Paisley Teardrops

This makes me furious.

2009-11-07T13:58:00.002-05:00

2009-10-25T16:27:00.002-04:00

I'm at that place where I want to get things done, but I only get gung-ho about a project long enough to fill up some corner, nook or cranny of my house with it while it waits, whiney and impatient, for me to come and complete it. I have aspiring fabric flower hair clips on the book shelf in the living room, would-be stuffed robot dolls (girly ones this time) in the corner of my dining room under a broken chair being held together with a scarf. Also under the chair are empty baby puff containers I plan to convert magically into the perfect christmas presents for the nieces and nephews on my list. Next to the chair are flattened cardboard boxes and brown paper bags. The boxes are destined to become frames for the children's art show next month, while the bags will be inverted (to hide the printing on them) and converted into gnarly, leafless trees to be used as table decorations at the Halloween party this weekend. Behind my living room chair are boxes and piles of supplies I use or may use for the weekly art class I teach kids at the local rec center. In the hall are the unsorted, too-small clothes that once belonged to The Boy, waiting to be properly stored, and a Costco-size package toilet paper wanting nothing more than to be put away. I really could keep on going, but if I don't finish this post now, it will probably find some new method of gathering virtual dust on my desktop.

It's not that I don't do anything but start projects. I did recently create a design for the Rainbow Fun Run for Her Nibs' school later this year. But I'm obsessive about graphic design. An intriguing design project always seems to usurp top spot on my priority list.

And I do other things, like read to my children. That brings a very different kind of satisfaction, and not one that cleans the crannies of my house. But I will commit now to finish something this week. I'm going to have to go with the paper bag trees, since that party is on Friday. And since that party is on Friday (and did I mention I'm in charge of the whole ward halloween party?) I'm not going to get too ambitious about any other projects just yet.

And now I've got some Molasses Cookies to make for FHE. That's productive and yummy!

The trouble with logic.

2009-10-14T12:42:00.000-04:00

Once upon a time in a land pretty far away, I was a college student double majoring in philosophy and ceramics. When my marital status was entering a period of flux, I gladly downgraded my degrees. Philosophy dropped to a minor and my BFA in Ceramics was expedited to a BA in Visual Arts.

Best thing that could ever, and has ever, happened in my life.

But, I had just enough logic to be irritated. I can't stand it when TV 'journalists' misuse the phrase "begging the question."

My handsome husband passed on a handy little article explaining both the proper and improper uses for this phrase. It's from a little while back, but I will rest easier knowing I've made a small attempt to educate the general population on logic terminology. Plus the easy cracks on the Bush administration are always good fun.

Enjoy!

You Must Read This Post

2009-10-13T09:28:00.002-04:00

And I don't mean this one that I'm writing right now ... unless you want to ... I mean this one:

Emily Orton: Motherhood -- What's in it for me?

(1 mom + 1 dad + 4 girls + 1 boy) x (4 homeschoolers + 1 toddler with Trisomy 21)

÷ (2 bedrooms + 1 bathroom) = Emily¹s life in New York City

Don't worry, I'll wait.

She's hit it right on the head, hasn't she? I never felt like my journals were private even when I was younger because I knew, someday, one of my children or grandchildren would be reading them. When I was a au pere in Belgium, my entire journal was written towards some unknown audience scouring my records for historical significance or insight into me as a person. I regret that part, but I do think that my children are making me more than I would ever be without them.

I know that I need to model the attitudes I want my children to have about themselves and others. Last year, I resolved to improve my self-esteem. I can proudly state that my self-critical remarks (mostly verbal, but non-verbal, too) have plummeted. I didn't expect to scratch that off my list after just one year, but I wouldn't have progressed this much if I weren't motivated to become the kind of mother I want my daughter to have. With my son, I am developing a new level of patience and acceptance. Not just for him, but for myself and my daughter.

Thank you, Mrs. Orton. You inspire me.

Plainbellied's just-right-for-mini-muffin-pies Box

2009-09-28T11:51:00.007-04:00

Ask and ye shall receive.

Click on the image for the full-size template before printing.
And only print page one.
I don't know why a blank, second page comes up when you try to print.

I just couldn't resist.

2009-09-27T03:05:00.004-04:00

Mini muffin-tin pies in mini scrap-book paper boxes. Just my little way of saying thanks to our Primary Board. I think it was worth it. The brothers and sisters who serve in Primary are definitely worth it. And these things are so dang adorable! And delicious. I may never go back to full-size pies. For directions on the pies, check here.

So many possible titles for this post...

2009-09-17T22:08:00.004-04:00

The Boy loved the vegetables from my lentil soup. However Turtar and I both neglected to put the soup in the fridge before retiring for the evening (which vaguely resembled falling asleep watching TV and falling asleep reading in bed), so down the disposal it went. But the next day I made more soup! Or at least I started to. I sauteed the onions, carrots and potatoes. I added the stock and brought it up boil. And then I created fire.

The soup was still fine. I moved it to the side and tried to smother the fire with another pan. No good. It didn't seal off the oxygen. I couldn't think any longer, so I grabbed the fire extinguisher (courtesy of our friendly apartment complex) and killed the fire. The fire was survived by copious amounts of a yellow powder, all over the kitchen. All over the new pot of soup. All over the toaster, which I then threw away. (I just don't trust my shaking abilities enough. I don't think I can shake the toaster well enough to clear out all the yellow, fire-killing powder. I don't know what the powder is, but I have no intention of eating it.)

What should I call this post? How can I capture this memory?

"It's Down to Cheerios": afterwards, I had no soup to feed The Boy, so I gave him Cheerios, even though they have wheat starch. I paid for it today, when he was gassy, constipated and irritable.

"A color I don't like.": The powder from the fire extinguisher was more yellow than dry milk, but not as yellow as cornmeal. It was anemic. Almost apologetic. Pitiful. It reminded me a little of the dijon mustard color that fills Seville. I was very bitter about leaving Madrid, and I hated that mustard color for a long time out of spite.

"No longer a fire extinguisher virgin." This one is too long. But it was my first time, and of all the people I've told, only one other person has used a fire extinguisher before. I thought it was going to be some kind of a white foam. I had no idea how pervasive the contents would be. In a couple of years, I think trace amounts of that powder will still be found in the carpet here, even if I'm no longer found in the apartment.

"Misadventures in cooking" You should have seen the potatoes. They were browned to perfection. And I don't think I mentioned it before, but the stock I added, the one I was bringing to a boil so I could add the lentils, it was duck stock, made by my husband himself. The loss of the stock is even greater than that of the perfectly sauteed vegetables, because we don't have any more duck or duck bones. I hate it when bad things happen to good food. This is another example of why Turtar is the cook in the family. I cook for us, but he does it better. And if we have company coming, he's definitely the one in the kitchen impressing everyone. Although I did make a mean rack of ribs not too long ago, using a dry rub Turtar assembled. I'm okay with his contribution. Nothing can diminish my achievement of not destroying perfectly good meat. Do you remember the time I burned and under-cooked the same London Broil for Turtar's birthday? Believe me, those ribs were an achievement.

"Why I ate microwave popcorn for dinner.": Turtar came home and I went off to teach art class. He was all geared up to clean up the mess and be my hero, but it just didn't turn out how either of us planned. Instead of going out to eat as a family, I sent him off for an evening alone. To clarify, this was intended as a gift, not a punishment. I figured I could come up with something for myself and the kids, and taking two small children to a restaurant close to bedtime wasn't going to relax him in anyway. I fed the kids, cleaned, ate what I could (still being mostly dairy and wheat-free), and cleaned some more. The next day I bought lots of fruit as a buffer between myself and the microwave popcorn in the future.

Obama's Back-to-School Speech

2009-09-10T12:00:00.003-04:00

The right-wing crazies have been up in arms recently, so I finally got around to listening to Obama's Back-to-School speech, which was broadcast to school children around the country two days ago. It's ridiculous to be afraid of the president of our country speaking to the children of our country about the value of education, but that's neither here nor there. Here's what I wanted to say:

I found President Obama's speech personally inspiring. I have always envied people I consider "doers". These people seem capable. They achieve their goals. They are not afraid of making goals. I have always felt like a second-class citizen by comparison. I heard the words "you can do anything" when I was growing up, but there were other forces in my home stronger than the words of my parents. The overwhelming, unspoken messages were "have you thought this through all the way?" "you should be prepared for this not to work out" "this seems much too complicated to go for" and "aim a little lower". I continue to fight these messages as an adult, but I still see myself through that lens, and everything I see tends to reinforce the messages of my childhood. Obama's speech helps me to believe a little more in myself and in a greater sense of community. He talked about a couple of people who had overcome unfavorable situations and still succeeded. He said we can't make excuses and give up on ourselves. I have to think of The Boy in that situation, and so many people with T21 that I have heard about in the past year. People with Down syndrome have a lot more to overcome than most, yet they go to college, learn languages, serve missions, contribute to the community, and enrich many personal lives. The Boy is a constant inspiration to me because he had to work so hard just to learn how to sit. He has to endure daily (when I'm being good) physical therapy to achieve basic life skills. I've always had to work hard at everything in my life. I don't believe I'm naturally gifted in any way, but I persevere. I relate to The Boy that way. He inspires me to take advantage of the abilities I've got so far and push them further. President Obama's speech does the same.

Her Nibs didn't hear the speech at school because her school decided the kindergartners were too small to sit and listen. It was less than 20 minutes, even with the introduction, so I'm not really sure what that was about, but she will be sitting down to watch it this afternoon. I want her to believe in herself, to believe she can achieve, and never to think of herself as anything less than a "doer".

Kindergarten Shout-Out

2009-08-19T13:27:00.005-04:00

I just want to send a shout out to Her Nibs, who just started Kindergarten. *sniff* She's ready for it. She's ready for just about anything, except maybe yogurt covered craisins.

Turtar had a whole heap of throat surgery on Tuesday (tonsils, uvula, septum stuff). After dropping him at home, we (The Boy, Her Nibs and yours truly) went to pick up his pain-killers. Naturally, the ENT office neglected to call in his prescriptions before they closed. The pharmacist was good enough to call the doctor and leave a message, but we still had to roam the aisles while we waited to hear back from the doctor and get the prescription filled. So in the snack section, I let her nibs choose a trail mix to add to her lunch the next day. I didn't let her choose one with candy coated chocolate pieces (aka M&Ms) because I know her too well. So she chose cranberry nut mix. After school, during her critique of the lunch I'd packed, she mentioned that the trail mix I put in was gross.

There is no trail mix in her lunch today.

i heart muffins.

2009-08-15T20:19:00.008-04:00

This is my first real experience with food allergies, and I'm not sure if food allergies are even the problem. We (The Boy and I) are trying to go dairy-free to see if it will take care of the terrible, horrible, no-good, very bad rash on his face. I thought I'd been dairy-free most of the week and discovered the bread I was eating as well as the frozen pot-pies actually had dairy in them, too. So there's a real learning curve. I love The Boy, though, and it is worth the effort to see if dairy is what ails him. Though I did resent him a little last night when I couldn't have milk with my wanna-be oreos--I'm so sorry! I was much nicer today. The most discouraging time of day is breakfast. But, I think I have an answer to that. Remember Six Week Refrigerator Bran Muffins? Well, thanks to Teri's Kitchen for the healthy version of this old favorite and to Go Dairy Free or a buttermilk substitute, I've discovered a breakfast/lunch/snack that should get me through the trial period, and even longer, if dairy is the problem. Here's the recipe I'm going to be trying very, very soon (and I promise to report back!):

Healthy, Dairy-free 6 Week Refrigerator Bran Muffins

4 cups buttermilk substitute:

1 cup silken Tofu

2 & 3/4 cups water

4 Tablespoons vinegar or lemon juice

1/2 teaspoon salt

COMBINE IN BLENDER AND LET SIT 10 MINUTES BEFORE USING

2 large eggs

7/8 cups applesauce

2 Tablespoons canola oil

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 package (15 ounces) bran flakes

3 cups sugar (or substitute Splenda)

3 cups all purpose flour

2 cups whole wheat flour

2 Tablespoons wheat germ

1 & 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt

3 teaspoons baking soda

1 & 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon

1/2 to 1 teaspoon nutmeg

1 cup raisins, chopped dates or dried cranberries (optional)

Pre-heat oven to 350 F. Combine buttermilk substitute, eggs, applesauce, canola oil and vanilla. Beat well. Add cereal and let it soak in the liquids until moistened. Meanwhile, mix everything but the fruit in a separate bowl. Add dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and stir until just moistened. Fold in fruit. Fill cupcake papers or well-greased muffin tins until almost full. Let stand 15 minutes. Bake for 20 minutes.

The batter is good in the fridge for 6 weeks, but it will probably be devoured before then. You can also fill the cupcake papers and then freeze the batter that way. Be sure to put the papers back in the muffin tin before baking them, though. And let me know if you try this!

Happy Birthday Me

2009-07-19T22:43:00.003-04:00

First birthday present (in advance): Turtar determined that the problem with my computer was a dead hard drive. (I love you anyway, iMac of 4 years! xoxo) He ordered a new and improved hard drive, disassembled my non-user serviceable computer, replaced the hard drive and reassembled it. Remember, the iMac is one of those computers where the whole CPU is built in behind the screen. More proof that my husband is a genius!

Second birthday present: *gasp* *swoon* two full bouquets of yellow spider flowers, orange gerber daisies, exquisite orange roses, baby's breath, another purple filler flower and another red flower that makes me think of tigers for some reason.

Pre-Birthday Menu: (ie, the day before my birthday)

Nachos made with lime flavored tortilla chips, Monterey Jack cheese, taco seasoned ground beef, more Monterey Jack cheese, (microwave to melt, then add) sour cream and Newman's Own Mango Salsa (which, by the way, is the best mango salsa ever. It isn't expensive like those in the refrigerated section billed as 'fresh'. It isn't mango & peach (don't water down my mango, punks!). And it isn't as spicy as the Costco stuff (and doesn't have to be purchased by the quart, or whatever huge amount Costco has available.))

Birthday Menu:

Spinach salad with sliced strawberries, candied pecans and a mango ginger vinaigrette

Pita sandwiches filled with sauteed onions and red peppers plus sliced brats off the grill

Grilled vegetable skewers with onions, orange peppers, zucchini, yellow squash, and cherry tomatoes

Mango passion fruit italian soda, and then raspberry Schwepps later

Chocolate butter cake with triple fudge chocolate frosting (including mini chocolate chips in the frosting) (very sweet, but hey! It's cake!)

And the only disappointment for the taste buds was the Publix Premium Mackinac Island Fudge Ice Cream. Don't buy that. It's gross. We may have to throw the rest of our carton out. I should have stuck to the tried and true mint chocolate chip. I may have to buy a replacement ice cream to perfect my birthday meal after the fact.

Oh, and the primary children sang to me. I told them I needed them to sing extra loud because I'm getting old and Her Nibs piped up, "You're not old, Mommy!" It was very sweet.

Sean Hannity is a Liar

2009-07-12T22:14:00.003-04:00

He makes it look so easy.

2009-07-10T22:00:00.002-04:00

I have bad news. It's about my dear iMac of 4 years. It was so sudden. Just two days ago, I was creating documents in Pages, updating Facebook, checking my email and syncing my iPod. Then it froze. I actually had to do a hard shut-off. Yes, on a Mac. That was upsetting, to say the least. But I never thought it was serious. Sadly, my darling iMac never woke up again.

Tragedy strikes when you least expect it, or maybe any trouble is more tragic when you're not prepared. Well, I didn't expect it. I mean, I don't think there were any warning signs. But, thanks to my diligent husband, we were prepared. Not 6 months ago and with the aid of our tax refund, Turtar set up both an extra, portable drive, and an external hard drive to back up everything on my computer. Thanks to the genius of Time Machine, I didn't even have to remember to run the back-ups. It ran automatically pretty much all the time. Where would I be without you, Turtar? You're my hero. You saved the day, er, the data, which is even better, or at least as good. You diverted the distress from this very grateful damsel. (I think that's earned you some extra kisses.)

What's the connection?

2009-07-07T00:44:00.002-04:00

buffalo wings and celery sticks

cross-country skiing and rifle shooting

Why? Why are these things connected? Who put these together? It doesn't even make sense!

Even more puzzling is the connection I've discovered between the state of my house and my personal body image. Seriously. My house is pretty good right now. But two weeks ago I was sure my children would be taken from me if anyone from any government agency could see in. And I felt awful. I felt uglier and fatter than I ever have in my life. I know I'm not alone in this. I brought it up at lunch with some of the girls and they said they feel the same way. I can't decide if that's reassuring or just sad.

Now, two weeks later with a presentable house and clean laundry, I feel amazing. It's astonishing. I feel like I lost 15 lbs and bought a sexy dress. Next time I'm feeling bad about my appearance, I'm going to clean out my fridge and mop the floor.

I miss Leno.

2009-07-07T00:11:00.004-04:00

Have the writers gone on strike again, or was Letterman always this bad?

Sarah Palin announced her resignation on Friday, just before the nation celebrated Independence Day. Is it exciting? You betcha! But all my favorite comedians were on holiday. Craig Ferguson, Letterman, Stephen Colbert and especially Jon Stewart. I'm having fun with the news coverage, but it's time to break out the real jokes.

Actually, Palin herself is really the joke, or more like the punch-line. She was great for a laugh during the campaign, but she just keeps getting nuttier and nuttier. She cracks me up. Sometimes when I listen to her comments or read something quoting her, I start to think that the sleep deprivation is getting to me because I just can't make sense of it. It is so reassuring to hear Liz Trotta (on Fox News, of all places) calling her 'inarticulate'. Or CBS News, who described Palin's resignation speech as 'rambling and sometimes confusing'. She really doesn't make any sense at all!

Sarah Palin said "I don't want any Alaskan dissuaded from entering politics after seeing this". Quite frankly, everything I've ever seen or heard of Sarah Palin has only served to bolster my own confidence in politics. I have no political ambition, but I couldn't be that bad at it. At least I can compose a coherent sentence.

Righteous indignation can be exhausting.

2009-06-18T23:18:00.005-04:00

I just watched this movie called Music Within. I got it because the preview made me laugh, and I was interested in the story. It's based on the life of Richard Pimentel and describes the evolution of the ADA, or American Disabilities Act. As a film, it wasn't great, which makes me sad. I really, really wanted to love it. I hated the girl, I loved the character Art (he had all the best lines), and I was nonplussed with the lead.

But I love a good fight against injustice, especially in real life. Richard Pimentel lost his hearing serving in Vietnam and came home, a decorated veteran, to discover he was living in a "disability apartheid". His best friend had cerebral palsy. When they went to a pancake house together, they were denied service, apparently because they were so revolting to the other customers. They refused to leave and were arrested for violating the so-called Ugly Law, a law prohibiting the disabled from being in public, essentially. I think they said something about it being instituted to prevent participants of traveling 'freak shows' from coming into the city. Just to be clear, people would pay to see the 'freaks' at a carnival, and then pay again (via their taxes to local law enforcement agents) to keep the 'freaks' out of sight.

Wow, right?

When I learn something new, the fact that I didn't know it is often more surprising than the fact itself. I know the world isn't fair now, and that it was less fair in the past. But I didn't know about this Ugly Law. And I sure didn't know that the ADA wasn't law until 1990. Sure, that's practically 20 years ago now, but I remember where I was in 1990. It makes me a little sick to think about how I was living my life in relative ease (a little passive-aggression is good for a growing child, right?) while people in wheel chairs only had access to a smattering of buildings. Yuck. That's just gross.

Of course, in the past year, disabilities issues have come to the forefront of my attention. Here's a couple of things I've learned:

The Boy's PT visited the orphanages in Russia. There are kids there that are left in a crib by themselves practically their whole lives. If they are lucky, an older child at the orphanage will kind of adopt them and look after them. Even a child with typical development would wither in that environment. For a child with developmental disabilities... I'm shaking now just writing about it.

And what really made my blood run cold was when I learned how people with Down syndrome have been used as suicide bombers. I won't expound on that here. Search on 'down syndrome suicide bomber' if you haven't heard about this. It's unthinkable.

Almost as revolting is the rate at which children with Down syndrome are aborted. I've probably mentioned it before, but 95% of babies diagnosed with Down syndrome prenatally are aborted in the US. It's higher other places. Why is it socially acceptable in our country, even encouraged by doctors in many cases, to kill a baby with an extra chromosome 21 while at the same time, we find it so offensive that babies in China are aborted for having two X chromosomes? I think they are both offensive. It is not okay to have an abortion because the baby is a girl. It is not okay to have an abortion because the baby has Trisomy 21. What it is is morally reprehensible.

I learned from Turtar that children with Down syndrome in Ireland were once thought to be fairy changelings. That may sound like a silly, superstition, but they killed their own children because of it.

And now perhaps you understand the title of this post. I'm going to bed. I'm exhausted.

This is just me, now,

2009-06-15T00:18:00.004-04:00

but I was blown away by the new Star Trek movie.

Turtar was not so thrilled, but I think it is the best action movie I've ever seen. I was figuratively biting my nails the whole time. I couldn't believe it when Spock ejected Kirk from the Enterprise. I was enthralled and entertained. I wish I had a reason to see it in the theater again.

I'll admit, I used to watch Star Trek with my dad when I was younger. It wasn't exactly interactive, but it was something we shared, I suppose. I got to stay up past bedtime to watch it, I guess because my mom didn't want to cut short my 'shared time with Daddy'. (I might have watched anything to stay up an extra hour for 'shared time'.) But that was Next Generation... Anyway, Turtar thinks this means I'm predisposed to like this movie, what with the Trekky jargon and sci-fi-ness. He may be right. Though, I didn't even see Nemesis and the only Star Trek movie I remember liking before this was First Contact. I'm also predisposed to like Chris Pine... Did you see him in Blind Dating? aDOORable. And eating three reese's cups during the previews probably didn't hurt my mood either.

Whatever my predisposition, I loved this movie. I loved it from the first moment. I loved it all the way through. I even loved it after Turtar confessed that he was bored by the end and started pointing out holes in the script. I didn't disagree with him, but I can't remember ever enjoying seeing a movie so much. I wished we'd seen it in a full theater of fans. *sigh*

We saw Hot Fuzz in a full theater with a very responsive audience and that was awesome (so was that movie... tightest script and editing of a film I've ever seen, at least for a non-art film). We saw X-Men 3 (which was dreadful) with his grad school pals and compared mutant ranking system in the movie to the class struggle in French Revolution afterwards, which was hilarious and awesome--definitely a singular experience. We saw The Dark Knight in I-Max and the flipping of the semi (the rest of that experience was more impressive to Turtar than me) was awesome. My point is, I've had lots of fun at the movies before, but this was something new, something out of the ordinary, for me at least. As Rhino (you know... from "Bolt"?!) would say, it was beyond awesome. It was BeAwesome!

I love this

2009-04-14T12:55:00.001-04:00

Really?!

2009-04-03T07:43:00.003-04:00

This week, The Boy and Her Nibs both had ear infections, and The Boy has a nasty cough, which led to some new accessories: a humidifier, and a nebulizer. Also, I've got bad allergies which seem to be transforming into an annoying cold. I'm gaining stress-weight at an alarming rate and can't get my house all clean at one time.

But for some reason, my number one priority is redecorating. I know. Really?! I am taking care of the kids, I do care that my upstairs bathroom's trash can is completely overwhelmed, and I know that Her Nibs needs help with her reading (she's having trouble with reading comprehension... can't remember a whole sentence immediately after reading it...), but I am completely caught up in beautifying my home, making it look 'put together', deliberate, coordinated and lovely. I think it's a good goal; it just surprises me that it doesn't feel like a back-burner undertaking. I've tried to be very anti-clutter, but I'm afraid the result has made for a rather sparse home environment...

*sigh*

Well, at least I'm making progress on it. With my new living room color scheme, I'm really kicking myself for getting the lame teal-green exercise ball instead of holding out for a chic silver one. But, the family silhouettes are done and framed. When Turtar gets back from his conference, they'll be hung and I'll post pictures of the fruits of my labor.

Just the kids

2009-03-06T23:45:00.006-05:00

If you're up before PBS Kids, you're up too early. But once you're up, or rather, once Her Nibs is up, there's no going back. Thankfully, Hulu is always on. Did you know they have He-Man? "By the Power of Grayskull!"

I don't like it when people operate under a false sense of urgency.

...like Her Nibs when she lost the orange crayon that came with her kids menu. Never mind that she had somehow acquired two 3-packs of crayons so she still had more than most. She couldn't eat without it. (She wasn't even coloring. She was just playing with the crayons. Just playing with 2 of the 6 crayons. But she needed the orange one.)

...or like me when Her Nibs is brushing her teeth, or using the bathroom, or getting dressed or doing just about anything... I always feel like she should be doing it faster.

I was hoping to do a product placement post for Breast Flow bottles. I heard that babies who only breast feed and refuse bottles totally dig this double-layer nipple. The Boy did take 2 ounces from it, but not a full meal. That's more than he'll take from a regular bottle, so I give it my It-will-buy-you-time-in-a-pinch (and possibly a brief date) Endorsement.

We started laying The Boy down for bed while he is still awake. He's such a pro. (With Her Nibs, we both cried it out... me and Her Nibs, not Turtar.) The Boy talked a bit, moved a bit, and finally dozed off. And he's starting to grow some hair! (not related, I know, but I'm just so proud!)

Her Nibs is acting overtly jealous of The Boy more and more often.

I try to emphasize that sometimes I take care of her, sometimes I take care of him, sometimes I take care of Daddy, and sometimes I even take care of me. I'll say "it will be your turn next" or "it's The Boy's turn right now." She said "Why are his turns always the longest?"
When we were having dinner, we set The Boy in his car seat on the floor in the corner of the room. Once, just once, Turtar looked at him and said something to him. Her Nibs said, "I guess you love him the best."
She's also regressing a little, like she wants to be waited on hand and foot the way The Boy is. She wants me to dress her, put on her socks and shoes, and sit with her in the bathroom (preferably reading to her), and even brush her teeth. This totally reminds me of the episode of 30 Rock where Liz Lemon gave both her star actors fake awards to appease their aching egos. If only Her Nibs could see that I am already waiting on her constantly! The upside is she's giving some of her choices back to me, so I can choose her outfit sometimes.
I was singing a simple lovey song to The Boy, so Her Nibs wanted me to write on for her, too. That's been pretty fun. I borrowed the tune from "Mister Sun"...
But my favorite was a few days ago when she came to me and said "Mom, I need your attention!" That day, we made nearly a dozen origami butterflies (partially in preparation for her butterfly birthday party coming up), played Groovy Girls and playdough, and something else, I think. I know I felt like I gave her lots of attention.

Holding Pattern

2009-02-23T01:33:00.004-05:00

I've been sick. Not horrible "Husband, I need you to stay home from work!" sick, but definitely not on top of the world. Kind of the side of the world actually. I was really dizzy last night.

So on Friday when I was sick and Her Nibs didn't have school, I put on jeans, but was still otherwise in my pajamas. Her Nibs stayed in pajamas, and frankly we don't change The Boy's clothes unless he's messed 'em up or had a bath. They might not have been pajamas, but I know he slept in them.

It was a movie day.

It was a reading day.

It was a holding day.

I don't think the TV was turned off all day, though Her Nibs was doing quite a bit of acrobatics on the exercise ball that has become a staple in our living room. Turtar sent me a random blog link which in 3 links connected me back to NieNie Dialogues. And that got me reading. First, I needed to catch up on her situation, so I read the articles on her recovery my sister sent me a few months ago. Then, I needed to catch up on her blog. I was inspired and encouraged. (I'm inspired by the joy she takes in life and her role as a wife and mother, and encouraged because I've been doing better that way myself, lately.) I cried. I missed my own sisters as I read about the service she has from her own. I added a NieNie button to my blog and then redecorated my blog to match my new button. And all the while I held The Boy. He doesn't sleep so well when I set him down. He only sleeps in his bed at night. Any other time I lay him down (even if he's sound asleep in my arms), he wakes up within 5 minutes. So I keep holding him... a small price to pay for the honor of being his mother.

Okay, I did set him down while I was redecorating my blog. But I paid for my squandered time. He woke up ready to eat and I still hadn't made the pizza dough for the pigs in blankets I promised Her Nibs for dinner, so I had to multi-task. I actually mixed up the pizza dough while nursing The Boy. (I closed the shades on the kitchen window first.)

Defeated

2009-02-19T09:16:00.004-05:00

For at least a week and a half I've been trying to get on top of the dishes and the laundry. I made some progress before being kicked to the curb, but last night I was vanquished. Somehow, they combined forces to undermine, intimidate, and ultimately overcome me.

Dishes and laundry, please consider this the waving of the white flag of surrender.

Tired Ramblings

2009-02-17T11:13:00.007-05:00

Here are some cute pictures of my kids. They are so precious. I'm such a lucky mom.

I'm reading a few books right now: Children Are From Heaven, with "How To Talk So Kids Will Listen and Listen So Kids Will Talk" waiting patiently to be read next. So far, I'm loving my new parenting skills. Taking care of a baby is close to intuitive. Past that stage, parenting is not a natural skill, so I'm so thrilled to learn all of these positive parenting skills, and to give up threats and punishments.

My new obsession in the kitchen is The Sneaky Chef. It broke my heart when one of those got recalled at the library. *sniff* But I still have one of them, and I think some of our tax refund may go to buying those books and a food processor. Basically, I'm lying through my teeth about what is in the food I'm preparing for my family now, but it's healthier than ever and that make me feel really, really good. (because it's all about me, of course.) The big hits with Her Nibs have been the Fortified French Toast (secretly packing carrots and yams), hamburgers (with spinach and blueberries), True Freedom Fries and the Not His Mother's Meatloaf (with white beans and oats--also with tomato paste and onions, which Her Nibs despises). The Breakfast cookies were a success, along with some of the homemade breakfast ice creams and popsicles. My personal favorites are the chocolatey stuff, which pack in blueberries and spinach. I want to get a mini bundt cake pan so I can make these amazing chocolate muffins and pretend they are donuts. Turtar loved the Cold Sesame Noodles (secretly with cauliflower and zucchini) and Triple Baked Potatoes. I'm the only one who would eat the peanut butter cookies. Her Nibs is suspicious of PB in that form, and Turtar didn't go for the semi-sweet chips I put on top. Oh well.

I really need to cut my hair. It's looking so depressed.

My husband rocks. He gave me an amazing massage last night after I rocked The Boy (formerly Lizard Loaf) for nearly 2 hours to get him to sleep. (oh--and that had to be standing up. My kids can be really picky that way.)

Her Nibs is a reading pro. We're on lesson 36 of "Teach Your Child To Read in 100 Easy Lessons". She loves writing and I hear her sounding words out all the time--trying to read things around her, but also to analyze the words she is using. "Umbrella... Uhhm Buh Rrrr Ll uh" (not one she actually said, just an example of the way she's breaking down her own words to understand them better) When we went shopping yesterday, she had her note book with her and wrote down the stuff we were buying by copying labels.

The Boy is just amazing. It surprises me how much he is the same as Her Nibs when she was a baby--refusing bottles (now that he's breast feeding), wanting to be held to go to sleep, being amazingly, stunningly beautiful (okay-that's no surprise).

Okay. That's it for now. I need to meet Her Nibs at school for Chapel time. She's at this Baptist preschool, so sometimes I like to see what they teach, religion-wise... and she likes it when I come. I've also been really fabulous at doing FHE since she started school here.

Shout Out

2009-02-04T12:49:00.000-05:00

Thanks to Simply Chic Blog Backgrounds for the sweet holiday background.

I'm online!

2009-02-04T09:12:00.002-05:00

Okay, yes, I already have a few email addresses and a blog, but now I'm starting my own Etsy shop, too. Etsy.com is like a great online craft fair, with hand-made goods of all varieties available all the time.

Please visit my shop, Plainbellied Productions, at plainbellied.etsy.com.

I'm kicking things off with a one of a kind Valentine decoration, but there will be lots more items posted soon. Coming attractions include:

Custom hanging letters so that you can personalize your child's room without breaking the bank. These are usually between $10 and $16 dollars a letter. Mine will be between $2 and $5 dollars a letter.
Mommy Calling Cards. Even if you aren't working for a company outside the home, it's always handy to have stylin' cards with all of your contact information to pass out to friends and associates. These are especially handy when you meet a fellow mom after school or at the playground. And it shouldn't cost a lot! I will offer a huge variety of styles, and each of them will be available as customizable document. Give me your information, and I'll send you a pdf file so that you can print as many cards as you want whenever you want them.
A variety of designs for cards and paper crafts that will all be available in pdf format so that you can print items as needed. By the end of this week, look for Valentine cards you can print for your kids to pass out at school.
Fabric flowers made from modern fabrics. These will be available as hair clips and pins so you can add them to any outfit or upgrade your old handbags.
Fabric scripture covers. You may have noticed that the compact quad is no longer sold with a snap closure. My original design takes care of that without bother of zippers and a separate case completely.

Thanks for visiting my store and have marvelous day!