Maybe we are trying to do too many things at once. Who really knows? I've decided, with Baby #3 coming in a few short months, that the 4 yo boy and the 3 yo girl should share a room ASAP. My thinking is multi layered. First, I need the crib for the baby. Second, LJ is old enough for a toddler bed. Third, RF and LJ are only 19 months apart. So the way I see it, she should move in with him, as he has the bigger room, as soon as is humanly possible, so that they can learn how to room share and sleep at the same time, hopefully before the sleeplessness of new baby arrives. True, Baby Kangaroo will sleep in our room for at least 6 months, but I want LJ to "forget" that the little room is "hers". I'm trying to avoid her being displaced. Of course, in a few short years, if we are still in this house, one of them will be moving again. Depends on which variety of baby we get!
The kids were all for the idea. In fact, they wanted to share a room AND a bed. I nixed that idea pretty quickly. Got a bed. Check! Built the bed. Check! Moved all of LJ's things into the middle room. Check! So here goes nothing...
Day 1: Naptime
Ummm... Not going to happen. While I did not expect them to be able to lay down, LJ with the new found freedom of a toddler bed especially, and just quietly go to bed, I was also really irritable about the whole thing, probably because I am too pregnant to spend all morning building a toddler bed with no instructions and missing hardware! Still, I thought it best to take the opportunity to remove every single toy from the room. Oh well, at least they will be very very tired come bedtime.
Day 1: Bedtime
Its more than 2 hours before bedtime, and LJ's doing the I-can't-keep-my-eyes-open-head-nod while I read stories. I thought it was pretty important that she climb into that bed awake, so I whisked her off. We both squeezed in and sang a song, and I told her I would come back to check on her in 15 minutes. She was out cold right away. RF had no problem quietly hopping into bed and nodding off as well. But let's not go counting any poultry just yet.
Day 2: Naptime
Everyone is pretty tired. Its a Saturday and Daddy's home. These two things should make life a little easier. I tuck them both in, explain what I expect of them, and with only one or two reminders that its quiet time, they both sleep for a good 2 hours. Excellent!
Day 2: Bedtime
We all get ready together. We make a big deal of the big girl bed, and things go pretty well. There's the usual "Mommy I need..." nonsense, but all in all, not too shabby. I am starting to feel like a success. This feeling will likely be my downfall...
Day 3: Naptime
See Day 1: Naptime, only this time I had high expectations and other things to do. Two hours of constant reminders of quiet and revoking of privileges and attempts to not completely loose my head. All to no avail, except that our afternoon plans were now cancelled. Sorry Chuck-E, maybe next time.
Day 3: Bedtime
And here we are again, 1.5 hours early but everyone's tired and behaving atrociously. RF is laying on the hard, cold floor, crashing extra loud toys together. LJ is whining through the thumb she has glued to the inside of her mouth while she follows me around, pulling on my clothes. RF goes to cuddle with Daddy in our bed while I handle the terrible 2 yo. I get her into bed, sing a song, and off I go. Within 10 minutes she is up, crying, "But I awake Mommy I awake!" Well I think we are ALL aware of that one honey! Then comes the thrash and screech tantrum. I finally calm her down, get her back into bed, let her pick the color of the nightlight and tell her I will come back in 15 minutes to check in on her. I assume she is out cold, as I hear nothing. Maybe I should check. I'd hate to be counting feathers just yet!
Sunday, December 13, 2009
Friday, September 18, 2009
And So It Begins...
School. Or more accurately, preschool. Most people, when they go "back to school" shopping, buy backpacks, sneakers, pencils and notebooks. I went "back to school" shopping, (well, really just "to school shopping, since this is my first time, as a parent anyway), and I bought none of these things. I still managed to spend more than I think most people spend on their back to school shopping. I know. You're wondering how that is possible. Well, so am I. Only I also know the answer, but I still find it hard to believe. I bought 2 sets of Epi Pen Jrs, 2 boxes of single dose Benadryl, one inhaler, one bottle of antibiotics, one medicine bag, a one hour photo, corn starch, baking soda, food coloring, plastic baggies, and 2 allergen free snacks. Those last 5 items amount to a whopping ten bucks. Its the first half of the list that breaks the bank. Mind you, I am only paying for the copays here, not the whole full price of the meds. (Its not even all the meds we need, but we had extras of the others already in the house.)
Luckily, my newly designated schoolboy already had shoes and does not need a backpack, or I might just have collapsed from exhaustion! All this for 5 hours of school time each week! Its all worth it though, because he loves school and I love picking him up from school!
Thats another interesting thing. When you are home with little kids ALL THE TIME, you don't get the chance to miss them. Likewise, they never miss you. Whever Daddy comes home from work, there's a HUGE production. Children running to the door, screaming with excitement. I imagine this is how Santa must be greeted everywhere he goes. And Daddy gets that every single work day, (and anytime he goes anywhere else for that matter). If Mommy goes out, the kiddies are asleep. They don't even notice I've left, and are out cold when I come back. Dropping Ronan off at preschool is no big deal. He waves when I leave while he's running towards the toys. Thats it. But when I come to pick him up, he barrels out for me like a bull in Spain, so excited to tell me what he did and show me what he made and tell me that HE MISSED ME!!!!! Makes it all worthwile, because, in case you hadn't figured it out yet, the kind of preparation involved in sending any child, (but possibly this one in particular), to school for a whopping 2.5 hours is not worth the time you get without them in return. Its the child you get back after those short few hours that make it worth the fortune we are spending on it!
Luckily, my newly designated schoolboy already had shoes and does not need a backpack, or I might just have collapsed from exhaustion! All this for 5 hours of school time each week! Its all worth it though, because he loves school and I love picking him up from school!
Thats another interesting thing. When you are home with little kids ALL THE TIME, you don't get the chance to miss them. Likewise, they never miss you. Whever Daddy comes home from work, there's a HUGE production. Children running to the door, screaming with excitement. I imagine this is how Santa must be greeted everywhere he goes. And Daddy gets that every single work day, (and anytime he goes anywhere else for that matter). If Mommy goes out, the kiddies are asleep. They don't even notice I've left, and are out cold when I come back. Dropping Ronan off at preschool is no big deal. He waves when I leave while he's running towards the toys. Thats it. But when I come to pick him up, he barrels out for me like a bull in Spain, so excited to tell me what he did and show me what he made and tell me that HE MISSED ME!!!!! Makes it all worthwile, because, in case you hadn't figured it out yet, the kind of preparation involved in sending any child, (but possibly this one in particular), to school for a whopping 2.5 hours is not worth the time you get without them in return. Its the child you get back after those short few hours that make it worth the fortune we are spending on it!
Tuesday, August 4, 2009
A Day In The Life Of...
Most people in my life have no idea what I do all day long. Admittedly, before I stopped working I had no idea how jam packed and busy my stay-at-home life would be. I was under the silly impression that I would have time for things like scrap booking! (Full disclosure: I have 2 scrapbooks, both completely empty. In fact, I think they are still wrapped in plastic!) So, here's an idea of what I do everyday. Maybe if I write it down I might realize before I take on another project that I have NO TIME!
(You'll find rules in here that might seem absurd. I have my reasons. I might even tell you what they are!)
7am: Permission for children to go downstairs and start the day. While they are awake well before this time, Mommy and Daddy still like to pretend we might get a few more winks in. Morning routine begins, and lasts about 2 hours. Here's how it goes...
7-730am: Mommy listens to tales of dreams and nightmares while forcing everyone onto the potty, finding everyones lost loveys, yanking out the clothes we'll need for the day, and securing the living / dining area, (getting rid of any dangers that were left out overnight, usually cups and glasses).
7:30-8am: Make and eat breakfasts.
8-8:30am: Wipe down kids, table and floor. Wash dishes. Toss in a load of laundry. Dole out vitamins. Brush kids teeth. Administer morning medicines. Pack Lunches.
8:30-9am: Get children diapered and dressed. Get myself showered and ready to go.
9-9:30am: Referee disagreements while packing diaper and food bags. Find everyones shoes. Attempt to leave the house without bringing as many toys as little arms can carry.
9:30-10am: Make, eat and clean up snack. This incudes more wiping down of children, surfaces and dishes.
10-1130am: This is developmental/educational/errand running time, which can include playdates, the library, the park, the post office, the supermarket, the bank, etc. It normally cannot include more than 2 locations.
11:30-12noon: Stop wherever we are and have lunch. This is usually where I realize I forgot to pack food for myself, and try to get by on whatever leftovers the kids don't want.
12noon-1pm: Head home to prep for naptime. This means a lot of whining, some tantrums, more wiping down of kids and surfaces, forced potty time, diaper changes, throwing wet laundry into the dryer, reading stories and singing songs until children are in bed!
1pm-2pm: Please please no one bother me "Mommy Time", which usually includes bill paying and cloth diaper disposal, in addition to email, etc.
2pm-3pm: My chance to do the things I cannot seem to get done around the kids, like loading or unloading the dishwasher, (they make every attempt to break it when they are around), and making phone calls, (mostly Dr's appointments and lab results).
3-3:30pm: Little girl is definitely awake by now, Big boy possibly as well. Change a diaper. Make and clean up after snack while desperately trying to finish up whatever it was I started before they woke up.
3:30-4:30pm: Playtime for kids while Mommy tries to fold and put laundry away, finish up dishes, and whatever else was abandoned during the day for a boo boo.
4:30-5pm: Go through the mail while I start to think about how to feed everyone this evening. Usually also involves reading a few stories of setting up train tracks, etc.
5-6pm: Make dinner for family with food allergic children. This is complicated.
6:15-7pm: Eat dinner together, under threats of nutrient deprived children not being big and strong enough to play at Monkey Joe's house.
7pm-730pm: Clean up after dinner.
7:30-8pm: Bedtime routine, including more potty time and diapers, teeth brushing and more medicines, pjs, stories and songs.
8-8:30pm: Get everyone quietly into bed. Attempt to rationalize passing out myself.
8:30-the wee hours: Finish up anything that didn't get done. Clean kitchen and living / dining room. Attempt to make headway on home projects, or go to the grocery store, or wash diapers, or put garbage out, or whatever else needs to get done that day.
Once a week we are forced to cut naptime short and leave the house in the afternoon for another commitment. Otherwise, we don't generally leave the house in the afternoon, as the time between naptime and dinner is usually full of disasters. Then, of course, you have to factor in the "non everyday" stuff like Dr's appointments, which we have all too many of, and special visits to or from family and friends, sick days, emergencies, etc.
And there you have it. The backbone of every single day of my life. Of course, Daddy helps out when he's home and weekends are all messed up. If not for the hour at naptime that I have granted myself to check my email, I think I would loose my mind. Let's not think about what happens when children start outgrowing naptime! Of course, knowing all of that, I still wouldn't trade it for the world... except maybe the whining. I could definitely do without the whining!
(You'll find rules in here that might seem absurd. I have my reasons. I might even tell you what they are!)
7am: Permission for children to go downstairs and start the day. While they are awake well before this time, Mommy and Daddy still like to pretend we might get a few more winks in. Morning routine begins, and lasts about 2 hours. Here's how it goes...
7-730am: Mommy listens to tales of dreams and nightmares while forcing everyone onto the potty, finding everyones lost loveys, yanking out the clothes we'll need for the day, and securing the living / dining area, (getting rid of any dangers that were left out overnight, usually cups and glasses).
7:30-8am: Make and eat breakfasts.
8-8:30am: Wipe down kids, table and floor. Wash dishes. Toss in a load of laundry. Dole out vitamins. Brush kids teeth. Administer morning medicines. Pack Lunches.
8:30-9am: Get children diapered and dressed. Get myself showered and ready to go.
9-9:30am: Referee disagreements while packing diaper and food bags. Find everyones shoes. Attempt to leave the house without bringing as many toys as little arms can carry.
9:30-10am: Make, eat and clean up snack. This incudes more wiping down of children, surfaces and dishes.
10-1130am: This is developmental/educational/errand running time, which can include playdates, the library, the park, the post office, the supermarket, the bank, etc. It normally cannot include more than 2 locations.
11:30-12noon: Stop wherever we are and have lunch. This is usually where I realize I forgot to pack food for myself, and try to get by on whatever leftovers the kids don't want.
12noon-1pm: Head home to prep for naptime. This means a lot of whining, some tantrums, more wiping down of kids and surfaces, forced potty time, diaper changes, throwing wet laundry into the dryer, reading stories and singing songs until children are in bed!
1pm-2pm: Please please no one bother me "Mommy Time", which usually includes bill paying and cloth diaper disposal, in addition to email, etc.
2pm-3pm: My chance to do the things I cannot seem to get done around the kids, like loading or unloading the dishwasher, (they make every attempt to break it when they are around), and making phone calls, (mostly Dr's appointments and lab results).
3-3:30pm: Little girl is definitely awake by now, Big boy possibly as well. Change a diaper. Make and clean up after snack while desperately trying to finish up whatever it was I started before they woke up.
3:30-4:30pm: Playtime for kids while Mommy tries to fold and put laundry away, finish up dishes, and whatever else was abandoned during the day for a boo boo.
4:30-5pm: Go through the mail while I start to think about how to feed everyone this evening. Usually also involves reading a few stories of setting up train tracks, etc.
5-6pm: Make dinner for family with food allergic children. This is complicated.
6:15-7pm: Eat dinner together, under threats of nutrient deprived children not being big and strong enough to play at Monkey Joe's house.
7pm-730pm: Clean up after dinner.
7:30-8pm: Bedtime routine, including more potty time and diapers, teeth brushing and more medicines, pjs, stories and songs.
8-8:30pm: Get everyone quietly into bed. Attempt to rationalize passing out myself.
8:30-the wee hours: Finish up anything that didn't get done. Clean kitchen and living / dining room. Attempt to make headway on home projects, or go to the grocery store, or wash diapers, or put garbage out, or whatever else needs to get done that day.
Once a week we are forced to cut naptime short and leave the house in the afternoon for another commitment. Otherwise, we don't generally leave the house in the afternoon, as the time between naptime and dinner is usually full of disasters. Then, of course, you have to factor in the "non everyday" stuff like Dr's appointments, which we have all too many of, and special visits to or from family and friends, sick days, emergencies, etc.
And there you have it. The backbone of every single day of my life. Of course, Daddy helps out when he's home and weekends are all messed up. If not for the hour at naptime that I have granted myself to check my email, I think I would loose my mind. Let's not think about what happens when children start outgrowing naptime! Of course, knowing all of that, I still wouldn't trade it for the world... except maybe the whining. I could definitely do without the whining!
Tuesday, July 7, 2009
Master Cleanse 2, Day 1 and 2
I decided I would do the Master Cleanse quarterly, (so long as it doesn't run across a major holiday again), and it is time. I was much more nervous this time, maybe because of how well it went last time, (oh the pressure), but also I think because of all the junk we have been eating lately with all the visitors we've had.
Well it's not nearly as easy as it was last time. So far, on day 1 I felt pretty awful. I suspect its because of the combination of the SWF not really working right away, and the fact that I only drank half as much lemonade as the last time. I was hungry, but because I felt so crummy, I just couldn't be bothered to make more. Bad combination. So today, day 2, I thought I should double up on lemonades, which is how I got through it the last time. Well, you are supposed to wait at least 30 minutes between the SWF and your first drink, and I am not sure I did. Plus it was a double drink, and well... I didn't keep it down.
Come to think of it, I do feel much better now...
Well it's not nearly as easy as it was last time. So far, on day 1 I felt pretty awful. I suspect its because of the combination of the SWF not really working right away, and the fact that I only drank half as much lemonade as the last time. I was hungry, but because I felt so crummy, I just couldn't be bothered to make more. Bad combination. So today, day 2, I thought I should double up on lemonades, which is how I got through it the last time. Well, you are supposed to wait at least 30 minutes between the SWF and your first drink, and I am not sure I did. Plus it was a double drink, and well... I didn't keep it down.
Come to think of it, I do feel much better now...
Tuesday, May 12, 2009
Best Mother's Day Ever
This year was the best Mother's day ever for me. I could not have planned it better myself! It started with hubby requiring that I leave the house for 2 solid hours on Saturday night, without the kids! That meant that he had to put them to bed all by himself! I treated myself to a lovely meal, with a book of puzzles and NO ONE to ask me for anything, or put sticky hands in my hair, or insist on sitting on my lap while I attempt to shovel food into my mouth! Plus, it was a beautiful night for a long walk, which helped work off my meal.
Then, in the morning, not only did hubby leap out of bed to get our potty training son to the bathroom, (and successfully I might add), he also got everyone together in bed for my present. I didn't even have to get up!
Here is the inside of the card, complete with a poem, written by my husband.
For those of you who's eyes are not what they use to be, it reads as follows:
upon reading the blog of the sweet snarfysnee,
a mommy's day treat became clear to me,
not diamonds nor pearls for my craft-loving honey,
for use in rhinebeck an offering of money.
In exchange for this card there are currency notes,
to purchase some fluff from the sheep, pigs and goats.
Now, for those of you who might not be aware, (living under a fibre free stone I suppose?), Rhinebeck is the NY State Sheep and Wool Festival. Not only does this mean that I get some extra dosh for Rhinebeck, it also means I get to go WITHOUT complaint!!! Whooohooooo!!! I am an excited little fibre junkie!
Then, I got my present from the kiddies. Now, my husband has been learning all about the crunchy side of life, and while I may never get him to carpool, I have convinced him to recycle, (at least most of the time). He knows I have been making myself some market bags. He spent his Saturday night creating this masterpiece:
I love it love it love it!!! I have always wanted my kids hands or feet on something. I've hinted, poked and prodded for 3.5 years. Finally! We packed it full of snacks that day and headed to the park. I was so proud, and he could tell. To be honest, I dunno who was prouder, me or my son! And the most amazing part, there was not even the tiniest bit of paint on a child, or clothes, or the floor... couch... walls... I don't know how he did it!
To top it all off, I got to go to dinner and a movie with friends. A movie in an actual theater, that wasn't animated! I got to have a margarita at dinner. There was no food in my hair, no hand prints on my dress, (they look much better on my tote I think). And when I got home, he had just finished cleaning the house. What a fabulous day!
Then, in the morning, not only did hubby leap out of bed to get our potty training son to the bathroom, (and successfully I might add), he also got everyone together in bed for my present. I didn't even have to get up!
Here is the inside of the card, complete with a poem, written by my husband.
For those of you who's eyes are not what they use to be, it reads as follows:
upon reading the blog of the sweet snarfysnee,
a mommy's day treat became clear to me,
not diamonds nor pearls for my craft-loving honey,
for use in rhinebeck an offering of money.
In exchange for this card there are currency notes,
to purchase some fluff from the sheep, pigs and goats.
Now, for those of you who might not be aware, (living under a fibre free stone I suppose?), Rhinebeck is the NY State Sheep and Wool Festival. Not only does this mean that I get some extra dosh for Rhinebeck, it also means I get to go WITHOUT complaint!!! Whooohooooo!!! I am an excited little fibre junkie!
Then, I got my present from the kiddies. Now, my husband has been learning all about the crunchy side of life, and while I may never get him to carpool, I have convinced him to recycle, (at least most of the time). He knows I have been making myself some market bags. He spent his Saturday night creating this masterpiece:
I love it love it love it!!! I have always wanted my kids hands or feet on something. I've hinted, poked and prodded for 3.5 years. Finally! We packed it full of snacks that day and headed to the park. I was so proud, and he could tell. To be honest, I dunno who was prouder, me or my son! And the most amazing part, there was not even the tiniest bit of paint on a child, or clothes, or the floor... couch... walls... I don't know how he did it!
To top it all off, I got to go to dinner and a movie with friends. A movie in an actual theater, that wasn't animated! I got to have a margarita at dinner. There was no food in my hair, no hand prints on my dress, (they look much better on my tote I think). And when I got home, he had just finished cleaning the house. What a fabulous day!
Thursday, May 7, 2009
Spring Cleaning
I'm a pack rat. There's no denying it. I come from a long line of pack rats on both sides of my family. One of my Grandfathers even made a living out of it. I have a great deal of difficulty throwing anything away. I just hate seeing useful things go to waste, and even garbage is useful. It's a problem... especially because I married my polar opposite in this respect. If there is even the slightest bit of doubt in my husband's mind... even the faintest hint that he might not be using something in the next ten minutes... into the trash it goes. His thought process, "I can always buy another one". What a waste, and by the way, we do NOT have a money tree out back. I suppose it works out, in that we have learned from each other, and we do meet in the middle, but its a struggle.
Unfortunately, we are well overdue for a toy clean out. My kids have far too many toys in our we-don't-have-a-family-room-house. We never really did a toy clean out at Christmastime, (which is when we usually do it), because we were all so sick. Leila's birthday is coming up, and I know we just need to get rid of some things. So I have been picking away at it, packing up one box per week of things to go to goodwill. I was pretty ruthless for me, (which is nothing compared to what my husband would do), but what I really needed was the chance to do it all at once. Tonight was that night.
Just before we put the kids to bed we gathered EVERY SINGLE TOY into the living room. It was piled high on the floor. What a mess. Then, after the kids went to bed, we went to work. 3 hours later we have a pile of things to go. Too bad its midnight and there's still stuff everywhere! I think we did pretty well. there were no fights. I was ruthless, he was compromising, and in the end, we have two garbage bags going to good will, and 2 garbage bags packed up for "redistribution", plus 3 large items. Here is what my dining room table looked like. It was the "get rid of" pile.
And there's my happy hubby, thumbs up for all the stuff I am willing to part with!
Now I just need to get all the pieces of all the toys back together and where they belong...
Unfortunately, we are well overdue for a toy clean out. My kids have far too many toys in our we-don't-have-a-family-room-house. We never really did a toy clean out at Christmastime, (which is when we usually do it), because we were all so sick. Leila's birthday is coming up, and I know we just need to get rid of some things. So I have been picking away at it, packing up one box per week of things to go to goodwill. I was pretty ruthless for me, (which is nothing compared to what my husband would do), but what I really needed was the chance to do it all at once. Tonight was that night.
Just before we put the kids to bed we gathered EVERY SINGLE TOY into the living room. It was piled high on the floor. What a mess. Then, after the kids went to bed, we went to work. 3 hours later we have a pile of things to go. Too bad its midnight and there's still stuff everywhere! I think we did pretty well. there were no fights. I was ruthless, he was compromising, and in the end, we have two garbage bags going to good will, and 2 garbage bags packed up for "redistribution", plus 3 large items. Here is what my dining room table looked like. It was the "get rid of" pile.
And there's my happy hubby, thumbs up for all the stuff I am willing to part with!
Now I just need to get all the pieces of all the toys back together and where they belong...
Sunday, May 3, 2009
MD Sheep and Wool Festival
I spent a lovely day, (and by lovely I mean a wet, muddy, rainy day full of fabulous friends and fibres and NO CROWDS), at the MD Sheep and Wool Festival today. What a haul! I spent everything I have saved for this, and now I must get to work using it all before Rhinebeck so I can do it all over again with more fabulous and fun friends and fibres!
Monday, April 27, 2009
How Many Steps?
The Master Cleanse I completed has truly inspired me to take better care of myself, (which is entirely different than just thinking about it). From what I eat to where I park, I am trying to see opportunities for me to take care of me where before I only saw chores and exhaustion. I am tracking my water intake, and trying to get up to an ounce for every 2 pounds I weigh, (failing more days than not), but hopeful that the warm weather will help boost that one up. I'm also finding reasons to walk everyday. I'm supposed to take 12,000 steps a day, (and by supposed to I mean I know I read it somewhere, a long time ago in a land far away, and it still seems like a good idea), and back when I was working this was no problem. I never had a desk job. I used to walk to and from work, and I'd be on my feet most of the day, so 12,000 steps was a piece of cake! Now, 12,000 steps seems like a marathon. On days where I get some time away from the kidlets, I can do it, and I enjoy it. But on days when I have them from dawn til dawn, its just hard to squeeze it in. I've been walking to the library or the park, which gets me 3,000 round trip. Not enough. I went the long way home today, hoping I could bulk it up some before nap time, but boy was that rough. Take the sit n stand stroller, (22lbs), the 3 year old, (38 lbs), the almost 2 year old, (27 lbs), plus snacks, water, diapers and such, (easily 15 lbs), and then put us out on the sidewalk today, and you've got me pushing 100+ lbs in front of me under an oppressive 102 degree sun. Then of course there's the sidewalk that INSISTS on leaning to the side, dragging the stroller towards the street against my ever failing attempts to stay on said leaning sidewalk. Ugh. But I was motivated. I still when the long way home. I needed to know how many steps I could squeeze out of this ritual. Alas, I get home, and the pedometer had magically reset itself 112 steps ago! As my son would say... maybe we can try again tomorrow.
There are so many small ways for me to increase my steps when I don't have kids with me, (parking far away from my destination, an evening stroll through town, taking the stairs), but I need some suggestions for upping the ante when I do have the little buggers with me, which is most of the time! Right now, we are trying to take a walk everyday, but they don't last long enough for me to get even halfway. I am also always up and down the stairs all day long with arms full of laundry, toys, children, the potty, etc, so I have decided that I should always try for two trips where I would normally squeeze it into one. Other than that, I am out of ideas. Any suggestions?
I suppose I should also continue to wear the pedometer while inside the house, as right now I am not counting all those trips up and down the stairs...
There are so many small ways for me to increase my steps when I don't have kids with me, (parking far away from my destination, an evening stroll through town, taking the stairs), but I need some suggestions for upping the ante when I do have the little buggers with me, which is most of the time! Right now, we are trying to take a walk everyday, but they don't last long enough for me to get even halfway. I am also always up and down the stairs all day long with arms full of laundry, toys, children, the potty, etc, so I have decided that I should always try for two trips where I would normally squeeze it into one. Other than that, I am out of ideas. Any suggestions?
I suppose I should also continue to wear the pedometer while inside the house, as right now I am not counting all those trips up and down the stairs...
Tuesday, April 14, 2009
Mission Completed : 10 Day Master Cleanse
I do not reccomend planning a master cleanse so that any of your cleansing days fall on a holiday! My 10th day was Easter Sunday. I suppose it was good for me. I proved to myself that I can resist the blueberry pie I slaved over... but was that really necessary?
In any case, I did 10 days. My tounge was nearly clear and pink by the end, and I felt pretty good. I decided it was a good place to stop. It was not until the 10th day that I actually began to miss food. Plus, it had totally revitalized me for experimental cooking. I was burnt out with all the cooking that I have to do, but now I am looking foward to trying some new things.
I did not follow the instructions for breaking the cleanse explicitly. I listened to my body, and there have been no ill effects thus far. I cannot even begin to explain how much better I feel! I think spiritually, I could have gone longer. But I plan on doing this quarterly, and sometimes, when I jump in... I jump in a little too deep and burn out faster than I would like, so I decided my first cleanse would stop here. In three months, I'll be doing it again, and maybe I go 15 or 20. Only time will tell...
In any case, I did 10 days. My tounge was nearly clear and pink by the end, and I felt pretty good. I decided it was a good place to stop. It was not until the 10th day that I actually began to miss food. Plus, it had totally revitalized me for experimental cooking. I was burnt out with all the cooking that I have to do, but now I am looking foward to trying some new things.
I did not follow the instructions for breaking the cleanse explicitly. I listened to my body, and there have been no ill effects thus far. I cannot even begin to explain how much better I feel! I think spiritually, I could have gone longer. But I plan on doing this quarterly, and sometimes, when I jump in... I jump in a little too deep and burn out faster than I would like, so I decided my first cleanse would stop here. In three months, I'll be doing it again, and maybe I go 15 or 20. Only time will tell...
Thursday, April 9, 2009
Master Cleanse, Day 7
Ugh. Today is Day 7, and yes, it is the worst day thus far. It's still not as bad as everyone made it out to be, but I am starting to wonder if giving birth to two giants naturally, and having them both in cloth diapers, has somehow prepared me for the extra "ugh" factor of Day 7. Or maybe its my tolerance for discomfort and grossness that has allowed me to do these things. I dunno. I just know I feel not-so-good today, but not so bad that I wanna quit either. I know this cruddy, crappy, (punny), feeling means that the cleanse is working. Hopefully, this means the peace and serenity are on their way. Bring it! Bring me peace! PLEASE!!!
Wednesday, April 8, 2009
The Master Cleanse, Days 4-6
Today is Day 6. I am definitely doing this right and I was definitely detoxing this morning. It wasn't all that bad, but I was uncomfortable for an hour or two. Day 7 is supposed to be a heavy detox effect day, so if I can manage that with two kids in diapers, then I think I might be able to go on indefinitely. I just want to make sure I get the diapers washed before Day 7 starts!
I could totally do without this renewed sense of smell. My sense of smell has always been pretty bad, except during pregnancy and breastfeeding. The further into weaning we get, the worse my sense of smell gets. I have always blamed the stem cells. Now I can blame the cleanse. Many people have complained about being out in public on this cleanse and smelling nothing but halitosis everywhere they went. I now understand how revolting this really is, as I am living it!
I am finding it absolutely freeing to not have to worry about what to cook or feed myself. I spend so much time focused on food for my allergy kids, and consequently end up shoving whatever is around down my own throat in between taking care of everyone and everything else. When I do try to focus on keeping my own diet healthy, it can be a source of stress. Its a matter of balancing the time it takes to prepare something worth eating vs keeping the children from mauling each other vs just eating whatever is fast and easy.
Why do we so often put taking care of ourselves last on the list? I have long admired people who have no problems putting themselves first. That has gotta move up on my to do list.
Anyway, I am still waiting patiently for the peace and serenity to come. I know I should not expect it yet, but I do so need some!
I could totally do without this renewed sense of smell. My sense of smell has always been pretty bad, except during pregnancy and breastfeeding. The further into weaning we get, the worse my sense of smell gets. I have always blamed the stem cells. Now I can blame the cleanse. Many people have complained about being out in public on this cleanse and smelling nothing but halitosis everywhere they went. I now understand how revolting this really is, as I am living it!
I am finding it absolutely freeing to not have to worry about what to cook or feed myself. I spend so much time focused on food for my allergy kids, and consequently end up shoving whatever is around down my own throat in between taking care of everyone and everything else. When I do try to focus on keeping my own diet healthy, it can be a source of stress. Its a matter of balancing the time it takes to prepare something worth eating vs keeping the children from mauling each other vs just eating whatever is fast and easy.
Why do we so often put taking care of ourselves last on the list? I have long admired people who have no problems putting themselves first. That has gotta move up on my to do list.
Anyway, I am still waiting patiently for the peace and serenity to come. I know I should not expect it yet, but I do so need some!
Sunday, April 5, 2009
The Master Cleanse, Days 0-3
I have been searching for a way to naturally detoxify my system for a while now. My health issues have been getting worse, and basically I just feel bad all of the time. So I did some research, and decided on a Master Cleanse. I was supposed to start the day after my birthday, but life got sticky, (as it so often does), and I just was not ready. I rescheduled my start date for this past Friday, and wouldn't you know it, I wake up sick on Thursday! But there never really is an ideal time to do something like this, so I plodded ahead anyway. I felt like I had a really bad sinus infection, which is typical of me this time of year, and I wondered if the cleanse might make it better or worse? Only one sure fire way to find out...
So Day 0, which is really just nighttime prep for Day 1, I drank the specified tea. I was nervous, and expecting the worst. On Day 1, I was still sick, and feared I would not tolerate drinking the required 32 ounce salt water flush, but I managed to keep it down. It did take me over a half an hour to finish it tho!
I decided to start this way because Days 2 and 3 are suppose to be 2 of the worst 3 days and this way, I would have people around to help if need be. My mother was here, and I am sure she thinks I am crazy, but, as she put it, when I decide to do something, there is no stopping me.
So I made it to Day 2, which required I take the kids to a birthday party pretty far away, in a park. I was feeling pretty good on Day 1, but nervous about Day 2 being to much to handle. Turns out, it was pretty good. I felt OK, a little hungry, but not starving. I was tired, and decided to take the kids home before I became to tired to drive, (they were way overdue for a nap, but I often stay anyway, if they are still having fun). All in all, not too bad.
Today was Day 3, and I am running out of lemons and limes! We had another birthday party today, and a park play date, but I had my hubby to help out, and managed to sneak off to the store for some citrus while the kids were bouncing their little hearts out with Daddy. I'm still a little hungry, but not starving.
So far, I think this is really not as bad as people make it out to be. Of course, I fear saying that might doom me to a torturous Day 7, (the other most difficult day). I've had some wild dreams and night sweats, but I often have that when I am sick, so its hard to know what the cause is. I do have nearly unbearably itchy skin today, but I am certain my skin is starting to detox. Its incredible really... to see it working.
My mother says I have a high tolerance for pain and discomfort. That might be true, but so far, this really isn't so awful. Having said that... lets see if I can make it through Day 7!
So Day 0, which is really just nighttime prep for Day 1, I drank the specified tea. I was nervous, and expecting the worst. On Day 1, I was still sick, and feared I would not tolerate drinking the required 32 ounce salt water flush, but I managed to keep it down. It did take me over a half an hour to finish it tho!
I decided to start this way because Days 2 and 3 are suppose to be 2 of the worst 3 days and this way, I would have people around to help if need be. My mother was here, and I am sure she thinks I am crazy, but, as she put it, when I decide to do something, there is no stopping me.
So I made it to Day 2, which required I take the kids to a birthday party pretty far away, in a park. I was feeling pretty good on Day 1, but nervous about Day 2 being to much to handle. Turns out, it was pretty good. I felt OK, a little hungry, but not starving. I was tired, and decided to take the kids home before I became to tired to drive, (they were way overdue for a nap, but I often stay anyway, if they are still having fun). All in all, not too bad.
Today was Day 3, and I am running out of lemons and limes! We had another birthday party today, and a park play date, but I had my hubby to help out, and managed to sneak off to the store for some citrus while the kids were bouncing their little hearts out with Daddy. I'm still a little hungry, but not starving.
So far, I think this is really not as bad as people make it out to be. Of course, I fear saying that might doom me to a torturous Day 7, (the other most difficult day). I've had some wild dreams and night sweats, but I often have that when I am sick, so its hard to know what the cause is. I do have nearly unbearably itchy skin today, but I am certain my skin is starting to detox. Its incredible really... to see it working.
My mother says I have a high tolerance for pain and discomfort. That might be true, but so far, this really isn't so awful. Having said that... lets see if I can make it through Day 7!
Wednesday, March 11, 2009
Recipe: Leek and Shrimp Scampi
Ingredients:
1 1/2 pounds large shrimp (about 16 to 24)
1/3 cup butter
4 tablespoons minced garlic
1 leek, sliced in half, then thinly sliced crosswise and well rinsed
1/4 cup dry white wine
2 tablespoons lemon juice, fresh if possible
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
salt and pepper, to taste
Preparation:
Hull, clean and rinse shrimp and set aside. Heat butter in large skillet over medium heat. Cook garlic 1 - 2 minutes or until softened but not browned. Add leek; cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Add shrimp, wine and lemon juice; cook until shrimp are pink and firm, about 1 to 2 minutes on each side. Do not overcook. Add chopped parsley and salt and pepper before serving. Garnish with lemon slices and parsley sprigs if desired.
Makes 8 first course servings or 4 main course servings when served over rice, (of course in my house, it serves two!)
Dairy and Wine Free Variation:
Just omit the wine altogether and substitute extra virgin olive oil for the butter.
Shellfish Free Variation:
Substitute leftover chicken for the shrimp.
In my house, I have 3 pans going - one for my husband and I, Dairy and Wine Free for Ronan, and Dairy, Wine and Shellfish Free for Leila. There were no leftovers!
1 1/2 pounds large shrimp (about 16 to 24)
1/3 cup butter
4 tablespoons minced garlic
1 leek, sliced in half, then thinly sliced crosswise and well rinsed
1/4 cup dry white wine
2 tablespoons lemon juice, fresh if possible
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
salt and pepper, to taste
Preparation:
Hull, clean and rinse shrimp and set aside. Heat butter in large skillet over medium heat. Cook garlic 1 - 2 minutes or until softened but not browned. Add leek; cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Add shrimp, wine and lemon juice; cook until shrimp are pink and firm, about 1 to 2 minutes on each side. Do not overcook. Add chopped parsley and salt and pepper before serving. Garnish with lemon slices and parsley sprigs if desired.
Makes 8 first course servings or 4 main course servings when served over rice, (of course in my house, it serves two!)
Dairy and Wine Free Variation:
Just omit the wine altogether and substitute extra virgin olive oil for the butter.
Shellfish Free Variation:
Substitute leftover chicken for the shrimp.
In my house, I have 3 pans going - one for my husband and I, Dairy and Wine Free for Ronan, and Dairy, Wine and Shellfish Free for Leila. There were no leftovers!
Sunday, March 1, 2009
What DO you feed him?
I get this question a lot. Actually, I cannot remember a time where I have stated my son's known allergies and not received this question in return, in nearly that exact phrasing and influx.
My son is allergic to wheat, barley, dairy, egg, peanuts, tree nuts and a particular type of mold that grows in undisturbed mulches. I usually leave the last one out, as the list is long enough without having to explain why that last one matters. (It goes something like this: playground, mulched surfaces, post rainy days, little hands touch ground and mouth = reactions). My son doesn't have small reactions to anything. They are more like big bad explosions, and differ depending on the specific offending item.
The learning curve in food allergy is huge. I was a bumbling idiot on this subject before I had my son, and I now know all too much about the matter, which means I also don't know enough yet. No one does. We have more questions than answers when it comes to food allergy.
I was aware that we were at risk, as my husband had allergies as a child, so I did what they recommend you do. I breastfed exclusively for the first 6 months before introducing solids. I nursed him until he weaned himself. I made all his food from scratch. I introduced one new food a week. I steered clear of the top 8 allergens for the first year, as well as other foods that can cause problems for those under two, (berries, corn, etc). Blah blah blah. Did it make a difference? I don't know. Could it be worse? Well, as my grandfather would say, it could always be worse.
Once he turned one year old, I fed him one teaspoonful of plain white yogurt. (Yogurt is supposed to be easier to digest than straight up cow juice.) What followed cannot be described accurately with mere text. In a nutshell, he vomited for nine hours, and we paid an exorbitant co-pay for a visit to the ER, where they finally decided he was milk allergic. I say finally because at first, they accused me of feeding him strawberry yogurt. Plain yogurt, I say. No berries, I say. Single ingredient: milk, I say. They didn't seem to want to believe me, but eventually they realized I wasn't a liar, or an idiot. Or maybe they just didn't care. Or got bored. Who knows.
Well then my mind snapped back to a day when my son was about 7 months old, and reacted to the heel of the bread. It's an Italian tradition to give a baby the heel the the bread when teething. Its supposed to be good luck. When an Italian family member gave him the heel of the bread, it was in his mouth before I could protest. I figured, we'll watch and we'll see. Projectile vomiting and hives ensued, but there was a delay to this reaction. A delay that was long enough to keep this allergy novice from really putting it together. "Could have been the bread" I thought. But I couldn't really know which ingredient in the bread was the problem. Could also be viral. I dunno. Hives continued for the next day, and then he was fine.
So here we are, almost 3 years from that day, and the list has continued to grow. I am hopeful it will shrink. I say hopeful, but I am also realistic. Many times, I have been told, "test scores look good, might have grown out of X". Alas, the test scores were not good enough. At this point, we have failed two challenges for two different foods, but that is a story for another day. For right now, I choose to remain hopeful, and keep my little boy on his caveman diet.
My son is allergic to wheat, barley, dairy, egg, peanuts, tree nuts and a particular type of mold that grows in undisturbed mulches. I usually leave the last one out, as the list is long enough without having to explain why that last one matters. (It goes something like this: playground, mulched surfaces, post rainy days, little hands touch ground and mouth = reactions). My son doesn't have small reactions to anything. They are more like big bad explosions, and differ depending on the specific offending item.
The learning curve in food allergy is huge. I was a bumbling idiot on this subject before I had my son, and I now know all too much about the matter, which means I also don't know enough yet. No one does. We have more questions than answers when it comes to food allergy.
I was aware that we were at risk, as my husband had allergies as a child, so I did what they recommend you do. I breastfed exclusively for the first 6 months before introducing solids. I nursed him until he weaned himself. I made all his food from scratch. I introduced one new food a week. I steered clear of the top 8 allergens for the first year, as well as other foods that can cause problems for those under two, (berries, corn, etc). Blah blah blah. Did it make a difference? I don't know. Could it be worse? Well, as my grandfather would say, it could always be worse.
Once he turned one year old, I fed him one teaspoonful of plain white yogurt. (Yogurt is supposed to be easier to digest than straight up cow juice.) What followed cannot be described accurately with mere text. In a nutshell, he vomited for nine hours, and we paid an exorbitant co-pay for a visit to the ER, where they finally decided he was milk allergic. I say finally because at first, they accused me of feeding him strawberry yogurt. Plain yogurt, I say. No berries, I say. Single ingredient: milk, I say. They didn't seem to want to believe me, but eventually they realized I wasn't a liar, or an idiot. Or maybe they just didn't care. Or got bored. Who knows.
Well then my mind snapped back to a day when my son was about 7 months old, and reacted to the heel of the bread. It's an Italian tradition to give a baby the heel the the bread when teething. Its supposed to be good luck. When an Italian family member gave him the heel of the bread, it was in his mouth before I could protest. I figured, we'll watch and we'll see. Projectile vomiting and hives ensued, but there was a delay to this reaction. A delay that was long enough to keep this allergy novice from really putting it together. "Could have been the bread" I thought. But I couldn't really know which ingredient in the bread was the problem. Could also be viral. I dunno. Hives continued for the next day, and then he was fine.
So here we are, almost 3 years from that day, and the list has continued to grow. I am hopeful it will shrink. I say hopeful, but I am also realistic. Many times, I have been told, "test scores look good, might have grown out of X". Alas, the test scores were not good enough. At this point, we have failed two challenges for two different foods, but that is a story for another day. For right now, I choose to remain hopeful, and keep my little boy on his caveman diet.
A Knitting Disaster
I toiled and I strived and I lost a lot of sleep to finish a scarf for myself before our big trip to England. And I loved it! I wore it nearly everyday, with pride, for the two weeks our trip was supposed to last. Then, people started turning up sick, flights were cancelled, and being that I was well, I was stuck cleaning up the vomit and catching up with the laundry. Not the kind of vacation extension I had in mind. Meanwhile, I was furiously trying to finish the baby sweater gifts I neglected while finishing my own beloved scarf. These baby sweaters were gifts for the babies we were visiting, and I was determined to finish them before I left. When it came time to wash them, the day before our rescheduled flight, I mistakenly tossed my beloved scarf in with them. Now, I had washed my scarf in my own machine, cold and delicate, and it came out fine. I hadn't taken into account that this washing machine, a front loader, was in the kitchen, where my children had access to it and all its dials and buttons. Well, my scarf is now a fairly thick, felted belt, with zero stitch definition. I cannot be sure if it was the increased agitation in the machine, or a inability to convert Celsius to Fahrenheit in my sleep deprived, over worked stupor, or that my daughter had potentially changed the settings on the machine, but it doesn't matter. My scarf is not more. I have reordered the yarn. I will remake the scarf, and a hat and gloves to match. It will be even better, and just as gorgeous, and all mine... when I get to it. In the meantime, I have decided to cut the thick, felted belt into squares, and use them as coasters. Not a total loss I suppose.
PS: The baby sweaters were cotton, and survived the dreaded felting machine beautifully.
PS: The baby sweaters were cotton, and survived the dreaded felting machine beautifully.
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