Sound Sleeping

 

When Owen was four or five months he stopped sleeping through the night.  Not that he ever slept "completely" through the night.  The first two months he woke up frequently to nurse, and then for the following two months he would sleep for four or five hour stints.  So when at four or five months he started waking up every hour or two, we were distraught. This horrible sleep pattern lasted until a week before I went back to work when Owen was 10 months old.

Now, (knock on wood) he sleeps through the night 98% of nights. On some nights just getting him to stay in bed is the problem!

Last night, I waited for the sound of little feet upstairs, for doors opening and closing, for the call - "mom!" Nothing came. Woohoo I thought. Turns out I just didn't hear the footsteps over the sound of the dishwasher. I went upstairs at 9:30 and found my son fast asleep in MY bed, with his How to Catch A Star book, and my book - God Delusion - beside him. It seems he fell asleep reading!

I quietly moved him over, and crawled in beside him. I didn't have the heart to move him to his own bed.

Earth Hour in Toronto

 

Apparently residents of Toronto got into Earth Hour. Check out these Pictures courtesy of WWF on Flickr (Creative Commons license):

Disney Countdown!

In a few weeks we take Owie-Bear to see Mickey Mouse! Since Play House Disney started broadcasting in Canada he has been hooked on Mickey Mouse's Playhouse.

Miska Mooshka Mickey Mouse!We made the mistake of telling Owen we were going to see Mickey - back in December or January and because of that his little two year old brain thinks that every day is THE DAY!

"Going to see Mickey Mouse today? Miska Mooska Mickey Mouse! With Bobbi and Papa G. And, Mommy and Daddy. Going on an airplane, on a big airplane. It's me by the window, see lots of airplanes. Daddy works on airplanes. Daddy go to work?"

This is the basic Mickey Mouse speech. It varies only slightly. Then of course we have to explain to him that we aren't going TODAY. That it is still quite some time until we see Mickey Mouse. I showed him a calendar, and told him it wasn't this week but many weeks from now.

Unfortunately it doesn't take much to remind him about the impending trip. A picture of an airplane, his Mickey Mouse back-pack, the television program. The other day I was on the phone with my parents (who we are going to Disney with) and we were talking about Hotels to stay at. We didn't mention any of the following words:

• Airplane
• Mickey
• Disney
• Florida

Yet, somehow, Owie-Bear knew. He pipes up with " Going to see Mickey Mouse. With Mommy and Daddy."
I say, "And, who else?"
He says "Papa G."
I say "And, who else?"
He says " Owen!"
Meanwhile, Bobbi says " What about Bobbi!"
He says, " And Papa G."
We laugh. "Who is going to Florida, Owen"
"Mommy, Daddy, Papa G. and Owen!" - he laughs and laughs...
Poor Bobbi!

Wal-Mart Canada Supports Earth Hour

I wrote a post few days ago about Earth Hour. I just received a release through CanWire that Wal-Mart Canada announced today that it is reducing its store lighting in support of Earth Hour, a global event organized by the World Wildlife Federation to raise awareness of climate change. While this is great news! What about the other days (and hours) of the year? What is Wal-mart doing to help the environment. They have introduced Wal-Mart cloth bags, which last time I was at the store - were no where near the cash...(brilliant!), and in the summer they reduced lighting in the store to conserve energy (why not all year? Those florescent lights kill me!)

In the meantime, they have added video screens all over the store that play all day long (instead of turning on when perhaps I walk by!), the stores keep getting bigger, they use more and more cardboard disposable displays rather than permanent shelving, and they offer very little in Organic and Green products (where are the BPA friendly bottles?). For a company that pressures its manufacturers to cut product costs and incorporate expensive logistical systems they have done little to pressure their manufacturers to cut down on packaging or use recyclable materials.

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

A second news release, moments behind the Wal-mart announcement - 600 Plus Hbc Stores Join Earth Hour Movement by Turning Off Lights on March 29th. Only HBC is dimming lights for an hour rather than for the entire day as Wal-mart is doing.

Nothing like retailers jumping on the latest trend that might make consumers happy! If only they made environmental concerns a mandate for the year and for more than just dimming the lights!


UPDATE:
A&P and Staples Business Depot join the fray!

Blog Plunder

So I am reading Twitter posts by the people I follow last evening and I notice Queen of Spain says:

If we're all our own f'ing brands now how in the HELL do I control that when ANYONE can take my shit & post it like I freaking WORK for them about 1 hour ago from web

I am intrigued...so I go back and read the trail of conversation. Here is the gist of what I uncover.

*dramatic pause...

Or rather the boy decided to get out of bed and torment the cat, go for a washroom break, ask for water, and remind me that he wanted to take the stuffed dog to school tomorrow.

end pause*

So, there is the web site called BlogNetNews which claims to be a blog aggregator - one that "jumps a generation ahead."

They state in their "About"

We are going to use your feeds and the feeds of top bloggers from your online community to create new content and information that will organize this slice of the Internet making it work better for bloggers and their readers.

What?! Your going take blog feeds and ones by "top bloggers" without their permission? Just plop it on your own site, where YOU collect the ad revenue and yet YOU create NOTHING. How exactly are you creating "new content...to organize this slice of the Internet"? Is this your 1-10 rating system perhaps? The ability to show the "most clicked" or "hot comments"?

It would be one thing if the site had permission to use the bloggers' content- but it seems from reading Queen of Spain's various tweets - she was never asked to contribute - rather her parenting blog suddenly appeared on BlogNetNews. And, BlogNetNews won't remove her feed.

Now to give credit to BlogNetNews, like other aggregators, if you want to read the entire post, or if you want to comment you are directed to the blogger's site. You can only read the first 7-10 lines of the post on BlogNetNews. Which means that BlogNetNews could potentially drive traffic to these blogs. At the same time, the Permalinks link back to BlogNetNews. And, the way the URL re-routes to Queen of Spain is odd...

I am no expert in Intellectual Property and copyright, but I certainly hope that when I write this blog, or my MEGO blog, that I own that content. Obviously, other bloggers are free to quote me - that kind of access exists in copyright of any written material - printed or or digital. But, to take the entire feed as your own content without permission, without authority is unethical.

Access CopyRight in Canada recognizes 3 content users: Educational Institutions, Businesses, Public and Not-for-Profit.

Prior to copying, emailing, scanning, or faxing materials from periodicals, journals, newspapers and books, businesses need to legally secure permission from the copyright owner.

The same goes for Public and Not-for Profit - only educational differs where a licence:

gives educators and students advance permission to copy from millions of copyright protected newspapers, magazines, journals and books from around the world, complementing what is allowed under fair dealing, educational exceptions under the Copyright Act, and through the public domain.

I could find very little on copying digital content on the site, only licensing information to copy to digital formats (scans, Intranets etc).

However, this little tidbit suggested that when it comes to online content:

If no copyright notice is provided, or if the copyright notice does not allow the use you want to make, a good starting point for getting clarification or permission is to send an email to the site’s webmaster.

Obviously the web is a very different beast, where a "printed edition" doesn't stem from one particular country where a licensing agent such as Access Copyright can help to determine help negotiate agreements between intellectual property owner and interested party, but it seems only common courtesy to do as Access Copyright suggested - and ask for permission!

What do you think?

UPDATE:

Visit Queen of Spain for her communication with the editor of BNN and if you are were unlucky enough to get scraped - make sure you contact him (his contact info is on her post).

City Mama also posts a link to another post which gives you more background on BNNs editor, David Mastio. Ironically, Mastio is a former GWB speech writer! And, quite obviously a serious douchebag.

Technorati Tags: intellectual property,copyright,blogging,ethics,

Classy Baby: Functional and Fantastic

I went with my friend to the Safety Superstore, a fantastic store for parents of young-ones, and rather dangerous store for a pregnant mom.

I already have three strollers (a Graco Travel System, a wonderful MacLaren, and a Joovy Sit 'n Stand), two varieties of high chairs plus a Bumbo chair, a play-yard, bouncy chair, diaper bag, three different baby carriers, two car seats, and a play-mat for baby.  For my first child I was very practical, I bought the majority of these used, except for the play-yard, Graco Stroller, and car seats.  

Why then I am I so tempted this time around to buy some of these new lovely items?

Now three years later it seems that everything from high chairs to car seats, and baby slings to baby furniture is simply more stylish, more beautiful and better designed to fit my lifestyle. There are fantastic fabrics, less plastic, and more selection than ever before. Perhaps manufacturers are figuring out we want items that are both functional and fit our home style - even for our children - and that we are willing to pay for it!

A comparison:

Don't even get me started on the strollers...

Sadly, I think my husband would have a cow if I went out and bought even one of these things because it is beautiful and functional - rather than for "need".  I will have to live with the giant plastic high chair, and navy-blue ugly car seat, bouncy chair with fish fabric...for just another little while.

Although, couldn't I say I need a new Baby Sling because my Heart to Heart doesn't match all my outfits?

Technorati Tags: baby furniture,car seats,Safety Superstore,design,slings,baby carriers,moms,parents

Getting the Sugar Out