Monday, November 12, 2012

Back in October, He Turned 2

Birthday Cake Face


He's two.  But if you ask him he will still say four.  Yesterday he must have overheard me telling someone his birthday was two weeks ago, because later when I asked him when his birthday was (fishing for the "October" answer he usually gives, he said "oh two weeks ago".  He acts older, like a two year old I suppose. Not terrible by any means - I heard that really starts at 3. Although I can't imagine how TERRIBLE a toddler could be. Ok, I take that back, I can imagine it, but don't foresee it happening with him.

We flew down to Florida for this birthday and spent a few days enjoying time with Grandma and Bapa (his word for Grandpa), their dogs, the sunshine and even a special visit from my sister for his birthday.  We hyped up his birthday for weeks before hand.  We asked him what presents he wanted and reminded him what they were for a week, saying things like "well on your birthday, you might get your own backpack".

We threw him a little party and aside from my parents, sister, brother-in-law and us, a couple of my most favorite friends in Florida made it to the party with their kids.   It was nice and mellow and I think everyone had a nice time.  Sonny doesn't like fire and didn't want any candles (no matter how many times I asked - his eyes widened and he shook his head no) so there was nothing to blow out and he sort of hates the Happy Birthday song so he looked a little terrified until the song was over and the he clapped his hands and said "Yay!"




"Say what?"



He wanted to (and did) put his pants on by himself. That's why they are backwards.



Just a few things I want to remember about him now:

*Like I said he does not like the birthday song. He will react differently depending on how many people are singing. From frightful eyes to full on tears and the shakes.  For real.
*He is into trains
*His favorite toys lately are his Thomas Train, his Spaceship (thank you Sabrina) and his Schleich animal toys (thank you Corinne for the recommendation)
(He is finally at the age where his imagination is starting to form and he can play with his toys by himself for a long time by making them talk to and interact with each other. I love to sit back, watch and listen as he figures out their next move)
*He eats anything (with the exception of meat - but he does he seafood on occasion)
*His favorite vegetable is okra
*He really like watching The Wonder Pets and we watch one episode together right before he goes to bed
*He can eat a whole slice of NYC pizza (+plus some of ours if he is really hungry)
*Knows the letters T, C, S, A, M by sight (but calls T&C  P sometimes like this: "P for Thomas!  P for Cookie!")  If he sees an S he says Spaceship!  If he sees an A he says Apple! If he sees a M he says Monkey!
*He is like a parrot - repeating everything he hears
*He talks and talks and talks and talks. There isn't a thought or need he can't express.
*He asks a lot of questions. Mostly "Momma, what happened?" or "What happened?"  Mostly when we are watching something on the TV.

Funny side story - We don't have cable, and we only watch TV when we are eating dinner (some may call this backwards), we only get a handful of channels but TBS is one of them. TBS plays a lot of Family Guy.  When June was younger we could get away with watching it - he wanted to watch it, we would be flipping and if it was on he would say "This one, this one!"  It's a cartoon, flashy, music everything a kid wants. A few weeks ago he started saying he wanted to watch Family Guy (obviously this isn't what you would want your 2 year old to watch), we would say it wasn't on and we would find something else. Then he started saying he wanted to watch it on the computer if it wasn't on TV.  The other day I came home from a late work night and Josh told me the following story - it went something like this:
S: Dada, watch Family Guy
J: No, not tonight  (repeat these first two a couple times)

J: Let's watch Animals (meaning Planet Earth)
S: Great Dada, Great idea, Animals. Brian.  (Brian is the dog on Family Guy)

*He loves to cuddle and get cozy when I put him to sleep
*He has a sweet tooth - and one filling (we go to the dentist tomorrow and he'll probably get another)
*He's just fantastic. I love him.

Thursday, November 8, 2012

GM ohNO

Ev'rybody's talking about
Bagism, Shagism, Dragism, Madism, Ragism, Tagism
This-ism, that-ism, is-m, is-m, is-m. 
                                   -- John Lennon


All this election hoopla gives me a headache.  Red, Blue, White, Black, Rich, Poor, Left, Right, Right, Wrong, Winner, Loser... Over it.  I didn't even really care who won. I don't say that as someone who doesn't care about politics or our once great nation.  I'm the opposite, I do care about politics and our once great nation (don't get me wrong --we are still a good place to live, and I am fortunate to be born here that is for sure).  To me there was little difference between the two when you get down to nitty gritty.  I was once a huge fan of Obama, back in 2008.  I volunteered at call centers, wore buttons, had stickers, watched the election results and cheered with friends down at Rockefeller Center.  Not this time though.  I didn't even know who won until I heard yelling and car horns outsideI did vote, didn't get a sticker, but I did vote.  BUT I'm not going to make this about the Presidential Election.  

He was over the hour wait.


This is about Prop 37 in California.  Have you heard about it?  Have you been following it?  I have.  I find it very interesting, important and potentially life changing.  Not just in California, but the theory behind it.  I am a big supporter of buying and eating organic (when possible), avoiding GMOs (when possible) and supporting smaller family owned and operated businesses. 

In a nut shell (preferably organic) Prop 37 was an amendment that if passed (it was defeated 53%-47%) would require food companies to label all foods containing GMOs (Genetically Modified Organisms). You might ask yourself "Wait, are GMOs bad for you?"  Well the answer is: Probably - most definitely.  But you won't hear that from our government.  Why?  Because the results they go off of are from tests conducted by the same corporations that make them and profit from them (read and learn more here). Smells fishy if you ask me.  Countries like Australia (yes it is a country), Japan and the EU have many rules, regulations and bans on GMOs-- but not the good ole USofA.  

Prop 37 was challenging that.  There is so much to share on this!!  I am really passionate about it.  But I know no one wants to read a super long blog post...  So here are some facts and figure and a list of Happy (GMO labeling supporters) and Ugly (Anti-labelers) companies.  Also if you want to sign the petition going to the FDA click here. It takes 30 secondsDon't you want to know what you eat? What goes INTO your body?  What can make you sick, infertile, crazy, depressed, have three eyes, glow green?  To me its not just a battle against GMOs but also pesticides and other hazardous chemicals we have been exposed to.  Shop wisely if you can and look for more on the No GMO movement.



 



http://www.cornucopia.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/prop37-poster3.jpeg
Needless to say Monsanto is the worst.  I classify them as people going to hell.

http://www.nongmoproject.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/Non-GMO-Right-to-Know-We-are-WINNING-copy1.jpg
We can make a difference and give ourselves and children a chance of being a little healthier.