noodleloo notes

I'm the Jelly Roll

2009-02-19T20:36:00.003-06:00

I'd like to stipulate, for the record, that I know that its normal for a toddler to ask "why" often. They are learning, it's a communication tool, etc. One article explains it this way: "Your child's inquisitiveness is a signal that his mind is expanding quickly, and that he's curious about the world." (See these articles if this is news to you: Why does my toddler constantly ask why? and Why toddlers ask)

Experts, and both of the above articles, suggest that you answer the questions simply or ask the child what they think. I try this- really. But there are times when the constant Why's are exhausting and I have reverted to "because I said so" and other equally imaginative responses.

Recently, my mom was visiting and by the end of the day, we had both grown weary of Lucy asking "why" ad nauseum. I jokingly (ok, only partially joking) told Lucy that I am like a General and she is like a soldier. And that she can't ask why each and every time I ask her to do something- she just needs to do it. I also told her that Mimi is like a Major General-- almost as powerful and important as the General. We laughed about this and promptly forgot about it. Not Lucy.

A week or so later, after another morning full of Why's, I told Lucy (with an exasperated sigh) to "give it a rest, mommy said so, that's why." (I know, I'm going to win Mom of the Year at this rate.)

The rest of the conversation went like this:
Lucy: "Because you're the Jelly Roll, right?"
Me: "What?"
Lucy: "What you say to Mimi that you were?" "The Jelly Roll?"

Me, laughing: "Yep, that's me, the Jelly Roll."

2008-12-31T10:24:00.000-06:00

Make a Smilebox postcard

Why?

2008-09-11T14:03:00.004-05:00

Another "I'm never going to say/do that when I'm a mother" bites the dust. Repeatedly.

Lucy has discovered the wonders of the word "Why?" Not for the first time, but never has she said it so often in such a short time period. Last night, it was in response to any time that I asked her to be careful (or some variation there of). And, as she has turned into a little monkey who jumps and climbs everywhere, cautionary statements are uttered every few minutes. And each time I say, "Honey, be careful ___________" (jumping in the bath tub, etc.), I am treated to "Why?"

The conversation goes something like this:"
Lucy, let's not jump in the bathtub.
Why?
Because you could slip and fall.
Why?
Because the bathtub is slippery.
Why?
Because it's wet. And I don't want you to get hurt.
Why?
Because I love you.
Why?
Because I'm the mommy and I said so.

Ugh! There. I said it.

School- Happy Days!

2008-09-03T12:27:00.005-05:00

Is it bad that I was super excited that Lucy started "school" yesterday? Does this make me a bad mom? There were only 3 weeks between the summer and fall sessions, but it felt more like 3 months.

Obviously, I love spending time with Lucy, but my work is really ramping up, and for the last several weeks I felt like I was not doing anything well. Not my job, or taking care of/spending time with Lucy. Lucy has watched way too much Dora and Backyardigans as I have tried to answer emails and work on spreadsheets and contracts. Neither Lucy nor my J-O-B got my best.

Thus, my excitement about school starting. Now, when I'm with Lucy, I can focus on Lucy, and when she's at school (and at night while she's sleeping), I can focus on work.

Is this what they mean by "having it all"?

(by the way, Lucy was excited about school starting too- as you can see in the picture taken with her teacher.)

TreeYoga

2008-09-01T16:02:00.005-05:00

I love yoga, and I love trees (nature, outdoors). Why not Tree Yoga? These were my thoughts as I read about a free TreeYoga workshop being offered today. Apparently, these were the exact same thoughts that led Hal, the creator of TreeYoga to invent his mutli-slings and work with yoga instructors to develop TreeYoga.

There were about 30 other like minded souls at the park this morning- and together we stretched and strengthened our bodies- and hung from trees. Too cool! (I also really enjoyed the faces of the Highland Park joggers and dog walkers as they watched us.) I can't wait for the next workshop!

And, if anyone wants to know what I want for my birthday: check out the Tree Yoga Multi-Slings (made here in Dallas).

Namaste'.

More Fancy Lucy

2008-09-01T15:55:00.005-05:00

more of the accessory crazed Lucy-demonstrating the latest in Baby Legs.
Keep in mind that it is currently in the high nineties here, so leg warmers serve no practical purpose--only an aesthetic one.

Fancy Lucy

2008-08-29T19:05:00.005-05:00

We have been reading a lot of Fancy Nancy lately. Not familiar with the latest in literature for little girls ages 2-7? Fancy Nancy likes all things fancy- including french words, lace trimmed socks (which do help her play soccer better), and tiaras.

In the spirit of fanciness, Lucy has gotten very into accessories. Mostly socks. She will wear up to 4 socks on each foot, socks on her hands and, since she can't get any more socks on, Baby Legs leg warmers on her legs and arms. I can't keep socks in the drawer. Usually she swipes them before I can even get them out of the laundry basket, but if they do make it to the drawer, they are quickly put to use- on her feet or on her stuffed sheep (Sheepie)'s feet AND tail. I have gotten into the stash of shoes one size up so that they will fit over all of her socks (really, this is easier than the melt down that occurs when I try to get her to take off some socks.)

The latest in her accessory craze: panties. And since she can only wear one or two pairs of panties in the usual way at one time, panties on her head.

(Sorry, Aunt Jill and Uncle Jeff. I have just killed her political career- at age 2 1/2.)

Mirror, Mirror on the Wall

2008-08-25T16:57:00.006-05:00

Ever wonder how you sound/come across to other people? Not me. Lucy shows me this on a regular basis.

My mom calls her a myna bird- but it is not the immediate repetition of things that I am referring to here. (Fortunately, I cleaned up my sailor mouth long before Lucy was able to repeat things that I say.) It is when she comes back with them at other times.

Example: Lucy was sitting on the floor busily trying to fit a square peg in a round hole or some other similar toddler task. I told her sternly (as it was the 4th time I had said it) that it was time to go to bed. She replied, "Not now, mommy. I am trying to get some work done." Ouch!

She also has this really cute, though rather manipulative, way of asking for things while tilting her head to one side and raising her eyebrows. Usually the requests are for things she knows she shouldn't be asking for. "Mommy, can I have jellybeans/a popsicle/chocolate milk?" asked in a lilting singsong. I wondered where she got this particular move until I caught myself doing the same thing with a co-worker the other day. Usually works for me though, so I can see why she tries it.

The best recent example was while we were visiting my mom last week. My mom got uptight about something silly and I expressed my opinion about it with a disdainful "Mo-ther", stretched out into a few extra syllables. Lucy repeated it in exactly the same tone, causing mom and I both to laugh. We were thus treated to a chorus of "muh-der, muh-der, muh-der." Good thing she's getting practice- I am sure to hear more of that in a few years!

Who needs a mirror?

Charlie comes home!

2008-06-15T23:40:00.006-05:00

"Coffee" with Charlie went really well yesterday. He is very calm, patient and sweet. Lucy was super excited when I told her that he could come home with us. She was dancing around the parking lot exclaiming, "He go home with me. He go home with me!"

We had an uneventful ride home, and after coaxing Charlie in the door (he does not like the wood entryway or tile floor in the kitchen), we all spent the day hanging out. Charlie has a few bad habits- trying to get on the couch and bed, following me everywhere and blocking my path if I try to reverse directions, picking up any stray stuffed animal, of which we have more than a few- but all will be worked out in time. He has little interest in Sid (and Sid is grateful about that) and allows Lucy to hug him endlessly.

When I saw Lucy laying on the floor today with her head resting on Charlie's tummy, I knew this was meant to be. Welcome to the family, Charlie!

Dating Charlie

2008-06-12T12:30:00.005-05:00

We are adopting a Golden Retriever!

Lucy and I have an appointment to meet Charlie on Saturday, and assuming all goes well, he will come home with us! We are adopting him through the DFW Golden Retriever Rescue. They have a really cool process of matching a family to a dog that reminds me of Internet dating. They consider the dog's personality and temperament and the needs of the family (in our case: one toddler, one cat, lots of interaction with other dogs) and match each family to one dog. Then you get an appointment to come meet your dog. If you don't feel that the dog fits with your family, you can say no and they will match you to another dog at a later time. Sounds a bit like a blind date, right?

So, we are in essence meeting Charlie for coffee on Saturday. But unlike most dates, I plan to bring Charlie home with me!

not B-A-D

2008-06-11T22:57:00.006-05:00

Back in May, an old friend (yeah, you're not that old) came to Dallas with a group of friends. I went to visit with her in her hotel, with Lucy in tow, and then Lucy and I joined the group for dinner. It was 8ish or so by the time we got to the restaurant (actually a club with multiple areas and themes) and we were seated in a white table cloth area. Anyone who has a 2 year old can imagine how the other diners looked at this group of 9 women and 1 toddler- expecting the worst. As was I. 8pm is well past melt down hour for toddlers.

But, Lucy was at her most charming. She sat in my lap the whole meal, smiled and acted cute to the waiter, and even tried some asparagus after the mom next to us told her that it was Dora's favorite vegetable. No screaming, no struggling to get down, no demanding to drink Mommy's drink. Halfway through the meal, my friend looked across the table and announced, "Kristen, she's not B-A-D."

Well, I know that. But, apparently, the stories that I have told in my blog have led some to believe that my daughter is B-A-D. (As good modern mothers, we would never call her "bad" so this must be spelled in her presence.) She is actually super sweet most of the time. She can be very funny and gives great hugs. She is also incredibly stubborn and very bossy. But, she is not bad. She's just 2.

School House Rock

2008-04-26T23:35:00.003-05:00

Before Diego, Dora, Little Einsteins, or Handy Manny, we still learned things on Saturday mornings. Remember Schoolhouse Rock?

some of my favorites:

and, not Schoolhouse Rock, but another great one: Hanker for a Hunk of Cheese

Be More Green

2008-04-21T22:20:00.005-05:00

Tomorrow is Earth Day. Now more than ever, we are all more aware of the need to be green- Reduce, Reuse and Recycle.
We all know that we could be more "green" by buying a hybrid vehicle or energy efficient washer and dryer, but that requires a major cash investment. There are much easier, low-cost (and NO cost) ways to be more green every day. Here are some things that we do:

recycle
use cloth napkins (Yes, washing them uses water, but you won't be doing a load of napkins only- just throw them in with loads you are already washing.)
wash your clothes with COLD water
turn off the water while you brush your teeth
buy a water filter (Brita, Pur) instead of individual bottles of water
use a reusable water bottle- preferably Aluminum
use g-diapers or cloth diapers
not ready to commit to cloth diapers? use a cloth swim diaper- just wash with your child's swimsuit and use all summer long
eat less meat
use natural cleaning products (you can clean most things with just diluted vinegar or baking soda)
say "no" to plastic ware and napkins from restaurants
adjust your thermostat- lower it a few degrees in the winter and raise it a few in the summer. And, make sure you're not heating or cooling an empty house
join freecycle and help keep good reusable items out of landfills (offer your own items or get some great finds from others for FREE)
buy organic food. If you can only afford to buy some organic food items, focus on produce that does not have a removable peel (strawberries, apples) and milk.
change your light bulbs to CFL bulbs when they burn out

For some other ideas, check out these links:
http://lighterfootstep.com/ten-first-steps-toward-lighter-living.html
http://www.thegreenguide.com/
http://lifestyle.msn.com/green/greenarticlegh.aspx

Happy Earth Day!

Fighting 5-year-olds

2008-04-21T18:41:00.001-05:00

This is very wrong, but very funny!

16

Squito Bite

2008-04-10T21:28:00.005-05:00

Lucy has recently become very disturbed by bugs. I'm not sure where it comes from (really- it's not me), but when she sees a bug, any bug, her whole body becomes rigid, she starts shaking and screams or cries "Bug, bug" until someone removes the offending bug or picks her up and carries her away. (She freezes in terror and apparently her feet stop working.) I have tried to point bugs (ladybugs, doodlebugs) out to her in the yard in a very calm laid back way. "Lucy, look at the pretty red ladybug climbing on the leaf. Neat, huh?" "Wow- what a cool spider web. That's like the spider in the pig movie, isn't it." She's not buying any of it- she is convinced that bugs are terrible. "Scare me", she says.

So, how do you explain a mosquito bite to a 2-year-old who already has a bug phobia? In the bathtub tonight, she noticed a red bump on her tummy. When she asked me what it was, without thinking I told the truth. "It's a mosquito bite." (seriously, mom- couldn't you be a little more creative?) "What's that?" she asked. What can I say? "Mosquitoes, which are BUGS, sometimes land on you and suck your blood?" Yeah, that won't contribute to the bug phobia.

Fortunately, she got busy trying to wash the 'squito bite off and completely missed my inept explanation.

Whew- dodged that one. I better start working on a better story for next time. Suggestions?

Lucy turns 2

2008-04-08T23:22:00.006-05:00

As of March 30th, Lucy is 2 years old. And to quote one of her teachers, "Lucy turned 2 with a vengeance." In the past week and half she has had her first several laying on the floor screaming fits, and has perfected the art of repeatedly demanding the same thing ("I need choc-at") more loudly with each repetition. This is fun stuff.

The week before her birthday, I had to take her to Kinko's with me to make some copies for work. She was so patient and "good." She quietly played under the desk or sat right next to me the whole time we were there. A Kinko's employee even commented about how good she was when we were on our way out. I thought, "Wow, we have really turned a corner. This is easy." Right.

Then came her 2nd birthday. A few days later (one week from the Kinko's trip) we went to the library, and confident from our Kinko's outing, I got comfortable at a computer terminal and gave her a few toys/books to play with. Not 5 minutes later, she was screaming so much that the male librarian came to stand over us and scowl. I was already packing our stuff, but did appreciate being bounced out of the library. The last time I was thrown out by a bouncer was in another lifetime and from a far more exciting place.

So, this is two.

Really, she is sweet most of the time. And hearing "I love you too, Mommy" makes me almost forget being kicked out of the library.

And, mom- if you weren't giggling as you told me you were sorry, I might believe you.

Life with Lucy- Tasty Walls

2008-03-20T00:46:00.003-05:00

Lucy and I went with some other moms and little ones to the World Aquarium today. We enjoyed looking at the otter, monkeys, manatees and sting rays. Throughout the morning, I noticed how interested Lucy was in all of the animals- how exciting she found it all. Her vocabulary is exploding- she seems to get smarter every day.

A couple of hours of fighting the crowds and trying to maneuver strollers through narrow passageways and we needed a break. Five set of moms and kids went to eat lunch in the upstairs restaurant. Afterwards, while we were gathering our things and paying the bill, Lucy wandered around to the other side of the table to "talk" to her friends. As we were leaving, an older woman at the next table got my attention and gestured to Lucy. I smiled at her, expecting a comment about how beautiful (precious, cute, smart) Lucy is. Instead, she politely informed me that while at the other end of the table, Lucy had been licking the walls.

That was a proud moment. My beautiful, brilliant daughter is speaking in sentences (mostly demanding ones), learning her colors, beginning to count and say her ABC's, and licking walls. Nice.

noodleloo updates

2008-03-12T22:42:00.005-05:00

We did a small craft show in Lampasas (The Lampasas Needle Arts Show) last weekend. It was moderately successful for us. I knew that the quilters who came to this show would appreciate the quality of our products (we had nursing covers, changing pads, blankets and bibs, embroidered burp cloths and onesies, toile totes, soy candles, and Little Beetle portable baby chairs) and they did. What I did not anticipate, but should have, is that many of them would just want to look at our products so they could copy them later. We did have several requests for a pattern for our changing pads, which we may make if we do another quilting type show. We met a lot of nice quilters- including one man who is also a professional truck driver. He takes his machine on the truck and pieces quilts while on the road. Bet that gets them talking at the truck stops!
I've been enjoying the embroidery machine (finally! there was a steep learning curve during which I was not having fun)and Lucy is in danger of having an entirely monogrammed and embroidered wardrobe. I am making some seriously cute embroidered burp cloths and some bloomers for several of Lucy's friends. I should have pictures on our etsy site soon.

I am working on a list of free things to do in Dallas with your toddler- and will post soon. Please let me know if you have any suggestions to add to the list.

Cheers!
ke

Room to Read (Leaving Microsoft to Change the World)

2008-03-02T22:10:00.008-06:00

I have been on a non-fiction kick lately and just finished a terrific book: Leaving Microsoft to Change the World by John Wood. He details how while on a vacation trekking the Himalayas in Nepal, he happened to visit a Nepalese school and was both inspired by the students desire to learn and saddened by their lack of resources (books). Returning to his high powered job at Microsoft, he began a book drive. He and his father ended up delivering over 3000 books to the school in Nepal on the backs of yaks.

John Wood soon left his job at Microsoft and formed a charity that would become Room to Read. Here are some statistics directly from Room to Read's website, http://www.roomtoread.org:

Since our inception in 2000, Room to Read has impacted the lives of over 1.3 million children by:

Constructing 287 schools
Establishing over 3,870 libraries
Publishing 146 new local language children's titles representing over 1.3 million books
Donating over 1.4 million English language children's books
Funding 3,448 long-term girls' scholarships
Establishing 136 computer and language labs

The book, Leaving Microsoft to Change the World, is a great read. It tells how John Wood grew the organization from one trip with donated books on yaks to building schools and libraries across the world. Several really great things to note:

John Wood runs his organization on really low overhead. It is mostly run by volunteers, including volunteer fund-raising chapters in large cities all over the world. He did not take a salary, but lived off savings and traveled on donated frequent flier miles.
Room to Read has a Challenge Grant model, requiring communities to co-invest in their new schools and libraries. Room to Read may provide the materials for building the school while the community (parents) donate the labor.
Direct accountability: donors know exactly where their money is going. For $4,000, you can fund a school library in Cambodia, India, Laos, Nepal, Sri Lanka or Vietnam. For $30,000, a primary school in Laos can be endowed.
Education of Girls: In many of the developing countries that Room to Read services, the education of girls is not a priority. But Room to Read knows that by educating a girl, you are also helping to ensure the education of her future family. Read more about the Room to Grow long-term scholarships for girls at http://www.roomtoread.org/programs/scholarships.html.
Buy the book! In true John Wood style, he used proceeds from his book to endow a school in South Africa that he dedicated to Nelson Mandela.

This book should be read by anyone who wants to start a charitable organization, improve the efficiency of one, or just wants to be inspired. I loved it!

Baby Top 20 (Best Books)

2008-02-21T22:58:00.009-06:00

These books are the faves of our panel of moms for reading to babies:

Are You My Mother by P.D. Eastman
Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What do you See? by Bill Martin, Jr.
Crunch Munch by Jonathan London
Everywhere Babies by Susan Meyer
Five Little Monkeys Jumping on the Bed by Eileen Christelow
Guess How Much I Love You by Sam McBratney and Anita Jeram
Good Night, Gorilla by Peggy Rathmann
Goodnight Moon by Margaret Wise Brown
Hey, Wake Up! by Sandra Boyton
How to Catch a Star by Oliver Jeffers
If You Give a Mouse a Cookie by Laura Numeroff
I Love You As Much... by Laura Krauss Melmed and Henri Sorensen
Is Your Mama a Llama? by Deborah Guarino
The Maisy series by Lucy Cousins (Maisy Takes a Bath, Maisy Cleans Up, Maisy’s Favorite Animals)
Moo, Baa, La La La! by Sandra Boyton
Moo Moo, Brown Cow by Jakki Wood & Rog Bonner
On the Night You Were Born by Nancy Tillman
Pat the Bunny by Dorothy Kunhardt
Time for Bed by Mem Fox and Jane Dyer
The Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle

I'll be compiling a list of Lucy's and my new favorites (Toddler Top 20) and posting soon. Email your faves to customerservice@noodleloo.com