Aquileo | Mama says...

Writing: Works for Me Wednesday

Wednesday, January 28, 2009

My oldest son doesn't care if he's grounded or given extra chores (which is often extra work for ME), or even stuck in his room with no toys.

But, he hates handwriting with the white-hot heat of a thousand suns. (He still adamantly insists he will have no use for cursive skills, ever.)

Guess what works for me?

(...and can you see why I make him practice handwriting everyday?)

For more Works for Me Wednesday, check out Rocks in My Dryer.

Labels: R, Works For Me Wednesday

posted by Milehimama @ Mama Says at 1/28/2009 10:25:00 AM | Permalink | |

Cheap is not Frugal: WFMW

Wednesday, January 14, 2009

My boys are hard on pants. I usually buy them at Sears, but they needed new jeans and our local Sears didn't have any in their size.

So I went to Target, and bought 3 pairs "to hold them over".

Big mistake.

Did I mention my boys were hard on pants?

These pants are three weeks old. Unfortunately, I can't find my Target receipt to take them back. I totally would - one pair busted through the knees after two days of indoor play.

Did you catch that? THREE WEEKS!

Sears has a program called KidVantage. It's free, and guarantees that if the clothes wear out before they're grown out, Sears will replace them, free. (Although Sears jeans seem to last a lot longer and I've never had to have jeans replaced.)

The KidVantage® Club offers the Wear Out Warranty. When your baby grows up and your kids clothing or kids shoes wear out before they are out grown, Sears will replace them for free.

You can only exchange for the same size, and if you buy Levi's you need to keep your receipt.

Whole-Knee Guarantee? Works for Me!

For more Works for Me Wednesday, check out Shannon!

Actually, now that I see the picture, I don't think those pants are the Target pants. The Target pants also wore huge holes on the cuffs in addition to the giant, gaping knee holes.

Labels: Frugal, R, Works For Me Wednesday

posted by Milehimama @ Mama Says at 1/14/2009 10:33:00 AM | Permalink | |

Whew, That Was Close!

Tuesday, December 23, 2008

Last night I was watching the Duggar's birth special. I convinced my editor to pay me to write it up, even though it's not a show we usually cover. Can you believe she had the baby last Thursday and they aired the footage 4 days later? Those editors must have been pulling doubles all weekend.

Mr R, age 10, was watching with me. At one point, Jim Bob and Michelle attend a natural childbirth class because, as they say, you can never stop learning. The instructor got a little graphic in her advice of how to use natural prostaglandins to soften the cervix. Without warning, I might add.

And then it happened. The ads came on and Mr R had a question.

Mr R: Mom, what was that word she said? What does that mean?

Me (hoping he's not thinking of "intercourse"): Uh, um, what word?

Mr R: Oh, I can't think of how to say it. You know what she was talking about?

Me (stalling): Cervix?

Mr R: No. Transverse. What does transverse mean?

Me (happily): Oh! That means the baby is sideways!

Whew! That was close!

Labels: children, R

posted by Milehimama @ Mama Says at 12/23/2008 11:39:00 AM | Permalink | |

Security

Monday, November 17, 2008

We live in a rental. Our door has two large glass panels in it, which I HATE because, IMO, it's not safe. How hard is it to smash the glass and flip the knob?

Today, my 10 year old son picked the lock on the front door. He's been at it over and over again, convincing my 4 year old to lock him out. She thinks it's great fun.

I think we're going to have to get a security chain, despite our security deposit!

Labels: Misc., R, V

posted by Milehimama @ Mama Says at 11/17/2008 01:02:00 PM | Permalink | |

Homework Hassles: Friday Fun

Friday, October 10, 2008

I just thought I would share Mr R's handwriting page with you. Can you tell it's not his favorite thing and that he gets distracted?

On the political front, I saw this on three different blogs yesterday. Check it out.

Labels: education, Friday Fun, politics, R

posted by Milehimama @ Mama Says at 10/10/2008 08:13:00 AM | Permalink | |

Me and My First Baby Meme

Thursday, September 25, 2008

Crystal tagged me...Mr R was my first baby.

I made a few changes for adoptive mothers...

1. Were you married at the time? Yes

2. What were your reactions when you found out you were pregnant/approved? disbelief

3. How old were you? 19. I turned 20 two months before Mr R was born

4. How did you find out you were pregnant/on the waiting list? I don't remember. I'm sure it involved a home pregnancy test. I do remember that the test had a special way to cut out the two lines so you could put it in a scrapbook, which I thought was absurd. I mean, it's a stick that I peed on!

5. Who did you tell first? Husband dear

6. Did you want to find out the sex? Yes

7. Due date/Expected arrival date: My due date changed often. June 17 - July 11. It was a strange pregnancy.

8. Did you deliver/meet your child early or late? 5 1/2 weeks early

9. Did you have morning sickness/anxiety? No. I never do!

10. What did you crave? Mexican food. Good thing we lived on the Gulf Coast of Texas! And split pea soup.

11. Who irritated you the most? My boss. I worked at a gas station across the street. At one point, I had to have emergency outpatient surgery and my boss called to demand I come in to work. She did offer to get me a chair to sit in. Husband dear quit my job for me.

12. What was your first child's sex? male

13. How many pounds did you gain throughout the pregnancy/while munching Fritos as you waited for The Call? Honest to Pete, I don't remember. Lots. My weight gain was enhanced by the bed rest and gestational diabetes. We didn't have much money, so we had an air mattress instead of an actual bed... 10 weeks of sitting on an airmattress made me want to never go camping again!

14. Did you have any complications during your pregnancy/complications with Red Tape? First, I got an infection that necessitated draining my lymph node in my leg. This involved sewing a rubber tube in for three days and was the most pain I've ever had (and I've given birth without pain meds 6 times!).

Then came the premature contractions. Terbutaline and bedrest for me! (had these with all but ONE of my pregnancies, and been on bedrest for 5 of them)

Then came Gestational Diabetes (had 6 times now). Hard to manage on the terb and bedrest.

I was going to the hospital about once a week when contractions wouldn't stop on their own at home. Mr R was born early after one of these visits - my blood pressure got waaayyy too high and they decided to induce (after spending 2 days on meds to stop labor. Fun times!)

15. Where did you give birthmeet your child? Port Lavaca, TX

16. How many hours were you in labor/between The Call and holding your new child? I first felt labor pains on May 23. Mr R was born on May 26. Although two days were spent injecting me with all manner of evil in an attempt to stop labor.

17. Who drove you to the hospital/airport/office? Husband dear. Although I walked home (we lived across the street) because we didn't have a baby car seat!

18. Who watched/went with you? Husband dear

19. Was it vaginal or c-section (no adoption alternative here. Sorry)? vaginal

20. Did you take medicine to ease the pain/self medicate to calm your nerves? They finally gave me a spinal, but Mr R was born 20 minutes later so it didn't "take" yet. Oh, and it was a failed spinal that was horrible. Headaches for days!

21. How much did your child weigh? 6lbs 10 oz. And he was 5 1/2 weeks early!. Thanks, GD!

22. What did you name him/her? Named after his two granfathers. R - M. One is the patron saint of catechists. One is an angel who the patron saint of policemen.

23. How old is your first child today? 10 years 4 months

I'm supposed to tag five mommies - Eeny, Meeny, Miney, Mo... I choose:

Wait... how can I pick just five? I will have to discriminate based on geography.

I go for fellow Texas moms:

...But, really, anyone can play along! Leave your link in the comments!

Labels: Meme, R