Potty Training!

I was looking around today, thinking it was a good idea to at least get a kid potty around if I was planning on potty training Parker this summer. This summer, you say? Yeah, my mom has me convinced without a doubt that we were all potty trained the summer before we turned 2. I am still skeptical, but figured what could it really hurt, if by some magically thing that my kid was potty trained before two??? FANTASTIC! However, I cam across a few very, very, very creepy things while browsing amazon...just looking at reviews. Item numero uno:

"Because it is never too early to develop the male ego."

I some how find it amazing that men don't need their own urinals, yet our precious babies, who are the future husbands of the world, need this ego boost. Just saying a little creepy.

"Because gambling addiction doesn't run in your family"

The earlier the better, what is better than gambling....weird. Next big item...Touchdown Potty...naked cheerleaders included...creepy.

"going potty is just one big playground"

I really shouldn't think this is funny, but my boyfriend spends entirely too much time in the bathroom, should we really encourage boys to spend any MORE time in there?? Gah, who spends that much time going to the bathroom that they get bored...

Tie Chair

I was carusing one of my usual baby stuff sights, and I came across this product. I feel it is a brilliant idea, in fact even thought about buying one, before realizing who/what my child is. This would NEVER hold Parker down, no sir. Albeit, it does look like a form of torture. Maybe we should equip soldiers with these, just in case they need to keep someone strapped to a chair for hours. Just a thought :)

Christmas Cards

This past few days I have had a flood of Christmas Cards coming in, some funny, some down right depressing, and some annoying as all get out. Excuse my Southern expression, but it is the truth. I will give them awards.

Most Heartwarming:

Goes to my Aunt Mary Nell, she actually addressed the envelope to my mother so the envelope read Margaret Ann (insert really long hard to spell Italian last name). For those of you who don't know my name is most certainly not Margaret Ann, after all I am a Samantha Clair, Margaret Ann would be my mother. I cried realizing how old my Aunt truly was getting. I also felt horrible for not visiting her before I moved north.

Most Depressing:

Goes to my Granny's widower, he felt so inclined to send a copy of my Granny's obituary with the card, really, He pretty much said, "look, I know a way to make sure you do nothing but cry for two weeks" "try to have a merry christmas now" or I like this one even better, "how dare you abandon your family". Ah, Ed. Thanks for the card.

Most Comical:

That award goes to my sister Melanie, who has two of the prettiest kids ever, who are now teenagers, and were forced to wear antlers and have their picture taken. How embarrassing, but hey whatever. I thought it was cute, but I am not one of their friends. Did I also mention the dog had antlers too.

Most Annoying:

My mother, bless her heart was so desperate to feel so close to Parker, that she bought one of those cards that you could record your voice on, and she did, and that is the only thing I have heard for two days. Love you mom, but I want your voice out of my head. Like NOW.

Most Creative:

Goes to Alicia, who is my best friend in the whole world, and she actually had her two makes make their cards. This is a lot more impressive than it sounds due to the fact that her kids are 5 and 2. ...these also involved glitter, and cutting, and everything. WAY TO GO!!!

There you have it, if you send me a Christmas Card I will most certainly ridicule it.

New Direction/ Radicalism.

My whole life I have been told I was a radical. I do not feel this is accurate. Passionate, sure. Radical, no. I have a few very strong beliefs, and a few minor ideas. Vaccinations are something that falls under the strong belief category. I haven't blogged in a while, I really don't see how anyone with a toddler could find the time to blog, but here I am during nap time, thinking of new directions to take the blog. I most certainly will always want to talk about my child, I mean ALWAYS. Just for the record, I do honestly feel I have the cutest/smartest/funniest child ever, however I truly believe everyone will feel this way about Parker. A little delusional, at best. But, back to the point. I think I will start blogging some about my child, some about the current cultural/political aspects, and also the hilarious lengths you go to when you are a parent, and the stuff you do you swore to yourself you would never do. After the big move that happened all of four months ago, I think I am ready to link MY family and friends to the blog, and not just Nicko's, this should be interesting, to say the least. :) Start of first story.....NOW!


Most of you who know me, know exactly how I feel about Jenny McCarthy. If you don't know, I think she should stick to what she knows best and that just so happens to be porn, not parenting. I do not think she is a bad parent, but I do not feel she is educated/far enough away from the problem, to make good judgment calls. The bottom line I think she is an idiot. Does she love her child? ABSOLUTELY! Does she want what is best for her child? ABSOLUTELY! Does she know what is best for everyone's child? NEGATIVE! I can not fathom why anyone would go against the American Academy of Pediatrics to follow anyone's unproven ideas about how to treat your child medically.

I am actually dumbfounded. I am no conspiracy theorists, and I will say I am a bit of an idealists. My government loves me, I love them, we can be best friends, and they only want what is best for me. Crazy, no? I also can not fathom how anyone can say the government is pushing vaccines to make money. The government gives them for FREE, how is that making money. Everyone can go to your local health department, and get vaccinated. I do not understand how this isn't losing money, as opposed to earning. Furthermore, I can not understand why people who take Xanax when they have no anxiety, or pop pain killers just to "relax" think pharmaceutical companies are making their money off vaccines, instead of various other medicines that aren't medically necessary, per say Viagra anyone? What about that new one that gives you eyelashes? Those my friends are the "money makers" I would even say antibiotics to an extent, are way OVERPRICED. Vaccines are FREE, not a money maker. Now that is cleared up, I move to my next point.

I do NOT feel it is wrong for your child to be required to get vaccinated to go to public schools. It is as simple as this, you pay our government to protect you, and keep you safe. How are you not seeing the correlation between required vaccines, and public safety? Well, if you can't see them here is a great article for that. I also just want to kindly remind everyone why vaccines were required in the first place, you can remind yourself here. I am fastly approaching Parker's time to get his MMR, am I worried he might get sick, sure. Do I think he will have an adverse reaction? NO. Would I ever consider not vaccinating him? NO. You may even be asking yourself why I care what other's do with their children, well, this isn't something that just effects your family and your household, this has the potential to affect the WHOLE United States.

I cringe at the thought of MY vaccinated son going to school with un-vaccinated children. Diseases mutate, it is not like these diseases will come back and stay the way they are, they will change, making all of us "conformers" susceptible, thanks for the polio folks! What a great welcome to the neighborhood gift. Is this guaranteed, no. Could it happen, you bet your pants it can. Probably not in my lifetime, I hope not in Parker's, but it could, and it will. Everyone should not be vaccinated, there are a FEW people that have religious/medical reasons for not doing so/ I also want to remind you that Polio is only eradicated, because of vaccines, not proper hygiene. I also want to remind you of the numerous studies that found no link between vaccines and autism, you can find that information here.

I will now get off my soap box, and share the beautiful Christmas pictures I took of Parker, and our FIRST Christmas tree.

Adventures of Parker Part 1

Parker and I have been doing somethings, and we have been doing these things for a while, but unfortunately for you, I am rather busy, and rather lazy. So...without further wait I will post pictures so OLD, they were taken in Mississippi!

We took Parker to the Agriculture Museum just before we left Mississippi. It was by far one of my favorite places as a kid, and thought that I should do it with Parker, and he is a big animal lover.

This is probably one of my favorite pictures of me and Parker, which isn't saying alot as there are probably only about 20 in existence. Compared to the over 5000 of just Parker and Nicko.

Nicko trying to feed Parker to the goat.

The cutest pig ever.

Finally....

I have about two months worth of pictures to catch up on, and not only pictures, but life. We have been SOOOOO busy. I feel like I haven't taken a breath since we left Mississippi.

Parker is very, very happy here in Pittsburgh, and well, I am very, very, happy here as well. That is something I never thought I would say, but I said it. We walk to the park pretty much everyday, if I am not working, and if I am working Francesca, the wonderful aunt that she is, takes him. He simply adores her. Also, he has taken a liking to Ken, which is surprising, and well, nerve racking. :) He has been walking more and more, and I have a feeling it won't be long until that last couple of pounds of baby weight comes off, because I am chasing him all day!

Parker took a pretty nasty fall about a week ago. He was jumping on a chair, maybe calling him "monkey" as a pet name, was a bad idea, and well fell on to his head, on our hardwood floors. I FREAKED! But, he seems to be doing alright!

Nicko, is happy, I think he secretly likes his job, but he loves to complain even more. So, complaining wins out. We will be celebrating his 26th birthday tomorrow! He is creeping up on thirty and still believe he is 15. lol! He is such a wonderful dad. He truly, truly is. They have a bond like no other, and he can make Parker act like a wild man like no other.

Now, time for pictures, and happiness. And, a promise to blog at least once in three days.

Pictures, from Mississippi:








NEW HOUSE

Too long gone?

We have been in Pittsburgh, and in our new house, for about two and a half weeks. That is more than half of a month, and I am just now getting on here to update people. Wow, maybe I was out of the loop so long I couldn't get back on. Oh, that and Parker isn't allowed in the computer room, and he is only napping once a day, if I am lucky, in fact, he is in his room yelling "mama" as I am typing. Poor kiddo.

Anyways, I will put pictures up of our new house later this evening or in the morning. Too lazy to upload pictures, even though I am clearly a month behind if not more. It is a great house! I am pretty into it, even though it takes about three times as much time and energy to clean than our old apartment. Keep in mind, that is not energy I have, and you will find out why, when we get to Parker updates.

Parker is dangerously close to walking being is mode of transportation. He is getting braver and braver by the day. He completely walked at the Park the other day, but he won't do it at home. But, he also punched a kid at the park, so maybe I am lucky the two are independent. He LOVES his new house, he has so much room to just crawl around, and do what he wants. He also likes when I sweep, he thinks it is lunch time. He grabs a handful of dirt, and well that is what he likes to eat!

Nicko seems to be adjusting to his new job, and seems to be pretty happy. He likes to sit in Parker's room and play with him. So, Parker knows how to play like a "boy". HAHA!