Girls in Tears and Dumping Princes

Each Tuesday Emma, Daniel and I go to a playgroup. So we drop Tuan off at work and then head to the city park for a change of pace from the park we go to every other day. After about an hour the library opens and we cross the street and go in. They have a nice room downstairs with puzzles, board books and bead track toys. We always leave the library with several books to read that week. Two weeks ago, these are the two titles that Emma insisted we check out. She would not leave them and carried them out herself! They both have bright pink covers and are found in the young adult section located right next to the childrens section. Emma loves to find paperbacks there and last week the new titles were: Sweet Valley High Kiss of a Killer and Clueless Cher Goes Enviro-Mental. Sheesh! Oh, the book she asked for on the car ride home was titled Dump Trucks. Go figure!

Mommy, sing A-B-O-T-P

My dad got Emma a set of alphabet bath toys. For at least a month she asked us to sing the ABC song to her. This is how she asked for it.

In other news, Emma has been postponing her nap until she finally just crashes wherever she happens to be. She still needs a nap every day, even if she doesn't think so! LOL So she will usually crash around 5 pm or so which means a very late night for us. An interesting side effect of this is that she will just lay down and go to sleep (we all go to bed at the same time now) and when she wakes up to move to the middle of the bed she no longer nurses back to sleep. So my baby is nightweaned! I don't think that I am entirely ready for her to be done nursing altogether, but I will say that I am glad to have my nights back. Wait - who am I kidding? There is still Daniel! ;o)

I juss full.

Me: Emma, would you like any more to eat?

Emma: No, tanks. I juss full.

Too cute!

I have finally made it to a great local health foods store and purchased some stevia. Check out the link for lots of great info on it. Basically, stevia is an herb that is 200 times sweeter than granulated white sugar and calorie free! It is much more healthy than sugar and especially splenda et al because it is a plant and not artificially made. I have been testing it out in baked goods. Don't these banana carrot muffins look scrumptious? No sugar! Just stevia. Tonight I put a teaspoon of cocoa (unsweetened) plus a pinch of stevia powder into a cup of milk. It was the yummiest chocolate milk. Tasted like creamy, sweet dark chocolate in a cup. So - are you running out the door to get some of your own?

no wunner

Looking back over the last few months I can see a pattern. It is this:


Wake up lots of times every night. Every few times play for a bit instead of nursing right to sleep. Grin and coo so that Mommy feels bad for being irritable.


Within a week, learn to do something new and exciting like roll over.


Wake up lots of times every night . . .


Within a week learn to army crawl your cute little butt across the floor.


Wake up lots of times every night . . .

Within a week learn to sit up unassisted.


Wake up lots of times every night . . .



Within a week learn to crawl on your hands and fet with your cute little bum sticking up in the air.



Repeat ad nausium.



If Mommy seems a little it cranky, simply grin, stick your tongue out and pat her back each time she picks you up. Apparently this just melts her heart.



Love,

Daniel

Mating pan-tates

After watching Emma pretend to cook and bake with various baskets and pilphered kitchen utnsils I decided that I wanted to have a playkitchen for her to play with. My object was not to stifle her imagination but to help enhance her creative play with a few props. So I looked around online and decided on a playkitchen. I didn't want a plastic toy, so I saved up for a wooden one. Ta-da!


I then scoured the 'net for free crochet patterns for foods. This is what I have made so far.
In case you can't tell they are bacon, carrot (Sarah, the carrot remark still rankles! lol), tart (pie), strawberry, onion (looks more like garlic - actually pink garlic since Emma soaked it and the strawberry in a tub of water!), tomato, green apple and donut with sprinkles.
We found some pots and pans and wooden spoons at Target and now Emma will "cooking dinner" and "mating pan-tates" (making pancakes) with "it's hot mommy" pans. :o}

P.S. Don't forget that this week (July 2-8) is boycott Nestle week Don't forget to call their hotline and tell them you won’t be buying any of their products.
The number to dial in Canada is: 1 800 387-5536.
The number to dial in the USA is: 1 800 225-2270.
The lines are open from 8 am to 8 pm.

I can't!

What can Emma not do?

Emma cannot (at this time) unhook her car seat buckle to unlock the car door from inside the car.

What can Emma do?

Push the power lock button before Mommy helps her into her seat.

Guess what happened today?

It seems that I am to be plagued by a lifetime of car lock travails. In Emma's first year alone, I locked us out of the car at least 12 times. When pregnant with Daniel, I locked us out 3 times in one week! The first day we moved in to our new apartment I met our new neighbors and then borrowed their phone to call a locksmith later. I honestly try so hard to avoid this problem. I know I am susceptible. I have two spares. I leave the key in the door until the kids are in their seats. I try to always have at least one car door open at all times. I told myself that if somehow Emma and Daniel got locked inside, Emma would be able to unlock the doors. But that was before we re-adjusted her car seat straps to fit more snugly. Today I unlocked the doors and put Daniel in his seat. It was super hot in the car, so I turned it on and cranked the air up. I left the front door open (gravity pulled it in so that it just latched). Emma was playing in the front ("I'm driving, Mommy") while I checked our plans with my sister. I buckled Emma in and closed the door. When I went to open the front, it was locked. I knew right then they were locked inside. I held it together for about 5 minutes. After 5 minutes of explaining to, pleading with and (I'm ashamed to admit) yelling at Emma to unlock the door I gave way to panic. She was tired and scared and couldn't do what I was asking of her. My spare was inside the car along with our cell phone and my children. Emma began to cry which set Daniel off. She finally fell asleep. Tuan had a spare, but we had to wait for my sister to drive by his work to pick it up. While she was gone, Daniel had cried Emma awake and himself to sleep. I never want to feel again the feeling of being forcibly separated from my children. Being forced to watch as they scream and sob in vain for your touch is a torture no mother should have to endure.

Peet-a-boo!

I must hear that 100 times a day. I love it!

I don't particularly like Michael Moore. Regardless, I am looking forward to his exposé on the US health care system, called "Sicko." It came to theaters yesterday. I really must find time to go see it.

We are behind every industrialized nation and several third world countries in health care and infant/maternal mortality rates, for two reasons: The poor can't get quality care, and the rich are given more than necessary so they can be over-charged to make up for money lost on serving the poor.

For instance - A labor nurse's experience with differing treatments among those who can pay and those who can't. Read this interesting blog entry for a little peak

A friend of mine says it best: "I believe that for-profit health care is one of the most heinous crimes against humanity. When people can't get the medications and treatments they need without going bankrupt, when most of our homeless people are simply people with untreated mental illness, when over 30 countries have better infant and mother outcomes than we do, something is sinfully wrong."

Egypt joins other countries in the ban of Female Genital Mutilation!

Egypt takes a step in the right direction!

Thu Jun 28, 10:27 AM
"CAIRO (AFP) - Egypt on Thursday finally banned all female circumcision, the widely-practised removal of the clitoris which just days ago cost the life of a 12-year-old girl. (Thankfully all forms, not just clitordectomy) On Thursday, Health Minister Hatem al-Gabali decided to ban every doctor and member of the medical profession, in public or private establishments, from carrying out a clitoridectomy, a
ministry press official told AFP. Any circumcision "will be viewed as a violation of the law and all contraventions will be punished," said the official, adding that it was a
"permanent ban"."

If both Emma and Daniel were not sleeping right now, I would be jumping up and down, screaming with happiness!

Other countries' laws against female genital mutilation.

My dosh! - but it could be worse! ;o)

As many of you have probably noticed by now, there is a new graphic at the head of my blog. If you haven't yet, take a gander.


As I live my life, meet people, research and learn things and experience the views of ignorant people I find that I no longer wish to live a complacent life safe in my own bubble. There are causes and issues that I feel extremely strong about. If you read my posts about breastfeeding discrimination you understand! :o)


I toyed with the idea of creating a separate blog and linking to it from here, but then realized that doing so would rather deflate the purpose on posting such articles at all. I feel strongly about these things and want to bring more awareness to them. These issues are a part of who I am. So I will be posting them right along with my family updates. If you feel uncomfortable reading them, please feel free to skip posts and check back later. If you don't agree with me and would like to discuss the issue, feel free to comment.

Since the dates are imminent I am posting about the boycott first.

International Nestle-Free Week

A little background. I borrowed a book from my sister - The Politics of Breastfeeding. Included in the book was a history of the company of Nestle's business and advertitisement practices. I was shocked, apalled and sickened. Then I was motivated. Motivated to do what I could to bring about change. So - what is Nestle doing, why should you care and what can you do about it?

NESTLÉ VIOLATES CHILD RIGHTS
The Convention on the Rights of the Child recognises the fundamental role that breastfeeding plays in fulfilling the right of every child to the highest attainable standard of health. Breastfeeding could prevent 13% of all under-5 deaths and is far
more effective than other preventive interventions such as water sanitation and immunisation.2 When Nestlé undermines breastfeeding it inevitably violates child rights. http://www.babymilkaction.org/pdfs/nprmeprint05.pdf

Nestlé is targeted with the boycott because monitoring conducted by the
International Baby Food Action Network (IBFAN) finds it to be responsible for more violations of the World Health Assembly marketing requirements for baby foods than any other company.

As UNICEF has said: "Marketing practices that undermine breastfeeding are
potentially hazardous wherever they are pursued: in the developing world, WHO
estimates that some 1.5 million children die each year because they are not
adequately breastfed. These facts are not in dispute."

Although Nestlé does dispute the facts. See the Your Questions Answered section for responses to Nestlé's denials and deception. The boycott will continue until Nestlé accepts and complies with Baby Milk Action's four-point plan for saving infant lives and ultimately ending the boycott.

What can you do? Use your buying power to its greatest advantage. Boycott Nestle! What products does Nestle make? You might be surprised.

IMPORTANT NOTE: This list includes all products from which Nestlé profits. So Nestlé ice cream is listed because, although Nestlé sold the company, it continues to receive payments for use of the brand name. We welcome new information regarding changes in ownership, but please remember that headline stories about brands being sold do not usually give all the details of the deal. A product is only removed from the list when we are reasonably confident that all links to Nestlé have been cut .

Coffee - Nescafé including:
Alta Rica, Black Gold, Blend 37, Cap Colombie, Cappuccino, Caro, Decaff, Expresso, Fine Blend, Gold Blend, Kenjara, Nescafé Ice, Organic, Partners Blend
Dairy products
Carnation, Coffee-Mate, Extreme Viennois, Fussells, Ideal, LC1, Munch Bunch yoghurts, Rowntree yoghurts and ice creams, Simply Double Ski yogurts, Sveltesse yogurts, Tip-Top
Confectionery & snacks Aero, After Eights, Animal Bar, Baci Chocolate, Black Magic, Blue Riband, Breakaway, Caramac Chocolate Cuisine*, Colgate Dental Gum, Dairy Box, Dairy Crunch,Double Cream, Drifter, Fab Fruit Pastilles, Heaven, Henri Nestlé Collection, Jellytots, Kit Kat, Kit Kat Chunky, Lion Bar, *Lyons Maid Ice Cream, Matchmakers, Maxibon, Milky Bar, Munchies, *Nestlé Ice Cream, Polo, Quality Street, Rolo, Rowntrees Fruit Gums, Smarties, Toffee Crisp, Toffo, Tooty Frooties, Walnut Whip, Willy Wonka, Yorkie
Contact lens care
Alcon
Mineral/bottled water
Aqua Panna, Aquarel, Buxton, Contrex, Perrier, Pow-wow, San Pellegrino, Santa Maria, Valvert, Vittel
Other drinks
Build-up, Milo, Nesquik, Nestea
Processed meals
Buitoni pasta & canned foods, Herta Maggi, *Osem/Tivall, *Rowntrees Jellies
*Cereals
Cheerios & Honey Nut Cheerios, Cinnamon and Golden Grahams Clusters, Cookie Crisp, Shreddies, Fibre 1, Fitnesse, Force Flakes, Fruitful, Golden Nuggets, Nesquik cereal, Shredded Wheat including: Bitesize, Fruitful, Honey Nut Shreddies: Coco and frosted
*Cosmetics
Biotherm, Body Shop, Cosmence, Garnier, Helena Rubenstein, Innéov, La Roche-Posay, Lancome, L'Oreal, Matrix, Maybelline, Metamorphosis, Plénitude, Redken
Pet Foods
Arthur's, Bakers, BETA, Bonio, Felix, Friskies, Go-Cat, Go-dog, Gourmet, One, Pro Plan, Purina, Spiller's, Vital Balance, Winalot

If you don't feel that you can give up these products completely, please give them up during the week of the boycott - July 2-8. The boycott has forced some changes from the company, but it is still a long way from complying. Campaigners are also working for laws. Nestlé can comply when it is given no choice. It is not being asked to do something that is impossible, but without pressure it continues to put its own profits before infant health and mothers' rights. And of course, tell all of your friends to join in!

Next week, call their hotline and tell them you won’t be buying any of their products.
The number to dial in Canada is: 1 800 387-5536.
The number to dial in the USA is: 1 800 225-2270.
The lines are open from 8 am to 8 pm.
Follow the instructions that let you talk with a representative. You may have to hold for a few minutes. Tell them what’s on your mind or read from the text below.

Remember, let them know how strongly you feel, but be polite! I’m calling to
let you know that this week has been declared International Nestlé-Free
Week. I, and many others like me around the world, will not be buying any
Nestlé products this week because your company engages in the unethical
marketing of infant formula. The World Health Organization estimates that 1.5
million children die every year because they were not breastfed. Nestlé
contributes to these deaths by convincing mothers in poor nations not to
breastfeed through aggressive and misleading advertising. Until Nestlé stops
these immoral actions and complies with international marketing guidelines, I
will be Nestlé-Free.

If you would like to keep up on the progress of the boycott, add this blog http://boycottnestle.blogspot.com/ by Baby Milk Action's Campaigns and Networking Coordinator to your favorites.

Bidt Poot!

In order to help Emma communicate to us when she needed to eliminate we talk her how to say pee-potty, poo-potty and poot. She decided to call it pee-potty, poot and BIDT-poot. She also now informs us that bidt poot comes out of her bum and pee-potty comes out of her vulva.

This picture was taken when she found my discarded mascara tube.

wherz eopard? BOO!!

Emma's favorite stuffed toy is her "eapard". One day when Mommy must have been particularly preoccupied with Emma's younger brother, she began entertaining herself. She laid on the floor on her side. Said "wherz eapard?" Promptly rolled over and said "BOO!" Now that Daniel is not alwys sleeping while in the car, she loves to play peek-a-boo with Daniel using his sun shade. He just giggles and giggles. (I wish I had an audio of this as well!) She really is a dream 'big sis'.

oh, bummer!

I'm not sure why I was saying this often, but apparently I was because Emma picked it right up. Something would fall, or get knocked over or upset us and she would look up, tilt her head anday "oh, bummer" in a consoling voice. Priceless! I only wish I had made an audio clip of it.

Emma wanted to wear my socks and shirt. She looks cuter in them than I do!

two holes

I think that my daughter and everything she says (mostly) is absolutly adorable. You don't have to agree. :o) Since Emma has been using a little potty and/or the toilet since she was 3-ish months old (the sink worked well before that!) she was driven to put on and take off her pants (when she was wearing any) by herself. In the beginning she would inevitably put two feet into one whole and flop like a mermaid. We would explain that pants have two holes - one for each leg. The title of this blog is what she got out of it and used to say it all the time when putting pants on. Now if she is in a silly mood, she will stick both feet into one hole and flounder around exaggeratedly while declaring "two holes!"

Hannah all nated then!

Emma actually said this in January. Just after Christmas our family went to visit my sister. Emma's cousin is almost exactly a year older than her. While we were visiting, Emma needed to borrow some pants and my sister found some that her daughter had grown out of. Later at home I pulled them out of the dryer and Emma saw them.

Emma: "My pants!"

Me: "Nope, they're Hannah's pants."

E: "Emma wear them."

M: (after Emam pulled them on)"Are you wearing Hannah's pants?"

E: "Hannah all nated then!"

Of course! If Hannah wasn't wearing these specific pants, she must be wearing none and "all nated then!" I love toddlers and their fledgling reasoning skills!

P.S. These are Daniel's (at 1month) feet next to Tuan's

Mommy ‘mote

Translation: Mommy's remote.



Months and months ago I scribbled down a note to blog. I misplaced the note and it never got blogged. I have now found the note - prepare to get blogged! :o}



Daniel wasn't born yet so Emma was only 18 months old. One of Emma's favorite pastimes (aside from finding my buttons and pushing them) is to disect our remotes and play with/attempt to put back the battery covers. I found a remote with no cover on the floor and asked Emma where the battery cover was as I started to look. She walked over to the couch, lifted up the cushion and handed me the cover from where she had stashed it! It was so adorable and unexpected. It was the first time that I realized she could now understand what I was asking and do something about it!

Emma's first year

I was putting together my favorite pictures from the last year and couldn't believe how much Emma and Daniel have grown and changed! So here is Emma's first year - one picture per month. Grrr! I kept trying to get various phot hosting sites to host these pics in a slide show but couldn't seem to get any of them to work. So you will just need to scroll down. This is Emma's first year. My goodness, but they grow so fast!

The birth of an adorable drama queen!

One month old.

Super Emma!

Multitasking at 3 months.

Already getting stuck.

Grinning at 5 months
6 months and crawling!

Cutest ladybug ever.

Best pick in the patch - and the pumpkin isn't bad either!

Almost walking.
Learning how to accessorize.

Happy Birthday, Emma.

Danna myah

As you know, Daniel was about a week old before we settled on the name Daniel for him. Of the other's we were considering, Daniel was the only name that Emma actually tried to say. I think that helped me decide that it was the right one for our family. (Maybe that is silly, but there you have it.) She started out calling him baby. Then it was Danna. For a while it has been Dan-yer. Most recently it has become - well, I'm not sure! It sounds a lot like 'daddy' now. I sometimes get confused as to who she is referencing!

no, yes, no, yes!

This is a game that used to be a favorite of Emma's when she was just learning how to talk. It went like this:


Mommy: yes!

Emma: no!

M: yeeeeees

E: nooooooo

M: YEsss

E: NOooo

etc, etc. She would - and still - only says the no. I can't get her to say yes! Oops :o}

I want to/can do it all me-helph.

Well - it has been over a month since my last blog post. I have decided to catch you, mu faithfull readers up to speed instead of just skipping the last month and picking up with today.



First things first - my wonderful husband surprised me (I seriously had no clue!) with a beyond awesome anniversary present. An HP Notebook - otherwise known as a laptop (hey, he even has me calling it fuel now instead of 'gas' - there's a chemist for you ;o) I can now fix dinner using a recipie that I didn't have to print out (way to save paper!) and play a funny utube video for Emma while I use our DVD player to play my pilates! It is awesome and I absolutely LOVE it!

If you have scrolled down to this post first I will warn you that there are going to be tons of pics coming. Enjoy!

Emma is super independant these days. One sentance (yes, I must also admit she is using sentances at times now) we hear often is the title to this blog - "I want to do it all me-helph" Or "No, Mommy! I can do it me-helph". *sigh* toddlers! :o}