Rob Pattinson? or Ice Cream? Put Your Hands Together.

It’s been a while since I’ve been able to sit at the kitchen bar and indulge in a cup of coffee uninterrupted.  Not that the distractions of the day are too important, they just seem to always happen when my coffee is hot. 

While I sit here, watching the morning sky brighten, I think about the quiet slips of paper in my mind  The lives of those I love, how ten years ago I would’ve never imagined myself where I am, and then-how could I even entertain where I’ll be ten years from now.  Just the fluffy stuff that I don’t usually have much time to think about.

I posted something on my Facebook yesterday about gaining 5 pounds.  (Just a recap-I had lost 18lbs on weight watchers since July, 2009.  Over the last two weeks, I gained five of them back.)  So I owned them publicly in an attempt to get over the shame and embarrassment.  Now, here’s where I dive into my own thoughts for a minute.   If someone were to ask me- was it worth it?  Were the last two weeks of candy/fatty foods worth the feelings of guilt?  I would be inclined to say, Yep.  In most of my dealings with weight-loss, nutrition, etc., there’s always that question.  Is the food worth feeling crappy?  Well, here’s where I wonder, if we didn’t’ make food and the enjoyment of tastes so taboo- would it be such a problem for some people?

 (Disclaimer: of course there are always exceptions.  Ffood and weight will always be issues for people as long as there is air and we still eat)

Here’s the thing, I enjoy my food.  I enjoy the creamy texture of ice cream, the cold sensation that it gives my mouth.  I like crunchy food, smothered with fat filled cheese.  There’s no substitution.  Those sensory experiences make me feel better.  My brain doesn’t care how much carriage I tote, it cares about what makes me feel good.  So, on the one hand you have that.  On the other you have the life experiences and in some cases, medical profession, telling you that it isn’t healthy to eat those kinds of things.  White sugar is the food devil, and fat clogs your arteries.  Therefore you are faced with the conflict that what you truly enjoy is bad for you.  That’s disharmony at its finest.  How come there’s never been a Romeo and Juliet or Twilight series about ice cream and the woman who loves it?  I digress.

 

Now I’m faced with a dilemma.  Something that I enjoy at my most primitive level is bad for me.  So what happens when I eat those things?  I get pleasure from the experience, only to be tackled by the guilt for having partaken in such unhealthy indulgence (talk about issues, right?) and enjoyed it.  Guilt Fest 2009 ensues.  So what would happen if I didn’t label things bad for me?  Would limits go out the window along with self-control?  Would chaos ensue? 

It reminds me of a child with a new Christmas toy.  At first, he’s going to play with that thing every minute of every day until he’s sick of it.   Then once in a while he’s going to play it, but not with the obsessive need he once did.  If we were to experiment with ourselves and indulge in the foods we love, would the same happen?   In the book, Eat, Love & Pray (I forgot the authors name) but she does just that.  For a year she eats.  Whatever she wants, however much she wants.  Of course, she does it in Rome and follows that up with a stint in India for about a year, too.  Who wouldn’t love to do that?  Sign me up.

So what do you think?  Do we want what’s bad for you because you need it? Want it? Want it cuz you’re told y shouldn’t have it?  What would happen to you if you just ate what you wanted?

Language Enrichment Post 3 of 4

I know it’s been a while when I have to go back and re-read my last post to see where I was going.  I’m going to figure out how to start a Language Enrichment Page here on myblog so that those of you who’d like to check out the activities, bookmark the page, or simply appreciate not sifting through the archives will have somewhere to check.  In the meantime, here’s 3 of 4.

Fisher Price Parking Garage and Ramp, Ages 1yr+ 

This toy is a great language enrichment tool.  You can talk about direction, colors, numbers, turn taking,etc.  The following is an example of how to use the FP Parking Garage to encourage talking  in young children.

• First, choose something you’d like to target.  For example, are you trying to get your little one to practice asking for things instead of grunting and pointing?  Then send the car down the ramp, clap and make a big deal of it.  Scoop the car up.  Hold onto it and when your little guy starts to point and “eh” for it, tell him- “say _____.”    (You decide based on his ability what you’ll accept.  It might be as simple as “buh” or as clear as “car”).  When he makes an acceptable attempt, give it to him.  Clap and praise him when he hits the target sound or word.    Repeat. 

You can apply this strategy to other activities by setting up the environment so that your little one has to make a request for something.  You hold the key, so to speak. 

Color The Sounds, Ages 2+

Sit with your child and draw or trace and color the letters of your child’s name. 

• Talk about the sound each letter makes:
• For example: CARTER

                C-/ k/, /kar/, /kaen/, /kaendi/, /kourn/

                A -/ae/ ,/ haet/, /baet/, /maet/

                R-/ raebIt/, /rouz/, /raen/, etc.

                Cut the letters out and practice spelling his name.

No

It’s ok to say you aren’t comfortable doing something. And when you get that look from the person you just said no to- and he or she says ” aww, that’s too bad” tell them “no it’s not”. There is nothing wrong with knowing what you can and don’t want to do. It’s alright to turn down a request because it would make life difficult for you. There are many opportunities to overextend yourself. There will be plenty of more times that you will be asked to put yourself out. Recognizing that you have limits for sanity’s sake is a good thing.

Happy Friday Everyone.

Still Breathing

It’s been a bit since I last posted. We are still alive and breathing, just a little more phlem-y than usual. A quick catch-up: Boys are still coughing- I’ve embraced that they will until spring. In the shop I’ve completed a few custom orders which I will post photos of early next week. I have a surprise in the mix which I’ll share here once details are sorted. The Martin Halloween Parade which kicks off this Saturday from our house will include Cullen the Pumpkin, Carter the Bear, and Sabrina the Cute Bat. There will be special appearances yet to be announced- but hopefully I’ll snap enough pictures on the red carpet to share.

For those of you looking for things to do with your photo cards, I’ll post the next installment of Language Enrichment Activities this afternoon.

Have a safe and Happy Halloween!!

Language Enrichment, Post 2 of 4

I said I would post it and finally,  here it is.  On a side note, WW weigh in- down anther .6lbs.  Topic for the week is how to take care of yourself.  What do you need to be successful and good care of yourself- not just others.  Hmmm.  What do you guys think?  Lately 20 minutes of silence with a sweet cup of coffee has been cutting it for me.  I know that’s not really taking care of myself but you do the best you can, right?

So here is a home-makeable (is that even a word?) project that you can do for your little love.  If you’ve got an older child who likes to scrapbook- have him (yes, there are “hims” who like to scrapbook) or her help you fashion this out.  Have him help take the photos, pick the photos, or pick the papers and embellishments.  Following the directions are some other ideas of what to do with this.  Enjoy : )

 

Home Made Photo Cards/Album  

This is easy and protects your photos from little people goo fingers. What’s great about using your own pics is that  you’re customizing your child’s learning with things and people he sees around him.  You’re making the interaction more meaningful which = more likely to stick. 

Supplies:

• 3×5 or 4×6 Photos
• Construction paper, cardstock, poster board cut slightly larger than photos
• Clear contact paper
• Scissors
• Glue stick
• Hole puncher
• Ring, ribbon, or yarn

 

What to do:

1.  Make sure your background paper, cardstock, poster board is larger than your photos.  Mount photos in the center of each using your glue stick.  Do this for all photos.

2.  Cut pieces of contact paper with the paper backing still on ½-1 inch larger than your mounted photos.  Cut as many pieces as photos.

3.  Carefully peel backing paper off of the contact paper.

4.  Lay contact paper sticky side down atop the mounted photo.  Touching down the center of the contact paper onto the center of the mounted photo.  This will reduce the amount of bubbles and make it easier to smooth the contact paper out.

5.  Either trim the overhang of the contact paper or fold them over the top and bottom, trimming the sides. At first I trimmed them.  Then I chose to fold the top and bottom over to protect the edges and prevent separation of the layers.

6.  Once you’ve covered your photos, use the hole puncher to either punch one hole at the corner to slip the photos onto a single ring or three holes to thread ribbon/yarn to make a small book.  Make sure to tie your ribbon or yarn in tight knots. 

Add your own touch to this album project.  Get stickers and decorate each photo, write-in names and dates. 

Other suggestions:

• Make a child-friendly recipe and photograph each step.  He can revisit the special time or use it the next time you make your recipe as a guide.  This is great for teaching sequence of events, vocabulary, and other aspects of language. 
• Make a booklet about morning routines.  Take photos of your little one in his pajamas, his bed, the bathroom, his toothbrush, etc. Kids who have a hard time transitioning from one thing to the next benefit from this visual aid.  Make bedtime a game with a photo booklet.
• Make a checklist for an older child using photos or a mini booklet. Does he have a routine to get ready for daycare or preschool?  Have fun with it.  
• Make themed booklets/albums about animals, people, routines.

Who the Heck Is She to Give Advice?

It occurred to me that when I post things about language enrichment and communication you might wonder what makes me qualified to do so.   I realize that I haven’t put anything about my alter ego on my blog.  My apologies.  I admittedly wear many hats.  I like hats.  Soft hats, fuzzy hats, cowboy hats, but that’s not the point.  I am an slp by profession, or speech therapist.  I earned my BHS in Communication Disorders in 2003.  I’m currently enrolled at Governors State University chasing my masters.  Hopefully that will make you feel somewhat more confident that I might have a clue as to what I’m advising here, not to say that mommies everywhere can’t offer great advice on how to enrich a child’s life- cuz they sure can.

Language Enrichment, Post 1 of 4

Monday please be gentle.  The kids are home, I have a cold, my homework is due , and I have a projects to finish.  Ack.

First things first, my weigh-in at WW was -.6lbs. I am nickel and diming my weight-loss.  I have to mention how nice the group I attend Sat morning are.  They are a part of what makes me go back. 

This week I’m all about homework and school. I have a language assessment project due and will be presenting Language Through Play at the GSU Family Development Center Thursday night.  Safe to say that the rythm of my life  has shifted from sewing for a minute.  For you guys, I thought I’d share some of the things I’ll be presenting Thurs.  I’m going to post a few activities over the next couple of weeks that target language development for children 0-5 years old.  Hope you enjoy them : )

    Fun with Photos, Ages 3 mos.+

Make a language promoting enrichment tool that is personal and familiar.  Use new or existing photos.   Load your pictures into an easily toted mini-album.  Flip through them and ask your child to tell you what he sees. 

            What to photograph:

• People:   anyone familiar to your child
•  Places:  anywhere he goes.
• Things:  toothbrush, shoes, coat, hat, toys, favorite blanket, binky or nuk, books, crib, bed, favorite foods, etc.
• Vehicles:  cars, trucks, tires, mail vehicle, garbage truck, dump truck, police car, fire engine, etc.
• Activities to photograph:  mealtimes, bedtime routines, morning routines, getting ready for church, for school, painting, playing with play doh, coloring, etc. Talking about and identifying the things in these pictures will help your little one learn about context and putting the clues in the photo together to figure out what’s going on.

            What can you do with these?

• Talk about the photos.  Tell him what you see. (He’ll learn from your model, first).
• Point to items and have him name them, name colors.
• Have him name the people.
• Have him tell you what’s happening in the picture.

    Photo Memory Game, Ages 2+

Get duplicates of your photos.  Glue them to index cards, photo cardstock, poster board, etc.  

• Lay photos picture-side down, starting with six cards (three matching sets).
• Take turns flipping two cards to find a match. 
• Have him say the item in the photo when he turns the card over. 
• You can reward him with an M&M, skittle, grape, snack cracker, etc. for each match he makes.

Go Forth and Conquer Soup, Really.

It’s crappy cold here in the south suburbs of Chicago.  It’s rainy, it’s gray, it’s 59 degrees but feels like 40.  It’s definitely Chicken Dumpling soup day with a little Harry Connick Jr in the background.  I don’t have a lot of time to work on this soup.  That’s why I LOVE LOVE LOVE this recipe I’m going to share with you.  It was originally printed in the Cooks Country Feb/Mar 2009 issue.  It’s one of their 30 minute pull out cards.  Truth be told, it takes a little longer than that, but not much.  Let me shut up now.

Quick Chicken and Dumpling Soup

1-1/2 cups all purpose flour

2/3 water

2 large eggs, lightly beaten

salt and pepper

3 Tbsp unsalted butter

1 onion, chopped fine

2 carrots, peeled and sliced thin

1 celery rib, sliced thin

8 (we prefer 10) cups low sodium chicken broth

1 rotisserie chicken, skin discarded, meat cut or shredded into bite-sized pieces (apprx 3 cups)

 

1.  Whisk flour, water, eggs, 1/2 tsp salt, and 1/4 tsp pepper into bowl; set aside.

2.  Melt butter in Dutch oven (or large pot) over medium heat.  Cook onion, celery, and carrot until lightly browned, about 5 minutes.  Stir in broth and bring to boil.  Reduce heat to medium0low and simmer, covered until veggies are tender, 10-15 minutes.

3.  Remove lid.  Stir in chicken and season with salt and pepper.  Return to simmer.  Working quickly, use 1/2 teaspoon  measuring spoon to drop pieces of dough into soup.  Simmer, covered until dumplings are set, 1 to 2 minutes.  Season with salt and pepper.  Serve.

To keep the dumpling dough from sticking to the spoon, spray thespoon with cooking spray prior to scooping dough.

Go Forth and Eat SOUP.

Nursing Covers, Take Out, Weight Watchers and Trees. Photos Photos Photos.

I realize I’ve been quiet for a bit but it’s not to say that nothings’s been going on.  A quick recap:  The boys had been sick, Deanna’s been feeling crappy, Sabrina is up in arms because the forest near our home is being defiled (Menard’s is on its way).  I am finishing orders  for my friends Missy and Susie.

In addition, I designed and listed a carry-all pouch for my shop.  It was just a happy coincidence that I was playing with a scrap from the high chair cover and it turned into this.

Saturday I made it to WW to weigh in.   I had to just wear jeans and deal with the scale.  Even dressed in denim I lost .4lbs.  It’s a good thing.  Now I don’t have to freeze my butt off on weigh in day just to get an accurate reading.  I tried to drink a bunch of water last week, thinking it would boost my weight loss.  It boosted my need to use the bathroom, that’s about it.  There was a woman in our meeting two weeks ago that was drinking 200 ounces a day.  Yes, 200.  She lost like 6lbs that week.  My hat off to her.  I could barely drink 70 and that only lasted three or four days.  I felt like I was drowning.  If it was coffee, well….

I don’t remember much more of the weekend except I drove alot.  I realize my children have much more interesting social lives than I do.  Between Deanna and Sabrina, they went out to eat with friends, to the mall, on a scavenger hunt, to a birthday party and shopping.  That was just Friday.  The rest of the weekend involved three movies, friends, grandma’s house and Jimmy Johns. 

I mentioned that the forest near our home is being torn down to make way for a Menards.  When the work began a week ago we thought it would be a gradual disappearance.  One week later the woods are gone.  It’s a little traumatic to say the least.  One day as we left the neighborhood Deanna, Carter an I watched a serious-looking macine grab, twist and snap full grown trees like little twigs.  From the back seat Carter said, “oh, NO, my TREEES!  I want my trees back!”  Well said.

I’ll have to finish this update later,  I hear little people.

What Do Mean It’s Only Tuesday?

It’s Tuesday.  It feels like it should be Sunday of next week.  In the past I’d say each of my four kids has their turn pulling me in his or her direction at any given time.  It’s alot like juggling really.  Today all of the balls fell on my head.  Literally at one point.  I have to be thankful that my life is as entertaining as it is. 

A couple days ago I had the chance to sit and conjure up a few projects in my head that I will try my best to bring to life.  An art smock for toddlers, a chef’s coat for my 10 year-old, sweet little fall and winter slippers for my baby.  That’s what sitting and listening to the trees does to me.  My goodness, I sound a little crazy there.  Anyway, here are a couple pics from the day of fall inspirations.

This is the top of an infant slipper, pre-sewn.

Carter, Cullen & Sabrina

Deanna got her permit this week.  That means I have to take her driving.  Can I feel any older?  Oh wait, yes.  Those are skinny jeans and plaid coming back.  Hairspray anyone?  Back to Dee.  I don’t have many pictures of her as of late.  She’s spotted randomly for only seconds here and there- much like the mythical unicorn.  I had to dig around just to find these from 2007?  Of course it’s just cuz I’m mom.  Her friends have tons of pictures : )

She is still this thrilled to do homework.

This is where she would much rather spend every day.

Sigh.  Why does time have to go by so quickly?

On another note, by Friday or Saturday I will post pics of the nursing cover I made for my friend Missy.  She is expecting her third little girl very soon.  The cover was made from cotton fabric that I thought was “her”.  Turns out she loved the pattern.  More to come….