Parenting Toddlers

Carnival of Family Life

Welcome to the Carnival of Family Life!!! I am floored by how many wonderful posts have been submitted this past week, and I’ve bookmarked a good many of them to refer back to! I have to say, there are some pretty talented writers out there, and some even more talented parents! Just for easier access, I’ve categorized this weeks submissions into a few large sections. Kids - Glorious Kids, Family Finances, Relationships, and Parenting Tips. Make sure and check out all the submissions this week. I have, and I’ve enjoyed every one!

Come along on a carnival ride, just follow Alex!

KIDS, GLORIOUS KIDS

WhyMommy gives us a heartwarming peek at her newest addition with Toddler Planet posted at Toddler Planet.

My Wealth Builder shows everyone how to get in touch with their inner bubble blower at Being a Big Kid - Frugal Entertainment

Megan Bayliss brings us along to visit an adorable little guy in How Much can a Koala Bear? posted at Home Schooling Aspergers.. Some must see pictures included!

Emma Honey presents healthandfitnessfactorfiction.com » Blog Archive » Carnivorous Questions posted at healthandfitnessfactorfiction.com.

Dexie gives us a first hand look at a mom’s heartbreak when she realizes her baby just isn’t a baby anymore with … And Then He’s 9 posted at Superwoman.ca.

Matt Finley shares a hilarious post about the tactics behind a successful water fight at The True Innocents » Blog Archive » The Setup posted at The True Innocents.

Lena reminds us why we all hate “mean girls” at The Cheeky Lotus: Mean Girls posted at The Cheeky Lotus.

Anna presents REMOTE CONTROL FOR YOUR TEENAGER « On The Ponderosa posted at On The Ponderosa.

Denise gives us a great riddle with Happy birthday, sweet 17! « Let’s play math! posted at Let’s play math!. See if you can figure it out!

Joan presents Maybe I’m in the Top Ten posted at Sleepless Juggler, an adorable look at why she’s only “probably” the best mom ever.

Julee reflects on Kidney Donation - Our Journey Part One posted at Homeschool Daze.

DeputyHeadmistress takes us for a ride down Memory Lane posted at The Common Room. I’m pretty sure I can come up with a pretty long Lost, Stolen and Strayed list just based on Alex’s activities around here!

Lill Hawkins reminds me why I don’t ever want Alex to grow up with Would You Like a Little Squeeze With That Whine? posted at News from Hawkhill Acres.

Csara gives us true flashbacks with Fifteen things that remind me of childhood posted at Baby Talkers. I remember my very own Cabbage Patch Doll, I think she has arthritis nowadays.

Kerri wraps her mind around the reasoning behind mass marketed toys with American Idol Happy Meal Toys posted at Play Library.

Lisa Mitchell reminds us all about the ups and downs of pregnancy with My Pregnancy: Week 9 posted at Let’s Talk Babies.

Mary (mert) presents Anna-isms posted at Almost Somewhat Positive.

MyBestInvest teaches us about Expanding the family vocabulary posted at My Best Investments. I was feeling a bit crooky myself last week!

FAMILY FINANCES

Rachel Starr Thomson gives us a run down on the pros to owning a family run business with Family Business: Pros to Embrace posted at Inklings. Plus the pictures are just yummy looking!

Ispf presents 5 Financial Lessons I Wish My Dad Had Learnt posted at Grad Money Matters.

Summer M. gives some great suggestions for Frugal homeschooling posted at Mom Is Teaching.

Mom & dad teach how to handle people who are “different” with Little People, Big Lesson posted at raising4boys.com.

Lyn has me rolling on the floor with her description of how one skittle can hinder an entire tee-ball game with The Green Skittle posted at Sleepless Juggler.

FAMILY RELATIONSHIPS

Vause gives us an inside look at the struggles of having a spouse in the military including the Military Divorce Rate posted at Active Duty Military Money and Matters.

Toe presents Borloloys, a wonderful look into what it means to be usurped as the youngest in the family, posted at kurokuroatbp.

Muse offers up a glimpse into the family bible contest and enjoying grandaughters at I missed the Bible Contest posted at me-ander.

Kailani helps us remember why our spouses really are a blessing with For Better or For Worse posted at An Island Life.

Karen presents PREPARING FOR ADOLESCENCE posted at PediaScribe Blog, and shows us that some one on one time with your child really is worth it.

Sara gives us all a good laugh with Conversation Between Me and Hubby Tonight posted at Suburban Oblivion.

PARENTING TIPS

NCN shows us all some Mad Carpentry Skills (Roof Rafters) on how to build a playhouse. Now if I can just print it out and get my husband geared up to get some work done …

Lil Duck Duck has the best Train Birthday Party Ideas to be found. I’ll be using some of these for Alex’s next birthday!

Erica Douglas gives all parents an amazing list on How NOT To Stifle Your Kids Creativity posted at Littlemummy.Com.

Randa Clay presents Thirteen free toys you probably already own posted at Free Stuff 4 Kids. Some really neat ideas in this one!

Megan Bayliss presents Bibliotherapy: Using Books to Help Children Solve Problems. posted at Child protection: serious business..

Frugal Journey offers up an awesome list of Free Toys for Older Kids

Leisa over at Down with the Kids provides everyone with a great review of her current favorite, Yoghurt DVD - just perfect for those expectant mommies out there!

Melitsa presents Play-Activities.com » Blog Archive » 11 Fun kid activities to do at Grandma’s house posted at Play-Activities.com. Alex and I will definitely be writing these down to take on our next trip!

Char Polanosky gives us a great printable activities list with Thirteen More Printables Sites posted at Printables for Kids - free word search puzzles, coloring pages, and other activities.

Summer presents Books books books! posted at Wired For Noise.

Stephanie offers us a look at the benefits of raising your kids to respect the world around them with So Much in Common posted at Stop the Ride!.

Praveen shows us you really can teach without saying a word at Refrain from Active Teaching posted at Tao of Simplicity.

Amanda Rose gives us a recipe that’s both good for you, and tasty for your kids with Chocolate Cinnamon Birthday Cupcakes posted at Rebuild from Depression Blog. My mouth is already watering!

Kevin presents Parenting Tips For Raising Emotionally Healthy Kids posted at More4kids Parenting.

Jessica Okon tells us about Free Movies At Summer Movie Camp posted at Wisebread. I am so looking into this as soon as possible!

Fun Playdates presents Make a Puppy Pinata Craft out of Recycled Materials posted at Fun Play Dates. What a neat party idea!

Kevin gives us all a wakeup call with Child Identity Theft posted at Identity Theft And You.

Stephanie offers some much needed tips for Washing Stuffed Animals posted at Work at Home in Progress.

And those are this weeks offerings from the Carnival of Family Life. We hope you enjoyed the Carnival and your stay here at Parenting Toddlers. Come back and see us again soon!

Bye Bye!

I know you’ve been waiting with baited breath since about Tuesday, so wait no longer …

Here’s the SUNDAY SIXTEEN!!

1. Stress stinks. And somehow I can make even housework stressful. I need to learn to mellow out when it comes to laundry, vacuuming, and all those other wonderful hassles.

2. Alex had his first swim in his very own backyard pool this past week. He loved every minute up until he had to get out. He also seems to think it is hilarious to put his face in the water and then open his mouth. You would think this might scare him, but no, I think he actually gets excited in a “Look what I can do!” way.

3. We sacrificed a tube of Desitin to Diesel’s ever growing appetite for diaper cream this past week. The dog has brain damage. He’s just got to.

4. Big news we found out this week - Alex has to have tubes put in his ears. This is scheduled for mid-May. I’m not crazy about the idea of him having to go under general anesthesia for the procedure, but I am excited that the prognosis post tubes is very good. We will hopefully see a drastic decrease in Alex’s recurrent ear infections and upper respiratory infections.

5. Alex’s favorite foods this week - Cheese balls. The child is addicted. He will actually bang on the pantry door and yell jibberish at me because he knows that’s where I keep them. He also likes cornbread and is on another avocado kick.

6. Best Mom Movies this week (no toddlers allowed) - The Holiday (with Cameron Diaz and Kate Winslet), and A Man Apart (with Vin Diesel).

7. Best body booster this week - walking regularly and Jergens Natural Glow daily moisturizer. I thought the Natural Glow was a wash the first time I used it (especially since I’m fair skinned) but turns out it works great if you use it regularly and get out in the sun just the slightest bit every few days.

8. Alex’s favorite book this week - Baby Faces. This is actually a board book with different baby’s and toddlers in it, making various faces. The names go along … happy, angry, silly, etc. Alex loves it, especially the happy and the silly pages.

9. We actually got the Baby Faces book through Brighter Vision Learning Adventures . They send a new package every month with new learning tools inside. A book, activity suggestions, learning CDs, etc. Each month is geared towards your child’s age. This first go around we got the Baby Faces book, a All About Me learning CD featuring the smash hit “Wiggle in My Toe” by Joe Scruggs. We also got stickers of the entire alphabet, a workbook that helps Alex learn different things like the parts of the face, concepts like tall and short, big and little, etc. Definitely take a look if you haven’t already, Alex and I can’t wait to get started.

10. I’ve become addicted to Sudoku’s. Don’t ask me why. I’m an english major, I hate numbers.

11. Hubby’s birthday is next week. Wish I had the money to do something super special for him, but it looks like that’s not going to happen. Guess I’ll have to find other, creative ways to wish him happy birthday.

12. In my Household Tips post from earlier in the week I mentioned that baby powder will get sand to slide right off you and your kids at the beach. I haven’t actually tried this out yet, but I’m so excited to do so I can barely wait to get to the beach. I’ve always loved the beach, and always hated tracking the sand everywhere.

13. Alex’s hitting seems to have stopped. We simply remained consistent, gave a firm NO whenever it happened, and if he was in someone’s lap when it happened and continued to hit, then we put him down to sit by himself. Since he’s a natural born cuddler, he was not a fan and quickly seemed to grasp the correlation.

14. Tomorrow marks two weeks since the horrendous tragedy at Virginia Tech. Please visit my list of victims and pray for their families. Not a day goes by that I don’t think of them and the senselessness that caused their deaths. All we can do for them now is make every effort to never forget.

15. I found out (from the horse’s mouth so to speak) this week that kids generally don’t need an eye exam (other than the basic one the pediatrician gives at each checkup) from a optometrist until they are around four. All kids should have one before starting kindergarten though. I found this out when I went in to make an appointment for myself and Alex started flirting with the doctor. He really has no shame whatsoever.

16. Best blogs to check out this week: Daddy Forever (I swear I don’t think I’ve ever read a post of his where I didn’t laugh out loud), Parenting Sites 411 (Alicia is awesome, and I love that she checks out all the thousands of parenting sites out there and then lets me know which ones are worth visiting. Saves me so much extra time to get laundry and vacuuming done), and Rockstar Mommy (she is an absolute riot, and I swear sometimes she’s living my life).

I knew it. Turns out I’m not really crazy after all. The whole time I was wracking my brain and insisting there was something “off” with my son, it wasn’t just the creepy little voices in my head. I wasn’t overparanoid just because I am a first time mom. Alex has fluid in his ears. And apparently enough in there that the ear, nose and throat doctor didn’t hesitate after looking at him to suggest he not only get tubes, but get them quickly. He compared it to going up on a mountain and feeling that pressure just before your ears pop. Only Alex can’t pop his ears, so the pressure just continues. It leads to more frequent ear infections and URIs, and might even be indirectly causing him problems with balance and walking.

Now if you’ll pardon me, I’d like to just snub my nose, stick out my tongue, and generally moon every single doctor who poo-poo’d me off when I said that Alex was not well and that something was bothering him ALL THE TIME. Not that he was sick all the time mind you, but that something was just not right. Something underlying that made him tired all the time, made him croupy sometimes, made him just feel blah. And now I feel fully justified in saying Kiss my ***, I told you so!!

Now that we’ve dispensed with the niceities, here’s what this means (and no doubt many of you toddler parents have been through this) for us.

1. Alex has to have an outpatient procedure in the middle of May to put tiny tubes in each eardrum.
2. He will have to go under general anesthesia. Not crazy about that, but luckily it is a very short procedure.
3. Once the tubes are in it should dramatically decrease the ear infections, upper respiratory sicknesses, and possibly the random asthma episodes as well (since these are most likely caused by the upper respiratory problems to begin with).
4. Final result, healthier, happier Alex and happier, much less testy mom and dad!

Sounds like a recipe for success to me!

I will add more posts updating everyone on what’s involved in this, so check back and keep posted in case you ever find yourself in the same shoes! And for those of you who have already gone the ear tubes route, please drop me a comment and let me know if you noticed any significant results afterward?

Also, don’t forget Monday will see the arrival of the Carnival of Family Life here at Parenting Toddlers. Get your family related posts sent in and check with us first thing Monday to see all the great topics!

Today I’m cheating.

I got an email from Alex’s grandma yesterday that included some great household tips, many of which I had never even thought of before. They are so good, that I’m actually going to use them for today’s post. I’d offer originial credit if any was given on the email, but since none is that I can tell, you guys can all thank Grandma for this one!! I’ve also highlighted those that are directly related to kids and parenting.

Bed Sheets

After drying sheets, put both sheets and one pillowcase in the other pillow case. Fold neatly in a square. Next time you change sheets, you just take the one pillow case and all the sheets and pillow case are inside. No need to look for matches. (This one I am all excited about. I HATE searching out pillow cases in my linen closet.)

Clean your glass shower

To clean the glass in your shower easily, apply lemon juice to the
glass with a sponge. Then, take newspaper and wipe the lemon juice off the glass. It will be clean and sparkle with no scrubbing!

Reheat Pizza

Heat up leftover pizza in a non-stick skillet on top of the stove, set
heat to med-low and heat till warm. This keeps the crust crispy. No soggy micro pizza. I saw this on the cooking channel and it really works.

Easy Deviled Eggs

Put cooked egg yolks in a zip lock bag. Seal, mash till they are all
broken up. Add remainder of ingredients, reseal, keep mashing it up mixing thoroughly, cut the tip of the baggy, squeeze mixture into egg. Just throw bag away when done easy clean up.

Expanding Frosting

When you buy a container of cake frosting from the store, whip it with your mixer for a few minutes. You can double it in size. You get to frost more cake/cupcakes with the same amount. You also eat less sugar/calories per serving. (This can be especially helpful when you find out you have to make 100 cupcakes in a matter of hours.)

Reheating refrigerated bread

To warm biscuits, pancakes, or muffins that were refrigerated, place them in a microwave with a cup of water. The increased moisture will keep the food moist and help it reheat faster.

Newspaper Weeds-Away

Start putting wet newspapers in your plants, they will work the nutrients in your soil. Put layers around the plants overlapping as you go, cover with mulch and forget about weeds. Weeds will get through some gardening plastic, they will not get through wet newspapers.

Broken Glass

Use a dry cotton ball to pick up little broken pieces of glass - the fibers catch ones you can’t see!

No More Mosquitoes

Place a dryer sheet in your pocket. It will keep the mosquitoes away.

Squirrel Away

To keep squirrels from eating your plants sprinkle your plants with cayenne pepper. The cayenne pepper doesn’t hurt the plant and the squirrels won’t come near it.

Easier thank you’s

When you throw a bridal/baby shower, buy a pack of thank you cards for the guest of honor. During the party, pass out the envelopes and have everyone put their address on one. When the bride/new mother sends the thank you’s, they’re all addressed!

MINE!!!!!

If you purchase a new bike for your child, place their picture inside the handle bar before placing the grips on. If the bike is stolen and later recovered, remove the grip and there is your proof who owns the bike.

Flexible vacuum

To get something out of a heat register or under the fridge add an empty paper towel roll or empty gift wrap roll to your vacuum. It can be bent or flattened to get in narrow openings.

Reducing Static Cling

Pin a small safety pin to the seam of your slip and you will not have a clingy skirt or dress. Same thing works with slacks that cling when wearing panty hose. Place pin in seam of slacks and — voila — static is gone.

Measuring Cups

Before you pour sticky substances into a measuring cup, fill it with hot water. Dump out the hot water, but don’t dry the cup. Next, add your ingredient, such as peanut butter, and watch how easily it comes right out.

Foggy Windshield

Hate foggy windshields? Buy a chalkboard eraser and keep it in the glove box of your car. When the windows fog, rub with the eraser! Works better than a cloth!

Reopening Envelope

If you seal an envelope and then realize you forgot to include something inside, just place your sealed envelope in the freezer for an hour or two. Voila! It unseals easily.

Conditioner

Use your hair conditioner to shave your legs. It’s a lot cheaper than shaving cream and leaves your legs really smooth. It’s also a great way to use up the conditioner you bought but didn’t like when you tried it in your hair…

Good-bye Fruit Flies

To get rid of pesky fruit flies, take a small glass fill it 1/2″ with Apple Cider Vinegar and 2 drops of dishwashing liquid, mix well. You will find those flies drawn to the cup and gone forever!

Get Rid of Ants

Put small piles of cornmeal where you see ants. They eat it, take it “home,” & can’t digest it so it kills them. It may take a week or so, esp. if it rains, but it works & you don’t have the worry about pets or small children being harmed!

Take baby powder to the beach

Keep a small bottle of baby powder in your beach bag. When you’re ready to leave the beach sprinkle yourself and kids with the powder and the sand will slide right off your skin. (As my folks live on the coast, this one might end up as a godsend soon enough!)

household tips, outdoor tips

When was the last time you actually got down on the floor and saw the world from your toddler’s point of view? Try it out. Get down and walk around on your knees for a half hour or so. Take it all in from your toddler’s viewpoint, especially the interesting stuff like the toilet, the frig, and doorways that might potentially lead to the land of Oz.

I think we often forget how our children see the world. Once they start walking around we suddenly start seeing them as little adults. And while in some senses they are, in so many others they just aren’t. Many are still learning cause and consequence, if I can open the frig but I don’t hold it open, it might swing back and bonk me in the head. If I run too fast, my feet might get tangled and I could end up with a face full of carpet. Toddlers don’t always understand these concepts. It’s up to us, as their parents, to still make it a point to interact with our little one on a daily basis. And by interact I don’t mean talk to, feed lunch, and clean clothes. I mean play, giggle, laugh, read, explain, and when necessary, roll around in the dirt.

In my opinion, children learn more and retain more when they’re having fun. Sitting and learning by boring rote just simply doesn’t cut it for most of us. That’s the only reason that I never retained a single thing from my college Biology courses (at least that’s my story and I’m sticking to it).

Alex is in a discovery phase these days. He wants to explore everything. He wants to get down on the ground, in the grass, on the sidewalk, wherever, and check it all out. And so I let him. I still supervise closely of course, and offer my own bits of wisdom such as “this is grass … grass grows in the yard … grass is green.” or “what IS that?” “where did you find that?” “I’ve never seen anything like that in my life.” In the case of the second scenario, I find myself learning just as much as he does! What I’m trying to get to is this. Let your toddler get dirty. Let them dig in the dirt with that amazingly plain stick they just found. Let them get muddy and treasure the memory as they discover the consistency of mud for the first time. Let them try new tastes, even if you know they aren’t going to like them (I’m talking spicy foods or unique flavors, not adult beverages or anything they SHOULDN’T be allowed to have in the first place). In my mind, the strain on my washing machine is far outweighed by the knowledge Alex is gaining. And if perhaps that particular pair of pants just doesn’t make it through the stain cycle, I think we’ll survive.

After all, being the first grandchild, Alex happens to have a number of excellent shoppers at his beck and call.

kids, learning styles, playtime

Parenting often reminds me of being in the first car on a roller coaster ride that may or may not have passed it’s last structural inspection. It can be scary, extremely nerve racking, and sometimes makes you a little queasy in the stomach area, but in the end, it turns out to be the most amazing thing you’ve ever done. That’s why I’m even more excited that I’ve become a part of the Carnival of Family Life. The beginning of next week I’ll be hosting the Carnival here at Parenting Toddlers, and I’m really looking forward to checking out all the wonderful posts! Make sure and check in with us on Monday April 30th to see all the great parenting articles. And if you’d like to jump on board with all of us parents who are stuck somewhere between screeching in joy and clutching our stomachs in fear, swing by and submit your own article here. Also, don’t forget to swing over and visit Kailani at An Island Life. She’s the one who came up with the idea for this carnival in the first place, she’s the one who ends up putting in most of the work, and I think it’s time she got some of the credit already!

Now put your thinking caps on, dig through your posts and send us the best parenting articles you can come up with. Think of it as a secondary safety belt for the rest of us.

carnival of family life, parenting articles

Time for another great toy suggestion!! This week’s fun filled suggestion is the Little Leaps Grow With Me Learning System. Alex has had this since Christmas of last year and it really does grow with his needs. At first he’d simply sit with me and watch the video’s with rapt attention, pointing out the animals (which are his favorite) and occasionally making sounds that have grown ever closer to the actual names of the animals themselves. Then he’d stand at the coffee table and shake his groove thing (If you’re wondering where your groove thing is located, simply stand with your back to mirror, look over your shoulder, and wiggle. The part that shakes the most is your groove thing.) every time the opening credits came on. Now a days he’s actually starting to hit the buttons based on when the videos tell him to. If you’re not familiar with the Learning System here’s the basic idea. The little leaps controller, which looks like this:

Works right along with your DVD player, and when the video asks, your child hits one of the buttons to make the video progress. It’s really a lot simpler than it sounds, and you can buy dvds for kids 6 months and older, 9 months and older, and so on up to preschool age and beyond.

The best thing about the Grow With Me System in my opinion? It will coordinate with up to three different DVDs, which means you can take it along to Grandma’s or the babysitters, or anywhere else your little one might enjoy visting. Makes for a relatively small take along toy that offers hours of entertainment.

The video also introduces basic words, colors, numbers, and concepts such as sharing and friendship. It’s a great way to teach your child without letting them know they are learning anything in the process. All of the major baby and toy stores sell the Little Leaps Grow With Me Learning System, so it’s easy to find, and even easier to use.

Now get on out there and learn something already!

Little Leaps Grow with me Learning System, teaching toys

Sunday is here again already? Where did the week go? Geez, it’ll be Christmas before I catch up. I don’t need to tell you that we had a rough week around here. But the healing process is slowly starting, and it’s time to get back to at least pretending to go through the motions. So in keeping with tradition, here is the Sunday Sixteen!

1. We’re making progress on the “no throwing food” idea. Alex seems to have settled down in that regard, which just might save some unsuspecting soul sitting behind us in a restaurant from getting a headful of pasta in the near future.

2. Alex had his 15 month shots this past week. 2 to be exact, and he took them like a trooper.

3. He also got his measurements checked. He is 30 and 3/4 inches and 21 pounds. An almost 1 inch increase from his last check, and exactly the same in the weight category (surprise, surprise).

4. Mommy got a new digital camera for her birthday, so that means lots of new and finally updated pictures!

5. Our favorite book this week is Clifford Goes to School. In it, the school bus can’t make it, so Clifford volunteers to pick up all the kids, giving them a ride on his back all the way to school before letting them slide down his tail when they get there. Alex now points to the pictures and says “Diesee” (which is “Diesel” our Great Dane). I don’t have the heart to tell him that Diesel couldn’t carry a loaf of bread without dropping it.

6. Our new bathtime experiment is to stick our face in the water, come up sputtering, and then look at Mommy as if she is out of her mind for letting us do that in the first place. Despite the look, this activity continues virtually every bath time. Mommy is careful not to let the ears get dunked though, we certainly need to keep those and clean and dry as possible.

7. The new Fox series “Drive” started this past week. As a racing family, we are enjoying it so far.

8. Best Mom Movies this week (no toddlers allowed) - Rumor Has It and The Lake House (both running on HBO currently) and Rocky Balboa (what can I say, I’ve been a Rocky fan since I was little)

9. Alex’s favorite foods this week - avocado, Gerber Graduate Cereal Flakes, diced peaches, strawberries

10. Our first appointment with the ENT is this coming Friday. We are anxious to see what they have to say about these recurrent ear infections.

11. We are making a lot of walking progress. Alex has a push toy and he absolutely flies around the house at top speed while pushing it. He’s flipped it, spun it, and ended up in all sorts of positions, but gets right back up and goes at it again. He still won’t let go yet. Just gotta work on that confidence level I guess.

12. The events of this past weekend have really made me take a step back and give some serious consideration to my own son’s safety once he starts school.

13. Happy birthday to me. Happy birthday to me. I’m not going to tell you how old I am, I’m just going to mention that at this point I think I’m allowed to start using “do-overs”.

14. We did another park visit this past week. Alex ate a leaf, tried to eat a stick, and spent more time entralled with playing with the chain link fence as opposed to the actual playground.

15. Alex is having some “let’s get up earlier than usual” issues this week. His normal 7:30 wake up time has changed to 6:00 all of a sudden. I am not a fan. We’re going to have to cut back on naptime a bit just to see if that helps. Anyone had this happen?

16. Birthday cake really does taste even better the second day!

Clifford the Big Red Dog, Gerber, Drive, Fox, HBO, Rocky Balboa

Okay, so I’m not technically an alum. I never graduated from Tech. But I did attend Virginia Tech for three years and it has been in my blood for decades. I’ve screamed and cheered in Lane Stadium. I’ve slipped and slid across the drill field on chilly, snow covered mornings. I’ve played pool and chowed down at the Hokie House. Virginia Tech is a second home to me. And someone has come into my house, MY HOUSE, and mowed down my brother’s and sister’s in cold blood. They have used this historical, beautiful campus as a backdrop for gut curdling evil.

So many people, friends and strangers alike, keep asking me how I feel. “Didn’t you go to Tech?” “I see you have a Tech license plate.” “So you went to Tech huh?” all of these are paired with pitying, half hearted smiles of attempted comfort.

I don’t want comfort.

I want justice.

I want the person who did this to still be alive. I want him to suffer the razor sharp edge of our collective grief. I want to him to feel the sting of newly raw flesh, laid bare by the cowardice of one poor excuse for a man.

Yes, I’m angry. I’m beyond angry. I’m absolutely enraged. I feel cheated of justice. I want explanations, and yet at the same time I am tired of everyone pushing the blame on others. The simple fact of the matter is, this person, this poor excuse for any real soul, decided to commit a horrendous act. He planned it, he organized it, he scheduled it out. He is the only one to blame.

To the media, it is time to step back. To show my school the respect it so desperately deserves. Give us privacy to grieve and in doing so, to eventually heal. We will not divide our loyalties. We will not throw our own under the out of control bus of blame, so stop pushing. We will support our school to the very end. It is what we do, it is who we are.

We are the Hokies.

Hokie Spirit Memorial Fund

April 16, 2007, will be remembered as one of the darkest days in the history of the Virginia Tech community and the world beyond.

To remember and honor the victims of those tragic events, the university has established the Hokie Spirit Memorial Fund to aid in the healing process and generate financial support.

The fund will be used to cover expenses including but not limited to:

• Grief counseling
• Memorials
• Communication expenses
• Comfort expenses
• Incidental needs

If you plan to give, please click the link below:

“We will continue to invent the future through our blood and tears and through all our sadness … We are the Hokies … ”

– Nikki Giovanni, University Distinguished Professor, poet, activist

We are the Hokies

We are the Hokies
We who have graced your hallowed halls
Bleed now through our endless tears of grief
We are the Hokies
Our hearts laid raw by this senseless act
Our minds enraged
We are the Hokies
We have stumbled under the weight of this great tragedy
But we stand as one once again
We are the Hokies
Proud and tall and always united
Ever mindful of the precious lives we have lost
We are the Hokies
And we will never forget.

-Jennifer Remeta
Virginia Tech Student 1994-1997

I cannot even express how devastated we are by this senseless tragedy. It hurts my heart that my school, where I had and still have so many wonderful memories, is now the backdrop for one of the worlds most horrendous acts of cruelty.

If anyone would like to express their condolences to the students, alumni, staff and anyone else of the Virginia Tech family, they have a memorial website set up at this address Virginia Tech Memorial Website

Hokie Pride

Yes, I am a HOKIE too. No matter that I am now 50+ years old. No matter that I gave up my framed BA degree in order to see my husband walk across that stage. I bleed maroon and orange just like all the graduates. I spent many a day in Miles Hall, even though it was strictly a male dorm back then (tee hee). I worked on campus to make expenses and we lived in a nearby mobile mansion up on Sparr’s Hill. My “hokie pride� was very much there as I walked arm in arm through the arches carrying our first born after Steve graduated. In fact, as we walked into the life that his college education gave us, we felt a sadness at having to leave Hokie High. You see, you might leave Va Tech, but it will never leave you. There would always be the quiet call of the surrounding mountains, the memory of the gleeful faces (yes, someeven stuffed with Carol Lee doughnuts), or the impassioned voices from the football game ringing in your ears. I remember fondly taking pride in my job in Henderson and Pamplin Hall, knowing that in some small way I was contributing to the goals of this great institution of higher learning. I remember feeling like one of the guys as I spent as much time at Miles or the frat house as I did at home (no cracks, E). I was honored to be the married little sister leading clean up at the frat house after last night’s party (sorta learned by lesson on that one in my old age). Yep, I am a HOKIE. My roots are firmly embedded in Blacksburg soil. Even though I only completed two semesters of actual classroom education at VT before the swollen feet of pregnancy sidelined me, I felt it was me shaking the hand of the President of that great university. My heart still swells with pride when I see the Highty Tidies march in unison across the stadium, even when it’s on TV. I felt my pride most that day, though when I held that wimpering baby in my arms and hushed her as I said, “Yes, sweetheart, that’s your Daddy up there and someday you will be a Hokie, too.� My “hokie pride� was more than evident, showing on my t-shirt, my bumper sticker, and on the face of my tuition check when she crossed that drill field to register some 18 years later. Yep, even though I didn’t granduate, I am a HOKIE. My heart hurts for all of those caught up in this terrible tragedy. I wish so much that there was something I could do to help ease their pain. The HOKIE PRIDE will go on and I feel grow even stronger in the wake of this awful massacre on our hallowed soil. I worked for years to give the ones I love the privledge to wear maroon and orange and you can bet your sweet …(well, you know) that I will be wearing mine tomorrow, too.

-Patty Stacy

(updated April 19,2007)
Below is the latest updated list of the victims from Monday’s mass shooting on the Virginia Tech Campus, according to MSNBC.
The victims range in age from 18 all the way up to 76.

As much as I try to continue with my normal daily activities, I cannot get the victim’s of yesterday’s shooting out of my mind. As a parent, all I can think of is that those kids (and those adults for that matter) were someone’s “baby” at one time. They were toddlers just like Alex who got into trouble and laughed hysterically at the most random things. They brought joy to their parents hearts on a daily basis. And now?

Now they’re gone.

The world is not a fair place.

And because I cannot imagine the pain those parents must currently be going through, I am doing the only thing I CAN do to pay tribute. I am getting their names out there. I am making sure every one of us remembers these names for a long, long time. It is the very, VERY least we can do.
(Please note, the victims are numbered to verify that I make sure everyone is accounted for. The numbering in NO WAY reflects importance or level of grief. Neither of those can be measured.)
Virginia Tech Shooting Victims

1.Ross Abdallah Alameddine from Saugus, Massachusetts, 20 years old, Virginia Tech student

2.Christopher J. Bishop from Blacksburg, 36 years old, Virginia Tech instructor. Mr. Bishop’s wife also works as an instructor for Virginia Tech.

3.Ryan Clark from Martinez, Georgia, 22 years old, Virginia Tech student

4.Jocelyne Couture-Nowak from Montreal, ? years old, Virginia Tech instructor. Mrs. Couture-Nowak was a wife and mother.

5.Daniel Perez Cueva from Peru, 21 years old, Virginia Tech student

6.Kevin Granata from Blacksburg, Virginia, 45 years old, Virginia Tech professor. Professor Granata was married and leaves behind three children.

7.Caitlin Hammaren from Westtown, New York, age 19, Virginia Tech student

8.Jeremy Herbstritt from Bellefonte, Pennsylvania, 27 years old, Virginia Tech graduate student

9.Emily Jane Hilscher from Woodville, Virginia, 19 years old, Virginia Tech student

10.Matthew La Porte from Dumont, New Jersey, ? years old, Virginia Tech student and Air Force cadet

11.Jarrett Lane from Narrows, Virginia, 22 years old, Virginia Tech student

12.Henry Lee from Roanoke, Virginia, 20 years old, Virginia Tech student

13.Liviu Librescu from Blacksburg, Virginia, 76 years old, Virginia Tech professor - Mr. Librescu spent his last moments trying to hold the classroom door shut so that his students could have time to escape out a window.

14.G.V. Loganathan from Blacksburg, Virginia, 51 years old, Virginia Tech lecturer

15.Daniel O’Neil from Lincoln, Rhode Island, 22 years old, Virginia Tech graduate student

16.Juan Ortiz from Puerto Rico, 26 years old, Virginia Tech graduate student

17.Mary Karen Read of Annandale, Virginia, 19 years old, Virginia Tech student

18.Reema Samaha from Centreville, Virginia, 18 years old, Virginia Tech student

19.Leslie Sherman from Springfield, Virginia, 20 years old, Virginia Tech student

20.Maxine Turner from Vienna, Virginia, 22 years old, Virginia Tech student

21.Julie Pryde from Middleton, New Jersey, 23 years old, Virginia Tech student

22.Austin Cloyd from Blacksburg, Virginia, 18 years old, Virginia Tech student

23.Brian Bluhm from Detroit, Michigan, 25 years old, Virginia Tech student

24.Lauren McCain from Hampton, Virginia, 20 years old, Virginia Tech student

25.Michael Pohle from Flemington, New Jersey, 23 years old, Virginia Tech student

26.Rachel Elizabeth Hill from Richmond, Virginia, 18 years old, Virginia Tech student

27.Minal Hiralal Panchal from Borivali, India, 26 years old, Virginia Tech graduate student

28.Erin Peterson from Centreville, Virginia, ? years old, Virginia Tech student

29.Waleed Mohamed Shaalan from Zagazig, Egypt, 32 years old, Virginia Tech doctoral student

30.Matthew Gwaltney, 24 years old, from Chester, Virginia, Virginia Tech graduate student

31.Partahi Lombantoruan, 34 years old, from Indonesia, Virginia Tech doctoral student

32. Nicole White, from Carrollton, Virginia, 20 years old, Virginia Tech student

There are still others, and as the names are released I will update this post. I will also update ages and hometowns as the information itself comes in.

For those of you who have left us due to yesterday’s tragedy, know that you will not be forgotten here on earth.

Memorial Service at Virginia Tech

Virginia Tech shooting, Blacksburg, Virginia, Virginia Tech shooting victims

So it’s that time again. Time for the Blogger’s Choice Awards. So, to be shamelessly self promotional, please swing on over to parenting blogs section of the Blogger’s Choice Awards and vote for yours truly. At last check I was on page four, but I’m sure, with your loyal help and wonderful assistance, I can make it up a couple of pages. After all, I’m really just looking for an honorable mention out of the whole thing this go around.

As for me today, I think I’ll spend my time praying for those who were killed at Virginia Tech yesterday, praying for my own family members who live in Blacksburg, and praying that we can somehow figure out a way to truly keep our children safe from gun toting crazies.

blogger’s choice awards, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg

32 people are dead in a massive shooting at Virginia Tech in Blacksburg, Virginia. Early reports disclose the possibility of semi-automatic weapons, a shooter possibly heart broken over an ended relationship, maybe even more than one shooter involved. I don’t know what’s fact right now and what’s not. What I do know is that I have so many different feelings running in so many different directions right now I don’t know what to do about them. My heart is bleeding. I attended Virginia Tech. I know the buildings and the dormitories, the drill field and the coliseum as if I lived there still. I lived, freshman year, in West AJ Hall. I have a family member that is a part of the massive police force that is currently working to make sure the campus is secure. Today’s tragedy is absolutely tearing me apart.

Aside from the proximity of this tragedy to my personal life, it scares me to death. What is wrong with these people? Honestly, I don’t care if your girlfriend broke up with you, or your boyfriend, whatever. I don’t care if you had a bad childhood or if you’re failing math. NOTHING. Absolutely nothing gives you the right to take innocent life. There are no excuses, so please, don’t try to give me any.

And the main part of this that chills me to the bone. Why are our CHILDREN suddenly the ones at risk? Why are there guns in our schools? Any schools? Why can’t we, as a country consisting of some of the most intelligent people in the world, figure out a way to keep our children (at any age) safe from crazed oozi toting gunmen on any random day of the week?

How should we, as parents of toddlers, deal with something like this? How can we help to figure out a way to resolve these tragedies before one of our own children becomes a victim?

My prayers and my deepest sympathies go out the victims and their family’s.

I have no more words.

Virginia Tech shooting, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, Virginia

It seems that my recent post on Pacifier Separation has lit a fire under a select few parents out there. Now before everyone get’s their underwear in a twist, let me specify one thing.

Parenting is confusing business. There is always more to be learned, more experiences to be had. And EVERY SINGLE CHILD IS DIFFERENT.

This is where I think some parents make mistakes (and I’m not placing blame, I’ve done it myself). Everything I put on this website is mere suggestion. It’s relaying to other parents what has worked for me, and what hasn’t. It is explaining to people how ALEX responds to things. I am not Dr. Spock (did he even HAVE kids?), I am not a child psychologist. I am a mother. Pure and simple. And because I know that my child is an individual, I do not pass judgement on those who choose to do things differently than I do. We all must raise our children based on our own beliefs and ideas of what will work. If we were to meet sometime in the future, I can promise I will not judge you based on how you choose to raise your child, and all I ask is the same in return. I offer these tips and ideas simply to provide exasperated parents with new and different ideas that they might not have thought of before. I also use this site to share stories with other parents who have been there, seen that and laughed themselves silly in the process.

Parenting is a snot ridden, poop filled, mashed up mess of an obstacle course. It is the most amazing, most hilarious, most tiring job any of us will ever have. And we can’t help but enjoy every second of it. So let’s just all sit back, take a deep breath, and agree that disagreeing doesn’t have to be a bad thing.

pacifiers, toddlers, parenting, Dr. Spock