funforkids

Happy Halloween to all!  I hope you are all gearing up for a wonderful day of costumes and candy!  As I dropped my five year old off at school this morning I took a good look at the vast array of costumed kids heading into the school yard.  Seems to me that Batman, Spiderman, The Hulk, and Joker were the top boy costumes in our area. There were a few Pirates of course because what is a Halloween parade without a good old pirate?  The girls arrived as the ever popular princesses:  Cinderella, Ariel, and Snow White, and the true POP PRINCESS:  Hannah Montana.  There were a few ballerinas and a Wonderwoman or two added to the mix as well.  Later on they will march in the “Munchkin Parade” around the school as all of their parents look on and take pictures. As I took all of this in, I thought about Halloweed as it was when we were kids.

     Do you remember when we 30 somethings were kids?   Our costumes came in a cheap box with a sheet of cello as a window which showed a cheap plastic mask and a measly plastic (shower curtain-like) costume tucked behind it.  The boxes made a ton of noise when you opened them.  There wasn’t much of a selection back then–For the life of me I can’t remember what characters were available.  Do you?  Perhaps Fred Flintstone or the Smurfs?  I remember one year my mom made me the cutest Cheerleader Outfit (I was in fifth or sixth grade) and I had really big, professional-type pom poms ( no jokes please).  There were a few angel costumes and devil costumes made as well.  I am still stuck on those boxed costumes though—Someone please leave a comment and let me know what are choices were back then!   I am also curious to know how much mom and dad paid for them back then.  Having shelled out about $60 for two Batman Outfits this year I long for the old days when costumes were less extravagant!  However, I also remember those stupid masks being sharp and digging into my face when I wore it, so from a comfort standpoint I am glad that my boys won’t have permanent grooves in their faces as I lay them down to sleep tonight.  That is if I can even get them to lay down after all of the day’s excitement and after they crash from the sugar.  I hope your Halloween is fun.  Be safe, and God Bless.   =)

     I was fowarded this great website by a friend and thought it should be passed on to everyone.  I know it is sort of morbid to send something like this around but as a parent I want to know where DANGER LURKS in my neighborhood and the neighborhoods that surround me.  The site allows you to put in your address and then shows you information on the residences and work places of any and all registered VIOLENT and SEXUAL offenders.  The site is very informative and very useful.  It is also very scary because there are so many offenders out there.  FIND OUT IF THERE ARE ANY OFFENDERS IN YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD NOW!  Here is the link as it was passed on to me: 

www.FamilyWatchDog.us

“When you visit this site you can enter your address and a map will pop
up with your house as a small icon of a house. There will be red, blue
and green dots surrounding your entire neighborhood. When you click on
these dots a picture of a criminal will appear with his or her home
address and the description of the crime he or she has committed.
The best thing is that you can show your children these pictures and
see how close these people live to your home or school.”
This site was developed by John Walsh from Americas Most Wanted. This
is another tool we can use to help us keep our kids safe.
Please pass this on to everyone!!!
Many thanks to CHRIS —a corrections officer for keeping us informed.

The leaves are beginning to fall.  It’s that time of year again; time for the boys to chose their Halloween costumes and then change their mind about what and whom they’d like to be the minute you get the costume home.  Once again it’s time to rake endless piles of leaves in the yard that will either be blown away by the wind or scattered by the small bodies of my children before I can even bag them.  Once again, it is time to plan our yearly trip to WhitePost Farm in Long, Island, NY where we will pick out our pumpkins, go on a hay ride, sing along with the cowboys, take train rides, and end the day picking out new Halloween decorations, caramel apples for the boys and some pie for daddy.  Once again it is time to go trick or treating, to stop by the houses of our favorite friends, family members, and neighbors for special treats.  Once again it is time for moms and dads to go through the day’s treasure when the kids aren’t looking and throw out, stash, or eat half of it.  Once again it is time to practice the phrase:  “You’ve eaten enough candy for today.”  Some day all of these moments will be  memories of years gone by and I will miss them.  Some day I will look back on them with a tear or two of nostalgia, but for now, it is Autumn again and things couldn’t be sweeter.   

This morning in an attempt to get some actual housework done, I let the boys play in my closet.  My closet is located under the stairs and therefore creates a wonderful dark crevice in which boys can play many discovery-type games.  Armed with two mini flashlightsnthey went exploring and found “a treasure map” (an old bill for my wedding photos) and “treasure” (a box of old pictures).  They put on my winter hats and then told me they needed to dig for more treasure.  “Where’s my axe?” the eldest said.  Good Lord, now I need to go unearth the old costumes and find his fireman axe.  I took a minute and stopped folding the laundry to help them find some exploration tools.  WE came up with a pirate watch, and a box of wooden tools which included a hammer for each of them.  As I folded the laundry outside the door I listened to them hammer and talk about what treasure would lay beneath.  It was so cute to listen to them using their imaginations and playing so nicely.  Little guy following his big brother’s every direction just like a true first mate.   

      I would like to officially congratulate my cousin Jenny and her husband Bob on the birth of their son:  Robert William.  The baby is doing well and is rumored to be absolutely gorgeous and healthy.  Mother, Father, baby and big brother Zachory are all doing well and are overjoyed to welcome baby Robert into their home, lives, and hearts.  We all wish them well and can’t wait to see lots of photos.  I for one, have already gotten my tissues ready because I know I will burst into tears when I see his little body in his mommy’s arms.  God Bless the new grandparents too:  Debbie and Billy, Joann and Bob, and Nanny Marie. 

     My song for my oldest boy is Michelle Branch and Carlos Santana’s “Game of Love”.  When I was carrying Ryan “Game of Love” was constantly on the radio, and on the vh1 countdown.  I LOVED that song.  I would get so excited when it came on, I would dance and sing around the house with my pregnant stomache in all of its glory.  One day while singing it and bopping around I got a little bit embarrassed–as if I had been caught by someone while acting dopey.  I turned around to the door and there was no one there.  No one physically anyway.  But I felt the presence of my grandmother and I felt silly and I felt myself blushing.  Strange isn’t it.  I really felt like she was with me though.  It was a happy feeling, at the same time as being embarassed.   As the months passed and as Ryan grew inside my belly, he became more active.  Each time “Game of Love” came  on he would kick like crazy.  It was almost as if he was going off of my positive vibe or something, or perhaps he just liked the beat like his mommy.   The days grew longer and he had not shown himself yet.  I was admitted into the hospital and they were going to try to coax the little guy out.  Good luck.  Two days later, although I was having contractions, he still had not made his debut.  He was heading/facing the wrong way and my doctor decided we needed to manipulate him a bit.  While pushing on my stomache—splat, the water broke and the doctor’s face changed from happy to “Oh shit.”  I thought water breaking was a good thing, but apparently, because he wasn’t in a good position it meant we had less time and there was more stress for the baby.  “Cheryl, I have to do a c-section,” he said.  I was nervous.  I was scared to death, but I wanted my baby to be okay so off I went.  The room was freezing while the nurse explained what was going to happen.  The doctor will tie your arms down to these metal arm rests, he will pinch you around the area that he plans to cut and make sure you don’t feel anything, if you feel something tell him immediately she said.  Good LORD!  I was shivering with fear and shivering from the cold metal beneath my arms, my legs, my back.  I thought, I can’t stop shivering-why am I shivering so badly?  I watched everyone around me, I listened to the music that was playing and I thought, wow, that’s pretty loud for an operating room.  It was a Sting song that believe it or not had been a song that my husband used to play when we had dinner at his apartment.  What a coincidence.  That was the only song that I took notice of and I kept wondering when they would start.  My husband rubbed my head and asked if I was okay.  Yes I nodded as I continued to shiver and as I wondered, when the heck are they going to start.  “You’re doing great Cheryl, I am almost done here, your doing great.  We’ll be done in a minute…”  WHAT!!!!  Done????  “You cut me open already?”   “Yes, your baby is coming.”  What happened to the preparation–tie my arms down, pinch me—that was some chance you took!  Then came the crying, the first sounds of my new baby.  “Here he is” the doctor said, “He looks great!”.  At the moment that my Ryan came into the world I suddenly took notice of the music again–   “Game of Love” was playing as my doctor placed Ryan on my chest and I looked at him for the first time.  Tears just ran down my face and I couldn’t believe what had just happened.  It was so surreal.  I was still shaking, and I was freezing and here was this new life that I was responsible for.  My husband standing at my side was saying how beautiful he was.  He had tears in his eyes as he looked upon his first child.  I held him for a minute and then they took him from me to check him out and to make sure all was okay.  I  couldn’t see a blessed thing beyond the cover, all I could hear was my Ryan crying, he sounded like an angry cat.  So, that’s what a baby sounds like straight out of the womb.  His crying was drowning out the music now, and I had no idea what they were doing.  I wanted to see him.  I didn’t get a good look at him.  What did he really look like?   I wanted to get up and pick him up, I wanted to sing to him and soothe him–but I couldn’t.   My husband Tom came back to me for a second to see how I was.  “I’m okay, how’s the baby?”  “He’s good,” he said, as he looked over at him while the nurses stamped his little foot prints on a hospital card.  “Do you have anything you want to put in/on his crib?”  they asked.  “What do you mean?” Did you make a sign with his name on it or have pictures of yourselves that you want taped outside of his crib?”  “I didn’t know I was supposed to…”  ”It’s okay, we’ll decorate it for you.”  Already I was feeling blue.  =(     Was I ready for this?   The doctor had finished up with my procedures and congratulated me.  He gave me a kiss on the forehead (I love my doctor) and said he would  be in to see me in the morning.  The music was still playing as they moved me from the operating room table onto a softer bed.  It was a while before I could be placed in a room and I heard the nurses talking about the spread that had been put out for NEW YEARS EVE.  I was given a cup of ice chips to nosh on and the left me by myself.  My husband had been with me for a few minutes but I had sent him off to call everyone and deliver the news.  I continued to shake for a long time.  Why was I still shaking.   The song was still playing in my head and I wondered how my baby was.  About a half hour later they brought Ryan to me and asked me if I wanted to breast feed him.  “Yes, I want to try” I said.  She showed me how and it came so natural.  He latched on quite easily.  The moment I held him again, I stopped shaking.  The icey chill was instantly gone and my body felt the warmest tingling sensation that I have ever felt.  It was a feeling like no other.  Words could not and still can not describe the feeling.  I felt like he was healing me.   We spent a half hour or so together and then they took him to the nursery.  When my husband returned he said that he had seen him in the nursery and that the nurses had made a name sign for him and put stickers on the crib.  In big bold letters it said: RYAN.  I couldn’t wait to hold him again. 

Here’s another favorite video of both of my boys.  It is often found blasting from the computer speakers as I yell:  TURN IT DOWN DADDY IS SLEEPING!  I guess it’s just one of those songs that you need to blast.  We found this one while we were looking for Ben 10 Videos on YouTube.  It is amazing what you can find on YouTube.  The original video is with a gummybear which I was going to post here but some of the moves he makes are a bit too sexy (LOL) for the average gummy bear–I have seen a lot worse, but rather than have people yell at me for posting it, I am refraining!  This one is a few scenes from BEN 10 which is one of their favorite shows.  The best is when my 3 year old tries to sing it on his own–too cute for words.  He never really gets all the words correct but he has the beat down and you can’t help but laugh.  I hope your kids like it too.  There are versions of the song in all different languages which you can find on youtube.  To see the sexy moves of the gummybear go to youtube and search gummybear song.  Enjoy the music and the choreography.  Please let me know of any funny Child safe videos you think would be great here too.

    My youngest is three.  When the day is done and he has had his bath.  When he is smelling so sweet and his hair is impeccably combed.  When he is cute as a button in his toddler pjs—I love him most of all.  We choose the stuffed friend he will sleep with, and hold each-other close.  I cover his face with kisses and hug him tight.  We say our prayers and thank God for our family and friends, our health and the many blessings we’ve received.  Sometimes I lay beside him so he knows that he is safe and loved.  Other times I stand in the center of his little boy room and just sway from side to side and sing in his ear.  For some reason my song for him has always been:  “Close to You”, by The Carpenters.  Kind of a strange song for a mom to sing to her baby boy–I know, but the words have always spoken to me a great deal and it has always been a favorite of mine.  I guess it was the first song that came to mind when I started swaying with him when he was born.  I looked into his beautiful blue eyes and realized that he was my sweetheart and  I began to sing:  “On the day that you were born the angels got together, and decided to create a dream come true…” and I guess the rest is history.  He now requests the song when he is feeling extra mushy and I am more than happy to sing it for him.   I am no Carpenter, but apparently, he doesn’t mind.  I have included a link to the Carpenter’s video here.  Enjoy.

While writing an article on Chubby Checker’s “The Twist” for PNN, I was going through youtube looking for a video I could link to the article.  As always, my son came running when he heard the music and sat himself down upon my lap and had me go through a bunch of the golden oldies for him.  He has always liked James Brown’s “I feel Good!”  so I brought that one up for him.  Oh the harsh reality of video—Mr Brown was a bit scarey for him.  (You know that song:  VIDEO KILLED THE RADIO STAR!)  James Brown is of course a bit beat up looking compared to Mr. Chubby Checker, so I tried to find an alternative video of the song and found this claymation video.  THE LAUGHTER FROM SONS was NON STOP!  They found this video to be absolutely hysterical.  I am not too sure why–but then again, I have a different sense of humor than most people anyway.  So I thought I would start posting some of the great things we find on you tube here with a little introduction to them and why we like them.  My five year old has now taken to dancing like this eerie Clay guy and just cracks himself up as he dances.  He laughs so hard that he can’t even do the steps.  I sense a phone call from a teacher in my future–  I have already told him to refrain from singing at the top of his lungs and performing the moves in school.  I can only pray for the best.  I hope you like the video as much as he does.

       PAJAMA SAM

About 6 months ago my husband picked up the Pajama Sam 3 video game as a reward for my five year old. We had never heard of the character or the games but it looked cute so we dowloaded the cd onto the computer and my son and I sat down together to play it. Good Lord, it is a good thing I sat down with him to help him because the deductive reasoning skills you need to play it are fierce. In Pajama Sam 3 “You Are What You Eat”, Pajama Sam must navigate his way through situation after situation using what he finds along the way to help him out.  Here’s the problem-You need to figure out what is useful and what is just a prop.  I don’t know who was more frustrated, the five year old or myself, but we sat there for hours trying to work our way through each situation that arose.  Once we got the hang of how the game worked though, we began to really make head-way.  We high fived each other and let out WOO HOOs! when we figured things out.  It took us about three days to finish the game–I had to drag him away each night and promise to pick up again the next day.  The concept of the game is that Pajama Sam must unite all of the food groups before an all-out war begins as each one thinks they are the most important.  Sam must find each food groups delegate throughout the village and rescue them from what ever little situation they are stcuk in and then bring them to the peace conference.  Its pretty complicated for a five year old (its pretty complicated for a 37 year old too) but some how, my son figured many of them out on his own once I showed him how to rescue the first two characters.  There are a few alternating scenarios so once you solve the game the first time, you can play it again with different rescues.  It really is an adorable game and we loved playing it together.  At this point, he can figure it out on his own, and I love that it taught him how to think things over.  He is always so proud of himself when he rescues someone–especially when he figures it out for himself.    If you have extra time to spend with your child this is a great game to invest in as it is wholesome, educational and truly challenging fun.  Don’t expect to be able to leave them playing it alone until they get the hang of the process though, it takes some getting used to.  Happy playing.  =)