The Three Wise Men

Christmas Play Season...

No. Their play had nothing to do with the three wise men, but I saw this in the photo, so there we have it.

Owner of my Son's Day Care

Pony Ride 2012!

Yes my little cowboy got to go again this year. He's so proud and happy!

The horse was hyper and he loved it! Look at the look on his face!

My son is so content on that horse... what I wouldn't give to put him on one all the time..

Those Little Moments

You know the ones I mean,

Like when your squeezing the ketchup bottle and it farts and he laugh and says "the ketchup bottle farted.." still laughing.

Or when you go to pick him up from day care and he says "Can I stay here and play?" leading with those little blues eyes.

Or when he brings home a paper that said what he' thankful for  and the list is as follows:
Turkey
Brownie (our dog)
Dad
School
and you notice that you're (mom) not on there and it just breaks your heart.

"mom... can I sleep with you?" usually defined as, jumping on the bed, tossing turning, rolling on top of you, demanding a kiss to avoid sleeping, pulling open the curtain to peek out the window and let the car lights in.... "mom I need  a drink." is always included in that particular activity.

One of my favorites is while he's laying in your bed and you decide to make his stuffed animal a lively bedtime playmate for him. Giving hugs and kisses and shaking while it laughs.. (Yes I've paid for this often but it's just TOO CUTE!).

 Knowing that your kids wasn't afraid to get this picture taken with Santa and so many others you know were.

Preschool Day Care

My son started Preschool/daycare this past monday.
Like a good little paranoid mother I called 2 times the first day.
The second day I called the same time as  the first day...
We're talking and I ask him "How is school?"
"Good." He said chipper.
"Are you having fun?'
"Yeah!' he said eagerly.
"Did you eat breakfast today?" I ask.
"Yes I had pears. I'm done talking to you now."He stated and he gave the phone back to the woman at the daycare and went back to playing before I could say anything.
That little turd! He's been perfectly content at daycare. No missing mom.. or dad.. anxiety. Nothing. I love the fact that my son is well adjusted and independent enough to survive daycare, but damn! he wasn't interested in a phone call with me he likes it soo much. I'm not sure how I'm going to survive it.  Im' raising a bright little boy, but I want to be missed. Almost brought me to tears....

Did I scare you?

My son "BOO! Mom did I scare you?"
Me "No."
My son "BOO! Mom did I scare you?"
Me "No'
*thump thump thump* Runs around the corner and comes *thump thump thumping* back "BOO!" Giggling "mom did I..."
"BOOOOOO!" I trumped at him before he could finish...
"AAAAHH!" so startled he fell back on his butt.
Me "Did I scare you?"
My son "YES!"  giggling after the fall...a short pause and he said "BOO! Mom did I scare you?"
..... and thus was the beginning of the longest  1/2 hour of my life... LOL!

No more Monkeys Jumping on the BED!

So my son has only a top bunk of a futon bunk bed set. The futon was removed because it was breaking.
He won't sleep on the top bunk. Yesterday I went to the D.I. and picked up a used wooden frame bed for 20$. It needed a few minor things that were easily done. Hence getting my son a bed a little closer to the floor.
Right?

So he's already been jumping on the bed even though we warned him not to. He beat his little head on that window sill you see behind him. We haven't had a chance to move the furniture around. So once again I got mad at him (after making sure his brains were still intact) and warned him  he would bounce out that window and die if he kept it up..

Child's Play

My son is recovering from his hand injury. We took a walk through Memory Grove Utah.

All Photos are Copyright of :Tashee Photography (Sonya J Steiner).
UN-AUTHORIZED REPRODUCTION,IN WHOLE OR IN PART,IS STRICTLY PROHIBITED!

He got a five minute cat nap while we were going over to Suicide Rock and he out lasted me.... I want his energy!

_________________________________________

My son & I went out to breakfast with his aunt. While we were paying my son asked to go over to the waiting bench. I said "yes". They he started running up & down the bench and then put his hands all over the windows. "Stop that! You're getting the windows dirty." The guy at the counter said "It's OK. I have to wash them anyway." I said "Thanks, but I don't him to do it anywhere else either."
This older lady turns, looks at me in astonishment and say "That's not something you hear these days. Good for you!" I smiled and asked "You mean someone telling their kid to behave?" She pretty much said "yes" and that most people let them run wild and misbehave. I said My Grandmother would have smacked me upside the head for doing the things kids do these days. She said hers too.

But in the end of all this is that it's good to know someone thinks I'm doing something right with my kid. Especially a complete stranger.

Like Father - Like Son

I was kicking back on my bed with my other half.
 When my son jumps up on the bed buries his head in my chest, starts shaking his head between my boobs and makes noise while he does this (sorta like when you do it on your lips with your finger). 
I start laughing and asked my other half if he saw that. 
He said "no" and I explained what he had done.
 He just starts laughing and all I could think to say was ... "like father like son"

My Little Star

My Little Star,

What a little trooper. He made it 1 1/2 hours at the Utah Hogle Zoo, spent 3 1/2 hours at Wheeler Historical Farm Utah until some kid smashed his poor little injured hand.

He just wants to play like a normal kid.

I was at the farm with him and a polish lady was talking to us. My boy was running back and forth on the seat for the wagon ride. So this lady starts telling me how well behaved he is and how great his manners are.... Here I thought he was being a little unruly running across the seat while we waited, but he handed her the token for the ride her son had dropped on the bottom of the wagon, and let her know they dropped it. She said thank you and he said your welcome. But she said that she has one his age and that he totally wild compared to my son. This isn't the first time I've heard it either. But if what I think my son is doing is acting up, what in the world are other peoples kids doing?!

Just food for thought....

Not for the timid.

This is not for those who can't handle injuries, blood, gore ETC ETC!


This is a picture of my child's injury 3 days after getting stitches....


WARNING!
This has Graphic Content!



If you can not handle this sort of content, DO NOT LOOK!



















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Bandage change was brutal....

Bandage change was brutal.... 

His bandage stuck to his stitches. We couldn't touch it with out him screaming, so we left it hanging while we called Primary Children's for suggestions.. which they came back with the same one that came to mine and rays mind.. only I didn't voice it cause they told us expressly not to get his hand wet... Yeah, drop drops of water on it and let it soak a little... Ha ha ha.... So I went to go get the boy, who started freaking out again.... Then I told him to come with me and do you know what that little turd did?! He pop's off with "I got it off mommy!" I turn and look, and sure enough he took it off himself with out so much as a whimper about it. That boy will one day have a chance at a great acting career don't you think?

 

 That doesn't look anywhere near as bad as as when it was opened and un-stitched...

My poor baby...

LIfe's Little Trials

My poor son tripped and fell.

 He happened to find a piece of aluminum half buried and dirty in the ground while with his dad at Grandpa's. It sliced a wound deep into the meat of his thumb larger than a quarter and smaller than a half dollar. I get his call from my other half while going out on my lunch break. I told him where the nearest Insta-care was, and as I was getting close they told him to go up to Primary Children's Hospital. Boy he lost a lot of blood out of it.
He'll live so far. But boy he didn't take it well when they were stitching it up. As long they weren't touching it, he was a trouper. But the minute they did he could give a screeching banshee a run for it's money. I may be deaf now... :D
  I was telling Ray Ray we'd get him a happy meal when we were all done and on our way out, and the nurse goes "Mom deserves a Big Mac or something after this...." I said "Mom needs something, but she has to get up and go to work in the morning."
I stayed the whole time, didn't get squeamish, didn't cry (god knows I wanted to) , and  held him down explaining that they had to fix.

 

Zoo Play

My son and I went to the Grand Opening of Utahs Hogle Zoo Rocky Shores Exhibit....
We had FUN!
For more photos & information on the New Rocky Shore exhibit at Utahs - Hogle Zoo  go to Tashee Photography!

A childs conversation while waiting...

We were waiting for a friend and his mom to finish in a salon. Kids were getting a little restless and were playing hide & seek in the few clothes and scarves they had for sale. Had to make them stop. 

Then came the conversation portion of waiting.  My son noticed a mannequin and started pointing things out on it. He loudly informed me it's head & arms were missing. I said "yes" He then said "It's like you mommy." I said "not exactly like me."  A Guy was sitting playing on his laptop paying slight attention to the conversation. My son said "Uh HUH! You both have boobies. See?" he pointed to the mannequin then at me, "It has boobies and you have boobies Mommy. " He nodded at me and then continued "Except you have BIG boobies mommy." I could see the guy trying to hide his mirth at the statement. I looked at my son and said "Yes honey I do. Just like when you pointed it out at Walmart... "


The gentleman closed up his laptop and seemed done with waiting at this point.


I can imagine that it made great conversation later on that day when he felt it was OK to laugh out loud....

Child Proof

Kids Say & Do the Darnedest Things, but we Parents aren't any Better..

Sometimes I think the things that pop out of our mouths are just to survive our Children...

We as Parents need a little laughter in out lives.... sometimes at our kids expense.. Sorry Babies!



Now there were a couple of boys at the park doing jumps, flips & Leaps in this video.... Check it out!

Center of my Attention

A friend of mine offered to do my hair. I didn't get home till after ten at night and I needed to be up at three am. My son was in bed when I got home. We had stopped off to get something to eat afterwards. We hadn't caught up in some time.

All Photos are Copyright of :Tashee Photography.UN-AUTHORIZED

 

 

 REPRODUCTION,IN WHOLE OR IN PART,IS STRICTLY PROHIBITED!

I found out the next morning my son wet the bed for the first time in  a long time. The next day he wouldn't let me out of his sight. And today, well, he wants to be the center of my attention. Which I try when he realizes that I'm doing something else instead of watching him do what ever it is he wants me to watch.
A friend died this morning and I must admit it causes some distraction. I've been playing  Music on YouTube which suits the melancholy mood her death has created.
But can always break a smile when my son wants to be the Center of my Attention. They can tell something's wrong and love on you.
 I hope he always wants to be the center of my attention.....

All Photos are Copyright of :Tashee Photography.UN-AUTHORIZED REPRODUCTION,IN WHOLE OR IN PART,IS STRICTLY PROHIBITED!

The Itsy Bitsy Spider...

I was messing with my Photography website and i hear singing behind me.....
Now you can hear it too...

Expired

I came home from work today, and like usual my son yelled  "MOMMY!" came out wrapped his arms around me for a great big hug. Not more than 2 minutes later we walked into the other room to  find him out cold on the computer chair like this.....

He passed out.....

EASTER 2012

Family time. Spring time. Easter Time!....

Tag at the end of the day to run off all that sugar!

After  the Easter Egg Hunt!

















The booty haul!

On the HUNT!

Mother & Son....









.All Photos are Copyright of :
Tashee Photography.
UN-AUTHORIZED REPRODUCTION PROHIBITED!

I want a Sponge Bob Cake Mommy...

So, as the loving mother that I am. I made one. I made the fondant, butter cream icing, gum paste.. all from scratch. I still haven't found a really good cake recipe so I altered a box cake.

All Photos are Copyright of : Tashee Photography. UN-AUTHORIZED REPRODUCTION, IN WHOLE OR IN PART, IS STRICTLY PROHIBITED!

All Photos are Copyright of : Tashee Photography. UN-AUTHORIZED REPRODUCTION, IN WHOLE OR IN PART, IS STRICTLY PROHIBITED!

I am that mom... The best surprise for him was the cake, the best for me is when we cut it and it was green inside and he looked shocked!
I'd say tht it's not really that hard, but time consuming. I spent all night decorating and making the gum paste into hands, feet, nose and hat. Coloring everything. You have to make the fondant a day in advance. It has to sit for at least 8 hours before you can use it.
My son turned 4 on St Patrick's Day... He's getting so big.



And good lord, now family members are making request....  If I thought I could make money out of it......

Museum of Natural History - Utah - 1-6-2012

Our beloved Museum if finally open again here in Utah. It's been close for a couple of years while they built and moved to a new site. I've been waiting to take my son for a year now. Oh yeah, he had a good time. We spent 2 hours going through the Museum.

The Dinosaurs (of course) were the big hit!

We liked these....

All Photos are Copyright of : Tashee Photography. UN-AUTHORIZED REPRODUCTION, IN WHOLE OR IN PART, IS STRICTLY PROHIBITED!

Pony Ride 2011

Pony Ride 2011
All Photos are Copyright of : Tashee Photography. UN-AUTHORIZED REPRODUCTION, IN WHOLE OR IN PART, IS STRICTLY PROHIBITED!

  My son had his first pony ride in October. He wasn't afraid. He LOVED IT!. And he wants to do it again. But the place he got the pony ride only does it at Halloween for some reason....

Tips & Tricks for Moma's and Daddy's

Diaper bags vs Back packs:

I actually gave up my diaper bag really early in my son's life. I actually found it inconvenient. I switched to a back pack early on.. More room, you can drop you wallet or cell phone in an easy find pocket. When they get a little older. I switched to a kids back pack and let them carry their own stuff. Get whatever cute little pack they love. They will insist on carrying it themselves. It was great!

Formula:

Did you know that most formulas are alike? There were a few off brand my doctor said didn't have enough nutrient for the babies and to stay away from them. But in most cases, the formula's are created equal. It's really the fillers that make the difference. My son wouldn't drink Isomil brand, but would similac and our savior the Kirkland brand at Costco (for which I don't think we would have survived the formula stage otherwise. Formula's so expensive and it was cheaper.). I did take the Kirkland brand in for my doctor to check out. He said it was the same as the other.  Now like I said it's the fillers that babies have a issue with. Sometimes, no matter how crazy people tell you you are, if your kid doesn't like one and will drink the other, that's probably why. Switch! As long as you have your piece of mind and the kids eating, screw the world.

Back-up Formula
I found that they have these 8 ounce pre-made bottle in Walmart. I'd buy a 6 pack and keep a couple in his bag. There will be those moment when the waters not available as fast as you'd like/need. Sometimes it's that your other half didn't bother to tell you he emptied the formula and didn't fill it.. Obviously this happened to me a lot. But I'd keep a couple of those in my car in a little emergency pack with a nipple to put on it.

Emergency packs:

I highly recommend you keep one in your car. And about every 3 months change out for new supplies and just use up what you had in there as quick as you can.
I keep the following;
1. Diapers - at least 4
2. Wipes - sealed packages (they can dry out otherwise)
3. Pre-made formula
4. Nipples for the formula
5. Bottled water. - this for 2 reasons, A. all you might need is water for you formula. B. if your wipes are dry, wet them.
6. Change of clothes suitable for the weather for the next 3 months.
7. Didn't matter what time of year it was, I always kept a coat/heavy jacket.
8. A reasonable size blanket. Sometime you might need one.
9. Snacks - Graham Crackers, fruit snacks, granola bars... Depends on the age. I kept those melt away baby snacks for a while too.
10. I always kept a sippy cup too. My baby could use it in a pinch if needed. Like say, dad forgot to put the kids bag in the car, or left it at grandmas...

Now as you kids get older you obviously adjust some. Formula become waters with little flavor packets for instance. I also have M.R.E.'s in my car now. You never know where you car can break down with you kids in it. a small jar of peanut butter and crackers might look real good stranded on a lonely highway somewhere. And trust me, it can, and does happen.

Travel
Hand held game systems and portable dvd players are awesome on trips. Make sure you have a converter for your car to charge them or plug them in. I actually took my laptop and it works for both if they're old enough. We actually found a stereo that plays DVD's for 130$ for my other half truck. You do have to bypass the driving safety wire so the kids can watch while you drive. Keep it in mind if you buy one. But don't forget the old favorites, crayons & coloring book, books, and a few car sized toys.

Clothes & Toys
Second hand stores can be you best friend the first few years of your child's life.. They grow out of their clothes and toys so fast.  Son is about to turn 4 and he's only now slowing down a little. We sell back toys we bought there (discounted of course, but they have to make money too). We get in store credit because you get more that way, and I always shop there when I can. I don't know how people can make it in today's world, unless you're wealthy, buying all this stuff. Buying formula nearly broke us. That and diapers. Which was our incentive to train him on that potty early!

Diapers
And on that note, keep a few cloth diapers on hand. I don't care who you are, one night you will end up using your husband/boyfriends T-shirt if you don't. At least those diapers can be used again if needed.

Butt Cream
And no matter how great a product is, keep in mind all kids are different. I have a friend that swears by Triple Paste butt cream. The only thing that worked on her kid. Desitin was the only one that worked on mine. Try different ones. You're friends are great for giving ideas, but when all else fails, try them all.

Oh and here's a tip for all you moms and dads. Butt cream isn't just for kids butts. It works on heat rash, sunburns, chaffing, sweat rash and various other things...

Thinking of Butts, let's talk about potty training...

Again, not all kids work the same.
The whole aim for the cheerio's thing... Yeah, nothing for my boy. Didn't care. Peeing outside... Now that was his thing. He potty trained because Daddy taught him to pee out side. Then we had to teach modesty to him as well. But, he did potty train cause it was fun to aim and shoot at everything outside.
My niece wanted to potty train because she was going to get to wear those pretty girly panties.
Now I had almost had my boy trained at about a year and a half... but I got injured and had to leave it to dad. You can guess where that went. When he was little I just put him on the potty every couple of hours and  soon he was asking to go... To bad I got injured... By the way, I find potty training when they are older a hell of a lot harder. They get distracted to easy when they get a mind of their own. And trust me, mine got a mind of his own WAY early.
Some kids can watch the Elmo Potty Time video and learn and want to be like Elmo. I'm sure there are a lot of things I haven't even tried. But my kids is potty trained now.

Incentives
I do have a real candy machine full of M&M's that you have to have a quarter to get any M&M's out of the machine. When he was getting on the ball with his potty training, every time he went on the potty we'd give him a quarter to get his precious M&M's. Nice incentive for him. You kid may like another candy, but that's his chocolate of choice. I have another Gumball machine I've filled with nuts that will take any money that he might find and get himself a snack and it's real neat cause it came out of a gumball machine.  You can find these thing on KSL's online clarified adds or Craigs list etc etc. And you'd be surprised how many adult plunk money into those things too.

Punishment

I'm sorry to say, it's about time out, their favorite toy. computer (Yes, mines can use a computer well. Has been since he was about 1 1/2 years old), and the one I dread the most, the occasional spanking. Once again, no two kids are the same. I can put mine in the corner and it's no where near effective enough as it is to ground him off the computer. We ground him off the computer, he howls like we beat him. Corner for time out. he huff and puffs and kicks a little, but will do it again. Computer.... he learns not to.

And that's where I'll stop for a moment. When I think of more I will post. I might repeat a few knowing me, but hey, free tips....