Olivia had a fun time with the Knight family in San Diego over the weekend. She visited her great grandparents and her great aunt and uncle. She flew down with her grandparents and met Spencer and Julian, who had driven to San Diego via the coast.
One of the highlights of her trip was a trip to the San Diego zoo, where she saw pandas, giraffes, elephants, and hippos (her favorite.)
One of the downsides of the trip occurred while they were looking at the Desert Rat exhibit. One of Olivia's shoes fell off and fell into the rat cage. Oops. As people familiar with Olivia know, she LOVES her shoes. From the second the shoe fell into the cage, she cried 'Shoe.' She was so inconsolable that Spencer had to carry her kicking and screaming 'Shoes, Shoes' from the park (apparently, 1.5 miles back to their car in the parking lot.) Poor Spencer is exhausted from carrying her with one hand and pushing the stroller with the other. (Too bad he didn't think of leaving the stroller with Julian and the other kids until he was 1/2way out of the park.)
Monday, July 27, 2009
Saturday, July 25, 2009
How much is a RT ticket to San Diego?
I dropped Olivia off on Thursday for a long weekend in San Diego with her grandparents. Spencer drove down the coast and had planned catch up with them on Friday, but got delayed and met up with them this morning. When I asked Spencer how Olivia was doing, he said "I think she's mad at me, she hasn't said a word since I've arrived." Which made me very sad. It was sad enough that she whimpered when I put her into the back seat of the car with grandma and grandpa, it was even sadder to see her wave goodbye from the back seat with a sad look in her face. Thinking that the normally talkative and social Olivia is speechless breaks my heart.
Tuesday, July 21, 2009
Olivia 7.21
Spencer is on vacation, and I promised him daily photos of Olivia while he was gone.
Here is Olivia with her latest find from Spencer's garden. Yes, we know we are supposed to leave the carrots alone. We couldn't resist.
A photo for scale.
I fought it, but resorted to electric babysitter when I had to respond to some requests from my office.
Olivia brushing her teeth.
A photo for scale.
I fought it, but resorted to electric babysitter when I had to respond to some requests from my office.
Olivia brushing her teeth.
Our last dinner out (really)
Okay, we are not eating out anymore. Not even a casual restaurant. You know how you go to restaurants and see the kids sitting quietly in their high chairs, maybe with a little food on their face? Well, Olivia is not that kid.
It's bad enough that she whines for soda if someone at the table orders soda (don't get me started. This is a debate between Spencer and me.) Now she has started whining/screaming for beer or any other liquid that arrives at the table.
A dinner out inevitably becomes an evening of taking turns walking Olivia around outside while the other person eats by him or herself. (Hmmm, eating out is starting to sound good -- the part where we get to eat by ourself, that is.)
It's bad enough that she whines for soda if someone at the table orders soda (don't get me started. This is a debate between Spencer and me.) Now she has started whining/screaming for beer or any other liquid that arrives at the table.
A dinner out inevitably becomes an evening of taking turns walking Olivia around outside while the other person eats by him or herself. (Hmmm, eating out is starting to sound good -- the part where we get to eat by ourself, that is.)
Sunday, July 19, 2009
Olivia's new hobby
Olivia's latest hobby is playing with fastex clips. She will fasten the clips on anything she can find in the house -- high chair, bike helmets, my backpack.
I was feeling aspirational (as I often do) and was thinking about what a cool idea it would be to buy a bunch of Fastex clips and sew them into a toy just for Olivia to play with. (I often have aspirations to sew things. Thank goodness I don't have a sewing machine otherwise I'd probably be living in a house full of sewing supplies but no started (or completed) projects. That's when I found this company. Apparently someone else's kid also loved fastening buckles.
I'm not going to spend $19.95 on this buckle toy though. Like most things, I suspect that the buckles will get old fast. And I'm confused how this can provide hours of entertainment if the kid can't unclip the buckles by himself or herself.
I was feeling aspirational (as I often do) and was thinking about what a cool idea it would be to buy a bunch of Fastex clips and sew them into a toy just for Olivia to play with. (I often have aspirations to sew things. Thank goodness I don't have a sewing machine otherwise I'd probably be living in a house full of sewing supplies but no started (or completed) projects. That's when I found this company. Apparently someone else's kid also loved fastening buckles.
I'm not going to spend $19.95 on this buckle toy though. Like most things, I suspect that the buckles will get old fast. And I'm confused how this can provide hours of entertainment if the kid can't unclip the buckles by himself or herself.
Saturday, July 18, 2009
The Joyce Blog
Should I continue maintaining this blog? We've figured out how to Skype with my parents, so we now have an easy way of getting the images of Olivia back and forth to the east coast grandparents. I'm kind of a private person, so am never going to share special family moments on this blog (the way that this blogger does) Olivia is past the point where there are any interesting milestones -- she's already crawled, taken her first steps, said a few words, learned how to feed herself, got her driver's license, and has been to the senior prom. Well, she hasn't done all of those things yet, but it's doubtful that I will write about those things on a public facing website (do I really want those ugly prom pictures to come back and haunt her later in life?)
I have to admit that the blog is a fun place for me to rant about the occurrences in my daily life (although 97% of the time I edit or delete my post in fear that the idiot at the grocery store will not only find my blog, but be the hiring manager at some job I am applying for 5 years from now.) And I do occasionally write humorous postings about parenting (although, I have deleted all of those postings in fear that people will think that I am a terrible parent or that my mom will call to scold me.) Did anyone enjoy last year's pear segment? My life really is that boring. And if it wasn't that boring, I probably wouldn't be posting it on a public facing blog.
Just as I was about to hit 'post,' my sister called to tell me that my mom and her both think it's cute that Olivia isn't scared of bubbles and loves carousels. So I suppose that I should continue keeping this blog, for now. And pear season is right around the corner...
I have to admit that the blog is a fun place for me to rant about the occurrences in my daily life (although 97% of the time I edit or delete my post in fear that the idiot at the grocery store will not only find my blog, but be the hiring manager at some job I am applying for 5 years from now.) And I do occasionally write humorous postings about parenting (although, I have deleted all of those postings in fear that people will think that I am a terrible parent or that my mom will call to scold me.) Did anyone enjoy last year's pear segment? My life really is that boring. And if it wasn't that boring, I probably wouldn't be posting it on a public facing blog.
Just as I was about to hit 'post,' my sister called to tell me that my mom and her both think it's cute that Olivia isn't scared of bubbles and loves carousels. So I suppose that I should continue keeping this blog, for now. And pear season is right around the corner...
Thursday, July 16, 2009
Olivia and Julian
Olivia loves to play with her big brother Julian. Julian took Olivia to visit some of his friends on Monday and they taught Olivia how to blow bubbles. When it came time to leave, I had to drag Olivia away kicking and screaming. She was beside herself with frustration and sadness the entire car trip home.
This past weekend, Spencer took Olivia and Julian to the Giants County Fair (at the parking lot of the ballpark.) Julian and Spencer took Olivia onto the carousel, which she loved. She loved it so much that she made Spencer ride a second time (at $5/pop, it was an expensive habit to develop.)
Julian is a kind and helpful big brother, taking care of Olivia and spending a lot of time playing with her. She is lucky to have such a great role model and brother.
This past weekend, Spencer took Olivia and Julian to the Giants County Fair (at the parking lot of the ballpark.) Julian and Spencer took Olivia onto the carousel, which she loved. She loved it so much that she made Spencer ride a second time (at $5/pop, it was an expensive habit to develop.)
Julian is a kind and helpful big brother, taking care of Olivia and spending a lot of time playing with her. She is lucky to have such a great role model and brother.
Monday, July 6, 2009
Olivia Turlington
We had heard from a friend that Ford Models does monthly open casting calls for child models. When I first heard about this, I couldn't wait to check it out. This is one of many activities that my single friends without kids can't do. Sure, they can climb mountains, sleep in on weekends, go for 100 mile bike rides, and sleep on planes, but they don't have access to the people watching that would go on at a child model audition.
I am picturing a room full of kids with runny noses wearing makeup and earrings and their overbearing stage moms. I am picturing talent scouts who got into the business because they thought they'd get to spend their days with leggy 20 year olds but were instead assigned to the 'Junior scouting' division.
Then I checked out the website and found the catch. 'Bring pictures.'
That caused me to take an objective look at some of Olivia's baby pictures. In hindsight, my parental bias is pretty clear. In many pictures of the 'cutest baby ever' (e.g., the one below), she looks more like an angry Korean man than the next face of Pampers.
Well, modeling is probably not in Olivia's future. But we are taking her for an audition for the film version of the short story "The Curious Case of Young Sook Park"
I am picturing a room full of kids with runny noses wearing makeup and earrings and their overbearing stage moms. I am picturing talent scouts who got into the business because they thought they'd get to spend their days with leggy 20 year olds but were instead assigned to the 'Junior scouting' division.
Then I checked out the website and found the catch. 'Bring pictures.'
That caused me to take an objective look at some of Olivia's baby pictures. In hindsight, my parental bias is pretty clear. In many pictures of the 'cutest baby ever' (e.g., the one below), she looks more like an angry Korean man than the next face of Pampers.
Well, modeling is probably not in Olivia's future. But we are taking her for an audition for the film version of the short story "The Curious Case of Young Sook Park"
Sunday, July 5, 2009
Sarah Palin, resigning?!?!
I was dismayed to learn yesterday that Sarah Palin was resigning. '30 Rock' is one of the finer programs on television, and the show certainly won't be the same without her.
Wednesday, July 1, 2009
BPA
The California legislature recently passed a bill outlawing BPA in children's toys and bottles. This prompted a media swell from BPA detractors and manufacturers.
One NPR commentator mentioned some studies (or hypotheses) linking excessive BPA exposure to early onset puberty.
I knew that BPA has been linked to some health issues, but didn't worry about it too much, thinking that Olivia was going to have a base level of exposure to environmental and other toxins being raised during this century and that I was willing to take a calculated risk in order to reduce my level of stress and daily neuroses.
But if I needed a kick in the seat to worry about BPA, the threat of early adolescence was it. Adolescence was tough enough for me (and my parents), I would do anything I could to prevent 4 extra years of adolescence.
We definitely used a number of non-BPA free bottles. Who would have thought that the $12 Phillips Avent bottles made in England had BPA? We also bought a number of the gimmicky 'simulated breast' bottles, and bought cheap bottles at the drugstore when we were late for daycare or dropping her off at her grandparents' house. (As I've commented previously, for as many baby stores as there are in Berkeley, it's hard to find one that actually sells baby supplies.) And I'm pretty sure that the daycare ladies have a stash of BPA bottles.
Ironically, the highest level of BPA exposure Olivia has had has probably come from my breast milk.
Stay tuned to this blog in about 9 years for the longitudinal evidence from one subject (who has also been exposed to pesticides, bovine growth hormone, and lead. Hey, we aren't running a controlled test here.)
One NPR commentator mentioned some studies (or hypotheses) linking excessive BPA exposure to early onset puberty.
I knew that BPA has been linked to some health issues, but didn't worry about it too much, thinking that Olivia was going to have a base level of exposure to environmental and other toxins being raised during this century and that I was willing to take a calculated risk in order to reduce my level of stress and daily neuroses.
But if I needed a kick in the seat to worry about BPA, the threat of early adolescence was it. Adolescence was tough enough for me (and my parents), I would do anything I could to prevent 4 extra years of adolescence.
We definitely used a number of non-BPA free bottles. Who would have thought that the $12 Phillips Avent bottles made in England had BPA? We also bought a number of the gimmicky 'simulated breast' bottles, and bought cheap bottles at the drugstore when we were late for daycare or dropping her off at her grandparents' house. (As I've commented previously, for as many baby stores as there are in Berkeley, it's hard to find one that actually sells baby supplies.) And I'm pretty sure that the daycare ladies have a stash of BPA bottles.
Ironically, the highest level of BPA exposure Olivia has had has probably come from my breast milk.
Stay tuned to this blog in about 9 years for the longitudinal evidence from one subject (who has also been exposed to pesticides, bovine growth hormone, and lead. Hey, we aren't running a controlled test here.)
Surfing the parenting web so that you don't have to
For lack of blog material, over the next few weeks I'll be bringing you highlights and my personal take of issues from the parenting web. On the many nights that I can't sleep and don't have the mental energy for anything more taxing than People Magazine, I turn to the parenting web.
We'll start with the first entry to SFGate Parenting Blog -- Judgmental Parent Roundtable #1 Leave your baby at home!
The great thing about the posts is that they are written to evoke comments from, uh, judgmental parents. As a bonus round, we also get comments from child haters.
My stance on the bringing kids to restaurants debate... Generally, we try to not bring Olivia to restaurants but for our own sanity more than worrying about other patrons. When we do dine out with her, we try to choose casual restaurants. And I try to leave a tip greater than 20% to compensate for the non-paying patron. Which probably still isn't enough given that the servers probably have to clean the floor after we leave in spite of my efforts to keep the food contained and pick up the pieces that I can get with the napkin. I can't stand the parents who think it's the servers job to deal with the mess their kids leave behind.
We'll start with the first entry to SFGate Parenting Blog -- Judgmental Parent Roundtable #1 Leave your baby at home!
The great thing about the posts is that they are written to evoke comments from, uh, judgmental parents. As a bonus round, we also get comments from child haters.
My stance on the bringing kids to restaurants debate... Generally, we try to not bring Olivia to restaurants but for our own sanity more than worrying about other patrons. When we do dine out with her, we try to choose casual restaurants. And I try to leave a tip greater than 20% to compensate for the non-paying patron. Which probably still isn't enough given that the servers probably have to clean the floor after we leave in spite of my efforts to keep the food contained and pick up the pieces that I can get with the napkin. I can't stand the parents who think it's the servers job to deal with the mess their kids leave behind.
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