Creative Monster or Plain Old Fun?? Are we making "fun" too much work??

http://www.npr.org/blogs/money/2010/07/27/128804395/playground#commentBlock

OK so New York City put in a $7 million dollar playground... surprise, surprise, surprise. No, not really. One - New York does everything big and no surprise with BIG price tags, and Two -New York is always on the cutting edge, and I would venture to say they set the bar on this one - yes, they set the monkey bar(s) a little high. When states are cutting and closing parks - New York is building them. That's always good news to me!! And this "state of the park" facility is awesome - why not mix up some traditional ideas with new ones. After all we are trying to encourage kids to get out and play more

However, are we making "fun" too much "work"?? As a recreational planner, I am often reminded, not to "over schedule" the fun and not to make people "work" to hard to get results. Fun is typically simple and creative play should be unscheduled, uncensored and spontaneous. Your thoughts?

Preggers?? I LOVED this book - you gotta read it!

Dear Preggers,
Haveing been there-done that, please allow me to suggest a book or two. I am not a big reader, so know that I looked through dozens of books at the Library, on-line and in book stores; trying to decied which ones to read. Were they worth it? Too wordy? Too bias? Too many big words? So hopefully I can help you cut through the crap and read ones that ultimatly helped me in my expereince.

"Birth - The surprising history of how we are born" by Tina Cassidy:
I LOVED this book! And I would recommend it to those pregnant or planning to, and wanting to know about the modern American birth experience! Out of dozens of books, this one was comprehensive, easy-to-read, and as neutral as it gets! I am not a huge history buff, but the way Tina explains the history of birth, pregnancies, techniques, procedures and doctors from birthing huts to hospitals. I was fascinated and couldn't put the book down as I moved from era to era!! It helped me a lot to understand our present day fears, the evolution of today's "standard" practices and helped me to develop my birth plan.
http://tinacassidy.info/

I have scene in some reviews of this book, with a comparison to a the movie. It is very different from the movie "Birth" with Wilson - which is more of a documentary and I think the confusion of it's relationship with this book overshadows it. Read the book first, then see the movie - you'll see!

I would also recommend "What to Expect, When your expecting" (lastest edition) - but that is kind of a given and it's easy to find, it is not as inclusive of the history. I found Tina's book at my library, but ended up buying one at amazon.com. Yes, it was that good - I had to buy a copy of my own, because I kept telling people to read it!! So now I shove it in their hands :)

As always best wishes and enjoy!

Tasty Recipes

http://www.blogger.com/RT%20Enter%20to%20WIN%20a%20Deluxe%20Summer%20Picnic%20Basket%20&%20Alouette%20Cheese-Valued%20at%20$135!%20@FabFindFoodie%20http://tinyurl.com/2ekfywe%20@Alouettecheese

OMG! Look at these recipes, TASTY!!!

http://giveaway-gal.blogspot.com/

Being Adopted - My thoughts

In a recent post I mentioned that I have recently tried to "take inventory" and examine what it is I feel about being adopted. Most of what I remember is just being told that I was, and no recollection of my birth family or the events that happened before I was in the home of my adopted parents (roughly around 24 months). So it has never really bother me, and since I look so much like my adopted family - both sides believe it or not, it rarely came up in my childhood. And, as it were when it did; I only used it sparingly - when it made me special or "exempt" from gene or family tree project in school. My parents, half siblings, cousins, aunts, uncles, grandparents acted as if I had been born into the family, sometimes I think forgetting; and once or twice noting historical traits I "inherited" from some relative. Heck, sometimes I forgot, or at least I felt right at home, extremely loved and well...family is as family does. A real experiment to nature vs. nurture. Anyway, as I expected I knew it would come up someday, probably after I had a child of my own, and very likely around their 2nd birthday...you get it. I have tried to face it however, and come to a conclusion before Em's 2nd birthday and avoid my self-fulfilling prophecy. So I begun to write. I have always kept a journal - yes paper to pen, way ol' fashion - and this was the perfect time to note some things I might feel, things I want to feel, things I haven't felt or things I should of felt. It worked, but I did some reading too. The following is the closest I have found to explaining a little about how I think I feel, it's of course not word for word how I feel, but very close:

"I wanted someone who looked like me. This need was an unconscious one, something I didn't understand before she was born... But now, I can slowly begin to examine somethings I have spent a lifetime running from and into. Having been adopted near my third birthday, I had never seen, at least to my memory one person who looked like me, or shared my particular genetic makeup. So there it is, perhaps the whole story, certainly the heart of it, buried down here, closer to the foot of it. Of necessity, I've had to have little faith in blood ties. But I longed for it, longed for what I imagined it carried.
Somewhere in me has lived the story of a child who was unwanted. That changed, sort of, when the social worker and my parents - the only ones I've ever known, the only ones who have ever taken responsibility for me - scooped me up late one winter night out of a foster home...It is said that my mother, father, and I got along famously from the beginning...But what if I hadn't? What if I had been obviously flawed? Would my parents have chosen me? What qualities must a child posses to be chosen, accepted, taken in, and loved?" - Maybe Baby
http://www.amazon.com/Maybe-Baby-Infertility-Childlessness-Ambivalence/dp/0060737816

If I come across more I will be sure to share, and as I continue to examine my thoughts, I will post more. Please feel free to share with me your experiences - either being adopted or adopting a child. I would love to hear about it.

Baby Soundtrack to Life

What do toddlers think about?? It occurred to me the other day that my toddler has become very "busy". I know, I know, I know that they are constantly learning new skills and that they do a lot of repetitive play in order to learn more about their world. Cause and effect, etc. But, I guess I noticed that, in an unexpected way, that she has found her sense of importance. She is always doing something, but with purpose it seems. I like this newly developing confidence and self placement. Don't get me wrong she is still silly and babyish, but I get a kick out her when I can tell she has become task orientated. Some self managed agenda for the day that includes taking this block and placing it over here, and this bunny and putting it in a box. She does not talk yet, so most words are stand alone and one syllable yet, but she understands a whole lot more - most of what is said to her. And despite her lack of verbal communication she appears to be "thinking" a lot. So it begs the question: what language is she "thinking" in? When she tries really hard to communicate and "talk" with us; she will manage a pretty lengthy string of sounds and grunts - which we call "cave baby". And I wonder, is that what she hears in her head? (Now that I think about it, I guess I have asked this question of my pets) Is it strung together cave baby thoughts, bits and pieces of English, or is it silence...I mean is there music playing in the back ground?

Just a funny thought from motherhood - enjoy the day!

Family Flash Cards - Homemade!!

Just finished my version of "Family Flash Cards". Very easy to make and so much fun! I had in mind a match game that was made up of family members, but it ended up being so much more!

All you need is picture paper, laminate, scissors, a corner punch and a "casino" card clip art.

All I did was pick pictures of family, and yes the family dogs to print as 3X5's - works best because you can print 4 to page and not wast paper. Then I found a "casino card" image on clip art that I also printed at a 3X5 and 4 to a page. I cut out the images and put pictures and the "cards" back to back. Then placed them in the laminate so clear laminate surrounded the photos. Then I cut them out and used a corner punch to round out the corners like real cards. I use the cards to play "Family Flash Cards" and when she is a little older, we can use it as a match game. I printed two of everyone! I was so amazed she knew everyone! Hopefully she will be saying the names of photos soon! Have fun!

Creating a...sleeper!!

I have the BEST little sleeper! She is 16 months now. A lot of family and friends who have witnessed this little blessing in person, ask what I did. She slept "through" the night at 9 weeks - getting up only to nurse. I wish someone had shown me how to nurse in bed from the beginning - on your side with baby laying next to you works great, if you know how it will save you trips to a chair and time awake. Here's our story of sleep! I was going to BF, so we bought a co-sleeper and used it right next to bed for about a month at night. But we also had a crib in her room - putting her to sleep in there for naps on occasion. At night though, she was with us. Then we slowly we moved the co-sleeper (all sides up) further and further away, till it was across the room. We also have a air filter that gives off white noise, and a white noise maker in her room. Our rules, if she appears distressed (gas, teething, etc) we can pick her up (twice), but the third time she goes down - that's it - walk away and close the door for naps and nit nit. If she wakes up crying or is crying when we close the door (hardly ever in the beginning and not any more) we HAD to give it 10 mins before going back in - it RARELY went more than 6 mins and she was out. The 10 min rule was hardest on my husband, who would swore it was an "eternity" but keeping track of time gave him a better perspective on things and to him felt "less cruel". She is better sleeper because of it. I followed what most books say... follow a routine (bath, quite time, bottle, down), stick to a schedule (best you can, for us BT is 8:30p and she sleeps till 8a - yeah I know!), put them to bed - awake and let them "fall back to sleep". At around 6-7 months when she was too big for co-sleeper, we cold turkey went to crib only. She has NEVER slept IN our bed and from the horror stories I have heard of 8 years sleeping with mom and dad, she probably never will. Even though she is so cuddly and there have been times I briefly thought about her taking a nap with me...Be consistent! If you don't want them sleeping with you "all the time", never give them the option by letting them do it once! Good luck!

Glow Necklaces Are Not For Dogs

NOTE TO SELF: DO NOT put a glow necklace around your chocolate labs head (no matters funny it is to watch them try & get it off). When dogs bites necklace, it doesn't break at the stupid rubber connector - it snaps in half and glow gel is ingested. When glow stuff is ingested; the dog will begin to spit & shack head wildly, spraying glow sh*t all over house. (apparently "non-toxic" still taste toxic) Enjoy the holidays responsibly! Happy 4th of July!

Poem or rap?

You can do it
Rise above
Where there's hope
There is love

Find it in family
Find it in friends
Learn from the best
Don't settle for less

Find your voice
Sing your song
It won't matter
If you don't belong

Rule your world
And be at peace
Absorb what you can
From the people you met

Take what you can
From the places you go
Be kind to the earth
And you both will grow

Everyones' blessed
To each their own
Find your way
But don't forget home

I found this in a journal, I actually wrote it back in 2007 just after my back injury. Was I needing inspiration or was I hopped up on drugs?? Either way it came out pretty good and I had forgotten about it till now. I read it to a friend and she said "It sounds like a rap!?". Low and behold I had labeled the page "My Rap" - enjoy!