The Mom's Book of Worries

I love the way kids think! My all time favorite cartoonist couldn't have captured their humor any better.... Calvin and Hobbs is dearly missed by this blogger!

My son is Calvin personified! He even carried around a little green and purple cat like a Multi hued Hobbs!

Whatever your plans tonight, be safe. Plan for next year to be better than any you've had, and be active in completing your goals! No one can do it for you!

Do you remember the Lil' Miss dolls of the late 80's? I remember being called that in high school due to my complexion...just add water for a fully made up look. (I know, I would hate me too!)

If you read back a few blogs you'll see that my kids have lost their Grandma and their Papa in just a few months. This Christmas is already lacking with those two up in Heaven, but they are still in our hearts and thoughts always!

My Father-in-law had already bought all our presents for this Christmas so we went out to his house last night and gathered around his widow to open them. My husband's step mom is a generous woman and has been in his life for almost 30 years. She is just as lost as we are without Dad!

I have to say, honestly I was not looking forward to it. I knew I would cry and miss him all over again, and I did! There is no stopping that. But it's not just the house, or the pictures, or the presents, it's the memories! And they follow you wherever you are, so going was not nearly as hard as leaving that place. And when my husband said he could almost see dad waving from the front steps I lost it all over again!

A firetruck was the gift he had bought for our son. A vintage one with working ladders and lights. It was amazing and our Benjamin loved it immediately! A doll and pram for our Abigail was a hit as she loved doll babies and anything to do with caring for them! I know he is in Heaven smiling down at them as they play with their gifts he chose just for them. But it was after the party, after the gifts were opened, and after driving away from the house that I got my gift.

Our almost 4 year old son looks out on the manger scene in our front yard as we pull into home and says to me,

"Mommy, I have to go show Baby Jesus my fire truck from Papa! Thank you Papa, see it baby Jesus? I like this firetruck."

My heart broke and mended at the same time, and swelled with a mixture of pride and joy. I didn't know the human heart was capable of such emotions all at once. My darling little boy knew the true meaning of the holidays was not just receiving gifts, but being thankful. And yet being mindful of the first and greatest gift ever given from our Heavenly Father is the true spirit behind those presents. And he brought it all home last night. I am blessed to have been entrusted with such a gift from above as him!

Give with an open heart this year and remember to be truly thankful for all the gifts you have been given! Especially your family.

This year with my daughter already 2, I was looking for a very special gift for this aspiriing Diva! I met a very talented lady who just started her own business specializing in the product I loved most, TuTus and more for my little princess!

Lindsey  is a very talented Mom and her designs are so trendy and cute that I couldn't pass them up, or keep them to myself.

Go to her new site at http://www.craftjunkiesupplies.com/ to see them for yourself.

My daughter loved her Birthday present. Head to toe from http://www.craftjunkiesupplies.com and she looked every bit the Diva!



Buy some for your little girl and see for yourself!
Remember to tell her Belle sent you!
http://www.craftjunkiesupplies.com/

 We were still reeling from the loss of Grandma when dad passed into a coma and into Heaven days later. The seizure that took him away from his daily pain and from us came out of nowhere. Even as I write this and he is already buried in his eternal spot, I am filled with an emptiness from the weight of this double loss.

Our little lady turned 2 in style! She sported a ladybug embellished dress with tiny ladybug clips in her hair! Even the balloons had black spots. (Grammy sent the dress from WV to serve as both Halloween outfit and party dress, Thanks Mom!)

The hair clips were courtesy of Lo's Bows. and matched her birthday outfit perfectly. I love matching her dress to her hair accessories!

She was shy about opening her presents but serious about playing with them all. She was up late strolling her baby and new kitten (fake) around and taking turns feeding baby in the high chair.


We had a blast at Pizza Hut. (Thanks Melanie and Brian!) It just proves you don't have to have tons of noise and games to keep kids happy, but it probably will help at my son's next party! ;)

For those of you who have access, her complete birthday album is on the Barton Lounge and My Shutterfly page. Enjoy!

I can vaguely remember being in a funeral home as a little girl to see that my Great Grandmother had died and was surrounded by flowers and mourners. I still remember thinking how strange it was and hoping I would never have to do that again. I can sometimes picture her face in life, but I was so young it's hard to say how much I truly remember about her on my own.

She was a strong woman that lived a long life. And yesterday my kids lost their paternal Great Grandmother. At 3 and 1, I doubt they are able to recall any of the events that will follow. I also doubt that they will have any memories of the woman that helped to shape the lives that brought them into this world.

It's always hard to loose a loved one. I try to remember that we don't own them, and need to hold them loosely. Make sure that the ones you love know it!
 
Say it, show it and prove it DAILY.

It's that time of year when the air gets crisp and cold, the leaves turn different shades of brown, and if your lucky orange and red, and the classic cars come out to play! Our family loves going to the car shows when we are able.  This year was the first time our son was as impressed with the cars as he was the inflatables!

I think his favorite was without a doubt the supped up, raised up, pimped out truck and then the fire truck. But what boy doesn't love those? My little girl was more impressed with the shiny trophies. Ahhh, the appeal of glitz and gold. They are definitely loving the start of Fall!

So, get out there and enjoy the views. Stay hydrated and keep those little ears covered on windy days! There is so much to appreciate in old cars. They just don't make 'em like they used to! And so many cool new bling things that can be added to a stock model it's ridiculous!

Have fun and enjoy all the sights this Fall!

But that hasn't curbed their interest in these "cute" turtles. They found one today in our field and had a blast carry him to the porch in the little wagon and letting him/her run around the sand box with them.

My son was going out to play in the backyard to the sandbox while I finished up supper. I know how much trouble little ones can get into and how fast so I was on my way to make sure he was indeed still there when screaming came to my attention outside in the driveway.

 He was holding his hand up to me saying he had hurt his "pingers". Knowing what a drama king my little prince can be I was betting there would be nothing but a scrape on his fingers. But I soon encountered the dreaded smell of burnt flesh.

Have you ever had the displeasure of being accosted with that aroma? Oh my! I've smelled it before when his father had a brush fire accident and now our son was sporting a new scorch mark. His first trauma.

It didn't take long to get him inside, treated and soaking in cool water. For first degree (minor) burns such as these it is always best to run cool water over it, make sure it's clean and soak in cool to tepid water for at least 5 minutes. Then lightly dry and apply antibiotic ointment and gauze wrappings. My trooper wouldn't have anything covering it, so I've just been treating it with antibiotic ointment. (There are new ones out that sport lidocaine mixtures)

His blister is the perfect reflection of a car's cigarette lighter. He told me later that Granny's car is dangerous and he would leave it alone from now on! There is danger everywhere outside and parked cars that are unlocked are no exception. I was so scared and so lucky it wasn't worse. In just a few minutes he had taught us both a lesson in the dangers of your own back yard.

Just FYI, he had pain for about 15 minutes, then relaxed and was back to playing as usual. A day later he has that lovely blister and the need to scratch. It is still being treated to prevent infection, and will be until the blister is gone and new skin all in it's place.

Some First Degree Burn Rules:
NEVER pop a blister, it is the body's way of healing and is better than anything man could produce.

NEVER apply butter to a burn!! This used to be a Mom's first line of defense. It feels good at first but can trap heat inside the burn.

NEVER apply ice directly to the burn!! Just cool water. The water should be comfortably cool, not too cold.

If the burn is chemical, electrical, or larger than an inch get them to a doctor to be checked out.

I hope this helps someone else out there. I strive to always stay calm and assess every situation with a Mother's heart and a nurse's eye. In your situations, keeping a level head will help get fast results and a much calmer child.

• Ceiling fans will break most any balloon.
• This causes Mommy to jump and hold her heart
• A Pointy Orange veggie is called a carrot
• Plastic carrots don't taste very good

And My Favorite:

• That "Watch this Mommy" gets results every time! 

He loves playing house and 'helping' Mommy and Daddy do chores already. I hope he never out grows that wonderful spirit of giving! As always, he is out Right Hand, as his name suggests!

My kids Love Ices. This is what they call popsicles! So, I'm always looking for a new take on frozen treats that they can enjoy...so I loved the commercial about Dannonino Yogurt cups!

There is so much fun info on their website, go to http://danonino.us.com for coupons, offers, and activities including this and other fun recipes!

You can get the plastic spoons at WalMart or even the Dollar Store for kids, or just use plastic picknic style spoons. I like using the kind for kids since they are easier to hold in little hands and are much easier to clean and reuse.

You can use this trick for your favorite yogurt as well! I like placing a whips style in the freezer for about 2 hours. Yummy creamy frozen yogurt for Mom time!

Off to get more yogurt!

Brighten up any window with these easy to make Window clings. The kids get to design and make something important to them that goes on their window or any window in the house.

Materials

• simulated liquid leading (Gallery Glass)
• Leading blank paper (Plaid- Gallery Glass)
• Colors (Gallery Glass) We chose red, yellow and white.
• Scissors

Activity

1. Find your picture via clip art or drawn by hand. Print in the desired size.
2. Cover the picture with the Leading blank paper. Paying attention to the instructions. ( Lead on the smooth side)
3. Trace around the shapes using the liquid leading. Squeeze with a steady hand to ensure a smooth line. The paint needs this border to stay inside so keep the line a consistent height.
4. Leave to dry.
5. Choose your colors for your picture. Fill each section in with color. Taking care not to overfill.
6. Leave to dry completely. Overnight.

Peel slowly without breaking the lines and affix to window.

Last night my husband was planting some hostas for me and we found a baby garden snake. It was tiny, about 6 inches and very active. He showed our son who was completely captivated by it.

We brought it in and put in our former crabitat. (Our hermit crabs had been upgraded to a bigger home and this one still had the heat rock and watering shell) We intended to keep it over night so he could show his cousin the following day.

About halfway to bedtime we decided it was probably not snake proofed enough for our peace of mind, so we released it outside.

This morning my son imediately went to the tank looking for the snake. I told him what happened and he says,

Oh the snake got out Mommy? That's not good.

I could have died laughing at his serious tone and expression! His phrases are always surprising me, but the inflection he chooses is what strikes me the funniest. My little serious man!

we took the opportunity to teach him about snakes being dangerous and should be left on their own. Now we wonder where Momma Snake is hiding.

My son swallowed a penny the other day. Being a nurse I didn't think too much of it really. Being a Mom I felt he got past my defensive screening and found an object that he could have chocked on! Terrible! But I knew that this is a normal part of childhood and made sure it did indeed go down. (He could swallow and keep down water)

We kept a close eye on him and he did great the rest of the night. However, the next morning he couldn't keep anything (even water) down. After cleaning the puddles, we headed for the hospital for an Xray. His doctor ordered just in case.

Turns out he had a flu bug, and the penny was waiting for his exit orders in the large bowel. Sometimes strange coincidences occur simultaneously!

Here is the basics in coin swallowing:

• Make sure offending object is in the stomach by giving them water then food.
• Watch for signs of airway obstruction like drooling or turning blue
• Contact your pediatrician with any concerns or for questions
• If all is clear, wait a few days (2-4) for penny to pass (they don't even feel it)
• Don't beat yourself up, but make sure all loose change is put away until this stage passes

I was changing my son yesterday and as usual hugged him into my lap when all done and told him "I love you!" He eloquently replied, "Oh. You Love me? Hmmm."

Being as ornery as he is, I asked him, "Don't you love Mommy?" and immediately thought I could see a glimpse into the future. Oh my I thought! I hope he doesn't have this conversation with any of his future girl friends.

What a disaster that would be. Can you picture it? Imagine the look on that poor gal's face. Aren't you going to say you love me too? and getting a... Hmm

My little heart breaker is growing up too fast. All babies do, but why does Mommy's little boy have to be such a man already? And why do us gals have to hear it back? I hope I can at least teach my daughter to break that cycle.

If you love someone, tell them! If they say hmm, let it go. It's better than "That's too bad" at least! These little ones start out knowing so much and we teach them all the wrong responses. I sincerely hope that when my son does fall in love he says so, and only when he's sure!

All kids love playdough, but most kids run out way before your ready to buy more. So here is the easy instructions you can use to make your own. Be sure to store it in an air tight container. (You can even recycle butter tubs for this purpose.)

Ingredients:

• 1 Cup Flour
• 1/2 Cup Salt
• 1 Cup Water

(Wheat flour will make a sand colored dough that kids will love!)

Directions:

• Combine Flour and Salt in large bowl
• Pour in water and mix until you reach desired consistency
• That's It! Your ready to play!

If your dough starts to dry out just knead in more water. This kind of playdough does not last as long as it's cooked counterparts.
No problem add a few ingredients and steps and you can have anything you want. Here is another recipe that is more like the store bought kind.

Ingredients:

• 2 Cups Flour
• 2 Cups Warm Water
• 1 Cup Salt
• 2 Tablespoons Vegetable Oil
• 1 Tablespoon Cream of Tarter
• Food Coloring (2 packages KoolAid can be used as well)

All my items are clean, stain free (as far as I can tell) and from my loving smoke free home. They start at a bid of $1.00 and have very low shipping rates. Efleaa has such great specials that I am able to keep costs down so I am passing the savings along as these are tight times for everyone.

I am always at a loss for lunch. I come up with interesting or healthy snacks  like grapes, cheese sticks, pretzels, etc but lunch comes and I end up repeating a snack choice. So I was delighted to read the following ideas from Lil' duck duck dot com...

• Leftovers from dinner!
• Sandwiches on whole grain wheat bread
  • Peanut butter and jelly if they are eating peanuts
  • Grilled cheese
  • Deli meat & cheese
  • Any sort of melt is especially good, since Lil’ Duck loves to disassemble his sandwiches.

• Fish sticks (especially with various dipping sauces, Lil’ Duck likes ketchup or bbq sauce but you can try anything you like, ranch dressing is a hit among many of his friends).
• French fries – we actually get the healthy potato wedges with the olive oil so it’s all real potatoes and not a ton of grease and sodium.
• Fruits – pretty much anything sliced up at this age is fine, barring allergies.
• Yogurt (we still mix pureed fruit in as Lil’ Duck isn’t a fan of plain fruit, also mix in cereals and vitamins).
• Crackers with cheese (melted in the microwave for a few seconds to keep them together) or cream cheese (you could do pasturized soft cheese, but I’m still wary personally).
• Rice cakes – Lil Duck would eat these all day if I let him. We get the unsalted ones and put anything on top or just let him eat it plain. I also showed him how to break off pieces and scoop up spinach dip and tuna.
• Low-sodium soups – veggie soup, chicken soups, etc – can be an easy way to get protein and veggies in. I usually offer the little guy the chunky parts and drain the liquid or eat it myself – if I want him to have broth, I put it in a cup with a straw. It’s just too messy otherwise, but it’s your house .
• Pasta and sauce is always a hit – I mix pureed veggies in spaghetti sauce, melt cheese (we use rice cheese for the dairy allergy) over top, mix in some shredded meat, etc. Mac and Cheese is a hit for many – we have to get the rice version, but there are a lot of healthy mac and cheese mixes out there now as well.
  • Lil’ Duck also likes the ravioli/tortellini from the pre-made store packages, with or without sauce. We get the chicken or pesto ones most of the time, but there are also cheese-filled ones for those without dairy issues.
• We also like the little microwavable meals from Gerber or the health food store – the adult meals like Chef Boyardee have too much sodium and junk, but the baby meals are pretty good.
• Tortillas – wraps, burritos, etc – an easy way to make leftovers interesting and can make for a wide variety of lunches.
• Speaking of burritos, we keep the frozen bean burritos in the freezer for a quick meal. Lil’ Duck likes them with chips and salsa .

To see the complete post or view others by lil' duck duck, go to http://lilduckduck.com/toddler-lunch-ideas-wfmw/303

Thanks for reading and I hope this helps give you ideas as well. I can use all I can get since Junior is a picky eater.

My son recently learned how to wink, and his way of tilting his head, screwing up his mouth and closing that one eye is just plain hilarious!

Click here to view this photo book larger

This weekend is the day we give to Dad. The day we say thanks for all his quiet assurance. This year, like so many others, I created a book of memories for my husband. It is full of our family pictures, events, and even poetry!

It is always amazing to see a grown man cry, and seeing that as he looked at his book of memories was all the thanks I needed! I know it was early, but half the fun is sharing it with work friends too. I have used other services, but nobody compares to Shutterfly so far.

Dedicating your baby in church has been a long tradition. Starting with biblical days of Mothers bringing their infants to the prophets for blessings. As Mothers we ask for help where can get it and what better place?

We dedicated our daughter this past Sunday and by doing so made a vow to teach her how to live a life with God in the center of it, and to deal with problems through prayer and wisdom. It's not just sprinkling water these days, it's really parent dedication in honor of the baby.

There are people making soda pop bottle bombs and leaving them in suburban yards. These are serious and kill take off fingers, blind you, and cause severe burns (both from the acid and the boiling liquid)




This is a REAL threat and would most likely be picked up by kids or activated by your dog!! That is just crazy!

Once the bottle is moved they usually detonate within 30 seconds.

The police investigating this case urge you scan your yards before letting your pets or kids out and to phone the police or 911 if you see a pop bottle with liquid in it, esp if it is partially swollen or melted. That is what they are here for!

Here is the link to read more:

http://www.snopes.com/crime/warnings/bottlebomb.asp

My daughter vacuuming in her dress. She looked like a grown up Mommy, not to mention the adorable frustration on her face!

Recently I've been adding to my channel, Funny Face Films, on YouTube. Here is one of the latest. My son's eye rolling is classic! He is SO my son.

They lie to us! Those well meaning parents and friends that tell us how much fun they had taking their kids to the Zoo! It is not fun carting them around miles of other kids to see sleeping animals and empty cages. It is not fun to pay 50C for handfuls of dog food so they can risk life and limb dangling over rotting railings to throw it away at giant fish and noisy geese and ducks.

It is, however, a time honored tradition. They do seem to enjoy it for a little while. And it's great for your calves! So we do it, if only to brag to others that we survived the Zoo trip.

Nothing beats getting a small little hand patting your face and saying as lightly as possible, "Mommy wake up". Unless, of course, it's way before your ready to be awake. But that little hand is persistent and the voice angelic.

So you stretch, yawn, and rub your eyes awake and curse the storm that had you tossing most of the night away. Evidently it didn't affect your little man's sleeping patterns since he is bright eyed and bushy tailed this morning.

Some times it's more difficult to see the positive to start your day, and you just want to cover your head and go back to sleep. But motherhood prevents that little luxury we always took for granted. There is no calling in, sleeping in or even giving in to exhaustion when those little eyes are waiting for yours to open.

The most we can hope for is a rest period later.