Things I’d like to know (a potluck)

Do you make a mess when you brush your teeth? My husband doesn’t, he can walk around with his toothbrush and there is no mess. Me? Toothpaste running down the toothbrush, spatter on the mirror, drips out the side of my mouth into the sink … I don’t understand how clean brushers DO it. I try, but somehow if nothing else it still leaks down my toothbrush and hand and I have to clean everything off when I rinse out my mouth. Do you have these issues?

Are you capable of cooking without harming yourself? I love to cook, I do it as often as I have time for. Last night I made a delicious soup that Caitlyn posted on Twitter (seriously, it was delicious) as well as two pans of Ina Garten’s Eggplant Gratin and I did well on the soup – no pain whatsoever. I burned both my hands pan frying the eggplant though, and grated my knuckle along with the Parmesan cheese. My husband was helping chop onions for the soup and afterward scooped some waste up, catching his finger on a tomato can top and slicing it deep. This morning I burned my fingertip on the toaster getting my bagel out. So obviously, this is a running issue. Do you have these issues?

At what point did you move your child to a bed? I’m getting impatient with having the crib in the boys room and I really want to move H to the bunk beds. I don’t know if he’s ready, and he really loves his crib so this is completely selfish on my part. But the room is so cramped and uncleanable and I really want to make it fun which I don’t feel like I can do until they have more space. I don’t want to create sleep problems though, and H is giving up his naps altogether so he really truly needs his nighttime sleep. Should I wait?

I should point out this wasn’t a problem with Spencer. I moved him out of the crib at around two because he was climbing out, and also I was three months pregnant and wanted an earlier transition so I wasn’t snatching it from him when his brother was born. It went very smoothly. Henry is just so much more headstrong and stubborn and doesn’t like to stay put so I’m more concerned it will be an issue.

What are your feelings about homework? My son is four. He is still in daycare and not in pre-k, but the home daycare he goes to is very highly regulated and a county person comes out for testing and puts the kids on curriculum. There are two daycare rooms in the home – a “classroom” with a computer, and a “playroom” with all the toys and a small tv. My son does schoolwork (kindergarten work, right now) in the afternoon when the before and after kids come home from school, and he has one-two worksheets that come home with him. Sometimes these worksheets take a very long time, and sometimes he’s done with them before we can explain the directions. I think we’re very lucky that he gets the school attention that he does, considering he’s in a home daycare which is usually code for “babysitting”. My question is this: do you have the patience for homework? I feel like any instruction I give ends in barking to focus. Right now my husband helps with homework. Is this normal? Should I try to help more, or just leave it to C? Should I feel guilty for my annoyance with homework?

How do you cut your dependence on sugar? I know I feel better when I don’t have refined sugar. I sometimes (most times) crave something sweet in the evening. If I go for the healthier choice – fruit, mostly, it doesn’t always curb that craving but I feel better. If I go for the m&ms or the cupcake I feel physically ill lying in bed before sleep. I don’t think this is in my head, I think I have an adverse reaction to sugar – especially at night. I don’t have this issue with carbs (although I’m not necessary a HUGE carbs person. I love my bread, but I don’t need to eat a ton of it) but I have it with sweets. But my question is, I know the craving is a physical reaction too – how to you cut it?

And finally, can someone please tell me what a merkin is? I feel so lost on Twitter these days.



- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad