Gotcha Baby » MAM

Like Mother, Like Daughter?

Michelle — Wed, 25 Aug 2010 04:23:29 +0000

I can’t believe that I’m going to say that things seem to have gotten more hectic since MaM has started back to school, but they sort of have. Not really anything stress inducing, but the boy and I have no problem filling our days.

Tonight we signed MaM up for Daisy Scouts. She was a little disappointed cookies weren’t involved in the Service unit meeting, because really, that’s all she knows of Girl Scouts. I can’t wait for her to learn more……..the songs, the field trips, the camping, the friendship, I get wistful just thinking about it. Maybe I haven’t mentioned it before, but I in scouts from second grade on through til 12th grade. YES, 12th grade! I earned my Silver Award, but never did find a Gold Award project I could stick with long enough to finish it (it’s the equivalent of the Eagle in Boy Scouts, and even more elusive). I was a resident camp enthusiast, and became a camp counselor the minute I graduated from high school.

I don’t know if MaM will be as gung-ho about it as I was, but I do so hope she’ll enjoy it!

A Weekend to Recover from my Weekend

Michelle — Tue, 06 Jul 2010 13:54:58 +0000

Phew. That was exhausting. Was your weekend exhausting?

My was fabulous, fun, busy, and filled with family….and it was exhausting.

It all started Saturday morning when I packed up the kids and brought them down to the Children’s Museum of Indianapolis for the Beatles cover band, Brit Beat. They were amazing, and the kids humored me by sitting through their “Ed Sullivan Era” set. MaM needed earplugs. Jr danced. Then they wanted to see the rest of the museum.

Typically we go for 2-3 hours at the most, and we hang out in just a few exhibit rooms. Saturday, however, the kids were on the move. We saw probably 75% of the museum, and they spent 5 hours in constant motion, with only a 20 minute break for lunch.

They played with Barbie, dug for dinosaurs, played at the train table, flew to Egypt, road the carousel, and checked out the newest exhibit, Rock Stars, Cars and Guitars.

For the down-low on Rock Stars, Cars and Guitars, check out my review at Savvy Source. If you’ve got a budding rocker, you won’t want to miss it!

Five hours later I was able to convince them it was time to go home. Jr was asleep before we pulled out of the parking garage. He slept for the 20 minute ride home, and then was recharged for the afternoon. Funny how 35 yrs makes a difference.

When we got home? I waved briefly to BgK, and then went upstairs and took a two hour nap!

And that was just Saturday……

MaM was thrilled there was a red-headed Barbie!

Savvy Source City Guide: Indianapolis

Michelle — Thu, 01 Jul 2010 05:17:22 +0000

So this month of June, which has just flown by, has been a busy one here at Kahuna Manor. Besides transitioning from going to work to being on summer break, having Jr turn two, AND having MaM lose a tooth, I’ve been busy on the internet.

I SUCCESSFULLY COMPLETED a NaPoBloMo, which is kind of amazing. And really, it wasn’t a big deal or very tedious, except for this past weekend when I posted really lame posts from my iPhone really late at night. Other than that? It was fun.

But here’s the new: I have a new internet gig over at SavvySource.com. I am the new city editor for Indianapolis, and I’ve worked my fingers to the bone building content for the Indianapolis page to launch. In about two weeks, I’ve built all of the content currently on the page. I now know when and where storytimes, free movies and special events are happening around the city. It is very cool and very fun and I’m looking forward to featuring ALL of what Central Indiana has to offer!!

So….go check it out if you’re so inclined. And let me know if there’s something around Indy you love that I’ve omitted, or if there’s a special event coming up that I can add. I’ll be adding events weekly!

What’s the tooth fairy’s going rate these days???

Michelle — Tue, 15 Jun 2010 23:58:34 +0000

MaM has been anticipating turning five with as much gusto as anyone I ever met (remember, I teach 3-6 yr olds), and she FINALLY has a developmental milestone that proves she is so close to five she can almost taste it.

For months, she’s been talking about “wiggly teeth”. Months. Last time we were at the dentist, MaM had her double check to make sure the doc hadn’t missed a wiggly one.

This morning she told me she had a wiggly tooth, and I merely “yessed” her. I was probably changing a diaper or pouring coffee or something when she told me.

Tonight at dinner, after she cried because her hard bread was too hard for her wiggly tooth, I inspected.

MaM has her first loose tooth!!!

I’ll be honest it took me by surprise, and it kind of took my breath away. I mean really, didn’t she just get these teeth? Didn’t we ache and moan for months to get these teeth? Four short years later, and she’s on to the next best thing.

I immediately thought of my favorite tooth-related book as a kid– Molly and the Slow Teeth. She, apparently, will be NO Molly!

Do you have a fav book about the topic of tooth-losing? It is SUCH a big deal in grades K-2 or so. Inquiring minds want to know!

Trying New Foods with Toddlers & Beyond

Michelle — Mon, 14 Jun 2010 23:12:01 +0000

A few posts back, my pal Stork suggested a post on trading ideas on how to get kids to try new healthy foods. I told her to stay tuned….because today’s the day!

A few weeks ago, I was contacted on behalf of Sunsweet Growers and was given the opportunity to try a Sunsweet product.

I have to admit, I was skeptical. When I think of prunes, I think of my grandparents kitchen. I can picture the box sitting on top of their refrigerator, and I associate them with my Pop-Pop. Past that, I’ve never thought much about them. I didn’t feed them to my kids as infants, for I’d heard tales of their magical digestive powers and chose to steer clear.

So yesterday, with some hesitation, I opened a 60 calorie pack of cherry-essence prunes. Guess what? They aren’t dry and sticky like I thought they were. They are sweet and juicy. They are actually kind of delicious. I actually kind of have to pace myself to make sure I don’t eat too many!

Today we packed a picnic to take to the park, and MaM immediately noticed the foil package in her lunch bag. I told her they were healthy fruit snacks. She ate one and ran to the playground. She said she didn’t really care for it. Later, when Jr. was interested in his lunch, she showed him the new fruit snacks, and encouraged him to try it. He did, and then she tried it again. This time, they both ate two and were laughing hysterically the entire time. Success!

SunSweet has consulted with dietician Carolyn O’Neil and together they are offering 10 Tips for Tiny Tummies. It’s a good list for starting to introduce new foods to children who may be resistant.There are also resources on digestive health, an issue I know many moms take seriously. In a house where goldfish crackers and string cheese rule, trust me, I’m familiar with those struggles!

In our house, I was surprised about the first thing I had to get across to my children:

1) Be polite about the food on your plate. This means, not using words like “disgusting” in relation to foods I’ve chosen to serve.

After about 18 months of enforcing this rule, MaM is fairly polite most days about foods with which she’s not familiar. I am still working on getting Jr. not to throw food he’s not interested in, he still has a way to go in that department!

2) I’m sure each child is different, but for MaM, I’ve learned not to draw attention to any new foods. I’ve learned to serve just about anything with a dab of ketchup, and probably she’ll dip it and try it. Tonight she tried a samosa (she told me she didn’t care for it, and nicely put it aside on her plate) and she tried tilapia and she ate every bite I had given her. I was kind of amazed, and thought it was good timing, considering this post.

So tell me…what do you do to introduce new foods to your little ones?? Do you have tried and true methods for keeping your kids regular?? Please share!

Disclosure: Thanks to SunSweet for the free product coupon and reusable shopping bag in exchange for this review. The opinions in this review are expressly my own.

Weekend Wrap Up

Michelle — Mon, 07 Jun 2010 01:41:02 +0000

It’s hard to believe this weekend was only 2 days long. I suppose it’s because it really was a 2.5 day weekend, what with our senior citizen date on Friday (which was great, btw…if you like the SATC2 characters, go see it, it’s big fun) and all. After our date, we picked up the kids and attempted to family swim at the gym. Unfortunately, there was a sunscreen incident, and MaM spent the entire time rinsing her eyes out and wailing. After about 30 minutes, we called it quits.

Saturday involved footballs, motorcycles, and WNBA basketball.

Open House at Lucas Oil Stadium

Indy West Harley Davidson Open House

BgK won tix at 4pm for the 7pm tip-off. When he told MaM they were going, she said, "Yeah! I get cotton candy!"

Sunday was slightly calmer….Church, the pet store, playground play & cookout with friends, then MaM’s first night of Vacation Bible School.

What she gleaned from tonight?

“God is EVERYWHERE.”

She’s exactly right.

How was your weekend?

Day 6 of NaBloPoMo? In the bag…

Capturing the “Right Now”

Michelle — Thu, 03 Jun 2010 21:51:48 +0000

There’s nothing like a 6th grade graduation to make you realized that childhood is fleeting. It was the first graduation in my little school’s history–these three 6th graders started as preschoolers 9yrs ago and have been in our little school ever since.

At the ceremony, there was a sweet slide show, capturing their time in their elementary classroom, as well as their preschool days. That was fun and it made me a little nostalgic for some of the students I’ve had in the past.

Then we got to the part of the program where they showed baby pictures. And those funny moments in the bathtub, the cute baby’s first halloween pictures, the required “smash cake” photo, those were in there too. By the time it was done, I don’t think there was a dry eye in the room.

Time is so fleeting. Sure when I’m up to my elbows in vomit, or calling about the upteenth ear infection it seems like it will never end. But it will. And knowing that (and seeing that slideshow) makes me really want to be in the moment and enjoy the wee-ones.

Right Now.

So right now, on June 3, 2010, here’s what shakin’ in our house:

As I type, the kids are zoned out in front of Blues Clues. They’ve just gotten home from their 2nd to last day ever of the little daycare we’ve been a part of for four years. (MaM is there this week since school’s out but I’m working on my classroom)

Jr. is a chatty, chatty boy. He loves race cars and big trucks with all of his heart. He plays with his Little People Parking Garage like it’s going out of style.

MaM is a collector of silly bandz and she’s becoming a big reader. She tries to read every word she sees. She only wears big puffy dresses. They have to have layers, and they have to twirl. She won’t even try them on if they appear not to be of the twirling variety.

At the Children's Museum this weekend

Day 3 of my attempt at NaBloPoMo is complete!

Her Turn

Michelle — Mon, 31 May 2010 02:11:22 +0000

A bazillion years ago, I was a flower girl. I wore a floor-length, bubble gum pink dress, my Dorothy Hamill bob was smooth and I carried flowers. I remember nothing about the day, I only know what I know about my big day through pictures. I also have a delicate necklace with a cameo charm (it was 1978, I think) that I have always treasured as a keepsake.

Flash forward 30 some odd years, and it was MaM’s turn to be a flower girl. She’s not quite five, but she got to wear a hot pink dress, wear a tiara and carry a cute purse full of flowers. She shared the honor with her cousin, and the two of them did a great job. They then proceeded to dance the night away at the reception.

MaM fell asleep in my lap at 9:30pm, and she kept her beautiful hot pink dress on until bedtime Sunday. She was fancy, and girly, and LOVED just about every minute of it!

Aren't the flowers in the purse the cutest???

They walked down the aisle SOO nicely!

This is the youngest Mc brother and his lovely bride!

The three of us....the boy spent the weekend at Camp Grandma

Of course I had to try on the tiara!

This little girl DANCED, DANCED, DANCED!

My fav shot of the night--the cousins sat down to watch the bride and groom dance.

WWJB–Summer Camp 2010

Michelle — Wed, 19 May 2010 22:33:43 +0000

So emails are starting to fly amongst my gal pals, we are starting to plan for summer. Starting to plan because weeks and weeks on end with no plan at all sort of stresses me out. Mostly because without a goal each day, I’d sit here, on the Internet while my kids zone out at the TV until at least noon every day. We are looking at the free movies, the library reading programs and maybe jazzing up the around-town itinerary with a scavenger hunt or two.

As we were figuring out who was going where when, the topic of Vacation Bible School came up. MaM’s been looking forward to going to our Church’s program, and I’ve been planning what I could do for two hours each morning with Junior while she sings Kumbayah.

Then we registered this past weekend. And VBS this year is 6-8 PM. There goes that plan. Of course she’ll still go, of course she’ll still love it, but there won’t be that week of “this is why we are getting dressed before noon, and Junior, what would you like to do today” .

Then a friend shared that her boys were going to VBS at a church near their house, not their actual church. And then she threw out the name of a church near us that has a morning VBS one week in June.

AND THEN I GOT AN IDEA.

What if we church hopped all summer? What if each week I sent MaM to a new VBS? The price can’t be beat (most are $20-$30 for the week), and who couldn’t use more Bible schooling?

AND THEN MY FRIEND GOT AN IDEA.

(clue for week 1) This church has a fun festival and living Nativity at Christmas. Do you know what church this is?

What if we church hopped all summer, scavenger hunt style?

(clue for week 2) This church is across from your favorite park. Do you know what church this is?

Each week, the kids would get clue, and once they figured out which church it was, they could go to that VBS.

Theme for the summer:

Where

Would

Jesus

Be

(clue for week 3) We pass this church every day on the way to school. Do you know what this church is?

We Are the Truth

Michelle — Thu, 15 Apr 2010 02:03:33 +0000

By now you’ve probably heard of the horrific story involving a Russian boy being put on a plane and essentially returned to Russia by his adoptive mother. We did a special post about it at Grown in My Heart – want to read the opinions of EIGHT opinionated writers? Here’s the link: http://www.growninmyheart.com/russian-children-and-abandonment-current-news

Today (4/15/10) has been declared “An Adoption Blogger Day” by the Joint Council on International Children Services. It’s a day for families involved with adoption to tell their stories. Stories that talk about the day-to-day. Stories that talk about tough adoption issues. Stories that talk about love. Stories that speak the truth.

So here’s our story:

Almost five years ago we became parents through open, domestic adoption and we’ve never looked back. We’ve never regretted it. We had no idea how much our children would change us for the better. We had no idea how much we would love these children. How much we weren’t living until they arrived.

Oh the love……

A Windy Easter Sunday, 2010

I don’t know that there’s a McLinky for today’s event. But if you’re in the mood for some Adoption Truth, I’d start with the GIMH’s list of 101 best Adoption Blogs. And click here to learn more about We Are The Truth A Campaign and Call to Action EDITED TO ADD: Here’s a link to other We Are the Truth posts.