Crib Notes: How to Recycle Anything

Real Simple Magazine has a great list of how to recycle just about anything. It contains some great tips and some ideas you may not have considered before.

New Mom: Milking It

Well, it appears that our daughter has outgrown her milk allergy. You’d think it would be cause for celebration. I certainly thought it would be. But now I’ve just been thrown for a bigger loop than I anticipated. Because now that she CAN have milk, she won’t drink it. We moved slowly, mixing skim milk, then 1%, with her formula. That worked for awhile, but now she won’t touch anything that looks white in her cup. Some people have suggested trying chocolate milk, but I’m torn about moving in that direction. She ate yogurt, for 3 days, and now refuses it. I tried a yogurt smoothie, which she smelled and then pushed away. She’ll chew cheese, and then spit it out. Ice cream held no interest for her the other day.

Then came Thursday. Thursdays are pizza day at her center, so we took a shot, and by golly, she LOVED the pizza. She even asked for more. So we got pizza for dinner. My husband and I were so excited to have a meal where the whole family could enjoy the same food. Our daughter seemed excited to have pizza, and cheerfully doled out slices to Mommy, Daddy, and Curious George (George got 4 slices!). But she didn’t touch her own serving. She did, however, uncharacteristically cuddle up to Daddy. Then she proceeded to throw up all over him…twice. Now I feel like we’re back at square one.

Did she have a delayed reaction to the pizza from earlier in the day? If so, was it because of her allergy, or was it just greasier and richer than she’s accustomed to? There’s also a nasty stomach bug going around her class. Could it be that? Hard to say, and she didn’t seem sick otherwise. All I know for certain is that there apparently are no certain answers when it comes to toddler health – and it’s driving me nuts!

Modern Mom: Classic Violence Too Much for Me

Every Monday my first-grader comes home from school with two library books from the school library. Presumably, these books are selected to be part of the library based on a rubric of suitability, literary merit, and so forth. Last week my son came home with Rudyard Kipling’s classic “Rikki-Tikki-Tavi.” The book, in case you don’t know (which I didn’t) is about the battle between a mongoose and a pair of deadly cobras. It is, to put it mildly, quite graphic. There’s blood, gore, and guts as the snakes fight for control of the garden and the mongoose fights to protect the family that has taken him in. As I was reading the book to my son, I was taken aback by the violence. I kept thinking that if the exact same words were written about a fight between people, there’s no way I’d want my son to read it. But why is the violence okay if it’s between animals? Violence is violence, no? I realize this will be an unpopular opinion. I visited Amazon’s listing for the book and read review after review about what a “sweet,” “endearing,” “timeless classic,” this story is. My son loved it, and I love when he loves a book. It’s just that I love it a bit more when it’s one we can both enjoy.

Crib Notes: Bathing Your Newborn

For expectant moms and parents of newborns, the best tip I ever got was from one of the nurses at the hospital when New Girl was born. When giving your newborn a bath, put her in the tub still swaddled in a cheap cotton blanket (like the ones from the hospital). Let the blanket fall open in the bath, but keep it between your hand/arm and baby’s back throughout the bath. It’s the best way to combat the slippery baby problem, which can be very scary. We used this tactic for months.

Commuter Mom: Gum

My daughter has become obsessed with gum. I have no idea how she got hooked, but she brings it up all the time! She’s only 3, and we have never given her gum, nor do I even chew gum frequently. But, now it’s all she wants. If you ask her what she wants from Santa for Christmas: sandals, a toy apple…and gum. I wish I felt ok giving her gum, it would make for a very economical Christmas. The other day my husband asked her what she wanted to be when she grew up. A doctor? No. An astronaut? No. A baseball player? No. Her response was “When I grow big and tall up to the sky I will have gum.”

I’ve asked a few people how old their children where when they first got gum. Most of them were very clear that it was a very special, supervised treat for a long time. My favorite answer came from our pediatrician. She said her mother told the kids they could not chew gum until they could whistle. Years later, I think while she was in medical school, she asked her mother what the logic was behind needing to whistle before you chew gum. Was there some developmental reason for it? The answer was no. Her mother just wanted them to learn to whistle and the promise of gum was all the inspiration they needed.

Green Mom: Toddlers

My son spent his first full week in the toddler classroom this week. For the most part he was fine…I was not. I wasn’t ready for him to transition, so the change was hard on me from the start. Would he get lost in the shuffle? Would they make sure he ate his lunch? Would they help him fall back asleep when he woke up after only napping for 45 minutes? In his infant classroom, I felt like the teachers held my hand through the whole process. They were always available to talk or answer my questions at pick up and drop off time. The daily notes were thorough and I always knew what he did that day, who he played with, how long he slept and exactly what he ate.

In the toddler classroom, things are different. I drop him off in a very busy room where the teachers are already going at full steam ahead. I pick him up, and it’s the same scene, only his onesie is unsnapped and hanging out of his pants — which are full of green paint. Not the type of ‘green’ I’m going for. I look forward to reading his daily sheet each afternoon, but now it’s not always clear if he ate afternoon snack or what time he woke up from his nap. I feel like in the infant room we had training wheels and now we are holding on to the seat of the bike, chasing him down the street on his own.

I know I will get used to it. I know I will learn who all the kids are that say “Hi” when we come in each morning. I know I can schedule time to talk to his teachers if I need to. I also know that just when I thought I had this mom thing covered, life throws in the toddler room and it’s back to square one.

Modern Mom: Music to His Ears

When he was a baby we’d listen to lullabies from around the world or George Winston. As a toddler, we graduated to Dan Zanes, Free to Be You and Me, and favorite movie soundtracks like The Lion King. But somewhere between 4 and 6 years old, my son’s musical taste became all grown up. Now when we get in the car he asks for Radiohead or The Hold Steady. There’s no Top 40 for my first grader (which is too bad because we might be able to find something we’d both enjoy). No Britney Spears or Rihanna for him. He’s all alternative all the time. The other day he asked for Alkaline Trio and when I put in the CD he kindly corrected me by letting me know I’d turned on Arcade Fire. I know I have my husband’s musical influence to thank for this, and in some respects I’m proud that my son has such definitive taste and expanding knowledge. I guess I just hoped we’d get a few more years out of the kids’ songs. After all, who can’t use a soothing lullaby every now and then?

New Mom: Baggage Claim?

I think I found my baggage last night, but the funny thing is, I didn’t even know it was missing. Earlier this week I had lunch with several former colleagues, all working moms themselves. We got to talking about the differences between working mothers and SAHMs, and it starting to come out that all these very accomplished women who seemed to have it all together were dragging around an enormous amount of guilt because they had chosen to go back to work. It was the most depressing lunch ever. I had to admit to the group that I felt guilt that I didn’t feel guilty. Except for the occasional day when my daughter seems close to coming down with a major bug, I have never felt guilty about dropping her off at child care. She loves it. I love it. I firmly believe both of us are better off with the arrangement we have. I might feel a little sad when there are tears at drop off, but I never would have called it guilt.

That all changed last night. I had a rare evening work commitment, and my husband had to pick our daughter up, which he has only done a handful of times (our child care center is at my office). When I got home and peppered him with questions about how the evening had gone, he happened to mention in passing that he had gotten to the center late, 6:05, in fact. 6:05?!?!!! My mind raced. What horrible thing had happened at his office, what terrible traffic jam, weather condition, or state of emergency had kept him from reaching our daughter before the center closed. His answers were underwhelming to say the least. It was pretty routine stuff. And yet, he shrugged it off. I, on the other hand, fought off tears feeling that I had let my daughter down because not only wasn’t I there for her, but I clearly hadn’t sent a suitable replacement. My mind raced to think of all the evening events or business travel I might have scheduled but now would clearly have to cancel because I simply cannot let that happen again. The guilt flooded me again this morning when I apologized to the center director and the teacher who had to stay late. I’m sure those five minutes of my daughter’s life have come and gone unnoticed to her, but I think they permanently opened a window of self awareness for me that will stay open for some time. Now if I could only get my husband to carry that baggage every now and again, would it lighten my load or would it simply compound it?

Green Mom: Motrin Moms

Have you heard about the controversy surrounding the Motrin Moms commercial? Many baby wearing moms are outraged that the ad calls baby wearing fashionable and say that the brand is attacking moms in an effort to “sell their drugs.” While I agree that baby wearing has nothing to do with fashion, I do think some parents are taking this a bit too far. I mean, who among us hasn’t had a sore back after schlepping around the park or mall wearing a baby carrier. We’ve all gone through pain for our children, whether it be physical or emotional, but we know that it is worth it in the end. No one can deny that carrying your baby around in a sling is much more of a bonding experience than putting him in an infant carrier on the floor while you make dinner. However, I do think that Motrin was simply trying to say, babies get heavy, your back will hurt, and when it does, take Motrin instead of something else.

Crib Notes: www.handmedowns.com

A site for buying, selling, giving away, or donating gently-used (and some new) children’s items. Choose your area and what you are looking for and voila! Some are reposts of Craig’s List listings, but with photos, www.handmedowns.com is a bit easier to browse.

Commuter Mom: Birthday Bash

My daughter just turned 3. My husband and I had a long debate about whether or not we should have a party for her. We thought about the indoor playground theme: watch a group of preschoolers bounce off of the walls, literally. Then we considered the pottery painting route: watch a group of preschoolers paint their hands and try not to cringe every time they get close to the shelves of breakables. Last, we considered a party at our house: let a group of preschoolers trash our small house while we stand shoulder to shoulder with a group of parents we don’t know all that well…in our small house. Did I say our house is small?

In the end we opted for a small family dinner. My parents and my husband’s brother and sister-in-law came over for an early meal and some playtime. It worked out beautifully! I made all of my daughter’s favorite foods: macaroni and cheese, chicken nuggets, and tater-tots. I threw in a salad for some grown-up appeal. (I think that is the easiest meal I’ve ever cooked for a dinner party!) I even made a cake that looked just like Curious George. Our 3-year-old princess (she insisted on wearing a tiara and large fake earrings the whole night, in addition to the necktie from her Man in the Yellow Hat Halloween costume) was the center of attention and loved every second of it.

The next day her friend came over for a play-dough playdate. It was the perfect birthday for my daughter — and for her mommy and daddy.

Green Mom: Oh Christmas Tree

While I don’t really like them, I would have thought that plastic Christmas trees are the more eco-friendly choice since you don’t actually cut down a tree. Come to find out, most contain poly vinyl chloride (pvc) which when broken down can pollute our water supply, harm wildlife, and damage our health.

The most eco-friendly choice is to get a tree in a pot that can be replanted once the holidays are over. Another option is to visit this site to find an organic tree farm in your area. I was just made aware of a service that will recycle your fresh Christmas tree instead of dumping it in a landfill. By visiting Earth 911 you can find out where to recycle your tree. Turns out my town does curbside tree recycling on yard waste day. Now each time my family visits the local park, we can feel good that the mulch we’re walking on may be from our tree.

Now that I know where to go and what kind of tree to get, I’m looking forward to my family’s Christmas tree hunt. I only wish I could figure out how to keep my toddler from knocking the tree over and my dog from peeing on it once we get it home.

New Mom: Holiday Cards

OK. So I admit it. I have not even picked out a photo to use on my holiday card, let alone a card design, or even a vendor itself. I will definitely use an online photo service, but I have become overwhelmed by my choices this year. Last year I used either Snapfish or Shutterfly. I can’t remember which, let alone why I used the one I chose.

This year Kodak seems to have a good selection, but every one I like seems to be from a designer collection that goes for $2/card or more, and that’s definitely more than I want to spend. Tiny*Prints has some really cute ones, but they’re also a little pricier than I’d like, and My Publisher is good if you’re ordering large quantities, which I am not. They also have some other neat photo products that could make great gifts.

So after all my bargain hunting, I stumbled upon Ringo Baby holiday cards thanks to a write up on Cool Mom Picks. They’re the most expensive of the bunch (seem to start at $2.25/card if you order fewer than 100). BUT, for an extra $20 you can also order a holiday recipe card that is a typical greeting card on the front and your choice of four holiday recipes on the back. How cute is that? For a little less dough, they also have holiday photo bookmarks in the same designs as their cards, but I missed the deadline for ordering those in time for the holidays.

If I were a little more enterprising, had a little more free time, and a more reliable computer and printer at home I might make my own holiday recipe greeting cards, but as it stands, I might have let my husband to be the arbiter between frugality and folly.

Modern Mom: The Truth Fairy...Part 2

Spoiler Alert: Don’t read any more if you believe in the tooth fairy.

When my son lost his first tooth, I asked around as to the going rate for this milestone and learned that there is a huge disparity in terms of what the tooth fairy leaves in different homes. My husband and I settled on an amount and left it wrapped in a special note from the fairy.

When his second tooth came out, my son started lobbying for a toy. He told me he knew that the tooth fairy is actually “the mommies and daddies.” I wavered for a minute but decided it was too soon to give in. I denied it, and whether or not he believed me, he played along. He wanted to know if I would be talking to the tooth fairy, and, if so, could I please tell her not to leave a note? He wanted me to remind her that he had already received a note, which, as he put it, was very special to him but he still had it and really didn’t need another one. He wanted to know if the tooth fairy would be able to tell if he was pretending to be asleep. He then proceeded to remind me approximately 752 times to remind the tooth fairy that he did not want a note and really wanted a toy.

Lo and behold, the next morning, my son found a brand new Bakugan toy under his pillow...exactly what he wanted. He was absolutely ecstatic and squealed that his “dream had come true.” It was unbearably cute and maybe, just maybe, a bit of an act. Chances are he knows exactly who the tooth fairy is. But hey, if it’s working for him and he continues to have such adorable reactions, I’m willing to keep the ruse going as long as he is.

Commuter Mom: Thanksgiving Through the Eyes of a Preschool Photographer

Thank goodness for digital cameras...

Modern Mom: The Truth Fairy

My son’s bottom middle tooth was loose the entire week leading up to Thanksgiving. He was wiggling it at home, wiggling it to distraction (as his teacher reported) at school, and complaining that he couldn’t sleep at night for fear that his tooth would fall out during the night. Needless to say, we were all quite eager for it to come out. I don’t actually remember losing my own teeth but I guess I imagined they become increasingly loose until they just pop out...clean and simple. Alas that’s not exactly (or even approximately) how it happened with my son’s tooth. My husband was out for the afternoon and I put the two little ones down for naps. My 6-year-old was reading in his room when all of the sudden he appeared in front of me, grasping his bottom lip. Somehow, the tooth had maneuvered so it was now at a 90 degree angle to his row of teeth...yet still attached; he couldn’t close his mouth. So much for “simple.” And “clean?” There was blood everywhere. I tried to see if a quick little tug would make it come out; it didn’t. I tried to push it back into place; it wouldn’t budge. The truth is, the whole thing was pretty gross, and my inclination was to wait until my husband came home to take care of it. But somewhere in my head a quiet voice kept reminding me that I was the grown up...I was going to have to deal with it myself. So I counted to three and gave it a serious yank. The tooth came out, my son was once again able to close his mouth, and the bleeding subsided. A relatively small achievement in the scheme of things, but it’s nice to know that we didn’t need to call in any reinforcements, and no tears were shed...by either one of us.

Crib Notes: Green Toothbrush

Recycline Preserve® Toothbrushes

These toothbrushes are made from recycled yogurt cups. When it’s time to replace the brush, simply send it and its case back to the company in the provided postage-paid envelope and it will be re-processed into plastic lumber for picnic tables, boardwalks, and decks.