How about some more rambling for you?

Hmmm, the newest thing going on around here is that I am recovering from a nasty head cold that has rendered my sense of smell completely useless. I can't even detect when Arun has a dirty diaper. While in some social circles that might be considered a convenience conversely, in the Mommy Circles, it's a pain in the ass. The Nose Knows and when your proboscis is in the dark, in order to determine the need for an All Important Diaper Change, you have to go lurking where you'd rather just NOT.

Anyway, since Disagreeable Comments are not allowed on blogs these days, I am going to just skulk back here and make Passive Aggressive ones instead. Color me Bitchy. Not all of these are PA comments. Mix n' match at your discretion. I'm pretty punchy today.

1. A new debate going around is whether the Chinese dance in the Nutcracker Suite is "racist". It had never occurred to me that it would be and still, I can't fathom how it could be considered as such. It's a ballet that includes several interpretive dances from around the world. Shaking head in confusion.....
2. What's the dealio with "only wooden toys"? Or, only toys that did not come from a Big Box Store? Sure, Arun has a variety of those toys that I've written about before - the cheap ones, the garage sale finds, the Nephew hand-me-downs, the ones I made from old containers, old boxes, the specialty wooden European fancy toys (Hubba Hubba Haba) and yes, even the TMX Elmo (which he LOVES and I am unapologetic). However, Arun doesn't know where they came from, doesn't care how much they cost, doesn't care if other kids have them or not and in short, likes to play with them all. For sure, they all encourage his imagination in different ways and that's what I'm really gunning for, right? I mean, I guess that is fine if someone can afford to provide their progeny with only the expensive toys, but frankly, I think it's awesome that quality toys are available to everyone at a reasonable price, regardless of your socio-economic background. So, yeah, that means plastic is in - what's wrong with that? There was a time when toys were available only to the rich and it could be argued that the invention of plastic has been a great equalizer. Besides, if you're attempting to provide your child with a variety of tactile experiences you might need to consider other materials in addition to wood.
3. I attended my final breastfeeding support group at my hospital last week - I've been attending since Arun was 3 weeks old. It is hard to quit - I enjoy going and lending support to the other new moms coming down the pike. And yes, I am still breastfeeding Arun even while pregnant, so technically, I could still attend. Although I had decided it was time to do something else in that slot in the calendar, I was a little teary-eyed last week. I really like the lactation consultant - she is very supportive, positive and encouraging to all the mothers, regardless of their situations. I will miss her and hopefully, I will see her again next July.
4. Speaking of breastfeeding, I am hoping to wean Arun by 18 months. If I wasn't pregnant, I would rather nurse him until the age of 2, per recommendations from both WHO and Unicef. I don't believe it is any mere coincidence that a high-fat diet is recommended for children until the age of 2 (the fat is crucial for brain development) and !Gasp! breastmilk is high in fat. However, I don't relish the idea of nursing TWO children at the same time. Sure, I'll admit that I'm totally a Wannabe Granola Nut, but I have my limits. Furthermore, I don't want to wean Arun too close to when NewKid will be born for fear that Arun will remember what good stuff he is missing.
   
5. My husband does not find me hot or attractive in the least when I am 9 months pregnant. I do not fault him for this. Oh no, to the contrary, I would be disturbed if he did find me attractive in that state.
6. Thus far, I've had few issues with the Beta Blogger. I'll go out on a limb and say I even like it (Tags! Better view of Comments Received! Closing Comments while still showing the Existing!) However, I seem to be one of those rare bloggers who actually likes Blogger. I totally heart Blogger because they've made this one of my cheapest hobbies. Fuckin' A - my local yarn store wasn't handing out free skeins of yarn the last time I popped in there. However, I should point out that once you move to Beta, you can wave Bye-Bye to your Blogger account and password. Seriously, BloggerSan- you ARE DONE with that Combo - MOVE ALONG. See that light? That would Google's email application - Gmail. After you move to Beta, you are using your Full Gmail Address/Password only. It's disconcerting at first because it feels like you are logging into Gmail, but no - it works in Blogger, too.
   
7. If you've come here via the search string "How to knit continental" or some variation on that theme, you've learned quickly that while I happen to be a knitter who blogs, I don't write that often about my actual knitting. I apologize for the disappointment, but !hey! Look at those sweet little sheep in the masthead! While I can't praise the continental method enough, I'm not a Teacher, only a Linker. I highly recommend the site Knitting Help for awesome instructional videos. I learned how to continental knit from this site by watching their little videos over and over (and over again!) until I got it right. It was worth the effort because I never felt comfortable with the English style of knitting. Good luck and don't hate me if your sweater comes out two sizes too small.
   
8. Finally........I do not think toddlers need to know the correct anatomical names for sexual organs. I do not understand the need for a toddler being able to accurately label a vagina, labia, penis or scrotum. How about just plain old "girl parts" and "boy parts"?
   

Randomly Specific Snappage

Rednecked Reindeer

I call this his "Shit-Eating Grin". I can do that cuz I'm from Kansas. Git er done.


Paws for the Holidays

He's holding yet another Christmas ornament in his greedy little paws. Hot damn.


A Rose By Any Other Name

I came across this Smirk Worthy sight while gassing up my car. Boy, someone was a little pissed off - you say? Ouch.


Fruit n' Fiber

At least I bought some healthy stuff to go with all those burritos. Burp.