NieNie

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Stephanie and Mr. Nielson were in a plane crash in August 2008. Their flight instructor and friend, Greg, was killed as a result. Stephanie and Mr. Nielson were severely burned in the accident. They spent months in a burn unit but are now home - still recovering.

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I don't remember how I happened across Stephanie's blog, The NieNie Dialogues, but I did as well as her sister's blog, cjane. CJane updated her blog faithfully regarding the Neilson's recovery and she, along with other siblings, took in her sister's children while her sister and brother-in-law recovered. I've become "hooked" to both of their blogs...Yesterday's post by Stephanie, as most of her posts do, caused tears to well up in my eyes! Have a look - but you might want to grab a tissue...Yesterday's post was titled "A Mother"...Click here to read

LOVE BUGS are EVERYWHERE!!!!

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The lovebug, Plecia nearctica, is a member of the family of march flies. It is also known as the honeymoon fly, telephonebug, kissybug or double-headedbug. The adult is a small, flying insect common to parts of Central America and the southeastern United States, especially along the Gulf Coast[1].

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The lovebug was first described in 1940 by D. E. Hardy from Galveston, Texas. At that time, he reported the incidence of lovebugs to be widespread, but most common in Texas and Louisiana[1]. By the end of the 20th century, however, the species had spread heavily to all areas bordering the Gulf of Mexico, as well as Georgia, and South Carolina. L. A. Hetrick, writing in 1970, found it very widespread in Florida and described its flights as reaching altitudes of 300 m to 450 m and extending several kilometers over the Gulf[2]. In 2006, it was reported as far north as Wilmington, North Carolina[1].

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Things I swore I'd never do as a parent....

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You know the old saying you're a perfect parent until you become one...(well or something like that anyway)! Before I had kids, there were things I swore I'd never do...
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Before I was a parent:
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I swore I'd never have a child sleeping in my bed.
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I swore I'd never lay down with my child just so he/she could fall asleep and then sneak out once they were asleep.
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I swore I'd never threaten my kid with time out (you know - "do you want to go to timeout? if you keep that up then you'll be in timeout") and then not follow through with it.
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I swore I wouldn't cook more than one meal a night - if the child is hungry enough, then he/she will eat what is cooked.
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Now that I am a parent:
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Bella slept in our bed for almost 6 months before finally returning to her big girl bed. She still occassionally ends up in our bed at night.
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Bella wants to sleep in her bed but she likes me to lay down with her until she falls asleep and I do so! I can't help it - the snuggle time is priceless.
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I find myself always asking them "do you want to go to timeout" - but don't always follow through with it.
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I find myself trying to cook what I know Bella will eat (Brooklyn will eat anything!). For instance, I cooked Santa Fe soup the other night and Bella even helped me cook it and said she was going to try it - but then she insisted she wanted Noodle Soup - so I made her Noodle Soup..
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I know there are more things that I probably swore never to do - but these are the ones that come to mind right now!

Should a child watch childbirth?

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Given our history with quick labors and a home birth - I could not help but insert Bella's name (who will be 3 when baby #3 arrives) in place of Kathleen's!!! Instead of "smack his butt" - Bella would say "he get timeout!"!!!

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Due to a power outage, only one paramedic responded to the call. The housewas very dark so the paramedic asked Kathleen, a 3-yr old girl, to hold aflashlight high over her mommy, so he could see while he helped deliver thebaby.

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Very diligently, Kathleen did as she was asked. Heidi pushed and pushedand after a little while, Connor was born. The paramedic lifted him by hislittle feet and spanked him on his bottom. Connor began to cry.

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The paramedic then thanked Kathleen for her help and asked the wide-eyed3-yr old what she thought about what she had just witnessed. Kathleen quickly responded, 'He shouldn't have crawled in there in thefirst place....smack his butt again!'

The Birth Order of Children

BIRTH ORDER OF CHILDREN - with #3 on the way, I thought this was a cute post!

1st baby: You begin wearing maternity clothes as soon as your OB/GYN confirms your pregnancy.
2nd baby: You wear your regular clothes for as long as possible.
3rd baby: Your maternity clothes ARE your regular clothes.

Preparing for the Birth:

1st baby: You practice your breathing religiously.
2nd baby: You don't bother because you remember that last time, breathing didn't do a thing.
3rd baby: You ask for an epidural in your eighth month.

The Layette :

1st baby: You pre-wash newborn's clothes, color-coordinate them, and fold them neatly in the baby's little bureau.

2nd baby: You check to make sure that the clothes are clean and discard only the ones with the darkest stains.
3rd baby: Boys can wear pink, can't they?

Worries:
1st baby: At the first sign of distress--a whimper, a frown--you pick up the baby.
2nd baby: You pick the baby up when her wails threaten to wake your firstborn.
3rd baby: You teach your three-year-old how to rewind the mechanical swing.

Pacifier:
1st baby: If the pacifier falls on the floor, you put it away until you can go home and wash and boil it.
2nd baby: When the pacifier falls on the floor, you squirt it off with some juice from the baby's bottle.
3rd baby: You wipe it off on your shirt and pop it back in.

Diapering:
1st baby: You change your baby's diapers every hour, whether they need it or not.
2nd baby: You change th eir diaper every two to three hours, if needed.
3rd baby: You try to change their diaper before others start to complain about the smell or you see it sagging to their knees.

Activities:
1st baby: You take your infant to Baby Gymnastics, Baby Swing, and Baby Story Hour.
2nd baby: You take your infant to Baby Gymnastics.
3rd baby: You take your infant to the supermarket and the dry cleaner.

Going Out:
1st baby: The first time you leave your baby with a sitter, you call home five times.
2nd baby : Just before you walk out the door, you remember to leave a number where you can be reached.
3rd baby: You leave instructions for the sitter to call only if she sees blood.

At Home:
1st baby: You spend a good bit of every d ay just gazing at th e baby.
2nd baby: You spend a bit of everyday watching to be sure your older child isn't squeezing, poking or hitting the baby
3rd baby: You spend a little bit of every day hiding from the children.

Swallowing Coins:
1st child: When first child swallows a coin, you rush the child to the hospital and demand x-rays.
2nd child: When second child swallows a coin, you carefully watch for the coin to pass.
3rd child: When third child swallows a coin, you deduct it fr om his allowance!

World's Strangest Looking Animals

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Pink Fairy Armadillo

It is found in central Argentina where it inhabits dry grasslands and sandy plains with thorn bushes and cacti. It has the ability to bury itself completely in a matter of seconds if frightened.The Pink Fairy Armadillo burrows small holes near ant colonies in dry dirt. It feeds mainly on ants and ant larvae near its burrow.

Saiga Antelope

Saiga is classified as critically endangered by the IUCN. There is an estimated total number of 50,000 Saigas today, which live in Kalmykia, three areas of Kazakhstan and in two isolated areas of Mongolia.

Star nosed mole

The Star-nosed Mole lives in wet lowland areas and eats small invertebrates, aquatic insects, worms and mollusks. It is a good swimmer and can forage along the bottoms of streams and ponds. Like other moles, this animal digs shallow surface tunnels for foraging; often, these tunnels exit underwater.The incredibly sensitive nasal tentacles are covered with almost one hundred thousand minute touch receptors known as Eimer's organs.

Elephant shrew

They are widely distributed across the southern part of Africa, and although common nowhere, can be found in almost any type of habitat, from the Namib Desert to boulder-strewn outcrops in South Africa to thick forest.

Long-beaked echidna

Echidnas are one of the two types of mammals that lay eggs (the other one is platypus). The long-beaked echidna is found in New Guinea, where it is widespread.

Long-eared Jerboa

"The Mickey Mouse of the desert" - mouse-like rodent with a long tail, long hind legs for jumping, and exceptionally large ears. The jerboa, found in the deserts of Mongolia and China, is listed as endangered on the IUCN Red List.

Matamata Turtle

The mata mata inhabits slow moving, blackwater streams, stagnant pools, marshes, and swamps ranging into northern Bolivia, eastern Peru, Ecuador, eastern Colombia, Venezuela, the Guianas, and northern and central Brazil. The mata mata is strictly an aquatic species but it prefers standing in shallow water where its snout can reach the surface to breathe.

Patagonian Cavy (Mara)

A large rodent that looks sort of like a rabbit, sort of like a donkey. The Patagonian Mara lives in Central and Southern Argentina. Maras inhabit arid grasslands and scrub desert

Pelochelys cantorii (Cantor's giant soft-shelled turtle)

The turtle is found primarily in inland, slow-moving fresh water rivers and streams. Cantor's giant soft-shelled turtles can grow up to 6 feet (about 2 meters) in length and weigh more than 100 pounds (about 50 kilograms).

Wordless Wednesday

Chasing the Bunny Rabbits

The bunny rabbits enjoying their food that Bella and Brooklyn helped to put out for them at Nana and Pop's house.

Bella approaches the bunny rabbits...

The chase is on...Can Bella catch the bunny rabbit?

It's a close race...

Where did that bunny rabbit go???

Weather....

Brannon's dad has corn planted around our house - in the back and on the side (in sort of an L-shape)! We had some storms about 2 1/2 weeks ago - and we must have had some pretty bad winds because part of the corn was flat on the ground - literally!

Beth in Pictures

My Answers:

1. What is your first name? Beth


2. What is your favorite food? Spaghetti


3. What high school did you go to? Anniston


4. What is your favorite color? Pink


5. Who is your celebrity crush? Rob Lowe (love him in Brothers & Sisters)


6. Favorite drink? Amaretto Sour


7. Dream vacation? Australia


8. Favorite dessert? Chocolate Cake


9. What do you want to be when you grow up? I don't want to grow up (like Jeffrey from Toys R Us)


10. What do you love most in life? My kids


11. One word to describe you. Tired


12. Your flickr name. bethparmer

Here's how you can do one for yourself:

1. Type your answer to each of the following questions into flickr search.
2. Using only the first page, pick an image.
3. Copy and paste each of the URLs for the images into fd's mosaic maker.
   

Where Would You Be?

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Click on the picture to bring it up in a new window and it will be larger.

Chelsea and the March Madness Mascara Challenge

I posted last week about Chelsea and her mom's March Madness Mascara Challenge! Her goal was to sell 100 mascaras during the month of March to enable her husband, aka Chelsea's daddy, to take off from work without worrying about losing the day's pay!! Well, she met her goal and is currently at 102 for the month!!!!!! In addition, Chelsea's mom is currently under the weather and her daddy was able to take a second day off without the added worry to be with Chelsea while her mom gets some much needed rest!

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If you need mascara and are interested, please visit Chelsea's website and order some - it's for a GREAT cause and I know they are so appreciative. Chelsea is just the cutest littlest girl!!!!

Laura Tutor: Some people need a stamp collection, not a child

This article below was in today's Anniston Star On-Line Edition (I hope it is ok that I copied it here) and was written by Laura Tudor and I thought it was a great article and even though I do work outside the home - I'm always a Mom first and my kids come before the job - always!! (sorry for all the gigantic spaces - I would fix them, just don't have time or patience right now)!

Hey, Mom, need a career change?

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In Washington — that place believing itself the nexus of the universe — a growing number of "busy" parents with "hectic" lifestyles have decided they're just too "busy" in these "hectic" days to deal with the mundane aspects of raising a baby. One can almost hear the sales pitch building as these new parents have reality set in:

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"What do you mean I have to get up at night and feed this baby? Surely I can pay someone to do that?"

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"OK, so, like, this kid won't sleep all night — wait, my phone's ringing — yeah, and can I get someone to come in and be a, you know, sleep coach? You know, someone who'll be there to take care of those things that don't go bump in the night? Yeah? Hold on again…."

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"Oh, God. I. Am. Not. Dealing with a toilet. I will PAY someone to potty train this kid."
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The sad part is that these people think they're doing a good thing by hiring an "expert" to raise their children, if you believe the story in today's Your Life section. This goes beyond having a nanny. This goes beyond the worn out debate over parents hiring day care or baby-sitters. These people, because they're so "busy," can't be bothered with the most intimate milestones in their children's lives.

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There's even a growing market to pay someone to fill out applications for school.

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One thing there's definitely a shortage of, however, is perspective.

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The excuse given for relying on paid experts is that today's society is so fractured. These busy people have moved to cities busy enough to stimulate them and their bank accounts. Their take is that new parents, busy and hectic, don't have their mothers or fathers nearby to consult when Junior decides nighttime is playtime. They don't know who to ask for help, so they pay someone $5,000 to potty train. Or $3,000 to fill out school applications.

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Apparently, even with all their money and education, they missed that course in history that said we've always been a nation of movers who built community and resources wherever we hung our coats.

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Newsflash. Grandma has not always been right across the street. Just imagine a 19th century Scotswoman, not long off the boat, raising her firstborn in Hell's Kitchen of New York: "Dear Mum, I canna get the bairn t'sleep a wink."

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By the time she'd received a reply to her letter, assuming she and her mother could read or write, her bairn would have been on to other rites of life. Like that dreadful potty training that must be outsourced.

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Few people come naturally hard-wired to be a mom or a dad. Some people have a nurturing gene in them that emerges at the early stages of life. Others have to learn the patience and care and compassion a mom or dad must have; a legion of people find this skill only after they have children of their own.

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Initiations come in nighttime diaper changing — a dodging skill for parents of boys — and trips to the doctor when the little one is miserable sick and truly, truly believes Daddy can make everything better. Even when he's covered in baby blap and wondering how he drew the short straw for the doctor run, Daddy is still holding on tight and promising everything will be OK.

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You can't hire love.

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You can't hire someone to care if your child sleeps soundly at night. In doing so, these parents miss the chance to stand by the bed and wonder, every night, what they did to be blessed with a creature so magical, so wonderful.

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A few people also are hard-wired not to be parents. They know it, and move along life just fine on their own merry way.

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The people in Washington seem to be caught between wanting to list parenting as a title, yet not wanting to get their hands dirty in carrying out its duties. They're caught between feeling the demand to check the box that says "Mom" and wanting to shoehorn that role in between meetings, lunches and the life they had before children.

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It cannot be both ways. Money can buy experts, but it can't buy back those memories and moments surrendered at the altar of "hectic and busy."

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Perhaps, get a dog.

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On second thought — envisioning a string of rolled up Architectural Digests instead of newspapers — get a stamp collection. Or take up bonsai gardening.

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Then, if the molding and shaping of your young charge doesn't come off as perfect and seamless as you imagine, you can always whack off a limb and start manipulating again.

Things You May or May Not Know About Me

Four things about me that you may or may not have known in no particular order.
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Four jobs I have had in my life
1. City of Anniston - Personnel Department and City Clerk's Office
2. JC Penney's - Men's Department
3. University of Alabama - College of Continuing Studies
4. Medtronic, Inc. - Regional Financial Analyst
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Four movies I would watch over and over:
1. Hearts and Souls
2. How To Lose A Guy In 10 Days
3. Raising Helen
4. Harry Potter movies
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Four places I have lived:
1. Anniston, AL
2. Tuscaloosa, AL
3. Smyrna, GA
4. Huxford, AL
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Four Shows I watch
1. Grey's Anatomy
2. American Idol
3. 48 Hours Mystery
4. The Bachelor (starts back on Monday)
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Four places I have been:
1. London
2. Paris
3. Switzerland
4. Arizona
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Four people who email me (regularly):
1. Lesley
2. Mom
3. Melissa
4.
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Four of my favorite foods
1. Spaghetti with meat sauce
2. Chocolate
3. Bar-B-Que
4. Ham
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Four places I would rather be right now:
1. at the beach
2. at the bookstore
3. at home with my girls
4. getting a massage
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Did you remember to...

Yankee or Dixie?

Yankee or Dixie Quiz

My score was: "87% (Dixie). Did you have any Confederate ancestors?"

You lived in the 80s if....

1. You've ever ended a sentence with the word SIKE.
2. You can sing the rap to the Fresh Prince of Bel-Air and can do the Carlton
3. You know that "WOAH" comes from Joey on Blossom
4. If you ever watched "Fraggle Rock"
5. It was actually worth getting up early on a Saturday to watch cartoons.
6. You wore a ponytail on the side of your head.
7. You got super-excited when it was Oregon Trail day in computer class at school.
8. You made your mom buy one of those clips that would hold your shirt in a knot on the side.
9. You played the game "MASH"(Mansion, Apartment, Shelter, House)
10. You wore stonewashed Jordache jean jackets and were proud of it.
11. You know the profound meaning of " WAX ON , WAX OFF"
12. You wanted to be a Goonie.
13. You ever wore fluorescent clothing. (some of us...head-to-toe)
14. You can remember what Michael Jackson looked like before his nose fell off and his cheeks shifted.
15. You have ever pondered why Smurfette was the only female smurf.
16. You took lunch boxes to school...and traded Garbage Pailkids in the schoolyard.
17. You remember the CRAZE, then the BANNING of slap bracelets.
18. You still get the urge to say "NOT" after every sentence.
19. You thought your childhood friends would never leave because you exchanged handmade friendship bracelets.
21. You ever owned a pair of Jelly-Shoes.
22. After you saw Pee-Wee's Big Adventure you kept saying "I know you are, but what am I?"
23. You remember "I've fallen and I can't get up"
24. You remember going to the skating rink before there were inline skates.
25. You have ever played with a Skip-It.
26. You remember boom boxes and walking around with one on your shoulder like you were all that.
27. You remember watching both Gremlins movies.
28. You thought Doogie Howser/Samantha Micelli was hot.
29. You remember Alf, the lil furry brown alien from Melmac.
30. You remember New Kids on the Block when they were cool...and don't even flinch when people refer to them as "NKOTB"
31. You knew all the characters names and their life stories on "Saved By The Bell," The ORIGINAL class.
32. You know all the words to Bon Jovi - SHOT THROUGH THE HEART. 33. You just sang those words to yourself.
34. You still sing "We are the World"
35. You tight rolled your jeans.
36. You owned a bannana clip.
37. You remember "Where's the Beef?"
38. You used to (and probably still do) say "What you talkin' 'bout Willis?"
39. You're still singing shot through the heart in your head, aren't you!

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How many can you relate to???

A Phone Call from the Boss

The boss wondered why one of his most valued employees had not phoned in sick one day. Having an urgent problem with one of the main computers, he dialed the employee's home phone number and was greeted with a child's whisper. " Hello ? "

"Is your daddy home?" he asked.

" Yes ," whispered the small voice. May I talk with him?"

The child whispered, " No ."

Surprised and wanting to talk with an adult, the boss asked, "Is your Mommy there?" " Yes ."

"May I talk with her?" Again the small voice whispered, " No ."

Hoping there was somebody with whom he could leave a message, the boss asked, "Is anybody else there?"

" Yes ," whispered the child, " a policeman ".

Wondering what a cop would be doing at his employee's home, the boss asked, "May I speak with the policeman?"

" No, he's busy ", whispered the child.

"Busy doing what?"

" Talking to Daddy and Mommy and the Fireman ," came the whispered answer.

Growing more worried as he heard a loud noise in the background through the earpiece on the phone, the boss asked, "What is that n oise?"

" A helicopter " answered the whispering voice.

"What is going on there?" demanded the boss, now truly apprehensive. Again, whispering, the child answered, " The search team just l anded a helicopter ."

Alarmed, concerned and a little frustrated the boss asked, "What are they searchi ng for?"

Still whispering, the young voice replied with a muffled giggle... " ME ."

Having a bad day at work? Think again!

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Why We Love Kids

I got this in an email and thought it was cute enough to post!

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NUDITY. I was driving with my three young children one warm summer evening when a woman in the convertible ahead of us stood up and waved. She was stark naked! As I was reeling from the shock, I heard my 5-year-old shout from the back seat, 'Mom! That lady isn't wearing a seat belt!'

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OPINIONS. On the first day of school, a first-grader handed his teacher a note from his mother. The note read, 'The opinions expressed by this child are not necessarily those of his parents.'

KETCHUP. A woman was trying hard to get the ketchup out of the jar. During her struggle the phone rang so she Asked her 4-year-old daughter to answer the phone. 'Mommy can't come to the phone to talk to you right now. She's hitting the bottle.'

MORE NUDITY. A little boy got lost at the YMCA and found himself in the women's locker room. When he was spotted, the room burst into shrieks, with ladies grabbing towels and running for cover. The little boy watched in amazement and then asked, 'What's the matter, haven't you ever seen a little boy before?'

POLICE # 1. While taking a routine vandalism report at an elementary school, I was interrupted by a little girl about 6 years old. Looking up and down at my uniform, she asked, 'Are you a cop?' 'Yes,' I answered and continued writing the report. 'My mother said if I ever needed help I should ask the police. Is that right?' 'Yes, that's right,' I told her. 'Well, then,' she said as she extended her foot toward me, 'would you please tie my shoe?'

POLICE # 2. It was the end of the day when I parked my police van in front of the station. As I gathered my equipment, my K-9 partner, Jake, was barking, and I saw a little boy staring in at me 'Is that a dog you got back there?' he asked. 'It sure is,' I replied. Puzzled, the boy looked at me and then towards the back of the van. Finally he said, 'What'd he do?'

ELDERLY. While working for an organization that delivers lunches to elderly shut-ins, I used to take my 4-year-old daughter on my afternoon rounds. She was unfailingly intrigued by the various appliances of old age, particularly the canes, walkers and wheelchairs. One day I found her staring at a pair of false teeth soaking in a glass. As I braced myself for the inevitable barrage of questions, she merely turned and whispered, 'The tooth fairy will never believe this!'

DRESS-UP. A little girl was watching her parents dress for a party. When she saw her dad donning his tuxedo, she warned, 'Daddy, you shouldn't wear that suit.' 'And why not, darling?' 'You know that it always gives you a headache the next morning. '

SCHOOL. A little girl had just finished her first week of school.'I'm just wasting my time,' she said to her mother. 'I can't read, I can't write and they won't let me talk!'

BIBLE. A little boy opened the big family bible. He was fascinated as he fingered the old pages. Suddenly, something fell out of the Bible. He picked up the object and looked at it. What he saw was an old leaf that had been pressed in between the pages. 'Mama, look what I found,' the boy called out. 'What have you got there, dear?' With astonishment in the young boy's voice, he answered, 'I think it's Adam's underwear.'