Naptime Blog

We live in NYC.  On Saturday evening, we started feeling the effects of Hurricane Irene.  It started raining and the wind began to pick up.  When we finally headed to bed at about 1:30am, we thought we would be in the clear.  But at 3:00am on Sunday morning, we jumped out of bed when we heard loud bangs.  My husband ran to the window to see sparks flying from the street behind us.  After the fourth bang, our power died.  We ran to the front door to see sparks coming from our own power lines, and as we looked out the door we could see branches flying and limbs hanging down, and then we felt the water.

The wall above our front door was all wet and there was a puddle on the floor.  The rain was coming in through an apparent crack in the bricks from the outside.  We grabbed towels, saw the fire engines come down our street, and after we knew there was nothing we could do but wait it out, we went back into bed.  Unfortunately, we didn’t stay in bed very long, because we started hearing drips.  There was a leak in our bedroom ceiling, and the paint began to bubble.  After checking on the boys’ room, we saw that the top of their window was leaking as well.  Grabbing the flashlight, I went down to the kitchen to grab some pots and buckets and my husband grabbed some towels to dry up the water. 

Once again, we got back into bed.  And once again, it wasn’t very long before we were up again.  I am not sure if it was the loud roaring howl of the wind or the drips into the pots, but once we heard a big flow of water when the bubble in our ceiling popped and the paint feel down, we were out of bed again.  By this time, my daughter was in our room, visibly shaken from all the noise.  Trying our best to calm her down (while I myself was uneasy about the possibility of our ceilings’ stability and what the wind was going to pick up in its travel, not to mention the thought that both behind and in front of our house power lines were sparking), she was finally able to get back to sleep.  Paul and I laid in bed for the next hour, but it felt like three days.  He suggested we get in the car and drive north and west, but I was too afraid to be on the road in the storm.  I was unsure if we should take the kids downstairs (our kitchen, living room and dining rooms are all basement level), but if we had water in the bedrooms, I was sure we had flooding downstairs.  We dozed on and off until 6am, and once we started to see daylight outside, I decided to wake up.

All the kids woke up and we handed each of them a flashlight.  They couldn’t understand why the lights were not going on, but were amazed with the flashlights, so we kept them amused for a bit.  Louis kept trying to turn the television on, and when I took out the portable CD player and put some kids’ CDs in, they had fun dancing.  Our house phones were out because they are on our cable network and our cell phone service was spotty.  We managed to get in touch with our parents and knew none of them had power either.  Paul saw the Con Edison trucks come by and secure the hanging lines.  They told him that they’d come back to work on them later.

By 11am, my parents got their power back.  We packed up some clothes and headed there for a bit.  Driving there, we saw so many downed trees and power lines.  Pelham Bay Park, about 3 blocks from my house, was Pelham Bay Lake.  Living in a quiet section of the Bronx, we never really get news coverage (which is a good thing!), so the TV stations were not reporting from our neighborhood, but they could have.

We headed back to our house at 7pm, but still having no power, we decided to go back to my parents’ house, as another dark night with four children wouldn’t have been fun.  On Monday morning, ConEdison was able to restore our power.

We are going to have to get the windows fixed, and check the brickwork outside in preparation for the next rainfall.  The walls will need some work, and my bedroom ceiling will need to be fixed.  We still do have some water in the basement, and we hope that the floors upstairs do not buckle from all the water we got.  All in all, we know how truly blessed we are that Hurricane Irene only left us with minimal damage and one night’s lost sleep.  We are all safe and sound, and the damage we have could have been much worse.  My thoughts and prayers to all the families still dealing with the remnants of Irene…  I know millions are still without power and there are a ton of floods still around, as well as plenty of downed trees that need to be cut up and removed.

Last week, I walked kiddo to camp and was excited about his first day there. Not only because I no longer had to worry about his summer camp activities, but because he’d be having a great summer with new adventures. My excitement was short-lived. By 11:30am, I’d received a phone call about kiddo’s behavior. The FIRST day??!!?? Arg!! This could NOT be good. I braced myself for the news and was told that kiddo had several incidents today challenging the authority of the counselors. Kiddo had to be picked up for the day because it was just a really bad day for him there. I redirected the camp staffer to kiddo’s father who would be the one to pick kiddo up that day. A couple of hours later, I got another call this time from a different staffer who had not spoken to the first one. Either way, I was worn out already from the realization that it was the first day of camp and it would be a really long summer. I felt like it was an omen and squeezed my eyes shut wishing kiddo’s trouble away. I held my breathe for the couple of nights that kiddo was with his father and was relieved that I didn’t receive any calls about his behavior. I was relieved too soon. Kiddo’s father called me directly to inform me that kiddo got into trouble again. This time, I’d be dealing with his behavior since kiddo would be with me over the next several days. Early bedtimes, chores and no television were part of his punishment. I also told him that I didn’t want to hear about his behavior anymore and would punish him the ENTIRE summer. Shocked he asked me if I really would punish him for the whole summer. I nodded and then he said that he would do better next week. The summer camp saga continues.

When you are a mom of many, it is often difficult to spend individual time alone with any one of them.  And as my oldest is at the stage where she thinks her baby brothers (while she is their biggest fan!) come before her in my eyes (which I try my hardest to show my children that each of them are equally loved and equally important to me), I have been planning on doing something special with her for a while.  When she came home with the announcement of the Mother-Daughter Girl Scouts Camping Weekend, I knew this was the perfect opportunity for us to bond and have some Mommy-Juliana “alone” time.

Now that the camping trip is coming up in just two days, I am really wondering “WHAT WAS I THINKING?”  I am certainly not the CAMPING MOM…  While I absolutely love barbecues, pool parties and entertaining in my yard, I am definitely not the outdoorsy kind of person.  My idea of “roughing it” is staying at a hotel with no Wi-Fi! 

Me, my daughter, the fresh outdoors, campfire, hiking, fishing, boating, archery, and a bunch of other Girl Scouts and their moms…  Well, let’s just say this should be fun!  The things we do for our children…  I hope my daughter knows just how much I love her!!!

Wow, is it really August already? I cannot believe that school will start later this month. It’s been a really busy one for us.

My three year old went to a program all summer called PALS. He really loved this program. It was taught by a preschool teacher and a speech language pathologist and he not only learned socialization skills, but had a blast with craft projects and dancing to music. He has also had a ton of fun in the pool during his physical and occupational therapy. It seems like we are never home though and the school year will almost be a respite (even though he does go to preschool and my youngest will start mother’s day out).

A big highlight of the summer was our trip to Destin, Florida last month. It is gorgeous there. There was no oil on the beach and the water was very pretty. Every night, the boys would swim themselves to sleep (literally, in the case of my youngest). I have so many cute photos of them.

Here is my favorite of my youngest son:

And of my oldest son:

So, what did you do this summer? I wish we could go back for one last beach trip. Ahhh, to dream!

Shannon
Potamus Prefers

http://www.potamusprefers.com/

When I was a little kid in the 1970s, we lived in a teeny tiny town. There were only several hundred people in our community. It was a different time and place and we’d
run and play outside from morning until night. We’d ride our bikes to elementary school a couple of blocks away from our home (these were country blocks… about 10 of them would make up a city block these days). Our parents worried more about us falling out of a tree or wrecking our bikes than about us getting abducted by a stranger.
These days that’s not the case anymore. Parents have become hyper-vigilant (and rightfully so) about keeping an eye on their children when they are outside. It’s sad
in a way that the world has to be like that. These days, many activities are indoors (gymnastics, dance, karate) and I wonder if children sometimes miss out on some
of the things I experienced as a child… roly polys in the yard, climbing trees, riding bikes on winding trails and experiencing that carefree childhood. Of course, I was
a good bit older than my children are when I was allowed to run and play freely.

This past weekend, I watched my two children and their very different personalities emerge. We went in the backyard and the boys played and played. My three year old
spent most of his time in the sandbox, scooping up sand and raining it on his head. He enjoyed running his small fingers through the dirt, rolling his cars over sand mountains
and giggling at his brother. My two year old ran constantly. He ran from one side of the yard to the other side of the yard. He ran up slides and slid down slides. He dug his
hands in the mud and squealed past me as I tried to catch him. He would stop only long enough to take a few long drinks of the ice water I had prepared for him. He picked up
bugs and giggled at the hopping frogs. He chased the dogs and grabbed onto their tails.

He enjoyed being a boy, being free (as free as you can be in a fenced in backyard).

It was bliss (for all involved).

Shannon
Potamus Prefers

http://www.potamusprefers.com/

This should be an interesting summer. Our oldest son is turning 10 soon, and we are looking into local and sleep away camps (OMG). There is a huge gap between my boys in age so I want him to still feel as if there are certain things out there just for him and it’s not all about the baby.

He is pretty athletic “All” around. He likes everything, not just 1 sport but all of them. He has played a little AYSO (soccer), Babe Ruth League (baseball) & our local Parks & Rec basketball league. My husband who is a HUGE basketball fan is insisting on a basketball camp. I really don’t want to sway him in any direction. But WE all know how fathers can be when it comes to their boys and sports…

Well, I will keep researching the safest and affordable camp for our family.

~Shanta

Sometimes I sit around and have random thoughts. Here’s one: Have you ever taken a moment to think about just how all-purpose flowers are?
Here are the top 10 reasons I love flowers:

1. You don’t have to have a lot of money (or any if you have them growing in your garden or yard) to give a flower to someone that is having a bad day. Just one single, bright bloom can turn that frown into a smile and that gloomy expression into a grin.
2. Flowers are the perfect gift from a child to a mom. Mom may be covered in spit-up and so tired that she doesn’t remember her child’s name from her pet’s name. It doesn’t matter though, because a wildflower bouquet that is wilted and limp from a sweaty little palm’s grasp is more beautiful than a 10 carat diamond.
3. Is your little girl having a bad hair day or do you want to avoid a pricey hat for Easter? A simple crown made of flowers is a beautiful adornment for your little princess’s ‘do.
4. Want to keep a flower forever? Dry it and place it in a memory book next to a photo of the event where you received it (a wedding, anniversary, birthday party, etc.).
5. Use a dried flower to bookmark a favorite verse or poem.
6. Need a day off from work? If you are an allergy sufferer, take a walk in a flower garden and sniff away. 
7. Without flowers we wouldn’t have delicious honey. Mmm.
8. A bouquet of flowers makes a dreary dark hospital room look a little brighter and makes the patient feel loved.
9. Sprinkle rose petals in a warm bath to feel like you are in a luxurious spa. Be sure to close your eyes to block out the rubber duckies. It adds to the atmosphere. Trust me.
10. If you run out of reasons before number 10, ask your hubby and he’ll tell you flowers are great to spray paint black and send to your enemies. Well, I would never do such a thing! Hrmph.

What sorts of random things do you think of when you have a few minutes to let your mind wander?

Shannon
Potamus Prefers
http://www.potamusprefers.com/

It’s getting hot out there. As I write this, my three year old has two more days of preschool left before the summer officially begins. I know he is going to miss riding the bus every day and that not waiting on the porch for that big yellow vehicle is going to be a transition for him. He’ll probably get bored easily, so I’ll need ideas to keep him happy and entertained.

It sure feels like summer already though. It’s already in the mid-90s and that means lots of outside water fun and inside creativity to keep the little ones entertained. We enjoy playing at the park, swimming at the community pool and having cookouts with family and friends while the kiddos splash in the pool or sprinklers. My youngest loves helping me pot my plants and both of them love helping me water them. They usually water themselves more than the plants, but it’s all good, right? If nothing else, it makes for good photo opportunities.

With it being so hot in the south, we have to be creative though. We can’t be outside all day as it isn’t safe. The boys love to watch educational shows like Thomas the Train DVDs and PBS Kids Sprout and they also really like coloring and finger painting.

I would love some tips on summer activities that are educational and fun for toddlers. Please leave me some ideas in the comments section below. Thanks!

Shannon
Potamus Prefers
http://www.potamusprefers.com/

Much like his mother, Shaughn loves bubbles. There can be so many just floating around him and he seems mesmerized by them. Once he snaps out of the bubble’s hypnosis, he goes into destruction mode. Yes, that means every bubble must come down. He pokes at them, swats them, hits them to the ground and smears the soapy bubble all over the ground, all while laughing. I certainly hope that bubble beatings are not a sign of violence, lol.

Even when he is in the bathtub, he goes crazy over his bubble bath and then covers his face in bubbles and laughs. It’s not funny when he tries to eat them, though. Alright, maybe it is funny but I can’t show him that because then he will think it’s okay to eat things like that. One of our pool excursions while my mother in law was in town included bubble blowing, because it was $1.99 for a big bottle at Walgreens with two wands. I accidentally dropped it on the concrete in the pool area breaking the dipping tray, so I had to squeeze it together to make sure it wouldn’t leak. Shaughn was already in the pool with his daddy just kicking and splashing away.

You can never get this kid out of the pool or bathtub, he loves being in water. That is, until we started blowing bubbles. He had to get out of the pool and be right there with me and Brent’s mom watching us blow the bubbles, and watching them float away. He observed us for a good minute and decided he was ready to try. After a couple of unsuccessful attempts, he put his heart and soul into the next one and made it. In the picture I took, you can see his dedication along with his bubble floating away from the want. I was so proud of him and he was too! We all clapped for him and said our “Yay”s and “Good Job’s”. That was the end of the pool for that day, he left daddy stranded alone to go blow his bubbles.

- Krystal

Okay, so sometimes I draw a blank when trying to think of ways to entertain my two little boys.

We go to the park where they swing and slide and pick up leaves and feed the turtles. They run and play and dig in the mulch. They get dirty and sweaty and come home happy, hungry and exhausted. In their world, that is a fun time and a great way to spend an afternoon. If they’re happy, I’m happy. Of course, I love the park as it is full of fun photo ops.

Another activity we are involved in is growing an herb garden on our porch. They love helping me water it and watching the birds and squirrels fly and scamper across the yard. They like riding their tricycles down the sidewalk and having picnics on the porch. They also enjoy swinging on our porch swing.

It’s starting to get warmer though. I wonder what we’ll do when it’s too hot to spend much time outdoors. Of course, we’ll go to the local swimming pool and spend time in our backyard blowup pool. We’ll also drag out the sprinklers.

All in all, though, I think I’m not all that creative with these things and would love some advice. What are your favorite things to do with toddlers when it’s hot outside and they want to do something new all of the time?

Shannon
Potamus Prefers
http://www.potamusprefers.com/