The Unexpected Gift

It was August 16, 2010.  I was sitting on the ultrasound "table" at my OBGYN's office while having my 20 week ultrasound done.  That's the big exciting ultrasound.  The one where you can find out what you are having.  If you know me at all, you know that I really, REALLY wanted to know.  I am a planner.  Not knowing, and not being able to plan accordingly would have made me feel a thousand times more stressed.

The woman performing my ultrasound began pointing out various organs and the like.  Then she asked rather nonchalantly, "Do you want to know the sex of the baby?"

"Yes," I replied, eagerly awaiting the news.

"It's a little girl!", she said excitedly.

My heart sank.  I was in disbelief.  What should have been exciting news, as it would have been for most women, left me feeling depressed and empty.  I instantly began grieving the life that could have been, that I had imagined in my head for those 20 weeks.  I grieved the little boy that I had hoped for and wasn't going to get.  I grieved the little brother that my son wasn't going to get and the bond he would most certainly miss out on.

Fighting back the tears I flashed a forced smile at the ultrasound tech.  Then I looked over at Anthony and gave him the same fake smile.  He tried to give me a reassuring smile, but he looked uncertain, worried...  I can never know for sure what he felt in that exact moment.  But  I do know that he wanted another little boy like I did and longed to see our son have a sibling of the same gender close in age, something that neither of us got to experience.  In that moment however, I would guess that more than anything else, he was worried and sad for me.

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I still to this day don't know why the news was such a shock to me.  When I was pregnant with my son, I just knew he was a boy.  Chalk it up to woman's intuition.  With my daughter, I knew before that little pink line ever showed up on the pregnancy test, to confirm that I was in fact pregnant, that she was a girl.  But deep down inside for those 20 weeks I hoped and prayed that I was wrong.

Let me just take a moment to clarify something.  Some of you may be reading this and be disgusted with how I felt about having a girl.  Some might say, you are blessed to be having a baby or your baby is healthy and doing well, you should just be happy.  I have never struggled with infertility.  I have joked that perhaps Anthony could just look at me and it would happen, it has been that easy for us.  I have never miscarried a baby or lost a child.  Both of my babies were born healthy and normal.  So for anyone who has been in any of these situations, I imagine it might be difficult for you to take a walk in my shoes, just as it would be difficult for me to walk in yours.  But I make no excuses for how I felt. 

I remember back in college commenting to a friend of mine who was a mother of three girls that I would be really disappointed if the baby came out and they told me it was a girl.  Appalled by this she stated matter-of-factly, "No you won't.  When the baby is born you will just be so happy that the baby is here and is healthy, you won't care what it is!"  "Yea right!", I thought to myself.  How right she would turn out to be.  Being a mother myself now, I realize that it is incredibly difficult to understand the perspective of a parent until you are one.

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Immediately following our appointment, I called my mom and then my grandma to tell them the news.  They were both extremely excited, as you might imagine.  It would be the first grandchild that was a girl for my mom.  I was happy that they were excited, but I just couldn't let go of the disappointment.

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The reasons why I didn't want a girl are numerous.  First, I never really liked girls all that much.  To be honest, I HATED girls in Junior High and High School.  Girls that age are awful.  I wanted nothing to do with all the catty, melodramatic, spiteful goings-ons between the girls.  I loathed the thought of raising a teenage daughter.  It is just downright terrifying!

Second, I often wondered, how am I supposed to raise a daughter up to be a confident, capable woman when I don't feel like one myself?  It is a fact that I have never felt comfortable in my own skin.  I have never felt like I was great at doing my makeup or hair.  I don't really know how to put an outfit together or accessorize.  In Junior High and High School, I was a bit of a tomboy.  Some of that was because I really liked sports and wasn't into the girly stuff, but part of it was because I never felt like I could be cute and girly.  It was easier to not try than to try and fail.  Not that you have to be all glammed up to be a capable woman, but it certainly gives you a boost of confidence and helps you feel more womanly.  My daughter is going to look up to me to teach her about all of this stuff and I'm just not sure I would do a very good job.

Third, I'm not sure how I feel about raising a daughter in a society that objectifies women, sexualizes girls at far too young of an age, and puts way too much pressure on women and girls alike to look a certain way.  I feel these pressures myself far too often.  I have never felt pretty enough or skinny enough.  People have told me how pretty I am, but to be honest...I don't see it.  I have lost 77lbs. and still feel fat!  You know why?  Because it is hard not to compare myself to the women I see in magazines and on TV.  I know that it is an unrealistic standard to hold myself to and that many of the women in those magazines have been photo-shopped to the point where they are unrecognizable as themselves.  Still, when you are constantly bombarded with those images, it's hard not to compare yourself.

Lastly, I have this fear that I will be unable to relate to my daughter and her interests.  Let's be honest here.  Hello Kitty?  Fairy tales and princesses?  Unicorns?  Frou-frou (yes, it's in the dictionary...I didn't just make it up!) clothing?  Cheerleading? Um, no thanks!  There are just some things I cannot get into.  A few mothers, much older and wiser than I, have told me that you will take in interest in the things your kids are interested in, even if it's not what you personally like.  I'm not so sure.  I mean, I want to be supportive, and I want to bond with my daughter, but I really just don't know if I can get into some of the super girly stuff out there. 

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One thing that people would say to me when they found out I was expecting a girl was what fun she will be to dress compared to a boy.  I didn't feel that way though.  I liked boys clothing.  Girls...not so much.  I was convinced that everything out there was too girly, to old-ladyish, too um... scandalous, or to weird (really, why are you trying to dress your baby girl like a punk rocker in black and silver leopard print tights?).  I decided that I needed some therapy.  Some shopping therapy that is.  I almost never buy any new clothing for the kids.  Why should I when I can get such great used stuff?  But I just wanted to go buy a few pieces that I was really excited about, if I could find any that is.

A couple of hours and $75 later, I had quite a few nice cute pieces of clothing.  I had picked out a coming home from the hospital outfit that I was excited about and I was starting to accept the idea of having a girl.  Overtime, the more I began to look at girls clothing, the more I got into head bands and shoes and cute printed tights.  I began to have fun and began to look forward to her birth.

The rest of my pregnancy was uneventful.  It flew by in the blink of an eye.  Before I knew it, the day of my scheduled c-section had arrived.  The night before my scheduled c-section, I sat in the rocking chair in my son's bedroom, with him on my lap, and read him a bedtime story (a task I had handed off to Anthony a while back as the available space on my lap rapidly began to shrink).  As I read him a story, tears rolled down my face.  I knew that my son's life, and our family's dynamics would soon change.  How would this little girl, this tiny human I wasn't entirely sure I was excited about, fit into our family?

As I lay on the operating table, having my c-section, the anticipation grew.  I was nervous to meet her, but excited and (like my friend had said) just hoping she was healthy and OK.  Then I heard her first little cry and they held her up over the curtain for me to see her.  She was definitely cute, and I was glad that she was healthy.  But in that moment, I was pretty indifferent to her arrival.
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(My mom has often talked about the day I was born.  She would tell me about how the nurses washed my hair and gave me a Cupie Doll hairdo.  My mom always has a smile on her face as she tells me this.)

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I just lay there, waiting for the nurses to bring her back out to me.  I heard the nurses enter the OR with her.  Then they brought her around the curtain for me to see.  There she was, with the same Cupie Doll hairdo that I had been given.  She was beautiful.  I don't know what it was, but in that moment, something changed.

Me seeing her up close for the first time.

My face instantly lit up.  I was overjoyed.  My cheeks hurt so bad, I couldn't stop smiling.  The tears welled up in my eyes.  In that moment I felt unconditional, overwhelming love for this baby that for so very long, I wasn't even sure I was thrilled about having.  I felt relieved, and thankful, and happy.

I sat there, holding her and nursing her for the first time, taking everything in.  I wondered, how could I not want something so beautiful, so precious, so sweet?  It didn't take long for the guilt to set in.  I am a horrible person, a terrible mother, for feeling the way that I did.  I should have been happy that I could even have a baby of my own and that she is healthy. 

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As I sit back a year later and reflect on that day and the guilt that I felt, I no longer feel guilty about all the feelings I had.  Sometimes you just feel how you feel.  I had a lot of concerns and anxieties about raising a girl, all of which were (and still are) valid.  The unknown can be very scary.  I don't feel guilt, but a part of me feels like I took a step backwards in terms of my faith.  Honestly, who am I to think that I know better than God what's good for me?  Instead of focusing on all my disappointment and anxiety about raising a daughter and how "horrible" this experience was going to be, I should have trusted Him.  I should have trusted that He would provide me with the knowledge, understanding, patience, and wisdom I would need to handle any situation I am presented with while raising her.  Sure, I don't have all the answers, but He does.

Tuesday was my daughter's 1 year birthday.  It is hard to believe an entire year has gone by already.  It has been a joy to raise my daughter thus far.  I love her so much, just as any parent loves a child.  And my friend was right, it doesn't matter to me that she is a girl, I am just so thankful to have her. 

I am not at all claiming that I feel 100% comfortable with the thought of raising a girl.  I still think about her getting all princessy on me and cringe.  I still think about her entering her teen years and panic.  I have told Anthony several times that she is going to be a handful.  Her personality is becoming more evident.  She can be demanding, opinionated, and stubborn.  She is energetic and rambunctious.  I am certain she is going to be a handful.  But I am grateful that God has counted me worthy enough to raise a second child.  I am grateful that God has given me this gift, this unexpected gift, of raising a daughter.  I know that no matter what lies ahead, no matter the challenges, two things are certain:  I love my daughter and God will provide me with all that I need to raise her.

Sincerely,
The-M-O-M

O Christmas Tree, O Christmas Tree

(To the tune of O Christmas Tree)

O Christmas Tree, O Christmas Tree, How I Dislike Putting Lights On Thee

O Christmas Tree, O Christmas Tree, How I Dislike Putting Lights On Thee

The Lights Were Fine Before They Were On The Tree

But Once On, They Quit Working On Me

O Christmas Tree, O Christmas Tree, How I Dislike Putting Lights On Thee

Now I shall go listen to "The Twelve Pains of Christmas" and know that I am not alone.

Sincerely,

The Disgruntled Decorator





Say What? Part 2

So a couple of weeks back I did a post called "Say What?".  If you don't remember it or didn't read it, you can go back and look at it.  In the first post, my son and I were in the bathroom and I addressed some questions he had.  Apparently, the bathroom is where life's most difficult questions are posed as he was back at it again.

This past weekend at a family get together, my son said he needed to go to the bathroom.  So I took him into the girls restroom.  While sitting on the potty, he noticed the receptacle hanging on the wall that is for feminine products.  Curious, as usual, he asked "What's that?".

His questions the last time were easy (or easier) to answer.  They at least had a short, simple, age-appropriate answer, but this?  "Um...trash", I answered.  Phew...he was actually satisfied with that.

After finishing up and going to the sink to wash our hands, he noticed the trash can on the floor.  He commented, "Ohhhhhhh...Two trash cans!".  When I gave him paper towels to dry his hands with, he insisted on putting one of the paper towels in the normal trash can and one in the "other" trash can.  He was very amused by this.

I have a feeling that the older they get, the more curious they get, and the more curious they get, the harder my job will become.

Sincerely,
The-M-O-M

P.S.  As a funny side note, during dinner, we were sitting around talking, when all of a sudden I see out of the corner of my eye my son wave his arms wildly in the air and some unknown substance went across the room.  Wouldn't you know it that I had begun to take a drink right at that exact moment and began laughing so hard that I couldn't swallow.  So then I had to make the choice between trying to force it down and risk it coming out of my nose or spitting it back into my cup, which is gross.  The unidentified substance was later located some 10ft. away and appeared to be applesauce.

Laughter Is The Best Medicine

Two of my favorite moments from this weekend:

1.  Upon returning home from a baby shower, I asked my son what he had for lunch (meaning, where did he go eat with Anthony and Anthony's family after church).  He kept mumbling something about beans, and I couldn't figure out what he was talking about.  Finally, I realized he was saying that they had "chi-beans" meaning that they had Chinese.

2.  I was listening to some Christmas Cd's I had checked out from the library.  Anthony, who was sitting in the room with me, asked, "does that CD have any Bing Cherry on it?".  I said, "Um...do you mean Bing Crosby?"  And then hysterical laughter ensued.

Sincerely,
The-M-O-M

I Dare You Not To Smile!

Here are some recent videos of my kiddos!  You may note the goofy laugh that my daughter does in the first video.  My son used to do it a lot also, but then over time he stopped.  Since my daughter started doing it, he too started doing it again.  Mainly he just does it to get her to do it, because he thinks it's funny!  Even more interesting is that I actually used to laugh like that when I was little.  I guess they get it honestly!




Hope it made you smile!

Sincerely,
The Mother of Some Goofballs!

Lovie Love

My kids have some serious love for their "lovies".  My son's lovie, a monkey, is named Monkey and my daughter's lovie, a lamb, is named Sheepy.  I know, so original! 

The kids' lovies help comfort them when they are sick or scared and they give them something to snuggle in bed with when they are sleepy.  Yes, lovies are great.

It amuses me to see how much a part of my son's life his lovie has become.  He accompanies him to the bathroom, he sometimes eats with us, he plays with my son, and he sleeps with my son.  My son gives him drinks of his water, bites of his food, and takes Monkey's temperature when he is sick.  He reads with Monkey, watches TV with Monkey, and pushes Monkey in the stroller and swing.

Some parents are hesitant to allow their child to become attached to something, but I personally am not one of them.  It has been a lot of fun to see my son enjoy his lovie so much.  Monkey truly is his first best friend.  I know someday he will be much less attached to Monkey, and Monkey will take up residence on some shelf.  And then the day I realize that Monkey is not as important as he once was, I will realize (for the millionth time) that my little boy is growing up faster than I ever imagined.

Sincerely,
The Lovie Lover

Solution To: I Can't Count That High...I Ran Out Of Fingers And Toes!

Here was the original problem.

The four digits 5, 6, 7, and 8 are placed on separate cards. How many different numbers can be formed using one or more of the cards?



Here is the solution:

The answer is 64.  Now, like I said in the original post, you could have listed out all possible numbers...but that would have taken a lot of time.  Here is the mathematical way to approach the problem:

The problem states that we are to use "one or more" of the cards.  This means we can have 4 digit numbers, 3 digit numbers, 2 digit numbers, and 1 digit numbers.

For the 4 digit numbers:  If you were to make a 4 digit number at random using the given cards, how many choices do you have for the first number in the 4 digit number?  You have 4.  For the second number of your 4 digit number, you have 3 choices (since you can't repeat numbers).  For the third you have 2 choices and for the fourth you have 1 choice.  To find out how many options that gives you for four digit numbers (if you remember some math skills) you would multiply 4x3x2x1 = 24.

(For instance,  this is my blank number _ _ _ _.  For the first spot I have 4 choices.  Let's say I pick 5 for the first spot.  I now have 5 _ _ _.  For the second spot, I now only have 3 choices (6, 7, 8).  Let's say I pick 7.  I now have 5 7 _ _.  Now for the third spot I have 2 choices (and so on...).)

For the 3 digit numbers:  For the first number of your three digit number, you have 4 choices, for the second you have 3 and for the third you have 2.  So you multiply 4x3x2=24

For the 2 digit numbers:  You have 4 choices for the first number and 3 for the second number. So you have 4x3 = 12.

For the 1 digit numbers:  You have 4 choices for the first (and only) number in your 1 digit number.

Since you must take into account all possibilities, you add all you possible outcomes. 

                                                                       24 + 24 +12 +4 = 64

Tada!

Sincerely,
The Math Freak

I Can't Count That High...I Ran Out of Fingers and Toes!

Here is your problem of the week:

The four digits 5, 6, 7, and 8 are placed on separate cards.  How many different numbers can be formed using one or more of the cards?

Now sure, you could list out all the possibilities and then count them up; and that would certainly work just fine, though it would be a little time consuming.  Can you use your math knowledge to find the answer without listing all the possibilities?

Sincerely,
The Math Freak

Breakfast Bake

This is a super easy, super yummy dish that you can customize to fit your family's tastes.  Plus, the recipe makes two casseroles.  So you can make them both or freeze one for later.  LOVE IT!

Here's what you need:
4-1/2 cups seasoned croutons
2 cups (8 ounces) shredded cheddar cheese
1 medium onion, chopped
1 large green bell pepper, chopped
8 eggs
4 cups milk
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground mustard
1/2 teaspoon pepper
8 bacon strips, cooked and crumbled

Here's how you make it:
1.  Sprinkle croutons, cheese, onion, and pepper into two 8 inch baking dishes (The recipe suggests greasing the pans.  I have always made them in ungreased glass dishes and never had any problems but metal pans might be a different story.)

2.  In a bowl, lightly beat the eggs.  Whisk in the milk, salt, mustard, and pepper.  Slowly pour over the two dishes.  Sprinkle each with bacon.

3.  Cover and freeze one casserole (if desired) for up to 3 months.  Bake the second, uncovered, at 350 degrees for 45 - 50 minutes, or until a knife inserted near the center comes out clean.

4.  To use the frozen casserole:  Remove the casserole from the freezer and place in the refrigerator for 24-36 hours.  Remove from the refrigerator 30 minutes before baking.  Bake, uncovered, at 350 degrees for 50 - 60 minutes or until a knife inserted near the center comes out clean.

View Printable Recipe

Simple.  Easy.  Delicious.  You can keep the core of the casserole the same and swap out toppings.  You could add mushrooms, spinach, etc.  Whatever your family likes.  We eat the casserole as stated in the recipe except that I normally add more bacon, because bacon is delicious.  Who doesn't like more bacon?

Just as a note, I would opt for plain seasoned croutons and not garlic croutons.  I thought that sounded like a delicious twist and tried it once...let's just say I never tried it again.  I love garlic, but there was just something not right about that!

Sincerely,
The-M-O-M

And Another One Bites The Dust!

This past week, on the same day actually, someone adopted our dog and we had to have our cat put to sleep.  It was a very rough day!  Though it was hard to say goodbye to the dog, it really was a blessing for both us and our dog.  My son was pretty sad about it at first but seems to understand why we had to send him to another home.

The death of the cat is another issue.  He seems, at times, much less upset about the cat.  I don't think that it is because he loved the dog more than the cat, but because death must seem like such a vague idea to kids and they don't grasp the finality of it.

This really was my son's first experience with death.  At dinner that night, we decided to tell him about the cat.  Anthony explained that the cat was sick.  Then he said, "We had to have her put to sleep, she isn't going to wake up...she died".  I quick shot Anthony a glance and told him not to say that we "put her to sleep" for fear that he might be afraid that if he goes to sleep he will die.  Hmmm...perhaps we didn't prepare for this very well.  Maybe we should have talked about what we were going to say before hand.

So we basically told him that the cat was sick, and we took her to the vet (an animal doctor), and that there wasn't anything they could do for her, so she died.  We didn't get much of a reaction out of him; again, probably because he doesn't really understand it. 

We have had to explain it to him again and again.  Just yesterday my son was talking Anthony about it. 

He said, "Cocoa (our cat) died." 
Anthony said, "Yes, Cocoa died."
My son - "Why?"
Anthony - "Because she got sick and we couldn't make her better."
My son - "But I don't want Cocoa to die."

Seeing him hurting makes my heart ache for him.  Unfortunately, death is a fact of life...

Sincerely,
The Former Owner of a Zoo!

Solution To: That's Some Sum

Here is the original problem:

Use the numbers 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, and 10. Place exactly one of these numbers in each position in the figure so that the sum for each row, column, and diagonal is 18.

Solution:



Now your answer might look a bit different and you might be wondering if your answer is in fact correct.  It most likely is.  The truth is that there are many answers that look different than this one but really, deep down, are the same answer.  It is just a permutation of the same answer.  Here is what you need to know.

6 must go in the center square.
3, 5, 7, and 9 must be located in the corner squares with 3 & 9 in opposite corners and 7 & 5 in opposite corners.
2, 4, 8, and 10 must go in the remaining 4 squares and be placed so that each row, column, and diagonal equal 18.

Sincerely,
The Math Freak

That's Some Sum!

Here is the problem of the week.

Use the numbers 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, and 10.  Place exactly one of these numbers in each position in the figure so that the sum for each row, column, and diagonal is 18.

Enjoy!  And Good Luck!

Sincerely,
The Math Freak

Fall Fun

The fall season brings with it a lot of fun activities for us to enjoy with the kids.

Ahh, yes...leaf raking.  This year my son found great joy in jumping in the leaves as well as burying Anthony and wrestling with Anthony in them. 

One activity we took part in this year was the Halloween Event held at Precious Beginnings Resale Shop in town here.  We really should have taken more pictures.  Many area businesses were there handing out candy, stickers, and trinkets to the kids as well as providing some cool activities for the kids to do.  My son got to paint a pumpkin, make his own bookmark, and check out a police car and fire engine.  There was a balloon artist there and, at my son's request, he made a sword for my son.  My son also enjoyed some homemade cookies and had his picture taken with a pumpkin lady.  He really enjoyed himself.

Another activity we did with the kids was taking a trip to Ramseyer Farms.  Every year they add more stuff for the kids to do there.  It is a great family activity.  Hmm...I hope I wasn't hoping for an accurate height...

The corn pit was a big hit.  My son loved digging in it and my daughter loved trying to eat it.  Yes, good times...except for the 13 year old kids who were trying to bury each other in the corn and were practically hogging the whole thing and clearly shouldn't have been in there when the sign stated it was for young children...but I won't mention that at all!

The straw maze.  My son actually lead the way and navigated it himself this year.  I don't know where my son learns the things he does but one day he was telling us about how sometimes they have straw on hay rides even though they are called hay rides and not straw rides and that straw is yellow and hay is kind of green. 

Racing a tricycle down the Ramseyer Spudway.

Is it too much to ask that a good picture be taken of me?

Is it me, or did my kid shrink?

The little girl was trying to make friends with my son...he thought that was funny! 

Driving a BIG tractor...he was in heaven!

Picking pumpkins.  Since we got there so late in the year we had to go all the way to the back of the pumpkin patch to find good pumpkins.  Let me tell you, it would be hard enough to walk by yourself in a pumpkin patch, why with the uneven ground and the vines that are trip hazards...but pulling a wagon and pushing a stroller?  Um...forget about it!  At least they got the experience of picking their own pumpkins instead of taking one off the pallets they had sitting by the exit...not that they will remember the experience...oh, never mind! 

Can I take the train home with me!?!

This was one of the play structures they built for the kids to play on.  So much fun!

My son in midair, exiting one of the slides on the play structure and landing in a big corn pit.  When we got home and undressed him for his bath, a whole bunch of corn fell out of his pants.  I would think that would have been more than a little uncomfortable, but we even went to dinner after our trip to the farm and he never mentioned having corn in his pants!

My son showing of the pumpkin he painted at the Halloween event at Precious Beginnings and the Pumpkin Turkey he made at the Historical Societies fall event. At the Historical Society event, he took a hay ride, made the pumpkin turkey, enjoyed some cookies, and listened to some live music. 

This is Anthony attempting to begin the process of carving the pumpkins.  He asked me how to go about it.  I told him I didn't know and that I think we only carved pumpkins one year.  He said that his family only did it one year as well.  Let me tell, after this, we both know why each of our families only did it once!

Last but not least, Trick-or-Treating.  This year the kiddos were Thing 1 and Thing 2 (the Cat in the Hat's buddies).  My son didn't remember much about Trick-or-Treating last year.  When I told him all about it, his face instantly lit up (especially when I mentioned candy).  The poor kid was so confused though.  The first couple houses told him to take something back to the stroller for his little sister.  So he would pick something out for her and take it back to her pumpkin bucket in the stroller and drop it in.  Other people though wouldn't mention anything about taking something for his sister.  So after he picked something out for himself, he would stand there and stare at them and wait for them to say something.  He is so sweet and thoughtful!

This fall has certainly been really busy, but also so much fun!

Sincerely,
The-M-O-M

I Spy: The Story Time Edition

I decided to share my experience tonight of taking my son to story time as if I were playing "I spy"... because it is my blog... and because I can.

I spy...my son so excited about and engrossed in walking on the little strip of bricks on the sidewalk by the library that he nearly ran into a light pole.
I spy...my son dividing up the books we were returning equally between the two inside drop slots and then obsessively peeking over the edge to make sure they safely made it into the bin.

I spy...my son attempting to convince me that he needs to use the restroom (although he really doesn't, he just likes the fact the the library has restrooms he can use if he needs to and always wants to visit them).

I spy...my son nearly having a meltdown because he couldn't sit on the "A" on the alphabet train rug (because his name starts with A and he must sit on the A).

I spy...my son attempting to use the stapler to staple his shirt during craft time.

I spy...my son rubbing the glue stick on my shirt during craft time.

I spy...my son plowing over another kid while they "dance" during their music/dance time.

I spy...my son almost accidentally shutting a kid in the big wooden book that they open up for the kids to pick books from when story time is over (he absolutely must be the one to shut the book!).

I spy...my son trying to take off with our books we were going to check out while I speak to the nice librarian in the children's department.

I spy...my son dropping said books onto the floor.

I spy...my son being fascinated with the automatic doors on the way out.

Sincerely,
The Frazzled Mother

Solution To: Can You Repeat The Question?

Here is the original problem:

Here is the solution:

Sincerely,
The Math Freak

Can You Repeat The Question?

For all of my fellow math freaks out there, here is your problem of the week.

I'll explain the directions in a bit more detail using the example they gave you since it is a bit confusing.  In the example, there is a 0 in the first space on top and a 1 directly beneath it.  That means that 0 must appear exactly 1 time in the bottom row of numbers.  Similarly, there is a 2 directly beneath the 1 in the top row.  This means that the number 1 must appear exactly 2 times in the bottom row.

So your goal is to fill in the bottom row of numbers so that, when completed, every number in the top row appears the exact amount of times in the bottom row as the number directly beneath it.

Enjoy! And good luck!

Sincerely,
The Math Freak

The Kardashians Ain't Got Nothing On Us!

Sometimes I feel like I am filming a reality TV show because the things that happen are so ridiculous that it seems like it has to be a scripted moment on one of those shows.  Trust me, we have had more than our fair share of crazy things happen around here.  Just to warn you, if the talk of vomit makes you squeamish, I wouldn't read on!

Just yesterday evening, my son had the stomach flu.  I was in the basement on the computer getting ready to blog when I distinctly heard the sound of someone vomiting, followed by frantic running to the restroom, followed by Anthony yelling, "I need help!".

I run upstairs and snatch my daughter off the floor just as she was about to play in a pile of vomit.  I took her in her room and put her in her crib with a few toys so that I could begin cleanup without having to worry about her playing in it.  When I returned to the living room, I found our dog licking all the vomit up off of the floor.  It was simultaneously seriously gross and kind of nice.  It certainly meant less work for me as I now had less to cleanup.

Then later that evening, after my daughter was in bed and I had returned to the basement, I yet again heard my son vomiting and my husband yelling for help.  When I went upstairs, I found that, although there was a wastebasket right beside them, my son had vomited all over himself, my husband, my son's lovie, the couch, and the floor.  Oh yea, some of it did make it into the wastebasket.  Apparently, there was no warning, just spontaneous projectile vomiting which would explain why most of it didn't end up in the wastebasket. 

So I gathered up all the dirty laundry and took it to the basement to wash it immediately.  After Anthony had put my son to bed, he came downstairs and asked if his cell phone was in his jeans that I had taken.  I yelled, "I hope not!" and bolted into the laundry room.  I guess Anthony didn't expect me to wash the stuff right away, but I didn't want it sitting around.  I flung open the washer door and began searching the nasty vomit water in the washing machine for his cell phone.  Not like it mattered anyway, if it was in there, it was done for.  Fortunately it wasn't in there.  Then I proceeded to scrub my hands and arms down like I was surgeon prepping for surgery.  I'm determined not to get sick!

Sincerely,
The mom who said vomit more time than you probably cared to read!

Say What?

This Sunday while having lunch at a local pizza shop with my in-laws, my son said he needed to go to the bathroom.  My husband took him to the bathroom and then returned to the table.  We had finished our meal and were on our way out the door when my son said he need to go to the bathroom again.  As frustrating as it is, I didn't want to tell him he had to wait until we got home.  We worked hard to potty train him and emphasized the importance of him telling us when he needed to go, so it just seemed a bit wrong to tell him to hold it.

I took him to the bathroom this time.  When we got into the bathroom he said, "Mommy, I want to pee standing up".  So I explained to him that he wasn't tall enough to stand up and pee into the toilet.  Then he said, "But daddy let me stand up and pee in the other restroom".  So, I explained that he probably let him use the urinal and that girls bathrooms don't have urinals.  And then came the question that is so simple and yet so complicated...."Why?".

I tried to keep it simple.  "Girls can't stand to pee.  We have to sit, so we don't have urinals in our bathrooms."  But my son doesn't do simple.  "Why?", he asked.  He is nothing if not persistent.  So then I had to explain the difference between boys and girls to him.  I sure it won't be the last time. 

Our talk started me thinking about how fast he is growing up and how I never imagined having to explain some of the things that I have talked to him about so soon.  And before I know it will be time to the "The talk" if you know what I mean.  YIKES!  Can't they just stay little forever?

Sincerely,
The-M-O-M

Baby Miller #3?

I know many of you probably read the title and assumed that I would be announcing that I am pregnant with our third child.  And you would be right...NOT!  Sorry, no such announcement.  But the title did get you to my blog!  ;)

Before having kids, Anthony and I were pretty comfortable with the idea of three children.  Sometimes I would throw in an "or four", but I just don't see how that is even going to be possible, for a variety of reasons...but I'll save that for another post.  My thoughts on how many kids we would have has gone every which way the wind blows since first getting pregnant with my son. 

After I found out I was pregnant with my son, I suddenly wasn't sure I even wanted kids.  What if I wasn't ready to give up my free time?  What if I resented him for that?  After my son was born, I was adamant that we would only have one child.  I will admit that I may have uttered "Don't even think about it!  Don't look at me, don't touch me...another baby isn't happening!" on more than one occasion.  But between coming to terms with have an unexpected c-section, a long recovery, being hormonal, and being more tired than anyone should be for having just one baby, what would you expect me to say?  I slowly came around however.  The turning point for me was my son's first birthday.  In that moment, realizing that my baby wasn't a baby anymore, I had baby fever.  After the birth of my daughter, I actually immediately started talking about baby #3.  Going from one to two was worlds easier for me than going from none to one.  So I just thought, why not have another?

Since then, again, my feelings have wavered.  There are two of them, and two of us.  We get the experience of raising both a boy and a girl.  Sometimes, between working, running a household, having two young kids, and having a wretched dog who misbehaves whenever possible, I don't know how I could handle another child.  (That reminds me, we have a lovely dog free to a good home if you are interested!)

But that brings me to today.  Today my son asked if we could go for a walk.  So I loaded both kids up in the wagon and headed out on a walk around the block.  The way our wagon is set up, the kids face each other while sitting in it.  My daughter spent much of the ride staring at my son, taking in every thing he did and every words he spoke.  She loves to watch her big brother.  At one point my son said something that my daughter thought was hilarious.  So he kept repeating it so that she would keep laughing.  Half way around the block there is a steep hill that we go down.  I turned around to make sure that my daughter wasn't falling out of the wagon.  When I turned around I saw that my son had put his hands on my daughters waist to help hold there so she wouldn't fall forward. 

It was such a sweet moment.  Although they do get on each other's nerves, even at this young age, they genuinely love each other.  It is so fun to watch the two of them interact with each other.  Their love for one another has truly blessed our family.  Although Anthony and I have not made any decision on a third child yet, as I reflect on these sweet little moments, my heart melts a little and I think, how could I not want another?

Sincerely,
The Flip-Flopper

Operation Christmas Child

A few years ago I started taking part in Operation Christmas Child.  The organization Samaritan's Purse, a christian relief and evangelism organization, runs Operation Christmas Child.  This program uses the gift of a shoe box to demonstrate God's love to needy children all over the world and to share the good news of Jesus Christ (as stated on their website).

Before filling a shoe box, you have to decide whether or not you want to make one for a boy or a girl.  Then you have to decide on what age you are going to make one for.  The age categories are 2-4, 5-9, or 10-14.  Then you fill your shoes box with hygiene items, schools supplies, candy, and toys (and enclose a $7 dollar donation to help cover shipping of the shoe box).  Then find a drop of center to drop your shoe box off at.

I thought this year would be a good year to get my son involved.  This was a good opportunity to teach him about helping others, to spend time together, and to share something I am passionate about with him.  It wasn't just something that I could sit and tell him about, it was something he could actually help with.  I figure children are never to early to start getting involved and helping those in need.

First, I explained the concept to him.  I told him how he has nice clothes, a warm home, and food to eat, and that some kids don't have these things.  I also told him he has so many people in his life that love him and want to bless him with gifts (i.e. toys) and that there are children that don't have toys to play with.  Lastly, and most importantly, I told him that he is blessed to attend church and learn about Jesus and that not everyone knows Jesus. 

Oddly, he seemed to understand somewhat all that I explained to him.  Then I asked if he wanted to help me buy stuff to put in a box for a child somewhere so that they could have a special gift and learn about Jesus.  He was very excited about this.

So with that we set off to buy items for the boxes.  I was a little apprehensive about the second part of the project.  Would he loose sight of the goal and want to buy things for himself?  Would he be upset when we got home and he couldn't play with the toys we bought for the children?  But even if all that (and more) went wrong, it would be a good lesson for him to learn.

We went to the Dollar Tree and got a shopping cart.  He was excited to push it around the store.  They had candy up front, so he helped me pick some out and happily threw it into the cart.  The toys aisle came next.  He picked up anything and everything that looked interesting to him and kept saying, "The little boy would like this mommy!".  Unfortunately, not everything he picked up was appropriate for the age category we were doing or for the guidelines that Samaritan's Purse set.  So I tried to steer him towards certain items and let him pick the colors/characters that he wanted to send the kids.  All and all, he did surprisingly well (except for the part where he picked up a small bat and a bouncy ball, threw the ball into the air, swung at it, actually made contact, and sent the ball flying into one of the shelves...but I wasn't going to mention that).  He only asked for one thing while we were in the toy aisle.

Next we did school supplies which he actually liked to help pick out (since he is getting into coloring and doing crafts more and more).  Lastly, we did the hygiene items which he couldn't have cared less about.  At the checkout he did ask for candy.  When I told him he couldn't have any, he asked me why.  I reminded him that this shopping trip wasn't about him, it was about the kids we were sending shoe boxes to.  He actually left it at that.

Once home he was so excited to show Anthony all the stuff we had bought and then pack it into the shoe boxes.  He helped "pack" them (he just threw everything in, I had to go back and make everything actually fit in the box).

My son surprised me on so many levels.  His genuine excitement to buy stuff for the boxes was infectious, though I still wonder if he really understood we were helping others.  And I was surprised at how well he handled himself, hardly asking for anything for himself (which is hard for a kid, because everything is so "me" oriented at this age) and for not having a meltdown when he couldn't eat the candy or play with the toys we bought for the kids.  Maybe he is saving the tantrum for next year, or maybe he just understood more that I give him credit for and really wanted to help.  Regardless, I was really proud of him and I think it was a good first experience in giving back for him.

Here is what we did this year.  We packed two shoes boxes.  One for a girl (age 2-4) and one for a boy (age 2-4).  We bought all of our items at Dollar General.  I know that some people will read that and think we are being cheap, and that's fine if they want to think that.  Dollar general actually has quality (some name brand) hygiene items, candy, and school supplies, not really any different than what you would find at Walmart.  Toys can get a little questionable, but they do have great items (a lot of classic toys) if you just take the time to look at them.

We packed the same thing for the girl and the boy because, especially young children, really like a lot of the same things regardless of gender (though we bought different colors/characters based on gender and I did include some hair bows for the little girl).  Here is what we packed in our shoe boxes:

Wash Cloth
2 bars of Soap
2 toothbrushes
Toothpaste
Comb/Brush
Notebook
Pencil Case
Pencils
Erasers
Colored Pencils
Pencil Sharpener
Crayons
Candy
Car
Comeback Ball (ball with wrist strap on an elastic string)
Tambourine
Slinky
Top
Squishy/Puffer Ball
Mini Chalkboard with Chalk
Stuffed Animal
Bouncy Ball
Play-Doh
Jump Rope

I usually like to include a coloring book and a puzzle, but I couldn't find any that I liked this year.  There are two new things that I am excited about this year.  First, they have a sheet you can print out called "all about me".  Your child fills in the blanks and tells all about him/herself so that the child receiving the shoe box can learn about the person who sent it.  You can even include a picture and a mailing address so that the person can write back if possible.  Second, if you give your seven dollar donation online, they will e-mail you a special label with a bar code to put on your shoe box so that you can find out what country your shoe box went to.

If you would like more information on Operation Christmas Child, you can visit www.samaritanspurse.com/occ.  There you can find information on how to pack a shoe box, what to include (and not include), and where you can drop them off at.

Sincerely,
The mom who seriously hopes no one saw her child hit a ball in the store...sigh

Solution To: Better? Or Worse? That Is The Question.

Here is the original problem:

Is a 10% raise followed by a 10% cut in pay better, worse, or the same as a 10% cut followed by a 10% raise?

Does either of them yield the original salary?

Explain your answer. (Or better yet, prove you answer!)

 

Solution:

 

Both scenarios yeild the same salary in the end, though neighter of them yeild the original salary.

 

Proof:

 

Now you could just test out a couple of different salaries and come to the solution but that by no means proves that that solution would hold up for every given salary.  So here is a simple proof for you:

 

 

Let  x = any given salary such that x>0 and x is a real number.

 

First scenario:  Given x (our original salary), find x after a 10% raise followed by a 10% cut.

 

x     Given (our original salary)

1.1x  Receiving a 10% raise means we are receiving 110% of our original salary.  110% as a decimal
         is 1.1     Multiply x by 1.1 to get our salary after the raise.

(1.1x)(.9)  Receiving a 10% cut means we are receiving 90% of our salary.  90% as a decimal is .9 
                 Multiply our new salary by .9 to fund our salary after the pay cut.

.99x  Combine like terms and we find that after a 10% raise and then a 10% cut we are receiving 99%
         of our original salary.

 

Second scenario:  Given x, find x after a 10% cut followed by a 10% raise.

 

x

.9x

(.9x)(1.1)

.99x  Again, after a 10% cut followed by a 10% raise, we are receiving 99% of our original salary.

 

Therefore, neither yeild the original salary, they both yeild the same salary, and either way you are getting the shaft.

 

Hopefully none of my math professors read this...that is one sloppy proof.

 

See you next week with another problem.

 

Sincerely,
The Math Freak



Better? Or Worse? That Is The Question.

Here is your problem of the week.  As promised, no tricks this week!  Good luck!

Is a 10% raise followed by a 10% cut in pay better, worse, or the same as a 10% cut followed by a 10% raise?

Does either of them yield the original salary?

Explain your answer.  (Or better yet, prove you answer!)

As always, I will post the answer on Sunday.  Enjoy!

Sincerely,

The Math Freak

What's So Wrong with Halloween Anyway?

In my humble opinion, Halloween gets a bad wrap.  I don't think there is anything wrong with Halloween in and of itself.  When done correctly, Halloween (and trick-or-treating) can be a great, age appropriate activity.

Growing up in the public schools, we used to have Halloween parties.  Facing increased pressure from Christian parents, the name was changed to harvest festivals (or something along those lines).  Eventually, they (I believe) put the kabosh to all of the Halloween festivities.

I understand these Christian parents concerns.  As a Christian parent myself, there are aspects of Halloween that I don't care for and don't want my children taking part in.  But I think trying to completely avoid all Halloween activities to avoid exposing your children to certain things is ridiculous.

First of all, you can't enter a grocery store, Walmart, etc. without likely exposing your child to some of the more questionable aspects of Halloween.  Second, I don't believe in overly sheltering my children.  At some point, children need to be exposed to different view points and lifestyles.  It opens the door for discussion on what your family believes and why and how to deal with people whose views differ from yours.  Third, almost everything in this world has both good and bad components to it.  Have you completely cut out TV, the Internet, music, video games, books, magazines, etc. from your children's lives?  I highly doubt it.  All of the aforementioned things can be great.  You just have to use common sense and be guide for your children and supervise their use of such materials.

I think the same applies to Halloween.  Am I going to let my children go to haunted houses?  No.  Am I going to let them dress up as the Devil, or a witch, etc.?  No.  But do I think there is anything fundamentally wrong with letting my child dress up in a cute costume and go door to door for candy?  No.  And I intend on letting my children do it.

This year I made them Thing 1 and Thing 2 costumes and I am so excited!

Sincerely,
The Mother of Thing 1 and Thing 2

Oh Yes They Call Him The Streak

So at lunch with the in-laws on Sunday after church, the song "The Streak" came up.  I think my sister-in-law started singing in, not really sure though.  Anyway, I think they had the song on a record or a tape, so that's how all of them know of it.  I know of it because my Grandma had a Ray Stevens video that my brother and I used to watch when we were little.  This song is completely and utterly ridiculous, but good for a laugh.  It always makes me chuckle.  So if you have 4 minutes to waste and to sit around and become just a little more stupid for having watched something, then by all means enjoy!



Sincerely,
"The Streak"er Watcher

Random Realizations

It was a fun and busy weekend for us.  Here are some of the random things I realized this weekend:

1.  I realized that I cherish my children's dark clothing because regardless of what is plastered all over it, I can just throw it in the wash and rest assured that it will be stain free since the dark color will hide any stains (yes, I know that was the longest run-on sentence ever).  I loathe white shirts.  If I could have any super power, it would be to fight stains (or perhaps it would be to make a maid appear at any given time...hmmm...I'll have to think about that one).

2.  I realized that I am not very lady-like.  I was always more of a tomboy growing up.  Part of it was I liked sports and just wasn't into all the girly stuff but the other part of it was I was chubby and never felt very girly or pretty.  Sadly, I have always kind of felt out of place.  I have, over the years, made some attempt to be more girly and lady-like.  But it's a two-step forwards, one-step back sort of thing.  For instance, I put on a skirt for church and I don't wear skirts/dresses very often.  So, without thinking, I got into the car the way I always do.  I was happy that there weren't paparazzi following me around as I got into the car to go to church as I may have had a Britney Spears / Paris Hilton moment, if you know what I mean (except i was actually wearing underwear like one should be, just to clarify).  Fortunately, my lapse in judgment didn't happen at church, that could have been rather scandalous.  And then I began to think I wasn't cut out for this grily stuff.  But once I arrived home from church I realized that the shoes I had been wearing nearly gave me blisters.  Then I thought to myself, "It was totally worth it because I looked really cute."  Yep, I am 100% girl through and through.

3.  I realized that I am the type of parent that believes that my children are no more special than anyone else's and that my children should follow the rules set by the places we go even if that makes them upset and I have to remove them from the situation.  On two separate occasions this weekend, I realized that some parents do not feel this way and believe that there kids should be allowed to do whatever they want to because that makes their life and job (as parents) much easier.  I don't mean to sound like I am judging, because I'm not, but their ideas on parenting irk me to no end.

4.  It is difficult to resolve an issue that really has no compromise.  You can't have half of a dog, it just doesn't work like that. 

Sincerely,
The-M-O-M

Solution To: What Kind of Math Is This Anyway?

Here is the original problem:

 

Find the pattern of the following set of numbers:

8, 5, 4, 9, 1, 7, 6, 3, 2

 

 

Here is the solution:

 

The pattern is:  They are in alphabetical order.

 

BWAHAHAHAHAHAH!!!!!!!  When I told Anthony what the answer is, he said, "That's just not even right!"  I think it's safe to say he wasn't amused.  But now maybe the title makes more sense, and the fact that I said to think outside of the box makes more sense, and also that I said some of you may wish to cause me bodily harm upon finding out the answer makes more sense.  See how it all comes together. 

 

Ok, so maybe this one wasn't that fair.  But math isn't just about the math.  It's also about fostering critical thinking and problem solving skills (that's the teacher in me talking). 

 

Anyway, I will come back with a less tricky one next week.

 

Sincerely,

The Math Freak

What Kind of Math Is This Anyway?

Here is your Problem of the Week.

Find the pattern of the following set of numbers:

8, 5, 4, 9, 1, 7, 6, 3, 2

Just as a hint, you may want to think outside of the box.  And many of you who don't figure it out may wish to cause me bodily harm (just kidding, I hope so anyway) after I tell you what the answer is.  ;)  That's ok though, it just means I am doing my job and making you think!

Sincerely,

The Math Freak



Chicken Minestrone Soup

I made this Chicken Minestrone Soup for my grandparents a couple of weeks ago and wanted to share the recipe with you.  I realize that the "soup" on the end of the title is a bit redundant, since anyone who knows anything about Minestrone would know that it is in fact soup.  But I figured that a lot of people (assuming they were like me a few years ago) had never even heard of it...so I added it for clarity.

This soup is easy, delicious, hearty, wholesome, and just makes you feel warm and good inside (did I give you enough adjectives?).  If you have tried my other soup recipes thus far, you may have noticed that my soups aren't very "soupy".  Anthony and I prefer our soups to have more of a stew consistency or at the very least, a "stoup" consistency (to borrow a word from Rachel Ray's lexicon).

Here's what you need to make it:

1 lb. chicken, cooked and shredded

2 - 14 1/2oz cans diced tomatoes with basil, garlic, and oregano

6 C. chicken broth

2 medium zucchinis

1 16oz can kidney beans, rinsed and drained

1 1/2 C uncooked shell pasta (or any type of pasta)

Here's how you make it:

1.  Bring a large pot of water to a boil.

2.  As the water comes to a boil, cut your zucchinis into chunks.

3.  When the water is boiling, add the pasta and zucchini to the water.  Cook until both are tender. 
     Drain the excess water.

4.  In the large pot with the pasta and zucchini, add the chicken, tomatoes, broth, and beans.

5.  Heat through and serve.

View Printable Recipe

I often cooked my chicken during the day in the crockpot while I am at work so I don't have to babysit the chicken as it cooks.  It just adds unnecessay time and work to this meal to cook the chiken in a pan right before I make the soup.  But you can do it however works for you.  Also, this recipe makes a bunch, so I usually freeze some for later.

Enjoy!

Sincerely,

The Stoup Maker



Halloween: The 2010 Edition

With Halloween fast approaching, I thought I would blog about Halloween costumes.  I have decided, once again, to make my children's Halloween costumes.  This year's costumes aren't quite ready yet, so I thought I would blog about my son's costume from last year.

I was looking for a costume online when I fell in love with a Sock Monkey costume.  Of course they only sold it in one size, a size that would not fit my son.  My heart was totally set on this adorable costume.  The more I looked at it the more I thought it really didn't look that complicated.  So I set out to make one myself.

It was pretty simple actually.  I went to a thrift store and bought a Men's XL sweater in the color I wanted his monkey to be.  I also bought a red sweater and a white sweater to do the rest of the monkey.  I was lucky enough to find a sweater the had a button opening at the top.  I made the side with the opening the back.  Having the button opening made getting him in and out of his costume possible.

I am not much of a sewer, so I made it as easy on myself as possible.  I turned the sweater inside out.  I placed a pair of my son's pajamas that he fit in at the moment on top of the sweater (so that the neck hole on the sweater lined up with the neck hole on his jammies and so that the jammies were centered on the sweater).  Then I placed pins along the perimeter of the jammies to mark where I wanted the hem of his costume to be.  Then I simply sewed along the pins that outlined his jammies.  Cut away the excess material, turn right side out, and you have an instant costume.  Well, somewhat.

To make the multi colored hat and tail, I sewed a piece of white sweater and an extra piece (what I cut away) of the other sweater together.  For the tail, I folded the material in half (inside out) and then free handed the tail as I sewed.  It's basically just a long strip, not too complicated.  For the hat, I folded the material (inside out) and then placed a hat that I knew fit my son's head on top of it.  Using the same method for the hat as I did the main part of the costume, I used pins to outline the hat.  These pins marked where I wanted to sew to make is monkey hat.

The I cut out the white and red pieces for the face and butt.  I used iron-on adhesive to secure these pieces since the stitching would be noticable in these areas and again, I am not a good sewer.  I cut out little half circles for the ears and hand sewed those onto the hat.  Then I just attached some buttons for eyes and found some white gloves.

And Voila!  A cute, affordable costume.

Sincerely,
The Do-It-Yourself-er