Posted by eenymeanie on 2007-01-05 23:08:56
Post Subject: HELP! I'm starting a kid and baby specific craftshow in L.A.
hey everyone I am pretty new to the crafting community but jumping in with both feet! I make clothes for babies and toddlers (check me out here: www.eenyemanie.com) and I am starting up my own craft show!! The show will be exclusively handmade items for babies, toddlers, kids and new mommies....
it is called the little Monster Market and you can check it out here:
http://www.eenymeanie.com/monstermarket
Our first show is scheduled for Monday March 5 and will be taking place in Studio City CA. I am excited but also terrified!! If you make stuff for babies and kids and you would like to be a vendor please send an email to: monstermarket@eenymeanie.com
and more importantly if you are a mommy or need a gift for a new mommy, PLEASE come check this show out!! It will be full of really great stuff and exactly what you need! oh and please spread the word about it! thanks for your help... wonder twin powers activate!
Posted by sarabell on 2005-05-19 12:53:46
Post Subject: fabric repair emergency!!!!
so we have this popup play tent made of really crappy fabric - like the fabric version of particleboard. when we opened it up, it had obviously been torn and returned to the store. for various reasons i won't go into, i wasn't able to drive 45 minutes to return the thing in time. it's been hiding in the closet until my son remembered that we had it last nite.
the tear is on a stress point and any repair i can think of will either not work (any stitches will surely rip out, duct tape will be picked at by my toddlers.....)
here's the damage:
http://getcrafty.com/userfiles/sarabell/fullimages/2005_0518Image0190.JPG
any fool proof repair ideas? or should i just contact the manufacturer? it's been months and i surely doubt toys r us will do anything for me at this point. or do i just stare at the tear that really bothers me, wait until it completely rips out and try to put some other kind of fabric on it?
Posted by lesterclyde on 2006-04-15 10:48:23
Post Subject: Most flight attendants have been fabulous
The thing I *most* appreciated when traveling with my wee twins was the brandy offered to me by a super-sympathetic Air France flight attendant after the babies (then six months) FINALLY fell asleep on a trans-Atlantic flight ...
I've traveled with my kids on 7 or 8 trips, including two international ones, from the time they were 5 months old until this last trip, just before they turned two. Almost every time, the airline and/or flight attendants helped ensure we got workable seats (with twins, you can't all be in the same row because there aren't enough oxygen masks ... aisle seats across from one another are best). When I was still nursing, they cheerfully brought me extra water (you need to drink a ton); once the kids were eating solid food, they cheerfully brought extra napkins for the mess. To me, the most significant thing has been sympathy and compassion -- it can be really stressful to travel with babies or toddlers, including because you feel like you're imposing on everybody else.
I've encountered one or two flight attendants who clearly didn't like kids ... but I can understand that (I can remember being cranky about squalling babies on planes before I had my own). Only one was outright nasty, the overwhelming majority have been fabulous.
Posted by jennjitsu on 2005-06-30 18:59:17
Post Subject:
I have a friend who has had issues with preeclampsia with all three babes. I guess hers was not severe, she was just told to take it easy, stick to a certain diet and get more rest than usual. Easier said than done with a couple of toddlers to tend to! My other friend (who delivered recently) seemed very swollen but it was just a lot of fluid retention. She lost a lot of weight within two weeks of delivery and looks much more like her old self now. I myself have not had a problem with it so far, neither did my mother. My ankles do some minor swelling sometimes but I think I've figured out it's parts of my diet that triggers it.
I hope everything is okay!
Posted by Karla on 2004-09-09 17:27:55
Post Subject:
Very much like cackalackie, me and my friends have one night a month when we get together. With toddlers and real estate and marriages becoming more important obligations, social ease had totally vanished from our lives. We realized that we would have to make a conscious effort to see each other. We actually formed a club. And it's just us girls. We decided to learn knitting and pick a book to read and discuss every month. Our last meeting was actually last night.
We also cook dinner. We try to theme it around the book but, if that is difficult, there is always a theme, anyway! We have done 1950s comfort food (disgusting!...we had no idea what people ate then, see http://www.lileks.com/institute/gallery/index.html for gorey details!), indian, mexican for cinco de mayo, boobie themed dual pizza pies (with Dolly Parton's auto-bio)-that was great and cheap because everyone brought her favorite topping as her contribution to the meal. We made "mix tape" dishes themed after punk rock songs (included "London Broil" after London Calling/The Clash, "Bomb-shells-and cheese" after Bombshell/Operation Ivy, "This is not a salad...(which it was) after PIL's, This is not a Love Song and s'mores because they're punk rock!) inspired by The Time Traveller's Wife which had a lot of music references.
We are talking about doing some transcendentalist lit for the fall and having everyone bring a homemade soup...stuff that gives us an autumny vibe. Or chilli night...where everyone brings a different chilli enhancer...chopped onion, cornbread muffins, shredded cheese.
It's been a lot of fun and it's really brought us all together! We even took a lake weekend together this summer and had a blast. We talked about starting some sort of club for a long time before it came to fuition. I highly recommend organizing the friends you miss in any way most fun for you. We are even thinking about how the club gives us a chance to get involved with charities and community issues now. It's exciting to see the things we come up with when we collaborate. It's also a great comfort to look forward to the first Wednesday of every month when it's just us girls.
Posted by sarabell on 2005-09-26 12:13:16
Post Subject:
i despise my bond machine and have yet to use it successfully. and i'd like to think i'm *somewhat* adept with a knitting machine, i learned on a really nice brother machine (complete with punch cards for instant patterns and fairisle) i had a really hard time finding any home machines when i was looking into them. ~15 years ago, my mom bought a brother machine for ~$100 but they don't seem to make home models anymore. at least not affordable ones. anything good i found recently cost several hundred to the thousands.
i think the bond machine is pretty chintzy and doesn't come with any "frills" like a row counter..... so if you do decide to put it on your list, make sure you look into the accessories and add them to the list as well.
but then again, i haven't been able to spend a great deal of time with it since it's definitely not something you can leave set up with toddlers about. hopefully i'll get to try it again soon and i'll have something nice to say about it....
Posted by Grungie on 2008-01-24 14:29:23
Post Subject:
I've gone through the same thing when my boy was about that age, and the pediatrician (and my mom) told me it's normal for toddlers to be finicky. They also don't eat as much as they used to because they aren't growing as fast--so sometimes it looks almost like they aren't eating anything at all.
I didn't want to resort to making a seperate meal for him, either. What sometimes seems to work is giving him the vegetable first (before the rest of the meal), so he doesn't just fill up on the tastier stuff. I've also noticed that he would sometimes refuse certain foods one day and then like them the next day. He still pushes his peas away for a couple of days, and then the next he'll decide to eat one bowl of peas after another.
Posted by celene91057 on 2008-03-29 21:53:13
Post Subject: Re: What is your Toddler''s Favourite Healthy Food/Meal?
Hi Jennifer. That''s a tough one. I care for my 12 mo. old grandson 5 days a week and feed him 2 meals a day. We are blessed that he will eat almost anything. We had grilled fish with stir fry veggies and baked potato last night and he ate every bite with gusto! My daughter was never a problem either so I don''t speak from experience, but I have read that your toddlers eating habits are formed early on and that even if they don''t like it you should continue trying. The article was written by one of the baby food companies and it also said that it takes up to 30 times of introducing a new food to a little one sometimes before they adjust and learn to like it. That seems like a lot to me, but several times certainly makes sense. Don''t give up. If you are pureeing fruit with his food, try backing off little by little until its more meat and veggies than fruit. Good Luck!
Posted by somnambulicious on 2006-07-09 17:45:07
Post Subject:
We bought a Scion xB a year ago, and we love love love it. We took it up to Pike's Peak about a month after we bought it, and it performed fabulously. The backseat has SO MUCH ROOM, although there isn't much cargo space behind the backseat; we have two toddlers in carseats, so any extra cargo we have is stored in the floor of the backseat. I'm averaging 30-32 mpg, and that's mostly on the interstate going 75 mph+.
One word of advice: If you like the xB, strongly consider getting a manual transmission. The engine is small, and it's a heck of a lot easier to accelerate quickly with a manual transmission than with an automatic. If you don't know how to drive a manual, the xB is super easy to learn on; it's just about the easiest manual I've ever driven.
Posted by kateastrophe on 2006-02-02 22:54:42
Post Subject:
i agree with pudding, i have a tendency to say stupid things when i am first trying to make friends, and she probably didn't mean for it to come out quite that way.
although i'm nowhere near a parent myself, i read a lot of blogs by both moms and dads of babies to toddlers and it seems like every one of them needs baby/kid-free time. (one woman, upon first wanting this time alone, freaked out a bit, feeling like she wasn't being a "good mom" and boy you should've seen the flood of understanding and supportive comments she recieved!)
Absolute favorites? Max and Ruby books by Rosemary Wells!!! I think we still have the whole collection. Fun for both adults and kids.
Babybug for young toddlers or Ladybug for prescholers. Both lavish literary magazines put out by Caris Publishing. Spider for primary- intermediate grades; Cricket for intermediate to middle school. Cicada for highschool. BEAUTIFUL! Worth every penny. Nice website available to subscribers with lots of cool parent/child activities. Spend way too much $$ at Caris every year.
We also worked our way way through the entire Caldecot section of the library. ..."Why Mosquitos buzz in People's Ears"....."Lon Pon Po"......"Golem"..."Mike Mulligan"..."The Little House"..."Ferdinand the Bull".
Posted by picapica on 2005-03-14 12:43:44
Post Subject:
Eric Carle, Chica Chica Boom Boom, and Brown Bear make the list for best books for toddlers for promoting literacy & preparing kids to become better readers from the National Center for Family Literacy. Other pics from this list include:
A Summery Saturday Morning - Margaret Mahy
Alligator Arrived with Apples: A Potluck Alphabet Feast - Crecent Dragonwagon (of cookbook fame)
Barn Dance! - Also by Bill Martin Jr.
Good Night Gorilla - Margaret wise Brown
Zoom - Istvan Banyai (this is a worldless book and very cool!)
Shoo Fly - Iza Trapani
Ten Black Dots - Donald Crews
There are a ton more listed, but that's some of my favorites. and for those that don't know Bill Martin Jr. died this year - I was sad to hear it, his books have consistantly been amazing.
Posted by mindshare on 2005-03-13 11:15:41
Post Subject:
I second the Brown Bear, Brown Bear by Eric Carle recommendation. It's easy to read, very little text so the kids don't get bored. When I worked at a daycare, I always explained to the two-year-olds that "I don't want to pick a book that's too text-heavy because it won't hold your attention". That always got some great blank stares.
I love Robert Munsch books -- the stories might be too involved for some toddlers, but the great thing is that you're meant to read the books with a lot of expression and sound effects, so I think some would still be appropriate. "I Have To Go" is a classic (as a bonus, it's been banned in some schools because it has the word "pee" in it -- it could be your child's first introduction to the wonderful world of banned books!).
Posted by CraftyChicaAZ on 2004-05-10 12:48:54
Post Subject:
i have BIG hair. everytime i think i've made it smaller it still looks just as big. i wrote about it on my blog:
- Pens. I put them there for safe keeping then forget about them. One time Patrick found two Bics when I came home from a hectic day! I've also had them fall out of my hair when I was talking to people i really wanted to impress.
- Once at our office cafeteria, the lady behind me at the salad bar line said, "I think this is yours". It was a Post It Note with someone else's writing. I'm like, "Huh?" - so I replied, "Oh no, it's not mine." And she snapped, "Well it was stuck in your hair, take it!"
- A Charm's Blow Pop. OK, I have a good reason for this. Patrick and i were taking the kids to my in-laws so we could go out on a long-awaited date. Maya was a small toddler and she was in the car seat in the back seat. I rode next to her. She was chomping on a Charm's Blow Pop and waving her arms around like toddlers do.
Later that night Patrick and I are dancing at the club. He put his hand in my hair - I thought in a romantic way - but then he said, "Woman, you have a sucker in your hair!". i'm like, "No way!". He is like, "Way. Go to the bathroom and see." I went in the bathroom, and sure enough, Maya's Blow Pop was embedded in my 'do.
But the most painful thing was standing there in front of the mirror next to all these skinny gorgeous girls primping themselves and having them gawk at me (a chunky mom) rip a sucker from my hair. I tried to giggle and say non-chalantly, "You'll never believe what happened! This is from my daughter. She is a toddler and we were driving to my inlaws and..."
they nodded and left before i could finish.
- Here's the topper! I once had a baby lizard lost in my hair! I have a good reason for this too. Patrick and I were cleaning out the detached shed in our backyard. It was old and creepy in a hillbilly cannibal sort of way. I was hurrying on cleaning it the best I could (we had just rented it) and I got the heebie jeebies so I went back in the house. Later on, i was doing the dishes. I felt someone pull my hair. I quickly turned around and yelled, "HEY!", but no one was there.
I went back to doing the dishes and it happened again only harder and longer. I lost it - I thought our house was haunted and that even the damn ghost was teasing me about my big hair. I screamed and ran to Patrick.
"Help! There's a ghost in the kitchen and it's pulling my hair! Let's move from this house, it's haunted!"
he looked at me in a questionably concerned, yet loving way. Being the critcal thinker that he is, he told me calmly to sit down in front of him. He rifled his fingers through my hair as if he was searching for a quarter that had been dropped in some grass.
"Ooooohhh, it's a baby lizard", he said. "Poor thing. He is scared to death! he was tangled in your hair."
He got the scissors and cut him loose and set him free in the backyard. And he made ME out to be the villian!
Posted by sarabell on 2006-09-26 19:40:43
Post Subject:
my sister bought me a fondue pot a few years back at target. love fondue; do it with my family every christmas eve. but my lovely chrome unit is still in its lovely packaging yet to be used. and now with a few moves under the belt since i got it, i have no idea where it is. now i wanna do fondue. of course, with two toddlers, i see it staying in its box for a bit longer!
Posted by sarabell on 2005-08-21 17:34:04
Post Subject: Re: making friends: frustration
curse the internet for I find a lot of facinating people to talk with and they ALL LIVE SO FAR AWAY!!!
I wish I could find the most interesting people in Toronto to hang out with in person...how does one find "their people" anyway?
i hear you there! i started a thread in 'craft up' to find crafty friends in within a one-hour radius of me but i didn't have any luck myself - everyone that replied *used* to live around here or said it was a nice place to live.... all my friends are internet friends and live 1,000 to 3,000 miles away. but perhaps you might have some luck trying starting a toronto craft up thread.
is there a craig's list for toronto? perhaps you might have some luck there. or maybe sign up for some class at a craft shop. i feel for you. i've been living in the boondocks with toddlers so i haven't gotten much of a chance to make any friends. plus i'm kind of shy and socially inept. but hopefully that will change soon with my imminent relocation! woo hoo!!!
Posted by sallysunshine on 2006-08-09 09:42:04
Post Subject:
One thing that I really love about the nice local yarn store is that they're really kid friendly. That's a weird thing to say, because I don't have kids. But I think that the kid-friendliness lends the place an air of non-snobbery. It's hard to be snobby when there are toddlers toddling around fondling the yarn on the lower shelves. And while I may not be the world's most proficient knitter, I'm better than the five-year-olds practicing on knitting needles the size of curtain dowells.
Posted by sarabell on 2006-09-28 01:40:13
Post Subject:
i recommend getting some of those activity idea books for toddlers. a lot of the ideas are kind of hokey but are great starting points. had a series of three books - the first was age one thru the toddler years, the second preschool, the third early school age. (wish i could find them but i've moved and can't... i'll try to look for them online because i can't even remember the titles.) on top of activities, they have all kinds of recipes as listed above for both edible paints and clays to the non-edible but safe, all using stuff from around the house.
i'm a serious binge crafter and he really enjoyed being involved (or at least busy) while i was working. i started him with watercolors at one (he hated fingerpaints and was quite adept with the brush), "glitter" (salts and rice dyed with a bit of food coloring), glue, and collage at around one and a half. he was always excited to have a "pajeck" to work on.... even if it was just getting to pour colored macaroni into jars while sitting in his highchair. ;ast year, he went into full-on production during the holidays, in one sitting making 10 collaged and glitter glued christmas cards with the animals he cut out from his third birthday card he received two months earlier. and i must say, his composition was magnificent. and i'm really not trying to be biased. well, i probably am maybe just a little.... but still -if they were crap i wouldn't have mentioned anything! i still marvel at the one my friend still has up in her house. my daughter is more a budding engineer than artist, but she used to find my crochet hooks while crawling around and would rub them on blankets that i had made. she did this so often, i bought her one of those gargantuan hooks so she'd stop stealing mine.
Posted by jean on 2005-09-15 18:44:21
Post Subject:
wow. i have nothing new to add for advice, but want to echo the other ladies in saying kudos to you. how lovely to adopt an older child. just think of the difference you'll make in their lives. toddlers are an amazing sort. full of energy and sprite and an awkward but brazen curioustiy towards the world. keep us posted.
Posted by karen0 on 2005-07-31 14:54:08
Post Subject:
i would like to make an addition to the suggestions that everyone's made. i don't have kids, but i babysit toddlers and they have a tiny table in their bedroom with matching little chairs and they like to sit and "read"...also, their mom has framed pictures of them with their friends along with pictures of their family. i thought that was pretty cute. one last thing....a night light.
Posted by somnambulicious on 2006-02-23 13:14:53
Post Subject:
As a mother of two toddlers, I've done a lot of thinking about this subject. Mine are 18 months apart, and there have been times when I've felt that I lost a big part of myself, for months at a time, but I've made an effort to get that sense of self back. I think that often, when a woman's entire identity is taken up with being a mother only, she comes to depend on her children in a way that's unhealthy for everyone. It's unfair to your children to have your identity depend on them; it saddles them with a responsibility they shouldn't have. I've seen this happen with both stay-at-home mothers and mothers who have careers outside the home.
Sewlittletime, I hate those patronizing comments people have about being a stay-at-home mom, too. When we bought our last car, the finance guy told me this long story about how his wife, a mother of five, had a career for about a year until she "learned" that "everyone was just happier" when she was staying at home and "not working." I kept wondering how his wife felt about that. While I feel that I've made the best decision for my family - and myself - under our circumstances, I know that it's not the best decision for everyone else. I was stuck in a dead-end job and didn't know where to go from there; staying at home for the past few years has given me the time I needed to know myself better and decide what I want to do with the rest of my life. In a couple of years, when I go to grad school, I know that I'll be doing what's best for myself and my kids then, too.
A mother who feels resentful because she HAS to make sacrifices for her family isn't a happy mother. And the children WILL know this. Each family has to find the right balance of sacrifice and self-fulfillment, and it's not easy.
slowgraffiti220, don't feel bad about letting your mother help you out with your child. That's how children were raised for thousands of years, with extended family and close friends all collaborating to care for the children. About once a month, I take my kids down to my parents' house and they stay there for the weekend, while my husband and I take care of the things we can't do with two toddlers in the house - go out to a movie or a concert, take on a major sewing project, reorganize the garage, spend a weekend at a conference out of town, etc. On Friday, when I drop the kids off, I feel so relieved to not have that responsibility for a few days - but at the end of the weekend, I miss them so much it almost hurts. I think I appreciate my kids more because of those weekends apart, and I definitely need the "me time" for myself.
Posted by mousetower on 2005-08-03 17:39:33
Post Subject:
My DD is 23 months old and we just moved her to a toddler bed about 2 months ago since she shares a room with the rest of us (DH,DS who is 4 and myself) a gate at the door was impractical. We have a baby lock door knob thing on the inside of the door (adults can open it easily, bigger kids can get it to with a little practice) There is also a gate at the top of the stairs. That one is added caution. I don't want my 4 year old son comign down the steps in the dark either (a 6 year old friend can open the gate so yopur older daughter should still be ok with that) As for the climbing over the gate, well my 4 year old did it once and the baby can't do it, gates are taller (at least the one we got) and there is nothing she can stand on to get enough height to get her leg over. But if there is a bit of a hall way before the steps you could always put the gate there so if your monkey did manage to get over it would be to land on the floor and not fall down the steps.
Good luck Toddlers are tough but worth every moment :)
Posted by sarabell on 2005-07-30 13:53:08
Post Subject:
kudos to you! i'm always so happy to hear about people adopting older children. i'd like to do the same someday. i had a friend who went from group home to foster home over and over because he was orphaned in his toddler years, and he wound up running away and getting emancipated.
if you're adopting a boy, i have a son who is almost three, and i'll share what he's into:
he currently shares our bed, but if the child is three or over, a twin bed with one of those attachable rails should be fine. a bookshelf is necessary. stock it with coloring books, plain and colored paper, gluesticks, glitterglue, pens, crayons, paints, play-doh, and a lot of books! my son LOVES books with a lot of pictures and non-complicated stories with phrases he can repeat. dr. seuss books and the books in the dr. seuss early reading library are great. he is WAY into dinosaurs (toys, books, movies), which seems to be very common for boys aged 2-3. robots, spiderman, and starwars are starting to become interesting and he's starting to get into the action figure/superhero thing. cars, buildable racetracks. blocks. don't even get me started on spongebob.... he has my childhood rocking chair as well as a sesame street two chair/ottoman set (which he gets a lot of use of for both sitting and builting forts.) and a pop-up play tent is great. especially if it's an older child, they might want some privacy, a place to hide while they adjust.
my daughter is one and just entering toddlerhood so i don't really have many ideas for girls. but my daughter is like me when i was little - happier with the fisher price barn, blocks, and trucks than dollies.
get some books on toddler activities. my mom bought me a series called BUSY BOOK by trish kuffner. there's three books - one for toddlers, another for preschoolers, and the last, the children's busy book. a lot of activites, projects, crafts, etc.
hope this was helpful and not just too much information. i'm so happy for you and wish you the best of luck! if you have any toddler question, i'm in the throes of it and will always be happy to share.
Posted by soapandwater on 2005-03-05 12:28:22
Post Subject:
From my experiences in babysitting, there is only one show I really can't stand having kids watch (well, a couple, but this one especially), and that's Caillou on PBS.
Why, oh WHY, did they find it necessary to make a show for whiny preschoolers and toddlers to watch about another whiny kid? I mean, I understand the point of the show, it's just.so.unnecessary.
That's my personal pet peeve. I actually haven't heard of OOBI, but then I haven't babysat in a long time (I'm away, away at college).
Posted by sarabell on 2005-03-10 19:58:53
Post Subject:
From my experiences in babysitting, there is only one show I really can't stand having kids watch (well, a couple, but this one especially), and that's Caillou on PBS.
Why, oh WHY, did they find it necessary to make a show for whiny preschoolers and toddlers to watch about another whiny kid? I mean, I understand the point of the show, it's just.so.unnecessary.
That's my personal pet peeve. I actually haven't heard of OOBI, but then I haven't babysat in a long time (I'm away, away at college).
UGH! caillou is the WORST and is on the banned list, along with barney.
he is such a whiny little turd! "moooommmeeeeeeeeee!"
Posted by sarabell on 2005-05-20 12:39:34
Post Subject: tips for flying with toddlers?
i'm going to do the unthinkable: fly with two toddlers. all by myself. my 2 1/2 year old and one year old and i are going on a little trip. at first, i was worried mostly about getting thru the terminal. but now i've got connectors for my two strollers and considering getting one of those wrist "leashes" in case my son insists upon walking. now i'm starting to freak out about the flight. baby girl is a wiggly screamer. i kept telling myself that it will be everyone else's problem & not to worry, i won't ever see any of them again. but now i'm really starting to trip about the trip. any in-flight suggestions? hoping it won't be a completely booked flight so i can have an empty seat next to us and not some bitter child-hater. but then after this flight, i wouldn't be surprised if everyone on board will become one.....
Posted by lizzymahoney on 2005-04-04 18:22:10
Post Subject:
Interesting, happydaisydoo!
My maternal g-mom was born in the 1890's. Her father disappeared one day, leaving a wife with his two older children from a previous marriage, and two young ones. This was either 1899 or 1900. The history of that time in that area is interesting. Any port city, and this was one, would have rough areas where able bodied men would be kidnapped for labor on sea-going ships. That's one possibility. But there were also many men searching for work away from home, and that could be where he disappeared. If you can think of what it was like for women and children back then, imagine a 22 year old mother of two toddlers, with two teenagers dependent on her too. How would she feed them, how would she care for them and work at the same time? The teenagers went to work right away, the little children as soon as they were eight and nine. The g-g-mom took in laundry. She was still working hard twenty years later when her brother came back from the trenches of WWII with brain damage and syphilis and alcoholism. So while her kids were all self supporting, she had to nurse her brother and make a living to support him until the VA took him in another ten or fifteen years later.
So, yeah, In a sense, I get into the history of the times. This is definitely more detail than my mother ever understood.
Posted by sarabell on 2005-06-30 16:49:03
Post Subject:
my toenails are always polished as well. i used to always have nailpolish on - usually an opalescent white or pink so if it wore or chipped, it didn't show too much. or vamp. had to have the chanel vamp. but with two toddlers, it's hard enough for me to even keep them filed nicely so they're usually bare and cut short. though right now they actually have some cheapo light blue sparkly old navy polish on them. and several coats of mod podge with some glitter glue stuck in it..... and i kind of have a glitter glue "french manicure" going on with a couple of the nails. been in project mode for a couple weeks straight so they're long and unruly and pretty much the last thing i'm concerned about dealing with.... until i leave the house - then i try to hide them!
Posted by sarabell on 2005-09-30 14:03:11
Post Subject:
It is such a joke, because of the whole Knitting/Crochet craze, they felt that they had to jump on board although there was absolutely no need to-I mean who goes to Target for Knitting anyway.
target used to carry yarn years ago. granted, it was just cheapo acrylic. but it was something. would be nice if they decided to have an aisle of yarn again, though. would make a quick yarn purchase a lot easier with two toddlers in tow. just not those silly kits. saw some the other day that had me rather dumbfounded. don't think a pet bed is a good project for a first-time knitter.
i definitely hooked myself up with the $1 needles and yarn. but the yarn.... i'm a long-time knitter and have a hard time working with the furry stuff. really don't recommend LEARNING on that stuff!
Posted by StinkerbelleRock on 2004-12-14 22:49:54
Post Subject: Tank....
Oh I didn't find my dog, she found me. Tank was half dead under a run down truck. I heard her crying and picked her up to take her to the emergency vet. I really thought she'd be dead soon and wanted her to die(if that was the case) in a warm(it was the dead of winter in Ohio, not a good time for a small breed dog to be living outside), loving enviornment and be well fed. To at least enjoy the little time she had left. But it took a few months and she was a normal, happy, energetic puppy.
Moral of the story....
I not only didn't get a dog from a breeder or pet store, but adopted her straight from the streets where she was abused and fending for herself and she's more than I could have ever imagined. My best friend in the world. So, I definately reccomend saving a dogs life from a shelter. I truely beleive that they know and are forever grateful. It's unbeleiveably rewarding. They love you unconditionally.
She is a very small dog, hence, very affordable. Although, $$$ ceases to become an issue. My animals (I also have a rescued from the streets cat) are my babies and many times have eaten when I couldn't. I'd even feed them the last of the human food if I couldn't get dog food. My cat once lived on Ramen noodles right along with me!
She also is very very shorthaired so poses virtually no cleanup.
They keep me sane and level headed through the toughest of times. You can tell that I'm very proud(I have a little brag book of my babies in my photo section here). So obviously cheering for you to add a little pup to your family!
I'm one of those people who beleives that there are no bad dogs, just bad owners. So as long as your pup is socialized with children and other animals from a young age, and raised with love love love....... you'll have no problems.
My childhood dog was brought into our family around at the same time that my baby sister was born and has been tortured by toddlers, poked in the eye, dressed up in doll clothes, and pushed around in baby doll strollers. She's never even bat an eye. She was also very protective of Sarah. Sleeping in the doorway of her room and barking when she would wake or if anything would potentially disturb her. I beleive that being around children heleped turn her into the nurturing and docile creature that she is. I also think it kept her young. She's a 15 year old puppy and as amazing as ever (despite a little arthritis and her grandma gut).
Ok..... I'll stop..... I hope no one's eyes are bleeding from reading this novel I have just penned..... hehe
If you have any questions I would love to help!! Until then.... Rant over....
Posted by cosmosgrrl on 2005-01-09 17:48:06
Post Subject:
Oh, I hear ya honey! I've only got two, but it has still been a challenge. In fact, I stopped some of my crafting for a long time when my kids were smaller. I used to do stained glass work, but found that glass shards, flux and solder didn't mix with toddlers! I'm just starting to get back into glass now, 12 years later!
My kids are 12 and 9 right now, and I can offer some hope to you that it *does* get easier as they get older. They establish their own interests, increase their pool of friends and therefore increase their opportunities for playtime that does not involve you. The one thing you have to do, though, is make sure that you don't overschedule your kids as they grow older. I firmly believe kids need time to just play and be creative, and I know so many families whose kids *never* have free time to just play. They're always off to soccer, karate, dance, scouts, music lessons, hockey, swimming, etc. that they never have a moment to just plain play!
However, I did as you seem to be doing and involved my kids in my crafting from the time they were able to hold a pencil. The result is that both have developed into very creative young people. My son has established himself as a pretty good digital artist and can do things on the computer that astound me. My daughter, the youngest, shows some talent in drawing and painting, but absolutely loves wood working. She's in the basement right now, hammering away on some birdhouses. She's made four so far today. We craft together, and really have an enjoyable time.
You *will* find more time for your own crafts as the kids get older. Plus, you do have to consciously make the decision to *find* the time, even if it's for an hour here or there.
Posted by cosmosgrrl on 2005-01-09 17:38:45
Post Subject:
Oh, I hear ya honey! I've only got two, but it has still been a challenge. In fact, I stopped some of my crafting for a long time when my kids were smaller. I used to do stained glass work, but found that glass shards, flux and solder didn't mix with toddlers! I'm just starting to get back into glass now, 12 years later!
My kids are 12 and 9 right now, and I can offer some hope to you that it *does* get easier as they get older. They establish their own interests, increase their pool of friends and therefore increase their opportunities for playtime that does not involve you. The one thing you have to do, though, is make sure that you don't overschedule your kids as they grow older. I firmly believe kids need time to just play and be creative, and I know so many families whose kids *never* have free time to just play. They're always off to soccer, karate, dance, scouts, music lessons, hockey, swimming, etc. that they never have a moment to just plain play!
However, I did as you seem to be doing and involved my kids in my crafting from the time they were able to hold a pencil. The result is that both have developed into very creative young people. My son has established himself as a pretty good digital artist and can do things on the computer that astound me. My daughter, the youngest, shows some talent in drawing and painting, but absolutely loves wood working. She's in the basement right now, hammering away on some birdhouses. She's made four so far today. We craft together, and really have an enjoyable time.
You *will* find more time for your own crafts as the kids get older. Plus, you do have to consciously make the decision to *find* the time, even if it's for an hour here or there.
Posted by PamTheQueen on 2006-02-15 14:08:41
Post Subject: Me! Me! Me!
It seems like I did this very same post a year ago or so. Or maybe it was on the old boards.
I have not just one teenager, but TWO! And in September, i'll have THREE!!!! Help me! Mine are all boys (Help me again!): 15.5, 14 and 12.5 (18 months apart each way). Boom. Boom. Boom.
I'm 35 and most of my friends are just having babies or have toddlers and preschoolers. Back when I had babies and preschoolers, they all were getting advanced degrees or starting exciting careers.
My problem is that I cannot seem to find other moms of teens who aren't back to work FT outside of the home. I work from home and have my own little businesses. I have time to hang out, get coffee, do collaborative projects, stitch and bitch, etc -- but there isn't anyone!!!!!!! It doesn't help that we just moved to a new city and state.
Wait. I must admit I have seen other moms of teens who appear to not work outside of the home, but instead of the Soccer Moms we had in Indiana, these are Ski Moms and I think they hit the slopes as soon as they drop their kids at school.
LOL
Still getting used to this different lifestyle here...today was a powder day and my middle son told me that his teachers will even call in subs to ski.
Posted by sjkmaurice on 2005-04-28 09:12:35
Post Subject:
My daughter will be three in June and she, too, is pushing independence. It's my fault. I've been teaching her stuff like pottying on her own and crafting using her imagination. I admit, I give her choices about lunch and clothes. Now she thinks EVERYTHING is a choice and should be done by her and no one else! We've been debating the tricycle/bicycle thing because she really is a little tall for most trikes, but she doesn't have the coordination for a bike, yet.
Your son sounds quite funny. Although I would hate it if my daughter kept telling me she wasn't in the mood, she does tell me to leave her alone for five minutes. (I tell her that if she's bugging me and I need a little quiet time.) Anyway, I'll have a moment of silence here for our babies who aren't anymore. They're not even toddlers. They're KIDS!
Posted by kindarana on 2005-04-28 20:40:29
Post Subject:
Regardless of whether you go cloth or paper, use liners and always flush the poo - it's not supposed to go into landfills. Even making that change can do wonders for the environment - though cloth is definitely better.
This may not be so practical in Alaska, but you can also go diaper-free (after a few months) where you just catch the pee in the sink - they tend to go a certain time after feedings. It's very common in the 3rd world, toddlers in China have crotchless pants so they can squat and go whenever they need it. http://www.natural-wisdom.com/index.htm looks to be a good site. I still haven't had children yet, but when I do I'll definitely consider that.
Posted by Gretchen32865 on 2005-01-17 08:02:43
Post Subject:
Well, I'm taking a day off of work this week so I have the sitter here with the kids and completely gutting a small space in our apartment currently home to 7 shelves stuffed with books and videotapes along with our litter box - in an attempt to turn it into a personal space for my husband and myself. Making some crafty storage is definitely on the agenda. If I have any revelations I'll be happy to let you know.
Some possible suggestions (which I will be trying out myself): start by dedicating a full day - no distractions - and start tossing things (clothes, bags, your partner/spouses old high school textbooks.....but keep the craft stuff!! :-) ) into a pile for the stoop/yard sale come spring. Then see what's really left to organize. You can actually get inexpensive craft storage solutions at dollar or big lot stores. I'd recommend a really large plastic toolbox (which I've bought at the local dollar store) you'll be surprised by how much fits, and even cheap toolboxes are pretty sturdy by design. Also, the container store has inexpensive magazine files - I'd buy the cheapest, that's what duct tape is for, and you can get a three ring binder with some plastic sheet protectors and instead of saving the entire magazine you can tear out what you want to try later and file them in the clear sheets, then you can see what's there without holding the extra bulk. I do this for recipes and it works pretty well - one binder instead of years of magazines.
And don't be fooled by my appearance of organizational obsessiveness. After 7 years our apartment still perpetually looks like we've just moved in. With 2 toddlers, cat and tons of stuff, it's really a revolving door of boxes and bags. But I believe I can conquer eventually, which is all that really matters....
Posted by alteredtome on 2005-11-16 04:25:37
Post Subject:
Actually, Target's little dollar area has some really cute, cool stuff. That's where I'll be doing my stocking stuffers, and they always have something for toddlers (like little books, coordinating wash clothes/towels) and kids, plus some decent things for the adults.
Posted by MRSM103 on 2005-05-20 12:26:45
Post Subject:
I second that sarabell!!!! One of the dollar stores that I used to manage seemed to attract a lot of these and most of them were grown women. I just wanted to scream... "Have you no pride in your appearance. You cant even put on clothes and shoes before leaving the house!!
And dont get me started on the ones that had their infants and toddlers running around in the dead of winter with no hats and gloves and lightweight jackets!! Believe me, it wasnt because they couldnt afford it!! Those same people would come in and spend $20 on stupid stuff, like keychains !!
Posted by joy on 2005-11-17 18:49:03
Post Subject:
Toddlers love play-doh and you can NEVER have too much. We also add all the little play-doh plastic accessories and any holiday plastic cookie cutters can be used. Lots of fun for those times when you need to keep them still for a few minutes, like when cooking or baking. Some fun play-doh ideas are turtles, hearts, flowers, food items, smiley faces......
and you can stick them on the frig when your done.
Oh I want some play-doh now!
Joy
Posted by Chelsea on 2005-11-16 14:47:58
Post Subject:
My mom only put one or two toys in mine. Mostly I got candy, like a bag of M&Ms and then other stuff that gets used up so it doesn't sit around forever.
It's probably easier for older kids since all toddlers want are toys :) But crayons, pens, little pads of paper, stickers, a small game (like go-fish cards), socks, sock hats, bathroom stuff (toothbrushes, yummy smelling soap).
One year I got my entire stocking filled up with those little fuzzy pompom things, glue and felt. I made caterpillars and little pompom monsters w/ feet cut out of felt, etc. They were gone pretty fast ;)
Posted by FauxChina on 2007-06-06 16:17:28
Post Subject:
I'm all for parenting classes.
I apologize if I've offended anybody, but my rant was out of frustration. From what I've read through your posts about your children you all seem like good parents and the ones who don't have kids will be good parents if they so choose to be. So this in no way is directed to anybody in particular.
I'm not a parent yet, but my special guy and I have discussed it, I am currently on my last pack of birth control pills and in August/September we will stop using protection all together in hopes to become pregnant. And I've heard the saying "I was a much better parent before I had children" but for the most part it is common sense. Is any phone call important enough to leave your child alone in the bathtub? Everybody knows that toddlers are curious explorers, don't keep furniture that they can climb by a window, and use baby gates to keep kitchen chairs where they belong so the little one can't drag it and climb up.
I don't agree with sterilization, I'm not really an extremest, even though my previous post says otherwise. Again, I apologize if I've offended anybody.
Posted by FauxChina on 2007-06-05 18:37:49
Post Subject: Stupidity should hurt & parenting should require a licen
A child died in Toronto just the other day. A baby boy fell 23 storeys to his death through a window. The father was holding him and or changing his diaper when the child wiggled and somehow ended up falling out the window. Every year Global news broadcasts a story at least 3 times per spring/summer about a child falling out of windows and dying, I hate to think of how many more senseless and PREVENTABLE deaths like this happen in other cities and in North America.
Too many stupid people are having children, which is leading to even more stupid people. I don't mean stupid as in people with no formal education, I mean people who totally lack in the common sense department.
If you don't have enough sense to not leave your child unattened while in the bathtub, swimming pool, on the change table, in the car, near stairs than you should not be allowed to have children.
Parenting should be a privilege, not a right. It doesn't seem right that there are so many kids out there who are malnurished or even overnourished in some cases, and neglected when there are so many responsible adults out there who just want to give their love to a child and are unable to concieve.
I've noticed in the city I now live in quite a few young girls with babies. I think it takes a lot for young people to have children, and the responsible ones, I applaud. But for the most part these little skanks are hanging out front of the liquor store with their babies asking people to go buy them booze because they are underage. Smoking cigarettes and pot while holding their kids. Not to mention that the kids aren't dressed appropriately and are not being supervised properly, they let their toddlers play on the sidewalk or parking lots where they can pick up cigarette butts and other garbage and we all know how much kids like to taste new things...
I'm sure this post will piss off a ton of people, but it is my opinion and I needed to vent.
Posted by boheme-anne on 2006-01-30 11:13:43
Post Subject:
I read somewhere recently that a lot of colleges/universities are getting away from using the coin operated washer/dryers, as they are an added cost to maintain...or something like that! That said, if her school has coin op machines, she'll definitely appreciate rolls of quarters!
!
When I read this I had to laugh because a friend of a friend decided to mail quarters to their college kid. I was dumbfounded. Can you imagine the postage on a package like that? I'm not saying that someone is going to do this, but I thought you guys might get a giggle out of that.
Mailing quarters: deserves the Carlos Mencia "Dur Dur Dur" award. Mail a check entitled "for quarters" and have the student take it to the bank for some rolls. Geez. Are quarters some kind of rare item? ha ha ha
I have to agree on the phone card idea. Unless the student always uses a Cell phone, they are going to rack up some nasty collect calls to home. I don't know why I'm assuming they don't have a cell though. These days it seems like everyone has a cell. Soon I will see toddlers carring them. I have to force myself to use mine. ah.
I didn't see anyone mention, but perhaps I missed it, a washbasket. Or a laundry bag you might be able to make would be nifty. You can make a laundry bag out of old jeans and just put a drawstring at the top.
If you would rather a basket, you can fill it with detergents, softeners and hangers.
I really like the bathroom set idea though. I make a soap dispenser once that had silk flowers and marbles in the bottom. It's cheap to make too!
Posted by sarabell on 2005-12-31 14:30:21
Post Subject:
I can appreciate the cost of a babysitter...but I found most people totally unwilling to even try to get a babysitter...they wouldnt trade babysitting with a neighbour or classroom friend. Refused to ask family - or how bout family refused to babysit.
how old are the kids in question? personally, i have a three-year old and a one and a half year-old. it's quite a big deal to ask my family to watch them. i almost never do unless they are already asleep. my kids are more than a handful at this point..... especially when i LEAVE them. it's traumatic on kids when they're not used to being left, therefore traumatic for the sitter! and it can be pretty hard to leave the kids when they're having such a hard time. the whole sitting trade thing.... i dunno. other people's kids bug! and if you already have a couple/few, adding more is ROUGH! i think i'd really only be willing to do that if it's my niece or my close friend's kids. and there's really no way that i could afford to PAY someone to do it. pretty much, i only get sitters if they OFFER instead of me asking. i'm sure most parents would LOVE to get out kid-free. i know i do. and i take every chance i get.... but every little thing that entails... well, sometimes, it's just not worth the effort.
when it comes to my house vs. a friends..... honestly, it can be really hard to lug your kids to someone else's house. depending on the kid's age, there's various things you have to lug along like extra clothes, food/bottles, equipment, toys. then you have to keep a vigilant eye on the kid at your friend's house. it can take like an hour or so to get ready for just a little visit, whereas the kidless can just hop in the car and go. stop at the store on the way unhindered.... then the issue of naps/going to bed. mine won't nap or go to bed at a decent hour unless they're at home. everything can be so freaking complicated! i find it can be really hard to enjoy myself when i have my kids with me for a visit to a kid-free household. no matter how childproofed they *think* they got it before your arrival...... and then they get bored. i suppose it might be selfish... but it tends to be a lot easier to just have your kids in their own environment to make for a more relaxed visit.
so pretty much, i tend to hang out with the kid-free more often when the kids are with the ex, or sleeping at home with a family member present. or else we meet up in the afternoons out in public. otherwise, we stick to hanging with the friends with kids. i'm sure things will get easier when i don't have toddlers.
didn't mean to barrage you with that, but until a few years ago, i really had no idea just how much of a pain in the ass kids can be! i, too, got irritated that we always had to go over there....
Posted by sjkmaurice on 2005-07-07 01:58:49
Post Subject:
May I ask where you received that information
Quite honestly, I'm sure I got it off the television, but I did a search and found some things that might interest you.
This one mentions recording food over a weeks period to see if it balances out: http://parenting.ivillage.com/tp/tpnutrition/0,,3w0q,00.html
These three others are just interesting information. The last is a PDF.
http://www.healthychild.net/articles/na23assess.html
http://consumerinforeport.com/baby_topics/nutrition_for_toddlers.htm
http://www.teachnutrition.org/pdf/gb041999.pdf#search='nutritional%20needs%20toddlers'
Posted by glassprincess on 2005-07-07 02:00:02
Post Subject:
May I ask where you received that information
Quite honestly, I'm sure I got it off the television, but I did a search and found some things that might interest you.
This one mentions recording food over a weeks period to see if it balances out: http://parenting.ivillage.com/tp/tpnutrition/0,,3w0q,00.html
These three others are just interesting information. The last is a PDF.
http://www.healthychild.net/articles/na23assess.html
http://consumerinforeport.com/baby_topics/nutrition_for_toddlers.htm
http://www.teachnutrition.org/pdf/gb041999.pdf#search='nutritional%20needs%20toddlers'
Thank you so much for that... I was having a hard time weeding through all the crap google found.
Posted by Marina-Trilobyte on 2005-06-23 12:33:31
Post Subject:
Studies have been done that have shown most people can get acustomed to most new foods if they eat those foods multiple times on different occasions. So, it makes sense to insist that kids *periodically* try the same food in different contexts a few different times, to see if they become acclimated to it, but don't make any one of these occasions a big showdown.
That said, a three year old is probably too young for this kind of negotiation. I seem to remember that toddlers are often picky and given to strange passions and eccentricities when it comes to food and they tend to drop them as quickly as they pick them up. I'd try to reasonably accomodate at this stage. If he's eating whole grains and fruit leather, it's not like he's living on candy bars and ice cream.
Posted by Selah on 2005-06-23 14:36:13
Post Subject:
It's so hard with toddlers because one day something is their absolute FAVORITE and then the next day/minute/second they act offended that you even put it on their plate.
I agree with the try one bite rule. I tell my son that he has to try it to be able to tell me he doesn't like it.
I'm generally not a fan of 'tricking' your kid but I do sometimes sneak in veggies. I make a puree of spinach and chicken stock and maybe a little carrot (whatever is on hand) and then put that over pasta or use it as a dipping sauce. If my son gets to dip it he generally loves it. Hummus is good for dipping, or yogurt jam mixes. Also I find that if he makes it himself he is more likely to eat it. Zuchinni or banana bread muffins work well. Or I give him a plastic knife and he gets to cut the cooked carrots.
This book, First Meals by Annabel Karmel, has some creative recipes that might work for picky eaters. Here is a link with a good article about the book.
Posted by bootsy on 2005-03-20 11:59:38
Post Subject:
Man, anything psychedelic but not goth from 1965-2005 has potential.
I just read a bunch of books on linguistics by Stephen Pinker, and if I had toddlers, I would definitely be exposing them to as much foreign language sounds as possible. Even if they don't learn a language now (and this would be the time to start teaching that!), just hearing foreign languages while their neural pathways are still forming kind of primes the pump for second language acquisition in later life. So bring on the Serge Gainsbourg! The Yousso D'Nour! The rocking Mexican Rancheras!
Posted by PamTheQueen on 2005-03-10 20:26:46
Post Subject:
When my kids were toddlers and preschoolers, we wore out the Barenaked Ladies. They had "If I had a $1,000,000" memorized to a T!
If I can get my iTunes recovered from backing up my computer before for the hard drive crashed, i'll post some playlists.
And while I know you didn't want kids music kids music, here are links to some CDs I love. I have two young teens and an 11 year old, but the still like this music (as long as I don't play it in front of their friends). The songs are by good non-kid artists like Guster, BNL, Sarah Mc., Sixpence NTR, Five for Fighting, Wilco, etc.
Posted by xuli on 2005-12-21 11:14:31
Post Subject:
*Back to the question twilight brought up of having a discussion of the day-to-day of being childfree with other childfree people ....*
I'm curious if other childfree people would like to discuss how they have approached the issue of not having children with their partners. Was it a decision you came to together? Was it something you had each decided on your own before getting together? Did it cause any conflict?
In my own situation, when I met my partner I was in my early 20s and still assumed I'd have kids one day. (It's really amazing, despite Riot Grrrl and being a radical young feminist and all that, how tightly the belief that I would be a mother someday gripped onto my mind.) He was adamant that he didn't want any, ever. To me this was like a whole new world of possibility had opened before me and while it felt extremely threatening at first, it felt really exciting too. Over several years of thinking through the idea and discusing things with my partner, I came to a shift in my thinking and began to not want kids at all.
Now in his 30s, my partner has started reconsidering his childfree stance and slowly bringing it up with me. I'm not sure what to make of it. We've agreed that we're not in a position to think seriously about even planning to plan a child -- and won't be for another 5-10 years or so -- so we've tabled the discussion. But I do have to admit that it now frightens me that he is even admitting he'd want to consider having kids. I really don't think I could go back to wanting kids. He knows how I feel, and isn't even sure that he really wants them either, but even just the hint of it at this point does make me uncomfortable.
Other random tidbits of note:
My favorite thing about being childfree? No one takes my food! I grew up in a large family without a lot of money, and as a result am viciously territorial about what's on my plate. I don't think I'd do well at all with a kid who interfered with that. (Not saying all do, but many that I know like to help themselves from mommy's plate when they're toddlers.)
My least favorite comment from people with children who want me to have kids? "Oh, but you and Mr. Xuli would make such good parents!" Of course we would. (Well, Mr. Xuli more than me, he's definitely more patient than I am, as well as more into food-sharing.) What's funny is that everyone who says that to me would have been good at doing something other than what they currently do -- would have been a good seamstress, or a good electrician, or a good administrative assistant, or a good surgeon. Doesn't mean they'd have enjoyed it, or that it would have been the best choice for them. Hopefully we're all good at lots of things -- doesn't mean we have to devote our lives to every one of them.
Posted by moon_lemming on 2004-05-26 08:34:52
Post Subject:
And then I'll probably get a library card so I can read catch-22 again because that's the best book I've read this year.
Heh, my mom wouldn't let me read Catch-22 when I was a teenager, so when I moved out, it was one of the first books I checked out. I couldn't even get halfway through it, so I still have no idea what she thought was so naughty.
Right now I'm reading magazines -- I just found this one called Rescue, but I should have skimmed it in the bookstore first, because it's creeping me out for some reason. I think it's the editor and the fact that his name seems plastered on half of the pages. Is that a weird reaction, though? I don't mind reading autobiographies, which are totally author-centric, but I guess I just expect something different from a magazine.
I'm going to FL this weekend, which is a 14-hour drive, so I'm taking some books. I've been wanting to read The True History of the Kelly Gang for a really long time, and I have a book called Pirate Hunter, which is about Captain Kidd, that I've been looking forward to reading. For fluff, I have... I can't remember the name, but it's by the author of The Other Boleyn Girl, and it's in the same vein. Oh, and The Girlfriend's Guide to Toddlers or whatever it's called, just so I can reassure myself that I'm not botching the parenting thing up too much.
