Graf #8 (Reaction to Isearch Samples)

                When I saw the different samples of the Isearch projects, I was shocked to see that none of them were at least a five paragraph paper. When I did an Isearch project in high school, it was set up like a research paper. Yes, there were headings and subheadings, but we were expected to write paragraph after paragraph. I am glad to see how the Isearch is supposed to be set up. These people were obviously very interested in their projects and put a lot of time into them. I’m afraid that I won’t find the time I need to put into this project while juggling four other classes and a newborn baby. I knew this would be the case and I am determined to stick it through. My project is over a baby’s developmental stages and skills, so I will be able to learn while taking care of my baby. I think I will be able to do very well with my topic choice.

Graf #7 (Isearch Brainstorm/Topic Ideas)

                Concerning my topic of the developmental stages and skills of a baby, I am going to attempt (and hopefully succeed) to brainstorm a list of questions, angles, ideas, and possibilities that this topic could potentially have.

                When does a baby’s memory begin to retain information? When does a baby obtain hand-eye-coordination? When do they understand the concept of grabbing ahold of objects? When do they understand what a toy really is? Babies get lots of different toys. Some are rattles, stuffed animals, puzzles, blocks, different textured objects, and music makers. Is there a favorite among all babies or does each baby have their own taste? Do their own personalities begin once they are born? Does personality come from genes besides environmental factors? Babies crawl, sit up, and walk by their self before they reach their first year (I think). How many months old is the baby for each of these things? Some babies start to walk and talk earlier than other babies. What causes this to happen? Does it have to do with genetics or is it from the amount of encouragement they get? When do babies begin to speak? When can they start to use the toilet? Does this all have to do with the amount of encouragement they are given? What happens at three months of age? Four months? Six months? Kevin doesn’t get out of boot camp for another month. How long does it take a baby to enjoy being with someone new? Do they recognize faces now at two months of age? When do they recognize faces? Kevin talked to him all the time when I was pregnant. Would Sirus recognize his voice? Do babies recognize their father’s voice once they are out of the womb? Do babies like the foods you craved while pregnant? When can they start to eat solid foods? How does the mother differentiate between breast milk and solid food? What are the health benefits for breastfeeding? Does breastfeeding have a lot to do with the earlier development of babies compared to those babies who drink formula?

                Now that I have a broad range of questions, I have a better confidence that this project will get me to where I want to go. It will answer all those underlining questions I never knew I had. I am looking forward to researching this topic and learning more about what’s to come with my baby.

Graf #6 (Unique)

                What makes me unique? I’m 18 and engaged to an amazing man, Kevin, in Marine boot camp. We have a precious little boy together named Sirus. We wanted to be unique and pick a name that you never hear. Maybe it’s deeper down which makes me unique. I have always been the shoulder to cry on, the one to listen to your problems, the one to share secrets with, and the one who always had your back. I always hung out with my friends during my teenage years and partied, partied, partied! I lived each and every day to its fullest. My best friend, Dashiell, and I got matching sun tattoos at age 16. We both got in trouble with the law after getting cornered once out of many of our illegal ways. We always broke the rules. We snuck out late at night, hung out with guys we hardly knew, did things we probably shouldn't have, and did things we will never regret. We did what we wanted while disguised behind a mask of innocence. We were never suspected for doing anything wrong or bad, which is also what makes me unique. Deeper down to the core, you find that I have a bow and arrows in my closet, a .30-30 Winchester in the gun cabinet, mounted antlers from my first (and only) deer on the wall, and trophies from catching largest fish at fishing derbies on the shelf. The picture frames on the wall show my close relationship to family and friends. We always did things together: camping, swimming, fishing, and everyone always just hung out together. Concerning my appearances, I have a stud nose piercing, two ear piercings on each ear, and a scar on the corner of my right eye. Let’s just say that I’m glad little kids don’t play with metal Tonka trucks anymore. I also bear scars from my beloved German shepherd whom I rough-housed with all the time. This is what makes me unique. People who really know me would have lots of wild stories to share about me; meanwhile, the ones who don’t would say that I was just a quiet, shy, innocent girl in school. If only they really knew…

Graf #5 (Isearch Brainstorm Reaction)

            Seeing that list of words made me envy this person. They have such an ease of mind that they can easily list off whatever comes to mind first. Then from those words, they chose a topic. I was never taught how to brainstorm growing up in school. I have no idea how to do it. It seems ridiculous to me to just list off a bunch of random words. It seems foolish. My mindset has always been to think of a topic in your head and then go from there. However, I then second guess myself over every topic I choose. Is it appropriate? Will I be able to answer all my questions? What if I don’t find all my answers? I tried the brainstorming idea – didn’t work out too well. Instead, I just sat in bed trying to get my baby, Sirus, to sleep, when it suddenly came to me: What are the different developmental skills and stages of a baby?

Isearch Worksheet

What do you want to write about? 

Developmental skills and stages of a baby

What do you want to find out about your topic?

I want to know when babies begins to sit up on their own, crawl, walk, run, grab things, talk, etc…

What are your questions about the topic?

1. When are a baby’s eyes fully functional and can see everything?

2. How fast do babies gain hand-eye-coordination?

3. When do babies begin to form words?

4. What are the ages for when babies begin to crawl, sit up, stand, walk, and run?

5. When do they begin to learn how to use the toilet?

Subquestions?

1. How old are babies when they can recognize faces?

2. Why are some babies developmentally faster/slower than others?

3. What is the best way to encourage a baby to keep going?

How does the topic connect to your life? Don't say 'curious' or 'interesting.' Or don't stop there anyway....

                Besides taking care of my two month old baby boy, I have never had any other experience with a baby. I have no idea when these certain stages happen. I am very curious of when these things typically occur. Especially with my fiancé/his daddy in the Marines – I want to know what might happen when he is around.

Give three reasons you like the topic

1. It personally connects to me.

2. It is information that I would like to know being a new mother.

3. I can carry this information with me during the rest of Sirus’s baby years, and possibly for any future children.

Give three ways your life might change if you answer your questions

1. I will be better prepared for when these developmental skills happen.

2. I will become smarter in the role as a mother.

3. It may open a possible career in pediatrics.

 

Graf #4 (Reaction to "Advice for Writers")

            Whenever I have been given a topic to write about, I try to engulf myself around it. I try to embrace the subject so that I will not be bored with it, and yet, still impress the teacher. However, I usually always need a little inspiration from seeing other people’s writings. I try my best to find interest in each and every topic while still impressing the teacher; however, sometimes I still feel like it’s not good enough. Such as my Graf #2 – I wrote everything down from what I felt deep inside, but it’s not good writing quality. I put myself into the piece too much that it really was as if I was just yelling at her. Not an interesting piece of work. I didn’t want to start over, though. I find that I am good at editing my work after I have written it, but to start fresh on a new page? Forget about it. I need to take that advice and take the time to rewrite everything I have just written. I need to hand in each writing piece with the mindset that ‘it’s a damn fine job’!

Graf #3 (Inventory)

            This is the inventory of my nightstand to the left of my bed. It is all of my important essentials for the night at just a quick arm’s length away.

·         A lamp
·         A TV remote
·         A pen
·         An alarm clock
·         A Post-it notepad
·         My prenatal vitamins
·         A picture frame with a photo of my fiancé, Kevin, and I on my high school graduation in it.
·         A book - Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins
·         My weekly planner containing my homework due dates for each college class
·         A retainer case for my invisalign retainer
·         A breast pump
·         My cellphone

On the floor next to my nightstand:

·         A notebook where I write my letters to Kevin in boot camp
·         A couple boxes of fruit snacks
·         A box of envelopes
·         My college books

Inside my nightstand:

·         Paperwork
·         All my letters I have received from Kevin

 

This nightstand screams teenage mom. She is a mom that’s just trying to keep her teenage life from floating away. Her college books are right next to the bed. This way, once the baby goes to sleep, she can get some studying down. She also has her notebook near the bed so she can write to Kevin and tell him all about his son. All his letters are close at hand and a photo of him within grasp. I think she is showing separation anxiety. Everything she needs for those long nights is just two inches away from her bed. Everything she needs – but, not everything she wants. That ‘everything she wants’ engulfs her nightstand: In the photo, letters, notebook, and the features in their son she so proudly holds. This is the nightstand of a teenage mom who is anxiously awaiting her Marine’s return.

Graf #2 (Worst Teacher)

 

              Last year, during my senior year in high school, I became pregnant. Being pregnant in high school is hard. People are always criticizing you to your face or behind your back. Nobody understands what it is like to be in someone else’s shoes. When you don’t understand a situation, you give the person respect, encouragement, and offer them help. Especially as an adult teacher in high school; you act like an adult, not a gossipy, overly-dramatic high school girl. It is for this reason alone as to why I didn’t like you. You gave me a reason not to like you. I tried to look past the mistreatment you gave your special ed students; but, you treated everyone like that, except for your cheerleaders you coached. You acted just like them. Snobby, two-faced, bitchy, and squished everybody beneath your feet. Nobody likes you. No, not even the other teachers you work with. You act like you know everything and are everything. Do yourself a favor and stop talking behind people’s backs, maybe you would get some acquaintances. You crossed the line with me when you thought you could talk about me. Yes, I was pregnant in high school, but it doesn’t mean that I’m not a person. I was still a student. How dare you try to assume that I would fail classes, drop out, or not graduate high school. Just because there are stereotypes about pregnant girls does not mean that they are applicable to me. I am glad that I graduated high school with highest honors for the year; this way, I don’t have to see you again.
                This was a special education teacher that was at my high school. I never really had a chance to spill my guts about how I thought about her. I never hate or dislike someone without a set cause. She gave me a cause. She always acted like she was top dog to everyone; but, in reality, she’s just the queen of the damned.

Graf #1 (Hands)

           Tiffany, you have watched me experience many of life’s roller coasters. Looking at my hands, hands that might resemble yours, I can relive memories. I can look at my hand and find each scar telling its own story.  Some are burn marks from cooking, bug bites from fishing, and claw marks from rough-housing with my German shepherd. One time, about five years ago, you gazed down at me as I skimmed down a big, ice-capped, snow-covered hill on a runner sled. When I hit that soft patch, the sudden drop of momentum sent me flying over the sled and right smack into shards of ice from the ice-capped snow. It scarred my left hand on the lower knuckle of my thumb for life.

            These hands hold secrets. They lead the way during the greatest nights of my life, and the worst. They have been used and abused, rested and pampered. Taking a part in illegal activities was what they did best throughout high school; for, they hid behind a mask of innocence. You have to go along to get along. These times became my good ol’ times that I will always remember. You stood over me watching, never judging me for a second. It was these times that I became who I am today. These hands allowed me to find my best friend, Kevin. Through holding, loving, nurturing, calming, cooking, writing, playing, and anything and everything else hands do, we became an unbreakable bond.

            Now, as an adult, I am living life’s grandest moments. You watched and listened as my best friend, boyfriend, and overall the most amazing person I have ever met, gently take my hand and bend down on one knee. Months later, these hands held my precious baby boy for the first time. Since then, my hands have continuously written letter after letter to the man who holds my heart down in boot camp; informing him each and every day about our newborn son. You may be in the heavens, but I make sure that these hands care, nurture, and love this baby – your nephew.