La Famiglia D!

We've moved, baby!

Yep, we're gone for good. Check out our new family blog, La Famiglia D.

Web address: http://lafamigliad.blogspot.com

Nothing more to see here, folks. Move along.

Water Baby

Driving down the road, I saw two little girls sliding down a playset slide into a baby pool. Never thought of this (mostly because we use the baby pool out front, usually while Daddy is weeding the garden, and the playset is out back). I had to try this the very same day. Maddie went down the slide enthusiastically 3 or 4 times and loved the splash factor. I thought, "I'll go get the camera, now that she likes it!" Yeah, she never did it again once the camera came out. But we happily played until it was too dark to see the pattern at the bottom of the baby pool... and we were all dotted with nasty bug bites anyway.

Maddie In the Baby Pool (with a Slide!)

Then Friday we went to Brigantine. Must say, we LOOOOOVE Aunt Laura's choice of residence. Thank you for the use of your awesome beach house, Aunt Laura! Maddie and Aunt Laura got lots of frolic-on-the-beach time. There were those jellies that look like clear Nickelodeon slime, and moon jellies, so we didn't get in the water much. See, I scream like a banshee when I come in contact with these critters. I'd like to blame it on a traumatic tenticled-jelly wrapping around my leg and stinging me repeatedly when I was like 10...but I think I'd still be a sissy about them anyway. (Our first shore trip this summer makes up for dozens of jellyfish-infestations, though. Amazing beach day, that one.) Then we headed to Ocean City and hit the boards. Maddie was mesmerized by the lights and sounds of Wonderland, just like last year. But THIS year, she was big enough to go on the rides. Bob and I have been waiting to put her on the carousel all summer, and nobody was disappointed. She loved it. She rode the firetrucks - gripped the back of the seat with a "this is slightly scary but moreso cool, so I'm liking it" look on her face. She rode in the boats too, and the little boy who sat in the front seat (we said he was her driver) actually looked a bit like Bobby as a kid. She was ok with him (she likes the older men) and she drug her hands along the outside of the boat pond. Bobby even took her on the Elephants (and she liked this more than Bobby did).

Shore Trip

Gotta love a good shore trip:

We Are Family

Wordle is fun.

Rules of Etiquette?

I'm going to piggyback on a Parenting Hacks post (love them, see side bar) today. Here they've listed rules for children's behavior. Maddie's entering the age where we can't smile apologetically in and give the "well, she's just a baby" shrug when she has a tantrum or steals a toy from another kid. I'm not going to say that parents are actually supposed to be in complete control of of their toddler's behavior...but you can sure get the stink eye when they act up in the grocery store. And then there was that little puzzle-stealing incident in the library... Although we've still got a while before door-holding and not slurping soup, I'm sure it's good to know ahead of time the rules you'd like to have in place when your kids are older.

We're big about eating meals together, "please" and "thank you", and "excuse me", right now. We'd also like her to stop tormenting our poor dog. And of course there's the screeching-when-mad thing. But come on, she's 1.

My goal is for my kids is for them to be the kind of kids I love to teach. They don't have to wait to be spoken to to speak all the time, but when they talk to adults, they speak, well, like they're talking adults. There's definitely some etiquette I'd like my kids to have, ideally. I'm not sure how much of our house rules would include these antiquated rules from the 50's listed below... but you never know how rigid I'll get in my old age, as I edge towards 30.

Anybody have to follow these rules when they were kids?
What's your big house rule?

Here are some etiquette “rules” or “suggestions” addressed to children from the 1950s that I found on a loose sheet from an old handbook, I thought they were interesting to share.

Considering that these were standard expectations just 50 years ago, it’s a reminder of how fast things can change.

CHILDREN IN THE HOME

1. Always greet the members of your family when you enter and always bid them goodbye when you leave.
2. Always rise to a standing position when visitors enter, and greet them after your elders.
3. Never address a visitor until he has started the conversation unless he is a person of your own age or younger.
4. Never interrupt a conversation. Wait until the party talking has finished.
5. Always rise when your visitor or your elders stand.
6. Never let your mother or your father bring you a chair or get one for themselves. Wait on them instead of being waited on.
7. If you leave or cross the room you should say “Excuse me.”
8. If a visitor should say, “I am glad to have seen you,” you should say, “Thank you.”
9. Never run up and down the stairs or across the room.
10. Talk in a low, even voice. It denotes refinement.
11. Always give way to the younger child. It is your duty to look after them instead of fretting them.
12. Never retire without bidding the members of your family good night.

Follow these suggestions and you will assist in making the members of your family happy as well as in benefiting them in many other ways.

The next big toy craze ...or a sign of the apocalypse?

What, the Tickle Me Elmo Christmas riots weren't enough?

I can't decide if this is the awesomest toy that I absolutely will be getting for Maddie for her birthday (that will surely help her practice motor skills and speak clearly and enthusiastically to her, developing her verbal and listening skills)...

Or if it pretty much goes against every fiber of my being.

OR if it's a sign that the robots are getting much too intelligent and will one day take over the earth, enslave all humans, and make us wear red fur suits.

Videos Here.

*sigh* ...I think Elmo had me at "Jazz Hands!"

Dad and Cait Visit

Maddie's Granddad (Meg's Dad), and her Aunt Cait paid us a visit this weekend. Below are two albums and some adorable pictures. The highlight of the weekend was our outing to a playground. Enjoy!

Dad and Cait's Visit

Playing at the Park with Dad and Cait