As I embark on my 37th year of life, there’s one gift I’d love to have.

I’d love to quit the anxieties and negative thoughts that constantly ping-pong in my mind. I’d love to not feel self-conscious and awkward when I talk to people. I’d like to learn how to accept myself – faults and all.

Like most women, I am my toughest critic. When it comes to the ugly and hateful things I often say to myself, I realize I’d never say those things to someone else. In fact, if someone else were to say the same things to one of my friends or a family member? I’d give that person a verbal ass kicking.

A few days ago, my mother-in-law took me aside. She said she thinks I’m too hard on myself. That I downplay my strengths. I shouldn’t put myself down so much. I don’t know my worth.

That’s true. 

So as I celebrate one more year under my belt. I hope to find inner peace. I hope I’ll learn how to gauge my strengths and accept my weaknesses. I hope to stop berating myself for mistakes everyone makes. I hope to quiet the nasty inner voice that tells me I’m not good enough, attractive enough, smart enough or just plain “enough.”

Life is too short. And I hope that next year, at this time, I can celebrate a rebirth of sorts.

Wish me luck. I’ll need it.

***

(We interrupt this post to pimp the projects I’ve been working on…) Now that the holiday season is upon us, may I recommend Wii’s Littlest Pet Shop game? Or maybe head over to Parent Bloggers Network to find out what’s being said about Hotwheels’ newest toys and three stories about a little fairy named Eve. Oh and a fellow St.L blogger (and friend) is being spotlighted on St. Louis Blogger’s Guild. Check it! And there’s a giveaway for a WordWorld bucket of blocks at my reviews site.

The support I received after this post was amazing. (Thankfully, the scary ordeal is no longer “scary” nor an “ordeal”.) But I wanted to thank everyone who took time to read the post and comment. So I’ll be thanking a group of people as a part of each post until I’ve thanked everyone.

So thanks to: Todd, Sarah and the Goon Squad, Alissa, Baltimore Girl, Veep Veep, Jen, Ruth Dynamite, Ali, Christine, Jess, Ben, Damselfly, Shandon Fowler, Toni, Chris, Josh, All Adither, Issa and Kyla.

The first of the Twilight movies makes its debut today (I say “first” because from what I hear more are planned) for the general public. And there’s many of us eager to to hit the theaters.

I never got into the Harry Potty er uh, Pottery, er uh POTTER (typos but I’m keeping them) books but I remember watching some women rave about the story line. I had no intention of reading the books and no intention of making even a feeble attempt at understanding the ”why” surrouning the hoopla.

So when the Twilight frenzy started I rolled my eyes and thought, “Oh Crap. More of this?” But this time I thought I’d read one of the books, but only so I could tell people exactly WHY I didn’t like it. Yes, I was expecting to find Twilight trite and cliched. I was expecting a headache from all of the eyerolling I’d do.

So I bought a copy and started reading. And I got a headache. But that’s only because my eyes were so strained — I couldn’t put the freakin’ book down! Sure I did do some eye rolling and mumbling at the beginning but it soon sucked me in. Course what didn’t hurt? Was finding out that Robert Pattinson is playing Edward Cullen. So having a beautiful face to put with the character kept me reading. He’s so… dreamy.

After I read the books, I thought about becoming a vampire — if this were an option. I think I’d be interested in taking that step. I mean really, look at the pros!

1.) At the time you are bitten, you no longer age. You could be 19, 25, or 30 forever. No looking old and decrepit for YOU! Think of all of the money you’d save on Botox and Oil of Olay.

2.) You don’t need sleep anymore. Think of all of the time that frees up. You could take on a second job, read lots of books, learn different languages and musical instruments.

3.) You don’t gain weight. Ever. Think of how much mental energy that would free up for so many women!

4.) You morph into a supermodel with a rockin’ bod. According to the Twilight books, the transformation gradually changes your features somewhat so you look totally hot — all the more to lure your prey.

5.) No more periods. A menstral cycle is one of constant change. Since your body will no longer change? No cycle. No PMS! No cramps or migraines! No worries about accidents!

6.) You move with grace and fluidity. That a big plus for those of us who can fall UP the stairs. Plus? You are superfast and strong. Carrying that 35 pound bag of dog food to the car is much easier.

Course there are some cons:

1.) You can’t eat real food anymore. You now have to take down people or deer and suck blood. Your beloved chocolate will now taste like dirt.

2.) Since you don’t age, you have to invent some excuse as to why you can’t see your loved ones and friends anymore. Cause when your little sister’s shrunk 4 inches, while sporting blue hair and dentures? Well, she’s gonna wonder why you still look like a 20-year-old unlined, Victoria’s Secret model. She may be the teensiest bit resentful of that.

Um yeah, that seems about it for the cons.

What do yo think? Are you planning to see the movie. (Am very eager to see it because I hear they’ve stayed true to the book and hearing that ALWAYS makes me happy.) What do YOU think of the frenzy?

Served up fresh this week: Buying presents for boys? May I recommend Hot Wheels? Don’t forget a chance to win a Disney dvd for the little ones. And while the kids are engaged, why not browse through Amazing Baby or pamper yourself with Obagi. Oh, and the St. Louis Beacon spotlighted a few of us St. Louis moms and dads. (A big, squishy, puffy pink THANK YOU goes to Kristen for making it sound like I have more than 2 brain cells and know what I’m talking about!)

The support I received after this post was amazing. (Thankfully, the scary ordeal is no longer “scary” nor an “ordeal”.) But I wanted to thank everyone who took time to read the post and comment. So I’ll be thanking a group of people as a part of each post until I’ve thanked everyone.

So thanks to: Kimberly, Atherton Bartleby, Karen Andrews, Amanda, Gina Maria, Mike G, Karen, Maria, Rachel, MamaLiz, Antique Mommy, Kimblahg, Avalon, Kristen, Kateanon, Lisa Milton, Mp, and Suburban Turmoil.

He flits around the room, from one activity to the next. He’s always moving and talking — as if there’s something internally and eternally propelling him noisily onward. Unfinished pages of coloring books fill his art drawer. He is impulsive, often interrupting others’ conversations. He has trouble following directions. He’s easily distracted. And he’s easily frustrated. He wears out other kids his age.

But he’s also a fast learner. He excells in math. He can hyperfocus when he immerses himself into something of great interest. He has an amazing memory. He can quickly grasp some abstract concepts like God and the soul. He has a big heart. He seeks out ways to be helpful. He is eager to please. He’s snuggly. He is kind to his friends and family. He’s charming. He has a generous nature. He has a large number of interests. He has so many wonderful qualities. 

This is my son. And in May, a doctor confirmed what I’d (and a few of his teachers) suspected for awhile — he has ADHD. We had put off going the medication route but we finally agreed to try it out. 

For now, it is working. He’s still the same active little person. His personality and sense of humor hasn’t changed at all. He’s definitely not one of those “over-medicated zombies” you hear about. But at least now he is able to pay attention in class. He is now able to stay on task. When he’s working in a group setting, his classmates don’t have to keep redirecting him. His teacher doesn’t need to keep going over directions and redirecting him either. She’s able to focus on the other kids who need her help.

I’m not saying medicating your child will make all of your problems go away. No way! In fact, he isn’t on the medicine during holidays, weekends or during summer vacation. But it has helped him harness that energy. When he gets older, he will determine whether or not to remain on medication. He will have to learn how to adapt his behaviors, how to channel all of that energy into constructive and positive endeavors without relying as much on medication.

Did you know that Albert Einstein, Ansel Adams, Bill Gates, Earnest Hemmingway, Steven Spielberg, Leo Tolstoy, Socrates, Bethoven, Mozart, Abraham Lincoln, Galileo, the Wright Brothers and Virginia Wolff all have (or had) ADHD? When they combined their energy with their passion for their respective fields, they became legendary.

Now as a parent, it is my job to help Seth discover his passion, nurture his strengths and to help him adapt. There’s no doubt in my mind that he has limitless potential to go with that limitless energy.

Someday he may ask me to take down this post. He may feel it an invasion of privacy. But for now it will stay. There’s nothing to be ashamed of. And I want others to see that too. He has ADHD. It is something he’ll have to learn to work around — like so many others have done before him. Having ADHD is not the end of the world.

In may aspects…. it is merely the beginning.

I wrote this post because the more I researched ADHD, the more I realized there’s a stigma there. (Some people don’t believe in ADHD and think it is a matter of crappy parenting.) If you totally disagree with my way of thinking, that’s perfectly ok. Am interested in hearing all points of view. Just please know I don’t consider medicine the “quick fix”. For now its one of the tools we’re using. (Along with teaching him organizational skills and a few other things.)

The support I received after this post was amazing. (Thankfully, the scary ordeal is no longer “scary” nor an “ordeal”.) But I wanted to thank everyone who took time to read the post and comment. So I’ll be thanking a group of people as a part of each post until I’ve thanked everyone.

So thanks to: Anissa, Linsey, Patrick D, Wendi, Julienne, Heidi, Carolyn Bahm, Chelle, Jenny, Kelli, Moosh in Indy, Canape, Sandira, Sheri, Mistie, Califmom, Kim, and Sweetney.

Served up fresh this week: Win a little something cool to keep you warm from Lands’ End. Enter the giveaway here! And speaking of giveaways, Parent Bloggers Network is giving you  a chance to win a free children’s book from Positive Spin. (I’m working on this campaign!) Check out the books and enter here. Also, don’t schedule any gyno surgical procedures before you read this.   

This is one very proud boy. Why? Well, do you see that gap? He lost his first tooth today (literally) at school.  

Apparently when he realized he lost it, (in a hallway) everyone started hunting for the tooth. But there was no success. He was very upset. The burning question of the day? If a tooth falls out but no one can find it, will the tooth fairy still show? Or more importantly to a 6-year-old saving money for a Darth Vader costume, WILL I STILL GET THE MONEY?

He’s pretty confident the tooth fairy will deliver.

Congrats to Lori and Janelle and Carrie. They all won a FREE gift card for a Pizza Hut pasta dish. (A review on their most recent pasta addition can be found HERE.) Ladies, drop me an e-mail at mother of bun at yahoo dot com and give me your address so that Pizza Hut can send you your gift card!

The support I received after this post was amazing. (Thankfully, the scarey ordeal is no longer “scarey” nor an “ordeal”.) But I wanted to thank everyone who took time to read the post and comment. So I’ll be thanking a group of people as a part of each post until I’ve thanked everyone.

So thanks to: Queen of Shake Shake, jj, Quart, Mothergoosemouse, Mama Tulip, Dysfunctional Mom, Alex Year Two, Because I Said So!, Reddy Zoo, Dodo, The New Girl, Phat Mommy, Mamalogues, Dawn’s Diversions, Seeking My Zen Garden, Not Perfect, Working Moms Against Guilt.

First things first… The winner of the MikaRose dress is Liz!  (It was VERY difficult to come to a decision. So Seth drew names from a bowl. Thanks, by the way. I made him write all of your names twice as well as cut out the pieces of paper. You unknowingly help him practice his fine motor skills. heehee.) But don’t worry, I’ve got another give away in the works for next week. (And Liz, can I get your e-mail address so I can connect you to the lovely lady at MikaRose?)

Things have been depressing on this blog lately so I thought I’d switch gears for a bit and let you know about a new holiday coming up. You know how every February 14, men get a chance to display their fondness for their wives or girlfriends by bestowing various romantic tokens of affection (or not)?

Well, guys secretly feel left out. They want their own special holiday. Thus, a new holiday has been created. March 20 is now officially “Steak, Bl*w j*b and Shut the Hell Up” day. This holiday has been created so ladies can show their man just how much they love him. There are no cards, flowers or special nights - just a steak, a bj and some solitude. 

Just think — pairing Valentine’s Day with Steak, Bl*w j*b and Shut the Hell Up” day could usher in a new age of love as men everywhere will try that much harder in February to ensure a more memorable March.  The word is already spreading but like any new idea — it just needs a little push to get the ball rolling. So spread the word and spread the love!

I received this message from a fun, fabby friend. I shortened parts of it but I can’t claim to be the creator/writer of this idea…. I have no idea who wrote it or else I’d give credit where its due. Sorry if it offends anyone. I just thought it was kind of funny.

Michaella Lawson, owner of MikaRose is giving away a $60 gift certificate to one lucky Midwestern Mommy reader! (And yes that’s enough to include shipping!)

In case you aren’t familiar with the brand, MikaRose dresses are great for the office place and other times when revealing your inner “hoochie mama” isn’t appropriate.  The dresses are cute, affordable, easy to accessorize, and not frumpy.

In order to qualify, go to the MikaRose website and then come back here and leave a comment as to what dress you’d like and why.

The boy will pick at winner on the 14th.

Oh and on the topic of cool stuff, Bob the Builder has a new dvd out that the little boys in your life are bound to love. To read a review (written on behalf of PBN) click HERE.

Saturday we did what most people do while at Target — we went in for two items but bought a bunch of crap we really don’t need and emerged an hour later $100 lighter. (And I STILL managed to forget one of the items I came for. So we did a rinse and repeat on Sunday. Oy! My aching credit card!)

The stand-out purchase on Saturday? A box of boogers.

Yes, that’s right. We ambled past the Halloween section. Seth (aka “the enabler”) insisted that looking for a costume was as crucial for his survival as breathing and Cheez-Its. (He wants to be a knight — this week anyway. Still need to find a queen costume for the dog. Cause how freaking funny would THAT be?)  And of course, we stumbled onto this smallish, gouhly-green box.

 I asked Seth, “do you know what this is?” Of course he said, “No.” We sounded out the words until he figured it out.

“So… Do you want a box of boogers,” I asked. A woman next to us laughed out loud.

“No,” was Seth’s stunned reply.

“Ok,” I said. We started leaving. And then he freaked out.

“I WANT THE BOX OF BOOGERS!”

I think the whole store heard that one. We bought them.

Some are green. Some are yellow. I admit, I ate a booger. Not bad. Tangy even. Highly recommend the “Snotermellon.”

And speaking of stuff you can find at Target, what about all of the products you DO need? See that little button on sidebar for Vocalpoint? Vocalpoint is a new website where you can get FREE samples as well as coupons for various products. You can also go to the site to pick up all sorts of cool tips, share stories and weigh in on a myriad of topics. And did I mention if you sign up you can get FREE samples on all kinds of cool stuff you use everyday? How awesome is THAT!?! Click on the Vocalpoint button on the sidebar and take a gander… Or sign up here!

Remember this contest?

Well the winners are…. Here!

Congrats and I’ll be e-mailing you both soon.

Happy weekend everyone!

The folks at Disney were kind enough to send us some dvd’s recently. I could review or give them away. So Seth and I reviewed one and am giving away the other two!

Seth gave a rousing thumbs up to the “Mickey’s Treat”, a new dvd that’s part of the Mickey Mouse Clubhouse series. The whole Mikey Mouse cartoon gang make an appearance throughout the three tales that focus on caring, sharing and working together toward a common goal. At the end of the dvd, there’s a special bonus story about the Little Enstein’s Halloween adventure. Plus? There’s a Spooky Clubhouse Cookbook and Creepy Clubhouse Character Stencils which were deemed “cool” by “the boy.

And honestly? Seth happily watched the whole dvd and enjoyed playing along. (So did my mother-in-law who’s staying with us for a few days.) It is a lively dvd (and I like how they “sneak in” some problem solving and counting).  Oh and did I mention that it was just released yesterday? So its likely in the movie department of a favorite retail store near you!

The movies up for grabs are the ones pictured. (Princess Enchanted Tales and Little Einsteins Rocket’s Firebird Rescue.) All you have to do to enter for your chance to WIN a FREE DVD is to list your name in the comments and an e-mail address where I can reach you (if you don’t have a blog). Let me know which movie you want (or if you want both). The drawing will be held Friday night!

The Disney folks also sent a few links our way. So check them out!

Extended Clip: http://www.totaleclips.com/player/Splash.aspx?custid=502&clipid=e33756&playerid=2&affiliateid=-1

Trailer: http://www.totaleclips.com/player/Splash.aspx?custid=502&clipid=e33819&playerid=2&affiliateid=-1

Woods: http://www.totaleclips.com/player/Splash.aspx?custid=502&clipid=e33760&playerid=2&affiliateid=-1

Oh and don’t forget this link to some fun activities too! http://disney.go.com/disneyvideos/mickeymouseclubhouse/home.html