My Daughter's Talent Show Video

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Panic Attack On the Way

My 12 year old daughter is "going with" a boy in her junior high class. She's shy and generally a good kid, and this boy has been her good friend all school year. I thought it'd be just a continuation of their friendship and maybe a little hand holding.

Yikes was I wrong!

He was here today and they held hands a few times. She walked him halfway home (which means through our backyard since he lives on the next block directly behind us) so I could see when she left him at the halfway point. She came home disappointed because he didn't kiss her (her first kiss)! What???

I can see we are going to have to have some rules because "going with" when I was her age meant still being afraid to get near a boy even though I was "going with" him. It doesn't mean the same thing now. *sigh*

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Video of my daughter's talent show audition

My second grade daughter singing for the first time in front of other people for her school's talent show audition. She sang Love Story by Taylor Swift. She was very nervous. I cried because I'm such a sap.

She made it!! She'll be in the talent show.

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Kids' Swing Sets

I want one of these for my kids. How cool!

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Feeding Picky Kids

Getting kids to eat can be a job on its own, especially my kids. They are the pickiest kids I've ever known (guess they got that from me, lol). Sometimes it takes changing things up a bit or sneaking things in to get them to eat.

For instance, I will chop up spinach really small and throw it in a spaghetti sauce. As long as they don't know "what that dark stuff is" (it's spices right?), then they will eat it.

Making it fun is another way I get my kids to eat. This "egg in the hole" was something I started doing with my stepdaughter 12 years ago. I would take a small cup (cookie cutters would make it even more fun) and I'd cut the middle out of a piece of bread. Then I would butter both sides and throw it in a pan. I would crack a single egg right into the hole and fry it up. After waiting for the bread to brown on one side, I'd flip it and do the other side. What you get is what is in the picture at left. I started doing this for my toddler and now she loves eggs cooked any way. This was like the step in between "yuck" and "yum, momma."

Another thing that I do with all the kids is flip the dinner. My kids call it "breakfast for dinner" (guess they saw it on Hannah Montana or something like that my oldest said) but I will feed them breakfast for dinner. Who says breakfast is only for the morning? Tonight for dinner, I made hash browns, bacon, french toast, and blueberries rolled in pancakes. They all ate it right up - no fussing, no complaining. All I heard was "can I have more?" That's a lot better than threatening them to eat another bite:)



Now I have to find more ways to hide the veggies:)

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Did video games do this too?

According to June's Archives of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, it is found that the rates of Vitamin D deficiency in infants, children, and teenagers was surprisingly high - 40 infants/toddlers and 42% adolescents. Do those numbers surprise you? They do me.

You think because milk is fortified with it, that it's enough. It's not. Your body may store it but it's not activated until sunlight hits it - 15 minutes a day is enough experts say. Unfortunately, kids aren't outside enough anymore. Where are they? Playing video games probably. I wonder if my stepson's bones were x-rayed if he'd be in that 42% of adolescents with all the hours (days, weeks, months) he's logged playing video games.

Another problem? Sunblock. Yes, I said sunblock. You can't get the benefits of the sun's rays to activate the Vitamin D if you've blocked it! That doesn't mean fry skin in the sun! A few minutes in the sun before applying sunblock might be in order (talk to your dermatologist first if you are at risk). As a parent, I wouldn't give kids those "15 minutes" during the time of day when the sun is its strongest either but that's my personal opinion.

For more information: USA Today

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I'm Bored, Mom!

It's been three days since summer break started and how many times have I heard, "I'm bored" already? Several! Since school let out, they've slept in, stayed up late to goof off, karaoked, we've played volleyball, had a bonfire, roasted marshmellows, had a friend over, had a sleepover at a friend's house and went window shopping for a couple of their birthday presents. They're bored?

The last time "I'm bored" came out of one of their mouth's, I told them the next time I hear it, I was going to hand them a list of chores to keep them from boredom! Then dad threatened the offending child with summer school.

They're just "so bored" so today I had them cleaning the bathroom and removing all their clothing from their dressers and closets to sort winter from summer and small from still fits. Usually I do this each season myself but I wouldn't want my little prince and princesses "bored" anymore. *evil grin* They were praying for boredom when it came to cleaning the toilet!

Let's see if I hear that phrase again anytime soon!

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Scary Time Today

Today, after my three year old fell out of her dining room chair, tipping her plate over and sending the liquid garlic butter cup flying and landing on her head, she went right to the bathtub to get the butter out of her hair. After her bath, I put her in her Blues Clues towel (the kind with the hood and ears that looks adorable on her) and ran to her bedroom to get her clothes. While I was on the way up one half flight of stairs (we live in a bi-level), she had decided to come down the other half instead of putting her pull-up on. She fell. She slid down headfirst on her back and then skipped the last two steps to land on the back of her head. I saw this through the rails and I couldn't get to her in time to stop her from hitting bottom.

She immediately started crying. I didn't move her; I waited until she sat up herself to make sure she wasn't injured badly. She reached out to me and pulled herself up and then sobbed for awhile while I held her. I think the scare had her crying just as much as the knock on the noggin.

Having a child knock their head always scares me. She's ok, but we kept her up for several hours past her usual bedtime just to make sure.

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Happy Birthday, Baby Girl!

My darling "baby" turned three yesterday. We celebrated her birthday at her grandparents house while we were on vacation. She had a great birthday with lots of presents and her Ma-Moo & PaPa giving her money in all $1 bills which she got a huge kick out of. Being three and thinking she was holding a huge wad of cash was just fantastic to her.

Happy 3rd Birthday Baby Girl!

While picking up her Dora birthday cake at a bakery, a woman walked in holding a baby that was no more than a week old. This tiny little person stirred up more of those urges to have another baby - strong urges that almost had me in tears. Darnit!! I don't need more kids! We have four together plus my two stepkids = six kids! That is ENOUGH! Right?!?! *sigh*

I asked my husband, "Don't you feel anything when you see a tiny baby like that?" He said, "No, it must be a woman thing." I can do without that "woman thing" right now. *sad sigh*

I have a lot of things now that I want to do for myself that don't involve newborns, breastfeeding (though I miss it), more years of diapers, vaccinations, lost sleep, etc. My husband is beyond the age to where he wanted to have anymore kids too. We're done. It's just hard sometimes. I need somebody to let me hold their newborn so I can just give it back and be over it, lol.

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Missed Recital

My stepdaughter's dance recital was last night. We missed it. Being in another state and flat broke made it impossible to get there with the current gas prices and the distance involved. If we had an extra $250 laying around, we would've made the trip. Extra $250? Yeah, like that's going to happen. She's been dancing for something like 12-13 years now. I hope she had a great recital and that we get to see some pictures. We called her, sent her a good luck text and an e-card to her email address. We didn't get a response to the text and she says her Internet is down (it seems like it is always down when it comes to receiving anything from us *eye roll*) but we did catch her by phone anyway. Hope it all went great for her!

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How Do You Forget Your Kid at an Airport?

A toddler was left behind in an airport. His parents and grandparents forgot him during the rush between connecting flights. They ran for the gate...without the kid. They boarded the plane...without the kid. Granted, the family was scattered throughout the plane and each one thought the other had the child, but come on! They hadn't realized they'd left their child behind until flight crew approached them. According to The Seattle Times and The Associated Press, Air Canada covered the costs for two additional flights for dad to fly back to Vancouver to get his child and return to Winnipeg where mom and grandparents were waiting.

I am sorry but as a mother, I can't imagine running through an airport and not checking to see where my young child was. I can't imagine boarding a plane THAT far ahead of my husband, who I assumed had the child, and not wanting to check on my toddler to see how they were doing on the flight. I can imagine how embarrassed they should feel though.

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Dads and Their Girls

This is my husband and our oldest. He took two of our girls to a daddy/daughter dance the other night. He gave them both a flower. The pictures are so sweet. The girls really enjoyed this time with their daddy. They came home giddy and happy. They wanted Saturday to come again so they could do it all over. The girls looked like sweet princesses. It was a nice night for them.

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Our Girls Are So Excited

Well, the day is here. It is shopping day. My girls and I are doing a girly day to get them ready for their date with their dad tonight. We will go shopping first and then later they will get their hair and nails done at a salon for the first time.

They are getting ready for their date with daddy tonight. He is taking them to the Daddy-Daughter Dance. It is a Prince/Princess theme so I am going to find them tiaras today too.

They're going to look so sweet. I hope I don't cry when they are all ready to go.

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Terror in Disguise

Does it look like this sweet angel could utter the words, "Bite me!" ?? Well, she can and she has.

It's hard to believe isn't it with that sweet, angelic face? You should see what that face looks like when she's throwing a tantrum. It's amazing how they can contort their faces...looks like it hurts, lol.

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Stress Symptons in School Age Children

Kids this age are hearing and talking about things like war and terrorism on top of a lot of parents splitting up. It can be a scary time. Some of the symptoms you may see in kids that could indicate anxiety or stress over something are varied and listed below. Here are some of the symptoms for the 6-11 age group:

• Sleep Disturbances


• Safety Concerns (my daughter is neurotic about danger)


• Aggressive/Angry Behavior


• Not concentrating at school; lower grades


• Worried about others (my daughter)


• Change in mood/personality (my daughter)


• Physical signs (aches and pains) - (my daughter)


• Obvious anxiety and fear (my daughter again)


• Pays close attention to a parent's worries (my daughter...we have to be very careful because she not only listens to what we talk about but watches our facial expressions very closely)


• Not wanting to go to school


• Withdrawing


• Regression


• Loss of interest in activities


• Separation Anxiety

My daughter was already a timid child to begin with but after something bad happened to her, it was just magnified a hundred times. Her anxiety wasn't brought on by her parents splitting up (we're still happily married). For her, it means extreme worry and fear over most everything anymore.

If you think your child is suffering from extreme anxiety or stress that is affecting his or her daily life, please talk to you child's doctor.

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Stress Symptons in Young Children

I've been reading information on stress/anxiety in kids since my daughter has an anxiety disorder and my stepdaughter showed a lot of symptoms when she was in this age group. I thought I'd share some of the symptoms here, starting with the youngest age group first.

Age 1-6 Years:

• Sleep Disturbances - Nightmares (my stepdaughter had night terrors)
• Regression
• Fear of Death
• Separation anxiety
• Physical symptoms such as stomach aches and headaches. We went through this with my stepdaughter when there were some "issues" shall we say when she was in this age group. She had stomachaches during transitions and didn't want to leave us. We knew why she was having them but couldn't get her mother to listen to anything we had to say. You should've seen the physical tests this poor little girl was put thru (think of enemas and stuff!). We had to go to my stepdaughter's pediatrician because of that ourselves and he immediately handed her mother a referral to a therapist. The counselor determined WE weren't the problem and I'll just leave it at that...let you figure out on your own who the problem was.
• Uncharacteristic neediness and crying. We saw this in my stepdaughter as well.

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The Terrible Twos Aren't Always Terrible

Our two-year-old can try your patience. There is no doubt about it. Last night was one of those times. She went into meltdown mode as soon her siblings got off the bus and she didn't quit until falling asleep at bedtime. She was screeching, whining, hitting, and smearing ice cream across my new kitchen floor with her feet! Oy!! I am sure the neighbors had to hear some of it. It was awful. She kills the "have another baby urge" that seems to be coming back for me right now. I guess it is nature - designed to make sure you don't have another child until you are ready to handle it, lol.

Then there is this morning. She is being sweet and cute, playing nicely by herself and with the dog. She is being cuddly and friendly. She's yelled out the window three times already this morning to say "hi" to the neighbor outside, the trash pick-up guys, and the man walking his dog. She's adorable. Well, maybe not so adorable - she just now tried to stick her finger in the poor dog's nose.

She turns three at the end of this month. Will the terrible twos magically disappear then? I doubt it. In fact, I know better. She's my 4th child so I know better. I'm thinking I have about another year of this and then she'll level out. Maybe I should sedate myself for a year, lol.

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Other People's Kids

My son just came in hurting. A neighbor child just twisted his wrist a few times. He's icing it now and I'm waiting to see if he's going to be able to move it without screaming after he calms down and finishes icing it. The neighbor isn't allowed over for the rest of the weekend.

Our back yard is like a park - all open grass, trees and the neighbors around us have the same. It's really pretty back there. Like I said, it's like a park. However, having all that open land has one drawback - it's easy for neighbor kids to cut through yards from their houses and get to our backyard in no time.

This is just a small part of our backyard. It goes off to the left and far to the right with the whole backside bordering other people's wide-open acreage.

I liked it better when kids knocked at the door and asked to play as opposed to showing up in our yard without permission and then causing trouble.

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Beg 4 It Then Complain About It. Kids!!

My kids begged to get outside when they came home from school. I made them do their homework first and pick up their mess in the living room (it looks like a tornado hit it after they came home). Then out they go. It's not even THREE minutes and they're complaining about how hot it is and do I have popsicles for them (no, I don't).

But it's hot...popsicles would help...puleeze.

Hello - don't have any!

It's 77 degrees outside, they're in shorts, and there is a nice breeze, and they just got outside. It's not like they're running laps out there. After all that whining to get outside, they laid down on the swing because they were "too hot" and sulked (then proceeded to get into arguments with each other resulting in a crying kid). What are they going to do when it is 90 degrees out there? Geez!

So in they came for more chores. Chores always work when they get att-i-tude! They could've stayed outside and enjoyed themselves for awhile before dinner. Instead, they whined, sulked, and argued so now they get chores.

I'm such a mean mommy.

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