Before I had kids, I was very free to make judgments about other people's children and their parenting style.
"I'd never do that."
"Why can't those parents control their child(ren)?"
"They must be doing something wrong for their kid to act like that."
"My kid will just have to go with the flow and sleep when they can."
Well, this arrogance was exorcised in the first 4 months of Benjamin's life when I realized (1) babies are going to do what they want to do and have their own personalities and opinions and (2) there are times when you just need to do anything to survive.
One of the things that I never thought I'd do was buy a DVD system for our car. Before we had kids, I would see cars drive by on the highway with cartoons playing on their DVD players and think "Geez people, can't you turn off the tv even when you're driving? Go ahead and anesthetize your kids with tv all day long." Do you know where this judgment gets you? Standing outside of Target at 5:30 am on Black Friday in sub-freezing weather waiting for the doors to open at 6 am at which time you will rush in with the masses to get your hot little hands on a dual screen portable DVD player.
Now, our family lives at least 4+ hours away and we have 3 different families to visit due to my parent's divorce. During the holidays, its especially draining, as we are traveling at least 3 times in about a month time span. We're hoping that the DVD player will help them to relax and not fuss as much in the car (Caroline especially). We used it for the first time when we took a 6 hour (one way in good weather with limited stops -- has taken us up to 8 hours) trip this past weekend. We don't want to leave it on the entire time we were gone, but it did come in handy when the kids started to get fussy.
My biggest failing is my tendency towards judgmentalism. God is beating this fault out of me through my children, though I still cling to it stubbornly...
Monday, December 15, 2008
Friday, December 5, 2008
my newest hero
Peter Schiff:
Basically the sum of his position is that we're spending too much, we're borrowing what we can't pay back (both individually & as a nation), we're not producing anything and we're not saving anything. No government bailouts whatsoever. Let failing companies fail. He predicted a great majority of what we are seeing now a few years ago, and was poo-poohed by the cable news anchors and other experts (which is what the video shows).
He's a little more laissez-faire than I am -- I think that there needs to be some regulation on Wall Street because asking them to govern themselves is folly. But I'm 100% against a second round of stimulus. That's the government basically telling us to spend our way out of this recession, which is what got us into this mess in the first place -- overconsumption.
I get the Planet Money podcast and was listening to him last night (after also hearing him on All Things Considered -- yes, I'm an NPR junkie) and found myself saying "yes!!" several times because so much of what he was saying was dead on. My favorite was this (I'm paraphrasing): "A growing economy is one that is saving and producing. Our economy is borrowing and spending." He's predicting the Great Depression, Round 2, especially if we continue to bail out companies that maybe have no business being in business. He essentially wants to tear everything down and build it back up again for short-term pain and long-term gain.
I was a total loser in my Econ classes, so I don't know if that's the best prescription. I do know that our society is going to have to change. Repentance over our collective greed might be a good place to start...
Basically the sum of his position is that we're spending too much, we're borrowing what we can't pay back (both individually & as a nation), we're not producing anything and we're not saving anything. No government bailouts whatsoever. Let failing companies fail. He predicted a great majority of what we are seeing now a few years ago, and was poo-poohed by the cable news anchors and other experts (which is what the video shows).
He's a little more laissez-faire than I am -- I think that there needs to be some regulation on Wall Street because asking them to govern themselves is folly. But I'm 100% against a second round of stimulus. That's the government basically telling us to spend our way out of this recession, which is what got us into this mess in the first place -- overconsumption.
I get the Planet Money podcast and was listening to him last night (after also hearing him on All Things Considered -- yes, I'm an NPR junkie) and found myself saying "yes!!" several times because so much of what he was saying was dead on. My favorite was this (I'm paraphrasing): "A growing economy is one that is saving and producing. Our economy is borrowing and spending." He's predicting the Great Depression, Round 2, especially if we continue to bail out companies that maybe have no business being in business. He essentially wants to tear everything down and build it back up again for short-term pain and long-term gain.
I was a total loser in my Econ classes, so I don't know if that's the best prescription. I do know that our society is going to have to change. Repentance over our collective greed might be a good place to start...
Monday, November 24, 2008
I am not really a lobbyist or get into that side of politics too much, but I feel so strongly about this issue that I'd really like for you to sign this petition. Even if you're pro-choice, I can't understand why you want to see these things eradicated:
* Bans on Partial Birth Abortion
* Requirements that women be given information about the risks of getting an abortion
* Only licensed physicians can perform abortions
* Parents must be informed and give consent to their minor daughter's abortion
This is the biggest thing that disturbs me about an Obama presidency, this desire to sign this legislation.
Sunday, November 23, 2008
oh baby
I'm in that stage of life where many of my friends are having children -- actually I'm in that stage where many of my friends are having their second, third and yes, fourth children. Chris & I continue our negotiations about when and how to have our third child because we both desire to have at least one more.
chris's scenario: Adopt the third child and have one more biologically.
kindra's scenario: Changes by the day!
As many of you who saw me pregnant with Caroline can attest, I'm a miserable pregnant woman. I feel terrible (sickness in the beginning and then I just don't feel like myself throughout), I'm about the size of a baby beluga starting around 4-5 months, and I have very long and difficult labors that have both required pitocin and have lasted 26+ hours apiece. So, I'm not terribly keen on pregnancy. Plus, if we follow Chris's plan, I would have our last baby when I was like 37 and that's not really exciting to me.
Before Caroline, I thought that I just wasn't a "baby person" as I enjoyed Ben more and more as he got older. But, after we had Caroline, I realized that I actually am a baby person and just didn't enjoy Ben as a newborn because he was colicky and didn't sleep more than 2 hour stretches at a time until he was 4 months old and didn't sleep through the night until he was 10+ months (and that was still only 8 hours at a time). Caroline has always been a great night time sleeper and was the typical "easy" baby and I loved it and I'm starting to long for that again, even knowing that it is not guaranteed that I'd get an easy baby again. Plus, we conceived Caroline when Ben was about the age she is now, so I think there is some part of me that's feeling ready to have another baby.
However, there are also times when I think that I'm really done with all of this childbearing stuff and that I'm ready to adopt. I had a thought the other day that it's possible that the baby that God has for us is going to be born soon. We want to adopt a bit older since there are so many people who want babies and it's harder the older a child gets to place them. While this is noble thinking, it also means that they are languishing in an orphanage for however many months/years as well and this breaks my heart to think that my baby is there and I'm not with her (we think we want to adopt a girl) and I want to do everything that we can to adopt her earlier, even though I know that this is circular logic.
The plan right now is for me to go to school, work for a year or so to pay off my school debt and then save the money ($25K-$30K) and then adopt, which puts us at about 4-5 years from now. But the maternal part of me thinking about my baby being in an orphanage says that I need to drop what I'm doing, start applying for grants and loans and get that baby now.
Chris & I said this week that if someone drops $25K into our laps, that is our sign that we're to start the adoption proceedings, so if you guys know anyone who has a blank check with 5 figures on it... let us know.
Thursday, November 20, 2008
Ha
So, the playdate went well. I found out that she's from Michigan and we share the same alma mater :) Chris likes to (half) joke with me that wherever I go, I meet people from Michigan... It's proven to be somewhat true. I must have a sign on me that says "come talk to me if you're from Michigan!"
chance encounter
So, in a few minutes, I'll be hosting a mom that I met at Humboldt Park a few weeks ago. It was one of the last really nice days of the fall before the arctic temperatures set in. Going to the park with just your kids is an interesting dynamic these days. There are some situations when you're with your kid(s) and your kid starts playing with another kid and so naturally you gravitate towards talking to their mom, about how old their child is, what their name is, etc. If the child is being watched by a nanny, normally I don't talk to them -- maybe it's my own bias that I want to meet other SAHM's (stay at home mom's)? We don't routinely go to parks where there's a large nanny population (i.e., Lincoln Park, Lakeview, etc.) unless we're with friends and I'm normally talking to my friends instead of strangers.
Anyhow, so that's one way you meet other moms, through your kids playing with their kids. Or a mom makes a comment about how cute your kids are or they like what their wearing (i.e., "where did you get that shirt/jacket/hair clip?"). Or, their mother pushes them on you. Which is what happened with this person I'm about to have over to my house today.
Ben, Caroline & I were on the swings and an older, asian woman approaches me and tells me how cute my kids are and then asks me what ethnic group I belonged to. I told her Korean and her eyes light up and she tells me that she's also Korean. And then she asks if I speak any Korean and I tell her that I'm adopted (I seriously think there's a standard script that all older Korean people have for talking to younger Korean people -- I get this exact conversation every.single.time). I have been told by Koreans that I seem really "American" (whatever that means) so maybe that's why?
So anyhow, this older woman was at the park with two children and her daughter. As I'm talking to her, she asks me where I live and I said that I lived south of here, without being specific. Her daughter walks up and we meet. She has an 8 month old son, which accounted for one of the children, the other child is the cousin to her 8 month old. We start talking and I find out that she lives in East Garfield Park, goes to Willow in the City (although they're not very active) and is looking for other mom friends in the neighborhood!
All the while we're talking and we see that we have more and more things in common, her mom is a running commentary of "you should really get to know each other" "you guys get together sometime" "you should go to her church (talkingto her daughter)", etc. I feel bad for this other mom -- how could you possibly NOT try to get my information with your mom standing right next to you pushing you onto this complete stranger?
So, I type my number and email address into her Treo and conveniently enough, Ben had to go poop, so we left to go home. I have often been told about pushy Korean moms, enough to know that I am really glad I didn't have one and I got some first hand evidence right there :) She did end up emailing me the next day, so I'm hopeful that we can be friends. She's looking to get more involved in the neighborhood and, on her own volition after I mentioned Breakthrough to her, looked them up on the internet! So, we'll see... This is my first real mommy-date in awhile, so I hope it goes well.
Anyhow, so that's one way you meet other moms, through your kids playing with their kids. Or a mom makes a comment about how cute your kids are or they like what their wearing (i.e., "where did you get that shirt/jacket/hair clip?"). Or, their mother pushes them on you. Which is what happened with this person I'm about to have over to my house today.
Ben, Caroline & I were on the swings and an older, asian woman approaches me and tells me how cute my kids are and then asks me what ethnic group I belonged to. I told her Korean and her eyes light up and she tells me that she's also Korean. And then she asks if I speak any Korean and I tell her that I'm adopted (I seriously think there's a standard script that all older Korean people have for talking to younger Korean people -- I get this exact conversation every.single.time). I have been told by Koreans that I seem really "American" (whatever that means) so maybe that's why?
So anyhow, this older woman was at the park with two children and her daughter. As I'm talking to her, she asks me where I live and I said that I lived south of here, without being specific. Her daughter walks up and we meet. She has an 8 month old son, which accounted for one of the children, the other child is the cousin to her 8 month old. We start talking and I find out that she lives in East Garfield Park, goes to Willow in the City (although they're not very active) and is looking for other mom friends in the neighborhood!
All the while we're talking and we see that we have more and more things in common, her mom is a running commentary of "you should really get to know each other" "you guys get together sometime" "you should go to her church (talkingto her daughter)", etc. I feel bad for this other mom -- how could you possibly NOT try to get my information with your mom standing right next to you pushing you onto this complete stranger?
So, I type my number and email address into her Treo and conveniently enough, Ben had to go poop, so we left to go home. I have often been told about pushy Korean moms, enough to know that I am really glad I didn't have one and I got some first hand evidence right there :) She did end up emailing me the next day, so I'm hopeful that we can be friends. She's looking to get more involved in the neighborhood and, on her own volition after I mentioned Breakthrough to her, looked them up on the internet! So, we'll see... This is my first real mommy-date in awhile, so I hope it goes well.
Wednesday, November 19, 2008
too busy
Life has been way too busy lately. One of my biggest failures has always been the ability and propensity to overextend myself. I hate to say no, I hate to let people down, and I hate to not do something that I know that I can do or help out with. I also have major FOMO (fear of missing out), so that leads me to do lots of things that I otherwise may not do.
Plus, the fall is just busy. Chris & I had the fabulous foresight to have our children's birthdays in the fall as well -- and we have a Thanksgiving baby this year, which makes things even crazier. We had Ben's birthday party last weekend and decided to just spend the money and make things less stressful by having it at Kid City Chicago and it ended up being a good expenditure. The kids all seemed to have a good time, I was less stressed and once it was over, it was over. No clean up. No finding things around my house belonging to other kids. No missing or broken pieces to our toys. It was lovely.
b-school geek
So, the financial turmoil has brought out the business school geek in me. I actually really disliked business school when I was going through it. There were only two classes that I really enjoyed in b-school: Business Law and my Visual Basic programming class. The rest I took because I had to.
At Michigan, you had to apply your sophomore year for the business school. It's a 2 year program and they accepted you based on your grades your first year and a half of school. I worked my behind off to get in -- I will never forget the day that they sent the letters out. I was still living in the dorms with friends that I'd had since Day 1 (and earlier) of college. If you were accepted, you got a big, fat envelope. If you didn't get in, you got a small envelope. I went to our mailbox and pulled out my envelope. It was nice and big and I took it upstairs and everyone started screaming (in a way that only college girls can). It was thrilling as I opened the envelope and saw those magical words telling me that I'd been accepted. The undergraduate business school was pretty competitive (and still is, I believe). My details are fuzzy, but I seem to recall something like 3,000+ applying and 600 acceptances, so it was a big deal for me to get in.
Since I'm not here to toot my own horn, I was astonishingly average or below average amongst my classmates, a fact about myself that I hadn't had to confront until b-school. I worked really hard and still ended up with B's and B minuses. Once I was in, I hated it. It was so backstabbingly competitive and I saw people cheating with my own eyes. I refused to cheat and since everything was on a curve, that hurt me. It wasn't just the cheating, it was that I was uninterested in the subject material (especially economics, and it amazes me that I married an economics major!), and unmotivated because I had become a Christian right before I had gotten accepted, thus rendering business really unimportant to me at the time. However, the world really does need Christian business people, as we have found out...
It's pretty unbelievable to me the mess we are in. Actually, I do believe it because I know that we're greedy, selfish people and many will do whatever it takes to make an easy buck. The 3 years I spent in corporate America were enough for me to see that in large scale form. Here are my thoughts on the auto bailout (would post more, but Caroline is up):
The auto companies are screwed. Bad management, bad union contracts, high supply costs, and poor public perception are to blame. I am a UAW baby. My dad, uncle, and grandfather are all proud UAW members. My dad sent me through college on UAW wages. The UAW has done some good things, including fighting for the little guy so that he has a voice. However, it has done some really bad things that have made companies inept and inefficient. Paying people not to work, for example. They can't make money on their small cars because their retiree costs (health care & pensions) are so high, in addition to labor and supplies.
I think that bailing out GM is a big mistake, unless they kick out most of their management and renegotiate their labor contracts. My dad retired at 48 years old. 48!!! He worked lots of overtime, but that's still ridiculously young. And Ford is on the hook for he and my stepmom's healthcare for the next 20 years. It's hard for me to see why taxpayer dollars should go towards something that I can't see surviving long-term (i.e., GM). Their supporters are saying that there was a precedent with this with bailing out Chrysler in the 80's. Are we going to have to give them another $25 billion (+ inflation) in 25 years so that they can survive again? So, that's a $1 billion/year subsidy given by the taxpayers?
I don't think this is going to pass, from what I've been hearing this morning. I think that something needs to be done for the auto companies, make no mistake. But, I think any public money committed to them has to have heavy federal oversight, torn up and renegotiated UAW contracts and a clean sweep of management. I think GM in particular needs to be smaller, not larger. I'm not a full blown, laissez-faire capitalist, but I do believe that competition is good for the economy and think that GM is far too big as it currently exists.
Okay, she's really mad, better go and get her...
Plus, the fall is just busy. Chris & I had the fabulous foresight to have our children's birthdays in the fall as well -- and we have a Thanksgiving baby this year, which makes things even crazier. We had Ben's birthday party last weekend and decided to just spend the money and make things less stressful by having it at Kid City Chicago and it ended up being a good expenditure. The kids all seemed to have a good time, I was less stressed and once it was over, it was over. No clean up. No finding things around my house belonging to other kids. No missing or broken pieces to our toys. It was lovely.
b-school geek
So, the financial turmoil has brought out the business school geek in me. I actually really disliked business school when I was going through it. There were only two classes that I really enjoyed in b-school: Business Law and my Visual Basic programming class. The rest I took because I had to.
At Michigan, you had to apply your sophomore year for the business school. It's a 2 year program and they accepted you based on your grades your first year and a half of school. I worked my behind off to get in -- I will never forget the day that they sent the letters out. I was still living in the dorms with friends that I'd had since Day 1 (and earlier) of college. If you were accepted, you got a big, fat envelope. If you didn't get in, you got a small envelope. I went to our mailbox and pulled out my envelope. It was nice and big and I took it upstairs and everyone started screaming (in a way that only college girls can). It was thrilling as I opened the envelope and saw those magical words telling me that I'd been accepted. The undergraduate business school was pretty competitive (and still is, I believe). My details are fuzzy, but I seem to recall something like 3,000+ applying and 600 acceptances, so it was a big deal for me to get in.
Since I'm not here to toot my own horn, I was astonishingly average or below average amongst my classmates, a fact about myself that I hadn't had to confront until b-school. I worked really hard and still ended up with B's and B minuses. Once I was in, I hated it. It was so backstabbingly competitive and I saw people cheating with my own eyes. I refused to cheat and since everything was on a curve, that hurt me. It wasn't just the cheating, it was that I was uninterested in the subject material (especially economics, and it amazes me that I married an economics major!), and unmotivated because I had become a Christian right before I had gotten accepted, thus rendering business really unimportant to me at the time. However, the world really does need Christian business people, as we have found out...
It's pretty unbelievable to me the mess we are in. Actually, I do believe it because I know that we're greedy, selfish people and many will do whatever it takes to make an easy buck. The 3 years I spent in corporate America were enough for me to see that in large scale form. Here are my thoughts on the auto bailout (would post more, but Caroline is up):
The auto companies are screwed. Bad management, bad union contracts, high supply costs, and poor public perception are to blame. I am a UAW baby. My dad, uncle, and grandfather are all proud UAW members. My dad sent me through college on UAW wages. The UAW has done some good things, including fighting for the little guy so that he has a voice. However, it has done some really bad things that have made companies inept and inefficient. Paying people not to work, for example. They can't make money on their small cars because their retiree costs (health care & pensions) are so high, in addition to labor and supplies.
I think that bailing out GM is a big mistake, unless they kick out most of their management and renegotiate their labor contracts. My dad retired at 48 years old. 48!!! He worked lots of overtime, but that's still ridiculously young. And Ford is on the hook for he and my stepmom's healthcare for the next 20 years. It's hard for me to see why taxpayer dollars should go towards something that I can't see surviving long-term (i.e., GM). Their supporters are saying that there was a precedent with this with bailing out Chrysler in the 80's. Are we going to have to give them another $25 billion (+ inflation) in 25 years so that they can survive again? So, that's a $1 billion/year subsidy given by the taxpayers?
I don't think this is going to pass, from what I've been hearing this morning. I think that something needs to be done for the auto companies, make no mistake. But, I think any public money committed to them has to have heavy federal oversight, torn up and renegotiated UAW contracts and a clean sweep of management. I think GM in particular needs to be smaller, not larger. I'm not a full blown, laissez-faire capitalist, but I do believe that competition is good for the economy and think that GM is far too big as it currently exists.
Okay, she's really mad, better go and get her...
Tuesday, November 11, 2008
you gotta know when to hold 'em...
There are few things that are more depressing to me than to see an elderly lady or gentleman sitting at a slot machine repeatedly pressing a button over and over and over again. I don't know their situation, how much money they have or how often they come and play, but I do know that there are so many better things to be doing with money than giving it to a casino...
Sometimes I wonder if it's one of the last "thrills" they can have. It's a rare elderly person who can capture a physical thrill, such as skydiving, cliff jumping, parasailing, etc. Or, since most of their life is behind them, they think that this gives them license to risk it all -- a "devil may care" attitude about life. I'm sure many just hope they hit it big and win lots of money as well.
The whole casino is a portrait of man's lust for easy money, which is ironic as the only easy money doled out is to the casino itself.
Now, that's not to say that I think all gambling is bad and that you should never do it. Chris & I went to Las Vegas a few years ago (he had a work conference and I tagged along) and we had a good time there looking at the extravagance and yes, even gambling a little bit of money. We had some set aside to use as entertainment expense, about the same amount we would have spent on dinner and a movie and Chris played a little blackjack and won some money.
I don't play because I know that this is an area of weakness for me (I love playing games and I'm a little bit too competitive) and I can see myself very easily blowing a lot of money very quickly. We were ready to lose that money and could afford to at that time as we were DINK's (dual income, no kids). I didn't gamble at all this weekend (well, my mom gave me some money and I promptly lost it all at video poker) because we don't have any money that we can afford to lose!
Side note: I was in Michigan City with my Mom, sister-in-law, aunt & cousin this weekend for a girl's weekend out and we stayed at a casino/hotel (not my choice). I came away smelling like an ashtray. Yuck.
ACT
Chris and I are tutoring some guys in our church on Sunday nights for the ACT in December. We took the English & math practice tests last week. It wasn't pretty for either of us. As is his nature, Chris didn't finish the test and as is my nature, I did, but got more wrong of the ones that I filled out than he did. We are going to take the science portion this week and that's going to be ugly too, at least from my end!
I really feel for our guys -- I would not want to take this test again and understand when they say that they are really discouraged by it. I'm not a good standardized test taker, generally. I'm not sure what it is about them, but they intimidate me and I second guess myself constantly -- I would change an answer and my original would be the right one. But, we're really trying to encourage them to persevere and offer as much help as we can...
There are few things that are more depressing to me than to see an elderly lady or gentleman sitting at a slot machine repeatedly pressing a button over and over and over again. I don't know their situation, how much money they have or how often they come and play, but I do know that there are so many better things to be doing with money than giving it to a casino...
Sometimes I wonder if it's one of the last "thrills" they can have. It's a rare elderly person who can capture a physical thrill, such as skydiving, cliff jumping, parasailing, etc. Or, since most of their life is behind them, they think that this gives them license to risk it all -- a "devil may care" attitude about life. I'm sure many just hope they hit it big and win lots of money as well.
The whole casino is a portrait of man's lust for easy money, which is ironic as the only easy money doled out is to the casino itself.
Now, that's not to say that I think all gambling is bad and that you should never do it. Chris & I went to Las Vegas a few years ago (he had a work conference and I tagged along) and we had a good time there looking at the extravagance and yes, even gambling a little bit of money. We had some set aside to use as entertainment expense, about the same amount we would have spent on dinner and a movie and Chris played a little blackjack and won some money.
I don't play because I know that this is an area of weakness for me (I love playing games and I'm a little bit too competitive) and I can see myself very easily blowing a lot of money very quickly. We were ready to lose that money and could afford to at that time as we were DINK's (dual income, no kids). I didn't gamble at all this weekend (well, my mom gave me some money and I promptly lost it all at video poker) because we don't have any money that we can afford to lose!
Side note: I was in Michigan City with my Mom, sister-in-law, aunt & cousin this weekend for a girl's weekend out and we stayed at a casino/hotel (not my choice). I came away smelling like an ashtray. Yuck.
ACT
Chris and I are tutoring some guys in our church on Sunday nights for the ACT in December. We took the English & math practice tests last week. It wasn't pretty for either of us. As is his nature, Chris didn't finish the test and as is my nature, I did, but got more wrong of the ones that I filled out than he did. We are going to take the science portion this week and that's going to be ugly too, at least from my end!
I really feel for our guys -- I would not want to take this test again and understand when they say that they are really discouraged by it. I'm not a good standardized test taker, generally. I'm not sure what it is about them, but they intimidate me and I second guess myself constantly -- I would change an answer and my original would be the right one. But, we're really trying to encourage them to persevere and offer as much help as we can...
Wednesday, November 5, 2008
It's Finally Over
2 years and $1 billion later, the 44th president of the United States has finally been elected. Congratulations to Barack Obama! I am cautiously optimistic about his presidency and am interested to see what he's going to do. Having a Democratically controlled house & senate, along with a Democratic president, scares me, but I am operating on faith that Obama will try to reach across party lines as he has stated in his campaign. He certainly won't have many excuses for not getting things done! I'm interested also to see who his cabinet will be as well.
I am absolutely thrilled that an African-American has been elected to the white house. It's time and it's amazing to see how far we've come. Jim Crow laws were in effect in this country scarcely 60 years ago and look where we are now. Wow. My fervent hope & prayer is that the young African-American at-risk young men in this country would see and begin to realize that their fate as poor and disadvantaged is not sealed, that they can aspire to the highest office in the land. It's no longer impossible. The ceiling has shattered.
For those who love John Piper as much as Chris & I do (and for those who don't, you should watch this too), here's a video that my friend Matt linked on his blog:
As I mentioned before, one really great thing that has happened during this election season has been opening up dialogue between lots of different people. I've been having a pretty insightful conversation with some college friends of mine who are spread all over the country, both Democrats and Republicans and Independents. It's been really interesting and challenging for me. Here are my closing thoughts on politics that I wrote to them and then I'm going to stop talking about politics for awhile and focus on more interesting things, like how my kids both hate to have their hair washed and what we ate for breakfast in the morning.
"...the best thing to remember is that we're Christians, not Americans. I wholeheartedly agree. But, the last time I checked, the Kingdom of God was not up for a vote. I think that what's best for God's Kingdom doesn't come in the form of a vote or politics, it comes through servanthood, sharing the gospel, being a light and witness to our neighbors. I am disillusioned with the *political* Christian Right as they seem to believe that it's through politics that revival is going to come to our nation. 8 years of George Bush has proved that very wrong...
...I think too often we, as Americans, think that we can cast a vote and think our responsibilities end there, but if we as Christians want to further the Kingdom of God, we need to be working with organizations that are actually doing that and not with politicians who are in less of a position to actually affect people's lives and allow the gospel to go forward."
I am absolutely thrilled that an African-American has been elected to the white house. It's time and it's amazing to see how far we've come. Jim Crow laws were in effect in this country scarcely 60 years ago and look where we are now. Wow. My fervent hope & prayer is that the young African-American at-risk young men in this country would see and begin to realize that their fate as poor and disadvantaged is not sealed, that they can aspire to the highest office in the land. It's no longer impossible. The ceiling has shattered.
For those who love John Piper as much as Chris & I do (and for those who don't, you should watch this too), here's a video that my friend Matt linked on his blog:
As I mentioned before, one really great thing that has happened during this election season has been opening up dialogue between lots of different people. I've been having a pretty insightful conversation with some college friends of mine who are spread all over the country, both Democrats and Republicans and Independents. It's been really interesting and challenging for me. Here are my closing thoughts on politics that I wrote to them and then I'm going to stop talking about politics for awhile and focus on more interesting things, like how my kids both hate to have their hair washed and what we ate for breakfast in the morning.
"...the best thing to remember is that we're Christians, not Americans. I wholeheartedly agree. But, the last time I checked, the Kingdom of God was not up for a vote. I think that what's best for God's Kingdom doesn't come in the form of a vote or politics, it comes through servanthood, sharing the gospel, being a light and witness to our neighbors. I am disillusioned with the *political* Christian Right as they seem to believe that it's through politics that revival is going to come to our nation. 8 years of George Bush has proved that very wrong...
...I think too often we, as Americans, think that we can cast a vote and think our responsibilities end there, but if we as Christians want to further the Kingdom of God, we need to be working with organizations that are actually doing that and not with politicians who are in less of a position to actually affect people's lives and allow the gospel to go forward."
Friday, October 31, 2008
Is November 4th Here Yet?
For those on Facebook, I opened up a can of worms in a note that I wrote asking for help from my pro-life, Obama-supporting friends. I guess I should have known that I was asking for trouble as I know my friends on Facebook and know that they like to make their opinions known :) In addition the comments on the note, I got many Facebook messages there and the discussions are ongoing.
It makes my head hurt thinking about politics, although in a good way. Most of the people who posted in that note are friends from college with whom I would stay up talking about everything and anything until all hours of the night. I loved that -- iron sharpening iron, challenging each other in a safe environment, thinking and shaping our own philosophies and learning from people who have different opinions than ours. I miss that. I enjoy going to a house church because we get some of that good discourse in a safe environment.
I also miss the chance to just think about things. I often feel like I don't have enough time/energy/will to think through tough issues. I'm an extrovert, which means I'm an external processor and poor introverted Chris serves as my CPU, who takes my raw data and turns it into something structured and understandable by other human minds. And, having kids means that I'm often thinking about diaper changes, meals and other menial things far more than I would like and don't have time to think about my political philosophy.
My questions/thoughts that I'm currently wrestling through are as follows (and I might open back up that can of worms on Facebook, but we'll try here first):
Those are my thoughts right now. I welcome any and all comments -- I won't be as restrictive as I was on facebook, unless it gets out of control.
It makes my head hurt thinking about politics, although in a good way. Most of the people who posted in that note are friends from college with whom I would stay up talking about everything and anything until all hours of the night. I loved that -- iron sharpening iron, challenging each other in a safe environment, thinking and shaping our own philosophies and learning from people who have different opinions than ours. I miss that. I enjoy going to a house church because we get some of that good discourse in a safe environment.
I also miss the chance to just think about things. I often feel like I don't have enough time/energy/will to think through tough issues. I'm an extrovert, which means I'm an external processor and poor introverted Chris serves as my CPU, who takes my raw data and turns it into something structured and understandable by other human minds. And, having kids means that I'm often thinking about diaper changes, meals and other menial things far more than I would like and don't have time to think about my political philosophy.
My questions/thoughts that I'm currently wrestling through are as follows (and I might open back up that can of worms on Facebook, but we'll try here first):
- What kind of government does the bible support or mention? What I can recall are: theocratic monarchy, an oligarchy, a dictatorship.
- When I'm standing before God's throne, is he going to judge me by who I vote for (among other things)?
- Why am I making such a big deal of this when my vote is really insignificant in this election, living in Illinois?
- Will Roe v. Wade ever be overturned in my lifetime? And even if it is, that just sends the decision to the states.
- There have been 2 Democratic presidents since Roe v. Wade was judged, the rest have been pro-life Republicans and I haven't seen much progress.
- I really dislike having a one party majority in the executive & legislative branches, and it looks like that's where we're headed.
- I'm troubled by Obama wanting to sign the Freedom of Choice Act (which would remove all restrictions on abortion) as one of his first acts in office.
- Do I really feel okay with Palin potentially being President?
Those are my thoughts right now. I welcome any and all comments -- I won't be as restrictive as I was on facebook, unless it gets out of control.
Tuesday, October 28, 2008
Thoughts on Mommy Brain
Before I got pregnant, I thought Mommy Brain was a myth. After I had Ben, I realized that Mommy Brain (MB) is a reality.
As almost any mom will tell you, you really do get stupider after having children. The inability to remember simple facts, words, details, forgetting a myriad of items in various places (church, school, playgrounds, other people's homes). I have always thought it has something to do with the hormone changes one goes through during and after pregnancy. Maybe the precipitous drop in progesterone after delivery zaps all of your brain cells?
Or maybe the exhaustion of taking care of a child all day or having your sleep constantly interrupted creates this phenomenon. Or maybe MB is a result of watching too much Curious George, Barney, Teletubbies or Caillou.
All of these things may have a hand in MB. However, my newest theory is that MB is caused by the sheer volume of things that a mom has to remember just to make it through each day. Not only does she have to remember to eat, bathe, dress, and make sure she is where she needs to be, she needs to do the exact same things to X number of children in her household. Whereas a father may feel comfortable waltzing out of the door with his keys, wallet and cell phone, a mother is often struggling to get out of the door, laden down with a 20 lb diaper bag, (in addition to a 20 lb child), after having made sure it contained any of the following:
Moms also have to remember when the last time their children ate, what they ate, when they are due for another snack, when their diaper was last changed, what time they woke up from their nap, what time their next nap should be, where the pacifiers are located, when is the last time her kid went to the potty, shall I go on?
That's just to make it through the day-to-day. And that doesn't include anything having to do with herself! So, in conclusion, I don't think that MB is actually because said mother is stupider -- more that there are 100x more things on her mind than there used to be...
As almost any mom will tell you, you really do get stupider after having children. The inability to remember simple facts, words, details, forgetting a myriad of items in various places (church, school, playgrounds, other people's homes). I have always thought it has something to do with the hormone changes one goes through during and after pregnancy. Maybe the precipitous drop in progesterone after delivery zaps all of your brain cells?
Or maybe the exhaustion of taking care of a child all day or having your sleep constantly interrupted creates this phenomenon. Or maybe MB is a result of watching too much Curious George, Barney, Teletubbies or Caillou.
All of these things may have a hand in MB. However, my newest theory is that MB is caused by the sheer volume of things that a mom has to remember just to make it through each day. Not only does she have to remember to eat, bathe, dress, and make sure she is where she needs to be, she needs to do the exact same things to X number of children in her household. Whereas a father may feel comfortable waltzing out of the door with his keys, wallet and cell phone, a mother is often struggling to get out of the door, laden down with a 20 lb diaper bag, (in addition to a 20 lb child), after having made sure it contained any of the following:
- diapers
- wipes
- change of clothes
- burp cloths
- snacks
- sippy cup(s)
- a variety of toys
- bottle
Moms also have to remember when the last time their children ate, what they ate, when they are due for another snack, when their diaper was last changed, what time they woke up from their nap, what time their next nap should be, where the pacifiers are located, when is the last time her kid went to the potty, shall I go on?
That's just to make it through the day-to-day. And that doesn't include anything having to do with herself! So, in conclusion, I don't think that MB is actually because said mother is stupider -- more that there are 100x more things on her mind than there used to be...
Sunday, October 26, 2008
Our First African-American President?
So, with the election looming and all polls pointing to the probability that we'll have our first African-American president, I have been wondering...
- How do you think a black president will affect the state of race relations in our country? For better, worse or of no effect?
- Will it help the poor, urban black community (especially at-risk young black men) to think bigger/aspire higher than they may have before?
- Does it make a difference that his father was a Kenyan migrant vs. having roots as a 17-19th century slave?
Monday, October 20, 2008
So, there are a list of phrases that, upon hearing, make me want to pull my hair out. These phrases (or some iteration thereof) include, but are not limited to:
I'm currently reading (very slowly) China: Fragile Superpower by Susan L. Shirk. On page 27, she gives a pretty bleak, yet accurate, picture of the effects of our consumerism:
And then, this one:
I think that our country's failure to adhere to a budget, both as a nation and as individuals, is at least one step in leading to our downfall as the financial powerhouse in the world, and perhaps the world's superpower, unless we can right the ship. Now, I'm actually not that concerned that we're going to lose that status, per se. I am concerned about which nation is going to receive the mantle of the next world's superpower, if we are to lose it, because that will most certainly affect my children's future...
- "think outside of the box" (I heard this one until my ears bled at my first job)
- "America is a Christian nation"/"Our founding fathers were Christians" (will discuss this in a separate post)
- "mortgaging our children's future"
I'm currently reading (very slowly) China: Fragile Superpower by Susan L. Shirk. On page 27, she gives a pretty bleak, yet accurate, picture of the effects of our consumerism:
"Every country -- not just China -- runs a trade surplus with the United States. The American consumer and the American government have been spending beyond their means. Countries like China and Japan are the enablers of American profligacy. Only because these countries lend the United States money can the federal government rack up huge budget deficits without raising interest rates that would hurt consumer spending. Low-priced Chinese imports also keep inflation low so that the Federal Reserve Bank doesn't have to raise interest rates. Many analysts consider the relationship not just interdependent but "codependent" because it is unhealthy for both countries."(emphasis mine)
And then, this one:
China, like other countries, buys American treasury bonds not to humble or to help the United States but because it has to buy foreign exchange to keep the renminbi stable, and US treasury bonds provide the safest returns for foreign exchange holdings. China would harm itself as well as the United States if it precipitously sold off a big chunk of its US bonds -- the value of its remaining holdings would plummet.I have so many thoughts about this financial crisis and I don't have the time or energy to write them all out now, but this really struck me in the midst of all that is going on. Our budget deficit is about $460 billion!!! Some projections have it at $700 billion next year as the enormity of the bailout and slumping economy affects next year's deficit. Most of this debt is held by other countries. The bible says "The rich rules over the poor, and the borrower becomes the lender’s slave"(Proverbs 22:7).
I think that our country's failure to adhere to a budget, both as a nation and as individuals, is at least one step in leading to our downfall as the financial powerhouse in the world, and perhaps the world's superpower, unless we can right the ship. Now, I'm actually not that concerned that we're going to lose that status, per se. I am concerned about which nation is going to receive the mantle of the next world's superpower, if we are to lose it, because that will most certainly affect my children's future...
More on Future Plans
Just to be clear, we're not planning on moving anytime soon. In fact, we're going to be refinancing in the next few months! And, we're either going to stay here or move to be closer to family -- sorry K, no Chicago 'burbs for us! :)
We're really happy here, for the most part. We have a good community of friends from all over the city, we love our church, and we love living in the city. The downsides are: traffic, taxes (can you say 10.25%?), being far from family. However, when I'm here, I am really happy here and feel that God is using us here.
When I go to Michigan though, I cannot help but think about how much easier life would be if we lived there in a lot of ways. Housing is MUCH cheaper, taxes are less (although in Ann Arbor, we wouldn't see a significant drop in property taxes), good schools, etc. And I get really nostalgic for that area and would like to see my kids have a similar childhood to what I experienced, which they won't get living in the city. We'd love to live closer to family -- that would really be the main pull. Chris' brother & sister-in-law and our niece and nephew (to whom we are very close) live there, as well as just about my entire family.
Although, what trumps all of that is determining whether or not God wants us to adopt internationally (we both have the desire) and realizing that it would take us a LONG time to save up that much money without me going back to work. Which means that I would go back to school. Which also means that I'd most likely be working after we adopt. And I'm somewhat opposed to that philosophically as I'm staying at home with Ben & Caroline in the early years at least and don't want to give this child less than I am giving them.
I don't like the idea of pulling a child (we'd probably adopt a little older) away from their culture and everything they know and stay home for a few weeks and then leave them in daycare/with a nanny/etc. If we moved, we could take the equity out of the house and buy a much cheaper (but probably bigger house!) in Michigan, adopt a child and I could have the luxury (and I really do consider it that, as much as I like to complain about it) of staying home with him/her.
*sigh* Too much to decide.
We're really happy here, for the most part. We have a good community of friends from all over the city, we love our church, and we love living in the city. The downsides are: traffic, taxes (can you say 10.25%?), being far from family. However, when I'm here, I am really happy here and feel that God is using us here.
When I go to Michigan though, I cannot help but think about how much easier life would be if we lived there in a lot of ways. Housing is MUCH cheaper, taxes are less (although in Ann Arbor, we wouldn't see a significant drop in property taxes), good schools, etc. And I get really nostalgic for that area and would like to see my kids have a similar childhood to what I experienced, which they won't get living in the city. We'd love to live closer to family -- that would really be the main pull. Chris' brother & sister-in-law and our niece and nephew (to whom we are very close) live there, as well as just about my entire family.
Although, what trumps all of that is determining whether or not God wants us to adopt internationally (we both have the desire) and realizing that it would take us a LONG time to save up that much money without me going back to work. Which means that I would go back to school. Which also means that I'd most likely be working after we adopt. And I'm somewhat opposed to that philosophically as I'm staying at home with Ben & Caroline in the early years at least and don't want to give this child less than I am giving them.
I don't like the idea of pulling a child (we'd probably adopt a little older) away from their culture and everything they know and stay home for a few weeks and then leave them in daycare/with a nanny/etc. If we moved, we could take the equity out of the house and buy a much cheaper (but probably bigger house!) in Michigan, adopt a child and I could have the luxury (and I really do consider it that, as much as I like to complain about it) of staying home with him/her.
*sigh* Too much to decide.
Thursday, October 16, 2008
just do it
I did it. I got up and ran this morning again. I even shaved 2 whole minutes off of my time two days ago! That was encouraging. It still hurt though, and I suspect it probably will for awhile! For those reading who live near me, please call Chris if you find me passed out on the sidewalk.
I can't take much credit for getting back on the exercise bandwagon. Chris was the one who started it -- he is going to join an indoor soccer team in a few weeks and wants to be in shape for it, so he started getting up early in the morning to go running on Mondays, Wednesdays & Fridays and said he'd let me sleep in on Tuesdays and Thursdays since I'd be getting up with the kids. Well, I was feeling really guilty about sleeping in on my days instead of getting up and doing something! Plus, he was starting to lose weight and I can't have my husband weighing less than me (I still have a cushion before he gets there, but as Caroline is weaning, the pounds are going to start packing on, particularly around the holidays)...
I'd like to say that I have only the best goals of personal fitness and trying to take care of myself, but it's really just to lose weight and keep that cushion between me & Chris. In addition, we're going skiing in February in Colorado and I want to be in shape for that! Although, as I'm getting more into it, I am happy to be getting into shape and modeling that for our children.
big decisions
We have some big decisions to make in the next few years and I'm really unsure as to where God is leading us right now. In no particular order because they are all somewhat intertwined, we have to decide on the following:
I did it. I got up and ran this morning again. I even shaved 2 whole minutes off of my time two days ago! That was encouraging. It still hurt though, and I suspect it probably will for awhile! For those reading who live near me, please call Chris if you find me passed out on the sidewalk.
I can't take much credit for getting back on the exercise bandwagon. Chris was the one who started it -- he is going to join an indoor soccer team in a few weeks and wants to be in shape for it, so he started getting up early in the morning to go running on Mondays, Wednesdays & Fridays and said he'd let me sleep in on Tuesdays and Thursdays since I'd be getting up with the kids. Well, I was feeling really guilty about sleeping in on my days instead of getting up and doing something! Plus, he was starting to lose weight and I can't have my husband weighing less than me (I still have a cushion before he gets there, but as Caroline is weaning, the pounds are going to start packing on, particularly around the holidays)...
I'd like to say that I have only the best goals of personal fitness and trying to take care of myself, but it's really just to lose weight and keep that cushion between me & Chris. In addition, we're going skiing in February in Colorado and I want to be in shape for that! Although, as I'm getting more into it, I am happy to be getting into shape and modeling that for our children.
big decisions
We have some big decisions to make in the next few years and I'm really unsure as to where God is leading us right now. In no particular order because they are all somewhat intertwined, we have to decide on the following:
- Kids: Whether or not to conceive another; adopting - which country, when, what age, need money for it; am I going to stay at home with all of them until they reach school age?
- Graduate School: Chris will be graduating next year (hallelujah!!!), which will free us up for me to go to school -- but do I want to do that now or are we going to have more kids right now?
- Elementary School: Thinking about this makes me break out in hives
- Moving: Are we going to stay in the city? Will we be able to afford staying here with our sales tax and property taxes skyrocketing without a second income? If we move, would we move to Michigan with its crappy economy, thereby leaving Chris' stable job and exchanging it for an unknown quantity? If we moved to Michigan, where would we go to church? But, it's so tempting to move home...
Wednesday, October 15, 2008
Running & Numbness
run, kindra, run
I went running yesterday for the first time since February, 2007 (which is the month we found out I was pregnant). Ouch -- both for the length of time it has been and for my physical state. I was doing fine the first two blocks. And then it started to hurt. I plowed through and did 2 miles -- walked the last .1 mile or so. It took me a looong time, like 23 minutes to do those 2 miles, but I got through it. I'm hoping to get myself up tomorrow morning to do it again. I know it just gets easier the more you do it, but man, it's hard to motivate yourself to get out of your warm cozy bed in the morning!
comfortably numb
I had a dentist appointment yesterday to get a cavity filled, an appointment that I was NOT looking forward to. I have only had 3 small cavities in my entire life. Apparently I have really good enamel, or so says my dentist.
I really hate having Novocaine applied. I had a bad experience once where the dentist must have put it directly on a nerve because it hurt like the Dickens. Beyond that, I just don't like that numbness sensation. However, I'm so thankful that we have that now -- I have had one of those small cavities filled without it and it was really painful! I can't even imagine how horrible it would be without it -- as people had to endure in the days before anesthesia. It really wasn't bad, all in all. I didn't feel any pain, not even in the application of the Novocaine.
It did get me thinking about how to improve my oral hygiene so I don't have to go through this again. I brush twice a day, floss sometimes, drink lots of water and chew sugarfree gum. I don't really limit my sweet intake though.
I also think about how to improve my children's oral hygiene, beyond just hoping they have my good enamel (and not Chris'). Ben LOVES candy (actually, any junk food). He also loves chocolate milk, and for awhile, that was the only way he would drink milk. I normally give him one cup/day of chocolate milk (with only one scoop of chocolate powder). He's been to the dentist twice already and has great teeth, though I do feel guilty about how much sweet stuff I give him. I really need to try to limit it, though I wasn't really limited as a child and never had a lot of negative repercussions (weight gain, teeth issues) because of it. Though I definitely want to spare my children the negative experience of having to have a cavity filled, particularly at a young age.
Dental health is pretty important to me -- I was always taken to the dentist twice/year as a child and plan to take my children that often. I'm thankful we have insurance to cover it.
I went running yesterday for the first time since February, 2007 (which is the month we found out I was pregnant). Ouch -- both for the length of time it has been and for my physical state. I was doing fine the first two blocks. And then it started to hurt. I plowed through and did 2 miles -- walked the last .1 mile or so. It took me a looong time, like 23 minutes to do those 2 miles, but I got through it. I'm hoping to get myself up tomorrow morning to do it again. I know it just gets easier the more you do it, but man, it's hard to motivate yourself to get out of your warm cozy bed in the morning!
comfortably numb
I had a dentist appointment yesterday to get a cavity filled, an appointment that I was NOT looking forward to. I have only had 3 small cavities in my entire life. Apparently I have really good enamel, or so says my dentist.
I really hate having Novocaine applied. I had a bad experience once where the dentist must have put it directly on a nerve because it hurt like the Dickens. Beyond that, I just don't like that numbness sensation. However, I'm so thankful that we have that now -- I have had one of those small cavities filled without it and it was really painful! I can't even imagine how horrible it would be without it -- as people had to endure in the days before anesthesia. It really wasn't bad, all in all. I didn't feel any pain, not even in the application of the Novocaine.
It did get me thinking about how to improve my oral hygiene so I don't have to go through this again. I brush twice a day, floss sometimes, drink lots of water and chew sugarfree gum. I don't really limit my sweet intake though.
I also think about how to improve my children's oral hygiene, beyond just hoping they have my good enamel (and not Chris'). Ben LOVES candy (actually, any junk food). He also loves chocolate milk, and for awhile, that was the only way he would drink milk. I normally give him one cup/day of chocolate milk (with only one scoop of chocolate powder). He's been to the dentist twice already and has great teeth, though I do feel guilty about how much sweet stuff I give him. I really need to try to limit it, though I wasn't really limited as a child and never had a lot of negative repercussions (weight gain, teeth issues) because of it. Though I definitely want to spare my children the negative experience of having to have a cavity filled, particularly at a young age.
Dental health is pretty important to me -- I was always taken to the dentist twice/year as a child and plan to take my children that often. I'm thankful we have insurance to cover it.
Tuesday, October 14, 2008
Financial Crisis
For those interested in these sorts of things (and really, even for those who aren't), I really think that you should spend 2 hours of your time and listen to these two shows on my favorite radio program This American Life. They are definitely worth your time. You will come away with a much deeper understanding of the financial crisis, delivered in an easy-to-understand-an-extremely-complex issue kind of way.
The Giant Pool of Money
and the follow-up:
Another Frightening Show About the Economy
If you've heard these, or after you listen to them, post here with your comments & thoughts... I have lots of my own that I will post separately if they don't come out here.
The Giant Pool of Money
and the follow-up:
Another Frightening Show About the Economy
If you've heard these, or after you listen to them, post here with your comments & thoughts... I have lots of my own that I will post separately if they don't come out here.
Monday, October 13, 2008
Gone Home
Today, the mother of a good friend of mine went home to be with Jesus. I've never met her mother, but I'm grieving the loss all the same.
I have not lost anyone very close to me to this point. I still have all 4 of my grandparents, which I know is pretty rare. I dread the day when I do lose someone close to me as I've never walked through that particular valley before. I can count on one hand the number of funerals I have been to -- two of those were for people around my age (when I was 16 years old and again when I was 28).
I'm getting to that age when the incidence of heart attacks, strokes, cancers in the generation right above me is going to be much more prevalent as I hear of my friends' parents and probably my own, suffering from various afflictions. There will be much comforting and comfort received in the coming days.
One of my fervent desires is that I go home before my children do. I don't know how a parent endures that.
I'm happy for my friend's mother -- she is experiencing a comfort, joy & peace that she never knew here on earth. But I'm sad for who she has left behind, because I know she will be missed.
I have not lost anyone very close to me to this point. I still have all 4 of my grandparents, which I know is pretty rare. I dread the day when I do lose someone close to me as I've never walked through that particular valley before. I can count on one hand the number of funerals I have been to -- two of those were for people around my age (when I was 16 years old and again when I was 28).
I'm getting to that age when the incidence of heart attacks, strokes, cancers in the generation right above me is going to be much more prevalent as I hear of my friends' parents and probably my own, suffering from various afflictions. There will be much comforting and comfort received in the coming days.
One of my fervent desires is that I go home before my children do. I don't know how a parent endures that.
I'm happy for my friend's mother -- she is experiencing a comfort, joy & peace that she never knew here on earth. But I'm sad for who she has left behind, because I know she will be missed.
Friday, October 10, 2008
Nicknames
I'm quite fond of nicknames, generally. I have had many growing up including, but not limited to:
- Kinderooni
- Kindra Jo from Kokomo (thank goodness I didn't actually grow up in Kokomo in the 80's)
- Sweet Cheeks
- Cynthia (this is the strangest one to me, one that I didn't comprehend as strange until I was in college and wondered "why in the world did my mom call me Cynthia when that's clearly not my name?")
- kinaida
- Dr. Dra (most often shortened to "Dra")
- Bud
- Sweet boy
- Benji-man
- Sweet Girl (very original, I know)
- Sweetest Baby
- Frankie (as in Frankenstein, which is how she walks -- arms straight out and stiff-legged, as is the custom in babies who are just learning how to walk)
- Snaggles (as in Snaggletooth -- she got her bottom two teeth and then cut the one to the right of the right front tooth, which isn't how babies normally teethe. Her next tooth was then the left front tooth, thereby leaving a large gap -- it is now coming in, but she looks like she's missing a tooth when she smiles. It's adorably funny-looking)
Thursday, October 9, 2008
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