Mamasaysom

Last week I got some sad news, the site that I usually use as my springboard for posting announced they will be closing down. I loved it because if I felt like writing and had the time I would have a starting point once a week. I will miss it but my hopes are up. It seems lots of people really wanted it to stick around and so hopefully it will be coming back in some form at least.

The flu..oh joy

First it was Zionna showing me again what she had for dinner. Now she is better and Liam is a very warm and tired little guy needed lots of snuggles. This is the point I cave and throw all my "tv causes ADD" out the window and allow countless hours of flu numbing television. It's my favorite thing to do when I'm sick and I just want to zone out and not think about how I feel, or really think at all.
So far I am not sick! woo hoo! I hope I stay that way.
So here I sit, messy house, tv watching kids, pizza on the way, very tired, and who knows how many spelling and grammar errors this post has.
Why didn't we get the flu shot? Well, since you asked here is your answer
If you didn't feel like clicking, bottom line is: It is BAD for your health!
Make your own choice, but please educate yourself before you do.

cheers!

Just where is that Compass pointing?

The Golden Compass is coming out to theaters soon and I have seen lots of talk about how it was written by an Atheist and basically ends with the main character killing "god."
I am sure you have heard of this, but if not head on over to CNN

Here is what I am thinking, as a Christian and a Mother. I saw a preview and really had no idea what it was about but thought it seems like something Z would enjoy based solely on the preview. I was planning to look more into what it was rated (didn't catch that) when Ted told me what it was about. I immediately decided tha she will NOT be going to see it.

Right now at this age she is sooo impressionable, anytime she finishes watching anything she "becomes" that character for the rest of the day. I can't even let her watch Dragon Tales because she becomes that whiny dragon the rest of the day. Questioning authority is going on enough in our house that I don't want anything promoting it. Mama and Papa rule, and that is FINAL! (lol)

I am not trying to shelter her,I just don't want her watching something so captivating at a young age. I also didn't let her watch Chronicles of Narnia because I thought it would be too intense for her wild imagination.
As she matures and her faith grows, I am certain it will be tested many times over but for now I can filter what comes in while she is at such an easily entranced age. However, if she were older I probably would allow her to see the movie if she really wanted to as I think it's important to realize that not all views in the world are your own. I would most likely watch it before her, and be going to see it along with her and talking to her about it after it was over.

I am trying to raise her with values based on a relationship with Jesus, and to strive to be like him. Strive to be a tolerant, loving, giving, compassionate, forgiving person who refuses to look down upon anyone. When Christian "authorities" of the church say things, I want her to question it. It has been quite obvious that there are several misguided CRUSADES (ah, that president of ours) in the name of God. I hope she doesn't just put "Christian" blinders on and believe anyone who claims to be for His Glory.
As she gets older I can't imagine all of her friends would be Christian, already we have friends who are Wiccan, Jewish, Buddist, and athiest. Someday she will no doubt get some questioning and maybe even some arguments against her beliefs. If we kept her clueless that there were those opposed to our families beliefs then she would be one shocked gal and not know how to respond. I want her to be able to respond well informed, and full of a strong faith that no movie or person could ever break down.

Giving

This weeks theme at mamasaysom is Giving.
As a Mother this is a constant theme in my life. Giving my time, my patience, my heart, my sleep, and my last bite of brownie to my two children. I give without hesitation, well, except for the brownie.
I give almost automatically, as if it were wired into me the moment Zionna started growing inside of me. I gave milk so much that now, even six months past Liam weaning, my body still tries to give more. Giving comes naturally with Mothering and hopefully it flows outside of my Mother roll and into every roll I play in this world.
Everyday I am giving my children me, all of me, and today I fear I gave them a me that would have been better off never received. I was feeling sick, and grumpy, and lacking the good attitude I so often remind them to show me. "Give with a joyful heart." I am afraid I did not. Tomorrow I will try harder, and if I'm lucky my cold will have gone away making this a little easier to do.

New

New is something I try to avoid. New is very shiny, enticing, and works extra hard to make Old feel inadequate and completely outdated. New screams at me from billboards, store windows, glitzy metal zipping past me in the fast lane. New demands attention so much that it often uses force to achieve my glances. New dances on banners atop my email and pops up to surprise me on my favorite websites. How did New know I was reading a topic about him? New knows just how to manipulate me and draw me into wanting more, more, more. Does Old stand a chance against this over achieving, in your face, always attainable, very attractive, New? I would like to think so, but it's going to be a fight!


What do other mamas have to say about New?

New telephone number

The cellphones are gone!
If you didn't get my mass-email of the new number and you think that you should have please let me know. I'm sure I missed some of you as I had a toddler on my lap as I was sending it out.
If you are a telemarketer, circus clown, or pro golfer then you were left out on purpose and please go away!

Treasure Hunting

I cleaned out my purse a couple days ago. This is something that is only done a few times a year and since I switched to a smaller, non-diaper bag type of purse it was necessary to fit important things like keys. In the past when I have cleaned it out I find about 20 receipts from Target and this time I found none. Instead it was overflowing with paper wearing the name Goodwill, and St Vincent De Paul. Ted and I have been loyal to The Compact for awhile now and I have to share that it's really been a great thing for us.
Aside from the fact that we are helping keep things out of landfills, and saving money, we have discovered that it's really fun to shop now! I used to love going into Target and just browsing at all the little pretty things they had. Those displays only change seasonally though, or maybe monthly, but the thrift shop... oh my friend, it is updated DAILY!
I have been a little worried about Christmas for my kids so I decided to start shopping now since it may take me a little longer. Today I totally lucked out and found Tinker Toys, Lincoln Logs, Mr Potato Head, and a wooden train set for a whopping total of 16 bucks! Two of these were still in the original package never played with.
The coolest part for me is when something pops in my head that I would like, and it seems to magically appear in a thrift shop within a week or two. I go to many stores, and also garage sales and so for I have found what I need. Well, there is one exception...
The only dillema I am having is that while grocery shopping in a department store I happened to see the most beautiful faux-silk, chocolate brown drapes. Now their image dances around in my head as I look at the old, dusty, 70s style drapes that came with our house. I have been looking for over a month at every thrift shop, garage sale, craigslist post, and used ebay auction I can find with no luck. I keep telling myself I don't NEED them... but dang it I want them!

Ooops, my hippy is showing

Years ago I tried to knit a horrible scarf with tiny needles. As you may have guessed, it didn't work out. Well, some mamas in my area are starting up a knitting group and promised to teach me a less painful way of knitting. I'm having a better time of it and so I have basic knitting skills.
Now comes the hippy part... I have been really craving a new purse/totebag. Now I can't buy anything new so I have searched every thrift shop in town with no luck. This led me to ebay and so far the ones I have found that I like are very expensive like this one I then found one with an eco-friendly message. It is a simple canvas tote that says "I'm not a plastic bag." However apparently a fancy designer made it and so it sold out and now I would have to pay about 50 bucks on ebay for something that was originally 5 bucks. The money goes to no worthy cause, it wasn't made by fair labor, and well, it's just not so eco-friendly anymore.
In my search for a similar bag at a decent price I stumbled upon this handmade bag and decided with my newly found knitting skills I could make my own bag. So last night I got to work cutting up old shopping bags. I ran out and went to the store to find more bags in the recycling bin at the front. So there I sat knitting away with my recycled plastic bags and realizing that I just may have reached the peek of hippyness. Wait.. nope.... I still shave my legs!

Compassion

This weeks theme at www.mamasaysom.com is compassion and I have decided to write about my father. He is Mr. Compassion whether he knows it or not. Always giving everything he has, even when he has very little. He is a great listener and seems to be able to lead me to answers without even trying. Just recently he gave away an RV that he was going to sell to a man living in a cardboard box. I can't even imagine what the world would be like if everyone thought and acted as he does. Giving, and thinking of others. It's good for us to put ourselves on the sidelines. There is much talk, especially in womens and parent magazines to be more about YOU YOU YOU. I think we are naturally very selfish and we really need to fight that and show a little compassion. If you don't feel comfortable giving a dollar to that bum, or if you don't have a dollar to give, you can still give him a smile and some eye contact.

How is your reception?

A couple days ago I was sitting at a red light on the way to a friends house. A man crossed the street in front of me looking more like a robot than a person. He had an ipod headphone wire coming out of one ear and a cell phone on his other ear. It seems everywhere that I go people have things plugged into their ears but my question is what are they missing by doing that?
I have many a time been the bored mom at the playground. My kids are very independent and lots of times they just don't want to play with me. I pick up my phone and scan my address book for anyone who might be home at this time and want to talk to me. I am desperate to connect to someone who wants to talk about subjects that don't include princesses. I call down the list until I get something other than a voice mail box.
Lately though I have noticed that something is not right. There are lots of other parents at the playground and they are just as in need of adult conversation as I am. How do I know this? Because they are talking on their cell phones too. Almost all of them balancing phones on their shoulders as they chase their little one around the play structure. I wonder what would happen if we all hung up and started talking to each other?
This doesn't just happen at the playground. I see the same thing at the grocery store, the mall, the bus, and everywhere I go. One common thing I hear from friends my age is that it is so hard to meet people without joining some sort of group. If we weren't always on our phones trying to connect then maybe we would actually connect to a person right in front of us.
I have become dependent on my cell phone and in doing that I have probably prevented lots of possible friendships. Of course it is wonderful to be able to stay in touch with the people you love who are far away, but there are other times for that. Times when you aren't having to tune out the people around you. Then maybe you would pay more attention to what they are saying and actually have a meaningful conversation instead of a distracted one. (well, maybe if the kids are in bed anyway.)
I am no longer taking my cellphone with me everywhere I go. I will be leaving it in the car and after this month I am getting rid of it completely. I might get a pre-paid type of deal for emergencies so I'm not left stranded in the cold if my car decides to faint.
I'm not sure if this is going to help me meet new strangers since they will most likely be on the phone, however I will be one less phone talker and maybe if you see me you can say hello.

Celebrate!

I'm excited to say that today I will be scraping wallpaper border for hours!!! Why is this exciting? Because that border is in a house that my husband and I now OWN!!!
Previously we have been trapped in the cream walls, grey carpet, vertical blinds, hell of renting. Not anymore though. Visions of paint chips are spinning in my head and those blinds are going DOWN right along with the nasty wallpaper border.
I probably won't be posting for awhile but hey.. you never know!

Lullaby

When I brought my firstborn home I remember those first days spent in the glider nursing and gazing in wonderment over my precious daughter. I would sing just softly enough so that she could hear me. I sang the song that I remembered my own mother singing to me. I had a fear of singing in public, so even when my husband would get near the room I would stop. My almost silent lullaby was like a secret between her and I. I treasured this time with her, and often we would both drift off to sleep in the chair as she nursed and I whispered song to her.
Over the years my voice grew louder and my fear of singing dissolved. My daughter is the person who brought that out of me and together we now sing almost all day in whatever task we are doing. It doesn't matter to us who hears or how loud we are, or how off key we might be. Sometimes we even sing while walking down the grocery store aisle. Now I have a son too, and at nineteen months old he is an excited participant in our daily songs. It's as if my life has became a musical since the birth of my daughter, all started by one almost inaudible shaky voice.

More Lullaby

I'm feeling a little yellow

I really had fun with this today and thought that I would share www.simpsonizeme.com
Here is my Simpsonized Family

Cooperation

This is one thing that cannot be forced, especially with small children. You may be able to get them to do what you want but there will always be screaming and crabby moods if you force it. I re-learned the best way to get children to cooperate when my daughter went to a Gymboree class. It was time to pick up the toys and the teacher started singing and picking them up. She never asked for help, but she didn't have to. Almost all the able children began putting the little beanbags away in the bucket. To them it was just another game, but to the teacher it was 10 minutes less she had to clean after class. After being at the class I remembered that my own mother used to sing a little song at cleanup. It's a brilliant thing and it really helps me avoid being a nagging mama.
These days I'm trying really hard not to rush my children. Being a stay at home mom I think it's easier for me to do this. I can set the pace for the day and for what is on our schedule and I try to leave lots of blank space to incorporate the toddler pace my children live in. There are times we need to jet out the door though and I usually get the best cooperation when they have a five minute warning. I also do this when we are leaving from something fun so they know it's coming.
I think another great we do is asking the kids to help us with chores and tasks. Even though sometimes it ends up taking longer or being a bigger mess, they are learning how to help out. I might end up with a pile of wrinkly clothes instead of neat folded ones, but I'm sure my daughter is going to be more willing to pitch in when she is older if I make it a routine now. We usually sing songs while we do this or have a game of seeing who can fold the biggest pile.
Children want to make us happy and proud and if we can put a fun spin on cooperating and make things seem fun vs. a chore then we will hear less whining and more laughter. Isn't laughter what every mama wants to hear?

cooperation is this weeks theme

Quest

Yesterday our family went on a quest to find a waterfall. My daughter has really been enchanted by them and unfortunately living in a city her whole life, she has only seen man made falls. Fortunately with our recent move we now have the opportunity to see many natural waterfalls within a short drive and hike. This particular falls was about a 1 hour hike for us. It was a wonderful journey filled with lots of discoveries on the way. Caterpillars, fairy mansions, flowers, and lots of small waterfalls, ending with the big falls that we had set out to see that morning. It was a wonderful weekend quest and I'm looking forward to many more!

Quest is the topic this week

3..2..1..COMPACT

I have been reading about a thing called The Compact. After talking it over with my husband we have decided that it will be our goal to do the same this year with a few exceptions. He will still be able to purchase new video games. It's his industry and he has to stay up to date and it's basically research material although he will try to rent the games when possible.

For those of you who didn't bother to check the link it means our goal is to no longer purchase things that are new. Exceptions are made for toiletries, food, undergarments, medical supplies and safety equipment, and in our case video games. We will also be trying to eat locally and garden as much as my black thumb is able.

So instead of my beloved Target, we will be heading to the thrift shop, using freecycle, craigslist, and sharing with friends. Just recently before our move Ted wanted to go out and purchase ramps to work on our car. Knowing that we were moving, and that we may never use them again I asked him to give me time to find some. Sure enough within the week I was able to borrow some that weren't in use. It's amazing what you can find if you just take the time to look and have the guts to ask for it.

I think our biggest challenge will be our daughter and the fight we will have against advertisers marketing toys toward her. Luckily we don't watch television so we won't have commercials to battle. Still, marketing is unavoidable even with the absence of tv. One thing she does love though is going "treasure hunting" at garage sales. Her face glows as she wanders through a yard clutching her tiny purse full of coins. Someday hopefully she will take pride that she is stopping these "treasures" from entering a land fill and ruining the earth, but for now she is enjoying all the goodies that she can buy with her own money!

I encourage you to at least think about "compacting." Even if you modify it like we did every little thing will make a difference. "We only have one world" (B.E.P.) and it would be great if we could take an extra effort not to destroy it.

Decision

As my last post said, I move a lot. It turns out that we did end up moving and I am writing from a hotel room in Oregon. I really cannot say what will happen and where I will be taken next but the last place I lived taught me something. I made the decision that even in uncertainty I would throw myself into the place I was living full force as if I was staying forever. Previously I had been hesitant to really try and connect and sink into life with other towns. I had that thought in the back of my head that I would just be leaving soon so why bother.
I feel like I really missed out on a lot of friendships that could have been stronger because of my hesitation.
Because of the decision that I made with our last move I ended up with some strong friendships, wonderful experiences, and I was really sad to leave. I think it was one of the hardest moves that I have faced but at the same time I don't regret for a second that I became attached with my life there.
Planning on leaving can really detach you from where you are but the truth is you may never leave and then you wasted years that could have been very meaningful. Besides, even if you do leave think of all you could have missed out on during the time that you were there.
We are in a new town, a new state, and it's also a new life experience that I have decided to fully enjoy!

Decision is the theme over at www.mamasaysom.com

The odyssey that is my life...

You know that question people always ask when they first meet you..."where are you from?" I really dread that question because it turns into a long rambling that leads me to believe I should just start saying America. I have moved so many times that my mother has several pages in her address book filled with me. I tell her to use pencil but so far she hasn't listened. So, once again a move could be on the horizon for us, but before I tell you about that....here is the answer to that question... "where are you from?"
I was born in upstate NY, so far north in fact that I have been titled "honorary half-Canadian." I was raised sans electricity, running water, or indoor plumbing by some very wonderful hippy parents. I loved it, every day I was able to explore and run and play with nature. My mother didn't have to fear that someone would drive by and swoop me up with a candy bribe. There were no roads for 1/4 a mile and even that road was dirt and rarely traveled.
We spent a couple winters in Florida but those were brief and made me fear alligators.
After that I moved on to Indiana to be closer to my sick grandmother. That is where the rest of my family became glued down. I left the second high school was over and have been moving ever since.
First it was just a bit north to college and then I met the most wonderful man in the universe and moved to Austin, TX to be closer to him. Plus I loved Austin! The weather was terribly hot but live music and fun things were everywhere. We were married a couple years later and more packing of boxes happened.
After a quick stop in Dallas (yuck) for Ted's graduate school we packed our bags for the only city I said I did not want to move to, Los Angeles. It turned out to be kinda fun but I was in about 3 fender benders, my daughter got a chronic smog filled cough, and we were only there for 18 months!
Since we have been married (5 years yippy!) We lived in 6 homes, 4 cities, and 2 states. We just moved to our current home (San Fran area) in January. Two weeks ago my husband's company announced that his team was being laid off. We are looking in the area but even the companies "nearby" are an hour away so it looks like perhaps I unpacked those boxes a little too soon.
It's funny just how many times I am asked if my husband is in the military (he isn't.) He is in Oregon today interviewing and so my odyssey continues...

Focus

I've been thinking about the theme a lot this week. Trying to figure out what my focus is right now and realizing that focusing is not my strong point. I am very random hopping from one thing to the next. Often found looking all over the house for an item that I forgot I was already holding in my hand. Tasks are left undone as I drop them for the sound of "MOMMY" coming from a troubled child. I could blame my kids completely for this lack of focus but the truth is that I've always been this way. I guess this is something I need to focus on fixing... but we all know how my focus is so..hmmmmm

Mama Haiku

I was only going to write one...but Liam was napping, Zionna was playing and I was having fun with it so here are a few.

Loving you fiercely,
remaining calm as I can,
watching you emerge

milk super power,
flying to gymnastics class,
when do I get sleep?

stepped on a toy, OW!
nothing but bills in the mail,
mama needs a hug.

Who is this Polly?
Why must we buy her today?
What happened to books?

Maybe play outside?
Commercialism got you
and I want you back!

want even more... see other mama haiku's at mamasaysom

My Child

Vessel of imagination, reminds me how to play.
Keeping me in constant wonder.
A flow of song throughout my day.
Watchful eyes study my rhythm.
Her independence bringing frustration and joy.
Producing works of art her passion
watching her is mine

random shopping boycott attempt...

FAILED!
I did become more aware of my impulse buys and I am positive that I am purchasing way less junk than I was before. I think I cracked around Easter when I went to load up the baskets. This purchase lead to my demise of other things that I didn't need. However, I now own a very nifty pair of rainbow stripe rain boots (for me, not my daughter.) That kinda impulse by you just have to celebrate!!!! Now if only it would rain... hmmm

Silence

We are plugged in, surrounded by constant background noise. Silence just does not exist in our American world. I see five year olds walking around with ipods plugged into there little heads. To escape from our noisy life we go get a massage and even then we want sound. Sure, it may be a "nature" cd but it's still noise. How often when we are alone in silence do we turn on the TV or the radio. I'm not even counting the noises from our children (for those who have them.) I'm talking about when the children are away or sleeping doesn't something in us just crave noise!? By turning on that background noise what glorious things am I missing?

‘God wasn’t in the wind... He wasn’t in the fire... He wasn’t in the earthquake... but in the gentle whisper.’
From Kings 19:9-12

It has been said that God is like a whisper, like breathing. If we have our ipod on how will we ever hear him?

I love music, and cranking up some songs can make you feel wonderful but sometimes even if it makes us squirm inside we need to just embrace the silence.

Other thoughts on Silence

Surfacing

At what point in our lives do we become whoever/whatever it is that we are going to become. It's a constant change, each day we wake surfacing into something else. Re-surfacing ourselves to fit our environment, our mood, other's expectations. I looked up the definition for surfacing and came up with the following:

1.	the action or process of giving a finished surface to something.

2.	the material with which something is surfaced.

3.	the act or an instance of rising to the surface of a body of water.

Thinking about that makes me wonder just how many times I put a surface on myself that may have been cosmetically pleasing but not solid wood beneath. (and I'm not talking about makeup)

I challenge us to surface as our true self every day.

See what other's had to say about SURFACING

Personal Challenge

I decided today that I am going to challenge myself to be shopping-free for one month. This means I am only allowed to purchase food and gas. No trips to Target, no picking up a magazine at the grocery store, nada!
I really think I'm going to have a problem doing this but I want to try. I am very bad about grabbing little things because they are cute and only 99cents.
Wish me luck! This is going to be hard.

Joy

"Don't let anxiety steal your joy." This was a quote in a book I recieved shortly after becoming a mother. This was the quote that helped pull me out of my postpartum depression, well the quote and some zoloft (sorry Mr. Cruise but sometimes you just need some drugs.)
I still recite this quote to myself on a regular basis at times when the kids are fussy, I'm exhausted, and my husband is hours away from the end of his work day.
Motherhood has so many joyful moments but sadly it is very easy for us moms to get caught up in all the things we must do, or rather the things we never get done and then anxiety builds.
Playing in the backyard with the water hose and sunshine is what we did yesterday and I had to try as hard as I could to not think about the pile of laundry, floors that needed swept, and countless other things that I should be doing. Instead I got out the camera and celebrated the joy that comes with being a mommy in the spring time.
I think the hardest part for me in keeping my joy is when I am up all night (as I was last night) with a very fussy and sick child. I must admit that it is very very hard to find joy in that.
I'm not sure we can always win the battle against anxiety, but as long as I'm trying i am certain I will be in a better, more joyful place.

Joy is the weekly theme over at mamasaysom

currents

We are being pulled through and I can decide if I want to drop anchor right now and hold on or go with it. It's a choice that I have every day. To throw a fit over my current position or to find a blessing and be joyfully thankful in exactly where I am at, knowing that in an instant the currents could pull me along somewhere else. I was just in a discussion last Friday at my MOPS (mothers of preschoolers) group. Being content with exactly where you are. We talked about how to do it, and it's not easy. I think it's a different journey for everyone and I don't believe there is any simple 5 step plan to it.
I have to say that for the most part now I am content. I became content in the strangest place, my two bedroom, itty bitty, expensive, dog barking next-door, crowded apartment. It happened after living in a house, after we got rid of all our precious "stuff" that didn't fit. Lots of our friends were buying houses, it seemed almost everyone I knew was buying a house. We instead were spending more on our rent then they were on their mortgage.
So how did I become content? I'm not exactly sure I can put it down in words but I will try. Mostly it was lots of praying, and then one day I realized that I had exactly what I NEEDED. Not only that but anytime I NEEDED something I received it. Now, sure I wanted things and didn't get them all the time, but when I needed it I certainly had it.
I decided it was OK to have a tiny apartment because inside of it was peace and calm and it was filled with the people I loved.
It's so easy to say "I will be happy when I have X" but the truth is that we need to figure out how to be happy even if we never get X.
The funny thing that happened to us next was that a few short months after I became content and fully willing to live in that apartment forever we were transplanted out of the blue.
My husband was offered a new job, a new city, a new salary. In the span of a month we went from thinking we would spend 2 more years (at least) in an apartment to living in a 3 bedroom house with a great yard and even a gardening area! (also clean air, and it looks like a photograph!) I literally couldn't have come up with a place this good on my own.
The Lord without a doubt changed the currents of our life and I know he purposefully waited until I was content with little before he blessed us with more.

This is my thoughts from CURRENTS see what other mama's thought over HERE .

Static

Static is what you would find if you turned on my television. I do not have 950 channels of choices, but I do have one choice. I choose not to sit and stare. This one choice leaves me with a world of possibilities i could dance, sing, play, laugh, paint, imagine, read, explore, dream, the list never stops. I will admit that there was a time when I had to get my weekly update of Jim and Pam, Mike and Susan, Luke and Loralie, but now I have to tell you I just don't care. I dare you to stop watching for two weeks and see just how badly you want to go back. If you are like me you will forget it's on at all. I once had a cable man tell me that I was depriving my children by not subscribing. Depriving them of what? ADD? Future doses of Ritalin? Perhaps doses of blatant commercialism?

Give it up, turn it off, and find your life.

Written for the www.mamasaysom.com theme

Shoes

When she first put them on She looked up at me with far greater pride than when she wears any glass slipper. I see my mannerisms as she rolls her eyes or when she gets excited. Everything I do is mirrored back to me. I know that it is up to me to create a peaceful, loving, calm influence for her to mimic.

Big Bum

We have began using the cloth diapers and it really has been easier than I thought. Plus the covers are so darn cute! This one is my favorite. It's Cat In The Hat!

Night Night

I just had a conversation with you.

"Night Night time, just like your sister."
"No more milkies, Mama can't go night night."
" sister night night there,"
" froggy night night here, you night night here."
"Not mama, no milkie, night night. "

and you layed down

and sang
"nigh nigh nigh nigh"

"mama?"

"nigh nigh nigh nigh"
and played with your blanket
and went to sleep.

While I sat, unable to move
staring at a little boy
who last night was
my baby with a chin dripping milk.

Letters

We once wrote letters. My father just found a box of letters in my Grandmother's closet. Secrets to the past, ways to link history and discover more. Now we have fonts to choose from, colors too, and don't forget password protection so our secrets are always electronically safe. How sad it will be for our grandchildren. They will never have old dusty shoe boxes to joyfully discover in moments of sullen duty. No yellowed paper windows into the past. Just deleted accounts due to inactivity.

This was written from the inspiration of this weeks theme on http://www.mamasaysom.com

Adventures in cloth diaperland

With my first child I was un-educated in cloth diapering despite the fact my mother was a cloth diaper mom herself. I just knew disposables were the ONLY way to go and there was no way i was having a nasty wet bucket of poop soaking in the house.
Then I had my son, in an apartment with a laundry room two stories down. But, I became educated in the new improved world of cloth diapering and now that I am in a house with a washer and dryer of my very own... I dare to enter... cloth diaperland!!!! (insert magical music)
After much research, question asking, and browsing the internet for the best deal I ended up ordering two covers from nickisdiapers.com and some indian pre-folds (to go inside the covers) at http://www.nopins4baby.com/ All my things arrived today and I began the washing of the diapers. Apparently you have to wash them like 8 times or something crazy to make them "work."
I will update you as my journey continues.

Fun facts: Disposable diapers contain traces of Dioxin, an extremely toxic by-product of the paper-bleaching process. It is a carcinogenic chemical, listed by the EPA as the most toxic of all cancer-linked chemicals. It is banned in most countries, but not the U.S..¹

Disposable diapers are the third largest single consumer item in landfills, and represent about 4% of solid waste. In a house with a child in diapers, disposables make up 50% of household waste. http://www.realdiaperassociation.org/diaperfacts.php

oh and one more... you don't need a yucky wet bucket!

For tons of info go to www.diaperpin.com