I have spent my life hitching up my pants. Wearing capris in the winter months as I don’t sew. Looking at the hems on pants and thinking “I should sew these pants” and then drifting off to the 1 million things that I would rather do than hem pants. Buying boots with a highish heel to wear with pants that really need to be hemmed. Getting frustrated in the summer months that I cannot wear said pants and said boots in the heat of the summer. In short, being short is a problem.

My teen has never been tall. She was in the 50 percentile from toddler hood through elementary school. At 14 she is almost as tall as I am. She has not had her growth spurt yet. There is hope for her yet. She’s a skinny thing so perhaps she won’t have the problems her nonskinny mother has had all her life trying to find pants that fit.

On Saturday my teen reached a milestone. What was the milestone? For the first time in over 4 summers of having the swim team photo taken she was not placed next to her tween sister.  For the swim team photo, the kids are placed in height order from tiniest to biggest. As a comparison, my son was one of the youngest kindergarteners on the team last year, but was placed with the 2nd graders based on his height.

My girls were separated by about 10 or so other kids. I was proud of my teen. It is hard to be the same height as your younger-by-two-and-a-half-years sister. I know!

My children are still in school, but today all three might as well not be. Today is Convergence Day. One of those days when all three children have a scheduled activity for school requiring my help.

The 1st grader has his end-of-the-year picnic. I’m running a few games. My husband is joining him and bringing lunch. I would stay for lunch, but I have to go to a state park over an hour away. Why?

I have to go to a state park as the 8th grader has HER end-of-the-year picnic at Greenbrier State Park. She’s riding the school bus to the park, but wants to stay later to swim. I initially said that she had to ride the bus back to school, to get the bus home, but she desperately wants to stay at the park, So…I have arranged my day so that she can stay. Nice mom, right?

But, what about my 6th grader? She has her end-of-the-year picnic as well. What to do about this? I knew I couldn’t chaperone due to the 1st grade picnic. The school did not need chaperones.  I’m thankful for small mercies. I will try to do a fly by before driving to the state park with the 8th grader.

Convergence Day is given with three children in two different schools. Why don’t the schools coordinate their calendars?

I knew the Toy Fair would be big, but never guessed just how big it would be. It was located on 3 floors of the Javits Center. I walked through about 80% of the exhibits. My choice of walking shoes was a good one. My decision to carry my laptop and a bag of books/work papers for the train rides was a bad one as I was dragging — literally — as the day came to a close. Plus, Amtrak has no wifi. Doh!

I saw as many vendors as I could. I left with 3 bags full of brochures and samples. Some products I passed by without a backward glance. Some products I stopped because I wanted to know more.

I spent quite some time chatting to a mom who created a line of dolls for girls who love sports. I chatted to Jodi Norgaard, the founder of Go! Go! Sports Girls dolls, about girls, sports, blogging, and social media. She very kindly gave me Suzi the Swimming Go! Go! Sports Girl. Once I arrived home from #ToyFair, my tween daughter took possession of the doll — she is a swimmer. The Go! Go! Sports Girls swimmer doll has a cute pair of flip Flops and adorable goggles. Best of all, Suzi the Swimmer is wearing a one-piece swim suit!

Go! Go! Sports Girls are a line of dolls for girls who love sports. The dolls are girl-shaped — no Bratz or Barbie silhouettes on these dolls. The dolls remind me of a girl doll I had that looked like me. I never see dolls for tween girls that look anything like tween girls, do you?

Go! Go! Sports Girls are available for golf, tennis, gymnastics, swimming, and many other sports. My girls love volleyball and swimming, so I knew Go! Go! Sports Girls would have two new fans! The dolls are available from the following online retailers: amazon, Sears, Target, Kohl’s, and Sports Unlimited. The dolls are appropriate for ages 3-12. I can tell you that teen girls also love these dolls, too!

Giveaway for Musings from Me readers! I am giving away one Go! Go! Sports Girl of your choice. Once I choose a winner, I will ask the winner to pick a doll. One comment = One entry. Enter now!

• For one entry, go to the Go! Go! Sports Girls website and tell me something interesting you learned.
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I was given a Go! Go! Sports Girls doll as part of my review. The views expressed in the article are my own. The giveaway is open to U.S. residents only. The giveaway ends June 9, 2010, at 11:59 p.m.

BABW furry friends make the perfect toy for all ages. My little guy clutched his Elmo by the ear when he was not quite 2. My tween favors any of the glam and glitzy BABWs. My teen has various creatures in her bed — shhhh don’t tell her I said this!

BABWs make a great gift for special occasions. My daughters were 7 and 4 when our son was born. I knew both girls would immediately fall in love with their baby brother. I never worried about jealousy. I wanted to buy each of my daughters a gift before the baby arrived. I wanted to make the arrival of a new baby in our family a special one.

I liked the idea of all four of us going to BABW on our last outing as a “family-of-four-soon-to-be-five.” I knew that I did not need to buy toys as the baby boy was unlikely to want their Barbie/Disney Princess/girlie toys. I just wanted to give the girls something to commemorate the arrival of their brother to our family.

We have a milestone coming up in our family. Our teen “graduates” from 8th grade. Technically, she will have a transition ceremony. Graduation. Transition. Even graduation from preschool! Whatever you call it. Family milestones are a reason to celebrate.

My friends at BABW told me about a line of furry friends specially designed for spring and summer happenings:

• Graduation — BABW has a selection of cuddly stuffed animals dressed  in items including: a black or white graduation gown, mortar board with tassel, dress clothes, a Class of 2010 sash, and a “Pomp & Circumstance” Sound. The graduation sash or robe can be embroidered with your child’s name for an additional charge of $10.
  
• Father’s Day
• Armed Forces Day — Choose from camo sailor bear, Marine Hero Champ, Air Force curly teddy, Army office teddy, to name a few.
• Wedding and Bridal Shower

I have a special giveaway for Musings from Me readers! I have one $25 BABW Gift Card to giveaway. One comment = one entry. Enter now!

• What was your favorite stuffed animal/toy as a child? Leave a comment.
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I was given a bear as part of my review. The views expressed in the article are my own. The giveaway is open to U.S. residents only. The giveaway ends May 31, 2010, at 11:59 p.m.

My teen is extremely web-savvy. She was a tiny 18-month-old when she played on the computer for the first time. I worked from home back when being a “WAHM” was unusual. I spent many afternoons with her sitting on my lap playing JumpStart Toddlers. I can tell you that after I had worked solidly on the computer for 3-hour nap, the last task I wanted to do was “play on the computer” with my child, but it kept her quiet!

In early 2009, I clicked on a ad calling for Mom Advocates for Yoursphere. I was intrigued. At the time I had one child who was almost of a teen. She was clamoring for a Facebook account. She was only 12. Facebook terms of service ask that users not sign up for Facebook accounts if under 13.

By the time my daughter asked me for a Facebook account, I had already been friended by a couple of her friends. I ignored the friend requests except for one. I friended someone who I thought was the mom…it was my daughter’s friend. After reading one too many profanity laden updates, I unfriended her. My mind was made up. No Facebook account for my almost teen. She was upset with me. She understood my reasons, but that didn’t stop her from complaining that all her friends had accounts.

Yoursphere.com was perfect for her. She was able to create an account for herself on Yoursphere with minimal help from me. It is her account. I let her manage her own account. She met some kids on Yoursphere who she enjoyed hanging with online. She wrote some stories for Yoursphere. She played games.

She was happy and so was I.

I am thrilled to report that I am a Yoursphere Test Drive Mom! I am looking forward to sharing Yoursphere with my readers through the experiences of both my children: my teen and now my tween.

Yoursphere is now FREE!!! Yes, that’s right, your child/tween can now sign up for free. I don’t know about you by I love free!! When you sign up, use code: YSMC-0051. I’m trying to win an AMEX gift card, so the more moms/dads and their kids who sign up the better!

I wrote this review while participating in the Yoursphere Test Drive program by Mom Central on behalf of Yoursphere. I received a free lifetime Gold membership on Yoursphere.com, Yoursphere t-shirts, and a $50 American Express gift card to facilitate my review.

I remember how excited I was when I got to read the blue airmail letters from my grandmother in England. My family lived in the U.S. — New Jersey to be precise. We returned to England most summers. Staying in contact with my grandmother plus our other relatives was important. Phone calls were prohibitively expensive. Once my English family recorded a message on a cassette tape. We returned the tape to them with a message from our family. I still have that tape.

I want to write a letter to each of my children, so that they know they are loved beyond measure despite the fast, frenetic pace of our family life. In a nod to my blogging and online writing roots, I will write letter on this blog.

I am writing this letter to my children as part of the Baltimore Sun’s Mother’s Day Letters project. Note: For reasons of safety and security, I don’t refer to my children by name on my blog, but rather refer to them as “the teen,” “the preteen,” and the “the kid.”

___

Dear Teen:

You have never been shy about letting me know what you feel.

As a baby you only took a bottle on the 3rd try. You refused to be fed with a spoon to the point where I had to make your oatmeal super thick so that it would stick to your fingers. You insisted on dressing yourself even though putting on pantyhose is impossible for a 2-year-old. You walked out of your preschool classroom because you wanted to go to kindergarten NOW. I could go on, but you get the idea.

Last year when you became a teen, I was secretly worried. You have always been so determined to do what you wanted to do. What would you be like as a teen I wondered?

You emerged in to your teen years as a young lady full of dreams and ambitions for the future. Gone was the petulant and pouty tween. In her place, I found a young woman who was able to have a discussion about an issue even if the outcome was not what you wanted.

You have always done well in school with prodding from us. This past year you have taken the helm with school projects. On a number of occasions you have reminded me of homework assignments!

I am excited about what the future holds for you!

Love, Mommy

___

Dear Preteen:

When you were an infant, I recall that you would scream and fuss at bedtime. I geared up for a battle of wills at bedtime. I fed you and changed you and rocked you — all to no avail. One night it occurred to me to put you in your crib. I stood beside your crib amazed that you fell fast asleep. What?? You let me know in a nonverbal way that you needed an early bedtime. The early bedtime is just one of the gifts you have given this family.

Your sense of humor is a true joy to me. As a child I was a joker…ask Grandma and Grandad! You and I have fun reciting lines from The Simpson’s Movie and Shrek while your Dad, sister, and brother stand by bemused. I know, I know…I laugh at the lines far longer than you do.

As the younger sister to one and the older to another, you have much responsibility. Your older sister can be stand-offish with you or she can be your best buddy — what can I say she’s has an independent streak. Your little brother looks up to you, which I know is both charming and annoying. You handle both of your siblings with grace.

I am thrilled that you have found two sports that you love dearly. While I may not know what a librero does or what your time is in the breaststroke…I love cheering for you on the sidelines or poolside.

I will hang on for the ride to see where life takes you.

Love, Mommy

___

Dear Kid:

You are a bundle of joy wrapped up in a little boy package. You cuddle up for a bear hug or headbutt me — I never know which one I will get! You love your dad and would rather hang out with him. But, from the moment we brought you home from the hospital you have always been my little buddy.

As the only little boy in the family, you are relentless at trying to convert your sisters to the world of Cars and Thomas and Geotrax and Iron Man. You haven’t changed their minds yet, but you never stop trying.

I love that you adore school. From the moment I picked up a book to read to you, your eyes sparkled. Books hold your attention. You love being read to…when persuaded you will read to one of us. I love it when your preteen sister comes in to the room to listen to the Junie B. Jones books Daddy is reading to you. We are a book family!

I am excited to see where life will take you.

Love, Mommy

Coach Dad has played games. The kid has watched DVDs.  The tween helps too. My teen even did a TV interview for one product I reviewed!

However, sometimes a review product comes in that is too delicious…too delectable…too yummy…to share with kids and husband. A product that requires a person with a sophisticated palate. A person who loves all things made with that substance. Simply put…only a person who is a chocaholic could appreciate this treat. If you didn’t know already…chocaholics don’t share.

Once upon a time a package arrived for review. I opened the box. Surveyed the delicate brown silky sack. Stroked the softness of the bag. Sniffed the aroma of chocolate. Spied the Dove label. I stashed that box as quick as a flash! No way was I letting my nosy teen anywhere near this box!

Chocolate is my go-to snack ANYTIME of the day. Let’s see when do I eat chocolate…lunchtime on a day when my kids are not listening to me…homework time when my kids are not putting in enough effort…after dinner when I should do dishes but really would rather do anything else. Before I go to bed…when I should be eating nothing. Chocolate is my go-to pick-me-up snack.

I’m a chocaholic through and through. I once ordered a cookies and cream ice cream cone rather than a chocolate ice cream cone and immediately regretted it. So, it was some degree of interest that I bit in to the Dove Milk Chocolate with Peanut Butter. Would I as a confirmed dyed in the wool chocaholic love this new creation?

Ahhhh. I needn’t have feared. The new DOVE Milk Chocolate with Peanut Butter combines their signature rich, high-quality chocolate with smooth 100% peanut butter.

I tried one of the Dove Milk Chocolate with Peanut Butter bars. There were 5 or 6 pieces…I’m not sure how many exactly since I inhaled the chocolate in an instant…of Dove Milk Chocolate with Peanut Butter.

The chocolates are also sold in an 8.5 oz. bag containing enough pieces to share…or not. You wouldn’t want to overwhelm sensitive palates with the mouth-watering taste of Dove Milk Chocolate with Peanut Butter, now would you?

Go here to find out more information about the Dove products.

Check out the Dove Chocolate Facebook fan page and Twitter.

I wrote this review while participating in a blog tour campaign by Mom Central on behalf of DOVE and received samples DOVE Milk Chocolate with Peanut Butter products and a gift certificate to facilitate my review.

She had never participated in Take Your daughter/Son to Work before. Her dad was a high school English teacher who objects strongly to kids (ours or his students) missing school for any reason. Now he taught high school kids for years, so he knows that many high schoolers will say that they are going to work with mom or dad, but probably are spending the day sleeping and playing PS3. 20 years of teaching high school can make you a little cynical.

My daughters and I worked on my husband for weeks a couple of years ago. After much negotiations, Coach Dad will now take each Musings from Me child to work on Take Your Daughter/Son to Work Day in 5th grade. Only in 5th grade but it is a start.

There is no way out of the rut. Most days I don’t mind the driving, the calendar, the paperwork. But, how to get out of the rut? Some days just scream for a change of pace.

Yesterday and today were two of those days. Days when it was necessary to throw caution to the wind.

My daughters are participating in a school fundraiser…an all-day basketball tournament. High excitement for the middle school crowd. Games, t-shirts, and teams have been talked about at the dinner table at length.

Yesterday after school my oldest mentioned wanting to have a friend over to decorate shirts. My immediate thought was “What?? Tuesday is a free night…with nothing planned??” But, I didn’t tell her my first thought. Instead, I told her my second thought “Yes! Invite your friends over right now!” Now, it was 4 p.m. and I didn’t know who could get to our house and who couldn’t on such short notice.

By 5 p.m. I had 4 happy teens around my kitchen table. All four were happily decorating their t-shirts w/fabric paint, glitter, and laundry markers. I busied myself in the kitchen while eavesdropping on 8th grade speak. It was a rare treat to get a glimpse in to my daughter’s world. She’s a kid who can occupy herself at any time…very resourceful and self-reliant. She enjoys her friends, but often would rather hang out at home than see them on weekends.

My 6th grader needed considerable prodding to have her friends over. She can be shy plus she has a busy schedule. I am so glad I pressed her to have friends over to decorate shirts. She was just anxious — had a great time with friends. The kids had fun, too. Even the moms were excited that I had planned the playdate…uh gathering. I guess 11- and 14-year-old’s are too old for playdates! As for me, I USED to be the type of mom who hosted the big gatherings of kids…perhaps I need to set up more gatherings…

Just as I setup playdates when the children were little, I now need to give my daughters the time and space to hang out with friends.

This post was not sponsored by Sharpie, Crayola, or glitter glue…more’s the pity!

New York was awesome. I met a niche toy company. This company have a line of dolls for girls aged 1 to 3.  The dolls are super cute. My girls — when they were little — would have been like kids in a candy shoppe in the doll room at the Goldberger Company.

I rode in a town car. Felt very executive like. Thank you, Goldberger Doll Company. As a newbie to NYC I had fun riding in taxis from the Javits Center to Hasbro showroom, Hasbro to Javits, and Javits to Penn Station. I could get used to this life…except I am a mom and have three kids at home who need me.  My jaunts to cities will be a fun interlude from time to time.

While I was gallivanting about NYC and Houston my family was back at home doing what they do…school…work…homework…volleyball…reading… My husband was a huge support for me. He willingly said he would put  the kids on and off the bus. I wrote over at TypeAMom about preparing dad for when mom goes on a trip.

The kids were home for 12 days…snow days…weekends…federal holiday. I’ll let you in to a little secret. Shhh! Spending a snow day with a 6 yo, 11 yo, and  14 yo is fun! If you are mom of a baby or a toddler or a preschooler, you will not know what I am talking about. Believe I have been there. Spending a day home alone was one thing, but spending DAYS home alone was an entirely different proposition. My kids know how to occupy themselves when there is no school!

I can recall a time when my preschooler was desperate to go outside to play in the snow. The toddler could not stand up in the snow, let alone walk in the snow. I solved the problem by letting the preschooler play on the deck while I stayed inside with the toddler. My preschooler loved the freedom. Of course I did have the experience of zipping, pulling, wrangling her in to snow clothes. I let her out of the deck door turned around to attend to my toddler. A minute later the preschooler knocked on the door…she needed the bathroom, of course!

Inspired by snow days and what to do with preteens, I wrote a post over at the Examiner.com on TV and Tweens. Other articles on parenting tweens in Baltimore: keeping kids occupied during a snowstorm and when can your tween stay home  alone.

Did I mention that I am the new co-City Leader over at www.DC.CityMommy.com? We have a couple of discussions going on about:

• Twitter
• Bargain Shopping

Moms of tweens and teens might like Momster.com. Are you a Momster? What mom of a tween or teen doesn’t have the odd momster-like moment. You know the moment when your tween tells you he has to meet 3 friends on 2 different days to discuss a group project, which is due…tomorrow. Had those moments? I know I have. What about a time when your teen lost her cell phone, ipod, lunch money, t-shirt that she must wear RIGHT NOW?? Yeah, you know what I am talking about. Join the moms at Momster.