September 2008 - Posts

• The aliens are coming!

  Earthlings, prepare yourselves.  According to an Australian psychic, Blossom Goodchild, we will soon be visited by aliens.  Ms. Goodchild also channels a Native American spirit called White Cloud when she is not communing with extraterrestrials.  The Federation of Light will land in Alabama on October 14, 2008.  The internet is currently all abuzz with this story, so we know it is true. There are a myriad of reasons why aliens might choose Alabama to begin their visit to Earth (good barbecue, for one), but I am slightly offended that they would bypass seats of world power like Paris, London, or, well, Washington, D.C. to do so.  Once you get past the corrupt politicians and traffic jams, D.C. is a beautiful place to visit. It is actually the perfect place to visit. Within a three-hour radius (much shorter traveling time in a spaceship), we have mountains, should the aliens want to go hiking…the ocean, should they want to go skinny dipping (or should their advanced technology require seawater as fuel)….and, in D.C. itself, cultural meccas in the form of the Smithsonian, the Kennedy Center, and Saks.  Who wouldn’t want to come here? Yet they chose Alabama.  I am picturing that scenario.  TSOIDJFLK:  It is time to finally prove our existence to the humans. SDSFOIJLOJ:  But where?  The Earth is so large!  TSOIDJFLK:  I think we should pick somewhere we could do the most good. SDSFOIJLOJ:  Like where? TSOIDJFLK:  Alabama.  Finally, they won’t be ridiculed.  SDSFOIJLOJ:  They have that weird water tower, too.  Good idea! TSOIDJFLK:  I will contact a psychic immediately. SDSFOIJLOJ:  Make sure you choose one people take seriously. Perhaps the aliens will like it enough in Alabama to extend their stay.  Since Alabama is home to a few American Idols, perhaps the next will be extraterrestrial.  Stay tuned. Posted Sep 30 2008, 08:14 AM by marylandmom with no comments Filed under: maryland, dc, weird stuff [Edit Tags]

• Commitment

  Both times I found out I was pregnant, I was thrilled.  But at the same time, I was filled with terror.  Mostly, I was afraid that I wouldn’t be able to do it…because having a baby is the ultimate commitment.  I have a prepaid phone because I am so afraid of commitment.  I cringe at the thought of gym membership plans.  I am terrified to take on a mortgage.  I still haven’t picked wall colors, and we have lived in our apartment for three years, surrounded by blankness. I am not bothered by the thought of the day-to-day stuff like putting a roof over a kid’s head or food on the table.  That is not what I am talking about.  I am talking about the fact that suddenly, I was faced with the responsibility of raising a productive member of society.  If one day my child becomes a brain surgeon, people will study his childhood for answers.   If he becomes a rock band groupie or an unemployed surfer, somehow I will be at fault (and my Mom will say it is all because I didn’t cut his hair).  I also had to learn how to keep Dom happy.  I had to learn from scratch his personality and his wants and his needs.  Those aren’t universal…every kid is different.  I had to commit to being there, 24/7, whether I liked this little person or not.  When he had colic, when he was a sleep-deprived grump, I had to be committed to loving him.  When you have a kid, that means you can’t be one anymore.  You can’t put off buying food in order to get tickets to that concert.  Suddenly, you can’t even buy that box of cookies that you want because they are made with high-fructose corn syrup.  And God forbid the kid get hold of one of those. I wouldn’t change a thing about my life right now (okay, more money would be nice), and my fear has eased with time.  But occasionally, I am still frozen when I realize the responsibility I hold in Dom’s life.  Whoa! Posted Sep 28 2008, 03:13 AM by marylandmom with no comments Filed under: maryland [Edit Tags]

• The Book Corner…September 27, 2008

  Dom and I love to read together.  Rather, I read while he flips the pages so quickly that I can’t keep up.  Same difference. We check anywhere from 5 – 15 children’s books out of the library each week.  We also have an extensive children’s collection on our own bookshelves.  There are some books that Dom and I love so much that I want to share them with other parents.  So I figure that I’ll do that once a week or so.  Here is this week’s book corner… Piggies by Audrey and Don Wood Another oldie but goodie (published in 1991), Piggies is beautifully illustrated.  Each page has a painting of hands with pigs held on the fingers.  The piggies in the story are each participating in a different activity on each page, and it is fun to discuss what they are doing.  The story starts off with a pig on each thumb.  The book begins:  I’ve got two (page 1)  Fat little piggies, (page 2)  Two smart (page 3)  Little piggies, (page 4) As the story continues, two more piggies are added to the drawings until each finger and thumb is holding one.  For this counting lesson alone, this book is worth checking out.  But that isn’t all…after we count to ten on full fingers and thumbs, the story introduces opposites:  Sometimes they’re  Hot little piggies,  And sometimes they’re  Cold little piggies. Dom reads this story with me.  The short text makes it easy to show him words as we read, and he loves to skip ahead to the next piggies’ activities.  Any book that can hold his attention long enough to be finished is a winner in my opinion.  This book is another that no kid should miss! Posted Sep 27 2008, 06:01 PM by marylandmom with no comments Filed under: maryland, education, books, Book Corner [Edit Tags]

• Blueberries & Dora

  Today was another one of those crazy, errand-filled days.  While I got ready this morning, Dom watched Dora the Explorer (if you don’t know who she is, just ask any parent).  Yep, I used the TV as a babysitter to save my home from destruction…call the Mommy police.  Sometimes, you do what you’ve got to do. As I was pulling my hair into a halfway-decent ponytail that actually looked like a ponytail if you squinted a little, Dom pranced into the bathroom with an empty bowl.  “Want blueberries, Mommy?”  I pretended to take one and pop it into my mouth.  “Yummy!  Those are the best blueberries I have ever eaten.” ”Dora picked them.  Can we pick blueberries?”  I explained that blueberries weren’t growing here right now, and I told him we would buy some at the grocery store.  “Okay,” he said and wandered back to the living room. When I was ready to leave, I turned off the TV.  Dom immediately lost it.  “No!  Dora’s picking blueberries!”  I reminded him that we could get our own blueberries at the store, and he quieted down. We ran a ton of errands today…the drycleaner’s, the hardware store, Walmart (when the hardware store didn’t have the screws I wanted – go figure!), and the car wash (complete with screaming Dom sound effects).  Finally, we reached the grocery store, where Dom happily plopped into the kiddie car cart while I pushed him around the store.  We spent over an hour filling up the grocery cart and skirting a variety of Dom-caused disasters.  You know, the usual…search shelf for item on list, see Dom reach for can from bottom of display, reach out to save display just to turn in time to watch him knock over a different one…that sort of thing.  Finally, errand day was done, and we headed for the car.  We were both exhausted.  As we drove home, a tiny voice piped up from the backseat.  “We forgot blueberries, Mommy.” Damn you, Dora! Posted Sep 26 2008, 03:34 AM by marylandmom with no comments Filed under: maryland, food [Edit Tags]

• Wave Goodbye and Hope for the Best

  Montgomery County libraries hold a wide variety of free educational programs for infants through pre-kindergarteners.  The programs usually last about 45 minutes, and they include reading, singing, and dancing.  Toddler time has started again at Chevy Chase Library.  During the summer, Toddler time gives way to programs for school age kids (Bethesda Library, though, had a Toddler age reading time all summer long). Some libraries, like the Noyes Library for Young Children in Kensington, require advanced registration.  Some branches give tickets to parents the morning of the story time to ensure that their families can get in.  At Chevy Chase Library, though, it’s every toddler for him or herself.   These programs are very popular, and space is limited.  On days when more children show up than can fit into the room, there is a lot of Mommy jostling in line.  If your kid pulls out of line for any reason, don’t go after him or her.  If you do, the line will move forward without you.  All of your, “We were in line” comments will be ignored…in fact, you will become invisible.  To recap, if your kid pulls out of line, just wave goodbye and hope for the best. Today’s Toddler Time was great once Dom realized he wasn’t supposed to wander around screaming, “What’s that?”  He wasn’t at all interested in the reading, but once the music started, he was entranced.  We did several movement songs, including the Hokey Pokey.  Nothing is funnier than watching a group of toddlers, barely balanced, putting various body parts into whatever they’re putting them into and shaking them all about. I really, really recommend checking out one of these programs at your local library.  Anne Arundel, Howard, Prince George’s, Frederick, Charles, Baltimore County, and Baltimore City libraries all have variations on story time.  If I didn't mention your county library system, check with your nearest branch.  The overwhelming odds are that they, too, offer kids' story time programs. An added bonus?  You don’t have to pay $300 upfront for a class in which your toddler might not be interested. Posted Sep 23 2008, 07:47 PM by marylandmom with no comments Filed under: maryland, education, books, fun stuff to do [Edit Tags]

• Wébanmet Zhenkasot

  Amissville, Virginia is nestled at the base of the Shenandoah Mountains in Rappahannock County.  As we drove toward the mountains yesterday for Dom’s naming ceremony, my frustration at being late was occasionally shoved aside by a stunning vista.  Nature is so beautiful and unspoiled that far from the city.  The house where the naming ceremony was held is a gorgeous log cabin…but once you looked out the back window, you couldn’t even see the house anymore.  That is because the Rappahannock River flows right past the house through the backyard.  I don’t think anything says “nature” better than a river. The naming ceremony was beautiful.  We had an Indian Summer type of day (hahahaha – get it?  Indian Summer?).  Hawks circled overhead all day long, and a soft breeze blew over us as we sat around the fire.  The Chairman shared ancient Potawatomi legends with us before the ceremony began.  Dom refused to sit still.  He kept talking to me and the women on either side of me.  He yanked on our shawl fringe.  He found sticks on the ground and poked me with them.  He stuck whole acorns in his mouth.  He yelled, “Hi, Daddy!” across the yard to where Russell sat outside of the circle.  And he lay on the ground and wiggled towards the fire.  When the naming ceremony did begin, we had to stand up at key points.  Each time, Dom screamed, “Ready to go?”  Once he finally did receive his name, I let him run out of the circle to Daddy.  Then I sat back and enjoyed the silence. After the ceremony, we shared a potluck and conversation.  Dom sat on laps and stole food from people’s plates (I swear that I do feed him).  The afternoon ended with a walk down to the river.   We celebrated our heritage, we got together with old friends, and we made new ones.  All in all, a good day. Wébanmet Zhenkasot (His name is Starting Wind) Posted Sep 21 2008, 03:25 PM by marylandmom with no comments Filed under: maryland, native, virginia [Edit Tags]

• The Book Corner...September 20, 2008

  Dom and I love to read together.  Rather, I read while he flips the pages so quickly that I can’t keep up.  Same difference. We check anywhere from 5 – 15 children’s books out of the library each week.  We also have an extensive children’s collection on our own bookshelves.  There are some books that Dom and I love so much that I want to share them with other parents.  So I figure that I’ll do that once a week or so.  Here is this week’s book corner… Big Smelly Bear by Britta Teckentrup This one is one of my favorite modern children’s books.  Big Smelly Bear is, well, a big smelly bear.  Nobody will come near him except flies.  One day, he gets a terrible itch on his back that he can’t reach.  Finally, Big Fluffy Bear offers to scratch his back….if he takes a bath first.   With some grumbling, he does, and the itch is scratched. An excerpt from the first two pages: Big Smelly Bear never washed. Big Smelly Bear never brushed. Big Smelly Bear never took a bath. Big Smelly Bear was followed by a big smelly stink wherever he went. I love this story because it is funny…even adults can relate to the humor.  Dom loves the idea of never taking a bath, so it works on his level, too.  I do confess to using Big Smelly Bear as an example while chasing a naked toddler around the house to force him into the tub…whatever works, right? The illustrations are large and bright and beautiful, and the friendship that develops between Big Smelly Bear and Big Fluffy Bear is heartwarming.  The story is easy to embellish with exclamations and funny faces, which only adds to the fun of story time. Another must read! Posted Sep 20 2008, 11:29 PM by marylandmom with no comments Filed under: maryland, education, books, Book Corner [Edit Tags]

• Amissville, where are you?

  The problem with the country (not the U.S., but rather non-city portions of it) is that it is so far from the city.  Amissville, Virginia, is about as far as you can get from D.C. and still be in America.   Don’t hold me to geographic technicalities, here.  Anywhere that requires a 2-hour drive with a screaming toddler in the backseat is at the end of the earth, as far as I am concerned.  Especially when your Mapquest directions are faulty and you get lost.  Twice.  And the 2-hour drive turns into a shipwreck onto a deserted island and you are trapped with a bunch of people who create radios from coconuts yet somehow can’t figure out how to build a boat.  Oh, wait…that’s Gilligan’s Island. Today was Dom’s Potawatomi naming ceremony.  We were an hour late.  Leaving home at 7:30 a.m. never works out very well for us, but we would have been on time, had Mapquest employees bothered testing the routes they suggest.  A road sign where we needed to make a right turn would have been nice, too. We drove right through Amissville.  That’s not hard to do, but I was surprised, once we turned around, that we had driven 15 miles past it.  By the time we got to the right road, I was very tempted to go home.  Walking in on a sacred ceremony an hour late is pretty rude. My husband talked me into going in, anyway.  He said, “We can’t eat all of this potluck food, anyway!”  I was wondering why not…I was pretty down about missing the naming ceremony and food usually helps lift my spirits. We walked in, I apologized profusely for being so late, and the hostess told me that the Chairman and Vice-Chairwoman, who would be doing the naming, were also lost.  To paraphrase Dom, “Amissville, where are you?” Posted Sep 20 2008, 03:21 PM by marylandmom with no comments Filed under: maryland, native, virginia [Edit Tags]

• A Swarm of Bees

  Fall is coming, and the nights are getting nippier.  In light of this, our family headed to the great outdoors tonight for some entertainment.  Dom, Russell, my mother-in-law and I all headed to Rockville Town Square.  Nestled in the center of Downtown Rockville, Rockville Town Square brings to mind a college quad.  Surrounded on all four sides by tall buildings, the grassy area is home to Mommy-and-Me events, stage concerts, and, tonight, a swarm of bees.  Tonight, there was an outdoor screening of The Bee Movie.  This was part of the Movies on the Square series that has run all summer.  The seats were full, and the grass was full of blankets and lawn chairs.  The nip in the air didn’t keep the crowd from Gifford’s ice cream. The nicest thing about free outdoor events is that you don’t lose any money if your kid’s not interested.  Dom loved the bees, but his attention span was more in line with a gnat.  He spent most of the movie walking around the Square, holding hands with either Grandma or me.  I always feel a little sorry for the people living in those tall buildings, since things can get a little loud.  At the same time, I feel a little jealous that I can’t live there, too.  It is a cool place.  There are several shops and restaurants in the Square, too. After next week, it will be far too cold at night to sit for two hours.  Next week, September 25, is the last Movie on the Square.  The Golden Compass will start at dusk, approximately 7:45 p.m.  Take advantage of the weather while you can!  Soon, we will all be watching DVDs in our homes instead, which isn’t nearly as fun. Posted Sep 18 2008, 01:03 PM by marylandmom with no comments Filed under: maryland, fun stuff to do [Edit Tags]

• McCain Choo-Choo Train

  A few days ago, while we were standing in line at Safeway, my two-year-old son proudly looked at the woman standing in line behind us and said, “I’m a ‘Publican.”  The woman laughed, and then she gave me a sideways look that said she was going to report me to the proper authorities for guiding my child down the wrong political path. Yes, we are slightly-left-of-center Republicans.  I won’t hold your Democratic affiliation against you if you don’t hold my Republican affiliation against me.  And, no, we aren’t right-wing whackos. That said, Dom now says, “Nobama!” on command.  The “I’m a Republican” thing, though – he came up with that on his own, presumably after he heard Daddy or me say it…probably to one of the 1,034 Obama campaigners who have knocked on our door over the past few months.  Every now and then, he will even say “McCain Choo-Choo Train,” his early attempt at poetry (isn’t he brilliant?).  My patriotic boy also says, “Go, USA!” and “Liberals are donkeys.”  The donkeys thing - that was all him, too.  He’s just talking about the symbol, people.  You have to admit it’s a little funny, though…just a little! Since the news these days is all about the Presidential race, Dom is hearing other words thrown around…”Palin,” “Biden,” “pregnancy,” and “plagiarism.”  He carefully considers each before repeating it a few times, and then adds it to his vocabulary.  I presume he is saving these words up for another trip to the grocery store.  But imagine…he could have been this age during President Clinton’s big scandal.  He could have absorbed words like “Monica,” “Blue dress” and “sex.”  Just think of the looks we’d have gotten in the supermarket line then. Posted Sep 15 2008, 03:50 PM by marylandmom with 2 comment(s) Filed under: maryland, politics [Edit Tags]

• The Book Corner...September 13, 2008

  Dom and I love to read together.  Rather, I read while he flips the pages so quickly that I can’t keep up.  Same difference. We check anywhere from 5 – 15 children’s books out of the library each week.  We also have an extensive children’s collection on our own bookshelves.  There are some books that Dom and I love so much that I want to share them with other parents.  So I figure that I’ll do that once a week or so.  Here is this week’s book corner… Some of the Days of Everett Anderson by Lucille Clifton Another library find, this book is one from a series of children’s books by one of my favorite poets.  Everett Anderson is a regular African-American boy, and these stories highlight the positives of his skin color.  A few also share the realities of his economic bracket in a matter-of-fact way. This book contains short poems about each of Everett Anderson’s days in a week.  For instance: Thursday Evening Bedtime Afraid of the dark Is afraid of Mom And Daddy And Papa And Cousin Tom. “I’d be as silly as I could be, afraid of the dark is afraid of Me!” says ebony Everett Anderson. This series was written in the 70s, and the illustrations reflect that.  Rather than seeming dated, however, they instead seem artsy and timeless. My husband is black, which means Dom is biracial (well, he’s actually triracial, which just confuses things even more).  I want my son to take pride in his father’s skin color.  I was delighted to find these books, as they help me do that.  I would recommend these books to all parents who want to share our multicultural world with their children.  In Everett Anderson, they will see a boy much like themselves…and that’s the entire point. Posted Sep 13 2008, 10:54 PM by marylandmom with no comments Filed under: maryland, education, books, Book Corner [Edit Tags]

• Trains! Trains!

  I am a Thomas the Tank Engine Wooden Railway addict.  Please note that my son, the intended recipient for said trains, was not mentioned in my admission.  The trains are his, though.  I even let him play with them sometimes, provided he doesn’t disturb my beautifully crafted layouts. I have a master wish list of Wooden Railway pieces.  It includes every engine and railroad car ever made.  It also includes alternate track layout pieces and several buildings that won’t fit on our current train table.  My long-term plan includes the purchase of another train table to be bolted to the original table, thereby making a giant train city.  Dom may not be able to use his bedroom as a bedroom then.   But we have a very comfortable inflatable mattress that fits perfectly in front of the sofa – an added bonus is that he would be able to watch Thomas videos in bed. Today, we received a three-level Mountain overpass/tunnel piece.  I bought it on Ebay for an insanely low price, and since I paid for it with Ebay bucks that I’ve earned this summer by buying other Thomas the Tank Engine stuff, I figured it was worth the splurge.  The second Dom saw the package, he started yelling, “Trains!  Trains!”  I think it says a lot about my addiction that my son recognizes any unmarked package as a new train piece.  So I did what any Thomas the Tank Engine Wooden Railway addict would do in that situation…I locked Dom out of his room while I rebuilt the train layout. Oh, calm down…my husband was home, and Dom only hung on the doorknob crying for a few minutes.  An hour and a half later, I emerged, victorious.  One part of the track didn’t want to curve the way it needed to, but I persisted…and prevailed.  The mountain is now part of the layout, and it is a thing of beauty. Posted Sep 12 2008, 06:55 PM by marylandmom with no comments Filed under: maryland [Edit Tags]

• This is motherhood

  “This is motherhood for you,” said my own mother.  “Going through life with your heart outside your body.” -Certain Girls by Jennifer Weiner (Chapter 27) I recently read this book, and this quote struck me.  I have been thinking about it ever since, reflecting on the meaning of motherhood. Before I had kids, I was my focus.  I got regular manicures and pedicures, and my hair was always perfectly trimmed and highlighted.  I thought nothing of dropping more than $200 on a purse, and I bought new clothing every season. These days, my hair is usually up in a sloppy ponytail, even though the back is too short to quite reach the scrunchy.  I end up with a look more in line with, well, a Mommy with no time to blow-dry and style.  An entire shelf of my closet is full of those more-than-$200 purses, which have been replaced by a giant not-quite-a-purse-not-quite-a-diaperbag bag.  My clothes?  Well, the last new item I bought for myself was a $6 tee shirt at Walmart…and most of my clothes shopping is done at vintage and thrift stores.  If my old coworkers could see me now, they would be horrified.  But this life is absolutely perfect.  My life’s focus has switched to Dom.  When he goes down a slide head first, my heart stops.  When other kids shun him on the playground, my heart hurts.  When he gives me his huge smile, my heart explodes.  I live and die between his breaths.  Today, I had my first pedicure since Dom was born.  When I walked in the door afterwards, he looked at my feet and said, “You’re beautiful, Mommy.” Yeah, this is motherhood.  My heart is definitely living outside of my body. Posted Sep 10 2008, 08:36 PM by marylandmom with 1 comment(s) Filed under: maryland, books [Edit Tags]

• Compromise with Tradition

  As I’ve mentioned before, Dom and I are Potawatomi.  On September 20, Dom will receive his Potawatomi name in a beautiful ceremony.  I am alternately thrilled and anxious. Anxious, you ask?  Since you’re twisting my arm, I guess I’ll share.  Dom needs a ribbon shirt for the ceremony.  Well, I guess he doesn’t need it – he could wear something else, but I am convinced that, if he wears regular clothes, he will be the only participant not in cultural clothing.   And that can’t happen.  It is bad enough that we live a zillion miles away from our tribal homeland.  We at least need to look right when we do get a chance to see our relatives. I’ve spent the past month seeking instructions for making a ribbon shirt.  I eventually found a pattern.  I bought the fabric to make a basic shirt.  With great pride, I pulled out my sewing machine…and promptly remembered that I’ve never learned to use it properly.  It is a demon machine that eats fabric, and, once again, my results were disastrous. At that point, with a trembling voice and a twitching eye, I told my husband that I suck at being Indian.  His response?  “It’s just a shirt.” And I realized that it is not just a shirt – it is my entire heritage, all balled up in a wad of destroyed fabric.  The thing is, you’re not supposed to buy cultural clothing.  You’re supposed to make it or receive it as a gift.  We’re the last of our Potawatomi line, so there is nobody to gift Dom a ribbon shirt.  Which means I must make one. I finally decided to compromise with tradition.  I will buy a ready-made shirt and do the ribbon appliqué myself.  That is the fun part, after all.  Unfortunately, it seems as though no retailer in the entire D.C. Metro area is currently selling 3T long-sleeve red or bright blue dress shirts.  My eye is twitching again. Posted Sep 08 2008, 10:10 PM by marylandmom with 1 comment(s) Filed under: maryland, native [Edit Tags]

• The Book Corner...September 6, 2008

  Dom and I love to read together.  Rather, I read while he flips the pages so quickly that I can’t keep up.  Same difference. We check anywhere from 5 – 15 children’s books out of the library each week.  We also have an extensive children’s collection on our own bookshelves.  There are some books that Dom and I love so much that I want to share them with other parents.  So I figure that I’ll do that once a week or so.  Here is this week's book corner… Chicka Chicka Boom Boom Chicka Chicka 1-2-3 by Bill Martin Jr. and John Archambault No, that’s not a mistake.  I’m reviewing two books this week…they go hand in hand in early childhood education, so why not? I was first introduced to Chicka Chicka Boom Boom via a 1970s short cartoon at the Noyes Children’s Library in Kensington, MD.  The cartoon didn’t do much for me.  Something about 70s music grates on my nerves.  Anyway…I connected the book to that horrid cartoon in my mind…then promptly forgot all about it.  Fast-forward a few months.  We attended a story hour at a different library (I honestly don’t remember which one), and the book being read was Chicka Chicka Boom Boom.  Dom loved it.  He paid attention, he yelled out the letters on the pages, and he wanted to read it again when the librarian was done.  So we checked it out.  When I was ready to look for a counting book, I found Chicka Chicka 1-2-3 while browsing the counting section in the children’s room at Chevy Chase Library.  I grabbed it off the shelf very quickly, figuring that it would also be a hit with Dom. And it was.  We have had one or the other of these books checked out on our library card for the past six months (yes, I could buy them…and I will someday).  Dom doesn’t get tired of the rhyming cadence.  He loves to see the brightly colored letters and numbers climb trees to get to fruit.    These are silly stories that make kids giggle.  You can’t go wrong with these two! Posted Sep 06 2008, 10:22 PM by marylandmom with no comments Filed under: maryland, education, books, Book Corner [Edit Tags]