A Tale of Yogurt & the Dog...



Happy Mothers Day...

I hope everyone had a great day! I spent my morning cleaning maple syrup off the table, getting peed on by the dog and fighting tantrums.  Which is why I did what most mother's do on Mother's Day when they need a break....I went to work.

Saturday Morning Scene...

It is my weekend on so there isn't much going on in the Crankleston home.  Maybe I'll do a little grocery shopping today but thats about it. Spring cleaning is still taking over my entire life.  It usually ends around the end of May.  Thank goodness because Memorial Day weekend sounds like a good time to have a Crankleston Yard Sale.

I Hope You Didn't Hold Your Breath...

I just received an e-mail saying I had  comments that needed to be approved.  Those comments were innocent pleas for me to come back to the blogging world!  First off, thank you for your support. Second, I didn't mean to take a leave of absence.  One day life got in the way. School got busy, Mr. Crankleston started walking, I had a writers block, renovations began around the house, work was burning me out and then spring cleaning started.  Before I knew it I went on a two month hiatus!

I'm happy to announce that us Cranklestons are doing just fine! We are just super duper busy! Things are surprisingly starting to settle down and I promise I'm on my way back.  I cant say enough how much I love your support.  I didn't realize that strangers outside of our friends and family care about The Cranklestons'. I'll be back before you know it! Hope everyone is enjoying their Spring Cleaning!

Boys Will Be Boys...

Even when they are adults and in a public store.

Saturday Morning Scene...

Still in our PJ's!

Happy St. Patricks Day!



He is Already Learning Bad Habits...

Wordless Wednesday...

If it's Not Broken Don't Fix it...

I made the dumb decision to try a new salon to get Crankles hair cut.  Not only did he have a meltdown but they also butchered his hair.  In their defense, I'm sure my screaming child didn't help.

The place was cute.

We spent thirty minutes getting used to the place.

AKA on the waitlist.

He NEEDED a hair cut.

However an EVEN trim would've been better than this.

Never take buzzers to a one year old. IT'S TERRIFYING!

...and yes that is a proof of purchase on his forehead. You never know now a days when you'll need a receipt for something.

Is This How He Views Me...

I read recently that at thirteen months our children start to copy what we do.

Is this really how he views what I'm doing?

I think he is confused because that is a sock in my CD player!



The Short Attention Span of Crankles...

"Mama, I don't care that we just played outside for hours. I'm bored."

"Why don't you relax and I'll find something to do."

(Crankles leave my ice tea alone.)

"Sorry Mama, I can't do that. Come here tea."

"Mama, if I can't play with your tea i'm going to be bored."

"Like REALLY bored!"

"Okay I'll just play with the camera."

Sesame Saturday...

We took Mr. Crankleston to see Sesame Stree Live!

I was terrified it was going to be the biggest waste of money.  It's a lot to ask from a one year old to sit still for two hours!

Mr. Crankleston is not good at sitting still.  He played "Musical Parents" the entire time. For each new song he choose a new Crankleston lap to sit on.  That got old real fast!

The show was cute!

My only two complaints were:

1. It was thirty minutes too long.  Most of the kids started to get restless twenty minutes after intermission.

2. THEY NEVER SANG THE SESAME STREET THEME SONG!

How do you not sing your own theme song???

I'm not going to lie, I was eagerly waiting and it never came.

My biggest rave was that they included Elmo's World towards the end.

Thank goodness! It made our restless kids perk up!

Overall, it was a fantastic family day!  I'm so happy Crankles enjoyed it.  We are now considering taking him to the circus.

Wish us luck!

The Process of Sharing...

And the Mother of the Year Award Goes to...

...Anybody BUT me! See for yourself...



Monkey See Monkey Kiss...



What Wood Woody Do...



Picture of the Day...



Chris Hansen is at it Again...

I am a mother bear and Crankles is my cub.  I go to great lengths to not only give him the best childhood possible but to keep him safe.  Parenting is said to come easily to women and that we have a natural instinct for it.  While I agree with this, I also believe parenting requires education.  I think all parents need to in service themselves and stay up to date with modern parenting.

Tonight I watched a Chris Hansen exclusive on day cares and their safety.  Choosing a childcare provider has got to be the most nerve wrecking experience ever! I lost more sleep interviewing day cares and nanny's than I did the night before my wedding.
 The thought of leaving my own flesh and blood with a stranger was enough to drive me insane. 

That is why I want to share with you this list of questions to consider when looking for a daycare.  I found it on DatelineNBC.com.  It goes above and beyond the typical questions asked by parents.

Supervision

• Are children supervised at all times, even when they are sleeping?
• How do the caregivers discipline children? (Hint: Discipline should be positive, clear, consistent, and fair.)

Hand washing and Diapering

• Do all caregivers and children wash their hands often, especially before eating and after using the bathroom or changing diapers?
• Is the place where diapers are changed clean?
• Do caregivers always keep a hand on the child while diapering?
• Do caregivers remove the soiled diaper without dirtying any surface not already in contact with stool or urine?
• Do caregivers clean and sanitize the surface after finishing the changing process? (Hands should be scrubbed with soap and warm running water for at least 20 seconds and then rinsed and dried. The water faucet should be turned off with a paper towel.)

Director Qualifications

• Does the director of a child care center have a bachelor's degree in a child-related field?
• Has the director worked in child care for at least two years?
• Does the director understand what children need to grow and learn?

Lead Teacher Qualifications

• Does the lead teacher in a child care center have a bachelor's degree in a child-related field?
• Has the teacher worked in child care for at least one year?
• Does the teacher give children lessons and toys that are right for their ages?

Child:Staff Ratio and Group Size

• How many children are being cared for in the child care program?
• How many caregivers are there? (Your child will get more attention if each caregiver has fewer children to care for. The younger the children are, the more caregivers there should be. For example, one family home caregiver should only take care of two infants.)

Immunizations

• Is your child up-to-date on all of the required immunizations?
• Does the child care program have records proving that the other children in care are up-to-date on all their required immunizations?

Toxic Substances

• Are toxic substances like cleaning supplies and pest killers kept away from children?
• Has the building been checked for dangerous substances like radon, lead and asbestos?
• Is poison control information posted?

Emergency Plan

• Does the child care program have an emergency plan if a child is injured, sick, or lost?
• Does the child care program have first-aid kits?
• Does the child care program have information about who to contact in an emergency?

Fire/Emergency Drills

• Does the child care program have a plan in case of a disaster like a fire, tornado, flood, blizzard, or earthquake?
• Does the child care program do practice drills once every month?

Child Abuse

• Can caregivers be seen by others at all times, so a child is never alone with one caregiver?
• Have all caregivers undergone background check?
• Have the caregivers been trained on how to prevent child abuse, how to recognize signs of child abuse, and how to report suspected child abuse?

Medications

• Does the child care program keep medication out of reach from children?
• Are the caregivers trained and the medications labeled to make sure the right child gets the right amount of the right medication at the right time?

Staff Training/First Aid

• Have caregivers been trained how to keep children healthy and safe from injury and illness?
• Do they know how to do first aid and rescue breathing?
• Have they been trained to understand and meet the needs of children of different ages?
• Are all child care staff, volunteers, and substitutes trained on and implementing infant back sleeping and safe sleep policies to reduce the risk of SIDS (Sudden Infant Death Syndrome, crib death)? (When infants are sleeping, are they on their backs with no pillows, quilts, stuffed toys, or other soft bedding in the crib with them?)

Playgrounds

• Is the playground regularly inspected for safety?
• Is the playground surrounded by a fence?
• If there is a sandbox, is it clean?
• Are the soil and playground surfaces checked often for dangerous substances and hazards?
• Is equipment the right size and type for the age of children who use it?

Everything is Going to be Fine Fine Fine...

Yesterday I was driving home from one of the worse work days I've ever had.  This song came on the radio and after listening to it...I felt refreshed and renewed!

I have officially found my go to song for bad days!

Enjoy!

Picture of the Day...



Picture of the Day...



A Day at the Park...



The Cranklestons Go to a Petting Farm...



Saturday Morning Scene...