The Discipline Debate

I recently overheard a conversation in which a mother of a maybe one year old baby described her attempts at discipline. The child is not even walking yet, but she was concerned that she nip problems "in the bud" before it became a major concern. It seems that her baby has been doing all sorts of very troubling things such as throwing food on the ground, wiggling while being dressed, and trying to pull things of table tops. Shocking I know! Did you ever meet a baby who did such aweful things?! It gets worse.


At a loss for how to stop her, she talked to her sister who suggested smacking. Yes, smacks were proscribed to cure wiggling. She tried smacking the next time she did something wrong, but she just laughed. Then she decided that she needed to "study" how much force it would take for her to stop laughing. Every time she did something naughty, she hit the baby a little bit harder until finally she seemed to "notice." At last, she got her baby to cry! Success!

I just cringed when I heard all this. Whacking my child has never seemed like an option to me. I spend so much time trying to avoiding her coming to harm that I can't imagine causing it on purpose. I also don't think a one year old child is capable of understanding why they are being smacked. Sure, they may learn that certain behaviors result in pain, but if they don't get why then it doesn't really work. Maybe when my child is older I will feel the need to spank her, but so far it just seems barbaric to me.

I really do believe that children model everything they see us do. I know this because I've watched her "brush" her teeth, "read" magazines, and want to try every bit of food on our plates. Why should we think that this one area, hitting, would be different? If I use force and pain to get what I want in life, why shouldn't she do the same?

Tide To-Do

It seems that many people are upset recently due to a new TV ad from Tide. The ad, which features a pink clad mother complaining about her daughter's love of cargo shorts and hoodies, seems to be poking fun at children who do not follow traditional gender roles. Now I'm sure Tide would say that they intended to poke fun at the mother's discomfort, but I'm not at all certain that's the way it appears. For the last time, let's please lay off of kids who don't conform. Pink and blue are not uniforms, and it is grossly unfair to suggest that they are.

Art and The Kid

When summer first arrives in the Pacific NW, all I want to do is be outside. We walk, we play in the backyard, and we visit parks and playgrounds with our friends. We generally just worship the sun since we don't see it so much around here. However, as summer wears on, and it gets hotter, I start to want those occasional afternoons "off" from the heat and the glare. This is why we found ourselves heading to the Bellevue Arts Museum on a recent Friday.


The Seattle Art Museum has its free visitor day on the first Thursday of every month, but Bellevue prefers to offer Free Fridays. Either one is fine with me. Now you might think that an art museum with a toddler is a crazy idea, and you could certainly tell, from the looks in the elevator, that's exactly what some other patrons thought. Perhaps our baby is unusual, but she really seems to enjoy museums. Think about it, there are many things to look at and lots of them are huge and/or colorful. What's not to like? I think she was a bigger fan of all that modern art than I actually.

We all like the Michael Cooper sculptures in wood and metal that made us think of bicycles meet Da Vinci machines. Only the little one enjoyed the modern jewelry, and I think that was only because of the life-size banana necklace. The baby was also the biggest fan of Midway by Cathy McClure because she liked the elephants. The big people found the strobe to be nauseating within about three seconds. All through the museum we saw sculptures by Wanxin Zheng. These were declared "interesting" by the grown-ups and "fascinating" by the small fry.

On the whole, we enjoyed our trip to the art museum. I would go back depending on what the new exhibits might arrive. Don't worry about taking kids to places like this. They are people who are capable of enjoying culture too. Museums should not be hallowed places where only snooty, silent people are allowed to go and say things like "ah yes, I enjoy how he frames the negative space with that blob of engine oil!"

BIG Teeth

Quick update: molars!  Well one anyway.  It was not exactly an easy time cutting this tooth, and she had a lump the size of a pea for several days, but finally it is through at last.  Now perhaps the drool will let up, and cheerfulness will return.  We're up to nine teeth with the addition of that one, and one day soon the baby will have grinding skills.  Nuts, raw food, and other tough things here we come!

Even Awesome Teachers Need Help

I have to thank my friend, C., for sending me a link to this article.  It's all about how the current "magic bullet" in education is the idea that there are superstar teachers who will fix everything.  Everything she writes about her experience with that was true for me as well.  The only part I would disagree on is the idea that wealthier schools somehow escape the problem of over-crowding. 

I would also like to mention the one part of the education equation that is simply never mentioned in the discussion:  parenting.  You would not believe some of the parenting failures I've seen over the years, but nothing is done or said about it because that is a difficult and painful topic.  Therefore we just leave it alone entirely.  News flash politicians!  If a child's life is falling apart at home, they do not care how stellar I am in the classroom each day.  At that point all I can do is damage control.

Discovery of Witches Review

I'm guessing this is what happened: the author of Discovery read the Twilight books, looked at how popular they are, and said to herself "I can do this better and for grown-ups." And that's just what she did. Well, maybe not the "better" part. This book is a romance featuring a vampire and a mortal girl who also happens to be a powerful, if latent, witch. This author used her personal expertise in history, mythology, yoga, and wine appreciation (nope I'm not kidding) to flesh out the story. The results are lush and interesting half the time, then forced and even embarrassing at other turns.


I loved the idea that a vampire would have seen so much history and have connections in so many places. I did not love the lame romantic moments (just skip those pages unless you have strong appreciation of cheese) or the parts where she goes rowing or to yoga again and again. I know they tell you to write what you know, but there is a limit.  I'm not sure if this was a good book in need of a better editor, or a bad book in need of a re-write. No, no, calling it bad is not fair. I did like the book, and I am not sorry I read it. I just think it shows that this is her first work of fiction. Perhaps the follow up will be stronger, and perhaps they will find her a very experienced and opinionated editor.

Cup Cuddle

I've posted before about how cute it is when the baby cuddles her dolls and stuffed animals. She tucks them under her chin, pats their back, and gives them kisses. Sometimes she even rocks them and sings a "song." Sometimes she asks us to cuddle her baby too. We didn't specifically teach her to play this way; she must have just picked up the idea based on the way we take care of her. However it happened, she's one sweet little "mama" to her dolls.


Then the other morning she decided to cuddle her cup. There she was sitting her high chair and enjoying some breakfast. Suddenly she tucked her little sippy cup under her chin and started to pat. Soon the singing began. In between kisses she was taking nips of milk! As if that wasn't odd enough, she wanted us to cuddle the cup too, and she wouldn't take "no" for an answer. Generalizing skills is supposed to be a good thing in the developmental game, but this is taking things a bit far. What might she be trying to cuddle next?

Baby Names 2010

One of my pet topics, baby names, is in the news once again.  Given that Natalie Portman named her son Aleph, and David Beckham named his daughter Harper Seven within a few weeks of each other, names couldn't help but make headlines.  For the rest of us, the government recently released were the top baby names of 2010. According to the Social Security Administration, who keeps track of all these brand new people, the top baby names of the year were not quite as exciting as those noted above:


Girls-

Isabella
Sophia
Emma

Boys-

Jacob
Ethan
Michael

Of course that isn't the whole list, so if you're interested you can see at least the top 1000 names for each gender. Having picked a baby name in 2010, I was not surprised to find that it was one that increased in popularity. It seems that people of my generation prefer classic names that have not been popular in a long time. While I tried to choose a name that was not in the top 100 list, I was ultimately unsuccessful.

Why, might you ask, would I care about my child having a popular name? Because in my other life I was a teacher. I once had a class with five children named Alex, both boys and girls, and it was a headache for me and for them. A co-worker had a class with six boys named Jacob. It meant that half the boys in his class had the same name. Oy vey! If I may be allowed to borrow the phrase!

Hooray for Gay Marriage in NY

Over the weekend, the first legal gay marriages took place in New York state!  Such an incredible range of sweet stories from young couples with small kids to elderly brides and grooms some of whom had been engaged for decades.  What a fantastic step for NY and for the country as a whole.  Can you imagine falling in love with someone, and then being officially told "No, sorry, YOU are not allowed"?  Now we just have to work on the other 44 states.   

BTW, did you know that Mormons were one of the single largest factors in the proposition eight battle in California?  I didn't realize they'd poured quite so much money and organizing into that issue.  Now there's a new movie about their sometimes covert participation.  It seems the church even had to pay a fine for failing to report the extent of their involvement.  Public opinion just keeps moving left on this issue, and eventually the time will come when full legalization will simply not be blocked.  I just keep thinking of all the white churches who fought so hard against the civil rights movement in the '50's and '60's.  You can't hold out forever.

Chairs for Baby

The baby's latest trick is climbing up on chairs. Actually, she's not able to get on all chairs (yet!) just a few extra low ones we happen to have in the family room. She starts by laying her upper body on the seat, and then she tries, tries, tries until she gets a knee up as well. After that, it's just a matter of scrambling the rest of the way. It takes huge effort on her part, but she's happy to do it over and over again. The squeals of satisfaction are proof of her success. Fortunately, I was also able to teach her to come down again backwards. That had to happen since she was trying to dive off nose first.


Just to add cuteness to cuteness, she's also realized that you can pile up a great big stack of books on the chair BEFORE you climb up. Then they're up there waiting for you when you finally arrive! She cheerfully sits and reads her books like a big girl for minutes on end. The only part I've left out of all this is the screams of frustrations (and one or two bonks) we all had to endure as she learned how to do it by herself. I believe we're getting another early look at toddlerhood, and it is noisy.

Annoying Food Words

I love, love, love the food website CHOW which is a fun combination of recipes and articles about everything cooking. They recently featured a discussion about food words that must be banned from menus and reviews due to their chronic over use. Some are fussy and over the top such as "annealed" and "eponymous" and "revelatory." Others are simply too stupid for, well words. Examples include "bad boy" and "sammie" and any form of "yummy." Last are those words that are just dreadfully trendy including "locavore" and "gastropub" and "sustainable." What in the world would the restaurant review section of the paper be without all of those? Every industry has its own vocabulary, but it never hurts to avoid the trite and cliched.

Baby Books: 15 Months

For as long as she could focus her eyes, our baby has enjoyed books. The first one she noticed was soft, quilted, and made many different animal noises. Ever since then, she's been fascinated. She will sit for half an hour at a stretch just turning pages and admiring the pictures. Then there are the several times a day when she demands that we read to her. At first it would be one book that would catch her eye, but now she's figured out that you can make a pile of books, and then the parental reading session will last longer. I love, love, love that she is a book fan, but sometimes I do have to struggle a bit when she want to hear the same book for literally the ninth or tenth time that day. Here are a few of her current favorites:


1. Mr. Brown Can Moo by Suess
2. The Little White Rabbit by Henkes
3. The Bunny Book by Scarry
4. The Potty Book by Patricelli
5. The Ox-Cart Man by Hall
6. Bunny My Honey by Jeram
7. Knuffle Bunny Too by Willems
8. No, David by Shannon
9. David Gets in Trouble by Shannon
10. Neighborhood Mother Goose by Crews

Honorable mention goes to those books that used to be huge favorites when she was younger:

1. The Very Hungry Caterpillar
2. Mimi, Mimi Look and See
3. I Am a Bunny
4. Goodnight Gorilla
5. Elmo's Valentine Book
6. The Monster at the End of this Book
7. That's Not My Monster
8. Two Little Gardeners
9. Great Day for Up
10. Brown Bear, Brown Bear What Do You See?

Pre-School Preview - Not

At the farmers' market the other day, Delphinium and I spotted a booth for a local pre-school. I would like to find something that she can attend next year for just a very few hours because I know she would have a ball playing with other kids. I'd heard good things about this particular place from a friend of a friend, so I thought I'd go over and take a look. This was in spite of the fact that the school is housed in a church. I screwed up my courage (I am not so good at this type of thing) and went to chat with the very shiny director.


After declining to make a Froot Loop necklace (keep that away from my kid!) we were handed a brochure. Upon first glance at their materials, it seemed like a nice, friendly kind of place. I liked the focus on play and stories, and the pictures of the outdoor area seemed promising as well. When you throw in the part where they have a brief (two day per week) schedule for kids younger than three, it seemed like a real possibility. It was also quite close to our house (not quite walkable, but still), and the price was reasonable. What could be wrong? Where's the waiting list?

I almost just walked away to think about things further, but I realized that would be counter productive. I needed to address the main concern and there was no easy way to bring it up. I screwed up my courage even tighter (I hate conflict!) and asked what role religion plays in their program. The shiny lady practically began to sparkle as she told me all about chapel time that she herself got to teach (it is her ministry!) for twenty minutes each day. It was a place for the kids to learn about the love that Jesus has for each of us, and how we are the most special in His eyes. I could feel my smile growing fixed.

I know, I know, you go chat with a church school and you are likely to get churchy answers. In my defense, I've known more than one pre-school that was housed in a church, but did not espouse anything more than play-dough and sandboxes. I guess this is not one of those. Nevertheless, if this place offers an older two class, then another, less theist, school may offer it as well. I will be sure to not pray on this matter.

Don't Buy The Sims Medieval

It happened just like this: EA Games sucks.  Please insert your favorite curse words and phrases here.  We will be getting all our money back or heads will roll. 

Monkey Shirt

Delphinium is, as I'm always repeating, getting bigger at quite an astounding rate. It seems like she's more of a toddler and less of a baby all the time. Practicing with having an opinion is something she does all the time too. It used to be that I could pretty much choose her food, toys, and surroundings without much complaint. These days, however she wants to eat THOSE berries, play with THOSE blocks, and GO OUTSIDE RIGHT NOW!

One major symbol of her independence is her passion about clothes. Some mornings I still get to grab something quickly, put it on her, and be out the door. Most of the time this is not the case. She wants to pick, she wants to take her time at it, and she doesn't really understand the concept of "dirty" or "too small." A perfect example is the monkey shirt. It really is a cute little onesie in blue and purple polka dot with a girl monkey on the front. It says "introducing me" which seems just right for our girl. She loves this shirt, and any time she spies it, there is a major to-do over putting it on. Once on, she can happily spend the day pointing out the monkey and making tiny little "ooo! ooo! eee! eee!" noises.

The only trouble is that the shirt is a nine month size. The snaps barely meet, and the neck is too tight. It's time for the beloved monkey to go, but how can this be managed? Should I get an embroidery hoop and frame the monkey for her wall? Should it just disappear all of a sudden and hope for out of sight out of mind? I've already checked on a replacement, but that monkey (and all like her!) are only found on baby clothes (up to nine months). Oh dear, oh dear.

Summer Danger

Our little family was lucky enough to attend a very special first birthday party the other day. It was beautiful outside, they'd opted for a bbq in the park, and oh what a park they picked. Right on the lake with a real sand beach, it also had the classic green fields, shady nooks, and play areas for kids. Delicious foods were eaten, bubbles were blown, and many, many small sandals filled up with sand. In short, it was a picture perfect day. Then, just as everyone was standing near their cars to go home it happened.


The little three year-old riding on someone's shoulders slipped somehow and tumbled, headfirst, onto the concrete. The sound was the most sickening thing I think I've ever heard, and it actually made me feel like I was going to throw up for a moment. Ambulances were called, and all the rest of us could do was stand around gripping our own kids for all we were worth. It was one of those moments that really makes you think about the possibilities, and not the nice kind.
The good news is that the little girl seems to have escaped any harm from her fall. Her poor mother will probably never be the same. It serves as such an incredible lesson about becoming too comfortable and trusting that nothing bad will happen. We let our guards down and stop being careful, and that is when accidents rear their nasty heads. Now if we can just figure out how to do this without going mad from worry, we will be in great shape.

International Food Month: The Round Up

I know it must look as though we gave up on the whole concept after only a few attempts, but I am glad to say that this is not the case! While I am a lame and slow blogger, we are much better at being adventurous cooks. We completed all but about five or six countries on our list, and we had a great time learning new recipes in the process. Since writing up each meal didn't seem to work out (cough, lazy, cough) here is a quick list of the countries whose recipes we tried:

1. India --- DNF :(

2. South Africa --- vegetarian bobotie (M. is a wizard) I give it 9 on the Mmm scale

3. Morocco --- Chickpea stew and tomato salad was a 6/10

4. France --- Cheese souffle (M. is a mad genius) was a 10 out of 10 on taste, but very rich

5. Mexico --- DNF :(

6. Greece --- Spinach pie with phyllo was an easy and tasty new recipe worth 8/10

7. Turkey --- Falafel was actually a recipe I've done before and got 8/10

8. Spain --- Paella did not turn out! I screwed up, but I know not where 3/10

9. Italy --- Polenta with mushrooms turned out very well 8/10

10. Canada --- M. had to make poutin and it was good 9/10

11. Germany --- Veggie brats, sauerkraut, potatoes, and slaw. What's not to like? 9/10

12. Japan --- Gyoza, miso, and cucumber salad were mostly pre-made foods so I won't rate

13. Indonesia --- Coconut tempeh curry was so tasty I will make it again 9/10

14. Kenya --- Peanut soup was rich and creamy without too much actual fat 9/10

15. Cuba --- Black bean soup was okay, but not very exciting 5/10

16. Ireland --- Vegetarian shepherds pie was delicious, but a bit intensive 8/10

17. Sweden --- Beets, mushroom soup, potatoes and greens were tasty indeed 9/10

18. Jamaica --- Ital peas and cabbage stew were underwhelming with the recipe I found 5/10

19. Russia --- DNF

20. Costa Rica --- DNF

21. Vietnam --- Noodles with tofu, herbs, and pickled veggies

22. Mozambique --- Vegetable stew over rice 6/10

23. Egypt --- DNF

24. Libya --- Lentil salad and veggie soup were good if simple 7/10

25. Azerbaijan --- DNF

I have not given up entirely on the list, and I may try to find a few more recipes when the summer rush is over. One thing I did enjoy was the process of finding new recipes in books and on the internet. By the way, we have no illusions about the authenticity of the meals. I'm sure there are dozens of inauthentic elements to our recipes and we don't even realize it. However, the purpose of the exercise was to me us go out of our comfort zone, and it has certainly succeeded in that. I also enjoyed learning a few things about the countries I was cooking. For one thing, I'm trying to appreciate our luxurious access to food.

When I was researching recipes from Mozambique I happened to read that one third to one half of all the citizens of that country are considered malnourished on a regular basis. Thus if we really wanted to get a "feel" for that culture we should have nothing at all for dinner. Perhaps a donation to the World Food Program is in order? Anyway, it was a very rewarding experience, and I will certainly be making many of these dishes again in the future. Anyone know a good recipe for vegetarian paella?

Baby Visits the Seattle Aquarium

A few months ago, I finally got up the courage to take the baby to the Seattle Aquarium. Why courage you might ask? Because driving through downtown and along the waterfront in Seattle can be quite a challenge. Then there's the parking puzzle. Without other grown-ups to help me, I had visions an hour in bad traffic, struggling into a tiny parking space, hardly being able to get the baby out, and then having to stroller her through more heavy traffic for miles before getting to the venue. It turns out I'm just a huge worry wart.


Even though it was the latter end of morning rush hour, we made it into the city without any trouble. We were on the waterfront in no time, and we actually got parking directly across from the aquarium! I think it helps that we arrived just before it opened. Maybe we just got lucky. It still cost a pretty penny, but that was okay. Once we finally made it inside, and we could see the diver in the huge tank in the entry way, I knew it had been worth the trip.

Delphinium was silent and riveted on all the fish, on the swimming man, and then on the huge eel that swam past. She didn't seem worried, just really, really interested in it all. Then the diver actually waved at her! I think she would have been fine just to stand there the whole day, but there was so much still to see. We were there with our baby group, so we snapped a quick picture of all the moms and babies (and the diver too!) and then headed out to see the rest of the animals.

First came the touching pools that were supposed to represent the tide pools around Seattle. The variety is amazing. The colors on the sea stars and nudibranch is impressive, and you'll find huge purple monsters "holding hands" with smaller, finer fingered, orange ones. Delphinium didn't actually get to touch yet (I know I'm an over-protective mommy!) because there must be lots of people germs in there even if they've somehow sanitized the fish.

Next up we did the dark aquariums that are meant to show off the animals who live deep underwater. This was one of the baby's favorite parts since the aquariums are right at eye level, and many of the fish are brightly-colored. As expected the clown fish got a big reception even though she hasn't seen Finding Nemo yet. Her favorite was something called the Devilfish with spiny fins and red and black coloring. Certainly they were very impressive, if not beautiful, and she chattered at them for several minutes.

By the time we hit (not literally of course) the otters and birds and other outdoor animals, the baby's eyes were beginning to get heavy. We admired a few more displays, and then it was time to head for home. With a nap smack in the middle of the day, you can't do any one activity for more than a little while. We will need to head back to the aquarium to finish enjoying all the animals. That's no problem since it's a place I know were going to visit many times in the coming years. Next time we'll have to take Daddy.

Mr. Darby's Music with Friends

It's been ages and ages since Delphinium's birthday, but I've been meaning to write about the music at her party.  We were lucky enough to have music with Mr. Darby, and it was tops!  Our living room was FULL of happy kids who sang along and enjoyed the jokes and animals as well as the music.  It was amazing to watch little ones like our wobbler bopping to the beat at the same time as five, six, even eight and nine year olds.  We even had to go and find some Mr. Darby shows (he plays in all sorts of places) so we could get our fix.  Luckily, we have both of his CD's as well.  We would certainly ask Mr. Darby to play for us again in the future!

No Working For Me

I just got the official call from the head office. There is no position available for me in the next school year. This should not be surprising given that I asked for a very specific type of part-time (two periods in the morning would mean NO childcare), but I still had hopes that the job might magically appear. The boss was really excited to be able to offer me a full-time spot at my old school, and then he was quite disappointed that I wasn't willing to take it. However, I just can't see my child in daycare, at least not yet. For her sake, I'm thrilled to stay home another year. For my sake I'm a little sad. I loved my job, and the thought of doing just under half the usual work sounded dreamy. Oh well, there are (hopefully!) many many more years in which I can teach. The baby is only small for such a short time, and next year will be good for both of us.

Yes and NO

The latest round of extreme cuteness in our house is the addition of gestures to the baby's repertoire.  Now she can shake her head "no" and also shrug her shoulders in a "?" action.  The question is something she clearly understands and uses successfully.  For example, when she sees me sorting laundry she points and shrugs to ask "what's that?" Or if you ask her where her bunny is she might shrug to show she doesn't know.  Then it's fun to play a hunting game to find him.

The head shake is much harder to understand.  She knows it relates to "yes" and "no" but she still can't quite grasp which is which.  Often I ask her if she wants something really good (milk, fruit, to read a book, to go outside) and she will shake her head.  Then, when I don't do the thing she's just rejected, she gets quite annoyed.  I'm trying to get her to nod her head, but so far we only have the shake.  Maybe she can learn the Indian head waggle and call it good. 

Much Better Thanks

Delphinium has made it back to the land of the well and cheerful, so I am definitely breathing a sigh of relief.  We were able to do a normal weekend's worth of activities with Daddy that included the farmers' market, swimming, breakfast out, and a hike.  The weather was not perfect, but we did not care.  It feels so good to be out and busy!  The baby did not protest once when we loaded her into the backpack or stroller because she likes to go, go, go at least as much as we do.  Sometimes she even pats the window next to the door, or brings me her shoes to let me know that maybe we should get moving.  Yay for a healthy kid!

On Not Going Mad

The poor little muggins is certainly better than she was a few days ago (no more lavender smudges under her eyes) but she's still not completely well. She tries to be cheerful and play, but she still gets tired quickly, and the runny nose and cough are hanging on. One significant mercy is that we did all get to sleep though the night last night. Now we are to that stage of illness where you're just waiting for things to wrap up enough to get back into normal routines.


I do believe sick weeks are one of the hardest parts of being a mom. This is where you feel the most cut off from the world, and you run out of fresh things to think about. Most of the activities you would usually do to combat boredom are out of the question due to the germs and the sad state of your child. No friends to visit (or be visited) no shopping or classes or playgroups. Then there's the guilt for feeling bored when your little one is feeling so poorly. Grum, grum, grum. Enough!

Anyway, here is my plan to combat the cobwebs:

1. Turn on National Public Radio (for a little mental stimulation)
2. Scrub house (as much as baby will allow)
3. Take baby for a walk (the doc did say cool moist air is good)
4. Cook something interesting (again if baby will allow)
5. Give self and baby permission to break the TV ban on sick days (just a little!)
6. Read and write as much as possible while baby sleeps
7. Reward self for surviving another day by getting drive-up coffee

Soooo Sleeeeeeepy

The night of the ER visit we came home and Charlotte went down very easily since she was so exhausted by all the commotion. Unfortunately last night was not so simple. She went down just fine, but she didn't sleep very well due to the croup symptoms. She was restless so she wiggled out of her blankets, but then when we went in to cover her she would wake up. I actually got her to lay down with us for a while (which she normally won't do), but it did not last. Over all it was a very disturbed night, and we are all creaky and tired this morning. We'll just zombie our way to naptime, and I may have to join her.

First ER Visit

It seems that we just can't catch a break when it comes to illness. Only one week after conquering the nasty tummy bug, it seems that a virus has come to call. Last night we had to take our poor little girl to the ER because she was not breathing well. When she coughed it sounded just like the barking of a seal. Not a nice sound to get through the baby monitor! M was working late, but I called him to come home, and we took her in just after mid-night.


The doctor and nurses were very nice to us, and we did get to go straight in with no waiting, but Baby was not happy. First, where are we? Second, what are these strange people doing with all their poking and prodding? Third, why did somebody just stick my toe, and what is that thing now attached? Last, but most important, what are we doing up in the middle of the night? The only bright spot, as far as she was concerned, was the new teddy the nurse gave her.

After getting the croup diagnosis, and the reassurance that it was not the end of the world, we were released. Now it was time to hit the all-night drive-through pharmacy. I feel for the poor lady who has to do that job, but we were glad to see her. The only hitch was that there were five orders in ahead of ours, so we had to go drive around (if you drive, the baby sleeps) for half an hour. M took us on a scenic tour of the area, and then we were back again to get our meds.

You might think that by the time we got home at 2:30am the adventure would be over but no. We still had to convince the baby to eat something so she could take her prescription before going back to sleep. Luckily she loves toast, so there we were sitting around the table, bleary-eyed and exhausted, eating toast with almond butter. We did get lucky in that the baby enjoyed the taste of the liquid meds, so it was easy to get her to take the dose. Finally we all headed upstairs to get some rest.

Everybody slept well, but it did make for a very short night. I think the adults got about four hours of sleep, and the baby made do with maybe nine (she usually prefers eleven). I am happy to say that she does seem better today, and she is actually managing to catch up a little on her sleep. Let's just hope the seal decides to vacate our house sometime in the very near future.

Snails

Over the long weekend, we were able to spend quite a bit of time in the back yard with Delphinium.  She loves to toddle around out there admiring the flowers and picking up pebbles.  We always point out the birds (mostly crows), squirrels, bunnies (if we're lucky), and other fascinating creatures who inhabit the yard, and she waves and babbles madly when she does see one.  I was very excited to point out a beautiful stripey snail who was making his stately way through the grass.  Without so much as a smile or a nod at the snail, Delphinium swooped in and grabbed him out of my hand.  Then she came within an inch of popping him right into her mouth before I recovered enough to snatch him back.  I chalk this up to latent tendencies inherited from her French grandmother. 

Work?

Hmmm I got a most cryptic email from my principal the other day.  I'd emailed him a few weeks ago to ask if he knew anything about my working (part-time) back at my old school next year, and he responded that nobody knew anything yet because there was no state budget as yet.  However, he said, he did not think there would be a place for me.  Fine, I thought, I wasn't sure I wanted to go back anyway, so that makes the decision really easy if there isn't a job.  In fact, I'd gone through a bit of letting go, and began planning stay-at-home-mom things for next year.  Then, just a couple of days ago, I got another email from him saying that the state budget was done, and he would know his own numbers by this coming week.  He promised to let me know by then.  Now this could mean that he's just being polite and keeping me in the loop.  However, he's not usually that thoughtful.  Hmmm and hmmm again. 

Kelsey Creek Farm

Not long ago the three of us enjoyed an outing at Kelsey Creek Farm.  Who would have thought that there would be an entire historic farm tucked away in the neighborhoods of Bellevue?  It turns out we've been missing this great opportunity for years!  We admired the rolling green pastures, visited with the ponies in the upper paddocks, and then headed down to the main barn and pigpens.  It turns out that they  not only have a huge copper-colored mother pig, but also a whole litter of pink baby pigs snuggled up in the straw.  Delphinium was enchanted.  We also saw chickens, sheep, cows, and some seriously quizzical goats.  We will certainly be back another day, and next time we'll be sure to bring a picnic. 

Memorial Day '11

On Memorial Day I try to always remember the sacrifices of the brave soldiers who fought our battles down the years. From the revolution to the wars going on today, there have been people who've given the ultimate sacrifice in support of American principles and policies. Both my grandfathers served (and lived thank goodness) and I absolutely honor the hardships and courage of all these heroes. However, some people seem to see this as a day to celebrate the "glories" of war and display a grossly overwrought version of patriotism. To me this skews the real purpose of the holiday and detracts from those it was originally meant to remember.

"I cannot believe that war is the best solution. No one won the last war and no one will win the next."

Eleanor Roosevelt

Cute Baby Bits #2596

If you've ever had any contact with a toddler, you know about the classic game.  It consists of picking something up (a ball say) dropping it, and saying "uh-oh!" as if you are taken completely by surprise.  Then you repeat the steps dozens of times or until your mom gets so tired of hearing it that she distracts you with kitties.  Delphinium learned to play this game a little while ago, and I try my best to be patient.  Then, a few nights ago, I was trying to make dinner, and Delphinium was registering her displeasure at the lack of attention by crying and clinging to my pant legs.  I was slicing rounds of squash, trying to focus on the knife and not the baby, when one of the squash rounds rolled off the cutting board and on to the floor.  She stopped crying and bent to look.  Then she grabbed the squash, turned her little teary face up to me, and said "uh-oh?" as if she was wondering if this were some new version of the game.  I agreed "uh-oh" and the rest of dinner prep went off without any crying.  All I had to do was throw vegetables on the floor every couple of minutes. 

International Food Month: Indonesian

As many of you know, M. happens to be a really incredible maker of Indian curries.  I am not making this up. My favorite is his tomato paneer, but really, that man can do amazing things with curry spices and just about anything you might find in the crisper. That is why I hardly ever tinker with curry. Why dabble when you have a master to take care of business? Nevertheless, it was fun for me to try out an Indonesian curry recipe. There are a million variations on this recipe, but I just picked one at random (it's actually a chicken recipe where I swapped in tempeh) and it happened to be quite good. Tempeh is a fermented soy bean cake that is traditional to Indonesia. It is something of an acquired taste, but it has a mild, nutty flavor, and the texture is firm and satisfying. Making this dish reminds me that I want to use it more often. More on that in another post.

Sick Baby

Our day began very early (2:30am) with the baby tossing her cookies in her crib. After clean up, changing, cuddles, and a story she went back to bed without complaint. However, when she woke at 8am, she had another episode. That was only the beginning. In fact, I'm skipping a description of the rest of the morning in order to protect the sensibilities of my readers. There can't be much sadder than a sick baby. They just collapse against you, and wait for you to make everything better. When you can't make them better, the recriminations start. By lunchtime the baby was glaring at me. Now we're following the pediatrician's guidelines and eating bananas, potatoes, and rice. Her majesty is not pleased by this diet. Also she is tired of drinking water and would like her milk NOW please! Wish me luck.

Baby Language: Thirteen months

I am having such a good time watching the baby grow up. She unfurls new leaves and stems so fast I'm afraid I may miss one. This is that stage of language development where I think she understands much more than she can communicate. I'm constantly discovering that she's trying to use a word, but I've been too dense to notice what she means. For instance, we were at music class the other day when she started saying something that sounded like "boo ooo". I thought she was noticing the owl on the wall, but when I turned around there was a balloon floating near the ceiling. Here's a list of her current vocabulary (or at least those words I can understand):


Mou mou (rhymes with cow) = Meow Meow = Kitty
Mama = Kitty or banana or me
Dada = The man himself (he doesn't even have to share!)
Fsh = Fish or shoes or cheese
Baa ooo = Balloon or bubbles
Baa baa = baby (I think)
Wow = wow (It's so stupendously cute because she makes her mouth into a very round "o")
Hi = Hi (usually accompanied by one of her patented two-handed waves)
Uh-oh = Something has been dropped

Then there are also a whole bunch of animal sounds, but since they are very inconsistent, I won't count them here. Yet. I have no idea if she's ahead, on target, or behind in her language skills, and I don't care. It seems to me that she's fabulous in every way. Now if I could just get a title to myself instead of having to share it with a fruit...

Walking!

Yes it is true!  Another big milestone for sure!  Delphinium is now walking with serious purpose.  She started out just cruising from one bit of furniture to another, but after a few weeks of that, independent steps began.  She's a pretty cautious girl, so there weren't any mad rushes and big falls (or bonks thank goodness!).  Instead she carefully levers herself onto her feet, takes a moment to be sure she's steady, and then tentatively steps out. 

You never know what combination of foot ware and flooring surface you might find, so it pays to be watchful.  Now that she's had a few weeks of practice, she's up to about ten or twelve steps at a time, but she still has to catch herself quite often to make sure she doesn't fall.  When she does take a tumble I'm amazed at how controlled she is.  So far no bruises (know on wood).  When she makes a long series of steps, she looks up to be sure you saw, and then claps her hands at the thrill of success.  Side benefit?  You can carry a whole lot more toys when your hands are free!

International Food Month: Swedish

The next country we visited after Libya was Sweden.  Of course many Swedish recipes use meat, but we also found a fair number of mushroom items.  I remember my wonderful Swedish grandmother making us a fabulous mid-summer meal that featured mushrooms folded in flakey pastry.  It was heavenly.  Unfortunately I do not have the recipe, and I do not make very good pastry.  Thus we went with a mushroom soup that I found mentioned in several places.  In the end, I took a basic mushroom soup recipe and amended it to include some of the Swedish flavors I kept seeing.

Vegetarian Mushroom Soup

Satute about one pound of mushrooms and 1/2 a cup of chopped shallots in a mix of olive oil and butter (just enough) for about five minutes.  Once they are wilted, add about 2-4 tbs of dry sherry (this depends on how dry the mushrooms are) and about 2 tsps of dill .  After that is well mixed, add about 4 tbs of plain flour.  I like to blend the flour with some of the stock to prevent lumps, but that's just me.  Top up with about 3-4 cups of stock.  Whisk carefully to avoid lumps.  Add salt and pepper to taste.  Bring to a boil, turn down to low, and cook for at least 15 minutes.  Finish with cream (if you're feeling naughty) or milk if you aren't.  Chopped fresh dill, chives, or parsley are nice on top. 

The soup was actually really good (if I do say so myself) and we ate it with steamed potatoes, sweet and sour beats (as my mom makes them) and beat greens too.  It was certainly a meal I would make again, and next time I might experiment with different types of mushrooms.

Kindermusik Redmond

For a couple of months now Delphinium and I have been attending Kindermusik classes in Redmond.  We don't actually live in Redmond, but we heard that the music classes there are especially good.  We were not disappointed.  Our class is with Miss Anna, and she does a wonderful job of making the classes fun and age-appropriate without allowing them to become overwhelming for the little ones. 

First we play with toys such as puppets or balls as the other children arrive.  This is a great way to warm up to the activity, and by the time we sing the welcome song, the children are most happy to participate.  Each day has some activities that stay the same, and other things that change each time.  We always sing, we always dance, and we always have some playtime too.  Delphinium's favorite part is playing with the bouncy balls, no wait, maybe doing drums, or perhaps having a line dance.  It's just too hard to choose.  I'm not very good at explaining it, but something about Kindermusik is a good fit for us where Gymboree was not.  It's less twee, less overwhelming, and also costs about 1/3 less at only $68 a month.  Yay for Kindermusik!

Mothers' Day '11

Well it seems that I've now been a mother for more than a year! I still cannot believe it's really true. Sometimes I look at our beautiful little girl and think that I must be back to being a nanny because she can't possibly be ours. But she is! At the top of my life list were a real career, a wonderful husband, and a baby of our own, so I feel completely spoiled. Of course it is not easy, and from time to time it can be really difficult to look after such a busy little person. I would not trade this job for any other one in the world.


I guess that was happy Mothers' Day to me. Now this is one for my mom. What made me want to be a mother in the first place, what makes me the halfway decent mother that I am (on my good days!) is the relationship I've always had with my mother. She's not your normal type. I've always known that she was my biggest fan, and someone that gave me armor against all sorts of trials and troubles (also mean people). It also gave me confidence that I could do or be anything I liked. If I can be half so good a champion for my daughter, I will be doing a splendid job.

International Food Month: Libyan

We started out with the country most in the news when we made the actual list. I confess that I know almost nothing about Libya beyond what makes the headlines. After some research I found that Libyan food seems to be a cross between Middle Eastern and African traditions with a smattering of the Med. thrown in as well. It's a place with so much history, and that means all kinds of food customs too.

Of course all the lamb and mutton recipes were out since we're vegetarian, but I did settle on a lovely lentil salad and summer soup. For the salad, I combined several on-line and book recipes to create one that worked with the ingredients I had on hand. No, no, no I did not scour ten thousand sources to ensure that this is one hundred percent authentic. If you are Libyan and this is not how your grandma made it, please cut me a little slack:


Libyan Lentil Salad

-2 Cups Lentils
-2-3 Cups water or stock
-1 Medium Onion chopped
-2 Bay Leaves
-2-3 Tablespoons Lemon Juice
-2-3 Cloves Garlic -- finely chopped
-Peel of one lemon
-2 Tablespoons Olive Oil
-Dash Cinnamon
-1 Teaspoon ground cumin
-2 Teaspoons coriander
-Salt And Pepper
-Green olives

Saute olive oil, onions and half the garlic until soft. Pour in lentils, bay leaves, spices, and enough water to cover. Cook for thirty minutes or until tender. Drain the lentils, and then add the remaining ingredients including the other half of the garlic. Garnish with green onions, yogurt, or cheese as you choose. The recipe for the soup is here. Both were quite tasty, and I would definitely make them again.

International Food Month

There we were, at the table, eating one of those meals. You know the ones. They're easy, relatively healthy and tasty, and you've made them a thousand times. Pasta, red sauce, and salad for instance. Or maybe some sausages, potatoes, and peas. Those are just two examples of the sort of menu I fall back on constantly. There's nothing wrong with those meals, but it just gets boring. It's boring to prepare the same thing over and over, and it's boring to eat it too. Why, then, don't I just break out and do something different? It's mostly laziness plain and simple. After a long day, it's just so easy to get out that packet of pasta.


Then one day it struck me. If I didn't get out of this food rut, we'd be eating the same six or eight meals for the rest of our lives! I've actually met grannies and aunties who refused to serve (or eat) anything but a few safe and familiar dishes. That will not happen to us! I do not want our baby to think that food consists of peas and potatoes baked, boiled, fried. I want her to taste things that are fresh and flavorful. Oh and by the way, I want that for us too. Thus we embarked on International Food Month (hey when you're a stay-at-home mom you need goals)

Here's the plot we hatched. We would take on twenty-five countries in roughly thirty days (that leaves some nights to go out woo!). We made a list of the countries in advance, and posted it on the fridge so that we would be inspired to continue. We would research traditional recipes on the internet and in cookbooks (yay library!), and then we would do our best to prepare a dinner from each country. The pact also stated that we could buy the ingredients that were needed for the meal, but we should try to stick with recipes that don't require too much money or supplies that we are likely not to use again. We're trying to be moderate here!

Some of our country picks were fairly familiar ones like Mexico, Italy, and France. Others were much more "out there" such as Egypt, Vietnam, and Kenya. We did not order the countries according to the month because we want to be free to cook each one as we find good recipes. If this all goes as planned, by the end of the thirty days we'll have prepared a whole range of new recipes, and we'll have the chance to try a lot of new flavors too. Best of all, we won't see the same old, same old fall back meals for at least a month. Wish us luck.

Ding Dong

I went to Facebook last night and started seeing all these cryptic messages.  Finally I put it together, and went to the New York Times for the story.  Sure enough Osama Bin Laden is dead.  What a weird feeling.  I halfway expected him to remain at large for the rest of his life.  The scary part about it is what effect the death might have on his followers.  Will people rally around him as a martyr, or will they lose their fervor and fade away?  Let's hope for the latter.     

Sleeping at One Year

I am pleased to report that Delphinium has regularly begun sleeping through the night again.  She used to do that often from the age of seven weeks until six months, but then we went on our world travels, and her schedule went completely out of whack.  When we returned from South Africa, she was getting up two, three, or even four times per night, and that wasn't even including some of her terrible teething nights.  We tried all sorts of strategies to help her, but ultimately, the only thing that would get her back to sleep was plenty of rocking or nursing.  To make things more challenging, she does not want to see Daddy at night.  He is pretty much her most favorite person during the day, but at night he becomes highly unacceptable.  I am so, so lucky that I do not have to try and work in the mornings.  I don't know how some people manage!

Nevertheless, that's all behind us (oh please! oh please!) because all by herself Delphinium grew into big girl sleeping.  Most nights she goes down without a fuss (often for Daddy too!), and some nights she doesn't even cry at all.  She just cuddles down with her blankie and her bears and goes to sleep, and then stays that way until the morning light.  Of course we do still have the rough patches, but they are getting fewer and farther between.  Let's just hope it keeps up this way.  Now that I've had a taste of the real sleep, I don't know what it would feel like to go back.

No Buns for You!

The other day Delphinium and I were lucky enough to be in the car with Grandma and The Nieces.  It was a great good time as everybody was singing to keep Charlotte (and ourselves) amused.  One song she particularly likes is The Bakery Shop.  It's a subtraction song where different people come into the bakery shop to buy a great big bun with sugar one top.  You sing each verse with someone's name in it, so that they buy a bun and go away, and then there are only four more buns, and then three, and so on.  The last person comes to the bakery shop with their penny to pay, but they look and look because there are no more buns. 

I'd been singing that Grandma was last and had to go away without a bun, but both nieces DID NOT think that was okay.  Elder Niece said very forcefully "Grandmas get buns!" so we had to think up another plan to finish our song.  Younger Niece had the perfect solution.  Since the last person was out of luck on buns it had to be someone who didn't deserve one anyway.  Thus she sang the final verse "Gaddafi looked and he looked, but there were no more buns, so he went away.  Pretty good for someone who's in forth grade.

The Cert Monster Part 4

*sings*  I did it! Oh I did it! Oh I did it!  Hooray!

Yes I have completed online class number two (of three) that I need to keep my certificate current.  This one consisted of reading the text on behavior management, taking a fifty question test, and then writing three essays.  Essay one was five pages about improving my classroom practices.  Essay two was five pages about the difference between consequences and punishment.  Essay three was  (no joke) about how my personal history impacts my interactions with students.  I only rolled my eyes during that last one, but I'm afraid I did roll them quite a lot. 

I've been using my time during Delphinium's naps to get the work done, and I don't think it's taken me too long to be finished.  Of course our house is not quite as clean as usual and the garden beds are just sitting there since I've had less them, but it will be worth it in the long run.  Now to send off my packet and register for the next course.  One day I will get to do other things again. 

One Year Doctor Visit

Driving into the parking lot of our pediatrician this morning I had a strong moment of recollection about bringing our tiny newborn to that very same place.  Memories of that time are so oddly shifted as if they took place underwater or I'm remembering them through a telescope.  Anyway, our little girl is certainly much bigger, noisier, and sturdier than she was at her first doctor's visit one year ago.  She is now 2'6" instead of 1'9" which is really quite shocking if you think about it.  Can you imagine if we all grew that much every year? 

Her weight is still only twenty pounds, so more than ever, she's our tall thin stringbean girl.  Her head size is still in the 5th percentile, but this does not worry me since growth is consistent, and her daddy is also in possession of a small bean.  Eyes, ears, nose, teeth, tum, and joints all get a clean bill of health, and her cognitive development is on target or beyond.  All in all, she's pretty much the perfect child.  Then again we already knew that :) 

Poor Delphinium did have to get three jabs on this visit.  It seems that twelve months is the time when they start a new series of vaccinations (since they finished the DTaP) that includes MMR and Hep A.  I am absolutely in favor of vaccinations to prevent much more terrible illness, but it is never fun to watch them stick your child with a needle.  I can't imagine the way some people purposely spread them out so that the child has to go through many more visits and many more jabs.  Much better to shed those tears, sniffle ourselves to sleep, and then nap off the effects for an afternoon.  Hopefully there will be no side-effects this time. 

First Birthday

I can safely say that Delphinium had a wonderful time at her first birthday party. Yes it was crowded, yes there were SO many new presents to enjoy, and yes there was the new experience of CAKE (for the very first time) but that was all part of the fun. In all, I believe thirty-six people came to the party. Luckily for us, we had some wonderful helpers in Grandma, Mr. D., and The Nieces. I don't know how I could have finished tidying up and making the food without all that kind help. Then there was wonderful Auntie K. who made the most fabulous pink kitty cake! Oh it was beautiful! It was white cake with blueberry filling, and Delphinium first tasted the blueberries, and then laid her whole face in the cake in order appreciate it fully. I was very proud that she did not cry when the slice was gone.


The music that Mr. D. did for us was definitely a star attraction. He knows just how to connect with kids, and at one point Delphinium fussed and scrambled off my lap because she wanted to be closer to the music! I saw so many kids enjoying themselves, and I think some of the grown ups actually had a good time too. Bubble time in the backyard rounded out the activities. I think that a good time was had by all.

Baby is One!

That's right, our Delphinium has turned the big o-n-e! I am shocked, shocked! that the time has gone by so quickly, but it seems that a whole year has passed already. Wasn't I just at the hospital last month? Didn't I have swollen feet last week? I know we had a tiny newborn just a minute ago. Apparently it really has been a year already. Of course looking at our girl, you would know for sure that she's getting quite big and mature. She's standing by herself, eating real food, saying actual words, and pointing out all her favorite people in the photos around our house. She's also got an adorably toothy grin and her daddy's beautiful hair. I am one lucky lady! I would not trade places with the president, a Nobel winner, or even an astronaut because then I wouldn't get to be her mommy. Mushy I know, but it is the absolute truth.

Cute Baby Bits #3821

Delphinium is never so happy as when she's crunching up magazines and newspapers.  The other morning she was cheerfully doing just that when she came across a picture of a photo-shopped pug dog with a human smile.  She froze in mid-crumple, and then laughed out loud as if it was the funniest thing she'd ever seen.  Then she closed up the magazine, patted the cover, and opened it again to find the dog.  Another laugh, another close, more patting, you get the idea.  And that was that.

Baby Food

It turns out Delphinium enjoys food. A LOT. There are really very few foods she's ever come across that do not tempt her. It started out with milk, but now we have gone so far beyond. First came those purees and cereal goos that so many babies get to try, and she was a fan of those from the beginning. Then we moved on to combination foods like applesauce with carrots or peas with pears. Oh the face she used to make when she got pears. First delight, then confusion, and finally puzzled acceptance. It seems pears taste good, have a weird texture, but, ultimately, are entirely worthwhile.

Now we are on to real solids. As in chunks of food we can eat with our fat little fists. Baby cereal puffs were first because they melt so nicely in a tiny mouth. However, that only lasted a very short time before we moved on to the classic Cheerios. Okay, so they're not really Cheerios having been purchased at Trader Joes, but we still call them by the famous name. So sue us. Next came steamed veggies such as carrots and zucchini. She really enjoys those, but not quite so much as the ever-fabulous cheese. Cheese actually makes this baby crow with excitement. Then there are blueberries, asparagus, bread, bagels, rice cakes, almond butter, eggs, etc, etc, etc. You get the idea. It's great fun thinking up meals for a person as appreciative of food as Delphinium. May the picky phase please be short and light.

The Cert Monster Part 3

I'm happy to say that I'm now safely registered for a five credit class through an online service (with ties to a real university even!) that I've used before.  I'm also happy to say that it isn't proving nearly as difficult as I'd first thought.  I got the book used from Amazon, and now all I have to do is read the thing, take the open-book quiz, and write three essays.  As compared to some five credit classes I've taken this seems like a walk in the park.  The best part is (okay aside from the large number of credits) the book is actually halfway decent.  Challenging behavior in the Elementary and Middle Grades has a fair amount to offer in the way of real and useful information.  I'm actually finding myself getting invested in the reading!  At this rate I should complete the course in only a few weeks.  Of course that assumes no WAB-ing behavior sets in...

Caspar Babypants Rocks!

Little miss and I recently got the chance to enjoy Caspar Babypants at the library near our house, and we had a wonderful time!  It was a high-energy show that got all the kids (big and little) bopping to the music.  One day maybe our baby will be up there dancing with the big kids.  I love that the music is not overly sweet or sentimental, and "Caspar" really seems to understand what topics really interest kids.  That show was completely packed, but we will definitely be going out to find another one in the future.  Yay for Caspar Babypants!

Fake Food

The personal worldviews of other people never cease to amaze and surprise me.  We were recently chatting with another mother whose baby is a few months younger than Delphinium.  The subject of food came up, and she asked if we knew anything about that "protein stuff".  We cocked our heads to one side, and tried to think what she must be on about.  Then she said "oh you know that fake food stuff that vegetarians eat?" I was still a little too taken aback to answer, but M didn't miss a beat.  "Do you mean tofu?" he asked without so much as a chuckle.  "Yes!  That's it!"  Oy vey!  I can perhaps understand calling it fake meat, but fake food?!  Here we are, living in one of the richest areas for Asian cuisine in the United States, and she is calling tofu fake food.  Yikes.

Kids Quest Museum

We finally managed to make our way over to the Kids Quest Museum in Factoria.  What fun!  Delphinium was thrilled by the under three area.  She climbed giant leaves, slid down the other side, played Lego, went in the boat, drove trains, admired the dollhouse vignettes in the floor, and that was only one little section.  The machines in the "garage" are fun too, and I think we parents had the best time with scarf sucker.  There is no question that we will be back, and perhaps there will even be a membership in our future. 

Trouble Thy Name is Baby

All of a sudden we seem to have a little brownie living in our house.  You can walk into any room and find evidence of this mischievous little beastie.  Everywhere there are piles.  Laundry that used to be neatly folded in careful stacks is suddenly heaped on the floor.  The contents of certainly lower drawers may be found liberally distributed on the kitchen floor.  Books on the first two shelves don't stand a chance.  Toys are strewn from heck to breakfast.  And it's getting worse.  As time goes by, things higher and higher up in the house are being purloined.  Still, it's hard to get upset.  She is just SO PLEASED with herself for all that hard work! Then she turns on that chubby, new-tooth smile and you're done for.  Who needs order and tidiness anyway?

The Cert Monster Part 2

Ah another lovely discovery from the wonderful world of bureaucracy!  It seems that OSPI will only allow a person to "count" classes that they take after the issuance of their most recent teaching certificate.  In other words, if my cert was issued on November, 2006, I can only count classes I've taken after that date towards renewal.  Sounds reasonable right?  Only the last time I renewed it took several months to receive the new certificate.  This means if a person submitted a renewal in June, and it only arrived in November, that means all the start of school year clock hours they earned DO NOT COUNT!  Gah!  What's that?  I should pony up a bunch of money and time to get online credits because they won't let me use the ones legitimately earned the inexpensive way?  Why sure!  That sounds just fabulous!

The Cert Monster

It has only been ten years since I first held a teaching certificate, but it seems like I've been on this treadmill forever. Just like doctors, teachers (of my generation anyway) are never allowed to simply rest on their proverbial laurels. No, no, no we must prove ourselves again and again by taking ever more courses to keep our brains from rusting (or something like that). Every five years we are required to take at least fifteen quarter hours or 150 clock hours pertaining to our area of expertise. For those who are not familiar with the system, that's one and one third of a full-time college load. If we would just take two quarters off from our lives every five years, we would be in fine shape!

Are these courses hard? Generally no. Are they time consuming and expensive? You bet your rusty brain they are. It's a bit like being stalked by a very slow and stupid monster. It isn't that hard to stay ahead of him, but mercy to you if he actually catches you. If you stop paying attention, stop collecting clock hours, or stop taking courses for even a little while (to have a baby for example?), then WHAM! If he gets you, and your certificate expires, not only can you not work, but you are also unhooked from the set of rules they used when you first got your license. This can lead to all sorts of nasty little surprises. It definitely behooves a person to remain up-to-date even if their current teaching assignment involves cutting up blueberries and playing peak-a-boo.

Thus I'm going to have to belly up to the graduate level bar, and take some classes. I've already taken one, and I have a few clock hours hanging around that will help. However, if you don't see much of me in the next few months please send out a search party. I'll be at my computer with a textbook clutched to my chest. If I seem to be immobilized, perhaps you would be so kind as to grab the oil can? Just beware of the monster. He may be slow and stupid, but he's fiercer than he looks.

When I Grow Up

The other day Delphinium and I were waiting in line, and we got to pass the time by listening to a three or four year old boy chatting with his mother.  Actually I should probably have said chatting AT his mother because he was going a million miles an hour with barely a chance for her to slip in a word.  Among many other topics, he told her all about his future career plans, and it seems that he would like to be a hair dresser/pilot/snowman/teacher/backhoe driver/chef/dentist.  I kid you not, he went through the entire list in about two minutes (and no I do not have any idea how you can be a snowman). 

Remember when you used to wonder how you would turn out?  It was such a thrill to imagine the possibilities of grown up responsibility.  Younger Niece said she wanted to be a waitress for the longest time (maybe just to get her dad's goat?) and Elder Niece was fully intending to be a pilot and tiger vet.  My mom used to have a drawing by me at three where I pictured myself as  a ballet dancing farmer.  Somehow that particular dream just never came to pass.  Sigh.  If you were to ask Delphinium right now what she wants to be she might tell you she wanted to be a kitty rancher.  Who knows.

Bad News for Japan

What an awful few days it's been for Japan.  A record earthquake, a record tidal wave, and now all these worries about the nuclear plant.  Let's hope all the fail safes are more safe than fail.  Watching that wave of black water eating up homes and cars was terribly sad, but it was the "poof" from the reactor that had me on edge.  What an awful thing to survive the earthquake only to be faced with fears over radiation.   

First Words

Well, well, well not only do we have a teether and a crawler and a cruiser, but it seems that we have a talker too!  Actually Delphinium has been saying mammamama and dadada for quite a while now, but I've never been sure how much was purposeful and how much was the joy of babbling.  However, with this new word, there can be no doubt.  Our baby now says "teetee" on a regular basis!  No, no she isn't asking for milk.  She says it when she sees the kitties.  Not only that, but she says "meow" to them too!  The meow is much harder to pin down as a word, but she absolutely imitates that high-pitched inflection that we do when we're talking to the cats.  The combination of "teetee meow" is positively the cutest thing on two chubby legs.  I'm sure there will be a day when I wish she would be quieter, but for now I'm loving the new sounds.

Slate Article About NPR Listeners

I love this article about how NPR listeners can be such snobby grumps.  When I first read the title (I hate, hate, hate NPR listeners) I was taken aback, but the author actually makes a very good point about the fuddy-duddy elitism that exists in their (our) ranks.  If NPR is to survive the recent upheaval and the graying of its primary audience (boomers) it must appeal to a broader range of people, and that can't just be a bunch of pseudo-cogno-intellectuals. 

Swim Lessons

I've been forgetting and forgetting to mention the swim lessons!  Delphinium and her dad have been attending baby swim classes for the last several weeks now, and they are the cutest pair of swimmers you will ever see.  We get up early on Sunday mornings, grab suits and towels and head off to the pool.  Once there it's a mad dash to suit both before the teacher calls for the next class to come down.  I hold her at the edge of the pool so she can learn to "wait" for Daddy.

Once in the pool, she becomes not a giggly fish, but a very solemn little person.  This is serious!  She watches everything, and waits to see what the next activity might be.  The funny part is that M is equally intent.  The two of them are even working on dunking her head under water after he gives her a signal to let her know it's coming.  I must admit that first time was a little shocking for me, but she seems to be figuring it out quite well.  The other kids, songs, games, and toys also help out quite bit in making it an entertaining activity.  The last bit is playtime on a big foam board.  All the kids crowd on, and there is a pile of floatie toys in the middle.  It is such a cute moment watching them all out there together, but of course none are as cute as our own little Delphinium in her pink ruffled bathing suit.

McDonald's Bowl of Wholesome or Not

By now I'm sure you've heard about the grand to-do over the introduction of the McDonald's oatmeal bowl.  Actually I should be saying "to-dos" as in plural because they've managed to upset several different camps.  To be fair, I think they probably get a touch more scrutiny than many other companies, but, to be fair again, I think perhaps they deserve it.  The "Bowl full of wholesome" was introduced nationally in January, and it seems that the health people are mad about the sugar content (more than a Snickers bar) the dairy people are upset about the "light cream" (which has seven ingredients), and the Vermont people are upset by the use of the term "maple."  Gah!  How hard can it be to make a simple bowl of oatmeal?  You know, at home with a pot?

Happy Vegetarians

Ha! Ha!  I just have to toot the vegetarian horn a little bit.  Reasearchers often use Seventh Day Adventists as subjects because they tend to be the longest lived group of Americans (of any significant size).  Some have tried to claim that these people live so long because they follow a strict lacto-ova vegetarian diet.  Others claim this is not the case, and it is the lack of alcohol or tobacco, the sense of community, or the religious purpose that lead to longevity.  Along comes this study and a companion that compare meat eating vegetarians to the rest.  It seems that not only are the vegetarians longer lived, but they are also happier!  As far as I am concerned, a long and happy life is all once can hope for in the end. 

Baby's Favorite Toys --- Ten Months

Delphinium is a girl of many strong passions, but they are as changeable as the wind.  One moment she is in love with one particular toy, and then the next moment she's on to something else.  Therefore, I thought it would be fun to occasionally list her top favorites.  That way we can keep track of the way her tastes mature.  Also it will probably be hilarious to her in a few years to know what objects used to be so entertaining.  If only I'd done this four or five months ago!  Oh well.

10.Big blue spiky ball (she can roll back and forth to another)
9. Fluffy black and white doggie, Jack (thanks Grandma)
8. Books! (she will cheerfully sit through a dozen if you will keep reading)
7. Chewy raspberry binkies (thanks Auntie C.)
6. Bath time dinosaurs (sometimes they migrate out of the bathroom too)
5. Bug jar with fabric bugs (you can take them out and put them in and out and in and...)
4. Singing piggy bank (thanks again Auntie C. though at times I curse you! JK!)
3. Sophie the giraffe (in all her rubbery goodness)
2. Stacking rings (a true classic)
1. Tigger airplane walking/riding toy (it lights up and sings!)

Baby Wants a Duck

Two other activities we very much enjoyed on our trip to California were the San Diego Zoo and the San Diego Safari Park.  They seemed like a good choice for our little girl, and we were not disappointed when we got inside the gates.  As soon as we saw the first animals, the chattering and waving began.  Perhaps all kids love animals?  Ours is certainly a fan. 

Our very first display at the zoo was an enclosure of mixed water birds.  Ducks have always been popular with Delphinium, so she was very excited to see more.  We were able to push her stroller right up to the barrier, and she made all sorts of excited noises about them.  Then, all of a sudden, she noticed the flamingoes in the background.  Silence.  All wiggling and commenting stopped.  She just looked and looked with her mouth open.  Her attention was completely rapt, and it took several minutes before she started making "oooo" noises again.

Nothing else was ever quite as exciting as the birds.  Meerkats came a close second, but she also got a little mad because she couldn't actually play with them.  The lions were not at all interesting until one decided to get up and wander around.  That got her attention.  Those were some seriously big kitties!  It's such fun watching her discover things.  I hope that never loses its charm. 

Ten Things That Amuse Baby and Kitty

10. Small balls
9. Flashlights
8. Birds seen outside the window
7. Squirrels
6. Ribbons
5. Bugs
4. Dancing  rainbows thrown by a prism
3. Baby blankets
2. The vaccuum
1. Daddy!

Cute Baby Bits #5879

A few weeks ago Delphinium was the lucky recipient of a helium balloon.  It was shaped like a purple heart, and had a weight on the bottom to make it float around near the ground.  She thought this was pretty much the most exciting thing she'd ever seen, and she was especially thrilled when it got in the car to come home with us.  It had been a very exciting morning all around, so we weren't in the car for long before she was yawning and rubbing her eyes.  Nevertheless, the pull of the balloon was strong.  She kept chatting to it and trying to bat the string.  Finally, as we were about to get on the highway, I could see her giving one last little exhausted wave to the wonderful balloon.  It really looked like she was moving both chubby little hands in slow motion.  Then she conked out completely for the rest of the trip.   

Miss Him

Yesterday would have been my grandfather's birthday, if he were still with us, and I still miss him ever so much.  He was one of those people whom everybody loves.  He always played up a loveable but slightly bumbling persona (at least with us grandkids) but his kindness and intelligence always came pouring through.  I'm still so grumpy that he's gone (he would have loved Delphinium) but I try to be grateful that I got to have him as a grandfather for as long as I did.

Valentine's '11

Love looks not with the eyes, but with the mind, And therefore is winged Cupid painted blind.  (Shakespeare)

Happy Valentine's Day to everybody near and far, but most especially to my own sweet M.

Teeth!

In all the excitement of the last few weeks I've completely forgotten to mention the teeth!  Delphinium got to her nine month doctor check without a single one, and I was actually starting to wonder.  She's been drooling and chewing for months now, and I wasn't sure anything would EVER come of it.  However, just a few days after the doctor visit, she had a VERY bad night and wouldn't sleep from 1am to 4am.  I wasn't sure what it might mean, but then the next day M felt a tiny point in her mouth! 

She got a front bottom tooth first, unlike all her teething friends, she got a top tooth after that.  The second one was a big surprise for us since she didn't even get a bump on her gum before popping it through.  I should have known though because the night before was another no sleeper.  Now we are up to three teeth with a forth one very much in the offing. Delphinium may have started slow, but she's making up for lost time.

Top Five Movies? How About Fifteen?

In honor of the Oscars coming up at the beginning of March, some bloggers are putting out lists of their top five favorite movies of all time.  Now don't get me wrong, I love lists, they're just so wonderful and orderly, but FIVE!?  Really?  That's just way too hard.  How about the top five in a few different categories?  That makes it a little easier to swallow.  How about you?  Any great ones on your personal list?

Note:  We are playing with Elder Niece's rule: a multi-part series may be considered one entry (she loves list-making too)

Top Five Animated

1. Spirited Away
2. Howl's Moving Castle
3. Finding Nemo
4. Sleeping Beauty
5. Titan A.E.

Top Five Action/Adventure/Fantasy

1. The Princess Bride
2. Indiana Jones (the first three)
3. Star Wars (the original three)
4. Lord of the Rings (all)
5. Blade Runner

Top Five Drama/Mystery

1. Rebecca
2. To Kill a Mockingbird
3. Schindler's List
4. Good Will Hunting
5. Dead Poets Society

Disneyland with Baby

Ah Disneyland, that famous landmark of childhood. I love to visit whenever I can (yes even as a young adult with no kids) but now I have a baby, and I wondered how things would be. Taking a nine month old baby to Disneyland may sound insane to some people, but I just had to give it a try. Lucky for us, we found that our little girl really seemed to enjoy her time in the magic kingdom. There are many rides and attractions that are suitable for babies, and several little perks that make taking a baby to the park a very reasonable proposition.

We started out by purchasing a three day park-hopper pass. These passes are often available for a discount, so it was not actually that much more than purchasing one day passes for each of the parks. The three day pass allowed us to break up our time into smaller chunks, just a few hours at a go, which was much more baby-friendly. When you have just a one day pass, one often feels like staying as long as humanly possible to get the most out of the experience.

Next, we rented a Disneyland stroller. Now this would not be necessary if we lived nearby, but since we had only our very small travel stroller along on this trip, it was better to pony up. The rental strollers are larger jogging type, and they offer much more comfort, storage, and sun protection that our little umbrella. Delphinium seemed quite happy to tool around in style. One stroller tip. Put a diaper in a clear plastic bag, and tie it to the handle of the stroller. There are so many of the same rental stroller around the park that some people make mistakes and take the wrong one. A seemingly dirty diaper keeps this from happening.

Now what did we do with the baby once we got into the park? There were two different approaches, and we used them both at different times. On our first visit, we had several other family members along as well. This is when we took advantage of the Kid Switch Pass. On a ride with Fastpass, go up to the castmember working this line, and ask for a Kid Switch Pass. Then, the group goes and waits in line and rides the attraction as they normally would. One adult remains with the baby, and then when the rest return he or she uses the Kid Switch Pass to go up the Fastpass return with one other adult. It's a great way to ensure that everyone gets to ride without having to wait in line twice. We got to ride Splash Mountain that way, and it worked perfectly! Wheeeee! We got soaked!

We took the baby on the haunted mansion (it was a little loud in the elevator, but I covered her ears) without any sadness, and then the Jungle Cruise got more than one "oooo" of appreciation from her. Adults also rode Space Mountain, Matterhorn, Big Thunder, and Pirate of the Caribbean. It was a great day, and our girl stayed awake the ENTIRE time. The last thing we did was visit Small World which is definitely a baby-friendly attraction if ever there was one.

Small World was, hands down, the baby's favorite ride. She was dancing in our arms while we were still waiting to get in the boat. The fabulous '60's era decorations, and the magical clock-work figures were just her cup of tea, and she made it clear to everyone in a ten foot radius how excited she was. It only got better once we got inside. She sat on Grandma's lap and watched it all with her mouth open. Anyone who says a baby can't really appreciate Disneyland is crazy.

Our very last day in the park it was only Mommy, Daddy, and Baby. On this day, we used the second approach to taking Baby to Disney. The whole day we did only things she could do with us. We rode the Finding Nemo submarines, went for a spin on the carousel (the only thing in the whole park that threatened to make her cry), rode the river boat (I haven't done that in years), and visited the petting zoo. Did you even know there was a petting zoo? Neither did I, but she had a ball meeting the world's cleanest goats. In short, we made it all about her. The pace was slow, the activities were limited, and it was such a wonderful time for all of us. I love seeing things from her perspective.

Some argue that babies don't really belong in Disneyland since they won't remember their experience. However, her enjoyment is something that will remain with her if in a less tangible way. Also, watching her enjoy the place is now one of my most memorable experiences there. I would take her back in a heartbeat.

Lunar New Year '11

Happy new year to all those who follow the lunar calendar!  I am told we are now entering the year of the metal rabbit, and this translates into a very polite and decorous time to come.  Diplomacy will be the order of the day, and we will all take time to stop and appreciate beauty in the world around us.  It sounds very nice.  Of course this is also supposed to describe the personalities of the people born in rabbit years.  Given that my eldest brother is a rabbit, I am really very suspicion about such predictions.  No matter what you believe; have a happy new year.  May it be a good one for you and yours.

Flying with Baby Six Months vs. Nine

I was completely floored by how well the baby did on our airplane flights to South Africa.  She slept for much of the trip, and when she was awake, she was cheerful and easily amused.  We got compliments from other passengers.  That was at six months old.  Now that we are nine months, things have changed. 

Our trip to LA was only just under three hours, but for that short time, it was much tougher to manage Delphinium.  She is so much stronger now that just keeping her in the seat and not on the other passengers was a challenge.  She wanted to explore and investigate EVERYTHING.  Can I chew the seat in front?  Can I kick it?  Can I take the things out of the back pocket?  Can I chew them?  Can I chew our seat?  What about the man next to us?  I can't say she wasn't good-natured because she was, but it was still far more exhausting.  I can understand why some parents just give up and let them run wild.  Maybe we can just drive everywhere until she's six or seven. 

Cute Baby Bits #8543

While in her walker, Delphinium likes to steal the dish towels off the rail of the oven door.  Sometimes you'll find her festooned with three or four of them to the point where she can hardly see where she's going.  However, removal of said towels is cause for much indignation.  I've found it best just to let her have her fun even if it does mean she's cruising around at approximately 800mph with zero visibility.  The only thing she can really injure is unsuspecting grown-up feet. 

Baby Loves Picasso

Recently we were lucky enough (thanks M for organizing) to see the visiting Picasso exhibition at our local art museum.  We went because we wanted to see the work, and we thought the baby wouldn't mind tagging along.  There was a fair amount of waiting in line and crowding involved, and I started to worry that Delphinium would not enjoy herself at all, but it turns out there is a lot for a baby to look at in an art museum. 

She observed many paintings and sculptures without comment, but showed some preference for one or two pieces (mostly featuring naked bosoms surprise surprise) with waving hands.  Then, near the end of the collection, we came upon this painting.  Delphinium went wild.  She waved her arms and legs like mad, and then she started chattering away.  I don't know why she loved it so much, but we tested it out more than once, taking her away to view similar work (no response) and then back again to her favorite (huge enthusiasm).  I don't know if we should buy her a print or not.  Being eight feet tall may have been a part of the appeal.  I wonder what she'd think of Monet...

Vacation Silence

I'm afraid I've been a very bad mommy blogger of late.  Ten days without a post is pretty shocking I admit.  We've been away on vacation for the last many days, and unfortunatley I didn't save up anything to post while I was gone.  Nonetheless, I have many cute stories (Disneyland!) from our trip plus a few other things I've been meaning to write up.  Baby willing we should be up and running soon.

Crawling Part 2

Well that didn't take long!  We enjoyed about one week of Delphinium being contained to the living room with her crawling.  It was nice to be able to leave her in there while we ran to the bathroom or got the laundry going.  We can't do that any more because last night she figured out the trick to getting up the one step into the rest of the house.  I'm not sure exactly how she did it, but some combination of wriggling and squiggling got those knees up on the higher level. 

After successfully summiting the step, our girl made a grand tour of all those rooms she hasn't been able to visit before.  Who knew that the bathroom, hallway, and laundry could be so interesting?  Also, the family room is a whole different place when you aren't hampered by your huge walker.  It was an especially impressive feat given that she was crawling on the smooth laminate floors which takes a lot more work than the nice grippy carpet.  Luckily, she didn't seem to notice the stairs, but I'm sure that will also be coming right up.

M and I just sat on the floor and watched her cruise around.  She was incredibly proud of herself for the accomplishment, and I think she would have crawled around all night if we'd let her.  It was one of those smack you in the heart moments where you realize just how much your little noodle baby has grown up.  Is it just me or does it seem like the first year is nothing but those kinds of moments? 

The Walker

While in South Africa, the baby made the acquaintance of that wonderful invention known as the walker. Not the kind your grandmother used in her later years, but the ring with wheels and a seat for babies who are too young to walk on their own. She was a little hesitant at first getting her feet under her and learning to push off. For one who afternoon she could only go backwards and very, very slowly at that. Soon enough she was exploring granny's house and patio and generally having a ball with all that new-found independence. When we left that thing behind (it was only borrowed) it was with more than one backward glance.

That is why, when we got home again, I knew we had to get our own walker. At first I thought we might not be able to get one at all since I knew they were frowned upon by the medical establishment (it seems that some people do not realize the damage a baby can do if they go over an edge). However, we soon spotted one in our favorite baby store, and I was happy to see that it was not a relic from the '80's. It seems that walkers are still sold in the U.S. with just a few modifications to make them safer.

Once we got the thing home I did have a quiver of doubt. The fixed back wheels made it purposefully clunky so that babies are not as maneuverable as they were in the old version which moved like a nimble office chair. I shouldn't have worried. Within a very short time Delphinium was racing around our family room (properly cordoned off so she won't escape) with all the finesse of a racing driver. Not only is she fast, but she can avoid obstacles, correct her course before she gets stuck, and even reverse on a dime.

Now she chases us around. When I'm cooking she often comes into the kitchen to see what I'm doing. She does not hesitate to roll right over your toes in her desire to get right up to the action. On more than one occasion she's run up behind me and grabbed the ties on my apron as a means of getting my attention. She also likes to "help" with unloading the dishwasher. Luckily there are many fascinating things for a baby to do when she's so mobile, so she often has to race off and inspect the kitty or wave at herself in the glass door of the oven. I'm not sure how long the joy of the walker can last, but it stays fun for a while yet.

P.C. Run Amok?

Perhaps the Christmas season brings it out in people, but questions about being politically correct seem all-pervasive these days.  Lately I've even been accused of being overly sensitive about some things.  It's true that I have suffered through quite a large number of "sensitivity" classes during my time as a teacher (No! no! not as a punishment for bad behavior!).  Let me explain the situations, and you can be the judge.

It all started back around Thanksgiving.  I noticed that those so-bad-they're-good pilgrim candles from our childhoods are back on the shelves as centerpieces.  The only difference is that they now include some "natives" (their words not mine) with the puritans.  Now it just seems to me that this is an uncomfortable Thanksgiving theme given that the indigenous people went on to suffer so much at the hands of the invaders.  Should we include even the pilgrims on our table? Others maintain that being inclusive is always better than being exclusive.  Hmmm.

Next came the book I picked up for Delphinium.  It's a cute little counting book featuring a black family who make dinner together.  Only when I got it home and looked closely did I realize that the family is cooking fried chicken, collard greens, and other traditional (stereotypical?) foods.  I think this is in poor taste, but other say it is simply a celebration of cultural heritage.  Hmmm

Last comes the naming of a new road in our community.  The road is there solely to serve as a feeder for the new Catholic high school.  The name of this new road?  Crusader Way!  I do not think this is appropriate at all given the tragic nature of the crusades and the dubious-at-best reputation of the "crusaders."  Some say these are simply historical figures and therefore a fine source for school pride and the city grid.  Hmmm.

Crawling!

When we put up the Christmas tree, I was able to set the baby on a blanket so she could watch us and play with her toys if she wanted.  We had a wonderful time showing her the ornaments and listening to her cute sounds of amazement when the tree first appeared and the lights first came on.  Now we are in the process of taking down the tree, and the baby is crawling (CRAWLING!) up to help out.  I actually caught her stretching up as far as she could to try and grab one of the lower branches in her mouth (luckily I'm faster than she is). 

I just can't believe how quickly this has happened.  She's been up on all fours for some time now, but just a few weeks ago she started rocking, and that seemed to be the final piece.  Now she's working on coordination, but she can zip across the room faster than you'd believe.  Now that the world is her oyster, she is no longer satisfied by the toys on her blanket.  She'd rather enjoy some computer cables, a magazine, or the kitty instead.  At least our fat old kitties are getting some exercise this way! 

The next step?  She's working on getting up the single step so she can leave the living room and explore the rest of the rooms.   Of course this means we need to redouble our child-proofing efforts.  Very, very soon she's going to be discovering the stairs, and then there will be trouble if they aren't gated.  I get the feeling that life is never going to be the same. 

New Year's Resolutions '11

Looking back on previous years it seems that I usually focus fairly heavily on resolutions involving work.  That means this year is a whole new game.  One of the hardest parts about losing your working identity to stay at home is that you can no longer talk about what you do without sounding trivial.  Don't get me wrong, I know my mommy job is extremely important, but the component pieces don't exactly sound that way.  Therefore, forgive me if these resolutions seem a bit small scale:

1. Exercise at least three times a week (Isn't this one perennial?)
2. Write at least three cards or letters per month
3. Divide house into seven parts and clean one part each day
4. Cook more foods/meals from scratch (I used to be able to do this, and I know I can again)
5. Eat less sugar
6. Get more news (I've been really bad about this since the baby arrived)
7. Do fun outings for Baby
8. Be patient
9. Judge less
10. Go on dates with M.

Happy New Year '11

We spend January 1 walking through our lives, room by room, drawing up a list of work to be done, cracks to be patched. Maybe this year, to balance the list, we ought to walk through the rooms of our lives... not looking for flaws, but for potential. ~Ellen Goodman