Especially when you are talking about pinkeye. Hubby and I both have it. And, yes, it is horribly unpleasant. I should have worked from home again today because my colleagues were acting as though I had the plague. I'm not contagious anymore but admittedly my eyes are frighteningly red and angry looking (and still very itchy and oozy).
So how did we catch this horrid infection? We think the little guy may have had a very mild case of it a couple of weeks ago. In the morning, for three or four days in a row, he had gooey eyes. But they weren't red and they weren't itchy. We chalked it up to having a bit of a cold. I guess we were wrong.
But rather than stew in my misery, here are some funny things that the little guy had to say to me about pinkeye.
"Mom, you aren't allowed to touch any of my toys. And don't put your tongue on me because that's where germs come from. And, whatever you do, don't put your eye on my bus driver."
He's always full of good advice :-)
Wednesday, November 17, 2010
Saturday, November 13, 2010
Quote of the week
Hubby and the little guy have been making daily visits to the neighbours cat for the past couple of weeks while the owners are away. Usually the cat comes running to the door to greet them. So it was quite unusual when, the other day, they entered the house and she was nowhere to be found.
They called out her name over and over again.
Hubby: I wonder where she is.
Little Guy: Well she's either sleeping or she's dead.
Thankfully she was only sleeping!
They called out her name over and over again.
Hubby: I wonder where she is.
Little Guy: Well she's either sleeping or she's dead.
Thankfully she was only sleeping!
Wednesday, October 27, 2010
The poop debate
So the little guy stepped in a big pile of dog poop yesterday. And hubby and I fought all night about who was going to clean off his rubber boots. We even contemplated throwing them out and buying a new pair (yah, it was that nasty!).
Ourconversation fight went something like this:
Hubby: I think you should clean the poop off his boots.
Me: Oh, really? And why do you think that?
Hubby: Because you are "pro" dog. You think dogs are so great and so cute. You don't care that they crap all over because dogs are so great and all. And I don't really like dogs all that much. They are kind of nasty and disgusting.
Me: So you think I should clean off his boots because I like dogs and you don't?
Hubby: Yes. Yes I do.
Me: You should also know that I am "pro" people picking up after their dogs. I am not "pro" letting dogs crap wherever they like.
I think you should clean off the boots.
Hubby: So what is your argument. I think my argument is pretty strong.
Me: Well, let's see. I made your breakfast, lunch and dinner today. I also did the grocery shopping. Plus I get the little guy up, dressed and out the door every single morning which, as you know, is not the easiest of tasks these days. And....(I went on for 5 minutes rattling off my list). So, you should clean the poop.
Or, I'll clean them in your shower :-0
Hubby: Okay, fine. Let's just buy new boots.
Me: Fine. New boots it is.
This morning it was damp outside so he had to wear boots. Hubby was in the shower and time was ticking so I ended up cleaning the boots. I soaked them in a bucket of hot water in the yard. Life is so unfair.
I should have tossed them in the shower with hubby....
Our
Hubby: I think you should clean the poop off his boots.
Me: Oh, really? And why do you think that?
Hubby: Because you are "pro" dog. You think dogs are so great and so cute. You don't care that they crap all over because dogs are so great and all. And I don't really like dogs all that much. They are kind of nasty and disgusting.
Me: So you think I should clean off his boots because I like dogs and you don't?
Hubby: Yes. Yes I do.
Me: You should also know that I am "pro" people picking up after their dogs. I am not "pro" letting dogs crap wherever they like.
I think you should clean off the boots.
Hubby: So what is your argument. I think my argument is pretty strong.
Me: Well, let's see. I made your breakfast, lunch and dinner today. I also did the grocery shopping. Plus I get the little guy up, dressed and out the door every single morning which, as you know, is not the easiest of tasks these days. And....(I went on for 5 minutes rattling off my list). So, you should clean the poop.
Or, I'll clean them in your shower :-0
Hubby: Okay, fine. Let's just buy new boots.
Me: Fine. New boots it is.
This morning it was damp outside so he had to wear boots. Hubby was in the shower and time was ticking so I ended up cleaning the boots. I soaked them in a bucket of hot water in the yard. Life is so unfair.
I should have tossed them in the shower with hubby....
Saturday, October 02, 2010
Bowled over
Today, the little guy went bowling for the very first time. All that the he knew about bowling was what he'd seen on television. The rest he made up.
"Mom," he said. "Where can we buy some canons?"
"Why do you need canons?"
"I need them to bowl with," he explained.
"They aren't canons, sweetheart," I replied. "They're called bowling balls. But they do kind of look like canons."
"Oh...."
As we were on our way out the door, he said "Mom, did you remember to pack our bowling balls?"
"No honey, we don't need to bring bowling balls."
"But how are we going to bowl without bowling balls?"
:-)
"Mom," he said. "Where can we buy some canons?"
"Why do you need canons?"
"I need them to bowl with," he explained.
"They aren't canons, sweetheart," I replied. "They're called bowling balls. But they do kind of look like canons."
"Oh...."
As we were on our way out the door, he said "Mom, did you remember to pack our bowling balls?"
"No honey, we don't need to bring bowling balls."
"But how are we going to bowl without bowling balls?"
:-)
Thursday, September 23, 2010
Every day
Every day I have to pack a change of clothes in the little guy's backpack. Every day he wets his pants, and his change of clothes. Every. Single. Day. Sometimes he goes through three pairs of pants.
What is going on? He's almost 5 years old for crying out loud. I know that it's not a medical problem, since he never wets the bed. And there have been times when he's gone several weeks without having a single accident.
I have two theories. One: he's doing it for attention. Two: He waits too long to go to the bathroom because he's too busy playing. Or, maybe it's a combination of the two.
Yesterday, he wet his pants at daycare and didn't say a word all day. His pants were made out of a thicker material so no one would have been able to tell. "Why didn't you tell someone?" I asked. He shrugged his shoulders. I think he was embarrassed. So he sat in wet pants for four hours! That couldn't have been much fun.
So what can we do other than to encourage him to "listen to his body" and run to the toilet before it's too late? We've tried everything else.
I'm sick of dealing with toilet training issues. I'm sick of taking two steps back every time we move one step forward. And most of all, I'm sick of all the laundry this problem is generating!
What is going on? He's almost 5 years old for crying out loud. I know that it's not a medical problem, since he never wets the bed. And there have been times when he's gone several weeks without having a single accident.
I have two theories. One: he's doing it for attention. Two: He waits too long to go to the bathroom because he's too busy playing. Or, maybe it's a combination of the two.
Yesterday, he wet his pants at daycare and didn't say a word all day. His pants were made out of a thicker material so no one would have been able to tell. "Why didn't you tell someone?" I asked. He shrugged his shoulders. I think he was embarrassed. So he sat in wet pants for four hours! That couldn't have been much fun.
So what can we do other than to encourage him to "listen to his body" and run to the toilet before it's too late? We've tried everything else.
I'm sick of dealing with toilet training issues. I'm sick of taking two steps back every time we move one step forward. And most of all, I'm sick of all the laundry this problem is generating!
Wednesday, September 22, 2010
No wonder childhood obesity rates are on the rise
So, the little guy started senior kindergarten last week. Instead of each kid bringing a snack they will be having a"communal snack," aimed at teaching the kids about sharing etc... In principle, I support the idea. And from a practical standpoint it's great that I only need to provide a snack once a month instead of every day. But the reality is (and I speak from experience) that most parents make bad snack choices.
When the little guy was in nursery school there was also a communal snack. Virtually every day, he was fed a big pile of sodium-packed goldfish crackers. If it was once in a while, I wouldn't care but every day? Hubby did a a little research on goldfish crackers the other day and discovered that Dorito chips actually have more nutritional value. Even though parents would also send some cut up fruit, a lot of the kids would only eat the goldfish. It's all about the goldfish when you are a toddler.
On the first two days of school the little guy came home reporting that they had goldfish crackers for snack (surprise, surprise). Hubby and I thought, "Oh great, here we go again." Instead of sitting back idly, we spoke up immediately and suggested that parents be provided with some "snack guidelines." The teacher thought it was a great idea, and put us in charge of the project. I've happily taken on the task and am preparing a hand-out for parents that includes some simple, fun, and wholesome snack ideas. I also plan to include information on "snacks to avoid", how to read nutrition labels, avoiding overly processed foods etc... I'm hoping that other parents take the advice to heart.
Nutrition is only half the problem. The other half is that kids don't have enough opportunities to run and jump at school. The little guy only gets gym for 20 minutes, twice week. How pathetic is that??? Thankfully, he goes to nursery school after school and plays outside for a full hour before his caregiver picks him up. We also take him to the park every day to play on our way home. And in the fall, winter and early spring he is enrolled in sports programs a couple of times a week. The onus really is on parents to make sure that their kids are fit, because our schools are really letting us down.
Thoughts?
When the little guy was in nursery school there was also a communal snack. Virtually every day, he was fed a big pile of sodium-packed goldfish crackers. If it was once in a while, I wouldn't care but every day? Hubby did a a little research on goldfish crackers the other day and discovered that Dorito chips actually have more nutritional value. Even though parents would also send some cut up fruit, a lot of the kids would only eat the goldfish. It's all about the goldfish when you are a toddler.
On the first two days of school the little guy came home reporting that they had goldfish crackers for snack (surprise, surprise). Hubby and I thought, "Oh great, here we go again." Instead of sitting back idly, we spoke up immediately and suggested that parents be provided with some "snack guidelines." The teacher thought it was a great idea, and put us in charge of the project. I've happily taken on the task and am preparing a hand-out for parents that includes some simple, fun, and wholesome snack ideas. I also plan to include information on "snacks to avoid", how to read nutrition labels, avoiding overly processed foods etc... I'm hoping that other parents take the advice to heart.
Nutrition is only half the problem. The other half is that kids don't have enough opportunities to run and jump at school. The little guy only gets gym for 20 minutes, twice week. How pathetic is that??? Thankfully, he goes to nursery school after school and plays outside for a full hour before his caregiver picks him up. We also take him to the park every day to play on our way home. And in the fall, winter and early spring he is enrolled in sports programs a couple of times a week. The onus really is on parents to make sure that their kids are fit, because our schools are really letting us down.
Thoughts?
Thursday, September 02, 2010
Boot Camp
So we were having a picnic at the park tonight when a group of ladies showed up for their Boot Camp class. The little guy and his friend decided to join in and run a few laps. I'm pretty sure they were the fastest ones there. After they got bored with the running part, they stood on the sideline to observe the class. They were joined by a giant, orange cat that they had befriended early in the evening. As the ladies ran laps around the field, the boys made sure to keep the cat out of harm's way.
"Be careful not to step on the cat!" they yelled as each person ran by.
I overheard the instructor say, "Thanks for the warning guys. I almost didn't see that enormous orange cat because he was camouflaged by the green grass."
*Snicker*
Then it was time for the ladies to use those resistance bands that look like skipping ropes. The little guy got really excited.
"I know what your going to do with those ropes," he said. "Your going to use them like cowboys!"
I'm pretty sure that that comment was the highlight of the class!
:-)
************************
I was in the middle of absolute madness at work today, when my cell phone rang.
It was my caregiver. First thought: OMG, is the little guy hurt? Is he sick? Does she need me to pick him up early?
No. She called to let me know that he bit one of the other kids. In the back. Really hard. It was so bad that they had to apply ice to the wound.
At first I thought she'd called the wrong parent. My child has never been the kind to bite! Or hit or push for that matter. On the whole he's a pretty peaceful guy (although he has been known to throw sand from time to time). What could have provoked him to do such a thing?
From what she told me, he just lost it when the other boy pushed him (this other boy pushes him fairly regularly). Well, I guess he'd been pushed one too many times.
Immediately after he bit the other boy, he knew he had done something terribly wrong. The caregiver said you could see the guilt and shame written all over his face. She, of course, had a long talk with the little guy about his behaviour. I'm pretty sure it won't happen again.
We didn't say anything to him about the incident after daycare today, on the advice of our caregiver. Best not to dwell on it, she said. He's made his peace and he already feels guilty enough. All has been forgiven. He has no idea that she even called to tell us what happened. Unless he wants to talk about it, we aren't going to say a word.
I am hopeful that the silver lining in all of this is that the other kid will think twice about pushing him again.
"Be careful not to step on the cat!" they yelled as each person ran by.
I overheard the instructor say, "Thanks for the warning guys. I almost didn't see that enormous orange cat because he was camouflaged by the green grass."
*Snicker*
Then it was time for the ladies to use those resistance bands that look like skipping ropes. The little guy got really excited.
"I know what your going to do with those ropes," he said. "Your going to use them like cowboys!"
I'm pretty sure that that comment was the highlight of the class!
:-)
************************
I was in the middle of absolute madness at work today, when my cell phone rang.
It was my caregiver. First thought: OMG, is the little guy hurt? Is he sick? Does she need me to pick him up early?
No. She called to let me know that he bit one of the other kids. In the back. Really hard. It was so bad that they had to apply ice to the wound.
At first I thought she'd called the wrong parent. My child has never been the kind to bite! Or hit or push for that matter. On the whole he's a pretty peaceful guy (although he has been known to throw sand from time to time). What could have provoked him to do such a thing?
From what she told me, he just lost it when the other boy pushed him (this other boy pushes him fairly regularly). Well, I guess he'd been pushed one too many times.
Immediately after he bit the other boy, he knew he had done something terribly wrong. The caregiver said you could see the guilt and shame written all over his face. She, of course, had a long talk with the little guy about his behaviour. I'm pretty sure it won't happen again.
We didn't say anything to him about the incident after daycare today, on the advice of our caregiver. Best not to dwell on it, she said. He's made his peace and he already feels guilty enough. All has been forgiven. He has no idea that she even called to tell us what happened. Unless he wants to talk about it, we aren't going to say a word.
I am hopeful that the silver lining in all of this is that the other kid will think twice about pushing him again.
Sunday, August 22, 2010
So much going on, don't know where to start
I guess I'll start with the big news (no, I'm not pregnant!). We bought a 16-foot orange canoe this weekend from MEC. It's beautiful and will, no doubt, provide us with countless hours of fun and adventure over the years to come. Our friend (RD) has graciously offered to provide shelter to our "new baby" in his garage. Eventually we plan to buy a cottage, which will be its permanent home. I have a picture but blogger won't let me post pictures anymore (WTF!???).
So our inaugural voyage in the canoe didn't quite go as planned. Lets just say that the little guy and I decided to go for an "unintentional" swim in some pretty slimy, disgusting water. Yuck! It was quite the scene! We had an audience and everything, including someone with a video camera :)
*********************
Hubby and the little guy are still on vacation, but I am back at work after a two-week holiday. This year we went to Montreal with some friends for a few days and did a bunch of day trips. Usually we spend time at a cottage, but not this year. I'm actually okay with it because we visited some beaches and got plenty of fun in the sun. It was kind of nice to not have a schedule of activities. We just did what we wanted when we felt like it. All in all there were lots of fun time, good food, good wine and good company.
********************
Some other tidbits to bring you up to date:
- My dad is now on the waiting list to get the Liberation treatment for his MS in Poland! Very exciting. It could still be several months before he gets to the top of this list, but it will hopefully be worth it.
- The little guy will now eat fish! He's always refused to even take a bite of fish until a week ago. But apparently he'll eat anything if you put it in a taco.
- Got the little guy's entire fall/winter wardrobe at a consignment store for $65. Sweaters, pants, shirts etc....
- I'm thinking of putting off my road bike purchase until the spring on account of the canoe purchase. Unless of course someone wants to get me one for my birthday (I can always dream, right?)
- Project weight loss is under way. I'm doing well, but still have about 10 pounds to go.
- Making plans for our next reno project: converting to gas and getting whole new heating/cooling system, gas water heater etc...We need to get on this before the snow comes.
- Quote of the day: The ghost is clean (instead of the coast is clear)
So our inaugural voyage in the canoe didn't quite go as planned. Lets just say that the little guy and I decided to go for an "unintentional" swim in some pretty slimy, disgusting water. Yuck! It was quite the scene! We had an audience and everything, including someone with a video camera :)
*********************
Hubby and the little guy are still on vacation, but I am back at work after a two-week holiday. This year we went to Montreal with some friends for a few days and did a bunch of day trips. Usually we spend time at a cottage, but not this year. I'm actually okay with it because we visited some beaches and got plenty of fun in the sun. It was kind of nice to not have a schedule of activities. We just did what we wanted when we felt like it. All in all there were lots of fun time, good food, good wine and good company.
********************
Some other tidbits to bring you up to date:
- My dad is now on the waiting list to get the Liberation treatment for his MS in Poland! Very exciting. It could still be several months before he gets to the top of this list, but it will hopefully be worth it.
- The little guy will now eat fish! He's always refused to even take a bite of fish until a week ago. But apparently he'll eat anything if you put it in a taco.
- Got the little guy's entire fall/winter wardrobe at a consignment store for $65. Sweaters, pants, shirts etc....
- I'm thinking of putting off my road bike purchase until the spring on account of the canoe purchase. Unless of course someone wants to get me one for my birthday (I can always dream, right?)
- Project weight loss is under way. I'm doing well, but still have about 10 pounds to go.
- Making plans for our next reno project: converting to gas and getting whole new heating/cooling system, gas water heater etc...We need to get on this before the snow comes.
- Quote of the day: The ghost is clean (instead of the coast is clear)
Sunday, August 01, 2010
Just as advertised
So the little guy has started to really paying attention to commercials lately. Every night we let him watch a little Discovery Channel at bedtime. Usually he falls asleep instantaneously, but there are occasions when he watches for longer because he's not tired yet. When that happens, we find out all about the advertisements he watched the next morning. He's like a walking billboard.
Here are a few of my favourites:
- "Mom, did you know that you can get two chicken wraps for ninety-nine dollars?"
- "If you eat Vector cereal you get to be really good at sports! It will make you ski and bike and run and do all kinds of sports."
- "Mom, did you know that Tylenol can make you be normal again? It's the one with the white letters and the red bottle. You can even go biking because it makes you normal!"
- "On CBC they said you can get a DVD to help your child ready for back to school time. If you get it, they can learn about numbers and letters and then they can get the help they need for school."
Sometimes word of mouth advertising is also effective.
"SM likes to eat chicken in a cup."
"He eats chicken in a cup. What's that?" I asked
"You know, the kind that has the picture of the guy on it," he tried to explain.
"I don't know what you're talking about."
"You know, the kind of cup with the guy on it who's old and has a white beard," he urged.
"You mean Kentucky Fried Chicken? In a bucket?"
"No, that's not what it's called!"
"You mean KFC?"
"Yah, that's the one. He eats chicken in a cup from there. And he gets it at the place that has the big, yellow "M" on the outside."
"You mean McDonalds?"
"Yah!
Here are a few of my favourites:
- "Mom, did you know that you can get two chicken wraps for ninety-nine dollars?"
- "If you eat Vector cereal you get to be really good at sports! It will make you ski and bike and run and do all kinds of sports."
- "Mom, did you know that Tylenol can make you be normal again? It's the one with the white letters and the red bottle. You can even go biking because it makes you normal!"
- "On CBC they said you can get a DVD to help your child ready for back to school time. If you get it, they can learn about numbers and letters and then they can get the help they need for school."
Sometimes word of mouth advertising is also effective.
"SM likes to eat chicken in a cup."
"He eats chicken in a cup. What's that?" I asked
"You know, the kind that has the picture of the guy on it," he tried to explain.
"I don't know what you're talking about."
"You know, the kind of cup with the guy on it who's old and has a white beard," he urged.
"You mean Kentucky Fried Chicken? In a bucket?"
"No, that's not what it's called!"
"You mean KFC?"
"Yah, that's the one. He eats chicken in a cup from there. And he gets it at the place that has the big, yellow "M" on the outside."
"You mean McDonalds?"
"Yah!
Saturday, July 31, 2010
The potty dance
The little guy has had more than his share of accidents lately. Usually because he's just so tied up with playing a game that he waits too long. Any time we see him doing the "pee pee dance" we say, "What is your body telling right now? Make sure to listen to your body." Often he denies that he has to go and keeps on playing. Then about 5 minutes later he yells, "I have to pee!!!!"
Today I asked him if he had to go. It was pretty obvious that he had to but he said he didn't have to, as usual. Not two minutes later he went flying down the hall to the bathroom, yelling. "Look mom! I'm listening to my body!" :-)
Today I asked him if he had to go. It was pretty obvious that he had to but he said he didn't have to, as usual. Not two minutes later he went flying down the hall to the bathroom, yelling. "Look mom! I'm listening to my body!" :-)
So proud!
Today the little guy hiked more than 6 km and mostly without grumbling! We met lots of jumping frogs along the trail today. His only disappointment was that he didn't catch one. The ice-cream after the long hike helped to make up for that :-)
****************
So we are officially on vacation now. I'm off for two weeks, and hubby is off for all of August (jealous!). We are just going to take it easy and not over-schedule ourselves. A couple of days at the cottage here, some day trips there, and a whole lotta relaxation in between.
I'll keep you updated on our adventures. I wish I could post photos but the post photo button seems to have disappeared from blogger. Has anyone else run into this problem????
****************
So we are officially on vacation now. I'm off for two weeks, and hubby is off for all of August (jealous!). We are just going to take it easy and not over-schedule ourselves. A couple of days at the cottage here, some day trips there, and a whole lotta relaxation in between.
I'll keep you updated on our adventures. I wish I could post photos but the post photo button seems to have disappeared from blogger. Has anyone else run into this problem????
Wednesday, July 21, 2010
Strawberry "shark" cake
Amma is visiting right now and has presented us with all kinds of treats, including strawberry short cake. The little guy thought it was called a strawberry "shark" cake and we didn't have the heart to correct him. So, instead, hubby carved his piece of cake into the shape of a shark's head and made eyes and teeth out of strawberries.
He also thinks that Whinnie The Pooh lives in the Hundred "Naked" Woods. :-)
************************************
He can read! Although some of it may be memorized, we're pretty sure that he's able to read simple stories. He read me a story the other day, word for word!
He also thinks that Whinnie The Pooh lives in the Hundred "Naked" Woods. :-)
************************************
He can read! Although some of it may be memorized, we're pretty sure that he's able to read simple stories. He read me a story the other day, word for word!
Sunday, July 11, 2010
We are being eaten alive by toys
Toys, toys and more toys. When does a 4-year old finally have enough of them? Apparently never. His wish list is longer than my arm. And while we try not to spoil him too badly, we do make the odd toy purchase here and there. After a while, it really starts to add up! Especially when you combine those toys with ones that friends and family give him, and items that he purchases with his own money at garage sales etc... The toy bins are completely overflowing and our small townhouse feels like it is shrinking in size.
I managed to weed out some of the baby toys recently, but this is just the tip of the iceberg. My new rule is for every new toy coming in, two have to go out. It's going to be tough to convince the little guy to go along with this plan, but I think he'll go along with it knowing that the toys will all be donated to less fortunate children.
Here are my top 10 toy pet peeves:
1. Little pieces of playmobile. I find them everywhere!! In the washing machine, in the kitchen, under the couch. Arggghhh!!!!
2. 90% of them are made in China, which makes we worry about lead paint and other harmful chemicals....
3. Ones that make noise. Why do people think that noisy toys make good gifts? They are horrible! Once the battery runs out, I let them work on imagination. And you know what? He plays with them more when they don't do all the work for him.
4. The clamshell packaging some of them come in. So much waste, and so hard to open!
5. "Trendy" toys like transformers and Lightening McQueen cars etc... He desperately wants them and then only plays with them a handful of times. Frankly, he's had more fun playing with the discarded cardboard boxes they came in.
6. They are so expensive! It makes so much more sense to buy them second hand.
7. The quality is crap! My parents still have the toys I played with when I was a kid and all of the grandkids are enjoying them all over again. I seriously doubt that any of the little guy's toys (with a couple of exceptions) will pass the test of time.
8. Too much plastic! Not only is their too much plastic in our lives these days, it's so unnatural.
9. Stuffed animals. As far as I'm concerned they are big germ and dust collectors.
10. They multiply like rabbits, which is what motivated me to write this post in the first place.
I managed to weed out some of the baby toys recently, but this is just the tip of the iceberg. My new rule is for every new toy coming in, two have to go out. It's going to be tough to convince the little guy to go along with this plan, but I think he'll go along with it knowing that the toys will all be donated to less fortunate children.
Here are my top 10 toy pet peeves:
1. Little pieces of playmobile. I find them everywhere!! In the washing machine, in the kitchen, under the couch. Arggghhh!!!!
2. 90% of them are made in China, which makes we worry about lead paint and other harmful chemicals....
3. Ones that make noise. Why do people think that noisy toys make good gifts? They are horrible! Once the battery runs out, I let them work on imagination. And you know what? He plays with them more when they don't do all the work for him.
4. The clamshell packaging some of them come in. So much waste, and so hard to open!
5. "Trendy" toys like transformers and Lightening McQueen cars etc... He desperately wants them and then only plays with them a handful of times. Frankly, he's had more fun playing with the discarded cardboard boxes they came in.
6. They are so expensive! It makes so much more sense to buy them second hand.
7. The quality is crap! My parents still have the toys I played with when I was a kid and all of the grandkids are enjoying them all over again. I seriously doubt that any of the little guy's toys (with a couple of exceptions) will pass the test of time.
8. Too much plastic! Not only is their too much plastic in our lives these days, it's so unnatural.
9. Stuffed animals. As far as I'm concerned they are big germ and dust collectors.
10. They multiply like rabbits, which is what motivated me to write this post in the first place.
Sunday, June 27, 2010
Memory
I've always been astounded at the little guy's long-term memory. He remembers places we visited only once when he was only a year old!
But lately, I've noticed that he only needs to watch a movie once to remember intricate details from each scene as well as most of the dialogue, word for word. He's like this with music lyrics too. Someone taught him the Waving Flag song last week and he memorized it instantly. In fact, his teacher told me that he put up his hand and asked to sing the song to the class. That was the day after he heard the song for the first time! My little shy guy was brave enough to sing a song to his class? And he remembered all of the words?
Wow!
Hubby thinks he has a photographic memory. And I'm beginning to suspect he does too. Either that or his brain is a very big sponge.
But lately, I've noticed that he only needs to watch a movie once to remember intricate details from each scene as well as most of the dialogue, word for word. He's like this with music lyrics too. Someone taught him the Waving Flag song last week and he memorized it instantly. In fact, his teacher told me that he put up his hand and asked to sing the song to the class. That was the day after he heard the song for the first time! My little shy guy was brave enough to sing a song to his class? And he remembered all of the words?
Wow!
Hubby thinks he has a photographic memory. And I'm beginning to suspect he does too. Either that or his brain is a very big sponge.
Saturday, June 26, 2010
Bonus!
I try not to indulge my son too much with sugary treats. However, from time to time, I do let his have 4 or 5 chocolate covered almonds from the organic store down the street.
Today he asked if he could have 4 chocolate almonds. I said okay and helped scoop them from the bulk bin into a little bag. I accidentally scooped out 5 instead of 4.
"Oh, I guess you get a bonus one," I told him.
"Can you put that one back?" he asked.
"I have an idea," I said. "You could give the bonus one to me."
He agreed but seemed strangely reluctant to buy the extra treat. As we were leaving the store, he pulled one of the chocolate almonds out of the bag and held it up.
"Mom, is this the boneless one?"
:-)
Today he asked if he could have 4 chocolate almonds. I said okay and helped scoop them from the bulk bin into a little bag. I accidentally scooped out 5 instead of 4.
"Oh, I guess you get a bonus one," I told him.
"Can you put that one back?" he asked.
"I have an idea," I said. "You could give the bonus one to me."
He agreed but seemed strangely reluctant to buy the extra treat. As we were leaving the store, he pulled one of the chocolate almonds out of the bag and held it up.
"Mom, is this the boneless one?"
:-)
Saturday, June 19, 2010
Small veins, street dancing and hooters
It's been a busy couple of weeks. A cottage trip to visit my parents, summer get-togethers with friends, end of year school festivities. As usual, my blog has dropped down on my list of priorities. So here are a few anecdotes.
- While visiting my parents, we watched Part 2 of a W5 feature about the "Liberation" treatment for Multiple Sclerosis (MS). My dad was diagnosed with MS more than 40 years ago, and has gradually become more and more disabled. It is becoming increasingly difficult for him to do all of the little things we take for granted (get in and out of bed, dress himself, drive, shower etc...). But he's truly a fighter and won't let it get the best of him. He's incredibly independent thanks largely to the fact that he's as stubborn as a goat (actually, 10 goats put together). This is a very good quality to have when faced with his day to day challenges.
While we were watching W5, the little guy kept coming into the room talking loudly and demanding my attention. I told him that he needed to be quiet because we were watching a very important show -- a show about how people like Grandpa who have MS and have trouble walking can get better. After I explained this to him he settled down and snuggled in next to me on the couch. He watched the entire show and has been drilling me with questions ever since.
For those of you who don't know about it, the Liberation treatment was developed by an Italian doctor named Dr. Zamboni. He discovered that people with MS had a narrowing in their veins (in their necks or other parts of their body) which resulted in poor drainage and a build up of iron deposits in the brain. In a test study, he performed a relatively simple surgery to widen the veins of MS patients with this condition to see if it would have any impact on their MS symptoms. The results were nothing short of miraculous for many of the test subjects. Some of the patients who had previously had bad balance and trouble walking are now able to walk perfectly. Others have reported that their MS attacks have completely disappeared. The list of miracles goes on and on. As word of this treatment spread, MS patients around the world have been offered new hope.
However, because this treatment hasn't been well researched or "proven," Canadians can't even get tested to see if they have the narrow vein condition. Doctors also won't perform the surgery on MS patients. Many MS sufferers who don't have time to wait for the research to catch up are saying to Hell with it and going overseas to get the operation. W5 spoke to some of these people and the reported results were nothing short of amazing. As a side note, my parent's neighbour at the cottage also has MS and has suffered from chronic pain and migraine headaches. She went to Poland and had the surgery done and is now pain free. My father is now considering following in her footsteps some day, even though he doesn't expect the results to be quite as dramatic because he's had MS for so long. But even if it could help him only slightly and make his life just a little bit easier, it would be worth every penny.
So back to my story about how the little guy watched the W5 episode. A few days later he asked, "Mom, does grandpa have small veins?"
"Yes, he probably does," I told him.
"Do I have small veins too?" he asked. "Am I going to get MS?"
I told him that I very much doubted it and that he shouldn't worry about it.
Fast forward to this morning. It was the crack of dawn and he shouted to me from down the hall, "Can you bring me my truck?"
I grumbled something about the fact that I was still sleeping and that he could come and get it if he wanted to. He whined and moaned and carried on like there was no tomorrow. Oh the torture of walking 20 feet down the hall!
"Is there something wrong with your legs," I asked.
"Yes," he replied. "I have MS."
:-)
**********************************
Tonight we crashed our friends' street party. They have a water slide/pool for the kids, BBQ, beer, ice cream etc... As part of the festivities, they had a dance contest.
The little guy watched some older kids show off their break dancing moves and was quite intrigued. Once the contest was over, he emerged from the water slide area - wearing nothing but dinosaur underwear - and took to the stage (which was actually just a green carpet). I have to say he had some pretty fancy moves!
**********************************
So I decided that it was time to go bra shopping -- something I do once every year or so whether I want to or not. I hate bra shopping and put it off until my undergarments are practically disintegrating. This really isn't a good idea considering my evident need for "support". I can almost hear my mom's voice right now saying, "I don't know where she got those from. It certainly wasn't from me!"
A fellow blogger had written about a bra shop in town that does professional sizings and fittings. The bras are out of the world expensive (between $100-$200 each!), but I decided this was the way to go. I reasoned that not only would save me a lot of time and headache (normally I have to try on 30 to find just 1 that fits), it would also make me and my clothes look better. And besides, a girl needs to treat herself once in a while. Right?
I couldn't believe it. In less than 20 minutes I had been sized and tried on at least 10 bras -- all of which fit me perfectly. I ended up buying 2 bras (gulp!) and I have to say that they make me look pretty good! I've always hated being well endowed, but today I actually felt at peace with bust line.
So what did I learn on this expensive adventure? Well, for one thing, I was buying bras that were WAY too small. My cups are two sizes larger than I thought they were! I guess I should just change my name to Chesty Laroux (Simpson's fans will understand what I mean). No wonder bra shopping has always been such a hassle! Now that I know my true size, I'm going to go out and buy a couple of cheaper ones too. And when I'm done, I'm going to get rid of all my old ones.
- While visiting my parents, we watched Part 2 of a W5 feature about the "Liberation" treatment for Multiple Sclerosis (MS). My dad was diagnosed with MS more than 40 years ago, and has gradually become more and more disabled. It is becoming increasingly difficult for him to do all of the little things we take for granted (get in and out of bed, dress himself, drive, shower etc...). But he's truly a fighter and won't let it get the best of him. He's incredibly independent thanks largely to the fact that he's as stubborn as a goat (actually, 10 goats put together). This is a very good quality to have when faced with his day to day challenges.
While we were watching W5, the little guy kept coming into the room talking loudly and demanding my attention. I told him that he needed to be quiet because we were watching a very important show -- a show about how people like Grandpa who have MS and have trouble walking can get better. After I explained this to him he settled down and snuggled in next to me on the couch. He watched the entire show and has been drilling me with questions ever since.
For those of you who don't know about it, the Liberation treatment was developed by an Italian doctor named Dr. Zamboni. He discovered that people with MS had a narrowing in their veins (in their necks or other parts of their body) which resulted in poor drainage and a build up of iron deposits in the brain. In a test study, he performed a relatively simple surgery to widen the veins of MS patients with this condition to see if it would have any impact on their MS symptoms. The results were nothing short of miraculous for many of the test subjects. Some of the patients who had previously had bad balance and trouble walking are now able to walk perfectly. Others have reported that their MS attacks have completely disappeared. The list of miracles goes on and on. As word of this treatment spread, MS patients around the world have been offered new hope.
However, because this treatment hasn't been well researched or "proven," Canadians can't even get tested to see if they have the narrow vein condition. Doctors also won't perform the surgery on MS patients. Many MS sufferers who don't have time to wait for the research to catch up are saying to Hell with it and going overseas to get the operation. W5 spoke to some of these people and the reported results were nothing short of amazing. As a side note, my parent's neighbour at the cottage also has MS and has suffered from chronic pain and migraine headaches. She went to Poland and had the surgery done and is now pain free. My father is now considering following in her footsteps some day, even though he doesn't expect the results to be quite as dramatic because he's had MS for so long. But even if it could help him only slightly and make his life just a little bit easier, it would be worth every penny.
So back to my story about how the little guy watched the W5 episode. A few days later he asked, "Mom, does grandpa have small veins?"
"Yes, he probably does," I told him.
"Do I have small veins too?" he asked. "Am I going to get MS?"
I told him that I very much doubted it and that he shouldn't worry about it.
Fast forward to this morning. It was the crack of dawn and he shouted to me from down the hall, "Can you bring me my truck?"
I grumbled something about the fact that I was still sleeping and that he could come and get it if he wanted to. He whined and moaned and carried on like there was no tomorrow. Oh the torture of walking 20 feet down the hall!
"Is there something wrong with your legs," I asked.
"Yes," he replied. "I have MS."
:-)
**********************************
Tonight we crashed our friends' street party. They have a water slide/pool for the kids, BBQ, beer, ice cream etc... As part of the festivities, they had a dance contest.
The little guy watched some older kids show off their break dancing moves and was quite intrigued. Once the contest was over, he emerged from the water slide area - wearing nothing but dinosaur underwear - and took to the stage (which was actually just a green carpet). I have to say he had some pretty fancy moves!
**********************************
So I decided that it was time to go bra shopping -- something I do once every year or so whether I want to or not. I hate bra shopping and put it off until my undergarments are practically disintegrating. This really isn't a good idea considering my evident need for "support". I can almost hear my mom's voice right now saying, "I don't know where she got those from. It certainly wasn't from me!"
A fellow blogger had written about a bra shop in town that does professional sizings and fittings. The bras are out of the world expensive (between $100-$200 each!), but I decided this was the way to go. I reasoned that not only would save me a lot of time and headache (normally I have to try on 30 to find just 1 that fits), it would also make me and my clothes look better. And besides, a girl needs to treat herself once in a while. Right?
I couldn't believe it. In less than 20 minutes I had been sized and tried on at least 10 bras -- all of which fit me perfectly. I ended up buying 2 bras (gulp!) and I have to say that they make me look pretty good! I've always hated being well endowed, but today I actually felt at peace with bust line.
So what did I learn on this expensive adventure? Well, for one thing, I was buying bras that were WAY too small. My cups are two sizes larger than I thought they were! I guess I should just change my name to Chesty Laroux (Simpson's fans will understand what I mean). No wonder bra shopping has always been such a hassle! Now that I know my true size, I'm going to go out and buy a couple of cheaper ones too. And when I'm done, I'm going to get rid of all my old ones.
Tuesday, June 01, 2010
National Lobster Day
On Saturday, the little guy found an awesome rubber lobster at a garage sale. He paid with it with his own money (25 cents) and it is now his most prized possession. He and the lobster are pretty much inseparable.
On Sunday morning he came bursting into our room and announced that it was Lobster Day. He was absolutely bubbling with excitement.
"What do you do on Lobster Day?" I asked.
"You celebrate lobsters," he said, while proudly holding up his red lobster.
"What sorts of things do you do to celebrate lobsters?"
"Well," he said, thinking for a moment. "You sing lobster songs and you get to eat ice cream after dinner. In a regular cone, not a sugar cone."
"Do we get to eat lobsters on Lobster Day?" I asked.
"No, just ice cream after dinner. And you can bake cookies too."
All good ideas!
Later that morning, when he was being a bit of a troublemaker, I told him that when little boys acted that way that Lobster Day got cancelled. I immediately felt guilty for saying this.
"You can't cancel Lobster Day, Mom!" he blubbered. The very thought that it might get cancelled almost brought him to tears.
So after promising to be a good boy I reassured him that Lobster Day would not be cancelled. And we all dressed in red to mark the occasion.
I think they should make it a national holiday, don't you?
On Sunday morning he came bursting into our room and announced that it was Lobster Day. He was absolutely bubbling with excitement.
"What do you do on Lobster Day?" I asked.
"You celebrate lobsters," he said, while proudly holding up his red lobster.
"What sorts of things do you do to celebrate lobsters?"
"Well," he said, thinking for a moment. "You sing lobster songs and you get to eat ice cream after dinner. In a regular cone, not a sugar cone."
"Do we get to eat lobsters on Lobster Day?" I asked.
"No, just ice cream after dinner. And you can bake cookies too."
All good ideas!
Later that morning, when he was being a bit of a troublemaker, I told him that when little boys acted that way that Lobster Day got cancelled. I immediately felt guilty for saying this.
"You can't cancel Lobster Day, Mom!" he blubbered. The very thought that it might get cancelled almost brought him to tears.
So after promising to be a good boy I reassured him that Lobster Day would not be cancelled. And we all dressed in red to mark the occasion.
I think they should make it a national holiday, don't you?
Thursday, May 27, 2010
This is a test
So yesterday I wrote about how I wanted to lose 15 lbs. By some coincidence, an ad popped up on the side of Facebook today that said, "Want to lose 15 lbs?"
I have another blog about a medical issue I'm going through right now. Every time I put up a new post, the ads on Facebook start hitting a little too close to home.
I'm torn. On the one hand I feel incredibly violated and think I should wash my hands of Facebook. On the other hand, I enjoy keeping up with friends and family on Facebook. At the very least, I'm going to have to look more closely at the privacy settings.
So to test my theory that Facebook is tracking my other online activity, I'm going to put some strange keywords down below to see if there is any correlation with the ads that pop up in the next few days. Here it goes:
- erectile dysfunction
- diapers
- leather furniture
- stephen king
- sinus infections
Let the test begin!
I have another blog about a medical issue I'm going through right now. Every time I put up a new post, the ads on Facebook start hitting a little too close to home.
I'm torn. On the one hand I feel incredibly violated and think I should wash my hands of Facebook. On the other hand, I enjoy keeping up with friends and family on Facebook. At the very least, I'm going to have to look more closely at the privacy settings.
So to test my theory that Facebook is tracking my other online activity, I'm going to put some strange keywords down below to see if there is any correlation with the ads that pop up in the next few days. Here it goes:
- erectile dysfunction
- diapers
- leather furniture
- stephen king
- sinus infections
Let the test begin!
Wednesday, May 26, 2010
I stand corrected
The Spiderman lunch box made its way home safely. The little guy had not given it away to a kid in his class. I feel so bad for thinking that, but he was acting so strangely.
Bad mom. Very bad mom.
********************
In other news, I completed my very first triathlon last Saturday. It was a mini one, but it was still a good physical challenge. I'm happy to report that I didn't drown. In fact, the swim went amazingly well. All of that pool training really paid off. My swim time was pretty slow, but it was only a very small part of a much larger race. As the lady behind me in the start line said, "You can make up your swim time while changing into your shoes." And she was right! Being fast in the transition zones made a big difference to your overall time.
To keep up the momentum I'll be competing in the marathon 10 km race this coming Saturday. I did a long run on Sunday to prove to myself that I could actually make it to the finish line. The triathlon training must have really helped because I wasn't even stiff the next day.
Since I'm on a fitness kick (did I mention I was taking tennis lessons too?) I've decided to make some changes to my diet too. I'd like to lose between 15 and 20 lbs between now and my birthday in September. It shouldn't be too hard if I keep up my activity level and cut back on the carbs (I'm a total carb junkie). I weighed in this morning and just about cried. How did I gain so much weight?????
Wish me luck!
Bad mom. Very bad mom.
********************
In other news, I completed my very first triathlon last Saturday. It was a mini one, but it was still a good physical challenge. I'm happy to report that I didn't drown. In fact, the swim went amazingly well. All of that pool training really paid off. My swim time was pretty slow, but it was only a very small part of a much larger race. As the lady behind me in the start line said, "You can make up your swim time while changing into your shoes." And she was right! Being fast in the transition zones made a big difference to your overall time.
To keep up the momentum I'll be competing in the marathon 10 km race this coming Saturday. I did a long run on Sunday to prove to myself that I could actually make it to the finish line. The triathlon training must have really helped because I wasn't even stiff the next day.
Since I'm on a fitness kick (did I mention I was taking tennis lessons too?) I've decided to make some changes to my diet too. I'd like to lose between 15 and 20 lbs between now and my birthday in September. It shouldn't be too hard if I keep up my activity level and cut back on the carbs (I'm a total carb junkie). I weighed in this morning and just about cried. How did I gain so much weight?????
Wish me luck!
Sunday, May 23, 2010
Baby Eagle cam
One of my colleagues sent me a link to this live web cam of an eagle's nest.
There is a newborn baby eagle in the nest along with an unhatched egg. I was told that the other egg isn't going to hatch. Normally the parents throw any unhatched eggs out of the nest, but not this time. The baby eagle is VERY attached to the egg. He/she often sits on it and snuggles up to it. It's very cute! I think the mother bird doesn't have the heart to toss the egg out of the nest.
The little guy would sit and watch the live cam for hours if I let him. He's absolutely fascinated with all of the activity going on in the nest. We tune in several times a day to see what the family is up to. Often we see the mom feeding or snuggling with the baby (she's a very loving and dedicated mommy). Sometimes they sit and talk to each other.
It's a real lesson in nature!
There is a newborn baby eagle in the nest along with an unhatched egg. I was told that the other egg isn't going to hatch. Normally the parents throw any unhatched eggs out of the nest, but not this time. The baby eagle is VERY attached to the egg. He/she often sits on it and snuggles up to it. It's very cute! I think the mother bird doesn't have the heart to toss the egg out of the nest.
The little guy would sit and watch the live cam for hours if I let him. He's absolutely fascinated with all of the activity going on in the nest. We tune in several times a day to see what the family is up to. Often we see the mom feeding or snuggling with the baby (she's a very loving and dedicated mommy). Sometimes they sit and talk to each other.
It's a real lesson in nature!
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