Free Rice

I have always been a word nut which explains, in part, why I took four years of Latin in high school and college. This website allows me to indulge in my word nerdiness and love of competition AND be charitable at the same time. Granted 10 grains of rice per word doesn't seem like a whole lot but I suppose it adds up ironically much like the excess calories I consumed today... While you are there, check out the chart comparing countries charitable givings in the totals section . The US ain't that impressive for all our talk about morals and family values. And thanks Dad for the link. For the record I got fourteen right before I had to retire to bed.

Mizz Bits

Mizz is starting to play with rhyming words. "Mama, house rhymes with mouse!" He is also able to identify what letter many words start with. These puzzles make our car trips way more fun for both of us. He loves being quizzed and learns things so quickly and excitedly.

Mizz asked for a tunnel today on the way home. This is exciting (and maybe a little frightening) because it is his first toy request. When I asked him where we might get a tunnel, he said "at the tunnel store!" Hmmm...we just might make a trek to the IKEA store tomorrow. After all, the boy has gotta have a tunnel.


When I asked Mizz what he wanted for dinner, he said broccoli. Which was strange considering he has been rejecting anything green as of late. I almost didn't make any, but changed my mind and was shocked to discover that he actually ate it. It is ridiculous how much satisfaction I get from watching him eat broccoli.

Mizz was thrilled to tell me that his class took an impromptu field trip to the post office today where they got a behind the scenes tour and scored some cool coloring books. OK, he didn't use the word impromptu or the phrase "behind the scenes" but he was still pretty excited as was his teacher who had come up with the idea in the first place.

Another Manic Morning

• Wake up at 4:15, tell Mizz it is too early. Get ignored.
• Ignore him until 5:00 when I go to take a shower.
• Come back to his room to find diapers (clean ones) and books strewn around his room and him holding a screw. Ask where the screw came from and am directed to the closet which he has been attempting to disassemble for the last two days. Explain to him that screws are for Mama and Daddy but thank him for giving it to me (and to myself, the powers that be for not letting him swallow it).
• 6:00 Go downstairs for breakfast. Mizz throws banana at me and dots the table with milk, but settles down when I give him a sugar muffin to gnaw on so I can whine, I mean, type in peace. Soon, he will be daycare's sugared up and tired problem.

Ultrasound

I had my first ultrasound today with this little baby and it was every bit as incredible and joyous as the ones with Mizz. Mizz and my friend Gina accompanied me to the appointment since Dave had better things to do in Coos Bay (just kidding, Davey!). While I missed having Dave there, the three of us had a great time. Mizz entertained himself as always by inspecting the electrical circuitry and listening intently to the baby's heartbeat. Ever since his hospital stint, he has been really interested in stethoscopes and heartbeats. He also demonstrated some remarkable empathy for me when I got my finger poked. Either that, or he was afraid he was next in line. I've spent the rest of the day being really excited about the baby because for whatever reason I haven't been able to quite believe it until now.

Easy Mac I love you

On a complete impulse, I grabbed a container of Kraft's Easy Mac (ready in 3 1/2 minutes!) at the end of our late in the day grocery trip. Forget organic and natural, this puppy was ridiculously easy and yummy (I figured I had to test it before I fed it to my kid). I don't know if my conscience will let me buy it again, but I have seen the lure of the dark side and am seriously tempted.

My Little Scientist Update

Mizz wedged a train car into the ice dispenser in the fridge, got his finger stuck in the grocery cart, and dumped a lot of soapy bubbles onto the floor, all in the span of three hours. At this rate, I have serious trepidation about the fate of our plumbing and other various appliances.

Baby Einstein for Adults

Those crafty business people are trying to sucker more people out of their dollars with games built on science that are supposed to enhance one's cognitive functioning. It must be true since the packaging has the words research and science on it. OK enough lame satire. I think the way more interesting point comes out the end of the article, which basically gives people one more reason to exercise (or to feel guilty about not exercising).

My Little Scientist

Mizz asked me "How does it work?" today referring to his revolving fish in his toy aquarium. His other frequent question is "what is that?" because he really is piecing the world together. His lego sculptures now involve batteries, candles, escalators, xylophones, and of course tall towers for mommy and daddy. I am typing this know as he rouses from a three plus hour nap. Apparently the morning at OMSI was exhausting for his inquisitive little mind. I realize that I may be selective paying attention to these details but for as long as I can remember Mizz has been conducting little science projects. Granted, play is science for most children but Mizz's thoroughness and curiosity seem to be pretty exceptional to me.

Mizz goes to the hospital

I haven't posted for a few days because me and the Mizz are recovering from an overnight trip to the hospital. Mizz had a severe reaction to a steroid treatment given to him to alleviate his croup symptoms. Thankfully, he seems to be doing much better now.

We're sick

Yes, your pity is welcome because we are pitiful. Mizz has what appears to be the croup which is apparently a common childhood virus that makes you sound like a barking seal when you cough and Minnie Mouse when you talk. It also makes sleep very difficult. On the bright side, daylight savings wasn't a big deal when it is preceded by a three hour coughing fit/tantrum/let's play all night extravaganza. As a pregnant woman getting over a cold and what feels like a 6 week long headache, I wasn't in my best nurturing form and so Dave handled the brunt of it while I fitfully slept. Today is a day of convalescence and preparation for Dave's upcoming trip.

One year ago

While I was in the office sorting through exactly two tons of stuff to go to Goodwill, pics of a much younger Mizz flashed up on the screen. So of course I had to stop what I was doing and go look at pics from a year ago. It is truly amazing to think back about what he was doing then and now.

Yeah, I'm too cool for school.

I haven't quite got these legos figured out, but I might need a diaper change.

And last, Mizz getting a good fix of China's finest. Thank god he doesn't put everything in his mouth anymore.

More fearmongering

And this time believe it or not, it is not coming from our trusted elected officials (retch) it is coming from my very own supportive mama community. Here is the link, read it at your own risk. I chose to skip the post and trust that I will continue to use good judgement about monitoring the Mizz and teaching him appropriate precautions as they become relevant. This post closely follows another query from a mom who recently asked the group how they maintained their safety while strapping their kids in the car. Of course one of the answers drudged up an old news article about an incident involving a man in the zoo parking lot attempting to do something bad to a woman with her kids. Yes, scary stuff. A regular happening? No. No wonder we are a bunch of hyper vigilant, I will measure every last drop of food that goes into my kids mouth moms. When we feel out of control, we will do whatever it takes to control something. I , for one, am going to embrace the idea that what you see on the news is just that news and not everyday occurrences. Of course it is a tough juggling act to balance reason with emotion, because raising children tends to bring out the mama bear in all of us, the bear that wants to protect her cub at all costs. Even I suppose, our sanity.

Guilt

My decision to take Mizz to the mall to trick or treat yesterday was not selfless nor driven entirely by paranoia (we don't know any of our neighbors). Oh no. In the back of my mind was the dancing possibility that maybe, just maybe, something would catch my eye, something that I might just have to purchase. And something did. A big shiny rose colored purse that I knew would be fantastic on me. This is actually fairly huge because I am very picky about bags as I suppose most women are...in fact I think that is why we have so many of them because there is no one size fits all for all the many functions in life. But a certain man in my life, doesn't quite see it that way and didn't have to say anything but "Do you really need another bag?" to make me think I ought to return my find. Both of us are aware about the financial reality of Baby #2 and when I type that out, methinks the bag should go back tomorrow. But there is the stubborn part of me that is influenced by this consumer oriented society that can't help justify it all kinds of ways. So it will sit on the steps until I make a decision or the cat pukes on it, which I guess would be good because it would get me off the hook.

Knitting Fever

I spent some of my windfall today and treated myself to a new knitting needle organizer. I am really psyched because it has been a true pain to find/remember the needles that I have. Now that it's fall the knitting bug has returned in full force, although having finally recovered from some serious wrist/elbow pain, I am forcing myself to be disciplined and not knit for hours on end. Not that I have hours on end, but I am pretty hard to deter once I get involved in a project. For now I am limited myself to small projects (a cat hat for Mizz, some baby booties for some little babe :)). But I may lift the weight limit and finally knit my hunk of a husband the sweater he deserves (or at least the one that I can knit).