Child Psychology

The book Between Parent and Child has good reviews, but I just can't get through it. It is full of obviously fake scenarios that are presented as real. Written in 1965 and updated recently, it also has some weird anachronisms: children are scolded for climbing around in the (pre-seat belt era) car and dumping ashtrays on each other, but children are also encouraged to send an email to talk about their feelings. Whatever. The basic gist of the book is to mirror your child's emotions, and I can get behind that. Funnily enough, the one thing that struck me as worth remembering is actually excerpted from another book. In this scenario, the 1960s Mad Men-style housewife is making breakfast and the baby is crying and the (party line? rotary?) phone rings so she burns the toast, which causes her to cry and her husband to say:

A) "My God! When will you learn to make toast?!"

B) "Gee, honey, it's a rough morning for you--the baby, the phone, and now the toast."

C) "Let me show you, honey, how to make toast."

So the first response makes her feel hatred, the second makes her feel understood, and the last makes her feel stupid. But think of how often you tell a frustrated child, "Let me show you how to do it." The point is to diffuse the frustration by mirroring back to the child that you see what is happening and you see how frustrated the child feels, like response B, which ends up being comforting instead of condescending. Since I read this, I've tried it, and it works! Meltdowns averted!

Glass Straws

I'm really happy with my purchase of glass straws from Glass Dharma. The short 6.25 inch size is great for toddlers, and I find that using the straws helps Baby Bootie drink more liquid than if she is just holding the glass. You can choose from different lengths and widths of straws and they come with a brush for cleaning and you can also have the option of little glass dots on your straws to keep them from rolling off the table. You can also buy bamboo carrying cases or hemp sleeves if you want to take your straws out to dinner and not litter the planet with yet another plastic straw. We've used these straws in a glass cup on a glass table with normal toddler spazzing out with no breakage, and the straws are also fine in the dishwasher. The straws are made of borosilicate glass, which is the same strong glass used for Pyrex dishes. You just might want to get more than four straws because our girl wants to use them all the time.

Pine Cone Owl

Go for a nature walk and make a cute pine cone owl.

Colored Pencils

This is kind of mesmerizing. You can buy a subscription for monthly deliveries of colored pencils and then frame them on the wall.

Decopedia

This is so cool! You can figure out which designer made that fabulous chair or vase you picked up at the flea market by searching Decopedia, a database with thousands of photos of objects including this S-chair from Verner Panton. You can even sign up for an email notification when something you like comes up for sale.

Laundry Powder

I've been changing all our household cleaners to more earth-friendly, people-friendly ones, and after I got a rash on my leg that lasted for months from Tide's new formula (as did many other people), I did a little research and bought Charlie's Soap. I finally made the switch, and I love it. My favorite thing about it is there is absolutely no scent, which even the natural soaps seem to be doused in. One tablespoon does an entire load, so this little bag lasts a long time. Here is a list of the chemicals in regular laundry detergents. Do you want those on your baby?

French Airplane Journal

And this French journal with a cool airplane is for Elliot.

Cotton Beret

Sweet Claire beret from Olive Juice, you are mine. I mean Baby's.

The Children's Hour

Between the dark and the daylight,
When the night is beginning to lower,
Comes a pause in the day's occupations
That is known as the Children's Hour.

I hear in the chamber above me
The patter of little feet,
The sound of a door that is opened,
And voices soft and sweet.

From my study I see in the lamplight,
Descending the broad hall-stair,
Grave Alice, and laughing Allegra,
And Edith with golden hair.

A whisper, and then a silence:
Yet I know by their merry eyes
They are plotting and planning together
To take me by surprise.

A sudden rush from the stairway,
A sudden raid from the hall!
By three doors left unguarded
They enter my castle wall!

They climb up into my turret
O'er the arms and back of my chair;
If I try to escape, they surround me;
They seem to be everywhere.

They almost devour me with kisses,
Their arms about me entwine,
Till I think of the Bishop of Bingen
In his Mouse-Tower on the Rhine!

Do you think, O blue-eyed banditti,
Because you have scaled the wall,
Such an old moustache as I am
Is not a match for you all?

I have you fast in my fortress,
And will not let you depart,
But put you down into the dungeons
In the round-tower of my heart.

And there will I keep you forever,
Yes, forever and a day,
Till the walls shall crumble to ruin,
And moulder in dust away!

--Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, 1860

Fuzzy Slippers

Look at these little lamby Supersoft Slippers from Boden. Cuteness.

German Supplies

I just found German Corner, a site that carries all things German. They've got straw star Christmas ornaments, ready made or in kits. They've got very cute paper Easter eggs with bunnies on them. My mom has been looking for these Advent wreath candle holders forever. And it is always hard to find candles for our tree. And why is it so hard to find vanilla sugar in the United States? Thanks, German Corner! (via The Crafts Dept.)

Embroidered Coat

Pretty cute! This embroidered blue wool coat from Gap's St. Petersburg collection comes in sizes 1-5 years and is $68.

Everyone Makes Mistakes

Health Care

Marie Antoinette Shoes

And here is my color palette for the coming deluge of horse show ribbons: the shoes from the movie Marie Antoinette.

Horse Show Ribbons

Oh wow. I know this feeling: a new addiction. I am going to be custom making horse show ribbons and presenting them to my baby over and over again. She will take Best in Class for Crazy Eyes, and of course she's the favorite to win Best Bunny Ever. These equestrian rosettes from Hodges Badge Company only cost about $4 each made to order (plus a $10 set up fee for each ribbon type). You can choose from tons of ribbon styles, colors, and center designs, and print whatever you want on it. And wouldn't they make fantastic party favors?

UPDATE: Here are just some of the awards Bootie deserves: Amazing Performance Award, Ballet Recital, Spirit Award, Green Thumb, Bookworm, Big Heart Award, You Did It!, Kindness to Animals, Music Improvement, Giant Brain, Courage and Bravery While Camping, Terrific Helper, Fabulous Behavior, Cooperative Kid, Nice Hat, and Excellence in Giving Good Baby Sugar.

ANOTHER UPDATE: I decided to print song lyrics instead.

The Perfect Stroller!

Ladies and gentlemen, I give you: the world's most perfect stroller! I'm in love with the Joggster Twist from German company Trends For Kids. There is a movie on the German site showing some of the features, or you can read the product description on the English site. There is also a movie review here from Baby Gizmo showing all the cool features and how compactly it folds up. But what I really love about this company's strollers is that they are nearly chemical free: no foam VOCs, no fire retardant, no stain resistance, no PVC. Every other stroller that I've checked is loaded with chemicals. The United Kingdom requires fire retardant, so these strollers are not available there, and they've only just recently become available in the United States. Other features I like are handlebars that adjust for tall or short people, air-filled tires, a lockable, swiveling front wheel so you can navigate a store or go for a jog. I also like the foot muff and other accessories for any kind of weather. It has really neat footrests that slide up and down to match the height of your child and also pop out to support a sleeping child's legs. Also, there is a built-in mosquito net that zips out when you need it. I like how compactly it folds and that the dirty tires don't touch the fabric. Oh yeah, ALL of the fabric comes off easily so you can wash it. You can also clip on a bassinet or a car seat. And they even make a double stroller like this for twins or siblings of different ages. At $600, it is expensive, but I think I've spent that already on the several other strollers I've bought and had to switch for different needs. And this one will last a long time since it holds a really tall child (and one up to 55 pounds!).

Cherry Blossom Robe

I wish I were parading around in labor for 26 hours in this pretty cotton cherry blossom robe instead of my schlumpy, linty thing.