Filed under: Image of the Day

It's never too early to share the gift of music with a child. This pair looks so cozy and enthralled in their efforts to make beautiful music together. I love the way the father's hands overlap the child's hands on the strings, so much so that I would love to see this cropped and featured as a separate image. The dad's wedding band with the baby's fingers pointing out is a gorgeous combination. The slightly burned edges add to a feeling of quiet beauty. A big thank you to Solarfrog for sharing this with us all here at Image of the Day.


For those of you who are Image of the Day followers, you might have noticed we took a bit of a break over the month of December. Now that we have entered 2008, Image of the Day is back for your viewing pleasure. Send us pictures of how you are spending this new year, share your thoughts and images with us.

If you'd like your own picture featured here, simply upload photos into our group Flickr Pool - We'll select an image every day to highlight. Remember: we're on the lookout for shots with interesting backgrounds, cool angles, or original composition. Be sure to read the intro on the main Flickr page for more information and limit your uploading to 5 photos per day.

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Filed under: Pregnancy and Birth, Moms, Third trimester

I keep thinking how UNBELIEVABLY pregnant I am, and as each day goes by I keep getting, you know, more pregnant. I'm 38 weeks this week, which isn't even as pregnant as a person can possibly be, and yet I can't possibly imagine being even one more minute pregnant because holy crap, can a human body seriously take this sort of EXPANSION? And the answer, of course, is "Yes, but not without consequences!"

I have new annoying symptoms, the worst being a sort of buzzing nerve pain shooting down the inside of my right thigh whenever the baby gets into a certain position. I don't know what in the heck he's pushing against, but it suuuuuucks. My pelvis feels like it's about to crack in two, and I've officially begun to waddle. I try and keep decent posture so my back doesn't get bent out of shape, but it's nearly impossible: I look like a giant letter C when I lumber around the house.

The grossest side effect of all? When I'm lying down, if the baby rolls against my stomach in a particular way, it's like the acidic contents of my belly just get pushed up the back of my throat like a squeezed tube of toothpaste. Thank god for tropical-flavored Tums, which I've eaten my own weight in over the last several weeks.

I'm complaining, but oh, not really. I'm so glad I've made it this far, and that my baby has been healthy and active the whole time. The whole crazy, astounding process is worth every battery-acid-burp and sciatic twinge, because the result is so damn wonderful.

Just a few more days, friends. Riley's baby brother will be here on Monday.

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Filed under: Crafts, Creative projects

How lovely would handmade felt circles look strung around your house on a special occasion, such as your child's birthday? Much more unique than plain old paper or greenery, these felt garland decorations are the cutest around.

The simple process is detailed on the blog of Anna Maria Horner, and the result should definitely invite many compliments from your friends and family. Gather up some felt, scissors, embroidery thread and needle and get to work!

Check out the photos and instructions on Anna's website.

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Filed under: Teething, 0-3 months, 3-6 months, Infant / First year

Most mothers learn early on how much babies LOVE jewelry. There's nothing quite like the rush you get from trying to loosen your necklace from the grasp of your precious angel before you black out from lack of oxygen and do a face plant onto the floor.....

So I have mixed feelings about the teething pedants offered by Smart Mom Jewelry. On the one hand, having a teether available around your neck whenever you need it is a stroke of genius.

On the other, I've never had a pleasant experience with babies and necklaces. For me, the teether bangles or key chain might have been a better option.

All Smart Mom Jewelry teethers are lead-free, phthalate-free, and come with a breakaway clasp. You don't want a product to accidentally hurt the baby while Baby is hurting you!

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Filed under: College, Going to school, Weird but True, In the News

A former NYU student was denied his just desserts when a judge ruled his suit against New York University had no merit.

Avram Wisnia sued the university for giving he and his dorm mates permission to hold a "Beach Bash" party in their residence hall. During the event, Wisnia slipped and shattered his hip while wrestling in a plastic kiddie pool filled with gelatin. The suit also faulted NYU for allowing campus food service to provide the requested jello.

The no-nonsense Manhattan judge said Wisnia knew the risks and what he was doing at the time. An NYU spokesperson quipped, "This case broke the mold but in the end justice was served sweetly."

There comes a time in life when one needs to man-up and accept responsibility for your own actions. Busting a hip in college because you were messing around in Jello at the college party you helped organize is one of them.

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Filed under: Adoption, Lifestyle, Making a Difference, In the News, Spirituality

Wow. Who'da thunk that license plates would stir up so much trouble? Well, it turns out they can and they do. Me, I've got a Yosemite plate on our Land Rover -- who could possibly be opposed to one of the (if not the) most beautiful places on the planet? Well, the world of specialized license plates is not all granite and waterfalls. It's rife with controversy.

It turns out that not everyone likes the idea of a government-issued license plate promoting an anti-abortion message. In Arizona, the License Plate Commission denied Arizona Life Coalition's request for a "Choose Life" license plate to be made available. The group appealed and the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, based right here in San Francisco, ruled that the license plate commission had indeed infringed upon the coalition's right to free speech, by not allowing the license plate. A similar scenario played out in Missouri recently as well.

There are those, however, who disagree with the rulings, saying that while individuals have every right to say their piece, the government should not be required to be the medium for their opinions. I kinda agree with that, actually. According to one writer, however, if a group wants a "Preserve Traditional Marriage" plate, would you also see a contrasting "Marriage is For Everyone" plate? Well, actually, yes. Both Hawaii and Montana offer pro-choice plates sponsored by Planned Parenthood.

The Choose Life plates are available in eighteen states, including Hawaii and Montana where they far outsell the pro-choice plates. They are also now available in Arizona and Missouri, thanks to the recent court cases. Personally, I don't think it's appropriate, but if they offer both sides of an argument, I'm not going to complain about it. What do you think?

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Filed under: Elementary school, Family togetherness, Doing it myself, Preschooler, Blogs, Adventures in Parenting, Crafts, Creative projects, Indoor Play

You can waste a lot of time looking for fun activities to do with your smaller child or you can streamline the process by bookmarking a new blog dedicated to all things preschool and younger: Preschool Learning and Crafts.

Started by a mother of three who was tired of searching for projects her young children could successfully accomplish with minimal adult assistance, PL & C is a collection of crafts, games, songs, and ideas to make the "I can do it!" stage of development more enjoyable for everyone.

But even if your kids aren't in preschool, this is a great blog to find ideas. It's another (!!) snow day here in Michigan and a great time to get a head start on Valentines Day. I think we might spend the afternoon making handprint hearts and drinking hot chocolate.

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Filed under: Teenager, 15-19 years, Working from home, Staying at home

When my daughter was little I always thought it would be great if our house was the one that all her friends came over to. That way I'd never have to worry about what they were doing, where they were, or what time they would be home. Though I still agree with that mentality in general, I never fully imagined what it would be like to have a house full of teenagers night after night, especially when the temperature drops below freezing outside and we are all somewhat stuck indoors.

In the Summer I rarely see my daughter or her friends. Even in the Spring and Fall they are often out wreaking havoc on the neighborhood. In the winter though, it is a whole different story. The same kids who were playing on the monkey bars just a few short years ago have suddenly morphed into unrecognizable young women and 6-ft tall young men. When I arrive at home, I almost have to look twice to see if it is my friends visiting or hers.

Since the weather where I live has been pushing -40 lately, the number of kids arriving at my house on a daily basis seems to be increasing exponentially. Between Guitar Hero, movies, and a fairly well-stocked kitchen, they have little trouble making themselves right at home, feeding themselves, and staying entertained. Gone are my evenings of sitting at the computer in peace or popping in a favorite movie while sipping on a glass of Shiraz. Even working from home over the Christmas holidays and semester break was virtually impossible just due to the ongoing noise.

Music - loud music - is constantly heard throughout each room, rivaled only by the sound of crashing footsteps on hardwood as they chase each other around the house. When the girls get together there is enough perfume in the air to choke a small horse, and when the boys are over, well...to be honest they are usually a little more quiet than the girls. Sometimes I retreat to my room with the laptop just to have a few moments of peace and quiet, but most of the time I find myself right in the midst of all the chaos.

A few days ago I found myself wishing for warmer days again so I could have back the things I miss - the house to myself, relaxing on the deck, watching a movie, or even eating popcorn for dinner. But after thinking about that for a little while I realized that even though I sometimes get mad over the noise or frustrated with the lack of privacy, when the warm weather returns what I'm really going to miss is them.

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Filed under: Health and Safety, 6-7 years

Yesterday, I did something that I hadn't done in almost 20 years: I crashed my car. It happened while I was driving Ellie to school. The roads were icy and when I came to a red light, I couldn't get my car to cease the forward motion. We went into a long, slow slide that gave Ellie and I both time to brace ourselves before we crashed into the back of a minivan.

Luckily, nobody was hurt and Ellie even got to school on time. But the incident prompted me to think about what would happen in a school bus if it were to slide like that. Ellie was in a seat belt when I hit that minivan and because of that - and the fact that she was ready for it - she didn't get too jerked around when we finally made impact.

I wanted to talk to her last night about what she should do to protect herself if her school bus ever started sliding on the ice. Then I realized I had no idea what she should do. So, I Googled 'crash position' and I am here to share.

I didn't find specific info on what to do in a school bus crash and am working on the assumption that you would do the same as if in an airplane. Which is to place your feet feet flat on the floor and bend forward, putting your head on or close to whatever it is likely to strike upon impact (like of the back of the seat in front of you). In the U.S., the recommended position for your hands is up on the seat in front of you, one hand holding the other wrist while your head rests in the space between your arms. In the UK, they recommend placing your hands, one on top of the other, on the back of your head with your elbows drawn in. Both positions are intended to protect your head and prevent your arms from flailing around.

I know the chances of Ellie being in a sliding crash and having time to prepare are probably pretty low. But after what happened yesterday, I feel better knowing that she is at least somewhat prepared should it happen. But I am wondering why I was unable to find specific instructions for what to do in a bus crash. Any thoughts?

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Filed under: Teenager, Stores and shopping

There are so many diet fads and books out there that it gets confusing sometimes as to what works, what's healthy, and the best way to maintain or lose weight. However, as of today, I have found the perfect diet. I plan to corner the market on the way to eat less and avoid snacking.

It's called the teenage boy. If you have one of these, you will never have anything in your house to eat. Feeling tempted to bake a batch of cookies? Go ahead, bake as many as you want. By the time they cool off, they'll be gone! Craving that bag of chips you bought a few days ago? Never fear, they aren't there. They didn't last a night in your cabinet.

If you want to eat healthy, though, the teenage boy is very encouraging. Those carrot sticks you left in the refrigerator yesterday will still be there today. The sugar-free gelatin you made for a snack is still waiting for you. The teenage boy does not want you to ruin your diet plans. He only eats the things that are bad for you, just to be helpful, of course.

So, if you're the mother of a toddler boy or a boy in elementary school and you're having trouble with snacking, never fear. In a few years, you will have your own personal teenage boy and you'll never worry about overeating again!

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