Archives for August 2013

Preparing for preschool

August 14, 2013

Levi started a new preschool last month. Since he was simply transferring from another Montessori program, we didn’t have to do as much preparing as we did back in February, when the concept of school was totally new to him.

With the new school year just around the corner (or this week if you live in Omaha!), you might be getting ready to send your toddler to nursery school or preschool for the first time. I know the idea seems daunting; Levi was just eighteen months old when he began at Montessori and still very much my baby guy.

Here are some of the things we did to prepare Levi for preschool that may also help your child:

Visit the classroom beforehand. Taking a tour of your toddler’s new school will get him excited for the books, toys, and activities awaiting him. Plus, being familiar with the room will be comforting on that first day.
Read books about school. A month or so before Levi’s first first day, we started reading Llama Llama Misses Mama together, which was a gift from his grandma. The story not only emphasizes that school is fun, but also that mom will come back when the day is done. Some other books about going to school include: Maisy Goes to Preschool, Preschool Day Hooray!, and My First Day at Nursery School.
Let your child bring something that reminds him of you to school. We hung a family photo (actually, our family holiday card!) in Levi’s cubby at his original Montessori, but some preschools allow students to bring a small photo album of their family with them. Your toddler may feel some relief seeing loved ones during stressful moments at school, especially during separation anxiety.
Prepare a special goodbye. Whether you say “ugga mugga,” a silly sounding term of endearment from Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood, or act out The Kissing Hand, having a trademark goodbye can help ease separations. But keep it short! A lingering goodbye makes the transition that much difficult for toddlers who don’t want you to leave. Trust that your child’s teacher will lovingly help your little one calm down.
Buy something brand new just for school. Shopping with your toddler for a new backpack to carry or a colorful pair of sneaker to wear on the first day of school gives her something to look forward to. The most popular backpacks in Levi’s new classroom by far are the Zoo Pack backpacks by Skip Hop. Without knowing what all the other kids had, I picked out a simple blabla canvas backpack featuring Charles the Lion (Bonus: I found it on sale at The Land of Nod!), and I think it’s helpful that Levi’s bag stands out from the rest.

I’d love to hear if you did anything else to prepare your toddler for preschool!

P.S. – Levi’s first ever day of preschool (remember when his hair was still straight?) and why I decided to switch schools.

(Photos of Levi’s first day of his new school taken on July 15, 2013. He just wouldn’t stand still for a good, clear shot!)

What’s in your water?

August 13, 2013

What’s in your glass of water? Crushed ice? A striped straw? Perhaps a slice of lemon?

Unbeknownst to you, there may be a lot more than straws and garnishes floating in your cup of H2O. The Environmental Working Group (EWG) analyzed nearly 20 millions drinking water tests between 2004 and 2009 and – get this — found 316 pollutants in the drinking water from 45 states.

The contaminants the EWG discovered included agricultural pollutants like pesticides, industrial chemicals from factory discharges, and byproducts of the water treatment process. Yes, even water that has gone through a disinfection process likely still has lead, bacteria, or nitrates in it.

Click over to The Neighborhood to find out what’s really in your tap water — and what you can do about it.

The Dolly Half-Dozen

August 9, 2013

The Dolly Half-Dozen offers six tasty treats to nourish, inform, and entertain. On today’s menu…

1. This DIY ombre swaddle blanket is beautifully simple — and simply beautiful. (What was the last thing you dyed? A tie-dyed t-shirt at camp? )

2. My best friend admirably avoids foods with “fake” ingredients like corn syrup, hydrogenated oil, preservatives, and added sugar. I wonder if she’s heard of UNREAL candy, made from 100% real ingredients. (via Oh Joy)

3. Funfetti is our go-to for special occasions; I made JB a chocolate-frosted Funfetti cake for his 30th birthday last week. Since we always have a box of cake mix in our pantry, I think I’ll attempt these Funfetti Gooey Bars next time we need a “just because” dessert!

4. Double cleansing, the secret to beautiful skin in Asia, is gaining popularity on this side of the ocean. Would you wash your face with oil?

5. I frequently wonder this when I stumble upon an Instagram photo or Facebook post with hundreds of “likes”: Is something popular because it is actually good, or is it popular just because it is popular?

6. These Chocolate Oatmeal Peanut Butter Bars have three things going for them — they’re healthy, they’re easy to make, and they don’t take a lot of time to prepare.

***

JB and I are heading to the airport shortly to pick up my parents, my sister, my brother-in-law, and my nephew, Max. (Yes, we host out-of-town guests about once a month!) I’m so excited for their visit; my sister and her family haven’t been to Omaha since Levi was 5 months old — which is how old Max is now!

Since they’re only here until Monday morning, we’ll have a lot to cram into a weekend, including a day trip to the Iowa State Fair. It’ll be our third consecutive visit and my parents’ second. We’re all excited to initiate my sister and her crew to the deliciousness of fried foods on sticks! Here are photos from our first and second visits to the fair (Levi was only a month old when we went in 2011!).

Have a happy weekend! What are your plans?

Rugrats grown up

August 8, 2013

When Rugrats premiered on Nickelodeon in 1991, I was 11 years old and more interested in the early 90s fashion on Clarissa Explains It All than in the babyish antics of Tommy and his pint-sized crew.

Nevertheless, my cartoon-watching days weren’t completely behind me; I had a younger sister who tuned in from time to time. The kids I babysat through my middle school and high school years were also fans of those diaper-wearing rascals.

Twenty-two years after their debut, artist Celeste Pille has reimagined the Rugrats tots as college-aged hipsters. On her blog she also shares what each character has been up to in recent years.

Take Chuckie, for example:

Charles “Chuckie” Finster channeled his anxiety into writing and performing and now finds himself a burgeoning slam poetry super star. During the day you’ll find him coaching Forensics and local high school LTAB teams.

Lil and Phil:

Phil and Lil became Youtube sensations with their series of videos in which they conduct gross/messy/entertaining science experiments. Their strong online following has earned them the attention of several television producers who are interested in creating a children’s educational show. Phil and Lil would love to be on PBS in the near future.

Angelica:

Angelica Pickles went on to internet fame for her terrible song called Weekend, and its even more terrible music video (produced by Ark Music Factory and paid for by her parents), and just when everyone thought her 15 minutes were up she leveraged her awesomely bad song’s popularity into a reality show on Bravo called Fallen Angelica. She may not be a good singer, but she’s shrewd, ambitious and makes for incredibly quotable television.

And, of course, Tommy:

Tommy Pickles is honing his skills in mountain climbing, scuba diving, and paragliding to become a master at wildlife photography. He aspires to be a regular contributor to National Geographic and plans to rappel into an active volcano in the near future to capture the terrifying beauty of lava lakes.

Celeste has also doodled characters from Pepper Ann and Hey Arnold!, but I’ve never seen a single episode of either cartoon. Have you? What were your favorite cartoons growing up? As a child of the 80s, I loved Inspector Gadget, Muppet Babies, Rainbow Brite, and Jem!

(via Nylon Magazine, artwork from Celeste Doodles)

Being Pregnant with Courtney from She Always Loved Larking

August 7, 2013

Because every woman’s pregnancy is unique, our recently launched Being Pregnant series is a way to share a variety of maternity experiences on the blog. Today I’d like to introduce Courtney of the blog, She Always Loved Larking, and the Etsy shop, Larking. (Courtney took a summer vacation from her online store this summer, but be sure to check back later this month for new literary-inspired jewelry pieces!)

I believe that Courtney and I met online nearly two years ago, either when we were both still pregnant or shortly after our babies were born; her daughter and my son are close in age. According to Courtney, she’s not a “worship the bump” kind of girl, which is probably one reason why she and I connected. Now’s she’s pregnant with baby #2 — and due very soon! Read on to learn about how her second pregnancy has been different than her first.

Q. When is your due date?

A. My official due date is August 23rd. According to my own conception dating and the results of my early ultrasounds, I’d pinpoint my due date at something more like August 18th. (Soon! Eep!)

Q. Boy or girl?

A. We’re expecting another little girl! As my husband says, “I really like our first one, so having another one will be great, too.” At first, I was surprised – my own family, and my husband’s, consists of a boy/girl sibling duo, so I think I just had that in mind. But now I’m really excited to raise a sweet pair of sisters.

Q. Do you have a name picked out?

A. We’ve had a name picked out for quite a while now. It was a bit of an arduous process for us this time around, but we’re really happy with our choice. Lorelei was instrumental in helping us choose: we had one name we were strongly considering, and when we tried out a few possibilities on her, our top choice was the one she immediately started using to refer to the baby. Since we’re keeping the name a secret until our daughter is born, we’re lucky that Lorelei’s toddler pronunciation difficulties have kept many of our friends and family from figuring out what the name is too early!

Q. Is this your first child? If not, how does this pregnancy compare to previous ones?

A. This is my second pregnancy – and while the mechanics might be the same, it’s emotionally and mentally very different for me this time. With Lorelei’s pregnancy, I was so focused on the entire experience: Jason and I read the “What To Expect” weekly development details every Sunday night, I journaled about my symptoms and experiences multiple times a week, I made sure everything I did or read or ate or thought about was “good” for my growing baby.

This time? I’m so busy chasing my toddler that I barely have time to realize I’m pregnant! A first pregnancy is such a self-indulgent experience where you (pardon the pun) labor under the impression that you’re the only pregnant person in the world – like you’re walking around with a maternal halo or something. The second time around, it feels rather mundane.

Q. What’s the best thing about being pregnant?

A. I’m not a “love being pregnant” person, so it’s hard to think about what’s the “best” part of pregnancy for me. The first time you feel movement is a pretty thrilling experience – and it was just as much so this pregnancy as it was the first! It’s also nice to be able to take full advantage of the “reserved for new and expectant mothers” parking spots again!

Q. What’s the worst thing about being pregnant?

A. My morning sickness was much more severe, and longer lasting, this time around – that was definitely one of the worst parts! I was sick almost immediately all the way through about 22 weeks. Thank goodness that stage is over…

Q. Any cravings?

A. During my bout with morning sickness, and continuing beyond, I’ve really wanted fresh fruit all the time. Going to the farmers’ market this summer has been hard on my wallet – I want to buy everything in sight! I’ve missed my favorite summer cocktails these past few months, so I’ve also been craving blood orange Italian soda and virgin mojitos.

Q. How do you dress the bump?

A. My style during pregnancy is definitely different than what I’d usually wear! I am someone who likes a tailored look paired with quirky or vintage pieces, and it’s really hard to replicate that in maternity apparel. I can’t wait to get back into skirts that show off my waist again!

My pregnancy this time around was in a different season than my first one, so I was only able to reuse some of my wardrobe and I didn’t really want to spend money on clothes I knew I’d only wear for a short time. For as long as I could, I kept wearing non-maternity tops (especially cardigans and wrap sweaters!) in the winter months, and this summer I’ve been living in maxi dresses.

I love what Liz Lange has available at Target: affordable and chic. I’ve gotten tons of use out of the dresses of hers I’ve purchased there, as well as the ruched tanks I pair with basic maternity jeans and yoga pants. Great shoes and statement necklaces are also a good way to stay true to my fashion sense, so I’ve been relying on accessories more than usual.

Q. What are the essentials that have gotten you through the pregnancy so far?

A. I love the Earth Mama Angel Baby product line – anything of theirs with that orange vanilla scent is heaven! I drank an unbelievable amount of Republic of Tea’s Decaf Ginger Peach tea during the worst of my morning sickness and still find it delicious, especially iced on hot days.

During my first pregnancy, I spent a lot of time using the elliptical at my gym to stay in good shape for labor and delivery and keep my weight gain to a healthy amount – this time, I’ve mostly relied on at-home workout videos and walks to the park (so far, I’ve only gained 3 pounds more than my last pregnancy – not bad!).

And I’ve been rereading Birthing from Within by Pam England and Rob Horowitz when I have a few moments to spare.

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Join me in wishing Courtney an easy birth (maybe on the 18th!) and a smooth transition into the mom of two sweet little girls. And if you’d like to share your pregnancy experience, please send me a note with “Being Pregnant” as the subject.