Alison’s Journey Home: An Adoption Story - Part 8
October 31, 2007
Alison’s Journey Home: An Adoption Story - Part 8
by: Nicole Sandler
12-6-2000
Well, the good news is that Alison and I are both feeling much better. A few days of antibiotics has her just about back to her happy self. She loves going outside, but it snowed again the night before last, so we were stuck inside yesterday.
Today seemed nicer and the snow was melting, so we headed out. It got progressively colder, and it’s now freezing!
I’m very bummed because my friend Amy, from Houston, is leaving tonight. She flies to Moscow at 2:30 AM (the same flight I’ll be taking Tuesday night), and leaves for Houston Friday morning. Alison and I will miss her and her precious son, but my wallet won’t!
She’s been a really bad shopping influence on me! On Sunday, we went to the bazaar… we were told it was like a giant flea market… but they sell everything. I bought a beautiful Shearling jacket…. This jacket at home would cost at least $1200. I only paid $210. Amy bought a mink jacket (and also only paid around $200 for it). Yes, they had beautiful leather and fur coats at this flea market.
Alison’s Journey Home: An Adoption Story - Part 9
October 31, 2007
Alison’s Journey Home: An Adoption Story - Part 9
by: Nicole Sandler
12-8-2000
Congratulations are in order! Today, my 15-day waiting period required after court ended, so it was time to go all over Almaty to get new documents.
We had to drive back out to Karakastek, the village where Alison’s orphanage is located, to get her adoption certificate, and to the Almaty registration office to get her new birth certificate listing me as her mother. Galiya is now getting copies of those documents and taking them to the passport office and police department, to get the paperwork started on Alison’s passport so we can come home.
A few interesting observations about 21st century life in Kazakhstan: The office in Karakastek that handles all certificates (birth, marriage, adoption, etc.) has had no phone service for a few weeks. Apparently, they have an unpaid bill of 120,000 tenge (about $80). The woman who handles these duties was going to take “sick leave”. Luckily, Galiya had her home phone number and when Galiya called her last night to tell her we’d be coming today, she said she would not be in. Galiya told her that the families needing adoption certificates wanted to settle her phone debt, so she decided to come in just for us (and our money). This same woman kept the last group of adopting families waiting four hours before she helped them.
Baby Advice - Separating Truth from Fiction
October 31, 2007
Baby Advice - Separating Truth from Fiction
by: Sarah Veda
New mothers get a ton of advice. Total strangers will walk up to you and give you their opinions on how to get rid of that cradle cap. Your mother-in-law will look at you with disapproving eyes and tell you that she had your husband sleeping through the night when he was two weeks old. Your next door neighbor will have an amusing anecdote about how a teaspoon of Jack Daniels absolutely cured her kids’ teething issues.
Don’t despair. It won’t last forever. And, there are days, I’m sure, when you would welcome some good advice. But how do you sort out the good advice from the, well, crap? It’s not easy, let me tell you. But, here are a couple of good places to go when you’re in need of help.
Why Convertible Cribs Make Sense
October 31, 2007
Who doesn’t love cool gadgets that morph into dozens of tools with a twist of the wrist. Finding baby equipment that grows with your child is like hitting the jackpot ? particularly when it involves big ticket items.
Purchasing a crib is one of the major decisions you’ll make when furnishing your child’s nursery. Size, style and color are important considerations, however another option is quickly moving up on the priority checklist ? being able to convert from a crib into a larger bed.
You’ll generally use a crib for the first two to three years and then move on to a larger bed. Toddlers are still small enough to comfortably lie down in a crib, but many parents move to a bed so the child can easily get in and out ? especially important if you have a child that is scaling the sides the of the crib.
Manufacturers today are making cribs with adjustable mattress heights, removable sides and add-on kits that let you easily change the crib into a toddler or day bed and even a full size bed. These models may cost slightly more but taking into consideration that the use of the crib has been extended from two to twenty years, the additional up-front cost may be worthwhile.
Family Meetings: 3 Behaviors That Don’t Work
October 30, 2007
Family Meetings: 3 Behaviors That Don’t Work
by: Jean Tracy. MSS
There are 3 behaviors that can upset any Family Meeting. As a kid, I had all three. In fact, my grandmother called me a “Butinski”. I’ve never seen it spelled but it sounds like: But-in-ski. I was always butting in on the conversations between my mother and grandmother. I thought I’d have to wait forever if I didn’t speak up. Of course, I didn’t care for my cranky grandma and she didn’t care for my interrupting.
How about your family, do these 3 behaviors get in the way of your communication?
1. Do your kids interrupt you?
Do you interrupt them?
2. Do any of your kids talk too much?
Do you talk too much?
3. Do your kids all talk at the same time?
Do you talk when your kids have the floor?
If any of the above behaviors interfere with your family communication, your family needs to change. Discuss speaking skills at the next Family Meeting. You might consider these:
3 Speaking Skills to Choose:
1.Interrupters have to wait.
8 Cheap Activities To Do With Your Kids
October 30, 2007
8 Cheap Activities To Do With Your Kids
by: Jennifer Shircel
These inexpensive ideas are sure to get your kids creative juices flowing! The kids will love them because it gives them something productive to do and mom will love them because they’re easy and cheap!
1.) Fly a kite at a local park. Kites can usually be found at any local dollar store. We found a cute Tigger kite at our local Dollar Tree.
2.) Blow bubbles. Now how cheap are bubbles, like $.50 a bottle?! Kids can have contests to see who can make the most or the biggest bubble.
3.) Make an “I love You” card for someone. Or is someone’s birthday coming up? Let the kids be creative and make a friend or relative a card from the heart.
4.) Paint Rocks. You can find rocks anywhere. Let the kids be creative with some paint, markers, ribbons, beads and glue.
5.) Catch fireflies, ants, bugs or butterflies. Summer nights are perfect for catching fireflies and they are so neat as a nightlight. At your local dollar store, you may also be able to find a cheap ant farm. These are so much fun!!
How To Tell A Test Quiz Before It Bites You On The Nose
October 30, 2007
How To Tell A Test Quiz Before It Bites You On The Nose
by: Brian Fong
Q. My teacher says that we are going to have a test quiz next week. Isn’t that term a bit redundant? What in the world is a test quiz?
A. Ah, the wiley test quiz. It’s an odd creature indeed and it is very rarely encountered in the wild. In fact, you are a very lucky student to have a teacher that even knows what a test quiz is much less is wiling to administer one.
A test quiz is a preparatory quiz that is given in advance of a major test. Its purpose is to familiarize you with the type of questions that are going to be asked on the major test without revealing the actual questions that will be asked.
For example, if you’ve ever taken the PSAT test, then you’ve taken a test quiz. The PSAT test is designed to prepare you to take the actual SAT tests that many colleges require high school students to take before applying for admission.
Family Meetings: Parents Help Your Kids Discuss with This Special Formula
October 30, 2007
Family Meetings: Parents Help Your Kids Discuss with This Special Formula
by: Jean Tracy. MSS
Do sarcasm, put-downs, and pouting keep you from holding Family Meetings? Do you want your kids to speak up, to listen, and to be respectful? Do you want them to become people of character?
In his book, Character Is Destiny, Senator John McCain said, “It is your character alone, that will make your life happy or unhappyand you choose it.” Parents, if you want your children to be happy, help them to choose character. The Family Meeting is an excellent tool to help them make that choice.
Perhaps, like other parents, you fear the battles that could occur during family meetings. Maybe you don’t know how to teach your kids the skills they need. If so, this special Communication Formula is for you. It’s as easy as one, two, three.
Communication Formula:
1. When you(Be specific about a behavior.)
2. I feel(Name a feeling like mad, upset, and angry.)
3. I want you to(Give a specific positive behavior.)
Use this communication formula with your kids and have them practice it with each other. Here are three examples.
How To Make Your Own Baby Food
October 29, 2007
How To Make Your Own Baby Food
by: Jennifer Shircel
Those little containers of baby food sure are expensive once you start totaling up how much you use in a day. Now you are probably wondering how you could possibly save money on baby food (besides those $.25 coupons). Well, you can’t save money on those little containers, but you can on baby food itself. How? Make it yourself! It’s really not as hard as you think. Do a search on the internet for “homemade baby food” and you’ll find tons of recipes on how to make just about anything perfect for your little one.
Let me tell you how easy it can be to make your own baby food. Yes, it takes a bit of time, but knowing that you’re giving your baby the best food for him (uh huh, better than the baby food you buy in the store) and saving some money at the same time it is all worth it! So, here we go
Baby Name Bracelet: The Perfect Gift For A Newborn Baby
October 29, 2007
Baby Name Bracelet: The Perfect Gift For A Newborn Baby
by: Christopher M. Luck
It happens all the time: someone close to you, a friend, a family member, a close colleague, has a baby and you have no idea what to give them. You feel guilty, you fish around for the usual clichéd presents: the booties, the mobiles, the picture books. You yawn and wish there was something you could give that would show how truly happy you are for the parents of that bundle of joy, and this is where a baby name bracelet can help you end that tedious search.
Once you’ve found out what the happy parent (or parents) have planned to name their newborn babe (or babies), a personalized, handcrafted bracelet can be a thoughtful, generous gift. A bracelet adorned with the baby’s name will live on long past the child’s infancy, and can serve as a memorable keepsake for which to add to a parent’s treasure chest of birth certificates, first teeth, and priceless photos. And the best part about a gift like this is that it can vary widely in price, depending on how much you want to spend, or how close you are to the parents in question. Whether or not you want to spend a nice sum on a gold fashioned bracelet, one engraved in sterling silver, or one festooned with pearls and other gems, the market will offer up a wide array of prices that will suit the gift giver any way they see fit.
