Dentacoys... Revealed

OK, I know you are dying to know what dentacoys are, so here is my daughter's description:

"It's what's in your eyes. It's kind of sweet. That's why I eat them. I wait for them every day, but you can't taste anything if you don't chop them."

So the answer is B: gound (a.k.a. "sleep", "crusties", or "eye boogers" found in the corner of your eyes when you wake up.)

I think "dentacoys" sounds better, don't you?

New Poll: Dentacoys

It's been a while since I have posted anything, so I thought instead of just telling you a cute story about my daughter, I would make it more interesting by conducting a poll.

She is never at a loss for words. She simply makes a word up if she doesn't know what it is. She's very creative.

Earlier this month, she informed me about dentacoys.Here are your choices:

Dentacoys are:
a) almonds
b) gound
c) uvula
d) autumn leaves

In case you are reading this post in a reader, the poll is on my blog site in the right hand column. Go there and vote. You can also suggest any definitions, as long as it's appropriate for a 5 year old to hear it.

I'll reveal the answer on Nov 1st.

What kids are really saying...

Mom, may I play with the tinker toys?

really means

Mom, may I play with the tinker toys, blocks, train set, road set, and their respective storage containers?

My kids are so deprived...

Of novelty stuff like cotton candy, for instance.

Today when our kids tried cotton candy for the first time, my three year old didn't want anything to do with it.

Granted, she has been going on an "I don't like this" by default stage right now, but she really seemed disgusted by the thought of tasting it. But you know, she has an aversion to dust and lint, so I think that explains her concern.

She did eventually taste it while ducking under the table. I wish I had the camera. And she did like it.

Talk to your kids about drugs...

...and what they tell you might surprise you.

My 7 y.o and I were going through his spelling list, with the word "drug" being one of them. As always, I asked him what he thinks the word means. He didn't know this one so I explained to him that a drug is another name for medicine. Then I proceeded to explain that drug is also a word for something that someone takes to feel good, but instead of helping their bodies, it can mess them up.

To which he eagerly responded, "like chocolate?"

Disclaimer: This post isn't intended to make light of the anti-drug campaign. I take that advice to heart and this is why this story came about. All ideas from my seven year old are of his own and does not necessarily reflect the position of his mother. :-)

A Little Christmas Fun

I hope you enjoy the music and video as much as I do.



You can also watch an animated version and listen to their music (the entire song, not just clips) on their website: SNCmusic.com

Three things I never thought I'd do as a parent

1.Tiptoe around the sleeping baby. There comes a point when you just want your baby to sleep and stay asleep.
2. Establish a routine/structure during infancy. Well, for the first couple of months, I don't really do this. Especially because I can breastfeed on demand. But I soon realized the need for structure in my home. Otherwise my son would be sleep deprived and hungry (and in the preschool years -- bored).
3. Bribe my kids with candy and sweets. I hope I won't get my registered dietitian status revoked, but sometimes a mom's gotta do what a mom's gotta do.

I'm sure there's more, but that's all I can think of right now. How about you?

Bill Cosby and smart choices

I haven't been as fluent in blogging these days, but the recent attention on the cereal companies' "smart" choices reminded me of this Bill Cosby clip.
Maybe there is a great calorie discrepancy, but the rationale is the same (except the obvious that Cosby was not being serious). Besides, I have wanted to post this video for a LONG time. Enjoy!

In the Age of the Dinosaurs and other funny things the kids have said this week

Scene 1 - J, 6 years old, and I are looking at the dinosaur exhibit page of our local zoo's website.

J: They have dinosaurs at the zoo?

Me: They're not real dinosaurs. They are just what they think dinosaurs looked like. People don't really know exactly how dinosaurs look because they have never actually seen one.

J: Has Grandma seen a dinosaur?

Me (trying to keep a straight face): No, she hasn't.

J: Well, wasn't she born back then?

Me (still with a straight face): No, she was born long after

J: But she's old isn't she?

(I did good and didn't burst into laughter!)


Scene 2 - At the dinner table. A, 4 years old, is quizzing me about meal times.
(on a side note, A often reminds me of Merry and Pippin - the hobbits from the Lord of the Rings - when talking about second breakfast. I think we have had a similar conversation before)

A: Mom, is it breakfast, then a morning snack, then lunch, then an afternoon snack, then dinner?

Me: Yes.

A: What comes after dinner?

Me: Dessert.

A: You mean it's Thanksgiving?

(come to think of it, the funniest things this boy talks about revolves around food)

Sweet Semantics

OK, well I am still on hiatus, but this comment from my 4 1/2 year old "veggie lover" just had to be shared (and doesn't take long to write up either).

Setting: Grandma is taking care of the kids one evening while mommy and daddy are out. Daddy instructs grandma that they can have a treat (a.k.a. watermelon) after dinner. We often use the term treat instead of dessert. Grandma uses the term dessert and brings out the watermelon...

A: Watermelon for dessert?
G: Yes, watermelon. That's the dessert daddy said you could get.
A: Cookies, chocolate cake... now that's what I call dessert!

And of course he eats the watermelon.

On the other hand, he considers watermelon a treat. But obviously treats and desserts are not the same thing. :-)

Some memorable valentines day moments

I am pretty random at celebrating Valentines Day. But when I do, it is usually something pretty silly. There have been some other memorable moments on this day, so why not write them here?

1996: A friend of mine felt sorry for me when he heard no one sent me a valentine. When I got home, I was met by a dozen ascii roses like this: @>-->--
... we've been married for 10 years now.
1998: Strung hearts off of the ceiling and wrote fun things on them. Played John Paul Young's "Love is In the Air" upon entering the room.
2002: One of the most fun valentines day was when I made heart-shaped cheeseburgers and played the cheeseburger song from veggie tales as my husband walked through the door.
2003: We ate Gyros at a small Greek "restaurant" (there are maybe thee tables), while watching the line to get in the Italian Restaurant next door.
2004: My 14 month old son started walking across the room, and even mumbled "I Love You".
2006: I was 4 months pregnant with my third child, and I hadn't felt her give me a real kick yet. On this day, while talking to my friend Margaret. I said, "I'm wondering if I should be concerned". Right then the baby kicked! Many times, and didn't ever stop!
2008: My sister-in-law presented Stan and me with a reservation at a local Brazilian restaurant.
2009: Yesterday, my 6 year old made a valentine after storytime and gave it to Ms. Anne, the children's librarian. Today my two year old presented us with a stomach virus!

Caution: Snow White is a Health Hazard!

Image Source: US Apple Association

I think the saying, "an apple a day keeps the doctor away" is not going to stick with my 2 year old daughter.

While watching Snow White, my husband brings some apples to us for a snack. My daughter holds on to her piece while she continues to watch the movie. When Snow White takes a bite from the apple, I happen to glance at my daughter. She glances down at her apple, back at the screen, then back down at her apple.

She then says, "I don't want this!"

It's that time of year again...

...when people make resolutions.

I'm not very good at that kind of stuff. I don't know if I've ever written down a resolution that I was able to fulfill. Maybe it is because I was really writing a wishlist, not a course of action. Not that there is anything wrong with writing a wishlist. (Maybe one day I will take those guitar lessons... I still want to.) Anyway, I wonder if that is why most people don't follow through on their resolutions, and in the end get discouraged.

As a dietitian, I cannot ignore the overemphasis on weight that new year's resolutions have. Even the retail industry has jumped on the bandwagon. From electronic stores to supermarkets, they all have something to help you "get healthy" this time of year.

So I figure I would shamelessly offer my own suggestions:

• Don't make your weight your goal. Instead, take a look at one lifestyle change that you think you can make. It's your lifestyle, not your weight, that makes you healthy.
• Break the change down into steps. Lets say your resolution is to cook from scratch more often. Instead of resolving to do it every day, try one or two more days a week than you currently do. Once you get comfortable with that, add another day, and so on.
• If necessary, put off the resolution until February or March. By then, you may not be as fogged by the self-imposed guilt that comes from eating holiday fare. Then your decisions may be better thought out and easier to implement.
• Don't wait until next January. Reflecting on improving a healthful lifestyle should take place more than once a year. Evaluate what is working and what is not. Don't just stop, find something that works for you and stick with it. If something is not working, then do something else. However, be realistic with this. Some changes take a while to get the desired result. I'm talking more about whether you are able to keep up with a change that you'd like, not whether that change is giving you the results you expected in two months.
• Be honest with yourself. Check your motivations for why you are doing what you want to do. Do you want to lose weight so you will feel better about yourself? Do you want others to feel better about you? Should your motivation really be tied to these things? And where does your health really fit into all of this? Will you be satisfied if you don't reach your personal goal, but you feel better and are actually healthier than when you started?
• Don't go on a diet.
• Remember, we are always learning something new. About ourselves, others, our environment, etc. Don't try and have it all together by year's end.
  
• Evaluate what is really hindering you from reaching your goal. Stress eating has become a new challenge to me. It is easier for me to remove the food as opposed the stress. Otherwise it can become quite the vicious cycle. My answer is to avoid having certain foods around the house (and oddly enough, I recently discovered that I can get the "kick" with celery! lol!) This way, I am forced to focus on the source of stress rather than compound it...
  

...which reminds me of the cycle of blah that I meant to post about quite a while ago:
Thankfully, my problem is not with ice cream.

By the way, I'd love to hear of your resolutions. Current or past, successes or failures. What did you learn from them?

Here's to a healthier year!

MPH, RD.

As I was writing a pretty serious email to some friends, my 6-year-old comes up snooping to see what I am doing. Looking at my signature file, he asked me, "Mommy, what does 'MPH road' mean?

I then attempted to explain to him what a registered dietitian was, but he left the room before I was able to regain my composure.

:-)

And while I am telling funny stories, my husband pointed out a really funny post at The Secret Life of Kat. Actually, this blog is a lot of fun to read all the time, but this post topped it off.

Too blessed

My sister-in-law was reading one of the books from my kids' extensive Berenstain Bears collection, called Count Their Blessings. It is a cute story about finding contentment with what you have.
When she was done reading the book to A (my 4 year old), she asked him:

"So, are you going to count your blessings?"
"No." Answered A.
"Why not?" asked his aunt.
"Because it will take too long."

Have a great Thanksgiving week. Count your blessings... All of them :-)

School at home

My oldest child officially started kindergarten two weeks ago. At home.

For years, I have wondered if I could really do this. It sounded like a great idea, but would it work?

I'm pleased to say that it is working out very well. Even better than I had imagined. I have been teaching him to read and write for a while now. Primarily because he showed an interest at an early age. But now we add science, language arts, math, etc. His favorite subject is science. He is always asking how and why about a variety of things. Now he is able to learn and discover more. I also like that I can work according to his abilities, and I can speed things up or supplement if he seems to be catching on quickly.

One of my biggest concerns was that by being my son's teacher, I wouldn't be available to others. Because I knew many homeschooling moms when I lived in North Carolina, I was quite aware of how busy they were, and I often was concerned that I may have been interrupting them. But now here in Ohio, the few moms I know are not homeschooling, and they also are very busy. So it was a misperception I was attributing to homeschooling moms when, in fact, it applies to all moms. Also, when I realized that a regular school year is about 36 weeks, and that there are 52 weeks in a year, I figured I could get the work done. To avoid getting overwhelmed, I spread the first week of school over two weeks. I even did an activity with him last Saturday, then this past Sunday he was bored and said, "Mommy, you haven't done any school with me today!"

And then there are the funny things he comes up with. My oldest is one who would fit the "think outside the box" personality. Here is a prime example for when I was teaching him about simile:

Me: "Pat is flat like a......."
J: "Cake"
Me: (thinking he was trying to say pancake) "Well, most cakes aren't flat, but what kind of cake is flat?"


(scroll down for his answer...)




J: A ginger cake that has been hit by a baseball bat.

I am so proud of him :-)

Partners in slime and other stories...

It's ragweed allergy season here and everyone but me has been congested. I've just been tired from successive interrupted nights, but for the most part, we have managed alright. Back in my daughter's first year, she had many colds. My youngest son also would get it and their noses were very productive. That's when I started calling them "partners in slime."

Well, a few minutes ago, my oldest son alerted me to my daughter's slimy nose. After I was done wiping her, my other son comes up to me and tells me he has a "sloppy nose" too.

:-)

I needed a good laugh.

Cutting corners: Chunky Meatballs

One of my boys loves meatballs. Although it isn't hard to make, it can be time consuming so we haven't had meatballs in a while. Lately, he has been requesting meatballs pretty frequently, but when I go to the store I always look at the meatballs there but I can't get past the sodium content and the fillers in them (that don't like some of us). And it really isn't that hard to make. So I set off to find a solution online to make the process a bit faster. I came across a suggestion on a forum to put the meatball mix in a pan, bake until firm, then cut into squares. When you add the squares to the sauce, the corners break off and become meat balls. I figure it was worth a try.

The result: it wasn't as neat as meatballs. They were pretty chunky, but they tasted the same and my little boy didn't care about the shape. He still called them meatballs. So now meatballs are back on the menu.

Oh, and I had to include this video, which I also found during my web search: Note you can't do this with chunky meatballs :-)

At least I know he's listening...

My 3.5 year old was asking his daddy for something specific when daddy teased him by saying, "Why don't you get a job, go to the store and get us something?"
The boy responded, "No, I don't touch anything at the store!"

I wish :-)

This week in review...

This is a quick one as there haven't been as much buzzing around in the nutrition world. I think there may have been some noteworthy posts, but they can wait until next week. Some that come to mind I really want to comment on them and that takes more time.

By the way, don't forget to vote on my poll. Thanks.

Anyway, here are some things that have been going around here:



I painted a wall border in the boys room. I wanted to take winnie the pooh out and give them something they could claim as theirs. It took 6 months to remove the older border and paint it, but now it's done! I would have put up other borders but I couldn't find any that were thick enough, cheap enough, or that coordinated with the existing colors. I found some peel and stick sports stickers on clearance at Target and used that instead. Painting can be a pretty good workout. the rolling can work your upper body, the squatting works the thighs, and then if you run up and down the steps to turn circuits on and off so you can paint around the outlets you can get some cardio workout in too (can you tell how sedentary I am?). Oh, and the reason why I even mentioned this is because my 5 year old was so excited about it, he wanted to sit in the room and watch the paint dry. I chuckled and explained to him that people say that when they are bored, but he said, "but I'm not bored". He really wanted to see the paint dry. I didn't let him because I know that would mean he would be touching it every minute to test if it had dried.


For the most part, the kids have been really good, but I am noticing some new trends that I need to figure out how to best deal with them. The boys are getting competitive about everything. I know that's normal, but it would be nice if the three year old didn't scream bloody murder every time we get back from an outing, just because he wants to get to the back door first.
And this morning they ganged up on their little sister and started chanting "stupid N" because apparently she wasn't playing with the blocks and trains their way. Granted, she's not even 2, so she doesn't realize what they are saying, but they need to understand why this is wrong. Where do people get the idea that children are so innocent???

That's all I can think of for now. I really need to get some sleep. I've had a rough 2 nights and I need to keep getting up before the kids. It has made such a difference to my day. Oh yeah, I said I'd write a separate post about that, didn't I. Maybe next week :-)