All these recaps of last year pushed me to give you an update of some of my blog posts from last year..... Also, I've been wanting to revisit some of them with new statuses but am not savvy enough in blogging to post changes.
Bunks: We are all back to our own space. #1 in his own room and all 3 girls together. We disassembled #1's bunk bed into 2 single beds. We thought the illusion of the 2nd bed could double for the sofa request. No such luck. We're still looking for a solution for his room without being too and maintaining a creative flair. Each of the girls has gotten to personalize their bed with new linens, compliments of Grandma and Grandpa for Hanukkah. We're trying to accessorize to bring their choices together.
Sugar: We still have 1 gallon bags of "new" candy from Halloween in the freezer per child. #1 was motivated with M&Ms by his tutor and raw chocolate by his therapist. It's crazy how it makes his world go round and him so much more amenable. We have stopped allowing yogurt past after school snacks. With 20+ grams of sugar per serving, it was doing us a disservice. Now, fruit only after dinner. We still do donuts on Sundays before Sunday school. The go all sugared up, but then it's God's problem, right? The tough part is that Mom (I) am temporarily/possibly permanently gluten free. No donuts for me.
Schedules: We had #2 choose 2 of 3 seasonal sports to compliment the year-round taekwondo. Since she and her brother are within striking distance of their black belts, we wanted to focus only on it for a season. I am still torn with requests and interests of/by my children, friends and parents. Just today we were swayed into signing up for winter indoor soccer. My basic thought on this league is that it is expensive ($165-$190) for the short game only season. It's in small cramped gyms where it is hard to be a spectator. #3's dear friend and amazing coach pretty much begged and stalked us today to get us to sign up. Because we love her and him, we waffled and as soon as we can figure out how to get the late fee waived, will be signing up. Oh, the games are Sunday. Ugh, now we are paying for Sunday school and not going. Pfew, only 2 games have conflicts. Topic for the future is summer camp and camps in general....
Freedom: Not only did we let #1 go to practice twice a week with friends, but we are now having all 3 big kids come home by themselves 3+ times a week. The caveat is that #3 is always accompanied. #1 and #2 alternate who "has" to go with #3. We make sure in the morning that the wheels match up, meaning that if someone is on a bike, something similar in speed is with the partner. This plan has received concern based on situations in areas not our own. There have been abduction attempts near my folks, but I cannot let those deter my plan to give my kids some freedom. It is freedom that is not unplanned or unworried. There is no playing after school or on the way. I am home waiting 95% of the time. They do not have phones and can call from school before they head home if there is a problem. We have not had any problems. Future post is still going to be cell phones with kids.
Buckle up: #4 is now our only child in a booster seat. Funnily enough, when she is not in the car, #3 likes to sit in her booster. I guess it is always better when it is someone else's. #1 is now allowed to sit in the front seat for non-freeway trips. We've decided that the speed for these in town trips is low and the seatbelt isn't choking him.
Choices: Our same friends have had us over. Some others have asked us for help. Some Tuesdays I take 8 kids to school. Some other days, my neighbors take portions of my kids to school. We recently suspended our annual holiday party, but were able to pull-off a new year's chile-fest. Again, choices. #1 wants to go to sleep away, mucho expensive camp this summer. We are in conversations...no birthday party/present, etc... choices..
Health: A few runny noses, but no major illnesses. #1 is now taking vitamin D and all vitamins are self-serve on the table. #4 has to be monitored so she doesn't take too many, they're like candy to her. So, cod liver oil, sambucol (elderberry), vitamin D, a probiotic and enzyme are on the vitamin train. No flu shots and other than a suspected but negative case of whooping cough, we are healthy! We tried switching out gluten bread for non with a revolt. Now cinnamon bread is only for the weekends.....
Volunteering: Still a believer, still helping out in the class. On a bond oversight committee and working on neighborhood projects and saying no to everything else of the volunteer type.
Praise: I have been better, but not perfect. It's not easy to not react. It's not easy to connect without conflict. I keep trying to improve and communicate. It's all a mother can do, along with paying for therapy....
Gamey: No, Hanukkah did not warrant us an iPod touch for #3 or an x-box blah blah blah for #1. Boy have they been haranguing. I still don't see the benefit since we don't have time for the things we do have.
Charity: Same as before. Only cranky part was the in-class giving. Hanukkah was way early this year. We were done and gone with our in house part. 2 weeks later was the school portion. How crazy and time consuming. It all adds up. We ended up giving within the school to needy people we have never met, but couldn't give to people who have helped us throughout the year. We'll find a way for balance, somehow.
Piercing: I've heard we've inspired some friends to "let" their daughter get their ear pierced. Other friends have seen our place of choice and rejoiced. So far so good all of our recent piercings are healthy. We have slacked off on our cleaning regime. It's been a month, I feel like we're out of the danger zone. One more month to go and then we'll be hearing clamoring about more earrings. The girls are vying for some of my earrings. Uh-oh.
Planning: Oops, I forgot to look at the assignment packet that was given to #3 the week before break. Yikes, 3 big things due along with normal stuff, the first week back. Not a good mix with cranky kids who don't want to go back to school. We will find a way.
Showing posts with label piercing. Show all posts
Showing posts with label piercing. Show all posts
Tuesday, January 4, 2011
Thursday, December 23, 2010
piercing
No, this the title "piercing" doesn't refer to my daughters' blue eyes! It has to do with ear piercing. If I had my way, my girls, as babies would have had their ears pierced. Hubby didn't see things the same way. He felt they should be old enough to choose. Since he allowed me to be the naysayer for our son playing football, I'd let him have this one. Until this year, that is.
#2 (daughter #1) was interested in the concept at age 6, but decided to wait until she was 7, then 8. #3 always thought this sounded like a great idea and didn't want to wait until she was 8. #4 has been fascinated with "earrings", the sticky pretend type since she was 2. She never understood why they didn't stay on her ears and got stuck in her hair within 15 minutes. I felt this was as close to a consensus as we would get among the girls and took the opportunity to move forward with the idea with hubby.
I am not stranger to piercing. My most current piercing, 5 years ago, was a nose piercing. I was wanting to switch it from a stud to a loop for a while. I was also most impressed with the meticulous nature of where I had it done. Body Manipulations pierces with needles, is very careful in their placement and more sanitary than a hospital. This is where our journey would take us. Their website had even been updated with a kids tab explaining the necessary documents to prove they were my kids and the process.
So, on a rainy Sunday, after a piano recital, the girls and I trekked to the city. #4 decided she wanted to go first. #3 would go second. #2 was reluctant and wasn't sure if she would even have it done at all. She was worried it would ruin her tomboy image and that the boys would laugh at her. I reminded her that this wasn't permanent and she didn't have to have it done if she didn't want. She could go last and changer her mind at any time. I also decided to have a 4th piercing in my left ear and along with switching the nose piercing from a stud to a hoop, add a small stud next to it.
Friends I told of our intent weighed in with input. One set had a daughter that wanted to have them now, dad said 10 and mom said 9. I've seen it tied to behavior, by having it needed to be earned. I already misused food as motivation and didn't want to start with piercings. I think my mom was going to make me wait until I was 13 or 16, but when we were in Holland for a summer (where my dad was working), she had my ears pierced. I have no idea what made her changer her mind, but just remember that is when it was done. I also don't really remember when my 2nd set was done and my 3rd on my left ear. My last confirmation of my plan was when we met new friends with 2 daughters who had their ears pierced at the same place I wanted to take my group to. Other than saying no babies or marriage until after college, and legal year marks (16 to drive, 18 to vote, etc...), I 'm not one for birthday deadlines. I had no expectations for marriage by a certain date or babies by another. Life will impose its own plan as we go along.
For me, it was always a personal decision. I had an image in my mind of my piercings and how they would look on me. It was spurred by seeing piercings I liked on friends and peer imaging from there. It was similar to haircuts and color. Nothing impulsive, all very thought out. Some people keep their hair the same for years, I am not one of them. Some color their hair to look different, I have been known to add color. To me piercings are just another extension of self-expression. If my girls, and even boy for that matter wanted to pierce their ears, I was okay with it. Since this was their choice, hubby had to be okay with it too. And, at this point I got to pick the place and set the limits.
#2 (girl #1) was starting to try to negotiate. If I don't like them, and take them out, can I get the again in a couple of months? "No," I said, "It would be a couple of years before I'd let you do it again." All the girls watched as Jamison pierced my nose and ear. #3 decided to go next. #2 made her decision and went after her. #4 was busy being distracted by my phone. She went last. #3 left the area when #4 was being pierced because she was afraid she'd have to hear her sister cry. Both older girls sat straight, didn't flinch or utter a peep. #4 was a bit too wiggly and had to recline on the table to keep still. She's just a wiggly sort of girl, and this was no exception. She said, "ow," which is what I think the other girls were thinking, but got the job done.
At the end of 2 hours or so, #2 had tiny tiny blue gem studs. #3 went for tiny blue gem studs and #4 went for stainless hoops. The studs are the coolest things. They are titanium posts mounted to a small ball. The ball is the back and is put in the hole from the back. The gem inserts and snaps into the post. No pokey posts scratching necks behind these ears. No earring backs to be lost. The hoops are cool too. Small for an adult, perfectly sized for a 4 1/2 year old. Gone are the days of neosporin or hydrogen peroxide. No twisting either. Only touching them when you wash them with anti-microbial soap and warm sea-salt soaks twice a day. That's it.
Our timing was planned because it was no longer soccer season and was before baseball season. It was not beach season and only one girl was currently in swim lessons. So far so good. Only a few snags here and there. A bit of hair caught every now and again. We just have to make it to February and then we should be all set. They look awful cute and are so proud. It worked for our family. Hubby/Daddy even likes them and mine. And, No, I am not changing my mind on football for our son. Again, it's a family decision.
#2 (daughter #1) was interested in the concept at age 6, but decided to wait until she was 7, then 8. #3 always thought this sounded like a great idea and didn't want to wait until she was 8. #4 has been fascinated with "earrings", the sticky pretend type since she was 2. She never understood why they didn't stay on her ears and got stuck in her hair within 15 minutes. I felt this was as close to a consensus as we would get among the girls and took the opportunity to move forward with the idea with hubby.
I am not stranger to piercing. My most current piercing, 5 years ago, was a nose piercing. I was wanting to switch it from a stud to a loop for a while. I was also most impressed with the meticulous nature of where I had it done. Body Manipulations pierces with needles, is very careful in their placement and more sanitary than a hospital. This is where our journey would take us. Their website had even been updated with a kids tab explaining the necessary documents to prove they were my kids and the process.
So, on a rainy Sunday, after a piano recital, the girls and I trekked to the city. #4 decided she wanted to go first. #3 would go second. #2 was reluctant and wasn't sure if she would even have it done at all. She was worried it would ruin her tomboy image and that the boys would laugh at her. I reminded her that this wasn't permanent and she didn't have to have it done if she didn't want. She could go last and changer her mind at any time. I also decided to have a 4th piercing in my left ear and along with switching the nose piercing from a stud to a hoop, add a small stud next to it.
Friends I told of our intent weighed in with input. One set had a daughter that wanted to have them now, dad said 10 and mom said 9. I've seen it tied to behavior, by having it needed to be earned. I already misused food as motivation and didn't want to start with piercings. I think my mom was going to make me wait until I was 13 or 16, but when we were in Holland for a summer (where my dad was working), she had my ears pierced. I have no idea what made her changer her mind, but just remember that is when it was done. I also don't really remember when my 2nd set was done and my 3rd on my left ear. My last confirmation of my plan was when we met new friends with 2 daughters who had their ears pierced at the same place I wanted to take my group to. Other than saying no babies or marriage until after college, and legal year marks (16 to drive, 18 to vote, etc...), I 'm not one for birthday deadlines. I had no expectations for marriage by a certain date or babies by another. Life will impose its own plan as we go along.
For me, it was always a personal decision. I had an image in my mind of my piercings and how they would look on me. It was spurred by seeing piercings I liked on friends and peer imaging from there. It was similar to haircuts and color. Nothing impulsive, all very thought out. Some people keep their hair the same for years, I am not one of them. Some color their hair to look different, I have been known to add color. To me piercings are just another extension of self-expression. If my girls, and even boy for that matter wanted to pierce their ears, I was okay with it. Since this was their choice, hubby had to be okay with it too. And, at this point I got to pick the place and set the limits.
#2 (girl #1) was starting to try to negotiate. If I don't like them, and take them out, can I get the again in a couple of months? "No," I said, "It would be a couple of years before I'd let you do it again." All the girls watched as Jamison pierced my nose and ear. #3 decided to go next. #2 made her decision and went after her. #4 was busy being distracted by my phone. She went last. #3 left the area when #4 was being pierced because she was afraid she'd have to hear her sister cry. Both older girls sat straight, didn't flinch or utter a peep. #4 was a bit too wiggly and had to recline on the table to keep still. She's just a wiggly sort of girl, and this was no exception. She said, "ow," which is what I think the other girls were thinking, but got the job done.
At the end of 2 hours or so, #2 had tiny tiny blue gem studs. #3 went for tiny blue gem studs and #4 went for stainless hoops. The studs are the coolest things. They are titanium posts mounted to a small ball. The ball is the back and is put in the hole from the back. The gem inserts and snaps into the post. No pokey posts scratching necks behind these ears. No earring backs to be lost. The hoops are cool too. Small for an adult, perfectly sized for a 4 1/2 year old. Gone are the days of neosporin or hydrogen peroxide. No twisting either. Only touching them when you wash them with anti-microbial soap and warm sea-salt soaks twice a day. That's it.
Our timing was planned because it was no longer soccer season and was before baseball season. It was not beach season and only one girl was currently in swim lessons. So far so good. Only a few snags here and there. A bit of hair caught every now and again. We just have to make it to February and then we should be all set. They look awful cute and are so proud. It worked for our family. Hubby/Daddy even likes them and mine. And, No, I am not changing my mind on football for our son. Again, it's a family decision.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)