I was in the kitchen late this afternoon, getting things ready for dinner, when I glanced at the weather station I got my husband for Christmas. My jaw nearly dropped through the floor when I saw the outside temperature reading at 91 degrees. In the shade. That's gotta be wrong, right? Sure, it was a little warm when Kathryn and ventured to the park this morning, but come on. I'm just going to blame it on the fact that I didn't get the $100 weather station. The cheap one must not be as accurate. That's what I'm going to keep telling myself. I know, I know, I said I couldn't wait for summer, but honestly. A few more weeks of cool temps would be nice.
Speaking of the park, we met a nice lady and her little girl when we there. I think. If you know me, you know I'm not the most social creature, but I'm trying hard to become more outgoing and friendly, especially when it comes to fellow mothers with kids around Kathryn's age. So I was trying to make conversation and be chatty, asking about the lady's daughter and where she lived, blah, blah, blah. She didn't seem very interested. Maybe I was boring her. Maybe it's because I looked like Farmer Beth in my overalls with no makeup and my ratty hair pulled back in a ponytail. Or maybe I'm just paranoid that no one likes me and it's all in my head. Yeah, that's probably it.
And, speaking of being more outgoing and social, Kathryn and I are headed to one of those toddler gym places tomorrow morning for a free trial class. I'm sure I'll have some fantastic stories afterwards for your reading pleasure. You know, if I survive having to socialize with the other parents.
Wednesday, February 27, 2008
Monday, February 25, 2008
a long post about baby shoes
Remember those shoes I bought Kathryn at Target? The great deal I went through hell to get? I hate them. HATE THEM. They're thick and inflexible and she can barely walk in them. I guess that's what you get for $3.24.
I would keep Kathryn in Robeez forever, but she needs a shoe with more protection and support. So we headed to Stride Rite. And I spent a lot more than three bucks on a pair of sneakers. Sure she'll outgrow them in a month, but they're adorable and she's already walking better.
I guess it's family tradition to wear Stride Rite shoes. I wore their shoes up until I went in to adult sizes. Of course, that had to do with my pigeon toes. I literally tripped myself when I started walking as a toddler. I had to be in crazy expensive shoes to help my feet. I also had to wear a brace on my legs for nearly two years. This led to some horrible nightmares in which I couldn't run from the monsters that were chasing me. To this day I still have dreams where my legs drag and I can't get where I need to go fast enough.
All of this talk about shoes reminds me of a story from when I worked at Lil Things, The Big Store for Little Kids! Way back in the day when I was 16-years old, I started my first and only foray in to retail sales. I worked in their apparel department selling clothes and shoes to bratty children and their obnoxious parents.
One night this couple came in with their little boy. He had been walking for a while, but they were just then buying his first pair of shoes. The manager of our department always encouraged us to sell the most expensive shoes. These were the biggest no-nos for new walkers. Hard, thick soles, stiff leather. Think of traditional, high-top, white baby shoes.
I was standing there, bs-ing my way through why they needed to buy those shoes. I specifically remember saying, "Oh, they offer a lot of support in the ankles which is important." And they totally bought it! They walked out of the store with their screaming kid. He was pissed. Sorry little dude. Knowing what I know now, I never would have sold your parents those things. Kids don't need support in the ankles. They need lightweight, soft-soled moccasins in the beginning.
So there you have it. Every thing you never wanted to know about buying shoes for your toddler. To recap, cheap, hard-soled shoes blow. Learn from my mistakes, people.
I would keep Kathryn in Robeez forever, but she needs a shoe with more protection and support. So we headed to Stride Rite. And I spent a lot more than three bucks on a pair of sneakers. Sure she'll outgrow them in a month, but they're adorable and she's already walking better.
I guess it's family tradition to wear Stride Rite shoes. I wore their shoes up until I went in to adult sizes. Of course, that had to do with my pigeon toes. I literally tripped myself when I started walking as a toddler. I had to be in crazy expensive shoes to help my feet. I also had to wear a brace on my legs for nearly two years. This led to some horrible nightmares in which I couldn't run from the monsters that were chasing me. To this day I still have dreams where my legs drag and I can't get where I need to go fast enough.
All of this talk about shoes reminds me of a story from when I worked at Lil Things, The Big Store for Little Kids! Way back in the day when I was 16-years old, I started my first and only foray in to retail sales. I worked in their apparel department selling clothes and shoes to bratty children and their obnoxious parents.
One night this couple came in with their little boy. He had been walking for a while, but they were just then buying his first pair of shoes. The manager of our department always encouraged us to sell the most expensive shoes. These were the biggest no-nos for new walkers. Hard, thick soles, stiff leather. Think of traditional, high-top, white baby shoes.
I was standing there, bs-ing my way through why they needed to buy those shoes. I specifically remember saying, "Oh, they offer a lot of support in the ankles which is important." And they totally bought it! They walked out of the store with their screaming kid. He was pissed. Sorry little dude. Knowing what I know now, I never would have sold your parents those things. Kids don't need support in the ankles. They need lightweight, soft-soled moccasins in the beginning.
So there you have it. Every thing you never wanted to know about buying shoes for your toddler. To recap, cheap, hard-soled shoes blow. Learn from my mistakes, people.
Friday, February 22, 2008
happy birthday, pizzaface grandma!
I'm really trying my darnedest to post here every day, even if it's just to say, hey, Kathryn and I sat at home all day and I lost my mind. However, today was not one of those days. We were extremely busy.
This morning we headed to Elizabeth and Daphne's place for a little parallel play. Although our kids were not having any thing to do with any kind of play. They were cranky. If one started crying, the other joined in the chorus. And Kathryn pitched her biggest fit yet over God knows what. She is only 14 months old. What is she going to be like when she's 2? Or a teenager? Please, some one tell me, what did I do to deserve this???
Driving to Elizabeth's house involves maneuvering through the land of the Snowbirds which always gets me hot and bothered. I think I was the only Arizona license plate on the road for a two mile stretch. I love getting stuck behind some old geet from Minnesota doing 25 in a 45.
We came home by early afternoon and all of the pitch fitting must have gotten to Kathryn because she passed out in the car. She took a much needed nap while I made brownies from scratch for my grandmother's birthday. Yes, I know, I've gotten all domestic and shit. It's absolutely disgusting.
By late afternoon we were off again, headed in to Phoenix for my grandmother's 91st birthday celebration. This consisted of a homemade meal courtesy of my mother and Kathryn putting on a show, which included more fit pitching because I wouldn't let her drag all of the garbage out of the recycle bin.
And now I'm home, thinking, wow, I'm beat. I had better get to bed soon because we've got a crazy weekend ahead of us. Of course, I say this and I will stay up until midnight like I've been doing for the past week. One of these days I'm going to crash. And it's not going to be pretty.
This morning we headed to Elizabeth and Daphne's place for a little parallel play. Although our kids were not having any thing to do with any kind of play. They were cranky. If one started crying, the other joined in the chorus. And Kathryn pitched her biggest fit yet over God knows what. She is only 14 months old. What is she going to be like when she's 2? Or a teenager? Please, some one tell me, what did I do to deserve this???
Driving to Elizabeth's house involves maneuvering through the land of the Snowbirds which always gets me hot and bothered. I think I was the only Arizona license plate on the road for a two mile stretch. I love getting stuck behind some old geet from Minnesota doing 25 in a 45.
We came home by early afternoon and all of the pitch fitting must have gotten to Kathryn because she passed out in the car. She took a much needed nap while I made brownies from scratch for my grandmother's birthday. Yes, I know, I've gotten all domestic and shit. It's absolutely disgusting.
By late afternoon we were off again, headed in to Phoenix for my grandmother's 91st birthday celebration. This consisted of a homemade meal courtesy of my mother and Kathryn putting on a show, which included more fit pitching because I wouldn't let her drag all of the garbage out of the recycle bin.
And now I'm home, thinking, wow, I'm beat. I had better get to bed soon because we've got a crazy weekend ahead of us. Of course, I say this and I will stay up until midnight like I've been doing for the past week. One of these days I'm going to crash. And it's not going to be pretty.
Thursday, February 21, 2008
you like-uh the spaghetti, eh?
I was just thinking while I was in the shower (where I always do my best thinking) that it would be neat to post videos of Kathryn around these parts. Brien takes tons of footage and my dad takes even more. It would be great for the people who don't get to see her on a daily basis.
Here's a good one, albeit a little messy, of Kathryn licking her plate after a delicious meal of pasta. She loves red sauce. If let her, she would probably live off of spaghetti.
Here's a good one, albeit a little messy, of Kathryn licking her plate after a delicious meal of pasta. She loves red sauce. If let her, she would probably live off of spaghetti.
i've told everybody else, how about the internets, too
How many times in one day can you say, "My grandfather died of an allergic reaction to penicillin!?" Because it feels like I said it to every one I talked to today, most of them being medical personnel. And my husband. Who claims I told him the above at least five times if not more.
I noticed on Tuesday, after Kathryn started her antibiotic, that she had developed a slight rash on her neck. I didn't think much of it until I noticed it was spreading. Then I freaked out. See above. MY GRANDFATHER DIED OF AN ALLERGIC REACTION TO PENICILLIN. The internets did nothing to alleviate my fears. According to numerous sites, if you're allergic to penicillin, there's a good chance you could have a reaction to the medication Kathryn is taking.
I started calling people. I called my dad first because obviously, he's going to be able to tell me what kind of symptoms my grandfather had. And he had the most obvious reaction. A rash. So I decide maybe it's best to call the doctor. I leave a message for the nurse and when she calls me back she says, nah, I doubt it's being caused by the medication. Ok, good. I relay this to my father and he insists that I call back and make an appointment for the doctor to see Kathryn, just in case. Which is a good idea, with the family history and all. And honestly, after I talked to the nurse, I was still paranoid about the whole situation. A little voice in the back of my head kept telling me, better safe than sorry.
As it turns out I was just being an overly cautious parent. The pediatrician told me he was 99.9% positive that the rash was being caused by whatever malicious bug is terrorizing Kathryn's body. Usually at this point I would have felt like a dumbass, but Kathryn's doctor reassured me that it was good that I brought her in to be checked. And to keep an eye on her because if she starts to swell or the rash gets itchy, there's a 0.1% chance that it is indeed an allergic reaction.
This is good news. What is not good news - I believe Kathryn is trying to cut her next tooth. A sick, teething baby is a miserable baby. Thank God it's almost the weekend. I think I'm going to pawn her off on her father and flee to the Bahamas. What is it we used to say in college when we just wanted to get away from it all? Sandy beaches, calm waters. This is the how do you say it...ah yes...I Need a Vacation Show. Thank you Antonio Banderas.
Yeah, don't ask. Just a random bit of nostalgia to end the blog post for the evening.
I noticed on Tuesday, after Kathryn started her antibiotic, that she had developed a slight rash on her neck. I didn't think much of it until I noticed it was spreading. Then I freaked out. See above. MY GRANDFATHER DIED OF AN ALLERGIC REACTION TO PENICILLIN. The internets did nothing to alleviate my fears. According to numerous sites, if you're allergic to penicillin, there's a good chance you could have a reaction to the medication Kathryn is taking.
I started calling people. I called my dad first because obviously, he's going to be able to tell me what kind of symptoms my grandfather had. And he had the most obvious reaction. A rash. So I decide maybe it's best to call the doctor. I leave a message for the nurse and when she calls me back she says, nah, I doubt it's being caused by the medication. Ok, good. I relay this to my father and he insists that I call back and make an appointment for the doctor to see Kathryn, just in case. Which is a good idea, with the family history and all. And honestly, after I talked to the nurse, I was still paranoid about the whole situation. A little voice in the back of my head kept telling me, better safe than sorry.
As it turns out I was just being an overly cautious parent. The pediatrician told me he was 99.9% positive that the rash was being caused by whatever malicious bug is terrorizing Kathryn's body. Usually at this point I would have felt like a dumbass, but Kathryn's doctor reassured me that it was good that I brought her in to be checked. And to keep an eye on her because if she starts to swell or the rash gets itchy, there's a 0.1% chance that it is indeed an allergic reaction.
This is good news. What is not good news - I believe Kathryn is trying to cut her next tooth. A sick, teething baby is a miserable baby. Thank God it's almost the weekend. I think I'm going to pawn her off on her father and flee to the Bahamas. What is it we used to say in college when we just wanted to get away from it all? Sandy beaches, calm waters. This is the how do you say it...ah yes...I Need a Vacation Show. Thank you Antonio Banderas.
Yeah, don't ask. Just a random bit of nostalgia to end the blog post for the evening.
Tuesday, February 19, 2008
the things I do for a good deal
After Kathryn's doctor's appointment this morning, we had to fill her prescription. At Target. I love me some Target, but today they were just pissing me off. I guess I shouldn't put all of the blame on Target. I did have a crabby, sick, hungry toddler with me who was just a tad bit past nap time.
I brought Kathryn's prescription for some crazy antibiotic I've never heard of to the pharmacy. 20 minutes. Fantastic. I'll cruise around the store and browse. I just had to walk past the Easter candy. They had those yummy Sweet Tarts. I'm a sucker for Sweet Tarts, but I cannot resist the ones that are shaped like chicks, ducks and bunnies. Don't ask, I really don't have a reason why.
We're trying to waste more time, so I wander in to the shoe section. For Kathryn. Not me. Kathryn has been in Robeez since she started walking and I'm beginning to think that maybe she needs to be in some thing with a thicker, more protective sole. They've got a cute pair of all leather upper sneakers on clearance for $3.24. Woot! Of course, there's only one pair left in her size and they have no tag. I figured I would just take another pair up with me, but the lady working in the aisle tells me there's a number on the tag inside the shoe that the cashier can plug in to the computer. I should have gone with my gut.
By now Kathryn is getting cranky, so I head back to the pharmacy. The drugs are ready. Hallelujah! If I had been smart, I would have purchased the shoes and my candy then. But no, I am a glutton for punishment.
I've got two items. TWO. Express Lane, ten items or less here I come. Except there is a lady in front of me who has over ten bags of clearance Valentine's Day candy. More like 50. And the cashier is moving slow as molasses. I'm getting impatient and my kid is getting whinier as every second ticks by. But I am not passing up a good deal on a pair of shoes. And dammit, I need my sugar!
Finally, I'm checking out, but the cashier is being a moron and tells me there's no tag on the shoes. I explain what the salesperson told me about the number inside of the shoe. She tries to key it in three times and it's not working. She overrides the computer and charges me $8.00. Awww hell no. I tell her the shoes were on clearance for $3.24. Fine. My total is $4.84. Charge it. Except my stupid credit card will not read in the self pay thingy. Kathryn is pitching a royal fit by now and the line behind me is a mile long. I hate being that person. HATE IT.
I was a little worried that my credit card was being rejected because it's brand new, but then I thought, no, I just used it at the pediatrician's office and the pharmacy. I give it to the cashier for her to run, but she tries to put it in the self-pay doohickey. No, you don't understand, IT'S NOT WORKING. Duh. She finally realizes this and tries to slide it through her machine a million times, but it's still giving a "card read error." HOLY CRAP, I have a $5.00 bill in my wallet, let me pay cash. Ok. Thanks. Bye.
As I sit here, reflecting on this whole fiasco, eating my damn Sweet Tarts, I think, was it really worth it? Because the first thing Kathryn did when I put on those stupid shoes was face plant in to the ground.
It's been a fantastic day.
I brought Kathryn's prescription for some crazy antibiotic I've never heard of to the pharmacy. 20 minutes. Fantastic. I'll cruise around the store and browse. I just had to walk past the Easter candy. They had those yummy Sweet Tarts. I'm a sucker for Sweet Tarts, but I cannot resist the ones that are shaped like chicks, ducks and bunnies. Don't ask, I really don't have a reason why.
We're trying to waste more time, so I wander in to the shoe section. For Kathryn. Not me. Kathryn has been in Robeez since she started walking and I'm beginning to think that maybe she needs to be in some thing with a thicker, more protective sole. They've got a cute pair of all leather upper sneakers on clearance for $3.24. Woot! Of course, there's only one pair left in her size and they have no tag. I figured I would just take another pair up with me, but the lady working in the aisle tells me there's a number on the tag inside the shoe that the cashier can plug in to the computer. I should have gone with my gut.
By now Kathryn is getting cranky, so I head back to the pharmacy. The drugs are ready. Hallelujah! If I had been smart, I would have purchased the shoes and my candy then. But no, I am a glutton for punishment.
I've got two items. TWO. Express Lane, ten items or less here I come. Except there is a lady in front of me who has over ten bags of clearance Valentine's Day candy. More like 50. And the cashier is moving slow as molasses. I'm getting impatient and my kid is getting whinier as every second ticks by. But I am not passing up a good deal on a pair of shoes. And dammit, I need my sugar!
Finally, I'm checking out, but the cashier is being a moron and tells me there's no tag on the shoes. I explain what the salesperson told me about the number inside of the shoe. She tries to key it in three times and it's not working. She overrides the computer and charges me $8.00. Awww hell no. I tell her the shoes were on clearance for $3.24. Fine. My total is $4.84. Charge it. Except my stupid credit card will not read in the self pay thingy. Kathryn is pitching a royal fit by now and the line behind me is a mile long. I hate being that person. HATE IT.
I was a little worried that my credit card was being rejected because it's brand new, but then I thought, no, I just used it at the pediatrician's office and the pharmacy. I give it to the cashier for her to run, but she tries to put it in the self-pay doohickey. No, you don't understand, IT'S NOT WORKING. Duh. She finally realizes this and tries to slide it through her machine a million times, but it's still giving a "card read error." HOLY CRAP, I have a $5.00 bill in my wallet, let me pay cash. Ok. Thanks. Bye.
As I sit here, reflecting on this whole fiasco, eating my damn Sweet Tarts, I think, was it really worth it? Because the first thing Kathryn did when I put on those stupid shoes was face plant in to the ground.
It's been a fantastic day.
enough already!
I never thought I would look forward to the summers in Phoenix. The sweltering heat. The electric bills. However, now, as a parent, I say, BRING ON the 100 degree days! Then, maybe, FINALLY the germs will go back in to hibernation until next winter.
My kid has been sick almost non-stop since before Christmas. First it was a fever and rash. Next a cold. For a week there I think she was actually well. Then it started again with a cold, ear infection, stomach virus and back to a cold which has developed in to yet another ear infection and a slight case of bronchitis.
Antibiotics all around! For the third time since December! Woo!
My kid has been sick almost non-stop since before Christmas. First it was a fever and rash. Next a cold. For a week there I think she was actually well. Then it started again with a cold, ear infection, stomach virus and back to a cold which has developed in to yet another ear infection and a slight case of bronchitis.
Antibiotics all around! For the third time since December! Woo!
Tuesday, February 5, 2008
the things you learn on the internets
My kid is driving me insane today. She's whining constantly and I just don't know what to do. Nothing is making her happy.
I think she might be working on some teeth because she's been sucking her fingers constantly. Usually she only sucks them when she's tired, but this morning in Walmart, Petsmart and Target she was sucking away. This totally stresses me out because, ew, germs on the carts. Hello, Kathryn? I don't want you getting sick. Again. Mommy can't handle much more illness this winter.
So I'm avoiding my child, doing some research on thumb-sucking (although yes, she is a finger sucker, the second and third fingers on her left-hand) and I come across this:
Good to know. Heh.
I think she might be working on some teeth because she's been sucking her fingers constantly. Usually she only sucks them when she's tired, but this morning in Walmart, Petsmart and Target she was sucking away. This totally stresses me out because, ew, germs on the carts. Hello, Kathryn? I don't want you getting sick. Again. Mommy can't handle much more illness this winter.
So I'm avoiding my child, doing some research on thumb-sucking (although yes, she is a finger sucker, the second and third fingers on her left-hand) and I come across this:
Thumb suckers are mentally unbalanced. No they're not, neither are they emotionally impaired or destined to a life of masturbation.
Good to know. Heh.
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