Empathy pains: A mother’s heart
Baby names — 2011 top names announced
I just saw on Facebook that babycenter.com has released its list of top 100 baby names.
What was on the list? Maybe Bella? Or Jacob? Or Tanner? Or Zoey?
Here’s a sneak peak at the top 10 from the list:
Girls
1. Sophia
2. Emma
3. Isabella
4. Olivia
5. Ava
6. Lily
7. Chloe
8. Madison
9. Emily
10. Abigail
Boys
1. Aiden
2. Jackson
3. Mason
4. Liam
5. Jacob
6. Jayden
7. Ethan
8. Noah
9. Lucas
10. Logan
It made me start thinking about the names I considered when naming my three children.
Here’s a list of some of the names I considered, and I know some are not mainstream, so I’ll explain my reasons for some. (I’m a little heavy on girls’ names, since my first two children were girls.):
1. Annie (My grandmother’s name, my mother’s middle name … and I liked it)
2. Andi (I think we just like names ending with an i)
3. Mamie (One of my favorite great aunts)
4. Emma (Another one of my favorite great aunts
5. Maggie (My other grandmother’s name)
6. Luna (This one my husband had to talk me out of. It’s Spanish for moon. I still like it, but friends warned me my child would gain the nickname Looney Luna.)
7. Maya (I loved this name until I was dining in Mazzio’s and the mother in the booth next to us whined out the name slowly “Myyy-uhhh.” I wouldn’t even consider the name after that.)
8. Joiner (Not sure if I’m spelling it correctly, but it was a nickname my husband’s dad was called because he would tell other players what hands other cardplayers had. We also considered Jonah.)
9. Quint (Burt Reynolds played the character “Quint Asper” in the TV western “Gunsmoke.” My youngest daughter had become a huge fan of the show while I was pregnant with my son.)
10. Katelyn (This was a popular name at the time, but, because it was so popular, I just shortened the name to Katie for our oldest daughter. When she started school I was surprised by all the Katelyns and Katherines who were answering to the name “Katie.” I had chosen a much-used name after all.
–Linda Lynn
Baby Gourmet: Pouches make baby food easy to access
*You’re traveling on vacation and your 7-month-old gets fussy because she’s hungry.
*Shopping is taking a little longer at the store than you had intended, and your little one needs a snack.
*With daycare pickup, basketball practice and making a stop for quick cash at the ATM, you feel like you’re driving in circles. But you don’t want to give your son drive-through food just because you’re in the car. 
Here’s your solution: Baby Gourmet pouch baby foods.
Since my son is older, I hadn’t paid much attention to the baby food aisles, so I was surprised at how many baby foods are available in handy pouches.
However, for this blog, I asked my co-workers to have their little ones try Baby Gourmet and offer feedback.
I even tried one of the pouches myself, and, while it’s not my food of choice, I have to say the taste was delicious and fresh.
Jennifer has two boys, ages 3 and 1. She had already been offering ”squeezy baby food packets” to her youngest.
“I usually save them for the checkout line at Target,” she said before the taste test.
So, what were the results of the Baby Gourmet trial?
“My boys have each tried one of the pouches you gave me and it was a hit!”
I think what surprised and impressed me as a mom of three were the varieties of flavors. I have a 17-, 13- and 6-year-old, and I wish I had had the advantage of these pouches. It would have made being on the go so much easier. And, I would have felt confident that I was offering something organic and nutritious, as well as quick and convenient.
Yes, Cheerios, are great, but look at these flavors:
Juicy Pear and Garden Greens
Orchard Apple, Carrot and Prune
Harvest Pear, Pumpkin and Banana
Roasted Squash and Fruit Medley
Apple, Sweet Potato and Berry Swirl
Apple Crisp
Vanilla Banana Berry Risotto
Tropical Banana Bliss
The pouches target babies around the ages of 6, 7 and 8 months, but those are just suggested guidelines, since children older than 1 can still enjoy these nutritious combos.
I had even hoped I could encourage my son who has special needs to partake, but he wasn’t interested. I thought since they tasted so good, they would be a good way to supplement picky-eaters’ daily diets. A few of my co-workers with older children also had the same experience. So the pouch is really for babies, as it’s advertised, and very young children.
Here’s another review from co-worker, Moran, whose son is just older than 1.
“My 14-month-old is sometimes finicky about eating certain vegetables or fruits, but he ate the Baby Gourmet meals with no problem and was often urging me to feed him the meals faster!” Moran said.
“He seemed to enjoy the different food combos, which all smelled pretty yummy to me. The pouch packaging made it easy to dispense and carry the food on the go.”
Moran also offered that her son enjoyed holding the pouch himself and eating the meal directly from it.
While children can eat directly from the pouch (oh, so handy!), like any other baby food container or eating utensil, the pouches still require adult supervision. They’re not chew toys.
But the product packaging appears to be a success with moms and kids. And, Baby Gourmet and other pouch baby foods are multi-use.
Would you have thought about adding the pouch baby food to pancakes or using them to fill muffins?
Other ways to use the pouch baby foods can be found at the Baby Gourmet blog site and ohdeedoh.com.
If you have a 6-month-old, toddler or young child, these pouches are definitely worth trying. They are perfect for busy lifestyles, and who isn’t busy?
So, I have a new slogan for Baby Gourmet.
You’re on your way … with Baby Gourmet.
– Linda Lynn
Store locator for this product.
Thanksgiving: A gathering of family … and germs
I know I’m guilty of this. When you have company coming, it’s often the “visible” clutter and dirt you work to quickly remove.
But, Thanksgiving, like other large, family gatherings, means you’re going to have a lot of people — and a lot of exposure to germs.
A survey conducted recently by Clorox offered this insight:
- Before guests arrive, (65%) of those responding always clean the crumbs (visible debris, dirt and dust) and wash guest linens (63%) compared to fifty three percent who disinfect germ hot spots in the bathroom, kitchen and living room.
- Overall survey responders reported cleaning, sanitizing and disinfecting more frequently after guests leave than before they arrive or during their stay.
- Nearly half of respondents mistakenly believe cleaning with soap and water kills bacteria (47%), and more than a third mistakenly believe it kills cold and flu viruses (39%).
This survey was put forth by a cleaning agent company, so, of course, the message is going to be that you need to disinfect and make your home more germ-free friendly.
But, that’s a good message, especially since you want to help prevent the spread of those little cold sniffles or other illnesses, like the flu.
According to a graphic created by The Clorox Company, some of the germ “hotspots” you might consider wiping down before and during family gatherings include (and I’ve added a few of my own):
You get the idea. And, yes, I know we should keep our homes clean all the time, but the reality is that sometimes, some of us, let the chores slip a little.
How do you keep your home always company-friendly and clean?
Or, do you have some cleaning tips you’d like to share?
– Linda Lynn
Green bean casserole, pumpkin pie or paper plates: Which will I bring?
Each Thanksgiving for the past 23 years I have traveled out of town to enjoy a traditional feast with my husband’s family in Stigler, OK.
In the beginning, I don’t think I was expected to bring anything, not even a green bean casserole. I was the girlfriend, so there weren’t a lot of demands.
Even after we were married, my mother-in-law, Irene, would tell me, “Just bring paper plates and cups.”
I would wonder if it was a hidden message about my cooking skills, but I’m sure it was just to make it easier for me.
Occasionally, when we stayed at her house, I would make something there. But this is the lineup of what I’ve brought through the years … nothing spectacular:
- Paper plates and cups 
- Pickles and olives
- Cream cheese, salsa, cheese and crackers
- A store-bought cheesecake
- Cookies
- Pumpkin bread
- Rolls
I’ve never brought the true backbone dishes of the meal: Turkey, ham, cornbread dressing, gravy, sweet potatoes, corn, salad, cranberry sauce, mashed potatoes, green bean casserole, Mountain Dew cake, and, of course, chocolate, coconut, mincemeat, pecan or pumpkin pie. 
So, what am I bringing this year?
I’m not sure yet … maybe a pie or bread or cookies or cupcakes …. I’m determined to not bring paper anything!
But, I’m sure, when it’s Wednesday night and I’m tired and I know we have to get up early Thanksgiving morning to travel, I’ll wish Irene was telling me, “Just bring paper plates and cups.”
– Linda Lynn
Product review coming soon …. Baby Gourmet
Boxes of Baby Gourmet baby food pouches have arrived at my office at The Oklahoman.
Now, we’re getting the babies and toddlers’ opinions.
I’ll let you know soon the results of the taste tests!
–Linda Lynn
Earthquake! Oklahoma mom not ready to shake, rattle and rollover
A Walk on the wild side
My son, Cade, and I went for a short walk in our neighborhood Sunday morning. We were the early risers, and I wanted to work in a walk before the heat of the day.
I originally thought this would be a good workout, although I realized it would be a short walk. His legs are short, and mine are long, so each step I took was several for him.
I realized right away, too, that this was more of an adventure than cardio exercise.
After crossing the road, he stopped to look at some leaves that had fallen from the neighbor’s tree. … A few more steps, and he stopped to look at more leaves.
Then, he splashed his shoe into a rain puddle and then another, and then another.
When we made it to an area with sidewalks, Cade discovered cracks and had to step on every crack! It made me remember the saying, “Step on a crack, you’ll break your mother’s back.”
Halfway through the walk, he reached his arms to me and said, “Help,” because he was tuckered out.
I promised him a banana if he would make it all the way home.
Maybe I should have taken him in a stroller, but our walk through the neighborhood just wouldn’t have been the same.
– Linda Lynn
LLynn@opubco.com
UFO: Unidentified Fund-draining object?
I’m not an astronomer or an accountant, but I think I’ve discovered a black hole, and my money is slowly and methodically being sucked into this abyss.
It wasn’t noticeable before … $5 here, $10 there, $20 …
Although it seems to have just formed during the past year, it’s getting stronger by the week.
I fondly refer to this vacuum as ”teenager,” more specifically “Katie.”
Her expenses: gas for her car, school fees, snacks with friends, presents for friends, club fees, more food. The latest store run produced Smorz cereal and Powerade. Yum.
I ration the money a little at a time, and I hold her accountable for how she spends it.
Her dad’s solution: Get a job.
My response: Just keep up the good grades.
For now, I’ll keep opening my wallet a little at a time and hope the gravitational pull from this celestial phenomena doesn’t drain all my money.
– Linda Lynn
Flying Easter eggs? Being a “normal” family
You should still be able to enjoy family outings and restaurants and vacations.
What I’ve learned, however, is that you sometimes might have to adjust your lifestyle a bit, depending on your child. In my case, my son has Down Syndrome.
Not all children are alike, and not all Down Syndrome children are alike. But sometimes there are similar traits or conditions that will present themselves in a child.
For instance, when my son was a little younger, he had a dangerous habit of throwing objects across the room. One Easter, my loving and very patient extended family got to witness Easter eggs thrown through the air in my niece’s living room. Thankfully, some even joined in, making it more fun than a distraction.
This throwing habit took a lot of work to correct, and I’m happy to say, it is much safer in our houses now.
He also has never liked loud sounds. We still can’t take him to a movie or he will start crying. He also doesn’t like dark places. So, we can’t yet go to movie theaters as a family. However, what we have done is take turns. Or, this weekend, we saw a movie on the RedHawks Field in Bricktown during a family movie night.
Eating out is also sometimes a challenge. He used to want to knock everything — drinks, food, utensils – off the table. It was as if it were an impulse he had. Now, we make sure to clear all those fancy salt and pepper racks, menus and candles from his area, so he’s not tempted.
Families with children always have to make choices, whether one activity is suitable for their circumstances. But it was important to me to at least try to continue introducing new and regular experiences.
What I’ve also realized is that, due to our family’s special circumstances, we have been able to grow and experience new situations we might have missed otherwise.
– Linda Lynn
