A Mama's Rant

The birthday conundrum

You’ve got to check out my sidebar. JuiceBoxJungle has a brand new widget that lets you, among other things, send an ecard to a friend right from this blog (click around and check it out). They also have a cool new sponsor, Paper Culture, a modern, eco-friendly premium stationary company that will actually address, message and mail your cards for free. AND, Paper Culture is offering 30% off to my readers for a limited time (promo code SAVE30NOW). They've asked - and sponsored - me to talk about the most memorable kid event I've ever been to. Oh boy. Here goes:

Kids parties are funny things. As moms, we complain about the extravagant parties other parent throw for their children, even their teeny babies. We kvetch on the expense, the logistical nightmares, and the spoiled kids. Yet, what do we do but feed the beast. Not only do we throw our own fancy parties, but it seems to me we don’t want our kids going to parties that aren’t a lesson in excess either. Let me explain.

Over the years, we’ve thrown some fairly expensive parties for my son. Nathan had a pizza party at a nice restaurant for both parents and kids followed by going to watch a college basketball game. The party included University of Colorado Buffalo themed invites and cake made by yours truly, lots of pizza, beer for the adults, nice goody bags and snacks at the game. Another year, we had a party for most of Nathan’s classmates and their siblings at a local indoor bouncy castle place. Of course, there was the inevitable party at Chuck E Cheese, too, complete with pizza, cool goodie bags, extra game coins, and a golf cake, which I also made.

All these parties were well attended since parents were more than happy to let us treat their children to such fun activities.

My son, the writer

The parenting experts tell you to model good behavior for your kids. If you want kids who are readers, you should have your nose in a book, subscribe to lots of newspapers and magazines, and read out loud to your children for 20 minutes every night. If you want fit kids, you should model good eating habits, take them for bike rides, and go as a family to swim at the rec center.

Well, I've been modeling picking up my clothes, not throwing gum wrappers on the floor, and preparing sandwiches on the kitchen counter. Yet my kids can't find the hamper without being yelled at. They also believe that the house is a dumpster, and leave garbage laying around. My daughter Lucie thinks the couch is just the right place to make a raspberry jam and Wonder Bread sandwich, too.

Gack! No wonder I yell so much.

Just Do It!

But wonders never cease. Nathan has become a writer. No, not because I'm modeling all that writing behavior by blogging, emailing and Twittering all day. It's just through shear determination, all those writing prompt assignments, and practice, practice, practice.

Last summer, he had to write a three sentence assignment each week for his teacher, Mrs. Boatman. Nathan's stories were variations on a theme. For example,

We went to the baseball game. I like watching baseball. Going to the baseball game is fun.

Or

I went to the playground. I like playing at the playground. The playground is cool.

You get the idea.

Since then the writing prompts have increased to eight sentences due every Monday to Mrs. Boatman. At first, Nathan would take one hour to write a couple of sentences, mostly because he was goofing around in his room. The assignment would take most of Saturday to complete, and part of Sunday to rewrite since his handwriting is so awful. It also involved a lot of yelling by my husband, "Dammit Nathan, stop messing around and get your homework done. JUST DO IT!"

A Reluctant Buddy of the Week: Big Bunny

Well, Big Bunny wasn't reluctant, Lucie was. Thus the delay in posting. No matter what I did, that girl didn't want to get her picture taken this week.

This was the best picture I could take. Actually, Lucie was hiding under the covers and Big Bunny was leaning up against my pillow. I had to uncover Lucie just to get a picture of the two of them.

And forget trying to interview that girl. Instead, this week I'll tell you about Big Bunny.

Where did Big Bunny come from?

Actually, I bought Big Bunny for Nathan. It's a larger version of his stuffed animal, Bunny. Bunny is so worn out that you can see his stuffing through his fur. It's so bad that we dress him in Nathan and Lucie's old preemie pajama outfits to keep him from falling apart. At seven, Nathan still sleeps with Bunny and takes him on trips. I don't have a problem with that since I slept with my favorite buddy, Baby Bear, until I moved in with my first live-in boyfriend.

Originally, Nathan received a very small Beanie Baby sized version of him from my sister, Michele. Unfortunately, we lost it in San Diego, and Nathan was very upset.

I found the larger version online. which is now his current buddy. I'll never forget the day that the UPS man dropped off the box. I put it on the floor, opened it, and pulled out Bunny. Nathan took one look at him, ran over, and grabbed him. They've been best buddies ever since.

I bought a back up of that size buddy since he loved it so much. I was scared that he'd lose it and would be devastated. While I was ordering it, I saw that the larger, white version was on sale. If a medium sized Bunny is good, why not a bigger one? Thus Big Bunny came to our house.

What's up with that dress?

Big Bunny is wearing Lucie's Minnie Mouse dress from 2004 when she was 22 months old and still sucking down those baa-baas. (That's a story for another time.)

I dressed her up as Minnie Mouse that Halloween. I loved how Lucie looked in that dress so much that I couldn't part with it when she grew out of it.

So, I was thrilled that it fit Big Bunny. It gave me an excuse to keep the dress.

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Buddy of the week: Booger

Lucie's brother Nathan joins us since this week's buddy was originally his. But like most stuffed animals in our household, Booger has wound up in Lucie's collection.

How did you get Booger?

He was in my room after Nathan got him from a fireman. He gave Nathan Booger after Daddy drove his truck into a mountain and crashed it.

Why is his name "Booger"?

Nathan named him Booger after "Revenge of the Nerds." Before that he was Hunting Dog.

What do you like about Booger?

His tongue, his eyes and his nose.

What else should people know about Booger?

That he likes to sing. He's a very good boy, too.

Who does Booger like better, you or Nathan?

Me and Nathan.

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Let's meet at Play Library

Last Friday afternoon we had a 21 kids to a local indoor bouncy castle place for Monkey Boy's birthday party. It was a lot of fun and boy did he receive some terrific gifts, from Nerf footballs to educational toys.

If you're ever stuck on what to give a child for a birthday present, check out Play Library: Two mommies chatting about kids' toys, games, books, and just fun stuff to do.

This b5media blog is written by Kerri Aldrich and Dr. Hsien-Hsien Lei. They tackle everything and anything that might be fun to do with kids, or that children might find entertaining. They also share bits of news and information that might be helpful for parents and caregivers to know, like what's hot at the American International Toy Fair or product recalls.

Now can anyone recommend a good typing computer program for a seven-year-old?

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Happy 7th Birthday, Monkey Boy

Hard to believe my little 3 lb. 11 ouncer is now over 50 lbs. and growing!

Yes, that's him sitting in a snow bank in his bathing suit after soaking in the hot tub. Dang, you're a weird kid. That's why we love you!

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BIRTHDAY MADNESS

Since February, the birthdays invitations keep coming and coming. (Doesn't anyone give birth in the fall?)

This Saturday, Monkey Boy has TWO birthdays to attend. The morning party is for Becca, the daughter of Big Bad Dad's coworker, Big Dave. (Yes, that's what everyone calls him. I didn't make that up for the blog.)

And then he has a classmate's birthday to go to in the late afternoon/early evening at his favorite place in the world besides DisneyLand - Boondocks.

I kind of feel bad because I only let Monkey Boy invite 10 kids (8 classmates and two friends outside of his class/school) to his party, knowing that about 6 would come plus a few extra brothers and sisters. (Only three kids showed up. Three others would have but they were visiting their dads that weekend.) I really believe that one kid per year of age is appropriate for kindergarteners.

However, the trend at his school is to invite the entire class and hope that all 25 kids (plus parents and siblings) don't show up. I'm not sure how people can afford such large parties even if only half the kids come. (After all, you've have to add adults and relatives, too.)

After my wedding and various corporate functions, I'm burnt out on event planning. There's nothing that will stress me out more than deciding the perfect date and theme, making reservations, trying to get people to RSVP, keeping track of who's coming and who can't, shopping for invitations/goody bags items/thank you notes, dealing with people's dietary needs, parents needed alcoholic beverage consumption, taking two days to make the cake, and my favorite - the EXPENSE of the event.

If it wasn't for the unbridled joy my kids experience at their birthday parties, I would have given up a long time ago.

AND NOW WE ARE SIX

Happy Birthday to the Most Marvelous Boy in the World! Who could believe that my 3 lb.11 oz. 33-week preemie is now a big, 44 lb. six-year-old?I can't.

WACKY KID PICTURES

I want to thank everyone who has submitted a picture so far for my "POST A PICTURE - WIN A COOL BOOK CONTEST" to win The Mommy Chronicles.

You have until midnight Monday to post one (see the rules - and the current entries - at my previous post).

Here's a picture of one of my own that I find amusing (and that shows my sick sense of humor). I forgot how Boo Girl got the shiner, but it was a beauty. It was one of those, "Oh god, I hope they don't think I abuse my children" sort of injuries.

She wasn't crying because she got hit in the face. That had happened a day or two before. I was trying to take a picture to record the event, and she wasn't happy with the fact that I was sticking a camera in her face and not letting her play with it.

Otherwise, here's a happy shiner picture of the Boo Girl.

And here's one of her brother with a black eye. Doesn't the white robe make Monkey Boy look like a prize fighter?

Funny how the lefty's injury in on his left side and the righty girl has one on her right side. Either way, I got a bunch of klutzy kids - just like their mama!

SERIOUSLY HO HO HO

Getting the kids' picture taken with Santa this year was a bit of an ordeal. First it was snowing, so we took Big Bad Dad's truck (lucky for us he was still out of town) which meant switching the car seats, toys, books, clothes, diaper bag, and cell phone charge cord from my car. Luckily, even with the wind, snow and ice, it wasn't a bad drive to the FlatIron Crossing Mall, where we get the pictures taken with the same Santa each year.

We hit the bathroom at one of the department stores and I changed the kids into clean outfits - jeans and red shirts and shoes. By the time we changed and walked over to where Santa was, it was time for him to take his break. Damn! So off we went to California Pizza Kitchen, first to change the kids back into their dirty clothes, and then to eat pizza. (Oh the pizza! I just love the Thai Chicken Pizza. It's the only pizza with chicken I can stand. Otherwise chicken on pizza and pasta skeeves me.)

After dinner, we cleaned up and I got the kids back into their photo clothes. Then back over to Santa's station we went. There wasn't much of a line - thank goodness - and the kids were excited to tell Santa what they wanted (golf clubs for Monkey Boy and toys for Boo Girl). When it was time to sit on Santa's lap, Boo Girl went from smiles to a big frown. "You gotta be kidding me!" her expression said.

Even so, it turned out to be a pretty good picture. Monkey Boy looks great as usual, and Boo Girl is very, very serious. Heck it's an improvement from last year's scream fest. Maybe in 2006 we can get her to smile?