sure it is nothing serious or at least make the doctor listen to you about how horrible it is because no one else wants to hear it any more.

Virus - You are on notice and being served your eviction notice. Now, GET OUT!

Activities to Blame for Melt-down

Yesterday, Dustin had gym at the First 5 Center in Concord, CA. My, otherwise, delightful child became a crying mess because the class is held during nap time. Wanting to expose him to new things, I figured delaying his nap for one hour would not be the end of the world.

Boy, was I wrong. He did not want to participate in the stretching or sitting or singing. Maybe he has a hatred of activities that start with "S". This may also be why he prefers not to sleep. (Note to self: come up with alternative names for things that start with "S") Anyway, Dustin just wanted to run around and meet people. Since it was not time yet, he became hysterical and got snot all over me. UGH! Once he was finally set free, he was a bit better behaved. However, this experience was just too stress full.

Next week, I am going to try putting him to sleep later the night before in hopes that he will sleep later in the morning and we can avoid the tears and snot all over the place. If this does not work, we will need to find another activity at a more appropriate time. Wish me, Luck!

Is Yelling, the new Spanking?

While perusing TheMotherhood.com, I came across a NY Times article that made me think. For Some Parents, Shouting Is The New Spanking. My husband and I do not do a lot of yelling at each other or our son, Dustin. That being said, I am finding that as Dustin gets older and refuses to pay attention, I am beginning to raise my voice more often.

When we are around other parents who yell at their children, my son will often become inconsolable. He is a sensitive boy, who cries at violence on TV (even cartoons) or Mommy & Daddy play fighting. Now, do not get me wrong, he is not a cry baby. Dustin is a very happy boy, unless he senses stress in his environment.

My son is always more difficult on those days when I am stressed about money, something happening in my life or just got up on the wrong side of the bed. These are the days when I raise my voice the most. Once I take a step back and breathe deeply, Dustin starts acting like the adorable child I know him to be.

The hard part usually is realizing I am the root of the problem.

Image courtesy of Hscripts.com. Please click image for more information.

Mom Injured While Tweeting

Well, not really, but it could happen. I have been thinking about all the time I have been spending on social media. Am I really making deeper connections with people or just getting RSI trying to get more followers/viewers?

By tweeting and posting status updates, I no longer have to pick up the phone and actually speak to anyone. Heck, if you do not have email, I do not communicate with you. Sorry! Instead, casual voyeurism is the method I use to keep up on my friends and family. Does it mean that these people are not important to me? No, of course not. However, in my busy day of chasing after my adorable demolition crew, it is difficult to set aside uninterrupted time to speak with someone.

My girlfriend and I have been trying to get together since the beginning of the year. She with her busy son and I with mine. It is difficult to communicate with her outside of email. Heck, we have played phone tag for for about almost 3 months. Now, if she was on Twitter or Facebook, we probably would have hooked up by now.

Social media allows me to "drop off the face of the earth" in the eyes of my technically challenged family and friends. Often times, I wonder what important relationships I am missing out on. By the time I get around to picking up the phone, I have forgotten why it is in my hand.

Here is to hoping that the technically challenged will forgive me and call me once in a while. ;)

Image courtesy of Ethan.K. Please click photo for more information.

Blueberries, crack for babies?

The other day I introduced my son, Dustin to blueberries. Since that day, he keeps going to the fridge and saying, "Baa, baa". He may have traded his coveted yellow fruit (banana) for these new crackberries. I know these beautiful blue berries are good for him, but variety is the key, Child.

Before the blue fruit, I had to limit his banana intake because it was all he wanted to eat. Bananas, as you may know, cause a work stoppage in the digestive system. So he only gets one a day, no more, not less. Apparently, he has a fixation with fruit that starts with B.

At least, he is staying active running to the fridge all day asking for "Baas." Lords know is could be worse, he could be begging for blog votes. ;)

Must find a cheaper place to buy these beloved blues because I cannot afford his $5 a day habit.

Michelle Obama and Bill Cosby Inspire Me to be a Better Parent

Michelle Obama and Bill Cosby were on Larry King recently talking about Childhood Obesity. Both state that school lunches as well as the food available to kids is a serious problem. I find that as children get busier, and I do not remember being so busy as a child, it is harder to not eat food on the run. Dustin is 1.5 years old and has eaten many a meal in the car on the way to somewhere.

I think the responsibility falls on us as parents to set the example for our children. Like Michelle Obama did with her family, we can start by replacing things like processed food, desert only on weekends and get your children involved in the decision. Dustin is usually in the kitchen with me when I cook dinner and we try to eat at the table most nights. So he is already becoming involved.

Bill Cosby also mentioned that schools are providing less recess and physical activities. I do not know about recess, but I do know that many schools in my area are in danger of having schools sports cut. Getting enough exercise is a problem for all of us.

There is a lot more I can do as a mom to keep my child active. However, there is a balance that needs to be kept. As we strive to have active, involved and well-adjusted children, I think it is important to remember that having a healthy dinner together as a family is a start. All it takes is small adjustments over time.

So to my son, I vow to serve more nutritious meals and have healthier options available to you to keep you moving through out the day.

-Love,
Mom

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Manual vs. Powered Toothbrushes For Children

My husband and I have a powered toothbrush, so while doing research I can across this article. Which Is Better For Kids - Powered or Manual Toothbrush? I have found since we started using ours that my dental visits are more comfortable and there is less plaque to remove.

Sonicare has come out with another upgrade since I purchased my last model. In addition, they have a Philips Sonicare for Kids . Since I was thinking about getting a new toothbrush, I was hoping that there was a model that work for both children and adults. Alas, that is not really the case. According to some reviewers on Amazon, the kids toothbrush head will fit the Sonicare FlexCare Plus, kids will not benefit from the lower speeds or the musical jingle to change quadrant. I am just not sure I am ready to purchase a separate powered toothbrush for my child of 1 years old.

Today, I am off to replace the brush he chewed to death. We will sick with the manual ones for now, until he does not need to replace them so often. The cost involved in a powered toothbrush at his age is just not economical.

Dustin, do you want Winne the Pooh or a monkey on your toothbrush?

Check out How do you get your child to want to brush teeth? | MothersClick - A Lifetime Community

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Taking care of those baby teeth

My child has been super charged in the teeth category. Dustin is 16-months old and has 16 teeth. He started getting them at 2-months of age. Currently, I am waiting on the second year molars, which the drooling is any indication, he is already working on them.

This all being the case, I am concerned about keeping his pearly whites from decaying. My mother works in the dental industry and has made her opinion known. "Parents with children who have silver capped teeth are just deplorable." Thanks, Mom. I needed to have another hand up about parenting.

The reason I am so concerned is that I am having difficulty getting Dustin to open his mouth long enough to get the job done. The process is becoming a battle and I do not want him to associate this struggle with getting his teeth clean. Does any one have any suggestions to make this experience better for both of us?

When I started to right this post, it was intended to be about manual vs. powered one. You will have to wait until my next post for that and I promise it will be in the next few days. ;)

Looking forward to speaking with you again. - Dani

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DIY Kiddie Kitchen

Today, I was searching for information on off-gassing carpets and furniture in a baby's room for my cousin and found this totally cool website, http://www.ohdeedoh.com/.

This website is dedicated to Home, Design and Children. The last post was how to create a kiddie kitchen center out of Rast tables from Ikea. I am a huge crafter, but usually of the yarn variety. This website is inspiring me to look into creating a functional, yet stylish play space for my son.

Dustin is getting to an age where he likes to have furniture his size. This website also has ideas for a kid table transformation. I am excited and the creativity is flowing. Hope with site does the same for you.

Good Luck in your projects.

Response to Resume Posting

Having posted my resume online, you do not expect people to respond to you because there are more job seekers than job available. I am getting response except they are from people who want me to buy an insurance business or pay to have my resume tailored. Really? When you are looking for work, do you have the extra funds to purchase a business? I surely do not. I am looking to earn money, not spend it and lots of it. Come on bottom feeders, understand that looking for a job is hard enough without getting your hopes up that someone contacted you only to find out they want your money and not your awesome talent.

Back to the search....

Mommy Looks For Work

Now that Dustin is over a year old, it is time to look for work. I have started the usual places like Craig's List and Career Builder. Right now the offers are few, but I have found 2 postings that would be an excellent fit for me. These days, you have to tailor your resume and cover letter to the specific company and find ways to stand out. How do you stand out in a crowd of so many job seekers? Luckily for me, my husband works at one of the companies. Hopefully, that will help me get in front of someone, so I can prove to the hiring manager just how awesome I really am.

The next challenge with looking for work is child care. Today, Dustin and I went to visit a child care facility. He did very well and was upset to leave because he enjoyed it so much. The principle said I should have no trouble with Dustin since he is so social and does not suffer from separation anxiety. Yay for me! However, I am sad to be putting him in day care and may miss spending my day with him.