Hand Washing

Yesterday, whilst shopping at Target (my home away from home), my daughter uttered the seven most dreaded words to hear at any large shopping center... or any place other than home for that matter...'I have to go to the bathroom.'. (yep, seven.)  Of course we were at the far end of the store so we had to haul it all the way back to the front while she did the potty dance and let everyone we passed know the purpose of our mission.

Anyway, while my son and I waited for her to be done, we saw another mother with two young kids come out of a stall and walk directly to the door.  Wait, what?  No soap..no water... no hyper-speed hand dryer, nothing.

Please tell me this is not normal. If so, it makes me never want to touch another public surface for as long as I live.

When I was growing up in the 80's, there was a huge anti-littering campaign going on. You know, the whole 'Give a Hoot, Don't Pollute" thing, and I don't know about the rest of you, but that stuff worked on me. I am still absolutely floored when I see people throwing fast food bags out the window or leaving diapers in parking lots (ahem, Wal-Mart). I can just imagine Woodsy the Owl silently weeping on a branch somewhere.

Subsequently, I think that there has been enough hand-washing propaganda out there for at least the last five years for people to know that's just what you do.  I mean, it's in all the potty training books for kids. Elmo even says it, for God's sake.

Now, I'm not tellling you that every time I need to wash my hands I stand there singing "Happy Birthday to You" twice while scrubbing as per the CDC's instructions, but I do use soap and warm water, and frankly I feel pretty good about that decision. I also make sure my kids do the same.  But after seeing this little display of hand-washing negligence, it has made me question things.  Am I just setting us all up for a lifetime of being compulsive hand washers or is it just ok to know that the pee-pee is off my son's hands after we leave the bathroom?

I know that when I am crammed in a stall with two kids, there is nothing that will prevent my 3 year old son from touching every surface in there.. and there is not enough hand sanitizer in the world to combat that little germ fest. Surely it's better to actually wash the yuck off of your hands first, if the option is there.  Is that so wrong?

Balloon on a Spoon

For my son's 3rd birthday (last January) we bought him a bunch of mylar balloons from the Dollar Store.  The store had run out of all the birthday ones we were choosing, so we ended up getting him a motley collection of Valentine's balloons. Since V-day was still a month away at that point, they had those in spades.

Anyway, fast forward two months and some of these balloons are still hanging around. (Talk about stretching your dollar). I tied a spoon to one of my son's favorites so it would prevent me from having to jump up and get it everytime it hit the ceiling.  Ingenious, some might say, however, this thing is starting to freak me out.  With the spoon attached it is about the exact height of a small person. It floats around the house doing its own thing and it has those weird eyes and goofy grin...and I I'm never expecting it to be there, so I keep scaring the bejeezus out of myself whenever I bump into it.

I'll get up to go to the bathroom at night and jump because I think there is someone in the hall. I'll start talking to it because out of the corner of my eye I'll think its one of my kids. This morning I actually shut my bedroom door because I felt like someone was watching me, and when I looked up, there he was staring me down.

Tomorrow, I think I am going to introduce our little friend to a pair of safety scissors . This has gone on for far too long and this little love monkey has overstayed his welcome.

Home Gym for Kids

Is it just me or does this toy strike anyone as odd?

How about if you add this?

Guesses on how long it takes before it becomes a clothes rack..... just like mommy and daddy's.

Wasting Away

As you get older, you can choose to live life to its fullest, squeezing every last drop out of your existence on this earthy plane...

-OR-

if that sounds like too much work, you can move to Albany and buy some property here:

Someone wasn't feeling too optimistic when they came up with that one.

Why Quiet Time Should Not Be Unsupervised

Yes, my friends, that is glitter CONFETTI all over. And this is only one room (albeit the hardest hit) of many.

I should have know things were strange when it was very quiet....too quiet... and then all of a sudden I hear my son yell "Happy Birthday to Everyone!!!"

I think the next time we'll try the Balloon Room instead.

My poor vacuum is crying in the corner.

The Rent Project

Look what I found on All Over Albany.

The Rent Project.

He's coming over to do some weeding for me.

$3.50... what a bargain. Plus it counts towards my 'Do something creative everyday' goal...(as in I am creatively getting out of weeding by supporting someone else's creativity).

I hope he needs help with a car payment too... my laundry is really starting to pile up.

Blechh!

According to the Times Union 'Best of the Capital Region' poll the following restaurants have been voted for the best restaurants for kids.

1. Friendly’s, various locations

2. Red Robin, Route 9, Latham, and 1 Halfmoon Crossing, Halfmoon

3. Chuck E Cheese, Latham Farms

And this from their site:

Why? Fried foods and ice cream. What more could a kid want? As for parents: an inexpensive menu. The top three this year are a repeat of last year’s winners, showing, if anything, that there’s some stability in the kids’ restaurant field.

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Really??? This is the best we've got? I refuse to believe it. C'mon Albany, where do you like to take your kids that is not a major chain? I bet we can come up with some other ideas.

For example, Shalimar on Central Ave. They have never charged me for my little kids (2&4) at the lunch buffet I Just called to check and 3 and under are free, but anyone older is full price), the kheer (rice pudding) rocks, and they can be loud and messy without a problem. Another plus is that they don't serve blue soda there, like some people.

What do you suggest?

(Not to get totally down on Friendly's though, they are known for their free ice cream give aways and now you can sign up to be their BFF)

Squid Dogs?

Delicious or disturbing? You decide.

http://www.boingboing.net/2009/04/21/freaky-food-fun-inse.html


Thanks to Heitha B. for the tip!

Live Cow Birth....

at the Altamont Fair. I know it's a bit early to be planning for the Fair (August 11-16th), but when I saw the flyer advertising this birth thing, it kind of made me wonder if they were trying to get me to come to the fair, or to stay away... far, far away.

Yes, birth is a miracle, I get it. (I've been through two of those miracles myself). But, I am not sure I want to see a bovine miracle on a hot summer day whilst eating some fried dough. Something doesn't sit right with me about this. Has anyone witnessed this remarkable event? Am I missing something amazing? How can they guarantee the cow will give birth during the fair? My doctor told me my daughter was due on the 3rd, and he was off by 5 days, so who is to say that Baby Clarabelle is ready to rear her head (bad image.. sorry) during the fair? What about the mother's rights? I didn't want interns in my delivery room, do you really think Mama Cow wants a audience, let alone one that views this most personal of moments as entertaining as the Demolition Derby or Racing Pigs (also at this year's fair)? So many questions.

Anyway, you can find out more info about the Altamont Fair here. You can also become their fan on Facebook, MySpace, and follow them on Twitter (man, this fair is more connected than I am!) They also have videos posted on YouTube, but I'll let you take a look at those. Based on what I have heard so far, I'm a little afraid of what I would see.

Hooray for summer!