The muppets and I made a mad dash for the sunny Southern California coast this past weekend. During our whirlwind family reunion tour I was reminded how much I miss living near my extended family. Continue reading
Category Archives: Home
Housework and Big Chickens
My plan was to fold laundry tonight. It’s been piling up on the chair in the bedroom for a few weeks now – and it’s started threatening to topple down toward the dresser. Besides, what could be more fun than housework?
Oh oh! <Waves hand wildly in the air> I know! I know!
Anything.
So I decided to call its bluff and see if the clothes would just fall into the drawers on their own.
(Warning: this post contains profanity for journalistic purposes. If that offends your delicate sensibilities, use some common sense and stop reading. You’ve been warned.) Continue reading
There’s Gotta Be A Way
Someway, somehow – when I wasn’t looking – my tiny babies got big.
And during that time the debate between being a stay-at-home-mom vs. working mother raged on. I am a working mother and I make no apologies for that. The Mrs. Cleaver ideal still persists: the perfect mother, waiting at home with a plate of homemade cookies and tall cool glass of bottled milk. Continue reading
When Life Gives You Lemons
The old saying is, “When life gives you lemons…make lemonade.” When twins grace your life, those lemons become the main ingredient in an Iron Chef competition. Continue reading
Ducks in a Row
Make Way for Ducklings is classic Caldecott Medal winning children’s book. It illustrates the story of Mr. and Mrs. Mallard Duck dealing with the daily stresses of life as they attempt to navigate the best path for their fledging family.
No wonder it’s still so popular. Continue reading
Magic Number
Six weeks ago one of my college girlfriends called me. She was 22 weeks pregnant and had just been placed on emergency bedrest. She was terrified. Yesterday, she happily announced she had hit 28 weeks. The third trimester – it does exist! (I’m going to laugh when she ends up getting induced at 41 weeks. “Oh no, Mom. You successfully put the fear of the world in me. I’m staying put. No plastic incubator box for me, no sir!”)
I smiled when I realized the date. I was in the midst of planning a baby shower for my friend who is 32 weeks pregnant. She and her baby boy are doing well despite several pre-term stints in the L&D unit thanks to a klutzy step off a curb and a rather unfortunate bout with a food-borne illness (and the resulting intimate encounter with the United Airlines barf bag).
Another girlfriend, who I’ve known since I was 12, is pregnant with her second little one. (There must be something in the water.) She emailed me yesterday morning (the very same “Happy Third Trimester to my college girlfriend” morning). She is 27w5 days today. If she were in my shoes, her little pumpkin would already be a day old.
To Do It All
When the muppets first started eating rice cereal, we discovered tiny bites were key. (And then we discovered the key to a successful mealtime was anything other than rice cereal.) A heaping spoonful was just to big for their little mouths to neatly handle.
Try not to bite off more than you can chew. This is a lesson I often teach myself. Take, for example, the Pizookie at BJ’s Restaurant. It is a small dish of fresh-out-of-the-oven giant chocolate chip cookie topped with a mountain of melting vanilla bean ice cream. (The no-dessert Lenten promise has me dreaming of sugar plum fairies and triple scoop brownie sundaes.) It is so delicious that you crave an entire serving unto yourself. And then you don’t feel so good…
A perfect metaphor for life, really.
Wipe the Smirk Off Your Face
I had a fully zen moment after an afternoon spent at the spa. (A bit of personal relaxation enjoyed despite Scout’s best efforts.)
Destroy refused to focus on the actual spoonfuls of food in front of him. He’s currently exhibiting an odd fascination with the taste and texture of his bib. Unfortunately, this creates a very avant garde style: vegetable sleeves with pureed face mask. Jon’s patience is wearing thin with the secret handshake motions of pulling the bib away, wiping his face, turning to give his brother a spoonful, realizing Destroy has grabbed the bib again, attempting to scoop the dribbles of mashed baby food off the kid and then repeating the entire process.
Beware of Dog
For those of you concerned about our two large dogs biting the muppets: it appears your worries were reversed.