The Battle I Am Fighting...

The heat index is 112, and we are being advised to take extra care to avoid heat related illnesses. Why then, has my son decided that today he will only wear a turtle neck?

I think I deserve a medal of honor.

X-Ray Vision

When I was a child, I was amazed by my mom's super-ability to find something I had been searching for the moment she walked in a room. It seemed to me, she had x-ray vision. There was nothing she couldn't find.

Now that I am a mother myself, I now understand the secret to her power and I am happy to amaze my son with the same ability. The secret? A child who considers "looking" for a belonging to be an act of taking a step into one room, looking in one spot, leaving the room without another sideways glance, and considering the article lost forever.

Tell Me About Your Mother....

"Isn't it incredible to observe just how tentative we have become about this task of raising children? Parenting is hardly a new technology... [Y]et we've become increasingly nervous about bringing up the baby. It is a sign of the times."
"Mothers, especially, have been blamed for everything that can conceivably go wrong with children. Even when their love and commitment are incalculable, the experts accuse them of making grievous errors in toilet training, disciplining, feeding, medicating, and educating their youngsters. They are either overpossessive or undernurturing. Their approach is either harsh or permissive. One psychiatrist even wrote an entire book on the dangers of religious training, blaming parents for scaring kids with talk of the next world. Thus, no matter how diligently Mom approaches her parenting responsibilities, she is likely to be accused of twising and warping her children."
"...The task of procreation was never intended to be so burdensome. Of course it is demanding. And children are challenging, to be sure. But the guilt and self-doubt that often encumber the parenting responsibility are not part of the divine plan. Throughout the Scriptures, the raising of children is presented as a wonderful blessing from God- a welcome, joyful experience. And today, it remains one of the greatest privileges in life to bring a baby into the world to love and care for. What a wonderful opportunity it is to teach these little ones to revere God with all their hearts and to serve others throughout their lives."

-Dr. James Dobson, "The Wonderful World of Boys"

Oil Spill Map

Since the Deepwater Horizon disaster started, I have been curious to know where and exactly how big the spill spans in the Gulf of Mexico. For anyone who's curious, I finally found a map that does just that.

Obviously, the damage of oil spills is horrendous and we are familiar with the effects of other ocean spills in the past. It has led me to wonder: How does the environmental impact (and risk/effects of accidents) in offshore drilling compare to land drilling? Would it be better in the long run to pursue land drilling rather than offshore drilling?

Home Again, Home Again

We just returned from a family reunion in which: we had way too much fun from morning till night, my son drank an appalling amount of soda, and we stayed up way too late. We were also able to reconnect with wonderful grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins (and even an old college roommate!) that we don't see nearly often enough.

We are now in recovery mode. Blogging will resume its regular irregularity.

Fathers & Sons

"We now know that there are two critical periods during childhood when boys are particularly vulnerable. The most obvious occurs at the onset of puberty, when members of both sexes experience an emotional and hormonal upheaval. Boys and girls at that time desperately need their father's supervision, guidance, and love. But according to Dr. Carol Gilligan, professor at Harvard University, there is another critical period earlier in life- one not shared by girls. Very young boys bask in their mothers' femininity and womanliness during infancy and toddlerhood. Fathers are important then, but mothers are primary. At about three to five years of age, however, a lad gradually pulls away from his mom and sisters in an effort to formulate a masculine identity. It is typical for boys during those years, and even earlier, to crave the attention and involvement of their dads and to try to emulate his behavior and mannerisms."

- Dr. James Dobson, "The Wonderful World of Boys"

Over My Dead Body

After 6 years of post-graduate training (with 4 more to go), my husband recently opened a fortune cookie that read:

"You will soon change your line of work"

It sends a shudder down my spine every time I think of it.

Design Friday: Aspiral Clocks

I thought these were so cool, I had to include them in Design Friday... which apparently has become more of "Design Whenever I Feel Like It". These are called Aspiral Clocks, and were invented by London natives Will Aspinall and Neil Lambeth.

To tell time, the circle slowly turns as the red/yellow ball rests on the ledge indicating the time. The ball slowly progresses through the numbers until it reaches the 12th hour, at which point it rolls through the hole in the middle and comes out at the bottom again. The clock is about 13 3/4". I love their fresh and creative take on a very old design. This, to me, is an awesome example of form following function.

Here's their website for more information.

Denim Underwear

Sometimes I just don't understand why some products are on the market. For example:

Is there really a huge demand for fake denim diapers? Have mothers all over the world been petitioning Huggies for fake denim diapers? Did this product appear favorable in focus groups? Are making diapers look like denim supposed to make a child in only a diaper at the store look less white trash? Do people really think this looks cute? These are only a few of the questions I've asked myself as I've seen this product stocked on shelves, and tried to make sense of it all.

And then one day I understood. Baby diaper trends must be following the clothing trends of young women- denim underwear! Now mommy and baby can match!

Happy 4th of July!

"My Country, 'Tis of Thee"
My country, 'tis of thee,
Sweet land of liberty,
Of thee I sing;
Land where my fathers died,
Land of the pilgrim's pride,
From ev'ry mountainside
Let freedom ring!

Our father's God, to thee,
Author of liberty,
To thee we sing;
Long may our land be bright
With freedom's holy light.
Protect us by thy might,
Great God, our King!

-Samuel F. Smith (verses 1 & 4)

"The Star-Spangled Banner"
Oh, thus be it ever, when free men shall stand
Between their loved homes and the wars desolation!
Blest with victr'y and peace, may the heav'n rescued land
Praise the Pow'r that hath made and preserved us a nation!
Then conquer we must, when our cause it is just,
And this be our motto: "In God is our trust!"
And the star spangled banner In triumph shall wave
O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave!

-Francis Scott Key (verse 4)