Going to Art School

I'm very excited to announce that I was accepted to the Cambridge School of Art at Anglia Ruskin and will be doing my MA in Illustration and Book Arts this fall.

Although I loved my liberal arts education, I have always dreamed of going to art school and I am really looking forward to getting started. I have already met some of the professors and other students and they were all very wonderful and helpful. Then again, here in England, I have rarely met anyone who is not polite and friendly.

I will be experimenting with illustration as well as increasing my knowledge of book design and dabbing a little in animation. I'm looking forward to what new things I will learn and how my art will develop. I'll keep you informed.

Happy Jar

I brought out the Happy and Sad jar the other day. I'm amazed they still work, even though the boys are getting older. Here is how it all started.

About the time that Lukas turned two, he decided it was time to hold his own against his older brother Jonas, who was three and a half.  Previously, if Jonas had wanted a toy that Lukas was playing with, he would bribe him with a different toy and all was well.  Now, his formerly easy-going brother Lukas would say no, hold onto the toy for dear life, and hit, bite, or scratch him if he tried to take his toy away. Unfortunately, since toddlers are good at retaliating, this often meant that Jonas would do the same thing back.

After a while I realized that things were getting out of hand and I needed to up my game.  The time-outs and conversations with Jonas were not working at curbing the fighting and I felt like I was saying no all of the time.  I didn't like all of the negativity and I didn't feel like it was working either. Nevertheless, I knew that Jonas was old enough to know better and I needed to do something to curb his behavior.  After talking to my mother, the best childhood expert I know, and looking on the Internet for ideas, I finally came up with the Happy Jar.

I took two small jars and labeled on with a happy face and one with a sad face.  Every time Jonas or Lukas showed good behavior, like being generous with their toys or snacks or playing nicely with each other for awhile, I would put an M&M into the Happy Jar (as long as there were M&M's in the Sad Jar, I would use them first).  When they fought with each other or were mean to each other, I would take one M&M out of the Happy Jar and put it into the Sad Jar.  After suppertime, we would count the M&M's in each jar, mark it on a chart, and then they were allowed to share the Happy M&M's (a small hidden mathematics lesson for Jonas at the time).

I tried really hard the first few days to find as much positive behavior as I could to try to motivate them to continue.  I was amazed how well the jars worked.  Jonas loved being able to collect the M&M's and would always report to me when he was being really good.  Even though at the end of the day, they never had more than 8-10 to share with each other, I could tell that Jonas was really proud of himself (Lukas, being only two, was of course not old enough to entirely understand the jar concept).

Although I will admit, it didn't stop the hitting and biting entirely, it did bring it down to an acceptable level that I could handle.  I only needed to use the jars for about a week. Children love getting rewarded. The best anecdote from the whole experience, however, came from Jonas one night at the very beginning when he went to look at the jars. "Look Mom," he said, "the Sad Jar is happy now, cause he has M&M's, too."

Illustration in the Making

A Linocut and watercolor illustration

From inspiration 
to cover design

This morning at  the World Book Day event in my child's school, I was lucky enough to be able to help out with some creative writing workshops led by Debbie Edwards, a local author. Superhero stories were definitely something the children could relate to and I really enjoyed watching them enthusiastically being a part of the creative process and seeing how a story is made from start to finish.


As my children were also at the school and told some of their peers that their mother is an author/illustrator, at the end of the session one of the pupils asked how I did my pictures. When I look at children's books I often ask the same question and I wished I could have given my own workshop today on the subject (maybe next year). I also find it fascinating to see how other artists do their work and how they get from start to the finished product. 

Therefore, I would like to show the creative process that was used for the cover of my latest book Little Jack Thomson and his Magnificent Brain (For more info on Jack's story, please see my website kelleydonner.com).

First edition Jack

Jack, the main character, has changed a lot since I invented him. Originally, when I made the initial cover, he was daydreaming and lost in thought about his intergalactic space train and his dreams of mining rocks on Neptune. However, after awhile I realized that the cover made him look too melancholy and almost sad. He also looked too old for the children that I was trying to reach.

Since the book is uplifting, I did not want the cover to be anything less. Therefore, I went back to the drawing board and invented Jack again. This time I made him look enthusiastic and tried to convey a sense of pride. Although I think both the original and the final cover pictures are nice, the latter definitely gives the reader more of an immediate feel-good emotion. Books are often bought by the look of their cover, so I knew it was imperative that it grabbed attention and I think this Jack pulled the reader into his world in an uplifting positive way. Nevertheless, it was a long process to get there.

Here is my creative process for making a linocut/watercolor illustration:

1.  When I have an idea for a character I first begin by looking at stock photos online. For example, if the child should be withdrawn, then I would type in "withdrawn child" and see what images come up. If he should be proud, then I would look up words like proud, ambitious, determined, etc.. This helps to give me the general feeling I would like to evoke. Then I take the photos that I like best and incorporate them in my head with my own ideas and start drawing some sketches.

2.  Once I have the sketch that I would like to use, I transfer the drawing to a piece of linoleum or easy-cut lino. Then I begin the part of the process that I enjoy the most, cutting the lino. I find this to be very meditative and I love how the drawing takes on a new personality when cut out completely.

3.  Once the lino is finished, I make a print. Then after the print has dried, I scan it into the computer. I use various photo programs, but mainly Photoshop to improve on the print. I whiten the background and take out any unnecessary lines. Then I print this onto watercolor paper using my normal printer and the flatter back side of the paper. I am delighted to say that this works very well and most printer ink is permanent and does not run later during the painting process.

4.  At this point, I begin painting using watercolors. If I am unhappy with the result, I just use another printout and begin again. Sometimes, I will go over some of the lines again with a sharpie or black magic marker if the paint has washed over the lines and left the black too dull. This can also be done in Photoshop, but I often prefer the traditional method.

5.  Although watercolors do make beautiful colors, they are often not brilliant enough. This is why I usually scan the finished watercolor back into Photoshop and rework the picture a final time. As you can see here, I decided that the background was way too busy. The viewer has too many things to look at and Jack is lost a bit in this sea of colors. Therefore, part of the process of coming up with a final print is knowing what to cut out. I also cut out the planet at the bottom and one rocket.

6.  Now that my picture is finished, I can add it to a text program and begin making the final page. Here is the current draft cover for Little Jack Thomson's Magnificent Brain.

Unfortunately, when making a book, this is only the beginning. I have decided to try to do the entire creative process for Little Jack Thomson's Magnificent Brain from the text to illustrations to layout. I have already finished about half of the illustrations and I am currently playing around with some layout programs to see how I like the design. Even if I decide at the end, to send this book off to a publisher, I will feel better knowing that I know the process from start to finish. I am really enjoying making this book and I can't wait until it is finished and in stores near you.
To be continued...

5 Simple Ways Airlines Could Make Flying with Small Children Easier

Pretty impressive, huh? One hour of bliss
and then one jerked in his sleep and knocked
the tray table. It was great while it lasted.

Dear Airlines,

Traveling with a lap baby is difficult. Traveling with a lap baby and two kids under 5 is like child boot camp. Your kids are expected to be quiet, stay in their seats, eat off little tray tables without knocking anything on the floor, sleep during the day, eat in the middle of the night, and go to tiny bathrooms where they are not allowed to touch anything. I just finished a 30 hour flight from New Zealand to Germany, and I personally think I have now earned my ranks as Commander in Chief.

Seriously, no one wants to sit next to a screaming toddler or an uncomfortable baby.  And yet, hardly anything on a plane has been made with children in mind. It is in everyone's best interest to improve conditions on airplanes for families.

Therefore, here is my list of 

5 simple things you, the airlines, could do to make flying with small children on long flights easier.

1. Get rid of the bassinet and find something more practical to hang on the wall. I’ve flown now with three children and I can tell you, flying with a child under 6 months is the easiest.  Babies at this age sleep a lot and are usually very content to sleep on your arm. After six months, most babies are too big for the bassinet anyway and it’s annoying always having to wake them up every time the seat belt sign comes on. Instead of a bassinet, I would love to have a mini high chair or seat with shoulder straps so that I could feed my child somewhere other than my lap.  Or, they could hang up one of those toddler wall toys, so that your little ones would have something to do other than lick their armrest or walk back and forth through the aisles.

Jonas at seven months in the bassinet

2. Find a different way to strap a baby onto your lap. Those little extra seat belts that you fit onto your own seat-belt are very impractical. The baby always ends up having to sit right on the metal part of your own seat-belt and whenever you try to move your child around, say to nurse, you often accidentally unhook the child’s belt. Surely, they could make a better harness that is not so clunky. And honestly? I bet having your child in a baby carrier strapped to your chest has got to be a thousand times safer. It would sure be easier, especially with super squirming babies like I had.

3. Add sack lunches to your meal choices. Adult ones and ones for kids ages 1-6. First of all, on most long flights you don’t get your meals until the middle of the night when your children are already asleep. If you wake them up, they are then supposed to eat off of little tray tables with tons of little cups and saucers which love to get knocked off on the floor, especially when they are not picked up for an hour after the meal. Don’t even add turbulence to this equation. Toddlers and airline meals are not a good combination. Secondly, if you have a lap baby who either refuses to go to sleep or sleeps wildly, it is impossible to eat your own meal. If there were sack lunches with say bologna sandwiches, fruit, and animal crackers, you could give your children their lunch whenever they were hungry. Also, it would be possible to eat your own meal while your lap baby is awake. My first child at seven months slept only an hour and a half of an eleven hour flight. Trust me, mothers would be thrilled to not have to deal with those meal trays.

My child training for the marathon

4. Add drink bottles to your coloring books and crayons that you give to the children as handouts. Children under 6 are not capable of not spilling things. And, while you are at it, make a little fold out ring on the back of the seat in front where they can put their drink, instead of on the tray tables. Although the cups would cost slightly more, I’m sure the money would easily be saved on cleaning costs alone.

5. Ditch the huge TV in the front of the plane. It’s always on the bulkhead wall where all of the families sit with their little kids and it is annoyingly distracting.  It’s not only bright, but unlike a TV at home you can’t shut it off when it is time to put your kids to bed.  It is really hard for little kids not to look at a TV screen when it is on. My oldest child was incapable of tuning out the TV and it made it really difficult to get him to sleep. Everyone has a TV on the back of their chair. You don’t need an extra one as if the plane is a sports bar.

I’ve flown a lot with little children and I can guarantee that if your children are happy, the other passengers are happy as well. No one wants over-tired, hungry children sitting next to them. Implementing these five things would make flying so much more humane, and would make me feel more like a mom instead of a sergeant.

Thanks in advance. Please don't hesitate to contact me for further suggestions.

Sincerely,

One Tired Mom

Germany, New Zealand, and little Max

Raising three little boys takes a lot of time and energy and unfortunately, I haven't had much free time to spend on my blog. Nevertheless, the last year and a half has been pretty exciting.

Our youngest son Max Johann is now a little over a year old and is the happiest kid in town. Jonas is five, still loves tractors and will be starting school this fall. Lukas just turned four with a big soccer party and is still in German Kindergarten.

The biggest event of the last year, however, was a trip with the whole family to New Zealand where we lived for three months so that my husband could work at a research station. Since kids begin school there at five, Jonas was even able to attend the local primary school. I spent most of my day bringing the boys to school and preschool and taking care of Max who was starting to crawl everywhere. On the weekends we took day trips around the area and saw fantastic waterfalls and scenery. It was a fantastic experience and we all saw and learned a lot.

As you can imagine, we have all been pretty busy. Hopefully, now that we are back in Germany and the boys are getting older I will be able to have more time to share some crafts, recipes, and thoughts with all of my loyal readers. I look forward to seeing you soon!

Nesting, Planning, and Blogging

Lukas and Jonas 

Now that my second son Lukas just started German  Kindergarten (he's now 2 1/2 years old), I have three months without any children at home in the morning to get things done before baby number three arrives sometime late January.  I have been nesting like crazy this time around, going through every room and cupboard in the house, organizing and planning.

Firstly, I know exactly how uncomfortable the last two months can be and I wanted to make sure that I got all of the annoying jobs out of the way first, like sorting through boxes in the attic for all of the baby stuff, washing clothes that haven't been worn in a few years, building IKEA furniture, etc... Secondly, since I was on bed rest the first three months of this pregnancy, I wanted to plan for the slight chance that I might get put on bed rest again at the end of it. I don't want to have to delegate from my bed to my husband, or in-laws for that matter, exactly where they can find every baby item in the attic, especially when I am probably the only one who knows where all of the baby stuff is, because I packed it in the first place.

Now that I have all of the baby stuff ready to go, I can concentrate on other neglected areas.  I have so many blog entries that need to be posted and a zillion photographs that need to be sorted before I make Christmas calendars for Grandma and Grandpa and photo books of the kids. I apologize for not having posted anything the last few months and thank you in advance for your continued support!

Kelley

The Plague, Supermom, and the Promise of Spring

Thank goodness for spring.  I love spring.  It is the one thing that helps me get through winter, and this past winter was extremely long.  From November through February, our house had the plague; Someone was always sick.

It's amazing how the Mom-mobile can go on auto-pilot.  Having little kids meant that I also sick, too and was constantly running around like a zombie.  Even though I hadn't slept in days, I somehow managed to change one child's sheets for the third time at three in the morning, clean up the mess from my other child,  get them both to stop crying and sleep and still make it through the day.  Through all of the dirty diapers, medicine giving, and finally finding time to do laundry, clean the house, and make dinner, I had no time to blog, much less check my social networks for birthdays and messages.

And then.... my flowers started to come up.  My kids noses stopped running and they quit being so cranky.  My house finally got clean and my laundry got folded.  The sun came out again.  And finally, I turned my computer on and checked my blog and realized I couldn't wait to get started.

Thanks for sticking around.  Have a wonderful spring!

Blessings Countdown Calendar - Guest Blog

I just love this Advent Calendar from Jen's Ink Spot!  It has such a personal touch and fits in with the true spirit of Advent. Instead of chocolate or little gifts, it shares blessings that the family has received throughout the year.

Behind each number card is a photograph representing a memory. These cards can then in turn be hung as ornaments on the tree. When Christmas is over, the cards can then be put in a scrapbook to show blessings from the past year. What a great way to share Advent with your children!

I’ve been friends with Jennifer since the fourth grade, and I’m so proud of all of her creative accomplishments. Her blog Jen's Ink Spot has great ideas for how to make cards of all kinds. If you would like to check it out and see how to make this fantastic Advent Calendar, just click on this link:  http://jensinkspot.blogspot.de/2012/11/blessings-countdown-calendar-with-lil.html

Have a wonderful Advent!

Kelley

The Hairy Bunny

For me the days before sleep training were the worst, worrying about how awful it was going to be.  I was so accustomed to having my little boy next to me, cuddling on my arm and holding my hair tightly gripped in his hand.  How would he react to being all by himself?

Often when I would try to loosen that grip on my hair, he would wake up as if he was startled, cry out and then grab my hair and pull it toward him.  There was no way he was going to sleep without Mama’s hair…and that was a problem.

I tried to wean him off my hair the few days leading up to sleep training, but I was only mildly successful.  I tried giving him his stuffed kitty instead, but he out tricked me.  He held the kitty in one hand and my hair in the other.  I tried giving him a little horse with a mane of hair like a Barbie dolls, but he knew the difference, even at 4 a.m.

Whenever Lukas was hurt or fussy, all he needed was my hair to calm down.  Even while I was still nursing him, my hair was his main source of comfort.  How was I ever going to sleep train this little guy without having to stick my head in the crib?

I finally decided to cut off a fairly long lock of hair.  I tied it in a knot and then while holding the knot taut; I sewed it to a ribbon.  I then tied the ribbon in a knot around the hair knot and then tied this ribbon on to his stuffed lamb.  My hope was that having a little bit of my hair in his crib would give him that little bit of comfort that he needed.  I even sprayed a bit of perfume on the lamb so that it would smell like me. 

Lucky for me, sleep training went really well and wasn’t at all as difficult as I had expected.  Lukas loves his crib now.  Yesterday after his nap I spied on him.  He was sitting in his crib holding his lamb, pulling my lock of hair through his fingers in his own little world.  And, although a part of me still wished that it was connected to my head, I was glad that he was happy without me.  

Co-sleeping, No-sleeping, and the Sleep Lady Shuffle

No-Cry Sleep Training sounded to me about as plausible as No-Pain Childbirth.  Honestly, I just don't think that the majority of us will every experience it.  No pain, no gain. Right?

I figured that sleep training would be similar.  Doing it wouldn’t be easy, but the result would be well worth the effort.  Luckily, it all went even smoother than I had anticipated.  After only 3 days, my little Lukas was sleeping peacefully through the night and even naps in his own crib...

Sleep Training and the Sleep Lady Shuffle

I had never thought that I would be one of those parents who co-sleeps with their toddler.  I put my first boy Jonas in his crib from the very beginning.  I had tried to nurse him in bed, but he was just too messy and wiggly.  He loved his crib and I figured it was also the safest way.

Then Lukas came along.  He was the easiest baby ever to nurse and he would fall asleep on my shoulder in bed and not move a muscle until it was time to nurse again.  Holding him was so comforting, I would almost always fall asleep.  However, between relocating, teething, a hospital visit due to asthma, and guests, we realized our co-sleeper was already 15 months old.  He was not only way too big for our bed, but he also had to have my hair in order to fall back asleep, which could be a few times a night, i.e. our co-sleeping had become no-sleeping.

I’ll admit, I tried my own sleep training a couple of times.  The first time I put him in the guest room in the travel crib and tried timed checks, but honestly, I couldn’t handle even 10 minutes of crying.  The second time, I tried sitting next to him during nap time, but after five minutes of being in his crib, he puked all over himself and me.  I had always thought that kids who puke during sleep training have cried forever before that happens.  I was wrong.  I needed help.

After disregarding the no-cry sleep approach (Have you ever tried to pick up a 30 pound baby every time he cries only to put him down again, pick him up, put him down, pick him up, etc..?), and having tried Ferber unsuccessfully, I finally found the Sleep Lady and bought her book for my Kindle.

 

During the Sleep Lady Shuffle, you begin by sitting next to your child in the room the first three nights, then continually work your way out the door.  What I liked about this method the most, is that it took the fear out of sleep training for both my child and myself.  Even though Lukas would be angry at me, he wouldn’t be freaked out as to where his mother was and I could at least give kind words to help him through it.  After talking to my husband, we decided to begin. 

Here is the daily progression that led to our happy super sleeper:

Preparation: We put a big mattress on our living room floor a good distance away from where Lukas would sleep for my other son or my husband to sleep if necessary.  I also rigged Lukas’s crib with towels in case he puked during training (which from what I’ve learned is pretty common).  I got out a big t-shirt from daddy as pajamas for Lukas to wear so he couldn’t climb out of the crib, and another as a spare in case he puked.

I tied a piece of hair to his little stuffed sheep, sprayed my parfum on it, and laid it in his bed. I made sure to do the same bedtime routine the last few nights before sleep training: early milk (to prevent puking), bathtime, three stories, light off and fan on (white noise), some songs, and then off to bed. When he was asleep I brought his brother Jonas to bed who sleeps in the same room.

Day 1:  At 7 p.m. I started winding Lukas down. Then I did the bedtime routine before laying him in his crib.  I sat down first in a chair right next to his crib just like the Sleep Lady had said.  He started bawling immediately. He was not a happy camper.  After a few minutes I realized it would be better to get down lower so that he wouldn’t have a reason to stand up.  I then sat on the floor and leaned against the chair.  Lukas was really upset, almost puked twice, and it was incredibly hard to handle even when I could pat his back, say soothing words, and rub his head. After about 10 min of this I got the feeling that he was just getting more hysterical and that it would make more since for me to go to the other side of the room and act like I was sleeping.  I laid down on the little bed on the other side of the room.

Lukas cried about 10 minutes more making me feel like a horrible parent and question my intentions. But then all of a sudden, he stopped crying like someone had turned the mute button on.  He just stood at the end of the crib and looked in my direction.  He didn’t move a muscle for what seemed like three or four minutes.  I wondered if he was holding his breath or something and then he crumpled into a sleeping heap with his sweet little head down on his hands.  I went over the bed and rolled him on his side.  I tucked his little kitty under his arm and he pulled it to him and went back to sleep. Then I went over to the bed and cried.
  

Other then briefly waking up during the night (probably to roll over), he slept straight through until 7 the next morning.  Only 30 horrible minutes of crying and my baby slept all night. The first time ever!  Unbelievable!

Day 2:  I didn’t begin nap training until day 3, so today I let Lukas sleep in the car in the morning and then laid him in his crib after falling asleep after a little stroll in the afternoon. 

In the evening I did everything like the day before.  I laid Lukas in his bed and he immediately started crying.  I said some soothing words and before I could even go to my position across the room, he puked.  It hadn’t even been 2 min!  I quickly changed his shirt and pulled out the dirty towels I had laid around his crib and then went to my position across the room.  That was tough on me, but then Lukas seriously surprised me.  He cried for about another 2 minutes.  Then he sat down in his crib and started playing and singing!  This went on for about 20 minutes before he fell asleep and then slept again until 6:15 the next morning.  This sleep training is crazy! 

Day 3:  I decided to start nap training, so at around 9:30 I laid Lukas down for his nap.  This went without a hitch and he cried about a minute before going straight to sleep.  In the afternoon I put both boys down at the same time which seriously is not easy, but with a little effort (and another run to the potty) worked.  When I finally got them both in bed, I laid down, too and they were both asleep within 5 minutes.  Yeah!

In the evening I put Lukas to bed and he cuddled on me while I was reading but didn’t even make a peep when I put him down.  I gave him his little kitty and he went to sleep almost immediately.  He slept straight through the night and his older brother actually woke up before he did at 6:30 the next morning.  I had never dreamed that sleep training would work so quickly. I figured I wouldn’t get any sleep during sleep training and I now just got three days of sleep myself which I had desperately needed.  Thank you Sleep Lady and thank you Lukas for making it all worthwhile!

I hope that my story has helped some of you calm your fears about sleep training.  I invite all of my readers to please post their comments, questions, fears, personal stories, etc… I'll help where I can. Thank you for your support!

Three years later: After having been so happy that Lukas could sleep on his own, unfortunately, things didn't stay that way. He landed in the hospital with a horrible cold about a month later and then we had to start all over again. In the end, he sleeps in his bed most of the time. I would like to add one disclaimer to this post, however, and that is that every child is different. My first child didn't sleep through the night for five years due to anxiety and my last child slept straight through from the beginning. This sleep method worked so well with Lukas that I thought it was worth sharing. Hopefully, you will also have peaceful nights, too and find a solution that works for your child. 

Merry Christmas

Here's wishing all of my readers a very Merry Christmas from my home to yours! I'm taking a break from all of the sewing, crafts, and baking and just enjoying the holidays and I hope you all do the same. Make yourself a cup of cocoa, sit back, and remember the days when just looking at that Christmas tree made you forget everything else. Happy Holidays! Kelley

New Guest Blog Section 2012

Are you interested in sharing your DIY crafts and recipe ideas?

After two years of blogging and now Etsying, Tweeting, Facebooking, and Pinning, I’ve come to the conclusion that there are not only a lot of wonderful Mommy and Daddies-sites on the web, there are also many creative people out there who also make crafts, clothes, and food items for their family and friends.

I've decided to start sharing some of the best ideas that I’ve found on the web and allow you to also send in your DIY ideas for possible submission. If you are interested in guest blogging with A Little Donnerwetter, click on the link to the right titled “Submission” for more detailed information on how to apply.

If your submission is accepted, I will either post your entire tutorial on my blog or give a short abstract including pictures explaining your idea with a link to your blog or webpage with more info. Your site will also be added to My Blog and Link List directly on my page. If you are just beginning to get out into the web, this is a great way to get more people to come to your site.

My first guest blog will appear in January of 2012 and if successful, will become a monthly addition to A Little Donnerwetter. I'm looking forward to receiving many creative submissions and finding a lot of creative people on the web, so get sewing, crafting, or cooking!

Kelley

Baby Break

Lukas Jacob is here!

Lukas Jacob Donner was born at 6:06 p.m. on Sunday, May 8, 2011.



Hello everyone,

I just wanted to let all of my readers know, that I will be taking a blog break for the month of May. I gave birth to a beautiful healthy baby boy on Mother's Day and think it's time to take a little break from blogging to just enjoy my little guy. Lukas and I are now home recuperating and just enjoying our time together, now as a family of four.

See you soon!

Kelley

Haircuts, Bathtubs, and Nutella

I finally cut my son's hair not too long ago. It was the first time ever, and I hadn't realized how difficult it would be. I know he looks cute on this picture, but, trust me, he really needed a haircut. His hair was really long in back, almost non-existent on the sides, and very different lengths on the top. My family was always referring to it as his baby-mullet. Nevertheless, the 80's are over. Thank goodness!



Jonas
before

and
after
haircut









My neighbor, whose son is a couple months older than Jonas, took her son to the hairdresser to get his haircut for the first time a couple weeks ago. He has stick straight hair. It didn't look like it would be hard to cut. She came back with his haircut only on one side. From what I heard it was a disaster. I guess, one and a half year olds are just not ready to sit still while a stranger takes a scissors to their head.

I also read a couple entries on Facebook from friends of mine who wrote how they dreaded having to cut their child's hair again. They said their kids screamed, moved their arms around, or just plain refused. Sitting on mama or daddy's lap didn't seem to help either.

I tried to take their advice and realized I had to have a plan. I knew that if Jonas saw the scissors, i.e. me standing in front of him, he would want to have them so that he could explore what a scissors is. That would definitely not work. And, if he sat on daddy's lap and I moved around him, it probably wouldn't be much better. I decided I would need to distract him with what he loves best. I remembered a friend of mine in Germany, who would give her son a spoon full of Nutella so that she could cut his nails. Not a healthy route, but it did work. So what does Jonas love more than anything? Water!

I decided to cut his hair in the bathtub. I got in with him and sat down behind him. Right outside the tub, I had a few papertowels and a large bowl. I put in plenty of bubbles and gave him lots of toys. It worked! I was able to work on his head for as long as I needed. He didn't care as long as he could play in the tub. I used a comb and then pulled the hair between my ring and middle finger (like I saw the pros do), but had the palm of my hand facing me so I could catch most of the hair when I cut. I then dumped this hair in the bowl next to the tub. Alright, I'll admit, a certain amount of hair landed in the tub, but it didn't matter because I was actually able to give my child a decent haircut and save some of those glorious curls for an album.

The tub haircut worked for Jonas, but I have another baby on the way. He might not be so easy to fool. So I'm curious, how do or did the rest of you cut your child's hair? Any success or horror stories?

Beef Jerky and Teething

Beef jerky for teething? I'm not kidding.

The other day I was at the pool talking to another mom about how my son was teething. She told me that she just gave her kids all cold beef jerky out of the fridge and it worked every time. ??? Yeah, that's what I thought, too. Somehow, I don't want to know what she did for colic or diaper rash.

Either way, it's amazing now that my son is getting his teeth what ideas people have for how to ease his pain. From frozen carrots to beef jerky and from Tylenol to homeopathics there are a lot of opinions out there.

Here is a cute little pic of my son's two bottom teeth. He is currently getting three teeth on the top at the same time. Poor little guy. If you have any tips for me on how to ease his distress, please let me know.

Thanks.

Here is an update for those of you following along.

July 20, 2010

As you can see from the pic on the left, the top three teeth are making their way through. Keep up the good work Jonas!