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.

Positive Party #4

I've been wanting to do another one of these for a while, but the only thing really troubling me right now is the tantrums, and it's hard to find the positives in that.
So I thought more about the root of the frustration, and I think it all comes back to the fact that Toby's still nursing and I'm kind of done with it...

SO, This is Positive Party #4: Extended Breastfeeding.

- Long-term basic nutrition. If your toddler goes on a hunger strike, at least they're still getting nutrients from somewhere.

- Breastfeeding toddlers have fewer colds.

- Breastfeeding toddlers have fewer to no ear infections.

- Long-term breastfeeding increases toddler brain function.

- Breastfeeding makes your toddler feel secure. In my case, we never had a soother or a blankie because Toby never attached to one. Just me.

- It shuts them up.

- It keeps active toddlers in place long enough to fall asleep.

- Worldwide weaning age is 5. I've said that to a few people and they went 'oh' and backed off immediately.

- Reduces risk of breast/ovarian/uterine cancer for mom.

- Forces mom to sit and have quiet time.

- Wide awake toddler + half asleep mom + nursing = Staying in bed an extra hour in the morning




http://www.kellymom.com/bf/bfextended/ebf-benefits.html

http://boobiefed.com/benefits-of-extended-breastfeeding/

http://www.llli.org/nb/nbextended.html

Positive Party #3

Ok.... It's time...... *takes deep breath*....

Why Winter Is Awesome


- Snowmen

- Snow forts

- Stores smell like cinnamon. In the summer they smell like dusty air conditioning and B.O.

- Curling up in front of a fire place or a movie with a large glass of wine is somehow not the same in the summer.

- Irish Coffee and any other chocolaty hot-toddy type thing is only truly appreciated when there is two feet of snow on the ground.

- If you're into it - ski/snowboard/hockey season.

- The winter Olympics

- Walking through falling snow at night + quiet downtown street + two weeks til Christmas = Awesome.

- Christmas dinner.

- Christmas chocolate.

- Christmas craft sales.

- New Years is a way better excuse for a party than May 2-4.

- You don't have to rush home with frozen groceries

- If your freezer gets too full, just leave stuff in the porch or garage.

- Not needing to shave your legs all the freakin time.

- No one is going to notice your 'winter gut' under that fantastic new sweater you just bought with a Christmas gift card.

- No smog warnings, extreme skin cancer risks or asthma.

- The town dump doesn't smell so.. dumpy

- No bugs

Positive Party #2

Ok all you mothers of toddlers and toddlers-to-be, throw the 'terrible twos' stereotype out the window and grab a party hat cause it's time for another Positive Party!


Reasons Why Two Year Olds Are Awesome


- They are old enough to understand "just hold on two seconds", but not old enough to go "ONE......TWO.....YOU'RE NOT HERE YET MOM"

- They develop long-term memory so anything major you do in this year might stick with them for life

- You hear them reciting poems or songs to their toys that you didn't think they knew all the words to until now.

- Imagination kicks in and they can make up stories with their toys without your help.

- They're not just repeating words anymore, they make their own adorable grammar-less sentences.

- Big words are funny. Doesn't mater what the word is, if it has a lot of syllables it's hilarious.

- They are 'big kids' but not so big that they can't still be contained in a sling or stroller.

- Kisses are cool

- Hugs come voluntarily

- There are no more dietary cautions (ie No cinnamon or mint until over 12 months, no peanuts or dairy until over 24 months)

- All the cool toys are for ages 2+

- You can begin to carry on a conversation without using a high pitched sing-song voice

- They take a keen interest in learning and begin to have the communication skills to regurgitate the information they take in.

- You don't have to pack a giant diaper bag everywhere you go.

- They are big enough to play on a play ground unassisted, but not big enough to climb to the top of the monkey bars and stand on top and give you a heart attack.

- They remember people's faces and names and get excited when you go somewhere they know.

- Chores and helping are still fun at this age. (Setting table, sweeping floor, making dinner, picking up toys, washing dishes)

- You finally feel like you're hanging out with someone and not just lugging a baby everywhere.

Positive Party

I'm having a Positive Party on my blog because I feel in need of one.
Maybe I should make Positive Parties a regular thing??

Reasons Why Being A Single Mom is Awesome

- You make all the rules.
- You decide which of those rules are bendable or breakable.
- Guilt-free dining out: Spur of the moment mother/son lunch dates don't make me feel guilty that I'm not including someone else
- Guilt-free shopping: I am a responsible spender, but when i do splurge I don't have to justify the shirt or the magazine I just bought to anyone.
- You get all the hugs.
- You decide what food to buy and eat.
- Flexible meal times: When no one is really on a schedule you eat whenever it works without worrying about 'starving' a third person.
- Flexible meals: When I have time for lasagna or sushi, then we have that. When I have time for a pot of pasta, we have that. When I only have time for veggies and dip, we have that. When I only have time for two bowls of cereal at 9 pm, we have that.
- Impromptu outings: Why YES I'd love to go out for lunch... let me just throw Toby in the car. Why YES, Toby, it is a good day to go to the park, let me grab my keys. Why YES I want to go to Stratford for the weekend and NO I don't have to work around anyone else's schedule.
- You get final say in all toys and presents received by child: I don't have to make exceptions for annoying toys or fight about them because someone else insists they are AWESOME...no...
- 'Nights off' consist of long baths, Harry Potter movies with sister, or dinner dates with old friends.
- No relationship drama clouding parenting ability
- You decide which friends are worth your time and dont feel bad hanging out with them and their kids for extended periods of time instead of significant other.
-Guilt-free bed times: I dont feel bad staying up  late and watching TV or blogging about parenting instead of spending time with significant other

SMILE DAMMIT