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From one of our dear readers, Lea:
I have been looking all over to find a pre-school and need some help. I wanted to find a pre-school that is bilingual, that takes 2-2 1/2 year olds and that does not require your child to be potty trained. I am not sure where to find this information. Any ideas? Thank you.
Another reader, Suz, passed on this interesting story of a mom unable to breastfeed her children due to a double masectomy as a result of breast cancer. She's on baby #2 and looking for donations (milk and / or money). You can read all about it at Feed My Baby. The milk at $2.75/ounce is costly but worth every drop. For those who are plentiful, and can donate, here is a listing of milk banks in the United States:
Lactation Center and Mothers' Milk Bank
WakeMed
Raleigh NC
919.350.8599
Mothers' Milk Bank
Christiana Care Health System
PO Box 6001
Newark, DE 19718
302.733.2340
And for even more information, visit the Human Milk Banking Association of America web site.
For a little while now, my Raph has travelled regularly for work. It's usually once every 2-3 months, but sometimes it has been as frequent as 3 trips in a month. I know many others in similar situations - spouses gone for the majority of the week or even for weeks at a time. We're coming up on another weekend when the girls and I will need some distraction...
When Raph goes, I need to kick into one-parent mode. Pick-up and drop-off is hectic, but I certainly try to plan ahead. Since I have plenty of free time in the evenings after the girls go to bed, I prepare clothes, lunches, and special treats (like that old Laurie Berkner CD they've not heard in ages....) so the next morning can be smooth sailing. Mornings sans Raph are great, actually. I mean, I just LOVE getting to spend the mornings with the girls, since I usually leave well before they wake up. Heart-shaped pancakes for breakfast? Why not? And, as much as I hate paying for parking near my office, what's more important, that $6 per day or shaving off a few precious minutes off a commute? Bathing becomes optional. I ask Raph to do a good scrub down before departure, so I'm good to go for another four or even five days, if necessary. TJ's frozen food is on the menu every night. That or kids-eat-free at Billy Reed's on Tuesday (don't forget Adam the Magician every night from 6-9pm) or kids-eat-for-$1 at Vita Cafe everyday between 5 and 7pm. (Um, sure my 5-month old would like an order of chicken fingers. And, if she doesn't finish it, her sister can bring it for lunch tomorrow). Finally, if Raph's travel involves a weekend, I work hard to keep us out of the house all day and night. Drop in on friends you haven't seen in a while. Hint well and you may get an invitation for quiche, smoothie, and coffee in the morning and steak, wine, and salad in the evening. That's what friends are for!
Of course, my favorite option is to just tag along with Raph when I have some money and vacation time stashed away. We were in Philadelphia last December, then we'll join him on an Arizona trip next month. We aren't always that lucky, though.
So, how do you do it? What do you do when your partner is out of town or at late meetings or working all day Sunday?
Submitted by one of our readers, Lisa:
I was sitting and staring abstractedly out of the window when my eight-year-old son sat down next to me. “What are you doing?,” he asked.
I’m thinking,” I said. “Thinking about my newsletter—you know, the one I’m working on about books for children. I have to write something for it that will make people want to read it.”
“Oh,” he said knowledgably. “Like advertising. You need some of that head print—you know, those big letters—that says GET NEW BOOKS FOR YOUR KIDS or SOMETHING NICE FOR A RAINY DAY
“That’s a good idea,” I said. “Can you remember that for me?”
“I think you should remember it for yourself. Or—I know—I have some old papers in my room I don’t need anymore. You can write it on the backs of them.”
So we did.
What I can tell you right now is this. BOOKISH is a bimonthly review of books for children and families. Each issue contains the following features:
A Note to the Reader: an essay by the editor on matters related to reading and children
Reading Matters: a column about reading with children
Words and Pictures: capsule reviews on one or two topics for children in four different age groups
Tattered Pages: an extended review of one book to read over and over
Seen and Heard: a conversation with children, an observation of children, or an historical essay about children and childhood
End Matter: a bibliography of the books reviewed in the current issue that you can take with you to the library or bookstore
In addition, alternate issues will feature Stories Sans Frontières, an exploration of books written in countries other than the United States.
Books are the starting point of this review, but they are not the end point. Because I believe that great books are the stuff of life, because I think that the stories they contain reflect something true about the nature of human experience and about the centrality of narrative to that experience, I also use BOOKISH to talk about the work of the imagination, about the experience of childhood, about time and memory, as well as more prosaic though no less important matters, like how to read with children, and where to find books. My intention is that BOOKISH be thorough, though not comprehensive—in other words, that I will discuss many good books on a given theme, but not all of them. I will only discuss books that I have read myself, word for word and cover to cover.
If you’d like to see a trial copy, please email me at lsilverman@bookish.info, and I’ll send you one as a pdf—your choice of Dragons, Making the World A Better Place and Books from Canada, or Pigs, Mud and Rain. And I can give you a little more background about myself and the review, if you’d like.
Today marks the start of the Lunar Chinese New Year. To join in the festivities and celebration which are family friendly, the Portland Chinese Gardens has a host of events they are sponsoring this year from Lion Dances to storytelling by Grace Lin. Don't worry if you missed today's celebrations, there will be more in the weeks to come. Next weekend, mark your calendar and head down to the Convention Center to partake in the 2006 Chinese New Year Cultural Fair sponsored by the Portland Chinese Times. Activities begin at 11 am, and admission is $2. You can see puppet shows, dancing, singing, and even a pig cutting. So for those that lament the fact that Portland is not culturally diverse, here's an opportunity to check out Portland's Chinese community.
As I was gettting dressed this morning, my 2 1/2 YO daughter watched me with an anticipatory smile. She loves to see me naked. As if on cue, when I took off my pajamas, she broke into a big grin and sang out, "Hello boobies!" It was as if she was being reunited with old friends. But then she went on: "And there's your squishy tummy!" Uh, yeah, there it is. "It wiggles when you move!" Thanks for pointing that out, sweetie. "Now can you turn around so I can see your big butt?" Sigh.
I think I need to get back to exercise.
I've never been a big fitness buff, but I've always enjoyed my temporary stints at the gym (I am/was a member at Resort to Fitness, now called NW Personal Training). I want to make exercise a regular part of my life, but I just haven't managed to figure out how. When my daughter starts preschool in the Fall, I plan to try again, but maybe that's just another excuse. How do you do it?
I'm heading to Urban Grind this morning for some coffee and catching up with some off-line moms. Any chance you're in the neighborhood, please pop in! I'll be there from 9:30 am to Noon. Perhaps I will see you there.
Urban Grind Coffeehouse and Roasters
2214 NE Oregon St
Portland, OR 97232
(503) 546-0649
Another question from Lisa R.:
Our little girl was diagnosed at a week old with hip dysplasia. She's now 1 month old and after switching insurance companies, having (2) ultrasounds, xrays and a pediatric orthopedist appointment, is now in this harness thing to hold her legs in the right position so the hip socket can form properly. I found out today at the ultrasound appt that when she stretched her legs out, her hips were dislocating, then going back when she'd pull her knees up!! Apparently it isn't painful (???) at this point, but would lead to big problems if left untreated. My husband's a doc and tells me that it will be okay, we're taking care of it, etc - but I'm a mom!! Hate to see her in this thing ... Anyone else have this with their kids? How did it resolve?
I wrote a bunch of thank you notes right after Truman was born, to lots of mamas who write for this blog, and others who read it. I think I may have given out one. I was awful. I wrote about that today on Blogging Baby, and guess what? No one gives me a break. They all say that handwritten thank-yous are still mandatory (and some of them weren't exactly kind about it).
So let's say I thank you publically for something on my blog. Does that not make you feel all warm and fuzzy? Or do you require handwritten (and DELIVERED) confirmation of my gratitude? Am I just being hella lazy? What do you think? (And trust me, you can't get under my skin any more than some of the not-yet-confirmed commenters from Blogging Baby do, so have at it :)
The debate's on. On the front cover to Newsweek is "The Boy Crisis" - on educating boys, and falling behind girls in schools. We discussed this briefly at our last mama outing when Sarah mentioned that she intentionally pulled Everett out of his preschool. Lisa's latest comment deserves a post of it's very own. Here's what she writes:
"...So today, my husband and I were asked by the preschool teacher to stay after to discuss Luke's behavior. We just moved to PDX the end of November and were psyched to find a spot for him anywhere. His preschool is a Waldorf program and we liked the philosophy behind it and again, were happy to find a spot. I asked if the other kids/boys were all really mellow (we know a little girl who goes there and seems very easygoing) because our 3 year old is definitely all boy. It's only the 3rd week and the last time when I asked how he was, she said "he's a little rambunctious and gets the other kids excited, but he was fine". TODAY it was that he was pretending to be a superhero, saying he was going to shoot and kill, not sharing, pushing, etc. Apparently the other kids got all amped up, some got upset, meltdowns started and general chaos - instigated by my son?? When the teacher took him aside and tried to talk to him, he didn't want to listen and looked scared and just kept saying, "my mommy and daddy care about me" ... broke my heart to hear that.
Here's the deal - we don't watch tv (no cable, no antenna - just videos - though we try not to be righteous about it, we're just easily sucked into being zombies); we don't encourage the whole guns-shoot-kill thing (but most of the little boys I know still seem to pick up and run with that whole thing whether you encourage it or not); we're politically progressive and THINK we're liberal - BUT we do take him to fast food on occasion, he has seen popular tv shows/cartoons at other people's houses, he has figured out how to have an AMAZINGLY loud screaming tantrum ... are we too mainstream for Waldorf and/or is it the right fit for him?
I know we haven't been going that long and I don't think I'm pulling a mama-bear defensive/my-kid's-an-angel thing - I know he can be a handful/stinker/little sh.. but he's my boy and I love him dearly and I feel badly that he's causing so much trouble for the other kids. I worry that he's got some issue that's making him act out. My husband thinks I'm overanalyzing and that he's acting according to his age, but when it seems like he's the only one behaving that way ...
Also trying to remember that the last 2 months have been full of changes - move to pdx, away from friends, potty trained, mommy in hospital twice, new house, new baby, going to school. We've heard alot of "I miss (insert friend's name) and they miss me", "I miss our old house", "Mommy, don't go! Are you coming back?". I want to be sensitive to all that and cut him some slack, but that still doesn't excuse bad behavior. Any comments/helpful hints/reassurances that my kid isn't the only one would be appreciated!"
Thanks to local mama Kate for pointing out that Portland is ranked number #1 by Fit Pregnancy as Best Place to Have a Baby! It rates various cities around the nation according to different factors such as: affordability (housing is cheap when compared to the Bay Area), maternal and infant health risk, breastfeeding, birthing options, stroller friendliness, fertility laws/resources, access to hospitals/doctors, and safety.
Now that baby's here, I'd like to see a ranking of most family friendly on criteria such as number of running mamas, number of blogging parents, number of parks per square miles, libraries per capita, density of coffee shops with play areas, and number of neighborhood associations per square miles. That would be an interesting survey. Any other criteria that makes a city "Best Place to Raise Children" (well, aside from funding schools)?
A friend asked me to pass this along to you, and although many of us mamas are still focused on preschools, public school is only a matter of a year or two away.
School Funding Rally
Benson High School (546 NE 12th)
Thursday, January 26
5 PM (assemble at 4:45)
Join parents, students, teachers, Mayor Tom Potter, and community leaders to launch the drive to STOP THE BUDGET CUTS for next school year.
More info at the Help Out Public Education website.
With two little ones, I often find myself with little to no quiet to myself. I find myself wishing Matt would take at least 2 yo Ella out and about. So, I asked him, why don't you guys go somewhere?? He said he really didn't know where to go... Being that we have been here only a year and a half, neither one of us knows of a ton of stuff to do. With that said, I did some quick research and compiled a list of activities that I thought they would both enjoy (I think I would enjoy most on the list as well). Also, some of these attractions can't be fully appreciated by a 2-3 yo, but they would certainly get something out of it!! Thought I'd share the list. Again, we are pretty new to Portland, so you may know of most of these suggestions, but maybe you don't or maybe you forgot!
Please also let me know if you'd add anything to the list, would love more ideas.
Swimming - local parks and rec indoor pool has family or open swim times - http://www.portlandonline.com/parks/
Pearson Air Museum - "A pre-WWII Army Air Corps Airfield preserved with flight capable aircraft on
display and interactive hands-on activities for the children" - http://www.pearsonairmuseum.org/
Bring a bike or ball to your local park
Smith Berry Barn (Hillsboro) - check out the goats and chickens - also a beautiful farm and nursery - http://www.tricountyfarm.org/detail.asp?ID=56
Arboretum - http://www.hoytarboretum.org/
Childrens Museum - http://www.portlandcm2.org/
Local Library Branch for storytime - Special trip downtown ride on Max and go to the Central branch near Pioneer SQ.
Kidd's Museum of Toys - http://www.viamagazine.com/weekenders/Kidds_Museum05.asp
Barnes & Noble - Train set in Kid's section is fun.
Waterfront - grass play, check out big boats and bridges
Carousel @ Jantzen Beach
Oregon Maritime Center & Museum - http://www.oregonmaritimemuseum.org/ - BIG BOATS!!
OMSI - laser show, play ground, planetarium, etc...
Evergreen Aviation Museum - home of the Spruce Goose - http://www.sprucegoose.org/ - Tualitan
Washington Park - kids playground and general frolicking
Beaverton Hilltop Riding Stables - hourly riding, pony rides or just checking out the horses - they do birthday parties as well. - 20490 SW Farmington Rd., Beaverton 503-649-5497
COOL ROCKS!! Rice NW Museum of Rocks and Minerals - 26385 NW Groveland Dr., Hillsboro - 503-647-2418
Historic Belmont Firehouse - Safety Learning Center & Fire Museum - 900 SE 35th Ave./Belmont - Firehouse Event Hotline: 503-823-3616 - Tours and Information : 503-823-3615 - http://www.portlandonline.com/fire/index.cfm?c=25923
I've been meaning to post this for a while, but Blogging Baby's "Another Day Off???" reminded me that spring break and other days off are right around the corner! If only my work vacation schedule could follow the school vacation schedule, then I wouldn't have a minor heart attack each time the two-week winter break or one-week spring break comes up, not to mention the handful of "faculty in-service days" when the school is not open for the children! Even our small in-home school follows the Portland public school calendar. Rightfully so. It still doesn't prevent me from having a hard time digging up temporary care for the girls. What to do?
* Start early & Scour craigslist: cl is always my first stop for finding ideas for our irregular childcare needs. From cl, we found a family with a nanny who was looking for a full-time share with another family. That was two summers ago, and we are still close friends with the family. Not only did we find wonderful, happy, quality care, we found a family of friends, too. We've also found wonderful in-home schools through craigslist. We take plenty of precautions, of course, but at least it's a place to start.
* Ask established daycares / schools if they can accept drop-ins: beyond Grandma's Place, there could be room at your nearby child development center during vacation periods, due to absent children travelling or taking extended holidays. The classrooms will be fully staffed, but children vacationing with their families may leave a spot or two open for some or all of the days. Most recently, we sent our girls to Growing Seeds (in the Hollywood neighborhood) for almost all of last week. We paid a flat drop-in rate for each child, and they enjoyed GS's wonderful nurturing environment. We actually feel lucky that they got to spend some time there. (See Danielle's great comments on Growing Seeds.)
* Keep a list of back-up care providers: In the past two years, we've tried to assemble a list of people to call. There's the sitter we once met via criagslist and interviewed to be a potential summer sitter for us. There's the former substitute teacher at one of our daughter's schools. There's the teacher of one of my colleague's children. There's our neighbor's college-age daughter who is home for spring breaks, summers, and winter breaks.
* Pool resources: In an impromptu cooperative way, we've pooled resources with another family. On one occasion when our sitter had a medical emergency, three of the four parents finagled work-from-home or used vacation time. Each parent did a shift with the four kids, and we somehow made it through a week without even having to seek beyond our small circle of parents. Also in another instance, a friend - with two kids of her own - offered to take in our two girls for a day. To an extent, it works well. Kids close in age can occupy one another for good stretches of time!
So, have you ever been put in this situation? Any tips to share?
Of course!
Just thought I'd highlight a recent comment from Lisa, who has recently moved back to Portland after stints in New Mexico, North Carolina, and McMinnville. She has a 3-1/2 year old boy and a 3-1/2 week old girl and says:
I'm an architect and practice less than part-time (though just started a project that I committed to long before baby was born - was I crazy?), 36, will be heading up an extensive remodel to our house in the spring, love to eat/cook/go out for good food, closet Martha Stewart follower, avid reader, regular 3 mile walker/jogger (after post c-section doc's okay). Miss having a group of friends/moms to compare notes with - ie: do all 3 yr olds freak out over not having the right cup/big piece/Thomas train/sharing? How long should it take to get 2 kids out of the house (11:00 am seems to be the earliest so far)? etc, etc. I keep reading the emails and hope to get to a mom's night out, but still in newborn sleep deprivation/nursing alot mode. Hope to check back in to the real world soon. Anyone else in my shoes?
I recall at our recent w[h]ine night, part deux, we talked about the freakishness of some toddlers who have straight-up conniption fits over broken granola bars or fruit leathers opened wrong. And, taking about 11 hrs to get your two kids out the door, especially less than 4 weeks after a C-section, is not a bad record. Feel free to share thoughts, sympathy, and humor with Lisa, urbanMamas!
p.s. I think an upcoming uM gathering will be a family coffee/play date on an upcoming Saturday or Sunday morning ...
When I caught her name on a recent comment, I did a triple-take. Sattie Clark was the commenter, but - hey, waitaminute, that's also the name of the artist on the CD I perpetually listen to at work. I was a little star-struck. And excited.
I was quick to email her, "Thanks for your comment on UrbanMamas".... blah blah blah. But, what I really wanted to tell her was that I love love love her CD "fathom". And, then, a beautiful relationship was born.
We shared thoughts on the juggle of mamahood, choosing preschools, diversity in Portland. We talked about one day getting together. Don't we all? We always say, "We should get together." For my life to feel complete, I needed to make that happen. I ran out of the office one rainy morning, and I dropped in on Sattie at her office. (Oh, I'm so infatuated with the music that I forgot to mention, Sattie and her husband Eric started and run their own business. um. that's super-cool.) We chatted for a good 73 minutes or so. You know, when you first meet someone in person, after all this intimate online exchange, it's weird for a little. But, if you're meant to click, then you click, in maybe 5 minutes, somtimes 10.
Sattie runs, too. Hope to pull her into our run-mama-run group. Oh, and she's published too! She wrote a letter to the editor of Health magazine, in response to an article that seemed to promote liposuction and drive healthy & fit women to hate their bodies. Here's what she had to say:
Dear Ali,I think you missed the boat in your response to "I hate these saddlebags!" Her friends may not be supportive of her intent to get liposuction for an important reason that you did not address. They may feel that her body is lovely and lovable just as it is and that what she really needs to change is her unhealthy obsession with being model thin. I think that Health magazine has a responsibility to challenge our culture's insane messages to healthy, fit women that their bodies still aren't good enough. I recently met someone whose job it is to digitally alter photographs of celebrities. She assured me that all photos you see of stars are altered to make them look perfect (unless they are altered to make them look bad in the tabloids). Unfortunately, those altered images are what American women use to guage their own bodies and the result is always dissatisfaction. That dissatisfaction has created a multi-billion dollar industry for plastic surgeons, hair removal services, cosmetic dentistry, etc. And in my opinion, it's no coincidence that the image enhancement industry buys a lot of advertising space in the magazines that are perpetuating the fiction of the perfect body in the first place. It's a vicious spiral that can only be reversed by caring education on all fronts and by boycotting cosmetic surgery and other image enhancement services that "fix" women who are perfectly fine the way they are. Maybe "Saddlebag's" friends were trying to say, "friends don't let friends get cosmetic surgery." And maybe Health magazine and the director of the Mind/Body Center for Women's Health should be talking more about how to love and take care of the bodies we've got.
Yet another cool urbanMama among us.... looking forward to meeting more of you!
One of us urbanMamas has been super-busy lately. With the holidays, a death in the family, a feverish toddler, running two businesses, writing blogs, .... and apologizes on one blogs for her recent inattentivenes in part because she gets an order from THE OPRAH WINFREY SHOW?
Marlynn, I'm floored. How can you do it all? On top of that, you're fun, sweet, and easy to hang out with. You're awesome!
Previously in this series, we talked about the too many choices involved with our decision to curb production. We decided on the copper IUD, aka "Paraguard". Just wanted to let you know how it's been going for the past 7-1/2 weeks since insertion. Contrary to studies showing 1) tons of immense pain upon insertion for a few days and 2) subsequent earth-shattering monthly periods, I have had neither. Nope. None. No pain upon insertion. Maybe a twinge here and there by a uterus wondering about the new foreign object in it, but no screaming or major complaining. And, the previous time I had the hormonal IUD (aka "Mirena") inserted, I did have aforementioned immense pain upon insertion. Maybe this is why no insertion pain this time? Also, just finished up my first period on the Paraguard and it was fine. Usual variety of PMS, nothing out-of-the-world. The flow itself was extremely, extremely abundant. Perhaps that is the unusual thing. I have always been a low-flower, but this Paraguard period was something else. I was flowing buckets. The weird thing is, there was very little uterine discomfort. It was strange to have all that flow without accompanying cramping.
Anyway, I feel lucky. I think this is the start of a beautiful relationship.
Also, since I sometimes have nightmares of this, I thought I'd link a recent Q&A on oregonlive's Ask the Midwife about an IUD Pregnancy.
Wish you were here for w[h]ine night part deux. I had fun with my new camera lens and we all had a really nice time and practically closed the place down.
We talked briefly about the idea of (a) doing this every month and (b) having a Mother Talk salon one day. And today I chatted via email with Andi Buchanan and guess what? There's a Mother Talk planned for Portland in April sometime. There will be readings from the soon-to-be-launched It's a Girl anthology - some of the mamas are here in Portland.
Seriously. I wish you all could have come to the w[h]ine night. I'm hoping to do a post about it on Blogging Baby (so you can see the photo again, heh) over the next day or two.
Hi uM's,
We are going to hit OMSI tomo (Wed.) at 10 am for the kiddo concert. Ella (redhead 2 yo), myself (6') wearing Jack - again, not easy to miss. Hope folks can come - it's a hoot.
You don't have to be a ski bunny to enjoy the mountains. There's lots of inexpensive ways to frolic in the snow. This past weekend myself and another urbanFamily trekked up to the mountains for some snowshoeing. Snowshoeing is easy! If you can walk, you can snowshoe. We're fortunate to have our own pairs but stop at the several ski rental places in Sandy and they'll most likely have snowshoe rentals as well as cross / downhill ski rentals for around $10. You can snowshoe along the number of trails on Mt. Hood. Trillium Lake is an easy trail to navigate and fun for the kids. Since we headed up fairly late, we didn't venture to far out on the trail but far enough to build a snowman. The small hills in the parking lot at the trail head is also popular for sledding. You do have to remember to obtain a Sno Park Permit to park in the lot or near any of the trail heads.
So, I met another one of us - a mama scouring options and search far and wide for the best situation for her 16-month old son. She needs FT care in the very inner N.NE.NW areas. Her son is now at the Peninsula Children's Center, and she's looking for a new space where her son can grow, live, learn! Any ideas or comments? Growing Seeds? Rowanberry School (Angela?)? Escuela Viva? Any other great in-home schools?
Anyone up for an OMSI Science Playground date? My 2 1/2 yo daughter and I will be there (most likely at the sandbox) from about 10 till 11:30 this morning. Sorry for the lack of notice -- we often do stuff like this based on how the morning goes. I'll be the dark-haired, half-asleep one wearing the blue fuzzy fleece. Would love to meet another urbanMama (and urbanKid)!
While the cat is away, the mice will play! Well, while dh is heading out of town, I thought I would host a craft night for folks interested in knitting/scrapping/whatever your craft of choice is.
Date: Tuesday, January 24 2006
Time: 8:15-whenever (I'll try to get Andrew down before folks arrive)
RSVP: Leave a comment w/ your e-mail below and I'll add you to an evite with the location info :)
If you don't have a craft of choice and feel like you want to learn, I will be willing to brainwash teach you how to knit. I'll also have some teas/wine/snacks too. Hope to see you all there! Well, at least as many as my house can hold hehe...
Experts say it's never to soon to plan for college savings. With my first son, we started a 529 College Savings plan offered for Oregon last January when he was closing in on his second birthday. I admit, I'm not sure if the Oregon College Savings plan was the best choice but I selected it mainly because it offers tax deduction for residents, and the fact that I wanted to choose a plan quickly before procrastination would soon kick in. There are sites like Savingforcollege.com that offer tons of information but I don't have the stomach nor the patience to sift through the dizzying options. Morningstar suggests Virginia, Utah, and Alaska have some of the best plans for those that don't like the options provided from your home state, but why? What have you done? What college savings plans have you opted to invest in and why? What other alternatives are you seeking if you feel 529s are not the best option?
Have you checked out (Portland's very own) Asha's new blog about practical parenting wisdom - Parent Hacks? Well, you should. It contains lots of nuggets of information in easy to digest posts that are quick to read and apply. The beauty of it is that these words of wisdom aren't from the mouths of experts but from what I think are the true experts - parents that are in the thick of raising kids. I often prefer the advice of other parents over the advice I glean from parenting manuals. Way to go Asha!
Greetings, mamas! I went to the Celebrate Portland Public Schools event that was so kindly posted here. It was an embarassment of riches, and truly got me excited about the many options out there.
However, there's a problem: others seemed equally as excited about these options, and it seems we may all be competing for very few spaces. With that in mind, are there some savvy mamas out there who have more information on Beach Elementary (Spanish immersion), Clarendon (Spanish immersion), Vernon (my neighborhood school, which has Spanish enrichment), and Trillium Charter? How hard is it to score a slot in a dual immersion Spanish program if you're not in the neighborhood? My instincts tell me Clarendon may be a possibility, because it's further out there.
Gracias, mamacitas!
--Serena
I've heard from a few mamas recently are looking for preschools in coming months. In the name of sharing and making connections, we want to hear from you! Does your child attend a preschool you absolutely love? Share, share, share!
Helpful info to provide includes:
- General Area (N/NE, SE, SW, NW) and Neighborhood
- PT or FT?
- Approach to play and learning
- any and all of your first-hand experience with teachers, other parents at the school, and other anecdotes.
Some time in the last week or so I decided that Andrew might enjoy a weekend activity that was physical and creative... so I started looking around Portland for what sort of gymnastics classes were available. First I googled and found this list. I checked a few links out like Gym Kids, The Oregon Gymnastics Academy, and the Y but there wasn't a lot of information. I guess I'm wondering who has the best bang for the buck? Do they let you try out the program once to see if your child can "hang" with the class type/structure? I've got a few phone calls in to places near my home so we'll see what they have to offer. In the meantime, have any of you taken your kids(age 2-3) to a gymnastics class that you were happy with?
Also, while I was snooping around I found the Moxie Moms site. I hadn't seen it before but it seems like it may be useful...
... Run Mama Run ... I know we've mentioned it before, but thought I'd refresh our memories, now that we're making resolutions to exercise more. urbanMamasRun is back in full effect for 2006! Last week, we met at one mama's house and ran the loop around the river via the Eastbank Esplanade. It was a 5 mile jaunt. We have yet to decide where we're running this week. Sometimes we run something challenging (like hills, with "texture"). Sometimes we run something flat. Sometimes we bring the SUV jogger strollers. One time soon, I'm going to bring my five year-old on her bike.
We don't all need to run the entire distance. We don't all need to run the same pace. What I find great is that other mamas can cheer me on and get me out the door, coffeeless, at 7:45am on a misty Saturday morning. It's usually a good run, plus we get to chat about sleep issues, feeding picky toddlers, battling colds or fevers, which vitamins we give the kids, and an assortment of other mama topics. Join us! Drop a line in the comments or email.
It was SO long ago when I think I filled out a survey for the Portland lilaguide. What a treat it was to find one in my mail slot yesterday! Calling itself the "new parent survivial guide to shopping, activities, restaurants, and more...", the lilaguide is written by parents for parents. Reviews are Zagat-esque, incorporating first-hand comments and quotes by customers and parents just like us. Unlike Zagat, where we can expect some witty snarky comments, lilaguide is pretty, smooth, and uber-palatable.
The guide is organized by county - Clackamas, Washington, Clark, and Multnomah. The urbanMama in me wishes it was mostly Portland information organized by neighborhood. Still, I found some fun stuff like quotes about almost all the parks and playgrounds with helpful firsthand information. Of a park just a few blocks of me: "a nice park to visit although there's not too much shade during summer months ... the usual facilities including restrooms and off-leash area..." I also enjoyed leafing through the Exercise section, highlighting activities I'd not heard of like Baby Boot Camp or Divine Pilates of Portland or Moving Through Center or Stroller Strides. The Baby Basics section is a great resource, with listings and info for all our favorite joints like Fairies & Frogs (on NE Fremont), Generations (on Hawthorne), Grasshopper (on NE Alberta), Milagros (on NE Killingsworth), Piccolina (at SE Clinton and 26th), Sweetpea's (in Sellwood), and Zanzibar (on NE Fremont near 15th).
I'm glad I have a copy. But, I'm glad I got a free one (for completing at least 14 reviews of Portland establishments). I don't think I'd necessarily go out and buy one.
Ok. So, they weren't riding wild. But, this family of four was riding around safely on their bikes and in trailers. Read Jon Maus' of BikePortland.org and his Report: Danica's first ride. Jon tells us how he secured 4.5 month old Danica in his trailer while his wife Juli pulled 3-year old separately. What fun!
And also see a post from yesteryear for a couple of suggestions on bike trailers back when we were considering which bike trailer to buy for the family. We ended up with the Burley d'Lite for two (which we especially love with the Walk & Roll attachment), and we took Tati for her first ride at about 6 months old. Our pediatrician had said, as long as she could hold her head up, she can ride in the trailer or a bike seat. So, we padded Tati in like crazy for her first ride. Rolled up blankets everywhere to prop her into place. The bucky travel pillow (kids size) worked great, too, to prevent too much floppy head syndrome. We've continued padding Tati in, up until she was over a year old. A small pillow for her back still works great. Can't wait to get back in the saddle again (I'm more of a fair weather rider)....
We realize this may be last-minute again, but we hope that some of you can join us for w[h]ine, chatter, nibbles, and good company. The first get-together was a resounding success.
Friday, January 13 around 8pm:
Wine Down on 28th
126 NE 28th Ave
Portland, OR 97232
(503) 236-9463
RSVP in the comments. If we get a large number of RSVPs, we may change and / or make reservations at another venue. Suggestions for future gatherings are much welcomed!
Portland mamas are making their literary mark! Lainie Keslin Ettinger's hilarious essay about how sappy romantic comedies are her "porn" appears in today's New York Times Modern Love column. Margaret Foley (co-founder of the new zine Thereby Hanges a Tale) writes for the Christian Science Monitor about about why her family vacation to Montreal was spent mostly in the ice rink.
OK. I need some help and a teensy bit of affirmation here. The past couple of weeks have been fun and rambunctious, with all the festivities and all. As Philly said to someone last Monday, "I stayed up til twelve the other night." As an understandable result, sleeping routines and general temperments are challenged. Extremely challenged.
Every night from 7pm until 6am, I have to lie down with one or the other. I am scratching backs, giving warm milk, nam-namming, negotiating, hushing, singing, or telling stories. Once one girl's eyes are just about to close, the other will call out for me. Raph will try to run to the rescue, and he'll be denied access. "No! I want Mommy!" The almost-sleeping girl will wake up and cry. The other one will cry, too, waiting for me.
There are other pressures: not sharing, pulling hair, refusing to walk, refusing to bathe, wanting to stay up, throwing cheerios, asking me three consecutive times when I'm doing something else, wailing "Mommy!" as if everything was an emergency. I am starting to crack.
Yesterday, when Philly was whining about not wanting to take her lunch bag out of the car. I told her, "I won't pack you a lunch tomorrow if you don't bring it into the kitchen." When I say things like that, I try to keep my tone noncholant and matter-of-fact. She started to wail: "Mommmmmyyyy!!!!" The whining continued. It hurt my ears. I yelled at her: "PHILLY!" I followed with some general long grunting, moaning, and some low-level growling. I needed to let out some steam verbally: "AAAAAAAAARRRRRHHHHHHHH!" Philly stopped. She said, "Mommy, you're scaring me." Being as calm-voiced as I could, I said very, very sternly, "PHILLY. Bring. your. lunch. bag. into. the. kitchen." I honestly can't remember if she brought it in or if I did.
Then, last night, Tati had her usual early morning wake-up. She cried for me, I ran to her, I nursed her. At some point, I tell her, "No more nam-nam." She cried so hard!!! "Mommy PLEASE!" Her eyes looked at me so big and I felt like I was committing child abuse, but - still - I said, "NO MORE NAM-NAM." We do this dance for a long while, all the while with her pleading, "Mommy!!!! Just a li'l bit! Nam-nam! PLEASE!" I think I did the same grunting growl last night. I was so fed up!!! I am so fed up. This morning, Tati said to Raph, "Daddy, is Mama angry?" Raph tried to explain how we need to sleep like big girls, no more nam-nam, go to bed with no crying.
Today, I feel like a bad, bad mama. For losing my patience and taking it out on them. I know I need to give myself a time out. I know that this, too, shall pass. Children will be sleeping like saints soon, for 12 hours straight through the night. Like the old days. But, what I really want to know, is how can I best say to them, "I'm sorry for losing my temper" but also try to explain myself?
When I was pregnant with my second son, I was a bit disappointed at not feeling the same type of excitement and anticipation I felt the first time I was pregnant. I was incredibly elated at being a mother again, but life was just too busy with a toddler to savor the changes brought on by pregnancy. The belly certainly knew what to do. I start showing much earlier, and at the end of the first trimester, I knew I had to break the news to more that the close circle of family and friends.
Admittedly though, I enjoyed my second pregnancy in ways I never anticipated. I shared the experience with my sister who was due a few months before me as well as some other on-line and off-line mamas. It made the pregnancy special since I had confidants to share and discuss candidly every change I was experiencing. Perhaps the emotional and social support I was getting from my fellow mama friends, husband, and family eased the anxiety of becoming the mother of two. But alas, the anxiety did hit right before my son was born. I felt like I could barely make it with one child and work outside the home. What was I thinking when I decided to become a mother again! Alas, you manage, somehow you do. The thing that gets me through the tough times is to think about how my mother raised five children. I think about how other mothers raise children with a lesser support network and resources than I have, and they make it work.
When my sister-in-law, an expectant mother (due with her second child in June), emailed me to seek some words of wisdom or advice, I naturally thought I would blog about it. So, how did quell the anxiety of becoming a mother again, especially with a toddler running around? What were some of the things you worried about which didn't seem to materialize? Any thoughts or comforting words for expecting mothers?
We have tons of choices here in Portland with our public school system. Neighborhood, charter, magnet, immersion. Arts, science, language. For the past couple of years, I have been dodging making the decision. Next year, our biggest girl will need to go to first grade. The question is 'Where?'
Next week, Portland Public Schools hosts their annual Celebrate! PPS event at the Convention Center. It's on Thursday, January 12, from 5:30 to 8:30pm. I suspect I will be on information overload. But, I need to be. 12,000 people were there last year. So, it'll be worth taking advantage of the free shuttles from a few of the schools. See the poster for more details. See the tens of thousands of you there.
... back to your regularly scheduled program ...
I whipped this little snack up for after nap time and it was well-received, so I thought I'd share it.
What you'll need:
small bowl(s)
2 lb Yogurt - I suggest Stonyfield Farms Banilla or Trader Joe's Vanana*
Bananas, halved and sliced
Graham crackers**
In the bowls layer crackers first (broken into spoon-sized bits), yogurt, banana, crackers again, yogurt again, banana and top with yogurt. Let sit in fridge for about 30 minutes so the crackers can get soft. I hope you and yours enjoy it as much as we do!
* - You can also use plain yogurt sweetened with honey or maple syrup, or even vanilla/french vanilla
** - be creative with what you have... you can also use vanilla wafers, animal crackers, or even some of those triple ginger snaps from Trader Joe's mmmmm Santa liked those :D
It's that time again to jot down some resolutions for the upcoming year. As always, a new year brings hope and resolutions that oftentimes has the same flavor as before, but let me give it a shot. Here are my top five parenting resolutions for the upcoming year.
1. Believe in my mama-ing abilities. Two kids later, and I still stress about the tiny decisions I make as a mama. Like wondering if the nose wipe is worth the cry of anguish from my infant or if it will mar him for life. This year will be different, I will trust my instincts knowing that I'm doing my darnedest as a mom. I'll try not to take it personally and realize that neither my baby's cries nor my nearly 3-year-old's outlandish behavior is not always a direct reflection on my mama-ing skills.
2. Mama as role model. While I don't curse like a sailor, I do need to be aware that my sons pick up both my and my husband's good and bad habits. I'm kicking my soda addiction, exercising more regularly, and using the TV less often as a babysitter.
3. Quality time with my sons. I recently saw a bumper sticker that read something to the effect that "All mothers are working mothers" and how true it is. I'm a working mother in the sense that I work outside of the home. I still struggle with trying to make the most of my time with my kids when I'm not working. This year I will try to focus on reminding myself that the time I spend with my sons should be quality due to the fact that the quantity of free time is in short supply. When my older son tells me "no more check email mama" I will have to tear myself away from the computer, turn of the DVD player and play trains with him.
4. Recognize that there was life before kids. Date night will be a recurring scheduled event for my husband and I. Date nights have been to few for us in past year, and we realize that the strength of our relationship is the foundation for our family. If we are fulfilled in our relationship with each other, we can better manage the roller coaster ride of parenting.
5. Creating more community for mamas. It's so easy to become recluse as a mama. I go through periods where I feel like I'm just trying to get by, barely managing the kids and work, and not enjoying life as a mother. When somehow I manage to emerge from the motherhood doldrums, I realize that I miss my friends. As soon as I re-engage myself into the community of other mamas, I feel reinvigorated. In the new year, I hope to do my part in creating more community for mamas in Portland.
Share, share! What are some of your resolutions for this upcoming year? It's always fun to hear what other mamas are up to.
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