Daddy Dolls

My cousin, Steve, is leaving for Iraq soon. His wife, Christy, ordered a "Daddy Doll" for their daughter and "Daddy Dog Tags" for their son. Using pictures, the doll is a lifelike, hugable subtitute for Daddy while he is gone. The company was started by two military wives targeting military families, and although that is still their focus, the dolls, pillows, dog tags and other products can be great for any child missing any person for any reason. It has already helped my cousin's little girl sleep through the night while her dad was away at training.

Ian is too young to need a product like this, but if Curt ever has to back when Ian is older, I would definitely look into it.

Breastfeeding through Illness

Curt, Ian and I are recovering from a 36-hour bug that flattened us. It started Monday when Ian was very clingy and refusing to eat. Of course we had family pictures and Ian was not cooperative. As soon as we got home, Ian threw up. Curt started to feel ill a few hours later and then I woke up inthe middle of the night with it. Yesterday, we were destroyed. We couldn't even stand up, All Ian wanted to do was nurse. This was a little annoying, but we could just lay down and nurse which kept him occupied. He felt a lot better than we did yesterday. Today, we are all better, though still eating limited amounts and Ian is still clingy. Just in time to go to Jamaica tomorrow!

Ian Loves Mary J.

Mary J. Blige that is. My soon-to-be 15 month old son does not care about Elmo or Dora or Thomas the Train, but he has a definite thing for Mary J. Blige. It started this summer in Cairo as I was preparing for the packout. I was trying to work and Ian was following me around and fussing until Mary J. Blige came on Oprah. He stopped dead in his tracks and started watching the tv (which he never did before) and dancing. They play the same shows on the various AFN channels so hours later as my sister was flipping through, the same Oprah show was on and again, he stopped and danced.

Now, Mary J. has a new i Pod commercial and he is doing it again. Today, he was fussing for milk and as I was preparing to nurse, the commerical came on. He jumped off and danced his way towards the tv.

So, Santa is pre-ordering the new Mary J. Blige cd for Ian.

14 Months Old!

Dancing on tables, moving chairs so he can continue to dance on tables, saying, "Uh, oh!" as he drops food on the floor, playing the cymbols with cymbols, playing the cymbols with any two objects he picks up, putting things away (and taking them out and putting them away), building immunity by sippy cap swapping madness. He has been busy.

He handed a remote to a little girl in playgroup, that is like an engagement ring from him! Another little girl grabbed him by his shirt and almost lifted him off his feet. Her mom and I think they should get married. My boy needs a strong woman. He finally learned to back down the stairs by watching other kids do it at McDonald's Playland.

At the Zoo

We went to the Zoo on Friday with Kara and Ian. It was a gorgeous day, but since it was a school day in November, the Zoo was empty.

Ian and Ian with the Goats:

Ian and Ian looking at the Gorilla:

Halloween

My friends Shelly and Iliano sent Ian a Middle Eastern outfit. We paired it with the stuffed camels Curt collected from the Hayatt in Jordan and instant Halloween costume. Ian was Sallah Ali, owner of racing camels. We met Sallah Ali while visiting Shelly and Iliano in Qatar. Though we skipped Trick-or-Treating, Ian had several opportunities to wear it including the October Breastfeeding Support Group Meeting, the Erie Hip Mamas Halloween Party and Halloween Playgroup.

Side Benefits of Kindermusik

My friend, Anne, told me to enroll in Music Together. As I have loved each and every one of her suggestions in the past, I searched for a program in the area. Unfortunately, the closest one is in Jamestown, NY, though the Montessori in the Woods is considering starting a program for older toddlers. While searching for Music Together, I found 4 local Kindermusik teachers including one on my side of town. We tried it out and loved it. It is very well-structured and paced. Sure, the singing on the cds sounds like those flimsy records I used to get in vacation bible school as a child with either unearned vibrato and/or breathiness due to singing higher than one's ability, but when you sing over it, it isn't that bad.

However, the best thing about the class is that the kids take out and put away all materials throughout the class and Ian will now put things away at home! It is great because he is into everything. Being able to tell him to put something away makes life easier, especially when trying to get out of the house. Of course, he is only 13 months old, so he still makes a much bigger mess than he cleans up, but this gives me hope.