My kids get to design their birthday cakes if they so desire. Today’s ‘took the cake’ so-to-speak! My eleven year old and his dad conceived and baked this thing together. The cake was well baked and well built, but was the most disgusting concoction of birthday cake ever assembled. It had several tiers of tears. Carrot cake on bottom, thick strawberry jam with strawberry lumps on top of that, vanilla cake with vanilla pudding mix inside on top, iced with vanilla with sprinkles AND gummy bears to end the madness. G-R-O-S-S.
Actually, time heals wounds because as I am writing this, my husband has reminded me of the actual WORST cake disaster yet; just last year! My then 7 yr old said he wanted a “death by chocolate” cake. It was double fudge cake mix with a large pack of chocolate pudding and chocolate chips mixed in, topped with milk chocolate frosting. It literally made the family SICK that night.
Only two more birthdays to go this summer…
*BURP*
Parents alarmed over sex assault in children’s novel
Authors defend unsettling book that will have different covers for its child and adult editions
This reminds me of a book I received to review and later saw in the children’s section at the library. The librarians were happy to have parental involvement because they cannot personally read every book… I asked for the book to be moved to teens.
The novel came highly regarded, but had heavy heavy themes with sex and vioence in the first few pages, yet was marketed for 8-11 year olds! I was floored. I cannot imagine my soon to be 8 yr old reading about monsters having virgin sex and it’s obscure references to pain and blood…
And like the librarians, I cannot read every novel my 4 kids take out of the library, so I truly feel the publisher has a responsibility here.
My toddler, Lachlan, is just 19 months old. He speaks about a lot of things, most of which we cannot understand. When he starts to ramble, he sounds Japanese. When he’s just making noise (all day) he sounds like the Tasmanian Devil cartoon character with spits and snorts and this maniacal laughter that comes from nowhere and makes us laugh, which makes him laugh even harder. Then, other times he’s embarassingly like a porn star yelling a breathy, “YES! YES! YES! YES!” about whatever he’s excited about.
Months ago we figured out he was singing E-I-E-I-O after thinking for months he’d just been making a funny noise. So it shouldn’t come to any surprise when I figured out something new today.
We do some baby signs, mostly connected to eating like ‘milk’ (for breastfeeding), ‘more,’ ‘done,’ and ‘down’ for getting out of his high chair. I couldn’t figure out who had taught him to rub his tummy when he was hungry as he’d done a few times. I’d ask him if he wanted to eat and when desperate for food, he would rub his tummy.
Today was a wee bit different set up though. He was already eating and I took the lid off something and set it aside. Tired toddler rage took over and he pointed and screamed for the lid. I said, “Say please,” and voila! there was the tummy rub. Doh! What an idiot I’ve been. I’d tried teaching him in vain to say please which is rubbing the CHEST and thought he just wasn’t going to do it until I realized today he was rubbing the wrong place while saying ‘please.’
Dumb parents. If only we knew what this obviously highly intelligent creature were talking about, he could rule the world!
I finally got around to ordering my sons’ Keen sandals — You know, the ones that fit like sneakers and last forever. They’re not cheap, but sandals that are $30 cheaper must be replaced at least 3 times more often. We actually save money when we buy $50 shoes vs $20 shoes. So, I ordered happily…except LL Bean was sold out. Luckily REI had them and shipped FAST. Really fast.
I don’t think I have ever sent fan mail to another writer before and I finally did last night. I’ve already heard back from Nette Hilton in AU http://www.nettehilton.com/, a picture book and YA writer for the past 20+ years. Believe it or not, reading her letter made me cry. It’s not anything, really: a mix of hormones, timing, expectations, frustration at my own lack of success, and a dash of high hopes for future fan mail myself.
The book I wrote her about wasn’t so much about the writing as much as it was the similarities. While it WAS cute writing and obviously timeless since it doesn’t smack of the 80s, and should keep my son happy once he lets us read him picture books (at 19 months he’s still not interested), I was writing about other things. Published in 1989, PRINCE LACHLAN is very similar to my son (also a Lachlan), our beloved dog looked like the illustrator’s rendering, etc..
Turns out Ms. Hilton’s son, Lachlan, is now 37 and was the original inspiration behind the book. In it, Prince Lachlan is a sweet, clever kid who goes through his every activity with a crash and a bang. The queen is observant, the king is a wee bit annoyed, and the prince.. well he saves the day, just being himself. And he doesn’t even know it!
Ms. Hilton’s newest book with a pirate theme comes out in July. I plan to start sending more fan mail to writers I enjoy, and I hope to hear from fans in 20+ years too. That’s where a few tears came from. Hope springs eternal, and I think tears prove to me that I AM on the right track… I just need to shove some more coal on the fire.
I have 4 boys ages 19mos to almost 14yrs. My oldest is diagnosed ADHD and Bipolar, so I have a wee bit more going on that the “usual parent,” but not SO much that I cannot get a grip. At least this is what I tell myself since generally my son is gone most of the day (and, despite the bumpy home-life and wonky emotions/stress reactions, is turning into a wonderful human, I might add). But a grip is what I need! Perhaps I am not giving myself credit for what it takes to manage a house for 6?? I just feel like I am failing at doing anything other than momming and housekeeping.
Lately I’ve been reading most messages on my writer’s groups on Yahoo and trying to jump back into writing instead of just THINKING about writing. It’s been hard. I definitely identify as The Mommy the most and I am totally okay with that. We chose to have my toddler 6 years after my then youngest and I am committed to his every moment, but I fear I’ve lost my identity as a writer as well.
After spending almost 14 months literally hibernating on my lap so that every stroke on the laptop keyboard was one-handed over top of his rump, my babe finally decided to get down and take a look at the world. Now he’s 19mos and ruling the world, not just looking at it! So I should be writing while he is running around…
How do I shift from THINKING to DOING? I feel bored and lost when I actually try to get the words from my head to my hand. I’ve tried the Alphasmart, the laptop, the PC, hand writing first… Short of sign language or smoke signals, I don’t know why I cannot find my groove. Not to mention, I feel like if I don’t have an hour to sit and think before typing, I cannot get into the groove. I am not good at jumping in and out. With hubs gone approx. 90% or more of my awake time, I can’t just get away (in the Bay Area, he commutes MANY hours a day).
Wow, didn’t realize I was going to type all of this out in my intro! I don’t know as I am looking for advice, but maybe just unloading. I came back to writing about 3 months ago and have gotten exactly nowhere so far. Thanks for listening.
I haven’t blogged in 2 years. Beginning next week, I will break the dry spell.
This weekend I think we’re going to go to Pier 39 in San Francisco to check out the aquarium and the hub bub on the pier. They have free live entertainment like jugglers and performing dogs and what-not. We get to see Sea Lions too, so I hope it isn’t raining, but I think we’re going to go on Sunday and rain is in the forecast. (more…)
Well, I’ve finally started exercising again. Nothing TOO strenuous, as I don’t want to ruin the rubenesque figure I’ve earned over the past 4.5 years staying at home. Wouldn’t want anyone to think I actually DO something with my time. Though it’s hard here because most the stay at home moms look pretty freakin’ hot.
I’m taking the dog to the park down the road every morning. It’s a lot of fun to go walking after he’s warn down from romping in the enclosed area with other dogs while we stand around talking about…dogs. Or today I met up with a mom whom is slowly becoming a friend and whom kicks my ass a lot about the issues we’re both dealing with in our kids. Love her. (more…)
Found on Home Educating a Patch of Puddles, Merry’s commenting on her daughters’ repeated usage of some phrases. This reminded me of a few.
When my cousins were young, they would say before almost every beginning sentence, “Um, er, oh…” (more…)
We ordered for two kids, and snuck in under the radar one last time for one of the boys as they still had size 6 listed under kids ($50 vs. $95 for adults in that brand), lucky ducks. I hate how prices double once they hit that magical this-is-men’s-size, even if the shoe itself is only a half size bigger than the less expensive kids size. Once son #2 hits adult size, I’ll have two kids who are the size of 10 year olds but cost twice as much. Grrr…