tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26992947739250249062012-01-11T10:05:31.367-08:00SUBURBAN Adjective 1. of, in, or inhabiting a suburb 2. Mildly disparaging conventional and unexciting /MOMISM: 1. Excessive attachment to mom. 2. Conversely, overprotective mothering.Tanyahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16007124371570920505noreply@blogger.comBlogger251100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2699294773925024906.post-47665174277061265062010-11-03T05:39:00.000-07:002010-11-03T05:39:11.062-07:00

Several times a week, a situation arises in which I say to my husband “Here – hold my bag for a sec.” This is usually followed by an over exaggerated grunt as his arm jerks toward the ground, led by the heft of the sack. I am then asked the usual two questions: “What the heck do you have in here – bricks?” and “Is all of this necessary?” The answer to first question – STUFF. The answer to the

Tanyahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16007124371570920505noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2699294773925024906.post-91338379758213562642010-09-13T08:05:00.000-07:002010-09-13T08:05:53.539-07:00

One of our local supermarkets has an ongoing kid’s program in place called “Eat a Rainbow Everyday”. This “rainbow” refers to the variety of fruits and veggies that should be incorporated into our children’s daily diet. It does NOT include FD&C Red 40, Brilliant Blue or Tartrazine. Unfortunately, artificial food colorings have made their way into our daily lives – sometimes in places we

Tanyahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16007124371570920505noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2699294773925024906.post-64658671693847524522010-06-12T16:24:00.000-07:002010-06-13T12:58:58.738-07:00

You know that show about that redneck guy named Earl?  You know how he learns about the idea of karmic retribution and he makes that list of all the wrongs that he sets out to right?  If, in fact, karmic retribution is real and true, my advice to you would be this:  Do not roll your eyes at the "no peanuts allowed" sign.  Ever.  Here's why. In September of 2004, my older child began his

Tanyahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16007124371570920505noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2699294773925024906.post-87397827912093522402010-05-12T07:16:00.000-07:002010-05-13T11:24:19.823-07:00

On a lovely afternoon, six years ago, I found myself in the check out line at a local housewares store with my then three year old son.  Only one lane was open.  We were next and there were at least four people waiting behind us.  As we approached the cashier, my son asked me a question that, to this day, causes me to break out in a cold sweat.  "Is that a man or a woman?" I should also

Tanyahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16007124371570920505noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2699294773925024906.post-62312430017714649652010-03-02T11:24:00.000-08:002010-03-02T11:33:35.796-08:00

A few months ago, I was having a conversation with a friend about her son. He was having some behavioral problems in the classroom and she suspected he had ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder). She mentioned this to the pediatrician at their next visit and walked away from the doctor’s office with a prescription for a stimulant. Just.like.that. Okay, that? Is a problem. A big one.  For

Tanyahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16007124371570920505noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2699294773925024906.post-26165717486767549392010-01-12T09:51:00.000-08:002010-01-12T09:51:35.874-08:00

Once you do the parenthood thing for a few months, you’ll understand why these are “Random”. They’re the only sort of thoughts you’ll have for a while…. Relax! Many people have done this before you. Everything will be fine. If you do mess up, don’t worry – studies show kids are extremely resilient and it’s much harder to ruin them than previously thought. Even though you may have read every

Tanyahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16007124371570920505noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2699294773925024906.post-72567690872785131312010-01-04T07:31:00.000-08:002010-01-04T07:36:15.305-08:00

I don’t know about you, but when I think of food allergies, I think: Anaphylactic shock. Epi-Pen. Hives. My son never experienced any of those symptoms. As such, I never suspected he was allergic to any foods. I knew he had seasonal and environmental allergies. A skin prick test revealed that he was highly allergic to trees, some grasses, cats, and horses. He spent nine months out of the year

Tanyahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16007124371570920505noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2699294773925024906.post-84231381581708626872009-11-24T07:54:00.000-08:002009-11-24T07:56:45.357-08:00

Approximately six months ago, I wrote my first article about my picky eater and some of the meal time challenges our family faced. Presently, I am happy to report that my son is a mostly reformed picky eater. What brought about this change? Was it my amazing parenting skills, you ask? Admittedly, no. Well, some of the changes might be due to my extraordinary parenting skills, but I must give

Tanyahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16007124371570920505noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2699294773925024906.post-27521188710577258872009-10-23T10:39:00.000-07:002009-10-23T10:45:42.927-07:00

One of the biggest milestones in a toddler’s life is grasping the use of speech and building vocabulary in order to communicate their wants and needs. It usually starts small, with things like “Dada”, followed by “Mama” and perhaps “milk” and/or “pee pee”. Even if your toddler doesn’t say these words clearly, it’s simple enough to understand what the heck they mean when they point to their

Tanyahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16007124371570920505noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2699294773925024906.post-63383535198209906912009-10-07T15:36:00.000-07:002009-10-07T16:04:14.217-07:00

It’s that time of year again. The weather is getting a bit cooler, the leaves are starting to fall, and Halloween is just weeks away. For many, this means candy. Lots and lots of candy. There is a scene from the War of the Roses, during which Michael Douglas and Kathleen Turner (the parents) are having an argument about the issue of overindulgence vs. deprivation on the topic of children and

Tanyahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16007124371570920505noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2699294773925024906.post-71776801746957820422009-09-26T07:53:00.000-07:002009-09-30T10:28:09.382-07:00

When I was expecting my first child, almost nine years ago, there weren't a whole lot of choices in the world of baby gear. Things were either navy blue, pastel, or Winnie the Pooh. This may be part of the reason for the span of six and a half years between baby #1 and baby #2. It was well worth the wait! Baby gear and products have come a LONG way. Maybe you are expecting your first child and

Tanyahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16007124371570920505noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2699294773925024906.post-50190689054131096192009-09-17T08:12:00.000-07:002009-09-22T16:23:37.082-07:00

How many times have you heard "there's some kind of stomach bug going around"? And how do you know if it's a stomach bug or a food safety issue? Well, you don't always. BUT - if you do what you can to minimize food safety blunders and teach your kids (and adults) about basic hygiene, you are taking proper steps to keep the family healthy.These days, families are doing what they can to save money,

Tanyahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16007124371570920505noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2699294773925024906.post-74821054818463660842009-08-13T18:43:00.000-07:002009-08-17T11:00:11.361-07:00

For many people, it seems to go a little like this: When you are dating someone seriously, people ask when you will get married. So then you get married and people ask when you will start a family. So you have a baby and people ask when you will have another. So then you have another and people ask if you will go for baby number 3. Who are these people and why are they so nosy?And how do you know

Tanyahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16007124371570920505noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2699294773925024906.post-27386278433346684362009-07-17T10:43:00.000-07:002009-07-17T10:54:34.506-07:00

Not me, that’s who! Not yet, anyway. It’s on my mind quite a bit these days, but not because I’m conCERNED about it, mind you. OR – it’s possible that I am in denial about being in denial.Recently, thanks to a certain social networking site, I've reconnected with dozens of long lost relatives, friends, and classmates. And an interesting thing started happening. One by one, my old classmates are

Tanyahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16007124371570920505noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2699294773925024906.post-25030758391452980632009-07-16T08:52:00.001-07:002009-07-23T06:07:47.879-07:00

1) McGuyverMom – A mom who can craft toys, snacks, first aid supplies, and entertainment using only the contents of her diaper bag/purse. Example: “Today I McguyverMommed a bandaid out of a sticker and the corner of a diaper”2) FreefoodLoader – A mom who takes her kids to stores that hand out free food samples and uses that as a meal. Example: (overheard by store employee) “Oh look. It’s 12:30 –

Tanyahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16007124371570920505noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2699294773925024906.post-18976376134685430692009-07-10T10:07:00.001-07:002009-07-10T10:58:50.231-07:00

A couple of months ago, my family and I were watching the latest season of Survivor, as we always do. During the reward and immunity challenges, my husband could be heard muttering “I could totally win this”, as he always does. I, on the other hand, am not at all interested in being a contestant. Why, you ask? Being on the show would be a combination of many of my worst fears, the top three being

Tanyahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16007124371570920505noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2699294773925024906.post-4353419571595947152009-06-26T17:37:00.000-07:002009-07-10T10:06:05.363-07:00

Explanation for the new blog name: It happened like this. After a couple weeks of mulling it over, I finally landed on a name I liked for my blog. I called it The Momalogues. I checked around and the name was not yet taken, so I figured I would snatch it up. I tell you, it was just as hard as naming my kids. Anywho - I get this email shortly after I get this blog thing going. It's very mysterious

Tanyahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16007124371570920505noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2699294773925024906.post-31925262551623917992009-06-26T17:07:00.000-07:002009-06-27T07:10:49.775-07:00

Last year, my family and I officially became regular campers. We were novices back then and were never fully prepared for the weekend away from home with limited facilities. After too many weekends of surviving on potato chips and graham crackers, we started to expand our horizons. We lease a seasonal campsite and have access to a grill, which we decided we wanted to actually use. I have a food

Tanyahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16007124371570920505noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2699294773925024906.post-89031257818326624342009-06-16T07:24:00.000-07:002009-06-26T19:38:50.402-07:00

Highlight of the Day:Today, my two year old daughter (a.k.a. Pretty Princess) decided to put on a show for me. She summoned me into the living room, which is the only toy-free area of the house, save for her keyboard. She is quite serious about her music career, but not as serious as she is about her dancing career. “Mommy sit.” She says, motioning to a chair. “I dance”.She begins with a little

Tanyahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16007124371570920505noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2699294773925024906.post-16329322054971036472009-06-14T19:00:00.000-07:002009-06-14T19:45:52.932-07:00

When: Saturday morningWhere: By the frozen dinners at the local supermarket.Cast:Mom (played by me)Dad (played by my husband)Boy (played by our 8 year old son)MOM: Hey! Lean Cuisines are on sale. 5 for 11 bucks – woo hoo!BOY: Can I pick one out?MOM: Ok. Which one do you want?BOY: That one (points). The shrimp alfredo.MOM: (laughing) That’s SHRIMP ALFREDO. It’s shrimp with BROCCOLI in a CREAM

Tanyahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16007124371570920505noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2699294773925024906.post-33182209307205305462009-06-10T16:06:00.000-07:002009-06-10T18:54:46.579-07:00

It may start when you are pregnant. You begin misplacing keys and other important items. You are in a state of constant “brain fog”. You attribute it to your current medical condition and look forward to the time when you can fully reclaim your wits and move on with your life.Sadly, for some of us, this will never happen. Pregnancy Brain morphs into a more permanent state of Momnesia. And believe

Tanyahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16007124371570920505noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2699294773925024906.post-31243325716704895912009-05-31T19:27:00.000-07:002009-06-10T19:13:19.063-07:00

Recently, a comment was made about my “Picky Eater” blog post. It was short but sweet. It said “Your son sounds like a pain in the you-know-what”. Well….yes. But no. But yes. Sigh. If only it were that simple.Chances are, you haven’t yet heard of something called Sensory Processing Disorder. Well, I hadn’t either, until last year. Here’s how it all went down. When my son was a toddler, he was

Tanyahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16007124371570920505noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2699294773925024906.post-12058965859207116902009-05-31T19:19:00.000-07:002009-06-10T19:05:20.368-07:00

(Or: A Chicken Nugget by Any Other Name).There was a period of time when my son had a list of only six dishes he would eat. It went a little something like this:1) Pizza (cheese only, no chunks of anything in the sauce)2) Cheeseburger (no crunchy bits, no garnish)3) Hot dogs (boiled only, no grill marks, no bun, ends cut off because they look “yucky”).4) Chicken nuggets5) PB & J (1/3 pb, 2/3

Tanyahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16007124371570920505noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2699294773925024906.post-88644005355481268352009-05-31T19:16:00.000-07:002009-06-10T19:07:50.357-07:00

Childhood experts state that it may take at least a dozen attempts before your child will accept a new food. But what if you can’t get past that first try? Experts also say not to force a new food upon your child. SO, if your child refuses a food repeatedly and you can’t force them to eat it, what’s a parent to do? Well…I don’t really know, but I can share some other “expert” suggestions that

Tanyahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16007124371570920505noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2699294773925024906.post-89014272568602982362009-05-31T19:12:00.000-07:002009-06-10T18:58:03.491-07:00

Being the Mom of a picky eater often causes me to feel like a parental failure. There have been times that I have stared with open envy at someone else’s child as they wolfed down some exotic food I could not even PAY my son to try. Believe me, I have made many unsuccessful bribery attempts. My son could have retired by now.It’s exhausting. Nearly every meal is a battle and rarely do I feel

Tanyahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16007124371570920505noreply@blogger.com1