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Sunday, May 8, 2011
Thursday, May 5, 2011
May 7th, 2011
Mom's Stuff:
I just finished reading Bossypants by Tina Fey. I love her work (30 Rock and SNL) and I heard the book was good. It was a fun and fairly easy read and it was great to get to relax with it on the bus for a few days this week between grading. But the chapter entitled "Juggle This" was really something. Let me give you some of the highlights that made my night (as well as some of thoughts - or "metacognitive notes" as my students would say):
"I will start by saying that I have once or twice been offered a 'mother of the year' award by working-mom groups or a mommy magazine, and I always decline. How could they possibly know if I'm a good mother? How can any of us know until the kid is thirty-three and all the personality dust has really settled?" "'How do you juggle it all?' people constantly ask me, with an accusatory look in their eyes. 'You're fucking it all up, aren't you?' their eyes say.'"
(On a side note, when was the last time you heard of a guy being asked "how do you do it all?" in reference to work and child care?)
"I would tell myself 'Once I have the baby full-time to myself, everything will be easier.' And then it hit me; that day was not coming. This 'work' thing was not going away. There was no prolonged stretch of time in sight when it would be just the baby and me. And then I sobbed in my office for 10 minutes."
Yeah, I've done this. Of course, it was holed up in the staff bathroom since that was the only place I could go for three minutes of peace, but same basic idea.
"Of course I'm not supposed to admit that there is a triannual torrential sobbing in my office, because it's bad for the feminist cause. It makes it harder for women to be taken seriously in the workplace. It makes it harder for other working moms to justify their choice. But I have friends who stay at home with their kids and they also have a triannual sob, so I think we should call it even. I think we should be kind to one another about it. I think we should agree to blame the children."
Oh yeah. I had the same crying jag at home - the only difference was that there I just straight-up sobbed in front of my five-month old. Hopefully he won't remember until he has hypno-therapy as an adult.
"Also, there are many moments of my word that are deeply satisfying and fun. And almost as many moments of full-time motherhood that stink like Axe body spray on a brick of bleu cheese."
Couldn't have put it better myself.
LP's Stuff:
LP is starting to get the hang of waving. Of course, he only does it when people aren't looking, and he definitely doesn't wave when we say "Lucas, wave hello/bye-bye." (I think that might be the Levey side). But he does flop his hand around when people walk away from him, and he occasionally lets out something that sounds like "hi" if we say "hi" to him first. Also, he has seven teeth fully in, just in time to start munching on spring veggies. Yay!
One more thing: one of the ways that the G-man gets LP to drink his soy milk before bed is to show LP that sloth bear (LP's favorite stuffed animal) is drinking the milk. Sometimes this results in LP sharing his milk with sloth bear first, then dad/G-man, and then LP takes a sip before the cycle starts over again. This can make getting ready for bed really drag out, but it is super cute!
Food:
Pasta is totally a toddler's best friend. We make a number of pasta dishes in our normal rotation, including garlic and greens pasta and beets and pasta. Last night we had a special treat - Pasta Primavera from The Vegan Table. It was a special treat because the spring veggies are just starting to appear in affordable form. LP was really into the pasta (which we also used to keep him busy while we cooked the veggies) and he sort of enjoyed the zucchini. With all his teeth it is easier to give him things that require some more chewing, so I look forward to more fresh-veggie based dishes for all of us as spring approaches.
Pictures:
Choo-choo!
Smart looking guy with his tie and glasses! This great outfit is courtesy of his (Great) Papa!
I just finished reading Bossypants by Tina Fey. I love her work (30 Rock and SNL) and I heard the book was good. It was a fun and fairly easy read and it was great to get to relax with it on the bus for a few days this week between grading. But the chapter entitled "Juggle This" was really something. Let me give you some of the highlights that made my night (as well as some of thoughts - or "metacognitive notes" as my students would say):
"I will start by saying that I have once or twice been offered a 'mother of the year' award by working-mom groups or a mommy magazine, and I always decline. How could they possibly know if I'm a good mother? How can any of us know until the kid is thirty-three and all the personality dust has really settled?" "'How do you juggle it all?' people constantly ask me, with an accusatory look in their eyes. 'You're fucking it all up, aren't you?' their eyes say.'"
(On a side note, when was the last time you heard of a guy being asked "how do you do it all?" in reference to work and child care?)
"I would tell myself 'Once I have the baby full-time to myself, everything will be easier.' And then it hit me; that day was not coming. This 'work' thing was not going away. There was no prolonged stretch of time in sight when it would be just the baby and me. And then I sobbed in my office for 10 minutes."
Yeah, I've done this. Of course, it was holed up in the staff bathroom since that was the only place I could go for three minutes of peace, but same basic idea.
"Of course I'm not supposed to admit that there is a triannual torrential sobbing in my office, because it's bad for the feminist cause. It makes it harder for women to be taken seriously in the workplace. It makes it harder for other working moms to justify their choice. But I have friends who stay at home with their kids and they also have a triannual sob, so I think we should call it even. I think we should be kind to one another about it. I think we should agree to blame the children."
Oh yeah. I had the same crying jag at home - the only difference was that there I just straight-up sobbed in front of my five-month old. Hopefully he won't remember until he has hypno-therapy as an adult.
"Also, there are many moments of my word that are deeply satisfying and fun. And almost as many moments of full-time motherhood that stink like Axe body spray on a brick of bleu cheese."
Couldn't have put it better myself.
LP's Stuff:
LP is starting to get the hang of waving. Of course, he only does it when people aren't looking, and he definitely doesn't wave when we say "Lucas, wave hello/bye-bye." (I think that might be the Levey side). But he does flop his hand around when people walk away from him, and he occasionally lets out something that sounds like "hi" if we say "hi" to him first. Also, he has seven teeth fully in, just in time to start munching on spring veggies. Yay!
One more thing: one of the ways that the G-man gets LP to drink his soy milk before bed is to show LP that sloth bear (LP's favorite stuffed animal) is drinking the milk. Sometimes this results in LP sharing his milk with sloth bear first, then dad/G-man, and then LP takes a sip before the cycle starts over again. This can make getting ready for bed really drag out, but it is super cute!
Food:
Pasta is totally a toddler's best friend. We make a number of pasta dishes in our normal rotation, including garlic and greens pasta and beets and pasta. Last night we had a special treat - Pasta Primavera from The Vegan Table. It was a special treat because the spring veggies are just starting to appear in affordable form. LP was really into the pasta (which we also used to keep him busy while we cooked the veggies) and he sort of enjoyed the zucchini. With all his teeth it is easier to give him things that require some more chewing, so I look forward to more fresh-veggie based dishes for all of us as spring approaches.
Pictures:
Choo-choo!
Smart looking guy with his tie and glasses! This great outfit is courtesy of his (Great) Papa!
Monday, May 2, 2011
May 2nd 2011
Mom's Stuff:
After participating in the Great Cloth Diaper Change a couple of weeks ago (and willing a stroller - thanks Diaper Lab) I began really thinking about how we use cloth diapers. I love our cloth diapers - we use the G-diapers with the cloth liners. However, we have been using disposable diapers at night for a while. And that has slowly been creeping into using disposables at nap time to. After talking to more cloth-diapering parents at the big diaper event I really started thinking about how I want to re-commit to cloth diapers all the time. It's hard because it is not fair for me to tell the G-man what to do during the day when he is the one who deals with the diapers. And often our G-diapers lead during naps and nighttime when LP is rolling around. But we tried another diaper (a pocket diaper) for a nap and it worked well. So, my new project is to get down to Diaper Lab and try out some other pocket diapers and go to all cloth all the time!
LP's Stuff:
LP and I thoroughly enjoyed a snack outside this afternoon. We got to sit on the porch, enjoy the sunshine and nibble on animal crackers! Spring is truly here! LP also enjoyed a jaunt to the park and the store today, so he got plenty of outside time. Tonight he also helped me with dinner - he picked up some pieces of kale for me and put then in the saute pan. Between that and the good job he does helping me mix up waffles we might have a little chef on our hands!
Food:
We recently enjoyed a fantastic meal of carrot ginger soup and warm bread from the bread maker. The soup came from The Vegan Table by Colleen Patrick-Goudrou. While this book is a book about entertaining, it has so many recipies that are part of our daily rotation. I can't recommend this book enough, even for busy families like ours!
Pictures:
After participating in the Great Cloth Diaper Change a couple of weeks ago (and willing a stroller - thanks Diaper Lab) I began really thinking about how we use cloth diapers. I love our cloth diapers - we use the G-diapers with the cloth liners. However, we have been using disposable diapers at night for a while. And that has slowly been creeping into using disposables at nap time to. After talking to more cloth-diapering parents at the big diaper event I really started thinking about how I want to re-commit to cloth diapers all the time. It's hard because it is not fair for me to tell the G-man what to do during the day when he is the one who deals with the diapers. And often our G-diapers lead during naps and nighttime when LP is rolling around. But we tried another diaper (a pocket diaper) for a nap and it worked well. So, my new project is to get down to Diaper Lab and try out some other pocket diapers and go to all cloth all the time!
LP's Stuff:
LP and I thoroughly enjoyed a snack outside this afternoon. We got to sit on the porch, enjoy the sunshine and nibble on animal crackers! Spring is truly here! LP also enjoyed a jaunt to the park and the store today, so he got plenty of outside time. Tonight he also helped me with dinner - he picked up some pieces of kale for me and put then in the saute pan. Between that and the good job he does helping me mix up waffles we might have a little chef on our hands!
Food:
We recently enjoyed a fantastic meal of carrot ginger soup and warm bread from the bread maker. The soup came from The Vegan Table by Colleen Patrick-Goudrou. While this book is a book about entertaining, it has so many recipies that are part of our daily rotation. I can't recommend this book enough, even for busy families like ours!
Pictures:
Sunday, May 1, 2011
May 1st, 2011
Mom's Stuff:
It's the time of year when job postings are out for educators. I get a lot of e-mails with these postings and I often browse to see what is availble out in the world. There were a couple of opportunities that sounded interesting, but I am not going to apply for them for a number of reasons (the chief one being that I really love the school I work in and the classes I teach right now). However, this browsing got me thinking about what career moves I would make in the next few years. I would be thinking about this entirely differently if I didn't have a one-year-old at home. In someways I feel like I'm a bit on the mommy track - I want to wait a few years until LP is in school before I start thinking about any big career moves. But it feels really strange to think about the "mommy-track" when I'm also the working parent while my husband stays home with our child. It's like career limbo in some ways. I'm supposed to be ambitious (since I'm in charge of bringing home the tempeh bacon) and I'm supposed to be home and help care for my child and the house (because I'm the woman). I don't know quite where to go with it since I'm not entirely sure what I want in the first place, since I can feel like I want either of these things at any given time.
Oh well. I'll guess I'll just keep plugging along with the parenting mantra that has gotten me through so far. The G-man and I have always said that LP will need therapy as a result of our parenting at some point - we just want to postpone it as long as possible :)
LP's Stuff:
First major injury! I guess that is not something to be excited about, but it is a milestone. Up until now LP has had bumps and bruises galore, including one really big goose egg over his eye just a couple weeks ago. But yesterday at the park LP raced to the first step of the play structure and went directly, mouth-first, into the second step. Screaming and bleeding ensued. He had managed to get a couple of cuts inside his mouth and one on his chin. The poor little guy cried for a while, but pretty soon he was ready to run around again. It is amazing how fast they recover from this stuff! Although, this morning he woke up looking like a prize-fighter with a purple, swollen bottom lip. That's my tough guy!
Food:
This week we are on a mission to get more vegetables in LP's diet. He gets a ton of fruit, grains, protein and fat, but most of his veggies come from our morning green smoothies. This is mostly because it is still hard for him to chew things like bell peppers or big stalks of broccoli. So this week we are on a mission to roast some veggies for LP to munch on. Tonight we are going to have "greens" bowls: Each bowl has a layer of quinoa (cooked with veggie broth), a layer of steamed kale (with a bit of lemon juice) and a top layer of roasted butternut squash. LP will miss out on the kale, but that ok because he had it for breakfast! (in the aforementioned smoothie!)
Pictures:
Yummy Carrot Ginger Soup!
It's the time of year when job postings are out for educators. I get a lot of e-mails with these postings and I often browse to see what is availble out in the world. There were a couple of opportunities that sounded interesting, but I am not going to apply for them for a number of reasons (the chief one being that I really love the school I work in and the classes I teach right now). However, this browsing got me thinking about what career moves I would make in the next few years. I would be thinking about this entirely differently if I didn't have a one-year-old at home. In someways I feel like I'm a bit on the mommy track - I want to wait a few years until LP is in school before I start thinking about any big career moves. But it feels really strange to think about the "mommy-track" when I'm also the working parent while my husband stays home with our child. It's like career limbo in some ways. I'm supposed to be ambitious (since I'm in charge of bringing home the tempeh bacon) and I'm supposed to be home and help care for my child and the house (because I'm the woman). I don't know quite where to go with it since I'm not entirely sure what I want in the first place, since I can feel like I want either of these things at any given time.
Oh well. I'll guess I'll just keep plugging along with the parenting mantra that has gotten me through so far. The G-man and I have always said that LP will need therapy as a result of our parenting at some point - we just want to postpone it as long as possible :)
LP's Stuff:
First major injury! I guess that is not something to be excited about, but it is a milestone. Up until now LP has had bumps and bruises galore, including one really big goose egg over his eye just a couple weeks ago. But yesterday at the park LP raced to the first step of the play structure and went directly, mouth-first, into the second step. Screaming and bleeding ensued. He had managed to get a couple of cuts inside his mouth and one on his chin. The poor little guy cried for a while, but pretty soon he was ready to run around again. It is amazing how fast they recover from this stuff! Although, this morning he woke up looking like a prize-fighter with a purple, swollen bottom lip. That's my tough guy!
Food:
This week we are on a mission to get more vegetables in LP's diet. He gets a ton of fruit, grains, protein and fat, but most of his veggies come from our morning green smoothies. This is mostly because it is still hard for him to chew things like bell peppers or big stalks of broccoli. So this week we are on a mission to roast some veggies for LP to munch on. Tonight we are going to have "greens" bowls: Each bowl has a layer of quinoa (cooked with veggie broth), a layer of steamed kale (with a bit of lemon juice) and a top layer of roasted butternut squash. LP will miss out on the kale, but that ok because he had it for breakfast! (in the aforementioned smoothie!)
Pictures:
Yummy Carrot Ginger Soup!
Wednesday, April 27, 2011
April 27th, 2011
Mom's Stuff:
Nothing better than a warm spring evening spent munching on pita and hummus with my husband and my baby while sitting on our front porch. 'Nuff said.
LP's Stuff:
Man, this kid is busy all the time!! Today he spent quite a while making laps around our car in the driveway, and an equal amount of time making laps around the recliner after dinner. LP just loves to move. One of his latest dance moves is to bob his head to the music - it is too cute! He also loves to go over to our CD player and press play so that he can hear his Barenaked Ladies CD "Snacktime." He also loves to listen to music from Glee with me (lucky for me - the G-man does not enjoy that quite as much!)
Food:
Tonight for dinner we had a delirious black bean soup with kale and rice from Vegan on the Cheap. LP enjoyed the carrots and he also had a great time eating buttered toast to go with the soup, all with a "side" of veggie dog. It was another amazing dinner from the G-man!
Pictures:
Our little Rock Star (thanks Auntie A!)
Nothing better than a warm spring evening spent munching on pita and hummus with my husband and my baby while sitting on our front porch. 'Nuff said.
LP's Stuff:
Man, this kid is busy all the time!! Today he spent quite a while making laps around our car in the driveway, and an equal amount of time making laps around the recliner after dinner. LP just loves to move. One of his latest dance moves is to bob his head to the music - it is too cute! He also loves to go over to our CD player and press play so that he can hear his Barenaked Ladies CD "Snacktime." He also loves to listen to music from Glee with me (lucky for me - the G-man does not enjoy that quite as much!)
Food:
Tonight for dinner we had a delirious black bean soup with kale and rice from Vegan on the Cheap. LP enjoyed the carrots and he also had a great time eating buttered toast to go with the soup, all with a "side" of veggie dog. It was another amazing dinner from the G-man!
Pictures:
Our little Rock Star (thanks Auntie A!)
Monday, April 25, 2011
April 25th, 2011
Mom's Stuff:
Nothing like a week off with my boys to feel good about life. LP is so fun these days . . . tiring but fun! I love running around after him, or taking him on a walk and watch him scurry around so that he can touch and play with all the interesting things in the world (ya know, like grass in the sidewalk, the slide at the park, a shrub that his dad is cutting down). Watching him really makes me want to slow down and live in the moment a bit more. It is easy to get caught up in all the things we have to do day in and day out, and I pretty quickly get obsessed in planning what I'm teaching next week, what we are having for dinner tomorrow, and generally planning for the future at the expense of enjoying the moment. Having time to just enjoy LP this week reminded me why the moments matter so much, and I'm resolved to live them more!
LP's Stuff:
Yesterday was LP's second Easter, but I like to think it counted more since he was totally a blob last year at this time. LP got to go on the neighborhood egg hunt and he had a ton of fun putting plastic eggs in his Easter basket - and then pulling them out and putting them in again! We were pretty impressed since he had to stay up past his nap time, but he was a trooper, and didn't even want to go to bed when the fun was done.
LP is also growing more teeth! He is up to six - three on the top and three on the bottom. He is getting even more adept at running around and now can reach most of our tables, where he routinely runs his hands across them trying to get a handle on things he is not supposed to have.
Finally, LP had a GREAT time with his grandparents (AZ) this week. He took them to the park and showed them his favorite slides. He also provided them with a night full of crying and screaming to help them feel nostalgic for my own baby days :) We all had a great time and miss them lots.
Food:
In a quest to get more greens in my diet I have started making green smoothies in the mornings. Happily LP LOVES these smoothies and usually ends up drinking half of mine! As a previous green-smoothie-phobe I can attest to these smoothies yumminess. Now I even enjoy the green color rather than having to close my eyes when I drink it!
Green Smoothie:
About 1 cup of frozen mango
About one cup chopped and rinsed (and maybe frozen) kale
1 banana
Orange Juice and water (as much as needed
Its a smoothie. Blend it a long time to get the kale really mixed in. If you want your omega-3s, blend in a couple tablespoons of flax seeds! Share with a baby for some weekend fun!
Video: The Easter Egg Hunt!
Nothing like a week off with my boys to feel good about life. LP is so fun these days . . . tiring but fun! I love running around after him, or taking him on a walk and watch him scurry around so that he can touch and play with all the interesting things in the world (ya know, like grass in the sidewalk, the slide at the park, a shrub that his dad is cutting down). Watching him really makes me want to slow down and live in the moment a bit more. It is easy to get caught up in all the things we have to do day in and day out, and I pretty quickly get obsessed in planning what I'm teaching next week, what we are having for dinner tomorrow, and generally planning for the future at the expense of enjoying the moment. Having time to just enjoy LP this week reminded me why the moments matter so much, and I'm resolved to live them more!
LP's Stuff:
Yesterday was LP's second Easter, but I like to think it counted more since he was totally a blob last year at this time. LP got to go on the neighborhood egg hunt and he had a ton of fun putting plastic eggs in his Easter basket - and then pulling them out and putting them in again! We were pretty impressed since he had to stay up past his nap time, but he was a trooper, and didn't even want to go to bed when the fun was done.
LP is also growing more teeth! He is up to six - three on the top and three on the bottom. He is getting even more adept at running around and now can reach most of our tables, where he routinely runs his hands across them trying to get a handle on things he is not supposed to have.
Finally, LP had a GREAT time with his grandparents (AZ) this week. He took them to the park and showed them his favorite slides. He also provided them with a night full of crying and screaming to help them feel nostalgic for my own baby days :) We all had a great time and miss them lots.
Food:
In a quest to get more greens in my diet I have started making green smoothies in the mornings. Happily LP LOVES these smoothies and usually ends up drinking half of mine! As a previous green-smoothie-phobe I can attest to these smoothies yumminess. Now I even enjoy the green color rather than having to close my eyes when I drink it!
Green Smoothie:
About 1 cup of frozen mango
About one cup chopped and rinsed (and maybe frozen) kale
1 banana
Orange Juice and water (as much as needed
Its a smoothie. Blend it a long time to get the kale really mixed in. If you want your omega-3s, blend in a couple tablespoons of flax seeds! Share with a baby for some weekend fun!
Video: The Easter Egg Hunt!
Tuesday, April 12, 2011
April 12th, 2011
Mom's Stuff:
Recently, I was talking to another hard-working mom (who has three kids) about some work issues when we suddenly veered into "outside-work-life" territory. I had had a rough day and had been going straight through teaching or with meetings since 8 am (and it was then 4:30 pm), so at some point in the conversation I simply said "how do you do it?" This woman is very dedicated and works incredibly hard. I see her doing such a great job at work and I just didn't understand - I am barely hanging on sometimes with one child and a husband who is home. I continued my question/comment by saying "I just feel guilty for everything all the time."
Now, I have been saying this to many people for quite a while now. This whole "guilty-all-the-time-for-everything" thing. And most people I talk to say very nice and well-meaning things like "Don't feel guilty! There is nothing to feel guilty for" or "You shouldn't feel guilty at all! You work so hard." All kind, generous responses, but to be honest, none of them really made me feel much better. But here is what this woman said:
"Oh that? You never get over that - you just feel guilty all the time."
And you know what? I felt so much better. Because I'm not a drama queen. I'm not bizzare. I don't have a complex (or at least not about this). I'm just a mom. And our society, with it's ridiculous expectations of super-moms (and super-teachers) is going to make us feel guilty. I'm going to feel that way - it comes with the parenthood package just like poopy diapers. Somehow this validation and the diaper metaphor makes me feel a whole lot better.
LP's Stuff:
LP cannot stop talking these days. "Goo goo" this and "ga ga" this. I used to think that "goo goo" and "ga ga" were only for cartoon babies, but these sounds emcompass LP's entire vocabulary these days. He is hilarious as he babbles and points at things emphatically. Sometimes we can figure out what he is telling us (which we often think is "hand me that thing I really want because it is super dangerous - and therefore intersting). Other times he engaged in one of his favorite pastimes - pointing out dogs and cats in his books or on our streets. He is fascinated by these furry creatures, much to our poor cat's chagrin.
LP also continues to run around like a mad man quite often. Last night he just made lap after lap around the recliner in the living room for no apparent reason. It reminded me of when my dog used to race up and down the hallway. LP is also getting better at clean-up time. Sometimes he will put all his legos in the bin - and then about half the time he dumps them all out again. Oh well - baby steps (no pun intended).
Food:
LP is a really big fan of miso soup. He can't get enough of that stuff! He is also getting pretty handy with a fork - he is getting pretty good at stabbing bits of mushroom, bread or whatever other goods are on his tray. Of course sometimes he is more interested in stabbing the food than eating it, but who said food couldn't be fun too!
Pictures:
Recently, I was talking to another hard-working mom (who has three kids) about some work issues when we suddenly veered into "outside-work-life" territory. I had had a rough day and had been going straight through teaching or with meetings since 8 am (and it was then 4:30 pm), so at some point in the conversation I simply said "how do you do it?" This woman is very dedicated and works incredibly hard. I see her doing such a great job at work and I just didn't understand - I am barely hanging on sometimes with one child and a husband who is home. I continued my question/comment by saying "I just feel guilty for everything all the time."
Now, I have been saying this to many people for quite a while now. This whole "guilty-all-the-time-for-everything" thing. And most people I talk to say very nice and well-meaning things like "Don't feel guilty! There is nothing to feel guilty for" or "You shouldn't feel guilty at all! You work so hard." All kind, generous responses, but to be honest, none of them really made me feel much better. But here is what this woman said:
"Oh that? You never get over that - you just feel guilty all the time."
And you know what? I felt so much better. Because I'm not a drama queen. I'm not bizzare. I don't have a complex (or at least not about this). I'm just a mom. And our society, with it's ridiculous expectations of super-moms (and super-teachers) is going to make us feel guilty. I'm going to feel that way - it comes with the parenthood package just like poopy diapers. Somehow this validation and the diaper metaphor makes me feel a whole lot better.
LP's Stuff:
LP cannot stop talking these days. "Goo goo" this and "ga ga" this. I used to think that "goo goo" and "ga ga" were only for cartoon babies, but these sounds emcompass LP's entire vocabulary these days. He is hilarious as he babbles and points at things emphatically. Sometimes we can figure out what he is telling us (which we often think is "hand me that thing I really want because it is super dangerous - and therefore intersting). Other times he engaged in one of his favorite pastimes - pointing out dogs and cats in his books or on our streets. He is fascinated by these furry creatures, much to our poor cat's chagrin.
LP also continues to run around like a mad man quite often. Last night he just made lap after lap around the recliner in the living room for no apparent reason. It reminded me of when my dog used to race up and down the hallway. LP is also getting better at clean-up time. Sometimes he will put all his legos in the bin - and then about half the time he dumps them all out again. Oh well - baby steps (no pun intended).
Food:
LP is a really big fan of miso soup. He can't get enough of that stuff! He is also getting pretty handy with a fork - he is getting pretty good at stabbing bits of mushroom, bread or whatever other goods are on his tray. Of course sometimes he is more interested in stabbing the food than eating it, but who said food couldn't be fun too!
Pictures:
Tuesday, March 29, 2011
March 29th, 2011
Mom's Stuff:
I've been thinking a lot recently about what it means to be a "working mom." First of all EVERY mom I know is a working mom - and every dad I know is a working dad - and every same-sex couple I know has a pair of working moms or working dads. Here is some news for anyone thinking of having children: parenting is serious work!!! And someone also has to earn money somewhere in there as well.
I'm incredibly lucky to have my amazing husband also be a stay-at-home-dad. But he works his butt off, and so do I, both as a mom, and in my full-time bread-winning role (by the way, there has got to be another name for that. I mean, come'on. I barely buy bread, let alone win it!). I often feel a like I would like to talk to more women in my position. I have read some stuff about life from the stay-at-home-dad, or about working moms where both parents work outside the home. And I sometimes feel like a total whiner when I start to feel like my life is too hard - because I have it soooo much better than most people. I would love to talk to more moms in my situation if they are out there. I feel like I would like to talk to others who have navigated the mom/breadwinner role and hear their thoughts - not for answers, but just someone else to validate the thoughts and feelings I have.
LP's Stuff:
LP had a great time at his first birthday party last weekend. He enjoyed a huge cupcake (all for him!) and running around with some really great "big" kids. Of course, to be fair, almost every kid is "big" to him. He also had a great time with his aunt and her awesome roommate! They did a good job keeping LP busy all weekend! LP has figured out how to give hugs, and he is having fun with it. When he and the G-man went to Together in Motion LP went around hugging a bunch of kids. The only problem is his "hugs" often start from behind the kid and involves his arms around their neck. He means well, but it isn't the most effective way to approach someone. Luckily, he also gives people great hugs from the normal way, which his dad and I are enjoying immensely!
LP is learning to communicate with more than hugs. He has learned the sign for "more" which is great at meal time. Unfortunately, he thinks it is the sign for "gimme what I want" and uses it whenever he wants something that he can't have (chocolate chips, dad's wine, a knife, etc.) In his defense, that meaning makes as much sense as "more" from his experiance of the sign (where he makes it, we applaud and then give him more of what he wanted). So, we're working on clarifying the meaning for him.
Food:
LP continues to eat what we eat, and a lot of it! He chowed down on two pieces of vegan pizza from Peace 'O Pie last week, and over the weekend he enjoyed toast, cupcakes, lentils and numerous other goodies. This week he has enjoyed dinners of risotto, lentil/orzo soup and he continues to follow his routine of blueberry baby mix in the morning, followed by avocado and veggie dogs or tempeh (sometimes with some miso soup thrown in) for lunch.
Pictures:
I've been thinking a lot recently about what it means to be a "working mom." First of all EVERY mom I know is a working mom - and every dad I know is a working dad - and every same-sex couple I know has a pair of working moms or working dads. Here is some news for anyone thinking of having children: parenting is serious work!!! And someone also has to earn money somewhere in there as well.
I'm incredibly lucky to have my amazing husband also be a stay-at-home-dad. But he works his butt off, and so do I, both as a mom, and in my full-time bread-winning role (by the way, there has got to be another name for that. I mean, come'on. I barely buy bread, let alone win it!). I often feel a like I would like to talk to more women in my position. I have read some stuff about life from the stay-at-home-dad, or about working moms where both parents work outside the home. And I sometimes feel like a total whiner when I start to feel like my life is too hard - because I have it soooo much better than most people. I would love to talk to more moms in my situation if they are out there. I feel like I would like to talk to others who have navigated the mom/breadwinner role and hear their thoughts - not for answers, but just someone else to validate the thoughts and feelings I have.
LP's Stuff:
LP had a great time at his first birthday party last weekend. He enjoyed a huge cupcake (all for him!) and running around with some really great "big" kids. Of course, to be fair, almost every kid is "big" to him. He also had a great time with his aunt and her awesome roommate! They did a good job keeping LP busy all weekend! LP has figured out how to give hugs, and he is having fun with it. When he and the G-man went to Together in Motion LP went around hugging a bunch of kids. The only problem is his "hugs" often start from behind the kid and involves his arms around their neck. He means well, but it isn't the most effective way to approach someone. Luckily, he also gives people great hugs from the normal way, which his dad and I are enjoying immensely!
LP is learning to communicate with more than hugs. He has learned the sign for "more" which is great at meal time. Unfortunately, he thinks it is the sign for "gimme what I want" and uses it whenever he wants something that he can't have (chocolate chips, dad's wine, a knife, etc.) In his defense, that meaning makes as much sense as "more" from his experiance of the sign (where he makes it, we applaud and then give him more of what he wanted). So, we're working on clarifying the meaning for him.
Food:
LP continues to eat what we eat, and a lot of it! He chowed down on two pieces of vegan pizza from Peace 'O Pie last week, and over the weekend he enjoyed toast, cupcakes, lentils and numerous other goodies. This week he has enjoyed dinners of risotto, lentil/orzo soup and he continues to follow his routine of blueberry baby mix in the morning, followed by avocado and veggie dogs or tempeh (sometimes with some miso soup thrown in) for lunch.
Pictures:
Tuesday, March 15, 2011
March 15th, 2011
Mom's Stuff:
I'm hesitant to jinx it, but I'm feel pretty good about how things have been going lately. The weather is getting better, so I am able to bike to work again (and therefore get home earlier - biking is faster than taking the bus)! I've been getting home in time to hang out with LP and for the whole family to eat dinner together. I've also tried to keep my work at home to a reasonable level, which means working a lot more on Friday afternoons and giving up on some things. Some (ok, a lot) of my lessons haven't gone as well as they could have, and some papers have not gotten graded as quickly as possible, but I am getting the basics done. And, most importantly, I get to see my little guy as much as possible!
LP's Stuff:
We both love LP, but his dad and both agree - he can be quite a destructive force! LP wants to move ALL the time. He is pretty much done with nursing before bedtime, but that has turned bedtime into a bit of a battle to get him to calm down. The time change this weekend did not help with this process. However, LP really is an incredibly great kid. He loves being able to go outside and run around. He loves getting to go for rides to the park or the store in his really awesome red wagon. He also can be quite a party animal - he went out to a friend's house with us a few weekends ago and he was the life of the party until 9 pm when Dad and I started to poop out!
LP is also starting to get more sounds and play with talking a bit more. He now says "ga" for any furry four-legged creature (including both dogs and cats). He hasn't said "ma" for a few weeks, and he still hasn't said "da" at all, but he does know a "ga" when he sees one! He is also asserting his will a bit more and demanding that he handle his own spoon during meals, which means that both hilarity and extreme messiness result.
Food:
As a vegan family, we do want to make sure our baby gets enough protein. Frankly, any family should make sure their baby gets enough protein - and the best stuff doesn't come from animals! LP is a huge fan of tempeh especially when it is marinated. We usually marinate cubes in the smokey tempeh marinade (which has some veggie broth, soy sauce, garlic, maple syrup and a bit of liquid smoke) from Veganomicon and then grill them on a cast iron skillet for about 5 minutes on each side. These little cube are great hot, cool or heated up again in the microwave or toaster over. LP loves then - we just cut them up into baby-friendly pieces and stick them on his tray - he eats this high-quality protein right up!
Pictures:
I'm hesitant to jinx it, but I'm feel pretty good about how things have been going lately. The weather is getting better, so I am able to bike to work again (and therefore get home earlier - biking is faster than taking the bus)! I've been getting home in time to hang out with LP and for the whole family to eat dinner together. I've also tried to keep my work at home to a reasonable level, which means working a lot more on Friday afternoons and giving up on some things. Some (ok, a lot) of my lessons haven't gone as well as they could have, and some papers have not gotten graded as quickly as possible, but I am getting the basics done. And, most importantly, I get to see my little guy as much as possible!
LP's Stuff:
We both love LP, but his dad and both agree - he can be quite a destructive force! LP wants to move ALL the time. He is pretty much done with nursing before bedtime, but that has turned bedtime into a bit of a battle to get him to calm down. The time change this weekend did not help with this process. However, LP really is an incredibly great kid. He loves being able to go outside and run around. He loves getting to go for rides to the park or the store in his really awesome red wagon. He also can be quite a party animal - he went out to a friend's house with us a few weekends ago and he was the life of the party until 9 pm when Dad and I started to poop out!
LP is also starting to get more sounds and play with talking a bit more. He now says "ga" for any furry four-legged creature (including both dogs and cats). He hasn't said "ma" for a few weeks, and he still hasn't said "da" at all, but he does know a "ga" when he sees one! He is also asserting his will a bit more and demanding that he handle his own spoon during meals, which means that both hilarity and extreme messiness result.
Food:
As a vegan family, we do want to make sure our baby gets enough protein. Frankly, any family should make sure their baby gets enough protein - and the best stuff doesn't come from animals! LP is a huge fan of tempeh especially when it is marinated. We usually marinate cubes in the smokey tempeh marinade (which has some veggie broth, soy sauce, garlic, maple syrup and a bit of liquid smoke) from Veganomicon and then grill them on a cast iron skillet for about 5 minutes on each side. These little cube are great hot, cool or heated up again in the microwave or toaster over. LP loves then - we just cut them up into baby-friendly pieces and stick them on his tray - he eats this high-quality protein right up!
Pictures:
Friday, March 4, 2011
March 3rd, 2011
Mom's Stuff:
Today is a big day - LP is turning one year old! It is kind if exciting to look back and think about where I was a year ago - in a ton of pain, but still pretty excited. I still pretty vividly remember the point in labor where I realized that, no matter how much pain I was in, the kid wasn't going to turn around - the sooner he (it) was out, the better off I was going to be! It is really amazing to look at LP now and think about the fact that, a year ago he was just an abstract idea in many ways - we didn't even know his sex, and my only focus was to get him out of my body as fast as humanly possible. Now he is a walking, (sorta) talking little dude, with a ton a personality! Sometimes I don't know how much I am really molding my child - he dad is the one who is home with him all day. But then every once in a while I see my influence (genetic or otherwise) creeping out- usually when LP asserts his will. Watching LP grow and change this first year has been totally amazing, and it makes me so happy to think about all the fun, interesting, exciting (as well as painful, excruciating, difficult and intense) times we will continue to have with him year after year. And so continues the roller-coaster we call parenting.
LP's Stuff:
For his first birthday LP had a wonderful day! He and his dad went to the Museum of Science, where he got to run around the children's area (and I mean literally run). LP and his dad also hung out and watched the tamarind monkeys for a while, and the museum host wished LP a happy birthday! The boys then came home for LP's nap, after which he opened his presents and skyped with his grandma and grandpa. Finally, he ended his special day with a special dinner - pizza! We made a yummy pizza with Daiya cheese, bell peppers, red onions and pineapple - and LP loved it!! He really enjoyed the sticky cheese, and he had a goopy, cheesy grin after each bite. He followed up by skyping with his Uncle and then going to bed after a nightly reading of Goodnight Moon. All in all it was a busy day for a little guy, but he had a great time on his first day as a one-year old!
Food Stuff:
As mentioned above, our little vegan baby did enjoy his first vegan cheese! He is long beyond baby mush as food, so here is a little "taste" of LP's favorite foods these days:
Green Smoothies: I have been making green smoothies using kale, frozen mango, banana and orange juice. These smoothies are really delicious, according to both me and LP. When I am enjoying my smoothie in the morning, he shares with me by using his new-found straw-sucking skill. I'm not measuring, but I think it is safe to say he is getting about a 1/3 of my glass. Grilled Tempeh: We have been loving the smoky grilled tempeh recipe from Veganomicon. It involves a marinade of maple syrup, soy sauce, garlic and liquid smoke - need I say more. We marinate the tempeh and grill it up and it is a favorite of LP. He enjoys it so much, he often won't have much else on his plate if we bring out the tempeh first!
Pictures and Video:
LP with his great-grandparents (he has four of them - how awesome is that!)
I'll help you clean dad!
Today is a big day - LP is turning one year old! It is kind if exciting to look back and think about where I was a year ago - in a ton of pain, but still pretty excited. I still pretty vividly remember the point in labor where I realized that, no matter how much pain I was in, the kid wasn't going to turn around - the sooner he (it) was out, the better off I was going to be! It is really amazing to look at LP now and think about the fact that, a year ago he was just an abstract idea in many ways - we didn't even know his sex, and my only focus was to get him out of my body as fast as humanly possible. Now he is a walking, (sorta) talking little dude, with a ton a personality! Sometimes I don't know how much I am really molding my child - he dad is the one who is home with him all day. But then every once in a while I see my influence (genetic or otherwise) creeping out- usually when LP asserts his will. Watching LP grow and change this first year has been totally amazing, and it makes me so happy to think about all the fun, interesting, exciting (as well as painful, excruciating, difficult and intense) times we will continue to have with him year after year. And so continues the roller-coaster we call parenting.
LP's Stuff:
For his first birthday LP had a wonderful day! He and his dad went to the Museum of Science, where he got to run around the children's area (and I mean literally run). LP and his dad also hung out and watched the tamarind monkeys for a while, and the museum host wished LP a happy birthday! The boys then came home for LP's nap, after which he opened his presents and skyped with his grandma and grandpa. Finally, he ended his special day with a special dinner - pizza! We made a yummy pizza with Daiya cheese, bell peppers, red onions and pineapple - and LP loved it!! He really enjoyed the sticky cheese, and he had a goopy, cheesy grin after each bite. He followed up by skyping with his Uncle and then going to bed after a nightly reading of Goodnight Moon. All in all it was a busy day for a little guy, but he had a great time on his first day as a one-year old!
Food Stuff:
As mentioned above, our little vegan baby did enjoy his first vegan cheese! He is long beyond baby mush as food, so here is a little "taste" of LP's favorite foods these days:
Green Smoothies: I have been making green smoothies using kale, frozen mango, banana and orange juice. These smoothies are really delicious, according to both me and LP. When I am enjoying my smoothie in the morning, he shares with me by using his new-found straw-sucking skill. I'm not measuring, but I think it is safe to say he is getting about a 1/3 of my glass. Grilled Tempeh: We have been loving the smoky grilled tempeh recipe from Veganomicon. It involves a marinade of maple syrup, soy sauce, garlic and liquid smoke - need I say more. We marinate the tempeh and grill it up and it is a favorite of LP. He enjoys it so much, he often won't have much else on his plate if we bring out the tempeh first!
Pictures and Video:
LP with his great-grandparents (he has four of them - how awesome is that!)
I'll help you clean dad!
Saturday, February 5, 2011
February 5th, 2011
Mom's Stuff:
I've really been trying hard to think of the many, many positive things in my life when I feel stressed. I find that doing this helps me get perspective, and also reminds me that, really, my life is pretty damn awesome. So, here are a few of this week's highlights:
LP has had a cold for the past few days, which is a bummer. He walks around sniffing and coughing, but he still has a smile on his face - go figure! He is a much better sick person than either his mom or his dad (both of whom get very grumpy when sick). However, besides the cold he has been a busy guy. LP is pretty much done with pureed baby food. Basically, if it's not on the grown-up's plate, he doesn't want it. This means his meals have been the same as our recently: butternut squash ravioli, jamboylaya, garlicy green pasta, and, of course, pancakes with temeph bacon for a snow day breakfast! We still give him avacado and banana of course, and he is pretty tolerent of his fruit puree in the morning (while the G-man and I usually have smoothies), but dinner is now officially a family affair. LP is still exploring his world and totally wants to walk everywhere, and really only wants to be held when he is tired or when he just woke up. Other than that. he is a baby on the move. He is also now 11 months old - only a few weeks away from one-year old! I think LP is ready for his big first birthday - but I don't know if his mom and dad are!
One of our projects this weekend (if LP starts to feel better) is to go shopping for some baby shoes so that LP can walk outside (if the snow ever melts). We are definitely interested in advice from other parents about what kind of shoes to get, so please comment to this post and let us know what you think!
Video:
It may take a while to load, but it is worth the wait. We call this one "Tarzan meets King Kong"
I've really been trying hard to think of the many, many positive things in my life when I feel stressed. I find that doing this helps me get perspective, and also reminds me that, really, my life is pretty damn awesome. So, here are a few of this week's highlights:
- LP learning to clap
- My student's getting excited about our class wiki page
- Taking side streets on a crappy, snowy commute and skipping most of the gridlock
- Warm focaccia
- Movie night with the G-man
- Time at the gym
- Weather that simply demands that I make hot chocolate
LP has had a cold for the past few days, which is a bummer. He walks around sniffing and coughing, but he still has a smile on his face - go figure! He is a much better sick person than either his mom or his dad (both of whom get very grumpy when sick). However, besides the cold he has been a busy guy. LP is pretty much done with pureed baby food. Basically, if it's not on the grown-up's plate, he doesn't want it. This means his meals have been the same as our recently: butternut squash ravioli, jamboylaya, garlicy green pasta, and, of course, pancakes with temeph bacon for a snow day breakfast! We still give him avacado and banana of course, and he is pretty tolerent of his fruit puree in the morning (while the G-man and I usually have smoothies), but dinner is now officially a family affair. LP is still exploring his world and totally wants to walk everywhere, and really only wants to be held when he is tired or when he just woke up. Other than that. he is a baby on the move. He is also now 11 months old - only a few weeks away from one-year old! I think LP is ready for his big first birthday - but I don't know if his mom and dad are!
One of our projects this weekend (if LP starts to feel better) is to go shopping for some baby shoes so that LP can walk outside (if the snow ever melts). We are definitely interested in advice from other parents about what kind of shoes to get, so please comment to this post and let us know what you think!
Video:
It may take a while to load, but it is worth the wait. We call this one "Tarzan meets King Kong"
Wednesday, January 12, 2011
January 12th 2011
Mom's Stuff:
After having my bi-weekly breakdown about how I feel like a crappy mom/teacher (for not being home, for caring too much about my work, for not caring enough about my work, for not being able to function on less than 6 hours of sleep, for getting annoyed at my kid, etc. etc. etc.) I have been trying to be more zen about the whole work/home issue. The G-man is amazing, and he made the good point to me that, as the one who brings home the (tempeh) bacon the best way I can be a good mom is to keep making enough money to support my family. That does make me feel a bit better. I still feel like I am supposed to be superwoman who does it all - with grace and style no less. But I just can't. So, I'm trying to be at peace with being an imperfect mom and an imperfect teacher, but still hanging on to my sanity.
LP's Stuff:
I'm re-naming our child "Destructor." We build a tower - he knocks it down. We put toys away - he pulls them out. And he has a grand ol' time doing it. LP's latest thing is that he thinks crawling is for sissys - he's more into walking these days. He rarely crawls, and usually it is only when we have him in footie pajamas that are a bit too small for him (which makes it hard to walk). So, he continues to walk all over the place with little regard for obstacles that are in his way (such as blocks and stuffed animals). This leads to quite a bit of falling, but he seems pretty immune to that by now. LP is also enjoying not only eating Cheerios, but also feeding them to mom and dad. Now, when he is full, he picks up Cheerios one by one and holds them out for mom and dad. We find this far superior to his previous method of being "done" - throwing the Cheerios down on the floor.
Food and Fitness:
Many people ask us what we feed our vegan baby. We (and by "we" I mean the G-man) make our own baby food - one mix that is fruit-based for morning and one mix that is veggie based for dinner, which a lunch of avocado in-between. Mixed in to each baby food serving is about 2 tablespoons of ground-up tempeh, which helps to provide some protein. Here is a recipe that the G-man uses for one version of our morning fruit mix:
Baby Fruit Mix (enough to freeze for a few weeks!)
Ingredients:
3 apples
1 cup frozen blueberries
1 can coconut milk
3 TB flaxseed oil
14 chunks of frozen mango (from Trader Joes)
2 cups of Earth Balance iron-fortified infant cereal - oatmeal
1 TB olive oil
Directions:
1. Wash apples thoroughly and then chop them in to large chunks.
2. Steam apples in a vegetable steamer for 10-15 minutes
3. Blend all the ingredients in a high-powered blender or food processor
4. Serve to baby! This stores well by freezing the mix in ice cube trays and then piling all the frozen cubes in a plastic ziplock back. LP usually has 4-5 cubes in a meal.
Pictures (older ones - sorry we've been lazy with pics!):
After having my bi-weekly breakdown about how I feel like a crappy mom/teacher (for not being home, for caring too much about my work, for not caring enough about my work, for not being able to function on less than 6 hours of sleep, for getting annoyed at my kid, etc. etc. etc.) I have been trying to be more zen about the whole work/home issue. The G-man is amazing, and he made the good point to me that, as the one who brings home the (tempeh) bacon the best way I can be a good mom is to keep making enough money to support my family. That does make me feel a bit better. I still feel like I am supposed to be superwoman who does it all - with grace and style no less. But I just can't. So, I'm trying to be at peace with being an imperfect mom and an imperfect teacher, but still hanging on to my sanity.
LP's Stuff:
I'm re-naming our child "Destructor." We build a tower - he knocks it down. We put toys away - he pulls them out. And he has a grand ol' time doing it. LP's latest thing is that he thinks crawling is for sissys - he's more into walking these days. He rarely crawls, and usually it is only when we have him in footie pajamas that are a bit too small for him (which makes it hard to walk). So, he continues to walk all over the place with little regard for obstacles that are in his way (such as blocks and stuffed animals). This leads to quite a bit of falling, but he seems pretty immune to that by now. LP is also enjoying not only eating Cheerios, but also feeding them to mom and dad. Now, when he is full, he picks up Cheerios one by one and holds them out for mom and dad. We find this far superior to his previous method of being "done" - throwing the Cheerios down on the floor.
Food and Fitness:
Many people ask us what we feed our vegan baby. We (and by "we" I mean the G-man) make our own baby food - one mix that is fruit-based for morning and one mix that is veggie based for dinner, which a lunch of avocado in-between. Mixed in to each baby food serving is about 2 tablespoons of ground-up tempeh, which helps to provide some protein. Here is a recipe that the G-man uses for one version of our morning fruit mix:
Baby Fruit Mix (enough to freeze for a few weeks!)
Ingredients:
3 apples
1 cup frozen blueberries
1 can coconut milk
3 TB flaxseed oil
14 chunks of frozen mango (from Trader Joes)
2 cups of Earth Balance iron-fortified infant cereal - oatmeal
1 TB olive oil
Directions:
1. Wash apples thoroughly and then chop them in to large chunks.
2. Steam apples in a vegetable steamer for 10-15 minutes
3. Blend all the ingredients in a high-powered blender or food processor
4. Serve to baby! This stores well by freezing the mix in ice cube trays and then piling all the frozen cubes in a plastic ziplock back. LP usually has 4-5 cubes in a meal.
Pictures (older ones - sorry we've been lazy with pics!):
Sunday, January 2, 2011
January 2, 2010
Mom's Stuff:
After a wonderful and relaxing week off I'm getting ready to go back to work in a couple of days. While Thanksgiving was a while ago, Christmas and New Year's always makes me stop and reflect again on the things I am grateful for. This year I have a lot in my life that makes me happy: my amazing, brilliant and adorable son (who I still love, even when he keeps me up all night), my caring, funny, insightful and loving husband, an amazing family who will travel vast distances in snowstorms to see us, and then still be excited to get up with a baby at 5:30 am, friends that are like family and a job that I really do enjoy, even though I have been pretty cranky about it for the last month. A holiday toast to all these things that make life worth living!
LP's Stuff:
LP is now prefers to walk instead of crawl, even when he wants to get someone quickly. He will still crawl when necessary (such as to chase the cat) but he is enjoying walking an all the exciting things he can reach as a result. LP had a wonderful Christmas where he got many noisy toys (grrrr), AWESOME all-terrain wagon and where he learned, pretty quickly, how incredbily exicting it was to unwrap things. After Christmas LP has had some fun meeting more kids after going to visit "Toghether in Motion" where he went right into the play area and started chasing all the girls, and after going to see our close friends with a four and two-year old. The four-year old and LP got along great - mostly because the C (the four-year old) got to show LP everything, and LP then got to watch and run around after C.
LP is also exanding his palate by eating more and more food with mom and dad. His favorite food when we go out is definitely french fries (sweet potator or regular). He also enjoys noodles, mushed beans, bananas, avacado and saltines, but these are just extra treats for once in a while. He still gets primarily green mush (greens, sweet potatoes or squash, and onions) and purple mush (blueberries, coconut milk, baked apple and infant cereal). And he is still a healthy, growing baby boy!
Food and Fitness:
We had a wonderful time hosting my parents and sister for the holidays, and we ate a lot! Since one of the most common questions I get asked is "What do you eat" I thought I would list some of the many foods we consumed over the 5 days of Christmas (and 2 days of blizzard):
After a wonderful and relaxing week off I'm getting ready to go back to work in a couple of days. While Thanksgiving was a while ago, Christmas and New Year's always makes me stop and reflect again on the things I am grateful for. This year I have a lot in my life that makes me happy: my amazing, brilliant and adorable son (who I still love, even when he keeps me up all night), my caring, funny, insightful and loving husband, an amazing family who will travel vast distances in snowstorms to see us, and then still be excited to get up with a baby at 5:30 am, friends that are like family and a job that I really do enjoy, even though I have been pretty cranky about it for the last month. A holiday toast to all these things that make life worth living!
LP's Stuff:
LP is now prefers to walk instead of crawl, even when he wants to get someone quickly. He will still crawl when necessary (such as to chase the cat) but he is enjoying walking an all the exciting things he can reach as a result. LP had a wonderful Christmas where he got many noisy toys (grrrr), AWESOME all-terrain wagon and where he learned, pretty quickly, how incredbily exicting it was to unwrap things. After Christmas LP has had some fun meeting more kids after going to visit "Toghether in Motion" where he went right into the play area and started chasing all the girls, and after going to see our close friends with a four and two-year old. The four-year old and LP got along great - mostly because the C (the four-year old) got to show LP everything, and LP then got to watch and run around after C.
LP is also exanding his palate by eating more and more food with mom and dad. His favorite food when we go out is definitely french fries (sweet potator or regular). He also enjoys noodles, mushed beans, bananas, avacado and saltines, but these are just extra treats for once in a while. He still gets primarily green mush (greens, sweet potatoes or squash, and onions) and purple mush (blueberries, coconut milk, baked apple and infant cereal). And he is still a healthy, growing baby boy!
Food and Fitness:
We had a wonderful time hosting my parents and sister for the holidays, and we ate a lot! Since one of the most common questions I get asked is "What do you eat" I thought I would list some of the many foods we consumed over the 5 days of Christmas (and 2 days of blizzard):
- Vegan Lasagna
- Eggplant Caccitore
- Tyropitas (see my other blog for the recipe!)
- Warm Lentil Salad
- Cholent (a bean, lentil and veggie stew)
- Pumpkin pie cheesecake
- Chocolate Mint Cookies
- Cinnamon Rolls
- Pumpkin/Applesauce Bran Muffins
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