As a child, I never passed up the opportunity to perform in front of other people. At family gatherings I would don my tutu and tap shoes, and dance my way across the fireplace hearth. So it's not much of a stretch to imagine that my little boy will be anything but a wallflower. Daniel has loved music since he was a newborn, and he especially enjoys music class with its movement, incorporation of props, and instrumentation. Until recently, however, he has been content to clap along with the music or rock back and forth a little bit (see post about musical Hallmark cards). It seems that he finally getting the idea of dancing.
For the past two nights, Peter has played The Police's greatest hits in our downstairs CD player. Peter keeps the rhythm on Daniel's plastic toy drum, of course. Daniel stands in awe of the music for just a moment. Then his upper torso begins to sway, along with his arms. Pretty soon, his knees are bent and he's bopping up and down with the beat. His little tush sticks out and his face remains serious. But he's definitely responding to the music!
I can't wait until he reaches the age of maximum dancing pleasure. It's the age my brothers were when they would each grab a sparkly glove and imitate my dance moves to Michael Jackson's "Thriller." Watching home movies of this spectacle is known to bring about both hysterics and the wetting of one's pants. I hope that Daniel never stops dancing, and that he'll permit me to dance alongside him for as long as my body will allow.
Thursday, October 30, 2008
Wednesday, October 29, 2008
Ignorance is...Just Ignorance
A pregnant friend of mine recently asked my opinion on childhood vaccinations. She had been speaking to her neighbor, who informed my friend of her hesitancy in following her pediatrician's "aggressive" vaccination schedule. She even told my friend about a woman she knew who was "anti-vaccine" because of the "dangerous link to autism." True story. I'm not making this up.
Sadly, it is ignorant people like this who are contributing to a growing health crisis in this country. I must admit, I have a very strong opinion on this subject. I don't mean to lecture or criticize, but I wholeheartedly resent those people who feel they know more than the doctors. We hear almost daily that there is NO PROVEN LINK between childhood vaccines and autism. In fact, more and more studies are released each year which further disprove this "theory." Yet, ignorance exists. I believe in personal freedom, but not at the cost of my child's safety and well-being. I recently heard about an outbreak of measles somewhere in the Midwest. Measles!!! The CDC hypothesized that the disease originated with a child whose parents refused the MMR vaccine because of its rumored link to autism. Because of the selfishness of those parents, other children were put at serious risk.
Daniel gets vaccinated according to the pediatrician's schedule. Whatever they recommend at a particular visit, I accept. I certainly don't presume to know more about it than the pediatricians do, and I truly believe that they have Daniel's best interest at heart. Vaccines SAVE LIVES. Period. I am not at all worried about autism. I'm a hell of a lot more concerned about measles, mumps, rubella, polio, hepatitis, etc.
Some people favor a "staggered" vaccination schedule, meaning that their children receive only one vaccine at a time in hopes of lessening the impact these vaccines have on the body. I think this whole staggering idea is trendy -- the word spread via the media because some know-it-all celebrity like Jenny McCarthy shot her mouth off and made a bunch of already self-doubting mothers even more anxious. I have no doubt that I am doing what is best for Daniel. You want statistics? He is a happy, expressive, inquisitive little boy. At the end of the day, that is all I need to know.
Sadly, it is ignorant people like this who are contributing to a growing health crisis in this country. I must admit, I have a very strong opinion on this subject. I don't mean to lecture or criticize, but I wholeheartedly resent those people who feel they know more than the doctors. We hear almost daily that there is NO PROVEN LINK between childhood vaccines and autism. In fact, more and more studies are released each year which further disprove this "theory." Yet, ignorance exists. I believe in personal freedom, but not at the cost of my child's safety and well-being. I recently heard about an outbreak of measles somewhere in the Midwest. Measles!!! The CDC hypothesized that the disease originated with a child whose parents refused the MMR vaccine because of its rumored link to autism. Because of the selfishness of those parents, other children were put at serious risk.
Daniel gets vaccinated according to the pediatrician's schedule. Whatever they recommend at a particular visit, I accept. I certainly don't presume to know more about it than the pediatricians do, and I truly believe that they have Daniel's best interest at heart. Vaccines SAVE LIVES. Period. I am not at all worried about autism. I'm a hell of a lot more concerned about measles, mumps, rubella, polio, hepatitis, etc.
Some people favor a "staggered" vaccination schedule, meaning that their children receive only one vaccine at a time in hopes of lessening the impact these vaccines have on the body. I think this whole staggering idea is trendy -- the word spread via the media because some know-it-all celebrity like Jenny McCarthy shot her mouth off and made a bunch of already self-doubting mothers even more anxious. I have no doubt that I am doing what is best for Daniel. You want statistics? He is a happy, expressive, inquisitive little boy. At the end of the day, that is all I need to know.
Monday, October 27, 2008
Daniel's First Wedding
There may not have been any smiles, but there certainly weren't any tears -- and for that, I am thankful. I'm talking about Daniel, of course, as he walked down the aisle at his Uncle David's wedding to Aunt Chandra. Everyone was nervous at the prospect. Some were even pessimistic that the boys would even complete the task they had been given. Daniel had taken a long nap that afternoon, however, so I was confident that he would be okay.
When it came time for Isaac and Daniel to enter the room, I was already up front by the Chuppah. I felt bad for leaving Daniel outside with Amanda and Leah, Val and Ray, and Chandra, the bride! Aside from keeping Isaac happy, I knew they'd be saddled with the task of keeping Daniel from running off before he even had a chance to walk through the door! I was told, much later in the evening, that Daniel had been so eager to enter the room that he wanted to go ahead of his Aunt Caitlin! I held my breath as the boys came into view. Amanda was by their sides, holding Leah in her arms. As Isaac took a reluctant step, she grabbed his hand. Daniel looked confused, as if he had been blindfolded and driven to a remote location, only to be left alone to find his way back home. Luckily, Peter's aunts came to the rescue. Aunt Carole and Aunt Amy took Daniel's hands and guided him to the beginning of the aisle. He didn't protest.
As the women steered the boys down the aisle, I began to get all choked up. It was an overwhelmingly emotional experience to see my baby boy walking down the aisle, looking so handsome. He was absolutely precious and serious as can be. Once he spotted my Dad in a chair next to the aisle, he relaxed. His Pop-pop extended his arms and Daniel reached up for him. He must have felt so relieved to see a familiar face in that sea of people! I was a proud Mommy. Daniel had successfully completed his wedding duties!
When it came time for Isaac and Daniel to enter the room, I was already up front by the Chuppah. I felt bad for leaving Daniel outside with Amanda and Leah, Val and Ray, and Chandra, the bride! Aside from keeping Isaac happy, I knew they'd be saddled with the task of keeping Daniel from running off before he even had a chance to walk through the door! I was told, much later in the evening, that Daniel had been so eager to enter the room that he wanted to go ahead of his Aunt Caitlin! I held my breath as the boys came into view. Amanda was by their sides, holding Leah in her arms. As Isaac took a reluctant step, she grabbed his hand. Daniel looked confused, as if he had been blindfolded and driven to a remote location, only to be left alone to find his way back home. Luckily, Peter's aunts came to the rescue. Aunt Carole and Aunt Amy took Daniel's hands and guided him to the beginning of the aisle. He didn't protest.
As the women steered the boys down the aisle, I began to get all choked up. It was an overwhelmingly emotional experience to see my baby boy walking down the aisle, looking so handsome. He was absolutely precious and serious as can be. Once he spotted my Dad in a chair next to the aisle, he relaxed. His Pop-pop extended his arms and Daniel reached up for him. He must have felt so relieved to see a familiar face in that sea of people! I was a proud Mommy. Daniel had successfully completed his wedding duties!
Tuesday, October 21, 2008
Child Development, Take Two
As an education graduate student, I was required to take a class on child development. Upon entering a real-life classroom environment, I quickly forgot everything I had learned. As a mother, however, I am living and breathing a daily, hands-on class in child development. The stages of development that I once had to memorize are now taking place before my eyes. It is really an amazing experience, especially when it comes to comprehension.
Daniel is 16 months old, and his vocabulary is pretty much where it should be. He speaks often, but what comes out is mostly babble. I could probably list about a half-dozen words that he knows, including Dad, doggie, sit, and his current favorite, "this." Beyond his spoken vocabulary, however, lies a vast universe of comprehension. I am constantly amazed by how much of what I say Daniel actually understands. For example, when I ask him to get undressed, he tugs at his shirt and pants. This might not be rocket science, but I think it's amazing. If I say, "Put the basketball in the hoop," Daniel will drop what he is doing, walk across the playroom, and do just that. He even claps for himself after he completes the task!
I will continue to challenge Daniel by giving him increasingly more complex directions to follow, and by conversing with him as I have done since he was born. I'm confident that his vocabulary will grow and improve with time, and I know that pretty soon he'll be the one telling me what to do!
Daniel is 16 months old, and his vocabulary is pretty much where it should be. He speaks often, but what comes out is mostly babble. I could probably list about a half-dozen words that he knows, including Dad, doggie, sit, and his current favorite, "this." Beyond his spoken vocabulary, however, lies a vast universe of comprehension. I am constantly amazed by how much of what I say Daniel actually understands. For example, when I ask him to get undressed, he tugs at his shirt and pants. This might not be rocket science, but I think it's amazing. If I say, "Put the basketball in the hoop," Daniel will drop what he is doing, walk across the playroom, and do just that. He even claps for himself after he completes the task!
I will continue to challenge Daniel by giving him increasingly more complex directions to follow, and by conversing with him as I have done since he was born. I'm confident that his vocabulary will grow and improve with time, and I know that pretty soon he'll be the one telling me what to do!
Monday, October 20, 2008
Back to School
Today was my first trip to Maple Glen Elementary School as a "visitor." I was no longer that third grade teacher out for the year on child-rearing leave. With Daniel in tow, I entered the building with mixed feelings of excitement and nervousness. I was eager to see my former colleagues and catch up on everyone's lives, but I was unsure about the reception I would get. Have I overstayed my welcome? Am I no longer relevant to those individuals I once commiserated with on a daily basis? Or would this reunion be warm and nostalgic, leaving me feeling sad to leave but satified with my decision to resign my position and stay home with Daniel?
For the most part, people were pleasantly surprised to see me. They asked about life on the outside and commented on how big Daniel had grown. Daniel behaved beautifully, batting his eyelashes at the ladies and goofing around with the men. We ran into a couple of my former students, though most of them have now moved on to the middle school. The students who were in my class the year I was pregnant with Daniel are now in 5th grade! They are so big! It really hit me how much time has passed since I was actually teaching. A year and a half seems like a lifetime ago.
Many things have remained constant. I will always get a warm reception from some people and a chilly one from others. The friends I had when I taught at Maple Glen are still my friends. Though we may go months without contact, we can pick up where we left off as if only days have passed. My third-grade colleagues will always be like family to me. We've seen each other through annoying staff meetings, PSSA stress, high maintenance parents, difficult students, and even relationship troubles and medical crises. That school will always hold a special place in my heart, but it's the people I miss most on a random Monday when Daniel is asleep, the house is quiet, and I yearn for some adult interaction.
For the most part, people were pleasantly surprised to see me. They asked about life on the outside and commented on how big Daniel had grown. Daniel behaved beautifully, batting his eyelashes at the ladies and goofing around with the men. We ran into a couple of my former students, though most of them have now moved on to the middle school. The students who were in my class the year I was pregnant with Daniel are now in 5th grade! They are so big! It really hit me how much time has passed since I was actually teaching. A year and a half seems like a lifetime ago.
Many things have remained constant. I will always get a warm reception from some people and a chilly one from others. The friends I had when I taught at Maple Glen are still my friends. Though we may go months without contact, we can pick up where we left off as if only days have passed. My third-grade colleagues will always be like family to me. We've seen each other through annoying staff meetings, PSSA stress, high maintenance parents, difficult students, and even relationship troubles and medical crises. That school will always hold a special place in my heart, but it's the people I miss most on a random Monday when Daniel is asleep, the house is quiet, and I yearn for some adult interaction.
Friday, October 17, 2008
When Good Intentions Go Bad
Today started out as a lovely day -- crystal clear skies, brisk autumn air, breathtaking fall foliage. After attending a MOMS Club meeting/Halloween celebration this morning, I decided to venture over to the King Of Prussia mall because I needed some things at Nordstrom. While I was there, I figured I'd stay for lunch with Daniel, thereby making it easier to put him down for his nap upon returning home. Boy, was that the wrong call!
Daniel has a had a slight cold all week, but it hasn't affected his eating or sleeping, so I thought he was well enough to be out and about. It's always a judgement call: Is a runny nose reason enough to sequester oneself inside the house? Today it wasn't. I could tell that Daniel was tired as we ran our errands, but I thought some food would perk him up. We got situated at the Nordstrom Cafe, and I fed Daniel some applesauce while we waited for our food to arrive. He seemed fine, scribbling on his placemat with a crayon and periodically feeding himself Goldfish from his Snack Trap. Perhaps I had made the mistake of ordering him a meal from the kids' menu. But you have to start sometime, right?
When his juice arrived in a sealed plastic cup with a big, plastic bendy straw, everything began to fall to pieces. Daniel was mesmerized by the cup, but didn't really understand how to hold it since it had no handles. When I tried to help, he freaked out. I allowed him to pull out the straw and play with it, but he only wanted to put it back in the cup and hold the cup himself. I was having visions of the entire cup of juice spilling in his lap, soaking his clothing, and forcing me to pony up $60 for a pair of pants from the Nordstrom kids' department. Not going to happen. So I took the cup away, causing him to burst into tears. The crying only made his already drippy nose worse. I couldn't pull out the tissues fast enough to keep up with his snot.
When he finally calmed down, I tried to encourage him to eat some food. He wanted no part of the fruit and cheese platter I had ordered him. I cut up some strawberries and placed them on the table. He turned up his nose. I managed to get him to eat some cheese, but half of it ended up in his lap or on the floor. He began to get frustrated, his irritation exacerbated by his clogged nose. He began loudly banging his sippy cup against the table. I took it away and, again, he cried. By that point, he was an unstoppable train wreck. He pulled the paper placemat off the table, sending pieces of strawberry and cheese flying into the air. I took a deep yoga breath.
After this little display of anger, he seemed to calm down. I put a cracker in front of him, and he actually took a bite! Then he began to cough. And choke. And gag. Can you guess what came next? Yup -- vomit, everywhere. Luckily, his bib and my napkins caught most of it. We were both finished with our lunch. I quickly cleaned him up, catching a sympathetic glance from the old lady at the next table. Once Daniel was back in his stroller, he was fine. He fell asleep in the car and transferred nicely into his crib once we got home. Phew!
As of 3:00, Daniel is napping peacefully and I'm relaxing in front of the computer. Of course, I could use a drink right about now.
Daniel has a had a slight cold all week, but it hasn't affected his eating or sleeping, so I thought he was well enough to be out and about. It's always a judgement call: Is a runny nose reason enough to sequester oneself inside the house? Today it wasn't. I could tell that Daniel was tired as we ran our errands, but I thought some food would perk him up. We got situated at the Nordstrom Cafe, and I fed Daniel some applesauce while we waited for our food to arrive. He seemed fine, scribbling on his placemat with a crayon and periodically feeding himself Goldfish from his Snack Trap. Perhaps I had made the mistake of ordering him a meal from the kids' menu. But you have to start sometime, right?
When his juice arrived in a sealed plastic cup with a big, plastic bendy straw, everything began to fall to pieces. Daniel was mesmerized by the cup, but didn't really understand how to hold it since it had no handles. When I tried to help, he freaked out. I allowed him to pull out the straw and play with it, but he only wanted to put it back in the cup and hold the cup himself. I was having visions of the entire cup of juice spilling in his lap, soaking his clothing, and forcing me to pony up $60 for a pair of pants from the Nordstrom kids' department. Not going to happen. So I took the cup away, causing him to burst into tears. The crying only made his already drippy nose worse. I couldn't pull out the tissues fast enough to keep up with his snot.
When he finally calmed down, I tried to encourage him to eat some food. He wanted no part of the fruit and cheese platter I had ordered him. I cut up some strawberries and placed them on the table. He turned up his nose. I managed to get him to eat some cheese, but half of it ended up in his lap or on the floor. He began to get frustrated, his irritation exacerbated by his clogged nose. He began loudly banging his sippy cup against the table. I took it away and, again, he cried. By that point, he was an unstoppable train wreck. He pulled the paper placemat off the table, sending pieces of strawberry and cheese flying into the air. I took a deep yoga breath.
After this little display of anger, he seemed to calm down. I put a cracker in front of him, and he actually took a bite! Then he began to cough. And choke. And gag. Can you guess what came next? Yup -- vomit, everywhere. Luckily, his bib and my napkins caught most of it. We were both finished with our lunch. I quickly cleaned him up, catching a sympathetic glance from the old lady at the next table. Once Daniel was back in his stroller, he was fine. He fell asleep in the car and transferred nicely into his crib once we got home. Phew!
As of 3:00, Daniel is napping peacefully and I'm relaxing in front of the computer. Of course, I could use a drink right about now.
Thursday, October 16, 2008
Go Phillies!!!
Daniel congratulates the Philadelphia Phillies for making it to the World Series for the first time since 1993!!!
Back in 1993, Daniel's Mom-Mom stood in line at Veterans Stadium for 6 hours to get World Series tickets. She was able to get only two tickets.
Daniel's Mommy went to Game 4 and stayed for all 14 innings in the misty October rain, watching Mitch "Wild Thing" Williams blow a save. The Phillies lost to the Toronto Blue Jays that night, as well as in the Series.
Hopefully, Daniel will someday attend a World Series game himself.
Back in 1993, Daniel's Mom-Mom stood in line at Veterans Stadium for 6 hours to get World Series tickets. She was able to get only two tickets.
Daniel's Mommy went to Game 4 and stayed for all 14 innings in the misty October rain, watching Mitch "Wild Thing" Williams blow a save. The Phillies lost to the Toronto Blue Jays that night, as well as in the Series.
Hopefully, Daniel will someday attend a World Series game himself.
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