Checking out the library's Children/Parent Workshop is a must. Compared to Swim Classes at the Rec, which we've taken time off from over these cold months, the Workshop is a must have good time for all that equals a long hardy nap afterwards. The only disappointment I have is Nugget missing the first two sessions due to the Croup.
Walking into class was like a parents cabin fever, "I miss the park," kind of dream. The room is filled with stations of toys. In the center of the huge carpeted open room there's slinky tents, foam stairs, a ball pit and several other appropriate climbing "get that energy out" toys. To the right of the room is a block station, music station, mock traffic station and random toys, and to the left is a kitchen station, hundreds of random balls, books and walking toys. As I placed Nugget in the center of the room, allowing him his choice of play, I think he was overwhelmed, or just in aww at all the things he could play with, because he just sat there, mouth hanging open, for a good five minutes, staring at the possibilities before him. And then he was off. The hour flew by as Nugget crawled through tunnels, threw all the balls out of the pit, and made use out of every station in sight. Every now and then he'd stop to interact with another child, but soon he was back to his play adventure, not even letting the photographer who was there get a good look at his face for a shot.
The class ended with "Circle Time" where we sang songs and listened to the librarian read two stories. Nugget and the rest of the kids were exhausted at the end, but us moms were refreshed and reconvened at Starbuck's to continue our wave of chit chat.
As we left, in the midst of our rainy snow storm, I stepped into an ankle deep puddle, got soaked as I put Nugget in his car seat and another car drove by and sloshed me-no joke even my underwear were wet, but even that couldn't ruin my new library class day. Nugget slept for two hours afterwards and I got cozy in some warm sweats, with a warm glass of tea, and caught up on the Real Housewives series-even though there were a million other things to be done.
I can't wait until next week.
*Note: I should mention that since this is called the "Parent/Child Workshop" there is a different speaker set up each week to speak to the parents about important issues. This week it was a Nutritionist who had a display of carrots and other nutritional food set up for you and your child to sample and discuss how to get your child to eat more fruits and veggies. Since Nugget eats everything except Lima beans and jell-o, weird-what kid won't eat jell-o right?, and since he was to busy playing for me to stop and chat I didn't get a chance to get more informative on that end. Though my friend who went last week did tell me that there was a dentist there talking to parents about getting their child in to see the dentist. Dentist? Yep, apparently babies are supposed to be making their first dentist visit at 6 months! Well Nugget's daddy will be called in for this one. I surely don't want to be there to see how they get my 1 year old to even open his mouth to show his teeth. I'm sure I'll be back to report on that one.
Friday, January 30, 2009
Sunday, January 25, 2009
Knoop Luck
Eight years ago when I met my husband, young, cute and all about me (you know, the way it is before the wedding vows and children-dates, movies, romantic nights at home..) he used to tell me about the bad luck he habitually had, "Knoop Luck" he called it.
I laughed him off and reassured him that it was a good thing he met me, I had "Millo Luck," and "Millo Luck" could surely counteract his "Knoop Luck." And so it did, until I became a Knoop. Suddenly the "Knoop Luck" my husband had always talked about was rubbing off on me.
Now, with three Knoops in the house the "Knoop Luck" seems to be taking over our household.
Don't worry I won't get into all the before details of my Knoop luck, like the center diamond that fell out of my wedding ring and insurance wouldn't, but I will take this moment to vent about the three person strong Knoop Luck that's hanuting me.
To begin, a young girl ran through a red light on Broadway the day before New Years and hit my husband so hard that the front of our car was completely ripped off, we're still driving a rental and waiting for our car to be fully repaired, the following week our landlord announced that he was moving to Germany for his job and that we would need to find another place to live by March 1st, need I tell you how many apartments are not out there right now, next I brought Nugget to a house whose parent and child had a strong cough but swore they weren't sick, even though my gut told me different, and two days later I'm rushing Nugget into the Pediatrician's office with a 102.5 fever and a horrible cough-long story short Nugget had RSV, Bronchitis and the Croupe, which put both of us on a stand still until about now-I can't express how scary and heart wrenching it is to sit with your baby in the bathroom while you try and steam him out so he can breath, or hear him wrestle to catch his breath while he slept or played, but today, after things have started to get better, our 13 year old dog walks into the living room where my son and I are playing and starts peeing and pooping right next to us!!!! Uh, will I ever catch a break!! I'm starting to think my husband and I should pull a George Costanva move and do the opposite of everything our Knoop instincts tell us is right.
What ever happened to a nice relaxing Sunday anyway? Did a dog poop on that too?
I'm not sure, but before I end this on a bad note, I have to let you know that the "Knoop Luck" is starting to become humourous though. At this point what else can you do? Besides throw up when your dog poops and pees next to you?
I think it's time for another girls night out.
I laughed him off and reassured him that it was a good thing he met me, I had "Millo Luck," and "Millo Luck" could surely counteract his "Knoop Luck." And so it did, until I became a Knoop. Suddenly the "Knoop Luck" my husband had always talked about was rubbing off on me.
Now, with three Knoops in the house the "Knoop Luck" seems to be taking over our household.
Don't worry I won't get into all the before details of my Knoop luck, like the center diamond that fell out of my wedding ring and insurance wouldn't, but I will take this moment to vent about the three person strong Knoop Luck that's hanuting me.
To begin, a young girl ran through a red light on Broadway the day before New Years and hit my husband so hard that the front of our car was completely ripped off, we're still driving a rental and waiting for our car to be fully repaired, the following week our landlord announced that he was moving to Germany for his job and that we would need to find another place to live by March 1st, need I tell you how many apartments are not out there right now, next I brought Nugget to a house whose parent and child had a strong cough but swore they weren't sick, even though my gut told me different, and two days later I'm rushing Nugget into the Pediatrician's office with a 102.5 fever and a horrible cough-long story short Nugget had RSV, Bronchitis and the Croupe, which put both of us on a stand still until about now-I can't express how scary and heart wrenching it is to sit with your baby in the bathroom while you try and steam him out so he can breath, or hear him wrestle to catch his breath while he slept or played, but today, after things have started to get better, our 13 year old dog walks into the living room where my son and I are playing and starts peeing and pooping right next to us!!!! Uh, will I ever catch a break!! I'm starting to think my husband and I should pull a George Costanva move and do the opposite of everything our Knoop instincts tell us is right.
What ever happened to a nice relaxing Sunday anyway? Did a dog poop on that too?
I'm not sure, but before I end this on a bad note, I have to let you know that the "Knoop Luck" is starting to become humourous though. At this point what else can you do? Besides throw up when your dog poops and pees next to you?
I think it's time for another girls night out.
Saturday, January 10, 2009
Nuggets Big Day Away
Today's Nugget's first day at daycare. First day without me at daycare that is. My girlfriend, who runs an amazing daycare out of her home that Nugget and I come once a week to so he can interact with the other kids and I can have coffee with my friend, agreed to take Nugget while I ran errands in the city. The original plan was to take him with me, but since we only strolled against the wind (remember now I laid my car to rest in August and decided to follow Suzie Orman's advice and make due with one car my husband and I could share) to the end of the driveway and turned back yesterday and today was going to be just as frigid, I used my phone a friend life line. I debated and debated what I should do. Take him or leave him. Take him or leave him.
"will you just bring him here and go," my girlfriend said.
But even up until the end, as I'm walking out the door, exhausted from the lack of sleep I got over this endeavor, I'm questioning-take him or leave him. He seems happy enough. He's warm, crawling on the floor with his friends and is smiling. But I know it's got to coming, the moment when he looks around, realizes I'm not there and panics. His poor little heart. He'll be crushed realizing I just left him. As I walk out the door, well more like pushed from my friend, he waves bye at me. I swear I'm going to cry. I wait outside the door to see if he cries and hear nothing. I walk to the train, phone in my hand, waiting for the phone call that Nugget's to hysterical, that I need to come back. But there's just silence. At the city I call.
"How is he?"
"He's great. He and Elsbells are watching Sesame Street. I don't think he knows you're not here yet."
Huh. Nothing. I'm feeling guilty for leaving him and wondering what he's doing and wishing I could be with him, and he's so busy having fun he hasn't noticed I'm not with him! I smile and laugh to myself, though I can't help but notice the stab of jealousy that grips me. My girlfriend gets to watch everything Nugget's doing. She gets to watch him play with the other kids, sit side by side with her daughter and watch them watch Sesame Street together and be a part of everything Nugget's experiencing today.
I quicken my step down the subway and realize if I hurry I can get all my things done in less than two hours and grab the 12:46 train back to LB. I miss my Nugget. I know I complain to my husband from time to time that I need my own time, but the moment I am away from him I can't help but think about him. I wonder what he's doing and with a long sigh I know that I will never get this time back with my family. Sink or swim I'll have all the time in the world when Nugget starts to grow up, Gulp-the thought alone already brings tears to my eyes, when I can focus back on me and my writing career. But for now, tired or not, break or not, writing career or not, I'm willing to sacrifice it all to be with Nugget 24/7. Soon enough, gulp or not, he's going to be the kid that won't hold my hand or let me kiss him in public. So for now, I'll smooch away.
"will you just bring him here and go," my girlfriend said.
But even up until the end, as I'm walking out the door, exhausted from the lack of sleep I got over this endeavor, I'm questioning-take him or leave him. He seems happy enough. He's warm, crawling on the floor with his friends and is smiling. But I know it's got to coming, the moment when he looks around, realizes I'm not there and panics. His poor little heart. He'll be crushed realizing I just left him. As I walk out the door, well more like pushed from my friend, he waves bye at me. I swear I'm going to cry. I wait outside the door to see if he cries and hear nothing. I walk to the train, phone in my hand, waiting for the phone call that Nugget's to hysterical, that I need to come back. But there's just silence. At the city I call.
"How is he?"
"He's great. He and Elsbells are watching Sesame Street. I don't think he knows you're not here yet."
Huh. Nothing. I'm feeling guilty for leaving him and wondering what he's doing and wishing I could be with him, and he's so busy having fun he hasn't noticed I'm not with him! I smile and laugh to myself, though I can't help but notice the stab of jealousy that grips me. My girlfriend gets to watch everything Nugget's doing. She gets to watch him play with the other kids, sit side by side with her daughter and watch them watch Sesame Street together and be a part of everything Nugget's experiencing today.
I quicken my step down the subway and realize if I hurry I can get all my things done in less than two hours and grab the 12:46 train back to LB. I miss my Nugget. I know I complain to my husband from time to time that I need my own time, but the moment I am away from him I can't help but think about him. I wonder what he's doing and with a long sigh I know that I will never get this time back with my family. Sink or swim I'll have all the time in the world when Nugget starts to grow up, Gulp-the thought alone already brings tears to my eyes, when I can focus back on me and my writing career. But for now, tired or not, break or not, writing career or not, I'm willing to sacrifice it all to be with Nugget 24/7. Soon enough, gulp or not, he's going to be the kid that won't hold my hand or let me kiss him in public. So for now, I'll smooch away.
Thursday, January 8, 2009
Melissa & Doug Toys
So, my girlfriend just came over for a belated birthday visit for Nugget and brought him the cutest gifts. I'm a sucker for old fashions toys, you know the kind we had as kids or found in our grandmothers attic. So I was thrilled to discover these new toys and the company, Melissa and Doug, from which they came from.
If you're like me then checking out some of their items is a must. I'm especially excited and boastful about the animal stacking wooden train toy he got. But, what's even cuter, is an animal puzzle that makes the animal noises once you put them in the correct spot, a little advanced for Nugget's 1st birthday, but let me tell you he's already trying to put them in the spots once he say his mommy do it and heard the exciting noises.
Check them out at www.melissaanddoug.com.
Tuesday, January 6, 2009
Debt Diet
Not necessarily a New Years resolution, but a resolution for the start of the new year, for my husband and I, was to go on a debt diet.
To start our goals are small. First we've vowed to spend only a $150.00 every 2 weeks at the grocery store, and if you think that's easy than you don't know what I've been craving-everything (I swear since the morning sickness has ended and I've welcomed my second trimester with joy, my stomach is trying to make up for lost time.) Second, we're putting an end to the weekly, sometimes twice and thrice, dinner deliveries, you know, pizza, Chinese, Sushi, etc.
We're also tackling things individually. I'm having all our bills taking out automatically to save on any late fees, and I'm going through each bill to see what we can cut back on and what we're paying to much for, while my husband is bringing his lunch to work (something I've struggled to get him to do for almost 4 years now).
Sound pretty good for a start right? I think so. Only yesterday I noticed something, my husband didn't bring home my Tupperware. When I thought about it I couldn't remember the last time I'd washed one of my containers that he's taken to work.
"Babe, where'd you put the containers your lunch was in?"
"Oh, I think I left them at work."
So now my question is this-if X is the cost of food he pays when he buys his lunch and Y is the price I pay for Tupperware for him to take his lunch are we coming out the same, a little less or a little over what the original cost was before my husbands portion of the debt diet? I think I need Susie Orman for this one.
To start our goals are small. First we've vowed to spend only a $150.00 every 2 weeks at the grocery store, and if you think that's easy than you don't know what I've been craving-everything (I swear since the morning sickness has ended and I've welcomed my second trimester with joy, my stomach is trying to make up for lost time.) Second, we're putting an end to the weekly, sometimes twice and thrice, dinner deliveries, you know, pizza, Chinese, Sushi, etc.
We're also tackling things individually. I'm having all our bills taking out automatically to save on any late fees, and I'm going through each bill to see what we can cut back on and what we're paying to much for, while my husband is bringing his lunch to work (something I've struggled to get him to do for almost 4 years now).
Sound pretty good for a start right? I think so. Only yesterday I noticed something, my husband didn't bring home my Tupperware. When I thought about it I couldn't remember the last time I'd washed one of my containers that he's taken to work.
"Babe, where'd you put the containers your lunch was in?"
"Oh, I think I left them at work."
So now my question is this-if X is the cost of food he pays when he buys his lunch and Y is the price I pay for Tupperware for him to take his lunch are we coming out the same, a little less or a little over what the original cost was before my husbands portion of the debt diet? I think I need Susie Orman for this one.
Monday, January 5, 2009
Is My Son Going to Grow Up To Be a Jack-Ass?
I never thought twice when my son hit his first Halloween season and loved it. I'm a Halloween fanatic. I love the apartment dressed in creepy spiderwebs, hanging skulls and hollowed pumpkins. So when Nugget walked under our skeleton chandelor that set off pulsing red eyeballs, skeletal screams and sounds and loved it, I couldn't have been more pleased. As we shopped at Party City to pick out Halloween costumes and Nugget pointed to all the creepy things and laughed, so did I. Even as a mother of two little kids passed by, feeling obligated to tell me that my husband was scaring the crap out of my son and that she thought it was horrible, to which I turned and saw my husband with a Jason mask on in front of Nugget, I has to laugh. I believed, well believe actually, that a child learns from his parents. How would Nugget know to be scared of something if his parents never showed him the fear or showed him the hestitation from that something? Nugget saw a haunted house, several kids in Halloween costumes and had the time of his life.
My husband and I went to Toys'R Us in Times Square while I worked on an article one afternoon a little bit after Halloween. We had a wonderful time. But the one thing my son loved was the Jurassic Park exhibit. If you've never been they've got a giant T-Rex that grouls and moved his head and neck as you walk by him. To be honest, I might have found this a little intimidating, but Nugget kept pointing at the T-Rex going "Oh-Oh." Of course I had to ham it up and take as many pictures as I could. And you know what? Several of the pictures I email came back with "I can't believe he wasn't scared," comments. But again, I have to go back to my theory-Nugget only saw something he thought were cool and something that excited his parents, so why should he know any different? Then when Christmas came around and he sat on Santa's lap without a problem, no tears, no hesitance, nothing, I was proud. Parenting had been hard, and something I was never sure I would be good at, but somehow I was doing the things I set out to do-correctly.
But suddenly my opinion is starting to change. Nugget is fearless, that my husband and I have been boastful of. But now, as he's begun taking objects like the remote control, knocking it into his head and laughing I wondering something else. Is my son fearless because we've encourgaed it, or is my son one of those boys who grows up to know no fear and ends up being like one of those guys on Jack-Ass-swallowing live fish, stapling themselved in the head or throwing themselves off a moving vehicle because they have no fear? This I'm starting to question. And my husband, who laughs at Nugget hitting himself with something in the head and then laughs, which only encourages him to do it again, is starting to possible lean my way too. Although the main responce I get is "He's a boy," which only fuels my fire.
So I ask you, mothers of Long Beach, if you see my son doing something reckless as he gets older-could you give me a heads up. I will never accuse you of being nosey or ask you to mind your own business, I swear. But I will be greatful and attempt to conteract the fearless my husband and I instilled before he auditions for Jack-Ass.
My husband and I went to Toys'R Us in Times Square while I worked on an article one afternoon a little bit after Halloween. We had a wonderful time. But the one thing my son loved was the Jurassic Park exhibit. If you've never been they've got a giant T-Rex that grouls and moved his head and neck as you walk by him. To be honest, I might have found this a little intimidating, but Nugget kept pointing at the T-Rex going "Oh-Oh." Of course I had to ham it up and take as many pictures as I could. And you know what? Several of the pictures I email came back with "I can't believe he wasn't scared," comments. But again, I have to go back to my theory-Nugget only saw something he thought were cool and something that excited his parents, so why should he know any different? Then when Christmas came around and he sat on Santa's lap without a problem, no tears, no hesitance, nothing, I was proud. Parenting had been hard, and something I was never sure I would be good at, but somehow I was doing the things I set out to do-correctly.
But suddenly my opinion is starting to change. Nugget is fearless, that my husband and I have been boastful of. But now, as he's begun taking objects like the remote control, knocking it into his head and laughing I wondering something else. Is my son fearless because we've encourgaed it, or is my son one of those boys who grows up to know no fear and ends up being like one of those guys on Jack-Ass-swallowing live fish, stapling themselved in the head or throwing themselves off a moving vehicle because they have no fear? This I'm starting to question. And my husband, who laughs at Nugget hitting himself with something in the head and then laughs, which only encourages him to do it again, is starting to possible lean my way too. Although the main responce I get is "He's a boy," which only fuels my fire.
So I ask you, mothers of Long Beach, if you see my son doing something reckless as he gets older-could you give me a heads up. I will never accuse you of being nosey or ask you to mind your own business, I swear. But I will be greatful and attempt to conteract the fearless my husband and I instilled before he auditions for Jack-Ass.
Saturday, January 3, 2009
Milk-a-holic!
So, we're finally here. The point where the formula is no more and the gallons of milk take over. And, most importantly, the point where I no longer have to make that trip down the baby food isle to find the formula or food I need gone, whisked away by some super group of moms that I swear go to Waldbaum's in the middle of the night or at the crack of dawn to load up on the sale items-especially formula ones!
My sister-in-law warned me, "Don't throw away your left over formula. You'll need it to wean him onto the milk." So I didn't. I kept it, wondering how long the weaning would last, only it didn't. Dr. Cohen, my beloved and highly recommended ped., told me to go cold turkey. "Forget the weaning. Unless there's a problem let's get rid of the formula. Nugget's a good baby. You shouldn't have a problem."
And, boy did we not. If anything we had the reverse. Nugget took one sip of his Vitamin D milk, pulled his cup away, looked at it and then at us, and then threw that cup into his mouth faster than he coudl blink. It was as if we had just given this kid the best thing ever. He finished his cup in record time and then held it out and grunted for more. No joke, this kid's first year appointment was on Monday and we're on our second gallon of milk for him.
My husbands calling him a druken sailor, while I'm calling for a milk intervention. Believe it or not I think this is going to cost us just as much, or possibly more, than his gallon o'formula. But at least there's one pro to the situation-we can now drive through Dairy Barn to order his drink-o-choice instead of having to run into Waldbaum's or, sigh, search for a non-super mom spot that still has his brand in stock.
My sister-in-law warned me, "Don't throw away your left over formula. You'll need it to wean him onto the milk." So I didn't. I kept it, wondering how long the weaning would last, only it didn't. Dr. Cohen, my beloved and highly recommended ped., told me to go cold turkey. "Forget the weaning. Unless there's a problem let's get rid of the formula. Nugget's a good baby. You shouldn't have a problem."
And, boy did we not. If anything we had the reverse. Nugget took one sip of his Vitamin D milk, pulled his cup away, looked at it and then at us, and then threw that cup into his mouth faster than he coudl blink. It was as if we had just given this kid the best thing ever. He finished his cup in record time and then held it out and grunted for more. No joke, this kid's first year appointment was on Monday and we're on our second gallon of milk for him.
My husbands calling him a druken sailor, while I'm calling for a milk intervention. Believe it or not I think this is going to cost us just as much, or possibly more, than his gallon o'formula. But at least there's one pro to the situation-we can now drive through Dairy Barn to order his drink-o-choice instead of having to run into Waldbaum's or, sigh, search for a non-super mom spot that still has his brand in stock.
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