Support for an upcoming uterine biopsy

An urbanMama emailed us recently, seeking support and perspective from other mamas who may have gone through a uterine biopsy:

In a few weeks, I will have a Uterine Biopsy.  I am a pretty tense person by nature and my nerves tend to get the best of me. Going to the dentist for a routine check-up gets me worked up and feels invasive so you can imagine how comfortable I am with this procedure.

The reason I am writing is that I hope other UrbanMamas have some feedback about the procedure itself.  Has anyone had the experience of your cervix not opening easily or being lined up perfectly?  I have two children born vaginally so my understanding is that I should not have any of these unfortunate situations.  But, like I said, it looks like I’m going to freak myself out from now until the time of the procedure so I’m looking for some support. 

What's in your safety talk?

On a day like today, there will be kids of all ages on the streets of all neighborhoods.  When I was growing up, I was indoctrinated with the idea that there were syringes in my Halloween candy.  All our items needed to be screened by adults first.  Then, there was the year that bad things got so bad in the candy batches and the year that the teenagers were not only throwing eggs but also broken glass bottles -- that I was only allowed to go to "Safe Streets", the area in the neighborhood where all households were somehow certified "safe" and cops were at every corner.  From that year on, I recall that I was only allowed to go to "Safe Streets" for our trick or treating.

Our added twist to Halloween this year in Portland is that Jack McClellan is in our midst, and he has re-launched his website, posting the best places to watch girls in Portland.

What things do you tell your children so they know what is "safe" and what is not?  What precautions do you take for yourselves to be most aware of the community around you?  We have had some great suggestions on a previous conversation, "Knowing is Half the Battle", but we would love to hear more...

Halloween 2007 - A Round-Up

What are you doing tomorrow night, the eve of All Hallow's Day?  Some of us have tykes who won't know the difference, whether they trick or they treat.  Others have kids who are all growed up, wanting to get all ghoulish and ghastly and tackle the skeletons in the bushes.  Are you knocking down doors in your 'hood?  Flocking to another 'hood that's known for its freaks and fright?

Here are several suggestions for Halloween fun (at the great price of FREE!), all around town.  And, please suggest more!

Halloween Costume Party at CM2.  Wear your costume and march in a Halloween parade at Noon and listen to not-so-scary ghost stories during storytime.  Children's Museum from 10AM to 3PM.

No Tricks, Just Treats! The staff at Green Frog Toys will be ready and waiting to greet all little hob-goblins on Halloween. No tricks, just treats! 1031 NW 11th Ave from 3PM to 6PM.

Fun & Toys at Spielwerk.  Sellwood's community toy store, Spielwerk, hosts fun & toys in honor of Halloween, 3 to 5 PM at 7956 SE 13th Ave, Portland OR 97202.

Pumpkins in the Village.   At Bridgeport Village, a dozen local regionally renowned artists have carved giant pumpkins (approximately 500-1,100 lbs. each!) and the giant works of art are still on display.  Trick-or-Treating will happen on the “Street of Treats” from 4 to 9 PM.

Free Carousel Rides: Janzten Beach.  From 4 to 6PM, enjoy free rides on the historic Janzten Beach Carousel. 

Halloween at Overlook House.  Party for children ages 6 and under, hosted by Esther Brock. WEAR YOUR COSTUME! Enjoy activities and take home a pumpkin! Overlook House, 3839 N. Melrose Drive, from 4 to 6 PM.

Kennedy School: Trick or Treating! The Kennedy School Trick or Treating features performances by Willamette Radio Workshop 4:30 to 6:30 PM.  All ages welcome; kids with adults only. Bring your kids-in-costume for trick or treating so you enjoy a handcrafted ale, wine or spirit as you wander the halls together! Afterwards (before they get too far into their bags of loot), have dinner at the Courtyard Restaurant, which has a kids'; menu -- nothing like a little PB&;J or cheesy noodles followed up with candycandycandyyeeeahhhhhhhhh!!!!! Don';t miss Edgar Allen Poe';s ";The Pit and the Pendulum"; and W.W. Jacob';s ";The Monkey';s Paw"; as performed by Willamette Radio Workshop.  Shows at 5 p.m. and 6:30 p.m in the Gym.

Scare Away Global Warming.  Scare Away Global Warming this Halloween with the Sierra Club! Bring the family and help us give away energy-saving compact florescent light bulbs while trick-or-treating on Wednesday, October 31st in Portland's St. John's neighborhood. Kids and costumes encouraged. Please RSVP to Christine at christine.caurant@sierraclub.org or (503) 243-6656 x 302.

Halloween Party at Black Wagon.  Black Wagon (3964 N. Mississippi Ave) partners with photographer Amy McMullen to host a Halloween Party from 5-7pm on Halloween! There will be treats for kids and adults and Amy will be capturing kids in all of their costume glory with her fabulous photography! And there will be trick and treating up and down Mississippi Avenue! Can't wait to see all the fabulous costumes! Happy Halloween!

Harvest Hoopla.  The Harvest Hoopla will be held at University Park Community Center, 9009 N. Foss Ave from 6 to 8PM.  With winter on its way, come celebrate the richness of fall with an exciting harvest themed night of games, food, activities and fun! A great, safe alternative to Trick or Treating.

Mamas: Your best free activities & low-cost shopping?

For some of us, low-cost living is the reality.  We just don't have dual incomes or excess funds to go around.  Even when we are pinching pennies, there is still plenty to do with the kids.  We are sure of it!  What are your favorite free haunts?  Where do you go?  What about for household or children's items?  Where can you find decent quality, low-cost goods?  An urbanMama emails:

Can you give me ideas for how to go out and about (or stay in!) with my 3 kids (ranging 3-12) without spending money - or spending very little?!  I am up-to-speed with the library and the parks, but need more inspiration!  Also, shopping suggestions - both for household and childrens stuff.  Thanks (ps. the naked mamas party was a huge help!)

Phthalates: What's the Story in Oregon?

So what's the story with this tongue twister?  Avoid it like the plague or keep on chewin'??  I'd like to think that if it's for sale, it's safe (ha!!), but we know all too well how that goes.  Not surprisingly, California has recently banned its use in toys for kids under 3, and nine other states are fast on its heels (Texas, mamas, but not Oregon).  Kathleen is rarin' to take this on here in Oregon and wonders if others are already working on it.  If you're interested in seeing some action on this, too, or know who's involved that Kathleen might connect with, head on over to Activistas and let us know!  This is Activistas at its finest, connecting people who are ready to roll their sleeves up, dive in & create change.

And be sure to let us know who's gonna get your Mom Vote in '08.  The Presidential election might seem a long, long way off in pre-school years, but in national politics, mamas, it's just aroud the corner.

Lunch at Schools - is anyone there?

Now that we've tried to figure out what's for lunch again and again, what do we do when the kids don't actually eat it?  Heather emails:

I am wondering if anyone else has experienced this. My kids are first and third graders at a Beaverton elementary school. Every day I send them with homemade lunches, usually containing things they have picked out or made themselves, yet the lunches come back every afternoon half eaten, or sometimes barely touched at all. My third grader is a bit better about finishing, but my first grader does not even come close to finishing his lunch on a daily basis. I'm not sending a lot of food, either: half a peanut butter and jelly sandwich, a piece of fruit, maybe a small container of nuts, and a small drink. I used to send more, but I couldn't stand all the waste. The thing that gets me is that he tells me every day that he does not have enough time to eat it. Whether this is true or not, I don't know, but I have to think, aren't there teachers in the cafeteria to make sure the kids are eating? Does anyone at school care that my son is there for 7.5 hours and is only eating a couple of bites of sandwich and a snack in the classroom?

Recall: Bumbo Baby Sitter Seat

From the US Consumer Product Safety Commission: Serious Head Injuries Prompt Recall Of Bumbo Baby Sitter Seats.  This is a voluntary recall and the company is distributing new instructions and warnings. 

Hazard: If the seat is placed on a table, countertop, chair, or other elevated surface, young children can arch their backs, flip out of the Bumbo seat, and fall onto the floor, posing a risk of serious head injuries.

Incidents/Injuries: CPSC has received 28 reports of young children falling out of the Bumbo Baby Sitter seat, including three skull fractures, which occurred when children fell out of chairs that had been placed on tables.

Consumer Contact: Contact Bumbo International at (877) 932-8626 between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. ET Monday through Friday or visit the firm’s Web site at www.bumbosafety.com

**  thank you, Jennifer, for forwarding this info! **

How learn how to lose gracefully?

I'll be the first to admit, I like to win.  But, many-a-time, I'm a loser.  While many activities for our children are much less competitive than activities from our generation (very generally speaking),  we still value lessons learned from winning and losing.  Consider this:

I'm looking for some advice from other parents or relevant books I can read to help deal with some win/lose competition issues my sensitive 4-year-old son is having.  I know he's at an age that starts getting into kids' games where winning and losing is part of the game, so hopefully this is just a stage he's going through.  He takes games very seriously, gets very excited when things do go his way and work out the way he wants, and if they don't, he bursts into tears and is inconsolable for a while.  This is happening in the kids soccer class my son is taking now, which he loves, looks forward to each week, but typically he comes crying to me on the sidelines at least once every session.  Maybe they'll be playing a game of freeze tag and he's not able to tag someone when he's one of the "taggers", and he'll come crying to me all upset that he wasn't successful. Conversely, in a previous class he was able to tag a kid and freeze him and he talked about it excitedly for the rest of the day.  Another game they play is where the kids all try to catch the coach, who's kicking a soccer ball around and trying to escape the kids.  If my son isn't the one kid who catches the coach, he comes crying to me.  The coaches are great and downplay the concept of "winning" and "losing" and emphasize that they're all a team, and if one kid
succeeds they all do, they're all trying their best, etc.  So I don't fault the class or the coaches at
all, in fact they're great and always try to help my son get over his sadness quickly and move on. He really enjoys the majority of the class and says he doesn't want to stop going, and I don't think pulling him out of the class is going to help him.  I'd just like to help him develop some solutions to dealing with his feelings and emotions.

How do you archive the memories?

There is no end to the priceless moments of watching our children grow up.  From teething or potty training, and from birthday parties to holiday traditions....   Sometimes you just want to capture it all in a bottle for eternal safekeeping.  Some mamas make digital memories.  In specific, lots of mamas use websites for pictures of the kids through the years.

We want to know how YOU do it!  Margaret emails:

I'm interested in learning how others are "archiving/scrapbooking" their children's childhood/family memories.  What has worked the best?  Digital or paper? 

I like the idea of the digital photo books. However, we have some studio portraits and/or friend's have given us photos that I'd like to incorporate.  If you do digital books...how do you incorporate the loose photos you collect?  Do you scan each one in?  How do you decide when to complete a book (annually/vacations) since it appears you don't add additional pages to these books?  Also, which software/company to you prefer and why?

Or do you scrapbook with paper, etc?  If so, what do you purchase your supplies?  Did you take a class?  I'm interested in this in the simplest form as it seems rather daunting sometimes.

Either way, I'd love to here feedback on what has worked the best for you to date.  I'm fairly behind and would like to invest some time over the next 6 months to catch up.  I think my children would really enjoy recalling all the memories we are building.

Weekend Warriors: October 26-28

In the mood for some theater?  Check out a couple of shows below, and be sure to check out the urbanMamas calendar.  Local high school theater shows also started this week!

"The Argyle Clockwise Puppet Show" presented by Mudeye Puppet Company.  On Saturday October 27th and Sunday October 28th The Mudeye Puppet Company will be performing with 2 shows each day at 10 am and noon. This is an all new all original all ages performance starring a gargoyle, a mole and a cement mixer in a colorful city where anything could happen. All puppets are made out of reused materials and after the show you get to meet them up close! The shows will take place at the historic Kenton Firehouse at 8105 N Brandon street. Admission is $5 for kids and $7 for adults. Children under 1 free.!

"The Secret Garden" presented by StagedPDX.  The Artistic Director for StagedPDX is an urbanMama who wrote us: "I want to invite all urbanmamas to our show, which opens today (!).  The show is at the Winningstad Theatre (1111 SW Broadway, next to the Schnitzer), and stars Katie Harman, Bruce Blanchard, Roxanne Stathos, Todd Tschida, Meredith Weber, Steven Nash and other Portland luminaries. One of the central themes in the show is parents and their relationship with their children.  I produced this show a few years ago (pre-baby), and this time around these themes have hit me like a ton of bricks.  There are so many beautiful, tender moments in this show as well as pure escapist enjoyment--and I would like to offer this invitation specifically to urbanmamas as a Weekend Warrior activity.  There are many groups of women coming (esp. those who loved the book as children) and many mom/dad/daughter groups.  The show is geared towards adults, but kids over the age of 7 or 8 would enjoy it as well for the story."  Go see The Secret Garden!  Show runs this weekend through next.

Spooktacular.  At St. Johns Community Center, enjoy Prizes Snack Bar - Balloons Face Painting - Tattoos - Photos Cost: 5 Tickets for a $1 Donate a can of food for the Oregon Food Bank &; get 5 free tickets! (Limit of 1 can per child) Volunteers are always needed and appreciated! All children must be accompanied by an adult! All adults must be accompanied by a child!  Saturday 5:30-8:30pm!

Justin Roberts at the Aladdin.  There's plenty of good kids music out there, but our favorite these days is Justin Roberts's Meltdown -- clever lyrics and a sound that's part James Taylor, part Paul Simon, and the rest all his own. Justin and his Not Ready for Naptime Players are coming to the Aladdin Theater for a performance that's sure to be full of energy and fun. Check your calendar! Justin Roberts And the Not Ready for Naptime Players!  Sunday at noon.

Lead Safe Portland.  Lead poisons one out of 50 children in Multnomah County every year, causing serious health problems. Even low levels of lead can cause permanent IQ loss, behavioral problems and learning disabilities.  Come out to Matt Dishman Community Center for "Lead Safe Portland" on Sunday from 12 to 2pm for Free blood lead testing, Free lead poisoning prevention and remodeling workshops, Free lead screening for toys, Free lead-safe toy give-away!, Free lead in water kits, Resources for tenants and landlords, Grants to reduce lead-based paint hazards, Free food and kids activities.

Moreland Monster March. Sunday, 3-5PM:  The monsters are coming! Get those costumes ready for the 7th annual Moreland Monster March sponsored by the Westmoreland Business Association and SMILE. Sunday, Oct. 28th at 3:00. Parade begins and ends at Llewellyn Elementary School (14th &; Tolman – straight up from Dairy Queen!!). Cookies, cider &; treats at end of parade! Boo!

Saying "Thank you, Doc!"

A few weeks ago, a mama wrote to ask for your experiences with CAT scans for the urbanTots.  She emailed us with an update, and also seeks suggestions on ways they can show their gratitude to their doctor:

This is an update from the post a few weeks ago about my 7 month old getting a CAT Scan.  Everything went well and he has turned out to be completely fine but we did have to spend a couple of days in the hospital and had to go through a bit of an ordeal. But during the whole process, our pediatrician was absolutely wonderful and went above and beyond what I would ever have expected in a Dr.  I am so very thankful for her.  Now my question is, I want to get her a thank you present but have no clue what?  Any suggestions from urbanMamas?  Or any Dr's out there that have recieved great or awful gifts that can share their experience?  Thank you!

The responsibilities of Mamahood

The ever expanding field of motherhood has plenty of management opportunities available.  Here is a list of just a few of the many management roles someone pursuing motherhood might find themselves in.

CBO    Chief Bedtime Officer - handling everything from pajamas to teeth brushing to stories and tucking in, one of motherhood's great delights!
CCO    Chief Coat Officer - Managing and Keeping tabs on all the coats in the family, so that one never goes without a warm jacket or coat.  Can also include scarf and glove/mitten responsibilities.
CDO    Chief Discipline Officer - Maintaining acceptable behavior models consistently and repeatedly, sometimes thousands of times over.
CEO    Chief Executive Officer - In charge of getting things done, no matter what difficulties come your way.
CFO    Chief Food Officer - Responsible for ensuring that everyone is fed with healthy food and snacks.
CHO    Chief Hug Officer - Offering hugs for every situation needing a little extra comfort.
CIO    Chief Illness Officer - In charge of gathering symptom information and passing it on to the next expert.
CJO    Chief Joking Officer - Responsible for keeping the mood light and fun even when tempers are short, tummies are empty, and eyes are sleepy.
CKO    Chief Kissing Officer - Both mitigating the emotional impact of bumps, scrapes and bruises and also conveying the mastery of the Chief Loving Officer title.
CLO    Chief Loving Officer - Gifted with the fullness of heart no matter what comes your way.  The mother's love is boundless and comes without any conditions attached.
CNO    Chief Noise Officer - Regulating noise levels appropriate to location and current company.
CPO    Chief Potty Officer - If this one needs explanation then perhaps you're looking in the wrong field ;-)
CQO    Chief Question Officer - The first go-to for all questions from your little workers.
CSO    Chief Shoe Officer - similar to chief coat officer responsibilities.  Added benefit:  Being in charge of purchasing shoes.
CTO    Chief Toy Officer - Managing the flow in and out of toys, both indoor and outdoor.
CUO    Chief Underwear Officer - Making sure there are always clean pairs, even extras, available.
CWO    Chief Wipes Officer - Responsible for keeping wipes available everywhere at any time.  Even for complete strangers, if necessary.
CZO    Chief Zipper Officer - No explanation necessary.

Art Classes on Saturday?

Leah is seeking suggestions for art classes for her daughter.  Can you help?

My 4.5 year old daughter loves art. And we've been searching for a saturday art class for her. But everything I find is during the week. Drats. Does anyone know of a great weekend art class?  We live in SW but are close in so east side is easy too. Thank  you!!

Adhesion Removal for 2-year old girl?

Lisa has a specific question and wonders if anyone has gone through a similar experience:

I just came from my daughter's 2-year check-up and the doctor recommended getting an 'adhesion' removed from my daughter's genital area. The doctor examined my daughter and we were told that this thin lining may open up by itself but it can cause leaking of urine as she grows older because the opening is not completely open. I was astounded. I've googled and asked friends and no one has heard of this before. Fellow urbanMamas, help! I'm reluctant to do anything about this and let nature take it's course, but don't know anything about this subject.

Put the thermometer where?

Fall is a lovely season, with the cooler weather and the falling leaves.  But as we roll through the change of seasons and back to school, no matter how much hand washing we do, there's bound to be a little sick going around.  Right now, my one year old has an ear infection.  In addition, I'm fairly certain that he's teething, too.  Add to that sleepless nights and I had one fussy bub on my hands this morning.  Halfway through the morning I thought he felt warm, so I headed upstairs to my "getbetter" arsenal to see if I could actually locate a thermometer.  I'll be frank and say that I've never owned a rectal thermometer for the babes.  I feel like it might be dangerous to try to wrestle them to stay still while somehow involving glass (and mercury?, surely not...).  Instead I stock three different type of thermometers for the little ones.  First, the ear scan thermometer, which is useless if you don't have the little covers, or if the battery runs out, or if the child is less than 2 (or3)?  Chuck that one out.  On to the next one, the flimsy digital read out kind that also needs a cover, but I don't use the covers when I put them under the arm.  I push the button and then try to wrangle my moody fussy baby to stay still while I pin his arm down long enough to register some kind of reading.  Result?  95.4°F.  Nope, don't think so...  even when I add a degree it's not even reasonable.  Last, and most desperate, attempt was made with the "binky" thermometer.  Apparently my child doesn't use a binky right because it decided his temp was 95°F.

I gave up.  I have many unreliable ways to guess whether he has a fever or not.  No good ones.  How do you check if your babe has a fever?  I usually end up going with my gut (and feeling their hands -- if their hands are warm it's unusual and means there is a fever).

Music Classes for 2-4 year olds?

Beyond previous suggestions in our Music Classes for Preschoolers, Diana is looking for more suggestions for her children:

I would like to start music lessons my 3.5 year old son and my  2 year old daughter will follow.  Unfortunately,  I don't know anyone with a little one in lessons so I'm looking for reccomendations for teachers or classes.  I've decided that I don't want to go with the piano, as we don't have one and they are a costly and big.  So I think my first choice is guitar.   Are there other mamas out there who have started their kiddos on a instrument this young? Was it fun at all for the child or should I wait until he's older?  Where is a good place to buy the first instrument?  Any thoughts or comments on th subject would be great.  We live in close in NE, and would like to stay in Portland for teachers and lessons.  Thanks so much!

How to deal with jet lag

urbanMamas, have you trapsed across time zones, resulting in some consequences for both you and the babes?  Ally is traveling next week and would love your suggestions:

I wanted to ask other mamas for advice regarding jet lag. I know there have been many postings regarding what to do with a toddler on an international flight (if anyone has flown the Lufthansa flight to Frankfurt I am all ears) However, I am wondering what other mamas have done about jet lag with their wee ones. We are taking our 18 mo old son to Europe next week and I am worried about how we will deal with his jet lag (not to mention my own).

How to ease transition for tots?

Haven't many of us been in Cindy's shoes?  Can you make suggestions for how she can help make a smooth transition with their toddler?

We will be heading up to Portland from San Francisco in three weeks with our 2.5 year old son and this is our first time moving long distance with a child. Can any mamas out there share advice on how to move with your toddler? What is the best way to help him cope with all the changes, from the physical move itself (boxes everywhere, packing away his things) to saying goodbye to friends, school and life as he knows it? What wisdom do you have on transitioning upon arrival in the City of Roses?

It's going to be difficult for all of us...we're very sad about leaving, but are super excited for Portland to become our home. It seems that many mamas on the list have been in our shoes before. Please, please, please share your experiences, resources on getting settled, etc. THANKS!

Charter Schools: Here, There & Everywhere

New ones opening, existing ones bursting at the gills.  What's the story?  Charter schools are all the rage.  Should they be?  Are they the best thing since sliced bread in the educational world?  Have a kid at one in Portland?  Head on over to Activistas to read a bit more on the topic and share your thoughts & experiences with other mamas.  And while you're there, you can learn a thing or two about Multnomah County in our Activistas 101 'How To' series.  Who's your county commissioner?  Don't know?  Plug in over on Activistas. 

Help a Single Mama in Need

our urbanMamas community is tight and supportive of all mamas.  A mama emailed the other day and would love to hear from the rest of the community:

This is a little different than I normally read on the site, but I need support in a big way. I lost my job yesterday and I am the sole breadwinner in my single-parent family. I have a 2 year old, and receive no child support. My family is going to help me, but I'm still feeling a tremendous amount of stress and guilt. I sent my daughter to day care today and I will continue to do that as much as I can to keep things normal while I look for a job. Obviously, my mood has been one of anxiety and distraction lately, as I was anticipating the AX falling at any minute for the past 2 weeks. I think I am holding up well around her so far, but I don't know what the future will bring us, if we will have to sell the house and move, or even leave Portland (sob!). Since this happened, I have heard many stories of people who have been "terminated" from their jobs for various reasons (in my case, they have been wanting me gone for 2 years and were just waiting for the right set of circumstances to occur) and they did work again! I have been reading articles on Monster.com about how to tell a perspective employer you were fired without it getting you booted out the door. It's helpful, but this is still scary. I am on my way out the door right now to go apply for unemployment, but I wanted to hear from others if they have been through similar situations and how they dealt with it, especially while caring for little ones. Single parent responses especially welcome.

Halloween costumes: Are you an early owl?

"Can we not make my costume on the day of Halloween?" Everett asked. "So you don't finish it when it's already time for trick-or-treating?" Oh, my son knows me too well. Desperate to create something wonderful and handmade for each child, I'm typically still sewing when dark arrives and end up rushing around frantically, pulling a costume on him at 6:30 that's a few steps below the masterpiece I'd planned and very, very tardy. My photographs are dark and blurry as he runs away from me toward the candy loot he longs for.

So color me gobsmacked when I see other mamas whose children are wearing their costumes to early Halloween festivities nearly two weeks before the big day. I just don't get it! Especially when they're lovingly handmade and far more artful than my last-minute scraptastic creations. What, have you all conquered the procrastination demons far better than I?

What's going on in your house for Halloween? Did you have the costume picked out and purchased by September 1st? Are you blessed with a capricious child who changes her mind once a day? Do you use the same costume every year? Or are you, too, foreseeing a mad rush of sewing/gluing/knitting/crafting on October 30th?

Does anyone have a traditional Korean dress?

Su has a unique request and question:

I wonder if anyone could help me with this. My baby turns one soon and in Korean tradition, she's supposed to wear a traditional Korean dress (and make-up, which I think I'll skip) at the party. Well, that tiny dress, lovely as it is, costs $120, according to my mom.  I'm not willing to cough up that much for a dress she will literally wear once, but I wonder if there are any other Korean mamas out there who might want to go in on one or even let me borrow one.  I know it's a long shot, just thought I'd check.......feel free to email Su at yim1514@yahoo.com

Speech therapy for the delayed talker: 101

As many of you know, my 29-month-old, Truman, is greatly delayed in speech. Through the MESD, we had him assessed for early intervention at 20 months, then again in August. Because children are assessed for all aspects of development holistically until age three, we didn't qualify for services according to our score cutoffs either time -- but the women we were working with decided to use "judgment" to qualify us anyway at the second appointment. Maybe it was my persistence? Very few parents (I get the impression) make their own referrals for assessment. Or maybe it's just because Truman is so ridiculously cute.

Either way, we're now getting speech therapy once a week. And because you have to be so delayed to qualify, I thought I'd share my homework with you, so those of you with very mildly delayed talkers could join in the services!

Truman clearly understands most words but had a lot of trouble saying consonants that appear at the end of words, and stringing syllables together. So "mama" is "ahhh," "daddy" is "a-dah," "airplane" is "aarrr," "water" is "ahh-raarr." Our therapist sat with us and we found one of Truman's current favorite books, Richard Scarry's Best Word Book Ever. We started out with him on the floor, as usual, but soon she decided to put him in a chair with the book on his lap, and put me in front of him.

Safety when buckling in the babe

Emily had an interesting question for the rest of the urbanMamas:

I feel really vulnerable when I am bending over, half in the car and half out, trying to get my little one strapped in his car seat.  I'm paranoid someone is going to attack me or try to steal something.  Especially now that my son constantly tries to crawl out so the process of getting him in his car seat takes time and concentration. I get most nervous when I am in a parking structure and there are not a lot of other people around.  Does anyone have suggestions for putting a kid in a car seat and maintaining personal safety?

Weekend Warriors: October 19-21

TGIF!  Some weeks, the weekend couldn't come soon enough.  This week was one of those weeks.  Have a great weekend, everyone!

Naked Mama Party.  Come one, come all!  Bring clothes to swap and meet new mamas.  We will have nibbles and there will be plenty of wine to but at Vino Vixens.  Our last naked mamas party landed us mention in Parents Magazine.  You'll never know what fun the night may bring.  Hope to see you there!  Friday, 7PM, vino vixens.

Monster Mosh.  It's a Friday night disco party for parents and their tots.  Groove to the spooky tunes of DJs Miss Megan and DJ Boy.  Proceeds benefit Cafe au Play, a non-profit family centered coffeehouse set to open in 2008. Friday, October 19 6:30 to 9:30 pm First Unitarian Church 1011 SW 12th Ave.

Car Seat Safey Clinic.  Education for new parents, grandparents and caregivers on the proper installation of children's restraint device. Please read your vehicle owners manual and car seat instructions prior to attending check-up event. Trained personnel will check child safety seats for correct use/installation, recall information will be checked. Each seat checked takes about 25 minutes. Sponsors: Portland Fire Department, Legacy Emanuel Children's Hospital and Legacy Women's Services, American Medical Response, ACTS Oregon, Child Safety Seat Resource Center and ODOT Transportatin Safety Division. For the complete schedule of car seat clinics, see www.childsafetyseat.org.  Event is on Saturday, at Legacy Emanuel Hospital & Health Center Parking Structure 3 2801 N. Gantenbein Avenue Portland, OR 97227.

SCRAP Halloween Costume Workshop.  SCRAPULA, SCRAPENSTEIN & SCRAPMAN: Vampires, Monsters and Super Heroes Go Scrappy! Reused materials aren’t just for bed-sheet ghost anymore! SCRAP’s annual Halloween workshops are up coming soon, just in time for you to have the craftiest costume on the block. Materials and creative/technical assistance are available to all ages so don’t be shy and drop on by! Saturday, October 20th and 27th, noon to 5 both days, drop-in, $5 suggested donation plus cost of materials. SCRAP, 3901-A North Williams Ave, Portland OR

Keep Portland Weird Festival.  This one is bound to be weird.  But fun!  Portland is a place of passionate people pursuing interesting, and sometimes strange, pastimes. Join us for a day of discovery as a wide variety of organizations share what they do and why they do it. Made possible through the generous support of The Library Foundation. Performances, lessons and demonstrations; make music, check out robots, learn ukelele, pratice yoga and tons, tons more — join for some fun! First floor, U.S. Bank Room Space is limited.  Free tickets for seating will be available at the Welcome Desk 30 minutes prior to the programs.  Even is at the Central Library and runs Saturday from 12N to 4PM.  Check out the full line up here.

Pinocchio Crafts. Artist Kathy Karbo will share original design sketches from the creation of Pinocchio by Tears of Joy Theatre. This production celebrates Tears of Joy's 35th anniversary and presents a new adaptation of Pinocchio. Theatre Masks Make your own theatre mask modeled after the Cat and Fox characters in Pinocchio and let the show begin! Recommended for children 5 years and older. Saturday, October 20 at Belmot Library from 3:30 to 5:30PM.

PB & Jammies Concert: Galliump.  Peanut Butter & Ellie's hosts regular concert nights on Saturdays.  This performance features Galliump!  Last time Galliump came through the customers were hopping out of their seats and raving forever, and of course our regular Johnny Keener always delights.  Saturday at 6:30PM

Baby Wearing Gathering.  The Portland Baby Wearing group meets at Milagros on the third Sunday of the month from 11 am - 1 pm. These baby wearing gatherings are a casual forum for getting your questions on babywearing answered by other mamas and/or to share your own babywearing stories. More info on the Portland Baby Wearing group may be found here: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/PDX_Babywearing

Community Cycling Center open house.  The Community Cycling Center is proud to celebrate the rollout of our new mission statement with a community Open House. Everyone is welcome to join us for an afternoon of fun, games, and prizes on Sunday, October 21 from 4pm to 6pm. The guest of honor is our new mission statement: The Community Cycling Center, founded in 1994, broadens access to bicycling and its benefits through innovative hands-on programs, volunteer projects, and our neighborhood bike shop. As part of the celebration, there will be free food and bike safety checks, and one lucky winner will walk away with a limited-edition cruiser generously donated by New Belgium Brewing Company. Raffle tickets are only $1, so come on by our shop at 1700 NE Alberta to throw your hat in the ring!

Mamas with hypothyroidism

Oona has a specific question about her health and hypothyroidism:

I recently was told I was hypothyroid and started taking Synthroid. Two months later, I am having life-altering complications due to being switched to a generic (and after returning to the original medicine). I am finding my doctor most unhelpful and am trying to locate either a naturopathic doctor or someone who prescribes Armour natural thyroid. 

My doctor will not refer me to an endocrinologist, so it's time for a new doctor. The one naturopath I hoped to see isn't seeing new patients until January.  Has anyone had a similar experience and have a doctor to share?

A PDX hotel for in-laws?

It's wonderful that we have so many friends and family coming to visit us in Portland!  Michelle writes:

My in-laws are coming for a stay in November and they have asked me to book them a hotel room. We live in inner SE and I am wondering if any other urbanMamas have any hotels in the $80-$100 price range that they might suggest? I would so appreciate the help!

Where to get backyard play equipment?

Fonda is seeking any thoughts or experiences you have with backyard play equipment:

I would like to buy a fairly basic but good quality play structure that will last a long time and won't overwhelm our backyard (swings, slide, some climbing features like monkey bars perhaps).  Does anyone have any suggestions on models and where to get them?  I've heard of The Kid's Backyard Store in the SW, are there any others? How much should I expect to spend on such a thing?

Baby Bliss Gripe Water Recall

The FDA has announced a recall of the some bottles of apple flavor Baby Bliss Gripe Water. This recall resulted from FDA finding cryptosporidium in the product. Cryptosporidium is a parasite that can cause intestinal infections.

The most common symptom of infection is watery diarrhea. Other symptoms can include dehydration, weight loss, stomach cramps or pain, fever, nausea and vomiting. Parents of children who have recently consumed Baby’s Bliss Gripe Water, apple flavor, and have these symptoms should seek immediate medical attention. Parents and caregivers who have given this product to their infants and children should be alert for diarrhea and other signs of Cryptosporidium infection.

The complete notice from the FDA can be found here. The affected Gripe Water has a code of 26952V with an expiration date of 10/08 on the bottle’s carton. But if in doubt, throw it out.

Eek! We got a D!

As you may have read in today's Oregonian, Children First for Oregon gave us a D on our 2007 report card.  Ouch!  And we didn't improve from last year, either.  In fact, according to The Oregonian, this is the lowest score in 16 years.  Yikes.  The low score is driven by poor performance in prenatal health care, children's health coverage, and child abuse.  Not good news, mamas. But... usually there's more to the picture than hits the headlines, right?   Right.  So, head on over to Activistas to learn more about the report card and what you can do to raise our abysmal score!

Seeking Belly Cast Artists!

A belly cast is an oh-so lovely way to remember those fond moments of carrying your child within.  My husband and I happened to meet a woman who was a neighbor and also an artist who did her very first belly cast on us.  The process turned a beautiful autumn afternoon into a time for my husband and I to really celebrate our late pregnancy together.  The result is a piece of work (my partners hands cast on my belly) that will commemorate that moment for years to come.

Has anyone had a belly cast done?  Can you recommend where?  Did you do it on your own at home?  Karli writes:

Where can I have this done?  I'm now 29 weeks pregnant.

I got the slap down

It's just past 9pm on Monday night, and I am just about ready to share my maniac Monday morning story with you.  Please tell me that my household is not the only crazy household at the 7 o'clock hour on a Monday morning.  Lunches, hair, socks, breakfast, milk, shoes - it's all a mess.  A big huge complete mess.  Some mornings, I feel terribly.  I raise my voice and I yell.  I know I shouldn't.  But, I can't really help it.  I don't think.

This Monday morning was not unlike all the other crazy Monday mornings before them.  Missing socks, slow-moving sleepy children, tangled hair, and weather-inappropriate clothing.  I just about had it.  My youngest [almost 4-year old] girl looked at me, opened her big eyes as wide as they could go, and screamed.  Just flat out screamed.  I mimicked the face she made me, and I screamed back at her.  I know.  It was big of me.  Then, she slapped me.  On the face.

Grrrr.....  it took a lot of all my maternal love and instincts to hold my hands back from slapping her back.  Really.  It did.  I wanted to cry, but not really.  I wasn't sad; I was mad.  "Pissed" is a better way to phrase it.

After she went to school with her daddy, my morning felt sour, tainted by our morning's fiasco.  When my little girl came home after school, she ran to me immediately and apologized, "I'm sorry for hitting you this morning."  I hugged her so tight, and I apologized too, "I'm sorry for screaming at you and making you angry."  We spent part of our dinner conversation talking about "appropriate use of body and language", a discussion that was prompted and led by our little girl.

Have you had altercations like this in your household?  What are ways to deal with it, in the immediate term but also in the longer term?  And, most importantly, are Monday mornings just as crazy in your household?

Kindergarten Age Cut Off

uMamas, We've received another question from an Arizona mama hoping to move to Portland soon.  Beyond our previous 'planning for kindergarten' discussion, can you share more of your experiences and insight about the September 1 cut-off and experiences with having a child tested for early entry into kindergarten?  Any experiences moving to Portland mid-year and finding a spot at a school?

We are considering a move to Portland.  My daughter is already in Kindergarten here in AZ and thriving at it.  The problem is that her birthday is October 3rd, so she is a month and 2 days shy of the Oregon birthday cutoff for Kindergarteners.  She's a young K-G'ner here as well, and goes to a charter with a looser admission rule than our local elementary district. She has been in school for 3 years and I like where she is at, academically and socially.  What I would like to know is whether any of your readers have been in a similar situation.  Will  many schools let her test in to Kindergarten mid-year?  Are they likely to have the space for her?  Thanks for your help and I look forward to being one of your future readers!

Easy Water Conservation Project

A week or two ago I was sifting through my 2007 Chinook book to make sure there weren't any extra coupons I need to use up before it expires in November and I came across a coupon for a free water conservation kit from the Portland Water Bureau. It turns out, any customer of the PWB can log in to their website and order a free kit, customized to their own home. Our house has 2.5 baths, so I ordered devices for our 3 toilets, 4 sinks and 2 showers. Our box arrived yesterday, full of the devices I'd ordered, along with a ton of other information about fixing leaky toilets (turns out we have one, which I learned after using the tablets they included), faucets, etc. as well as information about choosing water efficient plants for our area. Anders had fun helping us install all of the new devices this morning, and it only took about 10 minutes to do. We figure it's an easy way to save water and hopefully a little money too! Have any of you ordered your kits too?

Cold Meds: The Withdrawal

A week ago, NPR did a piece on FDA and labels on cough medicine.  Thanks to Courtney for pointing us out to it!  The premise behind it is that cough and cold medicines should not be given to children since, according to the report, "there is a lack of evidence demonstrating their safety and effectiveness."  Anita, another informed urbanMama, has just alerted us to the fact that Tylenol is voluntarily withdrawing all