Some of you probably didn’t blink an eye when you read that title…she lives in Minnesota, surely the lakes are still frozen in May, are they not?

In fact, I had to put sunscreen on my son’s face this week, it was so hot and sunny! This is just a very, very belated post, the last one I intended to write before The Great Blogging Break of 2010. I’m hoping to get back in the groove here, but for now, here’s a little flashback to winter…

Before this outing, Tate had never actually been fishing, regular or ice fishing. He’d just heard about it, seen pictures of Dad’s fishing trips, etc. Fascinated with the idea, he would bring us empty paint rollers (because our basement is sooo organized, such items are lying about for him to find!), asking for “bait”. 

One sunny March afternoon, we decided the time was right. After Tate woke up from his nap, we told him we were going ice fishing. I pulled out snowpants and boots while he ran downstairs to find his “pole”. Here he is, riding out to the middle of the lake, ready to land a big one.

First came the excitement of seeing Dad drill holes with the auger, with a big whoosh of water as he reached the bottom of the ice layer. Then watching minnows swimming around in the bait bucket. Oh, the joy of a 2-year-old!

While Dad was busy getting the poles ready and looking for fish on the depth-finder, Tate kept himself quite happy with his paint roller dipped into the water. (No, I couldn’t convince him to keep his mittens on.)

After 20 minutes or so, the roller was finally dropped down to the bottom of the lake. Partly my fault; I should have thought to tie it to his wrist or something. But he couldn’t understand why we didn’t just get it back for him. Dad gave him a few lessons with a real pole, but they didn’t catch anything.

Following our “leave while you’re still having fun” strategy, we were just out for about an hour. Tate loved it, and hopefully this summer he’ll get to do some “catching”, not just “fishing”!

Are you hosting a baby shower anytime soon? Baby shower games seem to fall into the love/hate category, so be sure to check with the guest of honor on her preference. Personally, I’m a fan of games, but for those who aren’t, I’ll point out that games help get all the guests involved. That’s especially important if they don’t know each other, having only the mom-to-be in common.

A recent post at Extra(Hour)dinary Parenting got me thinking about some alternate methods of bringing the guests together. Amanda’s friend hosted a children’s book baby shower, for which each guest brought a book as a gift, and read it out loud. (Read her entire post for details, including a fun idea to keep the reading from getting long or boring.)

Some of my former co-workers each gave me their favorite childhood book when Tate was born. I loved that gift, and it would be so fun to have that be the theme of the entire shower.

This “ABC” baby shower invitation would be a perfect fit for a book shower. It also comes in a flat card version. Click here to view other shower invites.

Have you hosted or attended any unique baby showers? Any fun activities beyond the traditional games? Please tell us about them!

Photo Courtesy:
clevercupcakes

Living in Minnesota, you’d think we would go sledding all the time. Actually, though, we only got around to it once last year, on Christmas Eve. My plans for Christmas sledding this year were foiled by Tate’s refusal to wear a hat or mittens. We gave it a second try this week, though, with success!

You’ll notice from the photo that I mean success in going sledding, not in convincing Tate to wear a hat. A hood is better than nothing, though, right?!

With this crazy winter of snowstorms in the South, there are probably some sledding newbies out there. Or maybe some of you Northerners haven’t been sledding with young children. Therefore, today I am offering…

TIPS FOR SLEDDING WITH A TODDLER

1. Wait for the weather to be reasonable – for MN I’d say 30 degrees or higher; the rest of you know your climate-hardiness.

2. Don’t go crazy bundling the kid up – if you have a warm coat, you don’t need a heavy sweater underneath it; use lighter layers to avoid sweating.

3. Choose a small hill. First to avoid the chance of your child freaking out on a longer, faster ride. Second, to minimize the walk back up for both of you!

4. Be safe! Make sure the path and the bottom of the hill are unobstructed by trees, lightposts, other kids, etc. Even on a small hill, you can get going pretty fast.

5. Keep the child on your lap, with your arms wrapped around so he/she feels secure.

6. THE MOST IMPORTANT, MORE THAN ALL THE OTHERS: Leave while you’re still having fun! Don’t push it to the bitter end, or even close to that. We only did three or four runs before heading home. On the way back to the car we talked about how fun sledding is, and I’m sure he’ll be ready for more next time.

I can’t take any credit for that last tip – it’s an old Works For Me Wednesday idea from Kristen that I’ve applied in many circumstances. What has worked, or not worked, on your family sledding adventures? What’s your favorite style of sled?

You know how if you complain of having an upset stomach or being really tired, everyone thinks you’re pregnant? Let’s be honest, you probably wonder to yourself if that’s the case…

Today I keep wondering if I’m nesting. I have the sudden burst of energy for cleaning my house that I did right before Tate was born – the first and last time that I mopped our laundry room floor.

Symptoms (or lack thereof): I can see my feet because my belly does not loom out in front of them. The feet I see are not ridiculously swollen.

Self-diagnosis: I am not nine months pregnant. 

Then why have I moved my stove away from the wall in order to sweep and scrub underneath? (so sorry that I wasn’t able to capture the “before” of that scene for you- yuck!!!) And while my shower curtains are in the washing machine, I’m deep-cleaning my coffee maker with vinegar.

Perhaps this is normal behavior for some of you, the ones who attend the Type-A Mom Conference and are giving out homemade Christmas gifts. But generally I spend Tate’s naptime in a nap of my own…

I’m going to chalk this up to a bundle of Christmas energy, stifled by Tate’s icky cold. My shopping list looms in front of me but dragging him through the mall doesn’t seem like a good choice for him, me or anyone else that we would infect there. Instead, I’m shopping online with the sweet scent of vinegar wafting through the air…

Photo Courtesy:
rhett maxwell

The other day Tate was wearing one of my stocking caps and decided it was fun to pull it over his eyes while riding his rocking horse. I snapped a photo because it was cute.

Little did I know that this would morph into his favorite new game.

With no disrespect intended to anyone with vision impairments, I call this new game “Blind Boy”. Here’s how you play: Mom puts the hat over Tate’s eyes. Tate gets upset if it’s not down far enough and makes necessary adjustments. Tate walks away from Mom with his arms outstretched, seeing what he can bump into.

I promise that Tate made up the “rules” to this game. All I do is put on the hat when he asks. Okay, I might have started asking if he wants to put on the hat because it cracks me up. But he loves it and doesn’t get upset about bumping into things. Don’t be fooled by the falsetto “mama” over and over again- that’s normal for him.

The next two clips are more of the same. Feel free to watch based upon how funny/messed up you think this is, or how much you need a Tate fix (Hi, Aunties & Uncles who live far away!).

What’s the funniest game your kids have come up with?

Most parenting literature advises against any television or computer viewing for children under the age of two. I know some parents who never have the TV on when their child is in the room, but we sure aren’t that disciplined. Tate saw some peripheral Food Network and Project Runway, not to mention that I was frequently emailing or online while nursing him.

Then right around the time that he turned one, a new study revealed that TV in moderation wasn’t so bad, and it also wasn’t so good (i.e. educational programs won’t boost your kid’s IQ).*

I jumped on the bandwagon (just as I did when they decided that peanut butter was okay again), and every so often when I’m wiped out, we plop down on the couch together to watch something on PBS or Nickolodeon.

Well, at least that’s what I would like to do. When I suggest watching TV, Tate gets excited and says “oooh, oooh, oooh” like a monkey, for Curious George. Other than the day he was completely lethargic from the stomach flu, Curious George & Sesame Street are the only shows that hold his attention. After a few minutes of Arthur, Kai Lan, Martha Speaks or anything else, he’s off running again.

So do you think George or Sesame are EVER on when I want some quality couch time? No, never! I’ve actually considered getting TiVo just so that I can have them at my beck and call.

But now, finally, I’m getting the point of my post…Tate and I were having a snack today and flipping through the Fisher Price catalog. I asked “Who’s that?”, thinking he’d notice the Ernie toy. He has an Ernie figurine and loves it. Instead he noticed the Elmo toy and said clear as a bell, “Elmo!”

What?! He’s seen Elmo on TV twice at the most in his life. We have no Elmo dolls, no Elmo books, no Elmo artwork in his nursery. And come to think of it, his ooh-oohs show that he tuned into that famous monkey about as readily.

That, my friends is marketing. They know, those children’s TV geniuses, what our children like. I’m not at all saying they’re evil geniuses, but they definitely know what they’re doing- how to connect with our children and how to make them fall in love. 

It makes me a little nervous, frankly.

What do you think about TV for your kids? Love it? It’s great in moderation? Hate it? No TV in your home? I’d love to hear how you’ve handled the issue with kids of all ages.

*PS – When I Googled the televsion study, it turns out that the focus was more on the “it’s not going to boost IQ” than on the “it won’t harm them” side. This post (with a few swear words, sorry Mom!) from DaddyTypes makes me think I bought into the Baby Einstein marketing this time. Maybe I need to look into that peanut butter thing again too…

Photos Courtesy:
jsmjr
creativedc

Are you hosting a couples baby shower? I’ve never been to one, but if done right, it would be a fun way to include both parents in the preparations for baby’s arrival. Rather than just adding men to what is typically an event for ladies, though, take some extra consideration in your planning. 

Not to be stereotypical, but the cucumber sandwiches and mini quiches might not be so welcome with a co-ed crowd. Go for something a little more substantial (translation: meat!).

Likewise, I know at least my husband would groan and roll his eyes at the average baby shower game. You could either skip the games altogether, or check out these sites for ideas that might go over a little better with the guys:

My favorite at Creative Baby Shower Ideas is the Stroller Obstacle Course. How fun would that be?!

On a Yelp message board, I saw this fun idea from Kristin C: It’s a variation on the newlywed game, where the husband and wife have to guess each others answers to questions about their child. For instance, how many diaper changes will the baby need in a day? When is our child first allowed to date?

And no shower would be complete without an adorable invitation to draw in the guests. As with all of our products, you can customize the colors, font and text. Tip: mention all the MEAT you’re having at the shower. There’s also a folded-card version of this design and you can view all of the shower invitations online.

Have you already hosted or attended a couples baby shower? What worked? What didn’t?

Maybe it’s because I’ve lived most of my life in the Land of 10,000 Lakes, but I think the best way to enjoy a hot summer day is out on a boat. The breeze is cooling and the water below begs for my toes to be dipped in.

My boat of choice is a canoe, but paddleboats, motorboats, pontoons or big fancy yachts are all acceptable. I think the connection to the water is what makes me love this little boy birth announcement. The crisp blue and white lines are anchored by the blue band at the bottom, with a cute little duck to finish off the look.

Or how about this sweet one, with your baby’s name and birth details riding along the waves.

As summer nears its end, I hope you’re able to get out on the water a few more times. Even if it’s just in the inflatable kiddie pool out back!

When I learned that I was going to the BlogHer convention, I asked my husband if he wanted to come along. It went something like this: would you like to watch Tate for two days at home, or in Chicago? Given his love for Chicago-style hot dogs and pizza, it was pretty much a rhetorical question. We were even able to go down early and have a family day before the convention began.

We’ve been to the Windy City enough that I didn’t feel the need to do any research ahead of time. Instead, as we drove, we tossed around some ideas, trying to figure out what might work with a 17-month old.

Around 11pm, we pulled into our hotel, and thankfully Tate transferred easily into his pack ‘n play to finish the night’s sleep. He was so well-rested, in fact, that he woke up at 5:30am. What a fun travel companion!

Our hotel was the Ambassador East (only affordable via a deal on hotels.com!) – old school elegant, not super kid-friendly, but a great location. After walking to breakfast at The Original Pancake House, we made our way over Michigan Avenue. Unfortunately, none of the stores opened until 10am and it was barely even 8. Suddenly I regretted my lack of travel research, which should have been on “early-morning things to do in Chicago”. We strolled along the Lake Michigan beachfront for awhile before heading back to a big playground just a block from the hotel.

After the too-early wakeup, all three of us took a morning nap. Our plan was to visit Shedd Aquarium later in the day, knowing that Tate would love all the fish. By the time we got our Giordano’s pizza, though, we needed to head west to meet our friends for dinner. (Even leaving the city by 3pm, we sat in rush hour traffic. I really don’t like driving in that city!) The aquarium will have to wait for our next trip.

While I was at the convention, the boys’ adventures included a trip to the Lincoln Park Zoo and of course a Chicago hot dog lunch. (Focus on the “thumbs up” in the photo, not the frown.)

Have you been to Chicago with your family? What do you like to do there?

Photo Courtesy:
infreshions

My husband’s family has been attending the same family camp in Colorado for over 30 years – what an amazing tradition! This was my second time there, and Tate’s first. Many of the families go the same week every year, so there are long-term relationships. It’s fun to hear stories about my husband as a teenager from his friends there, especially as they’re all now bringing their own children to camp. 

I was pregnant last time, in the exhausted first trimester stage, so napped a lot, went to bed early and didn’t do too much hiking. This time I was looking forward to a lot more activity, but uncertain as to how that would work with a 17-month old.

Horseback Riding at Family Camp

My worst fear was being stuck in the basement playroom all week while the rest of the camp was off hiking, fishing, and playing games. Thankfully I had a little attitude adjustment before we left, remembering that a normal day for Tate and I is more or less in a playroom. This one, though, would have new (to us) toys, and be in a beautiful mountain setting with family and friends all around. Plus, someone else would be cooking our meals and doing all the dishes!

The other great thing about family camp was the opportunity for all three of us to be together. At home, it’s pretty common for one of us to take care of Tate so the other can run an errand, get some sleep or just have a break. With a full week together, no “to do” list, and help from grandparents we were able to enjoy family time and even some time for just mom & dad.

Tate loved being around all the other kids, especially his cousins. He seemed to really grow up in just a week. The playroom was indeed a big hit, but so were the pool and waterslide, bowling, and hikes in the stroller (go BOB!).

Do you have a family camp tradition? How does your family get away from the daily grind?