The Armadillo Tales

I'm Sorry I Missed It

Nice job guys.    My team, the Dallas Cowboys handed the mighty Indianapolis Colts their first loss of the season.   The final score was Dallas, 21, Indianapolis, 14.    This is a huge win for Dallas this year as it's been up and down pretty much this year.   The Cowboys are now 6-4.    I'm not in the mindset that they are going into the playoffs.   With a quarterback that is only one his 4th career start I'm not holding my breath for any post season play.   I just hope that the Cowboys can once again regin supreme as they did back in the 90's with my man, Mr. Troy Aikman.

GO COWBOYS!

Kiddley - Overflowing with Great Ideas for Parents

A fab site for us parents is Kiddley.   Kiddley offers amusing projects, ideas, and links for parents and our children.    It's a cool site to find suggestions on what you and your child(ren) can do together and still have fun.   My boys are still a little too young to fully enjoy the entertaining activities but I am anticipating the day when we can all sit together and have some fun.   

One of my favorite posts was their shrunken heads project this past Halloween.     They carved heads using apples and left them to dry for a couple of weeks.     The final result is shown in the photo above.   Who knew that you could do that with apples?!    Awesome.     I will have to store that idea for next year.    Visit Kiddley and their other magnificent sites, Kiddley Links, which shares product reviews and the founder's own crafty blog, Loobylu.

Photo credit: Kiddley

Psyche

Every day I am continually amazed at the skills my 2 1/2 year old little man seems to develop.  His latest skill apparently is the "Do you want this?" ... appears to give the item of desire to the unsuspecting victim ... unsuspecting victim reaches for it not knowing what is going to happen next ... SNATCH! ... the armadillo takes it back and walks away ... PSYCHE!       Oh I detest when he does this.    I know this behavior is supposed to be typical for a child but does it really have to start at 2?   Or is my child just gifted?     The armadillo more than ever loves to do it to his little brother.     Poor sumo baby goes for the bait dangling in front of his chubby face and then, poof!    The armadillo takes it back and walks away, leaving the sumo baby wailing.    I'm not sure what the proper discipline or reaction is for this type of behavior but B-Dad and I take the coveted item and give it to the sumo baby.    That drives the armadillo to do his own ruckus raising.   However I think the armadillo may be too young to understand what the consequences are for his inappropriate behavior.   That I feel is the sweeping generalization for all of his unfitting actions.   No matter how many time outs we give him, he goes back to the same unsuitable conduct.    When does it click?   Does it ever click?   

Secretly B-Dad and I wish for the sumo baby to grow up a bit faster so that he can defend himself against his brother and his boorish ways.    Armadillo honey, you better watch out!

*The armadillo's tee is from Uncommonly Cute ... love love love their clothes!

 

Victoria Secret Lust

It's hard for me to say but the sumo baby is now strictly drinking formula.   It was a hard decision for me to make but I've put the pump away and started shaking bottles.   I would have really loved to at least get to when the sumo baby turns one (he's 9 months) but alas it just wasn't meant to be.   My body is still not handling these hormonal changes well as my hair is still whacked beyond all hope.   I am so close to buying those darn Jessica Simpson hair extensions.    I need to patch up these rat bites on my head.   It's so gross I think people are going to start telling me to wear a hat.    On top of these awful hormonal changes, my milk supply was dwindling so that was a big hint to me to start weaning off.   

Thankfully the sumo baby has handled the switch to formula very well.   Now if only he would be keen on solids we would be in high spirits.   The sumo baby is fighting tooth and nail in eating vegetables.  He only recently sucumbed to eating cereal.   I can see it's going to be a continuing uphill battle regarding solids.    I would think that with thighs the size of my arm he would gobble down everything.   

As a result of not needing to wear nursing bras anymore, I can set my sights on the sexy lingerie one finds at Victoria Secret.      I want to be a Victoria Secret Angel.   

PS - Just in case you're delusional and believe that is a photo of me above ... do me a favor and keep believing ...

Coolest Mom

Now I just know that I would be THE COOLEST MOM on the block, no wait, in the state if I bought this for my boys this holiday.    It's the Scallywag Sloop Pirate Themed Club House from Costo.   If you order one, I'll be waiting for that playdate invite.

Thanks-for-giving-what-I-told-you-to buy Thanksgiving Meal

Is this rude?    We are going over to an extended family member's house for Thanksgiving this year.  Frankly I sort of wished we did our own Thanksgiving but oh well, we made our bed and committed ourselves.   But getting back to my point we are going to someone else's house for Thanksgiving and it's a potluck sort of deal.   You know, everyone brings something and contributes to the meal.   My understanding the concept of potluck is to bring a dish from either appetizer, entrees, dessert, or drink courses.     Either the host or the group as a whole collectively decides what type of dish to bring.   But with this Thanksgiving potluck we were asked to bring the beer and ice cream.    My first thought was beer and ice cream?   What a totally weird combination.     Then I started to think of why were we asked to bring ice cream?    We live about 30-40 minutes away from the host's house, why do we have to lug ice cream?    Why can't the host store the ice cream?  It's not about space because they will have to put it in the freezer once we get there, so they have to have room in the freezer.     What a pain.    Then we were asked to bring beer, then we were told that it was supposed to be a specific brand of beer.     What is that about?   I mean I could understand if the hosts were close family members, but they are not.   We see them, maybe once, twice a year?     I just think it's uncouth ... to request something like that of people.     I mean, what if we're dirt poor and you ask me to bring two cases of beer that is very expensive.   Pretty arrogant if you ask me.    What?   You think you're too good for Bud?    ... But that's just my two cents.

Daycare Nightmare Show on Montel

*Update: Well the show's over and I'm surprised about one thing ... that I am not more skeptical about daycares than I was before.   However what has changed about the way I feel is wanting to get involved.   Did you know that in many states the ratio of daycares to Department of Social Services investigators is so immense that a facility gets inspected on average once every couple of years.   In California that number is once every five years.   Now that's pathetic!    Fortunately in California California assemblyman John Benoit, R-Palm Desert introduced a bill known as Aryanna's Law and was just recently signed by Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger into law.    The signed law, AB 633 and AB 2196 will ensure parents have access to accurate and current information about violations that have taken place in child care facilities and that parents are made aware of Megan's Law website, which contains the name and addresses of registered sex offenders.   This legislation will go into effect January 1, 2007.    This can't happen soon enough.

I was uncertain whether or not I wanted to watch today's Montel Williams show.   The topic of today's show is The Shocking Truth About Daycare.    My boys are 2 1/2 and 9 months and they have both been with me ever since they were born.   I've always been hesitant about leaving my children with someone I didn't know.   I have serious trust and paranoia issues with the safety and care of my children when I am not there.   I've watched programs where you see hidden video of nannies/babysitters/daycare provider hitting the child or serious neglect.   It's scary and this is the main reason why I haven't put either of my children in a daycare setting or with a babysitter.    I'm too paranoid and I don't easily trust people I don't really know.

For me to leave my children in the daycare facility at my gym is a huge step for me.    The main reason why I am able to walk out of there and leave my children is one, the facility has cameras in every room.     Gym members can see their children at any time from viewing these feeds.   The second is that it is a pretty large facility with numerous staff members who are rotated in each area every hour I believe.   That is a great thing to do I think, the whole rotation.   That gives the staff a chance to get a break and do something new, rather than stay in one area the whole day.     I'm pretty confident, not 100%, but fairly confident that my children are in a safe and caring environment.      If you are a parent and thinking of joining a gym here in the Bay Area, check out Club Sport.   

I'm still watching the show ... will update later ...

Bring in the Subzero's

Today is Monday.   That means it's time for me to hit the gym.   I took the boys this morning and dropped them off at the daycare, then proceeded to sweat my butt off on the staionery bike.   It's not so bad.   I stick my video Ipod on and tune it to my TV shows ... this time it was finishing up the Project Runway Season Finale.    I already know who won but I wanted to see everyone's collection.   I do like Jeffrey's designs, but personally I thought Uli should have won.   Granted Jeffrey has always been fashion forward with his outfits, if I had to choose a collection I would wear, it would definitely be Uli's.    I'm not that old to start wearing Laura's already-seen-it-a-dozen-times-in-Macy's collection of dresses, nor am I hip enough to wear Michael flashy gold bling garments.   I would also love to wear Jeffrey's outfits but I am too old to get away with it.    But to get back to my real reason for this post is after my workout I headed to the locker room to change clothes, etc ...   While I was getting ready there were two women standing in close proximity discussing a sweater one of the women was thinking of buying.   Now I'm not eavesdropping ... they were standing close enough that I could clearly hear what they were saying.   

During their conversation one of the women mentioned how hard it was for her to find clothes in her size. 

Sigh ... I just can't seem to find clothes that fit me.   I'm a size zero and it's really hard for me go shopping

Really?  (the other woman replies)

Yes ... It's gotten so bad that I have to buy clothes from the teen collection.

Oh you mean Juniors?

Yes, but they're so tight.

You know I read that designers are offering clothes in a, what's it called, in a size "subzero".

Subzero?  What's that?

I think it's for women that are smaller than a size zero.

Oh that's me ... I hope more designers come out with that "subzero" size ... I hate that it's so hard to find clothes that fit.

Geesh ... can't we complain about something that is worthy of me listening to?    I'm too big for a size zero, blah blah blah.    Kate Bosworth, an actrress (photo above) is said to be one of these "subzeros".     Let's do more to encourage low self-esteem and eating disorders among the femal population.   I wish women would be more concerned with poverty, or homelessness or AIDS, instead of how can I get to 80 lbs?      

You might be thinking that I'm starting to sound bitter about not having the same problem.     Not being a zero or close to it ...

Well, you're damn right I am.   Okay, maybe not a zero but at least a size 6 would be nice.   I think I could argue about being a size zero and not appear so pathetic.

Photo: Newsweek

Terrified Mama

When do I stop being fearful?    ... Fearful of someone abducting my boys.    Last night while watching TV there was an Amber Alert issued for a 6 year old boy from Fremont.   The banner running across the screen indicated that the victim was a 6 year old boy and he was abducted by a male suspect who was armed.   When I was reading the alert I started to become anxious about the welfare of my boys.   Of course they were right here at home with me, but it got me started thinking about when we go out in public.   Sometimes I take the boys to the mall, out to lunch, to the park, to their classes, the gym daycare, etc ...    I started to imagine the horrible ... what if someone abducted one or both of my boys.   I felt ill and sick to my stomach.   I know I shouldn't concern myself about those things but you have to admit that as a parent those thoughts are always in the back of your mind.    I couldn't imagine what the mother of the 6 year old boy must be feeling.   Every minute that passed I was putting myself in the mother's place and I felt disgusted.   Then I felt anger.   How dare someone take a young child away from his mother.    Envision how scared and worried his mother must be.   

I then started to question myself ... do I keep a good eye on my boys while we're out?    Do I pay attention to anything or anyone that might appear suspicious or dubious?    I hate the way these absurd panic attacks affect me.   As my children get older I believe that these illogical fears could get in the way of their development.  I do not want to raise my children to be frightened of everything in this world, but hopefully to educate them of the world we live in today and to continue their maturity in their social and expressive growth.

*Update: Thankfully the boy was found safe and his father who abducted the little boy, was arrested.

Duct Tape in No Way Resembles a Babysitter

It just amazes me the countless number of ways parental figures can be so cruel to their children.   Take this mother for example.    People like this should have their tubes tied and her children should be placed in a loving home which they absolutely deserve.