Thanksgiving!

Today is Thanksgiving - A time to give thanks for all we have - A time to count our blessings.  I am thankful to have a partner who loves and puts up with me.  I am thankful for a healthy, happy and active 2 year old.  I am thankful for my loving family.  I am thankful for the roof over my head, and the food we eat every day.  I am thankful for my health and the ability to be creative. 

Protect against abuse

I sometimes worry about child abuse.  Why?  Because I know people who were abused as kids.  And it wasn't by a stranger.  It was by family members or family friends.  It isn't a topic most people want to discuss but it is important to be aware.  This was posted on Facebook recently so I wanted to share the link.  I think it has some sound points. 

http://babyandblog.com/2013/10/6-ways-to-protect-your-child-from-sexual-abuse/

This is a summary of the points in DeAnna's blog post:

1. Refer to your child’s body parts by their correct anatomical terms.
2. Always allow your child to choose when to show affection–Never force him to be affectionate towards anyone.
3. Stop telling your child to, “Be good.”
4. Let your child know that he can always come to talk to you about ANYTHING.
5. Know that potential abusers may not be who you’d expect.
6. Handle your business.
6 1/2. Reach out to others.     

While you may not be able to prevent a situation like this from happening, it is really important to establish open lines of communication with your child so he or she will always feel safe confiding in you in case something like this does occur.  

Traveling without pants

We flew to England last week and flew back home this past Sunday.  I was worried traveling with a 2 year old but since he had his own seat, it was actually a bit easier then when we traveled last year when he sat in our laps. On the way there, he slept, lying across the seats, no problem. It was a red eye after all.  The visit was great. It was nice to see him playing with his cousins, getting into toddler trouble.  They were all so cute. I was a little stressed making sure he wasn't touching objects, opening doors and drawers that he shouldn't be in since the in-laws' house isn't child proof so it's easy access to all. But I don't think he broke anything.  Thank goodness. 

We packed a back pack for our little one's entertainment for the long travel which included little toys like a slinky, key rings, coloring book, crayons, silly putty, and a little fire truck. And you can't forget snacks like raisins, granola bars, cheddar bunnies, crackers and fruit chews which are good for take off and landing in place of gum. We didn't even use half the stuff.  Like I mentioned earlier, he fell asleep on the way there.  On the way back, he had Monster's University on demand, and he did doze off for a bit, and he's really into coloring, so that was most of his entertainment. 

We had quite the scare on the way home.  2 hours before we were set to arrive at JFK, our son began having a seizure...eyes rolling back, stiff body, arms shaking.  I was freaked out (although my husband mentioned I seemed really calm - a weird trait that I have - someone mentioned this to me at work once too).  We called a stewardess for help.  We brought our son to the back of the plane where the stewardess laid down a blanket and some pillows for him. She got some oxygen to give him and ice water and face towels so we could sponge him off to lower his temperature.  After the crazy convulsions stopped, he proceeded to throw up, so we turned him on his side.  She took his pulse which felt to me like it was racing - not sure what it ended up being, and took his temperature which was normal.  The stewardess was very calming and assured us that this was a common occurrence in children.  I saw no panic in her face which helped make me feel slightly better although I felt like the world had stopped.  She thought it was a febrile seizure which occurs when there is a spike in someone's temperature, although he didn't have a fever before or have a cold.  I think he must have just overheated somehow. They lowered the cabin temperature from 24 to 20 Celsius, and looked for a place to set up a bed.   My hubby put the oxygen mask near our son's mouth and that seemed to jolt him awake.  Then he kind of fell asleep.  We sat him up and he threw up again.  He was really groggy.  The staff was nice to give us a night shirt because stupidly enough this time around, I did not pack any spare clothes for him.  And now there was puke everywhere.  The bed they set up was in first class.  Nice,  never had the luxury of being in first class before but would rather not have the circumstance that brought us there. They were able to find 3 free seats close together and so we all moved our stuff to first class.  Our little one was crying at first but then I calmed him down and he fell asleep.  I didn't notice at first since I was so concerned with the baby, but Samuel L. Jackson was sitting right next to where the baby was sleeping. Whoa. Crazy.   BTW, First Class got a formal tea/selection of sandwiches for "breakfast", french pressed coffee, even a bar to sit at.  I think economy got a coffee cake our something like that.  And their seats lay totally flat if you wanted with a nice foot stool with fluffy pillows and comforters.  When we were about to land, our son had to sit on one of our laps.  My husband took the honors.  They let us keep the blanket over our son's legs so he wouldn't be cold. Poor little one. He ended up throwing up again all over the comforter, hubby's jeans and the seat.  Oops.

We weren't sure if we should take him to the ER or wait until the next day to bring him to our pediatrician.  We called our pediatrician's office and the answering service suggested we come into the office for a check up on Monday morning since he seemed normal at the time we called.  I couldn't even sleep that night.  I kept checking to make sure he was ok and not feverish and not having any seizures.  In the morning, I made an appointment for 9AM.  The doctor checked him out and all vitals seemed fine.  She said she also suspected that it was a febrile seizure but she couldn't say for sure what caused it.  So now we just have to keep watch and notify them if it happens again.  She did mention that any seizure that lasts 5 minutes or longer, you should call 911 or get him to the ER asap.  She mentioned if he has a seizure and both arms aren't moving in the same direction, it is also a cause for concern and would need to be evaluated.  Also if this is a febrile seizure, it is likely it will occur again if he has a spike in temperature.  Ah the joys of parenthood.

Life is precious

Today my uncle passed away.  He was having heart  & kidney issues and the doctors determined he needed triple bypass surgery.  But for some odd reason, the hospital sent him home because they said he was too weak for surgery and needed to strengthen up. Huh? I assume in the US they would have kept him in the hospital under observation until he was strong enough to be operated on since he was in such a delicate condition.  Anyway, my uncle went home and a couple of days later he was comatose so they took him back to the hospital last night and he died this morning.  What the heck happened? In the U.S., a family would sue for malpractice probably. In the Philippines, it seems like it is what it is.  Something isn't taken care of properly and you just deal.  I feel so helpless. I can't even imagine what my dad or his siblings are feeling right now as none of them were there.  We're all here in the U.S. and he was in the Philippines. I don't even know if my dad was able to talk to his bro while he was ill but still alive.  I don't know how to feel.  I wasn't that close to him as I've only visited a handful of times and he was quiet like most of my dad's family is, so it's kind of hard to get to know someone well. But that seems to be the way for most of family.  In the Philippines, you don't need to know someone well - they're still your family.  Anyhow, it's always easy for the one that leaves this world because I believe they are at peace. It's always harder for the people they leave behind.   I just hope my family makes it through alright.  It's their first sibling to pass away.  Not only is it heartbreaking to lose a brother, but it also can make you feel your own mortality.

On another note, one of my cousins became a grandma the same day my uncle passed away.  So I can see the cycle of life continuing...

Organics Recycling

So NYC has started this test program for organics recycling - any food products or paper product that has been contaminated by food can be thrown in the brown recycling bin that they provide.  The organics will be collected at the same time as the other regular recyclables and I assume the waste will be composted.  A city composting program.  Who would have thought?  I thought it would only happen for people with backyards and now me an apartment city dweller can partake in the benefits of composting.  I like the idea of it.  For my apartment building, they dropped off 2 brown recycling bins, and within the bins were little mini bins that each apartment can use to store their organics in.  It does get a bit messy and a bit smelly but I am putting brown paper bags to good use.  As you know, any paper product that has food on it cannot normally be recycled because it is considered contaminated...bacteria and the such.  This new program allows for you to recycle food scraps plus any paper product that has touched food such as a burger wrapper, dirty napkins or a pizza box. I know they rolled out the program in South Slope, Brooklyn.  I'm not sure where else they are testing it out.  I think this is a great concept and I'm glad the mayor decided to try it out to see if it works.  At least I feel I am helping to reduce the waste that I am producing if only by a little bit.  Now the kid's diapers.  That's another story.  Sorry landfills..well until he's finally potty trained..

mess

So it's that time of year when everyone catches a cold because the change in temps from Summer to Fall have finally arrived.  I caught a really nasty cold.  It started Thursday.  I'm not sure if I caught a warped version of my son's runny nose because he wasn't coughing much, but I am coughing up a lung and have a nasty sore throat.  Yesterday I was tired and wanted to just take it easy and lie on the couch.  While I was lying there, my son decided to ransack the entire living room...Cleaning this up was not what I wanted to do when I wasn't feeling so hot.  This picture doesn't even show the pile up of legos he had on the left near the sofa.  I mean really...I had already put away his stuffed animals once that morning, and then this.  I swear sometimes I feel like I'm just a full time maid constantly cleaning up after him.  He hasn't quite gotten the concept of cleaning up.  Or maybe he knows mommy will do it if I just stare at her blankly for a few minutes when she is trying to coax me to help with the mess. 

Monsters on Repeat

So my little one has reached a phase where he wants to watch the same video over and over again.  It reminds me of my sis who made me watch Sound of Music and a Care Bears movie we had on VHS over and over and over again.  His chosen movie is Monsters, Inc.  Sadly I only had 2 cartoons in my dvd collection.  It was Monsters, Inc. vs. Kung Fu Panda and it looks like Monsters, Inc. totally won out.  Kung Fu Panda was a little violent for him anyway as I see how he imitates what he sees on screen.  I'd rather he not try to jump kick me in the face.  I mean this kid is all video'd out.  Not only does he have Monster's Inc on replay but he also still has his roster of youtube cartoons that he likes to watch: Pocoyo, Peppa Pig, Mother Goose Club, Caillou (who I find really whiny and annoying).  I know he really shouldn't watch so much of this stuff.  Maybe I need to be more regimented about what he does.  I mean my hubby's bro only let's his kids watch 10-15 minutes of tv a day.  Now that is regimented.

I made German Apple Cake the other day.  I got the recipe from the below link.
http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/German-Apple-Cake-I/Detail.aspx?evt19=1 
I chopped up 3 fairly large apples, used 1/2 a cup of oil, 1 1/2 cup sugar (I used brown sugar for the 1/2 a cup of sugar instead of regular), I also used 3 tsp of cinnamon like one of the commenters suggested instead of the original recipe and I also put it into a bundt pan and it came out pretty darn good.  There was a suggestion to add a caramel sauce but considering every time I bake anything, my son eats it 24/7, I was trying to make this as healthy as possible so I left out any sauce or icing.  My son and my hubby like it, so it's a winner.

I tried a healthier version of carrot cake and also one of apple cake using apple sauce instead of oil but for some reason to me, there was a dirt like aftertaste (not that I eat dirt regularly but it had an aftertaste of how potted soil smells).  When I cooked the above German Apple Cake using oil, there was no trace of that "dirt" like taste.

Playground Politics

Today my little one was at the playground staring into this hypnotic circle thing that spins round and round by someone who turns it on the other side.  A little girl came by and wanted to stand right in front of it and put her hands on it.  So of course my son wanted to do the same.  But I could tell she did not want to share the space.  I don't know exactly what she said because I wasn't close enough to hear but I could see she was trying to block him and get him to go away.  But he's pretty persistent.  She then started to physically push him away.  And he went right back to stand next to her.  It was weird because she let this other little girl stand next to her and touch the circles but she was totally anti my son doing the same.  When she pushed him hard enough so that he fell to the ground, I thought that was a bit far so I pulled him up to his feet to take him away and I told the little girl that that wasn't very nice and that she shouldn't be shoving other people.  No parent/caretaker seemed to be around for her.  But I tried to drag my son away and he got upset and started crying.  There were other caretakers there who said I shouldn't move him away but speak to the girl to make her understand she should share the space and let others play there.  I just wanted to avoid conflict with a 3 year old or however old she was.  Am I gearing him up to get bullied in the future because I didn't try to make him stand his ground?  I just felt so awful he got pushed and I felt like he didn't understand why he got shoved to the ground.   Eventually he did stand there again.  The bully little girl went somewhere else to play and eventually he lost interest and we decided to go home.  But it really did just break my heart.  I don't want my kid bullied when he gets older and is alone at school or whatever.  I won't be there to watch over him.  I don't want to have to worry about that.  I also don't want him to be the bully because might that happen if he gets shoved around enough? 

A Healthy Snack Alternative?

So I enjoy baking and have been baking more since I have been unemployed.  I'm getting a bit worried because it's already been almost 6 months and I think my unemployment insurance might run out or get cut which will make things really difficult.  Anyway, last week I baked Peanut Butter Cookies and the little one scarfed several cookies down daily.  I think I managed to eat 1 or 2 and he practically ate all the rest by himself.  While it's good to know he was eating wholesome ingredients, these cookies did have a lot of sugar - brown sugar and regular sugar.  So I searched the net for a healthier alternative for a cookie and found this:
2 Ingredient Cookies

I had these old bananas and did not feel like making another Banana Bread which is also something that my little one will scarf down in seconds.  These cookies just have Banana and Instant Oatmeal in them.  I used 3 bananas instead of 2 and added more oatmeal to make up for it.  I also added a tsp of vanilla and tsp of cinnamon along with a small box of raisins.  I have yet to taste them but with no added sugar, I think these are a really good alternative for a snack for both kids and adults.  They were so easy to make but I have yet to actually taste them...The true test will be if the little man likes them. 

Remembering 9/11

Today is the anniversary of 9/11.  It happened in 2001 - 12 years ago today.  As a New Yorker, you can ask anyone what they were doing that day and for sure they will remember.  Ask me about another date in 2001 and I  probably can't give you any specific details but 9/11 for sure I do remember.  I was already at work on the 12th floor of 230 Fifth Avenue.  Someone from our Chile office called me to ask what was going on and I didn't know because I hadn't heard anything.  They knew before me and I was in NY?!!  It took about 15 minutes after the 2nd building collapsed for my radio station to go into Emergency mode, but still we were all confused about what just happened.  And no one knew what it was.  Was is an accident?  Was is a terrorist attack?  I think in Chile they already labelled it as a terrorist act.  I was feeling pretty numb.  I told her I would call her back when I found out what happened.  I checked with my coworkers to see if they had heard anything and I remember my coworker telling me that our coworker was driving into work and he called the office because he could see a plane crashing into the building and I think he turned right around and headed home.  I couldn't believe the buildings I walked towards every day and saw in the skyline just disappeared.  You can never really forget a day that changed the way you think about life.  I always felt safe in NY and in America.  It was the first time I really did feel a sense of fear and uneasiness.  It was really chaotic because we didn't know what was going on and it was of course so unexpected.  Although I did not lose any family or friends that day, we all felt the tragedy and felt pride in the courageous heroism that took place that day.  On that day and for many weeks after, I really feel like New Yorkers were one, united.  Yes, they say everyone was just a little bit nicer.  We eventually went back to our normal selves but you saw the compassion.  Our office did not close that day...they just left us to do what we wanted.  I stayed until 5.  My cousin was leaving early around noon to catch the metro north.  She called me to see if I wanted to head home with her.  But I really felt nervous and I didn't want to rush home.  I know most people wanted to get out of the city as fast and as far out as possible.  Her brother worked at the Twin Towers so I was really scared about that and I couldn't get in touch with him, but I found out later that he didn't even go to work that day..he was running late and his boss called him to not bother coming in because of what was happening...There was a lot of Fate that came into play that day.  I hung out with my friend for little bit before heading home.  I took the metro north and it was pretty quiet by the time I was on the train.  I remember my mom being really upset that I wasn't going home right away but I needed to take my time.  I remember there were about 5 of us in my train car.  A man was a few rows behind me and he was crying the whole ride up.  I think someone asked him if he was alright and he nodded his head, but I wasn't sure what to do to comfort him.  When I arrived at my station, there was a cop there handing out waters at the top of the stairwell.  And what did he say?  He said, "Welcome home." and it really touched me.  I really felt like breaking down and crying when he said that.  I will never forget it because there were so many people who were not able to arrive home that day. 

British vs American English - another strange difference

So I discovered another term that the Brits use differently than us.  I mentioned before for Halloween we wear costumes.  The British call it fancy dress.  When I hear fancy dress, I think formal attire so if I was invited to a fancy dress party, I would be totally wearing a cocktail dress instead of a zombie outfit.  Now I found out they call bathing suits and swim trunks a swimming costume thanks to watching Peppa Pig with my son.  Interesting!

Peppa Pig - Swimming!

speech and potty

So we took our little one to his 2 year old check up and they said he should get evaluated for a speech delay.  Apparently by 2, you should have 50 words in your vocabulary and start combining 2 words together, like "mommy up" or "daddy go".  Our NP had said they should speak 20-30 words by now but the evaluator mention only 20-30 words at this age would be a concern.  Our son doesn't speak any words really.  He tends to drag us and point to what he wants.   He has lately been saying mama and dada more but he still doesn't say it to call me and get my attention.  He just says it when he sees me.  He says random words every now and then and does babble in his own lingo.  Anyway, after the evaluation by the specialist and a speech pathologist, they felt he wouldn't qualify for early intervention because he is only delayed in one area which is actual speech.  Usually to qualify they need to be delayed in at least 2 areas so typically the child would have a delay in speech and and in speech cognition but our son seemed to be fine in everything else they examined.  We didn't get the final report yet, but that's where we stand as of now.  I'm thinking he's just a late speaker.  He is able to communicate his needs even if he isn't actually talking.  We'll just need to keep encouraging him to repeat sounds and words even if he doesn't reply necessarily.

My next big challenge will be potty training.  I have no clue where to begin.  I was waiting for him to be able to talk so he can let us know when he has to go, but with his delay in speech, I'm thinking we shouldn't wait for that.  I saw this great product on line that I think will be useful. For boys, it might be a little messy to use but a porto-potty for toddlers sounds perfect to have when traveling outside the house and you can use at home as well.  I haven't purchased it yet but it's on my wishlist. 

http://www.amazon.com/Kalencom-2-in-1-Potette-Plus-Blue/dp/B0016L0MMS/ref=wl_it_dp_o_pC_nS_nC?ie=UTF8&colid=2J9LWBHE8JCB5&coliid=I24PSJB43JNVG3

I already purchased a cushioned potty seat for our house toilet.  I have yet to have him try and use it.  I think I may introduce him to the potty by showing it to him and letting him sit on it and see how it goes.  I've already spoken to him about being a big boy and using the big boy toilet so at least it's in his head.  I'm not sure if he comprehends what I'm saying but he is pretty good in that respect.

Bia! Bia! Bia!

Can a kid be even more cute then they already are? 3rd he was playing the "Let's Dance" game again on the wii. The song was Rihanna's "Umbrella".  First he made me get him the compact green umbrella so he could follow along with the choreography. Then he appeared to be singing along.  "Bia! Bia! Bia!" Umbrella..ella..eh eh..he says that sound often but I didn't know it meant anything. Now I see he was saying umbrella..wha? Can all his gibberish actually be a very warped English? Anyway, it was so adorable to see him dancing around with his umbrella and actually trying to sing along with the song. I need to find me a translator!!

not so baby anymore :(

when people say time flies and you better enjoy it while he's still a baby, they're not kidding.  I look at my son now and he's no longer looking like an infant.  He's looking like a full grown little boy.  I noticed his feet have gotten way bigger.  They are no longer the cute little tiny feet you wanted to kiss and eat up.  They are now pretty sturdy pudgy feet that are constantly padding around the apartment floor.  (sorry neighbors downstairs, not sure how loud it sounds to them.) Although, I still think his feet are cute.  He no longer bobbles when he walks.  He's pretty steady now. And since he has a full set of teeth minus the back molars - that really makes him look like a big boy as well.  I look back at his photos and videos and all I can say is "aww my little pudge pudge is not so little anymore."

almost 2!

My baby boy is almost 2.  I can't believe it.  He still doesn't talk that much.  He can say mama and dada on demand now.  But he still doesn't really call me "mama" directly.  He recognizes and understands so many things though.  It's amazing.  There's this book we read him - Sesame Street Book of Opposites and he turns lights on and off to demonstrate what's happening in the book.  They mention old and new / dirty and clean sneakers and he'll grab his dad's sneakers and bring them to me when we reach that part of the story.  It's so cute.  We try to get him to say thank you and he'll imitate our intonation but it doesn't exactly sound like thank you..more guttural sounds than actual words.  Shouldn't he be talking more by now?  I guess he'll go at his own pace.  The important thing is he is comprehending what we are saying.  Like when he screams at a restaurant and we tell him he shouldn't scream - he'll scream more.  Ah, the terrible two's.  I would be more worried if he didn't understand and react to what we tell him or talk to him about.  His personality definitely shines through though, even without speech.

He's a pretty stubborn kid.  He definitely wants to do the things you tell him not to do.  Stop turning the light on and off..He'll continue to do so.  Stop pulling the leaves off the plant.   He'll shake the plant even more.  Please stop jumping on the sofa..he'll keep running back and forth on the sofa.  I tried the time out thing and he doesn't want to sit in place or he just laughs and thinks it's a joke.  Is he too young to understand time out?  Sometimes he knows he shouldn't do something like wreak havoc on the plant or shake the floor lamp and when we say, "Do you want to go to timeout?"  He'll go over to the time out chair and sit himself on it for like 2 or 3 seconds.  I think he thinks it's ok now to do something bad as long as he sits on the chair for a few seconds after.  So that whole time out thing isn't working.  There's got to be a more effective way to discipline him, but we still need to figure it out.  I don't want to ignore his bad behaviors or we'll have a raucous little crazy kid who does whatever he wants. 

are you there God, it's me marg..er cheryl?

So I've been on the job hunt for about 4 months now and have had only 1 interview so far.  I was rejected for a 2nd interview and I've gotten about 4 rejections without any interview at all..not qualified or better qualified person got the job, etc., etc.  I've sent out so many resumes - mostly without any response back that I'm happy to get a rejection notice because at least they're considerate enough to let you know the position has been filled. 

Now seems the perfect opportunity to perhaps go back to school and maybe improve my skills or go in a different direction all together.  The question is what is the right direction to go in? Should I be more practical and pursue maybe nursing or accounting?  Those jobs seem to always be in demand.   I shouldn't be approaching 40 and still questioning my life's goals, should I?  I've always wanted a career in art/design but it was never really encouraged..Is it my time now or am I too old to be even thinking about that?  And with over 10 years experience in sourcing and importing, I mean shouldn't I be qualified for the jobs I have been applying for?  What the heck do you need?  Lame. 

i won a million bucks!! ha not

This morning I woke up to find an email letting me know that I won some money in a lottery I never entered. Wow!  How could that possibly be?  My loser's luck must be changing.  Haha.  Is there a way to catch these crooks?  I hope no one gets swindled by these types of messages and gives away any of their personal or bank info! 

From: Promotions Manager <inforugby1@info.com>
To:
Sent: Wednesday, July 3, 2013 1:20 AM
Subject: Congratulation your email address has won

VODA SUPER RUGBY LOTTERY

LOTTERY HEADQUARTERS: PRETORIA .

SOUTH AFRICA,

 

REFERENCE NUMBER: VODA/567809261/13

BATCH NUMBER: SA/2013/VODA

 

Dear Lucky Winner,

 

We are pleased to notify you the draw of the VODA SUPER RUGBY LOTTERY SA, Online Sweepstakes International Lottery Program. Participants were selected through a computer ballot system drawn from a pool of over 25,000 email addresses drawn from Europe, America, Asia, Australia, New Zealand, Middle-East, parts of Africa, and North & South America as part of our international promotions programme conducted annually to encourage prospective overseas entries.

 

The result of our computer draw (578) selected your email address attached to e-ticket number: 87652 with Serial number 2345/13 drew the lucky numbers: 31. 40. 8. 20. 6 (11 Bonus Ball), which subsequently won you the lottery in the 1st category i.e. match 3 plus bonus. You have therefore been approved to claim a total sum of $1,500,000 (One Million Five Hundred Thousand United States Dollars) in cash credited to file 2013/547823/VODA.

 

Your prize award will be insured in your name. To begin your claims therefore, you are advised to expeditiously contact our licensed and accredited claim agent for Overseas Lottery Winners within a period of 12 days (date of this e-mail inclusive).

 

Please be informed that claims not processed within the stipulated period may be forfeited to the pool without further notice.

 

Our agent will immediately commence the process to facilitate the release of your funds as soon as you contact him. You may wish to establish contact via e-mail with the particulars presented below citing the batch and reference numbers to this letter between the hours of 8.00am - 7.30pm on Monday through Saturday.

 

Note that the above Claims Form should be filled and returned immediately to the under listed approved officer to foster the release of your Winning Prize. To claim your cash prize please contact claims Officer Mrs. Sandra Thomas immediately for more information.

 

Overseas Claims Agent

VSR Lottery claims department.

Contact Person: Mrs. Sandra Thomas

Email: vodasuperrugby@worker.com

==========================================================================================

Our winners are assured of the utmost standards of confidentiality, and press anonymity until the end of proceedings, and beyond where they so desire. Be further advised to maintain the strictest level of confidentiality until the end of proceedings to circumvent problems associated with fraudulent claims. This is part of our precautionary measure to avoid double claiming and unwarranted abuse of this program.

CONGRATULATIONS!!!

Yours faithfully,

Mr. Lee Johnson, Network Online Coordinator.

© Copyright 2007-2013 the VODA SUPER RUGBY LOTTERY Inc. All rights reserved. Terms of Service - Guideline

life cycle

We're coming to that age where the fate of our parents is unknown.  My friend's father just passed away a few days ago.  You never really know what the future holds for us or for our parents or for our children for that matter.  But our parents aren't getting any younger.  It just makes you realize you do really need to appreciate your parents while they are here.  My mother and I have always had a volatile relationship.  For some reason, there are certain things that she says or does that make me regress back to my teenage years where I blow up in my mother's face like a raging volcano.  She has a way of hitting a nerve.  But I really should try to get past that and try to be an adult and be civil and kind and respectful.  It's hard to bite my tongue sometimes though.  Or I am clearly very impatient with her about things I assume everyone should know (I'm talking technology here) but you know she didn't grow up in the computer age and she is learning as best as she can or as best as she wants to.  I just need to learn to be more patient about the how to's and the not knowing, and the "can you do that for me"'s, etc.  Now that I am a parent, I realize more and more that there sometimes is no right or wrong.  There is no precise rule book on how to raise a child properly. You just learn as you go.  I know there are a lot of books out there that tell you the proper ways of parenting or what the experts think, but they don't take into account the different personalities and situations that everyone is dealing with on an individual basis.  I really do fear f****** my child up psychologically somehow, and perhaps that is somehow inevitable.  I know a lot of people who blame their parents for a lot of the issues they currently deal with, so it seems to be the cycle of life. 

The other day I found myself yelling at my child at the top of my lungs because he wasn't listening to me and was persistently doing the exact opposite of what I said not to do.  Ugh!  It was so frustrating.  But then I thought to myself - what am I doing?  I can't yell at a barely 2 year old the way I would yell at a full blown adult.  Is he just having fun..or is he trying to push my buttons?  Is he even understanding what I'm ranting and raving about or does he think this big person has gone mad crazy and is a total looney?  It's hard to find a balance sometimes when you see your patience slowly dwindling.  I rarely yell at an adult that way except at my sister on rare occasions...sorry sis.   So yelling is bad for a child but utilizing a stern voice and time out is the way to go.  He's about at the 2 minute mark for time out.  Yes, I've been watching Jo the super nanny for training advice.  I just hope when he gets older that he'll respect me and his dad.  I see some children nowadays speaking to their parents and sometimes the respect is totally lost. 

the battle scars of pregnancy

I must say I didn't get any stretch marks while pregnant..I don't think it was because of the bath oil or the lotion that I used..or maybe it helped that I  moisturized daily. But my theory is if your skin is prone to stretch marks then you'll likely get them during pregnancy. It all has to do with the elasticity of your skin. I'm not sure if cocoa butter our any other ointment will actually have an effect on your skin.  I just lucked out.  My mom got major stretch marks which she blames me for.  Ha.
I had a c-sect and you really can't see the scar from that either.  They made the incision way low.  I know in the olden days, the scar from a c-sect was very obtrusive.  I can see the scar but if I was wearing even a low cut bikini, no one would see it.  It took awhile but I eventually lost all the baby weight but I also lost all my chest  and butt (not that I had much to begin with), and my gut easily expands especially after any eating so all is not really back to norm..but eh my stomach has always been an issue for me anyway..if only I had abs of steel prior to pregnancy..it would probably be easier to get back into shape.  If you are planning to get pregnant, it is suggested to be in the best shape you can be.  Pregnancy really does take it's toll on the body..internally, structurally, hormonally, every which way you can or can't imagine, even your gums.   

violence leads to what?

What is the point of violence against others? Our friend recently got thrown against a fire hydrant by some random angry person who apparently was harassing anyone that passed by.  Not sure what he was so mad about but it looks like he decided to take it out on strangers.  When my hubby was first notified by the hospital, early Friday morning, no one knew what happened.  There was no police report, no ambulance report, just a call that our friend was found on the street, dazed and confused and bleeding profusely and an ambulance had brought him to the hospital.  Since we found out that he had his wallet and phone, we assumed he was not mugged..Was it maybe a hate crime like so many crazy violent acts that have been going on with the gay population in Manhattan?  Was it gang related?  Did he get in a fight?  Was it a mugging gone wrong?  Was it some freak accident?  By crazy dumb luck, we found out just today that the person that called for the ambulance actually lives in the same building as our friend who got assaulted and saw the whole thing happen.  Small world?  Yes it really does seem like it is.  But really, what is the point of random violence against others?  What satisfaction does one get from it?  Do they get some inane pleasure from giving someone pain?  Do they just have a screw loose so they have no control?  Or do they have no feelings at all of guilt or remorse for the things they do?

The other day my friend posted on Facebook that she was waiting on line for coffee and the person/stranger in front of her mentioned that there were a lot of kids there.  Uh-huh...Then she went on to say that these parents must be optimistic because the world is so crazy right now.  An odd thing to say to a stranger, especially a stranger who you don't know might actually have kids themselves.  I mean but the world is crazy right now - it's been crazy for quite some time - but I'm kind of thinking humanity in general has always been pretty violent.  Are we violent more so now then we were in the past?  Or is it that technology allows more reporting of these types of incidents?  Are we all just losing our minds?  Another thing someone mentioned is that we've had a heat wave for several days and heat makes people act crazy or all the crazy people seem to be out and about.  I feel like there are more violent incidents when it's hot than not since more people in general are out and about when the weather warms up.  More crowds + heat = uncomfortable = anger = violence?  This always brings me to the question of whether humans are innately good or are we all evil and just repressing our true selves?  Maybe it is too optimistic, but I believe when you get down to it, most people are nice and have good hearts.  I do say MOST though, not ALL. 

Anyway, the person that called the ambulance said he had called the police about 4x before an EMS ambulance finally came.  The police blew him off and said that he was probably drunk - "he" being our friend who got beat up?  or "he" that assaulted my friend and slammed his head against a hydrant?  Not sure which, but the cops didn't think it was worth coming to the scene or filing a report.  That is so lame.  How many bouts of abuse and violence happen in NYC daily that aren't being reported or fully investigated?  When is it worth their time?  It's very upsetting but at least we know what happened and we no longer have to hypothesize about what happened. 

Our friend left the event around midnight, was admitted to the hospital Friday around 1:45AM, he started hemorrhaging near his brain and had to immediately have surgery.  His skull also got fractured.  There were 4 of us who got to the hospital as he was getting out of surgery around 11am.  We were scared - I mean it doesn't sound good when you hear "assaulted" and "needed surgery" in one sentence.  All I kept thinking was, "what the fuck happened?"  Geez.  He was with us that evening and had gone home just half an hour earlier than us and damn it, why the fuck did he not make it home?  How could this have happened?  It's so crazy because we had such a fun evening.  My parents were babysitting so we had the night off.  We three went to a charity event together and I got my drink and dance on which I haven't done in soooo long.  We were having fun and feeling happy and then in a sudden twist our morning got turned upside down.  The good news is his recovery has been amazing so far, but I think he may have many more days in the hospital.  We won't know the extent of the brain damage, if any, until he has healed completely and starts rehabilitation but all signs are looking good.  He has a lot of friends visiting and sending positive vibes which is an important key to the recovery process, so if he keeps being surrounded by all these people that love and care for him, I think he will be good to go in no time.  It is a relief that his recovery has been amazing, but there is still a hint of worry, until he is officially moved out of ICU and onto the rehab floor. 

Being at the hospital 3 days in a row just reinstates how much I hate hospitals.  The nurses, doctors, physical therapist, social worker, etc have all been great and really nice, but just the institution and how scary it can be or the reasons why you typically have to go there make me quite squirmish.  I wanted to take the baby to see our friend.  I think he would be happy to see the pudge pudge and I don't think it would have been morbid.  And in ICU, they actually just recently removed age restrictions so that anyone can come visit 24 hours a day.  But the nurse told me they are against bringing a child to ICU because why expose your child to so many germs?  Our friend is in Neuro ICU.  The unit next door is apparently ICU for highly contagious diseases.   So yeah, they are right. Why risk getting a child sick?  So today, hubby and I took turns going upstairs to visit ICU while the other stayed downstairs and watched the baby.  The baby easily got bored and wanted to run around the ground floor of the hospital like the Tasmanian Devil.  So not sure if this plan will work for future visits.  It looks like I might not get to visit so much anymore until maybe our friend moves to a different floor. Not to say I'm any less concerned for his well being, but he's my hubby's best friend and I know he needs to be there for him more than me. 

no me gusto puke

I must say one of my least favorite things about being a mom is cleaning up puke.  Today the little man threw up after lunch.  I'm taking a guess that it was because he didn't chew his mozzarella cheese properly, as there were large chunks of it that I ended up having to pick up.  Ugh.  He hasn't thrown up since we were in England in November so we had a pretty good track record til now.  I'd forgotten how unpleasant the task was.  Hopefully, it's nothing more than overeating and not chewing properly and he doesn't have something else more serious.  Now that he's been going to playgrounds more often, you never know what he can catch.  I hear stomach viruses can spread like wildfire.

Hmm I've been craving a Shake Shack burger these last few days.  I find if you ignore a craving, which I've been doing, you just think about it way more than you should.  So it looks like I will have to take a trip to Shake Shack soon.  Maybe tomorrow.

In the meantime, I am still unemployed and applying to different jobs with barely a response.  The most I've gotten so far is 2 emailed rejections without even an interview.   It's only been about 2, almost 3, months in my search but I'm starting to feel like my prospects are grim.  I might be going through mid-life crisis.  I've been re-evaluating what I should be doing with my life and I'm not really sure what my next step should be.  Maybe I won't have a choice when I don't have enough money and need to take any job offer I can find but while I do have the luxury of time, I can try to figure this out, although this has been plaguing me for most of my life anyway and I've never really settled on any clear path.  It would be great to start a business and not have to work for someone else but what can that profitable business venture be and do I want to risk going out on my own?  At least the weather is starting to really warm up so my son and I can spend more time enjoying the outdoors while I have the free time. 

almost terrible two's

So my son is now in his 21st month...and he's getting to be quite rambunctious.  He is at the stage where he wants to establish his own authority and do things on his own.  Independence is a good thing but we end up fighting a lot about what he wants to do and what he shouldn't do like run down the street on his own.  Tantrums are starting to abound..throwing things (er..throwing himself on the ground) when he doesn't get his way.  These are fun and exciting times and can sometimes be a trial that really tests my patience.  ah I guess it's a good thing I got laid off as it would have really been difficult to work from home, although I would like to find a job sometime soon.  I don't get a chance to get to my computer these days without him trying to take over..and skype grandpa.  Skype - a blessing and a curse.  Ha.  It's a great way to stay in touch with family and actually feel like you're seeing someone in person.  He is enjoying swim class and has no fear.  He is enjoying the time we spend going to the playgrounds nowadays.  I feel lucky to live in the neighborhood that I do.  Prospect Park alone has so many playground options if you're willing to take a walk.  Yesterday we went to a new playground location which was perfect for his age and then we went to the Prospect Park Zoo.  The Prospect Park Zoo is small and doesn't have as many animals as the Bronx Zoo but it was good enough for us.  I swear if he wasn't strapped into his stroller, he would have dived into the sea lion pit.  It was a beautiful hot day and he fell asleep on the way home.  He's asleep now - that's why I've gotten the opportunity to sneak in a blog post. 

The smell of summer is creeping up...I see posts for all the outdoor concerts and movies, street fairs, etc. for the season.  It's always a fun time in the city because there is so much to do and a lot of it for FREE!  It makes me feel happy and excited to be here even though I've lived here for so long. 

mani/pedi

I haven't had a professional mani/pedi since before Christmas so it's been awhile.  Yes I shouldn't be spending money on such frivolous things since I'm not working but sometimes you just need a little pampering and today was the first day I was alone at home without the baby.  He is with his grandpa today and will be dropped off later this evening.  I thought I should take this moment while I can.  Yes you can do your nails yourself, but it just isn't the same feeling.  Mothers, you can't forget to pamper yourself every now and again.  I know sometimes you get lost in just giving all your spare time to your kids, to your family, etc..but in order to keep your sanity, ladies, you need to give yourself some TLC or get that TLC from your local nail salon.  There's something about someone else brushing paint on your nails.  Every time I get my nails done, I can't sit still for long to allow them to dry fully so of course I already messed them up, but it felt so nice. :) 

double talk

I noticed these days that every time I refer to something when speaking to my son, I tend to say it twice.  Maybe it stems from pee-pee, wee-wee, poo-poo..There's milk-milk, wa-wa for water and ba-ba for banana.  There's my strange nickname for him: pudge-pudge..For auntie, we've now gone with ti-ti.  He can actually say ti-ti so it makes it easier to refer to her that way, although he doesn't really address people.  He can say ma-ma and da-da but it is very rare that he calls me or his dad directly.   

You know what's funny now is he recognizes the Skype symbol on my computer and phone...and he's always insisting on calling someone.  We've been calling grandpa almost daily because of this.  Of course, once we actually get someone on Skype, he loses interest and wants to hang up or change what's on screen so you can't see the person.   Talk about short attention span.

I know boys are crazy active and will tend to get hurt a lot, especially when they get older.  I am so nervous anytime I see him climbing things and running about.  The other night, he lost his balance and fell face first into our coffee table.  He cut his lip.  It was awful but after five minutes he was fine.  I can imagine there will be worse especially if he decides he wants to skateboard or something.  In the playground, I am always right behind him or helping him out.  I'm not sure if I should just let him be and run free.  I can see now why my mom was nervous and never got me a bike when I was little but I hope I don't become super overbearingly over-protective.  I suppose my hubby will balance this side of me out as he was known to be reckless daredevil in his youth..I've heard lots of crazy horror stories.

hair today gone tomorrow

so I cut my little boy's hair again..I think this attempt was better.  It took 2 days to get it right because he wouldn't let me finish the first time - he started crying and wanted to get out of the chair.  It's a faux hawk sort of thing..mostly shaved except the middle top.  I even used the shaver without issue.  I kind of like cutting hair.  It's fun.  Not that that will now become my new career choice..I've been sending out resumes each week and I got my first rejection letter without an interview.  Apparently I'm not qualified enough for the position and not worth an interview.  Ugh. 

in memorium

3 years ago today my cousin passed away, 8 months shy of his 30th birthday.  He will be forever young, looking down at us from wherever he may be, as we get old and crotchety.  Well, one never really does know what happens after death, but I do hope his soul is still a part of our lives somehow. Maybe when someone dies, their soul is spread to all the people they love so that we all hold a piece of their soul within our hearts always. 

the daddy mac will make you jump, jump!

My mom bought a trampoline for the backyard - a small one for the baby and the cousins to use.  It was a hit at Easter even though it was really too cold to be outside.  Earlier today I could see that the little man was trying to jump.  He kept practicing - he'd end up doing a little hop or maybe more of a skip.  He would move up to his tippy toes and go back down.  He would try again to get some height. He was able to maybe jump an inch off the floor.  It was tooooo cute.  You really forget, or at least I forget, that everything - every little movement has to be learned including how to jump. 

Now that I have time off, I've been trying to take my son to the playground every day or Barnes and Nobles for a change of scenery if it's cold.  I noticed that I am a very nervous mother.  Every time he's on the the playground, I get really nervous about him climbing all those things.  Even the slide gets me nervous if it's a big one. I'm just afraid he will fall.  I think it's because he falls when he's just running on flat ground..When he's up on those jungle gyms sometimes they're not age appropriate - there are large gaps and rungs to climb on that he can't really manage as of yet so there I think I have the right to be a little cautious.  But other areas, I am sure he would manage fine, but I am running right up behind him to make sure he is ok.  Am I coddling him too much?  I don't want him to get hurt though.  Maybe his whole rolling down the stairs thing really has gotten to me. But he needs to learn to be independent, and I need to learn to maybe let go a little.  I know I make it sound like he's 1 going on 21, but all the other kids are running around like crazy banshees and their caretakers are just sitting on the park bench like nothing doing.  But he's not as old as the other kids so he does need to be watched still.  I will probably have a heart attack when he gets older and starts climbing up to the top of jungle gyms and all those whosiewhatsits.

feed the animals

My son was doing the cutest thing today.  I only noticed him do this for the first time.  He has a baby chick stuffed animal that my sis gave him for Easter last year.  Today he was holding it and feeding his milk to it.  It was so adorable.  It's funny to see them imitating the every day things that we do.  I wonder what he was thinking in his head.  I used to love pretending when I was a kid.  My cousin and I would always create these awesome stories and adventures.  It's cool to see this pretend play sprouting in the little man. 

I had an awful scare yesterday.  We had gone out for the afternoon.  I took him to Barnes and Nobles to run around and maybe look at books but he always prefers running around then choosing a book to read/listen to.  Anyway, we have one flight of stairs to get to our apartment.  I had him, the stroller and some stuff from the pharmacy in my hands.  We climbed the stairs together.  He ran to the neighbor's door and tried to open their door.  I thought that would give me enough time to quickly open our door.  But low and behold I turn around and he's taken 3 steps down on the stairwell...I of course panicked and told him to come to me.  I went to grab him and he tried to run away from me (of course), turns around on the stairs and proceeds to stumble downward!  My heart stopped beating.  It was like watching a movie in slow mo where someone falls down the stairs but I couldn't believe it was happening right in front of me for real.  I ran down to him.. He was screaming.  He had hit his face on the railing.  It was just awful.  He stopped crying after 5 minutes.  I tried to put ice on his bruises and then he was off on his way like nothing happened.  He wanted to eat snacks and play.  I think I was traumatized for life.   I called our doctor's office immediately to take him in and get checked just in case, although I figured he didn't have a concussion because he seemed perfectly fine.  The office was very accommodating, and let us come in within the hour.   The nurse practitioner was cool.  She took a look, said he looked fine, didn't look like he needed an MRI, eyes weren't dilated, he hadn't thrown up, no bleeding, he wasn't acting weird or unusual, he didn't cry for over 15 minutes when he fell...all good signs.  She also said she'd seen bumps much worse.  But she said to watch over him overnight and make sure he didn't start acting weird or throwing up.  Overnight, he was fine.  I just can't believe he didn't hurt himself more.  Doc said kids are still pretty rubbery at this age.  If we had fallen, we definitely would have broken something.  Anyway, I just thank God he was ok.  It really is just the worse feeling seeing something like that and feeling so helpless..I  sometimes feel like I need to keep the kid on a leash or he's going to run down the stairs or into the street, but that's a bit inhumane, right?

2 weeks and counting

So it's almost been 2 weeks since I've been unemployed.  It almost feels the same because the whole time I was working, I was taking care of baby and that still takes up most of my time every day.  But I am no longer a slave to the emails.  That is the very big and major difference nowadays.  I also do not have phone calls to deal with.  Still not sure of what it is I should pursue next, but I did decide that I should set up an Etsy shop to sell cards for now...maybe work my way up to add other nicknacks.  Who knows if anyone will be willing to spend $6 bucks on a card (after shipping costs).  But it only costs $0.30 an item to list (and a small percentage of sales) so what do I have to lose?  I thought about just starting my own website but I think the trouble to do that with minimal inventory isn't worth it.  Now that I am not enslaved to the computer, I can take my son out more and it feels really great to not have any time constraints or stress about having to get back to work.  My son has been addicted to the Nintendo Wii lately.  I know, I am a very bad mom for even allowing my child to see this at such a young age.  But for Christmas I got the Just Dance 4 game from my parents (which I actually specifically requested), and of course when I tried it out, he was there and wanted to participate too.  Over the past few weeks however, he has been asking to play this game every day..he is still not speaking yet so he's not literally asking but he has been bringing the remote over to me or dragging me to the TV to turn it on.  Yes, it's the easy way out.  I needed a distraction in order to work so I used the Just Dance game for his entertainment.  It was getting harder and harder to keep a toddler occupied while working.  I'm thinking at least he may be absorbing some cool dance moves and not just vegetating watching some cartoon?  Ha. The other bad thing is I have a kids app on my android phone - also used for distraction.  He's gotten pretty good at surfing through the app to pick out videos or games to play - pretty good for a 19 month old.  Damn.  Hopefully he won't need glasses when he turns 3.  Anyway, I know it's bad and I need to cut his habit down so I've been trying to get him to play more with his legos and cars and non-radiation type toys. That's also why I've been trying to take him out more to play, although the weather lately hasn't been cooperating.  Winter just seems to be dragging it's feet and doesn't want to go away just yet.  But now without the need to be tied down to emails, this should be an easier task.  I just need to think up some creative things to do.  I'm sure there is a plethora of ideas online.  

Find what you love..

As I approach my last day on the job, I know I need to focus on my next step and what I should be doing.  There is this blog I often read called Decor8.  I like reading design blogs and the sort.  Holly Becker is the blogger of this site and posted something on the day Steve Jobs died.  Yes I know it's an old post but she references his commencement address to Stanford University, which I just now read...

http://decor8blog.com/2011/10/06/youve-got-to-find-what-you-love/
http://news.stanford.edu/news/2005/june15/jobs-061505.html

Steve Jobs was an inspiration to many.  His speech is really inspirational.

Having lost a cousin unexpectedly and so early in life, you truly realize that you really never know how much time you have left in this world and you should make it worth while.  I've lived most of my life to the constraints of what people expect of me.   Ok maybe i haven't lived totally to the confines of the morals of my parent's generation and upbringing but pretty close to it..Get good grades, go to college, get a 9 to 5 job.   I've had my job for 13 years.  13 years of sitting on my ass in front of a computer, slaving away to the grind, helping as best I can to keep the company going.  But where does that get you if you aren't the owner of the company?  You're just a cog.   I suppose there's nothing wrong with being part of a team, a cog that helps the machine keep running, but shouldn't there be more to life?  Is there more to life? I see how others are doing things they enjoy and love and it's a more fulfilling life instead of the drudgery of a job just so you can keep paying the bills. 
I always felt like I was an artist trapped in the body of some conservative upbringing, always afraid to leave my comfort zone and venture out into the world and see what's out there, not wanting to be a failure, not wanting to find out that perhaps the creativity I believed was inside me wasn't really worthy of expression.

Where do I go from here?  Now that I'm being laid off, I have the time to really focus on what I want to do.  I also now for the first time can really focus on taking care of my son.  Since the day he was born, I was still working..even while on maternity leave, I had one eye on the computer.  Anyways, I look forward to doing different activities with him, instead of him sadly being stuck in the apartment while I work.   I was thinking I might do something part time instead of full time...I don't know. 

Ba!

So my son's favorite food is banana and he's learned to say all the syllables for it, but can't really string it all together yet to form the whole word. But he has made us understand him by saying, "BA!" and pointing in the direction of where the bananas are.  I'm still playing a guessing game with all the rest of the things he's trying to say because it's still mostly "da" for everything. 

Lately it's been harder and harder to work from home because he's really vying for my attention or wanting to pound on the keyboard of my computer. Either way, it's not conducive to working.  But I recently received the news that I was being laid off because they can't afford to keep me full time. March 8th is my last day. They offered me part time work but I figured it's not worth it. And do you think they're really not going to keep calling me for things if I was only part time? I'm not sure if there would really be any boundaries.  I felt it was a sign for me to move forward and working part time would not allow for that.  At least now, I have some time to focus solely on my son instead of struggling each day for balance between working and him.   Maybe I'll have time to blog more.  Money might be tight.  Unemployment, after taxes, will probably only cover my rent..then I have insurance to pay for on top of the regular daily expenses.  And then I have to figure out what the heck I'm going to do next...i have this idea in my strange old head that I need to learn to sew so I could make things like bags to sell. It's always been a pipedream of mine to start my own business. I just could never pinpoint what exactly.  And I like working with my hands, creating things.  The question is, can I start something and actually survive? I was feeling nauseaus and gagging all day yesterday, I think because I'm stressing about not having a job, and also maybe because my hubby was leaving for England that night for 10 days.  It was weird going to bed with the hubby not there. 

Last night, I took the little man out to dinner for my friend's birthday: 10 adults plus 1 child. We went to a restaurant called Le Philosophe on Bond St in Manhattan.   It was a 3 hour long dinner and he got a bit tired and bored after maybe 1.5 hours.  But aside from  insisting on climbing up and down the stairs several times, he was very good and passed out on my shoulder by the time dessert was being served (which took a long time  for them to bring out by the way)...um..although he didn't eat anything but bread and pomme frites. I had Hake for dinner and he refused to even try it.  He seems to be getting more and more finicky these days. I must admit it was a bit salty anyway.  The fries were good.  I tasted someone's bone marrow and that was more flavorful than expected which was good. I even tried some pig  trotter. It didn't taste like pork at all.  I'm not sure what to make of it.  My friend's lobster thermador was sweet and tasty.  For dessert, the profiterole was pretty good.  We also had chocolate mousse but I didn't eat it properly. There was a layer of passion fruit mousse on the bottom layered with a very intense chocolate mousse on top. Each time I tasted it, I got one or the other and seperately the flavors were not really the most pleasant.  Melded together, however, it balanced each other out, but it just made me ask why do that in the first place? Why not just have a really awesome tasting  plain chocolate mousse? Ah well, it was a good night overall just to see friends I hardly see anymore. It did disrupt the baby's schedule but it doesn't happen often.  Was it worth the back breaking stroller carrying up and down the subway stairs? That's something you  just have to learn to live with living in a place called NYC. Or next time I should  maybe cab it home.

Shape Shifter

So you know the toy for kids where there are holes of different shapes and blocks that are made to fit through each one?  My son has one of those..10 blocks - 2 of each shaped in a circle, triangle, square, star and plus sign.  The lid has one of each of these shapes on it.  He hasn't perfected this game yet and has trouble matching up the shapes.  I'm not sure how old you should be when you finally understand the concept behind the toy so I sometimes worry he's developmentally behind.  I typically point out where the block needs to go but even then, if you don't put the block in the exact same position as the shape of the hole, obviously it won't fit, so he generally gets frustrated and leaves it alone or gives it to me to put in.  More recently, he's been lifting off the lid when the block won't fit in the way he wants, and just throws the block directly into the container, which I find an amusing development.   It's a heck of a lot easier than trying to figure out how to make the block fit properly in the hole.  Seems like the easy way out?..Or is it really quite ingenious of him?  He's probably thinking why bother with this whole fit-in-the-hole nonsense when you can just lift the cover off and put it in the container.  Ha.

Etch A Sketch

Do you ever wonder who creates all the toys you and your children play with every day?  The etch a sketch was one of my childhood favorites and I think it's still around today even with all the computer tech stuff that's out there.  It's a sentimental toy whenever I see one..kind of like the Rubik's Cube..
Anyway I read that the creator of the Etch A Sketch passed away recently.  Link is below.   I thought it was interesting. 

 Etch_A_Sketch_Creator_Dies

blink

Is it because we are getting older that if feels like you blink and another hour...another day...another week...another month has gone by so quickly?  I've been a bad blogger.  Apparently I should be posting every day..or you lose followers, not that I have followers but just saying.  But like I said, you blink and a month has already passed since my last post. 

The little man is almost 1 and 1/2 years old.  He is pretty much approaching toddlerhood.  I really can't believe it. I know I say this all the time, but I keep looking back at old photos and keep thinking, "Where has the time gone?"  My parents have kidnapped the baby.  I had to go to a trade show on Monday for work, so I left the baby with my parents on Sunday.  They were supposed to bring him back on Tuesday but they said it was raining badly so they would rather bring him back Thursday when the weather should be nicer..or today if it's not raining.  It's so quiet without the little man.  Maybe this is why I have the time to blog today.  My dad is retired, so it's probably nice to have some company even if he is ransacking their house. 

He still isn't exactly talking, at least in English..I'm sure he's speaking something...I thought he attempted to say banana the other day - that's his favorite food of late.  I asked him if he wanted one, and he said "nana nananana."  Could be banana, right? Maybe?  I really do not understand the language he speaks.  He can eat a whole giant banana in one sitting.  He sometimes eats 2 not in one sitting but throughout the day.  I thought this might be a hazard for him to eat so many in a day but it's not like it's candy, right?  It's fruit so it's good for you.  I had to look it up on line of course to see what the consensus says about this.  And it's good to see I'm not the only one which a child obsessed with this fruit.  And of course the responses varied one way or the other..but too much of anything is always bad.  I think it's a healthy thing to eat but I've tried cutting them in half if they are big so he eats a total of 1 banana a day.   The really cute thing is after he's done eating it, he likes to take the banana peel and immediately run to the garbage can so he can throw it out in the trash.  It's like this totally exciting thing for him to do. 

Last Friday, it was snowing.  I decided to head into Manhattan to Forever 21 to pick up a cheap necklace or earrings to go with this party dress for a Sweet 16 we had to attend this past Saturday.  I took the little man with me and met up with my sister.  I was carrying him on my back in the ecocarrier but I kind of feel bad carrying him like that.  I can't reach him properly.  I can't see him or tell what he's doing.  It feels very awkward, but he's gotten so big and I  am not so tall to begin with, so carrying him in the frontward position really hurts my back and he's like more than half my size so it looks crazy.  I did not feel like lugging the stroller especially in rush hour.  Not to mention, he had his giant snow suit on (overalls and a jacket). He looks like a giant checkered snowball in it.   That does not make for easy carrying because he's very bulky and if my coat is bulky, getting that carrier on and securing it is really quite the hassle.  Anyway after several attempts, I did finally get him in the carrier and I trekked through the snow to the subway.  Oddly, I decided to take him out of the carrier while we were riding the train..big mistake because I could not get him back on.  I walked with him /carried him to the store once we got off the train.  It was really cute to see his amazement at the snow..and at all the storefront windows.  We'd pass fire hydrants in front of stores and he wanted to stop and touch each one.  We passed a light store, and he just stopped and stared at it in awe.  He probably never saw so many lights on at one time..My sis said she wished she was a kid again so she could feel that same "wow" feeling.  Everything is so new to them.   I forget that literally this may be the first time the little man has seen this...and how so many little things can attract and amaze a little kid.  It's pretty cool to be able to see these every day things through their eyes, which  for them aren't so ordinary at least for now.  Once in the store, I was able to get my sis to help me strap him back in the carrier.  On the way home, he was lifting his face towards the snowy night sky - I guess he was wondering what the heck was happening, and he was trying to eat the snowflakes.  People were laughing at us as they passed by.  They probably thought he was really cute.  But him leaning back was throwing my balance off so I felt like I was about to topple over.  Thankfully we arrived home unscathed.

Now that he has been at my parents house, yesterday it was so easy for me to leave the house. I didn't have to run around getting someone else dressed.  I didn't have to wrestle on the carrier.  I just picked up my  bag, threw on my jacket and left for lunch.  Nothing heavy to carry.  It felt quite freeing but at the same time, I missed not having to do it.  I could sit at the computer all day with no interruptions.  I'm able to focus on work with no distractions, load pictures onto my laptop without someone trying to steal the laptop away, eat a quiet dinner with the hubby.  The little man has filled my life with things unexpected but so soon they become a part of your life and what you do expect, so you miss it when it's not there.  He's not infamously blowing kisses when his dad leaves for work.  He's not barking in greeting to the neighbor's dog that barks every time he goes out for a walk.  He's not running to the window to see what's making that noise..Today is quiet.  So while I do appreciate this down time, I can't wait until my parents bring him back home.