So, I know I said I would begin posting more regularly but man, my days just fly by and I'm exhausted by the time I have a few extra minutes to relax. Anyway, things here are very good! Kids (and husband) are great... everyone is happy and healthy. With the nice weather (finally) here, we have been spending a TON of time outside. Lo and Le both love going on bike rides so that has been a daily ritual- well, A and I usually walk as the kids quickly pedal away from us.. but still, it's a nice family outing. A and I actually talked about getting ourselves bikes but I think the kids are still too young to do family bike rides- unless we do the whole bike trailer thing- and I just don't know if I'm in to that! We'll see...
It's 10:36pm- I have a birthday present to wrap, mail to go through, and yes, laundry to fold... so, I'm signing off now. More to come later....
PS- I (yes, it was me, not one of the kids) dropped our camera a while ago and it costs between $175-$250 to get fixed (which is why I haven't done it yet) so we have been "picture less". I finally couldn't stand it anymore, as Lo and Le get cuter and cuter every day, so on the way home from Gramma and Papa's tonight, Team Robinson stopped and got a nice new digital camera! So, keep your eyes out for new pictures coming soon!
Friday, May 11, 2007
Monday, April 23, 2007
Long time, No Blog
I look at my blog every day...sometimes two, three, or four times a day. I want to post, I have a lot to say- but when I sit down to type, nothing comes out. I guess I've got a writers block and my creative juices just haven't been flowing! Sometimes it feels like there's so much to talk about, so much going on, and so many new things that the kids are doing, that I get a bit... overwhelmed... if you will. All in all, I have been trying to slow down a bit and enjoy my family, my work, and my friends.
Anyhow, I'm over the hump and ready to report. Regular readers will notice that I've changed to a new URL and a new name... might even surprise ya all and switch up the colors a bit- so check back.
In the meantime, here's some happenings, interests, and favorites of Team Robinson:
T- Time Together, Tulips, Tickles
E- Earth Day, Electronics
A- Animals, Alphabet, Aquarium
M- Motorcycles, Monster Trucks, Math
R- Reading, Rhyming, Robots, Relaxed
O- Oceans
B- Backyard Fun, Bike Rides, Book Club
I- Imaginative Play, Interacting
N- Numbers, Nursery Rhymes,
S- Singing, Sandbox, Storytime, School, Solar System
O- Oranges, Opposites
N- Never a dull moment....
Anyhow, I'm over the hump and ready to report. Regular readers will notice that I've changed to a new URL and a new name... might even surprise ya all and switch up the colors a bit- so check back.
In the meantime, here's some happenings, interests, and favorites of Team Robinson:
T- Time Together, Tulips, Tickles
E- Earth Day, Electronics
A- Animals, Alphabet, Aquarium
M- Motorcycles, Monster Trucks, Math
R- Reading, Rhyming, Robots, Relaxed
O- Oceans
B- Backyard Fun, Bike Rides, Book Club
I- Imaginative Play, Interacting
N- Numbers, Nursery Rhymes,
S- Singing, Sandbox, Storytime, School, Solar System
O- Oranges, Opposites
N- Never a dull moment....
Friday, April 6, 2007
Snowsuit to Swimsuit
So, this morning, Uncle came and took Logan skiing for the day! Great for them... and great for Le and I. We had her 2 year check-up today (I know, a little late) and she is just awesome!! 33 pounds and 37 inches tall! Dr. Allen was very impressed with all her skills and couldn't believe that she speaks in 9+ word sentences, can petal a trike, draw a smiley face, is potty trained, sleeps in a big girl bed, and eats a ton of fruits and vegetables! Go Leah!!!
Anyway, so while Logan and Uncle hit the mountains, Seattle was beaming with sunshine and warming up to a nice 70 degrees! As Leah was sleeping, among other things, I filled the wading pool and prepped the backyard for springtime fun- pool, bubbles, sandbox, and chalk! What more does one need? We spent the afternoon out back.. it was just great. Fresh air, sunshine, friends, and fun!! Logan thought it was pretty funny that he was skiing this morning and swimming in the pool this afternoon! And by the way, his skiing abilities are amazing. He "tears up the mountain and hits the jumps," as he says. And that's the truth! He speeds down the mountain (can ski anything, even the black diamonds!! Yikes!) doing the "pizza or french fries" and actually slides over the bumps and jumps! It is so great to see him- he just loves it and he is awesome- a natural!!
So, that was our day...just perfect!
Anyway, so while Logan and Uncle hit the mountains, Seattle was beaming with sunshine and warming up to a nice 70 degrees! As Leah was sleeping, among other things, I filled the wading pool and prepped the backyard for springtime fun- pool, bubbles, sandbox, and chalk! What more does one need? We spent the afternoon out back.. it was just great. Fresh air, sunshine, friends, and fun!! Logan thought it was pretty funny that he was skiing this morning and swimming in the pool this afternoon! And by the way, his skiing abilities are amazing. He "tears up the mountain and hits the jumps," as he says. And that's the truth! He speeds down the mountain (can ski anything, even the black diamonds!! Yikes!) doing the "pizza or french fries" and actually slides over the bumps and jumps! It is so great to see him- he just loves it and he is awesome- a natural!!
So, that was our day...just perfect!
Thursday, March 22, 2007
What's New
1) Leah is now potty trained and sleeping in a "big girl bed"... she's not our little Baby Le anymore! She's doing okay with the bed... but asks where her other bed is (it's in the living room, disassembled, hoping to find a new home!) and has started to express some fears of butterflies (?) and bees (?) at bedtime. We're working through it and hopefully she will be fully acclimated soon! It is SO cute and looks perfect in her room. I will get some pictures up soon. Promise Meg!!
2) Logan is doing great. Such a little boy now. He loves playing with all his friends and is always having "playdates" with school and neighborhood kids. Such a little social butterfly. He is coming along with pre-reading skills and knows letters and letter sounds! Today as we were reading an alphabet book, he said, "Look, there's an uppercase M and next to it is a lower case m." It was pretty cool and he continues to amaze us with how fast he picks up things.
3) Spring is here and the kids are playing outside in full force when it's nice out. Our yard seems to be the gathering place for all the neighborhood kids- which is great for me and Lo and Le. We are debating about getting a wooden swing set... I'm checking them out and deciding what would be good for us!
2) Logan is doing great. Such a little boy now. He loves playing with all his friends and is always having "playdates" with school and neighborhood kids. Such a little social butterfly. He is coming along with pre-reading skills and knows letters and letter sounds! Today as we were reading an alphabet book, he said, "Look, there's an uppercase M and next to it is a lower case m." It was pretty cool and he continues to amaze us with how fast he picks up things.
3) Spring is here and the kids are playing outside in full force when it's nice out. Our yard seems to be the gathering place for all the neighborhood kids- which is great for me and Lo and Le. We are debating about getting a wooden swing set... I'm checking them out and deciding what would be good for us!
Sunday, March 18, 2007
Monday, March 12, 2007
The Million Dollar Kid
An article I discovered...
$1 million to raise a kid today? Get serious
By ROBERT L. JAMIESON Jr.
P-I COLUMNIST
A brand new Porsche? Or a runny-nosed kid?
That is the choice a lot of my single guy friends were joking about after a recent Wall Street Journal article burned across the Internet like a raging forest fire.
The piece called "The Million-Dollar Kid" talked about how government figures have put the cost of raising a child at $279,000 -- a conservative estimate, the paper argued.
In our culture of conspicuous consumption run amok, that figure can easily top $1 million.
Think about it, folks: a million bucks to raise a child from birth to age 17!
I was gobsmacked.
This being America -- home of the free, land of the crazed -- I've come to realize resistance might be futile.
I might be pressured to keep up with this acme of mindlessness because, well, everyone else is doing it -- or taking out second mortgages trying.
Junior will have nothing but the best, starting with his first wheels -- a Bugaboo stroller for $900 -- no need to pimp that ride. Surely it already has urban terrain wheels to mimic SUV cruisin'? What about hookups for his iTod to play "The Wiggles" greatest hits?
advertising
And we'll need a nanny -- my future wife and I. That will set us back 12 grand a year. (Yes, I'm cheap. A No-Frills Nanny will have to do).
Junior's Baby Gap wardrobe until he turns 6 will set me back $15,000, according to the March 3 article in the Journal. When Junior ditches the crib, I'm eyeing the $2,000 big-kid bed at Pottery Barn.
The kid's annual supply of organic oranges will cost $2,500 a year.
The price tag at the Bush School in Seattle is $15,000 a year -- given the state of the Seattle public schools, the kid will have to go private.
Junior might need braces for three or four grand -- if I don't have insurance.
And college is a must. It's $2,000 for the SAT prep course as soon as the kid shows promise by acing his "Farsi for 4-year-olds" class.
If I want the kid to see how real Chinese people live -- not just those plasticized stiffs at "The Bodies" exhibit -- I'll need to take him on a trip to China.
If Junior fails to thrive, a dose of child therapy -- topping $11,000 -- would be in order.
And if that fails, back to retail therapy.
None of the above takes into account tutoring, bottled-water delivery, nightly takeout, home electrical bills and guilt payments for spending more time at work than at home.
Add it up and there's something seriously wrong with this picture.
A serial case of affluenza has put society's priorities grossly out of whack. The Beatles got it wrong -- you can buy love.
Seriously, what kid really needs a stroller that costs more than a 20-year-old Volvo listed on Craigslist?
When I read the Journal piece, the thing that kept gonging in my mind is how so many kids in Washington are going without the basics.
More than 138,000 children between the ages of 5 and 17 -- about 13 percent -- lived in poverty in 2003, according to the latest available figures.
That means in an average school classroom of 30 kids, a handful are hungry, said Paola Maranan, executive director of the Children's Alliance, a Seattle-based statewide child-advocacy group.
In 2004, 36 percent of students in the state qualified for free and reduced lunches, up from 31 percent in 2000.
While some parents deluge kids with luxuries they don't need, other parents struggle with children in dire need.
Forget the Porsche. I choose the kid -- one who will be showered with parental love, not a love of material things.
The only million-dollar baby I'll pay for is the flick by that name. It rents at the local video store.
For four bucks.
My thoughts:
I do admit that I go a little (well, maybe a lot) excessive with the clothes and toys for my kids BUT first and foremost, I want to raise my kids with love! I want them to be happy, healthy, confident, and secure individuals. I want my kids to have morals, values, and beliefs. I want my kids to be comfortable with who they are, not with what they have. Much more important than all the material stuff, is spending quality time with my kids as a family, exploring the great outdoors, going to the beach, taking a walk in the rain, doing science experiments, singing and dancing to Johnny Cash, coloring and writing stories together, digging for treasure in the backyard, and just laughing and talking about our day!! This to me, is what being a parent is all about... who needs S1 million when you've got love???
$1 million to raise a kid today? Get serious
By ROBERT L. JAMIESON Jr.
P-I COLUMNIST
A brand new Porsche? Or a runny-nosed kid?
That is the choice a lot of my single guy friends were joking about after a recent Wall Street Journal article burned across the Internet like a raging forest fire.
The piece called "The Million-Dollar Kid" talked about how government figures have put the cost of raising a child at $279,000 -- a conservative estimate, the paper argued.
In our culture of conspicuous consumption run amok, that figure can easily top $1 million.
Think about it, folks: a million bucks to raise a child from birth to age 17!
I was gobsmacked.
This being America -- home of the free, land of the crazed -- I've come to realize resistance might be futile.
I might be pressured to keep up with this acme of mindlessness because, well, everyone else is doing it -- or taking out second mortgages trying.
Junior will have nothing but the best, starting with his first wheels -- a Bugaboo stroller for $900 -- no need to pimp that ride. Surely it already has urban terrain wheels to mimic SUV cruisin'? What about hookups for his iTod to play "The Wiggles" greatest hits?
advertising
And we'll need a nanny -- my future wife and I. That will set us back 12 grand a year. (Yes, I'm cheap. A No-Frills Nanny will have to do).
Junior's Baby Gap wardrobe until he turns 6 will set me back $15,000, according to the March 3 article in the Journal. When Junior ditches the crib, I'm eyeing the $2,000 big-kid bed at Pottery Barn.
The kid's annual supply of organic oranges will cost $2,500 a year.
The price tag at the Bush School in Seattle is $15,000 a year -- given the state of the Seattle public schools, the kid will have to go private.
Junior might need braces for three or four grand -- if I don't have insurance.
And college is a must. It's $2,000 for the SAT prep course as soon as the kid shows promise by acing his "Farsi for 4-year-olds" class.
If I want the kid to see how real Chinese people live -- not just those plasticized stiffs at "The Bodies" exhibit -- I'll need to take him on a trip to China.
If Junior fails to thrive, a dose of child therapy -- topping $11,000 -- would be in order.
And if that fails, back to retail therapy.
None of the above takes into account tutoring, bottled-water delivery, nightly takeout, home electrical bills and guilt payments for spending more time at work than at home.
Add it up and there's something seriously wrong with this picture.
A serial case of affluenza has put society's priorities grossly out of whack. The Beatles got it wrong -- you can buy love.
Seriously, what kid really needs a stroller that costs more than a 20-year-old Volvo listed on Craigslist?
When I read the Journal piece, the thing that kept gonging in my mind is how so many kids in Washington are going without the basics.
More than 138,000 children between the ages of 5 and 17 -- about 13 percent -- lived in poverty in 2003, according to the latest available figures.
That means in an average school classroom of 30 kids, a handful are hungry, said Paola Maranan, executive director of the Children's Alliance, a Seattle-based statewide child-advocacy group.
In 2004, 36 percent of students in the state qualified for free and reduced lunches, up from 31 percent in 2000.
While some parents deluge kids with luxuries they don't need, other parents struggle with children in dire need.
Forget the Porsche. I choose the kid -- one who will be showered with parental love, not a love of material things.
The only million-dollar baby I'll pay for is the flick by that name. It rents at the local video store.
For four bucks.
My thoughts:
I do admit that I go a little (well, maybe a lot) excessive with the clothes and toys for my kids BUT first and foremost, I want to raise my kids with love! I want them to be happy, healthy, confident, and secure individuals. I want my kids to have morals, values, and beliefs. I want my kids to be comfortable with who they are, not with what they have. Much more important than all the material stuff, is spending quality time with my kids as a family, exploring the great outdoors, going to the beach, taking a walk in the rain, doing science experiments, singing and dancing to Johnny Cash, coloring and writing stories together, digging for treasure in the backyard, and just laughing and talking about our day!! This to me, is what being a parent is all about... who needs S1 million when you've got love???
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