The bike meltdown.

The old bike.

I’ve known for a while that the kid needed a new bike.  I wasn’t really in a rush to get him one but I knew the purchase was eventually coming.  At least 3 times a week I try to take the kid on a bike ride or a walk after dinner.  I let him choose and 10 times out of 10 he wants to ride his bike.  This was totally fine for use until…… The kid’s friends live down the street from us so we invited them on our after dinner ride.  Once their mom accepted I asked her what kind of bikes they had?  She said they had toddler bikes.  I was prepared for the worse.

The day had come for us to have our play ride date and the kid and I started out to his friends house.  The ride there was totally fine and we were all good.  Once we got there and they pulled out their bikes the Chernobyl style meltdown started.  He cried because he wanted “that” bike.  He refused to ride his bike because it was a baby bike (according to the kids), he insisted on taking turns so he could be on the big bike, I could go on.  I had to convince him to get on his bike and that I would get him a big boy bike for his birthday which was in 2 weeks.  He agreed and decided to race the big boy bikes and he was ok when he was winning.  Once the big boy bike won the meltdown started again.

The new big boy bike!

I knew this was my fault.  I knew this was going to happen and I should have insisted on walking instead of biking until I could get his new bike.  After we made it through the longest bike ride ever, I went home and found the kid a new bike.  His grandmother who had not purchased his birthday gift yet decided to purchase the bike for him.  Score for grandma!

To say the kid loves his new bike is an understatement.  I am so happy that we will no longer have epic meltdowns.  At least over bikes.

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Reason number 468 you need to keep an eye on your daughters lol

have cash, need a pretty girl!

This morning my friends sent me a link to this site called misstravel.com.  I immediately burst into laughter.  When I stopped laughing I realized that this appears to be some sort of legal unspoken prostitution.  In my opinion.  The site offers free travel for “attractive people”, while it does not specifically say women only, I’m sure it’s majority women.

I know that being pretty opens lots of doors for us as women.  It’s one many tools that we get to use to chip at the gender imposed glass ceiling.  I don’t however like when banking on your looks becomes a job.  Sites like this are an encouragement to that thinking.

If all these men with disposable income chipped in to start some scholarship funds imagine what good they could do!

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The guilty kid free vacation.

maybe if i keep staring at the pics from my sans kid vacation it will give me the mom balls to do it again.

Taking a vacation has never been my strong point.  Even before I had a kid I was not a huge vacation taker.  I started my career fresh out of college and I’ve been a workaholic ever since.  Since my job requires me to travel so much I’ve learned to squeeze in some fun time wherever I could so while it wasn’t vacation it was a bit of enjoyment.

Fast forward 10 years and even with a kid I still don’t vacation.  I feel to guilty to leave him with someone while I’m off laying on the beach having a virgin mojito.  I do realize that it would be much harder to enjoy my lazy sun soaking if I have a 3 yr old throwing sand at me which I am 100% certain my child would do.  I find a way to include him in almost all of the trips I have including the work ones.  I just hate being without him.  My friends and family did force me into a vacation without the kid last year for 5 days and while I did love it, I missed my little bear.

certainly couldn’t swim to shore with the kid in tow.

I am now faced with the vacation dilima again.  My current job doesn’t allow vacation days to roll over.  Once you hit a cap you stop accruing vacation days.  I hit that cap last year and didn’t even know it!  I absolutely have to take a week or so off or I will find myself in the same position again.  I just don’t know what to do or where to go.  I do not want to take vacation days just to sit around the house and do nothing.  As wonderful as that sounds, a vacation is not a vacation unless it involves a beach or a cabin.  If I could get both that would be heavenly.

What to do?  What to do?

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Traveling with the kid, 5 cities 4 days.

My job requires me to travel quite a bit and when I can, I take the kid with me.  This time we had to do a quick Michigan run, then we were off to Toronto to go visit his new cousin and my new nephew!

6:50am flight!

 

We started on a Wed with a 6:50am flight.  I could have kicked myself for making my flight that early but I had a 10am in Detroit so that was my only option.  The kid was up and at em like a pro.  He was in the taxi before I was and was yelling for me to hurry or the plane was going to leave us.  We got to the airport and he whizzed past security check while questioning every person in line as to where they were going and why.  When we got on the plane he asked the lady in the aisle seat if she was going to go to sleep because he was and that is what you do on planes.

hotel keys and fruit stirps make for a happy kid!

We arrived in Detroit in one piece and immediately hit the ground running.  First meeting was at 10am, the kid behaved for the most part.  Next up I had a noon conference call during which time I thanked GOD several times for the mute button.  The kid was acting like a wild banshee in our hotel room.  After the noon call we had a 1:30pm meeting back in the city so off we went.  We finished that meeting and hopped in the car for a 4pm in Saginaw.  This was the time for the kid to decompress and take a nap.  That he did. Our 4pm turned into a 5pm dinner which was fine by me since the kid was still sleep until we pulled up to the restaurant.  Dinner was done and we headed back to Detroit.  The kid watched Thomas the whole way back.  Score for me and my awesome dvd selection!

Day 2

The kid doing some sight seeing in Lansing. This is Magic Johnson’s high school.

We headed to Lansing for a 9am breakfast meeting in which my kid believed that Cracker Barrel was his own personal toy chest.  We left with a toy of course.  We then headed to Flint for a noon lunch meeting.  I gave the kid his Japanese dvd so he could at least practice something educational during our 90min drive.  Once we got to my station in Flint I discovered it was take your kid to work day.  That meant that the kid needed to make the other kids present his subjects and try to create as much havoc as possible.  Clearly this was a huge distraction for my meeting not to mention that every woman who walked by interrupted my meeting with offers to purchase the kid.  I almost took the 4th offer, she seemed nice.  I finally powered through my meeting and we hit the road again.  On our way back to Detroit it was imperative I stop by Neiman Marcus last call.  This was going to take some behavior bribing and a good nap.  Once I hit the road the kid knocked out which was perfect.  By the time we got to Neiman’s he was still sleep, so we sat in the parking lot until he woke up.  I made some calls, sent some emails, it was a much needed break.  When he woke up I promised him Gelato if he behaved while I shopped.  After 6 stores, some new shoes, and clothes for the both of us, we got our Gelato and headed back to the hotel.  I asked the kid what he wanted for dinner and he said “hotel food”.  Exactly what I wanted,  it was room service and lights out!

knocked out!

Day 3

We had a 10am meeting in Detroit which he behaved for and then we hopped in the car to head to Toronto.  5.5 hours of Thomas on repeat was enough to make me never want to see or hear a train of any kind ever again.   Once we arrived at my sister’s house things were a bit less hectic since we had no meetings to go to or strangers to entertain.  We ate, we played with the baby, and we slept.

Day 4

We ate, we played with the baby, and we slept.

The gelato bribe:-)

Day 5

Back in the car to head back to Detroit to catch our flights back to Chicago.  The kid slept the whole way to Detroit so I was able to play my offensive music as loud as I wanted and we made it back to Detroit in 3 hours.  Weird, but I was thankful!  After returning the rental car I discovered that I really do not like the kid’s car seat.  It is cumbersome and very difficult to carry.  I made a mental note to return it.  We’ll see how quickly I get that done.  We made it back to Chicago, and as soon as we got home we hit the couch to take a nap!

I am so proud of the way the kid handled this trip (for the most part).  It was a hectic schedule and most of the people we met with were strangers to him and he held it together.  We really on had one meltdown and one episode of “I do what I wanna do, you are not the boss of me”.  I would say that is pretty darn good for a 3 year old!  He has earned himself another roadtrip:-)

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So the $800 cobra lamp…

I missed the memo that said lamps would cost as much as couches.  I am looking for a new table lamp and nightstand.  I decided to look on the Gilt lamp blowout sale and I found the lamp made from cobra skin.  In real life snakes scare the piss out of me but on a lamp I’m not really that mad at the cobra.  Its not my particular style but I liked it enough to look at the price tag.  It is on sale for $549.00 it was originally $849.00.  Yes, eight hundred forty nine American dollars.  Yeesh!

I am back on the hunt for a cool lamp.  We will not be spending $600 on a snake hide that is going to eventually creep me out or get sticky from kid fingers touching it.

www.shopturtlepie.com

The kid, myself, my job, and spring break.

baseball trainer and Sandy Lagoon Waterpark

This week the kid is out of school for spring break.  This does not excite me or him.  I work from home so I will at least be thankful that I do not have to pay for childcare for him for the week he is out.  With that being said, I work from home!

The challenge is being able to effectively work while he is running around like a wild banshee and screaming in the background while I am trying to make calls.  Today while I was on the phone he took the phone and ran because he wanted to talk.  Luckily the person whom I was speaking to didn’t mind entertaining him.

I knew his spring break was coming so I tried my best to stay ahead of the power curve.  I figured I’d get all of my information needed to work early in the am, then we’d go to the museum, aquarium, zoo, ect after naptime.  Well, that all went out the window when At&t decided to take down a wire by my house leaving me internet and phoneless.  Monday was a total wash.  Today is catch up day and I’m going to pray tomorrow goes better.  I have a speaking engagement in the morning that he will have to accompany me to, fingers crossed he doesn’t run out on stage.

My other backup just in case we couldn’t stick to the itinerary I planned was to buy him yard “stuff” so I could sit out back with him and work while he played.  Best idea yet, right?  Wrong!  It was 80 degrees all last week and this week it is 50!  The kid and myself don’t do very well with cold.  I asked him if he wanted to go outside and he said “nooooooooooooooooo mommy it’s to windy”.

Since today is just Tuesday I’m going to pray for better balance the rest of the week.  I refuse to sit him in front of the TV while I work, which would totally keep him quiet mind you.  I just don’t think that is the best I can do.  Last resort sure, first resort absolutely not.  I have a conference call at 4pm so I do know that he will be sitting in front of the TV during my conference call.

I’ll keep you guys posted on how this goes.  It should be interesting….

 

www.shopturtlepie.com

follow me @phnewfula

We find another way to help us to the top of the fattest countries list->Doritos Locos Tacos

I just don’t have to much to say about this except for ewwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww.  I cannot even imagine putting this in my mouth.  Sad thing is I’m sure teenagers everywhere are racing to Taco Bell to grab this up for $1.29.  As a lover of real tacos I’m insulted!

Doritos Locos Tacos

 

We have got to do better……

Just in case you cared to know the top 50 0bese countries.

The lessons taught and learned from a pineapple

the simple complexity of a pineapple

To most of you this may look like an ordinary pineapple.  To me this tool to teach and an opportunity to get over a childhood fear.

Many, many, years ago my family was on vacation in Subic Bay, Philippines.  As a lover of all fruits tropical being in the Philippines was like my paradise buffet of fruits.  I ate mangoes every single day I was there, we were even able to pick some off of the trees and eat them right away!  We took a trip to the market and I had a coconut.  I loved coconut so I was super excited to see the man whack off the top stick a straw in it and hand it to me.  After that first sip I realized I did not like “coconut” what I liked was the sugary flaky stuff my mom bought from the grocery store.  I had zero interest in the watery non sugary substance I was drinking.  My dad who is of the waste not want not school of life insisted that the coconut be cracked open and I eat the meat.  The meat was just as bad as the damn water and I wanted no parts of any of it.  I knew that my dad was going to make me eat it anyway and he did.  The next day we saw a man selling pineapples.  I know for sure I loved pineapples so this was great!  I watched a man break down my pineapple with some sort of unsanitary machete looking knife and I was ready and waiting.  I ate my pineapple as soon as he handed it me.  Halfway through the bag my mouth was on fire, I was getting citrus burns.  Once again my good old dad tried to make me eat the whole pineapple.  My mother saved me once she saw that I had actual real tears and I was in pain.  From that day on I have been very leery of eating a fresh cut pineapple.  I can still feel that pain.  I will eat pineapple fried rice, pineapple cupcakes, pineapple ice cream, I will even down a virgin pina colada with fresh pineapple but to eat a fresh cut pineapple has been a task for me ever since.

the kid's lunch. he was so excited to have some fresh pineapple

The kid is my gastronomical twin.  He loves what I love and he loves pineapples.  When we were in the store he asked if he could have one.  He wanted a whole pineapple.  I got it for him for two reasons. One, I was pleased that he realized that the cut up pieces of fruit that he eats actually came from this whole fruit that he had never seen in our house.  Two, I felt it time to get over my fear of fresh pineapple.

Last night we broke down the pineapple together and he was delighted as he watched me cut it.  He ate about 4 pieces as soon as I got the knife through them.  Me, on the other hand I was still to scared to try it.  I took one bite of a small piece near the core and was satisfied with my progress.  All that ghost pain immediately came back.  All I can say is I tried.  I didn’t let the kid see me sweat.  He has no idea that his mom is scared out of her britches of fresh pineapples:-)

www.shopturtlepie.com

Let the style wars begin! The kid vs mom.

My solidaridy with the kid in rainbootness. Mind you it was 80 degrees outside:-)

the first thing @missjillscott said to me was "why do you have on rainboots" lololol

The kid is now getting to an age where he has an opinon about what he wants to wear.  I knew this day was coming and I’ve been open to his gradual request to  wear what he wants.  He went through a rainboot phase where all he wanted to wear were rainboots and I let him.  To support his creativity I too would wear my rainboots even if it wasn’t raining.

the kids summer vans collection ’11

Recently, I’ve been laying his clothes out on his bed for him to dress himself and when he comes out of his room he has on a completely different outfit than what I’ve laid out for him.  Most times it does not match at all so I will allow him to keep one component and I will change the other to match what he picked.  Yesterday he asked me for some shoes that light up.  He has been after a pair for a while and I finally had to break it to him that he would never get a pair.  I cannot do light up shoes for the kid.  I know they are cool and kids like them but I do not and I think they are very, very, very low on my toddler style totem pole.  I prefer for the kid to dress like a little man.  I do my best to keep him out of kid looking clothes with the exception of a few character pieces.  His footwear is very similar to the male versions of my athletic footwear.  I keep him in vans and converse, his dad buys him nikes and addidas neither one of us are buying anything that lights up at all, ever!   I feel bad because he is 3 and he wants light up shoes but I believe if I give in then Marc Jacobs and Alber Elbaz will punish me by putting out another serious of fabulous bags and shoes that I can’t afford.  I am in no position to create bad fashion karma.

the mutually pleasing T-Rex vans

My compromise was to let him pick out a pair of shoes that he wanted.  The key was to take out all of the shoes that light up from the search query.  He settled on a pair of T-Rex vans.  That’s my baby!  In the end we all win:-)

www.shopturtlepie.com

Is expensive really better? The $300 booster carseat debate.

The kid has made his transition to toddler car seat finally.  I loved his Britax Roundabout so much that I just intended on getting him another in the booster car seat.  I started poking around on the Babies R us website and I noticed the huge pricing difference in booster car seats.  Some are as little as $30.00 where others are pushing $300.00.  The one I wanted was right in the middle and on sale for $95.00.  I did a comparison between my car seat and the $30.00 car seats and on paper they seem to do the same thing?  Mentally I just felt like if I were buying a $30 car seat then I wasn’t purchasing the best possible one.

Britax toddler booster seat

I had decided on my Britax booster until I saw the Clek Oobr!  It was $300 of fantasticness!!!  They even have it in a Paul Frank print which I decided against.  I wanted the black one for the kid.  I did a comparison for the Cleck and the Britax and the Clek has a LATCH system which sold me.  I had mentally decided that I was going to get the $300 car seat.  Once my financial self caught up to my mental self I took it down and notch and redid my comparison.  The Britax didn’t have the LATCH but all of the safety rankings were just as high as the Clek and it came with two cup holders!  Score for me!  No more “mommy can you get my milk”.  The Cleck also lost out in the fact that it weighs 20lbs compared to 9 for the Britax.  We travel a lot and there is no way I can carry around a 20lb car seat.

the $300 Clek Oobr

Decision was made, I bought the Britax.  Now that I have had it for 3 weeks I want the damn LATCH system!  I think I might end up getting the $300 car seat.  I’m going to go by Babies R Us and hope that maybe I have it installed wrong and after they tighten up a strap it’s a steady as a car seat with a LATCH system.  I’m very spoiled, that LATCH system is the greatest and super secure! I just don’t want to have to spend and extra $200 on a heavier car seat that I originally wanted anyway lol.  At the end of the day no price is to much to secure my package.  We will just have to eat bean and cheese tacos until I recover form that car seat purchase!

developing……

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