Positive Party #5

At least I think this is #5...

Why A Long Winter Can Be A Good Thing

1. When the world warms up too early, plants and animals get fooled into thinking that it's time to wake up and grow. 90% of the time it snows on April Fools Day (Mother Natures little joke, I always say) , it has snowed on Mother's Day before, and it's usually cold again with risk of frost at the end of May for a few nights.
If flowers bloom before mid April, they will most likely be killed by frost, and be 'done for the season'. There was an apple shortage last year for that reason.

2. Early spring can mean a short maple syrup season. Sap only flows when it's warm, but needs the cold nights for the trees to build it up again. If it just gets warm and stays warm, the trees drain in a few days and there's a syrup shortage.

3. When the weather's warm it's hard to wait til the end of may to plant the garden, but doing so earlier can result in damaged seeds and plants in the weather freezes again, which it tends to do here in Canada.

4. A late slow melting period helps keep the ground moist which helps your grass and garden plants last longer. When the snow melts too early and too fast the moisture in the ground drains or evaporates quickly

Spring is coming, but don't make it rush!

March 18 2012. Still technically winter. 22C. BBQ and t-shirts in the porch.

The year the garden died, the yard died, the apple blossoms died, and the summer was the hottest on record.

Grump-a-saurus

Grumpasaurus - Noun - a person, particularly under the age of 5, presenting foul and unruly behaviour over a period of time, emulating that of an enraged dinosaur.

The Grumpasaurus dwells in most households, though can usually go unnoticed for long periods of time bringing a sense of security and peace to it's prey.
Reasons for a Grumpasaurus to attack include, but are not limited to: Lack of sleep, lack of sustenance, wrong type of sustenance, sudden change in surrounding activity, opposition to opinion.

While is it still uncertain as to why the Grumpasaurus will choose to turn on it's caregivers at various intervals, it is possible to predict when an attack might occur.
Watch for signs of high activity followed by no activity. Listen for a sound mimicking that of a squeaky door or pterodactyl; the hunting cry of the Grumpasaurus. Leaving the immediate area of the Grumpasaurus is recommended at this time.

The Grumpasaurus will feed on whatever it can find, with a particular taste for jelly beans, potato chips, and chocolate. While the Grumpasaurus seems pacified by these food sources, the effect is temporary, and therefore it is recommended to hide any and all snack foods well above Grumpasaurus level. Again, be warned the sound of what seems to be a squeaky door. It may be the Grumpasaurus readying itself for battle.
If caught in the onslaught of a Grumpasaurus attack, sit very still so as not to draw attention to yourself. Occasionally, the Grumpasaurus will retreat of it's own accord if not provoked. Making any sudden movements or noise may startle the Grumpasaurus and target you for further attacks.

The Grumpasaurus resides primarily in high-traffic areas of the household. It has been known to exert dominance over any couch area, or other space that is threatened with being occupied by another person. Attempts to confine a Grumpasaurus to one room of the house may result in heightened rage and destruction of property within said room.

Remember, preparation is the best defense! Best of luck should you encounter a Grumpasaurus in your home.

Reasons To Not Co-Sleep

1. You should not co-sleep with your baby if you like getting up 6 times a night to feed/change/make sure they're still breathing.

2. You should not co-sleep if you don't like morning cuddles followed by falling asleep for an extra two hours.

3. You should not co-sleep if you don't want to hear dream giggles.

4. You should not co-sleep if you don't want to be able to chase away dream sobbing with the touch of a hand or sleep nursing.

5. You should not co-sleep if you don't want an extra bed-warmer in the winter.

6. You should not co-sleep if you like arguing about bedtime.

7. You should not co-sleep if you don't like the smell of baby hair.

8. You should not co-sleep if you don't want to create a strong sense of security in your child.

9. You should not co-sleep if you don't want to provide subconscious breathing cues and heart beat patterns as your baby is learning to breathe while they sleep.

10. You should not co-sleep if you don't like little fingers reaching to make sure you're still there for them.