Life on the Road

And now for something totally different…  You come to my blog never knowing if you’re going to read about hot political debates or poopy diapers.  Just part of the “keep you on your toes” service we offer! 

I have a bunch of people in my house who have trouble finding clothes that fit:

• I am far too tall for most women’s clothing.
• Wolf is also too tall for most average men’s clothing, and also thin (so proportions on larger swizes don’t work out).
• Jewel is very tall for her age, compounded by the fact that we prefer her skirts longer than the current “norm.”  She’s also very thin.  So at age 3 1/2 she correctly wears about a size 4… except that many of her dresses and skirts are size 6 or larger for length.
• R.T. is quite the opposite.  While he is, actually, tall for his age, he is still much rounder, percentile-wise.  Think Gerber baby.  Think rolly poly.  So my 8 month old child is wearing his sister’s recently castoff size 3T pajamas; the arms and legs are far too long, but it just fits acround his torso and thighs.

I was delighted to see a topic get started on ParentHacks recently about how to tighten pants waistbands.  The original poster wanted to do it without sewing, but of course it grew outwards from there.

It seemed worthwhile to collect and review the various suggestions offered.

Good old safety pins, of course, works for a non-permanent and non-sewing fix.  Diaper pins were also mentiond as an even kid-safer alternative. 

It was even suggested that you can draw the belt loops in with all those linking toy rings that are floating around in the toy box!

And hey, what about good old-fashioned suspenders?

A couple of people recommended a commercial product called Dapper Snappers.  These look quite handy if (a) the clothing in question has belt loops, and (b) your child is still in diapers (otherwise a belt is just fine). 

There are also magnetic belts, if easy-off is the issue (again, onyl good for clothes with belt loops)

A couple of people had minimal-sewing type ideas - from iron-on tape to secure the waist tighter, to tacking some elastic right on the inside of the waistband (easily removed later).  An adjustable variation on this was also illustrated by Just Deanna.

Then there were some more sewing involved ideas:

• Whosies has a great tutorial on inserting elastic into the back casing of the pants, with optional buttoning adjustment.
• Organized Mommy’s tutorial is for insterting a drawstring. 

Since I just can’t help inserting a LITTLE controversy:  Another Parent Hacks comment decried the idea of drawstrings in children’s clothing as dangerous.  Wow.  Sweatpants?  Hooded jackets?  Knitted diaper covers?  Baby bunting nightgowns?  I guess I feel the same way about that as I do about a lot of things like bath ring seats:  Yeah, it’s dangerous - IF you’re planning to go watch soap operas and leave your toddler alone…   AHEM.

A lot of the clothes that I need to alter for Miss J have elastic waistbands, so it’s simple to just open up the seam and take a little tuck.  (I always leave the original elastic intact, though, for her later growth, or hand-me-down-ing).

Some things, though, just don’t lend themselves to an easy fix.  A dress that’s too big, for instance, not only has a waist that’s too large, but also a neckline that’s too low.

For the girl clothes, especially, I’m seeing more and more clearly the need to sew from scratch.

I love LEGO.  My family has always loved LEGO.

My grandmother (a VERY tidy person, and very proper in many ways) was horrified when she came to visit for the holidays one year.  I was about 12, and my sister was about 6.  Mom and Dad had taken out all the Dining Room furniture, and covered most of the floor (wall-to-wall carpeted) with sheets of plywood.

Then, there were the LEGOs…

To keep us from arguing about parts, I suppose, they got my sister sets from the City theme, while I had Space sets. 

And boy, did we have sets.

The Dining Room stayed in that condition for quite some time, and I suspect we had every set made for those two themes at that time - plus any number of generic brick sets.

But you know, even those “specialized” sets had primarily “regular” bricks.  The only thing that made them a “set” was the particular assortment, and the instructions for assembling them into a Hotel, or a Spaceport, or whatever.

I’ve been buying LEGOs for Nick for over a decade now, and we’ve got lots of the “Duplo” big bricks now, too.  And frankly, I’m a little troubled by what’s out there on the shelves.

A set today is composed primarily of specialized pieces that ARE something - the hull of the ship,  the fender of a car, etc.  You don’t have to construct the whole model out of little cubes, you just have to snap the components together.

Doesn’t that totally eliminate everything we love about LEGO?

Where’s the creativity?  Where’s the thinking outside the box?  Heck, where’s the ability to dump them all into a big pile on the floor and just build a gigantic block tower with your kid sister that’s as tall as she is?

This is just one more thing that’s widely regarded as “progress” that I don’t find beneficial.  If I want to buy them a toy boat or a toy car, I’ll just buy one.  If I buy them LEGOs, I want them to be able to engage in stimulating, creative play.

Luckily, you can still order various “basic brick assortment” sets online (I’m sure some specialty stores still carry them, too - just not around here). 

I have several issues wrapped up in this one, but my primary concern is the dental use of Fluoride.

When Nick was little, I looked into fluoride, since natural-living folks like Mothering Magazine raised some serious concerns about it.  I was convinced.

We use regular toothpaste with fluoride in it.  If we drink tap water, we drink it and the fluoridation isn’t something I worry about.  But I never let them slather that toxic goo in his mouth during dental cleanings.

Fast forward a decade.  We move to soouthern Florida, and pick a new primary care dentist for the kids.  According to the plan booklet, they treat ages 2-99.  But they didn’t want to see Jewel.  Last time Nick went (when she was 2) I assumed she was just under some age limit they had, but this time (at age 3) I was concerned.

They told me they usually see kids starting at age 6!  WHAT?!  How is a kid supposed to learn about going to the dentist?  Get their version of the oral hygeine instructions?  A free toothbrush?!  But seriously…

After twisting ther collective arm, they scheduled her for a cleaning.

The hygenist said she has a cavity, plus a tooth that should be long since in by now, so I should take her up to the pediatric specialists in Miami.
 
Aside from the fluoride issue itself, I was miffed at the nerve of the hygenist

1.  She told me dogmatically that if Jewel had been drinking fluoridated water she wouldn’t have a cavity! 

Ummmm…  if that were true wouldn’t it mean that practically nobody in the U.S. would ever get cavities?!  Obviously it’s not working quite that well, eh?

2.  She gave me a look that suggested she was debating calling Child Protective Services, and insisted that I was being foolish by refusing the topical fluoride treatment, as well as bottled fluoridated water. 

Wait, but you didn’t even want to SEE her for another *3 years*, right? 

PLUS, I have done my homework on this one.  Fluoride is a toxic chemical, period.  Here are some good articles (with references!) on fluoride and fluoridation: 

• Dr. Rosenbaum has a readable, brief summary of the issues.  A few highlights:
  • Research is also beginning to show that the cavity-fighting power of fluoride may have been overstated. Recent studies in the Journal of Dental Research conclude that tooth decay rates in Western Europe, which is 98 percent unfluoridated, have declined as much as they have in the United States in recent decades. Indeed, it’s only in the United States that fluoride is championed by the government; most European nations — including Germany, France, Sweden and Holland — prohibit fluoride on public health grounds.
  • Dr. Dean Burk, former Chief Chemist of the National Cancer Institute, showed that there are 10,000 or more fluoridation-linked cancer deaths yearly in the United States. The National Cancer Institute, the New Jersey Department of Health, and the Safe Water Foundation all found the incidence of ostereosarcoma (bone cancer) to be substantially higher in young men exposed to fluoridated water as compared to those who were not
• NaturalNews.com raises some more interesting points:
  • A government-sponsored report has concluded that levels of fluoride that people are regularly exposed to in drinking water can cause serious malfunctioning of the thyroid glad, leading to even more serious health problems.
  • Whoever heard of drinking a topical medication in the first place? It’s like swallowing sunscreen to prevent sunburn. Even worse, putting this into the public water supply effectively mass medicates everyone with a bioactive chemical substance that no one has been given a prescription for.
• Two from the IAOMT (International Academy of Oral Medicine and Toxicology) - here and here.  Their synopsis:
  • In IAOMT’s ongoing examination of the toxicological data on fluoride, the Academy has made several preliminary determinations over the last 18 years, each concluding that fluoride added to the public water supply, or prescribed as controlled-dose supplements, delivers no discernible health benefit, and causes a higher incidence of adverse health effects.
• I saved my favorite for last: HolisticMed.com has a fantastically detailed list with a multitude of links.  Here’s a few teasers:
• #1 Neurotoxic and Lowers IQ
• #4 Changes Bone Structure and Strength
• #6 Proven Ineffective
• #13 Causes Permanent Disfigurement of the Teeth in Many Children

And let me reiterate that in all of the sources linked above, they have further explanation and documentation for the information mentioned.  This is not just one person’s opinion, but rather published clinical data. 

From the time Nick was little through the present, I have always made sure I told the dentists that I have an open mind.  I ask if they have any factual evidence to SUPPORT dental fluoride use.  And this time, as always, they hem and haw, and never come up with anything. 

Bah!

Remember all my talk about how expensive Nick’s band season is?

Want to help??

You can buy, renew, or extend your subscrition to you favorite magazine online, and 40% of the cost goes to the band!  (They split the profits 50/50 between general band expenses, and secifically allocated to the student’s Fair Share contribution).

And please - tell everyone you know!  Who doesn’t subscribe to at least one magazine, right? 

Thank you!

So Mr. Nick is taking “Honors English I” in school.  Honors - you get an extra grade point in the GPA reckoning, since it’s more work (or harder, or whatever).

I do understand that both rules and common usage change over time, but I just think this is silly.  Let me share.

The exercise is to read a section of a Greek myth which is written with no punctuation or capitalization, and correct it.  Simple, yes?

The beginning of the story, for context, is this:

A Story of Hospitality

Zeus wanted all mortals to be generous to strangers.  He ordered people on Earth to give food, drink and shelter to any stranger in the land.  Sometimes he would visit the Earth in disguise to see if his law was being followed.

Then you get to punctuate this section:

during such a visit to phrygia a land in asia minor zeus and hermes disguised themselves as beggars the two gods began to knock on door to see if people would offer them the hospitality zeus required they visited many homes of wealthy and middle class people but no one would offer them anything to eat or drink

Nick, Wolf and I all thought the exercise was quite straightforward, and corrected it this way:

During such a visit to Phrygia, a land in Asia Minor, Zeus and Hermes disguised themselves as beggars.  The two gods began to knock on doors to see if people would offer them the hospitality Zeus required.  They visited many homes of wealthy and middle class people, but no one would offer them anything to eat or drink.

Nick’s teacher, however, stated that the correct answer was as follows (emphasis to debated section added):

During such a visit to Phrygia, a land in Asia Minor, Zeus and Hermes disguised themselves as beggars.  The two gods began to knock on doors to see if people would offer them the hospitality. Zeus required they visit many homes of wealthy and middle class people, but no one would offer them anything to eat or drink.

Ummm, what?  I mean, it basically makes sense, but isn’t it a bit of a stretch?  And, “offer them the hospitality” period?

One other student in the class backed Nick up on defending his version as correct.  Other students had also done theirs that way, mind you, but they just “corrected” it to her version like sheep.

His teacher is reasonable, at least.  She said essentially that his way was, “another way you could do it…”

What do you all think?

As you may recall, Nick is now a proud member of the Coral Reef senior High School Barracuda Marching Band.  Cute uniforms:

Even looks cute on little sisters:

Aren’t they the cutest?  <ahem>

They had their first marching performance at the football team’s first (pre-season) game last Saturday night.  The football team won against American, and the band was terrific!

I am *so* proud of Nick - a lot of time and effort goes into something like this, and it shows!

Church is tough with kids. 

When mine were really tiny, they’d just nurse and sleep through, and it was delightful. 

But now ds is going on 6 months old (and I remember going through this with dd), and he’s just not ever quiet that long - for one reason or another.  He won’t just nurse and sleep, but he doesn’t yet understand/have the ability to sit and color or play and amuse himself for half an hour.

I’m not a “leave ‘em in Nursery even if they cry” kind of mama. 

Sometimes I go along to church, but just end up sitting in the nursery with him the whole time. 

There doesn’t seem to be much point in going through the effort of getting the baby and myself dressed up and there if I’m not going to hear the service anyway, so I’ve been staying home some lately, too… 

What do you do about it?

Hope you all remembered to celebrate World Breastfeeding Week!

From the La Leche League International website:

In conjunction with the Olympics in August 2008, WBW 2008 calls for greater support for mothers in achieving the gold standard of infant feeding: breastfeeding exclusively for six months, and providing appropriate complementary foods with continued breastfeeding for up to two years or beyond. La Leche League International, a founding member and Core Partner of the World Alliance for Breastfeeding Action (WABA), is celebrating World Breastfeeding Week (WBW) through its La Leche League (LLL) Leaders and LLL Groups around the world. LLLI has a current presence in 68 countries.

Things did not get off to an auspicious start in Kentucky, where a nursing mama was asked to leave a McDonald’s.  Boy, the cops really blew it on that one…

As you probably know, if you’re reading this, we are big believers in extended breastfeeding around here.  Here’s a great collection of resources on the benefits of breastfeeding - to mama, baby, and toddler (plus employers, the environment, taxpayers…)

• Nick nursed past his third birthday, but I am happy to report that he is, in fact, fully weaned.  ;) 
• Jewel is still nursing at 3 years 3 months (primarily first thing in the morning and at bedtime).  She started eating solids sometime in the second half of her first year, but I would estimate that she didn’t actually get a significant percentage of her calories from food until around age two.
• At 5 months old, R.T. is still exclusively nursing (we’re pretty much aligned with the LLL guidelines for starting solids). 

I don’t know whether to be thankful I’ve never been hassled about nursing them, or sorry I’ve never gotten the chance to educate someone and stick up for what I believe in! 

Well, it’s official:  band costs a fortune.  On top of the new clarinet we bought and the ongoing private lessons, there’s the marching season gear, the concert season apparel, AND Nick has to pay hundreds of dollars towards his “fair share” of the band’s expenses - competition fees, transportation, dry cleaning the parade uniforms, guest teachers, etc.  Yikes!

The school year hasn’t even started yet, and we’re already behind the curve on fundraising - so I’m posting this appeal for help.

We have two main avenues open right now:

1.  “Sponsor” Nick by making a direct donation.

Email me for addresses and more information - tiffany (at) tiffanyblitz (dot) com.

• Your check is made payable to the band program
• Your contribution is tax-deductible
• Nick receives credit for 100% of the amount of your dontation

This program is set to end on Friday, August 8th.

2.  Tupperware Fundraising!

View the available products via the Tupperware Fundraiser Catalog online - some are unique items not available through the regular catalog! 

Then just email me [tiffany (at) tiffanyblitz (dot) com] with the item numbers, quantities, shipping address, and payment information.  Or you can send a written order (there’s an order form in the catalog that you can print out) and a check or other payment info.

If you’d really like to see the catalog in person, just email me your address and we’ll send one out.  Of course we’d also be deeply grateful if you’d ask around your office, church, or friends and family, too… 

• Your payment is to Tupperware, so it is not tax deductible
• You receive the terrific Tupperware products, complete with Lifetime Warranty, shipped right to your door
• Nick receives credit for approximately 50% of your purchase
• I will send a small “Thank You” gift for each Tuppeware order of $20 or more
• All Tupperware orders will be entered in a drawing for a special Gift Pack of Tupperware from me!

This program is set to end on Friday, August 15th.

Anything you can do to help is appreciated… 

Here’s the latest pictures of my crew (click for larger versions):

Mr. Nick just celebrated his 14th birthday, and is quite the young man:

Princess Jewel is three:

And R.T. was not quite four months old:

Aren’t they adorable?  (Well OF COURSE I’m biased!)  When I have the bad times, I just hug on them more…