The one where I get all old skool

I wasn't supposed to have Barbies as a kid. Instead, I had the Sunshines - a very sweet, wholesome, approximately Barbie-sized (but much more realistically-proportioned) family of dolls.


It was my Granddaddy, Mom's own father, who (probably unknowingly) went against her wishes and bought me for-real Barbies for my birthday. What could Mom do but grin, and let me welcome them into the Sunshine family?

I'm pretty sure my parents were similarly un-thrilled when Granddaddy decided that Michael Jackson doll clothes would be the perfect Christmas gift for me. But what could they do but help me write a thank-you note and sigh as I struggled to pull a single sparkly white glove (more of a mitten actually) over Crystal Barbie's built-in ring?


I was excited about the clothes, though. My older cousins had introduced me to Michael Jackson, and I thought he was pretty cool. So I happily dressed those formerly-contraband Barbies in red and black (fake) leather pants and jackets with all these extra zippers that didn't actually open, even though everything was just slightly too big for them.

In recent years, I haven't been a fan of Michael Jackson. Or Barbie for that matter. But scanning the radio stations in the car yesterday made me smile. When you look back at history, things aren't always so black or white. Remember the time before all the controversy? Before Michael Jackson - or the world in general - seemed so dangerous? Watching the Thriller video with my cousins. Trying to moonwalk on the playground. Thinking we were "bad," because we knew that bad meant good.

Those songs brought back happy memories from when I was growing up. At the same time, it made me sad to think that Michael himself didn't have a happy childhood. And neither did a lot of other kids. It made me want to do something. To protect the children, to make a brighter day, to heal the world...as if I'm the one who can do all/any of that. But, really? What can you do?

All I can think of is this: If you wanna make the world a better place, take a look at yourself, and then make a change.

*****

PS Oh yes, you did catch some MJ references in the last half of the post! From the "In recent years" paragraph to the end, there's about a dozen Michael Jackson song references, mostly titles. Find them all and you'll get....well...not a prize exactly...but definitely some survived-the-80s cred! Need a hint?

PPS Not sure where my old toys are, but I found them on Flickr - yay! I'm pretty sure those are the two MJ outfits I had. (Not the dolls, though.)

Photos by:
1) elasticcamel
2) Brimley
3) Sakurako Kitsa

Quick Takes: Parenting figured out to The Big Switch

You'll be happy to know that after years (almost two) of research. I have parenting figured out. Ok, maybe not totally figured out even close. But I read this really sad article about this child in Siberia who has been severly neglected. And it made me feel - a lot of things actually...sad, angry, indignant, confused...and like, as a parent, you could easily do muchmuch better. There are some very basic (and doable!) non-negotiables to being a parent. Specifically, here's what I'm thinking: 1. Love the baby. 2. Feed the baby. 3. Keep the baby clean. 4. Keep the baby safe and warm. 5. Try not to drop the baby. I know that's not all there is to it, but it's a pretty good start, wouldn't you say?

I heard that there was going to be a performance of The Lion, The Witch & The Wardrobe at Bethany Worship Center. I don't really know anything about it except what's on their site, but it sounds like it could be good.

Did any of you end up going to the zoo on Monday? Did you tell them I sent you?


You would think that the fact that TV shows are in summer reruns would make it easier to kick our habit. So far, notsomuch.

Did I tell you I added more organic clothing to my shop? Yeppers. Fabulous new colors - check it out!

I didn't do the menu plan thing this week, because I didn't have time to do it before I went offline on Saturday. It's just as well, though, since I haven't actually cooked yet all week. (More on that Monday.) Tomorrow it's back to actual food though.

I'm thinking about making The Big Switch and getting a Mac. I hear they're reliable and better for design work. They have stores with real live staff for you to talk to. Plus, Macs don't come with Windows Vista, which is good. Vista = annoying. Speaking of annoying, I went into a Mac store to try to get some info, and the people I talked with were kinda snooty. But, at least they stay at the store, whereas your operating system stays with you. Thus, I'm still leaning towards a Mac.


There ya go! Those are my 7 Quick Takes on this week. More Quick Takes will be up on Conversion Diary around 6am CT.

I could use a laugh.

How about you? Are you having a crazybusy week, too? Well, take a little break. Here are a coupla baby humor items. Hope they make you smile too!

1. Pregnancy Q & A (didn't make this up. I think someone emailed it to me.)

Q : What is the most reliable method to determine a baby's sex?
A: Childbirth.

Q : I'm two months pregnant now. When will my baby move?
A: With any luck, right after he finishes college.

Q: Is there anything I should avoid while recovering from childbirth?
A: Yes, pregnancy.

Q: When is the best time to get an epidural?
A: Right after you find out you're pregnant.


Q : Our baby was born last week. When will my wife begin to feel and act normal again?
A: When the kids are in college.

Q : Do I have to have a baby shower?
A: Not if you change the baby's diaper very quickly.




2. Ever wish babies came with instructions? Well, now there is such a thing as The baby owner's manual, and you can preview it here.


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Photos by sean dreilinger

It's my party and I'll cry if I want to

The site that brought you "Kids' Parties Take a Pay Cut" is now featuring a list of the "12 Worst Baby Birthday Party Themes."


It. is. hilarious.

I don't want to spoil anything for you, but I will tell you that they have a very...creative idea for babies born on tax day.

So if you want to know how not to celebrate your baby's first birthday or you just want to smile, check it out.

*****

Edited to add: Photo by iamchanelle.

Of socks and snot

I saw three fabulous tips on ParentHacks that were all related to winter weather, runny noses and socks.

If you have kids, check these out:

• Cut-off sock "leg warmers" keep sleeves snot-free
• Old tube socks protect exposed wrists from snow
• Oversize long-sleeved shirt as parental snot guard

*****
Photo (of more adorable baby feet!) by majorbonnet.

When not to breastfeed

Lots of us have eaten while driving. Some have reached around to hand a child a snack or a bottle while (maybe) at a stoplight.



Here's what you should not do: breastfeed a child while driving.

Did that even need to be said? Apparently. According to the New York Times, an Ohio woman breastfed her youngest child while driving her kids to school.

There are so many things wrong with this incident that I don't even know where to start.

My biggest problem with the whole deal? Taking the girl out of her car seat while they were still on the road and holding her in the front seat. Didn't we just talk about car seats?? (I like pretending that everyone reads my blog.)


In case anyone still isn't clear on this, if your child gets crazy hungry while you're driving to school and you can't just give her a bottle or some Cheerios, here are your options:

1. Wait until you get to the school to feed her.
2. Pull over into a parking lot along the way and feed her (with the car stopped).
   

She will not die of starvation during the drive. And the older kids will not die from being late to school. But think what could happen if you got into a car accident (which is more likely when you're distracted).

The woman, who is charged with a first-degree misdemeanor because her daughter was not in a car seat, said she would do it again.


*****

Photos by me.

Kids' party cutbacks send pachyderms packing

Even elephants are having trouble finding work these days.

With all the economic turmoil going on right now, parents who used to throw the elaborate let's-rent-a-whole-circus birthday parties for their children (who sometimes were too young to remember it later on anyway) are cutting back.


"Kids' Parties Take a Pay Cut" (from MomLogic) quoted one mother as saying, "No matter what's going on in the economy, I don't want my children to think that they can't have something as basic as a birthday party."

Really? I'm all for celebrating life's milestones; however, since when are birthday parties "basic" in the same sense as food, shelter, clothing and - perhaps this is where the confusion really stems from - love?

Maybe when we get things sorted into the right categories, we'll be on the way to sorting out the rest of this economic mess too.

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Photos by D'Arcy Norman.

Making Mondays mahh-velous!

In the spirit of spreading the bloggy love, I wanted to tell you about some exciting things going on over at Sorta Crunchy. Megan and Laura are looking for input from parents and not-yet-parents for the book they are working on. So on Mondays they are discussing parenting styles and the beliefs that those stem from.

They are asking for comments anytime this week on their post about Concerns Over Sleep Training.

So stop on by and give 'em your two cents! (You know you're dying to!)

P.S. If you missed last week's post on the Cost of Serving, you might want to check that out too. It was simply beautiful.

Keeping track of what your baby does

For those moms who keep track of everything their babies do - how long they slept, how long they nursed, what was in their diaper - I guess this could save you some time.


There is now an iPhone app that helps you quickly note each diaper change, as well as the details (color, consistency, etc.) of what was in that diaper. I'm not making this up. I read about it over on the gDiapers blog.

I know, that's a little too much for some of you to think about. But some detail-oriented parents just added an item to their Christmas list.

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Photo by William Hook. CCL.

Babywearing Week highlights

A few great posts from International Babywearing week (last week):

• Babywearing Ambassador
• Babywearing - it’s not just for fussy babies
• Babywearing Tip: Wearing Baby On Your Back

And a couple of helpful articles I recently discovered on babywearing:

• Glossary of Babywearing Terms
• Pros and Cons of Selected Types of Babycarriers

If I missed your International Babywearing week post, feel free to include a link with your comment.

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Photo by squiddles. CCL.

The deal with babywearing

We're right in the middle of International Babywearing Week! (Which I know, thanks to Megan's post.)

If you're wondering what babywearing is or what the big deal is or why a parent would want to walk around carrying a baby in a sling, this post explains it beautifully. Enjoy!

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Photo by Pepper44. CCL.

Tough reality

Kids aren't the only ones who pretend. As adults, there are a lot of things we like to imagine about ourselves and our world. Those of us with something to eat and somewhere to sleep at night tend to pretend that poverty isn't a reality. Or that it isn't a big deal. The unsettling reality is that poverty covers much of the world's population - like a worn blanket covering the globe with only a few patches of affluence showing through.


When I heard that this year's Blog Action Day was focused on poverty, I wanted to share activities to help children understand poverty and what they could do to help others - and I will - but I realized that kids aren't the only ones who need to be reminded that poverty is real and prompted to do something about it. Yes, times are tough. But I think we can all find something to share.

Speaking of which, revenue from purchases made in the Bold Avenue shop today will go to Compassion. You can get started on your holiday shopping and help children in need.


So even though this list is focused on children, I've starred (*) suggestions which apply to anyone.

Five Ways to Teach Children about Poverty and Giving:


1. Start small - Talk about sharing with friends and siblings. Do you already give to a church, charitable organization, etc.? Talk about what motivates you. Find ways to involve your children in ways you are already giving time or money. If you're not giving, look for ways as a family that you can share what you have.



2.* Help the hungry in your community - Donate time, money or food to a food bank near you. Kids can help you pick out their favorite non-perishable food items at the grocery store (might be easiest to stick to the canned food aisle) to give to children in need. Older kids can go with you to volunteer time at the food bank. (Information on Arizona food banks)




3. Time to learn - FeedingMinds.org offers age-specific curricula that looks at "the problems of hunger, malnutrition and food insecurity." Not only would this be great for teachers and homeschooling parents, but it would be worth perusing for other parents, as well. The curricula offer great ideas for activities and discussion starters, even if you're not going to go through the entire course.

4.* Think globally - Child sponsorship is an amazing way to make a difference and connect with the people behind the need. Although they're unrelated, in the last couple days, I've read this fabulous post about what made one man decide to sponsor a child and a very moving story about the effect of sponsorship on one boy's life. I am most familiar with Compassion and have experience with World Vision (find activities and volunteer opportunities here), but there are other organizations out there, as well. The important thing is to find a reputable one and get involved.



5.* Empty yourself - Understanding requires an open mind and, often, empty hands. Empty Bowls events are a beautiful illustration of this. You make a donation, choose a handcrafted bowl (which you keep as a reminder), are served a simple meal of soup and bread, and, hopefully, remember those who survive on so much less than the abundance that we know. Use this as an opportunity to give your children a window into the lives of others.



Whatever you do, let's use our imaginations to find creative solutions to the problem of poverty - rather than trying to ignore it.


*********

Photos:
1 - City) by fokus Lima. CCL. in Rimac (Lima), Peru.
2 - Children) by Julien Harneis. CCL. in Mugunga, Rwanda.
3 - Feeding birds) by dannyman. CCL. in Barcelona, Spain.
4 - Food bank) by Jeremy Toeman. CCL. in San Francisco, California.
5 - Classroom) by carf. CCL. in Sítio Joaninha (São Paulo), Brazil.
6 - Compassion banner
7 - Empty bowls) by Jeff Kubina. CCL. in Montgomery Run, Maryland.
8 - Girl and photo) by Tom@HK. CCL. in Shatin, Hong Kong.

This is child's play

I know we have it easy. I know that traveling now, in this pre-pre-baby phase of life, is exponentially simpler than it will be once we throw some kids into the mix. So I'm trying to savor that. I'm also trying to learn as much as I can, so I can be ready.

With all that in mind, I loved this post on Creative Travel - although I *did* have to look up Swedish fish on Wikipedia - some fabulous ideas for keeping kids entertained on a road trip and how it all plays out!

Right outside

This summer I read a post (which I can't find now) from a mom saying she couldn't even use the bathroom in peace, because her toddler would be trying to come in or whining outside the door or at least waiting RIGHT THERE until she came out. Lots of moms jumped in to sympathize, adding their own stories.

I couldn't relate. Not that I'm complaining. But I didn't have a story.


You know how Monday's post mentioned that there were a few things from housesitting for my parents that I hadn't time to write about? Well, one of them was about Ranger. Ranger loved the Hubs. So much that while we were staying at my parents', he decided that if the Hubs was in the bathroom, he should be in there too.


He would try to come in. He would whine outside the door. And he would be RIGHT THERE when he opened the door back up.

Good toddler practice, I guess.

****
Photos by me.

What to say about the unspeakable?

Seven years ago I was teaching Spanish part-time at a small Christian school. Classes were not canceled on September 11 - even though some parents kept their kids home. The principal decided to continue with school, providing some normalcy and getting the kids away from their televisions for a little while. It was hard for me to tear myself away from the t.v. and get ready for that afternoon's classes. And hard for me to think of standing in front of all those kids. How could I teach on a day like this?

When I arrived at school, I was encouraged to let the kids talk if it seemed like they needed to or to go on with class if they seemed okay. I got a little Spanish in that day and lots of questions from wide-eyed first-, second-, and third-graders. I don't remember most of what they asked. I don't remember anything I said. I didn't know much more than they did at that point. I did my best to give them information, listen to their concerns, assure them that God is in control - even when scary things happen.

Lately, I've been thinking a lot about how to speak to kids about difficult issues, how to give them truth that's appropriate for their age. How do you talk about tragedy with a child? How do you explain 9/11?

One mom posed that question on Yahoo answers. I think most responders thought she was asking about math or something. One pointed her to September 11 Digital Archive, which seems to have a lot of information (photos, emails, etc.), but is not kid-specific and may not be the best format for younger children.

I also found an article entitled "9-11: What Should We Tell Our Children?" written just one year after the fact. It had some great principles (telling kids the facts, not overgeneralizing or stereotyping, helping them deal with uncertainty), but the examples given seemed like they would go over the heads of most children. How could you apply those ideas in a way a child could understand?

Apparently, in New Jersey they are working on a school curriculum that will explore the 9/11 attacks and what we can learn from them. It'll be interesting to see how that turns out.

*****

Photo by Victoria Chapman. CCL.

Is preschool the enemy?

Well, this weekend I threw a party and went to church and ate at Chipotle with my parents and now I'm sick. I don't know if being sick has to do with any of those other things, but it does have to do with why I'm home reading blogs in the middle of the day.


Also over the weekend, Playful Childhood posted "Protect Our Kids from Preschool," which referenced a Wall Street Journal article and studies suggesting preschool may not be beneficial for children.

(If you want to read it, I'll wait. No, really, it's ok. It's short, and I wanted a snack break anyway.)


So, as I was saying...while I respect the opinion of that post, I am not sure I totally agree with it. Is it preschool itself that is the problem? Or is the type of preschool? What about children who went to preschool for 6 hours a week? Or 9? Were the results the same with fewer hours? Perhaps it is the preschools (or the parents) that are pushing kids that are the real problem.


Not all preschools do this. Some focus on making learning fun with creative, age-appropriate activities. Children not only learn colors, shapes, etc., they learn how to share, how to sit (for short periods of time) and listen, and how to play nicely with others. Sometimes preschool is the only place a child has the opportunity to finger paint or use scissors or play in the sand.

Is it possible to do these things at home? Yes. Does every parent? No.

I don't believe that we should have universal preschool. But I think we should have preschool as an option. When preschool is done right, I believe it complements - rather than counteracts - a playful childhood.

Cross nursing

The other day Mom sent me a text that just said "Cross nursing?"

Turns out she saw something on Good Morning America about moms breastfeeding their friends' babies in order to foster a sense of community and was wondering if I'd heard about that. I hadn't.

So I read the article and skimmed the accompanying comments.


I'm all for moms breastfeeding if they're able to. And I know it's not necessarily an effortless process. There can be latching issues, supply issues, demand issues...and the list goes on... So with all that work to meet your baby's needs, why would you complicate things by randomly adding another baby in the mix? Or have your baby be nursed by a friend - and risk being exposed to diseases she might not even be aware she has - just for the sake of "bonding"?


There are other ways to bond with your friends' children. Play peek-a-boo. Teach them how to high five. When all else fails, give them candy.



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Photos by fikirbaz. CCL.

Learning to talk

I just read this post on Holy Experience (one of my most favorite blogs!) about talking to your kids about God and about a book on the topic called Gum, Geckos and God. That's the first I'd heard of that book, but it sounds intriguing.

Anyway, click on over to Holy Experience when you get a minute. There's always some good food for thought over there!


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Photo by me.

Feeling needed

Ranger decided I should be up at 5:30 this morning.

The Hubs and I are at my parents' place housesitting. Actually, the house is fine on its own. It's more like we're dog-, cat- and chicken-sitting. And yard/plantsitting.

And since the aforementioned dog decided he urgently needed to chase a stray cat off the property, I was up before the ants were.

Slackers.

I took advantage of the cool weather to start the watering and get the chickens fed.

I think it's good for the Hubs and I to have living things other than ourselves and the potted plants at our condo to take care of. I have a feeling that needing to get up because someone is demanding our attention, needing to get home because someone is waiting for us, needing to drop what we are doing and check what someone is up to are all very good things for us to get used to.

Speaking of which, I'd probably better go make sure I'm not flooding the tomato plants.

*****

Photos by me.

Nothing to sneeze at

Where have I been all week, right?

Well, Monday was my annual visit with the allergy doctor, who I apparently misquoted in my first post. He said he recommends waiting on starting allergy shots rather than waiting on starting a family.

But, really? Continue feeling miserable in order to get pregnant and feel more miserable then start treatment once I have an infant to bring with me every! single! week!...OR...wait on the baby, start feeling better sooner, and blog about baby stuff? No regrets.

Anyway, the allergies are a lot better. I'm still getting shots, but I'm at the point where pregnancy would not interfere with that. Which has given the Hubs and I a lot to think about. (i.e. that slew of questions Monday)


Speaking of kids, the waiting room at the allergy clinic had coloring books...sponsored by Nasonex. So in case you had any doubt that marketing of pharmaceuticals was out of control or that marketing to kids was out of control, look no further than Buzzy the Bee's Activity Book.

Ok, well, the Hubs is home now and making us tuna sandwiches, so I guess the rest of this week will have to wait.


*****
PS The Hubs came up with that sneeze title. :) And made me a sandwich. I took the photos though, so....