This book belongs to....

Just ask me how many books Tinka has in her personal library? Twenty and counting. (That's twice as many as mommy.) Regrettably, I was not an avid reader as a child or for much of my adult life. I, on the other hand, preferred to tackle a complicated math or physics problem instead. There was always something “more interesting” to do than to engage myself in literature. (What those things were escape me). In hindsight, I wish I’d embraced the wonderful world of books as a child. I am, admittedly, a self-described techie and number-cruncher. As an adult and new parent, there’s often the nagging desire to improve upon the life that your parents provided or the experiences that molded you into who’ve you become.

I began reading to Tinka when she was in the womb. Her favorite titles (read: my favorites) were “Peter’s Chair” and “What Does Baby Say?”. I am committed to reading to her regularly. My husband is an avid reader, with hundreds of titles to his collection. I believe that children often imitate their parents. So, I am also committed to reading for leisure. No pain, no gain, right?!

Selected Barnes and Nobles stores offer storytelling throughout the week for toddlers and children. We’ve attended several times and I have been quite impressed with how well the storyteller is able to engage her young audience. Tinka REALLY enjoyed (read: we both enjoyed) the two books read about time-telling. The storyteller did a lot of question and answer, which really got Tinka’s legs moving. Usually, a group activity, also sharing the book’s theme, accompanies the reading. We (read: I) made a clock out of paper plates, magazine clippings and straw piping.

Fortunately for us, most of her collection was received as gifts. As I am not an advocate of frivolous spending, especially in light of our not-so-great economic state, I strongly suggest borrowing your favorite titles from your public library especially before your little one begins teething or wants to put things in his mouth. (Always want to cut down on germs). Your local library will have plenty of good titles to choose from and at no cost to you. One word of advice, if you’re buying new books, I highly recommend the plastic versions, they hold up better against teething.

Each week, as part of my “This book belongs to” book series, I’ll share one of Tinka’s favorites. Stay tuned….. Happy Reading!

Peak-a-boo, I See You

Wellness baby exams have become a regular part of my life. These checkups help mothers monitor the healthy growth and development of their infant. In my too-numerous-to-count Internet searches on infant health care, I came across a nifty program that all new moms should know about. Though most wellness baby exams are performed by pediatricians, The InfantSEE program, which was started in 2005, specifically promotes the healthy development of your little one’s eyes. Infants are eligible for a free eye assessment with an approved InfantSEE optometrist. Former President Jimmy Carter serves as its honorary spokesperson. According to the site, eye exams performed by pediatricians are less extensive than those conducted by optometrist. Therefore, parents are encouraged to schedule an infant eye exam as early as six months of age.

Tinka’s recent visit went very well. Her optometrist spent nearly an hour performing various tests on her baby browns. Our physician, a parent of two under three, was very skilled at maintaining Tinka’s attention while performing her assessment. She shared that many of today’s vision impairments can be prevented or mitigated with early detection. That was good to know!

Some other interesting statistics according to the website include:

• 10% of children are at risk from undiagnosed eye and vision problems
• only 13% of mothers with children younger than 2 years of age have taken their infants to see an eye care professional for a well-care visit
• Approximately 4 million children were born in 2004, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. In approximately 4%, strabismus will develop, and amblyopia will develop in 3% of the infants born each year who are at risk for serious eye and vision problems.

So if you suspect any issues (or if you don’t) with your little one's vision, I suggest you consider scheduling a visit. To learn more about the program and to check for an optometrist in your area, visit: http://www.infantsee.org/.

No Bite Bite!

Just when I thought I’d mastered the art of breastfeeding, Tinka’s new pair of pearly whites emerge. Breastfeeding has definitely fostered the strong bond that we share. To be honest, we both have grown accustomed to her afternoon feedings and gain enjoyment from the experience-- she is nourished and comforted and I get quality time with her. While this milestone has brought so much joy, the celebration abruptly ended with the baring down of her adorable--yet sharp--pair of teeth, my screaming --“No bite bite Tinka!!”, and the flash of her adorable smile. Wow, who knew two little itty-bitty teeth could cause so much pain! Needless to say, my pain was short-lived when I saw those endearing eyes and that large smile. I’ve since learned to pay attention to the ‘clues’ that mark the end of a feeding. To begin with, usually when she initially removes her mouth that signals low milk supply and that she’s done. The benefits of breastmilk are countless: 1) the nutrients, 2) cost effectiveness, 3) mother-child bonding, 4) less frequent trips to the doctor (less days from work). My intention is to nurse up until her first birthday. I just hope I can hold up until then…..

Bianca's Born

The start of 2008 has been like no other! Seven months ago my status changed from a boutique-shopping fashionista, once-a-week-salon-goer and regular-mani-pedi-enjoyer to a “professional” nursery song writer (I use this term very loosely having only three-songs to my credit), twice-a-day-milk-expresser and human burp cloth. Motherhood has definitely turned my life on its head. However, it’s been the most rewarding experience to date. And, to prove what a glutton for pain I am, my husband and I hope the stork will deliver our second bundle of joy next year. Yeah, I know, I know! I’ve heard the tales of raising ‘two under two.’ However, I must say that if our next child is anything like our first, who we’ve affectionately nicknamed Tinka, then our next can’t arrive soon enough.

I suspect the name for this blog raises a few eyebrows. If you must know, I labored over it for days, weeks, months (yeah, right?!). OK, I admit to spending all of 5 minutes coming up with it! If you’re a colleague or family member, you’d dispute the accuracy of that assertion and insist that minutes was a typo and instead I INTENDED to write seconds.

“Bianca the Bug” is my daughter’s best friend. Sing with me now…Bianca the bug, Bianca the buggggggg ,Bianca the buggggguggggg she’s my best friend. My husband came across this amazing find at a local retailer for $10 when our daughter was two months old. It’s a changing table attachment in the shape of a colorful bug with rotating wings. As the wings rotate, a nice melody plays. The patterned wings excited my daughter like no amount of swinging, cuddling or baby-talking ever could. “Bianca the bug” was an instant hit! The wings stimulated Tinka so much that she began to coo and quickly move her arms and limbs.

I absolutely LOVE the name Bianca, to the dismay of many of my loved ones. Thus, I was FORBIDDEN to use it. Thus, ‘Bianca the bug’ was born. Bianca is very-well traveled bug might I add. She’s already flown cross-country to the midwest and accompanies us on most road trips (attached to the car seat). The relationship between the two BFFs has recently reached an all-time low when Tinka began teething a month ago. Now that she’s able to reach for and remove the wings, Bianca often travelled with three out of four of her wings. To Bianca’s displeasure, Tinka also uses the wings to soothe her aching gums. Then again, what are friends for?..........