10.3.10
PBS: some things never change
It's nice to see that some of the same shows I watched as a kid at my Granny's house are still on PBS. Although, that is kind of weird. To be fair, they are missing a few classics like Mr Rodgers Neighborhood and Lambchop's Play-along. A few of the shows have been modernized and there are, of course, some brand new faces. But overall, I can enjoy with my kid the same shows I enjoyed as a kid. Thank you PBS. Hopefully someday my grandkids will be zoning out to Sesame Street too!
8.3.10
UH Fleece Hoodie Reconstruction
Today I made a jacket to match the footed pants I made a few weeks ago. This was so ridiculously easy that half way through I almost thought I was doing something wrong.
I used the same "pattern" (aka old cut up shirt) that I use for the UW lacrosse shirt recon and, as promised, made the shoulders roomier. I forgot to add a seam allowance to the body so the jacket is very slim but it fits like a dream right now so I'm satisfied with the results. There is a generous hood and the front closes with four big black buttons.
I used my remaining UH Manoa fleece for the sleeves and hood. For the body I used a button front cape (honestly, a cape) made from a sweatshirt-like material that I bought at H&M in 2006. Even though I wore it occasionally, what really attracted me to the cape were the buttons and the texture. Since I was able to preserve both those elements, I'm at peace with my decision to chop it up.
4.3.10
Baking in the Morning
I love baking in the morning, the whole house smells great for the rest of the day! However, I should probably consider using an apron next time. Arrg!
Today I made granola bars from mothering.com. This is a tried and true recipe in our house, although I typically get a little more creative than I did today (adding tons of dried fruits, nuts, seeds, peanut butter etc.) I think the coconut oil is what really "makes" it.
I also made carrot ginger muffins from one of the What to Expect... books. They turned out awesome but HOLY GINGER! It's not for people who don't enjoy the taste of ginger.
I like the WtoE recipes because they use 100% whole grains, lots of produce, and juice instead of sugar. They make a great, mommy-guilt-free snack for the baby!
Of course, he wasn't willing to wait for it to cool off.
But that didn't seem to stop him from stuffing the whole thing in his mouth so I'm assuming these are a hit!
Today I made granola bars from mothering.com. This is a tried and true recipe in our house, although I typically get a little more creative than I did today (adding tons of dried fruits, nuts, seeds, peanut butter etc.) I think the coconut oil is what really "makes" it.
I also made carrot ginger muffins from one of the What to Expect... books. They turned out awesome but HOLY GINGER! It's not for people who don't enjoy the taste of ginger.
I like the WtoE recipes because they use 100% whole grains, lots of produce, and juice instead of sugar. They make a great, mommy-guilt-free snack for the baby!
Of course, he wasn't willing to wait for it to cool off.
But that didn't seem to stop him from stuffing the whole thing in his mouth so I'm assuming these are a hit!
3.3.10
I'm Famous!
Woo hoo! I got mentioned in another blog!
For the record, that night was so fun. The grammatical errors came pouring from my mouth as if they were making room for the alcohol! I'm not ashamed to say that if I had to do it all over again, even knowing that Tae Kim thinks it's wrong, I would still say the same thing. I am just that boring.
For the record, that night was so fun. The grammatical errors came pouring from my mouth as if they were making room for the alcohol! I'm not ashamed to say that if I had to do it all over again, even knowing that Tae Kim thinks it's wrong, I would still say the same thing. I am just that boring.
1.3.10
Moving Forward with EC
A few months ago I wrote a post about my frustrations with how to transition into the next phase of EC (elimination communication). I am happy to report that we seem to be moving on!
Ikaika is still far from "diaper free", "potty trained" or anything of that nature. But, there have been noticeable changes in the last two months. He has been keeping diapers dry for hours at a time (using the potty instead), diaper laundry is down to about once a week, and last week he used a public toilet! He's even been trying to wipe himself (yikes!) We are also at the point where I can ask "do you need to go shi shi?" and he will either shake his head no (which unfortunately doesn't always mean no) or he will run into the bathroom, put his reducer seat on the toilet, and wait for me. This is our first step towards cooperative toileting and I am stoked!
He still wears a small cloth diaper with a cover because, honestly, 90% of the time I'm just too nervous and/or lazy to deal with training pants. But, if the current momentum continues, I think we could realistically move on to those within the next 6 months.
All the pieces of EC seem to finally be coming together organically. It's nice that this part of his development is being learned in an intuitive way without lots of pressure or decisions - kind of like learning to talk or learning to walk. There's no bargaining or reasoning, it just is what it is: Natural Infant Hygiene.
Ikaika is still far from "diaper free", "potty trained" or anything of that nature. But, there have been noticeable changes in the last two months. He has been keeping diapers dry for hours at a time (using the potty instead), diaper laundry is down to about once a week, and last week he used a public toilet! He's even been trying to wipe himself (yikes!) We are also at the point where I can ask "do you need to go shi shi?" and he will either shake his head no (which unfortunately doesn't always mean no) or he will run into the bathroom, put his reducer seat on the toilet, and wait for me. This is our first step towards cooperative toileting and I am stoked!
He still wears a small cloth diaper with a cover because, honestly, 90% of the time I'm just too nervous and/or lazy to deal with training pants. But, if the current momentum continues, I think we could realistically move on to those within the next 6 months.All the pieces of EC seem to finally be coming together organically. It's nice that this part of his development is being learned in an intuitive way without lots of pressure or decisions - kind of like learning to talk or learning to walk. There's no bargaining or reasoning, it just is what it is: Natural Infant Hygiene.
28.2.10
Tsunami in Hawaii
There was an 8.8 magnitude earthquake on the coast of Chile on Friday night. This led to tsunami warnings for the entire Pacific basin, Hawaii included. I woke up to the sound of the TV yesterday (Saturday) morning and it was still dark out. Mr A had gotten a text from family on the mainland and turned the news on at 5:35am. And so began my day.
Even though the waves weren't expected in Hilo until 11am, the tsunami sirens began their hourly toll at 6am, waking up the baby. We all lounged on the futon in the living room, transfixed by the news despite the fact there was nothing new to report for five hours. At one point in the morning, we decided that we didn't have a proper disaster kit (meaning we didn't have enough food or water to last the mandatory 5-7 days). Even though we live in elevation and it would take a 2,200 foot wave to affect us, any damage to the ship yards would put a stop to all shipments coming into the island. And I don't think Foodland had enough stock to last us all a week!
So Mr A went out into the pandemonium at 8am. Although he left with instructions to only get emergency rations (ie. canned soup), he came back with four loaves of bread, a bunch of bananas, three bags of potato chips and taro bread pudding from the bakery. Oh yeah, and a gallon of water. HOW ARE WE SUPPOSED TO LIVE ON THAT FOR 5-7 DAYS?!?!? He officially lost his grocery shopping privileges.
Luckily, the tsunami was a total bust. I was happy it didn't cause widespread inconvenience and that the county took such effective precautionary measures, but I was annoyed that I wasted my whole morning on a false alarm.
I heard later that evening from a tourist who informed me that the ocean was perfect all day and he even took his family swimming during the evacuation. It was hard to not call him an idiot straight to his face. It's truly amazing how little respect people have for nature. FYI: the ocean is not a swimming pool.
Even though the waves weren't expected in Hilo until 11am, the tsunami sirens began their hourly toll at 6am, waking up the baby. We all lounged on the futon in the living room, transfixed by the news despite the fact there was nothing new to report for five hours. At one point in the morning, we decided that we didn't have a proper disaster kit (meaning we didn't have enough food or water to last the mandatory 5-7 days). Even though we live in elevation and it would take a 2,200 foot wave to affect us, any damage to the ship yards would put a stop to all shipments coming into the island. And I don't think Foodland had enough stock to last us all a week!
So Mr A went out into the pandemonium at 8am. Although he left with instructions to only get emergency rations (ie. canned soup), he came back with four loaves of bread, a bunch of bananas, three bags of potato chips and taro bread pudding from the bakery. Oh yeah, and a gallon of water. HOW ARE WE SUPPOSED TO LIVE ON THAT FOR 5-7 DAYS?!?!? He officially lost his grocery shopping privileges.
Luckily, the tsunami was a total bust. I was happy it didn't cause widespread inconvenience and that the county took such effective precautionary measures, but I was annoyed that I wasted my whole morning on a false alarm.
I heard later that evening from a tourist who informed me that the ocean was perfect all day and he even took his family swimming during the evacuation. It was hard to not call him an idiot straight to his face. It's truly amazing how little respect people have for nature. FYI: the ocean is not a swimming pool.
25.2.10
Book Review: How to Save Your Teeth by David Kennedy DDS
I've been reading the book How to Save Your Teeth by David Kennedy D.D.S. This book is all about toxic-free preventative dentistry and, in this house at least, its wisdom is desperately needed!
This book takes a head-on look at the cause of dental disease and illustrates a proactive approach that any one can take to prevent or treat common dental problems. The book features in depth chapters on proper cleaning techniques, different options on how to treat existing problems (including what types of fillings are best for your health), and the potential dangers of fluoride.
In light of the fact that we have no dental insurance and, even if we did, the coverage is not exactly comprehensive, I have a vested interest in keeping the teeth in this house as healthy as possible! Luckily, this book is telling me that "...for the last 20 years it has been theoretically possible to raise a child free from tooth decay." Whew!
Dr. Kennedy recommends a 3-step approach when considering a child's dental health.
This book takes a head-on look at the cause of dental disease and illustrates a proactive approach that any one can take to prevent or treat common dental problems. The book features in depth chapters on proper cleaning techniques, different options on how to treat existing problems (including what types of fillings are best for your health), and the potential dangers of fluoride.
In light of the fact that we have no dental insurance and, even if we did, the coverage is not exactly comprehensive, I have a vested interest in keeping the teeth in this house as healthy as possible! Luckily, this book is telling me that "...for the last 20 years it has been theoretically possible to raise a child free from tooth decay." Whew!
Dr. Kennedy recommends a 3-step approach when considering a child's dental health.
- Nutrition. Everyone knows by now to avoid sugar and brush after meals, etc. The importance of calcium is common knowledge. But this book goes one step further and points out that inadequate nutrition during the developmental years can adversely affect the jaw, leading to overcrowded teeth and narrow dental arches. There are some truly shocking photos of indigenous peoples in and out of contact with white civilization. The teeth of societies untouched by modern, processed foods are beautiful!
- Proper brushing/antibacterial. Dr. Kennedy recommends that germs are removed using baking soda (or a similar antibacterial agent). He points out that until the age of 8 children are not likely to have the dexterity required to properly brush their teeth and require adult assistance using an electronic toothbrush. He goes into detail about what types of toothpastes are most beneficial and the results may surprise you!
- Lastly, he illustrates the importance of applying a sealant to the permanent molars, which erupt at ages 6, 12, and 18. Sealing these teeth can prevent a majority of decay in the molars and keep kids from having to get drillings and fillings. Dr. Kennedy considers this the most crucial step in long term dental health in children.
"By age 17, eighty-four percent of youth have at least one cavity. However, it is no surprise to learn that only 20% of the children have 60% of the problems. Once the tooth is filled it will need to be refilled over and over throughout adult life. Prevention is priceless. If you can raise your children past the age of 20 without significant decay they will spend far less money on their teeth over their lifetime."
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)