Her first day at school
By Daddy |
Posted: August 16, 2011 at 1:46 pm
Today was Jolie first day at school. No pictures, No video, No daddy.
I wish I cold say something better about her birthday, but it would be the same as above.
This sucks!!
Topics: Day To Day | 1 Comment »
Way Too Big
By Daddy |
Posted: October 17, 2009 at 6:59 pm
Jolie is sitting next to me watch the tv show numbers and eating whole blue berries.
She is so big!
I hope all the time I spend away from home does not effect our relationship too much, but I have to do what I do so I can make sure she has food to eat.
Topics: Day To Day | No Comments »
Building a Nest Egg
By Mommy |
Posted: April 28, 2009 at 2:23 pm
When you think of gifts for those you know and love, what comes to mind? Do you think about a box of candy or cookies? What about clothes? Gift cards to the mall? There are a lot of things that come to mind when you are talking about gifts for people. What about life insurance? The initial reaction for many people when you mention life insurance as a gift is a step back. How morbid, they think. While it may seem that way when you first mention it, if you think about it life insurance is a really thoughtful gift that can be a savior in a tough time.
“Consider Your Children. Many people start a nest egg for their child so that when they reach their adult years, they can have some money for big financial costs, such as college or a down payment on a home. Parents and relatives can make loving donations to the child’s nest egg at birthdays or other special holidays, and the small amounts really add up over time.”
This is exactly what I am asking my family and friends to do.
Friends, family, and all our readers are invited to help build her nest egg. Thank you.
If you would like to donate $40, $20, $10, … even as little as $3, feel free to use this paypal button that I’ve created. Any amount makes a difference. Thank you.
Topics: Advice From The Net, Day To Day | No Comments »
A Hop, Skip, and a Jump
By Mommy |
Posted: April 12, 2009 at 12:47 pm
I always wonder if my toddler is on track with her development. I remember looking out for her first crawl. I was ecstatic when she took her first steps. But, does anyone else look out for the first hop or jump? She runs pretty well. She hops from one leg to the other. But, for so long, I was wondering why she didn’t jump up and down. Does it have any developmental significance? I was actually so happy when my baby made a little jump yesterday. Silly, huh?
Topics: Day To Day | No Comments »
Frozen Four
By Mommy |
Posted: April 11, 2009 at 10:52 am
It seems that the frozen four and womens hockey are a really popular topics of discussion. Jolie is pretty ‘ruff and tumble’. I wonder if she’ll be interested in playing. I wonder if I’ll be brave enough to let her, if she is.
Topics: Day To Day | No Comments »
Fun Movies
By Mommy |
Posted: February 16, 2009 at 6:28 pm
Madagascar 2
She also loves Bolt, The Reef, Alvin and The Chipmunks, and Mulan 2.
Topics: Day To Day | No Comments »
Requesting Time Off
By Mommy |
Posted: February 10, 2009 at 5:05 pm
I need a sitter. There. I’ve said it. I’m not perfect. But, it would be perfect for me to get regular breaks. Call it, me time, not mommy time. A mommy can’t be all that I am. It just can’t be.
Get 10% Off Your Care.com Membership - Coupon Code: Valentine09
Topics: Day To Day | No Comments »
Me Time
By Mommy |
Posted: February 9, 2009 at 9:05 am
“Alicia on “Moms are People Too”“Each mom needs to find their own equation for carving out a little ‘me’ time; it’s essential for the whole family. Whether you have chosen to be a stay-at-home mom, work full time and have a great day care service, or have a parent or parent-in-law who can watch your child a few days a week while you work part time — you need some decompression time where you take care of you. No matter what the rest of the world tries to you tell you: your family will be better off with a happy and centered mom, it’s ok to take the time. I have developed my own equation for combining work, family, and me time. My solution will be different than yours — but that’s ok. What’s important is finding and carving out your own time.”
Topics: Advice From The Net | No Comments »
Screaming Fits Say Love
By Mommy |
Posted: February 7, 2009 at 6:18 pm
Toddlers: Are tantrums a sign of affection?
The bond between you and your child grows stronger in the toddler years, even if he spends much of the time stomping and screaming. In fact, those fits are a testament to your closeness. Read the rest of this entry »
Topics: Advice From The Net, Day To Day | No Comments »
Peanut Butter and Salmonella
By Mommy |
Posted: February 3, 2009 at 10:00 am
… And I thought allergies were the serious concern.
[… In recent weeks, food makers across the country have recalled more than 400 types of products in what the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) calls the largest food-related recall in memory.
And the list keeps growing — fueled by PCA’s recent decision to expand its recall to include all peanuts and peanut products made at its Georgia facility since 2007.
Here are some of the latest products companies have recalled in the wake of PCA’s expanded recall of peanuts and peanut products:
Topics: Advice From The Net, Day To Day | No Comments »
Toddlers Learning Manners
By Mommy |
Posted: December 20, 2008 at 1:06 pm
Minding His MannersIt’s true – you’ll never get your 17-month-old to chew with his mouth closed. But you might be surprised what she can learn if you focus on conveying the idea of manners, the principle that there are ways to behave and ways not to behave. Your toddler has actually been learning this lesson for some time now, as he tests limits and gauges your reactions. If you get the idea of manners across early and often, he’ll catch on faster – and resist less – when you start adding some specifics later.Be an Inspiring Role ModelThe best way to have polite kids is to be polite. Children want nothing more than to be just like Mom and Dad. If your spouse is standing in front of the refrigerator when you need to open it, say, “Excuse me, please.” If your child gets used to hearing courteous speech around the house, that’s the kind of speech she’ll use herself.Start With the BasicsSaying, “Please” and “thank you” is usually the first bit of courtesy any parent tries to teach, and 17 months is a great time to start. It’s going to be a long time before he gets “please” and “thank you” down, but once your toddler starts talking, you’ll probably find yourself automatically tacking on the polite words and pausing for her to repeat them. Parents have been doing this for generations: “What do you say?” “What’s the magic word?”Ask Her to Join You at the TableLearning to sit still for more than five minutes straight is a major achievement at this age, so try never to put yourself in a situation where disaster will strike if your child wiggles or wails. But family dinners can be terrific practice time. Make sure your goals are reasonable: Sitting still for 15 whole minutes is next to impossible for any squirmy toddler. Start with five minutes at first and then another couple of minutes as he gets the hang of it. Encourage Polite GreetingsAt 17 months old, your child can certainly learn to say, “hello” when arriving for visits or meeting new people, and “good-bye” when it’s time to depart. Just remember, at this age, he will be wildly unreliable about it, saying ”hello” eagerly on one occasion and then collapsing into shyness or bursting into tears on the next.Try for Play Date CivilityToddlers’ first quarrels are usually over sharing their toys, which from their perspective is an outrageous thing to ask of them. Don’t expect sainthood, but you’ll do your child a favor if you start laying down some simple ground rules:
- If there’s a favorite one-person toy, everybody takes a turn with it.
- Nobody gets to decide how somebody else plays with a toy, as long as the toy’s not being damaged.
- Nobody gets to hit, shove or call people names.
Finally, don’t forget to praise your child when he does a good job of minding his manners.
Source:
www.parenting.com
Topics: Advice From The Net | No Comments »
Jolie’s Potty Time
By Mommy |
Posted: October 15, 2008 at 10:08 am
Jolie will be 14 months old in two days. Researchers and “experts” have said that there are several different cues to tell a parent when their baby is ready to start potty training. I decided it would be best to follow the cue of my daughter being able to successfully pull her pants up and down. That’s when we would start. Presently, though she does love to pull her socks off, which doesn’t help, she doesn’t seem close to the point of undressing when she has to go. Well, her father and I have been talking about this for a while now and yesterday we went out and got a potty. It’s the “Summer”, 3-stage reward potty trainer & step stool from toys r us. They say it’s for ages 2 and up. But, my baby sat on it for the first time this morning and she peed in her potty the very first time. We congratulated her and she was very excited. Daddy even took a picture of her pee-pee in the potty. I assume she’ll be driving off to college next.
Topics: Day To Day | No Comments »
My Baby Can Talk Too
By Mommy |
Posted: September 27, 2008 at 7:29 pm
Thanks to cousin Johdeen and her mommy, Everett, Jolie has been sampling the video series from My Baby Can Talk .com. She’s been enjoying this and other learning tools
Topics: Day To Day | No Comments »
Away From My Baby
By Daddy |
Posted: August 13, 2008 at 8:18 am
I have been on the island of Anguilla for the past few days, and as great as this place is, I find myself feeling empty.All of the calm blue water, long white sandy beach, great food, or the cool sun can not compare to the beauty of one scream of Jolie. I miss her, this is just one more think that proves to me that I love Jolie. I can not wait to spend some one on one time with other.Jolie, Daddy will be home soon, I hope you still want to have me around.
Topics: Day To Day | No Comments »
Coming to “Mama”
By Mommy |
Posted: July 3, 2008 at 11:27 am
Words can hardly express this excitement. She took her first real steps today!
Topics: Day To Day | No Comments »
Having A Hard Time Without Jolie
By Daddy |
Posted: June 22, 2008 at 9:14 am
It has only been a few day since I dropped her off, but it feels like forever.
I can do anything with out looking around the corner to see what she is getting into when the room is quite, still thinking it it is time to get her bottle, and time to wake her up from her nap.
I do not know how to make this feeling go away. I can not afford to let it take over my life again. The first time was hard, but this feels worst than before, I need to find a balance, but it is harder to do it than to say it.
Topics: Day To Day | No Comments »
Children Are Free
By Mommy |
Posted: June 11, 2008 at 8:28 pm
Now that she’s climbing off of beds and couches, what’s there to stop her? Nothing really. She doesn’t walk just yet. But, she will be very soon. She crawls faster than any child I’ve seen, getting into absolutely everything. She knows what she wants and if we don’t give it to her, she definately will go after it.
As my brother reminded me, one day, before I know it, she’ll be walking out the door saying, “I’m going out”. I hope I raise her to always tell me where she plans to be. Still, no one really knows what will happen while they’re out. I wouldn’t really have a clue where she’ll be or who she’ll encounter.
It really is strange to come to the realization that our parents were not always just nosey or meddlesome. For most of her life, I would have supplied almost all of her needs and desires. Almost everywhere she would be and everyone she would meet would be because I chose to take her there. Any other way would mean that something very wrong has transpired and there is reason for alarm. Right? I remember when I came to that stage and it really frustrated me to deal with parents always trying to moniter my whereabouts. Now, I think about the fact that I honestly want to know everything my baby is doing at all times and I also realize that it won’t always be that way. It actually takes my breath away when I consider it. I should have known from the first time she tried to raise her own head up in the crib. Something should have tipped me off when she started rolling, then getting up onto her knees. Sure, she’s just crawling today. She still wants me to hold her hands to practice standing. But one day she’ll pull away like I did. My only solice comes from the moral belief that we’re only here to teach our children how to be free. From the moment she was taken from my womb, she was free.
Topics: Day To Day | No Comments »
August 22nd-23th 2008 Stone Repair Class
By Daddy |
Posted: June 5, 2008 at 1:32 pm
This two-day boot camp is packed with skills training that can only be learned through a true hands-on experience. One on one tutoring based on your individual skill level. Each student has the opportunity to perform multiple repairs and polish various types of stones. No seats. No stories. No sales pitch. The students will learn how to make repairs and seams look and feel like a natural product, remove scratches, factory blending, chip repairs, color blending and matching, seam repairs, honing, and the widely coveted knowledge of top-polishing.
This class includes some of today’s new trends and finishes. Students will also learn how to deal with and doctor natural stone in a variety of colors, how to perform and maintain the antique finish, and how to remove the flaws of poor cnc tooling.
Successful participants receive not only the knowledge, complete set of tools necessary to perform typical surface repairs, but they are also eligible to join the NSRA.
The NSRA is a nationwide group of independent, natural stone restoration professionals dedicated to quality and the education of the consumer and our members.
Time: August 22nd-24th 2008, from 9am-5pm
Place: 30 Hilliard Street, Manchester CT, 06040
Cost: $1,800.00 us dollars
Public registration Ended: August 12, 2008
Click HERE to see what others had to say about the class.Click HERE to sign up our comprehensive class
Airport: Bradley International
Hotel: Fairfield Inn & Suites SM by Marriott® Hartford Manchester
121 Pavilions Dr
Manchester, CT 06040
August 22nd-23th 2008 Stone Repair Class | Story
Topics: Day To Day | No Comments »
Jump Start
By Daddy |
Posted: April 17, 2008 at 7:03 pm
Some people sent the kids to Head Start programs.
Some people send the kids to the best private school they can afford.
Most people forget about the small little things that they keep the kids away from, Jolie is welcome to play, use, and learn from any thing that we have. This is the only child that I know of that knows how to surf the net on a phone.
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Tikki Tikki Tembo
By Daddy |
Posted: April 1, 2008 at 10:58 am
That was fun to look at
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Touchdown
By Mommy |
Posted: March 21, 2008 at 7:55 pm
I am sooo excited! My sugar dumplin made it through all those pesky little hurdles. Drooling had her completely soaked… didn’t faze her. The fever looked like it wanted to drain the life out of my child …didn’t shake her though. Diurea for days …No sweat. Mommy took care of the fever. Daddy and I took care of the electrolyte and appetite losses. And we really had to double team all those doodie diapers. Baby girl just kept her cool because she knew she was taken care of. And, …touchdown! My first baby just got her first tooth. It cut through yesterday and she’s been grinning and doing her victory dances all day today. Mommy’s so proud of you.
Topics: Day To Day | No Comments »
Naming Your Baby
By Mommy |
Posted: March 21, 2008 at 7:11 pm
Tikki Tikki Tembo is a simple story. Yet, I’m drawn to it and would love for my child to read it for herself.
excerpt: “Once upon a time, a long, long time ago, it was the custom of all the fathers and mothers in China to give their first and honored sons great long names. But second sons were given hardly any name at all. In a small mountain villiage there lived a mother who had two little sons. Her second son she called Chang, which meant “little or nothing.” But her first and honored son, she called Tikki tikki tembo-no sa remb-chari bari ruchi-pip peri pembo, which meant “the most wonderful thing in the whole wide world!”"
Please remember always that what your name is will never measure all that you are.
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Aunt Threatens To Devour Helpless Newborn’s Toes | The Onion - America’s Finest News Source
By Mommy |
Posted: March 7, 2008 at 1:37 am
Aunt Threatens To Devour Helpless Newborn’s Toes | The Onion - America’s Finest News Source
What’s the right way to feel about people who " could just eat [your baby] right up"? This is a special concern to me because people love likening my innocent little sugar dumpling to food. …
Topics: Advice From The Net, Day To Day | No Comments »
Happy Birthday Mummy
By Daddy |
Posted: March 1, 2008 at 9:30 am
From Jolie and Daddy
Topics: Day To Day | No Comments »
Good Morning Everyday
By Mommy |
Posted: February 27, 2008 at 2:05 am
"A faithful friend is a strong defense: and he that hath found one hath found a treasure."
Life may be a game to be won. It may be a battle. I’m not sure. It’s definitely an adventure that I will be happy to share with my new friend.
The past few days have revealed that she doesn’t just look to me for food and to be cleaned. She likes when I’m around. She plays with me like a friend. I try to be the first face she sees when she wakes up in the morning so that I know her days begin with my love and a huge smile from her Mommy. It enriches my life over again everyday to see that as soon as she opens her eyes and looks over at me, she beams. She knows that she’s loved and safe. If she had teeth; the room could light up in the dark
Topics: Day To Day | No Comments »
Where does the time go
By Daddy |
Posted: February 20, 2008 at 7:45 am
Jolie has become a little person. She still does not know how to walk or crawl, but she does know how to stick her hand in your food.
She has been doing real well, she is content with all that we have done with her. That leaves me with the question, are we do all that we should. I have place a 3×5 gym mat on the floor to help encourage her to crawl, she only seem to master moving to the right.
I am looking at this toy to give her a reason to stay sitting up, and hopefully crawling around.
The bouncer was a big hit with her, but now her toes looks like she has dancing for years.
I made a promise that I will not buy anything else until I catch up with all my bills and than buy a bigger car seat.
”
A favorite among moms and kids alike, the award-winning Learn & Groove Musical Table engages and entertains with more than 40 learning songs, sparkling lights and lots to spin, slide, push, pull, open and close.
In learning mode, babies and toddlers will feel like maestros, as each tap or push elicits letters, numbers from 1 to 10, colors and opposites - in either English or Spanish. Flip the page to Music mode and your baby can move and groove to more than 40 songs and melodies, including nursery rhymes, real instrument sounds and upbeat dance tunes. Babies can begin learning and exploring on the floor and then graduate to standing play. The detachable legs allow for easy travel and storage.”
I am going to buy this for her 7th month birthday.
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First Day In A Long Time
By Daddy |
Posted: February 10, 2008 at 12:28 pm
After getting back from my trip, it has been hard catching up with Jolie. Today was first day that I have come close to doing any thing like I did before. I feed her 5oz at 8:30 and than let her sleep from 9. until 10. she took a bath and play until 11.45 than she ate 5oz. it is now 12.26 and she is back to sleep. I will let her sleep till 2pm, this way she can have some fun in her bouncer before eating at at 4pm.
Topics: Day To Day | 2 Comments »
The Pint-Size Staller
By Daddy |
Posted: February 5, 2008 at 2:12 pm
The Scene: “Jack is a delayer of bedtime,” says Mark Murphy of Scarborough, ME. Ever since Jack’s baby sister was born, Mark has been handling his son’s bedtime while his wife, Sabrina, oversees Grace’s. The baby sleeps fine through the night, but with Jack, it’s a different story.Mark arrives home at 6:30 p.m. and aims to get Jack into bed between 8:30 and 9:15. Alas, Jack will do anything to avoid bedtime. “One night, I turned around to get a towel, and Jack leapt out of the tub and ran through the house,” says Mark. “When I finally caught him, he said, ‘I’m not going through this every night!,” which is exactly what we say to him every night.”
Once father and son reach the bedroom at last, the real stalling starts. First, Jack asks Mark to say his prayers with him. Next, he asks for a story, then his G.I. Joe “guys.” When Mark finally leaves, Jack lures him back by saying, “There’s something wrong.”
The Expert: Jodi Mindell, Ph.D., associate director of the Sleep Disorders Center at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia.
The Game Plan: The first thing that concerned Dr. Mindell was Jack’s bedtime. She advised moving it a half hour earlier. Then she suggested making a pictorial chart with each element of the routine — bath, pajamas, prayers, stories, “guys,” bed — displayed in the order that they’ll be done. When it’s bedtime, she explained, you can look at the chart and ask your child, “What do we do next?” Children like routines in which things happen right in a row, she says.
She also proposed allowing Jack to make one extra request each night but said that afterward, Mark simply needs to stay neutral and strong, either ignoring his son or saying “It’s bedtime” when he comes out of his room.
The Outcome: “Once I got the poster up, Jack respected it,” says Mark. “The whole routine now takes about 15 minutes after the bath, and if I miss anything, he calls me on it.”
Mark admits that the hardest part, at first, was forcing himself to go through the bedtime routine — a task that Jack found much easier than his dad. At the end of a long day, the last thing Mark wanted to do was initiate the nightly ritual. But he learned to discipline himself until it became a habit for him too.
In the end, Mark found that the chart worked so well that he didn’t always heed Dr. Mindell’s other advice. “We try for an earlier bedtime, but we don’t always make it,” he says. “And I usually don’t need to allow Jack another request. Once he sees the picture of the bed, he knows it’s time to go to sleep.”
Laura Hilgers lives with her husband and two children in Marin County, CA.
Topics: Advice From The Net | No Comments »
The "S" Word
By Mommy |
Posted: February 4, 2008 at 11:24 am
Yesterday, I was talking to my friend about the baby and how she seems cranky lately. She seems almost like she’s getting spoiled. I know. I used the “S” word for an infant. But, what else can I call it? I read all the information that says there is no such thing as spoiling an infant; they need to be able to trust that you will respond to their needs and feel like you care about them. How could my child ever think that I don’t care about her? Every time she makes a sound, I’m there checking on her. I’m always playing with her and talking or babbling with her. She can’t stand to be in a wet diaper for more than a couple minutes. Since she was born, I’ve always changed her right away.
She’s almost six months old now and is starting to get a handle on picking up and holding her toys, putting her feet out for her socks and pants, holding her bottle… Her motor skills are really great, I think. So, why oh why does she become this ‘lame’ whenever her pacifier falls? I always have it clipped to her so it’s not falling to the ground or anything. It’s within reach and we’ve practiced holding it and bringing it to her mouth. It’s something that she knows how to do. She just gets into these moods I guess, where she must be served her pacifier no matter how many times she drops it within a minute. My girl’s a riot.
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Importance of Father Love for Child Well-Being
By Daddy |
Posted: February 4, 2008 at 9:23 am
In an analysis of nearly 100 studies on parent-child relationships, father love (measured by children’s perceptions of paternal acceptance/rejection, affection/indifference) was as important as mother love in predicting the social, emotional, and cognitive development and functioning of children and young adults:
Having a loving and nurturing father was as important for a child’s happiness, well-being, and social and academic success as having a loving and nurturing mother.
Withdrawal of love by either the father or the mother was equally influential in predicting a child’s emotional instability, lack of self-esteem, depression, social withdrawal, and level of aggression.
In some studies, father love was actually a better predictor than mother love for certain outcomes, including delinquency and conduct problems, substance abuse, and overall mental health and well-being.
Other studies found that, after controlling for mother love, father love was the sole significant predictor for certain outcomes, such as psychological adjustment problems, conduct problems, and substance abuse.
Source: Rohner, Ronald P., and Robert A. Veneziano. “The Importance of Father Love: History and Contemporary Evidence.” Review of General Psychology 5.4
Topics: Advice From The Net | No Comments »
FATHER’S IMPORTANCE IN CHILD’S WELL-BEING
By Daddy |
Posted: February 3, 2008 at 9:22 am
We’ve already crossed the line into very peculiar debates and discussions. Perhaps most people in the world would find it unnecessary to ‘present evidence’ that father’s play a central role in the health and well-being of their children. Yes, we’ve crossed into dark times, indeed, when we expend time, money, and energy to conduct research that both sides hope to use to advance their social agendas; oddly enough the child’s natural needs are often ignored or denied.
There are so many ways to demonstrate the critical role father’s play in an adaptive and healthy manner to life’s challenges…..some research, anecdotes, quips, quotes, factoids,and so on.
The information below addresses primarily the absence of father’s on their daughters. It’s worth knowing. It’s too much information to digest in a few minutes. Take your time. The next post will focus on fathers and daughters. I’m looking for something good covering the joys and trials of fatherhood.
I have 1.5 years before my son leaves for college. We talk a good bit about whether he is getting what he needs to be prepared for college. He seems really solid on virtually everything. My one concern is making sure we have enough time to bat back and forth the ways and fundamental importance of picking the right girlfriends, partners, and wife.
I got hit very hard with the thought that the most work has to be done to increase the chances he picks the right women. He has been really beaten down especially during the divorce. We cover most everything imaginable. My next fatherly task is to cover the ‘picking the right woman’ job. It’s interesting that I wonder if this is where he could be most vulnerable. I remember being quite sensitive to break-ups with girls in grade school…..be okay with everything else but bummed if there were girl snafus. For lots of reasons, this has been my Achilles heel. I will sort it out with him.
Well,enjoy another 25 page post. Lots of men go through the worst of ‘fathers don’t matter”
It’s worth being better informed on this issue. Fathers step up for their sons.
Topics: Advice From The Net | No Comments »
Windows Live Blogging
By Mommy |
Posted: February 2, 2008 at 9:22 pm
This is a test to see how great I am at everything I set my mind to doing. If this is not perfect, that’s okay. I’ll just take the necessary time and effort and it will be perfect soon enough. I’m sure you would agree.
This is coming out pretty good so far. I like the way the paragraph is spaced an the way there is a spell check …for my off days. We all have them. There’s also a place on the side where I can insert all types of things like videos, maps, etc.
Is this an offline aplication …spell check kicked in. That would be great if I had issues getting online for any short period of time. … …Oh this thing is great! It looks way better than if I was actually doing it online. You know it’s all about the way it looks for me. Things have to be some kind of cute.
Topics: Day To Day | No Comments »
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