My Blogging Experiences

I have been blogging for almost ten weeks now and I have really enjoyed it. I choose to blog about my daughter “Gracie”. That was a fairly simple topic to blog about because there is always something new going on everyday. I mentioned everything from just hanging out outside to her birthday party.
I also really liked to read my blog post comments that I would receive every week from my class mates. I think that some of my comments really inspired me to write more. There were a few classmates that commented on my blogs every week. Truth Perceived and New life were two people that commented on my blog the most. Truth Perceived told me that he really enjoyed reading my posts and that really made me feel like I was doing a good job with my blog posts. It made me feel good that someone like to read my writing, considering that I do not think that I am a very good writer.
I thought that it was really nice to have an assignment a blog due every week. That definitely kept me on a writing schedule, which was not too bad I actually. It gave me time to think about a new event that had occurred in the past week. If there was not a assignment due every week I think that a lot of my class mates would loose focus on their topic and therefore not be as motivated to write on there blog.
For my writing to be public meaning “on the internet” was a little bit of a challenge for me, because I had to watch what I said and whose name I mentioned. I did not even use my daughter’s real name just for security purposes, same as with the photo’s that I choose to use. I did not want any thing crazy to happen like Gracie’s or my identity being stolen. I know that sounds a little crazy but you never know what could happen. But overall my experience with blogging in this class in the past ten weeks was very fun and enjoyable, interesting.

The Life of Working Mom's

Because *Tm is a single mother she has to financially support her children and because of that she has to miss-out on the little moments that at home mother can enjoy. Run to work, run to home, run to school, to the store, babysitters and obliviously I am not alone because *Tm has written a blog post that is similar to what I go through too. As far as this post has let me know *Tm stands for Terrible Mother, the name of her post is Reality Bites.
“I’m one of those mothers who has always worked.” “And when I mean “worked” I mean outside the home.” In this essay *tm is talking about being a mom that has always worked outside the home and the comparison of being a stay at home mom. And how they differ and which one in her opinion is harder. *Tm believes that both a stay at home mom and a working mom are both just as hard, and I agree with that, because both are very busy and strenuous. There are so many things that can factor into which is harder.

*Tm is vague on where she works. I am uncertain where she works, she dose refer that she worried about returning to work.*Tm is worried about returning to work because she believes that she couldn’t even manage the simple task of being a stay at home mom. Because she has been at home for a while her grammar has went down hill a bit because she hasn’t had much adult time. I totally agree I catch myself saying kid words all the time, and I do agree that being a stay at home mom compared to working is just as hard, at least when you get up to go to work you get a little vacation because your not around the kids. But in my case I miss Gracie all the time because it seems like I never just have a day to take her somewhere to go do something. I work about 15 to 25 hours a week at a local pizza shop. Then also I am a full time college student then on top of that being a mommy the trying to squeeze time for me to have fun. Sometimes it seems like this world just spins around me, and I am just along for the ride, and as in every day goes so fast, and so much to accomplish I am sure that is how *Tm feels sometimes too.
Another thing that *Tm mentioned is that being a stay at home parent is like a privilege because who can afford that these days? Who can really afford that unless you just don’t care that you are struggling, or that you are a mid or upper class family. I would love to stay at home and do all the little fun things that stay at home moms can do, like scrap booking, painting with the kids of just going outside and watching the kids go crazy.
I totally understand how *Tm feels about everything that she has shared. Life is so crazy in a sense. They is just so much that us moms have to do. Sometimes I don’t know how I do it. Like how I go to work and go to school full time and get all of that homework done then have time for Gracie. In a way that is what she is saying too. Finding the way to be the best mom and financially steady with just one person to count on. Being a single mom you know its great but all at the same time it is so hard.
The logic of this essay is very believable, because of the things that she has mentioned. Example “being a stay at home parent, in this day and age, is almost always a marker of privilege.” *Tm saying that it is a privilege is very true. Who can afford to stay at home with the children these days? Also *Tm says “my return to overwrought conversations about politics and pop culture and to coffee in the afternoon with friends and meeting in the halls and work jokes.” These kinds of things are very important for any person. Being secluded with just the children can be rough in many ways like *Tm said you start to lose the grammar you used to know, and start talking like one of the kids. Instead of saying “yes” you start to say yeah or “huh”.
I think the tone of this essay is melancholy, maybe even a little said about the whole discussion I say this because she does not sound really happy about hafting to go back to work she bluntly said that she is worried about returning to work, or disusing that she is a single mom and how hard it is. Or how she mentions that she has had back surgery and she is not fully recovered, she still has pains and I think that is just another reason that her tone is melancholy.
The diction in this essay could use some improvements. There a few misspelled words and sentences that are missing connecting words. Example in some of the sentences she has written she is missing an and, have or capitalized words in the middle of the sentence. Besides those few minor mistakes the over all diction of this essay look to be well written.
The structure of this essay I think could use some improvements also. This essay does not seem to have a real body. It seems that every paragraph has its own topic. Like she jumps from returning back to work to life gives you comeuppance and being a stay at home mother. The paragraphs in this essay I think are well formed.
I think that *Tm is a very smart women and knows a little bit about life throwing you curve balls, also and how to ovoid them or correct them the right way. This post is an overall reflection of my experiences.

My Opinion about Blogging

I have been Blogging for about nine weeks now and I have really come to enjoy it. There are many reasons why people should read and write blogs. Have you ever read a blog? Any information that is made public has some kind of influence on society or culture; blogs are a great example of that kind of influence. There are many interesting topics that people can read anything from sports, I read one that my classmate wrote on sports which the title was “New Age Sport Era” (http://30stones.blogspot.com/) family life which the title was “New Life” (http://www.99zx6rider.blogspot.com/) to video games which the title was “Spartan 117’s Blog” (http://masterchief-spartan117.blogspot.com/). I’m sure that whatever blog topic that you wanted to read about you could find on the internet somewhere. There are millions to choose from.
I have read many blogs including Reality Bites by, *TM. (http://offspring.com/terriblemother/2007/12/07/reality-bites/). *TM talked about being a single mother who has to financially support her children and because of that she has to miss-out on the little moments that a stay at home mom can enjoy.
Many people have told me that they have searched and read blogs. Some people search for there favorite topics, kind of like a mini article in a magazine. Lost of people enjoy reading blogs because there are unique. Some people choose to write to inform but others write to express opinion. Example someone could write about there band as a form to inform (advertise). Others just write about everyday occurrences, that most can relate too, in daily situations and life. Which those blogs are interesting because they are like reading a story or a mini book on a person that you do not even know.
I like to blog especially about the topic my daughter. There are new things happening all the time so really you could never run out of things to write about. I think that is the same for many other bloggers too. The bloggers might pick a topic that they really like, so they can blog about it and it is fun and something that they enjoy to do. A blog is like a journal except for being posted on the internet. I have seen several blogs one particularly *Family It does not say an author except *Family is the title of the blog, but *Family is talking about bands that he/she use to love, bands that they like. (http://www.familylosangeles.com/blog/). That is why people enjoy writing there blogs. I am showing you this example because many more people more than just people that want to inform you about news and world wide events, but also real down to earth people write these blogs too, on just about anything and everything.
I believe that blogs are used best for informing the readers about something important or based on facts. The blogs about normal events and issues are sometimes funny to read, like the blogs that my classmates and I wrote. I think that most people would rather read blogs that are based on facts, because the reader would know that it is real when you hear people venting about normal issues all day long they want something that they are not going to waste there time reading. Blogging is something that once you start you it becomes a habit, because you start to enjoy it. Anybody that has been exposed to blogging seems to stay with them. It is like a whole different world that most don’t know about. Even if the readers do not write their own there still want to read that one that they were interested in. Blogging can fun in a lot of ways. So many people do not know about blogs. I know that did not know they even existed. Blogs are pretty cool; they inform you about all kinds of things. I know that many enjoy blogging and reading blogs.
Blogging is not for everyone. Some people hate to write. It might just not be for you. But you should never take the joy away from reading about them. Because there are so many different blogs that you could never run out of one’s to read.
After you read an article you think about what was said or that perspective. Through discussions that I have had with classmates, parents, and friends I have came to a conclusion that most bloggers read something to learn something new or interesting.

*^Gracie's Birthday Party^*

March 8, 2008 I had Gracie’s Birthday party. She had turned two on March 2, 2008. Never knew that it would be the day for the blizzard of ’08. So therefore no one could show up. There will be no make up date already made the cake and bought all the supplies. Yeah, not doing that again but I would say for it just being mom, dad Gracie and I, it went pretty well.

Gracie wakes up first thing she goes to the kitchen table and grabs a cupcake. I made a few of them for her too. Usually I would not let her eat that for breakfast but since it was her birthday I thought it would be okay. My mom and I spared the presents throughout the whole day. First she got her hamster, she really like her hamster. I asked her what she would like to name it and she said Amen. I thought that was really cute. I even tried to ask her several more times and she said the same thing Amen. For lunch 12:00pm which was when everybody was supposed to show up we had shredded chicken, bar be q sausages, chips and a vegetable tray. I do not blame anyone for not coming it was really bad out. It was the blizzard of ’08 lol. After that my mom gave her another gift a singing plush dog Gracie loved it. The dog sings the song “Shout”. And every time he says shout his ears go up.

Then here comes the cake it was a triple layer white cake with strawberry filling and of course Gracie’s all time favorite cartoon charter Elmo. Gracie has been really anxious to blow out the candles every time she has seen me light a candle in the past few weeks she has wanted to blow them out. So I lit her number two candle and she blew it out all in one blow. She had so much fun. She also got this mat that you jump on and it sings, a huge bag of blocks, a bumble ball that kind of jumps around when you put it on the floor, but Gracie wanted to hold it. You should have seen it, it was shacking her whole body it was so funny. She got several other presents too. But all in all we had a good time with all the presents and just hanging out with family.

~Gracie's Big Day~

My mom had taken Gracie to church with her so as soon as she got home I spent a few minutes with her then laid her down for a nap. As she was sleeping I was getting a shower and getting my self ready. Ryan wanted me to make something to eat so I thought that I would make fettuccine alfredo with shrimp and mushrooms, and oh my it was to die for. So I got Gracie and I all ready then went to pick Ryan up and headed to the store to buy some noodles and alfredo sauce. We got back to Ryan’s house and as I started to make a brunch Ryan fully volunteered to watch Gracie so I could cook.
It felt like I was in a soup kitchen, it was scorching hot and I had mad enough noodles for an army. Finally I was done making the fettuccine alfredo and mixed veggies. Ryan had to soon go to work. About a half an hour went by and Gracie and I decided to go down to the pizza shop. It was horribly busy, but I could not do anything to help because I had Gracie with me. Gracie and I just hung out in the lobby, as Gracie greeted everyone that entered the door. We were finally done waiting for Ryan. All of us went back to the house and watched a movie Heart Break Kid, which was hilarious. Gracie started to get grumpy because she was tired. She had worn us out with all the running. After the movie was over Gracie and I went home and had a good night sleep.

Guest Post -- I Hate You

Since I don’t have a daughter, I will talk about a situation that happened this Monday with my little sister. Well it all actually began on Sunday; our neighbors just moved into their new house this last week that they built. And know they don’t live next to our house; which my little sister misses because they have a daughter my sister’s age. The neighbor’s daughter, Vanessa, would come over every morning to our house to have breakfast with Ilona my little sister, or the other way around. Since they can’t have breakfast with each other know, they wanted to have a sleep over at Vanessa’s new house. They had to sleep over from Sunday to Monday, but on Sunday they were all day outside playing.

By the time she got home on Monday after noon she was already sick, her eyes were watering, and she had a little fewer. When I got into my car after the late English class, I received a call from home. It was my little sister telling me that she wanted me to come home, and go buy her some purple medicine (Triaminic, grape flavor) that she likes so much. I told her that I will buy it later, because I was going to the gym to workout. After working out for two hours, I went to the store and got the Triaminic. When I got home she was already asleep, so I was too late. The next morning when I was getting ready for school she come into my room, and simply said “I hate you, you didn’t bring me good medicine.”

I found out later, that since I didn’t bring her grape flavor my dad made her take a different flavor that he got. He told her that there no difference between them, but Ilona dint believe him. So later that day after school, I went to mall and got her a get well teddy bear. And that was the end of that.

~Ryan and Gracie~

So Gracie went to a new baby sitters today. His name is Ryan. Yes a guy, believe it or not. He is my boyfriend and offered to watch her so I took him up on it. Plus he only lives two houses down from where I work so it is not very far if he needed me. Ryan did very well, and now Gracie loves him. It is a win win situation. I stopped by after a delivery unexpectedly and saw them sitting on the couch with Ryan reading her a book. It was so cute they were all cuddled up in the blankets reading books, and watching the television. I asked if they were okay, then I left and went back to work. Ryan said that they were just fine.

I knew that Ryan would more than likely be all right because he has a little brother. But, I also knew once that poppy diaper came along that would be the challenge. So I got off work 9:45pm or so and when I was pulling out of the parking lot, I saw Ryan and little pink ball, which that was Gracie in her snow suit. He got her all bundled up just for me to change her diaper. It was defiantly cute. The first thing that I said to him was “does she have a poppy diaper”? He replied “yes”. For some reason I knew it he said he thought that he could handle it, until he got some of that nice, smelling goodness on his finger. That was very funny, not just for him to say, but for any guy. All I can really say is that at least he tried, that is a lot more than most. So needless to say he did very well, and I am so proud!

*Gracie and I adventure outside*

Gracie and I went outside, because the weather it not that bad outside. I got her all dressed in her outside clothes; we went outside and let my dog Zug out. That was a little crazy because Zug is crazy and Gracie is scared of him. We went to the felid behind our house and ran and played. Gracie and I were slipping in the mud, getting dirty and just having fun. Gracie was analyzing everything that she could. Like the trees, leaves, and dead flowers from the year before. She yells Zug no because he is running all around us.

After we are all done getting as dirty as possible we decide to go inside before we get too cold. We go inside strip off our clothes and do a load of laundry and get into the bath. We get all squeaky clean. Gracie then says I am hungry mommy so I make us some ravioli and garlic bread, just something quick, because children can not wait that long when they are hungry. Gracie and I eat then I think maybe ravioli wasn’t a good idea because Gracie just got that all over herself so I get her back into the bath, and get dressed again. Well after all of that Gracie is a little tired so I gather ready for a nap and lay her in bed. After Gracie falls asleep I finally get a minute or two to sit down call a friend or do some homework. Yeah isn’t that the way to spend your free time or you know cleaning the house too is always an option.

Gracie is so smart!

My daughter Gracie is the world to me. She is so advanced beyond her time. Because of that I would like to share some of the things that really amaze me. I will be basing most of my information on the book, What to Expect: the Toddles Years, written by Arlene Eisenberg, Heidi E. Murkoff, and Sandee E. Hathaway, B.S.N. This book is based on month by month progression of age. This is a very highly recognized book of many doctors and medical assistants.

Gracie is twenty-two months old. The book, What to Expect: the Toddlers Years, says that she should be able to say six words by the age of twenty one and a half months. Gracie can speak every one and two syllable words. I have books from A to Z showing animals and objects of that letter and when I read them to Gracie she repeats every word which I think is just awesome. For the twenty second month it states that, the child may possibly be able to identify four pictures by pointing. Gracie can identify many more than four pictures and she can also identify them by speaking the right term that goes with the picture. The book also states that, the child may even be able to jump. Well she does that too especially when we are dancing to music. Another step that the book states is that she will be able to follow two step commands, but Gracie can follow about any command that you tell her whether it be two step commands or five. At twenty three months the book says that she will be able to identify six body parts. Well let me tell you Gracie had that down at nineteen months head, shoulders, knees, elbows, eyes, toes, hands, mouth, teeth, tongue, hair, ears, nose, feet, and butt. That is a lot I think for her to know and say by just asking her.

Gracie is very mechanical she wants to watch and learn everything you are doing. She likes to watch grandpa using screwdriver and tried to do the same thing. According to this book the imitating is an advanced stage. If she sees a battery lying around she wants to look at it. If a toy does not work she says battery and realizes that are different kinds of batteries. She plugs the R.C.A jacks into the T.V. with no problem; she even puts them in the right color hole. She even knows where the button on the dryer that turns the light on and off. When a baby doll has there clothes fastened with velcro she always takes it apart and wants to look at it and learn what it is about.

Gracie is also very polite for her age. I have taught her to say please and thank you. And she has caught onto that very fast she, is now speaking those terms all by herself when she either wants something or is receiving something. The book does not even talk about that for her age. Gracie does about everything with me and her being as observant as she is she picks up thing quickly. Gracie is not even two yet, but she blows her nose all by herself and can sense when she needs to. And she does a very good job at it too. She loves to read and look at books we do so every night before bedtime. Gracie only has to see someone do something once and she will do it just as well as the next. Gracie is much taller, and active than most her age. On the doctors chats Gracie is one hundred and twenty percent on her height. That is really tall for her age. I bought her some new pajamas yesterday and they were a five T. Wow I know that is tall. Another thing that she likes to do is pretend with her musical tea set that she got for Christmas. She will make me tea or coffee which ever I prefer. Gracie likes to try to potty like a big girl. On the potty, she has been doing this for about three months now and most children do not even think about that until about two in a half or three years old.

With everything that she can do it is very hard to keep up with her, but she is so smart, and advanced for her age it has been like having a baby, and then not even two years later she is four years old. In a way it is a very good thing, but in another way it’s a little scary, because I do not know how advanced she will end up being, or if all of this will just even out. My dad likes to say that she is a genius.

Gracie Sleeping*

I love my baby girl Gracie she is everything to me. So I get home and all I want to do is play with her, give her a kiss love on her but she is asleep. So sometimes I think I should wake her because she is the cutest then awe. You guys got to meet her she really is. But she also can be a little brat too. But most of the time she is pretty sweet. I hate Mondays and Wednesdays they suck I think it takes a part of my heart those days because I miss her so much, but then I think well it is ok because I need to go to school so I can support us since her dad does not seem to do anything for her. But that is another story that I probably will not get into because it just makes me mad that he does not even care for his own child.

Then I think well it is a good thing because I am tired too and don’t really feel like staying up for another three hours to get her to bed, and I am not the one who had to make her cry so she would go to bed so I guess it is a win-win situation but I just miss her so much. Then sometimes I feel like I don’t even get to see her on the weekends because I have to work then, I don’t know it just sucks sometimes. It is nice when we have long weekends I get to see her more then, but don’t get me wrong I do see my daughter everyday and the whole day as long as I am not working or at school. Some days it just catches up with you. Grammar and punctuation corrected.

+Gracie and Blue boy+

Gracie loves our cat. She will totally freak out when she see him. She calls him be boo. It is so cute. It does not matter how hungry she was when she sees him it is all over. She will chase him and follow him everywhere including under the table and upstairs. When she was younger she would try to feed him with a fake baby bottle that she had. She will still try to feed him whatever she can, but he is a picky eater, so he never eats what she gives him.

She also loves to give him hugs and lay on him. Blue boy is the nicest cat in the world; he does not care what you do to him. But when Gracie screams he tends to run away. She will follow him up the steps. She will blow him kisses and tap her leg like she is calling a dog. When I was little I was the biggest animal lover. Growing up I always caught something new and had it as a pet. I believe that she is going to be the same. She already loves all animals’ dogs, cats, horses, frogs, chickens everything.

We went to a pumpkin patch this fall and there was a chicken there and she was following it the whole time, I think his name was Roger, big fluffy feet. There where kitty cats, goats, bunnies, chickens, ducks and a camel. She was kind of a little weary about the camel. Every animal that Gracie has encountered she has loved, and I think that is very cool. Gracie is starting to be like me already. Grammar and punctuation corrected.

True Friends

Today I am choosing to take a little different path on this blog. True Friends are hard to come by and few that are true. There are very few out there that are really real. I have met many people in my time so far and there are only a hand full that are still around after all that has happened in my life. And those few sometimes make me wonder if there even those friends that I thought they were. You know when you call a friend and you really need to talk to them, and you leave a message and they never call back. Yeah I guess that should say a lot in it's self.

If that was the case no one would be a true friend. People always have some excuse there busy blah blah. Well how can you be so busy that you cant take two minutes to call someone and say are you okay, or what going on, or can I call you later? That's ridiculous! And people want to know why it's hard for me to trust people. Or you can tell your supposed to be friend something really secret or important, and they tell someone. Or what have you. It's all bullshit to me.

You can't trust any one sometimes not even yourself. And that's when you know it's scary, or you try so hard to trust someone again and they just do the same old thing, betray you. Even family, people are people and they will do what they will. I can't say that I have always been the great friend. I know I have let two people that I am thinking of right now down and, I wish I didn't. But from everything that I have done and experienced I think that I try to be the good friend but you know every body is just too busy or infatuated with themselves that they just don't see or care. Grammar and punctuation corrected.

Gracie's Day when Mommy has to go to School

This morning Gracie and I woke up at eight thirty am. After we woke up I got Gracie dressed for the day. Then we made breakfast, eggs, yum. Then we went on with our daily routine, doing laundry, feeding the animals, and putting away clothes. Gracie is not always so good with that because she thinks it is funny to dump the clothes that I have just folded out of the basket. Gracie always enjoys helping me do laundry she likes to push to wet clothes into the dryer. We put away groceries. Gracie likes to take the can goods and put them in the cupboard and we folded the paper bags and put them away. We then went into the living room and I put in the movie The Jungle Book so Gracie would be kind of content while I was getting ready for school. About a fourth of the way into the movie Gracie wants to see what I am doing so we go upstairs while I do my makeup. When I am finally all ready for the day we go downstairs and I make her lunch before I leave for school. I made her macaroni and cheese her almost favorite. Then we have gram pa get ready to watch her for the day while I am at school. We say bye, bye and I love you, and then I am on my way to school and don't get to see her until about eleven at night and by that time she should be in bed. :( So I get home and get her clothes ready for tomorrow. Try to get homework done before she awakes because it is almost virtually impossible to do homework with Gracie around, she like to take my books and paper and run off with them. Grammar and punctuation corrected.

Blog Possibilites

I am a student from OSU Newark and my major that I am studying right now is Early Education. I have been at the OSU Newark campus for two quarters. I really enjoy it so far. My experience has been has been good. There are some really cool professors here.
Some things that I really enjoy doing is spending time with my daughter Gracie. She will be two in March. She has blond hair and blue eyes, got to love them. When I am not busy with studying, working, or taking care of my daughter I am usually spending time with my friends or playing Guitar Hero. I am basically choosing to right about my family and life. About what might be happening at the time in my life. I might even choose to use this as somewhere for me to vent. So if i get a little mouthy please forgive me.