Mommy Vomitpants

Happy Mother's Day!

2010-05-09T07:00:00.000-05:00

I'd like to wish a VERY Happy Mother's Day to all of you wonderful mothers!! I hope today is filled with much pampering and relaxation!

If you liked what you read here and are a member on FaceBook, please become a fan of Mommy Vomitpants!

Earth Day

2010-04-22T07:00:00.001-05:00

Happy Earth Day!! I love this planet we live on and I love teaching my daughter about the Earth and why it's our job to take care of it.

There is a team in Germany working for an initiative called "Make it Green!". Their goal is to contribute their part in reducing the carbon footprint by raising awareness of the severe environmental damage caused by carbon emissions.

One of their activities is to raise awareness of the carbon emissions resulting from the use of the internet - specifically of blogs. Did you know that a blog with 15,000 visits a month has a yearly carbon dioxide emissions of 8lb? Who knew?

To demonstrate that I care about the environment (I mean, shouldn't we all?) and the carbon footprint of my blog, I have added a button on my sidebar. Just by my adding the button, they will neutralize my blog's carbon footprint by planting trees in cooperation with the Arbor Day Foundation in Plumas National Forest in Northern California. Thousands of wildfires burned down many national forests over the past ten years and 88.000 acres of Plumas' were destroyed by two fires in 2007. For every participating blog they plant a tree. One blog - one tree.

Why? They are a German-based company called kaufDA, which provides advertisement brochures of local stores online to help consumers search for specific products and find good deals in their neighborhood. This reduces the amount of brochures printed and so the project helps the environment by reducing unnecessary paper in mailboxes.

This is how I have decided to celebrate Earth Day!!

Please take a moment today to marvel at the wonder that is this planet we live on. Sit back and appreciate it, even if it's only for a moment. It's the only planet we have!

If you liked what you read here and are a member on FaceBook, please become a fan of Mommy Vomitpants!

Tax Day is Looming...

2010-04-12T07:00:00.001-05:00

The last day to file your taxes is coming this Thursday. Did you know that nearly half of the households in America don't pay Federal Income Tax? "Either their incomes were too low, or they qualified for enough credits, deductions and exemptions to eliminate their liability. That's according to projections by the Tax Policy Center, a Washington research organization."

Make sure that you get all of the credits and deductions you deserve. This year, we made about $5,000 more in income, but we paid the same taxes as last year because we were able to take advantage of some of the credits that were enacted into law via the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 that was signed into law in February of last year. This legislation has lots of tax cuts for individuals including a new payroll tax credit, and an expansion of the child tax credit.

We were able to take advantage of the Home Energy Credit when we added an energy-efficient air conditioning and heating system to our home. Did you look for a job this year? Money you paid to look for work (resume printing, stamps), may be tax deductible.

The most efficient way to get your refund is to file electronically (e-file) and have the finds directly deposited into your bank account. Many individuals opt to do their own taxes. You can do them for FREE at H&R Block. If you find that you need help, a tax professional (accountant) will be able to assist you in determining what you can and cannot deduct.

Either way, make sure you don't miss the deadline and good luck!

More information from the Internal Revenue Service (IRS):
Tax Information for Individuals
Do you need to file?
Recent Tax changes for individuals
E-File for FREE
Miscellaneous Deductions

If you liked what you read here and are a member on FaceBook, please become a fan of Mommy Vomitpants!

Potty Training 101, Results Not Typical

2010-02-04T07:00:00.000-06:00

First of all, sorry for the two-day lapse. I have been too busy to post until now. Anyway...back to the story.

I worked from home the Monday after starting "Potty Training Boot Camp" so that Willow had one more day to get it down pat before going back to daycare. She had ZERO accidents on Monday. Now, it's been a 10 days (and counting) since Willow has had any accidents, so I think she is doing just fine with using the potty. To say that the results we have had aren't "typical" is an understatement. Even the Center Director at her Daycare commented that she couldn't believe it. I still have trouble believing it and I am waiting for the relapse. But then Willow's personality is such that once she starts something, she doesn't go back. Especially when it's something she has learned. She LOVES to show us again and again that she is a "big girl" and can do it. "My did it Mommy!!" are some of the best words EVER.

So many parents suffer (right along with their kids) much frustration and setbacks when they decide to potty train. I have found that the following things helped tremendously with making the transition out of diapers smooth:

Wait until your child is ready. There are plenty of resources out there for helping you to determine whether or not your child is ready to potty train, least of which is the fact that you know your child better than a book.

Find a training method you like and STICK WITH IT. Consistency is the key to success, and believe me I had times when I wondered what the heck I had gotten myself into.

Don't give up.

Don't give up.

Don't give up.

Like any skill, potty training is something that needs to be learned. Your child will have to not only learn to recognize what it feels like when they have to use the potty, but they will have to get in the "habit" of going to the bathroom. Not to mention, they actually have to get undressed (to a certain extent) now. These are all big changes and they take time to set in, especially if you start the process before your child is ready, and will require a lot of repetition.

Quite honestly, I think the most useful book was Stress-Free Potty Training: A Commonsense Guide to Finding the Right Approach for Your Child because it gave me some good insight into my child's personality and what I could expect with respect to her learning to use the potty. When we finally made the decision to go for it, we didn't turn back. Once she was in real underwear, that was IT. We didn't want to create confusion for her by going back to diapers.

Although it seems like Willow learned to use the potty in two days, in reality it was a process that took many months of "seeding" to put in place. We bought her her own potty to play with at least 6 months (or more) ago. She had practiced sitting on it lots of times, wanting to imitate what we were doing. We were never shy of showing her what happened with the potty. One of the biggest things I think created success for us was planting the seed that "poop and pee live in the potty". When we would use the potty we would flush and say "bye bye pee (or poop)" and she would look in the toilet and watch it go down the drain (I know it sounds gross but it worked, especially when she got to do the flushing). There were a few times we had some trouble during formal training when I said "Don't you want the poop and pee to go to their home?" and it did the trick.

If you are about to embark on your own potty training journey, I wish you luck. If you are in the midst of your journey and feeling like it's never going to end, I assure you it will. One day your kid just "gets" it and then it's on to the next "thing" that has to be accomplished. I hope my journey has helped you.

Previously:
Potty Training 101, The Beginning
Potty Training 101, "Boot Camp"

If you liked what you read here and are a member on FaceBook, please become a fan of Mommy Vomitpants!

Potty Training 101, "Boot Camp"

2010-02-01T07:00:00.000-06:00

The time had come. Willow seemed ready and eager to use the potty and give up diapers for good. As parents, we were as well. We were prepared for much frustration and many accidents. But we knew it would all be worth it in the end to be diaper-free. It was Saturday morning and time for "Potty Training Boot Camp" to begin.

Let me start off by saying that it was an incredible help to have a friend potty training her daughter at the same time (my stupendous friend Kate). It was great to be able to call or e-mail each other with how we were doing, and to be able to trade tips and suggestions. We also posted quite a bit to FaceBook about the whole experience as it was happening.

We started the morning off in pullups, like she had been wearing since the Tuesday before...

The method we chose was the one that was outlined in both Pottywise for Toddlers: A Developmental Readiness Approach to Potty Training and Toilet Training in Less Than a Day. That method is to use a doll to teach your toddler to stay dry by using the potty. The concept is that he/she can "learn by doing" in this manner.

So, we used the Raggedy Ann doll. I gave the doll a "sip" of Willow's drink (the book suggests you give the doll her own drink) and soon after that I said "Willow, I think that dolly has to use the potty". So, I asked dolly to check if she was dry (of course she was) and we went to the potty. I said "Yay dolly for staying dry!!" I asked her to show the doll how to use the potty. I told her the first step is to pull the pants down. Then we sit on the potty (I made a noise like dolly was peeing). After she was "done" I said "Yay dolly for using the potty to stay dry!!" Then we wiped with toilet paper (or paper towels as Willow like to call it). We then pull up our pants and flush the toilet. Then, lastly, we wash our hands.

I told dolly that she got a special treat for using the potty to stay dry. See, you want to reward your child for staying dry, not for using the potty. The ultimate goal is to stay dry (and clean) and the method by which you accomplish that is to use the potty. So, rewarding the act of staying dry is kind of like rewarding your kid for eating their dinner by using a fork. The ultimate goal is to eat the food. The way they do that is with the fork. Now, since the doll couldn't eat the treat, I asked Willow to. Then for the first part of the morning, we would periodically sit Willow on the potty (about once an hour) after asking if she was dry. If she had an accident, that was okay. She just didn't get a treat for using the potty to stay dry.

It was soon apparent that Willow needed more motivation and Kate already had Abby in real cotton underwear, so I went to Target and bought about 20 pairs. Willow was super excited to put on real underpants. Soon after she had them on, she had her first accident. No big deal. We cleaned it up and sat her on the potty. There is a specific method by which you should treat accidents.

The main thing is to stay calm and not get angry. They are still, after all, learning how to use the potty. But, they have to realize that there are consequences for accidents. So when she had an accident, we told her pee goes on the potty. We made her walk in her wet pants to the bathroom and sit on the potty (she obviously didn't have to pee and that's okay). She then had to carry the soiled pants and underpants up the stairs and put them in the hamper. We then changed her. She ended up having a total of two accidents on both Saturday and Sunday.

We put her in a pullup for naps and for overnight. That will continue until she can demonstrate dryness for at least a week. She can do it, because she has over the past two weeks many times, just not too consistently.

So all in all, "Potty Training Boot Camp" seemed to go quite well. Tune in tomorrow to see how she fared after the weekend. (HINT: I stayed home with her Monday to make sure she had it down)

Previously: Potty Training 101, The Beginning

If you liked what you read here and are a member on FaceBook, please become a fan of Mommy Vomitpants!

Potty Training 101, The Beginning

2010-01-31T09:17:00.002-06:00

We decided several weeks ago to potty train my 29 month old daughter. She had been showing all of the signs including wanting her diaper changed right away, telling us when she was peeing or pooping, staying dry for several hours at a time, etc.

My stupendous friend Kate (whose daughter Abby is 1 month younger than Willow) let me borrow a book called Pottywise for Toddlers: A Developmental Readiness Approach to Potty Training. It's a short book with some good information on potty training.

So, I thought I'd go for it in a week or two...

But before I did I wanted to get a couple of more books on the subject. So, I bought Toilet Training in Less Than a Day, and Stress-Free Potty Training: A Commonsense Guide to Finding the Right Approach for Your Child. (I figured I should be informed)

Using the third book on the list we were able to determine that Willow was a "Goal Oriented" child. They are supposedly the easiest to potty train. I armed myself with pullups, a brand new Russ Berrie 16" Button Eye Raggedy Ann doll (Two of the three potty training books I read suggested using a doll to train your child to use the potty. But YOU (the parent) aren't the one to teach the doll...your toddler will take care of that.) So, I ordered a Raggedy Ann doll from Amazon (since I'm a Prime member I get free two-day shipping), and various prizes and treats (for using the potty). But, I didn't get them all at once.

On a whim, the weekend BEFORE we planned on "Potty Training Boot Camp" as I was calling it, we bought a package of pullups because we had a coupon. We told Willow they were her new "big girl" underwear and put them where she could see them for some motivation. Sure enough, on the Tuesday before, Willow decided that it was time to start pooping on the potty. Let me say that again, in case you didn't get it. WILLOW decided. We parents didn't decide, Willow did. So, since I had the pullups already, I decided to send her to daycare in pullups to see what happened.

Time for a little background. For the 6 months or so before starting potty training, Willow had her very own potty to play with. We told her about using the potty and we emphasized that "Poop and pee live in the potty". We let her practice sitting on her potty if she wanted to, but never forced the issue. She actually did pee on the potty a few times, but it wasn't because we wanted her to, she just wanted to try it. We let her flush the toilet (saying "bye bye poop and pee" as it went down the drain), and we let her watch us use the potty.

When we sent her to daycare, we told them she had pullups on, but didn't ask that they do anything in particular to train her as we were going to be doing "Boot Camp" the next weekend. At first, she would only poop on the potty. At daycare they sat her on the potty every 30 minutes. She would poop, but no pee. This was a good start! I was excited and anxious about the upcoming weekend.

As kind of an afterthought (since it was only two days before we were starting our training), Kate sent me the following info from her Mom's Club. A parent in the club had just potty trained her 22-month-old and had great results. Now I am sharing it with you (I hope they don't mind).

From the e-mail (my comments in red):
I used the book "Potty training in one day" written by the owner of "Potty training Concepts". It is a direct copycat of "Toilet training in less than a day" which is a 30 year old book. I actually got both books. Even though the potty training book is a copy, it is a bit updated, and is written by a Mom instead of psychologists, so it's an easier read, so that's the one I recommend getting. The concepts REALLY WORK! That's why she copied a book that is still popular after 30 years.

There's definitely some expense and preparation time with doing this method, but it's worth it when your child is potty trained in a few days instead of months. I've heard of so many horror stories and I have to say, except for the first couple of days, it's been pretty painless.

NECESSARY

Book - "Potty training in one day" (very short book, see above) The DVD is NOT necessary. I got it and it wasn't that great.

Potty doll - I bought the doll the book recommends, because they make it! It's supposed to "pee on demand" but it leaks all the time. I don't think it's worth the $50. Get a cheap one from Wal-Mart. If you have a boy and you can't find a boy doll at Wal-Mart, you might want to get the one on the website. As I already mentioned I got a Raggedy Ann doll. Having a doll that can pee isn't necessary and Willow still got it no problem. Having pants that can pull down are a MUST, though, on the doll you choose.

Potty Power DVD - ($12.99 Babisrus.com; they didn't have it in the store; can also get it from Potty Training Concepts for $14.99) You can also get other potty DVD's instead. I got Elmo's too since Alexis loves Elmo, but she enjoyed the potty power one more. She wanted to watch it over and over again and she still said "Potty Power" sometimes when she goes! I used the Elmo Potty video with Willow...we've been watching it for months.

Folding potty seat - to keep in your diaper bag. You put it on top of public restroom seats. I got the Sesame Street one for $9.99 from Babies R Us. I got one of these but we haven't had to use it yet.

Potty chair - Mine didn't like the little potty and preferred the real toilet. I got a Flip n Flush toilet potty seat that installs between the lid and toilet seat, so it's a permanent fixture and doesn't have to be constantly moved when a grown-up uses the restroom. I love this product! ($9.99 Potty Training Concepts) THIS IS THE BEST THING YOU CAN GET. I just got one (VERY HARD TO FIND ONLINE RIGHT NOW) and it is a dream.

Waterproof pull-on pants - ($7.95 for 2 in a pack; Potty Training Concepts). Also, the "2 in 1 potty pants" seem like they're great, but at $7.95 a piece, I decided to pass. I instead got 12 pairs of cotton panties instead and 1 pack of the waterproof pull-on pants to put on top. I only used these when we were out of the house. I didn't get these but, to each his own.

Underwear - Get 10-12 pairs. You can't have too many. The first 4 days, I did laundry every day! Get one size too big, so they can pull them up and down on their own.

Dollar store prizes to give to her when she pees (only for the first day) - can also use candy (maybe a couple M&M's) if the toys don't work. This is only for the couple of days ONLY when you're doing the actual teaching.

Travel potty - I couldn't leave without this! See the picture below. I take it everywhere with me. I have the folding potty seat that I store in the diaper bag, but this is even cleaner. I leave it in the back of my SUV and she goes in between errands. We also took it to the beach and everywhere else! (Babies r us carries it for $20-$25) I got the one you can keep in the diaper bag and it's awesome.

NICE BUT NOT NECESSARY

Stool to put by the potty - Only get if you think your child is independent enough to climb on the potty by herself. Mine wasn't because she was so young, so I don't use the stool. Also, don't get these from Potty Training Concepts. They are overpriced there. I put the stools by the sink for when I wash her hand. If your child is older, she/he can do this on their own.

Potty watch - $10.99 Potty Training Concepts (She wore it and it sings reminding your child and YOU to go to the potty every 30, 60 or 90 minutes) . This was great but I only used it for a few days before she started telling me she needed to go, so it's not that important, but I still really like it, and it's cheap.

Piddle Pad Waterproof Car seat liner - ($7.99 Potty Training Concepts); If you're worried about when you're in the car. she really hasn't gone in the car but I kept her at home 100% the first 4 days of potty training. I tried a plain old towel and Willow didn't want to have anything to do with it.

Good luck! Tomorrow, I'll tell you all about "Boot Camp" and how Willow did over the weekend.

If you liked what you read here and are a member on FaceBook, please become a fan of Mommy Vomitpants!

Thank You's

2009-11-13T07:00:00.001-06:00

I read a story today about a couple here in Texas whose little baby developed without eyes. She literally has no eyeballs. She will never ever see. She will never see her parents or herself. She will never see clouds in the sky or sunsets. This makes me want to cry. It also makes me so very grateful for everything I have in my life.

Everyone has things about their lives that they would like to change. We want a better job, or a better house. We want to lose weight or get married or divorced. Heck, sometimes I just wish I had that particular shirt in a different color. Since the Thanksgiving season is one of being thankful I have decided to do that....a little early.

TODAY (the list changes day to day) I am MOST thankful for:

my family

my sister

my in-laws (who are like second parents to me)

my mother (she did give me life after all)

my husband

his never ending love

his hugs and kisses

the way he loves my daughter

the way he looks at me when he thinks I'm not looking

my daughter (who is my heart)

her laugh

her smile

her hugs

her tears

her just being alive

our health

my job

my friends (old and new)

the fall

sunrises (sun awake mommy!)

fog in the morning

coffee (if only it woke me up)

Granted, it's a short list. The real list of what I am thankful for would take too long to write and you'd likely not want to read it. It all boils down to being grateful for the life I have.

The whole point of the entry, I suppose, is to stop and THINK ABOUT the things you are truly grateful for whenever something gets you down. There are many blessings in life, you just have to find them.

I hope you all have a fantastic weekend!!

If you liked what you read here and are a member on FaceBook, please become a fan of Mommy Vomitpants!

Thank You Veterans

2009-11-11T07:00:00.001-06:00

Thank you to the Veterans, and current service men and women, who have helped keep my family, and my country safe.

Each donned their uniform to be
Defenders of our liberty

Their mission sure, their spirits bright
Guard freedom’s home, be brave to fight

One final day each faced their call
Each gave their best enduring all

We’ll never know what they went through
But know they loved this country true

Deep down inside we should all feel
What heroes gave, their cost so real

We must stay thankful, grateful of
The gift of freedom through their love

Their loved ones bore the gravest pain
What we can’t know, some now sustain

To God I pray their pain will cease
And each will find long-lasting peace

Remember this from year to year
What heroes gave – shan’t disappear

We’ll never let their special day
Their time for honor slip away

These brave fought for a nation free
If not for them, where would we be?

©2004Roger J. Robicheau

If you liked what you read here and are a member on FaceBook, please become a fan of Mommy Vomitpants!

Thanksgiving Traditions

2009-11-06T07:00:00.002-06:00

Can you think of any Thanksgiving movies? Christmas has a ton and even Halloween has "The Great Pumpkin", not to mention your run-of-the-mill horror stories. My husband likes to point out that his favorite Thanksgiving move is "Planes, Trains, and Automobiles" (hence the lovely graphic at the beginning of the post).

Halloween has pumpkin carving and dressing up. Christmas has Santa and presents (Jesus seems to get lost sometimes, if you ask me). What do you think of when you think of Thanksgiving? Yesterday I talked about Christmas traditions and today I'd like to talk about Thanksgiving traditions. What makes Thanksgiving special to you and your family? Do you truly "give thanks" on that day?

Most people associate Thanksgiving with the MEAL. Ffoooooooooooddd. I am guilty of this too. I love a wonderful Thanksgiving meal. I even don't mind being the one to cook it. But, just cooking a fancy meal shouldn't be what makes this day special. I mean, come on, kids get two whole days off of school (and many people have those days off from work, unless you are fortunate enough to work in retail)! This is an excellent opportunity to celebrate some good old American history with your family.

The first Thanksgiving was celebrated to give thanks to God and the Native Americans for helping the pilgrims survive the brutal winter. Although half of the pilgrims who arrived on the Mayflower had already died, many more would have had it not been for the native Americans teaching the pilgrims to harvest foods. The first Thanksgiving feast lasted three whole days providing enough food for 53 pilgrims and 90 Indians.

While the first Thanksgiving was in the 1600's, it wasn't until 1863 when Abraham Lincoln declared the third Thursday of November to be Thanksgiving. It later became a Federal Holiday in 1941.

I know, we all learn in school about the Mayflower and the Pilgrims and how the Native Americans helped them. BORING! Am I right? I mean, it's not like you get to dress up, or get presents or chocolate. You just get a fancy dinner. So, why not make Thanksgiving just as "traditional" as the other Holidays around the year? It's a way for your family to come together and spend some quality time remembering the real reason we celebrate (hint: it's not about football).

With Halloween and Christmas, the decorating is half the fun, right? So, why not add Thanksgiving into the mix? Kids love crafts. Well, pre-teen kids love crafts. I am reminded of an episode if Yo Gabba Gabba when they have an Art Show. Why not ask your kids to help you decorate by creating their very own art show with a Thanksgiving theme? They can make turkeys, centerpieces for the table, napkin rings for dinner, etc. (ideas and how-to's under "more information" below). It's a great way to spend quality time with your family, AND start a new tradition! "Hunting" for decorations from nature (like pine cones and fall leaves) is also a great family activity.

One other thing you can consider is sending out a Thanksgiving Holiday card, instead of (or in addition to) a Christmas card. I had some friends do this last year and I thought it was wonderful since their card really stood out and didn't get lost in the deluge of Christmas cards we get.

Just a couple of things to think about. We all watch the Macy's Thanksgiving Day parade and football. And we all try our best to cook a fabulous dinner that our families won't forget (until Christmas, at least). I just think that making Thanksgiving stand out for something other than a great meal and some television (that we probably get too much of already) is always a good idea.

More Information:

The History of Thanksgiving - History.com

The First Thanksgiving - Scholastic

Thanksgiving Craft Decorations - FamilyFun.Go.com

If you liked what you read here and are a member on FaceBook, please become a fan of Mommy Vomitpants!

Christmas Traditions

2009-11-05T07:00:00.001-06:00

As the Holidays are fast approaching, new families (like mine) may be on the lookout for some new traditions to start. My daughter is only 2 years old and doesn't really understand the concept of Christmas. But, that hasn't stopped me from buying (when I was on maternity leave because I am slightly nutty) something that we are going to use every year called the Elf on the Shelf.

Now, I did talk about this last year but here's a little refresher course.

From their website:

How does Santa REALLY know who’s been naughty or who’s been nice?

After much urging by the elves and Mrs. Claus, Santa has allowed his biggest secret to be revealed in the book, The Elf on the Shelf: A Christmas Tradition®. Santa has partnered each book with a magical scout elf which children name. They can then visit the North Pole (elfontheshelf.com) to register their elf’s name in our Hall of Registry and print their official elf adoption certificate. All Santa approved, of course!

For a mere $30.00 (well, $29.95) plus shipping and handling, you get a North Pole scout elf, a hard-bound children`s book and a keepsake box. The elf is available in your choice of light or dark skin tones.

This is such a sweet, easy, Christmas tradition that will last for years and years. And with such a reasonable price, how can you say no?

I am looking forward to seeing Willow's face when we take it out (probably after Thanksgiving). I don't think that, at 2 years old, she's going to modify her behavior but, I can't wait anyway!

Pass It On

2009-11-04T07:00:00.004-06:00

As a mother, I think about the things that I am "passing on" to my daughter. I see every day the personality traits she gets from her father and I wonder what I can offer her. You know, aside from the whole "giving her life" thing.

When I was a kid, my mother was always crocheting or knitting or cross stitching. I always thought it was neat, but it never occurred to me to ask her about it. And, she never volunteered any information. So, I have decided that I am going to be proactive. I don't know if it's the Holidays coming up, or if it's my feeling a little "domestic" in my "old age", but I think I am going to learn how to crochet AND knit and teach it to Willow, if she would like to learn.

I am not a stay-at-home mom. I know they have less time than I do to do fantastic things like sewing and quilting and knitting, yet somehow they manage to make time for it. And I have to say that I am constantly impressed by it all. I read about friends' "projects" and I am secretly jealous that I am not "crafty". Is that silly? Maybe, but I don't care.

While many of us "modern" mothers work, I think we can still find the time to teach our daughters traditional things like needlework and sewing if we put our minds to it. I'll have to dig out the book on crocheting that I am pretty sure I have and keep you updated on future projects.

Patriot Day 2009

2009-09-11T07:00:00.002-05:00

September 11th Memorial wall in Second Life is etched with nearly 3,000 names of victims of the 2001 terrorist attack against the United States

A Prayer of Hope and Healing for Patriot Day

By Mary Fairchild

Dear Heavenly Father,

Today is a difficult day. The memories are painful and some of the wounds I fear may never heal. Yet I pray you will help me to go on living for truth, firm in my hope of your salvation. May I live for you, Lord, and by doing so, be an example to my friends and family. I pray, just like Jesus, I may learn obedience through these things that I have suffered. Help me not to question why, yet even if I do, give me courage to continue to trust you. Help me take the comfort and strength you've poured into my life and use it to comfort and strengthen others who need hope.

I pray I might become a better person and help make the world a better place because of this terrible event. Thank you for the heroes that gave so sacrificially on September 11. Help me to remember their courage and learn from them. I want my life to be worthy of you Lord, so make of it what you desire, and use me to fulfill your purposes. May the evil of that day cause me and my family to work harder to do good on this Earth and to bring your light into the dark places. Help me to never stop believing in you and living my life for you.

Lord, heal all those who were crushed and broken on that day. May they come to experience your presence and know your peace.

Amen.

More Information:
September 11 - Bible Verses for Patriot Day
National September 11 Memorial & Museum
September11thMemorial.com
911-Remember.com

What Does "Gifted" Mean?

2009-08-31T12:00:00.004-05:00

When I pulled Willow out of Montessori School a few weeks ago, I decided to do some research on "early learning". I inevitably stumbled upon "gifted" programs in my search for answers. So, I talked to a ton of moms and teachers to get their thoughts on the advantages and disadvantages in giving your kid a "head start" in education.

First, let me tell you a little about Willow. She is going to be two in mid-September. Right now she can sing the alphabet song (recognizing some of the letters) and Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star. She can "read" Yummy Yucky and Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See?. I put the word "read" in quotation marks because even though she can say the words and turn the pages at the right times, that doesn't mean she can read. It means that we have read them to her enough that she has memorized them.

We aren't some of those nutty parents who started showing her flash cards before she could even hold her head up because (and this is totally our opinion, especially the "nutty" part) what's the point? (Besides, if your child is truly gifted, it's not because you showed them flash cards) However, she can recognize and make the noises for all the Animals in The Very Busy Spider and Do You Want to Be My Friend? (even the peacock, which is super cute (and scarily accurate) and the rooster). She can also reliably count to 7, but she has no idea what the numbers mean.

In my opinion (and I am a rocket scientist, not a cognitive analyst), she is pretty average for her age. Certainly not "gifted".

Did you know that only about 2-3 out of every 100 children the same age as your child is now can be considered "gifted"? The real question is whether or not it actually means anything before your child is school-aged. And the answer is mostly no.

Personally, I would never subject my very young child to any kind of academic pressure at her age. They have enough to deal with when Kindergarten starts (you know, since they learn to actually read in Kindergarten these days) and I'd prefer that my child have the opportunity to just "be a kid" for as long as possible. Studies have shown that subjecting small children (under school-aged) to academic rigors have no benefit down the road.

There is one exception, the truly gifted child. And I don't mean the child who has been shown flash cards, or how to golf, since birth. So, you know, now they can read and add and play golf. I mean the child that is truly UNHAPPY if they are not learning. I mean the child that gets little sleep (and refuses naps during the day) because his brain is always on and thinking (this is typically from birth). The child that can associate, at 16 months old (from pictures alone), that beef comes from a cow, and understands the concept of death. The child that completes a 24 piece puzzle that she has never seen before in less than 10 minutes at the ripe old age of two.

Like I said, I have talked to quite a few moms and teachers. (I question them when I am working out at Curves.) And, quite universally, they say that the absolute best thing you can do for your young child is to spend time with them. Get them to read books and listen to music and develop creatively with drawing and painting. Don't waste your money on a developmental program, especially since cognitive ability is hard to nail down before your child is school-aged. I have a co-worker that literally spent $5,000 to put their 5-year-old in a reading course so they would be at a second grade level when they entered first grade. I just don't see the logic there.

According to MENSA (regarding testing for your child), all available tests are standard score tests based on a ranking of all children who take the tests. The test will only tell you how many other children your child outscored; it will not tell you "how gifted" or how different your child's thinking and reasoning are. The old Stanford-Binet LM is still the only test that can do that, but you must give your child the standard score test first or schools may not accept the results due to the age of the SBLM. Additionally, the SB-LM...really has to be used before a child turns 12 to have any particular value and in the case of the profoundly gifted, prior to the age of 9. (IQ tests for small children aren't really accurate until after the age of 5.)

In talking to teachers and moms, I have found that in all instances (again unless your child is truly gifted) putting pressure on your child at too young an age tends to turn out bad. I also discovered that moms with children who were at the top of their high school classes didn't do anything different with them when they were young. They let them develop at their own pace, and they turned out more than fine.

So, before you go off and spend a ton of money getting your kid tested and spend subsequently MORE money on some kind of early learning/development program, think about your reasoning behind it. Are you doing it because your child is really and truly gifted? Or, are you doing it so you can brag about how little Suzie goes to such and such a school for "gifted" children?

Do you think your child may be gifted? See the links below for more information:

Testing 1,2,3: Evaluating a Child for Giftedness

National Association for Gifted Children

And, until your child is school-aged, you can find some enrichment activities and resources here: Enrichment Activities and Resources for Gifted Children

Are You Constantly Running on Full?

2009-08-27T07:00:00.001-05:00

My daughter watches Elmo a lot. Her favorite video is Elmo's Potty Time. One part of the video has a giant blue monkey who is "in tune with his body", meaning he knows when he's thirsty or hungry, etc. because he listens to what his body is telling him. This is helpful in learning to use the potty. I find this to be an interesting concept, especially because I don't think most people are in tune with their bodies (me included).

My weight has been an issue for me ever since the 7th grade (or so). I was never really "fat" (like I am now at a size 18, which is over the average size of 14 for women in America), just overweight. As I am sure I have mentioned in here before, I think it's important to set a good example for your young, impressionable, children. That's why I exercise regularly (actually enjoying it) and do my best to not overeat. We get take out about once a week, which I think is pretty appropriate.

I asked a (thin) co-worker what she does to stay fit. She said she didn't exercise (which I didn't find too shocking), she just ate several small meals a day, always stopped eating when she was full, and didn't eat past 8:00pm. It was the middle part that struck a chord with me and made me think about the blue monkey in the Elmo video.

What does it mean to be "full"? Seriously, do you know when you are full? When I was a kid we were always told that we had to finish what was on our plate. We were never told "Please eat until you are full and then stop, like you should."

There was an article on MSNBC recently called Overweight pals eat more when they’re together. According to the article, in a study of 9- to 15-year-olds, researchers found that all kids, regardless of their weight, tended to eat more when they had the chance to snack with a friend than when they were with a peer they did not know. But the biggest calorie intakes were seen when an overweight child snacked with an overweight friend.

With so many articles and studies on the "Obesity Epidemic" in this day and age, you would think that people, at the very least, could stop eating when they are full. But surprisingly, we don't. With humongous portions being served in restaurants and with the plain abundance of food here in America, it's not surprising to me that so many Americans are fat.

But, and I know this is a crazy thought, what if we did stop eating when we were full instead of "finishing our plate"? Just something to think about.

Being a parent is about taking care of your child(ren), but it's also about taking care of yourself. Every day I see the results of my daughter copying me. I have to have things "just right" and so does she. She has a little freak out if there is cat vomit on the floor and one of her new favorite words is "mess" and she can't stand for her play blanket (that we lay on the floor) or the mats in the kitchen to have a crumpled corner (subsequently fixing it if it does). I'm not quite sure if I have a borderline OCD here, but I am thinking that's probably not the case.

The point is that "do as I do" is what children do. They can and do pick up on swear words and even how you drive, clean, and eat your food. YOU ARE THE STANDARD and the example that they have. Are you "in tune with your body"? I know I am working on being in tune with mine.

The School "Edge"?

2009-08-19T07:00:00.000-05:00

My daughter turns two on September 17th. In Texas (as in some other states, I am sure) the cutoff for beginning school is September 1st. So, she will miss the cutoff by 17 days and when she enters Kindergarten she will be almost six years old.

At first, this was bothersome to me. Being from new York, whose cutoff is in December, I started Kindergarten when I was 4 (since my birthday is in October) and I graduated high school when I was 17. Since my daughter is a fall baby as well, I thought the best thing would be to find a way to help her "get ahead" and start school a year earlier, when she was about to turn five. I mean, it's a whole YEAR, right? Aren't I doing my child a disservice by making her wait?

So, the search for a private school that didn't strictly adhere to the cutoff date began. I did some research and made some calls. We finally settled on a Montessori school in the area to take a look at.

We went and checked the place and the teachers out and even brought Willow in for a visit. Even though she is only turning two, we thought making the switch now would be better than ripping her away from well established relationships a few years from now. As there wasn't an opening yet we went on the waiting list. Time went by and we got the start date at the beginning of August. We were very excited.

I secretly referred to the transition week as "Hell Week" since it was, quite literally, a half an hour at the new school the first day with subsequently longer time at the new school each day until she was there full time at the end of the week. This meant a lot of back-and-forth to work for me since my husband is out of town 4 days a week. They assured me that "35 years of Montessori experience" has proven that this was the best way. I can tell you, knowing my child, that this wasn't a good thing. Willow likes you to "rip the band aid off" and would have done much better had we gone cold turkey. But, that's neither here nor there.

We transitioned. And we started week two, which was the first "full" week without a hitch. The biggest challenge for us was her eating. She doesn't eat much. She ate fine at daycare since they served the food and everyone ate the same thing. But at her new school, she wasn't eating. I knew she'd eventually get over it and it was getting better by the end of the week.

I won't go into details, but the school did a few things during this first week that made me second-guess moving her there. So, after much discussion between us parents, we moved her back to the daycare she has been at since she was 6 months old. Willow was happy at the new school and she is happy back at her daycare.

Before we made the decision to move Willow back to her daycare, we talked about the reasons we wanted to move her away to begin with. The main concern (my concern) was when she would have to start school. I looked at her starting school as she was about to turn six as a disadvantage. But the more I research and think about it, the more I can see it as an advantage, all around.

Willow will get one more year before she is succumbed to the "pressures" of school. I WISH I was kidding, but gone are the days when Kindergarten consisted mainly of playing and getting used to the more structured routine of elementary school. These days, kids are taught how to read and write and do math. And it's funny because, as I was thinking about writing this article, I noticed a new story on MSNBC entitled Tutoring tots? Some kids prep for kindergarten.

These days, children are learning in Kindergarten what used to be taught in the first grade, despite any evidence that learning things like math and reading earlier results in any benefit when the child is older. This spring, a group called the Alliance for Childhood, whose executive director is a former Preschool and Kindergarten teacher, released a study called Crisis in the Kindergarten: Why Children Need to Play in School. The study concludes that kindergartens have changed dramatically in the last two decades “from places where love of learning was thoughtfully nurtured into pressure-cooker classrooms where teachers are required to follow scripts, labor under unrealistic one-size-fits-all standards, and test children relentlessly on their performance. Kindergarten has ceased to be a garden of delight and has become a place of stress and distress.”

And, unfortunately, the pressures that parents and teachers are putting on our very young children can lead to big problems. According to the article I sited above, Carleton Kendrick, a Boston-area family therapist for more than 30 years, says he sees first-hand the consequences of “fast-tracking” children.

Too much pressure to perform academically from teachers and parents can lead to a range of anxiety-related complaints and psychosomatic symptoms in youngsters that normally wouldn’t show up until the teen years or later, he says. School stress can cause young children to be worried, overwhelmed, ashamed, guilty and even clinically depressed. For some, the stress can contribute to headaches, stomach upset, stuttering and insomnia.

YIKES!

I can safely say that we are quite happy with our decision to not interfere with the natural course of things with respect to school. It's taken me a little while to get used to the idea but I think I am finally there. My #1 goal for my daughter is for her to be happy. And while an extra year when she is so young may SEEM like a lot, I think we'll all be better for it in the end.

It's Been a While

2009-08-18T07:00:00.000-05:00

I feel like I have been neglecting this blog and I am hoping to remedy that. So, be on the lookout for more frequent posting!

In the interim, please check out our new neat FaceBook box at the top of the blog!

See you soon!!

Welcome the Pad

2009-07-24T14:55:00.004-05:00

A discussion about feminine products and my evolutionary views on them as I have aged into my 30's.

When you're young and hip and on the go, you tend to use certain "products" over others during your Aunt Flo's visit. Am I right? And, let's be honest, when you're young the tampon is what most women use. Especially in this day and age when it seems (to me, at the risk of sounding prudish) like young women are wearing less and less. We can't have that bothersome pad sticking out and ruining our outfit, can we?

However, since having a baby, my views have changed. And I am uncertain as to whether it's to do with the fact that something so large came out of an opening that was so small, but tampons just don't seem to FIT like they used to.

And, since I was bleeding after giving birth for about 5 weeks, I got to know the pad a little better. We became friends, of a sort. And, if you haven't checked them out lately, the pads of today are not your mother's pads. They are very thin, have great adhesive, and don't feel at all like a diaper.

Tampons on the other hand don't seem to stay in place. I sneeze and it seems to dislodge. And I have used everything from regular to super with the same results on all counts.

So, what gives? Am I just getting old? Maybe so, but I have never been happier than I am with my pad. If you haven't tried them out in a while and are looking for a change, try them out! I think you'll be pleasantly surprised. Let's just hope I remember how to use a tampon when my daughter is old enough to use them.

If you liked what you read here and are a member on FaceBook, please become a fan of Mommy Vomitpants!

Courteous, Polite, Kind

2009-07-07T07:00:00.002-05:00

These are words that we want people to associate with our children, aren't they? How awesome does it feel when someone compliments you on your child's behavior? I have gotten compliments on my 22-month-old so I can safely tell you that it is pretty awesome. It makes you feel like you are doing something right. So, the questions is, why do we want to instill traits and behaviors in our children that we do not ourselves pattern?

We "roll through" that stop sign but if our teenage child did the same we'd surely say something. We complain when the neighbor has a party, but when it's our turn we are just as loud.

Ever since having a baby I have learned a little more about consideration for others. This is because I am considerate (or at least try to be) for my child. You would think that having children would make you sensitive to the difficulties others have, especially in a neighborhood situation where there are many children involved. But I have found this to NOT be the case and, frankly, it has me baffled.

We live in a "do as I say not as I do" society and adults are terrible when it comes to manners, and being kind and polite. I was stuck on the side of the road a couple of months ago with a flat tire. It wasn't a highway and people were driving by at a rate of several a minute. It took me 45 minutes to get the stupid lug nuts off the tire to change it out. I had 4 of 5 off when one of the probably 50 people that passed me by in that span of time (about 30 minutes) finally stopped to help me. I appreciated the help but it was too late to make any kind of time difference for me. The moral of the story is that people want someone to stop for them but aren't willing to stop and help someone else. It's so easy to say "Oh yeah, I would totally stop and help someone." and then never have the opportunity to do so. It's another thing altogether to actually stop and help when you do.

Another case in point is my neighbors. Of the 23 (or so) houses on my street (which is a cul-de-sac), about 17 (or so) of them have kids. It's a great street for kids and we love it, for the most part. Our house is the center house at the end of the street. So when the kids play outside, it's right outside my house in front of my driveway (and very loud because apparently screaming is conducive to having fun ^_^) and we don't mind at all (and I don't remember ever complaining about noise).

Everyone on the street knows I have a toddler. She is one of the youngest on the street. They also know her bed time and that her bedroom is in the front of the house above the garage. They know this because I have mentioned it several times both in person and via e-mail. And while some people are considerate, all that knowledge doesn't stop others from doing things like lighting off fireworks on the 4th of July and on New Year's late into the night. You know, for the kids. (Luckily I have been blessed with a heavy sleeper)

I am the type of parent who doesn't keep her kid up for my convenience. Because when she is up too late it is decidedly inconvenient for me and my husband (if he's home) for the rest of the night and likely the next day. And I know it's just because of her age and when she gets older the whole "staying up late" thing will be easier (and harder for other things).

I know this is probably coming off bad, but I really don't mean to chastise parents who do keep their kids up for selfish reasons. We are all selfish from time to time. But my daughter thrives on her routine, which we established right from the beginning. They tell me all the time at daycare how she is the most routine child they have. And I take pride in that because she knows exactly what to expect and when to expect it (for the most part). Part of that routine is a stringent bedtime, which is timed for when she is really too tired to go on in order to get her needed sleep in for the night and not be cranky the next day. This is the reason we don't go out at night...well, that and we are just homebodies who are happiest relaxing in the home that we love. (I have considered a babysitter but I'm not there yet)

Since becoming a parent, I have developed a consideration for other people and their children that I assumed other people with children also have. Boy, am I wrong. And being wrong about that makes me sad. I'll admit that I am judgmental when it comes to parenting. It's stupid and I try to keep it to myself and vent only to my husband when I see things like a 16-month-old (who is much smaller than my 22-month-old in 2T) in size 4T clothing, or when I see a child under 6 holding a firecracker while their grandmother lights it and tells them to throw it (while filming the whole thing). To me, those things represent irresponsible parenting. But, who am I to judge? I promise you I am no saint.

I just wish that people really "did unto others as they would have done unto them" like we are taught as children. Imagine a world where people really do stop to help; a world where people don't chastise you for being a "party-pooper" when you ask them to quiet down (or heck just have some plain old consideration and follow the local noise ordinances) because your baby is sleeping. Imagine the world we would be handing our children if we, as adults, just exemplified the manners and etiquette that we expect from our children. I know I'd like to see that world.

So, next time someone tries to cut you off (whether it's on the parking lot, in the grocery store, or on the highway, etc.), why not let them in instead of stepping on the gas for a change? Next time you are running late, make sure to STILL stop at that stop sign (because it doesn't save you time really). And next time someone asks you to turn down the noise, accommodate them. Just the once.

On the other hand, give people the benefit of the doubt. (she says as she judges ^_^) I try to, really I do. I always give people a chance, even two chances! I don't assume you never stop at that stop sign just because I saw you run it once. I'll even walk with my daughter in the street because your car is (illegally) blocking the sidewalk. Maybe you have a reason for not pulling all the way into the driveway?

Moral of the story? The next time you are given an opportunity to be one of those things (essentially the "bigger" person), give it a try!! It feels good to be courteous, polite, and kind, I promise. (your children can see the double standard when you aren't)

If you liked what you read here and are a member on FaceBook, please become a fan of Mommy Vomitpants!

Happy Birthday America!!

2009-07-04T07:00:00.003-05:00

Happy 4th of July to you all!!

As we celebrate the birth of our amazing country, please be mindful of fireworks and their use.

Here are a couple of useful links from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC):

9,800 People Treated in Emergency Departments for Fireworks-Related Injuries in 2007

Fireworks Injury Prevention

Have a wonderful weekend!!

If you liked what you read here and are a member on FaceBook, please become a fan of Mommy Vomitpants!

National Ice Cream Month

2009-07-01T09:00:00.000-05:00

You may not be aware that such a thing existed but July is National Ice Cream Month!

It was designated such in 1984 by then President Ronald Reagan with the third Sunday of the month designated as "Ice Cream Day". This year, that Sunday falls on July 19th.

For some Ice Cream Facts (Courtesy of IceCream.com)

It takes 12 lbs. of milk to make just one gallon of ice cream. Wonder how they fit it all in one carton?

The U.S. enjoys an average of 48 pints of ice cream per person, per year, more than any other country. Maybe we should make ice cream the fifth food group!

It takes an average of 50 licks to polish off a single-scoop ice cream cone. Challenge your family to a Lick-a-Thon, and see who finishes first!

The biggest ice cream sundae in history was made in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, in 1988, and weighed in at over 24 tons. You can't order that in an ice cream parlor!

In 2003, Portland, Oregon bought more ice cream per person than any other U.S. city. Looks like everyone else has a lot of catching up to do!

The ice cream cone's invention is linked to the 1904 World's Fair in St. Louis. An ice cream vendor reportedly didn't have enough dishes to keep up with the demand, so he teamed up with a waffle vendor who rolled his waffles into cones!

So, go out and enjoy some ice cream! It is summer and many of us could use the cool break from the heat outside.

If you liked what you read here and are a member on FaceBook, please become a fan of Mommy Vomitpants!

Sweating the "Parenting" Thing

2009-06-28T07:00:00.016-05:00

I live in Houston and I hate to sweat. Not a good combination, right? I mean it gets hot here (heat index in the 100's lately), not to mention the hurricanes we see every year.

Sweating in the heat, to me, is kind of like sweating the whole parenting thing. See, when I was a kid I always thought that I'd have two children. A boy and a girl (of course). The American family, with me living the American dream. Now that I am a parent and I intentionally have only one child, the dream has changed to one of raising a happy child.

So, I am reading parenting books. Right now I am reading (and loving) Parenting an Only Child: The Joys and Challenges of Raising Your One and Only by Susan Newman, Ph.D.

Like all parenting books, this one tries to tell you what to do (and not do) when raising your children.

After reading most of a couple of these books I think I have learned a lot and I think (after talking it over with my husband) we have a philosophy about raising our only child. As such, I want to make some promises to my child:

I promise to do my best to let you be your own person.
I promise that I will try not to shove my dreams for you in your face and then look at you and voice my disappointment when you make a different choice than I would have liked you to.
I promise that when I one day cement in my mind a plan for you, I will not be disappointed when you do not fulfill that vision because you are not me and I am not you.
I promise to try my darnedest to not let my years of experience prevent you from making mistakes and learning, on your own, some of life's lessons.
I promise to do my best to give you every opportunity.
I promise that you will have a childhood that doesn't include the over scheduling of activities and lessons.
I promise to push you when you need it and stand back when you don't.
I promise to take an interest in (whether or not you want me to) and help you with your school work (when you ask).
I promise to praise your accomplishments and abilities without overly criticizing your weaknesses and faults.

An ambitious list of promises, don't you think? I hope I can keep them. Even though she is nearly 2 years old and can't read this or know my intentions, all I want for her is happiness. In the end, isn't that what life boils down to?

If you liked what you read here and are a member on FaceBook, please become a fan of Mommy Vomitpants!

Happy Father's Day!!!

2009-06-21T07:00:00.001-05:00

Today is the day we celebrate the dad's in our lives.

As a wife, I have to admit that there are times when I feel like I should be appreciated more than I am. So, it stands to reason that my husband (and father to my lovely daughter) would feel the same from time to time.

So, today I have set out to celebrate his wonderful "fatherness" with a few gifts and a couple of cards and a whole lot of family time.

I will start off with a new phrase I am trying out with Willow:

Seriously though...he is a wonderful father and husband and neither I nor Willow (not just because she can't talk well enough yet) could ask for someone better.

If you liked what you read here and are a member on FaceBook, please become a fan of Mommy Vomitpants!

An "Ideal" Life?

2009-06-17T07:00:00.001-05:00

When you make the decision to become a parent, you have ideas about how you want to raise your child and what kind of parent you want to be. You have seen how well your parents did and what mistakes they made and you vow to be and do better.

But, is such an idealistic way of parenting reality? Being the parent of a toddler, I find it incredibly hard to abide by the "rules" I have set for myself as a parent. And I am strict.

There is no cursing in front of the toddler. That little mimicker is already picking up my bad habits of picking up the bowl to get the last scrapings of food (it's cute but messy). The last thing I need is for a curse word to "slip out" in public. And I think I must have hit the cat once or twice in front of her because she seems to think it's not only okay, but fun to do. Not to mention the yelling. I mean I am not a yeller, at least so I thought, but she sure likes to test out her volume. I just wish she would wait until I'm not driving to do it.

We all have cutesy-fun stories about toddler woes, don't we? And we all, universally, think that our kid is the brightest and the most adorable. I mean friends and family agree, right? No one has told you that your kid is ugly and dumb; that's just plain rude and not what we do in the "civilized" society we live in.

It's a delicate balance to live your life while providing the best life you can for your child(ren). You don't want to lose "yourself" while gaining this new personality that is your child. You need time for yourself, but choosing what to do in that time is a delicate balance. Do you read a book (just because you want to) or do the dishes? Do you play your Nintendo DS or clean up from the day? God knows it seems like those moments that you have to yourself are dwindling more and more. (or is it just me?)

Personally, I am in the middle of about 3 parenting books right now. I try to fit them in when I have a minute. But it's both a chore and something that I want to do, if that makes sense. See, I want to be the best parent I can be and I know I'm not an expert at it. I've only been at it for about 21 months now and this is the first (and only) time for me. I am also reading my Mother-In-Law's journals that she kept from when my husband was a new baby and "Dead Until Dark". I hope to finish the latter in the next couple of months, not to mention I am about 8 weeks behind on my People Magazines.

So, back to ideal parenting. You want your kid to be the smartest and the cutest and the first to do everything. And it's so incredibly INCREDIBLY hard NOT to speak up when "Donna Reed" is bragging about little Emma and her latest accomplishments. But I try to not say anything about my kid unless asked. You know why? Because if Willow isn't where whatever the kid that is being bragged about is, it makes me feel like a terrible mother. I mean if little Emma can name all the animals in the jungle, shouldn't Willow be able to? You begin to question your parenting. Maybe I'm not working with her enough. Should I enroll her in an early learning program or get a tutor? You get the idea.

The thing I try to remember is that kids are kids and they learn when they learn. Some kids Willow's age (21 months old) are talking less than her and some are talking more. Some are potty trained and some (like Willow) aren't.

My new "ideal parenting motto" is to "wait until Willow is ready". She has NEVER failed to let us know when she is ready to try something new or give up something old. Now, I am perfectly aware that this isn't going to last forever. I can't always wait until she is ready for something. Part of being a parent is deciding when it's time to lend a helping hand and guide your child in the direction that you'd like them to end up, right?

So what's the point of this post? The point of this post is to remind everyone that no one is the perfect parent. And no matter how well you plan and what ideals you adopt, parenting is never straight forward and is almost always a guessing game. Sure, you have the experience of the child(ren) you have raised should you have more than one, but since every child is different no two parenting experiences are the same (even with the same parents).

The point is to give yourself a break. I know I am working on it. I am not perfect and Willow doesn't really need me to be. As long as she is happy overall, that's all that matters.

If you liked what you read here and are a member on FaceBook, please become a fan of Mommy Vomitpants!

Best Selling Car in America?

2009-06-14T07:09:00.003-05:00

I saw this on the NBC Nightly News and thought it was hilarious...

June 11: The yellow and red Little Tikes Cozy Coupe sold more than 457,000 units in 2008 - more than any other car in the U.S. NBC's Brian Williams reports. (Nightly News)

Visit msnbc.com for Breaking News, World News, and News about the Economy

If you liked what you read here and are a member on FaceBook, please become a fan of Mommy Vomitpants!

In The News - Understanding the Risks (and Rewards) of Pills and Pregnancy

2009-06-04T09:00:00.001-05:00

My husband reads Time Magazine and thought sharing this article with my Mommy Vomitpants readers would be a good idea. After checking it out, I have to agree!!

Having been pregnant, I can attest to the desire, at times, to pop a pill to fix what may be ailing you. But, it's important to remember that your body is no longer your own when you are pregnant. Everything you ingest is ingested by your baby. Believe it or not, even over the counter drugs can be harmful to your unborn baby. It can be hard for a first-time mother to know what is safe to take and what is not. I mean, let's face it, we live in a "pill-popping" society. People just "pop a pill" when they have indigestion or a headache or allergies without thinking twice about what they are putting into their bodies.

That's why it's so important when you are pregnant to be very diligent about what you are taking. And it's important to talk to your doctor if you have ANY questions about a medication. Often times, if your doctor is unavailable, you can ask to speak to a nurse. If you happen to be at the pharmacy or grocery store, a pharmacist can help you as well.

So, how do you know which category your medication fits into? And, how do they determine that anyway? Here is where the Article Understanding the Risks (and Rewards) of Pills and Pregnancy comes into play (click the title to read the article).

To sum up the article, the medical community sees a need for clinical research on drugs and pregnant women. However, red flags go up when you talk about clinical trials on pregnant women (as they should). All that aside, we are a far cry from the "olden days" (as recently as 20 years ago) when they would perform trials on men and "extrapolate" the results to women. No, I am not kidding.

But when you have chronic illness like depression, diabetes, and hypertension, what is a pregnant woman to do? What if you have cancer? Did you know there are only about a dozen medications that are approved by the FDA for use by pregnant women? And when you agree to take a drug that could pose a risk to your unborn fetus, you may be required to sign a release form to exempt your doctor from prosecution should something bad happen.

The National Institutes of Health (NIH) is currently funding a National Children's Study, which is enrolling 100,000 women who are either pregnant or plan to become pregnant, with the goal of tracking the development of the children from preconception to adulthood. While that is ongoing, the FDA had proposed overhauling the guidance it gives on drug use by pregnant women.

Right now, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) classifies pills and their effects on pregnancy into 5 different "categories". Let's take a look at each of them.

Category A pills are safe for ingestion by a pregnant woman. This category of pill has had extensive testing done by the FDA and do not show an increase in birth defects after use.

Category B pills can be safe, but you should ask your doctor to be sure. This category of pill has either had extensive animal testing (showing no increase in defects) but no well-done human trials have been conducted, or animal studies suggested birth defects where human trials did not.

Category C pills are generally not safe to use. This category of pills had animal testing show increased birth defects (with no large, well-done human trials), or there are no good animal or human studies BUT the benefits of the drug can outweigh the risks associated with taking it.

Category D pills are generally not safe to use but the risks can outweigh the benefits of taking the medication. This category of pills do show an increased risk of birth defects with use.

Category X pills should not be used. This category of pills showed an increased risk of birth defects with the benefits of taking the medication NOT outweighing the risks to the baby.

Since the above categories are so broadly defined, as they currently stand, they are looking into providing a more narrative, evidence-based summary about each individual drug and the effect it has on pregnant and nursing women.

Hopefully, the NIH study coupled with the FDA redefinition of drugs, and the "Second Wave" of clinical research mentioned in the article will help the pregnant women of the future to make better decisions when it comes to medication and their unborn baby. Until then, please talk to you doctor about ALL medications that you take and ask about the risks to your unborn baby. The same goes for breastfeeding mothers. Please don't make an uneducated decision.

If you liked what you read here and are a member on FaceBook, please become a fan of Mommy Vomitpants!