Are You Ever Sick of Yourself?

Lately I have grown tired of my own repeated failings and the judgemental thoughts that enter my head which are neither helpful for edifying to me nor the situations about which I am having them. I have become increasingly aware of my own self-righteousness and the feelings of noble suffering with which I prop up my raging but broken ego. I am sick of myself. Sick of wrestling the same demons. I want to be like the dead man who has neither judgement for his brother nor need for the praise of others.

Baby Turns ONE!

So she is almost one. We had a little party for her, ladybug themed. She wore this little outfit. Here she is after going down the slide for the first time with Nana. happy Birthday, Baby!

Musings of a Motherless Child: A Prayer of St. Nicholas of Zhicha#links

Musings of a Motherless Child: A Prayer of St. Nicholas of Zhicha#links

Wash Pod ...aka Plastic Trash Can or Paint Bucket

When I first saw this on the Right Start website, I thought the mom was washing the baby in a small plastic trash can you use in the bathroom.

Upon closer examination, it appears that this is indeed the equivalent of a small platic trash can that you are supposed to spend $25 to use because your own plastic trash can is clearly not suitable for washing your baby.
You need theirs! You can read all about it here: http://www.rightstart.com/global/store/product~item~7239.html

A Place I'd Like to Go

Check out the website for this coffeehouse/ playgroup called JavaMama near San Diego. Talk about a great marketing plan: they have an indoor play area and on-site "supervisors" watching the kids play. (No, you can't just drop off your child and leave... ) But it costs $2.50 for the first child and each add'l is $1.00 for 2 hours of monitored/ supervised play while mom (or dad) reads a book nearby in the cafe. Now, if their coffee is any good, I would actually consdier making the 2 hour drive from OC to go see this place! Anyone wanna carpool?

www.javamama.com

A Happy Hamper

Politically Correct Potty Training

Introducing the Anatomically Correct Potty Training Doll designed to help you potty train your child in a gender specific and culturally sensitive way.

Not only can you get this doll in boy or girl model, but is also comes in different ethnicities. The above photo is the caucasian version.

African American

Asian

Latin

According to the website that is selling them:(http://www.mindfultoys.com/potrto.html)

"A potty training doll that has the same genitals and skin color as your child can assist you with this developmental stage. Kids love playing 'pretend potty-time' with their potty buddy."

Somehow I seriously doubt that either of those claims are true, but let us give them the benefit of the doubt and explore why this anatomically correct doll in the appropriate ethnic version might help your child potty train:

1) Boys stand and girls sit? True, boys eventually stand, but most moms I know teach boys just learning to sit in order to not have to scrub the walls on a daily basis. (And all these boy dolls are sitting.)

2) Different ethinicities go potty in different ways? While we might have different preferences for the way it goes in (different ethnic foods), it all comes out the same way!

3) All of us who were potty trained WITHOUT the aid of this doll frequently wet or soil ourselves? Sorry, I can't say I feel at a loss for not having had this doll way back when.

Any other ideas?