Lara Bricker's Blog

Last year, one of my New Year’s parenting resolutions was to stop eating Willie’s extra kiddie menu food when we go out to eat. I know I’m not alone in this, those grilled cheese sandwiches at restaurants just taste so good, I can’t help but take a little nibble. And when I made that resolution last year, that little nibble had turned into a few (okay a lot) of extra pounds.

I didn’t exactly keep that one, but justify it now by telling myself, hey, I need to make sure it’s not too hot for him to eat.

It’s post-Christmas, two days out, and we have survived. My little boy Willie is now two and a half and it was our first Christmas where he really seemed to get excited and grasp the concept of Santa and the reindeer and all that jazz.

And Mommy is starting to grasp the concept that there’s a whole lot about toys that’s changed since I was a little child.

We went from ice to instant winter. And for Willie, this means he wants to "go outside" all the time. He spent Saturday out plowing snow with his dad and playing in the snow in the front yard, trying to climb on his swing set in the snow, and being forced to come inside when he looked like an icicle himself.

It was a good time for him. But really, I have to ask, who is designing the latest snow pants for little children? I’d like to know because clearly you now need a PhD to put the darn things on. When I was a kid, the snow pants zipped up the front and you were done with it. Poor Willie almost didn’t make it outside Saturday because Mommy was snow pant application challenged.

I’ve survived four days with no power, in a house, with a toddler and a 91-year-old grammy. Phew. I was never so happy to see lights than when they came back on last night.

But it was no easy task on many fronts.

I waited in line over a hour to see Santa the other day. I feel a little silly admitting this. Of course this was for Willie, but then, well, I ended up sitting on Santa's lap too. This was a big switch from my childhood as I was one of those afraid to go near Santa children. But yet, there I was the other night, laughing and sitting up with Santa himself, who told me I wasn't as heavy as the last adult who sat on his lap.

Perhaps I should explain a little here. We took Willie to the holiday open house in downtown Exeter last Thursday night. We'd been getting ready for this for weeks--the first intro to Santa. Every time I drove Willie through the downtown, I pointed out the bandstand and told him that Santa would be coming to sit there soon.

I of course was expecting that he would do what I had done as a child. Run. Scream. Cry. Refuse to sit on Santa's lap.

So as we gear up for the holiday season, which already seems to be in full swing, I find myself thinking about the slew of parties that come with the season. And with that, I find myself in a new place--the holiday party with child.

No longer is it the adults-only parties of my 20s. Most parties now include that open invitation that children too are welcome. Which brings me back to a party I went to where the children from a neighborhood were there and completely out of control. I'm sure you know what I'm talking about. The kids were running wild, jumping on someone else's furniture like it was a trampoline and their parents seemed oblivious to the fact that their kids were being completely rude. It seemed no one knew what to do and no one wants to discipline someone else's children.

I’m gearing up for the big cooking fest, influx of relatives, weight gain, and wine fest that I like to call Thanksgiving. I know I recently wrote of my envy of my friends Dave and Tina who pack up their brood and head to a fancy inn with an indoor pool and gourmet Thanksgiving dinner buffet. And yes, I am still a little envious of them and probably always will be.

But there is also something comforting about being home for the holidays, no matter how dysfunctional or functional your family may be. It seems like the holidays are always the time that some family fight, rift or drama arises. For some families, the holidays just wouldn’t be the same without some added drama.

A Massachusetts-based organization called World Against Toys Causing Harm (WATCH) has released their annual list of the 10 worst toys in terms of safety today. Making the list, the inflatable Giga Ball (a giant ball that they say has the potential for impact and serious injuries) and Spider Man Adjustable Toy Skates. To see the full list, click here:

http://www.toysafety.org/worstToyList_index.html

What toys have area moms and dads out there had safety concerns with? Any problems you've discovered with toys your child wants this holiday season? 

Here's the words of caution from WATCH about toys in general:

Disclaimer: I know we moms out there love being moms. But let's be honest. It isn't always pretty. And we're not always on the top of our game.

Here's a snapshot of my morning:

5:20 a.m. Sunday---I am awake and this makes me angry.  I really wish I was still able to still the entire night without waking up. Maybe I can will myself back to sleep. Squeeze eyes shut. Deep breath. Drag covers over my head.

5:22 a.m. Sunday-- "Mama..... Mama...... Mama I pooo'ed."

5:23 a.m. Sunday--Maybe if I hold these covers over my head another minute it will stop. This is after all my weekend morning to get up with Willie. I know this. But really, really, I need sleep...

5:23 a.m. Sunday--"Mama...... Mama..... Mama the train's comin.. Mama I poo'ed."